was under Pharaoh giving out provisions unto the people according to his discretion So is the Lord Jesus under God his Father He provideth for the Bodies of his people For their Souls And as for their Bodies so also and specially for their Souls Thence is he called the Shepherd and Bishop of Souls 1 Pet. 2. last Them he nourisheth Even as men nourish their natural Bodies so doth Christ his mysticall Body No man ever yet hated his own flesh saith the Apostle Ephes 5.29 i. e. No man in his right wits will wrong or starve his own body but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church The Lord Christ nourisheth his Church This he doth by his Word and Spirit the one being a vehiculum a conduit-pipe to the other so conveying spirituall nourishment to all the members of this Body So much we may learn from the Apostle Col. 2.19 where speaking of this Head he tels us that from hence All the Body by joynts and Bands having nourishments ministred c increaseth with the increase of God Thus is it in the naturall Body The Head being the fountain of the animall spirits it giveth sense and motion and nutrition to all the members And thus doth Jesus Christ this mysticall Head He maketh a supply to all the members of his mysticall Body of what ever is requisite for their spirituall nourishment and growth To the nourishment of the naturall Body there are two things requisite Meat and Drink And both these Christ affordeth to the soul Of the former you may read John 6.27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you meaning his word or himselfe his own flesh as he expounds it ver 51. The bread that I will give is my flesh The other you have John 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink And again John 4.14 Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst meaning thereby his Spirit the Spirit of Grace which is like a living Spring in the soul refreshing and comforting it Both together you have John 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed So they are The flesh and blood of Christ being eaten and drunk by faith applying the merit of his death and passion unto the soul now they afford as true and perfect nourishment unto the soul as any meat and drink do to the body thus doth Jesus Christ nourish his people Even as Joseph is said to have nourished his Brethren and all his Fathers Houshold Gen. 47.12 So doth this our Mediator the Lord Jesus nourish his people feeding them To which I might add As he feedeth so also he cloatheth them He cloatheth them and this he doth with a double garment The one of Imputed the other of Inherent Righteousnesse This is the fine-linnen spoken of Rev. 19.8 wherewith the Bride the Lamb's wife is said to be arrayed The fine-linnen is the Righteousnesse of Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Originall the Justifications the Righteousnesses Such is the Righteousnesse of Saints a double Righteousnesse Besides the Righteousnesse of Christ put upon them by a gracious Imputation they have also an Inherent Righteousnesse consisting in holinesse of heart and life inward Graces and outward good Works which as Beza notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justificationes i. e. bona illa opera qua sunt vinae fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Gr. Annot. ad Apocal. 19.8 may not unfitly be called Justifications in as much as they justifie a mans faith and the truth of grace in him This is the Government in which that Royal Spouse is said to be brought to her Husband Psal 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of needle-work A contexture of variety of graces and good works meeting together And this is a Garment not of the Spouses own making but is bestowed upon her by her Bridegroom To her was granted that she should be arrayed c. Rev. 19.8 And so is it to all true believers whom Jesus Christ both feedeth and clotheth But I hasten Fifthly Thus providing for them now he also disposeth of them 5. He disposeth of them Thus did Joseph dispose of his Brethren Gen. 47.11 Thus doth our Joseph the Lord Jesus dispose of all his people and that both in respect of their stations and services where he will have them to be and what he will have them to do or to suffer Thus did he dispose of his servant Paul as you may see Acts 9. Having first dismounted humbled him and so fitted and prepared him for his service brought him to his Lure insomuch that he calleth out Lord what wilt thou have me to do ver 6. Now he orders him to go to Damascus and there to repair to Ananias to receive his instructions from him to whom he had imparted his mind concerning him as you find it ver 15. Go thy way saith the Lord to Ananias for he is a chosen vessels unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel this was Paul to do And for his suffering work that followeth I will show him what great things he must suffer for my names sake ver 16. Thus did Jesus Christ dispose of him and thus did he then dispose of all his Disciples sending them which way he pleased Matth. 10.16 17. And thus doth he still dispose of all others under his Government Calling some to one office to one service others to another He gave some Apostles and some Prophets c. Ephes 4.11 Some or these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only appointing the offices but designing the persons Stil he doth the same though not in so immediate a way He putteth one upon doing this another upon suffering that He disposeth of the persons of his subjects 6. And lastly disposing of them he Dispenceth to them 6. He dispenceth to them distributeth among them And this he doth both Gifts and Honours and Rewards All this doth a Vice-Roy at his pleasure dispence to those under his government And all these doth Jesus Christ dispence unto his people 1. Gifts 1. Gifts All kind of Gifts whether of Nature Of Nature or Grace Christ is the dispencer of both Of the former speaketh Saint John as he is commonly understood cap. 1. ver 9. That was the true light saith he speaking of Christ that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world viz. with a Naturall light the light of Reason and Vnderstanding which as it was at first infused into the mind of man by him by whom all things are made ver 3. so some sparkes thereof are still preserved and continued by the same Mediator by vertue of the generall mediation of Christ But to let them passe Gifts of Grace are all of his dispencing To every one of us is
of the duties of Piety towards God Justice Charity Mercy towards men Tit. 2.12 Not unfitly called Fruits being in walking righteously soberly godly These are Gospel-fruits and not unfitly so called Fruits being 1. Delectable So are fruits unto man delectable to the eye to the palate 1. Delectable Gen. 3.6 And so are good works unto God Fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse brought forth by a Tree of righteousnesse good works performed by a justified person they are gratefull they are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 With such sacrifice God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 And 2. Profitable So are good fruits 2. Profitable and so are good works As delectable to God so profitable to man Godlinesse is profitable for all things 1 Tim. 4.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nusquam non nunquam non utilis Grotius ad loc Profitable at all times in all places in all occasions The tree bringeth forth fruit upwards but it is for the benefit of those which are below A Christian bringeth forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 but the comfort and benefit thereof extendeth to himselfe and others My goodnesse extendeth not unto thee but unto the Saints which are upon earth Psal 16.2 3. Again 3. Giving evidence to the Tree Fruits give evidence to the Tree which beareth them shewing it to be a living tree and of what kind it is The tree is known by its fruits Mat. 12.33 And of such use are good works to the Christian They are evidences discovering a man to himselfe and others shewing him to be a living tree and a good tree a Tree of Righteousnesse a branch of that generous Vine one truly engrafted into Jesus Christ Such fruits do all these engrafted branches bring forth This Benefit Beleevers have from their engrafting into Christ And this benefit they have from their engrafting into Christ Fructification is a consequent of Insition That Christians are thus fruitfull it floweth from that communion which they have with Jesus Christ Two things there are as I shewed you wherein the Christian hath communion with Christ viz. in his Merit and Spirit His Merit unto Justification his Spirit unto Sanctification And from hence is it they bring forth such fruits fruits acceptable to God 1. Through his Merit 1. This they have from the Merit of Christ Thereby their persons are justified and themselves made good trees which they must be before their fruits can be good Make the tree good and his fruit good Mat. 12.33 Hereby their persons come to be accepted and consequently their Works God had a respect unto Abel and to his offering Gen. 4.8 First the Person then the Sacrifice Works performed by an unjustified person whatever they be materially in themselves yet formally they cannot be good so good as to find acceptance with God 2. By his Spirit 2. And secondly This they have from the Spirit of Christ This it is that worketh all these works in and for the beleever who is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reasonable Instrument acted by the Spirit of God in supernaturall performances So as these fruits are more properly the fruits of the Spirit then of the Beleever Col. 5.22 The fruits of the Spirit are love and peace c. This benefit the Graft receiveth from the Stock communicating sap and moisture unto it And this benefit doth the believer receive from Jesus Christ communicating his Spirit unto him Applic. By this try our mysticall Implantation By this then to make some Application of this Resemblance trie we our selves whether we be truely engrafted into Jesus Christ or no. Do we bring forth fruit and such fruit If not feed not our selves with a fancy of Faith or Justification by faith Saint James hath put it beyond all controversie in his second Chapter of his Epistle were he tels us ver 17. That Faith if it have not works is dead being alone Again Faith without works Dead ver 26. As the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also Dead viz. as to Justification and Salvation As Abraham and Sarah's bodies were said to be dead in that they were unapt for generation Rom. 4.19 Even so faith without works is said to be dead in as much as it is unapt and unable to produce those desired and intended effects to justifie to save True it is works are not properly a Cause of Justification as faith is commonly said to be viz. an instrumentall cause yet they are a necessary concomitant of that faith which justifieth requisite qualifications in the person justified That trite distinction of fides sola solitaria clears this point well Though faith alone justifie yet not that faith which is alone If faith justifie the person it is works that must justifie that faith Shew me thy faith without works saith Saint James And I will shew thee my faith by my works ver 18. The former impossible the later infallible An Evangelicall Obedience that is an uniform impartiall universall obedience such in desire and indeavour though not in performance is an undoubted evidence of a true saving justifying faith Such an one may conclude to the comfort of his own soul that he is truely engrafted into Christ Barren Christians no true ingrafted Branches But so cannot others Barren Christians such as have nothing to speak for them but the leaves of an outward profession if that onely the Name of Christ called upon them In the mean time expressing nothing of the power and life of Christ in the course of their lives and conversations All they can say for themselves is no more then the proud Pharisee's boast Luke 18.11 They are not as others are They are free from grosse open and scandalous evils no Drunkards no Sweaters no Adulterers I wish all that hear me this day could but say so much Negative Christians But as for positive acts of Holinesse and Righteousnesse works of Piety Charity Mercy they have no acquaintance with them Let not such deceive themselves certainly they are yet strangers unto this Mysticall Implantation they have no part nor portion in this blessed Priviledge Much lesse such as are fruitfull in evill works But what then shall we say to those who are fruitfull in evill works whose fruit tendeth all to sin as Solomon speaketh Pro. 10.16 Fruitfull in the works of the flesh such as those reckoned up by the Apostle in that black list Gal. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Lasciviousnesse Idolatry Witch-craft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murder Drunkennesse Revellings and such like Where these any of these raigning evils are to be found there shall need no other evidence to discover what Stock a man belongeth to viz. the Old Stock the Old Adam the Stock of corrupted nature Were a man engrafted into Jesus Christ that grace of God which hath
undertaking to answer and make satisfaction unto the Justice of God for them And in this respect it is chiefly and principally as Bellarmine and others rightly observe upon the Text that he is here called by our Apostle a Mediator In this respect principally called a Mediatour in the Text. Neque apud ineruditos tantùm sed apud eos qui elegantiùs loquuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur is qui placat aliquem Grot ' de Satisfact cap. 8. Object Here is no mention of Gods wrath or displeasure A Mediator betwixt God and men id est One that interposeth himselfe betwixt the wrath of God and them undertaking to satisfie their debts and so to reconcile them unto God Thus the word in the Text as Grotius noteth may fitly be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plaactor One that pacifieth and appeaseth another by giving satisfaction and contentment to him And in this sense it is here applyed unto Christ Obj. Not so saith Socinus and his followers The word here signifieth no more then what it doth elsewhere Interpres Internuncius an Interpreter an Intermessenger betwixt God and Man Not a Peace-maker No here is not a word saith he concerning any wrath or displeasure of God against sin or sinners that might induce us to make such a construction of the Apostles meaning Ans But to this Pareus Answ Pareus in Heb. 8.6 returns him an Answer It is not to be conceived that what ever belongs to such or such a subject should be mentioned where-ever that subject is touched upon True the Apostle maketh no mention of Gods wrath against sin and sinners in this place This we finde elsewhere But elsewhere he doth sufficiently abundantly Romans 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse of men Cap. 5.9 Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Such is the state and condition of all men by nature They are all alike Children of wrath Ephes 2.2 Being out of Christ not beleeving on him the wrath of God abideth on them John 3. last A truth so sufficiently known so frequently inculcated by himself and others as that there was no need why the Apostle should here make any mention of it before he call Christ a Mediator But if this satisfie not look but a little after and there shall we finde what is by the Adversarie desired Who gave himselfe a Ransome for us In which words as Bellarmine well noteth upon it the Apostle assigneth the cause and Reason of what he had said plainly shewing in what respect it was principally that he called Christ a Mediatour viz. In as much as hee gave himselfe a Ransome unto God his Father making satisfaction for the sinnes of his people Objection Satisfaction But Object No mention of Christs satisfaction in Scripture Christoph Ostorodius contra Purgationem peccatorum Ar gum 1. Answer Pareus ad Rō 9. Dubio 12. Though not the word yet the thing is Grot. de Satisf cap. 7. in initio where doe wee meet with this word in Scripture thus applyed unto Christ and his Mediatorship So some demand of us Answ To whom Pareus and others soon return Answer that though the word be not found yet the thing is being set forth in other expressions which are equipollent and equivalent And this it is that our Adversaries contend against as Socinus acknowledgeth it not the word but the thing And this it is that we must with earnestnesse contend for against them for this truth of God is a part of that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints and a principall part of it a foundation-stone a principle of Christian Religion the maine hinge upon which the whole worke of our salvation turneth Take away this the satisfaction of Christ and what sure foundation shall our faith rest upon If this foundation bee destroyed then what shall the righteous doe They must then goe seeke for another way of Justification then by faith in the merits of Christ And so seek for a new way to heaven which none of their forefathers ever yet found Let me therefore take up a little time for the asserting and vindicating of this truth of God against the Adversaries and Opposers of it Wherein my aime shall be to deal as little as may be in a Polemicall controversall way in arguing and disputing the case with them but rather in demonstrating it against them by laying this foundation as sure as I can that so you may with more assured confidence adventure your soules upon it Christ is said to be a Mediator as a Surety undertaking and making satisfaction unto God for the sins of his people That he is so Christs Satisfaction evinced by Scripture Testimonies Scripture is clear to those who will but look upon it without prejudice To go about to call in all those Texts that speak to this purpose would prove a long if not a tedious work I shal single out some of them which I conceive to give in the clearest and most convincing evidence And here I shall begin with the old Testament Old Testament where I shall in the first place have recourse unto that clear Prophecie concerning Christ then which all the old Testament affords not a clearer which wee meet with Isaiah 53. Isa 53. Arg. 1. There shall we finde a mutuall compact and agreement betwixt the Father and the Sonne about this way of Reconciliation viz. by way of satisfaction This the Father imposeth And this the Sonne submits to The Father imposeth it by charging the sinns of his Elect upon him So you have it verse 6. Ver. 6. The LORD laid on him the iniquities of us all Not the sinns themselves not the evill in them or fault of them but the guilt and penalty belonging to them This GOD laid upon his Son charging it upon him as a Creditor chargeth a debt upon the surety requiring satisfaction from him Or as the margin readeth it according to the Originall He shall make the iniquity of us all to meet on him Even as many debts of severall persons are charged upon one common surety and so all meet together upon his head Thus did the sins of all God's Elect or all true believers for of such and onely such he there speaks as Diodate expounds it such as having union with Christ have a true spirituall Communion amongst themselves they all meet together upon the head of their common surety the Lord Christ Even as the sins of Priests and people met together upon the head of the Sacrifice being layed upon it by the Priests who to that end laid their hands upon the head of it as you may read Exod. 29.10 15 19. by that Ceremony putting and laying their own sins and the sins of the people upon the head of that Sacrifice which was to be offered up for them Even thus saith the Prophet did God the Father lay the sins of his
bring evill upon the house of Jeroboam for Jeroboam's sake Thus doth God often according to that his threatning visit the sin of the fathers upon the children viz. in the way of temporall Judgement Specially where he findeth them treading in their fathers steps as Canaan did in Chams and Jeroboams posterity in his So then wee cannot looke upon that passage in Ezekiel as a perpetuall and standing Law for all times and places but onely as calculated for that present Meridian as peculiar to those times and that people The Lord therin declaring to the people of the Jews what the course of his ordinary providence should thenceforth be in his proceedings with them So much may clearly be collected from the first verses of this chapter where the Lord expostulates with that people about a Proverb which was in use amongst them The fathers have eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge ver 2. The meaning whereof was that Manasseh and others of their forefathers had sinned and they suffered for it So you have it explained Lam. 5.7 Our Fathers have sinned and are not and we have born their Iniquities Thus did they abuse the patience and indulgence of God in deferring his Judgements taking occasion from thence to charge him with some hard measure some unequall dealings towards themselves Hereupon the Lord tels them that he would take away that occasion from them So you have it ver 3. As I live saith the Lord ye shall not any more have occasion to use this Proverb in Israel How so why hereafter he intended to be more speedy in the execution of his Judgements he would bring them speedily upon the person that sins The soul that sinneth shall dy c. this is all that is intended in that place Which being so looked upon maketh nothing against the point in hand Notwithstanding that with a Non obstante God may and doth and that Justly charge the sin of one upon another in the way of temporall Punishment I and accept such a satisfaction made by one for another Thus in those forenamed instances That execution done upon Sauls sons it is accepted as a Temporall satisfaction for the sin of Saul so as thereupon the Lord was reconciled to the people and was intreated for the land as you have it 2 Sam. 21. ver 14. In like manner that execution which the destroying Angel had done upon those seventy thousand God accepted it as a temporal satisfaction for the sin of David wherby he had provoked him against that people 2 Sam. 24. last And even thus hath God required and accepted this Eternall satisfaction made by Christ in the behalf of his Elect people Which he hath done without any impeachment to his Truth his truth in his Threatnings Alleg. 2. But how can this stand with his truth in his Promises 2. In his promises Hath not God promised Remission of sins and Eternall life upon the condition of Repentance and new obedience without any further satisfaction So it there followeth in the next verse Ezek. 18.21.22 If the wicked will turne from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes c. He shall surely live he shall not dy All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall live Many such promises we meet withall both in the Old Testament and New A. To this it is answered True the penitent sinner upon his Repentance evangelical obedience Answ The promises of Remission and salvation upon conditions of Repentance and new Obedience how understood and Perseverance he shall live and that Eternally But what are these the cause of his salvation Not so Conditions they are and so a causa sine quâ non as they call it Conditions without which they shall not be saved Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish saith our Saaiour to those censorious Jewes Luke 13.3 And they are the way which leades to heaven Via Regni The way to the Kingdome a way which God hath layd out for his people to walke in Ephes 2.10 and they walking in it shall attain the end of their hope the salvation of their soules it will bring them to heaven I but not causa regnandi not the cause of their Reigning there No the proper procuring cause of salvation is onely the Obedience of Jesus Christ being apprehended and applyed by Faith To both which Repentance and new obedience are subordinate Marke it There are three things which besides the Grace of God which is the first moving cause concurr in bringing a sinner to salvation viz. Christ Faith Repentance Christ Faith Repentance subordinate the one presupposing the other The first of these Christ he is the meritorious cause of it The two others Faith and Repentance are as Conditions of the Covenant without which Christ and his merits shall be of no availe unto the sinner Repent and beleeve the Gospel Marke 1.15 Now these are subordinate the one to the other The first Christ being the proper and principall procuring cause The 2d Faith an Instrumentall cause The 3d Repentance a Concomitant of Faith a fruit and effect of it The one necessarily depending upon the other Repentance upon Faith and Faith upon Christ There is no true Faith without Repentance it being Faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 And there is no true Faith without Christ hee being the proper object of true saving justifying faith as it justifieth and saveth Now according to that known and vulgar Maxime Subordinata non pugnant Things which are subordinate the one to the other they may well stand together The asserting of the one is not the denying of the other The taking in of the one is not the shutting out of the other whilst it is said that God pardoneth sins unto the sinner upon his Repentance it doth not exclude faith without which it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 But includes it presupposeth it And thus when we are said to be justified and saved by faith it doth not exclude but include Christ from whom faith draweth that Justifying and saving vertue Thus do these stand well together He that Repenteth and beleeveth shall be saved but not without Christ It is not his Repentance or Faith as they are workes that shall be imputed unto him unto Justification and salvation But the Obedience of Christ apprehended by faith and imitated in neer obedience Hereby it is that sinners are Reconciled Justified saved Q. But was this the way of Reconciliation under the old Testament The same way of reconciliation under the old Testament and the New Ans Surely yes Our Apostle in the verse after the Text telleth us that Christ gave himselfe a Ransome for us all that is not onely for Gentiles but for Jewes not onely for those who lived after his death but those who lived before All true beleevers As by the offence of one
Religion I a corner stone in that Foundation and a Truth principally aimed at by the Apostle in the Text I have now in hand as I have shewn you from the verse following as also because among other Truths of God I find it of late called in question nay utterly exploded and that by some who to use Paul's words Gal. 2.9 seemed to be Pillars men of no mean note in the Church of God Now passe we on to that which remains wherin I shall be as concise and briefe as conveniently I may finding the work to swell in my hand far beyond my expectation when I first took it up Secondly As Christ is a Surety in way of Satisfaction so of Caution II. Christ a Surety in way of Caution In the former he is a Surety de praeterito for what is past In this later he is a Surety de futuro for what is to come A Surety in way of Caution undertaking for those whom he hath so reconciled unto God viz. for the performance of the stipulation of the conditiōs of the covenant required on their part This Jesus Christ our Mediatour undertaketh and effecteth wherein he being the Truth again out-strips the Type Moses that Typicall Legall Mediatour he could go betwixt God and the people declaring his mind unto them receiving and returning their answer unto him Both these we find Exod. 19.7 8. Moses called for the Elders of the people and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord had commanded him And all the people answered together and said All that the Lord hath spoken we will do And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord. Thus he went betwixt them as an Internuncius an Intermessenger reporting the mind of each to other But he durst not ingage for them As for God he durst and did ingage for performance of the Covenant on his part And hee laid an ingagement upon the people Both these he did in and by that one Ceremonie which we meet with Exod. 24.8 Having first read the Booke of the Covenant in the audience of the people and received their Answer to the purport aforesaid Then he tooke the blood of the Sacrifice and sprinkled it on the people By that Ceremonie confirming and ratifying the Covenant Assuring it on Gods part and ingaging the people to fidelitie and constancie on their part as God willing I shall shew you more fully anon in moralizing of that Ceremonie But engage for them he durst not Which if he had done he had not been able to performe it But this doth our Mediator the Lord Jesus He having by his death reconciled his people unto God Undertaking for performance of the conditions on the behalfe of his Elect viz. Faith and Obedience now he undertaketh for them for their performance of the Stipulation the conditions of the Covenant on their part What the Stipulation is you have heard already Even the Obedience of Faith so the Apostle calleth it Rom. 1.5 and 16.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The obedience of Faith or if you will divide them Faith and Obedience These without any just offence I may call the conditions of this Covenant Faith whereby the Covenant is accepted upon the tearms on which it is tendred and Christ the Mediator of it received Obedience wherby it is kept viz. in an Evangelicall way in respect of desire and indeavour This it is which the Psalmist calleth Keeping of the Covenant Psalm 25.10 and 103.18 Not a Legall but an Evangelicall keeping when the promises of grace being beleeved there is a serious desire and indeavour of yeilding obedience to all God's Commandements Now for this Christ undertaketh on the behalfe of his Elect that they shall thus keep the Covenant that they shall thus Consent and Obey as the former Translation rendreth it Isaiah 1.19 And undertaking it he effecteth it working in them what the Covenant requires This he doth by his Spirit which is to them in whom it dwels first a Spirit of Faith So you find it expresly called 2 Cor. 4.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of Faith So called not only because it is not given but to beleevers as Grot. glosseth upon it but also because it worketh Faith in the soul inclining it to receive Christ the offer of grace by and through him And then a Spirit of Holinesse So the Spirit of Christ is called Rom. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of Sanctity or Sanctification Because being Holy in it selfe it sanctifieth the person in whom it dwelleth Thus it sanctified the Humane nature of Christ wherein it dwelled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle phraseth it Col. 2.9 Really Substantially Essentially Bodily And thus it sanctifieth all true beleevers in whom it dwelleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a Spirituall manner being communicated from Christ unto them as from the Head to the Members Thus doth Jesus Christ this our Mediator come unto all his Elect people as by his merit so by his Spirit So may wee most fitly understand that of Saint John 1 John 5.6 This is hee that came by water and blood Both these issued out of the side of our Saviour upon the crosse surely not without a mystery Betokening a double benefit redounding to all believers by and through him The one of Justification the other of Sanctification Thus Christ is said to come to them first by Blood taking away the guilt of sin Then by water cleansing them from the filth and pollution of sin Both which were shadowed out by the like Types under the Law There in the Service of the Tabernacle was Blood and water Blood in the Sacrifices water in the Legall ablutions Both Types of Christ who thus cometh unto his people as by Blood Justifying so by water Sanctifying them This is that which the Apostle telleth us 1 Cor. 1.31 where speaking of the Benefits which beleevers have by Christ he saith hee is made unto them of God Righteousness Sanctification i. e. The cause and procurer of both Of Righteousnesse through his merit Of Sanctification by his Spirit Thus doth Jesus Christ worke in the heart of his Elect both these Conditions of the Covenant Faith and Holinesse And as he beginneth this worke in them With perseverance so he maintaineth and continues it Causing those whom he hath thus reconciled unto God to persevere in Faith and Obedience In faith I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not saith our Saviour to Peter Luk. 22.32 The like he doth for all that are given to him taking order for their persevering in faith So as though it may fail in the mouth as Peter did yet it shall never fail in the Heart And as in faith so in Holinesse this he also maintaines which he doth by the continuall Supply of his Spirit mortifying and keeping under corruption nourishing and exciting of grace putting them on in the course of their Obedience guiding their feet into the
of the Covenant the Blood of Jesus Christ whereby he sealed the Covenant betwixt God and man under their feet by a wilfull and obstinate disobedience Thirdly And in this rank in the third place are all proud Justiciaries 2. Proud Justiciaries who think themselves not to stand in need of such a Mediatour As for Jacob's Ladder they need it not they have one of their own making by which they hope to climb to Heaven they have that of their own which they hope may sufficiently commend them unto God So thought that proud Pharisee in the Gospel who coming into the Temple to pray begins to reckon up all his good deeds tels God of his negative and positive Righteousnesse Luke 18.11 12. as supposing that he should need no other to speak a good word to God for him And thus is it not only with Romish Perfectists who dote so much upon their own good works that they fancie in some of them a supererogation sure they have no need of another to speak for them who can and dare speak so much for themselves but even many amongst our selves meer civill persons who stand so much upon their own morall righteousnesse as that without any other Mediation they dare present themselves before God As for such let them never make account of any benefit by this Mediatour Paul hath laid it down for an irrefragable conclusion Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace viz. from this grace of God in Christ so as living and dying in this condition you shal neither have part nor portion in it 4. All unbelievers 4. To these I might yet add generally all unbelievers who do not close with this Mediatour laying hold of this Mediation applying it to themselves complying with his designe therein To all these is this grace of God in vain O let it not be so to any of us Having heard of this Mediatour make out after him Let it not be so to us that we may have a share in the benefits of this his Mediation not contenting our selves with generall notions to know that there is such a Mediatour betwixt God and men So there may be and yet we never the better for it or yet to know in what way he hath discharged his office Let it be our care to insure our particular interest in him that he is a Mediatour betwixt God and us To that end 1. Be we reconciled unto God by and through him 1. Be we reconciled unto God through this Mediator This is the grand work of this Mediatour as I have shewn you wherefore he took upon him this office of Mediatourship Let us herein comply with this great designe of his which is of so great concernment to every of us Be we reconciled unto God So Paul presseth it upon his Corinthians in that place to which I have had so frequent recourse 2 Cor. 5. where having first laid down his Doctrine in effect the very same with that which I have dwelt so long upon viz. that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe ver 19. Then he maketh this use of it ver 20 Now then we are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God This was the sum of his message to them And this is the sum of our message to you This is the word which God hath put into our mouths He hath given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation ver 18. He hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation ver 19. Now then we being Ambassadours for Christ substituted by him as he was by his Father as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God Be reconciled unto God In this single motion there is a double request there being two things comprehended in that word 1. Accepting the Reconciliation purchased and offered on God's part 1. The first is That you will accept of the Reconciliation which is purchased for you and tendred to you Purchased for you by Christ and tendred to you by God his Father This receive Receiving this Grace This is that which Paul saith of himselfe and his believing Romans Rom. 5.11 We have received the Attonement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. accepimus effectum istius reconciliationis Spiritum sanctum Grotius Comment ad Rom. 5.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reconciliation Not the fruit and effect of their Reconciliation viz. the holy Spirit which being reconciled to God they had received as Grotius in his Comment goeth about to elude that Text which looketh so broad upon the Socinian but even the benefit of Reconciliation or Attonement which they received upon their believing So the same Authour in his former and more candid thoughts explains it elsewhere Quid hic est aliud Accipere reconciliationem quam accipere remissionem peccatorum Grotius de Satisfact cap. 7. To receive Reconciliation is to receive the benefit of Reconciliation In effect the same with that which is elsewhere called Receiving of remission of sins Acts 10.43 26.18 And this let all of us do Thus receive we this Reconciliation accepting this Grace by faith laying hold upon this Mediatour In this way is Remission of sins received So Peter telleth Cornelius and his company Act. 10.43 To him to Christ give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name his merit whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins And in this way receive wee this Reconciliation By faith laying hold upon the Obedience and satisfaction of this our Mediatour applying the merit thereof unto our selves resting thereupon for the great obtaining of this great benefit Thus receive we this Grace of God and this gift by grace which is by this one man Jesus Christ as the Apostle describeth this benefit of Reconciliation or Justification Rom. 5.15 And thus having received this Grace Persevering in it now persevere in it and that by holding fast this our Mediatour our Peace-maker in the armes of our faith Continually interposing him as a skreene betwixt the fire of Gods wrath and our poor sinfull soules presenting him with the merit of his Obedience unto God his Father that so our peace being made it may also be maintained by the means of this our blessed Mediatour Thus be we reconciled unto God by accepting of this Reconciliation 2. And 2ly 2. Laying aside Enmity on our parts By laying aside that Enmity which is in our souls against him Laying down all the weapons of our Rebellion all our sinfull lusts Every of which as Saint James saith of one of them the Love of the world James 4.4 is Enmity with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Enmity against God though not Directly yet Interpretatively in as much
part to make use of in the working of this first Resurrection Not that hee is tyed to an uniformity in his way of working alwaies to work after the same manner No his dispensations as in other of his works so in this are various But ordinarily so it is Before dead soules arise and come out of the grave of sin there is a shaking and an Earthquake and a rending of the Rocks God prepares the hearts of his people for this blessed work by some degree of a Legall contrition and compunction giving the soul to feel somewhat of the spirit of Bondage letting into it some sense and apprehension of sin and the wrath of God due unto sin After this cometh the still voice In the Gospel As it was in Eliahs vision at Mount Horeb 1 Kin. 19.11 12. After the whirlewind and the Earthquake and the fire came the still small voyce Thus fareth it ordinarily in the work of Conversion After the Whirlewind and the Earthquake and the fire of the Law cometh the still voyce of the Gospell quieting the soul with the offers of grace and mercy letting into it some comfortable apprehension of Reconciliation with God through Christ withall exciting it to lay hold upon that mercy and to indeavour to walk answerably to it in newnesse of life Now have we heard this voice of the Son of God Have we heard Christ thus speaking to our souls making his word effectuall unto us in this way If so here is an hopefull evidence that this blessed change is begun and that we have a part in this first Resurrection Whereas otherwise are we strangers to this voice never felt any such power in the word We may justly conclude our selves strangers to this blessed work surely we are as yet in our graves under the power of a spirituall death Enquiry 2. Have we received the spirit of Christ 2. Let a second enquiry be Have we received the spirit of Christ we know by what meanes it is that the dead body is raised by putting a spirit into it Thus we read of Jairus his daughter Luk. 8.55 After that Christ had called upon her saying Maid arise her spirit came again saith the Text and shee arose straightway By a like meanes doth Jeses Christ effect this Resurrection of the soule by putting his spirit into it By this meanes was his own Body raised Hee was put to death in the flesh but quickned by the spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 viz. that divine and eternall spirit which dwelt in his humane nature And by the same meanes are dead soules quickned By this means were those dry bones made to live again Ezek. 37.5 Behold saith the Lord I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live Now what were those dry bones and what was this Breath you may see the Interpretation of both in the sequels These bones are the whole house of Israel ver 11. And yee shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves O my people and brought you up out of your graves and shall put my spirit in you and yee shall live ver 13 14. This is the Breath put into these dry bones even the spirit of God put upon his people being then in Babylon causing them to live again restoring them to a flourishing condition By the same meanes doth Christ cause dead soules being Captives unto sin to live by putting his Spirit into them Hence is it that he is called a Quickning spirit 1 Corin. 15.45 Because by this meanes hee shal quicken the dead Bodies of his Saints at the last day Hee shall quicken your mortall Bodies by his spirit which dwelleth in you Rom. 8.11 And by the same meanes hee now quickneth dead soules by communicating his Spirit unto them Which in this respect the Apostle calleth The Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 Now then have we received this Spirit It was Pauls question to those new Converts Act. 19.2 Have ye received the Holy Ghost This he spake concerning the Extraordinary gifts of the Spirit which flourished in the Church at that time Let me propound the same question in a more ordinary sense Have we received the Holy Ghost Have we received the Spirit of Christ As it was Pauls question to his Galatians Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith Taking it for granted that they had received the Spirit And so have all those who have any true union with Jesus Christ If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 Now have wee received this spirit by the hearing of faith Have we so heard the voice of Christ in the doctrine of faith the Gospell as that wee have received the spirit of Christ If so questionlesse this Spirit will have the same operation and effect in our soules that it had in the Body of Christ As it raised up the one so it will raise up the other Whereas otherwise being voyd and destitute of this Spirit of Christ we may like dreaming men fancy and imagine our selves to be risen but we are yet in the grave This Quickning spirit how discerned Question But the Question here will run on How shall we know whether we have received this Quickning Spirit or no. A Question that will be very usefull in the resolution of it The rather because there are so many who pretend to this spirit never more then at this day who yet are meere strangers to it By the fruits and effects of it Answer For your satisfaction know that this Quickning spirit where it is discovers it selfe by the fruits and effects of it Of these fruits and effects I might name many I shall only single out three of the Principall which will be properly usefull to our present purpose This Quickning Spirit where it dwelleth in the soul Which in working this Resurrection are three it is to it a Spirit of Illumination a Spirit of Faith a Spirit of sanctification A threefold work whereby the Spirit effecteth this first Resurrection in the soul being to it first a Spirit of Illumination secondly of Faith thirdly Of Holinesse 1. A Spirit of Illumination 1. It is a Spirit of Illumination Here is the beginning of this work it beginneth in Light Even as in the first Creation the first born of Gods works was Light God said Let there be Light Gen. 1.3 So is it in this new Creation the first work is Light The Light shineth in darknesse John 1.4 a new light shining into the soul of man which since the fall is become a dungeon of darkenesse As it was with Peter when God sent his Angell to fetch him out of Prison Acts 12.7 he caused a light to shine in the prison So is it with dead souls when God sendeth his Angells his Ministers to fetch them out of the prison the dungeon of the grave he causeth a light to shine forth unto them
A supernaturall light the light of divine and heavenly knowledg to shine forth into their Hearts God who commanded the light to shine out of darknes hath shined into our hearts saith the Apostle to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2. Cor. 4.6 Gods Ministers being his Instruments in the work of Conversion they communicate that light of knowledg unto others which themselves have received making known the glorious grace of God shining in the face of Jesus Christ revealed and manifested in and by him without which Illumination there is no Regeneration Baptisme anciently called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illumination and why Hence was it that the Greek Fathers anciently called Baptisme which is the Sacrament of Regeneration by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illumination taking the ground of it as is conceived from that of the Apostle Leigh Critic sacra Heb. 6.4 where he speaks of those that were once enlightned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Syriack renders Grotius Beza ad loc qui ad baptismum descenderunt such as had been baptized And not unfitly may it be so called in as much as all those who are baptized with the Holy Ghost they have their minds illustrated with the beams of this divine and heavenly light Without such illumination no regeneration Hence is it that the twofold state of man the state of nature and the state of grace are called the one darknesse and the other light Ye were sometimes darknesse but now ye are light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 And the work of Conversion is described to be a turning from darknesse to light Acts 26.18 and a calling out of darknesse into a marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Now have we received this Spirit of Illumination Hath this light shined forth unto us shined into our minds and shined into our hearts Into our minds enlightning our understandings with some measure of speculative knowledge in spiritual heavenly mysteries Certainly without this there can be no true work of Conversion no spirituall Resurrection God doth not bring men out of their graves blindfold He first openeth their eyes Paul was sent to the Gentiles to open their eyes Acts 26.18 to turn them from darknesse to light from the darknesse of ignorance to the light of knowledge which shineth into the mind And into the heart He hath shined in our hearts saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so he doth in the hearts of his people giving them not onely a speculative but an affective knowledge not onely to know the truth but to be affected with it to love it believe it embrace it to receive a love of the truth for the want of which those Apostates fell away 2 Thes 2.10 Now hath this light thus shined not onely into our minds but into our hearts then may we conclude that we have received the Spirit of Christ even this quickning spirit beginning this work of a spirituall resurrection in our souls Whereas otherwise Do we stil sit in darknesse surely we are as yet in the shadow of death 2. This Quickning Spirit 2. A Spirit of Faith is a Spirit of Faith So it is to all who have any part in this first Resurrection We having the spirit of faith saith Paul to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 4.13 that is the Spirit of God working faith in the soul This it doth in all whom it quickneth first revealing Christ unto them then it inclineth their hearts to close with him upon those Gospel terms upon which he is offered to receive him as a Saviour and as a Lord. And so it uniteth them unto him ingrafting them into this Stock from whence they receive this quickning vertue and are made conformable to Christ in his resurrection This is conveyed unto believers through faith That we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith saith the Apostle Gal. 3.14 The Promise he there speaketh of is the promise of the Spirit of Regeneration as Diodate expounds it This is the promise which the Prophets make such frequent mention of Isai 44.3 Jer. 31.33 c. Now this promise of the spirit is received by faith faith on Jesus Christ which is the purifying grace Putrifying their hearts by faith Acts 15.9 The sanctifying grace Them which are sanctified by faith in me Acts 26.18 and the quickning grace by and through which this spirituall life is conveyed from Christ into the soul Expresse is that of our Saviour John 11.25 I am the resurrection and the life He that believeth on me though he were dead yet shall he live Though he be dead in sin yet shall he live a spirituall life upon his believing Which life is therefore called the life of faith because faith is both the beginning and the principall Act of this life The just shal live by his faith Rom. 3.11 The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 He that liveth and believeth on me saith our Saviour ver 26. of that 11th of John speaking of this spirituall life whereof saith is both the first and principall Act. Now have we received this Spirit of Faith Have we felt this work of the spirit upon our hearts drawing and inclining them thus to receive Jesus Christ thus to close with him thus to rest upon him thus to give up our selves unto him If so surely we are in the number of those that have part in this first Resurrection Otherwise being yet in a state of unbeliefe we are also in a state of death 3. 3. A Spirit of Holinesse This Quickning Spirit is also a sanctifying spirit a spirit of sanctification Such was the spirit whereby Jesus Cbrist was raised He was declared mightily to be the Son of God according to the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 That Spirit which raised up Jesus Christ was the same divine spirit which sanctified his humane nature wherein it dwelt And such is this quickning Spirit to all in whom it dwelleth Being to them a Spirit of Faith it is also to them a Spirit of Sanctification purifying their hearts through faith Hence is it that the Apostle puts these two together Sanctification of the spirit and beliefe of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 Faith and Holinesse never go asunder Where the Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of faith it is also a Spirit of holinesse changing the heart putting into it a new quality of holinesse turning the bent of it from and against all sin unto holinesse and righteousnesse working in it an unfeigned hatred of the one and love to the other Now have we received this Spirit also Do we find such an inward change wrought in our hearts Do we find the Law of God a Law of Holinesse written upon them A law contrary to the law of sin so the Apostle calleth that sinfull corruption which dwelleth and reigneth
in all unregenerate persons commanding evill actions as it were with authority putting the sinner upon them inclining and after a sort forcing him to the committing of sin Rom. 7.23 The law of sin which is in my members Now have we received a law contrary to this a law of holinesse having the clean contrary effects commanding with authority that which is holy and good putting us upon it carrying the soul with a strong impulsion towards it turning the bent of the heart that way so as that we can say with the Apostle that with or inward man we delight in the law of God Rom. 7.22 that with our mind we serve the law of God ver 25. If so surely this is no other but that law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus as the same Apostle calleth it Rom. 8.2 The law of this quickning spirit communicated from Christ as from the Head unto his members quickning and raising them up unto this spirituall life Whereas otherwise are we still under the law of sin certainly we are also under the power of death So much the Apostle insinuates in the next words where he puts these together the law of sin and death He that is freed from the one is freed from the other But he that is under the power of the one under the power of sin is also under the power of the other under the power of death Thus have you a second evidence whereby we may all of us judge of our selves whether we be engrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his Resurrection viz. Have we received the Spirit of Christ a Spirit of Illumination Faith Sanctification Take a third Do we live the life of Christ Enquiry 3. Do we live the life of Christ This do all that are raised with Christ they are in their measure made conformable to him in his life In their lives expressing his vertues Ye are a chosen generation c. saith Saint Peter speaking to believers that ye should shew forth the vertues of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 This do those who are raised with Christ they shew forth the vertues of Christ Shewing forth his vertues by way of imitation that is as some expound it and that not improperly they do in their lives and conversations expresse those graces and vertues which were so eminent and exemplary in him They not onely have them but they hold them forth They do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word properly signifieth praedicare to preach So clearly do they expresse the vertues of Christ as that their lives are as so many Sermons upon the life of Christ each a counterpane to that Originall This do all who are risen with Christ they propound Christ as a pattern for their imitation practising his vertues to the life Quest What vertues Imitable vertues in Christ Ans The imitable vertues in Christ were many I shall instance in some of the chief and those I shall but touch His Inoffensivenesse Meeknesse Patience Humility Obedience Love Mercy Contempt of the world Heavenly-mindednesse All these were eminent in the life of Christ and all these doth the true believer that is risen with Christ shew forth in his life and conversation 1. Inoffensivenesse 1. Walking inoffensively So did our blessed Saviour In his whole course he was inoffensive harmlesse He did no sin neither was their guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 He was holy harmlesse undefiled Heb. 7.26 In which respect he is so often called by the name of that most innocent of creatures The Lamb of God John 1.29 c. And this vertue they which are risen with Christ do expresse being also innocent harmlesse Harmlesse as Doves Mat. 10.16 Inoffensive Herein do I exercise my selfe to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men saith Paul Acts 24.16 True it is the world takes offence at them and so it did at Jesus Christ but their desire and care is not to give any just offence 2. Meeknesse 2. They imitate Christ in his Meeknesse a vertue eminent in him He cometh unto thee meek It is spoken of Sion's King Mat. 21.5 I beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ saith Paul 2 Cor. 10.2 In this respect also he is compared to the Lamb He was led as a lamb to the slaughter c. Isai 58. And this vertue the true Christian in his measure expresseth He is one of the meek of the earth Zeph. 2.3 One that sheweth out of a good conversation his works with meeknesse of wisdom Jam. 3.13 One that endeavoureth to restrain and bridle the passions of his heart not casting the reins upon their necks suffering them in a customary way to break forth in an inordinate manner One that in the purpose of his heart layeth aside wrath anger malice 1 Pet. 2.1 One that is gentle and easie to be intreated ready to forgive and forget injuries all which were eminent in Jesus Christ 3. In Patience 3. Patience In this respect also was Christ a lamb a sheep His patience in sufferings was most exemplary He was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep that is dumb before the shearer so opened he not his mouth Isai 53. When he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not c. 1 Pet. 2.23 And herein the true Christian carries some resemblance of him He is one that in patience possesseth his soul Luke 21.19 Exercising this grace in all changes of conditions Tribulation in him worketh patience Rom. 5.3 Here is the patience of Saints Rev. 13.10 14.12 They are companions in the patience of Jesus Christ Revel 1.9 4. Humility 4. Humility A vertue also most eminent in Christ Learn of me for I am meek and lowly Mat. 11.29 However being in the form of God he thought it no robbery to be equall with God without any usurpation he might have challenged an equality with God his Father being co-essentiall and co-equall with him in respect of his divine nature yet he made himselfe of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant He humbled himselfe c. Phil. 2.6 7. And herein doth the true Christian resemble him being one of a contrite and humble spirit Isai 57.15 One that humbleth himselfe in the sight of God Jam. 4.16 Not doing what he doth through vain glory but in lowlinesse of mind preferring others before himselfe Phil. 2.3 This did Jesus Christ and this those which are risen with Christ at least desire to do 5. Obedience 5. Obedience Hereof was Christ the great Exemplar and Pattern He humbled himself and became obedient even to the death c. Phil. 2.7 He sought not his own will but the will of him that sent him John 5.30 6.38 the will of his Father This he did and this he suffered both out of a principle of voluntary obedience And
vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience to patience godlinesse c as the same Apostle directs 2 Pet. 1.5 6. That so you may come behind in no grace no gift as Paul saith of his Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.7 Then adding one degree of grace to another faith to faith The righteousnesse of God saith the Apostle is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 that is from one degree and measure of faith to another According as faith is revealed more and more so is the Righteousnesse of Justification more assured unto the soul Labour to get your faith which is the radicall grace the very heart of this new-man confirmed and strengthened daily not neglecting such means as God hath appointed for that end amongst which the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper whereof some of you have this day been made partakers is a chief and principall one Then seek after the like growth and increase in love in humility in patience so in all other graces These are the members of this new man let it be your care that as it is in true Augmentatation which is secundùm omnes partes a proportionable growth in every part every of these may grow and increase with the increase of God Thus do you perfect holinesse in the feare of God as the Apostle exhorts 2 Cor 7.1 Being thus changed into the Image of Christ from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord as you have it v. last of the 3d. chap. of that Epistle 5. In respect of heavenli-mindedness 5. And lastly Rise more and more in respect of Heavenlimindednesse Your hearts are like ponderous bodies still tending downwards towards the Earth And therefore let it bee your daily worke to raise and scrue them upwards by frequent Meditation and Contemplation of Heaven and Heavenly things and in particular of that heavenly Glory to which Christ is raised Beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord saith the Apostle in the place last named 2 Corin. 3. last which Grotius expounds of the Glory of Christ in his Kingdome of Glory This Behold as in a glasse that is saith hee seriously and attentively cosider and contemplate it With all labouring to raise your Affections thither If yee bee risen with Christ c. Set your Affections on things which are above and not on things on the earth Col. 3.1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minde things above and let them have your Hearts your Affections As for the things of this world labour daily to sit more loose to them that so you may bee willing to part with them when ever God shall be pleased to call you hence Thus being Risen yet rise daily more and more Which that you may do still seeke after a further and more intimate Vnion and Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ Still seeking after a more intimate union and full communion with Jesus Christ by whose spirit it is that you are and must be raised That you may more and more participate of that vertue which is in him Paul had no small share in this vertue yet hee desireth that he might still have further experience of it That I may know him and the vertue of his Resurrection Philip. 3.10 Let the same be your desire and indeavour that you may daily feele this divine vertue put forth in you more and more raising you up more and more from the death of sin to the Life of grace here Then rest assured the same vertue shall at the last day raise you up from the death of nature to the Life of Glory Being here made conformable unto Christ in your first Resurrection you shall be also in the second which shall be to you a Resurrection of life And thus I have at the length through the good hand of God leading and conducting me passed thorough this excellent portion of Scripture wherein you have held forth unto you that great Gospel Mystery of the Christians Vnion and Communion with and conformity to Jesus Christ both in his death and Resurrection The sweetnesse of the subject hath drawn forth my meditations beyond the staple which I first intended them May but my labours herein prove acceptable and profitable unto you I have what I aimed at Which that they may be let us Pray FINIS
deadly wound and it begins to die It hath already lost much of that power and strength which it had And in this respect it may be said to be dead to him and he to it Even as a man that is in a consumption having lost his bodily strength and his radicall moisture being in great measure exhausted and spent such a one may be said to be a dead man dead whilest he liveth So though sin do still live in a regenerate person yet in as much as it is in a consumption the power and strength of it gone it may be said to be dead It lieth a dying Now we say of a man in that case a man that is drawing home that he is a dead man He hath begun to die 3. In respect of Assurance 3. In respect of Assurance Sin in a regenerate person having begun to die it shall certainly die it shall speedily die Certainly The wound which it hath received is incurable a deadly wound so as though it may live for a time yet it shall languish and decay more and more till it be utterly extinct which it shall be and that speedily The death of sin is not far off to such a one The story in the Gospel tels us of a certain Disciple who asked leave of his Master Christ that before such time as he followed him he might first go and bury his Father Mat. 8.21 Now here some move the question What was his Father dead that he would go bury him Most probably he was not onely he was very aged having one foot in the grave so as in course of nature he could not live long and in that regard he looketh upon him and speaketh of him as a dead man ready for the grave So is it with the body of sin in a regenerate person It is dying and cannot live long It is much infeebled already and by death which is not far off from any it shall utterly be extinguished and abolished Death separating the soul from the body shall separate sin from both He that is dead is freed from sin saith the Apostle ver 7. of this Chapter which is true as to the regenerate in a literall as well as a mysticall sense Thus you see the former of these Propositions briefly opened and cleared All that are Christs are dead to sin as he died for sin As briefly of the later Doct. 3. The Believer death to sin is from the death of Christ D. 3. This their death to sin is from the death of Christ for sin So much the Metaphor in the Text imports Believers are planted together with Christ in the likenesse of his death that is they are made conformable to Christ in his death and that by a vertue flowing from his death Thus the Graft dieth with the Stock it dieth in it and by it The death of the one is the cause of death in the other Thus is the believer said to be engrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his death he dieth with Christ and the death of Christ is the cause of that death in him This is that which the Apostle saith of himselfe Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I unto the world Paul was a mortified man dead to the world and dead to sin But how came he so to be why this he attributes to the Crosse of Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom or by which it may be referred to either The death of Christ the cause of this death It was the Crosse of Christ the Death of Jesus Christ which was the cause of this death in him And so is it in all other believers The Cause of it And that not only Not onely 1. Meritorious 1. The Meritorious Cause True so it is This is one of the benefits which Jesus Christ merited and purchased for his Elect by his death that they might die unto sin He bare our sins in his own body upon the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 Christ by his death merited for his people not only a deliverance from the guilt but also from the power of sin But not only so 2. Nor yet onely the Exemplsry 2. Exemplary Cause of it as Pelagians of old and Socinians at this day would have it True it is so also Christ was a pattern and example to the Christian as in his life so in his death He suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 He died for us leaving us an example that we should die to sin as he died for sin But this is not all 3. In the third place then 3. But also Efficient it is the Efficient Cause working this death in the believer by a secret vertue issuing from it Thus are Christians here said to be engrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his death Non tantùm imitatione Beza Gr. Annot in Text. sed virtute as Beza rightly not only by way of Imitation conforming themselves unto his death as the pattern of their Mortification but also by way of Efficacy being conformed thereunto by a vertue flowing from Christ and his death And so much the word in the Text as Beza notes upon it doth here insinuate which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. a word saith he of passive signification importing not barely a conformity Conformatione mortis ejus Beza but a conformation as he renders it not only a being like but being made like and that by a power and vertue out of themselves viz. the power and vertue of Christ and his death working an answerable death in them And so much that word used by the Apostle to the same purpose Phil. 3.10 implies Being made conformable unto his death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conformis factus or configuratus not conforming my selfe viz. by way of Imitation but being made conformable viz. by a power out of my selfe the power and vertue of Christ's death And this is that which the Authour to the Hebrews plainely asserts Heb. 9.14 where he layeth down this as one of the fruits of Christ's death The blood of Jesus Christ purgeth our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Dead works So he calleth sinfull lusts not formally as if they had no life no activity in them but effectively because they are deadly works bringing death upon the sinner that liveth in them Now from these saith the Apostle the Blood of Christ cleanseth the conscience of the sinner and so it doth not only in respect of the guilt of sin in Justification but also the power of it in Sanctification from which it so freeth the sinner as that he may now serve the living God The former of these is done by the merit the later by the vertue of
Christ's death The death of Christ being applied unto the soul by faith there issueth a vertue from him a mortifying vertue causing such a death unto sin in the believer Thus are they ingrafted in the likenesse of his death Q. but how then is this work attributed unto them How believers are said themselves to mortifie sin If it be wrought in them by a forreign power by a vertue flowing from Christ's death how then are they said to mortifie and crucifie sin Mortifie yee your members which are on the earth Col. 3.5 If ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom. 8.13 They which are Christ's have crucified the flesh Gal. 5.24 So that it seemeth there is some power in a man's self to effect this work Answ For answer hereunto They co-operate with grace received the Solution will be easie if we do but take notice who and what manner of persons they are of whom and to whom the Apostle there speaketh They were not meer carnall men men dead in sins but they were Christians such as he presumed to be already dead to sin as he saith of his Colossians Col. 3 3. such as were already made partakers of the grace and spirit of God now being such he speaketh of them and to them as men who through the assistance and inablement of the Spirit that grace received were inabled to do what he there speaketh of But so are not others Meer carnall men being destitute of the Spirit of Christ however they may out of morall Principles do somwhat to the restraining of sin yet to the mortifying of it they can do nothing No this is the work of that Spirit which worketh all the works of regenerate persons in them and for them Not that we are sufficient of our selves saith the Apostle to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 Without mee or severed from mee yee can do nothing saith our Saviour to his Apostles John 15.5 nothing which belongeth to true Piety It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Mortification is a supernaturall work the work of an almighty Power wherein men are but Instruments the Spirit of Christ the principall Agent If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom. 8.13 A twofold Mortification 1 Habitual 2 Actuall For further Resolution I might yet minde you of an usefull Distinction There is a two-fold Mortification the one Habituall the other Practical The former habituall and inward consisting in a change of the heart turning the bent and inclination of it from and against all sin Now this is the immediate and onely work of the Spirit of grace breathing and working where it will The later is practicall or outward or rather actual mortification viz. the exercise or putting forth of that inward grace the acting of that principle in resisting of Temptations in suppressing and subduing bringing under and keeping under inordinate lusts watching against sinfull and inordinate acts Now this is the work of a regenerate person himself co-operating working together with the Spirit of God as a Rational Instrument with the principal Agent acting out of that supernaturall principle of grace which he hath received so shewing forth the vertue of Christ even that vertue which is derived from the death of Christ So as still this Truth remaineth unshaken that Mortificatoin or this death unto sin is wrought in the Beleever by a vertue flowing from Christ and his Death as from the stock to the graft implanted in it And thus have I with as much brevity as might be passed thorow the Doctrinall part of these two Propositions That which remains is the Application wherein I will not be long Examine whether we be dead unto sin Applic. In the first place Every of us bring it home to our selves enquiring concerning this Conformity whether we be thus planted together with Christ in his death made thus conformable to him in his death or no Are we thus dead to sin or no It is a Question of high concernment Great are the things which depend upon this Qualification no less then life it self If we be dead with Christ wee shall also live with him so you have it in the 8th verse of this Chapt. This our dying to sin insures our resurrection to life eternall life For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shal be also in the likness of his resurrection Every of us then enquire as concerning this Death whether we be made partakers of it whether we be thus dead unto sin or no Qu. But how shall we know it Answ Evidence of it A freedome from the service of it Here I shall not trouble you with many Evidences In the verse next but one after the Text ver 7. you shall meet with one which may serve in stead of many He that is dead saith the Apostle is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 Mark it He that is dead to sin is freed from sin How freed from it Why not onely in respect of guilt justified from it as the Margin in our Translation readeth it according to the proper signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also in respect of service This it is which the Apostle there principally aims at as appeareth from the words foregoing where he tels us that our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed Ver. 6. that henceforth we should not serve sin For he that is dead is freed from sin viz. from the service of it He ceaseth from sin so S. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 4.1 He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that is he which is crucified with Christ dead with him for that is there meant by suffering in the flesh he hath ceased from sin How ceased from it What wholly from the committing of it Not so through infirmitie he falls into sin now and then aye but he doth not make a practice of it he doth not live in it as the verse following explains it He that is dead is freed from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh in this mortal life to the lusts of men Thus the mortified person ceaseth from sin though through the infirmity of the flesh he may fall into it yet he doth not live in it make a practice of it devote himself to the service of it so as to make it his businesse Now do we find such a cessation from sin in our selves Q. But may there not be a Cessation where there is no Mortification True cessation from sin is may there not be a cessation from sin where there is no mortification of sin A. Yes there may Let me therfore in a few words shew you what kind of cessation that must be which giveth evidence to the