wilt say Christ was Christ one personally united to God and so knew that he could satisfie him but I am a sinfull man Well but if thou beleevest and so art one of those who are one with Christ then Christ speaking these words in the name both of himselfe and of his Elect as hath been shewed thou hast the very same ground to utter them that he had and all that encouraged him my embolden thee for he stood in thy stead It was onely thine and others sins that put him in any danger of condemnation and thou seest what his confidence before-hand was that God would justifie him from them all And if he had left any of them unsatisfied for he had not been justified and withall in performing his own part undertaken by him he performed thine also and so in his being justified thou wert justified also His confidence then may therefore be thine now onely his was in and from himselfe but thine must be on him yet so as by reason of thy communion with him in his both condemnation and justification thou mayst take turn all that emboldned him to this his trust and confidence to embolden thee also in thine as truly as he did for himselfe Yea in this thou hast now a farther prop and encouragement to thy faith then he then had for now when thou art to beleeve Christ hath fully performed the satisfaction he undertooke and we now see Iesus crucified acquited yea crowned with glory and honour as the Apostle speaks But he when he took up this triumph was as Esay here foretold and prophecyed it of him but as then entring upon that work The Prophet seeing the day of his arraignment and Agonie utters these words as his shewing what thoughts should then possesse his heart when Pilate the Jews should condemn him and our sins come in upon him God is neere that justifies me who therefore shall contend with me But now this comes to be added to our challenge here that Christ HATH dyed and is also risen again that he WAS condemned justified who therefore shall condemne may we say and say much more But thou wilt yet say He knew himselfe to be the Son of God but so doe not I. Well doe thou but cast thy selfe upon him to be adopted and justified by him with a giving up thy soule to his saving thee his owne way and though thou knowest it not the thing is done And as for that so great and usuall discouragement unto poore soules from doing this namely the greatnesse and multitudes of sins this very example of his faith and the consideration of it may alone take off and help to remove it more then any I have ever met with for He in bearing the sins of his Elect did beare as great and infinitely more sins then thine yea all sorts of sins what ever for some one of his elect or other for he said upon it that All that is all sorts of sins shall be forgiven unto men therefore were first born by him for them and yet you see how confident afore-hand he was is now clearly justified from them all And by vertue of his being justified from all sorts of sins shall all sorts of sinners in and through him be justified also and therefore why mayst not thou hope to be from thine certainly for this very reason our sins simply and alone considered can be supposed no hinderance Thus we have met with one great and generall encouragement at the very Portall of this Text which comes forth to invite us ere we are entred into it and which will await upon us throughout all that shall be said and have an influence into our faith and helpe to direct it in all that follows CHAP. II. The Scope and Argument of this Discourse is either Direction to Christ as the Object of Faith or Encouragement to Beleevers from all those particulars in Christ mentioned in the Text. FAith and the supports of it or rather Christ as by his Death and Resurrection c. hee is the foundation of Faith and the cause of our Justification is the main subject of these words All which therefore to handle more largely is the intended subject of this Discourse And therefore as we have seene Christs faith for us so now let us see what our faith is to be towards him Onely take this along with you for a right bounding of all that follows That the Faith the object and support of which I would discourse of is onely Faith as justifying for Justification was properly here the matter of Christs faith for us and is also answerably here held forth by Paul as that faith which Beleevers are to have on him Now faith is called justifying onely as it hath Justification for its object and as it goes out to Christ for Justification So that all that shall be spoken must be confined to this alone as the intendment of the Text. And concerning this the Text doth two things Two things in the Text. 1. It holds forth Christ the object of it Who shall condemne Christ hath dyed 1. Christ the object of faith for justification c. And he being the sole subject of those foure particulars that follow as encouragements to faith must needs be therefore the object here set forth unto our faith 2. In Christ we have here all those foure made things matter of triumph to Beleevers 2. His Death Resurrection c. matter of triumph unto faith to assure them that they shall not be condemned but justified In that Christ 1. Dyed 2. Rose againe 3. Is at Gods right hand 4. Intercedes So that for the generall I am to do two things and therein I shall fulfill the Texts scope 1. Direct your faith to Christ as to its right object 2. To encourage your faith from these severall actions of Christ for us and shew how they all containe matter of triumph for faith in them also teach your faith how to triumph from each of them herein I am to keepe close to the argument propounded namely faith as justifying or to shewhow faith seeking justification in Christ may be exceedingly raised from each of these particulars supported by them as by so many pillars of it So as although Christs Death Resurrection c. may fitly serve to encourage our faith in many other acts it useth to put forth as in point of Sanctification to be had from Christ into which his Death and Resurrection have an influence yet here we are limited to the matter of Justification onely It is God that justifies who shall condemne seeing Christ hath dyed and herein to shew how his Death Resurrection c. may and doe afford matter of comfort and triumphing in point of Justification from all these And thus you have the summe of these words and of my scope in this ensuing Treatise CHAP. III. First Directions to Christ as the object of faith How in a
the present but imperfectly mortified in our selves yet when corruptions arise the Apostle bids us help our selves against them by faith reasoning our selves to stand wholly dead to sin when Christ dyed and so to conclude from thence that we shall one day be fully dead to sin because we then did perfectly dye in Christ unto it which kinde of reasoning also God would have us use as a motive and of all motives that are in the Gospell it is the strongest against any corruption when as it ariseth Shall I that am dead to sin in Christ and so am freed from it shall I live any longer therein Ver. 2. Now as God would have our faith make this use of our Communion with Christ in his death in point of sanctification just so when guilt of sin ariseth in thy conscience to accuse or threaten condemnation reason thou thy selfe as the Apostles word is in that other case or reckon thy selfe as our translation hath it justified in Christ in his Justification which was done at his Resurrection Yea and seeing God would have thee use thy Communion with Christ in his Death as an argument to move thee to mortifie sin bidding thee to reckon thy self dead to sin in Christ doe thou desire him in like manner to reckon thee as justified at Christs Resurrection for the ground of both is the same and return that as an argument to him to move him to justifie thee And this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speaks of this is the meaning of Pauls challenge Who shall condemne Christ is risen And should thy heart object and say But I know not whether I was one of those that God reckoned justified with Christ when he arose Then go thou to God and aske him boldly whether he did not doe this for thee and whether thou wert not one of them intended by him put God to it and God will by vertue of Christs Resurrection for thee even himselfe Answer thy faith this question ere thou art aware He will not deny it And to secure thee the more know that however Christ will bee sure to look to that for thee so as that thou having been then intended as if thy heart be drawne to give it self up to Christ thou wert shalt never be condmned SECT IV. FAITH supported by Christs ASCENSION AND Sitting at Gods right hand ROM 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ who is even at the right hand of God CHAP. I. A Connexion of this third Head with the two former Shewing how it affords a farther degree of Triumph Two things involved in it 1. Christs Ascension 2. Christs power and authority in heaven I Come next to this third great Pillar and support of Faith Christs Being at Gods right hand and to shew how the view and consideration hereof may strengthen faith seeking justification and pardon of sinne Who is he that condemneth Christ is even at Gods right hand In the opening of which I shall keep to the begun method both by shewing how Iustification it selfe depends upon this and the evidence thereof to us both which the Apostle had here in his eye and from both which our faith may derive comfort and assurance And I meane to keep punctually to the matter of Iustification onely as in the former These two latter that remain here in the Text Christs sitting at Gods right hand and his interceding for us are brought in here by the Apostle as those which have a redundant force and prevalencie in them for the non-condemnation of the Elect that although the two former abundantly served to secure it yet these two added to the former do make the triumph of faith more compleat and full and us more then Conquerours as it after follows Nor doth this place alone make mention of Christs sitting at Gods right hand which I now am first to handle in this its relation and influence into our Iustification the assurance of faith about it but you have it to the same end use and purpose alleadged by that other great Apostle 1. Pet. 3. from the 18. to the 22. And if the scopes of these two Apostles in both places be compared they are the same Here the Resurrection of Christ and his sitting at Gods right hand are brought in as the ground of this bold challenge triumph of faith and there is Peter is mentioned the Answer or Plea of a good conscience in a beleever justified which it puts into the Court and opposeth against all condemning guilts so it is called ver 21. The Apostle alleadging the Resurrection of Iesus Christ as one ground of it the answer of a good conscience by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ And then further to back and strengthen this Plea or Answer of a good conscience the Apostle puts his Ascension and sitting at Gods right hand into the Bill as further grounds confirming it so it follows who is gone into Heaven and is at the right hand of God Angells and Authorities and Powers being made subject to him All which the Apostle here expresseth in one word as enough to carrie it that Christ is even at Gods right hand The soule hath a sufficient answer against condemnation in Christs death and Resurrection full enough though it should stop there yea therein can faith triumph though it went no further for it can shew a full satisfaction given in his death and that accepted by God for us and Christ acquited and we in him Therefore faith you see comes to a rather there But then let it go on to consider Jesus sitting at Gods right hand and making intercession for us and then faith will triumph and insult over all accusers be more then a Conqueror then it comes not to a rather onely as here but to a much more shall we be saved by his life thus Rom. 5. 10. And the meaning thereof is that if his death had power to pay all our debts and justifie us at first then much more hath his life this power So that his death is but the ground and foundation of our faith herein and the lowest step of this ladder but these other are the top full triumph of faith therein And our spirits should rise as the Apostle herein riseth Faith upon these wings may not onely fly above the Gun-shot of all accusations and condemners but even cleane out of their sight and so far above all such thoughts fears as it may reach to a security that sins are forgotten and shall be remembred no more What joy was there in the Disciples when they saw Christ risen Ioh. 20. Therefore in the Primitive times it was used as a voice of joy and to this day the Grecian Christians s entertain each other at that time of the year with these words The Lord is risen your Surety is out of Prison fear not But as Christ said in another case so say I what will you say if you see your Surety ascended
CHRIST SET FORTH In his Death Resurrection Ascension Sitting at Gods right hand Intercession As the CAUSE of Iustification OBJECT of Iustifying Faith Upon ROM 8. VER 34. TOGETHER WITH A TREATISE DISCOVERING The Affectionate tendernesse of CHRISTS HEART now in Heaven unto Sinners on Earth By THO GOODWIN B. D. LONDON Printed by W. E. and J. G. for Robert Dawlman MDCXLII TO THE READER WHat the scope of this treatise it selfe is the Title-page and the Table that followes will sufficiently informe you I shall onely here acquaint you with what was mine in a few words I have by long experience observed many holy and precious soules who have clearely and wholly given up themselves to Christ to be saved by him his owne way And who at their first conversion as also at times of desertion have made an entire and immediate cloze with Christ alone for their Justification who yet in the ordinary course and way of their spirits have beene too much carried away with the Rudiments of Christ in their owne hearts and not after Christ himselfe The streame of their more constant thoughts and deepest intentions running in the channell of reflecting upon and searching into the gracious dispositions of their owne hearts so to bring down or to raise up as the Apostles words are Rom. 10. 8. and so get a sight of Christ by them Whereas Christ himselfe is nigh them as the Apostle there speakes if they would but nakedly look upon himselfe through thoughts of pure and single faith And although the use of our owne graces by way of signe and evidence of Christ in us be allowed us by God and is no way derogatory from Christ if subordinated to faith and so as that the heart be not too inordinate and immoderate in poring too long or too much on them to fetch their comfort from them unto a neglect of Christ yet as pleasures that are lawfull are unlawfully used when our thoughts and intentions are too long or too frequent or too vehement in them so as to dead the heart either to the present delighting in God or pursuing after him with the joint strength of our soules as our onely chiefest good so an immoderate recourse unto signes though barely considered as such is as unwarrantable when thereby we are diverted and taken off from a more constant actuall exercise of daily thoughts of faith towards Christ immediately as he is set forth to be our righteousnes either by the way of Assurance which is a kind of enjoyment of him or Recumbency and renewed Adherence in pursuit after him And yet the minds of many are so wholly taken up with their own hearts that as the Psalmist sayes of God Christ is scarce in all their thoughts But let these consider what a dishonour this must needs be unto Christ that his traine and favourites our graces should have a fuller Court and more frequent attendance from our hearts then himselfe who is the King of Glory And likewise what a shame also it is for beleevers themselves who are his Spouse to look upon their Husband no otherwise but by reflection and at second hand through the intervention and assistance of their own graces as Mediators between him and them Now to rectifie this errour the way is not wholly to reject all use of such evidences but to order them both for the season as also the issue of them For the reason so as that the use of them goe not before but still should follow after an addresse of faith first renewed acts thereof put forth upon Christ himselfe Thus whensoever wee would goe downe into our owne hearts and take a view of our graces let us be sure first to looke wholly out of our selves unto Christ as our justification and to cloze with him immediately and this as if we had no present or by past grace to evidence our being in him And if then whilst faith is thus immediately clasping about Christ as sitting upon his Throne of Grace we finde either present or fore-past graces comming in as Hand-maids to attend and witnesse to the truth of this adherence unto Christ as after such single and absolute acts of faith it oftentimes falls out The Holy Ghost without whose light they shine not bearing witnesse with our spirits that is our graces as well as to our spirits And then againe for the issue of them if in the closure of all we again let fall our viewing and comforting our selves in them or this their testimony and begin afresh upon this encouragement to act faith upon Christ immediately with a redoubled strength if thus I say we make such evidences to be subservient onely unto faith whilst it makes Christ its Alpha Omega the beginning and end of all this will be no prejudice at all to Christs glory or the workings of faith it selfe for by this course the life of faith is still actually maintained and kept upon wing in its full ure and exercise towards Christ alone for justification Whereas many Christians doe habitually make that onely but as a supposed or taken for granted principle which they seldome use but have laid up for a time of need But actually live more in the view and comfort of their owne graces and the gracious workings thereof in duties towards Christ The Reason of this defect among many other I have attributed partly to a Barrennes as Peters phrase is in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and of such things revealed about him as might be matter for faith to worke and feede upon As also to a want of skill whilst men want assurance to bend and bow and subjugate to the use of a faith of meere adherence all those things that they know and heare of Christ as made justification unto us It being in experience a matter of the greatest difficulty and yet certainly most feasable and attainable for such a faith as can yet onely relie cast it self upon Christ for justification yet rightly to take in and so to make use of all that which is or may be said of Christ his being made righteousnesse to us in his Death Resurrection c. as to quicken and strengthen it selfe in such acts of meere Adherence untill Assurance it selfe comes for whose use and entertainment all such truths lie more fair and directly to be received by it They all serve as a fore-right wind to assurāce of faith to fil the sails thereof carry it on with a more full and constant gale as the word used by the Apostle for Assurance imports whereas to the faith of a poore recumbent they serve but as a halfe-side-wind unto which yet through skill the sailes of such a faith may be so turned and applyed towards it as to carry a soule on with much ease and quietnesse unto Christ the desired Haven It notwithstanding waiting all that while for a more faire and full gale of assurances in the end Now to helpe or instruct beleevers in
that latter namely the use of such a skill is not so directly the drift of this Treatise I having reserved that part if God assist me and give leisure and this find acceptance unto another about the acts of justifying Faith wherein this art now mentioned is to be the maine scope That which I have here endeavoured is to set forth to all sorts of beleevers whether they have assurance or not Christ as he is the Object of our faith as justifying and as the cause of justification to us and so I send forth this as a premise and preparatory to that other And to that purpose I have run over some few Articles of our Faith or Creede as I found them put together in one bundle by the great Apostle namely Christ in his Death Resurrection Ascension Sitting at Gods right hand and Intercession and have handled these no further then as in all these he is made Justification unto us therin having punctually kept unto the Apostles scope By all which you may in the mean time see what abundant provision God hath laid up in Christ in the point of Justification for all sorts of beleevers to live upon Every thing in Christ whatsoever he was or whatsoever he did with a joynt voice speaking justification unto us You may see also that God hath in Christ justified us over and over and thereby come to discerne what little reason you have to suffer your hearts to be carried aside to other comforters and so be spoiled and bereft of these more immediately prepared and laid up for us in Christ himselfe To have handled all those considerations which his obedience unto death affords unto the justification of a beleever and his comfort therein in this small tractate would have made that part too disproportioned to the rest it alone deserves will require a distinct Tract which therefore I have cast into another method and so in this Treatise have toucht only upon what may for the present be sufficient to furnish that part to keep company with its fellows Onely when I had thus presented Christ along from his Death Resurrection and Ascension unto his Sitting in Heaven and there performing that great part of his Priesthood the worke of Intercession I judged it both homogeneall to all these and conducing to the greater encouragement of beleevers in the exercise of their faith to subjoyne that other Treatise How Christs Heart now he is in Heaven stands affected to us sinners here below And a better token take the Arument it selfe if I could have fully represented it how to present unto his Spouse I know not then a true character of her Husbands heart now he is in glory And but for methods sake I would have placed it first it being more suited to vulgar capacities whose benefit I aime at Now in that discourse I confesse I have not aimed to keepe so strictly unto the matter of justification only as in the other I have done But have more generally discussed it and shewne how his heart stands towards us under all sorts of infirmities whatsoever either of Sin or misery yet so as it wil serve for the matter of justification also The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ grant us according to the riches of his glory that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith and that we may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Amen THO. GOODVVIN THE TABLE OR Series of all the Materials in this TREATISE SECT I. A generall Introduction to the whole Christ the Object of Justifying Faith CHAP. I. The scope of the words of the Text That they were Christs originally Christ the highest example of beleeving Encouragements to our faith from thence Pag. 1 Christ an example of Faith explained by two things 2 1. He had a faith for the justification of himselfe 3 2. A faith for the justifying of us 4 Use To draw us on to faith and encourage us therein 5 Especially against the greatnesse of sins 6 CHAP. II. The scope and argument of this whole Discourse 1. A Direction unto Christ as the Object of faith 2. Encouragements to Beleevers in their faith from these particulars in the Text. 9 Christs 1. Death 2. Resurrection 3. Being at Gods right hand 4. Intercession CHAP. III. DIRECTIONS to Christ as the object of Faith How in a three-fold consideration Christ is the Object of Justifying faith 12 1. As in joynt commission with God the Father Faith is to eye both God and Christ in seeking Iustification 12 Yet God the ultimate object of it ibid. Yet Christ under the New Testament the more immediate Object 13 2. Christ the object of faith in opposition to all things in our selves 15 As 1. To Humiliation Wee are not to rest therein ibid. 2. To Dutyes and Graces We are not to rest in them 16 3. Christs Person is the object of Faith in distinction from the Promises ibid. How the Promises are the Object of Faith and how Christ in the Promises 18 Three sorts of promises and how Christs person is the object of faith in applying them all 20 SECT II. Christ in his DEATH the Object and support of Faith for Justification Chap. I. How not Christs Person simply but Christ as Dying is the object of faith as Iustifying 22 Explained 1. By two Directions 1. That in seeking forgivenesse Christ as dying Christ as crucifyed is to be eyed by faith 23 How not Christs Person singly considered in the excellencies thereof but as dying is the object of justifying faith as such 24 Chap. II 2. Direct That faith is principally to look unto the end and intent of God and Christ in his sufferings namely that sinners might have forgivenesse 28 Without this the meditation of the story of Christs Passion is unprofitable ibid. Cap. III 2. By shewing the ENCOURAGEMENTS or matter of triumph that Christs death affordeth unto faith in point of justification 34 The fulnesse of Christs satisfaction in his DEATH 35 How Christs satisfaction may be opposed to the guilt of any sins whatever 36 1. Against the hainousnesse of sin in the generall 37 2. Against any aggravation of particular sins As ibid. 1. Against the greatnesse of the act of any particular sinne 38 2. Against the corruption or of the heart in sinning ibid. 3. Against delight and greedinesse in sinning ibid. 4. Against deliberatenesse in sinning 39 5. Against presumption in sinning ibid. 6. Against the aggravating circumstances of Time Place Persons c. ibid. The conclusion of this Section 40 SECT III. Christ in his RESURRECTION the object and support of faith in point of Justification CHAP. I. Two generall Heads propounded That Christs Is an EVIDENCE of Hath an INFLUENCE into Iustification Resurrection 42 1. An Evidence Christs Resurrection a a visible signe that God is satisfied by his death 44 2. Hath an Influence Though the matter of our justification be the price of Christs Death yet the act of pronouncing us righteous depends on Christs
Resurrection ibid. CHAP. II. A digression Wherein for the explanation of both these is shewne how Christ sustained a double relation 46 1. Of a Surety for us 2. Of a Common person in our stead 47 The difference of these two and the usefulnesse of these two considerations for the explaining what followes throughout this Discourse 48 49 Chap. 3. The first Head The EVIDENCE of Justification which Christs Resurrection affords to Faith explained by two things 1. How Christ was made a Surety for us 2. How his Resurrection as he was a Surety holds forth this evidence 50 sect 1. How Christ became a Surety for Debt Punishment ibid. The Covenant of Grace made with Christ alone as a Surety for us 52 Whereby God requires payment of Christ first 53 sect 2. How the consideration of this becomes an evidence to Faith through Christs Resurrection 54 The Resurrection an evidence 1. That the debt is paid ibid. 2. That God will never claime it from the sinner 55 Chap. 4. The second Head The INFLVENCE that Christs Resurrection hath into our Justification The Demonstration of this hath two branches 1. Bran. The Christ was a Common Person representing us in all that he did did suffered Handled at large but more especially in his Resurrection 56 This is proved 1. In generall By a Parallel with Adam Christs Type herein 57 2. Particularly Adam and Christ were common Persons 1. In their Qualification and estates 58 2. In what they did and in what befell them 59 Christ a common Person in his Death we dying in him as in Adam his Condemnation we were condemned in 60 That Christ was more especially a Common Person in his Resurrection we being considered as rising in him 64 Chap. 5. The second Branch How Christs representing us as a Common Person in his Resurrection hath an Influence into our Justification made forth by two things 66 1. That Christ himselfe was justifyed from our sin at his Resurrection made forth by three things ibid. 1. There was a solemne Act passed from God towards Christ of justifying him from our sins 67 2. There was some speciall time or season wherein this was done 68 3. That this was first past upon him at his Resurrection 69 2. That all Beleevers were then justified by God in this Iustification of Christ as a Common Person representing them 72 Proved 1. From the Common and like analogie this holds with the former instances of our dying in his death c. ibid. All things which God doth to us were first done to Christ for us ibid. 2. From the equity of that Law that in Adams condemnation we were condemned 74 Chap. 6. How our Faith may from hence raise matter of Triumph for its justification Together with an explanation how we are justified by Faith although justified in Christ at his Resurrection 76 Chap. 7. How all this both our justification at Christs Resurrection and the support of our faith there from are sealed up to us in Baptisme The Conclusion How faith may make use of Christs Resurrection in its going to God for pardon of sin 82 SECT IV. Faith supported by Christs being at Gods Right hand Chap. 1. A connexion of this third Head with the two former Two things involved in it 1. Christs Ascension 2. Christs power and authority in Heaven 87 Chap. 2. Shewing 1. What EVIDENCE for our Justification 1. Christs ASCENSION into Heaven affords unto our faith upon that first fore-mentioned consideration of his being a SVRETY for us 91 And this 1. By considering what was the last action he did when he was to ascend namely blessing his Disciples ibid. For in blessing them he blessed all Beleevers 92 2. From the very act of ascending 93 3. From the first entertainment that God gave Christ when he made his entry into heaven 97 Chap. 3. 2. What EVIDENCE Christs SITTING AT GODS RIGHT HAND he having beene our Surety affords to our faith for Justification 99 In shewing 1. That CHRIST had compleatly performed all the worke that was to be done by him for our justification 100 2. That God accepted his satisfaction and was infinitely well pleased with it 101 Chap. 4. Demonstrating 2. What INFLVENCE 1. Christs ASCENSION hath into a beleevers noncondemnation upon that second premised consideration of Christs being a Common Person for us 102 By considering two things 1. The great end of his Ascending and entring into Heaven that it was to prepare a place for us and to bring us thither 103 2. That he entred into Heaven and tooke possession of it in our very names and stead 104 So that we may by Faith behold our selves as in Heaven already 105 Chap. 5. Demonstrating 2. What INFLVENCE Christs SITTING AT GODS RIGHT HAND hath into our justification upon that second consideration of his being a Common Person 106 And this by considering 1. The prerogatives imported in that his sitting at Gods right hand As 1. Soveraignty of power all things being subdued to him 107 2. Soveraignty of Iudgement all judgement and authority being committed to him 109. 2. That these Prerogatives mentioned are his as he is considered an Head and so sits representing us and therefore all his elect shall one day come up to him 111 In what sense we are said to sit with him and in what sense it is Christs priviledge alone to sit at Gods right hand 112 The Triumph of Faith from this ibid. SECT V. The Triumph of Faith from Christs INTERCESSION Chap. 1. A connexion of this with the former And how this adds a further support to faith Two things propounded to be handled out of the Text 1. The concurrency of Influence that Christs In tercession hath into our Salvation 2 The Security that Faith may have therefrom for our Justification 114 Chap. 2. The first Head The concurrencie of influence Intercession hath into our salvation explained by two things 1. Intercession one part of Christs Priesthood and the most excellent part of it 116 Two parts of Christs office of Priesthood as there was of the High-Priests office under the Old Law 1. To offer up himselfe 2. To intercede 117 Without Intercession Christ had not been a perfect High-Priest 119 His Oblation would otherwise have been ineffectuall 124 Chap. 3. 2. The speciall peculiar influence that Intercession hath into our Salvation and Justification And the Reasons why God appointed it to be added unto all the former 125 Which are of three sorts 126 1. Respecting God 1. In generall God will be dealt with like himselfe ibid. 2. Particularly 1. In that it is for the glory of his free grace 127 Which looks to be entreated 128 2. In that Gods justice stood upon such a respect to be performed to it 130 2. Respecting us Intercession being requisite to and the best way to effect our salvation ibid. This demonstrated 1. In generall God would have us saved all manner of wayes 131 And the application of Redemption unto us is from Christs
person meerely and upon his owne bottome onely there had beene no occasion for such a speech and yet consider him as he stood in our stead there was for what need of such a Justification if he had not been some way neer a condemnation He therefore must be supposed to stand here in Esay at Gods Tribunall as well as at Pilates with all our sins upon him And so the same Prophet tels us Ch. 53. 6. God made the iniquities of us to meete on him He was now made sin and a curse and stood not in danger of Pilates condemnation only but of Gods too unlesse he satisfied him for all those sins And when the wrath of God for sin came thus in upon him his faith was put to it to trust wait on him for his Justification for to take off all those sins together with his wrath from off him and to acknowledg himselfe satisfied him acquited Therfore in the 22. Ps which was made for Christ when hanging on the Crosse and speaks how his heart was taken up that while he is brought in as putting forth such a faith as here we speak of when he called God his God My God my God then whēas to his sense he had forsaken him why hast thou forsaken me Yea he helped his faith with the faith of the Fore-fathers whom upon their trust in him God had delivered Our Fathers says he trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them Yea at the 5. v. we find him laying himselfe at Gods feet lower then ever any man did I am a worme sayes he which every man treads on and counts it a matter of nothing for to kill and no man as it follows and all this because he bare our sins Now his deliverance and justification from all these to be given him at his resurrection was the matter the businesse he thus trusted in God for even that he should rise again and be acquited from them So Psal 16. a Psalme made also for Christ when to suffer and to lie in the grave ver 8 9 10. The Lord is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad my flesh also resteth in hope Or as in the Originall dwels in confident surenesse thou wilt not leave my soule in hell that is under the load of these sins and thy wrath laid on me for them neither wilt thou suffer thy holy One in my body to see corruption This is in substance all one with what is here said in this one word He is neere that justifies me for Christs Resurrection was a Iustification of him as I shall hereafter shew Neither 2. 2. A faith for the justifying of us did he exercise faith for himselfe only but for us also and that more then any of us is put to it to exercise for himselfe for he in dying and emptying himselfe trusted God with the merit of all his sufferings aforehand there being many thousands of soules to be saved thereby a long while after even to the end of the world He dyed and betrusted all that stock into his Fathers hands to give it out in Grace and Glory as those for whom he dyed should have neede And this is a greater trust considering the infinite number of his elect as then yet to come then any man hath occasion to put forth for himselfe alone God trusted Christ before he came into the world and saved many millions of the Jews upon his bare word And then Christ at his death trusts God againe as much both for the salvation of Jews and Gentiles that were to beleeve after his death In Heb. 2. 12 13 14 15. it is made an Argument that Christ was a man like us because he was put to live by faith like as we are which the angels doe not and to this end the Apostle brings in these words prophecied of him as spoken by him of himselfe I will put my trust in him as one proofe that he was a man like unto us Now for what was it that he trusted God By the Context it appeares to be this that he should be the salvation of his brethren and children and that he should have a seede and a generation to serve him and raise up a Church to God to praise him in For this is made his confidence and the issue of his sufferings in that fore-cited Psal 22. from ver 22. to the end How should the consideration of these things both draw us on to faith Vse To draw on to faith and encourage us therein and encourage us therein and raise up our hearts above all doubtings and withdrawings of spirit in beleeving For in this example of Christ we have the highest instance of beleeving that ever was He trusted God as we have seene for himselfe and for many thousands besides even for all his elect and hast not thou the heart to trust him for one poore soule Yea Christ thus trusted God upon his single Bond but we for our assurance have both Christ and God bound to us even God with his surety Christ for he is Gods Surety as well as ours A double Bond from two such Persons whom would it not secure If God the Father and God the Son thus mutually trusted one another for our salvation whom would it not induce to trust them both for ones own salvation when as otherwise they must be damned that will not 1. This example of Christ may teach and incite us to beleve For did Christ lay downe all his glory and empty himselfe and leave himselfe worth nothing but made a Deed of Surrendring all he had into his Fathers hands and this in a pure trust that God would justifie many by him as it is in Esay 53. and shall not we lay downe all we have and part with what ever is deare unto us afore hand with the like submission in a dependance and hope of being our selves justified by him Especially against the greatnesse of sinnes And withall 2. it may encourage us to beleeve Hast thou the guilt of innumerable transgressions comming in and discouraging thee from trusting in him Consider but what Christ had though not of his owne Christ was made as Luther boldly in this sense that we speak of him speakes the greatest sinner that ever was that is by imputation for the sins of all Gods chosen met in him And yet he trusted God to be justified from them all and to be raised up from under the wrath due of them Alas thou art but one poore sinner thy faith hath but a light and smal load laid upon it namely thy own sins which to this summe he undertook for are but as an unite to an infinite number God laid upon him the iniquities of us all Christ trusted God for his own Acquitance from the sins of all the world and when that was givē him he yet again further trusted him to acquit the world for his satisfaction sake But thou
three-fold consideration Christ is the object of justifying faith BUt ere I come to encourage your faith from these let me first direct and point your faith aright to its proper and genuine object Christ the object of faith three wayes Christ I shall doe it briefly and onely so far as it may be an Introduction to the Encouragements from these foure particulars the things mainly intended by me 1. Christ is the object of our faith in joynt commission with God the Father 2. Christ is the object of faith in opposition to our owne Humiliation or Graces or Duties 3. Christ is the object of faith in a distinction from the Promises First 1. As in joynt commission with God the Father Christ is the object of faith in joynt commission with God the Father So here It is God that justifies and Christ that dyed They are both of them set forth as the foundation of a Beleevers confidence So elsewhere Faith is called a beleeving on him namely God that justifies the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. and a beleeving on Christ Acts 6. Wherefore faith is to have an eye unto both Faith to eye both God and Christ in seeking justification for both doe alike contribute unto the justification of a sinner It is Christ that paid the price that performed the righteousnesse by which we are justified and it is God that accepts of it and imputes it unto us Therefore Justification is ascribed unto both And this we have Rom. 3. 24. where it is attributed unto them both together Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ Where we see that Gods free grace and Christs righteousnesse doe concur to our justification Christ paid as full a price as if there were no grace shewne in justifying of us for mercy bated Christ nothing and yet that it should be accepted for us is as free grace and as great as if Christ had paid never a farthing Now as both these meet to justifie us so faith in justification is to look at both these So it followes in the next ver of that 3. Yet God the ultimate object Rom. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud And though it be true that God justifying is the ultimate object of our faith for Christ leads us by the hand as the word is Ephes 2. 18 unto God and 1 Pet. 1. 21. we are said by Christ to beleeve on God who raised him that so our faith and hope might be on God Christ under the New Testament the more immediate object yet so as under the New Testament Christ is made the more immediate object of faith for God dwelling in our nature is made more familiar to our faith then the Person of the Father is who is meerly God Under the Old Testament when Christ was but in the Promise and not as then come in the flesh then indeed their faith had a more usuall recourse unto God who had promised the Messiah of whom they then had not so distinct but onely confused thoughts though this they knew that God accepted and saved them through the Messiah But now under the New Testament because Christ as Mediator exists not onely in a promise of Gods but is come and manifest in the flesh and is set forth by God as the Apostles phrase is to tranfact all our businesses for us betweene God and us Hence the more usuall and immediate addresse of our faith is to be made unto Christ who as he is distinctly set forth in the New Testament so he is as distinctly to be apprehended by the faith of beleevers Ye beleeve in God sayes Christ to his Disciples whose faith and opinion of the Messiah was till Christs Resurrection of the same elevation with that of the Old-Testament-beleevers beleeve also in me Make Me the object of your trust for Salvation as well as the Father And therefore when Faith and Repentance come more narrowly to be distinguished by their more immediate objects it is Repentance towards God but Faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ Act. 20. 21. not but that God and Christ are the objects of both but that Christ is more immediately the object of Faith and God of Repentance So that we beleeve in God through beleeving in Christ first and turne to Christ by turning to God first And this is there spoken when they are made the summe of Christian doctrine and of the Apostles preaching And therefore the faith of some being much enlarged to the mercies of God and his free grace and but in way of supposition unto Christ or in a taking for granted that all mercies are communicated in and through Christ yet so as their thoughts work not so much upon nor are taken up about Christ although this may be true faith under the New Testament in that God and his free grace is the joynt object of faith together with Christ and his righteousnesse and the one cannot be without the other and God oft-times doth more eminently pitch the streame of a mans thoughts in one chanell rather then in another and so may direct the course of a mans thoughts towards his free grace when the streame runs lesse towards Christ yet it is not such a faith as becomes the times of the Gospel it is of an Old-Testamentstraine and Genius whereas our faith now should in the more direct and immediate exercises of it be pitcht upon Jesus Christ that through him first apprehended our faith might be in God as the ultimate object of it as the Apostle speaks And so much for the first The second is 2. Christ the object of faith in opposition to all in our selves that Christ is to be the object of our faith in opposition to our owne Humiliation or Graces or Duties 1. We are not to trust 1. Not to rest in humiliation nor rest in Humiliation as many doe who quiet their consciences from this that they have been troubled That Promise Come to me you that are weary and heavy laden and you shall find rest hath been much mistaken for many have understood it as if Christ had spoken peace and rest simply unto that condition without any more adoe and so have applyed it unto themselves as giving them an interest in Christ Whereas it is onely an invitement of such because they are most apt to be discouraged to come unto Christ as in whom alone their rest is to be found If therefore men will set downe their rest in being weary and heavy laden and not come to Christ for it they sit down besides Christ and will lye downe in sorrow This is to make Iohn who onely prepared the way for Christ to be the Messiah indeed as many of the Jews thought that is to think the eminent work of Iohns Ministerie which was to humble and so prepare men for Christ to be their attaining Christ himselfe But if you be weary you
Formalists among the Jews had who without the Messiah closed with Promises and rested in Types to cleanse them without looking unto Christ the end of them and as propounded to their faith in them This is to goe to God without a Mediator and to make the Promises of the Gospel to be as the Promises of the Law Nehushtan as Hezekiah said of the Brasen Serpent a piece of brasse vaine and ineffectuall like the waters of Bethesda they heale not they cleanse not till this Angel of the Covenant come downe to your faith in them Therefore at a Sacrament or when you meet with any Promise get Christ first downe by faith and then let your faith propound what it would have and you may have what you will of him There are three sorts of Promises Three sorts of Promise and how Christs Person is the object of faith in applying them all and in the applying of all these it is Christ that your faith is to meet with 1. There are absolute promises made to no Conditions as when Christ is said to come to save sinners c. Now in these it is plaine that Christ is the naked object of them so that if you apply not him you apply nothing for the onely thing held forth in them is Christ 2. There are Inviting Promises as that before mentioned Come to me you that are weary The promise is not to wearinesse but to comming to Christ they are bidden Come to him if they will have rest 3. There are Assuring Promises as those made to such and such qualifications of sanctification c. But still what is it that is promised in them which the heart should onely eye It is Christ in whom the soule rests and hath comfort in and not in its grace so that the sight of a mans grace is but a back-doore to let faith in at to converse with Christ whom the soule loves Even as at the Sacrament the elements of Bread and Wine are but outward signes to bring Christ and the heart together and then faith lets the outward elements goe and closeth and treats immediately with Christ unto whom these let the soule in So Grace is a signe inward and whilst men make use of it onely as of a bare signe to let them in unto Christ and their rejoycing is not in it but in Christ their confidence being pitcht upon him and not upon their grace whilst men take this course there is and will be no danger at all in making such use of signes and I see not but that God might as well appoint his owne work of the new creation within to be as a signe and help to communion with Christ by faith as he did those outward elements the works of his first creation especially seeing in nature the effect is a sign of the cause Neither is it more derogatory to free grace or to Christs honour for God to make such effects signes of our union with him then it was to make outward signs of his presence SECT II. CHRIST the object and support of faith for Justification in his death ROM 8. 34. Who shall condemne Christ hath dyed CHAP. I. How not Christs Person simply but Christ as dying is the object of Faith as justifying TO come now to all those foure particulars of or about Christ as the object of faith here mentioned and to shew both how Christ in each is the object of faith as justifying and what support or encouragement the faith of a Beleever may fetch from each of them in point of Justification which is the Argument of the maine Body of this Discourse First Christ as dying is the object of justifying faith Who shall condemne Christ hath dyed For the explanation of which Explained 1. By two Directions I will 1. Give a direction or two 2. Shew how an encouragement or matter of triumph may from hence be fetcht 1. 1. Direction The first Direction is this That in seeking forgivenesse or justification in the Promises as Christ is to be principally in the eye of your faith so it must be Christ as crucified Christ as dying as here he is made It was the Serpent as lift up and so looked at that healed them Now this direction I give to prevent a mistake which soules that are about to beleeve doe often run into For when they heare that the person of Christ is the maine object of faith they thus conceive of it that when one comes first to beleeve he should looke onely upon the personall excellencies of Grace and Glory which are in Jesus Christ which follow upon the Hypostaticall Union and so have his heart allured in unto Christ by them onely and close with him under those apprehensions alone But although it be true that there is that radicall disposition in the faith of every Beleever which if it were drawne forth to view Christ in his meere personall excellencies abstractively considered would close with Christ for them alone as seeing such a beauty and suitablenesse in them yet the first view which an humbled soule alwayes doth and is to take of him is of his being a Saviour made sinne and a curse and obeying to the death for sinners He takes up Christ in his first sight of him under the likenes of sinfull flesh for so the Gospel first represents him though it holds forth his personall excellencies also and in that representation it is that he is made a fit object for a sinners faith to trust rest upon for salvation which in part distinguisheth a sinners faith whilst here on earth towards Christ from that vision or sight which Angels and the souls of men have in heaven of him Faith here views him not onely as glorious at Gods right hand though so also but as crucified as made sin and a curse and so rests upon him for pardon but in heaven we shall see him as he is and be made like unto him Take Christ in his personall excellencies simply considered and so with them propounded as an Head to us he might have been a fit object for Angels and men even without sin to have closed withall and what an additon to their happinesse would they have thought it to have him for their husband but yet so considered he should have been and rather is the object of love then of faith or affiance It is therefore Christ that is thus excellent in his person yet farther considered as clothed with his garments of bloud and the qualifications of a Mediator and Reconciler it is this that makes him so desirable by sinners and a fit object for their faith which looks out for justification to prey and seize upon though they take in the consideration of all his other excellencies to allure their hearts to him and confirme their choice of him Yea I say farther that consider faith as justifying that is in that act of it which justifies a sinner and so Christ taken onely or mainly in his
Personall excellencies cannot properly be called the object of it But the Formalis ratio the proper respect or consideration that maketh Christ the object of faith as justifying must necessarily be that in Christ which doth indeed justifie a sinner which is his obedience unto death For the act and object of every habit or facultie are alwayes suited and similar each to other and therefore Christ justifying must needs be the object of Faith justifying It is true that there is nothing in Christ with which some answerable act of faith in us doth not close and from the differing considerations under which faith looks at Christ have those severall acts of faith various denominations As faith that is carryed forth to Christ and his personall excellencies may be called uniting faith and faith that goes forth to Christ for strength of grace to subdue sinne may answerably to its object be called sanctifying faith and faith as it goes forth to Christ as dying c. for justification may be called justifying faith For faith in that act looks at what in Christ doth justifie a sinner and therefore Christ considered as dying rising c. doth in this respect become the most pleasing and gratefull object to a soule that is humbled for this makes Christ suitable to him as he is a sinner under which consideration he reflects upon himselfe when he is first humbled And therefore thus to represent Christ to Beleevers under the Law was the maine scope of all the Sacrifices and Types therein All things being purged with bloud and without bloud there being no remission Heb. 9. Thus did the Apostles also in their Sermons So Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians seemed by the matter of his Sermon to have known nothing but Christ and him as crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. as Christ above all so Christ as crucified above all in Christ as suiting their condition best whom he endeavoured to draw on to faith on him Thus in his Epistle to the Galatians he calls his preaching among them the preaching of faith Chap. 3. 2. And what was the maine scope of it but the picturing out as the word is of Christ crucified before their eyes ver 1. so he preached him and so they received him and so they began in the spirit ver 3. And thus also doe the seals of the Promises the Sacraments present Christ to a Beleevers eye as they hold forth Christ as was in the former direction observed so Christ as crucified their scope being to shew forth his death till be come 1 Cor. 11. 26. the Bread signifying Christs body broken in the sufferings of it and the cup signifying the sufferings of his soule and the pouring of it forth unto death And hence likewise as faith it selfe is called Faith on Christ as was before observed so it is called Faith on his bloud Rom. 3. 24 25. because Christ as shedding his bloud for the remission of sinnes is the object of it So the words there are Whom God hath ordained to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins And look how God hath ordained and set forth Christ in the Promises under that picture of him doth faith at first close with him And one reason similar to the former may be grounded on the 24. ver of that 3. to the Rom. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ And as I shewed before in the reason of the former direction that all Promises hold of his Person as being Heire of all the Promises so the speciall Tenure upon which forgivenesse of sins doth hold of him is by purchase and by the redemption that is in him So that as the promise of forgivenesse refers to his person so also to this redemption that is in him Thus both in Eph. 1. and Col. 1. In whom we have redemption through his bloud even the forgivenesse of sinnes His person gives us title to all the promises and his bloud shews the tenure they hold on a purchase and a full price 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an adequate price 1 Tim. 2. 6. And as sin is the strength of the Law and of the threatnings thereof so Christs satisfaction is the strength of all the Promises in the Gospel In a word an humbled soule is to have recourse to that Christ who is now alive and glorified in heaven yet to him as once crucified and made sinne He is to goe to Christ now glorified as the Person from whom he is to receive forgivenesse c. but withall to him as crucified as through whom considered in that condition he then was in he is to receive all CHAP. II. What in Christs death faith seeking justification is especially to eye and look at NOw then a second Direction for faith towards Christ as dying Direction 2 is Faith is principally and mainly to look unto the end Faith is especially to look at Christs end and mind in dying meaning and intent of God and Christ in his sufferings and not simply at the Tragicall story of his death and sufferings It is the heart and mind and intent of Christ in suffering which faith chiefly eyeth and which draweth the heart on to rest on Christ crucified When a Beleever sees that Christs aime in suffering for poore sinners agrees and answers to the aime and desires of his heart and that that was the end of it that sinners might have forgivenesse Namely that sinners might have forgivenesse and that Christs heart was as full in it to procure it as the sinners heart can be to desire it this draws his heart in to Christ to rest upon him And without this Without this the meditation of the story of his Passion unprofitable the contemplation and meditation of the story of his sufferings and of the greatnesse of them will be altogether unprofitable And yet all or the chiefe use which the Papists and many carnall Protestants make of Christs sufferings is to meditate upon and set out to themselves the grievousnesse of them so to move their hearts to a relenting and compassion to him and indignation against the Jews for their crucifying of him with an admiring of his noble and heroicall love herein and if they can but get their hearts thus affected they judge and account this to be grace when as it is no more then what the like tragicall story of some great noble personage ful of heroicall vertues and ingenuity yet inhumanely and ungratefully used will work and useth ordinarily to work in ingenuous spirits who read or heare of it yea and this oft-times though it be but in the way of a fiction Which when it reacheth no higher is so far from being faith that it is but a carnall and fleshly devotion springing from fancie which is pleased with such a storie and the principles of ingenuity stirred towards one who is of a noble spirit and yet abused Such
lewdnesse in thy wickednesse as the Prophet speaks Consider what guilt of how hainous crimes God suffered to be laid to Christs charge by profane men when he was made an offering for sinne He dyed as a Traitor to his Prince and a blasphemer of God in the highest kind of blasphemy as making himself equall with God an Impostor a Seducer yea a Devill yea a Prince of Devils then whom a murderer was esteemed more worthy to live Which imputations though by men unjustly charged on him yet by God were so ordered as just in respect of his bearing our sins For him who was holines it self to be made the greatest of sinners yea to be made sin and the worst of sins and accordingly to suffer frō God men what greater satisfaction for the taking of sins away can be desired or imagined Or secondly 2. Against the badnesse of the heart in sinning dost thou aggravate thy sins by the naughtinesse of thy heart in sinning and sayst that the inward carriage thereof hath been much worse then the outward Look thou into the heart of Jesus Christ dying and behold him struggling with his Fathers wrath thou wilt find the sufferings of his soule more then those of his body and in them to lie the soul of his sufferings Thirdly 3. Against the delight and greedinesse in sinning may thy sin be aggravated in that thou didst commit it with so great delight and greedinesse and pouredst out thy heart unto it Consider that Christ offered himselfe more willingly then ever thou didst sin Loe I come sayes he Psal 40. I delight to do thy will and how am I straintned till it be accomplisht Luk. 12. 56. And though to shew how great an evill and misery it was in it selfe he shewed an aversenesse to it yet as it was his Fathers will for our salvation hee heartily embraced and drank off that cup unto the bottome Fourthly 4. Against deliberatenesse in sinning didst thou sin with much deliberation when thou mightst have avoided it There was this circumstance in Christs sufferings to answer that that he knew all he was to suffer and yet yeelded up himselfe as Iohn 18. 4. Fiftly 5. Against presumption in sinning Hast thou sinned presumptuously and made a covenant with death and hell Christ in like manner offered up himselfe by a covenant and complot with his Father so to doe Sixtly 6. Against aggravating circumstances of person time place c. Are there any especiall circumstances of time and place c. that aggravate thy sins As first that so great a person in the Church should scandalize the Name of God in sinning Why how great a Person was Christ even equall with God the Father and yet how greatly humbled even to the death his offices of King Priest and Prophet being debased with him how great a name had he as Heb. 1. 4. which notwithstanding was dishonoured more then ever any mans Or 2. that thou sinnedst at such a time or in such a company which sometimes serve to make a sin the more hainous Consider how God contrived to have the shame and affliction of his Sons death aggravated by all these circumstances It was of deaths the most accursed At a time most solemne In a place most infamous With company most wretched Thus might we find out that in Christs sufferings and satisfaction made that would fitly answer to any thing in our sins and so thereby we should be the more relieved And though the whole body of his sufferings doe stand and answer for the whole bulk of our sinnings yet the consideration of such particulars will much conduce to the satisfying of an humbled and dejected soule about the particulars of its sinnings Therefore to conclude get your hearts and consciences distinctly and particularly satisfied in the all-sufficiencie of worth and merit which is in the satisfaction that Christ hath made As it is a fault and defect in humiliation that men content themselves with a generall apprehension and notion that they are sinners and so never become throughly humbled so is it a defect in their faith that they content themselves with a superficiall and generall conceit that Christ dyed for sinners their hearts not being particularly satisfied about the transcendent all-sufficiencie of his death And thence it is that in time of tentation when their abounding sinfulnesse comes distinctly to be discovered to them and charged upon them they are then amazed and their faith non-plust as not seeing that in Christ which might answer to all that sinfulnesse But as God saw that in Christs death which satisfied him so you should endeavour by faith to see that worth in it which may satisfie God and then your faith will sit down as satisfied also If a man were to dispute for his life some hard and difficult controversie wherein are many great and strong objections to be taken away he would be sure to view and study and ponder all that might be said on that other part which he were to hold in way of answer to them and to get such a clear and convincing light as might make the truth of his Position apparent and manifest through those clouds of objections that hang in the way Now you will all be thus called one day to dispute for your soules sooner or later and therefore such skill you should endeavour to get in Christs righteousnesse how in its fulnesse and perfection it answereth to all your sinfulnesse that your hearts may be able to oppose it against all that may be said of any particular in or about your sins that in all the conflicts of your spirits you may see that in it which could cleare your whole score and that if God would but be pleased to impute it to you you might say I durst presently come to an account with him and cut scores with his Law and Justice Thus much of the first thing made the object of faith namely Christ as dying SECT III. FAITH supported by Christs RESURRECTION ROM 8. 34. Yea rather that is risen againe CHAP. I. Christs Resurrection supporteth faith two wayes 1. By being an evidence of 2. By having an influence into our Iustification The necessity of Christs Resurrection for the procuring our Iustification THe next thing to be lookt at in Christ as he is the object of justifying faith and from whence our faith may seek and fetch support and comfort in the matter of Justification is Christs Resurrection upon which we see here the Apostle putteth a rather Yea rather that is risen againe Some speciall thing in Christs Resurrection for our Justification There must therefore be some speciall thing in the Resurrection of Christ which it contributes to our faith and justification for which it should have a rather put upon it and that comparatively to his death Now to shew wherein this should lie consider how the Resurrection of Christ serveth to a double use and end in the matter of
Justification First It serveth to a double use to support our faith as an evidence to our faith that God is fully satisfied by Christs death his Resurrection may give us full assurance of it Secondly it had and hath an influence into our Justification it selfe yea and as great an influence as his Death had In both these respects it deserves a rather to be put upon it and Paul had them both in his eye when he writ these words So as first if you ask an account of his faith and a reason of his so triumphant assurance hee alledgeth his Resurrection to confirme it Christ is risen Or Secondly if you would have a reason of the thing how it comes to passe that we who are Beleevers cannot be condemned Christ is risen sayes he He alledgeth it as a cause that hath such an influence into Justification it selfe as it makes all sure about it 1. 1. By way of Evidence By way of Evidence Although Christs obedience in his life and his death past do alone afford the whole matter of our Justification and make up the summe of that price paid for us as hath been shewn so as faith may see a fulnesse of worth and merit therein to discharge the debt yet faith hath a comfortable signe and evidence to confirme it selfe in the beliefe of this from Christs Resurrection after his death It may fully satisfie our faith Faith hath a visible signe of it that God is satisfied that God himselfe is satisfied and that he reckons the debt as paid So that our faith may boldly come to God and call for the Bond in as having Christs Resurrection to shew for it that the Debt is discharged And hence the Apostle cryes Victoria over Sin Hell and Death upon occasion of and as the Coronis and conclusion of that his large Discourse about Christs Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. O death where is thy sting that is Sinne and the power of it for so it followes The sting of death is sinne and O grave where is thy victory Thanks be to God who hath given us victory through Iesus Christ our Lord namely as risen againe for of his Resurrection and of that chiefly had he spoken throughout that Chapter 2. 2. By way of Influence But surely this is not all that it should onely argue our Justification by way of Evidence This alone would not have deserved such a rather to be put upon it if Christs Resurrection had not had some farther reall causall influence into Justification it selfe and been more then simply an evidence of it to our apprehensions Therefore secondly in Justification although the materiale or matter of it be wholly the obedience and death of Christ Though the matter of our Justification be the price of Christs death yet the act of pronouncing us righteous depends on the Resurrection yet the act of pronouncing us righteous by that his obedience which is the formale of Justification doth depend upon Christs Resurrection Ordinarily there hath been no more expressed concerning this dependance then that the Resurrection of Christ justifies by working actuall faith to lay hold upon what Christ hath done in his life and death which is called the applying of it of which more anon But that speech of Paul 1 Cor. 15. 17. seems to import more If Christ be not risen again ye are yet in your sins and your faith is in vaine That is although you could suppose faith to be wrought in you upon the merit of Christs dying yet it would be in vain if Christ were not risen again for your title to Justification it self would be void You were yet in your sins Which is said because his Resurrection was it wherby sins though satisfied for in his death were taken off and they acquited from them Which I take to be the meaning also of that Rom. 4. ult He was delivered for our sins and rose again for our Iustification When the Apostle sayes for our sins he was delivered he means his laying down that which was the price for them a satisfaction for them which his death was And in that sense He dyed for our sins that is his death stands in stead of our death and so satisfies for sin But yet still that upon which the act of Gods justifying us his discharge given us from our sins and whereby he reckoneth us justified that depends upon his Resurrection He rose again for our justification Note that Justification there imports the act of imputation and reckoning us just which he had spoken of in the verses immediately fore-going ver 22 23 24. In a word to the full discharge of a Debt and freeing the Debtour two things are requisite 1. The payment of the debt 2. The tearing or cancelling the Bond or receiving an Acquitance for the freeing of the Debtor Now the Payment was wrought by Christs death and the Acquitance to free from the debt was at and by his Resurrection CHAP. II. For the explanation of both these is shewne how Christ sustained a double relation First of a Surety for us Secondly of a Common person in our stead The difference of these two and the usefulnesse of these two considerations for the explaining all the rest that follows in this whole Discourse NOw the better to explicate both these you must consider how that Christ in almost all that he did for us as the phrase is here and is to be annexed to each particular did stand in a double relation for us unto God 1. Of a Surety bound to pay the debt for us and to save our soules 2. Of a Common person or as an Attorney at Law in our stead And both these as they have a distinct and differing consideration in themselves so those severall considerations of them will conduce to the understanding of those two things fore-mentioned as wayes and arguments to shew how the Resurrection of Christ may support our faith both by way of evidence that the debt is paid and by way of influence that we are thereby acquited and cannot be condemned The notion of his being risen who is our Surety clears the first and that of his rising as a Common person illustrates the other And I shall here a little the largelyer insist upon the explication of these two relations because their consideration will be of use through all the rest that follows to illustrate thereby the influence that his Ascension and Sitting at Gods right hand c. have into our Justification and so I shall carry them along throughout this Discourse 1. 1. To be a Surety what A Surety is one that undertakes and is bound to doe a thing for another As to pay a debt for him or to bring him safe to such or such a place or the like so as when he hath discharged what he undertook and was bound for then the party for whom he undertook is discharged also 2. 2. A Common person what A
Common person with or for another hee goes for is one who represents personates and acts the part of another by the allowance and warrant of the Law so as what he doth as such a common person and in the name of the other that other whom he personates is by the Law reckoned to doe and in like manner what is done to him as being in the others stead and roome is reckoned as done to the other Thus by our Law an Attorney appears for another money received by him is reckoned as received by him whom it is due unto Thus the giving possession of an estate a re-entry made and possession taken of land c. if done by and to a man who is his lawfull Attorney it stands as good in Law unto a man as if in his owne person it had been done So Embassadours for Princes represent their Masters what is done to them is reckoned as done to the Prince and what they do according to their Commission is all one as if the Prince whose Person they represent had done it himselfe In like manner also the marriages of Princes are transacted solemnized by Proxie as a Common person representing his Lord and in his name is married to a Princesse in her Fathers Court and the Lawes of men authorize it and the marriage is as good as if both Princes themselves had been present and had performed all the Rites of it The difference betweene these two And thus to be a Common person is more then simply to be a Surety for another it is a farther thing and therefore these two relations are to be distinctly considered though they seem to be somewhat of a like nature Thus an Attorney is a different thing from a Surety A Surety undertakes to pay a debt for another or the like but a Cōmon person serves to perform any common act which by the Law is reckoned and virtually imputed to the other and is to stand as the others act is as valid as is he had done it So as the good and benefit which is the consequent of such an act shall accrew to him whom he personated and for whom he stood as a Common person Adam was not a Surety for all Man-kind Adam a Common person but not a Surety he undertook not for them in the sense fore-mentioned but he was a Common person representing all Man-kind So as what he should do was to be accounted as if they had done it Now the better to expresse and make sure our Justification in and by Christ according to all sorts of Laws the equity of all which God usually draws up into his dispensations God did ordain Christ both to be a Surety for us Christ ordained to be both and the reason why and also a Common person representing us and in our stead That as Christ tooke all other relations for us as of an Husband Head Father Brother King Priest Captain c. that so the fulnesse of his love might be set forth to us in that what is defective in any one of these relations is supplyed and expressed by the other Even thus did God ordaine Christ to take and sustaine both these relations of a Surety and a Common Person in all he did for us thereby to make our justification by him the more full and legall and justifie as I may so speake our Justification it selfe or his justifying of us by all sorts of legall considerations what ever that hold commonly among men in like case and that which the one of these relations or considerations might not reach to make good the other might supply what fel short in the one the other might make up and so we might be most legally and formally justified and made sure never to be condemned CHAP. III. The first Head The EVIDENCE of Iustification which Christs Resurrection affords to faith explained by two things 1. By shewing how Christ was made a Surety for us 2. How his Resurrection as a Surety holds forth this evidence COncerning the first of those two Heads at first propounded namely the Evidence which Christs Resurrection affords unto our faith in point of non-condemnation I have two things to handle in this Chap. to make this out First how Christ was made a Surety for us and what manner a Surety he did become secondly what the consideration hereof will contribute to that evidence which faith hath from Christs Resurrection For the first §. 1. Christ was appointed by God and himselfe also undertook to be our Surety 1. How Christ was made and became a Surety for us This you have Heb. 7. 22. He was made Surety of a better Testament or Covenant namely of the New The Hebrew word for Covenant the Septuagint stil translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Testament the word in the Hebrew being of a large signification comprehending both a Covenant and Testament and so in the New Testament it is used promiscuously for either And indeed this new Covenant of Grace is both Of this Covenant Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the plighter of his troth for it the Surety the Promiser the Undertaker The Verb this comes of is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promittere which comes form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in manibus striking hands or giving ones hand as a signe of a covenant and so to bargaine with or make up a covenant Prov. 22. 26. Be not thou one of them that strike hands or of them that are sureties for debts Which whole verse the Septuagint reads Give not thy selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Suretyship The same word that is here used by the Apostle It was the manner both of the Jews and Romanes also to make Covenants by striking of hands And in Testaments the Heire and Executor shook hands or the Executor gave his hand to fulfill it Suretiship not onely used in matters of debt but in criminall causes punished with death and is put for being a pledge for another And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used not onely in promising to pay a debt for another but also in becomming a pledge for another for to undergoe death or a capitall punishment in anothers roome as in that famous story of friends namely Euephenus and Eucritus Eucritus did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly become a surety for Euephenus when condemned to dye by Dionysius the tyrant This very word is used by Polyenus the Historian of that fact Now such a Surety every way did Christ become unto God for us Christ undertook as a Surety for both to satisfie God to work all in us also both to pay the debt by undergoing death in our stead and so to satisfie God and then as the Heire to execute his Will and Testament He became a Surety of the whole Covenant and every condition in it take it in the largest sense and this of all both on Gods part and on ours For us he undertook to
shew that this his justification and pronouncing him without sin thus done at his Resurrection was done to him as the First-fruits and as to a Common person bearing our persons so in our names From whence wil necessarily follow as the Conclusion of all That the persons of all the elect Beleevers have beene justified before God in Christ as their Head at or from the time of his Resurrection and so that Act of Justification to have beene so firmly past as it cannot be revoked for ever Now this is proved Proved 1. 〈◊〉 the common analogie of the former instances first by the very same reason or respect that he was said to be the first-fruits of them that sleep as representing the rest in his Resurrection which I shewed at large in the former Chap. upon the same ground he is to be so lookt at also in this his Justification pronounced upon him at his Resurrection even as the first-fruits also of them that are justified And so in the same sense by the same reason that we are said to be risen with Christ in his Resurrection we must also be said to be justified with him in this his justification at his Resurrection And indeed In all things which God doth unto us Christ is the first-fruits and God doth them first upon him to enlarge this a little as there is the same reason ground for the one that there is for the other he being a publike person in both so the rule will hold in all other things which God ever doth to us or for us which are common with Christ and were done to him that in them all Christ was the first-fruits and they may be said to have beene done in us or to us yea by us in him and with him Yea what ever God meant to doe for us and in us what ever priviledge or benefit he meant to bestow upon us he did that thing first to Christ and some way bestowed the like on him as a Common person that so it might be by a solemne formall Act ratified and be made sure to be done to us in our persons in due time having first been done to him representing our persons and that by this course taken it might when done to us be effected by vertue of what was first done to him Thus God meaning to sanctifie us Thus in Sanctification Christ first sanctified then we in him he sanctifies Christ first in him as a Common person sanctifying us all For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified through thy truth Iohn 17. 19. He sanctifies the humane nature of Christ personall that he may sanctifie Christ mysticall that is his body and him first as a Common person representing us that so we being virtually and representatively sanctified in him may be sure to be sanctified afterwards in our own persons by means of his sanctification And so in like manner for our sakes he was justified in the Spirit because we were to be justified and so to be justified first in him So in all blessings else and with him as a Common person Now this rule holds in all blessings else bestowed for Paul pronounceth of them all that God hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus Ephes 1. 3. which God did so order that as he speaks of ordaining salvation to be by faith Rom. 4. 16. that all those blessings might be sure to all the seed For this formall investiture of estating us into all blessings by such solemne acts done to Christ as our Head and Representer of us makes what he intends to bestow sure before-hand by an irrepealable act and sentence which hath its warrant in all Laws of men as I have shewne and shall anon again urge And secondly 2. Proved by the equity of that in Adams condemnation we were all condemned by the equity of the same Law that in Adam we were all condemned Adam being a Type of him in this by the same Law I say we were all justified in Christ when he was justified else the Type were not therein fulfilled Now the sentence of condemnation was first passed upon Adam alone yet considered as a Common person for us therefore also this Acquitance and Justification was then passed towards Christ alone as a publique person for us Yea in this his being justified Christ much rather a Common person in his being justified then Adam was in his condemnation Christ must much rather be considered as a Common person representing us then Adam was in his condemnation For Christ in his owne person as he had no sinne so he had no need of any justification from sinne nor should ever have been condemned And therefore this must be onely in a respect unto our sins imputed to him and if so then in our stead And so herein he was more purely to be considered as a Common person for us then ever Adam was in his being condemned For Adam besides his standing as a Common person for us was furthermore condemned in his own person but Christ in being justified from sinne could onely be considered as standing for others Thus Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so or in like manner by the righteousnesse of that one man Christ the free gift came upon all men namely in Christ unto justification of life He parallels both with a So only with this difference betweene Adams being a Common person for us and so betweene the ground of our being condemned in him and Christ his being a Common person for us and our Acquitance in him that the condemnation came upon all by a necessary naturall covenant for by such a covenant was Adam appointed a Common person for us but Christ his being appointed thus a Common person for us it was by a free gift of grace and therefore in like manner by a free gift of grace it is that the imputation of that which he did or was done to him is reckoned ours As then in Adam all dyed when he sinned as the Apostle speaks so in Christ were all justified when he was justified For as in his death Christ was a publique person for us and in all that befell him so in his Resurrection and in all that was then done to him and so in this his being then justified And as when he dyed the Iust was put to death for the unjust as Peter speaks so when he rose and was justified the Just that needed no justification was justified for the unjust who else had been condemned and so we were then justified with him CAP. VI. How our faith may raise from hence just matter of Triumph about our Justification An explication how we are justified by faith although justified in Christ at his Resurrection ANd hereupon is grounded this Triumph of Faith here from Christs Resurrection Who shall condemne It is Christ that is risen The
meaning whereof is that was justifyed at his Resurrection Iustified in the Spirit and Quickned in the Spirit being all one and we in him Yea and a rather is put upon this rather then upon his death for this act was a solemne discharge from all sin and condemnation it was a legall Acquitance given to Christ for all our sins and so to us also considered as in him His Death was but the satisfaction and payment but this is the first Act of Absolution Yea and this is the Originall Act which is upon Record between God and Christ and our Justification and Atonement when we are justified by faith in Christ is but a Copie fetcht from this Roll and Court sentence then pronounced And such a way and course to ratifie and make Acts good legall even to have them done by another representing ones person is common among men as those instances I formerly gave do shew An Attorney at Law receives a debt or an Acquitance for a debt paid or given for another man and it is as legall as if the man himselfe or Creditour had done it and the Debtour had received the Acquitance himselfe Yea Acts of the greatest and highest concernment are oft-times no otherwise transacted as the marriages of Princes are by Proxy solemized their Embassadours representing their persons and contracting and marrying their wives in their stead which acts are thereby made as irrevocable and irrepealable as if themselves had in person done them And so if we were justified when Christ did rise and was justified our justification then cannot be reversed but stands as legall and warrantable as any act that God or man ever ratified or confirmed And Who then shall condemne Onely A Caution for farther explication sake lest there be a mistake let me adde this That it is necessary that we be justifyed in our owne persons by faith notwithstanding this former Act thus legally passed whereby we lay hold upon what God did thus before for us in Christ to the end that God upon our beleeving may according to his owne rules justifie his justifying of us unto all the world which untill vve doe beleeve hee could not doe For according to the revealed Rules of his Word vvhich he professeth to proceed by at the latter day there is a curse and a sentence of condemnation pronounced against us under which we stand til he shall take it off by giving us faith unto which he hath in the same Word made the promise of justifying us in our own persons as before he had done in Christ Yet still notwithstanding so as although when we first beleeve then only Justification is actually and personally applyed to us yet at Christs Resurrection and in his being then justified this act and sentence was virtually pronounced upon us and so doth necessarily require and exact at Gods hands the bestowing faith upon us that so by vertue of this former act passed we come to be actually justified in our owne consciences and before all the world And so our Justification which was but secretly wrought passed upon us in Christ is never made void but stands irrepealable and so ratified that our personall justification by faith doth alwayes infallibly second and succeed it And to illustrate it a little our condemnation in Adam and this our justification in Christ doe in this hold parallel together That as in Adam we were all virtually condemned In Adam all dye and that legally enough too for thereupon came out that Statute-Law Statutum est It is appointed that all should dye and yet we are not actually in our owne persons condemned till we are borne of him nor doe we personally dye untill we lay downe our flesh Even so is it in the matter of our Justification it was done virtually in Christ and afterwards when we beleeve is actually passed in and upon our selves Now I call this former but a virtuall Iustification even as by the sentence of condemnation passed upon a Malefactor he is called a dead man that is he is so virtually and in Law as we say though naturally he dye not many dayes after but in that respect may be still alive so by Christs being justifyed we are all virtually and in Law justifyed through a secret yet irrepealable Covenant betweene God and Christ who onely did then know who were his And for a confirmation even of this also That God accounts all the Elect justifyed in his justifying of Christ we shall not need to goe any farther then the words of this Text if we doe but diligently compare their standing here with that of theirs in that place out of which they are taken and where we find them first recorded and spoken namely in that 50. of Esay 7 8. He is neere that justifies me who is he that shall condemne Now there as Interpreters agree and as the Context shews those words are spoken by Christ himselfe for ver 5. he speaks of Gods boring his eare to doe his will the same expression that is used of Christ Psal 40. 6. and farther sayes I gave my bâ—… to the smiters and my cheeks to them that pulled off the haire and I hid not my face from shame and spitting all which you may read in Christs sufferings Mat. 26. 27. and 27. 26. And he spake before in ver 4. of Gods having given him the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season to him that is weary which you may read done by Christ Mat. 11. 28. Now those words were spoken by Christ to comfort himselfe against the Jews condemning him as considering that God would justifie him as at his Resurrection you have heard he did Now mark it those very words which Isaiah brings in Christ speaking as of himselfe alone those very words Paul here boldly applyes in the like triumph to all the Elect of Christ Who shall condemne It is God that justifies and this because Christ is dead risen and acquited by God Christ spake those words as a publique person in the name of all his Elect whom he in his death and in his justification represented and for that very respect Paul speaks the like words over again of all Elect Beleevers as being as truly and really intended of them when spoken by Christ as of himself and his owne person He is neere that justifies me sayes Christ who shall condemne namely Me or mine Elect whose persons I sustaine And Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect sayes Paul It is God that justifies who shall condemne for Christ hath dyed and been condemned for them and Christ was justifyed from that condemnation and they in him And because the justification of himselfe which Christ spake of as lookt for from God was to be made at his Resurrection as hath been said therefore Paul here puts a rather upon his Resurrection And farther to establish this as you heard before out of Rom. 6. 10. that in respect of Sanctification
we were dead with Christ even then when he dyed so in the 2. of Coloss 13. we are said to be risen with him in respect of our justification which is the thing in hand The words are And you being dead in your sins namely the guilt of your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh that is in respect of the power of corrupt nature hath he quickned together with him having forgiven you all your trespasses See here the forgivenesse of our sins or our justification is called a quickning or a raising up of us as the 12. ver hath it together with him in a conformity and relation to that justification from our sins which at his Resurrection he received in our names His meaning is he was justified then in our names and so we are now justifyed through the vertue of that our communion with him therein For if you mark the connexion of the words with what follows ver 14. you will finde this forgiving of their trespasses ver 13. through their being quickned together with him not onely to have been done when they beleeved and so when they had that justification personally first applyed to them of which it is true the words in the 12. ver are to be understood but also then to have been done when he having as it follows in the 14. ver blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances which was against us nailing it to his Crosse and having spoiled Principalities and Powers and got the victory namely in his rising again had made a shew of them openly in his ascending to heaven triumphing over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in himselfe as the Margent hath it of which words I shall farther speak in the next Head So as then when Christ did this in himselfe then were our sins forgiven then were we acquited with him and triumphed with him he doing all this in our stead representing us CHAP. VII How all this both the support of our faith and our Justification by Christs Resurrrection is sealed up to us in Baptisme The Conclusion How faith may make use of Christs Resurrection in its pleas to God ANd all this our communion with Christ in his Resurrection both in respect of Sanctification which the 6. of the Rom. holds forth and of Justification which this place in the Coloss holds forth is lively as both places declare set out and sealed up to us in the Sacrament of Baptisme Rom. 6. 3 4. we are said to be buried with him in Baptisme c. and Col. 2. 12. Buryed with him in Baptisme wherein also you are risen with him The ominent thing signified and represented in Baptisme is not simply the bloud of Christ as it washeth us from sin but there is a farther representation therein of Christs Death Buriall and Resurrection in the Baptized's being first buryed under water and then rising out of it and this not in a bare conformity unto Christ but in a representation of a communion with Christ in that his Death and Resurrection Therefore it is said We are buryed with him in Baptisme and Wherein you are risen with him It is not simply said like as he was buryed and rose but With him So as our communion and one-nesse with him in his Resurrection is represented to us therein and not onely our conformity or likenesse unto him therein And so Baptisme representeth this to us that Christ having once in himselfe sustained the persons of all the Elect in his Buriall and Resurrection that now upon the party himselfe who is baptized is personally particularly and apparently re-acted the same Part againe in his Baptisme thereby shewing what his communion with Christ before was in what was then done to Christ that he then was buried with Christ and rose with him and upon that ground is now in this outward sign of Baptisme as in a shew or representation both buryed and also riseth againe And moreover hence it is that the Answer of a good conscience which is made the inward effect of this Ordinance of Baptisme 1 Pet. 3. 21. is there also attributed unto Christs Resurrection as the thing signified and represented in Baptisme and as the cause of that answer of a good conscience Even Baptisme saith he doth now also save us as being the Ordinance that seales up salvation not the putting away of the filth of the flesh or the washing of the outward man but the answer of a good conscience towards God By the Resurrection of Iesus Christ To open these words Our consciences are that principle in us which are the seat of the guilt of all the sinnes of the whole man unto whose Court they all come to accuse us as unto Gods Deputy which Conscience is called Good or Evill as the state of the man is If his sinne remain unpardoned then as his estate is damnable so his conscience is evill If his sins bee forgiven and his person justified his conscience is said to bee good Conscience having its denomination from the mans state even as the Urine is called good or bad as the state of the mans body is healthful or unsound whose Urine it is Now in Baptisme forvivenesse of sins and justification being sealed up to a believers faith conscience under that lively representation of his Communion with Christ in his Resurrection hence this is made the fruit of Baptisme that the good conscience of a believer sealed up in Baptisme hath where withall from thence to answer all accusations of sin that can or doe at any time come in upon him and all this as it is there added By vertue of the resurrection of Iesus Christ namely in this respect that his Communion with Christ in his Resurrection hath been represented in his Baptisme as a ground of his faith and of that Answer unto all accusations So that indeed the same thing that Paul sayes by way of triumph and defiance to all accusations Who shall condemne Christ is risen the very same thing Peter here mentions though not by way of Defiance yet of a Beleevers Answer and Apologie That if sinnes doe come to condemne or accuse a good conscience is ready to say Christ is risen and I was then justified in him There is my Answer which nothing in heaven nor hell is able to reply unto This is the answer of a good conscience by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ Now to crown this second Pillar of Faith with this Coronis or Conclusion Application by way of Application or Direction to a believers faith How saith is to make use of this in pleading our Justification How to make use of Christs Resurrection in point of non-condemnation You heard before out of Rom. 6. that in respect of Mortification as the Apostle there reasoneth we may be truly said to have been perfectly dead to all sinne in Christs dying unto sin once and through his representing us therein as dying unto sinne in and with him So as although we be for
besides all this there is a personall or an actuall Iustification to be bestowed upon us that is an accounting and bestowing it upon us in our own persons which is done whē we beleeve and it is called Rom. 5. 1. a being justifyed by faith and ver 10. receiving the atonement now this depends upon Christs Intercession and it was typified out by Moses his sprinkling the people with blood mentioned Heb. 9. 19. which thing Jesus Christ as a Mediator and Priest doth now from Heaven For Heb. 12. 24. it is said You are come to Heaven and to Iesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and as it is next subjoyned to the blood of sprinkling he shed his blood on the Crosse on earth but he sprinkleth it now as a Priest from Heaven For it is upon Mount Sion to which he had said first in the former verse ye are come and so to Christ as a Mediator standing on that mount and sprinkling from thence his blood and so therein there is an allusion unto Moses Christs Type who sprinkled the people with the blood of that ceremoniall covenant the type of the covenant of grace Now in the 1 Pet. 1. 2. The sprinkling of Christ his blood as it is there made the more proper work of Christ himselfe in distinction from the other persons and therefore was done by Moses who was his type so is it also put for our first justification And this sprinkling as it is there mentioned is from the vertue of his intercession And therefore in that place of the Heb. forecited he attributes an intercession unto it as the phrase that follows which speaks better things c. doth imply of which more hereafter Yet concerning this first Head let me adde this by way of caution which I shall presently have occasion to observe that though this our first justification is to be ascribed to his Intercession yet more eminently Intercession is ordained for the accōplishing our salvation this other more rarely in the Scripture attributed thereunto Secondly 2. The continuance of our justification depends upon it The continuation of our Iustification depends upon it And as his Intercession is the virtuall continuation of his Sacrifice so is it the continuing cause of our justification which though it be an act done once as fully as ever yet is it done over every moment for it is continued by acts of free Grace so renewed actually every moment There is a standing in Grace by Christ spoken of Rom. 5. 2. as well as a first accesse by Christ and that standing in grace and continuing in it is afterwards ver 11. attributed to his life that is as it is interpreted Heb. 7. 25. his living ever to intercede We owe our standing in grace every moment to his sitting in Heaven and interceding every moment There is no fresh act of justification goes forth but there is a fresh act of intercession And as though God created the World once for all yet every moment he is said to create every new act of providence beeing a new creation so likewise to justifie continually through his continuing out free grace to justifie as at first and this Christ doth by continuing his Intercession he continues a Priest for ever and so we continue to be justifyed for ever 3. A full security of our justification given thereby forever There is hereby a full security given us of justification to be continued for ever The danger either must lie in old sins comming into remembrance or else from sins newly to be committed Now first God hereby takes order 1. Against the remembrance of sins past that no old sins shall come up into remembrance to trouble his thoughts as in the old Law after the Priests going into the Holy of holies their sins are said yet to have done Heb. 10. 3. and to that end it was that he placed Christ as his Remembrancer for us so neere him to take up his thoughts so with his obedience that our sinnes might not come into mind not that God needed this help to put himself in mind but onely for a formality sake that things being thus really carryed between God and Christ for us according to a way suiting with our apprehensions our faith might be strengthened against all suppositions and feares of after reviving our guilts Look therefore as God ordained the Rain-bow in the heavens that when he lookt on it he might remember his Covenant never to destroy the world againe by water so he hath set Christ as the Rain-bow about his Throne And look as the Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper are appointed on earth to shew forth Christs death as a Remembrancer to us so is Christ himselfe appointed in heaven to shew forth his death really as a Remembrancer thereof to his Father and indeed the one is correspondent to the other Onely the Papists have perverted the use of the Lords Supper by making it on earth a commemorative sacrifice to God when as it is but a Remembrancer thereof to men and besides their Priests therein do take upon themselves this very office of presenting this sacrifice to God which is proper onely to Christ in Heaven But God when he would make sure not to be tempted to remember our sins any more nor trouble himselfe with them hath set his Christ by him to put him in minde of his so pleasing an offering So the High-Priests going into the Holy of holies was for a memoriall and therein the Type of Christ And this is plainly expresly made the use of this execution of his Priestly office in Heaven Heb. 8. where the Apostle having discoursed of that part of his office as the chiefe thing he aimed at in this Epistle ver 1. and of the necessity of it ver 3 4 and 5. and excellencie of it in this respect ver 6. he then shews how from thence the new Covenant of pardon came to be sure and stedfast that God will remember our sins no more ver 12. which he there brings in as the proper use of this Doctrine and of this part of his Priesthood 2. 2. To prevent the accusing condemning us by new sinne for times to come As by reason of intercession God remembers not old sins so likewise he is not provoked by new For though God when he justifies us should forgive all old sins past for ever so as never to remember them more yet new ones would break forth and he could not but take notice of them and so so long as sinne continues there is need of a continuing intercession Therefore for the securing us in this it is said Rom. 5. 10. That if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Where we see that his Death is in some more speciall manner said to procure reconciliation at first for sinnes of unregeneracie and to bring us to
Intercession ibid. 2. More particularly Our justification depends upon it as 1. The first Act of our conversion and justification depends on it 133 2. The continuance of our justification depends on it 134 3. A full security thereby given that we shall be justified for ever And this 1. Against sins past 135 2. Against our being condemned by new sins 137 Intercession principally intended for sins after conversion 138 3. Respecting Christ Intercession ordained 1. That none of Christs offices should lye vacant 139 2. That Christ might have a continuall hand in every work of our salvation unto the last 140 Chap. 4. The second Head The great security that our faith may have for our Justification from Christs interceding for us Shewed 1. By way of EVIDENCE And this by two things 142 1. The end of Intercession is actually and compleatly to save so as if Christ did not actually and compleatly save those that beleeve in him through his Intercession he were not a perfect Priest 143 2. Christs honour as a Surety is deeply engaged by his Intercession to save us 147 Christ a Surety in his Intercession as well as in his death ibid. 2. The difference betweene these two Surety-ships 148 Chap. 5. By that powerfull INFLVENCE into our Salvation and prevalencie which Christs Intercession hath with God for us Demonstrated 1. From the greatnesse of the person who Intercedes and his greatnesse with God 151 And this shewne by two things 1. His neerenesse of Alliance hee being Gods naturall Sonne 153 2. His filiall obedience he being Gods Obedient Son 159 Two things in Christs Obedience which make his Intercession prevalent 161 Chap. 6. 2. From the righteousnesse of the cause he pleades and that in justice And how forcible the cry of his blood is especially himselfe appearing to intercede with it 163 Explicated by two things 1. How an Intercession and appeale to justice is attributed to Christs blood 164 Illustrated by the cry of Abels blood and how far this exceeds that 166 In what sense Christs blood is said to cry 168 2. Christ himselfe being alive and following the cry of his blood how prevalent this must needes bee ibid. Chap. 7. 3. From the absolutenesse of his power he being able to doe what ever hee askes of his Father 172 Though Christ as he is a King can command all things yet to honour his Father he intercedes for what himselfe commands 173 An Inference from the prevalencie of our Prayers how forcible Christs Prayers much more must needes be 176 Chap. 8. 4. From the graciousnesse of the Person with whom Christ Intercedes For 1. Christ Intercedes with his Father 181 Chap. 9. 2. He intercedes with him who is Our Father also 186 Gods heart is as much enclined to heare Christ for us as Christs heart is tointercede ibid. The summing up of all 192 Chap. 10 The Vse containing some encouragements unto weake beleevers from Christs Intercession out of Heb. 7. 25. ERRATA PAge 37. line 30. for there reade thee p. 47. l. 1. for who is read As. line 7. for thereby the Influence reade thereby both the Evidence and the Influence p. 61. l. 8 shooke hands adde with the Testatour p. 59. l. 6. Adam who came after read Adam who came afore p. 62. l. 19. we conclude adde or argue by reason p. 69. l. 20. for that this God-man was justified reade that God being thus made man is said to have been justified p. 73. l. 3. blot out in us or p. 77. l. 31. unto which he hath read unto which faith or upon which beleeving he hath p. 94. l. 11. for whereof this was the intended type reade which was the intended type of Christs triumph at his Ascension p. 120. l. 14. for should share reade should yet share p. 122. l. 24. for before then Aaron reade by far then Aaron p. 125. l. 8. for all the owed reade we owed p. 147. l. 5. read perfect worke ibid. l. 20. reade the reason is because that p. 149. l. 2. each reade either p. 158. as for which read as that which p. 167. l. 20. besprinkled reade sprinkled p. 196. l. 6. of reade to p. 200. l. 25. competitours reade competitioners SECT I. SHEVVING BY VVAY of INTRODUCTION that CHRIST is the EXAMPLE and OBIECT of Iustifying Faith ROM 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us CHAP. I. The scope of these words That they were Christs originally Christ the highest example of Beleeving Encouragements to our faith from thence THese words are a triumphing challenge uttered by the Apostle in the name of all the Elect for so he begins it in the 33. ver foregoing Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifies And then follow these words Who shall condemne namely Gods elect It is Christ that dyed c. This challenge we finde first published by Jesus Christ himselfe our onely Champion Esay 50. a Chapter made of and for Christ ver 8. He is neere that justifies me who will contend with me They were Christs words there and spoken of Gods justifying him and these are every Beleevers words here intended of Gods justifying them Christ is brought in there uttering them as standing at the High Priests Tribunall when they spat upon him and buffeted him as ver 4 5. when he was condemned by Pilate then he exercised this faith on God his Father He is neere that justifies me And as in that his condemnation he stood in our stead so in this his hope of his Iustification he speaks in our stead also as representing us in both And upon this the Apostle here pronounces in like words of all the Elect It is God that justifies who shall accuse Christ was condemned yea hath dyed who therefore shall condemne Loe here the communion we have with Christ in his death and condemnation yea in his very faith if he trusted in God so may we and shall as certainly be delivered Observe we first from hence by way of premise to all that follows That Christ lived by faith as well as we doe Obser In the first of Iohn ver 16. Christ an example of beleeving we are said to receive of his fulnesse grace for grace that is Grace answerable and like unto his and so among others Faith For Explication hereof Exlplained First 1. He had a faith for the justification of himselfe in some sense he had a faith for Iustification like unto ours though not a Iustification through faith as we have He went not indeed out of himselfe to rely to another for righteousnesse for he had enough of his owne he being The Lord our righteousnesse yet he beleeves on God to justifie him and had recourse to God for justification He is neer sayes he that justifies me If he had stood in his own
Peter that he could command millions of Angels to his rescue but he meerly submits unto his Father Not my will but thy will be done sayes he for God had laid upon him the iniquities of us all Esay 53. Let our faith therefore look mainly to this designe and plot of God and of Christ in his suffering to satisfie for our sins and to justifie us sinners When we consider him as borne flesh and bloud and laid in a manger think we withall that his meaning was to condemne sin in our flesh Rom. 8. 4. So when we read of him fulfilling all or any part of righteousnes take we his mind in withall to be that the Law might be fulfilled in us as it follows there who were then represented in him and so the fulfilling of it is accounted ours Behold we him in his life time as Iohn the Baptist did even as the Lamb of God bearing and taking away the sins of the world and when upon the Crosse let our faith behold the iniquities of us all met in him Surely he hath borne our sorrowes bearing our sinnes in his body on the tree and thereby once offered to beare the sinnes of many 1 Pet. 3. Heb. 9. c. This intent of Christ in all that he did and suffered is that welcome newes and the very spirit of the Gospel which faith preys and seiseth on CHAP. III. What support or matter of triumph Christs death affords to faith for Justification NOw having thus directed your Faith to the right object Christ and Christ as dying let us secondly see what matter of support and encouragement faith may fetch from Christs death for Justification And surely that which hath long agoe satisfied God himselfe for the sins of many thousand soules now in heaven The fulnesse of Christs satisfaction may very well serve to satisfie the heart and conscience of any sinner now upon earth in any doubts in respect of the guilt of any sins that can arise We see that the Apostle here after that large discourse of Justification by Christs righteousnes in the former part of this Epistle to the Rom. and having shewed how every way it abounds Chap. 5. he now in this 8. Chap. doth as it were sit down like a man over-convinced as ver 31. What then shall we say to these things He speaks as one satisfied and even astonished with abundance of evidence having nothing to say but onely to admire God and Christ in this work and therefore presently throws downe the Gauntlet and challengeth a dispute in this point with all commers Let Conscience and carnall reason Law and Sinne Hell and Devils bring in all their strength Who is he shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect who shall condemne Paul dares to answer them all and carry it with these few words It is God that justifies It is Christ that dyed And as in ver 37. We are more then conquerours in all these It was this that brought in the Prodigall that in his Fathers house there was bread enough And so likewise he who ever he was who was the Author of the 130. Psal when his soul was in deep distresse by reason of his sins ver 1 2. yet this was it that setled his heart to wait upon God that there was plenteous redemption with him Christs redemption is not meerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price or ransome aquivalent or making due satisfaction according to the just demerit of sinne but it is plenteous redemption there is an abundance of the gift of righteousnesse Rom. 5. 17. and unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3. 8. Yea 1 Tim. 1. 14. the grace of our Lord that is of Christ as ver 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate it was abundant but the word reacheth farther it was over-full redundant more then enough And yet sayes Paul ver 13. I had sins enough to pardon as one would think that might exhaust it I was a blasphemer c. But I found so much grace in Christ even more then I knew what to doe withall I shall not insist so largely on this first Head of Christs dying as upon those three following because it is the main subject of another Discourse which through Gods grace I intend to publish though in another method Onely for a taste to instance in some few particulars How Christs satisfaction may be set against the guilt of any sins and so made use of by faith shewing how Christs satisfaction may be opposed and set against the guilt of a poore sinners offences What is there that can be said to aggravate sin in the generall or any mans particular sins that may not be answered out of this Christ hath dyed and something not be considered in it which the conscience may oppose thereto So that what ever evill which according to the rules of spirituall reason which the righteous Law proceedeth by and containeth as the foundation of its righteousnesse in condemning or aggravating sinne a mans conscience may suggest to be in sinne oppositely hereunto may a mans faith according to the like rules of true spirituall reason shew a more transcendent goodnesse to have been in Christs death which the Gospel reveales and so may oppose the one to the other and have as good reason to shew why sinne should not condemne from CHRISTS death as Conscience can have that the Law may condemne As first 1. Against the hainousnesse of sin in the generall Is sinne the transgression of the Law Christ dying the Law-maker was subjected to the Law and will not that make amends Is sin the debasement of Gods glory manifested in his Word and Works Christs dying was the debasement and emptying of the brightnesse of his glory in the highest measure being personally manifested in the flesh The one of them is but as the darkning the shine or lustre of the Sun upon a wall but the other is as the obscuring of the Sun it selfe Sins highest evill lies in offending God but Christs righteousnesse is oppositely the righteousnesse of God himselfe or Iehovah made our righteousnesse So that God in our sinne is considered but as the object against whom but God in this our righteousnesse is the subject from whom and in whom this righteousnesse comes and is feated And so his God-head answerably gives a higher worth to it by how much the alliance which the subject hath to an action of its owne that proceeds from it is nearer then that which an object hath against which the action is committed Or secondly 2. Against any aggravation of particular sins what peculiar aggravations or circumstances are there in thy sinnes to weigh down with which some circumstances in Christs obedience and death may not be paralleld to lift thee up againe As first 1. Against the greatnesse of the act of any particular sin what ever Is it the greatnesse of thy sinne in the substance of the fact committed hath there been
up to Heaven and that as far above Angels and Principalities as the Apostle speaks Eph. 1. as the Heavens are above the Earth will you not in your faiths hopes proportionably ascend and climb up also have thoughts of pardon as far exceeding your ordinary thoughts as the heavens are above the earth Therefore first view him as ascending into Heaven ere ever hee comes to be at Gods right hand and see what matter of triumph that will afford you for that you must first suppose ere you can see him at Gods right hand and so is necessarily included thought not expressed here But that place fore-quoted out of Peter 1 Pet. 3. gives us both these two particulars included in it 1. His Ascension Who is gone into Heaven And 2. his power and authority there Is at Gods right hand and hath all power and authority subject to him and prompts both these as fit matter to be put into a good conscience its Answer and Apologie why it should not be condemned therfore both may here as well come in into faiths triumph and that as being intended also by the Apostle and included in this one expression He speaks with the least to shew what cause faith had to triumph for the least expression of it his purpose being but to give a hint to faith of that which cōprehensively contains many things in it which he would have us distinctly to consider for our comfort CHAP. II. Shewing first what evidence for our justification Christs Ascension into Heaven affords unto our Faith upon that first forementioned consideration of his being a Surety for us FIrst then to see what triumph his ascending into Heaven will add unto our faith in matter of non-condemnation And herein 1. By considering what was the last action he did when he was to Ascend Blessing his Disciples first there is not nothing in it to consider what he then did and what was his last Act when he was to take his rise to fly up to Heaven He blessed his Disciples and thereby left a blessing upon earth with them for all his elect to the end of the World The true reason and minde of which blessing them was that he being now to go to execute the eternall office of his Priest-hood in Heaven of which God had sworn Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec As Melehisedec in the Type blessed Abraham and in him all the faithfull as in his loins therefore the Apostle said that Levi paid tithes unto Melchisedec in Abrahams loines therefore he was blessed in his loines so did Christ begin this new and second part of his Priest-hood with blessing the Apostles and in them all the elect to the end of the World This was the last thing that Christ did on earth yea this he did whilst ascending he was taken up whilst he did it So Luke 24. 50. 51. And thus solemnly he now did this to shew that the curse was gone and that sin was gone and that action speakes thus much as if Christ himselfe had said To shew the curse was removed and their sins pardoned O my brethren for so he styled his Disciples after his Resurrection I have been dead and in dying made a curse for you now that curse I have fully removed and my Father hath aquited me and you for it and now I can be bold to blesse you and pronounce all your sins forgiven and your persons justified For that is the intendment and foundation of blessing Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven him and therefore that was the true meaning of his blessing them which he reserved thus as his last Act to shew how by his death he had redeemed them from the curse of the Law now going to Heaven was able to blesse them with all the spirituall blessings that are there and which Heaven can afford for Heavenly they are called in that respect And in blessing his Apostles thus he blessed all that should believe in him Ephes 1. 4. And as in Abraham blessed by Melchisedec all the faithfull were blessed so in these Apostles all the elect to come are blessed As when God individually blessed Adam and Eve at the first Creation yet he in them blessed all that were for ever to come of them so Christ in blessing them blessed us and all that shall beleeve through their word to the end of the World And that they were thus then to be considered as common persons receiving this blessing for us all appeareth by Christs words then uttered I am with you to the end of the World i. e. with you and all your successors both Ministers other believers Mat. 28. ult And Christ herein did as God did before him When God had done his worke of creation He looked upon all he had done and saw that it was good and he blessed it Thus did Jesus Christ now that he had by that one offering perfected for ever all the elect he comfortably vieweth and pronounceth it perfect and them blessed and so goes to Heaven to keepe and enjoy the Sabbath of all there Now Secondly let us see him Ascending A second support from the very Act of Ascending and see what comfort that will also afford our faith towards the perswasion of Iustification The Apostles stood gazing on him and so doe you lift up your hearts to gaze on him by faith and view him in that act as he is passing along into Heaven as leading sin hell death and devill in triumph at his Chariot wheeles And therewith let your faith triumph in a further evidence of justification Thus Ephesians 4. 8. out of the 68. Psalme ver 18. the Apostle saith How it was an act of Triumph over death hel sin c. When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive to which Hebraisme the Latine phrase vincere victoriam to win a victory doth answer then He led captive all our spirituall enemies that would have captived us they being now captived Now leading of captives is alwaies after a perfect victory And therefore whereas at his Death he had conquered them at his Rising scattered them now at his Ascension he leades them captive And so that Psal in the Type begins ver 1. Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered let them flee before him so at his Resurrection they did And then he ascends in triumph ashere in token of victory he is ascended up on high ver 18. he ascends as David after his victory up to Mount Sion for the celebrating of which that Psal seemes to have beene made by David whereof this was the intended Type Two Acts of Triumph in it And two Actus triumphales triumphing Acts there were here mentioned 1. Leading the captives bound to his Chariot wheeles as the manner of the Roman triumphs was when the Conqueror went up to the Capitol and other Heathens in Davids time As Achilles led Hector captive who
a place in Egypt for his Brethren whom Gods providence meant to bring after him so more openly doth Christ Ascend to Heaven professedly declaring that to be his businesse I go to prepare a place for you and it is my Fathers house saith he where I can provide for you and make you welcome You heard before what welcome God gave Christ when he first arrived there and what he said to him and Christ said as it were again to God I come not alone I have much company many of my brethren and followers to come after for it was the declared and avowed end of his comming to prepare a place for them I prayed when I was on earth that where I am they might be also Iohn 17. and now I am come hither my traine must come in too I am not compleate without them If you receive me you must receive them also and I am come to take up lodgings for them Thus the Captain of our salvation being made perfect through sufferings and then crowned with glory and honour in bringing of many Sons to Glory as Heb. 2. 10. of which company he was Captain is brought in saying to God ver 13. Behold I and the Children which God hath given me he speakes it when brought to glory I am their Captain and they must follow mee Where I am they must be Lo I am here and am not to come alone but to bring to glory all the Children which thou hast given me They shall be all welcome saies God there is roome enough for them many mansions so that we neede not feare nor say in our hearts doubting and despairing Who shall ascend up to Heaven for us to bring us thither as Rom. 10. Christ hath done it That is the first thing but that is not all 2. 2. That he entred in our very names and stead took possession in our right He entred into Heaven in our very names and so is to be considered in that act as a Common person as well as in his Death and Resurrection and so representing us and also taking possession in our right and we in him as a guardian takes possession for Heirs under age Heb. 6. 20. the fore-runner is for us entred into Heaven the fore-runner for us that is our fore-runner A fore-runner is a fore-runner of followers and of such as stay not long behinde and usually goes before as a harbinger to provide and take up lodgings for them that are to come and writes the names of those who are to come over the doores of such and such roomes that they may not be taken up by any other And so Heb. 12. 23. the names of the first borne are said to be written in Heaven or enrolled there And 1. Pet. 1. 5. their places or mansions in Heaven are said to be reserved for them they stand empty as it were yet taken up so as none shall take them from them their names and titles to them being entred and superscribed And so he truly entred pro nobis for us that is in our stead and in our names as a Common person and therefore the High-Priest in the Type entred into the Holy of Holies with all the names of the Tribes on his Breast even so doth Christ with ours even as a Common person in our names thereby shewing that we are likewise to come after him and this is more then simply to prepare a place it is to take possession of a place and give us a Right thereto So that your Faith through this consideration What comfort faith may derive from this We may behold our selves in heaven already may see your selves as good as in Heaven already For Christ is entred as a Common Person for you Justification hath two parts First Acquitance from sin and freedome from condemnation as here Who shall condemne And Secondly Iustification of life as it is called Rom. 5. 18. that is which gives title to eternall life Now dying and rising as a Common person for us procures the first sets us perfectly enough in that state of freedome from condemnation But then this Christ his entring into Heaven as a Common Person sets us farre above that state of Noncondemnation It placeth us in Heaven with him You would think your selves secure enough if you were ascended into Heaven As Heman said of his condition that he was free among the dead that is he reckoned himselfe in his despaire free of the company in Hell as well as if he had beene there thinking his name enrolled among them and his place taken up so you may reckon your selves as the word is Rom. 6. free of the company of Heaven and your places taken up there so that when you come to die you shall go to heaven as to your own place by as true a title though not of your own as Iudas went to Hell which is called his own place as Act. 1. the Apostle speaks What a start is this how far have you left below you pardon of sins and non-condemnation you are got above How securely may you say Who shall condemne Christ hath ascended and entered into Heaven This is the first branch of the second Head The influence that Christs Ascension hath into our justification and salvation CHAP. V. Demonstrateth in like manner what influence Christs sitting at Gods right hand hath into our justification upon that second consideration of his being a Common person And the security faith may have from thence THe consideration of his sitting at Gods right hand may in respect of the influence that it must needs have into our salvation yet adde more security unto our Faith if we either consider the power and authority of the place it selfe By considering two things and what it is to sit at Gods right hand Or secondly the relation the person he beares and sustaines in his sitting there even of a Common person in our right And both these being put together will adde strength mutually each to other and unto to our faith both to consider how great a prerogative it is to sit at Gods right hand and what such a one as sits there hath power to doe and then that Christ who is invested with this power and advanced to it he possesseth it all as our Head and in our Right as a Common person representing us And 1. §. 1. 1 The prerogatives of the place which are two Consider the prerogatives of the place it selfe they are two 1. Soveraignty of power and Might and Majestie 2. Soveraignty of authority and judgment either of which may secure us from non-condemnation 1. 1 Soveraignty of Majesty and power Soveraignty of power and might this the phrase sitting at Gods right hand implies Mat. 26. 64. where Christ himselfe expoundeth the purport of it Hereafter you shall see the Sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power And so 1 Ephes 20. 22. this is made the priviledge of Gods setting him at his
are to looke upon our Mediator CHRIST as doing as much worke for us in Heaven at this instant as ever hee did on Earth here suffering but there praying and presenting his sufferings All his worke was not done when he had done here that worke here was indeede the harder piece of the two yet soone dispatched but his work in heaven though sweeter far yet lyes on his hands for ever therefore let us leave out none of these in our believing on him CHAP. IV. The second Head The great security the consideration of Christs Intercession affords to faith for our Justification shewed 1. By way of evidence By two things ANd so I come as in the former I have done to shew what strong grounds of security and triumph our faith may raise frō this last act namely Christs Intercession for us in the point of justification Who shall condemne it is Christ that intercedes And this was the second generall propounded and therein to proceed also according to the Method taken up in the former 1. What assurance by way of evidence this doth afford unto faith of non-condemnation 2. What powerfull efficacy and influence this must be of that Christ intercedes First §. 1. to handle it by way of evidence That Christ intercedes To evidence these two demonstrations is a strong evidence to our faith by two demonstrations 1. From the very intent and scope of the worke of intercession it selfe and what it is ordained by God to effect 2. From the end of Jesus Christ himself who lives in Heaven on purpose to intercede for us Our salvation it is both Finis operis the end of the work and finis ipsius operantis in some respect the end of Christ himselfe the interceder and both these doe lay the greatest engagement that can be upon Christ to accomplish our salvation through his intercession 1. For the work it self Intercession you have seen is a part of the office of Christs Priesthood as well as his dying and offering himselfe now all the works of Christ are must be perfect in their kind even as Gods are of which sayes Moses Deut. 32. 4. His work is perfect for otherwise he should not be a perfect Priest Now the perfection of every work lies in order to its end for which it is ordained so as that work is perfect that attains to such an end as it is ordained for and that imperfect which doth not Now the immediate direct end of Christs Intercession is the actuall salvation of Beleevers Elect and persons whom he dyed for The end of his death is Adoptio juris purchasing a right unto salvation but of Intercession procuratio ipsius salutis the very saving us actually and putting us in possession of Heaven To this purpose observe how the Scripture speaks concerning Christs death Heb. 9. 12. He entred into heaven having obtained Redemption or found redemption that is by way of right by procuring full title to it But of his Intercession it sayes Heb. 7. 25. that by it Christ is able to save to the utmost them that come unto God by him that is actually to save and put them in possession of happinesse that is made the end and scope of Intercession there and that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the utmost notes out a saving indeed a doing it not by halves but wholly and throughly and compleatly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to save altogether to give our salvation its last act and complement that is the true force of the phrase even to effect it to the last of it all that is to be done about it Thus also Rom. 5. 9 and 10. We are justified by his death but saved namely compleatly by his life that is his living to intercede So that the very salvation of Beleevers is it that is the work the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christs Intercession Now what security doth this afford What security this affords for to be saved is more then to be justified for it is the actual possessing us of heaven So then do but grant that Christs Intercession is as perfect a work in its kind as Christs death is in its kind and you must needs be saved The perfection of Christs death and the work thereof wherein lay it as on Christs part to be performed but in this that he should lay downe a Ransome sufficient to purchase salvation for such and such persons as God would save and so the perfection of it lies in the worth and sufficiencie of it to that end it was ordained for it being a perfect sacrifice in it self able to purchase eternall redemption for us and to make us salvable against all sins and the demerits of them and to give us right to Heaven and had it wanted a graine of this it had then been imperfect Now then answerably for intercession the comfort of our souls is that the proper work that lies upon Christ therein is the compleat saving those very persons and the possessing them of Heaven this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper worke thereof To out-vie the demerits of our sins was the perfection of his death but to save our soules is the end and perfection of his Intercession Our sins are the object of the one and our soules of the other To that end was intercession added to his death that we might not have a right to Heaven in vaine of which we might be dispossessed Now therefore upon this ground if Christ should faile of our souls salvation yea but of any one degree of glory purchased by his death to any soule which that soule should want this work of his would then want and fal short so much of its perfection That place in Heb. 7. sayes not only that Christ will doe his utmost to save but save to the utmost You may say Object My infidelitie and obstinacy may hinder it though Christ doth what in him lies Well Resp but intercession undertakes the worke absolutely For Christ prays not conditionally in Heaven If men shall believe c. as we doe here on earth nor for propositions only but for persons and therefore he prays to cure that very infidelity Now as if a Physitian undertakes to cure a mad man if he knowes what he doth he considers the madnesse of his Patient and how he will teare off what is applyed and refuse all Physick hee therefore resolves to deal with him accordingly and so to order him as he shall not hinder that help which he is about to afford him and so upon those tearms he undertakes the cure even so doth Christ when by intercession hee undertakes to save us sinners he considers us what we are and how it is with us For Christ otherwise should not be as perfect a Priest in interceding as he was in dying what unbeliefe is in us yet undertakes the matter and so to save us is the scope and end of this his work which if he
Christ as his instrument to bring it honourably about All the Blessings he means to give us he first purposed and intended in himselfe so Eph. 1. 3 5 9 11. compared out of the good pleasure of his will yet in Christ as it is added there as the means through which hee would convey them yea Christ adds not one drop of love to Gods heart onely he draws it out he brocheth it and makes it flow forth whose current had otherwise beene stopt The truth is that God suborned Christ to beg them on our behalf for an honourable way of carrying it and to make us prize this favour of it the more but so as his heart is as ready to give all to us as Christs is to ask and this out of his pure love to us The Intercession therefore of Christ must needs speed when Gods heart is thus of it selfe prepared to us In Esay 53. 10. it is said The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand If our salvation be in Christs hand it is in a good hand but if it be the pleasure of the Lord too it must needs prosper And it is said of our hearts and prayers that He prepareth the heart and heareth the prayer much more therefore when his owne heart is prepared to grant the suit will he easily heare it When one hath a mind to doe a thing then the least hint procures it of him So a father having a mind to spare his child he will take any excuse any ones mediation even of a servant a stranger or an enemie rather then of none Now when Christ shall speak for us and speak Gods owne heart how prevalent must those words needs be Davids soule longing to goe forth unto Absalom 2 Sam. 13. ult whom notwithstanding for the honour of a Father and a Kings State-policie and to satisfie the world he had banisht the Court for his Treason when Ioab perceived it that the Kings heart was towards Absalom Chap. 14. 1. and that the King onely needed one to speake a good word for him he subornes a woman a stranger no matter whom for it had beene all one for speeding with a made tale to come to the King and you know how easily it tooke and prevailed with him and how glad the Kings heart was of that occasion even so acceptable it was to him that Ioab could not have done him a greater kindnesse and that Ioab knew well enough Thus it is with Gods heart towards us Christ assures us of it and you may believe him in this case for Christ might have tooke all the Honour to himselfe and made us beholding to himselfe alone for all Gods kindnes to us but he deales plainly and tels us that his Father is as ready as himselfe and this for his Fathers honour and our comfort And therefore it is that Iohn 17. in that this prayer so operated on this discourse he pleads our election Iohn 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavest them me Thou commendedst them unto me and badest me pray for them and I doe but commend the same to thee again In the High-priests breast-plate when he went into the Holy of Holies were set twelve stones on which were written the names of the twelve Tribes the mysterie of which is this Christ beares us and our names in his Heart when he goes to God and moreover we are Gods jewels precious in his own account and choise So God calls them Mal. 3. 17. Made precious to him out of his love So Isai 43. 4. So that God loves us as jewels chosen by him but much more when he beholds us set and presented unto him in the breast-plate of Christs heart and prayer To conclude therefore we have now made both ends of this Text to meet Gods love and Christs intercession The Apostle began with that Who shall accuse it is God that justifies and he being for us who can be against us The Father himself loves us as he is our Father And then he ends with this Christ intercedes namely with our Father and his Father Who then shall condemn Who or what can possibly condemne all these things being for us the least of which were alone enough to save us Let us now looke round about and take a full view and prospect at once of all those particulars that Christ hath done and doth for us and their severall and joynt influence which they have into our salvation 1. In that Christ dyed it assures us of a perfect price payed for and a right to eternall life thereby acquired 2. In that he rose again as a common person this assures us yet further that there is a formall legall and irrevocable act of Iustification of us passed and enrolled in that Court of Heaven between Christ and God and that in his being then justifyed we were also justified him so that thereby our justification is made past re-calling 3 Christs Ascension into Heaven is a further act of his taking possession of Heaven for us he then formally entring upon that our right in our stead and so is a further confirmation of our salvation to us But still we in our owne persons are not yet saved this being but done to us as we are representatively in Christ as our Head 4. Therefore he sits at Gods right hand vvhich imports his being armed and invested with all power in Heaven and Earth to give and apply eternall life to us 5. And last of all there remaines Intercession to finish and compleat our salvation to doe the thing even to save us And as Christs death Re-resurrection were to procure our Iustification so his sitting at Gods right hand and Intercession are to procure salvation and by faith we may see it done and behold our soules not onely sitting in heaven as in Christ a common person sitting there in our right as an evidence that we shall come thither but also through Christs Intercession begun vve may see our selves actually possessed of heaven And there I vvill leave all you that are believers by faith possessed of it and solacing your soules in it and doe you feare condemnation if you can CHAP. X. The use of all Containing some Encouragements for weake Beleevers from Christs Intercession out of HEB. 7. 25. NOw for a Conclusion of this Discourse I will adde a briefe Use of Encouragement and this suited to the lowest Faith of the weakest Beleever who cannot put forth any act of Assurance and is likewise discouraged from comming in unto Christ And I shall confine my selfe onely unto what those most comfortable words as any in the booke of God doe hold forth which the Apostle hath uttered concerning Christs Intercession the Point in hand Wherefore he is able to save to the utmost those that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them words which I have had the most recourse unto in this Doctrinall part of any other as most tending to the clearing