them both 6. In the forme of inscription as in that the Law of works was written in the heart of Adam so in this the Law of grace is written in the heart of every one confederated 7. In the unchangeablenesse both of the one and of the other both of them are immutable Although that Covenant of works as it is a Covenant for life ceaseth unto believers yet it stands in force upon and against all unbelievers I say notwithstanding all these general concordancies correspondencies and agreements between them they do yet differ in nine particulars which I Nine things in which they differ shall the rather mention that you may understand the infinite goodnesse of God in making this Covenant of grace and his infinite mercy in it and your own happinesse by it if any of you be brought into the Covenant And also to affect your hearts that you may press the more after a personal interest therein Thus then the Covenant of works and of grace do differ 1. In their special end The end which God aimed at in the Covenant of works was the declaration and magnifying of his justice and his end in making In their special end the Covenant of grace is the declaration and magnifying of his mercy In the Covenant of works it is Do this and live if you sinne you dye for it Here is no place for Repentance no place for mercy In the Covenant of works when Adam had sinned there was no commission of enquiry whether he repented or not of what he had done the enquiry was only of the fact What hast thou done Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I said unto thee Thou shalt not eat and being found guilty death and curse are pronounced against him Gen. 3. 11 19. Thus it is in the Covenant of works The soul that sinnes shall die 〈◊〉 18. 4. In this God reveals his wrath from heaven against all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of men Rom. 1. 18. And thus he makes his power and justice known in that Covenant But in the Covenant of grace his intention and purpose is to glorifie his mercy to proclaim his glory The Lord The Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne Exod. 34. 6 7. This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes c. I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more Heb. 8. 10 12. In this Covenant there is place for repentance and mercy for the penitent Repent that your sinnes may be blotted out Acts 3. 19. He that forsakes his sins shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. So that as to the Covenant of works you must be altogether perfect and alwayes so if you sinne at all you are cast and condemned But as to the Covenant of grace the sinner being penitent is received to mercy and spared This is one great difference betwixt the Covenant of Works and of Grace 2. In the condition of man with whom God doth Covenant The Covenant In the condition of man with whom God doth Covenant of works was made with man as perfect upright innocent and then sinlesse and therefore it is called by some Pactum Amicitiae a Covenant of friendship because before the fall there was nothing of variance or enmity betwixt God and man that estate was an estate of love and kindnesse and friendship God was Adams friend and Adam was a friend to God they agreed together and conversed as loving friends But the Covenant of grace was made with man as breaking friendship as fallen off by sinne as under the estate of emnity when his sinnes had separated betwixt him and his God and therefore this Covenant is called Pactum Reconciliationis a Covenant of Reconciliation an agreement made betwixt parties who had fallen out The Lord was pleased to look after man again and to take pity on him and to propose new Articles of life unto him 3. In their foundations The Covenant of works as to our part was founded In their foundations upon the strength of that righteous nature which God gave unto Adam and in him unto us so that his standing was upon his own bottome upon the sufficiency of his own power and will with which he was created But the foundation of the Covenant of grace is Jesus Christ not our own strength but the strength of Christ who is the Rock the Corner-stone the foundation-stone upon which you are built And this is one reason why Adam fell and lost that life promised in the Covenant of works and why such as are brought into the Covenant of grace fall not so as to lose that blessed life promised unto them Adam had more inherent strength of grace than we have he at his first creation was without all sinne yet he being left to the strength of his own will willingly brake with God willingly transgressed and lost all But we though weaker in our selves than he yet being brought into this Covenant of grace though we meet with as great temptations as he yet fall not as he did because the foundation of our strength is greater than his Jesus Christ holds us in his own hands Joh. 10. 28. And we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. 4. The Covenant of works was made without a Mediatour There was no The one made without a Mediatour dayes-man betwixt God and man none to stand between them There was none and needed none because there was no difference then betwixt God and man Man was then righteous perfectly righteous A Mediatour is a third person betwixt two different parties to make up the breach which ariseth betwixt them but when the Covenant of works was made betwixt God and man all was righteousnesse and therefore all was peace there was no use of a Mediatour to bring them into peace and set them at one who were hitherto in perfect love and union But in the Covenant of grace there is a Mediatour The other with a Mediatour Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant Heb. 12. 24. Man being fallen there is now a necessity of a Mediatour to satisfie Gods Justice to destroy enmity to make peace to bring us neare to God again and to gain us confidence and acceptance with God The Covenant of grace could not have been drawn up without a Mediatour God would never have treated with sinners but by a Mediatour who should satisfie him for the wrong and injury done unto him and who should set mercy as it were at liberty to showr and fall down on sinful man and who should undertake to see all Articles performed Objection It may be objected that the Law given at Mount Sinai was a Covenant of works and yet that was delivered by the hand of a Mediatour Gal. 3. 19. Sol. I shall say no more to this at present but that the
delights in viz. uprightnesse of Spirit your sighs and groans and tears and desires shall passe and be accepted instead of more full and ample performances 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Mal. 3. 17. I will spare them as a man spareth his own sonne that serveth him Psal 51. 17. A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Zach. 4. 10. Who hath despised the day of small things 6. They have immunity from the terrour or coercive power of the Law Namely From the coercive power of the Law from obeying the commands of it upon the meer principles of slavish fear of the threatnings annexed unto the breach of the Law You do now obey the Law not as slaves but as sonnes not out of fear of wrath but out of love to your Father That Spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. and that spirit of fear 2 Tim. 1. 7. is removed and a spirit of love comes in the room thereof Though there were no rewards to allure and though there were no severe threats to terrifie you yet you would serve your God with willing minds and with willing hearts 2 Chron. 28. 9. Psal 110. 3. There is such a heavenly sutablenesse and superconnaturalnesse 'twixt the Law of your God and your hearts that it is your delight to meditate in it and to walk up unto it in all things there is no constraint on you but the love of your good God 7. They have immunity from the curse of the Law Christ hath redeemed us From the curse of the Law from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. Indeed afflictions and fatherly chastisements or corrections may befall the people of God in this life whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth Heb. 12. 6. but no curses befall them Though the cup be bitter yet there is no poyson in it though it be a crosse yet it is not a curse their wounds are healing wounds and their afflictions are instructions and their losses are their gains for nothing comes as a curse which doth us good 8. They have immunity from the Kingdome and power of darkness You are no From the Kingdome of darknesse longer under the Prince of the power of the Aire the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. The Divel is dispossessed and cast down and cast out he is still your enemy but he shall never be your Lord more he may tempt you and disquiet you but command and rule over you he shall never do Though the Divel be very busie and active with you yet he shall never regain possession never conâ—uer your graces never part you and your God never hinder you of your inheritance 9. They have immunity from death there is the first death and the second From death death or there is a three-fold death there is the death of the soul and the death of the body and the death of soul and body 1. Spiritual death that is the death of the soul 2. Corporal death that is the death of the body 3. Eternal death that is the death of soul and body Now all the people of God are freed from spiritual death by the grace of Christ and from eternal deaâ—h by the blood of Christ and from corporal death though not absolutely or simply yet respectively so far forth as sinne hath made it dreadful and our enemy and prejudicial to us Though you must dye yet your death is but your sleep and is but your strait passage into life The death of death is removed from you by the death of Christ Vide Heb. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law but thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jâ—sus Christ 10. What can I say more they have immunity from all evil in this life and in the life to come you are freed or delivered from an evil conscience which never From all evil leaves accusing and condemnâ—ng from this present evil world and the corruptions thereof from every evil work and way from evil men from all the evil which remains for evil men in hell God in this Covenant secures you against all why what comforts are there in these things and what confidence and what encouragements and what support unto your souls Why do you fear so often and why are your hearts troubled Surely you do not know your selves to be the people of God or else you do not fully know the liberties and immunities of the people of God Sometimes you fear the heavy wrath of God but why do you so He is your God and your Father and full of compassions and loving kindnesses he will not deal with you as a revenging Judge but as a loving and merciful Father he is at peace with you and reconciled unto you Sometimes you fear the damnation and curse belonging unto sinne But why do you so Christ hath dyed and satisfied for your sinnes and he was made a curse for you and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Sometimes you fear because of the powerful motions and conflicts and rebellions of sinne in your hearts but why do you so seeing that sinne shall not have dominion over you and Christ in you is daily mortifying and destroying the body of sinne neither shall any Lord reigne in you but your Saviour who dyed for you Sometimes you fear because of the imperfection of your graces but why do you so It is not your weaknesse or want of holinesse but Christs perfect righteousnesse which is imputed unto you for life and for justification Sometimes you fear because of the weaknesse of your obediential services and performances but why do you so your God in Covenant works all his works in you and he owns your persons and will accept the weakest offerings of an upright heart in and for Christ Sometimes you fear because of the strong temptations of Satan but why do you so grace sufficient shall be given unto you and your God will shortly bruise Satan under your feet Sometimes you fear men because of their malice and power and why do you so your God will restrain the rage of man and frustrate the counsels of the Heathen and break the armes of the ungodly and knows how to deliver you Sometimes you fear to dye but why are you afraid of death which is but the last Stile to go over and then you are at your Fathers house death to you is but an end of your sinnes and miseries and only a quick passage into your eternal happinesse Secondly The priviledges which you enjoy by being under the Covenant of grace Priviledges by being in Covenant by
Jesus was made a surety of a better Covenant 8. 6. He is the Mediatour of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises There is you know the first Covenant the Covenant of Works and there is the second Covenant the Covenant of Grace which is divided into the Old Covenant and into the New Covenant Now here I shall briefly open two things unto you 1. That the Covenant of grace which is the second Covenant is a better Covenant than the Covenant of Workes which was the first Covenant 2. That the New Covenant under which we live is a better Covenant then the Old Covenant under which the Fathers did live 1. The Covenant of grace is a better Covenant then the Covenant of Works This will appear if you do consider ten particulars The Covenant of grace is a betâ—er Covenant then that of works It hath a better foundation 1. The Covenant of Grace hath a better foundation than the Covenant of Works The foundation of the Covenant of works was that power of will and righteousness wherewith Adam was created he stood upon his own bottom and was left unto his own sufficiency like the Prodigal child Luke 15. he had all his goods in his own hand But the foundation of the Covenant of Grace is Jesus Christ he is the sure foundation-stone laid in this building Isa 28. 16. and our salvation is laid upon one that is might upon one who is able to keep and to save to the utmost Not our strength but Christs strength not our undertaking but Christs undertaking not our will but Christs Mediatorship and Suretyship is the foundation of the Covenant of grace 2. The Covenant of grace hath better terms All the Articles of it are promises nothing is there required of us which is not promised unto us by God yea that It hath better terms which was required in the first Covenant as a condition is in this Covenant turned into a promise viz. Obedience to Gods Commandements Heb. 8. 10. I will put my Law into their minds and write them in their hearts And I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people And that which is required in this Covenant as a condition it is likewise promised Joh. 6. 45. They shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me 3. The Covenant of Grace hath better admissions I speak in respect of us thn It hath better admissions the Covenant of Works The Covenant of works would not admit any person unlesse he were righteous and inherently righteous and perfectly righeous The Covenant of works was never made with the sinner but with the righteous it condemns and casts out the sinner but never doth accept of him or let him in But the Covenant of grace doth admit sinners if any sinner be rightly sensible of his sins and of hâ—s wants and imperfections God calls out unto him Hearken It hath more favourable proceedings with the parties brought into Covenant unto me and your souls shall live And he that hath no mony come buy and eat Isa 55. 1 3. 4. The Covenant of grace hath more favourable proceedings with the parties brought into Covenant than the Covenant of Works The Covenant of work is very sharp and quick the least transgression therein doth undo the party whether of Omission or of Commission Cursed is every one that doth not continue in every thing that is written in the law to do it Gal. 3. 10. That one sin of the Angels hath undone them for ever That one sin of Adam brought him under the sentence of death The Covenant of Works had no mercy to shew it proceeded only in a way of justice But the Covenant of grace is not so strict and quick it is a very favourable Covenant I will be merciful to their unrighteousness saith God Heb. 8. 12. And if any man sin we have â—n Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If my people which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked wayes Then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin 2 Chron. 7. 14. 5. The Covenant of grace hath better promises the Covenant of works so far as yet I do understand it had but one grand promise annexed unto it and that It hath the better promises promise also was but conditional viz. A promise of life upon the condition of fixed Obedience life should be continued as long as obedience was continued Do this and live But the Covenant of grace contains better promises and more promises it doth contain a promise of life upon better conditions than that of working Life is promised upon believing Believe and thou shalt be saved and besides that it contains promises of all the things that shall bring us unto that life promises of holinesse promises of strength promises of perseverance in grace And promises against all the things which might break us off from the Covenant and from the fruition of promised life and salvation 6. The Covenant of grace is more indulgent than the Covenant of works Those services which will not be accepted in a Covenant of works will yet It is more indulgent be accepted in a Covenant of Grace The Covenant of works doth so insist upon works that the least mixture of diminution or imperfection renders the work uncapable and distastful the work must be in every regard perfect for matter and manner and measure or else as to that Covenant it was faulty and rejected But this is not in the Covenant of Grace weaknesse in working and imperfection of service shall not be rejected The day of small things is not despised The bruised Reed shall not be broken The smoaking flax shall not be quenched I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him saith God in Mal. 3. 17. If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8. 12. Vnto this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word I have seen thy tears said God of Hezekiah Isa 38. 5. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Psal 38. 9. 7. The Covenant of grace affords better pleas than the Covenant of works If a person offend against the Covenant of works his mouth is stopt and he can It affords better pleas plead nothing on his own behalf nothing at all to stay the hand of justice against him But if one sins against the Covenant of Grace he hath yet something to plead for himself why God should not reject and destroy him There are four things which he can plead One is his Relation yet thou art
was upon him and including the punishments common to the nature of man not the personal arising out of imperfection and defect and distemper The punishments due to us for sin were Corporal and Spiâ—itual and again they were the punishments of losse and of sense and all these did Christ suffer for us Shall I touch at these 1. That he suffered Corporal punishments the Scriptures clearly report unto us Christ suffered corporal punishments you read of the injuries to his Person of the crown of thorns on his Head of the smitâ—ing of his Cheeks of spitting on his Face of the scourgings of his Body of the Cross on his Back of the vinegar in his Mouth of the Nailes in his Hands and Feet of the Speare in his side and of his crucifying and dying on the Crosse 1 Pet. 2. 24 Who himself in his own body on the Tree bare our sins 1 Cor. 15. 2. Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures Rev. 1. 5. and washed us from our sins in his own blood 2. That he suffered likewise in his soule The Scriptures likewise are express He suffered in his soule for it Matth. 26. 38. My soule is exceeding sorâ—owful even unto death Isa 53. 10. When thou shalt make his soule an offering for sin he shall see his seed c. Joh. 12. 27. Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour But for this cause came I unto this hour The Papists say that Christ did not truely and properly and immediately suffer in his soul but only by way of sympathy and compassion with his Body to the Mystical Body and that his bare bodily sufferings were sufficient for mans redemption But these are unsound Assertions For 1. Christ bare our sorrows Isa 53. 4. what sorrows we should bear but the sorrows due unto us for our sins were not corporal only but Spiritual also and those did Christ bear in his soule 2. What Christ took of ours that he in suffering offered up for us for his assuming of our nature was for this end to suffer for us in our Nature but he took our nature in Body and in Soul Suscepit animam meam suscepit corpus meum saith Ambrose And he delivered our soules as well as our bodies and the sins of our soules did need his sacrifice as well as the sins of our bodies and our soules were crucificed with Christ as well as our bodies Mens mea in Christo Crucifixa est saith Ambrose incipio in Christo vincere unde in Adam vinctus sum l. 4. in loco Si totus homo periit totus beneficio salvatoris indiguit if our whole man was lost then our whole man did need the benefit and help of a whole Saviour and if Christ had assumed only our flesh our body then our souls adjudged to punishment had remained under transgression without hope of pardon 3. Again that punishment which was pronounced against the first Adam our first Surety and in him against us that same did Christ the Second Adam our next and best Surety bear for us or else it must still lie upon us to suffer it But the punishment threatned and denounced against Adam for transgression was not only corporal respecting our bodies but Spiritual also respecting our soules There was a Spiritual malediction due unto our soules as well as a corporal c. 4. That fear which fell on Christ and his agony was a real fear and agony and it was in his soule and did not arise from the meer contemplation of bodily torments only The very Martyrs in the encountring of them have feared little Certainly there was some great matter that lay upon the very soule of Christ which made him so heavy and sorrowfull and so afraid and in such an agony 5. He shall see of the travell of his soule Isa 53. Here the soule is taken properly and the travel of Christs soule is his sufferings for it follows and he shall bear their iniquities 6. Christ gave himself c. But the body only is not himself Christs sufferings in soul were exceedingly high and great 3. That the suffering of Christ in his soule was exceedingly high and great and wonderful both as to the punishment of losse and as to the punishment of sense all which I shall expresse in four particulars 1. Jesus Christ did suffer dereliction for a time 2. Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the wrath of God 3. Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the torments of hell 4. Jesus Christ was verily made a curse for us and did in his soule and body bear that curse of the Law which by reason of transgression was due unto us 1. That Jesus Christ did suffer dereliction of God really He was indeed deserted Christ did suffer dereliction for a time and forsaken of God Matth. 27. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me yet well understand me in this I do not mean that there was any such desertion of Christ by God as did dissolve the union of the Natures in the Person of Christ for Christ in all his sufferings still remained God and Man nor do I mean an absolute desertion in respect of the presence of God for God was still present with Christ in all his sufferings and the God head did support his Humanity in and under his sufferings but that which I mean is this That as to the sensible and comforting manifestations of Gods presence thus he was for a time left and forsaken of God as David who in this particular was a Type of Christ suffering cryed out Psal 22. 1. My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so far from my help He was indeed really forsaken of God God did indeed leave him in respect of his sense and feeling so was Christ Though God did still continue a God to David yet in Davids apprehension and feeling he was forsaken of God Though God was still a God to Christ yet as to his feeling he was left of God to wrastle with God and to bear the wrath of God due unto us Relinquit Deus dum non parcit saith Tertullian That was truly a dereliction Vbi nulla fuit in tanta necessitate virtutis exhibitio nulla ostensio Majestatis So Bernard Quoniam delicta aliena suscepi etiam delictorum alienorum verbera suscepi c. So Ambrose And as he saith flagellata his ipse est ne nos flagellaremur Christ was scourged that we might not be scourged so Christ was forsaken that we might not be forsaken 2. That Jesus Christ did feele and suffer the wrath of God which was due Christ did feel and suffer the wrath of God due to us unto us for our sins The Prophet Isa 53. 4. saith that he was plagued and smitten of God and verse 5. The chastisement of our peace was upon him To be plagued and smitten of God is to feel and suffer the
That though a satisfaction for sin were necessary yet there was some kind of Relaxation in exacting of that satisfaction 4. That Jesus Christ did really make a satisfaction 5. That his satisfaction was not only for our good but also in our stead and therefore it was in our stead that it might be for our good 1. That God could not Salvo jure passe over the sin of man so as absolutely God could not let sin go unpunished to let it go unpunished It being against his Justice and against his Truth Every sinner is worthy of death They which commit such things are worthy of death Rom 1. 32. Now God is just and Righteous It is a righteous thing wiâ—h God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 2 Thes 1. 6. yea and God did therefore set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3. 25. To declare his Righteousness that he might be just verse 26. If God be a Just and Righteous God then sin cannot absolutely escape unpunished for it is just with God to punish the sinner who is worthy of punishment And truly God must deny himself if he will not be just But God cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2. 13. And besides this as God cannot but be just and therefore sinne cannot escape unpunished so God cannot but be true and if he cannot but be true then what he hath threatned against sin that must be performed But he hath threatned punishment for sin In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death and the soule which sins shall die Object And whereas some do object That it is lawful for any man de jure suo remittere quantum velit To abate of his right as much as he pleaseth and therefore God may do so Sol. I answer 1. That is not a true Rule absolutely amongst men A Magistrate cannot dispence with any so that the Lawes may be violated and Justice be overthrown Nor a father with the wickednesse of his Children so that they shall go wholly unpunished David did so indeed about Absolom and Eli about his sons but they paid dear for it Only it holds in some cases which are not in fraudem tertij or salvo jure tertij 2. And as for God it holds not for although God may be pleased so far cedere de jure as to admit of a Surety yet he cannot so far yield as to abrogate his own Law and quietly to sit down with injury and losse to his own justice himself having established a Law c. 2. That God will not let sin go unpunished Exod. 34. 7. He will by no meanes God will not let sin go unpunished clear the guilty He is unchangable Ezek. 18. 20. The soule that sinneth it shall die And the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon him Rom. 2. 6. He will render to every man according to his deeds Look on sin in any Creature whatsoever God would not let it pass unpunished 1. In the Angels that fell Jude verse 6. The Angels that kept not their fiâ—st estate but lost their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains of dâ—rknesse unto the judgement of the great day 2. In Men whether Reprobate or Elect. If Reprobate and unbelievers then they must bear their own punishment of sin for ever If Elect and Believers yet Christ must bear their punishment for God will not suffer sin to passe unpunished he doth perfectly hate and abhor it his wrath is sealed against it he will give no encouragement for any to sin but would utterly deter men from it and his Righteous Law must and shall be maintained 3. That though a satisfaction for sin be necessary yet there is some kind of Relaxation Though a satisfaction was necessary yet there was a relaxation in exacting that satisfaction and mitigation in the exacting of that satisfaction for although God as just must and will punish sin yet it is not against Justice for to exact the punishment or that the satisfaction of it may be joyned with some mitigation therefore we distinguish of Justitia Rigida Temperata Indeed in Justitia vindicante per modum rigoris which we call summum jus there is no mitigation at all neither of the substance of punishment nor of the circumstances of it but in Justitia temperara where there is a mitigation of levying the punishment this is not contrary to justice And with this kind of justice did God prosecuâ—e the sinnes of his Elect for which though he would be satisfied yet it was with a moderation which I call a mitigation of justice For whereas in Rigour of Justice God might 1. Have insisted strictly with sinners as to their own person to have suffered for their sins yet he did not so but allowed of a Surety on their behalf to bear their sins and to suffer for them 2. Might have refused what another offered for them although in it self sufficient to satisfie his Justice yet he did accept thereof 3. Might have challenged an eternal duration of punishment which he had threatned and the nature of sin did deserve yet he did repute the dignity of the person who did suffer and die for their sins as Aequivalent unto an eternal duration of suffering and dying and the suffering of such a Person it did vertually amount thereunto and in all these respects there was a temperature or moderation of Justice in the exacting of satisfaction for the sinnes of the Elect. 4. That Jesus Christ by his death and sufferings did really and truly make satisfaction For whether you take satisfaction for punishment endured Christ by his death and sufferings did really make satisfaction equal to the fault committed or for so much done and suffered and ipso facto as de jure did solvere debitum discharge the debt to be paid so that God in justice cannot Renew the suite against us but ought to acquit us having Received a full Payment In both these respects did Christ make satisfaction 1. Jesus Christ did endure punishment equal to the fault What our sinnes He endured punishment equal to the fault did deserve and what justice might lay upon us for those sins all that did Christ suffer or bear and therefore certainly Christ did make satisfaction If you will admit of any satisfaction at all in criminal cases for sinnes and offences it must of necessity lie in the commensuration of the punishment with the fault when so much punishent is sustained for sin as justice requires for the guilt of that sin Now Jesus Christ did so suffer for our sinnes as that his sufferings were fully answerable unto the demerit of our sinnes And I think I may safely deliver it That God in justice for the satisfying of it could not in genere poenarum require any more or lay on any one more punishment than Jesus Christ did suffer for our sinnes And my Reason is this because Christ
for you are under grace by his Spirit which sanctifies 2. And from the damnation for sin There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. by his blood which justifies 2. With the chaines of bondage under the power of Gods Justice By reason From the power of Gods justice of sin we fall into the hands of a just God who hath threatned sin and revealed his wrath against it So that wheresoever the sinner lives he lives under this cloud of Gods wrath which at any times may break and fall down upon him and utterly and eternally overwhelme him This is a very dreadful bondage worse than his who sate eating with a great sharp sword hanging over his head with a little weak small thread And worse than his who hung by a rotten bough which if it brake he had immediately fallen down and had been dashed in pieces upon the Rocks But Jesus Christ hath redeemed us out of the hands of Gods justice by satisfying and appeasing the same and so hath delivered us from wrath 1 Thes 1. 10. Even Jesus who hath delivered us from the wrath to come we are saved from wrath through him Rom. 5. 9 3. With the chaines of bondage under the power of the Law of God The From the power of the Law Law of God speaks death and curse unto every sinner and under that is the sinner concluded The soule that sins shall die and cursed is every one who continues not in every thing that is written in the Law to do it What a heavy bondage is this for a sinner to carry about with him many Inditements and accusations in his own heart and to read as many curses pronounced against him in the Law of God For this sin thou art cursed and for that and for every one c. so that the sinner is condemned and cursed and dead in Law Which curses if the Law be not satisfied will as surely befall him as God is God But from this bondage also hath Christ redeemed us Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us From the 1. Execution of the Law by his active obedience 2. Condemnation of the Law by his passive obedience 4. With the chaines of bondage under a guilty accusing and condemning conscience For out of every sin there doth arise a particular guilt which guilt From an accusing and condemning conscience bindes over the sinner to the Judgement Seat of God to answer for it and to receive that condemnation threatned against it and this lies heavy on his Conscience Terret me conscientia mea ubicunque vadit mecum Testis Judex And truely this chain of bondage is such an iron yoke and such a fiery furnace and such a restless Sea and such an amazing wound that none can bear it who yet must bear it It is the very spirit of bondage the very terror of the Almighty the very hell on earth Yet also from this bondage doth Christ deliver us by making peace in his blood and by speaking peace through his Spirit unto our spirits and by preaching and sealing the forgivenesse of our sins Matth. 9. 2. Son be of good chear thy sins are for given thee And now Conscience is quiet ceaseth to accuse and condemn and excuseth and comforteth 5. With the chaines of bondage under the power of Satan who is the From the power of Satan Prince of the power of the Aire the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. who takes us captives at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. and whose lusts and will we do naturally serve Joh. 8. 44. Power of his 1. Dominion 2. Operation and temptation But Jesus Christ hath redeemed us from this bondage also He hath bruised the head of this Serpent Gen. 3. 15. And by his Crosse hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and triumphed over them Col. 2. 15. and overcome that danger Rev. 12. 8 9. And hath destroyed him that hath the power of death that is the Divel Heb. 2. 14. And hath delivered us even from this power of darknesse Col. 1. 13. He hath bound the strong man so is Satan called Matth. 12. 29. who bound us and ruled over us and now we may by Faith quench all his fiery darts in the blood of Christ Ephes 6. 16. 6. With the chaines of bondage under the fear of death and hell A perpetual From the fear of death fear of which lies upon the conscience of the sinner who although in the presence of his mad and wild companions and in the midst of his cups and delights seems to be either unmindful or slighting yet when he is alone and more serious his heart doth tremble at the thoughts of death and judgement I would not die I am afraid to die But from this bondage also all that believe in Christ are redeemed or delivered Who Heb. 2. 15. did deliver them who through the fear of death were all their life-time subject unto bondage And so 1 Cor. 15. 56 57. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ And thus you have the Privative part of our Redemption by Christ viz. The evil from which by him we have deliverance 2. Now follows the Positive part of our Redemption by Christ For his Redemption The Positive part what we are free to is not a meer deliverance as if one should only be freed out of prison or only be kept from drowning or only be reserved from condemnation But besides the evil estate from which we are delivered by Christ there is also a good estate unto which we are brought by the Redemption of Christ As when the Israelites were Redeemed they were not only delivered out of Egyptian bondage but they were also brought into that goodly Land of Canaan And truely so it is with our Redemption by Christ As it is an outlet from all evil and misery so is it an inlet to all blessings and mercies The reason whereof is this because this Redemption was not only a sufficient price to satisfie but it was also a superabounding price to purchace There was not only enough in it to get off all evil but more yet remaining to merit and puâ—chace all the good which our soules did need Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son For that now we are 1. Under another Lord. 2. Under other Laws and commands 3. Under the best Liberties and Priviledges Rev. 5. 9. Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood verse 10. and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth Here you see what an excellent estate the Redeemed by the blood of Christ are brought into They are redeemed unto God so as
on him on his death on his blood O blessed Jesus thy Person have I accepted thy blood have I relyed on on that precious and purchasing blood I have relied hitherto on it and it hath brought grace into my heart and peace into my conscience and joy into my soul and forgiveness of sins and the taste of much mercy and goodness I read and I do believe the future inheritance purchased by thy blood and reserved in heaven for me I die in the faith of it I believe also to enjoy the Crown of Righteousness the Kingdom of glory that eternal life which is the gift of God through Jesus Christ my Lord. 6. I will super-add one great benefit more which results from Christs Suffering The suffering of Christ is the confirmation of the Covenant as our Mediatour which shall be the close of all the rest and that is this The sufferings or death or blood of Christ is the confirmation of the Covenant you read of a two-fold confirmation of the Covenant 1. God confirmed the Covenant and he confirmed it by an Oath Heb. 6. 17. and Psal 89 35. Once have I sworn by my holiness c. 2 Jesus Christ confirmed the Covenant Gal. 3. 17. The Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ and Jesus Christ confirmed it by his Oath therefore his blood is called the blood of the Covenant Heb. 13. 20. And the blood of the New Testament Matth. 26. 28. In a two-fold respect His death gives force unto it Now Christ confirms the Covenant in a two-fold respect 1. In that his death gives force unto it To this agrees that of the Apostle in Heb. 9. 16 Where a Testament is there must also of necessary be the death of the Testator verse 17. For a Testament is of force after men are dead In this place the Covenant is called a Testament or a last Will wherein Estates and Legacies are bequeathed and which cannot be challenged untill the Testator dies but upon his death the Testament is of force that is all concerned in the Will and Testament may come and demand and take out the Legacies bequeathed unto them Object And whereas you may object that the Saints before the death of Christ obtained all blessings Sol. It is answered that Jesus Christ was a Lumb slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13. 8. Jesus Christ was reckoned both with God and with his Church of old as dead and the promise of laying down his life for his people accepted in their time as if it had been performed and his very death appeared unto them in the Sacrifices of the Law and accordingly the Testament was of force unto them 2. In that his death seals the Covenant as firm and stable and unalterable His death seals the Covenant saith the Apostle Gal. 3. 15. Though it be but a mans Covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereto There is now no question to be made of the intentions of God or of his promises in the Covenant for they are all of them Yea and Amen in Christ they are sure and stable the blood of Christ hath confirmed and ratified all there cannot possibly be an higher confirmation of the Covenant than this If a man offers you his Oath to assure you this is high but if a man will lay down his life upon it if he will take his death upon it he cannot give an Higher Testimony or Confirmation unto a Truth Now to take â—ff all doubtings on our part and fully to settle our perswasions concerning the Covenant as God gives us his Oath swearing by himself Heb. 6. 13. And God could go no higher than to swear by himself So the Son of God gives us his life he takes his death upon it that all shall be performed and further he cannot go Object But will some say What if Christ did die why must there be thereupon a confirmation of the Covenant must all the Covenant be sure for performance because Christ died what was there in his death for such a purchase Sol. I answer The death of Christ was the death of a Surety and of one who was therefore to die that the Covenant might be established There are three things considerable in the death of Christ One is Satisfaction to Gods Justice The other is Merit of all the good which we do need and God will bestow And there is also Efficacie Jesus Christ will see all made good and in these respects his death comes to be a confirmation of the Covenant but I will not stand any longer on this Point only I will make a little Use of it and so passe on Vse 1 Hath Jesus Christ as Mediator confirmed the Covenant not only established it to to be unalterable but made it firm and sure and unquestionable for the performance Why do you that are in Covenant doubt of all the good which God hath therein promised Then you who are brought in to Christ who are the people of God in Covenant you whose treasures are laid up in the Covenant and whose whole portion is setled there why do you doubt and why are ye afraid and why are your hearts troubled you cannot possibly have a better or fuller portion than God hath already setled upon you in this Covenant and you cannot possibly have a better or stronger assurance to confirm you in the expectation of all that good of the Covenant then the Oath of God and the death or blood of Christ You have the Promise of God and the Oath of God and the blood of Christ to assure you what would you have more and what can you have more It was a sharp aggravation of the infidelity of the Jews in John 12. 37. But though he had done so many miracles before them yet they believed not on him And verily it is a just exprobation of our unbelief that though we have the promise of God to perform his Covenant and though we have the Oath of God to perfoâ—m his Covenant and though we have the Blood of Christ to confirm the Covenant unto us yet in every occasion and in every strait we are calling all into question we doubt and fear and suspect and question whether the Covenant of God with us be a faithfull word as if God who cannot lie would deceive and faile us as if the God of Truth would forswear himself as if the Lord Jesus Christ having sealed the Covenant with his own blood might be found a deceiver and a false witness The Lord humble us for this unbelief and cause us to fear and to abhor this sin of unbelief as that which is most dishonourable to God and as most prejudicial and dangerous unto our own soules Vse 2 Hath Christ our Mediatour confirmed the Covenant by his own death Then you who do believe in Christ and therefore are interested in the Covenant make Make out to your God for all your souls do need
Opinion Christ say they did suffer was crucified and died and satisfied no less for them that are now damned and that hereafter shall be damned then for the sins of Peter and Paul and all the Saints and all that shall be saved This was the Opinion of Jacobus Andreas in the conference of Montpelgart and one Haberus followed it fully Jesus Christ saith he died not for some men only but for all the posterity of Adam not one man of universal mankind excepted no not Judas himself whether they do by faith challenge that salvation and remain in it or whether they do by infidelity refuse that salvation and thereupon perish eternally Methinks it is great pity that any were in Hell before Christ died and that Jesus Christ should suffer so exceedingly for mens salvation who are already damned 3. Others are of opinion that the death of Christ was universal for all men thus far That Jesus Christ as to this work wrought Redemption for all not only in a way of sufficiency which respects the dignity of his Person but in a way of sufficiency as to God that is he satisfied Divine Justice for all and purchased deliverance and salvation for all and if any misse of that salvation and Redemption the fault is not in Christ who pay'd the Ransome for all nor in God who accepted it for all but only in particular mens Unbelief who refuse Christ and that universal salvation by him So that according to this opinion the Redemption of Christ is universal on Christs part and as to his work though it prove to be but particular as to the unbelievers part all men are in a salvable condition and shall be saved if they themselves will not refuse it 4. Others are of Opinion that the Redemption of Christ hath a double consideration One as to the dignity of the price which he laid down which was sufficient in itself for all Another as to the intended scope and efficacy of his death which they make commensurable with the will and purpose of God and the compact 'twixt God and Christ in the behalf of all the Elect of God Now in this Opinion they hold Redemption by Christ in some respect to be universal namely as to all the Elect of God but yet so that in respect of the whole world it is only particular This distinction is the same in sense with that of Reconciliation 1. General made on the Cross which as to the value of the Sacrifice was not only universal but infinite 2. Particular which is the application of that Reconciliation which in it self hath power to reconcile all unto the hearts and Consciences of men by faith But leaving the variety of speeches 1. I will shew in what sense Christs death and and redemption may be said to be for all 2. What my own thoughts be concerning the question proposed In five senses the Redemption or Death of Christ may be stiled General or In what respects Christ may be said to die for all universal 1. As to the valor sufficiency or dignity of him that died 2. As to the efficacy of it for all the Elect and all that believe in Christ and therefore the Author of the Book De vocatione gentium whether it were Ambrose or Prosper spake well Populus Dei habet suam plenitudinem In Electis est quaedam specialis universitas de toto mundo totus mundus liberatus de omnībus hominibus omnes homines videantur assumpti c. And so likewise it is universally effectual for all that believe in Christ For as the sin of Adam hath an universal efficacy on all that come from him so the Redemption by Christ who is the second Adam hath also an universal efficacy on all who are by faith brought in unto him 3. In this sense also the Death and Redemption and salvation by Christ may be said to be universal or to be for all namely That all who are Redeemed and saved they are Redeemed and saved by Christ. As a School-master in a town is said to teach all the Children in that town not because every Child in that town is taught by him but because every Child that is taught he is taught by him so saith Austin Christ Redeems and saves all not that every particular man is Redeemed and saved by Christ but that all who are redeemed and saved are redeemed and saved by him there being no other Name but his by which we must be saved 4. In this sense also you may hold it general as to the Gospel Annuntiation as Musculus speaks or offer as we speak although the grace and vertue of Christs Redemption reacheth not unto all yet the offer and invitation of it by the Gospel is unto all and therefore Christ in his Commission unto the Apostles saith Matth. 28. 19. Go and teath all Nations Mark 16. 15. Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature yet with this condition annexed He that believeth shall be saved and he that believes not shall be damned verse 16. 5. In one sense more Christ may be said to die for all and to redeem all namely as unto Genera singulorum the kindes of all men though not to singula generum every Individual of those kindes Revel 5. 9. Thou hast Redeemed us unto God by thy blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation Christ died for some of all Sexes of all Relations of all States and Conditions for Kings as well as for Subjects for the Poor as well as for the Rich for Servants as well as Masters for Wives as well as Husbands for Children as well as Parents for all sorts of men but yet not for every man under that sort or kind not for every Parent not for every Child nor for every Master not for every Servant These things being thus premised I desire to give mine own judgement concerning the Question proposed in these three conclusions 1. That Jesus Christ did effectually die for all the Elect and every one of them whether Jews or Gentiles and all the benefits of his death do reach unto every one of them when they come to believe on him 2. That there was such a sufficiency of price and redemption by Christ that if any sinner whatsoever comes by faith unto Christ he shall receive all the benefits and fruits of redemption by the death of Christ 3. That the death of Christ was never actually effectual for the Redemption Reconciliation Expiation and salvation of all the sons of Adam and for every particular sinner in the world Jesus Christ did effectually dye for all the Elect. 1. That Jesus Christ did effectually die for all the Elect and Believers My meaning is that he did by his death satisfie Gods justice for them expiated their sins made their peace and purchased salvation for them and of all these every Elect and Believing person shall partake The Scriptures are expresly clear for this
Reconciliation in respect of all men yet it is the pleasure of God not effectually to bestow salvation on them all Nor is God as to the event and issue of this at all unjust seeing that he leaves them only to wrath and condemnation who do continue unbelieving and impenitent 2. But secondly Neither will that follow that the condition of some men i. e. unbelievers must be the same with that of the Divels without any hope of salvation if Christ not dye for all For First The Divels had no Mediatour at all given unto them in respect of their kind for one or other but so mankind had forasmuch as Christ took part of the nature of mankind Heb. 2. 14. Secondly The Divels all of them are in an estate of actual damnation they are every one of them actually damned but so is not every man no nor yet every one that believes not in Christ 3. The Divels have their damnation so sealed upon them that every one of them doth know there is no hope of salvation at all for them but thus it is not with any particular unbeliever living for though the unbelieving person doth deserve eternal damnation yet he hath the means offered to escape that damnation yea he doth know that if he continues unbelieving he shall not escape the wrath of God yet he doth not know whether God may not give him grace to change his unbelieving heart after a long time of unbelief Neither can we say of any unbeliever nor can any unbeliever say of himself God will never give him grace that he may be converted and believe and therefore it is not true that the unbeliever is in the same hopeless condition with the Divels Thirdly This Assertion that Christ did not effectually dye for all men is no more apt in the nature of it to cause any to despair than these expressions of Christ Matth. 20. 16. There are but few which are chosen And Matth. 7. 14. Narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it Would or may you argue from these expressions of Christ that these who do not belong to the number of those few must now despair and they are in the same condition with the Divels why then will you reason thus from Christ not dying for all and every man And yet fourthly we may add this to all the rest That those sinners who continue who live and dye impenitent and unbelieving these do in the event cut off themselves from all hope of salvation As Paul spake of the Gentiles lying in their natural condition That at the same time they were without Christ and aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. that we may safely say of all obstinate impenitent and unbelieving persons living and dying so they are without Christ and without hope and shall go into that hell which is prepared for the Divel and his angels in the event their condition will not be different Argument 5 Once more they argue thus If Christ did not die for all and every man Then no man can certainly conclude that Christ died for him and that he shall be saved by Christ For such a conclusion must be raised either upon some particular word Christ died for thee or upon some general word Christ died for all but you have no particular word that Christ died for you personally And if you deny a general word that he died for all then you have no word certainly to conclude that Christ died for you and so you are left without any certainty and comfort of salvation by Christ Answered Sol. It is well that the Arminians are so tender for the certain knowledge of any mans salvation by Christ they leave God to an uncertainty of any mans particular salvation notwithstanding the death of Christ for all men yet they will say This death of Christ for all men as a ground of certainty unto us wherein yet they deal 1. Very fraudulently with us for though they say that Christ dyed for all yet they expresly teach that the application of Christs death for actual salvation is only for them that believe 2. Very falsly for according to this Doctrine no man can ever be certain of his salvation untill the very last gasp of his persevrance in grace and that many perish eternally for whom Christ died Secondly but let us see whether according to their Doctrine of Christs dying for all men one may certainly conclude to the satisfaction and peace and comfort of his conscience that Christ died for him Let the ground for certainty be drawn up thus Christ died for all men but I am a man therefore certainly Christ died to save me Or Christ died to save all sinners but I am a sinner Ergo Christ died to save me I think any understanding Christian would find miserable ground of satisfaction and certainty from this in the time of a perplexed conscience But we have another way and far surer from the Scripture to conclude our certainty of Christs dying for us and to save us Jesus Christ dyed for all Believers effectually to save them this the Scripture expresly affirms but I do truely believe in Christ and therefore I certainly conclude that Christ did die for me to save me And thus I have gone through this great Controversie about the latitude of Christs death where I find thus much that it is necessary for every man to get faith who will indeed be the better for the death of Christ it shall therefore be our wisdom to leave disputing and humbly to beg of God to give us Faith that so we may believe on Christ to the salvation of our soules SECT IX 2. Quest I Shall now proceed to a second Question viz. Whether any man can Whether any man can know that his particular salvation was intended in the death of Christ attain to the knowledge or certainty of the particular intentions of Christs death in the benefits of it unto himself i. e. whether any man can certainly know that God intended his particular salvation in the giving of Christ and that Christ died for him and made peace for him and purchased remission of his sins and eternal salvation for his soul Answered Sol. For the resolving of this Scruple be pleased to consider a few places 1. There is a difference 'twixt a general assent and 'twixt a particular knowledge and Application It is one thing to know and acknowledge this general Truth that Christ came into the world to save sinners and that whosoever believes shall besaved and that whosoever repents shall have his sins pardoned and it is another thing by faith to know that Christ died for me that his blood was shed for the remission of my sins that I am reconciled by his death and that I shall be saved by his life to say of Christ as Paul once did
possible then he earnestly presseth them to a fruitlesse duty and successless labour If it be possible that they might upon the trial come to know that Christ is in them then the thing is granted 2. I thus argue They who may come upon trial to know that Christ is in them may certainly know that Chrâ—st died for them to save them My reason is this That Jesus Christ is in none but in them for whom he died and whom he will save Col. 1. 27. Christ is in you the hope of glory 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life If therefore one may know that Christ is in him of a truth then he may know that Christ died for him in particular for his salvation Thirdly If Believers may attain to joy and rejoycing in the death of Christ yea unto a triumphing in it then they may certainly know that Christ died for them and hath purchased Reconciliation Remission and salvation for them The consequence I prove thus There are three things necessarily concurring to cause Spiritual joy and rejoycing viz. 1 A delightful rejoycing Object 2. An application of that Object to the desire of the soul 1. A knowledge of that application Gerson Park 2. Comp. de Dilectatione p. 161. and indeed without that knowledge that such an Object is ours or is for us there never will be actual rejoycing but if it be impossible then dispair and if it be doubtful then fear c. But believers may attain to joy and rejoycing in Christ Phil. 3. 3. and that upon the account of his beneficial dying for them Rom. 5. 11. And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement Fourthly I will add but one other Argument and that is is this We are bound to love Jesus Christ who died for us and abundantly to thank and blesse God for our Redemption and Reconciliation and Remission and Salvation by Christ this I suppose no man will deny but we can neither do the one nor the other if we cannot attain unto a certainty that Christ died for us 1. Love of Christ depends upon the knowledge of his love to us It is not with this spiritual love as it is with natural love where you may love a person although you know not his love unto you but our spiritual love necessarily ariseth from the application and knowledge of a precedent love unto us we love him q. because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 19 you must be able to see and know the love of Christ to you before you can be able to raise or return love to him and therefore do we love Christ because his love is manifested unto us Now if this love of Christ to us which he shewed in dying for us Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friend Joh. 15. 13. be perpetually hid from us that we can never attain the certain knowledge thereof but must only guess at it perhaps Christ loved us to dye for us perhaps he did not how can our hearts possibly be raised to a solid fixed intensive reciprocal love of him 2. In like manner how can our thankfulness be indeed rightly returned unto God for giving of Christ for us to reconcile and save us for according to your knowledge in this case will be your thankfulness can you ever thank and bless and praise God for Christ and his death and the benefits thereof to you whiles you know not that they belong to you O Lord I bless thee for that exceeding love of thine in giving Christ to redeem my soul to make my peace to discharge my sins to save my soul c. But truly I know not whether this be so or no I am utterly uncertain whether Christ dyed for me or whether himself or any benefit by him and his death doth indeed concern me or belong unto me c. SECT X. 3. Quest NOw follows the third and last Question to be spoken unto how a How a person may certainly know that Christ did dye effectually for him person may certainly know that Jesus Christ did die effectually for him Satisfied Gods Justice for him purchased remission of sins for him and eternal life for him Answered Sol. This is a pertinent Question indeed said a dying person whom some of us knew in this place But did Christ dye for my sins but did Christ dye for my soul but did he dye for me How shall I know that Christ died for me for my sins to save my soul This is a question which many of us first or last will make question of when trouble of conscience ariseth or when death appoacheth O then how may I know that Christ is my Christ and that he died for me This is the highest of all questions Did Christ dye for me and a most necessary question what though Christ did dye for others and they partake of the benefits of his death if he did not die for me and if I be not saved by his death and if the conscience can once upon sure grounds be satisfied in this question so that a person knows that Christ died for him now there is peace and joy and thanksgiving and a lively hope of salvation all is sure if once we can get to be sure that Christ is ours and did die for us For answer therefore unto the question propounded be pleased to remember in the general that there are three sorts of persons in the world namely First Some who in the present estate under which they lye cannot know that Christ dyed for them and will save them I say in the present estate wherein they are For though there may be a possibility of the change of that estate and so a capacity may come in for that particular knowledge and certainty yet as to their present estate absolulely considered there is an incapacity of immediate knowledge that Christ died for them These persons are all unbelieving and impenitent persons who as so and remaining so cannot know that Christ died to save them because 1. The way to know that Christ died for us must arise either from some In the general Some cannot know word of promise that a person in such a condition having interest in Christ shall be saved by him but there is no such promise to any unbelieving and impenitent person as such a person or from some words of Narration which declare and affirm that Christ and the benefits of his death do belong unto unbelieving and impenitent persons as so But there is no such Narrative word which affirms it that Christ belongs unto the unbeliever and that he hath indeed obtained pardon of sins and life for him or from faith wrought in the heart But this is not in the unbelieving and impenitent person if it were then he were not unbelieving or from
some internal testimony of the Spirit of Christ witnessing and sealing the application of the death of Christ in the benefits of it unto the unbelieving and impenitent person But such a testimony the Spirit of Christ never gives to any person remaining unbelieving and impenitent his witnessing and sealing being only to the children of God Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God and follows on believing Ephes 1. 13. In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Ver. 14. who is the earnest of our inheritance So that there is no way for any unbeliever and impenitent person to know that Christ dyed for his sins and to make his peace and to save his soul and unlesse his unbelief and impenitency be changed he can never know it 2. As the Gospel fixeth the death of Christ in the benefits of it only upon Believers he that believeth shall be saved Mark 16. 16 And whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. So it threatneth unbelievers with the losse of all benefit by Christ Mark 16. 16. He that believeth shall not be damned And John 3. 36. He that believeth not on the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Note And therefore by the way let me hint unto you two things One is that all such persons who do continue to slight and refuse Christ and will go on in their sinful ways they have certainly deceived themselves and do still deceive themselves in their presumptuous confidence that Christ hath dyed for them and shed his blood for the remission of their sins and that they shall be saved as well as the best These rude confidences are but lying vanities and ungrounded presumptions refuges and delusions of their own making and who so trusts unto them will in the end perish for the Scripture is so far from offering Christ in the benefits of his death to unbelieving and impenitent persons continuing in that estate that it assures them of the quite contrary that they shall not see life that they shall not be saved that they shall dye in their sins and perish A second is that we would every one of us look seriously into our conditions and if we do finde them to be unbelieving and impenitent then as we love our lives and tender our salvation by Christ humbly and earnestly to importune the Lord to deliver our souls from unbelief and impenitency they being the sins which else will hinder us not only of the benefits by the death of Christ but also of Christ himself without an interest in whom we cannot have any interest in the benefits purchased by his death Secondly Some there are who perhaps are in Christ and yet they do not Some may be in Christ but do not know it know that they are in Christ and Christ in the benefits of his death belongs unto them at least they do not certainly know this and the reason of that inevidency may be 1. Their own negligence and carelessnesse the Apostle saith We must give all diligence to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. The assurance of our interest in Christ and in the benefits of Christ is a most sweet and refreshing knowledge but it cannot be so easily attained A diligence on our part is required to attain the same much searching and praying and conference and comparing of our hearts with the Word of precept and with the Word of promise are necessary for such an evidence and our failing in these may be a reason why we fail in that 2. The imbecillity of faith which is but newly â—ormed and hardly perceptible by reason of many clouds and doubts and fears weak faith cannot so easily manifest it self unto us nor yet our title to Christ and interest in his purchase 3. The power of temptations and of melancholy which do distract the soul and disturb the apprehension and the acts of it and daâ—ken and misperswade and delude us so that we cannot see our selves aright nor Christ aright nor our grounds of Application nor yet the testimonies or evidences of our union with Christ Thirdly Some there are who lie in a trembling condition and are not determinately Some would know but do not resolved either way they cannot peremptorily conclude Christ did not dye for them nor yet can they confidently affirme Christ did dye for them only this is to be found in them that their hearts do mourn after Christ and they do love him and do exceedingly strive after the knowledge of his love and the intentions of his death for their souls the inevidence of it is their great perplexity and the certainty of it is their great desire and pains And now for a clear and distinct answer unto the question One may certainly know that Christ died effectually to satisfie Gods justice for him to take away his sins to make reconciliation for him and to save him 1. By the description of those for whom without all question Christ did intentionally and effectually dye 2. By the qualities of those persons who in Scripture have been able to say upon sure grounds that Christ dyed for them and unto whom in particular the benefits of his death have been applied and appropriated 3. By the interest in that condition of faith upon which Christ becomes ours in his person and in his benefits 4. By the combination of the benefits of the death of Christ and the real participation of every one of them 5. By the ends of the death of Christ and the appearance of them upon his heart and life 6. By the ground and order of that certainty of knowledge or perswasion which a person hath that Christ dyed for him 7. By the concomitant presence of some choice affections in all who do attain unto that certain evidence that Christ dyed for them 8. By the consequent effects and fruits which do flow from that sound knowledge of Christ in his death and benefits for us in particular One may certainly know that Christ dyed for him By the description of those for whom Christ intentionally dyed 1. One may certainly know that Christ effectually dyed for him By the description of those for whom without all question Jesus Christ did intentionally and effectually dye If one can finde himself within the number of them for whom Christ himself hath said he came to dye and came to save and laid down his life and saith he is the Saviour of them this man may be confidently perswaded and assured that Christ dyed for him Now you finde some expressely described in Scripture for whom he unquestionably dyed Matth. 1. 21. He shall save his people from their sins Joh. 10. 15. I lay down my life for the sheep Joh. 15. 13. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends If therefore any
people Ver. 34. And they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more Jerem. 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and their children after them Ver. 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one heart and I will put a New Spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh Ver. 20. That they may walk in my Statutes and keep my Ordinances and do them and they shall be my people and I will be their God Hosea 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever and I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving-kindnesse and in mercies Ver. 20. I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord. Hebr. 8. 10. This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people c. Quest But why is God pleased to promise to give unto his people in Covenant Why God gives spiritual blessings as well as â—emporal His people have souls as well as bodies spiritual blessings as well as temporal Sol. The Reasons are these First Because his people have souls as well as bodies and their souls do stand in as much need of spiritual blessings as their bodies do of temporal blessings Every mans soul since the fall of Adùm is in a fourfold miserable necessity which cannot be relieved but by spiritual blessings 1. In an estate of spiritual death out of which it cannot be relieved but by the donation of spiritual life a quickning by the Spirit of Christ is necessary for a soul dead in trespasses and sins 2. In an estate of spiritual enmity and that enmity cannot be slain but by the death of Christ nor any atonement peace or reconciliation enjoyed but by his blood 3. In an estate of offence and guilt which expose the soul unto wrath and punishment by reason of which the soul needs exceeding riches of grace and mercy to forgive and acquit the sinner 4. In an estate of pollution and bondage being held under the power of sinful lusts in which regard the soul needs the Lord Jesus to be redemption and liberty unto it and the soul can never be freed nor free but by Christ and his Spirit John 8. 36. If the Son shall make you free you shall be free indeed Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death If a man had all the blessings of the world riches honour friends health pleasures c. they could be of no help or relief unto his soul at all notwithstanding all these the soul still remains sinful and miserable Give the soul Christ and grace and mercy or else you give it nothing it must perish for ever without them And therefore doth God give unto his people spiritual blessings because the soul needs them and they are sutable to the spiritual necessities of the soul Secondly His people are people of another life they have the promise of eternal His people are for another life life 1 John 2. 25. This is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life Titus 1. 2. Inhope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens But what of this will you say why hence it follows that therefore God will give unto them spiritual blessings and why spiritual blessings because spiritual blessings are necessary for them in relation unto that eternal life Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name given under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Loe here is a necessity of Jesus Christ for our salvation John 3. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Loe here is a necessity of faith for salvation Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God Hebr. 12. 13. Follow holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Loe here is a necessity of holinesse and regeneration for salvation and they are congruous and fitting us for salvation or eternal life Colos 1 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light It is meet to enjoy grace before we come to enjoy glory it is meet to have a conformity to Christ on his Crosse before we come to have a conformity to Christ in his Crown c. Thirdly His people are designed and set apart for special duties and services His people aâ—e set apart for special duties the which they can never performe without spiritual gifts and blessings They are to glorifie their God Isa 43. 6. Bring my sons from far and my daughters from the ends of the earth Ver. 7. Even every one that is called by my Name for I have created him for my glory Ver. 21. This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise They are to deny themselves and to take up the Crosse of Christ and to follow him they are to crucifie the lusts with the affections thereof they are to suffer losses and reproaches and persecutions and perhaps death it self they are to fight the good fight of faith to resist temptation to quench the fiery darts of Satan to overcome the world they are to live by faith against hope to believe in hope to walk in all well-pleasing before the Lord. They are to have daily communion with God and their hearts are to be set on him and on things above Can any of these duties and services be performed by them without spiritual strength or can they partake of spiritual strength unlesse and untill God doth give unto them spiritual gifts or graces Fourthly All the people in Covenant with God they have his image restored They have Gods image restored to them unto them they behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. They are made partakers of the Divine nature
nature or desert or circumstances of it nor afflictions devolving or throwing our sins upon others as Adam did upon his Wife and she upon the Divel but it is a clear Inditement Accusation or Charge against our selves before God I have sinned against heaven and before thee said the Prodigal Luk. 15. 18. I was a blusphemer and a persecutor and injurious and of sinners the chief said Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13 15. 4. It is a fiduciary acknowledgement of our sins it is joyned with some A fiduciary acknowledgement degree of faith for it is made to God not as to a Judge only who condemns upon the Parties confession but as to a Father who knows how to pity and forgive the mourning and repenting childe who begins to accuse and condemn himself Hosea 14. 2. Take with you words and turn unto the Lord and say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously Deut. 9. 8. O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face and because we have sinned against thee Ver. 9. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness though we have rebelled against him Lord I am a sinful creature but thou art a merciful God! I deserve wrath but thou canst shew mercy I am unworthy of any mercy but thou forgivest sins freely and thou hast promised forgiveness unto them who confess their sins O forgive me all my sins for Christs sake 5. Lastly True penitential confession which shall obtain forgiveness of sins It is attended with desire of humbling and endeavors of reforming is attended with desires of humbliâ—â— and endeavours of reforming When a Patient layes open his diseases to the Physitian it is for this purpose that the Physitian would cure them as the poor man having related unto Christ the grievous distempers of his child requested Mark 9. 22. But if thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us So when a penitent person confesseth his sins to God it is alwayes accompanied with earnest desires O Lord heal these diseases of my soul heal my pride and heal my vain-glory and heal my filthiness and heal my impatience and heal my unbelief and heal my worldliness as David with the confession of his sins joyned this petition Psal 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Nay moreover the right confession of sins is attended with the real endeavour of reforming our sins therefore Solomon puts these together He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall finde mercy Prov. 28. 13. And this was the practice of the children of Israel they joyned Reformation with their Confession and good came of it unto them as you may see Judg. 10. 15. We have sinned Ver. 16. And they put away the strange gods from among them and served the Lord and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel Thirdly The qualifications of the right turning from sin which puts us within The qualification of a right turning from sin A cordial turning in the capacity of the promise of forgiveness of our sins First It is a cordial turning Joel 2. 12. Turn ye even to me with all your heart Deut. 30. 10. If thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul 2 Chron. 6. 38. If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul Ver. 39. then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication and forgive their sins c. Here are singular expressions to set forth the life and truth of penitential turning from sin viz. To turn with the heart and with all the heart with all the heart and with all the soul What may these expressions mean and signifie There are two things principally intended in them 1. One is a reality of turning for he doth indeed repent whose heart repents and he doth indeed turn from his sins whose heart doth turn from sin if the heart turns not the repentance is but feigned and hypocritical Suppose you should for awhile lay ande your sins you may therein seem unto men to repent but if you still love your sins and hold them fast and will not part with them you are so far from repenting in the sight and account of God that he looks upon you as plain hypocrites who pretend only to forsake your sins when indeed you are the servants of sin and intend not at all to foâ—sake them Well then to turn from sin with the heart is to have an heart giving a Bill of Divorce unto our sins breaking the league with sin casting it off for any more love and obedience c. 2. Another is a perfection or fulness of turning that doth the turning with all the heart and with all the soul and with the whole heart signifie as when ones whole hâ—art is set upon an object or is employed in any service the meaning is that every faculty of the soul is unitedly and concurrently engaged to that object and in that service I have sought thee with my whole heart said David Psal 119. 10. i. e. Not any one faculty of my soul but is drawn out and exercised in that work So to turn from our sin with the whole heart with all the heart and with all the soul is to have every faculty drawn off from sin and disinterested of sin and as it were outing and discharging it self thereof all of them agreeing and consenting to course it away viz. First The understanding saith I will never give way to any deceitful motions of sin any more nor to any delightful contemplation of it any more I will not count it as pleasure or profit but shall esteem of it as indeed it is an object every way to be hated and rejected Secondly The Judgement turns away from it by disapproving and disallowing and condemning of it I will never reason and plead for it more I will never contrive or devise to gratifie it more I will never make pretences and shifts to colour it any more O it is the greatest evil the only dishonour of God the only cause of the death of Christ and the only danger and damnation of the soul Thirdly The conscience turns away from it O saith conscience sin hath been the thorn in my eye and the arrow in my side it hath wounded me and made me restless and filled me with bitterness I will give warning against it I will threaten aganst it I will trouble and vex you for it Fourthly The will turns away from it in resolution and purpose I will never obey sin any more in the lusts thereof I will never give over till I find the vertue of Christ to crucifie and mortifie them Fifthly And every affection of the soul turns away from sin in true repentance 1. Love saith I will never embrace thee more 2. Desire saith I will never long after thee more 3. Delight saith I will never take content in thee more 4. Hatred saith I
mercy If God saith Be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee conscience now hath no longer Commission to disquiet the heart saying Peace belongs not to thee and comfort belongs not to thee but God is still displeased with thee and holds thee for his enemy and will be avenged on thee for thy sins If conscience through darkness and misinformation oâ— temptation should speak thus it now exceeds its Commission and deals unrighteously and God will not ratifie such a testimony or such a charge from such a conscience But by the way Take notice what a mercy it is to have your sins pardoned in that your consciences have no more power or authority to wound and charge and threaten and condemn you for any of your sins if a wounded conscience be one of the dreadfullest punishments here on earth then to be totally secured from that and upon this ground that he hath forgiven us our sins is one of 〈◊〉 greatest blessings here on earth which privatively concerns us Fourthly If your sins be pardoned then also you are discharged of the spirit You are discharged of the spirit of bondage of bondage to fear you are fenced from all slavish fears which formerly did abound in your hearts and oppress and distract them Before a mans sins were pardoned and guilt lay on him there were ten distracting and crushing fears lying on his heart The sinner 1. Did fear the secret purpose or intention of God against him O said he What will God do with this guilty soul of mine I fear lest I be one of them to whom he will never shew mercy 2. Did fear the open threatnings of God O saith he Will not all these evils and cuâ—ses which God hath threatnd will they not shortly be my portion 3. Did fear every judgement of Goâ— walking upon the earth as if it were an evil drawing near to him and which his sins would bring to his house and to his person and he should not escape 4. Did fear that some time or other his sinnings would be discovered and that they should be laid open to his shame and reproach before the whole world 5. Did fear any outward enjoyment and comfort which he had that for his sins God would ere long deprive him of them in wrath 6. Did fear many times to come and hear the Wâ—â—d of God lest it should awaken and trouble his conscience with more apprehensions of his own guilt and Gods wrath 7. Did fear the very thoughts of death and especially lest God should suddenly cut him off from the Land of the living before he had so improved his opportunities as to make his peace with God 8. Did fear all appearings before the Judgement-seat lest he should receive his sad and eternal sentence there for his sins 9. Did fear all his approaches and requests unto God that God would not hear nor regard them because his sins were upon record in the Court against his soul 10. Did fear that no way could ever be found so powerful and effectual as to satisfie the justice of God and purchase mercy enough for the pardon of his sins but now repenting of his sins and believing on the Lord Jesus and having in his blood obtained the remission of sins this spirit of bondage to fear is taken away the forgiveness of his sins by God himself hath satisfied him and hath answered all the doubts and fears of his soul his sins are pardoned and God is reconciled and now all is well and safe of what or of whom should he be afraid Fifthly If your sins be forgiven you then nothing which befalls you in Nothing which befalls you in life or death is an evil to you life or death shall ever be an evil or hurt unto you for when sin is pardoned all curse is removed Whatsoever state the unpardoned sinner is in it is a cursed estate to him and whatsoever contingencies befall that sinner they are cursed unto him his prosperity is cursed unto him and his adversity is cursed to him his enjoyments are cursed and his losses are cursed his blessings are cursed and his crosses are cursed his life is cursed and his death is cursed nothing which he hath doth him good and nothing which God doth doth him any good but hurt he is the worse under all But when sins are forgiven the sting the poyson the curse is gone and nothing is for evil or for mischief unto him prosperity shall do him no hurt but good and adversity shall do him no hurt but good his enjoyments are a blessing and his losses are a blessing if he lives life shall be a blessing and if he dyes death shall be a blessing All is food and physick all is good or for good unto him he gains by his losses and that which is another mans misery is his mercy sweet shall come out of bitter and light shall come out of darkness and good shall come out of evil and comfort shall come out of sorrow and life shall come out of death Secondly In a positive way In a positive way It is a clear decision of all the questions of a troubled soul First The obtaining of the forgiveness of your sins is a clear sure decision of all the great Questions of a troubled soul There are six things concerning which we oft-times complain and question viz. 1. Hath God Elected us 2. Are we in Covenant with God 3. Is God reconciled to us and we are reconciled to him 4. Is Christ ours and are we his 5. Have we truly repented and have we truly believed 6. Shall these poor souls of ours certainly be saved have not all these been and are not some of these the constant debates and doubts and questions of our hearts Now mark what I say when God himself according to his promise forgives unto us all our sins all those debates are concluded and resolved for 1. None are forgiven but the Elect of God and all the Elect either are or shall be forgiven their sins Ephes 1. 4. Having chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Ver. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins 2. Whosoever have their sins forgiven are certainly in Covenant with God God is their God and they are his people Psal 85. 2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people Thou hast covered all their sins Selah Remission of sins is the portion only of the Church and people of God 3. God is certainly reconciled if sins be forgiven 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them 4. Christ is unquestionably yours and you are Christs forasmuch as the partaking of this and other choice benefits by him doth necessarily presuppose a precedent union with him and relation unto him whom he called them he justified Rom. 8. 30. And what is it there to be called but to be brought in effectually to Christ and
adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness Gal 5. 19. Secondly The Apostle reckons them up amongst the most detestable sins which the most loathsome Gentiles were guilty of who were filled with all unrighteousness Thirdly They are so vile sins that Christians may not once name them without detestation Ephes 5. 3. But fornication and all uncleanness let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints Fourthly They are such sins as are repugnant unto and inconsistent with Christian society Christians must not entertain fellowship with persons guilty of them 1 Cor. 5. 11. If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator c. with such an one no not to eat Fifthly They are sins especially adultery against the three persons of the Trinity 1. Against God the Father who created the man and the woman and married them to each other and said they two shall be one flesh Gen. 2. 24. Now by adultery they are separated whom God hath joined together and made one yea God hath made Marriage a resemblance of Christ and his Church Ephes 5. but adultery brings contempt upon this resemblance of union 2. Against God the Son Jesus Christ hath payed a price for our bodies as well as for our spirits and upon that account we are to glorifie him in both 1 Cor. 6. 20. nay saith the same Apostle Ver 15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ Now to alienate Christs purchase from Christ and to bestow it upon an Harlot and make the members of Christ the members of an Harlot as every adulterer doth is exceedingly injurious unto Christ Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid so the Apostle in ver 15. 3. Against God the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. Know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost and Chap. 3. 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are Sixthly Of all sins these are the most brutish making persons like the beasts and therefore in Scripture unclean and adulterous persons are compared to beasts To the Oxe Prov. 7. 22. He goeth after her as an Oxe to the slaughter To the Horse Jerem. 5. 8. They were as fed Horses every one neighed after his Neighbours wife and Jer. 13. 27. I have sâ—en thy adulteries and thy neighings the lewdness of thy whoredomes c. To the Dog Deut. 23. 18. Thou shalt not bring the hire of an Whore or the price of a Dog into the house of the Lord. By Dog here is meant an unclean adulterous person An persona Canina ego replied Abner to Ishbosheth am I a person like a Dog who charged him that he lay with his fathers Concubine Rizpah 2 Sam. 3. 8. Seventhly Adultery in some respect is worse than many other sins against our Neighbours it is a very great sin to slander the name of our Neighbour and to bear false witness against him it is very bad by theft to take away the goods of our Neighbour it is yet worse to kill and take away the life of our Neighbour but adultery is in some respect more sinful than any one of these v. g. In all these sinnings the person sinning brings a guilt only upon himself for when he defames another though he casts reproach on him yet he makes him not guilty and in stealing from another though he brings loss to him yet he makes him not guilty and when he kills another he brings death to him yet he makes him not sinfully guilty but in adultery there is a mutual consent to sin and a mutual contract of guilt and although the one party should repent and so escape wrath yet the other party repenting not hath a soul which for this sin must be cast into hell Eighthly They are such sins for which God himself will judge the offender though possibly they may escape the hands of men Hebr. 13. 4. Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge and verily God hath severely judged persons for these sins even in this life The Old World was drowned for them Gen 6. 2 3 c. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire Gen. 19. Twenty and foure thousand destroyed with the plague Num. 25. 9. The Tribe of Benjamin was almost extinguished and rooted out upon this account Judg. 19. 28. The Land of Canaan spued out her Inhabitantt for them Lev. 18. 28. How often doth God make these sins in this life a punishment unto those who are guilty of them by causing unto themselves most loathsome and irksome and incurable diseases such as make them odious to others and a shame and burden to themselves Ninthly They are such sins as many times do bring with them an universal losse and ruine 1. To our name Prov. 6. 33. A wound and dishonour shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away 2. To our estate Prov. 5. 10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth and thy labours be in the house of a stranger Job 31. 11 22. it roots out all our increase 3. To our health ib. ver 11. And thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed 4. To our consciences Prov. 7. 23. till a dart strike through his liver c. The great terrors of conscience usually arise from these sins Job 24. 17. If one know of them they are in the terrors of the shadow of death 5. To our souls and as unto them you shall find three very sad expressions in the Word of God 1. That they are the way to hell Prov. 7. 27. Her house is the way to hell going down to the chambers of death and Prov. 9. 18. Their guests are in the depths of hell 2. That they destroy the soul He that committeth adultery with a woman destroyeth his own soul Prov. 6. 32. 3. That they exclude from the Kingdome of God nor adulterers nor fornicators nor effeminate nor defilers ef themselves with mankind shall inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Tenthly They are such sins as whereof persons cannot easily repent they do exceedingly dispose the soul to hardness and impenitency they darken the mind and infatuate the judgement and harden the heart and so make the sinners condition almost desperate Hose 4. 11. Whoredom and wine take away the heart Prov. 2. 19. None that go unto her return again neither take they hold of the paths of life None i. e. very few repent of these sins For her heart is snares and nets and her hands are bands Eccles 7. 26. All these things do abundantly show what an exceeding great sin the sin of uncleanness is yet God hath pardoned them unto his people Lot was pardoned and Davids adultery was pardoned and the fornications and adulteries and effeminateness and Sodomies of the Corinthians were pardoned 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye
more special to shew unto you what that Covenant is which God makes between himself and his people There are who do distinguish of a twofold Covenant 1. There is Foedus absolutum which is such a promise of God as takes in no stipulation or condition at all that There is an absolute Covenāt runnes altogether upon absolute termes such a Covenant was that which God made with Noah that he would never drown the world any more Gen. 9. 11. and such a kind of Covenant is that when God promiseth to give faith and perseverance unto his elect Heb. 8. 10 c. Both these Covenants are absolute and without any condition there is nothing in them but what is folded up in the promises themselves 2. Foedus Hypotheticum which is a gracious promise on Gods part with an obligation to duty on our part for although it be natural to God to recompence And an Hypothetical Covenant any good as it is to punish any evil And although man doth owe unto God whatsoever God covenanteth with him for yet it so pleaseth his Divine Will thus to deale with us that in binding of us to duty unto himself he binds himself in reward unto us and promiseth such and such a recompence upon the condition of such and such a performance Now this kind of Covenant is twofold The Covenant is either The Covenant of nature 1. Foedus Naturae as some stile it or Foedus operum the Covenant of works as we usually call it the Apostle calls it the Law of works Rom. 3. 27. This is the Covenant which God made with man in the state of innocency before the fall wherein God promised unto man life and happinesse upon condition of perfect and personal obedience and it is summed up by the Apostle Gal. 3. 12. Do this and live God having created man upright after his own Image and so having furnished him with all abilities sufficient for obedience thereupon he made a Covenant with him for life upon the condition of obedience I say he made such a Covenant with Adam as a publick person and as he promised life to him and his posterity in case of obedience so he threatened death and a curse unto him and his posterity in case of disobedience In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Gen. 2. 17. Cursedis every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. 2. Faedus Gratiae the Covenant of Grace the Apostle calls it the law of faith Or the Covenant of grace Rom. 3. 27. and it is especially expressed thus He that believes shall be saved Mark 16. 16. The just shall live by faith Gal. 3. 11. This is that Covenant of which the Text speaks and of which by Gods assistance This is stiled I intend to discourse This Covenant which is sometimes stiled the Covenant of life life is restored The Covenant of life and life is promised and life is setled by the Covenant no life for a sinner out of it And sometimes it is stiled a Covenant of peace Numb 25. 12. Behold I give Covenant of peace unto him my Covenant of Peace Peace is the comprehension of all blessings and prosperity our good is in this good Covenant of grace and all peace flowes out of it peace with God and peace of cosncience And sometimes it is called a Covenant of salt Num. 18. 19. 2 Chron. 13. 5. A A Covenant of salt firm sure uncorruptible Covenant which lasts for ever Sometimes it is stiled the promise Psal 105. 42. He remembred his holy promise The promise and Abraham his servant It is called the promise by way of eminency it is made up altogether of promises all on Gods part which he will do is under promise and all on our part which we are to do is likewise under promise Sometimes it is called the mercy and the truth Mic. 7. 20. Thou wilt perform The mercy and the truth the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham The Covenant is called mercy because mercy only drew this Covenant It was meer mercy which moved God to make new bonds with us yea all mercy is wrapped up in it And it is called Truth because the Lord God who makes this Covenant will certainly and truly performe all that good and mercy which in it he makes over unto his people Hence also it is called the oath Luke 2. 73. The oath which he sware unto The Oath our father Abraham You do not read of Gods Oath in the Covenant of works that Covenant wanted a Mediatour and was not sealed with an oath but in this Covenant of grace there is the oath of God to declare unto us and to confirm us as touching the immutability of his will and purpose for the accomplishment of all that good mentioned in this Covenant And it is called a Testament and a new Testament Matth. 26. 28. My A Testament and New Testament blood of the New Testament Heb. 9. 15. He is the Mediatour of the New Testament A Testament is Testatio mentis that which we commonly call a mans Will about the bestowing of his estate amongst his children c. The new Covenant is called a Testament because it is ratified and confirmed by the death of the Testator and because it is as it were his last Will written down There are precious Legacies bestowed and setled by God the Father in this Covenant upon all his children and all of them are confirmed and ratified to them by the death of Christ This Covenant of grace thus gloriously set out in the Scripture wherein God proclaimes all his goodnesse to us which is the foundation of all our lives and comforts hopes and happinesse which is the foundation of all godlinesse and holy walking which is a sure and our only anchor I am now in a more distinct way to discourse of In the handling whereof I shall confine my self to these six particulars 1. The differences of this Covenant of grace from the Covenant of works 2. The proper nature of this Covenant in the absolute consideration of it 3. The adjuncts and properties of this Covenant 4. The condition of the Covenant of grace 5. The Mediatour of this Covenant 6. The special gifts and legacies that are bequeathed in this Testament CHAP. III. Differences of the Covenant of grace from the Covenant of works THe differences of this Covenant of grace from that Covenant of works Although there are some things wherein both these Covenants agree As 1. In the general end which is the Seven things in which they agree glory of God 2. In the persons contracting and covenanting which are God and man 3. In the intrinsecal forme there is a condition and restipulation in both 4. In some things promised in them both and required as to the matter of them in both 5. In the Authour God is the Authour of
to tremble you think he is too strong for you and you shall never be able to withstand him any longer and your hearts are almost crushed and sunk with fear of Satans power but what 〈◊〉 Satan do Nil potest diabolus â—isi missus vel permissus He is but a creature and he is a wicked creature and he is a conquered creature and he is a chained creature and he is a cursed creature Christ hath conquered him and therefore you shall conquer him all the victories of Christ do reach unto you God doth chain him and restrain his power and working Thus far he shall go and no farther God will give you grace sufficient to resist and withstand him and will not suffer you to be tempted above your strength and at last yea shortly will bruise Satan under your feet Greaâ—er is he that is in you than hâ—â— that is in the world He Rules the world which troubles and tempts you but your God will not suffer you to be led into temptation 3. Your Covenant-Interest and Relation should secure your hearts against the Against the fears of what God will do feares of what God will do You see sometimes great changes and alterations and judgements in the earth how terrible God is to the inhabitants thereof what desolations he makes how he shakes the mountains and makes the hills to fall down at his presence his fire burnes and consumes and goes on and no man knows the power of his wrath nor can say when or where his indignation will end and cease But in all the dark and dreadful dispensations of Gods providence the people of God have no cause to fear for he hath an hiding placâ— from the storm for them and his chambers of protection for them untill the indignation be over His eyes are over â—â—e righteous it shall surely be well with them that fear before him every thing shall work for good unto them and should publique calamities involve you with other people yet your God will either support you under them or deliver you out of them or translate you into a better place and condition free from all sin and misery and trouble into the place of eternal rest and happinesse 4. Your Covenant-Interest and Relation should secure your hearts from the Against the fears of what our selves shall do fear of what we our selves shall do what will become of us in the latter end we oft times fear that we shall never hold out and persevere in the paths of righteousnesse and we feare that providence will not hold out that we shall not have enough to sustain us all our dayes But why do we fear these fears is not Christ the Finisher of our Fath who is the Authour of our Faith and will not God perfect the work which he hath begunne and are we not kept by his power through Faith unto salvation and hath he not promised that he will never depart from us and to put his feare into our hearts that we shall never depart from him And as for an outward enough and sufficiency for all our dayes alas why do we fear future supplies who live every day upon present mercies Our God hath said that he will never leave us nor forsake us and that bread shall be given us and our waters shall be sure Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the saâ—eâ— for ever so your God is an al-sufficiency for all times in all times and unto all times there is no end of his goodnesse nor of his care nor of his love 5. Your Covenant-Interest and Relation should secure your hearts against Against the fears of what ours shall do the feares of what yours shall do and what will become of them when you are dead you have but little your selves and shall leave lesse unto your children But O that we had more faith for then we should have less fears but remember a few things 1. Be more careful what good you may do your childrens fouls than fearful what good God will do for your childrens bodies if your children be only your children they are then heires of vanity and sinne and misery but did you take care to make them Gods children they should be heirs of mercy and blessing 2. Though you die yet your God ever lives whose care and bounty is not restrained to one person or to one generation but extends unto believers and unto their seed after them Gen. 17. 7. And thou art the helper of the fatherlesse Psal 68. 5. In thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy Hosea 14. 3. 3. Though you cannot finde provision for your children after you and therefore fear yet you may finde promises for your children and therefore you should not fear if you cannot leave them with a portion yet if you can leave them with a promise of God it may very well quiet and satisfie you and this you may Psal 112. 2. The generation of the upright shall be blessed Psal 102. 28. The children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established bâ—fore thee 6. Your Covenant-Interest and Relation should secure your hearts against the Against the fears of what shall become of the Churches of Christ feares of what shall become of the Churches of Christ especially in times of heresies and seducements and of threatenings and endeavours to subvert the Ordinances and all Gospel Ministrations And truly many do fear in respect of these at this time but we should not inordinately fear in respect of them for there are no people in the world that have Christ so near them and God so engaged unto them as the Church The foundation of the Church is too strong for the gates of hell and the Church of God will alwaies be found a very burdensome-stone for all people All that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it Zach. 12. 3. And as for the Ordinances and Ministrations of Christ in his Churches they shall continue as long as Christ hath a Church on earth as long as the Covenant abides a people of the Covenant shall abide and as long as the people of the Covenant abides the Ordinances for those people shall abide no not all the corrupt opinions of men nor powers of men shall ever be able to pluck the Sunne out of heaven nor drive out the everlasting Gospel from the earth If any thing should make us to fear the continuance of those amongst us it is only our unthankfulnesse and our unfruitfulnesse and our contempt and scorn of them 7. Lastly your Covenant-interest and relation should secure your hearts against Against the fears of death the fear of deaâ—h you should not fear to live not yet to dye who have God to be in Covenant for the sting of death is gone it is taken out by the death of Christ 1 Cor. 15. Death separates soul and body but it can never separate
hath promised this unto his people Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you 2. Another is a sincere heart though hypocrisie be vanishing yet sincerity A sincere heart will continue there is faithfulnesse and stedfastnesse in sincerity and God hath promised to give this heart unto his people Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one heart and one way Zach. 8. 3. Jerusalem shall be called a City of truth and ver 8. They shall be my people and I will be their God in truth and righteousnesse Isa 1. 22. Then shalt thou be called the City of righteousnesse the faithful City 3. A third is entire and exceeding love this will hold out unto the death yea Intire love it is stronger than death and this hath God also promised to give his people Deuteronomy 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul 4. A fourth is the fear of himself which is the beginning of wisdome and The fear of God the deliverance from sinne this also God promiseth to give unto his people in that Covenant Jer. 32. 40. I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me 5. A fifth is sound faith 1. Of union 2. Dependance both these he Sound faith promiseth They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth fast for ever John 6. 45. They shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the father cometh to me Zeph. 3. 12. And they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by his faith 2. God doth expresly promise to keep his people from falling away from him God promiseth to keep his people from falling and that he will never leave nor forsake them 1 Sam. 12. 22. The Lord will not forsake his people for his great Name-sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people Psal 37. 24. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand Ver. 28. The Lord forsaketh not his Saints they are preserved for ever Psalme 94. 18. When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up Hosea 14. 4. I will heal their back-slidings 2 Thess 3. 3. The Lord is faithful who shall stablish you 3. God doth expresly promise to strengthen and increase their grace The righteous God promiseth to strengthen and increase their grace shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. The path of the just shall be as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. He will make all grace to abound he will work in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure Those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit in old age 4. God doth promise to confirm his people unto the end and to finish the work God promiseth to confirm his people to the end which he hath begun in them 1 Cor. 1. 8. He shall confirm you to the end that ye may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Phil. 1. 6. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begunne a good work in you will perform it will perfect it he will carry it on untill the day of Jesus Christ 5. God doth promise to break down all which might else cause his people to God promiseth to over-power whatsoever may make his people tâ— break Covenant break off the Covenant There are but five causes supposable for the breaking off that Covenant on our part and God removes every one of them from his people 1. One is the power of sin but God hath promised to subdue our iniquities Mic. 7. 19. And sin shall not have dominion over us Rom. 6. 14. 2. A second is the power of Satan but God hath promised that he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10. 13. He hath promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his people Matth. 16. 18. He hath promised that the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. and that he will bruise Satan under our feet Rom. 16. 20. and resist the devil and he shall flye from you James 4. 7. 3. A third is the power of the world but said Christ to his Disciples John 16. 33. Be of good chear I have overcome the world and 1 John 5. 4. Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even over faith 4. A fourth is the supposed liberty and inconstancy of mans will that a man if he will he may cast off his God and give over to be one of his people but this God promiseth to remove by giving of his own Spirit which shall cause us to walk in his Statutes and to keep his Laws and to do them Ezekiel 36. 27. and Jeremiah 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever 5. A supposition that God will substract or with-draw his grace from his people Neither shall this be for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance so Rom. 11. 29. And Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be takâ—n from her Luke 10. 42. 2. A second Argument to demonstrate the everlastingnesse of the Covenant 'twixt God and his people shall be taken from several considerations of Christ From several considerations of Christ and believers and believers who are the people in Covâ—nant 1. Christs suretiship 2. Christs Mediatorship 3. Christs union with them 4. Christs love 5. Christs intercession 6. Christs promises and preparations for them 1. The suretiship of Christ in Heb. 7. 22. Christ is said to be made a surety The suretiship of Christ of a better Covenant so I conceive the word should be rendred viz. Covenant and not Testament for a surety is not of a Testament but of a Covenant A surety is one who is engaged and stands bound for another and is responsable for him as Judah for Benjamine Gen. 43. 9. I will be surety for him of my hands shall they require him And in matters of contract 'twixt person and persons a surety is taken in for this very end That the contract may be made sure and good may not faile but be truly and perfectly performed and the surety is a distinct person undertaking and engaging in the behalf of him who is of himself the more weak and insufficient contractor As to this consideration Christ is stiled the surety of the
relation to us Tit. 1. 2. In hope of eternal life which God promised before the world began To whom did he promise that eternal life for us but unto Christ with whom he did Covenant for us and in whom with us Isa 42. 6. I will give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles The same you read in Isa 49. 8. Jesus Christ is not only the Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. nor only the surety of the Covenant Heb. 7. 22. nor only the Mediatour of the Covenant as standing twixt God and us Heb. 12. 24. but he is the principal confederate in the Covenant Christ stands as a publick person in the Covenant and when God made a Covenant with him he made it with him for himself and all his with all that should be brought in unto him As Adam stood in the Covenant of works not as a private person but as a publick person and that Covenant was made with him and with all his posterity so the Covenant which God made with Christ it was made with Christ as a publick person as the Head of all the Church with him and all his And therefore as soon as you are brought in by faith to Christ you are immediately brought into the Covenant 2. In Christ and by Christ God is our God and our Father and therefore if by faith you are brought into Christ you are brought into the Covenant Let God In and by Christ God is our God look on us as out of Christ he must look on us as enemies and not as children and if we look on God out of Christ we must behold him as our Judge but not as our Father But consider us as brought into Christ now we are reconciled to God and now in what relation God stands to Christ in the same he stands to us and in what relation Christ stands to God in the same do we stand to God And what priviledge Christ enjoyes the same do we enjoy by Christ he is a God to Christ and a Father to Christ Psal 89. 26. He shall cry unto me Thou art my Father my God c. And thus we being in Christ he is to us Joh. 20. 17. I ascend to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God and Christ is the Son of God and so are we the sons of God 1 Joh. 3. 1. Christ is the Heir of God and so are we heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. 3. When you are by faith brought into union with Christ so that you are his Being by faith united to Christ we enjoy all blessings you now enjoy life and promises and all blessings 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life 1 Cor. 3. 22. All are yours verse 23. and you are Christs and Christ is Gods 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises and you may plead them all for they are yea and in Christ Amen Ephes 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ 4. This union with Christ directly stands in opposition to a sinners being cut off Our union with Christ brings us into a state of favour from God and brings him again into a state of favour The soule can no more receive ought from God till it be one with him by Christ than Christ could merit any thing for us till the Deity and the flesh were fully united and no more than the soul can impart any thing to the body till they be one Thus have you heard what faith that is which is the condition of the Covenant viz. A faith of union a faith which brings us into Christ and unites us with Christ I now proceed unto the second question SECT II. 2. Quest WHether Faith only be the Condition of the Covenant Is Whether faith only be the condition of the Covenant not Holinesse required Is not Repentance Is not new obedience Sol. For answer unto this we must distinguish 1. Between the Covenant and persons in the Covenant If you speak of persons Distinguish betwixt the Covenant and the persons in the Covenant in the Covenant certainly holiness is required of them ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy and be ye holy for I am holy and holiness is promised to all the people in Covenant And holinesse is wrought in all the people of the Covenant All the people of God are a holy people but though holiness be in the Covenanted yet it is not in the condition of the Covenant God doth not say If you be holy then I will be your God and accept of you but if you believe when you are brought into the Covenant then you are made holy but that which brings you into the Covenant that which God insists with you for so as to be your God is faith Receive my Christ believe on him and I will be your God 2. Though Faith be the only condition as to entrance in the Cvenant yet this faith will Though faith be the only condition yet it brings us to holiness bring you to holiness as a fruit of the Covenant For this faith brings you to Christ to union with him and communion with him in holiness As soon as faith brings you into union with Christ Christ makes you partakers of that unction of holiness wherewith he himself is anointed 3. There is a difference 'twixt the persons to whom promises are made and the There is a difference betwixt the persons to whom the promises are made and the condition upon which they are performed New obedience is a consequent effect and not an antecedent condition condition upon which those promises are performed Indeed you read of many promises made to broken-hearted and penitent persons but the application of them all is only by Faith The forgiveness of sin cannot be applyed by any hand but that of faith which seed the promise of it and seeks the performance of it by and for Christ 4. For newness of obedience this is a consequent effect and not an Autecedent condition for it is impossible to see fruits till you finde life And besides this that faith which lets you into Covenant is a very fruitful Faith it graffs you into such a root which can enable you and will do so for fruits of life as the first Adam doth his Branches for fruits of death So then it is faith and faith only which is the condition of the Covenant yet it is such a faith which though it takes no graces or works with it as competitors in the nature of a condition with it yet it doth inferre and draw after it all these Graces and all good works as Austin said Bona opera sequuntur justificatum licèt non praecedunt justificandum c. SECT III. 3. Quest VVHy is
Faith singled out to be the condition of the Covenant Why faith is the only condition of Grace Sol. 1. There is nothing whatsoever which doth so fit and answer a Covenant of Grace as Faith doth for in this Covenant God deals in promises and by a Mediatour Faith best answers the Covenant of grace And the promises are objects proper to faith As precepts are to obedience and threatnings to fear so are promises to faith And for Jesus Christ the Mediatour deale with him you cannot but by faith Object Indeed love deals with Christ as well as faith Christ is the object of our love and of our faith But then here 1. That love deals with Christ in the strength of faith first faith deales and then love deales with Christ 2. Though love deals with Christ yet it is another way than faith Love is bringing into Christ but Faiths work is receiving all from Christ and resting on Christ c. 2. There is nothing but Faith which will or can acknowledge a free Covenant And all as freely given unto us Set up any thing but faith and that will set up us Nothing but faith will acknowledge a free Covenant and pull down grace Any thing but faith must be something in our selves and something in our selves will deprive grace of the glory yea it will deny grace but faith will do none of this because faith is a meere gift of grace and faith receives all as free gift findes nothing in us at all but receâ—ves all and lives wholly on the grace of God in Christ 3. It is of faith that the promises might be sure so the Apostle Rom. 4. 16. It is of faith that the promise might be sure Adam had a Covenant as well as we and therefore some observe that he had one sacrament of death another of life to assure him of death in case he sinned as wel as to assure him of life in case he obeyed because it was made upon condition of works And truely if Adam who was so every wâ—y furnished could not hold up a Covenant upon a Condition of works much less should we do it being now utterly broken by him But now the promise of â—ife being made to us upon condition of faith it is therefore made sure for â—aith builds upon a sure foundation and faith hath a sure word of promise 4. The Covenant of grace excludes all boastings in our selves Rom. 3. 27. and Faith excludes all boasting in our selves therefore faith is necessary for us for boasting is excluded not by the Law of works but by the Law of Faith Ibid. If you should put in works for the condition then the sinner would be ready to boast All this I have kept from my youth This have I done and that have I done and I never offended thy will the wages is due debt to me O but this must never be c. 5. There are such things undertaken in the Covenant as nothing but faith can tell Nothing but faith can tell what to make of the things undertaken in the Covenant what to make of them I will forgive your iniquities and will give you a new heart and I will heale your back-slidings and I will love them freely and I will forgive your sins for mine owne sake These are absolute Mysteries without faith Before I proceed any further in this Point I would make some useful Application of what I have delivered already Is Faith the condition of the Conant SECT IV. 1. Use THen how are men mistaken How have they deluded themselves how To discover the presumption of many who plead their interest in the promises without the performance of the condition must they return ashamed who have nursed up their fancies and presumptions about the mercy of God and the many promises of God about salvation and other blessings yea and about God himself what a good and gracious and merciful God he is and so will be to them O but sirs There is a condition in the Bond. God makes many sweet and comfortable promises O but there is a condition And God saith he will be such a gracious and merciful God c. O but there is a condition and he saith that he will save and give eternal life O but there is a condition a condition that you think not of a condition that you never attained unto Faith is the condition of the Covenant You must be believers in Christ and then and so you must claim the promises you must have an interest in Christ or else you can never have an interest in the priviledges of the Covenant you have owned the promised mercy and the promised salvation in the Covenant O but you have not all this while owned Christ by saith and therefore you have all this while deluded your soules The Apostle faith all men have not faith and the Prophet saith Who hath believed our report and Christ himself saith He that believeth shall be saved and he that believes not shall be damned Why brethren If Faith be the condition of the Covenant If faith be necessary to bring us into the Covenant Then no unbeliever is yet in the Covenat for no unbeliever hath faith No no God is not the God of the dead but of the living and mercy is not the portion of unbelievers but of believers and salvation by Christ is interessed only on them who believe on Christ And thou art to this day an unbeliever thou art utterly destituâ—e of faith And there are six things which shew that thouÌ„ art so 1. One is the unsensiblenesse of thy sinful and wretched condition and of thy need which thy soule hath of Christ 2. A second is the exceeding ignorance in thy heart of Christ as the Mediatour of the Covenant 3. A third is the exceeding pride and confidence on thiâ—â— own righteousness and on thine own works 4. A fourth is the continual neglects and disesteeme of the Gospel of Christ 5. A fifth is the fruitless reception of the many offers of Christ 6. A sixth is the incomplyance of thy heart with the Lord Jesus and averseness and refusing of subjection unto Christ Thou wilt not have him to reign over thee Ah poor creature How hast thou befooled thy self and deluded thy soul with a vain presumption of interest in the Covenant whilst as yet thou hast not faith to interest thy soul in Christ 2. Use Is saith of union the condition of the Covenant Then as you have Look to your faith that it be a faith of union reason to look to your selves because all men have not â—aith so you have reason to look to your faith for you may have a faith which yet is not a faith of union That is a considerable passage of Christ in Joh. 15. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away verse 6. If a man abideth not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is
for God to have There cannot be a New Covenant without a Mediatour set up a Covenant a New Covenant if he had not set forth a Mediatour for that Covenant Because neither can a sinner come into a New Covenant without a Mediatour the sinners accesse to God and union with him requires one Nor can there be any acceptance of the person or of the services of any sinner without a Mediatour who must bear his name before God and take away the iniquity of his holy offerings Nor can he continue in that Covenant without the presence and help of a Mediatour For if Adam who had a perfect righteousness suitable to his created condition could not make good the Covenant with him much lesse can the sinner by his own strength either perform the duties or persevere in the performance of them against so many inward oppositions of his own sinful nature and so many outward temptations of Satan without the power and sufficiency of a Mediatour SECT II. 2. THat Jesus Christ is the Mediatour and he only There are two Branches Jesus Christ and he only is the Mediatour Jesus Christ is tâ—e Mediatour proved by the 〈…〉 God in this Assertion 1. One that Jesus Christ is the Mediatour which will appear to be a truth whether you consider six things 1. The counsel and purpose of God to save sinners by Christ as Mediatour Ye were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 19 20. Whose names are written in the book of Life of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world Rev. 13. 8. Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and for eknowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain Acts 2. 23. 2. The voluntary consent and compact between God the Father and Christ The The voluntary consent and compact betwixt God and Christ Father was willing to give Christ his Son to be the Head and to be the Ransome of the Elect and Christ the Son of God presented himself most willing to procure that salvation for them The Father agreed with him for an obedience even to the death to bring this about and promised him a Spiritual Kingdom and seed upon the performance And the Son came up to this Then said I Loe I come in the volume of thy Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart 3. The promise of this unto Adam Gen. 3. 15. It shall bruise thy head and thou The promise of this to Adam shalt bruise his heele This is directly meant of Christ who as our Mediatour should suffer death for us c. And unto Abraham in Gen. 18. 18. In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed 4. The Legal figures and shadows in Sacrifices and Offerings all which Typified The Legal figures and shadows of it Jesus Christ the Mediatour who offered himself shed his blood took away sinne and made peace as in the Hebrews is a bundantly expressed 5. The actual exhibition and presentation of Christ unto the world and for this The actual exhibition of Christ purpose to be a Mediatour Gal. 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law verse 5. To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons 6. The real executing of that Office of Mediatour in fulfilling all Righteousness The real execution of that Office and in giving himself for a Ramsome and by his blood reconciling and making Peace 2. And as Christ is that Mediatour so he only is that Mediatour 1 Tim. 2. 5. Christ only is that Mediatour There is one God and one Mediatour between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus but one God and but one Mediatour Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other Name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved None was ever called to that Office but Christ and none was ever fitted for that Office but Christ and none were ever able to discharge that Office but Christ Him the Father sent and gave and sealed and on him was laid our iniquities c. Read you of Man or Angel called by God to be a Mediatour 'twixt him and sinners Was ever any so fitted for that work but Christ He who is a Mediatour at least three conditions must lie upon him 1. He must not be of the number of those who are to be reconciled Therefore Three conditions in a Mediator agree only to Christ no simple man can be a Mediatour 2. He must partake of the nature of them who are to be redeemed and reconciled He must be of the same seed with them Heb. 2. 16. and therefore no Angel can be a Mediatour 3. He must be more than a meere Creature For a meere creature cannot satisfie nor can his righteousness be imputed to any but himself and he must be able to overcome sin and death and raise himself which no creature can do therefore neither men nor Angels can be Mediatours SECT III. 3. NOw let me speak unto the third particular viz. How Jesus Christ is to How Christ is to be considered as being-Mediatour As God Man be considered or look't upon as being a Mediatour I answer not as God only not as the second Person in the Trinity only not as man only but as Theanthropos as God-Man As God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. As the Word made flesh which dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory as the only begotten of the Father Joh. 1. 14. As the second Person of the Trinity incarnated as Immanuel God with us A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his Name Immanuel Isa 7. 14. with Matth. 1. 23. and so the Angel to Mary in Luke 1. 31. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his Name Jesus verse 32. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David verse 33. And he shall raign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end So Gal. 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman c. to redeem them that were under the Law And Christ is said to bear our sins in his own body 1 Pet. 2. 24. And to make his soule an offering for sin Isa 53. And by his death and blood to reconcile us Rom. 5. 9. Col. 2. 22. As Christ was God from all eternity so in time he was made Man True God he was Joh. 1. 1. The Word was God and true Man also be was
strokes of his wrath And so to be chastised of God as to make peace with God or to appease him is so to suffer the wrath of God as to satisfie God and to remove it And truely how Christ should possibly escape the feeling of the wrath of God incensed against our sins he standing as a Surety for us with our sins laid upon him and for them fully to satisfie the justice of God is not Christianly or rationally imaginable Object And whereas some do object that Christ was alwayes the beloved of God and therefore could never be the object of Gods wrath Sol. I answer by distinguishing of the Person of Christ whom his Father alwayes loved and as sustaining our sins and in our room standâ—ng to satisfie the justice of God and as so the wrath of God fell upon him and he bore it and so satisfied the justice of God that we thereby are now delivered from wrath through him so the Apostle Rom. 5 9. Much more being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath by him 3. That Jesus Christ did feele and suffer the very torments of hell though not after a hellish manner Indeed Jesus Christ did not go down into Hell to suffer Christ did feel and suffer the torments of hell there amongst the damned in hell nor did he suffer hellish darknesse nor the flames of hell nor the worm that never dies nor final despair nor guilt of conscience nor gnashing of teeth nor impatient indignation nor eternal separation from God These were absolutely inconsonant with the purity and with the dignity of his Person and with the Office of a Mediatour and Redeemer But yet we say that Christ in his soule did suffer for our sins such horror agony and consternation as amounted unto Cruciatus Infernales and are in Scripture called the sorrows of hell Psal 18. 5. The sorrows of Hell did compass me about It was a great expression of a very learned man that setting iniquity and eternity of punishment aside which Christ might not sustain Christ did more vehemently and sharply feel the wrath of God than ever any man did or shall no not any person reprobate and damned excepted And verily I think the reason annexed to prove this expression is very weighty because all the wrath that was due for all the sins of the Elect all whose sins were laid on Christ Isa 53. 6. was greater than the wrath which belonged to any one sinner though damned for his personal sinning And besides this if you do seriously consider those sufferings of Christ in his agony in the Garden you may by them conjecture what hellish torments Christ did suffer for us Not yet to speak of the cursed death which he also suffered In that agony of his he was afraid and amazed and fell flat on the ground Matth. 14. 33. He began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy verse 34. and saith unto them my soule is exceeding sorrowfull unto death and his sweat was at it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Luke 22. 44. He did sweat clotted blood in such abundance that it streamed through his apparel and did wet the ground which dreadful agony of Christ how it could arise from any other cause than the sense of the wrath of God parallel to that in hell I do not know 4. I will add but one thing more about these sufferings of Christ viz. That Christ was indeed made a curse for us Jesus Christ was indeed made a curse for us and did in his soule and body bear that curse of the Law which by reason of transgression was due unto us Gal 3. 53. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on Tree Cur erubescam fateri quod Apostolus non ernbuit alta voce profiteri said Ambrose Such a curse or execration was Christ made for us as was that from which he redeemed us and that curse from which he redeemed us was no other than the curse of the Law and that curse of the Law included all the punâ—shment which sinners were to bear or suffer for transgression of the Law of which his hanging on the Cross was a sign and symbol and this curse was Christ made for us that is he did bear and suffer it to redeem us from it Qui Benedictus in sua justitia maledictus ob delicta nostra said Austin Whether it were not against justices that an innocent person should suffer for the nocent Quest Now before I make Application of this unto our selves there is one question concerning all these sufferings of Christ whether it were not against the justice of God that Christ who was in himself innocent without all sin a Lamb without spot should bear and endure all these punishments for us who were the offending and guilty and obnoxious persons only Answered Sol. The Socinians are very eager in this who cannot see any satisfaction performed by Christ for us to God nor yet any just proceeding in God that Christ so innocent in himself should thus bear our punishments But truely setting aside the foolish Tragedie of their exclamations the matter in question will be but this Whether God were not unjust to give his Son Jesus Christ to be our Surety and Mediatour and Redeemer and Saviour For as much as Christ could not be any one of these for and unto us but by a willing susception of our sins upon himself to be for them responsible unto the justice of God in suffering those punishments which were due for our sins Object And whereas they do object that God might have freely pardoned all our offences and punishments without any of these sufferings of Christ I answer This is no more but to quarrel with the love and wisdom of God in giving Christ to be a Mediatour for us and to teach God a better way to save sinners than he himself hath devised and declared who will so save sinners by his Son as Mediatour that both in his justice against our sins and in his mercy unto our souls his own glory may be admired and magnified But now to speak a few words unto the main question I say it is not alwayes and in all cases unjust but it is sometimes and in some cases very just to punish one who is in himself innocent for him or those who are the nocent and guilty The innocent may be punished for the nocent Grotius in his Book de satisfactione gives divers instances but I shall insist only on two as 1. In case of conjunction where the innocent party and the nocent party do become legally one party and therefore if a man marries a woman indebted he In case of conjunction thereupon becomes obnoxious to pay her debts although absolutely considered he was not obnoxious thereunto 2. In case of vadimony or Suretiship where a person knowing
so shall you and Christ was afraid and so shall you and Christ was in an agony and so shall you and Christ did drink the cup of his Fathers wrath so shall you and Christ was made a curse and so shall you Indeed a repenting and believing person may look upon the sufferings of Christ with joy and hope but an impenitent and unbelieving person must look upon them with confusion and horror The more he sees of Christ sorrows and the sharper he findes Christs sorrows the more perplexed may his soule be For what punishments Christ did suffer for sin as to the substance that same must the impenitent and unbelieving person suffer as to the substance yea and as to the circumstance of punishment Christ suffered death and thou shalt suffer eternal death Christ suffered shame and thou shalt suffer eternal shame Christ suffered wrath for a time but thou shalt suffer wrath for ever and fear for ever and separation from God for ever and the torments of hell for ever 3. Behold your Christ Pilate said Behold the man when Christ was brought in with his Crown of Thornes But I say behold your Christ look on him who Behold your Christ was crucified for you and look on him who was crucified by you There is a four-fold sight of Christ 1. One in Carne when he came into the world 2. A second in Cruce when he was leaving the world 3. A third in Caelo when he shall receive us unto himself out of the world 4. A fourth in Judicio when he shall tome to judge the world But the sight which I would desire you to behold is Christ on the Cross Christ suffering and dying for you O look on this Christ awhile as despised of men as forsaken of God as sorrowful to the death as wounded for our trasgressions as drinking the cup of his Fathers wrath as crying out as dying the cursed death of the Cross as made a curse for us I say behold your Christ in these sufferings so long untill 1. You see his infinite love to your soules thus suffering in your stead thus suffering what you should have suffered and thus suffering that you might not suffer 2. Your hearts be melted into tears for your sins which were the cause of all those sufferings by Christ Look on him whom you have pierced and mourn Let your eyes weep for your making Christ to weep let your hearts be wounded for wounding Christ let your soules be humbled for making Christ to poure out his soule 3. Your hearts can love this Christ who loved you and gave himself for you and washed you from your sins in his own blood 4. Your hearts can hate your sins which made Christ a curse or execration and untill you forsake your sins which made Christ to be forsaken for a time of God untill you crucifie those sins which did crucifie your Christ Beloved The more that Christ hath suffered for us the dearer should Christ be unto us his love should be unto us therefore the more sweet by how much the more bitter his sufferings were for us And our sins should therefore be the more odious unto our hearts because they were so grievous unto Christ The Apostle tells us in 1 Pet. 4. That because Christ hath suffered in the flesh we should therefore cease from sin and Chap. 2. 24. That he bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousnesse And therefore we should purge the old leaven that is our sinful lusts because Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5. 7. Vse 2 Hath Jesus Christ as our Surety and Mediatour done and suffered so much for us what comfort what support may this be for all distressed penitent and believing Comfort for distressed penitent and believing persons persons Luther professeth that this is that Ineffabilis infinita misericordia Dei that Abyssus profundissima zelus ardentissimus divinae misericordiae towards us That the Omnipotent God Creatour of all things should be so good and solicitous for me a lost sinner a child of wrath and eternal death as not to spare his own Son but give him up to a most ignominious death that he should be made for me a cursed sinner sin and curse c. and therefore he urgeth us not to rest satisfied with believing only that Christ is purissima Persona though he be so and then know that he is God and Man yet stay not there for yet thou hast not Christ but then verè habes cùm credis hanc purissimam personam tibi donatam à patre ut esset pontifex salvator imo Servus Tuus who took on him thy sinful person and bare thy sinne and death and Crosse and was made a Sacrifice and curse for thee Object But you will say Where lies the stay and comfort of Christs sufferings for us Sol. In this it lies Then you are freed then you shall never suffer in a way of Then you are freed from suffering in satisfaction to Divine justice satisfaction to Divine Justice you shall never bear wrath nor curse for your sins And the reason is because Christ hath suffered already those things due unto you for your sins Object O but did Christ suffer that which was due for all my sins Sol. Yes He suffered all even to the worst and utmost for all that the Law threatned was a curse and Christ was made a curse for us Object But did he not owe something for himself and suffered for that Sol. Surely no for he knew no sinne of his own but was made sinne for us Object O but what if he suffered all may I not yet be made to suffer Sol. No for what Christ suffered he suffered as our Surety in our stead and therefore what he suffered for us is as if we had suffered all that our selves Object But did he verily intend our good in all these sufferings Sol. Ask the Apostle in 2 Cor. 5. 22. He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And Gal. 3. 13. He was made a curse for us to redeem us from the curse of the Law Object But did God appoint him thus to suffer Sol. He did so Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood and 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is of God made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Object But did his sufferings appease God and satisfie him and reconcile him Sol. It did so For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Cor. 5. 19. not imputing their trespasses unto them And Ephes 2. 16. He hath reconciled both Jews and Gentiles unto God in one body on the Cross having slaine enmity thereby Why what a summe of comforâ—s are here Jesus Christ took upon him all our sins they were all of them laid upon him And he bare or suffered
to become his in a peculiar way of relation and possession and so as to be made Kings and Priests unto him Highest Dignities and Imployments which if I mistake not is expounded in 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen generation a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people By all which is meant that high and heavenly estate with all those excellent Enjoyments and Graces and Dignities and Priviledges and Communion derived unto us by the Redemption of Christ In one word that estate purchased for us by the blood of Christ our Redeemer is Grace and Glory eternal happinesse and all that brings us thereunto A new Relation a new Spirit Mercy Peace Joy Calling Justifying and Glorifying And whiles we live on earth all the good things thereof which are necessary for us But of these perhaps I shall speak more ere long 2. The degrees of Redemption by Christ I call them so not simply as to the work and purchase of Christ who at once The degrees of this Redemption fulfilled the same in the once offering of himself and laying down the price of his blood but respectively unto us in respect of our manner and order of participating of that his Redemption in respect whereof Redemption is partly imperfect and partly perfect and compleat In this life our participation of it is in some respects imperfect but at the last day it shall be consummate and perfect when we shall enjoy all and all fully which the Redemption of Christ comes unto It is true that in this life we have such a Redemption by Christ as that thereby we are ransomed and delivered from the servage or slavery of sin and Satan and death sin shall not reign in us and Satan shall not hold us captive and act and command us at his pleasure And we are freed from the wrath of God and damnation Nevertheless there still cleave unto us many sinfull corruptions and we are beset with many temptations and are straitned with many corporal miseries from which we are not and shall not actually be delivered untill our Redeemer comes with his last and perfect Remdepâ—ion therefore Christ said Luke 21. 28. Lift up your heads for your Redemption draws nigh Vses I cannot slip off from this great effect of Christs death viz. Redemption without making some Use of it unto our selves 1. Value your soules set a higher rate on them the Redemption of which did Set a high rate upon your soules cost Christ so dear Many men do despise their soules and make light of them and cast them away for every base lust They swear away their soules and whore away their soules and drink away their soules and play away their soules and idle away their soules Every sin is a venturing of your soule it is the pawning of the precious soule which cannot be redeemed but by the blood of Jesus Christ Our soules deserve more regard from us they are of more worth than we are aware of We were redeemed saith the Apostle not with corruptible things as silver and gold But with the precious blood of Christ Therefore value your soules more and be not so prodigal of them to throw them away for every base lust 2. Look after your soules in what condition they are whether in bondage still Look after your soules in what condition they are or under Redemption Naturally every man and every soule is in bondage whatsoever ye do do not suffer your soules to lie and rot in prison O that we did all see in what a Spiritual bondage our soules do lie and under the sense of it could cry out as Paul once O wretched men that we are who shall deliver us If thou hadst a child taken by the Turk and made a Gally-slave and tormented with cruelty every day in the Goale thy heart would yerne for him and request would be seriously made and followed to ransome that poor imbondaged child why then be as merciful and pitiful to thy captivated soul as thou art to thy captivated child Thy soul naturally is in the worst and heaviest and saddest of all bondages it is under the wrath of God and under the power of sin and Satan and under the curse of the Law Do not do not let it rest thus but make in by faith unto Christ and beseech him to redeem thy soule O Lord saith David Deliver my soule So do thou O Lord Jesus redeem my soule deliver me out of the hands of all mine enemies Alas why are we satisfied with other things with this friend and with that honor with this profit and with that pleasure what of all these if our precious and immortal soules have yet no portion in Christ nor in the Redemption by Christ As long as we are in the hands of Gods justice and in the hands of Satans commands and in the hands of our reigning sins and in the hands of our raging Consciences and in the hands of a sentencing condemning cursing Law Is this a condition to rest in you rest in it because you are not sensible of it were you indeed sensible of it you would make out to Christ who is a Redeemer of our soules and you would not be satisfied untill Christ were made of God unto you Redemption 3. Value the Lord Jesus Christ more then ever you have done even for this reason because he did shed his most precious blood to redeem you When you had Value the Lord Jesus Christ more brought your selves into such a miserable bondage as nothing was price enough to pay your ransome and to purchase your liberty then did the Lord Jesus Christ come down on earth to break all the bonds of your distresses He took your sins upon himself to deliver you from your sins and he was made under the Law to redeem you from the Law and he was made a curse to redeem you from the curse and he bare wrath to deliver you from wrath and he suffered death to deliver you from death and he conflicted with Satan to deliver you from the power of Satan and he fell into the hands of Justice to ransome you out of the hands of Justice And he laid down his soul that he might ransome and redeem your soul Methinks such a Friend and such a Christ and such a Redeemer should be more esteemed and be more loved and be more entertained and more thanked If it should cost one many thousand pounds to ransome you out of prison or out of bondage and after this when he comes to your house you would shut the doors against him and not give him the least entertainment what a barbarous ingratitude were this It is much worse and more base that after it hath cost the Lord Jesus Christ so much as his precious blood to redeem us yet we will not give him any entertainment in our hearts and affections 4. By all meanes accept of the Redemption by Christ Be not like that foolish Hebrew servant who when
the year of Jubile was come and he might have Accept of the Redemption by Christ gone free yet he chose rather to be a servant So when Christ hath wrought Redemption for us and offers that plenteous redemption unto us now to refuse it and not accept of it But to say I had rather serve my sins still and I like my bondage better why If you will not be perswaded to accept of deliverance and redemption by Christ but your Spiritual slavery and captivity doth better please you then remain as you are But woe unto you if you do so for within a few years or weeks or dayes when God and Conscience and Death and Hell fall upon for your sins you would give ten thousand worlds if you could command them that you had accepted of of your Redemption by Christ but then it is too late 5. Then you who take your selves to be Christ's and to be the Redeemed of Carry your selves like Redeemed ones the Lord Carry your selves like redeemed Persons and walk worthy of the Redemption which you have by Christ 1. Give way unto your Redeemer suffer him to rule youâ— hearts and to order Let your Redeemer rule you your wayes for you are his by a right of Redemption As the men of Israel spake to Gideon Judg. 8. 22. Rule thou over us for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midean So say you to Christ Lord Jesus Rule thou over us for thou hast redeemed us from the hands of all our enemies Thou hast bought us with a price and we are not our own but thine 2. Give not way to any works of bondage retuâ—n not to Egypt again but walk Give no wâ—y to any works of bondage on strait in the way to Heaven and abound in all good works Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 3. Spend not your dayes in vanity neither fashion your selves unto the present Spend not your dayes in in vanity course of the world why so will you say because Christ hath redeemed you Why is this contrary to our redemption by Christ it is so whatsoever you you may think 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. You were redeemed from your vain conversations with the precious blood of Christ Not only iniquities but vanities fall under our Redemption by Christ Gal. 1 4. Who gave himself for our sinnes that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God 6. Long for the day of your full and perfect Redemption by Christ Be not so Long for the day of your full Redemption afraid of death nor of the coming of Christ to judgement Death will nothing disadvantage you nor will the coming of Christ to judgement any thing prejudice you No no that is the day of perfect Redemption both in point of deliverance and in point of possession Then shall your bodies also be wholly ransomed from the grave and in soule and body shall you be glorified for ever with the Lord your Redeemer Be thankful 7. Be â—xceeding thankful if you be brought into Christ and do partake of Redemption by him O sirs what mercy is this Redemption think a little of it what a mercy it is that your sins shall never damn you that the curse of the Law shall never fall on you that the wrath of God is taken off that your sinful lusts which you formerly served and which ruled you are broken down and you will serve them no more nor shall Satan command you as heretofore c. that you are brought into a state of Spiritual liberty He that lies in bondage and would be Redeemed let him by faith look up to Jesus Christ 8. If any poor soul lying in bondage and groaning for deliverance would be redeemed then let him by faith look up to Jesus Christ for he only is the Redeemer Do so For 1. Whatsoever your bondage may be Jesus Christ is a suitable Redemption Perhaps your bondage is under sin pehaps it is under Satans temptation perhaps it is under slavish fear of wrath and death but Christ is perfect Redemption and full and plenteous Redemption 2. He is made of us unto God Redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. God hath set him up and raised him up to be your Deliverer 5. A fifth singular benefit depending upon the sufferings of Christ as our Mediatour is his Meritorious purchase or Acquisition His Meritorious purchase The sufferings of Christ had a double aspect 1. One unto the Evils under which we lay and to which we were obnoxious In which respect his sufferings were a satisfaction 2. Another unto the good which we did need and would enjoy and in this respect his sufferings were a purchase Jesus Christ did suffer not only to deliver us from an evill and miserable condition but also did restore us into a good and happy condition And his sufferings were not only a price of payment to get off our debts but they were also a price of purchase to procure and that Meritoriously all blessedness for us Where sin abounded Grace did abound much more Rom. 5. Ephes 1. 11. In whom we have obtained an inheritance There are six things which Jesus Christ our Mediatour hath purchased Christ hath purchased by his death 1. All the Elect They are his by way of Donation Thine they were and thou All the Elect. gavest them me Joh. 17. 6. And they are his by way of purchase The Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Acts 20. 28. 2. Everlasting life which is called the purchased possession Ephes 1. 14. And Everlasting life the gift of God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6. 23. The blood of whom is worth Heaven it self We have no right unto the heavenly and glorious inheritance nor any hope thereof but by Jesus Christ Grace reigns through Righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5. 22. 3. Nearnesse of Relation Adoption of Sons we who were in bondage Nearness of Relation who were strangers who were enemies are now made nigh by the blood of Christ Ephes 2. 13. and do by him receive the adoption of Sons Gal. 4. 5. To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sonnes 4. The Holy Ghost In his graces assistances and comforts Not one grace nor The Holy Ghost comfort nor answer which you have but it is the fruit of Christs purchase Jesus Christ hath purchased and obtained this Joh. 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever verse 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he is made unto us sanctification 1 Cor. 30. 5. The forgivenesse of our sins Your sins are forgiven you for his Name-sake 1 Joh.
day find it so for as our persons are the first things which Christ hath purchased and blessings and blessednesse for them the next so it is Christ himself unto whom we must be first united before we can have any portion or communion in the good things purchased by him If you did indeed believe that all your right and title to mercy and glory lay in the purchase of Christ you would never be at rest untill Christ himself were yours c. Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who is made unto us of God c. 3. If you do indeed believe that all your saving good depends upon the Why do you not go to Christ and get from him all that good purchase of Christ Why do you not go to Christ and get from him some of that goâ—d yea all that good which he hath purchased for us in this life Beloved the purchase of Christ 1. Contains much good for this life All that Christ hath purchased is not a reversion of heaven hereafter there is exceeding much good to be had in present possession There is for this present life an holy nature a discharge of all sins a power of new obedience the presence of the Spirit communion with our God 2. There is nothing which Christ hath purchased for us but it is very precious and very necessary Christ did not dye for small things all that Christ hath purchased he did purchase the same with his precious blood and if all that he purchased is worth his blood then surely it is worth our care and our reception But why is it not thus you look on Christs purchase only in the reversion as if heavenly glory were the whole summe It is not so there are many precious things of a present possession which he hath purchased And why are you so carelesse about them If you do indeed believe them that they are precious and necessary why take you no more pains to enjoy God as your reconciled God why do you not seek his favour and love which Christ hath purchased and why are you so negligent to make peace with God and to sue out that peace which Christ hath made and why do you not seriously beg for holiness and for all the graces of the Spirit of Christ for these hath Christ purchased as well as glory verily many men do not belive that Christ hath purchased any thing and many believe only that he hath purchased heaven but for all other things they fall neither within their faith nor within their care 4. If you believe the meritorious purchase of Christ why do you keep off and Why do you stagger in your expectations and hopes Improve the sufferings of Christ as a purchase stagger in your expectations and hopes and confidences for glory and mercy for any good and doubt your enjoyments is it not because you doubt either of Christs title or of your own right 2. Mind and improve the sufferings of Christ as a meritorious purchase do not rest in the sufferings of Christ as a satisfaction only nor as a deliverance only but go on further and consider them as a purchase and accordingly improve them Beloved ponder well what I say 1. Your estate is not full without the purchase of Christ and the good things purchased Your estate is not full without the purchase of Christ by his blood Suppose you have Gods justice satisfied for the sins which you have committed and suppose that Christ hath delivered you from wrath and condemnation yet this is not enough that all a mans debts be paid is this enough unless you set him up with a good stock again As deliverance from sin and death and wrath is necessary so a right unto and a possession of grace and glory is necessary As you must shew your aquittance from misery so you must shew your title to blessedness and this lies in the blood of Christ as a purchase the estate is not full it is not repaired unlesse you come to possession again 2. As the estate is not full so it is not safe without the enjoyment of what Nor safe without it Christ hath purchased nor without his title for the same Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandements that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the City Heb. 12. 14 Without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Rom. 8. 30. Whom he predestinated them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Heb. 10. 39. We are of them that believe to the saving of the soule Acts 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Lo here are things purchased by Christ In ordine ad finem holinesse repentance justification faith and obedience and without these there is no entring into life c. And therefore by all means look after the purchase of Christ this is your salvation and Rock to build upon 3. Your conscience will never be satisfied else it will break down your Consciences Your Conscience will never be satisfied without it from heaven if you have not Christ as your purchase your rejoycing must be in Christ Jesus and your hopes in Christ Jesus And you must be found in him not having your own righteousnesse but the righteousness which is of God by faith c. Quest. But here some may demand When should we improve the meritorious When should we improve this purchase purchase of Christ Sol. I answer you should improve the meritorious purchase of Christ 1. All the dayes of your life when at any time you find a need of any good that All the dayes of our life concerns your souls and desire to enjoy the same now remember what Christ hath purchased and bought for you and now go in his Name to God the Father for it Joh. 14. 14. If you ask any thing in my Name he will do it Chap. 16. 23. Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Object O the matters are so high and so great I shall never attaine them Sol. Do you finde them within Christs purchase If so then they are within your faith and you may take them into your Prayer and you shall certainly speed 2. At the time of death when all your hopes to all eternity depend on At the time of death Christ and when the great business and estate of immortality and life comes to the issue and when all for ever is reduced to the merit and power of Christs death and purchase when if Christ failes all failes and if his merit holds heaven is sure and you souls are sure This is the great time the last time to improve the meritorious purchase of Christ Now lay hold on him and fast hold
out to your God for all the mercy and for all the good and for all the blessings which your soules do need Heb. 4. 16. Come boldly unto the throne of grace that ye may obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need God hath put his seal to the Covenant that it is sure and Christ hath put his seal to the Covenant that it is sure Now do you put your seal to the Covenant that it is faithful and sure your believing is your sealing He that hath received his Testimony hath set to his seal that God is true Joh. 3. 33. There are four Arguments which do testifie that we have set our seal to the Covenant that we do indeed believe that it is surely established and surely confirmed by Christ so that it will not faile to be of force and efficacy unto us 1. If we be much in drawing near to God entreating him to remember his word of Covenant It is good for me to draw near to God He hath not said seek ye me in vain 2. If we be much in rejoycing in the word of the Covenant and in the death of Christ confirming it to us If the blood of Christ will hold I shall not fail and yet I have bond and seal sure enough 3. If we still patiently wait on God expecting the performance of his sealed sworn and confirmed Covenant I will wait for the God of my salvation I will look for him my God will hear me 4. If we oppose and strive to silence all unbelieving suggestions against the fidelity of the Covenant Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the help of my countenance and my God Psal 73. â—6 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Tit. 1. 2. God who cannot lie hath promised Vse 3 Hath Jesus Christ our Mediatour confirmed the Covenant by his death Then O Christian keep up thy Faith and draw out thy faith and exceedingly rejoyce Keep up thy faith and draw it out in Christ for thy estate is sure and thy soul is sure and thy salvation is sure all is sure because all is surely confirmed by the death of Christ The death of Christ was a ratification to the whole Testament to the whole Covenant and to every part and title of it and as sure as Christ hath died so sure art thou to enjoy all that God hath Covenanted with thee for there shall not fail one word of all the good he which hath promised Object Not one word not one good thing Sol. N. o not any one why then Mercy shall be thine and Grace shall be thine and Peace shall be thine and Joy shall be thine and Glory and Salvation shall be thine for all these and more than these are promised by God in his Covenant and are sealed by his death Quest It is a poor dispute of Popish and low spirits against the certainty of a Christian How can you possibly attain unto assurance and how can any man be sure of Gods love and of Gods mercy and of his salvation Sol. Indeed upon the grounds that they go upon no man can be sure for 1. They lay a foundation of their own works and of their own righteousness and of their own free will upon which assurance can never be built 2. But as the Apostle spake in another case we have a most sure word of Prophesie so the Christian hath very sure ground for grace mercy and glory He hath the sure Covenant of God he hath the sure Oath of God and he hath the sure blood of Jesus Christ God hath brought him into Covenant and he will surely perform all his Covenant you have the Oath of God for it and you have the blood of Christ for it that all shall be surely and certainly accomplished And therefore O Christian rejoyce in believing for God will surely bless thee will surely keep thee will strengthen thee and will surely save thee SECT VII Quest 7. THere is one Question more which I mentioned in the beginning What Christ still doth for his people as Mediatour viz. What Jesus Christ still doth fâ—r his people in Covenant unto whom he is a Mediatour Sol. For answer unto this be pleased to consider that the works of Christ our Mediatour are distingushed into five sorts 1s Those of his Life on Earth 2. Those of his Death 3. Those of his Resurrection 4. Those of his Ascention 5. Those of his Session at the right hand of God the Father in heaven Of these last I shall only speak at this time The works of Christ as Mediator are considerable under a three-fold notion 1. As to the susception of and engagement for them Heb. 10. 7. 9. Then said he Lo I come to do thy will O God in the volume of the book it is written of me In this respect Christ applied himself to the work of a Mediatour before he came into the world and assumed our Nature by way of condescention and compact 2. As to the performance and execution of them Thus he acted them being on earth in becoming man or God Incarnated and fulfilling all righteousness in respect of his Active and Passive obedience which were both satisfactory and meritorious 3. As to the application of all in time unto us and this is the great work of Christ now in heaven for us as our Mediatour this is a very choice Point and I would speak unto it First in general That Jesus Christ doth act or work for his people as now exalted and sitting at the right hand of God in heaven Secondly in opening the special work that eminent work of Christ in heaven for his people on earth 1. That Jesus Christ doth think on his servants and doth act or work for them Jesus Christ doth act for his people at the right hand of his Father he being now in heaven the Scriptures plainly affirm Heb. 9. 24. Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figure of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us as an Atturney appears for his Client 1 Joh. 2. 1. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous the Advocate pleads c. verse 2. And Arguments to demonstrate â—t he is the Propitiation for our sins Besides these Scriptures there are several Arguments to demonstrate it 1. His Office drth still continue although he be now in heaven Heb. 4. 14. His Office doth still continue We have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Heb. 7. 16. He is a Priest made not after the Law of a carnal Commandement but after the power of an endlesse life verse 17. For he testifieth Thou art a Priest for ever
be saved and all who believe not shall be damned Ergo. It discourageth none from coming to Christ 3. The Gospel holds out enough for any particular sinner to lay hold on It holds out a sufficiency in Christ for any and offers Christ indefinitely A willingness in Christ to receive any that come unto him 4. It offers Jesus Christ to any sinner yea to the vilest and most wretched To the persecuting Paul to the adulterous Magdalen to the Sodomitical Corinthians c. 1 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Cor. 6. 19. 5. Any sinner may accept the offer without any sin for it is worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2. Let any sinner whatsoever come in by faith unto Christ and he shall effectually partake of Redemption and salvation by Christ Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man hear my voice and open the doore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Rev. 22. 17. Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely John 7. 23. If any man thirst let him come to mâ— and drink Joh. 3. 16. Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish You see here many promises to assure any sinner of an effectual interest in the benefits of Christ if that he doth hearken and believe and come in by faith unto Christ 1. Doe but consider as faith is the condition required on our part so it is the only condition there is no more no other thing required to bring you in to Christ nor to bring you into communion or fellowship or participation of himself nor of the benefits of his death but faith If you do believe Christ is youâ—s and if you do believe you are justified and if you do believe you shall be saved and if you do believe you have an immediate certain and full interest in Christ and his merits 2. Again where the Gospel is revealed unto a people the reason why any of them miss of salvation and are damned is because they believe not Joh. 3. 8. He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God ver 36. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Now if this be so that unbelief cuts the sinner off that it hinders him of life by Christ that it is his condemnation that it seals the wrath of God on him then certainly faith in Christ in any man whatsoever will bring him to life to all good in and by Jesus Christ 3. That the death of Christ as Mediatour was not effectual for all it was not an The death of Christ was not effectual for all universal effectual Redemption Expiation Reconciliation and Salvation for all sinners and for every particular sinner There are three things which I would offer unto you about this Conclusion 1. Proofs from Scripture as to the Assertion in general 2. Proofs in particular that the Death and Redemption and Reconciliation c. by Christ was not universally effectual either 1. In God the Fathers intention nor in Christs intention 2. In the real Impetration of Christ 3. In the Application of it in time unto all the sons of Adam 3. Answers to some of the chief and speclous Arguments which are insisted on to the contrary 1. I shall endeavour in the general to prove this Negative truth that the death In the general Proofs from Scripture of Christ as Mediatour was not effectual for all and every man for Reprobates as well as Elect for unbelievers as well as believers for the damned as well as the saved Joh. 10. 15. I lay down my life for the sheep Those for whom Christ did dye were his sheep But all and every man are not his sheep Ergo he did not die for every As from John 10 15. man The first Proposition Jesus Christ delivers in this Scripture I lay down my life for the sheep The second Proposition Christ himself also delivers in verse 26. But ye believed not because ye are not of my sheep Quest. If the question be put But who are Christs sheep Sol. Why Christ also resolves that Question and so resolves it that he plainly demonstrates all are not his sheep See verse 27. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me verse 28. And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish The sheep are described by their own property and by Christs bounty and care They are Christs sheep who do hear Christs voice and so hear his voice that they follow him But all and every man doth not the one nor the other again Christ sayes I give unto my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish Doth Christ give unto every one in the world eternal life and shall not any one in all the worldperish why then doth the Scripture say He that believeth not shall be damned Mar. 16. 16. And we are not of them that draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul Heb. 10. 39. Now what can be replied unto this Christ died for his sheep Eâ—go all and every man are not his sheep There are two shifts which are made instead of answers unto this Scripture 1. One is that of Haberus That all men are sheep he must mean the sheep of Christ or else he answers nothing But this Christ himself as â—e have heard of from verse 26. expresly opposeth saying to the unbelieving Pharisees and Jews ye are not my sheep There are but two respects upon which men may be called the sheep of God or of Christ One is in respect of vâ—cation whether external only or internal also The other is in respect of Predestination because God hath Chosen them and designed them for Christ and in neither of these respects can all and every man be called the sheep of Christ Neither in respect of Predestination for few are chosen Nor in respect of Vocation for though many be called yet not all called no not with an External Vocation which yet is the more general 2. Another is that of the Remonstrants who said that Christ did lay down his life for the sheep but it is not said for the sheep only for them alone Paul saith Chriâ—â— gave himself for me It will not hence follow that Christ gave himself for Paul only and for none else nay we read that Christ died fur the ungodly Rom. 5. 6. and therefore not for his sheep only Sol. This is a shift much like that of the Papists who when we presse the Scripture for justification only by faith they say the word only by faith is not expressed unto whom we reply that vertually it is for the Scripture opposeth Justification by faith unto justification by works and denying it unto works therefore it
for many Ages utterly unknown to the Christian world c. 3. There are some whom God never elected but passed them by he would not shew mercy unto them he intended to manifest his justice and wrath on those vessels of wrath did Christ obtain for these also Reconciliation Remission and eternal life He knew that his Father would never have mercy on them and his death was according to the Counsel of his Father and did his Father Counsel and Decree and appoint him to purchase and procure mercy for those of whom he said he would never shew mercy to them why this were strange indeed that God should put the soule of Christ to grief and make him to bear wrath and sorrow for them unto whom he never intended mercy 4. Should not all men in the world be born in a state of grace and favour For Christ hath obtained Reconciliation for them all and that Reconciliation is not forfeited untill they reject it by unbelief and that cannot be as soon as they be born How then can we all be said by nature to be the children of wrath Ephes 2. 3. seeing wrath is off and ceased when God is reconciled This Inference cannot possibly be avoided unless we will fancy that the Reconciliation purchased by Christ is kept by God as it were in Banco as a Treasure which dischargeth nothing for a while untill hereafter it be brought forth to help a person upon occasion so that the Reconciliation and Remission purchased by Christ must he as a dead stock in heaven so long untill men come to years and then God makes experiments whether sinners will make use of it or no c. But to these I shall add other Arguments 1. The Impetration of universal Reconciliation either it was an actual Reconciliation and Remission or only Potential a Reconcileableness or Remissableness If it were an actual Reconciliation and Remission then are God and all sinners enemies no longer but friends and then every sinner shall certainly be saved And is a blessed man for if we be reconciled by the death of Christ much more shall we be saved by his life Rom. 5. 10 And Rom. 4. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered verse 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin But this I suppose none will presume to maintain Ergo. no Actual Reconciliation and Remission for all If the Reconciliation and Remission be only Potential and not Actual then 1. Why doth the Scripture take no notice of this at all But where it speaks of the death of Christ and Reconciliation and Remission thereby it perpetually delivers the one and the other as Actual Ephes 2. 13. Ye are made nigh by the blood of Christ verse 14. He is our peace ver 15. Making peace ver 16. Having slain the enmity thereby Col. 1. 20. Having made peace through the blood of his Crosse ver 21. you hath he reconciled Ephes 1. 7. In whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them was all this here ascribed unto the death of Christ only a power accruing unto God that he might if he would make an offer of an universal reconciliation and Remission 2. But again Jesus Christ did make an actual offering of himself and he did actually satisfie the Justice of God for all according to the Opinion of the Arminians Now if the Justice of God be actually satisfied surely there is more than a meer power and liberty acquired that God may be reconciled to us if he will and pardon us if he will and save us if he will Because the satisfaction of Christ can and doth Oblige God to this God having Covenanted with him if that he would lay down his life for sinners that then his Righteousness should justifie and reconcile them 3. What we are to believe that is true but we are to believe that God is actually reconciled by the blood of Christ and hath actually forgiven us 2. This Grand universal Impetration either God intends the real actual application of it or he doth never intend to apply it to all It were most strange that the Son of God should come down from heaven be made man be made obedient to the death even to the death of the Cross yea and be made a curse for us and by his blood purchase as they say Reconciliation and Remission and life Eternal for all and every one if God intended not actually to bestow these But I demand Did he intend and will the actual collation of these purchased benefits on all and every one or did he not The Arminians to this expresly answer two things Grevencovius Cortivus 1. Deum nec voluisse nec noluisse God did neither will and intend it neither did he nill or not intend it Why then there is a Christ given to death given for a Sacrifice to be a Propitiation for sinners to be a Redemption for all and every sinner to save all and yet after all this God is not peremptorily resolved either way of the benefit of this to any one sinner whatsoever And so the death of Christ may be in vain in respect of benefit to all the sinners in the world For although his death did satisfie Gods Justice and thereby God gained so much as that he might universally tender Redemption to all yet if there were no actual purpose or real intention in God to bestow this on any who can say that he shall be the better for that which God really intends not to bestow on him 2. Again they say that though God did not peremptorily intend to confer and bestow this upon all yet conditionally he did if so be that all will believe on Christ unto which I would reply two things First God did know that all men would not believe on Christ and therefore as to the prescience of God this condition was not universal but particular if Gods intention to impart the benefits of the death of Christ had a respect unto and foundation in a condition which he certainly foresaw to be particular only Hence it will necessarily follow That God never intended a Redemption and salvation for all From the Argument either to God or unto men it shall bind the Adversary If to God in respect of his intention then thus I frame it God intended salvation by Christ only for all who will believe in Christ but God did certainly know that all men would not believe in Christ Ergo. he did not intend it for all If to men in respect of the event then thus Salvation is obtained for all who will believe on Christ but all men will not believe in Christ Ergo. Salvation is not obtained for all Secondly I reply to that Assertion viz. That God did intend to confer or apply all saving benefits purchased by Christ upon the condition that
charity look on them as bought and redeemed persons although afterwards the contrary doth appear as all those who have but a temporary faith and make a temporary profession these seem to us to be bought and perhaps unto themselves yet really they are not And truely such kind of persons were these who are said in this place to deny the Lord that bought them they were so far wrought on that they got the knowledge of the true way of righteousness verse 12. And escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ ver 20. and probably were numbred in respect of profession with the people of God so that they seemed to be bought in respect of their temporary faith profession and conversation yet really they were not so for they turned Apostates ver 22. and damnable Hereticks ver 1. denying the Lord either in his Person or in his Office who bought them as others and as themselves did think Thirdly Others do yet suggest one more answer unto this place who say that these Hereticks and so other wicked men were bought by Christ though not as to the effect and state of salvation for so only the Elect and true Believers are bought by Christ as their Redeemer and Saviour yet in respect of some common fruits and benefits for those upon that account their service and fidelity are duely and properly belonging unto Christ and their sin is the greater for denying him who is their Lord also by a right of Redemption as to Common mercies And some do conjecture had it not been for the Promise of Christ as Redeemer and Gods looking on him as so all the world had been presently destroyed upon the fall of Adam but Christ interposing himself he stayed that destruction and at least procured the cause of all those outward blessings which ungodly men do enjoy in this life for which reason he may be said to buy even the ungodly in that he delivers them from present ruine and their sin is therefore the greater to deny him but I adhere to the second answer as most proper to the place But having now many other Scriptures alledged by them to the same purpose aforementioned let us consider what Reasons and Arguments the Arminians produce to prove that Christ died for all and every man and by his death Arguments of the Arminians purchased Reconciliation with God Remission of sins and eternal life for them I shall briefly mention four or five of the chiefest which they bring Argument 1 1. That which every man is bound to believe is true but every man is bound to believe that Christ died for him Ergo it is true that Christ died for every man Sol. To this Sophistical Argument two answers are given by the Learned Answered 1. One unto the Major or first Proposition viz. That which every man is bound to believe is true a thing may be said to be true in a three-fold respect Either quia promittitur because it is promised Or secondly quia narratur because it is related or declared Or thirdly quia praedicitur because it is foretold so that whatsoever a man is bound to believe that same is true either as promised or as declared or done or as foretold Not alwayes true in one and the same respect or in every respect but either as promised or declared or reported or as foretold To apply this to the Argument in hand that Christ died effectually for every man If it be a truth then it must be so because God hath promised it or declared it or foretold it if it be a truth because promised then it is with condition of faith for though the very promise be true in it self yet it is not performed unto us without believing the same promise still requiring faith for the performance of it and then this will not prove that it is true that Christ died for all and every man absolutely but only for Believers or for all men only under the condition of faith If it be a truth because only declared or foretold then whether a man believes or believes not this is true that Christ died for him the reason is all things which are true by way of Narration or Prediction they are true upon their own account they are true before we believe them our faith makes them not to be so and if we believe them not yet are they true our unbelief cannot make the truth of God a lye But I suppose that no Arminian will say that Christ dyed effectually for every man whether he doth believe or doth not believe A second answer shall be unto the Minor Proposition But every man is bound to believe that Christ dyed for him to this I would say three things First It is a material disputable Point Whether those to whom the Gospel is not revealed are bound to believe that Christ died for them because the Precept of believing is a Gospel Precept only and the punishment for unbelief is threatned and inflicted in relation to the Gospel for slighting and refusing that Christ who is revealed and offered by the Gospel unto sinners who also are therein commanded to believe on Christ and if this be so then certainly every man is not bound to believe that Christ died for him Secondly When the Gospel doth come it doth not absolutely command that every one should believe that Christ dyed for him indeed it doth command every one to believe on Christ i. e. to receive him and trust on him alone for life But it doth not command him to believe without any more ado without any condition whatsoever that Christ died for him i. e. hath by his death made his peace procured his pardon and eternal life For the Gospel doth not reveale or command any such thing It doth reveale a Christ who died for sinners and it doth offer this Christ to sinners but with all it saith Whosoever believes shall be saved and he that believes not shall be damned Doth the Gospel command every man absolutely to believe that Christ dyed for him which takes in the Application of all the fruits and benefits of the death of Christ which a soule can enjoy whether a man obey the voice of the Gospel or not receive Christ or not q. d. you are bound to believe that Christ died for you though you never by faith close with the offer of Christ though your heart never prize him or never are brought in unto him and though you still love your sins and persevere in them Tell me in good sadness did Jesus Christ ever sign such a Commission as this Go preach the Gospel and tell people that whether they receive me or will not receive me whether they become believers or continue unbelievers whether they repent or continue impenitent they are bound every man of them to believe that I dyed for them and reconciled them and have procured salvation for them Certainly if every man were bound to believe this he were bound
possesseth and he is poor and dreams that Christ is his and died for his sins and made his peace but he is deceived there is no such matter at all Now there are foure things which do manifestly declare that the confidence That confidence is but a delusion Which is contrary to the Word which some men have that Christ dyed for them is but a delusion 1. When that confidence is contrary to the Word Every true and sound perswasion of our interest in Christ and in the benefits of his death is conformable to the testimony of the Word and every false perswasion or confidence is contrary to the Word as it hath no word of God to bottom upon so it hath the Word of God to unbottom and contradict it You are confident that Christ dyed to save you and to purchase the pardon of sins c. And yet you remain an ignorant and impenitent a disobedient and unbelieving sinner you still love your sins and will not forsake them your heart is hardened in sin and you mourn not for sin you despise the Gospel of Christ and truth of Christ and calls of Christ and paths of Christ and subjection to Christ and communion with Christ And yet you are confident that Christ died effectually 〈◊〉 for your salvation And what warrant have you thus to lay claim to him and to his benefits The Word saith Whosoever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16 36. And he that believeth not shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him And you believe not on him where is now your confidence the Word saith be converted and repent that your sins may be blotted out Acts 3. 19. And Christ saith that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name Luke 24. 47. But you repent not you do not you will not forsake your sins The Word saith that Christ is the Author of salvation to all that obey him Hebr. 5. 9. But you will not obey him he calls you off from your sins and he calls you off from the world and he calls you to fellowship with himself and he calls you unto holinesse but you will not obey him in any of these calls therefore your confidence in the benefits of his death is a meer presumption and delusion it is not warranted by the Word nay the Word is expressely contrary unto it 2. When that confidence is but natural and easily believed The right confidence Which is but natural and easily believed that Christ dyed for us it is supernatural and difficult we cannot give it to our selves it is a perswasion given unto us and it costs us many prayings and many tears and many bearings and many waitings upon God before we can attain unto it But a deluding confidence that is natural and easie the person never gets it by prayer never wrestled with God for it never attended the Word for it never conflicted with doubts and fears was never at any cost for it but was confident all his days no antecedent conflict no present conflict presumption is a work of our own a meer fancy of our own and a meer delusion of our own Thirdly When that confidence is fruitlesse and loose it produceth no love Which is fruitlesse at all to Christ nor fear to offend Christ nor care to please Christ nay instead of these there is a boldnesse to sin the more and to continue impenitent because Christ dyed for sinners and his death is sufficient to expiate the greatest transgressions whereas a right confidence of the benefits of the death of Christ makes men more holy and obedient 1 John 2. 3. We know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Ver. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Fourthly When that confidence or assurance is easily swept away in time of Which is easily swept away in time of tryal tryal either by conscience or by afflictions or by sicknesse or by the approachings of death His confidence shall be rooted out of his Tabernacle and shall bring him to the King of terrors said Bildad in Job 18. 14. A deluding confidence usually ends in a despairing diffidence but so doth not a right and well-grounded confidence it will hold out in all afflictions and tryals whatsoever Rom. 8. 38 39. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yea it will hold out in death it self when all the hopes of the hypocrite shall perish 2 Tim. 4. 6. I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand Ver. 7. I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Ver. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day From all this let us learn carefully to try our very confidences of our interest in Christ and in the benefits of his death remember but three things 1. Your interest is never the more for all your confidence confidence gives no propriety though sometimes it follows it 2. Your interest is the lesse if your confidence be false A troubled and doubting Christian may be brought in to Christ and partake of him and of his benefits when the bold confident presumptuous sinner keeps off and hides himself even because he is boistrously confident 3. You will certainly be lost if you rest in this confident delusion it is a broken bottome and a dream which will destroy you Case 2. What a person should do who as yet cannot certainly affirme What a person should do who as yet cannot certainly affirme that Christ dyed for him that Christ dyed for him and that he hath any interest in the benefits of his death Sol. This is the case of many troubled souls and their exceeding burden and fear unto whom I would commend 1. A few Cautions 2. A few Directions 1. Cautions Cautions to such Do not cashiere your title 1. Do not cashiere your title Though all this while you cannot clear your interest although you cannot conclude for it yet do not conclude against it nor yet despair for 1. This dark condition is incident to most if not all weak believers who are baptized in a cloud though they drink of the rock i. e. Christ indeed is theirs although they do not see him to be theirs and the blood of Christ was shed for them although the assurance thereof be not shed abroad in their hearts yea and pardon of their sins is sealed although as yet it be not revealed to them they do not finde this in a sensible experience but yet they
know any solid objection to the contrary for though many believers yet complain and yet doubt and yet seek for this assurance Yet some of these may have had assurance and pursue only an higher degree or if they never yet had yet they shall at length finde it and their longing and seeking after it are the means to attain to it Case 4. Whether the assurance or certain knowledge that Christ is ours Whether assurance be of any spiritual advantage to him that hath it and dyed for our sins and made our peace and purchased our salvation be a matter of any special advantage unto him that hath it Sol. I am willing to speak something to this case because it may serve much to excite the hearts of believing persons to strive after this assurance when they shall hear the singular advantages and benefits thereby There are nine admirable advantages and benefits by it First This assurance silenceth all the trouble of the soul all the doubts and Nine advantages by it It silenceth all trouble fears and terrors and sad suspitions and apprehensions in the soul you are presently off the Sea and off the Rack when this assurance comes in the very nature of it and in the inseparable effects of it it is a present cure and discharge unto all the anxiety and perplexity of the soul Fears and doubts and troubles of minde may consist with faith but they cannot consist with assurance if I be once assured that Christ is mine that he dyed for me that my sins are pardoned in his blood my heart is presently at ease my conscience ceaseth to accuse God appears not as a Judge but as a Father all enmity is slain what is there to fear or to trouble me Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8. 33 34. Secondly This assurance as it silenceth all troubles so it supplies the heart It supplies the heart with all comforts with all comforts David speaking of the light of Gods countenance saith that it put exceeding gladnesse into his heart Psal 4. 7. and made him to lie down in peace ver 8. Such comfortable operations come from this assurance of our interest in Christ and in the benefits of his death it makes us to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious and it produceth a peace that passeth all understanding And the reason of these comfortable effects is this because the certain knowledge of a mans happinesse and of his propriety in it necessarily fills the soul with joy and peace Simile When the Israelites were drawing towards the red Sea they look't back upon their enemies and were sore afraid but when they were past the red Sea and look't back and saw all their enemies drowned they bowed and blessed and rejoyced their sighs were turned into joys and their fears into peace and they rejoyced exceedingly Before assurance we look on our sins and fear after assurance when we see and know them to be drowned in the blood of Christ now we rejoyce God is reconciled sin is pardoned my soul shall be saved Doth not this will not this cause us to rejoyce We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the atonement Rom. 5. 11. Thirdly This assurance doth quicken all our graces it is their spring-time It quickens all our graces they act highly upon it as Solomons garden of spices did when the South wind blew upon it Cant. 4. 16. There is not one grace in the soul but is revived and enlarged by it Godly sorrow now fills the Pools with water see Zach. 12. 10. They shall mourn as a man mourneth for his only son c. love is enflamed by it To whom much is forgiven the same will love much Luke 7. 47. All the motions of love are in assurance here is love and mercy and kindnesse and goodnesse and bounty to me and all known by me And faith riseth by it in stronger confidence and dependance upon God whom I now know to love me to be mine to be reconciled unto me c. Fourthly This assurance sets on all our duties and services with such life It sets on all our duties with life with such affections with such alacrity oh how full is the soul with praising of God admiring him in Christ blessing him and his Christ Blesse blesse bless the Lord O my soul who forgiveth all thy iniquities Psal 103. 1 2 3. O how quick is the heart become in prayer it makes haste it takes delight to draw near to God it is enlarged in confidences and desires Fifthly This assurance is a strong preservative against sin and all temptations It is a strong preservative against sin and temptation thereto How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God O I have seen the face of God the love of Christ the sweetnesse of mercy Should such a man as I flee said Nehemiah So should such a man as I sin saith the assured Believer Should I so requite the Lord Should I make such a return unto my loving Christ c Sixthly This assurance sweetens all our other blessings it is the Sugar in the It sweetens all other blessings Wine This land is mine this house is mine and this husband and this wife and these riches this plenty c. yea and Christ is mine and God is mine and peace with God is mine and forgivenesse of sins and salvation and I know that they are mine Although a man enjoys all these outward blessings yet if his conscience tells him Thou hast no part in Christ nor portion in his death all thy sins are unpardoned and Gods justice is unsatisfied c. O what a sinking is this unto him under all his abundance or if a man be still doubtful whether he hath a part in Christ this imbitters all his possessions I know not what will become of me at the last Seventhly This assurance sweetens all losses and crosses Job 9. 2. O that It sweetens all losses and crosses I were as in months past as in the days when God preserved me Ver. 3. when his candle shined upon my head and when by his light I walked through darknesse here the light of Gods favour made him walk even in darknesse Rom. 8. 55. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakednesse or peril or sword Ver. 37. Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 5. 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulations c. 2 Cor. 4. 17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if the earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building with God not made with hands eternal in
punishment enuogh for all those who refuse to enter into Covenant with God that they shall never partake of any spiritual blessing and mercy which God hath promisâ—d There is the forgivenesse of sins promised but their sins shall never be forgiven and there is renewing grace promised but their hearts shall never be renewed and sanctified and there is eternal glory promised but their souls shall never be saved They shall be left unto their own sinful guilt and unto their own sinful coâ—ruptions and unto their own sinful deserts and all the wrath of God threatned against them shall fall upon them Therefore I beseech you who hear of Christ and who hear of the Covenant of Grace take heed to your selves that you resist not the grace which is offered unto you in Christ and the terms of reconciliation propounded unto you least you cast your selves out of the Covenant and from all spiritual blessings which God hath therein promised lest you never have grace and never have mercy and never have blessednesse Use 4 Lastly since spirâ—iual blessings are promised by God unto all in Covenant with God let the consideration of this mollifie our hearts and bow them into acceptance of God to be our God and to resign up our selves to be his people in Covenant Accept of God to be your God and to walk with him and before him in all uprightnesse why so because now the promises of spiritual blessings are to you and by this you become heirs of all those blessings O that we did know what the love of God was and what the enjoyment of Christ was and what the forgivenesse of sins was and what the excellency of grace was and what the eternity of glory was how miserable we are and must continue so for ever without them and how happy we shall continue for ever with them then our hearts would be perswaded to disannual our Covenant with sins and condescend to become the people of God c. SECT II. Doct. 2 Doctr. 2. THat in the Covenant spiritual blessings are first promised and after them temporal blessings God promiseth both of them unto his In the Covenant spiritual blessings are first promised people but first the spiritual Ezek. 36. 25. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean Ver. 26. A new heart also will I give you c. And then follow the promises of temporal blessings in ver 28. And ye shall dwell in the Land which I gave unto your fathers Ver. 29. And I will call for the corn and will increase it Ver. 30. And I will multiply the fruit of the Tree and the increase of the Field Psal 84. 11. The Lord will give grace and glory there are spirituals no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly here are temporals Hosea 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving-kindnesse and in mercies Ver. 20. I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord here are the spiritual blessings Ver. 21. And it shall come to passe in that day I will hear saith the Lord I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth Ver. 22. And the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oyle and they shall both hear Jezreel here are the temporal blessings Quest Why is God thus pleased to order his promise for blessings as first the Reasons of it spiritual and then the temporal Sol. Reasons thereof may be these 1. He suiteth his blessings with the desires and necessities of his Saints they To suit blessings to the desires of Saints To give advantage to faith to seek them first need these most and shall have them first 2. Hereby is some advantage given unto faith first to believe spirituals and then to believe temporals for if God will give the greater will he deny the lesse Rom. 8. 32. Faith to believe them as the choicest blessings for not only spiritual blessings are promised but also that they are the first in promise and thence faith concludes the first appearing of Gods love and gracious will and purpose towards us are the choice blessings should we question the donation of them when we find them to be the first of the Legacies sealed with the blood of Christ 3. Hereby the Lord sets out both the goodnesse and greatnesse of his love To set forth the goodnesse and greatnesse of his love 1. The goodnesse of his love in securing of our souls and regarding of them for only spiritual blessings do serve them q. d. the first thing that I will do for you is this that I will take care to save your poor souls I will bestow such things on them as shall for ever make them happy 2. The greatnesse of his love for God to give us ordinary things this comes from his love but for God to give us the spiritual blessings this comes from his great love Eph. 2. 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he hath loved us Ver. 5. even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ by grace ye are saved Titus 3. 4. After that the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared Ver. 5. according to his mercy he saved us by the washing and regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Rom. 5. 8. But God commendeth his love toward us in that whiles we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us 4. Spiritual blessings are far before and above temporal blessings therefore They are far before and above temporal blessings no marvail that God makes promise first of them they are before and above them the shekel of the Sanctuary was double to the ordinary shekel they are the best 1. In nature they are the pearl of great price the one thing necessary as In Nature the Sun amongst the Stars the better part we set such a value upon our natural life that all the world is inferiour unto it all that a man hath will he give for his life yet one spiritual blessing surmounts it Psal 63. 3. Thy favour is better than life It is a good speech of Gregory Nazianzen Aequius est ut vincat quod me lius est which is the greater or better the gold or the Altar that sanctifies the gold 2. In influence and virtue Can earthly things alter the frame of the heart In influence or deliver from death or avail in the day of wrath or make our peace with God or relieve a distressed conscience or put you in possession of Christ or give you hope of heaven or help your soul at all but spiritual blessings can do all these renewing grace doth change the heart Jesus Christ delivers from death and wrath his blood pacifies Gods assurance of forgivenesse quiets the conscience rejoyceth the heart all these will give you
of sin maketh formally no change in the person forgiven for it is a work without him indeed there is a relative change upon forgiveness the person forgiven is in a state of life and not of death but there is no inherent change of qualities in the person by it no more than there is in a Malefactor pardoned or a Debtor forgiven both of them may be diseased notwithstanding their pardon but this could not be if remission of sin consisted in the extinction or deletion of the stain of sin It is true that when God forgives the sin he doth likewise change the heart of the sinner nevertheless the forgiving of sin is one thing and the giving of a new heart is another thing c. Fourthly If remission of sin consist in the outward deletion of sin Then the troubled conscience could never come to rest and peace in the assurance of pardon of sin why because in this life the person shall never find in himself such an utter deletion of sin and consequently no remission of sins and if no remission of sin then no rest nor peace because from the knowledge and assurance of that doth the rest and peace of conscience come and flow 2. Forgiveness of sins hath a peculiar respect to the guilt of sin and removal It hath a peculiar respect to the guilt of sin of that when the Lord forgives a man he doth discharge him of that obligation by which he was bound over to wrath and condemnation Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Ver. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth Ver. 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed Beloved the Lord is a holy and just God and he reveals his wrath from heaven against all unrighteousnesse and there is a curse threatned to every transgression of the Law and when any man sinneth he is obnoxious unto the curse and God may inflict the same upon him but when God forgives sins he therein doth interpose as it were between the sin and the curse and between the obligation and the condemnation q. d. by reason of your sinning you are now fallen into my hands of justice and for your sinning I may according to my righteous Law condemn and curse you for ever for by your sinning you are worthy of death Rom. 1. 32. but such is my mercy to you in Christ that for his sake I will spare you and that curse and condemnation which you have deserved it shall never light upon you I will deliver and free your souls from going down into the pit Object But may some say Is not guilt inseparable from sin can sin be without guilt and can guilt be without the desert of wrath and condemnation Sol. I answer there is a two-fold guilt there is reatus simplex and reatus efficax absolute guilt hath in it a worthiness or desert of condemnation and this can never be separated from sin for though sin be pardoned and condemnation removed from the sinner yet his sin is worthy of condemnation but when God pardons sin he doth it not by making the sin not to be worthy of condemnation but this is it which God doth he doth remove that condemnation that it shall never effectually or actually fall upon the sinner although he for his sinning be worthy thereof e. g. When a thief or murderer is pardoned amongst us this pardon doth not make the theft or murder no sin or in themselves not worthy of death by the Law but it relieves the pardoned persons thus far that the death deserved by these sins is taken off and shall never be inflicted on the offenders 3. Forgiveness of sin takes off all punishments properly so called for sin there It takes off all punishment properly so called belongs unto us temporal punishment and eternal punishment you do not consider what a depth of merit there is in sin what plagues and curses it can pull down in this life and what an hell hereafter but when God forgives sins you are then released and for ever acquitted from any after-reckonings with the justice of God Divine justice hath no more to say or do against you for remissa culpa remittitur poena if the fault be forgiven then also is the punishment forgiven nay let me speak with an humble reverence God cannot in his justice punish when he hath pardoned Why will you say First He forgives upon a satisfaction made to his justice already by Christ so that he cannot in justice punish us again for satisfaction Secondly When he forgives he releases the guilt and the fault and the sin in now by this act of his merciful grace as if it had never been committed so that the proper cause and reason of punishing being utterly removed there can no punishment issue out from Divine justice against you Object But will some say are not justified and pardoned persons many times punished in this life Was not David punished for his sin were not the Corinthians punished for their unworthy receiving of the Lords Supper Sol. I answer that word Punishment may be taken either 1. Largely for any affliction or chastisement which doth befall us from God as a Father in this sense I grant punishment incident to justified or pardoned persons for Hebr. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth And Ver. 7. If you endure chastisement God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the Father chastneth not 2. Strictly for those miserable evils issuing out from the Court of justice and falling upon us from God as a wrathful Judge and as yet unsatisfied and unreconciled these kinds of punishing are wholly and utterly removed from justified or pardoned persons by the blood of Christ and Gods gracious forgiveness 5. A fifth thing considered in the description of forgiveness of sins is this It is Gods act of oblivion that forgiveness of sins is if I may so express it Gods act of oblivion and as it were an eternal cancelling of all our sinful bonds and debts so that there is now a full end of all controversies between God and us Object We many times are possessed with fears like Josephs Brethren that notwithstanding the peace and assurance which he gave them of passing by their injurious dealing with him yet at length they feared that he would remember them and be avenged of them such thoughts have we of God also sometimes we do perceive his great love and rich mercy towards us in the forgiveness of our sins yet at other times we have fears lest God will call us unto account for all our sinful offences and question us and judge us as if the granting of pardoning mercy might be revoked and called back by the Writ of Error and the old suit be prosecuted again by Divine justice which seemeth to be taken off and silenced
that God will not one time or another remember thy sins and judge thee for them O no he saith that he will forgive iniquity and remember my sin no more 4. But dost thou not see that he remembers thy sins when his hand lies now so heavy upon thee O no this is no judicial remembrance but a paternal chastisement 5. But certainly God loves thee not nay if he had not loved me freely he would never have justified me freely 6. But thou hast nothing to do with Christ nor ever shalt thou have benefit by Christ Why this is strange that my sins are forgiven me for his Names sake yet that I should have no part in Christ and no benefit by Christ 7. But God is still displeased and angry with thee No for he hath taken away iniquity and therefore his anger is turned away from me 8. But God will not hear any prayer which thou makest nor mayst thou be admitted into any communion with him O but this is false for God himself hath said 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my people shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sins and will heal their Land Ver. 15. And mine eyes shall be open and mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place 9. But what good will the pardon of thy sins do thee as long as thy sins rule and prevail over thee O but that God who pardoneth iniquity saith also that he will subdue our iniquities Micah 7. 18 19. 10. But I can and will charge thy sins upon thee and condemn thee for them O but what hast thou to do to charge sins when God hath discharged sins and what hast thou to do to condemn me if God hath forgiven me Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth Ver. 14. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed SECT VIII Vse 4 DOth the promise of forgiveness belong unto all that are in Covenant with God The last Use then shall be for Instruction unto all the people of God Instruction Duties of such whose sins are forgiven Bless much whose sins God himself hath forgiven There are five duties which do in a special manner take hold of you First Bless much How should the heart be filled with the praises of so good a God and be enlarged in the blessings of him Psal 103. 1. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Ver. 2. Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Ver. 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities Beloved 1. Set this mercy in comparison with other mercies and if you finde just cause to bless God for them surely you will finde more cause to bless God for this forgiving mercy You many times bless God for delivering your life from death and have you not more reason to bless God for delivering your souls from hell You many times bless God for delivering your bodies from pains and aches and have you not more reason to bless God for delivering your conscience from wrath and terror You many times bless God for a blessing which is but for a time and but for this life and have you not more reason to bless God for this blessing of forgiveness which reaches to eternity and unto everlasting life You bless God many times for peace with man and have you not more reason to bless God for peace with God Being justified by faith we have peace with God c. Rom. 5. 1. You bless God many times that all is well on earth and no cross befalls you have you not more reason to bless God that all is well at heaven and that no curse shall ever befall you You many times bless God that differences and suits are taken up between you and men so that you shall never be troubled and punished by men and have you not more cause to bless God that all differences are taken off betwixt you and God so that you shall never be questioned nor be damned by him 2. Set the unpardoned sinners condition and your pardoned condition together How cursed a condition that is and how blessed a condition this is and tell me then whether you have not great reason to bless your God When a sinner lives and dies an unpardoned sinner he lives under wrath and dies under wrath he lives an enemy to God he is a Christless person and an hopeless person all his transgressions stand upon Record and in their full power of guilt against his soul and all that curse and punishment which God hath threatned and which all his sins have deserved they shall certainly and perfectly and eternally be inflicted upon him God will question him and convince him and judge him and damn him and none shall ever be able to deliver him or help him he shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord c. Now all this would have been the portion of your cup had not the Lord in much mercy pardoned your iniquities and your sins for your sins were of the same kind and of the same guilt and of the same desert as the sins of others yet they are condemned and you are pardoned They dye and you live wrath is inflicted on them but mercy is bestowed on you they shall never see Heaven and you shall never see Hell they shall be damned for ever and you shall be saved for ever they have no reason to complain because the righteous God doth punish them only for their sins and you have reason to blesse because the gracious God hath mercifully prdoned your sins for his own sake Secondly Love much Love your God much who hath forgiven you much Love much He frankly forgave them both tell me therefore which of them will love him most Luke 7. 42. 47. There are six Reasons why we should love God 1. Because he is good 2. Because he doth us good 3. Because he loves us 1 Joh. 4. 19. We love him because he loved us 4. Because he sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sinnes 1 Joh. 4. 10. 5. Because he hath provided and promised a Kingdom to them that love him Jam. 1. 12. 6. Because he hath forgiven us our sinnes and that freely when we deserved it not nay when we deserved the contrary O how should this God be loved by you who alone share in his love in his Christ in his forgiving mercy how should your hearts be endeared unto him be knitted unto him be taken and affected with him The Schoolmen do distinguish of a twofold love Amor gratuitus such a love was Gods love to us in the forgiving of our sins Having forgiven you Col. 2. 13. the word signifies freely or graciously forgiven you all trespasses and Amor debitus such a love we do owe to God who doth
aright in a contrary grief and sorrow for his mistake 3. Nor be shamed of his own foolishness Secondly It is soul loss unless the Lord break down this false assurance It is soul loss in our hearts it will end in the eternal loss of our souls I told you the last day that that mans condition is more hopeful whose conscience is filled with terror for his sins than his condition is whose heart is filled with a false perswasion and assurance that his sins are pardoned as Christ spake to the self-conceited Pharisees Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdome of God before you Matth. 21. 31. Or as Solomon spake Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit there is more hope of a fool than of him Prov. 26. 12. So say I there is more hope of the salvation of the most doubting and most terribly dejected and distressed sinner than of the confident and falsly assured sinner why so will you say my reason is this because 1. When a person is in a troubled condition he is rightly sensible of his condition he sees that it is ill with him but the falsly assured sinner doth not see in what an evil condition he is and certainly it is a worse matter to be in an evil condition and not apprehend it than to be in that evil condition and yet to discern it 2. When a person sees himself in an evil condition there may be and usually there are fears to remain in it and cares to get out of it Men and Brethren what shall we do spake those wounded in their hearts for their sins Acts 2. 37. And the Jaylor came in trembling and cryed out What shall I do to be saved Acts 16. 30. But when a person hath deluded himself with a false confidence that his estate is good and with a false assurance that his sins are pardoned and God is reconciled unto him this man is whole he minds not the Physitian looks not after Christ and mercy and so loseth his soul Beloved this is certain that false assurance breeds carnal security and carnal security breeds neglect of Christ and neglect of Christ breeds loss of mercy and loss of mercy will be the loss of the soul It is soul disappointment Thirdly It is soul-failure and disappointment what Solomon speaks in Prov. 25. 19. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint He is of no use or service unto you that say I of a false assurance when you come to a time of need and then expect help from your false assurance and deluded confidence then you will finde that it will be of no more strength and service to you than a foot out of joint it will utterly fail you and deceive you When the winds and the waves arose then the house built on the sand did fall Matth. 7. 26 27. So when death comes and conscience is awakened and ariseth in exceptions and accusations and chargeth guilt as unpardoned upon the soul in that day what will become of all your vain confidences and of all your foolish and false excusations they will be swept away as the Spiders web and like a dream they presently vanish into nothing Now from all that hath been said you do see great reason as to strive for a right assurance so to take heed and beware of a false perswasion and assurance that your sins are pardoned SECT IV. 3. Vse DOth the Lord promise to sprinkle clean water upon his people i. e. to apply unto them in particular the pardon of their sins with the assurance thereof Hence let me inform two sorts of the people of God 1. Those who have found this sprinkling of assurance concerning the pardon of their sins how they may know that this is the very assurance which is given by God himself 2. Those who never yet have attained to this sprinkling of assurance from God what they should judge of their estate and what they should do to enjoy or partake of the same 1. Quest How may one know that the assurance which he hath found How one may know his assurance is true concerning the pardon of his sinnes be the right and true assurance which God himself undertakes to give by his Spirit unto his people Sol. I humbly conceive that this may be discerned partly 1. By some precedently preparing works 2. By some presently accompanying works 3. By some subsequently following works of the Spirit First You may know that the assurance which you have had or which you now have is indeed from the Spirit of God By these works or qualities which By some precedent works the Spirit alwayes laies in the soul before he gives this particular assurance And there are four works of the Spirit if I may so stile them qualifying and preparing the heart to receive this impression of assurance from the Spirit 1. Humbling and mourning 2. Reconciling and sanctifying 3. Believing and relying 4. Praying and wrestling First There alwayes goes an humbling and mourning heart before a revived heart about the pardon of our sins Luke 4. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is Humbling and mourning upon me saith Christ because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken-hearted to preach deliverance unto the captive And Isa 61. 2. To comfort all that mourn Ver. 3. To give unto them beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness c. Mark here are broken-hearted sinners and these doth the Spirit heal and here are captivated sinners and these doth the Spirit deliver and free and here are mourning sinners and these doth the Spirit comfort Why it is not reasonable to imagine that the Spirit of God will do any thing which is impertinent or improper or repugnant to his own Word but all his works within us are pertinent and are consonant with the Word 1. They are pertinent he will comfort those to whom comfort pertains 2. They are proper he will comfort them that need comfort and in the times of their need 3. They are consonant he will apply comfort to them unto whom God promiseth comfort Now comfort pertains to the broken-hearted and unto mourners for sin and it is proper for them they stand in need of the voice of joy and gladness and God hath in a special manner promised to comfort them that mourn Therefore if the assurance which you find of the pardon of your sins be a gracious peace and quietation and perswasion after conviction and after godly sorrow for your sins this is no feigned nor deluding work of fancy nor of Satan but it is the very voice of joy from the Spirit of God O when a poor troubled soul hath been laid low in the sense of sin hath gone heavily all the day with that burden is even confounded and ashamed and is ready to fail and faint and
joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luke 15. 10. I call it an eminent and great change because it surpasseth all other changes which may be found in men who yet have no newness of heart There may be a change 1. From rudeness of life to civility of conversation 2. From profaneness of walking to formality in Religion 3. From ignorance and blindness of mind to knowledge 4. From the practice of sin to a forbearance of sin 5. From quietness of Conscience to perplexity and trouble of Conscience and yet no newness of heart The change which constitutes a new heart is a very deep change it makes man to be a new creature it doth quite alter the frame and estate of a mans heart and Spirit It is a change in the soul Thirdly When the heart is made new there is a change made in the soul and in the whole soul 1. It is a change in the soule Simile It is one thing to plaister an old house and it is another thing to build a new house It is one thing to adorn a dead man and it is another thing to inform or enliven a dead man Newness of life doth principally respect the root and spring The work of renewing grace begins where sin begins it begins the Reformation where sin begins the deformation it begins to change and cleanse where sin begins to corrupt and defile and that is in the soul Outward Reformation is one thing and inward Reformation is another thing The Pharisees made clean the outside of the cup and they were painted Sepulchres which within were full of rotten bones Hypocrisie can make a new garbe of visible actions but it can never make an new heart it never changes and alters the soul that still remains under the love and power of sin But when the heart is made new there is some inward work of grace by which the soul is changed from death to life from unholiness to holiness 2. It is a change in the whole soul when the heart is made new all the soul In the whole soule is divinely changed Therefore this newness or Renewingness is compared to the light which disperseth itself into the whole body of the Aire so that there is not any one part of the Aire which is not enlightned To the oyntment which fills the whole room with sweet Odour To leaven which diffuseth itself over the whole lump As it is with Original sin it is an universal defilement it infects all the soul there is not one faculty of the soul but it is defiled by it So it is with Renewing grace or newness of heart it is an universal alteration or change it alters all the soul and all the faculties of the soul when a new heart is given there is a change made 1. In the minde or understanding which now is freed from darkness and enjoys an heavenly light to know the things of God and to discern things that are excellent and the mysteries of Christ and salvation appear in their glory We all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord c. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2. In the Judgement which is now freed from mistakes and Errors and high imaginations and carnal reasonings and disputes and is now captivated to the Truth and approves of what is good and condemneth what is evil It counts sin the gâ—eatest evil and Christ the most incomparable happiness and the enjoyment of God the only portion I count all things but drosse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ said Paul Phil. 3. 8. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee saith David Psal 73. 25. Thirdly In the Will which was proud and stubborn and unwilling and averse and perverse nothing would perswade it to hearken to Christ to yield to receive to obey all the arguments of mercy and glory would not â—ffect and take it Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life Joh. 5. 40. But when the heart is made new the Will also is changed now it falls down before Christ Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. Draw me and I will run after thee Cant. 1. 4. In all the affections of the soul Never was there such a change such a newness how they fall out with one another Grief falls out with Love and Love with hatred nay they seem to be changed one into another Joy into Grief and Love into Hatred and Hatred into Love what a man did love he now hates and what a man did hate he now loves and what a man desired he now fears and what a man delighted in he now grieves at it Nay look on them distinctly in their several motion The desires were Who will shew us any good Now the desires are What shall we do to be saved The delights were in sin in sensualities in vanities in vain societies now they are in the favour of God in Christ in pardoning mercy in holy and heavenly society in doing the will of God The like may be said for love for grief for fear c. Fourthly This change which constitutes newness of heart is wrought by the Spirit of Christ Therefore our Sanctification which is the same with the giving A change wrought by the Spirit of Christ of a new heart is called the Sanctification of the Spirit 1. Pet. 1. 2. And our change into the image of glory from glory to glory is by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. And the newness of heart is the work of the Spirit of Christ no man changeth or renews his own heart but the Spirit doth all And therefore he is called the Spirit 1. Of Knowledge because he illuminates and gives knowledge and light 1 Cor. 12. 8. 2. Of Grace and holiness because he makes us holy Ephes 4. 30. 3. Of Faith because he causeth our hearts to believe 2 Cor. 4. 13. 4. Of Love and joy because he worketh these in our hearts All saving good comes from the Father as the Fountain and through the Son as the Mediator and is wrought in us by the Spirit As in the Creation the Spirit moved upon the waters and so did as it were brood and frame all the Creatures To in Regeneration the Spirit descends upon the hearts and by his vigour doth forme all the newness and spiritual change in it This change is wrought by infusing a new Principle Fifthly The Spirit works this change in the heart by infusing a new Principle or quality of grace A new Principle is necessary to make a new heart there must be something put into the heart to change the heart in all alterations thus it is Simile If you would have the cold removed from the water heat must come in and if you would have darkness removed from the Aire the light must come in and if you would have sickness
that seek thee I believe all this Lord help my unbelief c. 3. Perseverance hold on this request and against all the rebellious workings of your old heart and against all the fears and disputes and discouragements of your old hearts yet lift up one Prayer more and one Prayer more you shall certainly prevail if you can persevere in Prayer There are three Requests which a poor broken-heart is sure to speed in if he will pray alwayes and not faint One is for a Christ and another is for pardoning mercy and a third is for a new heart Thirdly Diligently and patienly attend the Word by which God converts Attend the Word and changeth and renews the heart Psal 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting souls Jam. 1. 18. Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth Ephes 5. 26. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word How many old sinful hearts hath God convinced and converted by his Word that have come unto it with ignorance and been sent from it with knowledge that have come to it with hardness and have been sent from it with tenderness that have come to it with pride and have been sent from it with humility that have come to it with all manner of profaneness and have been sent from it with all manner of holiness with the Love of God and fear of God and hatred of sin and real purpose to walk with God in newness of obedience O therefore attend the Word of the Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation and therefore the power of God to Renovation c. Fourthly Lastly beseech the Lord to give you the uniting faith that faith which will unite your hearts to Jesus Christ which will effectually bring you into Begge uniting Faith relation with him as Members of the Body of which he is the head as Branches of himself the true Vine Object Why what will this do may some of you say Sol. I will tell you what it will do it will infallibly bring in renewing grace to your hearts You can never be changed and renewed Creatures unless you be in Christ 2 Cor 5. 17. For our spiritual life is in and from him he is the Authour of life unto us as Adam was the authour of death unto us And he was anointed with the Spirit that we from him might be Anointed with the Spirit And if once you be united by Faith unto him you partake of his Spirit to sanctifie and renew and conform you unto himself He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. EZEK 36. 26. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh THese words are yet a further Declaration of the gracious will and intention of God towards the people of his Covenant Two things already hath God promised unto them one was to justifie them to pardon all their sins another was to sanctifie them to renew all their hearts And there are two more choice mercies and blessings which he doth graciously undertake to bestow upon them First One is to take away the stony heart out of their flesh Secondly The other is to give them an heart of flesh O what a mercy is it to be rid of the stone in the body which puts us to such exquisite pain and torment your mercy is infinitely greater to be delivered from the stone in the heart which is the depth of sin and the height of judgement There are three Propositions which these words do hold forth unto us viz. First There is a stony heart or an heart of stone in every man Secondly That God will take away the stony heart from his people Thirdly He will not only take away from them the heart of stone but he will also give them an heart of flesh CHAP. IX A heart of stone in every man Doctr. 1. THat there is a stony heart in every man I will take away the There is a stony heart in every man stony heart out of your flesh there it was else it could not be taken away the natural heart is a stony heart not Physically so as if it were so indeed but Metaphoriaclly so it is like the stone it is a hard heart spiritually hard that is meant by the stony heart Zach. 7. 12. They have made their hearts as an Adamant stone Isa 48. 4. Thy neck is an iron sinew and thy brow brass q. d. Thy heart is exceeding hard like Iron which will not bow and like brass which will not change both which are explained in the first words of the verse Thou art obstinate For the opening of this Point I will shew unto you 1. Why the hard heart which is in every man is called a stony heart 2. What stonyness or hardness of heart is to be found in man 3. Several Demonstrations or Convictions that the heart of every man naturally is a hard or stony heart SECT I. Quest 1. VVHY is the hard heart called a stony heart Why called a stony heart It is so called for the resemblance which it hath with a stone and in five particulars 1. Unsensibleness 2. Unflexibleness 3. Resistingness 4. Heaviness 5. Unfruitfulness First Because it is an unsensible heart What sense is there in a Rock in a An unsensible heart Stone in the Adamant in Ephes 4. 18 19. hardened sinners are said to be past feeling and that expression past feeling seems to be taken from the hands of labouring men which are so thickned and hardned by pains that they can grasp nettles and thorns and yet not feel the sharpness nor sting the natural heart is in this respect a stony heart i. e. unsensible Though he hath as many sins upon the soul which makes the very Creation to groan and to travail in pain Rom. 8. 22. yet he neither complains nor feels he goes on fâ—om day to day and adds drunkenness to thirst and drinks up iniquity as water yet he saith What evil have I done and there is no iniquity in my doings though the judgements of God be very near him and the tokens do abundantly appear yet like Ephraim when gray hairs were here and there upon him he perceived them not Hosea 7. 9. Yea though the anger of the Lord be poured upon him and sets him on fire round about yet he knows it not nay though it burn him yet he lays it not to heart Isa 42. 25. Such a gross stupidity is there in the natural and stony heart What one spake of himself in an humble way Erubescenda video nec erubesco dolenda intueor nec doleo peccata inspicio Bern. in Med. cap. 12. p. 1200. nec geno This and much more may be said of him that hath the hard and stony heart he blushes not he grieves not he sighs not for his sins nay he rejoyceth and boasteth and makes
both convince Preparatively and break the heart of a sinner The Spirit by the Law doth let in the sense of sin and wrath which is irresistible upon the Conscience which is of that authority and force that it rents the heart and fills it with fear and trembling and astonishment This is that which the Schoolmen call Attrition And our Divines usually stile Legal preparation and the Scripture the spirit and bondage whereby all the powers and presumptions and confidences of the soule are shaken and the heart is made so sensible of its transgressions that it quakes and trembles and hath no rest nor peace but is filled with bitterness and terror and cries out with woful complaints I have undone my self I have sinned I have sinned and what will become of me I feel the wrath of God and what shall I do to be delivered I cannot live thus and I dare not dye thus if the Lord shew me not mercy I perish for ever Secondly The Lord takes away the hardness of the heart Effectually and this Effectually he doth when he diâ—solves and melts the stonyness of the heart It is one thing to break a stone into pieces and it is another thing to melt a stone as it were into water Simile The Lord doth by the Law break the stony and stout heart of a sinner but he melts and dissolves the heart by the Gospel and on this wise he doth dissolve and melt it 1. By revealing of mercy and hope of mercy to the broken and distressed sinner thus and thus hast thou â—â—nned against me and now thou seest and findest it to be an evil and bitter thing to slight my Word and resist my Spirit and to harden thy heart thou art now fallen into the hands of the living God and I can make all my wrath to fall on thee and to destroy thee at once for all thy rebellions But I am the Lord merciful and gracious I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he turn and live Lo I have given mine own Son Jesus Christ to dye for sinners and I have said that whosoever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3 16. Therefore go thou broken-hearted sinner go thou unto him and be saved accept of him and thou shalt find mercy to pardon all that is past he is able to save thee to the uttermost and he is a merciful High Priest O how this works on that sinner but is it possible that there should be such a surpassing goodness in God what and to such a proud and stout-hearted sinner as I have been what mercy to one who hath so often slighted mercy and Christ for one who hath so often refused Christ this begins to melt the hard heart of the sinner 2. By the offer of mercy and particular invitation of the broken-hearted sinner to lay hold on it The Lord Jesus comes as it were to the very house of this sinner and knocks at the door and saith Here dwells a broken-hearted sinner and my Father hath sent me to him that I may save his poor soul Come come unto me be not afraid I my self do call thee to come unto me And I do assure thee in the word of a Saviour that I will not reject thee but I will pity and help and refresh thee I will answer for thy sins and I will make thy peace though thou hast been very wicked I will not stand upon that and though thou art utterly unworthy yet I will not stand on that neither only receive me and I will be thine and mercy and salvation shall be thine freely and aâ—suredly 3. By the collation of Faith which makes the sinner willingly and really to close with Christ The Lord by his Spirit doth enable the broken-hearted sinner to receive Jesus Christ and to take livery and seizin of a reconciled merciful loving blessing God in and by him And now the apprehension and possession of all this rich mercy and great love and exceeding goodness of God in Christ melts and dissolves the stonyness of the heart this works in him a tenderness a mournfulness a pliableness and all that is contrary to hardness of heart Thirdly The Lord takes away the stony heart from his people successively Successively or by degrees indeed the dominion of it is taken away in an instant as soon as ever the sinner is brought into Christ as soon as he is called and converted the raigning power of hardness is taken away the man shall never have such a stubborn opposing resisting base heart any longer But yet the grudging of the stone the remaining gravel the reliques of hardness are taken away by degrees the remaining hardnesse the Lord takes away First one while by Afflictions Psal 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy Word Secondly Another while by mercies and kindnesses Ezek. 16. 60. I will remember my Covenant with thee in the dayes of thy youth I will establish unto thee an everlasting Covenant Ver. 61. Then shalt thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed So Hose 3. 5. Afterwards shall the Children return and seek the Lord and shall fear the Lord and his goodness Thirdly Sometimes by his Word and Ordinances which are like Refining fire to melt and purge away our dross How frequently do the people of God find the Word of God to be the power of God to melt away their carelesness and their indisposition of heart and deadness of heart and backwardness and unruliness of heart Fourthly The Lord takes away the stony heart from his people perfectly and compleatly Root and Branch so that no part of it and no degree of it shall Perfectly ever be found in their hearts any more This shall be done in the very moment of death when we come to the dissolution of soul and body we shall then come to the perfect dissolution of all hardness and of all remaining sinfulness of heart Quest 2. Now to the second question why the Lord will take away the stony Why God takes away the stony heart and that by promise The Lord will do it that They may be his people heart from his people and why he himself doth undertake it by promise Sol. The Lord will take away the heart of stone from his people That First They may be his people and receive him for their God and Lord Beloved as long as hardness of heart prevails on any people it is impossible that they should become the people of the Lord they will not hearken to his voice nor obey his voice nor receive his Laws nor fall in with his offers and entreaties but will reject his Word and despise his counsel and will follow the lusts of their own hearts and therefore of necessity the Lord must take away the hardness of heart if he will have any people to be his people he must break down the pride and stoutness and resistance
the testimonies of Gods reconciled favour O how doth the tender heart take on and judge and condemn it self if at any time it fall into sin O what a fool what a beast and why have I dealt thus with my God! why did I deal so unkindly with my kind God is this my love unto him is this my fear of him is this my tenderness of his glory O my soul what hast thou done why hast thou broken the bonds of friendship what hath the Lord been to thee that thou hast thus sinned against him And now the man falls a weeping and lamenting as if his heart would break and after some respite he thinks of his father again but he is ashamed to come to him and yet he will go to him and return with weeping and supplications O I cannot live thus I will home again to my fathers house and say I have sinned and am no more worthy to be called thy son Luke 15. Though shame and confusions belong to me yet mercies and forgiveness to him Dan. 9. O Lord heal my backslidings and forgive my backsldings and reoeive me graciously Hose 14. 2. And return again in mercy and make thy face to shine upon thy servant for the Lords sake Thus have I opened unto you the first Character or evidence of a heart spiritually soft and tender it is a heart filled with shame for sin and with grief for sin and with fear to sin and with zeal against sin and with care to be kept from sin and with restlestness till it can find God mercifully pardoning sin O that such tenderness and that such fruits of tenderness might be found in all our hearts Secondly A second Character by which we may know that we have the true The activity and life and power in conscience spiritual softness and tenderness of heart is the activity and life and power in conscience when God gives any one a soft and tender heart he gives him a conscience arrayed and enabled with other qualities and powers than in times past The Conscience heretofore was asleep but now it is awakned heretofore it was blind but now it sees heretofore it was silent but now it speaks heretofore it was loose and large but now it is strict and narrow heretofore it was dull and weak but now it is quick and powerful heretofore it was stupid and senceless but now it is apprehensive and active But I must not speak of all things about this that which I will pitch on is this the speciall Activities of Conscience where the heart is indeed tender 1. Concerning the good estate and welbeing of our souls 2. Concerning particular facts as to our doing or walking First Where the heart is tender there Conscience becomes active to clear out The conscience is active to clear our state the good and safe estate and well-being of our souls It will not suffer the poor soul to delude and deceive itself in matters of life and death to lay no grounds nor to venture all upon false bottoms and grounds of salvation and damnation of favour and wrath O saith Conscience thy soul is immortal and is for eternity and there are wayes to that eternity of Gods making and of mens making there is a reall relation to Christ and there is a seeming relation to Christ there is the power of godliness and there is the form of godliness there were virgins with oyle and there were virgins with lamps only there are some which believe and are saved and there are some that believe but for a time and perish If a man mistake himself he is undone for ever hereupon it is that Conscience in tender hearts dares not take up the estate of the soul upon trust and proud confidence and vain pretences or common grounds or every appearance but puts them on and makes them to study the Word of God and to prove what is the good and acceptable will of God and what indeed are the marks which do accompany salvation what are the infallible tokens of life of union with Christ of the new creature of a child of God born of the Spirit it causeth us to search our hearts and try our wayes to prove and examine our selves whether Christ be in us of a truth to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling it will not suffer us to be careless sluggish dallying delaying c. Conscience takes those saving promises of the â—ord as unquestionable that a man must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ that will be saved and that he must repent that will have his sins pardoned and that he must be regenerated and born again who will enter into the kingdom of heaven And hereupon Conscience puts us on if our hearts be tender exceedingly to make clear and evident the assumption I do truely believe I do truely repent I am born again and my sins are pardoned and my soul shall be saved A tender heart would be sure that it is in a state of life and favour Secondly Where the heart is tender there conscience is alive in respect of the particular facts of our lives whether good or evil For good actions which concern us in our places and callings Conscience puts us upon the careful and sincere practice of them will not suffer us to omit and neglect them but enclines and hearkens unto them although danger and trouble be incident unto us for the performance of them Act. 4. 19. But Peter and John answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye ver 20. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Act. 21. 13. Then Paul answered What mean you to weep and break mine heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Josh 24. 25. If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you this day whom you will serve whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. For evil actions Conscience puts forth itself against them partly by warning It is evil if thou do it not partly by threatning It will be bitter unto thee it wlll deceive thee and break thy peace and confidences partly in striving with us and presenting argument upon argument consideration upon consideration Gods favour on the one hand and Gods displeasure on the other hand the happiness of walking uprightly the shortness of sins deceitful pleasures c. and all to keep us from sinning which if they prevail not then Conscience begins to be unquiet and it smites for sinning and accuses and condems and The respectiveness of our hearts to the Word of God troubles and vexes and
Joh. 14. 23. If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come and make our abode with him Ver. 16. The Father shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever The Father dwells in us 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them The Son dwells in us Ephes 3. 17. Christ dwells in your hearts by Faith The Spirit dwells in us Rom. 8. 11. Fourthly That all the people of God have the Spirit of God may plainly appear by the works â—f the Spirit which are to be found in every one of them 1. They are sanctified by the Spirit Ye are sanctified by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. 2. They are led by the Spirit As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God Rom. 8. 14. 3. They are upheld and strengthened by the Spirit Psal 51. 12. Vphold me with thy free Spirit Ephes 3. 16. To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man 4. They are partakers of the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. Our selves have the first fruits of the Spirit 5. They are helped by the Spirit Rom. 8. 26 The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities and the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered 6. They are taught by the Spirit Joh. 14. 26. The Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things 7. They are comforted by the Spirit Acts 9. 31. They walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost 8. They are sealed by the Spirit Ephes 1. 13. In whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Quest 3. Why doth the Lord put his Spirit within every one of his Reasons of it people Sol. There may be assigned six Reasons for it viz. 1. Necessity 2ly Congruity 3ly Conformity 4ly Excellency 5ly The love of God 6ly The purchase of Christ First Necessity The presence and enjoyment of the Spirit is necessary for The necessity of it them in many respects 1. For applying of Christ unto them and for the applying of them unto Christ For applying Christ that there is a conjunction or union between Christ the Head and his Mystical body the Church is an unquestionable truth And how Christ who locally in heaven should be joyned or united to his Church here on earth this cannot be done but by the Spirit who doth knit or joyn Christ to us and us to Christ as really as the head is joyned to the body and as the body is joyned to the head But take the instance in any particular believer that Christ is his and he is Christs it is certain but how comes Christ to be his what is that on Christs part which makes this union it is the Spirit and none but the Spirit and what is it on our part which makes this union it is faith and it is caused by the Spirit So that the Spirit is necessary to this union on either part on Christs part to apply or unite him to us and on our part in causing faith which applyes and unites us to Christ And unto this reciprocal union the Spirit is such a necessary agent that without him there cannot possibly be any union at all No man can be united to Christ but by the Spirit neither can Christ I speak it with reverence unite himself to us but by his Spirit 2. For conveying of spiritual life into them or a new being into their souls For conveying of spiritual life Naturally all men are dead in trespasses and sins and every faculty in them is totally defiled and polluted and corrupted and is deprived of the glory of God nor can any man help himself in this case nor can any creature do it None can raise him from his death but that Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead Therefore is the Spirit called the Spirit of life and the Spirit of grace forasmuch as he is the authour of both unto our souls it is the Spirit who quickens them by infusing the life of Christ into them and who renews them by changing of them into the image of Christ 3. For all the actings of grace Take me any Christian though endowed with For all the actings of grace all the principles of grace and great measures thereof now put him upon any particular acting put him upon believing put him upon repenting upon mourning upon any acts of obedience why looâ—â—s no member of the body can move or strive but from an influence from the head no more can we act any grace we have but by an influence from the Spirit of Christ our Head Joh. 15. 5. And we find it in experience that it is with our souls Simile as with a ship which stirs not if the wind stirs not and it stirs more or less as the wind is greater or lesser so if the Spirit of God stirs not in us our graces stir not c. For all our receptions 4. For all our Receptions Would you know any truth of God you cannot know it unless the Spirit of God give you his light to know it 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. would you be acquainted with the love of God you can never perceive it unless the Spirit shed abroad that love in your hearts Rom. 5. 5. would you be clear and satisfied in your relation of sonship unto God as your Father all the men in the world cannot perswade and satisfie as to that unlesse and untill the Sperit beareth witness with your Spirits that you are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. Secondly Congruity It is meet and fit that the people of God should have the Spirit of God For Congruity 1. They are his children and is it not meet that the children of God should have the Spirit of God should they not bear his image if they were led by the same spirit by which the children of this world are led had they not another Spirit they could not be his children 2. They are his servants and therefore they have much to do for him and they have much to suffer for him Is it not meet that the Lord should help his servants The services of the people of God which they are to do for him and to suffer for him are above all their own strength and therefore God will give them his Spirit to enable them for all their services whether active or passive the Spirit can supply them for every work 3. They are his Heirs and intended for eternal glory and is it not fit that they should have the Spirit of grace who must have the Spirit of glory Heirs of God Rom. 8. 17. Before a person comes to heaven it is fit that he should be fitted for heaven be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. And who
seed and living which shall never be cut off Thirdly In their graduaâ— measures and quick operations herein there may be a decay and quickning Rev. 2. 4. I have somewhat against thee because thou In their gradual measures hast left thy first love Ver. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen and dâ— thy first works Rev. 3. 2. Strengthen the things which remain and are ready to die Fourthly In their sensible and comfortable manifestations and here likewise they may be extinguished at least for a time Psal 51. 12. Restore unto me In their sensible manifestations the joy of thy salvation He had lost it by his sinning c. Now the people of God who have received the spirit they should be careful not to quench him at all no not in the measures no not in any degree of grace not in any one lively operation of grace not in any one comfortable fruit or effect of grace O sirs 1. It is an exceeding soily to weaken may I so express it the hands of the Spirit to shake your foundation to wound your selves so near the heart The Spirit is the Spirit of your life and power 2. It is an exceeding folly to loose any of your precious treasures why a degree or measure of grace one dram of it is more than all the world for value 3. It is an exceeding folly to bereave your selves of your best comforts and only joyes to turn your day into night your peace inâ—o trouble your hope into fear your confidence into doubts 4. It is an exceeding injury unto that good spirit and unto your own happiness c. Secondly Grieve not the Spirit This duty you have from the Apostle Eph. 4. 30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Grieve not the spirit Do nothing which may offend and displease him or make his abode in you uncomfortable and undelightful The Spirit hath been the Comforter unto you you have tasted of his comforts and joyes do not grieve and offend and displease him who hath comforted and rejoyced your soul Quest What will grieve the Spirit that so we may take heed of grieving him Sol. There are 〈◊〉 wayes by which the Spirit is grieved First When we do not hearken to his motions and counsels and commands What grieves the spirit Not to hearken to his motions This doth grieve a Father and a friend when his counsels are disregarded and despised So when the Spirit of God puts us upon holy wayes and workes and we regard not his motions and directions this doth grieve and offend him Psal 95. 10. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation and what was that which grieved hâ—m they would not hearken unto his voice they erred in their hearts they would not know his wayes 2. Secondly When we do hearken to the voice motions and counsels of Satan or our own corrupt hearts which are contrary to him and his suggestions When we hearken to Satan as Christ spake in Joh 5 43. I am come in my Fathers Name and ye receive me not if another should come in his own name him ye will receive This grieved Jesus Christ that the Jews would not receive him coming in his Fathers Name and yet they would receive another coming in his own name Simile In like manner it cannot but displease and offend the spirit of God to see his holy and heavenly counsels motions commands neglected and at the same time the motions and lusts of of our hearts regarded embraced and followed Why this doth more displease a parent or friend that the enticements and seducemennts of base fellows prevail and take more then his grave and sound and loving advice c. as Esau went and married the daughter of the Hittites against the mind of his Parents Gross sins Thirdly When we do any notorious sinful work which is unworthy of men enjoying the Spirit of God and causeth dishonour and reproach unto him Simile As when a child doth any thing unbecomming his relations and dishonourable unto his Father Ye have troubled me said Jacob to his sons Simeon and Levi to make me to stink amongst the inhabitants of the land amongst the Canaanites and the Perizzites c. Gen. 34. 30. So when men professing the Spirit do yet walk contrary to the nature and rule of the spirit they do now trouble and grieve the Spirit e. g. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of truth and if we pretending Spirit embrace or countenance doctrines of lyes and falshoods â—he Spirit of God is a Spirit of holiness and if we pretending that Spirit follow and countenance practices of unholiness and profaneness The Spirit of God is a Spirit of love and meekness and peace and if we pretending that Spirit yet live in discord and wrath and contention these things are a grief and trouble unto the Spirit of God 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity So say I let every one that nameth the Spirit of Christ let every one that pretends to his presence depart from iniquity Fourthly Especiall do we grieve the spirit when we do sin against the present When we sin against the spirits workings works and workings of the spirit As 1. The present illumination of the spirit which at such a time actually shines upon that work we intend to do 〈◊〉 discovers it plainly to be evil and offensive and yet we do it 2. The strange motions and operations of the spirit striving to with-hold us from our purpose by arguing and reasoning with our souls propounding argument upon argument not to do so wickedly As when a man lyes or swears or commits uncleanness or steals against the particular light and present strivings of the spirit sinful actions thus substantiated do not only grieve but do also wound the spirit these are bitter provocations Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly Hose 12. 14. and these are presumptuous sinnings which will cost us bitter desertions and bitter throws in Conscience and bitter lamentations and bitter afflictions perhaps all our dayes and bitter fears and disputes and questionings in our hearts Thirdly Neglect not the spirit As Paul to Timothy neglect not the gift that is in thee 1 Tim. 4. 14. So say I neglect not the Spirit himself that is When we neglect the spirit in thee And there are two things of the Spirit which we should not neglect 1. His movings 2ly His removings First Neglect not the movings or motions of the Spirit but take hold of them observe and follow them You have many times suddain and secret excitations to draw you off more from the world to prepare for death to make sure work for your souls to trust more on God to walk more evenly and profitably to redeem the time to pray and seek the face of God to do more good in your places c. Now do
set your foot in the path of Gods It s long before we began Commandements and therefore you had need to make haste How many years did you walk in the vanity of your mindes and in darkness and in wantonness and rioting Why it is but of late dayes that God hath changed your hearts and turned your feet you had a long time to dishonor God and will you not therefore improve the present time the more to honor him In your times of sin and death you laid out all your years with all greediness to damne your souls and should you not now be as quick as enlarged in improving and contending and striving and hasting how to save your souls Thirdly It may be but a very short time yet a little while saith Christ that We have but a short time to live you have to walk in Gods Statutes and therefore serve him with all your strength and run the race that is set before you Quest Some may put the Question why God is pleased to conceale the length of a Christians walk â—r journey to heaven and never makes it known to any one whether long or short Sol. Surely one reason thereof may be to stir up our care to put on with all our might and to work and walk whiles we have day We have much work to do Fourthly Especially considering that as the time is short so we have much work to do in that time Simile O how the Factor bestirs himself rises early and goes to bed late casts up carries out orders this looks to that when he hath but a little time before he must go home and give up his account This is our condition ere long we must go home to our Master and we have much work lying on our hands and but a very little time I say much work to do for our God and for our souls and all this work is of eternal consequence Ergo we had need to double our diligence and to mend our pace a slow pace will rid but little ground Fifthly Make all the haste you can you will hardly fulfil your work and get When we make most haste we shall hardly finish all we have to do over all your ground You shall find that the best Traveller of us all when he comes to dye he shall find very much work lying on him which he should have done but now cannot O I should have been more watchful more humble more believing more zealous redeeming more time done more for God done better for my soul done more good in my place Thirdly Beware of unevenness in walking in Gods statutes O let me not wander from thy Commandements said David Psal 119. 10. And Ver. 117. Hold Beware of uneven walking thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually order my steps and let no iniquity c. Ver. 133. So Solomon in Prov. 4. 25. Let thine eyes look right on and let thine eye-lids look strait before thee Ver. 26. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be established Ver. 27. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left remove thy foot from evil A twofold unevenness Beloved there is a twofold unevenness in our walking in Gods statutes 1. One is habitual and general and this is when a person pretends to walk in Habitual and general Gods statutes and sometimes in some particular actions doth walk therein but then look on this man in the General course of his life and so he walks not in the wayes of God but in the wayes of ungodliness of this man I speak not 2. Another is particular and actual and this is when a person is even and right Particular and actual as to the course of his walking but in this or that particular of life he doth step aside and wander he breaks out into some great transgression or other as you read of David and Lot and Noah c. into lesser irregularities this is not a total revolting or Apostacy but it is a particular sinful deviation and aberration from which they return again by repentance Nevertheless let all the people of God beware of all and every particular unevenness in their walking for this is not to proceed and hold on in walking in Gods statutes There are three things contrary to our going on c. viz. 1. A standing still Three things contrary to our going on 2ly A going over 3ly A going aside though it be but a step into another contrary path yet this one step is opposite to going and it is a hinderance to our going on we loose so much of our progress as we step aside from the right path Secondly There is not the least sin which a man commits but first it is a leaving The least sin puts us out of the way of the right way and next it will cost him some time to get out of that wrong way and to return again into his right way That one sinful aberration perhaps may draw and entice him further out of the way or if it doth not it must cost him much humiliation of heart and many tears and prayers to recover and reduce him again Thirdly It is a very folly to be at any time uneven in our walking for either you intend to go on in your error or to come off from it if you will go on in your It s folly to walk unevenly sin you will be damned if you see reason to return from it why did you at all embrace it Nay the folly appears yet more for whiles you did stedfastly walk on in the paths of God you did unquestionably possess and enjoy peace and by stepping out of those paths you lose your peace and must pass through much bitterness before you can possess that peace of which you by sinning have dispossessed your souls Fourthly The Christian Traveller hath no sufficient cause to misplace one step We have no cause to step aside or to step aside to any unsinful action and my reason is this because he may find enough in the paths of God In my Fathers house there is bread enough c. still to satisfie him and much better than in any sinful or irregular way 1. Here he hath protection and safety enough The Lord himself is his guide In our way we have protection And pleasure and shield 2. Here he hath pleasure enough even the joyes of the Holy Ghost unto which the pleasures of sin for a season are not to be compared 3. He hath profit and benefit enough for in keeping Gods Commandements there is great reward No man gets any things by any sin but as God loseth by And profit it much honour so he himself loseth much of his dignity and of his comfort and of his safety and of his integrity c. Fourthly Beware of weariness and faintiness in your walking in Gods statutes There is
more than hope of heave for your souls at last 3. In consequence no earthly blessings are of that consequence unto us as In consequence heavenly blessings are they are but the meat which perisheth we shall perish if we have only the things which perish mortal treasures are not of an immortal consequence things of this life are but for this life life will quickly have an end and then all these things will be at an end but spiritual blessings are of an immortal and of an eternal consequence no good like unto that which is either eternal blessedness or for eternal blessedness As Gregory Nazianzen spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vna vita est ad vitam respicere spiritual blessings are life and they are for life they are the meat which endures for ever the good part which shall never be taken away they make for your eternity 4. In their necessity Is not the life more than meat and the body than In necessity rayment saith Christ Matth. 6. 25. So say I is not heaven more than earth and spiritual blessings more necessary than temporal You may live awhile without spiritual blessings but can you live for ever without them you may be merry with temporal blessings but can you be happy without them what Bernard spake of Christ Where can it be well without him and where can it be ill with him That may be said of spiritual blessings they are so necessary and so immediate unto your souls condition that your souls are and must be miserable without them and cannot but be blessed in the enjoyment of them 5. God doth promise the spiritual blessings first that he might learn us what to seek first and upon what to set our hearts most Matth. 6. 33. But seek ye God promiseth spiritual blessings first first the Kingdom of God and the righteousnesse thereof Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things above not on things on earth Vse 1 Doth God first promise spiritual blessings in the Covenant Then they are much to be blamed They are to be blamed who look not after spiritual blessings 1. Who look not after spiritual blessings at all but altogether and only after temporal blessings Psal 4. 6. There be many will say Who will shew us any good Phil. 2. 21. All seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs If we did take strict survey of the mindings and studies and desires and labours of the sons of men we should find them all like so many heavy bodies inclining and moving downward to the center of earthly things One is for earthly pleasure another for earthly profits another for earthly vanities One cries out for health another for strength another for friends another for preferment another for quiet another for riches God is not in all their thoughts said David Spiritual blessings are not in their minds and hearts say I. Surely these men do not believe a future blessednesse or do not know the present necessities of their souls or do not understand the worth and preciousnesse of spiritual blessings It is a great judgement and curse upon men when they make their sins their delight and the world to be their portion Secondly Who look not after them first of all You have some men who Who look 〈…〉 â—â—â—st of aâ—l 1. Intend after that they have compassed such a measure of temporal blessings as they imagine will serve for them and their children then to mind Spiritual blessings for their souls But two things befall these men 1. Either they die in the time of their Earthly projects and designs â— Or their hearts grow full with new desires of a further measure of those earthly gettings They are justly left by God to an endless covetousnesse and are not renewed by his grace to any heavenly-mindedness all their dayes 2. Who think only of Spiritual blessings when they must part with all their temporal blessings and that is when they come to die O then a Christ and then peace with God and then mercies to pardon their sins and then grace to believe and repent and thus they put off looking after Spiritual blessings untill they have no time to get them or else God will not give these Spiritual blessings in the time which they now do set because they slighted and neglected them in the time when God was pleased to offer them Now what shall I say to these men Is it probable or possible to awaken them to receive instruction I will make bold to tell you three things 1. As yet they are not in Covenant with God For every one actually and sincerely Covenanting with God his heart is set on God as his firstand as his best and his full and his only portion Thou art my portion O Lord. Psal 119. 57. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73. 25 c. 2. They are persons of vain and foolish hearts what a vanity and folly it is to pitch on vain things on Earth when God offers first the great things of Heaven 2 Cor. 4. 18. Suppose a goodly Inheritance worth 1000. l. per annum were offered and a few Counters were also offered or only 10. l. per annum for life were he not a vain and foolish man who would fix his choice on the last offer So when God offers all Spiritual blessings first and next the temporal which are only for term of life then like the Prodigal for the present time to have a little Earthly portion in our hands c. or like Esau to prefer a Messe of Pottage before the birth-right how vain is this 3. If you do not infallibly undo your souls yet you do extreamly hazard them you do expose them to a most dangerous contingency For suppose you do intend hereafter to mind and get Spiritual blessings yet what if God should cut you off in the midst of your dayes what if in the depth of your labour for Earth he should command you to return to the Earth and perhaps suddenly and in a moment what now would become of your poor souls Thou fool this night shall thy soule be taken from thee then whose shall all these things be Luke 12. 20. And what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world if he shall lose his soule Matth. 16. 26. Use 2 Doth God in his Covenant first promise unto us the Spiritual blessings then let us all be perswaded first to mind them and first to get them Arguments First minde Spiritual blessings Arguments to perswade it They are portions indeed and for Christians and the best portions to induce you to hearken unto this advice are these First These are Covenant-testimonies indeed this shews that God is your God and you are his and that he loves you Secondly Spiritual blessings these are portions indeed for Christians and they are the best portions 1. Portions indeed you have nothing of your