himselfe and all his pesterity So we became miserable God dealing like a judge depriving us for Adams sin of his Image which except he would he need never have stampt upon us not any wayes becomming by this act of judgement an author or maintainer of sinne thus we become guilty Imputative by imputation and privative God depriving us of his image by denying to restore it to us againe when we had once lost it 2. Another way is by carnall propagation Our mother the Hittite brought us forth our father the Canaanite begate us what can be cleane that is borne of a woman saith Job chap. 25. v. 4. As sweet oile powred into a fusty vessell saith M. Perkins loseth its purenesse and becometh infected by the vessell So the soule created good and put into a corrupt body and made one with it receives contagion thence only Christ who was borne of a woman was borne cleane and the reason for that was say the schoolmen Ab Adamo humanam accepit naturā non tanquam a principio agente sed tanquam a principio materiali His body was from Adam but not from the seed of Adam And thus you see how it comes to passe that our mother brings us forth under the Apple-tree in a poore lost undone condition there your mothers brought you forth that bare you Nor let any one thinke himselfe in a better condition because his parents have been elect ones what then Except a man be born again saith Christ he shall never enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. 3. Whatsoever is borne of flesh Joh. 3. 3. is flesh Parents beget not grace but nature Though they have no sinne to communicate in respect of Gods grace justifying their persons and not seeing sinne in them so as to impute it to them yet they have sinne a body of death so holy Paul had he groned under it Rom. 7. Yea and if we say we Rom. 7. 23. have no sin we do but deceive our selves and there is no truth in us Saith the blessed Apostle who lives and sinneth not This question was propounded to Saint Austine How the Saints of God that had no sinne could convey sinne to their children he replies to it Vicissim ego interrogo c. Let me aske you saith he how one that is circumcised can beget one that is uncircumcised and how it comes to passe that when you sow your wheat in your field without any chaffe cleaving to it you should reap it with chaffe how one that is a baptized Christian can beget one that is an unbaptized heat hen you will answer Quia non facit generatio sed regeneratio Christianos M. Perkins saith God took this order in the creation that whatsoever evill Adam procured he should bring it not only on himself but all his posterity by virtue of which decree the propagation of sinne is continued without any interruption though Parents them-selves be borne anew by the spirit of God even as God hath set it in the order of nature that the wheat thrown pure into the ground should yet spring and grow so often as it is sowed with stalk eare blade And all this I conceive is the truth concerning the manner of conveyence of this sad legacy to all the Children of Adam Without fifting those Philosophicall and schoole questions about it I shall conclude this Particular with only this note of M. Perkins It may be this will not satisfy the minds of all if any be so curious that he hath a mind yet to seek further let them know there is another matter of more concernment for us to look unto when a mans house is on fire t is no time to enquire when and how and in what manner it came to be so but it will be our policy to use all means possible to quench it That it is so it is plain our soules are all undone by nature Do you ask how this thing could be first remedy it then enquire the manner how it came to passe quench the fire then aske how it came in thy dwelling Quid quaeris rimam in the mean time why seekest thou a crevis saith Austine Quum habes apertam Ianuam per unum hominem intravit peccatum hast thou not an open door doth not the Apostle say it entred in by one mans disobedience and death by it and so went over all So much therefore shall serve briefly to have spoken of the doctrinal part Give me leave to come now to an application of it in which the Lord give me an heart affected in speaking you eares and hearts truly affected in hearing The first part of my application shall be more notionall the other will bee more particular for the first 1. This may discover unto you the lying falshood of the Pelagian Doctrine and of diverse in these times that have been so unhappy as to rake up all the putrified dunghills of errors and vend them for new truths 1. The Maniches of old would confesse this but 1. Would have it to be the direct work of God and to this end made a God on purpose that should be such a principium mali carrying on the wicked designes in the world efficiently as their other God who was their principium boni was by their appointment to carry on good designes 2. Then they would but in part confess it they would have some to be borne cleane others defiled but even the best as you have heard were borne defiled there their mother brought them forth there she brought them forth that bare them The Pelagians denyed any Originall sinne by way of propagation but only by Imitation if say they the Child walks in its parents stepps or because we tread Adams path therefore we are defiled but this is false in the very day of our birth we were in a lost undone condition 3. From hence also may appeare the falsenesse of that opinion of the Anababtists of old and now in these dayes viz that Christ by his death Originale peccatum ex humanâ naturâ sustulit tooke away originall sin out of our natures they are the very words of Chemnitius repeating the error of the old Anabaptists concerning this point and this I perceive many people harping on even in this City especially those that have so good an opinion of Christs death that he as they dreame died for all pinch them a little and they will confesse that all shall not be saved but this is in regard for their actuall sins for their originall sinne Christ hath paid that score if now they can but stand upon their owne leggs and will but walke in their strength and keep their feet for the time to come then all shall be well But mistake not Christians your mother saith the text left you not raised but in a lost condition not your grandmother Eve but your immediate mother brought you forth there and left you there long since Christ died it was since that time that
thee 2. Thee that wert as low as others Adam left thee as deep in hell as any reprobate there Loe here the infinitenesse of free grace Two were in the same house yea grinding at the same mill of iniquity and thou art taken and the other is left possibly thou wert in thy wildest youth seeming to ride faster to hell than the other were that were thy brethren friends and acquaintance yet the Lord hath raised thee and let the others lye wallowing in their bloud he hath not said to them live 3. Thee that wert his Enemy Was ever dying love yea love in dying extended to an enemy before You have heard of two stories one of a Grecian the other of a Roman paire Theseus and Perithous Pilades and Orestes that would have dyed for their friends each for another but hath any offered to dye for his Enemy Moses would offer to have his name blotted out for his people that were Gods people and which he loved but would Moses have done it for a Philistine yet this hath Christ done O love ye the Lord all his Saints 4. Thee that never askt it He was found of them that sought it not Alas mankind lay as well without a tongue to aske as an hand to help themselves and behold Christ pitied them and amongst them thee his love declared from Eternity towards thee had not so much cause in thee as a poore prayer would have amounted to he was not moved by thy sighs and teares but by his owne infinite love 5. Lastly thee that hast still Rebellion in thee Christ said within himselfe when he dyed upon the Crosse Now is my heart-bloud powred out for as vile wretches as any are and for those that I know will requite my bleeding wounds my dying love with new speares and thornes thus he knew that thou wouldst doe in the time of thy unregeneracie yea and after thou shouldst be called too Who lives and sinnes not Now Christian lay these things to thy heart meditate of study out this love and see if thou hast not cause to say My soule and all that is within me my tongue and all that is without me praise the Lord. But O remember Christian Remember Burnt offering and sacrifice he doth not require but this he requires that thou shouldst doe his will O say Loe I come I am ready to do it But more particularly let me point thee out some particular duties that the Lord requires of thee in a poor answer to his rich Acts of eternall love First hath not he thought his glory too deare to lay aside for a while for thee nor his Word and Truth too dear to pawne for thee nor his bloud too deare to spill for thee hath he valued nothing in comparison of thee O doe thou value nothing in an equall ballance with him be willing to deny thy selfe for him who in every thing hath denyed himselfe for thee Thy Lusts cannot be so pleasing to thee as Christs glory was to him Be content to leave them Thy Honour cannot be so great as his was which he left for thee and became ignoble in our eyes Surely when wee saw him we esteemed him despised smitten of God and afflicted Isa 53. 4. But it was when hee was wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our Iniquities when the chastisement of our peace was upon him and that by his stripes we might be healed Thy Riches cannot be greater than his yet remember him O remember the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who though he was rich yet for your sake became poore that you through his Povertie might be made rich 2 Cor. 7. Thy life cannot be more deare than his yet he valued not his life for thee but powred out his bloud his precious bloud upon the Crosse that through his bloud thou mightest have remission purchased Learne hence Christian a lesson of self-deniall Be content to suffer for him who was content to suffer that he might raise thee value nothing in comparison of him This Lesson had Saint Paul learned Phil. 3. v. 7 8. What things were gaine to me I counted losse for Christ yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may win Christ c. ver 10. That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Looke upon nothing in an equall ballance with him 1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined not to know any thing amongst you save Jesus Christ and him crucified Secondly hath Christ entred into a Covenant and given his word to his Father and kept his word with his Father for you O then learne of him Vow your selves to him and keep the vowes of your lips Say with David Psal 116. ver 16. Ah Lord truly we are thy servants we are thy servants and the sons of thy handmaids for thou hast loosed our bonds Say with David Psal 40. Mine eares hast thou opened and bored them Say Ah Lord we come to doe thy will Christ kept his word with his Father for you Ah keep your word with him pay him the vowes which you have made Thirdly Hath Christ to raise you taken upon him your flesh O then Take ye upon your selves his spirit He hath become for you the childe of man doe you become for him the children of God Be made partakers of the divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. Your Nature was full of imperfection and weaknesse the divine Nature is full of perfection and glory He hath raised you be raised put off your filthy rags and put on change of Raiment Fourthly Hath Christ died that he might raise you from the death of Sinne and from the power of the Second death O then dye to sinne Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry for which things c. The Apostle Saint Paul presseth the great duty of mortification from this very principle Likewise reckon yee also your selves to be dead to sinne but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 11. and so on ver 12 13. Let not sinne therefore reigne in your mortall bodies c. Ah throw away the nailes that pierced your Christ Fifthly Did Christ rise from the dead that he might raise you from the death of sinne O then rise to newnesse of life The Apostle Saint Paul presseth this worke of Vivification also from Christs Resurrection Rom. 6. ver 4. We are buried with him by Baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so we also should walke in newnesse of life and so all along that Chapter Sixthly Hath he
things noted 1. The author of grace unto her I raised thee Jesus Christ the author and finisher of our salvation 2. The meanes of this grace the apples that grow upon Christ the appletree 3. The effect of this grace in her she commeth up out of the wildernesse 4. The instrumentall meanes for the application of meritorious grace that is faith in Jesus Christ she commeth up leaning upon her well-beloved 5. The opinion of others concerning her in this estate of grace 1. She is glorious and creates admiration in some 2. The hidden principle of life in her makes her not to be understood of others all say who is this Here are two great things hinted in the text 1. The misery that the elect are in by nature 2. The happy condition they are in by grace I might handdle the words in order and raise many profitable Doctrines from them But I will only pitch upon 3. which will comprehend all and not handle the text as the words lye in order but according to the order of the things contained in them The 3. I will pitch upon are these 1. That Gods gracious Saints and every one of them though they lye under a gracious ordination to eternall life yet are borne in a lost undone condition 1. They have need of raising 2. they are under not in the apple-tree there their mother brought them forth 2. That it is the Lord Jesus that helpeth his redeemed ones out of this condition I raised thee 3. That by the power of Jesus Christ the Spouse being raised comes up out of every wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved I shall begin with the first Doctrine Doct. 1. That the best of Gods Saints by nature were born in a lost condition in a state of disunion to Jesus Christ there their mother brought them forth there she brought them forth that bare them I say the best though they all of them lye under a saving ordination to eternall life and though many of them may be borne of holy and godly parents yet if you looke upon them as they are by Nature they are in a lost undone condition and had need of a raising Now for the prosecution of this Doctrine I shall 1. prove it by testimony of Scripture 2. I shall open it to you how it comes to passe that they are so borne 3. I shall make application of the Doctrine 1. That they are by Nature in a lost undone condition 1. In respect of finne 2. In respect of punishment Take that pregnant place for it Ephes 2. where the designe of the Apostle is plaine to advance Christ in the hearts of the beleeving Ephesians To this end 1. he discovers what need they had of him that he opens by setting out their sad and wofull condition without him 1. They were dead in trespasses and sins ver 7. 5. 2. They lived according to the Devils wil ruled and acted by him v. 2. 3. They were tainted with the lusts of the flesh and inclined to fulfill the lusts of the flesh and of the mind v. 3. 4. They were Gentiles in the flesh v. 11. 5. They were without Christ 6. Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel 7. Strangers from the Covenant of Promise 8. having no hope 9. Without God in the world ver 12. 10. Afar off irreconciled ver 13 14. 11. To summe up all in a word ver 3. The children of wrath by nature as well as others Children of wrath Active Actively inclined or disposed to nothing but that which will undoubtedly bring downe the wrath of God upon their soules And children of wrath Passive passively being originally so guilty that they deserve and in respect of themselves are liable to the eternall wrath of God And who are these ver 19. They were such as were quickned ver 1. such as v. 19. were now no more strangers and forraigners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God They were borne under the Apple-tree but raised up A second place is that knowne place Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me They are Davids words that man of God that man according to Gods owne heart yet he confesseth he was borne under the Apple-tree there his mother brought him forth he was shapen in iniquity yea in sinne did his mother conceive him I will add but that one place more Ez. 16. Where God setting out the native condition of his Church sets it out by the resemblance of a new borne infant For her parents her father was an Amorite and her mother an Hittite For her owne person In the day wherein she was borne her navell was not cut nor was she washed in water to supple her she was not salted at all nor swadled at all cast out into the open feild to the loathing of her person v. 3. 4. 5. Polluted in her blood v. 6. Yet she was one to whom God had said live v. 6. Whom God had beautified and adorned with speciall graces v. 8. with whom God had made a covenant and she was Gods claime v. 8. v. 9. I passe on to the 2. Question propounded viz. How it comes to passe that all the Saints of God are originally in a lost undone condition The words of the text answer this their mother brought them forth so Adam eat of the tree of forbidden fruit he fell that guilt cleaves to all our natures This the Apostle speaks fully to in the 5 chap. of the Epis to the Romans v. 12. By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne v. 15. Through the offence of one many were made dead v. 18. By the offence of one Judgment came upon all to Condemnation v. 19. By one mans disobedience many were made sinners Quest But here is the question started How the sinne of Adam should leave a defilement upon all his Children to the end of the world because The father hath eaten sowre grapes shall all the childrens teeth be set an edge My intention is not here to dispute like a sophister concerning those many questions about the propagation of Originall sin Quid quaeris apertam rimam Saith Augustine quum habes apertam Ianuam c. what need we seek for a rift for it to creep in when the Apostle hath shewed us an open door for it to come in with a full body he sayes by one man it came into the world not by imitation of his example as the Pelagians dream So he might have said per diabolum intravit that it entred in by the Devill as well as per unum hominem by one man but it entred propagatione carnali by carnal propagation what could be cleane that was borne of a woman M. Perkins sayes it may be done two wayes 1. Adam being a publique person carrying all us in his loynes and God ordering that what he received he should receive for himselfe and all his posterity hereupon Adam Sinning deprived
in the midst of all those troubles and causes of disquietment you will meet with in the world for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the world while you have any thing to doe with it any converse in it yea any beeing in it You who are my disciples whom I have called out of the world you who are not of the world you shall have trouble trouble of all sorts inward outward corporall spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But be of good chear Gather up your spirits Take heart to you nay more bee confident Bee bold and courageous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have overcome the world all the opposition of it I have taken out the sting of every cresse the venome out of every arrow I have overcome the world and what I have done is for you that 's implied If there bee any thing else needfull for the explication of the words you shall have it in the explication of the Doctrine In the words lie these Doctrines plaine 1. In the world Christs Disciples must look for trouble 2. In their trouble they may have peace 3. Christ hath taken care for their peace in the midst of trouble 4. Though the Disciples of Christ meet with trouble in the world yet they ought to be of good cheare 5. Christ's overcomming of the world is a sufficient ground of good cheare for the Saints in the midst of their earthly troubles I cannot runne through all these at large I shall summe up the most of them in one proposition of Doctrine and handle that more fully It is this Doct. That though in the world the true Disciples of Christ must look for troubles yet Jesus Christ hath taken such order that in the midst of their troubles in him they may have peace In the discoursing of this for the more full orderly handling of it I shall doe these things 1. I shall shew you what is meant by THE WORLD what that phrase implies 2. I shall shew you what is meant by troubles and what troubles the true disciples of Christ must looke for in the world 3. I shall shew you the grounds and from what causes Saints troubles in the world arise 4. I shall shew you what peace is and what kind of peace this is that in the Saints troubles they may have in Christ how it is in Christ and how the Saint may draw it out of Christ for himselfe 5. I shall shew you what order what paines Christ hath taken for the Saints peace in the midst of earthly troubles 6. Lastly I shall apply the Doctrine Of all these I shall speak briefely 1. What is meant by the world what doth our Saviour mean by that phrase In the world Shortly the world I conceive is usually made use of in Scripture and to bee taken in Scripture-phrase in one of these three senses First Sometimes for the men of the world and that either largely for all of all sorts without any respect as Joh. 18. 20. I have spoken openly to the world to hearers of all sorts so the Apostle saith Rom 5. 12. By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne all were sinners and all must die Or more Restrictively for some particular sort or company of people in the world and so it is used diversly 1. Sometimes for many of all sorts as Joh. 12. 19. The world is gone after him that is many of all sorts are gone after him 2. Sometimes for the unregenerate onely in opposition to those that are borne againe not of flesh and bloud but of the spirit called and sanctified so Joh. 15. 18 19. If the world hate you you know that it hated me before it hated you c. It is put there in opposition to those that were chosen out of the world v. 19. so Joh. 16. 8. Christ saith that the spirit should reprove the world of sinne 3. Sometimes it is taken for the Reprobates onely not at large for those that were uncalled but yet might bee called but for those that neither were already nor yet ever should be called so Joh. 14. 17. it is said that the world cannot receive the spirit of truth not they had not yet received it but they could not receive it 4. Lastly It is sometimes taken for the Elect which live in the world though they bee the least considerable part of it and the least flock in it so it is taken 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes Surely the Arminians and Universalists themselves must grant that their bold assertion that the world in Scripture is no where taken for the world of the Elect must faile and be dasht in pieces upon that portion of Scripture unlesse they will hold universall Justification and Salvation too as well as universall Redemption That 's the first sense World is used in Scripture For the men of the world Secondly sometimes it is used for the things of the world and that either 1. For the whole fabrick of the creation Heaven and Earth and Sea c So it is taken Joh. 1. 10. The world was made by him the Apostle expounds that place Col. 1. 16. By him were all things created that are in Heaven and Earth visible and invisible c. or 2. Sometimes it is taken for the earth onely so saith Christ Joh. 16. 28. I leave the world that is the earthly part of the world for it followes I goe to the father 3. Sometimes it is taken for the vanities of this world whether the lust of the eyes or the lusts of the flesh or the pride of life according to Saint John's distribution of them 1 Joh. 2. 16. whether ticklings of pleasure or pompe and honour and greatnesse In this sense S. Paul useth it Gal. 6. 14. when hee tels us that the world is crucified to him and he unto the world 4. Sometimes for the profit and traffique of it so you shall find it 1 Cor. 7. 31. using the world as if you used it not it is expounded before where the Apostle advised that those that bought should bee as though they possessed not v. 30. This is a second sense Thirdly somtimes it is used for our state and present condition of life which is in the world so 1 Cor. 7. 3. The Apostle tells us that shee that is married careth for the things of this world that is of this life shee takes care how to live and maintaine her family c. You may in the Text and Doctrine take it in all three senses The Saints 1. While they have to doe with the men of the world in tradings and conversings while they have any thing to doe with them or Secondly 2. While they have any thing to do with the things of this world the pleasures or profits the businesses or tradings of it with any thing of it 3. Or finally While they are in this present life while they have a beeing on this side of
Heb. 3. 17. one reason is given why the Lord Jesus became man and tooke part of flesh and bloud with us that he might be a faithfull High-priest 3. It was requisite that he should thus raise us that he might fulfill the Law for us Now the Law was to be fulfilled two wayes 1. Actively 2. Passively Neither could have been done without the Assumption of our flesh There is not such a contradiction between the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Works as some ignorant Libertines would this day make God gave a Law and his Covenant was doe this and live this is that which we call the Covenant of Works man could not doe it What is Gods mind altered now no such matter God sayes Doe this and live still and if you doe not this you shall dye It was written long since that time Deut. 27. ver 26. Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them And all the people must say Amen to it now as well as they did then But herein is the Covenant of Grace more favourable The Covenant of Works sayes thou shalt personally doe them or dye The Covenant of Grace sayes thou shalt doe it or get Christ to doe it for thee the Covenant of Workes sayes I will take no baile no surety doe it or dye Durus est hic sermo an hard saying who can heare it The Covenant of Grace saith Get me Christs Baile and I will acquit thee if thou beleevest in him Therfore saith the Apostle Gal. 3. 10 11. As many as are of the workes of the Law that look to be justified by their owne workes by their owne righteousnesse in fulfilling the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the Law to doe them Look to it saith the Apostle if you look to be justified by obeying the Law in your owne persons take my word for it you have an hard taske But verse 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law But how was that it followes in the next words Being made a curse for us ver 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ Hee was to fulfill the Law Actively that he might fulfill what we through the weaknes of the flesh could not and in regard that he was to fulfill it for us it was requisite he should have our nature and as hee was to fulfill the Law Actively so in regard that his Elect by their past Transgressions had broken the Law of God Adam for himselfe and all his posterity and the body of death which he knew was to remaine after sanctification in his Elect ones would lay them open to hell He also was to fulfill the Law Passively for us therefore saith the Apostle He hath redeemed us from the eurse of the Law Now he tells you how that was verse 13. by being made a curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangs upon a tree Now hee could not have been in capacity of being subject to the curse of the Law by hanging upon the tree for us unlesse he had taken upon him our flesh Nay yet a Fourth Reason may be given why it was necessary that Jesus Christ should raise up his redeemed ones by the assuming their flesh viz. That he might be a mercifull High-Priest It is the Reason that the Apostle gives Hebr. 2. verse 17. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to bee made like unto his brethren that hee might bee a mercifull and faithfull High-Priest in all things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people for in that hee himselfe suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted I shall adde nothing to it Thus he raised us by Assuming of our flesh which in order to our raising it was necessary for him to doe 3. He raised us Passione by his precious death upon the Crosse his falling was our rising his life our death The chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes wee are healed His owne bloud was the balme from Gilead as well as himselfe the Physitian there Now in order to the raising of his Elect ones it was requisite that he should dye 1. That he might satisfie 2. That he might conquer 1. That he might satisfie and purchase Remission He that will redeem any slave out of Captivity must pay the summe of Redemption-money required Now Death was that which could alone satisfie for the redeemed ones It was the Lords first Law In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die temporally and eternally Now a death must be paid or justice is not satisfied therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 9. 22. Without blood there is no remission he therefore dyed for our sinnes saith the Apostle he was our sacrifice 1 Cor. 4. 7. And he is no sacrifice till slaine This was typified by the slaying of beasts for sacrifices in the old Law which God required of all those that would obtain pardon And in regard that man had deserved hell as well as death Christ by dying that he might raise us and and make the face of God againe to shine upon us was content to suffer the withdrawings of his Fathers love and to feele as it were the paines of hell to raise us to the joyes of heaven Secondly as it was necessary in order to our raising that Christ should dye to the intent that he should satisfie for us so it was also necessary that he should dye that he might conquer for us This the Apostle fully expresseth Heb. 2. 14 15. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death even the Devill and deliver them who through feare of death were all their life-time subject to bondage Christ was to lead Captivity captive to take away deaths sting and hels victory which he could not have done without wrastling with death himselfe had he not been deaths captive he had never been deaths conquerour Hee raised us by dying for us 4. He hath raised us Resurrectione by rising againe from the dead therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 4. 25. He was delivered to death for our offences and rose againe for our justification Now his Resurrection had and hath an influence upon raising his Elect ones 1. By witnessing to them Christs conquest for them and therefore the Apostle makes the worke of satisfaction for us to be proper to his death and the worke of our justification he appropriates to his Resurrection Rom. 4. 25. When he dyed he went downe that he might conquer but it was his comming up out of the grave that witnessed his conquest over death and hell It was in that day that this Song was sung O death where is thy sting O hell
where is thy victory When the Prisoner is freed it is a signe the debt is paid or the Gaoler beaten It was a signe of both in Christ as that the debt was paid due to his Fathers justice so also that death and hell were beaten 2. Christs Resurrection had an influence upon our raising by quickning us Col. 2. 12. Buried with him in Baptisme wherein you are also risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead And being dead in your sinnes hath be quickned together with him c. Col. 3. 1. If then ye be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above and ver 2. Set your affections on things which are above c. We are risen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him and this should quicken us and strength derived from Christs Resurrection by faith doth quicken the Saints of God to live to God as becomes the redeemed ones of the Lord. 3. It hath an influence upon our raising by being a pledge to us of our owne rising unto everlasting glorie to live with that Christ who was dead and is alive againe This the Apostle fully proves in that fifteenth Chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians from the thirteenth Verse to the five and twentieth Now I take by raising I raised thee not onely to be understoed of the work of Redemption but also all the privileges that from that worke of Redemption flow out of course to the servants of God being but as severall steps from one of which to another the Saint is raised till hee bee got to the toppe staire of glory Christ hath raised us by his owne rising from the pit of the grave 5. He hath raised us by his Ascension and sitting at the right hand of his Father Now Christs Ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father hath an influence upon our raising these wayes 1. In going before hee provides a place for us Take this out of his owne mouth John 14. 2. I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there you may be also Christ is now preparing Mansions for his redeemed ones for in his Fathers house are many Mansions never a Saint of his shall want a seat or a roome in glory 2. In going he hath raised us in being our Way He being ascended and with the Father wee have through him a way unto the Father John 14. verse 6. I am the way hee was the way by which the Father came to us he communicated himselfe unto us in and by and through the Lord Jesus Christ and hee is our way by which wee goe to God whatsoever we aske in his Name if we believe we shall receive it we shall receive it The Saint could not pray with comfort if he did not remember that Rev. 13. 8. There is an Angell that stands before the Throne to whom much Incense is given to offer up the prayers of his people unto God But knowing we have a friend in the Court we offer up our prayers with boldnes and a great confidence in his goodnesse 3. His Ascension hath an influence upon our raising in that wee know now we have an Advocate with the Father even Christ Alas with what comfort can the child of God whose conscience the Lord hath awakened to consider his daily sinnes and corruptions thinke upon God or look up unto God if he did not know Christ were with him But now that Christ is with his Father wee know 1 Joh. 2. 1. That if any man sinne wee have an Advocate with the Father even Christ the righteous Hebr. 7. 25. He is therefore able to save them to the utmost that come unto God through him because he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Rom. 8 27. yea and verse 34. Now Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand who also maketh Intercession for us Observe there how the Apostle gives Christ ascension and sitting at the hand of God as the proximate cause of our Intercessor his Death and Resurrection made him not our Intercessor his Death made him our Saviour his Resurrection our Conqueror but his Ascension and sitting at the right hand of God hath ultimately made him in a capacity to bee our Advocate and Intercessor Thus he hath raised us by Ascension Yea 4. His Ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father hath an influence upon our raising in that now from thence he giveth gifts unto men Ephes 4. 8. When hee ascended up on high he led Captivity Captive and gave gifts unto men The Psalmist Psalme 68. 18. from whence that passage is taken saith he received gifts for men he received them from his Father Now saith the Apostle when hee led Captivity Captive he distributed these to men As Conquerors use when they have taken the spoile to deale it out in gifts What gifts The Apostle expounds it in part ver 11. He gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists In short I take to be meant by it all the gifts of Gods Spirit whether of common or speciall grace whether externall or internall gifts for the benefit of the Church and gifts for the benefit of our soules Nay the descending of the Spirit was a fruit of Christs Ascension See it Joh. 14. 16. John 16. 7. I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Now it is plaine that the internall gifts of the Spirit and workes of it are fruits of Christs Ascension as well as the more common and externall gifts given in the dayes of Pentecost from the 14. of Joh. ver 16. where Christ promiseth them that the comforter which upon his departure he would send to them should abide with them for ever And thus I have shewed you now what course the Lord Jesus Christ hath taken to raise his redeemed ones that had lost all their life and strength and comfort in Adam out of this their lost condition thus he did it meritoriously These were his acts for us But now to what purpose is all this for any soules wounds that there is Balme in Gilead that there is a Phisitian there without the Balme bee applyed to its soul 6. Lastly therefore as Christ hath meritoriously thus raised the whole number of the Elect ones so he Particularly and Actually raiseth each one of those whom hee hath purchased by his bloud by applying himselfe unto each of their soules Now for the manner of this Application the blessed Apostle describes it Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom hee did predestinate them he also called and whom hee called them he also justified and