upright course of life and silent innocency as a wind it breaks the waves into foam that Roar about it As free This the Apostle addes lest any should so far mistake the Nature of their Christian Liberty as to dream of an exemption from obedience either to God or to Men for his sake and according to his appointment Their freedom he grants but would have them understand aright what it is I cannot here insist at large on the Spiritual freedom of Christâ—ans nor is it here needful being mention'd onely for the clearing of it in this point but free they are and they only that are partakers of this liberty If the Son make you free you shall be free indeed the restare slaves to Satan and the World and their own lusts as the Israelites in Egypt working in the clay under hard taskmasters Much discourse and much Ink hath been spilt upon the debate of free will but truly all the liberty it hath till the Son and his Spirit free it is that miserable freedom the Apostle speaks of Rom. 6.20 While ye were servants to sin ye were free from righteousness And as we are naturally subject to the vile drudgâ—ry of sin so we are condemn'd to the proper wages of sin which the Apostle there tells us is death according to the just sentence of the Law But our Lord Christ was anointed for this purpose to set us free both to work and to publish liberty to proclaim liberty to Captives and the opening of the prison doors to them that are bound having pay'd our compleat ransome he sends his word as the message and his Spirit to perform it effectually to set us free to let us know it and to bring us out of prison He was bound and scourg'd as a slave or Malefactor to purchase us this liberty therefore ought it be our special care first to have part in it and then to be like it and stand fast in it in all points But that we deceive not our selves as too many do that have no portion in this liberty we ought to know that 't is not to inordinate walking and licentiousness as our liberty that we are call'd But from them as our thraldome not called from Obedience but to it Therefore beware that you shuffle in nothing under this specious name of Liberty that belongs not to it make it not a Cloak of maliciousness 't is too precious a garment for so base an use Liberty is indeed Christ's livery that he gives to all his followers But the sutable living of it is not wickedness and disobedience of any kind but Obedience and Holiness you are called to be the servants of God and that is your dignity and your Liberty The Apostles of this Gospel of Liberty gloried in this title the servants of Iesus Christ David before that Psalm of praise for his victories and exaltations being now settled on his throne prefixes that as more honour than all these a Psalm of David the Servant of the Lord. To Kings and Subjects and all 't is only happiness to be his Subjects 't is the glory of the Angels to be his ministring Spirits The more we attain unto the faculty of serving him cheerfully and diligently the more still we find of this Spiritual Liberty and have the more joy in it As it is the most honourable it is likewise the most comfortable and most gainful service and they that once know it will never change it for any other in the world Oh that we could live as his Servants imploying all our industry to do him service in the condition and place wherein he hath set us whatsoever it is and as faithful Servants more careful of his affairs than of our own accounting it our maine busines to seek the advancement of his glory Happy is the the servant whom the Master when he cometh shall find so doing Verse 17. Honour all men Love the Brotherhood Fear God Honour the King THis is a precious cluster of Divine Precepts the whole face of the Heavens is decored with stars But of different greatness and in some parts they are thicker set then in the rest thus is it likewise in the holy Scriptures and these are the two Books that the Psalmist sets open before us Psa. 19. The Heavens as a choyce piece of the works of God instructing us And the word of God more full and clear then they Here is a constellation of very bright stars near together These words have very briefly and yet not obscur'd by briefness but withall very plainly the Summe of our duty towards God and Men to Men both in general Honour all Men and in special Relations in their Christian or religious relation Love the Brotherhood and a chief civil relation Honour the King And our whole duty to God compris'd under the name of his fear is set in the middle betwixt these as the common Spring of all duty to Men and of all due observance of it and the Soveraigne rule by which it is to be regulated I shall speak of them as they lye in the text we need not labour about the Connexion for in such variety of brief practical directions it hath not such place as in Doctrinal discourses The Apostle having spoke of one particular wherein he would have his brethern to clear and commend their Christian profession now accumulates these directions as most necessary and after goes on to particular duties of Servants c. But first observe in general how plain and easy and how few these things are that are the rule of our life no dark sentences to puzle the understanding nor large discouses and long periods to burden the memory they are all plain There is nothing wreathed nor distorted in them as wisdom speaks of her instructions Prov. 8. And this gives check to a double folly amongst Men contrary the one to the other but both agreeing in mistaking and wronging the word of God The one is of those that despise the word and that Doctrine and Preaching that is conform to it for its plainess and simplicity These certainly doe not take the true end for which the word is design'd that it is the Law of our life and it is mainely requisite in Lawes that they be both brief and clear that it is our guide and light to happiness and if that which ought to be our Light be darkness how great will that darkness be It is true but I am not now to insist on this piont that there be dark and deep passages in Scripture for the exercise yea for the humbling yea for the amazing and astonishing of the sharpest-sighted readers But this argues much the pride and vanity of Mens minds when they busy themselves only in those and throw aside altogether the most necessary which are therefore the easiest and plainest truths in it as in nature these commodities that are of greatest necessity God hath made commonest and easiest to be had so in Religion such as
Conscience as others but sought my selfe and pleasd my self as they do and look't no further but that was when I was alive to those wayes but now truly I am dead to them and can you look for activity and conversation from a dead Man the pleasures of sin wherein I liv'd is still the same but I am not the same Are you such a Snake and a Fool sayes the Natural Man as to bear affronts and swallow them and say nothing Can you suffer to be abus'd so by such and such a wrong Indeed sayes the Christian again I could once have resented an injury as you or another and had somewhat of that you call high-heartedness when I was alive after your fashion but now that humour is not only something cool'd but 't is kill'd in me 't is cold dead as ye say and a greater Spirit I think than my own hath taught me another Lesson hath made me both deaf and dumb that way and hath given me a new vent and another language and another Party to speak to in such occasions see for this Psal. 38.12 13 14 15. They that seek my hurt speak mischievous things and imagine deceits all the day long What doth he in this cafe But I as a deaf man heard not and I was as a dumb Man that openeth not his mouth And why for in thee O Lord do I hope And for this deadness that you despise I have seen him that dyed for me who when he was reviled reviled not again This is the true Character of a Christian dead to sin but alas Where is this Christian to be found and yet thus is every one that truly partakes of Christ he is dead to sin really Hypocrites have a Historical kind of Death like this as Players in Tragedies Those Players have loose bags of Blood that receive the wound so the Hypocrite in some externals and it may be in that which is as near him as any outward thing his Purse he may suffer some Bloodshed of that for Christ but this death to sin is not a sounding fit that one may recover out of again the Apostle Rom. 6. addes that he is buried But this is an unpleasant Subject to talk thus of Death and Burial the very Name of Death in the softest sense it can have makes a sowr melancholly discourse It is so indeed if you take it alone if there were not for the life that 's lost a far better immediately following but so 't is here Living unto righteousness succeeds dying to sin That which makes natural death so affrightful the King of terrours as Iob calls it is mainly this faint belief and assurance of the Resurrection and glory to come And without this all mens moral resolves and discourses are too weak Cordialls against this fear they may set a good face on 't and speak big and so cover the fear they cannot cure but certainly they are a litle ridiculous that would perswade Men to be content to dy by reasoning from the necessity and unavoydableness of it which taken alone rather may beget a desperate discontent than a quiet compliance the very weakness of that Argument is that it is too strong Durum telum That of Company is phantastick it may please the imagination but satisfies not the judgement Nor are the miseries of life though somewhat Properer a full perswasive for Death the oldest decrepitest most diseased persons yet naturally fall not out with life but could have a mind to it still and the very truth is this the worst cottage any dwells in they are loath to go out till they know of a better And the reason why that which is so hideous to others was so sweet to Martyrs Heb. 11.35 And other godly Men that have heartily embrac'd death and welcom'd it though in very Terrible shapes was because they had firm assurance of Immortality beyond it the ugly Deaths head when the light of glory shines through the holes of it is comely and lovely To look upon death as Eternitie's birth day is that which makes it not only tolerable but aimiable Hic dies postremus aeterni natolis est Is the word I admire most of any Heathen Thus here the strongest inducement to this Death is the true notice and contemplation of this Life unto which it sets us over 't is most necessary to represent this for a natural Man hath as great an aversion every whit from this figurative Death this dying to sin as from natural Death and there is the more necessity of perswading him to this because his consent is necessary to 't no Man dies this Death to sin unwillingly although no Man is naturally wiling to it much of this death consists in a Man's consenting thus to dye And this is not only a lawful but a laudible yea a necessary self murder Mortify therefore your members which are upon the Earth Sayes the Apostle Col. 3.5 Now no sinner will be content to dy to sin if that were all but if it be passing to a more excellent Life then he gaineth and it were a folly not to seek this Death It was a strange power of Plato's discourse of the Souls Immortality that moved a young Man upon reading it to throw himself into the Sea that he might leap through it to that Immortality But truely were this Life of God this Life to righteousness and the excellency and delight of it known it would gain many minds to this death that steps into 't 1 There is a necessity of a new being to be the principle of new acting and motion as the Apostle sayes while ye served sin ye were free from righteousness so 't is while ye were alive to sin ye were dead to righteousness But there is a new breath of life from Heaven breathed on the Soul Then lives the Soul indeed when it is one with God and sees Light in his Light hath a Spiritual knowledge of him and therefore Soveraignely loves him and delights in his will and that is indeed to live unto righeousness which in a comprehensive sense takes in all the frame of a Christian life and all the duties of it towards God and towards Men. By this new Nature the very Natural motion of the soul so taken is obedience to God and walking in the paths of righteousness it can no more live in the habitude and wayes of sin than a Man can live under water Sin is not the Christians Element 't is too gross for his renew'd Soul as the water is for his body He may fall into 't but he cannot breath in it cannot take delight and continue to live in it but his delight is in the Law of the Lord that 's the walk that his Soul refreshes it self in he loves it entirely and loves it most where it most crosses the remainders of corruption that are in him he bends the strength of his Soul to please God aimes all at that it takes up his thoughts early and late
be spoke too much of for 't is Vnspeakable nor too much magnified for it is Glorious To Evidence the truth of this and to confirme his Brethren in the experienc'd knowledge of it he expresses here more particularly and distinctly the causes of this their Joy which are 1. The Object or Matter of it 2. The Apprehension and appropriation of that Object which two conjoyn'd are the entire cause of all Rejoyceing The Object is Jesus Christ verse 8. And the Salvation purchased by him verse 9. For these two cannot be sever'd and these two Verses that speak of them require as is evident by their connexion to be considered together 2. The apprehension of these 1. set forth negatively not by bodily sight 2. Positively whereas that might seem to abate the certainâ—y and liveliness of their Rejoyceing that 't is of things they had not seen nor do yet see that is abundantly made up by three for one each of them more excellent then the meer bodily sight of Christ in the flesh which many had which were never the better by 't the three are those three prime Christian Graces Faith Love and Hope The two former in ver 8. the 3 d. in ver 9. Faith in Christ begetting Love to him and both these giving assured Hope of salvation by him making it as certian to them as if it were already in their hand and they in possession of it And from all those together results this Exultation or leaping for joy Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory This is that one thing that so much concerns us and therefore we mistake very far and forget our own highest interest too much when we either speak or hear of it slightly and apply not our hearts to it What is it that all our thoughts and endeavours drive at What means all that we are doing in the World tho we take several wayes to it and wrong wayes for the most part yea such wayes as lead not to it but set us further off from it yet that which we all seek after by all our labour under the Sun is something that may be matter of Contentment and rejoycing to us when we have attain'd it now here it is and in vain is it sought for elsewhere And for this end 't is represented to you that it may be yours if ye will entertain it not only that you may know this to be a truth that in Jesus Christ is laid up true Consolation and Rejoyceing that he is the Magazine and Treasury of it but that you may know how to bring him home into your hearts and lodge him there and so to have the spring of Joy within you That which gives full joy to the Soul must be something that is higher and better then it self in a word he that made it can only make it glad after this manner with unspeakable and glorious joy but the Soul remaining guilty of Rebellion against him and unreconcil'd cannot behold him but as an Enemy any belief that it can have of him while 't is in that posture is not such as can fetch Love and Hope and so Rejoycing but such as the Faith of devils produceth only begetting terrour and trembling but the light of his Countenance shining in the face of his Son the Mediator glads the heart and 't is the looking upon him so that causeth the soul to Believe and Love and Hope and Rejoyce Therefore the Apostle Eph. 2. In his description of the estate of the Gentiles before Christ was preach'd to them joynes these together without Christ that was the cause of all the rest therefore without comfort in the Promises without Hope and without God in the world So he is here by our Apostle exprest as the object In all these therefore he is the matter of our Joy because our Faith and Love and Hope of Salvation The Apostle writing to the dispersed Jewes many of whom had not known nor seen Christ in the flesh commends their Love and Faith for this reason that it did not depend upon bodily sight but was pure and spiritual and made them of the number of those that our Saviour himselfe pronounces blessed who have not seen and yet believe You saw him not when he dwelt amongst men and walked to and fro Preaching and working Miracles Many of those that did then hear and see him believed not yea they scoff'd and hated and persecuted him and in the end Crucified him you that have seen none of all those things yet having heard the Gospel that declares him you have believed Thus Observe the working or not working of Faith doth not depend upon the difference of the external Ministry and gifts of Men for what greater difference can there be that way than betwixt the Master and the Servants betwixt the great Prophet himself and his weak sinful Messengers and yet many of those that saw and heard him in Person were not converted believ'd not in him and thousands that never saw him were converted by his Apostles and as it seems even some of those that were some way accessory to his death yet were brought to Repentance by this same Apostles Sermon Act. 2. Learn then to look above the outward Ministry and any difference that in Gods dispensation can be there and know that if Jesus Christ himself were on Earth and now Preaching amongst us yet might his incomparable words be unprofitable to us not being mix'd with faith in the bearers But where that is the meanest despisable conveyance of his Message received with humility and affection will work blessed Effects Whom not seeing yet believeing Faith elevates the Soul not only above sense and sensible things but above Reason it selfe as reason corrects the Errours that sense might occasion So supernatural Faith corrects the Errours of natural Reason judging according to Sense The Sun seems less then the wheel of a Chariot but Reason teaches the Philosopher that 't is much bigger then the whole Earth and the cause why it seems so little is its great distance The Naturally wise man is as far deceiv'd by this carnal Reason in his estimate of Jesus Christ the â—un of Righteousness and the cause is the same his great distance from him as the Psalmist speaks of the wicked Psal. 10.5 Thy Iudgements are far above out of his sight He accounts Christ and his Glory a smaller matter then his own Gain Honour or Pleasure for these are near him and he sees their quantity to the full and counts them bigger yea far more worth then they are indeed but the Apostle St. Paul and all they that are enlightened by the same Spirit they know by Faith which is divine Reason that the Excellency of Jesus Christ far surpasses the worth of the whole Earth and all things earthly Phil. 3.7.8 To give a right assent to the Gospel of Christ is Impossible without divine and saving Faith infused in the Soul to believe that the Eternal Son of God cloath'd himselfe with humane
said to be dead in it otherwayes it could not but press us and press out complaints O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me A Prophane secure sinner thinks it nothing to break the holy Law of God to please his flesh or the World counts sin a light matter makes a mock of it as Salomon sayes but a stirring Conscience is of another mind Mine iniquities is gone over my head c. Psal. 38.4 Sin is such a burden as makes the very frame of Heaven and Earth that is not guilty of it yea the whole Creation to crack and groan 't is the Apostles Doctrine Rom. 8. and yet the impenitent heart whose guiltiness it is not moved groaneth not for your accustomed groaning is no such matter Yea to consider in the present subject where we may best read what it is it was a heavy load to Jesus Christ Ps. 40. Where the Psalmist speaks in the Person of Christ he complains heavily innumerable evils have compassed me about Mine iniquities not his as done by him but yet his by reckoning to pay for them they have taken hold of me so that I am not able to look up they are more then the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me And sure that which press'd him so sore that upholds Heaven and Earth no other in Heaven or in Earth could have sustained and surmounted but would have sunk and and perish'd under it Was it think you the pain of that common outside of his Death though very painful that drew such a word from him My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Or was it the fear of it before hand that press'd a sweat of Blood from him No it was this burden of sin the first of which was committed in the Garden that then begun to be laid upon him and fasten'd on his shoulders in the Garden ten thousand times heavier than the Cross which he was caus'd to bear that might be a while turn'd over to another but this could not This was the cup he so trembled at that Gall and Vinegar after to be offer'd him by his Crucifiers or any other part of his External sufferings 'T was the bitter Cup of wrath due to sin that his Father put into his hand and caus'd him drink the very same thing that is here called the bearing our sins on his body And consider that the very smallest sins went in to make up this load and made it so much the heavier and therefore though sins be comparatively lesser and greater yet learn thence to account no sin in it sell small that offends the great God and lay heavy upon your great Redeemer in the day of his Sufferings At his apprehending besides the Souldiers that invisâ—ble crowd of the sins he was to suffer for came about him for it was they that laid strongest hold on him he could easily have shak'd of all the rest as appears But our sins laid the arrest on him being accounted his as 't is in that forcited place Psa. 40. Now amongst these were even those sins we call small they were of the number that took him and they were amongst those instruments of his bloodshed If the greater were as the spear that pierc'd his side the less were as the nails that pierc'd his Hands and his Feet and the very least as the Thornes that were set on his precious Head And the multitude of them made up what was wanting in their magnitude though they were small they were many 2. They were transferr'd upon him by vertue of that Covenant we spoke of They became his debt and he responsable for all they câ—me to Seeing you have accepted of this business according to my will may we conceive the Father saying to his Son you must go through with it you are engaged in it but it is no other than what you understood perfectly before you knew what it would cost you and yet out of joynt love with me to those I nam'd to be saved by you you were as willing as I to the whole undertaking now therefore the time is come that I must lay upon you the sins of all those persons and you must bear them the sins of all those Believers that lived before and all that are to come after to the end of the world The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all sayes the Prophet took it off from us and chargd it on him made it to meet on him or to fall in together as the word is the sins of all in all ages before and after that were to be saved all their guiltiness reencountered and met together on his back upon the Crosse and whosoever of all that Number had least sin yet had â—o small Burden to cast on him and to give accession to the whole Weight Every man hath had his own way of wandering as the Prophet there expresseth it and he pay'd for all all fell on him And as in Testimony of his meekness and patience so in this regard likewise was he so silent in his Sufferings in regard that though his Enemies dealt most unjustly with him yet he stood as convicted before the Justice Seat of his Father under the imputed guilt of all our Sins and so eyeing him and accounting his business chiefly with him he did patiently bear the due punishment of all our sins at his Fathers hand and suited that of the Psalmist I was as dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst iâ— Therefore the Prophet immediately subjoynes that of his silent carriage Isay 53. To that which he had spoken off the confluence of our iniquities upon him And if this our Sins were accounted his then in the same way and for that very reason of necessity his sufferings and satisfaction must be accounted ours as he said for his disciples to the Men that came to take him if it be me ye seek then let these go free So he said for all Believers to his father his wrath then siezing on him if on me you will lay hold then let these go free And thus the agreement was 2. Cor. 5. ult So then there is an union betwixt Believers and Jesus Christ by which this interchange is made he charg'd with their sins and they cloath'd with his satisfaction and righteousness and that union is first in Gods decree of election running this way that they should live in Christ and so chuse the head and the whole mystical body as one and reckoning their debt as his in his purpose that he might receive satisfaction and they salvation in their heâ—d Christ The execution of that purpose and union begun in Christ's incarnation being for them though the nature be more common he is said not to take on the Angels but the seed of Abraham the company of Believers he became Man for their sakes because they are Men that he is of the same nature with unbelieving Men that perish is but by accident â—s â—t were there is no
our miserable natural estate there is as close an union betwixt us and sin as betwixt our Souls and Bodies it lives in us and we in it and the longer we live in that condition the more the union growes and the harder it is to dissolve it and it is as old as the union of Soul and Body begun with it so that nothing but that death here spoke of can part them And this death in this relative sense is mutual in the work of conversion sin dyes and the soul dyes to sin and these two are really one and the same the spirit of God kills both at one blow Sin in the Soul and the soul to sin as the Apostle sayes of the World both are kill'd the one to the other And there are in it chiefly these two things that make the difference 1. The Solidness And 2. The universallity of this change under this notion of Death Many things may ly in a Man's way betwixt him and the acting of divers sins which possibly he affects most some restraints outward or inward may be upon him the authority of others or the fear of shame or punishment or the check of an enlightned conscience and though by reason of these he commit not the sin he would yet he lives in it because he loves it because he would commit it as we say the soul lives not so much where it animats as where it Loves And generally that kind of Metaphorical life by which a Man is said to live in any thing hath its principal Seat in the affection that 's the immediate link of the union in such a life and the untying and death consists chiefly in the disengagement of the heart breaking off the affection from it Ye that love the Lord hate evil An unrenewed mind may have some temporary dislikes even of its beloved sins in cold blood but it returnes to like them within a while A Man may not only have times of cessation from his wonted way of sinning but by reason of the Society wherein he is and withdrawing of occasions to sin and divers other causes his very desire after it may seem to him to be abated and yet he not dead to sin but only asleep to it and therefore when a temptation back'd with opportunity and other inducing circumstances comes and joggs him he awakes and arises and followes it A Man may for a while distaste some meat that he loves possibly upon a surfet but he regains quickly his likeing of it Every quarrel with sin and fit of dislike of it is not this hatred Upon the lively representing the deformity of his sin to his mind Certainly a Natural Man may fall out with it but these are but as the litle jarres of Husband and Wife that are far from dissolving the Marriage 't is not a fixed hatred such as amongst the Jews inferr'd a divorce if thou hate her put her away and that is to die to it as by a Legal Divorce the Husband and Wife are civilly dead one to another in regard of the ty and use of Marriage Again some Mens Education and Custome and morall principles may free them from the grossest kind of Sins yea a Man's temper may be averse from them but they are alive to their own kind of sins such as possibly are not so deform'd in the common account Coveteousness or Pride or hardness of heart and either a hatred or disdain of the wayes of Holiness that are too strict for them and exceed their size Beside for the good of humane Society and for the Interest of his own Church and People God restrains many Natural Men from the height of wickedness and gives them moral Vertues There be very many and very common sins that more refined Natures it may be are scarce tempted to but as in their Diet and Apparel and other things in their Natural Life they have the same kind of being with other Persons though more neat and pleasant so in this living to sin They live the same life with other ungodly Men though in a litle more deicate way They consider not that the Devils are not in themselves subject to nor capable of many of those sins that are accounted grossest amonst Men and yet are greater Rebels and Enemies to God than Men are But to be dead to sin goes deeper and extends further than all these Namely a most inward alienation of heart from sin and most universal from all sin an antipathy to the most beloved sin Not only he must forbear sin but hate it I hate vain thoughts and not only hate some but all I hate every false way A stroke at the heart does it which is the certainest and quickest Death of any wound For in this dying to sin all the whole Man of necessity dyes to it the mind dyes to the Device and study of Sin that vein and invention becomes dead the hand dies to the acting of it the ear to the delightful hearing of things profane and sinful the Tongue to the Worlds dialect of Oaths and rotten-speaking and calumny and evil speaking this is the commonest piece of the Tongues life in sin the very natural heat of sin that acts and vents most that way the Eye dead to that intemperate look that Solomon speaks of eyeing the Wine when it is red and well colour'd in the cup. Prov. 23. That is is taken with looking on the glittering skin of that Serpent till it bite and sting as there he addes Dead to that unchaste look that sets fire in the heart to which Iob blind folded and deaded his eyes by an express compact and agreement with them I have made a Covenant with mine eyes The Eye of a Godly Man is not on the false sparkling of the Worlds Pomp and Honour and Wealth 't is dead to them quite dazled with a greater beauty the grass look's fine in the morning when 't is set with those liquid Pearles the drops of dew that shine upon it but if you can look but a little while on the body of the Sun and then look down again the Eye is as it were dead sees not that faint shining on the earth that it thought so gay before and as the Eye is blinded and dies to it so within a few hours it quite evanishes and dyes it self Men think it strange that the Godly are not of their Dyet that their Appetite is not stirr'd with the delights of dainties they know not that such as be Christians indeed are dead to those things and the best dishes that are set before a dead Man give him not a stomach The Godly Mans throat is cut to those meats as Solomon advises in another subject But why may not you be a litle more sociable to follow the fashion of the World and and take a share with your Neighbours may some say without so precise and narrow examining every thing 'T is true sayes the Christian that the time was I advis'd as litle with
to Mortify drawes vertue from it Thus sayd one Christ aim'd at this in all those Sufferings that with so much love he went through and shall I disappoint him and not serve his end 4. That other powerfull grace of Love is joynt in this work with faith for Love desires nothing more than likeness and conformity though it be a painfull resemblance so much the better and fitter to testify love therefore 't will have the Soul dye with him that dy'd for it and the very same kind of death I am crucified with Christ sayes the great Apostle The Love of Christ in the Soul takes the very Nails that fastned him to the Crosse and crucifies the Soul to the World and to Sin Love is strong as Death particularly in this the strongest and liveliest Body when Death siezes it must yield and so becomes motionless that was so vigorous before And the Soul that is most active and unwearied in Sin when this Love siezes it it is kill'd to Sin and as Death seperates a Man from his dearest Friends and Society this Love breaks all the tyes and friendship with Sin Generally as Plato hath it Love takes away ones living in them selves and transfers into the party loved but the divine Love of Christ doth it in the truest and highest manner By whose stripes ye were healed The misery of fallen Man and the mercy of his deliverance are both of them such a deep as no one expression yea no variety added one to another can reach their bottom Here we have divers very significative ones 1. The guiltiness of sin as an intollerable burden pressing the Soul and sinking it and that transfer'd and layed on a stronger Back He bare Then 2. The same wretchedness under the same notion of a strange disease by all other means incurable healed by his stripe's And 3. again represented by the forlorn condition of a Sheep wandring and our Salvation to be found only in the love and wisdom of our great Shepherd And all these are borrow'd from that sweet and clear prophecy Isa. 53. The polluted nature of Man is no other but a bundle of desperate diseases he is spiritually dead as the Scriptures often teach Now this contradicts not nor at all Lessen's the matter But only because this misery justly called death is in a Subject animated with a natural life therefore so it may bear the Name and sense of sickness or wound and therefore 't is gross misprision they are as much out in their Argument as in their conclusion that would extract out of these expressions any evidence of remains of Spiritual life or good in our corrupted Nature But they are not worthy the contest tho vain heads think to argue themselves into life and are seeking that life by Logick in Miserable Nature that they should seek by faith in Jesus Christ Namely in these his stripes by which we are healed It were a large task to name our Spiritual Maladies how much more severally to unfold their Natures such a multitude of corrupt false Principles in the mind that as Gangrens do spread themselves through the Soul and defile the whole Man and total gross blindness and unbelief in Spiritual things and that stone of the heart hardness and impenitency Lethargies of senslesness and security and then for there be such complications of Spiritual diseases in us as in Naturals are altogether impossible such burning fevers of inordinate affections desires of lust and Malice and envy such racking and tormenting cares of Covetousness and feeding on Earth and Ashes as the Prophet speaks in another case according to the deprav'd appetite that accompanies some Diseases Such tumours of Pride and self-conceit that break forth as filthy botches in Mens words and carriage one with another And in a word what a wonderful disorder must needs be in the Natural Soul by the frequent interchanges and fight of contrary passions within it and to these from without how many deadly wounds we receive from the tentations of Satan and the World We receive them and by the weapons they furnish us we willingly wound our selves as the Apostle sayes of them who will be rich they fall into divers snares and noysome lusts and pierce them selves through with many sorrowes Did we see it no Infirmery nor Hospital ever so full of loathsome and miserable Spectacles as Spiritually our wretched Nature is in any one of us apart How much more when multitudes of us are met together But our evils are hid from us and we perish miserably in a Dream of happiness That makes up and compleats our wretchedness that we feel it not with our other diseases And this makes it worse still This was the Churches disease Rev. 3. Thou sayest I am rich and knowest not that thou art Poor c. We are usually full of complaints of triffling griefs that are of small moment and think not on nor feel not our Dangerous Maladies as he who shewed a Physician his fore finger but the Physician told him he had more need to think on the cure of a dangerous Impostume within him which he perceiv'd by looking to him though himself did not feel it In dangerous Maladies or wounds there be these evils a tendency to death and with that the apprehension of the terrour and fear of it and the present distemper of the Body by them and this is in sin 1. There is the guiltiness of sin binding over the Soul to death the most frightful eternal Death 2. The terrour of conscience in the apprehension of that death or wrath that is the consequent and end of sin 3. The raging and prevailing power of sin which is the ill habitude and distemper of the soul But these stripes and that blood that issued from them are a sound cure applied unto the soul they take away the guiltiness of sin and death deserved and free us from our engagement to those everlasting scourgings and lashes of the wrath of God and likewise they are the only cure of those present terrours and pangs of Conscience arising from the sense of that wrath and sentence of death upon the Soul Our Iniquities that met on his back laid open to the rod which in it self was free those hands that never wrought iniquity and those feet that never declined from the way of righteousness yet for our workes and wandrings were pierced and that Tongue dropping with Vinegar and Gall on the Cross that never spoke a guileful nor sinful word The Blood of those stripes are that Balm issuing from that tree of Life so pierced that can only give ease to the Conscience and heal the wounds of it and they deliver from the power of sin working by their influence and loathing of sin that was the cause of them they cleanse out the vitious humours of our corrupt nature by opening up that issue of Repentance they shall look on him and mourn over him whom they have pierced Now to the end it may
Apostles both for his Graces and his failings Eminent in zeal and courage and yet stumbling oft in his forwardness and once grosly falling and these by the Providence of God being recorded in Scripture give a check to the excess of Rome's conceit concerning this Apostle Their extolling and exalting him above the rest is not for his cause and much less to the honour of his Lord and Master Jesus Christ for he is injured and dishonoured by it but 't is in favour of themselves as Alexander distinguished his two friends that the one was a friend of Alexander the other a friend of the King That preferment they give this Apostle is not in good will to Peter but in the desire of Primacy But whatsoever he was they would be much in pain to prove Rome's right to it by succession And if ever it had any such right we may confidently say it has forfeited it long ago by departing from St. Peters footsteps and from his faith and retaining too much those things wherein he was faultie namely His uâ—willingness to hear of and consent to Christs sufferings his Master spare thy selfe or far be it from thee in those they are like him for thus they would disburden and exempt the Church from the cross from the real cross of afflictions instead of that have nothing but painted or carved or guilded Crosses these they are content to embrace and Worship too but cannot endure to hear of the other instead of the Cross of Affliction they make the Crown or Mitre the badge of their Church and will have it known by Prosperity and outward Pomp and so turn the Church Militant into the Church Triumphant not considering that it is Babilons voice not the Churches I sit as a Queen and shall see no sorrow Again his saying on the Mount at Christs Transfiguration when he knew not what he said 'T is good to be here So they have litle of the true glory of Christ but the false glory of that Monarchy on their seven hills 't is good to be here say they Again in their undue striking with the Sword not the Enemies as he but the faithful Friends and Servants of Jesus Christ but to proceed We see here S Peters Office or Title An Apostle not Chief Bishop Some in their glossing have been so Impudent as to add that beside the Text. Though Chap. 5.4 He gives that Title to Christ alone and to himself only fellow Elder and here not Prince of the Apostles but An Apostle restored and reestablished after his fall by repentance and by Christ himself after his own Death and Resurrection Ioh. 21. Thus we have in our Apostle a singular instance of humane frailty on the one side and of the sweetness of Divine grace on the other Free and rich grace it is indeed that forgives and swallowes up multitudes of sins of greatest sins not only sins before Conversion as to S. Paul but foul offences committed after Conversion as to David and to this Apostle not only once raising them from the dead but when they fall stretching out the same hand and raising them again and restoring them to their Station and comforting them in it by his free Spirit as David prayes Not only to cleanse polluted clay but to work it into Vessels of honour yea of the most defiled shape to make the most refined Vessels not vessels of honour of the lowest sort but for the highest and most honourable Services vessels to bear his own precious Name to the Nations making the most unworthy and the most unfit fit by his grace to be his Messengers Of Iesus Christ. Both as the beginning and end of his Apostleship as Christ is called Alpha and Omega Rev. 2.11 Chosen and called by him and called to this to Preach him and salvation wrought by him Apostle of Iesus Christ. Sent by him and the Message no other but his Name to make that known Anâ— what this Apostleship was then after some extraordinary way befitting these first times of the Gospel That is Now the Ministry of the word in Ordinary and therefore an imployment of more difficulty and excellency then is usually conceiv'd by many not only of those that look upon it but even of those that are exercised in it to be Ambassadourâ— for the greatest of Kings and upon no mean imployment that great treaty of peace and reconcilement betwixt him and mankind 2 Cor. 5.20 This Epistle is directed to the Elect who are described here By their Temporal and by their Spiritual conditions The first hath very much dignity and comfort in it but the other hath neither but rather the contrary of both and therefore the Apostles intent being their comfort he mentions but the one in passing to signifie to whom particularly he sent his Epistle But the other is that which he would have their thoughts dwell upon and therefore prosecutes it in his following discourse and if we look to the order of the words their temporal condition is but interjected for 't is said to the Elect first and then To the Strangers scattered c. And he would have this as it were drown'd in the other according to the foreknowledge of God the Father That those dispersed Strangers that dwelt in the Countries here named were Iews appears if we look to the foregoing Epistle where the same word is used and expresly appropriated to the Iews S Iam. 1.1 And Gal. 2. S Peter is called An Apostle of the Circumcision as exercising his Aposteship most towards them and there is in some passages of the Epistle somewhat that though belonging to all Christians yet hath in the strain and way of expression a particular fitness to the believing Iews as being particularly verified in them which was spoken of their Nation Chap. 2. v. 9.10 Some argue from the Name Strangers that the Gentiles are here meant which seems not to be For Proselyte Gentiles were indeed called strangers in Ierusalem and by the Iews But were not the Iewes Strangers in these Places Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Not strangers dwelling together in a prosperous flourishing condition as a well planted Colonie but Strangers of the dispertion scattered too and fro and their dispersion which was partly first by the Assyrian Captivity and after that the Babylonish and by the Invasion of the Romans and it might be in these very times increased by the believing Iews flying from the hatred and persecution that was raised against them at home These places here mentioned through which they were dispersed are all in Asia So Asia here is Asiae the lesser Where it s to be observed that some of these who heard S Peter Act. 2. are said to be of those regions And if any of those then converted were amongst these dispersed the Comfort was no doubt the more grateful from the hand of the same Apostle by whom they were first converted but this is only conjecture Tho Divine truths are to be received
Nay but O man who art thou that replyest against God Who can conceive whence this should be that any man should believe unless it be given him of God and if given him then it was his purpose to give it him and if so then is it evident that he had a purpose to save him and for that end he gives faith not therefore purposes to Save because Man shall believe 4. This seems cross to these Scriptures where they speak of the subordination or rather Coordination of those two as here Foreknown and Elect not because of Obedience or sprinkling or any such thing but to Obedience and sprinkling which is by faith So he predestinated not because he foresaw Men would be conform to Christ but that they might be so as Rom. 8.29 For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate and the same order Act. 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church dayly such as should be saved and 13.48 And as many as were ordained to Eternal life believed This Foreknowledge then is his Eternal and Unchangable Love and that thus he Chuseth some and rejecteth others is for that great End to manifest and magnifie his Mercy and Justice but why he appointed this Man for the one and the other for the other made Peter a vessel of this mercy and Iudas of wrath this is even so because it seemed good to him This if it be harsh yet is Apostolick Doctrine Hath not the Potter saith St. Paul power over the same Lump to make one Vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour This deep we must admire and alwayes in considering it close with this O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God Now the Connexion of these we are for our profit to take notice of that effectual Calling is inseparably tyed to this Eternal Foreknowledge or Election on the one side and Salvation on the other These two links of the chain are up in Heaven in Gods own hand but this middle one is let down to earth into the hearts of his Children and they laying hold on it hath sure hold on the other two for no power can sever them and therefore the reading the characters of Gods Image in their own souls those are the counterpain of the golden characters of his Love in which their names are written in the Book of Life Their believing writes their names under the promises of the revealed Book of Life the Scriptures and so ascertains them that the same names are in the secret Book of Life that God hath by himself from Eternity So finding the stream of grace in their hearts tho they see not the Fountain whence it flowes nor the Ocean into which it returns yet they know that it hath its source and shall return to that Ocean which ariseth from their Eternal Election and Salvation and shall empty it selfe into Eternity of happiness Hence much joy ariseth to the Believer this tye indissolvable as the Agents are the Father the Son and the Spirit So Election and Vocation and Sanctification and Iustification and Glory and therefore in all conditions they may from the sence of the working of the Spirit in them look back to that Election and forward to that Salvation but they that remain unholy and dissobedient have as yet no evidence of this Love and therefore cannot without vain presumptions and self delusion Judge thus of themselves that they are within the peculiaâ— Love of God but in this Let the Righteous be glad and let them shout for joy all that are upright in heart 'T is one main point of happiness that he that is happy doth know and judge himselfe to be so this being the peculiar good of a reasonable creature 't is to be enjoyed in a Reasonable way 't is not as the dull resting of a Stone or any other natural body in its natural place but the knowledge and consideration of it is the fruition of it the very relishing and tasting its sweetness The perfect blessedness of the Saints is abiding them above but even their present condition is truly happy tho incompleatly and but a small beginning of that which they expect and this their present happiness is so much the more the more clear knowledge and firm perswasion they have of it 't is one of the pleasant fruits of the Godly to know the things that are freely given them of God 1 Cor. 2.12 Therefore the Apostle to comfort his dispersed Brethren sets before them a description of that excellent Spiritual Condition to which they are called If they be inseparably linkt together then by any one of them a man may lay hold upon all the rest and may know that his hold is sure and this is that way wherein we may attain and ought to seek that comfortable assurance of the Love of God Therefore Make your Calling sure and by that your Election for that being done this follows of it self We are not to pry immediately into the Decree but to read it in the performance though the Mariner sees not the Pole-star yet the Needle of the Compass that points to it tells him which way he sails thus the heart that is touched with the Loadstone of Divine Love trembling with godly fear and yet still looking towards God by fixed believing it points at the Love of Election and tells the soul that its courss is heavenward towards the Haven of Eternal rest He that Loves may be sure he was loved first and he that chuses God for his delight and Portion may conclude confidently that God hath chosen him to be one of those that shall enjoy him and be happy in him for ever for that our Love and Electing of him is but the return and repercussion of the beams of his Love shining upon us Find thou but within thee Sanctification by the Spirit and this argues necessarily both Justification by the Son and the Election of God the Father 1 Ioh. 4.13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he has given us of his Spirit 'T is a most strange demonstration ab Effectu reciproco He Called those he hath Elected he Elected those he Called where this sanctifying Spirit is not there can be no perswasion of this Eternal Love of God they that are Children of disobedience can conclude no otherwise of themselves but that they are the Children of wrath Although from present unsanctification a Man cannot inferre that he is not Elected for the Decree may for part of a Mans life run as it were under-ground Yet this is sure that that estate leads to death and unless it be broken will prove the black line of reprobation A man hath no Portion amongst the Children of God nor can read one word of Comfort in all the Promises that belongs to them while he remains unholy Men may please themselves in prophane Scoffing at the Holy Spirit of Grace but let them withal know this that that Holy Spirit
not then be our wisdom to make the worthiest choyce seeing it is offered us and is extream folly to reject it Grace doth not pluck up by the roots and wholly destroy the natural passions of the mind because they are distempered by sin that were an extreme remedy to Cure by killing and heal by cutting off no but it corrects the distemper in them it dries not up this main stream of Love but purifies it from the Mud it is full of in its wrong Course or calls it to its Right Channel by which it may run into Happiness and empty it selfe into the Ocean of goodness The Holy Spirit turns the love of the soul towards God in Christ for in that way only can it apprehend his Love so then Jesus Christ is the first Object of this divine Love he is Medium unionis through whom God conveys the sense of his Love to the soul and receives back its Love to him And if we will consider his incomparable Beauty we may look on it in the holy Scriptures particularly in that divine song of Loves Wherein Solomon borrowes all the beauties of the Creatures dips his pencill in all their severall Excellencies to set him forth unto us who is the chief of ten Thousands There is an inseparable intermixture of Love with Belief and a pious Affection receiving divine Truth so that in effect as we distinguish them they are mutually strengthened the one by the other and so though it seem a Circle 't is a divine one and falls not under censure of the School's Pedantry If you ask how shall I do to Love I Answer Believe If you ask how shall I believe I Answer Love Although the Expressions to a carnall mind are altogether unsavoury by gross mistaking them yet to a Soul taught to Read and Hear them by any measure of that same Spirit of love wherewith they were penn'd they are full of heavenly and unutterable sweetness Many Directions and means of begetting and increasing this Love of Christ may be here offered but they that delight in number may multiply them but sure this One will Comprehend the greatest and best part if not all of them Believe and you shall Love Believe much and you shall Love much labour for strong and deep persuasions of the glorious things that are spoken of Christ and this will command Love Certainly did Men indeed believe his worth they would accordingly Love him for the Reasonable Creature cannot but affect that most which it firmly believes to be worthy of affection O this mischief of Unbelief is that which makes the heart cold and dead towards God Seek then to believe Christs Excellency in himselfe and his Love to us and our interest in him and this will kindle such a fire in the heart as will make it ascend in a Sacrifice of Love to him Many Signes likewise of this Love may be multiplied according to the many fruits and workings of it but in them all it self is its own most infallible Evidence When the soul finds that all its Obedience and endeavour to keep the Commands of Jesus Christ which himself makes its Character do flow from Love then it is true and sincere For do or suffer what you will withour Love all passes for nothing All are Cyphers without it they signifie nothing 1. Cor. 13. This is the Message of the Gospell and that which the Ministry aimes at and therefore the Ministers ought to be Suitors not for themselves but for Christ to Espouse souls to him and to bring in many hearts to Love him And certainly this is the most compendious way to perswade to all other Christian duties this is to converse with Jesus Christ and therefore where his Love is no other incentive will be needfull For Love delights in the presence and converse of the party Loved If we are to perswade to duties of the second Table the summe of those is Love to our Brethren resulting from the Love of Christ which diffuseth such a sweetness into the soul that its all Love and meekness and Gentleness and long suffering If times be for suffering Love will make the soul not onely bear but welcome the bitterest afflections of life and the hardest kinds of death for his sake In a word there is in Love a sweet constraint or tying of the heart to all Obedience and Duty The Love of God is requisite in Ministers for their preaching of the word so our Saviour to St. Peter Iohn 21.15 Peter lovest thou me then feed my lambs It is requisite for the people that they receive the Truth in the Love of it and that Christ preach'd be Entertain'd in the soul and Embrac'd by Faith and Love You that have made choyce of Christ for your Love let not your hearts slip out to renew your wonted base familiarity with Sin For that will bring new bitterness to your souls and at least for some time will deprive you of the sensible favour of your beloved Jesus delight alwayes in God and give him your whole heart for he deserves it all and is a satisfying good to it the largest heart is all of it too strait for the riches of consolation that he brings with him seek to Increase in this Love for tho its at first weak yet Labour to find it daily rise higher and burn hotter and clearer and consume the dross of Earthly desires Receiving the end of your Faith Although the soul that Believes and Loves is put in present possession of God as far as it is Capable in its sojourning here yet it desires a full Enjoyment which it cannot attain to without Removing hence While we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord saith the Apostle And because they are assur'd of that happy Exchange that being united and freed of this body they shall be present with the Lord and that having his own word for 't that Where he is they shall be also this begets such an assured Hope as bears the name of possession Therefore its said here Receiveing the end of your faith This Receiveing likewise flows from Faith Faith apprehends the present Truth of the divine Promises and so makes the things to come present and Hope looks out to their after Accomplishment which if the promises be true as Faith averrs then Hope hath good reason firmly to expect it This desire and Hope are the very wheels of the Soul that carry it on and Faith the common Axis on which they rest In the words there are two things 1. The good hoped for in Christ so Believed on and Loved 2. The assuredness of the Hope it selfe yea as sure as if it were already accomplished As for the good hoped for it consists 1. In the nature of it Viz. The Salvation of their Soul 2. in a Relative Property of it the End of their Faith The nature of it is Salvation and Salvation of the soul it imports full deliverance from all kind of misery and
among ten thousands yea the fairest of the Children of men for that he is withall the onely begotten Son of God the brightness of his fathers glory and the express image of his Person Heb. 1.3 The soul once acquainted with him can with disdain turn off all the base sollicitations and importunities of sin and command them away that formerly had command over it though they plead former familiarities and the interest they once had in the heart of a Christian before it was enlightned and renewed He can well tell them after his sight of Christ that it is true while he knew no better then they were he thought them lovely and pleasing but that one glance of the face of Jesus Christ hath turn'd them all into extream blackness and deformity that so soon as ever Christ appear'd to him they straightway lost all their credit and esteem in his heart and have lost it for ever they need never look to recover it any more And ' its from this that the Apostle enforceth this dehortation ' its true the lusts and vanities that are in request in the world were so with you but 't was when you were blind they were the lusts of your Ignorance but now you know how ill they will suite with the light of that Gospel which you profess and that inward light of faith which is in the souls of such as be really believers Therefore seeing you have renounc'd them keep them still at that distance do not ever admitt them more to lodge within you that sure you cannot do but do not so much as for custom sake and compliance with the world about you outwardly conform your selves to any of them or make semblance to partake of them as S. Paul sayes have no more fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but rather reprove them reprove them by your carriage and let the light of your holy lives discover their soulness 2. Positive Be yea holy This includes the former the renouncing of the lusts and pollutions of the world both in heart and life and addes farther filling of their room being cast out with the beautiâ—ying graces of the spirit of God and the acting of those in their whole conversation in private and abroad â—n conversing with themselves and conversing with others whether good or bad in a constant even courâ—e still like themselves and like him who hath called them for 't is a most unseemly and unpleasant thing to see a Man's life full of ups and downs one step like a Christian and another like a wordling it cannot chuse but both pain himself disedifie others But as he that calleth you is holy Consider whose you are and you cannot deny that it becomes you to be holy your near Relation to the holy God this is express'd two wayes namely As children and as he which hath called you Which is all one as if he had said hath begotten you again the vâ—ry outward vocation of those that profess Christ presseth holiness upon them but the inward far more you were running to destruction in the way of sin and there was a voyce together with the Gospel preached to your ear that spake into your heart and call'd you back from that path of death to the way of holiness which is the onely way of life He hath sever'd you from the mass of the perfane world and pickt you out to be jewels for himself he hath set you apart for this end that you may be holy to him as the Hebrew Word that signifies holiness is from seting â—part or fitting for a peculiar use be not then uâ—true to his designe he hath not called you to uncleanness but unto holiness Thes. 4. Therefore be ye holy 't is sacriledge for you to dispose of your selves after the impure manner of the world and to apply your selves to any profane use whom God hath consecrated to himself As children This is no doubt relative to that which he spoke Verse 3. by way of thanksgiving and that wherefore of the 13. Verse drawes it down hither by way of Exhortation Seeing you are by a spiritual and new birth the Children of so great and good a Father he commands you holiâ—â—ss be obedient Children in being holy and seeing he himself is most holy be like him as his Children be ye holy as he is holy As obedient Children Opposit to that Eph. 2â— Sons of disobedience or unbelief as the word may be rendered and that is alwayes the spring of dissobedience Sons of misperswasibleness that will not be drawn and perswaded by the tenderest mercies of God Now though this Hebrew manner of speech Sons of obedience and disobedience signifie no more but obedient or disobedient Persons yet it doth signifie it most emphatically and means a high degree of obedience or disobedience these Sons of disobedience Verse 2. are likewise Sons of wrath Verse 3. Of all Children the Children of God are most obliged to Obedience for he is both the wisest and the lovingest of fathers And the summe of all his Commands is that which is their glory and happiness that they endeavour to be like him to resemble their heavenly father be ye perfect as your heavenly father is perfect sayes our Saviour And here the Apostle citing out of the Law be ye holy for I am holy Levit. 11.44 Law and Gospel agree in this And as Children that resemble their Fathers as they grow up in years they grow the likâ—r to them thus the Children of God do increase in their resemblance and are daiâ—y more and more renew'd after his Image There is in them an innate likeness by his Image impress'd on them in their first renovation and his spirit dwelling within them and there is a continuing increase of it by their pious imitation and study of conformity which is here exhorted to The imitation of vitious Men and the corrupt world is here forbid the imitation of Mens indifferent customes is base and servile the imitation of the vertues of good Men is commendable but the imitation of this highest pattern this Primitive goodness the most holy God is the top of Excellency And 't is well said Summa Religionis est imitari quem colis All of us offer him some kind of worship but few seriously study and endeavour this blessed conformity There is no question among those that profess themselves the People of God a select number that are indeed his children and bear his Image both in their hearts and in their lives this Impression of holiness is on themselves and their conversation but with the most a name and a form of godliness is all they have for Religion Alas We speak of holiness and we hear of it and it may be we commend it but we act it not or if we do 't is but acting of it in that sense the word is taken for a personated acting as on a stage in the sight of Men not as in the sight of our lovely God
gave beginning to the world and to time with it made all to set forth his goodness and the most excellent of his Creatures to contemplate and enjoy it But amongst all the works that he intended before time and in time effected this is the master piece that is here said to be forâ—ordained the manifesting of God in the flesh for mans Redemption and that by his son Jesus Chirst as the first born amonst many brethren That those appointed for salvation should be rescued from the common misery and be made one mysticall body whereof Christ is the head and so entitled to that Everlasting glory and happiness that he hath purchas'd for them This I say is the great work wherein all those glorious attributes shine joyntly the Wisdom and Power and Goodness and Justice and Mercy of God as in great Maps or Pictures you will see the border decor'd with Meadows and fountains and flowers c. Represented in it but in the middle you have the main designe thus is this fore-ordained Redemption amongst the works of God all his other works in the world all the beauty of the Creatures and the succession of Ages and things that come to pass in them are but as the border to this as the main piece But as a foolish unskillfull beholder not discerning the excellency of the principall piece in such Maps or Pictures gazes onely on the fair border and goes no futher thus do the greatest part of us our eyes are taken with the goodly show of the world and appearnce of earthly things but this great work of God Christ foreordained in time sent for our Redemption though it most deserves our attentive regard yet we do not view and consider it as we ought Was manifested in those last times for you This is the performance of that purpose he was manifested both by his Incarnation according to that word of the Apostle St. Paul Manifested in the flesh c. manifested by his marvellous Works and Doctrine and by his Sufferings and Death and Resurrection and Ascension by the sending down of the Holy Ghost according to his promise and by the preaching of the Gospel in the fulness of time that God had appointed wherein all the prophecies that foretold his comeing and all the Types and Ceremonies that prefigur'd him had their accomplishment The times of the Gospell are called the last times often by the Prophets for that the Jewish Priesthood and Ceremonies being abolished that which succeeded was appointed by God to remain the same to the End of the world besides this the time of our Saviours Incarnation may be called the last tiemes because although it were not near the End of time by many ages yet in all probability it is much nearer the end of time then the beginning of it some resemble the time of his sufferings in the end of the world to the paschal Lamb in the Evening It was doubtless the 〈◊〉 time but not withstanding the Schoolmen offer at reasons to prove the fitness of it as their humour is to prove all things None dare I think conclude but if God had so appointed it might have been either sooner or later and our safest is to rest in that that it was the fit time because so it pleased him and to seek no other Reason why having promis'd the Messiah so quickly after Man's fall he deferr'd his coming about Four Thousand years and a great part of that time shut up the knowledge of himself and the true Religion within the narrow compass of that one nation of which Christ was to be born Of these and such like things we can give no other reason but that which he teacheth us in a like case even so Father because it seemeth good unto thee For you The Apostle represents these things to those he writes to particularly for their use therefore he applies it to them but without prejudice of the Believers that went before or of those that were to follow in after ages He that is here said to be foreappointed before the foundation of the world is therefore called a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world And as the vertue of his death looks backward to all preceeding ages whose Faith and Sacrifices look'd forward to it so the same death is of force and perpetuall value to the End of the world after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever says the Apostle to the Hebâ— He sate down on the right hand of God for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified The Crosse on which he was extended points in the length of it to Heaven and Earth reconciling them together and in the breadth of it to former and following ages as being equally salvation to both If this appropriating and peculiar interest in Jesus Christ is not happiness without which it availes not that he was ordained from Eternity and in Time manifested 't is not the Generall contemplation but the peculiar possession of Christ that gives both solid Comfort and strong persuasion to Obedience and Holyness which is here the Apostle's particular scâ—â—e Verse 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your Faith and hope might be in God NOW because 't is Faith that gives the soul this particular title to Jesus Christ the Apostle addes that to declare who he meant by You sayes he who by him do believe in God c. Where we have 1. The compleat Object of Faith 2. The Ground or Warrant of it The object God in Christ. The Ground or warrant In that he raised him up from the dead and gave him glory A Man may have living out of Christ yea he must he cannot chuse but have a conviction within him that there is a God and further he may have even out of Christ some kind of belief of those things that are spoken concerning God but to repose on God as his God and his Salvation which is indeed to believe in him this cannot be but where Christ is the mids through which we look upon God for so long as we look upon God through our own Guiltiness we can see nothing but his wrath and apprehend him as an armed enemy and be so far off from resting on him as our happiness that the more we view it it puts us upon the more speed to fly from him and to cry out Who can dwell with Everlasting burnings and abide with a consuming fire But our Saviour taking sin out of the way put himself betwixt our sins and God and so makes a wonderfull change of our apprehension of him When you look through a red glass the whole Heavens seem bloody But through pure uncoâ—our'd glass you receive the clear light that is so refreshing and comfortable to behold When Sin unpardoned is betwixt and we look on God through that we can perceive nothing but Anger and Enmity in his Countenance But
affections may be drawn off from it to this spirituall life that is not subject unto death Verse 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you THE word of God is so like himself and carries so the Image and impression of his power and wisdom that where they are spoke of together it is sometimes doubtfull whether the words are to be referr'd to himself or to his word so Heb. 14.12 And so here But there is no hazard seeing there is truth in both and pertinency too for they that referr them to God affirm that they are intended for the extolling of his word being the subject in hand and that we may know it to be like him But I rather think here that these words are meant of the word it is called living as here Heb. 4. And abiding for ever is expressely repeated of it here in the Prophet's words And with respect to those Learned Men that apply them to God I remember not that this abiding for ever is us'd to express Gods Eternity in himself Howsoever this incorruptible seed is the living and everlasting word of the living and Everlasting God and is therefore such because he whose it is is such Now this is not to be taken in a abstract sense of the word onely in its own nature but as the principle of Regeneration the seed of this new life because the word is enlivening and living therefore they with whom it is effectuall and into whose hearts it is receiv'd are begotten again and made alive by it and because the word is incorruptible and endureth for ever therefore that Life begot by it is such too cannot perish nor be cut down as the naturall Life No this Spirituall Life of grace is the certain beginning of that eternall Life of glory and shall end in it and therefore hath no end As the word of God in it selfe cannot be abolish'd but surpasses the endurance of the Heaven and Earth as our Saviour teaches and all the attempts of men against the Divine truth of that word to undo it are as vain as if they should consult to pluck the Sun out of the Firmament so likewise in the heart of a Christian it is Immortall and incorruptible Where it is once received by faith it cannot be obliterated again all the powers of darkness cannot destroy it although they be never so diligent in their attempts that way and this is the comfort of the Saints that the life which God by his word hath breath'd into their Souls though it have many and strong enemies such as they themselves could never hold out against yet for his own glory and his promise sake he will maintain that life and bring it to its perfection God will perfect that which concerneth me saith the Psalmest 'T is grossely contrary to the truth of the Scriptures to imagine that they that are thus renewed can be unborn again This new birth is but once of one kind though they are subject to frailties and weaknesses here in this spirituall life yet not to death any more not to such way of finning as would extinguish this life This is that which the Apostle Iohn sayes he that is born of God sinneth not and the reason he addes is the same that is here given the permanence and incorrupâ—ibleness of this word the seed of God abideth in him This is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you 'T is not sufficient to have these thoughts of the word of God in a generall way and not to know what that word is but we must be perswaded that that word which is preached to us is this very word of so excellent vertue and of which these high things are spoken that it is incorruptible and abideth for ever and therefore surpasses all the world and all the excellencies and glory of it Although delivered by weak Men the Apostles and by far weaker than they in the constant ministry of it yet it loseth none of its own vertue for that depends upon the first owner and author of it the â—verliving God who by it begets his chosen unto life eternall This therefore is that which we should learn thus to hear and thus to receive and esteem and love this holy this living word to despise all the glistring vanities of this perishing life all outward pomp yea all inward worth all wisdom and naturall endowments of mind in comparison of the heavenly light of the Gospell preach'd unto us Rather to hazard all than lose that and banish all other things from that Place that is due to it to lodge it alone in our hearts as our onely treasure here and the certain pledge of that treasure of glory laid up for us in heaven To which blessed state God of his Infinit mercy bring us Amen Chap. Second 1 Pet. Chap. 2. Verse 1.2 Wherefore laying aside all Malice and all guile and Hypocrisies and Envies and all evil speakings Verse 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby THe same power and goodness of God that manifests it self in giving being to his creatures appears likewise in their sustaining and preservation to give being is the first and to support it is the continued effect of that power and goodness Thus it is both in the first Creation and in the second In the first the creatures to which he gave Life he provided with convenient nourishment to uphold that life Gen· 1. So here in the close of the former Chapter we find the Doctrine of the New birth and life of a Christian and in the beginning of this the proper food of that life and it is the same word by which we there find it to be begotten that is here the nourishment of it and therefore Christians are here exhorted by the Apostle so to esteem and so to use it and that is the main scope of the words Obs. in general The word the principle and the support of our spiritual being is both the incorruptible seed and the incorruptible food of that new life of grace which must therefore be an incorruptible life And this may convince us that the ordinary thoughts even of us that hear this word are far below the true excellency and worth of it the stream of custom and our profession brings us hither and we sitt out our hour under the sound of this Word but how few consider and prize it as the great Ordinance of God for the salvation of Souls The beginner and the sustainer of the Divine life of Grace within us and certainly untill we have these thoughts of it and seek to feel it thus our selves although we hear it most frequently and slip no occasion yea hear it with attention and some present delight yet still we misse the right use of it and turn it from its true end while we take it not as that ingrafted word
though God remain faithful and true but the New Covenant of Grace makes all sure on all hands and cannot be broken the Lord not only keeping His own part but likewise performing ours in us and for us and establishing us that He departs not from us first so we shall not depart from Him I will betroth thee to me sayes he there for ever 't is an indissoluble Marriage that is not in danger to be broke either by Divorce or Death My People There is a treasure of Instruction and comfort wrapt up in that word not only more than the profane world can imagine for they indeed know nothing at all of it but more than they that are of that number are able to conceive of a deep unsoundible My People They his portion and He theirs He accounts nothing of all the World beside them and they of nothing at all beside Him For them He continues the World Many and great are the priviledges of his people contain'd in that great Charter the Holy Scriptures and rich is that Land where their Inheritance lies but all is in this reciprocal that he is their God All his power and Wisdom is engag'd for their good how great and many soever are their enemies they may well oppose this to all he is their God they are sure to be protected and prosper'd and in end to have full victory Happy then is that People whose God is the Lord. Which had not obtained Mercy The Mercies of the Lord to his Chosen are from everlasting yet so long as His Decree of mercy runs hid and is not discover'd to them in the effects of it they are said not to have receiv'd or obtain'd mercy and when it begins to act and work in their effectual calling then they find it to be theirs it was in a secret way moving forward towards them before as the Sun after Midnight is still coming nearer to us though we perceive not its approach till the dawning of the Day Mercy The former word teaches us how great the change is that is wrought by the Calling of God this teaches us how free it is the People of God that 's the good attained in the change obtain'd Mercy that 's the Spring whence it flowes 't is implied indeed in the words of the change of no People such as have no right to such a Dignity at all nor in themselves no disposition for it to be made His people can be by no other but free grace such mercy as supposes nothing nor seeks nothing but misery in us and works upon that As it is express'd to have been very free to this people of the Jews in chusing them before the rest of the World Deut. 17. So 't is to the Spiritual Israel of God and to every one particularly belonging to that company Why is it that he chused me of a Family and leaves another But because it pleaseth him he blots out their transgressions for his own Name sake And 2. as 't is free mercy 't is Tender mercy the word in the Prophet signifies tenderness or bowels of compassion and such are the mercies of our God towards us Ier. 31.20 The bowels of a Father Psal. 103.13 and if you think not that tenderness enough those of a Mother yea more than a Mother Isa. 49.15 3. 'T is Rich mercy delights to glorifie it self in the greatest misery Pardons as easily the greatest as the smallest of Debts 4. A constant unalterable Mercy a stream still running Now in both these the Apostle drawes the eyes of Believers to reflect on their former misery and view it together with their present Estate This is very frequent in the Scirptures Ezek. 16. Eph. 2. 1 Cor. 6.11 c. And it is of very great use works the soul of a Christian to much Humility and Love and Thankfulness and Obedience It cannot chuse but force him to abase himself and magnifie the free Grace and Love of God and this may be one reason why it pleaseth the Lord to suspend the Conversion of many for many years of their life yea to suffer some of them to stain those years with grievous and gross sins that the riches and glory of his Grace and the freeness of his choyce may be the more legible both to themselves and others Likewise those apprehensions of Wrath due to sin and sights of Hell as it were that He brings some unto either at or after their Conversion make for this same end That glorious Description of the New Ierusalem Revel 21.16 is abundantly delighful in it self and yet the firy Lake spoke of their makes all that 's spoke of the other sound much the Sweeter But universally all the Godly have this to consider that they were Strangers and Enemies to God and think whence was it that I a lump of the same polluted clay with those that perish should be taken and purified and moulded by the Lords own hand for a Vessel of Glory There is nothing here but free mercy makes the difference and where can there be Love and Praises and service found to answer this all is to be ascribed to the Mercy Gifts and calling of Christ and His Ministers as St. Paul 2 Cor. 4.1 But alas we neither enjoy the comfort of this Mercy as obtain'd nor are griev'd for wanting it and stirr'd up to seek after it as not yet obtain'd What do we think Seems it a small thing in your eyes to be shut out from the presence of God and bear the weight of His wrath for ever that you thus slight this Mercy and let it pass by you unregarded or will that an imagin'd obtaining divert you from the real pursuit of it Will you be willingly deceiv'd And be your own deceivers in a matter of so great importance You cannot think too highly of the riches of Divine mercy 't is above all your thoughts but remember and consider this that thereis a peculiar people of His own to whom alone all the riches of it do belong And therefore how great soever it is unless you find your selves of that number you cannot lay claim to the smallest share of it And you are not ignorant what is their character what a kind of people they are that have such a knowledge of God as himselfe gives they are all taught of God enlightned and sanctified by his spirit a holy People as he is a holy God such as have the riches of that His grace by which they are saved in most precious esteem and their hearts by it enflamed with his love and therefore their thoughts taken up with nothing so much as studying how they may obey and honour Him rather chusing to displease all the world than offend him and accounting nothing too dear yea nothing good enough to doe him service if it be thus with you then you have indeed obtain'd mercy But if you be such as can wallow in the same pudle with the profane world and take a share of their
hath no other purpose in his being and living but only to honour his Lord that 's to live to righteousness he doth not make a by-work of it a study for his spare houres no 't is his main busines his all In this law doth he meditate day and night This life as the other is in the heart and from thence diffuses to the whole Man he loves righteousness and receiveth the truth as the Apostle speaks in the love of it A natural Man may do many things that for their shell and outside are righteous But he lives not to righteousness because his heart is not possess'd and rul'd with the love of it but this life makes the godly Man delight to walk uprightly and to speak of righteousness his Language and wayes carry the resemblance of his heart Psa. 37. Ver. 30.31 I know 't is easiest to act that part of Religion that is in the Tongue but the Christian ought not for that to be Spiritually dumb Because some Birds are taught to speak Men do not for that give it over and leave off to speak the mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his Tongue talketh of judgement and his feet strive to keep pace with his Tongue which gives evidence of its unfainedness None of his steps shall slide or he shall not stagger in his steps but that which is betwixt these is the common Spring the Law of God is in his heart of both and from thence as Salomon sayes are the issues of his life that Law in his heart is the principle of this living to righteousness 2 The Second thing here is the design or Intendment of this death and life in the sufferings and death of Christ he bare sin and died for it that we might dye to it Out of some conviction of the consequence of Sin many have a confus'd desire to be justified to have sin pardon'd and look no further think not on the importance and necessity of sanctification the nature whereof is express'd by this dying to sin and living to righteousness But here we see that sanctification is necessary as inseparably connexed with justification not only as its companion but as its end which in some kind raises it above the other that it was the thing which God ey'd and intended in taking away the guiltiness of sin that we might be renew'd and sanctified If we compare them in point of time either backward holiness was alwayes necessary unto happiness But satisfying for sin and the pardon of it was made necessary by sin or if we look forward the estate we are appointed to and for which we are delivered from wrath is an estate of perfect holiness When we reflect upon that great work of Redemption we see it aim'd at there Redeem'd to be holy Eph. 5.25 26. Tit. 2.14 And go yet higher to the very Spring the decree of Election And then it s said Chosen before that we should be Holy and in end it shall Suit the designe Nothing shall enter into the new Ierusalem that is defiled or unholy Nothing but all purity there not a spot of sinfull pollution not a wrinkle of the Old Man for this end was that great work undertaken by the Son of God that he might frame out of polluted Mankind a new holy generation to his Father that might compasse his throne in the Life of glory and give him pure praises and behold his face in that eternity Now for this end it was needfull according to the all-wise purpose of the Father that the guiltiness of sin and sentence of Death should be once removed and thus the burden of that lay upon Christs shoulders on the Crosse and that done it is further necessary that Souls so deliver'd be likewise purg'd and renew'd for they are design'd to perfection of holiness in end and it must begin here Yet is it not possible to perswade Men of this that Christ had this in his eye and purpose when he was lift up upon the crosse and look'd upon the whole company of those his Father had given him to save that he would redeem them to be a number of holy Persons We would be redeem'd who is there would not but he would have his redeemed ones holy and they that are not true to this his end but crosse and oppose him in it may hear of redemption long and often But litle to their comfort Are you resolv'd still to abuse and delude your selves Well whither you will believe it or no this is once more told you there is unspeakable comfort in the death of Chirst but it belongs only to those that are dead to sin and alive to righteousness This Circle shuâ—s out the impenitent world there it closes and cannot be broke through but all that are penitent are by their effectual caling lifted in to it translated from that accurs'd condition wherein they were So then if you will live in your sins you may but then resolve withal to bear them your selves for Christ in his bearing of sin meant of none but such as in due time are thus dead and thus alive with him 3. But then in the Third place Christs Sufferings and death effects all this 1. As the exemplary cause the lively contemplation of Christ crucified is the most powerful of all thoughts to separate the heart and sin But 2. besides this working as a Moral cause as that example Christ is the effective natural cause of this death and life For he is one with the Believer and there is a real influence of his death and life into their Souls This Mysterious Union of Christ and the believer is that whereon both their Justification and Sanctification and the whole frame of their Salvation and Happiness depends and in this particular the Apostle still insists on it speaking of Christ and Believers as one in his Death and Resurrection crucified with him dead with him buried with him and risen with him Rom. 6. Being arisen he applies his death to those he dyed for and by it kills the life of sin in them and so is aveng'd on it for its being the cause of his death according to that of the Psalm raise me up that I may requite them He infuses and then actuates and stirres up that faith and love in them by which they are united to him and these work powerfuly in this 3. Faith look's so stedfastly on its suffering Saviour that as they say intellectus fit illud quod intelligit it makes the Soul like him assimilates and conformes it to his Death as the Apostle speaks That which some fable of some of their Saints of receiving the impression of the wounds of Christ in their body is true in a Spiritual sense of the Soul of every one that is indeed a Saint and a believer it takes the very print of his Death by beholding him and dyes to sin and then takes that of his rising again and lives to righteousness as it applies it to justify so