Captain of our Salvation is the mighty God Isa 9.6 no Enemy can stand before him or prevail against him no Disease is so strong or malignant but the great Physitian can cure it no Dross cleaves so close to us but he can separate it from us Christ is a refining Fire to his People and a consuming Fire to their Enemies As the first Adam corrupts and defiles inevitably so the second Adam can renew cleanse sanctify irresistibly And infallibly he can speak so as to cause the Deaf and Dead to hear Isa 29.18 John 5.25 He can woo so as to cause himself to be loved and chosen he can draw so as to make Sinners to run to him at first Isa 55.5 and to run after him ever after Cant. 1.4 The spirit of Christ is mighty in its Operations it acts as a spirit of Power it causeth Men to pass under Christ's Pastoral Rod and brings them under the Bond of the Covenant Ezek 20.37 It causeth Men to approach to God and dwell in his House Psal 65.4 It causeth Men to walk in God's ways and to keep his Statutes Ezek. 36.27 This word Cause is observable and emphatical and signifies the spirit's mighty and effectual way of working It doth not only propose Arguments and sollicite the Souls of the Elect in a moral way but renews the Will changes the Heart effectually inclines men to yield to and follow after God The event is not pendulous and uncertain and suspended on Man's free-will but Christ undertakes that his Sheep shall hear his Voice and he will bring them to his Fold John 10.16 4. Christ's Salvation is a full and comprehensive Salvation Luke 1.71 That we should be saved from the Hand of our Enemies and from all that hate us Sin the World and Death are our Enemies 1. Sin is our Enemy Our Lusts do Satan's work if he should stand still James 1.14 15. A Man is tempted and drawn away by his own Lust This is a Body of Death Rom. 7.24 it deforms our Souls as much as Death deforms our Bodies it makes them corrupt putrify and stink in the Nostrils of God it renders us as unactive for God as a dead Carcase is unserviceable to Man it defiles and enslaves our Souls lets us only do dead works Heb. 9.14 such works as are the fruits of spiritual death and the seeds of eternal death Where it prevails and reigneth it causeth us continually to go a whoring from God and to rise up in Rebellion against him it causeth us to lead a life of Vanity here and prepares us for a life of Misery hereafter 2. The World is an Enemy We need the Armour of Righteousness on the Right Hand to secure us from the danger of Prosperity and the Aamour of Righteousness on our Left Hand to guard us from the evil of Adversity 2 Cor. 6.7 Height of Prosperity and depth of Misery Rom. 8.39 are dangerous snares and may prove mortal Enemies to us if Grace doth not prevent The World's Musick is to draw and its Furnace is to drive us from God Satan takes his Bait and fetches his Weapons from some thing in the World How doth it blow up and inflame our Hearts fire and fuel our Lusts How many are made to forget God and to think they have no want and need of him in their Plenty and Abundance Psal 50.22 Job 1.14.15 Job 22.17 Jer. 3.31 3. Death is an Enemy to God's People 1 Cor. 15.26 it strikes them dumb and deprives them of the use of their Tongues in praising God which is their Glory Saints as well as others when they die go down into silence Psal 115.17 Isa 38.18 Death disables us from working for God in a body of Flesh it gives a Quietus est to one half of us and dischargeth it from the service of God The Temple in which the spirit dwelt is now pulled down and sinks into Dust and Ashes and Death that deprives us of so great and glorious an Inhabitant in our Bodies and takes us off from such noble service with our Tongues and Members must needs be our Enemy But Christ saves from these Enemies Sin shall not Reign Rom. 6.14 and in due time it shall cease to be sin and shall be utterly extirpated out of the People of God As Israel's Freedom was begun in the death of the First-born of the Egyptians and was compleated in the drowning of Pharaob and all his Host in the Red Sea so the liberty of Saints is begun in destroying the reign of beloved sins that are the first-born of the Old Man and shall be compleated by the total extirpation and destruction of all sin We are Baptized into the Death and Burial of Christ Rom. 6.3 and we must be made Partakers of the saving Benefit of both Sin shall not only die but also be buried A Dead Man hath lost his Command in the House yet his Carcase may remain in it but when he is to be buried his Corps is carried out and he ceaseth any longer to be in the House So sin shall not only cease to reign but also to be in the soul we shall be washed and free from every spot and wrinkle Ephes 5.25 26 27. 2. The World is foiled and overcome by Christ Joh. 16. last It could not divert or draw him from doing his Father's work and will and this conquered Enemy shall not have strength to captivate and destroy Believers they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb Rev. 12.1 Our victorious Saviour hath purchased conquering Strength and merited Victory for us in the midst of all snares and temptations We are more than Conquerors through the Lord Jesus that hath loved us Rom. 8.39 3. Christ will save his People from Death after this Enemy hath not only swallowed them up but digested them Christ hath abolished Death already in himself and will abolish it also in all his People Hos 13.14 he threatens Death that holds the Rod over and threatens the whole World he menaceth Death that he will be the plague of Death a mortal Disease to it He threatens the Grave that he will destroy it and in due time Triumphant Saints shall sing this Song O Death where is thy sting O Death what hast thou gotten by killing our Bodies they are alive again O Grave where is thy Victory what hast thou gotten by taking away all the shape of a Body and crumbling it into Dust 3ly This Body is now restor'd our Particles of Dust are gathered together and formed into a Body like the glorious Body of Christ 1 Cor. 15.55.57 Phil. 3.21 Christ will in Living Saints at the last day swallow up Mortality of Life 2 Cor. 5.4 and in dead Saints he will swallow up Death into Victory Isa 25.8 2dly There are those that hate Saints and so wicked Men and Satan do they hate them because they bare the Image and live the Life and uphold the interest of God but the wicked cannot kill the Souls of the Saints
Bashan were given to Israel that they might have a passage to Canaan their Inheritance Deut. 2.30 Deut. 3.1 So God gives the Earth to his People that they may have a passage through it to their Heavenly Country 8. All the Afflictions of Justified persons 1. Are allayed and mitigated Saints do acknowledge that God punishes them less than their Iniquities do deserve Ezra 9.13 the Wind is not so high the Furnace is not so hot the Burden is not so heavy as their sins do Merit yet God as a Father accounts the Sufferings of his People to be too much Isa 40.1 Thou hast received double at the hand of the Lord for thy sins These Sufferings that are not enough to Rigorous Justice are too many to Fatherly Mercy He stops his Hand sheathes his Sword throws away his Rod when yet our Sins call for more Strokes and Stripes He refines us but not with Silver Isa 48.10 he doth not so long keep us in the Furnace of Affliction till our Dross is quite separated and consumed for then our whole life would be nothing else but a Series of Misery and Sufferings 2. Our Afflictions have a new face they are not the fruits of pure Vindictive Justice or Wounds from an Incensed Implacable Judge but Chastisements from a Father who tho' he Corrects in time yet is pacified and reconciled for Eternity Yea Afflictions spring from God's Care of us and Love to us Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth If you endure chastening God dealeth with you as sons Heb. 12.6 7. Those that are without Chastisement are Bastards and not Sons those that are an Illegitimate spurious seed the Father is ashamed to own and acknowledge them or to take any care about their breeding and education and regards not to correct them when they do amiss but a Lawful Posterity are better bred duely taught and timely corrected and God Chastens them with Judgment not in Anger Jer. 10.24 God may be said to Correct with Judgment when he considers their Relation and the Nearness of his People to him Lam. 2.20 Behold O Lord and consider to whom hast thou done this and when God considers rather how little his People can bear than how much they deserve and God hath gracious ends in Afflicting his People 1. That they may not be Condemned and perish with the wicked World 1 Cor. 11.32 We are judged and chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the World 2. God Afflicts to purge away sin to separate us from our dross of Iniquity and sin of Hypocrisie Isa 1.25 this is the fruit and end of Corrections to take away sin Isa 27.9 to drive away that Spiritual folly that is in our hearts God is a Refining Fire that he may not be a consuming fire as a Physitian takes away Blood to allay a Feaver and cure a Disease 3. God designs by Afflictions to make us partakers of his Holiness Heb. 12.10 11. that we might learn more to live to him and be brought more to live on him that we might less solace our selves in the Creature and more delight in himself that we might be more conformed to him and be better fitted to converse with him Though Afflictions are Punishments to the Old Man to pull it down yet they are Mercies to the New Man to build it up A poor Man would quietly suffer his Lord to pull down an old decaying sinking Cottage if he did believe that he designed to raise and build up a strong and better House all Afflictions tend but to wast and extinguish the life of the First Adam in the Body to make room for and to let in the glorious life of Christ into it at the Resurrection 4. This is a weighty and powerful consideration to lessen and lighten the anguish and bitterness of our Afflictions that Justification gives a Fatal and Mortal Blow at the root of them The time is coming when the Inhabitants of Zion shall not any more say that they are sick for their Iniquities shall be forgiven them Isa 33. last God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of Saints there shall be no more pain sorrow or crying no more Death Revel 21.4 No more Curse Revel 22.3 The days of Saints mourning shall be at an end Isa 60.20 All Afflictions are but short and momentary and therefore but light 2 Cor. 4.17 9. Death is an Advantage to Justified Persons Death is theirs 1 Cor. 3.22 To die is gain Phil. 1.21 In Death the Wicked Fear the greatest evil but the Righteous hope for the greatest good Prov. 14.32 When the Body falls under the Bondage of Corruption the Souls of Believers are perfectly freed from the Bondage of Sin Though it be a Mournful Seed-time to our Flesh it is sown in corruption 1 Cor. 15.42 yet it is a Joyful Harvest to the Spirit for it reaps Everlasting Life Gal. 6.8 Death that is in it self the most terrible thing hath Colour put into its pale Cheeks and it is changed into a comfortable thing Death in Christ is the purchase of all our happiness and Death to Believers is the way to possess it by Christ's Death they are Heirs in Reversion by their own Death they are Heirs in Possession that which utterly impoverishes others greatly enriches them that which kills the Body perfectly cures the Soul When our baser part shall return to the Dust feed Worms dwell in the darkness of the Grave our better part shall be called up to the Marriage Feast to see the Face of God and dwell in glorious Light and Reign in a Blessed Life Christ hath made Death Mortal and threatens to be a Plague a Deadly disease to it and to be Destruction to the Grave Hos 13 14. 10. Justified Persons shall Rise by the Power of Christ their Head and Second Adam 1 Cor. 15.22 His Spirit will find out the Ruines and Rubbish of its old Temple and build it up again as a Glorious and Everlasting habitation for it self Rom. 8.11 in Saints that shall be found alive at the last day mortality shall be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5.4 Dead Saints shall be raised and in them Death shall be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 a Body shall be formed up again so the Grave shall lose its Victory this Body shall be animated and alive so Death shall lose its sting 1 Cor. 15.55 when the Soul bears the Image of Christ in Holiness 2 Cor. 3. last and the being in a Glorious Immortality 1 Cor. 15.49 then we shall be satisfied with his likeness Psal 17. last then Christ will give his Members clear and full Evidences of their Adoption Rom. 9.23 when their Bodies shall be redeemed from the Bondage of Corruption and Soul and Body both shall possess a lot in the Heavenly Canaan Dan. 12. last As Saints die to the Lord Rom. 14.8 sleep in him 1 Thes 4.14 so they shall be made alive in Christ 1
Luke 12.4 and Satan though he may destroy the natural Life yet he shall not quench the Life of God in them and in due time the Saints shall tread down the wicked they shall be as Ashes under the soles of their Feet Mal. 4.2 3. and the God of Peace shall shortly tread Satan under the Feet of Believers Rom. 16.20 5. This is an everlasting Salvation Isa 45.17 Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation Saints shall have a full and an eternal Victory as God did swear to Abraham that his Seed should possess the Gates of their Enemies Gen. 22.17 When not only the Field Army is beaten but the strong Towns and Cities are taken then there is a total and lasting Conquest Saints shall be saved from Sin Sinners and Satan for ever and this Salvation must needs be eternal for it is founded on the Everlasting Righteousness Psal 92.24 and the eternal Redemption of Christ Heb. 9.12 There is no possibility for glorified Saints to sin or fall there shall no Serpent creep into the Heavenly Paradise to tempt Saints shall never make Forfeitures of it or be driven out of it they shall there eat of the Tree of Life and live for ever Rev. 2.7 6. This Salvation Salvation is joined with Vengeance executed on our spiritual Enemies Isa 35.4 Your God shall come with vengeance God shall come with a Recompence and save you Isa 61.2 the acceptable Year of the Lord is come with a Day of Vengeance As Israel could not be delivered out of Egypt or be freed from Babylon but the First-born of Egypt Pharaoh and all his Host must be swallowed up and destroy'd and Babylon's Empire must cease and her Kingdom be destroyed Jer. 50.18.26 So the Elect cannot have liberty and salvation but Satan himself must be destroy'd Heb. 2.15 and his works also be rootod out of the Hearts of Men 1 John 3.5 O what Mercy is this to Believers that the wrath of God is turned away from them and that the vengeance of God falls on Satan and Sin that Sin is condemned and executed but Sinners are justified and saved Rom. 8.3 with Rom. 9.1.33 3. But why is it said that Judah should be saved and Israel dwell safely in the Days of Christ why is Salvation so eminently put on Gospel times I answer though Saints before Christ were saved yet still it was with an Eye to and prospect of Christ's coming If Christ had not been exhibited in the Flesh and bled and died in our Natures no Sinners could have been saved The Faith Hope Salvation of Saints did depend on Gospel-times and days Christ was a Lamb slain in the purpose of God and in the Typical Sacrifices from the Foundation of the World Rev. 13.3 God took Christ's word when he became a surety he depended on his performance of his Promises and his Oblation of a Sacrifice and the Eyes of Saints was to him and upon him John 9.56 Your Father Abraham saith Christ to the Jews rejoyced that he might see my day he saw it and was glad He saw the day of Christ's Birth in the Birth of Isaac He saw the day of his Death when Isaac was bound laid on the Altar and ready to be offered up in Sacrifice and in the Lamb that was substituted in Isaac's Room which pointed out Christ that was our Exchange and so our Ransom and Redeemer The words that Jacob spake was the Language of Saints in the Old Testament Gen. 49.18 I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord. Our Saints of the New Testament have this Priviledge and Advantage that they can speak as Simeon Luke 2.29 30. Mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People The Prophets were but Seeds-Men they ministred to the Church a Promise of the Messiah to come John 4.37.38 but the Apostles and Ministers of the New Testament are Harvest-men they relate the History and preach the glad Tidings of Christ's Incarnation Death Resurrection and Ascention into Heaven and the Saints of the Old Testament enjoyed no Spiritual Liberty but with respect to the Ransom to be paid by Christ and no Legacies had been bestowed but in prospect of the Death of Christ There is therefore great Reason why it should be said with an Emphasis that in Christ's Days Judah should be saved But what is the benefit of Christ's Days What peculiar influence have they on Salvation I answer It may well be said that in Christ's Days Men are saved because 1st That now Christ is incarnate he that made all things is now made Flesh 1 John 1.2.14 And we have a two-fold Advantage for our Salvation by Christ's Incarnation 1. He is now become our Brother Cant. 8.1 and so hath right to redeem us as he is our near Kinsman Lev. 25.47 48 49. If an Israelite did sell himself for a Servant after he was sold his Brother or any that was near of Kin to him might redeem him and so restore him again to liberty We are by the first Adam and since by our sinful choice sold under sin we know of no Kinsman or Brother that could give to God a Ransom for us It was God's infinite and free Mercy to raise up Jesus Christ in our Nature to pay a Ransome for us we did not think or dream of such a Brother or Kinsman No meer Creature should have undertook the work of Redemption but he must have miscarried and sunk under it but Christ is fitted now to redeem us because he is God's Son and our Brother 2. Christ as our Brother and incarnate Kinsman is fit to be our God or Avenger of Blood he that was the Kinsman of one that was slain did claim a right to avenge his Blood on him that shed it So Christ by assuming our Nature is fitted to avenge us of Sin and Satan that are our great Enemies to destroy those that have ruined and undone us the same Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both a Redeemer and an Avenger so it is said God shall come with Vengeance and save us Isa 5.4 2ly Jesus Christ hath now made his Soul an Offering for sin Isa 53.10 He came to make atonement and is a propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.2 he made Peace by the Blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 and reconciles Enemies to God by his Death Rom. 5.10 And this is observable that the Year of Jubilee began from the day of Attonement Lev. 25.9.10 Then Servants were restored to their Liberty and those that had alienated their Lands recovered their sold Inheritances Even so Christ having now made at Atonement he can and doth proclaim a Year of Jubilee for the Remission of Sins and the Releasing of Sins Servants God's Prisoners and the Devil 's Captives Isa 61.2 as in David's Days when a Pestilence was sent by God for numbring the People first God bid the Angel that came to destroy Jerusalem to stay his Hand 2 Sam. 24.16 But
and be gone out of Sodom but when he lingred they laid hold on the Hand of Lot of his Wife and of his Two Daughters and brought them out of Sodom Gen. 19.15 16. Even so Christ speaks with a strong hand to the Spouse Cant. 5.2.4.5 He not only pleaded and used Arguments why she should rise and open to him but he put in the Hand of his Spirit by the Hole of the Door His Hand was as a Key fitted to the Wards of the Lock he touched her Breasts and moved her Bowels wrought on her Affections and then she rose to open to her Beloved Hath Christ ever apprehended you as he did Paul Phil. 3.12 It is said the Converted Gentiles should follow the Church in Chains Isa 45.14 They shall come after thee in Chains Hath Christ cast sweet Chains of Light and Love about your Souls and thereby Powerfully draw you 3. Did you ever fly for Refuge and come to Christ The Heirs of Promise are said to fly for Refuge to take hold of the hope set before them Heb. 6.17 18. Men will not fly if they do not see a Cause and know a danger that is towards them Hath it been with you as with Noah's Dove it did fly Abroad but found all to be cover'd with Water and that there was no rest for the sole of her Feet and therefore she returned to the Ark and Noah stretched out his Hand and pluck'd her unto him into the Ark Gen. 8.39 So have you seen nothing but a Deluge of sin and wrath out of Christ and therefore have fled to him and he hath stretched out the Hard of his Spirit and plucked you into himself Have you joyned and given your selves to the Lord Zech. 2 11. 2 Cor. 8.5 For in the event Christ will save no more but those that are in him and of his Body Eph. 5.23 He is the head and Saviour of his Body All out of Christ must certainly sink into the mighty Sea of the wrath of God and perish everlastingly O therefore inquire whether you have ground to conclude that you are in him who is the true God and Eternal Life 1 John 5.20 As those Beasts that God would save were by him inclined to come and enter into the Ark so those that God will such are drawn to Christ John 6.44 4. Have you experienced this Salvation in the several parts of it to be executed upon you Hath Christ bound up your broken Hearts healed your wounded Spirits Isaiah 61.1 Hath he refined you from your Dross Mal. 3.23 Hath he circumcised your Hearts Col. 2.11 Have you felt Christ laying hold on your Hearts and cutting off the filthy Fore-skin that was upon them Jer. 4.4 Hath self-love been moderated reduced within its bounds The Waters covered all at first till God said Let the Waters be gathered together into one Place Gen. 1.9 So self-love overspreads the Soul till Christ doth bound and bank it in and raises up the love of God in our Souls What hath the Old Man suffered in you 1 Pet. 4.1 Have your Lusts received a deadly wound Or are you made free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 And doth it not reign in your Mortal Bodies Do you not obey it in the Lusts thereof Rom. 6.12 God justified Christ by raising him up from the Dead So the Gift of the Spirit to quicken us it 's the Execution of our Justification When God passes the Sentence of Life on Men Rom. 5.18 then he breaths and puts the Spirit of Life into them Ezek. 36.27 As the Beasts saved in the Ark were planted in the likeness of Noah's Death and Resurrection they entred into the Ark were buried in it and rose and came out of it with Noah so have we been planted in the likeness of Christ's Death and Resurrection Rom. 6.5 Hath Christ pick'd up and purged out Satan's Leaven out of our Souls and laid his own Leaven in our Hearts 1 Cor. 5.7 8. with Matth. 13.33 5. Have you answered Christ's ends in your Salvation He sayes that we being delivered out of the hands of our Enemies might serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our lives Luke 1.74.75 Of old in War those that the Conquerors did save alive did promise to become Servants Serva serviam Save me and I will serve thee was the words of a foiled Enemy in danger to be destroyed O hath Christ saved us when he might have destroyed us and doth not this Grace influence and oblige our Souls How much did Christ deny himself to save us and shall not we deny our selves to serve him Hath not Christ's self-denial redeemed us from Self-seeking 2 Cor. 5.14 15. He died that those that live might not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them Hath not Christ bought our Souls and hired our service for ever Hath God cloathed us with Garments of Salvation Isa 61.10 these will be also Garments of Praise Isa 61.3 Polybius tells us that if a Soldier was saved from Death in a Battel by his Fellow-Soldiers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tribunes did judge that he that was saved should crown him that saved him and through his whole Life he should honour him as his Father and do all things to him and for him as if he were his natural Parent Surely if Christ hath saved us from the wrath of God the Paw and power of Satan we shall be induced to Honour Obey and Glorify our Saviour and Redeemer Every Day shall he be praised Psal 72.15 Vse 3d. If Sinners are eminently saved in Christ's Days then I would earnestly press and exhort you to seek after Salvation For Men to be saved is the glory of Christ's Days and will you cast a Reproach and Infamy on Christ's Days by neglecting of Salvation and running upon Destruction Will you envy and grudge to Jesus Christ the glory of saving you and will you put this honour on Satan that in a day of Light he is able to blind you and in a day of Salvation to destroy you and when so much is revealed to disparage his Baits and to spoil his Market that yet you see Reason to persist in your foolish and pernicious Choice and to adhere to your bitter and mortal Enemy Shall Death and Hell have a Harvest shall Satan captivate and inslave in a Day of Salvation Two things I shall insist on to prosecute this Exhortation 1. I shall lay before you some Motives to enforce this use of Exhortation 2. I shall lay down some Directions as to what you are to do in order to the obtaining and assuring this Salvation to you 1. I shall propound and press some Motives to stir you up to seek after Salvation Motive 1. This Salvation is a very great Salvation if we consider first the way of purchasing and procuring of it The Son of God assumed the nature of a Creature emptied himself and cast a thick Vail over
about their Eternal State Hope is an Anchor cast within the Vale as soon as they set out and begin their Voyage they may cast their Anchor into their Port and Haven and so have their Hearts established Heb. 6.19 2. Those that have hope of this Salvation are supported under Afflictions and Persecutions 2 Tim. 18.9 Partake thou of the Afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God who both saved us and called us As if Paul should say Murmure not at faint not under the Afflictions of the Gospel for God hath saved you from the greatest Enemies and from the worst Evils and all your Afflictions shall turn to your Salvation Phil. 1.19 They shall further advance promote it they shall refine Saints from their Dross wean them from their strange Land and cause them to long more after their Father's House and Heavenly Country Have they any Reason to be discontented whom God loves 1 John 4.59 and that are Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 and of the Kingdom James 2.5 3. These may die with comfort they have hope in Death Prov. 14.32 That which doth shipwrack others shall land them safe on the calm Shores of a Blessed Eternity that which impoverishes others shall enrich them Though Death doth pluck off the Rags of Mortality yet God shall cloath them with Robes of Glory When their Bodies drop down into the Pit their Souls shall be taken up into the Palace when their Flesh feeds Worms their Spirits shall feast with Saints and Angels though God doth kill them yet they may trust he will be their Salvation Joh 13.15 16. When the Eye of Sense shall be shut so that Saints shall no more see Worldly Objects yet then God will shew them his Salvation Psal 91. last They shall see God's Salvation from Sins Temptations Troubles Afflictions they shall see a freedom from Spiritual and Temporal Evils and also be translated into an Eternal Kingdom Christ will receive their departing Souls and be their Guardian and Trustee till the Resurrection O it is sweet when God adds to the Mercies of Sixty Seventy Eighty Years the enjoyment of a blessed Eternity It is Salvation that must crown Old Age with Glory Death is the critical time the Soul must then see Life or Death a Heaven must shine from God's pleasing Countenance or Hell be rained from his angry Face O how sweet is it then to see the truth of God's Promises in the enjoyment of an Eternal Salvation 4. Those interested in this Salvation shall be saved in the Day of the Lord 1 Cor. 5.6 when Sins will find out others and Vengeance will take hold of them then Believers shall be saved O what unexpressible comfort will it be to point out Jesus Christ at the Great Day and to say This is our God we have waited for him and he will save us and we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation Isa 25.9 This is a Salvation that will for ever set Souls beyond Gun-shot out of the reach of all Dangers Evils Enemies They shall then fully receive the end of their Faith even an Eternal Salvation 1 Pet. 1.9 Christ will appear unto Salvation to those that look for him Heb. 9. last Then Saints shall be Heirs in full possession of Salvation Heb. 1.14 They shall be redeemed from all Evils or possessed of all goodness be exalted to the Kingdoms and be placed in the Throne I shall lastly give you some Directions how you may be saved 1. You must be enlightned and convinced of your Danger you must see the Evils you are under and the Danger and Destruction you are exposed to Few do think themselves to be condemned to Death and to be sick unto Death That they are Children of Satan and Enemies to God They will not believe that they are captivated by the Devil enslaved by Sin and chained to the World The Scripture teaches us that Men are held Rom. 7.6 and that they are led 1 Cor. 12.2 they are held in the Snares of Sin and led by Satan Their Lusts are Bonds their depraved Wills and corrupt Affections are the Chains that the Devil leads them by Men discourse see or discern what are the true Evils that they should be saved from they are not sensible of the blindness and vanity of their Minds the deceit and desperate wickedness of their Hearts That their Wills are perverse and rebellious and the greatest Enemies to God and their own Souls They will account that Troubles Afflictions Reproaches Wants and Death are Evils but they do not perceive that their greatest Evils and worst Enemies are within themselves A Root of Bitterness an evil Treasure a Body of Death a Fountain of Iniquity that is in their Souls But Sinners must know what first cleaves to them abide in them do defile and deform their Souls and testify against them before God Isa 59.12 Our Transgressions are with us and as for our Iniquities we know them Yea Men have no liking of that which is the true Salvation Saints are said to love God's Salvation Psal 70.4 but a Carnal Creature doth not love but loath God's Salvation to be delivered from his false Notions his vain Thoughts his corrupt Opinions his inordinate love of himself and of the Creatures to be taken off from his sensual Pleasures carnal Delights to be brought to give his Heart to God set his Love on Christ to delight in Spiritual Future Invisible things this is a Salvation he dreads and hates and if he could go to Heaven with this vain Mind and carnal Heart it would be a place of Exile and of Punishment to him You must see your Danger that you are as Isaac bound laid on the Altar and ready to be sacrificed as a whole Burnt-Offering in the Flames of Wrath. You must hear the just dreadful Sentence Matth. 18.25 The Lord commanded the Debtor to be sold and Payment to be made It is dreadful to be sold into the Prison into a Place of Eternal Bondage Your Heart must be broken your Spirit wounded your Soul burdened under the sense of the guilt and filth of Sin else you will not have a due value of the Doctrine and Promise of Salvation 1 Tim. 1.15 We must account it worthy of all acceptation more valuable than all the Riches Pleasures Honours of the World If a Man were sinking and drowning he would not regard a Bag of Gold or a Box of Diamonds but prefer a Cord cast out to save him a Boat to take him in more than all the things of the World Believe that your Condition is exceeding bad and dangerous Lot's Wife looked back as one that doubted whether Sodom would be destroyed and Lots Sons in Law could not believe that the danger of Sodom was so great and its Destruction so near Gen. 19.14 So Sinners believe not that to be Carnally minded is Death that they that live after the Flesh shall die that they that are far off from God shall perish Psal 73.27
said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Righteousness of God so the word might be render'd and this Phrase the Righteousness of God seems to be taken and be proved from my Text Jehovah our Righteousness 2. Faith is said to be in the Blood of Christ Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth for a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood All the Garments of Christ are said to smell of Myrrh Aloes and Cassia Psal 45.7 As Christ's Garments are expounded to be his Graces so they may also be interpreted to be the Actions of Christ that flow from those Graces Garments signifie Actions so it is said they washed their Robes white in the Blood of the the Lamb Rev. 7.14 So these Garments point out the Active Obedience of Jesus Christ It is said also That Christ gave himself an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God Ephes 5.2 Zanchy on the place observes the Emphasis of the Apostles words that Christ is said to be first an Offering and then a Sacrifice There were Offerings of First-fruits and Fine Flower and of such things as had not life but living creatures were offered up in Sacrifice and then their blood was spilt and their lives taken away Christ's being an Offering may point out the Holiness of Christ's Life and his being a Sacrifice did signifie his Sufferings and his Death How satisfactory and refreshing is it to us to Read and Hear of the sweet smelling Garments of Christ and the sweet smelling Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus It was foretold of our Lord Jesus Christ that his Ears both his Ears should be opened Psal 40.6 one Ear was opened as he was Man to hear and obey the Commands of the Moral Law and Christ's other Ear was opened to listen to and comply with that peculiar Commandment that was given to him As Mediator to lay down his Life Joh. 10.18 Innocent Man owed but a single debt to God and that was Obedience to his Law but Fallen and Guilty Man is bound to God in a double Bond. He owes God Obedience as he is a Creature and he owes God Glory to be raised out of his Sufferings Misery and Torments as he is a Guilty Creature Therefore Sins are called Debts Matth. 6.12 because the Transgressors of the Law for Non-payment of the Debt of Obedience contract another and New Debt and that is an Obligation to endure Punishment As they wrong and rob God by their sins of Omission and Commission so they are bound to make Restitution to God by their eternal Sufferings and Torments 1. Jesus Christ was to obey the Commands of the Law Joh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do Jesus Christ was to Glorifie God in the Nature of a Creature in the Form of a Servant he was to be a perfect Pattern of Piety and an example of Righteousness on Earth where there had not been a full and exact Instance of Righteousness and Obedience fince the Fall Eccles 7.20 There is not a just Man on earth that lives and sins not The Earth hath been full of violence and wickedness before God Gen. 6.13 How much was it then for the Glory of God and the Honour of his Law that there should be a Man Perfectly Holy and Just on Earth A Virgin-Soul among Whores and Adulteresses A Diligent Servant among Drones and Lazy Loiterers A Loyal Subject among Rebels and Enemies How little Honour had been given to the Law if only the Penalty of it had been inflicted and its Curse been executed but the Commands of it had never been obeyed and fulfilled Is it for the Credit or Glory of an Earthly Prince to have no Obedience paid to his Laws but only the Penalties annexed to them to take hold of and be executed on all that are under his Jurisdiction And shall God's Laws never be obeyed Shall the Penalties of them only be executed As a Foreign Prince if he Travels through the Territories and Dominions of another King doth owe him a Topical Allegiance and must needs be subject to his Laws so the Son of God though he was a Rightful and a Glorious King yet Travelling through the Dominions of his Father in the nature of a Creature to Redeem Captives must needs be subject to the Laws that God gave to all Mankind The High-Priest under the Old Testament was an eminent Type of Christ he was bound to wear a Plate of Gold joyned to his Mitre on his Forehead Exod. 25.36 37 38. This did intimate and teach us that the true substantial High-Priest was to be Perfectly holy and absolutely devoted to God Tho' God may spy Faults and observe Blemishes and Spots in the best of Saints yet he may look to the Forehead of Jesus our Great High-Priest and there read nothing but Holiness to the Lord. The Law of God was perfectly impressed on Christ's Heart and fully expressed in his Life He loved God to the Height of utmost Perfection He loved Men even his own that were in the World with the most pure ardent and intense Love John 13.1 he was so intent so fixed in Exalting and Magnifying God that when his Soul was troubled in the prospect of his Sufferings yet he Pray'd thus Father glorifie thy own Name John 12.27 28 29. As if he should say However I am clouded and eclipsed whatever bitter Cup I drink whatever heavy Burden I bear yet Father glorifie thy own Name As the First Adam ruined us by his Self-seeking so the Second Adam raised and Recovered us by his Self-denyal and Christ's Love to his People was stronger than Death He leaped over Mountains of Difficulties and brake through Hosts of Enemies and Sufferings to Redeem them He did forget himself for a time that he might remember us to eternity He veiled his Glory and Majesty to manifest his Love to us We are all as an unclean thing Isa 64.6 but Jesus Christ is that Holy Thing that was Born of the Virgin Mary Luk. 1.35 he came into this World without a Foreskin on his Heart and therefore was that Holy Seed that was Figured and Typified by Circumcision Phil. 3.3 And we may Glory in him on this account The Fountain was pure from his Conception and Birth and the Stream that did flow from it was ever after clear and clean It was requisite that Christ should be Holiness to God that he might be made Righteousness to us 2. Christ's Sufferings may well be accounted a part of his Righteousness For 1. They were the Fulfilling of the Law given to him as Mediator that he should make his Soul an Offering for Sin and pour it out to the death Isa 53.10 12. Joh. 10.18 As the Moral Law belonged to Christ as a Man he could not possess our Humane Nature in Purity or order his Conversation with Beauty without submission to it so the Ceremonial Law belonged to him as a Jew and he was obliged to die as
this Table The Altar Figured Christ and he Offered his Humane Nature as a Sacrifice on the Altar of his Divine Nature and this True Sacrifice was God's Meat Here Divine Justice did Feed and was satisfied What an Honour is this for us to be admitted as Guests yea as Children to God's Table and for our Faith to feed on the same Sacrifice that Justice is satisfied with that may well quiet our Consciences that Pacifies God's Wrath The Sacrifice and Meat on the Altar is called the Fruit of it Mal. 1.12 This Phrase is very observable that the Altar is compared to a Field that did yield and bear Fruit to the Priests they had not Lands and Inheritances as the other Israelites had but the Altar was their Inheritance and their Field the part of the Sacrifice offered on the Altar that was allowed to them for their Services was the Fruit of the Altar that they Fed on and were sustained by So Christ the Altar is our Field on the Fruit of it even his Sacrifice our Souls must Live In Rom. 10.5 it is said That he that doth the Law and the things required in it shall live by them But Christ Teacheth us another way of Subsistence for our Souls John 6.57 He that eateth me shall live by me Our Drink also is not in or from our selves we are in a Pit in which there is no Water Zech. 9.11 Jesus Christ was Figured by the Rock that was smitten by the Rod of Moses even the Curse of the Law Exod. 17.6 7. 1 Cor. 10.3.4 Though Christ was Moses his Minister as a Servant made the Law and perfectly obeyed it was Holy to God Harmless to others and undefiled in himself yet he Felt the Rod of Moses he endured the Curse We were in a Dry and Barren Wilderness where no Water was we must have perished with Thirst had not Christ been Smitten He did cleave his Soul and Body were separated from each other and so Spiritual Waters did gush out for us to Drink God's Sword might have devoured our Flesh and his Arrows have been made drunk with our blood Deut. 32.42 but Jesus Christ gave us his Flesh to be Meat indeed and his Blood to be Drink indeed John 6.53 54 55. We are too prone to dig and seek Spiritual Water in our selves but we must look for it from Christ The Travelling Israelites passing through the Valley of Bacha did make it a Well they digged deep to find Water in the Earth but yet at last they were disappointed and the Rain did fill the Pools Psal 84.6 They sought Water from beneath but They received it from above So we would find Water in our selves but we must perish if Christ doth not Rain upon us Psal 72.6 He shall come down like the Rain on the Mown Grass as Showers that water the Earth When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their Tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them I will make the Wilderness a Pool of Water and the dry Land Springs of Water Isa 41.17 18. If any Man thirst saith Christ let him come to me and drink John 7.37 we cannot live by a fullness and sufficiency in our selves but we must live by Bread from without by eating of the Flesh and drinking of the Blood of Christ And this also is given us freely We reap that we sowed not and eat that we did not labour for as the Israelites lived in the Wilderness without Plowing and Sowing 3. We are Healed not by any Remedy we have invented or by any Medicine that we have prepared but by a wonderful Remedy that Jesus Christ hath provided The Israelites Murmured in the Wilderness and were for it bitten by Fiery Serpents and their burning poyson did kill many of them those that were hurt were utterly at a loss They knew no Physical Herbs no Soveraign Drugs no proper Remedies to apply They knew not how to draw out the Mortal Poyson but were destroyed by it Numb 21.6 7 8. The Wilderness they were in afforded no Medicines but God devised prepared revealed a Remedy he directed Moses to make a Brazen Serpent and to hang it on high upon a Pole and promised to bless this Remedy and render it effectual that whosoever looked to it should be healed and live So Mankind was bitten by Satan that Old Serpent in Paradise He drew them to Discredit God's Threatning he Leavened them with hard and base Thoughts of God that he envied their higher Knowledge and greater Happiness and so put a restraint on them Forbidding them to eate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and so drew them to Disobedience and to cast off the Authority and Yoke of God Hereby Humane Nature was corrupted and poysoned in our First Parents and by them this Vermin did spread and diffuse it self into all their Posterity and infected the whole World This Bite of the Old Serpent was deadly Tribulation and Anguish belongs to every Soul that Sins Rom. 2.9 The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. last Sin hath reigned unto Death Rom. 5. last but God hath provided a Remedy that we could never have imagined or thought of and was most remote from the Sentiments and Apprehension of the Natural Man The Son of God came down from Heaven took our Flesh and Suffered in our Nature was lifted up to the Cross and died on it that whosoever looks to him and believes to him and believes on him may not perish but have Everlasting Life John 3.14 15. Jesus Christ was lifted up before the eyes of God when he was Crucified and he is lifted up before our eyes when his Death is Preached and he is evidently set forth as Crucified before us Gal. 3.1 We are not to compose Medicines or to provide Plaisters of our own to heal our selves but we are to look to and make use of God's Remedy continually Ainsworth on Numb 21. doth probably assert That the Israelites as they Journied and did remove from one Station to another carried the Brazen Serpent along with them and set it up again in their Camp and as often as any one was bitten he looked to it for Healing So we must receive Christ to dwell in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3.17 and still carry him about with us that as often as we contract New Guilt we may look to him with a Spiritual eye and be Healed The Life that we live in the flesh we must live continually by the Faith of the Son of God Galat. 2.20 All the Healing Remedies are out of our selves and are in Christ His Stripes are Healing Isa 53.5 he hath healing beames Mal. 4.2 out of the side of the Altar there came forth Living Waters that healed the corrupt and dead Sea Ezek. 41.1 2 8. so out of Christ's side there came forth Water and Blood John 19.34 The Blood of Christ is a Soveraign Remedy against the Guilt
of Sin and the Spirit that was signified by the Water that flowed out of Christ's side is a sovereign Remedy against the Filth and Reigning power of Sin And Jesus Christ the Tree of Life beares Leaves for the Healing of the Nations Revel 22.2 No other Tree hath Healing Leaves but only Jesus Christ his Word Doctrine Promises are Healing Leaves We do not Work to Cure our selves tho' we are Patients yet we cannot be our own Physitians but we are Justified by Christ's Condemnation and live by his Death 4. We are not Washed in any Water of our own providing or in any Bath of our own making but God the Father hath opened a Fountain for sin and uncleanness Zech. 13.1 and this Fountain is opened where we could never have thought of or imagined any such thing even in the pierced side and wounded heart of the Son of God His Head was Crowned with Thornes his Hands and Feet were nailed to the Cross his Side was pierced and Blood did flow from thence to Purifie our Souls This is noble and precious Blood indeed that affects Conscience and reaches so far as to purifie it The Blood of Sacrifices the Ashes of an Heifer and Clean Water availed only to the Purification of the Flesh to take off Ceremonial Uncleanness but Christ poured out his own Blood and thereby made a Precious Laver a Costly Bath This Blood purgeth Conscience from sins that are dead Works as they are the Fruits of Spiritual Death and the Seeds of Eternal Death Though Conscience be stupid and doth not feel the weight of these dead Works yet if they remain unpurged they will revive and sting the Soul to death they will return upon it and sink it to Hell There is no other means to purifie and pacifie Conscience but this Blood and we exceedingly need it There is a Fountain of Iniquity in us that continually flows to defile us Jer. 6.7 As a Fountain casts out its Waters so Jerusalem casts out her Wickedness It is well for us that there is a Fountain without us in Christ to take off that Guilt that is contracted by the Flowings of that Filthy Fountain that is within us Christ's Blood though it is little in quantity yet it is mighty in Virtue There is a deep Sea of Merit in it Micah 7.18 19. Thoug it was poured out of his Body but a few hours yet it is a Fountain that Flowes in all Ages and Generations to take away Sin And is not this most sweet and comfortable that Jesus Christ did not only shed his Blood but sprinkles it also Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness Clean Water to wash the Body is common but clean Water to purifie the Soul is rare and no where to be found but in Christ This is wonderful Grace that Christ would not only shed his Blood but undertakes also to sprinkle it He shed it with unexpressible Pain and Anguish but he Sprinkles it with much Pleasure and Delight As he pitied Souls and shed his Blood for them so he Loves Soules and Sprinkles it on them and Washes them in this Fountain from their Uncleanness Revel 1.56 We are not clothed by our own Works or Righteousness Our Webs cannot become Garments Isa 59.6 Our best Performances cannot clothe us Our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags they cannot hide our Shame cover our Nakedness they are too narrow and short to do it Isa 64.6 Shall we be proud of or trust upon filthy Rags Our own Righteousness is but a Garment full of Patches So Piscator renders the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vestimentum frustrorum panni veteris attriti A Garment of Pieces of old and worn-out Cloth How long have we been serving in the Oldness of the Letter Rom. 7.6 and so our Garment may be called Old Cloth Sometimes we do good Works and then are apt to turn aside and to commit evil Works There are interruptions in our obedience Sin doth too often intervene so that these patches of the Old Man do much blemish and disfigure the Garment of our Righteousness There are Breaches in our Walls and Spots in our Garments As we need clean Water to Purisie us Ezek. 36.25 so we also want clean Linnen to Clothe and Adorn us Revel 19.8 Jesus Christ invites us to come to him to buy White Rayment that the shame of our Nakedness may not appear Revel 3.18 Christ was the Angel that commanded the Filthy Garments to be taken from Joshuah the High-Priest he caused his Iniquities to pass away and Clothed him with change of Rayment Zech. 3.4 The Garments of our Bodies do put us in mind of our Sins and bring to Remembrance our Transgression therefore they are called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bidge from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagad that signifies to Rebel Because if Man had not Apostatized from and Rebelled against God he had not needed Clothing or Garments But the Righteousness of Christ may well be called the Garment of Praise Isa 61.3 It is a Garment for Beauty and Glory and so to be exceedingly praised when God puts it on us then we begin heartily to praise God Christ is stiled the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 he hath healing Beames for wounded Consciencies The Church is said to be Clothed with the Sun Revel 12.1 And is not this a Glorious Garment Doth it not deserve praise in it self and call for the highest Praises from us God provided Coats of Skins and Clothed our First Parents with them Gen. 3.21 The matter of those Coats was the Skins of Beasts that probably were slain and offered in Sacrifice to God This might instruct and teach them that the Spiritual Cloathing of their Souls was to be borrowed from the Obedience and Righteousness of the Great Atoning Sacrifice As many as are Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 Our First Parents did sow Fig-leaves together to make Aprons to hide their shame Gen. 3.7 but when God provided Coats of Skin for them then they threw away their Aprons of Fig-leaves as useless So every Man Naturally seeks some Aprons of Works and righteousness of his own to cover his Nakedness when Conscience accuses them for sin and the Law of God Condemns them for Iniquity The Whore in Prov. 7.14 pleads That she had Peace-offerings with her and that day she had paid her Vowes and with this Apron she thought to hide the Filthiness of her Adultery But when Men come acquainted with Jesus Christ and have that Glorious Clothing revealed to them which he hath proved for Souls then they cast away their Aprons of Works and their own Imaginary Righteousness Paul saith That those things that he reputed his Gains that he thought would gain him the Favour of God Acceptance with God a Title to Everlasting Life these he counted loss for Christ Phil. 3.7 8 9. that is he cast them away not only as unprofitable
control vile affections subdue and yield your Spirits to God You also are Priests first offering up your selves and then offering up Prayers and Praises to God Under Christ's Priesthood of Attonement there Springs up another Priesthood of Gratitude and Thanksgiving As on Christ the Altar God presents the Flesh and Blood of Jesus as Sustenance to us So on the same Altar we offer our Souls and Bodies and all Spiritual performances as precious Sacrifices to God Justification is joined with strength to resist and overcome Sin Isa 45.24 Surely shall one say in the Lord I have Righteousness and strength Jesus at once Satisfied for Sin and also curcified our old Man Rom. 6.6 Christ ruined the Natural Life of the First Adam he destroyed that Life and Body that is the Subject of Sin and the Members by which it is executed The animal Life is a great Temptation to Sin we are enticed by the Pleasures Profits and Honours that belong to it Christ therefore abolished it as an imperfect Life in himself that he might destroy it as a Sinful Life in us He pulled away the Earth in which this weed growes and pulled down as Sampson the very house in which our Lusts as Spiritual Philistines dwell as the first Adam's corrupt Nature passes with the guilt of Adam's first Sin so the new Nature of Jesus Christ passeth to Souls together with his Righteousness In the same Testament that Christ doth dispose Remission of Sins he doth also Bequeath a new Heart Ezek. 36.25 26. If God blots Sins out of his Book he will write his Laws also in our Hearts If he Reverse the Sentence of Death passed on us he will breath the Spirit of Life into us Those that are sprinkled with Christ's Blood are Redeemed from all Iniquity and consecrated to God As a Redeemed People they are obliged to be first Fruits to God Revel 14.4 and as a Regenrated People they are enabled to be First-fruits to God Jam. 1.18 Where Christ washes with his Blood he doth also anoint with his Spirit Are we adopted John 1.12 Have we power and right to be called the Sons of the living God Hos 1.10 Are we the Children of the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6. last Justification is alwayes attended with Adoption Those that receive a white stone that is are absolved acquitted Justified from all their Sins they have also in this white Stone a new Name Revel 2.17 What is this new Name but the Name of a Child of God Adoption is an Amplification of our Justification We are not only pronounced as Righteous and owned as Friends but reputed and accepted as Sons and Daughters are nearly Related and greatly endeared to God Are you the Children of God not by Hagar the Bond Woman but by Sarah the Free Woman Do you serve with a free Spirit and not as slaves that have no delight in God and could wish his Law were totally abrogated 5. Do you love God and Christ Luk. 7.47 She loved much because much was Forgiven her When great debts are Remitted Heinous crimes are Pardoned deep Spots and Stains are fetched out this calls for highest and hottest Love He that covereth Transgessions seeketh Love Prov. 17.9 Then surely God and Christ have sought our Love by covering our Sins Psal 32.1 2. Our Iniquities are many ways aggravated and so are of a Scarlet and Crimson Dye Isa 1.18 And for this deep dye to be washed and fetched out and for them to become as white as Snow and Wool this is wonderful Mercy For a Sinner to be as much accepted with God as if he had never Offended and Transgressed Our Sins as Commited against God are Talents and as they have been multiplied 't is a debt of Ten Thousand Talents and for this whole debt to be freely Forgiven 2 Col. 13. And for the Blood of Christ to be the clean Water to purge away Sin Ezek. 36.25 Revel 1.5 this must needs warm and inlarge the Heart heighten and inflame the affections towards God If you do not give your Hearts to God if you do not set your Love on Christ it is a plain Sign that you have not Tasted of the Grace of God or experienced the Kindness of Christ in Forgiving your Sins 6. What free access have you to God and what joy and Delight have you in him Are your Consciences so perfected that is so perfectly purged that you dare to draw nigh to God and that with confidence Heb. 7.19 Heb. 10.19 It is a great thing to have boldness to enter into the Holiest Place and to approach to the Highest Majesty Heb. 12.23 Jisus Christ died to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 Dare we to come to God the Judge of all as being assured he will not Condemn us Heb. 12.23 Do we rejoyce in God through our Lord Jesus Christ having now received the Atonement Rom. 5.11 Do we rejoyce in what God is to us in what he hath done for us and in what he farther designs towards us Can we Feast on Mount Ebal Deut. 27.7.13 14 15. where the Curses were Proclaimed Can we there Triumph because Christ Jesus hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law by being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 Are we so Justified in the Lord as to glory Isa 45. last In the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be Justified and Glory Can you Glory over all Accusers and Accusations Do you glory in the Person in whom and in the Righteousness by which you are Justified there is no exception against the Person that Justifieth and there is no flaw or defect in the Righteousness that is imputed Surely shall one say in the Lord I have Righteousness so it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a full and compleat Righteousness in Christ as Christ Rising from the dead did carry away our Sins so he propagates a new Nature to the Redeemed Is our Justification matter of greatest joy to us Isa 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord and joy in my God for he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness 7. Do you much Praise and Bless God for Reconciling and Pardoning of you Psal 103.12.3 Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Bless his Holy Name who forgiveth all thine iniqutites O Lord I will Praise thee For thou wast angry with me but thine anger is turned away and thou dost comfort me Isa 12.1 In the times of the Gospel it is said Men shall shew forth the Praises of the Lord Isa 60.6 The time of the Gospel is as a Pleasant and Delightful Spring The Winter is past the Rain is over and gone the time of the Singing of Birds is now come Cant. 2.11 12. The Spring is as it were a mediator between the extreme cold of Winter and the excessive heat of Summer and so is a fit Emblem of the times of the Gospel in which Christ is Revealed as a Mediator between us that are so cold as
no hurt but good for their Bonds were broken or consumed Dan. 3.23.25 And is it not as great a Miracle of Grace that Believers walk with God that is a consuming Fire Heb. 12. last and yet have no hurt but good God is for them Rom. 8.31 How low did Jesus Christ stoop that he might be the Lord our Righteousness He thus represents his own Sufferings Psal 22.14 I am poured out like water this seems to point at his Bloody Sweat on the ground All my bones are out of Joint This did intimate that Christ's Body was so stretched out and extended on the Cross that all his bones were put out of Joint He further complains that his Heart was melted as wax within him and this was by the sence he had of the Heat and Fire of Gods Wrath. The Manna which came down from Heaven was ground in a Mill or beaten in a Mortar and then baked in a pan to be Food for the Israelites Numb 11.8 So Jesus Christ was Bruised Isa 53.10 as Manna in the Mill or Mortar yea this Lamb of God was rosted in the Fire of his Father's Wrath Exod. 12.8 9. The Sacrifices of the Law were not only killed but burnt afterwards which was a kind of second death to them Levit. 1.13 yea there were whole burnt Offerings Psal 51.19 and this whole Burnt-Offering did signifie not only that Christ's Body was wounded but his Soul did suffer and was made an Offering for Sin Isa 53.10 The sense that Jesus had of his Fathers displeasure and forsaking of him was a kind of second death to Christ As Adam was a Criminal cast out of paradice so Christ was as a prisoner led out of the Garden to suffer Death He became a Servant that he might Justifie us Isa 53.11 O how would this affect our Souls that where we deserved all the Creatures should be withdrawn and should serve us no more as God threatens Hos 2.8 9 10. That when the Lord of Glory should take on him the form of a servant 2 Phil. 6.7 8. we deserved that the Flower and the Wine-press would feed us no more Hos 8.2 yet that then the Son of God should come down from Heaven to feed us with his Flesh and chear us with his Blood John 6.53 54 55.57 Flesh is weak and because of this Christ is said to be Crucified through weakness 2 Cor. 13.4 yet this Flesh of Christ is set forth by bread that strengthens Man's Heart Psal 104.15 Christ's Blood is figured by Wine in his last Supper Though the Blood of Christ was shed with unexpressible Anguish and Pain yet this is set forth by Wine that chears Man's Heart Psal 104.15 Our strength comes out of the weakness our comfort comes out of the Sorrow of Christ Christ was the true Rock smitten by the Rod of Moses the Curse of the Law As that Rock being smitten did cleave so Christ being smitten with the Curse his Soul and Body did part that water of Life might flow forth to us and that we might enter in and dwell safely in him Cant. 2.14 O my Dove that art in the clefts of the Rock We had vastly run in debt with God and that God should pay himself out of the Sufferings and Blood of his Son We had proudly exalted our selves against God and that Christ should debase himself so low to satisfie for our pride and that his Self-denial should make a Recompence to God for our Self-seeking We dishonoured God Reproached Blasphemed him as a poor portion as a hard Master as a Righteous Law-giver And how wonderful is that the Reproaches wherewith we Reproached God should fall on Christ Rom. 15.3 4. Though we are Justified so Freely yet so Righteously The Mercy-seat that covers the Curse of the Law is sprinkled with Christ's Blood Levit. 16.13 14. We are Justified through the Redemption that is in Christ Rom. 3.24 The prison is opened to them that were bound because the Life of Christ is given as a Ransom Matth. 20.28 Christ died as a Testator that we might not be executed as Criminals and Malefactors When Christ became a Testator he stript himself as it were of all good Peace Liberty and exposed himself to all Evil to Sufferings Pain Reproaches and Death it self and all this was to enrich us 2 Cor. 8.9 and that all good things might come to us in a Righteous way that all Blessings might Swim to us in the Blood of our Testator Christ would have had nothing to give to us if he had not bought off our Transgressions from us and purchased all good for us As Moses lifted up his Rod over it and the Red Sea was divided Exod. 14.16.21 So we may by Faith lift up the Cross of Christ over the deep Sea of the Wrath of God and it will divide and give us passage to the Heavenly Canaan Grace shall Reign through Christ's Righteousness to Eternal Life Rom. 5. last 5. What Praise doth this call for that God and Christ do so often call us and so earnestly invite us to come into this Righteousness of the Son of God Come to me all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and I will give you rest Matth. 11.28 Look unto me all the ends of the Earth and be saved Isa 45.22 Christ tells us that This is the Work of God that you Believe on him whom he hath sent John 6.29 This is the great Work that God requires and is best pleased with It is a pleasure to Christ to see his Seed and to behold the Travel of his Soul Isa 35.11 This satisfies Christ when he seeth Souls Feed on the Bread that he gives to wash in the Fountain he hath opened and to use Remedies he hath provided and to put on the garment of Righteousness he hath prepared He hungers after the Justification and Salvation of Men and he is satisfied when Sinners trust on him for Justification and look to him for Salvation That Christ doth thrust forth Labourers into his Harvest to reap perishing Sinners though they are under many fears difficulties dangers discouragments yet Christ thrusts them out into his Harvest Matth. 9. last And then doth charge his servants by their earnest importunity to compel guests to come in Luke 14.23 God's pleasure hath been fulfilled in Bruising of Christ and now it is God's pleasure that Men should listen to and obey his call and run to Christ O that it should be the pleasure of God to Bruise Christ and to Heal us to Condemn Christ and to Justifie us O that it should be the pleasure of the Lord to exercise Severity on Christ and extend Mercy to us Christ charges his Servants by their earnest importunity to compel Guests to come into his Feast Luke 14.23 Famishing Sinners do not feel their wants and they do not press into Christ's House but the Servants are commanded by urgent and continual Solicitations to compel them Christ would have his House filled with Guests and his Provisions
Jehovah our Righteousness OR THE JUSTIFICATION OF Believers BY THE Righteousness of Christ only Asserted and Applyed IN SEVERAL SERMONS By Samuel Comlyns A. M. A Minister of the Gospel in Marleborough LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Sign of the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercer's Chappel To the Most Illustrious WILLIAM Duke of Bedford Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ May it please Your Grace I Cannot forget your Grace's Kindness and Bounty to me in a Troublesome time of Persecution from Man and a Dark-day of Visitation from God when by a Disease I was brought near the brink of the Grave In Gratitude I offer your Grace a Discourse of that Everlasting Righteousness which we have in Christ and of that Eternal Salvation we enjoy by him Some may be wrapt up in the Skirt of Providence as the Hair in the Skirt of Ezekiel's Garment Ezek. 5.3 4. for a few years yet at last be brought forth and be cast into the Eternal Fire of God's Wrath 2 Thes 8 9. It will be sad to have a Reprieve for time and then to feel a dreadful Execution for Eternity but through the Righteousness of Christ God may not only as a Patient Creditor forbear us for years but as a Righteous Judge justify and discharge us for ever Diogenes Laertius in vita Socratis tells us That Apollodorus brought Socrates a Rich Garment to put on and Die in I here Present to your Grace the Glorious Garment of Christ's Righteousness both to Live on and to Die in Our blind Ancestours at a dear rate purchased a Monk's Habit to be Buryed in but I here tender to your Grace the Beautiful Habit of our Great High-Priest to Adorn and Secure your Soul for Time and Eternity The builders of Spiritual Babel are strangely confounded in their Language they deny the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness yet promise their Benefactors that they will Communicate to them the Merits of their Order Sir Edwyn Sands in his Religion of the West Relates That he heard a Capuchin Preach and that in his Sermon as a high act of Charity he said That he would divest himself of all his Merits and put them on the Congregation that heard him but he himself would stand before God as the greatest Sinner of them all But what a high strain of Pride is this to deny the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and yet allow the Imputation of their own Merits to others as if Sackcloth could Adorn but not the Son of Righteousness Tucquet in his Spanish History informs us That Philip the Second King of Spain was when Sick directed to take a Crucifix in one hand and a Candle Consecrated to the Virgin Mary that is worshipped at Monserat in the other hand and in this posture to meet Death the King of Terrors But is it not infinitely better that the Lively Picture of Christ Crucified as drawn in the Gospel should be before the eyes of our Minds and the Son of Righteousness be grasped and held fast in the Hand of Faith that Death may be disarmed of its Sting and divested of its Terror The Doctrine of Justification asserted in this Treatise is opposed by many Socinians deny the Death of Christ to be the Price of our Redemption Others seem to over-look the Active Obedience of Christ as it were not the matter of our Righteousness The Apostle saith That Christ was made under the Law to Redeem us Gal. 4.4 5. This expression made under the Law is not to be Restrained to Christ's being made under the Curse of the Law the Phrase is otherwise taken in the same Chapter Gal. 4.21 You that desire to be under the Law Surely the Jews did not desire to be under the Curse of the Law but under the Commands of the Law as a Covenant We are poor and weak as well as guilty Creatures we need not only that Christ by enduring the Curse on the Cross should reverse the Sentence of Death but also that he should obey the Law and so take it off from us as a Covenant of Life If the Sentence of death should be abrogated for the time past and the Law stand in force as a Covenant of Life for the time to come our State would be hopeless and desperate Some account Faith to be too small and mean a thing for us to be Justified by as Naaman thought Washing in the Waters of Jordan to be too slight a Meanes to cure him of his Leprosy 2 Kings 5.11 12. and therefore by Faith they understand all Obedience to the Gospel that flowes from it as when the Jews lost the Spiritual meaning of the Sacrifices as they did Typifie Christ Isa 53.10 they thought the Offering of a Beast to be a cheap Sacrifice therefore they would arise higher and Offer the First-Fruit of their Body for the Sin of their Soul Micah 6.7 So when some consider not or over-look the Office of Faith as it is an Instrument to receive Christ and his Righteousness for Justification they debase Faith as a mean thing and Introduce all New Obedience as the condition of Justification This is to make a Gospel Justification like a Legal Justification wherein Men's own obedience was the Matter of their Righteousness and the condition of their Justification The Wrath of God is Revealed from Heaven against us for our Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness Rom. 1.18 And how might our hearts sink if the Righteousness of God were not Revealed in the Gospel for our Comfort and Support * Cartwright Some distinguish between the Righteousness of the Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.4 Phil. 3.9 The Righteousness of the Law is in some Measure fulfilled in Saints as they have Graces and do Actions in some measure conformable to the Law but yet the Scripture denies and disavows Christians having the Righteousness that is of the Law that is such a perfect and compleat Righteousness as the Law requires for Justification But it is the Righteousness of God that we must fly to and take hold of for Justification It is this Righteousness that gives us ground to conclude that God will turn again and have compassion on us Micah 7.19 and that he will not return to destroy us Hos 11.9 God will not execute the Fierceness of his Anger but express the Heat and Height of his Love in adopting us into his Family setting us at the Table to Feast and placing us in the Throne to Reign with Christ Luke 22.29 30. Rev. 3.21 We cannot break through an Host of sins and get to the Fountain of Life or venture into the Presence of God that is a Consuming Fire if we are not Armed with this Righteousness That your Grace may continually come into this Righteousness as your Fortress and Castle Live on it as your most precious Food and generous Cordial and at last be found in it as your Glorious Garment is the
when a Sacrifice was offered he bid him to put up his Sword 1 Chron. 21.27 So in the times of the Law God did but as it were stay his Hand Sins were said to be passed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the forbearance of God that Time is called a Time of Forbearance and God staid his Hand from punishing those that did look to Christ to come But now the great Sacrifice is offered up God's Sword is sheathed and he can magnify Grace through the sacrifice and satisfaction of Christ it may reign through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ Rom. 5.20.21 Jesus Christ being lifted upon the Cross will draw all to him John 12.32 All that is very many compared with the few that were drawn before a Dying Saviour 3dly Christ hath now paid a Ransom Matth. 20.28 and purchased a Church by his own Blood Acts 20.28 And therefore Christ hath now just ground to come to the Prison Door of Sinners and to call them forth Isa 49.9 That thou maist say to the Prisoners go forth and to them that are in darkness shew your selves Come with boldness into the presence of God appear and shew your selves with confidence in the Heavenly Sanctuary He that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Redeemer hath just Ground to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Deliverer Rom. 11.26 shall he Ransom and not Rescue shall he buy and not possess hath not Christ a just claim to what he hath purchased to take possession of it 4thly Christ hath now sealed confirmed and established his Testament by means of Death Heb. 9.15 He that might have given a Sanction to to the Threatning by our Blood and have executed the Curse in our Death hath ratified the Promises and confirmed his Testament by his own Death Christ hath given Vigour and Strength to the Promises by his being Crucified through weakness 2 Cor. 13.4 and hath given Life to his Testament by his own Death and he is rising again to be his own Executor Now he can fulfil the Promises of the New Covenant and bestow the Legacies of his new Testament and that especially because Christ is such a Testator as by his death doth purchase of God all the Legacies he bequeaths in his Testament which no other Testator doth All the Mercies of the Everlasting Covenant are the sure Mercies of this Spiritual David Isa 55.3 they are sure because Jesus Christ is risen from the Dead to bestow them Acts 13.34 And certainly Christ may freely and lawfully give forth his own 5hty Now Christ is saved and therefore in a full capacity to save others Zech. 1.9 Thy King cometh to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salvatus ipsemet ut de brevi transitu in locum Saved Christ had many Adversaries and did encounter with mighty Enemies they endeavoured totally to crush Christ and wholly to swallow him up it was of great concernment to the whole Church of God that Christ should be saved The Holy Ghost therefore dictated that Prayer to the Saints to be put up for Christ Psal 118.25 Save now we beseech thee we heseech thee now send Prosperity now was the time of War and utter Destruction there were many associated and united against Jesus Christ Acts 4.25 26 27. He is stiled Child Jesus Enemies thought easily to destroy him Herod Pontius Pilate the Jews and the Gentiles Many Dogs were hunting down this Morning Hart Psal 22. and the Title of Psal 16. And it was that which the Church desired and Christ himself also pray'd for that he might be delivered from their cruel and devouring Mouths Psal 69.29 I am Poor and Needy let thy Salvation set me up on high And Christ was heard in what he pray'd for He was taken from Prison and Judgment Isa 53.8 From Man's Prison Tribunal and Judgment and God did set him up on high even in a glorious Throne far above the reach and rage of all his Enemies that Christ that is so perfectly saved himself can fully save us He that did wrest himself out of the Hands of his Foes can also rescue us from the Power of all our Enemies the day of Christ's Weakness is past 2 Cor. 13.4 and the day of his Power is now come Psal 110.3 6thly Christ is now Perfected and being made Perfect he is fit to become the Author of Eternal Salvation to those that obey him Heb. 5.9 The Captain of our Salvation is made perfect through Sufferings and can lead to Glory Heb. 2.10 All the Rounds or Rongs of the Spiritual Ladder that reacheth from Earth to Heaven are compleat Gen. 28.12 13 14. with Rom. 5.33 34. Christ hath cloathed himself with our Flesh he hath died is risen again is ascended to Heaven is at the Right Hand of God to make Intercession for us His Priestly Garments are sprinkled with his own Blood and so he is fitted to enter into the Heavenly Sanctuary and to appear in the Presence of God the Sons of Aaron were to have their Priestly Garments sprinkled with the Blood of a Sacrifice before they could officiate in the Sanctuary Exod. 20.21 Christ's own Death did consecrate him as a Priest for ever and perfect him for the great work of Intercession Heb. 7. last 7thly Christ is now Victorious over all his and our Enemies he hath overcome the World John 16. last he hath made Reconciliation for Iniquity yea made an end of sin Dan. 9.24 he hath abolished Death 2 Tim. 1.10 by tasting it for a few Hours he hath swallowed it up for ever By Death he hath destroy'd him that hath the power of Death even the Devil Heb. 2.15 As a Goaler hath the power of the Law to keep a Malefactor in Prison and the Executioner hath the power of the Law to put him to Death so Sinners hath broken the Law and incurred the Penalty Satan hath the power of the Curse to cut off and destroy Sinners But Christ hath spoiled Principalities and Powers turned Satan out of his Office stript him of his Power as to those that believe The Curse is the Armour that this Strong Man trusts in Luke 11.22 And Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law by being made a Curse himself Gal. 3.13 And Christ hath now the Key of Hell and Death the Key of Hell to shut it that the Souls of his People may not enter into it and the Key of Death to rescue and bring forth the Bodies of his People out of the Grave He hath led Captivity Captive Psal 68.18 and triumphed over the Enemies of our Salvation the Captain of our Salvation is entred in triumph into his Royal City above as he hath overcome in his own Person so now he can overcome in us His strength is perfected in our weakness It is discovered to be most perfect when we are most weak and low when we seem as Christ's Soldiers to lye in the open Field and to be exposed to manifold Inconveniences and Sufferings from the rage and fury
of the World then the power of Christ is spread as a Tent over us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12.9 Christ the Captain of our Salvation can be present with and mighty in all his Soldiers and ride in triumph through the World on poor Worms He that hath wounded the Head of the Old Serpent and broke the strength of Satan is able to foil all his scatter'd Forces that yet remain Rev. 6.2 He rideth forth Conquering and to Conquer and turneth the Battel even to the Gates of Hell Isa 28.6 Christ the true David doth succour his People out of the Heavenly City 2 Sam. 18.3 and send to his Fighting Soldiers the Supplies of his Spirit Phil. 1.19 8thly Christ is alive and lives for evermore Rev. 1.18 And Christ doth not live idly but to make intercession for all that come to God by him Heb. 7.25 He lives to execute his Testament sprinkle his Blood and apply his Redemption Paul reasoneth thus Rom. 5.10 If we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more shall we be saved by his Life Christ hath gone through with the most hard difficult and painful part of his work he gave his Life a Ransom he poured out his Soul unto the Death and will he neglect or omit the easiest part of his work He may live and save us he needs not to bleed again to go forth into any more Storms or to be set up as a Mark of God he may sit in his Throne he may wear his glittering Crown and reign in his Glory and do al the rest that is requisite to accomplish and compleat our Salvation Because Christ liveth his People shall live also John 14.19 Christ liveth and therefore his Interest shall not die in the World Our Redeemer liveth to quicken our Spirits Job 19.25 26. Now by his Spirit to receive our departing Souls and to revive our dead Bodies Christ is alive to woo his Spouse Cant. 8.8 and marry her Romans 7.4 to assault and subdue his Enemies Isa 42.13 14. Rev. 6.2 I shall come now to the use of the Doctrine Vse 1. Shall Men be most eminently saved in Christ's Days then we may be inform'd of the wonderful Mercy of God of the admirable Grace of Christ that we have such days of the Messiah The days due to Sinners are days of Punishment days of Vengeance Luke 21.22 A day of Evil a day of Destruction is properly called a Sinners day Psal 37.13 The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his Day is coming Ezek. 21.25 And thou Prophane Prince of Israel whose day is come when Iniquity shall have an end By these Passages of Scripture we may see what days Sinners deserve and what days they might have looked for If God had dealt with the World according to the rigour of his Justice the Threatnings and Curse of his Law there would have been no other days but the days of the first Adam In his days Sin reigns unto Death and Death reigns Rom. 5.14.21 How terrible would it have been if there had been no other days but days for Sin and Death to Reign in It is through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we have an Accepted time and a day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 Otherwise Men would do nothing else but sow the Seeds of Woe here and reap a full Harvest of Misery hereafter They would sin in this World and suffer in the World to come they would walk contrary to God in time and God would walk contrary to them to Eternity Vse 2. If Sinners are saved most eminently in Christ's Days O then examine your selves whether Christ's Salvation be applied to you whether God doth cloth you with the Garments of Salvation Isa 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord that hath cloathed me with the Garments of Salvation Have you obtained the Salvation that is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 2.10 Try your selves by proposing to your own Souls these following Questions 1. Were your Eyes ever opened liberty of sight makes way for liberty of Soul the opening of Mens Eyes is the first step that Christ takes towards their Salvation Isa 42.7 He is appointed to open the Blind Eyes to bring out the Prisoners from the Prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-house As those Jews that were born in Babylon if they were not better inform'd would account Chaldea to be the Native Country of their Fathers and that they had always dwelt there and so be contented to stay in the Land of their Captivity They therefore needed to have their Eyes opened that they might know that Chaldea and the other Countries under the Babylonish Empire were the Land of their Captivity That God in wrath had slung them out into this strange Country Jer. 10.16 That their sins had driven them hither and scattered them among their Enemies Even so Sinners need to have their Eyes opened that they may know whose they are and where they are Men do not acknowledge and consider that they are under the Law of Sin the power of Satan and the wrath of God Sinners do not know themselves to be Condemned Men and Women shut up under a Sentence of Death and reserved to the Day of Wrath and Execution Job 21.30 Men are as careless and unconcerned as if they had not degenerated and fallen from God as if their Natures were not corrupted and depraved as if Mankind never knew a better state but were always as vitious loose and wicked as now they are Could Sinners be so quiet yea be so merry and jovial as they are if they knew they were God's Prisoners and that the Day of Judgment and Vengeance was at hand Consider therefore how it is with you did God ever open your Eyes and let in Light into your dark Prison Did you ever feel the Chains of Guilt that are about you the burden of Iniquity that is upon you Have you ever applied the Threatnings and Curse of the Law to your own Souls and so have in the bitterness of your Souls cried out that you are undone None are fit to be Christ's Patients but such as are broken in Heart or are capable of Christ's Comforts if they be not first Mourners in Zion Isa 61.1.2 The Prodigal came to himself and was sensible of his Misery before he took a Resolution that he would arise and come to his Father Luke 25.17.18 Did you ever see your worst and most dangerous Enemies to be within you Have you been made sensible of your vain Minds hard and whorish Hearts and carnal Affections 2. Were you ever effectually called 2 Tim. 1.9 He hath saved and called as with an holy Calling Hath God called you so as to save you from your unbelief and impenitency Hath God spoken to you with a strong hand Isa 8.11 Hath he laid the hand of his Power on your Hearts The Angels spake to Lot with a strong hand they did not only exhort him to hasten
all his Glory How was Christ's immensity his omnipotency his eternity his omnisciency vailed by taking a Nature so weak confined to a Place and that did exist but lately and was to grow in Wisdom Luke 2.52 Christ became a Surety a Servant a Sacrifice was made Sin and a Curse to appease God's Wrath and redeem us from Destruction The Son of God was arrested as a Debtor to Divine Justice was arrained as a Criminal sentenced and executed as a Malefactor he hung on an infamous Tree among heinous Sinners he became the Captive of Death and lay in a dark and cold Grave All this Jesus Christ yielded and submitted to for to procure Salvation And shall we despise or neglect a Salvation that was purchased by such an amazing Condescention and such grievous sufferings of the Son of God Shall we undervalue and contemn the Travel of his Soul and the purchase of his Blood If the Ocean had been lessened to a Drop it had not been so much as for the Son of God to be made Man If a Prince should execute Ten Thousand of his Subjects for a Crime it had not been so much as to adjudge his own Son to a cruel death for an Offence so for God's Sword to awake against his only begotten Son was a more strange act of Justice than if he had executed all Mankind And will you not set a Price on that Salvation that is the product of the sorrows and sufferings of the Son of God 2. This Salvation is great considering the greatness of the Evils that we are saved and freed from 1st It is a Salvation from the second Death Rev. 2.11 He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second Death This is the hurting and killing Death the first Death only separates Soul and Body but this Death separates God and the Soul for ever The first Death deprives the Body of any sense or feeling of Pain but this second Death is attended with the most acute sense and feeling of Misery and Torments This Death kills all that is sweet and pleasant and leaves only a Carcase of being a bare Stock for God to graft Sufferings and Torments on It is sad for Men to be only to be miserable For to be a Footstool for God to tread on and a Mark for him to shoot at As Grapes when trod in the Wine-press all that is grateful and delightful is squeez'd out of them only a dry and harsh Husk remains and is left Even so shall it be when Sinners shall be trod in the Wine-Press of the Wrath of God Rev. 19.5 2dly Believers are preserved from a dark and dismal Prison Peter speaks of the Spirits in Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 All light of Joy and Comfort is shut out of this Prison all wo evil and misery is shut up in it This Prison is not only a Place of Confinement but also of Execution here is the Furnace of unquenchable Fire Matth. 3.12 Matth. 13.42 Sinners fall now into the Hands of God immediately Heb. 10.31 The Sovereign Judge executes his own Sentence 3dly Christ saves from a bottomless Pit Hell is so called Rev. 20.3 Sinners shall fall lower and lower and sink deeper and deeper into Misery and never know when they are at the bottom of their Misery they shall never say that now they know the utmost that God can inflict or the worst that they can suffer As in Heaven there will still be new Visions of Glory so in Hell there will be new Scenes of Misery for ever 4thly Christ saves and keeps from a Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone for ever Rev. 20.10.14 This Expression a Lake of Fire and Brimstone alludes to Sodom's Punishment God destroy'd it with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven and turn'd the Place on which Sodom and the other Cities stood into a dead-Sea or standing stinking Lake It is dreadful for Sinners to be drowned in this Lake of Fire and yet never to die Lusts are said to drown Men in Destruction and Perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 and yet they exist and continue to feel this tormenting Fire and Brimstone this Lake of Fire will never ebb away or dry up 5thly All Sorrows Pains Crying Death and any Evil whatsoever shall pass away be remembred no more but be forgotten for ever Rev. 21.4 All the Reproaches of God's People shall cease and their Tears shall be wiped away for ever Isa 25.8 3. This Salvation may well be called great Heb. 2.3 if we consider that Believers not only are freed from the greatest Evils but also enjoy the highest and best Good The Apostle Paul joins everlasting Glory with God's Salvation 2 Tim. 2.10 that the Elect may obtain the Salvation that is in Christ together with Everlasting Glory As Danicl's Three Companions were not only call'd out of and saved from the Fiery Furnace but also promoted and advanced to Honour Dan. 3. last so Saints shall not only be delivered from shame and sufferings but shall wear the Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 sit in the Throne of Christ Rev. 3.21 Reign in Life Rom. 5.17 and shine for ever in the Kingdom of their Father Matth. 13.43 They shall have an Eternal Day made by the Light of God's Countenance an everlasting Feast by the manifestation and displaying of his Love as a Banner over them Believers are Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 and Heirs of the Kingdom James 2.5 Motive 2. We do exceedingly need this Salvation 1. We are Children of Wrath by nature Ephes 2.3 and so Hell is our Inheritance The Wrath of God might descend and be poured out on us as soon as we draw our first Breath in the World the Vessels of Wrath are then fitted for Destruction Rom. 9.22 and it is wonderful Patience that God forbears Sinners so long God had ground for a Controversy just cause for Enmity against us as soon as we were born God then saw the Plague of and the evil Treasure in our Hearts such Tares might have been rooted up such Weeds have been rooted out such corrupt Trees have been cut down long ago Do Men suffer Weeds to grow up and seed 2. We are Children of Disobedience by Practice Ephes 2.2 and so Hell is our Purchase We went astray as soon as we were born Psal 58.3 Our Whorish Hearts have continually departed from the Lord our whole unregenerate estate hath been nothing else but Barrenness and Enmity Idleness and Rebellion Jer. 32.23.30 The Children of Israel are said to have done nothing of all that God commanded them but had only done e-evil and provoked God to Anger The Carnal Mind is Enmity to God is not subject to him nor indeed can be They that are in the Flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.7.8 Sinners only sow the Seeds of their own wo being Fuel to the Fire of God's Anger and fit themselves for Destruction As a Fountain casteth out its Water so they cast forth their wickedness An evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart
brings forth evil things Jer. 6.7 Matth. 12.35 All Mens doings is to undo themselves 3. Sinners owe God glory to be raised out of their shame and misery Sins are called Debts Matth. 6.12 Men by transgressing rob God of his Authority and Honour and are bound to make Restitution to him and God as a Righteous Judge owes Punishment unto them God is a Debter to his Threatning and Justice to take Vengeance on Transgressors therefore it is said He will repay Fury to his Adversaries Isa 59.18 He will render Anger to his Enemies Isa 66.15 God will not always forbear Sinners or be in Debt to them The Wages of sin is Death Rom. 6. last and it becomes the Just Judge of the World to pay the Servants of Sin their Wages Impiety shall not be joined with Impunity God will distribute a Portion of Sorrows and divide an inheritance of Torments and Misery to Satan's Children Job 31.23 God will be glorified in their everlasting shame Ezek. 28.22 Dan. 12.2 4. Sinners are in God's Prison they are in Satan's share they are under the curse of the Law 1. They are in God's Prison There would be no need for Christ to Preach the opening of the Prison to them that are bound Isa 61.1 if Men were not in God's Prison there were no need to call them forth into Liberty Isa 49.9 if they were not in Bondage There is an outer Prison of God from which Men may be brought Isa 42.7 but there is an inner Prison a deep Dungeon from whence there is no Redemption Though Transgressors now think themselves to have liberty and walk at large yet God's Eye is still over them the Chains of Guilt bind their Consciences They are Condemned Men both by the Law for their Disobedience and by the Gospel for their Unbelief God's Hand hath fast hold of them their Iniquities are before God's Eyes to provoke him to abhor them they clamour loud in his Ears to pluck down his Vengeance on them their Crimes are both Alledgers and Witnesses against them they cannot fly or escape from God If they run to the ends of the Earth they go but to the sides of their Prison The Jews were in danger of Death in all the Provinces of Abasuerus his Empire by virtue of the Edict given forth against them yet it was possible for them to Travel out of Ahasuerus's Empire where his Law would not reach them But Sinners cannot get out of the Bounds of God's Empire the whole World is his Dominion Psal 103. last If Men stay in God's Prison they shall be certainly brought forth to be condemned and executed in the Day of Wrath Job 21.30 2. Sinners are in Satan's Snare 2 Tim. 2. last every sweet beloved reigning sin is the Snare of the infernal Fowler of this cruel Hunter Wo be to those that continue in this Snare There is a time when a Snare is taken up as the Expression is Amos 3.5 Satan will visit his Snares and take the Prey catched in them into Hell In this Den the roaring Lion will devour what he hath taken in his Snare 3. Sinners are under the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 We needed not Christ to Redeem us from the curse of the Law if we were not under it and the curse of the Law is the curse of the Law-giver This is dreadful for God's Anger to be so kindled for his Spirit to be so imbittered as to curse his own Creature God that wisheth evil to and designs evil against his Creatures is able to execute his own Curse his Curse is not a causeless but a righteous Curse It is the Curse of him that is Omniscient that knows what Mens Offences are and where the Offenders are It is the Curse of him that fills Heaven and Earth there is no flying from him It is the Curse of him that is wise in Heart and therefore can devise the most dreadful Evils and that is mighty in strength Job 1.4 and therefore can execute them God lives for ever to execute this Curse to pour wrath into and blow eternal Flames over the Soul The meaning and dreadful effects of this Curse is expounded by Christ Matth. 25.41 Go ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Men curse when they are weak and not able to punish us when David was weak and the Sons of Zerviah were too hard for him 1 Sam. 3.39 and so he could not punish Joah and Abishai for the Murder of Abner yet he curseth them 1 Sam. 3.28 29. But God that curseth not without a cause hath an Almighty Arm to execute his own Curse 5. There is a black dismal Storm that hangs over the Heads of Sinners in the Clouds of God's Threatnings Psal 11.6 On the Wicked the Lord will rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an Horrible Tempest this shall be the Portion of their Cup. They that drink in Iniquity now Job 5.16 shall drink in Wrath at last Joh 21.20 Sinners shall not be able to fly from this Storm God will rain Snares to take hold of them and to hold them fast God's Ax is at the Root of Sinners Matth. 3.10 his Arrows are levell'd at their Hearts all the Sufferings they feel now are but the first-fruits of Wo earnest of a more grievous Vengeance Harbingers and Forerunners of an Everlasting Destruction It is terrible when the Sins of Men are yet with them Isa 59.12 when the Breach is open to let in a Deluge of Misery on them and the Sentence of Death stands in full force against them O should not this affect and affright the Souls of Sinners that God is ready to arrest them and tear them in pieces to set them up as his Mark to pierce their Hearts and cleave their Reins with his Arrows and to consume them with the Fire of his Anger Though Gods Judgments are now far above out of their sight Psal 10.5 yet the Wicked shall see their Destruction Job 21.20 6. Christ will come to execute the Vengeance that the Law denounces and that Christ threatens 2 Thes 1.8.9 He that came at first with Beams of Love will come a second time in Flames of Wrath to avenge the Quarrel of despised Grace and of abused Mercy Then Sinners shall feel the truth of God's Threatnings that there will be a Day of Vengenance Isa 63.5 a Day of Wrath Rom. 2.5 a Day of Destruction Job 21.30 Though Christ will appear for Salvation to those that look for him yet he will also be revealed to remember and punish those that forget God Psal 50.22 to burn Adulterous Souls and to destroy Obstinate and impenitent Rebels 7. You can have no true solid or lasting joy except you partake of this Salvation Psal 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation This Prayer of David is observable it was not his Palace his Crown or his Throne that would afford Joy when God's Heart did burn with wrath and his Face was clouded with Anger He
could not content or satisfy himself with the joy of Riches sensual Delights or Worldly Honour such joy did not go deep would not stay or last long It was nothing but the joy of God's Salvation that could satisfy him Isa 25.9 We will be glad and rejoyce in thy Salvation Hester could take no Pleasure in her Honour in her Palace in all her outward Enjoyments when the Decree was passed to destroy her and her People Esther 7.3 4. If Sin reign in you Eternal Death must reign over you and the wrath of God abide on you What outward thing can comfort relieve or revive you Will it chear a Man condemned to Death to tell him you will give him one sweet Draught of Wine one good Meals Meat before he be Executed 8. You cannot dwell safely if you are not saved In the Text it is promised that those that are saved shall dwell safely and indeed no others can dwell safe from the fear of Evil Prov. 1. last Those that are in their Sins and under Guilt may fear still to be arrested by God their great Creditor and to be arraigned before him as their Sovereign Judge The dread of the First and Second Death may torment them an d hold them continually under grievous Bondage Heb. 2.15 Your Tabernacles Sinners will moulder down your Earthly Comforts will melt away your Stewardships will be taken from you God will change your Countenances and send you away into a miserable Eternity into a dark and doleful Prison You are Tenants at God's Will you are not sure of one Days continuance in the World God may quickly require and take away your Souls If David panted and longed so much for a short Temporal Salvation Psal 119.81 82. how much more should we long for a Spiritual and Eternal Salvation Psal 14. last We so need this Salvation that it is absolutely necessary for us Acts 4.12 We must be saved we can have no Pardon but from the God of Salvation Psal 51.14 and we can receive no Blessing but from the God of Salvation Psal 68.10 We must see God's Salvation Psal 11. last or our own Destruction Job 21.20 If we cannot commit our Spirits into the Hand of God as a Redeemer Psal 31.5 we must fall into his Hand as a Judge Heb. 10.31 No outward Enjoyments here can either be safe for us or sweet to us if they flow not from the God of Salvation God doth afford us a Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 this is caused by the Day Spring from on high Luke 1.78 by the exercise of Christ's Prophetical Office Psal 22.22 John 17.6.20 He declares the Father's Name to us he teaches us that God hath chosen and appointed some to Salvation 1 Thes 5.9 2 Thes 2.13 that he hath prepared Salvation Luke 2.29 30 by anointing and sending his Son to obey suffer and satisfy God hath raised up this Horn of Salvation Luke 1.69 he hath perfected the Captain and Author of Salvation Heb. 2.10 Heb. 5.9 As Christ is saved himself Zech. 9.9 so he is in a fit and full capacity to save others The word of Salvation is sent to us Acts 13.26 The Gospel of Salvation is a Supernatural Doctrine we should have been utterly ignorant of it if God had not sent it to us What Grace is this that the word of Salvation should be sent to us that had destroyed our selves Hos 13.9 that were so blind that we did not seek after God and so vile and filthy that God might for ever have ceased to seek after us that are without strength to help our selves and yet are ungodly and so do provoke God never to help us or favour us Rom. 5.6.8 That it should be sent to us that did not seek after or send for it Light came it was not sent for John 3.19 O that God should send it to us and not to so many other Nations in the World they hear not the Trumpet of the Jubilee the Call of the Shepheard the Voice of the Bridegroom O shall the Spirit strive with us Gen. 6.3 and Christ's Servants endeavour to compel us by Earnest Intreaties and Importunity and yet shall all this be in vain will you not believe their Report or come to Christ for Life Shall a Treaty of Peace end in an Eternal War and a day of Salvation issue in your everlasting Destruction Salvation is brought near to you and placed in Zion and will you put the word of Salvation away from you and thereby judge your selves unworthy of Everlasting Life Acts 13.16 The Cord of a Promise is let down into our Dungeon Christ's Chariot comes among us Cant. 3.9 40. He comes near to us preaching Peace Ephes 2.17 He knocks at our Doors Rev. 3.20 4. You cannot escape if you neglect this Salvation Heb. 2.3 There is no other Physitian to heal you no other Redeemer but Christ to set you free no other Fountain in which you may wash no other Foundation on which you may build no other Wing Shadow or City of Refuge to secure you God will not suffer your contempt of Christ and neglect of Salvation to go unpunished God will wound the Head of such as go on in their Trespasses Psal 68.21 Christ's Hand will find out all his Enemies Psal 21.4 those that turn away from Christ Prov. 1.32 shall certainly be turned into Hell Psal 9.17 God bringeth near his Salvation offers it and promises it to all that will look to Jesus Christ for it Isa 45.22 Those therefore are worthy to perish that turn away from Christ and despise his Salvation 5. Consider there is but a Remnant that shall be saved Rom. 9.27 few that will walk in the narrow way that find the strait Gate Matth. 7.13 14. And those that are saved will be saved with a great deal of difficulty 1 Pet. 4.18 The Righteous are scarcely saved they must bear the Cross endure many Tribulations have frequent Combats and Conflicts and continual Warfare with Spiritual Enemies They must run with the greatest speed fight with the greatest zeal against Sin 1 Cor. 9.26 They have a Civil War with Lusts within a Foreign War with the World and Satan without 6. Consider what a great Mercy it is to obtain this Salvation it is a most valuable Grace for God to choose and appoint any to Salvation 1 Thes 5.9 2 Thes 2.13 when he might have appointed all to perish and left them to Destruction O what a Mercy is this for God to pluck out of a perishing World Gal. 1.4 to fish out of a dead Sea to cut off from a corrupt Stock to call out of an infected House and a barren Wilderness The Church represents it as a rich Stream of Mercy and spring of Joy to be cloathed with Salvation Isa 61.10 This is a great Mercy for 1. Such are armed against Spiritual Conflicts that have for a Helmet the Hope of Salvation Ephesians 6.17 1 Thes 5.8 This may guard their Heads from all anxious perplexing Thoughts
44.22 Sin did reign so as to bring us under the guilt of Eternal Death But how comfortable is it that Reigning Grace should succeed Reigning Sin Revenging Justice might next follow after Reigning Sin but it is Grace that now reigns through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life Rom. 5.21 Our Iniquities were as deep Waters gone over our heads there was no wading through them they were a heavy burden too heavy for us to bear Psal 38.4 they were ready to sink us down into the deep Sea of the wrath of God but in this Righteousness of Jehovah we may be lifted up and exalted Psal 59.16 As Jesus Christ once gave himself a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God Ephes 5.2 to God the Father continually gives Christ most precious and fragrant Incense on the account of his Obedience and Sufferings always to plead before the Father Revel 8.3 much Incense is said there to be given him to offer with the Prayers of all Saints Christ's Obedience and Sacrifice makes an everlasting Perfume in the Heavenly Sanctuary It is said of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They earnestly catched at they greedily laid hold of they strongly grasped the Righteousness that is by Faith This is the only Cord cast out to us sinking and drowning Sinners which we should catch hold of to keep us from perishing for ever 6. This Name of Christ shall continue last be victorious in the World over all the Reproaches Slanders and Defamations cast on Christ the blind Malignant World called Christ a Glutton a Wine Bibber a Friend of Publicans and Sinners Matth. 11.19 they charged him as a Blasphemer John 10.33 36. because he said he was the Son of God and so made himself equal with God John 10.33 they stiled him a deceiver Math. 27.63 The Jews did black Christ all that they could they raised Mists yea thick Clouds to obscure and hide his Glory yet all this should not prevail this Illustrious Name of Christ should wade out of all these Ecclipses and scatter all these Clouds Notwithstanding all the endeavours of the World to obstruct his Honour and cloath him with shame yet he should by Multitudes in all Ages be owned acknowledged and called Jehovah our Righteousness 6. This Evidences that the Mighty Power of God did go along with the Gospel of Christ that though the Jews at this day do stile him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hanged Man and the Gentiles as Blasphemous Porphyry did call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Crucified Sophister yet all these Reproaches should be wiped off and this glorious Name of Christ should shine out through all these thick Clouds of Infamy he should be known and called The Lord our Righteousness I shall observe and insist on this Doctrine foom these latter words of the Text. Doctrine That Jesus Christ is and shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness The Prophet in the Name of the Lord promises That the Lord would raise up to David a Righteous Branch one that should be most Holy and Just in his Humane Nature and that this Righteous Branch the Messiah sprung from David according to the Flesh should be called Jehovah our Righteousness this intimates he should be Man and Jehovah too in one Person and as such he should be owned and acknowledged Four things are to be spoken to for the prosecution of this Doctrine First What Righteousness of Jehovah the Son is here meant and understood Secondly To Evidence and Demonstrate that Jesus Christ God-Man is our Righteousness yea our only Righteousness for Justification Thirdly How this Righteousness of Christ is made ours Fourthly Who they are that shall call Christ by this Name The Lord our Righteousness 1. What Righteousness of Jehovah is here meant To this I shall Answer First Negatively Secondly Affirmatively First I Answer Negatively It is not the Essential Eternal Righteousness of the Son of God as Osiander the Lutheran affirmed but this cannot be For 1. This Righteousness is incommunicable it is proper to the Divine Nature and cannot pass or be derived to a creature To say that this Righteousness is given to Believers is to deifie them rather than to justifie them that is most certain that in this sence God will not give his Glory to another Isa 42.8 2. This Righteousness is an Adversary contrary to us at Hostility with us God according to it hates the Wicked and abhors the Workers of Iniquity Psal 5.4 5. He is a swift Witness against them Mal. 3.5 A Terrible Judge to them and a Consuming Fire in the execution of his Vengeance on them Deut. 4.24 As God is Holy he lothes unclean Souls and as he is Just he hates guilty Creatures If another Righteousness had not been found out God would rise up against them as an Enemy and break out on them for their everlasting destruction Secondly I Answer Affirmatively This Righteousness of Jehovah is not a Righteousness possessed by the Son from Eternity but acquired in time It is not the Righteousness that was his Patrimony as a Son but his Purchase as a Servant by the sweat of his Brows by the travel of his Soul by the effusion of his Blood by the expense of his Life This was wrought by the Son of God Incarnate by the Mediator in the form of a Servant as Joshua the Type of Christ is called the Minister or Servant of Moses Exod. 24.13 Exod. 33.11 So Jesus Christ was made under the Law Galat. 4.4 It is said Isai 53.11 By his Knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many This is very observable God himself asserts That by his knowledge his righteous servant should justifie many and that by virtue of his service in bearing the Iniquities of his People Jesus Christ did exactly perform what as a Servant he had undertaken and so he was Righteous Here we may observe a wonderful Mystery that Jehovah is said to be our Righteousness yet God's righteous Servant also is said to justifie These two things sweetly conspire in our Justification God's servant did perform Obedience and suffer on the Cross He that took our Nature and was a Servant in it was only capable of doing and dying for us As Man he must be subject and suffer but yet as he is also Jehovah he gives an infinite Price and vallue to his Obedience and Sufferings The same Person was God-Man as Man he served and performed the Obedience by which we are justified Rom. 5.19 but as God he gives an infinite worth to his own Service So both Jehovah is our Righteousness and yet God's Righteous Servant doth also Justifie Christ's Righteousness consists in Two things First In his Obedience to the Commands of the Law Secondly In his Subjection to and enduring of the Curse of the Law Jesus Christ took debitum officii the debt of Duty as well as debitum poenae the dept of Punishment And suitably unto this object of our Faith is thus expressed 1. Our Faith is
he was a Mediator He must be obedient to death even the death of the Cross Phil. 2.7 8. 2. The Sufferings of Christ were part of his Righteousness because they were the enduring of what Jesus Christ as a Surety did undertake to undergoe If one Man doth bind himself in a Bond to pay the Debt of another it is but Justice that he should satisfie it if he refuse or decline it he acts contrary to the Rules of Righteousness So when Jesus Christ took our Debt on him it was Righteous that he should pay it off A Surety doth first make the Debt his own and then binds himself to the payment of it So Christ first took our sins themselves and then became liable to punishment for them As the Sacrifices of the Law had first Sins put and laid on them Levit. 1. v. 4. and then thereby were exposed to wounds and death If Jesus Christ had not been made sin he could not have been made a Curse 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 Christ's being made a Curse seems somewhat different from his being made Sin and was a Fruit and Consequent of it The Curse could not Fall Fasten or Abide on a Person but where Sin opened the Door drew and pluckt it upon him Jesus Christ by becoming a Surety was snared was taken by the words of his own Mouth Prov. 6.2 Jesus Christ said to the Father Psal Ch. 40.7 8. Loe I come that is to be an Atoning Sacrifice I delight to do thy will O my God that is to offer up my Body once for all Heb. 10.9 10. Now Jesus Christ was come into the Hand of his Father to be punished Prov. 6.3 It was just for God the Father to wound and bruise him to call the Sword of his Justice to awake against him Zach. 13.6 7. verses the Cup could not pass from Christ but he must drink it the Debt must be exacted of him Chastisement must be laid on him Isa 53.5 because Jesus Christ had engaged as a Surety to draw near to God sitting on a fiery Throne holding a flaming Sword and clothed with the garments of vengeance Jer. 30.21 Sins being laid on Christ Isa 53.6 Sorrows and Sufferings were to follow Isa 53.4 because he bare our sins he must also be burthened with our sorrows It was just with God on this account to wound the Man that was his Son and to smite the Man that was his Fellow Zech. 13.7 God's Sword had as it were slept for a long time in the Scabbard of his long-suffering his Justice had been silent and not roared against Sinners But now the Surety was come the great Atoning Sacrifice was presented and exhibited it was high time for God's Sword to awake The Times before Christ were the days of Forbearance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.26 God took Christ's Word till then but now the Day of Payment was come and therefore Christ could not be secured from a Dark Hour or be exempted from drinking of a bitter Cup Matth. 26.39.42 John 12.27 28. he came into the World to have such a Terrible Hour and to walk through the Dark Valley of the shadow of Death As he was loaded with our Sins God must not only forsake him Psal 22.1 but wound him Isa 53 5. He had not only a dark Night as the Light of God's pleasing Countenance was hid from him but he felt Dews and experienc'd the Drops of the Night Cant. 5.2 as God's punishing hand was stretch'd out against him Christ had not only a very Dark Night but a very Stormy and Tempestuous Night as we had estranged our selves from God and had forgotten our Relation to him so God estranged himself from Christ and seemed for a time to veile and forget his Relation to his Son to carry it as a Stranger and as one unconcerned in the Sufferings of Jesus Christ Psal 22.1 2. My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring O my God! I cry unto thee in the day time but thou hearest not and in the Night season and am not silent O! how strange is this that God should thus withdraw himself from his own Son that the Father should deliver him up into the hands and leave him to the Will of his Enemies That God's ear should be stopt and his Bowels shut up against his own Son That Jesus Christ should roar out his doleful Complaints and yet God be as it were deaf and dumb to him and inexorable towards him when the Son was not silent to his Father day or night Surely Christ's Cup was very bitter his Burthen heavy and the Fire that Roasted this Lamb of God was very hot and scorching or else Christ that had the Power of the God-head to support him was now in the midst of his Enemies and near the end of his Sufferings would never thus have roared out The words of the Psalmist David do exactly Point out and Foretel that which Matthew Records Matth. 27. v. 46. And about the Ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli Eli Lama Sabachthani that is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet Jesus Christ justifies the Father in forsaking of him in not hearing of him But thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel Psal 22.3 Though others tast thy Goodness admire and glorifie thy Grace and thou inhabitest their Praises yet thou art deaf to me I feel thy Wrath and Severity But thou art holy in all this I am come into thy hand as a Surety and must fall under thy weighty Arm as a God of Vengeance This was the true reason and cause why Jesus was wanting to himself did not plead his own Cause or more confute the Slanders and wipe off the Reproaches his Enemies cast on him clear and justifie himself from their Calumnies False and Forged Accusations Mark 15.3 4 5. Jesus Christ kept silence he Answered nothing to what the High-Priest charged him with He also Answered nothing to Pilate so that Pilate marvelled that he would not plead for and defend himself that he carried it as if he had no Reply no Reproofes in his Month to vindicate himself and silence his Adversaries This Silence of Christ was foretold Isa 53.7 He was dumb he opened not his Mouth The truth was that Jesus took our Sins and bare our Iniquities in order to his submitting to Punishment for them Isa 53.6 1 Pet. 2.24 Confusion of face did belong to us Dan. 9.8.9 Guilt might stop our Mouths seale up our Lips We had cause to lie down in our Shame to cover our selves with Confusion never to open our Mouths to deny extenuate or justifie our Practises Ezek. 16. last Christ now stood in our place he did as it were assume our Person Silence did become us Our Cause was so bad that it could not be pleaded or defended It was Just now that Christ should be Condemned Executed
Cut off for our Sins that as a Surety he took on himself though he was a Green Flourishing Fruit-bearing-Tree yet all our Barrenness was charged all our Corrupt Fruits were hanged on the Tree of Life by Imputation therefore a Fire was kindled against him he was hewed down and cut off from the Land of the Living Isa 53.8 Christ's submitting to Circumcision Luke 2.21 and to Baptisme Matth. 3.13 16. that were Ordinances proper and peculiar to Sinners did shew that he took our Sins on him that we in Baptisme might have our Sins put away and his Righteousness put on us 3. Christ's Sufferings may well be called and accounted a part of his Righteousness because in bearing his Sufferings he admirably exercised his Graces and was most active in fulfilling the Law to the utmost height and pitch of Perfection Indeed mere Innocence is not Rewardable but as it is accompanied and attended with an Active Obedience and Righteousness He submitted to the Will of his Father Matth. 26.42 If this Cup may not pass from me except I drink it thy will be done He evidenced declared and demonstrated to the world that he loved the Father and would do what he commanded him the Threatning of Death against us was changed into a Commandment given to Christ that he should die Therefore he would go forth to offer himself to the hands of his Enemies and to meet Death John 14. last And Christ manifested wonderful Meekness and Patience towards his Enemies and expressed admirable Goodness in Praying for his Persecutors and Murtherers Luke 23.24 Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do Sinners hated Christ without a cause and he loved them without a cause What astonishing kindness did Jesus Christ discover towards his Sheep in that he would lay down his Life for them John 10.11 15. Was not the love of Christ a love passing knowledge Ephes 3.18 19. Was it ever known that when the Butcher came to the Fold to fetch Sheep and Lambs to kill them that the Shepherd should offer and substitute himself in their room and to be contented to be slain himself that they might be spared Some have thought that this was a strain of Love above and beyond what the Law requires from one Neighbour towards another Men are to Love their Neighbours as themselves but Christ loved his Sheep more than himself he forgot he denied himself was swallowed up in most pure and ardent Love towards them Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 So that Christ was highly Righteous and perfectly conformed to the Law in all his Sufferings and Sorrows Thus Jesus Christ did Answer the Character that the Church of Old gave of him that he was white and ruddy the chiefest amongst ten thousand Cant. 5.10 Jesus Christ was White in his Active and Ruddy in his Passive Obedience and so did at once commend us to God's Holiness and secure us from his Wrath and Justice As the First Adam in Transgressing the Positive Law God gave him not to eat of the Forbidden Fruit did violate the whole Moral Law he was unjust to God injurious to himself and cruel to all his Posterity whom he betrayed defiled and ruined So the Second Adam in Obeying a Positive Law to Die Fulfilled the whole Moral Law in perfect Love to God and Man and absolute Denial of Himself 2. The Second thing I am to insist on is to Evidence That Jehovah the Son of God is our Righteousness First No other but he that was God Manifested in the Flesh could now in this degenerate state of Fallen Man satisfie and fulfil the Commands of the Law The word of God is very pure Psal 119.140 The Command is exceeding broad Psal 119.96 The Law is very Spiritual Rom. 7.14 There is a wonderful depth in the Law of God it goeth deeper than the actual consent of the Will Others of the Ten Commandments as the Fifth Sixth Seventh and Eighth do forbid heart-evils for the Law is Spiritual It is the Law of an Omniscient heart-searching Lawgiver and therefore it is not only given to the Lip and Life but reaches and extends to the Soul But the Tenth Commandment is yet more deep and spiritual it forbiddeth the First buddings and stirrings of Sin in the Soul whereby the Will is Tempted by it self and sollicited to consent and comply These are the Neighings of a Carnal Heart after fleshly objects Jer. 13.27 I have seen thy Adulteries and thy Neighings These Neighings of an unclean heart do tend to Fornication and Adultery In these First Covetings and Lustings the Old Man doth as it were cast forth its seed into the Womb of the Heart but Lust doth not conceive in the Language of James James 1.14 15. till this Seed is received cherished and embraced in the Womb of the Will till it consents and yields to a Temptation Who now of the best of the Sons of Men can stand before this holy and perfect Law of God Dare the best of Saints in the World go to a Trial before God on the account of their Works Did not David himself decline such a Trial Did he not wave and deprecate it Psal 143.23 Enter not into judgment with thy Servant For in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified But this is that excellency and glory of Christ that he was a Spiritual Beauty among deformed Ethiopians an upright Soul among crooked Creatures one that did dwell in the Torrid Zone of Love when the Hearts of others were Congealed and Frozen towards God He had the highest flame of Love and not the least spark of Lust But the obedience of no others is of sufficient purity according to the Covenant of Works to be Tried at God's Touchstone or of Weight enough to hold in God's Ballance But Christ's Obedience for Purity and Weight will be approved before the Tribunal of God The Eye of Omnisciency can see no fault in it the Holiness of God is not dissatisfied with it but highly approves of it and delights in it As no meer Creature can satisfie for the Guilt of Sin and so prevent Eternal Death so the obedience of no mere Creature can Merit Eternal Life The Command of the Law must be fulfilled as well as the Curse executed there must be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Righteousness that there may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Justification 2. No other but Jehovah could bear the Weight of Millions of Sins and endure sufficient Punishment for them The People of Israel were a Nation of heavy Iniquity Isa 1.4 Laden with Transgressions The Earth on which they did dwell is said to Reel and stagger like a Drunken Man and the Transgression of it that is of the Inhabitants of it is said to be heavy on it Isa 24.20 And if there was Heaviness of Iniquity in one People What was there in the Whole World No other Neck could bear such a Weighty Yoke of Punishment for Transgressions but
Christ's 1 Lam. 14. No other Shoulder or Back could stand or bear up under such a load of Sufferings but the Shoulder and Back of Christ If the weak Wood of his Humane Nature had not been overlaid with the Brass and strength of his Divine Nature as the Altar for Burnt-offerings was but of Shittim-wood but was over-laid with Brass Exod. 27.1.2.3 the weak Humane Nature of Christ could not have endured the hot fire of God's Fierce Wrath but it must have been consumed The Mighty God therefore must support the frail Man Christ Jesus For God to hide his Pleasing Countenance from Christ was as it were the loss of a Heaven for a season and for God to turn his Angry Frowning Face against Christ was the Feeling of a Hell for a Time Who could bear this Loss this Punishment but he that had Omnipotency to uphold him There were several things that were extraordinary in the Sufferings of Christ so that none but he could bear and suffer at that rate and in that manner First That Jesus Christ when he was bruised by God yet claimed Interest in him and Trusted on him In the depth of his Sorrows and Sufferings yet he thus calls him My God my God Psal 22.1 and saith in Heb. 2.13 I will put my trust in him Yea when all left him and the Father too is said to forsake him yet he saith I am not alone but the Father is with me John 16.32 when God did press down a weight of Sufferings on him yet he was perswaded that at that very time he put his Allmighty and Everlasting Arms under him to uphold him Isa 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold Isa 50.7 The Lord God will help me When God did lay Sins on him Isa 53.6 yet he believed he would Justifie him from them all Isa 50.8 He is near that justifieth me Though he was now under a dark Night yet he did believe that God would turn his Shadow of Death into a bright and joyful Morning Psal 16 11. Thou wilt shew me the path of Life in thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Secondly That Jesus Christ Loved God even when he was wounded by him and suffered such hard things from him The Damned suffer from God and hate him they belch and vomit out Blaspemies against him But Jesus Christ endured the most bitter and grievous things from the Father's Hand yet still loved him This was the Fat of the Inwards of Christ's Sacrifice Levit. 3.14 Levit. 4.8 that his Soul was filled with the Fear of God Isa xi 2. and had such a profound Humility and made such a deep and hearty Submission to the Will of God Matth. 20.42 which did greatly ennoble the Sufferings of Christ This is very observable that Jesus Christ in the Celebration of his Last Supper twice Gave Thanks to God at the Consecration of the Bread and the Blessing of the Cup 1 Cor. 11.24 26. Matth. 27. What can we conceive was the subject matter of his Thanksgiving but that he blessed his Father for setting him forth to be a Propitiation for Sanctifying and Sending him into the World to be an High-Priest John 10.36 and for Ordaining him to be a Sacrifice 1 Pet. 1.18.19 20. For giving him as Bread from Heaven to feed Famishing Creatures and designing his Blood as a generous Cordial to support fainting Souls O what an excellent Spirit did Christ discover in Blessing of God that made a Spiritual Feast on himself as a Paschal-Lamb and Sacrifice 1 Cor. 5.7.8 Thirdly This was wonderful that Christ that was but one Lamb Isa 53.7 1 John 29. did bear so many Sins yea Thousands and Millions of Transgressions and yet did not sink under them He was a Tried Stone Isa 28.16 Never was there such a Weight of Sins and Sufferings laid on any one as on Christ yet he did not break or sink under this Weight As God put Sins on Christ Isa 53.6 so Christ put them away Heb. 9.26 Aaron did confess all the Sins of the People of Israel over the Scape-Goat and lay them on him Levit. 16.21 but his Memory might fail us to a perfect Enumeration of the kinds and sorts of their sins But God laid the Iniquities of all his People on Christ Isa 53.6.8 and surely God that knew them all remembred and recorded them all did not omit over-slip or forget to lay any of them on Christ therefore the number of Iniquities laid on Christ was not to be recounted conceived comprehended These many sins brought such great Sufferings on Christ that when he took a view of the Sea of Sorrows he was to pass through he began to be sore amaz'd Mark 14.33 and wen he came into the Garden he was in an Agony Luke 22.44 Hesychius a Learned Greek Author sayes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies that vehement fear of Death that falls on Soldiers when they are about to join Battel with an Enemy Jesus Christ was to encounter the Prince of Darkness the Legions of Hell and his Bands and Troops on Earth and the sight of the Multitude of Christ's Enemies and the Greatness of his dangers and sufferings from above and from beneath did put Christ into Agony The Lamb of God was to Combate with a Roaring Lion the Unicorns of Apostate Spirits were to set on him the Jews as Bulls of Bashan and the Romans as Dogs were to assault Jesus Christ Psal 22.12 13 16 21. The True Israel was now to Wrestle with the Wrath of God the Curse of the Law the Rage of Hell yet he prevailed to satisfie Justice quench the Fire of the Wrath of God defeat the Policy and disarm the Power of Hell while Satan the Old Serpent nibled at Christ's Heels he Trod upon and bruised his Head Fourthly That Jesus suffered so that he made an end of Sin finished the Transgression he did so take sin on him that he took it away John 1.29 so bare it that he did bare it away for ever The words used in Dan. 9.24 are very emphatical Jesus Christ Died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lecalleh to make an end of Sin that there should never need or be any more Offerings for Sin Some render the word restrain or to Imprison this is our safety that sin is so Confined and Imprisoned for ever that it shall never more be at liberty to come forth to give Evidence or Testifie against us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lecathem signifies to Seale up This is intimated that Transgressions as Rolls should be sealed up they should be kept private and secret the Long Rolls of our Transgressions should be so sealed up as never more to be opened and Read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lecappher signifies to Reconcile Expiate Iniquity so as to cover it and that not slightly as by spreading a Cloath over it that may be easily taken away but to cover by Plaistering over a
thing The word intimates that Christ so Covers Sin that it is never more to be seen It is so Blotted out by his Blood that it is never more to be Read so Drowned that it is never more to appear Christ by his once Offering hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified and put an end to all Sacrifices for Sin Heb. 10.14 17 18. Fifthly That Christ so suffered for Sin that in a short time he removed the Guilt of it Zech. 3.9 God saith he would remove the Iniquity of that Land in one day O! How wonderful is this that Guilt which had been contracting Sins that had been committing many Hundreds yea some Thousands of years that these should be satisfied for in one day and should be so soon purged away Heb. 1.3 That what Sinners had been Writing Hundreds of years that Christ should blot it out in one day When Sins had long cried loud and clamoured in the Ears of God that all these should be stilled and silenced in one day Sixthly For Christ by Tasting death but part of three days to abolish it for ever 2 Tim. 1.10 by a short course of Obedience to bring in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 and by Temporary Sufferings to obtain an Eternal Redemption Heb. 9.12 this none could do but Jehovah Incarnate In the Sacrifices of the Law there was a Remembrance again of Sins every year Heb. 10.3 though there were Sacrifices offered daily to make Atonement for Sin and a Multitude of these were slain in a Year yet on the Day of Atonement that came the Tenth Day of the Seventh Moneth every Year there was a Solemn Confession and Remembrance of Sins again Levit. 16.21 27 29. which evidences the weakness and imperfection of all the Legal Sacrifices that they could never take away Sin or make the comers to those Sacrifices perfect Heb. 10.11 but Christ by one Offering perfects us for ever Heb. 10.14 Christ's one Sacrifice was the Truth and Substance of all the Sacrifices of the Law of the Burnt-offering 1 John 29. of the Sin-offering 2 Cor. 5.21 of the Trespass-offering Isa 53.10 Christ made his Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Trespass-offering Therefore on the account of this one perfect Sacrifice God saith he will remember Sins and Iniquities no more Heb. 10.17 Hence it is very rightly inferred very justly concluded where Remission of Sins is there is no more Offering for Sin 3. The Benefits that we receive by Christ's doing and suffering the will of God do Evidence that Christ is our Righteousness and our only Righteousness 1. It was Jesus Christ that gave his Life a Ransome for many Matth. 20.28 we did not contribute towards it or make up any part of it We cannot give to God a Ransom for our Bodies to prevent Temporal Death Psal 49.78.9 How then could we provide a Ransome for our Souls to prevent Eternal Death we could not satisfie Justice that our Bonds might be loosed our Prison door opened as God the Father found out the way of Redemption Job 33.24 I have found a Ransome So God the Son paid the Ransome and found Eternal Redemption Heb. 9.12 He gave his Flesh for the Life of the World John 6.51 he was slain and Redeemed us to God by his Blood Revel 5.9 As the Ram was the Ransom of Isaac Gen. 22.12 13. Abraham's hand was staid the Life of Isaac was spared and the Ram was offered up in stead of him So we were bound with Chains of Guilt the Justice of God was ready to give us the Fatal Stroke the Mortal Wound we were under the Sentence of death and knew not how we should be preserved but then Jesus Christ was substituted in our Room and this Lamb of God was offered as a Ransome for us therefore our Righteousness is wholly of him 2. We do not feed on or live by Food of our own providing but Christ is Living Bread and Bread of Life to us John 6.48.50 51. He came down from Heaven that we might eat and not die Christ speaks of a double giving John 6.51 First He gave his Flesh upwards in Sacrifice to God his Father so he gave his flesh for the Life of the World Secondly he gives it downwards as Food and Sustenance to us There is neither Sacrifice for God or Bread for us to be found in this lower World but both must come down from Heaven By our Fall and Apostacy from God we have brought our selves into a Barren Spiritual Wilderness as the Israelites when they came out of Egypt into the Wilderness they could not subsist there but by an extraordinary and Miraculous Provision that God made for them God Rained down Manna from the Clouds and fed the Israelites with the Corn of Heaven Psal 78.24 But Christ may more truly and properly be called the Corn of Heaven This very Bread did first spring up in the Mind and grow in the Heart of God he laid the great Design of a Spiritual Feast for fainting and famishing Souls He Predestinated Jesus Christ to be a Sacrifice to himself and Food to us This is a great and wonderful Mystery of Grace that Bread should come down from Heaven to Nourish us Bread should naturally Grow out of the Earth for our Souls as well as for our Bodies Our Righteousness should spring and grow out of our selves and be wrought by our selves but none of us have any thing of our own to relieve our selves with to subsist upon or to keep our selves alive by Psal 22.29 none could keep alive his own Soul we were ready to perish with Famine as the Prodigal Luke 15.17 Now what astonishing Kindness is this that Jesus Christ should be a Sacrifice that Sinners might have a Feast on him 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Believers are made Spiritual Priests Revel 1.6 and this is their Priviledge Honour and Happiness that they have an Altar to eat off Heb. 13.10 In the Times of the Law none might eat of a Sacrifice that was offered for their Sins if the Priest offered Sacrifice for his own Sins he might not eat of any part of it Levit. 8.10 11. those Sacrifices offered for Sin did not yield any Food or Sustenance to the Worshippers that brought them This did evidence and argue their weakness and imperfection that they could not feed or nourish those that brought them Levit. 6.30 it is ordained that no Offering whereof any of the blood is brought into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to reconcile withall in the Holy Place shall be eaten it shall be burnt in the fire But this is the Excellency of Christ's Sacrifice that though he was made Sin and a Trespass-offering yet we are called to Feed on and Eat his Body that was broken and Sacrificed for us Matth. 26.26 1 Cor. 11.24 25. There is still Food on Christ our Altar it is never empty The Altar was called God's Table Mal. 1.12 Ezek. 41.22 and the Sacrifice is called his Meat God did as it were Feed at
God by Isaiah tell us Isa 48.8 Thou wast called a Transgressor from the Womb. God might call us Backsliders Revolters Rebels and Enemies And is not our own Name both reproachful dangerous and pernicious too if we keep and retain it Is it not then absolutely necessary that we should lose our old Name and put on the Honourable and Glorious Name of Christ that we may be Justified in it 1 Cor. 6.11 The Apostle Paul hath this expression Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus The Apostle seems to me plainly to refer to the Name of Christ in the Text and to this Name as communicated to and put on the Church Jer. 33.16 in this Name of our Husband must we be Justified If our old Name stick on us and cleave to us we must surely be Condemned in this Name and the Wrath of God will abide upon us But Christ's Name will draw Salvation on us and procure a Blessing for us As a Husband must Cloath his Wife so Christ spreads the Skirt of the Robe of his Righteousness on and over us to hide our Shame and cover our Nakedness Ezek. 16.8 as a Husband is a cover to the Wife he protects her from Debts Arrests Law-suites so the Spouse of Christ is under Covert he secures her from the wofull effects of Sin and Wrath. 4. It is by Faith that we become interested in and related to Christ as a Surety Heb. 7.22 Christ is the Surety of a better Covenant and Testament If Jesus Christ had not undertaken to stand under feel and endure the curse of the Old violated Covenant of Works Deut. 27. last Gal. 3.10.13 and to Merit for us the Blessings of the New Covenant as a Priest of Good Things Gal. 3.14 Heb. 9.11 God would never have made a New Covenant or Tastament it is built on Christ's Suretyship as a Foundation Christ in this dissers from all other Testators that he Bequeaths nothing in his Testament but what he Merits by his Sufferings and purchases by his Death For whom is Christ a Surety And to whom doth the Benefit of Christ's Suretyship redound but to those that Believe on him their Ransom he paid their Debt he discharged As the Payment of a Surety is imputed to the Principal Debtor so the Payment of Christ is imputed to all Indebted Sinners that come to Christ and receive his Righteousness Rom. 5.17 it availes and advantages no others but God reckons Christ's Obedience and Satisfaction to every Believer Some have conceived * Witsus de Faedere that the word Imputation is borrowed from Arithmetick and keeping of Accounts God doth as it were keep a Book Isa 65.6 Behold it is Written before me Our Sins Transgressions and Provocations are as Debts set down in one Page of this Book and the Obedience Sufferings and Satisfaction of Christ is set down as it were in another Page of God's Book When God accounts the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ to us this Ballances the Account this Crosses the Book and makes all even between God and us God sets Christ's Obedience against our Disobedience his Righteousness against our Unrighteousness because we come into this Righteousness by Faith and trust on his Blood Psal 69.27 Rom. 3.25 God now saith Poor Souls let it be to you according to your Faith you trust in Christ's Righteousness 2. Pet. 1. so let it cloath and cover you and secure you from all your sins and the Curse of my Law As Christ is one with us in Nature as a Man so he is one with us in Law as a Surety Christ did put his Name into our Bond and was as a Surety bound in our Obligation that in a Righteous way he might blot our Sins out of God's Book and Insert our Names into his own Testament Jesus as a Surety vailed his own Innocency covered his own Personal Purity and Righteousness took on him our Sins became Heir of our Punishment and Curse that he might hide and cover our Sins and we become Heirs of his Righteousness and Blessings As the Sentence of Death passed against and was executed on Christ our Surety so we partake of Justification of Life and reign in Life through Jesus Christ Rom. 5.18 21. God punished our sins in Christ and God rewards Christ's Obedience and Sufferings in us Our Sins were punished in Christ's Condemnation his Obedience is rewarded in our Justification There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gift of Righteousness and for this there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free forgiveness of many Offences Rom. 5.16.17 This Glorious Name The Lord our Righteousness being put on us the Reproachful Chains of Guilt do fall off from us 4. Who is it that shall call Christ by this Name Answer 1. Such as know Jesus Christ John 5.20 He hath given us an understanding to know him that is true By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Isa 53.11 that is many by knowing of Jesus Christ shall be Justified Faith is called Knowledge because those that truly know Jesus Christ cannot but trust in him Psal 9.10 This is very observable that Christians are said to be Justified by the Knowledge of Jesus Christ it is not what we know in our selves or by our selves it is not by the knowledge of what we are or have done that we are Justified we must purely look off from our selves and wholly fix the eye of Faith on Christ Such as know the Insufficiency of their own Righteousness and the All-sufficiency of Christ's Righteousness do call him The Lord their Righteousness 2. Such as fly to Christ lay hold of him and do know their own Union with Christ and Relation to him such will say Surely in the Lord we have Righteousness Isa 45.24 A true Believer disclaims disavows and denies Righteousness to be in himself and Glories in this that he hath Righteousness in Christ 3. God may be said to call Jehovah our Righteousness when Jesus Christ is of God made Righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1.30 God the Father that Loaded Christ with our Sins Isa 53.6 he Clothes us with his Righteousness Isa 61.10 I will greatly Rejoyce in the Lord for he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness God gives Jesus Christ and with him gives his Righteousness Rom. 8.32 Quest Is not Repentance requisite in order to Pardon Isa 1.16 17 18. Wash you make you clean put away the euil of your doings cease to do evll and learn to do well Come now let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll He that confesseth and forsakes his sin shall find mercy Prov. 28.13 Let the sinner forsake sake his ways and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and be will have mercy upon him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon Isa 55.7 Answ Repentance is necessary in its place
us till the House of the Body is pulled down How else could it be said That the Body is dead by reason of sin Rom. 9.10 If we were perfect how could we die Doth it sute the Justice of God to pull and tare a perfect Creature in pieces and to deliver it up to Corruption If there be no sin within what is that which opens the Door and lets in Death If there be no Bonds of sin on the Soul how doth the Bondage of Corruption come on the Body God hath wisely ordered it that Persons shall not come to the Mark of Perfection till they also arrive at the Prize of Glory How Foolish and False is it for Persons to say they are perfect and yet have not attained to the Prize of Glory but are in a frail and miserable Estate God designs not that Persons shall be absolutely perfect in a Natural Body 1. That the Threatning may be fulfilled Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return Gen. 3.19 2. That Christians may have an Enemy to Wrestle and Conflict with whilst they are here Ephes 6.12 1 Tim. 6.12 3. That Believers may still act Faith on Jesus Christ and repair to him for Help Healing and Salvation God will not utterly take away the Fiery Serpents Satan and our Lust that we may resort to Jesus Christ for a continual Cure and Christ may never be out of date or use with us 1. Vse If Jehovah be the Righteousness of the Church this may reprove those that do not stop in or satisfie themselves with this Righteousness The Apostle Paul in Galat. 3.1 thus addresses himself to the Galatians O foolish Galatians Who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth as Crucified The Apostle Paul and others had drawn the Picture of Christ Crucified in beautiful and lively Colours he had described the Causes the Ends the Greatness and Grievousness of Christ's Sufferings and he wonders that any should darken their Minds and as it were bewitch their Eyes that they should not see the Loveliness and Excellency of this Glorious Object and comply with the Ends and Designs of Christ's Death Would Jesus Christ stoop so low Would he endure such hard and heavy things to have only a share in our Justification Shall any put in a joynt-stock with Christ Shall they contribute to their own Redemption and Justification Will Christ be a Partner only with our Works and Righteousness Shall a Crown be put on the head of the Creature as well as one set on the Head of Christ Is this the utmost product of all Christ's bitter Sufferings to do but half in our Justification Will not a Man both deceive and indanger himself that sets one Foot on a strong Bough and another on a rotten one Will not such an one fall So he that leans on Christ in part and on his own Righteousness in part will be frustrated and disappointed will miscarry and perish The Church is thus described as leaning on her Beloved Cant. 8.5 It is this Arm only that can support us and it is Christ's Righteousness that must keep us from sinking into Destruction How ignorant are Men of their Sins if they think these Waters are not so deep but they can Wade through them and not need Christ as an Ark to carry them over How blind are they that think their Wounds are not so dangerous but they can heal them or that Judge their Transgressions are not so heavy but they can cast in Religious Duties and Good Works enough to fetch up the Scale from the Ground and make a Compensation for their Offences and to Ransom themselves from Destruction The Papists here are highly guilty of darkening this Glorious Name of Christ and of Robbing him of the Honour of it they assert that a Man may do such Good Works before Justification that render it meet that God should give him Grace and that by Good Works done after Justification he may Merit Glory They affirm that we are Justified not by Forgiveness or not imputing our Trespasses as the Scripture saith 2 Cor. 5.19 but by the infusion of Righteousness into us Alensis saith that Justificatio est rectitudo liberi arbitrii that is it is the Reforming and Rectifying of Man's Free-will the bringing of the Soul to love God But this is a proud and false Doctrine in this as well as other Senses Rome is Egypt Revel 11.8 as it asserts a River of Inherent Righteousness below and that they need not that God should Rain an Imputed Righteousness on them as the Poet said of the Ground and Herbs of Egypt Nec pluvio supplicat Herba Jovi their Ground and Herbs did not Pray to Jupiter to send Rain A part of Egypt is satisfied with the River Nilus and hath no Rain as the Scriptures teach us Zech. 14.18 They think to climb to Heaven by a proud Babel of their own Building and not to ascend thither by the Ladder of Christ's Righteousness As this is a proud so it is a false Doctrine 1. It destroys the Parallel that the Apostle Paul makes between Christ's being made Sin and our being made Righeousness 2 Cor. 5.21 as Christ was made sin though he had not Inherent sin but only our sins Imputed to him so we are made Righteousness by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us though we have not a perfect Inherent Righteousness of our own 2. Nothing Justifies before God but a Perfect Obedience and Righteousness our own at best is not such therefore we need Christ's Righteousness Christ as applying himself to us is the efficient cause of our Righteousness and Christ as applied is the formal cause of it as Amesius in his Bellarminus enervatus excellently asserts 3. If we are Justified by an Inherent Righteousness of our own there would be no room pretence or colour for that Objection that the Jews and all Natural Men are ready to make against the Doctrine of Justification Shall we not sin then that Grace may abound Rom. 6.1 If God Justifies by pardoning our sins and not imputing our Trespasses then the more we offend then the more Glory Grace will have in forgiving our Iniquities and so we may let the Reins loose to our Lusts But if Paul did assert our Justification to be by infusing of Righteousness into us the more Righteousness is Infused into us the more we should be restrained from sin and the less need Mercy to Pardon our sins and there would be no colour for such an Objection as the Jews did raise from the Apostle's Doctrine 2. There are others that we own as Brethren and account as sound in the main of the Doctrine of Justification yet we may modestly enquire whether some of their notions or expressions are calculated to advance the Glory of Christ's Righteousness in the Justification of the Ungodly 1. They assert that Faith and Repentance are proper conditions of the Covenant of
Criminals are sowed up and sealed up in a bag to be produced at the Trial of an Offender so are the Sins of Men Job 14.17 So many Sins as Men have committed and are unpardoned so many witnesses have they provided against the day of their Trial. Jer. 14.7 O Lord our Iniquities testifie against us Read Isa 59.12 Our Sins are not only as dead records but as living witnesses not only as matter of accusation but as accusers they cry to Heaven to kindle wrath against us and pluck down vengeance on us Gen. 18.20 21. Sodom's Sins did cry to Heaven against it Little do Sinners think that they are daily filling Gods Book with complaints and accusations and filling his Treasury with Wrath and piling up Fuel to burn and Torment themselves It is nothing else but the speaking Blood of Christ that can stop the mouths of these witnesses and silence the clamours of their Sins 7. Every Sin deserves Eternal death Rom. 6. last Death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wages of Sin The word signifies Soldiers wages Luke 3.14 They that cleave to Satan as their General that stay in his Tents Fight on his side against God shall have Eternal death as wages paid to them Tribulation is due to the Body Anguish to the Soul and Conscience of every Transgressor Rom. 2.9 God will repay fury Isa 59.18 he will render anger to his adversaries Isa 66.15 8. Consider there is Judgement to come Heb. 6.2 God seeth all Mens Provocations Hos 5.3 Prov. 15.3 Jer. 13. last And he will be a swift witness against them Mal. 3.5 God hath not in vain Registred the Sins of Men the Book of God and the Eye of the Soul shall be opened no Sin shall be forgotten Amos 8.7 all shall be brought to light Eccles 11.9 1 Cor. 4.5 and be brought into Judgment Eccles 12.14 There will not only be a Resurection of Bodies but a Reviving and Remembrance of Sins If your Sins are not pardoned but remain before God's Face Psal 90.8 They will shortly be reviewed by God and set in order before your face Psal 50.21 If you inherit the Sins of your whole life Job 13.26 you will be Heires of Shame Misery and Eternal Torments 2. Motive Consider what great advantages we have in these times of the Gospel as to a participation of this Righteousness of God 1. It is now wrought out and perfected Jesus Christ hath been a Faithful High-Priest Heb. 2.17 And a Righteous servant Isa 53.11 God devolved the greatest trust on Christ and he undertook took the hardest and most noble work even to make Restitution to God for the wrong we had done him and to make Reconciliation for us to appease the Wrath we had provoked and to divert form us the Punishment we had deserved The Jews thought of old that their High-Priest was trusted with their greatest concerns and for fear he should be a Sadducee or out of heedlessness neglect any part of his Office on the day of Atonement they used Solemnly to swear him to a full and faithful discharge of his Office in the great Work of that day But our Lord Jesus Christ was by fervent love to his Father and his People Heartily and throughly engaged in this great Work he undertook and hath fully discharged it He glorified God on Earth he finished the Work he gave him to do John 17.4 He would not dye till he could say all was finished John 19.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How honourable a word is this to Christ And how Comfortable a word is this to us Jesus Christ as the slain Goat did bear our Sins and as the Scape-Goat he did bear them away As God did lay Sins on Christ Isa 53.6 so he purged them Heb. 1.3 and put them away He hath been a most Righteous servant to God his very Sufferings that in a Moral sence were Punishments yet in a Legal sence were Righteousness Jesus Christ is perfected himself Heb. 5.9 And he hath by one Offering for ever perfected us Heb. 10.14 There is signal evidence and demonstration that Jesus Christ hath finished his Work for he could not else have confidently commended and committed his Soul to his Father Luke 23.46 He would not else have been welcome to him and Received by him John 16.10 The World was to be convinced of Christ's Righteousness by this argument that he did go to the Father and they did see him no more on Earth How could he have ventured into the glorious Presence of God if he had not Righteously performed what he undertook Would not the Father have sent him back again into the World if he had omitted or left any thing undone But Christ saith he should be seen on Earth no more in the form of a Servant to do any Work in a state of Humiliation 2. The Father Raised him up from the Dead 1. Pet. 1.21 He Released our Surety out of the Prison of the Grave which he would not have done if the debt had not been fully paid Therefore an Angel came down from Heaven to roll away the Stone from Christ's Grave Matth. 28.2 This was an Officer from the great Judge of Heaven and Earth to free our surety and to evidence that God was satisfied and did allow Christ's Resurrection 3. The Father exalted Jesus Christ by his own right Hand Acts 5.31 And gave him Glory that we might be encouraged and emboldened from thence to act our Faith and hope in God 1 Pet. 1.21 4. Jesus Christ is sat down at the Right Hand of God in the Heavenly Sanctuary Heb. 1.3 Heb. 12.2 What an honour was this to our High-Priest to sit down in the true Holy of Holies When the High-Priest under the Law might not sit down in the Typical Holy of Holies And Christ's siting down did shew he had done his Work and might now take his rest This the Apostle makes the great difference between Christ and the Priests of the Law If they stood dayly Ministring and Offering Sacrifices that could never take away Sin But Christ When he had Offered one Sacrifice for ever be sat down on the Right Hand of God Heb. 10.11 12. The Priests of the Law did go on in their Ministry they stood Offering Sacrifices their Work was never at an end they could never sit down But Christ hath Finished his Work and therefore is sat down and expects that all his Enemies shall be made his Footstool Heb. 10.13 5. Jesus Christ as he is released so he Preaches the opening of the Prison to us Isa 61.1 God's Prison is not Forced or Broken but opened in a Righteous way our Ransom being paid Matth. 20.28 Christ therefore now comes to the Prison-door and saith to the Prisoners Come forth you that were hid in Prisondarkness now shew your selves and appear with boldness and confidence in the Heavenly Sanctuary Isa 49.9 2. The Righteousness of Christ is now brought Dan. 9.24 To bring Everlasting Righteousness Eternal Redemption is now
God's Throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles as burning fire God's Throne hath wheels to pursue Guilty Creatures a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him This is a dreadful description of God's Throne as a Tribunal of Justice But now as it is sprinkled with the Blood of Christ we have a most sweet discovery of it Revel 22.1 There is a pure River of Water of Life clear as Chrystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lamb and there is a Rain-bow round about the Throne Revel 4.3 signifying the flood of God's Wrath is abated and that Christ is near the Throne to prevent a condemning Sentence issuing out of it and a storm of Vengance falling from it 5. Jesus Christ's Blood is still speaking in Heaven and never silent Heb. 12.24 And this speaking Blood drowns the voice of the accuser and the cry of our Iniquities Christ's representing and pleading his Sacrifice in Heaven is his burning Incense before the throne Revel 8.3 to take away the stink of our Sins from the Nostrils of God 6. Christ by his death hath dedicated consecrated and confirmed a new Testament Heb. 9.15 16. The threatnings were in force before for our destruction but the promises could not be in force for our Salvation but by the death of Christ God might have confirmed his threatnings by our death but he hath confirmed his promises by the death of Christ How different is the Language of the Law and of the Gospel The Law saith where there is an Offence there must be of Necessity the death of the Offender But the Gospel speakes thus where there is a Testament there must of Necessity be the death of the Testator Though Christ seemed to die as a Malefactor in the eye of the World yet he died as a Testator in the eye of God and Believers Though he was emptied and impoverished stript of all of his Liberty Garments good Name and Life by his Enemies yet even then he did Bequeath all good things and died as a Testator to enrich others O! that Jesus Christ should as it were put himself out of Possession of all to put us into Possession of all good things Heb. 9.11 A Covenant could not be made between God and Sinners but by Blood Heb. 13.20 Those words may be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Shepherd of the Sheep great through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant That Shepherd was indeed great that by his blood could Establish an Everlasting Covenant Covenants used to be made by killing Sacrifices and cutting them in twain and the Covenanting persons passed between the pieces of the Sacrifices Gen. 15.9 10.17 18. Jer. 34.14 Now Christ the great Sacrifice was cut in twain his Soul and Body were Separated from each other and by our passing through the parts of his Sacrifice by Faith we pass as the Hebrew phrase is into Covenant with God Deut. 29.12 God might have torn us in pieces for our Covenant breaking Psal 50.22 But O! what Grace is this that Jesus Christ should be cut in twain for the Renewing of the Covenant between God and us Christ's Blood is of such efficacy that it makes the Covenant Everlasting always new It is styled a New Covenant Heb. 8.8 that which will never be Antiquated or Abrogated God hath now put his Covenant into the best and most Excellent form It was first a promise then a Covenant but now it is stiled a Testament God hath finished his Covenant-Dispensations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will finish or perfect a New Covenant It is so finished that there is never to be any other Edition of the Covenant Heb. 8.8 it hath its last and final Sanction it hath the strongest Confirmation by the Blood and Death of Jesus Christ God hath spoken in these last days by his Son Heb. 1.12 and there is nothing beyond this but seeing Face to Face Jesus Christ by his Righteousness hath Merited the application of his Blood and the bestowing of all good things on us this seems the fairest sence of those words in 2 Pet. 17. as they ly in our Translation Simon Peter to those that have obtained like precious Faith with us through the Righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ that is through the Mighty Merit of Christ's Righteousness the Elect obtain Faith it self the Spirit or Sanctification the New Heart these are the good things that our High-Priest brings Heb. 9.11 Christ having fulfilled to the Father his Promise in the Covenant of Suretyship and Redemption he gives to the Elect a right to all the Promises of the Covenant of Grace 8. This Righteousness of Christ gives us a Title and Right to the Heavenly Inheritance it is called Justification of Life Rom. 5.18 The Righteousness of God and his Kingdom are joyned together Matth. 6.33 God's Righteousness gives us a title to and a fitness for God's Kingdom Glory it self seems to be styled The Hope of Righteousness Galat. 5.5 This Righteousness of God gives us ground to hope for Heaven and the possession of it is Executive Justification in the fullness of it Ainsworth understands those words of the Psalmist as meant of imputed Righteousness Psal 17. last In Righteousness I will behold thy face This Righteousness of Christ assures us we shall see God's Face we must first come to the Fountain set open for sin and uncleaness that we may arrive at the Fountain of Life We must touch at the Purifying Fountain that we may have access to the quickening Fountain Psal 36.9 We must first draw Waters at the Wells of Salvation Isa 12.3 and then the Lamb will lead us to Living Fountains of Water and God will wipe all Tears from our eyes Rev. 7. last 4. Consider the great benefits that they obtain who have the Lord to be their Righteousness 1. They are not only Pardoned but Justified Pardon may be given by a Prince's Prerogative where there is no Compensation made for a wrong but Justification is properly by an Obedience given and satisfaction made to the Law Our Pardon is not only a Fruit of Mercy but an Act of Justice God is Just in Justifying Rom. 3.25 26. Blood is sprinkled on the Mercy-Seat Levit. 16.14 to intimate that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 God did not in a way of Sovereign Prerogative reconcile the World to himself He did it not alone by himself or by a meer act of his own Will but he was in Christ reconciling the World to himself Grace reigns but it is through Righteousness Rom. 5. last God is highly pleased by Christ he honoured God's Holiness by Obedience to the Commands of the Law and Glorified God's Justice by his enduring the Curse Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to them that believe Rom. 10.4 All that the Law could aim at or require is fulfilled in Christ he obeyed the Precept and felt the edge of the Threatning because Believers are
Justified in such a Righteous way therefore they may Glory Isa 45. last against all Accusations and Accusers against all Dangers and Threatnings 2. The Justified are Redeemed from the Curse and delivered from the wrath to come 1. They are Redeemed from the Curse by Christ's being made a Curse Gal. 3.13 The Apostle used the Abstract taking it from Deut. 21. last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is Hanged is the Curse of God God did take order for the Burying of him the same day that he was Hanged Deut. 21.22 23. Cocceius doth think that this very Law pointed at Christ and doth Teach us that Jesus Christ by bearing the Curse so abolished it that it was Buried with him the same day in his Grave As sin is covered and hid Psal 32.1 so the Curse also must be Buried out of God's sight 2. They are delivered from Wrath and that because Jesus Christ was delivered up to Sufferings and Death God delivered up Christ to Death Rom. 8.32 and therefore Jesus Christ can deliver us from Wrath 2 Thess 1. last The sins of the Elect met with Christ and fell on him with great violence the Reproaches of them that reproached God fell on him Rom. 15.3 The Ark was sitted to save Noah from the Flood that drowned others it was Pitched within and without Gen. 6.11 14. so that no water could come in So Christ was pitched within with a perfect sinless Righteousness and without with a spotless Obedience and so is able to protect us from the Deluge of God's Wrath. 3. Those that are Justified have peace with God and may dwell safe from the fear of evil Prov. 1. last As in the Text it is said Israel shall dwell safely The chastisement of our peace was laid on Christ We may put away our sins because God laid them on Christ It is a great thing to have Conscience purged from dead works Heb. 9.14 and to be purified from an evil Conscience Heb. 10.22 not to have Conscience as a continual accuser and tormentor Augustin in his Confessions saith He could remember his old sins without horrour A Man doth not fear a Cancelled Bond. The Israelites did not dread the drowned Egyptians when they saw them dead on the Sea-shore Exod. 14.30 The smart the anguish the burden of an accusing Conscience is not to be expressed I have Read of one Pausanias a Lacedemonian Captain that killed a Virgin that was brought to him but would not be exposed to his Lust After this Cruel Fact he was seized with such Horrour that though he being a Heathen himself had tried all the ways of Purification in use among them yet he could not recover any Peace but was a continual Terrour to himself Pausanias a Grecian Writer hath this History in his Laconica Varenius in his History of Japan cap. 5. tells us of one Angarus a Native of Japan that Murder'd a Man and was seized with such Terror and Anguish of Mind that he could not shake off or get rid of But hearing of a New Religion Taught in China and in the East Indies he took a Voyage and Sailed to meet with Francis Xavioeur that by his Instructions he might get some Healing of his wounded Conscience and was the first Instrument to bring the Christian Religion into Japan O! what an excellent Fruit is this of Christ's Blood to be delivered from the beginnings of Hell in Soul Torments and to have the First-fruits of Heaven in Spiritual Peace and Joy 4. Those that are clothed with Christ's Righteousness have a sure and permanent state of Justification so that new Acts of Guilt shall not subvert and destroy it or lay their Persons under the Sentence of Eternal Death There is a simple hatred and guilt and there is a hatred and guilt redounding on the persons of Offenders Believers by and for new acts of Sin deserve to be hated of and condemned by God but guilt and hatred do not redound on their Persons but fall on their Sins It is very observable that though Simeon and Levi had been guilty of heinous crimes in killing the Shechemites yet they being probably Good Men in the Main Jacob doth not Curse their Persons but Curses their Anger and their Wrath Gen. 49.7 this was so cruel that it might have brought a Curse on them but Jacob that was guided by the Holy Ghost layes the Curse on their evil and extravagant Passions but not on their Persons It is expresly said There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Jesus Christ can have no Accursed or Condemned Members such are passed from death to life and shall never come into Condemnation John 5.24 Jesus Christ hath Merited for Believers the Pardon of all their Sins and Christ still appears in the Presence of God to Answer Accusers and to prevent Condemnation Heb. 9.23 24. It would be very hard for any to assert that New Acts of Sin do stop or obstruct the Intercession of Christ for Believers If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 1 John 2.12 His Righteousness doth render his Intercession powerful and prevalent for their pardon the Lamb of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking away the sin of the World John 1.29 The Blood of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth cleanse away sin It is God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.33 that is Justifying or that Justifieth These three expressions do note a continued act of God and Christ that Christ is still taking away sin cleansing from it to distill Justifying Believers from their Iniquities The Israelites that were the Church of God had an Atoning Sacrifice day and dight Burning on the Altar Numb 16.9 Psal 50.8 which did not only signifie their continual need of Pardon that sin might not fix and settle on them but did also import the perpetual influence and efficacy of the Blood of Christ for the keeping of Believers in a Justified State and acceptance with God If by reason of wrong steps taken God ceaseth to Justifie and the Blood of Christ to speak on the behalf of offending Believers they must certainly be Condemned If the guilt of one sin redounds on the person and sticks on the Soul a state of Justification is destroyed For how can a Man be Justified and Condemned at the same time if every new sin redounds on the Person and shuts it up under Guilt Then how can there be any such thing as a state of Justification continuing one hour But it is said ordinary Infirmities are pardoned without explicit or particular acts of Repentance but it is not so with greater sins But should not persons do well to consider whether God hath two ways to pardon whether a General Repentance will serve to remove some Sins but a more particular Repentance is requisite that God may pardon more heinous and grievous sins if these affect the person and lay him under Condemnation till deeper Repentance and more
greatest Evils so he Swears again to assure us of the greatest good By my self have I Sworn saith God to Abraham that in Blessing I will Bless thee Heb. 6.13 14. Those to whom Christ is made Righteousness do also receive the Holy Spirit The clean Water of Christ's Blood and the Spirit do go together Ezek. 36.25.27 Tit. 3.5 1 Cor. 6.11 Psal 51.12 Some call the gift of the Spirit Executive Justification they mean that God executes the Sentence of Justification by bestowing the Spirit to break off our Chaines burn up our Dross purge away our Filth and make us free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 Though the Law of Sin be a strong and powerful Law to inslave us yet the Law of the Spirit of Life is more mighty to set us free as Jesus Christ by his Blood redeems us to be the Temple of God so by his Spirit he comes into his Temple takes Possession of it and fills it with his Glory As we live by the Sentence of Justification so Christ lives in us by the Spirit of Sanctification Gal. 2.20 The Spirit is given as a Tree of Life and all Graces are the Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 The Holy Ghost is given as the well of all Living Waters and Spritual streames John 4.14 John 7.37 38 39. By Faith we drink in the very Well it self and therefore Believers can never be totally dry He that Believeth on me shall never thirst John 6.35 Observe and compare the words of God the Father Zech. 13.7 with the words of the Church Cant. 4. last As God said once Awake O Sword against my Shepherd against the Man that is my Fellow smite the Shepherd so the Church now saith daily Awake O North wind and blow O South wind upon my Garden that the Spices of it may flow forth Because the Sword of Justice hath awaked terribly against Christ the Spirit may sweetly awake and blow on our Soules excite quicken and draw forth Grace into act and exercise Christ gives his people the Glory that the Father gave him John 17.22 Musculus understands this Glory to be the gift of the Holy Ghost The Spirit was on Christ Isa 61.1 and given to him John 3.34 And Christ communicates this glorious Spirit to his Members as the soul of the whole mystical body and this makes them one with the Father and the Son and perfects them in one because they participate of the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son and have by it a new divine Nature and do aim at design and seek the Glory of the Father and the Son as they do design their own Glory 6. The Prayers of Justified persons are acceptable to and powerful with God for the Spirit that testifies God's Grace to Believers doth make Intercessions in them As a Spirit of Grace it gives Encouragement to Prayer as a Spirit of Supplication it gives assistance in Prayer Zeck 12.10 Rom. 8.26 This is the Fire from Heaven that warms our cold hearts and kindles all our Sacrifices that they may flame upwards The Prayer of a Believer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 5.16 A deep in-wrought Prayer it is not born in the lips but springs from the Soul Luther on Genesis well expresses it it is not Spuma oris sed singulus cordis The Foam of the Mouth but the Throbbing and Sighing of the Heart The Holy Ghost breaths in Holy Affections and the Soul then breaths out holy desires and expressions Saints pray as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those that are possessed and acted mightily by the Spirit of God hence it is that they so strive and wrestle with God and their prayers are so much valued and desired by Christ Those are wonderful words Cant. 2.14 Christ saith to the Church Let me see thy face let me hear thy voice He that seeth his Father's Face above desires to see Petitioners Faces below He that hears the Songs the Hallelujahs of Angels of Saints in Heaven desires to hear the Voice the Suits of Believers on Earth And as their Prayers are desired so they are accepted The Prayer of the upright is God's delight Prov. 15.8 They Pray in Christ's powerful Name John 16.23 26. and he adds the Incense of his Merits to the Prayers of all Saints Rev. 8.3 and so takes away the Iniquity of their Holy Things The Altar had a Grate of Brass Exod. 27.4 the use of it was to separate the Earthy and Grosser part of the Sacrifice and to let the Ashes through So Christ is an Altar that hath a Grate he separates our sins our defects our weaknesses from our services yea he is the Altar on which our Offerings must be laid and that renders our Sacrifices acceptable to God Isa 60.7 It is said that the Offerings of Believers shall ascend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Good-Will my Altar God speaks and puts this glorious Name on Christ Good-Will my Altar What an encouragement is this to Saints that are Spiritual Priests to offer Holy Sacrifices seeing they have Good-Will for their Altar God is so pleased with and delights in Christ that he calls him Good-Will my Altar 7. All the outward and Temporal Mercies of Justified Persons are heightened and sweetened to them by the Spring from whence they flow and they have a new tast He delivered me saith David because he delighted in me Psal 18.19 In love to my Soul saith Hezekiah he hath delivered me from the pit of corruption having cast all my sins behind his back Isa 38.17 Even Temporal Mercies are Glasses in which they see their Father's Face and are Stairs or Ladders by which their Hearts are raised to God Jehoshaphat had an Established Kingdom Riches and Honour in abundance And what was the fruit and effect of this his heart was lifted up in the ways of God 2 Chron. 17.5 6. Earthly Enjoyments do usually fuel Men's Lusts but they fed and inflamed Hezekiah's Love to God they are to Carnal Men Weights that press them down the Prosperity of Fools doth destroy them Prov. 1.32 but through Grace they are Wings to raise Saints Souls to God Believers enjoy their outward Mercies by a Spiritual Right they have them by Promise Heb. 11.9 Canaan was the Land of Promise and Abraham was Heir to it by the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.13 Sacrifices were slain that Typified Christ and then God entred into a Covenant with Abraham gave and assured Canaan to him Gen. 15.8 9 10 17 18. Believers have a Right to Earthly things by God's Promise and Christ's Death who is the Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 Earthly things are but as Cyphers but God adds a great Figure to them to make them signifie something Gen. 17.8 I will give thee the Land of Canaan and I will be thy God they are to Believers but additional things as an over-plus cast into the Kingdom of God as the Principal Matth. 6.33 So the Country of Sihon and Og the King of
to resist and contradict the Law of God This was very strange and surprizing to Paul he was decived in this he thought the Law would have repressed beaten down and mortified Sin but it rather fortified it As a Man that doth not know the Nature of Burning Lime thinks by pouring a little water on it to quench it but when he seeth that this water makes it to burn more vehemently and fiercely How would he as amazed cry out How am I deceived that the water should increase the Fire that I thought would extinguish it So the Law doth not weaken Sin but rather strengthen it and render it more violent 4. The Law punishes every Sin with Death Every Lust is mortal every wrong step is fatal and corrupt Fruit is pernitious and destructive Though Ismael might be guilty of many other offences yet for a weighty reason Moses mentions but one and that was his mocking at Isaac and for this he was cast out and cast off Gen. 21.8 9 10 11. Ismael was Hagar's Child and so a Type of them that cleave to the Covenant of Works The Law Curses for every act of Disobedience Deut. 27. last One offence according to the Covenant of Works is enough to undo and Ruin a Man to Eternity 5. There is no access to God by the Covenant of Works When the Law was given Bounds were set about Mount Sinai to keep off the people of Israel they were charged not to break through Death was denounced as the Punishment of those that touched the Mountain Exod. 19.12.13.21 The people therefore removed and stood a-far off Exod. 20.18 None of the other Priests or Worshiping Israelites might enter into the Tabernacle till Atonement was made for their Sins by Aaron the High-Priest Levit. 16 17. But after that Sacrifices were Slain Offered and their Blood Sprinkled on the Altar and the People then Moses Aaron and Seventy of the Elders of Israel ascended Mount Sinai and saw the Glory of the God of Israel Exod. 24.4 5 6 7 8 9 10. These Sacrifices were but Types of Christ's Death he died the Just for the Unjust to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 else we are shut out of the Glorious Presence of God and cut off from all Gracious and Blessed Communion with him God is not accessible by the Covenant of Works guilty Creatures are kept off from him 6. The Law genders to Bondage Galat. 4.22 a Spirit of Bondage to Fear attends it Rom. 8.15 as Hagar and Ismael had a slavish Fear of Abraham as a Master rather than a Conjugal Love to him as a Husband or a Filial Love to him as a Father Those under the Covenant of Works are still doubting of God's Favour questioning his Love dreading of his Wrath They do not know whither Death will carry them and where Judgment will fix them and therefore through the Fear of Death they are all their Life-time subject to Bondage Heb. 2.15 the fear of the evil that is future doth embitter to them all present Good The Law was given in such a Manner that it was designed to strike Fear and Terror into Sinners The Israelites were then alone with God in the Wilderness separated from all other Nations This might intimate that God and the Sinner shall be alone together and all pleasing Company and delightful Enjoyments shall be shut out The Thunder did roar in their Ears and the Lightning did flash and flame in their Eyes and the Earth did tremble under their Feet Exod. 19.16 18. Whither shall a Guilty Sinner betake himself when the Heavens do threaten Vengeance over his head and the Earth seems sinking under his feet The Mountain did burn with fire Exod. 19.16 18. with Deut. 5.23 this did represent the fiery Throne of God and his burning Wrath wherewith as a Judge he is Armed to punish and destroy those that trust in their Works and will have to do with God according to the Covenant of Works But though the Mountain did burn yet it was not consumed So guilty Creatures shall burn in the fire of God's Wrath yet never be consumed or cease to be There was Blackness Darkness and Tempest Heb. 12.18 These pointed at the perplexed state of a Sinner the horrour and consternation of the Soul when God the Judge doth shew his Justice and Wrath for the Violation of the Condition of the Covenant of Works O what black darkness will cover Sinners O what a Terrible Storm and Tempest will one day be raised in and fall upon their Souls The sound of the Trumpet that was exceeding loud Exod. 19.19 Heb. 12.19 did signifie that Sinners must be cited to and presented before the Tribunal of God neither can any decline or avoid appearing before God's Justice-Seat Yet the Apostle calls this Mount Sinai a Mountain that was in it self Tangible or might be touched that so it was an Earthly and Material Mountain because the Dispensation of the Law and Covenant of Works is but a low Dispensation A Natural Man may Touch and Reach this that God will inflict evil on those that rebel and do evil When as the Covenant of Grace is a Spiritual and Invisible Mountain far above the reach and comprehension above the sight and ken of a Natural Man And what did all this Terror in giving the Law tend to but to raise a Spirit of Bondage in sinners and by Fear to drive and force sinners to some External Obedience to the Letter of the Law which yet they perform with Regret and Reluctancy and not with Love and delight 7. There is no enjoyment of the Eternal Inheritance by the Law the Bond-woman and her Son were to be cast out Galat. 4.20 21. Gen. 21.8.10 Ismael was not admitted or allowed to be an Heir with Isaac He did not Inherit Abraham's Rich Estate Moses could not bring the Israelites into or give them possession of the Land of Canaan this Joshua the Type of Christ did Hagar and Ismael were turned out with a small pittance they had but a few Loaves and a Bottle of Water It may seem strange that Rich Abraham should provide no better for his Wife and Child but there was a Mystery in it it served to instruct us that those that are of the works of the Law cannot be Heirs of Heaven cannot possess any Spiritual Riches or an Eternal portion in Glory but are put off with Temporary Momentary Comforts and Enjoyments What are the best things that this World affords What are Earthly Riches Honours or Pleasures compared with an Eternal Happiness they are but as a few Loaves of Bread and a Bottle of Water When Hagar and Ismael were turned out they wandered in a Wilderness Gen. 21.14 O what a difference was there between the plenty and abundance of Abraham's Family and the wants of a Barren Wilderness The World it self is but a Wilderness compared with the Paradise of God Revel 2.7 A Legal state under the Covenant of Works What is it but a wretched
How much are Men dismayed and terrified at the Thoughts of Death Therefore they are very unwilling to step beyond Death in their thoughts or to Travel into Eternity in their Meditations They Fear to meet with a terrible Host of Sins an Ocean of Wrath a Lake of Fire and Brimstone They bode no good to themselves at their departure out of this World God the great Creditor Records their debts and Conscience his Officer doth sometimes charge them and arrest their Souls They have no Spiritual Balsom then to heal their wounds No arm to lean on to support their Souls None to roll away the Burden of their Guilt to pacify or quiet their accusing and condemning Conscience To Bail them when they are arrested for a debt of Ten thousand Talents they cannot look inward but they see an Evil Treasure and a Conscience loaded with Dead Works They cannot look upward but they see God's frowning Face and Fiery Throne They cannot look forward but they see a deep pit a dark Prison and Revenging Justice armed for their destruction The Covenant of Works is a continual Root of doubts and feares Legalists are still questioning and asking Who shall descend into the Deep to satisfy them That the Gates of Hell are shut that they shall not enter by and pass through them into the Regions of Darkness and Misery Or they inquire Who shall ascend up to Heaven to assure them that the Doer of Heaven is open to let them into Glory Rom. 10.6 7. They have still perplexed minds and anxious thoughts they cannot see themselves secured from a Miserable or assured of a Blessed Eternity They fear they shall make a ruining and undoing change be totally Shipwrackt and cast away Body and Soul for ever They cannot totally suppress the thoughts of Eternity or Comfortably entertain them They can neither stupify nor pacifie Conscience How often are Sinners terribly awakened and alarm'd when Death looks them in the Face O! what a bitter cry of Destruction do they then lift up Isa 15.5 All their Sins as the adversaries of Zion once did Lam. 1.31 do overtake them between the Straits when they walk through the narrow Valley of the shadow of death as Jesus Christ himself was in an Agony near his end Luke 22.44 When he saw what an Host of Infernal Enemies he must Fight through what an Ocean of Wrath he must Swim through this put him into a Bloody sweat When he beheld the Frowning Face of God the Fiery Throne and the Flaming Sword of Justice this drew strong Cryes and Teares from Christ Heb. 5.7 So if Sinners be not stupified if they see themselves going to an Eternal execution that they will be ever Suffering and never die That there will still be Food for an Everlasting Worm and Fuel for an Eternal Fire This will fill them with Consternation and Horrour Condemned Transgressors must bear their Iniquities yet cannot stand or bear up under this load They cannot stay yet dare not to depart they cannot hide yet are not fit to appear they must stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 yet cannot stand in the Judgement Psal 1.5 They must appear before that Tribunal Cor. 5.10 where yet they cannot Confidently or Comfortably appear 1 Pet. 4.18 They dread the next step they shall take when out of the Body where their Lot will fall and what their Treatment will be to Eternity Beleivers indeed do confidently commit and commend their Soules into the Hands of their Redeemer Psal 31.5 But wicked Men full sorely against their wills must fall into the Hands of an angry Creditor and of an inexorable Judge Heb. 10.31 They must answer for their own Sins there is no other to pay their Debts Satisfie for their Offences Plead for their Reconciliation All their Iniquities will overtake them in another World and meet them at the Tribunal of God None of them are blotted out or passed over God hath Sworn by himself he will never forget any of them Amos 8.7 God will open the Treasury of his Wrath and shut up the Bowels of his Mercy he will remember Iniquity and therefore forget to be Gracious God will enter into Judgement with Sinners and stand up to plead against them Isa 3.13 14. Delinquents must appear Criminals must be brought unto Judgement Eccles 11.9 and all their thoughts words and actions must appear and be brought into Judgement Eccles 12. last God will pass a Just Condemning Sentence and terribly Execute it on them As the Sun was Eclypsed and darkness covered the Earth when Christ Died so the Gracious Countenance of God will be Eternally Eclypsed towards Sinners Christ met with Affronts Indignities Blowes before the Tribunal of Men And what must Sinners look for at the Tribunal of God Jesus Christ was denied any refreshment when he thirsted So Sinners shall not obtain a drop to cool their scorched tongues Luke 16.22 23 24 25. As the Waters did persue all that were out of the Ark till they were drowned So Sin shall hunt persue find out and overtake Sinners for their Eternal Destruction Psal 140.11 Ezek. 35.63 Numb 2.23 All that is grateful and sweet in the being of Sinners shall be consumed yet they themselves shall still exist to suffer more Punishment and Torment God's Controversie with Sinners will never be at an end His Sword will never be sheathed The dreadful storm of Vengeance will never cease God's Eternity will be dreadful for he ever lives to punish and the Soul 's own Immortality will be terrible to it For it shall ever exist to be punished So that Sinners would rather sleep in the dust for ever than to have a Resurection to Condemnation John 5.28 and had rather be annihilated than suffer the Vengeance of Eternal Fire If departing Souls did see whither they were going and know what they must suffer Would not their Chambers sound with these dreadful words We must dwell with Everlasting Fire we must inhabit with Eternal Burnings 8. It is bad not to have Christ to be our Righteousness if we consider how many foolish devices sinners seek out to quiet and ease their Consciences and yet by all these they do but delude and cheat their Souls Some Fast often eat course Food wear Hair-cloth Whip themselves severely lie on the Ground Those that have not rest in Christ they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are still walking about in devices and inventions of their own Heb. 13.9 to pacifie God the Judge and to bribe Conscience his Officer How woful is the Case of some ignorant Protestants of the blind Papists of the deluded Jews the deceived Mahumetans and Heathens Papists think by severity and cruelty to their Bodies to expiate the sins of their Souls Some go in Pilgrimage to the Images of Saints some build Churches and Chappels and appoint Priests to Pray for their Souls while they live in Sensual Pleasures and serve their Lusts Some endow Religious Houses with Lands that
Masses may be said and Supplications made for their Souls * Dr. Addison of the Customs of the Jews in Barbary The Jews in the begining of the New Year do run into Rivers and there think to wash away their Sins if they see a fish in the water they will shake themselves and as it were endeavour to unlade their sins on the Fish that he may swim away with them On the day of Atonement the Men break the neck of a Cock and the Women of a white Hen as if those Birds should bear and expiate their Sins Some of the Jews as Buxtorf relates in his Synagoga Judaica do offer this Cock to the Devil to Bribe him that he may not Accuse them or hinder their Prayers When a Jew is sick and dying the Rabbi changes his Name and then Prays for him that if God were offended with one that did bear the first Name that yet he would be pacified towards him that now passes under a New Name as if the change of a Sick Person 's Name did make him another Person Indeed the Sinner must change his Name that he may be Pardoned but it is Christ's New Name that must be put on him that he may be Justified 1 Cor. 6.11 Yet these things do not quiet the Minds of the Jews but when they come to die they Pray to God That their Death may be the Expiation of all their Sins But how foolish is this to put their own Death in the room and place of Christ's Death Yet this doth not allay their Fears they further own that all or many of them must suffer pains in another World for Eleven or Twelve Moneths and that they need the help of their Living Friends to Pray them out of this place and pains The Bannians in the East-Indies are Baptized in the River Ganges for the cleansing away of their Sins as Mr. Lord relates in his History some do bring the Dead Bodies of their Friends ten days Journey or more to wash them in the River Ganges that they may be purified from guilt others do stand in painful postures with one Leg up others do Vow they will never eat any thing but what they find on the High-way There is a Tree in the East-Indies which the Natives do call Adam's Tree on the Boughes of it they do hang up sharp Irons much like such as our Butchers do hang dead Beasts on the Boughs of the Tree being low they leap up with their Naked Bodies against these Iron Hooks and if they do take hold of their Flesh they hang on them till the weight of their Bodies doth tear them off from these Iron Hooks this they do as they pretend to Expiate Adam's Sin in eating of the Forbidden Fruit. These things Tavernier Relates in the History of his Travels in the East-Indies The Mahometans do Fast go on Pilgrimage to Mecha to Mahomet's Tomb they draw Water out of a Well there and in the Water of it they think they Wash away all their sins Many more of such Foolish Inventions and Practices I could Instance in at what painful or costly service or suffering will an Awakened Sinner stick to pacifie God's Wrath and to be rid of the Fear of Eternal Torments But there is no other Shadow for Scorched or Rest for Weary Souls but in Jehovah our Righteousness I shall now give some Directions how Persons may be driven to seek Righteousness in Christ and partake of it through him 1. We must consider that we have to do with God We must appear before his Tribunal and be weighed in his Ballance we must not as Hypocrites only look at the Eye Judgements and Praise of Men Luke 16.15 Ye are they which justifie your selves before Men sought honour one of another John 5.44 but it is to God that you stand or fall he weigheth Spirits Prov. 16.2 He searcheth the heart and trieth the reins Jer. 17.10 Men may commend a fair Shew a Beautiful Tomb of out-side Religion when God seeth the Dead Souls and rotten hearts that is underneath Mat. 23.27 Acquaint your selves with the Holiness Purity and Justice of God God is a pure Light as he is Holy and a consuming Fire as he is a Just God He takes pleasure in Uprightness he hates Iniquity the Foolish shall not stand in his sight Evil shall not dwell with him Psal 5.45 An Hypocrite shall not come before him Job 13.16 He will not clear the Guilty Exod. 34.61.17 or Justifie the Wicked Prov. 17.15 He not only weighs the Actions 1 Sam. 23. but he also weighs the Spirits of Men Prov. 16.2 He hath Eyes that are exceeding pure Hab. 1.13 His eyes also are as a flame of Fire Revel 2.18 to espy the secret filth of Hypocrites God is Jealous of his Honour and Glory Nahum 1.2 He is a consuming fire to Impenitent Unbelieving Sinners We have to do with God are to present our selves in his sight and at his Tribunal The Righteous Judge of the World cannot be blinded will not be Bribed or Byassed Shall I count them pure with the wicked Ballances Micaah 6.11 Should I receive comfort in these corrupt Idolatrous Services Isa 57.6 God will not pervert Judgment accept or approve what Sinners would impose and obtrude upon him Will God allow a Faulty and Defective Righteousness Will he admit and impute it for a Full Perfect and Satisfactory Righteousness Will any other Righteousness but our Saviour Christ's please God's Eye weigh in his Ballance or be pleaded at his Tribunal Those that have not this Righteousness will be rejected as Reprobate Silver Jer. 6. last 2. Study the Purity Spirituality and Perfection of the Law of God The Law of the Lord is perfect Psal 19.7 The Word of God is very pure Psal 119.140 The Commandment is exceeding broad Psal 119.96 Though we may find out the utmost perfection that is in the Creature yet we cannot discover the depth and breadth of the Law of God We cannot say we have found out the utmost of Duty that the Law requires or the utmost of that Transgression and Iniquity that the Law forbids and condemns it obliges to the height of Love to God and forbids the least and lowest Lust to the prejudice of Men Matth. 22.37 39. Rom. 7.7 The first and last Commands do eminently discover the admirable purity and perfection of the Law of God Can you Answer Obey Stand before this perfect Law of God Should not the Terrible Trumpet of the Law Exod. 19.16 cause you to prize and long for to hear the sweet Trumpet of the Jubilee Levit. 25.9 The Law was not given to stop or detain us in it self but to drive us to Christ This was the Glory of the Law yet this Glory of it was Vailed and hidden from the Jews This was intimated by the Vail on Moses his Face The Jews did not see God's end in giving the Law 2 Cor. 3.13 God did not intend to Justifie us but to Accuse and Condemn us by
followed and an Execution have taken hold of us It is God's Right and Royal Prerogative That his Will should be our Supream Law and his Glory our last End but how have we debased God to exalt our selves how have we as it were spoiled him of his Soveraignity and justled him out of his Throne to establish our wicked wills and obtain an absolute unlimited and an independent liberty But Jesus Christ died to make satisfaction for the wrong Man had done God Psal 69.4 Then restored I that which I took not away The first Adam affected to be as God in Knowledge and Independency the second Adam was condemned for saying he was the Son of God Mat. 27.64 65 66. and making himself equal with God John 5.18 John 10.36 So Christ paid the Debt he did not contract and pacified the Wrath be did not provoke And how much should pardoning mercy engage our hearts to God The best of men are but reconciled Enemies released Prisoners pardoned Malefactors What mercy is it that he who seeth our sins with indignation should yet himself cover them in mercy Jer. 13. last Psal 85.2 That the God that wrote down sin Isa 65.6 should himself blot it out Isa 43.25 Sin is a terrible writing it self and it draws after it another more dreadful writing Job 13.25 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the sins of my Youth The Sentence of Death did use to be written and then read to Criminals Sin recorded will procure a written Sentence of Condemnation Punishment is the Eccho of sin In this sense Sanctius takes the Hebrew word Isa 59.12 Our sins answer to us How bad will it be to possess the sins of Youth The word rendred Youth Job 29.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also Reproach It is too often that Youth is perverted so that it is a Reproach to God and to us too How necessary therefore is a Pardon to cross God's Book cancel our Bond and reverse the Sentence of Death God that wounds us with the threatnings of his Law heals us by the stripes of Christ He received Wounds that God might be Just in justifying them that believe in Jesus Rom. 3.25 26. How gracious is God that at once removes from us the Incentives of Wrath and presents to us the Fuel of Love Luke 7.47 48. How precious should Justification be to us that hath a sweet retrospect to Election and as accompanied with a comfortable prospect of Glory Whom God predestinated and called them he justified Thus we may with admiration look back And whom God justifies them he glorifies Rom. 8.30 And so we may with Joy look forward Pardon springs from everlasting Love flows to and issues in eternal Life What Thankfulness therefore doth it call for If he justifies we are no more to fear Crimes past so they are no more to go on in sin for time to come Hath not Christ born sufferings enough on the Cross that men will load him with new Affrints and Provocations Those do not think Christ's Sufferings to be bitter and heavy that can make light of and take delight in sin The Heart is to be Christ's habitation Eph. 3.17 and not the receptacle of any sweet and secret Lust We that daily need mercy should not daily provoke anger As the work of Creation is attended with providence which is a continual Creation so the new pardon we need and God bestows is a continual Justification as the Creation would sink without a day by providence to uphold it so Justification would cease without a daily pardon to continue it There may be a Pardon before a Trial to prevent Condemnation as well as a pardon after Sentence to hinder Execution That the Blood of Christ which meritoriously purged sin on the Cross Heb. 1.3 may be applied to you and sprinkled on you to purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God is the unfeigned and servent desire of Your Lordship 's most Humble and Obliged Servant SAMVEL TOMLYNS Hilcot July 1. 1696. A SERMON PREACHED On the late Fast on the 26th Day of June 1696. PSAL. LI. 9. Hide thy Face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities IN the Text we have the Psalmist's Petition for Pardon but it may be objected 1. What need had David to beg Pardon had not God given it already Nathan told David the Lord had put away his iniquity 2 Sam. 12.13 I answer Though God had pronounced the Sentence of Justification by his Prophets yet it seems not to be pronounced in and sealed to David's Conscrence by the Spirits Peace is the Fruit of the Lips as spoken by God's Ministers yet it is the Effect of the Spirit as created in the Soul by it Isaiah 57.19 The Priest did use to sprinkle the Leper Lev. 14.7 But though David looked on himself as a Spiritual Leper yet he was not satisfied with the Priest's sprikling him with the Blood of the Sacrifice but he sues to God himself to sprinkle him with the Blood of his Son the thing signified so it is not enough for Ministers in God's Name to pronounce Pardon but the Spirit must Ratify it and Establish Peace in the Soul else the storm will not cease the wound be healed the burden be removed and the Soul land at the Port of Assurance The Psaimist in the Text doth in an humble way Address to God That he would hide his Face from his Sins and blot out his Iniquities he doth imply that if God's Eye was fixed on his Sins his Anger might be fired by them there was Fuel for God's wrath if God would but behold it there was matter enough for Accusation cause enough for Condemnation if God would but read it but he begs God would turn away his Face and shut his Eyes not observing or imputing what would be destructive to him the latter expression in the Text enlarges and encreases the Sense and heightens the Mercy he doth not only Pray that God would hide his Face from his Sins but that he would blot out all his iniquities A Man may turn away his Face from an Object and yet the thing still remain as it was and be as visible as legible as before but David sues to God not only to hide his Face from seeing sin but that he would so blot it out that it may not any more be visible legible or remain to be imputed Doctrine Awakened humbled Souls do cry for this as the most valuable Mercy that God would hide his Face from their Sins and blot out all their iniquities But what is it for God to hide his Face from Sin Answer It is not to see and observe it with the Eye of Vindictive Justice So it is said God doth not behold Iniquity in Jacob nor see Perverseness in Israel Numb 23.21 God passes by Sin as if he did not see it Mic. 7.18 and he passes over the sinner as if he did not observe his iniquity God covers
all their sin Psal 55.2 that it may not be seen he remembers it no more that it may not be Pnnished Jer. 31.34 Quest But how can such a request be made to God How can he hide his Face from Sin Is this Practicable For 1. God is Omniscient he seeth all the Neighings Lewdness Whoredoms of Souls Jer. 13. last Prov. 15.3 2. God is Holy and hath a most pure Eye Heb. 1.6 13. tho he cannot behold Evil with Approbation yet he must needs behold it with indignation as it provokes his Glorious Eyes Isa c. 3. v. 8. 3. God is a Just God he is not regardless of his Honour careless of his Glory but he is said to be Jealous and Furious Nahu 1.2 He hath quick lively warm Resentments of what grates on his Authority and affronts his Majesty he beholds mischief and spite to requite it with disdain Psal 10.14 As he is the Judg of the whole World vengeance belongs to him Psal 49.1 2. Answer God could not hide his Face from our Sins if there were not a most pleasant grateful lovely Object provided towards which he might turn his Face and on which he might fix his Eye on Mountebul where the Curises of the Law were pronounced there the Law was written on Stones Plaistered over and there an Altar was Built and Burnt-Offerings presented to God Deut. 27.2 35.6 and we have the Truth of both in Christ the Law is written in his Heart Psal 40.8 and he gave himself an Offering a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God Ephes 5.2 and this Sacrifice did smell the sweetest in God's Nostrils because it was bound only with Cords of Love and burnt in Flames of Love Jesus Christ is the True High-Priest Exod. 28.36 38. that was perfectly sanctified purely and absolutely devoted to God Holiness to the Lord was engraven on Christ's Heart and was written on all his Actions impressed on his whole Life and when he died for our sins he rose again for our Justification and ascended up to Heaven and appears in the glorious presence of God continually Heb. 9.23 24. He hath sprinkled the Tribunal of Justice with his Blood and burns Incense continually before his Throne God may turn his Face towards this Grateful and Lovely Object and behold it with Complacencv and Delight Isa 42.1 Matth. 3.17 Christ's Undertaking as a Surety was the very Foundation of this Petition Hide thy Face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities Sins must be covered with somewhat that they might not be seen and what could this be but the Righteousness of our Mediator Iniquity must be blotted out with something and what is that but the Blood of our Surety and Sacrifice Quest But why is it so desirable and valuable a mercy for God to hide his Face from our sins and to blot out our iniquities I shall answer to each of these distinctly Answ 1. It is most desirable that God would hide his Face from our sins For First It is a most dreadful Evil for God to set our sins before him for them to be remembred by him and to be continually before him Psalm 109.14 15. This is there mentioned as the most terrible Imprecation Moses sadly complains thus Psalm 90.8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance It is sweet for Souls to walk in the Light of God's countenance Psalm 89.15 but it is dreadful for sin to be set in the Light of God's countenance for God to use and exercise his Omnisciency to view sin well to countemplate to the utmost the Evil the Filth the Deformity that is in it and all the Aggravations of it and to set all in a full clear and perfect Light Here are Two Expressions our sins and our secret There is no more in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but our secret Chemnitius in Exam. Concil Trident. cap. de pec Orig. doth by our secret understand Original Sin Though the Fruits of it are Evident and Notorious to the World yet the Root is secret and hidden to most in the World One Butler that lived in London and was for Murder Condemned to Death being discoursed with in Newgate by Alderman Titchborn did ingenuously confess he was an utter stranger to Original Sin he knew nothing of it till he was by the Alderman instructed about it Taking the words of Moses in this sense this Interpretation is to be given That God took a full View both of Original and Actual Sin of the Root and its Fruits of the Fountain and all its Streams of the evil Treasure that is in the Heart and all the Corrupt Thoughts Words and Actions that were as Pieces Coined out of it God observes also the actual Sins that are Secret to and hid from Men that are either wholly concealed or palliated and flourished and painted over with specious excuses and pretences Hos 11.7 Tho there be a Beautiful Tomb of Professions above yet he seeth the corrupt rotten Heart that is underneath Matth. 23.37 Yea God seeth which way the Heart doth hang and sway before sin is actually conceived and brought forth Deut. 31.21 I know saith God their imagination which they go about even now before I have brought them into the Land God did know the Bent the Bias the Propension and inclination of the Israelites Hearts toward Idolatry before he brought them into Canaan he knew what they would be and do This God did set in the light of his Countenance Now it is Terrible for God thus to set sin before him For 1. Sins thus set before his Face do provoke him to turn away and hide his gratious Countenance from Sinners Deut. 31.18 I will surely hide my Face in that Day for all the Evils they have wrought He doth threaten the same Deut. 32.20 If God doth but turn away his Face Enemies will break in upon us and Evils will over-whelm us Ezel 7.22 Yea by our Sins we deserve forever to be cast away from God's Gracious and Glorious Presence Cast me not away from thy Presence saith David Psal 51.11 2. Sin set before God's Face doth provoke God's Anger against the Soul it kindles Displeasure against the sin and it stirs up God to pour it out on the sinner Ezek. 38.18 My Fury came up into my Face Fury may be kept secret some time in God's Heart but it will come up into his Face and be openly manifested and expressed by the Judgments inflicted by his hand 1. God will set his Eyes on sinners for Evil Amos 9.8 Behold the Eyes of the Lord are on the sinful Kingdom to destroy it from off the Earth Psalm 34.16 The Face of the Lord is against them that do Evil to cut off the Remembrance of them from off the Earth 2. God will remove sinners out of his sight Jer. 15.1 Cast them out of my sight Jer. 23.39 I will cast you out of my presence 2 Kings 17.23 The Lord removed
Israel out of his sight and cast Judah and Jerusalem also out of his presence 2 Kings 24.20 And God removed Judah out of his sight 2 Kings 24.3 because the King and the People did evil in his sight 2 Kings 24.9 19. They were not cast out of the sight of God's Omniscient Eye but from the Eye of his gracious and Fatherly Providence 3. God will at last Rain a Hell from his Angry Face 2 Thes 1.9 Those that known not God and obey not the Gospel shall be Punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Face of the Lord the same Face shall shine a Heaven of Happiness into the Souls of the Saints and shall Frown an Hell of Misery into the Souls of the Wicked 2. If God hide his Face from our Sins Love will come up into his Face and look out at his Eyes on Believers and Saints Psal 4.6 Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance on us the Love that was secret and hidden in the Heart comes up into his Face and is manifested to and shed abroad in the Hearts of Believers by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 Cant. 8.10 I found Favour in his Eyes Love and Kindness sparkles in and looks out from the Eyes God looks with a pleasing Countenance on his People the Spiritual Day doth break and Dawn and the Sun of Righteousness doth Arise and Shine in the Hearts of Believers Malachy 4.2 Psa 130.5 6. and the Countenance of God is said to behold the upright Psal 41. last that is with complacency and delight he withdraweth not his Eyes from the Righteous Job 36.7 He sets his Eyes on them for good Jer. 24.6 I will set mine Eyes on them for good If Sin be not set before God's Face God may take good out of his Treasury for us and bestow it on us Hos 14.2 yea God will set us before his Face for Ever Psal 41.12 That we may still dwell in his Presence Psal 140. last and behold his Face in Righteousness Psal 17. last Psal 16. last 2. It is most desirable for God to blot out all our Iniquities for 1. It is the most dreadful Evil and Curse that can be wished for Sin not to be bloted out Psal 109.14 Let not the Iniquity of his Mother be blotted out 2. If God do not blot out Iniquitie he may by sudden Judgement and sore Vengeance blot persons out of the Land of the Living Gen. 7.4 Every Living Substance that I have made I will destroy in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will blot out Corrupt Men are Evil lines of being and it is said It repented God that he had made Man on the Earth it greived him at his Heart Gen. 6.5 Man is so cross and contrary to the very end of his Creation that God did blot out the Old World of Men by the Flood if Men are bloted out of the World in their Sins Where must they be lodged but in a miserable Eternity 3. If we consider what Sin is What a valuable Mercy is it for it to be bloted out 1. It is a mist a thinner or a thicker Cloud according to its Nature and aggravations Isa 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy Transgressions and as a Cloud thy Sins Sin is as a hiding Cloud it hinders the light of God's Countenance from shining on us Isa 59.2 Your Sins have hid his Face from you 2. It is as a storming Cloud Psal 11.6 The Lord will rain Fire and Brimstone on the Wicked this shall be the portion of their cup. If Men suffer here They are cast into the hand of their Transgression Job 8.4 In the Hebrew it is That God did cast Job's Children into the hand of their Transgression If their Iniquities are punished hereafter they do for them fall into the hands of God Heb. 10.31 2. Sin is a debt Matth. 6.12 Forgive us our debts These debts are recorded in the Creditor's Book God saith Behold it is written before me Isa 65.6 and it is registred also in the debter's Book Jer. 17.1 It is written it is graven that is the Sin of Judah on the Table of their Heart Sin is called a debt because the Sinner owes God Glory to be raised out of his Sufferings and Eternal Torments And it is desirable this debt should be blotted out to prevent God's arrest and our Eternal Imprisonment 3. Sin is a crime a capital crime and that which is kept safe as matter of accusation against the Sinner It is as it were sowed up in a bag Job 14.17 As the depositions of Witnesses and the confessions of Malefactors are kept safe against the Assizes and day of Trial. Yea Mens Sins are sealed up among God's Treasures Deut. 32.34 God speaks of the Israelites bitter and corrupt Fruit and then puts this question Is not this laid up in store with me Is it not scaled up among my Treasures God hath a Treasury of knowledg of all past things and Sins are sealed up among these Treasures But what a kind of capital crime is Sin I answer 1. It is Rebellion against God I have Nourished and brought up Children and they have Rebelled against me A Rebellious Subject with us a Rebellious Son among the Jews was put to Death What Homage do we owe to God our King What Obedience should we render to God our Father 2. Sin is Spiritual Whoredom and Adultery Hos 4.12 They have gone a Whoring from under their God Thou hast destroyed such as go a Whoring from thee Psal 73.27 Adultery was capital it was punished with death by the Law of God Men loath God and love the Creature 3. Sin is Robbery and Stealing Mal. 3.8 Ye have Robbed me God saith My Son give me thy Heart Prov. 23.26 But the Heart of Men goeth after their Coveteousness Ezek. 33.31 Though they are by Baptism and a Solemn Covenant devoted to God yet they Sacrilegiously alienate themselves from God Isa 24.5 They broke the Everlasting Covenant Is it not our benefit to have our Crimes blotted out 4. If Sin be not blotted out God cannot write his Laws in our Hearts Jer. 31.33 34. God promiseth to write his Laws in the Heart And why It is thus answered vers 34. For I will forgive their Iniquity and I will Remember Sin no more Forgiveness of Sin is the root of all the Promises and Covenant-Blessings 5. God cannot record any Good thoughts words or works of ours if Sin be not blotted out Mal. 3.16 A Book of Remembrance was written before him for those that feared the Lord and thought on his Name Sin doth so corrupt and stain our best Works that nothing might be recorded for our honour or advantage Nehemiah prays that God would not wipe out his good deeds Neh. 13.14 6. If Sins be not blotted out the time is coming when God's Book will be opened Revel 20.12 God will review Men's Sins look on them and