Magistrates themselves under terrors for their vitious actions and those who are not subject to any humane Tribunal why do they with such fury reflect upon themselves for their crimes certainly it proceeds from hence that natural conscience dreads the supreme Judge seeing nothing is able to shelter them from his Tribunal nor restrain his power when he will take vengeance on them In vain doth the Atheist reply that these fears are the product of a common false opinion which is conveyed by education to wit that there is a God who is provoked by sin and that ignorance increases these terrors as little children fear bug-bears in the dark for 't is certain First That no Art or endeavour can totally free a sinner from these terrors whereas groundlesse fears are presently scattered by reason and this argues there is an inviolable principle in nature which respects a God We know there is nothing more disturbs the spirit than fear and every person is an enemy to what torments him hence the sinner labours to conquer conscience that he may freely indulge himself in sin but this is impossible for conscience is so essential that a soul cannot be a soul without it and so inseparable that death it self cannot divorce a man from it perire nec sine te nec tecum potest it can neither dye with the sinner nor without him 't is true the workings of it are unequal as the pulse doth not always beat alike but sometimes more violent and sometimes more remisse so this spiritual pulse is not always in equal motion sometimes it beats sometimes it intermits but returns again those scorners who run a course of sin without controule and seem to despise hell as a meer notion yet they are not free from inward gripes conscience arrests them in the Name of that God whom they deny although they are without faith they are not without fear desperate sinners ruffle it for a time and drench themselves in sensual pleasures to quench that scintilla animae that vital spark which shines and scorches at once but all in vain for it happens to them as to Malefactors who for a time drown the apprehension of their danger in a Sea of drink but when the fumes are evaporated and they seriously ponder their offences they tremble in the fearful expectation of the Axe or Gallows A sinner may conceal his fears from others and appear jolly and brave when conscience stings him with secret remorse as a Clock seems to be calme and still to the eye but 't is full of secret motions within under a merry countenance there may be a bleeding heart To conclude so far is a sinner from being able to quench these terrors that many times the more they are opposed the more powerful they grow thus many who for a time breathed nothing but defiances to conscience and committed sin with greedinesse yet conscience hath with such fury returned upon them that they have run from profanesse to superstition as fugitive slaves are forc't back to their Masters and serve in the vilest Drudgery fearing severe punishments 2. The best men who enjoy a sweet calmness and are not disquieted with the terrors of conscience they abhor that Doctrine which discards the fear of a Deity so that those who are most freed from these terrors believe them to be radicated in nature and grounded upon truth and those who esteem them vain are most furiously tormented with them in which respect the Divine goodnesse shines forth in the greatest lustre towards those who love and fear him and his justice against those who contemn it thus Caligula who was the boldest Atheist in the world yet when it thundred ran with trembling under his bed as if God from heaven had summoned him to judgement whereas Socrates who was the Heathens Martyr died with the same tranquility of spirit wherein he lived 3. 'T is worthy of our serious thoughts that these terrors of conscience are most dreadful when the sinner approaches death the sense of guilt which before was smothered is then revived conscience like a sleeping Lyon awakes and destroys at once experience tâ—lls us many sinners who have lived in a sencelesse dye in a desperate manner and from whence doth this proceed but from the presages of a future judgement conscience anticipates the vengeance of God then the Alarums are encreast and the storme is more violent for the soul being sensible of its immortal nature extends its fears to Eternity and trembles at him who lives for ever and can punish for ever Argument 3. The consent of Nations agrees in the belief of a God although the Gentiles did grossely mistake the life and essence of the infinite Deity imagining him to be of some humane forme and weaknesse and in this respect were without God in the world yet they conspired in the acknowledgement of a Divinity the multiplicity of their false gods strengthens the Argument it being clear they would rather have any God then none and this belief cannot be an imposture because 't is First Universal What Nation so barbarous as not to worship a God certainly that which is common to all men hath a foundation in nature Secondly 't is perpetual falshoods are not long lived but the Character and Impression of God is indelibly sealed upon the spirits of men Thus we see the Universal Reason of the World to Determine there is a God 2. The Scripture proves there is a God to faith Psal 19. David speaking of the double manifestation of God by his Works and his Word appropriates a converting power to the Word this exceeds the discovery of God in the Creation in respect of its clearnesse and efficacy Psalme 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name There are more apparent Characters of Gods Attributes and Perfections in the Scripture than in the Book of Nature in the Creation there is Vestigium the foot-print of God but in the Word there is Imago his Image and lively Representation As the Angels when they assumed visible bodies and appeared unto men yet by the brightnesse and Majesty of their appearance discovered themselves to be above an humane Original so the Scriptures although conveyed to us in ordinary language and words yet by their authority and sanctity evidence their Divine descent and that there is a holy and righteous God from whom they proceed There is a vehement Objection urged by Atheists in all Ages against a Divine Providence and consequently against Gods Being We may hear the Tragedian thus resenting it Sed cur idem Qui tanta regis sub quo vasti Pondera mundi librata suos Ducunt orbes hominum nimium Securus ades non sollicitus Prodesse bonis nocuisse malis Senec. Hippol. The afflicted state of innocency and goodnesse and the prosperous state of oppression and wickednesse Honest men suffer whilest the unrighteous and profane swim in the Streames of Prosperity hence they concluded fortuna certa aut incerta
it First This book presses holinesse and godlinesse so as never did any in the world before nor since and gives such Arguments for it as never was heard of nor the wit of man could ever have thought of He that would walk in the Wildernesse of Paganism might hear and there spy a flower growing amongst many weeds now and then a Philosopher that gives you some good directions that concern righteousnesse and external behaviour but the Scripture is a garden wherein whatsoever hath been recommended by all the sober men in the world is put together and wherein they were defective that 's there made up for they were defective especially in this one great point deep humility and though you shall finde many things that concern the exercise of some Christian graces yet in the real practice of humility a man would wonder how incredibly they fell short But as for the Scripture what would you have it bids you live soberly righteously godly Tit. 2.12 it bids you lie at Gods feet as his creature to do with you what he will it would have you like God himself that 's the end of the promises that we should partake of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 it bids you be holy as God is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 it charges upon you whatever thing is good is just is lovely Phil. 4.8 it commands your very thoughts it 's so far from suffering you to do hurt to your brother as not to suffer you to think hurt it 's so far from allowing to act rapine and injustice as not to allow to do any thing that savours of coveting it binds the very heart and soul O what a place of universal calmnesse would this world be should all serve one another in love should all study each others good we should never do injury if any did we should forgive him we should endeavour to be perfect as God is Trypho calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore the Jew could not but say the precepts of the Gospel were wonderful great excellent and transcendent indeed Behold the Scripture is a doctrine according to godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.3 truth according to godlinesse Tit. 1.1 the mystery of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 so that in one word whatever God would think fit for man to do to that God that made him whatever is fit for a sinner to do to a holy God against whom he hath trangressed and between man and man all that is the designe of the Scripture And what the Scripture thus commends it presses by incomparable Arguments shall I name a few 1. Behold God is manifested in the flesh for this purpose 1 Tim. 3.16 Is it nothing sinner that thou wilt live foolishly vainly what wilt thou think to see God dwelling in humane nature to see God live a poor scorned reproached contemned life intimating this great truth that it 's not so unseemly a thing for the Sonne of God himself to live a poor miserable life as 't is for a man to be an impenitent sinner if you remain a wilful and impenitent sinner thou wouldst in thy pride be like God and have no Superiour above thee Behold God condescends and becomes like to thee that if possible he might bring thee back again thou that art a sinner suspectest whether God will do thee good behold how close he comes to thee he dwells in thy own nature 2. Behold the beloved Sonne of God dying upon the Crosse for thee What would you think if any of your Parents should suffer their childe to dye on the behalf of an enemy would you not think it should move that enemy Behold my Sonne in whom I am well-pleased methinks God takes not a quarter of that content in the whole Creation which he does when he speaks of his Sonne yet this Sonne suffered for sinne the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 methinks this love should constrain us 2 Cor. 5.14 Poor soul thou art ready to think God is become thine enemy when sicknesse and death comes thou art ready to say hast thou found me O mine enemy here 's trouble in the world how shall I know whether God intends good Behold it 's beyond peradventure God intends good to a sinner because he dwelt in our nature and his Sonne dyed for us and his Sonne felt pain and infirmity and therefore he may love thee and you need not question any thing of this nature is a hindrance of Gods love the case of a sinner is not so desperate but that a man may be accepted and loved of God for Christs sake will not this move you 3. You have promises of eternal life and threatnings of eternal misery Never did any Philosopher or any other man threaten If you will not observe such and such precepts I l'e throw you into eternal torments nor never did any man say I will give you such glory in heaven but the Scripture does behold life and immortality are brought to light by Christ there 's a future resurrection and this body is like an old house pull'd down by and by it will be a brave building again a spiritual body and we shall shine like the Sunne in the Firmament and be equal to the Angels of God Matth. 13.43 and he like God and Christ Now we know not what we shall be but when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.1 2. And having this hope who would not purifie himself even as God is pure who would not live soberly righteously and godly looking for that blessed hope c If you did but apprehend this glory Tit. 2 13 were not your minde senselesse its impossible you could be quiet without getting an interest in it And how great the day of judgment will be it tells you how our thoughts words and actions and every thing we go about shall come under a severe scrutiny 4. The worth of our souls we minde our bodies but a soul is better than a world The Scripture saith the Sonne of God dyed for souls we never understood so much what souls were wor h as now we do when we see God taking such care and having such designs and thoughts from all eternity 5. The fairest and the most reasonable condition of eternal happinesse and the greatest strength to perform it that 's offer'd in the Gospel Suppose we were sensible we were liable and obnoxious to Gods wrath and could go to heaven and beseech God that he would be pleased not to execute that wrath upon us do but think what terms you would be willing to propose to God would you come and say Lord punish me not for what is past though I intend to do the same thing but he that should say Lord forgive me I am sorry for that which is done and it shall be the businesse of my life to live more circumspectly to thee this is the great thing the Scripture proposes
take off the veile from the Text in a short explication By one man and him we may consider 1. His name Adam and this comprehends his person sex and kind 2. His order he was the first man 1 Cor. 15.45 3. His person in the individual And so Original sin properly is not derived from the proximate Parents but the prime-parent 4. His nature Adam was one non tantum in individuo sed in specie one comprehending the whole root representing the whole stock the seed and generation of man-kind so Adam is taken for the species of man Sinne The Apostle here speaks of sin not sins as if he would precisely determine it of that one root of sin distinct from those many following fruits this sin hath been the Original the incentive the cause of all sinne this sinne stained the world Entered into the world viz. by propagation sin entered like death Now death is actually propagated as he said scio me genuisse mortalem I know I beget a dying child a child subject to death sinne entered not by example but generation The World By the world we must not understand terrenam corpâ—ralem vitam the pleasure and delights of the world for the Saints are crucified to the world in this sense Gal 6.14 and so Original sin should not seize on believers Nor 2. In locum mundi for as Pareus observes the Angels first sinned and sin first entred by them into the place of the world Nor 3. In Paradisum into Paradise for sin was first committed by Eve in Paradise But 4. We must understand the inhabitants of the world Vniversum genus humanum all man-kind Martyr Gorranus as Mart. Gor. And death by sinne The query among Divines is what this death is Some suppose the death of the body as Ambrose some the death of the soul as the Pelagians but as Haymo observes mors animae corporis in omnes pertranstit the death both of soul and body passed on all for as Origen saith Orig. Mors corporalis umbra est spiritualis the death of the body is only the shadow of the death of the soul so that by death in the Text we must necessarily understand the death of soul and body with all the antecedents and consequents of both Willet sicknesse weaknesse corruption guilt horrour despair Death passed upon all men Corporal death on all the most holy most flourishing most probable to live spiritual and eternal death on all men in the sentence not in the execution Rom. 3.19 the sentence is reversed the execution for ever forborn to believers For all have sinned For the opening of this I shall only give you the glance of Musculus In Adam omnes fuimus in lumbis ejus c. we were all in the loynes of offending Adam from that masse we sprung and therefore as Levi paid tythes in the loyns of Abraham Hebrews 7.9 10. so it is no wonder if we being in the loyns of Adam are found sinners in him Doct. Now the mournful truth that the Text presents us with is this viz. That our first Parent by his transgression hath left an unhappy portion of sinne and death to all his posterity thus much the Text expresseth thus much it confirms we have this unwelcome entail from our first Parent Concerning death I shall not dilate because the shade of death doth alwayes accompany the body of sin but I shall only insist on that part of our portion sin We are entituled to Adams sinne 'T is a derivation from the root to the branches as poyson is carried from the fountain to the Cistern as the children of Traytours have their blood tainted with their fathers Treason and the children of Bond-slaves are born in their Fathers condition Omnes in Adamo peccaverunt Aug. quia omnes unus ille fuerunt Aug. All were entangled in Adams sin because all were folded up in Adams person And the same Father in another place Traxit reatum homo quia unus erat cum illo à quo traxit Man drew down guilt upon himself because he was one with him from whom he drew it Greg. And it is an excellent observation of Gregory Genus humanum in parente primo velut in radice putruit Man-kind putrified in the first parent as in a root Adam is as the poysoned root and the clusters are envenomed because the root was poysoned had Adam stood and preserved his perfection his glory as a royalty had descended to his seed to man-kind but by his offence forfeiting his beauty and contracting on himself both guilt and an universal loathsomenesse both losse and loathsomnesse he transmits to his posterity and it is upon his breath that every child that comes into the world sucks in poyson with his first breach and is no sooner a living creature than a deformed sinner This truth we find early confirmed in the world so Adam begat Seth according to his own likeness Gen. 5.3 non ad similitudinem Dei sed ad similitudinem sui Brockman and it is very considerable the Original phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his image in his likeness the word is as it were redoubled to set the greater brand upon corrupt nature in his image nay in his likeness And to shew the necessity of our drawing corruptness from Adam holy Job expresses it by a quick and smart interrogation Job 14.4 Nay th s truth David seems to bedue with tears and deplore with sighs Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me In the times of the Gospel this spot is more clearly discernable and from whence we received the contagion Rom. 5.19 By God we are creatures by Adam we are sinners so that Text By one mans disobedience many were made sinners And so most remarkably 1 Cor. 15.49 And as we have borne the image of the earthly c. Nor is that gloss of Cyprian upon the place to be over-passed Imaginem terreni portavimus Cypr. peccandi propensâ—â—nem mortem imaginem caelestis portemus constantiam in sanctitate instaurationem ex morte corruptione ad vitam immortalitatem i. e. We have borne the image of the earthly Adam a propensity to sin and death let us bear the image of the heavenly a constancy in holiness and instauration from death and corruption to life and immortality I shall only adde one Scripture more Ephes 2.3 We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Now there are three things which are considerable for the dispatch of the doctrinal part of the Text. 1. To demonstrate more particularly the transmission of Adams sin to us Now Adams sin is transmitted to posterity two wayes 1. By imputation 2. By inhaesion the guilt and the stain of his sin is propagated to all his posterity Particle 1 1. The sin of Adam is derived to us by way of imputation and that upon a double demonstration may be evidenced
Parents be leprous or infected with some other disease not to be named they entail their malady as well as their nature upon their unhappy off-spring Nothing can exceed the vertue of its cause which is the ground of our Saviours assertion John 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh It is very remarkable that the like phrase is not used when Scripture speaks of Adams begetting Cain or Abel though both these were begotten in Adams likenesse too because Abel being to dye without issue and all Cains progeny to be drowned by the flood it is noted the rather of Seth by whom all mankind hath hitherto been continued in the world that he from whom as well as from Adam we all came was begat in Adams own image that into which by sin he had transformed himself and not in that likenesse which was Gods in which God at first made him Nay though the Parents be regenerated yet their children by nature are altogether defiled because they beget children as they are men not as they are holy men though the Parent be circumcised the childe brings into the world an uncircumcised foreskin with it as the purest wheat that is cast into the Field comes up with husks and stalks I might adde that the holiest men upon earth are but holy in part they have a dark side as well as a light side and proles as conclusio sequitur deteriorem partem their children are like to what they were by nature and cannot without the same Almighty mercy be like what they are through grace witnesse Josiah's and Hezekiah's children but there are too many sad Evidences of this amongst us daily Arg. 2. From the Redemption of man by Christ Our second Argument for to prove our corruption by nature the Apostle furnishes us with 2 Cor. 5.14 If Christ dyed for all then were all dead And the stresse we lay upon it it will very well bear for what need all that are saved to be saved by Christ if in themselves they are not ruined Destruction is first asserted to be from our selves and then it follows but from me is your health is not Christ made to all those that shall come to heaven and happinesse wisdome 1 Cor. 1.30 righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Does not his death satisfie for their debts his Spirit sanctifie their hearts Thus none go unto the Father but by him and whosâ—ever would but see the Kingdome of God must be borne again John 3.3 This very reason St. Austin urges concerning children I shall give this Arg. de verbis Domini serm 8. and some larger passages in English that I might not overmuch entangle the thred of my discourse Whosoever sayes that infancy hath nothing from which Jesus should save us he denies Christ to be a Jesus to infants baptized in his Name for what is a Jesus Jesus is by intâ—rpretation a Saviour a Saviour is a Jesus those which he does not save be ause they have nothing that he should save them from or cure in them he is not to them a Jesus Now if your hearts can endure that Christ should not be a Jesus to such I know not whither your faith can be sound c. Thirdly Scripture Ordinances prove this corruption to be in us for else what need their institution to take it from us Third argument is taken from Ordinances Sacraments c. If there be no pollution in the foreskin why was Circumcision appointed to do it away if we have no filth what needs baptismal washing and if we may borrow light from any shadows of the Ceremonial Law why should women be so long unclean and need solemne purification after their child-birth if the fruit of their womb had been so immaculate and pure as some would make us believe 'T is true the Virgin Mary offer'd though she brought forth a holy Childe Isa 53.11 but he was by imputation sinne for we know he bare in Gods account our iniquities Saint Austin upon the bringing of Children unto Christ August serm 36. In Evangel secund Lucam observes this also Children sayes he are brought to be touched to whom are they brought to be touched but to the Physitian if they come to a Saviour they come to be cured and presently after he addes video reatum I see there is guilt in them Another passage of his I shall the willinglier quote because many that oppose this truth pretend much to reverence antiquity De verbis Apostoli serm 8. Wherefore dost thou say this childe or this person is sound and hath no disease why then dost thou runne to the Physitian with him art not afraid lest he should say unto thee Take him away that is sound The Sonne of man came not but to seek and to save that which was lost why didst thou bring him unto me if he were not lost Lib. 1. And in his tract against Julian the Pelagian the same father quotes several that were his predecessors in the maintaining of this very truth as Irenaeus Cyprian Hilary Ambrose c. but I proceed because we have heard a greater than all these God himself so abundantly attesting of it This corruption shews it self by its effects if we be so spiritually foolish Fourth argument The sad effects prove it as not to believe there is such impurity in us from any other Arguments produc'd for the proof of it experience may be our Mistresse to teach it 1. The miserable effects 1. Experiences of multitude of miseries that flow from it This is that Pandora's box which the Heathens so much talk of out of which all manner of mischiefs flow abroad in the world Why do we come into the world crying rather than laughing but as a sad Omen of the world of evils we are ever after here to meet with De Civitate Dei lib. 21. cap. 14. But if there were no sin there would be no suffering in those tender yeares And what have these sheep done When I see a childe lying bound hand and foot in its swadling clouts skreaming and crying out I cann't believe but God and nature would never have dealt so hardly with it so noble a creature especially if guilt had not procur'd these bonds and miseries nay methinks they speak its desert to be bound hand and foot for ever to be speechlesse for ever and to be cast too unlesse infinite mercy prevent where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for ever And all these things Scripture makes only the products of sin that only is the fruitful Parent of all evils Wherefore does a living man so much as complaine 't is for the punishment of his sinne Lam. 3.39 Death which raigned over all Rom. 5.14 is the wages of sinne Rom. 6.23 Nay of that sin too which is communicated to man-kinde by Adams fall 1 Cor. 15.21 22. By man came death death is not of Gods making but of mans of our sinnes
better Covenant established upon better promises But I must explain it before I admire it The Gospel Covenant is that whereby God upon the condition propounded of faith in Christ promiseth remission of sins in his blood and a heavenly life and that for this end that he might shew forth the riches of his mercy * Camero Here I shall propose the same considerations as in the former Covenant only still something more and more comfortably considerable in the consideration of the persons contracting namely God and man according to the proposed method 1. Consider Gods gracious condescention And now Beloved that I have named Gods gracious condescention were my heart but duly affected with it it would constrain me to stop and put in a large Parenthesis of admiration before I should speak a word more Will God after the loss of the natural communion wherein he created man will God when man dâ—eads his Majesty and trembles at his revenging justice will God then as a merciful Father enter into a Covenant of peace with poor undone sinners affrighted with the sense of sin and wrath O the incomprehensible â—ondescention of such unsearchable riches of grace that grace should abound according to sins abounding when sin over-flow d all its banks that God should make a way thorough the deep into the heavenly Canaan never can we enough admire such Extasying grace This is the first thing considerable 2. The second thing considerable is the duty which God requires in this Gospel Covenant and that is Faith faith whereby we embrace the remedy offered us We want a pardon and nothing but faith can receive it we want perfect Righteousnesse and nothing but faith can furnish us with it we want that which may make this Covenant effectual to us and make it a blessing to us and nothing can do any of these things but faith faith is the Antecedent Condition for which the Reward is given 3. The third thing considerable in the Gospel Covenant is the promise Now the promise of the Gospel Covenant is comprehended in the word Salvation therefore the Gospel is called the salvation of God Acts 28.28 And this is the great businesse of Christ to be a Saviour Isa 49.6 That thou mayst be my salvation to the end of the earth when the Angels preached the Gospel they thought they could not expresse their news in better language than to tell people of salvation that must needs be great joy to all people In short when Gospel Ministers come clad with garments of salvation as Heraulds do with the garments of their Office then Saints may well shout aloud for joy Psal 132.16 Now this promise of salvation contains all Gospel promises in it but they are reduced to these foure 1. Justification this is a priviledge which other Covenants were unacquainted with and without this what would become of poor sinful man And this may well be the first great Gospel promise I might name not some Verses but whole Chapters to prove it Rom. 4. and 5. Gal. 3. and 4. but in a word if you would know the preciousness of this promise Ask those that have but felt what sin is and they will tell you 2. The second promise contained in Gospel salvation is Sanctification Rom. 8.2 3 4. The Law of the Spâ—rit of life in Christ hath made me free from the Law of sin and death for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit q.d. The efficacy and power of the sanctifying Spirit which gives life to believers frees us from the tyranny of sin and death and whereas the Law by reason of the corruption of our nature could not make us pure and perfect but rather kindled than extinguished corruption God hath cloathed his Son with our flesh to take away the guilt and power of sin that his perfect righteousnesse might be imputed to us and fulfillâ—d by us that we might not live according to the motion of our sinful nature but according to the motion of his holy Spirit 3. The third promise is the resurrection of the body You know the penalâ—y of sin is the death of soul and body though the soul be immortal yet its being miserable for ever may sadly be called an Eternal death Now let the guilt of sin be abolished and you do therewith abolish the punishment of it for guâ—lt is only an obligation to punishmenâ— let sin be pardoned and the sinner is freed from death and though believers dye yet it is as a corne of wheat falls into the ground they thereby obâ—ain a multiplied life John 6.54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinkeâ—h my blood hath Eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day 4. The last promise is Eternal life a spiritual blessed and immortal life in heaven John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting life The Covenant of Grace is excellent fitted to bring us to the chiefest good Now the chiefest good consists in communion with God that was broken by sin and can never be perfectly recovered till sin be abolished therefore when the guilt of sin is taken away by Justification and the filthinesse of sin is taken away by Sanctification and the penalty of sin taken away by Resurrection then what can hinder our communion with God when we have once obtained perfect holinesse nothing can hinder us of perfect happinesse Thus you have the promise of the Gospel-Covenant which was the third considerable in it 4. The fourth thing to be considered in the Gospel-Covenant is the Mediator of this better Covenant and that is Jesus Christ God-man blessed for ever through his dignity he hath purchased salvation Hebr. 9.12 14. By his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God c. And he is not only the Author of Eternal salvation by his merit and efficacy but the most absolute example and pattern to us how we should walk that we may obtain his purchased salvation Rom. 8.29 God did predestinate us to be conformable to the Image of his Sonne that he might be the first born among many brethren 1 Cor. 15.49 And as we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the heavenly And this is the only Covenant whereof Christ is Mediator the first Covenant needed no Mediator the Old Covenant as Legal take it without its sprinkling of Gospel and so chiefly Moses but in all respects meer men were Mediators but of the New Covenant Christ was Mediator but this I shall leave
natural men minde something else than God would have them Phil. 3.19 they minde earthly things Herod mindeth the dancing of a lewd Strumpet more than the preaching of the holy Baptist the young man mindeth his great possessions the Epicure his belly the Farmer his barn Judas his bag the Silversmith his Shrines the Gadarenes their Swine Pila e the favour and applause of the people Let the best men speak ingenuously and they must needs confesse that there were many things if I may call them things rather nothings which they minded more than God or Christ or Heaven more than the highest concernments of their immortal souls the weightiest businesse of Eternal salvation they were all Gallios in respect of these things they cared for none of them till they were rouzed out of their waking dreams by the Effectual Call of the most gracious God This is the condition of every natural man 2. It presupposeth That it is an easie thing with God to bring us home to himself though we be never so far distant from him to awaken us to his service though in a dead sleep of sin to raise our minds to higher objects though they be never so deeply immersed in the things of this present world Is any thing hard to the Almighty with a word he made us with a word he can renew us When darknesse covered the face of the deep he did but ay Let there be light and there was light with the like facility can he shine in our hearts giving us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus He uttereth his voice saith David and the earth melteth Let but God utter his voice and the Rocks and Mountains of our corruptions will melt away like wax Come we now closer to the Point Toward the opening of which I shall entreat your Attention to the resolution of sundry Questions Question 1. What is this Calling It is the real separation of the soul unto God and a cloathing it with such gracious abilities whereby it may be enabled to repent of its sinnes and to believe in his Son It is our Translation from the state of Nature which is a state of sinne wrath death and damnation to a state of Grace which is a state of Holiness Life Peace and Eternal Salvation This Translation is wrought 1. By strong convictions of the minde First Of the guilt and filth of sin of the danger and defilement of sin of the malignity of sin and the misery that attends it Once saith the soul that is under this dispensation of Gods Grace Once I lookt upon sin as my wisdome now it is madness and folly Once I accounted it my meat and drink to fulfill the wills of the flesh sinne was a sweet morsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I drank iniquity like water now 't is a cup of trembling to me and I fear it may prove a cup of Condemnation Once I hugged embrac't and delighted in sin as the Wife of my bosome now I clearly see that the fruit and issue of the impure copulation of my soul with her is nothing else but the shame of my face the stain of my reputation the Rack and horrour of my conscience and which is more than all these the provocation of the Almighty and therefore I begin to think within my self of an eternal divorce from her I slept securely in the lap of this Dalilah she robb'd me of my strength she delivered me up to Philistines that dealt unworthily with me that put me upon base and low employments what now should I think of but if it please the Lord to give new strength the death and destruction of them all Secondly Of the vanity and emptiness of the creature which we have Idolized confiding in it as the staff of our hopes breathing and pursuing after it as the perfection of our happiness Thirdly Of the absolute need of Christ that if he do not save vs we must perish Fourthly Of the absolute fulnesse of Christ and that in him we may be compleat if we be guilty he can justifie us if we be filthy he can purge us if we be weak he can strengthen us if we be poor he can enrich us if we be base he can ennoble us if we be deformed and ugly he can make us beautiful and lovely if we be miserable he can bless us and that with all Blessings in Heavenly places Fifthly Of the clemency goodness meekness sweetness graciousness of his disposition that if any man come to him he will in no wise reject him John 6.37 These things the minde is strongly convinc't of yet if there be not a farther work a man may carry these Convictions to Hell with him Therefore 2. In the second place this Translation is wrought by a powerful inclination and conversion of the will to close with Christ upon his own termes to embrace him as Soveraign as well as Saviour to take him as men use to do their Wives for better for worse for richer for poorer to stick to him on Mount Calvary as well as Mount Tabor to welcome him into thy bosome by bidding an everlasting farewell to thy sinnes In a word to make a voluntary tender and resignation of thy self unto him solemnly avouching that from this time forward thou wilt count thy self more his than thou art thine own and the more thy own because thou art his This work is carried on with a most efficacious sweetness so that the liberry of the will is not infringed whilst the obstinacy of the will is mastered and over-ruled If you ask me How can these things be I never studied to satisfie curiosity but if you can tell me how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child I also will tell you how the parts of the new man are formed in the heart but I suppose silence and humble admiration will be best on both sides if there be so great a mystery in our natural generation surely there is a far greater in our spiritual Regeneration if David could say of the former I am fearfully and wonderfully made much more might he say of the latter I am fearfully and wonderfully renewed Question 2. Who are the Called First Among creatures none but men are of the number of the called The Angels that kept not thei◠first estate but left their own habitation are never recalled Jude ver 6. but reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse to the judgement of the great day Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him Psal 8.4 or the son of man that thou so regardest him Secondly Among men none but the Elect are capable of this grace the call is limited by the purpose Whom he hath predestinated them he also called Rom. 8. Touching these Elect Persons divers things fall under our Observation As 1. In regard of their internal condition before this call they are dead in sins and trespasses
blinde in their mindes stony in their hearts corrupt in their ways even as others 2. In regard of their outward condition both before and after this call they are for the most part poor and vile and contemptible in the eye of the world God puts not the greater value upon any man for a gold ring or goodly aparrel though the world doth He hath chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and Heires of the Kingdome Jam. 2.5 1 Cor. 1.29 Ye see your calling Brethren how that not many wise mâ—n after the flesh not many Mighty not many Noble are called Some it may be but not many God so orders his Call as that it may appeare there is no respect of persons with him 3. Whatever the outward condition of these men be there are but very few that are effectually called few I say in comparison of those that are left under the power and dominion of their lusts One of a City and two of a Tribe I tremble to speak it but a truth it is and must out Satan hath the Harvest God the gleanings of man-kinde which by the way may serve to convince them of their vanity and folly that make the multitude of actors an Argument to prove the rectitude of actions as if they could not do amisse that do as the most Whereas a very Heathen could say Argumentum pessimi turba The beaten Tract is most deceitful Sheep go the broad way to the Shambles Seneca lib. de vita beat when a more uncouth path might lead them to fresh Pastures Question 3 Who is he that Calleth Who but God that calleth things that are not as if they were all heart-work is Gods peculiar the restraining and ordering the heart he with-held Abimelech not suffering him to touch Sarah Abrahams Wife Gen. 20.6 and the heart of Pharaoh while it was least conformable unto the Rule of his Law was absolutely subject unto the Rule of his providence and well it is for us that it belongs to God to restrain and order hearts otherwise sad would be the condition of this Nation of the whole world but now if it be Gods peculiar to restraine and order hearts much more surely to turn change break melt Coluerunt Ethnici Venerem Verticordiam Val. Max. lib. 8. cap. 15. Lilius Girald Synt. 13 Jer. 31.33 and new-mould hearts It is his Soveraign grace which we adore as the only Verticordia as the real turn-heart therefore may we observe that 1. God doth especially challenge this unto himself You know whose expressions those are I will give a new heart and again I will take away the heart of stone are they not Gods who dare make any challenges against the Almighty hath not he a Scepter strong enough to secure his Crown those that will be plucking Jewels out of his Royal Diadem and ascribe that to themselves or any creature which is his Prerogative shall finde him jealous enough of his honour and that jealousie stirring up indignation enough to consume them But 2. As God may justly challenge this work to himself so it is altogether impossible it should be accomplished by any other For 1. This effectual vocation is a spiritual resurrection of the soul while we are in a state of Nature we are dead not sick or languishing not slumbring or sleeping but quite dead in trespasses and sinnes when we are call'd into a state of grace then are our soules raised to walk with God here as our bodies at the last day shall be raised to walk with the Sonne of God unto all eternity Now if it be not in the power of any creature to raise the body from the grave of death upon which account it is used as an Argument of the Divinity of Christ that he raised himself much less is it in the power of any creature to raise the soul from the grave of sinne And therefore do all true Believers experiment the power of God Eph. 1.19 20. even that exceeding greatness of power that Might of his Power as the Greek hath it whereby he raised up Christ from the dead 2. This effectual vocation is a new Creation of the soul whence we are said to be Created in Christ Jesus when we are called unto an experimental knowledge of him and unfeigned Faith in him upon which account it must needs be Gods workmanship for power of creating is not cannot be communicated to any creature Though the Angels excell in strength Psal 103.20 and wonderful things have been performed by them when they have as Ministers executed Gods pleasure in the punishment of the wicked and protection of the righteous yet the mightyest Angel cannot create the meanest worm that is the only product of infinite power And let me tell you if infinite power be manifested in the Creation of the world it is more gloriously manifested in the conversion of a sinner There is a worse Chaos a worse confusion upon the heart of man when God undertaketh his new Creation than there was upon the face of the earth in the Old Creation In the earth when it was without forme and void there was only indisposition Gen. 1.2 but in the heart of man there is both indisposition and opposition Well then I peremptorily conclude that the work is Gods Gods by the way of a principal efficiency and not only by way of motion or perswasion as some would have it wherein I fear a piece of cursed brokeage for their own glory For were it so they would be but very mean acknowledgements that do belong to God for the change of a most miserable and unhappy estate Suppose I should go to some wealthy Citizen and present him an object of charity using the most cogent Considerations which my Art and Wit could invent to inforce a liberal Contribution thereupon he freely parts with his mony for the relief of that indigent person tell me now to which of us is he mainly engaged to return thanks to me the mover or to him the bestower I make no question but your Judicious thoughts have made an award of the chief acknowledgement to the Latter The case would plainly be the same betwixt God and us if his only were the motion ours the act of Conversion his the perswasion ours the performance and if we go to Heaven we should have more cause to thank our selves than to thank God for all the happiness we meet with there Beloved I beseech you take heed of such an opinion as this it hath blasphemy written in the forehead of it if it be rooted in your mindes Scriptas habet in fronte blasphemias Ennodius lib. Epist 2. it will breed in your hearts a confidence of your own power and abilities and that is no better than a fine-spun Idolatry and shall finde little better resentment with God thâ—n if you worshipped stocks and stones Question 4. Vpon what account doth God Call What moves the Divine Majesty thus to
both meer supererogations of an infinitely glorious person And first for his active Riâ—hteousnesse iâ— stood in his obedience to the Ceremonial and Moral Laws 1. His obedience to the Ceremonial Law was a meer supererogation for the substance to comply with the shadows the Antitype to do homage to its owâ— types besides he submitted to those very Ordinances whose end and institution supposeth guilt and whâ—se Nature argues them designed only for the use of sinners what foreskin of impurity had he to be cut off in circumcâ—sion what filth to be washt awâ—y in baptism did the holy childe Jesus defile his mothers womb as common mortals do that are conceiv'd in sin and brought forth in iniquity And yet he was circumcised and baptized and his mother offered for her purification Luke 1.21 22. ch 3.21 No imaginable obligation lay on him to these submissions being to him meer ciphers wholly insignificant 2. His obedience to the Moral Law Although it must be granted that as man it was his duty Gal. 4.4 yet was it not his duty to become man True a creatures homage was due from him when a creature a servants work when in the form of a servant but the whole was free and arbitrary because his entring into that state was so for what but his own infinite love could ever move the eternal Word to pitch his Tent in our Nature what obligation lay on the Heir of all things to take the form of a servant who bound the eternal Son of God to become in the fulnesse of time the Son of man And as his active righteousnesse so secondly his passive too was a meer supererogation for his Almighty Fathers Holy All-seeing Eye could never espy the least iniquity in him to punish what had the Divine Justice to do with him for he was a sinlesse person he suffered not for himself Dan. 9.26 No for us 2 Cor. 5.21 And therefore since no obligation lay on him to do what he did or to suffer what he suffered he may impute the merit both of the one and the other to whomsoever and upon what termes soever he and his Father please But before I come to consider the termes upon which Christs satisfaction is applied I must answer some questions and clear the scruples in the way Object 1 1. What is become of the Law of that first Covenant made with Adam in Paradise Gen. 2.17 repeated again to the Jews Deut 27.26 The sum of which you have fully expressed Ezek. 18.4 The soul that sinneth it shall dye I answer It is not executed nor abrogated but released or dispensed with First it is not fully executed for there is no condemnation to them that re in Christ Jesus c. Rom. 8.1 Secondly It â—s not abrogated for it is in part executed upon Believers they are liable to the first or natural death which is the wages of sin although the second death hath no power over them besides all manner of chastisements and afflictions Psal 89.30 31 32. And also that Law is totally executed upon finally impenitent unbelievers over whom not the first only but the second death also hath power 2 Thess 1.8 For he that believeth not is condemned already John 3.18 That is the Gospel finds him and every one in a state of condemnation but those who believe it proclaims deliverance to those who through unbelief reject it judging themselves unworthy of everlasting life see Acts 13.46 it leaves such as it found them viz. under the condemnation of the Old Covenant since they refuse the pardoning mercy of the New Thirdly I answer therefore positively that the first Covenant is released and dispensed with by super-inducing a New Covenant of Grace over it that whosoever closeth with and comes into the terms of the New should be exempted from the rigour and extremity i. e. from the eternal condemnation of the Old Joh. 3.16 It is not said He that believes shall not be sick shall not be afflicted shall not dye No but he shall not perish Thus you see the Covenant of Works as to its execution upon such as are in the Covenant of Grace is in the chief part restrained but yet in some part inflicted They never shall complain under the eternal and destructive yet they do complain under the temporal and corrective punishment of their sinnes Lam. 3.39 Yet more particularly for the clearer understanding of this we must consider that the first Covenant lays a double obligation on sinful man First In reference to what is past and here it requires satisfaction and reparation from us for our sin in breaking it And secondly In reference to the future after such satisfaction and amends made it requires perfect conformity still as at first absolute obedience to all Gods commands being the eternal debt of the reasonable creature to that God that made it in his own Image if therefore we could which hath already been proved to be impossible ever have satisfied Gods injur'd Law for our past breach the Law would still have come upon us for future exact conformity to pay the residue of that eternal debt and its language would be Sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee as a Felon though butn't in the hand is yet bound to live honestly for the future at his peril Now the New Covenant of Grace relieves us as to both these cases and dispences with the rigor of the Law As to the first It comforts us with the good news that the Son of God hath satisfied his Fathers Justice and if we believe but in him God will accept of us as if we had satisfied in our own persons The case the Law leaves us in is well expressed Isa 33.14 Hebr. 10.31 But the relief the Gospel brings us in St. Pauls language Rom. 8.33 34. You have both together excellently Ezek. 33.10 11. As to the second Obligation the New Covenant dispenseth with the rigor of that too for woe to a justified and pardoned person if he must lose all again upon the least defailance therefore the Gospel proclaims pardon of sin upon repentance and acceptance of sincere endeavours to obey him Gods language now is Sinners be but in good earnest do but love me heartily and my ways let me but see a childe-like ingenuity in you and I will put down your upright though imperfect performances in the book of my remembrance Mal. 3.16 and blot out your transgressions when repented of out of the book of my remembrance Mandata Dei tanquam facta reputantur Aug. Retr l. 1. quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur Thus doth the candor of the Gospel dispence with the rigor of the Law God deals not with us as an Aegyptian task-master but as a Father with his children whom he loves Christs yoke is easie his burden light Object 2 If any doubt how it stands with Gods veracity and immutability having once declared that the soul that sinneth shall dye to contradict it by declaring
the soul in a shunning and avoiding sin and setting against all occasions and temptations thereunto and studying the will of God making it his meditation night and day and having in all things respect unto it as the rule of his life and conversation so that the very anxiety of his spirit is to shake off and avoid his sin to subdue and weaken his lusts Qui paenitet sollicitus est ne peccet Ambr. in Text. to stand against temptations unto evil for whoever repenteth saith Ambrose is careful not to sin again He is made whole he would sin no more but with all care caution circumspection and vigilancy strive against corruption and study to know and to do the will of God with the Church at Ephesus To remember from whence we are fallen and do our first works Revel 2.5.3.1 or the Church of Sardis to awake and watch not to be slothful in businesse and secure against sin untill surprised therewithall 2. Concomitant of godly sorrow Secondly Clearing of our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Apology or answer by way of defence unto the calumnies of an Accuser which is not done by denial of guilt and excuse of sin but by confession Paenitentia non habet excusationem nisi confessionem Amb. in Text. for saith Saint Ambrose Repentance hath no excuse but confession This is an humble deprecation of Divine judgement and silencing of the Accuser of the Brethren by self-condemnation the true penitent doth judge himself with shame and sorrow that he may not be judged by the Lord he is ready to aggravate all not extenuate any his sins only findes an acquittance from them in the blood of Christ and concludes not against the charge of the Accuser and clamour of his own conscience I was an Extortioneâ— a Drunkard an Adulterer a Blasphemer but I am washed I am sanctified I am justified Repentance rendreth guilt as if it had never been and so becomes the souls Apology 3. Concomitant of godly sorrow Thirdly Indignation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrath unto grief the rising of the very stomack with rage and a being angry unto very sicknesse again it is only used in this one Text of Scripture as it hath sin for its object but in reference to other things it expresseth the very heighth of anger fretting unto fuming thus the rage of the Ruler of the Synagogue on a conceived breach of the Sabbath is expressed Luke 13.14 Religious wrath is the hottest it will make a meek Moses break the very Tables of the Lord Thus the discontent of envy is expressed in Mark 10.41 The Disciples stomack rose against Jamâ—s and John so that it here imports the turning of the unquiet passions of the soul wholly against sin a fretting and fuming at our selves for sin an hating and being ashamed of our selves for sin this wrath breaks out in a penitent David into disgraceful speeches against himself so foolish was I and ignorant when distrust prevailed on him Psal 73.22 And I have done very foolishly when he sinned in numbring the people 2 Sam. 24.10 Nay breaks into disgraceful demeanour towards sin as impenitent Israel to the defiling the graven images of silver and the ornaments of their golden Idols and casting them out with contempt as a menstruous garment and an angry rejection of them with a Get you hence Isa 30.22 So that sin is the object of hatred scorn rage reproach and contumelie and ground of grief and shame to the peni ent the soul cannot think of sin without stomachization heart-rising and redning of face he is indeed angry and sins not the whole of whole anger runs out against sinne Fourthly Fear a rare companion of wrath 4. Concomitant of godly sorrow but alwayes of care the truly penitent are of a trembling and timerous spirit and no marvel for the burnt childe dreads the fire they have paid dear for past guilt and may well beware to fall again the whole work of Repentance is expressed to be a fear of the Lord and his goodnesse Hos 3.5 The fear of the Lord is the only fence against temptations unto sin here note that this fear is a fear of sense affecting us with the evil sin procureth and dreadful judgments of God by it deserved trembling at the Word of threatning a fear of reverence awefully apprehending the holinesse and Majesty of God and that vast disproportion and disparity between God and us sorrowfully crying How shall dust and ashes polluted man come nigh to an holy and glorious Majesty and a fear of diligence and vigilancie watching and warring against sin that it may not surprise us by the difficulty of our state and distempers of our soul and thus the penitent worketh out his own salvation with fear and trembling but it is not a fear of diffidence and despondencie of distrust and despaire which deadning all hope of prevalency dulleth all diligence discourageth vigilancy and industry and at length driveth to self-destruction the fear of Repentance springs from sense of mercy and is spurred with the confidence of successe being assured it is God that worketh in the soul to will and to do Phil. 2.13.1.6 and will perfect what he hath begun 5. Concomitant of godly sorrow Fifthly Vehement desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desire of fervency that can admit of no delay saith Dr. Slater Of dilâ—gence and activity say the Greek Criticks which puts on with industry and violence the soure sauce of godly sorrow doth ever sharpen the appetite of holy desire the huâ—ted Hart thirsteth for the water the sin-wearied soul for Christ it is a desire to be wholly rid of sin and therefore breaks out into complaints against the remainders of sin in the soul as Paul Oh wretched man thâ—t I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 the death of nature and day of judgement is desired and delightful because the destruction and discharge of sin it is also a desire of all sin-subduing and grace-strengthning administrations they that by Repentance have once tasted that the Lord is good do as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word 2 Pet. 2.2 This desire is vehement against all difficulties and discouragements running out with all fervent dilâ—gence for obtainment and bitter complaints for want finding no satiety without its very object 6. Concomitant of godly sorrow Sixthly Zeal an affection compounded of love and anger and is the edge of our desire enforcing all means and encountering all difficulties and opposition to our end this is that whereby the penitent persists in his godly sorrow under all checks and diversions and persevereth in his course of mortification against all opposition of the world or his corrupt self fighting against what hinders and flinging off all incumbrances and following heaven with force and violence that if it were possible it would draw all men with it but however it beareth down all before it
body which hath fasted and prayed and joyned sincerely with the soul in holy services shall one day behold the face of God with comfort Christ will say Are not these the eyes which have been liftâ—d up unto God in my service Are not these the ears which have hearkned to my word Remember this when your bodies are wearied and tired in the worship of God The more thou servest God with thy body the more glory it shall have at that day 4. Labour to get gracious souls here and you shall have glorified bodies hereafter 5. Labour to be united to Christ by a lively faith and he will be your resurrection and your life It is the great promise of Christ that he will raise up the body at the last day John 6.39.40 54 58. that is raise it up to life everlasting 6. Labour to have part in the first resurrection Revel 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection I know this Text is differently interpreted but sure I am according to the judgement of all learned men there is a double resurrection the one spiritual the other corporal the one of the soul the other of the body Those Texts Ephes 2.1 Col. 2.13 John 5.25 do without all doubt speak of the spiritual resurrection By nature we have dead souls dead in sins and trespasses void of spiritual life as perfectly under the power of sin as a dead man is under the power of death and as unable to do any thing that is spiritually good as a dead man is to do any work Now a soul dead in sin shall be damned for sin but if thy soul be quickned and made alive if the Lord hath infused principles of grace into thee and given thee a new heart and a new spirit if regenerated and born again then thy bodily resurrection shall be happy It is very observable That the Resurrection is called Regeneration Mat. 19.28 In the regeneration that is as many interpret it in the resurrection If spiritually regenerated thy resurrection shall be most happy and glorious O pray unto God and labour for regeneration and a new creation and that thou mayest have a share in the first resurrection 7. Heaken to the voyce of Christ and of his Spirit and of his Ministers and of his Rod and then his voye at the resurrection when he shall call thee out of the grave shall be a happy voyce If thou stoppest thine ears and wilt not hearken to the voyce of the Rod nor to the voyce of his Word and the Ministers of it thou shalt hear the voyce of the Archangel calling thee out of the grave whether thou wilt or no and the voyce of Christ saying Go ye cursed ito Hell-fire c. 8. Count all things dung and dross that thou mayest gain Christ and be found in him at that day not having thine own righteousness but the righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ and be willing to do any thing if by any means you may attain to the resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.8 9 11. that is either to a happy resurrection or rather to such a degree of grace which the Saints shall have at the Resurrection 9. Remember and carry daily in your mind that saying of S. Jerom Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you are doing think with y ur selves That you hear the Trumpet sounding and the voyce of the Archangel saying Arise ye dead and come to judgement Vse 5. A Divine Project how to make your bodies beautiful and glorious and beautiful in an ominent degree in a supersuperlative measure beautiful as the Sun in the Firmament as the beautiful Body of Christ which so dazzled Pauls eyes that it put them out To make your bodies Majestical Immortal and Impassible and that is by labouring to glorifie God with them and to get an interest in Christ and to get gracious and beautiful souls O that this word were mingled with faith Methinks if any Motive could prevail with you that are Gentlewomen and rich Ladies this should Behold a way how to make your bodies eternally beautiful What trouble and pains do many women that are crooked endure by wearing iron-bodies to make themselves stait What labour and cost are many women at to beautifie their rotten carcasses Hearken to me thou proud dust and ashes thou guilded mud that labourest to beautifie thy body by vain foolish and sinful deckings and trimmings and thinkest thy self deckt in the want of decking That pamperest thy body in all voluptuousness and makest thy self by thy strange fashions so unlike thy self as that if our civil forefathers were alive again they would wonder what strange monster thou wert Hearken unto me I say and consider thy madness and folly by labouring so much to adorn thy body with the neglect of thy soul thou undoest both body and soul The onely way to make thy body beautiful is as I hove said to gain Christ to have a part in the first resurrection and to get a gracious soul and then thou shalt be sure hereafter to have a glorious body Excellent is that saying of Bernard Christ hath a treble coming Once he came in the flesh for the good of our souls and bodies now he comes in the Spirit by the preaching of his Ministers for the good of our souls At the last day he shall come for the good of our bodies to beautifie and glorifie them Noli O homo praeripere tempora Do not O fond man mistake the time This present life is not the time for thy body it is appointed for the beautifying of thy soul and adorning it with grace and holiness The Resurrection is the time wherein Christ will come from Heaven to make thy body glorious How quite contrary to this do most people live Let it be our wisdom with the children of Issachar to have understanding of the times 1 Chro. 12.31 Let us labour to get our souls beautified by Christs second coming with Justification and Sanctification and Christ at his third coming will make our bodies glorious above expression The Day of Judgement asserted ACTS 17.31 Because he hath appointed a Day in which he will judge the world c. SAint Paul perceiving the Idolatry at Athens his spirit was stirred in him ver 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his spirit was sowred and imbittered in him Paul was a bitter man against sin That anger is without sinne which is against sinne Or the word may signifie he was in a Paroxysme or burning fit of zeal and zeal is such a passion as cannot be either dissembled or pent up with this fire he dischargeth against their Idolatry ver 22.23 Ye men of Athenâ— I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious for as I passed by and beheld your devotions I found an Altar with this Insc iption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God Nor doth the Apostle only declaime againg the false god but
way upon the hearing of this terrible Text shall say to me as the Devils in the Gergesens said to our Saviour Art thou come hither to torment us before the time Mat. 8.29 I say no but to warn you to flee from the wrath to come and reduce you from the broad into the narrow way 3.17 7.13 14. for all the while you are in a state of nature going on in sin against God you do but wrong your own souls and by hating wisdome love death Prov. 8. ult Rom. 6. ult yea eternal death though you like not to hear of it Let not prejudice take away your judgement and then a Boanerges * Mark 3.17 with Joh. 12.29 a son of thunder to day may fit you to give better entertainment to a Barnabas * Acts 4.36 with Rev. 4.5 a sonne of Consolation to morrow For my part I hope I am not studious neither do I expect to please men Gal. 1.10 1 Cor. 4.3 in treating on this severe point their censure is a small thing to me if I may approve my self the servant of Christ our Judge which I shall endeavour in not erring from the scope of this his last sentence in my Text wherein we have Text divided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The persons sentenced or judged viz. the wicked described by their station on the left hand condition cursed 2. The person sentencing viz. Christ who is Lord Chief Justice of all the world me 3. The punishment or sentence it self pronounced by this Judge who cannot but do right namely Depart from me into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels from God who hath no beginning into Hell which hath no end noting the pain of 1 Tim. 1.7 Ter. à quo ad quem Loss Depart from me Sense into everlasting fire c. Where we have Hell Torments set forth by their quality extremity eternity quantity extremity eternity 1. Extremity aggravated by their inflammation fire the preparation of them prepared the association in them the Divel and â—his Angels 2. Eternity which makes all Hell â—ndeed evalasting fire Take the summe in this Proposition Doctrine The wicked shall depart from Christ into the greatest Torments Or if you will have it shorter take it in Davids words a Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into Hell I shall endeavour to prepare this for Application by Explication and Confirmation I. Explication of the Subject Predicate I. Explicat 1. The Subject the wicked i. e. All ungodly men and women who dye in their sins unclean unsanctified Rev. 21.27 1 Cor. 6.9 10. 2 Thes 1.9 Colos 3.6 who know not God nor obey the Gospel the Goats on Christs left hand at the great day in my Text denominated the cursed * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 execratio horrenda abominanda Camerarius Ger. Harm Evang. with a dreadful execration detested of God with abomination and destinated to all misery without remedy 2. The Predicate the greatest punishment or Hell of which I shall say somewhat to First The name Hell answering to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheol and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid nominis quid rei which though the former primarily signifies the grave and the latter the valley of the son â—f Himmon yet they do also signifie extreame and eternal torment especially the latter in the new Testament where Christ speaks b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5.29 30. with v. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole body being cast into Hell the fiery Hell which Mark explains to be inextinguishable c Mark 9.43 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Mat. 18.9 Hence our Saviour elsewhere bids fear him who is able to destroy soul and body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hell d Mat. 10.28.23.15.33 Luke 12.5 Men could not cast the soul into the proper Gehinnom but God can cast that into Hell after the body is killed which several of the Ancient Jewish Doctors * Targ. Jonath B. Uz. Hierus Paraph. in Gen. 3. ult Praeparavit Gehennam improbis infuturo seculo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. apprehending they did by Gehinnom Metaphorically describe the infernal fire as the Learned * Targ. Jonath B. Uz. Hierus Paraph. in Gen. 3. ult Praeparavit Gehennam improbis infuturo seculo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. have proved notwithstanding what is said to the contrary in that abominable Treatise of Hell justly sentenc'd to be burnt about two years ago wherein the Jesuited Pen-man * P. Cheitomaeus Beza Scapula Minshaw Usher Fulk Buxtorf Lex Talm. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iderâ— sonant apud Ignatium Epist ad Ephes 4. S. R. Lond. printed 1657. whither out of ignorance or malice or both hath most shamefully wronged our best Authors But could he and any others which they cannot evade the Tropical signification of Gehenna yet all the strength of their Arguments to shake and remove Hell Pillars will be but just enough as it fared with Sampson in a far more lawful undertaking Judg. 1.16 28. when he shook the Pillars of the house in which the Philistines were to pull down the rotten Fabrick of their hellish Tenet upon their own Pates sit'h there are abundantly more of Scripture expressions noting an extreame and eternal misery after this life is ended viz. Destruction by way of eminency e Mat. 7.13 utter darknesse where weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth f 22.13 and the worme dyeth not g Mark 9.43.48 damnation h Mat. 23.33 everlasting punishment i 25.46 eternal fire chains blacknesse and mists of darkness k Jude ep 6 7 13. the Prison where the spirits of the disobedient be l 2 Pet. 2.4 17. with 1 Pet. 3.19 wrath to come m 1 Thes 1.10 5.9 the furnace of fire n Mat. 13 42. the second death bottomless pit place of torment lake of fire and brimstone o Rev. 2.11 9.2 14.10 20.10 19.20 21.8 Secondly The nature of Hell may be thus described 't is no lesse than the eternal and second death in its latitude as opposite to eternal life i.e. The most miserable state of the wicked wherein they are everlastingly separated from the sight of God and all comfortable good The description of Hell lock't up in chains of darknesse under the fresh lively and afflicting sense of the wrath of God justly kindled and â—ontinually flaming against them for their sins and according to the measure of them so that they are filled with never ceasing horrors of conscience and scorched in soul and body with such grievous flames as will for evâ—r torment but never consume them to an annihilation The description explained More particularly this Description suggests two things agreeable to them already noted in the Text further to be explained viz.
then his * Cant. 2.14 v ice will be sweet when he shall call to them to come up to * Isa 25.6 this Mountain to a feast of fat things a feast of wine on the Lees of fat things full of maâ—row of wines on the Lees well refined Laetissimè excipientis 3. 'T is the speech of one that bids us welcome to the feast too Come my friends I it is Come and welcome now Come poor heart thou hast been coming a long time I went my self to call thee I * 2 Chron. 36.15 sent my Messengers rising up early and sending them continually to invite thee to come in I sent my holy Spirit also like a Dove from heaven and it did light upon thee and gave thee an Olive branch of peace in the Wildernesse of thy fears when it allured thee and call'd thee from all thy wandrings then I sent my black rod for thee by that grim Serjeant death to strip thee of thy soul body of sin not to be touched but by the Angel of death then I sent my Angels to bring thy soul to the Courts of thy God and now by the sounding of the last Trumpet I have call'd for thy sleepy body to arise out of the * Psal 22.15 dust of death And now after all these Messengers thou art come I will not upbraid thee for thy delays but come come blessed soul with as many welcomes as there are Saints and Angels in glory I have * John 14.2 prepared a place for thee * Cant. 5.1 thou at come into my Garden Eat oh friends Drink yea drink abundantly oh beloved And so I have done with the explication of the several branches of the Text now let us see what fruit they bear that may be * Cant. 2.3 sweet to oru taste First 1. Infer Then if there be a Kingdome prepared before the foundation of the World for the blessed Saints and holy ones then what manner of persons are * 2 Pet. 3.11 we in all unholy Conversation and godlessnesse in this generation Men are as dead to Religion as if heaven was but a dream and as hot upon sin as if hell had no fire or was all vanished into smoak as atheistical and wretched as if neither heaven hell nor earth neither did feel a God or any memorandum's of his Providence Therefore a little to fortifie this notion which artificial wickednesse hath endeavoured to expel and expunge out of natural consciences I shall endeavour to confirme your faith by Scripture and reason The Socinians deny the revelation of eternal life and a state to come to have been propounded under the Old Testament and the reward being only earth their Law and obedience to be but carnal and low which is to level the Jews to the order of brutes that so the Gentiles under the Gospel might be advanced to the state of men and so by vertue of rhe new prize of immortal life proposed they should have a new command as their care to run which is all as true as that all the Tribes of Israel were converted into Isacar's * Gen. 49.4 strong asses couching down between two burdens but * Luke 7.35 wisdome is justified of her children and the Chaldee paraphrase renders those words * Gen. 4.7 Remittetur tibi in saeculo futuro if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted by this glosse Amend thy works in this world and thou shalt be forgiven in the world to come and the â—argum says the very dispute betwixt Cain and Abel was concerning a world to come and those carnal Hereticks that * Jude ver 10.11 19. are sensual not having the spirit in what they know naturally as brute beasts corrupt themselves they are gone into the way of Cain But when God tells Abraham * Gen 15.1 I am thy exceeding great reward and Jacob cries out * Gen. 49.18 I have waited for thy salvation O Lord even when about to dye God stiling himseâ—f their God is not by our Saviours authority * Mat. 22.32 the God of the dead but of the living therefore God held out eternal life in the promises yea and in the very command too * Levit. 18.3 Gen. 3.12 do this and live the reward of that obeeience there enjoyned was no lesse than this everlasting life as appeareth by our Saviours interpretation when the Lawyer came to him * Luke 10.25.28 saying Master What shall I do to inherit eternal life and he said What is written in the Law how readest thou and he answered thou shalt love the Lord c. and Jesus said Thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt live that is thou shalt have that thou desiredst viz. inherit eternal life and the very reproach of the Sadduces and the distinction of their Sect from Pharisees and others argueth sufficiently the world to come was a very common notion among all the Jews and indeed the whole land of Canaan was but a comprehensive type and shadow of heaven and all their Religion but a * Hebr. 10.1 shadow of good things to come in the Kingdome of heaven as well as in the Kingdome of the Messiah * John 8.56 whose day they then saw and were glad and if the Gospel contain the promise of eternal life then they had it in Abrahams days * Gal. 3.8 for the Gospel was preached before to him yea and before to Adam * Gen 3.15 that the seed of the woman should break the S rpents head and the skins of the Sacrifices wherewith he was cloathed might suggest the putting on of that promised seed and his obedience who was * Isa 53.5 to be bruised for the iniquities of his people But now to awaken Atheistical souls that deny not only the revelation of this Kingdome of God under the old Testament but its reality and existence under old and new consider these foure things very briefly as the limits of this Exercise command 1. The whole Creation is a Book which always lyeth open wherein we may read that there is a God who made the goodly Structure and Fabrick of Heaven and Earth Who else could be able to * Job 26.7 hang the vast body of the Earth upon nothing or to * Ver. 10. girdle the Sea and all its mountainous Waves with a Rope of Sand * Psal 104.2 to spread the heavens as a Curtain and hang up those vast Vessels of light in the Skies there must be a being existent from and of himself and so being improduced is infinitely perfect and comprehendeth all those perfections dispersed through the whole Creation and infinitely more yet what he makes is like himself every creature bears his footsteps but * Psal 8 3. Gen. 1.27 the heavens are the works of his fingers and man bears the very image of God We see in the several stories and degrees of the Creation love and
himself hath contracted it into a very brief but full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The ten Commandments a brief abstract of the whole Law Three Modules delivered by Christ in his first Sermon or Module in the ten Commandments which are called ten words Deut. 4.13 because they are the briefest Epitome of the Law And thus our Saviour as he laid down the great and larger draught of Gospel-doctrine so also in his Sermons he hath left some shorter forms or types of necessary points and principles of Religion exempli gratiâ in his first Sermon after he entred upon his publick Ministry he hath drawn up three very concise and most excellent Modules 1. Of beatitudes Mans summum bonum The first Module contains the beatitudes A list of particulars wherein mans true and chiefest happinesse doth consist Matth. 5. from the third verse to the twelfth wherein he doth totally crosse the judgment of the blinde world writing blessednesse where the world writes woe and woe where the world writes blessednesse Credenda These we may call the credenda Articles of faith to be believed by all those that would be accounted Christs Disciples The second Module contains a list of duties things to be done by every one that would be saved This our Saviour doth by asserting and expounding the Moral Law from the seventeenth verse to the end of the Chapter confuting and reforming the false glosses which the Scribes and Pharisees had put upon the ten Commandm nts thereby making the Law of God of none effect Facienda And these we may call the facienda things to be done The third Module contains a list of petitions which in the sixth Chapter from the ninth verse to the sixteenth he commends to his Disciples and in them to all succeeding generations of the Church as a form or directory of prayer Not that Christians should alwayes confine themselves to the words Petenda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but conform to the matter in their supplications at the Throne of grace After this manner pray ye And these we may call the petenda things to be prayed for The Apostles method in their Epistles The Epistle to the Romans the Christian Catechisme The holy Apostels tread in our Saviours steps you may observe in all their Epistles that in the former part of them they generally lay down a Module of Gospel-principles and in the latter part a Module of Gospel-duties The Epistle to the Romans is upon this account justly called by some of the Antients The Christians Catechisme As containing an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or list of the chief Articles of the Christian Religion for although the principal designe of the Apostle be to discusse that prime Evangelical doctrine of justification in the negative and affirmative part of it Neg. not in works Affir in a free gratuitous imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ applied by faith together with the grounds evidences and fruits thereof yet occasionally according to the wisdome given unto him he doth with a most profound and admirable art interweave other deep and fundamental points of Religion scilicet A parallel between the a Chap. 5. two Adams The doctrine of Original sinne The corruption and depravation of b Chap. 7. nature The doctrine of grace chap. 7. The merit and efficacy of Christs death and resurrection Chap. 6. The doctrine of AFFLICTION and the use of it to believers Chap. 8. The mysteries of Election and Predestination Chap. 9. The excoecation and rejection of the Jews Chap. 10. The vocation of the Gentiles Chap. 11. with the restituion of the seed of Abraham c. And when he hath finished the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of doctrinal principles he winds up the Epistle with a short but full delineation of Evangelical duties wherein he doth bring down those principles unto practice The former part of the Epistle is the DOCTRINE the latter part is the VSE I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God c. The whole Epistle to the Hebrews is nothing else as it were but a delineation of the THREE OFFICES OF JESUS CHRIST King Priest Prophet The Epistle to the Hebrews Especially his Priestly office with a most profound and yet dilucid Exposition of those Levitical types and figures which did more obscurely Heb. 10.1 shadow forth Christ under the Law so that in that Epistle as in a Table Christians may behold the Law to be nothing else but Evangelium velatum veiled Gospel and the Gospel to be no other thing than Lex revelata unveiled Ceremony or the Law with the Curtain drawn But there be divers short Modules or Compendiums of Christian doctrine occasionally delineated by the Apostles in their several Epistles In the Epistle to the Galatians within the compasse of five verses the Apostle gives two full Catalogues or Lists chap. 5. The one of sinnes ver 19.20 21. The other of graces ver 22.23 In the Epistle to the Ephesians chap. 5. 6. you have an excellent and compleat Module of Relational duties Of Ver. 22. Wives towards their husbands Ver. 25. Husbands towards their Wives Chap. 6.1 Children towards their Parents Ver. 4. Parents towards their Children Ver. 5. Servants towards their Masters Ver. 9. Masters towards their servants The Epistles to Timothy give us a type or table of Ministerial offices and qualifications yet so as most beautifully adorned with other most precious Evangelical principles the sum whereof is CHRIST 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying c. And the principal comprehensive parts FAITH LOVE faith apprehensive and love active These two in my Text many learned men conceive to be intended by Saint Paul as the two great comprehensive fundamentals of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commended by him unto Timothy his care and fidelity Hold fast the form of sound words the two main branches whereof are FAITH and LOVE but of this more hereafter In the Epistle to Titus the Apostle will furnish you with two short but very perfect systems one in chap. 2. ver 11.12 13 14. Where you have Ver. 11. 1. Gods grace made the original and fountain of all the good we expect from God and perform to God Ver. 11. 2. And this grace issuing it self by Christ for the salvation of the creature Ver. 11. 3. And appearing by the Gospel there you have Scripture intimated and Ver. 12. 4. Teaching us as to the Privative part of obedience to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts terms capacious enough to comprise all sinne As to the positive part to live soberly implying all personal duties for the governing of our selves in our single capacity Righteously implying all duties to our neighbours Ver. 12. godly noting our whole Communion with God in the duties of his worship More cannot be said as to the duty of man Now 5. The encouragements are either from
composed of several Nations between whom there are great antipathies yet march in rank and order and with equal courage fight for the safety of a Kingdom we presently conclude there is a wise General who thus united them And is there not greater reason to believe that a Soveraign Spirit governs the Host of heaven and earth and unites them to maintain the peace of the World To assert that irrational creatures act for a general and unknown good without the motion of a higher cause is equally unreasonable as to say a curious Picture is drawn by a Pensil without the hand of the Painter which guided it in every line according to the Idea of his minde We must then of necessity infer that those particular causes which cannot conduct themselves are directed by an universal cause which cannot erre and thus we see the whole World is an entire and continual Argument of Gods Being and Attributes Secondly The second Argument is drawn from natural conscience which is a subordinate God and acts all things with respect to a higher Tribunal as Saint Paul speaking of those visible Testimonies which God hath exprest to men in the Creation saith Acts 14.17 that he left not himself without a witnesse giving them rain and fruitful seasons by the same proportion we may say God hath not left himself without an internal witnesse having planted in every man a conscience whereby he is dignified above the lower order of beings and made sensible of the supreme Judge to whose Tribunal he is subject now conscience in its double work as it accuses or excuses by turns upon good or bad Actions proves there is a God 1. Natural conscience being clear and innocent is the life-guard which secures from fears vertuous persons who have not offered violence to the light of conscience in times of danger as in a fierce storme at Sea or fearful Thunder at Land when guilty spirits are surprized with horrour they are not liable to those fears being wrapt up in their own innocency Parcus Deorum cultor infrequens insanientis dum sapientiae consultus erro nunc retrorsum vela dare atque iterare cursus cogor relictos Namque Diespiter igni corusco nubila dividens fâ—etumque per purum tonanteis egit equos volucremque currum Horat. ad 34. l. 31. the reason of their security proceeds from a belief that those terrible works of nature are ordered by an intelligent and righteous providence which is God 2. It gives courage and support to an innocent person when opprest and injured by the unrighteous the natural conscience so long as it is true to its self by adhering to honest principles it is victorious against all attempts whatsoever si fractus illabatur orbis if the weight of all the miseries in the world should come rushing upon him at once it would bear up under them all and stand unbroken in the midst of those ruines the spirit of a man is of strength enough to sustain all his infirmities as a Ship lives in the rough Seas and floats above them the waters being without it so a vertuous person rides out all storms and is preserved from sinking because the fury of worldly troubles cannot reach beyond his outward man the conscience which is the mans strength remains firme and unshaken yea as those Roses are usually sweetest which grow near stinking weeds so the peace joy and glory of a good conscience is then most sensible when a man is otherwise in the most afflicted and oppressed state now from whence proceeds this calmnesse and serenity this vigor and constancy of spirit but from the apprehension of a supreme Judge who at the last will vindicate their cause 2. We may clearly evidence there is a God from the accusations of a guilty conscience this is that never dying worme which if a sinner treads on it will turn again this is a temporal hell a spiritual Tophet what torments are there in the Regions of darknesse which an accusing conscience doth not inflict on a sinner in this life so intolerable are the stings of it that many have took Sanctuary in a Grave and run upon the first death to prevent the miseries of the second Now the shame horror despair and that black train of affections which lash an offender for his vicious acts discovers there is a principle within which threatens vengeance from a righteous and angry God This Argument will be more pressing if we consider that conscience attaches a sinner First for secret crimes which are above the cognizance of men conscience is Gods spy in our bosomes which mixes it self with all our thoughts and actions let a man therefore take what course he will to hide his offence let him sin in the closest retirement that humane policy can contrive where there is no possibility of legal conviction yet his Accuser his Judge his Hel is in his own bosome when the sin is most secret conscience brings in the evidence produces the Law urges the penalty passes the sentence begins the punishment so that the sinner is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned for those sins which are not punishable by man yea sometimes a discovery of concealed sins though certainly bringing temporal death hath been extorted by the horror and anguish of an accusing conscience the reason of all is because in secret sins conscience appeals to Gods Omnisciency who is greater than our consciences and knows all things 1 John 3.20 And upon this account it is praejudicium judicii a kinde of antedated day of judgement a domestical dooms-day and brings upon a sinner the beginning of his sorrows 2. It stings with remorse for those sins which are above the power of man to revenge those who command Armies and by their greatnesse are secured from the penalties of the Law yet conscience sets their sins in order before their eyes and these as so many armed men charge them thorow and overwhelme them many instances there are Belshazzar in the midst of his cups and bravery how was he invaded by fear and horrour when he saw the hand-writing on the Wall the whole Army of the Persians could not discourage his spirit but when conscience revived his guilt and the apprehensions of Gods justice he sunk under the burden the hand-writing from without was terrible because conscience opened a hand-writing within Tiberius the Emperour who was doubly dy'd in unnatural lusts and cruelties could neither evade nor dissemble the horrors of his mind Nero after the barbarous murdering of his mother was always pursued by imaginary Divels his distracted fancy representing to him furies and flames ready to torment him How many Tyrants have trembled on the Throne when the condemned innocents have rejoyced in their sufferings from hence we may infallibly conclude the conscience of the most powerful sinner is under the feeling of a Deity for if there were no punishments to be feared but those the Magistrate inflicts in his own Dominions why are Soveraign
natura had the charge of these sublunary things even the holy Prophet himself was liable to this temptation Psal 73.9 10 11 12 13 14. he saw that as the clean Creatures were sacrificed every day the Turtle and the Lamb the Emblems of innocency and charity whilest the Swine and other unclean Creatures were spared Plutarch and Seneca and Cicero have rendred satisfaction concerning this method of the Divine Providence So good men were harrast with troubles when the wicked were exempted and this shook his faith but by entring into the Sanctuary of God where he understood their end he comes off with victory now for the removing this Objection Consider First we are not competent Judges of Gods actions we see but one half of Ezekiels Vision the Wheels but not the eye in the Wheels nothing but the Wheels on which the world seems disorderly to run not the eye of Providence which governs them in their most vertiginous changes The actions of God do not want clearnesse but clearing What we cannot acquit is not to be charged on God as unjust the stick which is streight being in the water seems crooked by the refraction of the beams through a double medium we see through flesh and spirit and cannot distinctly judge the ways of God but when we are not able to comprehend the particular reasons of his dispensations yet we must conclude his judgements to be right as will appear by observing Secondly The sufferings of the righteous do not blemish Gods justice 1. God always strikes an offender every man being guilty in respect of his Law Now though love cannot hate yet it may be angry and upon this account where the judgements of God are a great deep unfathomable by any finite understanding yet his righteousnesse standeth like the high Mountains as it is in Psalme 36. visible to every eye if the most righteous person shall look inward and weigh his own carriage and desert he must necessarily glorifie the justice and holinesse of God in all his proceedings 2. The afflictions of good men are so far from staining Gods justice that they manifest his mercy for the least sin being a greater evil than the greatest affliction God uses temporal crosses to prevent or destroy sin he imbitters their lives to wean their affections from the World and to create in them strong desires after heaven as long as the waters of tribulation are on the earth so long they dwell in the Ark but when the Land is dry even the Dove it self will be wandring and defile its self When they are afflicted in their outward man it is that the inward man may be revived as birds are brought to perfection by the ruines of the shell that is not a real evil which God uses as an instrument to save us Who will esteem that Physitian unjust who prevents the death of his Patient by giving a bitter potion 3. If the Righteous be thus afflicted upon earth we may conclude there is a reward in the next World if they are thus sharply treated in the way their Countrey is above where God is their portion and happinesse Thirdly The temporary prosperity of the wicked reflects no dishonour upon Gods justice or holinesse for God measures all things by the Standard of eternity a thousand years to him are as one day Now we do not charge a Judge with unrighteousnesse if he defer the execution of a Malefactor for the day the longest life of a sinner bears not that proportion to eternity besides their reprieve increases and secures their ruine they are as Grapes which hang in the Sun till they are ripe and fit for the Wine-presse God spares them now but will punish them for ever he condemns them to prosperity in this world and judges them not worth his anger intending to poure forth the vials of his wrath on them in the next Fourthly The more sober Heathens have concluded from hence there is a judgement to come because otherwise the best would be most miserable and the ungodly prosperous from hence they have inferred that because all things are dispenc't in a promiscuous manner to the just and unjust in this world therefore there must be an after-reckoning Fifthly There are many visible examples of the goodnesse and justice of God in this World either in rewarding afflicted innocency or punishing prosperous iniquities He that shall read the story of Joseph and consider that wonderful chain of causes managed by the Divine Providence how God made use of the treachery of his brethren not as a sale but a conveyance how by the Prison he came to the principality must conclude there is a watchful eye which orders all things And how many instances are there of Gods severe and impartial justice there is no State or History but presents some examples wherein an exact proportion in the time measure and kind between the sin and punishment is most conspicuous the unnatural sin of Sodom was punish't with a supernatural showre of fire and brimstone Pharaoh had made the River guilty of the blood of the Hebrew Infants his first plague is the turning of the River into blood Adonibezec is just so served as he did by the seventy Kings Judas who wanted bowels for his Lord wanted bowels for himself in life and death for he hanged himself and his bowels gushed out and thus the punishment as a hand points at the sin and convinces the World of a Deity Use 1 Vse 1. This is just matter of terror to Atheists which are of three sorts 1. Vita 2. Voto 3. Judicio First To those who are practical Atheists vita in life who live down this truth denying God in their lives sad and certain it is that many who pretend they know God yet so live they as if there were no Deity to whom they must give an account Such are the secure that sleep in sin notwithstanding all Gods thunder and if ever sleep were the true image of death this is the sleep The sensual who are so lost in carnal pleasures they scarce remember whether they have a soul if at any time conscience begins to murmure they relieve their melancholy thoughts with their company and cups like Saul sending for the Musick when the evil spirit was upon him The incorrigible who notwithstanding the designes of Gods mercy to reduce them although Providences Ordinances conspire to bring them off from their evil ways yet they persist in their disobedience Let such consider it is not a loose and ineffective assent to the being and perfections of God which will save them God is not glorified by an unactive faith nay this will put the most dreadful accent and the most killing aggravations on their sins that believing there is a God they dare presumptuously offend him and provoke the Almighty to jealousie as if they were able either to evade or to sustain his wrath 't is the greatest prodigy in the World to believe there is a God and yet
13 34. so the mercies of it are the best mercies for they are the sure mercies of David 2 Sam. 23.5 Corol. 7. Blesse the Lord that ye are under the best dispensation and clearest discovery of the Covenant of grace better than Adams after the promise was made to him upon his fall better than Noahs after the flood better than Israels in the Wildernesse yea better than the Patriarchs and Prophets who had much legality and obscurity in their administrations in comparison of us who behold with open face the glory of God 2 Cor. 3.18 That it is the lot of us Gentiles to be brought into the knowledge and participation of the Gospel in the last and best time I mean after Christs appearance in the flesh The Apostle compares the Church to a Tree Rom. 11.16 17. which hath the same root Christ but several branches now that the natural branches should be cut off to make way for the ingrafting of us wildings Pet. Mart. is matter of praise to the High God for his rich grace to us Gentiles Ephes 3.8 Corol. 8. Labour for a spirit of self-denial and debasement for as the Old Covenant spirit is a spirit of pride and boasting to advance natural abilities Rom. 3.27 Rom. 10.3 to glory in our own personal endowments and performances so a New Covenant spirit is contrary to that and is a spirit of faith self-denial and debasement Corol. 9. Watch against Satan as soon as ever God and man were in Covenant he set himself to break that Covenant and prevailed for he beguiled their simplicity by his subtilty 2 Cor. 11.3 Gen. 3. Now albeit the New Covenant stands on a surer foundation yet he will very much weaken our comforts and increase our sorrows by drawing us under Gods displeasure by sin forfeiting Covenant mercies by Covenant breaches which mercies though they are not lost finally to Gods Elect yet are they often to be recovered renewed and secured to our souls by a clear evidence Besides Satan will perswade men to slight and renounce their Baptisme as when he makes Witches and turns Christians to be Mahumetans because thereby he knows they renounce their Covenant with God to make one with himself there are that upon fairer pretences neglect or deny the Seals of the Covenant Satan had a fair pretence also to draw away our first Parents and make them break with God which they little thought would have cost so dear but the sad event shewed the sinfulnesse of that sinne wherefore Wa ch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Be not ignorant of Satans Devices in these back-sliding and fedifragous times Remember from whence ye are fallen and walk stedfast in Gods Covenant you that stand 1 Cor. 10.12 learn by others falls to take heed THE FALL OF MAN Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned THis doctrine of Original sin is not more difficult to understand than necessary to be known more full of knots than uses if we consider 1. The several batteries that are planted against this truth by Rabbins Pelagians Socinians Flaccians Arminians Anabaptists batteries raised by Pelagius his pride Philosophers ignorance Papists policy and Hereticks idolized reason Or 2. if we consider the dependances of other doctrines upon this truth Augustine writing against Pelagius thought the summe of Religion consisted in the right knowledge of Original sin As we know the pleasantnesse of a garden by the noysomnesse of a dunghill the gratefulnesse of a day from the darknesse of a night so we cannot know the benefits of Christ so well as from the knowledge of our Original guilt and sin By a strict survey of Original sin we may better understand the honour of justification the power of grace and sanctification the sweetnesse of a Christ the necessity of a Gospel the preciousnesse of a Ministry and therefore it was a futilous and malicious assertion of Celestius of old to call the doctrine of Original sin rem questionis non fidei a matter of debate not faith and the Hereticks of late to reproach it with the stile of Austins figment 3. If we consider the influence of this truth upon our practice The knowledge of Original sin it is the curb of pride the foyl to set off grace the glass of man the spurre of industry it is that which makes the best of Saints to weep in the best of duties and the worst of sinners to look pale in their greatest prosperities so that you see the doctrine is most useful let it therefore be most grateful Now this Original sin Divines usually distinguish in peccatum Originali Originans in peccatum Originali Originatum into Original sin Originating and into Original sin Originated into the Cause and into the Subject of this sin the fountains and its streames one man infecting and all men infected the first is my task the second is referred to a more worthy hand In the latter part of this chapter where the Text is the Apostle carries on a double design 1. To shew the excellency of Christ and grace by Christ 2. The necessity of faith in Christ and both these he demonstrates by a full and large comparison between the first and the second Adam the losse by the first the gain by the second the sin of the first the grace of the second the condemnation we are obliged in by the first and the pardon we are enriched with by the second the first is a poysonous spring the second is a cleansing fountain The Text if you look at the design of it it points at the postern where sin and death first entered the world and that was by Adams eating the forbidden fruit the prohibited Apple was the first Apple of contention between God and man-kind If we look at the parts of the Text they are three 1. We have an unhappy Parent viz. Adam not only by his offence undoing himself but making a bankrupt world By him sin entered the world 2. In the Text we have an unhappy posterity not only to be linkt to the loynes but the sins of the first Parent The whole world had sin entered into it and all have sinned saith the Text viz. in him 3. We have an unhappy portion sin and death the inseparable twins of misery so saith the Text sin enters and death by sin sin came by Adam and death came by sin the one fell in pell mell into the world with the other and both are the unhappy inheritance of every child of Adam indeed the Saints are exempted from the second but not the first death sin and death were married in Adam and they shall not be divorced in any of the sons of Adam believers dye temporally though not eternally they feel the stroak though not the sting of death Now for the further clearing of my way it will not be a digression to
Demon. 1 1. Ratione faederis by the reason of the Covenant of Works which God made with Adam we were in him all of us legally when God first made a Covenant with man it was not with Adam ratione individui as an individual person sed ratione â—aturae as he bore our nature with him as the representative of man-kind God makes his Covenant with Christ as Head and Mediatour of his Church with Abraham as the father of the faithful with Adam as the stock of man-kind Isa 53.11 Psal 40.8 we were in him parties in the Covenant and had interest in the mercy which should accompany the keeping of it and were liable to the curse which should follow the breach of it Now Adam violating the Covenant the guilt of that violation descends upon all his posterity Rom. 5.19 Constituti sunt peccatores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chry. they were constituted sinners It is to be noted that God never makes a Covenant with a single person personally and individually that all others are unconcerned in it but with whomsoever God enters into Covenant that person is a representative of others and is to be looked upon as a publick person otherwise God should make as many Covenants as there are persons which is the greatest absurdity to assert and so in Covenanting with Adam he looked on him as the stock and root of mankind Arg. 2 2. Ratione Collationis The Apostle in two places makes a remarkable comparison between Adam and Christ the first and second Adam comparing the good of the last with the evil of the first the grace of the one with the sin of the other the life conveyed by the one with the death transmitted by the other Rom. 5.12 c. 1 Cor. 15.45 c. Now the righteousnesse of Christ redounds to believers to justification so the sin of Adam redounds to his posterity to condemnation by Adam we are cast by Christ we are cleared by Adam guilty by Christ innocent the comparison would else be wholly insignificant as by Christ we are made really righteous so by Adam we are made really sinners we are Princes in Christ Prisoners in Adam Crowned in Christ cursed in Adam this is is one great drift of the comparison Particle 2 2. The sin of Adam is derived to us not only by way of imputation but by way of inhaesion we receive from offending Adam Adamus genus nostrum tabificavit Aug. vitiositatem libidinem morbidum affectum a vitiosity lusting and a contagious distemper we receive not only a defect of holiness but deordination pravity evil disposition propension to mischief Ephes 4.22 John 3.6 Jam. 3.15 Col. 3.5 aversion to all good this sometimes the Scripture calls the Old man the flesh divelish wisdome the hell that sets the whole course of nature on fire earthly members And that Adams sin is propagated to us by way of inhaesion is likewise demonstrable by a double evidence Arg. 1 1. From the confession of some of the best of Gods Saints Psal 51.5 The soul of David was no sooner united to his body than sin was united to both he had not only a Crown of gold but grace he was not only a King after mans desire but a Saint after Gods heart 1 Sam. 13.24 yet this sinful leprosie he drew from Adam this Original staine clave to him he was a sinner in the womb though a Prince in the Throne and a Saint in the Sanctuary And so Paul that excellent Apostle how doth he moan this inward spot which he drew from Adam how doth he complain of indwelling sin Rom. 7.17 of an evil within him verse 19. of a law of his members verse 23. These groans of such eminent Saints are too pregnant an argument that the sin of Adam transmitted to us doth not only cast guilt on our persons but filth on our natures lay a charge to us but throw a stain upon us Arg. 2 2. As Christ doth not only vouchsafe believers imputed but infused righteousnesse the merit of his obedience but the graces of his Spirit to justifie but to renew and sanctifie us 1 Cor. 1.30 so the first Adam not only conveighs guilt to condemn but filth to defile us else the work of sanctification would be wholly unnecessary and the comparison between the first and second Adam would be maimed and imperfect Christ makes us heavenly as well as pronounceth us heavenly and Adam makes us earthly as well as leaves us to the punishment of those that are so The full comparison between the first and second Adam speaks this clearly Adam had sin to defile Rev. 1.5 Christus valnera sanarit quae Adamus portavit Cypr. and therefore Christ had blood to wash Here may that observable passage of Austin come in Vidi ego zelantem puerum c. I have seen saith Augustin a child with his eye full of envy venting his malice c. Whence comes this incurvation and waywardness of nature but from Adam happily the parents of this child were true and eminent believers so that there must be a tabes a disaffectednesse transmitted from Adam to his posterity against the opinion of Peter Lumbard and the Schoolmen 2. The second thing to be opened for the dispatching of the doctrinal part of the Text it is this To vindicate the righteousnesse of God in this transmission and conveyance And the justice of God is most glorious in this propagation of Adams sinne and this may be cleared in a double Demonstration Demon. 1 Adams sin is ours as well as his as a Learned man most elegantly Si quis peste laborans alios inficiat hi moriuntur Pet. Martyr dicitur illorum quisque non alienâ sed sua peste mortuus esse Now there is a double Argument to prove Adâ—ms sin ours 1. Else God did punish us for anothers sin that fault which is not our own which is against divine justice God doth not usually strike the son for the fathers crime and make the son feel the bruise of the fathers fall that the father should merit the stroak and the posterity feel it this is against his own protestation Ezek. 18.2 2. The Antithesis between Christ and Adam would not hold if Adams was not to be reputed ours for as the righteousnesse of Christ ita communicatur membris ut quisque fidelis dicere possit illam esse suam c. as Bucan well observes is so communicated to us that every believer may say This righteousnesse is mine so the iniquity of Adam is so communicated to all his posterity that every child of Adam may sadly say This iniquity is mine and I am righteously punished for it And now therefore I say if Adams sin be ours in the guilt and stain of it let us acknowledge Gods justice in the transmission of it Demon. 2 2. Had Adam stood we expected the entaile of perfection and happinesse that the Crown should have descended to us as his issue
and off-spring we expected that the beauty of his mind the harmony of his will the holinesse of his desires the absolutenesse of his Soveragnty should have fallen to us as a Princely inheritance and therefore Adam falling it is but just that the entaile of sin and death should be fixed upon us 3. Now the third thing to be opened in the finishing of which the doctrinal part will be dispatcht is to shew that Adams sin is not propagated to us by imitation but by generation against the heretical Pelagian And this shall be briefly coucht under the evidence of a five-fold Argument Arg. 1 Arg. 1. As our Divines seasonably observe Christs righteousnesse is not only proposed to us to be imitated we should then all fall sho t in writing after the copy but those that lay hold on his righteousnesse by faith they are changed and renewed in their minds there is a physical communication of this righteousness they feele the power of his death in the crucifying of their lusts and the vertue of his resurrection in their newnesse of minde and life Rom. 6.5 Phil. 3.10 as the Apostle most pathetically So Adams sin is not only our Copy but our corruption it doth not only seduce but defile our natures not only entice but condemne our persons Adam was not only a sinful pattern but a sinful Parent the plague of his sin hath infected the humane nature not only me but man-kind Arg. 2 Arg. 2. Baptisme that is administred to little ones to our infants it cannot be thought to blot out sins of imitation for they are guilty of none then Baptisme would in vaine be administred to our infants and this raises the feud of Anabaptists against this great truth of Original sin They deny the sin of Infants that they may deny the Baptisme Now we cannot conceive that tha blessed Ordinance of Infant Baptisme should be administred for no designs and purposes and why doth the Apostle call Baptisme the Laver of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 were there no stain in Infants what need of a Laver or of washing Arg. 3. And as Ambrose observes David ait ante usuram lucis Ambrose se accipere originis injuriam David complains that he lay under the stain of original sin before he was blest with the first light of the Sun he was dog'd with native corruption when the womb bore him it bore a living but a leprous childe he was wrap't in sin before he was wrapt in swadling cloaths Arg. 3 Arg. 4. And how many offend in the world who think nothing of Adam they transgresse and look not on his Copy And what is murder so often acted in the world to the earing of an Apple What proportion is there between those two Sins Adams eating of an Apple and Cains shedding of his brothers blood How many transgressours are there in the world that ne-ever heard of his offence or that ever there was such a man in the world whom did Philosophers imitate in their sin that opinionated the world to be eternal as Aristotle and his followers Arg. 4 Arg. 5. And that Argument of a learned man is most considerable Si peccatum originis sit tantùm ab imitatione Paulus non dixisset ex Adamo fluxisse peccatum sed à Diabolo quia ipse peccandi exemplum dedit i. e. If original sin were only propagated in a way of imitation Paul would never have said that sin entred the world by Adam but by Satan for he set the first pattern of sinning And now the doctrinal part is dispatch't I shall only annex some few things for the clearer evidence of this truth Arg. 5 1. If the guilt of Adams sin be not imputed to us why do our Infants of en labour under the wracking torments of some distempers and why often is the Cradle turn'd into a Coffin why come they crying and moaning into the world why doth palenesse of face plenteousnesse of tears and a multiplicâ—ty of diseases seize upon them as the prisoners of sin Surely God cannot forget the bowels of a Father this could not befall our Infants were not the hand of justice armed with sin and guilt let us not conceive God trying practice upon poor moaning innocents 2. If Adams sin be not inherent in us why have we not free will to good why do we not naturally burn in love to Jesus Christ and flourish with all vivacity in duty why flye we not to the Sanctuary as to our Paradise but on the contrary why do we draw the Chain of a body of death after us Duty is our burden sin our Element Rom. 7.24 the world our beloved the creature our Idol How are we dragg'd to service we flye to sin but are drawn to duty And in a word how come our understandings to be prisons of darknesse our wills stages of rebellion our affections heaps of dung or drosse for naturally we love sin or the creature what was then the inoffensivenesse of infancy thus to envenome our natures how came in the evil heart of unbelief Hebrews 3.12 3. This Truth of original sin was generally held in the Church till Pelagius who liv'd in the fifth Century confirmed by divers Councels in the Primitive times Quis ante Discipulum Pelagii prodigiosum Cael estium reatu praevaricationis Adaegenus humanum negavit esse astrictum Concilio Melevitano Concilio Toletano c. and the sixth Council of Carthage This truth hath been acknowledged by Heathens Plato complained Homines naturâ suâ esse pravos induci non posse ut justitiam colant i. e. That men were naturally very evil and could not be induced to the embracement of what was righteous And Cicero lamentatus est homines à naturâ novercâ in lucem edi Cicero complains that men were brought into the world by nature their step-mother the Heathens themselves universally enjoyned a strict Discipline to curb the ranknesse and untowardnesse of nature Actus ille Adami quo ipse peccavit omnibus imputandus est censendus omnium esse proprius c. A lap Nay this truth hath been confirmed by the most learned of the Papists A lapide in his Comment on the Romans acknowledgeth that that one act of Adams in eating the forbidden fruit wherein he offended is to be imputed to all men and is to be reputed the sin of all men and from hence it comes to passe that every childe of Adam hath contracted a necessity of sinning even with his first breath Nay the very Rabbies have attested this truth and we finde it clearly though sadly witnessed by our constant and much to be bemoaned experiences and here we might suppena and summon two witnesses for the further verification of it our own aversenesse to good and our natural propensity to evil 4. Nor was this truth ever opposed but upon some designe The Pelagians opposed it to maintain the perfection and power of nature which is mans proper Idol The Papists have opposed
watch over them till the morning of conversion appear in them 3. By their importunate prayers Adam destroyed his posterity by a wanton eye let us study to save ours by a weeping eye by prayer mingled with tears Hannah by prayer obtain'd a Samuel let us by prayer endeavour to make our children Samuels the God of grace can give grace to our issue upon the account of prayer Prayer may obtain that from the second Adam for thy children which they lost in the first 8. Let us consider this with our selves that though from Adam we receive sin and death yet that we charge not our sin and death upon him as if we dyed by his fall and not by our folly it is true our original guilt comes from him but from whom comes our actual he left us a stock of sin but who hath improved this stock Perditio nostra ex nobis our destruction is from our selves his sin is ours as we were in him but O those innumerable iniquities we our selves have adventured upon we had the Egge from Adam but the Serpent is from us that stings to death we cocker lust and warme corruption with our desire and delight that it engenders into killing transgressions Adam hath left us death by original but we apply this death by our actual sin And therefore as our perdition was hatched by Adam so it is fledged by us it is seminally from Adam but ripen'd by us we our own selves perfect our own misery we put the seal to our own destruction by our fostering of our own lusts and by our actual rebellions OF Original sinne INHERING Rom. 6.6 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 THe Apostles drift throughout the whole Chapter is clearly to beat down sin and to promote holinesse It was not known in his happy dayes how to ascend the Throne of glory but by the steps of grace Those Primitive and truly inspired Saints never thought of commencing any degree in happinesse per saltum knowing that without holinesse they should nâ—t see God Now to urge his already believing Romans to further sanctity the Apostle uses the consideration of their Baptisme as a special motive in the 3.4 5. verses and indeed those Ordinances in which we receive most from God are greatest obligations of the soul unto God There are these mercies with him that he may be feared When the direct beam of love from God to them is strongest the reflexion of love and duty from them towards their God is hottest then they are constrained and cannot as it were 2 Cor. 5.14 any longer choose but live to him that dyed for them This is that which the Apostle in this verse takes for granted Knowing this or we all know and grant this the participle by an Hebraisme being put for the verb which hath reference unto the foregoing part of the Chapter A Lapide in locum Of which the words following in my Text are the sum and conclusion viz. That our old man is crucified with him c. Which words contain 1. A duty or priviledge for in Religion the same thing is both it being our happinesse to serve so good a Master and to be employed in so good a service 2. The end of that duty or priviledge That the body of sinne might be destroyed c. But my task being only to speak to some of the terms we here meet withal I would not be curious in the division of the words I am only to unfold a word or two in each part Paraeus Chrys viz. Our old man the body of sinne and sinne all which signifie one and the same thing that is they all are put here to expresse our Original pravity and inbred corruption Concerning which I suppose you have in the former Sermon seen this fountain of death opened I am only to shew you the streames that are from it overflowing in every one of us Original pravity inhering in us spoken to in the general And in the handling of this subject give me leave to propound some things first more generally remembring that this discourse is intended partly in the nature of a common place and then I shall speak to it more particularly from the words now before us Considered first that there is such a pravity That which more generally I am to speak unto is First That there is a pravity naughtinesse and corruption in every one Secondly What this corruption and spiritual pravity is 1. That there is such a pravity will partly appear from the forced consent and common experience of all men Arguments to prove it To prove which I need not quote those passages which Austin hath formerly observed out of Plato and Cicero or adde any other for certainly the wickednesse man naturally tends unto is so grosse Contra Julian Pelag. that the dim sight of nature may easily discover it were this to be read of Pagans I would confirme my assertion as Paul did his Acts 17.28 Certain of your own Poets have said it But I remember I have to do with Christians and therefore to the Law and to the Testimony Alas these poor men like those that admired Nilus's streams but were ignorant of its spring-head they could not see so far as to the true cause of all this sinful misery they could complain that none were content with their condition but qui fit how or whence it came so to passe they could not tell Nay more the wisest Heathen with the plummet of reason could never fathom the depth of this corruption St. Paul Rom. 7.7 till a Convert and savingly instructed in the Law did not know this lust And this I the rather premise because I shall take my self tyed up to Scripture-evidence and proofs in the businesse in hand Scripture makes only a full discovery of this disease and of its cure too Here only invenitur venenum here only nascitur antidotus Hence then I shall chiefly fetch these Arguments instead of many The first Argument of our sinful condition by nature may be taken from Gen. 5.3 where 't is said that Adam who had been created in the likenesse of God ver 1. after his fall by sin Arg. 1. From mans begetting children in his own image begat a son in his own likeness who had now made himself like unto the beast that perish or far worse for an Oxe knows his Owner c. Now what is it for God to create man in his likenesse 't is sanctus sanctum A holy God creared man holy and by consequence for Adam to beget Seth in his likenesse is corruptus corruptum defiled Adam begat defiled polluted Seth and indeed who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean John 14.4 if the root be corrupt the fruit is not sound if the fountain be poyson'd the waters are not wholesome if the
in the last words is called sin As to the first of these Original sin spoken to more particularly 1. As our old man 1. Why call'd man Original sinne is represented to us under our old man and that not without special reason whither we lay the emphasis upon Old or Man We will first enquire why it is call'd Man not our old understanding or affections c. only but our old Man And I will only give you these two reasons for it Mr. Burgesse to omit others which are given by that learned Authour who hath writ so fully on this subject 1. Because this sin runs parallel with our being men 1. It attends us whilst men or partaking of mans nature in this world This sin and our nature in us are twins in life and death they live and dye together we shall not cease to be sinful before we cease to be men Our whole Fabrick is so overspread with this leprosie that it can never be sufficiently cleans'd till it be wholly taken down It s strength indeed is abated it does not rule in a child of God as formerly nay it 's deaths wound is received it is crucified or fastened upon the Crosse as my text hath it yet it will not totally expire but with our latest breath it can be no more wholly parted with Gerrhard then our very soul it self Quod natura nobis inest deponi non potest Whatsoever is in us by nature will stick by us till the dissolution of nature 2. This sin is call'd man because it hath overspread the whole man 2. It overspreads the whole man that as the subjectum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is every man in a natural way propagated from Adam it may be said of every such one he is guilty of this sin he is infected with this Original sinne So the subjectum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the subject unto which this sin adheres and in which it is is every part of every man It is not in this spiritual malady as in corporal where the head akes many times when the heart is hail the Foot is wounded when the hand is whole but by this soul distemper every man is a very hospital of spiritual diseases neque manus neque pâ—s neither hand nor foot neither head nor heart is as it should be or does as it should do And because this is so material to our present purpose I will shew 1. It infects the soul in its chiefest faculties 1. That this sin cleaves to the soul and 2. It infects the very body also 1. The understanding First It hath overspread the soul and that in its most noble faculties I mean those two which do so much advance man above the common sort of creatures Reason and Will understanding and affections the highest and inmost powers poor man hath are suprized by it This sin appeares in the mind the eye of the soul 't is dim-sighted in natural things 't is quite out as to spiritual truths 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God What those things of the Spirit are the Context tells us no other than the plainest truths of the Gospel nay he counts these foolishnesse Those things which are the wisdome of God the product of infinite wisdome he slights and disesteems and no wonder for he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned Spiritual truths as such are no more within the cognizance of the natural eye of the soul than spiritual substances are within the view of the eye of the body There is none that understandeth Rom. 3.11 If Peter and some few other here and there in the world may be recepted no thanks to them but to the Father who hath reveal'd these things unto them Mat. 11.25 Certainly did we know the things of God more we should love them better Good when discover'd is attractive if a child prefers an apple before a piece of gold it is because he does not know the difference and when the children of men prefer themselves or any creature else before God the reason is they do not know they do not consider And hence it is that in our spiritual recovery the eyes are anointed with eye-salve Christ came to open the eyes of the blinde and his Spirit is a Spirit of illumination and revelation Luke 4.18 Revel 3.18 ult Believers were darknesse but now they are light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 What needs St. Paul to have prayed so earnestly that the eyes of the Ephesians understanding might be enlightned if they of themselves had not been blinde Ephes 1.18 The will is distemper'd with tâ—is sin also 2. The will is perverted with it it hath not seized only upon the head but upon the heart The imagination of the thought of mans heart is evil and only evil Gen. 6.5 Gen. 21.17 Jer. 9. I forbear glossing upon those places hence it is that there is so little love unto or desire after heavenly things can any man give a reason which he will not be ashamed of at that great day why he loves God no more What iniquity have ye found in me Non amo nec possum dicere quare says the Lord. As the Elements have their proper principles of motion gravity and levity whereby they tend to that place in the Universe that best suits them and sensitive creatures have their wings or feet to carry them towards those objects which are most convenient for them so God hath endued rational creatures with a will and affections to carry them forth towards the enjoying of himself who only is the Center of their happinesse and without whom they can never be at rest But does the will of man by nature do him this good office to carry him unto God as his only blisse why then do we see and hear of so many that are in the search of other things not once to be named with God how many are there of whom it may be said God was never thus to be sure in all their thoughts like the Israelites they are scattered up and down gathering straw nay drosse and dung in the Apostles sense is frequently preferr'd before Jesus Christ How many may sadly say as that good man Quantum Mercator pro lucro c. I have not done so much for my God as the Merchant doth daily for his gain or the Hunts-man for his game and yet what gain or pleasure is comparable to our enjoying of and communion with God but further 2. The body is not free from it The body bears a part with the soul in this sore evil 't is comparatively I confesse but a small part for it can according to its nature bear no greater Our Apostle speaks of sinne reigning in our body Rom. 6.12 Every member of our body is ready to act in a sinne to be an instrument of unrighteousnesse ver 13. a servant to uncleanness ver
this body of death Paul that could with rejoycing endure scourgings and stonings imprisonments and shipwracks yet cryes out mightily of this O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Rom. 7.24 2. As a body being material is visible so original sin discovers its self to every one that without prejudice will look to finde it It is discernable in its effects daily Though we cannot see the soul yet from the motions and actions it causeth we know a man hath a soul so we may know every one hath original sin from that vanity and sin that is put forth by it 3. As the body hath divers members so this sinne it is not so much one sin as seminally and vertually all sin Peter Martyr there is a concatenation of vertues and vices Scripture speaks of both under that notion hence a single eye a pure heart c. And on the other side that sin is a body and is thus universally in us the Apostle shews Rom. 3.13 14. and the Prophet saith it hath over-spread us from the soles of the feet even unto the head there is no soundnesse Isa 1.6 As the waters in Noah covered the highest Mountains so these raging waves of iniquity over-flow the highest and choicest faculties of humane nature 4. I wish I could not adde as a body is beloved and provided for so is this sin We make provisioâ— for the flesh to fulfill its lusts Rom. 13. ult Who would willingly part with the least member of his body men do not willingly forgo any sin but if something of this body must be parted with 't is but haire and nayles c. such as are rather excrements than members and will soon grow again which we are content to cut and pare off And thus till that day in which God puts forth his Almighty power to make us willing we are loth to leave any sin unlesse such as for the present are troublesome to us or may ere long grow again and be with more ease or credit enjoyed by us 5. This sin as a body hath strength in it and Tyranny is exercised by it The body leads poor Captives whether it lists and says to this man Gâ— and he goeth c. so does this sin we are held Captive by it Faius till the Son of God sets us free Man is not ingenuus but libertus he is not by nature born free but by grace made free untill he be established by the free Spirit he goes and comes as the winde and Tyde of corruption drives him And this is farre more sad than to be possessed or to have our members acted by the Divel himself for the incestuous person was given over to Satan which some interpret thus for the good of his soul 1 Cor. 5.5 that his soul might be saved but none are left under the power and command of their corruptions but to their certain and inevitable destruction 6. It is call'd here especially a body by the Apostle to answer to the other Metaphor of crucifying in the words before only bodies can be crucified Paraeus and this sin is crucified with Christ Which by the way shews the state of original sin in the people of God and how it should be in all others especially such as are baptiz'd it should by faith be nayl'd to the Crosse of Christ we should by believing fetch vertue from Christs death to crucifie it it must hang on Christs Crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Metaphor taken from those that are crucified who hanging on the Crosse upon nailes grow weaker and weaker till they expire and dye so must original sin be in us dead already as to its reigning power and dying daily as to its in-being moving power having every day lesse strength than other The third expression of original corruption in the Text 't is sin We have now but the last expression the Apostle uses for this original corruption he calls it here sin to shew that it is so it is sin 1. Properly and truly 2. Eminently and especially 1. Properly It is truly and properly sin it is not only a defect but a sin it is against the holy will of God and is chargeable upon us by the justice of God every soul disease is not only a punishment but a sin and therefore farre worse than the worst disease that is incident to the body and our sinful state should be more terrible to us than our dying condition To convince us of this know that this original corruption becomes our sin 1. By imputâ—tion 1. In that God imputes the guilt of Adams sin to us which I suppose you have had vindicated in the foregoing Sermon I shall only say this to it that God may as well by imputation make Adams sin become our sin for condemnation as he may by imputation make Christs righteousnesse become our righteousnesse unto salvation and yet Christ is made of God unto us wisdome righteousness c. and we have no other righteousness to appeare in for justification before him at that great day In Thesi de peccato Orig. Hence Rivet well observes that the Church hath ever found and still does that those very men who are enemies to the doctrine of Original sin are enemies also to the doctrine of the grace of God in Christ Thus the Socinians who deny that we have contracted any debt by Adams sin deny also that Christ satisfied and paid our debts to divine Justice and if they take away this let them take all 2. Though Original corruption be truly sin by imputation 2. By inhaesion yet 't is not sin by imputation only It is our sin by inhaesion inhering in us and making of us otherwise than God made us To blot a letter in a fairly writ Copy to draw a black line over a beautiful picture cann't but prove a fault what is it then to mar Gods curious workmanship which this sin does in man Consider that God is many moneths in the framing of the body for we are wonderfully made by him and when this body is fitted he unites it to a soul more worth than a world of bodies This great-little creature man Psal 139.13 14 hath many prerogatives too that advance him especially in that Gods delight is said to be with him Now when all this care and paines are taken this cost and charges expended by God to make man for himself this corruption comes and mars all and will God hold it guiltlesse No this sin is exceeding sinful for 2. 'T is sin eminently 1. Extensive 1. 'T is more extensive than other sins every actual sin hath some particular faculty in soul or body which it does defile and charge with guilt wherein it was conceiv'd or whereby it was acted but original sin stains all alike so farre as by their several natures they are receptive of its defilement it ruines the whole little world of man It does not only overspread
voice to be in vain for their bodies though they know not what it means would not have it to be in vaine for their soules and he that hears the young Ravens when they call Psal 147.9 would not have you deafe in this respect when your Children cry Lastly Let the consideration that Original sin is thus in us weane us from the world 4. Exhortation Be wean'd from the world by reason of it and that immoderate desire of living in it Alas wheresoever we go we carry these chains of darknesse with us if it be grievous to be in pain or want how grievous is it to a gracious heart to sin I know gravia non gravitant in eorum loco sin seemes not heavy to a carnal man to whose heart 't is naturaliz'd but if thou beest spiritual and tender sin is a burden to thee to purpose Now by death peccatum non homo moritur it is sin that dies a Childe of God does not dye but only changes his life this life for a better these pleasures relations c. for better and if it be good to live surely to live eternally is best of all Some have thought that the soule was put into the body for a punishment as into a Prison and who would not willingly be at liberty If we consider what paines care torments and diseases which are but the effects of sin we endure we cannot but be of Theophrastus his mind that the soule payes a deare rent for the body which it dwells in and 't is but a house of clay how finely soever dawb'd over being then we cannot be without these enemies these mischiefs let us be content when God pulls down the house of sinne in which they all are that he may bury them all in the rubbish of our mortality and with the Spirit and the Bride Rev. 22.17 20. let us say Come even so Come Lord Jesus Christ come quickly Amen THE MISERY OF MANS ESTATE BY NATURE EPHES. 2.3 And were by nature the children of wrath even as others YE have heard the Doctrine of Mans fall and of Original sin opened and applied This Text genuinely leads to speak of Mans misery through sin As to the Coherence briefly The Apostles scope is to display the glory of the Lords grace by comparing the sinful and cursed estate of the Ephesians and others by nature with the dignity and priviledges conferred on them in Christ He insists mainly on three heads 1. He describes the natural estate and course of the Ephesians and all other Gentiles in them their estate ver 1. You were dead in trespasses and sins their course ver 2. Ye walked wholly in sin pricked forward by corrupt customes which in several Ages had taken place and were effectual to hold and hearten you in the same Tracts and the Devil that eminently bore sway in others ruled and acted you likewise at his very will this was yours and the Gentiles estate and course 2. He applies the whole equally and indifferently to himself and to the whole body of the Jewish Nation ver 3. among whom also we all had our Conversation c. q. d. such children of disobedience were we all to as deep in sin and open to wrath as you Gentiles were He would by no means have any think that speaking so of the Gentiles he exempted the Jews from the same ground of shame and despair in themselves though he knew full well that this point went exceeding crosse to the grain of that people who greatly a Ezra 9.2 John 8.33 Gal. 2.15 Rom. 10.3 chap. 11.24 boasted themselves to be the holy seed and children of Abraham and despised the Gentiles as an idolatrous unclean bastard brood and especially of the Pharisees of which b Acts 26.5 Phil. 3.5 leaven himself once was who not only disdained the Gentiles but thought and spake contemptibly of Gods heritage viz. the common people of their own Nation as a base and cursed crew John 7.49 chap. 9.34 He pricks this bladder affirming roundly of himself and all the Jews without exception that as to their course whilest unregenerate they did whatsoever their sensual and carnal man willed liked and inclined to And as to estat◠were children of wrath as much as others even as the very despised Gentiles themselves were The great temporary difference flowing from grace Psal 147.19 20. hindered not their being the very same with the Gentiles by nature this and no other was the estate and course of the Jews likewise 3. He sets over against all this in them both the quickning and recovering grace of Christ in the Gentile ver 1. and in the Jew ver 4. The words read contain a brief comprehensive description of the misery that Jews and consequently Gentiles with them are under by nature And in the words observe these two particulars 1. The Case of all men Jews and Gentiles alike described children of wrath Do not understand this actively as children of disobedience ver 2. are disobedient children so that children of wrath should be angry and wrathful people but passively that are obnoxious unto wrath indefinitely which though it principally relates to that chiefest pressing insupportable burden viz. the Lords wrath yet includes consequently the wrath and power of Satan the terrours and rage of conscience the vengeance and assaults of every creature c. The Hebraisme children of wrath implies 1. Desert Deut. 25.2 It shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if the wicked man be a child of beating that the Judge shall cause him to lye down and to be beaten before his face c. which the Sept. solidly renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of stripes And so the Targums in like manner concurrently with our Bibles a sonne guilty and worthy to be beaten so Mat. 23.15 Ye make him twofold more the childe of hell that is more worthy of hell-fire than your selves 2. Tendency bent and addictnesse to involve themselves under wrath John 17.12 But the sonne of perdition which poured out himself in ways of self-destruction He had many and excellent means to the contrary but nothing would hold him back self-damnation is not proper to Judas but a very common sin and men ordinarily Rom. 2.5 treasure up to themselves wrath Prov. 8.36 love death 3. The event and issue which shall befall them if they do abide such viz. that they shall be destroyed and the eternal wrath of God abide upon them so Judas gave up himself to those sins that not only deserved and tended to destruction but would certainly destroy him so 1 Sam. 20.31 he is the son of death viz. deserves to dye and shall surely dye Now gather all these things together our estate and course is such by nature as deserves destruction tends and leads to destruction and will end and the Lord hath peremptorily fixed and ordained without a change shall end in Eternal destruction 2. The rise of this case expressed by nature which implies
my conscience and speaks not a word of comfort to me The Word 1. Rings many a sad peale in the ears of conscience and which he cannot abde to hear or think of in that it doth declare 1. His sinne The Word faithfully disovers Gods streightness and mans crookedness and swervings from that platforme and rule to which he should be conformed as the Counter-part to the Original This charges omissions commissions and bunglings in the good which he does do Psal 05.21 and sets all in order before his eyes if possible to make him ashamed and confounded in himself 2. The due and desert of sinne every breaker of the Law the Law pronounces and dooms to be cursed There is that necessary connexion that it is impossible to be chargeable with sin against the Law and not liable to the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing that is written in the Book of the Law to do it Justification it self takes not away the desert of sin pardoned sins are as well sins and as much sins as they were pardon makes not the Malefactour none makes not that the fact was not committed or not faulty or that it deserved not death for then he should have been legally acquitted not graciously pardoned Those will never take heaven of grace that take not hell as their proper desert The Lord will have his own weare this rope about their necks the desert of hell in their hearts to the very grave Assurance and in the very highest degree takes not away the sense of the deserts of sin but amplifies and enlarges them The deserts of sin shall be perfectly acknowledged in the state of glory and the Ransomer adored and admired upon this score Nothing so heightens grace as this that persons deserving to suffer are yet freed in Christ from suffering eternal wrath as if they had not deserved it This desert was no doubtful and dark point in the consciences of the Hearthens themselves Rom. 1. ult They know the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death But the Word more distinctly layes this home to the heart Prov. 11.23 The expectation of the wicked is wrath There is nothing else that he can justly and solidly expect in that estate and expecting otherwise he does but cozen himself 3. The sinners exclusion while in that estate from any part in the great and precious promisâ—s of the Gospel The Word opens the promises but knocks his fingers off from touching and eating of this Tree of life This is none of the meanest heart-cutting terrors to natural men to see many come from the East and West and sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of heaven and themselves cast out Mat. 8.11 12. incorporated with the Patriarchs into fellowship of the same grace and title to the same glory and themselves debarred from both to view the unsearchable riches of Christ displayed and themselves justled off from any intermedling as to present application or grounds of application of them as their own I met lately with a godly woman who heard a Sermon full of choice comforting supporting promises to weary and heavy laden sinners which warmed her heart but in the closure was strucken through with the first arrows of God discerning her self excluded in her present estate from any part in them This makes the Gospel a fiery Serpent to sting them which is the Pole holding up the brazen Serpent for healing to others 2. The Word attaches and binds him over Ye shall answer this at the day of Christ and hangs the writ upon his door as the man that is in Gods debt and is to look for an Arrest and to be dragged into prison till the utmost farthing be paid unlesse a speedy timely peace be made and inforces this partly from the will and justice of God that hath made indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish the portion of every soul that goeth on to do evil Rom. 2.8.9 and partly from the nature and circumstances of sin it self Debts may be so great so long owing so growing and the negligence and boldnesse of the debtor such that makes it necessary in point of wisdome not to keep the writ longer off from his back 3. The Word excites terrours A man bound in a very great summe in which the forfeiture will be his undoing the very obligation troubles There are no debts but where any ingenuity is induce answerable cares And the Lord knowing the frame and tendring the peace of his people advises therefore against all debts especially sticking under them and not coming timely and carefully off Rom. 13.8 Owe nothing unto any man much more to be over head and eares in Gods debt and no care to agree with him is a very dreadful condition Mat. 5.25 If these terrours actually are not yet they are very subject every moment to be excited The Sea may be very calme but the least storme makes it nothing but commotions conscience though now quiet hath a very wide and clamorous mouth when the Lord commissions and commands it to rebuke for sin These terrours hold the sinner in bondage or all his life time subject unto bondage Heb. 2.15 This is the second branch of the misery of a natural estate to be in all these respects under the Curse of the Law and to have the Lord fight against him with the sword of his mouth Revel 2.16 Here is patience that the Lord will fight with this sword first that he may reclaime and lead to repentance rather than destroy him and if this prevaile then is the curse turned into a blessing and the bondage ends in liberty indeed but if this do not prevaile then there remains nothing else but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries Heb. 10.27 3. Every natural man and woman is obnoxious to all the effects of the wrath of God and of the curses denounced in his Word 1. There are manifold effects of Gods wrath that are upon him or are apt every moment to be rushing in upon him in this life 1. Upon the body Look upon all the breaches flawes defects monstrosities in the body and set them upon the score of sin Every man else had been like Absalom and much more 2 Sam. 14.25 From the sole of his foot even to the Crown of his head there was no blemish in him these argue not special sin Joh. 9.2 yet had never been without sin look upon all diseases natural or adventitious John 5.14 Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee there had never been a stone in the reins or in the bladder if not first in the heart These crumblings by degrees into the dust flow in by sin We pity the ruines which War hath made in goodly Palaces but those are nothing to the havock which sin hath made in the more noble Fabricks of
very necessary Matth. 10.17 Beware of men in a sort as of any wild beast or the very Devils themselves This is a glimpse of that wrath which the Lord draweth forth against natural men in this life before the sons of men 2. There are further degrees of this wrath that rush in at the end of this life Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death The bodies of the very heirs of glory and which are Temples of the holy Ghost lie trampled upon under rottennesse and suffer losse of their appointed glory till the last day The Lord batters them till the house tumble about their eares He layes on load till the heart-strings crack and to whom Hell is remitted death is not remitted those must dye that shall not be damned for their sins and death shall have dominion over them till the morning of the resurrection There is a progress in Gods wrath which will not stop in the midway but goes on till it shall be accomplished Ezek. 5.13 3. The full vials and very dregs of this wrath Psal 78.38 shall be poured out in the world to come which now God reins in and lets not get loose and break over the banks or if it do calls it back and turneth it away but then all his wrath shall be stirred up and let forth to the full 1. There shall be the general judgement of the great day in which the Lord himself shall descend from heaven in a shout 1 Thes 4.16 with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and shall be revealed 2 Thes 1.7 with his mighty Angels in flaming fire terribly to execute the curses of that Law which was so terrible in the promulgation Then shall the sinner be forced from his grave dragged to the barre arraigned the books opened all the secrets of darknesse and of the heart made manifest and the Goats put on the left hand and have that dismal sentence Go ye cursed c. Mat. 25.41 2. There shall be dreadful and final execution and this stands in two things 1. In losse expulsion from the Lords face and presence and glory As incurable lepers from the Camp and fellowship of the Saints For the good things which they never cared for and from the good things of the world which they grasped and were their portion from all hopes of grace all preachings of peace all strivings of the Spirit never a friend to comfort a sun to shine a drop of water to cool the tongue or any blessing to come near them any more for ever 2. In sense which is sometimes termed suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Jude ver 7. Wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 where there shall be with the damned Angels subjection to the eternal wrath of God the worm of a guilty conscience that never dies where the Lord will beare up the creature with one hand that it continue in being and beat it with the other that it shall be ever dying in death alwayes and never dead Use 1. Inform. We may clearly gather divers Corollaries hence 1. This may inform us of the vast and woful change that sin hath made Men could not come possibly such out of the hands of God Gen. 1.31 God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good and therefore blessed but sin hath taken him from Mount Gerizim Deut. 27.12 13 and set him upon Ebal and the misery now is such that if the Lord should open the same to the conscience fully the very view would drive men out of their wits and men could not tarry in their beds or rellish a morsel of bread till delivered and blessed with some evidence of deliverance out of that condition This may infome us of the causlessnesse of the offence taken at Ministers for preaching this point Now consider seriously 1. Is there a parallel to the offence taken here in any other case in the whole earth Who is angry with a watchman for giving notice that the house is beset and ready to be broken up or on fire though all be disturbed some half-frighted out of their wits or wholly with the tydings and very great pudder follows till the house be secured and the fire quenched men mighâ— otherwise have been undone and destroyed in their beds Who flies out against a Centinel that gives a true Alarme and rowzeth the Souldiers at the deadest time of the night he prevents their surprizal or throats being cut in their beds and the Town from being sacked Who storms at a passenger that sticks up a bough in a Quagmire that other Travellers going securely on may not be laid fast ere they think of any danger Who takes it ill of a friend that seeing a bearded arrow coming that would strike the stander next him mortally puls him aside with that force possibly as to draw his arme out of joint and the arrow goes not through his heart Who thinks amisse of a Lawyer that opens the badnesse of his Clients cause to him that he may not insist on a wrong point in which necessarily he must be cast 2. Should we to avoide your displâ—asure not give you warning and so draw Gods displeasure Ezek. 3.18 19. Videsis Greenhil in loc and the blood of you perishing upon our heads is this good for you or us 3. Do you well to provoke poor Ministers to bauke that part of their office which flesh and blood makes us too willing to have our edge taken off in Desire we to be messengers of sad tydings or rather to come in the abundance of the comforts of the Gospel A pettish Patient makes the Chyrurgion search the wound lesse than is necessary to a through cure Ye tempt us to stop from speaking needfully of your danger by your lothnesse to hear on that ear and by your rage and regret against the teller Those which have most need of faithful intelligâ—â—ce of the Lords wrath have least upon this very score Job 21.31 Who shall declare his way to his face viz. that is respited and prospers and tramples the doctrine under foot and turns again and tears the Preacher 4. This is no other than what the Scripture speaks and conscience upon retirements will speak and Satan will lay in your dish and the Lord will pay into your bosome Will those flye in the Lords face and of conscience telling this story to them and pronouncing the sentence against them Oh profane partial spirits that cannot endure such Preachers as themselves shall be unto themselves that cannot bear the hearing of those terrours that themselves shall be relators and inflicters of upon themselves Ye had better have the commodity at the first hand conscience will preach in another note and loudnesse than we do and the more because your ears have been stopped against our words 5. There cannot be a greater madnesse than not to be able to live under the noise and news of this wrath and yet stick under the wrath
and living in heaven should not be as powerful to save and bring us to God as Christ dying was to reconcile us to him The third Comparison is the privative mercy or being saved from hell with the positive mercy or obtaining a title to heaven Verse 11. and not only so but we joy in God as having now received the atonement 2. For the comparison between Christ and Adam the sum of it is that Christ is more able to save than Adam to destroy and therefore justified persons need to fear nothing As Adam was a publick person and root of man-kinde so is Christ a publick person for Adam was * The figure of him that was to come Rom. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam was a publick person but a finite person having no intrinsick value in himself and only was all us by divine institution but Christ besides the institution of God was an infinite person and therefore there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a much more upon Christ his sacred vertue exceedeth that cursed influence of Adam in many particulars amply set down in the latter end of the Chapter by the Apostle The words begin the first Comparison In them 1. The condition wherein we are by nature is set forth by two notions ungodly and without strength the one noteth we have no worth to move God to help us for we were ungodly the other that we have no power to help our selves for we were without strength we were without strength and so need help ungodly and so refused help 2. The means of our recovery Christ died for us 3. The s asonablenesse of our redemption in due time For the first notion whereby our natural estate is expressed ungodly I shall pass it by the next notion without strength will yield us this point That man faln is destitute of all power and means of rising again or helping himself out of that misery into which he hath plunged himself by sin This will appeare if you consider his condition with respect to the Law or with respect to the Gospel and those terms of grace which God offers in Christ the former more properly falls under the consideration of this place but because of the method of this exercise you expect the discussion of the latter also I shall take occasion from hence to speak of that 1. With respect to the Law that will be understood by a view of that Scripture that expresseth the tenour of the Law Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the words of this Law to do them where is considerable 1. The duty is exacts 2. The penalty it inflicts 3. The operation that both these have upon the faln creature 1. The duty it exacts an innocent nature that is presupposed for the person must continue it doth not say Now being the sentence of the Law doth not suppose man as lapsed and faln or as having already broken with God but as in a good and sound estate and then universal perpetual perfect obedience is indispenceably required he must continue in all things with all the heart and that continually if he fails in one point he is gone this is personally exacted of all men as long as they abide under Adams Covenant he that doth them shall live in them and the sould that sinnes shall dye Now if God should call us to an account for the most inoffensive day that ever we passed over what would become of us Psal 130.3 If thu shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who could * That is rectas in curia be able to make a bold defence stand better never born than to be liable to that judgement when the Law shall take the sinner by the throat and say Pay me that thou owest what shall he poor wretch do so that here we are without strength altogether unable to come up to the obedience of the Law of works Rom. 8.3 The Law can make nothing perfect because 't is become weak through our flesh to faln man it establisheth a course of punishing sin not of taking away sin we may increase the debt but we cannot lessen it if our obedience were exact for the future let us suppose it yet the paying of new debts doth not quit old scores they that could not keep themselves when intire and innocent cannot recover themselves when lost and faln 2. The penalty it inflicts Cursed is every one how cursed cursed in all that he hath Deut. 28.15 16 17 18. All his enjoyments become a snare and temporal comforts do but harden him and prepare him for a greater misery Cursed in all that he doth his prayer is turned into sin his hearing the savour of death unto death all his toyle and labour in outward service is to no purpose Prov. 21.27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind At the best 't is but an abomination God will not accept an offering at his hands much more when 't is pulluted with sinful and evil aimes but this is not all he is cursed for evermore the Law bindeth him over body and soul to everlasting torments and in time he shall hear that dreadful sentence Matth. 25.41 Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels there is but the slender thread of a fraile life that hinders the execution of this sentence upon him a sinner stands upon the very brink of hell and ever and anon is ready to be cast in where he shall eternally lie under the wrath of God so that here we are without strength because we cannot satisfie the justice of God for one sin but are alwayes satisfying and can never be said to have satisfied like a poor man that pays a debt of a thousand pounds by a farthing a week 3. Consider how this works with him an exaction of duty under so severe a penalty doth either terrifie or stupifie the conscience he that escapeth the one suffereth the other or else thirdly doth irritate corruption or fourthly obtrude us upon a sottish despaire so as to give over all endeavours and hope of salvation First Sometimes it terrifieth that 's easily done the conscience of a sinner is a sore place they are all their life time subject to bondage Hebr. 2.14 There is a hidden fear in the heart of a wicked man not alwayes felt but soon awakened either by a sound conviction from the Word or some sore judgment or by the agonies of death or serious thoughts of the world to come Foelix trembled when Paul did but mention Gods judgment Acts 24.25 the Prisoner makes the Judge tremble a sinner is afraid to think of his condition if God do but a little break in upon his heart do what he can he lies under the bondage of a wounded spirit and where ever he goes like the Divels he carrieth his own hell about with him Secondly If it terrifieth not the conscience it
stupifieth the conscience that they grow senslesse of their misery past feeling Ephes 4.19 and that 's a dangerous Crisis and estate of soul when once a man comes to that and goeth like a fool to the correction of the stocks Thirdly it irritateth their inbred corruption Rom. 7.9 The Commandment came that is in full conviction and power and sin revived and I dyed the more we understand of the necessity of our subjection to God the more opposite is the soul to him as a Damm makes a River or strong streame the more violent or as a Bullock at the first yoking becometh the more unruly Or Fourthly It breedeth a sottish despaire Jer. 18.12 There is no hope therefore we will walk after our own devices and do every one according to the evil imaginations of our own heart 't is to no purpose to speak to us or strive further about us as if they had said there is no hope and therefore we will live as we list without any further care of turning to God this is the worst kinde of despaire when a man is * Psal 81.12 given up to his own hearts lust and runneth headlong in the way of destruction without hope of returning there is more hope of them that are under despairing fears or a terrified conscience than there is of those which are under despairing resolutions or a stupid and sottish obstinacy thus as to the Law man is helplesse 2. Consider man as to terms of grace offered in the Gospel he is still without strength not only in a damnable condition by the Law but without grace unable to accept the Gospel this will appear by two considerations 1. By those emphatical terms of Scripture by which the Case and Cure of man is set forth 2. By those positive assertions whereby all power is denied to man to convert himself to God or to do any thing that is spiritually good 1. Those emphatical expressions which represent His Case His Cure 1. His Case the Scripture sets forth mans condition thus that he is born in sin Psal 51.5 and things natural are not easily altered greedy of sin Job 16.15 He drinketh in iniquity like water it noteth a vehement propension as greedy to sin as a thirsty man to drink thirst is the most implacable appetite hunger is far better born but this you will say is but now and then in a great temptation or vehement passion no Gen. 6.5 Every imagination of the thought of his heart is evil only evil and that continually by how many aggravating and increasing circumstances is mans sin there set forth there is in him a Mint alwayes at work his minde coyning evil thoughts his heart evil desires and carnal motions and his memory is the closet and store house wherein they are kept But may not a man be reclaimed is not this his bondage and trouble no his heart is a heart of stone Ezek. 36.26 that is inflexible insensible when God useth the Word some common motions of his Spirit some rouzing providences yet all in vain for mans heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 inventing shifts and excuses to avoid God and to cheat it self of its own happinesse But is not the New Testament more favourable than the Old or is not man grown better since there was so much grace discovered I answer No there is a perfect harmony between the Testaments there you will finde man represented as a childe of wrath by nature Ephes 2.3 even the Elect as well as others to be a servant of sin Rom. 6.17 Never such an imperious Master never such a willing servant sin never leaveth commanding and we love the work you will finde him again expressed as one averse from God alienated from his life Ephes 4.18 'T is a melancholy thought to a carnal heart to think of the life of God as an enemy to the Law Rom. 8.7 One that neither can nor will please God as blind and knoweth not what to do 2 Pet. 1.9 and this blindnesse spiritual is worse than bodily a man that is blind in body seeketh for a fit guide as Elymas when he was stricken blinde sought about for one to lead him by the hand Acts 13.11 as weak and without strength here in the Text yea stark dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2.5 yea worse than dead a dead man doth no more hurt his evil dieth with him but there is a life of resistance and rebellion against God that goes along with this death in sin Now put all this together and you may spell out mans misery what a wretched impotent creature he is in his natural estate the Scripture does not speak this by glances or short touches neither is it an Hyperbole used once or twice but every where where it professedly speaks of this matter certainly man contributeth little to his own conversion he cannot hunger and thirst after Christ that drinks in iniquity like water there is nothing in nature to carry him to grace who is altogether sinful if the Scripture had only said that man had accustomed himself to sin and was not born in sin that man were somewhat prone to iniquity and not greedy of it and did often think evil and not continually that man were somewhat obstinate and not a stone an adamant if the Scripture had only said that men were indifferent to God and not a professed enemy if a captive of sin and not a servant if only weak and not dead if only a neuter and not a rebel then there might be something in man and the work of conversion not so difficult but the Scripture saith the quite contrary 2. The Cure certainly to remedy so great an evil requires an Almighty power and the al-sufficiency of grace therefore 't is good to see how conversion is described in Scripture sometimes by enlightning the minde Ephes 1.18 and the eyes of your understandings being enlightned c. Man the wisest creature on this side heaven is stark blinde in the things of God though he hath the light of nature and can put on the spectacles of Art and dresse his notions of divine things by the glasse of the Word yet ere the cure is wrought something must be done upon the faculty the eyes of our understandings must be enlightned as well as the object revealed I but this infusion of light is not all the Scripture speaks of opening the heart Acts 16.14 He opened the heart of Lydia God doth not only knock at the heart but open it he knocks many times by the outward means but findes no entrance yea as one that would open a door he tries key after key till he hath tried all the keys in the bunch so does God use means after means but till he * Cant. 5.4 5. putteth his fingers upon the handles of the lock the door is not opened to him well then the mind must be enlightned and the heart opened if these words are not emphatical
We have three notable advantages in our temporal promises beyond what they had in theirs 1. The Old Covenant had special promises of temporal good things in the Land of Canaan for the preserving of their Mosaical policy untill the time of the Messiah to be born of that people promises of long life c. The New Covenant hath promises of all good things necessary without any such clog All good works shall be rewarded and he promiseth to give a present temporal reward in part of payment Eph. 6.8 Whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free and which is more 1 Tim. 4.8 Godlinesse is profitable unto all having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 2. The temporal good things promised in the Old Testament were symbolical they prefigured spiritual benefits by Christ we have them without any such adjoyned significations Col. 2.17 They had a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ They had a more sparing taste of heavenly good things in earthly benefits we have a more streight and direct way unto eternal life 3. Promises of temporal good things were in the Old Covenant more frequent in the New Covenant more rare and this I name as their excellency because they are thrown in as meer additions to spiritual promises * Alting Ma. 16.33 Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you this for temporal promises And for spiritual promises which are the best of the Gospel-Covenant not only the conditions of those promises are more easie for whereas it was Do this and live Gal. 3.15 now it is Believe and thou shalt not come into condemnation * Camero Joh. 3.18 but the condition is also promised Jer. 31.34 I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Câ—venant they brake although I was an Husband unto them saith the Lord but this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law into their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall know me from the least of thâ—m unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinnes no more Gods hearty good will is herein manifested Jer. 32.41 I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them in this land assuredlâ— with my whole heart and with my whole soul If you say these are Old-Testament promises and belonged to them to whom they were spoken and were not only Prophetical so as to concern another people * Calv. Instit I grant it Rom. 3.19 We know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law But they had not that efficacy of the Spirit to make these promises so effectual as was Prophesied and promised for the times of the Gospel * Synop. pu th Joel 2.28 And it shall come to passe afterwards mark that afterwards I will poure out my Spirit upon all flesh c. The measure of the Spirit which they did receive tended mostly to bondage Gal. 4.24 25. but the Spirit is to us a Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 And therefore the Gospel is specially called the Word of Gods grace Acts 20.32 as if all the grace that God had formerly expressed had been nothing in comparison of this Rom. 6.14 Ye are not under the Law but under grace Law and grace are opposed as condemnation and mercy thus the Gospel is the better Covenant in respect of the promises of it 5. The Gospel is the better Covenant in respect of the effects of it the Old Covenant shews us sin doth accuse us and declares us guilty before the judgement of God Rom. 3.19 20. That every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sinne It subjects us under the curse and condemneth sinners for the transgressing of Gods commands Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them and all the people shall say Amen So Gal. 3.10 it is the ministry of death 2 Cor. 3.6 7. but now the Gospel that proclaims pardon of sin and lifts up with quickening consolation Isa 61.1 2. in the Law God is considered as reproving sin and approving righteousnesse in the Gospel as remitting sin and repairing righteousnesse and therefore the Word of the Gospel is called good seed Mat. 13.3 The seed of Regeneration 1 Pet. 1.23 The Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 19. The Ministration of the Spirit Gal. 3.2 The Word of faith Rom. 10.8 The Word of life Phil. 2.16 The power of God Rom. 1.16 That whereby the righteousnesse of God is manifest Rom. 3.21 The destruction of unbelievers is not the end of the Gospel but that is through their own fault Polan Syntag. eventus adventitius an accidental event God abundantly declares in the Gospel that he delights not in the death of sinners but in the saving translation of them by faith and repentance from the power of darknesse into the Kingdome of his dear Son The best effect of the Legal Covenant is the bringing man into the Gospel-Covenant and 'pray ' observe how when it is most effectual it turns over the sinner to the Better Covenant 1. It discovers sin to us Rom. 7.7 I had not known sin but by the Law but wherefore is it that we know sin at all that we might be compelled to seek reparation in the Gospel-Covenant Gal. 3.21 22. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe 2. The Old Covenant restrains sin there is a natural stupidnesse in mens consciences but then when the dreadful threatnings of the Law still sound in their ears man is somewhat affrighted and hath some reluctancy though afterwards the Law of the minde is led captive by the Law of the members and man forbears sin as having a bridle put upon him Ringente interim intus tumultuante appetitu corrupto though he be restrained from sin yet it is but a kinde of coactior it ends best when it ends in a spontaneous and voluntary inclination of the minde to forsake sin and hate it and that is the work of the Gospâ—l-Covenant 3. The Old Covenant works fear
righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 2. He in whom are those high and eminent perfections those glorious attributes of which no câ—eature is capable must needs be more than a creature and consequently God 1. He that is Omnipotent whose power is boundlesse and unlimited must needs be God The highest power of creatures hath its non ultra Thus far may it â—o but no further but Christ is said to be Almighty Rev. 1.8 The Lord God Omnipotent Rev. 19.6 2. He that is Omniscient that searcheth hearts that hath a window into every mans breast that can look into all the rooms and corners of our souls that can see through all those Veils and coverings which no creature-eye can pierce must needs be God and these are the excellencies ascribed to Christ He needed not that any should testifie of man because he knew what was in man Joh. 2.25 I am he which searcheth the heart and reines Rev. 2.23 He knew their thoughts Luke 6.8 so Mark 2.8 Joh. 13.19 c. 3. He that fills heaven and earth and all places with his presence must needs be God and thus was Christ in heaven while he was on earth The Son of man which is in heaven Joh. 3.13 That where I am Joh. 14.3 Christ as God was then in heaven when as man he was on earth So as God he is still on earth though as man he sits at the right hand of God in heaven I will be with you to the end of the world Matthew 28.20 4. He that is immutable and eternal must needs be God The heavens are the work of thy hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure c. but thou art the same and thy years shall have no end Psal 102.25 26 27. so is Christ the everlasting Father Isa 9.6 The same yesterdy to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 5. He that hath life in himself and is the fountain of life to others must needs be God and thus is Christ the Prince of life to others Acts 3.15 and hath life in himselfe Joh. 5.26 3. He to whom those works of infinitenesse are ascribed to which no lesse a power is sufficient than that of Omnipotency he must needs be more than a creature He that laid the foundation of the earth that by a word commanded all things out of nothing that preserves them from mouldring and sinking into their first nothing again that could pardon sin destroy him that had power of death Mark 2.5 7 8 9 10 c. Heb. 2.14 subdue principalities and powers Redeem his Church carry his people triumphing into heaven he must needs be God And all these works of infinitenesse are ascribed to Christ the work of Creation Without him was nothing made of all that was made Joh. 1.3 Of conservation Vpholding all things by the Word of his power Heb. 1.3 of redemption which he purchased with his blood Acts 20.28 4. He whom Angels adore before whom the highest and best of creatures fall down giving that worship which is peculiarly due to God must needs be more than a creature and thus it is to Christ Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 so Mat. 2.11 I might adde the equality of Christ in all those solemn benedictions and praises upon Record in the New Testament all which argue strongly that he must needs be truly God 2. As he is truly God so is he compleat and perfect man having not only an humane body but a rational soul and in all things was like to us sin only excepted That he had a real not an imaginary body appeares from the whole story of the Gospel He that was conceived born circumcised Gerhardi Loci Commun Forbes Disputat Historico Theolog. L. 2. was hungred athirst swet drops of blood was crucified he that went from place to place and had all those sinlesse affections which are proper unto bodies had a true and real body and such was the body of Christ That he had an humane soul is clear also from the story of the Gospel He that grew in wisdome and knowledge as 't is said of Christ Luke 1.80 Luke 2.40 he whose knowledge was bounded and limited as was also said of Christ Of that day and that houre knoweth no man no not the Angels Propterea totum hominem sine peccato suscepit ut totum quo constabat homo à peccatorum peste sanaret August Sicut totum hominem Diabolus decipiendo percussit ita Deus totum suscipiendo salvavit Fulgent neither the Sonne of man but the Father Mark 13.32 As God he knew all things as man his knowledge was but the knowledge of a creature and therefore finite all which argue he had a humane soul as well as body and was compleat man The whole Nature of man was corrupted destroyed and therefore 't was needful Christ should take upon him whole man that the whole might be repaired and saved 3. He is God and man in one person He had two Natures but was but one person there was a twofold substance divine and humane but not a twofold subsistence for the personal being which the Son of God had before all worlds Hooker Eccles pol. pag. 293. suffered not the substance to be personal which he took although together with the Nature which he had the Nature which he took continue for ever thus both Natures make but one Christ He was the Son of God and the Son of man yet not two Sons but one person He was born of God and born of a Virgin Lyford p. 100. but 't is in respect of his different Natures Thus was Christ Davids Son and Davids Lord Maries Son and Maries Saviour and Maker too By the right understanding of this we may be very much helped in reconciling those seeming contradictions which frequently occurre in Scripture concerning Christ He is said to be born of a woman and yet to be without beginning of dayes Zanch. in Ephes p 35. himself sayes his Father is greater than he and yet he is said to be equal with the Father All which may be cleared by this He was but one person and therefore as in man who consists of soul and body the actions of each part are ascribed to the person the man is said to understand 't is not his body but soul that understands yet this is ascribed to the person Lyford p. 101. though it be but the formal act of one part so in regard of this hypostatical union of two Natures in one person the acts of each Nature are ascribed to the person Thus 't is said the Jews câ—ucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 i. e. they crucified that person who was the Lord of glory Acts 20.28 God is said to purchase his Church by his blood as God he could not shed his blood but 't was that person who was God Thus is Christ said to be in heaven when he was on earth i. e. as God he was in heaven And so what
therefore without hope Nay the same with Devils who have no Mediator interposing on their behalf to God but as they sinn'd with a Tempter so they perish without a Saviour this is their misery and shall this be any of our choice 3. Your condition is hereby rendred in this respect worse than theirs in that you despise that mercy which they were never profered The danger of this sin you may find awakeningly set down by the Apostle Hebrews 2.3 Hebr. 10.28 29 30. Hebrews 12.25 Vse Be perswaded then to make use of Christ in all his Offices in whom you have an universal antidote against all discouragements Heb 12.24 Are your consciences alarum'd with the thunder of Scripture-threats and curses of the Law fly to that blood of sprinkling the voice whereof is much louder than the cry of your sinnes John 3.14 Are you stung with the sense of your corruptions look up to Christ as your Brazen Serpent that he may cure these wounds and deliver you from death 1 John 2.1 Heb. 4.14 16. Are you discouraged from prayer because your prayers have hitherto been so sinfully defective consider the Intercession of Christ and take encouragement from thence Are you afflicted with your own unteachablenesse look up to him as the great Prophet sent of God and beg of him the inward and effectual teachings of his Spirit and he would speak as powerfully in his Word to your dead hearts as he once spoke to dead Lazarus John 12.43 Are you disquieted with doubts and feares in respect of your own perseverance though temptations are boysterous Col. 1.11 and corruptions violent look up to him who sits at the right hand till all his enemies become his foot-stoole that he would strengthen you Are you full of feares because of Zion the afflictions dangers Psal 110.1 Col. 1.21 enemies of the Church remember he is the Head over all things to the Church In a word whatever your afflictions or troubles are the Mediation of Christ is a sufficient relief and therefore sit not down dejectedly mouring Gen. 21.19 like Hagar weeping at the fountaine side OF CHRISTS Humiliation PHILIP 2.8 He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse THis Chapter begins with one of the most pathetical and powerfully pressed Exhortations that we meet with in the whole Scripture The Apostle is in one of his high streins and raptures of Rhetorick conjuring the Philipians as it were by all that they accounted dear and precious unto brotherly unity and amity Nullus jacentem suscitat nisi inflexione sui Nierem and to this end to humility of minde and a mutual condescension He that will lift up and embrace another that is fallen must himself stoop down and because men are rather drawn by example than driven by precept he propounds to them a pattern beyond all parallel Let this minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation c. As if he had said Jesus Christ was as high as the highest coequal with God it was his right to stand upon even ground with his Father and without any wrong to him might have pleaded his Peerage and yet he strangely humbled and abased himself here is your Copy How lowly should Christians be seeing humanity the form of a servant nay death it self were not accounted too low for their Lord Christ himself hath just such another Argument John 13.14 If I your Lord and Master have washed your feet ye ought also to wash one anothers feet Let no Christian stand upon his pantofles seeing Christ humbled himself and became obedient to death the death of the Crosse In which words we have 1. The depth of Christs humiliation 1. Specified death 2. Aggravated even the death of the Cross 2. The Manner of his humiliation where we may note these two remarkable circumstances 1. His voluntarinesse he humbled himself 2. His obedience he became obedient unto death The Scripture hath observed to us these three special steps of Christs humiliation 1. He stoop't down to become a man 2. He condescended to put his neck under the yoke of the Law 3. He appeared in the likenesse of sinful flesh 1. He stoop't down to become a man he left the warme bosome of his Father and took himself lodgings in the womb of a Virgin he strip't himself of his Robes of glory to put on the course home-spun and thread-bare tatters of a fraile humanity and he that thought it no robbery to be equal with God submitted to an estate lower than some of his own creatures this is the first Riddle in the Apostles great mystery of godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh And sure 1 Tim. 3.16 that the most magnificent Monarch in the world should become a Toad that the whole Host of Angels should be degraded into worms that this goodly frame of the Creation should be unpinned and annihilated or crowded into the narrow compasse of one single aâ—ome is infinitely a lesse wonder than for God to become a man had Christ been made an Angel it had been infinitely below himself and yet then he had remain'd a spirit and stayed something nearer home but he cloathed his Divinity with a body the Word was made flesh he made himself of no reputation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was made in the likeness of men Ver. 6. He emptied himself of his credit to become a man was so much beneath him that upon the matter it undid him in point of reputation The greatest step of Christs humiliation was his Incarnation for that being man he should dye is nothing so astonishing a wonder and inconceivable as that being God he should be made a man 2. He condescended to put his neck under the yoke of the Law God saith the Apostle sent forth his son made of a woman Gal. 4.4 and though that be very much yet there is more added made under the Law Though every man that is born of a woman every mothers childe among us be necessarily subject to a Law and it is no condescention it s no whit below the greatest Prince on earth that gives Laws to many thousands yet this was a very great submission in Christ Adam while he continued in a state of integrity and perfection was then under a Law and did not yield or abate any thing of his right by it the blessed and glorious Angels continue under an obligation to obedience and they do not by this lose any of their birth-right for a creature as a creature is indispensably subjected to the Law of its Maker by vertue of its creatureship and dependance and should any one of them attempt a disobligation it were an essay toward a prodigious and praeternatural Antinomianisme But the Son of God the Eternal and Independent Law-maker did admirably abase himself to come
under the obediential observance and poysonous malediction of that Law upon which there was only the print of his own authoririty for though the humane nature abstractly considered is as a creature bound to the observance of a Law yet being in conjunction with the second person in the Trinity and assumed into the personality of the Son of God it was exempted from obedience and indemnified as to curse and penalty Christ submitted to the Ceremonial Law in his circumcision put his neck under the yoke of the moral Law to fulfill the preceptive part by his Perfect obedience and satisfie the maledictive part by his compleat sufferings all which subjection was not a debt that God could have challenged of him but a pure voluntary subscription The Law is not made in some sense for a righteous man 1. Tim. 1.9 but it is not made in any sense for the glorious God 3. And which is a step beneath both these he appeared as a sinful man or in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8.3 subjection to the Law made him very low but the similitude of sin which is the violation of the Law was a far greater abasement Christs appearing in the likenesse of sinful flesh must not be understood as though his flesh were only a likenesse and appearance Non in similitudine carnis quasi caro non esset caro sed in similitudine carnis peccati quia caro erat sed peccati caro non erat Aug. Heb. 9. ult or he had only an aerial and phantastical body as some of old absurdly fancied and affirmed he had true real flesh though but the similitude and resemblance of sinful flesh the word likenesse relates not to flesh but sin not flesh in likeness but sin in likeness a being under a Law implies nothing of sin it was the case of Adam and the Angels and both without sin or any thing that look't like sin but our blessed Lord condescended not only to subjection but to the print and appearances of transgression He shall appear saith the Apostle the second time without sin unto salvation Intimating that the first time he appeared with sin upon him when he returns in glory he shall have no dints of sin upon him the smell or fingeing of it shall not be upon his garments but his first entrance was with many of those prints and marks that sin where ever it is uses to leave behinde it Sin was neither inherent in him nor committed by him but imputed to him Sin never defiled him but it defaced him he had nothing of its impurity but much of its penalty he was not tainted with that plague but he was pleased to take upon him the tokens In the same Chapter the Prophet tells us He had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth and he was numbred with Transgressors Isa 53.9 12. He trode not one step awry in sin but many of the footsteps of sin appeared upon him to instance in a few 1. Poverty he came in a low and mean condition and that 's the very likenesse of sin the great bankrupt that brought all to beggery Though he was rich yet for our sakes he b came poor 2 Cor. 8.9 When he rode to Jerusalem it was not in state in a gilded Coach with six horses or mounted like a Lord Mayor with embossed trappings but as one might rather say like a Beggar that is sent with a Passe from one Town to another Matth. 21.5 Sitting upon an Asse Matth. 8.20 and a Colt the foole of an Asse The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Aire have nests but the Son of man had not where to lay his head He was at such a very low ebb as to worldly riches Matth. 17. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valet 2 s. 6 d. that once he and one of his Apostles could not both of them make a purse for half a crown to pay their tax without the working of a Miracle Isa 55.3 2 Thess 2.3 2. Another likenesse of sin was sorrow He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs as Antichrist is called a man of sin his very make and constitution is sin so was Christ a man of sorrows and as it were made up of them they were in a manner his complexion We read oft of his weeping but it is not observed that ever there was a smile upon his face Now sin and sorrow are so near of kin that the Hebrew language compriseth both in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are as like as mother and daughter and both called by the same name 3. A third likenesse of sin was shame and reproach Sin was the inlet of shame when our first Parents had sinned their eyes were opened Gen. 3.7 Chap. 2. ult and they knew that they were naked and sewed fig-leaves toge her Why they were naked before and were not ignorant of it but then it was no shame to them sin gave them a sight of their nakednesse so as they never saw it before This similitude of sin was upon Christ when he was called Glutton Wine-bibber Conjurer Blasphemer Divel and what not that might cause and increase contempt We hid as it were our faces from him saith the Prophet he was despised and we esteemed him not Isa 55.3 how vile and contemptible is that person upon whom we turn the back in scorn to whom we will not vouchsafe so much as a look or the glance of an eye I am a reproach of men saith the Psalmist in the person of Christ and desp sed of the people Psal 22.6 4. Another similitude of sin was the withdrawment of his Father and clouding the liâ—hâ— of his counteâ—ance His fathers forsaking him whereof he makes that heavy heart-breaking complaint Matth 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forâ—aken me The frown of his Father and brow-beating of his displeasure was the very likenesse of sin for from that noysome vapour oâ—ly arises a cloud to over-cast the light of his countena ce Nothing but that builds up a partition wall betwixt him and us Your iniquities have separated betwixt you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you We hid our face from Christ Isa 59 2. and in that there was reproach but alas this was nothing in comparison a Prince need not trouble himself that he hath not the smile of his Groom What if all creatures in heaven and earth had hid their faces from Christ he could well have born up under it but the hiding of his Fathers face even broke his heart as a burden intolerable 5. And lastly Christ submitted to death and that 's anoâ—her likenesse of sin Sin entred into the world and death by sin Rom. 5.12 they came together as it were hand in hand this was â—he penalty inflicted upon sin In the day thou eâ—test thou shalt suâ—ely dye Gen. 2.17 Now in this
respect Christ abased himself to look like a sinner Humbled himself and became obedient to death the death of the Crosse In the further Amplification of this I shall endeavour to shew three things 1. What kinde of death Christ humbled himselfe unto 2. In what manner Christ underwent that death 3. Upon what grounds Christ thus humbled himself to death 1. What kinde of death Christ humbled himself unto and this I cannot omit the Apostle having added such a remarkable Emphasis by way of reduplication Death even the death of the Cross It was not only a violent death and there 's much in that that he dyed not a natural but a violent death Nor indeed could he both because there was no sin in him to be the in-let of a natural death nor would that have been satisfactory for the sin of others It was not only I say a violent death but such a violent death as had in it a more than ordinary violence a death by crucifying which hath these three imbittering Circumstances 1. Pain 2. Shame 3. Curse 1. Pain The easiest death is painful a death-bed though a down-bed is for the most part a little ease Oh my gowty feet saith Asa O my cold benum'd body saith David O my leprous skin saith Uzziah O my pained a king head cryes the son of the Shunamite but in the death of Christ there was the pain of many deaths put together in the very dawning of the Gospel the very first time we finde the death of Christ mentioned it is set out by bruising Gen. 3.15 It shall bruise the head and thou shalt bruise his heel Isa 53.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 26.39 viz. his humane nature that which could be bruised It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief bruised him as with a Pestel in a Mortar hence was it he prayed so earnestly that the Cup might passe it was so full of worme-wood and gall and the pain so violent which he was to encounter that he screwed up his request to the highest pin if it be possible wise and resolute men do not use to complain of a little they will not cry oh at a flea-bite or the burning of a finger and some of the Martyrs have born up with such Christian courage and gallantry in death that being on the Rack they would not be loosed they were tortured Heb. 11.35 not accepting deliverance saith the Apostle the incomes and supports of Divine Grace made an abatement of their pains oh but what shall we say of the bitternesse of that death where the Author of all their strength God and man bewrayes passions how much dregs was there in that Cup which Christ was so loth to drink of Three things made Christs death so exceeding painful Optime complexionatus Aquin. 1. The piercing his hands and feet those sinnews and sensitive parts Christs body was all over excellently well tempered and so his sense admirably acute but to be pierced and digg'd through hands and feet parts so full of nerves and sinnews must needs aggravate and augment the smart They have pierced my hands and my feet Psal 22.16 was the Prophetical complaint of the Psalmist fulfilled in Christ 2. Another thing that addeth much to the pain of Christs death was the extension and distortion of his body the Crosse was a rack to him and he was stretch't as upon the Tenters for when any persons were to be crucified the Crosse you must understand lâ—y all along upon the ground till the party was nailed to it and stretch't out at his full length and afterward erected and to this the Psalmist had respect in that sad complaint of his I may tell all my bones Psal 22 17. he was so rack't that his bones were almost ready to start out of the skin 3. The death of Christ was more painful by reason of its slownesse and gradual approach Christ was from the third Compare Mar. 15.25 with 34. to the ninth houre in dying from nine in the morning till three in the afternoon six compleat houres When bloody Tyrants would make any mans death more than ordinarily painful they have devised wayes to cause a lingring death and when news was once brought to one of them that such a one was dead suddenly he cryed out Evasit he hath made an escape When death comes the slower its pace the heavier its tread the longer the Seige the fiercer the storme but this is true of Christ more than others for when they are long in dying they usually faint and their spirits abate they are brought step by step to deaths doore and dead before death but with Christ it was otherwise he stood all that while in perfect strength the vigour and acutenesse of his senses was no whit blunted or made lesse sensible of paine That is a notable Scripture Mark 15.37 39. Jesus cryed with a loud voice and gave up the Ghost and when the Centurion which stood ovâ—r against him saw that he so cryed out and gave up the Ghost he said Truly this man was the Son of God a very strange inference this man dyes and gives up the Ghost and therefore he is the Son of God The Argument one would think were strong to the contrary but here lies the strength of his reason When he saw he so cryed out and died he said he was the Son of God He very well knew that in other men strength abated leisurely their speech grew low and they used to fumble and falter and rattle in the throat but as for this man he gave such a cry at the last gasp as he never heard and thereupon infers Truly he was the Son of God 2. Another bitter ingredient unto the death of Christ was shame and this was much more than the former There is nothing so sharp and cutting so intolerable to an ingenuous and noble spirit as shame The paine of an hundred deaths is more easily undergone by such than the reproach of one Now in this respect the thieves fared much better than he did we read of no irrision no inscription no taunts or sarcasms cast upon them they had only paine to encounter Christ both pain and scorne the souldiers the Jews the very thieves flouted him He endured the Crosse Heb. 12.2 saith the Apostle and despised the shame The Crosse was it self aâ— ignominious death the death of a slave Fecinus est vincire civem Romanum scelus verbera e quid dicam in crucem tollere Cic. Zach 11.13 no Free man or man of fashioâ— was ever put to it and to this day we say of one that is hang'd He dyes like a dog yea but Christ did not only dye such an ignominious and reproachful death as this but he was sold to it and a goodly price that he was prized at the death it self was shameful the death of a slave and this was an aggravating circumstance of ignominy that he
against it 2. Christ humbled himself to death obediently It was his will to dye and yet he dyed not of his own will but in obedience to his Fathers We have them both conjoyned Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy Will O God And Joh. 10.18 I lay down my life of my self this Commandment have I received of my Father he became obedient unto death saith the Text In respect of God Christs death was justice and mercy in respect of man it was murther and cruelty in respect of himself it was obedience and humility To obey is beâ—â—er than sacrifice Christs obedience was the best of his sacrifice when he prayed to his Father that the cup might passe it was with this Clause of exception Not as I wâ—ll but as thou wilt 3. Christ submitted himself to death humbly and meekly he was oppressed and afflicted yâ—t opened he not his mouth not that he spake nothing at all but he was silent as to murmurings and revilings that was the work of his persecutors not a word passed from him that might argue passion or impatience as from one of the Thieves that were crucified with him he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter he was not enraged or exasperated with all the injustice cruelty and oppression of his enemies not one word in heat of blood to them whose errand was to shed his blood Friend saith he to Judas betrayest thou the Son of man with a kisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys What meeknesse was here though I confesse there was a tart rebuke in that kinde compellation and Christ calling him friend smartly checkt him for his unfriendly carriage When one of his Disciples cut off Malchus his eare Put up thy sword saith he Wee 'le have none of that club law he touches his eare and heales it When he was reviled he reviled not again 1 Pet. 2.23 Psal 64.3 when he suffered he threatened not his enemies shot their arrows even bitter words but they recoyled not upon them Nay he returned not only no ill words but gave prayers in exchange for their taunts and revilings Father forgive them Luke 23.34 for they know not what they do It had been meeknesse to have gone through his sufferings without murmuring but it was an high and heroical act of meeknesse indeed to poure out prayers for them that were such busie instruments in pouring out his blood he was so far from biting the stone that he kissed it and the hand that threw it 3. Upon what grounds Christ thus humbled himself to death What cogent necessity was upon him for we may not conceive that Christ thus humbled himself to death upon trivial and impertinent considerations as David said once of Abner Died Christ as a fool dieth 2 Sam. 3.33 No sure it was upon these six weighty grounds 1. That Scripture prophesies and Predictions might be accomplished all which represent him as coming in died garments from Bozrah Gen. 3.15 The first Scripture that ever mentions Christ shews him a bleeding and crucified Saviour Now Christ was to make good to a tittle every thing that had been before written of him In Saint Matthews Gospel this is very remarkable who above all the rest hath most punctually observed the fulfilling of Prophesies with whom the burden and under-song of almost every event is ut impleretur that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the mouth of the Prophets Christ himself renders this account of his sufferings in that Discourse of his with his Disciples upon the Road Oh fools Luk. 24.25 26. and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things The Prophets have all spoken this with one mounth and is it possible I should make them all liars 2. That Scripture types might be fulfilled many whereof were to decipher and prefigure the death of Christ as Isaac's being offered the slaying of the Sacrifices the lifting up of the Serpent Now had not Christs blood been shed and he lift up upon the Cross there had been no correspondency in the Antitype as Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Son of man be lifted up Joh. 3.14 Had not Christ been made a Sacrifice most of the Legal Ceremonies and precedent prefigurations had either spoken lies or at least nothing to the purpose 3. That his Will and Testament might be firme and effectuaâ— in his life he had given many precious Legacies and they had been all voide and to no more purpose than a Deed without a Seal at it unlesse ratified and confirmed had not Christ given himself to death all his other gifts that he had bequeathed in his Will had been gifâ—lesse this is the Apostles Argument Where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men are dead Heb. 9.16 17. otherwise it is of no force at all while the Testator liveth A man that makes a Will doth not intend that any body should be the better by it but upon his death Suppose a man have a Legacy of a thousand pounds given him he is not one whit the richer so long as his friend liveth the Will holds not good in Law nor can he sue for one penny of it This Cup saith Christ is the New Testament in my blood Luke 22.20 that New Testament which is ratified by my blood Christs death gives life not only to his people but to his promises It is expedient for you that I go away John 16.17 saith he for If I go not away the Comforter will not come The sending of the Comforter was one principal clause of his last Testament but till the death of the Testator the Will could not be put in suit it signified nothing and was not pleadable The Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified what had they received nothing of the Spirit yes John 7.39 but not according to that plentiful proportion which he intended and promised in his Will The Legacy was paid but in part because the Testator was yet alive he was no sooner dead and got to heaven but he makes all good to a tittle as you may read Acts 2.2 3 4. 4. That justice may be satisfied the sentence upon sin was passed from the mouth of a righteous Judge now though justice might admit of a change of persons there was no room for a change of penalties death was threatned and death must be inflicted If Christ will save sinners from death justice will not let him save himself from death Heb. 9.22 without shedding of blood there is no remission Christ undertaking to crosse out and cover the black lines of sin must draw over them the red lines of blood What the chief Priests said concerning Christ is true in some sense though false in theirs He saved others Matth. 27.42 himself he cannot
save Justice was to have its penni-worths out of our Surety and nothing could be abated of blood God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that he might be just Rom. 3.25 26. 5. That he that hath the power of death might be destroyed Hebr. 2.14 through death he destroyed him that hath the power of death that is the Divel Satan hath the power of death not as a Judge but as an Executioner and Christs death hath destroyed him not taken away his being or undivel'd him but shatter'd his Forces broken and subdued him The crucifying of Christ was the Divels plot he put Judas upon betraying him the Jews upon accusing him Pilate upon condemning him the Souldiers upon executing him but our Lord out-shot him in his own Bowe and cut off Goliah's head with Goliah's Sword It fared with Satan as it is storied of a certain Souldier who being cu iously inquisitive after the time of his death went to an Astrologer who of a long time would make him no answer till at the length overcome by his importunity he told him that he should dye within three dayes whereat the Souldier being angry draws his Sword and kills the Astrologer for which murder within three dayes compasse he was executed And thus Satan plotting the death of Christ to put by his own ruine promoted and procured it Our Saviours death gave him such a deaths wound as he will never claw off The Lyon is terrible saith Chrysostom not only awake but sleeping And so Christ not only living but dying came off a Conqueror Judg. 16.30 as Sampson at his death pulled down the pillars of the house and made a greater rout among the Philistines than in all his life and therefore it is very observable when the death of Christ approached and being in view Satan perceived how great disadvantage was like thereby to accrue to him and his Kingdome how he laid about and bestirred himself by all means possible to hinder it he put Petâ—r upon disswading him Master favour thy self and let not this be unto thee and Christ presently smelt him out in that advice as appears by his rebuke Get thee behinde me Satan Matth. 16.23 Matth. 27 19. he buzz'd dreams into the head of Pila es wife and thereby endeavoured to take him off and divert him from pronouncing the sentence upon him 6. To take away the meritorious cause of death viz. sinne And verily had all the Divels in hell been routed and sin that Divel in the bosome remain'd undisturbed it had been an inconsiderable victory God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh for sin Rom. 8.3 thaâ— is by a sacrifice for sin we have such another Ellipsis Hebr. 10.6 condemned sin in the flesh Christ by his blood wrote aâ— ill of Inditement and Condemnation against sin he sued it to an out-lary and undermiâ—ed it as to its dominion and damnation Rom. 6.10 in that he dyed he dyed unto sin once The Saints dye unto sin namely by Mortification Verse 11. Reckon ye your selves also to be dead indeed unto sin but thus there was never any alive in Christ but he dyed unto sin namely the utter ruine and undoing of sin The Messiah shall be cut off to finish transgression and make an â—nd of sins Dan. 9.24 There is a double finishing of sin by consummation and by consumption the meaning is not as though Christ compleated that which sinners had left imperfect or varnisht over those sins which came out of their hands rude and unpolished no he could neither put an hand nor set a tool to such work as this but to make an end of sin to eat into the heart and tear out the bowels of it such is Christs hatred of sin that rather than it shall live himself will dye APPLICATION Three Uses may be made of this Doctrine for 1. Information 2. Exhortation 3. Comfort Use 1 1. For Information in foure particulars 1. This lets us see the transcendent and inexpressible love of Christ to poor sinners Let such as can entertain hard thoughts of Christ look upon him as nailed to the Crosse and shedding his blood and then tell me if they do not think him in good earnest in the businesse of saving souls Oh how was his heart set upon sinners that would thus shed his heart-blood for sinners The Rabbins have a saying that upon every apex or tittle of the Law there hangs a Mountain of sense and doctrine In every drop of Christs blood there is an Ocean of love Who loved me Gal. 2.20 and gave himseâ—f for m The death of Christ was such a demonstration of love as the world never saw When God made the wordl he intended the evidence of his power he ordained hell digg'd Tophet and fill'd it with fire and brimstone and thereby manifested the severity of his jâ—stice he humbled himself to death and therein his purpose was to demonstrate the transcendency of his love this made the love of Christ of such efficacy and constraining influence upon the Apostle Paul Be ause we thus judge that if one dyed for all than were all dead 2. Cor. 5.14 When Christ once wept at Lazarus his grave by-standers made this inference upon it Behold how he loved him John 11.36 but if weeping at the grave for his death argued such love what love was it then to dye and go down into the grave for Lazarus It were an easie thing to lose our selves in this delightful Maze and Labyrinth of love the righteous Judge of all the world unrighteously accused and condemned the Lord of life was dying the eternal and ver blessed Son of God strugling with his Fathers wrath he that had said I and my Father are one crying out in his bitter agony My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He that hath the keys of hell and death lay sealed up in anothers grave Blessed and dear Saviour whither hath thy love to sinners carried thee Well might the Apostle in an holy rapture and extasie expresse himself in an elegant contradiction when he desired the Ephesians might know the love of Christ which passes knowledge Ephes 3.19 2. Hence learn the horrible and cursed evil of sin there is sure an abominable filthinesse in that which nothing but the blood of God could purge and expiate We may guesse at the depth and breadth of the sore by the plaister that is prepared and applied It s a desperate disease that requires such a desperate cure sin is an infinitely mischievous evil which nothing could remove but infinitely precious blood You that view sin in its right features and proportions take a prospect from Mount Calvary look through the perspective of Christs blood and seriously ponder the bitter and dreadful agonies of the Son of God when he sweat and bled and groaned and dyed under
the burden of it You have not yâ—t resisted unto blood Heb. 12.4 saith the Apostle striving against sin as if he had said you are not yet come to the hottest of the battel it may be you have gone through some light skirmishes a few ill words or outward losses but when Christ was challenged by this Goliah and none durst take up the Gantlet he resisted unto blood and verily the evil of sin is not so much seen in that thousands are damn'd for it as that Christ dyed for it If you should see a black vapour arise out of the earth and ascend by degrees till it covered the face of the heavens and obscure the Sun in brightest Noon-day lustre you would doubtlesse conclude there must needs be a strange and preternatural malignity in that vapour What shall we then think of sin that brought down the Son of God from heaven darkned his glory took away his life laid him in the dust After whom is the King of Israel come out saith David to Saul after whom dost thou pursue after a dead dog after a flea As if he had said 1 Sam. 24.14 methinks the King of Israel should never trouble himself about such a sorry and inconsiderable thing as I am a dead dog cannot bite when alive indeed he is a fierce creature he may flie in a mans face and tear out his throat but death tames him A dead dog needs no chain and a flea cannot bite very much the mark it makes is but a flea-bite you that have slight thoughts of sin do as good as say that the God of Israel entred into the lists and armed himself for the Battel against a dead dog nay that he lost the Field and was worsted by a flea the evil of sin is not so much seen that it is a knife that cuts our fingers as that its a knife redded over with the blood of our dear Redeemer 3. Hence note the exact and impartial justice of God and his most righteous severity against sin that rather than that shall passe unpunished his only begotten and everlastingly beloved Son shall shed his blood and become lyable and obnoxious to a curse In the blood of Christ as a mirrour is represented the most condescending mercy and inflexible severity that ever the world saw Son saith God if thou wilt undertake for sinners and undergo that penalty that is due to sin thy blood must go for it and nothing can be abated he prays the Cup may passe if possible but justice was inexorable he was upon such terms that it was not possible God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 to declare his righteousnesse that he may be just One would have thought he would have said to declare his love and mercy that he may shew himself gracious nay but though there be a truth in that the Apostle pitches upon another Attribute To declare his righteousnesse that he may be just If there were any respect of persons with God or if exact justice could have warp't and been drawn away with any accessory and circumstantial considerations doubtlesse Christ should have gone free and an indemnity from suffering should have been the Sons priviledge 4. This is sad and dreadful news to all impenitent and unbelieving sinners What will be their doom that have no share in this blood of Christ and not only so but trample it under foot as an unholy thing Let them look to it it will one day rise up against them as a witnesse for their certain damnation for such there 's a much sorer punishment Heb. 10.29 woe to those that have not the blood of Christ to plead for them but ten thousand woes to them that have the blood of Christ pleading against them And where it cries not for pardon it cries out for vengeance with a witnesse They are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ saith the Apostle whose end is destruction Phil. 3.18 19. And what better end could it rationally be hoped they should come to that have an enmity against the Crosse of Christ If that which is light in th e be darkness Matth. 6.23 how great is that darknesse If the healing saving blood of Christ be destruction how dreadful is that destruction the death of Christ is to a wicked man one of the saddest stories and most dreadful tragedies that he can read or hear of because having no interest in it he understands what must certainly be acted upon himself and if God would not hearken to the prayers of his Son how is it likely he should be moved with the cry of Rebels and Enemies When God sent the Prophet Jeremiah upon his Errand to the Nations with the Cup of his fury that they should drink and be drunken and spue and fall and rise no more upon case of their refusal to drink tell them saith he that loe I begin to bring evil on the City which is called by my Name Jer. 25.29 and sh uld ye be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished As if God had said Carry a Cup and if they refuse tell them Jerusalem hath been before them and I am resolved it shall go round My own people shall not drink unpledged and they shall not be unpunished God hath prepared a Cup for all Christ-rejecting sinners warmed with fire and spiced with brimstone and if they wince and make a sowre face let them know Christ hath had it Gods only begotten and beloved Son hath drunk deep on 't and how or with what face can they expect to escape What! will God say to such a one Behold he whose judgment was not to drink of the Cup Jer. 49.12 hath assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt altogether go unpunished thou shalt not go unpunished but thou shalt surely drink of it Use 2 2. For Exhortation and that in six particulars 1. Hath Christ shed his blood for sin let us then shed the blood of sin let sin never live one quiet quarter of an houre in our souls that would not let Christ live in the world Christ dyed unto sin for Satisfaction let us dye unto sin by Mortification He died unto sinne once likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin Rom. 6.10 11. Every Saint should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostles phrase is Rom. 6.5 planted together in the likenesse of his death And he further explaines his meaning Ver. 6. 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 And verily unlesse by the death of sin in you you can have no comfortable evidence that the death of Christ was for you Christ was crucified and they that are Christs Gal. 6.24 Gal. 5.2 have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing saith the Apostle I
Paul say unto you he affixeth his name and sets to his hand q. d. I say it and I will stand to it and so if your heart be uncircumcised by not putting off the body of the sins of the flesh if you live in any one known approved sin Christ and the death of Christ shall profit you nothing Ah! revenge the blood of your dearest Lord upon your dearest lusts and when Satan presents to you a sugred spiced cup tempting you to the commission of any sin say as David of the waters of Bethlehem Farre be it from me oh Lord 2 Sam. 23 1â— that I should do this is not this the blood of my Saviour that not only hazarded but laid down his life for sin 2. Did Christ let out his blood for us let our lives then run out for Christ in a vigorous activity and unwearied exercise of grace It is the Apostles argument and it 's very forcible We judge that he dyed for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them 2 Cor. 5.15 Christ did not shed two or three drops of his blood only or breath a veine and shall two or three duties a few shreds and odde parcels of holinesse serve to return back to Christ What can we think too much for him Tit. 2.14 that thought not much of his blood for us the blood of Christ is as well for the purity as the purchase of his people 3. Did Christ thus humble himself to death for us let us then prize him exceedingly and raise him in our esteem above riches honour pleasure father mother husband wife friend yea life it self Quanto pro me vilior tanto mihi charior Ber. or any other thing that we are apt to account precious how ought he to be prized and preferred above all things that prized such in considerable nothings as we are at so high rates as his own blood if you put Christ into one end of the scale be sure he out-ballances every thing that can be laid in the other To you that believe he is precious Other things may be rated according to that particular excellency that he hath put into them 1 Pet. 2.7 but you will be careful to keep the highest Room for the best friend and say Come down this and t' other vanity this friend must take place whatever other things may make twelve Christ shall be thirteen to a carnal heart nothing so low prized and undervalued as Christ but with believers that have an interest in him and know the worth of him he is in highest esteem Cant. 5.9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved say the daughters of Jerusalem they have sleight low thoughts of him and another be it who it will is to them as good as he but what answer makes the Spouse My Beloved is white and ruddy Ver. 10. the chifest among ten thousand If there were a general Muster and all the sons of men stood together Christ would be above and beyond them all and Paul is of the same mind who desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 as if he had said Let me but be acquainted with Christ and his Crosse such a superlative esteem he had of him that I care not this if I burn all my Books Whatever he had heretofore accounted excellent when his judgement was byassed with wrong apprehensions he now accounts drosse dung dogs meat Phil. 3.8 for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord all not worthy to be named the same day with Christ Nay Christ himself hath told us they are not worthy of him that do not think him most worthy Mat. 10.37 4. Christ humbling himself thus low should teach us highly to prize our souls by the price that was paid for them we may conceive at what a raâ—e God values them If God should have said concerning any soul I so esteem it that rather than it shall perish I 'le dissolve and unpin the whole Fabrick of heaven and earth that you 'le say had evidently demonstrated an high valuation of souls but the course God hath taken shews a much higher esteem of them Now let this deare bought ware be precious ah let none of us adventure a soul for the satisfying of a base lust let not any sin steale that away upon easie termes which put the Lord of glory to such expences Christ that best knows the worth of souls for he paid for them so values them that he tells us the gaine of the world were no sufficient or satisfactory compensaâ—ion for he losse but of one of them Mark 8 36. and a man that should make that bargaine as too many do might put all his gaines in his eye Ingenâ—i hominis nulla si aestimatio and see never the worse after it What the Civilian saith of a Free-man is much more true of an immortal soul Noâ—hing can be valued with it Tradesmen know that buying deare and selling cheap will undo them but it will much more undo you to sell châ—ap that which Christ hath bought so deare Do not pawn your soules to Satan that is do not adventure upon the commission of any sin with this reserve I will repent before I dye and then all is well that is as if thou shouldst say Here Satan I give thee my soule to pawn in lieu of the pleasure or profit of this or that sin and make it in my bargaine that if I repent I will have it again till then I deliver it into thy custody and if I never repent take it it is thine own for ever Nay but ask Satan when he comes thus higgling for thy soul and bids thee pleasure profit preferment or any such toyes and trifles but canst thou subtile Tempter give any thing aequivalent to the blood of God the price that hath been already paid for it our souls were not Redeemed with silveâ— and gold 1 Pet. 1.18 and let us never sell them for that with which Christ could not purchase them 5. Did Christ humble himself to the shedding of his blood let us then be willing if need be to shed our blood for Christ. We needed Christs death and possibly Christ may need ours though not for merit and satisfaction No that was our need for which his death was abundantly sufficient and needs not ours to make any additions or heapt overplus measure but Christ may need our death to seale his truth and credit his Gospel Act. 20.24 the Apostle Paul counted not his life deare that he might finish his course with joy to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God And the Holy Ghost gives an honourable character of some Heroical noble-spirited Christians that they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12.11 and the blood of the Lamb animated them to such valour that they overcame and conquered by the
stream of Christs blood if thou beest imbarqued by faith runs directly into the Ocean of endlesse boundlesse bottomlesse happinesse If thou hast open'd the door of thine heart to let Christ in the blood of Christ hath open'd and unlock'd the door of heaven and thou canst not be shut out A crucified Christ entertained will one day make glorified believers his Humiliation is the ready Roade both to his and his peoples exaltation CHRISTS EXALTATION Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father THE former Verses-speak of the deep humiliation of Jesus Christ these words contain the Doctrine of Christs most glorious Exaltation If you view Christ in the words before going you will behold the Sun of righteousness ecclipsed but in this Text you will see him shining forth in his strength and splendour The Doctrine of Christs Humiliation leads you to Mount Calvary but this Doctrine will lead you to Mount Tabor to Mount Olivet There you may see Christ standing at the Bar but here you see him sitting on a Throne of Majesty and glory The former Doctrine shews you the Son of man in the forme of a servant but this represents Christ to you the Son of God like himself in the glorious estate of Triumphant Majesty You have heard how Christ died for our sins Rom. 4.25 Rom. 5.10 and how we are Reconciled by his death and now you shall heare how he rose for our justification and how we are saved by his life In his Humiliation there was neither form nor beauty Isa 53.2 Heb. 1.2 nor comliness did appear but now you will see him in the excellency and brightness of his Fathers glory In Christs Humiliation you heare how he was reproached in his Person Name Doctrine Ministry and Miracles but he is now exalted and hath a name given him above every name And whereas in his Humiliation his enemies bowed the knee in scorne to him yet in his Exaltation they must bow the knee with fear and trembling Then they cried after Christ Crucifie him crucifie him but God hath exalted him so as every tongue must confess that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God And thus Contraries are illustrated by their contraries the sufferings of Christ like a dark shadow to a curious picture Contraria â—juxta se posita magis elucescunt or a black vaile to a beautiful face do make the glory of his Exaltation the more glorious The height of Christs Exaltation is best known by considering the depth of his humiliation the Cross of Christ as one saith being the best Jacobs staff to take the height of this morning Star or rather Sunne of Righteousness breaking forth most gloriously from under a dark Cloud In these three verses we have these Particulars considerable 1. The Connexion between the Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore also God hath exalted him 2. The Doctrine of Christs Exaltation laid down God hath highly exalted him 3. The end of Christs Exaltation it was for the glory of God the Father Before we come to the Doctrine of Christs Exaltation we will a little consider the connexion of these three Verses with the three preceding Verses viz. 6 7 8. where it is said that Jesus Christ being in the forme of God and thought it not Robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross wherefoâ—e God also hath highly exalted him c. It is a Question amongst Divines whether the Humiliation of Christ be the Meritorious cause or only the Antecedent of his Exaltation and yet they that dispute this do all agree in this That Jesus did not by his Humiliation and sufferings merit such things as he was invested withal before he suffered for that which is meritorious must alwayes precede the reward and therefore it cannot be said that Christ did merit the personal union of his Divine and Humane Nature nor the happiness of his soul nor his Habitual Graces which He had from the first Moment of his Incarnation Christi humiliatio est exaltationis meritum ejus exaltatio est humiliationis praemium Aug. Hac enim particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu propter quod meritum Christi denotat quibus sibi suam exaltationem nobis totam salutem promeruit Zanch. in loc First There are some Divines who interpret the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a causal and so hold that Christ by his Humiliation did merit his Exaltaâ—ion and of this opinion was Augustine who calls Christs Humiliation the meritoriâ—us cause of his Exaltation and his Exaltation the râ—ward of his Humiliation The Popish wrâ—ters go generally this way I find also amongst Protestant Writers the Learned Zanchy of this Opinion who upon this Text hath this Note By this Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore The Apostle notes the merits of Christ whereby he hath merited his own Exaltation and our Salvation And that which favours this Explication is that saying of the Apostle concerning Christ Heb. 12.2 That for the joy that was set before him he endured the Cross and despised the shame as if having an eye to the Recompence of the Reward enabled Christ to persevere with more patience when he became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Neither doth it derogate from the freeness of Christs sufferings that he was rewarded for them for even that glory that Christ hath in heaven is for our good and comfort Nor was it out of indigence and necessity that Christ accepts of glory in a way of Reward of his obedience but herein he commended his love the more to us that would so far condiscend and so far even in his Exaltation humble himself to receive glory in the way of obedience which he might have challenged by vertue of his personal union Even as a Prince who though he hath right to a Kingdom by Inheritance and Succession yet he will accept of it as a Reward of his Obedience and Conquest over its enemies 2. But others understand the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text not as signifying the Humiliation â—f Christ to be the meritorious cause but only the Antecedent of his Exaltatâ—on and so they make this particle to be not causal but connective only and so I find some of the Ancient Translations as the Aethiopick Version doth only ioyn the Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ together Humilavit seipsum magnificavit
must one day bow the knee 3. Consider That the sinnes of Christians are far greater than of the Jews against Christ They sinned against Christ in the state of his Humiliation but we sin against Christ who is now exalted on the right hand of God The Jews put Christ to death for saying Mat. 26.64 Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven and shall we we Christians put the Lord of glory to open shame who do believe that he is sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on High Acts 3.17 The Jews many of them both Rulers and people knew not that Jesus was the Christ they had a hand in his death but it was through ignorance for had they known it g Cor. 2.8 they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory but it must be horrible wickedness for us to rebell against Christ who do believe his Exaltation Sub pedibus ejus eris aut adoptatus aut victus Aug. 4. And Lastly Consider That Christ at last will be too hard for the most hard-hearted sinner If you will not bow you will be broken O obstinate sinner if thou wilt not kiss the Son thou wilt lick the dust under his feet if thou wilt not bow as a Child thou wilt be made to bow as a Slave if thou wilt not bow to his golden Scepter Mat. 11.29 Psa 110.1 thou wilt be broken with his Iron Rod In a word if thou wilt not bear his Yoke thou shalt become his Foot-stool III. Vse of Comfort to Belâ—evers great is the Consolation which doth arise from the doctrine of Christs Exaltation 1. Is Christ exalted to the right hand of God then we may comfortably believe that he hath perfectly satisfied Gods justice for us John 16.9 we may now rest upon Christs righteousness that he hath accomplished fully all his undertaking because he is gone to the Father Christ by his Death overcame his enemies by his Resurrection he scattered them by his Ascension he triumph't over them by his Death he paid the debt by his Resurrection he came out of Prison and by his Ascension he shews himself openly to God the Creditor and pleads satisfaction The Humiliation of Christ confirmed and ratified the New Testament his Exaltation gives him opportunity to execute his last Will and Testament for he is now exalted as a Conquerour Rev. 1.18 and hath the keys of death and hell delivered to him This comfort the Apostle urgeth upon the Doctrine of Christs Exaltation for if when we were enemies Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Our salvation began in the humiliation but it is compleated in the Exaltation of Christ Heb. 7.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did not undertake what he was not able to finish for he saves his people to the uttermost 2. This is our comfort though Christ be highly exalted yet he is mindful of us He is not only a faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people but he is a merciful high Priest Heb. 2.17 18. to remember the sufferings of his people and to succour those that are temptâ—d The Lord Jesus though he be safely landed upon the shore of eternal glory yet he hath an eye to and a care of his poor Church Heb. 4.15 Heb. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is tossed with tempest and afflicted He is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth pro magnitudine miseriae condolere he bears a share with us in our afflictions and temptations The manner of men is that great preferments makes them forget their former poor acquaintance Honores mutanâ— mores but it is otherwise with Chrâ—st He is exalted above the Heavens and yet he is not unmindful of his Church on earth The dayes of his Passion are ended but not of his compassion as Joseph though he was the Favourite of Egypt yet was not ashamed to own his Brethren who were poor Shepherds Heb. 2 11. Heb. 6.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 20.17 Exod. 28.9 10. no more is Jesus Christ ashamed to call us Brethren Christ is gone into heaven as our Fâ—re-runner and there he is an Advâ—cate for us with the Fa her Just when Christ was going into heaven he sends this comfortable message to his Disciples I ascend to your God and my God to your Fa her and my Fa her Our great High Priest hath all the names and necessities of his people written upon his Breast-plate Believers are engraven upon the palmes of his hands Isa 49.16 Cant. 8.6 yea they are set as a Seal upon his heart Videmus caput nostrum super aquas Greg. 3. And last Consolation is this Christ is exalted to heaven and so shall all believers in due time the Head hath taken possession of heaven for all his Members In all the several parts of the Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ he acted not as a single person but as the Second Adam representatively as a publick person so that all those who are in Christ Jesus have an interest in that Redemption he hath purchased for Believers Gal. 2.20 Rom. 6.8 Christ was crucified and a believer is crucified with Christ Christ dyed and a believer is dead with Christ Col. 3.1 Christ rose from the dead and believers are risen with Christ Christ is ascended up to heaven and believers sit together with Christ in heauenly places Eph. 2.6 1 Cor. 6.2 Christ wil come to judge the world and the Saints as Assessors to Christ shall judge the world Rev. 3.31 Christ is sate down in his Fathers Throne and believers shall sit with Christ in his Throne In a word our Lord Jesus Christ who is now possest of the glory of heaven John 14.3 Joh 16.24 will come again to fetch us to heaven that we may be where he is that we may not only see his glory but partake of it for when he shall appear we shall appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 THE SATISFACTION OF CHRIST DISCUSSED COL 1.20 And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven THE Apostle having congratulated the Colossians their faith and love and other graces and poured forth a prayer for them in the 14. verse he enters upon a Declaration of the Gospel-mystery the Person and Offices and work of Christ His person ver 15 16 17. he is God c. his Office ver 18. he is the Head of the body the Church c. His work in the 20.
verse Having in the 19. verse asserted Christs fitness for that work it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell c. Besides that infinite fulness which he had as God by natural and necessary generation there was another unmeasured fulness depending upon Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and good pleasure and thereby imparted unto Christ Now he comes to shew his work described First By its nature To reconcile to himself to make peace Secondly By its instrument that is the blood of the Cross by him Thirdly The object of it which are All things whether they be things in earth or things in heaven By which learned Davenant understands the Angels spoken of as the things in heaven and so many others supposing that the Elect Angels werâ— confirmed in their estate by Christ But with submission to better judgements I conceive 1. that there is not sufficient evidence in Scripture to shew that the holy Angels had their confirmation from Christ nor doth it seem to be necessary forasmuch as it is commonly acknowledged that Adam who was under the same Covenant with the Angels if he had continued in the observation of Gods precepts for so long time as God judged meet he should have been confirmed by vertue of the Covenant of Works some other way And therefore it was rather to be thought that the Angels have their confirmatiom from Christ as God and Head over all things than as Mediatour The actions of Christ as Mediatour supposing a breach according to that place Gal. 3.20 A Mâ—diatour is not a Mediatour of one i. e. of two parties which are one politically i. e. which are agreed in one but of parties at variance 2. Howsoever if the Angels had been confirmed by Christ yet surely they were not reconciled by Christ for Reconciliation implies a former enmity as these things in heaven are said to be And therefore I rather understand it of departed Saints Patriarchs Prophets c. who as they went to Heaven not to any Limbus so this expression is used to insinuate that they were saved by the grace of Jesus Christ even as we as it is Acts 15.11 and that the blood of Jesus Christ did expiate not only those sins which were committed after his death but those also which were long since past Rom. 3.25 as Sol nondum conspictus illuminat orbem The light and influence of the Sun is dispersed among us before the body of the Sun doth appear above our Horizon So then here you have mans Reconciliation Justification and Salvation described together with the procuring cause of it set forth 1. More generally By him 2. More specially By the blood of his Cross by the shedding of his blood for us by his death and passion compleated on the Cross The doctrine I intend to handle is this That the death of Jesus Christ is the procuring cause of mans justification and salvation Amongst all those heresies which God hath suffered to spring among us that they that are approved may be manifest none are more dangerous than those which concern the person and office of Christ of those many streams of errour which run into the dead Sea of Socinianism these are two They deny the Godhead and the satisfaction of Christ and so indeed subvert the whole Fabrick of the Gospel This latter I shall here endeavour to discuss and shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall explain it 2. Assert 3. Defend 4. Apply it 1. For the Explication of this great Gospel-mystery which truly if it fall we are without hope and so of all creatures most miserable I shall lay down these steps First God made the world and man in it for his own service and glory And this end he cannot be disappointed in but must have it one way or other Secondly Man by sin thwharted Gods end and cast dirt upon his glory and so doth every sinner Every sin is a reflection upon Gods Name a blot in Gods Government of the world so that some make it a pretence for their Atheism saying That if there were a God he would not suffer sin to be in the world Thirdly God is inclined by his Nature and obliged by his interest to hate sin and punish the sinner and so to recover his glory 1. I say God is inclined by his nature to hate and punish sin I do not positively conclude that he is absolutely obliged I shall not here meddle with that nice question Whether God was so far obliged to punish it by his nature that he could not pardon sin without satisfaction but this is manifest look upon man as a sinner and so Gods Nature must needs be opposite unto him The Scripture describes God in such manner not only in regard of his Will but also in respect of his Nature Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity c. Exod. 34.6 where the nature of the Divine Majesty is represented among other parts of the description this is one He will by no meanes clear the guilty Psalme 11.5 The wicked his soul hateth and the reason is added from Gods Nature ver 7. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse his countenance doth behold the upright And it may further appear that here punishment of sin is not an act of Gods Will but of his Nature Because the Actions of Gods Will are only known by Revelation not by reason or the light of Nature but that God should and would punish sin this was known by natures light to such as were unacquainted with Revelation-light Hence came the Conclusion Acts 28.4 This man is a Murderer whom though he hath escaped the Sea yet Vengeance suffereth him not to live Vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a supposed Goddesse but indeed nothing else but Divine Justice 2. God is obliged by his interest to punish him as he is the Ruler of the world By sin there comes a double mischief 1. God is wronged 2. The world is wronged by a bad example and hardned in sin so that if God might pardon sin as it is a wrong to himself yet he is in a manner obliged to punish it to right the wronged world and to make such sinners patterns of severity that the world may not make them examples of ungodlinesse even as King James might pardon the Powder-Traytors so far forth as his Person was concerned but if you look on it as a wrong to the whole Nation to the Protestant Religion so he was obliged to punish them to make them warnings to others in the like cases so that you see mans punishment was necessary for Gods glory and the Worlds good Fourthly The punishment to be inflicted must be sutable to sins Nature and Gods Majesty and therefore an infinite punishment for this is justice to observe an exact proportion between sin and punishment Fifthly The only way whereby this punishment might be suffered and yet man saved was by the incarnation and
passion of God-man Man being every other way finite must have suffered infinitely in regard of duration even to eternity And none but Christ who was infinite in regard of the subject and dignity of his person as he was God could have so speedily and effectually delivered us from this punishment by suffering it himself whereby Gods justice was satisfied his hatred against the sinner removed and his mercy at liberty to act in the pardon of the sinner Sixthly This passion of Jesus Christ God was graciously pleased to accept for us and impute to us as if we had suffered in our persons and so he receives us into mercy And this is the substance of the Doctrine of the Gospel about mans salvation So much for the first thing the Explication of the point 2. I now come to the Assertion or Demonstration of it that you may receive this Doctrine as a Truth not built upon the traditions of men but revealed in the Word of God Now to prove this point viz. That the death of Jesus Christ is the procuring cause of mans Justification and Salvation I may use two sorts of Arguments First Some from the consideration of Christs death Secondly Some from the consideration of mans Justification and Salvation 1. From the consideration of Christs death I shall offer six Arguments 1. It s Possibility 2. Necessity 3. Nature 4. Cause 5. Vicegerency 6. Peculiarity First From the possibility Let me be bold to assert had it not been for this purpose it had not been possible for Christ to dye as it was not possible for Christ to be holden of death Acts 2.24 the price being paid and so the Prisoner of course to be released so it had not been possible because not just Id tantum possumus quod jure possumus to put him into a prison if it had not been to pay a debt And a debt of his own he had none he was a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 Holy blameless undefiled separate from sinners Hebr. 7.26 He knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 which I the rather mention because Sâ—cinus hath the impudence to lay down this blasphemous Assertion That Christ like the Jewish High Priest did offer for himself as well as for the people You have seen he had no debt no sin of his own he professeth of himself that he did alwayes those things which pleased his Father John 8.29 and therefore he must needs dye for our debts it is plain that Adam had he continued in integrity should not have dyed death is not the effect of nature then the Saints in glory must dye again for they have the same nature but the fruit of sin death entred into the world by sin Rom. 5.12 And the Apostle proves the sin of Infants expressed by that Periphrasis such as have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression from the death of Infants and in Adam all dyed i. e. by his sin 1 Cor. 15.22 Therefore Jesus Christ being purified from the guilt of Adams sin by his holy birth and no lesse perfect than Adam should have been could never have dyed if not for our sakes Secondly From the necessity of Christs death it was necessary for our Salvation and Justification without which end it had been in vain The Socinians mention two other reasons and ends of Christs death the one to be an example of obedience but such we have many others upon far less charge the other to be a ground of hope for the remission of sin and the fulfilling of Gods promises but properly it is not the death but resurrection of Christ which is the ground of our hope 1 Cor. 15.14 If Christ be not risen your faith is vain so that those ends are improper and insufficient And to strike it dead I urge but one place Gal. 2.21 If righteousnesse come by the Law Christ is dead in vain What can be more plain if righteousnesse be not by Christ that the death of Christ be not the procuring cause of our Justification Christ is dead in vain to no end or as Grotius and others rather understand without any meritorious cause i. e. our sins however all comes to one Thirdly From the nature of Christs death it is a Sacrifice this consists of two Branches 1. Sacrifices did expiate sin 2. Christs death is a Sacrifice and a sin-expiating Sacrifice 1. I say Sacrifices did expiate sin Levit. 1.4 He shall put his hands upon the head of the burnt-offering and it shall be accepted for him and many such places And this they did typically which strengthens the cause we have in hand as representing and fore-signifying Christ without which it was not possible for the blood of Buls and Goats to take away sins Hebr. 10.4 And the sins pardoned under the Old Testament were pardoned thorough Christ and not through any vertue of their Sacrifices Christ being a Mediatour for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament Hebrewes 9.15 2. And this brings in the second Head that Christs death is a Sacrifice and a sin-expiating Sacrifice if either the names or nature of it may be regarded for the names and titles proper to Sacrifices they are attributed to it and God doth not give flattering titles nor false names but such as discover the nature of things it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Oblation or offering up of himself Ephes 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.25 to omit others and for the nature by vertue hereof sin is atoned he is our High Priest for this end to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Heb. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being by an Enallage put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pacifie God reconcile God turn away his wrath You meet with all things in Christ which concurre to the making of a Sacrifice The Priest he is our High Priest the Sacrifice himself Christ was once offered the shedding of blood and destroying of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the essential part of a Sacrifice Add to these 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passeover is Sacrificed for us where is a double Argument 1. That Christ is expresly said to be Sacrificed 2. That he is called a Passeover which at the best seems to have been both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament Now then Christs death being a Sacrifice it appeares that it appeased Gods wrath procured his favour Fourthly From the cause of Christs death I might urge a double cause 1. The inflicting cause it was Gods displeasure Nothing more plaine than that he had a very deep sense of and sharp conflict with Gods wrath from those dreadful horrours in the Garden where his soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death not certainly at the approach of an ordinary death which many Martyrs have undergone with undaunted courage but at the apprehension of his Fathers anger and upon the Cross where he roared out that direful complaint My
God my God why hast thou forsaken me Now then seeing God being naturally gracious and perfectly righteous cannot will not be displeased with any without cause and Christ had in himself no cause There was nothing in him Joh. 14.30 and as you read he alwayes did those things which pleased him It remains therefore that the cause of this displeasure and of Chrsts death was our sins laid upon him and our peace to be procured by him And that brings in the 2. Head which is the procuring or meritorious cause of Christs death the guilt of our sins laid on him brought death upon him as the just punishment of them And this is written with so much clearness that he that runs may read it It is observed of the Ancient Writers of the Church That those of them which lived before the Pelagian heresie was raised spoke more darkly and doubtfully and carelesly in those things not being ob iged to stand much upon their Guard when they had no enemy in view and having to do with enemies of a contrary make while they avoided one extream 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it often happened they ran too near the other But in this point the Apostles who Writ so long before Socinus had a being have Written with as much perspicuity against that heresie as if they had lived to see the accomplishment of that Monster the conception whereof some of them saw in those Primitive Hereticks Two things are written with a Sun-beam 1. That Christ died for our good as the final cause Dan. 9.26 The Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself 2. That he died for our sins as the deserving cause Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered viz. unto death for our offences not only upon the occasion of our sins as the Socinians gloss it but for the merit of our sins To suffer for sin alwayes implies sin to be the meritorious cause of it 1 Kings 14.16 He shall give up Israel because of the sins of Jeroboam Deut. 24.16 The Father shall not be put to death for the children but every man shall be put to death for his own sin And many other places there are to the same purpose And it is sufficient to confirm any judicious man in this Truth to read the miserable evasions which the Socinians use to shift off the force of this Argument which as time will not give me leave to mention so they are neither fit for this nor worthy of any Assembly This is plain that Christ died for our sinnes and to stop all holes the holy Ghost useth various prepositions if one be more emphatical than another all shall concur to assert this truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.18 And that all these should signifie the final cause or occasion only and never the meritorious cause when a man hath put out his eyes or God hath taken away the Scripture and other Greek Authours too he may believe it but very hardly before I shall strengthen this Argument with this consideration That Christ is said to bear our sinnes which is so evident that Crellius that Master-builder of the Socinian Fabrick confesseth That for the most part to beare sins is to endure the punishments due to sin And he said no more than he was forced to by the invincible clearness of Scripture-expressions Lev. 5.1 7.18 20.17 Notorious Offenders it is said of them They shall beare their iniquity It is said of Christ not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Socinians say may signifie to take away iniquity albeit a Learned man layeth down this assertion That it never signifies to take away sin as Socinus would have it but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to beare upon his shoulders as a Porter beares a Burden but never to take away Isaiah 53.4 He hath borne our griefs and carâ—yed our sorrows Object Which is one of the most plausible Arguments they have in this cause But Mat. 8.16 17. where Christ took away diseases which he did not bear it is said the saying of Esaias was fulfilled therein Answ To omit those many Answers given by others of which see Brinsleys one only Mediatour and Calovius his excellent discourse De satisfactione Christi in his Socinismus prostigatus A Scripture is said to be fulfilled either wholly or in part Now then you must know that although it be a truth which we conclude against the Papists That there are no more than one of literal and co-ordinate senses of every place of Scripture yet there may be divers of several kindes one subordinate to another and one typified by another and one accommodated to another And when any one of these senses are accomplished that Scripture is said to be fulfilled though indeed but one piece and parcel of it be fulfilled Thus the fulfilling of the same Scripture is applied to the spiritual preservation of the Apostles John 17.12 and to the temporal preservation of them John 18.9 And as it were false and fallacious reasoning for any man to infer that Christs keeping of his Apostles cannot be understood spiritually of keeping them in his Name and keeping them from Apostacy as it is said John 17.12 because John 18.9 it is said to be fulfilled in a rescue of them from a temporal destruction but rather it must be said it was fulfilled both wayes and the one was subordinate to the other and typified in the other So is it in this case This place in Isaiah that it may appeare to be exactly a parallel case was fulfilled two wayes The one expressed 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body upon the Tree The other in this Matth. 8.17 In the former is expressed the cause Christs bearing the burden of our sinnes upon his shoulders In the latter the effâ—ct Christs taking off the Burden or part of that Burden of sin from our shoulders or from the shoulders of those diseased persons for it was laid upon his shoulders that it might be taken off from us So that Matthew rightly tells us that Isaiah was fulfilled and that the cause did appeare by the effect as by the dawning of the day we see the approach of the Sun And this may serve for the untying of that hard knot which I had almost said is the only thing of moment the Socinians have in this Controversie But to return Isa 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed If it were lawful for the highest Antisocinian in the world to coyne a Scripture for his purpose he could not devise a place of a more favourable aspect to his cause than this And Ver. 6. The Lord hath plac'd on him the iniquity of us all But indeed the Arguments which might be drawn out of this one Chapter Isa 53. might
afford matter for a whole Sermon Fifthly From the Vicegerency of Christs death Christ dyed 1. For our good 2. For ouâ— sins of both those you have heard 3. In our place of this I now come to Treat Briefly for I have been wonderfully prevented 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ suffered for sins the just for the unjust 2 Cor. 5.14 If one died for all then were we 〈◊〉 â—â—d i. e. juridically we were all as dead condemned perâ—â—â—â— because he died in our stead He is said to die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes signifies a commutation saith the then famous but afterwards Apostate Grotius eye for eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5.38 that is one instead of the other Matth. 2.22 Archelaus reigned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the room of his Father Herod So 2 Sam. 18.33 Would God I had died for thee O Absalom i. e. in thy stead so that thou hadst lived Thus Christ died for us so John 11.50 Caiaphas said It is expedient foâ— us that one man should die for the people i. e. in their stead to save their lives as a publick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gentiles being used in case of some great and common calamities threatning destruction to all to offer up some one man in the name and stead of all which was a shadow of that great truth of Christs dying for all And Socinus himself being put to it cannot deny this Even in Heathen Authours it is a common phrase To do a thing for another i. e. in his place Ego pro te molam I will grinde for you and you shall be free Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransome or Price a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is one Argument that his Blood was the price of our Redemption and a Ransome in our stead 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransome for all Gal. 3.13 Christ hath Redeemed us from the cuâ—se of the Law himself being made a curse for us i. e. he underwent that Curse due to us that Curse from which we are freed that Curse which others who receive not Jesus Christ shall undergo What a cluster of Arguments might be gathered here It is prodigious boldness in Socinians to turn this Article of Faith into a streame of Rhetorick Paulus amavit in voce execrationis argutus esse But Manum de tabula Sâ—xthly And lastly From the peculiarity of Christs death It is undeniable that Christ died for us so as no man in the world ever did nor can do Therefore not in the Socinian sense not barely for the confirmation of our faith or excitation of our obedience or strengthning of our hope or encouragement of us in our sufferings for in this sense thousands have died for you Paul tells the Co 〈◊〉 he suffered for them i. i. for their good Col. 1.24 and yet â—â—lls the Corinthians he did not suffer for them 1 Cor. 1.13 Was Paul crucified for you i. e. in your stead or for your sinnes And this for the first Head of Arguments where I see I must take up though I thought to have urged divers other Arguments from the Nature of mans justification and salvation But I will not be too tedious What hath been said may be enough to convince any indifferent man and others will not be convinced though they are convinced Thus much for the second particular the assertion of this truth The third should have been the vindication of it from the cavils of Socinians but I am cut off and it is not wholly necessary for if once a truth be evident from plain Scriptures we ought not to be moved with the cavils of wanton wits or the difficulty of comprehending those great mysteries by our reason when the Socinians can solve all the Phaenomena of nature which are the proper Object of mans Reason then and not till then we will hearken to their rational Objections And Aristotle somewhere lays down this Conclusion That when once man is well setled in any truth he ought not to be moved from it by some subtle Objection which he cannot well answer All this I speak not as that there were any insolubilia any insuperable Objections against this truth that I ever met with for though there are many things here which are hard to be understood yet nothing which cannot be answered As when they tell you he did not suffer eternal death which was due to us It is true he did not but a moment of his sufferings was equal in worth to our eternal sufferings the dignity of the person being always considerable in the estimation of the action or the suffering So when they say one man cannot dye for another it is false you heard David wish he had dyed for Absalom and Jehu threatens those who should let any of them escape That his life shall go for his life 2 Kings 10.24 and Histories tell us of one man dying for another So when they say it is unrighteous that God should punish the just for the unjust Answ It is not unjust if any will voluntarily undertake it volenti non sit injuria Besides that God gives Laws to us Deut. 24.16 but not to himself The fourth and last Head was by way of Application Is it so That the death of Jesus Christ is the procuring cause of our Justification and Salvation Vse 1. Hence see the excellency of Christian Religion which shews the true way to life and settles doubting consciences Heathens were miserably plunged they saw their sins their guilt and had terrors of conscience an expectation of wrath this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was written in their hearts that they which do such things are worthy of death They saw the need of atoning God reconciling God they saw the insufficiency of all their Rites and Sacrifices Ah nimium faciles qui tristia Funera caedis Tolli flumineâ posse putatis aquâ Some of them saw the necessity of a mans death and that sine humano cruore without mans blood the work could not be done but then that seemed an act of cruelty and the addition of a sin instead of the expiation of it and here they stuck they could go no further Now blessed be God who hath discovered those things to us which were hid from others who hath removed difficulties and made our way plain before us who hath given us a Sacrifice and accepted it and imputed it to us and thereby reconciled us and given us peace a solid peace as the fruit of that Reconciliation Vse 2. See the dreadfulnesse of Gods justice how fearful it is to fall into the hands of the Living God Christ himself must suffer if he be a sinner though but by imputation Use 3. It shews us the malignity of sin that could be expiated only by such blood Use 4. It shews us the stability and certainty of our Justification and Salvation It is
busie himself about a lump of sin and misery What but meer mercy what but rich and abundant mercy 1. It is meer mercy When by our own merits we were bgotten to death by his mercy he begat us again unto life Cum nostris meritis generati essemus ad mortem sua misericordia nos regeneravit ad vitam Beda Not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he hath saved us Tit. 3.5 Indeed we cannot do any works of righteousness before our Calling that righteousness which natural men are subject to glory in is rather seeming than real and that which shineth so bright in our own eyes and perhaps in the eyes of other men is an abomination in the sight of God Luke 16.15 God and men do not measure our righteousness by the same standerd men account them righteous that conform to Customes Laws and Constitutions of men if at least they be likewise conformable to the Letter of the Law of God But God reckons none righteous besides those that have a singular regard to the Spirit of the Law if I may so call it which layeth an Obligation upon the inward man as well as the outward which binds the heart as well as the hand and commands not only that which is good but that good be done upon a good principle in a good manner to a good end A pitch of obedience that no natural man can possibly arise to so that in the sight of God there is none righteous Rom. 3.10 Ephes 2.3 no not one We are all by nature children of wrath as well as others Children of wrath we are by our own desert if ever we become Children of Grace it must be by his mercy 2. As by meer mercy so by rich and abundant mercy in God it is that we are called There is a greatnesse of love in the quickning of those that are dead in sins together with Christ There is mercy in that we have our lives for a prey Eph. 2.4 5. mercy in all the comforts and accommodations of life mercy in the influences of the Sun mercy in the dropping of the Clouds mercy in the fruitfulness of seasons mercy in the fulness of barnes the yeare is crowned with the goodness of the Lord but this is a mercy above all mercies That we are called from darkness unto marvelous light and from the power of Satan to the service of and fellowship with the only living and true God other benefits are extended to the worst of men nay the very Devils have some tastes of mercy but this of an Effectual Calling is as I said before communicated to none but those that God hath chosen Other blessings and benefits though they be good in themselves yet they cannot make us good they are but as trappings to a Horse which if he be a Jade make him not go the better but the worse but here God works a marvelous change for the better once the man ran away from God and himself but now he instantly returns once he was a hater a fighter against God but now the weapons of his hostility are laid down and he thinks he can never do enough to express his love once he was darkness but now he is light in the Lord once dead but behold he lives Finally Other blessings and benefits can never make us happy but as they finde us miserable so they leave us we may and are too apt to bless our selves in them yet God never intended to bless us in the sole enjoyment of them But oh how happy is that man that God hath effectually called to himself his bosome shall be his refuge in all storms his grace his sufficiency in all temptations his power his shield in all oppositions But let the Text speak All things shall work together for his Spiritual and Eternal good Before I part with this Point I shall acquaint you with an Exposition of my Text utterly inconsistent with the Doctrine I have delivered and the truth it self and very unworthy of the Authours of it This it is That here we are said to be call'd not according to Gods purpose Chrys Theod. Theoph. but according to our own purpose to hear and obey his call And perhaps upon this the Papists have grounded their merit of congruity but this must needs fall if we consider but this one thing among many that those that have been farthest off the Kingdome have been fetcht into it and those that have not been farre from the Kingdome of God have never come nearer it God doth not alwayes take the smoothest but the most knotty pieces of Timber to make pillars in his house He goes not alwayes to places of severest and strictest Discipline to pick out some few there to plant in his House but he goes to the Custome-House and calls one thence to the Brothel-House and calls another thence And if yet you insist upon the purpose of man as an inducement to the call of God pray tell me what was Sauls purpose when God met with him in the way to Damascus Had he any other purpose than to persecute the Disciples of the Lord Enough of that Question 5. By what means are we Called Sometimes without means as in persons not capable of the use of them there is highest Caution amongst the people of God to avoid that sin nay the very appearance of limiting the holy One of Israel Sometimes by contrary means the greatness of a sin being ordered by God to set on the conversion of a sinner as when a man is wounded with the sting and healed with the flesh of a Scorpion Gaffarel or as when we make triacle of a Viper a most poysonous creature to expel poyson Sometimes by very unlikely means as when by some great affliction we are brought home to God which in its own nature one would think should drive us farther from God as there is no question but it doth the Reprobates who are ready to tell all the world what King William Rufus told the Bishop if the partial Monk do not belye him God shall never make me good by the evil I suffer from him Nunquam me Deus bonum habebit pro malo quod mihi inâ—ulerit Edmerus in Hist Ser. 2. de Spirt Sanct. tom 4. or which is yet more unlikely when we are brought home by prosperity God overcoming our evil with his good heaping as it were Coals of fire upon our heads and so melting us into kindly contrition Gerson in a Sermon of his tells us of a most wicked Priest that when he was preferr'd to a Bishoprick became exemplarily holy but such a Convert is rara avis seldom to be found Alwayes this work is carried on by weak means Thus I have heard it credibly reported that a sentence written in a window and accidentally read by an inveterate sinner pierc't his heart and let out the corruption thence the sentence was that of Austin
we are as really united unto Christ as the members of the body are to the head Hence are we said to be h Ephes 5.30 members of his body of his flesh and his bones As the head communicates real influences to the body so doth Christ to Believers communicates to us his Spâ—rit graces fulnesse spiritual light life strength comfort Joh. 1.16 4. A close near dear intimate union Like that of the food with the body which it nourisheth Hence Believers are said to eat Christs flesh and to drink his blood John 6.54 Such an intimate union as that one possessive particle is not sufficient to expresse it not said my Vineyard is before me but my Vineyard which is mine is before me Cant. 8.12 5. An inseparable perpetual indissoluble union A marriage knot which neither men sins sorrows death nor Divels are able to dissolve Who or what can separate us from the love of God The Apostle clearly resolves his own question i Rom 8 38 39 I am perswaded that neither life nor death c. Believers are held in Christs hand he that would break this union must first be too hard of fist for Christ yea and for his Father too No man shall pluck them out of my hand my Father is greater than all and no man can pluck them out of my Fathers hand Joh. 10.28 29. And thus we have dispatch't the second Question 3. What are the efficient causes of this union Sol. 1. The efficient causes of this union are either principal or less principal 1. Principal and so this great work of union being opus ad extra 't is indivisum and so ascribed 1. In common to the whole k 1 Pet. 5.10 John 6.44 45. Ephes 2 6 7. Godhead Hence we are said to be call'd by God the Father into the fellâ—wship of his dear Son 1 Cor. 1.9 So likewise this union is ascribed to the Sonne The dead shall hear the voice of the Sonne of God and live Joh. 5.25 Joh. 10.16 2. But more especially the Spirit of God in a more peculiar sense is said to be the principal Author of this union He it is that knits this marriage knot betwixt Christ Jesus and true Believers Look as l Acts 4.24 Creation in some respect is appropriated to the Father m 1 Pet. 1.18 Redemption to the Son so the Application of that Redemption to the Holy Ghost 'T is by one Spirit that we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 'T is by the Holy Spirit the Comforter That we are convinced of sin righteousnesse and judgment Joh. 16.7 8 9. 'T is by the Holy Ghost that we are renewed Tit. 3.5 2. Lesse principal or the means or instruments of union These are twofold outward inward 1. Outward Generally all the Ordinances of God by the Ordinances it is that we come to have n Job 22.21 acquaintance that is union and communion with Jesus Christ 'T is by these golden pipes that golden oyle is conveyed to us from that golden Olive Zech. 4.12 More especially 1. The Word read preach't meditated on believed improved 'T is by hearing and learning of the Father that we come to Christ Joh. 6.44 45. The Holy Scriptures were written for this end that through them we might have fellowship with the Father and his Sonne 1 Joh. 1.3 The way to have Christs company is to keep Christs words Joh. 14.23 2. The Sacraments those spiritual Seals and Labels which God hath fix't to his Covenant of Grace 1. Bapti me By one Spirit we are baptiz'd into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 Hence we are said to be buried with Christ by Baptisme into death Rom. 6.3 4. Baptisme styled the Laver of regeneration Tit. 3.5 By Baptisme we put on Christ Gal. 3.7 2. The Lords Supper this is a great means of strengthning and evidencing our union and advancing our communion with Christ Jesus We are all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 Hence that 1 Cor. 10.16 The bread which we break is it not the communion of means argâ—ments evidences of our communion with the body of Christ The wine which we drink is it not the communion of the blood of Christ Thus much for the external means of union 2. Inward internal intrinsecal means of union on mans part i. e. faith Not a bare historical miraculous temporal dead faith No but a living working justifying saving faith Christ comes to dwell in our hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 'T is by faith alone that we receive Christ Joh. 1.12 That we come unto him and feed upon him Joh. 6.56 'T is by faith that a Believer lives in and to Christ and Christ lives in and for a Believer Gal. 2.20 Thus much for the Explication of the termes of our Proposition for the fixing of it on a right Basis I now proceed to the second part of my discourse viz. Now That there is such a spiritual mystical real close inseparable union betwixt the Lord Jesus and true Believers 2. Confirm appears three ways 1. From those many synonymical terms and equivalent expressions whereby the Scriptures hold forth this union Christ is said to be in Believers Col. 1.27 Rom. 8.10 To dwell in them Ephes 3.17 To walk in them 2 Cor. 6.16 So are Believers said to abide in Christ as he abides in them 1 Joh. 4.16 Joh. 15.17 To dwell in Christ as Christ in them Joh. 6.56 To put on Christ to be cloathed with him Gal. 3.27 Each of these expressions clearly import that near and intimate union that is betwixt the Lord Jesus and true Believers The King of Saints hath two Mansion houses one in heaven the Throne of his glory another on earth a Tabernacle of flesh the heart of a Believer which is the seat of his delight Prov. 8.31 his lesser Heaven Isa 57.15 66.1 2. 2. From those several similitudes by which the Scriptures shadow out this union Believers are said to be lively stones 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6. Christ the living foundation the chief corner-stone on which they are built Ephes 2.20 21. Believers are styled living branches Christ the true Vine into whom they are engraffed and in whom they bring forth fruit Joh. 15.1.5 Christ the faithful loving discreet Bridegroom Believers his Loyal Affectionate obedient Spouse Ephes 5.31 32. Cant. 2.16 5.1 Believers are intitled Christs body Ephes 1.23 Bone of his bone flesh of his flesh Ephes 5.30 Christ the Believers head Ephes 1.22 In a word the head and mystical body are call'd Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 In all these Resemblances he that runs may read the union betwixt Christ and Believers pourtrayed out to the life unto us 3. From that communion which there is betwixt Christ and true Believers Omnis communio fundatur in unione Communion where ever it is of necessity argues union as the effect necessarily implies the cause Believers they communicate with Christ in his fulness Joh. 1.16 In his o 2 Cor 5.21 Solus
thy safety and thou art sâ—cure because hood-wink't Thy security is not from want of danger but discerning Alas how dreadful is thy condition that liest every minute exposed to the cruel courtesie of every Divel Lust Temptation Judgment The sentence is past against thee in the next Scene expect the Executioner He that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 19. Poor soul a deluge of wrath is pouring down in full streams upon thee and thou art as yet shut out of the Ark. The Avenger of blood is at thy heels and thou not yet got into a City of Refuge A shower of brimstone falling on thee and thou hast no Zoar to flie unto The destroying Angel with his drawn Sword at the threshold and the lintel posts of thy door not sprinkled with blood But 2. If the winde do not le ts see whether the Sun cannot prevaile Poor self-destroying Caitiff Look yonder on that amiable Jesus Christ for a marriage between whom and thy precious soul I am now woing Do but observe his condescending willingnesse to be united to thee That great Ahashuerus courts his own captive Hester The Potter makes suit to his own clay Wooes thee though he wants thee not is infinitely happy without thee yet is not cannot be satisfied but with thee Heark how he commands intreats begs thee to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 Swears and pawns his life upon it that he desires not thy death Ezek. 33.11 Seals this his oath with his blood and if after all this thou art fond of thine own damnation and hadst rather be at an agreement with hell than with him see how the brinish tears trickle down his cheeks Luke 19.41 42. He weeps for thee that dost not wilt not weep for thy self Nay after all this obdurate obstinacy is resolved still to wait that he may be gracious Isa 30.18 Stands yet and knocks though his head be wet with rain and hâ—s locks with the dew of the night fain he would have thee open the door that he may come in and sup with thee and thou with him Rev. 3.20 Thus much for a whet to sinners my next address is 2. To Saints that are indeed united unto Christ Jesus Four words of advice I have for you Oh that they might stick as Goads as Nails fastened by the Masters of the Assemblies 1. Be very fearful of that which may in any sort weaken your union with Christ Beware of committing of approving thy self in the least compliance with any the least sin Say not as Lot of Zoar is it not a little one Sin approved is that very Dalilah that cuts off the locks and makes a Believer a prey to every Philistine Sin is that that separates between us and our God the great make-bate between heaven and earth Isa 59.2 'T is true a Saint shall never be left so to himself or sin as that sin shall bereave him of his Jewel his Gracâ— or God but may and doth often steal away the key of his Cabinet his evidence his assurance I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone Cant. 5.6 Sin is that that will soon grieve away that holy Spirit by which we are seal'd to the day of Redemption Ephes 4.30 2. Wisâ—ly improve this your union with Christ f Frustra est potentia c. 'T is not enough to have unlesse we use Christ Not enough to have a Well of salvation but we must draw water and drink it too Isa 12.3 if we intend a benefit by it 'T was the looking on the Brazen Serpent that cured those that were stung Not enough for Saints to have faith by which to live but they must live by the faith that they have Gal. 2.20 i. e. they must by faith draw continual supply of grace comfort strength from Christ as the branch does sap from the root as the members do influence from the head as the pipe does water from the fountain This your union then must be improved 1. Under the fear and sense of wrath When God begins to thunder and to write bitter things against thee Now now let faith recollect it self and say Why I am united unto Christ in whose wounds is room enough to hold and in whose heart readinesse enough to receive all that flie unto him Matth. 11.28 True indeed there is a terrible storme of justice gathering over my head ready to fall upon me but my Christ to whom I am united is my g Isa 32.1 2. shelter a flood of vengeance but I am got into the Ark. Destruction near but Christ is my Passeover my little Sanctuary Able willing to save to the uttermost with all kinds and degrees of salvation Hebr. 7.25 2. In solicitations unto sin when sin comes like a Potiphars wife and offers deadly poyson in a golden Cup. Now now let faith answer I would consent but that I am united unto Christ How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against my Christ Gen. 39.9 I could easily do this and this if I were not Alexander But now I cannot gratifie this lust but I must needs be disloyal to my Christ my Husband to whom I am married If I take the cold in my feet 't will immediately flye up into my head every sin is an affront to my Christ 3. In the use of all Ordinances let faith use them frequently reverently but not in the least rest on them or be satisfied with them any farther than they advance our union and communion with Christ Look on prayer without a Christ as meer words and sounds Sacraments without a Christ as empty Vials without a cordial Hearing without Christ as a Cabinet without a Jewel Be only so far satisfied with the Ordinances as thou findest them to be * Zech. 4.12 golden pipes conveying golden oyle into thy soul 3. Labour more and more for a frame of Spirit sutable to this union 1. An humble self-abasing frame Say Alas Lord what am I what my Fathers house that so great a Christ should so far stoop beneath himself as to be united to so poor a worme a clod of earth a masse of sin a nothing a lesse a worse than nothing Isa 40.15 17. That strength should be united unto weakness light unto darknesse life unto death heaven unto earth unto hell That incorruption should marry it self unto corruption Immortality to mortality The King of Kings the Lord of Lords to such a captive unpared unwash't unshaven captive as I Ezek. 16.4 5 6. 2. A trusting relying depending frame oâ— spirit for supply of all temporals h Qui misit filium immisit Spiritum promisit vultum quid tandem denegabit He that hath given thee his Sonne what can he deny Rom. 8.32 He that hath given thee an Ocean will not deny thee a Drop If thou hast the Kernel thou shalt not want the Shell if thy Father vouchsafe thee bread Manna the Ring a Kisse he cannot well deny thee husks If thou
in the very nature of it is a vindication of the equity of the injur'd Law the reparation and amends it makes it self for the wrong done it by damnifying the person injuring her proportionally to the injury Now that a justified person must be charged with guilt i. e. with the breach of Law and by consequence with desert of punishment appears because otherwise if a man be pronounced tighteous whom no body ever accused or questioned he is only praised not justified 2. The person to be justified must plead for himself either in person or by his Advocate who sustains his person for to refuse to plead is to despaire quite of being justified and to abandon ones self over unto punishment silence gives consent it argues the accused person hath nothing to say for himself why he should not be condemned Our Law you know sheweth no mercy to one that will not plead he is to be Prest to death An endited person must plead therefore something in his own behalf why he should be justified if he would be Now either the man is guilty of the charge or not guilty I must speak to both cases and shew what pleas are requisite in each and which of them is the plea upon which a sinner is justified at the Bar of God Case 1. If the endited person be not guilty of the charge justice it self must justifie him upon that plea. Si accusasse sufficiat quis erit innocens an innocent person may be accused he can never be convinc't for that that is not can never be demonstrated the Judge or Jury were themselves guilty if they found innocence guilty Now to be justified thus is to be purely and meerly justified not at all to be pardoned for such a one stands upon his termes bears himself upon his own righteousnesse begs no mercy 'T is no favour to justifie him 't is his due he is not beholding to the Judge a jot the exact rigour of the Law acquits him To bring this to the present businesse I shall demonstrate that we can never be justified at the Bar of God by pleading not guilty For First the plea is false Although in a very restrained sense there is none so wicked but he may plead not guilty and be justified as to this or that particular fact charged upon him Nimrod was not guilty of Abels murther Nay a Saint may be guilty of some sins which the Devil may plead not guilty too as grieving the comforting the sealing Spirit abusing the Redeemers grace c. yet nothing short of universal innocence nothing but a perfect righteousnesse a total exemption from all manner of guilt will entitle us before Gods Tribunal to this plea James 2.10 For whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all 1. Because the punishment due to the breach of the whole Law viz. the curse of God is due to every breach of every part Gal. 3.10 Deut. 27.26 Cursed is he that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them The wages of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of every single sinne is death Romans 6.23 2. Because he that offends in one point affronteth the authority of all as is excellently observed in the next verse For he that said James 2.11 Do not comâ— it adultery said also Do not steale Every sin hath Atheisme in it it denies the God that is above to trample upon the Majesty of God shining in oâ—e Commandment is at once to trample upon that Majesty which enacted all 3. Because thereby he becomes infected with a contagious disposition to be guilty of all the same principle which embolden'd him now will another time if but excited with equal strengths of temptation to commit any other sin or to repeat the same sins again and again though excited with still weaker and weaker temptations for as frequent acts strengthen the habit of sin so the habit facilitates the acts From hence it appeares that the holy Angels that Adam in innocency that the man Christ Jesus might indeed plead not guilty before God and be justified upon that plea but now impossible for us Rom. 3.20.23 Psa 14.1 1 John 1.8 Secondly the plea being false there is no hope upon this issue to be justified unlesse there were some defect in the Judge or in the evidence In the Judge either of prudence in not understanding or of integrity or power in not executing the Law aright But in our case these are alike that is infinitely impossible for we have to do with the All-wise Legislator himself who is also the Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty and shall not this Judge of all the earth do right Gen. 18.25 Nor can there be any defect in the evidence for the books shall be opened at the last day Rev. 20.12 and the dead shall be judged out of those things which are written in the books according to their works Nay even now there are two day-books a filling down goes every houre every moment all we do and think and speak in the book of Gods remembrance fairly written not an iota not a tittle either mist or blurred of this God hath given us a counterpart to keep in our own bosomes the Register of conscience though a very imperfect copy full of blots mistakes omissions yet enough alone to convince us instead of a thousand witnesses for every sinner will be his own accuser and condemner rising up as an Advocate in the behalf of the great Judge against himself at the day of judgement Prima est haec ultio quod se Judice nemo nocens absolvitur Case 2. And this was the first plea not guilty but the case is not ours and therefore this plea will never justifie us I come therefore to the other which in our case is guilty and here are two wayes of pleading First meer mercy for mercies sake but indeed this is not to plead at all but to beg And as in the last case when an innocent person upon his pleading not guilty is discharg'd that is pure justification but no pardon so here quite contrary when a guilty person is discharg'd out of mercy this is pure pardon but no justification for there shines not one beame of Justice in such a discharge meer mercy is all in all Whence it follows that the Socinians who to avoid the necessity of acknowledging Christs satisfaction to Divine Justice affirm that Justification is nothing but meer Remission of sins do abuse the Woâ—d and contradict themselves for who seeth not that to be pardon'd gratis out of pure mercy without the least reparation made either for the injury and indignity done to the Law or satisfaction to the honour justice and authority of the Law-giver by the sin affronted is not to bâ— justified at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but only to be gratified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. discharged upon the sole
Caesar By his passive Righteousnesse I mean all that he suffered in his life-time as the meannesse of his birth and education his persecution by Herod in his infancy after by the Scribes and Pharisees his hunger and temptation in the Wildernesse his poverty and straits he had not where to lay his head in a word he was all his life long in all things tempted as we are yet without sin Heb. 4.15 but especially what he suffered at his death First in his body he was scourg'd spit upon crown'd with Thornes and latength crucified which was 1. A cruel death the Latine cruciari to be tormented is derived à cruce from being crucified 2. A reproachful one Gal. 3.13 Heb. 13.13 it was the Roman death for slaves and Malefactors But secondly most of all he suffered in his soule witnesse those expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 26.37 Mark 14.33 adde his bemoaning himself to his Disciples in the following words and his passionate prayer thrice repeated Abba Father if it be pâ—ssible let this cup passe Adde further yet his sweating drops of blood in that bitter agony which so spent him in the Garden that an Angel was sent to comfort him but above all his desertion upon the Crosse witnesseth that he suffered unutterably in his soule when he cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The Socinians are here puzzled to give any tolerable account how the infinitely good God could find in his heart to exercise his only begotten Son that never sinned with all these horrours in his soule for certainly it stood not with his goodnesse had not Christ as the second Adam been a publick person a Representative on whom the Lord laid the iniquities of us all Isa 53.6 But if we consider which they deny that Christ was then satisfying his Fathers Justice we need not wonder at those horrours and consternations of the manhood for he knew the vastnesse of his undertaking the numberlesse numbers and aggravations of sins the dreadful weight of his Fathers wrath the sharpnesse of that sword Zech. 13.7 which he was going now to feele not that God was angry with Christ upon the Crosse quoad affectum no he never more dearly loved him but quoad effectum adde Christs infinite abhorrence of the sins he bore and that infinite zeal wherewith he was inflam'd to vindicate the honour of Divine justice Now his infinite love to his Church struggling with all these produc't those agonies and overcame them all when he said It is finished Joh. 19.30 we meet him next triumphing in his Resurrection But here to resolve that great question whether Christs passive Righteousnesse alone or active and passive joyntly are the matter of Christs satisfaction which believers plead at Gods Bar for their Justification and which being accepted by God as a plea good in Law is said to be imputed viz. in a Law-sense for Righteousnesse Let these Reasons be weighed by such as do disjoyne them First each of them hath its proper interest in and its respective contribution towards the satisfying the injur'd honour of Gods Law For the honour of Gods Law is the equity of both its parts its command and its threatening Christs active Righteousnesse honours the equity of the first which man had dishonoured by his disobedience but the great God-man hath repaired the honour of Gods Commandments by yielding a most perfect obedience to every one of them and therein proclaimed the Law to be holy just and good Then Christs passive Righteousnesse in like manner honours the equity of the threatening for as by obeying he acknowledged Gods authority to make a Law and his unexceptionable righteousnesse in every single Branch of the Law made so by suffering he proclaimeth that man is bound to keep it or if he do not to beare the penalty He himself dyes to justifie that the sinner is worthy of death and offers himself upon the Crosse as a Sacrifice to the Divine Justice and hereby he hath proclaimed sin to be exceeding sinful and God to be so jealous a God as rather than sin should go unpunish'd and his justice want its glory the righteous eternal Son of God must be made an example what guilty man had deserved Thus God by two equal miracles of everlasting astonishment to be adored hath satisfied both his contending Attributes and rendred each of them Triumphant in making his righteous Son an example of his sin-avenging justice that guilty sinners repenting and believing might be made examples of his sin-pardoning-goodnesse In the second place as each hath its respective interest in satisfying the injur'd Law so neither of them can be anywhere severed from the other and those which God hath so indissolubly joyned let none part asunder for Christs active Righteousnesse was everywhere passive because all of it done in the forme of a servant for in our nature he obeyed the Law but in his very incarnation he was passive for therein he suffered an ecclipse of the glory of his Godhead And his passive Righteousnesse was everywhere active because what he suffered was not by constraint or against his Will no it was his own voluntary act and deed all along let me instance in the greatest of his sufferings his very dying was the product both of the freenesse of his love and the Majesty of his power John 10.17 18. Rev. 1.5 In the third place both Christs active and passive Righteousnesse what he did and what he suffered partake in common of the forme of â—atisfaction therefore they are both integral parts or joynt ingredients thereof for forma dat esse but this brings me to the second enquiry Query 2 What is the forme of Christs satisfaction or that which renders it satisfactory I answer the infinite merit of what he did and suffered which infinite merit stands 1. In the dignity of his person the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Col. 2.9 John 1.14 Now for the work of a servant to be done by the Lord of all renders his active and for him to suffer as a Malefactor between Malefactors who was God blessed for evermore renders also his passive righteousnesse infinitely meritorious no wonder the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin for it is the blood of God Acts 20.28 1 Joh. 1.7 And this is the Reason why the Righteousnesse of one redounds unto all for the justification of life Rom. 5.18 19. because his active and passive Righteousnesse is infinitely of more value than all that all the creatures in heaven and earth could have done or suffered to eternity the very man Christ Jesus is above all the Angels Heb. 1.6 for he is the man that is Gods fellow Zechary 13.7 And this infinite worthinesse of the Redeemers person you have excellently described as irradiating and infinitely exalting all he did and suffered Phil. 2.6 7 8 9. Heb. 7.24 25 28. 2. The active and passive Righteousnesse of Christ are of infinite merit because not at all due but
any other grace as love that then would have been currant and have justified us as faith doth now Fifthly God justifieth in a proper sense two ways first 5. How God As a Legislator secondly as a Judge 1. As a Legislator enacting by his Soveraign Authority that sweet and gracious Law of the New Covenant by vertue of whose tenor every sinner that believes is justified from the guilt of sin from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.38 9. This Law of justification by faith is Gods own act and deed the great Instrumentum pacis between God and man he hath proclaimed his Letters Patents the King of heaven and earth hath in the Gospel our Magna Charta given his Warrant under his own broad Seal that he that believeth shall not be condemned 2. As a Judge the God of heaven may in three respects be said to justifie a Believer First Forthwith upon his believing God owneth him secretly within himself as a person justified God esteems and approves of him as in that state unto which he hath by believing a title good in Law an indefeasible right a justified estate emergeth actually as soon as faith the Law-title thereunto emergeth as a necessary resultance by vertue of the tenor of the Gospel-Law which only justified vertually potentially and conditionally before every Believer in general but now actually absolutely and in particular it justifieth him as a Believer when he is so Secondly At the moment of dissolution God justifieth as the Judge of all the earth passing a private sentence and award unto everlasting life upon every believing soul Thirdly But eminently at the last day when the Ancient of days shall take the Throne and in open Court before the whole Creation by publick sentence for ever acquit and discharge Believers at that great and last Assizes 6. How Works Sixthly Shall I need to adde that Works are said to justifie us Jam. 2.4 because they justifie our faith or demonstrate before God and man and to our own consciences that our faith is not a dead and barren but a true and living one by its fruitfulness in well-doing 7. How the Spirit Seventhly But I must not forget lastly that the Spirit of God is said to justifie us 1 Cor. 6.11 and that two ways first directly by working faith in the heart which is one of the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Now Causa causae est etiam causa causati the Spirit justifieth as it is the Author of the justifying grace Secondly reflexively The Divine Spirit clears up justification to a Believers conscience by discovering the truth of faith by working assurance and by sealing a Believer to the day of Redemption The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God and if children then heirs c. Rom. 8.16 17. Thus I have at length done with my first Task the opening of the Point which finds it self summed up in this definition Justification is a judicial act of God as Law-giver and Judge of the world gracioussly discharging a Believer for the sake of Christs satisfaction from the condemnation of the Law of Works by the tenor of the Gospel-Law or New Covenant which requireth of accepte h from imputeth unto sinners faith in Christ Jesus as their righteousnesse see Rom. 3.25 6 7 8. Rom. 4.5 Phil. 3.9 To improve it now which was my other task by way of refutation I infer against the Antimonians first Vse Refut That justification is not from eternity 1. Because a person must be charged with guilt before he is justified or discharged but nothing can be before eternity if discharg'd from eternity when was he charged what from eternity too then he will be at once eternally charged with and discharged from guilt which if any excuse from a contradiction they are much wiser than I am 2. My Text convinceth them actual faith is not from eternity therefore not justification before God for if faith justifie us not before God but only at the bar of conscience then there will be no justification at Gods bar at all once mention'd in Scripture for works do it at mans bar what is it I wonder that justifieth from eternity Not Gods decree to justifie for then his decree to glorifie would make glorification from eternity too but Decreta Dei nihil ponunt actu in subjecto Gods decrees are immanent acts and passe nothing actually upon the creature 3. A justified person was actually under condemnation whil'st he was an unbeliever Rom. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already but he could not be at all condemned if justified from eternity 4. Saint Paul expressely affirms that the believing Corinthians were not once but now were justified 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus c. Secondly I infer against them that they are dangerously mistaken in thinking that a Believer is righteous in the sight of God with the self-same active and passive righteousnesse wherewith Christ was righteous as though Believers suffered in Christ and obeyed in Christ and were as righteous in Gods esteem as Christ himself having his personal righteousnesse made personally theirs by imputaâ—ion This is their fundamental mistake and from hence tanquam ex equo Trojano issue out a throng of such false and corrupt deductions and consequences as these That God sees no sin in his children that affliction and death are not proper punishments of sin to Believers that all future sins are already actually forgiven as well as past and present that a Believer must not pray for the pardon of sinne but only for the manifestation of it that God loved Noah when drunk Lot when so and besides incestuous David when acting Adultery and Murther Peter when he was cursing and swearing and denying Christ with as high a love of complacency and delight as when coâ—versant in the most spiritual exercises of grace that all which God requires as a sinners duty in the Gospel is to believe that Christ dyed absolutely for him in particular that this is alone true Gospel faith and the doubting or questioning this the unbelief which the Gospel so much condemneth that to argue our justification from our sanctification and gather assurance of Gods love from our love and fear of him is a Legal principle that obedience to Gods Commandments is not properly a Believers debt but that all the obligation which lies upon him to holinesse is only the voluntary expression of his love and gratitude to God not as what is due but what is comely And lastly for I should be tyred to name all that Christ hath kept the Gospel-Covenant for us as well as satisfied the Law So that not only our Legal righteousnesse is without us in Christ our Surety but our Evangelical righteousnesse it self also Now to pluck up all these desperate consequences by
is singularly attributed to Christ because he purchased our Adoption as well as our Regeneration Ephes 1.5 Tit. 3.5 6. The third ground is Divine glory which is the end of all Gods Works much more of such gracious Dispensations as are Regeneration and Adoption Ephes 1.5 6. Isaiah 43.21 The fourth ground is encouragement unto faith by the favours and priviledges vouchsafed unto Believers 1 Tim. 1.16 And these are more implied than expressed in the Text yet flow naturally enough out of it Use 1 1. Of Information About the sad condition of all unbelievers by rule of contraries Are all Believers Gods children c Then no unbeliever is a childe of God either by Regeneration or Adoption Not by Regeneration as having no life of grace which initially infused is the new birth And hence every unbeliever is First A dead man as dead in Law Joh. 3.18 dead in sin Ephes 2.1 dead under wrath and curse Joh. 3.36 Gal. 3.10 compared with Gen. 2.17 dead in expectation and fear Hebr. 10.27 Whoever hath not a part in the second Birth shall be sure to have a part in the second Death Secondly Unbelievers being not children of God can expect nothing from God as a Father Now the state of unregeneracy excludes them from both filiations for unlesse God be a Father by Regeneration he will be no Father by Adoption Nor can unregenerate persons be children by Adoption because they have no faith Hence they are Orphans and so helplesse for God will be no Father to such fatherlesse Children But are they altogether fatherlesse No verily therefore Thirdly They have woful parents namely sin and disobedience Ephes 2.2 wrath and curse Ephes 2.3 2 Pet. 2 14. and lastly Satan Joh. 8.44 who is also their God 2 Cor. 4.4 as God is the Believers Father Oh miserable wretches as destitute of an heavenly Father and more miserable as the woful children of most hellish and cursed Parents who have nothing to make over to them but sin and cutse and that they will do with a vengeance Use 2 2. Of Humiliation And that not only for profane Esau's who despise their birthright nor only for barely nominal and foederal children Deut. 32.5 19. compared with 1 Cor. 7.14 but even for such as groundedly call God Father yet carry not themselves as children to such a Father They are children of the greatest wisest and most Ancient King allude to Isa 19.11 yet walk not up to their principles as Regenerate Sons nor up to their priviledges as Adopted Sons as is evident by the following particulars 1. They think not of rejoyce not glory not in nor walk up to the dignity of Divine filiation but are mean-spirited and sink almost at every difficulty Isa 49.14 15. the natural Son of God did not so 2. They are palpably worldly as if they had no Father to care for them no hope nor portion but in this life Jerem. 45.5 Matth. 6.28 30. That worldlinesse which reigns in Natural men tyrannizeth too often in Regenerate men 3. They behave not themselves as Brethren of Christ and as Children of one Father compare Hebr. 2.11 with Ephes 4. ver 3. to ver 6. Malach. 2.10 How do Brethren fall out by the way how great is their difference when the matter of difference is so little what quarrelling about the hedge when both agree about the inheritance We all professe to believe the holy Catholick Church yet minde not the Unity of the Church but rather the promoting of a party and faction in the Church to the shame of Religion the scandal of the weak who by reason of our differences are puzled which way to choose and the opening of the mouth of the enemy May we not justly feare as one notes well that the neglect of true Religion and true Catholick unity is making way for Atheisme or for Popish Catholick unity Exhort and 1. Unto strangers Use 3 3. Of Exhortation And first unto strangers secondly unto children For the first Art thou an Alien Oh never rest till thou get into a state of Sonship and to this end 1. Be convinced of thy Orphanhood and hellish Filiation 2. Make good thy effectual vocation justification and reconciliation this is done outwardly by consciencious attendance on the Ordinances inwardly by the spiritual Baptisme and faith Gal. 3. ver 25. to ver 29. 2. Unto children Secondly If thou be a childe of God then 1. Evidence thy Sonship this is done by evidencing thy vocation 2 Pet. 1.10 and is necessary First In order to Gods glory Secondly In order to thy duty and comfort Thirdly In order to others conversion and edification neither of which will proceed to purpose without some comfortable evidence of thy filiation 2. Carry thy self as a child of God This will blow up the fire of grace light the candle of comfort and beam forth in thy conversation to the conviction conversion and edification of others To this end First Honour thy Father Directions Mal. 1.6 acknowledge and testifie his dignity and excellency This do 1. Negatively take heed of dishonouring God passively by omission What childe can see or hear his father wronged or converse needlesly with dishonourers of his father 2 Cor. 6.17 18. 2. Affirmatively dishonour not God actively by commission as David Peter and others did How many not only Bastards but genuine Children are either ashamed of or shame to their heavenly Father especially in evil company â—econdly Obey thy Father 1 Pet. 1.14 this flowes from the former and is part of the honour Children owe to their Parents Ephes 6.1 2. Colos 3.20 and much more we to our heavenly Father Hebr. 12.9 whose commands are all of them so holy equitable profitable compare 2 Kings 5.13 Thirdly Imitate thy Father Ephes 5.1 2. This flows from both the former and by it we do both honour and obey God Children are apt to follow their Parents in Naturals in Civils in Morals and if we be Gods children wee must walk not only with him but also like him 1 Joh. 4.17 2.6 Especially imitate God in endeavouring to bring many to glory Hebr. 2.10 Our imitation of God is a great part of our following the Lord Ephes 5.1 2. Fourthly Submit to his chastisements Hebr. 12.7 As afflictions piously born are evidences of our Sonship so the holy humble and fruitful bearing of them is our duty as Children Fifthly Depend universally upon Divine provision and protection casting all thy fears cares and burdens upon thy Father Matth. 6.25 1 Pet. 5.7 Psal 55.22 Faith is both the mother and nurse of Adoption Be not worse than thy own Child who can live without carking upon thy fatherly love and providence Sixthly Abound in filial affections as love delight and fear to offend thy Father Thy sin is exceedingly aggravated by the dâ—gnity of the party offended and offending as well as by Gods singular love to thee Lev. 4.3 13 22 27. 21.9 God may well say to
42.3 weak as a bruised reed through dimness and scantiness of knowledge as a building laid upon a weak or narrow foundation cannot be strong weakness of assent strength of temptations natural timorousness Rom 4.19 20. Act 6. suspiciousness and lowness of spirit In others it is strong and they are full of Faith as Steven having clear and large knowledge c. Both weaker and stronger may be considered either as Habitual in the root and principle or Actual as exercised toward Christ and the promises For the Definition or Description of Faith I shall not heap up words in mentioning many but take up with that full and excellent one of the late Judicious Assembâ—y in their larger Catechism that Christians may with more readiness and safety entertain it Description Faith is a Saving Grace wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God whereby he being convinced of his sin and misery and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of that lost condition not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the Gospel but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness therein held forth for pardon of sin and for the a cepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation It hath here for its Genus or general and common nature a Grace it being compared with Love Hope c. they herein agree The word Grace distinguisheth it from other Habits even good and vertuous that are acquired this is a Grace or gracious disposition or habit infused A Saving Grace to distinguish it from and set it above common Grace and make it one of those better things that accompany salvation Heb 6.9 The Subject is twofold Subjectum Recipiens Occupans 2. Subject Subjectum recipi ns The first the Subject receiving it or in which it is most ordinarily called the Subject and this is The heart of man a sinner elected and called 1. It is Man that believeth not Angels for of their Faith we have no ground to speak It is Man not God and the Spirit in us but man through them Yea Man singularly not of another but of him that hopeth for life the Just shall live by HIS Faith not by anothers 2. It is the Heart of man with the heart man believeth Rom 10.10 the Heart includeth Will and Affections it is not the Vnderstanding onely nor so much though that necessarily makes way Coming to Christ is a spontaneous motion of Will and Affections renewed and this is beleiving there is assent to things revealed as true and acceptance of things offered as good receiving Joh 1.12 embracing with suitable affections to the Revealer and things revealed 3. The heart of a man a sinner for man upright is not capable of this Faith which is in God through a Mediator Believing the word of another concerning restoral and reparation speaketh loss and decay acceptance of alms poverty Indeed Adam might and must thus far exercise Faith in beleiving and trusting God it belongeth to the first commandment that he continuing upright there would be a continuation of Gods love and his happiness but Faith apprehending the promise of God of acceptation through the righteousness of another necessarily speaketh man a sinner Rom. 4.5 as Justification which is by Faith is of the ungodly Rom. 11.7 4. The heart of man a sinner elected the election obtained it the rest were hardned Tit. 1.1 and therefore is it called the Faith of Gods elect Remarkable is that expression As many as were ordained unto life beleived Act. 13.48 and our Lord saith all that the Father giveth him come unto him Joh 6.37 and the Jews not believing was because they were not his sheep and therefore heard not his voyce 5. The heart of man a sinner elected and called is the Subject of Faith Rom. 10.17 Faith is by hearing it is the souls answer to and compliance with Gods call God vailing his omnipotency under and putting it forth with words of command Uncalled and unbelievers are the same and therefore calling is one of the links of the golden chain of Salvation Rom. 8.28 30. and goeth before Justification by Faith in which Call the Terminus â quo is Satan sin misery death we are called from and the Terminus à d quem we are called to Christ God Holiness and Life Subjectum Occupans Materiale The Subject about which Faith is employed or Object that which and in which we believe is not God immediately though primarily Heb. 6.1 but Christ immediately and the Promises which are in him yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 and God through Christ 1 Pet. 1.21 he that believeth not in the Son believeth not in the Father and he that hath not the Son hath not the Father Act. 20.21 Repentance is peculiarly referred to God and Faith to the Lord Jesus Christ Faith also and the Promises Heb. 10.23 or God through Christ promising are Correlates and of all Promises those that concern righteousness and life through the blood of a Mediator are the peculiar object Act. 10.43 1 Joh. 5.10 11. Believing the witness of remission and the recrod of giving eternal li e is mentioned it is called beleeving the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glad tidings in the Gospel promises of remission and salvation Mark 1.16 It is true that Faith doth believe and apply every word of God Some things reductively and secondarily are the object of Faith in a sequacious Spirit credulous to whatever is contained in Scripture as that Abimelech had a wife c. Gen 20. Some things are more directly the Word of God expressed and asserted in the History of the Bible yet being believed have not an immediate connexion with Justification and Salvation thereby But the grand testimony of and through Christ Faith as saving principally respecteth and as assenting in the mind looks upon the Promise as accepting in the Will and Affections respecteth Christ The ground on which we believe Formale called the Formal Object of Faith shall be referred to the Externally moving Cause to believe of which afterwards Of all Four Causes I shall speak in order 3. Causes Efficient Principal and first of the Efficient which is either Principal or less Principal The Principal Cause may be considered as that from which the beginning acting continuance growth and perfection of Faith do proceed and this is the Blessed Trinity or God the Father through the Son by the Spirit 1. The beginning root and habit of Faith is from God if of every a Phil 1.6 good work and b Jam 1.17 gift then this and therefore it is called the c Ephes 2.8 gift of God and to you it is d Phil 1.29 given to believe e Heb 12.2 Jesus also is called the Author this is wrought by the Spirit it is
only argument urged by John the Baptist and our Saviour Mat. 3.2 4 17. to enforce Repentance mercy apprehended animateth the miserable sinner to returne to God Israel mourned but made no returne untill Shecaniah cryed There is yet hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 The Assyrians put halters on their necks knowing that the Kings of Israel are merciful The Law shutting the door of hope may stir up grief and horrour but it staveth off Repentance sin seeming unpardonable sets the soule at a distance from God and sinks it in despaire whil'st the pardon proclaimed provoketh Rebells submission Nemo possit poenitentiam agere nisi qui speraverit indulgen iam no hope no help to repentance saith Saint Ambrose Repentance is argued from Gerhard meditat secund Exercitium poenitentiae ex dominica passione and effected by the death of Christ Mount Calvary is the proper Bochim the sufferings of a Saviour the sad comments upon sin the sighs and groanes of a Redeemer most rending to râ—gardlesse hearts and the sweat and blood of the Lord most soaking and suppling to an Adamantine soul but faith only apprehendeth and applyeth a crucified Christ Repentance the souls Pump is drie and distills no water untill faith poure in the blood of Christ and water of Gospel-promises so that Faith must precede Repentance as the cause to the effect the mother before the daughter for it must qualifie the true Penitent It is a mystery beyond the reach of nature that a Son should coexist in time with the Father but neither reason nor faith can allow a priority of the daughter before the mother I well know many Divines assert the precedency of Repentance unto faith but to my judgment it is more than probable yea positively clear that in order of time Faith and Repentance are infused together into the soul in order of sense and mans feeling Repentance is indeed before faith but in Divine method and the order of nature Faith is before Repentance as the Fountaine is before the Stream But it is objected that the order of Scripture doth set Repentance before faith so in preaching Mark 1.15 Mat. 3.2 Luke 3.3 Acts 2.38 3.19 And Repentance is required as the qualification which must entitle to the promises remission of sinne is onely offered to the penitent so that Repentance is the reason of faith and ground on which we believe sin is pardoned In Answer to this Objection I shall propound unto your Observation three Rules which make a full and ready resolution to it Rule 1 1. Order of Scripture doth not alwayes conclude order of nature in 2 Pet. 1.10 Calling is mentioned before Election yet who will deny Election to be first in nature for whom God predestinated them he also called Rom. 8.30 Again in 1 Tim. 1.5 Acts 15.9 The pure heart and good conscience is mentioned before faith yet none can deny them to be the effects of faith which purifieth the heart for to the unbelieving nothing is pure but their very minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 Rule 2 2. Humane sense is in many things the Dictator of Scripture order The Holy Ghost speaketh of things as they are obvious to our sense and capacity rather than as they are in themselves and their own order Hence it is that the promises of peace pardon and the like priviledges are propounded unto Repentance as a qualification obvious to our sense and evidencing our faith Faith and Election must be known à posteriori by their effects Repentance and Vocation and therefore are mentioned after them For though we Believe before we Repent we Repent before we know that we do Believe Rule 3 3. Misapprehâ—nsion of the nature of Grace doth easily lead into a mistake of the order of Grace Such as deem common illumination and conviction to be Repentance and Assurance of pardon joy and peace to be the formality of faith may very well place Repentance before Faith but such as understand the acceptance of Christ in order to pardon to be true and saving faith and a ceasing from sin and serious application of our selves to piety to be the formality of Repentance will plainly see that faith uniting us to Christ and deriving to us the efficacy of his death and sufferings that we may be holy doth Precede and must needs be the cause of true Repentance Let me then dismisse this Rule with this Note or Observation Note Faith in its existence and essential acts but without its reflexion fruits and effects is the foundation and fountain of true Repentance Such therefore on the one hand as apprehend and assent unto the History of the Gospel and are sometimes affected with and afflicted for their sin but do not accept of Jesus Christ as tendred to be Lord and Saviour do fix their Engine too low to force the waters of Repentance into the soul yet this Divels faith may produce a Judas Repentance for an Hypocritical Repentance is the result of an Historical faith And on the other hand he that seeks assurance of his sin pardoned as an argument of Repentance maketh the effect both cause and effect and concludeth himself into a condition not needing Repentance whilst he pretendeth to enforce it but the true frame of a Gospel Penitent is by saving faith to see salvation through the satisfaction of Christ our Saviour extended to sinners himself not excluded and so closing with accepting of and appropriating to himself the general tenders of grace and terms of the Covenant to prostrate himself at the feet of mercy and pursue his pardon untill by acts of sincere Repentance he assure himself his aimed at happinesse is attained and shall with certainty be possessed and so he experienceth in himself and evidenceth unto all others that the believing sinner is the subject of Gospel Repentance and now I passe to the third Conclusion considerable in the nature of Repentance Conclusion 3 Sense of and sorrow for sin as committed against God are the procursive acts of true Repentance True Repentance as most Divines determine doth consist in two parts viz. Humiliation and Conversion the casting down the heart for sin 2 Cor. 12.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 9.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the casting off sin A Repenting for uncleannesse and sin with grief shame and anguish and Repenting from iniquity Acts 8.22 and from dead works Hebr. 6.1 This distinction or rather distribution of Repentance is not only dictated by the denominations of Repentance which in the Hebrew is called Nacham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An irking of the soul and Teshubba A t rning from iniquity so in the Greek Metamelia After-grief and Metanoia After-wit and in the Latine Paenitentia and Resipiscentia the one expressing the sense and sorrow of the soul the other the retrogradations and returns of it from sin but the Scripture also doth clearly suggest nay speak out these distinct parts of Repentance Humiliation and Conversion
alteration of his will and affections that he shall not more disallow than detest the sinfulnesse of sin he no sooner seeth his iniquity but he loatheth himself because of his abominations sin was never so much the object of his affections as now it is the object of his passions what he before loved desired delighted in he now by Repentance hateth feareth envieth with David he hateth every false way and the very workers of iniquity if he be surprised by the difficulty of his estate or distemper of his minde with an act of sin he loatheth himself because of it and with Paul professeth I do the things that I would not do the very existency of sin in him is his intolerable burden Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of corruption is his out-cry death is desired because he would sin no more he would rather be redeemed from his vain conversation than from wrath to come penitent Anâ—elme had rather bein hell without than in heaven with his iniquity and therefore he yet recedes Thirdly Into an abstinence from nay actual resistance of sin he puts away the evil of his doings forsakes his way abstains from the appearances of evil he is now ashamed of what he hath sometimes acted with eagernesse he now preacheth the Gospel he sometime destroyed and blesseth the name he blasphemed he is not only restrained himself but he labours to reclaime others from iniquity nay not only is his hand with-held from sin but his heart is set against it his study is to mortifie his earthly members and his resolution that sin shall not raigne in his morâ—al body that he should obey it in the lust thereof he is careful to avoid all occasions and inducements unto evil he feareth to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof his hearty prayer is that he may not fall into temptation but be delivered from evil he resisteth all sinful assaults striveth against sin unto very blood his righteous soul is grieved for the sins of others all his complaint under sorrows is against sin his care is to be rid of sin his fear of falling into sin So that the Gospel-penitent maketh a perfect recession from sin all sin sin in its kinde not in its species or degree not only this and that sin but sin which is contrary to Gods Law and Image be it sin small or great natural and near allied unto him it is his care to keep himself from his own iniquity the sin of his complexion calling constitution or condition he will not indulge his right eye or right hand in opposition to Gods holinesse No pleasure profit or honour shall willingly hiâ—e him to the least iniquity the penitent eye judgeth sin by its complexion not its composition by its colour not by its weight he determines of it not by comparison with it self but its non-conformity to Gods Law so that if you say of any thing there is sin in it you have said enough to set the Gospel penitent against it for he is turned from all evil yet take along with you this cautionary Note that you run not into sinful despaire and despondency in observing your penitent Recession from sinne viz. Sins existency and sometimes prevalency Caution is consistent with a penitent recession and turning from it Sin may remain though it doth not raigne in a gracious soul Who is there that lives and sins nâ—t If we say sin is not in us we are lyars and the truth is not in us The righteous themselves often fall Noah the Preacher of Repentance to the old World becomes the sad pattern of impiety to the new World Penitent Paul hath cause to complain when I would do good evil is present with me Sin abides in our souls whil'st our souls abide in our bodies so long as we live we must expect to bear the burden of corruption sin exists in the best of Saints by way of suggestion natural inclination and violent instigation and enforcement of evil and so taking advantage of the difficulty of our estate and distemper of our minds it drives us sometimes into most horrid actions even Davids Adultery or Peters denial of Christ which of the Saints have not had a sad experience hereof nor must it seem to us strange for Repentance doth not cut down sin at a blow no it is a constant militation and course of mortification an habit and principle of perpetual use not action of an houre oâ— little time as we have Noted before it is a recession from siâ— all our days though sin run after us if once we be perfectly freed from sins assaults we shake hands with Repentance for we need it no more so that let it not be the trouble of any that sin is in them but let it be their comfort that it is shunned by them that you fall into sin faile not in your spirits let this be your support that you flie from fall out with and fight against sin the true penitent doth evidence the truth and strength of his Repentance by not admiting sins dictates without resiâ—â—ance not acting sins precepts without reluctance when he deviseth evil his minnde is to serve the Law of God and he approveth of that as good he doth what he would not the Law in his members rebels against the Law of his minde and leadeth him captive and therefore he abides not under sins guilt or power without remorse if he be drawn to deny his Master he goeth out and weepeth bitterly he is in his own eye a wretched man whil'st oppressed with a body of corruption nay he retireth not into sinful society without repining his soul soon thinks he hath dwelt too long in Meshech and in the Tents of Kedar the wicked are to him an abomination whil'st then any soul maintaineth this conflict and so visibly disalloweth what he sometime doth he may safely say it is no more I but sin that dwelleth in me for his servants you are to whom you yield your selves servants Rom. 6.16 and comfortably conclude that as a Gospel-penitent he turneth from all sin and that is the first part of the formality of Repentance the second naturally followeth and that is Second part of conversion Reversion to God a reception of God God and God only becomes the adequate object of Gospel Repentance man by sin hath his back on God by Repentance he faceth about all sin doth agree in this that it is an aversion from God and the cure of it by Repentance must be conversion to God when God calls for true Repentance it is with an if thou wilt return O Israel return unto me Jer. 4.1 and when Repentance is promised it is promised that the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse Hosea 3.5 And when they provoke one another to Repentance it is with a come let us return
our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and perfect holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 The whole work of the Gospel is to carry on and compleat Repentance this is the profit to be reaped by every Ordinance the Word preached perswades Repentance thâ— Sacraments received stir up and seal Repentance the communion of the Saints carrieth on the work of Repentance Exhorting one another daily lest any be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin Hebr. 3.13 The Gospel is the great Charter of our priviledges purchased by Jesus Christ and they all run into this Repentance this is the benefit by Christs death Resurrection and Ascension this is the fruit of the Spirit of Adoption Zech. 12.10 it is a Spirit of prayer and mourning over him whom we have pierced in brief Repentance is the contract of the Covenant of Grace the Law cannot give it and the light of nature cannot give it only the Gospel can effect it the Covenant of Grace confers on us an accesse to and communion with God as our God not as we are innocent for we are guilty of the breach of the first Covenant but as we are penitent sorrowful for and turned from the evil of our ways so that in this respect we must needs conclude Repentance is a grace of great necessity we reap no benefit enjoy no priviledge of the Gospel but by Repentance the mystery of Redemption Christs Incarnation Death Resurrection Ascension and Exaltation and all the Ministrations of the Gospel are in vain to the impenitent 3. Most pregnant Arguments perswading to Repentance are proposed in and by the Gospel this is light so powerfully convincing that all others which past before it is but darknesse in comparison of it whether it be the light of nature making known sin as it is specifical and particular contrary to certain standing dictates not in its contrariety to the image and holinesse of God and that without any clear and certain way of escape and Repentance or the light of the Law which layeth men under full plain and clear conviction even unto self-condemnation but coucheth the pardon and possiibility of Redemption under such dark figures and expressions that with much difficulty it may direct and provoke Repentance but in the Gospel the Sun of r ghteousnesse shines brightly unto conviction and self-condemnation nay unto speedy and chearful conversion There is no Argument in Nature or in the Law to enforce Repentance but it is urged in the Gospel I and much more doth Nature stir up Repentance by sins inconveniency to mans state or the Law by sins incongruity to the holy just and good command of God the Gospel doth the same nay and further addeth its inconsistency with that estate intâ— which we are resolved by the Redemption of Jesus Christ and so it presenteth us with two most pregnant Powerfully Convinc ng and Perswasive Arguments unto Repentance such which no Professed Religion in the World it self excepted doth propound and they are these 1. The death of Jesus Christ. 2. The day of Judgment The first Argument propounded in the Gospel to perswade Repentance is The death of the Lord Jesus Christ This is an Argument potent in operation to every true believer faith doth no sooner touch the hem of its garment but it cureth like the bones of Elisha quickens the dead man that is but let down into this Grave and pregnant in perswasion to every rational soul that is but candid and ingenuous It is storied of Antonius the Senator of Rome that he intending to provoke the people to râ—venge the death of Caesar slain at the Senate by Brutus and Cassius brought out his bloody Robe and cryed out Here is the bloody Robe of your Quondam Emperour Thus the Gospel presents to our faith a crucified Christ and slain Saviour slain for and by our sins that we may look on him whom we have piâ—rced and mourn over him that we may see him whom our lusts have slain and be revenged on them by Repentance The contemplations of a crucified Christ cannot but constrain Repentance Mount Calvary is a place of heart-melting to every ingenuous soul that makes it his walk for that it presents unto his observation a man nay more than a man a God under the most grievous sufferings not for his own but the sins of others exposed unto that sad estate not by any constraint or necessity but his own choice pity and compassion in whom we reads these three heart-moving Repentance-provoking considerations viz. 1. The great severity of offended justice and fury provoked by his iniquity Here he seeth the vilenesse of his sin and fiercenesse of Gods anger who would not nay in justice could not spare man without satisfaction he had said it and now seeth it executed In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Here is furious justice which falls fearfully on a Surety a Mediator and fierce fury that favours not a Son an only begott n Son Surely sin is hainous greatly provoking to God that his displeasure thus rageth It is sure a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God who makes the Son of his love thus roare out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh Impiety horrid Impiety that cannot be expiated by any thing but the very heart-blood of God! O fury fearful fury that forsakes a Son only become a Surety for sinners what pensive thoughts must needs arise in the serious observer of this sad spectacle especially when he proceeds to the next consideration which is this 2. Great love and pity of a Saviour who willingly endureth these sad sufferings out of choice not constraint for the sins of others not of himself Oh unconceivable love ineffable pity that we sinned and he thus suffered he left glory to be exposed to shame he undertakes an Atonement and Reconciliation between God and man and endure h infinite fury to effect it no guile was ever found in his mouth whose soul undergoeth this grief the debt was ours and he payeth the utmost Mite for us All we went astray and on him was laid the punishment of us all Isa 53.3 4. he is wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our sins and that whil'st we were sinners that slighted and rejected him Greater love can no man shew than to dye for his friend but behold here is matchlesse love whil'st we were yet enemies Christ gave himself for us These Torments we must have endured to Eternity if they had not been inflicted on him 3. We here see the gracious acceptance we have with God the great liberty of accesse to God which is to us afforded the wrath of God thus poured forth on his Son is pacified towards sinners and the Covenant of Works being thus accomplished is abolished and man that was at distance from God draweth nigh unto him for this crucified Christ was thus lifted up that he might draw all men unto himself
and is exalted to give remissiâ—n of sin and Repentance and to consecrate us unto himself a peculiar people These Lessons and every of them are written in such legible Characters in the death of Jesus Christ that he that runs may read them and each of them are pathetical perswasions to Repentance whil'st they are read by any seriously observant soul they reflect these serious and pensive thoughts How vile is mine iniquity that hath provoked so great severity and exp sed my Surety to so much misery how great peril was my soul in which is râ—deem d by so great a price how dangerous those wounds which are only cured by the death of the Chyrurgion how dissonant to holinesse and daring to justice is that sin which but imputed exposed the only begotten Son of God to be deserted by his Father how fierce that fury which could not be appeased without suffering it must needs be fearful to fall into the hands of an angry God for how will he fume at the servant that thus frets at his Son how will he tear the Principal that thus tormenteth the Surety how shall God punish us for our own sins who is so wrathfully displeased with his Son for other mens sins Oh what shall be the sufferings of the Reprobate if these be the sufferings of his dearly beloved needs must fraile man sink under the burden of Divine fury when the God of Angels needed the support of an Angel If my Repentance will avenge the quarrel of my suffering Saviour shall I not do it if Repentance will rescue me from wrath to come shall I not performe it had I not better weep a few days here then in hell for ever and the rather for that I weep not without cause nor mourn without hope The sin was mine the sorrow my Saviours the transgression mine the satisfaction my Sureties Oh the depth of his pity that endured this for mine iniquity What he endured for a time I must have endured for ever if in him the Father had not been well-pleased Shall that be my delight which cost my Surety so dear Shall I call on the Lords Name or be called by the Name of Christ and not depart from iniquity was Jesus Christ thus broken for me and shall not my heart be broken for and from sin hath he R deemed me from this wrath to come and shall he not Redeem me from my vain conversation shall I expect Remission and not accept repentance through his blood Oh what reason have I to return to God and glorifie him with my soul and body which are his for he bought them at a price and a deare price his own blood he hath consecrated a way of access unto the Father through the vaile of his own flesh but shall I dare to approach not having my heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and my body washed with pure water he is reconciled but shall I againe rebell I am healed shall I againe sin a pardon is to me extended shall I not receive it with a pensive and prostrate soul Thus then we find that there is much of strength in this Argument even above a thousand Arguments to enforce Repentance if but right reason keep the Throne what reply can be made or reason rendred why the call of the Gospel should not be obeyed whilst it pleadeth with so much clearnesse for our repentance from the consideration of the death of Christ But the second Argument urged by the Gospel to induce us to repent is the day of judgement 2. Argument to enforce repentance The former Argument doth assault our affections this our passions that the soul may be surrounded with suggestions unto repentance and if either the one or the other are under the command of right reason the design of the Gospel may not miscarry the dread of the day of judgement drives the Ministers of God to Preach and perswade repentance Knowing the terrours of â—he Lord we perswade men saith the Apostle for that we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive according to the things done in the body according to that he hath done in the body whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 11. This is sure a profitable proper Argument to perswade repentance which provokes unto the Preaching of it and therefore the same Apostle doth in Acts 7.30 31. urge it but now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent for that he ha h appointed a day wherein to judge the world in righteousnesse c. And this Argument is so pregnant and profitable to perswade repentance that it is urged by John the Baptist The Kingdome of God is at hand therefore repent nay the axe is laid to the root of the tree and every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit must be hewen down and thrown into the fire therefore bring forth fruits meet for repentance Matthew 3. and very often by the Lord Jesus himself This is so proper an Argument to enforce repentance that it is noted to be set at a distance to the thoughts of the impenitent they live as having made a Covenant with death and an agreement with hell Isa 28.15 put farre away this evil day it is noted that the Doctrine which increaseth ungodlinesse denieth the resurrection 2 Tim. 2.16 17 18. And such as walk after their own lusts are scoffers at the day of judgement 2 Pet. 3.3 4 5. And it is to be observed that those in Athens who repented not at Pauls Preaching mocked when he made mention of the resurrection and last judgement But certainly there is much in the day of judgement to move the hardest heart and most stubborn sinner to repentance the same Spirit which is to convince the world of sin and of righteousnesse convinceth also of judgement for the day of judgement answereth all the sinners pleas whereby he defendeth and encourageth himself in sin for it assureth of certaine detection and conviction of sin It is a day which alloweth not the least encouragement from secresie for therein every mans deeds must be made manifest whether they be good or evil nay the very secrets of all hearts shall be laid open and sinful thoughts themselves must then be judged the day of judgement determineth a period to all impiety and denieth the duration of its props and Pillars profits and pleasures in the world determining all the advantages of sin to be at the best but pleasures of sin for a season calling on rich men to howle and weep though they live in pleasure on earth in James 5.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. The day of judgement assureth of the punishment of the wicked however they scape scot-free in this life and by their present power Gods patience and humane strength they evade and escape many evils which befall the godly yet they are but reserved to this day of vengeance and this is the day in which the wicked must appeare Cursed and manifesteth
that it shall not go well with the wicked this day of judgement is the day of recompence to the righteous wherein it shall be made manifest it is not in vaine to serve God or walk mournfully before him the iniquities of the penitent shall not be found when sought for but appear blotted out of Gods remembrance for that if there be in the soul any sence of sin and fear of judgment this is one eminently forcible argument to perswade repentance shall men continue in sin which shall erelong be laid open to their shame or pursue the pleasures which shall shortly end in perplexities and not rather judge themselves that they may not be judged by the Lord Thus then the Gospel doth by plain and powerful arguments call unto repentance and witnesse its necessity But yet again The most powerful helps conducing to Repentance are afforded by the Gospel and thereby it calls most loudly to Repentance leaving us altogether without excuse and sealing us under inevitable condemnation in case we do not repent the Gospel affords the fulnesse of knowledge for the enforcement of Repentance ignorance and unbelief those bars and locks of impenitency are broken open the Gospel opens the blinde eyes and turnes us from darkness to light makes all men from the least to the greatest to know the God that is offended to be a God of jealousie that will not endure iniquity he is a consuming fire to the hypocrite in Zion The Law that is violated is just holy and good the guilt contracted is so contrary and provoking to justice that in it there is no possibility of approach to God that therefore Christ is exalted a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance before Remission of sin Repentance is a free gift conferred by the Covenant of grace signified and sealed in Baptism Christ Jesus the Donor we need but ask and have the death of Jesus the efficient cause of Repentance it is wrought by union with the same so that the Gospel makes us to see the necessity nature next way method and order of repentance we cannot now plead we knew not what it was to repent where or how to gain repentance or that there was so great a need of it The Gospel helps us to the Spirit that worketh Repentance The Ministry of the Gospel is the Ministry of the Spirit this awakeneth the most sleepy conscience and shaketh the most rocky heart this makes Herod heare John gladly and the Jews to rejoyce in his light this makes Foelix himself to tremble and Simon Magus to fall down like lighâ—ening none can continue impenitent under the Gospel but by quenching the Spirit grieving the Spirit nay with rage resisting the Spirit and counting themselves unworthy of salvation The great work of the Gospel is to send forth the Spirit to convince the world of sin Act. 13.46 7 51. righteousnesse and judgement and the Spirit by the Gospel works conviction unto very opposition with rage and violence and malicious attempts to extinguish its light and destroy the Ministers that publish it if it do not convince unto conversion and repentance hence the sin unpardonable constituted say some but I am sure compleated by impenitency is called blasphemy against the Spirit for and by reason of its spite and rage against the Gospel We see then that the Gospel teacheth repentance as its maine doctrine offereth repentance as its prime priviledge urgeth repentance as its chief duty and enforceth repentance as its only end and so loudly calleth unto repentance that we are bound to the obedience of the Gospel as the last of Divine instructions and after which we must expect no direction to our happinesse but this must stand as the high aggravation of impenitency as a sin against the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus Christ the death sufferings resurrection of the Son of God the Covenant and Spirit of grace Repentance is absoultely and indispensably necessary So that in order to the antiâ—ipation of divine fury and answer of the call of the Gospel we see the necessity of repentance And this is the second general Head propounded which give me leave to dismisse with a brief but plaine rebuke and blame unto the sinful demeanour and carriage of men in the world demonstrating an insensibility of this indispensable necessity of Repentance and it consists in two things viz. the Contempt Of Repentance Neglect Of Repentance 1. Note of insensibility of repentance The sinful carriage of men evidencing their insensibility of its necessity is the contempt of Repentance whereby men scoffe at repentance despising all calls thereunto scorning it as a base and contemptible melancholy humour below the spirit of men they live like men in Covenant with hell and at an agreement with the grave who need no repentance and therefore make their hearts hard and necks stiffe become obdurate and rebellions to all calls to repentance approve themselves a scornful people nay scoffers at the Doctrine of the Gospel and day of judgement which calls them to Repentance In the haughtinesse of their spirits they 1. Disesteem the mercies and common providences of God which should lead them to repentance They say not in their hearts Let us feare the Lord our God that giveth rain both the former and latter in its season and that reserveth to us the appointed weeks of the Harvest Jer. 5.24 but despise the patience and long-sufferance of God which should lead them to repentance 2. Decline nay despise the Word of God when preaching repentance they will not hearken to the sound of the Trumpet Jer. 6.17 have line upon line yet will not heare Isa 28.13 Nay pull away the shoulder and stop their eare lest they should hear Zech. 7.11 3. Disregard the judgements of God denounced or inflicted upon others for their warning all that God doth to treacherous Israel never affects or frightens treacherous Judah to make her return Jer. 3.10 The falling of the Tower of Siloa and Pilates mingling the blood of men with Sacrifices may occasion censorious thoughts Luk. 13.1 2 3 4 5. these were worse sinners than others but never any serious reflections that unlesse we repent we must all likewise perish Obdurate children never relent at their Brethrens correction nay when threatened themselves they blesse themselves in their heart and say We shall see no evil though we go on to adde drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 By their stubbornnesse they tire and stay Gods correcting hand with a Why should you be smitten any more you revolt still more and more Isa 1.5 4. Are desperate and daring in their impiety sinning with an high hand and brazen face with utmost resolution Come say they we will fetch wine and fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and more abundant Isa 56.12 are not ashamed when they commit abomination nor can they blush Jer. 6.15 they sin as Sodome not so much as seeking to hide their iniquity Isa
Gospel from being Preached if possible he would blow out the light and hinder men from hearing but chiefly from understanding if our Gospel be hid it is hid unto them that perish the eyes of whose minde the god of this world hath blinded lest the light of the gl rious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 And when God brings to repentance he breaks these barres of ignorance he pulls off these scales of blindnesse and begins with the understanding true grace begins alwayes at the renewing of the mind the transforming of the mind to know the good and acceptable Will of God is the formality of the Gospel-grace true repentance Rom. 12.2 And the knowledge of God being the princâ—ple of it is put for repentance They shall know God Hos 2.20 and God will be known by the Egyptians Isa 19.21 are the promises of repentance There can be no conviction of a contrariety to God where there is not a right conception of God and affection must follow apprehension ignoti nulla cupido how can we fear God or his goodness if we do not know him what reason of return to God when men know not his holinesse offended justice provoked power irresistible mercy in pardoning iniquity It is a seeming faire Apology for Pharaohs obduracy Who is the Lord that I should let Israel go The work of the Gospel is to open the blinde eyes in turning from Satan unto God the enquiry of Saul is first Lord who art thou Act. 9. then What wouldest thou have me to do Did men know who it is they sin against they never durst be so bold Study therefore the nature of God acquaint your selves with his Attributes his Holinesse Power Justice Mercy and the like Your soules will never be drawn from sin or driven into a course of true repentance untill God become your dread 3. Help to repentance Thirdly Sit close to the work of self-scrutiny be serious in self-examination no man sits so fast in impiety as the stranger at home none so soon run upon their ruine as the regardlesse of their accounts This is a remedy of Gods immediate prescription Commune with your hearts is on your beds Psal 4.4 Search and try your wayes and turn unto the Lord Lam. 3.40 Judge your selves Mat. 7.1 When we approach his Table where we are eminently to act repentance the whole work of preparation is resolved into self-examination 1 Cor. 11.28 Nay this is a receipt transmitted to us with a probatum est thus by David Psal 119.59 I examined my wayes and turned my feet into thy Testimonies And when the Prodigals wits returned to consider his wickednesse he would home to be a servant where he had been and might have been a son Gods rod is but a calling us to reckon with our own souls he never reasons with any by correction that read their own estate in his instructions You have heard before that conviction must go before conversion mans conscience is a Register which will bring to remembrance and Judge that will clearly determine of mans wayes the worst of men by a short conference with their own soul would soon see a necessity of repentance censure others lesse and your selves more enquire not into other mens condition so much as your own Conversation let no day return without accounts be serious in self-examination Fourthly Sit loose to the world 4. Help to repentance the world is the great pull-back to heaven and hinderance of repentance you may observe the reason the Rebellion and impenitency of Ezekiels hearers was their hearts went after their covetousnesse Ezek 33.31 otherwise they took delight to hear That sad sentence A Camel may sooner go through the eye of a Needle than a rich man enter into the Kingdome of heaven was occasioned by a rich mans refusal of Christ his call to repentance Matth. 19.20 Riches choak the work and lift up the heart too high great men in the world think they live above all reproof for Tyrus-like they set their hearts as the heart of God Ezek. 28.6 and think to live without controle he that loves the world finds when called to repentance he is loth to leave pleasures it is hard to renounce riches it cuts deep to despise Wife Children Father Mother Friends and deare Relations he cannot but be dismayed at reproach and sufferings sin is the common property of the world the things of this world is the recompence of impiety they that sin highest ordinarily succeed most yet this is the great stumbling stone of the godly the world makes David almost repent his repentance Psal 73. They that will follow God must be strangers to the world true Penitentiaries must be pilgrims in the earth Fifthly See the shortnesse of life 5. Help to repentance and limitaton of the day of grace Hopes of long life and thoughts of repentance at pleasure help many a soul to hell our life we must consider is but a bubble a blast a shadow gone before it well appeare in which there is no certainty our time is in Gods hand he hath numbred our dayes but to which of us hath he declared the number hath he given any man a legible Lease of his life have the youngest strongest most healthful among us an assurance of to morrow and doth not eternity depend on the well-husbanding of this uncertain time is there any remembrance of God in the grave or repentance among the dead doth not death determine the eternal estate of men Dives eyes cannot distiâ—l one tear in hell though he call to Abraham for mitigation of torments never so much as begs the pardon of sin no that is too late see we not men pensive and sad at the thoughts of death Chrysostome hath told us the cause of the fear of death is because we live not in the austerity befitting Christianity but lead dâ—licate and voluptuous lives Could we make every day our dying day it would quicken us to repentance Hilarion never had a to morrow and when he comes to die he hath the comfort of it Oh my soul get thee out of this house of clay what dost thou fear Septuaginta pr pe annis servivisti Christo mortem tim s Hast thou served Christ almost seventy yeares and dost thou now feare death If we will live for ever we must die dayly if we will not defer repentance we must not determine to our selves any other time than the present Again if we know our time in nature who knoweth the date of the day of grace It is a limited day but the bounds thereof are not pub ished that to day whilst it is called to day we may hearken to his voice Heb. 4.4 7. lest he sweare in his wrath we shall not enter into his rest A season of salvation is allotted to the sons of men the old world had its day Jerusalem had her day every of us have our day
but his choice and option if he be plagued with Eternal death 't is no other than that which he prefer'd before Eternal life The Lord sets life and death before us as by Moses the typical so by Christ the true Messiah if we will choose Christ and accept of him we may have Eternal life if not we must be sure of Eternal death he that refuseth the Eternal weight of glory in one end of the scale chooseth Eternal punishment in the other end as our first Parents did choose the curse by their voluntary refusing of the blessing which bad choice of theirs laid obnoxious unto Eternal pain both themselves and their posterity who cannot complain of God for inflicting the death they are by corrupt nature liable to sith besides their choice in their first parents and in their own persons they who live under the Gospel have as great a mercy tendred by the second Adam as Eternal death is a grievous punishment yea the Atheist who as 't was said of Antiochus Epiphanes takes more pains to go to Hell Buntings Itinerarie than some others to go to Heaven must confesse that he deserves his wages of Eternal death as his Pay sith he hath toyled and drudged all his life long in the Devils Service only to fit himself for misery 3. The Schoolmen have observed from the Philosopher Aquia Supl. Q. 99. Art 1. that the punishment ought to be levied according to the dignity of him against whom the offence is committed He is more severely punish't who gives his Soveraign a box on the ear than he that does so to his equal Now wicked men and that without Repentance sin against the Eternal God by the violation of his Honourable Law which he resolves to magnisie Isa 42.21 And as they ought not in their own case so they are unqualified to be competent Judges of their Own offences sit'h they cannot see the thousandth part of that evil there is in the least sin and therefore unfit to apportion the punishment which ought to be levied by the Judge of all the World who knows what is meet Gen. 18.25 and will do nothing but what is right proportionable to the offence committed against the supreme Majesty Peccatum in Deum crimen laesae Majestatis Adsit Regula peccatis quae paenas irroget aequas Horatius for where there is satisfaction required there must be proportion which would not at all be here in this case without some kind of infiniteness and because that cannot be found in any meer creature in value it must necessarily be in duration for if after millions of years it could ever be said the damned had fully satisfied Gods justice it might be said they shall be set free as the prisoner from the Goal having paid the debt Luk. 12 58 59 a thing impossible but because the sufferings of the damned which are all the satisfaction they can give infinite justice in regard of the subject being finite Ex parte subjecti and consequently not of nifinite value they must be so in duration at least à parte post as to the future for the defect of satisfaction in the temporal finite punishment of any meer creature Excep If it be excepted Excep neither by the Eternal punishment of men is Gods justice satisfied for then this punishment would not be Eternal Contradictio in Adjecto which is a contradiction in the very thing it self if ever it could be said of Gods justice now 't is satisfied Repl. I Reply 1. Let it be very well considered Repl. whether Gods iustice being infinite and consequently an essential Attribute in God doth not require from man upon his delinquency that satisfaction which is of infinite value Infiniti valoris he the party offended being essentially of infinite dignity Now such a satisfaction i. e. of infinite value could only be made by Christ who being the Surety of the Covenant and suffered in our stead is God-man in one person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 20.28 and gave plenary satisfaction unto God John 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 Rom. 3.25 2. Though Eternal punishment may not be called a satisfaction made or given to the party offended yet 't is that which the party offending must ever be in making or giving Parti laesae by the order of the Supreme Judge who is to hear the cause and apportion the punishment to the fault because he the delinquent wanting that infinitenesse in dignity of person which doth bear a proportion to the dignity of the party offended must make this up by an infinite duration of punishment which may perhaps in some sort be termed satisfaction performed to the Law it being the payment of the whole in the obligation Satisfactio legi praestita Peysolutio totius quod est in obligatione for upon defailance of paying the debt of duty and obedience what more is required of the debt of penalty and suffering to be paid Debitum officii Debitumsupp li cii than death in its full latitude temporal spiritual and Eternal so that in this respect 't is no error to call it satisfaction but if we speak of a compleat satisfaction made to the party offended Parti offensae it must be granted that none but the only Son of God did or could give it thus for the first great impediment pretended in regard of the Subject Or 2. It is because there is a possibility of freedom from the Prison of Hell and then this must be either by Covenant and Compact which whoever affirms proferat tabulas for 't is fan y not faith which believeth any such thing without the written Word Or by commutation and what place for such a fancy Is any so absurd as to think there are any in Hell who belong to God and in Heaven who belong to the Divel that there should be matter for such a Chimaera such a strange fiction Or by force and what were this but to over-power Omnipotency Or by fraud and what were this but to out-wit Divine Wisdome and to put a trick upon him whose understanding is infinite Or by a price paid and what is it that offending man can lay down as a sufficient compensation or satisfaction to an offended God who is infinite for the injury done unto him which God should accept of 1 Sam. 2.25 Godw. Rom. Antiq. l. 1. Sect. 2. â—â— Ephes 5.6 is hard to fancy and woful experience if nothing else will may convince vain man that 't is impossible to procure Or by manumission now this doth belong only to obedient servants not to châ—ldren of disobedience Or 3. The impediment is because there is an impossibility in regard of the subject as is pretended of undergoing torments of an eternal duration by a finite creature Ex parte subjecti and therefore all the Hell Socinians c. grant Socinus Racov. Cat. Crellius Bidle Richardson c.
a place for them to which * Luk. 13.28.29 they shall come from the East and from the West from the North and fâ—om the South and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdâ—me of God and this to raise the appetites of their faith and hopes when a Supper of so many thousand years preparation is the entertainment they are invited to And so I come to the second Part of the Text and that is the admission into this prepared Possession Come ye blessed of my Father c. When a Kingdome is proposed every man is ready to be catching at a Crown but therefore our Saviour tells us it must be had by inheritance that is the title by which we must be admitted * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inherit as the Jews had Canaan divided and apportioned to the several Tribes by * Numb 26.55 lot so some too curiously and boldly adventure to assign to every Saint a Mansion bigger than the whole earth which is true indeed in this sense in regard immensity and God himself is the * Psal 16.5 lot of their inheritance but it is an inheritance in regard 1. There is a claim made to it only by the new-born and first-born of God and so by right of birth except * John 3.3 a man be bâ—rn again cannot see the Kingdome of God the spirit of a slave cannot manage the Scepter of a Prince nay they that look to sit on Thrones of glory with Christ * Mat. 19.28 must follow him in the regeneration of the body * 1 Cor. 15.36 that must dye ere it be quickned * 1 Cor. 15.50 for flesh and blood in corruption moral or * Exod. 33.20 natural cannot inherit the Kingdome of God which made the * Moriar ne moriar ut te videam Aug. confessii Father cry out Oh then Lord let me dye lest I dye that so I may see thee Now if an unregenerate body cannot enter much lesse an unregenerate soul An infamous person * Turpis persona Myns in instit in the Civil Law may be excepted against as not fit to be an heir and shall the Laws of men be purer than the Laws of God If the pure in heart * Mat. 5.8 only can see God here in reflections and * 1 Cor. 13.12 through a glasse darkly then surely they must be without * 2 Pet. 3.14 spot or wrinkle who must see him face to face Heaven is entailed upon holy souls 't is their birth-right for no other but * Rev. 22.14 they that keep the Commandments of God have right to eat of the Tree of life or enter in through the Gates into that Jerusalem and vision of peace 2. They inherit by right of Adoption for Christ is heir and we heirs of his righteousnesse and so co-heirs of his glory and * Rom. 8.17 hâ—irs of God if sons then heirs now we are the sons of God by Adoption Regeneration makes us not perfectly holy and so not perfectly sons and so not heirs and therefore we * Gal. 4.5 1 Joh. 3.1 2. receive the Adoption of sons and being called to be we are sons and if sons then heirs for if a son be passed by in his Fathers Will and not named and a reason of the passing of him by the Testament is invalid in Civil Law when anoâ—her is made heâ—r and God his nature and love transcends all the compassions of men and is a greater obligation than any Laws among them so that if thou canst make it out that thou hast the spirit of Adoption thou art as sure to inherit this Kingdome as thou mayst be sure thou art not by name excepted from the inheritance in the Gospel of Christ which is his Will and Testament 3. 'T is inherited by right of Donation and Gift * Luke 12.32 Fear not lâ—ttle flâ—ck it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdome and though the wages of sin be death and men are but justly rewarded therein for their demerit yet * Rom. 6.23 eternal life is the gift of God and it is not such a gift as is a salary or stipend for our work * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pay for our service for * Luke 17.10 when we have done all that we can we are but unprofitable servants and deserve nothing unlesse it be to be * Luke 12.47 beaten with many stripes It is not an honorary gift as he that had lost an Arme in Battel his Commander General gave him an Arme of gold as an honourable reward of his service but alas * Matth. 5.47 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What singular thing can we do to emerit any thing at Gods hands when the more we do we are the further from merit in regard we are the more indebted to our Master who gave us the opportunity and grace to performe it Nor is it an Eleemosynary gift of charity such as we extend to poor fellow creatures for that is but a piece of justice and self-love if we have that in abundance which others want to relieve them Every act of charity is but a piece of equity a paying of our debts for we are to * Rom. 13.8 owe every man love but God ows us nothing nor is he bound to pity our poverty which we have by our own default contracted on our selves but this gift of God is a meer * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratuitous act of bounty and grace but when it is promised and given then it is but an act of justice to grant possession and so the title is inheritance but by way of free Donation 4. By right of Redemption they may be said to inherit for under the Law the next of Kin was to redeem a sold or morgaged possession accordingly Christ took our nature upon him Ruth 4.5 that he might be of our consanguinâ—ty he became * Gal. 3 13. a curse for us * 2 Cor. 5.22 was made sin that he might ransome penitent believers from the curse and * Hebr. 7.25 having satisfied to the utmost and * 1 Cor. 6.20 bought us with a responsible price he hath right to give his sheep * John 10.28 eternal life and therefore it is calâ—ed * Ephes 1.14 the purchased possession In Law he that buys a slave may dispose of him as he please by his will accordingly Christ hath made hâ—s will to dispose of all those he hath bought * John 17.24 Father I will that where I am these may be also And so they are heirs by Will and Testament of him that took upon him the right of Redemption Now I come to the second thing in the second general and that is the heirs of this inheritance described in these words Ye blessed * Patris est benedicere of my Father 't is the Fathers work to blesse his Son and when Isaac blessed
His sin is entailed on all his seed 137 138. transmitted by imputation p. 139 and 140. made ours without any impeachment of Gods justice p. 141. by generation not imitation p. 142 143. hurt received by him must quicken the acceptance of the second Adam p. 145. his sin will not be our acquittance p. 148. Advantage great by systems and modules of Religion p. 16 17 18 19. Adoption its kinds p. 436. its name explained 437. Divine differs from humane Adoption p. 438. Adoption presupposeth Vocation Regeneration and Justification p. 438. it entitles to God Christ and Heaven ibid. Adoption the properties p. 439. and priviledges of it p. 440. Adoption is different from Regeneration yet not divided from it p. 446. Adoption an effect of faith p 469. Affections unruly cashier'd when we come to heaven p. 650. Angels their service to the Lord Jesus Christ p. 323 324. not confirmed not reconciled by Jesus Christ as Mediator p. 338 339. Antinomians refuted p. 423 424. Apparel of Saints in heaven p. 652. 653. Atheisme three sorts Vita pag. 51 52. Voto pag. 51 52. Judicio pag. 51 52. Assent to Gods being and bounty ground of Addresses to him p. 30. Assurance an effect of faith p. 472. B. Bars to communion with God three and how removed p. 272. Barring sinne imports punishment p. 346. Belief of Gods being the foundation of Religion p 30. fountain of obedience p. 54. Belief of Christ to be the Son of God is not easie p. 66. Believing sinner the subject of Gospel-repentance p. 489. Believers their dignity and duty pag. 433. Believers united to Christ. p. 278. Believers whom p. 379. Believers persons graces and duties relate to Christ. p. 395 396. Birth-right despised is dreadful p. 448. Blessedness of mans-natural rectitude p. 111. Blessed estate of the New Covenant p. 254 259. Blessed how said of the Saints p. 664 665. Bodies of Saints re-united to souls p. 657. Bodies of Saints and sinners differ at Resurrection p. 591 592. Body of man subject to Gods wrath p. 184. Body it s very self-same substance shall be raised p. 591 592 593. It s prime endowments at Resurrection p. 593 594. Bodily infirmities shaken off in heaven p. 651. Blood of sin to be shed for the blood of Christ p. 296. Bowing at the Name of Jesus what it means p. 321. by whom to be done p. 322 323. C. Cause encourageth to suffer p. 2 3. Captain encourageth contest ibid. Calling effectual p. 353. what it is and how wrought p. 357 358. Called who p. 359. few p. 360. by what ib. from what causes p. 361 362 363. by what means p. 365. to what end p. 366. when p. 367. Call is holy ib. heavenly p. 368. without noise p. 370. immutable p. 371. Care accompanieth true r pentance 541. Case of man fallen helpless by nature 207. Catechismes commended 21. Children of God by Regeneration and Adoption 435. Children of God their carriage directed 448 449 450. Christ is Lord how 330 331. a good Captaine 2 3. Christ is truly God 266 267. and truly man 268. God and man 269. Christ and promises not God the immediate object of saving faith 460. Christians changes three 557. Christian Religion reasonable 483. Come ye blessed what kinde of speech 666 667. Command to Adam and Covenant of works 122. Complaints against God charmed 267. Compassion to brethren sheweth a sense of our own natural weakness 215. Communion an evidence of union with Christ 385. Conditions in order to mans Redemption between God the Father and God the Son p. 222 223. Conquest of enemies an effect of Faith 470. Conscience proveth that there is a God 43 44. Conscience engendreth fear 46 47. Consent of Nations universal and perpetual proves that there is a God 48. Confession of sin a part of Repentance 509 510. How to be made 511 512 513 514. Conviction wherein it consists and how it acts 493 494. Contrition wherein it consists 496 497. Conversion its parts 502. Crown of Saints in heaven what 654. It s threefold wreath 655 656. Covenant what it means 123 124 235. Covenants in Scripture 235. Covenant Natural what it is 236. Legal what it is 237 238. Evangelical what it is 239. Covenant an act of condescention in God 130. Imports Gods promise and mans duty 239. Gods dealing with Adam in Paradise how and why called a Covenant 125. Covenant of Works wherein it consists p. 126 127. How and why given by Moses 128 129. Israel was not under it ibid. Men out of Christ yet under it 130. Covenant of Redemption what it is and between whom 216 217 218 219. It is to be particularly improved by Believers 230 231 232. It confirms the Covenant of Grace its blessings 228 229. Covenant what 233. Gospel Covenant the best of Covenants 235 239. Covenant of Works and Grace are to be differenced by men 131. Covenant of Redemption different from Covenant of Grace 218. Creation the work of God 31. Man created holy and mutable 105. Creatures execute Gods wrath on man 189. Themselves liable to Gods wrath 190. Creeds Apostles Athanasii Nicene c. justified 20. Curse of the Law due to man by nature 181. Cure of faln man Omnipotent 208. D Death of Christ its kinde manner and grounds p. 283. The Reasons thereof 290 291 292. Death of Christ a sacrifice and only so possible 342. Deserving cause of Christ his death 345. Death of Christ was in our place and stead 347. Diligence in duty and readinesse to dye for Christ but a reasonable recompence for his death for us 297 299. Christ dyed willingly obediently and humbly 287 288 289. Death of Christ a pregnant Argument to Repentance 528 529 530. Death destroyed by the death of Christ 303. Desire accompanieth Repentance 544. Dependence on God the duty of such as believe God is 60 61. Divel an enemy to Faith 481. Divels subject to Jesus Christ 326 327. Divel limited by Christ 328. Doctrine of Trinity to be prized 82. Dominion of Saints 442. E Elect dead in sin before called and poor in the world p. 359. Entrance of sin into the world what and how 136. Enemies of man foiled by the death of Christ 301. Entertainment of Christ 434. Epistle to the Romans a Module of Religion 8. to the Hebrews 9. to Galathians ibid. Ephesians 10. Timothy and Titus ibid. Errors are obviated by a Module of Religion 12 14. Errors about Repentance 55. Error in fundamentals inconsistent with Faith 480. Morning Exercise when it begun and how profitable it hath been 23 24. Duties towards it 25. Extremity of hell torments by their inflammation fire and preparation and association with Divels 628 629 630 631. Eternity the property of hell torments 632 633. Evidences of eternal life laid down in a Module 15. Exaltation of Christ opposed to his Humiliation 306 307. It s priority to his humiliation as a merit or meer antecedent discussed 308 309. it was exceeding high 311. Exaltation of Christ by three
in dignity offices and dominion the priviledge of Adoption 441. Love of God Father and Son manifest in the Covenant of Redemption 227. Love of Christ in his death 293. and union with Sinners 386. Love to God the evidence of Faith concerning his being 55 56 59. Losse of all good the paine of Hell Natural 625 626. Spiritual 625 626. Eternal 625 626. M Mans composure of body and powers of soul prove that there is a God 41. Man comprehends the whole species of such a creature 106. Man made mutable though holy and why 113. Man is depraved 〈◊〉 sinful 111. Mans misery by sin 173 174 175 p. 176. Man not Angels subjects of Faith 455. Mediator needful 263 264 265. Mediator of the Covenant of Grace who 241 261. Mediator one named man and why named Christ Jesus and why ib. Mediator is Christ and none but Christ 265 266 c. Mediator comfortable in all conditions giving man confidence of accesse to God 254 255. Misery inevitable to such as despise the Mediator ib. Merit of Christ the ground of Adoption and Regeneration 447. Method in Sermons necessary and profitable 22. Means of Repentance 546. Ministry needful unto Faith 483. Ministers must be burning and shining lights 1 2. Ministers must suffer affliction ib. Mixture of grace and sin is in the best men 167. Mutability the meer cause of mans sin 112. Mutability of mans created estate was just and necessary 113. Mutability attended mans Happinesse as well as Holinesse p. 114. Mutability and its sequel must lead us to God for confirmation 119. N Name of Christ part of his Exaltation 315 what it is 316. how it is above every Name 317 318 319 320. how Christs Name was given by God 320 321. Nature by three Arguments proveth that there is a God 30 31. Natural Agents by their operation proveth a God 42. Natural conscience proveth a God 43. Nature stained with Adams sin 151. Nature without Divine revelation discovereth not a Trinity nor yet opposeth it when revealed 77 78 79 80 81. Nature of God well studied a special help to repentance 547. New Covenant better than the old 243. Nobility no cause of boasting 145. Notes of repentance 539 540. O Object External could not necessitate man to sin p. 112. Object of New better than of the Old Covenant 251. Obedience in Subjection to Commands Submission to Providence The duty of such who believe God is 63 64. Offence at preaching Gods anger against sin is groundless 192 193. Offices of Christ fit him to be the only Mediator 271 272. Offices of Christ communicated to the Saints 441. Old Covenant abrogated 252. Opposition of Christ consistent with subjection to Christ how 327 328. Sin Originale originans discussed 135 c. Originale originatum discussed 150 151 c. Original sin is a defection 112. Original how said of mans pravity 155 156. Original sin is hard to be understood 134. Original sin confirmed by counsel 144. Acknowledged by Heathens ib. Original sin is called man and old man in what sense p. 157 158 159 160 161 162. a body and a body of sin 162 163 164. Original sin hath polluted mans nature 151 152 153. Original sin is to be subdued 170. Original sin to be conf ssed and bewailed 165. Original sin imbitters all worldly comforts 171. Ordinances argue original sin in mans nature 153. Ordinances means of union with Christ 383. P Pain in Christ his death 285 286. Pardon of sin freely given how 425 426. Parents beget their children in their own image 151. Parents good yet children by nature evil 152. Parents care for posterity quickned by the miscarriage of the first Parent of us all 147. Parents childrens looking glasses by which they dresse their lives ib. Penitent must be humbled and why 498 499 450. Peace a duty and blessing to be pursued 556. Peace an effect of Faith 47. Pelagius the first opposer of original sin p. 144. Person in the Godhead what it is 69. Persons in the Godhead three 70. Plurality of persons in the Godhead proved 71 72 73. Persons in the Godhead distinguished not divided 75. their order declared 76. Person promises properties and providences of Christ all belong to believers 393 394. Persecution of Saints a crimson sin 386. Perseverance of Saints certain 387. Pleading at Gods bar necessary to justification 404. Plea of not guilty can never procure justification at Gods bar 405. Popish Repentance false 515. Pravity and inbred corruption what it is 155. the parts of it 156. Pravity and a naughty nature is in every man 150. Pravity of the nature of man evidenced by Scripture 151 152 153. Salvation of Christ 151 152 153. Sacraments 151 152 153. Sad effects 151 152 153. Prayer an help to repentance 552. Prayer answered an effect of Faith 469. Prayer its extent and encouragement p. 262. Preparations of heaven how from the foundation of the world 660 661. Preparation to last Judgement characterised 617 618. Priestly office of Christ and its parts 272 273. Price of the soul of Christ his death 298. Price paid for man was not idem but tantundem 425. Principle and cause two distinct things 69. Principles good and bad two distinct blasphemous to assert 112. Promises were made to Christ on the account of his satisfaction for mans sin 209 300. Promises of Justification Sanctification Resurrection Eternal life The Promises of the better Covenant 240 241. Promises of temporal mercy better under the New than under the Old Covenant 248. Protestant doctrine of the imputation of Christs righteousness defended 387. Profane repentance what it is p. 516. Prosperity of profane no plea against Deity 50 51. Q Quakers repentance vile false and wicked 518 519. R Reason and sensation evince the Divine authority of the Scriptures 90. Revelation from God admitted by all and reason it should 88 89. Revelation not to be received untill cleared to be of God ibid. Rectitude is conformity to a Rule 107. Rectitude of Adam by Creation was of the whole man understanding will and sensitive appetite 109. Rectitude natural and not natural to man how 111. Regeneration explained 442. it s Synonimas 443. it is defined ib. Regeneration compared with natural generation 443 444. they agree in cause subject and manner of production ib. 445. disagree in properties 446. Religion making known Christs satisfaction most excellent 350. Relations of men subject to Gods wrath p. 187. Relation to God reason of comfort and duty 436. Repentance not to be repented explained 485. In its Nature 487. Necessity 520. Notes 539. Next way to it 546. Repentance defined 487. Repentance is a recession from sin and return to God 502 503 504 505. Return to God the second part of Conversion 506 507 508. Repentance seven false kinds 515 516 517 518. Repentance contemned when 334 335 336. Repentance neglected when and with what issue 537 538. Resurrection possible and credible 579 582 583 584 585. what it means ib. who to be
raised 480. to be believed 581. reasons of it 586 587 588 589. Resurrection the effect of the New Covenant and union with Christ 388. Resurrection after what manner and with what difference 591. how effected p. 593. it is to be believed 595. a ground of comfort ib. 596 597 598 599. a ground of terror 560. how made happy to our selves 603 604. Revenge accompanieth repentance 545. S Sacraments in the Old Testament were various and many 122. Tree of life a Sacrament in Paradise ibid. Sacraments prove corruption of nature 153. Saints are good company 3. Salvation by Christ an Argument of original pravity 153. Salvation the end of Faith 473. Salvation difficult 482. Sanctification Covenant priviledge 14. Satisfaction of Christ explained 337 339 340 341. its Matter 408 Form 412. Terms 417. Satisfaction not made by man himself 407. but by Christ 408 409 410. and how done 402. Satisfaction of Christ the only plea to procure justification at Gods bar ib. Scripture the Word explained 86. Scripture proves a God 48. Scripture similitudes shew the union between Christ and Believers 384. Scripture only discovers mans natural pravity 151. Sea its course and confinement proved a God 35 36. Secret sins discovered by natural conscience 44. Sense of Scriptures power on the soul prove them Divine 98. Sense of sin and sorrow for it are precursive parts of true Repentance 492. Sense of a short life helps to Repentance 349. Self sinful to be studied 168. Self examination an help to Repentance 548. Severity of Gods justice 295. Sense its pain in hell 626. Constituted by Real presence of all evil Impression of justice Personal Feeling 627 628. Sentence of last day 614. Sight of things invisible an effect of Faith 471. Sin to be feared and fled from 643 644. Sin a defect nothing positive 112 113. it is most unreasonable p. 114. subjects man to an impotency of saving himself 115. justifieth God in punishing man 116 117. should rather be gotten out than inquired how it came into the world 113. Sins evil seen in Christ his death 294. Sin better discovered by the New than Old Covenant 250. Sin abolished by Christ his death 302 303. Sin is imputed inherent extensive diffusive 165. Sin may exist and prevaile in a true Saint 505. Sin mortified by the Spirit 389. Sinner elect and called the subjects of Faith 460. Shame was in Christs death 206. Sensible sinner subject of true repentance 489. Society in heaven what 658 659. Sons of God partakers of the whole essence of the Father is the same numerical nature 66. 67. Sonship to God is by Creation 435. Generation 435. Marriage 435. Adoption 435. Sonship by Adoption Honourable 437 440. Free 437 440. Permanent 437 440. Sonship to God marks of it p. 453 454. Sorrow and humility usher faith 476. Soul of Christ suffered 410. Souls in heaven subject to Jesus Christ 324 325. Spirit of God in man a signe of union with Christ 389. Spirit of God justifieth how 422. Spirits evil shall be chained when Saints go to heaven 652. Speed facilitates repentance 452. Sting of conscience a note of Deity 45. Sting in Christ his death 286 287. Study of Scriptures a duty 99 100. Suns scituation and motion proveth a God 33 34. Sullen repentance what 518. Systems of Religion profitable for Ministers and people 5. they instruct in the faith antidote error 7 12. Adorn the truth 16. help the understanding 17. the memory 18. affections 19. such are found in Scripture 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. to be studied by young Divines 21. T Temptation of Satan did not necessitate man to sin p. 112. Things in heaven subject to Christ what 323 324. Things on earth subject to Christ what they are 325. Things under the earth 326. Every Tongue what it means 329. Terms of Covenant between God the Father and his Son 225. Torments of Hell Exquisite Intolerable Easelesse Remediless Universal and various 629 630 631. Tryal of last day shall be 1. Universal 2. Formal 3. Impartial 4. Exact 5. Perspicuous 6. Supreme 610 611 612. its consequence 613. Trinity proved by Old Testament text 72. New Testament 74 75. Turning from all sin to God is the formality of true repentance 50. U Union of two natures in Christ without confusion or transmutation 270. Union of believers and Christ necessary p. 377. what kind it is not 379. what kind it is 381 382. its causes 383. grounds 385. its marks 389 390 391 392. it is to be sought by sinners and improved by Saints 396 397 398 399 400. Unbelievers miserable 48. not Gods sons 447. Vocation its twofold estate 437. Vocation a Resurrection a new Creation 361. W Will of God signified in a rule of rectitude 107. Witness from heaven differs in six particulars from witnesse on earth 67 68. we have both to prove Christ the Son of God 66. Word of God declareth his wrath 181 182 183. World visible its being and parts 31 32. World an enemy to faith 481. to be slighted by â—aints 549. Works their use in point of Covenant 126 127. how they justifie 422. Wrath of God what and how aggravated 177 178 179 180. falleth on man here 184. fully at the day of judgement ibid. sheweth his justice and wisdome p. 193 194 195 196. it is to be avoided 197 198. Y Yoak of the Law borne by Jesus Christ 280 281. Z Zeal Negative p. 2. Affirmative p. 2. Zeal accompanieth true Repentance 544. FINIS
and so are all sicknesses and miseries the tendencies to death of sin's making for God doth not afflict willingly no not to a bare grieving of the children of men Lam. 3.33 but as it follows in Adam all dye 1 Cor. 5.22 2. The sinful effects 2. As the experiences of misery so of the abounding of iniquity attest this there must be a root of bitternesse where there is so much bitter fruit Our Saviours question Does a man gather figs of thornes it may in this case with the same strength of reason be inverted Does any man gather thornes of a fig-tree or thistles of a vine if our nature be yet so sweet and good whence do the unsavoury fruits of vanity and rebellion in the youngest ones that I do not say of blasphemy and impurity whence do these grow why must young ones be so long under the menaces and rods of their Parents and Masters and as the event testifies all too little too to restrain them from undoing themselves and damning their immortal souls is not vertue as amiable as vice if we did but look upon them indifferently can there be more said for the ways of sin than for the ways of God which are pleasantnesse its self c and why then hath God so few and the world nay sinne and Satan so many servants They that converse with children or are any way concern'd in their education can set to their seal that this is true how often do they see puerum zelà ntem if not worse wilful and obstinate children folly so deeply bound in their hearts that the rod of correction can hardly drive it out Prov. 22.15 I shall omit many other Arguments which might be brought for the further evidencing of this pollution in us but I know it is not their number but their weight that is considerable And I hope by these God will reveal so much of his light that we may see and be convinced of our own darknesse The second thing more generally concerning this subject to be considered is 2. What this corruption and spiritual pravity is what this corruption and inbred pravity is There are many names which Scripture and Antiquity have given unto it those which the Antients call it by you may read more largely in Aug. contra Julianum lib. 1. cap. 2. By him or about his time it began to be call'd original sinne which word we shall henceforth more frequently use for though it be not found in Scripture yet that which we intend by it being so clearly grounded on Scripture the name cannot distaste any who have not a quarrel against the thing no more than the name of Trinity or Sacraments and the like 1. From its name And in these too conveniunt rebus nomina there is good reason why 't is so call'd For 1. 'T is call'd original sinne because 't is in every one from his original it may say to every one as soon as thou wert Rivet in synops Theol. I am Or 2. Because 't is derived from Adam the original of all Man-kinde out of whose blood God hath made us all Acts 17.26 Or 3. Because 't is the original of all other sinne it is the seed and spawn out of which they all grow this is that lust which when it hath conceived bringeth forth sinne James 1.15 As for Scripture names Chemnitius in his Common place upon this subject reckons up above twenty whereby it is called in the Word of God I shall not insist on any besides those which I shall have by and by out of this Text to speak unto Which I should be too much prevented in if I should set down any certain definition of it to be here explained besides what every one may gather from what hath been already said only I cannot but mention those three things which make up as it were this original sinne and into which Anselm divides his definition of it 1. There is in original sinne the absence of original righteousnesse 2. And parts it consists of which is the image of God in which he made man at first for he makes him upright and all his workmanship when looked over is exceeding good 2. There is present in man its contrary image that is unrighteousnesse concupiscence c. A heart evil and only evil vitious habits even before there were vitious acts as afterwards a man hath the habits of grace infused before he acts graciously This souls disease is like unto those of the body where there is not only a privation or absence of the former good constitution but a present indisposition c. And though original sinne be not actual yet 't is active actuosum though not actuale The flesh lâ—steth against the Spirit and sinne worketh all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 To understand these things the better we must know 1. That the soul of man cannot be indifferent to or altogether without either of these images or likenesses it hath either the image of a holy God or of a sinful man upon it to think that it is rasa tabulâ— like white paper without any thing good or bad written in it is but a Philosophical fiction which Scripture no where owns and Christianity every where explodes there are but two Cities made out of mankinde Aug. de Civitate Dei Jerusalem and Babylon there will be but two sorts at the last day Sheep and Goats and unto which should these neuters or indifferent ones belong 2. As none can be without one of these images so none have both of them A mans soul cannot be as some artificial picture representing on the one side a beauty on the other side a Monster light and darknesse God and Mammon Christ and Belial are too much opposite to enter into any fellowship or agreement in his soul No but 't will be ask'd whose image and superscription in the singular number thus too hath it 3. And as by this sin there is both the absence of Gods image and the presence of his enemies that is man by it is not what God is holy c. and is what God is not unholy c. so thirdly in this sin is considerable that debt which man owes unto Divine Justice to satisfie for this hâ—s irregularity God might require that man should make him satisfaction for this injury and 't will be exacted of all men out of Christ It is no small crime to break the seal to throw away the image and picture of any Prince or Soveraign Now as the former ingredients into this sin made us altogether sinful so this consideration makes us by nature altogether miserable And thus I have spoken to this subject i' th general and more by way of common place I shall now confine my self in that which is behind to speak of it only under those notions which this Text affords As 1. 'T is called here our Old man 2. The body of sinne 3. This is that also which
procured purchased the price paid received God cannot now recall it Use 5. Study the death of Christ and eye it as the great pillar of your faith in troubles of conscience and settle your selves upon it OF EFFECTUAL CALLING ROM 8.28 To them who are called according to his purpose THe sacred Scriptures are a Paradise or Garden of delights This Epistle to the Romans is a most curious and artificial knot in that Garden this Chapter is the richest division in that knot furnished with sweetest flowres of Consolation antidoting the remnants of corruption that there are in our hearts and the various afflictions that we meet with in the World This Verse that I have read unto you is the fairest flowre in that Division for what can sooner revive a drooping soul than to be assured that all things shall work together for good We saith the great Apostle do not think imagine conjecture but know partly by Divine Revelation partly by our own experience that all things not only all Gifts Graces Ordinances but all Creatures all Providences all Changes Events Occurrences even those things that appear most formidable Homo oppugnans Ferus Diabolus insidians the persecutions of men the temptations of the Divel shall work not singly and apart it may be but together for good For good Yes but it is unto those that be good Hands off wicked and profane wretches you have no part nor lot in these heavenly consolations Away base Swine to your sties to your muck and mire these pearls are not for you Out ye Dogs to the garbidge that lieth upon the Dunghill the childrens bread is not for you We know that all things shall work together for good unto those that love God why so because they are called according to his purpose so Paraeus expoundeth the place and with him I perfectly agree Isa 14.27 That which God hath purposed shall not be frustrated The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and whe shall disannul it his hand is stretched out and who shall turn it back What man will suffer his purposes those purposes that he taketh up with best advice and most mature deliberation to be disappointed if he have power to accomplish them the holy purposes of God as they are ordered and directed by infinite Wisdome so they have infinite power to bring them to passe so that if I can say God hath a purpose to save me I may securely smile at all the attempts of men and devils against me and if I can say God hath Effectually Called me I may be sure God hath chosen me and hath a Purpose to save me for all the links in the golden Chain of salvation are even wrought not one of them wider or narrower than another if God have Chosen he will Call if God Call he hath Chosen Once more if I can say I love God I may be sure I am Called for I cannot love God except I have some acquaintance with him some sense and experience of his love towards me So then all our consolations are ultimately resolved into the Purpose of God this is the basis and foundation of them all that Purpose appeareth by our Effectual Calling and that Calling appeareth to be Effectual by our love to God Hence the conclusion is certain That all things shall work together for good to them that love God to them that are Called according to his Purpose But I forget my self you have heard in former Discourses under what a sad soul-killing disease poor man laboureth in his natural condition you heard likewise of a Soveraign remedy provided in the blood of Christ I am now engaged to speak to the application of that remedy in our Effectual Calling This Effectual Calling according to Saint Augustine is ingressus ad salutem our entrance into a state of salvation the first step whereby God his predestination descendeth to us and we again ascend to the glory predestinated The Doctrine I present from my Text may be this There are some persons in the World that are Effectually Called or which is all one which are Called according to the Purpose of God There is a Call of the Gospel that is not Effectual of this our Saviour speaketh when he saith Many are Called but few are Chosen How many of the poor Ministers of the Gospel may complain of multitudes in this generation saying with the children that sate in the Market place Luke 7.32 We have piped unto you and ye have not danced we have mourned to you and ye have not lamented Neither the delightful airs of mercy nor the doleful dities of judgement have moved you but the Election will certainly obtain and the Call that is according to Gods Purpose reacheth not ears only but hearts also The houre is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God John 5.25 This work of grace is presented to our view in a various dresse of words in the Scriptures it is sometimes a teaching sometimes a drawing sometimes a conversion sometimes a regeneration and all these in divers respects which I cannot stand to unfold Gratia prima Praeveniens Operans In the Schools it is the first grace preventing grace operating grace among Divines of the Reformed way it is an Internal and Effectual Call Vocatio Alta Efficax after the minde of St. Augustine When it is offered to our consideration under this notion it presupposeth two things 1. That natural men stand at a distance from God we do not use to call those that stand hard by us this was once the condition of the Ephesians Ye sometimes were far of sometimes Ephes 2.13 when surely in the time of their unregeneracy far off from whom from Christ from the Church from God and consequently from themselves but how could they be far off from God Zanchius not in spaces of place for God filleth all places with his presence as to his Essence and providential works he is not far from every one of us Acts 17.27 for in him we live and move but as to their hearts and affections all natural men are far from God God is not in all their thoughts they do not know him fear love and delight in him they do not breath after communion with him even when they draw nigh unto him with their lips their hearts are far from him If it sometimes happen that we call those that are at hand then usually they are such as are asleep sin is a deep sleep of the soul and as sleep bindeth all the senses of the outward man so sin all the powers of the inward a man under the dominion of sin can do nothing for God neither can he enjoy any thing from God it may be he dreams of great satisfactions he receiveth from the worlds dainties but when he awaketh his soul is empty Or further if they be not asleep they are such as mind something else than he would have them All