can happen to His There can be no other Event of them but what He setly intended The least of His Purposes shall never suffer disappointment much less that great Design of Men's Salvation by the Death of Jesus Christ For 1. The Thing it self iâ— feasible Millions of Souls are gon to Heaven on His accompt 2. It was so wisely contrived That all Interests concern'd are secured and satisfied God is Just in Jâ—stifying The Sinner saved even whiles Vengeance is taken on his Sins and Christ well pleased with a Seed to serve Him 3. The way of obtainment is such as will certainly compass the End The Divine Power is engaged in it which rests not in the least on the concourse or compliance of any frustrable Instrument 4. His Heart cannot be taken off from it It is That which His blessed thoughts have run upon from Eternity and those Thoughts of His stand fast to all Generations And 5. No higher Power can supersede His Decree He is Sovereign Lord and controlleth all There he divers Arguments which readily offer to confirm the Matter in hand I. The first is from the Nature and Import of Redemption Arg. 1. It was not the mere depositing of the Ransom demanded as a pledge to secure the Creditor's Satisfaction in case the Treaty took effect Nor was it such a pledge as might be resum'd or paid-back in case it succeeded not Neither yet was the Price of that undervalue and imperfection as to need the addition of any thing from without it self to make it effectual But such a Price it was so paid so accepted and so qualified as for ever concludes all Parties and Interests concern'd in it It was in all respects Adequate to and worthy of the Purchase design'd by it Redemption is a term of large comprehension It is next to Election and carries in it All that Election hath Chosen us to It does not barely make Men Releasable or Capable of pardon but the Actual and Eternal Deliverance from Sin Satan Death and the Law together with the full and perfect Salvation of Redeemed Ones is included in it And this is not barely affirm'd but evident proof will make it good A Witness or two for each of these 1. The Redemption wrought by Christ imports Satisfaction Without this the World had not been Reconciled Nor could it be said the pleasure of the Lord had prospered in His hand But both these are affirm'd Isa 53. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 18 and 19. and Heb. 2. 17. expresly That He made Reconciliation for the Sins of the People Yea our Grand Creditour proclames Himself satisfied by His sending from Heaven to Release our Surety 2. Justification or Deliverance from Guilt Eph. 1. 7 In whom we have Redemption through His blood the forgiveness of Sins Gal. 3. 13 Christ hath Redeem'd us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us He blots out the Hand-writing against us Nailing it to His Cross Col. 2. 14. 3. It imports the vanquishing and binding of the Strong Man who would not else have let-go the Prey By death He destroyed Him who had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2. 14. By the blood of His Cross He spoiled Principalities and Powers and triumphed over them Col. 2. 15. 4. Freedom from the power of sin Rom. 6. 6 Our old Man was Crucified with Him that henceforth we should not serve Sin Upon which it follows Sin shall not have dominion over you ver 14. 5. Inherent Holyness or Sanctification Col. 1. 21 You that were somtimes enemies in your mind now hath He reconciled in the Body of His flesh through death to present you Holy c. ver 22. We are sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ Heb. 10. 10. and Rom. 6 18 Being then made free from Sin ye became the Servants of Righteousness And that it was by virtue of Christ's death appears by ver Heb. 9. 14. 8 For if we be dead with Christ we shall also live with Him 6. It likewise imports Resurrection Joh. 6 54 55 I will raise Him at the last day For my flesh is meat indeed that is as Crucified Christ dying was the death of death Hos 13. 14. 7. It also extends to the actual possessing of Redeemed ones with blessedness and Glory Rom. 8. 30. Whâ—m He justified them He glorified Liberty of entring into the holiest is by the blood of Jesus Heb 10. 19. and Rev. 5. 9 10. That hast Redeemed us unto God by thy blood and hast made us Kings and Priests It is the voice of Those in Heaven Now All these are in Redemption they proceed out of Christ's fulness as a Redeemer And for this cause it was that Paul cared not to know any thing but Jesus Christ and Him Crucified It is true That the Resurrection of Christ His Ascention Sitting at God's right hand and Intercession have their respective influence into every of those particulars aforenamed but they all spring from His Crucifixiâ—n If He had not dyed He had not been a Priest for ever as He is after the order of Melchisedeck Heb. 9. 12. II. Another Argument is from the inestimable worth and dignity of the Ransom that was given Arg. 2. It was the life of the Son of God Matth. 20. 28. Heaven and Earth will bear no proportion in value to this price of Redemption which therefore could not be parted-with for a doubtful or uncertain Purchase In this lies the stress of the Apostle's Argument Who when He would set forth the happy estate of God's Elect and prove them above the Reach of danger He doth it in two words but very significant ones Christ hath dyed Who shall condemn It is Christ that dyed Rom. 8. 38. The Eminency of the Person and the sufferings He submitted to as they greatly illustrate His love to Men So they strongly affirm and insure the event of His death If reconciled to God by the death of His Son much more Saved by His life Rom. 5. 10. It may truly be said of every one He died for Ezek. 18. 9. He is just He shall surely live But this in the same respect and sense as those then unborn were said to be sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ Heb. 10. 10. And their Old Man to be crucified with Him Rom. 6. No Man is actually justified till he actually believes But Repentance and Faith being purchased by Christ for those He died for They shall as certainly be made to Repent and Believe as that Christ died for them Phil. 1. 29. III. The Righteousness of Christ is more prevalent and effectual to His Seed Arg. 3. than Adam's transgression was to his All his Posterity indeed fell under the Curse by it yet so that there was still through the Intervention of Grace a possibility of Release But the Righteousness of Christ hath so perfectly recovered and ' stablished His Seed that their justified '
ever liveth to make Intercession for Those He died for Heb. 7. 25. There is great weight put upon this in Rom. 8. 34 Who is he that Condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is Risen again Who also maketh Intercession for us And the sum of His Prayer is 1 That Those given to Him might be kept from evil John 17. 15. 2 That they might be One in the Father and Himself v. 21. And 3 That they may be Where He is to behold His Glory v. 24. Now then If the Salvation of Those He died for was the End of His death If it be the Father's Will that they should be saved If also this Salvation be the Thing for which He prays Joh. 11 22. And whatsoever He asketh of God He will give it It needs must follow That the End of His death cannot be frustrate Inferences I. This Doctrine Infer 1. holding forth the Impossibility of Frustrating the end of Christ's death is a Manifest proof and Argument for the Doctrine of Peculiar Redemption before asserted For If the Salvation of Those He died for was the End of His dying and the Intent of His death cannot be frustrate Then He had not in His eye and design the Salvation of them that are Not Saved II. It gives Believers high encouragement in their Conflict against sin Infer 2. For if our old Man was Crucified with Christ That the body of sin might be destroyed in us and the intent of His death cannot be frustrate Then sin shall not have Dominion over you Than which there is Nothing more strengthens your hands in fighting against sin as is Argued in Rom. 6. 6 12 14 and 22 verses The truth is We have nothing to do in comparison but to take the prey for the enemy is beaten to our hand Eleazar slew 2 Sam. 23. 10. and the people return'd after him only to Spoil So is it here Our business now is to display our General 's Trophees To tell of His Victories and prepare our selves for His triumph That we may be suitable Attendants on Him at that Glorious and long'd-for Day There are Stragling parties indeed who watch for our halting and seldom else can they have advantage against us But their heart is broken and if followed in our Captain 's victorious Name they 'l still be Recoiling Nothing daunts them more than to see you stand to it Your Adversary would make you a Bridge of Gold or any thing even to the half of his Kingdom so you would sound a Retreat or speak no more in that Name Gird up therefore the loyns of your Mind let an holy Magnanimity possess you as knowing your Conflict shall end in your being Crown'd You Run not for an Vncertainty therefore fight not as they that beat the air For it is Nevertheless true that your enemy is stubborn and your constant pursuit will make him desperate Since he may not have quarter he 'l do all he can Not to die alone He will stand on his Stumps when his legs are off or lye on his back and fight for his Malice is implicable He will never give-over till quite out of breath and yet he will not be quite without whiles we have any We must expire together But here lies the odds That We dying in the Conflict shall rise again with Marks of honour and our Laurel hold green to Eternity yea we shall sit with our Glorious Captain in His Triumphal Chariot Rev. 3. 21. but our enemy lies in eternal silence and his Name shall Rot or be Remembred only to Greaten our Glory Only as before be sure you stand to it set your face as a flint as your Lord and Master did and know That as he was not Confounded so neither shall you All that he had you have on your side and the Merit of His improvement added to it What Power the Father gave to Him He delegates to you even a power over all the power of the enemy As it were an Antidote or Supersedeas to invalidate all that comes against you Wherefore then should we doubt Though they come about you like Bees In the Name of the Lord you shall destroy them Remember the advantages you have Besides the bruifing of your enemie's head and that incurably your own Head is in Heaven and He is there as on a Mount to behold both yours and your enemies posture and to send-in relief which He never fails to do at a dead lift And He makes intercession for you whiles you are fighting His hands are up and never weary and therefore you may be confident of success It was by virtue of His prayer that Peter's faith did not fail when there was but an hairs breadth between him and death Pro. 30. 4. Jer. 31. 10 11. The Devil Winnow'd but Christ stood-by and held the Wind in Hist fist The Lord will keep His people because He hath Redeemed them III. Since the Lord hath So firmly Secured the blessedness of His Redeemed Ones Infer 3. Then let None who hope themselves of that happy Remnant darken their evidences Do Nothing Omit Nothing whereby your Interest in Redemption may be rendred doubtful to you lest you loose the Comfort and Strength which the Lord intends His People by thus firmly insuring of it IV. This also Confirms the Doctrines of Peculiar and Absolute Election Infer 4. Effectual Calling and Final Perseverance As is very obvious to them that will seriously Mind it Every of which hath something of that kind under those respective heads And so I come to Effectual Calling as the next great effect of peculiar Redemption OF Effectual Calling THe Doctrine of Calling which I term Effectual to distinguish it from that which is Outward only and prevails not respects the Means whereby and the Manner how God's Elect are actually prepared for that Salvation He hath chosen them to It is God's revealing His Son in them and He doth it by the Holy Ghost whose office it is to Sanctifie Whom the Father hath Elected and Christ Redeemed These three acts of Grace are peculiar to the Three Persons respectively as ye have it in Jude v. 1. Next to the Glory of His Grace and the honour of His Son the Lord hath placed the Blessedness of His People as the principal End and Scope of all He hath done in the World or will do till He foldeth it up It could not therefore stand with His holy wisdom to leave those He was pleased to choose unto Salvation to the conduct of their own Understanding and Will with such other helps as they have in common with other Men and thereon to hang the whole of His great design For by such a course it would not only be frustrable but certainly defeated For prevention whereof and that the purpose of His Grace might stand He hath made it of the very substance of Predestination to prepare and apply the Means as well as to appoint the End
and Prun'd-off Joh. 15. 2. the true Branches are preserved and Cherished They shall bring-forth fruit in their old age Pâ— 92. 14. 1 Joh. 3. 2 9. chap. 2. 27. 2 ep Joh. v. 2. They that are Now i. e. Once They that are Once the Children of God shall never be Otherwise save only in a greater likeness to their Father And tho' their living on Him and their likeness to Him be very weakly especially at times as the Natural life of Infants is yet being born they must be kept And the Will and Care of their Father is Eph. 4. 13. To Nurse them up to a Perfect Man You ' I say perhaps That never had any such cause of Complaint as you and possibly it may be so To be sure you know not that They had And those you compare your self with have said as much of themselves and they had the like Cause for our hearts are fashion'd alike Onely each one best knows the plague of his own Agur a Man of great Wisdom and Holiness says of himself That he was more brutish than any Man Prov. 30. 2. But suppose it be true That Others corruptions have not broke-out as yours have done yet May not this put your faith to a â—tand Much less Make you weary Recoil or to faint in your Minds For the same Grace that prevented them can pardon you and will if you cast your self upon it Ye may indeed be allow'd to complain of your sins for Nothing els have ye to complain of Therfore Complain and Cry-out as loud as you will Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death But withall Betake you to the same Refuge that he did ver 25. abide by it I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Here you may triumph over all both Complaints and the Causes of them It must always be granted That to Overcome Sin Combin'd Intrench'd and fortifi'd as it is is a great Undertaking and must be gon-through with There is no Retreit to be sounded Nor Armour provided for your back Every Mother's son must either kill or be kill'd in this Combate There 's no Compounding the Difference Nor discharge in this Warfare till the day be perfectly Won But What a Recruit is there levied and always stands ready as a sure Reserve viz. That though the Conflict be sharp the success is sure In order whereto amongâ—t other Rules and Articles of War bear in mind these few following 1. Intangle not your self but shun and avoid whatever may prove a clog or unfit you for duty 2. Exercise yourself in things that will teach you to handle your Arms and tending to Nourish your faith 3. Stand on your Guard watchfully that ye be not surprised by sudden excursions or under pretence of friendship 4. Arm your self with the same Mind that was in Christ set your face as a flint and conclude That ye shall not be confounded 5. Submit to the place your General hath set you in It must have been some bodie 's lot and why not yours and the hotter it is the more honourable 6. Look that ye fight with proper weapons which are onely to be had at the Covenant of Grace and the Cross of Christ And There they are never wanting And be sure ye go not down to the Philistines either to forge or sharpen 7. Fight not as one that beats the ayr but as having indeed a sturdy adversary to deal-with whom yet you are sure to Overcome 8. Look still on your Captain to observe what He says and Does and do likewise To take-up your Cross and endure hardship are necessary accoutrements to a Soldier of Christ 9. Wait on the Lord to Renew your Strength who then bestirrs Himself most when your strength is gon Then He lays hold upon Shield and Buckler Ps 35. 2. and stands-up for your help 10. Lastly and to Influence all Mind the Lord of his Covenant even Then when it may be your self think on it with trouble as doubting your interest in it Pray Him to remember it for you and with the same Good-will wherewith He made it Beseech Him to look-on His Bow in the Cloud which Himself hath set there as a sure sign between God and you That tho' the skies be Red and lowring The Clouds return after the Rain and the Billows go-over your head you shall not be deluged by them By this it is that ye are hedged-about and walled-up to Heaven Therefore Stand not like Men in suspense as unresolved to fall-on or doubtful how to come-off But On On the day 's your Own The Lord of Hosts pursues them And let all the Sons of God shout for joy Sixthly Infer VI. since Believers onely are interessed in the Covenant and that Faith is a Necessary Instrument which the Covenant wil not work without without which you cannot work with it Nor see your Interest in it Look-well to your Faith first That it be of the right kind viz. such as Renounces Self lives upon Grace And then having found it such Be sure ye keep it well and improve it to the utmost Two uses especially are to be made of it 1 As your Shield to supply the place of all other peeces of your Armour when broken or loose as well as to safeguard them when they are whole and Tite about you If your helmet be out of the way and fiery darts come pouring down Hold up your Faith between your head and them Faith is the truest quench-coal to the fire of hell If your Sword be forgot or laid-aside or wants an edge c. your Shield if well applyed will Retort your enemies weapons on his own Pate 2 Faith is your spiritual Optick which shews you things of Greatest Moment and Not Otherwise Visible Even Chariots and horsmen of Fire are not discernible without it If temptations from the World do indanger you Turn your Faith that way and through it view and consider how Shallow and short-liv'd the pleasures of it are and how Momentany your sufferings Then look-at the World to come The Glory of it and your interest in it And how much your Crown will be Brightened by the scowrings you have pass'd-under here and dwell on the contemplation of it Bend not your eye so much on the peril or length of your passage as on the long'd-for shore that lies beyond it And reckon the Surges of that dreadfull gulph which is yet betwixt you and It but as so many strokes to waft you Thither Heb. 11. 26. This was the course that Moses took and Christ Himself Nothing so blunts the edge of Satan's temptations Chap. 12. 2. or the World's as this Faith of God's Elect. Therefore see that you hold-fast your Faith Keep it as your life keep That and it will keep you and let it not go until ye die Then indeed it will leave you because then it will have done
that this Power belongs to God no other Reason needs be assign'd but that He is God and there is nâ—ne besides him There can be no more because 1 There can be but one Infinite for such a being fils Heaven and Earth and so no place or room for another 2 There can be but one Omnipotent For He that is such hath all others under his feet Besides where One can do all more would be impertinent 3 There can be but one Supream Supream power may reside in Many as in mixt Monarchies and Common-wealths but as Law-makers and Supream they are but One. 4 There can be but one first Cause from which all being else derive their Original and that is this blessed One we are speaking of Of whom and for whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. And if he be the Author of all he needs must have a Sovereign Right and Power to determine all as to their being so also to their Order Efficacy and End It is a Truth so natural and obvious to Reason it self that other proof seems as needless as that the Sun is the fountain of light Nor shall I suppose that any who will read this discourse can so far forget themselves to be Creatures as to seek a proof of their Creators Sovereignty The things that are seen so loudly proclaiming his Eternal power and Godhead But since with our easy admitting the Notion it is none of the smallest difficulties to own it in our practise and bear our selves answerably towards him Since also so huge a weight is born on the shoulders of this Supream Attribute and our souls are so highly concern'd in the interest and influences of it it needs must be our duty and well worthy our time to look or the Instances of it and to mark and consider them well as things greatly importing our Instruction whereby we may know something of the Greatness of that God in whose hands our souls are as also of our infinite distance from him and nothingness to him and so with the more humbleness of mind and self-abasement as also with the more Faith and Creature-like affiance submit unto him and bear our selves upon him To this end the Scriptures have inrolled divers Ensignes of Sovereignty by which as by so many footsteps we are led to the Absolute Will and Power of God as the Cause and Ruler of all The Great Act of Sovereignty was Gods Decree for making the World and of doing or permitting to be done what ever should be in it to the folding of it up The Heavens and the Earth and all the hosts of them as yet had no being It was at his pleasure whether he would make them or not And if he would what being he would give them to what End and how that end should be accomplished And that these were all ascertain'd by the Decree is evident For known unto God were all his works which he would do in time from the beginning of the World Acts 15. 18. The scheme and substance whereof and I hope without intrusion may be drawn to this effect That the Great God being infinitely good and blessed in himself was also infinitely prompt and well-pleased to Communicate of that his blessedness To which end he designed to raise up Creatures Angels and Men That for the manifestation of his Sovereignty He would confirm a certain number of those Angels in their primitive state leaving the rest to themselves Who falling from that state should be cast down and reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day That in this lower World he would set up the first Man to be the head and Representative of all that should come of him That this single person should be created in the Image of God fit to enjoy Communion with him and endued with power to abide therein That to manifest the weakness of Creatures and their perpetual dependence upon God he would thus leave him to his first stock and being so left the fallen Angeâ— tempting him to disobedience and also prevailing both himself and all his posterity by this Revolt should fall under the curse That for the declaration of his Sovereign Grace He would and accordingly did choose a certain number of Adam's posterity and ordain them to eternal life And to make known the power of his wrath and his just displeasure against sin he would leave the Rest in that state of perdition they would bring themselves into That of these Vessels of wrath Satan himself whom they chose to follow should be the Head and Ruler as also over them that were Elected for a time viz. until the Messiah their true and proper Head and into whom he had chosen them should rescue them out of his power That to this end and that he might also be known to be just as well as Merciful in justifying of them the Son of God should take on him the place of a second Adam and come into the world with an humane body In which he should fullfil all Righteousness and by the infinite virtue and merit of his death should satisfy the Law in all its demands destroy the Devil dissolve his works and Reconcile the Elect unto God That he should be raised again from the dead and invested with all power befitting the Captain of their Salvation and so might effectually minister to them whatever should be requisite for bringing those his Sons to glory This I take to be the sum of God's Decree the Great Ensigne or Standard Royal of Sovereignty whereof all the other Ensigns are Effects or consequents and subordinate thereto The first visible Ensign of Sovereignty was Creation or God's giving the World an actual existence in time according to his Decree from everlasting Bringing that huge yet void and formless Mass at first out of Nothing and then this glorious fabrick out of that Confusion His hanging the Earth upon nothing His assigning to every sort of Creatures Job 26. 7. such Form and Station Order Use and Efficacy and impressing on them such Laws and Instincts of nature as seemed him good which also was effected by his word what he would was done with that immediate suddenness as if the things themselves had proceeded with his breath Ps 33. 9. Gen. 1. 3. v. 9. Ps 104. 3. The instant production of light The waters seperating from the other Elements and gathering into a body and their going up and down to the place He had sounded for them with many others of which ye have an Index in the first of Genesis are witnesses of it as also His so fixing this ' stablishment that they continue this day according to his Ordinance Ps 119. 91. Consequent to this as a second Ensign of Sovereignty is that universal Providence by which the Creation is sustained and all inferiour Causes guided to their designed End and this notwithstanding all supposeable accidents which might possibly come between to obstruct or divert them And that
It is sometimes called The Way of life Prov. 12. 28. Sometimes the fountain and well-spring of life Chap 14. 27. And it tendeth to life Rom 11. 16. Chap. 19 22. For if the Root be holy the branâ—hes cannot be otherwise 'T is so likewise with Sin Death follows Sin not onely as a punishment for delinquency but as its natural off-spring Original corruption is the Root Pro. 23. 29 30. Sin the Stalk that grows next upon it and Death the finishing or full corn in the ear This pedigree of it ye have in James Chap. 1. 14 15. If there were no Justice to Revenge Sin Sin would be vengeance to it self Sinners lie in wait for their own blood Pro. 1. 18. Pro. 13. 21. It is their own wickedness that corrects them Jer. 2. 19. The way of Sin inclineth to death and its footsteps to the Dead Ch 2. 18. Ch. 5. 5. Its steps take hold on â—ell Vnbelief may be an instance for all as out of which all Sins else are derived This was the Root of Adam's apostacy Num. 14. 11. Rom. 11. 20. Heb. 3. 12. and of all that Peoples Rebellions in the Wilderness Faith is that which holds the Soul to God its life and blessedness Vnbelief its departing from Him or the letting go of its hold the loosing of the knot upon which the Soul falls off of its own accord And the first step from God sets in a way of Death As a branch breaking off from its Stock dies of itself This was Adam's unbelief In all Men since it is a Refusing to Return This Doctrine is still further confirm'd by the general unanimous consent and affirmation of Those best able to Judge Arg. 7. 1. They assert it Job a Man of great Wisdom and integrity Not his like in all the Earth Job 1. 8. and none so sorely afflicted yet sayes Elihu to him by way of Counsel as what himself would do in the like case I will ascribe Righteousness to my Maker Job 36. 3. And Surely God will not pervert Iudgement Chap. 34. 12. God is known i. e. He is known to be God by the Judgements which He executeth Psal 9. 16. The Lord is Vpright there is no Vnrighteousness in Him Psal 92. 15. He loveth Righteousness and hateth Iniquity Psal 45. 6 7. The Scepeer of his Kingdome is a Right Scepter ver 6. Righteousness and Judgement are the habitation of His Throne Ps 97. 2. Deut. 32 4. Rev 19. 2. That True and Righteous are his Judgements is the voice of those in Heaven 2 They submit to it even then when most provoked by Mens injurious dealings with them for His sake and when the Lord 's own hand hath been most severe towards them Aaron held his Peace Levit. 10. 3. It is the Lord saith Eli let Him dâ—as seemeth Him good 1 Sam. 3. 18. 2 K. 20 19. Hezekiah also Good is the word of the Lord. Yea they have done thus when by the light of natural Reason they could see no reason for it Witness Job who when plundred of all because he feared God and eschewed evill and could justifie himself to the height as to any hypocrisy Job 9. 15. yet sayes he I will make supplication to my Iudge Look on our Lord and Saviour Himself and see His confession Our father 's cried unto thee and were delivered But I Ps 222. 4. though day nor night I am not silent Thou hearest me not How does He close His complaint Not Thou dealest morâ— hardly with Me who less have deserved it but Thou art Holy Jeremy indeed began to object because the way of the wicked prospered and they were happy that dealt treacherously But he presently bethinks himself withdrawes his plea and yields the cause Ier. 12. 1. Bighteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee I might instance the Suffrage even of wicked Men and of the most obdurate among them whose Consciences at times have enforced their confession of this Truth and the testimony of an Adversary proves strongly â— haraoh subscribes to it The Lord is Righteous I and my People are wicked Exod. 9. 27. As also doth Adonibezek and Saul Judg. 1. 7. 1 Sam. 24. 17 19. 3 The Saints triumph in the Righteousness of God as well they may and call upon others to do the like The Lord Reigneth Let the Earth rejoyce Psal 93. 97. 99. O Let the Nations be glad and sing for joy Ps 67. 4. Ps 96. 11 13. For thou shalt judg the People Righteously Let the Heavens rejoyce and the Earth be glad before the Lord For He cometh For He cometh to judge the Earâ—h Rom. 53. c. And hence it was that Paul and the rest of them though the present sense of their suffering was grievous yet they gloried in them And Rejoyced greatly in hopes of that Glory 2 Tim. 4. 8. and Crown of Righteousness which God as a Righteous Judge had prepared for them Eightly Arg. VIII The Righteousness of God is yet further illustrated by The End and Event of his darkest dispensations Isa 10. 22. The consumption decreed shall overflow with Righteousness and Nothing else shall be in it His people though long under oppression He brought them forth at last with the greater Substance His leading them about in the Wilderness as it were in a Maze fourty years together and bringing them back again to the place they had bin at many yeares afore Ps 107. 7. yet it proved to be the Right way And it was for their good in the latter end Deut. 8. 16. Davids long persecution by Saul made him the fitter for the Kingdom and adapted him for the Office of principal Secretary to the Great King opportunely acquainting him with all the affairs of the heavenly State and Councel that are fit to be known of men And by his hand and experience they are Firmed to us and this amongst the Rest Blessed is the Man whom Thou chastenest Ps 94. 12. and teachest him out of thy Law We see it also by the end the Lord made with Job Job 23. 10. 42. 12. He brought him forth like gold and doubled His blessings upon him The Basket of good figs were sent into captivity for their good Jer. 24. 5. Phil. 1. 19 Paul's afflictions turn'd to his Salvation Even Christ himself whose temptations sorrows and sufferings where such as never were known by Men Heb. 2. 17 18. they were intended and accordingly did perfect and inable Him for His Office of Mediator Lastly Arg. IX Consider the Elect those precious Soules whom the Lord had loved from everlasting and determin'd to bring them to Glory yet having sinn'd Not one of them shall enter there without satisfaction first given to His Justice Ro 3. 26. Heb. 6. 20. with Ch. 9. 12 23 Even These He will not Justifie but in such a way as to be Just in so doing The Mercy-Seat it self must
Arg. 4. as of Christ's That Man or humane Body which the second Person was to Assume and Unite to Himself was not Ordain'd to that Union upon any Condition whatever as namely If He should fullfil all Righteousness Destroy the Devil dissolve his works and make Attonement for sin For these He could never have done without that Union And that His Ordination thereto was Absolute appears by Heb. 10 5 A Body hast Thou prepared Me And Luke 1. 35 That Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Matth. 1. 21 He shall save His people from their sins In which places the Absoluteness of the Decree for that Man's being United to the Son of God is evidently set forth And That our Election as to this Circumstance of it holds proportion with that of Christ ye will see more fully afterwards V. It was necessary That Election should be Absolute because of the Absoluteness of God's Decree for the death of Christ Arg 5. unto which He was Fore-ordained unrepealably 1 Pet. 1. 19 20 And all that were saved before He suffered were saved on the Credit of that Decree The Scripture also tells you plainly Rev. 13. 8. That He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Math. 26 39 42. and that it was not possible That Cup should pass from Him And if it be a thing below the prudence of Men to lay down the price without securing the Purchase Then surely the Wisdom of God would never determine the death of His Son for Men's Salvation and leave the Salvation of those very Men at an uncertainty which needs it must be if Election were not Absolute Lastly Arg 6. It might also be argued from the Nature of Divine Promises which are patterns and Declarative Copies of the Decree Now the Promises touching Spiritual blessings are Absolute Ps 119. 89. They are of that Word which is for ever settled in Heaven See the Promises of sending Christ to be a Redeemer Gen. 3. 15. The Holy Ghost to sanctifie and lead into all Truth Joh. 16. 7. To sprinkle clean water upon them Ezek 36. 26 To give them a New heart To cause them to walk in his Statutes That He will be their God and they shall be His people Jer. 24. 7. and shall not depart from Him That if they sin He will Chastise them with the rods of Men but His everlasting kindness He will not take from them And that at last He will present them faultless before the Presence of His Glory Jude ver 24. These all with others of like tenour are delivered in Positive and Absolute Terms without any shew of Reservation Proviso Condition or Hesitation about them And if These which are Transcripts of the Decree be Absolute It followes That the Decree also is the same And on this Ground it is Rom. 8. 33 34. the Apostle stands when he challengeth all the World to Nullifie God's Election which he never would have done had it not been Sovereignly Absolute III. Election is Personal AND IV. It is from Eternity These two I put together in proof because they are frequently joyned in Scripture It was not the whole lump of Mankind that was the Object of Election Nor was this Election as some speak a Decree to Elect such as should happen to be thus and so qualified But Certain Determinate Persons were Chosen by Name or singled out from among the Rest and ordain'd to Eternal life Our Saviour stiles them The Men that were given Him out of the World John 17. 6. And they were Given Him by Name as well as number and by those Names He knows them John 10 3 and 14. And that this Election was transacted from Eternity is evident John 17. 23. with ver 24. Eph. 1. 4. Rev. 13. 8. and Chap. 17. 8. c. These may be Argued I. From the Example of Christ's Election Arg. 1. It was not a person uncertain that was to be Lord and Christ but the Second Person in Humane Nature And this Capacity He sustain'd from Everlasting Pro. 8. 23. 31. Nor was it Any Body which He might assume 1 Pet. 1. 19 20. but that very same numerical Body that was prepared for Him Heb. 10. 5. with Psal 40. 7. And this very Person He loved before the foundation of the World John 17. 24. It is worthy Observation how particular the Decree was even in things Circumstantial to our Lord Christ As that He should come of Abraham's Stock of Judah's Tribe of David's Lineage Be conceived in a Virgin Born at Bethlem and this when the Sceptre was departing from Iudah That He should be Buffeted Scourged Spit-upon hanged on a Tree His hands and His fect pierced That gall and vinegar should be given Him to drink That a bone of Him should not be broken even whiles on both sides of Him they were That His Garments should be parted and lots cast on His Vesture As also That He should rise again the third day c. And that these were all Decreed appears by the Prophesies of them which are the Decree exemplified or Drawn out of the Register As touching His Resurrection It is said Expresly Ps 2. 7. I will declare the Decree And the same is as true of all the Rest And if the Election of the Head was Personal and from Eternity why not theirs that should make up His Body since They did as really exist Then as the Humane Nature of Christ did Besides it was very agreeable That He and They should both be appointed together For He could not be an Head but with respect to a Body And that they were expresly Determin'd of appears by 139 Psa v. 16. In thy book were all my Members written when as yet there was none of them If any say That was meant of David's Members I answer That if God thought the Members of an Earthly body worthy His Registring He could not be less particular and Exact about the Mystical Body of His Son Besides David was His Type Christ also was Ordain'd to be a Saviour and that by His death 1 Pet. 1. 20. and both from the foundation of the World It was therefore expedient Then also to be Determined How many and who in particular should have Salvation by Him He was not To die for Himself but for those whose security He undertook Now it is not a thing proper to speak of Security or Bail but with respect to a Debtor or Offender And that Debtor or Offender must be known too and Named Or else the entring of Bail is an Insignificant Act especially where the Surety hath no debt or default of his own to be charged with Our Lord and Saviour did not offer Himself if I may so speak for some bodie 's sins but uncertain whose Aaron knew Whose Trespasses he offer'd for Their Names were graven on his breast-plate Not their National Name viz. Israelite or
too Else All will be in disorder at once One Act of Faith shall sooner Remove the Mountain than all the Cattle on a Thousand hills Lastly Inference You that have closed with this Truth and having made diligent search do finde in your selves those Marks of God's Elect sit down and take the Comfort of it Let this Joy of the Lord be your strength Eat your bread and drink your wine or Water either with a Merry heart since God hath accepted you If David's heart was so taken with that love which chose him to be King afore the house of Saul how should our Souls be rapt into the third Heaven That We poor unworthy wretched We should be taken into that peculiar favour in which the generality of Men have nothing to do How should it affect our hearts Art thou of those who are Wise or Noble according to the flesh Be filled with an holy Amazement and exultation Rejoyce with trembling That the Great GOD to whom thou wast no more than others thy Consorts that are left and who commonly Chooses the base and foolish thereby to Magnifie His Grace should thus go out of His way to call in thee And hath also made His Call effectual to thee even then when thou wast inviron'd with a world of temptations to obstruct it And if thou be a Man of low degree poor weak foolish of no account among Men even as one that is Not and hath the Lord regarded thee in thy low estate and Magnified thee by setting His love upon thee Hath He taken thee from the dunghill to set thee among Princes even the Princes of the World to come This is that Exaltation which the poor should always Rejoyce in according to James 1. 9. Were you the head instead of being the tail Were the Necks of your enemies under your feet yea were the Devils themselves made subject to you It could not afford you the thousandth part of that Cause of Rejoycing as that your Names are written in Heaven Are other men prosperous in the world and free from trouble whiles you are reduc'd to a low estate and chastened every Morning Have perhaps but an handful of Meal and a little oyl in a Cruze c. yet think not your Portion Mean or hardly dealt out your good things are to come They are growing in the other World And at the time of harvest the Lord will send his Angels for you yea your Lord Himself will come and fetch you thither And you shall be for ever with Him In whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose Right hand are Rivers of pleasures for evermore And then you will Sing The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places At least say so Now. As Abraham dealt by his Concubines children so doth God by the Ishmaels of the world He gives them portions and sends them away But the Inheritance He reserves for His Isaacs To them He gives all that He hath yea even Himself And what can we have more OF REDEMPTION IN this Point we are equally concern'd with that of Election as the Great Comprehensive Means of bringing-about the Greatest End viz. the Glory of God in the Salvation of His Chosen That our Lord Jesus Christ hath a Body or Church to whom He is Head and Saviour is not supposed a Question But Who they are that do make-up this Body Whether the Whole of Mankind universally or Some particular Persons Whether He had in His death the same respect to All as to Some And whether Any of those he died for may miss of the benefits accruing by His death are questions of great Import and worthy a serious deliberation To Resolve which is the scope of the present Discourse The Substance whereof is in three Positions I. That the Body or Church of Christ consists of Elect Persons II. That for These it was that He laid down His life III. That the intent of His death cannot be frustrate For the I of These By this Body or Church of Christ I understand the Designed Subjects of his Spiritual Kingdom or Members of His Mystical Body to whom He was appointed by the Father to be Head and Saviour and They to stand related to Him as their Prophet Priest and King Which threefold office He bears peculiâ—rly towards the Elect The Church of the First-born and heirs of the World to come And of These doth His Body consist i. e. It is made-up of These exclusive to Others Their number is certain and intire and cannot be broken either by Addition or Diminution Of this the Tabernacle was a figure 1. In respect of its Symmetry or Proportion of parts which induced a singular beauty upon it Towards which Nothing could be added nor any thing abated 2. In that all the parts and Dimensions thereof were predetermined of God and not left in the least to humane Arbitrement or Contingency And these are expresly said to be Patterns of things in the Heavens Heb. 9. 23. ch 12. 23. that is Of the Heavenly Temple or Church of the First-born which are written There This Couclusion is drawn from sueh premises as these 1. In that our Lord and Saviour so manifestly shews Himself concern'd for the Elect as having some peculiar Interest and Propriety in them and charge of them With These his delights were from Everlasting Prov. 8. And as soon as they were actually in being He began His actual Converses with them and therein did even confine Himself to the Elect Seed With what unbelievable Patience and Goodness did He superintend the Church or Elect Nation Aâ—ts 7. 46 48. fourty years together in the Wilderness bearing them as on Eagles wings and tendring them as the Apple of His eye And when he dwelt upon Earth He went not beyond the bounds of the Holy Land where also all His delight was among the Saints Ps 16. 3. These He made his Consorts and Men of His Councel And when ye find Him with others it was for the Elect's sake that were among them How frequently and with what well-pleasedness doth He speak of These Professing His love to them and that according to the highest patern John 15. 9. As the Father bath loved Me so have I loved you And how great things He would do for them Not to the Halfing of His Kingdom Joh. 10. 15 16. ch 6. 40. but the laying down of His life for them Gathering them in Raising them up and giving them to sit with Him in His Throne Rev. 3. 21. But for the World He takes litle notice of them except with a kind of contempt and comination Let them alone Shake off the dust off your feet Joh. 7. 34. Give not that which is holy unto dogs c. Yea though they seek Him they shall not find Him Isa 65. 1. But for His Elect He is found of them even whiles they think not of Him The Instances of Matthew the Woman of Samaria the possessed
to Christ IV. Let every One that is of this Body Infer 4. be well apaid with his Lot Be glad and Rejoyce for ever in this your Portion James 1. 9. This is the Exaltation the brother of low degree should value himself by Whatever your Rank or condition may be in the World Rest contented with your place and be thankful for it Desire not your self to change it But strive to fill it up and be as useful in it as you can Look also for Troubles and think them not strange The Captain of your Salvation was made perfect through sufferings and the servant may not look to fare better than his Lord. Heb 3. 10. V. If Jesus Christ be your Head Infer 5. Be confident then of all Love Councel Care and Protection from Him Union with Him intitles to All He hath It is Natural to the head to love and to Cherish the Body and every Member of it To Contrive and Cast-about for its welfare and safety As a Man cherisheth his own flesh so doth Christ His Church Eph. 5. 29. What though be in thy self an uncomely Member 1 Cor. 12. 23. He will put the more Comeliness upon thee He will cloath thee and Feed thee and Physick thee He will give Grace and Glory and No good thing will He with-hold from thee Ps 84. vlt. For He being the First born Prince and Head of the family all the younger Brethen are to be Maintained upon His Inheritance VI. Rest also assured of safe Conduct to the Promised land Infer 6. Adversaries and difficulties you will certainly meet with Remaining Corruptions like the mix'd multitude will be tumultuating and tempting within The Amalelâ—ites and People of His wrâ—th will stand in your way without Or be falling on your Rear to Cut-off the weak and feeble And the Serpent will yet be Nibling and bruising your heel But higher than that he cannot touch your heart and your head are out of his Reach and therefore you are safe yea this Serpent himself shall be bruised under your feet shortly-Come will your Captain say to you Come Rom. 16. 20. set your feet on the Neck of this King of pride Iâ—sh 10. 24. Rev. 18 6. and do by him as he hath done by others and would have done also by you Give him double according to his works This is the time when ye shall Judge Angels Cor. 6. 3. And all under the Conduct of this your Head and Captain Who will Now present you to His Father even before the presence of His Glory Jude ver 24. with exceeding Joy II That Christ gave Himself a Ransom for the Elect Or. The Redemption wrought by Jesus Christ was peculiarly designed for Elect Persons The Most High who divided to the Nations their Inheritance He gave the Elect to Christ as His portion And though Satan through their ill husbandry in Adam hath got a temporary Mortgage upon them yet the Fee-simple or Right of Inheritance remains in Christ and therefore at the year of Jubilee that is in the time appointed by the Father they return to Him as the Right heir though not without both Conquest and full Price By Christ's giving Himself a Ransom I understand the whole of His humiliation What ever He Did or Suffered as Mâ—diatâ—r from His Incarnation to His Resurrection All which are Summarily express'd by the bloud of his cross as all the preciâ—us fruits of His death Eph. 1. 7. Coll. 1. 11. are by Forgiveness of Sins This was the price wherewith He bought them that should be Saved Election is the Original Patern according to which the line and compass of Redemption is to be measured The Sâ—n can do nothing but what He sees the Father do Joh. 5. 19. To make Redemption larger than Electing love is to Overlay the Foundation and what is so built will surely suffer loss It therefore behoves us to see That we seperate not what God hath conjoyn'd either by stretching or streightning the Bounds He hath set The Jews were opinion'd That the Promise of the Messiah belong'd only to Them exclusive to the Gentiles Others since would extend it to all the Sons of Men universally and alike Not considering the Reason why the Promise was made to the Woman's feed and not to Adam's But the Messiah Himself who best knew the End of His Coming and Line of the Promise exempteth none but extends it to all Nations indifferently Yet so Isa 53. 10. as that He Restrains it to the Elect among them These are called His Seed and the Travel of His Soul with respect to whom He should make His Soul an Offering for Sin These also He terms His Sheep and Himself the Good Shepheard as well He might Whose own the Sheep are and for whom He dy'd Joh. 10. 15 I lay down my life fâ—x the Sheep And that He might not be taken to in tend Those only of the Jewish Nation He presently adds And other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also must I bring And the Evangelist sayes in Chap. 11. That He should not die for that Nation only but for the Children of God which are scattered abroad This â—e expresses by Gathering together which was the effect of his death according to Ephes 2. 13. Where they are said to be made nigh by the blood of Christ and that He Reconciled both i. e. Jews and Gentiles or The Elect scattered among both unto God in one body by the Cross according to the Father's Compact made with Him and Recorded in Isa 49. 6. It also appears by Isa 53. that they were Sheep whose iniquities were laid upon Christ ver 6. And again ver 8 For the transgression of my People was He stricken Where note That we do not find any party of Men termed Sheep the People of God and His Children in distinction from Others but with respect to some peculiar Interest He hath in them above others And what that Interest may be excepting Election doth not appear to us For those other Sheep were not yet Called and therefore not yet Believers and Sheep on that accompt but as they were of Gods Elect. For though All Men were lost Christ was not sent but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel that is Those Persons of the lost and perishing world whom God had chosen for His Peculiars as He did the House of Israel from among the Nations and who in that respect were a special type of the Spiritual Election And on this account the Promises of the New Covenant were made to the Church under such Names and Titles as were proper to that People as distinguished from other Nations In Isa 62. We find Holy and Redeemed applied to the same persons Whether it be meant of Elective Holiness or Actual it comes to One For both of them together with Redemption do refer to the same Subject For as Actual Sanctification is the Fruit and
Redemption do not redound to any but Elect persons Arg. 3. What ever is onewhere ascribed to Redemption as â—he special fruit and consequent thereof is elsewhere ascribed to Election and to This as the first â—nd Original Root And that Redemption it self is the Fruit of Electing love is evident by the 1 Pet. 1. 2. quoted afore Elect unto Obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ They are also said to be Blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Eph. 1. 3 4. according as He had Chosen them in Him And if all spiritual blessings be dispensed by the Law of Election then all the saving benefits of Redemption which are the same with those of Election must be dispensed by the same Rule and so to the same persons onely We also find Joh. 17. 6. That Christ's actual distribution of the Gifts He received for Men is guided answerably He manifests the Father's name to the Men He had given Him â—ut of the world To These He expounds that in private which to others He spake in parables And thus He did Because to them it was given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Math. 13. 34. 36. ver but to the Multitude it was not given And Election was That as gave it them as it followes there For So it seemed good in thy sight In like manner the Apostle in Rom. 8. puts Election and Redemption together as pertaining to the same persons And Justification which is the next effect of Redemption he makes also an unquestionable consequent of Election Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth Who shall condemn It is Christ that dyed The question being put concerning God's Elect and the Answer referring to those for whom Christ dy'd is a plain implication That Redemption and Iustification are commensurate with Election That either of them concerneth onely the same persons and that neither of them extends to any but whom the other also taketh-in IV. The price of Redemption was of that Precious and Matchless Value Arg. 4. that it could not be parted-with but with respect to the Certainty of the End for which it was paid Now the End of Redemption was the Salvation of Men below Which there could not be an End worthy the death of Christ And This Nothing could secure but Election The Elect alwaies have abtain'd and shall This is a Rule affirm'd in Rom 11. 7. But for the Rest they are blinded that is They are left to their own voluntary Misunderstanding And being so Not only they Do not Job 12. 39. but they câ—nnot believe And to what end should Christ make His Precious Soul an Offering for Such Men that never shall believe and consequently never be Saved Surely To no better purpose than for the World of ungodly whose Spirits were in prison two thousand years afore Those whom the Lord intends to save alive He appoints an Atonement to be made for them Numb 16. ver 46 47. But for those He intends to kill which is alwaies done justly He will not accept an Offering Judg. 13. 23 and therefore not appoint it As He did not under the Law for those Crimes which Men were to dye for V. I confine Redemption to Elect persons Arg. 5. because Intercession which is of equal latitude with Redemption is limited to These exclusive to Others The Priests of old were to pray for those whose sacrifice they offered And what they did was a patern of our Saviour's Priestly office Whom likewise we finde to Sacrifice and pray onely for the same persons He is an Advocate for those for whose sins He is a Propitiation 1 Joh. 2. 1. Whose transgressions He was smitten for For them He makes Intercession Isa 53. 8 12. For their sakes He Sanctified Himself and for Them it was that He made that solemn prayer in the 17 of John And He now prayes for them as being just now to offer their Sacrifice He also shuts out the World expresly from having any interest in it I pray not for the World but for them which Thou hast given Me. And He adds the Reason the foundation Reason why He would pray for These For they are Thine i. e. They were the Father 's by Election For in all other respects the Earth is the Lord's and the Fullness thereof VI. This Doctrine is further Warranted Arg. 6. by those Genuine and Necessary Conclusions which follow from divers express Scriptures touching this Subject As 1. That those who are planted with Christ in His death shall be also in His Resurrection Rom. 6. 5. 2. That those for whom Christ was Crucified their old Man was Crucified with Him That the body of sin should be destroyed Rom. 6. 6. 3. That those dead with Christ are freed from sin and shall appear with Him in Glory Rom. 6. 7. and Coll 3. 3 4. 4. That those for whom Christ dy'd are Justified and Reconciled Rom. 5. 8 9 10. 5. That for whom He was made sin and a Curse They are made the Righteousness of God in Him 2 Cor. 5. 21. 6. They that are Redeemed do follow the Lamb and are made Kings and Priests unto God Rev 5. 9 10. Chap. 14. 3 4. All which blessings with many the like are the inseparable fruits of Redemption But it is obvious to all That all men are not like unto Christ in Newness of life All have not the body of sin destroyed in them All are not freed from sin Nor shall All appear with Christ in Glory All are not Justified and Reconciled All are not made the Righteousness of God in Christ All do not follow the Lamb Nor are All made Kings and Priests unto God Whence it should follow That All are not Redeemed VII Another Argument for Peculiar Redemption Arg. 7. is founded on the End of Christ's death with the Merit and Efficacy of it Tit. 2. 14. He gave Himself That He might Redeem those He dyed for from all iniquity Hence it follows That if Christ dyed for all then All shall be saved for iniquity only can be their Ruin Or else That Christ fails of the End of his Death But Christ cannot fall short of His End in dying For all power in Heaven and Earth is committed to Him for the Making of it good And yet All Men are not saved The Saved Ones are but a Remnant Therefore He gave not Himself to Redeem All. It is the Father's will That of All He hath given to Christ He should lose Nothing but should give them Eternal life Hence it follows Either That all men were not thus given to Christ or if they were Then All must have Eternal life And if they have Not The Father's Will is Not done But The Father's Will is done as is abundantly evident and yet All men are not saved Therefore That which Christ layed down His life for That He Merited And what He Merited
walking but He puts His hands on him agen and dismisses him not until He had made him see cleerly Zach. 9. 12. Then take them as Prisoners and Prisoners in the pit and he that will Deliver them must not onely open the Grate but disarm their guard knock off their shackles and bring them forth as the Angel did Peter Acts 12. 6 7. Joh. 10. 3 15 with Zech. 9. 11 12. even whiles the keepers stood afore the door He so Calleth His Sheep that He leadeth them out and this He doth by the blood of His Covenant 't is That makes those in the Pit to be Prisoners of hope And these Effects as duly flow from Redemption as light from the Sun 't is therefore expresly said That the blood of Iesus Christâ—oleanseth from all Sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. And that we are sanctified through the offering of His Body Heb. 10. 10. This gave the Apostle to argue so positively in Rom 6 That if planted together in His death Rom. 6. 5. we shall be also in His Resurrection and to put that Emphasis upon it in chap. 5. That If Reconciled to God by the death of His Son chap. 5. 9 10. Much more shall we be saved by His life That saying of Christ in the 10th of John is much to our purpose And other Sheep I have Joh. 10. 16. Them also must I bring and they shall bear my voyce This Must imports a duty not to be dispensed with He had received a Commandment for it from the Father And this Shall ver 18. that Effectual working whereby they are made to believe The Sheep of themselves lye as cross to this work as other Men what have I to do with thee cries the possest Gadaren but being His sheep Mark 5. 7. Psal 110. Isa 29. 22 24 Psal 68. 18. He must make them willing But suppose they stopp their ears Then He is to bore them for He received gifts for the Rebellious Mens Averseness does not loose Christ his Right nor shall it render his work ineffectual For this very end God raised him up Acts 3. 26. chap. 5. 31. viz. To bless His People in turning them from their iniquities and to give them Repentance and that such as hath Forgiveness of Sins annexed to it Which also He doth as a Prince i. e. As One invested with Power to Remove whatever might lett the effect of His work To Him are committed the keys of hell and of Death Rev. 1. 18. From these premises I safely conclude That what Christ as a Redeemer came to do that He doth and will do and that None of His work shall fall to the ground What He saith in the 17 John is prophetical of what He will say at the latter day I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Of all that Thou hast given me I have lost Nothing I have manifested thy Name unto the Men which thou gavest Me I have given them the words which thou gavest Me and they have received them Jeh 17. 6 8. More might be added but by these I hope it is evident That Jesus Christ was not only a Redeemer to pay our Ransom but the Officer appointed of God to set us at liberty even that glorious liberty of the Sons of God Isa 53. 10. and This is that pleasure of the Lord which shall prosper in His hand II. Freely All that God doth for Men or Gives to them in order to their Salvation is Given and Done freely Now a thing is then said to be thus Given or Done when it proceeds from the meer Good will and favour of Him that Worketh or Giveth without respect to any thing done or deserved by the Receiver Dan. 2. 30. It is a voluntary act supposing no obligation on him that gives Nor attractive or obliging virtue in him that receives nor yet expectation of Recompense from him Much need not be said to proove the free-giving of the things we are speaking of Did we duly consider three particulars 1. The Sovereign Greatness of Him that gives It is the Most High God Possessour of Heaven and Earth Who is Infinitely and Independently blessed in Himself and therefore cannot be Added unto nor Receive from any Creature Who can give to Him that gives to All their life and breath 2. The superexcellent and unspeakable worth of the things that are Given The first and Chief is our Lord Jesus Christ whose dignity is such That Heaven and Earth are too low a price to set Him at especially To be given as He was and in Him Righteousness and Strength Adoption and Reconciliation Grace and Glory 3. The vanity and wretchedness of those on whom they are bestowed Both Scripture and Experience speak nothing of them in their Naturals but what bespeaks a Condition every way deplorable and uncapable of yielding Motives for such a Gift as is shewn afore But being so greatly in love with our selves and fond of our own improvements and so stifly bent to a Covenant of works To help us off from those dangerous bottoms let us dwell a while on the following Considerations I. What is the Nature and Import of the Covenant of Grace This Covenant is that which all professing Christians profess to be saved by how-ever they differ about the Import and Latitude of it But if we receive the Scriptural Notion which needs must be the Rightest we shall finde That it is of the very Nature and Substance of this Covenant To give freely and absolutely without Conditioning for anything to be done by Men as the ground and Motive thereof All that God doth for those He will save is for His Name sake which Name is recorded in Exod. 34. 5 6 The Lord God Gracious and Merciful c. To be Gracious is To doe well to one that deserves ill And if otherwise it would be but after the Covenant of Works or first Covenant Which yet was not faulty or defective in it self for it gave a sufficiency to obtain the benefits contained in it which if they had used and improv'd as they might there would not have needed a second But the Lord forknowing the Creature 's mutability and consequently what need there would be of another kind of Power and Grace than that Adam was Created with Did therefore determine of a second which in Tit. 1. 2 is called The hope of Eternal life which God who cannot lye promised before the World began It is called the Covenant of Grace not onely as designing the Glory of His Grace in the saving of men but as giving freely and of mere Grace and Favour what-ever must bring-about that Salvation For Where els can lye the difference between the two Covenants It cannot be in respect of the easiness and difficulty of the duties enjoyned by either For Faith and Repentance are much more above the compass of natural power than to forbear the forbidden Tree