sins upon him Christ was legally guilty of our sin and God punished him 1 Pet 2.24 He bare our sins in his own body upon the tree sai 53.4 Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows Rom 4.25 He was delivered for our offences And here we may take notice of a great difference between the first and second Adam The first Adam brought the guilt of one sin upon us but Jesus Christ takes away the guilt not only of that but of our innumerable personal Transgressions and this the Apostle minds Rom 5.16 And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences to justification the first sin that Man is guilty of layes him open unto death and his after sins do multiply his Obligations unto death but do not expose him unto so many several deaths yet they do expose him unto a sorer and greater degree of eternal death where there are several sins meeting in the same person they are to be punished with an aggravated death one death must be endured equivalent to so many several deaths for every sin must be accounted for in the day of judgment Eccles 12.14 and therefore Christ that he might procure a remission of all our sins bore a punishment proportionable to them all he was punished for them all Isai 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions what he redeemed us from that he endured himself Gal. 3.13 only it must be remembred that by reason of the dignity of his person that sorrow which he endured was a greater measure of punishment that it would have been in us The Eighth thing to be considered is That the Righteousness of Jesus Christ is sufficient for the Elect of God in all ages he has an everlasting Priesthood and the vertue of his Sacrifice dos cotinue from the beginning to the end of the World therefore he is said to bring in everlasting Righteousnes Dan. 9.24 His Righteousness was efficacious for the ages before his coming though it was not then actually wrought out in former Generations this righteousness was available for justification as a man may be discharged of a Debt because of the Bond of his Surety before the money is paid so Christ was preached as the way of Salvation from the very fall of Adam Gen. 3.15 The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head the way that the Patriaks were justified was by Faith in Christ Rom. 4.3 hence they are said to be saved by Grace Act 15 11 the Covenant which was made with Abraham was made in consideration of the righteousness of Christ Gal 3 17 The covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ Christ was actually slain after the World had stood about four thousand years but he was reckoned as slain from the foundation of the World Rev 13 8 the vertue of his blood reached unto the first ages of the world that is implied Heb. 9.25 26. Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High Priest entereth every year into the holy place with the blood of others for then must be often have suffered since the foundation of the World but now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Hence there was through him remission of the sins that were past Rom 3 25. he died for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament Heb 9 15 the means of the salvation of the Fathers was accomplished in the dayes of the Gospel they were saved before but the price of this Salvation was payed when Christ died that is intended by that expression Heb. 11 40 God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect His Righteousness is also efficacious for all ages after his coming Christ payed for the salvation of those Generations that were not born then he satisfied for sins that were not then committed for God has appointed the Gospel to be Preached to the end of the World Mat. 28 19 20 yea Christ appointed that his death should be shewed forth in the Lords Supper unto the day of Judgment 1 Cor. 11 26 in the Redemption of Christ God shewed grace to the ages to come Eph 2 7 there will be some saved by Christ in all Ages to the end of the world Eph 3 31 the Saints under Antichrist are said to be redeemed by Christ Revel 14 6. The reason of this everlasting efficacy of Christs Righteousness is from Gods acceptance God might accept it as well before it was wrought out as after and it was as easie for Christ to redeem millions of men as one Christ being a Surety the same righteousness that will serve for one will serve for all as it is with the sin of Adam it is as sufficient to condemn millions as one and if Christ had been to redeem many more he needed not to have done or suffered any thing more what is done by the representative is reckoned to all them whom he represents The last Proposition for the cleaning of the Argument is That Christ has so purchased Salvation that the Elect cannot fail of it and herein lies one great difference between the first Adam and the second though the first Adam made us Heirs of death yet there is a possibility of our escaping destruction but the second Adam has so made us Heirs of life as that it is impossible that we should miss thereof that is intended Rom. 5 17. If by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they that receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in lise by one Jesus Christ Christs purchase gives us such a title to Salvation as that there can be no failure of it 2 Thes 2.16 God has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through Grace the reason of the difference is because there was an exception in the Law that we must dye except our Surety died for us but the promise of eternal life which Christ has purchased does admit of no exception the promise made unto Christ does admit of no exception Psal 72 17. Men shall be blessed in him according to that promise to Jacob all the Families of the earth should be blessed in his seed and the promise made unto Believers does admit of no exception there are many promises that have a limited interpretation some are indefinite and some are conditional but this promise is absolute and universal Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him might not perish but might have everlasting life Before I leave this Argument it is needful to answer one Objection which is this If Christs Righteousness be that which the Law requires of us then God would deal with those that have an interest in that as he would have done if they had performed
cause of Salvation 3. Salvation both in the beginnings of it here in holiness and spiritual comfort and in the perfection of it hereafter which is the effect both of Election and Redemption so that that though Salvation be payed for yet Gods sending of his Son to dye for us was a meer fruit of electing grace and never payed for And there are two Reasons of this 1 This was too great a mercy to be payed for our Salvation was an exceeding great mercy but not too great to be purchased but this was a Mediator could not be purchased this mercy was not too great to be given but it was too great to be purchased we might more easily have purchased our Redemption than our Redeemer neither did Christ purchase this mercy for us Christ did not buy his own Office what price could be laid down to satisfie God for such an unspeakable gift 2. This mercy might be bestowed upon us without being purchased God had so bound himself by his Law that man could not be saved without satisfuction that mercy must be purchased but God had not so bound himself by his Law but that it was free for him to send his Son to dye without receiving any satisfaction for this mercy God had tied his own hands so that sinners could not be saved without satisfaction a his faithfulness bound him to stand upon that but God was at liberty to send a Mediator if he pleased his own gracious nature was such that he could do it without any purchase and he had not restrained himself by his word 5. It was great love for God to send his Son to dye for mans salvation when he would have been no looser if man had not been saved if the case had been so circumstanced that God would have suffered much loss if men had failed of salvation there had then been a kind of necessity laid upon God to have sent his Son to dye in order to it but God bestow'd this mercy upon us when it would have been no less unto him if we had perished This may be cleared up by these Considerations 1. This mercy of giving Christ to dye for us was the first thing wherein God laved out himself for our salvation when a person has layed out himself much and been at great expence for the accomplishing of a design t is a disappointment to fail of it and his expence is thereby many times lost but God had not been before this at any expence for mans salvation this was the first thing wherein God layed out himself for our salvation with respect to us who live in these latter dayes the death of Christ was actually before any other endeavours for our salvation and with respect to those Elect that lived before the coming of Christ his death was vertually before any other expence for their salvation Rev 3.8 2. If God had not sent his Son to dye yet he needed not to have lost the glory of his laying out of his wisdom power and goodness in mans Creation what he had expended that way would not have been lost but he would have recovered his glory in mans ruine Prov. 16.4 3 God could have found other wayes to have glorified his grace though God was under no necessity of having any declarative glory neither does he glorifie himself ad ultimum virium to the utmost of his power yet it does please him to glorifie his Attributes and he might have honoured his mercy in the salvation of fallen Angels they were capable of Salvation and it would have been a wonderful exalting of Gods grace to have saved them 2. The next thing to be observed is the force of the Apostles consequence he argues from Gods love in sending Christ to dye for us the certain salvation of those that are reconciled by his death and there is no scruple to be made of their salvation though they have many enemies that seek their ruine though they have much sin remaining in them and have been many ways failing of walking up to that exactness which God requires all those that Christ died for and are first or last instructed in his death shall be saved by him 1. If God had so great love as to send his Son to bear such great sufferings to purchase our salvation then he will not fail to do what ever else is necessary for our salvation he will not stick to do what is else to be done for the compleating of our salvation he that has done the greater will do the less if love overcame the difficulty that was in the way of our redemption it will also overcome whatever difficulty is in the way of the application of redemption it is unreasonable to think that God should have love enough to send his Son to do that which can't be done without pain and sorrow and death and not have love enough to do that which he can do with the speaking of a word the great difficulty in the way of our salvation was the purchasing of it there was wrath to be born a curse to be endured but love broke through that difficulty the rest that remains is easie to God the mortification of sin the quickening of grace the repelling of temptation and giving the actual possession of glory may be effected by God without any difficulty and therefore he won't stick at that Rom. 9.32 If God spared not his emn Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things it is true that God does but by little and little carry on in us the work of sanctification but the reason of that is not that it is any wayes difficult unto him but because that suits the design that is upon his heart neither is it from any unwillingness to help us but because his design is to carry on the work of sanctification so that we shall have continually need of justification we find it difficult to do our part in orâ—er to our salvation but it is not difficult to God to do his part God carries on the work without difficulty yet so that we shall find difficulty as a Parent with ease helps the child to go yet so that the Child finds difficulty to go it is no burden to God to uphold Grace he that upholds the frame of nature with the word of his power can easily uphold grace what ever stands as an impediment in the way of our salvation may be removed by God without any trouble God puts forth thousands of acts of omnipotency to effect things that are less upon his heart than the salvation of those that he has redeemed and it is no pain nor weariness unto God to be daily carrying on the work of our salvation the opposition that is made to it is nothing to omnipotency Isai 40.28 The Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary 2. If God had such love to us as to send his Son to dye for
set in the second place of dignity the throne being the highest the Lord Jesus is advanced unto greater glory in heaven as he is man then any angel in heaven in special besides other particulars in having the administration and government of all things in his hands This Exaltation of Christ is a clear evidence of Gods accepting that sacrifice that he offered up for us 〈◊〉 and being fully satisfied for our sins by the sufferings of Jesus Christ And there are three things therein that serve to convince us hereof 1. By Christs Exaltation he is delivered from that suffering estate which our sins brought him into he is hereby set free from that state of humiliation which he was in for our sins vengeance had taken hold of Christ as our surety the justice of God seized him he was apprehended as one liable to the Law and God took vengeance on him and soured out wrath on him but now by his Exaltation he is set at liberty justice has dismissed him God has done exacting any more punishment on him which is a clear evidence that he is wholly discharged of that guilt that was upon him Christ subjected himself to the wrath of God and God punished him as much as he pleased Christ bore the curse till God laid it was enough In his resurrection God opened the prison door and let him out God sent an Officer to deliver him from his grave Mat. 28. 2. The angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door Gods delivering of Christ evidenceth the satisfaction that he has received by his sufferings if Christ were not risen it would be an argument that sins were not satisfied for 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not risen your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins but his resurrection shews that Gods demands are answered and therefore when Christ was raised from the dead he is said to be justified God gave him a legal acquittance and discharge from that guilt which he had taken upon him 1 Tim. 3.16 God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit the Apostle Peter expresses it thus he was quickned in the spirit 1 Pet 3.18 so that when he was quickned he was justified Christ could never have been delivered out of the hands of Justice if he had not paid the uttermost farthing Hence we are said to have a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 God has begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead this consideration is a means by Gods blessing to beget a lively hope in us the ground of our hope is the resurrection of Christ it might better be rendred a living hope the same word is rendred living 1 Pet. 2.4 this is such an hope as will abide and continue the hope that is built upon the foundation will never fail other hopes may dye away but this is a living hope a parallel Scripture to this is 1 Pet. 3.18 we have the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ a well-informed conscience is satisfied with this when a mans conscience accuses him of sins they are manifest and he can't deny them heinous and he can't excuse them yet this silences those accusations that Christ is risen Conscience sees in the resurrection of Christ the satisfactoriness of his sufferings and has peace on that account that the debt is paid and upon the same account it is that Paul attributes power to the refurrection of Christ Phil. 3.10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection when God sets this consideration home upon the heart it has a mighty comforting power this will raise up a drooping spirit when a man is distressed indeed with the guilt of sia the world has no power to comfort him his priviledge cannot his duties cannot but this thing set home has power to ease his heart resiesh his soul silence his conscience the sence of this brings great comfort to a christian and the Apostle mentions this consideration as the security of christians against condemnation and as that which adds further encouragement to that which rises from his death Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth it is Christ thao dyed yea rather is risen again 2. By Christs Exaltation he is rewarded for his sufferings God presently upon his sufferings took him up into heaven and bountifully rewarded him for his undertaking some seem loth to grant that Christ did merit for himself but there is no danger in affirming that according to compact God did gloriously recompence Christ for his Obedience and sufferings for us the primary design of Christs undertaking was to merit for us but it was every way suitable that this service of his should be rewarded 2 Phil. 8.9 he humbled himself and became obedient to death the death of the cross wherefore also God hath highly exalted him God took wonderful contentment in it that Christ would lay down his life for us that is the intendment of that expression therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life John 10.17 God did highly approve of it and took a complacency in it and in Christ by reason of it and manifested his approbation by rewarding it Christ has a glorious reward in heaven and this is an evidence that he has gone thorow his undertaking that he has not failed in the work that God committed to him If Christ had failed of righteousness not only we but he also would have failed of glory Christs own had a dependance upon his working out of perfect righteousness as well as ours his happiness and ours were imbarked together if he had not run the race he had not been crowned if he had not been a conquerer he had not received the prize if he had sunk under the work and not compleated our redemption God would not have bestowed this reward upon him but since he has received a glorious reward we may conclude he has done his work and performed the Office of a surety this argument the spirit of God makes use of John 16.8 9 10. the comforter will convince of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more the way whereby Christ came to sit down on the right-hand of the majesty on high was the purging of our sins with his blood Heb. 1.3 the thing whereby Christ came to be admitted into the holy place Was the obtaining of eternal redemption for us Heb. 9.12 The way that he came to partake of that priviledge of sitting down with his Father on his throne was the overcoming the difficulties of the work which he undertook Rev. 3.20 3. By his Exaltation he has the administration of things put into his hands that he may bestow upon sinners that salvation in order to which he suffered that he may put him into the possession of that glory which was the end of his undertaking it is
such that no unworthiness nor provocation can overcome his mercy but there is a sufficiency of grace in him for any thing that is an act of mercy A second thing that makes awakened sinners fear that there is an impossibility of their salvation is an apprehension that it is contrary to the Justice of God and not reconcilable with the sentence of the Law God stands bound in faithfulness to see the Law made good and they are to seek about the consistency of the Law and Gospel the clearing up of which difficulty I shall refer unto the next chapter at present it may suffice to say that God in his Word declares it to be consistent with his Justice Rom. 3.26 that he may be just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus it is a great help unto conscience to see how the Justice of God and Righteousness of the Law is preserved in the Justification of sinners but where the manner of it is not well understood conscience has matter of satisfaction in that God testifies that it is so The second thing to be premised is What we are to understand by the Righteousness of Christ and that which is intended hereby is the whole course of the Obedience and Sufferings of Jesus Christ by the Righteousness of Christ we are to understand that which he performed as a surety his mediatorly Righteousness this Righteousness is spoken of John 16.10 Of Righteousness because I go to my Father Rom. 5.18 by the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all to the justification of life Dan. 4.24 to bring in everlasting Righteousness upon this account it is that he is said to be made for Righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1.30 to be the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.65 this is sometimes called the Righteousness of God Rom. 10 3. Rom. 3.21 either because Christ who wrought it out for us is God as well as Man or because it is a righteousness of Gods providing in distinction from a Righteoufness of our own working out sometimes it is called the Righteousness which is by Faith Heb 11 7 because Faith is the condition whereby we come to be interrested in it sometimes they are joined together and it is called the Righteousness of God which is by Faith Rom. 3.22 Phil 3 9. That this Righteousness of Christ doth not only intend his active obedience but likewise his sufferings is manifest from hence because the Righteousness of Christ is that whereby we are justified it is by that that we come to be righteous in the sight of God Rom 5 18 and not only this active obedience of Christ has an influence into our Justification but his sufferings also the Apostle does once seem to attribute it to his Obedience Rom 5 19 by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous but this don't exclude the sufferings of Christ from having a part in our Justification Obedience may comprehend his suffering for in them he was obedient or else when it is said that by his Obedience we are made righteous that part of Justification may be understood which does consist in giving a title unto heaven there are two parts of Justification one is absolution from guilt the other is declaring men heirs of life this latter may be intended which is the fruit of the active Obedience of Jesus Christ or else by Obedience as one principal part of Christs Righteousness the whole may be intended as when we are said to be justified by his blood his active obedience is not excluded but the sufferings of Christ have an influence into our justification as well as his Obedience for we were in such a state that active obedience alone was not sufficient for our Justification when man was in innocency he needed only active obedience for his justification but man fallen needed more for his justification than Obedience he needed satisfaction somewhat to pacifie the provoked anger of God no meer Obedience would make a recompence for sins for the Law threatned death for them the holy life of Christ could not satisfie for sin it was something of another kind that the Law required namely the sufferings of death and the Scripture doth abundantly witness unto the influence of Christs Sufferings into our justification we are justified by his blood Rom 5 4 so we are said to be redeemed cleansed from sin reconciled to God to have our sins purged with his blood which was typified by the sacrifice under the Law so that the Sufferings of Christ are intended as well as his active obedience by his Righteousness And the Sufferings of Jesus Christ may very properly be called a part of his Righteousness partly because in them he did fulfil the command of God and that duty that lay upon him as our surety that was one of the things he undertook as our Mediator to redeem us from the curse being made a curse for us as it was his duty to fulfil the precepts of the Law for us so likewise to bear the penalty of the Law if he had failed in that he had not answered his Office obligations he stood bound to God to undergo the punishment of our sins God expected that from him to make his Soul an Offering for sin Isa 53 10. and he was under a command to lay down his life as the second person in the Trinity he was equal to the Father but as Mediator he was commanded by him John 10.18 I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and power to take it again and this Commandment have I received of my Father Jesus Christ sulfilled the Law of the Mediator in his sufferings and therefore he is said to be obedient unto death the death of the Cross Phil. 2 8. the same is implyed in that expression he learned obedience by the things that be suffered Heb 5.8 the meaning is not that he learned to obey but he Learned by the sufferings what a difficult thing Obedience was it was a part of his Obedience to suffer and so may be called his righteousness and so indeed there is righteousness in those sufferings of the Saints which in a way of holiness they do expose themselves unto and those sufferings of Christ may be called his righteousness partly because by them he became legally righteous the sins of the Elect were imputed unto him and he was legally guilty he stood bound to answer for the sins of his people and accordingly was apprehended by the justice of God and the punishment of the Law inflicted upon him by bearing of which he has paid the debt and the Law has no more power over him by his sufferings he is become righteous in Law and discharged from any more sufferings for ever having suffered the punishment of our sins the Law has acquitted him has nothing at all to object against him he has answered the Law and now is reputed legally righteous hence it is that presently upon his suffering he
place against the sins of ungodly men being executed to the full upon them Mat. 5.18 it has taken place against the sins of the Elect upon Jesus Christ the curse having been executed upon him Gal 3.13 He baâ—k redeemed us from the curse being made a curse for us and God does bestow eternal life upon none but those who have fulfilled the righteousness of the Law in their Surety eternal life is given as a recompence of Christs Righteousness Rom. 5.21 PROPOSITION III. This covenant of Works could not be known by our first Parents any other way than by divine revelation because both the promises and threatnings of this covenant depended on the free will of God so that whatever a bilities of understanding Adam had in his first estate they were insufficient to make a discovery of them the precepts of the Law were written In the heart of man when he was first made and so they are still though not so legibly Rom. 2.15 They show the works of the Law written in their hearts and this I dont understand to be any distinct work of God from that of creating the soul for the precepts of the Law excepting that one of the Sabbath have a self-evidencing power so that supposing man to have an understanding he can't but have some knowledg of them and supposing them to have an understanding not corrupted he can't but have a clear knowledge of them but the promises and threatnings of the Law are not understood by any thing written in mens heart Conscience indeed by its own natural light does give evidence that sin is offensive to God and so affright men with expectation of wrath but it can't witness the certainty of Judgments much less of eternal condemnation except it have received some further light either from the Works or Word of God. PROPOSITION IV. The Covenant of Works does require Obedience only as the condition of life there are several other Obligations upon us unto Obedience some antecedent to the covenant of works as the infinite excellency of God the work of Creation some of them consequent as the dying love of Christ Gods giving converting Grace and many the like but the covenant of works requires it only as a condition of life and hence tho the covenant of works be fulfilled for us by Jesus Christ so that there is no engagement on us to perfect obedience as it is a condition of life yet those antecedent obligations do remain upon and we ow obedience still as a natural due Psal 95.6 that primitive obligation as we are creatures will ly upon us for ever besides those other obligations that God has laid upon us since PROPOSITION V. The covenant of works requires perfect but not personal obedience the obedience required in the covenant of works is perfect for one transgression layes man open to the curse but it does not stand upon personal obedience every one is obliged to personal obedience but this is upon another account and not by vertue of the covenant of works the covenant of works never tied us up to personal obedience as the condition of life God has been so far from binding us up to personal obedience as the condition of life that he never did propose that way unto us but from the beginning of the world constituted a publick person to act in our behalf and upon his failing immediately revealed Jesus Christ to be another publick person to act for us Rom. 5.19 PROPOSITION VI The life promised in the Covenant of works is a life of glory in heaven the promise is life Gal. 3.12 The man that doth them shall live in them some have thought that Adam should have had only the continuance of that blessedness which he was created in if he had kept the Covenant it is very true that there is no mention in the Covenant of his going to heaven but we have clear ground to conclude from Scripture that if man had stood he should have gone to heaven according to this promise 1. Because hell where the devils are is the reward of disobedience by the covenant of works therefore heaven where the holy angels are is the reward of Obedience it is meet the rewards should be proportionable I know it is answered that sin deserves evil at Gods hands but holiness which is due unto God does not deserve any rewards but this does not take off the force of the argument for it is by the Law that sin merits as well as holiness and hence wicked men are punished only for such sins as they commit in this life 2 Cor. 5.10 and there is as much goodness in holiness as evil in sin and it is a meet thing that God should bestow as much good in a way of obedience as he inflicts evil in a way of disobedience besides the Law expresses the punishment of sin by death Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death and the reward of obedience by life Gal. 3.12 the man that doth them shall live by them therefore it is a life directly opposite to that death a life that contains as much good in it as that death doth evil those terms do mutually explain one the other 2. Because Christ in fulfilling of the law for us has purchased life for us in heaven Christ has purchased heaven for us Epb. 1.14 it is called a purchased possession and he did it by performing the righteousness of the Law for us it is by making of us righteous that we come to have a title unto eternal life Rom 5.21 Grace reigns by righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. Because Christ tells the young man in the Gospel that enquired of him what good thing he should do that he might have eternal life that if he would enter into life be should keep the Commandments Mat. 19.16 17. where we may mind that the life enquired after by the young man was a life in Heaven and that Christ in this answer is leading of him to the covenant of works upon a design to convince him of his inability to keep it 4. Because the Apostle Paul gives that as the reason that men cannot be justified by the Law because they are sinners Rom. 8.3 3.20 the Legallists that Paul disputes against expected eternal life in heaven by their works yet in all his disputes with them he never telis them that the covenant of works does not promise any such thing if he could have told them so that would clearly have cut off all their hopes but he still shows that they can't have Salvation by the Law upon this account because they can't fulfil it yea he plainly implies that the reward by the Law and Gospel are the same but the way of obtaining it is different Rom. 4.4 He that worketh has the reward by debt be that worketh not hath it by grace The second thing that falls under Consideration here is What is the difference between the Covenant of works and the
argue that the everlasting purpose of God to save us by the sufferings of Christ cannot be disanulled by a law that was made in time and therefore that law must be so understood as not to cross that design The fourth thing to be cleared is That Jesus Christ is a Mediator Though the law left room for a Mediator yet God was at liberty whether he would provide one or no but he has provided Christ and put him into this Office. Christ stands in that relation of a Mediator and this implies both duty and authority to work out all our salvation for us both as to the purchasing and also the applying of salvation That Christ Jesus is a Mediator is set down in express terms 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator between God and man the Man Christ Jesus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is peculiar to the holy Scripture Socinus would have it to signifie only Gods Interpreter and it may be that may be the meaning Gal. 3.19 it was ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator but the word generally notes one that stands between God and man to make up the breach that sin had made that this is intended in the forementioned place is evident by the next words ver 6 who gave himself a ransome for all so that his mediation consisted in giving himself a ransom or at least he was such a Mediator as did give himself a ransom this must also be the meaning of the word Heb. 9.15 and for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of his death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are ealled may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance There is plainly held forth that he executed his Mediatorly Office in dying for transgression and in order to our injoying an eternal inheritance The same Mediatorly Office of Christ is held forth 1 Cor. 8.5 6. for though there be that are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be Gods many and Lords many but to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him The Heathens did distinguish between their Gods into celestial and terrestial the celestial and soveraign Gods they thought to be immortal of a sublime and pure nature the terrestial were the Deified souls of famous men deceased whose Office it was to be as Mediators and Agents between the soveraign Gods and mortal men these they called Baalims or Lords unto these superior and inferior Gods hâ—d toes elegantly allude ver 6. so that when he says that to al 's there is but one Lord he means one Mediator the same Mediatorly Office of Jesus Christ is held forth forth in those titles of Prophet Priest and King which are frequently given unto him and contain under them the several parts of his Mediatorly Office There are three things requisite unto the Mediatorly Office of Christ the fitness of his person the consent of the Father and his own consent The first thing requisite was the fitness of his person whereby he was capable of discharging this Office it did not become infinite Wisdom to lay such a task on one that was uncapable of performing it and this requisite was found in Jesus Christ this undertaking was too great for any meer creature but it was not too heavy a burden for the shoulders of Jesus Christ he was fit to purchase our salvation and also to apply it and upon this account he was much prized by God he is said to be Elect and Precious 1 Pet. 2.6 as a Prince prizes some men because they are of such abilities that they are fit to serve him in the greatest Offices of the Kingdom so God having a design to save sinners he prizes Christ as a person fit to bring about that design The principal fitness of Jesus Christ for the work of Mediator consists in his being God man in our person yet we must not think that he did not enter into his Office till he was actually incarnate the incarnation was necessary to his full discharge of that work but he entred into his Office and began to fulfil it before his incarnation our sins were not actually imputed to him till his incarnation but he was a Mediator immediately upon the fall of man from that time his blood was efficacious Rev. 13.8 He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world from the time of the making of the covenant of grace he was a Mediator Heb. 12.24 and the salvation of the Patriarks in the first ages of the world was the fruit of the mediation of Christ and therefore that solemn consecration of Christ at the time of his Baptism was not unto the Office of a Mediator but the work of his publick Ministry Christ by being man was fitted as for some other parts of his Office so especially to fulfil the law for man to obey and suffer for us had he been only God he had been uncapable of obedience or sufferings had he taken upon him the nature of angels he had been uncapable of obeying and suffering for us the Mosaical Law concerning the right of redemption in the kinsman did typifie that Christ should be our kinsman this manifested what God intended but that doth not prove that there was a necessity of it but if he had assumed the angelical nature he could not have fulfilled that law that was given to man the precepts and curses of the law were fitted to mans nature and some of them could not be fulfilled By the angelical nature besides the teuour of the covenant of works with man ran thus that man must fulfil the righteousness of the law and in case of disobedience man must bear the curse of it this the Apostle shews when he teaches us that because we did partake of flesh and blood Christ also partook of the same that by death he might deliver us Heb. 2.14 and intimates ver 16. that if he had taken the nature of angels it would not have served the turn and whereas he adds that he took on him the seed of Abraham we are not to understand that there was any necessity of that any further than from the promises and prophesies thereof that he should come of that stock but he mentions his coming of Abraham as that which evidenced that he was of the same nature with us Christ by being God was fitted not only for his Prophetical and Kingly Office to the execution whereof Divine Power and Wisdom was requisite but he was also fitted for his Priestly Office so that the divine nature had an influence into the satisfactoriness of the sufferings of Christ that is held forth Heb. 9.14 how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works
and Acts 20.28 to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood To compleat the fitness of Jesus Christ for the work of a Mediator there were necessary some special qualifications of the humane nature especially holiness and wisdom his holiness was necessary unto all his Offices he would not have been fit to have executed his Prophetical Office without that he had need be holy and faithful that is to declare the mind of God to man without this he would not have him fit to have executed the Office of a King he that rules the world and judges mens eternal estate had need be holy without this he would not have been fit to have executed the Office of a Priest he that was to work out righteousness for others and satisfie for their sins must be holy and this qualification was perfect and compleat in Jesus Christ Heb 7.26 For such an High-priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Here Christ's holiness is set forth positiorly he was holy and negatively in three branches He was harmless free from actual sin undefiled that is free from original pollution separate from sinners free from that common sin of mankind which they committed in Adam the other qualification of wisdom was especially necessary unto the execution of his Prophetical and Kingly Offices this he needed an extraordinary measure of and God has furnished him suitably Joh. 5.34 God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him by which expression we are not to understand infinite gifts for the humane nature is not capable of an infinite qualification but extraordinary qualifications beyond what God does bestow on other men this was spoken concerning those gifts given him at the time of his Baptism when the Spirit rested on him and questionless are far exceeded by those gifts bestowed on him when he Ascended to the Right-hand of God. A second thing requisite unto the Mediatorly Office of Christ was the consent of the Fathor There was a necessity of his approbation that the Mediator might have authority to discharge his Office there could be no redemption without the consent of him whose prisoners we are and altho the sufferings of Christ were in their own nature a valuable consideration for our redemption yet there could not be satisfaction without the consent of God. God might not be imposed on nor any satisfaction obtruded upon him without his consent the Office of a Mediator as it implies authority over man so it implies subsection and subordination to God and accordingly in this work Christ is Gods servant Isai 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold and the Scripture does give in abundant evidence that the Father did consent to this undertaking of Christs he is called Gods Elect Isa 42.1 mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth he was chosen by God to this work so he is said to be foreordained 1 Pet. 1.20 Christ did not intrude into this Office but was called of God Heb. 5.5 6. when he came into the world be was sent of God John 5.37 he came with a commission and it was under Gods hand and seal John 6.27 God has confirmed Christ in his Office be an Oath Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedek The third thing requifite to the Mediatorly Office of Christ was his own consent It was not meet that such an Office should be forced upon him that it should be put upon him to dye for sinners without his own choice and that if we consider the innocency and excellency of his person but he did freely consent to take this task upon him his will as he is God is the same with the Fathers and as man he closed with it he voluntarily undertook this work of redeeming and saving sinners Heb. 10.6 then said I lo I come in the volumn of the book it is written of me to do thy Will O God Gal. 2 20. he loved me and gave himself for me John 10.18 no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self The consent of the Father and the Son is represented to us in Scripture after the manner of a covenant called by Divines the covenant of redemption in which transaction we may take notice of these five Articles 1. The Father promised to fit the son for the work of redemption by preparing an humane nature that so he might be capable of working out our redemption Heb. 1â— 5 a body thou hast prepared me his manifestation in the flesh was preordained 1 Pet. 1.20 2. The Son covenanted to answer the law for us that he would suffer for our sins and work out righteousness for us Mat 20.28 The Son of man came to give his life for a ransome for many John 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and power to take it again and this Commandment have I received of my Father 3. The Father covenanted to accept the obedience and sufferings of Jesus Christ for the Elect that their debt should be remitted unto them and they saved thereby Isa 44.6 it is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribe of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee to be a light unto the Gentiles that thou mayst be my salvation to the end of the earth Isa 53.10.11 12 when he shall make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed c. 4. The Father covenanted to invest him with full authority to accomplish the salvation of his redeemed ones and apply to them the benefits of his death and in order to this to advance his humane nature unto highest dignity and glory John 17.2 thou hast given him power over all flesh that he may give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Eph. 1.22 he hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be bead over all things to the Church 5. The Son covenanted fully to accomplish the salvation of all the Elect John 6.39 this is the will of the Father that sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day These things were agreed to between the Father and the Son. The fifth Proposition for the clearing this Argument is That Christs work as Mediator was not to restore Man to his former condition but to bring him to Salvation Our primitive estate in Adam was an estate of innocency we were habitually holy without any offence probationers for glory neither in an estate of condemnation nor in an estate of justification and God if he had so pleased might have appointed Christ to have restored us to our primitive condition to have set us free from the guilt and power of sin and so might put us upon it to have wrought for our own blessedness again according to the tenor of the former Covenant but Christ
was appointed to bring us into an estate of justification and salvation Jesus Christ had his Authority bestowed upon him to bring us to life John 17.2 Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him accordingly Christ has done more for our blessedness than Adam was to do Adam was to bring us out of an estate of innocency into an estate of justification but Christ has brought us out of a guilty estate into an estate of justification yea Christ has done more for our blessedness than Adam did for our ruine Adam brought us from innocency to misery but Christ has brought us from misery not back again to innocency but to blessedness in this respect that Salvation that Christ has wrought is more eminent and remarkable than that destruction that Adam wrought and for the pur chasing of this there was more required than for the restitution of us to our primitive condition the sufferings of Christ were sufficient to procure our restitution unto innocency but there was a necessity of the active obedience of Jesus Christ to bring us into an estate of blessedness Christs active obedience was necessary for us as well as his passive and this was one reason why it was requisite that Christ should continue so long upon earth that by a course of obedience for many years he might purchase eternal life for us the influence of the blood of Christ into our justification was typified by the Sacrifices the influence of the active obedience of Christ into our justification was typified by the white Garments of the Priests and the beautiful Garments of the High Priest our justification is compared to the putting on of white Raiment Rev. 3.18 some have objected against the necessity of Christs active obedience to our Justification that by his sufferings he satisfied for our sins of omission as well as of commission and if our sins of omission be satisfied for it is all one as if we had performed the duty but that is a mistake we can't he justified except obedience be performed Gal. 3.12 The man that doth them shall live in them suffering is the fulfilling of the threatning not of the command meer suffering has satisfaction but no merit in it suffering for sins of omission only removes the guilt contracted by the omission suffering for sins of omission puts us into such a condition as if the duty had not been omitted but not into such a condition as if it had been performed into such a condition as Adam was in not such as Believers are in in a sin of omission there are two things to be observed a neglect of duty towards God which is to be punished and a neglect of the condition of life which condition must be attended before life be bestowed the forgiving of an omission may be where the duty is still expected if a man fail of paying Money at the day his omission may be forgiven and yet the money may be expected The sixth Proposition for the clearing of the Argument is That Jesus Christ has fulfilled the righteousness of the Law. He has answered all the demands and challenges of the Law what the Law could chalenge from us has been accomplished by and upon Christ First Christ has fulfilled Obedience unto the commands of the Law Jesus Christ lived a life of spotless holiness and integrity obedient in all things unto the command of God Joh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do 1 Pet. 2.22 Who did no sin neither was guil found in his mouth he lived in a perfect and absolute conformity to the Law of God all the dayes of his life and therefore he is said to know no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 concerning this active obedience of Christ I shall here only observe these two things 1. That he did all the common duties of the Law and such particular duties as were proper to the Relation that he sustained he did not sustain all relations as that of Husband and Parents and therefore the duties peculiar to such relations were not requir'd of him nor performed by him neither was there any need that he should stand in all relations and fulfil the work required of all some give that reason why Christ was in this or that condition that it was to sanctifie those conditions to his People and by that reason he had need have been in all conditions that the like might be sanctified to his people but it was sufficient that Christ fulfilled the whole Law as it was required of one in his station and that is enough to answer for the Elect whatever relation or condition they are in Secondly Christ did obey not only moral commands but also subjected himself to the commands of instituted Worship and as he was circumcised in his infancy so when he was adult he was Baptized and gives that reason of it because it became him to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 So Christ partook of the Lords Supper Mat. 26 29. some think that the reason why Christ was Baptized was that he might thereby shew his approbation of Johns Baptism but that might have been done by his Word and I can't think that Christ would use a fignificant ceremony if the signification had not at all belonged to him neither would he perform an act of Worship that was not proper for him only to shew his approbation another reason that is given is that it was to sanctifie our Baptisme but their Baptism was sanctified that were Baptized before besides it is not the example but the institution of Christ that sanctifies our Baptism Another reason that hereby he was inaugurated and consecrated to his Office but there is nothing leads to that he was solemnly consecrated immediately after this Ordinance has no such signification but the reason of it was because sin was imputed to him and as this Ordinance seals up to us deliverance from sin through Christs Blood so it sealed up to him deliverance from the guilt of sin through his own Blood through the shedding of his Blood he was justified 1 Tim. 3.16 and this was a Seal to his Faith and sin imputed was Sacramentally done away hereby the like may be said of his partaking of the Lords Supper Secondly Christ Jesus has likewise born the penalty of the Law the death of Jesus Christ was a legal death it was the execution of the Law the putting of Christ to death was an act of vindictive justice it was a fruit of the wrath of God this is evident because he is said to he made a curse for us the curse is the condemning sentence and execration of the Law Gal. 3.13 this the Apostle proves from Dout 21.22 23. that law was a ceremonial Law whereby they that were hanged on a Tree were ceremonially accursed to typifie the accursed death of Jesus Christ this typical reason excepted there is no reason
Sufferings of Christ 't is thought to be an allusion to the custom of servants in having their ears bor'd the Apostle therefore to the Hebrews gives the sense of the words a body hast thou prepared me that is in order to the doing and suffering of the Will of God. 4. That hereby he effected that which sacrifices could not Heb. 10.9 he taketh away the first that he may establish the second 4. It was foretold that Christ should rise from the dead and that upon that account there is great ground of hope to his in their death that we have Psal 16.9 10. my flesh also shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption where mind that these latter expressions were a prophesie of Christs speedy Resurrection from the dead thus the Apostle Peter does interpret it Acts 2.3 he spake of the Resurrection of Christ that his soul was not left in hell neither his flesh did see corruption 2. That this was a ground of hope and the Resurrection of Christ is principally a ground of hope as it is an argument and evidence that Christ by his death has satisfied the justice of God for our sins 2. This truth was also foretold in the Types of the Old Testament God did by many shadows and figures teach the church of Israel this truth a type is any person action or thing appointed by God to signifie or represent some Gospel truths the types of the Old Testament were instituted of God to shadow forth Christ Jesus they were a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ Col. 2.17 and many of them did particulatly represent this truth of our salvation by the Righteousness of Christ particularly 1. The sacrifices did teach this truth the offering up of sacrifice was a principal part of the instituted worship of God of old it was appointed immediately upon the â—all and the institution thereof renewed at Mount Sinai and vindicated from many corruptions wherewith man had depraved them and although there were some other particular intendment of some of them yet the general end of them all was to make attonement and procure the remission of sin Lev. 1.4 the design of them was to procure the remission of sin without shedding of blood is no remission Heb. 9 22 and therefore it was their manner to confess their sins when they brought their sacrifice Lev. 5.5 the sacrifice was slain instead of the sinner Gen 22.13 and in those sacrifices God is said to smell a savour of rest Gen. 8.21 the offerings are often called a sweet savour and these sacrifices did shadow forth the satisfaction that Jesus Christ was to make for our sins the great end of them was to lead the Church into a dependence upon the sacrifice of Christ to shadow forth to them how acceptable and pleasing that would be unto God. These legal sacrifices could not make real but onely typical satisfaction they were not a proportionable price to ransome mens souls by the Apostle tells us it was not possible that they slould take away sins Heb. 10.4 the design of them was to be types of the satisfaction that was to be made by the death of Christ in those sacrifices were shadowed forth that Christ Jesus was to be put to death for the sacrifices were slain that he was to be slain upon the account of our sins so the sacrifices were that he was to suffer the wrath of God as the sacrifices were burnt up with fire from heaven that the death of Christ was an effectual means to reconcile us unto God that these sacrifices were types of Christ making atonement is clear because Christ is often called a sacrifice Eph. 5.2 and said to offer up himself Heb 9.26 Hence also he is called The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 it is clear also because upon his death the sacrifices of the Law were to cease those Laws are now abolished now there is no use of those sacrifices the offerings of Christ were the accomplishment of what was typified of old Heb 13.12 13. 2. The Passover or Paschal Lamb did also hold forth this truth and teach the efficacy of the death of Christ for our salvation by this ordinance of the Passover the Paschal Lamb was to be slain and the blood thereof to be sprinkled upon the lintel and posts of the door and there withal many other ceremonies were to be attended the immediate design of this in the first celebration of it was to be a means to procure the destroying angels passing over the houses of the Israelites in the after celebration of it it was to be a commemoration of this mercy and in conjunction with the feast of the Passover it was also a commemoration of the delivering of Israel out of Egypt but the rincipal and ultimate design of it was to teach them their deliverance from eternal destruction and their spiritual redemption by Jesus Christ the efficacy of the blood of Christ for our salvation is herein held forth this appears 1. Because the deliverance out of Egypt was a type of our spiritual and eternal deliverance and therefore it is made the preface to the ten Commandments Exod 20.2 we are not concerned in that argument any further than as it shadows forth spiritual redemption they were delivered out of Egypt that they might be brought into Canaan which was a type of Heaven 2. Jesus Christ is called our passover 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us he is called a Passover because in him was fulfilled what was shadowed by the Passover 3. Christs blood is called the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12 24. 1 Pet. 1.2 this was not a peculiar reference to the passover for the blood of the sacrifices also was sprinkled but it has a joint reference to the blood of the sacrifices and the passover 4. The Evangelist John when he relates how the souldiers did not break the legs of Christ as they did of those that were crucified with him takes notice of it as the accomplishment of a prophecy Joh. 19.36 for these things were done that the Scriptures should be fulfilled a bone of him shall not be broken but we find no prophecy that way in the Scripture onely this that they were enjoined not to break a bone of the Paschal Lamb Exod. 12.46 Numb 19.12 whereby God taught them that passage that at Christs sufferings not a bone of him should be broken 3. The purifyings and washings under the Law held forth this truth by those washings and sprinkling their ceremonial uncleanesses were purged away Lev. 14.9 Numb 31.24 by this was held forth the purification of the soul by the blood of Jesus Christ Heb. 9.13.14 for if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifyeth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ purge our consciences
David has reference to these purifyings when he says purge me with hysop and I shall be clean Psal 51.7 and hence it is that we have such expressions in the Prophets he shall sprinkle many Nations Isa 52.15 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean Ezek. 36.25 hence also it is said of them Rev. 7.14 They had washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 4. The freedom of the manslayer at the death of the High-priest holds out the same truth he that casually slew a man was to abide in the city of refuge till the death of the High-priest and then was to return to his own city Numb 35.25 Joshua 20.6 that was to signifie to them that spiritual liberty that is proved for us by the death of Christ Christ Jesus is our High-priest Heb. 3.1 Heb 7.26 and by his death has wrought out deliverance for us Zech. 9.11 as for thee also by the blood of the covenant I have sent forth the prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water 5. The brazen serpent was a type of this the brazen serpent was lifted up in the wilderness that they that were stung with the flying fiery serpent might look upon it and be healed Numb 21.8 9. this did shadow forth the healing vertue of Christ crucified the application of the type is made by Christ himself John 3.14 15. as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting life mind 1 A similitude between the condition of him that was stung and the sinner the venome of the serpent was very tormenting and that may be one reason why the serpents are called fiery because this poyson burnt like fire thus it is with the guilty sinner his heart is full of perplexing sorrow and he is tormented with the fiery darts of the Evil One. 2. There is a similitude between the lifting up of the brazen serpent and the manner of Christs death therefore his death is set forth by that phrase of being lifted up that phrase notes his sufferings Joh. 8.28 when ye have lift up the Son of man then ye shall know that I am he John 12.32 33. and if I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me this he said signifying what death he should dye 3. There is a similitude between the carriage of him that was stung and the guilty sinner he that was stung must look upon the brazen serpent the guilty sinner must behold this Lamb of God with an eye of faith believe in him and he shall be saved 6. The Manna and the watter out of the rock held forth this truth they were fed with Manna for forty years and the water out of the Rock followed them almost so long whereby God represented unto them the nourishing vertue of Christ crucified and therefore the Apostle calls the Manna spiritual meat and the water of the rock spiritual drink and not onely so but he calls them the same spiritual meat and drink that is the same which we partake of under the Gospel 1 Cor 23.3 4. and Christ sayes that it is his flesh that is the true spiritual meat and his blood that is the true spiritual drink John 6.55 my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed and Christ Jesus teaches the Jews that he is the true bread that came down from heaven John 6.49 50. your Fathers did take Manna in the wilderness and are dead This is the bread that cometh down from heaven that a man may eaten hereof and not dye 7. The white garments of the Priests and the beautiful garments of the High-Priest hold forth this Truth whereby is taught that comliness in the sight of God that does arise from the righteousness of Christ this is evident from the interpretation given Zech. 3.4 take away the filthy garments from him and unto him be said I have caused thine iniquity to pass away and thou shalt be cloathed with change of raiment the taking away of filthy garments notes the taking away of iniquity therefore the cloathing with change of raiment notâ—s the putting on of the robe of Christs Righteousness so the Righteousness of Christ is set forth by white raiment Rev. 3.18 God sets forth the efficacy of Christs righteousness by these various types that the Church of old might be well principled in this doctrine God was leading of them into an understanding of this way of salvation directing of them to look for salvation only through the sufferings and obedience of Jesus Christ the various representations whereof was of great use to beget faith in such as understood the meaning thereof and were a great evidence of that delight which God took in the righteousness which Christ was to fulfil in the fulness of time Argument 3. Because God has had such love to sinners as to send his Son to dye that they might be reconciled unto him therefore there is no question to be made of it but he will bestow salvation on all those that have an interest in the death of Christ this is the Apostles argument Rom. 5 8 9. but God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath by him and in the next verse he repeats the argument in other terms for if when we more enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life the meaning of the argument is that if God had so much love to us as to send his Son to purchase our reconciliation when we were Offenders then certainly being brought into a state of reconciliation by Christ we shall be saved by him In opening this argument we shall consider First the foundation that he builds it upon and then the force of the consequence 1. The foundation that he builds this argument on is That God had such love to sinners as to send his Son to dye for them this was an act of wonderful love it was great love in Christ to come to dye and great love in the Father to send him to dye this was more than man could hope for when he had sinned it was quite beyond his expectation this was such compassion as could enter into the heart of none but God himself to contrive if the thoughts of holy Angels had been asked they would have thought it too great a mercy to have been bestowed on sinful man they were wonderfully affected with it when it came to pass Luke 21 13 14. there suddenly was with the angels a great multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will towards man indeed in this affair God acted principally from a love to his
no influence unto justification 2. To the second part of the Objection that promises of Salvation are made to Obedience I Answer 1. That the promises of eternal life are not made unto obedience as that which does merit eternal life and therefore the best of Gods servants do acknowledg themselves unworthy of any good Gen. 32.10 They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Luk. 21.36 Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred worthy often signifies no more than conveniency and suitableness so Eph. 4.1 walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called but the obedience of the people of God cannot merit eternal life there are two wayes of meriting neither of which can belong to the obedience of the Saints one is when men do merit a reward from absolute justice from the meer dignity of the work in this sence one man can merit from another but no man from God for whatever man does for God is but a due Debt and because no man can do any good but by the grace of God the work it self is the gift of God there is another way of meriting and that is according to the tenour of the Law when man keeps the Law he does deserve a recompence according to the tenor of it thus Jesus Christ has merited life for us Eph. 1.14 he has purchased the heavenly possession so the Angels merited blessedness for themselves but the Obedience of the Saints is not meritorious in this sense because it fails of legal exactness there be many sins mixed with their obedience and their best obedience is very imperfect and polluted and indeed it is upon the account of Christ that the obedience of the Saints is accepted 1 Pet. 2.5 We offer Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 2. The promises of eternal life are not made to obedience as the proper condition of it because God is absolutely engaged to bestow eternal life upon Believers every Believer has already performed the condition of the Covenant and is under an absolute promise of life John 1 2. This is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life and obedience is promised to them therefore cannot be properly a condition 3. The promises of eternal life are made unto obedience as the sign of it obedience is an evidence that a man is an heir of eternal life good works do declare that a man is one that shall be saved obedience is an evidence of the love of God it is from love that a man is enabled to live a life of obedience and they are an evidence that a man is a believer where there is obedience there is Faith also men are sanctified by Faith in Christ Acts 26.18 4. The promises of eternal life are made to obedience as wherein God has appointed to lead men to it God has purposed to lead men in a way of holiness unto happiness and wherever he begins to deliver men from sin here to deliver them perfectly hereafter this is the order wherein God has appointed to bestow salvation first to sanctifie and then to glorifie God has appointed to prepare all those for glory here that he does intend to bestow it upon hereafter he prepares them here for that holy place for that holy company for that holy work that is there though they shall be more fully prepared at the time of their dissolution this is the method that God has designed to save men in that they shall have their fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Rom. 6.27 3. To the third part of the Objection that Glory is called the reward of Obedience I Answer 1. That when Heaven is called a recompence the word is not taken for that which is deserved there is a plain difference in the way wherein God inflicts death and bestows life Rom. 6 23. the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. Heaven is not properly bestowed upon the Saints upon the account of their obedience as the condition of it it is upon the account of the obedidience of Christ as the meritorious cause and upon the account of their Faith as the condition of it their obedience is indeed the way wherein they do receive it and so it is a recompence of it they have heaven in a way of obedience and heaven will make an abundant recompence for all their labour and travail the people of God take pains undergo hardships undergo many temptations and conflicts in a way of obedience but heaven will make amends for all and abundantly recompence all their trouble in the way of serving God at the end of their journey they shall receive heaven and that will make amends for all their trouble 3. Saints when they go to heaven shall receive a recompence on the account of their good works their good works are the condition of an additional glory the essential glory of heaven is given on the account of Christs purchase and that God has promised to bestow in a way of obedience but besides those promises there are others wherein God has engaged further degrees of glory upon condition of obedience there will be a gracious reward by the covenant of grace given to every act of obedience performed by the Saints Mat. 10. ult God will take an account of all the good works of his Saints and recompence every one so that the more any Saint does for God the more glory shall be bestowed upon him Phil. 4.17 and hence it is as one Saint does more for God than another so the glory of one shall exceed the glory of another God will not overlook any thing that is done by his people though the obedience of the Saints be imperfect yet it is capable of being rewarded by the covenant of grace it is not properly the condition of enjoying heaven but it is the condition of enjoying further degrees of glory in heaven CHAP. VIII USE I. Reproof to those that seek salvation by their own righteousness VSE I. THe improvement we shall make of this truth is first to reprove those that are seeking acceptance with God and salvation by their own righteousness that neglecting the righteousness of Christ are seeking the favour of God by their own works this was the very spirit of the Jewish Nation in those declining times wherein Christ Jesus was upon the earth and this is one great part of the apostacy of the Antichristian Church that they teach Justification by works but besides these it is the ordinary practice of such whose consciences are awakened and terrified first to seek their peace and work out their reconciliation by their own righteousness when once the sinner is stung with the guilt of sin and under the awful apprehensions of Gods wrath the first way
holiness the external acts of grace may be so imitated that no man can discern the difference though ordinarily the conversation of the saints be better than the conversation of other men yet others may attend the external part of godliness as much as any saint for 't is not grace that gives men power to do that which is externally good nature gives men the power to do the action and grace gives men power to do it in a right manner and for a right end and the corruption in natural men be strong to hinder them from the external acts of Religion yet that may be over-ruled natural men have a power to do the external duty and they may have a will too through some over-ruling consideration Paul tho a Pharisee may have a blameless conversation tho Vrith was not a faithful Priest yet he was a faithful Witness Isai 8.4 many a natural man is of chast conversation temperate in the use of meat and drink just in his dealings with men charitable to the poor strict in observing of the Sabbath he may be greatly instrumental in promoting the publick good abound in Fasting and Prayer fall in with the better party take much pains for the conversion of others yea the Apostle intimates that a man may give all his goods to feed the poor and his body to be burned and not have charity 1 Cor. 13.3 an opinion of merit is sufficient to make many men give all they have to the poor and men may suffer death in the cause of God that have no grace either from sturdiness of spirit some are men of high spirits and count it a disgrace to them to yield they scorn that others should get the day of them they will not disparage themselves nor humor their enemies so as to yield to them or from confidence of their salvation lotting upon it that if they dye in such a cause they shall surely go to heaven 2. They may attain unto great religious frames many carnal men have had very strong pangs of affection their hearts may overflow in a religious way many that have no principle of grace have had great impressions on their hearts from the Word of God the hearts of natural men have been considerably engaged in the wayes of God the Gallatians many of whom Paul was afraid of were formerly greatly affected with the Gospel Gal. 4.15 he that was not prepared to go thorow sufferings tells Christ in a pang he will follow him whither soever he goes Luk. 9.57 58. Saul has a great pang because God had wrought salvation in Israel 1 Sam 11.13 they sang Gods praise that soon forgat his works Ps 106.12 13. men may receive the word with joy yet not hold out in a day of persecution Mat. 13.21 men may bewail their miscarriages tho their hearts be not mended 1 Sam. 26.21 men may delight in Religion that are not sincere in it Job 27.9 10. men may abominate some sins though none be mortified 1 Chron. 21.6 the Kings word was abominable unto Joab men may be full of zeal that are strangers unto Christ Phil. 3.6 these pangs and religious frames are nothing else but the various workings of an enlightned conscience and self-love some men are enlightned to see their danger in a way of sin and the hopes of blessedness in a way of returning to God God puts a light into the mind whereby men come to see their present danger and hell and eternity and wrath seem real things unto them and after a while God gives many of them some special encouragements of the possibility of salvation natural men are sometimes under a common conviction of the glory of God a natural man is capable of some discoveries that way and these convictions work upon that natural principle of self-love and hence arise that fear joy hope thankfulness that many natural men do experience all those religious frames and dispositions that are in natural men are nothing else but the various shapings of self-love the same principle of self-love which made them before to follow the World and their pleasures does after conviction make them seek after holiness Christ and salvation 3. They may continue in the practice of Religion all their dayes tho many times they do not but fall away sometimes to Heresie sometimes to Prophaness and ordinarily if they live long they grow sapless and unsavoury so as to have little relish of Religion upon their hearts and generally those taâ—ls which they have had of the good Word of God are lost after a while so as to have no enlivening impression on the heart these affections which sometime were in them wither away yet without question many of them do continue in the practice of Religion as long as they live if they may continue in the practice of Religion one year why not seven why not twenty why not as long as they live love of credit a compliance with the custom of the place where they live the workings of natural conscience may have such an influence upon them as to make them continue in the practise of Religion Christ indeed sayes of some that they believe for a time and in time of temptation fall away Luk. 8.13 but his meaning is that it is commonly so but experience shews that a temporary Faith may live under persecution all false Faith indeed may be called temporary because it is subject to perish in time it is not built upon such a foundation as to make it stand against all temptations true Faith is built upon firm foundations the power mercy and faithfulness of God and the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ and in these things there is a bottom for Faith in the dismallest times that may come here is that which will answer all temptations 2 Thess 2.16 but a false Faith is built upon failing foundations the goodness of his frames mistakes about the love of God and hence his faith may fail though I know no condition that a false heart can be brought into except one wherein he may not continue to believe he may continue to believe under great afflictions from the hand of God under great persecutions from men in a dying day indeed if God do discover to him what an heart he has and shew him the plague of that his false Faith will die away for the foundation of it sc an opinion of his own goodness is taken away but yet even then he may continue in the practice of Religion 3. Let us consider what are the temptations that make men seek salvation by their own righteousness and certainly they must be great temptations that have so strong an efficacy upon the hearts of men godly men have much to do to restrain and subdue this spirit in themselves and generally convinced sinners are mightily carried away with this Spirit though God do so plainly witness against it in his Word yet multitudes of men are seeking life in this way so that we may
place or a man that is drowning they catch hold on a twig or a rotten stick though it be insufficient to help them or as with a Traitor that gets into a Castle because he sees no other way of preservation so awakened sinners are seeking by their own righteousness to make their peace because they know no other way they dare do no other tho they have many misgivings of heart that all their righteousness will not do yet they look on this as the most probable way and hence dare not take any other course This appears 1. Because terrors of Conscience put them upon their duties tho afterwards they may find some delight in them and some affections to God and his wayes yet the first thing that sets them going is terror fear makes them reform and pray they are scared into Religion they are forced out of these sinful practises and fired out of those wayes of sin that they were addicted unto their fear does direct them unto this way as the safest if they knew a better way they would not violently pursue this for there is that principle in every man by nature that carries him out necessarily to seek his own happiness fear and dread of hell make them do what they do in Religion Job 41.25 â—y reason of breakings they purifie themselves 2. They are afraid to see the plague of their own hearts experience witnesses to this that they dare not yield themselves to be such as they are many a sinner dare not yield himself to be unsound in Religion to be unconverted they compass sea and land to strengthen their false hopes and many a man that knows he is unconverted and has some conviction that he must see the badness of his heart before he be converted and accordingly prayes for it that God would open his eyes and discover it to him yet all the while he is secretly nourishing an apprehension that his heart is better than it is he hopes he hates sin that he desires holiness that he is sincerely labouring after the work of humiliation and he dreads the sight of his own heart is very loth to yield it to be so bad as it is and when God forces the conviction on him it is a terror unto him he is like a man that desires that a limb of his body should be cut off for the preservation of his life yet when it comes to be done it is a terror to him so a natural man does not see the plague of his own heart nor will he ever see it till it be forced upon him 4 Let us consider what confidence such men may attain unto And it is plain from the Scripture that such may be very confident of their good estate and future salvation they may be strongly possessed with it that they shall be saved tho many that are seeking life by their own righteousness live in dismal perplexity and through fear of death are subject to bondage and others live an unquiet life between hope and fear according as the frames of their hearts are yet there be those that do attain a very strong confidence Prov. 30.12 there are a generation that are pure in their own eyes yet not cleansed from their filthiness Joh. 9.40 are we blind also a self-righteous man may be more confident than many Saints and this confidence does arise partly from a conceit of the worthiness of their carriages they think that their carriages do make up the breach between God them partly from signs which are of two sorts 1. False signs many times men make rules to judg of themselves by which are fallacious and deceitful men make a judgment of themselves by a false Standard they take such to be signs of salvation as may be found in many a man that perishes either from their own fancy or the apprehensions of some other men or from mistaking some other pieces of Scripture men look upon that to be a sign which does not distinguish an Heir of glory from a child of wrath it may be of great advantage for Ministers to lay down sometimes probable signs but men must have a care that they dont draw conclusions from thence when men try themselves by false signs they take a ready course to deceive themselves thus men do when they conclude from hence that they pray constantly in secret they don't know that they allow themselves in any known sin they associate with the people of God they are liberal to the poor they are accounted of by the godly c that they are in a good estate and shall be saved 2. True signs misapplied that many times men mistake in judging of themselves tho the rule they go by is good yet falsely apply it to themselves they take that which they find in themselves to be another thing than it is the rule is good but the qualification is not found in them that rule which does indeed condemn them they do justifie themselves by so they justifie themselves by those signs of trial of love to the Brethren hatred of sin believing in Christ concluding upon some mistakes that it is so with them 5 Let us consider how such self-righteous men do hide it from themselves that they trust in their own righteousness for the Scripture does so plainly witness against justification by works that if they saw that they trusted in their own works that alone were enough to dash all their comfort so that there is a necessity in places of Gospel-light that such men do add this delusion to the other to perswade themselves that they do not make their own righteousness the foundation of their confidence hence self-righteous men please themselves that they believe in Christ they trust in their own righteousness and yet fancy that they trust in the righteousness of Christ and this they do by such pretenses as these 1. They pretend that they don't trust in their own righteousness because they are convinced that their own righteousness cannot save them they are satisfied that their own works cannot justifie them before God they think the opinion of the Papists is sottish and irrational they are settled in that Doctrine that works cannot justifie them but this may be where mens confidence is in their own works there are none among us that do think that works can save them yet there be multitudes that do put their trust in their own righteousness the reason of this is because men seek salvation by mixing the covenant of works and grace together they reckon that works alone cannot save them yet they reckon that they will contribute much to their salvation they think that works are not sufficient of themselves for their salvation but yet they think they have a great stroak in their justification they think their works do gain God to be willing to save them and that there is somewhat of merit in them yet they judge they will not do alone without grace and the righteousness of Christ
5. You act contrary to self-love it is every mans duty to love himself and seek his own good God commands men to prosecute their own good in a way of subordination to his glory God allows no man to ruine himself but requires them to seek their own wellfare all their days Mat 6.20 and indeed what ever sin a man commits he acts contrary to the rule of self-love all sin is hurtful and not beneficial to men but in a peculiar manner they act contrary to this rule in rejectin of Christ for therein they refuse a tender of blessedness God in the Gospel is offering salvation unto them if they will but accept of Christ they shall immediately be made heirs of blessedness so that in refusing Christ they reject at once all the glory of heaven and the great fruits of Christs purchase that they might enjoy here in this world they are enemies to themselves put away salvation from themselves you act in this thing like a deadly enemy to your own soul if a man that were poysoned should refuse an antidote if he that was condemned should refuse a pardon would they not be therein enemies to themselves so are you in refusing Christ Prov. 8.36 all they that hate me love death 6. You hereby hinder your selves from doing any thing that is good from doing any thing in obedience to God by neglecting of Christ you keep your selves in a way of disobedience the rejecting of Christ is the reason why you live an unspiritual life your neglecting to come to Christ makes you neglect every other spiritual duty you may perform indeed many external duties and attain unto inward affections but you will never do any duty in a spiritual and acceptable manner until you come to Christ faith in Christ is the first act of obedience that any sinner does perform that man that don't believe don't love God mourn for sin aright nor seek the glory of God it is faith that purifies the heart Acts 15.9 it is by faith that a man first gives up himself to be Gods servant so that by neglecting to believe you bring your selves under a necessity of neglecting every other spiritual duty this is the reason that whatever you do in religion is done in hypocrisie 2. You may see the greatness of this sin in not coming to Christ from the fountain from whence it does proceed in secure sinners it flows nextly from a contempt of salvation their eyes are dazied with the glory of the world they are unsensible of eternal things they regard not the end and therefore it is no wonder that they do not regard the means but in awakened sinners the neglect of coming to Christ arises from these two things 1. Pride This way of salvation by Christ don't fuit their proud spirits God has chosen such a way of life as suits his glorifying his grace but it does not suit with their naughty hearts this way wherein God carries away all the glory don't please them and hence it is that they are striving by all ways they can devise to find out some other method wherein they may have salvation they don't like it to be so much beholden unto God but would fain find something in themselves to glory in hence they have an opposition of spirit to comming unto Christ John 5.40 you will not come to me that you may have life it is not meerly from weakness but from pride and sturdiness of spirit that they don't come unto Christ 2. From their not believing the testimony of God he tells them plainly that there is righteousness enough for them in Christ that if they will come they shall be saved but they don't lay weight upon the Word of God Gods Word don't remove their doubts they are not satisfied in the preciousness of Christs righteousness nor in the riches of Gods grace nor in the stability of the covenant they do not believe the report of the Gospel Isa 53 1. and hence they don't see their way clear they are afraid to come to Christ they imagine it will be presumption they think it is a way to get a curse and not a blessing 2. The next motive is the certain ruine of all unbelievers there is nothing else to be expected if you continue to reject Jefus Christ but to be destroyed for ever the misery that will overtake you is exceeding great 't is not poverty sickness disgrace temporal death but somewhat ten thousand times worse then those this is that that the eternal state of your souls turn upon if you come not unto Christ you will fall short of everlasting blessedness and must take up your abode among Devils you are now under a possibility of enjoying the presence of God and dwelling in the highest heavens in unspeakable joy and happiness but it is all lost and gone for ever if you give not entertainment to the invitations of the Gospel and after you have spent a few days in vanity you must lye down in sorrow and have your portion in the lowest hell death will deliver you into the hands of tormenters and you shall have darkness without light pain without ease and sorrow without joy it had been better for you if you had never been born the wrath of God will lie like a talent of lead upon your soul you will have no friends to comfort you no worldly enjoyments to refresh you no hopes to support you but must set your self to bear what you cannot bear and to endure that which is in tollerable it may make ones flesh to tremble to think what miseries some in this world have endured from cruel enemies and bloody Persecuters but those miseries were but for a little time and fell nextly upon the body and they are not to be compared with those miseries that are reserved for unbelievers in another world will it not be a dreadful thing to be separated from the joyes of heaven and that glorious society that is there will it not be dreadful to dwell with the Devil and his Angels will it not be dreadful to be left to the terror of a guilty conscience the beginnings whereof here have made many men choose death rather than life will it not be dreadful to be filled brim full with the fiery wrath of God to have every limb of thy body and faculty of thy soul as full as it can hold of the indignation of the Almighty how loth will you be when it comes to to enter into this condition men would shrink into nothing if it were possible terrors will take hold upon them as waters they would fain escape out of the hands of revenging Justice how will you draw back when you see your selves upon the borders of distruction men would be glad that the Rocks would fall upon them and the hills cover them so they might but escape what will you think of it when the Devil shall lay hold of you to drag you down to hell how will you cry
a cloud of Witnesses that have gone before you in other ages and many at this day that betake themselves unto Christ for refuge others that have been trying all conclusions and turning every stone have at last seen a necessity to come unto Christ others have been satisfied with the encouragements that God has given and have taken sanctuary in Christ men of judgment and prudence not subject to be led by fancies and delusions more than other men have let go all carnal confidences and fled to this hope set before them and this they have done nor once or twice in any hurry of temptation but they live in this way I live by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2.20 their coming unto Christ is no rash inconsiderate act but after they have had the consideration of it many years have weighed it and pondred it looked on all sides and considered all that can be said they don't see cause to repent but continue to believe it is no unadvised act they understand what they do 2 Tim. 1.12 and the longer they live the more established in a way of believing Gods dispensations towards them since their coming unto Christ are not such as do discourage them but they are more encouraged still to commit themselves unto Christ why don't you come also unto Christ methinks you should be ashamed to be listning unto carnal reasonings and giving way to the pride of your hearts when others have overcome them methinks it should stir up a spirit of fear to see others getting into the way of salvation and you left behind to be a prey to Devils think what your sins have been what inward workings have been in your bea rt and you must say you have as much need of Christ as other men think what the call of God is how free and full the invitation is and you must say you have as much encouragement to come to Christ as other men and others that love their souls as well as you do yours have ventured them in the hands of Jesus Christ and do you not think that it will be hard to you to see others stand at the right-hand of Christ another day and your selves rejected 2. You must never expect inward peace and quietness unless you come unto Christ you complain now in the bitterness of your souls what a sorrowful life you lead you find little comfort in any thing you are so terrified with a guilty conscience that it eats out the comfort of your life a dreadful sound is in his ears Job 15.21 you are under such apprehensions of the anger of God that you know not how to bear it when you hear or read the threatnings of Judgment you are terrified that that will be your portion when you see instances of judgment you are afraid that God will do so with you leave you to such and such sins bring such and such calamities upon you your heart is meditating terror affrighted with the thoughts of damnation Sermons terrifie you providences terrifie you your heart is always loaded the way to have inward peace and quietness is to come to Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ but until you come to Christ you must never expect to be better you may have a pleasing dream it may be for a while and your wound may be skinned over but you must not expect to have any true peace so long as you stand at a distance from Christ what peace can men expect while their sins are not pardoned what peace can men enjoy as long as God is angry you must expect no other but to spend your days in vanity and your years in trouble if you give not entertainment unto Christ through fear of death they were all their life-time subject unto bondage Heb. 2.15 the venom of sin will be burning in your bowels until you look unto the brazen serpent and what madness is it for men needlesly to live a tormented life are you not weary of this condition have you a mind to live in sorrow longer don't you care to be delivered from your fears thou wilt never have peace without coming unto Christ you have tried a great while in vain and it will be in vain still but if you will give entertainment unto him his blood will heal the conscience scatter fears and refresh your hearts The sting of death is sin and strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God that giveth victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. If you do no not come to Christ you will lose all the pains that you have taken in religion you had need be careful that you lose not the things that you have wrought the labour that you have taken in religion is all lost with respect unto some expectations of yours therefrom as to the mortifying of sin thereby the getting of the good-will of God the purchasing of pardon c. and if you do come to Christ you must see it to be lost in this respect Phil. 3.7 those things which were gain to me those have I counted loss for Christ but yet in some respect the pains you have taken may be of advantage unto you in as much as you are nearer to salvation than before you began to seek after God you have been travelling in the way towards heaven some men are nearer the Kingdom of God a great deal than others Mark 12.34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God you have been taking a great deal of pains have withstood temptations have got much knowledge have broken off your sinful practices come to understand somewhat of the plague of your own hearts you are got over many bars that lay in the way of your salvation you have escaped many rocks upon which some souls have split in pieces are in a fairer way to get to heaven than you were sometime since and it would be sad to perish upon the borders of Cannan after sore travel in the wilderness to sink at the mouth of the harbour after you have rid out many Storms to lose all your care and labour and sorrows after all to go down to hell among those that never took any pains for salvation and this you will certainly do if you do not come to Christ though you are past the streight of reformation yet if you don't enter and go through the gate of humiliation and faith if you do not cast away your carnal confidences you will not enter into life when the Galatians were carried away with opinions of their own righteousness Paul says to them have you suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain gal 3.4 all your labour will be in vain and your souls will be lost if you come not to Christ 4. You will exceedingly bewail it hereafter if you do not accept of Christ you will rue it in another world you stand upon frivolous objections neglect to come unto
toward thy Holy Temple such examples may be great inducements and helps to you to follow their example these examples are very quickning and full of argument they are very helpful to strengthen your Faith several ways 1. The examples of Saints recorded in Scripture are a warrant to you to believe their saith is recorded to shew you what you should do how you should carry in lâ—ke cases the examples of the faith of the Saints are set down by way of commendation they are presented before you as a pattern that you should walk after the record of those examples does shew that such a spirit and carriage is highly approved by God you question whether or no God will not count it presumption in you to believe under such circumstances but this may take off that God has recorded it in his Word that his people have been wont to trust in him in such cases and you are called upon by God to follow their example Heb. 6.12 be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promise 2. In these examples you may see what a lovely glorious thing it is to depend upon God and be exercising of faith in difficult cases there is a great deal of the beauty and loveliness of grace seen in the exercise of it it is a taking thing to see those glorious workings of saith that were in Abraham Sarah Joseph Moses and others of the Saints the Apostle says we count them happy that endure Jam. 5.11 so we count them happy that believe the rules of Gods Word carry in them a commendation of themselves but when we see them practised they are very taking we count the exercises of faith that we hear of and read of excellent and they stir us up to imitation 3. These examples of believing do provoke unto an holy emulation as one Scholar is provoked to emulation by the learning of another so is one saint provoked to emulation by the faith of others the examples of other mens faith have a tendency to make you ashamed of your unbelief you may be ashamed to see your selves out-stripped by those that lived in darker times than you do you may be ashamed to think that you are worse then others that you should be more backward to honour the grace and faithfulness of God than others these examples have a tendency to make you pluck up that you may honour God as others have done Direction 6. Labour to get your hearts fully satisfied in the divine authority of the Scriptures if men have scruples and misgivings of heart about that they will be an occasion of discouragement such jealousies will interrupt the exercise of Faith for the word is the foundation of our faith the authority of the Word of God is our warrant to believe let all scruples of that kind be speedily removed as things that strike at the very root of faith see that you be well grounded in the authority of the Word don 't take it up as a tradition as a thing owned by those among whom you live but satisfie your hearts upon good ground that the Scripture is no device of man but the very Word of God and indeed God has given us as much assurance that it is his Word as we can reasonably desire and expect he gives his own testimony to it we receive the orders of authority upon their own testimony thus God witnesses to the truth of his Word he sets his hand to it Zech. 12.1 Rev. 1.1 and the Scripture has such characters in it as evidence it to be the Word of God the Word carries a sufficient evidence in it self there are such circumstances and marks in it as shew that it is not counterfeit if a Prince send an order to us we know it is not counterfeit by the seal the Secretaries hand the stile the matter of it so here all things are without exception the things are such as are suitable to the glory of God they were written by holy men that were Gods Messengers they are delivered to us by his Church they are such things as no man without revelation could write such things as no good man dare write without order from God such things as no bad man would write and they are confirmed by the accomplishment of predictions and by the presence of the Spirit blessing them unto conviction and conversion Direction 7 Lay up experiences both of the truth of Gods Word and Gods love to you first lay up experiences of the truth of Gods Word it is a great fault when persons do no not treasure up remarkable experiences of the truth of these things that God teaches us in his Word some men don't observe and take notice of such things God does in his providence give abundance of experience of the truth of threatnings they do many times come to pass in an eminent manner he fulfills his Word very plainly that men may see that sin is a provoking thing and a dangerous thing so God is giving experience of the truth of promises for a while the promise did not work but afterwards it was remarkably accomplished that Joshua takes notice of Josh 13.14 sometimes he gives eminent experience of his answering prayer 2 Sam. 1.27 sometimes of his making a good end of afflictions Jam. 5.11 and of the love he has to his people under their afflictions so Gen. 45 5. 2 Cor. 4.18 such things do much confirm our Faith that the Word of God is certain true Rom. 5 4. experience works hope Secondly lay up experience of his special love to you God gives his people experience of that in one degree or other lay up experiences of Gods converting you of the manifestations of his favour the discoveries of his glory his drawing forth the visible actings of grace such experiences as these may strengthen your faith they are of great use to scatter and remove many temptations wherewith your faith may be assaulted Direction 8. Get more spiritual acquaintance with God the spiritual knowledg of God is the foundation of all the practise of religion we know him and love him we know him and obey him we know him and submit to him we know him and put our trust in him Psal 9 10 they that know thy name will put their trust in thee in this way men come to believe at first and in this way their hearts come to be more setled in a way of believing if men understood more what God is that would deliver them from their doubtings 2 Tim 1 12 I know whom I have believed the more the soul sees of God the more he is satisfied that it is safe venturing upon his Word when we understand what a glorious faithful God the Lord is we see that we have sure ground to go upon and when we understand the riches of Gods grace that removes that great objection from our unworthiness which made men think that God was not free to save them and made them think he did not mean them in the invitations of the Gospel therefore make it your care to get as much acquaintance with God as you can revive upon your hearts the remembrance of those discoveries that formerly God has given you and be in the use of means to get new discoveries of the glory of God wait upon him to that end in the ways he has appointed and exercise faith upon the Lord Jesus as the great Prophet of his Church who bid us come to him that our eyes may be anointed with eye salve that we may see Rev 3 18 FINIS BOOKS to be Sold by Samuel Phillips at the West end of the Town-House in Boston ALLeins Rebuke to Back-sliders Alleins Remains Alleins Life and death Brooks Apples of Gold. Brooks Mute Christian Brooks Remedies against Satans Devices Brooks Privy Key of Heaven Baxters Family Catechism Baxters Poor Man's Family-Book Bunyans Conversion Bunyans Life of Mr. Badman Fox's Door of Heaven Fox's Time and end of Time. Galeaceous Carricciolous's Life Protestant Tutor Psalters Primers Sion in Distress Strong 's Spelling-Book Vincent on Prayer Vincents Catechism Vincent's Christs certain and sudden Appearing to Judgment Willard's Penitent Prodigal Willard's Childs Portion Willard on Justification With many other sorts of Books