but it will be hard for you to do so whose souls burn with desire after Christ. Seventhly Blessed in this that your desires after Christ will make death much the sweeter and easier to you Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better When a Christian was once asked whether he were willing to dye He returned this answer let him be unwilling to dye who is unwilling to go to Christ and Illius est nolle mori qui nolitire ad Christum much like it was that of another vivere renuo ut Christo vivam I refuse this life to live with Christ. 4th Use for Exhortation In the fourth place let me exhort and perswade all to Use 4. make Jesus Christ the desire and choice of their souls And here I fall in with the main scope and design of the Gospel and Oh that I could effectually press home this Exhortation upon your hearts Let me offer some moving Considerations to you and the Lord accompany them to your hearts First Every Creature naturally desires its own preservation do not you desire the preservation of your precious and immortal souls If you do then make Christ your desire and choice without whom they can never be preserved Jude vers 1. Secondly don 't your souls earnestly desire the bodies they live in how tender are they over them how careful to provide for them though they pay a dear rent for those Tenements they live in and is not union with Christ infinitely more desirable than the union of soul and body Oh covet union with him then shall your souls be happy when your bodies drop off from them at death 2 Cor. 5. 1 3. yea soul and body shall be happy in him and with him for evermore Thirdly How do the men of this world desire the enjoyments of it They pant after the dust of the earth they rise early sit up late eat the bread of carefulness and all this for very vanity Shall a worldling do more for earth than you for Heaven Shall the Creature be so earnestly desired and Christ neglected Fourthly What do all your desires in this world benefit you if you go Christless Suppose you had the desire of your hearts in these things how long shall you have comfort in them if you miss Christ Fifthly Doth Christ desire you who have nothing lovely or desirable in you And have you no desires after Christ the most lovely and desirable one in both worlds His desires are towards you Prov. 8. 31. O make him the desire and choice of your souls Sixthly How absolutely necessary is Jesus Christ to your souls Bread and water breath and life is not so necessary as Christ is One thing is necessary Luk. 10. 42. and that one thing is Christ if you miss your desires in other things you may yet be happy but if you miss Christ you are undone for ever Seventhly How suitable a good is Christ to your souls Comprizing whatsoever they want 1 Cor. 1. 30. Set your hearts where you will none will be found to match and suit them as Christ doth Eighthly How great are the benefits that will redound to you by Jesus Christ In him you shall have a rich inheritance setled upon you all things shall be yours when you are Christs 1 Cor. 3. 22. and is not such a Christ worth desiring Ninthly All your well-grounded hopes of glory are built upon your union with Christ 1 Cor. 1. 21. If you miss Christ you must dye without hope will not this draw your desires to him Tenthly Suppose you were at the Judgement Seat of God where you must shortly stand and saw the terrors of the Lord in that day the Sheep divided from the Goats the sentences of absolution and condemnation past by the great and awful Judge upon the righteous and the wicked would not Christ be then desirable in your eyes As ever you expect to stand with Comfort at that Bar let Christ be the desire and choice of your souls now 5th Use for Direction Do these or any other Considerations put thee upon this Use 5. enquiry how shall I get my desires kindled and inflamed towards Christ Alas my heart is cold and dead not a serious desire stirring in it after Christ to such I shall offer the following Directions Direction 1. Redeem some time every day for meditation get out of the noise and clamour of the world Psal. 4. 4. and seriously bethink your selves how the present state of your soul stands and how it is like to go with you for ever here all sound Conversion begins Psal. 119. 59. Direction 2. Consider seriously of that lamentable state in which you came into the world children of wrath by nature under the curse and condemnation of the Law So that either your state must be changed or you inevitably damned Joh. 3. 3. Direction 3. Consider the way and course you have taken since you came into the world proceeding from iniquity to iniquity What Command of God have you not violated a thousand times over What sin is committed in the world that you are not one way or other guilty of before God How many secret sins are upon your score unknown to the most intimate Friend you have in the world Either this guilt must be separated from your souls or your souls from God to all eternity Direction 4. Think upon the severe wrath of God due to every sin The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. ult and how intolerable the fulness of that wrath must be when a few drops sprinkled upon the Conscience in this world is so insupportable that it hath made some to choose strangling rather than life and yet this wrath must abide for ever upon you if you get not interest in Jesus Christ Joh. 3. 63. Direction 5. Ponder well the happy state and condition they are in who have obtained pardon and peace by Jesus Christ Psal. 32. 12. And seeing the grace of God is free and you are yet under the means thereof why may not you be as capable thereof as others Direction 6. Seriously consider the great uncertainty of your time and preciousness of the opportunities of salvation never to be recovered when they are once past Joh. 9. 4. Let this provoke you to lay hold upon those golden seasons whilst they are yet with you that you may not bewail your folly and madness when they are out of your reach Direction 7. Associate your selves with serious Christians get into their acquaintance and beg their assistance beseech them to pray for you and see that you rest not here but be frequently upon your knees begging of the Lord a new heart and a new state In Conclusion of the whole let me beseech and beg all the people of God as upon my knees to take heed and beware lest by the carelesness and scandals of their lives they quench the weak desires beginning to kindle in the hearts of
represented him but when a light from God enters into the soul to discover the nature of God and of sin then it sees that whatever wrath is treasured up for sinners in the dreadful threatnings of the Law is but the just demerit of sin the recompence that is meet the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. ult the penal evil of damnation is but equal to the moral evil of sin So that in the whole Ocean of Gods eternal wrath there is not one drop of injustice yea the soul doth not only see the Justice of God in its eternal damnation but the wonderful mercy of God in the suspension thereof so long O what is it that hath withheld God from damning me all this while how is it that I am not in hell Now do the fears and awful apprehensions of eternity seize the soul and the worst of sensitive creatures is supposed to be in a better condition than such a soul never do men tremble at the threatnings of God nor rightly apprehend the danger of their condition until sin and wrath and the wages of sin be discovered to them by a light from heaven Lesson 3. Thirdly God teaches the soul whom he brings to Christ that deliverance from sin and wrath to come is the greatest and most important business it hath to do in this world Acts 16. 30. what must I do to be saved q. d. O direct me to some effectual way if there be any to secure my poor wretched soul from the wrath of God Sin and the wrath that follows it are things that swallow up the souls and drink up the very spirit of men their thoughts never conversed with things of more confessed truth and awful solemnity these things float not upon their fancies as matters of meer speculation but settle upon their hearts day and night as the deepest concernment in all the world they now know much better than any meer Scholar the deep sense of that Text Matth. 16. 26. what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Five things shew how weighty the thoughts and cares of salvation are upon their hearts First Their continual thoughtfulness and solicitude about these things if earthly affairs divert them for a while yet they are still returning again to this solemn business Secondly Their careful redeeming of time and saving the very moments thereof to employ about this work those that were prodigal of hours and dayes before look upon every moment of time as a precious and valuable thing now Thirdly Their fears and tremblings lest they should miscarry and come short at last shew how much their hearts are set upon this work Fourthly Their inquisitiveness and readiness to embrace all the help and assistance that they can get from others evidently discovers this to be their great design Fifthly and Lastly The little notice they take of all other troubles and afflictions tells you their hearts are taken up about greater things This is the third Lesson they are taught of God Lesson 4. Fourthly The Lord teaches the soul that is coming to Christ that though it be their duty to strive to the uttermost for salvation yet all strivings in their own strength are insufficient to obtain it This work is quite above the power of nature 't is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy the soul is brought to a full Conviction of this by the discovery of the heinous nature of sin and of the rigour and severity of the Law of God no repentance nor reformation can possibly amount unto a just satisfaction nor are they within the compass and power of our will It was a saying that Dr. Hill often used to his friends speaking about the power of mans will he would lay his hand upon his breast and say every man hath something here to confute the Arminian doctrine this fully takes off the soul from all expectations of deliverance that way it cannot but strive that is its duty but to expect deliverance as the purchase of its own strivings that would be its sin Lesson 5. Fifthly The soul that is coming to Christ by faith is taught of God that though the case it is in be sad yet it is not desperate and remediless there is a door of hope a way of escape for poor sinners how black and fearful soever their own thoughts and apprehensions are There is usually at this time a dawning light of hope in the soul that is under the fathers teachings and this commonly arises from the general and indefinite incouragements and promises of the Gospel which though they do not presently secure the soul from danger yet they prop and mightily support it against despair for though they be not certain that deliverance shall be the event of their trouble yet the possibilities and much more the probabilities of deliverance are a great stay to the sinking soul the troubled soul cannot but acknowledge it self to be in a far better case than the damned are whose hopes are perished from the Lord and a death-pang of despair hath seised their Consciences and herein the merciful and compassionate nature of God is eminently discovered in haftening to open the door of hope almost as soon as the evil of sin is opened it was not long after Adams eyes were opened to see his misery that God opened Christ his remedy in that first promise Gen. 3. 15. and the same method of grace is still continued to his Elect off-spring Gal. 3. 21 22. Rom. 3. 21 22. these supporting hopes the Lord sees necessary to encourage industry in the use of means 't is hope that sets all the world awork if all hope were cut off every soul would sit down in a sullen despair yielding it self for hell Lesson 6. The Lord teaches those that come to Christ that there is a fulness of saving power in him whereby any soul that duely receives him may be perfectly delivered from all its sin and misery Heb. 7. 25. Col. 1. 19. Mat. 28. 18. this is a great and necessary point for every Believer to learn and hear from the Father for unless the soul be satisfied of the fulness of Christs saving power it will never move forward towards him and herein also the goodness of God is most sweetly and seasonably manifested for at this time 't is the great design of Satan to fill the soul with despairing thoughts of a pardon but all those black and heart-sinking thoughts vanish before the discovery of Christs alsufficiency Now the sin-sick soul saith with that woman Mat. 9. 21. If I may but touch the hem of his Garment I shall be healed how deep soever the guilt and stain of sin be yet the soul which acknowledges the infinite dignity of the blood of Christ the offering of it up to God in our room and Gods declared satisfaction in it must
design thus far And this actual application is the work of the Spirit by a singular appropriation Fourthly and Lastly This expression imports the suitableness of Christ to the necessities of Sinners What they want he is made to them and indeed as money answers all things and is convertible into meat drink rayment physick or what else our bodily necessities do require so Christ is virtually and eminently all that the necessities of our souls require bread to the hungry soul and cloathing to the naked soul. In a word God prepared and furnished him on purpose to answer all our wants which fully hits the Apostles sense when he saith Who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousness sanctification and redemption The sum of all is Doct. Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christ with all his precious benefits becomes ours by Gods special and effectual Application There is a twofold Application of our redemption one Primary the other Secondary the former is the Act of God the Father applying it to Christ our Surety and virtually to us in him the later is the Act of the holy Spirit personally and actually applying it to us in the work of conversion the former hath the respect and relation of an example model or pattern to this and this is produced and wrought by the vertue of that What was done upon the person of Christ was not only virtually done upon us considered in him as a common publick representative person in which sense we are said to dye with him and live with him to be crucified with him and buryed with him but it was also intended for a platform or Idea of what is to be done by the Spirit actually upon our souls and bodies in our single persons As he dyed for sin so the Spirit applying his death to us in the work of mortification causes us to dye to sin by the vertue of his death and as he was quickned by the Spirit and raised unto life so the Spirit applying unto us the life of Christ causeth us to live by spiritual vivification Now this personal secondary and actual application of redemption to us by the Spirit in his sanctifying work is that which I am engaged here to discuss and open Which I shall do in these following Propositions Propos. 1. The Application of Christ to us is not only Comprehensive of our Justification but of all those works of the Spirit which are known Propos. 1. to us in Scripture by the names of regeneration vocation sanctification and conversion Though all these terms have some small respective differences among themselves yet they are all included in this general the applying and putting on of Christ Rom. 13. 14. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Regeneration expresses those supernatural divine new qualities infused by the Spirit into the Soul which are the principles of all holy actions Vocation expresseth the terms from which and to which the soul moves when the Spirit works savingly upon it under the Gospel call Sanctification notes that holy dedication of heart and life to God our becoming the Temples of the living God separate from all prophane sinful practices to the Lords only use and service Conversion denotes the great change it self which the Spirit causeth upon the soul turning it by a sweet irresistible efficacy from the power of Sin and Satan to God in Christ. Now all these are imported in and done by the Application of Christ to our souls for when once the efficacy of Christs death and the vertue of his resurrection come to take place upon the heart of any man he cannot but turn from Sin to God and become a new creature living and acting by new principles and rules So the Apostle observes 1 Thes. 1. 5 6. speaking of the effect of this work of the Spirit upon that people Our Gospel saith he came not to you in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost there was the effectual application of Christ to them And you became followers of us and of the Lord ver 6. there was their effectual call And ye turned from dumb Idols to serve the living and true God ver 9. there was their conversion So that ye were ensamples to all that believe ver 7. there was their life of Sanctification or dedication to God So that all these are comprehended in effectual application Propos. 2. The Application of Christ to the souls of men is that great project Propos. 2. and design of God in this world for the accomplishment whereof all the Ordinances and all the officers of the Gospel are appointed and continued in the world This the Gospel expressly declared to be its direct and great end and the great business of all its officers Eph. 4. 11 12. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some pastors and teachers till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ i. e. the great aim and scope of all Christs Ordinances and officers is to bring men into Union with Christ and so build them up to perfection in him or to unite them to and confirm them in Christ and when it shall have finished this design then shall the whole frame of Gospel Ordinances be taken down and all its officers disbanded The Kingdom i. e. this present oeconomy manner and form of Government shall be delivered up 1 Cor. 15. 24. what are Ministers but the Bridegrooms friends Ambassadors for God to beseech men to be reconciled when therefore all the elect are brought home in a reconciled state to Christ when the marriage of the Lamb is come our work and office expire together Propos. 3. Such is the Importance and great concernment of the personal application of Christ to us by the Spirit that whatsoever the father hath Propos. 3. done in the contrivement or the Son hath done in the accomplishment of our Redemption is all inavailable and ineffectual to our Salvation without this It is confessedly true that Gods good pleasure appointing us from eternity to Salvation is in its kind a most full and sufficient Impulsive cause of our Salvation and every way able for so much as it is concerned to produce its effect And Christs humiliation and sufferings are a most compleat and sufficient meritorious cause of our Salvation to which nothing can be added to make it more apt and able to procure our Salvation than it already is yet neither the one or other can actually save any Soul without the Spirits application of Christ to it for where there are divers social causes or concauses necessary to produce one effect there the effect cannot be produced until the last cause have wrought thus it is here The Father hath elected and the Son hath redeemed but until the Spirit who is the last cause have wrought his part also we cannot be
hold of us no vital act of faith can be exercised till a vital principle be first inspired of both these bonds of Union we must speak distinctly and first of the first Christ quickening us by his Spirit in order to our Union with him of which we have an account in the Scripture before us You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins in which words we find these two things noted Viz. 1. The infusion of a vital principle of grace 2. The total indisposedness of the subject by nature First The infusion of a vital principle of grace you hath he quickened These words hath he quickened are a supplement 1. made to clear the sense of the Apostle which else would have been more obscure by reason of that long Parenthesis betwixt the first and the fifth verses for as the * Illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regitur à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. est igitur hoc loco hyperbaton synchysis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae est species 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujus quidem anomaliae causa est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interjectio sententiae prolixioris Piscator Pooles Synop. learned observe this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you is governed of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath he quickened verse 5. so that here the words are transposed from the plain grammatical order by reason of the interjection of a long sentence therefore with good warrant our Translators have put the verb into this first verse which is repeated verse the fifth and so keeping faithfully to the scope have excellently cleared the Syntax and order of the words Now this verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath he quickened imports the first vital act of the spirit of God â—…or his first enlivening work upon the soul in order to its Union with Jesus Christ for look as the blood of Christ is the fountain of all merit so the Spirit of Christ is the fountain of all spiritual life and until he quicken us i. e. infuse the principle of the divine life into our souls we can put forth no hand or vital act of faith to lay hold upon Jesus Christ. This his quickening work is therefore the first in order of nature to our Union with Christ and fundamental to all other acts of grace done and performed by us from our first closing with Christ throughout the whole course of our obedience and this quickening act is said verse the fifth to be together Ex Christo conjuâ—…cto nobiscum ut capite cum membris profluunt in nos omnia beneficia in quorum numero est vivificatio Rolloc in Loco with Christ either noting as some expound it that it is the effect of the same power by which Christ was raised from the dead according to Eph. 1. 19. or rather to be quickened together with Christ notes that new spiritual life which is infused into our dead souls in the time of our Union with Christ for it is Christ to whom we are conjoyned and united in our regeneration out of whom as a fountain all spiritual benefits flow to us among which this vivification or quickening is one and a most sweet and precious one Zanchy Bodius and many others will have this quickening to comprize both our justification and regeneration and to stand opposed both to infernal and spiritual death and it may well be allowed but it most properly imports our regeneration wherein the Spirit in an ineffable and mysterious way makes the soul to live to God yea to live the life of God which was before dead in trespassis and sins in which words we have Secondly In the next place the total indisposedness of 2. the subjects by nature for as it is well noted by a * Non vocat hic semi mortuos aut aegrotos ac infirmos sed prorsus mortuos omni fa ultatebene cogitandi aut agendi destituti Rolloc in Loc. learned man The Apostle doth not say of these Ephesians that they were half dead or sick and infirm but dead wholly altogether dead destitute of any faculty or ability so much as to think one good thought or perform one good act you were dead in respect of condemnation being under the damning sentence of the Law and you were dead in respect of the privation of spiritual life dead in opposition to Justification and dead in opposition to regeneration and sanctification and the fatal instrument by which their Souls dyed is here shewed them you were dead in or by trespasses and sins this was the Sword that kill'd your souls and cut them off from God Some do curiously distinguish betwixt trespasses and sins as if one pointed at original the other at actual sins but I suppose they are promiscuously used here and serve to express the cause of their ruine or means of their spiritual death and destruction this was their case when Christ came to quicken them dead in sin and being so they could not move themselves towards Union with Christ but as they were moved by the quickening Spirit of God Hence the observation will be this Doct. That those Souls which have Union with Christ are quickened with a Supernatural principle of life by the Spirit of God in order Doct. thereunto The Spirit of God is not only a living Spirit formally considered but he is also the Spirit of life effectively or causally considered and without his breathing or infusing liâ—… into our souls our Union with Christ is impossible It is the observation of learned Camero that there must be Observandum est unionem unitionem inter se disserre unio est rerum actus qui formae rationem habet nempe actus rerum unitarum quâ unitae sunt unitio autem actus significat causâ—… efficientis c. Camero de Eccles p. 222. an Unition before there can be a Union with Christ. Unition is to be conceived efficiently as the work of Gods Spirit joyning the believer to Christ and Union is to be conceived formally the joyning it self of the persons together we close with Christ by faith but that faith being a vital act presupposes a principle of life communicated to us by the Spirit therefore it 's said Joh. 11. 26. whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye the vital act and operation of faith springs from this quickening Spirit so in Rom. 8 1 2. the Apostle having in the first verse opened the blessed estate of them that are in Christ shews us in the second verse how we come to be in him The Spirit of life saith he which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death There is indeed a quickening work of the Spirit which is subsequent to regeneration consisting in his exciting recovering and actuating of his own graces in us and from hence is the liveliness of a Christian and there is a quickening act of the Spirit in our
our righteousness Jer. 23. we dare not set the servant above the master we acknowledge no righteousness but what the obedience and satisfaction of Christ yields us his blood not our faith his satisfaction not our believing it is the matter of our justification before God Secondly We dare not yield this point lest we undermine all the comfort of Christians by bottoming their pardon and peace upon a weak imperfect work of their own Oh how tottering and unstable must their station be that stand upon such a bottom as this what ups and downs are there in our faith what mixtures of unbelief at all times and prevalency of unbelief at some times and is this a foundation to build our justification and hope upon debile fundamentum fallit opus if we lay the stress here we build upon very loose ground and must be at a continual loss both as to safety and comfort Thirdly We dare not wrong the justice and truth of God at that rate as to affirm that he esteems and imputes our poor weak faith for perfect legal righteousness we know that the judgement of God is always according to truth if Ergo quia fides Christum justitiam nostram recipit gratiae dei in Christo omnia tribuit ideo fidei tribuitur justificatio maxime propter Christum non ideo quia nostrum opus est Confess Helv. 〈◊〉 the justice of God requires full payment sure it will not say it 's fully satisfied by any act of ours when all that we can do amounts not to one mite of the vast summ we owe to God So that we deservedly reject this opinion also Thirdly And for the third opinion that it justifies as the Condition of the new Covenant though some of great name and worth among our Protestant Divines seem to go that way yet I cannot see according to this opinion any reason why repentance may not as properly be said to justifie us as faith for it is a condition of the new Covenant as much as faith and if faith justifie as a condition then every other grace that is a condition must justifie as well as faith I acknowledge faith to be a condition of the Covenant but cannot allow that it justifies as a condition And therefore must profess my self best satisfied in the last opinion which speaks it an instrument in our justification it is the hand which receives the righteousness of Christ that justifies us and that gives it its value above all other graces as when we say a Diamond Ring is worth one hundred pounds we mean not the Gold that receives but the stone that is set in it is worth so much faith consider'd as an habit is no more precious than other gracious habits are but consider'd as an instrument to receive Christ and his righteousness so it excels them all and this instrumentality of faith is noted in those phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. 28. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. 22. by faith and through faith And thus much of the nature and excellency of saving faith The Seventh SERMON Serm. 7. JOH 1. 12. Text. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name THe Nature and Excellency of saving faith together with its relation to justification as an Instrument in receiving Christ and his righteousness having been discoursed doctrinally already I now come to make application of it according to the nature of this weighty and fruitful point And the Uses I shall make of it will be for our 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation And. 4. Direction First Use of Information And in the first place this point yields us many and great 1. Use. and useful truths for our Information as Infer 1. Is the receiving of Christ the vital and saving act of faith Infer 1. which gives the soul right to the person and priviledges of Christ Then it follows That the rejecting of Christ by unbelief must needs be the damning and soul-destroying sin which cuts a man off from Christ and all the benefits purchased by his blood If there be life in receiving there must needs be death in rejecting Christ. There is no grace more excellent than faith no sin more execrable and abominable than unbelief faith is the saving grace and unbelief is the damning sin Mark 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned See Joh. 3. 18 36. and Joh. 8. 24. And the reason why this sin of unbelief is the damning sin is this because in the justification of a sinner there must be a cooperation of all the Concauses that have a joint influence into that blessed effect As there must be free grace for an impulsive cause The blood of Christ as the meritorious cause so of necessity there must be faith the Instrumental cause to receive and apply what the free grace of God designed and the blood of Christ purchased for us For where there are many social causes or concauses to produce one effect there the effect is not produced till the last cause be in Act. To him give all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remissions of sins Acts 10. 43. Faith in its place is as necessary as the blood of Christ in its place 't is Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. not Christ in the womb nor Christ in the grave nor Christ in heaven except he be also Christ in you Though Christ be come in the flesh though he dyed and rose again from the dead yet if you believe not you must for all that dye in your sins Joh. 8. 24. and what a dreadful thing is this better dye the death of a dog better dye in a ditch than dye in your sins if you dye in your sins you will also rise in your sins and stand at the bar of Christ in your sins you can never receive remission till first you have received Christ. O cursed unbelief which damns the soul dishonours God 1 Joh. 5. 10. sleights Jesus Christ the wisdome of God as if that glorious design of redemption by his blood the triumph and master-piece of divine wisdome were meer foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. frustrates the great design of the Gospel Gal. 4. 11. and consequently it must be the sin of sins the worst and most dangerous of all sins leaving a man under the guilt of all his other sins Infer 2. If such a receiving of Christ as hath been described be saving and justifying faith Then faith is a work of greater difficulty Infer 2. than most men understand it to be and there are but few sound believers in the world Before Christ can be received the heart must be emptied and opened but most mens hearts are full of self righteousness and vain confidence this was the case of the Jews Rom. 10. 3. being ignorant of Gods righteousness and
capistratus er at a mute muzzled as the word signifies by the clear testimony of his own conscience these accusations are the second work or office of conscience and they make way for the third namely Thirdly The sentence and condemnation of Conscience and truly this is an insupportable burthen the condemnation 3. of conscience is nothing else but its application of the condemning sentence of the Law to a mans person the Law curseth every one that transgresseth it Gal. 3. 10. conscience applys this curse to the guilty sinner So that it sentences the sinner in Gods name and authority from which there is no appeal the voice of conscience is the voice of God and what it pronounces in Gods name and authority he will confirm and ratifie 1 Joh. 3. 20. if our hearts i. e. our consciences condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things this is that torment which no man can endure See the effects of it in Cain in Judas and in Spira 't is a real foretast of hell torments this is that worm that never dyes Mark 9. 44. For look as a worm in the body is bred of the corruption that is there so the accusations and condemnations of conscience are bred in the soul by the corruption and guilt that is there as the worm in the body preys and bites upon the tender sensible inward parts so doth conscience touch the very quick This is its third effect or work to sentence and condemn and this also makes way for a fourth namely Fourthly To upbraid and reproach the sinner under his misery 4. and this makes a man a very terrour to himself to be pittied in misery is some relief but to be upbraided and reproached doubles our affliction you know it was one of the aggravations of Christs sufferings to be reproached by the tongue of his enemies whilest he hanged in torments upon the cursed tree but all the scoffs and reproaches the bitter jeers and Sarcasâ—…s in the world are nothing to these of a mans own conscience this will cut to the very bone O when a mans conscience shall say to him in a day of trouble as Reuben to his afflicted brethren Gen. 42. 22. Spake I not unto you saying do not sin against the child and ye would not hear therefore behold also his blood is required So conscience Did I not warn you threaten you perswade you in time against these evils but you would not hearken to me therefore behold now you must suffer to all eternity for it the wrath of God is kindled against thy soul for it this is the fruit of thy own wilful madness and obstinacy Now thou shalt know the price of sinning against God against light and conscience O this is terrible every bite of conscience makes a poor soul to startle and in a terrible fright to cry Oh the worm Oh the bitter foretast of Hell a wounded spirit who can bear This is a fourth wound of conscience and it makes way for a fifth for here it is as in the pouring out of the vials and the sounding of those woe-trumpets in the Revelation one woe is past and another cometh After all these deadly blows of conscience upon the very heart of a sinner comes another as dreadful as any that is yet named and that is Fifthly The fearful expectations of wrath to come which 5. it begets in the soul of a guilty sinner of this you read Heb. 10. 27. a fearful looking for of Judgement and fiery indignation and this makes the stoutest sinner quail and faint under the burthen of sin For the tongue of man cannot declare what it is to lye down and rise with those fearful expectations the case of such sinners is somewhat like that which is described in Deut. 28. 65 66 67. The Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have no assurance of thy life in the morning thou shalt say Would God it were evening and at even thou shalt say Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear c. Only in this it differs in this Scripture you have the terrours of those described whose temporal life hangs in doubtful suspense but in the persons I am speaking of it is a trembling under the apprehensions and expectations of the vengeance of eternal fire Believe it Friends words cannot express what those poor creatures feel that lye down and rise under these fears and frights of conscience Lord what will become of me I am free among the dead yea among the damned I hang by the frail thred of a momentany life which will and must break shortly and may break the next moment over the everlasting burnings no pleasant bread is eaten in these days but what is like the bread of condemned men And thus you see what the burden of sin is when God makes it to bear upon the consciences of men no burden of affliction is like it losses of dearest relations sorrows for an only son are not so pungent and penetrating as these For First No creature enjoyment is pleasant under these inward troubles in other troubles they may signifie something to a mans relief but here they are nothing the wound is too deep to be healed by any thing but the blood of Jesus Christ Conscience requires as much to satisfie it as God requires to satisfie him When God is at peace with thee saith Conscience then will I be at peace with thee too but till then expect no rest nor peace from me all the pleasures and diversions in the world shall never stop my mouth go where thou wilt I will follow thee like thy shadow be thy portion in the world as sweet as it will I will drop in Gall and Wormwood into thy cup that thou shalt tast no sweetness in any thing till thou hast got thy pardon These inward troubles for sin alienate the mind from all former pleasures and delights there 's no more taste or savour in them than in the white of an Egg. Musick is out of tune all instruments jarr and groan Ornaments have no beauty what heart hath a poor creature to deck that body in which dwells such a miserable soul to feed and pamper that carcass that hath been the souls inducement to and instrument in sin and must be its companion in everlasting misery Secondly These inward troubles for sin put a dread into death beyond whatever the soul saw in it before Now it looks like the King of terrours indeed you read in Heb. 2. 15. of some that through fear of death are all their life long subject to bondage O what a lively comment is a soul in this case able to make upon such a Text they would not scare at the pale horse nor at him that sits on him though his name
a member now of his own mystical body to purifie and cleanse it that at last he may present it perfect to the Father without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Eph. 5. 26. The reigning power of it is gone immediately upon believing and the very existence and being of it shall at last be destroyed O what rest must this give under those troubles for sin Thirdly It was an intolerable burthen to the soul to be under the continual fears aiarms and frights of death and 3. damnation It s life hath been a life of bondage upon this account ever since the Lord opened his eyes to see his condition Poor souls lye down with tremblings for fear what a night may bring forth 'T is a sad life indeed to live in continual bondage to such fears But faith sweetly relieves the trembling Conscience by removing the guilt which breeds it fears The sting of death is sin when guilt is removed fears vanish Smite Lord smite said Luther for my sins are forgiven Now if sickness come 't is another thing than it was Feri Domine feri nam à peccatis meis absolutus sum Luth. wont to be Isai. 33. 21. The Inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities a man scarce feels his sickness in comparison to what he did whilst he was without Christ and hope of pardon Fourthly A convinced sinner out of Christ sees every thing 4. against him nothing yields any comfort yea every thing increases and aggravates his burthen whether he look to things past present or to come If he reflect upon things past his soul is filled with anguish to remember the sins committed and the seasons neglected and the precious mercies that have been abused if he look upon things present the case is doleful and miserable nothing but trouble and danger Christless and comfortless and if he look forward to things to come that gives him a deeper cut to the heart than any thing else for though it be sad and miserable for the present yet he fears it will be much worse hereafter all these are but the beginning of sorrows and thus the poor awakened sinner becomes a Magor missabib fear round about But upon his coming to Christ all things are marvellously altered a quite contrary face of things appears to him every thing gives him hope and comfort which way soever he looks so speaks the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. All things are yours saith he whether life or death or things present or things to come all is yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods they are ours i. e. for our advantage benefit and comfort more particularly upon our coming to Christ First Things past are ours they conduce to our advantage and comfort Now the soul can begin to read the gracious end and design of God in all its preservations and deliverances whereby it hath been reserved for such a day as this O! it melts his heart to consider his Companions in sin and Vanity are cut off and he spared and that for a day of such mercy as the day of his espousals with Christ is Now all his past sorrows and deep troubles of spirit which God hath exercised him with begin to appear the greatest mercies that ever he received being all necessary and introductive to this blessed union with Christ. Secondly Things present are ours though it be not yet with us as we would have it Christ is not sure enough the heart is not pure enough sin is too strong and grace is too weak many things are yet out of order yet can the soul bless God for this with tears of joy and praise him for this brimful of admiration and holy astonishment that it is as it is that he is where he is though he be not yet where he would be O 't is a blessed life to live as a poor recumbent by acts of trust and affiance though as yet it have but little evidence that it is resolved to trust all with Christ though it be not yet certain of the issue O this is a comfortable station a sweet condition to what it was either when it wallowed in sin in the days before conviction or was swallowed up in fears and troubles for sin after conviction now it hath hope though it want assurance and hope is sweet to a soul coming out of such deep distresses now it sees the remedy and is applying it whereas before the wound seemed desperate now all hesitations and debates are at an end in the Soul 't is no longer bivious and unresolved what to do all things have been deeply considered and after consideration issued into this resolve or decree of the will I will go to Christ I will venture all upon his Command and Call I will imbarque my eternal interests in that Bottom here I fix and upon this ground I resolve to live and dye O how much better is this than that floating life it lived before rolling upon the billows of inward fears and troubles not able to drop Anchor any where nor knowing where to find an Harbour Thirdly Things to come are ours and this is the best and sweetest of all man is a prospecting creature his eye is much upon things to come and it will not satisfie him that it is well at present except he have a prospect that it shall be so hereafter but now the soul hath committed it self and all its concernments to Christ for eternity and this being done it 's greatly relieved against evils to come I cannot saith the Believer think all my troubles over and that I shall never meet any more afflictions it were a fond vanity to dream of that but I leave all these things where I have left my soul he that hath supported me under inward will carry me through outward troubles also I cannot think all my temptations to sin past O I may yet meet with sore assaults from Satan yet it is infinitely better to be watching praying and striving against sin than it was when I was obeying it in the lusts of it God that hath delivered me from the love of sin will I trust preserve me from ruine by sin I know also death is to come I must feel the pangs and agonies of it but yet the aspect of death is much more pleasant than it was I come Lord Jesus to thee who art the death of death whose death hath disarmed death of its sting I fear not its dart if I feel not its sting And thus you see briefly how by faith Believers enter into rest How Christ gives rest even at present to them that come to him and all this but as a beginning of their everlasting rest Inference 1. Is there rest in Christ for weary souls that come unto him Then certainly it 's a design of Satan against the peace and welfare Inference 1. of mens souls to discourage them from coming to Christ in
the wounds of Christ Isa. 53. 5. By his stripes we are healed his blood only is innocent and precious blood 1 Pet. 1. 19. blood of infinite worth and value the blood of God Act. 20. 28. blood prepared for this very purpose Heb. 10. 5. this is the blood that performs the cure and how great a cure is it for this cure the souls of Believers shall be praising and magnifying their great Physician in Heaven to all eternity Rev. 1. 5 6. To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood c. to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Secondly The next evil in sin cured by Christ is the dominion 2. of it over the souls of poor sinners Where sin is in dominion the soul is in a very sad condition for it darkens the Understanding depraves the Conscience stiffens the Will hardens the Heart misplaces and disorders all the Affections and thus every faculty is wounded by the power and dominion of sin over the soul. How difficult is the cure of this disease it passes the skill of Angels or men to heal it but Christ undertakes it and makes a perfect cure of it at last and this he doth by his Spirit As he cures the guilt of sin by pouring out his blood for us so he cures the dominion of sin by pouring out his Spirit upon us Justification is the cure of guilt Sanctification the cure of the dominion of sin For First As the Dominion of sin darkens the understanding 1 Cor. 2. 14. so the spirit of holiness which Christ sheds upon his people cures the darkness and blindness of that noble faculty and restores it again Eph. 5. 8. they that were darkness are hereby light in the Lord the anointing of this Spirit teacheth them all things 1 John 2. 27. Secondly As the dominion of sin depraved and defiled the Conscience Tit. 1. 15. wounded it to that degree as to disable it to the performances of all its Offices and Functions so that it was neither able to apply convince or tremble at the word So when the Spirit of holiness is shed forth O what a tender sense fills the renewed Conscience for what small things will it check smite and rebuke how strongly will it bind to duty and bar against sin Thirdly As the dominion of sin stiffned the Will and made it stubborn and rebellious so Christ by sanctifying it brings it to be pliant and obedient to the will of God Lord saith the sinner what wilt thou have me to do Act. 9. 6. Fourthly As the power of sin hardneth the Heart so that nothing could affect it or make any impression upon it when sanctification comes upon the soul it thaws and breaks it as hard as it was and makes it dissolve in the breast of a sinner in godly sorrow Ezec. 36. 26. I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh It will now melt ingenuously under the threatnings of the word 2 Kings 22. 19. or the strokes of the Rod Jer. 31. 18. or the manifestations of grace and mercy Luke 7. 38. Fifthly As the power of sin misplaced and disordered all the affections so sanctification reduces them again and sets them right Psal. 4. 6 7. And thus you see how sanctification becomes the rectitude health and due temper of the soul so far as it prevails curing the diseases that sin in its dominion filled the soul with True it is this cure is not perfected in this life there are still some grudgings of the old diseases in the holiest souls notwithstanding sin be dethroned from its dominion over them but the cure is begun and daily advances towards perfection and at last will be compleat as will appear in the cure of the next evil of sin namely Thirdly The Inherence of sin in the soul this is a sore disease the very core and root of all our other complaints 3. and ayles This made the holy Apostle bemoan himself and waile so bitterly Rom. 7. 17. because of sin that dwelt in him and the same misery is bewailed by all sanctified persons all the world over 'T is a wonderful mercy to have the guilt and the dominion of sin cured but we shall never be perfectly sound and well till the existence or indwelling of sin in our natures be cured too When once that is done then we shall feel no more pain nor sorrows for sin and this our great Physician will at last perform for us and upon us but as the cure of guilt was by our Justification the cure of the dominion of sin by our Sanctification so the third and last which perfects the whole cure will be by our Glorification and till then it is not to be expected For it 's a clear case that sin like Ivy in the old Walls will never be gotten out till the Wall be pulled down and then it 's pulled up by the roots This cure Christ will perform in a moment upon our dissolution For 't is plain First That none but perfected souls freed from all sin are admitted into Heaven Eph. 5. 27. Heb. 12. 23. Rev. 21. 27. Secondly 'T is as plain that no such personal perfection and freedom is found in any man on this side death and the grave 1 Joh. 1. 8. 1 Kings 8. 46. Philip. 3. 12. a truth sealed by the sad experience of all the Saints on earth Thirdly If such freedom and perfection must be before we can be perfectly happy and no such thing be done in this life it remains that it must be done immediately upon their dissolution and at the very time of their glorification as sin came in at the time of the union of their souls and bodies in the womb so it will go out at the time of their separation by death then will Christ put the last hand to this glorious work and perfect that cure which hath been so long under his hand in this world and thenceforth sin shall have no power upon them it shall never tempt them more it shall never defile them more it shall never grieve and sadden their hearts any more henceforth it shall never cloud their evidences darken their understandings or give the least interruption to their communion with God when sin is gone all these its mischievous effects are gone with it So that I may speak it to the comfort of all gracious hearts according to what the Lord told the Israelites in Deut. 12. 8 9. to which I allude for illustration of this most comfortable truth Ye shall not do after all the things that ye do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes for ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which the Lord your God giveth you Whilst you are under Christs cure upon earth but not perfectly healed your understandings mistake your thoughts wander your affections are dead your communion
heart Thirdly The crucifixion of the flesh doth not consist in the cessation of the external acts of sin for in that respect the lusts of men may dye of their own accord even a kind of natural death The members of the body are the weapons of unrighteousness as the Apostle calls them age or sickness may so blunt or break those weapons that the soul cannot use them to such sinful purposes and services as it was wont to do in the vigorous and healthful season of life not that there is less sin in the heart but because there is less strength and activity in the body Just as it is with an old Soldier who hath as much skill policy and delight as ever in military actions but age and hard services have so infeebled him that he can no longer follow the camp Fourthly The crucifixion of sin doth not consist in the fevere castigations of the body and penancing it by stripes fasting and tiresome pilgrimages This may pass for mortification among Papists but never was any lust of the flesh destroyed by this rigour Christians indeed are bound not to indulge and pamper the body which is the instrument of sin nor yet must we think that the spiritual corruptions of the soul â—…eel those stripes which are inflicted upon the body see Col. 2. 23. 't is not the vanity of superstition but the power of true religion which crucifies and destroys corruption 't is faith in Christs blood not the spilling of our own blood which gives sin the mortal wound Secondly But if you enquire what then is implied in the Posit 2. mortification or crucifixion of sin and wherein it doth consist I answer First It necessarily implies the souls implantation into Christ and union with him without which it is impossible Errant in ipsa natura mortificationis Christianae nam corporis afflictionem injuriam reputant pro vera mortificatione cum illa non ad carnem praecipue aut inferiorem animae partem sed ad mentem voluntatem maximè pertineat Davenant in Coloss. 256. that any one corruption should be mortified they that are Christs have crucified the flesh the attempts and endeavors of all others are vain and ineffectual when we were in the flesh saith the Apostle the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 5. 7. sin was then in its full dominion no abstinence rigour or outward severity no purposes promises or solemn vows could mortifie or destroy it there must be an implantation into Christ before there can be any effectual crucifixion of sin what Believer almost hath not in the days of his first convictions tryed all external methods and means of mortifying sin and found it in experience to be to as little purpose as the binding of Sampson with green Wit hs or Cords But when he hath once come to act faith upon the death of Christ then the design of mortification hath prospered and succeeded to good purpose Secondly Mortification of sin implies the agency of the spirit of God in that work without whose assistances and aids all our endeavours must needs be fruitless of this work we may say as it was said in another case Zech. 4. 6. not by might noâ—… by power but by my spirit saith the Lord. When the Apostle therefore would shew by what hand this work of mortification is performed he thus expresseth it Rom. 8. 13. if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live the duty is ours but the power whereby we perform it is Gods the spirit is the only successful Combatant against the lusts that war in our members Gal. 5. 17. 't is true this excludes not but implies our endeavours for it is we through the spirit that mortifie the deeds of the body but yet all our endeavours without the Spirits aid and influence avail nothing Thirdly The crucifixion of sin necessarily implies the subversion of its dominion in the soul a mortified sin cannot be a reigning sin Rom. 6. 12 13 14. Two things constitute the dominion of sin viz. the fulness of its power and the souls subjection tâ—… it As to the fulness of its power that rises from the suitableness it hath and pleasure it gives to the corrupt heart of man it seems to be as necessary as the right hand as useful and pleasant as the right eye Mat. 5. 29. but the mortified heart is dead to all pleasures and profits of sin it hath no delight or pleasure in it it becomes its burthen and daily complaint Mortification presupposes the illumination of the mind and conviction of the conscience by reason whereof sin cannot deceive and blind the mind or bewitch and ensnare the will and affections as it was wont to do and consequently its dominion over the soul is destroyed and lost Fourthly The crucifying of the flesh implies a gradual weakning of the power of sin in the soul. The death of the Cross was a slow and lingering death and the crucified person grew weaker and weaker every hour so it is in the mortification of sin the soul is still cleansing it self from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. And as the body of sin is weakned more and more so the inward man or the new creature is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4. 16. for sanctification is a progressive work of the spirit and as holiness increases and roots it self deeper and deeper in the soul so the power and interest of sin proportionably abates and sinks lower and lower until at length it be swallowed up in victory Fifthly The crucifying of the flesh notes to us the Believers designed application of all spiritual means and sanctified instruments for the destruction of it there is nothing in this world which a gracious heart more vehemently desires and longs for than the death of sin and perfect deliverance from it Rom. 7. 2â—… the sincerity of which desires doth accordingly manifest it self in the daily application of all Gods remedies such are daily watching against the occasions of sin Job 31. 1. I have made a Covenant with mine eyes more than ordinary vigilancy over their special or proper sin Psal. 18. 23. I kept my self from mine iniquity earnest cries to Heaven for preventing grace Psal. 19. 13. keep back thy Servant also from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me deep humbling of soul for sins past which is an excellent preventive unto future sins 2 Cor. 2. 11. in that he sorrowed after a Godly sort what carefulness it wrought care to give no furtherance or advantage to the design of sin by making provision for the flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof as others do Rom. 13. 13 14. willingness to bear the due reproofs of sin Psal. 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness these and such like means of
mortification regenerate souls are daily using and applying in order to the death of sin And so much of the first particular what the mortification of sin or Crucifying of the flesh implies Secondly In the next place we shall examine the reasons 2. why this work of the spirit is expressed under that Trope or figurative expression of Crucifying the flesh Now the ground and reason of the use of this expression is the resemblance which the mortification of sin bears unto the death of the cross and this appears in five particulars First The death of the cross was a painful death and the mortification of sin is very painful work Matth. 25. 29. 't is the cutting off our right hands and plucking out our right eyes it will cost many thousand tears and groans prayers and strong cries to heaven before one sin will be mortified Upon the account of the difficulty of this work and mainly upon this account the Scripture saith narrow is the way and strait is the gate that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it Matth. 7. 14. and that the righteous themselves are scarcely saved Secondly The death of the cross was universally painful every member every sense every sinew every nerve was the seat and subject of tormenting pain So is it in the mortification of sin 't is not this or that particular member or act but the whole body of sin that is to be destroyed Rom. 6. 6. and accordingly the conflict is in every faculty of the soul for the Spirit of God by whose hand sin is mortified doth not combat with this or that particular Lust only but with sin as sin and for that reason with every sin in every faculty of the soul. So that there are conflicts and anguish in every part Thirdly The death of the cross was a slow and lingering death denying unto them that suffered it the favour of a quick dispatch Just so it is in the death of sin though the Spirit of God be mortifying it day by day yet this is a truth Mortificatio peccati non fit uno momento sed opus est lucta assiduâ pâ—…ccatum languescit ab initio mortificationis nostrae in progressu tabescit ad extremum i. e. in ipsa morte nostra abolebitur Origen in Epist. ad Rom. sealed by the sad experience of all believers in the world that sin is long a dying and if we ask a reason of this dispensation of God among others this seems to be one corruptions in believers like the Canaanites in the Land of Israel are left to prove and to exercise the people of God to keep us watching and praying mourning and believing yea wondering and admiring at the riches of pardoning and preserving mercy all our dayes Fourthly The death of the Cross was a very opprobrious and shameful death they that dyed upon the cross were loaded with ignominy the crimes for which they dyed were exposed to the publick view after this manner dyeth sin a very shameful and ignominious death Every true believer draws up a charge against it in every prayer aggravates and condemns it in every confession bewailes the evil of it with multitudes of tears and groans making sin as vile and odious as they can find words to express it though not so vile as it is in its own nature O my God saith Ezra I am ashamed and even blush to look up unto thee Ezra 9. 6. So Daniel in his confession Dan. 9. 7. O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day Nor can it grieve any believer in the world to accuse condemn and shame himself for sin whilest he remembers and considers that all that shame and confusion of face which he takes to himself goes to the vindication glory and honour of his God as David was content to be more vile still for God so it pleaseth the heart of a Christian to magnifie and advance the name and glory of God by exposing his own shame in humble and broken hearted confessions of sin Fifthly In a word the death of the Cross was not a natural but a violent death such also is the death of sin sin dyes not of its own accord as nature dyeth in old men in whom the Balsamum radicale or radical moisture is consumed for if the Spirit of God did not kill it it would live to eternity in the souls of men 't is not the everlasting burnings and all the wrath of God which lies upon the damned for ever that can destroy sin Sin like a Salamander can live to eternity in the fire of Gods wrath so that either it must dye a violent death by the hand of the Spirit or never dyeth at all And thus you see why the mortification of sin is Tropically expressed by the crucifying of the flesh 3. Thirdly Why all that are in Christ must be so crucified or mortified unto sin and the necessity of this will appear divers ways First From the inconsistency and contrariety that there is betwixt Christ and unmortified lust Gal. 5. 17. these are contrary the one to the other There is a threefold inconsistency betwixt Christ and such corruptions they are not only contrary to the holiness of Christ 1 John 3. 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him i. e. whosoever is thus ingulphed and plunged into the lust of the flesh can have no communion with the pure and holy Christ but there is also an inconsistency betwixt such sin and the honour of Christ 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity as Alexander said to a Soldier of his name recordare nominis Alexandri remember thy name is Alexander and do nothing unworthy of that name And unmortified lusts are also contrary to the Dominion and government of Christ Luke 9. 23. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me these are the self-denying terms upon which all men are admitted into Christs service and without mortification and self-denial he allows no man to call him Lord and Master Secondly The necessity of mortification appears from the necessity of conformity betwixt Christ the head and all the members of his mystical body for how incongruous and uncomely would it be to see a holy heavenly Christ leading a company of unclean carnal and sensual members Mat. 11. 29. Take my yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly q. d. it would be monstrous to the world to behold a company of Lions and Wolves following a meek and harmless Lamb men of raging and unmortified lusts professing and owning me for their head of government and again 1 John 2. 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked q. d. either imitate Christ in your practice or never make pretensions to Christ in your
they carry no grudge except it be against this enemy sin and yet these are the men who are most suspected and charged of disturbing the times they live in Just as the Wolf accused the Lamb which was below him for pudling and defiling the stream But there will be a day when God will clear up the innocency and integrity of his mistaken and abused servants and the world shall see it was not preaching and praying but drinking swearing prophaneness and enmity unto true godliness which disturbs and breaks the tranquillity and quietness of the times mean time let innocency commit it self unto God who will protect and in due time vindicate the same Inference 6. If they that be Christs have crucified the flesh then whatsoever Inference 6. Religion Opinion or Doctrine doth in its own nature countenance and encourage sin is not of Christ the doctrine of Christ every where teacheth mortification the whole stream of the Gospel runs against sin the doctrine it teacheth is holy pure and heavenly it hath no tendency to extol corrupt nature and feed its pride by magnifying its freedom and power or by stamping the merit and dignity of the blood of Christ upon its works and performances it never makes the death of Christ a Cloak to cover sin but an instrument to destroy it and whatsoever doctrine it is which nourishes the pride of nature to the disparagement of grace or incourages licentiousness and fleshly lust is not the doctrine of Christ but a spurious off-spring begotten by Satan upon the corrupt nature of man Inference 7. If mortification be the great business and character of a Christian then that condition is most eligible and desirable by Christians Inference 7. which is least of all exposed to Temptation Prov. 30. 8. Give me neither poverty nor riches but feed me with food convenient that holy judicious man was well aware of the danger lurking in both extreams and how near they border upon deadly temptations and approach the very precipice of ruine that stand upon either ground few Christians have an head strong and steddy enough to stand upon the pinacle of wealth and honour nor is it every one that can grapple with poverty and contempt A mediocrity is the Christians best external security and therefore most desirable and yet how do the corruptions the pride and ignorance of our hearts grasp and covet that condition which only serves to warm and nourish our lusts and make the work of mortification much more difficult 'T is well for us that our wise Father leaves us not to our own choice that he frequently dashes our earthly projects and disappoints our fond expectations If children were left to carve for themselves how often would they cut their own fingers Inference 8. If Mortification be the great business of a Christian then Inference 8. Christian fellowship and society duly managed and improved must needs be of singular use and special advantage to the people of God For thereby we have the friendly help and assistance of many other hands to carry on our great design and help us in our most difficult business if corruption be too hard for us others this way come into our assistance Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness If temptations prevail and over-bear us that we fall under sin 't is a special mercy to have the reproofs and counsels of our brethren who will not suffer sin to rest upon us Levit. 19. 17. Whilst we are sluggish and sleepy others are vigilant and careful for our safety The humility of another reproves and mortifies my pride The activity and liveliness of another awakens and quickens my deadness The prudence and gravity of another detects and cures my levity and vanity The heavenliness and Spirituality of another may be exceeding useful both to reprove and heal the earthliness and sensuality of my heart Two are better than one but wo unto him that is alone The Devil is well aware of this great advantage and therefore strikes with special malice against embodied Christians who are as a well disciplined army whom he therefore more especially endeavours to rout and scatter by persecutions that thereby particular Christians may be deprived of the sweet advantages of mutual society Inference 9. How deeply hath sin fixed its roots in our corrupt nature that it should be the constant work of a Christians whole life to mortifie Inference 9. and destroy it God hath given us many excellent helps his spirit within us variety of ordinances and duties are also appointed as instruments of Mortification And from the very day of Regeneration unto the last moment of dissolution the Christian is daily at work in the use of all sanctified means external and internal yet can never dig up and destroy corruption at the root all his life long The most eminent Christians of longest standing in Religion who have shed Millions of tears for sin and poured out many thousand Prayers for the Mortification of it do after all find the grudgings of their old disease that there is still life and strength in those corruptions which they have given so many wounds unto in duty O the depth and strength of sin which nothing can separate from us but that which separates our souls and bodies And upon that account the day of a believers death is better than the day of his birth Never till then do we put off our armour sheath our sword and cry victory victory 2. Use for Exhortation If they that are Christs have crucified the flesh c. Then as ever we hope to make good our claim to Christ let us give Use 2. all diligence to mortifie sin in vain else are all our pretences unto Union with him This is the great work and discriminating character of a believer And seeing it is the main business of life and great evidence for heaven I shall therefore press you to it by the following Motives and Considerations 1. Motive And first methinks the comfort and sweetness resulting from Mortification should effectually perswade every believer Motive 1. to more diligence about it There is a double sweetness in Mortification one in the nature of the work as it is a duty a sweet Christian duty another as it hath respect to Christ and is evidential of our Union with him In the first consideration there is a wonderful sweetness in Mortification for dost thou not feel a blessed calmness cheariness and tranquillity in thy conscience when thou hast faithfully repelled temptations successfully resisted and overcome thy corruptions Doth not God smile upon thee conscience incourage and approve thee Hast thou not an heaven within thee whilst others feel a kind of hell in the deadly gripes and bitter accusations of their own consciences are covered with shame and filled with horrours But then consider it also as an evidence of the souls
that God would follow it with his blessing God kills thy comforts out of no other design but to kill thy corruptions with them Wants are ordained to kill wantonness poverty is appointed to kill pride reproaches are permitted to pull down ambition Happy is the man who understands approves and heartily sets in with the design of God in such afflicting providences 8. Rule Bend the strength of your duties and endeavours against Rule 8. your proper and special sin 'T is in vain to lop off branches whilst this root of bitterness remains untouched This was Davids practice Psal. 18. 23. I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity We observe in natural men that one faculty is more vigorous than another We find in nature that our soil suits with this seed rather than another and every believer may find his nature and constitution inclining him to one sin rather than another As graces so corruptions excel one another even in the regenerate The power of special corruptions arises from our constitutions education company custom callings and such like occasions But from whencesoever it comes this is the sin that most endangers us most easily besets us and according to the progress of mortification in that fin we may safely estimate the degrees of mortification in other sins strike therefore at the life and root of your own iniquity 9. Rule Study the nature and great importance of those things Rule 9. which are to be won or lost according to the success and issue of this conflict your life is as a race eternal glory is the prize grace and corruption are the antagonists and according as either finally prevails eternal life is won or lost 1 Cor. 9. 24. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize So run that ye may obtain This consideration will make mortification appear the most rational and necessary thing to you in the whole world Shall I lose heaven for indulging the flesh and humouring a wanton appetite God forbid I keep under my body saith Paul and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away 1 Cor. 9. 28. 10. Rule Accustom your thoughts to such meditations as are proper Rule 10. to mortifie sin in your affections else all endeavours to mortifie it will be but faint and languid To this purpose I shall recommend the following Meditations as proper means to destroy the interest of sin 1. Meditation Consider the evil that is in sin and how terrible the appearances Meditat. 1. of God will one day be against those that obey it in the lust thereof Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men 1 Thes. 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Let your thoughts dwell much upon the consideration of the fruits and consequences of sin It showes its fairest side to you in the hour of temptation O but consider how it will look upon you in the day of affliction Numb 22. 23. In that day your sin will find you out think what its aspect will be in a dying hour 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of death is sin Think what the frightful remembrances of it will be at the bar of Judgment when Satan shall accuse conscience shall upbraid God shall condemn and everlasting burnings shall avenge the evil of it such thoughts as these are mortifying thoughts 2. Meditation Think what it cost the Lord Jesus Christ to expiate the guilt Meditat. 2. of sin by suffering the wrath of the great and terrible God for it in our room the meditations of a crucified Christ are very crucifying meditations unto sin Gal. 6. 14. He suffered unspeakable things for sin it was Divine wrath which lay upon his soul for it that wrath of which the prophet saith Nah. 1. 5 6. The mountains quake at him and the hills melt who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him It was the unmixed and unallayed wrath poured out in the fulness of it even to the last drop and shall we be so easily drawn to the Commission of those sins which put Christ under such sufferings O do but read such scriptures as these Luke 22. 44. Mat. 26. 36 37. Mark 14. 33. And see what a plight sin put the Lord of glory into how the wrath of God put him into a sore amazement a bloody sweat and made his soul heavy even unto death 3. Med. Consider what a grief and wound the sins of believers are Med. 3. to the spirit of God Eph. 4. 30. Ezek. 16. 43. Isa. 63. 10. Oh how it vexes frets and grieves the holy Spirit of God! Nothing is more contrary to his nature Oh do not that abominable thing which I hate saith the Lord Jer. 44. 4. Nothing obstructs and crosses the sanctifying design of the Spirit as sin doth defacing and spoiling the most rare and admirable workmanship that ever God wrought in this world violating all the engagements laid upon us by the love of the Father by the death of his Son by the operations of his Spirit in all his illuminations convictions compunctions renovation preservation obsignation and manifold consolations Lay this meditation upon thy heart believer and say sicne rependis Dost thou thus requite the Lord O my ungrateful heart for all his goodness is this the fruit of his temporal spiritual common and peculiar mercies which are without number 4. Med. Consider with your selves that no real good either of profit Med. 4. or pleasure can result from sin you can have no pleasure in it whatever others may have it being against your new nature and as for that brutish pleasure and evanid joy which others have in sin it can be but for a moment for either they must repent or not repent if they do repent the pleasure of sin will be turned into the gall of Asps here if they do not repent it will terminate in everlasting howlings hereafter that 's a smart question Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death You that are believers must never expect any pleasure in sin for you can neither commit it without regret nor reflect upon it without shame and confusion Expect no better consequents of sin than the woundings of conscience and dismal cloudings of the face of God that is all the profit of sin O let these things sink into your heart 5.
change from sin to grace is no way inferiour to it Nay in some respect beyond it for the change which glory makes upon the regenerate is but a gradual change but the change which regeneration makes upon the ungodly is a spiritual change Great and admirable is this work of God and let it for ever be marvellous in our eyes Inference 3. If unregenerate souls de dead souls what a fatal stroke doth death give to the bodies of all unregenerate men A soul dead in sin and Inference 3. a body dead by vertue of the curse for sin and both soul and body remaining for ever under the power of eternal death is so full and perfect a misery as that nothing can be added to make it more miserable 't is the comfort of a Christian that he can say when death comes non omnis moriar I shall not wholly die there is a life I live which death cannot touch Rom. 8. 13. The body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power As death takes a believer from amidst many sorrows and troubles and brings him to the vision of God to the general assembly of all the perfected saints to a state of compleat freedom and full satisfaction so it drags the unregenerate from all his sensitive delights and comforts to the place of torments It buries the dead soul out of the presence of God for ever 'T is the king of terrours 't is a serpent with a deadly sting to every man that is out of Christ. Inference 4. If every unregenerate soul be a dead soul how sad is the case of Hypocrites Inference 4. and temporary believers who are twice dead These are those cursed trees of which the Apostle Jude speaks Jude v. 12. Trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots The Apostle alludes unto dying trees Trees that are dying the first time in the spring they then fade decay and cast their leaves when other trees are fragrant and flourishing But from this first death they are sometimes recovered by pruning and dressing or watering the roots But if in Autumn they decay again which is the Critical and Climacterical time of trees to discover whether their disease be mortal or not if then they wither and decay the second time the fault is ab intra the root is rotten there is no hope of it The husbandman bestows no more labour about it except it be to root it up for fewel to the fire Just thus stands the case with false and hypocritical prosessours who though they were still under the power of spiritual death yet in the beginning of their profession they seemed to be alive They shewed the world the fragrant leaves of a fair profession many hopeful buddings of affection towards spiritual things were seen in them but wanting a root of regeneration they quickly began to wither and cast their untimely fruit However by the help of ordinances or some rouzing and awakening providences they seem to recover themselves again but all will not do the fault is ab intra from the want of a good root and therefore at last they who were always once dead for want of a principle of regeneration are now become twice dead by the withering and decay of their vain profession Such trees are prepared for the severest flames in hell Mat. 24. 51. Their portion is the saddest portion allotted for any of the sons of death Therefore the Apostle Peter tells us 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them Double measures of wrath seem to be prepared for them that die this double death Inference 5. If this be so then unregenerate persons deserve the greatest lamentations Inference 5. And were this truth heartily believed we could not but mourn over them with the most tender compassion and hearty sorrow If our husbands wives or children be dying a natural death how are our hearts rent in pieces with pity and sorrow for them what cries tears and wringing of hands discover the deep sense we have of their misery O Christians is all the love you have for your relations spent upon their bodies Are their souls of no value in your eyes is spiritual death no misery Doth it not deserve a tear The Lord open our eyes and duly affect our hearts with spiritual death and soul miseries Consider my friends and let it move your bowels if there be bowels of affection in you whilst they remain spiritually dead they are useless and wholly unserviceable unto God in the world as to any special and acceptable service unto him 2 Tim. 2. 21. they are uncapable of all spiritual comforts from God they cannot taste the least sweetness in Christ in duties or in promises Rom. 8. 6. They have no beauty in their souls how comely soever their bodies be 't is grace and nothing but grace that beautifies the inner man Ezek. 16. 6 7. The dead have neither comfort nor beauty in them They have no hope to be with God in glory for the life of glory is begun in grace Phil. 1. 6. Their graves must shortly be made to be buried out of the sight of God for ever in the lowest hell the pit digged by justice for all that are spiritually dead The dead must be buried Can such considerations as these draw no pity from your souls nor excite your endeavours for their regeneration Then 't is to be feared your souls are dead as well as theirs O pity them pity them and pray for them in this case only prayers for the dead are our duty who knows but at the last God may hear your cries and you may say with comfort as he did This my son was dead but is alive was lost but is found and they began to be merry Luke 15. 24. The Thirty second SERMON Sermon 32. JOHN 3. 18. Text. But he that believeth not is condemned already The Condemnation of unbelievers opened and applied because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God CHrist having discoursed Nicodemus in the beginning of this Chapter about the necessity of regeneration proceeds to shew in this following discourse the reason and ground why regeneration and faith are so indispensably necessary viz. Because there is no other way to set men free from the curse and condemnation of the Law The curse of the Law like the fiery serpents in the wilderness hath smitten every sinner with a deadly stroke and sting for
p. 385 Believers their general assembly p. 338 Believers undergo two changes p. 335 Believers have Christ for their Altar p. 316 Believers should have a free spirit p. 332 Believers in what manner brought to God p. 338 Bodies of sinners how smitten by death p. 536 Blindness of mind what it is p. 569 Blindness-spiritual what it includes p. 571 Blindness-spiritual what it excludes p. 570 Blindness of mind evidenced six ways p. 574 Blinding artifices of Satan what ibid. Burdensom nature of sin opened p. 185 Burden of sin why it must be felt p. 191 C. CAre of Christians over Christs honour p. 28â—… Carnal relations admonished p. 85 Charity to Saints strongly urged p. 37 38 Causes of spiritual life twofold p. 532 Christ transcendent in holiness p. 500 Christians no troublers of the world p. 476 Christ outbids all other offerers p. 74 Christ the mercy of mercies p. 234 Christ eight things in him attractive p. 154 Christ communicates all blessings to us p. 172 Christ makes hast in extremity p. 191 Christs burden exceeding heavy p. 185 Christ the only Physician p. 217 Christ qualified as foretold p. 240 Christ comprehensive of all that 's lovely p. 250. Christ an incomparable friend p. 257 Christ the desire of all Nations and how p. 264 Christ the Lord of Glory p. 277 Christs glory twofold p. 278 Christ the only comfort of Saints p. 290 Christ should be precious to Saints p. 319 Christians why void of comfort p. 293 Circumspection how necessary p. 588 Civility no evidence of grace p. 449 Companions in sin to be abandoned p. 384 Communion with Christ twofold p. 166 Communion with Christ in what it consists p. 167 Communion with Christ a great mysterie p. 173 Communion with Christ admirable p. 174 Communion with Saints how pleasant p. 179 Compassion due to the distressed p. 186 Coming to Christ what it includes p. 193 Communion with God kills sin p. 484 Conviction precedaneous to faith p. 147 Contentation of Christ in a low estate p. 513 Condemnation twofold p. 542 Content pressed upon Converts p. 23 Conversion introductive to all mercies p. 19 Condescension of God in the Gospel p. 50 Conversion how illustrated p. 76 Consent included in faith p. 120 Consolation what it is p. 288 Consolation three kinds thereof ibid. Consolation three ingredienâ—…s thereof p. 289 Contempts of the world contemned p. 318 Conviction the first work of the Spirit p. 414 Congruity of divine drawings with the will of man p. 72 Concomitants of faith what they are p. 150 Conversion its stupendious effects p. 86 Conscience the offices thereof p. 186 Conscience benummed how sad p. 189 Complaints to men fruitless ibid. Confidence without ground what p. 349. Converts exhorted to praise p. 371 Corruption of nature discovered p. 8â—… D. DAmned their dreadful state opened p. 187 Danger of refusing Christ. p. 156 Damnation how aggravated p. 354 Danger of false confidence ibid. Death and deadness how differenced p. 422 Degrees of faith the least precious p. 142 Despair in our selves necessary p. 147 Despair not of carnal relations p. 87 Death how made sweet p. 43 Death on what account dreadful p. 189 Death of Christ its design and end p. 336 Deliverance from sin what a mercy p. 380 Decrees of God how executed p. 409 Delight in God eminent in Christ. p. 509 Death spiritual what it is p. 530 Dignity of Saints whence inferred p. 36 Discourses of Heaven sweet in the way p. 343 Difficulty of faith discovered p. 137 Diseases of the soul what they are p. 217 Directions about faith six p. 159 Directions to inflame desires p. 273 Discouragements in godliness unreasonable p. 387 Divine authority of Scriptures p. 364 Dominion of sin cured by Christ. p. 219 Dominion of sin destroyed in Saints p. 327 Dominion of sin wherein it consists p. 461 Drawings of God what they are p. 71 Drawings of God opened five ways p. 73 Duties no evidences of grace p. 450 Desires after Christ examined p. 270 Desires after Christ include blessings ibid. Dejections of Saints groundless p. 344 E. EFficacy of the Gospel how great p. 358 Efficacy of preaching whence it is p. 55 End of the new Creature twofold p. 435 English preaching its encomium p. 560 Embryo's spiritual what they are p. 370 Enjoyment of God mans chief good p. 337 Enemies to souls who are so p. 355 Engagements to obedience what p. 561 Engage not sin in our own strength p. 486 Esteem nothing lovely but Christ. p. 259 Eyes opened two ways p. 585 Evidences of spiritual death p. 531 Evidences of persons unreconciled p. 61 Evidences of carnal security p. 350 Evidences of the power of the word p. 359 Evidences of the Spirit in us p. 415 Evidences of mortification p. 469 492 Extent of Christs Kingdom large p. 265 Expectations of wrath terrible p. 187 Examples motives to faith p. 198 Expectation implied in faith p. 195 Experiences of others relieving p. 190 Examples useful in mortification p. 491 Examples of the world not to be imitated p. 587 F. FAith its subject act and enemies p. 79 Faith considered two ways p. 128 Faith whether in two faculties p. 120 Faith its encomium above other graces p. 129 Faith justifies not as a work p. 132 Faith justifies as an applying instrument p. 133. Faith precious in the least degree p. 144 Faith of Papists an absurd faith p. 145 Faith its Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents p. 146 Faith is not the souls rest p. 207 Faith how great a mercy to men p. 546 Faith its instrumentality in mortification p. 483 Fall of Adam how aggravated p. 51 False joy the only joy of carnal men p. 350 False joy twofold p. 351 Fears of death how cured p. 209 Fellowship with Christ our dignity p. 163. Fellowship with Christ not natural p. 171 Fellowship of Saints advantageous p. 478 Filth of sin what and how removed p. 208 Folly of self-righteousness p. 226 Following Christ the Saints duty p. 344 Free-grace and full satisfaction consistent p. 53. Freedom from the rigour of the Law p. 326 Freedom from guilt what a priviledge ibid. Freedom from the first Covenant p. 409 Frustration of the Gospel how p. 354 Fulness of Christs saving power p. 383 G. GEnerality of men in the way to Hell p. 3â—…6 Gifts of the Spirit twofold p. 407 Gifts no evidences of Grace p. 450 Glory of the Saints will be very great p. 282 Gospels strange success whence is is p. 396 Gospel an invaluable mercy p. 365 Gospel why so unsuccessful p. 355 Gospel Embassy what it implies p. 47 48 Gospel why ineffectual to men p. 87 Gospels scope to bring men to believe p. 131 Gospel its power to awaken men p. 360 Gospel its enlightning efficacy ibid. Gospel its wounding power p. 361 Gospel how it turns the heart ibid. Gospel its power not in it self p. 362 Gospel efficacy not in the instrument ibid. Gospel in every part presses mortification p. 466 Gospel
seasonably A sound of judgement is in our ears the Lords voice crieth unto the City and the man of wisdom shall see thy name hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Mica 6. 9. All things round about us seem to posture themselves for trouble and distress Where is the man of wisdom that doth not foresee a shower of wrath and indignation coming We have heard a voice of trembling of fear and not of peace Ask ye now and see whether a man doth travel with child Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins as a woman in travail and all faces are turned into paleness Alas for that day is great so that none is like it it is even the day of Jacobs trouble but he shall be delivered out of it Jer. 30. 5 6 7. Many eyes are now opened to see the common danger but some foresaw it long ago when they saw the general decay of godliness every where the notorious Prophanity and Atheism that overspread the Nations the spirit of enmity and bitterness against the power of godliness whereever it appeared and though there seemed to be a present calm and general quietness yet those that were wise in heart could not but discern distress of nations with great perplexity in these seeds of judgement and calamity but as the Epha fills more and more so the determined wrath grows more and more visible to every eye and 't is a fond thing to dream of tranquillity in the midâ—… of so much iniquity Indeed if these Nations were once swept with the besom of reformation we might hope God would not sweep them with the besome of destruction but what peace can be expected whilst the highest provocations are continued It is therefore the great and present concernment of all to provide themselves of a refuge before the storm overtake them for as Augustin well observes non facile inveniuntur praesidia in adversitate quae non fuerint in pace quaesita O take up your lodgings in the Attributes and Promises of God before the night overtake you view them often by faith and clear up your interest in them that you may be able to go to them in the dark when the Ministers and Ordinances of Christ have taken their leave of you and bid you good night Whilst many are hasting on the wrath of God by prophaneness and many by smiting their fellow Servants and multitudes resolve if trouble come to fish in the troubled waters for safety and preferment not doubting whensoever the overflowing flood comes but they shall stand dry O that you would be mourning for their sins and providing better for your own safety Reader it is thy one thing necessary to get a cleared interest in Jesus Christ which being once obtained thou maist face the storm with boldness and say Come troubles and distresses losses and tryals prisons and death I am provided for you do your worst you can do me no harm let the winds roar the lightnings flesh the rains and hail fall never so furiously I have a good roof over my head a comfortable lodging provided for me my place of defence is the munition of rocks where bread shall be given me and my waters shall be sure Isa. 33. 16. The design of the ensuing Treatise is to assist thee in this great work and though it was promised to the world many years past yet providence hath reserved it for the fittest season and brought it to thy hand in a time of need It contains the method of grace in the application of the great redemption to the souls of men as the former part contains the method of grace in the impetration thereof by Jesus Christ. The acceptation God hath given the former part signified by the desires of many for the publication of this hath at last prevailed with me notwithstanding the secret consciousness of my inequality to so great an undertakement to adventure this second part also upon the ingenuity and candour of the Reader And I consent the more willingly to the publication of this because the design I first aimed at could not be intire and compleat without it but especially the quality of the subject matter which through the blessing and concurrence of the spirit may be useful both to rouze the drousie Consciences of this sleepy generation and to assist the upright in clearing the work of the spirit upon their own souls These considerations have prevailed with me against all discouragements And now Reader it is impossible for me to speak particularly and distinctly to the case of thy soul which I am ignorant of except the Lord shall direct my discourse to it in some of the following suppositions If thou be one that hast sincerely applied and received Jesus Christ by faith this discourse through the blessing of the Spirit may be useful to thee to clear and confirm thy evidences to melt thy heart in the sense of thy mercies and to ingage and quicken thee in the way of thy duties Here thou wilt see what great things the Lord hath done for thy soul and how these dignities as thou art his Son or Daughter by the double title of regeneration and adoption do oblige thee to yield up thy self to God intirely and to say from thy heart Lord whatever I am I am for thee whatever I can do I will do for thee and whatever I can suffer I will suffer for thee and all that I am or have all that I can do or suffer is nothing to what thou hast done for my soul. If thou be a stranger to regeneration and faith a person that makest a powerless profession of Christ that hast a name to live but art dead here it 's possible thou maist meet something that will convince thee how dangerous a thing it is to be an old creature in the new creatures dress and habit and what it is that blinds thy judgement and is likeliest to prove thyruine a seasonable and full conviction whereof will be the greatest mercy that can befall thee in this world if thereby at last God may help thee-to put on Christ as well as the name-of Christ. If thow be in darkness about the state of thy own soul and willing to have it faithfully and impartially tried by the rule of the word which will not warp to any mans humour or interest here thou wilt find some weak assistance offered thee to clear and disintangle thy doubting thoughts which through thy prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ may lead thee to a comfortable settlement and inward peace If thou be a proud conceited presumptuous â—…oul who hast too little knowledge and too much pride and self-love to admit any doubts or scruples of thy state towards God there are many things in this Treatise proper for thy conviction and better information for woe to thee if thou shouldest not fear till thou begin to feel thy misery if thy troubles do not come on till
p. 76 10. 3. p. 79 10. 4. p. 82 83 Galatians Gal. 2. 20. p. 169 3. 23. p. 148 4. 4 5. p. 341 4. 6 7. p. 409 5. 17. p. 112 5. 6. p. 152 5. 17. p. 452 5. 24. p. 456 6. 1. p. 187 6. 22 23. p. 441 Ephesians Eph. 1. 22 23. p. 35 1. 10. p. 36 1. 19 20. p. 72 1. 7. p. 298 1. 6. p. 309 1. 18. p. 568 2. 10. p. 76 2. 1. p. 90 91 2. 10. p. 100 2. 13. p. 310 2. 12. p. 337 2. 12. p. 350 2. 1 2 3. p. 433 3. 17. p. 127 3. 8. p. 173 4. 15 16. p. 27 4. 7. p. 235 5. 31 32. p. 166 5. 14. p. 527 6. 32. p. 27 Philippian Phil. 1. 29. p. 79 1. 29. p. 282 2. 15. p. 503 3. 8. p. 81 3. 12. p. 91 3. 9. p. 168 3. 12. p. 500 4. 19. p. 176 Colossians Col. 1. 2 4. p. 29 1. 27. p. 136 1. 19. p. 250 1. 17. p. 251 1. 22. p. 310 2. 13. p. 95 2. 6. p. 158 3. 11. p. 172 3. 3. p. 434 2. 14. p. 326 1 Thessalonians 1 Thess. 1. 5 6. p. 7 5. 23. p. 98 2 Thessalonians 2 Thess. 1. 10. p. 282 1 Timothy 1 Tim. 1. 16. p. 190 1. 15. p. 193 5. 6. p. 108 2 Timothy 2 Tim. 2. 19. p. 499 Titus Tit. 2. 10. p. 284 3. 8. p. 16 Hebrews Heb. 2. 14. p. 327 3. 14. p. 28 3. 14. p. 344 4. 3. p. 205 5. 14. p. 111 5. 2. p. 223 5. 4. p. 504 7. 25. p. 196 7. 25. p. 253 10. 14. p. 29 10. 27. p. 187 11. 6. p. 194 11. 26. p. 281 12. 24. p. 257 12. 8. p. 326 James Jam. 1. 18. p. 431 4. 12. p. 279 1 Peter 1 Pet. 1. 2. p. 8 1. 2. p. 409 1. 5. p. 474 2. 4. p. 12 2. 2. p. 112 3. 18. p. 335 4. 4. p. 86 4. 4. p. 433 2 Peter 2 Pet. 1. 4. p. 96 1. 4. p. 481 1 John 1 Joh. 2. 27. p. 139 2. 27. p. 377 2. 6. p. 495 2. 6. p. 515 3. 7. p. 13 3. 9. p. 99 3. 8. p. 103 3. 7. p. 130 3. 24. p. 403 5. 11. p. 99 5. 9. p. 118 Jude Jude v. 6. p. 52 v. 21. p. 155 v. 6. p. 155 v. 12. p. 536 Revelation 2. 7. p. 11 3. 2. p. 438 5. 6. p. 257 21. 9. p. 255 Reader NOtwithstanding the extraordinary care of the Printer and Corrector some faults have escaped the Press which a little care of thine may easily rectifie in this manner CORRIGENDA PAge 12. line 4. add be before registred p. 27. l. 8. read though p. 31. l. 9. for it r. him p. 36. l. 20. add by nature p. 47. l. 31. for when r. whence p. 38. l. 22. dele And p. 71. l. 22. dele either and l. 23. for or r. this p. 74. l. 7. for of r. or p. 81. l. penult is is transposed p. 88. l. 3. for contain r. continue p. 117. l. 22. dele of and put it after actings p. 167. l. ult add to justifie us after as Christ hath p. 244. l. 26. for seems r. sees p. 158. l. 27. for of r. by p. 300. l. 9. for essentially r. especially p. 307. l. 38. for by r. of salvation p. 422. l. 2. dele not p. 323. l. 28. for are r. is p. 454. l. 9. for creature r. nature p. 475. l. 6. dele The earthliness of p. 487. l. 4. for our r. one p. 519. l. 19. for weaken r. meeken p. 507. l. 28. for as r. was p. 536. l. 12. for spiritual r. specifical p. 541. l. 23. for or r. and p. 549. l. penult for your r. you p. 558. l. 27. for us r. him Υποτυπωσις TOTIUS OPERIS Redemption hath 2 Parts viz. meritorious Impetration opened Part 1. and effectual Application opened in this 2d Part wherein it is considered and improved 1. Doctrinally both in its 1. General nature opened Sermon 1. 2. Special nature consisting in our 1. Union with Christ Serm. 2. including four things in it viz. 1. The Gospel offer Serm. 3 2. The Spirits drawing Serm. 4 3. Infusion of Life Serm. 5 4. Actual Faith Serm. 6 7 2. Communion with Christ in graces and Priviledges Serm. 8 2. Practically in 4. Uses 1. Exhortation to come to Christ Serm. 9. enforced by motives drawn from his 1. Encouraging Titles which are six 1. Title Serm. 10 2. Title Serm. 11 3. Title Serm. 12 4. Title Serm. 13 5. Title Serm. 14 6. Title Serm. 15 2. Excellent priviledges which are four 1. Priviledge Serm. 16 2. Priviledge Serm. 17 3. Priviledge Serm. 18 4. Priviledge Serm. 19 2. Conviction proving that none can ordinarily come to Christ without 1. The application of the Law Serm. 20 21 2. The teachings of the Father Serm. 22 23 3. Examination of our interest in Christ by four Trials viz. 1. The donation of the spirit Serm. 24 2. The new Creation Serm. 25 26 3. The mortification of sin Serm. 27 28 4. The imitation of Christ. Serm. 29 30 4. Lamentation representing the misery of Christless persons as they lie under and are exposed to 1. The Death of sin Serm. 31 2. The curse of the Law Serm. 32 3. Greater guilt and damnation Serm. 33 4. And in order thereunto they are blinded by the God of this world which forerunner of Damnation is opened and applied in Serm. 34 35. The First SERMON Serm. 1. 1 COR. 1. 30. Opening the general nature of Effectual Application But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousness sanctification and redemption HE that enquires what is the just value and worth of Christ asks a question which puts all the men on earth and Angels in heaven to an everlasting non-plus The highest attainment of our knowledge in this life is to know that himself and his love do pass knowledge Eph. 3. 91. But how excellent soever Christ is in himself what treasures of righteousness soever lye in his blood and whatever joy peace and ravishing comforts spring up to men out of his incarnation humiliation and exaltation they all give down their distinct benefits and comforts to them in the way of Effectual application For never was any wound heaâ—…ed by a prepared but unapplied plaister Never any body warmed by the most costly garment made but not put on Never any heart refreshed and comforted by the richest Cordial compounded but not received nor from the 〈◊〉 of the world was it ever known that a poor deceived condemned polluted miserable sinner was actually delivered out of that woful state until of God Christ was made unto him wisdom and righteousness sanctification and redemption For look * Parisiensis de causis cur deus homo cap. 9. Quemadmâ—…dum non transit Adae damnatio nisi per generationem in carnaliter ex â—…o generatos Sic non transit Christi gratia peccatorum remissio nisi perregenerationem ad
spiritualiter per ipsum regeneratos Sicut deâ—…ictum Ade non nocet nisi suis in eo quod sui sunt Sic nec gratia Christi prodest nisi suis in eo quod sui sunt as the Condemnation of the First Adam passeth not to us except as by generation we are his so grace and remission pass not from the Second Adam to us except as by regeneration we are his Adams Sin hurts none but those that are in him and Christs blood profits none but those that are in him how great a weight therefore doth there hang upon the effectual application of Christ to the Souls of men and what is there in the whole world so awfully solemn so greatly important as this is Such is the strong consolation resulting from it that the Apostle in this context offers it to the believing Corinthians as a superabundant recompence for the despicable meanness and baseness of their outward condition in this world of which he had just before spoken in ver 27 28. telling them though the world contemned them as vile foolish and weak yet of God Christ is made unto them wisdom and righteousness sanctification and redemption In which words we have an Enumeration of the chief priviledges of believers and an Account of the method whereby they come to be invested with them First Their priviledges are enumerated namely wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption mercies of 1. Quatuor Christo â—…logia hic adscribit quae totam ejus virtutem quicquid ab ipso bonorum recipimus complectuntur Calv. in loc inestimable value in themselves and such as respect a fourfold misery lying upon sinful manâ—… viz. Ignorance guilt pollution and the whole 〈◊〉 of miserable consequences and effects let in upon the nature of men yea the best and holiest of men by sin Lapsed man is not only in deep misery but grossly ignorant both that he is so and how to recover himself from it Sin hath left him at once senseless of his state and at a perfect loss about the true remedy To cure this Christ is made to him Wisdome not only by improvement of those treasures of wisdome that are in himself for the benefit of such souls as are united to him as an head consulting the good of his own members but also by imparting his wisdome to them by the Spirit of illumination whereby they come to discern both their sin and danger as also the true way of their recovery from both through the application of Christ to their souls by faith But alas Simple illumination doth but increase our burden and exasperate our misery as long as sin in the guilt of it is either imputed to our persons unto condemnation or reflected by our consciences in a way of accusation With design therefore to remedy and heal this sore evil Christ is made of God unto us righteousness compleat and perfect righteousness whereby our obligation to punishment is dissolved and thereby a solid foundation for a well settled peace of conscience firmly established Yea but although the removing of guilt from our persons and consciences be an inestimable mercy yet alone it cannot make us compleatly happy for though a man should never be damned for sin yet what is it less than an hell upon earth to be under the dominion and pollution of every base lust it's misery enough to be daily defiled by sin though a man should never be damned for it To compleat therefore the happiness of the redeemed Christ is not only made of God unto them Wisdome and righteousness the one curing our ignorance the other our guilt but he is made Sanctification also to relieve us against the dominion and pollution of our corruptions he comes both by water and by blood not by blood only but by water also 1 Joh. 5. 6. purging as well as pardoning how compleat and perfect a cure is Christ But yet something is required beyond all this to make our happiness perfect and entire wanting nothing and that is the removal of those doleful effects and consequents of sin which notwithstanding all the forementioned priviledges and mercies still lye upon the souls and bodies of illuminated justified and sanctified persons For even upon the best and holiest of men what swarms of vanity loads of deadness and fits of unbelief do daily appear in and oppress their souls to the imbittering of all the comforts of life to them And how many diseases deformities pains oppress their bodies which daily moulders away by them till they fall into the grave by death even as the bodies of other men do who never received such priviledges from Christ as they do For if Christ be in us as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8. 10. the body is dead because of sin Sanctification exempts us not from mortality But from all these and whatsoever else the fruits and consequences of sin Christ is Redemption to his people also this seals up the sum of mercies this so compleats the happiness of the Saints that it leaves nothing to desire These four wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption take up amongst them all that is necessary or desirable to make a soul truly and perfectly blessed Secondly we have here the method and way by which the Elect come to be invested with these excellent priviledges 2. the account whereof the Apostle gives us in these words Who of God is made unto us in which expression four things are remarkable First That Christ and his benefits go inseparably and undividedly together 't is Christ himself is made all this unto us we can have no saving benefit separate and apart from the person of Christ many would willingly receive his priviledges who will not receive his person but it cannot be if we will have one we must take the other too yea we must accept his person first and then his benefits as it is in the marriage Covenant so 't is here Secondly That Christ with his benefits must be personally and particularly applied to us before we can receive any actual saving priviledge by him he must be made unto us i. e. particularly applied to us as a sum of money becomes or is made the ransome and liberty of a Captive when it is not only promised but paid down in his name and legally applied for that use and end when Christ dyed the ransome was prepared the sum laid down but yet the elect continue still in sin and misery notwithstanding till by effectual calling it be actually applied to their persons and then they are made free Rom. 5. 10 11. reconciled by Christs death by whom we have now received the attonement Thirdly That this application of Christ is the work of God and not of man Of God he is made unto us the same hand that prepared it must also apply it or else we perish notwithstanding all that the father hath done in contriving and appointing and all that the son hath done in executing and accomplishing the
yet refuses Christ who comes to him with heavenly light and wisdome he is condemned by the terrible sentence of the Law to eternal wrath and yet rejects Christ who tenders to him compleat and perfect righteousness he is wholly polluted and plunged into original and actual pollutions of nature and practice yet will have none of Christ who would become sanctification to him he is oppressed in soul and body with the deplorable effects and miseries sin hath brought upon him and yet is so in love with his bondage that he will neither accept Christ nor the redemption he brings with him to sinners Oh what monsters what beasts hath sin turned its subjects into you will not come unto me that you may have life Joh. 5. 40. sin hath stabb'd the sinner to the heart the wounds are all mortal eternal death is in his face Christ hath prepared the only plaister that can cure his wounds but he will not suffer him to apply it he acts like one in love with death and that judges it sweet to perish So Christ tells us Prov. 8. 36. all they that hate me love death Not in it self but in Non quod quisque ita insaâ—…iat ut sciens volens diligat mortem quam omnes natura exhorrescimus sed quia ista est fructus spretae sapientiae Dei ut mortem tandem afferat Lavat in loc its causes with which it is inseparably connected they are loth to burn yet willing to sin though sin kindle those everlasting flames So that in two things the unbeliever shews himself worse than bruitish he can't think of damnation the effect of sin without horror and yet cannot think of sin the cause of damnation without pleasure he is loth to perish to all eternity without remedy and yet refuses and declines Christ as if he were an enemy who only can and would deliver him from that eternal perdition How do men act therefore as if they were in love with their own ruin many poor wretches now in the way to Hell what an hard shift do they make to cast themselves away Christ meets them many times in the Ordinances where they studiously shun him many times checks them in their way by convictions which they make an hard shift to overcome and conquer oh how willing are they to accept a cure a benefit aremedy for any thing but their Souls You see then that Sinners cannot should they study all their days to do themselves a mischief take a readier course to undo themselves than by rejecting Christ in his gracious offers Surely the sin of Sodom and Gomorrha is less than this sin mercy it self is exasperated by it and the damnation of such as reject Christ so prepared for them with whatever they need and so seriously and frequently offer'd to them upon the Knee of Gospel intreaty is just inevitable and more intolerable than any in the world beside them It is just for the sinner hath but his own option or choice he is but come to the end which he was often told his way would bring him to It is inevitable for there is no other way to Salvation but that which is rejected and it will be more intolerable than the Damnation of others because neither Heathens nor Devils ever aggravated their sins by such an horrid circumstance as the wilful refusing of such an apt offered and only remedy Infer 4. What a tremendous Symptome of wrath and sad Character of Death appears upon that mans Soul to which no effectual application Infer 4. of Christ can be made by the Gospel Christ with his benefits is frequently tendered to them in the Gospel they have been beseeched once and again upon the Knee of importunity to accept him those entreaties and perswasions have been urged by the greatest arguments The Command of God the love of Christ the inconceiveable happiness or misery which unavoidably follows the accepting or rejecting of those offers and yet nothing will stick all their pleas for infidelity have been over and over confuted their reasons and consciences have stood convinced they have been Speechless as well as Christless not one sound argument is found with them to defend their infidelity they confess in general that such courses as theirs is lead to destruction they will yield them to be happy souls that are in Christ and yet when it comes to the point their own closing with him nothing will stick all arguments all entreaties return to us without success Lord what is the reason of this unaccountable obstinacy in other things it is not so if they be sick they are so far from rejecting a physician that offers himself that they will send and pray and pay him too if they be arrested for debt and any one will be a surety and pay their debts for them words can hardly express the sense they have of such a kindness but though Christ would be both physician and surety and what ever else their needs require they will rather perish to eternity than accept him what may we fear to be the reason of this but because they are not of Christs sheep Joh. 10. 26. the Lord open the eyes of poor sinners to apprehend not only how great a sin but how dreadful a sign this is Infer 5. If Christ with all his benefits be made ours by Gods special application Infer 5. what a day of mercies then is the day of conversion What multitudes of choice blessings visit the converted soul in that day This day saith Christ to Zacheus Luke 19. 9. is Salvation come to this house in this day Christ cometh into the soul and he comes not empty but brings with him all his treasures of wisdom and righteousness sanctification and redemption Troops of mercies yea of the best of mercies come with him It is a day of singular gladness and joy to the heart of Christ when he is Espoused to and received by the believing soul it is as a Coronation day to a King So you read Cant. 3. 11. Go forth O ye daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his Espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart Where under the Type of Solomon in his greatest magnificence and glory when the royal Diadem was set upon his head and the people shouted for joy so that the earth did ring again is shadowed out the joy of Christs heart when poor souls by their high estimation of him and consent to his government do as it were Crown him with glory and honour and make his heart glad Now if the day of our Espousals to Christ be the day of the gladness of his heart and he reckons himself thus honoured and glorified by us what a day of joy and gladness should it be to our hearts and how should we be transported with joy to see a King from heaven with all his treasures of grace and glory bestowing himself
it appear that there is such a Union betwixt Christ and believers it is no Ens rationis 1. empty notion or cunningly devised fable but a most certain demonstrable truth which appears First From the Communion which is betwixt Christ and believers in this the Apostle is express 1 Joh. 1. 3. truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his son Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies such fellowship or Copartnership as persons have by a joynt interest in one and the same enjoyment which is in common betwixt them So Heb. 3. 14. we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ipse venit in sortem nostrae mortalitatis ut in fortem nos adduceret suae immortalitatis clarum autem est hic agi de consortibus unctionis quales sunt omnes fideles qui unctionis participes fiunt Rivet partakers of Christ and Psal. 45. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here the Saints are called the companions consorts or fellows of Christ and that not only in respect of his assumption of our mortality and investing us with his immortality but it hath a special reference and respect to the Unction of the Holy Ghost or graces of the Spirit of which believers are partakers with him and through him Now this Communion of the Saints with Christ is entirely and necessarily dependant upon their Union with him even as much as the branches participation of the sap and juice depends upon its Union and coalition with the stock take away Union and there can be no communion or communications which is clear from 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. All is yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods where you see how all our participation of Christs benefits is built upon our Union with Christs person Secondly The reality of the believers Union with Christ is evident from the Imputation of Christs righteousness to him for his Justification That a believer is justified before God by a righteousness without himself is undeniable from Rom. 3. 24. being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus and that Christs righteousness becomes ours by Imputation is as clear from Rom. 4. 23 24. but it can never be imputed to us except we be united to him and become one with him which is also plainly asserted in 1 Con. 1. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousness sanctification and redemption he communicates his merits unto none but those that are in him hence all those vain cavils of the Papists disputing against our Justification by the righteousness of Christ and asserting it to be by inherent righteousness are solidly answered When they demand how can we be justified by the righteousness of another can I be rich with another mans money or preferr'd by anothers honours Our answer is Yes if that other be my surety or husband indeed Peter cannot be justified by the righteousness of Paul but both may be justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them they being members joyntly knit to one common head principal and surety are one in obligation and construction of Law head and members are one body branch and stock are one tree and it 's no strange thing to see a graff live by the sap of another stock when once it is ingraffed into it Thirdly The Sympathy that is betwixt Christ and believers proves a Union betwixt them Christ and the Saints smile and sigh together St. Paul in Colos. 1. 2 4. tells us that he did fill up that which is behind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the remainders of the sufferings of Christ in his Flesh not as if Christs sufferings were imperfect for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. but in these two Scriptures Christ is consider'd in a twofold capacity he suffered once in Corpore proprio in his own person as mediator these sufferings are compleat and full and in that sense he suffers no more he suffers also in Corpore mâ—…tico in his Church and members thus he still suffers in the sufferings of every Saint for his sake and though these sufferings in his Mystical body are not equal to the other either pondere mensura in their weight and value nor yet designed ex officio for the same use and purpose to satisfie by their proper merit offended Justice nevertheless they are truly reckoned the sufferings of Christ because the head suffers when the members do and without this supposition that place Acts 9. 5. is never to be understood when Christ the head in Heaven crys out Saul Saul why persecutest thou me when the toe was trod upon on earth how doth Christ sensibly feel our sufferings or we his if there be not a Mystical Union betwixt him and us Fourthly and Lastly The way and manner in which the Saints shall be raised at the last day proves this Mystical Union betwixt Christ and them for they are not to be raised as others by the naked power of God without them but by the vertue of Christs resurrection as their head sending forth vital quickening influences into their dead bodies which are united to him as well as their souls For so we find it Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you even as it is in our awakening out of natural sleep first the animal spirits in the head begin to rouze and play there and then the senses and members are loosed throughout the whole body Now it 's impossible the Saints should be raised in the last resurrection by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them if that Spirit did not knit and unite them to him as members to their head So then by all this it is proved that there is a real Union of the Saints with Christ. Next I shall endeavour to open the quality and nature of this Union and shew you what it is according to the weak 2. apprehensions we have of so sublime a Mystery and this I shall do in a General account of it and Particular First More generally it is an intimate conjunction of believers to Christ by the imparting of his Spirit to them whereby 1. they are enabled to believe and live in him All divine Spiritual life is originally in the Father and cometh not to us but by and through the son Joh. 5. 26. to him hath the Father given to have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quickening enlivening power in himself but the Son communicates this life which is in him to none but by and through the Spirit Rom. 8. 2. the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death The Spirit must therefore first take hold of us before we can live in Christ and
to believers as their head but more particularly from the several benefits they receive from him as such for in wounding Christ by their sins First They wound their head of influence through whom they live and without whom they had still remain'd in the state of sin and death Eph. 4. 16. Shall Christ send life to us and we return that which is as death to him O how absurd how disingenuous is this Secondly They wound their head of government Christ is a guiding as well as a quickening head Col. 1. 18. the is your wisdome he guides you by his counsels to glory but must he be thus requited for all his faithful conduct what do you when you sin against him but rebel against his government refusing to sollow his counsels and obeying in the mean time a deceiver rather than him Thirdly They wound their consulting head who cares provides and projects for the welfare and safety of the body Christians you know your affairs below have not been steered and managed by your own wisdome but that orders have been given from heaven for your security and supply from day to day I know O Lord saith the Prophet that the way of man is not in himself neither is it in him that walks to direct his own steps Jer. 10. 23. It 's true Christ is out of your sight and you see him not but he sees you and orders every thing that concerns you And is this a due requital of all that care he hath taken for you Do ye thus requite the Lord for all his benefits what recompence evil for good O let shame cover you Fourthly and Lastly They wound their head of honour Christ your head is the fountain of honour to you this is your glory that you relate to him as your head you are on this account as before was noted exalted above Angels Now then consider how vile a thing it is to reflect the least dishonour upon him from whom you derive all your glory O consider and bewail it Infer 5. Is there so strict and intimate a relation and Union betwixt Christ and the Saints then surely they can never want what is good for Infer 5. Qui misit filium immisit spiritum promisit vultum quid tandem denegabit their souls or bodies Every one naturally cares and provides for his own especially for his own body yet we can more easily violate the law of nature and be cruel to our own flesh than Christ can be so to his Mystical body I know it 's hard to rest upon and rejoyce in a promise when necessities pinch and we see not from whence relief should arise but oh what sweet satisfaction and comfort might a necessitous believer find in these considerations would he but keep them upon his heart in such a day of straits First Whatever my distresses are for quality number or degree they are all known even to the least circumstance by Christ my head he looks down from heaven upon all my afflictions and understands them more fully than I that feel them Psal. 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Secondly He not only knows them but feels them as well as knows them we have not an high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4. 15. in all your afflictions he is afflicted tender Sympathy cannot but flow from such intimate Union therefore in Matth. 25. 35. he saith I was an hungred and I was a thirst and I was naked For indeed his Sympathy and tender compassion gave him as quick a resentment and as tender a sense of their wants as if they had been his own yea Thirdly He not only knows and feels my wants but hath enough in his hand and much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enough to supply them all for all things are delivered to him by the Father Luk 10. 22. all the storehouses in heaven and earth are his Phil. 4. 19. Fourthly He bestows all earthly good things even to superfluity and redundance upon his enemies they have more than heart can wish Psal. 73. 7. he is bountiful to strangers he loads his very enemies with these things and can it be supposed he will in the mean while starve his own and neglect those whom he loves as his own flesh it cannot be Moreover Fifthly hitherto he hath not suffered me to perish in any former straits when and where was it that he forsook me this is not the first plunge of trouble I have been in have I not found him a God at a pinch how oft have I seen him in the Mount of difficulties Sixthly and Lastly I have his promise and engagement that he will never leave me nor forsake me Heb. 13. 5. and Joh. 14. 18. a promise never crackt since the hour it was first made If then the Lord Jesus knows and feels all my wants hath enough and more than enough to supply them if he gives even to redundance unto his enemies hath not hitherto forsaken me and hath promised he never will why then is my soul thus disquieted in me surely there is no cause it should be so Infer 6. If the Saints are so nearly united to Christ as the members to Infer 6. the head O then how great a sin and full of danger is it for any to wrong and persecute the Saints For in so doing they must needs persecute Christ himself Saul Saul saith Christ why persecutest thou me Acts Agesilaus dicâ—…re solitus est se vâ—…hementer admirari eos non haberi in sacrilegorum numero qui laederent eos qui Deo supplicarent vel Deum venerantur quo iâ—…nuit eos non tantum Sacrilegos esse qui deos ipsos aut templorum ornatum spoliarent sed eos maxime qui deorum ministros praecones contumeliis afficiunt Aemyl Prob. 9. 4. The righteous God holds himself obliged to vindicate oppressed innocency though it be in the person of a wicked man how much more when it is in a member of Christ He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of mine eye Zech. 2. 8. And is it to be imagined that Christ will sit still and suffer his enemies to thrust out the very Apples of his eyes no no He hath ordained his arrrows against the persecutors Psal. 7. 13. O it were better thy hand should wither and thine arm fall from thy shoulder than ever it should be lifted up against Christ in the poorest of his members Believe it Sirs not only your violent actions but your hard speeches are all set down upon your doomes-days book and you shall be brought to an account for them in the great day Jud. 15. Beware what arrows you shoot and be sure of your mark before you shoot them Infer 7. If there be such a Union betwixt Christ and the Saints as hath been described upon what comfortable terms then may believers Infer 7. part with their bodies at Death Christ your
is Nature set off in its sumptuous attire and rich embellishments and now to renounce it disclaim and contemn it as dross and dung in comparison of Christ as believers do Phil. 3. 8. this I say is against the grain of nature We reckon it the strange effect of self denyal in Mahomet the Great who being so enamoured with his beautiful Irene would be perswaded upon reasons of Knowles History of the Turks State with his own hand to strike off her head and that when she appeared in all her rich ornaments before him rather like such a Goddess as the Poets in their ecstasies use to feign than a mortal creature and yet certainly this nothing is to that self denyal which is exercised in our coming to Christ. Secondly And if we look to the other Term to which the soul moves we shall find it acting as much above the Sphere and ability of improved Nature as here it acts and moves against the stream and current of corrupted nature for how wonderful and supernatural an adventure is that which the soul makes in the day that it comes to Jesus Christ Surely for any poor soul to venture it self for ever upon Jesus Christ whom it never saw nay upon Christ whose very existence it s own unbelief calls into question whether he be or no and that when it 's even weighed down to the dust with the burdensome sense of its own vileness and total unworthiness feeling nothing in it self but sin and misery the workings of death and fears of wrath to go to Christ of whose pardoning grace and mercy it never had any the least experience nor can find any ground of hope in it self that it shall be accepted this is as much above the power of nature as it is for a stone to rise from the earth and fix it self among the Stars well might the Apostle ascribe it to that almighty power which raised up Christ from the dead Eph. 1. 19 20. if the Lord draw not the Soul and that with an omnipotent pull it can never come from it self to Christ. And yet farther Thirdly The Natural impossibility of coming to Christ will more clearly appear if we consider the enemies to faith or what blocks are roll'd by Satan and his instruments into the way to Christ to mention in this place no more but our own carnal reason as it 's armed and managed by the subtilty of Satan what a wonder is it that any soul should come to Christ These are the strong holds mentioned 2 Cor. 10. 4. out of which those objections fears and discouragements sally by which the soul is fiercely assaulted in the way to Christ. Wilt thou forsake all thy pleasures merry company and sensible comforts to live a sad retired pensive life wilt thou begger and undo thy self let go thy comforts in hand for an hope of that which thine eyes never saw nor hast thou any certainty that it 's any more than a fancy wilt thou that hast lived in reputation and credit all thy life now become the scorn and contempt of the world thinkest thou thy self able to live such a strict severe mortified and self-denying a life as the word of God requires and what if persecution should arise as thou must expect it will canst thou forsake father and mother wife and children yea and give up thine own life too to a cruel and bloody death be advised better before thou resolve in so important a matter what thinkest thou of thy fore-fathers that lived and dyed in that way thou art now leaving art thou wiser than they do not the generality of men walk in the same paths thou hast hitherto walked in if this way lead to hell as thou fearest it may think then how many millions of men must perish as well as thy self and is such a supposition consistent with the gracious and merciful nature of God Besides think what sort of people those are unto whom thou art about to joyn thy self in this new way are there not to be found among them many things to discourage thee and cool thy zeal they are generally of the lower and baser sort of men poor and despicable seest thou not though their profession be holy how earthly carnal proud factious and hypocritical many of them are found to be and doubtless the rest are like them though their hypocrisie be not yet discovered O what stands and demurrs what hesitations and doubts is the soul clog'd with in its way to Christ but yet none of these can with-hold and detain the soul when the Father draws greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world and thus you see the nature manner and efficacy of divine drawings and how impossible it is for any Soul to come to Christ without them The Inferences and Improvements of the point follow Infer 1. How deeply and throughly is the nature of man corrupted and Infer 1. what an enemy is every man to his own happiness that he must be drawn to it Joh. 5. 40. you will not come unto me that ye might have life Life is desirable in every mans eyes and eternal is the most excellent life yet in this the world is agreed rather to dye and perish for ever than come to Christ for life Had Christ told us of Fields and Vineyards Sheep and Oxen Gold and Silver honours and sensual pleasures who would not have come to him for these but to tell them of mortification self-denyal strictness of life and sufferings for his sake and all this for an happiness to be enjoyed in the world to come nature will never like such a proposition as this You see where it sticks not in a simple inability to believe but in an inability complicated with enmity they neither can come nor will come to Christ 't is true all that do come to Christ come willingly but thanks to the grace of God that hath freed and perswaded the will else they had never been willing to come who ever found his own heart first stir and move towards Christ how long may we wait and expect before we shall feel our hearts naturally burn with desires after and love to Jesus Christ This aversation of the will and affections from God is one of the master roots of original sin No argument can prevail to bring the soul to Christ till this be master'd and overpowred by the Fathers drawings In our motions to sin we need trigging but in all our motions to Christ we as much need drawing He that comes to heaven may say Lord if I had had my own way and will I had never come here if thou hadst not drawn me I should never have come to thee O the riches of the grace of God! oh unparallel'd mercy and goodness not only to prepare such a glory as this for an unworthy soul but to put forth the exceeding greatness of thy power afterwards to draw an unwilling soul to the enjoyment of it
metal is delivered into the Gospel mould where it receives the same form and figure that the mould gives as the impress upon the wax doth the engravings in the Seal and this is of principal consideration for there is no receiving Christ upon any other terms but his own proposed in the Gospel to us he will never come lower nor make them easier than they are for any mans sake in the world we must either receive him upon these or part with him for ever as thousands do who could be content to agree to some Articles but rather choose to be damned for ever than submit to all this is the great controversie betwixt Christ and sinners upon this many thousands break off the Treaty and part with Christ because he will not come to their terms but every true believer receives him upon his own i. e. their acceptance of him by faith is in all things consentaneous to the overtures made of him in the written word So he tenders himself and so they receive him as will be evident in the following particulars First The Gospel offers Christ to us sincerely and really and so the true believer receives and accepts him even with 1. a faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. If ever the soul be serious and in earnest in any thing it it so in this can we suppose the heart of him that flys for his life to the refuge City to be serious and in earnest to escape by flight the Avenger of blood who pursues him then is the heart of a convinced sinner serious in this matter for under that notion is the work of faith presented to us Heb. 6. 18. Secondly Christ is offered to us in the Gospel intirely and undividedly as cloathed with all his offices Priestly Prophetical 2. and Regal as Christ Jesus the Lord Acts 16. 31. and so the true believer receives him the hypocrite like the harlot is for dividing but the sincere believer finds the need he hath of every office of Christ and knows not how to want any thing that is in him His ignorance makes him necessary and desirable to him as a Prophet His guilt makes him necessary as a Priest His strong and powerful Lusts and Corruptions makes him necessary as a King and in truth he sees not any thing in Christ that he can spare he needs all that is in Christ and admires the infinite wisdome in nothing more than the investing Christ with all these offices which are so suited to the poor sinners wants and miseries Look as the three offices are undivided in Christ so they are in the believers acceptance and before this tryal no hypocrite can stand for all hypocrites reject and quarrel with something in Christ they like his pardon better than his government they call him indeed Lord and master but it is but an empty Tite they bestow upon him for let them ask their own hearts if Christ be Lord over their thoughts as well as words over their secret as well as open actions over their darling Lusts as well as others let them ask who will appear to be Lord and master over them when Christ and the world come in competition when the pleasures of sin shall stand upon one side and sufferings to death and deepest points of self-denyal upon the other side Surely 't is the greatest affront that can be offered to the divine wisdome and goodness to separate in our acceptance what is so united in Christ for our salvation and happiness As without any one of these offices the work of our salvation could not be compleated so without acceptance of Christ in them all our Union with him by faith cannot be compleated The Gospel offer of Christ includes all his offices and Gospel faith just so receives him to submit to him as well as to be redeemed by him to imitate him in the holiness of his life as well as to reap the purchases and fruits of his death It must be an entire receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly Christ is offered to us in the Gospel exclusively 3. as the alone and only saviour of sinners with whose blood A man may as lawfully joyn Saints or Angels in his mediation with Christ as graces It is gross idolatry to make the works of God a God and it is but a more subtil Idolatry to make the works of Christ a Christ. Burges de Lege and intercession nothing is to be mixed but the foul of a sinner is singly to rely and depend on him and no other Acts 4. 2. 1 Cor. 3. 11. and so faith receives him Psal. 71. 16. I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine only Phil. 3. 9. And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ to depend partly upon Christs righteousness and partly upon our own is to set one foot upon a rock and the other in a quick-sand either Christ will be to us all in all or nothing at all in point of righteousness and salvation he affects not social honour as he did the whole work so he expects the sole praise if he be not able to save to the uttermost why do we depend upon him at all and if he be why do we lean upon any beside him Fourthly The Gospel offers Christ freely to sinners as the gift not the sale of God Joh. 4. 10. Isa. 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. and even so faith receives him The believer comes to Christ with an empty hand not only as an undeserving but as an hell deserving sinner he comes to Christ as to one that justifies the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. Unto him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifies the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness where by him that worketh not he means a convinced humbled sinner who finds himself utterly unable to do the task the Law sets him i. e. perfectly to obey it and therefore in a Law sense is said not to work for it 's all one as to the intent and purpose of the Law not to work and not to work perfectly this he is convinced of and therefore comes to Christ as one that is in himself ungodly acknowledging the righteousness by which he alone can stand before God is in Christ and not in himself in whole or in part and by the way let this encourage poor souls that are scared and daunted for want of due qualifications from closing with and embracing Christ there is nothing qualifies any man for Christ more than a sense of his unworthiness of him and the want of all excellencies or ornaments that may commend him to divine acceptance Fifthly The Gospel offers Christ orderly to sinners first his person then his priviledges God first gives his son and then 5. with him or as a consequent of that gift he gives us all things Rom. 8. 32. In the same order must our faith receive him The
the second we partake with him the former is the remote the later the next cause thereof In the explication of this point I shall speak to these four things 1. What are those things in which Christ and believers have fellowship 2. By what means they come to have such a fellowship with Christ. 3. How great a dignity this is to have fellowship with Jesus Christ. 4. And then apply the whole in divers practical inferences First What are those things in which Christ and believers 1. have fellowship to which I must speak both negatively and positively First The Saints have no fellowship with Jesus Christ in Negatively those things that belong to him as God such as his consubstantiality coequality and coeternity with the father 't is the blasphemy of the wicked Familists to talk of being Godded into God and Christed into Christ neither men or Angels partake in these things they are the proper and incommunicable Justitia Christi fit nostra non quoad universalem valoremsed particularem necessitatem imputatur nobis non ut causis salvationis sed ut subjectis salvandis Bradshaw de justificatione glory of the Lord Jesus Secondlly The Saints have no communion or fellowship in the honour and glory of his mediatory works viz. his satisfaction to God or redemption of the elect 't is true we have the benefit and fruit of his mediation and satisfaction his righteousness also is imputed to us for our personal justification but we share not in the least with Christ in the glory of this work nor have we an inherent righteousness in us as Christ hath nor can we justifie and save others as Christ doth we have nothing to do with his peculiar honour and praise in these things though we have the benefit of being saved we may not pretend to the honour of being Saviours as Christ is to our selves or others Christs righteousness is not made ours as to its universal value but as to our particular necessity nor is it imputed to us as to so many causes of salvation to others but as to so many subjects to be saved by it our selves Secondly But then there are many glorious and excellent Posi ively things which are in common betwixt Christ and believers though in them all he hath the preeminence he shines in the fulness of them as the Sun and we with a borrowed and lesser light but of the same kind and nature as the Stars Some of these I shall particularly and briefly unfold in the following particulars First Believers have communion with Christ in his names and titles they are call'd Christians from Christ Eph. 3. 15. from him the whole family in heaven and earth is named this is that worthy name the Apostle speaks of James 2. 7. He is the son of God and they also by their union with him have power or authority to become the sons of God Joh. 1. 12. He is the heir of all things and they are joynt heirs with him Rom. 8. 17. He is both King and Priest and he hath made them Kings and Priests Rev. 1. 6. but they do not only partake in the names and titles but this communion consists in things as well as titles and therefore Secondly They have communion with him in his righteousness i. e. the righteousness of Christ is made theirs 2 Cor. 5. 21. and he is the Lord our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. 'T is true the righteousness of Christ is not inherent in us as it is in him but it is ours by imputation Rom. 4. 5. 11. and our union with him is the ground of the imputation of his righteousness to us 2 Cor. 5. 21. we are made the righteousness of God in him Phil. 3. 9. for Christ and believers are considered as one person in construction of Law as a man and his wife a debtor and surety are one and so his payment or satisfaction is in our name or upon our account Now this is a most inestimable priviledge the very ground of all our other blessings and mercies O what a benefit is this to a poor sinner that owes to God infinitely more than he is ever able to pay him by doing or suffering to have such a rich treasure of merit as lyes in the obedience of Christ to discharge in one entire payment all his debts to the least farthing Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness Isa. 45. 24. even as a poor woman that owes more than she is worth in one moment is discharged of all her obligations by her marriage to a wealthy man Thirdly Believers have communion with Christ in his holiness or Sanctification for of God he is made unto them not only righteousness but Sanctification also and as in the former priviledge they have a stock of merit in the blood of Christ to justifie them so here they have the Spirit of Christ to sanctisie them 1 Cor. 1. 30. and therefore we are said of his fulness to receive grace for grace Joh. 1. 16. i. e. say some grace upon grace manifold graces or abundance of grace or grace for grace that is grace answerable to grace as in the seal and wax there is line for line and cut for cut exactly answerable to each other or grace for grace that is say others the free grace of God in Christ for the sanctification or filling of our souls with grace be it in which sense it will it shews the communion believers have with Jesus Christ in grace and holiness Now holiness is the most precious thing in the world it 's the image of God and chief excellency of man it is our evidence for glory yea and the first-fruits of glory in Christ dwells the fulness of grace and from him our head it is derived and communicated to us thus he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one Heb. 2. 11. You would think it no small priviledge to have Baggs of Gold to go to and enrich your selves with and yet that were but a very trifle in comparison to have Christs righteousness and holiness to go to for your Justification and Sanctification More particularly Fourthly Believers have communion with Christ in his death they dye with him Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ i. e. the death of Christ hath a real killing and mortifying influence upon the lusts and corruptions of my heart and nature true it is he died for sin one way and we dye to sin another way he dyed to expiate it we dye to it when we mortifie it the death of Christ is the death of sin in believers and this is a very glorious priviledge for the death of sin is the life of your souls if sin do not dye in you by mortification you must dye for sin by eternal damnation if Christ had not dyed the Spirit of God by which you now mortifie the deeds of the body could not have been given unto you then you must
have lived Vassals to your sins and dyed at last in your sins but the fruit efficacy and benefit of Christs death is yours for the killing those sins in you which else had been your ruine Fifthly Believers have Communion with Christ in his life and resurrection from the dead as he rose from the dead so do they and that by the power and influence of his vivification and resurrection 't is the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus that makes us free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8. 2. our spiritual life is from Christ Eph. 2. 1. and you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins and hence Christ is said to live in the believer Gal. 2. 20. Now I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and it is no small priviledge to partake of the very life of Christ which is the most excellent life that ever any creature can live yet such is the happiness of all the Saints the life of Christ is manifest in them and such a life as shall never see death Sixthly To conclude Believers have fellowship with Jesus Christ in his glory which they shall enjoy in heaven with him they shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thes. 4. 17. and that 's not all though as one saith it were a kind of heaven but to look through the keyhole and have but a glimpse of Christs blessed face but they shall partake of the glory which the father hath given him for so he speaks Joh. 17. 22 24. and more particularly they shall sit with him in his throne Rev. 3. 21. and when he comes to judge the world he will come to be glorified in the Saints 2 Thes. 1. 10. So that you see what glorious and inestimable things are and will be in common betwixt Christ and the Saints His Titles his righteousness his holiness his death his life his glory I do not say that Christ will make any Saint equal with him in glory that 's impossible he will be known from all the Saints in heaven as the Sun is distinguished from the Stars but they shall partake of his glory and be fill'd with his joy there and thus you see what those things are that the Saints have fellowship with Christ in Secondly Next I would open the way and means by which 2. we come to have fellowship with Jesus Christ in these excellent priviledges and this I shall do briefly in the following Positions Position 1. First No man hath fellowship with Christ in any special saving Position 1. Soli verè fideles sunt membra Christi idque non quatenus homines sed quatenus Christiani nec secundum primam generationem sed secundum reg nerationem Polanus Syntag. lib. 6. cap. 35. priviledge by nature howsoever it be cultivated or improved but only by faith uniting him to the Lord Jesus Christ 't is not the priviledge of our first but second birth This is plain from Joh. 1. 12 13. But to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to as many as believed on his name who are born not of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man but of God We are by nature children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. we have fellowship with Satan in sin and misery the wild branch hath no communication of the sweetness and fatness of a more noble and excellent root until it be ingraffed upon it and have immediate Union and coalition with it Joh. 15. 1 2. Position 2. Believers themselves have not an equal share one with another in all the benefits and priviledges of their Union with Christ but in Position 2. some there is an equality and in others an inequality according to the measure and gift of Christ to every one In Justification they are all equal the weak and the strong believer are alike justified because it is one and the same perfect righteousness of Christ which is applied to the one and to the other so that there are no different degrees of Justification but all that believe are justified from all things Acts 13. 39. and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. be they never so weak in faith or defective in degrees of grace But there is apparent difference in the measures of their Sanctification some are strong men and others are babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3. 1. the faith of some flourishes and grows exceedingly 2 Thes. 1. 3. the things that are in others are ready to dye Rev. 3. 2. It 's a plain case that there is great variety sound in the degrees of grace and comfort among them that are joyntly interested in Christ and equally justified by him Position 3. The Saints have not fellowship and communion with Christ in the fore-mentioned benefits and priviledges by one and the same medium Position 3. but by various mediums and ways according to the nature of the benefits in which they participate For instance they have partnership and communion with Christ as hath been said in his righteousness holiness and glory but they receive these distinct blessings by divers mediums of communion we have communion with Christ in his righteousness by the way of Imputation we partake of his holiness by the way of infusion and of his glory in heaven by the beatifical Vision Our Justification is a relative change our sanctification a real change our glorification a perfect change by redemption from all the remains both of sin and misery Thus hath the Lord appointed several blessings for believers in Christ and several channels of conveying them from him to us by imputed righteousness we are freed from the guilt of sin by imparted holiness we are freed from the dominion of sin and by our glorification with Christ we are freed from all the reliques and remains both of sin and misery let in by sin upon our natures Position 4. That Jesus Christ imparts to all believers all the spiritual Position 4. blessings that he is filled with and with-holds none from any that have Union with him be these blessings never so great or they that receive them never so weak mean and contemptible in outward respects Gal. 3. 27. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. The salvation that comes by Christ is stiled the common salvation Jude 3. and heaven the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. There is neither Greek nor Jew saith the Apostle Circumcision nor uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond or free but Christ is all and in all Col. 3. 11. he means there is no priviledge in the one to commend them to God and no want of any thing in the other to debarr them from God let men have or want outward excellencies as beauty honour riches nobility gifts of the mind sweetness of nature and all such like ornaments what is that to God he looks not at these things but respects
need not a Physician but those that are sick Bid a man that thinks himself sound and whole go to the Physician and he will but laugh at the motion If you offer him the richest composition he will refuse it slight it and it may be spill it upon the ground ay but if the same man did once feel an acute disease and were made to sweat and groan under strong pains if ever he come to know what sick dayes and restless nights are and to apprehend his life to be in eminent hazard then messengers are sent one after another in post-haste to the Physician then he begs him with tears to do what in him lyes for his relief he thankfully takes the bitterest potions and praises the care and skill of his Physician with tears of joy and so the Patients safety and the Physicians honour are both secured So is it in this method of grace The Uses follow Inference 1. Use. If sin-burthened souls are solemnly invited to come to Inference 1. Christ Then it follows that whatever guilt lye upon the Conscience of a poor humbled sinner 't is no presumption but his duty to come to Christ notwithstanding his own apprehended vileness and great unworthiness Let it be carefully observed how happily that universal particle all is inserted in Christs invitation for the encouragement of sinners Come unto me All ye that labour q. d. let no broken-hearted sinner exclude himself whenas he is not by me excluded from mercy my grace is my own I may bestow it where I will and upon whom I will 'T is not I but Satan that impales and incloses my mercy from humbled souls that are made willing to come unto me he calls that your presumption which my invitation makes your Duty But I doubt my case is excepted by Christ himself in Matth. Object 1. 12. 31. where blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is exempted from pardon and I have had many horrid blasphemous thoughts injected into my soul. Art thou a burdened and heavy laden soul If so thy case is not in that or any other Scripture exempted from mercy Sol. for the unpardonable sin is alwayes found in an impenitent heart as that sin finds no pardon with God so neither is it followed with contrition and sorrow in the soul that commits it But if I am not guilty of that sin I am certainly guilty of many Object 2. great and heinous abominations of another kind too great for me to expect mercy for and therefore I dare not go to Christ. The greater your sins have been the more need you have to go to Jesus Christ. Let not a Motive to Christ be made Sol. an Obstacle in your way to him Great sinners are expresly called Isa. 1. 18. great sinners have come to Christ and found mercy 1 Cor. 6. 7. And to conclude it 's an high reproach and dishonour to the blood of Christ and mercy of God which flowes so freely through him to object the greatness of sin to either of them Certainly you have not sinned beyond the extent of mercy or beyond the efficacy of the blood of of Christ but pardon and peace may be had if you will thus come to Christ for it Oh but it 's now too late I have had many thousand calls by the Gospel and refused them many purposes in my heart 3. Obj. to go to Christ and quenched them my time therefore is past and now 't is to no purpose If the time of grace be past and God intends no mercy for thee how comes it to pass thy soul is now filled with trouble Sol. and distress for sin Is this the frame of a mans heart that is past hope Do such signs as these appear in men that are hopeless Beside the time of grace is a secret hid in the breast of God but coming to Christ is a duty plainly revealed in the Text and why will you object a thing that is secret and uncertain against a duty that is so plain and evident Nor do you your selves believe what you object for at the same time that you say your seasons are over it is too late you are notwithstanding found repenting mourning praying and striving to come to Christ. Certainly if you knew it were too late you would not be found labouring in the use of means Go on therefore and the Lord be with you 'T is not presumption but obedience to come when Christ calls as here he doth Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden Inference 2. Hence it follows That none have cause to be troubled when God makes the souls of their friends or relations sick with the Inference 2. sense of sin It was the saying as I remember of Hierom to Sabinian Nothing said he makes my heart sadder than that nothing can make thy heart sad 'T is matter of joy to all that rightly understand the matter when God smites the heart of any man with the painful sense of sin of such sickness it may be said This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God Yet how do many carnal relations lament and bewail this as a misery as an undoing to their friends and acquaintance as if then they must be reckon'd lost and never till then that Christ is finding and saving them O if your hearts were spiritual and wise their groans for sin would be as musick in your ears When they go alone to bewail their sin you would go alone also to bless God for such a mercy that ever you should live to such a happy day you would say now is my friend in the blessed pangs of the new birth now is he in the very way of mercy never in so hopeful a condition as now I had rather he should groan now at the feet of Christ than groan hereafter under the wrath of God for ever O Parents beware as you love the souls of your Children that you don't damp and discourage them tempt or threaten them divert or hinder them in such cases as this lest you bring the blood of their souls upon your own heads Inference 3. It also follows from hence That those to whom sin was never Inference 3. any burthen are not yet come to Christ nor have they any interest in him We may as well suppose a Child to be born without any pangs or throes as a soul to be born again and united to Christ without any sense or sorrow for sin I know many have great frights of conscience that never were made duly sensible of the evil of sin many are afraid of burning that never were afraid of sinning Slight and transient troubles some have had but it 's vanisht like an early cloud lickt up like a morning dew Few men are without checks and throbs of conscience at one time or other but instead of going to the Closet they run to the Ale house or Tavern for a cure If their sorrow for sin
Sermon 10. MAT. 9. 12. But when Jesus heard that he said unto them Text. Wherein the general Exhortation is enforced by one Motive drawn from the first Title of Christ. They that be whole need not a Physician but they that be sick HAving opened in the former discourses the nature and method of the Application of Christ to sinners it remains now that I press it upon every soul as ever it expects peace and pardon from God to apply and put on Jesus Christ i. e. to get union with him by faith whilst he is yet held forth in the free and gracious tenders of the Gospel to which purpose I shall now labour in this general Use of Exhortation in which my last Subject engaged me wherein divers Arguments will be further urged both from The 1. Titles and of Jesus Christ. 2. Priviledges The Titles of Christ are so many Motives or arguments fitted to perswade men to come unto him Amongst which Christ as the Physician of Souls comes under our first Consideration in the Text before us The occasion of these words of Christ was the call of Matthew the Publican who having first opened his Heart next opened his House to Christ and entertains him there this strange and unexpected change wrought upon Matthew quickly rings in all the Neighbourhood and many Publicans and Sinners resorted thither at which the stomachs of the proud Pharisees began to swell from this occasion they took offence at Christ and in this verse Christ takes off the offence by such an answer as was fitted both for their conviction and his own vindication But when Jesus heard that he said unto them The whole have no need of a Physician but they that be sick He gives it saith one as a reason why he conversed so much with Publicans and Sinners and so little among the Pharisees because there was more work for him men set up where they think Trade will be quickest Christ came to be a Physician to sick souls Pharisees were so well in their own conceit that Christ saw he should have little to do among them and so he applied himself to those who were more sensible of their sickness In the words we have an account of the temper and state both Of 1. The secure and unconvinced Sinner 2. The humbled and convinced And 3. Of the Carriage of Christ and his different respect to either  1. First The secure sinner is here described both with respect to his own apprehensions of himself as one that is whole and also by his low value and esteem for Christ he sees no need of him the whole have no need of the Physician 2. Secondly The Convinced and Humbled Sinner is here also described and that both by his state and condition he is sick and by his valuation of Jesus Christ he greatly needs him they that be sick need the Physician 3. Thirdly We have here Christs carriage and different respect to both the former he rejects and passeth by as those with whom he hath no concernment the later he converses with in order to their cure The words thus opened are fruitful in observations I shall neither note nor insist upon any beside this one which fuits the scope of my Discourse viz. DOCT. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Physician for sick souls The world is a great Hospital full of sick and dying souls Doct. all wounded by one and the same mortal weapon sin Some are senseless of their misery feel not their pains value not a Physician others are full of sense as well as danger mourn under the apprehension of their condition and sadly bewail it The merciful God hath in his abundant compassion to the perishing world sent a Physician from Heaven and given him his Orders under the Great Seal of Heaven for his Office Isai. 61. 1 2. which he opened and read in the audience of the people Luke 4. 18. The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach good tydings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted c. He is the tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations he is Jehova Rophe the Lord that healeth us and that as he is Jehovah Tzidkenu the Lord our righteousness The Brazen Serpent that healed the Israelites in the Wilderness was an excellent Type of our Great Physician Christ and is expresly applied to him John 3. 14. he rejects none that come and heals all whom he undertakes but more particularly I will First Point at those Diseases which Christ heals in sick souls and by what means he heals them Secondly the excellency of this Physician above all others there is none like Christ he is the only Physician for wounded souls First We will enquire into the Diseases which Christ the Physician cures and they are reducible to two heads 〈◊〉 viz. 1. Sin and 2. Sorrow First The disease of sin in which three things are found exceeding burthensome to sick souls 1. The Guilt of sin all cured by this Physician and how 2. The Dominion 3. The Inherence First The guilt of sin this is a mortal wound a stab in 1. the very heart of a poor sinner 'T is a fond and groundless distinction that Papists make of sins Mortal and Venial all sin in its own nature is mortal Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death yet though it be so in its own nature Christ can and doth cure it by the Soveraign Balfom of his own precious blood Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace This is the deepest and deadliest wound the soul of man feels in this world what is guilt but the obligation of the soul to everlasting punishment and misery It puts the soul under the sentence of God to eternal wrath the condemning sentence of the great and terrible God than which nothing is found more dreadful and insupportable put all pains all poverty all afflictions all miseries in one Scale and Gods condemnation in the other and you weigh but so many Feathers against a talent of Lead This Disease our great Physician Christ cures by Remission which is the dissolving of the obligation to punishment the loosing of the soul that was bound over to the Wrath and Condemnation of God Coll. 2. 13 14. Heb. 6. 12. Micah 7. 17 18 19. this remission being made the soul is immediately cleared from all its obligations to punishment Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation all Bonds are cancelled the guilt of all sins is healed or removed original and actual great and small This cure is performed upon souls by the blood of Christ nothing is found in Heaven or earth besides his blood that is able to heal this disease Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of blood there is no remission nor is it any blood that will do it but that only which dropt from
he only 2. is matter of Consolation to Believers which will demonstratively appear by this Argument He that brings to their souls all that is comfortable and removes from their souls all that is uncomfortable must Argu. needs be the only consolation of Believers But Jesus Christ brings to their souls all that is comfortable and removes from their souls all that is uncomfortable Therefore Christ only is the Consolation of Believers First Jesus Christ brings whatsoever is comfortable to the souls of Believers Is pardon comfortable to a person condemned Nothing can be matter of greater comfort in this world Why this Christ brings to all Believers Jer. 23. 6. And this is the name whereby he shall be called The Lord our righteousness this cannot but give strong consolation righteousness is the foundation of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. The work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Isai. 32. 17. Come to a dejected soul labouring under the burthen of guilt and say Cheer up I bring you good tidings there is such an Estate befallen you or such a troublesom business comfortably ended for you alas this will not reach the heart If you can bring me saith he good news from Heaven that my sins are forgiven and God reconciled how soon should I be comforted And therefore as one well observes this was the usual receipt with which Christ cured the souls of men and women when he was here on earth Son or Daughter be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee and indeed it is as easie to separate light and warmth from the beams of the Sun as cheeriness and comfort from the voice of pardon Are the hopes and expectation of Heaven and glory comfortable Yes sure nothing is comfortable if this be not Rom. 5. 2. We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Now Christ brings to the souls of men all the solid grounds and foundations upon which they build their expectations of glory Col. 1. 27. Which is Christ in you the hope of glory Name any thing else that is solid matter of comfort to the souls of men and the grounds thereof will be found in Christ and in none but Christ as might easily be demonstrated by the enumeration of multitudes of particular instances which I cannot now insist upon Secondly Jesus Christ removes fom Believers whatever is uncomfortable therein relieving them against all the matters of their affliction and sorrow As namely First Is sin a burthen and matter of trouble to Believers Christ and none but Christ removes that burthen Rom. 7. 24 25. O wretched man that I am saith sin burthened Paul who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The satisfaction of his blood Eph. 5. 2. The sanctification of his Spirit John 1. 5 6. His perfect deliverance of his people from the very being of sin at last Eph. 5. 26 27. This relieves at present and removes at last the matter and ground of all their troubles and sorrows for sin Secondly Do the temptations of Satan burthen Believers O yes by reason of temptations they go in trouble and heaviness of spirit Temptation is an enemy under the walls temptation greatly endangers and therefore cannot but greatly afflict the souls of Believers but Christ brings the only matter of relief against temptations The intercession of Christ is a singular relief at present Luke 22. 32. But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and the promises of Christ are a full relief for the future The God of peace shall shortly tread Satan under your feet Rom. 16. 20. Thirdly Is spiritual desertion and the hiding of Gods face matter of affliction and casting down to Believers Yes yes it quails their hearts nothing can comfort them Thou hidest thy face and I was troubled Psal. 30. 7. Outward afflictions do but break the skin this touches the quick they like rain fall only upon the Tiles this soaks into the House but Christ brings to Believers substantial matter of Consolation against the troubles of desertion he himself was deserted of God for a time that they might not be deserted for ever in him also the relieving promises are made to Believers that notwithstanding God may desert them for a time yet the union betwixt him and them shall never be dissolved Heb. 13. 5. Jer. 32. 40. Though he forsake them for a moment in respect of evidenced favour yet he will return again and comfort them Isai. 54. 7. Though Satan tug hard yet he shall never be able to pluck them out of his Fathers hand John 10. 20. Oh what relief is this What consolation is Christ to a deserted Believer Fourthly Are outward afflictions matter of dejection and trouble Alas who finds them not to be so How do our hearts fail and our spirits sink under the many smarting rods of God upon us but our relief and consolation under them all is in Christ Jesus for the rod that afflicts us is in the hand of Christ that loveth us Rev. 3. 19. Whom I love I rebuke and chasten his design in affliction is our profit Heb. 12. 10. That design of his for our good shall certainly be accomplished Rom. 8. 28. and after that no more afflictions for ever Rev. 21. 3 4. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes So that upon the whole two things are most evident First Nothing can comfort the soul without Christ he is the soul that animates all Comforts they would be but dead things without him Temporal enjoyments riches honours health relations yield not a drop of true Comfort without Christ. Spiritual enjoyments Minister ordinances promises are fountains sealed and springs shut up till Christ open them a man may go comfortless in the midst of them all Secondly No troubles sorrows or afflictions can deject or sink the soul that Christ comforteth 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowful yet always rejoycing A Believer may walk with a heart brim full of comfort amidst all the troubles of this world Christ makes the darkness of trouble to be light round about his people So that the conclusion stands firm and never to be shaken that Christ and Christ only is the Consolation of Believers which was the thing to be proved In the Third place I am to shew you that Believers and 3. none but Believers can have consolation in Christ which will convincingly appear from the consideration of those things which we laid down before as the requisites to all true Spiritual Coonsolation For First No unbeliever hath the materials out of which Spiritual Comfort is made which as I there told you must be some solid spiritual and eternal good as Christ and the Covenant are What do unregenerate men rejoyce in but trifles and meer vanities in a thing of nought Amos 6. 13. See how their mirth is described in Job 21. 12. They
freedom that is which comes in upon believing Fourthly Open the excellency of this state of spiritual freedom First What those things are from which Believers are 1. not made free in this world we must not think that our spiritual liberty by Christ presently brings us into an absolute liberty in all respects For First Christ doth not free Believers from obedience to the moral Law 'T is true we are no more under it as a Covenant for our justification but we are and must still be under it as a rule for our direction The matter of the moral law is unchangeable as the nature of good and evil is and cannot be abolished except that distinction could be destroyed Mat. 5. 17 18. The precepts of the Law are still urged under the Gospel to enforce duties upon us Eph. 6. 12. 'T is therefore a vain distinction invented by Libertines to say it binds us as Creatures not as Christians or that it binds the unregenerate part but not the regenerate but this is a sure truth that they who are freed from its penalties are still under its precepts though Believers are no more under its curse yet they are still under its conduct the Law sends us to Christ to be justified and Christ sends us to the Law to be regulated Let the heart of every Christian joyn therefore with Davids in that holy wish Psal. 119. 4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently O that my heart were directed to keep thy Statutes 'T is excellent when Christians begin to obey the Law from life which others obey for life because they are justified not that they may be justified When duties are done in the strength and for the honour of Christ which is Evangelical not in our own strength and for our own ends which is servile and legal obedience had Christ freed us from obedience such a liberty had been to our loss Secondly Christ hath not freed Believers in this world from the temptations and assaults of Satan even those that are freed from his dominion are not free from his molestation 'T is said indeed Rom. 16. 20. God shall shortly bruise Satan under your feet but mean time he hath power to bruise and buffet us by his injections 2 Cor. 12. 7. he now bruiseth Christs heel Gen. 3. 15. i. e. bruiseth him in his tempted and afflicted members though he cannot kill them yet he can and doth afflict and fright them by shooting his fiery darts of temptation among them Eph. 6. 16. 'T is true when the Saints are got safe into Heaven they are out of Gun-shot there is perfect freedom from all temptation A Believer may then say O thou enemy temptations are come to a perpetual end I am now arrived there where none of thy fiery darts can reach me but this freedom is not yet Thirdly Christ hath not yet freed Believers in this world from the motions of indwelling sin these are continually acting and infesting the holiest of men Rom. 7. 21 23 24. Corruptions like Canaanites are still left in the Land to be thorns in our eyes and goads in our sides Those that boast most of freedom from the motions of sin have most cause to suspect themselves still under the dominion of sin All Christs freemen are troubled with the same complaint who among them complains not as the Apostle did Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliever me from the body of this death Fourthly Jesus Christ doth not free Believers in this world from inward troubles and exercises of soul upon the account of sin God may let loose Satan and Conscience too in the way of terrible accusations which may greatly distress the soul of a Believer and wofully eclipse the light of Gods Countenance and break the peace of their souls Job Heman and David were all made free by Christ yet each of them hath left upon record his bitter complaint upon this account Job 7. 19 20. Psal. 88. 14 15 16. Psal. 38. unto vers 11. Fifthly Christ hath not freed Believers in this world from the rods of affliction God in giving us our liberty doth not abridge his own liberty Psal. 89. 32. all the Children of God are made free yet what Son is there whom the Father chastneth not Heb. 12. 8. Exemption from affliction is so far from being the mark of a Freeman that the Apostle there makes it the mark of a slave Bastards not Sons want the discipline and blessing of the Rod to be freed from affliction would be no benefit to Believers who receive so many benefits by affliction Sixthly No Believer is freed by Christ from the stroak of death though they are all freed from the sting of death Rom. 8. 10. The bodies of Believers are under the same Law of mortality with other men Heb. 9. 27. we must come to the Grave as well as others yea we must come to it through the same agonies pangs and dolours that other men do the foot of death treads as heavy upon the bodies of the redeemed as of other men Believers indeed are distinguished by mercy from others but the distinguishing mercy lies not here Thus you see what Believers are not freed from in this world if you shall now say what advantage then hath a Believer or what profit is there in regeneration I Answer Secondly That Believers are freed from many great and 2. sad miseries and evils by Jesus Christ notwithstanding all that hath been said For First All Believers are freed from the rigour and curse of the Law the rigorous yoak of the Law is broken off from their necks and the sweet and easie yoak of Jesus Christ put on Mat. 11. 28. The Law required perfect working under the pain of a curse Gal. 3. 10. accepted of no short endeavours admitted no repentance gave no strength it is not so now proportionable strength is given Phil 4. 13. Sincerity is reckoned perfection Job 1. 1. Transgression brings not under condemnation Rom. 8. 1. O blessed freedom when duty becomes delight and failings hinder not acceptance this is one part of the blessed freedom of believers Secondly All Believers are freed from the guilt of sin it may trouble but it cannot condemn them Rom. 8. 33. The hand writing which was against us is cancelled by Christ nailed to his Cross Colos. 2. 14. When the seal and hand-writing is torn off from the Bond the Debtor is made free thereby Believers are totally freed Acts 13. 39. Justified from all things and finally freed John 5. 24. They shall never come into condemnation O blessed freedom How sweet is it to lie down in our beds yea in our graves when guilt shall neither be our Bed fellow nor Grave fellow Thirdly Christ frees all Believers from the dominion as well as the guilt of sin Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. 14. The law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Rom.
8. 2. Now who can estimate such a liberty as this What slavery what an intolerable drudgery is the service of divers lusts from all which Believers are freed by Christ not from the residence but from the reign of sin 'T is with sin in Believers as it was with those beasts mentioned Dan. 7. 12. They had their dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time Fourthly Jesus Christ sets all Believers free from the power of Satan in whose right they were by nature Col. 1. 13. they are translated from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ. Satan had the possession of them as a man of his own goods but Christ dispossesseth that strong man armed alters the property and recovers them out of his hand Luke 11. 21 22. There are two ways by which Christ frees Believers out of Satans power and possession namely 1. By Price 2. By Power First By Price the blood of Christ purchaseth Believers out of the hand of justice by satisfying the law for them which being done Satans authority over them falls of course as the power of a Jaylor over the Prisoner doth when he hath a legal discharge Heb. 2. 14. For as much then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil The cruel Tyrant beats and burthens the poor captive no more after the ransom is once paid and he actually freed and therefore Christ delivers his Secondly By power Satan is exceeding unwilling to let go his prey he is a strong and a malicious enemy every rescue and deliverance out of his hand is a glorious effect of the almighty power of Christ Act. 26. 18. 2 Cor. 10. 5. How did our Lord Jesus Christ grapple with Satan at his death and triumphed over him Col. 2. 15. O glorious salvation blessed liberty of the Children of God! Fifthly Christ frees Believers from the poisonous sting and hurt of death kill us it can but hurt us it cannot 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. If there be no hurt there should be no horror in death 't is guilt that arms death both with its hurting and terrifying power To dye in our sins John 8. 24. To have our bones full of the sins of our youth which shall lye down with us in the dust Job 20. 11. To have death like a Dragon pulling a poor guilty Creature as a prey into its dreadful Den Psal. 49. 14. In this lies the danger and horror of death but from death as a curse and from the grave as a Prison Christ hath set Believers at liberty by submitting to death in their room by his victorious resurrection from the grave as the first-born of the dead death is disarmed of its hurting power the death of Believers is but a sleep in Jesus Thirdly The next thing to be briefly spoken to is the 3. kind and nature of that freedom and liberty purchased and procured by Christ for Believers Now liberty may be considered two ways viz. 1. As Civil 2. As Sacred As to civil freedom or liberty it belongs not to our present business Believers as to their civil capacity are not freed from the duties they owe to their Superiors Servants though Believers are still to be subject to their Masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling Ephes. 6. 5. nor from obedience to lawful Magistrates whom we are to obey in the Lord Rom. 13. 1 4. Religion dissolves not the bonds of civil relations nor is it to be used as an occasion to the flesh 1 Pet. 2. 16. 'T is not a carnal but a spiritual freedom Christ hath purchased for us and this spiritual freedom is again to be considered either as 1. Inchoate 2. Consummate The liberty Believers have at present is but a beginning liberty they are freed but in part from their spiritual enemies but it is a growing liberty every day and will be consummate and compleat at last To conclude Christian Liberty is either 1. Privative or 2. Positive The liberty Believers are invested with is of both kinds they are not only freed from many miseries burthens and dangers but also invested by Jesus Christ with many royal priviledges and invaluable immunities Fourthly And this brings us to the fourth and last thing 4. namely the properties of this blessed freedom which the Saints enjoy by Jesus Christ and if we consider it duly it will be found to be First A wonderful liberty never enough to be admired how could it be imagined that ever those who owed unto God more than ever they could pay by their own eternal sufferings those that were under the dreadful curse and condemnation of the Law in the power and possession of Satan the strong man armed those that were bound with so many chains in their spiritual prison their understanding bound with ignorance their wills with obstinacy their hearts with impenetrable hardness their affections with a thousand bewitching vanities that slight their state of slavery so much as industriously to oppose all instruments and means of deliverance For such persons to be set at liberty notwithstanding all this is the wonder of wonders and is deservedly marvellous in the eyes of Believers for ever Secondly The freedom of Believers is a peculiar freedom a liberty which few obtain the generality abiding still in bondage to Satan who from the multitude of his Subjects is stiled the god of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. Believers in Scripture are often called a remnant which is but a small part of the whole piece the more cause have the people of God to admire distinguishing mercy how many Nobles and great ones of the world are but royal slaves to Satan and their own lusts Thirdly The liberty of Believers is a liberty dearly purchased by the blood of Christ what that Captain said Acts 22. 28. With a great sum obtained I this freedom may be much more said of the Believers freedom 't was not Silver or Gold but the precious blood of Christ that purchased it 1 Pet. 1. 18. Fourthly The freedom and liberty of Believers is a growing and encreasing liberty they get more and more out of the power of sin and nearer still to their compleat salvation every day Rom. 13. 11. the body of sin dieth daily in them they are said to be crucified with Christ the strength of sin abates continually in them after the manner of crucified persons who dye a slow but sure death and look in what degree the power of sin abates proportionably their spiritual liberty encreases upon them Fifthly
for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God Better ten thousand worlds should perish for ever than God should lose the honour of his justice This great Obex or bar to our enjoyment of God is effectually removed by the death of Christ whereby it is not only fully satisfied but highly honoured and glorified Rom. 3. 24. and so the way by which we are brought to God is again opened to the wonder and joy of all Believers by the blood and sufferings of Christ. Fifthly and lastly It shews us the peculiar happiness and 5. priviledge of Believers above all people in the world These only are they which shall be brought to God by Jesus Christ in a reconciled state others indeed shall be brought to God as a Judge to be condemned by him Believers only are brought to God in the Mediators hand as a reconciled Father to be made blessed for ever in the injoyment of him every Believer is brought singly to God at his death Luke 16. 22. and all Believers shall be jointly and solemnly presented to God in the great day Col. 1. 22. Jude v. 24. They shall be all presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Now the priviledge of Believers in that day will lie in diverse things First That they shall be all brought to God together this will be the general assembly mentioned Heb. 12. 22. there shall be a collection of all Believers in all ages of the world into one blessed assembly they shall come from the East and West and North and South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God Luke 13. 29. O what a glorious train will be seen following the redeemer in that day Secondly As all the Saints shall be collected into one body so they shall be all brought or presented unto God faultless and without blemish Jude v. 24. A glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Ephes. 5. 27. For this is the general assembly of the spirits of just men that are made perfect Heb. 12. 23. All sin was perfectly separated from them when death had separated their souls and bodies Thirdly In this lies the priviledge of Believers that as they shall be all brought together and that in a state of absolute purity and perfection so they shall be all brought to God they shall see his face in the vision whereof is fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal. 16 11. The objective blessedness of the Saints consisteth in their fruition of God Psal. 73. 25. To see God in his word and works is the happiness of the Saints on earth but to see him face to face will be the fulness of their blessedness in Heaven 1 John 3. 2. This is that intuitive transforming and satisfying vision of which the Scripture frequently speaks Psal. 17. 15. 2 Cor. 15. 28. Rev. 7. 17. Fourthly to be brought unto God must needs imply a state of perfect joy and highest delight so speaks the Apostle Jude v. 14. Christ shall present or bring them to God with exceeding joy and more fully the joy of this day is expressed Psal. 45. 15. With joy and rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the Kings Palace it will be a day of universal joy when all the Saints are brought home to God in a perfected state For 1. God the Father will rejoice when Christ brings home that precious number of his elect whom he redeemed by his blood he rejoyceth in them now though imperfect and under many distastful corruptions and weaknesses Zeph. 3. 17. How much more will he rejoyce in them when Christ presents them without spot or wrinkle to him Ephes. 5. 27. 2. Jesus Christ will exceedingly rejoyce 't will be the day of the gladness and satisfaction of his heart for now and not till now he receives his mystical fulness Col. 1. 24. beholds all the blessed issues of his death which cannot but give him unspeakable contentment Isai. 53. 11. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied 3. The day in which Believers are brought home to God will be a day of unspeakable joy to the holy Spirit of God himself For unto this all his sanctifying designs in this world had respect to this day he sealed them after this day he stirred up desires and groanings that cannot be uttered in their hearts Ephes. 4. 30. Rom. 8. 26. Thus all the great and blessed persons Father Son and Spirit will rejoyce in the bringing home of the elect to God For as it is the greatest joy to a man to see the designs which his heart hath been long projecting and intently set upon by an orderly conduct at last brought to the happy issue he first aimed at much more will it be so here the counsel and hand of each person being deeply concerned in this blessed design 4. The Angels of God will rejoyce at the bringing home of Believers to him the spirits of just men made perfect will be united in one general assembly with an innumerable company of Angels Heb. 2. 22. Great is the affection and love of Angels to redeemed ones they greatly rejoyced at the incarnation of Christ for them Luke 2. 13. They greatly delighted to pry into the mysterie of their redemption 1 Pet. 1. 12. They were marvellously delighted at their conversion which was the day of their espousals to Christ Luke 15. 10. They have been tender and careful over them and very serviceable to them in this world Heb. 1. 14. and therefore cannot but rejoice exceedingly to see them all brought home in safety to their Fathers house 5. To Conclude Christs bringing home of all Believers unto God will be matter of unspeakable joy to themselves For whatever knowledge and acquaintance they had with God here whatever sights of faith they had of Heaven and the glory to come in this world yet the sight of God and Christ the Redeemer will be an unspeakable surprise to them in that day This will be the day of relieving all their wants the day of satisfaction to all their desires for now they are come where they would be arrived at the very desires of their souls Secondly In the last place let it be considered what influence the death of Christ hath upon this design and you 2. shall find it much every way In two things especially the death of Christ hath a blessed causality and influence in this matter viz. 1. It effectually removes all obstacles to it 2. It purchaseth as a price their title to it First The death of Christ removes all obstacles out of the way of this mercy such were the bars hindring our access to God as nothing but the death of Christ could remove and open a way for Believers to come to God The guilt of sin barred us from his gracious presence Rom. 5. 1 2 3. Hosea 14. 2. The filth of sin excluded us
to be led by the spirit ver 18. to be in the spirit and the spirit to dwell in them Rom. 8. 9. And so much of the first thing to be opened viz. what we are to understand by the giving of the spirit Secondly In the next place we are to enquire and satisfie 2. our selves how this giving of the spirit evidently proves and strongly concludes that souls interest in Christ unto whom he is given and this will evidently appear by the consideration of these five particulars First The spirit of God in believers is the very bond by which they are united unto Christ if therefore we find in our selves the bond of union we may warrantably conclude that we have union with Jesus Christ this is evidently held forth in those words of Christ Joh. 17. 22 23. The glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me 't is the glory of Christs humane nature to be united to the God-head this glory said Christ thou gavest me and the glory thou gavest me I have given them i. e. by me they are united unto thee and how this is done he sheweth us more particularly I in them there is Christ in us viz. mystically and thou in me there is God in Christ viz. Hypostatically so that in Christ God and believers meet in a blessed union 't is Christs glory to be one with God 't is our glory to be one with Christ and with God by him but how is this done certainly no other way but by the giving of his Spirit unto us for so much that phrase I in them must needs import Christ is in us by the sanctifying spirit which is the bond of our union with him Secondly The Scripture every where makes this giving or indwelling of the spirit the great mark and tryal of our interest in Christ concluding from the presence of it in us positively as in the Text and from the absence of it negatively as in Rom. 8. 9. now if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Jude ver 19. sensual not having the spirit this mark therefore agreeing to all believers and to none but believers and that alwayes and at all times it must needs clearly inferr the souls union with Christ in whomsoever it is found Thirdly That which is a certain mark of our freedom from the Covenant of works and our title to the priviledges of the Covenant of grace must needs also inferr our Union with Christ and special interest in him but the giving or indwelling of the sanctifying spirit in us is a certain mark of our freedom from the first Covenant under which all Christless persons still stand and our title to the special priviledges of the second Covenant in which none but the members of Christ are interested and consequently it fully proves our Union with the Lord Jesus This is plain from the Apostles reasoning Gal. 4. 6 7. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son then an heir of God through Christ. The spirit of the first Covenant was a servile spirit a spirit of fear and bondage and they that were under that Covenant were not Sons but Servants but the Spirit of the New Covenant is a free ingenuous spirit acting in the strength of God and those that do so are the Children of God and Children inherit the blessed priviledges and royal immunities contained in that great Charter the Covenant of Grace they are heirs of God and the evidence of this their inheritance by vertue of the second Covenant and of their freedom from the servitude and bondage of the first Covenant is the spirit of Christ in their hearts crying Abba father So Gal. 5. 18. if ye be led by the spirit ye are not under the Law Fourthly If the eternal decree of Gods electing love be executed and the vertues and benefits of the death of Christ applyed by the spirit unto every soul in whom he dwelleth as a spirit of sanctification then such a giving of the spirit unto us must needs be a certain mark and proof of our special interest in Christ but the decree of Gods electing love is executed and the benefits of the blood of Christ are applyed unto every soul in whom he dwelleth as a spirit of sanctification This is plain from 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ where you see both Gods election executed and the blood of Jesus sprinkled or applyed unto us by the spirit which is given to us as a spirit of sanctification There is a blessed order of working observed as proper to each person in the Godhead the Father electeth the Son redeemeth the spirit sanctifieth The spirit is the last efficient in the work of our salvation what the Father decreed and the Son purchased that the Spirit applyeth and so puts the last hand to the compleat salvation of believers And this some Divines give as the reason why the sin against the spirit is unpardonable because he being the last agent in order of working if the heart of a man be filled with enmity against the spirit there can be no remedy for such a sin there is no looking back to the death of Christ or to the Love of God for remedy this sin against the spirit is that obex infernalis the deadly stop and bar to the whole work of salvation oppositely where the spirit is received obeyed and dwelleth in the way of sanctification into that soul the eternal love of God and inestimable benefits of the blood of Christ run freely without stop or interruption and consequently the interest of such a soul in Jesus Christ is beyond all dispute Fifthly The giving of the spirit to us or his residing in us as a sanctifying spirit is every where in Scripture made the pledge and earnest of eternal salvation and consequently must abundantly confirm and prove the souls interest in Christ Eph. 1. 13 14. In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance c. So 2 Cor. 1. 22. who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts And thus you have the point opened and confirmed The Use of all followeth Use. Use. Now the only Use I shall make of this point shall be that which lyeth directly both in the eye of the Text and of the design for which it was chosen namely by it to try and examine the truth of our interest
frame may by the assistance of the spirit of God for which therefore they are bound to pray discern his indwelling and working in themselves Evidence 1. In whomsoever the spirit of Christ is a spirit of sanctification to that man or woman he hath been more or less a spirit of conviction and humiliation this is the order which the spirit constantly observes in adult or grown converts Joh. 16. 8 9. and when he is come he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of Judgement of sin because they believed not on me This you see is the method he observes all the world over he shall reprove or convince the world of sin Conviction of sin hath the same respect unto sanctification as the blossoms of trees have to the fruits that follow them a blossom is but fructus imperfectus ordinabilis an imperfect fruit in it self and in order to a more perfect and noble fruit where there are no blossoms we can expect no fruit and where we see no convictions of sin we can expect no conversion to Christ. Hath then the spirit of God been a spirit of conviction to thee hath he more particularly convinced thee of sin because thou hast not believed on him i. e. hath he shewn thee thy sin and misery as an Unbeliever not only terrified and affrighted thy conscience with this or that more notorious act of sin but sully convinced thee of the state of sin that thou art in by reason of thy unbelief which holding thee from Christ must needs also hold thee under the guilt of all thy other sins This gives at least a strong probability that God hath given thee his spirit especially when this conviction remains day and night upon thy soul so that nothing but Christ can give it rest and consequently the great inquisition of thy soul is after Christ and none but Christ. Evidence 2. As the spirit of God hath been a convincing so he is a quickening spirit to all those to whom he is given Rom. 8. 2. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death he is the spirit of life i. e. the principle of spiritual life in the souls whom he inhabiteth for uniting them to Christ he unites them to the fountain of life and this spiritual life in believers manifests it self as the natural life doth in vital actions and operations When the spirit of God comes into the soul of a man that was dead and senseless under sin O saith he now I begin to feel the weight and load of sin Rom. 7. 24. now I begin to hunger and thirst after Christ and his Ordinances 1 Pet. 2. 2. now I begin to breath after God in spiritual prayer Acts 9. 11. Spiritual life hath its spiritual senses and suitable operations O think upon this you that cannot feel any burthen in sin you that have no hungerings or thirstings after Christ how can the spirit of God be in you I do not deny but there may at some times be much deadness and senselesness upon the hearts of Christians but this is their disease not their nature it is but at some times not alwayes and when it is so with them they are burthened with it and complain oâ—… it as their greatest affliction in this world their spirits are not easie and at rest in such a condition as yours are their spirit is as a bone out of joint an Arm dislocated which cannot move any way without pain Evidence 3. Those to whom God giveth his spirit have a tender sympathy with all the interest and concernments of Christ this must needs be so if the same spirit which is in Christ dwelleth also in thy heart if thou be a partaker of his spirit then what he loves thou lovest and what he hateth thou hatest this is a very plain case even in nature it self we find that the many members of the same natural body being animated by one and the same spirit of life whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoice with it now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular 1 Cor. 12. 26 27. For look as Christ the head of that body is touched with a tender sense and feeling of the miseries and troubles of his people he is persecuted when they are persecuted Acts 9. 4. so they that have the spirit of Christ in them cannot be without a deep and tender sense of the reproach and dishonours that are done to Christ this is as it were a sword in their bones Psal. 42. 3. If his publick worship cease the assemblies of his people scattered it cannot but go to the hearts of all in whom the spirit of Christ is they will be sorrowful for the solemn assemblies the reproach of them will be a burthen Zeph. 3. 18. Those that have the spirit of Christ do not more earnestly long after any one thing in this world than the advancement of Christs interest by conversion and reformation in the Kingdoms of the earth Psal. 45. 3 4. Paul could rejoice that Christ was Preached though his own afflictions were increased Phil. 1. 16. 18. and John could rejoice that Christ encreased though he himself decreased yet therein was his joy fulfilled Joh. 3. 29. so certainly the concernments of Christ must and will touch that heart which is the habitation of his spirit I cannot deny but even a good Baruch may be under a temptation to seek great things for himself and be too much swallowed up in his own concernments when God is plucking up and breaking down Jer. 45. 4 5. but this is only the influence of a temptation the true temper and spirit of a believer inclines him to sorrow and mourning when things are in this sad posture Ezech. 9. 4. Go through the midst of the City through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof O Reader lay thine hand upon thine heart is it thus with thee dost thou sympathize with the affairs and concernments of Christ in the world or carest thou not which way things go with the people of God and Gospel of Christ so long as thine own affairs prosper and all things are well with thee Evidence 4. Where ever the spirit of God dwelleth he doth in some degree mortifie and subdue the evils and corruptions of the soul in which he resides this spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. and believers through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8. 13. this is one special part of his sanctifying work I do not say he so kills and subdues sin in believers as that it shall never trouble or defile them any more no no that freedom belongs to the perfect state in heaven but its dominion is taken away though its
furious beasts of prey Tantaene animis coelestibus ira O how repugnant are these practices non secus ac Cum duo conversis inimica in praelia tauri Frontibus 〈◊〉 with the study of mortification which is the great study and endeavour of all that be in Christ They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts So much for the order of the words the words themselves are a proposition wherein we have to consider both The 1. Subject 2. Predicate First The Subject of the proposition they that are Christs 1. viz. true Christians real members of Christ such as truly Vere Christiani qui ad Christum pertinent qui se ei dedâ—… regendâ—…s Pol. Synopsis belong to Christ such as have given themselves up to be governed by him and are indeed acted by his Spirit such all such persons for the indefinite is equipollent to a universal all such and none but such Secondly The predicate theâ—…â—…ve crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts by flesh 〈◊〉 are here to understand carnal 2. concupiscence the workings and motions of corrupt nature and by the affections we are to understand not the natural but the inordinate affections for Christ doth not abolish and destroy but correct and regulate the affections of those that are in him and by crucifying the flesh we are not to understand the total extinction or perfect subduing of corrupt nature but only the deposing of corruption from its regency and dominion in the soul its dominion is taken away though its life be prolonged for a season but yet as death surely though slowly follows crucifixion the life of crucified persons gradually departing from them with their blood so it is just so in the mortification of sin and therefore what the Apostle in this place calls crucifying he calls in Rom. 8. 13. mortifying if ye through the Spirit do mortifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye put to death the deeds of the body but he chooses in this place to call it crucifying to shew not only the conformity there is betwixt the death of Christ and the death of sin in respect of shame pain and lingring slowness but to denote also the principle means and instrument of mortification viz. the death or cross of Jesus Christ in the vertue whereof believers do mortifie the corruptions of their flesh the great arguments and perswasives to mortification being drawn from the sufferings of Christ for sin In a word he doth not say they that believe Christ was crucified for sin are Christs but they and they only are his who feel as well as profess the power and efficacie of the sufferings of Christ in the mortification and subduing of their lusts and sinful affections And so much briefly of the parts and sense of the words The Observation followeth DOCT. That a saving interest in Christ may be regularly and strongly inferred and concluded from the mortification of the flesh with Doct. its affections and lusts This point is fully confirmed by those words of the Apostle Rom. 6. 5 6 7 8. 〈◊〉 if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him Mark the force of the Apostles reasoning if we have been planted into the likeness of his death viz. by the mortification of sin which resembles or hath a likeness to the kind and manner of Christs death as was noted above then we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection and why so but because this mortification of sin is an undoubted evidence of the union of such a soul with Christ which is the very ground-work and principle of that blessed and glorious resurrection and therefore he saith vers 11. Reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord q. d. reason thus with your selves these mortifying influences of the death of Christ are unquestionable presages of your future blessedness God never taking this course with any but those who are in Christ and are designed to be glorified with him the death of your sin is as evidential as any thing in the world can be of your spiritual life for the present and of your eternal life with God hereafter Mortification is the fruit and evidence of your union and that union is the firm ground-work and certain pledge of your glorification and so you ought to reckon or reason the case with your selves as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies Now for the stating and explicating of this point I shall in the doctrinal part labour to open and confirm these five things 1. What the mortification or crucifixion of sin imports 2. Why this work of the Spirit is expressed by crucifying 3. Why all that are in Christ must be so crucified or mortified unto sin 4. What is the true evangelical principle of mortification 5. How the mortification of sin evinces our interest in Christ. And then apply the whole First What the mortification or crucifixion of sin imports 1. And for clearness sake I shall speak to it both negatively and positively shewing you what is not intended and what is principally aimed at by the Spirit of God in this expression First The crucifying of the flesh doth not imply the total abolition of sin in Believers or the destruction of its very Neg. 1. Mortificari carnem non est eam ita perimi ut aut prorsus non sit aut nulla prava in homine desideria commoveat quod in corpore mortis bujus non contingit c. Estius in loc being and existence in them for the present sanctified souls so put off their corruptions with their bodies at death this will be the effect of our future glorification not of our present sanctification it doth exist in the most mortified Believer in the world Rom. 7. 17. it still acteth and lusteth in the regenerate soul Gal. 5. 17. yea notwithstanding its crucifixion in Believers it still may in respect of single acts surprize and captivate them Psal. 65. 3. Rom. 7. 23. This therefore is not the intention of the spirit of God in this expression Secondly Nor doth the crucifixion of sin consist in the suppression of the external acts of sin only for sin may reign over the souls of men whilst it doth not break forth into their lives in gross and open actions 2 Pet. 2. 20. Mat. 12. 43. Morality in the Heathens as Tertullian well observes did abscondere sed non abscindere vitia hide them when it could not kill them many a man shews a white and fair hand who yet hath a very foul and black
the soul from the body James 2. 26. The body without the spirit is dead Spiritual death is the privation of the principle of spiritual life or the want and absence of the quickening spirit of God in the foul the soul is the life of the body and Christ is the life of the soul the absence of the foul is death to the body and the absence or want of Christ is death to the soul. Eternal death is the separation both of body and soul from God which is the misery of the damned Now Christless and unregenerate men are not dead in the first sense they are naturally alive though they are dead while they live Nor are they yet dead in the last sense eternally separated from God by an irrevocable sentence as the damned are but they are dead in the second sense they are spiritually dead whilst they are naturally alive and this spiritual death is the fore-runner of eternal death Now spiritual death is put in scripture in opposition to a two-fold spiritual life Viz. 1. The life of Justification 2. The life of Sanctification Spiritual death in opposition to the life of Justification is nothing else but the guilt of sin bringing us under the sentence of death Spiritual death in opposition to the life of sanctification is the pollution or dominion of sin In both these fen ses unregenerate men are dead men but it is the last which I am properly concerned to speak to in this place and therefore Secondly Let us briefly consider what this spiritual death is which as before was hinted is the absence of the quickening 2. spirit of Christ from the soul of any man That soul is a dead soul into which the spirit of Christ is not infused in the work of regeneration and all its works are dead works as they are called Heb. 9. 14. For look how it is with the damned they live they have sense and motion and an immortality in all these yet because they are eternally separated from God the life which they live deserves not the name of life but is every where in scripture stiled death So the unregenerate they are naturally alive they eat and drink they buy and sell they talk and laugh they rejoyce in the creatures and many of them spend their days in pleasures and then go down to the grave This is the life they live but yet the scripture rather calls it death than life because though they live yet it is without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. Though they live yet it is a life alienated from the life of God Eph. 4. 18. And therefore while they remain naturally alive they are in scripture said to remain in death 1 John 3. 14. and to be dead while they live 1 Tim. 5. 6. And there is great reason why a Christless and unregenerate state should be represented in scripture under the notion of death for there is nothing in nature which more aptly represents that miserable state of the soul than natural death doth The dead see and discern nothing and the natural man perceiveth not the things that are of God The dead have no beauty or desirableness in them Bury my dead said Abraham out of my sight neither is there any spiritual loveliness in the unregenerate True it is some of them have sweet natural qualities and moral excellencies which are taking things but these are as so many flowers decking and adorning a dead corpse The dead are Objects of pity and great lamentation men use to mourn for the dead Eccles. 12. 5. Man goeth to his long home and the mourners go about the streets But unregenerate and Christless souls are much more the Objects of pity and lamentation How are all the people of God especially those that are naturally related to them concerned to mourn over them and for them as Abraham did for Ishmael Gen. 17. 18. O that Ishmael might live before thee Upon these and many other accounts the state of unregeneracy is represented to us in the notion of death Thirdly And that this is the state of all Christless and unsanctified persons will undeniably appear two ways 3. 1. The causes of spiritual life have not wrought upon them 2. The effects and signs of spiritual life do not appear in them and therefore they are in the state and under the power of spiritual death First The causes of spiritual life have not wrought upon them There are two causes of spiritual life 1. Principal and internal 2. Subordinate and external The principal internal cause of spiritual life is the regenerating spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 2. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death 'T is the spirit as a regenerating spirit that unites us with Christ in whom all spiritual life originally is John 5. 25 26. Verily I say unto you that the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for as the father hath life in himself so hath he given to the son to have life in himself As all the members of the natural body receive animation sense and motion by their Union with their natural head so all believers the members of Christ receive spiritual life and animation by their Union with Christ their mystical head Eph. 4. 15 16. Except we come to him and be united with him in the way of faith we can have no life in us John 5. 40. Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Now the spirit of God hath yet exerted no regenerating quickening influences nor begotten any special saving faith in natural unsanctified men whatever he hath done for them in the way of natural or spiritual common gifts yet he hath not quickened them with the life of Christ. And as for the subordinate external means of life viz. the preaching of the Gospel which is the instrument of the spirit in this glorious work and is therefore called the word of life Phil. 2. 16. this word hath not yet been made a regenerating quickening word to their souls Possibly it hath enlightned them and convinced them it hath wrought upon their minds in the way of common illumination and upon their consciences in the way of conviction but not upon their hearts and wills by way of effectual conversion To this day the Lord hath not given them an heart opening it self in the way of faith to receive Jesus Christ. Secondly The effects and signs of spiritual life do not appear in them for First They have no feeling or sense of misery and danger I mean no such sense as throwly awakens them to apply Christ their remedy That spiritual judgment lies upon them Isa. 6. 9 10. And he said go and tell this people Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and their ears heavy and
Condemnation with respect to the fault stands opposed to Justification Rom. 5. 16. Condemnation with respect to the punishment stands opposed to Salvation Mar. 16. 16. More particularly First Condemnation is the sentence of God the great and terrible God the omniscient omnipotent supream and impartial Judge at whose bâ—…r the guilty sinner stands 'T is the Law of God that condemns him now He hath one that judgeth him a great and terrible one too 'T is a dreadful thing to be condemned at mans bar But the Courts of humane Judicature how awful and solemn soever they are are but trifles and childrens play to this Court of heaven and conscience wherein the unbeliever is arraigned and condemned Secondly 'T is the sentence of God adjudging the unbeliever to eternal death than which nothing is more terrible What is a prison to hell what is a Scaffold and an Ax to go ye cursed into everlasting fire What is a Gallows and a Halter to everlasting burnings Thirdly Condemnation is the final sentence of God the Supream Judge from whose Bar and Judgment there lies no appeal for the unbeliever but Execution certainly follows Condemnation Luke 19. 27. If man condemn God may justifie and save But if God condemn no man can save or deliver If the law cast a man as a sinner the Gospel may save him as a believer But if the Gospel cast him as an unbeliever a man that finally rejects Jesus Christ whom it offers to him all the world cannot save that man O then what a dreadful word is Condemnation All the evils and miseries of this life are nothing to it put all afflictions calamities sufferings and miseries of this world into one scale and this sentence of God into the other and they will all be lighter than a feather Thirdly In the next place I shall shew you that this punishment viz. Condemnation must unavoidably follow that sin of unbelief So many unbelieving persons as be in the world so many condemned persons there are in the world and this will appear two ways 1. By considering what unbelief excludes a man from 2. By considering what unbelief includes a man under First Let us consider what unbelief excludes a man from and it will be found that it excludes him from all that may help and save him for First it excludes him from the pardon of sin John 8. 24. If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins Now he that dies under the guilt of all his sins must needs die in a state of wrath and condemnation for ever For the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. ult If a man may be saved without a pardon then may the unbeliever hope to be saved Secondly Unbelief excludes a man from all the saving benefits that come by the sacrifice or death of Christ. For if faith be the only instrument that applies and brings home to the soul the benefits of the blood of Christ as unquestionably it is then unbelief must of necessity exclude a man from all those benefits and consequently leave him in the state of death and condemnation Faith is the applying cause the instrument by which we receive the special saving benefit of the blood of Christ Rom. 5. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Eph. 2. 8. By grace are ye saved through faith So then if the unbeliever be acquitted and saved it must be without the benefit of Christs death and sacrifice which is utterly impossible Thirdly Unbelief excludes a man from the saving efficacy and operation of the Gospel by shutting up the heart against it and crossing the main drift and scope of it which is to bring up men to the terms of salvation to perswade them to believe this is its great design the scope of all its commands 1 John 3. 23. Mark 1. 14 15. John 12. 36. 'T is the scope of all its promises they are written to encourage men to believe Joh. 6. 35 37. So then if the unbeliever escape condemnation it must be in a way unknown to us by the Gospel Yea contrary to the established order therein For the unbeliever obeyeth not the great command of the Gospel 1 John 3. 17. Nor is he under any one saving promise of it Gal. 3. 14 22. Fourthly Unbelief excludes a man from Union with Christ faith being the bond of that Union Eph. 3. 17. The unbeliever therefore may as reasonably expect to be saved without Christ as to be saved without faith Thus you see what unbelief excludes a man from Secondly Let us next see what guilt and misery unbelief includes men under and certainly it will be found to be the greatest guilt and misery in the world For First It is a sin which reflects the greatest dishonour upon God 1 John 5. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself He that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record which God gave of his Son Secondly Unbelief makes a man guilty of the vilest contempt of Christ and the whole design of Redemption managed by him All the glorious attributes of God were signally manifested in the work of Redemption by Christ therefore the Apostle calls him the wisdom of God and the power of God 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. But what doth the careless neglect and wilful rejection of Christ speak but the weakness and folly of that design of Redemption by him Thirdly Unbelief includes in it the sorest spiritual judgement that is or can be inflicted in this world upon the soul of man Even spiritual blindness and the fatal darkening of the understanding by Satan 2 Cor. 4. 4. of which more hereafter Fourthly Unbelief includes a man under the curse and shuts him up under all the threatnings that are written in the book of God amongst which that is an express and terrible one Mark 16. 10. He that believeth not shall be damned So that nothing can be more evident than this that condemnation necessarily follows unbelief This sin and that punishment are fastned together with chains of Adamant The Uses follow Inference 1. If this be so then how great a number of persons are visibly Inference 1. in the state of condemnation so many unbelievers so many condemned men and women That 's a sad complaint of the prophet Isa. 53. 1. Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Many there be that talk of faith and many that profess faith but they only talk of and profess it there are but few in the world unto whom the arm of the Lord hath been revealed in the work of faith with power 't is put among the great mysteries and wonders of the world 1 Tim. 3. 16. That Christ is believed on in the world O what a great and terrible day will the day of Christs coming to judgement be when so many Millions of unbelievers shall be brought to
man This is that which is justly called the great mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. That mystery which the Prophets enquired diligently after yea which the Angels desire to look into 1 Pet. 1. 10 12. In this glorious mystery of Redemption thaâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifold wisdom of God or that wisdom which hath such curious and admirable variety in it is illustriously displayed Eph. 4. 10. Yea the contrivement of our Redemption this way is the most glorious display of Divine Love that ever was made or can be made in this world to the children of men for so the Apostle will be understood when he saith Rom. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath set forth or presented his love to man in the most taking manner in a way that commends it beyond all compare to the acceptation of men This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. It might be justly expected that when this glorious mystery should come to be published by the Gospel in the ears of sinners all eyes should be withdrawn from all other objects and fixed with admiration upon Christ all hearts should be ravished with these glad tidings and every man pressing to Christ with greatest zeal and diligence But behold instead thereof Secondly The desperate wickedness of the world in rejecting the only remedy prepared for them This was long since foretold by the Prophet Isaiah 53. 3. He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desitio virorum Nil habit infoelix paupertas durius in se quam quod ridiculos homines facit Juver and we esteemed him not His poor and mean appearance which should endear him beyond all considerations to the souls of men since it was for their sakes that he emptied himself of all his glory yet this lays him under contempt he is looked on as the very offcast of men when his own love to man had emptied him of all his riches the wickedness of men loaded him with contempt and as it was prophesied of him so it was and at this day is sadly verified all the world over For First The Pagan world hath no knowledge of him they are lost in darkness God hath suffered them to walk in their own ways Acts 14. 16. Secondly The Mahumetans which overspread so great a part of the world reject him and instead os the blessed Gospel which they hiss out with abhorrence embrace the blasphemous and ridiculous Alcoran which they confidently affirm to have come down srom God immediately in that laylatto Hanzili as they call it the night of demission calling all Christians Cafirouna i. e. infidels Thirdly The Jews reject him with abhorrence and spit at his very name and being blindfolded by the Devil they call Jesus Anathema 1 Cor. 12. 3. And in a blind zeal for Moses blaspheme him as an Impostor He came to his own and his own received him not John 1. 11. Fourthly The far greater part of the Christianized world reject him those that are called after his name will not 〈◊〉 nomen 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 viâ—… 〈◊〉 quâ—… 〈◊〉 est quam praevaricatiâ—… divini nominis Cyp. de Zelo. submit to his Government The Nobles of the world think themselves dishonoured by submitting their necks to his yoke The Sensualists of the world will not deny their lusts or forsake their pleasures for all the treasures of righteousness life and peace which his blood hath purchased The worldlings of the earth prefer the dirt and dung of the world before him and few there be among them that profess Christianity who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity The only reason why they are called Christians is because by the advantagious cast of providence they were born and educated in a nation where Christianity is professed and established by the laws of the Countrey and if the wind should turn and the publick Authority think fit to establish another Religion they can shift their sayls and steer a contrary Course But now Reader let me tell thee that if ever God send forth those two grim Sergeants his Law and thine own conscience to arrest thee for thy sins if thou find thy self dragging away by them towards that prison from whence none return that are once clapt up therein and that in this unspeakable distress Jesus Christ manifest himself to thy soul and open thy heart to receive him and become thy surety with God pay all thy debts and cancel all thy obligations Thou wilt love him at another rate than others do his blood will run deeper in thine eyes than it doth in the shallow apprehensions of the world he will be altogether lovely and thou wilt account all things but dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of Jesus Christ thy Lord. To work thy heart to this frame these things are written which the Lord prosper upon thy soul by the blessing of his good Spirit upon them Blessed be God for Jesus Christ. FINIS An Alphabetical Table of the principal points insisted on in this Treatise A. ABortives Spiritual whence they are pag. 369 Absurdity of Believers sins p. 39 Accounts of our time kept in Heaven p. 57 Accusations of Conscience what they are p. 186 Acts of the Spirit sixfold in Conversion p. 197 Acceptation with God what it is p. 311 Acceptation with God what it includes ibid. Acceptance none without Christ. p. 320 Activity for the world what it speaks p. 352 Activity of Christ our pattern p. 507 Adventures of Faith how great p. 82 83 Advocate none like Christ in five respects p. 256 Affections how bewitcht by sin p. 394 Ambassadors of Christ their dignity p. 48 Application what it imports p. 5 6 Application of Christ the end of Ordinances p. 7 Application of Christ of equal latitude with Gods election and Christs death p. 9 Apologies cut off from Gospel-despisers p. 57 Approbation of Christ implied in faith p. 119 Aâ—…ointing how it teacheth p. 139 Alsufficiency of Christ for all our wants p. 196 Altogether lovely Christ only so p. 250 Apostasie an inexcusable sin p. 332. Annihilation better than damnation p. 444 Arminians sense of Justification rejected p. 132 Assent implyed in saving Faith p. 117 Assent three degrees thereof ibid. Assent how discovered to be true p. 140 Aversion from God how discovered p. 84 Awakening out of security how great a mercy it is to the souls of men p. 356 B. BAcksliding an inexcusable sin p. 213. Benefits of Christ how conveyed to us p. 13. Believers more than know themselves so p. 138 Believers why uncomfortable p. 139 Believing the immediate duty of weary souls p. 204 Believers advancement how great p. 281 Boldness of Saints in Prayer p. 313 Blood of Christ its dignity p. 301 Beauty of holiness very great
boundaries must be preserved p. 467 Grace the riches of it in remission p. 302 Grace the vile abuse of it taxed p. 306 Grieving the Spirit the sin of Believers p. 411 Guilt incurred in times of tentation p. 560 Guilt only relieved by blood of Christ. p. 208 H. HAbits of Grace inspired not acquired p. 96 Habitude of faith to Gospel terms p. 121 Happy estate of pardoned souls p. 303 Happiness of Saints above all men p. 338 Harmony of the Spirits motions p. 412 Habits of grace how assisted p. 469 Hell torments how aggravated p. 187 Heart its deceitfulness opened p. 369 Heavenly mindedness what it infers p. 418 Heaven no Heaven to the unregenerate p. 440 Heavenly mindedness connotes grace p. 453 Honour of religion on what it depends p. 482 Hour of death by what sweetned p. 483 Holiness of Christ our pattern p. 501 Holiness of Christ sixfold p. 502 Humility of Christ exemplary p. 512 Hypocrisie wherein it lies p. 490 Hypocrites are twice dead p. 536 Husband none like Christ. p. 255 I. IGnorance the cause of security p. 351 Ignorance twofold p. 420 Immortality the priviledge of grace p. 37 Impossibility of coming without drawing p. 70 Imputed righteousness vindicated p. 130 Illumination antecedent to faith p. 147 Implantation into Christ necessary p. 461 Impossibility of salvation to some p. 395 Inoffensive life of Christ. p. 511 Joy of Saints a rational joy p. 331 Inexcusableness of Christ-despisers p. 19 Infusion of spiritual life instantaneous p. 101 Inability of nature to produce grace p. 105 Inheritance of Saints how secured p. 178 Interest in Christ how evinced p. 180 Invitations of Christ to weary souls p. 198 Inherence of sin when and how cured p. 220 Inferiour things should not satisfie Saints p. 243 Interest in Christ the ground of peace p. 204 Inward troubles infest the best hearts p. 325 Inability to return to God discovered p. 337 Influence of Christs death into our glory p. 340 Ineffectualness of the word a sore judgement p. 365 Indisposedness of man to come to Christ. p. 394 Incongruity of carnal ways to Saints p. 448 Instrumentality for service whence p. 480 Insupportableness of affliction to some p. 482 Imitation of Christ how necessary p. 497 Imitation of Christ what it compriseth ibid. Improve Christ to your own rest p. 214 Justification evidenced by sanctification p. 500 Justice unsatisfied bars Heaven p. 337 K. KEep the evil of sin in your eye p. 488 Keep the sufferings of Christ before you ibid. Keep the sufferings of the damned before you p. 490 Knowledge of spiritual things twofold p. 139 Knowledge of interest a ground of peace p. 289 Knowledge spiritual excellent p. 397 Knowledge of the creatures vanity p. 485 Knowledge aggravates sin three ways p. 557 Knowledge secures none from Hell p. 559 Knowledge improved against Knowledge p. 579 L. LAw its efficacy on the Conscience p. 185 Lamentations for the unregenerate p. 537 Learned men why Christless p. 395 Leadings of the Spirit what p. 419 Lessons twelve taught by God p. 378 Life spiritual what it is p. 95 Life spiritual its excellency p. 96 Life spiritual still growing p. 98 Life spiritual in all the faculties p. 100 Life Natural Political Theological p. 108 Life of Believers how comfortable p. 296 Liberty purchased by Christ p. 323 Liberty of six sorts p. 328 Liberty of Believers wonderful p. 329 Liberty of Believers its properties p. 330 Liberty must be maintained p. 333 Liberty a motive to come to Christ p. 334 Loveliness of Christ in all respects p. 255 Longing to be with Christ its ground p. 285 Love of Christ wonderful p. 280 Loveliness of creatures derivative p. 250 Lovely nothing is so in opposition to Christ p. 251 M. MAnner of the Spirits work various p. 413 Marks of right inward troubles p. 191 Marks of saving faith p. 149 Marks of the new creature p. 451 Matter of duty no evidence of grace p. 412 Means of mortification p. 462 Mediums of communion with Christ p. 172 Mediocrity in outwards eligible p. 477 Meeting of Saints in Heaven joyful p. 339 Meltings in duty twofold p. 421 Memory of sins past how revived p. 185 Method of cure a restraint from sin p. 225 Mercy to be under Christs cure p. 227 Mercies of two sorts p. 233 Mercy Christ is the mercy of mercy evidenced in twelve respects p. 23â—… Mercies derive their sweetness 〈◊〉 and durableness from Christ p. 215 Mercy not to be expected out of Christ p. 241 Ministry removed a sore judgement p. 49 Ministers obliged to faithfulness ibid. Ministers unduely treated p. 58 Ministers must mind their own estates p. 59 Mirth of unregenerate groundless p. 548 Mind influenced by God p. 392 Mortification painful work p. 463 Motions of sin in the best Saints p. 325 Motives to faith p. 153 Motives ten to inflame desires p. 272 Motives six to come to Christ p. 307 Mortification proves interest in Christ p. 458 Mortification what it imports p. 459 Mortification why called crucifying p. 463 Mortification the method of salvation p. 466 Mortification requires affliction p. 474 Motives to imitate Christ p. 521 Mysterious way of regeneration p. 99 N. NAtures pride in what discovered p. 81 Natures current cross to Christ p. 80 Natural and spiritual affections hâ—… they may be distinguished p. 421 National rejection of Christ dangerâ—… p. 268 Necessity of divine teachings p. 390 Necessity of mortification p. 465 Necessity of the new Creature p. 439 New creature consists in two things p. 405 New creature proves interest in Christ p. 429 New creature why grace is so called ibid. New creation in what it resembles the old opened in many respects p. 430 New Christians are so in three respects p. 432 New creature exceeding beautiful p. 434 New creature its designation p. 4â—…5 New creature immortal and how so p. 497 New creature its heavenly tendency p. 437 New creature its activity p. 438 New creature in whom undiscernible p. 447 Number of real Christians small p. 475 O. OBedience the end of spiritual life p. 101 Obedience whence its excellency p. 102 Obedience of Christ our pattern p. 504 Obedience to the law as our rule p. 324 Object formal of faith what it is p. 118 Obstacles to glory how removed p. 340 Object of faith must be determinate p. 194 Objections against believing answered p. 200 Occasions not to be given to corruption p. 474 Occasions of sin must be cut off p. 485 Offers of Christ what they include p. 155 Offer of Christ intire and compleat p. 122 Offer of Christ in what manner p. 123 Offices of Christ how suitable p. 253 Opinions about faith divers p. 132 Opposition of Satan to the Gospel why p. 333 Operations of the Gospel various p. 360 Opposition of flesh and spirit what p. 424 Opposition to sin twofold p. 468 Opinions justly rejected p. 477 Ornaments of nature what and how to be denied for Christ p. 81 Ordinances why to