accepted unto eternal life And in all he is the Lord our Righteousness And it may be to us an example of obedience to obey from the heart counting it as our meat to obey intirely in all things to obey devoutly with cheif affection to Gods glory to obey constantly and with continuance unto death and in death for the time place kinde c. To death The death of Christ was the will of the Father and Christ was voluntary in dying though death had no power over him being without sin yet he yeelded himself to it and died not onely in apprehension which to some is more then the thing suffered comes to but in sense such a death as made him fear cry weep sweat blood and utter his sense of Gods wrath forsaking him not separating the united natures but not so presently delivering him He offered himself to God by his Eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 Acts 4.27 28. God by his counsel determined what Herod Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together to do to him and God is said to deliver him for us all to death Rom. 8.32 And Christ consenting to his Father came into the world to give his life a ransom for many Heb. 9.26 Rom. 4. 1 Cor. 15. Matth. 20.28 He did die to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself to dissolve the works of the Devil according to the promise the seed of the woman shall break the head of the Serpent To reconcile us to God and set a peace between God and us and between the Jews and the Gentiles making of twain one new man in himself Eph. 2.15 16. To deliver from the Devil that had the power of death them that for fear of death were all their life held in bondage Heb. 6.14 15. He hath set Heaven open and given us free entrance unto the Father in the holy place Eph. 2.18 Heb. 10.19 He ratified Gods Covenant for ever Heb. 12.20 He kills the power of sin Rom. 6.6 He destroyed death concerning the power of it Vses 1 We are hereby admonished so to meditate of the death of Christ by the Will of God and his voluntary obedience in dying as to obtain this at our hands to die in obedience to God Not in impatience through tediousness of labors and affliction nor of necessity because our time is come but obediently as sacrificing our life unto God whether it be a natural or violent death none of us ought to live or to die unto himself but to the Lord Rom. 14.7 We are to be moved hereby to lay down our lives for the Brethren therefore that which is less then our lives 1 John 3. to use humility mercy gentleness towards others First We may hereby know the worth of Gods favor by the price which it cost Secondly The great mercy of God in delivering his Son to death for us Rom. 5. The abundant love of Christ Jesus to die for us Thirdly The hatefulness of sin seeing the imputation of it brought Christ so low Fourthly Labor for assurance of the communion with Christ in his death and glory in the certainty of Gods Covenant for forgiveness of sins sanctification perseverance and eternal life It reproves them that remember not Christs death do not think of it to work their affections to be like Christs therein we owe to him the remembrance of him and shewing forth of his death Of the Cross This was Gods will and herein Christ obeyed that his death should be for the kinde the most odious and fullest of reproach that is to be hanged on a tree This was figured in the sacrifice laid upon the wood as in Isaac in the Brasen Serpent lifted up on a pole Deut. 21.23 and God in his secret counsel had pronounced them accursed that hanged on a tree according to his purpose in Christ Jesus that he should bear our curse Gal. 3.13 They suffered for their own sins and he for ours God would have that a prefiguration of this And thus defilement is taken away and removed from us the purgation being made by the death of Christ on the Cross the remembrance of our vitiousness is to be removed from all mens eyes This Christ himself foretold Matth. 20.19 Joh. 3.14 8.28 18.32 and for this it was ordered that the Jews were stiffe in desiring him to be crucified And thus the Apostles charge the Jews Acts 5.30 2.23 he took our sins with him to the tree 1 Pet. 2.24 Spoiled principalities and powers and triumphed over them Col. 2. On the Cross Christ was encountred with exceeding fury on which legions of Divels of incomprehensible rage and long experience and Gods anger was kindled against him as a surety for sinners The Devils are spoiled God satisfied the wretched spirits are as it were dragged after the Chariot of Triumph and exposed to shame and the Elect are restored Vse Seeing Christ yeelded himself unto the will of his Father for such a death both shameful and bitter above other deaths it must teach us humility Seeing he being in the Form of God abased himself in the form of a servant to die on a tree for us let us endure the Cross and despise the shame Seeing the fruit of this death for us Let us glory in the Cross of Christ and in nothing more Gal. 6.14 Seeing in the Cross was Christs triumph Let us not be ashamed of Christ crucified but resolve to overcome also by sufferings Revel 12. And lastly Let it move us to take heed of sinning against Christ who submitted himself to the Cross for us How precious should his remembrance be with us and that Sacrament of his holy Body and Blood that carrieth with it special remembrance of his love in his dying on the Cross for us how should it be desired of us It must move us to look carefully to this That the Cross of Christ be not made of none effect by us either by receiving any Doctrine making the death of Christ in vain Gal. 5. or not applying the Doctrine of Christ by Faith unto reconciliation but receiving grace in vain 2 Cor. 6.1 Or not making the death of Christ in the efficacy of it powerful in us to crucifie the flesh with the affections as love of the world worldly sorrow corrupt hatred c. Lusts as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye c. It should move us to take to heart Phil. 3.18 even to tears that men in the Church should be enemies to the Cross of Christ Certainty of Salvation 1 THESS 5.9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath THe Apostle addes this Reason to his Exhortation to watching sobriety arming with Faith Love and Hope of Salvation taken from the certainty of obtaining Salvation which certainty is grounded in the knowledge of the gracious act of God in their exemption from his ordination to wrath in his counsel and decree of their Salvation Where note four things
trespass against us is a sign that God hath forgiven us for it is of that grace we have received from God reconciled to us It is therefore a prop of our Faith in praying for forgiveness For even we forgive them that trespass against us Luke 11.4 Hath promise as being an effect or fruit of the merit of Christ in us Luke 6.37 It is reckoned a note of singular righteousness above civil to love enemies Matth. 5. to pray for them in their distress Psal 35.13 14. to relieve them Rom. 12. and especially to be so desirous of their salvation that a man could finde in his heart to die for them that their souls might be saved Heathens may remit some injuries but not hating the sin not grieving for the sinner not of love of the Commandment not to all that offend not with unwearied continuance in the duty because not of habitual love to God and men but occasionally at friends requests for by-ends Christs Humiliation PHIL. 2.8 He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross THe Apostle urgeth his Exhortation to lowliness and minding the good of other men mentioned Vers 3 4. 1. By the example of Christ Jesus Ver. 5 6. 2. By the good which doth follow of it as it appears in the exaltation of Christ In the example of Christ he propounds to be considered both his natural excellency v. 6. and his voluntary humility or infirmity taken upon him for our sake v. 8. He humbleth himself Christ humbled himself in his birth in his life in his death In his birth to be born of a poor mother who confesseth her contemptible state and low degree Luke 1.48 52. espoused to a poor Carpenter to be born in a stable amongst beasts in his life in that till thirty years of age he led an obscure and private life as is gathered working with his supposed Father in his Trade for which they which knew his education objected it as ground of their contempt of him that he was not onely the Son of a Carpenter but himself a Carpenter Mark 6.3 Is not this the Carpenter the Son of Mary He at his time came to seek Baptism at the hands of John as if he had needed it which John would have refused knowing that he baptized with the Holy Ghost and needed not to come to him He refused not to be in the wilderness among wilde beasts and there to be tempted of the devil to be carried in his blessed Body as is probable from place to place to the pinnacle to a high mountain by the devil in companying with them of low degree as Fishers not disdaining to touch the Lepers for their healing nor to give himself to be used of any that would make use of him To that end he eat with sinners talked familiarly with Harlots c. He washed his Disciples feet he turned not his face from shame and spitting he suffered very unworthy things with a quiet minde And he humbled himself in death to die between two theeves a death accursed with the sence of Gods wrath offering himself to the judgement of God for all the Elect. Consider his minde in such a dignity by personal union of his humane nature and follow lowliness And became obedient Obedience follows humbleness of minde We are therefore commanded to humble our selves to walk with our God Micah 6.8 The Saints are said to sit down at Gods feet and every one receive his words Deut. 33.3 Sin hath pride with it and in wilful sins Jer. 2.31 even good men are said to despise the Lord 2 Sam. 12.9 It is the brand of all them that are lewd in their ways they despise the Lord Prov. 14.2 and are stout against him He humbles men first and takes away their pride and then makes them obedient Job 33.17 An humble minde is willing to be appointed 2. Christ was obedient First Voluntarily of his own accord with delight as his meat and drink John 4.32 34. Secondly In all things and in all degrees he told John as a reason of his coming to Baptism that he must fulfil all righteousness Matth. 3. and saith he came to fulfil the Law Matth. 5. Not to do his own will but the will of him that sent him John 6.38 Unto which will he fully submitted himself Matth. 26.39 Heb. 10.9 And not onely to the Moral Law but also to all those Laws which were peculiar to Gods people whereby they professed themselves sinners Gal. 4.4 he was circumcised offered oblations Luke 2.21 24. and performed other ceremonial observances Matth. 26.17 20. Matth. 26.26 Joh. 7.2 10. He was baptized and received the Sacrament of his own body and blood Matth. 3.18 Thirdly He did that always which pleased his Father John 8.29 Both materially and formally both in respect of the work and the heart seeking the glory of him that sent him Iohn 7.18 With all that love and zeal with all that mercy and compassion which the Law commands He doth affirm that thus he continued in his Fathers love John 15.10 keeping his Commandments which before his death he mentions in his prayer commending himself and his Disciples to his Father I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do John 17.4 Fourthly He was obedient to all to whom by the Law he should be obedient to God to the Civil Magistrate to his Parents He paid tribute maintained Cesars right acknowledged Pilates power over him from above and came down with his Parents and remained SUbject to them Luke 2.51 yet in the Lord discreetly giving to God that which belonged to him Fifthly He continued in his obedience until death and died in obedience to his Fathers will whereby he was the more accepted Heb. 5.8 John 10.17 That he preferred his Fathers will of our Salvation before his own life and refused not that death which was the death of all other accursed that the most odious malefactors were put to This was partly that he might be a fit High Priest Heb. 7.26 27. who needed not to offer for his own fin and herein he answered the Types and was an offering without blemish accepted and making acceptable Hereby we are justified by his obedience unto death both in doing and suffering Rom. 5.18 19. For as Christ was born to us and given to us Isa 9.6 John 4.10 Rom. 8.32 his obedience was for us and some part of it specially a part of his Mediation it was a part of his Humiliation whereby he declared himself inferior to his Father It must needs then be imputed unto us to our Justification Heb. 10.10 by the which will we are sanctified Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to all that believe And herein we have full consolation a full discharge from our sins by his suffering death and a perfect righteousness as much as the Law can require in which we please God and are
sanctification of the Spirit And this study God works in their hearts unto whom he reveals their election unto life for the accomplishing of his counsel that they may witness their thankfulness to him that they may be counted worthy of his Calling and of his Kingdom For howsoever none be worthy of the inestimable felicity in Heaven yet God doth fit all Col. 1.12 and makes them meet for himself and their inheritance in light for whom he hath prepared it and useth their own study care and labor to apprehend that holiness and happiness for which they have been apprehended of him To this purpose are the Exhortations to walk worthy of God and of their Calling and Prayers to be counted worthy to escape the things that come upon the Earth and worthy of his Calling 2 Thes 1.11 Vse 1 When we are tempted to unbeleef to self-love to dispair to cleave to earthly things with neglect of spiritual graces we should thus reason God hath not appointed us to perdition and therefore we must not yeeld to motions stirring us to such things as bring perdition but to obtain Salvation which he hath declared in his calling of us therefore we must and we will flee these things and follow after Faith Love Godliness Righteousness Gentleness c. Fighting the good fight of Faith till we lay hold on eternal life whereunto we are called 1 Tim. 6.11 12. If we do these things we shall never fall but abundant entrance shall be ministred unto us into the everlasting Kingdom of God 2. If sin have prevailed in some act let it move us to repentance to purging our selves reasoning thus This is not the way from election to salvation but from reprobation to damnation I will up therefore and turn my feet into Gods Commandments and forsaking the way of destruction keep the way of life for I am not appointed to wrath but to salvation 3. In them it appears election takes place that make the love and mercy and unchangeable decree of God a motive to follow Heavenly graces and to give themselves to God They that share in the mercies Rom. 12.1 move their resolution thereby to sacrifice themselves to God 2 Cor. 5.14 that partake of Christs love to work an addicting of themselves to Christ c. Where therefore this is wrought it is a sign of our sharing in this grace of election when from the thought of it we fight for our deliverance from sin the world and the devil and arm our selves with grace unto the fight Then it is evident Paul hath his part in the love of Christ dying for him when for Christ he dieth to the world Gal. 2.19 20. that he may live to God She loveth much therefore her many sins are forgiven her her affection argueth in her devout actions to Christ that she hath her part in his merit Hath not appointed or put us unto death In this exemption of the Apostle and the believing Thessalonians from ordination unto wrath there is not darkly insinuated That some are ordained to wrath by the Lord. Some mens destruction not onely in general but in particular not onely simply but in comparison this man not that Cain not Abel Esau not Jacob Judas not Peter decreed c. He will shew mercy on whom he will shew mercy and whom he will he hardneth There are Vessels of wrath prepared to destruction not onely by themselves sinning but by God ordaining their end according to his absolute power and his prerogative as the Potter hath to appoint his clay to the end and use of honor or dishonor and so to frame it out of the lump Rom. 9. I have hated Esau I have loved Jacob without foresight of their works as Christ is set for the ruine of many in Israel Luke 2.34 so some stumble at the stumbling stone Rom. 9.32 33. they stumble at the Word 1 Pet. 2.8 being disobedient unto the which they were even ordained or also appointed Fore-written unto this destruction or condemnation Jude v. 4. Prov. 16.4 He hath made all things for himself even the wicked for the day of evil In appointing to wrath three things are signed Rejection from grace and glory deputation to sins ordained to destruction 1. For clearing God Though we could not finde out his justice in this yet we must hold the principle God is righteous Jere. 12.1 Rom. 9.14 Is there unrighteousness with God God forbid Reject such thoughts with abomination 2. God may be cleared First in respect of his absolute liberty and right or prerogative by the similitude of the Potter He is not unrighteous in his action whose will executes but lawful power Secondly God in his liberty and prerogative may be cleared in his ends of his action He appoints none to damnation for damnation sake he delights not in the destruction of his Creature he respects his glory of power of wrath of justice of patience in bearing long with sinners and at last punishing them powerfully and righteously and declaring his rich glory in the Vessels of Mercy As all things are of him and through him so all things are for him Rom. 11.36 It is just for God to will his own glory by that of which he hath absolute power 3. He is cleared in his obtaining of this end of the glory of his justice and power in that he condemns and destroyeth none in his wrath but the material cause of their condemnation is found in themselves He created all righteous left man in the power of his will by his own free-will he sinned against God and so lost himself and his freewil his minde set on evil his wisdom contrary to God and cannot be subject to God He suffers them with patience giveth means of Repentance and Salvation for many and many gifts not onely worldly but spiritual makes them taste of the excellencies of the life to come doth what he can do for them excepting the new creating of them which is not unto just proceeding required He causeth not but permitteth their sin or in justice makes latter sins punishments of former blinding them that will not see but wink at the light hardning them that harden and obstinate their own hearts against his motions delivering them to their own hearts lusts that will not hear his counsel till they fulfil their full measure of sin rejecting them without purpose of ever reclaiming them And this is just And howsoever they cannot now but sin yet they sin with freedom without constraint from him with delight that they are said to love death Prov. 8.36 and to seek death Vse 1 1. For that there is an appointment of some to wrath it must stay us in our wondering at the ineffectualness of the Word in many to whom it is preached and that in a diverse manner or degree some continue enemies and disobedient being enraged by it some hear gladly yet go back offended at something All are not of God all have not faith