he is no Worshipper of God but a Malicious Blasphemer of him he pretends to no manner of Worship he intends no such thing towards God though he promotes Idolatry in others yet does what in him lies to eclipse his Glory altogether and to set up himself for the God of this world The Devil would be a God to this end that Wickedness may be accounted Godliness receiving its denomination from Satan usurping the name and title of God But from such a God and such Godliness good Lord deliver us Therefore that we may have clear distinct apprehensions of the only True God let us keep the eye of our Faith fixed upon Christ in all the acts of Worship we perform unto God believing him and him only to be the True Living God who hath Manifested himself to us in the Flesh of Christ. CHAP. VI. To know this only True God to be OVR God 1. WHAT it is for God to be our God God as Creator and Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth might have dealt with his creature Man in a way of Absolute Prerogative commanding duty without promising any Reward being Debtor to none he might without shewing any cause why have given to or taken from man what he pleased all was his own whether he gave or took away he did with his own as he pleased Thus he might have disposed of Man from time to time according to the secret good pleasure of his Will not made known to us but by the unavoidable events of it upon us This had been a Government not so suitable to our rational Natures to which God was resolved to accommodate himself in all his dealings with us therefore having made Man a knowing Creature he reveals his Will to him tells him what he expects from him and binds himself by Covenant to continue man in Life as long as he continues in his Obedience which his perfect State inclined him to Thus God set Life and Death before him left him to his choice what he did he must do knowingly and willingly if he injure himself the whole blame must lye upon himself he could not rebel against God but he must rebel against his own Reason and wilfully act against his own Light I say wilfully For there was nothing in his perfect Nature that could incline him to the Sin he committed his will chose it without any direction from the understanding for it was absoltuely impossible that the perfect understanding of man in Innocency should be guilty of such a mistake and dictate such a wickedness no the Devil dictated it and the mutable will of man was deceived by the Tempter and fell under a Curse from that time forward the law could do nothing but Curse fallen man who had now lost his legal Interest in the Love and Favour of God There is nothing due to a Sinner by Law but Death the wages of sin is death by nature we are Children of wrath fallen under the heavy displeasure of God and must Perish Eternally unless some means be found out to reconcile us to God again some dayes-man to umpire the business between God and us and to take up the quarrel Christ undertook this to make our peace with God to bring us nigh by his blood shed for the remission of our sins that God being pacified towards us might become our God and loving Father ceasing from his anger receiving us into a state of Grace and Favour with himself God lost none of his Power over us when we fell 't is so far from that that we fell into the hands of the living God sin fitted us for destruction Rom. 9. 22. Laid our Necks as it were upon the block exposed us to the stroke of Divine Vengeance In respect of power God is God over all still but in respect of Grace he ceases to be God i. e. a gracious God to those who are shut out of his love having forfeited all their Interest in it When God comes to a sinner and says as to Abraham Gen. 17. 7. I am thy God 't is as much as if he should say what I am in my self I 'll be on thy behalf I 'll be all in all to thee I 'll confer all blessings temporal and spiritual upon thee I 'll communicate all good to thee Grace and Protection I ll be with thee whereever thou goest to bless thee Alas What if God be Almighty and Alsufficient in himself unless he will help me and do good to me what am I the better therefore says God whatever I am have or can do shall be for thy good my Power Wisdom Goodness Mercy shall be applied to thee and thine for Blessing and Salvation Psal. 144. 15. I will be thy God In words a short promise but in sense the most ample promise in the whole Bible God here is taken relatively as he stands related to his people and his people to him he is the God of such a people and they are the people of such a God Hos. 2. 23. God dwells among them Exod. 29. 45 46. As a God nigh at hand to help them ready upon all occasions to do them good he does not only dwell but walk among us he goes into every room of the House takes care of every thing keeps all in good order Levit. 26. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Zech. 2. 10 11 12. This dwelling denotes not only the general presence of his Power but the special presence of his Grace So he was with Joseph Gen. 39. 2. And when he withdraws his favour and assistance he is said not to be among us Numb 14. 42. Then they are smitten by their Enemies but when God appears then their Enemies fly before them Psal 79. 9 10. For God to be our God and our Father secures us to eternity whatever Chastisements we pass through all will issue well 2 Sam. 7. 14. 15. if God be our God and Father For God to be our God is equivalent to other expressions of Scripture of the like import viz. to be for us Rom. 8. 31. To be on our side Psal. 124. 1 2. To be round about us as the Mountains about Jerusalem Psal. 125. 2. To be with us in us always nigh at hand to help us God is ours when all that he hath is ours for our use and benefit 2. How comes God to be our God This comes originally from himself because he truly bestows himself upon us in the new Covenant by vertue of which he becomes ours and we become his Gen. 17. 7. God and the Saints have a propriety in each other Heb. 8. 10. I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people God gives himself to us and then we resign up our selves to him Isa. 44. 5. We must prove God to be ours by some grant or deed of gift which God has made of himself to us in his word before we can lay claim to him As God became the God of Abraham by Covenant and
favour of God for us and a right to all the blessings promised in the Gospel and his Spirit effectually applies all this to us and works all this in us 3. Remission of sin as it is held forth and offered in the Gospel presupposes nothing in man as the cause and condition of it moving God to pardon him but only denotes God's gracious Indulgence towards him not reckoning his sin to him upon his believing in Christ see how pardoning Grace finds us Col. 2. 13. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickned together with him having forgiven you all trespasses So Heb. 8. 10 11 12. God does not eye any Qualifications in us but promises to do all himself I will and they shall c. 'T is objected That Faith is the beginning of Sanctification and if Faith be required unto Justification then some part at least of our Sanctification is required unto justification Answ. No part at all for though Faith be a supernatural Principle infused by God in order to our Sanctification as well as our Justification yet it first Justifies before it Sanctifies I speak of Faith now not in its first Principle but in its first actings I say it first acts upon Christ by receiving him before it begins actually to sanctify us there is a great difference between the Instrumentality of Faith in receiving Christ for our Justification and the efficacy of Faith applying Christ received for our Sanctification to speak properly 't is not God's working Faith but Faith working in us and upon us that Sanctifies God always gives Christ in and with our first Faith for Justification and Pardon this must be first finished and compleated before Faith will or can begin to sanctifie us because Faith fetches all its sanctifying Virtue from Christ received but our first act of receiving Christ is that that justifies Sanctification always follows upon it and is gradually carried on by a justifying Faith to our lives end in is not pardoned because it is mortified but because it is pardoned therefore it 's mortified Remission of sin presupposes no real change in the man himself as moving God thereunto Neither does remission of sin alter the nature of sin but only the state of the Sinner his sin is not imputed to him To forgive sin is not to remember it Jer. 31. 34. There 't is but God won't look towards it his thoughts are so taken up with the blood of Christ and the Interest that Believers have in that blood that he willingly forgets their sins he will not deal with them after their sins nor reward them according to their iniquities Psal 103. 10. And that they may be sure of this he casts their sins into the depths of the sea Mich. 7. 19. As far as the east is from the west so far hath he removed our transgression from us Psal. 103. 12. Not only from himself but from us he sees no iniquity in Jacob. If pardoning Grace does not presuppose but make a real change in a man for the better yet forasmuch as we are imperfectly Sanctified the Pardon of sin and the being and presence of sin may and do consist together in every true Believer here below provided they do not allow themselves in the practise of it 4. Remission of sin is an act of Mercy not Justice yet not contrary to Justice because the sins that are pardoned to us are punished in Christ 't is from God's Justice that he will not pardon sin without satisfaction 't is from his Mercy that he will accept of satisfaction from the hand of another This answers that plausible Objection that is commonly made against our Salvation by Grace viz. Wicked men are condemned for their evil works therefore Saints are justified for their good works Answ. This does not follow because one is an act of Justice and the other of Mercy Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Death is wages due by Law eternal Life is a free gift through Jesus Christ. 5. Remission of sin as 't is an act of Mercy so 't is act of Power too God has Power to forgive sin none but the Creditor can forgive the Debtor God is the greater Creditor and we are all his Debtors against thee only have I sinned therefore God only has Power to forgive sin but yet it is not an act of mere absolute Power neither but an act of Divine Jurisdiction that carries in it a due respect unto the Law which God as the righteous Judge and most wise Governour of the world will not violate Therefore Remission of Sin under this provision that God has made in Christ for the satisfaction of his Law and Justice is called Justification Rom. 4. 5 6. God is Just as well as Merciful in Pardoning Sin Rom 3. 25 26. So that Pardon flows from the Love of God acting towards us for Christ's sake i. e. upon the account of his Merit and Satisfaction which respect the Justice of God The truth is the satisfaction of Christ is the foundation of Pardon this satisfaction lyes in the expiatory Sacrifice offered by Christ upon the Cross hence expiation or atonement is joyned with pardon in Scripture Numb 15. 25. Levit. 4. 20. The priest was to make an atonement that the sin should be forgiven An expiatory Sacrifice led the way to forgiveness under the Law and so it does now under the Gospel without shedding of Blood there is no remission of sin If you have not the Blood of Christ is your eye when you go to God for Pardon never think to speed CHAP. IV. The APPLICATION I Shall shut up all with a word of Exhortation urging every one of you to a frequent deep serious consideration of this grand fundamental truth concerning the only way of Salvation by the remission of sin through Faith in Christ Jesus I know the time will shortly come when all our Notions and Disputes must be resolved into our believing or not believing in Christ for Pardon of sin therefore be perswaded to begin your Religion in pure Faith trusting in Christ only for the remission of all your sins through the merit of his Blood begin here lay this as the Foundation of all your Religion make this sure and then you will more clearly see upon what account you stand righteous before God if you joyn any thing with Christ here and miss your way in the first setting out you 'll go wider and wider from the Gospel every stop you take and be forced to wrest the Scriptures all along to make good your first grand mistake therefore I say beg of God to bring your hearts to a true reliance upon the free-Grace and Mercy of God in Christ Jesus for the pardon of all your sins Take this as a clue in your hands to guide you into such an understanding of all other truths as is consonant to this
c. In the day thou eatest thou shalt die Nothing does establish this Law and give it its full course towards Believers but faith in Christ Jesus who was made a curse and died according to Law for our sins and being risen again he brings those whom he freed from the curse of the Law under the blessing of the Gospel giving eternal Life as a free-gift to all who thankfully receive it from his hand by faith owning him as the Author and Donor of it 3. The nature of the Offence as committed against an infinite God requires a price equivalent to it of infinite value none but God could satisfie God the wrath of God is asswaged by the blood of God and that he might bleed he became Man the Second Person of the Trinity as incarnate died for man tasted death for us in our nature which he still kept hypostatically untied to his own Divine Person for Christ by dying did not lay down humane Nature but humane Life only which he took up again and now lives for ever as a quickning Spirit communicating eternal Life to Believers through his humane nature now glorified in Heaven Therefore Christ is said to be our life Col. 3. 4. And this life is in his son 1 John 5.11 Hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. The life which we derive from mere humane nature will quickly fail but the life which we derive by faith form the Divine Person of the Son of God is everlasting John 3. 16. As the father hath life in himself so hath he given to the son to have life in himself John 5. 26. i. e. He is life essentially the essence of the Deity is communicated by the Father to Christ incarnate and so he becomes the Fountain of life to us therefore let all those who hope to inherit eternal life join themselves by faith to Christ the only Fountain of life How little of this hidden life does appear in the effects of it among Professors We live more by sense than faith very solicitous about natural life but how few do carry it as those who have eternal life abiding in them 1 John 3. 15. Living in the flesh by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. Who fell a Sacrifice for our sins but rose again and now lives for ever And gives eternal life to as many as the father hath given him John 17. 2. He has undertaken to the Father to draw all the Elect into a participation of that eternal life which he as man possess now in Heaven and because he lives we shall live for ever in him The Second person in the Trinity died as a man in our human nature to satisfie the Law and to evidence the reality of his death he lay buried three days in the Grave he was alive as God when dead as Man what a profound Mystery is this that the Deity of Christ should suffer his human Body to fall under the power of death for three days this shews the strength of sin the strength of the law and the strength of the wrath of God that so great a man as Christ was could not stand under and live die he must by the sanction of the law being found in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8. 3. bearing our sins in his own Body on the Tree but the dignity of his person was such and the extremity of his sufferings so great that his three days death was equivalent to eternal death he did that in three days which a damned sinner in Hell cannot effect to eternity for that which is doing to eternity can never be actually done and compleated i. e. Christ gave full satisfaction to the Law in three days and therefore could not longer be detained in the Grave there was no Law nor Reason for it having paid the utmost farthing of our whole Debt the Prison-doors were opened and Christ let out That which keeps the Damned in Hell for ever is because they can never fully satisfie the law of God by all their sufferings therefore they must suffer on still to eternity but Christ by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Christ could have chose whether he would have died or no but for this end he came into the World and did voluntarily yield up himself to the Death of the Cross but rising the Third Day he lives for ever and has brought eternal life into human Nature to be communicated to all his Members who cannot forfeit that life which they derive from the second Adam as we all did that which we derived from the first Adam In Adam all die and in Christ all are made alive 1 Cor. 15. 22. CHAP. II. To whom was this PRICE paid FIfthly To whom was this Price paid viz. Into the hands of God the Father to appease his wrath under which we were Joh. 3. 36. God's justice requires this 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judgment of God that sinners are worthy of death Rom. 1. 32. To this end Christ is our propitiation Rom. 3. 25. Reconciling God to us that we may be received into his favour again hence God declares in the new Covenant I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8. 12. Sing O ye heavens c. Isa. 44. 23. vide That satisfaction that Christ gave to the Justice of God lay in his bearing the Punishment of our sins which is the wrath of God in all the dreadful effects of it 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 24. He was made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. Died for us Mat. 20. 28. Isa. 53. 5. Was cut off for our sins Dan. 9. 26. Death was required to make satisfaction for sin In the day thou eatest c. The Wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. There is no escaping this death for us but by dealing with the Justice of God in some way that may satisfie Justice and save the sinner this Christ undertook and by his own Death effected for us He gave himself for our sins Gal. 1. 4. His Blood was the Price of our Redemption Price here is not taken as vulgarly for Money but whatever may satisfie him in whose hands the captive is that is the Price of Redemption God does not seek to make a gain of us that which he stand upon is the vindication of the honour of his Law and Justice the maintaining his Truth and Faithfulness To declare his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth ion Jesus Rom. 3. 26. Christ did not pay the Price of our Redemption to the Devil but to God the Father who had power to condemn us and as a Judge to detain us in prison till his Justice was satisfied therefore Christ deals with the Law-giver takes the penalty upon himself Whilst the condemning power of the Law is in force against us the Devil has a right in
Sin but the Scripture seems to make them the same Rom. 4. 5 6 7. I think they are so inseparably joined together that no man who has obtained the Pardon of all his Sins ever was or can be at a loss for a Righteousness to compleat his Justification and entitle him to the reward of Eternal Life promised in the Law I conceive the Pardon of all our Sins is a Righteousness we may boldly appear before God in because it lays before God that full satisfaction that Christ made for Sin by his active and passive Obedience which is not only satisfactory for Sin but also meritorious of Eternal Life so that all the ends of Justification are accomplished in the Remission of Sin What precise conceptions we may have of Remission of Sin and imputation of Righteousness as differing in the notion will not argue any real difference in the things themselves We must have a care we do not separate what God has so intimately joined together This hath occasioned all those unhappy Controversies about Justification as I shall shew anon They who want a sufficient Justifying Righteousness after the full Remission of all their Sins do not rightly resolve Remission of Sin into the proper procuring causes of it viz. the satisfaction that Christ made for Sin by what he did and suffered for us from his Birth to his Death so it became him to fulfil all Righteousness that he might be the end of the Law for Righteousness to them who Believe So that Christ himself is our Righteousness the Lord Jehovah our Righteousness the Law is as well satisfied with what Christ hath Done and Suffered for us as if we our selves and perfectly kept the Law or Died by it for our Sins 'T is dangerous separating Christ and his Righteousness as if we were to derive a justifying-Righteousness from Christ distinct from the Person of Christ This notion has insensibly led men to seek a Righteousness in themselves not wrought out for them but wrought in them by Christ this indeed is the right way of Sanctification but not of our Justification The Scripture directs us to seek our Justification in the Person of Christ only by Receiving him Believing in him to them is Remission of Sin Promised and everlasting life John 1. 12. John 3. 15 16. John 6. 40 47. Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 3. 26. Acts 10. 43. Acts 26. 18. Some do too nicely distinguish between freedom from Punishment and a right to eternal Life as if one could be obtained without the other which is impossible Certainly not to Die is to Live not to Die eternally is to Live eternally the expulsion of Darkness is the bringing in of Light He who is counted worthy to escape the Punishment threatned by Law is worthy to receive the Reward promised by Law I see not what should hinder it since no fault of Omission or Commission can be charged upon him whose Sins are Pardoned If after the full Remission of all our Sins we were to receive eternal Life from the Law then some Righteousness distinct from Pardon a Righteousness wrought by our selves after Pardon would be antecedently necessary to our justification unto life But that is not so for every Pardoned Sinner receives eternal Life from the hand of Free-Grace as the Gift of God freely given without any consideration of any works of Righteousness done by us Gal. 2. 6. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified If there had been law which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law Gal. 3. 21. But since the Law does not give Life therefore that Righteousness that lets us into eternal Life is not of the Law but that of Faith Phil. 3. 9. The Law admits of no Pardon allows of none is not at all concerned about that matter but seeks its own satisfaction in a way of strict justice the Law is all for Justice Mercy comes in by another Covenant 'T was never in the nature and constitution of the Law to give life to a Sinner the Law can't do that Rom. 8. 3. It can give life to a Righteous man but not to a Sinner The Law will prosecute him to death 't would act contrary to it self to its own eternal Sanction and declared judgment if it should do otherwise and therefore the Law as a Covenant of Life and Death is fully determined in the Death of Christ towards all Believers who are no longer under the Law but under Grace Yet I say the rigour of the Law in it self is not relaxed by the Pardon of Sin only it does not exert its condemning power upon the persons of Believers because Christ has already Suffered for their Sins but still the Law remains and ever will remain a Sin-condemning and Sin-avenging Law it has as much power as ever to stay the Sinner but it can slay him but once and the stroke of the Law is so heavy in that case that it need not smite him a second time Christ indeed being God as well as Man recovered from that deadly blow the Law gave him for our Sins and so saved himself and us Here is no relaxation of the Law but a full execution of it full satisfaction given to it the whole debt is paid to the utmost farthing by Christ our surety Now all the Life Glory and Happiness that follows upon this comes in by Grace Christ having Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law and the Law being fully satisfied cannot be against any thing that Christ shall do for his Redeemed ones he may freely bestow what he will upon them having brought them under a Covenant of Grace he may and he will pursue that Covenant to the utmost towards them for their good till he has made them as happy as infinite Love and Grace can make them Sin being taken away and expiated by the Death of Christ Believers do pass over of course into his Life they Rise with him he who has called us into a Communion with him in his Death will not deny us Communion with him in his Life and Resurrection otherwise the benefits accruing to us by his Death in a freedom from Punishment would never have made us happy had we been quite shut out from his Life 't was for that end he Died for us that we might Live for ever in him by him and with him The Law and the works of the Law contribute nothing to this Life and for our Evangelical Holiness that is but the fruit and effect of this eternal Life derived from Christ already begun in us and exerting it self gradually according to the measure of our imperfect Sanctification here All our Evangelical works are but so many expressions of that new Life
which we are raised up unto in this World by the Power of Christ's Resurrection which hath a quickning influence upon our Souls raising us up to newness of Life There was some distance though but a little at first between the Death and Resurrection of Christ only Three Days during that time they could not draw comfort from his Death till he Rose again But since the time of his actual Resurrection the Death and Resurrection of Christ stand closer together in our thoughts and have a joint Spiritual influence upon our Hearts we presently pass in the actings of our Faith from one to the other from the effects of his Death in the Pardon and Mortification of Sin to the effects of his Resurrection in our Spiritual Vivification and quickning up to new Obedience thus the Death of Christ lets us into his Life being planted together in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection Rom. 6. 5. We deal with the Blood of Christ for our justification from Sin and with the Spirit of Christ risen from the Dead for our Sanctification Did we clearly discern how our Sanctification flows from the Resurrection of Christ as a consequent of that forgiveness of Sin purchased by his Blood Eph. 1. 7. we should not so confound Justification and Sanctification as some do So much as we ascribe to our works in justification so much we take off from the Blood of Christ to which the whole of our Justification is ascribed 'T is a Righteousness without works by which we are Justified therefore it can never pass thorough our hands no part of it is wrought by us 't is all imputed to us for Pardon of Sin that we may live and not die and this is Justification unto life Justification has different names in Scripture from the different respects it bears to us as we are obnoxious to Punishment 't is called Remission as it relates to a state of Sin which is a state of servitude and bondage 't is called Redemption as we are Enemies to God 't is called Reconciliation Remission of Sin is absolutely necessary in order to Salvation I will shew you the necessity of pardon and of Preaching this Comfortable Doctrine to all Having given you a general account of that comfortable Gospel Doctrine concerning the full and free remission of all our sins through Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and shewed you from Scripture how the remission of sin implies our Justification I opened to you that common distinction by which Divines do well express the whole nature of Justification as consisting in the Remission of Sin and imputation of Righteousness and shewed you how these Two are inseparably linked together whereever the former is viz. Remission of all Sin there is also the latter viz. Imputation of Righteousness I shall now proceed to the further opening of the nature of Remission of Sin in these following Particulars 1. Remission of Sin does not change the nature of Sin that that which is Sin should be counted no Sin that Evil should be called Good Isa. 5. 20. Sin is as really Sin after Pardon as before only Pardon frees us from the guilt of Sin takes away meritum poenae the deserved Punishment This it takes away not from the Sin but from the Sinner only still the wages of sin is death i. e. Sin deserves Death even after 't is Pardoned but this Death is not inflicted upon him to whom Sin is Pardoned and this absolving from Guilt is properly the Justification of a Sinner as such in himself but now looked upon by God as Righteous in Christ by virtue of his Pardon To make this yet more clear take it thus Any act contrary to Law is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transgression or Sin and Sin in respect of its guilt binding us over to Punishment is called a Debt The fact or action it self cannot be Remitted because that which is done is done and cannot be said not to be done yet the guilt of that evil act may be Remitted and is Remitted when the Punishment which we have deserved is Remitted and this is properly pardon of Sin Sin is not imputed To impute is an act of Reason and Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rationem ineo ratiocinando deduco 't is a mental act a rational inference or conclusion from such premises So when applied to God 't is an act of Divine Reason and Wisdom to impute Sin is to deal with men according to the just demerit of sin to give it its due reward its wages according to reason and justice 't is an act of the Divine understanding God does think with himself what Sin deserves and doth resolve upon the Punishment of it as a thing most just and reasonable So not to impute Sin or to forgive Sin is not to enter into Judgment with the Sinner Psal. 143. 2. according to the strict terms of the Law of Works For when God so enters into Judgment with us the reason of the Law and Justice of God must needs carry it against the Sinner and yet not to impute Sin is an act of Judgement too an act of Divine Reason and Understanding in God But in this act of Judgement whereby God does not impute Sin God judges of sin according to the terms of the New Covenant having in his Eye and under his Consideration the full satisfaction that Christ has made for Sin upon this account he judges it most reasonable not to impute Sin to those for whom Christ has died Civilians do admit of a supposed imaginary solution when really nothing is paid this among men is to forgive the Debt acceptum ferre Whence comes the term Acceptilatio the Creditor counting the Money as Received which he forgives the Debtor But in God's forgiveness there is a great deal more than this here is real payment made full satisfaction given by Christ our Surety and the Grace of Pardon lies in the free application of all this unto us this is God's Grace towards us yet the Pardon of the Sins of Believers is but justice towards Christ 't is Grace towards us that God should accept of satisfaction from the hand of another but upon full satisfaction given 't is an act of Justice to remit the Debt 2. Pardoning Grace takes away that that makes a man unrighteous in the sight of God it takes away sin how that is I have in part shewed already and shall more fully demonstrate 'T is evident that Gods counts them righteous whose sins are pardoned and that he has nothing in his eye then but the full satisfaction Christ made for sin which is the Foundation of Pardon and also meritorious of eternal Life it was not only bare satisfaction that Christ made for that is but Justice paying what is due not a Penny over or under but in Christ's satisfaction there is a redundancy of Merit procuring Grace and Glory for us the Merit of Christ procures the
God's Justice would not permit that man should be received into favour and freed from that misery he had brought upon himself 'till a sufficient Price was paid for his ransom nothing but the Blood of Christ could quench that flaming Sword of God's just Anger that kept man when cast out of Paradise from the Tree of Life So that the right that God recovered was for the good of man a right to shew Mercy to the worst of Penitent sinners without any reflection upon his Justice That he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Rom. 3. 26. That a Holy God should justifie a sinful man is the greatest Mystery that ever the World heard of but God who works wonders hath in his infinite Wisdom Job 28. 23. glorified his Justice and Mercy both in our Salvation by Christ. God had a special right by Election in all his chosen Ones but foreseeing the fall of his Elect he provides for their Redemption in case of Transgression Election was unto Eternal Life but sin intervening between Election and Salvation threatens Eternal Death puts such a rub in the way which must be removed or else the Elect themselves could not be Saved therefore that Election might stand and obtain its end Rom. 11. 7. God provides for our Redemption laies help upon one that is Mighty we were chosen in him in whom we have redemption Eph. 1. 4 7. God had an Eye to Christ in our Election 't is that makes it sure What wonderful difficulties does Election meet with enough if it were possible to hinder the Salvation even of the Elect Mat. 24. 24. But Christ has secured them John 10. â—8 I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand The end of our Redemption was not to rescue us quite out of the hand of God to take us out of his power for that cannot be but to let us into his Love to reconcile us to him to bring us to a nearer conjunction with him than ever John 17. 21. That which moved God to Redeem us was his Love and Pity Isa. 63. 9. CHAP. IV. Seventhly How by tbe Law of Redemption the Redeemed pass over Body and Soul into the possession of the Redeemer LAstly The relation that Christ hath to and the interest and propriety that he hath in all Believers as their Redeemer obliges them in Reason Justice Equity and Conscience to Dedicate and Devote themselves all that they are and have to his Service to Glorifie God in their Body and Spirit which are God's All the Persons of the Trinity have a special Interest in the Persons of all true Believers 1. God the Father Their Body and Spirit are God's says the Text they are Redeemed unto God Rev. 5 9. 2. God the Son as they are Members of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 15. 3. God the Holy Ghost as they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. 1 Cor. 3. 6. Eph. 2. 21. 2 Cor. 6. 16. The Spiritual House of God 1 Pet. 2. 5. If any man defile the temple of God him shall God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are Redemption fixing such a right and propriety in the Redeemer over the Redeemed must necessarily imply obedience and subjection on our part Ye are not your own How shall we live any longer in sin Rom. 6. 2. Being made free from sin we should become servants of righteousness v. 18. Believers are not sui juris to live as they list Rom. 14. 7 8 9. 1 Pet. 4. 2. For me to live is Christ Phil. 1. 21. My business is to serve him not to comply with the lusts of men 1 Cor. 7. 23. What to Glorifie God in our body viz. When in all our outward actions we govern our selves by the law of Christ following the rule of his word and the guidance of his Spirit The Body is for the Lord who is our Head to govern our bodies in all their motions Christ is the Saviviour of the body and will raise it up to eternal life Rom. 6. 5. and make it conformable to his glorious body Our Bodies are the Members of Christ and as such they ought to subject themselves to the command of the Soul under Christ mortifying the deeds of the Body through the Spirit Rom. 8. 13. The whole man is the temple of the Lord 1 Cor. 3. 16. Our Bodies are as it were the Porch of this temple therefore we should not touch any unclean thing 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. lest we grieve the Spirit of God who dwells in us The Sanctification and Holiness of the Body is opposed to any outward pollution of it by which we do defile and dishonour the Body 1 Thes. 4. 3 4 5. If Christ has such an undoubted right to your Bodies as they are his members and temples of the Holy-Ghost then be sure you keep them holy and undefiled I need not exhort you to flee Fornication you are all convinced of the evil of that but the outward Attire I will not say of whom Prov. 7. 10. lest I put some to the blush does not become serious Worshippers of the true God a more grave sober modest Apparel would convincingly testify to others the due respect and reverence you have for the holy Spirit dwelling in you your Bodies are the temples of the Holy-Ghost do not then prophane these temples by antick exotick dresses the sure emblems of a vain mind such plumes and wethercocks as some wear upon their heads become not the Pinacle of these Temples of the Holy-Ghost Therefore if there be any fellowship of the Spirit cloathe your selves as women professing Godliness and that I may apply this to both Sexes 1 Cor. 11. 14. I must tell you it argues a very Effeminate age to see so many men's head thatch'd with Womens hair what may be brought by some as an argument in point of health for the cutting of their own Hair will never justifie what is put on by most in the room of it When you have trickt up your selves according to the Mode and Fashion of the world before you go forth to be seen of others put this question to your selves Is this to Glorifie God in my body or will it not rather open the mouths of many to blaspheme that profession of Godliness that I have taken up Answer it to your Consciences if you can He that does not keep his body in a due subjection to the Spirit of Grace will never keep his heart long in a right frame What to Glorifie God in our Spirit To serve God only with our bodies is Hypocrisy it must be with Body and Spirit else our service is not reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. If our minds are not pure in the sight of God and our outward profession answerable thereunto in the sight of men Paul sets forth this inward service Rom. 1. 9. God is my
is God as well as Man The Hypostatical union of the two natures in Christ is the Foundation of our spiritual and mystical union to God God and his Creature Man meet in Christ the Mediator We must not understand our union to Christ so grosly as if we were Deified I abhor that blasphemous Famelistical Notion of our being Christed and Godded no the new Creature in its nearest union and highest communion with God is but a Creature and never will be more nothing that is infinite eternal and uncreated can in its immensity enter into us but we may enter into it hence the Saints are said to enter into life Mat. 18. 8. Mat. 19. 17. As a Barrel cast into the Sea is in the fulness of the Sea tho the fulness of the Sea be not in the Barrel 't is filled according to its Capacity and can hold no more So is the life of Christ derived to us by gradual Communications in a way of influence from Christ the Fountain of life we live because he lives who hath life in himself and is a quickning Spirit in us certainly great things are intended by and implied in our union to Christ I remember a late eminent Divine now in Glory expresses it thus That provided we keep below the Hypostatical union of the two natures in Christ we cannot ascend too high in our thoughts and conceptions of the mystical union between Christ and his Members all that is below the hypostatical union may be allowed to this So that I would not have any interpret our union to Christ and communion with him into so low a sense as not to apprehend how Believers by vertue of their union to Christ stand in a nearer relation to God than the Angels do whose Nature Christ took not I say Believers are under a more special immediate influence of the eternal Spirit their life is hid with Christ in God and will be better understood by us in Heaven than it is here on Earth though we should be studying it more and more I am sorry to see the most spiritual expressions of the Gospel sealed up as it were by a common short exposition of them that goes with most for the full sense of the Text it contains it may be truth but not all the truth or at least does not fully express all the truth 't is looked upon as very unsafe to put a further and higher construction upon the words than others has done before though they will bear it I think while we keep within the Analogy of Faith not wounding any vital part or fundamental Principle of Religion nor wresting the Scriptures to a forced sense we may admit any farther light that shines through the word unto us waiting upon God to lead us by his Spirit further and further into the knowledge of the truth as 't is in Jesus that our light may shine out into the perfect day Christ being thus qualified for his Office is 1. Called the Messenger or Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. Because he does declare and interpret the terms of the Covenant between God and Man as Moses did Exod. 20. 19. Deut. 5. 5 27. In this he was a type of Christ Deut. 18. 15 18 19. Therefore Christ as Mediator is referred to in the Old Testament Isa. 7. 14. Isa. 8. 8. 2. The Angel absolutely Exod. 23. 20. 3. The Angel of his Face or Presence Isa. 63. 9. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2. 1. An advocate The Holy Ghost has the same name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 14. 16. 26. Because as Christ makes intercession for us above his Spirit makes intercession in us here Rom. 8. 26. God is in Christ reconciling the World unto himself if ever we meet with God in peace it must be in and through this great Mediator Jesus Christ. 5. What are those special Mediotory acts that Christ puts forth CHAP. V. Of Christ's Mediatory Acts. WHAT are those special Mediatory Acts that Christ puts forth Some proper to his Prophetical some to his Priestly and some to his Kingly Office To his Prophetical Office 1. To know and rightly to state the case between God and Man 2. To propose and declare the terms of the Agreement between God and Man contained in the New Covenant To his Priestly Office 1. To make satisfaction in order to our Redemption 2. To make intercession for us by Arguments drawn from that satisfaction To his Kingly Office 1. To Protect and Govern his Church defending it against all the sworn Enemies of it 2. To give Rules Laws and Ordinances to his Church for the avoiding of all Will-Worship But I shall not tye my self to this Method But speak of Christ's Mediatory Acts. First As Mediating with God for us Secondly As Mediating with us on God's behalf 1. As Mediating with God for us 1. By giving satisfaction to his Father's Justice He undertook this as our Surety Heb. 7. 22. Heb. 10. 7. And actually performed this Undertaking 1 Tim. 2. 6. Mat. 20. 28. John 10. 15. To give satisfaction is tantum facere quantum satis est Christ as a Priest offering himself up to death for us was one of the chiefest acts of his Mediation that he might take away the guilt of sin bur this was not all for as our Mediator he puts forth a further act viz. 2. By promising to sanctify us to free us from the filth of sin Eph. 5. 25 26 27. He shews there that Christ upon giving himself for the Church laid himself under Engagements to sanctifie and cleanse it here the law of the spirit of life in Christ makes us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8. 2. Thus Christ by himself purges our sins Heb. 1. 3. 3. By making Intercession for us 1. On Earth John 17. 9. 20. I pray for them and for all that shall believe on me through their word 2. In Heaven Heb. 9. 24. Rom. 8. 34. 1 John 2. 1. Heb. 7. 25. He ever lives to make Intercession for us 't is continual Intercession should it cease but for a Moment we should be in great danger therefore Christ is continually representing in Heaven what he has done and suffered for us in the flesh 2. As Mediating with us on God's behalf Christ as Mediator came about the Father's business Luk. 2. 49. And deals with us Prodigals about our returning to our Heavenly Father 1. By declaring the Father's Will to us John 1. 18. John 6. 38 39 40. John 17. 8 14. 2. By applying his Merits in the efficacy of them unto us The son quickneth whom he will John 5. 21. If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the deatb of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 10. There is a mighty Power in the Death and Resurrection of Christ Phil. 3. 10. Rom. 6. 3 4 5. When we are planted in the likeness of both we shall then as Branches abiding in
Holiness inclines him to hate Sin and his Justice to punish it And till these Two Attributes of God be for us there is no Hope of Glory Christ by taking our Nature put himself into a capacity of suffering for us He took not on him the Nature of Angels this is some ground of Hope to Man and having drawn his heart to believe in him rely upon him it is a sure sign he intends good unto him Christ being become Man he doth through our own nature convey himself to us in the most intimate familiar manner that can be His Spirit enters into us passes through all the Faculties of our Souls leaving a Spiritual Inclination in them all towards God which by degrees prevails over all the sinful inclinations of our corrupt natures making us at last perfectly conformable to the Son of God and this is our Sanctification Christ in us demonstrates the Love of God to us sheds it abroad in our hearts by his Spirit We hope for little from those who have no kindness for us no love to us But the love of God most eminently appears to us in Christ Ephes. 2. 4. God having given us his Son how shall he not with him give us all things There is ground enough for Hope Faith having Christ raises our Hope for every thing else If Christ be ours all is ours Thirdly Christ hath given us a famous Instance in himself of the full actual accomplishment of his whole Undertaking for us which I find insisted upon in Scripture as an Encouragement to Believers Saith the Apostle Heb. 2. 9. There are many Promises and Prophesies not yet come to pass many things we do not see fulfilled But do we see nothing fulfilled Ay saith he we see Jesus entred into Glory that is enough for us so 1 Pet. 1. 21. saith he God hath raised up Christ from the dead and given him Glory to what end pray That your Faith and Hope might be in God Believers by virtue of their Union to Christ their Head and Representative they are in Heaven already made to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Ephes. 2. 6. All is already fulfilled in Christ that you hope for You hope for full pardon of Sin full sense of Comfort full sense of your Justification you hope for thorough Mortification of your Sin perfect Sanctification you hope for full deliverance from all afflictions for a Resurrection from the Grave you hope to ascend up to Heaven to be Glorified there All this is past upon Christ already he hath finished Transgression as to what concerns the business of our sins Christ hath finished it he hath finished Transgression and brought in Everlasting Righteousness It is not a thing to be done but already actually done he hath finished Transgression Sin when finished brings forth death saith James this is the perfection of Sin in the utmost extent of its fatal Energy and Efficacy when it is finished it brings forth Death But Christ's finishing Sin was to prevent Death the dispatching it out of the World He by finishing Sin utterly abolished Death and Sin too by the infinite Merit of his precious Blood Christ's finishing Transgression was the blotting it out the undoing and reversing of all that Evil that Sin had brought upon us that it might not be able to bring down a Curse upon us any more The consideration of this famous instance is a wonderful support to our Faith Let me tell you this that a bare word of Promise concerning things to be done for us by God without this famous instance of their being done and actually accomplished in the Man Christ Jesus would not have been such a confirmation of our Faith tho in it self it ought to be yet through our weakness and infirmity it would not have been such a convincing confirmation as now it is in conjunction with this undeniable instance It strengthens the very Word of God and helps us with more confidence to settle upon it There is nothing we hope for but the Man Christ Jesus is already possessed of he is Risen he is Ascended he is sate down at the right Hand of God upon his Throne he is Glorified in our Nature and what is done to man may be done again So that Christ is the most rational ground of a Christians Hope that can be Fourthly Christ hath not only given us a famous instance in himself of the coming to pass of all that is promised to us but in the Fourth place he gives us present earnest of all this in our selves We have the first fruits the earnest of the spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. We are sealed by the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Ephes. 1. 13 14. They who are so sealed do walk in the comfort of the Holy-Ghost Acts 9. 31. as well they may under so great an Assurance of Glory hereafter Some Rays of this Glory do shine in upon the hearts of Believers here A spirit of glory rests upon them now 1 Pet. 4. 14. Now from these Beginnings we may hope for all that is to follow Our Light is come and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon us in some measure already and is continually rising higher and higher towards a Noon-day Light which is our perfect day Thus we are transformed now from Glory to Glory Believers find it so in themselves And therefore experience should beget Hope Rom. 5. 4. And then Lastly Lest Death should dash all our Hopes Christ hath assured us of a Glorious Resurrection If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. Christ hath taken off this Objection that we might not be in bondage through fear of death Heb. 2. 16. It is evident he hath power to raise the dead as he hath raised himself from the Grave They deny matter of Fact who deny the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 13. If there be no resurrection then Christ is not risen but that is matter of fact he is risen we know it Christ is the first fruits of them that sleep in the Grave The first begotten of the dead Rev. 1. 5. The first who rose from the dead Acts 26. 23. He is the first-born from the dead Col. 1. 18. And he will change our vile body that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. See what ground there is for your Hope of Glory from the Resurrection of Christ. That which is sown in dishonour shall be raised in glory 1 Cor. 15. 43. This still maintains your Hope of Glory Therefore my beloved brethren saith Paul be stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know your labour is not in vain in the Lord v. 58. Were there no Resurrection all the pains we take in Religion would be labour in vain but we know our labour is not in vain Thus you see how Christ in us is our Hope
way concerned in his Hope it is impossible to leave himself quite out of his Hope If Christ in you be your hope of Glory Then look upon him as the only sure bottom and foundation of all your Hopes you will prize him the more We naturally love and esteem that which gives us hope of any goood coming towards us The Reason why Christ is so little regarded so lightly set by is because men are afraid they shall be losers by him Go and sell all and follow me this is an hard saying to such as understand not the gain of Godliness the excellency of Christ that he is able to do more for them than all the World can Paul was so persuaded Rom. 8. 37. Nothing could separate him from the Love of God in Christ Jesus Neither life nor death nor all evils that it was possible for men and devils to bring upon him In all these things saith he we are more than conquerors As if he had said we are so far from being losers that we are great gainers come off with advantage Thanks be to God who hath given us the victory 1 Cor. 15. 57. Thanks be to God who also causes us to triumph in Christ 2 Cor. 2. 14. Thus he overcomes the world who believes Jesus is the Son of God 1 John 5. 4 5. Quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked one Eph. 6. 16. Overcomes by the blood of the Lamb Rev. 12. 11. But after all this If any should Object and say We cannot rejoyce in this Hope of Glory by Christ we cannot bring our hearts under the Power of this Hope as you have been persuading us to do I Answer You cannot but God can God by his Spirit of Power can do this in you and upon you We have a cloud of Witnesses to this in all those Saints in former Ages who have gone Triumphing to Heaven in a Joyful Hope and Expectation of Eternal Glory and you will find it so in your selves when the Spirit of God comes upon you as a Spirit of Power Let me tell you The impressions of the Spirit are strange things till you come under them then you feel the powerful effects of them in your own Souls will see that done which you thought could never have been done find that made easy to you which you thought was impossible And thus it will be when you are begotten again to a lively Hope Many Professors have a dead Hope of Eternal Life and Glory which make no impression upon them but a lively Hope hath lively Effects that will be felt It may be you will further Object and say It is true there are some who have this Hope and this Joy But may not all this be a Delusion upon false Grounds All I shall say in Answer is this I wish you would make the same Objections against your Worldly Hopes as you do against this Christian Hope I am sure you have more cause How prone are men to Object against the Hope of the Gospel And how willing are men to be flattering themselves with all Worldly Hopes they follow them are mightily pleased with them they all run well and are well founded But this Hope of Glory by Jesus Christ that is an ignote thing they know not what to make of it Look to it Those who are willing to nourish vain Hopes now will have Hope little enough ere long they will be Punished with Everlasting Despair in Hell But alas with what confidence and security do Men Hope in the Creature but with what trepidation and doubtfulness do some Trembling Souls Hope in Christ Methinks their Reason might instruct their Faith to argue otherwise from Gospel Principles the consequence of which Sanctifi'd Reason may discern and ought to attend unto You find a Thousand Instances in every Age of such whose Worldly Hopes have disappointed them and made them ashamed But never since the World began could there be one Instance produced of any Believer whose Hope in Christ hath made him ashamed It is strange that we should rejoyce so much under that Hope which seldom or never answers our expectation and be so much cast down and dispirited under those Hopes of Glory that never fail I wish you would but ask your selves the Reason of this It is a sign we are rather Carnal than Spiritual and savour more the things of this Earth than the things of Heaven It is a shame to think how little Influence this Hope of Glory hath upon us We usually count our selves the better for our Hopes but it seems the Hope of Glory adds little to us we lay it by as that which speaks of something to come a great while hence in another world we know not when we cannot get our minds to attend to it and look for the accomplishment of it And thus we bereave our selves of much good by suffering our Hope to languish as it will do if we don't take comfort in it and daily solace our selves with the thoughts of it To think of our Hopes is enough to revive us at any time especially when we count them sure and certain I know not whence it is but you may observe many Christians to be more in the Exercise of Faith and Love than of Hope We reverence the Word and dare not disbelieve that when we are under little or no Hope of what is promised to us in the Word A little Fear drowns our Hope We believe the Truth of the Promises but in modesty suspend the application of them to our selves as if it were a piece of Humility to Believe much and Hope but little God is good and gracious and faithful saith the drooping Soul here is Faith But I am unworthy I am less than the least of all his mercies unfit to receive any thing at his hand Thus by sinking our Hope we do insensibly weaken our Faith for a weak Faith doth always follow a languid Hope the Promises will grow out of credit with us when in an affected Despondency we humour our selves too much in refusing our own Mercies It would make our hearts ake if God should take us at our word and say Because you will not have this or that Mercy you shall not have it because you will not have life by applying this and that Promise to your selves I reverse it call it in declare you shall never have that Mercy I say it would make our hearts ake if God should take us at our word when in a froward sullen fit of Despondency It is a slight to his rich Grace to be so shy of it to take but little when much is offered Express then the greatness of your Faith by the greatness of your Hope As God hath abounded yea superabounded in his Grace towards you so do you abound more and more in your Hope in him Faith is but a Notion a mere empty Speculation when the good things of the Promise are not brought down to our selves by a lively Hope that
we may taste and see how gracious the Lord is We never suck the sweet of a Promise till then Therefore judge of your Faith by your Hope and judge of your Hope by your Faith Whether it be well grounded upon the Word if it be it can never rise too high otherwise Hope is an aspiring Passion and usually flies too high when it is not fixed upon a right Object the Soul is overset by it How are some men intoxicated and drunk with their vain hopes There is no fear of any such excess in true Christian Hope No man was ever questioned by God for having too much Grace we may all complain of too little More Grace is the constant Desire of every holy Soul as there is a Propensity in God to give it To him that hath more shall be given God loves to accumulate his Favours to load us with his Benefits he gives liberally that he may draw out our Hope to follow him for more and more still Let us then abound in Hope holding fast our Confidence firm unto the End What it is to KNOW GOD in CHRIST JOHN VIII 54 55. Of whom ye say That he is your God yet ye have not known him but I know him CHAP. I. EVery one of you in this Assembly may be ready to say That the God of Abraham is your God but what if I prove to the faces of some Professors that they have not yet known the Lord I am from these words to shew who among you do and who among you do not yet savingly know the Lord. This Enquiry will be as Comfortable to some as it may be Terrible to others the Lord make it an Awakening Word to us all There is no dallying in this matter 't is Life Eternal to know God and Eternal Death not to know him Ye say he is your God yet ye have not known him A likely matter indeed That God should be your God and you not know him I am sure you know him not because you know not me I know him but you do not I know him and none else do but such as I reveal him to Since you refuse to learn of me I do pronounce you a company of ignorant formal Professors quite beside the Truth and Power of Religion aliens and strangers from the commonwealth of Israel without God in the world worshipping you know not whom doing your devotions to an unknown God The Knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ are often put together in Scripture because we cannot know one if we do not know both 2 Pet. â— 2. Joh. 14. 6 7 9. No man cometh unto the Father but by me If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also He that hath seen me hath seen the Father And through the knowledge of both there is a multiplication of grace and peace to us 2 Pet. 1. 2. Some seek to know every thing but Christ Paul desires to know nothing but Christ 1 Cor. 2. 2. The Lord grant that may be the unfeigned desire of every Soul here present The Coherence Because the sense of the Text depends very much upon what goes before in this and the 7 th Chapter therefore I shall give you a brief Analysis of both these Chapters down to the very Words of the Text. In these two Chapters there are hot Disputes and Contests between Christ and the Jews about the Divinity of his Person and the Truth of his Doctrine Christ maintains both In the beginning of the 7 th Chapter Christ and his Brethren have a consultation about his going up to Jerusalem to the Feast of Tabernacles which was at hand verse 2. The Point they deliberate upon was this viz. Whether he should go up at the beginning of the Feast his Brethren who did not yet believe in him verse 5. were for it tho upon very slight grounds vers 3 4. Christ is against it refuses to go then verse 8. I go not yet unto this feast but go ye I will go when I see my time my time is not yet full come vers 8. Christ knew the proper seasons and moments for every part of his Work so he sends 'em away but himself abode still in Galilee vers 9. Upon this there were great Enquiries after Christ where he was and why he was not there This occasioned a murmuring among the people concerning him verse 12. About the middle of the Feast Jesus appears among 'em Teaching in the Temple to the admiration of all that heard him vers 14 15. The Points of Doctrine that he there handles with his Answers to all their Cavils and Objections I shall for brevity sake omit you may read 'em in that Chapter from the 16 th to the 37 th verse so ends his Sermon at the midst of the Feast Verse 37. He begins another Sermon at the end of the Feast for the Feast lasted Eight days and in the last day that great day of the Feast wherein there used to be the greatest Assemblies Lev. 23. 36 On the eighth day shall be a holy Convocation a solemn Assembly And upon this day that the people might have something to meditate on by the way and to carry home with 'em Christ prâ—aches an excellent Sermon about Spiritual Water vers 37 38 c. which had different effects upon his â—earers some believed and some believed not as it was then so it is now The Feast being over Christ continues Preaching in the same place you have him early in the morning teaching the people in the Temple Chap 8. 2. But the Scribes and Pbarisees purposely to interrupt his Preaching put an ensnaring question to him about a woman taken in the very Act of Adultery what his Judgment was concerning her Whether she should be put Death according to Law in that case Levit. 20. 10. How he managed himself in acquitting the Woman to the Shame and Conviction of all his Opposers I refer to your own reading from the 1 st verse of this 8 th Chapter to the 12 th verse Having dispatched that business he falls to Preaching again of many weighty and very useful Points suited to the present condition of his Auditors First He preaches himself to be the true light of the world vers 12. which occasioned a long Dispute between him and the Pharisees about the validity of that Testimony which he gave of himself Christ vindicates both himself and his Doctrine and proves both to be from Heaven 'T is observable how in the close of one Point Christ gives occasion for another which he knew their Objections would lead him into vers 32 33. about Spiritual Freedom declaring what that is and that the Jews had not yet attained to it because they were the servants of sin vers 34. in bondage to their own Corruptions and Lusts this he urges close upon 'em notwithstanding their vain-glorious boasting of their descent from Abraham Now because my Text comes in upon this Discourse I shall give you some account
to thrive under Ordinances In the Description of John Baptist's Office we may see the nature use and end of a Gospel Ministry all must be called to that Office who are imployed in it they must prepare the way and seek to lead their Hearers to Christ Preaching remission of sin through faith in him shewing how all flows from the tender Mercy of God setting forth Christ as the true light of them who sit in darkness c. Before Christ's time the Patriarchs Priests Levites and Prophets carried on this Ministry After Christ's Incarnation John the Baptist was the first Gospel-Minister after him the Apostles and Evangelists by an extraordinary Call then Pastors and Teachers as the ordinary Ministers of the Gospel who continue still in the Church and whose duty still it is to seek the Salvation of their Hearers and Hearers should come to learn the way of Salvation by Christ. To give knowledge of Salvation c. Not that Preachers can infuse knowledge into their Hearers none but God can do this as Dan. 1. 17. There the words have a greater Emphasis than here when applied to men who only prepare the way by Instruction afford some outward help to bring us to the knowledge of Salvation they do aditum patefacere they prepare the way make it plain lay it open setting before you the credenda what you are to believe and do they tell you what way and method what manner and means God has made choice of to bring about Salvation for they give us notice of all this speaking in a plain familiar manner that men may know what is contained in the Bible what the main drift and scope of the Gospel is which we cannot be ignorant of when it 's told us in such plain and intelligible terms which if we do not stop our ears will inform us whether we will or no of the History of the Bible we cannot but conceive something of the matter they are willingly ignorant who being so taught yet slight all they hear and won't regard it where there has been such an outward manifestation of the Truth we may say as 2 Cor. 4. 2 3. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost Ministers should do what in them lies to help the understanding of their Hearers bringing down things to their Capacities giving the sense and causing the people to understand the reading Neh. 8. 8. This is the way for a Minister to save himself and them that hear him 1 Tim. 4. 16. Many common Hearers can't understand what they read and hear unless some man guide them as the Eunuch said of himself Act. 8. 30 31. When we have in handling the word commended our selves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. 2. we must leave the success of our Ministry to him whether the word be a savour of life or death to him Paul may Plant and Apollo may Water but it 's God who giveth all the encrease You see how Ministers give the Knowledge of Salvation by Publishing the Gospel i. e. by Preaching Christ Rom. 16. 25. They say to the People what the Angel did to the Shepherds Luk. 2. 10 11. Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people For unto you is born a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. A great multtitude of the Heavenly Host join with the Angel in praising God for his good will towards men v. 14. This is the Ministers work now to declare these glad Tidings this faithful saying so worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ commanded his Apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature Mark 16. 15. To tell them plainly there is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved but the name of Christ. One would think this were enough to set all the world upon enquiring after Christ. But who hath believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed Men will not receive this Testimony that God hath given of his Son We who are Ministers cannot finish our course with joy and the ministry which we have received of the Lord Jesus if we do not testifie of the gospel of the grace of God Act. 20. 24. And as for me I would say with Samuel 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you and to shew you the good and the right way He that hath ears to hear let him hear Having shewed what this knowledge or notice is which Ministers give to the People of the way of Salvation by Christ I shall now speak something of the notice the People take of this how they resent it how they receive it what impression it makes upon the generality of Professors They assent to it seem to be convinced of it and do profess to believe it but in such a cold careless manner that they are not at all concerned in the matter Putting the greatest cheat upon themselves that can be 't is below the reason of a man in all it 's other actings to counterfeit knowledge in things so nearly relating to himself and of so dreadful a consequence if neglected and not strictly attended to to profess to believe in Christ for Salvation and yet never come to him for that Salvation never deal with him about it is such a gross piece of Hypocrisy and self-deceit that one would wonder men should be guilty of Such a formal profession comes not from any true conviction or real belief of what they profess but from custom education and a desire to be like other men they walk in the shadow of other mens Religion who have none of their own they take up the name of Believers and say they have Faith when they know or may know they have none such a feigned Faith undoes Thousands Since they say they have Faith and profess it how does it appear they have it not Appear Ans. As plain as the Sun at Noon If a man say he is convinced there is but one remedy in the whole World that can cure that disease he is sick of and yet refuse it when it 's offered to him I am sure if he be in his right Wits he lyes in saying he is so convinc'd what convinced that his House is on fire and yet not call out for help and seek to quench it or that this is a Cup of Poyson in his hand and yet drink it off This is to take away the force and power of reason over man to make him unconcerned in and for himself even when he is under the greatest sense of imminent danger that such a through conviction must needs bring him to nothing brings things nearer to a man's reason then conviction does 't is an Act of the understanding by which he owns and acknowledges that for truth which he
must be preserved inviolable to every one Pray see you don't invade God's property which you cannot do without manifest injustice to God and wrong to your selves we are depending Creatures because we are Creatures our being well-being our safety comfort and sufficiency lyes in another and not in our selves A Creature separated and cut off from all Divine influences must needs wither away and sink into nothing God hath bought you have a care of selling your selves away from him into other hands of alienating your selves from God as if you could shift well enough without him have a care of living to your selves of bringing forth fruit to your selves Hos. 10. 1. All that you are and have is God's and all that you do should be for God 'T is a rule in Civil Law quodcunque per servum adquiritur id Domino adquiri Whatever a Servant gets he gets to and for his Master and that a Servant running away from his Master does furtum sui facere he steals away himself he takes away that which is none of his own a Servant was reckoned among the Goods Utensils and Possessions of his Master he had nothing at his own disposal all was his Masters and for his use So are all Believers vessels of honour sanctified and meet for the master's use prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 2. 21. Whos 's they are and whom they serve Acts 27. 23. Did we better consider whose we are we should quickly see whom we ought to serve They live without God indeed who cast him off will not be governed by him but resolve to live as they list to speak and act as they please our lips are our own Psal. 12. 4. Our hands our strength our estates are our own who is Lord over us I shall from this Text shew you whose you are to whom you belong who is your Lord and Master to whom you are accountable for every thing done in the Body even to him who hath bought you and hath the first right to every thing that is your his servants must serve him Rev. 22. 3. That I may the better clear up the interest and right that God hath in you and the Service and Duty you owe to him as your Lord and Master I shall cast all I have to say from this Text under these following heads viz. 1. Who are they who are said to be bought 2. Who was the Buyer 3. What was the price paid by Christ for our Redemption 4. Who set the price of our Redemption so high 5. To whom was the price paid 6. For whom and to what end was it paid 7. How by the Law of Redemption the Redeemed pass over Body and Soul into the possession of the Redeemer First Who are they who are said to be bought Ye are bought i. e. The believing Corinthians and all other Believers whose hearts God has drawn to close in with Christ by a true saving Faith as their only Redeemer and Saviour Till Faith be wrought in us we can have no sure evidence that we are among God's Redeemed ones 't is Faith only that tells us this from the word of God ye are bought this implies that we were sold under sin reduced to a miserable state of Bondage by our Apostacy from God which none could deliver us from but Jesus Christ our mighty Redeemer and Saviour Secondly Who was the Buyer Christ our Redeemer who was God and Man The right of Redemption among the Jews lay in the next Kinsman who was to purchase the Widow's land and to marry her person Deut. 25. 5. comp with Ruth 4. 3 4. That Christ might claim kindred with us in order to a Marriage afterwards to be compleated he took part of our flesh Heb. 2. 14. A body hast thou prepared me Heb. 10. 5. I am willing to take it up lo I come to dye in that Body for all the Elect that having overcome death I may be Married to them and become their Head and Husband had an Angel offered himself supposing him otherwise qualified he could not have been our Redeemer because he must be akin to us bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh who undertakes that Office therefore I say Christ took up that Body prepared of the Father died in it rose in it ascended into Heaven in it is now glorified in it to shew what he intended to bring fallen Man unto as many as should believe in him Thirdly What was the price paid by Christ for our Redemption Viz. His own Blood 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Pretium pretiorum the greatest price that ever was paid for any thing that ever was bought all the Gold and Silver in the World heaped together is not to be compared to the value of the Blood of Christ by this you see the great love of Christ to the Souls of Men who in themselves were hopeless and helpless could do nothing towards the Redemption of their own Souls but Christ being God and Man pours out his Soul as man and takes it up again as God when he had done his work that we might have a sure ground for our Faith and Hope to rest upon not doubting but as Christ raised himself from the dead so he will also raise us at the last day who dye in him that we may live by him with him and upon him for ever who is the Resurrection and the life as his death is imputed to us and spiritually acted over upon us in the mortification of sin so is his life actually communicated in some degree to all Believers here by the same spirit that dwells in him and in them and this eternal spirit of life in Christ will never cease working higher and higher in the mystical Body of Christ diffusing it self more abundantly through all the Members till Mortallity be quite swallowed up of life this will be more manifest when Christ who is our life shall appear You see that God went not out of himself for a Mediator but appointed the Second person of the Trinity to that Office that the whole transaction between God and Man might go through his hands who is both God and Man Fourthly Who set he price of our Redemption so high 1. God the Father who also found out this Ransom he knew the whole world could not raise it it must come out of the Treasury of Heaven God himself was at the charge of our Redemption and whatever it cost him was resolved to effect it and therefore he spared not his own Son but parts with the greatest Jewel in the Crown of Heaven to buy off sinful man from that Thraldom and Bondage he was involved in and could never have extricated himself out of 2. The Law sets the price by consequence not that the Law provides a Mediator the Law seeks its own satisfaction in saving and damning men it promises Salvation upon our perfect Obedience and all who come short of that it threatens with eternal Damnation Cursed is every one
a one Can any good thing come out of Nazareth When the Apostles Preached the Mystery of Christ's Incarnation how he was Born of a Virgin what Miracles he did how he was Crucified how he rose from the Dead ascended up to Heaven and should come again to judg the World the Jews were offended did not believe these things to be true Rom. 9. 33. Luke 2. 34. They saw nothing but weakness in the Doctrine of the Gospel therefore the Jews require a Sign v. 32. Signs and Wonders were to evidence the power of those who wrought them Moses confirmed his Doctrine by many Signs and Wonders so must you say the Jews to Christ and his Apostles if you would have us to follow you The Jews were used to Signs and Wonders from the beginning as appears in the Old Testament so they were instructed in the Wilderness Deut. 32. 10. and convinced of the power of God Psal. 77. 14. ad finem This made them so desirous of Signs under the New Testament Hence that Complaint Psal. 74. 9. We see not our Signs we would fain see Signs as Mat. 12. 38. Master we would see a Sign from thee So Mat. 16. 1. Luke 11. 16. Joh. 2. 18. Zacharias erred in this Luke 1. 18. The Jews are sharply reproved by Christ for this Mat. 16. 4. The Signs and Miracles by which the Gospel was already confirmed should have satisfied them the Jews did not require a Sign as Abraham Gideon and Hezekiah did for the strengthning of their Faith but out of Curiosity and contempt of Christ and the Gospel resolving never to be satisfied they must have Sign after Sign they thought it absurd to trust in a Crucified Christ to expect life from death that he who did not save himself should be able to save them Unbelief you see wants not its seeming reasons to fortify it self against the Gospel Besides they saw that such a Profession of Faith in Christ exposed them to Sufferings which made them the more against it Gal. 5. 11. And unto the Greeks foolishness By Greeks here we understand all Gentiles who received all their Wisdom and Learning from the Greeks or Jews and Gentiles are contradistinguished thus One had the Written Law the other had not Rom. 2. 12 13 14. The Greeks would have the Mysteries of the Gospel made out by Reason else they reject them as foolishness they count that foolishness which transcends their Wisdom they thought the Gospel an idle Fancy a very simple absurd Doctrine they required Philosophical reasons which as men they might comprehend proving Christ in a Logical way to be what the Scripture says he is Moses magna dicit sed nihil probat say Galen Pliny and Julian They wanted Logical Demonstrations of Scripture Mysteries from the true natural Causes of them which cannot be for then they would not be Mysteries if Flesh and Blood could understand them Mat. 16. 17. Thus you see both Jew and Gentile all sorts of men unregenerate have something to say against the Gospel they set themselves studiously to object against it All Unbelievers stand it out with God hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred both Disobedient and Unbelieving as Acts 26. 19. Acts 14. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Eph. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But unto them that are called c. v. 24. i. e. Effectually called to believe 't is by our actual believing that we answer to an effectual Call by which we are called to the Obedience of Faith and when we believe we obey God's Call Rom. 1. 5 6. Such are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. You see the different opinion the Converted and Unconverted have of Christ highly to prize Christ is a sign of true Conversion and to under-value him to speak slightly of him or his Doctrine is a sign of the contrary Paul here opposes the Judgment of those who are Called whether Jews or Greeks to the Judgment of the Uncalled concerning Christ Would you know what Christ is consult with Believers they know him he is precious to them never regard what the blind World says of him but hear what the Saints say what Believers say who know him best I confess 't is a shame and a reproach not to be excused that Christians do not magnifie Christ more I remember I have read of one who professed he knew not which was the greater wonder that Believers love Christ no more or that Unbelievers do hate him so much no doubt the former is far the greater wonder that they who know him so well should love him no better than that they who know him not at all should hate him so much their blindness and ignorance runs them into that gross mistake but what can cold lukewarm Believers plead who have so much light and yet so little love Both Jews and Greeks i. e. All sorts of Believers of what Countrey Condition or outward state soever they all agree in this viz. That Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 't is common to all Saints and proper to them only as Saints and Believers to have a high opinion of Christ. Christ the power of God God shewed his power in Creating the World by Christ as God John 1. 3. and by Redeeming it by Christ as God-man Christ in his Divine Nature is the God of Power a mighty one Isa. 9. 6. A rock Isa. 32. 2. A Lyon for his strength Rev. 5. 5. So Angels are called Principalities and Powers for their strength Col. 1. 16. As they are called Intelligences for their Wisdom which is very great a Sam. 14. 17. To discern good and bad They are continually prying into the Doctrine of the Gospel 1 Pet. 1. 12. Exod. 37. 9. They look to the Mercy-seat a Type of Christ. We are now shewing how Christ the Mediator is the power of God by whom great things have been done 1. God by Christ satisfies his Justice and yet saves the Sinner he reconciles Justice and Mercy together Psal. 85. 10 11. They both act to the height towards a Sinner The Salvation of a Sinner is the greatest instance of Justice and Mercy as ever was what is purchased is also freely given he is our righteousness giving us right to eternal Life as well as our ransom saving us from eternal Death Jer. 23. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is made unto us Righteousness as well as Redemption 2 Cor. 5. 21. 2. Christ bore the wrath of God without sinking or fainting under it Isa. 53. 4. 3. Christ hath overcome the devil death and the world Heb 2. 14. Hos. 13. 14. John 16. 33. He is stronger than the strong man Luke 11. 21. 22. 4. Christ preserves his Church against all the most potent Enemies thereof Mat. 16. 18. 5. Christ maintains a little Grace in his Children amidst many strong corruptions and lusts Grace is but a little grain and yet it lives and thrives 't is an abiding seed 1 John 3. 5.
Estate briefly directed and urged in a Sermon lately Preached to a Person of Quality upon his coming to Age by Tho. Dorrington 4 to Christus in Corde Or the Mystical Union between Christ and Believers considered in its Resemblances Bonds Seals Priviledges and Marks by Edward Polhil Esq in Octavo De Causa Dei Or a Vindication of the Common Doctrine of the Protestant Divines concerning Predetermination i. e. the Interest of God as the first Cause in all actions as such of all Rational Creatures from the invidious consequences with which it is burthened by Mr. John How in a late Letter of Postcript of God's Prescience in Octavo A Dialogue between a Romish Priest and an English Protestant wherein the Principal Points and Arguments of both Religions are truly proposed and fully examined by Matthew Pool Author of Synopsis Criticorum in Twelves God a Christians Choice compleated by particular Covenanting with God wherein the Lawfulness and Expediency is cleared by Samuel Whiney in 12 s. Mr. West's Legacy being a Discourse of the Perfest Man in 12 s. The Sin and Folly of Drunkenness considered 1. What it is 2. What is vicious and sinful in Drinking whether Men will call it Drunkenness or no 3. What may be said against it by Edward Buckler of Bradford in Somersetshire the Author of God all in all 12 s. Familiaria Colloquia Opera Christophori Helvici D c. Professoris Gieffensis olim ex Erasmo Roterodamo Ludovico Vive c. Schottenio Hasso selecta Editio Decima tertia ad pristina exemplaria denuò recognita in 12 s. The School of Manners or Rules for Childrens Behaviour by the Author of the English Exercise for School-Boys c. Gradus ad Parnassum sive novus Synonymorum Epithetorum Phrasium Poeticarum Thesaurus Elegantias flavissas Poeticas Parnassum Poeticum Thesaurum Virgilii Smetium Januam Musarum Aliosque id genus libros ad poesin necessarios Complectens A Discourse of Secret Prayer first Preach'd and now Published at the request of those that heard it By Samuel Slater Minister of the Gospel in 12 s. The Spiritual Remembrancer or a brief Discourse of those who attend upon Preaching the Gospel by Samuel Wells in 8 vo Poesecos Graecae Medulla in qua continenter Insigniores Poetarum Graecorum gnomae versus Proverbiales Epigrammata quaedam selecta in memoriae subsidium Alphabeticè disposita cum versione Latinâ in usum Scholarùm per Johannem Langston in 8vo Poems in two Parts First An Interoculatory Discourse concerning the Creation Fall and Recovery of Man Secondly A Dialogue between Faith and a Doubting Soul by Samuel Slater in 8 vo A Renunciation of several Popish Doctrines because contrary to the Doctrine of Faith of the Church of England by R. R. B. D. in 8 vo A Practical Grammer Or the easiest and shortest way to initiate young Children in the Latin Tongue by the help whereof a Child of seven years old may learn more of the Grounds of that Language in three Months than is ordinarily learnt in a years space by those of a greater age in a common Grammar-School Published for the use of those that love not to be tedious To which are added Tables of Mr. Walker's Particles by the assistance whereof young Scholars may be the better enabled to peruse that excellent and most useful Treatise by J. Philomath Master of a Free-school in 8 vo A Treatise of Divine Providence First In General Secondly In Particular as relating to the Church of God in the World by that Eminent Minister of Christ Mr. Stephen Charnock B. D. sometimes Fellow of New-College in Oxon in 8 vo The Evidence of things not seen Or divers Spiritual and Philosophical Discourses concerning the state of Holy men after Death by that Eminently Learned Divine Moses Amiraldus translated out of the French Tongue by a Minister of the Church of England in 8 vo Mr. John Flavel's Remains Being two Sermons composed by that Reverend and Learned Divine The former Preached at Dartmouth in Devon on the day of the happy Coronation of Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary The latter intended to be Preached at Taunton in Somerset at the Meeting of the United Ministers of several Counties to be held there September 2d 1691. By John Flavel late Preacher of the Gospel at Dartmouth in Devon With a brief account of the Life and Death of the Reverend Author A Discourse of the Reasonableness of Personal Reformation and the necessity of Conversion c. By John Flavel A Discourse of Regeneration Faith and Repentance Preached at the Merchants Lecture in Broad-street by Thomas Cole Minister of the Gospel London FINIS