will justify but that and therefore to seek justification or quieting to a troubled soul by any other is but to spend our mony for that which is not bread Isa 55. or to go to buy bread with brass mony such as is not current coyn in Heaven Nay other knowledge is so far from bringing peace to a disquieted spirit that it brings with it tormenting and vexation of spirit Eccl. 1.18 Hee that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow other knowledge may and will puff up 1 Cor. 8.1 2. but this will humble humble us in our own apprehensions but really exalt us Prov. 4 8. Exalt her and shee will exalt thee Other Divine knowledge will build well but the knowledge of Christ laies the foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 this must needs have great substance and strength that bears up all the weight and bulk of the whole Christian edifice and let mee speak from my heart to all Students that hear this that unless your main care bee to get this knowledge you do but build Babels and Castles in the air And oh that many would make this their great study if they did there would not be so many new waies to heaven and false lights as there are 2 Pet. 3.18 19. Direct 2. Make this thy great heart design in comming to hear the word Preached for to get faith seeing it comes by hearing Resolve upon that end and think with thy self if thou commest with any by-ends the searcher of hearts will meet with thee if thou hast an Idol in thy heart thou shalt bee answered according unto it Ezek. 14.7 How many come with their Idols Some to get other knowledge and not of Christ Some to judge the Minister and to carp at the truths delivered Some to see and to bee seen and others out of meer formality and custome But alas where are they that stir up themselves to lay hold on Christ Isa 64.7 Direct 3. Remember to follow the example of the Bereans and in searching the Scriptures be much in studying the promises Act. 10.43 Act. 13 38 39. Think it not enough that you are Children of the Covenant as the Jews were Act. 3.25 but yee must become also the children of the promise for they only are accounted for the seed Rom. 9.8 Direct 4. Bee very watchful that carnal Objections and Cavils against Christ or his heavenly Mysteries or Doctrine arise not in your hearts without checking of them and strugling against them Thou mayest as easily empty the Ocean with a Cockle shell as measure the mystery of godliness with carnal Reason Do not cast off any truth of Christ because you can see no reason for it or cannot understand how this or that should bee Prov. 3.5 Trust in the Lord and lean not on thine own understanding Luther hath such a speech That mans corrupt reason is a terrible enemy to faith and this is the reason why many great Scholars are left of God And so our Saviour saith I thank thee O Father c. Matth. 11.25 Nicodemus will say How can these things bee Joh. 13.6 and the Philosophers will say of Paul when hee goeth to Preach these things what will this Babler say Oh! but remember God will confound the wisdome of this World thou shouldest rather say with Agur when thou hearest the Doctrin of Christ surely I am more brutish than any man when hee heard of Ithiel and Vcal I have neither Wisdome nor Knowledge of the most holy being an humble teachable heart to the word preached Pro. 8.4 5. and if any man among you seem to bee wise let him become a fool that hee may bee wise 1 Cor. 3.18 Prov. 9.4 5. Direct 5. Look at it as an extream vilenesse in thine heart and wily working of Satan when Christ is preached and the grace of God in Christ if thou canst go away from the word preached with an unbeleeving unmoved heart Observe for this two or three places Joh. 8.26.31 Christ had been preaching of the Father and of himself and his own death his mission and Commission and pleasing of the Father and vers 30. the text saith when hee spake those words many beleeved on him the Spirit takes special notice what words they were that wrought upon the hearers i.e. Christs unspeakable conjunction with the Father the Sufferings and Cross of Christ his holy Life and Death they stood out long but now they yielded So 2 Cor. 4 4-6 If our Gospel bee hid c. in whom the God of this World hath blinded the eies of them that beleeve not c. that is all the beauty of God the Father that shines in the face of Jesus Christ his Wisdome Justice Mercy Truth c. are hid from them Satan blinds them and their own naughty hearts and there is also a dreadful judgement of God in it Direct 6. Labour for Self-denial for wee must renounce all confidence in the flesh Priviledges Duties righteousnesse of our own Phil. 3.3.9.10 the righteousnesse of Faith excludes all this this is our betaking of our selves to the wings of Christ Matth. 23.37 i.e. wholly to bee under the covert of them as chickens under the wings of a Hen in a storm Use 4. It is a great comfort to you that beleeve in the Lord Jesus you are in the right way to the Father Joh. 14.6 you are in a most blessed estate Eph. 1.16 Jam. 2.5 the world looks at you as poorly provided for but you have abundance you are rich in faith and rich in Christ partakers of his unsearchable riches Eph. 3.8 1 Cor. 1.5 Vse 5. It serves to teach beleevers a main duty that most concerns them to practise i. e. to go on in a justified estate by faith in the Lord Jesus or imbracing the mercy of God in Christ and that because 1 They have the main principle in them to maintain a justified estate which others want viz. justifying faith Gal. 2.6 Though the well of living waters bee very deep beleevers have wherewithall to draw out of it They have a price in their hands to get wisdome Christ is neer Eph. 2.13 he is neer who iustifieth Isa 50.8 Isa 46.13 2 The benefit of justification should be maintained constantly in a Christians heart and that lively and as far as may bee without interruption and though our justification bee in it self unchangeable yet it is changeable in the diverse effects of it Our peace and comfort is often ebbing and flowing and subject to darknings as with David when hee saith I am cast out of the sight of God Psal 31.22 and cryed his bones were broken and that hee lay in the deep and therefore that wee may maintain our peace its worth our while to take pains in preventing our decaies and declinings It is easier to preserve peace and joy than to recover it out of an afflicted and dark condition as its easier to maintain health and strength than to fetch it at deaths door easier to keep the fire burning than to blow it up
runs away from Christ and his People and Ordinances and can rejoyce when hee is furthest from Communion with him or can be content with beholding Christ afar off or conceit he hath enough of Christ already this is to bee far from Christ and from beleeving Caut. 6. Take heed that we bar not our selves out from Imputed Righteousnesse by inventing or pleading some pretence distinction or difference to exclude us as to say that it is the greatness and multitude of our sins shall hinder us or the imperfection of our duties and services or the littlenesse of our humiliation or the fewnesse of our good works declaration of his righteousness which is mentioned and repeated as a principal matter that the Spirit of God would have us take notice of the which is amplified First by an Exegosis or Explication Secondly By the adjunct of time to declare at this time c. This latter remains to be spoken to Quest What is meant by the Righteousness of God here Answ This is needful to bee opened because it is certain that Righteousnesse is ascribed to God in several respects and significations Righteousness of God the father taken four waies Divines do usually reduce them to four significations First That the Justice or Righteousness of God doth signify his Rectitude and Integrity and Purity as it is opposed to sin Psalm 11. vers the last the Righteous Lord loves righteousness his countenance doth behold the just It was said before vers 5. The Lord tryeth the Righteous but the wicked his soul hates c. This is usually called universal Justice and comprehends all virtues or moral perfections in it Secondly It is taken for the Mercy Goodness bounty of God whereby hee bestows many benefits on his Creatures 1 Sam. 12.7 Samuel saith to Israel Let mee reason with you of the Righteous Acts of the Lord which the Lord did in Egypt sending Moses and Aaron to them and bringing them out of Egypt and in the 45. of Isa 13. The Lord raiseth up Cyrus in Righteousnesse that hee should build up Jerusalem and let go the Captives and his thus sending of Moses and Aaron and raising up of Cyrus were signal Acts of his Mercy Thirdly The Righteousnesse of God signifies his Truth and constancy in keeping his Word and fulfilling his Promises 1 Joh. 1.19 If wee confess our sins hee is just and faithful to forgive c. Not that hee will forgive meerly for our confession of them as if there were any thing in the Act of confession to deserve forgiveness but 't is because hee is faithfull hee hath promised to forgive them and so will bee as good as his word Isa 45.19 I said not unto the seed of Jacob seek yee mee in vain I the Lord speak Righteousness that is this I have promised and I will do it Fourthly Gods Righteousness signifies that perfection of God whereby hee distributes to every one according to their works rewarding the godly and punishing the wicked Psal 9.7 8. The Lord hath prepared his Throne for Judgement and hee shall judge the world in righteousness The Lord is there described as the Judge of all the World and so judging righteously every person So also the Word is taken Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the righteous judgement of God that they that do such things are worthy of death and the word is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies righteous Judgement and that is to punish with death them that are worthy of it Nahum 1 2-6 So Jerem. 51.56 The Lord God of recompence shall surely requite you I will not further inlarge this but still the Question remains which of these waies the righteousnesse of God is taken in this place for it is manifest that the righteousnesse of God is in all these respects evidenced in the Justification of a sinner for First There is the Truth and Faithfulnesse of God Luk. 1.69 70. Hee hath visited us as hee spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets c. So Act. 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witnesse c. Secondly His Mercy and Goodnesse doth appear in our Justification This David hath recourse unto in Psal 51.1 2. Bee merciful unto mee and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out mine iniquities But I conceive the Apostle doth intend onely the first and last sense for they are not contrary I mean Gods rectitude and his distributive or his relative and vindictive justice but are co-ordinate and the one doth infer the other but especially his vindictive justice is meant in the Text and this appears first because the Apostle had mentioned before both his Grace and Free grace in the forgiveness of our sins and also the imputation of righteousness vers 24. and his Truth too vers the 21. This was testified in the Law and the Prophets therefore now he speaks of another distinct Attribute of God namely his Justice Secondly The Apostle addes several Expressions to signify this as first hee saith that hee might bee just and the Justifier they are Conjugates and relate to the proper meaning of the word Justice which is suum cuique tribuere The Justifier of him that is of man who is unjust So that the Apostles meaning is the Lord justifies a sinner in a way of Justice Secondly Hee saith that God would declare his Justice in the way that hee proposes for the sinners Justification Thirdly Hee doubles the words to declare his Righteousness implying this that God would have us to take special notice of it for it is as much as if the Apostle should have said there is not onely Mercy and Truth in a sinners justification but there is also Justice in it The Lord declareth his justice in this thing and therefore it is that the Father set forth Christ to bee a Propitiation that hee might declare his Righteousness If the Lord had said Well ye are great and grievous sinners I am content to forgive you all your sins this would have declared the grace of God But when hee saith also that this is through the redemption that is in Christ and that hee hath set forth Christ to bee a Propitiation and that the blood of Christ was shed for thy sins this doth declare his Justice as much as his Truth and Grace Fourthly There is another expression to this purpose To declare I say at this time what is that but in the times of the Gospel since that Jesus Christ hath shed his blood for though the Justice of God was but darkly signified in the Old Testament by the Types of the Sacrifices and punishments inflicted yet it was far more clearly held forth by the Death of Christ and that the chastisement of our peace was on him Fifthly Adde to all these the like phrase used in other Scriptures declaring the justice of God 2 Thess 1.5 6. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God c. and vers 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with
soul from the hand c. 2 It is an irresistible and mighty redemption Luke 1.67 Hee hath raised up a Horn of salvation that is a Kingdome power Dignity and strength of salvation every way sufficient to succour 3 Perfect not only in impretation of a possibility of deliverance but also in actual application to call the Elect to bring their soules to glory Rev. 5 9. Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood so also from all our enemies Luk. 1.71 That wee should bee saved from our Enemies from all our iniquities Tit. 2.14 from death Hos 13.14 I will ransome thee from the power of the grave from the power of Satan Heb. 2.14 By death hee destroyed him that had the power of Death that is the Devil from the World Gal. 1.4 from the wrath of God Rom. 5.9 not onely present but to come 1 Thess 1.10 from the whole curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.15 from all that which the justice of God hath pronounced against transgressors yea both of soul and body to eternity Eph. 4.30 Heb. 9.12 Reas 1 Taken from the fitness of Christs Person being the word Incarnate to accomplish the work of our redemption for three things are required 1 Power to redeem us and to vanquish our Enemies Hell Death World Devil Christ is God over all Rom. 9.5 2 Right to redeem not only of propriety but of propinquity the next kinsman onely can redeem Deut. 25.5 the second Person in the Trinity that took mans nature was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next of kin Eph. 5.30 flesh and blood 3 Dignity must bee given to the price paid Act. 20.28 these things suited none but Christ Reas 2 From things requisite to a sufficient redemption and satisfaction as 1 Price must bee such as will content the person to whom 't is due but the ransome paid by Christ was according to the Fathers will Heb. 10.9 and a sweet smelling savour to God Eph. 5.2 2 There must be an equality too of the debt or wrong in the Price paid for therefore satisfaction is required the sin of man made all things unequal between God and man now Justice requires equality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. Ezek. 18.29 Oh yee house of Israel are not my waies equal are not your waies unequall such is the satisfaction of Christ to all the sinnes and punishments temporal and eternal of all the Elect and is a just recompence for all the dishonour and wrong done to God by them which the glory of the World could not have reached to 1 Pet. 1.18 19. you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold c. It was such a Price as by one offering perfected for ever Heb. 10.14 those that are sanctified and what would we have more than perfection was the Law broken Christ is better than the Law hee is the essential word of God doth sin rob God of his Glory Christ is the brightness of his Fathers Glory Heb. 1.3 3 The Price paid must bee voluntary not forced for otherwise it would rather bee satispassion than satisfaction The damned in Hell do not satisfy for sin Christs payment was voluntary Joh 10.15 I lay down my Life and vers 18. I have power to lay it down He gave himself for us Eph. 5.2 4 Satisfaction must bee of that which is otherwise undue such was Christs the Father could in Justice exact no such matter at his hands being innocent He made him to be sin who knew none 2 Cor. 5.21 5 It must bee clear and evident to secure Captives or Debtors and to give their Souls and Consciences satisfaction but such was Christs redemption Heb. 9.9 14. The gifts and Sacrifices of the Law could not make him that did the services perfect as pertaining to the Conscience c. but Christ offered through the eternal Spirit that is the God-head of Christ purged the conscience from dead works Witness also the Resurrection the full price is paid seeing our surety is set at liberty from the grave Rom. 4.25 the Prison into which hee was cast for our sins Vse 1. To confute sundry errors and Heresies Confutation of Popish partial redemption and Socinian blasphemies that deny it as of Papists that make Christ a partial Redeemer and his satisfaction imperfect that bee satisfyes onely for the fault and leaves us to satisfy for the punishment or that he redeemed us from the eternal but would leave us to satisfy for the temporal punishment If Christs redemption bee perfect there is nothing left to bee done by us nor suffered in way of satisfaction Heb. 7.25 Christ saves to the utmost and needs not our botching For the Socinians they ascribe no more than Turks to Christs redemption Let us cease to rake in those Dung-hills their Nomination is a sufficient confutation Use 2. This singular redemption by Christ Bondage of unregenerate necessarily infers a singular bondage and slavery in which all unregenerate sinners lye Jer. 10.14 Egypt was never such an iron Furnace as the sinner is in Were wee not enthralled what need a ransome what need of redemption bodily bondage as in the Turkish slavery mony might redeem but nothing less than the blood of God could redeem us See the estate of the ungenerate 1 They are in hands of such Lords as do rule with rigour and severity over them 2 They have not freedome of will to do any thing they could do in their state of innocency for God 3 They are forced to indure most intollerable things to be born 1 The Lords over natural men are of two sorts 1 Principal 2 Ministerial The Principal is the most just and terrible God whose Justice they have wronged by sin therefore wee are said to bee redeemed from under the curse of the Law Gal. 4.4 7. that is from under the revenging Justice of the Law As Malefactors are called the Kings Prisoners properly not the Goalers that keep them So Sinners are Gods Prisoners and who can deliver them out of his hand but Christ Ministeriall Lords are the Devil and his Angels and the Conscience accusing condemning and tormenting for sin Hence Sinners are said before Conversion to bee under the Devils power Act. 26.18 under the power of darkness Col. 1.13 and taken as beasts alive of the Devil at his will 2 Tim. 2. ult Yea God makes a mans Conscience his keeper going up and down constantly with him haling him to condemnation Thus the Spirit often works through the Law in the affrighted Conscience and though some make this their Keeper Drunk that they may escape yet God awakens him to his former terror 2 A natural man hath no spiritual liberty to do nor enjoy good by any Promise Ordinance or Priviledge his heart is weary and burthened by all Mal. 1.13 hee is led by the nose as a slave serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 led along like bruite beasts with sensuality and hurried on by a violent appetite
from the wicked because they seek not thy Statutes There is corn in Egypt it is best for the vile sinner to go thither Though salvation bee so nigh t is not safe to stand still Wee may safely preach this doctrin for the Text gives Commission and press it for the Text will bear it 'T is said ver 23 24. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified c. This infers not that All the sinners in the world are thus freely justified This would infer universal justification but that is not here intended The meaning is That all sinners whether Jews or Gentiles are in themselves excluded from eternal life and all that are justified are justified by free grace So that though thou knowest thy self to be a vile sinner yet some sinners you may see are justified In truth none are justified but sinners and therefore thou mayest see thy self capable of justification of the same justification that the best Saints ever partook of Christ was sent into the World on purpose to pay the Ransome for Sinners and the revealing and offering this truth was to save thee whatsoever thou art that hearest it Joh. 3.17 God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved Quest How then comes any to be damned Answ Hee Answers None is condemned but they that love darkness rather than light Now such exclude themselves from the benefit of Christs sufferings Joh. 3.19 Doth thy conscience therefore bear witness to thy guilt Love not thy sin inseparably and thy salvation is probable Object True if I were a sinner as other men and women there is encouragement enough to look out but my sins exceed for number weight and measure and therefore my Condition is yet miserable Answ Thou canst not name any sin in the World but final impenitency but have many examples of their pardon and the salvation of some that committed them in the word of God Paul was a Blasphemer a Persecutor and yet found mercy 1 Tim. 1 13-17 Manasseh pardoned his murther witchcraft Idolatry and doing worse than the Amorites 2 King 21.1 12. yea the very murther of the Son of God was pardonable Act. 2.37 38. And what sin can bee greater Yea pardon is promised beyond the very thought and hope of man Isa 55.7 8. Rebellion against God cannot exclude from pardon Psal 68.18 Hee received gifts for the rebellious that the Lord may dwell among them God indeed gives a Caution to take heed that there bee no root among you that beareth gaul and wormwood to bless himself in sin Deut. 29.19 20. It will cost that soul dear that harbours such thoughts against God There is no mercy in Scripture nor in Heaven neither for such a soul as this is Hee must have another word that will maintain this hope the Scripture will not bear it God will not bee merciful to any such as go on in their sinful courses Psal 68.21 But for the sinner that is weary of his sins Rom. 5.17 There is abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness in Christ Luther was a man much terrified with his sin yet hee confessed this was the balsome of his soul Rom. 11.32 God hath shut up all under sin that hee might have mercy upon all Therefore let none such despair of Salvation that are in the prison of sin Yea wee may adde a word more but let not the Swine turn about and rend it That the more vile thou hast been in sin if thou beest the more vile in thine own eies thou art more fit for Mercy than a Civil man that hath pleased himself in his own honesty and civility Matth. 21.31 32. saies Christ Verily verily I say unto you that Publicans and Harlots shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven before you Christ was a door by which Publicans and Harlots exceeding vile sinners entered and this door is open this day to poor sinners his sufferings are offered his blood even the blood of God is provided and what are thy sins to his blood what then remains but that thou shouldest hasten to thy sanctuary to that precious ransome that is paid for sinners Isa 8.14 Christ is a Physitian the whole have no need of him Matth. 9.12 13. but the sick And there is no disease incurable to him and indeed to look at thy disease as incurable is to shame thy Physitian and that will be a worse sin than all the rest Quest How may a sinner come to the benefit of this satisfaction of Christ Answ 1 Rest not till thou hast an inlightned Get an awakned conscience and an awakned Conscience It is certain a sinner is put in Prison in hold Rom. 11.32 God hath shut up or put in hold before hee hath deliverance by Christ For the Conscience is a lock which must bee opened by Gods key before this Gaol-delivery can bee perfected Gal. 3.23 Before Faith come wee were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterward bee revealed A light goes with the Word draw not the curtain to keep it out 2 Take heed When God arrests thy conscience break not away when God arrests thy Conscience thou make not an escape As some Malefactors that when Law and Justice have taken hold of them they creep out at some hole or break Prison So some Sinners when terrified in Conscience dawb with untempered Mortar healing the hurt slightly by speaking a false peace to their own hearts which was Herods Case Luke 3.19 who being stoutly reproved by John Baptist of his incontinence towards Herodias his brothers wife and many other sins Hee made his escape by putting John Baptist in Prison So did Jeroboam 1 King 13.5 6. when the man of God reproved him and the Altar rent his hand was withered and healed his Conscience was awakened but when the Prophet was slain by a Lyon his Conscience fell asleep again This was Judas overthrow he was often terrified by Christ but hee cast himself into a dead sleep again by that opinion the Disciples had concerning him and so lost all 3 Let a sinner observe diligently Observe the working of Christs death on thy heart and yeeld to the working of the death of Christ upon his heart when he comes to apply his death and satisfaction to his soul Let this bee minded with trembling for there is a drawing power in Christs blood that teacheth to sinners Joh. 12.32 33. And I when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all men after mee This he speaks signifying by what death hee should dye 1 Hee speaks of his death and lifting up from the earth 2 Hee saith then hee would draw all men unto him and that must needs be meant of them that were out of Christ and the truth is there was never any brought home to Christ but it was by the vertue and efficacy of his death drawing Christ lifted up on the
Christ c. 2 Have I no reservation within my self where I would bee dispensed withall in any courses of life or any secret lusts or corruptions at lest known or allowed in judgement or practice Hath my faith such a commanding power that it will not let mee alone in commission of sin or Omission of duty then I may conclude that the faith of Christ is wrought in mee and thence undoubtedly conclude that I am a justified person Because that hee that beleeveth on Christ is already justified Now when this is soundly concluded the soul may upon daily occasions put forth and exercise his faith in Christ for his spiritual and everlasting comfort Direct 5. When thou wouldest exercise thy faith at any time thou must not go about it in thine own strength either of nature or grace received but look up for a fresh influence of the Spirit and his assistance For as it is sure that no creature can of himself look upon natural things nor act without a renewed and fresh concourse of Gods common providence So Grace though it bee above nature and stronger than it yet its motion is from the Holy Ghost And this assistance of the Spirit comes from Christ as the light from the Sun by an efflux Joh. 8.12 the power is in Christ though it work on us Therefore all things are said to be done through Christ strengthening of us Phil. 4.13 Every act of Faith requires a power of Christ in a fresh administration wher in he fulfils the good pleasure of his will and the work of faith with power 2 Thess 1.11 And this is the meaning of Pauls prayer for the Ephesians Chap. 3.16 17. that they might bee strengthened with might by the Spirit and that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith And as the Holy Ghost must assist the grace of faith before it can act so hee must clear up the objects of faith before faith can work upon them as the light must shine upon the brasen Serpent before the Israelite can see it Wherefore the Apostle praies earnestly that God would give the spirit of wisdome and revelation to know the things they beleeved and hoped for Eph. 1.17 18. Wherefore as in all other graces so in faith God worketh in us the deed as well as the will Phil. 2.13 and Jud. 20. building us up in faith is by praying in the Holy Ghost and wee must look up to the Holy Ghost by earnest prayer to help us in the whole progress of our faith and every act of faith till wee receive the end of our faith the Salvation of our souls Christ Crucified the special Object of Justifying Faith THE SIXTEENTH SERMON ON Romans 3.25 Faith in his blood HItherto of Faith in General as the Instrument of our Justification and Christ the more special Object of it as justifying Now follows the third thing premised concerning the most special Object or the most special consideration of that object in those words Faith in his blood for the understanding whereof let mee put you in minde of the former Explication of the word blood which hath been expounded to bee meant Synecdochically a part being put for the whole So that it signifies all the sufferings of Christ in the whole state of his abasement but most especially his sufferings both in body and soul at his death even all the pains of the first and second death which our Saviour did undergo upon the Cross So that by faith in his blood wee are to understand Faith apprehending Christ crucified or undergoing the shameful and accursed death of the cross Therefore we observe Doct. It is the duty of sinners for their Justification distinctly to apprehend and rely upon Christ crucified Or thus That it is the Duty and should bee the care of sinners to place their confidence on Christ crucified for Justification For that is the meaning of the phrase Faith in his blood that is faith relying on Christ crucified This notes the subject matter of redemption whereon our Faith is principally grounded in the article of our Justification Our faith indeed in the point of Justification doth imbrace whole Christ but most properly and in a peculiar manner it is terminated in the Sacrifice and Propitiation or Death of Christ and this the Scriptures attest Joh. 6.53 54 55. Jesus said unto them Verily Verily I say unto you except you eat the body of the Son of God and drink his blood you have no life in you and this is by beleeving on Christ crucified for Christ doth not speak there immediately of the Lords Supper though Sacramental eating may bee comprehended under it and hee saith peremptorily that there is no life and therefore no justification or Salvation without the eating there mentioned but hee addes on the contrary vers 54. Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood by faith hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day There is a direct promise of Life Justification and Salvation to them that do beleeve on Christ crucified and vers 56. Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mee and I in him i.e. hath union and communion with Christ Jesus in all his benefits and therefore must needs bee justified and this is the same which John preached Behold the Lamb of God c. Joh. 1.29 i.e. the Lamb of God for Sacrifice that wee should behold for justification with the eye of faith Yea so Joh. 3.14 16. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness c. that lifting up was especially when Christ was Crucified and lifted up upon the Cross and looking on the brazen Serpent signifyed beleeving on Christ crucified that such as did so should not perish but have everlasting life And this is the very condition of the Covenant of grace Reas 1. Taken from the Old Testament wherein the mystery of Christ and Justification was more veiled and dark yet even then this truth was received that their reconciliation was by faith in the Messiah to come and made a sacrifice for sin and hence the Covenant was confirmed with blood shed Heb. 9.20 neither was the Old Testament dedicated without it Exod. 24.8 For when Moses had spoken every precept hee took the blood of Calves and Goats and sprinkled both the book and all the people saying This is the blood of the Testament that God enjoyned unto you and vers 23. it was necessary that the heavenly things themselves should bee purified with better sacrifices than these and it is necessary still that there should bee the same way of cleansing of sin away by way of Sacrifice and Blood of the New Testament Matth. 26.28 For this is the meaning of the sacrifices they were oppointed for attonement yea almost all things by the Law were purged with blood Heb. 9.22 and without shedding of blood there is no remission and so it was then and thereby the people are taught to look for justification by Christ Hence
there is nothing left to trouble our peace and hinder our comfort Isa 35. last The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Sion with Songs and everlasting joies upon their heads It is a blessed time the ransomed of the Lord have none can hinder their joy and blessedness Rom. 4.6 Psal 32.1 There is nothing can hinder our blessedness but sin and that being slain by Christs death our great enemy is overcome So that the blood of Christ that is available for the pardon of our sins past is also available for the sins that are to come and follow his death Use 3. Lay claim to pardon Instruction to true Beleevers Seeing there is such efficacy in the blood of Christ for the remission of all their sins let them learn this high part of spiritual wisdome to lay claim to this full pardon and let them not charge their consciences with the guilt of their sins for this is in a sort to lessen if not deny the force and vertue of the death of Christ which is to bee abhorred by every Christian Heb. 10.2 They that are once purged have no more Conscience of sin i.e. of the terrours and guilt of sin unsatisfied for if God and his word conclude us to bee under sin then wee must conclude so too but if they discharge us and set us at liberty then shall wee wrong Scripture wrong God and Christ and our own Souls to charge our selves with the guilt of our Iniquities One would think Beleevers need not any advice in matters of this nature but it is a sure rule that the Carnal man and unbeleever thinks it the easiest matter in the World to put over all his sins upon Christ and perswade his heart that his sins are pardoned whereas a Beleever accounts it a difficult business to remove the mountains of sin and as it were by faith to cast them into the midst of the Sea so as to conclude the Remission and Forgiveness of all their sins So that they have great need of this advice and the want of this wisdom is that which breeds so many bad thoughts fears doubts discouragements and darknesse in the hearts of true beleevers When as sometimes they think upon their sins they are ready quite and clean to sink them thus it was with David Psal 38.4 Our Iniquities are gone over our heads c. with Job Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against mee and makest mee possesse the sinnes of my Youth Job 14.16 17. Thou watchest over my sins thou sealest up my Transgression in a bag c. and with Moses Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance who speaks there in behalf of the Church then in distresse This is that which is so grievous to Christians in case of temptations and desertions spiritual that they look at their sins as unpardoned or standing in full force against them and so the death of Christ as invalid and not reaching to the pardon of them Truely in such and the like cases I know not what to call it whether Pride or Weakness or Folly that poor Beleevers do frame inditements against themselves and take their debts upon themselves which the Lord Jesus hath discharged And it is like as if some poor man were cast into Prison for debt and some rich friend should lay down a full summe to discharge the debt and cancell his bonds and so set him at liberty and hee refuse the kindness and say nay but this payment is not sufficient but I must discharge it my self or else I will never come out What will you call this Truely this is your case that your spirits are over-whelmed with your sins you go like malefactors with fetters and bolts about their heels Though your liberty is purchased and the Prison doors are set wide open yet you will not bee delivered and come out You account not the pay of Christ current and go about drooping discouraged and uncomfortable disabling your selves for any duties and create needless miseries to your selves Well remember the point and use in hand that the blood of Jesus Christ hath cleansed us i. e. all true beleevers from all iniquities 1 Joh. 1.7 Dan. 9.24 Rom. 5.11 Isa 38.17 Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back It is a borrowed speech from men when they regard not a thing they cast it behind their backs and thus God doth with the guilt of beleevers sins Object But is not this a ground of looseness prophaneness and incouragement to Libertines Drunkards and Unclean persons for they will say why should wee bee troubled for our sins how many soever wee have committed seeing Christ by his death hath purchased the full remission of our sins therefore they think they may revel carouse swagger drink whore cozen what not and need never bee troubled for their sins Answ This is just the conceit of the Familists and Antinomians that maintain wee need not to bee troubled for our sinnes and that justified persons have nothing to do with repentance any more or if they do repent they do undervalue Christ and his Death as if hee had not sufficiently satisfied for our sins Now to prevent the cavils of ungratious hearts and to give Gods people that portion of Instruction that belongs to them I answer in these particulars Answ 1. There is no unbeleever hath any ground in the Word to conclude the pardon of his sins in the state of his unbeleef or that hee hath any real benefit by the death of Christ If they conceive otherwise they couzen their own souls Heb. 10.38 If any man with-draw himself my soul shall have no pleasure in him that is he will not pardon him Joh. 3.18 Hee that beleeves not is condemned already The sentence is already passed upon every unbeleever in the Word of God yea and in the Counsel of God upon him that shall continue obstinately and finally in the sin of unbeleef whereby such great indignity is offered to Gods Grace and Word and especially such horrid rebellion and unthankfulnesse to the Lord Jesus Christ For so it follows because hee hath not beleeved in the Name of the only begotten Son of God Surely hee that is condemned for sin hath not the remission of sin but is going to execution for sin 2 There is no unregenerate unsanctified or disobedient person but is an unbeleever and therefore destitute of any comfort in Christs death This the Scriptures do clearly hold forth for Regeneration and Faith goe together 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever beleeveth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God Psal 32.1 2. Joh. 1.12 13. They that beleeve are sanctified Heb. 10.11 By one offering hee hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Without obedience there is no faith Heb. 5.9 and dreadful is that place spoken of Christ Exod. 23.21 Provoke him not obey his voice for hee will not bear your transgressions so it may bee rendred hee