them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God intimating that being in the estate of nature they were the slaves of the Divel under his dominion and so Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness that is to say from the power of Satan as though he and the Collossians had been under Satans dominion so long as they were in the estate of nature And 2 Tim. 2.26 And that they may recover themselves speaking of the unregenerate out of the snare of the Divel who are taken captive by him at his will And do but see one place more Ephes 2.1 2. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience that is to say as the Master of the Shop in his Shop commanding and ruling therein The Truth of this Point may be maintained by divers Arguments Reas 1. Every man and so every woman is either Gods servant or the Divels slave but the unregenerate are not Gods servants It is true they owe God service and obedience but they have no mind no will unto it as our Saviour tells the Jewes Matth. 23.37 O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chicken under wings and ye would not And so the Apostle Rom. 6.20 When ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness that is when ye were in the estate of nature there was not the least desire or motion in you to holy obedience And do but try those that are in the estate of nature even with the outward Service of God as Prayer reading of the Word hearing of Sermons conversing with the Godly sanctifying of the Sabbath O how irksome and burdensome are these things unto them you seem to kill them when you put these things upon them They cannot they will not hold to these Religious courses constantly they will find some way or other to shift themselves from those as they hold them intollerable burdens And thus we see the unregenerate are not Gods servants and therefore it followes that they are the Divels slaves Reas 2. Every one in the estate of corrupt nature is the servant of sin and so must needs be the slave of the Divel These two are subordinate the one to the other sin being the Divels baud or Broker preferring men and women to his service Now that every unregenerate person is the servant of sin do but see what our Saviour saith Joh. 8.34 Verily verily I say unto you whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin that is to say committeth sin as the unregenerate goes on in the practice of sin impenitently and so the Apostle Rom. 6.17 But God be thanked ye were the servants of sin meaning when they were in the estate of nature but when he writ this Epistle taking notice of a change wrought in them he thanketh God And so ver 20. When ye were the servants of sin which as though the Apostle should say you were when you were in the estate of nature Thus we see the unregenerate are the servants of sin and so consequently the slaves of the Divel Reas 5. The unregenerate although they owe no service to the Divel why yet they willingly and readily subject themselves unto him and obey him John 8.44 Ye are of your father the Divel and the lusts of your father ye will do saith our Saviour to the Jews And hence it is that he calls Satan the Prince of this world John 12.31 and 16.11 And so the Apostle Paul Ephes 6.12 The ruler of the darkness of this world to wit of the unregenerate And 2 Cor. 4.4 The god of this world And it is a wonder to behold and observe how chearfully the unregenerate serve the Divel yea many times when great difficulty nay visible danger is in the way If he command the Drunkard he riseth early in the morning to follow after drunkenness If he command the Adulterer he watcheth his opportunities although never so inconvenient unto the health of his body If he command the Covetous person he will accomplish his worldly project or else it shall cost him his life Who riseth so early as the Drunkard and sits up so late Who walks so many dark nights as the Adulterer Who endures so many Tempests as the Pirat Who adventures on so many dangers as Theeves and Robbers Thus we see the unregenerate are the Divels slaves because of their willing obedience and subjection to him Reas 4. That the unregenerate are the slaves of the Divel is evident by their reward in this life and the life to come In this life besides many outward judgements upon them divers times terrors of conscience and fear of hell fire as the unregenerate are described Heb. 2.15 to be such as through the fear of death that is to say death eternal are all their life time subject to bondage And in the life to come to condemnation Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death to wit eternal And so of Satan He will promise great matters to men and women but he is a Deluder and a Lyar. He told our first Parents obeying him they should become as gods but in their woful experience they found the clean contrary And so he suggested to our Saviour Matth. 4.8 9. that if he would fall down and worship him what he would do for him but had our Saviour trusted him he had been deceived The truth of it is he deceives all that trust him Witness his principal slaves Witches and Wizards unto whom he promiseth much Wealth and Riches but where is the Wealth of such when they dye Thus we see by the woful reward of the unregenerate in this life and the life to come that they are the slaves of the Divel Reas 5. That the unregenerate are the slaves of the Divel is plain because the Lord as the punishment of sin hath given them over unto his dominion and government even as he gave the rebellious Israelites often into the hands of cruel Tyrants We all in Adams loynes making choice of this Master rather chusing to obey Satan then God was it not just with the Lord to give us up unto his Regiment And so the Unregenerate continually delighting more in the service of Satan then in the service of God is it not just with God to leave them in his hands to be slaves to him whose service they so delight in It is true Satan hath no power but what Gods permits But how just is it with God to give up such unto his dominion as are Rebels to his Majesty Now for the further illustration of this point we come to answer some objections 2 To shew the greatnesse and
towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us And so 1 John 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be a Propitiation for our sins 3. The great love that was in Christ himself unto the Elect Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God saith the Apostle Paul who loved me and gave himself for me And Eph. 5.2 Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us And so verse 25. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it The instrumental Causes were Satan Judas the High Priests the Jewes in general Pilate and the Roman Souldiers But these Instruments neither to be commended nor excused in this business they having their own wicked and malicious ends Quest 5 Now we come to the fifth question To what end Christ suffered Answ The principal and next to Gods glory was to merit for the Elect remission of sins and freedome from punishment Coll. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins And Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law We must not conceive of Christs sufferings as the sufferings of a private man but as the sufferings of a publick person he being our Pledge and Surety as he is called Heb. 7.22 And whatsoever he suffered he suffered for us as Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered for our offences that is to say to death And 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ dyed for our sinnes And 1 Pet. 2.24 very comfortably Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree And hence it is that he is said to be made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 and a Curse for us Galatians 3.13 Here take we notice of the difference between the sufferings of Christ and the sufferings of Martyrs 1. Christs sufferings were an acursed punishment The sufferings of Martyrs are onely Chastisements or Tryals 2. Christs sufferings were Meritorious so are not the sufferings of Martyrs but a duty and debt There be other ends of Christs Passive obedience as the mortifying of sin in the Elect Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is Crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sinne And the giving of them an example of suffering patiently 1 Peter 2.21 Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps Thus we have the five Questions answered Now we come to the Uses Vse 1. To inform us and that divers wayes 1. To let us see into the fierceness of Gods Wrath and wonderful Justice against sinne when nothing could expiate it but the death of his Sonne when nothing could satisfie for it but the blood of the Lord Jesus what think we then of those that make nothing of sinne do not account it to be of an horrible and accursed nature 2. See we here the great love of God the Father that rather then we should perish everlastingly his Sonne must undertake for us he must satisfie for us become sinne become a Curse for us dye the accursed death of the Cross for our sakes John 3.16 God so loved the world it cannot be expressed how much that he gave his onely begotten Sonne to dye for us In this God commendeth his love unto us as the Apostle Paul Romans 8. And in this he manifested his love unto us as the Apostle John saith 1 John 4.9 10. Herein is love indeed a miracle of love that God the Father should so love his enemies as to give his onely Sonne to dye for them Very moving is that phrase of the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Sonne but delivered him up for us all as though he had loved us better then his own Son As the Lord saith of Abraham Gen. 22.12 when at his command he was ready to offer up his only son Isaac Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thy onely sonne from me So may we say of God that we know that he loved us because he hath not withheld his Son his onely Son from us but hath given him to that accursed death for our sakes 3. See we here the great love of Christ himself unto his Church that rather then she should perish he would give himself to death even the accursed death of the Cross as Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself for our sinnes which phrase intimates unto us how willingly he laid down his life for our sake Now indeed had not his death been voluntary it could not have been satisfactory But that he laid down his life willingly for us is evident by many circumstances about his death as when Peter counselled him to spare himself see what he got for his labour Matthew 16.23 Get thee behind me Satan saith Christ unto him And when Judas was ready to betray him see what our Saviour saith unto him John 13.27 That thou dost do quickly And when Judas was gone out to get company to apprehend him he went to the place he had wont to be in so as Judas might readily find him nay he met them in the mid-way that came to take him and tells them he was the Party they sought for and when they fell to the ground upon his saying I am he he would not escape from them All these particulars you may observe in the eighteenth Chapter of John Verse first c. He could have been rescued by the Angels Matth. 26.53 but would not and when by his Adversaries he was provoked to have come down from the Cross Matthew 27.42 and could have done so he would not All these circumstances let us see how willingly he laid downe his life for our sakes according to that he saith Joh. 10.18 No man taketh my life from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again And doth not this much commend the love of Christ to us he so willingly laying down his life for us No marvel the Apostle Paul Ephes 3.19 cals this love of his a love passing knowledg Vse 2. For the great comfort and consolation of all true beleevers and that on severall cases 1. Doth their present infirmities or their ancient grievous sins stare them in the face Doth at any time the weight and butden of sin with the wrath of God due for the same oppresse them let them weigh and perpend the price of their redemption the great ransome was given for them to wit the precious blood of the Son of God as 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious bloud of Christ A ransome invaluable and
humane nature was made and for the guilt of Adams fall it did not belong unto him he not coming from Adam by natural generation but by a miraculous Conception Nay further in his Conception and Birth his humane nature was not only free from sin but withal inriched and filled with Grace and holiness and that in greater measure then all men and Angels as John 1.14 The Evangelist speaking of him and according to his humane nature saith he was full of Grace and in chap. 3. ver 34. God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him that is to say he gave it unto him in an abundant measure and yet the Holiness of Christ as man is not infinite but finite there being this difference betwixt his Righteousness as he is God and his righteousness as he is man His righteousness as he is God being infinite and uncreated his Righteousness as he is man being finite and created Thus we see even as Christ was man he was righteous in his Birth and Conception 2. As he was man he was righteous likewise in his Life and Conversation his whole course of life being conformable to the absolute Righteousness of the Law as 1 Pet. 2.22 Who did no sin speaking of Christ neither was guile found in his mouth And John 8.29 He that hath sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I do always those things which please him The Point being thus maintained we come to answer two Questions 1. To what end was Christs Active obedience the Righteousness of his Humane Nature and the Righteousness of his Life 2. If perfect Righteousness and eternal life be merited by Christs Active obedience how comes it to pass that the Scriptures speak so little of this kind of obedience and so much of his Passive Quest 1. To what end was Christs Active obedience the Righteousness of his humane nature and the Righteousness of his life Ans The principal end next to Gods glory was to merit for the Elect perfect Righteousness and eternal Salvation As we must not conceive of Christs sufferings as the sufferings of a private man but as the sufferings of a publike person he being our Surety and pledge so we must conceive of the Righteousness of his humane nature and life his Active obedience it was not for himselfe but for us as Isai 9.6 Vnto us a child is born and Rom. 8.2 3 4. which place is to be understood of the perfect righteousness of Christs humane nature imputed to all true Believers he so meriting a cover for their corrupt nature and touching the righteousness of his life that he thereby further merited for the true Believer righteousness and eternal life do but see Rom. 5.6 As by one mans disobedience to wit Adams many were made sinners so by the obedience of one to wit Christ shall many be made righteous and so in ver 17. of the same Chapter If. by one mans offence death reigned by one to wit Adam much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness that is to say they who out of Gods abundant favour are justified by the righteousness aforesaid shall reign in life that is shall be saved And Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth and eternal life is a consequent of this perfect righteousness the Apostle here speaketh of We all owe the Lord a double debt 1. The debt of punishment for the breach of his Law 2. The death of obedience to wit the perfect fulfilling of the Law Now Christs Passive obedience doth discharge the former debt his Active obedience the latter by his Passive obedience he hath merited for us remission of sins and freedome from punishment and by his Active obedience he hath merited for us perfect Righteousnesse and eternal life There be other ends of Christs active obedience as the meriting for the Elect sanctifying Grace As Joh. 17.19 For their sake saith Christ I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified And then that he might be an example of Holiness as Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Quest 2. The second Question is If perfect righteousness and eternal life be merited for the Elect by Christs Active obedience how comes it to pass that the Scriptures speaks so little of this kind of obedience and so much of his Passive Ans 1 Because his Passive obedience was most sensible and exposed to the eyes of all 2. Because the Ceremonial Types had especially their accomplishment in it 3. Because this was the chief and principal part of his obedience 4. The Passive implies the Active Now we come to the Uses of the Point Vse 1. To abase and greatly to humble us our natures and lives being â—o stained and defiled as nothing could be a cover unto them but the righteousness of the Son of God the righteousness of all men and Angels being insufficient this way to wit to hide the filthiness of our natures and lives from the eyes of Gods Justice Oh the cause we have to lament the impurity of our natures and lives when nothing could be a Remedy for us but the Son of God must assume our nature and here in the world work righteousness for us This consideration should not a little humble us but likewise work in us a great dislike and loathing of sin and of our selves for sin Vse 2 To inform us touching the goodness of God unto us We in Adams loynes having undone our selves and lost all righteousness that the Lord should provide us a Saviour not only to merit for us remission of sins and freedom from punishment by his Passive obedience but likewise perfect righteousness and eternal salvation by his Active so as let the Justice of God be objected any way to the true Believer he hath sufficient answer in his Pledge and Surety the Lord Jesus and hence it is that the Apostle saith Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one tht believeth If the Law and Justice of God require punishment for sin and disobedience the Believer hath the death and passion of Christ to interpose if the Law and Justice of God require perfect righteousness to be justified in Gods fight and to enter heaven the true Believer may have present recourse to the holy nature and life of Christ as his cover and righteousness so as whatsoever the true Believer should be should do should suffer Christ was did and suffered And may not this greatly comfort the true Believer that the Lord hath provided such a Saviour and further that his righteousness whereby he is justified in Gods sight and must enter heaven is not in his own keeping as his first righteousness in Adam was which was quickly lost but in the keeping of the Lord Jesus and so cannot be lost The Believer may lose this and that outward thing which for the present he enjoyed or
all his merits unto himself is justified before God and sanctified MEMB. I. A man of a contrite and humble spirit NOW we come to the fourth Principle which requireth of us how a man or a woman may be made partakers of Christ and his Benefits In the first place saith the Catechism they must have contrite and humble spirits A man of a contrite and humble spirit We commend the Point unto you in the form of a Doctrine thus Doct. That a man may be partaker of Christ and his Benefits he must have a contrite and humble spirit See Isai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters to wit to Christ and he that hath no money that is sees nothing in himselfe to trust unto and so consequently is of a humble and contrite spirit And Jerem. 50.4 In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Judah together going and weeping they shall go and seek the Lord their God observe I pray you going and weeping shall seek the Lord their God as though that were the way and the onely way to find God in Christ to partake of Christ and his benefits And doth not our Saviour tell us this Matth 9.13 I am not come to call the righteous that is such as think themselves righteous but sinners to repentance to wit contrite and humble sinners to call them to a new life to partake of me and my benefits And Mat. 11.28 Come unto me saith he all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest And hence it is that the Lord is described 2 Corinth 7.6 to be the Comforter of such as are cast down And this Doctrine the Apostle James informes us of Jam. 4.6 God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble that is assures such of his favour and therefore ver 10. of the same Chapter Humble your selves saith he in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up And do but see that place for all Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted and to set at liberty them that are bruised Now we come to the Reasons Reas 1. Such and only such have an appetite to Christ hunger and thirst after him and his benefits Till we be sick of sin we can find no need of this Physician neither care much for him according to that Mat. 9.12 They that be whole need not a Physician but they that are sick When the fiery Serpent Numb 21.9 had bitten and stung an Israelite then he would run and make use of the Brazen Serpent but never till then Reas 2. Such and only such do prize Christ at his full value are willing to part with any thing to purchase him See what the Apostle Paul saith Philip. 3.8 9. He esteemed all things but dung in comparison of Christ and his Benefits but to make way for this observe the deep sense and feeling he had of his owne unworthinesse 1 Timoth. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom saith he I am chief Reas 3. Such and only such are made fit to receive Christ by faith and to make him their own Mark 1.15 Repent and believe the Gospel the unhumbled and unbroken-hearted sinner is altogether unfit to receive Christ and his benefits Reas 4. Such and only such truly rejoice and take comfort in Christ account him their chief Treasure and happiness Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ that is save in the Passion and Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ But who was this that did thus rejoice in Christ and his Sufferings Surely it was one that had such a low opinion of himself as that Ephes 3.8 he stiles himself less then the least of all Saints But that you may further see into this weighty Doctrine we intend to answer the Questions following 1. What that contrition and humiliation is which truly and sufficiently prepares a man or a woman to be made partakers of Christ and his benefits 2. Whether every man and woman that hath this contrite and humble spirit shall certainly be made partakers of Christ and his benefits 3. Whether this contrition and humiliation be wrought in the like measure in all that are made partakers of Christ and his benefits Quest 1 What that contrition and humiliation is which truly and sufficiently prepares a man or a woman to be made partakers of Christ and his benefits Answ This contrition and humiliation contains the particulars following 1. A true and distinct sight of sin and not onely as punishment doth attend it but as it is vile and lothsome in its own nature as Ezek. 36.31 Then shall ye remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations 2. Unfained and sound sorrow and as for the consequent so for the cause as for punishment so for sin Acts 2.37 Now when they heard this they were pricked in the is hearts to wit that they were guilty of the death of the Lord of Life 3. A being weary of sin finding it a load and burden upon the conscience Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Our Saviour means here all that have contrite and humble spirits 4. Humble and hearty confession of sin as Luke 15.21 Father saith the Prodigal I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son Lu. 23.40 41. 5. Earnest suit to the God of heaven for mercy as the Publicane Luke 18.13 God be merciful to me a sinner And Saul afterwards called Paul Acts 9.11 Behold he prayeth surely the three dayes he was without sight he sent up many a loud cry to heaven for mercy 6. The sixth particular This Contrition and Humiliation contains a distaste and dislike of sin as Isaiah 30.22 Ye shall defile also the covering of the graven Images of silver and the ornament of thy molten Images of gold thou shalt cast them away as a mensturous cloth to wit in the day of thy repentance thou shalt say unto it get thee hence And Luke 19.8 Zacheus stood and said unto the Lord Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him four fold Thus we see now what Contrition and Humiliation is which truly and sufficiently prepares a man or a woman to be made partakers of Christ and his benefits But yet we must not think this preparatory work in the particulars aforesaid to be the same that is in the soul after