doe this and they doe it He blinds their minds hardens their hearts and works in them powerfully Eph. 2.2 Indeed they spitt at him and say they defie him yet neverthelesse they are his drudges and carry his pack and doe his worke And while they professe that they scorne to serve him yet even then they serve him willingly and with both their hands Oh miserie beyond all expression 3. Unfruitfulness towards God He may complaine of Mankind as once of Israel Jer. 2.21 I had planted the a noble Vine wholly a right seed how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto me All our fruit is fruit unto death we can bring forth no fruit unto God The curse of the Law hath blasted us we are as it were Thunder-struck and made unserviceable We can doe nothing that is truly good or wel pleasing to God Rom. 8.8 When Christ came neere to the figtree and saw nothing on it but leavs he cursed it and then it withered Mat. 21.19 So the Lord seeing Adam and his posteritie now by their Apostasie become degenerate plants pronounced a curse upon them saying Never fruit grow on you any more and so we are become no better than withered stumps Thou thinkest that thou dost good duties this and that good work thou hadst thy hand in such and such good fruits thou canst shew but alas it s nothing so thou art a drie and a barren tree 4. Liablenes to all the plagues and judgments of God The curse setts us in such a posture as we are continually exposed to some mischiefe or other The ground which brings forth bryars and thornes being neere unto cursing its end is to be burned Heb. 6.8 The foolishman thinks his tongue is his owne to use as he will Psal 12.4 But Solomon tells him his mouth is neere to destruction Pro. 10.14 See Ezech. 7.5 6 7. 2. Pet. 2.3 Speaking of false Teachers he saith their judgment lingers not but is hastening on its way their damnation slumbreth not it keeps waking to seize on them in due time And indeed what is it that hindreth vengeance from falling on sinners but onely the Lords patience Thaâ— consuming fire is at hand readie to lick thee up and to destroy thee there is but one stepp betwixt thee and death The Lord might forthwith stop thy breath anâ— then thou art gone for ever the ladder iâ— every moment like to be turned thoâ— hangest but by one weake threed and wheâ— that is broken then thou droppest into thâ— flames of hell 5. Punishing sinne with sinne a very sad effect of the curse when the Lord hath determined to set home the curse upon a sinner with a witnesse then he leaves him to himself for his former provocations either to run himself deeper into the same sinnes or else to fall into more vile and vicious courses and so to heap up wrath against himself As sometimes a father saith of an hopeless child Seeing he will not be reclaymed let him take his course let him run himself out of breath and hasten to his owne ruine Thus he scourged the Gentiles for their wilde courses against the light of Nature Rom. 1.26.28 And the Jewes for their contempt of the word Psal 81.11 12. And their opposing the Gospell 1. Thes 2.15 16. Thus the Lord deales with many of the secure sleepie sinners they give no regard to the offer of mercie therefore the Lord shutts them up in ignorance and saith let him that is ignorant filthy carnall be so still they are not bettered by mercies or judgments therefore they shall be made worse The close deceiver becomes a grosse robber and God gives him over to lying swearing forswearing c. The immoderate use of the creatures becomes grosly riotous God gives him up to beastly drunkenness mispending of his time wasting his estate yea sometimes to wantonness and bodily filthyness to hatred yea scorning of good counsel and the like abhominable practices 6. Hellish terrours startlings of conscience feare of death and of the Judgment to come These are the sparkles which flie up out of these everlasting burnings while the furnace is in heating to devoure the ungodly of the earth Isa 33.14 Fearfulness surprizeth the hypocrites Heb. 2.15 It s one maine branch of mans naturall miserie that through feare of death he is all his life subject unto bondage Act. 24.25 When the Aostle Paul preached of the Judgment to come Felix trembled The sinner feeles many a privie nippe while he is walking on in the wayes of his owne heart he hath gripings in his spirit that torment him and he feeles the flashing of hell fire sometimes in his conscience so that he is appaled with the foresight of the wrath to come His heart smites him and tels him that Vengeance lyes in wait for him because of ignorance drunkenness contempt of the Gospell c. The thoughts of death and judgment damp him and strike him to the heart and he saith oh I must once goe downe into the dust what shall then become of this poore soule * Animula vagula blandula Quae nunc abâ—bis in loca I must be brought to judgment how shall such a sinful wretch as I look the great Judge of heaven and earth in the face Alas poore sinner thou settest a good face on the matter before men but thy heart knowes that it is thus 2. The strange properties or qualities of the curse Strange properties of the Curse are especially these 5. I call them strange because 1. Most of them lie out of the road of the naturall mans apprehension and beliefe they are hid from his eyes he will not easily be perswaded of them 2. Yea the godly themselves doe not so clearly discerne nor so carefully observe or make use of them as they might 1. It is a grievous and a bitter curse Can there be any thing more grievous and bitter than the abandoning of the creature from God It was a very girevous curse which Shimei the Benjamite shott against King David as David himself termes it 1. Kin. 2.8 A strong sore forcible curse so the originall word signifies How much more rightly may all this be spoken of the curse of Gods Royall Law When the Angel of the Lord would measure out a curse against the Merozites according to the bredth of their sinne he bids curse them bitterly Jud. 5.23 Gods curse against sinners is bitter Jer. 4.18 It s made up of gall and worme-wood * Ier. 8.14.9.15 When Solomon would give warning of the danger which may come by the ensnaring of an whorish woman he tells us that in his owne experience he finds her more bitter than death Eccl. 7.26 If he had knowne any thing more bitter he would have mentioned it Now the curse of the Law is the death 〈◊〉 â—he sinner Gen. 2.17 The curse of the people upon Merciles self-seeking persons is grievous it bites sore Pro. 11.26 28.27 Oh
of peace and salvation to the lost world but every mothers childe of us had continued in the bond of iniquity and had suffered the extremity of the curse in our own persons for ever For this is the very next bottome whereupon all Gospel-grace and whatsoever is necessary to the salvation of sinners doth stand and as it were the soul from which it hath both being and breathing The excellency of the cause hath a strong influence into the effect to make it excellent also If we look upon the nature and frame of man in the first Creation his body curiously wrought out of the dust of the earth his soul breathed into him from heaven to be both a living creature and made after the Image of God Gen. 1.26 2.7 and all this done with a word we cannot but say it is a very excellent and precious work David stands wondering at it Psal 139.14 15. How much more excellent and precious is the work of grace which is the fruit of Redemption our second Creation for the effecting whereof the Lord did not onely Let it be but as if that were not sufficient the second person must lay aside his glory and take upon him the form of a servant and not onely bear our nature but also our sin and curse even to the death Phil. 2.7 8. By this we should estimate the exceeding great worth of that grace which is brought unto us by the revelation of the Gospel If some good things of nature be precious much more are those of grace Deut. 33.1 c. Prov. 3.14 15. And if we cannot but wonder at some of the eminentest works of nature how much more cause have we to admire the beauty and glory of that great work of grace which the Apostle calls marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 See 1 Pet. 1.12 4 God will have a Church Although Adam and all his posterity revolted from God and ran away into the tents of Satan his utter enemy to his dishonour and their own ruine yet for all that he hath a designe to fetch back and recover a number of them to make them his own people and thereby to glorifie the riches of his grace towards them in an eminent measure Me thinks I hear the Lord speaking on this manner What hath the crooked Serpent of hell served me thus Hath he enticed Adam unto rebellion against me and cheated him into the curse of my Law Alas poor man I pitty thee that thou hast suffered thy self to be thus ensnared How art thou fallen from thy dignity Into what a gulf of perdition hast thou implunged all thy posterity Ier. 48.30 But I know Satan his pride his malice and his envy that he would not leave me a people on the earth to serve me I know his wrath but it shall not be so his lyes shall not so effect it I will take a speedy course to befool him in his own plot I will have a people that shall be for my praise in despite of him Having therefore predestinated from eternity a considerable number of this forlorn generation and finding them now among the pots covered all over with filth and shame through their Apostacy his infinite wisdome deviseth a way to recover them out of captivity He gives the Lord Jesus out of his own bosome thaâ— by taking upon him the curse due to them he might ransome them from the curse and separate them from the lost world which lyes in wickedness and under the power of Satan and so form them for himself that they might shew forth his praise Isa 43.21 These are the very matter whereof the Church consists I mean the invisible Church which may be defined a chosen company of the posterity of Adam whom God hath purchased with his own blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People Mat 16.18 and Nation to be a peculiar people to himself Act. 20.28 Rev. 5.9 Tit. 2.14 Thus out of the ashes of this ruined world God raiseth up to himself a glorious Phenix Eph. 5.26 A Church which shall never dye but shall be established for ever Psal 102.28 125.1 5 The Church is very dear and precious in the eyes of the Lord Jesus They are the purchase of his own blood and thereby are become his peculiar people The costliness of any commodity puts upon it a suitable preciousness endearing it to the person which bare the cost of it Jacob served a hard service for Rachel and that inhanced her worth in his heart and increased his love to her so that the dayes seemed to him but a few Gen. 29.20 Michal Davids wife cost him two hundred fore-skins of the Philistims 1 Sam. 18.27 A great adventure an high exploit This doubtless rendred her the more dear to him which appears by his peremptory requiring her after she was unjustly taken away from him and had been some years another mans wife Probably seven years 2 Sam. 3.13 14 c. Jesus Christ served a very hard service and wrought a very great exploiâ— that he might purchase unto himself a Church to be his Spouse and having compassed her with much difficulty he looks upon her as his Sister his Love his Dove his fair One yea all fair the fairest among women the One the onely One the choice One his heart is ravished with her Cant. 4.9 she is as the poor mans little Ewe Lamb that lay in his bosome and was unto him as a Daughter 2 Sam. 12.31 A Kingdome or City wonne in battel with confused noise Hephzibah Isa 62.4 Multo sanguine ac vulneribus ea victoria stetit and garments rolled in blood Isa 9.5 is so much more dear to the Conquerour because it cost so dear The Kingdome of heaven the City of the great King is conquered out of the the hands of Satan at a very dear rate It cost the Lord Jesus strong crying and tears yea much blood and many wounds therefore surely it is very near to his heart and precious in his sight Isa 43.4 6 The condition of the invisible Church and all the members of the Lords chosen people is incomparably happy They are the onely renowned Society in the world for they are the Lords Redeemed ones This glorious design when once it takes place in poor lost sinners and is laid in their bosomes puts them into a glorious estate We may say of the Church as Moses of Israel Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord c. That we may take the length and breadth of this happiness let us look upon Redemption in its 1 Properties 2 Benefits 3 Priviledges Sect. 2. Three properties of Redemption and three Benefits issue from it 1 REdemption by Christ hath these three excellent Properties 1 It s free and gracious As the Israelites sold themselves to their corporal enemies for naught so we became slaves to our spiritual enemies without price and as they so we are redeemed without
cast filth upon it therefore I doe remand it from thee it shall no longer abide in that base unworthie soule of thine henceforth let that ugly image of sinne and hell which it seemes pleaseth thee better seize upon thee take it to thee and fils thy self with it Thus we are all alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 This part of the curse lyes heavie on the whole soule 1. On the Mind and understanding part which is impotent and unable to conceive the things of God and to discerne of things that differ our understandings are darkened Eph. 4.18 see 1. Cor. 2.14 2. On the Conscience which is defiled Tit. 1.15 being either sensles and so excusing when it should accuse Eph. 4.19 or when awaked wanting just matter of excusing and so unpeaceable Isa 57.21 3. On the will which is rebellious against the truth and wayes of God revealed to the mind depraved in its power of chusing can will onely that which is evil cannot will that which is good see Pro. 17.11 Jer. 5.23 Math. 23.37 4. On the affections which being the Wills Waiting-Maids are of the same temper disordered affecting evil disaffecting good running into extremitie of excesse or defect and so spoyling the conversation Thus man once made upright yet by seeking out many inventions Eccl. 7.29 is become without God in the world Eph. 2.12 ergo accursed 3. When the soule and body are parted then the wretched soule is sent down to hell to take possession of those everlasting flames As soone as ever the first death hath done its office forthwith the doome of the second death passeth upon the immortall soule and then the great Jaylour of hell layeth hold upon it and drags it into the presence of the Almighty on whom it shall look with horror and amazment Thy now sleeping conscience shall then be awakened and all thy sinnes shall be set in order before thee thou wilt not see them now but they shall then stare in thy face yea thy secret sinnes shall be set in the light of Gods countenance and thy most pleasing iniquities shall appeare before thee in their proper black hiew to gaster thy soule into finall desperation No place left for repentance the doore of mercie and the gate of heaven shall be thenceforth shut up against thee for ever thy wretched soul must take up its lodging in the lothsome prison of hell with the Divell and his Angels Luk. 16.22 23. 1 Pet. 3.19 where it shall lie filled with the wrath of God for the present astonished and swallowed up with the apprehension of the eternitie of that to come and tremblingly waiting for the great day of reckoning and the dreadfull houre when it shall be poured downe in full vials upon the whole man III. The curse which comes upon body and soule together or the whole man may be summed up in these 3 particulars also 1. The losse of his right unto and soveraignty over the creatures The Lord invested Adam in the day of his creation into a title and power * Jus 〈◊〉 potâ—staâ—e vâ— over the work of his hands especially the creatures here below he had free libertie to use them and they were given to be serviceable to him even the Sun Moone and starres to give him light the garden and all the trees of it except that one for his necessarie and comfortable sustenance and refreshing God hath given the earth to the children of men Psal 115.16 yea the Patent extended to dominion over the creatures Gen. 1.28 in which respect the Psalmist greatly admires the Lords high honouring of mankind Psal 8.4 6. c. But now by the fall Adam hath forfeited all this interest so that the creatures might justly deny us their service the Sun Moon and starres might withhold their light heat and influences from us the fire aire water c. might refuse to act or work for our good yea contrarily the creature setts it self against us in the quarrell of its Creatour as if it owed us a mischeif the Lion Bear Woolf would devoure us the beasts of the feild make head against us yea every worme will turne againe All the hosts of heaven and earth are readie even like to rebell against us This is a curse which all the sonnes and daughters of Adam feele in some measure and sometimes reacheth to the taking away of life limbe and all comforts And although the sinner enjoy the benefit of the creatures both for necessitie and delight yet that is onely by the indulgence of the most High who makes his Sun to shine and his raine to fall upon all and the choicest enjoyments are but as the Accommodations afforded to a Traitour in the Tower there 's a deadly curse lying hid in the bowels of them which will make sad work in the latter end 2. The general Judgement after death which is called the Judgement of the great day Jude 6. The Lord Jesus shall come in the clouds and shall be revealed from heaven with his mightie Angells in flameing fire 2. Thes 1.7 8. He shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God 1. Thes 4.16 When the trumpet sounded at the giving of the law Exod. 20 18 Heb. 12.19.20 21. it was doubtles to set forth the terribleness of the curse which attends the Law but at this great day it shall sound farr lowder to fill the eares and hearts of sinners which have broken it with the dreadfull report of it to their conviction and confusion Jude 14.15 Their bodies shall be raised out of the dust and united to their soules and their persons shall be presented before this glorious Judge and arraigned at the barr of his great Tribunall The books shall be opened and all their foule businesses although now cast behind their backs and laid to sleep in the darkest vaults of forgetfulness shall be unmasked before the whole world Eccl. 12.14 The processe and result of the transactions of that day will be no small part of this curse when the Goats which shall stand at Christs left hand shall heare him solemnly sounding out that most dolefull sentence Depart ye cursed c. Math. 25.41 3. The full and finall Execution after Judgement As soone as ever this great work of judging the world is over and the last doome awarded then shall follow the execution thereof accordingly then shall the great black curse be poured downe upon sinners all the curses of the Law and Gospell too shall meet together as in one Sea and fall upon the soules and bodies of all impenitent ones in their perfect strength and furie and abide on them for ever this is called everlasting punishment Math. 25.46 and it stands in 2 things 1. Some that 's privative called the punishment of losse * Paenae damni an utter expulsion or banished from the blessed face and presence of God and the glorie of heaven Depart from me Math. 7.23
distinctness to his heart and conscience for doubtless every natural man may say of the Law as the Eunuch of the Text in the Prophecy of Isaiah How can I understand it except some man should guide me Act. 8.31 God sends Moses to conduct the children of Israel towards the Land of Canaan but they must go thorow the wilderness and there the Law must be promulgated in a terrible manner with thundrings and lightnings c. that the fear of the Lord might be before their faces Exod. 20.20 Sinners must come to mount Sinai before they come to mount Sion Jesus Christ himself when he comes with healing in his wings and his heart and mouth full of blessing for sinners yet even then he will send his messenger before his face to prepare the way before him they must remember the Law of Moses in the mean time and before his coming he will send them one to go before him in the spirit and power of Elias c. lest he come and smite the earth with a curse Mal. 4.2 4 5 6. Luke 1.17 So that to shut up this use we must crave your excuse if we harp sometimes on this harsh string for although it be not toothsome physick yet it is wholsome We should be both unfaithfull to our great Master and treacherous to your souls if we should withhold from you this so necessary a part of Gods counsel We were not worthy to be admitted Counsellors at Law if we would not plainly tell our Clients the worst of their causes We know the terrour of the Lord therefore we perswade you by the light of the Law to consider of your misery 2 Cor. 5.11 That speech of the Pharisees is a truth though ill meant and worse applied by them John 7.49 The people which know not the Law are cursed When people cannot endure to hear of their sin and curse by the ministery of the Law it is too probable a sign that they lie fast bound hand and foot under the curse Oh my brethren were it not better to hear the curse ringing aloud in your ears in this world while there is a possibility of escaping it than to feel it lying on your souls and bodies in the full power and fury of it in the world to come when the time of mercy and blessing is expired Oh consider it and the Lord give you understanding Sect. 6. Vse 7 8. 7. SUffer the words of exhortation and give me leave to impart unto you counsel from God Oh that your ears were open and your hearts pliable that this counsel mght be acceptable unto you about a matter of so great importance Let this exhortation run in two streams 1. To all the sons and daughters of Adam you see in what wofull case you stand by the just verdict of the holy Law of God I beseech you weigh it well it s the great curse of Almighty God that you lie under Would you see it yet more clearly in its hideousness then look upon it in all its dimensions for breadth it wraps in all mankind Adam and his whole generation to the last man that shall stand upon the earth and all creatures which serve for his use for length it reacheth to eternity for depth it goes down to hell and there puts forth its greatest mischief for height it gets up to heaven and inâ—ects it the moon and stars are not pure in his sight Job 25.5 Review the sad effects and strange properties before mentioned and then tell me are you now convinced of your misery is it come so near to your consciences that you cannot now shake it off any longer Oh then I intreat you for the love of your souls get from under it how dare ye abide in this condition how can ye eat or drink or sleep with such a massie weighty curse lying upon your souls Say Oh wretch that I am I was born at first to blessedness but I am now implunged into a most wofull curse and shall I lie still under it and not go about to recover my first estate Oh no haste away and escape for thy life the longer thou continuest under the curse the more sinfulness and guilt thou contractest and so makest thy self more accursed Deliver thy self betimes how long wilt thou linger in this blacke Sodome 2. To parents and such as have the charge of others alas your children are under the curse of the Law Suppose that some of them were infected with the leprosie pestilence or any contagious disease threatening death or were under any calamity at present which would certainly be their ruine if not timely prevented would ye not use the best means for their help especially if your hearts can tell you that you have had a great hand in bringing them into this danger Oh then if you have the bowels of parents earning in your bellies you will spare no cost nor pains but lay out your selves freely in all ways possible for their seasonable recovery you you have been the immediate instruments of putting them into this lamentable pickle you have begotten and brought them forth and from you they have derived together with their being this dolefull curse and will you suffer them to lie under it still and not put forth your hands to help them out Do ye not tremble to think into what a deep gulf you have implunged them Oh what joy can you have in them in their beauty comeliness towardliness or their sweet natural parts whiles this sad thought is ever and anon coming into your mindes Alas these tender babes these hopefull children are in themselves no better than accursed creatures But we may well mourn over the desperate carelesness of the greatest part of parents and masters which suffer those that are under them to continue in that wofull plight without looking after their recovâ—ry yea give them leave in these licencious days to run up and down from one sect to another and from one wickedness to another and to make themselves still more vile and yet do not restrain them as it is said of Eli 1 Sam. 3.13 And what shall we think of those parents that encourage their children to sinfull ways they may swear scorn at godliness break the Lords day profane his worship neglect yea trample upon his Ordinances and they give them good leave to do so saying in effect to them as Rebecca said to her darling Jacob when she set him on to get the blessing Upon me be thy curse my son Gen. 27.13 While you carry thus towards them I tell you you may bless them morning and evening yet God curseth them Ah cruel father mother master dame you must one day answer for their souls and their blood will be required at your hands You say you love them and would see them do well but I beseech you love them better than thus or you will one day waile and wring your hands to see them irremedilesly miserable 8. This truth being duly
stroak of that curse which of right belongs to us so that it lies not now any longer on the backs of poor sinners but on him for them and in their stead therefore he is called a surety Heb. 7.22 the surety stands in the room of a debtor malefactor or him that is any way obnoxious to the Law such is Adam and all his posterity we are by the doom of the Law evil doers transgressors and upon that score we stand indebted to the justice of God and lie vnder the stroke of his wrath Now the Lord Jesus seeing us in this condition he steps in and stands between us and the blow yea he takes this wrath and curse off from us unto himself he stands not onely or meerly after the manner of a surety among men in the case of debt for here the surety indeed enters bond with the principal for the payment of the debt but yet he expects that the debtor should not put him to it but that he should discharge the debt himself he onely stands as a back-set of good security No Christ Jesus doth not expect that we should pay the debt our selves but he takes it wholly to himself as a surety for a murtherer or traitor or some other notorious malefactor that hath broken prison and is run away he lies by it body for body state for state and undergoes whatsoever the malefactor is chargeable withall for satisfying the Law even so the Lord Jesus stands surety for us runnagate malefactors making himself liable to all that curse which belongs to us that he might both answer the Law fully and bring us back again to God As the first Adam stood in the room of all mankind fallen 1 Pet. 3.18 so Christ the second Adam stands in the room of all mankind which is to be restored he sustains the person of all those which do spiritually descend from him and unto whom he beares the relation of an head But to open it yet more fully I conceive that to this making of him a curse for us these three things do concur 1. His taking upon him the nature of man which is both sinfull and accursed the children were partakers of flesh and blood and he also took part of the same Heb. 2.14 he came in the likeness of sinfull and therefore of accursed flesh Rom. 8.3 he took upon him the nature not of this or that particular man as Abraham David Peter or any other but the nature of mankind in general even that self-same nature that sinned and is therefore accursed It was not a similitude or shadow of flesh or a meer shew of being a man but truly really sensibly flesh or manhood as himself avouched to his Disciples after his resurrection bidding them handle him that they might be satisfied that it was not a spirit which they saw but the very same true body which he had before Luk. 24.39 The Word or second Person in Trinity took the nature of man into the unity of his person that it might dwell and have its subsistence in the Godhead onely John 1.14 2. The real imputation of our sin or the guilt of our sin to him Isa 53.6 He was made sin for us even he which knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 All the sins of the Elect were charged upon him both original and actual and he had them all by imputation without any inherence of sin in him at all he had no sin of his own neither of nature nor practice for he was conceived by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost and so was born holy Luk. 1.35 And besides had the guilt but of one even the smallest personal sin been upon his soul it would have utterly disabled him from the work of his Mediatorship Heb. 7.26 yet he had the sins of others the sin of the world was laid at his door as if it had been his own he was numbred with the transgressors Mar. 15.28 Isaiah 53.12 Luk. 22.37 And thus the Lord looked upon him as a sinner upon our account If this had not been so how could either death have been justly inflicted upon him or his merit have been imputed unto us This must be Luthers meaning when he saith Christ was the greatest sinner he was Manasseh that Idolater David that adulterer Peter that denier of his Master c. to wit by imputation onely he being made sin for them as the Apostle speaks 3. An actuall undergoing and suffering the wrath of God and the fearful effects thereof in the punishments threatned in the law As he became a debtor and was so accounted even so he made payment thereof he was made a sacrifice for sin and bare to the full all that ever divine justice did or could require even the uttermost extent of the curse of the Law of God He must thus undergo the curse because he had taken upon him our sin The justice of the most high God revealed in the Law looks upon the Lord Jesus as a sinner because he hath undertaken for us and seizeth upon him accordingly pouring down on his head that curse and those punishments which are threatened in it against sin for the curse followeth sin as the shadow the body whether it be sin inherent or sin imputed even as the blessing follows righteousness whether it be righteousness inherent or righteousness imputed The Scripture is very clear and full in holding forth this as the main part of the curse it was prophesied of long before Isa 53.4 5. c. he was stricken or smitten and this striking was even unto wounding and this wounding was accompanied with bruising And because all our iniquities in the punishments of them met in him as all rivers in one sea all arrows in one butt all the Regiments of an Army in one place of rendezvous therefore he was oppressed for he was brought forth as a Lamb to the slaughter in his humiliation his judgment was taken away Acts 8.33 yea he was cut off from the Land of the living It was also fore-typified and represented by many sorts of Sacrifices in the Law 1 Cor. 5 7. All those Prophecies and types were accomplished in him he told his disciples often in the days of his flesh that he must suffer many things and so he did see Heb. 9.26 28. He hath appeared once in the end of the world to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself and He was once offered to bear the sins of many All this suffering is comprehended in that sentence Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die this was the punishment which Divine Justice did award against sin therefore this he must suffer But because the main sâ—â—ess and as it were the very dregs of this bitter cup lies here it may be worth our labour to consider it a little more particularly and that 1. In the preparation thereunto 2. In the main brunt it self 1. There was a preparation to it by many smaller and
to be presented before the Lord the one to be offered for a sin-offering the other to be kept alive for a Scape-goat that Aaron having laid his hands on his head and confessed over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel might afterwards send him away bearing their iniquities into a Land not inhabited All this is fulfilled in Christ he hath both given himself to be a sin-offering for us and thereby removed guilt so far that when it is sought it cannot be found Jer. 50.20 So much is implied in that expression Heb. 9.26 He hath put away sin by the sacrifice of himself therefore redemption and propitiation are put together as the effect and cause First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—acamentum he is a propitiation pacifying Gods wrath and rendring him propitious to sinners and thence follows Redemption Rom. 3.24 25. When the debt is discharged then the Law with the arrests and executions of it are void and of no force So Christ having paid our debt hath thereby both removed sin and guilt and voyded the curse of the Law so that now it hath nothing against us 2 He hath broken the Serpents head according to the ancient Prophesie given out in Paradise Gen. 3.15 by taking part of flesh and blood with us he hath through death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil and so wrought our deliverance Heb. 2.14 15. The Son of God was manifested that he might loose or dissolve the works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8 he hath as it were shattered them all to peeces Isa 30.14 and will still be shattering them hee will not spare so that there shall not be left so much as a shred Now this was one of his works to hold poor sinners fast bound and shut up under the brazen bolts of the curse of the Law unto condemnation but he hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder Psal 107.16 He hath met those terrible enemies the Philistims of hell and grappled with them hand to hand he hath discomfited them and brought them under and he will not cease till he hath beaten them small as the dust before the wind nor turn again till they be consumed That which David spoke of himself as the Type See Isa 63.3 4 c. is eminently fufilled in Jesus Christ onely Psal 18.37 38-42 He is that little David that prevailed over the great Champion Goliah of Gath with a sling and with a stone and smote him and slew him 1 Sam. 17.50 51. He is that strong invincible Sampson that rent in peeces that infernal roaring Lion as easily as if he had been a Kid Judg. 14.5 6. that slew the Philistims hip and thigh with a great slaughter Chap. 15.8 and when they had him fast bound with new cords they became as flax upon his armes and with the jaw-bone of an Ass laid heaps upon heaps vers 14 15 16. that carried away the door of the gates of Hell to set the prisoners at liberty Chap. 16.3 and made the noblest conquest when he seemed to be wholly conquered and no hope was left that ever he could look up again slaying at his death far more than hee had slain in his life vers 21-30 He hath spoyled Principalities and powers and triumphed over them on the Cross Col. 2.15 When the High commission Court and Star-chamber were cast down then all fell with them that appertained to them as there are no more informations pleadings censures punishments So there are no Serjeants Bayliffs Apparitors Pursevants even so this Lord Jesus having thrown down the Court of sin by his death and thereby disabled the Law he hath also judged the great Catch-pole of hell and put him out of office so that he cannot now execute the curse and wrath of God upon poor sinners as gladly hee would and although for the present he can reach to bruise their heel and doth often work them wo yet the Redeemer will tread him under their feet shortly Romans 16. ver 20. Sect. 3. An Objection If by Ransome then not by Rescue Answered THus much for the clearing and prooving of the Conclusion but here lieth a Doubt in the way for answering whereof wee may borrow a little light from the premises If our Redemption was by Christ's becoming a Curse for us and so by buying us out with the price of his blood How could it then be by strength of hand and a forcible rescue These two seem to destroy one another Ransome and Rescue Vâ—de Musculum loc com de redemptâ—one To be delivered by the paying of a price and to be delivered by conquest are inconsistent as to the same persons The nature of the things is so different that they cannot concurre in the same deliverance Ans Although these two do usually stand at a distance yet in this great business of the Redemption of mankinde they close well together To clear this take these three Considerations 1. Mankinde by the breach of the Law being become a debtor to justice and under the curse even in the extremity of it and Almighty God who is the party wronged being the onely soveraign Lord and Lawgiver Therefore the principal and most proper way to effect man's deliverance was to give satisfaction to justice so that either sinners must die the death in their own persons or Christ their surety must give his life a ransome for them being at an utter loss in themselves Against this it may be objected Then we must say that Christ redeemed us from God and himself being God he redeemed us out of his own hands by paying a price to himself which is absurd Ans This seeming absurdity will vanish if we keep to Scripture phrase and take along with us these Two things 1. The person of the Redeemer was not onely God but also man and although as to the sufficiency for the work and the valour and efficacie of it he must necessarily be God yet both the right and act of Redemption belonged to him properly as man so that we may say It was the man Christ that bought us out of the hands of the curse and wrath of God 2. God the Father himself had a special hand in this business the whole dispensation and managing of it was by his supream and soveraign appointment as we heard before and thus it is no more absurd to say that God took a course to satisfie his own justâ—ce and to redeem us from himself than to say that a King doth so when he gives his own son to lay down his life Or a Creditor when he requires the debt of his own Son for which the son was surety by the Fathers consent for the saving of Traitors from the stroak of his Law 2. Man being thus obnoxious to the justice of God and therefore delivered up by him into the hands of Sathan as his jaylour or executioner to keep him as his
have a very foule nasty heart my soule is a very stie of all uncleanness I am carnal fold under sin Rom. 7.14.23.34 I can do no good thing Oh miserable man who shall deliver mee why Christ thy Redeemer hath made thee a new creature he hath put into thee a principle of holiness and he is still at work in thee weakning sin by degrees so that though it will dwell in thee yet it shall not over-master thee nor bring thee under its feet Corruption shall go down and grace shall get up more and more The Lord Jesus will not spare either pains or cost in prosecuting this business he will wear of that filthy slough of the old nature and the image of hell and make thee partaker of the divine nature that thou mayest be conformed to his own image Sigh and breath after it 6. Final Redemption Which stands in the total removal and absence of all miserie and imperfection begun at death to be perfected at the resurrection The Apostle calls it the Redemption of our bodies Rom. 8.23 as I conceive for these reasons 1. To distinguish it from the first and great act wrought by Christ on the Cross to wit Redemption by way of merit whereon the main stress of the business lay which was not intended so much for the body as the soul to deliver it from guilt and curse 2. To intimate that part of Redemption which we shall be partakers of by death whereby we shall be set free from manifold evils and annoyances which compass us about and molest us while we are in the bodie 3. Because the accomplishment of this benefit at the last day shall be more visible in the bodie The soules of righteous men even before the resurrection are fully delivered from all bondage wanting onely that perfection which stands in their union to their bodies These lying in their graves as in prison under misery shall then be united again to their souls and so both shall be equally sharers according to their several capacities in this final Redemption So then this is a certain effect or consequent of the great work wrought by Jesus Christ the price is paid for the whole and full deliverance shall come in the day of Resurrection which is therefore called the day of Redemption Eph. 4.30 and Christ is made of God to us Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 At that day oh most desirable day there shall be a clear riddance from all those unwelcome guests which sin hath brought into the world As 1. from the evils of the bodie or outward man all crosses incident to our imperfect condition here whether attendants on mortality or corrections for our wandrings and miscarriages or sufferings for righteousness 2. from the evils of the soul or inward man from sin with all the rags and tatters of it which being fast on us here from the temptations of Sathan and the inticements of an evil world wherewith we are encompassed and also from the second death the wrath to come in the damnation of hell Gladâ—us mortâ—s retusus vulnerat adhuâ—â— sed câ—â—â—a pâ—â—â—cuâ—um Calv. in 〈◊〉 The first death indeed will hold us under a long time but at length it shall be destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 and in the mean time it is but as a sword without edg which may wound a little yet without danger it shall do us no hurt but be as a wicked door to let our souls into immortalitie and the grave with the corruption of it shall be as a bed of spices to perfume our bodies and to prepare them for the resurrection Briefly whatsoever there is in all the world that can be called evil we shall be set free from it all forever all imperfection both of parts and degrees shall be done away Matt. 22.30 1 Cor. 13.10 yea Gods own ordinances as marriage preaching and sacraments which are given as remedies of weakness here shall take their leave as things whereof we shall have no further need or use Let the Lords redeemed lift up their heads and see this part of their happiness afarr off Your soules and bodies both lie under a thousand wearisome vanities in this pilgrimage but your redemption draweth nigh when there shall be no more sorrow nor crying but all tears shall be wiped away from your eyes Rev. 21.7 never to know or taste of misery any more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. Full Glorification We have some foretasts of it in this life therfore the Apostle speaketh of it as a thing done in those that are justified Rom. 8.30 when God gives poor believing souls assurance of his love sence of his favour and fills the heart with joy and peace then he begins to glorifie them Therefore this joy is called unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 these are a choice portion of the first fruits of the spirit Rom. 8.23 we shall reap the whole harvest of glory in heaven It s called by way of Eminency the salvation of our souls 1 Pet. 1.9 Redemption and the former benefits flowing from it are salvation begun and continued for we are saved here Eph. 2.8 2 Timoth 1.9 but this shall bee salvation consummate The Scripture sets forth this benefit by variety of appellations as Eternal life Matth. 25.46 Everlasting habitations Luke 16.9 Paradise Luke 23.43 The recompence of reward Heb. 11.26 A Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 A Crown of glory that fades not away 1 Pet. 5.4 The glory which is to be revealed in us or into us Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—to us Nâ—n nâ—m astâ—bâ—mus q asâ—inanes vacui Spectateres nec gâ—oria quasi extriae sâ—cus revelabâ—tur nâ—bâ— sed in nobis Bernard 8.18 For we shall not stand as idle spectators looking upon it as a thing without us but we shall be possessours of it within us the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2. Pet. 1.11 The inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 and the riches of the glory of it Eph. 1.18 Yea an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and which withereth not away 1 Pet. 1.4 And on this account the Apostle calls it the Adoption Rom. 8.23 because that shall be the time of our entring into the full possession of the Kingdome which is prepared for us and unto which we are intituled by adoption It was a main end of Christs giving himself for the Church that at length he might present it to himself a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5.25 27. And the Apostle reasoning from reconciliation by Christs death to salvation by his life Rom. 5.10 intimates that this is a necessary consequent of that This estate shall be the perfection of all created contentments Here shall be riches which cannot be plundered treasures which corrupt not pleasures which vanish not whatsoever is truly desirable which men enjoy severally some this some that in this world heaven hath all these and infinitly much more in a far more
Oh this would be incredible if the word of the Lord did not put it out of question Sect. 5. Other three Priviledges by Redemption 5 BY personal interest in the grace of Redemption we become the Lords freemen We were perfect slaves before now we are brought into a condition of liberty so that although we do not enjoy the whole length and breadth of it at present yet we are free-men in right and actually also in good measure The Son hath made us free therefore we are free indeed Joh. 8.36 Being ransomed out of slavery into the dignity of children we are accounted no longer strangers and therefore we are free Matth. 17.26 Although in reference to Christ our Redeemer we are servants he having all the right of power over us yet considered as now actually partakers of this glorious benefit we are his free-men 1 Cor. 7.22 The Natives of a Kingdome are free by their birth-right and so are those that are naturalized by special favour or by a summe of money We are not free-born but by a vast summe paid out of Christs stock we are naturalized and so made Spiritual freemen This Gospel-liberty might be exemplified in sundry things as 1. Whereas in our old sinful condition we were wholly locked up in our spirits from God and so clogged that we could not walk one step with him in his wayes now the heaviest of our bolts being knocked off we may walk yea run in the way of Gods Commandements and not faint Psal 119.32 Isa 40.31 32. 2. Our hearts were altogether shut up from h m so that we could not pray to him being insensible of our needs yea and the gate of heaven was fast barred against us that our petitions could not enter now the Throne of grace is set open for us and a spirit of liberty is put into us through the blood of Jesus that we may draw near with boldness and confidence Eph. 3.12 Heb. 10 19-22 Our Redeemer assures us of speeding on his account Joh. 14.13 14. 3 We had forfeited the right to the creatures which God gave us in the day of our creation now we have our Charter renewed and a full assurance of the free use of them by a more honourable title even the right of Christ our Lord Redeemer whom God hath appointed Heire of all things Heb. 1.2 and by him all things are ours even things to come as well as present 1 Cor. 3.21 c. 4. We were subject to the traditions and impositions of men we bowed down our backs and suffered them to ride on our consciences and to make us their vassals now we are delivered from that servitude by the price which Christ hath paid for us 1 Cor. 7.23 So that although we must needs bee subject to the powers ordained of God even for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 yet not so as to have dominion over our faith but onely in the Lord. Briefly as no earthly freedome can prejudice Christs interest in us as his servants so neither can any earthly obligation hinder us from having our share in this honour of being his free-men Beloved Christians take notice of this for your selves Liberty is a thing very desirable all men would be free This you have by Christ in a most excellent manner All other liberty in comparison of this is no better than pure villanage Oh that we could admire it and improve it to advantage All the promises of God belong to the Lords Redeemed in a special manner They are primarily intended for them and made unto them they are authentick onely in and through him 2 Cor. 1.20 and therefore claimable onely by those that have interest in him yea all the marrow and goodness of them shall be given in unto them and laid in their bosomes onely as their proper portion 1 Promises of spiritual blessings the love and favour of God acceptation of their persons and services pardon of sin power against sin an heart of flesh heavenly wisdome sufficiency of grace preservation from falling away all these and many the like great and precious promises whereby we are made partakers of the Divine nature do properly belong unto those which have obtained the precious faith of the Elect through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ and shall be made good unto them onely 2 Pet. 1.1 4. 2 Promises of temporal good things are theirs also Indeed we finde sometimes promises in Scripture both made and accomplished to the men of the world which live in sin Gen. 17.20 â—7 39 40. 1 King 21.29 and are strangers to the grace of Redemption as to Ishmael Esau Ahab But these are not properly called Promises they are rather declarations of Gods willingness and purpose to do something for them which they need or desire And the performance of them is not so much the fulfilling of a promise as the indulgence of his general goodness who as a good house-keeper makes provision for his whole family for his servants as well as his children according to their several conditions and qualities or rewards for some temporal good service done for him as in the case of Jehu 2 King 10.30 and of Nebuchadnezzar Ezek. 29.17 18 c. The promises even of these inferiour good things are fruits of the Lords special good will and therefore proper to the Redeemed The Old Testament promises pertained to the Israelites and severed from the rest of the world Rom. 9.4 all others being strangers to them Eph. 2.12 And the promises of the New Covenant belong to the Lords Redeemed as severed from all the servants of sin therefore they are called Heirs of Promise Heb. 6.17 When the Lord saith those that seek him shall want no good thing Psal 34.10 and he will with-hold no good thing from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 he fixeth the propriety in the persons so described as those onely that can groundedly claime them and this right to the promises ariseth upon the account of his giving his Son to death for us this being infinitly the greater favour and therefore he will not stick to give us the lesser Rom. 8.32 And now dear brethren which are now partakers of the great benefit of Redemption much joy may you have in this sweet priviledge In the volume of Gods book you have a treasury of promises which is able to afford you a rich supply whatsoever your needs are Oh that we were so wise as to get acquaintance with them and to make them familiar to our selves that we may know where to finde every Jewel and every Ear-ring and every Bracelet to deck our souls with on all needful and convenient occasions 7 By the grace of Redemption we come to have a peculiar interest in the providence of God Our Apostacy in Adam deprived us of our best safety for thereby we provoked the Holy One to leave us to shift for our selves and not to take care of us any more but to say as Jer. 15.1 2. Cast
satisfaction and merits and inabling them by his Spirit to perform the conditions of actual interest therein having no such purpose or resolution for all or any of the rest of mankinde So that Christ dyed for all in this sense that all and every one may obtain actual deliverance and salvation thereby in case they do beleeve but yet he dyed for the Elect onely in this sense that they through the merit of his death which was specially designed for them might be brought infallibly both to faith and to eternal life The difference of this from the first which limits even the paying of the price to the Elect is not so wide as to give just cause to either party to brand the Dissenters with heresie or schisme both of them having the letter of the Scriptures to warrant them The former we may finde Joh. 10.15 I lay down my life for the sheep Act. 20.28 He hath purchased the Church of God with his own blood Eph. 5.25 c. He gave himself for the Church to sanctifie and glorifie it The latter Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his Son Joh. 4.42 The Christ the Saviour of the world 1 Joh. 2.2 A propitiation for the sins of the whole world He gave himself a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2.6 He tasted death for every man Heb. 2.9 Neither am I so confident of the strength of mine own judgement as to determine whether of these is the naked truth of God For who am I that I should adventure professedly to side with either party against men of so great name and worth in the Churches of Christ Onely reserving to my self the liberty of mine own thoughts I shall crave leave to minde you of three things 1. I suppose that this latter opinion cannot justly be charged to wrong any fundamental Truth of Christian Religion or the Doctrine which is according to godliness 2 It seems the fairest way to a right reconciliation of those Texts before mentioned which speak different things 3. I am apt to think that if both were laid together and well weighed they would be found to come near to a friendly agreement and not to stand at so wide a distance as some imagine for both sides do readily grant 1. That the satisfaction given by Christ is abundantly sufficient for the redemption of the whole world yea of ten thousand worlds it being the blood of God Act. 20.28 2. That the offer of it is freely made to all the posterity of Adam by the appointment of God in the ministry of the Gospel and therefore the Ministers must both publish this grace to all and exhort them to imbrace it Mark 16.15 Col. 1.28 3. That it is onely from a special discriminating grace of God that some sinners are brought off to submit to Gods termes while others refuse Act. 18.27 2 Tim. 1.9 4. That onely the Elect are effectually wrought thus to submit and to accept of Christ offered and so are actually redeemed Act. 13.48 5. That all the rest of the world not having this effectual grace vouchsafed them but being left unto themselves do refuse redemption and salvation offered Ioh. 8.24 15.22 and so perish in their sins justly through their own default Matth. 23.37.38 2. But to dismiss this discourse I answer to the latter branch of the Objection thus Neither of the Opinions named will bear such a Conclusion It is but a weak kinde of Logick to argue thus Christ did not intend to pay a price for the ransoming of every sinner and therefore it may not be of me or thus he did not intend to apply this ransome to every one for his actual Redemption therefore perhaps he meant it not to me This is absurd and unreasonable reasoning For 1. Why mayest thou not as well say It may be he doth graciously intend it for me seeing thou canst not plead any unworthiness or uncapableness against thy self which may not bee as just a bar against all others 2. Thou hast an offer of this benefit made to thee every day and thou art invited to entertain it Wilt thou now stand off and say I cannot tell whether it be intended for me or no If a Creditor shall say to his imprisoned Debtor Come forth for thy debt is paid and I am satisfied what a folly were it to answer thus It may be my debt is not discharged I know not whether thou intendest my liberty No rather wave this intention and close with his offer 3. The onely way to put the matter out of doubt is this Apply thy self in the diligent use of Gods Ordinances to the serious and sincere performance of the condition and rest not till thy heart be drawn off from all other things to repose it self on him according to his command Mat. 11.28 4. Although I suppose we may safely conclude that every childe of Adam even continuing in his sinful estate may lawfully take it for granted that Christ became a curse to buy him out from the curse that is that he gave himself a ransome for all men and therefore for him also for ought he knows to the contrary and that he may and certainly shall be partaker of the fruit thereof if he submit to the Lords termes for otherwise what ground have I to make or he to take the offer of Christ yet for all that we may not say that any sinner continuing under the obedience of sin that is that he hath a present interest in Redemption or is actually partaker of it for this implies a contradiction Joh. 8.34 A servant of sin while such cannot be the Lords free man nay rather he ought to be perswaded of the contrary But as for thee poor sensible humbled soul thou mayest groundedly beleeve that thou art one of the Lords Redeemed this is thy priviledge and accordingly it is thy duty by the daily acting of faith on Christ and the constant exercise of all other graces to endeavour after a full assurance thereof in thy soul and in the mean time to stay thy self on the Lord and his sure word for the accomplishment Sect. 3. Answer to three Objections more Object 3. BUt if the actual enjoyment of this benefit be limited to the Elect then I am still where I was for I know not any thing concerning mine election If you can make it sure to me that God hath not cast me out by an eternal Decree but hath appointed me to salvation then I shall have some courage in the using of any means and taking any pains for attaining that end But if I be none of that number then I have nothing to do with Redemption and all my labour of beleeving and repenting and doing good will be lost and I shall runne in vain Answ 1. I grant it to be an undeniable truth that whatsoever we do whether we run or sit still we shall all in conclusion bee found such as to our everlasting estates as God hath decreed we
work and the grace of the Spirit which gives us power to do it The Spirit and the Letter are not opposite but sweetly subordinate Rom. 7.6 The opposition is onely betwixt the newness of the spirit and the oldness of the Letter That service which we before performed as slaves we now performe as sonnes Christ makes a change in us in relation to the Rule but no change in the matter of the Rule it self 2. In Suffering Christ hath undergone hard measures for thy sake and hath thereby purchased thy freedome Be thou willing to undergo hard measures for his sake that thou mayest advance his honour If thou hast tasted the bitterness of thy bondage and the sweetness of Redemption thou wilt not grudge to lay down all thy worldly contentments at the feet of thy Redeemer yea thou wilt not refuse to put thy life in thy hands and to be sacrificed for the promoting of his glory and be thankfull that thou art thought worthie to suffer for his Name Yea more Acts 5.41 Phil. 2.17 if Gods providence shall so order that a black night of darkness and trouble shall come upon the Church which may threaten to destroy or at least to shake the faith of Christians in this case it seems necessary that such of the Lords Redeemed as are grown strong should put their necks under the heaviest yoke of extraordinary afflictions if it may conduce to the establishing of others in the Truth and the furthering of their salvation S. Paul professeth his readiness hereunto 2 Tim. 2.10 and the Apostle John enjoines it as a necessary dutie upon this very ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We owe it as a dâ—bt Hee laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren 1 John 3.16 Oh the noble heroik spirit of Moses and Paul who were willing to forego their parts in the glory of heaven on condition that the Lords wrath might be turned away from their countrymen the Jewes that they might be saved Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 And oh that we could thus farre deny our selves for the honour of him who hath denied himself infinitely more for us Conclude then for certain that the Lord 's Redeemed ought to resigne themselves wholly unto the will and service of Jesus Christ their Lord The equitie yea necessitie whereof may further appear if ye minde these few motives 1. He onely hath the right of proprietie in you The ransomed Captive is not his own to dispose of himself nor can any other person claim an interest in him to require service of him save onely he that hath paid the price of his Redemption Even so neither thy self nor Sathan nor the world but onely Jesus Christ hath the unquestionable title of dominion over thee to order and to rule thee so that thou art no debtor to live either to thy self or to them but to him that died for thee Rom. 6.11 The Sacrament of baptisme holds forth this lesson Thou wast baptised into the name of Jesus Christ and hereby art really engaged unto his service To withdraw thy self from his service and betake thy self to other Lords is an high degree of theft and Covenant-breaking The Prophet speaks of witholding Tithes and Offerings as of a strange unheard of kinde of robbery Will a man rob God Mal. 3.8 What unreasonable brutishness is this Rom. 12.1 What is it then for a Christian to rob God of himself and his reasonable service Shall the pettie Thieves be severely punished and the grand Robbers escape Resolve then and say Lord other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but now we disclaim them and we will remember thy name onely Isa 26.13 2. The safety and comfort of your standing all along in this pilgrimage here below depend very much upon this If you will forsake your selves and all other Lords and referre your selves to the guidance and appointment of Jesus Christ you need not fear any hard measures from him in whom there is no unrighteousness you may trust him he will see Psal 92.15 that you shall fare no worse for that but better He that hath saved you in the swellings of Jordan will assuredly look after yoâ— in smaller dangers This is the way to secure your own peace and happiness if having owned Christ by faith for your alone Redeemer you will yield up your selves to him in unreserved obedience in every condition to do and suffer according to his will But if you will needs be your own masters or put your selves under the command of other Lords you do hereby discharge him from taking care of you and expose your selves to infinite perils Thou that hopest thou hast an actual share in this benefit and yet either refusest to live wholly to him or else dost capitulate with him and wilt have a vote in the managing of thine own wayes thou mayest fear that God will give thee up to follow thine own counsels and to shift for thy self in all the stormes which thou mayest meet withall And woe to that poor creature whom God doth leave to himself and to his own carvings he must needs be in a very tottering condition farre from peace 3. In the great day of reckoning which is to come Christ the Redeemer shall be judge for the Father hath committed this business unto him and hath given assurance thereof in that after his sad conflicts with the Curse and death he raised him up a Conquerour Acts. 17.31 Now in that great Assize Inquisition shall be made among those which are retainers to Jesus Christ chiefly concerning 2 things 1. Whether hast thou in the sence of thy wofull bondage under the Curse of the Law heartily accepted of Christ offered in the Gospel and renouncing all other helps in thy self or the creature rested on him as thine onely Redeemer 2. Whether hast thou willingly resigned thy self up to him as thy soveraigne Lord to rule and order thee in thy whole conversation so as thy main study and work hath been to minde and to seek his interest to live to him and to die to him and so to be intirely for him and for his glory This Latter shall then be insisted on and put home Matth. 25.35 42 c. to trie the truth of the former Therefore it concernes you to bethink your selves before hand what answer you will make when you shall stand before the judge If your hearts tell you that you have onely given Christ good words calling him Lord Lord but have not made conscience of coming up to his commandes or yielding obedience to his will or submitting to his pleasure and disposing hand in all things Oh what a black day will that be when you shall not be able to lift up your faces before him but must stand speechless Then shall you be sensible of your desperate folly and condemne your selves for it sadly lamenting that you have so grosly neglected both your Redeemer