inquiry of every one who lies in any measure under the power of it convinced of Immortality and the Judgement to come is concerning the Righteousnesse wherewith to appeare in the presence of this Righteous God This more or lesse they are solicirous about all their days and so as the Apostle speakes Heb. 2. 15. through the feare of death they are subject to bondage all their life They are perplexed with feares about the Issue of their Righteousnesse least it should end in death and destruction Unto men set upon this Inquiry that which first and naturally presents it selfe for their direction and assistance assuredly promising them a Righteousnesse that will abide the triall of God provided they will follow its direction is the Law The Law hath many faire pleas to prevaile with a Soule to close with it for a Righteousnesse before God It was given out from God himselfe for that end and purpose it contains the whole obedience that God requireth of any of the sonnes of men it hath the promise of life annexed to it doe this and live the doers of the Law are justified and if thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandements yea it is most certaine that it must be wholly fullfilled if we ever think to stand with boldnesse before God This being some part of the plea of the Law there is no man that seeks after Righteousnesse but doth one time or another attend to it and attempt its direction many do it every day who yet will not own that so they doe This then they set themselves about labouring to correct their lives amend their ways performe the dutys required and so follow after a Righteousnesse according to the prescript of the Law And in this course doe many men continue long with much perplexity sometimes hopeing oftener fearing sometimes ready to give quite over sometimes vowing to continue their Consciences being no way satisfyed nor Rightiousnesse in any measure attained all their days After they have wearied themselves perhaps for a long season in the largenesse of their ways they come at length with feare trembling and disappointment to that conclusion of the Apostle by the workes of the Law no flesh is Justifyed and with dread Cry that if God marke what is done a misse there is no standing before him That they have this Issue the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 9. 31 32. Israel who followed after the Law of Righteousnesse attained not to the Law of Righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the Law it was not solely for want of indeavour in themselves that they were disappointed for they earnestly followed after the Law of Righteousnesse but from the nature of the thing it self it would not beare it Righteousnesse was not to be obtained that way for saith the Apostle if they which are of the Law be heires faith is made void and the Promise made of none effect because the. Law worketh wrath Rom. 4. 14 15. The Law it selfe is now such as that it cannot give life Gal. 3. 21. If there had been a Law given which would have given life verily Righteousnesse should have been by the Law and he gives the reason in the next verse why it could not give life because the Scripture concludes all under sinne that is it is very true and the Scripture affirmes it that all men are sinners and the Law speaks not one word to sinners but death and destruction therefore the Apostle tells us plainly that God himselfe found fault with this way of attaining Righteousnesse Heb. 8. 7 8. He complaines of it that is he declares it insufficient for that End and Purpose Now there are two considerations that discover unto men the vanity and hopelesnesse of seeking Righteousnesse in this path § 32 1. That they have already sinned for all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God Rom 3. 23. this they are sufficiently sensible of that allthough they could for the time to come fullfill the whole Law yet there is a score a reckoning upon them already that they know not how to Answer for Do they consult their guide the Law it selfe how they may be eased of the account that is past it hath not one word of Direction or Consolation but bids them prepare to dye the sentence is gone forth and there is no escaping 2. That if all former debts should be blotted out yet they are no way able for the future to fulfill the Law they can as well move the earth with a finger as answer the perfection thereof and therefore as I said on this twofold account they conclude that this labour is lost by the workes of the Law shall no flesh be justified Wherefore Secondly being thus disappointed by the severity § 33 and inexorablenesse of the Law men generally betake themselves to some other way that may satisfy them as to those considerations which took them off from their former hopes and this for the most part is by fixing themselves upon some wayes of Attonement to satisfy God and helping out the rest with hopes of Mercy Not to insist on the ways of Attonement and expiation which the Gentiles had pitched on nor on the many wayes and inventions by works satisfactory of their own supererogations of others indulgences and Purgatory in the close that the Papists have found out for this End and purpose it is I say proper to all convinced persons as above to seek for a Righteousnesse partly by an endeavour to satisfy for what is past and partly by hoping after Generall Mercy This the Apostle calls a seeking for it as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9. 32. not directly but as it were by the works of the Law making up one thing with another And he tells us what Issue they have in this businesse Chap. 10. 3. Being ignorant of the Righteousnesse of God and seeking to establish their own Righteousnesse they were not subject to the Righteousnesse of God They were by it Enemies to the Righteousnesse of God The ground of this going about to establish their own Righteousnesse was that they were ignorant of the righteousnesse of God had they known the Righteousnesse of God and what exact conformity to his will he requireth they had never undertaken such a fruitlesse businesse as to have compassed it as it were by the works of the Law yet this many will stick on a long time Something they doe something they hope for some old faults they will buy of with new obedience And this pacifies their Consciences for a season but when the Spirit comes to convince them of Righteousnesse neither will this hold wherefore 3. The matter comes at length to this Issue they look upon themselves under this twofold qualification as 1. Sinners obnoxious to the Law of God and the curse thereof so that unlesse that be satisfied that nothing from thence shall ever be laied to their
heartily consent unto This is every days worke I know not how any peace can be maintained with God without it If it be the work of soules to receive Christ as made sinne for us we must receive him as one that takes our sinnes upon him Not as though he dyed any more or suffered any more but as the faith of the Saints of old made that present and done before their eyes not come to passe Heb. 11. 1. So faith now makes that present which was accomplished and past many generations agoe This it is to know Christ Crucified 4. Having thus by Faith given up their sinnes to Christ seen God laying them all on him they draw nigh and take § 53 from him that Righteousnesse which he hath wrought out for them so fulfilling the whole of that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 21. He was made sinne for us that we might become the righteousnesse of God in him They consider him tendering himselfe and his Righteousnesse to be their Righteousnesse before God they take it and accept of it and compleat this blessed bartering and exchange of Faith Anger Curse Wrath death sinne as to its guilt He took it all and takes it all away with him we leave what ever of this nature belongs to us and from him we receive Love Life Righteousnesse and peace Obj. But it may be said surely this course of procedure can § 54 never be acceptable to Jesus Christ What shall we daily come to him with our Filth our Guilt our Sinnes may He not will He not bid us keep them to our selves they are our own shall we be allwaies giving sinnes and taking Righteousnesse Ans. There is not any thing that Jesus Christ is more delighted with then that his Saints should allwaies hold communion with him as to this businesse of giving and receiving For 1. This exceedingly honours him and gives him the Glory § 55 that is his due many indeed cry Lord Lord and make mention of him but honour him not at all How so They take his worke out of his hands and ascribe it unto other things their Repentance their Duties shall beare their iniquities They doe not say so but they doe so The commutation they make if they make any it is with themselves All their bartering about sinne is in and with their own soules The work that Christ came to doe in the world was to bear our iniquities and lay down his life a Ransome for our sinnes The Cup He had to drink of was filled with our sinnes as to the punishment due to them What greater dishonour then can be done to the Lord Jesus then to ascribe this work to any thing else to think to get rid of our sinnes any other way or meanes Herein then I say is Christ honoured indeed when we goe to him with our sinnes by Faith and say unto him Lord this is thy worke this is that for which thou camest into the World this is that thou hast undertaken to doe thou callest for my burthen which is too heavy for me to beare take it blessed Redeemer thou tenderest thy Righteousnesse that is my portion Then is Christ honoured then is the Glory of Mediation ascribed to him when we walke with him in this Communion 2. This exceedingly endeares the soules of the Saints to him § 56 and constraines them to put a due valuation upon him his Love his Righteousnesse and Grace When they find and have the daily use of it then they do it Who would not love him I have been with the Lord Jesus may the poore soule say I have left my sins my by burthen with him and he hath given me his Righteousnesse wherewith I am going with boldnesse to God I was dead and am alive for He dyed for me I was cursed and am blessed for He was made a curse for me I was troubled but have peace for the chastisement of my peace was upon him I knew not what to doe nor whither to cause my sorrow to goe by him have I received joy unspeakable and Glorious if I doe not love him delight in him obey him live to him dye for him I am worse then the Devills in hell Now the great ayme of Christ in the world is to have an high place and esteeme in the hearts of his people to have there as He hath in himselfe the preheminence in all things not to be justled up and downe among other things to be all and in all And thus are the Saints of God prepared to esteeme him upon the engaging themselves to this Communion with him Obj. Yea but you will say if this be so what need we to repent § 57 or amend our wayes it is but going to Christ by faith making this exchange with him and so we may sinne that grace may abound Ans. I judge no mans person but this I must needs say that I doe not understand how a man that makes this objection in cold blood not under a temptation or accidentall darknesse can have any true or reall acquaintance with Jesus Christ however this I am certaine of that this Communion in its selfe produces quite other effects then those supposed For 1. For Repentance it is I suppose a Gospell Repentance that § 58 is intended For a Legall bondage Repentance full of dread amazement terrour selfe-love astonishment at the presence of God I confesse this Communion takes it away prevents it casts it out with its bondage and feare But for Gospell Repentance whose nature consists in Godly sorrow for sinne with its relinquishment proceeding from Faith Love and Abhorrency of sinne on accounts of Father Son and Spirit both Law and Love that this should be hindered by this Communion is not possible I told you that the Foundation of this Communion is laid in a deep serious daily consideration of sinne its guilt vilenesse and abhomination and our own vilenesse on that account That a sense hereof is to be kept alive in and upon the heart of every one that will enjoy this Communion with Christ without it Christ is of no value nor esteeme to him Now is it possible that a man should dayly fill his heart with the thoughts of the vilenesse of sinne on all considerations what ever of Law Love Grace Gospell life and death and be filled with selfe abhorrency on this account and yet be a stranger to Godly sorrow Here is the mistake the Foundation of this Communion is laid in that which they suppose it overthrowes 2. But what shall we say for obedience if Christ be so Glorified § 59 and honoured by taking our sinnes the more we bring to him the more will he be glorified A man could not suppose that this Objection would be made but that the Holy Ghost who knows what is in man and his heart hath made it for them and in their name Rom. 6. 1 2 3. The very same Doctrine that I have insisted on being delivered Chap. 5. 18 19 20. The same
8. to know our selves in reference unto these three is a main part of true and sound wisdome for they all respect the supernaturall and immortall End whereunto we are appointed and there is none of these that we can attaine unto but only in Christ. 1. In respect of sinne there is a sence and knowledge of sin left in the Consciences of all men by nature To tell them what is good and evill in many things to approve and disapprove of what they doe in reference to a Judgement to come they need not goe farther then themselves Rom. 2. 14 15. But this is obscure and relates mostly to greater sinnes and is in summe that which the Apostle gives us Rom. 1. 32. they know the Judgement of God that they which doe such things are worthy of Death This he placeth among the common Presumptions and notions that are received by mankind namely that it is Righteous with God that they who doe such things are worthy of Death And if that be true which is commonly received that no Nation is so barbarous or rude but it retaineth some sense of a Deity then this also is true that there is no Nation but hath a sense of sinne and the displeasure of God for it For this is the very first notion of God in the World that he is the Rewarder of good and evill hence were all the Sacrifices purgings expiations which were so generally spread over the face of the Earth but this was and is but very dark in respect of that knowledge of sinne with its appurtenances which is to be obtained A further knowledge of sinne upon all Accounts whatever § 24 is given by the Law that Law which was added because of transgressions This revives doctrinally all that sense of good and evill which was at first implanted in man and it is a glasse whereinto whosoever is able spiritually to look may see sinne in all its uglinesse and deformity The truth is look upon the Law in its Purity Holinesse Compasse and Perfection its manner of delivery with dread terrour thunder Earthquakes fire the sanction of it in death curse wrath and it makes a wonderfull discovery of sinne upon every account its pollution guilt and exceeding sinfullnesse are seen by it But yet all this doth not suffice to give a man a true and thorough conviction of sin Not but that the Glasse is cleare but of our selves we have not eyes to look into it the Rule is streight but we cannot apply it and therefore Christ sends his Spirit to convince the World of sinne Joh 16 8. who though as to some ends and purposes he makes use of the Law yet the work of conviction which alone is an usefull knowledge of sinne is his peculiar work And so the discovery of sinne may also be said to be by Christ to be part of the Wisdome that is hid in him But yet there is a twofold regard besides this of his sending his Spirit to convince us wherein this wisdome appears to be hid in him 1. Because there are some neere concernments of sinne which are more clearly held out in the Lord Christs being made sinne for us then any other way 2. In that there is no knowledge to be had of sinne so as to give it a spirituall and saving improvement but only in him 1. For the First There are Fower things in sinne that clearly § 25 shine out in the Crosse of Christ. 1. The Desert of it 2. Mans Impotency by reason of it 3. The Death of it 4. A new end put to it 1. The desert of sinne doth clearly shine in the Crosse of Christ upon a twofold account 1. Of the Person suffering for it 2. Of the Penalty he underwent 1. Of the person suffering for it This the Scripture oftentimes very emphatically sets forth and layes great weight upon Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the World as that he sent his only begotten sonne It was his only sonne that God sent into the World to suffer for sinne Rom. 8 32. he spared not his only sonne but gave him up to death for us all To see a Slave beaten and corrected it argues a fault committed but yet perhaps the demerit of it was not very great The correction of a Sonne argues a great provocation that of an only sonne the greatest imaginable Never was sinne seen to be more abominably sinfull and full of provocation then when the burthen of it was upon the shoulders of the son of God God having made his sonne the sonne of his Love his only begotten full of Grace and Truth sinne for us to manifest his indignation against it and how utterly impossible it is that he should let the least sinne goe unpunished he lays hand on him and spares him not If sinne be imputed to the deare sonne of his bosome as upon his own voluntary assumption of it it was for he said to his Father Lo I come to doe thy will and all our iniquities did meet on him he will not spare him any thing of the due desert of it Is it not most cleare from hence even from the blood of the Crosse of Christ that such is the demerit of sinne that it is altogether impossible that God should passe by any the least unpunished if he would have done it for any he would have done it in reference to his only Sonne but he spared him not Moreover God is not at all delighted with nor desirous of the blood the teares the cryes the unexpressible torments and sufferings of the sonne of his Love for he delights not in the anguish of any he doth not i afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men much lesse the sonne of his bosome only he required that his Law be fulfilled his Justice satisfied his wrath atton'd for sinne and nothing lesse then all this would bring it about If the debt of sinne might have been compounded for at a cheaper rate it had never been held up at the price of the blood of Christ. Here then Soule take a view of the desert of sinne behold it farre more evident then in all the threatnings and curses of the Law I thought indeed mayst thou say from thence that sinne being found on such a poore worme as I am was worthy of death but that it should have this effect if charged on the sonne of God that I never once imagined 2. Consider also further what he suffered For though he § 26 was so excellent an one yet perhaps it was but a light Affliction and triall that he underwent especially considering the strength he had to beare it Why what ever it were it made this fellow of the Lord of Hosts this Lion of the Tribe of Judah this mighty one the wisdome and power of God to tremble sweat cry pray wrestle and that with strong supplications Some of the Popish devotionists tell us
that one drop the least of the blood of Christ was abundantly enough to redeeme all the World but they erre not knowing the desert of sinne nor the severity of the Justice of God If one drop lesse then was shed one pang lesse then was laid on would have done it those other dropps had not been shed nor those other pangs laid on God did not cruciate the dearly Beloved of his soule for nought But there is more then all this It pleased God to bruise him to put him to griefe to make his soule an offering for sinne and to powre out his life unto death He hid himselfe from him was farre from the voyce of his cry untill he cryed out my God my God why host thou forsaken me He made him sinne and a Curse for us executed on him the sentence of the Law brought him into an Agony wherein he sweat thick drops of blood was grievously troubled and his soule was heavy unto death he that was the power of God and the Wisdome of God went stooping under the burthen untill the whole frame of nature seemed astonished at it Now this as I said before that it discovered the Indignation of God against sinne so it clearly holds out the desert of it Would you then see the true demerit of sinne take the measure of it from the Mediation of Christ especially his Crosse It brought him who was the Son of God equall unto God God blessed for ever into the forme of a Servant who had not where to lay his head it pursued him all his life with afflictions and persecutions lastly brought him under the rod of God there bruised him and brake him slâ—w the Lord of Life Hence is deep humiliation for it upon the account of him whom we have pierced And this is the first spirituall view of sinne we have in Christ. 2. The Wisdome of understanding our impotency by reason of § 27 sinne is wrapped up in him By our impotency I understand two things 1. Our disability to make any Attonement with God for sinne 2. Our disability to answer his mind and will in all or any of the Obedience that he requireth by Reason of sinne For the First that alone is discovered in Christ. Many enquiries have the sonnes of men made after an Attonement many wayes have they entered into to accomplish it After this they enquire Mich 6. 6 7. will any manner of Sacrifices though appointed of God as burnt offerings and Calves of a year old though very costly thousands of rams and ten thousands Rivers of oyle though dreadfull and tremendous offering violence to nature as to give my Children to the fire will any of these things make an attonement David doth positively indeed determine this businesse Psal 49. 7 8. none of them of the best or richest of men can by any meanes redeeme his Brother nor give to God a ransome for him for the Redemption of their soules is precious and it ceaseth for ever It cannot be done no attonement can be made Yet men would still be doeing still attempting hence did they heap up Sacrifices some costly some bloody and inhumane The Jews to this day think that God was atton'd for sinne by the sacrifices of Bulls and Goats and the like and the Socinians acknowledge no Attonement but what consists in mens Repentance and new obedience In the crosse of Christ are the mouthes of all stopped as to this thing For 1. God hath there discovered that no Sacrifices for sinne though of his own appointment could ever make them perfect that offered them Heb. 10. 11. Those Sacrifices could never take away sinne those services could never make them perfect that performed them as to the Conscience Heb. 9. 9. as the Apostle proves Chap. 10. 1. and thence the Lord rejects all Sacrifices and offerings whatever as to any such end and purpose v. 6 7 8. Christ in their stead saying Lo I come and by him we are justified from all from which we could not be justified by the Law Act. 13 34. God I say in Christ hath condemned all Sacrifices as wholly insufficient in the least to make an attonement for sinne And how great a thing it was to instruct the Sons of man in this Wisdome the event hath manifested 2. He hath also written vanity on all other endeavours whatever that have been undertaken for that purpose Rom. 3. 24 25 26. by setting forth his only Sonne to be a propitiation he leaves no doubt upon the spirits of men that in themselves they could make no attonement For if Righteousnesse were by the Law then were Christ dead in vaine To what purpose should he be made a propitiation were not we our selves weake and without strength to any such purpose so the Apostle argues Rom. 6. 6. when we had no power then did he by death make an Attonement as v 8 9. This Wisdome then is also hid in Christ men may see by other helpes perhaps farr enough to fill them with dread and Astonishment as those in Isa. 33. 14. But such a sight and view of it as may lead a soule to any comfortable settlement about it that only is discovered in this treasury of heaven the Lord Jesus 2. Our disability to answer the mind and will of God in all or any of the Obedience that he requireth is in him only to be discovered This indeed is a thing that many will not be acquainted with to this day To teach a man that he cannot doe what he ought to do for which he condemnes himself if he doe it not is no easy taske Man rises up with all his power to plead against a conviction of impotency Not to mention the proud conceits and expressions of the Philosophers how many that would be called Christians do yet creep by severall degrees in the perswasion of a power of fulfilling the Law and from whence indeed should men have this knowledge that we have not Nature will not teach it that is proud and conceited and it is one part of its pride weaknesse and corruption not to know it at all The Law will not teach it for though that will shew us what we have done amisse yet it will not discover to us that we could not doe better yea by requiring exact obedience of us it takes for granted that such power is in us for that purpose it takes no notice that we have lost it nor doth it concerne it so to doe This then also lyes hid in the Lord Jesus Rom. 8. 2 3 4. The Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death For what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us The Law can bring forth no
4 Boldnesse 5. An ayming at the same End And all these with the Wisdome of them are hid in the Lord Jesus 1. Agreement The Prophet tells us that two cannot walke together unlesse they be agreed Amos 3. 3. Untill Agreement be made there is no communion no walking together God and man by nature or whilest man is in the state of nature are at the greatest enmity He declares nothing to us but wrath whence we are said to be Children of it that is borne obnoxious to it Ephes. 2 3. and whilest we remain in that condition the wrath of God abideth on us Joh 3. 36. All the discovery that God makes of himselfe unto us is that he is unexpressibly provoked and therefore preparing wrath against the day of wrath and the Revelation of his Righteous Judgements the Day of his and sinners meeting is called the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5 6. Neither doe we come short in our enmity against him yea we first began it and we continue longest in it To expresse this Enmity the Apostle tells us that our very minds the best part of us are Enmity against God Rom. 8. 7 8 and that we neither are nor will nor can be subject to him our Enmity manifesting it selfe by Universall Rebellion against him what ever we doe that seems otherwise is but hypocrisy or flattery yea it is a part of this Enmity to lessen it In this state the Wisdome of walking with God must needs be most remote from the soule He is light and in him is no darknesse at all we are darknesse and in us there is no light at all He is life a living God we are dead dead sinners dead in trespasses and sinne He is Holinesse and glorious in it we wholly defiled an abominable thing he is Love we full of hatred hating and being hated Surely this is no foundation for agreement or upon that of walking together nothing can be more remote then this frame from such a condition The foundation then of this I say is laid in Christ hid in Christ He faith the Apostle is our peace he hath made peace for us Ephes. 2. 14 15. he slew the Enmity in his own body on the Crosse v. 16. 1. He takes out of the way the cause of the enmity that was between God and us Sinne and the curse of the Law Dan. 9. 24. He makes an end of sinne and that by making Attonen ent for iniquity and he blotteth out the hand writing of Ordinances Col. 2. 24. redeeming us from the Curse by being made a Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. 2. He destroys him who would continue the enmity and make the breach wider Heb 2. 14 through death he destroyd him that had the power of death that is the Divell and Col. 2. 14 spoiled principalities and powers 3. He made Reconciliation for the sinnes of the People Heb. 2. 17. he made by his blood an Attonement with God to turne away that wrath which was due to us so making peace hereupon God is said to be in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe 2 Cor. 5. 19. being reconciled himselfe v 18. he lays down the enmity on his part and proceeds to what remaines to slay the enmity on our part that we also may be reconciled and this also 4. He doth for Rom. 5. 11. by our Lord Jesus Christ we doe receive the Attonement accept of the peace made and tendered laying down our enmity to God and so confirming an agreement betwixt us in his blood So that through him we have an accesse unto the Father Ephes. 2. 18. Now the whole wisdome of this Agreement without which there is no walking with God is hid in Christ out of him God on his part is a consuming fire we are as stubble fully dry yet setting our selves in battell array against that fire if we are brought together we are consum'd All our approachings to him out of Christ are but to our detriment in his blood alone have we this Agreement and let not any of us once suppose that we have taken any step in the paths of God with him that any one duty is accepted that all is not lost as to Eternity if we have not done it upon the account hereof 2. There is required Acquaintance also to walking together Two may meet together in the same way and have no quarrell § 36 between them no enmity but if they are meer strangers one to another they passe by without the least Communion together It doth not suffice that the Enmity betwixt God and us be taken away we must also have acquaintance given us with him Our not knowing of him is a great cause a great part of our enmity Our understandings are darkned and we are alienated from the life of God c Ephes. 4. 18. This also then must be added if we ever come to walke with God which is our Wisdome And this also is hid in the Lord Christ and comes forth from him It is true there are sundry other meanes as his Word and his Workes that God hath given the Sonnes of men to make a discovery of himselfe unto them and to give them some acquaintance with him that as the Apostle speakes Act. 17. 27. They should seek the Lord if haply they might find but yet as that knowledge of God which we have by his workes is but very weak imperfect so that which we have by the Word the letter of it by reason of our blindnesse is not saving to us if we have no other helpe for though that be light as the Sun in the firmament yet if we have no eyes in our heads what can it availe us No saving acquaintance with him that may direct us to walke with him can be obtained This also is hid in the Lord Jesus and comes forth from him 1 Joh. 5. 20. He hath given us this understanding that we should know him that is true all other light whatever without his giving us an understanding will not doe it He is the true light which lighteth every one that is enlightened Joh. 15. Luk. 24. 45. he opens our understandings that we may understand the Scriptures none hath known God at any time but he hath revealed him 1 Joh. 18. God dwells in that light which no man can approach unto 1 Tim. 6. 26. None hath ever had any such acquaintance with him as to be said to have seen him but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Hence he tells the Pharisees that notwithstanding all their great knowledge which they pretended indeed they had neither heard the voyce of God at any time nor seen his shape Ioh. 5. 37. they had no manner of spirituall acquaintance with God but he was unto them as a man whom they had never heard nor seen There is no acquaintance with God as love and full of Kindnesse Patience Grace and pardoning Mercy on which knowledge of him alone we can walke with him but only
Grace and infinite vertue and worth from the dignity of his Person and surely He yeelded not that long course of all manner of Obedience but for some great and speciall purpose in reference to our Salvation 4. That had not the Obedience of Christ been for us in § 17 what sense we shall see instantly it might in his life have been required of him to yeeld obedience to the Law of Nature the alone Law which he could be liable to as a man for an innocent man in a Covenant of Works as he was needs no other Law nor did God ever give any other Law to any such person the Law of Creation is all that an innocent creature is liable to with what Symbols of that Law God is pleased to adde And yet to this Law also was his subjection voluntary that not only consequentially because he was borne upon his own choyse not by any naturall course but also because as Mediator God and Man he was not by the institution of that Law obliged unto it being as it were exempted and lifted above that Law by the Hypostaticall Union yet when I say his subjection hereunto was voluntary I do not intend that it was meerely arbitrary and at choyse whither he would yeeld obedience unto it or no but on supposition of his undertaking to be a Mediator it was necessary it should be so but that he voluntarily and willingly submitted unto and so became really subject to the commands of it But now moreover Jesus Christ yeelded perfect obedience to all those Lawes which came upon us by the occasion of sinne as the Ceremoniall Law yea those very institutions that signified the washing away of sinne and Repentance from sinne as the Baptisme of John which He had no need of himselfe This therefore must needs be for us 5. That the Obedience of Christ cannot be reckoned amongst § 18 his sufferings but is clearly distinct from it as to all formalityes Doing is one thing suffering another they are in diverse predicaments and cannot be coincident See then briefely what we have obtained by those considerations and then I shall intimate what is the streame issuing from this first spring or Fountaine of purchased Grace with what influence it hath thereinto 1. By the Obedience of the Life of Christ you see what is intended his willing submission unto and perfect compleat fulfilling of every Law of God that any of the Saints of God were obliged unto It is true every Act almost of Christs obedience from the blood of his Circumcision to the blood of his Crosse was attended with suffering so that his whole life might in that regard be called a death But yet looking upon his willingnesse and obedience in it it is distinguished from his sufferings peculiarly so called and termed his Active Righteousnesse This is then I say as was shewed that compleat obsolutely perfect Accomplishment of the whole Law of God by Christ our Mediator whereby He not only did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth but also most perfectly fulfilled all Righteousnesse as He affirmed it became him to doe 2. That this obedience was performed by Christ not for himselfe but for us and in our stead it is true It must needs be that whilest he had his conversation in the flesh He must be most perfectly and absolutely holy But yet the prime intendment of his accomplishing of holinesse which consists in the compleat obedience of his whole life to any Law of God that was no lesse for us then his suffering death That this is so the Apostle tells us Gal. 4. 4 5. God sent forth his Sonne made of a Woman made under the Law to redeeme them that were under the Law this Scripture formerly named must be a little farther insisted on He was both made of a Woman and made under the Law that is obedient to it for us The end here both of the Incarnation and Obedience of Christ to the Law for that must needs be understood here by the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is disposed of in such a condition as that he must yeeld subjection and obedience to the Law was all to redeeme us In those two expressions made of a Woman made under the Law the Apostle doth not knit his Incarnation and death together with an exclusion of the obedience of his life And he was so made under the Law as those were under the Law whom he was to redeeme Now we were under the Law not only as obnoxious to its penalties but as bound to all the duties of it That this is our being under the Law the Apostle informes us Gal. 4. 21. Tell me yee that desire to be under the Law It was not the penalty of the Law they desired to be under but to be under it in respect of obedience Take away then the end and you destroy the meanes if Christ were not incarnate nor made under the Law for himselfe He did not yeeld obedience for himselfe it was all for us for our good let us now look forward and see what influence this hath into our acceptation 3. Then I say this perfect compleat Obedience of Christ to the Law is reckoned unto us As there is a truth in that the day thou § 20 eatest thou shalt dye death is the reward of sinne and so we cannot be freed from death but by the death of Christ Heb. 2. 13 14. So also is that no lesse true do this and live that life is not to be obtained unlesse all be done that the Law requires That is still true if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandements Math. 19. 17. they must then be kept by us or our surety Neither is it of any value which by some is objected that if Christ yeelded perfect obedience to the Law for us then are we no more bound to yeeld obedience for by his undergoing death the penalty of the Law we are freed from it I Answer How did Christ undergoe death meerely as it was penall how then are we delivered from death meerely as it is penall yet we must dye still yea as the last conflict with the effects of sinne as a passage to our Father we must dye Well then Christ yeelded perfect obedience to the Law but how did he doe it purely as it stood in that conditionall do this and live He did it in the strength of the Grace he had received He did it as a meanes of life to procure life by it as the tenour of a covenant Are we then freed from this obedience yes but how farre from doing it in our own strength from doing it for this end that we may obtaine life everlasting It is vaine that some say confidently that we must yet work for life It is all one as to say we are yet under the old covenant hoc fac vives we are not freed from obedience as a way of walking with God but we are as
of any one from bondage or captivity and the miseries attending that condition by the intervention or interposition of a price or Ransome pay'd by the Redeemer to him by whose Authority the Captive was detained 1. In Generall it is a deliverance Hence Christ is called the deliverer Rom. 11. 26. giving himselfe to deliver us Gal 1. 4. He is Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come 1 Thess. 1. 10. 2. It is the delivery of one from bondage or captivity we are without him all prisoners and captives bound in prison Isa. 61. 1. sitting in darkenesse in the prison house Isa. 42. 7. Chap. 49. 9. Prisoners in the pit wherein there is no water Zech. 9. 11. the captives of the Mighty and the prey of the terrible Isa. 49. 25. under a Captivity that must be lead captive Psal. 68. 18. this puts us in bondage Heb. 2. 14. 3. The person committing thus to prison and into bondage is God himselfe To him we owe our debts Math. 6. 12. chap. 18. 27. 28 29. against him are our offences Psal. 51. 5. He is the Judge and Law-giver James 4. 12. to sinne is to rebell against him He shuts up men under disobedience Rom. 1◠32. And he shall cast both body and soul of the impenitent into Hell fire Math. 10. 28. To his wrath are men obnoxious Joh. 3. 36. and lye under it by the sentence of the Law which is their prison 4. The miseryes that attend this condition are innumerable Bondage to Sathan Sin and the world comprizes the summe of them from all which we are delivered by the death of Christ as a Price or Ransome God hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his deare Son in whom we have Redemption through his blood Col. 1. 13. 14. And he redeems us from all iniquity Tit. 2. 14. from our vaine Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18 F 19. even from the guilt power of our sin purchasing us to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of Good workes Tit. 2. 14. so dying for the Redemption of transgressours Heb. 9. 15. Redeeming us also from the world Gal 4. 5. 4. And all this is by the payment of the price mentioned into the hand of God by whose supreame Authority we were detained captives under the sentence of the Law The debt is due to the great housholder Math. 18. 23 24. And the penalty his curse and wrath from which by it we are delivered Rev. 2. 5. This the Holy Ghost frequently insists on Rom. 3. 24 25. Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes so also 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Math. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 13. Gal 3. 13. And this is the first consideration of the death of Christ as it hath an influence into the procurement of that Grace wherein we hold communion with him Secondly it was a Sacrifice also He had a body prepared him Heb. 10. 5. wherein he was to accomplish what by the typicall § 29 oblations and burnt offerings of the Law was prefigured And that body he offered Heb. 10. 10. that is his whole humane nature for his Soule also was made an offering for sinne Isa. 53. 10. on which account he is said to offer himselfe Ephes. 5. 2. Heb. 1. 3. Heb. 9. 24. He gave him selfe a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour And this he did willingly as became him who was to be a Sacrifice The Law of this obedience being written in his heart Psal. 40. v. 9. that is he had a readinesse willingnesse desire for its performance Now the end of Sacrifices such as his was bloody and for sinne Rom. 4. 3. Heb. 2. 17. was Attonement and Reconciliation This is every where ascribed to them that they were to make attonement that is in a way suitable to their nature And this is the tendency of the death of Christ as a Sacrifice Attonement and Reconciliation with God Sin had broken friendship between God and us Isa. 63. 10. whence his wrath was on us Ioh. 3. 36. and we are by nature obnoxious to it Ephes. 2. 3. This is taken away by the death of Christ as it was a sacrifice Dan. 9. 24. when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 10. And thereby doe we receive the Attonement v. 11. For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing to them their sinnes and their iniquities 2 Cor. 5. 19 20 21. So also Eph. 2. 12 13 14 15 16. and in sundry other places And this is the second consideration of the death of Christ which I do but name having at large insisted on these things elsewhere Thirdly it was also a punishment A punishment in our stead § 30 He was wounded for our sinnes and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our Peace was on him Isa. 53. v. 5. God made all our iniquities that is the punishment of them to meet upon him v. 6. he bare the sinnes of many v. 12. His own selfe bare our sins in his body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24 25. And therein he who knew no sinne was made sinne for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. what it is in the Scripture to beare sinne see Deut. 19. 5. 20 17 Numb 14. 33. Ephes. 18. 20. The nature kind matter and manner of this punishment I have as I said before elsewhere discussed Now bearing of Punishment tends directly to the giving satisfaction to him who was offended and on that account inflicted the punishment Justice can desire no more then a proportion all punishment due to the offence And this on his own voluntary taking of our persons undertaking to be our Mediatour was inflicted on our deare Lord Jesus His substituting himselfe in our Roome being allowed of by the Righteous judge satisfaction to him doth thence properly ensue And this is the threefold consideration of the death of Christ as it is a principall spring and fountain of that Grace wherein we have communion with him for as will appeare in our processe the single and most eminent part of purchased grace is nothing but the naturall exurgency of the threefold effects of the death of Christ intimated to flow from it on the account of the threefold consideration insisted on This then is the Second rise of purchased Grace which we are to eye if we will hold communion with Christ in it his death and bloodsheding under this threefold notion of a price an offering and punishment But Thirdly this is not all the Lord Christ goes farther yet He doth not leave us so but followes on the work to the utmost § 31 He dyed for our sinnes and rose again for our justification He rose again to carry on the
unto them declares the usefullnesse and pretiousnesse of it to their Soules stirring them up to a desire and valuation of it and lastly effectually bestowes it upon them reckons it unto them as theirs that they should by it for it with it be perfectly accepted with his Father Thus for our Acceptation with God two things are required § 9 1. That Satisfaction be made for our disobedience for whatever we had done which might dammage the justice and Honour of God and that God be attoned towards us which could no otherwise be but by undergoing the penalty of the Law This I have shewed abundantly is done by the death of Christ God made him to be sinne for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. a Curse Gal 3. 13. On this account we have our Absolution our Acquitment from the guilt of sinne the sentence of the Law the wrath of God Rom. 8. 33. 38. We are justified acquitted freed from condemnation because it was Christ that dyed He bare our sins in his body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. 2. That the Righteousnesse of the Law be fulfilled and the obedience performed that is required at our hands and this is § 7 done by the life of Christ Rom. 5. 18 19. So that answerably hereunto according to our state and condition of our Acceptation with God there are two parts 1. Our Absolution from the guilt of sinne that our Disobedience § 8 be not charged upon us This we have by the death of Christ our sinnes being imputed to him shall not be imputed to us 2 Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 4. 25. Isa. 5. 12. 2. Imputation of Righteousnesse that we may be accounted perfectly Righteous before God and this we have by the life of Christ. His Righteousnesse in yeelding obedience to the Law is imputed to us And thus is our Acceptation with God compleated Being discharged from the guilt of our disobedience by the death of Christ and having the Righteousnesse of the Life of Christ imputed to us we have Friendship and Peace with God And this is that which I call our Grace of Acceptation with God wherein we have communion with Jesus Christ. That which remaines for me to doe is to shew how Believers hold distinct communion with Christ in this Grace of Acceptation § 9 and how thereby they keep alive a sense of it the comfort and life of it being to be renewed every day Without this life is an Hell no Peace no Joy can we be made partakers of but what hath its rise from hence Look what grounded perswasion we have of our Acceptation with God that He is at peace with us thereunto is the revenue of our Peace Comfort Joy yea and Holinesse it selfe proportioned But yet before I come in particular to handle our practicall communion with the Lord Jesus in this thing I must remove § 10 two considerable objections the one of them lying against the first part of our Acceptation with God the other against the latter Ob 1. For our Absolution by upon the death of Christ it may be said that if the Elect have their Absolution Reconciliation and Freedome by the Death Blood and Crosse of Christ whence is it then that they are not all Actually absolved at the death of Christ or at least so soon as they are borne but that many of them live a long while under the wrath of God in this world as being Unbelievers under the sentence and condemning power of the Law why are they not immediately freed upon the payment of the price and making Reconciliation for them Ob. 2. If the Obedience of the Life of Christ be imputed unto us and that is our Righteousnesse before God then what need we yeeld any Obedience our selves is not all our praying labouring watching fasting giving almes are not all fruits of Holinesse in purity of heart and usefulnesse of conversation all in vaine and to no purpose and who then will or need take care to be holy humble righteous meeke temperate patient good peaceable or to abound in good works in the World I shall God assisting briefely remove these two Objections and then proceed to carry on the designe in hand about our communion with Christ. 1. Jesus Christ in his undertaking of the work of our Reconciliation with God for which cause he came into the world and § 11 the Accomplishment of it by his death was constituted and considered as a Common publick person in the stead of them for whose Reconciliation to God He suffered Hence He is the Mediatour between God and Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. that is one who undertook to God for us as the next words manifest v. 6. and gave himselfe a Ransome for all And the Surety of the new Covenant Heb. 7. 22. undertaking for and on the behalfe of them with whom that Covenant was made Hence he is said to be given for a Covenant to the people Isa. 42. 6. and a leader 49. 8. He was the second Adam 1 Cor. 15. 45 47. to all Ends and purposes of Righteousnesse to his spirituall seed as the first Adam was of sin to his naturall seed Rom. 5. 15 16 17 18 19. 2. His being thus a Common Person arose chiefely from these things 1. In generall from the Covenant entred into by § 12 himselfe with his Father to this purpose The Termes of this covenant are at large insisted on Isa. 53. summed up Psal. 40. 7 8. Heb 10. 8 9 10. Hence the Father became to be his God which is a Covenant expression Psal. 89. 26. Heb 1. 5. Psal. 22. 1. Psal. 40. 8. Psal. 45. 7. Revel 3. 12. Mich. 5. 4. So was he by his Father on this account designed to this work Isa. 42. 1. ch 6. 1. ch 49. 9. Mal. 3. 1. Zech. 13. 7. Joh. 3. 16. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Thus the Counsell of peace became to be between them both Zech. 6. 13. that is the Father and Son And the Son rejoyces from Eternity in the thought of this undertaking Prov. 8. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. The command given him to this purpose the Promises made to him thereon the assistance afforded to him I have elsewhere handled 2. In the Soveraigne Grant Appointment and Designe of the Father giving and delivering the Elect to Jesus Christ in this § 13 Covenant to be redeemed and reonciled to himselfe Joh. 17. 6. thine they were and thou gavest them to me They were Gods by Eternall Designation and Election and He gave them to Christ to be redeemed Hence before their calling or believing He calls them his sheep Joh. 10. 15 16. laying downe his life for them as such And hence are we said to be chosen in Christ Eph. 1. 4. or designed to obtain all the fruits of the Love of God by Christ and committed into his hand for that end and purpose 3. In his undertaking to suffer what was due to them and to doe what was to be done by them that they might be
delivered § 14 reconciled and accepted with God And he undertakes to give in to the Father without losse or miscarriage what he had so received of the Father as above Joh. 17. 2. 12. ch 6. 37 39. As Jacob did the cattell he received of Laban Gen. 31. 39 40. Of both these I have treated somewhat at large elsewhere in handling the Covenant between the Father and the Son so that I shall not need to take it up here againe 4. They being given unto him He undertaking for them to doe and suffer what was on their part required He received on § 15 their behalfe and for them all the promises of all the Mercies Grace good things and Priviledges which they were to receive upon the account of his undertaking for them On this account Eternall life is said to be promised of God before the world began Titus 1. 2. That is to the Son of God for us on his undertaking on our behalfe And Grace also is said to be given unto us before the World was 2 Tim. 1. 9. that is in Christ our appointed head Mediatour and Representative 5. Christ being thus a Common Person a Mediatour Surely and Representative of his Church upon his undertaking as to efficacy § 16 and merit and upon his Actuall performance as to solemne declaration was as such acquitted absolved justified and freed from all and every thing that on the behalfe of the Elect as due to them was charged upon him or could so be I say as to all the Efficacy and merit of his undertakings He was immediately absolved upon his faithfulnesse in his first engagement and thereby all the Saints of the Old Testament were saved by his blood no lesse then we As to solemne declaration He was so absolved when the paines of Death being loosed He was declared to be the Sonne of God with power Rom. 1. 4. By the Resurrection from the dead God saying to him thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee Psal. 15. 33. And this his Absolution doth Christ expresse his confidence of Isa. 50. 6 7 8 9. And he was justified 1 Tim. 3. 16. That which I intend by this Absolution of Christ as a publick person is this God having made him under the Law for them who were so Gal. 4. 4. in their stead obnoxious to the punishment due to sinne made him sinne 2 Cor 5. 21. and so gave Justice and Law and all the consequents of the Curse thereof power against him Isa. 53. 6. upon his undergoing of that which was required of him Isa. 53. 12. God looses the paines and power of death accepts him and is well pleased with him as to the performance and discharge of his work Ioh. 17. 3 4 5 6. pronounceth him free from the obligation that was on him Act. 13. and gave him a promise of all the good things He aymed at and which his soule desired Hereon are all the Promises of God made to Christ and their accomplishment all the incouragements given him to aske and make demand of the things originally ingaged for to him Psal. 2. 8. which he did accordingly Ioh. 17. founded and built And here lies the certain stable foundation of our Absolution and acceptation with God Christ in our stead acting for us as our surety being acquitted absolved solemnely declared to have answered the whole debt that was incumbent on him to pay and made satisfaction for all the injury we had done a generall Pardon is sealed for us all to be sued out particularly in the way to be appointed For Christ as a publick person being thus absolved it became Righteous with God a Righteous thing from the Covenant compact § 17 and convention that was between him and the Mediatour that those in whose stead he was should obtaine and have bestowed on them all the fruits of his death in Reconciliation with God Rom. 5. 8 9 10 11. That as Christ received the Generall acquittance for them all so that they should every one of them enjoy it respectively This is every where manifested in those expressions which expresse a Commutation designed by God in this matter as 2 Cor. 5. 21. Gal. 3. 13. 1. Pet. 2. 21 24. of which afterwards 7. Being thus acquitted in the Covenant of the Mediatour whence they are said to be circumcised with him to dye with § 18 him to be buried with him to rise with him to sit with him in heavenly places namely in the Covenant of the Mediatour and it being Righteous that they should be acquitted Personally in the Covenant of Grace it was determined by Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost that the way of their Actuall Personall deliverance from the sentence and curse of the Law should be in and by such a way and dispensation as might lead to the praise of the Glorious Grace of God Ehpes 1. 5 6 7. The Appointment of God is that we shall have the Adoption of Children The meanes of it is by Jesus Christ the peculiar way of bringing it about is by the Redemption that is in his blood the end is the praise of his glorious Grace And thence it is that 8. Untill the full time of their Actuall deliverance determined and appointed to them in their severall generations be accomplished they are Personally under the curse of the Law and on that account are Legally obnoxious to the wrath of God from which they shall certainly be delivered I say they are thus personally obnoxious to the Law and the Curse thereof but not at all with its primitive intention of execution upon them but as it is a meanes appointed to help forward their acquaintance with Christ and acceptance with God on his account when this is accomplished that whole obligation ceases being continued on them in a designe of Love their last condition being such as that they cannot without it be brought to a participation of Christ to the prayse of the Glorious Grace of God 9. The End of the dispensation of Grace being to glorify the whole Trinity the order fixed on and appointed wherein this § 20 is to be done is by ascending to the Fathers Love through the workes of the Spirit and blood of the Sonne The emanation of Divine Love to us begins with the Father is carried on by the Sonne and then communicated by the Spirit the Father Designing the Son Purchasing the Spirit effectually working which is their order Our participation is first by the work of the Spirit to an actuall interest in the blood of the Sonne whence we have Acceptation with the Father This then is the Order whereby we are brought to Acceptation with the Father for the Glory of God through Christ. § 21 1. That the Spirit may be glorified He is given unto us to quicken us convert us work Faith in us Rom. 8 11. Ephes. 1. 19 20. according to all the promises of the Covenant Isa. 4. 4 5. Ezek. 19. 11. Ezek. 36. 26. 2. This being wrought in us
else is pretended is licentiousnesse So the Apostle argues Gal. 4. 6 7. he hath sent forth his spirit into their hearts crying Abba Father wherefore ye are no more Servants no more in bondage but have the liberty of Sons And this Liberty respects in the first place the family from whence the adopted person is translated it is his setting free from all the obligations of that family Now in this sense the liberty which the Saints have by Adoption § 12 is either from that which is reall or that which is pretended that which is reall respects a twofold issue of Law and Sinne. The morall unchangeable Law of God and Sin being in conjunction meeting with reference to any persons hath and hath had a twofold issue 1. An Oeconomicall institution of a new Law of Ordinances keeping in bondage those to whom it was given Col. 2. 14. 2. A Naturall if I may so call it pressing off those persons with its power and efficacy against sin whereof there are these parts 1. It s rigor and terror in commanding 2. It s Impossibility for accomplishment and so insufficiency for its primitively appointed end 3. The Issues of its transgression which are referred unto two heads 1. Curse 2. Death I shall speak very briefly of these because they are commonly handled and granted by all 2. That which is pretended is the power of any whatever § 13 over the conscience when once made free by Christ. First then Believers are freed from the instituted Law of Ordinances which upon the testimony of the Apostles was a yoke § 14 which neither we nor our Fathers in the faith could beare Acts 15. 10. Wherefore Christ blotted out this hand writing of Ordinances that was against them which was contrary to them and took it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse Col 2. 14. and thereupon the Apostle after a long dispute concerning the Liberty that we have from that Law concludes with this instruction Gal. 5. 1. stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free 2. In reference to the Morall Law the first thing we have liberty from is its rigor and terror in commanding Heb. 12 § 15 18 19 20 21 22. We are not come to the Mount that might be touched and that burned with fire to the whirle-wind darknesse and tempest to the sound of the trumpet and the voice of words which they that heard besought that they might heare it no more But we are come to mount Sion c. As to that administration of the Law wherein it was given out with dread and terror and so exacted its obedience with rigor we are freed from it we are not called to that estate 2. It s Impossibility of accomplishment and so insufficiency § 16 for its primitive End by reason of sin Or we are freed from the Law as the instrument of Righteousnesse since by the impossibility of its fulfilling as to us it is become insufficient for any such purpose Rom. 8. 2 3. Gal. 3. 21 22 23. There being an impossibility of obtaining life by the Law we are exempted from it as to any such end and that by the righteousnesse of Christ Rom. 8. 3. 3. From the Issue of its transgression 1. § 17 Curse There is a solemne curse enwrapping the whole wrath of Cod annexed to the Law with reference to the transgression thereof and from this are we wholly at liberty Gal 3. 13. By being made a curse he hath delivered us from the curse 2. Death Heb 2. 14 15. and therewith from Satan Heb. 2. 15. Col. 1. 13. and Sin Rom. 6. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18. with the World Gal. 1. 14. with all the attendances advantages and claime of them all Gal. 4 3 4 5. Col. 2. 20. without which we could not live one day That which is pretended and claimed by some wherein indeed § 18 and in truth we were never in bondage but are hereby eminently set free is the power of binding Conscience by any Lawes and constitutions not from God Col. 2. 20. 21 22. 2. There is a Liberty in the family of God as well as a liberty § 19 from the family of Satan Sons are free their obedience is a free obedience They have the spirit of the Lord and where he is there is Liberty 2 Cor. 3. 18. as a spirit of Adoption he is opposed to the spirit of bondage Rom 8. 15. Now this liberty of our fathers family which we have as Sons and children being adopted by Christ through the spirit is a spirituall largenesse of heart whereby the children of God do freely willingly genuinely without feare terror bondage and constraint go forth unto all holy obedience in Christ. I say this is our Liberty in our Fathers family what we have liberty from hath been already declared There be Gibeonites outwardly attending the family of God that doe the service of his house as the drudgery of their lives the principle they yeeld obedience upon is a spirit of bondage unto feare Rom. 8. 15. the Rule they doe it by is the Law in its dread and rigor exacting it of them to the utmost without mercy and mitigation the End they doe it for is to fly from the wrath to come to Pacify conscience and seek righteousnesse as it were by the workes of the Law Thus servilely painfully fruitlessely they seek to serve their own conviction all their daies The Saints by Adoption have a largenesse of heart in all holy obedience saith David I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts § 20 Psal. 119. 4 5. Esay 61. 1 Luke 4 18. Rom 8. 2 21. Gal. 4. 2. 5. 1 13. Iames 1. 25. Ioh. 8. 32 33 36. Rom. 6. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 16. Now this Amplitude or Son-like freedome of the spirit in obedience consists in sundry things 1. In the Principles of all spirituall service which are Life and Love The one respecting the matter of their obedience giveing them power the other respecting the manner of their obedience giving them Joy and sweetnesse in it It is from Life that gives them power as to the matter of obedience Rom. 8. 3. The Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus sets them free from the law of sin and death it frees them it carries them out to all obedience freely So that they walk after the Spirit v. 1. that being the Principle of their workings G. 2. 20. Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God the life which I now live in the fiesh that is the obedience which I yeeld unto God whilest I am in the flesh it is from a Principle of life Christ living in me There is then power for all living unto God from Christ in them the spirit of life from Christ carrying them out thereto The fruits of a dead root are but dead excrescencies living Acts are from a principle of life Hence you may see the
Unctions and presse the Allegory in setting out the Excellencys of the Word in allusions to them But I only insist on generalls This is that which the holy Ghost here intends the Word of Christ is sweet Savoury precious unto Believers and they see him to be excellent desireable beautifull in the Precepts Promises Exhortations and the most bitter threats thereof The Spouse addes his hands are as gold Rings set with Beryll the word beryll in the originall is Tarshish which the Septuagint § 43 have retained not restraining it to any peculiar precious stone the onyx say some the Chrysolite say others any precious stone shining with a sea green colour for the word signifies the sea also Gold Rings set with precious glistering stones are both valuable and desireable for profit and ornament so are the hands of Christ that is all his works the Effects by the Cause All his workes are Glorious they are all fruits of Wisedome Love and Bounty and his belly is as bright Ivory over laid with Saphyres the smoothnesse and brightnesse of Ivory the preciousnesse and heavenly Colour of the Saphires are here called in to give some lustre to the excellency of Christ to these is his belly or rather his bowells which takes in the Heart also compared It is the inward bowells and not the outward bulke that is signified Now to shew that by Bowells in the Scripture ascribed either to God or man Affections are intended is needlesse The tender love unspeakable affections and kindnesse of Christ to his Church and people is thus set out What a beautifull sight is it to the eye to see pure pollished Ivory set up and down with heaps of precious Saphires how much more Glorious are the tender Affections Mercys and Compassion of the Lord Jesus unto Believers Vers. 15 The strength of his kingdome the faithfullnesse and § 44 stabillity of his Promises the height and Glory of his person in his Dominion the sweetnesse and excellency of Communion with him is set forth in these words His legs are Pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine Gold his countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars his mouth is most sweet When the Spouse hath gon thus farre in the description of him she concludes all in this generall Assertion he is wholly § 35 desireable altogether to be desired or beloved As if she should have said I have thus reckoned up some of the perfections of the Creatures things of most value price usefullnesse Beauty Glory here belowe and Compared some of the Excellencys of my beloved unto them In this way of Allegory I can carry things no higher I find nothing better or more desireable to shaddow out and to present his lovelinesse and desireablenesse but alasse all this comes short of his perfections beauty and comlinesse he is all wholly to be desired to be beloved Lovely in his person in the glorious Alsufficiency of his Deity Gracious purity and holinesse of his Humanity Authority and Majesty Love and Power Lovely in his birth and Incarnation when he was rich for our sakes becomming poore taking part of flesh and blood because we partook of the same being made of a woman that for us he might be made under the Law ever for our sakes Lovely in the whole Course of his life and the more then Angellicall holinesse and obedience which in the depth of poverty and perfection he exercised therein doing good receiving evill blessing and being cursed reviled reproached all his dayes Lovely in his Death yea therein most lovely to sinners never more glorious and desireable then when he came broken dead from the Crosse then had he carryed all our sinnes into a land of forgetfullnesse then had he made peace and reconcilliation for us then had he procured life and immortallity for us Lovely in his whole employment in his great undertaking in his Life Death Resurrection Ascenion being a Mediatour between God and us to recover the glory of Gods Justice and to save our soules to bring us to an enjoyment of God who were set at such an infinite distance from him by sinne Lovely in the glory and majesty wherewith he is Crowned now he is set down at the right hand of Majesty on high where though he be terrible to his enemyes yet he is full of Mercy Love and Compassion towards his beloved ones Lovely in all those supplyes of Grace and Consolations in all the dispensations of his holy Spirit whereof his Saints are made partakers Lovely in all the tender Care Power and wisedome which he exercises in the protection safeguarding and delivery of his Church and people in the midst of all the oppositions and persecutions whereunto they are exposed Lovely in all his Ordinances and the whole of that spiritually glorious Worship which he hath appointed to his people whereby they draw nigh and have Communion with him his Father Lovely and glorious in the vengeance he taketh and will finally execute upon the stubborne enemyes of himselfe and his people Lovely in the pardon he hath purchased and doth dispence in the Reconciliation he hath established in the Grace he Communicates in the Consolations he doth administer in the peace and Joy he gives his Saints in his assured preservation of them unto Glory What shall I say there is noe end of his excellencys and desireablenesse he is altogether Lovely this is our Beloved and this is our Friend oh Daughters of Jerusalem DIGRESSION II. All Solid Wisedome laide up in Christ. True wisedome wherein it consists Knowledge of God in Christ only to be obtained What of God may be known by his workes Some propertyes of God not discovered but in Christ only Love Mercy others not fully but in him as Vindictive Justice Patience Wisedome Alsufficiency No Property of God Savingly known but in Christ. What is required to a Saving Knowledge of the Properties of God No true knowledge of our selves but in Christ. Knowledge of our selves wherein it consisteth Knowledge of Sinne how to be had in Christ. Also of Righteousnesse and of Judgement The wisedome of walking with God hid in Christ. What is required thereunto Other pretenders to the Title of wisedome examined and rejected Christ alone exalted A Second consideration of the Excellencys of Christ serving § 1 to endeare the hearts of them who stand with him in the Relation insisted on arises from that which in the mistaken Apprehension of it is the great darling of men and in its true notion the great ayme of the Saints which is wisedome and knowledge Let it be evinced that all true and solid knowledge is laid up in and is only to be attained from and by the Lord Jesus Christ and the hearts of men if they are but true to themselves and their most predominate principles must needs be engaged to him This is the great designe of all men taken off from professed slavery to the world and the pursuite of sensuall licentious courses that they may
charge it is altogether in vaine once to seek after an appearance in the presence of God 2. As Creatures made to a supernaturall and Eternall End and therefore bound to Answer the whole mind and will of God in the Obedience required at their hands Now it being before discovered to them that both these are beyond the compasse of their own endeavours and the Assistance which they have formerly rested on if their Eternall condition be of any concernment to them their Wisdome is to find out a Righteousnesse that may Answer both these to the utmost Now both these are to be had only in the Lord Christ who is our Righteousnesse This Wisdome and all the Treasures of it are hid in him 1. He Expiates former iniquities he satisfies for sinne and procures Remission of it Rom. 3. 24 25. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his Righteousnesse for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God All we like sheep c. Isa. 53. 5 6. In his bloud we have Redemption the forgivenesse of sinnes Ephes. 1. 7. God spared not him but gave him c. Rom. 8. 32. This even this alone is our Righteousnesse as to that first part of it which consists in the removall of the whole guilt of sinne whereby we are come short of the glory of God On this Account it is that we are assured that none shall ever lay any thing to our charge or condemne us Rom. 8. 31 34. there being no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus v. 1. we are purged by the Sacrifice of Christ so as to have no more Conscience of sinne Heb. 10. 2. that is troubles in Conscience about it This Wisdome is hid only in the Lord Jesus in him alone is there an Attonement discovered and give me the Wisdome which shall cut all scores concerning sinne and let the world take what remaines But 2. There is yet something more required it is not enough that we are not guilty We must also be Actually Righteous not only all sinne is to be answered for but all Righteousnesse is to be fulfilled by taking away the guilt of sinne we are as persons innocent but somthing more is required to make us to be considered as persons obedient I know nothing to teach me that an innocent person shall goe to heaven be rewarded if he be no more but so Adam was innocent at his first Creation but he was to doe this to keep the Commandements before he entred into life he had no Title to Life by Innocency This then moreover is required that the whole Law be fulfilled and all the Obedience performed that God requires at our hands This is the Soules second inquiry and it finds a resolution only in the Lord Christ for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Rom. 5. 10. his Death reconciled us then are we saved by his life The Actuall Obedience which he yeelded to the whole Law of God is that Righteousnesse whereby we are saved If so be we are found in him not having on our own Righteousnesse which is of the Law but the Righteousnesse which is of God by Faith Phil 3. 9. This I shall have occasion to handle more at large hereafter To returne then It is not I suppose any difficult taske to perswade men convinced of Immortality and judgement to come that the maine of their Wisdome lyes in this even to find out such a Righteousnes as will accompany them for ever and abide the severe triall of God himself Now all the Wisdome of the world is but folly as to the discovery of this thing The utmost that mans Wisdome can doe is but to find out most wretched burthensome and vexatious wayes of perishing eternally All the treasures of this Wisdome are hid in Christ He of God is made unto us Wisdome and Righteousnes 1 Cor. 1. 30. 3. Come we to the last thing which I shall but touch upon § 34 and that is Judgement The true Wisdome of this also is hid in the Lord Christ I mean in particular that Judgement that is for to come so at present I take the word in that place Of what concernment this is to us to know I shall not speake It is that whose influence upon the sonnes of men is the principle of their discriminating themselves from the beasts that perish Neither shall I insist on the obscure intimations of it which are given by the present proceedings of Providence in governing the World nor that greater light of it which shines in the threats and promises of the Law The Wisdome of it is in two regards hid in the Lord Jesus 1 as to the Truth of it 2. as to the Manner of it 1. For the Truth of it and so in and by him it is confirmed and that two wayes 1. by his Death 2. by his Resurrection 1. By his Death God in the death of Christ punishing and condemning sinne in the flesh of his own Sonne in the fight of Men Angells and Divells hath given an abundant Assurance of a Righteous and universall Judgement to come wherefore or upon what account imaginable could he be induced to lay such load on him but that he will certainly reckon one day with the Sons of Men for all their works wayes and walkings before him The death of Christ is a most solemne Exemplar of the last judgement Those who owne him to be the Son of God will not deny a judgement to come 2. By his Resurrection Act. 17. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath given faith and assurance of this thing to all by raising Christ from the dead having appointed him to be the judge of all in whom and by whom he will judge the World in Righteousnesse And then Lastly for the manner of it that it shall be by him who hath loved us and given himselfe for us who is himselfe the Righteousnesse that he requires at our hands and on the other side by him who hath been in his person grace ways worship Servants reviled despised contemned by the men of the World which holds out unspeakable consolation on the one hand and terrour on the other so that the Wisdome of this also is hid in Christ. And this is the Second part of our First Demonstration Thus the knowledge of our selves in reference to our supernaturall end is no small portion of our Wisdome The things of the greatest concernment hereunto are Sinne Righteousnesse and Iudgement the Wisdome of all which is alone hid in the Lord Jesus which was to be proved 3. The 3 d part of of our Wisdome is to walk with God now that one may walke with another Five things are required § 35 1. Agreement 2. Acquaintance 3. Strength
the advancement of his own Glory None can ayme at this end but only in the Lord Jesus The summe of all is that the whole Wisdome of our Walking with God is hid in Christ and from him only to be obtained as hath been manifest by an enumeration of particulars And so have I brought my first Demonstration of what I § 41 intended unto a close and manifested that all true wisdome and knowledge is laid up in and laid out by the Lord Jesus and this by an Induction of the chiefe particular heads of those things wherein confessedly our Wisdome doth consist I have but one more to adde and therein I shall be briefe Secondly then I say this Truth will be further manifested by the consideration of the insufficiency and vanity of any thing else that may lay claime or pretend to a title to Wisdome There be two things in the World that doe passe under this account The one is Learning or Literature 1. Skill and knowledge of Arts Sciences Tongues with the knowledge of the things that are past 2. Prudence and skill for the mannagement of our selves in reference to others in civill affaires for publique good which is much the fairest flower within the border of Natures garden Now concerning both these I shall briefly evince 1. That they are utterly insufficient for the compassing and obtaining of those particular Ends whereunto they are designed 2. That both of them in conjunction with their utmost improvement cannot reach the true generall end of Wisdome both which considerations will set the crowne in the issue upon the head of Jesus Christ. Begin we with the First of these and that as to the First particular § 22 Learning it selfe if it were all in one man is not able to compasse the particular end whereto it is designed which writes vanity and vexation upon the forehead thereof The particular end of Literature though not observed by many mens eyes being fixed on false ends which compells them in their progresse aberrare a scopo is none other but to remove some part of that curse which is come upon us by sinne Learning is the product of the Soules strugling with the curse for sin Adam at his first Creation was compleatly furnished with all that knowledge excepting only things not then in being neither in themselves nor any naturall causes as that which we now call tongues and those things that are the Subject of story as farr as it lyes in a needfull tendency to the utmost end of man which we now presse after There was no streitnesse much lesse darknesse upon his understanding that should make him sweat for a way to improve make out those generall conception of things which he had For his knowledge of Nature it is manifest from his imposition of suitable names to all the Creatures the particular Reasons of the most of which to us are lost wherein from the Approbation given of his nomination of things in the Scripture and the significancy of what yet remaines evident it is most apparent it was done upon a cleare acquaintance with their natures Hence Plato could observe that he was most wise that first imposed names on things yea had more than humane wisedome Were the wisest man living yea a Generall collection of all the Wise men in the world to make an Experiment of their skill and learning in giving names to all living creatures suitable to their natures and expressive of their qualitys they would quickly perceive the losse they have incurred Adam was made perfect for the whole end of ruling the Creatures and living to God for which he was made which without the knowledge of the nature of the one and the will of the other he could not be All this being lost by sinne a multiplication of tongues also being brought in as a curse for an after Rebellion the whole design of Learning is but to disintangle the soule from this Issue of sinne Ignorance darknesse and blindnesse is come upon the understanding acquaintance with the workes of God Spirituall and naturall is lost strangnesse of communication is given by multiplication of tongues Tumultuating of Passions and Affections with innumerable darkning prejudices are also come upon us To remove and take this away to disintangle the minde in its reasonings to recover an Acquaintance with the workes of God to subduct the soule from under the Effects of the Curse of division of tongues is the aime and tendance of Literature This is the aliquid quo tendit And he that hath any other aime in it passim sequitur corvum testaque lutoque Now not to insist upon that vanity and vexation of Spirit with the innumerable evills where with this enterprize is attended this is that I only say it is in it selfe no way sufficient for the attainment of its end which writes vanity upon its forehead with characters not to be obliterated To this purpose I desire to observe these two things 1. That the knowledge aymed at to be recovered was given unto man in order to his walking with God unto that supernaturall § 43 end whereunto he was appointed For after he was furnished with all his Endowments the Law of life and death was given to him that he might know wherefore he received them Therefore knowledge in him was spiritualized and sanctified even that knowledge which he had by nature in respect of its principle and end was spirituall 2. That the losse of it is part of that curse which was inflicted on us for sinne What ever we come short in of the state of the first man in innocency whether in losse of good or addition of evill it is all of the curse for sinne Besides that blindnesse ignorance darknesse deadnesse which is every where ascribed to us in the state of nature doth fully comprize that also whereof we speake On these two considerations it is most apparent that Learning can no way of it selfe attaine the end it aymeth at For § 44 1. That Light which by it is discovered which the Lord knows is very little weake obscure imperfect uncertaine conjecturall for a great part only enabling men to quarrell with and oppose one another to the reproach of Reason yet I say that which is attain'd by it is not in the least measure by it spiritualized or brought into that order of living to God and with God wherein at first it lay This is wholy beyond its reach As to this end the Apostle assures us that the utmost Issue that men come to is darkenesse and folly Rom. 1. 21 22 Who knows not the profound enquiries the subtile disputations the accute Reasonings the admirable discoverys of Socrates Plato and Aristotle and others What as to the purpose in hand did they attaine by all their studdys and endeavours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Apostle they became fooles He that by Generall consent beares the Crown of Reputation for wisedome from them all with whom to have
Jesus Christ as he was or is in his being Mediator to the whole will of God and his compleat actuall fullfilling of the whole of every Law of God or doing of all that God in them required He might have been perfectly holy by obedience to the Law of Creation the Morall Law as the Angells were neither could any more as a man walking with God be required of him But he submitted himselfe also to every Law or Ordinance that was introduced upon the occasion of sinne which on his own account He could not be subject to it becomming him to fullfill ALL RIGHTEOUSNESSE Math. 3. 15. as he spake in reference to a newly instituted Ceremony That Obedience is properly ascribed unto Jesus Christ as § 6 Mediatour the Scripture is witnesse both as to name and thing Heb. 5. 8. Though he were a Son yet learned he obedience c. yea he was obedient in his sufferings and it was that which gave life to his death Phil. 2. 8. He was obedient to death for therein He did make his soule an offering for sinne Isa. 53. 10. or His soule made an offering for sinne as it is interpreted v. 12. He powred out his soule to death or his soule poured out its selfe unto death And He not only Sanctifyed himselfe to be an offering Joh. 17. 9. But he also offered up himselfe Heb. 9. 14. an offering of a sweet savour to God Ephes. 5. 2. Hence as to the whole of his worke He is called the Father's Servant Isa. 42. 1. and v. 19. And He professes of himselfe that he came into the world to doe the will of God the will of him that sent him for which he manifests his great readinesse Heb. 10. 7. all which evince his obedience But I suppose I need not insist on the proofe of this that Christ in the worke of mediation and as Mediatour was obedient and did what He did willingly and cheerfully in obedience to God Now this obedience of Christ may be considered two ways § 4 1. As to the Habituall root and fountaine of it 2. As to the Actuall parts or duties of it 1. The Habituall Righteousnesse of Christ as Mediator in his humane nature was the absolute compleat exact conformity of the Soule of Christ to the will minde or Law of God or his perfect habitually inherent Righteousnesse This he had necessarily from the Grace of Union from whence it is that that which was borne of the Uirgin was an Holy thing Luk. 1. 35. It was I say necessary consequentially that it should be so though the effecting of it were by the free operations of the Spirit Luk. 2. 52. He had an All-fullnesse of Grace on all accounts This the Apostle describes Heb. 7. 26. Such an high Priest became us Holy harmelesse undefiled separate from sinners Every way separate and distant from sinne and sinners he was to be Whence he is called the Lambe of God without spot or blemish 1 Pet. 1. 19. This habituall Holinesse of Christ was inconceivably above that of the Angells He who chargeth his Angells with folly Job 4. 18. who putteth no trust in his Saints and in whose sight the Heavens or their inhabitants are not cleane ch 15. 15. allways embraceth him in his bosome and is allways well pleased with him Math. 3. 17. And the reason of this is because every other creature though never so holy hath the spirit of God by measure but he was not given to Christ by measure Joh. 3. 34. and that because it pleased him that in him all fullnesse should dwell Col. 1. 19. This habituall grace of Christ though not absolutely infinite yet in respect of any other creature it is as the water of the Sea to the water of a pond or poole All other creatures are depressed from perfection by this that they subsist in a created dependent being and so have the fountaine of what is communicated to them without them But the humane nature of Christ subsists in the person of the Son of God and so hath the bottome and fountaine of its holinesse in the stricktest unity with it selfe 2. The Actuall Obedience of Christ as was said was § 8 his willing cheerfull obedientiall performance of every thing duty or command that God by vertue of any Law whereto we were subject and obnoxious did require and moreover to the peculiar Law of the Mediatour Hereof then are two parts 1. That whatever was required of us by vertue of any Law that he did and fullfiled Whatever was required of us by the § 9 Law of nature in our state of innocency whatever kind of duty was added by morally positive or ceremoniall institutions whatever is required of us in way of Obedience to Righteous Judiciall Lawes He did it all Hence he is said to be made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. subject or obnoxious to it to all the precepts or commands of it So Math. 3. 15. He said it became him to fullfill all Righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all manner of Righteousnesse whatever that is every thing that God required as is evident from the application of that generall axiome to the baptisme of John I shall not need for this to goe to particular instances in the duties of the Law of nature to God and his parents of morally positive in the Sabath and other acts of worship of the Ceremoniall Law in Circumcision and observation of all the rites of the Judaicall Church of the Judiciall in paying tribute to Governours It will suffice I presume that on the one hand He did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth and on the other that He fullfilled all Righteousnesse and thereupon the Father was allways well pleased with him This was that which he owned of himselfe that He came to doe the will of God and he did it 2. There was a peculiar Law of the Mediator which respected himselfe meerely and contained all those acts and duties of his which are not for our imitation So that obedience which He shewed in dying was peculiarly to this Law Joh. 10. 18. I have power to lay down my life This commandement have I received of my Father As Mediator He received this peculiar command of his Father that he should lay downe his life and take it againe and He was obedient thereunto Hence we say He who is Mediator did some things meerely as a man subject to the Law of God in generall so He pray'd for his persecutors those that put him to death Luk. 23. 24. some things as Mediator so He pray'd for his Elect only Joh. 17. 9. There were not worse in the world really and evidently then many of them that crucified him yet as a man subject to the Law he forgave them and prayed for them When he prayed as Mediator his Father allwaies heard him and answered him Joh. 11. 41. and in the other Prayers He was accepted as one exactly performing his duty This then is
a way of working to come to him of which at large afterwards Rom. 5. 18 19. By the Righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto Justification of Life By the Obedience of one many § 21 shall be made Righteous saith the Holy Ghost By his Obedience to the Law are we made Righteous it is reckoned to us for Righteousnesse That the passive Obedience of Christ is here only intended is false First it is opposed to the disobedience of Adam which was active The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Righteousnesse to the fault The fault was an active transgression of the Law and the Obedience opposed to it must be an active accomplishment of it Besides obedience placed singly in its own nature denotes an Action or Actions conformable to the Law and therein came Christ not to destroy but to fullfill the Law Math. 5. 17. that was the designe of his coming and so for us he came to fullfill the Law for us Isa. 9. 6. and borne to us Luk. 2. 11. This also was in that will of the Father which out of his infinite Love he came to accomplish 2. It cannot cleerly be evinced that there is any such thing in propriety of speech as passive Obedience obeying is doing to which passion or suffering cannot belong I know it is commonly called so when men obey untill they suffer but properly it is not so So also Phil. 3. 9. And be found in him not having my own § 22 Righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousnesse which is of God by faith The Righteousnesse we receive is opposed to our own obedience to the Law opposed to it not as something in another kind but as something in the same kind excluding that from such an end which the other obtaines Now this is the obedience of Christ to the Law Himselfe thereby being made to us Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 5. 10. the issue of the death of Christ is placed upon Reconciliation that is a slaying of the Enmity and restoring us into that Condition of Peace and Friendship wherein Adam was before his fall But is there no more to be done notwithstanding that there was no wrath due to Adam yet he was to obey if he would enjoy eternall life Something there is moreover to be done in respect of us if after the slaying of the enmity and Reconciliation made we shall enjoy life being reconciled by his death we are saved by that perfect Obedience which in his life he yeilded to the Law of God There is distinct mention made of Reconciliation through a non-imputation of sinne as Psal 321. Luk. 1. 77. Rom. 3. 25. 2 Cor. 5. 19. and Justification through an imputation of Righteousnesse Jerem 23. 6. Rom. 4. 5. 1 Cor. 1. 30. although these things are so farre from being separated that they are reciprocally affirmed of one another which as it doth not evince an Identity so it doth an eminent Conjunction and this last we have by the life of Christ. This is fully expressed in that Typicall Representation of our Justification before the Lord Zech. 3. 3 4 5. two things are § 23 there expressed to belong to our free Acceptation before God 1. The taking away of the guilt of our sinne our filthy robes this is done by the death of Christ. Remission of sinne is the proper fruite thereof but there is more also required even a collation of Righteousnesse and thereby a right to life eternall this is here called fine change of raiment so the Holy Ghost expresses it againe Isa. 61. 10. where he calls it plainely the garment of Salvation and the robe of Righteousnesse now this is only made ours by the obedience of Christ as the other by his death Obj. But if this be so then are we as Righteous as Christ himselfe being Righteous with his Righteousnesse Ans. But first here is a great difference if it were no more then that this Righteousnesse was inherent in Christ properly his owne it is only reckoned or imputed to us or freely bestowed on us and we are made Righteous with that which is not ours But secondly the truth is that Christ was not Righteous with that Righteousnesse for himselfe but for us So that here can be no comparison only this we may say we are Righteous with his Righteousnesse which he wrought for us and that compleately And this now is the rise of the purchased Grace whereof we speake the obedience of Christ. And this is the influence of it into our Acceptation with God Whereas the guilt of sinne and our obnoxiousnesse to punnishment on that account is removed and taken away as shall farther be declared by the Death of Christ whereas besides the taking away of sin we have need of a compleat righteousnesse upon the account whereof we may be accepted with God this obedience of Christ through the free Grace of God is imputed unto us for that end and purpose This is all I shall for the present insist on to this purpose that the passive Righteousnesse of Christ only is imputed to us in the non-imputation of sinne and that on the Condition of our faith and new obedience so exalting them into the roome of the Righteousnesse of Christ is a thing which in Communion with the Lord Jesus I have as yet no acquaintance withall what may be said in the way of Argument on the one side or other must be elsewhere considered The second spring of our Communion with Christ in purchased Grace is his death and Oblation He lived for us he dyed for us He was ours in all he did in all he suffered I shall be the more briefe in handling of this because on another designe I have elsewhere at large treated of all the concernements of it Now the Death of Christ as it is a spring of that purchased Grace wherein we have Communion with him is in the Scripture proposed under a threefold Consideration 1. Of a Price 2. Of a Sacrifice 3. Of a Penalty In the first regard its proper effect is Redemption in the second § 26 Reconciliation or Attonement in the third Satisfaction which are the great ingredients of that Purchased Grace whereby in the first place we have Communion with Christ. § 27 1. It is a Price we are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. being not redeemed with Silver and Gold and corruptible things but with the pretious bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 17 18. which therein answers those things in other contracts He came to lay down his life a ransome for many Math. 20. 28. A price of Redemption 1 Tim. 2. 6. The proper use and energie of this expression in the Scripture I have elsewhere declared Now the proper effect and issue of the death of Christ as a § 28 price or Ransome is as I said Redemption Now Redemption is the deliverance
compleat work of purchased Grace that is by his Intercession which is the Third rise of it In respect of this he is said to be able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him seeing he liveth ever to make intercession for them Heb. 7. 27. Now the Intercession of Christ in respect of its influence into purchased Grace is considered two waies § 32 1. As a continuance and carrying on of his Oblation for the making out of all the fruits and effects thereof unto us This is called his oppearing in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. that is as the High Priest having offered the great offering for expiation of sinne carryed in the blood thereof into the most holy place where was the Representation of the presence of God so to perfect the Attonement He had made for himselfe and the people So the Lord Christ having offered himselfe as a sweet smelling Sacrifice to God being sprinkled with his own blood appeares in the presence of God as it were to mind him of the ingagement made to him or the Redemption of sinners by his blood and the making out the good things to them which were procured thereby and so this appearance of his hath an influence into Purchased Grace in as much as thereby he puts in his claime for it in our behalfe 2. He procureth the Holy Spirit for us effectually to collate and bestow all this purchased Grace upon us That he would doe this and doth it for us we have his Ingagement Ioh. 14. 16. This is purchased Grace in respect of its fountain and spring of which I shall not speake farther at present seeing I must handle it at large in the matter of the Communion we have with the Holy Ghost CHAP. VII The Nature of Purchased Grace Referred to three heads 1. Of our Acceptation with God Two parts of it Of the Grace of Sanctification The severall parts of it THe Fountain of that Purchased Grace wherein the § 1 Saints have Communion with Christ being discovered in the next place the nature of this Grace it selfe may be considered As was said it may be referred unto three heads 1. Grace of Acceptation with God 2. Grace of Sanctification from God 3. Grace of Priviledges with and before God 1. Of Acceptation with God out of Christ we are in a state of Alienation from God accepted neither in our Persons nor our § 2 Services Sinne makes a separation between God and us that state with all its consequences and attendencies is not my businesse to unfold The first issue of Purchased Grace is to restore us into a state of Acceptation and this is done two waies 1. By a Removeall of that for which we are refused the cause of the Enmity 2. By a bestowing of that for which we are accepted Not only all causes of quarrell were to be taken away that so we shouldnot be under displeasure but also that was to be given untous that makes us the objects of God's delight and pleasure on the account of the want whereof we are distanced from God 1. It gives a Removeall of that for which we are refused § 3 This is sinne in the guilt and all the attendencies thereof The first issue of Purchased Grace tends to the takeing away of sinne in its guilt that it shall not bind over the Soule to the wages of it which is death How this is accomplished and brought about by Christ was evidenced in the close of the foregoing Chapter It is the fruit § 4 and effect of his death for us Guilt of sinne was the only cause of our separation and distance from God as hath been said This made us obnoxious to wrath punishment and the whole displeasure of God On the account hereof were we imprisoned under the curse of the Law and given up to the power of Sathan This is the state of our unacceptation By his death Christ bearing the Curse undergoing the punishment that was due to us paying the ransome that was due for us delivers us from this condition And thus farre the death of Christ is the sole cause of our Acceptation with God that all cause of quarrell and rejection of us is thereby taken away and to that end are his sufferings reckoned to us For being made sinne for us 2 Cor 5. 21. He is made righteousnesse unto us 2 Cor. 1. 31. But yet farther This will not compleat our Acceptation with God The old quarrell may be laid aside and yet no new § 5 friendship begun We may be not sinners and yet not be so farre Righteous as to have a right to the Kingdome of Heaven Adam had no right to life because he was innocent he must moreover doe this and then he shall live He must not only have a negative Righteousnesse he was not guilty of any thing but also a positive Righteousnesse he must doe all things This then is required in the second place to our compleat acceptation that we have not only the not imputation of sinne but also a reckoning of Righteousnesse Now this we have in the Obedience of the life of Christ. This also was discovered in the last Chapter The obedience of the life of Christ was for us is imputed to us and is our righteousnesse before God by his obedience are we made righteous Rom. 5. 18. On what score the obedience of Faith takes place shall be afterwards declared These two things then compleat our Grace of Acceptation § 6 sinne being removed and Righteousnesse bestowed we have peace with God are continually accepted before him There is not any thing to charge us withall that which was is taken out of the way by Christ and nailed to his crosse made fast there yea publickly and legally cancelled that it can never be admitted againe as an evidence What Court among men would admit of an Evidence that hath been publickly cancelled and nayled up for all to see it So hath Christ dealt with that which was against us and not only so but also he puts that upon us for which we are received into favour He makes us comely through his beauty gives us white rayment to stand before the Lord. This is the first part of purchased Grace wherein the Saints have communion with Jesus Christ. In remission of sin and imputation of Righteousnesse doth it consist from the death of Christ as a price sacrifice and a punishment from the life of Christ spent in obedience to the Law doth it arise The great product it is of the Fathers Righteousnesse Wisedome Love and Grace the great and astonishable fruit of the Love and condescension of the Son The great discovery of the Holy Ghost in the Revelation of the mystery of the Gospell The second is Grace of Sanctification He makes us not only § 7 accepted but also acceptable He doth not only purchase Love for his Saints but also makes them lovely He came not by blood only but by water and blood
Communion with Christ in § 14 these things and that in the order laid down as 1. How we hold Communion with him in the Obedience of his Life and merit of his Death as to acceptance with God the Father 2. How we hold communion with Christ in his blood as to the Spirit of Sanctification the habits and acts of Grace 3. How we hold communion with him as to the priviledges we enjoy Of which in the ensuing Chapters CHAP. VIII How the Saints hold Communion with Christ as to their Acceptation with God What is required on the part of Christ hereunto in his Intention In the declaration thereof The summe of our acceptation with God wherein it consists What is required on the part of Believers to this Communion and how they hold it with Christ. Some objections proposed to consideration why the Elect are not accepted immediately on the undertaking and death of Christ in what sense they are so Christ a Common or publique person How he came to be so The way of our acceptation with God on that account The second objection The necessity of our obedience stated Ephes. 2. 8 9 10. The Grounds Causes and Ends of it manifested It s proper place in the new Covenant How the Saints in particular hold Communion with Christ in this purchased Grace They approve of this Righteousnesse the grounds thereof Reject their own the grounds thereof The Commutation of sinne and Righteousnesse between Christ and Believers Some objections Answered COmmunion with Christ in purchased Grace as unto Acceptation with God from the Obedience of his Life § 1 and efficacy of his death is the first thing we enquire into The discovery of what on the part of Christ and what on our part is required thereunto for our mutuall actings even his and ours are necessary that we may have fellowship and Communion together herein is that which herein I intend 1. On the part of Christ there is no more required but these § 2 two things 1. That what he did He did not for himselfe but for us 2. What he suffered he suffered not for himselfe but for us That is that his intention from Eternity when he was in the World was that all that he did and suffered was should be for us and our advantage as to our Acceptance with God That he still continueth making use of what he so did and suffered for that end and purpose and that only Now this is most evident What he did he did for us and not for himselfe He was made § 3 under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sonnes Gal. 4. 4 5. He was made under the Law that is in that condition that he was obnoxious to the will and commands of it and why was this to what end for himself no but to redeem us is the ayme of all that He did of all his obedience that he did This very intention in what he did he acquaints us with Joh. 17. 19. for their sakes I sanctify my self that they may be sanctifyed through the truth I sanctify my selfe dedicate set my selfe apart to all that work I have to do I came not to doe my own will I came to save that which was lost to minister not to be ministred unto and to give my life a ransome It was the Testimony he bare to all he did in the world This Intendment of his is especially to be eyed From Eternity he had thoughts of what he would doe for us and delighted himselfe therein And when he was in the world in all He went about he had still this thought this is for them and and this is for them my beloved When he went to be baptized says John I have need to come to thee and comest thou to me Math. 3. 14 15. as if he had said thou hast no need at all of it But says Christ suffer us now for so it becometh us to fullfill all Righteousnesse I doe it for them who have none at all and stand obliged unto all § 4 2. In what He suffered this is more cleare Dan. 9. 21. Messias shall be cut off and not for himselfe and the Apostle lays down this as a main difference between him and the High priest of the Jewes that when they made their solemne offerings they offer'd first for themselves and then for the People But Jesus Christ offereth only for others He had no sinne and could make no Sacrifice for his own sinne which he had not but only for others He tasted death for all Heb. 2. 9. gave his life a ransome for many Math. 20. 10. The iniquity of us all was made to meet on him Isa. 53. 6. he bare our sinne in his body on the tree 1 Pet. 1. loved his Church and gave himselfe for it Ephes. 5. 26. Gal. 2. 20. Rom. 4. 25. Revel 1. 5 6. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Isa. 53 12. Joh. 17. 19. But this is exceeding cleare and confessed that Christ in his suffering and oblation had his intention only upon the good of his Elect and their Acceptation with God suffering for us the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God § 5 Secondly to compleat this Communion on the part of Christ it is required first that there he added to what he hath done the Gospell tenders of that compleat Righteousnesse and Acceptation with God which ariseth from his perfect Obedience and sufferings Now they are twofold 1. Declaratory in the conditionall Promises of the Gospell Joh. 7. 37. Math. 11. 28. He that believeth shall be saved come to me and you shall have life as the Serpent was lifted up c. Christ is the end of the Law of Righteousnesse to them that believe Rom. 10. 4. and innumerable others Now declaratory tenders are very pretious there is much kindnesse in them and if they be rejected they will be the savour of death unto death but the Lord Christ knows that the outward letter though never so effectually held out will not enable any of his for that reception of his Righteousnesse which is necessary to interest them therein wherefore 2. In this tender of Acceptation with God on the account of what he hath done and suffered a Law is established that whosoever receives it shall be so accepted But Christ knows the condition and state of his in this World This will not doe If he do not effectually invest them with it all is lost Therefore 2 He sends them his Holy Spirit to quicken them Ioh. 6. 63. to cause them that are dead to heare his voyce Ioh. 5. And to work in them what ever is required of them to make them partakers of his righteousnesse and accepted with God Thus doth Christ deale with his He lives and dyes with an intention to work out and compleat righteousnesse for them their enjoying of it to a perfect Acceptation before God is all that in the one and other he aymed at Then he tenders it