effect the fruit the benefit of his Conception Birth and of the wonderful union of the two natures of Christ may be all thine What dost thou hope in Jesus and believe thy part in this Incarnation of Christ why then pray in hope and pray in Faith what is prayer but the stream and river of Faith an issue of the desire of that which I joyfully believe 2 Sam. 7.27 Thou O Lord God of Hosts God of Israel hast revealed to thy Servant saying I will build thee an house therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this Prayer unto thee 2. We must praise This was the special duty practised by all Saints and Angels at Christs Birth Luke 1.46 Luke 1.68 My Soul doth magnifie the Lord saith Mary and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour And blessed be the Lord God of Israel said Zachary for he hath visited and redeemed his People and Glory to God in the highest said the Heavenly Host only one Angel had before brought the News Luke 2.11 unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord but immediately after there were many to sing praises not only six Cherubims as Isaiah saw nor only four and twenty Elders as John saw but a multitude of Heavenly Angels like Armies that by their Heavenly Hallelujahs gave Glory to God O my soul do thou endeavour to keep consort with those many Angels O sing Praises sing Praises unto God sing Praises Never was like case since the first Creation never was the wisdom truth justice mercy and goodness of God so manifest before I shall never forget that last speech of a dying Saint upon the stage Blessed be God for Jesus Christ O my soul living and dying let this be thought on What Christ incarnate for me why bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in reference to this great transaction of his Incarnation Looking to Jesus contains this and is the cause of this the sight of God will make us like to God and the sight of Christ will make us like to Christ for as a Looking-Glass cannot be exposed to the Sun but it will shine like the same so God receives none to contemplate his face but he transforms them into his own likeness by the irradiation of his light and Christ hath none that dive into these depths of his glorious and blessed Incarnation but they carry along with them sweet impressions of an abiding and transforming nature Come then let us once more look on Jesus in his Incarnation that we may conform and be like to Jesus in that respect But wherein lies this conformity or likeness to Jesus I answer in these and the like particulars 1. Christ was conceived in Mary by the Holy Ghost so must Christ be conceived in us by the same holy Ghost To this purpose is the seed of the Word cast in and principles of Grace are by the Holy Ghost infused he hath begotten us by the Word saith the Apostle Jam. 1.18 James 1.18 How Mean Contemptible or Impotent Men may esteem it yet God hath appointed no other means to convey supernatural life but after this manner Where no Vision is the People perish where no preaching is there is a worse judgment than that of Egypt when there was one dead in every Family By the Word and Spirit the Seeds of all Grace are sown in the heart at once and the heart closing with it immediatly Christ is conceived in the heart Concerning this spiritual Conception or Reception of Christ in us there is a great question Whether it be possible for any man to discern how it is wrought But for the Negative are these Texts Our Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 and the Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth Joh. 3.8 It is a wonderful hidden and secret Conception The holy Ghost sets out that state of unregeneracy in which Christ finds us by the name of Death Eph. 2.1 So that it must needs be as impossible for us to discover how it is wrought as it is impossible for one to know how he receives his own life Some say the first act of infusing or receiving Christ or Grace they are all one is wrought in an instant and not by degrees and therefore it is impossible to discern the manner And yet we grant that we may discern both the preparations to Grace and the first operations of Grace 1. The preparations to Grace are discernable such are those terrours and spiritual agonies which are often before the work of Regeneration they may be resembled to the heating of metals before they melt and are cast into the Mold to be fashioned now by the help of Natural Reason one may discern these 2. Much more may the first Motion and Operations of Grace be discerned by one truly regenerate because that in them his Spirit works together with the Spirit of Christ such are sorrow for sin as sin and seek rightly for comfort an hungring desire after Christ and his Merits neither do I think it impossible for a regenerate man to feel the very first illapse of the Spirit into the Soul for it may bring that sense with it self as to be easily discerned although it doth not alwayes see nor perhaps usually see it is true that the giving of Spiritual Life and the giving of the sense of it are two distinct acts of the Spirit yet who can deny but that both these acts may go together though alwayes they do not go together Howsoever it is yet even in such Persons as in the instant of Regeneration may feel themselves in a regenerate estate this Conclusion stands firm viz. They may know what is wrought in them but how it is wrought they cannot know nor understand we feel the Wind and perceive it in the motions and operations thereof but the Originals of it we are not able exactly to describe some think the beginnings of Winds are from the flux of the Air others from the exhalations of the Earth but there is no certainty so it is in the manner of this Conception or passive Reception of Christ and Grace into our hearts we know not how it is wrought but it nearly concerns us to know that it is wrought look we to his conformity that as Christ was conceived in Mary by the Holy Ghost so that Christ be conceived in us in a spiritual sense by the same Holy Ghost 2. Christ was sanctified in the Virgins Womb so must we be sanctified in our selves following the Commandment of God Be ye holy as I am holy Souls regenerate must be sanctified Every man saith the Apostle that hath this hope in him 1 John 3.3 purifieth himself even as he is pure I know
Cross But hast thou taken the same course with the body of sin that the Jews did with the body of sin hast thou arraigned it accused it condemned it and fastened it to the Cross hast thou arraigned it at the Bar of God's judgment accused it by way of humble and hearty confession condemned it in passing the sentence of eternal condemnation upon thy self for it and fastned it to the Cross in beginning the execution of it in setting upon the mortification of it with a serious and unfeigned resolution to use all means for its mortifying and killing why then be not disheartned it may be thou feelest it stirring and strugling within thee and so will a crucified man do and yet in the eye of the Law and in the account of all men that see him he is a dead man surely so is the body of sin when it is thus crucified though it still move and stir yet upon a Gospel-account and in God's estimation it is no better than dead and it shall certainly die it shall decay and languish and die more and more is not the promise express He that hath begun the good work Phil. 1.6 he will perfect it to the day of Jesus Christ Of this Paul was confident in behalf of his Philippians and of this let all true Believers rest confident in respect of themselves Thus far we see wherein we must conform to Christ viz. in his Graces in his Sufferings and in his Death For the Query what is the cause of this conformity I answer The death of Christ is the cause of this conformity And that a fourfold cause Eph. 5.25 26 27. 1. It is a meritorious cause Christ's death was of so great a price that it deserved at God's hands our conformity to Christ Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that by his death he might sanctifie it and cleanse it and present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish 1 Pet. 2.21 2. It is an exemplary cause He suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps he died for us leaving us an example that we should die to sin as he died for sin we may observe in many particulars besides those I have named a proportion analogy and likeness betwixt Christ's death and ours Christ died as a servant to note that sin should not rule or reign over us Christ died as a curse to note that we should look upon sin as a cursed thing Christ was fast nayled on the Cross to note that we should put sin out of case yea crucifie the whole body of sin Christ died not presently yet there he hung till he died to note that we should never give over subduing sin while it hath any life or working in us 3. It is an efficient cause it works this conformity by a secret virtue issuing from it Thus Christians are said to be engraffed with Christ in the likeneâ—s of his death Rom. 6.5 Phil. 3.10 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of a passive signification importing not only a being like but a being made like and that by a power and vertue out of our selves so the Apostle elsewhere interprets That I may know him and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Not conforming my self but being made conformable by a power out of my self But how then is the power of mortification attributed to men as Quest Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.24 Mortifie ye your members which are upon the earth And They which are Christ's have crucified the flesh I answer there is a twofold mortification the one habitual the other practical Answ the former consists in a change of the heart turning the bent and inclination of the heart from all manner of sin now this is the only and immediate work of the Spirit of Grace breathing and working where it will the latter consists in the exercise of putting forth of that inward grace in the acting of that principle in resisting temptations in suppressing inordinate Lusts in watching against sinful and inordinate acts now this is the work of a regenerate person himself co-operating with the Spirit of God as a rational instrument with the principal Agent and therefore the Apostle joins both together If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body Rom. 8.13 ye shall live 4. It is an impelling or a moving cause as all objects are for objects have an attractive power Achan saw the wedge of Gold and then coveted it David saw Bathsheba and then desired her As the brazen Serpent did heal those who were bitten by the fiery Serpent tanquam objectum fidei meerly by being looked upon so Christ crucified doth heal sin beget grace encourage to sufferings by being looked upon with the eyes of Faith Heb. 12.1 2. Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking uâ—to Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith The Apostle was to encourage the Hebrews to hold on the well-begun profession of Faith in Christ and to that purpose he sets before them two fights to keep them from fainting 1. A cloud of witnesses the Saints in heaven on which cloud when he had staid their eyes a while and made them fit for a clearer Object he scatters the cloud and presents the Sun of Righteousness Christ himself and he wills them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to turn their eyes from it to him looking unto Jesus q. d. this sight is enough to make you run the race and not to faint why Jesus is gone before you and will you not follow him O look unto Jesus and the very sight of him will draw you after him Christ crucified hath an attractive power And I if I be lifted up John 12.32 will draw all men to me Thus of the causes of our conformity we see how it is wrought 3. For the last Query what are the means of this conformity as on our part I answer 1. Go to the Cross of Jesus Christ It is not all our purposes resolutions promises vows covenants endeavours without this that will effect our conformity to Christ in his sufferings and death no no this conformity is a fruit and effect of the death of Christ and therefore whosoever would have this work wrought in him let him first have recourse to Christ's Cross O go we more immediately to the Cross of Jesus 2. Look up to him that hangs upon it contemplate the death of Jesus Christ consider seriously and sadly his bitter shameful painful sufferings Much hath been said only here draw it into some Epitome As 1. Consider who he was 2. What he suffered 3. Why he suffered 4. For whom he
in his first Sermon after the Spirits mission Act. 2.17 18. In which we read of two pourings of the Spirit one upon their sons and the other upon his servants the former concerned only the Jew they should have Prophesies Visions and Dreams the old way of the Jews but the latter concerns us we are not of their sons but of his servants to whom visions and dreams are left quite out and therefore if any now pretend to those visions and dreams we say with Jeremy Jer. 23.28 The prophet that hath a dream let him tell a dream but he that hath my Word let him speak my Word Faithfully what is the Chaffe to the wheat But of all the prophesies concerning the mission of the Holy Ghost our Saviour gives the clearest and the most particular two great Prophesies we find in the Bible the one is of the Old Testament and the other of the New that of the Old Testament was for the coming of Christ and this of the New Testament was for the coming of the Holy Ghost and hence we say that the coming of Christ was the fulfilling of the Law and the coming of the Holy Ghost is the fulfilling of the Gospel In this respect let us search and see those Prophesies of Christ the great Prophet in the New Testament I will pray the Father Joh. 14.16 17. John 15.26 Luke 24.49 John 16.7 and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father he shall testifie of me And behold I send the prâ—mise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem untill ye be endued with Power from on high It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Why it was of necessity that all these Prophesies and promises must be accomplished and therefore was the Holy Ghost sent amongst us 2. That the holy Apostles might be furnished with gifts and graces suitable to their estates conditions stations places To this purpose no sooner was the Spirit sent Acts 2.3 but they were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance They were filled with the Holy Ghost not that they were before empty but now they were more full of the spirit than ever they were before and they speak with other tongues other than ever they had Learned probably they understood no Tongue but the Syriack till this time but now on a sudden they could speak Greek Latine Arabick Persian Parthian and what not the Wisdom and Mercy of God is very observable herein that the same means of diverse Tongues which was the destroying of Babel should be the very same means here conferred on the Apostles to work the building of Syon that the curse should be removed and a blessing come in place that confusion of Tongues should be united to God's Glory that this should be the issue of Tongues that neither Speech nor Language should be upon all the Earth but his praise and glory and the Gospel should be heard amongst them And here is something more observable in that they spake with other Tongues As the spirit gave them utterance the word utterance is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you have heard of Apothegmes i.e. wise and weighty sententious speeches now such as these the spirit gave them to utter magnalia Dei v. 11. as in the eleventh verse the wonderful works of God they spake of those singular benefits God offered to the world by the death of his Son they spake of the work of our Redemption of the merits of Christ of the glory and riches of his Grace of the praises due to his Name for all his Mercies others add that they spake of those admirable works of the Trinity as of our Creation Redemption and Sanctification and of whatsoever generally concerned the Salvation of mankind their speeches were not crudities of their own Brain trivial base or vulgar stuff but magnalia great and high Points Apothegmes or Oracles as the spirit gave them utterance But these reasons are remote to us 3. That he might fill the hearts of all the Saints and make them Temples and receptacles for the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own It is said here that after the mighty rushing Wind and cloven fiery Tongues Acts 2.4 they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to spake with other Tongues First they were filled with the Holy Ghost and then they spake with other Tongues the Holy Ghost begins inward and works outward it first alters the mind before it change the speech it first works on the Spirit before on the phraze or utterance this was the first work of the Spirit it filled them And thus for the daily ministration such must be appointed as were full of the Holy Ghost Acts 6.3 Acts 7.55 Acts. 11.24 and Stephen is said to be full of the Holy Ghost and Barnabas is called a good man and full of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is usually said to fill the Saints only whether it be the person of the Holy Ghost or the impressions of the Holy Ghost is a very great question for my part I am apt to incline to their mind who say not only the impressions of the spirit the qualities of holiness the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost or as some think habitual grace in a special manner but that the Holy Ghost himself doth fill and dwell and reign in the hearts of all regenerate men And this seems clear to me 1. By Scriptures 2. By Arguments 1. The Scriptures are such as these He that believeth on me as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water but this spake he of the Spirit John 7.38 39 which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified for those words out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water by living water is meant grace by rivers of living water is meant the manifold graces of the Spirit by the flowing of these rivers is meant the abounding and communicating of those graces from one to another and by the belly out of which those rivers should flow is meant the heart indued or filled with the Holy Ghost Now the spring and rivers the fountain and streams are diverse things and to be distinguished the one is the cause and the other the effect the one is the tree and the other the fruit it is the holy Ghost filling the hearts of beleivers that is the spring and fountain
and God will not spare him that is the very word in the Scripture Rom. 8.32 he spared not his own Son this surely this declares Gods love to righteousness more than if all the World should be Damned 2. Suppose the sinner that is reconciled had been Damned then the justice of God had been but in satisfying and never had been fully satisfyed but in that way that God hath found out to save a sinner his justice is not onely satisfying but it comes fully to be satisfied to have enough As for instance suppose a man to be a creditor to one who owes him 100000 l. this man is poor and the utmost he can pay is but a penny a day suppose the creditor should lay him in the Goale until he had paid the utmost farthing it is true he would be receiving day after day but he would never be paid so long as the debtor lives now if another rich man should come and lay down an 100000 l. at once the creditor is presently satisfied Why here is the difference betwixt Gods satisfying his Justice upon sinners and upon Jesus Christ God comes upon the sinner and requires the debt of punishment because he did not pay the debt of obedience God casts him into Prison and the utmost he can pay is but as it were a penny a day and hence the poor sinner must still be paying and paying and paying to Eternity this is the ground of their Eternal punishment in Hell because in any finite time they can never pay enough But now comes Jesus Christ and he fully payes the debt at once so that justice saith I have enough I am satisfied Surely this is the greater Glory to the very justice of God These were the counsels of God from all Eternity how he should make way for his love and goodness and yet satisfie his Truth and Justice O my soul consider and wonder Jesus Christ was the Expedient and in Christ not only Gods mercy but his justice is Exalted yea more Exalted and more Glorified in thy salvation then ever it could have been in thy Damnation 3 Consider the fore-knowledge of God he knew from everlasting whom he would set apart for life and salvation All the Saints of God from first to last they were then present to him and before him and he did look on them in his Beloved Christ Before there was a World or a man or any creature in it he fore-knew Adam and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs and all the Prophets and all the Apostles all the Disciples of Christ and Believers in Christ And O my soul if thou art one of Gods Elect he foreknew thee with a knowledge of love and approbation he had thee in his Eye Rom. 9.11 and Heart he had thoughts on Jacob when he was yet unborn and had done neither good nor evil Assure thy self the Lord works not without prevision or fore-knowledge of the things effected that cannot be in God which is not to be found in a wise and prudent man he that builds an house hath the frame of it first in himself and the Psalmist tells thee that the eyes of God did see thy substance yet being unperfect Psal 139.16 Rom. 9.13 in this Book of knowledge were all thy members written when as yet there was none of them yea he knew thee with a knowledge of singular love he embraced thee in his Eternal love as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated â— will not say that this love was actually bestowed on thee till due time yet it was prepared for thee from all Eternity and hence it is called an everlasting love The Lord hath appeared of old unto me Jer. 31.3 saying I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee O muse and meditate and ponder on this love it contains in it these particulars as 1. The eternal good will of God what else is the love of God towards the Elect but his everlasting good will to shew them mercy to do them good and to save their souls hence the Angels sung that Antheam at Christs birth Glory to God in the highest Luk. 2.14 and on earth peace good will towards men 2. The Eternal pleasure and delight of God in the sons of men the greatest delight that God hath or ever had it is in communicating himself to his Son firstly and next unto his Saints nay such delight he takes in letting out his mercy to his Saints as that he was well-pleased with the death of his own Son as a means conducing thereunto O wonderfull one would think that the death of Christ should be the most abhorring to the heart of God of any thing in the world and yet saith the Scripture It pleased the Lord to bruise him Isa 53.10 he took a pleasure and delight in the very bruising of Jesus Christ the Lord saw this was the way for him to communicate himself in the fulness of his grace unto his Saints and therefore though it cost him so dear as the death of his own Son yet he was well-pleased with it 3. This love of God contains in it a fore-knowledg and approbation of all those effects of his love whether they be temporal concerning this life or Eternal concerning the life to come Concerning these effects of his love saith John 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God q. d. Behold it stand amazed at it that children of wrath should become the sons of the most high God for a beggar on the dunghil a vagabond a runnagate from God a prodigal a stranger to God whom the Lord had no cause to think on to be made a Son of God Almighty O divine love Pause a while and muse on this O my soul that God should fore-know thee from all Eternity with a knowledg of love and approbation it is admirable to consider I say it is admirable to consider 4. Consider the purpose of God concerning thy salvation 1 Thes 5 9 God hath not appointed or purposed us wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ As when we have a will to do any thing there follows upon this in the mind a setled purpose to effect it so when God hath loved some to life there is in God a setled purpose of bringing them to it that the purpose of God according to Election might stand or be sure Rom. 9.11 it imports Gods stability and steadiness and constancy and firmness in saving souls There is much inconstancy and fickleness in the love of man or in the love of a woman but the love of God to his people is a steady love as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride Isa 62.5 so shall thy God rejoyce over thee not only so doth thy God but so shall thy God rejoyce over thee
legal in respect of Christ who being made under the Law that he might redeem us who were under the Law perfectly fulfilled the Law for us and evangelical in respect of us unto whom his fulfilling of the Law is imputed And herein stands both the agreement and difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel the agreement in that both require the perfect fulfilling of the Law unto justification the difference in that the Law requireth perfect obedience to be performed in our own persons but the Gospel accepts of perfect obedience perfomed by Christ our surety and imputed to us and so it is all one as if it had been performed in our own persons 2. If Christ by his conformity to the Law fulfilled the Law for us then are we justified by his habitual and actual righteousness and not meerly by his passive but Christ by his conformity to the Law fulfilled the Law for us for so we read He was born for us Luke 2.11 Luke 2.11 He was made subject to the Law for us Gal. 4.4 5. Gal. 4.4 5. and for our sakes he sanctified himself John 17.19 John 17.19 and for our sakes he did the Will of God Then said I loe I come to do thy will O God by the which Will we are sanctified Heb. 10.7 10. Heb. 10.7 10. Against this are divers exceptions As 1. That Christ obeyed the Law or conformed to the Law as need was for himself Christ say they as he was a man was bound to obey the Law for himself Answ This Assertion detracts from the merit of his obedience and from the dignity of his Person 1. From his merit for if his obedience were of duty then it were not †Debitum non est meritum meritorious Luke 17.10 and if this be true then have we no title to Heaven 2. From the dignity of his Person as if he needed either to obey for himself or by his obedience were any way bettered in himself O that these men would remember that the Person who did obey the Law was and is not only man but God also Christ fulfilled the Law not only as man but as God-man Mediator and therefore as his blood was Gods blood so his obedience was the obedience of God Who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death Acts 20.28 Phil. 2.6 8. or until death We find him here God-man and from hence we conclude that all the legal actions of Christ from his Incarnation to his Passion inclusively were the actions of Christ God-man Mediator and Surety for us in a way of covenant and consequently they were not performed of duty nor for himself 2. They except that if Christ obeyed the Law for us that by his obedience we might be justified then shall not we our selves need to obey the Law but the Consequent is absurd therefore the Antecedent Answ We need not to obey the Law to that end that we may be justified thereby for this is impossible to us by reason of the flesh and therefore our Saviour fulfilled it for us and yet it follows not but that we may endeavour to obey the Law for other ends as to glorifie God to obey his Will to testifie our thankfulness to edifie our Brethren to assure our selves of our justification and so to make our calling and election sure in this Study and Practice of Piety consisteth our new obedience which we must therefore be careful to perform though Christ as to justification hath performed it for us 3. They except that if Christ by his active obedience fulfilled the Law for us and that so we are justified from all kind of sin both original and actual then Christ's suffering was in vain Answ Christ's active obedience is an essential part of our justification but not all our justification the material cause of our justification is the whole course of the active and passive obedience of Christ together with his original righteousness or habitual conformity unto the Law I say together with his original righteousness because many Authors express no more but only Christ's active and passive obedience but they are to be understood as asserting his original righteousness implicitely the act presupposing the habit And here observe the difference betwixt the Law in case of innocency and the Law in case of sin the Law in case of innocency required only doing but the Law in case of sin cannot be satisfied without doing and suffering Gal. 3.10 Gen. 2.17 Original justice and active obedience was sufficient to justifie man in his innocency but not to justifie man fallen and therefore we do not separate these the original the actual and the passive righteousness of Christ as to the matter of justification but we imply all Argu. 3 3. We read in Scripture of two parts of justification viz. the absolving of a believing sinner from the guilt of sin and death and the accepting of a believing sinner as righteous unto life The former is wrought by the sufferings of Christ imputed as a full satisfaction for sin the other by imputation of Christ's perfect obedience as a sufficient merit of eternal life by the former we are freed from Hell by the latter we are entitled to the Kingdom of Heaven Rom. 5.9 19. of them both the Apostle speaks We are justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 and we are made righteous by his obedience Rom. 5.19 Our Adversaries deny these two parts of justification saying that it consists wholly in remission of sin But we reply in every mutation though it be but relative we must of necessity acknowledge two terms terminum a quo terminum ad quem the denomination being commonly taken from the latter as in justification there is a motion or mutation from sin to justice from which term justification hath its name from a state of death and damnation to a state of life and salvation but if justification be nothing else but bare remission of sins then is there in it only a not imputing of sin but no acceptation as righteous a freedom from Hell but no title to Heaven They say indeed that to whom sin is not imputed to them righteousness is imputed and we grant that these things do alwayes concurr but yet they are not to be confounded for they differ in themselves and in their causes and in their effects 1. In themselves for it is one thing to be acquitted from the guilt of sin and another thing to be made righteous as we see daily in the pardon of Malefactors 2. In their causes for the remission of sin is to be attributed to Christ's satisfactory sufferings and acceptation as righteous unto life to Christ's meritorious obedience 3. In their effects for by remission of sin we are freed from Hell and by imputation of Christ's obedience we have right unto Heaven I will not deny
that Respect 5. LEt us believe in Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us during his Sufferings and Death Every one looks upon this as an easie duty only the humble Soul the scrupulous Conscience cries out What! Is it possible that Christ should die suffer shed his blood for me His incarnation was wonderful his life on earth was to astonishment but that the Son of God should become man live amongst men and die such a death even the death of the Cross for such a one as I am I cannot believe it it is an abys◠past fadoming the more I consider it the more I am amazed at it suppose I had an enemy in my power man or Devil one that provokes me every day 1 Sam. 24.19 one that hunts my soul to take it away should I not say with Saul if a man find his enemy will he let him go well away It may be an ingenuous spirit such as David would do thus much but would David or any breathing soul not only spare his enemy but spill himself to save his enemy would a man become a Devil to save Devils would a man endure hell pains to free all the Devils in hell from their eternal pains and yet what were this in comparison of what Christ hath done or suffered for us It is not so much for us to suffer for Devils for we are fellow-creatures as it is for Christ God-man man-God to suffer for us Oh what an hard thing is it considering my enmity against Christ to believe that Christ died for me that he gave himself to the death even to the death of the Cross for my soul Trembling soul throw not away thy self in a way of unbelief It may thou wouldst not die for an enemy an irreconcileable enemy but are not the mercies of God above all the mercies of men O believe And that I may perswade effectually I shall say down first some Directions and secondly some Encouragements of Faith 1. For the Directions of Faith in reference to Christ's death observe these particulars 2. Faith must directly go to Christ not first to the promise and then to Christ but first to Christ and then to the promise the Person ever goes before the Prerogative 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh this was the difference betwixt the New-Testament and old-Testament-Believers their Faith directs only to God but our Faith looks more immediately to Jesus Christ Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved 3. Faith must directly go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law He continued in all things written in the book of the Law to do them and so our Faith must look upon him But of these before I shall say nothing more to these particulars 4. Faith must go to Christ not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life but under the penal part of the Law by his death in both these respects Christ was made under the law The one half of the Law he satisfied by the holiness of his life he fulfilled the law in every jot and every tittle the other half of the Law he satisfied by his enduring the death even the death of the Cross he paid both the Principal and the Forfeiture and though men do not so yet Christ did so that the whole Law might be satisfied fully by his being under both these parts of the Law pay and penalty Come then and look upon Christ as dying it was the Serpent as lifted up and so looked at that healed the Israelites of their fiery stings Alas we are diseased in a spiritual sense as they were and Christ Jesus was lifted up as a remedy to us as the Serpent was unto them it remains therefore that as they looked up to the Brazen Serpent so we look up to Jesus believe in Jesus as lifted up for life and for salvation As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness John 14.15 so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Indeed some difference there is betwixt the Serpent and Christ As 1. The Brazen Serpent had not power in if self to cure as Christ hath 2. The Serpent cured the Israelites but for a time John 11.26 to die again but whomsoever Jesus cures in a Spiritual sense he cures for ever they shall never die 3. The serpent also had its time of curing it did not alwayes retain its virtue but during the time they were in the Wilderness only Iesus Christ our Brazen Serpent doth ever retain his power and virtue to the end of the world and hence it is that in the Ministry Christ is still held forth as lifted up that all that will but look on him by faith may live 4. The Serpent sometimes a remedy against poyson was after turned even to poyson the Israelites which made Hezekiah to crush it and brake it and stamp it to powder but Jesus Christ ever remains the sovereign and healing God he is the same yesterday to day and for ever He is unchangeable in his goodness as he is in holy and divine nature he can never be defaced nor destroyed but he abideth the saviour of sinners to all eternity why then let us rather look unto Christ and believe in Christ as lifted up i.e. as he was crucified and died on the Cross In this respect he is made a fit object for a sinner's faith to trust upon and rest upon Christ as crucified as made sin and a curse for us it the object of our pardon O this is it that makes Christ's death so desirable why therein is virtually and meritoriously pardon of sin Justification redemption reconciliation and what not Oh! cries a sinner where may I set my foot how should I regain my God my sin hath undone me which way should I cast for pardon why now remember that in seeking pardon Rom. 8.34 Christ was crucified Christ as dying is principally to be eyed and looked at Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.34 No Question Christs active Obedience during his Life was most exact and perfect and meritorious yet that was not the expiation of sin only his passive obedience Christ only in his sufferings took away sin the guilt of sin and punishment for sin We have redemption through the blood of Christ Eph. 1.7 even the forgiveness of sins If any humble soul would have recourse to that Christ who is now in heaven let him first in the actings of his Faith consider him as crucified as lifted up as made sin for us as through whom under that consideration he is to receive pardon of sin Justification redemption reconciliation sanctification salvation 5. Faith in going to Christ as lifted up it is principally and mainly to look unto the 〈◊〉 meaning intent and design of Christ in his sufferings as he was lifted up we
suffered 5. For what end he suffered 6. With what mind he suffered Every one of these will make some discoveries either of his Graces or of his gracious actings in our behalf and who can tell how far this very Look may work on us to change us and transform us into the very image of Jesus Christ 3. Let us humbly bewail our defect exorbitancy irregularity and inconformity either to the graces sufferings or death of Christ As thus Lo here the profound humility wonderful patience fervent love abundant mercy admirable meekness constant obedience of Jesus Christ Lo here the tortures torments agonies conflicts extream sufferings of Christ for the spiritual immortal good of the preciouâ— souls of his redeemed ones Lo here the death of Christ see how he bowed the head and gave up the Ghost why these are the particulars to which I should conform But Oh alas what a wide vast utter distance disproportion is there betwixt me and them Christ in his sufferings shined with graces his graces appeared in his sufferings like so many stars in a bright winter's night but how dim are the faint weak Graces in my Soul Christ in his sufferings endured much for me I know not how much by thine unknown sorrows and sufferings felt by thee ' but not distinctly known to us said the ancient Fathers of the Greek Church in their Liturgy have mercy upon us and save us his sorrows and sufferings were so great that some think it dangerous to define them but how poor how little are my sufferings for Jesus Christ I have not yet resisted unto blood and if I had what were this in comparison of his extream sufferings Christ in his sufferings died his passive obedience was unto death even to the death of the Cross he hung on the Cross till he bowed his head and gave up the Ghost Rom. 6.10 he died unto sin once But alas how do I live in that for which he died To this day my sin hath not given up the Ghost to this day the death of Christ is not the death of my sin O my sin is not yet crucified the heart-blood of my sin is not yet let out Oh wo is me how unanswerable am I to Christ in all these respects 4. Let us quicken provoke and rouze up our Souls to this conformity let us set before them exciting Arguments ex gr The greatest glory that a Christian can attain to in this world is to have a resemblance and likeness to Jesus Christ Again the more like we are to Christ the more we are in the love of God and the better he is pleased with us It was his voice concerning his Son This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and for his sake if we are but like him he is also well pleased with us Again a likeness or resemblance of Christ is that which keeps Christ alive in the world As we say of a child that is like his Father This man cannot die so long as his Son is alive So we may say of Christians who resemble Christ that so long as they are in the world Christ cannot die he lives in them and he is no otherwise alive in this nether world than in the hearts of Gracious Christians that carry the picture and resemblance of him Again a likeness to Christ in his death will cause a likeness to Christ in his Glory If we have been planted together in the likeness of his death Rom. 6.5 we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection As it is betwixt the Graft and the Stock the Graft seeming dead with the Stock in the winter it revives with it in the Spring after the Winter's death it partakes of the Spring 's resurrection so it is betwixt Christ and us if with Christ we die to sin we shall with Christ be raised to Glory being conformed to him in his death we shall be also in his resurrection Thus let us quicken and provoke our souls to this conformity 5. Let us pray to God that he will make us conformable to Jesus Christ Is it Grace we want let us beg of him that of that fulness that is in Christ we may in our measure receive grace for grace Is it patience or joy in sufferings that we want let us beg of him that as he hath promised he will send us the comforter that so we may follow Christ chearfully from his cross to his crown from earth to heaven Is it mortification our souls pant after this indeed makes us most like to Christ in his sufferings and death why then pray we for this mortification But how should we pray I answer 1. Let us plainly acknowledge and heartily bemoan our selves in God's bosom for our sins our abominable sins 2. Let us confess our weakness feebleness and inability in our selves to subdue our sins we have no might may we say against this great company that come against us 2 Chr. 20.12 neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee 3. Let us put up our request begging help from heaven let us cry to God that vertue may come out of Christ's death to mortifie our Lusts to heal our Natures to stanch our bloody issues and that the Spirit may come into helps us in these works Rom. 8.13 for by the Spirit do we mortifie the deeds of the body 4. Let us press God with the merits of Christ and with his promises through Christ for he hath said Sin shall not have dominion over us for we are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 Rom. 8.2 and Paul experienced it The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ hath freed me from the Law of sin and death 5. Let us praise God and thank God for the help already received if we find that we have gotten some power against sin that we have gotten more ability to oppose the lusts of the flesh that we are seldom overtaken with any breaking forth of it that we have been able to withstand some notable temptations to it that the force of it in us is in any measure abated that indeed and in truth vertue is gone out of the death of Christ Oh then return we praises to God let us triumph in God let us lead our captivity captive and sing new songs of praises unto God and even ride in triumph over our corruptions boasting our selves in God and setting up our Banners in the name of the most High and offering up humble and hearty thanks to our Father for the death of Christ and for the merit vertue and efficacy of it derived unto us and bestowed upon us 6. Let us frequently return to our looking up unto Jesus Christ to our believing in Christ as he was lifted up How we are to manage our Faith to draw down the vertue of Christ's death into our souls I have discovered before and let us now be in the practice of those rules certainly