this latter is Saving Faith when we dare trust and lippen our selves to Him and to His Word and we think this Expression holds forth as much of the nature of Saving Faith as any of the former if we could take it up when we dare concredit our selves to Him because He hath said the word Thus also to act and exercise Faith on Him for Temporal or for Spiritual things it 's to expect the event from God but so as we expect and look for it on this ground that Christ hath purchased it and we have accepted Him on His Offer which gives us a right to these things needful for us and purchased by Him It 's said Matth. 22.5 when the Invitation comes that some made light of it but Faith on the contrary is a laying weight on it and a concrediting of our selves to God on that ground It 's called Rom. 6. a delivering up of our selves to the word and to Him in it it 's even to put a Blank in Christ's Hand to be filled up as He pleases Ye see then what ye are called to it is to open to Christ to come to Him to marry Him to roll your selves on Him to commit your selves to Him to give Him credit c. and is there any of these unreasonable or prejudicial to you and if they be very reasonable and advantageous as indeed they are we would exhort you to come to Him to receive Him to apprehend Him to flee to Him to take hold of Him to marry Him c. Believe on Him and by believing be united to Him and get a right to Him and to all His Purchase give Him the credit of saving your Souls This we call for from you and if ye do it not the complaint in the Text will stand against you Who hath believed our report SERMON V. ISAIAH LIII I Who hath believed our report And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed IT 's a great matter once to get the Gospel brought amongst a People and such Messengers as may make the savoury Report of Jesus Christ unto them yet this is not all there is a greater work behind and that is to get Christ believed on and to get the Report concerning Him received by the People to whom it is made This being the greatest and gravest work of the Prophets and of the Ministers of the Gospel and the most eminent not so much to get a word to say as to get the Word believed and this is Isaiah's complaint that though he himself brought the Report concerning Christ and foresaw many moe would bring it yet that the exercise of Faith in these who should hear it would be very rare We spoke of the great thing called for from a People to whom this Gospel comes and the Report of Christ is made and that is to Believe on Him to receive and rest on Him of whom the Report is made except this be though there were never so many Preachers and encouragements to Preach though ye should flock to the Ordinances every day the ground of Complaint will still remain if there be not Saving Faith in Jesus Christ which is the substance of the Gospel After confirmation of this Point We shew what Faith is from the several names the Scripture giveth it and wherein the exercise of Saving Faith is holden out all which imply these three 1. A great hazard and danger that the Hearers of the Gospel are in whether they be sensible of it in such a measure at least or not we speak not now yet they are so really so much fleeing coming laying-hold apprehending c. insinuate 2. A fulness and sufficiency in Christ Jesus holden forth to them as the object of their Faith as one that can deliver out of that danger and can right what ever is wrong 3. An act wherein mainly the exercise of Faith is holden forth and it 's the act of the Soul under that danger and distress betaking it self to Christ's fulness for help It 's a fleeing from the Curse of the Law to Him as to the City of Refuge so every name that Faith gets sets out a Man acting and moving some way for Christ's remeeding the evil and removing the hazard he is in Having spoken a little to this that Faith is the main duty that is called for we may now follow the Exhortation to press you to it it being to no purpose to speak of Christ and of Faith in Him except He be received This is the end of the Word written and taught John 20. at the close even to believe in the Name of the Son of God and by believing to receive Life in and through Him And therefore Secondly Seing this is the main Duty called for by the Gospel that by Faith ye should receive it and Christ offered in it we earnestly exhort you to it It is not so much to this or that particular Duty though these be implyed it 's not so much to attendance on Ordinances nor to submission to Discipline and Censures though these also be Duties that we exhort you to but it 's to obedience to the great command of Faith even to believe on Him whom the Father hath sent and sealed It is to receive this Gospel to submit to the Righteousness of Faith to open to Him that is knocking at the Door to yield to Him and to give Him the Hand that bygone Quarels may be removed and taken out of the way except this be we profess to you in His Name that ye bring not forth the Fruit that this Gospel calleth for from you and that no less will be acceptable to God nor taken off your Hand by Him And to add here the third Branch of the Doctrine We say that no less will do your turn as a necessary mean for attaining the Promise and that which is promised 1. Look to all the Promises whether of Pardon of Sin or of Peace with God of Joy in the Holy Ghost of Holiness and Conformity to God there is no access to these or to any of them but by Faith this is the very proper condition of the Covenant of Grace and the Door whereby we step into it and if ye think Pardon of Sin Peace with God and Holiness to be necessary then this great Gospel-Duty of Believing is no less necessary for the Lord saith John 3.36 He that believes not is condemned already 2. Look to the performance of any Duty or mortification of any Lust or Idol and Faith is necessary to that 1 John 5.5 It is by Faith we obtain victory over the world it was by Faith Heb. 11. that all the Worthies spoken of there wrought Righteousness c. 3. When any Duty is done of whatsoever nature it be there is no acceptation of it without Faith It is not our Praying or coming to the Church that will make Duty to be accepted but it 's Faith the word profited them not saith the Apostle Heb. 4.2 because it was
clear if we compare Gods purpose and decree with the event and eff ct for as a thing is in the event and â—ffâ—ct so God intended and purposed in his decree it should be thus the Lords final sentence at the day of Judgment is but the result of his eternal purpose the book of life containing the names of all the Elâ—ct was written to speak so before the Elect existed and as it 's said Acts 15. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning so in a special manner and peculiar way this great work of the Redemption was and they that were to be redeemed particularly knowen and written down in the book of God's decree of election hence it 's said Rom. 11.7 Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the election hath obtained and John 6.37 All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me and John 10.28 I give my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish there is Rom 8.30 a concarination linking together of things from Gods purpose and decree of election â—ven to eternal glory which is the result of elâ—ctâ—on And it being very clear thaâ— some are admi ted and owned 〈◊〉 Christ in the great day and othâ—rs nor this is also cleaâ— that there was a differencing decree betwixt these so admitted and owned before the world was and others not so owned and admitted especially considering that this diffâ—â—encing aâ— the great day of Judgment is drawen from tâ—e decree of election Matth 25. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom pâ—epared for you before the foundation of the world was laid as if the Lord had said there was a purpose and design of bringing you to Heaven before the world was A 4th ground is taken from the nature of Gods Covenant of Râ—demption which holds clearly forth â—he truth of this Doctrine concerning election in all the steps of it As 1. In Gods making the offer and gift of some to the Mediator it 's only some that he gives and not all 2. In Christs acceptation of the offer and gift He prays for some he sanctifies himself for some and for some he compts and not for all 3. There is not a promise in all the Covenant of Redemption whether it be of Grace or of Glory but it is intended for the Elect only and not for all I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish John 10. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 Christs undertaking is for them only John 10. Other sheep have I which are not of this fold them also I must bring in there is a necessity of the bringing in of them and of no others because he undertook for them and for no others We the rather take notice of and insist so much on this because it will much serve to clear the following Doctrine concerning the redemption of the Elect for if there be a differencing of them from others by the decree of election then there must be a differencing of them from others in Christs laying down of his life for them and not for any others Election is the key of all there is such a people and they are the object of the Covenant of Redemption whose good is sought after and agreed upon therein and not of any others Use 1. It serves for the confirmation of a weighty truth and we would have you not to think little of any piece of truth We shall not here follow the subtile cavillings of Advâ—rsaries against this truth only we would have you confirmed in the faith of it For 1. If ye be not clear and established in the faith of this truth ye will be in great hazard not only to make muddy but to obstruct and stop the whole current and tract of Grace so that Grace shall be a common thing Heaven and Happiness shall go by by guess Redemption shall be universal c. but let this truth be once well established that God hath a peculiar people for whom the Mediator transacted and these errors fall to the ground and evanish for it is the love of election from which all the rest of the benefits that come to the elect flow and this love is peculiar therefore there cannot be a common application of it it 's the peculiarness of Grace that commends it to the souls of Believers and makes it wonderful to them that God should have taken notice of them that were by nature separate from God as well as others that their case being common his love should be peculiar is indeed just and great matter of wonder hence comes in that song Rev. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation not all of every nation people tongue and kindred are redeemed but some out of every one of these let this then be taken for a solid truth that the Lord in his eternal purpose hath made a difference and separation of some from others which is the great ground of the title that God hath to these some 2ly Clearness in this truth serves to keep the hearts of Gods people in awe of him to lift him up very high in their esteem as Soveraign over the Creature And if any should quarrel with God and say why did God so that of the Apostle comes well in for an answer Who art thou O man that replyest against God it's his soveraign pleasure who is supream Potter and hath power over the clay to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour when the Soul doth thus take up God as having all Mankind before him as a lump of Clay and choosing out of it and writing up one man and not another it must needs in a transport of admiration say O! what a great and soveraign God must he be who did determine and write down the eternal condition of men before ever the world was 3ly This to the people of God 1. Preacheth wonderful grace when they having gotten their calling and election made sure come in and read their names in Gods decree of election before they had a Being And 2. It is to them matter of exceeding great consolation 1. I say it preacheth wonderful grace that freely choosed them and that when thousands of great Men and Noblemen were passed by such a poor body that was half a fool in comparison with them should be chosen according to that 1 Cor. 1. Not many wise after the flesh not many mighty not many noble hath God called but he hath chosen the foolish things of the world weak and base and things that are not to make them kings and priests unto God and his Father 2. It 's matter of exceeding great consolation to them that it 's free and sure free even so free that it stops the mouth of boasting for what I pray hath an elect more to speak of as a ground of boasting than a Pagan in America or
done to Him but Heaven to procure by their own merits for they lay down this a ground that Glory in it's full being the proper reward of merit which say they is not founded on God's Promise for that were to merit Congruously only and not Condignally nor is it founded on Christ's merit for that were to reward His merit which to them is absurd though they grant an intrinsick worth to be in both But it 's merit in strict Justice on and by which they expect Heaven and Glory and having Heaven as we say to procure by their own Merit because they cannot thus Merit it especially if Mans Nature be looked on as corrupted they invent two things or forge two divices for that 1. To deny Concupiscence to be Sin And 2. To distinguish betwixt Mortal and Venial Sins and Venial Sins they make to be consistent with Merit in which they take in a world of things as not deadly And if a Man have not Merit enough of his own they have a Treasure of Merits of many Saints who have Satisfied for more than their own Guilt amounted to and have merited more than Heaven to themselves And the Pope being by them supposed to have a right and power to dispense these Merits he gives to them that want a right to such and such a Saints Merits And when all is done they confesse that this way of Justification is not certain that it cannot give Peace that it may be lost and that being lost it cannot be recovered but by a new Grace gotten by the Sacrament of Pennance the very rehearsing of which things may let you see how unlike their Justification is to the Gospel and to the way of Justification that it layes down and what ground of thankfulness ye have to God who hath not only contrived but revealed unto you a more solid and comfortable way of Justification 1. Though their way hath much Pains Labour and Toil in it yet ye see what it amounts to and how much Uncertainty Anxiety and Horror do accompany it neither do they ever attain to Justification before God by it And this is the 2d thing we would speak a Word to even to shew that this way of Justification is inconsistent with the Gospel and that wherein a Soul can neither have solid Peace nor Comfort and we shall speak a little to this 1. In general and then 2. More particularly 1. In general their way of Justification is the very re-establishing of the Covenant of Works For it supposeth that God hath conditioned Life to none but on condition of their Works which in their value are Meritorious It is true they First allow to Christ's Merit this much that He hath thereby procured this Merit to their Works And 2. that He hath procured to them habitual Grace to work these works though as we said before they must dispose themselves for that Grace but that doth not alter the nature of a Covenant of Works seing the terms are still the same For consider Adam before the fall he was to expect Life according to the terms of that Covenant Do this and live and here the terms of the Covenant are the same though their use be different and if the Scriptures so opposes these two That if it be of grace it is no more works and contrarly then sure this way of Justification that puts a Man to the same terms of the Covenant that Adam had to expect Life by must necessarily be inconsistent with the Gospel This will be the more clear if we consider how they themselves illustrat their Meriting by 〈◊〉 Works of the Saints by Adam his Merâ—â—â—ng of Life while he stood the which Meriting flows from an intrinsick worth in the Works themselves without respect to Christ's Merits And if the Covenant of Works hath these same terms then their Justification no doubt must be a Re-establishing of that Covenant 2. The Scripture speaks of our obtaining of our Justification and Righteousnesse alwayes in this sense to wit by Gods imputing the Righteousnesse of Christ to us not only for coming at the first Grace but for attaining Heaven and Glory It 's that which Paul leans to when he comes before God Phil. 3. That I may be found in him not having mine own righteousn ss which is by the Law but the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ He layes by the one and betakes himself to the other as his only defence and that whereon he doth ground his Plea before God Now this being the Scripture way of Justification and their way being quite contrare to it for if they were asked how think ye to answer before God they behoved to say by the merits of our good Works It must needs be inconsistent with the Grace of the Gospel and that which Paul would by no means hazard his peace upon We will find nothing more frequently mentioned in Scripture for the making of our peace with God then Covenanting with God the imputation of Christ's Righteousness and Justification by Faith But all â—hese Three are here in their way of Justification shut out and excluded For they have no such thing as Covenanting they scorn the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse as but a putative and imaginary thing and they cannot endure Justification by Faith But 2dly and more particularly Behold and consider how universally it corrupts and even destroyes the Doctrine of the Gospel 1. It corrupts and destroys the nature of Grace for it hangeth it on mans free will he must dispose himself for it and it gives him liberty to choose or reject it as he pleaseth and it makes tâ—at to flow from man himself that satisfies Gods Justice as if Remission of Sins were not free And in the Second Justification and Admissâ—on to Heaven and Glory It utterly excludes Grace and takes in Merit and makes Heaven the proper rewaâ—d of Mans own Merit 2dly It enervats the Merit of Christ and His Purchase though it seem in words to acknowledge it Because it neither admits of the Merit of Christ as the Satisfaction to Justice by which the punishment is taken away nor to be that by which Life is procuâ—ed but it takes in Works Satisfaction by Pennance Whippings Pilgrimages c. And all that it leaveth to Christs Death is the procuring of a new Covenant of Works and the buying of a Stock of habitual Grace to Man to send for himself but it layes not the removing of the punishment on Christ as our Cautioner in our name satisfying the Justice of God for our Sins but it leaves it on our selves and on our keeping the Covenant of Works as that whereto the Promise is made 3dly It overturns the nature of Gods Covenant for either it makes no Covenant at all or it transforms the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works putting us to expect Life through the Merits of Works For they will have no Promise of Life to be made on condition of Christs Merit
other Fruits of it were uselesse it will avail but little to be a Member of the visible Church to be Baptized and to be admitted to the Lords Supper to have Litural knowledge of the principles of Religion to have a Gift of Preaching or of Prayer c. these will not Justifie The peculiar thing aimed at in Christs Death and that which His People aim at and have to rejoyce in is Justification through his knowledge which is alwayes to be understood without prejudice to the study of Holinesse 2. It gives us this Use whoever would have Absolution before God would know that this was the very thing ingaged for to Christ and His intendment in His Death That Sinners believing on Him might be Absolutely and Actually Justified by Him it was not simply to propose Justification to them but that Absolutely they might be Absolved from the Curse of God due to them for Sin And now may I not ask whether this is more encouraging to Sinners to have Christ procuring Justification only conditionally to them or to have the thing absolutely conferred upon them This is a ground whereupon believing Sinners lift up their heads confidently and expect Justification through His Righteousnesse It is this that was promised to Christ and it is this that is the native fruit of His Death without which it will be fruitlesse And this may remove the great obstruction that readily a Sinner when he is serious seeth lying in his way to wit the want of Righteousnesse and the fear of not being Absolved the want of inherent Righteousnesse in himself which makes him lyable to the Curse of the Law when he seeth upon what terms Christ died First To procure a Righteousnesse to them that wanted Righteousnesse And 2. Upon these terms that Sinners through faith in Him might he Justified and fred from the Guilt of Sin as if they never had Sin themselves Considering this to be his intendment according to the terms of the Covenant of Grace what have they or what can they have to skar or fright them from expecting the fulfilling of this Promise Because the contryvance of the Covenant of Redemption is to buy Justification absolutely and not the possibility of it only nor to buy Grace to us whereby to Justifie our selves but Juâ—â—ification it self so as we may be beholden to Him alone for it Again 2dly When we say that the Justification of a Sinner is the proper result of Christ's Death it may be thus understood That the Righteousnesse whereby a Sinner is Justified is immediatly Christ's Death and Purchase as to the meritorious cause thereof to that if we look to what Justifies a Sinner as to the meritorious cause of it the knitting of these two together He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied and By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many doth hold it forth to be Christ's Death and Purchase The travel of His Soul is and must be the ground on which a lost Sinner is Justified before the Throne of God This both confirms what we formerly proposed concerning this Doctrine and also shews that the Justification of a Sinner is not by inherent Holinesse whence comes it I pray that makes a Sinner acceptable before God It is not from habitual nor actual inherent Grace but from Christs Righteousness laid hold on by Faith that grippeth and adhereth to it But from the latter part of the Words we will have more particular occasion to speak to this where these two are knit together By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquity therefore we do now passe it The Object of this benefit is many many ordinarily in Scripture implyes these two things 1. A great number and so it shews the extent of the Object that is that Christ shall purchase and redeem many or by His Death procure Justification to many 2. A restriction and thus many is opposed to all and so the meaning is There shall many be Justified by Christ's Death but not all and therefore as none can from these Words plead for an universality in Justification So neither can they in Redemption for he only bare their iniquities whom by His knowledge He Justifies Looking on these many in these twofold considerations we may take these Observations from it 1. Taking it extensively Observe 1. That the Righteousnesse of Christ is of it self able to Justifie many It 's a Righteousnesse that can Satisfie for the Sins of many or thus That in the Covenant of Redemption there is an intended Application of Christ's Righteousness and Purchase to many 2. That there are many who shall indeed partake of Christ's Righteousnesse and be Justified by it It 's not one or two or a thousand but as it was intended to Justifie many so it shall be actually applyed to many for their Justification 3. Comparing the former Words He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied with these Words By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Observe That Christ is not satisfied for the Travel of His Soul except many be Justified Or thus It is Christ's Satisfaction how many there be that make use of Him and that by making use of Him come to be justified by Him as afterward we will see These many are all these that believe all these that have this true and saving knowledge of Him and do rightly acknowledge Him The making out of one of these Doctrines will make them all out That Christ's Righteousnesse is able to Justifie many that many shall be Justified by it and that it is His Sâ—tisfaction and Delight that many be Justified and get this good of it It 's said Matth. 20.28 That he came to lay down his life a ransome for many And Rom. 5.15 That the gift of grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many and v. 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shalâ— many be made righteous Let but these Four things be put together and considered and it will be found that there is no just ground to quarrel these Doctrines 1. The native worth and intrinsick value that is in the Satisfaction of Christ It 's the blood of God of the Person that is God It 's an Offering that flows from a willing and cheerful Giver which makes it the more acceptable He was content with delight to pay the Price there cannot be a limiting or bounding of this Worth and Value because there cannot be any bounding or limiting of the Person that gives the Value to it if it be considered in it self 2. Consider the freeness of the Offer which takes in many Our Lord communicats very freely what He hath bought very dear and it 's done with respect to His taking in of many to take away all exceptions from the poor and needy and from them that want money 3. As the terms are
Faith as it is a laying hold upon Christ 3. When we speak of the necessity of Faith in order to Justification we mean not as if there were such an absolute necessity of it in it self that God could not do otherwayes or Justifie without it but we mean a necessity in respect of the order which God hath laid down and held forth in the Gospel which is by the Knowledge of His Son to Justifie many And from these considerations many Arguments of our Adversaries are made very little regardable yea utterly void For Confirmation of the Doctrine then 1. Consider these Scriptures that expresly limit confine and bound Justification and pardon of Sin to the Person that doth believe So Rom. 1.17 The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith Rom. 3.24 25. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood c. Col. 3.22 God hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Act. 13.38.39 Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Consult the Scriptures and we will find that Paul clears both these Questions 1. who are Justified All that believe 2. When are they Justified When they believe 2ly Consider these Scriptures that place all men before believing into a state of Wrath and they will furnish a second ground for this as John 3.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already He lyes under the Covenant of Works and is condemned as considered in himself though God may have a purpose to make a change of his state So Ephes 2.1 2 3. You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in time past ye walked and were children of wrath even as others c. and v. 12 13. We were sometimes without Christ being alians from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise without hope and without God in the world but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far of are made near by the blood of Christ and v. 8. By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works least any man should boast it 's Faith that gives the Title which we had not before 3. Consider That the Scriptures do expresly make believing to preceed Justification and make Justification to be an effect or rather a consequent of Faith to which Faith necessarly concurrs as all these places which say that we are Justified by Faith in Christ do clear as Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ which place looks on Faiths concurring in Justification with a kind of causality Rom. 3.22.25 The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe c. Ephes 2.8 By grace are ye saved through faith See more fully to this purpose Gal. 2.16 where the Apostle designedly as it were sets himself to confirm this Truth For speaking of the way how Sinners come to be Justified and as it were entring in the Debate he says Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even as we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ In which place we have three things considerable to make out the point 1. He compares the concurring of Faith to Justification in the Covenant of Gracâ— to the concurring of Works to Justification or to the obtaining of Life in the Covenant of Works as Works did Justifie in the Covenant of Works so does Faith in the Covenant of Grace Now certainly the performing of Works in the Covenant of Works behoved to go before Justification that way therefore the want of Works made Adam to come short of Justification by Works 2. He looks on Faith and speaks of it as concurring to Justification with a respect to Christ and never looks on it in this matter as a Grace considered in and by it self but as acting on Christ in a peculiar manner 3. In expresse words he sayes We have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified which clearly implyes that they could not be Justified before they believed and we may well and easily gather that the Justification here meant is that which is real and actual and not the declaring of a man to be Justified to Himself else Works might declare a man to be Justified to himself as well as Faith But he contradistinguishes Faith and Works here and opposes the one to the other The 1. Use Serves for clearing of this Truth That there is a necessity of Faith's taking hold of and resting on Christ ere we can be absolved and Justified And so both these Errors of Antinomians fall to the ground 1. That by which they assert that these who are Justified were Justified from Eternity and were never under God's Curse And 2. That Faith is not necessary to the attaining of Justification but only to a Persons knowing that he is Justified and so they say that Faith enters us not in the Covenant which is false it being the terms or condition on which God proposeth and promiseth pardon in his Covenant as is clear John 3.18 Whosoever believes shall not be condemned but shall have everlasting life and Mark 16.16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved with this opposition He that believeth not shall be damned Faith being it which enters us in the Covenant For either Sinners are Justified before they can be in Covenant with God which is an absurdity and inconsistent with Gods Covenant or it 's by Faith that they are entered in the Covenant There is here also a clear discovery and confutation of a 3d. Error of Antinomians concerning the nature of Faith That it is Persons believing that they are Justified No not so For as the Apostle sayes Gal. 2.16 We have believed that we might be justified We believe in order to Justification And to say as Antinomians do would do much to infer universality of Justification as well as of Redemption It 's Gods mercy that this Error is discovered and that we have His Truth pointing out to us that Justification must have Faith going before it and alongst with it The 2d Use Serves to demonstrat the absolute necessity of believing and taking hold of Christ If Absolution and Justification be necessary Faith must be necessary And therefore if Christ be preached to you and if by Him all that believe are Justified Take hold then I beseech you of the Offer receive embrace close with it and let
their Debt This will be clear if we consider all these Scriptures that make offer of the pardon of Sin for it 's offered not in the condition of Faith in a more general Notion of it but on condition of Faith in him So Rom. 5.22 24 25. The righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. John 1.12 To as many as received him he gave power to become the Sons of God even to as many as believe in his name Where the Faith that hath the Promise of Justification and the priviledge of Adoption annexed to it is called the receiving of Christ and believing on his name It may also be cleared and confirmed by good reason 1. Faith does not Justifie as it 's cosidered in it self as an Act but as it relates to and units with Christ as the meritorious cause of Justification 2. Neither does Faith Justifie as it looks to every Object which the Word holds forth But as it respects Christ offered in the Gospel whom it receiveth because there is no other thing that can bear the Souls weight and burden Therefore he as offered in the Gospel must be the Object of Faith as it 's saving and justifying 3. The terms of the Covenant and Gods offer clears it also For Gods offer of Justification is not on these terms that a Sinner shall believe his Word in the general but that he believe on His Son whom He hath sent and receive Him as these Scriptures cited before to wit John 3.16.18 and Mark 16.16 Shew where the terms are set down whereon God offers Life to Sinners 4. If we could imagine a man to have all Knowledge and all Faith if Faith Act not on Christ as Redeemer Cautioner and Surety for such as come to Him it will not avail us nor be counted to us for Righteousnesse which may also confirm this truth The Uses of this Doctrine are such as serve both to clear the nature of Faith and to direct us in our practice The 1. Use Then serves to clear the Truth as the Papists corrupt many Truths so they corrupt this Truth concerning the nature of Justifying and Saving Faith in these Three 1. In the Object 2. In the Subject 3. In the Act of it As for the Object of this Faith they make it to be every thing that God reveals and sometimes they take in their own Traditions the reason is because they give not Faith a Causality in Justification nor the capacity and place of a thing acting on Christ particularly but take it in as a common Grace or at the best as a Grace that is Radical and gives Life to other Graces but never as taking hold of Christs Righteousnesse which quite overturns the way of Justification through Faith in Him for Faith that layeth not hold on His Righteousnesse cannot Justifie and their making the Object of Faith to be so broad doth enervat both the immediat merit of Christs Righteousnesse and the exercise of Faith on it 1. Then we grant that there is a Historical Faith requisit as to the whole Word of God yet we say that the Faith that Justifies is properly that Faith that singles out the Righteousnesse of Christ and takes hold of it So that it 's not our believing that the World was made that there will be a day of Judgement nor our believing that a Saviour of Sinners is come into the World and hath suffered c. that Justifies but it 's a closing with a receiving of and a resting on that Saviour a singling out of the Promise that makes offer of him as for instance where it 's said If thou believe on the Lord Jesus thou shall be saved and pitching on that and resting on him holden out in the Promise Faith gives the Soul footing here whereas before it's case was very desperat 2. We may clear what we are to look to as the object of Justifying and Saving Faith by our putting in these Three Words or Expressions in the Doctrine to wit Christ Jesus his Righteousnesse holden forth in the promise of Gods free grace in the Gospel and which are needful to be taken in though it be not alwayes necessary that we be explicit ln the uptaking of them 1. There is need of taking in Christs righteousnesse because it 's our defence at the Bar of Gods Justiâ—e even as a Debitor whose Debt the Cautioner hath payed hath that to answer when he is charged for it that his Cautioner hath payed it 2. There is need to take in this Holden forth in Gods promise in the gospel because though Christ be the Object of Justifying Faith and His Righteousnesse be the ground of the Souls defence before God yet Gods Promise must be looked on by Faith for the use making of Christ and His Righteousnesse and as a warrand to rest on Him and to expect Justification through Him and thus Faith hath Christs fulnesse or His full and compleat Satisfaction for Righteousnesse and Gods Faithfulnesse impledged that the Believer shall be accepted through it And it s on this ground that Faith sometimes looks on God as Able sometimes as Faithful Therefore it 's said Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost and Heb. 11. Sarah judged him faithful who had promised whereupon there is a closing with the offer in the Promise and a looking to obtain that which is Promised as if they had a Righteousnesse of their own and this the Apostle calls the law of faith Rom. 3.27 Because to Justification there is beside the payment of the Debt a Law declaring the man to be absolved requisit and the Sinner having Gods offer and Promise that upon his accepting of Christs Righteousnesse he shall be Justified instructs that his Debt is payed by his Cautioner and that therefore he ought to be and is accordingly absolved And though Gods Promise be not so properly a Law yet the Apostle calleth it so and it is a solid defence to the Soul that is fled to Christ Who may thus reason I have no Righteousnesse of my own but Christs Righteousnesse by Proclamation is offered to me in the Gospel and I have heartily received it and closed with it and God is faithfull to make good His Promise to me and this looks to Christ as He is revealed in the Gospel 3. There is need to put in this word The promise of Gods free grace because hereby the Sinner is made to see whence the Promise came and of what nature it is and gives ground to take hold of the Promise and of that which is made offer of in it the Promise is of free Grace therefore it 's alwayes called the Covenant of Grace So Rom.
4.16 It 's of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed For if it were not of Grace the Sinner would never think himself sure nor would he know if such a Sinner might take hold of such a Promise but considering that the Promise is of Grace and His acceptation is of Grace as is often repeated Eph. 1 2 and 3. Chapters These Three are the great warrand that a Sinner hath to roll himself over on a compleat Mediator a faithful God promising to answer all grounds of Fears Doubts and Jealousness and free Grace which answers all Challenges that may come in to hinder his closing with and his resting on the Promise for if it should be said How darest thou lay hold upon the Promise The answer is it 's free it 's not the mount that may not be touched but it 's Jesus the mediator of the new covenant c. It 's Grace that is the Rise the End and the Condition of it These are the Three on which Faith yeelds it self to Christ and which are the Object of it on which it dar hazard and on which it does hazard and these Three are revealled in the Gospel of the Grace of Him that is Faithful and cannot deny Himself May we not then say O! Sinners if ye will believe that ye have a good resting place a sure foundation a tryed corner-stone as it is Isaiah 28. cited Rom. 9. Where the Apostle hath it He that believes on him shall never be ashamed There is a suffiâ—ient surety a full Mediator there is a faithful God that will keep His Word and there is a free Covenant and Promise softer for a bruised Soul to roll it self over upon than any bed of the finest downs is for a wearie and crasie body this is a chariot paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem single out Christ from all that is in the Word without slighting any part of it and believe in Him and lippen to Him let Him have another weight and lift of you than ye give to any other thing he is able to bear it and God will never quarrel you for so doing but will keep His word to you that do betake your selves or that have betaken your selves to Him He that believes shall never perish nor come into condemnation O! know what a ground ye have to rest upon it 's even the substance and marrow of all the Word of God ye have Christ and His Fulnesse God and His Faithfulnesse Grace and it's Freeness and are there such Three things beside or is it imaginable or possible that there can be any beguile or failure here spare not then to lay the weight of your Souls upon it let it be the foundation of your peace and let it answer all challenges that may be whether for many or for great and grievously aggravated Sins only by Faith take hold of this Righteousnesse and rest upon Gods Faithfulnesse and free Promise to make it forthcoming to you but upon the other side O! how great will it aggrege your guilt that had such a remedy in your offer such a tryed corner-stone elect and precious to rest upon and yet made no use of it Let me exhort beseech and even obtest you That ye recieve not this grace in vain but as Christ is laid for a sure foundation so come to Him and build upon him that ye may not be ashamed in the day of the Lord when all that believe not how presumptuously so ever they may hold up their heads now shall be ashamed and confounded World without end O! happy thrice happy will they all be found to be then who have trusted in him SERMON LIX ISAIAH LIII XI Verse 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities THe Knowledge of Christ was wont to be much thought of by the People of God and to be in high estimation among them and we may say we wote well it was deservedly so considering that it is by His Knowledge that Justification was derived to them and is deryved to us This is that which the Lord is clearing by the Prophet here to wit how the benefit of Christs Sufferings and Purchase may be deryved and communicat unto a Sinner Which these words though but few as purposly made use of to clear even that His Sufferings should not be in vain but that He should sow a Seed and though that Seed should not be all Men yet they should be manie and the way how these many should come by the benefit of His Sufferings is also held forth and that is By his knowledge who is the Righteous Servant We shew you that this doth upon the matter look to Faith and is meant of it and confirmed it by other paralel Scriptures which say that through faith in him all that believe are justified we came also to speak of this Faith which Justifies and did propose Five things to be spoken of concerning it and indeed if any thing be of concerment this is if a right to Christ and His purchase be of concernment then sure it must be of concernment to know how we come by that Right 1. The necessity of it 2. The object of it 3. The act of it 4. The effects that flow from it 5. The manner of it's concurring in the attaining of Justification We spoke of the First to wit of the necessity of Faith and shew that though there be a full Satisfaction laid down to merit and procure Justification yet it 's applyed to none but to Believers and not till they believe 2. We spoke also to this That Faith as it Justifies looks not to all the Word of God as it 's Object but mainly and principally to Christ and to the Word only in so far as it holds out Christ in the Promises and Offers of Gods Grace as it 's here called the Knowledge of Him or Faith in Him We now proceed to hint a Word for clearing of a Question and it 's a new and very late one to wit whether Justifying Faith layes hold on Christ as a Saviour and Priest only or whether it layes hold on Him not only as a Priest to save but also as a King to command though this doth not look at first blush to be of any great moment and that such an inconsiderable-like difference is not to be stood upon yet we will find that this last wants not it's own influence on altering the common and ordinary and as we conceive the solid received Doctrine concerning the way of Justification if we should admit it And therefore we answer the Question from the Text. That Christ considered as suffering and bearing our Sins and so as offering Himself in a Sacrifice is the Object that Justifying Faith as such takes hold of Therefore the connexion of these two is clear in this verse He shall see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied
these Causes We know not when or if ever hereafter we may have occasion to speak so much to the Doctrine of Justification Therefore let me presse the â—â—udy of it upon you again and again Seek to know what this imputed Righteouâ—nesse is and how different from that which is in your selves What is the true meaning of it as a main â—hing of the Gospel without which the Covenant of Grace can never be understood aright the Ignorance whereof makes many live in security upon the one side and keeps many in much anxiety upon the other 5ly Observe That although Christ Jesus hath born the iniquities of many even of all His own people yet not the iniquities of all men and women but only the iniquities of them that shall be Justified and brought to the actual possâ—ssion of that which He hath purchased This may be made out from these Three in the Text 1. The relative Their It 's their iniquities which are born by Christ that shaâ—l be Justified and who these are the former Words tells Through his knowledge shall he justifie many 2. The connexion made by the Prophet betwixt these two Many shall he justified for he shall bear their iniquities All whose iniquities Christ hath born shall be Juâ—â—ified It could not be an argument to prove their Justification if Christ should bear the in quities of others or of all men and women multitudes of whom are never Justified for it might be objected That Chrisâ— bears the iniquities of those many who are never Justified which would be quiâ—e contrary to Gods Covenant and exceedingly maâ— the consolation of the Believer Beside that it would make the Prophets reasoning here inconsequent and impertinent 3. Consider these Words not only as they stand in connexion with the former but as they are a reason why in Juâ—â—ice such should be absolved and so they will also clear the Doctrine for so considered they imply that it 's Just that the Believer should be Justified even as when the Cautioner hath payed the Debt it 's just that the principal Debtor should be absolved and upon the other hand it is not just that the Debtor for whom the Cautioner hath not Satisfied should be absolved The Words will bear these twofold consequence for he knits these two their being absolved and Christ bearing their iniquities and being made lyable to their Debt and He consequently disjoyns theâ—e two Christs not bearing the iniquities of others and their not being abâ—olved and so although Christ hath born the iniquities of many only that is of the Elect and hath Satisfied and Suffered for them yet not for all but for the many who in due time shall throâ—gh His Knowledge that is through Faith in Him be Justified and these who are left to pay their own Debt Christ never died for them it were very unlike the Prophets reasoning to say that such a man is in Hell and yet Christ bear his iniquities Use 1. It serves to confirm the former truth would ye know whose iniquities Christ â—ath born It 's of as many as are Justified the inâ—quities of such He bare and of no moe 2. It serves to provock you that have gotten in Christ this priviledge to be very thankful This is it that makes the Song of praise heartsome Revel 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred tongue and nation Because it 's not a common but a peculiar special mercy if any be so 6ly From the connexion Observe That although Christ hath not born the iniquities of all Men and Women yet He hath born the iniquities of all that believe and none ever believed on Him but they may conclude that He hath born their iniquities and on that pleads their Justification through His Satisfaction although there be a restriction upon the one side yet there is none on the other all are not Justified but these only whose iniquities He hath born yet all who through His Knowledge or Faith in Him are Justified their iniquities He hath born And hence it will follow That never a Person believed but Christ hath born His iniquities Not that the mans believing is the cause of Christs bearing for His bearing ' of the mans iniquities is the cause of His believing But it is to shew the connexion betwixt His bearing and the mans believing and that His believing is the evidence of Christs bearing of His iniquities And this is more comforâ—able then the Doctrine of universal Redemption a thousand times For it joyns Christs dying and the Justification of all that believe on Him So that there are none that by Faith betakes themselves to Him but they may expect freedom from the Curse and Absolution before the Throne of God Whereas the Doctrine of universal Redemption saith Christ hath died for all yet all shall not be saved and I wot not whether I shall be saved or not and what ground of anxiety is that but this Doctrine hath solid consolation in it Christ hath not died for all simply but for all Believers he hath born all their Sins But I have betaken my self to Him by Faith therefore He died for me He hath born my iniquities and I shall never bear them my self but be Justified I suppose we need not to stay on the confirmation of this 1. It 's impregnably proved from the reasoning of the Prophet in this place All that are Believers cannot but be Redeemed and Justified because He hath born their iniquities who by Faith betake themselves to Him 2. If Faith in Christ be a saving Fruit of His Death and if none can believe but these whose iniquities He hath born then where-ever Faith is the person may conclude that Christ hath born his iniquities and that he shall be justified But Faith in Christ is a saving Fruit and Effect of His Death for He hath purchased it among the rest of these Spiritual blessings spoken of Ephes 1.3 Where we are said to be blessed with all spiritual blessings in him and it being a Promise of the Covenant of Grace it cannot but be purchased by the Death of the Testator Christ Jesus Therefore c. 3. It 's clear also from the Apostles reasoning Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Will he not who hath payed such a dear price for us to purchase reconciliation to us make it out by bestowing on us the Fruits of His purchase The 1. Use Serves to vindicat this our Doctrine concerning Christs dying for and bearing the iniquities of Believers only which is most unjustly loaded with reproaches and debated against by mens cavillings as if it were a comfortless Doctrine sure it 's more comfortable more sure and more agreeable both to the Wisdom and Grace of God then the Doctrine of universal Redemption is For put these together That all Believers are redeemed and justified That
is good in it self or good for you and if you will adventure your Estate and livelihood in the World on able and faithful Lawyers when ye your selves are much unacquainted with and ignorant of Law and are disposed to think that the Suit that is commenced against you will ruine you while they think otherwise And if you will commit your health and life to skilful and painful Physicians or Chirurgions and receive from the one many unpleasant and loathsome Potions and Pills and suffer from the other such painful Incisions and Injections such Searchings Lancings and Pancings such Scarifications Cauterizings and Amputations From all which ye have so great an aversation if not abhorrency Will ye not much rather and much more confidently commit the conduct and care of your selves and of all that concerns you to him of whose undertaking there is no search as to what is good for his own People and whose faithfulness in his dealing with them reacheth to the very clouds Psal 36.5 Psal 89.33 and never faileth The skilfullest of these may mistake none of them being infallible and the most faithful of them may possibly at sometimes and in some things be found unfaithfully neglective none of them being perfect But it is simply impossible for him either to mistake or to be unfaithful for otherwise he should deny himself and so cease to be God whereof once to admit the thought is the highest blasphemy Let therefore your confident trusting of men in their respective Professions and Callings make you blush at and be ashamed of your distrustings and jealousings of God and of your quarrellings with him even when ye know not for the time what he is doing with you and when what is done would have been none of your own choise but doth very much thwart and cross your natural inclination Is it not enough that he is infinitely wise in himself and for you May you not therefore safely trust in him and with unsollicitous confidence commit the conduct of your selves and of all your concerns to him As knowing that he cannot himself be misled nor misgovern you May you not in Faith without distrustful and perplexing fear follow him Heb. 11.18 as faithful Abraham followed him not knowing whither he went and cast all your care on him who careth for you and hath made it your great care to be careful for nothing 1 Pet. 5.7 Phil. 4.6 and thus even sing care away Thirdly If it be considered that ye have in your own experience as the rest of the People of God have in theirs found that in all his by past dealings with you even these that for the time were most afflicting his will and your true welfare have been unseparably joyned together and that but very seldome and rarely your own will and welfare have trysted together So that ye have been constrained when at your selves and in cold blood to bless him that you got not your will in such and such things however for the time ye were displeassed with the want of it and have been made to think that if ever ye had any good days or hours along your Pilgrimage your most crossed and afflicted ones wherein God took most of his will and gave you least of your own have been your best days and hours Dare you say upon serious and just reflections that it hath been otherwayes Or that ye have not reason as to all bygone cross providences even the most apparently crushing of them since the day that ye were first brought under the Bond of his Covenant to this day to set up as it were your Stone and to call it Eben-ezer 1 Sam. 7.12 The stone of help saying Hitherto the Lord hath helped us May you not and should you not then humbly and confidently trust him that ye shall through grace have reason as to present and future ones how sadly and surprizingly soever they are or may be circumstantiated to say Gen. 22.14 Jehovah-Iireh the Lord will see or provide O! but it be a sweet pleasant spiritually wholsome and refreshful Air that breaths in that walk betwixt Ebenezer and Jehovah-Iireh wherein a few turns taken by the most afflicted Christians in their serious composed spiritual and lively contemplation would through Gods blessing very much contribute quickly to reconcile them to all their respective Crosses how cross soever and to the keeping of them in better firmer and more constant spiritual health Fourthly If it be considered That by your pettish fretful male-contented and unsubmissive contendings strivings and struglings with him ye will not help your selves ye may well make your own Burden the more uneasie and your Chain the heavier Should it be according to your mind Job 18.4 shall the earth be forsaken for you or shall the rock be removed out of his place will ye disannul his judgment Joh 40.8 will ye condemn him that ye may be righteous Job 13.33 will ye strive against him who giveth not account of any of his matters will ye tax his Wisdom as if he did not understand what is convenient for you will ye teach God knowledge Job 21. is it fit that he should come down to your will rather than ye should come up to his shall God change and break all his wisely laid measures and methods of governing his People and take new ones to gratify your peevish Humours he will not be diverted from his Purpose Job 23.13 14. when he in is one way who can turn him what his soul desireth that he doth for he performeth the thing that is appointed for you He is more just to himself to speak so and more merciful to you then to degrade as it were his infinite Wisdom so far as to suffer himself to be swayed against the Dictats of it by such short-sighted and froward Tutors as you the great Physician of Souls is more compassionate and wise than to permit his distempered and sometimes even in a manner distracted Patients to prescribe their own course of Physick but he will needs do what he thought fit and resolved to do Job 34.33 whether ye choose or whether ye refuse only he would to say so have your consent unto and your approbation of what he doth for the greater peace and tranquility of your own minds Job 34.31 32. Surely therefore it is meet meekly and submissively to be said to God whenever and however he chastiseth I have born chastisement I will not offend any more that which I know not teach thou me if I have dane iniquity I will do no more It is the surest and shortest way to get our will in so far as may be for our well to allow him to take his own will and way with us for he hath a special complacency in this and therein gives wonderful vent to the bowels of his tender compassion toward his chastised and humbly submissive Children Jer. 31.18 19 20. Surely saith he I
his wrath is there any sorrow like unto mine in the day when the Lâ—rd hath afflicted me And 5ly Being compared with that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which they 2 Cor. 4.17 work for you Seing then that the sharpest and sorest of your afflictions are in all these and many other respects very moderat gentle easie and light is there not reason why ye should in them without grudging sweetly submit your selves to his will heartsomly saying it might have been much worse this falls infinitly short of what we have deserved blessed be God that it is only thus and no worse Ninthly If it be considered that often when in any more than ordinary spiritual and lively frame of Soul ye have in Prayer desired the Lord that he would take any way and make use of any means he pleased wherein your sin might not be to make you more serious in the exercise of Godliness more effectually to mortifie your Corruptions and to further your conformity to his Image in Holiness And ye should through his Grace be content putting as it were a blank in his hand to be filled up as himself in his own infinite wisdome should think fit declaring that ye were satisfied on the tearms proposed by Jesus Christ to be his Disciples and to take up not only a Cross or the Cross in general but your Cross in particular Mat. 16.24 the Cross that should be shaped out for you however circumstantiated And when under some very sad affliction he on the matter bespeaks you thus I am now about to grant you your own desire though it may be in such a way and by such a mean as either would have been none of your own choosing had it been left to your choice or possibly such as ye did not think of Will ye be displeased with me or mistake my hearing of your Prayers fulfilling your Petitions and granting you according to your own hearts desire because I do it in mine own way and by means of my own choising wherein also ye left and allowed to me a latitude and not in your way and by your means which ye then renounced as not thinking your selves competent Judges thereof Alace here we are often sound at best to border upon a practical rewing retracting and lifting up again of the Blank-Submission which we professed to lay down before him and to say by our freting repining dissatisfaction immoderat heaviness and despondency of Spirit that we were somewhat rash and not so well advised when we Subscribed and gave in such a Submission and Surrender of our selves to him That we did not think he would have taken such advantage of us or would have put us thus sore to it and that if we had thought he would have done so we would have been better advised before we had thus submitted to him and with our own consent put our selves in his reverence and that if it had been any thing but this we could have born it whereas he saith nothing but this Whereby we do not only not a little reflect upon him as dealing unkindly and doing what we would not have expected at his hand But also make a sad and humbling discovery of much unsoundness in our selves as to our offering up of such general desires and as to our making of such absolute Submissions to him Let us therefore in order to the justifying of him as both righteous and kind and to the vindicating of our selves at least from allowing of any unsoundness dissimulation or unfair and meerly complemental-dealing with God in our submitting our selves to him in the general without any But 's or If 's any Restrictions or Exceptions Hold at the Submission given sharply expostulating with and severely chiding ourselves for this discovered practical contraâ—â—ction and contravention And we shall find that he hath done nothing unworthy of himself nor in the least prejudicial to us but what is according to our own most deliberat desires and greatly to our advantage It were a very wide mistake if from what is discoursed in this Consideration any should conclude that we intend either to commend or allow Christians praying directly and expresly for Crosses and Afflictions let be for such and such Afflictions in particular For beside that we neither find it commanded in the Scriptures nor allowedly if at all presidented or practized by the Saints recorded there And that it seems to be a sinful limiting of the Soveraign God to a particular mean We may easily know from sad experience with what difficulty repining and fainting we often bear these Crosses and Afflictions that we are most clearly called to take on and that are unavoidably laid upon us And how lamentably little for most part we profit by them What hope or assurance could we then have that we should either carry Christianly under or make suitable improvement of such Crosses as we should unwarrantably seek and pray for to our selves It 's true we find some of the Saints and these Stars of the first Magnitude as Moses Job Elias David and Jonas in their distempered mal-content or fainting fits passionatly preposterously and precipitantly praying or rather wishing for death for which they were not for the time in so good case But that was not for death under the notion of affliction but rather to prevent future and further afflictions or to have a period put to presently incumbent ones If it should here be said why may not Saints pray for afflictions since they seem to be promised in the Covenant of Grace as Psal 89.30 31 32. Hos 2.6 7. and v. 14. And since God hath graciously promised to bless all the afflictions of his people and to make them turn to their spiritual good profit and advantage as Rom. 8.28 and Heb. 12.10 and elsewhere To the first part of the Objection it may be briefly Answered that these and others such are not properly and formally promises of the Covenant of Grace but rather Covenant-threatnings for the Covenant of Grace hath its own threatnings suited to the nature thereof as well as the Covenant of Works hath its though dipped to say so in covenant-Covenant-grace and mercy And to the other part of it as briefly that God hath promised to bless and to cause to profit by such afflictions and chastisements as himself thinks fit to inflict and lay on but not these which we seek and pray for to our selves Neither doth that Scripture Psal 119. v. 75. I know that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me say any thing towards strengthening the Objection or invalidating the Answers given to it For the Psalmist only there humbly and thankfully acknowledgeth Gods faithfulness in fulfilling his threatning in afflicting him when he went astray and in performing his promise in blessing his affliction to him for preventing his after-straying and making him learn better to keep his Commandments In both which he is faithful All that is either exprest or meant in this
now asleep and to some of you yet alive who I dare not doubt never allow your selves to expect with confidence and comfort to look the Lord Jesus in the face but as seriously and sincerely ye make it your business to be found in his Righteousness so much cleared and commended to you and in the study of Holiness in all manner of Conversation so powerfully pressed upon you here That these sweet and savoury Gospel-Sermons may come to you all and more particulary to you my dear friends at Glasgow Rom. 15.29 Act. 20.32 with the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel even of the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified is the serious desire of Your Servant in the Gospel J. C. SERMON I. ISAIAH LIII I Who hath believed our report And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed WE hope it shall not be needful to insist in opening the Scope of this Chapter or in clearing to you of whom the Prophet meaneth and is speaking It was once questioned by the Eunuch Acts 8.32 when he was reading this Chapter Of whom doeth the Prophet speak this of himself or of some other man And it 's so clearly answered by Philip who from these words began and preached to him of Jesus Christ that there needs be no doubt of it now To Christians these two may put it out of question that Jesus Christ and the Substance of the Gospel is compended and summed up here 1. If we compare the Letter of this Chapter with what is in the four Evangelists we will see it so fully and often so literally made out of Christ that if any will but read this Chapter and compare it with them they will find the Evangelists to be Commentators on it and setting it out more fully 2. That there is no Scripture in the Old Testament so often and so convincingly applyed to Christ as this is there being scarce one Verse at least not many but are by the Evangelists or Apostles made use of for holding out of Christ If we look then to the sum of the words of this Chapter they take in the sum and substance of the Gospel for they take in these two 1. The right description and manifestation of Jesus Christ And 2. the unfolding and opening up of the Covenant of Redemption Where these two are there the sum of the Gospel is but these two are here therefore the sum of the Gospel is here First Jesus Christ is described 1. In his Person and Natures as God being Eternal as Man being under Suffering 2. In all his Offices as a Priest offering up Himself as a Sacrifice to satisfie Justice as a Prophet venting his Knowledge to the justifying of many thereby and as a King dividing the spoil with the strong 3. In His Humiliation in the Cause of it in the End of it in the Subject of it in the Nature and Rise of all God's good pleasure And 4. In His Exaltation and Out-gate promised Him on the back of all His Sufferings and Humiliation 2. The Covenant of Redemption is here described and set out 1. In the particular Parties of it God and the Mediator 2. As to the Matter about which it was the Seed that was given to Christ and all whose iniquities met on him 3. As to the mutual Engagements on both sides the Son undertaking to make his Soul an offering for Sin and the Father promising that the efficacy of that His Satisfaction shall be imputed and applyed for the justification of Sinners and the terms on which or the way how this Imputation and Application is brought about to wit By His Knowledge All are clearly held out here This is only a touch of the Excellency of this Scripture and of the Materials to say so in it as comprehending the substance and marrow of the Gospel we shall not be particular in dividing the Chapter considering that these things we have hinted at are interwoven in it The first Verse is a short Introduction to lead us in to what follows The Prophet hath in the former Chapter been speaking of Christ as God's Servant that should be extolled and made very high and before he proceed more particularly to unfold this Mystery of the Gospel he cryes out by way of regrate Who hath believed our report Alace would he say for as good News as we have to carry few will take them off our hand such is Mens unconcernedness yea malice and obstinacy that they reject them And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed to point at the necessity of the Power of God to accompany preaching and even the most lively Ordinances to make them effectual how few are they that the Power of God captivates to the obedience of this Truth For the first part of this Verse Who hath believed our report To open it a little ye shall take these four or five Considerations ere we come to the Doctrines Consider 1. The Matter of this Report in reference to its scope it 's not every report but a report of Christ and of the Covenant of Redemption and of Grace In the Original it is Who hath believed our hearing actively that is that which we have proposed to be heard and the word is turned tydings Dan. 11.44 and rumour Jer. 51.46 It 's the tydings and rumour of a suffering Mediator interposing himself betwixt God and Sinners and it may be hearing is mentioned to point out the confidence which the Prophet had in reporting these News he first heard them from God and in that was passive and then actively he proposed them to the People to be heard by them 2. Consider that the Prophet speaketh of this Report not as in his own Person only but as in the Person of all that ever preached or shall preach this Gospel therefore this Report is not peculiar to Isaiah but it 's our Report the Report of the Prophets before and of these after him and of the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel 3. Consider that Isaiah speaketh of this Report not only in respect of what he met with in his owntime but as foreseeing what would be the carriage of People in reference to it in after-times therefore John 2.38 and Rom. 10.16 this same place is alledged to give a reason of the Jews unbelief because Isaiah foretold it long before 4. Consider that when he complaineth of the want of Faith to the report and tydings of the Gospel it is not of the want of historical Faith as if the People would not give Christ a hearing at all but it is of the want of saving Faith therefore Joh. 12.37 38. it is said though he had done many miracles before them yet they believed not on him and this propherick Scripture is subjoyn'd as the reason of it that the saying of Isaias might be fulfilled who said Lord who hath believed our report applying the
1 Cor. 3.10 I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon but let every man take heed how he buildeth for other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Jesus Christ importing that all Preaching should be squared to and made to agree with this Ground-stone 3. He standeth as the great End of Preaching not onely that Hearers may have Him known in their Judgments but may have Him high in their Hearts and Affections 2 Cor. 3.4 We preach not our selves that is not onely do we not preach our selves as the Subject but we preach not our selves as the end of our Preaching our scope is not to be great or much thought of but our end in Preaching is to make Christ great 4. He standeth in relation to Preaching as He is the Power and Life of Preaching without whom no Preaching can be effectual no Soul can be captivate and brought in to Him hence 1 Cor. 1.23 he sayeth We preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block they cannot abide to hear him and to the Greeks foolishness but to them that are saved the power of God and the wisdom of God Use 1. For Ministers which we shall forbear insisting on onely 1. Were Christ the subject and substance of our Report were we more in holding out Him it 's like it might go better with us 2. There is need of warriness that the Report we make suit well the Foundation And 3. the neglect of this may be the cause of much powerless Preaching because Christ is not so preached as the subject-matter and end of Preaching many Truths are alace spoken without respect to this end or but with little respect to it Uses particular for you that are Hearers are these 1 If this be the great subject of Ministers Preaching and that which ye should hear most gladly and if this be most profitable for you we may be particular in some few Directions to you which will be as so many branches of the Use And first of all Truths that People would welcome and study they would welcome and study these that concern Christ and the Covenant of Grace most as Foundation-truths and seek to have them backed by the Spirit we are affrayed there is a fault among Christians that most plain and substantial Truths are not so heeded but somethings that may further folk in their Light or tickle their Affections or answer a Case are almost only sought after which things it 's true are good but if the plain and substantial Truths of the Gospel were more studied and made use of they have in them that which would answer all Cases It 's a sore matter when folks are more taken up with Notions and Speculations then with these Soul-saving Truths as that Christ was born that he was a true Man that he was and is King Priest and Prophet of His Church c. and that other things are heard with more greediness But if these be the great subject of Ministers Preaching it should be your great study to know Christ in His Person Natures Offices and Covenant what He is to you and what is your duty to Him and how you should walk in Him and with Him this was Paul's aim I count saith he all things loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings c. Phil. 3.8 9 10. It 's my design as if he had said not onely to make Him known but to know Him my self there is little Faith in Christ and distinctness in use making of His Offices and folks take but little pains to know these things Therefore on the one side let me exhort you to make this more the subject of your enquiry and on the other side take it for your reproof that there is such a readiness to snuff when plain Truths are insisted on or when they are not followed in some uncouth or strange way which sayes we are exceeding unthankful to God for giving us the best things to speak hear and think of 2. Think much of the Preaching of Christ and to have Ministers to preach of Him He is the best News and God hath sent Ministers on this errand to make them known to you had He sent them to tell you all the secret things to come that are in God's purpose and all the hid works of Nature it had not been compareable to these News what would ye have been O what would Sabbath-days and Week-days your lying down and rising up your living and dying been if these News had not been ye should have had a sinful and sad life and a most comfortless and terrible death therefore think this Gospel a thing of more worth then ye do and count their feet beautiful on the Mountains that bring these News and glad Tydings as it is Isa 52. that good Report of making Peace betwixt God and Sinners should be most thought of and prized and counted a greater favour then we use to count it 3. By this ye may know who thrives and profites best under the Gospel even these that learn most of Christ which consists not in telling over words But first in actual improving of Him as it is Eph. 3.20 Ye have not so learned Christ but so as to improve what is in Him 2. In an experimental finding of these effects in us that are spoken of to come by Christ which is that the Apostle meaneth Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings that I may be conformable to his death I am affrayed that of the many that hear this Gospel there are but few that know Christ this way But if He be the great thing that should he preached by us and that ye should learn 1. What is the reason that so many should be ignorant of Him that the most part look rather like Tâ—â—ks and Pagans then like Christians God help us what shall we say of the condition of the most part of People when the preaching of the Gospel has not gained this much ground on us as to make us know Christ in His Person Natures Offices our need of Him and the use we should make of Him But 2. If we will try how he is improven it is to be feared there be far fewer that know hâ—m in this respect do not many Men live as if they had never heard tell of Him Though they hear that pardon of Sin is to be gotten through Him and that vertue to subdue Sin must flow from Him yet they live as if no such thing were in Him If your Consciences were posed besides the evidences that are in your practice this would be found to be a sad truth And 3. If we will yet try further what experience folk have of Christ what vertue they find flowing from His Resurrection what fellowship there is in His Sufferings what conformity
Woman by consenting to marry him may be and will be happy and which is yet more actually to receive the Message and to consent to go and marry him It 's here as when Abraham's servant is sent to Rebekah Gen. 24. She and her Friends believe all the report that the Servant made of his Master and of his Son that it was true and then it 's given to her option if she will go with the Man and she consents to go and actually goeth this is it we press you to to go with us and close the Bargain and to accept of Him and of Life through Him by the same similitude ye may know what Saving Faith is and what is the difference betwixt it and Temporary Faith when the great rich and brave offer comes to be made to Rebekah by a Man with many Camels Gold and Bracelets when she believes that it 's true and that it 's made to her she is fain and it may be over fain if not somewhat vain also that is like Temporary Faith but when it comes to the articles of the Contract it 's said to Sinners ye must subject to Christ and follow His Will and not your own this this casts the Bargain thus many when they hear there is a possibility of Life to be had in Christ and much more when they hear it 's to be had on good easie and free terms it will make them smile but when it comes to that Psal 45.10 Hearken O daughter and consider forsake thy fathers house or the fashions of thy Fathers House it halts there and they suspend and demur to close the Bargain but Saving Faith goes further on and with Rebekah finally closes the Bargain Secondly The next thing is What is Saving Faith or what is it to Believe in Christ and would to God ye were ready to Believe and as ready to receive the Invitation as to ask the Question and that in asking the Question ye were in earnest for by the way many have asked the Question What shall we do to be saved where if they had been in earnest they might have been soon resolved The Answer is at hand Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved But to them that desire further clearness or confirmation in this concerning Business we shall speak a little yet ye must know that it 's such a thing as is impossible to be made plain to a proud humoured or unhumbled Sinner it 's the poor humbled Soul that will take it up and to such a Soul half a word will help to take it up The plainest way to set it out as we conceive is to name some Scripture Expressions and Similitudes that hold it forth The first whereof is in that of Mat. 11.28 Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy loaden and John 6.35 He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst readily these Expressions hold out these three First An Evil which Men cleave to Secondly A Good that is offered to them Thirdly A passing from the Evil to the Good and so come to me implyes 1. A hazard that Folks are in by being at a distance from Christ 2. That there is access to Jesus Christ for remeiding that evil and removing of that hazard 3. A passing from the one to the other a passing from our own Righteousness to Christ's Righteousness a passing from our natural condition to Jesus Christ a real passing from Death in our selves to Life in Him Most part think Faith to be a conceit a humour or a guessing that they think they may have and never know how but it 's a real thing a coming from our own Righteousness as I said to His from a Covenant of Works to rest on Christ and His Righteousness held forth in the Covenant of Grace this is somewhat explained Rom. 7. where two Husbands are spoken of a Woman cannot marry another Man till her first Husband be dead so till a Sinner be dead to the Law he cannot marry Christ there must be a divorcing from the Law and Covenant of Works ere ye can close with Christ The second Expression is John 1.12 Where Faith is held forth as a receiving of Christ To as many as received him he gave them power to become the sons of God even to as many as believed on his Name and it 's well express'd in the Catechism to be a receiving of Christ as He is offered in the Gospel this supposes that Christ is offered to us and that we are naturally without Him The Gospel comes and says Why will ye die O house of Israel come and receive a Saviour And the act of Faith is a gripping to that Offer a receiving and imbracing of it a being well content to take a free Discharge through His Blood A third Expression is Phil. 3.12 Where Faith is set out as an apprehending of Christ and Heb. 6.18 It 's called a laying hold on the Hope set before us and Isa 56.4 a taking hold of the Covenant all which suppose Folk to have a choice as it were laid to them and Christ to be holden out as a City of Refuge and a Shelter from that which we are in hazard of Christ is held out in the Gospel as the City of Refuge and the exercise of Faith is to run from the hazard to Him as a Child that is chased by an unknown and uncouth Body flees unto the Mothers Arms or as the Man-slayer fled from the Avenger of Blood to the City of Refuge and Faith having run to Him casts it self on Him or thrusts it self as it were into Him A fourth Expression is rolling or casting of our selves over upon the Lord as Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden on the Lord and Psal 37.5 Commit thy way to the Lord it 's on the Margent roll thy self on the Lord or rest as it 's vers 7. and ease thy self on the Lord the Gospel lays Christ as it were at Folks feet and Faith rolls them over on Him it 's even the Souls finding it self through the work of the Spirit unable to stand under the Burthen rolling it self on Christ as a crafie and weak Body casts it self on a Doun-Bed for ease This is a very emphatick significant and active Expression of Faith setting out a Man quiting his own Legs or Feet as unable to stand on them and laying himself over on Christ This is it that we call you to even to quite your own Feet and to roll your selves over on Christ A fifth Expression is Rom. 10.3 Where it 's call'd a submitting to the righteousness of God which is held out in the Gospel thus as if a King were proclaiming a Pardon to Rebels and saying to them for as many hainous Crimes as ye have committed and are guilty of if ye will take with them and betake your selves to my grace and mercy sincerely resolving to be henceforth faithful and dutiful Subjects to me I will
they have been in earnest though it hath been but with Moral seriousness that blows them up upon which ground it is that many shuffle in Prayer in the place of Saving Faith and when they Pray with warmness they trow they Believe when in the mean time they never knew what it was in good earnest to lay themselves over on Chist Jesus therefore when we invite you to Believe this is another thing we would bid you beware of that ye put not a flash of Sense in the room of Faith 3. There is yet a more subtile though no less dangerous Mistake that ye would beware of and that is When Faith is confounded with Obedience and is looked on in Justification as a piece of new Obedience with Love Repentance and other duties of Holiness so some think they Believe because they have some Natural awe of God in their Walk and some fear of Sin and do perform some duties of Religion and walk Honestly as they think according to the Rule which is to confound the Covenant of Works and of Grace and to make the Covenant of Works a Covenant of Grace or to turn the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works only with this difference that though their works be not perfect but defective yet wherein they are defective they think there is worth in their Faith to make up that want and to supply that defect and so by Faith they think they will obtain the acceptation of their works and of their Persons on account of their works they look upon their works as pleasing to God but because they are not perfect they will believe or exercise Faith to make up their defects to which the way of Grace is quite contrary which makes the Tree first good and then the Fruit This way that many take is not to draw the evidences of Believing from works of Holiness which is warrantable but the founding of Faith or their hope of Heaven on works and the use they make of their Faith is to ward off Challenges for the imperfection of their works and to make Faith procure aeceptance as I just now said to their works and acceptance to their Persons for their works sake 4. Beware of that which ye ordinarily call a certain assurance or sure knowledge of your Salvation and that all the Promises are yours whereby ye think your selves in no hazard a hope and assuâ—ance of Heaven that ye can give no ground for nor proof of only ye think ye are sure of Pardon of Sin and coming to Heaven and that ye are obliged to maintain that groundless hope but that is not Saving Faith for it 's a hope of Heaven that can give you no right to Christ there must first be a fleeing to Him and closing with Him before ye can have any true and well-grounded hope of Heaven but your hope and confidence is never to question the matter ye are like Laodicea who thought her self rich and to stand in need of nothing when she was beggerly Poor or like these Men who when God was threatning them with Judgement yet would needs presume to think that they leaned on the Lord I think among all the Persons that God hath indignation against it 's in a special manner against these who have this sort of hope and to whom God discovereth the groundlesness of it and yet they will still stoutly maintain and stand fast by their hope it 's to these He speaks Deut. 29.19 who despise and tush at God's Threatnings and say We shall have peace though we walk in the imagination of our own hearts and add drunkenness to thirst the Lord there pronounceth a Curse and to the Curse addeth an Oath that He will not spare such Persons but will separate them for Evil and cause all the curses of the Law to overtake them judge ye now what a condition this is for Persons to be in to be believing that all the Promises are theirs and yet in steed of that to be in the mean time lyable to all the curses threatned in the Word of God it 's this that we call presumption and the hope of the Hypocrite that will perish Job 8.13 the confidence of such shall be rejected and sweeped away as a Speeders Web and shall be rooted out of their Tabernacles and bring them to the King of Terrours they think they Believe always when they are not troubled nor disquieted they never want Faith but have a great deal of it which yet is but a guessing which cannot support and uphold them when they come to a straiâ— when they are more secure they Believe very well and they think when they are more awaken'd and disquiet'd they believe less and their fancied Faith ebbeth quite on them when they hear of any exercise of Mind or trouble of Conscience in others they wonder that they wil not Believe and all this work is to maintain their deep Security and strong Delusion this is then the fourth thing ye would beware of for it 's not the Faith that will turn away the Complaint Who hath believed our report and yet how many are there of this sort who say they shall have Peace and please themselves with this their good Hope say the Word what it will O! be perswaded that this is nothing else but woful Unbelief and Presumption and we preach to you Terrour and the Curse of God though ye cry Peace to your selves the Lord complains of such Persons Jer. 5.12 saying They have belyed the Lord He sent His Prophets to denounce Judgments in the days of Josiah when there was a fair profession of Religion and Reformation yet they would believe and hope that no evil should overtake them That which we aim at in this part of the Use is to make way for what follows even to give you a cleanly ground for exercising of Faith on Jesus Christ when all these Stumblings and Mistakes are rolled out of the way We therefore exhort you to lay your Hand to your Heart and narrowly to try if ye have called or accounted any of these to be Saving Faith for there are hundreds nay thousands that perish under these Pretexts deceiving themselves and deluding others with a Faith they were born and brought up with and they have no more but their groundless hope to prove their Faith by and they will stick by it be said to them what will but be not deceived for God will discover you ye think a strong presumption is Faith and that ye can by such a Faith drink in the Promises but God will make you vomit them up and ye shall be declared to be void of Faith in the great Day therefore be more jealous over your Faith and seek to have your grips of Christ sickered which is done when from the belief of your Hazard and Self-emptyness and of Christ's fulness ye go to Him and close with Him to make up all ye want in Him and this Faith is especially qualified by
generality of you and let not others wrong themselves nor mistake the intent of this Scripture How is it I say that the generality of you that hear this Gospel come under this common and epidemick Temper or rather Distemper to maintain your Peace and Confidence when ye can in the mean time give so little proof of it think ye that Faith cannot be a missing nor mistaken or that it is ordinary and common or that it is indifferent whether ye have it or not we are perswaded that many of you think that if ye have a good Mind as ye call it and a square civil honest Walk and keep still your good Hope that all will be well ye never doubt nor question whether ye have received Christ or not but if Unbelief ly in your Bosom I mean not doubting-desperation or questioning of the God-head but the not receiving of Christ and His Righteousness though ye had more than ordinary Hypocrites have ye will for this Sin of Unbelief find your selves under the standing Curse of God for our Lord says John 3.18 He that believes not is condemned already and vers 36. the wrath of God abideth on him In pressing of this Use I shall shew by a few Aggravations of this Sin why the Lord layeth so much weight upon it and that not so much as it opposeth Faith as as it is a condition of the Covenant of Grace and a mean to unite us to Christ but mainly as it is 〈◊〉 Sin thwarting His Command And 1. It thwarteth with both the Law and the Gospel it thwarteth with the Commands of the first Table and so is a greater Sin than Murther or Adultery nay than Sodomy though these be great vile and abominable Sins which may be thought strange yet it 's true it makes the Person guilty of it more vile before God than a Pagan-Sodomite the nature of the Sin being more hainous as being against the first Table of the Law in both the first and second Commands thereof it being by Faith in God that we make God our God and worship God in Christ acceptably Next it s not only a Sin against the Law but a Sin against the Gospel and the prime Flower to speak so of the Gospel it comes in contradiction to the very design of the Gospel which is to manifest the glory of the Grace of God in bringing Sinners to believe on Christ and to be saved through Him but He can do no great things of this sort amongst unbelieving People because of their Unbelief it bindeth up His Hands as it were to speak so with reverence that He cannot do them a good turn 2. It strikes more nearly against the Honour of God and of the Mediator and doth more prejudice to the Ministry of the Gospel and causeth greater destruction of Souls than any other Sin it 's possible notwithstanding of other Sins that Christ may have satisfaction for the travel of His Soul and there may be a relation bound up betwixt Him and Sinners notwithstanding of them but if this Sin of Unbelief were universal He should never get a Soul to Heaven the salvation of Souls is called the pleasure of the Lord but this obstructs it and closeth the Door betwixt Sinners and access to God it strikes also at the main Fruit of the Ministry it makes them complain to God that the Word is not taken off their Hand it frustrats the very end of the Ministry and it comes nearest the destruction of immortal Souls we need not say it brings on but it holds and keeps on the Wrath of God on Sinners for ever He that believes not as we shew before from John 3. is condemned already and the wrath of God abides on him 3. More particularly There is nothing in God even that which is most excellent in Him if we may speak so not excepte◠but it strikes against it It strikes gainst His Grace and frustrates that when Christ is not received some sort and degree of despite is done to the Spirit of Grace Unbelievers thwart with Him in the way of His Grace and will have no spiritual Good from Him it comes in opposition to His Goodness for where Unbelief reigns He hath no access in a manner to communicate it it strikes against His Faithfulness there is no weight laid on His Promises it counts Him a Liar in a word it strikes against all His Attributes 4. There is no Sin that hath such a train of sad Consequents following on It it 's that which keeps all other Sins livly for none hath victory over any Sin but the Believer the Unbeliever lyes as a bound Slave to every Sin and it 's impossible to come to the acceptable performance of any Duty without Faith for none can come sutably to any Duty without a Promise and can any but a Believer comfort himself in use-making of any Promise We shall close our Discourse with speaking a word to that which we hinted at before even to let you see not only the rifeness of Unbelief but the great hazard that flows from it and the exceeding great evil of it if we be only convinced of the rifeness of it it will not much trouble us except we be also convinced and believe the hazard of it but if we were convinced of both through God's blessing it might affect us more and necessitate us to make more use of Christ ye that stand yet a distance from Christ can ye endure to ly under this great Guilt and ground of Contraversie that is betwixt Him and you do ye think little to hazard on His Upbraidings and Woes even such Woes as are beyond these that came on Sodom the heavy Curse and Malediction of God and yet we say to you who are most civil discreet formal and blameless in your Conversation if there be not a fleeing in earnest to Christ and an exercising of Faith on Him the Wrath of God not only waits for you but it abides on you O tremble at the thoughts of it it were better to have your Head thrust in the Fire than your Souls and Bodies to be under the Wrath and Curse of God for ever it 's not only the Ignorant prophane Drunkard Swearer Adulterer Whoremonger c. that we have to complain of and expostulate with but it 's the Unbeliever who though He be lift up to Heaven shall be cast down to the Pit of Hell If ye ask what is all this that we would be at it's only this in a word we would have you receiving Christ if ye think that Unbelief is an exceeding great Evil and that it 's an horribly hazardous thing to ly under it then haste you out of it to Christ O! haste haste you out of it to Christ kiss the Son lest He be angry embrace Him yield to Him there is no other possible way to be free of the Evil or to prevent the hazard SERMON VIII ISAIAH LIII I Who hath believed our report And to whom
you It is our Bane that we suspect not our selves and indeed it is a wonder that these who have immortal Souls and profess Faith in Christ should yet live so secure and under so little care and holy solicitude to know whether they have believed or not and should with so little serious concernedness put the Matter to a tryal But we proceed to the Particulars we proposed to speak to And first to this That ye have a good solid Ground to Believe on for clearing of which we would put these three together 1. The Fulness and Sufficiency of thâ— Mediator Jesus Christ in whom all the Riches of the Gospel are treasured up in whom and by whom our Happiness comes and who wants nothing that may fit Him to be a Saviour who is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him 2. The well-orderedness freeness and fulness of the Covenant of Grace wherein it is transacted that the Fulness that is in the Mediator Christ shall be made forthcoming to Believers in Him and by which lost Sinners that by Faith flee unto Him have a solid Right to His Satisfaction which will bear them out before God by which transaction Christ's Satisfaction is made as really theirs when by Faith it is closed with as if they had satisfied and payed the Price themselves 2 Cor. 5.21 He who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him and this Consideration of the legality and order of the Covenant serves exceedingly to clear our Faith as to the Ground of it because by this Covenant it 's transacted and agreed upon that Christ shall undergo the Penalty and that the Believer in Him shall be reckoned the righteous Person if there be a reality in Christ's Death and Satisfaction to Justice if He hath undergone the Penalty and payed their Debt there is a reality in this Transaction as to the making over of what He hath Done and Suffered to Believers in Him and the Covenant being sure and firm as to His part He having confirmed it by His Death it is as sure and firm as to the Benefite of it to the Believer in Him 3. The nature of the Offâ—r of this Grace in the Gospel and the nature of the Gospel that makes the Offer of the fulness that is in Christ by vertue of the Covenant It is the Word of God and hath His Authority when we preach it according to His Command as really as when He preached it Himself in Capernaum or any where else even as the authority of a King is with his Ambasâ—ador according to that 2 Cor. 5. penult vers We are ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us there is the Father's Warrand and Name interposed and for the Son 's it follows We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God add to this the nature of the Offer and the terms of it there is no condition required on our part as the precise condition of the Covenant but Believing Now when these are conjoined we put it to your Conscience if ye have not a good Ground to lippen to and a sufficient Foundation to build on and if so it ought to be an powerfully attractive Motive to draw you to Believe in Him and to bring you to rest on Him by Believing Secondly We have also many Warrands and Encouragements to step forward and when Christ in His Fulness lays Himself before you to roll over your selves on Him and to yeeld to Him If we could speak of them sutably they are such as may remove all scarring that any might have in coming to Him and may serve to leave others inexcusable and unanswerably to convince them that the main obstruction was in themselves and that they would not come unto Him for Life He called to them but none would exalt Him 1. Do ye not think that the Offer of this Gospel is a sufficient Warrand and ground of Encouragement to Believe on Him and if it be so to others ought it not to be a sufficient Warrand and Encouragement to you when He says Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it what excuse can ye have to shift or refuse the Offer if ye think Christ real in His Commands is He not as real in His Offers 2. He hath so ordered the Administration of this Gospel as He hath purposely prevented any ground that Folks may have of scarring to close with Christ He hath so qualified the Object of this Grace in the Gospel that these in all the World that Men would think should be secluded are taken in to be Sharers of it for its Sinners lost Sinners Self-destroyers Ungodly the Sheep that have wandered the Poor the Needy the Naked the Captives the Prisoners the Blind c. according to that of Isa 61.1 2. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me He hath sent me to preach glad tydings to the meek or poor to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives the opening of the prison to them that are bound c. and Isa 55.1 These who are invited to come to the cryed Fair of Grace are such as are thirsty and such as want money who among Men use to be secluded but in Graces-Mercat they only are welcome it 's to them that Grace says He come and Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely it 's not only to say so with reverence these whom He willeth but it 's whosoever will and so if thou wilt come Grace puts the Offer into thy Hand as it were to carve on to let us know that He allows strong Consolation on Believers and that either the Hearers of this Gospel shall Believe or be left without all excuse He hath it to say as it is Isa 5. what could I have done to my vineyard that I have not done If ye had the Offer at your own carving what could ye put more in it it cannot be more free than without money it cannot be more seriously press'd than with a Ho and Oyes to come Sometimes He complains as John 5.40 Ye will not come to me that ye might have life and sometimes weeps and moans because Sinners will not be gathered as Luk. 19.41 42. and Matth. 23.37 can there be any greater evidences of reality in any Offer A third Warrand is from the manner and form of Christ's Administration He hath condescended to make a Covenant and many Promises to draw Folks to Believe to which He hath added His Oath swearing by Himself when He had not a greater to swear by for our Confirmation and Consolation as it is Heb. 6.16 17. And among Men ye know that an Oath puts an end to all Contraversie and what would ye or could ye seek more of God than His Saying Writing and Swearing He hath done all this that the heirs of Promise may have strong
consolation who are flâ—d for refuge to the hope set before them O! will ye not trow and credit God when He swears Among other Aggravations of Unbelief this will be one that by it ye make God not only a liar but perjured a heavy hainous and horrid Guilt on the score of all Unbelievers of this Gospel 4. To take away all Contraversie He hath interposed His Command yea it 's the great Command and in a manner the one Command of the Gospel 1 John 3.23 This is his commandment that ye believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and therefore the Offer of the Gospel and Promulgation of it cometh by way of Command Ho come believe c. whereby the Lord would tell the Hearers of the Gospel that it is not left to their own option or as a thing indifferent to them to Believe or not to Believe but it 's laid on them by the necessity of a Command to Believe and if ye think ye may and should Pray sanctifie the Sabbath or obey any other Command because He bids you there is the same Authority enjoyning and commanding you to Believe and as great necessity lyeth on you to give obedience to this Command as to any other do not therefore think it Humility not to do it for Obedience is better than Sacrifice For your further Encouragement to Believe I would say three words which ye would also look upon as Warrands to Believe and by them know that it is a great Sin not to Believe 1. Ye have no less Ground or Warrand than ever any that went before you had David Mâ—sâ—s Paul c. had no better Warrand my meaning is ye have the same Covenant the same Word and Promises Christ and His Fulness God and His Faithfulness offered to you the same Warrand that God hath given to all His People since ever He had a Church and do ye not think but it will be a sad and grievous ground of Challenge against you when ye shall see others that believe on the same Grounds that ye have sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven and your selves as proud Rebels shut out what ever dâ—fference there be as to the main Work of Grace and of God's Spirit on the Heart in the working of Faith yet the Ground of Faith is the Word that all hear who are in the visible Church and ye having the same Ground and Object of Faith in your offer there will be no excuse for you if ye do not Believe A second Encouragement is That the Ground of Faith is so solid and good that it never disappoints any one that leans to it and count the Gospel a feckless and insignificant thing who will it shall have this Testimony which damned Unbelievers shall carry to Hell with them that it was the power of God to salvation to them that believed and that there was nothing in the Gospel it self that did prejudge them of the good of it but that they prejudged themselves who did not lippen to it Therefore the Word is called Gold tryed in the fire all the Promises having a Being from Jehovah Himself on jot or one title of them cannot fail nor fall to the Ground 3. If ye were to carve out a Warrand to your selves as I hinted before what more could ye desire what miss ye in Christ what Clause can ye desire to be insert in the Covenant that is not in it It contains Pardon of Sin Healing of your Backslidings and what not and he hath said sealed and sworn it and what more can ye require Therefore we would again exhort you in the Name of Jesus Christ and in His stead not to neglect so great a Salvation O! receive the Grace of God and let it not be in vain In the third place Let us speak a word or two to some Objections or Scruples which may be moved in reference to what hath been said And First It may be some will say that the Covenant is not broad enough because all are not elected all are not redeemed nor appointed to be Heirs of Salvation upon which ground Temptation will sometime so far prevaâ—l as to waken up a secret enmity at the Gospel But 1. How absurd is this Reasoning Is there any that can rationally desire a Covenant so broad as to take in all as necessarily to be saved by it there is much greater reason to wonder that any should be Saved by it then there is if all should Perish beside we are not now speaking to the Effects but to the Nature of the Gospel so that whoever Perish it is not because they were not elected but because they believed not and the Bargain is not of the less worth nor the less sure because some will not Believe and to say that the Covenant is not good enough because so many Perish it 's even as if ye should say it 's not a good Bridge because some will not take it but adventure to go thorow the Water and so drown themselves 2. I would ask Would ye overturn the whole Course of God's Administration and of the Covenant of His Grace did He ever à priori or at first Hand tell Folks that they were elected who ever got their Election at the very first revealed to them or who are now before the Throne that ever made the keeping up of this secret from them a Bar or Impediment to their Believing God's Eternal Purpose or Decree is not the Rule of our Duty nor the Warrand of our Faith but His revealed Will in His Word let us seek to come to the knowledge of God's Decree of Election à posteriori or by the Effects which is a sure way of Knowledge our thwarting with His Word to know His Decree will not excuse but make us more guilty He hath shewed thee O man saith Micah chap. 6.8 what is good and what doeth the Lord require of thee and if any will scruple and demur on this ground to close the Bargain let them be aware that they provoke Him not to bring upon them their own fears by continuing them under that scrupling and demurring condition Ye cannot possibly evite hazard by looking on only and not making use of Christ therefore do not bring on your own ruine by your fear which may be by Grace prevented and by this way of Believing shall be certainly prevented But secondly Some may object and say I am indeed convinced that Believing is my Duty but that being a thing that I cannot do why should I therefore set about it Answ 1. This is a most unreasonable and absurd way of Reasoning for if it be given way to what Duty should we do we are not of our selves able to Pray Praise keep the Lord's Day nor to do any other commanded Duty shall we therefore abstain from all Duties Our ability or fitness for Duty is not the rule of our Duty but God's Command and we are called to put our Hand to Duty in the sense of our
own Insufficiency acknowledging God's Sufficiency which if we did we should find it go better with us and may not the same be expected in the matter of Believing as well as in other Duties 2. None that ever heard this Gospel shall in the Day of Judgement have this to Object none shall have it to say that they would fain have believed but their meer Infirmity Weakness and Inability did imped them for though it be our own Sin and Guilt that we are unable yet where the Gospel comes that is not the Contraversie But that Folks would not come to Christ would not be gathered that when He would they would not for where there is a will to will and to do go together But it 's Enmity at the way of Believing Security Stupidity Senselesness and Carelesness what become of the Immortal Soul that ruines Folks for the Soul that would fain be at Christ shall be helped to Believe the reason is because the nature of the Covenant of Grace and of the Mediator thereof is such that all to whom He gives to will He gives them also to perform and His Faithfulness is engaged so to do It must therefore return to one of these two That either ye will not receive Him or else ye are willing though weak and if ye be willing Faithful is He that hath called you who also will do it but if it halt at your Perversness and wilful Refusal of the Offer there is good reason that in God's Justice ye should never get good of the Gospel nay there is never one to whom the Gospel comes and who doeth not Believe but formally as it were he passeth a Sentence on himself as the word is Act. 13 46. Ye judge your selves unworthy of eternal life which the Apostle gathers from this ground that they did not neither would accept of Jesus Christ offered to them in the Gospel as the event is that follows on the Offer so will the Lord account of your receiving of it Fourthly As for Directions to help and further you to Believe it 's not easie but very difficult to give them it being impossible to satisfie the curiosity of Nature neither can any Directions be prescribed that without the special work of God's Spirit can effectuate the thing the renewing of the Will and the working of Faith being Effects and Fruits of omnipotent Grace yet because something lyes upon all the Hearers of the Gospel as Duty and it being more suitable and congruous that in the use of Means then when Means are neglected Believing should be attained And because oftentimes these that desire this Question to be answered to wit how they may win at Believing are such as have some beginnings of the work of Grace and of Faith We shall speak a few words to such as would be at believing and exercising of Faith on Jesus Christ And 1. Folk had need to be clear in the common fundamental Truths of the Gospel they would know what their Natural Estate is what their Sin and Misery is and they would know the way how to win out of that State Ignorance often obstructs us in the way of Believing How shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 when Folks Believe not it is as if they had never heard 2. When ye have attained to the knowledge of the common Truths of the Gospel as of your Sin and Misery the nature of the Covenant the Mediator and His Fulness c. Labour to fix well the Historical Faith of them we are sure that many never come this length to believe the History of the Gospel and till that be they can advance no further for as the word is Heb. 11.6 He that comes to God must believe that He is and a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him I say these common simple Truths of the Gospel would well be fixed by a Historical Faith and yet this would not be rested on because though they be excellent Truths yet they may be known and historically believed where Saving Faith and Salvation follow not 3. Be much in Thinking Meditating and Pondering of and on these things let them sink down into your Hearts that the Meditation of them may fix the Faith of them and that they may deeply affect us we would seek to have a morally serious feeling of them as we have of the common works of the Spirit But there are many like the Way sidehearers who as soon as they hear the Word some Devil like a Crow comes and picks it up therefore to prevent this ye would seek to have the Word of God dwelling richly in you ye would meditate on it till ye be convinced of your hazard and get the Affections some way stirred according to the nature of the Word ye meditate upon whether Threatnings or Promises the most part are affected with nothing they know not what it is to tremble at a Threatning nor smile as it were on a Promise through their not dwelling on the thoughts of the Word that it may produce such an Effect 4. When this is done Folks would endeavour a full up-giving with the Law of Righteousness as to their Justification that if they cannot so positively and stayedly win to rest on Jesus Christ and His Righteousness yet they may lay the weight of their Peace with God on no other thing they would lay it down for a certain conclusion that by the works of the Law they can never be justified and would come with a stoped Mouth before God thus tender Christians will find it sometimes easier to give up with the Law then to close with the Gospel as to their distinct apprehension of the thing 5. When this is done Go as it were to the top of mount Nebo and take a look of the pleasant Land of Promises and of Christ held out in them and let your Soul say O! to have the Bargain well closed to have my Heart stirred up to love Him and to rest upon Him O! to have Faith and to discern it in its actings for when the Life of Faith is so weak that it cannot speak yet it may breath and though ye cannot exercise Faith as ye would so as to grip to and catch fast hold of the Object yet essay seriously to do that far as to esteem love and vehemently desire it In this respect the Will is said to go before the Deed though as to God's begetting of Faith there be a contemporariness of the Will and the Deed yet as to our sense the Will outruns the Deed even as in another sense though it makes well for this purpose the Apostle says To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I know not for we ought to have our Will running after Christ and Believing on Him when we cannot attain to the distinct actings of it But it may be here objected and said Is not this Presumption Answ If this were Presumption then
the Gospel The heads judge for a reward and the priests teach for hire and the prophets divine for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us It is not for real Believing that they are charged but for their confident asserting their Believing when there was no ground for it So it is with many they will say they hope to escape Hell and to get their Sin pardoned and to win to Heaven and they believe it will be so when in the mean time there is no ground for it but clear ground to the contrary A fifth Ground is Folks spiritual and practical Ignorance of the Righteousness of God whereof the Apostle speaking Rom. 10.3 sayeth Being ignorant of the righteousness of God they go about to establish their own c. that which I mean is Folks being ignorant of their Natural Condition of the Spiritualness of God's Law what it requires and of the way of Faith and of the command of Believing and the nature of it It 's from the ignorance of these three to wit of the Mischief that is in them by Nature of the Spiritualness of the Law and of the Spiritualness of Faith and of the Exercise of it that they sleep on in Security and think they have Faith when they have it not And though sometimes they will say their Faith is weak yet they cannot be beaten from it but that they Believe and their Faith is up and down as their Security stands or falls This the Apostle makes clear from his own experience Rom. 7.9 where before his Conversion he says he was a living Man but after his Conversion he begins to think himself nothing but a dead and gone Man the reason is because before Conversion he knew not himself he knew not the Law nor the nature of the Covenant of Grace Before the Law came saith he I was alive he knew not the spiritual meaning of it and therefore he thought he observed it and so thought himself sure of Heaven and had no doubts nor disputings concerning his Interest in God But saith he when the commandment came sin revived and I died I saw my self then to be lost and gone and in every thing guilty that which I thought had been Humility I saw it to be Pride that which I took for Faith I found it to be Presumption anâ— Unbelief and my Holiness I found to be Hypocrisie not that his Sin grew more upon his hand but the Sin that before was vailed was now discovered and staired him in the face This is a sad truth yet a most real truth The good Believing as many of you call it and the Faith that ye have is a surer ground of your strangeness to God and of your Unbelief then any other thing ye have can be a ground whereupon to conclude ye have Faith and are good Friends with God ye are yet alive Strangers to God Strangers to your Selves Strangers to the spiritual meaning of the Law and to the exercise of Faith If ye would set your selves to ponder seriously this one Consideration I think ye might be somewhat convinced of it Do ye not see many that understand more of God then ye do and that are more tender in their Walk then ye are who yet are loather more difficuâ—ted and affraid to assert their Faith and Confidence in God then ye are and they are oftener brangled and put to question their Faith will ye then consider what can be the reason that ye have so strong a Faith that ye never doubted and they are troubled with doubting sometimes yea often though they Pray more and are more diligent in the use of all the Means and holier in their Conversation then ye are and ye wilâ— it may be say well's them that are like such a Person this is the reason of it they see their Sin and the spiritualness of the Law and the nature of Faith and are dead to the Law but ye are yet alive in your conceit Do ye or can ye think that much Praying Reading Meditation and Tenderness in Folks Walk will weaken Faith and occasion Doubting or is it not rather like that Faith will be more confirmed by these then by the neglect of them how is it then that ye are so strong in your Faith when they find themselves so weak and doubting or have ye an infused Faith without the Means or doeth God deal with you in a more indulgent way then He uses to deal with His People how is it then that these of whom ye cannot say but they are more tender then ye are cannot almost name Faith or assert their confidâ—nce in God without trembling and fear that they presume and yet ye dare very confidently take a mouthful of it without any hiâ—k or â—esitation and yet live carnally and without fear Do not many of you wonder whâ—t ails some Folks what need they to be so much troubled and why do they stand in need of some to Pray for them and with them and to answer their Doubts and ye mean while need no such thing and all your remedy is that ye assure your selves ye Believe and think the questioning of your Security is the very undoing of your Faith God help ye are in a woful taking A sixth Reason is That Folk drink in some Carnal Principles that have no warrand in the Word of God and accordingly square every thing that comes in their way 1. They lay it for a Ground that Folk should never doubt of God's Mercy we do not say that Folk should doubt of God's being most real in His offer of Mercy to Sinners in the Gospel but from that it will not follow that never one should doubt of God's love to them or of their coming to Heaven whether they close with the Offer or not Are there not many whom God curseth and should not these doubt A second Carnal Principle is That there is no such reality in the Threatnings of God as there is in His Promises as if He were utterly averse from executing a Threaâ—ning and as if it were a rare thing to Him to condemn any and is there any thing more opposite to Scripture then this Principle is Hath He not said in the same place to wit Ex. 34. where He proclaims Himself to be gracious merciful long-suffering c. That He is a God that will not clear the guilty And hath not the Scripture said that it 's but a remnant that are saved but as it were here one and there one and that there are many damned for one that is saved But know it of a certain that He will make you one day vomit up these Principles with exquisite torment when out of your own Mouth He will convince you of your Mistake and Delusion 3. When Folks want many things they supply all with an honest Mind This supplies your want of Knowledge your want of Faith and of Repentance and of
day cursing in Hell under the Wrath of God that they let slip and passed over so many golden Opportunities of the Gospel without improvement and know ye not that it will come to the same sad pass with you if ye do not receive it Do Men live always Is there not an appointed time for all Men upon Earth If before we have savingly exercised Faith on Him for making Peace with God we be drawn to a reckoning before His Tribunal what will come of it and are not our precious Opportunites apace and always sliping by and is not the work of Faith by delays still the more difficult are not our Bonds still the more strengthened and doth not our Indisposition still grow the greater and is it not very ordinary to see these who have slighted the work of Faith in their Youth to live stupid in their old Age and die Sensless 4. Consider what sort of Folk they are of whom the Scripture speaks as Unbelievers and whom the Word of God holds forth to be eternally secluded from the presence of God for the want of Faith Many think that it 's but the grosly Prophane or such as never had so much as the form of Religion and such as others would scunner and loath to hear them but mentioned that it's I say only such that are accounted Unbelievers But the Scripture speaks of some that seek to enter in and shall not be able that desire to be in Heaven and take some pains to win in and yet are never admitted to enter into it and what is the reason because they took not the way of Believing for the obtaining of Life and coming to Heaven they took the way of Works they took the way of Prayer of Purposes Promises and Resolutions to ammend and grow better quite overlooking Christ and the way of Believing in Him and so took the way of Presumption and promised themselves Peace when there was no true Peace nor any solid ground for it 5. Consider which is of affinity with the former Consideration them that are secluded from the presence of God for the want of Faith they are even Men and Women as we are that lived in the same Kingdom and City with us that prayed in the same Company with us that thought themselves as sure of Heaven as many of us do that were guilty of the same or like Sins that we are guilty of that have heard many of the same Preachings that we have heard and yet they perish for want of Faith for not believing in the Son of God Why then should we think that impossible as to us that is so common and frequent in others Is not the same Nature in us that 's in others and are not our Hearts naturally as deceitful and corrupt as those of others and so may not we be beguiled as well as others And is it not the same rule that He will walk by in judging of us that He walked by in judging of others What can be the reason that Folk will read and hear the Word and will promise to themselves Heaven when the same Word clears it plainly that Destruction is that which they have to look for from the Lord It is nothing else but this confident and proud Presumption that many take for Faith Let not your precious opportunities slip away and beguile not your selves in such a concerning matter as Faith is ye will never get this loss made up afterwards if ye miss Faith here Lastly Consider the great necessity that the Loâ—d hath laid upon all Men and Women by a peremptory Command and Charge to believe in the Son of God He hath not with greater peremptoriness required Prayer nor dependance upon Him nor any other Duty then He hath required this 1 John 3.23 And this is his commandment that we should believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ yea it 's singled out as His main Commandment If that great iniquiry be made What shall I do to be saved this is the answer Believe on Jesus Christ Do ye think that our Lord who hath so marked and signalized this Command in so special a manner will never take account for the slighting of it or do ye think to satisfie Him by your other Duties without minding this It cannot be Suppose ye should mourn all your Life-time and your Life were a pattern to others yet if ye want this one thing Faith in Christ ye will be found Transgressours as having neglected the main work Now for the Question ye will say What this is we are bidding you do when we bid you Believe Answ When we call you to Believe we call you 1. To be suitably affected with the sense of your own Naughtiness Sinfulness and Hâ—zaâ—d Till there be something of this Faith in our Lord Jesus hath no access nor will ever get welcome Deep apprehensions of the Wrath that is coming and a standing in awe at the thoughts of our appearing before Him contribute much to it I am not preaching Desperation to you as some mutter but we would press upon you the Faith of the Word of God that tells you what we are and liveliness under that impression that ye may not be stopped or letted till ye come to a thorow closure with Christ The most part of Hearers come never this length and this is the reason why many stumble in the very Threshold and make never Progress 2. We call for and commend this to you that ye would study to be through and clear as to the Usefulness and Excellency of Jesus Christ as to the efficacy of His Death as to the terms of the Covenant of Grace whereby a Sinner comes to obtain Right to Him to be sensible of Sin and Hazard without this is only the way to make a Man desperate and mad but when this is clear it makes an open door to the Sinner that he may see whither to run from the Wrath to come I do not only mean that ye would get the Catâ—chism and be able to answer to all the Questions concerning the Fundamentals of Religion contained therein but that ye would also and mainly seek to have the Faith of these things in your Hâ—arts and to have Faith in God that ye may be perswaded that He that was and is God died for Sinners and that by the application of His Satisfaction Sinners may obtain Life and that there is a sufficient Warrand given to a Sinner to hazard himself upon Him The first of these speaks the necessity of some Sense the second holds out the necessity of a general Faith according to that word Heb. 11. He that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him We must know that there is a Warrand to come and ground to expect Acceptance from God upon our coming or else we will never come to nor believe in Christ The third thing that we call you to when we call you
Grace of God exercised within Mens Hearts as well as the Word is preached outwardly to the Ear wherever Faith is begotten these two go together the Word without and the power of Grace within the one of which is distinct from the other 2. That this powerful internal and immediate work of Grace within is not common to all the Hearers of the Gospel but a rare and peculiar thing to some to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed it's but one or few of many to whom it 's revealed To these we have spoken already 3. The third is which indeed holds out the scope of all that there is an inseparable connexion betwixt these two the begetting of Faith in the Hearers of the Gospel and the application of this powerful work of the Grace of God for working of it so that where this powerful work of Grace is not there is never Faith nor Conversion wrought and where this powerful work of Grace is there is Faith and Conversion The Prophet makes them reciprocal and commensurable who is the Believer he to whom the Arm of the Lord is revealed and who is the Unbeliever he to whom the Arm of the Lord is not revealed These two are so conjoyned and knit together as they are never separated and so they must stand or fall together That we may be the more clear we shall take up the Doctrine in two distinct Branches The first whereof is That except the powerful work of God's Grace concur the most powerful preaching of the Gospel will never beget Faith in the Hearts of the Hearers of it The second is That where-ever this powerful work of Grace goes along with the preaching of the Gospel or wherever the Lord applyes His Grace with the Word preached there Faith is begotten in the Heart and that Soul is effectually united to Christ and savingly changed The one of these Branches serves to shew the necessity of God's Grace from the consideration of our sinfulness and impotency or inability and of the emptiness and ineffectualness of all outward Means in themselves and so to stop all Mens Mouthes as being utterly unable to contribute any thing to their own spiritual Good or Conversion that being the product of the Grace of God The other Branch serves mightily to commend the Grace of God as being the powerful Arm of the Lord that brings to Believe that calls and converts such and such Persons according to a prior engagement and transaction betwixt the Father and the Son As for the first of these It will easily be believed among Men and Women that have any true sense and feeling of the Corruption of their Nature and find dayly somewhat of the Law of the Members warring against the Law of the Mind and we are perswaded if all that ever received Faith were brought to depone in this matter they would bear witness that there is no Mean that without the effectual Power of the Grace of God can bring a stranger Sinner to close with Christ and believe on Him and if all that are now before the Throne of God in Heaven were called to speak to this great Truth they would put their seal to it and say Not unto us but to thy Name be the glory of our believing we had never believed if it had been left to the power of our own Free-will and if the power of thy Grace had not wrought in us the very Will as well as the Deed or Act of believing Yet because this Doctrine as we said serves to discover the sinfulness and impotency of Nature and how little we are obliged to our selves in this great work and to hold forth the absolute necessity of the Grace of God and how much we are obliged to it in the work of Faith and Conversion and to hold forth withall the emptiness and ineffectualness of all outward Means without this Grace and because it wants not its own considerable opposition from the enemies of the Truth we shall give you some Grounds for confirmation of it The first whereof is drawen from these express instances of Scripture wherein it is clear That there hath been much powerful Preaching and by the most eminent Preachers and yet the generality of People have been fruitless under it and their fruitlesness hath been brought to this very Ground to wit that the work of God's Grace and His out-stretched Arm went not along with it The first instance is Deut. 29.4 That Moses was a skilled Preacher who will deny he being faithful in all the House of God yet says he after much and long Preaching and after many Signs and Wonders wrought the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive nor eyes to see nor ears to hear unto this day where he not only puts a difference betwixt the preaching of the Word without and the work of Grace within but shows the necessity of the concâ—rrence of the work of Grace and lays the great weight of the Peoples profiting or not profiting on the wanting or having of that A second instance is in this Prophet Isaiah were there any among all the Preachers before or since that preached in a more Evangelick strain then he did and yet when he hath complained of the paucity of Believers saying who hath believed our report he fixes and stays on this as the cause to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed And Chap. 6.9 10. he gives an account of the sad Commission he had from the Lord who said to him Go and tell the people Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people sat c. where there is also a clear distinction made betwixt the inward working of Grace and the outward Ministry A third instance and one that is beyond all exception is in our bless'd Lord Jesus who spake as never man spoke and preached with such power and life that even carnal Hearers wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth for he preached with Authority and not as the Scribes and yet Joh. 6.44 when they begin to murmure at Him what says He Murmure not at these things none can come to me except the Father draw him none can Believe except the powerful Grace of God work Faith in him there must be a higher hand then ought ye see or hear a more powerful work then any external Preaching of mine as Prophet of my Church ere a Soul can believe on me and though his Hearers were not free of the guilt of this their Unbelief but had their own sinful accession unto their continuing in it yet our Lord looks in on the soveraign way and work of Grace and holds there telling them that his external Ministry will not do the turn but there must be an inward powerful immediate work of Grace for the working of Faith We add a fourth instance and it is of that chosen Vessel Paul who laboured more abundantly then all the rest of
Promises without the including of the effect the giving of the new Heart is not only a perswading to Believe but the actual giving of the new Heart whereof Faith is a special part which Promise is peculiar to the Elect though the offer of it be more large and be further extended and what can that Promise of Gods writing the Law in the Heart be but an effectual inclining of the Heart to the Will of God or inward renovation contradistinguished to the external Ministry that can only hold out His Will in a Book and speak it to the Ear. 3. This may be cleared and confirmed from the nature of the work of Grace which is such a mighty work and so powerful as it is impossible it can be frustrated or disappointed unless we could say that Grace in God or the Grace of God is not so powerful as Corruption in us which were Blasphemy to this purpose the Apostle prayeth in behalf of the Christian Ephesians chap. 1.19 20. that they may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead he speaketh so in this high strain to set out both the exceeding stubbornness of our Nature that needs such a work and the exceeding great power of the Grace of God that worketh irresistably not only in the Conversion of the Elect at first but in all the after-acts of Believing so Eph. 3.7 the same Apostle hath it according to the gift of the Grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power and Col. 1.29 according to his working which worketh in me mightily The Power that worketh in Believers is Gods omnipotent Power which worketh effectually and mightily and if this Power be exercised in the continuing and promoving of Faith as is said before it must be much more exercised in the begetting of Faith yea and what need is there that He should exercise it if not for this end that where He exerciseth it it may also prevail A 4th ground of Confirmation may be drawen from the Lords great end which He hath before Him in this work and that is the gaining of glory to His Grace and to have the whole work of Conversion attributed to it and if this be His end He must and will prevail by His Grace in throughing the work in order to this end if it were left indifferent to Man to yield oâ— not to yield to God as he pleaseth the whole weight of the work of Conversion should not ly upon Grace Mans Mouth should not be stopped but when that question should be asked who hath made thee to differ and what hast thou O man but what thou hast received he should still have something to boast of and the work of his Conversion should at best be halfed betwixt Grace and his own Free-will this would necessarily follow if Grace did not through the work and so God should miss of His end A 5th ground of Confirmation is taken from the consideration of Gods Decree of the Covenant of Redemption betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator and of the Power and Wisdom of God in carrying on this work which we put together for brevities cause From all which it will be clear that there is and must be a necessary connexion betwixt the work of Grace on Believers and the Effect and that it is not in the power of Mans Free-will to resist it which indeed is not freedom but bondage 1. Then We say That if we consider the Decree of Election we will find that where Grace is applied Faith and Conversion must follow otherwise if the work of Grace were not effectual to convert Gods Decree should be suspended on the Creatures Free-will and be effectual or not effectual according as it pleased and is that any little matter to make His Decree depend upon and be effectual or not according to Man's pleasure that which sickereth His Decree and makes it infrustrably to take effect is that He hath effectual Means to bring about His Decree 2 If we consider the Covenant of Redemption betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator we will find that upon the one side the Mediator particularly undertaketh for them that are given to Him that He shall loss none of them and upon the other side we have to speak with reverence of the Majesty of God after the manner of Men the Father's Obligation to make such Persons in due time Believers that Christ the Mediator may see of the travel of His Soul and be satisfied according to that Promise made to Him Psal 110.3 In the day of thy power thy people shal be willing and that other Isa 53.11 He shall see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many c. and accordingly Himself saith John 6.37 All that the Father hath given to me shall come unto me where it is clear that these who are given must necessarily come and He also saith John 10.16 Other sheep have I which are not of this sold them also I must bring and it cannot be supposed without horrour and blasphemy that this determinate solid and sure transaction having all its midses included in it and being as to its end so peremptory shall as to these midses and that end and as to their throughing not be in Gods hand but in the hand of Mans Free-will if it were there O! how unsicker and loose would the bargain and God's design in begetting Faith and in bringing Souls through Grace to Glory be 3. If we consider the Lords Power in beginning and promoving and His Wisdom in carrying on of this work His Power whereby he raiseth the Dead and His Wisdom whereby He leads from Death to Life is it possible to conceive or imagine these to be applied by the Lord in the Conversion of a Sinner but this Doctrine must needs hold that the work of His Grace powerfully applied hath always Faith and Conversion following on it and that the Lord leaveth it not to the option of Elect Souls to believe or not to believe as they please He must not He cannot be frustrate of His end and design but He must bring them to a cordial closure with Christ by Faith in order to their Salvation Use 1. The first Use serves to fix you in the Faith of this great Truth and though we use not neither is it needful to trouble you with long Questions and Debates yet when the like of this Doctrine comes in our way especially in such a time wherein the pure Truths of God and this among the rest are troubled and called in question it is requisite that a word be spoken for your confirmation and establishment and we would hence have you fixed in the Faith of these two 1. Of the impotency of Nature in the beginning or promoving ought of the work of Grace which belongs to
sympathy from experience of these temptations vexations and sorrows as they are sinless as is clear from Heb. 2. and 4. at the close He knows what hunger thirst poverty contempt reproach and persecution are He knows what it is to be set upon with the violence of a temptation though there was no sin in him to comply with it 5. See here a most real Saviour since he is a suffering Saviour Why did our Lord become thus low But that he might come under the curse in the several degrees of it for the satisfying of Justice for our sins And see in every piece of Christs suffering a reality of the grace and love of God A reality in the Covenant and bargain of Redemption A reality in Christs satisfying of Justice and performing his ingagement according to the tenor of that transaction And seing there is a reality in this Saviour and in his suffering and satisfying of Divine Justice and in the price that he payed to the full Put not this Saviour again to open shame as the word is Heb. 6.6 Trode not the Son of God under foot neither account the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing Do not despite to the Spirit of Grace as it is Heb. 10.29 He hath suffered enough already let him not be a sufferer again O! grieve him not by your unbelief but give him credit by adventuring your souls on him upon his own terms your selves will have the advantage and he the glory This is the pure simple truth of the Gospel Do not only receive it as a truth but receive him that it holds forth and let your hearts close with him and your Faith feed upon him wâ—o becâ—me poor that ye through his poverty migâ—t be made rich Happy they for evermore who are made rich through his poverty and miserable are they and mucâ— more miserable eternally will they be whose practice saith that they think they have another way to be happy then by his sufferings and satisfaction and so disdain and rejâ—ct both him and it SERMON XVIII ISAIAH LIII II III. Vers 2. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Vers 3. He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not IF our hearts were suitably tender the reading of these words knowing of whom they are spoken would some way prick and wound them It 's hard to determine though it may be we should not make the comparison whether there is more grace in our Lords condescendence or more wickedness and perversness in the unkind and evil meeting that he gets from sinners But surely there is much grace on the one side in his coming so low and much wickedness and perversness on the other side For what meets he with even blessed Jesus who is the glory and praise of all his Saints yea the brightness of his Fathers glory He is despised and rejected and we esteemed him not Even when he thus humbled himself and took on our nature and was and is prosecuting the work of our salvation and evidencing his grace in an inconceivable manner These are the two things that are spoken of here 1. His condescending to be a man and a mean man and which is yet more a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Which if we believed and knew really what he were that it was even he by whom all things were created who is the beginning of the Creation of God the first-born of every creature yea he for whom all things were created for whose glory the world and all things in it were made and continue He for whom all things are as their last end and through whom they are preserved in their beeing and governed in their operations and shall be seen to tend to his glory in the close we wold certainly wonder more at this his condescendence And yet alace it is he that is despised and rejected and that we hid as it were our faces from and would not give him our countenance It is he by whom the world was made that is despised and we esteemed him not And this is the second thing in the words which we are now to speak to even the abominably unsuitable meeting that men give to our Lord Jesus who hath so far condescended as to leave some way his Fathers Glory not to receive a Kingdom of this World but to be trode upon in it as a Worm He is despised and rejected and we will not intertain him nor make him welcome when he cometh We esteem him not Only take this advertisement for clearing of the words and for grounding of the Doctrine that this that is spoken of Christs Humiliation and mans stumbling at it is not precisely to be restricted to his Humiliation in his own person only and mens stumbling at that for it is given as the reason of men their stumbling and offending at Christ in all times But it is to be extended to Christ in his Gospel and Ordinances throughout all ages so it comes in as the reason why so few believe on him If ye ask the reason why men do not now believe and receive Christ in the offer of the Gospel Here it is for we esteemed him not for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant He shall be mean and contemptible-like to the men of the world and in an afflicted condition therefore he is not esteemed therefore he is not believed on These two are the main Doctrines to be spoken to here 1. That Jesus Christ who thus condescends and humbles himself for the salvation of lost sinners is not esteemed of but despised and undervalued which is implied in the words When we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him and is more clearly holden out in the following words He was despised and we esteemed him not 2. That this undervaluing and little esteeming of Jesus Christ is the great ground of folks unbelief or the reason why men do not believe on him even because they think him not worthy the receiving two very clear truths in the words and in experience though as sad in their consequents As to the 1. which is this that our Lord Jesus Christ is usually and ordinarly exceedingly undervalued and little esteemed of by the men of the world to whom he is offered in the Gospel There are two things implied and supposed here in and about the Doctrine that will clear it and be as two reasons of it 1. That he hath no form nor comeliness and no beauty wherefore he should be desired which holdeth out this that men are ordinarily taken up with and seek after worldly grandour or greatness splendour and beauty that 's it that filleth mens eyes
to procure this of him but he freely and willingly and with delight payed your debt when ye were in the hight of malicious opposition to him doing all that might scarr him from it And had it been possible that man's malice despising and despite could have scarred him he had never died for one sinner but he triumphed openly in his grace over that and all that stood in his way 3. We have here a confirmation of that truth that holds out mans malice and desperat wickedness And can there be any thing that evidenceth man's wickedness and malice more Then 1. To have enmity against Christ 2. To have it at such an hight as to despise him and count him smitten and plagued of God And 3. To be at the hight of malice even then when he out of love was condescending so low as to suffer and satisfie Justice for him ye may possibly think that it was not ye that had such malice at Christ But saith not the Prophet We esteemed him smitten of God Taking in himself and all the elect which might give us this Observation That there is nothing more desperatly wicked and filled with more enmity against Christ in his condescending love and against God in the manifestation of his grace then when even elect souls for whom he hath suffered despise him and count him smitten of God and afflicted It 's indeed very sad yet very profitable to walk under the deep apprehension and soul-pressour of heart-enmity against God and Christ Are there any of you that think ye have such sinful and wicked natures that dispose you to think little of Christ to despise and reject him and his grace Gods Elect have this enmity in their natures And if such natures be in the Elect what must be in the Reprobat who live and die in this enmity If this were seriously considered and laid to heart O but folk would be humble nothing would affect the soul more and stound to the very heart then to think that Christ suffered for me through grace an Elect and a Believer and that yet notwithstanding I should have so despised and rejected him and accounted him smitten of God and afflicted Let me exhort all of you to look back on your former walk and to lay this enmity to heart for the day is coming when it will be found to be a biting and conscience gnawing sin to many 4. In that he aggravates their enmity from this Observe this truth which is also here confirmed that there is nothing that gives sin a deeper Dye then that it is against grace and condescending love that is against Christ when suffering for us and offered to us O! that makes sin to be exceeding sinful and wonderfully abominable and thus it is aggreged Heb. 2. As greater then the contempt of Moses his Law And Heb 6. It 's accounted to be a crucifying the Son of God a-fresh and a putting him to an open shame And Heb. 10. it 's called a trodâ—ng him under foot an accounting the blood of the Covenant to be an unholy thing and a dâ—ing despite to the Spirit of Grace These two last Scriptures look mainly to the sin against the Holy Ghost yet so as there is somewhat of that which is said in them to be found in all unbelievers their despising of Christ It 's a sin some way hateful even to the Publicans and Sinners to hate them that love us to do ill to them that do good to us How much more sinful and hateful is it to despise and hate him who loved us so as to give himself for us and when he was giving himself for us There are many sins against the Law that will draw deep but this will draw deeper then they all even sinning against Grace and the Mediator interposing for sinners and manifesting love to them And the reckoning will run thus Christ was manifested to you in this Gospel as the only remedy of sin and set forth as crucified before your eyes and made offer of to you in the Gospel and yet ye despised him and esteemed him not And let me say it to Believers that it 's the greatest aggravation of their sin It is true in some respect that the sins of Believers are not so great as the sins of others they not being committed with such deliberation and full bensil of will nor from the dominion of sin yet in this respect they are greater then the sins of others because committed against special Grace and Love actually communicated and therefore when the Believer considers that he hath requit Christ thus it will affect him most of any thing if there be any suitable tenderness of frame 5. From considering that it is the Prophet that expresseth this aggravation we may Observe that the Believer that is most tender and hath best right to Jesus Christ and his satisfaction and may upon best ground apply it will be most sensible of his enmity and of the abominable guilt that is in despising and wronging of Jesus Christ Therefore the Prophet brings in himself as one of those that by Christs stripes were healed taking with his guilt we despised and rejected him we esteemed him not we judged him smitten of God The reason is because interest in Jesus Christ makes the heart tender and any wrong that 's done to him to affect the sooner and the more deeply the scurf that sometime was on the heart being in a measure taken away and interest in Christ awakeneth and raiseth an esteem of him and produceth a holy sympathy with him in all the concerns of his glory even as the members of the body have a fellow-feeling with the head Make a supposition that a man in his madness should smite and wound his head or wrong his Wife his Father or his Brother when that fit of madness is over he is more affected with that wrong then if it had been done to any other member of his body or to other persons not at all or not so nearly related to him There is something of this pointed at Zech. 12.10 They shall look unto him whom they have pierced and mourn for him as a man doth for his only Son As if he had said the stroaks they have given the head shall then be very heavy and grievous to be born and will be made to their feeling to bleed a-fresh They thought not much of these woundings and piercings of him before but so soon as their interest in him is clear or they come cordially to believe in him they are kindly affected with the wrongs done to him The Use is That it 's a mark to try if there be indeed an interest in Christ and if it be clear The man whose interest is clearest 1. His wrongs done to Christ will prick him most if the wrongs be done by others they affect him if by himself they some way faint him Wholeness of heart under wronging of Christ is too great an evidence that there is
Christs satisfaction or suffering and it is by the way much to be regrated that such is the ignorance of some that if a question be proponed in divers words or expressions as if it should be asked wherefore are we pardoned wherefore are we justified which is one and the same they know not how to answer but here ye are called to remember that Christs being wounded and his bearing the chastisement due to you is the cause of your Pardon and Justification 2. Healing looks to Sanctification as we hinted in the exposition so that if it be asked How comes it to pass that a Sinner is made holy we have it here answered that though efficiently it comes by the Spirit and be his work yet meritoriously it comes by Christs suffâ—rings he bought it by his stripes we are healed And under these two Words peace and healing we take in all things needful or pertaiâ—ing to Life and Godlinâ—â—s for by peaâ—e the feud and enmiâ—y is taken â—way 〈…〉 â—e reconciled to God a Eph. 2.14 〈◊〉 â—â—d to be our peace and he who ca◠〈◊〉 speak peace to all that are afar off and neâ—â—and and also by peace we under stand all 〈◊〉 effects of peace 1. Pardon of Sin Justification Adoption Communion with God here and hereafter Peace with our own Conscience and with the Creatures eterâ—â—â— Peace and Glory and all these good things purchased by Christs death For the Hebrews under peace comprehended all good things And under healing we take in Sanctification as distinguished though not divided from those other things mentioned dying to sin and living to righteousness with the several degrees of their advance and progress and the making of us to be without spot and wrinkle or any such thing So that folk have much advantage by Christs purchase and much prejudice thorow the want of it By his death we are kept out of Hell and admitted to peace with God and every thing that is good We have liberty to pray for all that is good and are brought in his own way and time to the possession of it It 's by the blood of sprinkling that we have a new and living way made patent to us unto the most holy and holiness in the way whereof we enter in thither 6. To whom hath Christ procured all these good things The Text saith it 's our and we the chastisement of our peace was on him and by his stripes we are healed to wit we Elect. Whence Observe 1. That the benefits of Christs purchase redounds only to the Elect there is a certain select number to whom they are applyed and not to all indifferently It 's only of as many as are healed whose chastisements he hath born It 's only they whom the Father hath given him to them he gives eternal life and they shall never perish John 6.45 They are Effectually Called Justifiâ—d and Sanctified 2. Observe That what Christ Jesus hath purchased and the benefits of his purchase redound and are extended to them that are guilty of hainous sins to them that are under transgressions and iniquities that are at feud with God and under many poâ—â—â—tionâ— and most loathsome spiritual Diseases to them who contemned and despised Christ and judged him smitten and plagued of God as is clear from the foregoing words and to them which have gone straying like lost sheep as is clear from the words following This points at these two or three things very useful 1. That the Elect are by nature and before Christ do them good no better than others 2. It shews the freedom of the Grace of God that comes over that and freely gives pardon peace and healing to them And 3ly It serves to strengthen a Sinners Faith who is sensible of his enmity and sinfulness and to be a ground of encouragement to him to step to and lay hold on Christs purchase because it was for such that he died he may humbly yet confidently say Christ died even for such as me for them that wounded and pierced him by their transgressions and iniquities for them that were at enmity with God c. and alace I am such and will therefore on the call of the Gospel come to him and on his own terms endeavour to cast my self on him 7. How are these benefites this Justification Pardon of Sin Peace and Healing and all that is comprehended under them derived from Christ to the Sinner that by Faith fleeth unto him for refuge Answer These two generals will clear it 1. They are derived to us justly and in a legal way Christ steps in in our room that we may come in his room 2. They are derived to us freely he was wounded and bruised that we might go free he endured stripes that we might be healed he got the buffets and bare the burden and we get the benefites there is not a grain weight of it laid on us as it is satisfactory to divine Justice To clear this a little more anent the deriving the benefits of Christs purchase to us there must be a respect had 1. To the Covenant of Redemption the ground of his suffering for us 2. To the Covenant of Grace and Reconciliation wherein the offer of these Sufferings and the benefits purchased by them to us and the terms of both is made 1. I say That respect most be had to the Covenant of Redemption wherein it 〈◊〉 acted in the Council of the God-head that the Son of God should become Man and suffer and condignly satisfie divine Justice by paying the price due by the Elect and that that price being laid down it should be made forthcoming for them for whom he payed it and be reckoned theirs and they set actually at liberty when having recourse thereto by Faith and here there is a legal ground for transferring Christs purchase to and upon us the Cautioner satisfying we the Debtors are on that account absolved in his own order and method and have a right to seek the application of the price and the benefits purchased by that price Christs stands in our room at the bar and sentence passed on him to pay our Debt he satisfied according to his undertaking for us And upon the other hand we are brought in and the sentence of Justification passed on us on that account He saith the Apostle who knew no sin is made sin for us that in him we may be accounted righteous and may be declared free as we are by vertue of his satisfaction But it may be objected here What are we then absolved from the very time of Christs death and forward For answer We would distinguish betwixt a right to the thing and a right in the thing as we use to speak betwixt jus ad rem and jus in re the Elect from Christs death forward and before too have a right to the thing but not in the thing as to the application of it to themselves an elect Person by vertue of Christs Satisfaction hath a legal right to
his purchase before Believing but when he comes to believe the obstruction is taken away that hindered his application and then he hath a new right not only to but in Christs purchase even as a Person that is Minor or mad may have a right to a great possession but by the law he is secluded from the use of it till he come to majority and have the use of reason and this distinction we have as one of the clauses of the Covenant John 6.39 40. where 1. in the 39. Verse Christ says This is the Fathers will that sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day It 's the Fathers will that Eternal Life be given to as many as are given to Christ on his Satisfaction and Christ hath purchased it to them by his Satisfaction absolute as to the event and therefore they have an accessibleness to it a right to it and cannot but partake of it yet not simply but in the way that he hath laid down And therefore 2ly In the 40. Verse he saith This is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have eternal life by believing they come to the application of that to themselves which they had a legal right to before by Christs death 2. Respect must be had to the Covenant of Grace which is not quite an other thing then the Covenant of Redemption but the making offer of it and the benefits contained in it in the preached Gospel when Christ sends out his Ambassadours to woo and invite Sinners to Christ and to bring them to the application of his Purchase and it is by closing with and receiving of Christs offer that the actual Cure comes and that by Christs stripes our sores are healed Even as when a Child that was Minor becomes Major he comes to have a right to possess the same Lands or Sums of Money by the same Law that gave him a legal or simple right to them before or he comes to have a right in that which before he had a right to So elect Souls that have a right to Christs purchase before believing while they are mad in nature are under the curse and wrath threatned in the word of God for not believing but when they come to believe they come to get an extract from the same word of their right in Christs purchase because the Word says He that believes is past from death to life and shall not come into condemnation and so the same word that did condemn before believing doth now absolve upon a Sinners believing and we come at this absolution by receiving of Christs offer in the Covenant of Grace And if it be asked how comes it that the receiving of Christs free offer in the Covevant of Grace gives a right to Christs purchase we answer It is by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption wherein it is so transacted betwixt God and the Mediator so that there is the offer of the Covenant received and the Covenant it self that concur for making over and deriving a compleat Right to wretched Sinners in Christs purchase Let the 1. Use of this be for your instruction and information which is the end wherefore we have chosen in this way by this short view to give you in a very short sum the marrow of the Gospel And if ye remember these few Questions ye may be in a capacity not only to answer us but through grace to exercise Faith on Christ And we think ye will all readily grant that these who cannot at all answer them should not go to the Communion And therefore that ye may take them with you we shall shortly resume them 1. What condition is man in by nature Answer Under sin and misery and even under the curse of God Or thus every man is a sinner and hath a sinful nature or he is under transgressions and iniquities is naturally loathsome wants peace with God and hath need of healing Let this in the first place sink in your hearts 2. How is man freed from this sinfulness and misery Answer He cannot be free from it till there be a condign satisfaction made to Divine Justice wounding and bruising must be to procure pardon and stripes must be to procure healing and chastisement must be to bring about our peace That word Exod. 34. Who will by no means acquit the guilty would alwayes be remembred and Faith would look to a Saviour for satisfaction 3. Who can satisfie Answer Neither Man nor Angel can do it no penances no prayers nor performances of any meer creature will do it but He only that was wounded and bruised He who by Nature is the Son of God the express Image of the Fathers Person and who in respect of His Humane Nature was born of the Virgin Mary like to us in all things except sin It 's he that satisfies Justice and it 's by no other way that we get pardon and peace with God and Holiness 4. What way doth Christ satisfie Justice and make peace betwixt God and sinners Answer He entered himself in our room and as Cautioner undertook our debt suffered the condign punishmens that was due for our sins and payed the price that we should have payed He in a manner left Heaven and became Man had a mean life in the World drank the Cup of his Fathers Wrath was wounded bruised chastised and died a cursed death whereof his hanging on the Cross was but a sign 5. What benefites come to us by his sufferings Answer Pardon of sin Peace with God and healing The Conscience by his blood is sprinkled from dead works the person absolved reconciled to God made whole and made at last to be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing And this is not as Papists blasphemously speak a putative effect but a most real one 6. Who are made partakers of this pardon peace and healing Answer The Elect have right to it and by believing they make the application therefore it 's said here our and we And we may look upon the Prophet speaking in the name of all the Elect or in name of the believing Elect who on believing are actually healed The Elect then are healed and the way how is by faith making application of Jesus Christ 7. How in Justice can he be condemned that was free of sin and how can we be absolved that were guilty Answer He in Justice was condemned because as our Cautioner he came in our room and undertook to pay our debt And on the same ground we wretched sinners may in his way make application of his purchase because it was on these terms that he undertook the debt that we might be set free And it 's on these terms that it is offered in the Gospel that seing he hath payed for elect sinners they may upon the hearing of the offer close with it But how
we call the Covenant of Redemption which we would not extend so as in all things to stretch it to the properties of these Covenants and Bargains that are amongst Men it being in some respect an expression used to make Grace more discernable to us that can conceive so little of Graces way This Transaction or Covenant of Redemption is sometimes called the Fathers will and his law as Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy law is within my heart and John 6.38 It is called so I came from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me so also John 17.14 it is called the Fathers work in one respect and the Sons work in another respect I have finished the work thou gavest me to do which is the prosecution of the same contrivance usually called a Covenant because as to the essentials it hath the nature of a Covenant to wit two Parties agreeing and terms whereupon they agree and it well ordered in all things for prosecuting and carrying on the design of saving lost Sinners called Act. 2.23 the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God there was a plot and design in Gods counsel concerning Christs sufferings whereof his sufferings were the excution To clear it a little we would consider these five things in it 1. The Parties 2. The matter about which it is 3. The rise and occasion of it 4. The terms wherein the form of it stands or the midâ—â—â— whereupon it is undertaken 5. Some pâ—â—perties of this Covenant 1. For the Parties Upon the one side as God essentially considered or all the three Persons of the glorious God-head Father Son and Holy Ghost who are all concurring in this Covenant it being the act of the determinate counsel of God and in this respect God is the Party to whom the satisfaction for lost Sinners is made and he is also the Party condescending to accept of the satisfaction And upon the other side the Party engaging to make satisfaction is Jesus Christ the second Person of the blessed dreadful and adorable Trinity personally considered now becoming the head of the Elect that he may have them all with himself to be one mâ—â—â—ical body in the first respect all the three Persons that same one blessed God give the command or require a satisfaction as God and concur as the infinitely wise orderers of the Decree and in the second respect Jesus Christ as Mediator undertakes to make the satisfaction Psal 40.6 7. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire God as it were making the offer what can or shall be given to me for the redemption of Sinners Sacrifice and Offerings will not please nor are accepted by me then follows the Mediators part Lo I come in the volum of thy book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God for though in the first respect all the Persons of the Trinity be on the one side being of one will yet in the other respect Christ Jesus as Mediator comes in on the other side to do that will 2. As to the matter about which this Covenant is It 's about the satisfying of Justice and making of peace between God and lost Sinners it 's that we might be pardoned justified have peace with God and be healed it is true there is an end above and beyond this even the glory of Gods rich Grace and condescending love that stoups so low to save Sinners but Sinners pardon and peace with God and their healing is the immediate end Or if we come nearer the matter about which it is is the redeeming of the Elect for these words in the Text We and Us are of equal extent with them that are justified and reconciled and whom he actually healeth by his wounds and stripes so that whoever they be who are never justified and healed they are not comprehended in this Bargain 3. The rise and occasion of this Covenant may be gathered from these three 1. There is the supposing of Mans sin and fall for whatever Election doth Redemption doth most certainly suppose Man to to be lost and under sin 2. There is Gods decree not to pardon sin without a Satisfaction 3. There is Gods election preceeding or his purpose to save some for the glory of his Grace which are the Elect who are said to be given to Christ These three are the rise anâ— occasion of the Covenant of Redemption Man hath sinned the threatning must be executed and Justice satisfied and yet God hath for the glory of his Grace elected a certain number to Life and that must needs stand firm and these three seeming to thwart one of them with another gives the occasion and rise to the excellent and admirable contrivance of this way how the lost Sinner shall be saved yet so as Justice shall be satisfied and not wronged in the least and Justice so satisfied that yet the decree of election by Grace shall stand 4. As for the terms wherein the form of the Covenant stands and the midses by which these ends may be brought about to wit how the Redemption of lost Sinners may be attained Justice may be satisfied and the glory of Grace made to shine and how any thing that makes these seem to justle and thwart might be guarded against and that was it which to speak so with reverence put God to the consultation about it which shews the excellency of the Covenant of Redemption and the deep draughts that are about it for otherways and properly God needs not consult or advice They are shortly these 1. Gods offer to redeem Man if his Justice may be satisfied and if any responsal Person will become Cautioner and undertake to pay the Elects Debt 2. The Sons accepting of the Offer and undertaking or engaging to pay their Debt upon condition that his payment and satisfaction shall be accounted the Elects and accepted for them 3. The Fathers acceptation of this engagement and undertaking according to his offer and the Mediators accepting of it and acquiescing in it he holds the Bargain to speak so and so it is a closed Covenant The first is comprehended in these words Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire Psal 40. insinuating that God did desire something The second in these words Mine ears thou hast opened then said I Lo I come in the volum of thy book it 's written of me I delight to do thy will which implys the Fathers acceptation as well as Christs undertaking and it also points at the way how the satisfaction is made effectual especially if we compare these words of the Psalm with Heb. 10.5 6. we will find that they relate to Christs Humiliation in general for it is in the Psalm Mine ears hast thou opened but in Heb. 10.5 it is A body hast thou prepared me and where it is said in the Psalm I delight to do thy will the Apostle says By the which will we are sanctified The Father
such an end and yet so as he must flee into it ere he can plead for the benefit of the City So suppose a sinner to be fled to Jesust Christ by Faith he may plead for exemption from wrath by God's determining and appointing a Mediator for such an end And the Mediator Jesus Christ hath this priviledge conferr'd on him that he that thus flees unto him shall be safe Yet it is also suppos'd that such a sinner hath fled to him else he could not expect safety through him notwithstanding of Gods determining the Mediator for safety Thus we would have these three put together And yet as we said they differ for Gods determination is the efficient cause fountain of all Christs satisfaction is the meriâ—orious cause and our believing is the ground on which we have right to plead for the benefit of his satisfaction Even as the man that fled to the City of Refuge his safety was not by any vertue in his running but by God's determination yet his running to the City was requisite as the mids and except he run or fled to it he could not plead for the benefit of the City So our believing gives us ground to plead a right and title to Christ and his satisfaction without which we could not have that right But 2dly Because one will take up this under one notion and another under another To clear it therefore a little further we shall again consider in this Covenant these three steps 1. The determination of it as it is enacted in the Council of the God-head which in sum is this that such and such persons shall be satisfied for by the Mediator and his satisfaction accepted for them 2. The execution of this Covenant where we take in all our Lords sufferings all the stroaks and wounds that Justice pursued him with as Cautioner for the Elect and God's accepting and justifying of him and declaring his accepting of him and being well satisfied with what he did and suffered by his raising him from dead 3. The application of his purchase by his accepted satisfaction which consists in these 1. That these that were given to Christ on this condition that his satisfaction should stand good for them should be justified and saved that is that in due time application of his satisfaction should be made to the persons given him to to be saved by him Which takes in Christ's making intercession that Renewing-grace Faith c. may be given to such persons 2. That the work of the Spirit who as the Sanctifier begets Faith and perswads to imbrace Jesus Christ shall be given them Then 3. follows the Believers actual coming to Christ being sweetly and powerfully drawn to rest on him and his satisfaction Whereupon follows the application of the sentence of Justification and Absolution that results from the former So that whereas it was before Cursed is he that continues not in all things written in the Law Now it is He that believeth on Jesus Christ hath eternal life and shall never come into condemnation All these go and agree well together the Covenant as the ground Christ's satisfaction as the meritorious cause and the application of his satisfaction by Faith which entitles and gives the Believer a right to it The reason why we have so much insisted on this is that we may teach you to joyn respect to the Covenant of Redemption Christ's suffering and your believing together It will not be Faith that will justifie that is without respect to the Covenant Neither will the Covenant and Christ's satisfaction justifie without Faith yet ye would so put them together as the glory of Salvation through Grace may not lye on Faith but on God's everlasting Love and on Christ's satisfaction And indeed it is no little practick for a Soul sensible of sin in the exercise of Faith so to lay the weight of its Salvation on Christ and the Covenant as it neglects not running to Christ by Faitâ— and so to lay hold on Christ by Faith as it lay not the weight on Faith but on Christ and the Covenant As in the comparison before used suppose a man that had killed another unawares had been taken before he wan to the City of Refuge God's determination was not the cause of that but his not running or his not coming at the City So it may be that some are apprehended by the Justice of God that are less sinful than others yet the reason or câ—uâ—e is not in God's Covenant nor in Câ—rists want of worth but in the persons not running or not fleeing to Christ as to the City of Refuge and therefore they are not heard to plead for immunity by vertue of that satisfaction before the Bar of God A 2d sort of Uses are for exhorting and encouraging Sinners to come to Christ There is here then 1. A clear ground to our our Faith and a plain way opened to Heaven and a mighty encouragement to perswade Sinners to lay hold on Christ and to take this way for obtaining of life This Text opens as it were the gates of the City of Refuge and points out the way how to eshew the wrath which is to come There is a way here laid down in the Wisdom Justice Go dness and Grace of God which is made offer of in the Gospel and since it is so we beseech you that ye would not receive this Grace in vain but seing there is a Covenant well ordered and sure a Mediator and a Ransom provided and a way laid down how to come to Christ by Faith let all of you who come under the conviction of Sin and apprehension of Wrath step to and close with him and plead for Pardon by vertue of his Wounds and for healing through his Stripes with respect to the Covenant There are these four things here that will serve to give ground for this Application if we consider 1. The great ground of Faith that is here 2. The great reason we have to make use of this ground 3. The great encouragement we have so to do And 4ly The great necessity we have to make this Application A little to each of these But we shall premit one word to all and it 's this That considering you are all in tryfting terms with God whether ye live at a distance from him the Uâ—e will by way of Exhortation reach you or whether ye be brought to greater nearness under the sense of Sin and have some seriousness in seeking after God it will reach you for Consolation In a word we would exhort all and it may convince some comfort others But to the first thing we proposed We declare and proclaim this as a true and faithful saying that there is here an Everlasting Covenant wherein the salvation of the Elect is concluded through Christs satisfaction to Justice for them and a way laid down for making Peace betwixt God and all them that will thorowly renounce their own righteousnâ—ss and lay hold
and the Son and the application of them is but their execution as to us and therefore seing such a City of Refuge is cast open to Man-slayers and Transgressors step humbly and boldly forward and run into it There is yet a 5th Objection which will possibly be sticking with some and it is this we know not whether we shall believe or not for we know not if we be in the Covenant or not I answer Would ye have thought that he who had committed Man-slaughter would have reasoned well if he had reasoned thus I know not if thâ—t City of Refuge was appointed or built for me and when the Gates of it were cast open should skar to enter in it on this account when it was told him that it was appointed for such Just so is it here And suppose one should say I cannot believe it is as if such a man should say I cannot I dow not run to the City nay rather though he had been feeble yet he would have creeped clinshed and cripled to it as he might Even so here in a word a man should not dispute whose name is in the Covenant but should step forward to the Shelter and Refuge as it is Heb. 6.18.19 where the Apostle borroweth the same similitude and says God hath confirmed his promise by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie that we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us Men in their Natural condition are compared to the Man-slayer lying under the stroak of the Law or under the hazard of being pursued by the Avenger of Blood Christ is compared to the City of Refuge and the heir of Promise being pursued what shall he do will his election simply save him no but he must flee unto Jesus Christ as to his City of Refuge And therefore by all means run and flee to him as having this fear least the Avenger of Blood pursue and overtake you and if ye cannot run so fast as ye would yet run as ye may and ye have this advantage that the City of Refuge is not far off it 's near you even at your Door as the Apostle speaks Rom 10. The word is near thee in thy mouth and in thine heart the criplest Body among you all has Christ at your door that ye may enter into him as into a City of Refuge and that he may come in and sup with you so that though ye cannot lift your feet so quickly in running to him if ye can but in good earnest roll your selves over upon him ye shall be safe Seing then that this way of Salvation is so full so free so equal and effectual take heed least ye prejudge your selves of it 2ly To press this yet a little further Consider what good reason ye have to run Take but this one word Ye are Sinners lying under the Curse and Wrath of God and have ye any other way of obtaining Pardon or of making your Peace and if ye believe that ye are Sinners and under the Curse is there not need that ye should run to a Shelter from it If we were preaching to Angels that had never sinned there might be some reason for their slighting or laying little weight upon such a word of exhortation but seing ye are Sinners and lyable to Gods Curse why do ye slight a Saviour having so much need of him 3dly Consider yet further that ye have encouragement to run and nothing to discourage you What prejudice is in believing There is no prejudice at all in this way but many advantages Doubtless Salvation will not fail them that believe Yea we may add from the words of the Text for encouraging to this that the man or woman that is sensible of sin and afraid of wrath hath the Covenant to look to for begetting and throughing the work of Faith in them with power for if it be true that all the midses are in the Covenant as well as the end and if we may lay weight on the Covenant for the effect to wit the pardon of sin and healing then we may also lay hold on the Covenant for furthering us to that effect I speak not this as if folk could of themselves act Faith on the Covenant before Faith be given them But I speak it to encourage young beginners that think they have no Faith at all that they may act what they have and may look more and more to the Covenant to be inlightened quickened and strengthened and that they may say with the poor man in the Gospel Lord I believe help my unbelief And with the Spouse Cant. 1 Draw me and We will run after thee 4. And finally for pressing of this consider the absolute necessity that ye are under of making use of this way of Salvation of getting your peace made by Christs satisfaction and your wounds healed by his stripes There is no mids but either ye must hazard on a reckoning with God on your own score or accept of his satisfaction There was never a Covenant made by God with Man but two a Covenant of Works for perfectly righteous folks by which Covenant no sinner was ever able to come to life And a Covenant of Grace wherein Christ is made sin for us and as many as flee by Faith unto him are made the righteousness of God through him and therefore either betake your selves to his way or resolve on compting with God your selves without a Mediator and Surety or if ye think it a fearful thing to compt thus with God and if it be certain that many have been condemned for taking the way of Works Let me earnestly intreat you to welcome and make more use of Christs righteousness for obtaining pardon of sin and peace with God This way will do your turn when the other will quite fail you But as for them who take this way I will adventure to say in his Name that as certainly as Christ was smitten as certainly shall pardon and healing come to them Even to as many as creep in to him and by believing lay hold on him And on the other side I say in the same name to all of you who take not this way of Salvation that ye shall most certainly be brought to reckon with God yuur selves without a Mediator and to undergo his curse according to the tenor of the Covenant of Works Thus this Text sets before you life and death God's blessing and God's curse Life and God's blessing if ye betake your selves to Christ as to your alone City of Refuge And death and God's fearful curse if ye do it not God himself make you wise to make the right choise SERMON XXV ISAIAH LIII VI Vers 6. All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all YE have in the Former Verses somewhat of our Lord's
are chargeable above and beyond others we will readily all grant that we are sinners but who of us will take with our particulâ—r and peculiar guilt that doth more easily beset us who amongst many are as Doves of the Vallies on the Mountains every one mourning for his own iniquity for his own Plague and Sore that by several circumstances may be aggreged as to its sinfulness beyond the sin of others Use 2. The second Use which is the scope serves to shew the exceeding greatness of Christs sufferings O! what a shock he was in when he had not only all the common sins of the Elect to satisfie for but when all their peculiar sins with their respective aggravations rendâ—zvouzed and trifted on him It serves likewise to exalt the free Grace of God and the condescendency of our blessed Lord Jesus who took in altogether in his making satisfaction for them when there were several sorts of them as if every one of the Elect had been set to invent a new sin what great and sore suffering was here when he condescended to drink the Cup that had the wonderful effects of all the sins of the Elect wrung into it when not only in gross he takes on the sins of the Elect but this and that mans particular sins which were all reckoned and summed on Christs account and for which he was made to satisfie and wherein Justice proceeded equally and equipollently this notably confirmed the reality of Christs satisfaction by suffering what all the Elect should have suffered eternally or the equivalent of it for if there had not been a proportional satisfaction in his sufferings wherefore serves such an enumeration of his sufferings Use 3. The third Use serves to lead us in to know how much we are in Christs Debt and what a great encouragement we have to believe and withall what notable ground of consolation Believers have I say 1. It shews how much we are in Christs Debt when we take a view of all our sins and consider that there was a particular view taken of them in the Covenant of Redemption not only all our common sins but even all the particular and peculiar sins of Believers were reckoned unto Christ the Cautioner and put on his account and he engaged to satisfie for all and pay the whole Reckoning doth it not lay a great obligation on us to him who counted for the least farthing of our Debt we like a pack of bank-rupt Dyvours did take on the Debt and the Accompt was put in his Hand not only as I just now said of all our common sins but of this and that particular sin with all their several aggravations and the sinful circumstances that did highten them and he satisfied for them all And of this we would take special notice for it may readily wrong us to look upon the Covenant of Redemption as a Bargain in gross there is a particularness in it to shew not only the soveraignty but the exactness of Justice and also the riches of Gods Grace and of the great condescendency of Christs love to elect sinners 2. It 's a great encouragement to believe for even these sins that would fright and skar serious and exercised Souls from coming forward to Christ were all compted on Christ's scorce and were all satisfied for by him 3. It 's a notable ground of consolation to Bâ—lievers when they are disposed and ready to think that their particular sins are insuperable and unpardonable they think that course might be taken with all their common evils but as for this most sinful and shameful unthankfulness this despising of his Grace this woeful Unbelief c. it stairs them in the face and they know not well how that will be got done away But Believers in Christ who are sorrowful and sadly perplexed on this account is that your own way it's transacted on Christs score with the rest every one of us hath turned to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all O! impregnable ground of strong consolation which is as good news from a far country a non-such cordial to a fainting soul 3. Observe here That a believing Elect or an elect Believer will not only be sensible of sin in the general but of his own particular and peculiar sinful way or thus it 's a good token when Folk look not only on sin in common but on their own peculiar sinful way or thus that Folk should consider their sinfulness not only in common but in particular with its several aggravations The Scriptures which we cited before do confirm this as Psal 18.23 I keeped my self from mine iniquity and 2 Chron. 6.29 where saith Solomon when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief or as it is 1 King 8.38 The plague of his own heart This implys these two things 1. A distinct aggravating of sin when a man not only looks on himself as a sinner but looks on his sin by reason of several aggravating circumstances as being above and beyond the sin of others and abhorreth and loatheth himself as the chief of sinners as David doeth when he saith Psal 51. Against thee thee only have I sinned he is not there extenuating his sin as if it were done only against God but aggreging his sin as the words following shew and I have done this evil in thy sight as if he had said thy concern in the matter doth most affect and afflict me Thou lovest truth or sincerity in the inward parts but I have been alace all this time jugling and greatly playing the Hypocrite which makes it to be a wonderful great evil and Psal 65.3 Iniquities prevail against me and as Paul doth who calls himself the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 So that Believeâ—s before conversion yea and in respect of their natural inclination even after their conversion are wofully inclined each of them to a sinful way of their own called Eccles 11. the way of a mans own heart And of this Believers would be sensible not only of their sinfulness in general and of their particular acts of sin but of their peculiar sinful acts and that for these ends or uses 1. It serves deeply to humble and to press forth to speak so Repentance When we consider our own way to be sinful beyond others and that such and such a man hath sinned but his sin hath not such aggravations as mine this makes the Soul to blush and to say as it is Psal 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassâ—d me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are moe then the hairs of mine head therefore my heart faileth me he wonders at himself how a man can be so given to sin and every day to add one new sinful step to another never to weary and give over this makes him to blush and to be ashamed as it is Ezek. 16.63 the remembering of common sins and
undergoing the Curse and Suffering that which the Elect should h ve suffered for It is not the work of a Court to pass a sentence but also to see to the execution of the sentence not only are orders given to the sword to awake and smite but the sword falls on and smites him actually and though from the apprehension of the anger of God as Man and without the sensible and comforting manifestation of his Fathers love and his seemingly forsaking him for a time He prayed Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me yet it will not be and he submits most sweetly to it and not only is the cup put in his hand but the dregs of wrath are as it were wrung out into it and he must needs drink it up all which manifestly kythes in his agony in the garden when he is made to sweat blood and in his complaint if we may so call it My soul is exceeding sorrowful and what shall I say and in these strange words uttered by him on the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me all which tell us plainly that not only was he enacted Sureâ—y and had the sentence past on him but that really he satisfied and had the sentence executed on him that in his Soul he was really pierced and wounded and that with far deeper wounds then these were which the Souldiers by the spear and nails made in his Body before the Elects discharge of their Debt could be procured and obtained What it was more particularly that he suffered the following words hold out But here it 's clear that he suffered really and suffered much that not only he undertook to pay but that he was actually pursued and made to lay down to the least Farthing whatever was due to Justice by the Elect And this is the cause why these words are brought in as the reason why he suffered so much even because so many and so great sins with all their aggravations were laid upon him and if his sufferings were not great and undergone for this end to satisfy for the Elects Debt that they might be set free the Prophets scope would not be reached neither would there be a suitable connexion betwixt the latter and the foregoing words As for the 2d To wit some Reasons of the Doctrine we shall shortly give you these three why the Elects sins were laid on Christ and put on his account and why he was made to underly the compleat punishment of them by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption 1. Because it did much contribute to the glory of God for he had designed in his eternal Council that his Grace should be glorified in the salvation of the Elect and that his Justice should also be glorified in punishing of sin either in themselves or in their Cautioner and as free Grace and Mercy must be glorious in saving the Elect and Justice in being satisfied for their sins so it 's to that end that since the Elect cannot pay their own Debt that their Cautioner pay it and pay it fully that the Lord in exacting satisfaction from him in their name may be known to be just 2. This way makes much for the confirmation of the Faith of the believing Elect and for their consolation for the confirmation of their Faith for what can Justice demand that it hath not gotten it is fully satisfied and then for their consolation seing the Father put his own Son to suffer and to so great suffering for them what is it that they may not confidently expect from such a Fountain 3. This serves to hold out the wonderful great obligation of the Elect to God and to the Mediator for the greater their sin was the more he suffered the greater their Debt was the more he payed and they are the more in his common and the greater Debters to him and ought the more to love him and their duty for his sake as it is said of the woman Luk. 7. She loved much for much was forgiven her so this way of paying the Elects Debt calls and strongly pleads and also makes way for much warm and tender love in them to Jesus Christ In the 3d. place We come to the Uses of the Doctrine To which I shall premit this word of desire to you That ye would not look on these things as tasteless or unsavoury for had we not had these precious truths to open up to you we should have had no meetings to this purpose no ground to speak of life to you nor any the least hope or expectation of life And indeed it may be sadly regrated that amongst a multitude of professing People these substantial truths of the Gospel are so wersh and little relishing to the most part which too evidently appears in the unconcerned wearying and gazing posture of some in the slumbering sleeping of others in our publick Assemblies If our hearts were in a right frame half a word to say so to this purpose would be a wakening and allaruming to us However this is a great priviledge in it self Heathens may and do know something of moral duties but it 's a priviledge which we have and they want that the fundamental truths of the Gospel are amongst us and not amongst them The 1. Use serves to let us see the brightness of the Glory of Grace and Truth of Mercy and Justice shining clearly here Can there be any greater mercy and more pure mercy than this that the Lord should be gracious to sinners and to great sinners rhat had turned every one of them to their own way in providing a Mediator and such a Mediator in providing such a help for them and laying that help upon one that is mighty and that he should have done this of his own head so to speak with reverence when the Elect were in their sins and when thâ—re was nothing to be the impulsive or meritorious cause of it And that the Father should have laid this weight of punishment on Christ the Son of his love and pursued him at this rate of holy severity for sinners debt O! what grace and mercy shines here And 2. The spotless Justice of God doth also here wonderfully manifest it self O! How exact is Justice when it will not quite a farthing even to the second Person of the Godhead when he became Man and man's Surety But since he hath put himself in the room of sinners The Lâ—ed maketh all their iniquities to meet on him This is matter of admiration to Men and Angels to consider how Justice and Mercy run in one Channel and shine in one Covenant the one of them not incroaching upon the other Use 2. We may gather from this same insight and clearness in the very great sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ For these things are here put together 1. That he suffered for all the Elect Us all 2. For all the sins of all the Elect and for all the sins of all
be done And so hotly and hardly was he pursued by Justice that he must needs come to the cursed death of the Cross and actually die And as if death had gotten a piece of dominion over the Lord of Life he is laid in the grave So Zech. 13. the Lord saith Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow smite the shepherd Where we see that when the good Shepherd and great Bishop of Souls hath undertaken for the Elects debt Justice gives a Commission as it were to its own holy revenge to pursue the man that is God's fellow for that debt That which we design to confirm in the Doctrine is not only that our Lord Jesus suffered but that his suffering was by Justice it's exacting of him the debt of the Elects sin according to the engagement that he came under to the Father For the scope is to shew not only that he suffered so great things as oppressed and brought him very low But also that he was put at by Justice in these sad sufferings to pay the debt that he had taken on For confirming and clearing of this a little ye may consider 1. The Titles which he gets in Scripture he is called the Cautioner or Surety of the better Testament or Covenant Heb. 7.22 And by that Title he is shewed to be instated in our room and answerable for our debt And he is called the Lamb that takes away the debt of our sin by the sacrifice of himself He steped in into our place and kept off the stroak of the Sword of Justice that would have lighted on us had he not interposed 2. Consider the Titles which his sufferings and death gets Heb. 9.12 He is said to purchase to wit by it eternal Redemption for us And Rom. 3.24 we are said to be justified through the Redemption that is in Jesus We were slaves to the Devil subject to the curse discerned and adjudged to suffer for the wrongs that we had done to Justice And his suffering is called Redemption because as the man that redeems the Captive gives a ransom for him so he interposed and payed a ransom for us It 's also called a propitiation 1 John 2.2 He is the propitiation for our sins to wit pleasing to God and accepted of him in the room of all the Elect And this word propitiation as it supposeth God's being displeased with the Elect before Christ's satisfaction so it plainly holds forth his being well pleased with them on the account of his satisfaction 3. Consider these Scriptures that speak not only of Christ's sufferings but of their end and scope even the drawing of him down to speak so into the Elects room as v. 5. of this Chapter He was wounded for our transgressions c. He got the stroaks and we got the cure 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God through him We are sinners and Christ is to purchase righteousness to us And the way how he doth it is by steping in into our room and becoming our Cautioner and he ingaging as Surety the Law wins at him on that ground so Gal. 3.13 He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us we were under the Curse and lyable to be pursued by it and our Lord Jesus becomes a Curse to deliver us from it Considering then the end of Gods Covenant which is to glorify his Justice aâ—d Grace that Sinners may know it is an evil thing to sin and depart from God and that Grace is a very costly thing whereunto he hath made access through the Vail which is his Flesh and considering Christs undertaking without which they could not be set free it could not be otherways This is a truth that hath in it much of the marrow of the Gospel and tends much to humble us and is also very much for our comfort What was Justice seeking of Christ when he suffered and was in an agony if thou beest a Believer or an elect Sinner it was even exacting thy Debt of him and would it not affect an ingenuous Debtor to see his Cautioner dragged haled and hurried to Prison for his Debt Even so if we could look on Christs Sufferings as so many Summons and Pursevants arresting him for our Debt it could not but affect us with much sorrow for our sins that brought him to this and with much love to him who was content to be so dealt with for them and no doubt this is one of the reasons why he will have his death remembered till he come again even that we may see our obligation to him and be suitably affected with it 2ly Observe That the Debt of the Elects sins was severely and with holy rigidity exacted of Christ to the very full worth or value this proceeding was as to Christ by way of Justice whether we look to the purchase that he made to wit the Elects Souls he laid down as good in their room or whether we look to a Transaction or Bargain going before whatever was in the stipulation he payed and satisfied to the full nothing was remitted nor given him down or whether we look to the Curse due to the Elect that was inflicted on him and he himself was made a Curse for us looking on the Curse simply as penal and what was bitter in it which shews his condescendency in his Sufferings so much the more 3ly Observe That our Lord Jesus was brought exceeding low while the Debt of the Elect was exacted of him He was put to exceeding sore affliction much straitned and stressed by the Justice of God exacting of him the Debt due by elect Sinners We spoke to some words before which bare out this as he was wounded bruised chastified c. and now we see the effect here when Justice puts him to it After he hath taken on the Debt he is tried stripped as it were to the skin punished and distressed ere he get it payed If we consider our Lord Jesus as God he is neither less nor more punished being so considered utterly incapable of any such thing But if we look on him as Mediator God-man God much withdrawing from him the influence of his comforting presence while he hath the cup of wrath in his hand so he is brought exceeding low and sadly afflicted And these four considerations under which we may see him paying our Debt may clear it 1. That he laid aside the glory which before the World was he had with the Father for a time which therefore that it may be restored to him again he prayeth John 17.5 it having been as to the manifestation thereof in his person eclipsed interrupted and darkened for a season hence the Apostle says Philip. 2. that he emptied himself and became of no reputation as if his glory had not been discernable for a time He that is Judge of Quick and Dead is himself
and yet that he got not that which he bought and seing the event tells plainly that all are not justified and brought to Heaven it cannot be that he laid down his life a Ransom for all but it must be for the Elect only that he died 2. To say that God exacts double payment of one and the self same Deâ—â— that he exacts from men over again that which Christ payed already for them reflects on the Justice and Wisdom of God and to say that a person that goes to hell shall be no less in his common then another that goes to Heaven is no less absurd for the Apostle says Rom. 5.10 If while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life where he plainly insinuates that if a person be bought by Christs death it cannot be that he can perish for if the price be payed by his death and so the greater thing be done much more will the lesser we shall be saved by his life now this reasoning could have no force if Christ died for any that shall perish yea vers 11. of this Chapter it 's said By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities where it 's clear that as many and no moâ— whose iniquities Christ hath taken on and born shall be justified for the one is given as a reason of the other and there should be no consequence to his justifying of them from his bearing of their iniquitries if he could by his death bear their iniquities whom he never justified A 6th ground is taken from the end of the Covenant which is to put a difference betwixt special Grace peculiar to some and severe Justice to others and particularly and especially in Christs death which makes out what we affirm for if when Christ died many were actually damned it cannot be said that he died for these not that it was with them as with Believers before his death for it cannot he said that the intention of his death in the Covenant could be beyond what it was at his death the one being the execution of the other And sure it could not be intended at his death for the damned For it would seem a very absurd thing to say that when Christ was to go and lay down his life that he was going to suffer for many that were suffering for their own sins in Hell as many reprobat sinners were before he came in the flesh Can any imagine a possibility of such a thing Our Lord was not to be so indifferent in the administration of Grace as to cast it thus away And can any reasonably think that at one and the same time the same punishment shall be exacted from Christ and from the persons themselves for whom he suffered It is possible that this could be intended in the Covenant of Redemption Or is there free access to Justice to pursue Christ as Cautioner when the Principal Debtor is actually siezed upon Indeed when the Principal is set free as the Elect were before his death there is access to pursue the Cautioner for their debt But no such thing can be alledged for others that were already damned But their being taken hold of by Justice is a proof that he answered not for them nor payed their debt 7. We may argue thus If Christ died for all then either for all indifferently and so all were alike obliged to Christ Or for some more absolutely that must be satisfied for and for others conditionally on supposition that they should believe But this last is absurd for 1. The Scripture makes not two considerations of Christs death 2. It were absurd to say that now it cannot be told whether Christ died for such an one or not 3. Either that condition is bought to them or not If it be bought then it must be fulfilled If it be not bought then 1. That person cannot be said to be bought because all needful for his Redemption is not bought and payed for 2. Either that condition can be fulfilled by themselves or not if it may be by themselves then is Free-will established and none are absolutely redeemed If it cannot be fulfilled by themselves and yet bought by him for them then they are determined for another end to wit not to get it and what wisdom can there be in such a Redemption as this The 1. Use serves for clearing and confirming of a Gospel truth of the Covenant of Redemption and for the refutation of a contrary error As we have somewhat of many errors practically in our hearts so have we this amongst the rest that Christ died for all sinners which fosters peoples security and their groundless hope of admission to Heaven But here we see that our Lord Jesus in laying down his life intended the satisfaction of Divine Justice for none but for his Elect people and if so there are many for whom he never intended the benefite of his death There are three particular Branches of the error which this Doctrine confutes 1. Their opinion which is more lax and takes in the sins of all men and women in the world and giveth them an equal share in Christs sufferings as if in his intention in laying down of his life and in Gods purpose he had suffered and died for all for him that goes to Hell as well as for him that goes to Heaven But if Christ stand as Cautioner for the Elect only then sure this opinion cannot hold for all are not Gods Elect And therefore all are not indifferently redeemed And though it may be that some of you think that this looks liker grace yet it s not only absurd as being contrary to truth but its absurd also even with respect to grace For 1. It makes grace a common thing a man that is in Hell to be as much obliged to Christ as one that is in Heaven And though it plausibly pretends to give grace abroad and large extent yet it takes away the power of it For if grace be thus largely extended it 's not grace that makes the application of grace but the free will of the Creature For grace according to this opinion leaves men to be saved or not as they please and leaves it self to be overcome by mans will And therefore these errours divide not but go together hand in hand For where grace is made so large free-will is made to have a dominion over it and thus the weight of grace and of election are laid upon it 2. It lessenâ—â— the estimation of Gods grace in the minds of people for thus they think little of Heaven and suppose that it is an easie matter to win at it and it breeds in them a fearlessness of Hell and of Gods Wrath And if many of you had not drunken in this errour practically ye would not be so confident of nor so obstinatly maintain your hope of Heaven without
ground Hence alace it is that many will say God is merciful and Christ died for all sinners and for me and so sleep it out in security I am perswaded that much of the security and presumption that abounds among carnal Professors is from this ground that grace is fancied to be thus broad and large We grant that as to the convey and nature of it it 's broad but in respect of the objects on whom it is bestowed it 's narrow though it cometh from large bowels 3. It exceedingly marrs and diminisheth mens thankfulness for when a mercy is judged to be common who will praise for it as he would do if it were special and peculiar That which is a great ground of thankfulness for Election Effectual Calling Justification c. is because these mercies are peculiar even so that which makes the redeemed thankful for Redemption is because they are redeemed and bought when others are left hence is that Song of the redeemed company Rev. 5.9 Thou art worthy to open the Book for thou wast stain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kind ed and tongue and people and nation It hightens not their praise that all of every kindred and tongue and nation were redeemed but this doth it that when the Lord had the whole world before him he was graciously pleased to purchase and redeem them out of it that as it is John 11.52 He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad They therefore I say bless him and wonder when they consider that they are pitched on who are by nature the same with these that are past by were a strange thing to affirm that they who are in Hell have as great ground of praise and of saying We thank thee for thou hast redeemed as by thy blood as these that are in Heaven have 4. This making of grace so wide and large in his extent as to take in all doth leave the people of God altogether comfortless But it may be here said How is it that it is more comfort to Believers that grace is peculiar in saving and that but a few are redeemed in comparison of others that are not redeemed then if we should extend it unto and account it to be for all Or how is this more comfortless to them that grace is made universal Answer 1. Because if it were universal many whom Christ died for are now in Hell and what consolation can there be from that A man may be redeemed and yet perish and go to Hell for all that But it 's strong consolation when this comes in If when we were enemies we were reconciled by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life If he died for us when we were enemies will he not much more save us being friends 2. Suppose a person to be in black nature what comfort could he have by looking on Redemption as universal He could not expect Heaven by it for many expect Heaven on that ground who will never get it But it 's a sort of consolation even to them that are without to consider that Redemption is peculiar to some For though all get not Heaven yet they that believe get it and so upon their closing with Christ the consolation presently flows out unto them Whereas if they should lay it for a ground that Christs death were universal they could never have solid ground of consolation by flying to him 5. This errour doth quite overturn and enervat the whole Covenant of Redemption and peculiar love 1. It enervats and obscures the wisdome that shines in it if Christ may buy and purchase many by his death who shall yet notwithstanding perish 2. It enervats and obscures the love and grace that shine in it for it makes Christ to cast away the love and grace of it to reproâ—â—e and â—o to cast pearls to swine 3. Tâ— obscures the freedom of it which â—â—y tâ—â—â— in his taking of one and refusing another as it is Rom. 9.11 12. The children not being yet born and having done neither good nor 〈◊〉 that thâ— pâ—â—pose of God according to election might â—â—â—â—d 〈◊〉 of works but of 〈◊〉 that calleth it was said the elder shall serve the 〈◊〉 as it is written Jacob have I loved and Esaâ— have I hated 4. It obscures the Justice of it if he should but all and yet get but som for it being the design of God to inflict on Christ the curse that was due to sinners and to spare them if this should be the result of it that many for whom he died and took on him the curse should pâ—rish he should get but some of these whom he bought and Justice should twice exact satisfaction for one and the same debt once of the Surety and again of the Principal Debtor that perisheth Whereas when Christ becomes Surety they are set free for whom he was â—urety and it is Justice that it should be so We do the rather insist in the refutation of this errour because this is a time wherein it is one of the Devils great designs which he drives to trouble the clear Springs of the Gospel and to revive this errour amongst the rest And there is something of it in these poor fool Bodies who speak so much of a light within as if all were alike and had something which if they use well they may get life by This error alwayes leaves men to be Masters and Carvers of Gods Decree and of Christs purpose and design in the work of Redemption and suspends the benefit of his death mainly if not only on the consent of mans free-will A 2d Branch of the errour which this Doctrine refutes is that which is vented by some who are not professed enemies but in other things deserve well of the Church of Christ which therefore should be our grief to mention And it is this that though Christ hath not simply purchased Redemption from sin to all men that yet he hath taken away from all the sins of that first Covenant of Works as if there were as they say no sin for which men are now condemned but the sin of infidelity or unbelief But this is dangerous for iâ— If this be true that Christ's death is only a price for the sins of the Elect then there are no sins of others reckoned on his score 2. It halveth Christs purchase and hardly will we find Christs death divided which were to say that he hath bought a man in part or haâ—f from wrath and not wholly such a dividing of Christ and halving of his death seems not consistent with the strain of the Gospel for as there is one Sacrifice so there is one account on which it is offered 3. It seems to infer a good and safe condition to all them that die without sinning against the Gospel and so to Infants born out of the Church that never sinned against the Covenant of Grace
serious thoughts of your Souls estate or of the necessity of making sure your Peace with God I beseech you lay to heart your Condition and bewar of trampling the Blood of the Covenant under your Feet let not the Grace that is offered to you in this Gospel be heard and received in vain but by the acknowledgement of Sin and of Gods Justice to which ye are lyable for the same timously betake your selves to Christ's Suffering for a shelter from the Wrath of God that will be as a Storm against the Wall Thus we press as the great Use of this Doctrine upon you that ye improve the Cup of Wrath that the Mediâ—tor hath Drunken for your exempting from the Curse that is due to you and that Cup that ye deserved to have Dâ—unken Eternally 2. For you who under the Conviction of Sin are looking towards Christ let me intreat you not to stay on this side of the City of refuge but step forward and improve this Soul-travel of the Lord for your Spiritual Ease Setlement Quiet and Comfort as well as from keeping you from Wrath otherwayes it will bring bitternesse in the End If ye make not use of Christ's Sufferings if ye betake not youâ— selves to Him and do not trust Him for Justification and Life ye will make your selves guilty oâ— His Blood and will be found traders of it under Foot And therefore let me here speak a Word to the Second thing proposed That is the Grounds or Reasons or Motives that should press you to make Use of these Sufferings and of the Grounds of Faith that they hold out unto you And 1. In General let me ask Is there not need that ye should do so Is there not Guilt and hazard of Wrath because of Guilt and if â—o Why stand ye at a distance â—rom the Saviour If it were Sinless Saints and Angels that were exhorted to make Use of H m it would be the leâ—s wonder that there were so little thinking of a Mediator but when it is Sinners that are called upon and Sinners in such eminent hazâ—rd it 's indeed a wonder that there iâ— not greater flocking unto Him and pressing on Him If there had noâ— been need would the Father have so pursued the Son or do ye think that it was for a Complement that He laid down His Life Which sure He would not have done if Salvation could have been had another way 2dly And more particularly As ye would consider the marvellous Grounds that He hath laid down for Faith to rest upon so ye would consider the many Motives that ye have to press you to rest on these Grounds which we shall draw to these Four 1. The Fulness and Sufficiency of the Ground that is given to Faith in Christs Sufferings which the deeper they draw on His Soul Faâ—th hath the Fuller and Better Ground to make Use of them 2. The Power and Ability that are Conspicuously in Him to make Application of His Purchase He hath encountered Wrath and hath overcome He is Absolved and Justified before God and is exalted to be a prince and a saviour to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins And having Satisfied Justice and defeated the Devil and being thus exalted He can bring through and land fate such Sinners as betake themselves to Him And these two to wit A sufficient Price payed for the Debt of the Elect And a sufficient Prince and Saviour able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through Him and who is Exalted and sitteth at God's Right Hand to make Intercession for us as they are a solid Ground for Faith to rest on so a strong Motive to press believing 3. The great Faithfulnesse of God that Brightly Shines and Wonderfully appears here who according to the Covenant sends His Son and pursues the Quarrel against Him and in so doing keeps the Promise made to Abraham And the great Faithfulnesse of the Meadiator in coming and performâ—ng all that He undertook for the Elect Both of them are so faithfull in performing all that was Covenanted to the least ioâ—a thereof as is evidenâ— by what our Lord sayes I have finishâ—d the work which thou gavest me to do Seing therefore there is such exact Faithfulnesse in Keeping and Fulfilling of all that passed in the Covenant of Redemption and of all that was Promised to the Fathers And seing the Mediator hath said that of all that come unto him he will cast out none nor put thâ—m away is there not here a strong Motive to believing Will not the Lord Jesus be as Faithfull in keeping the Promise made to Comers unto Him as the Faâ—her and He have been in performing of what was Covenanted concerning their Redemption The 4th Is the great Love of God and of the Mediator that eminently shined here in their willingness to make the Application As He is Faithfull so is He willing to be imployed and what greater evidence of Love would we have then this That Our Lord Jesus hath delighted so much in the Salvation of Sinners that He laid down His Life and endured much more Soul travel for this very End We beheld sayes John Chap. 1.14 his glory the glory as of the only begotten Son of the Fatherfull of grace and truth In His Humiliation He was G orious in both these Glorious in His Truth making His Faithfulnesse to shine in exact keeping of what was Aggreed upon and Promised Glorious in His Grace to poor Sinners in making Application of His Purchase Freely and Fully yea the more that He was obscured by His Humiliation the more did His Grace shâ—ne forth how much more Gloriâ—us will He be in these when He is now exalted 3dly If these two perswade you not to believe on Him To wit the Grounds that He hath given for belâ—eving and the powerfully pressing Moâ—ives to make Use of these Grounds consider the absolute necessity that ye lye under of making use of these Grounds without which ye will never be able to shift the Wrath of God Is there any that can give God a Recompence The redemption of the Soul is precious and ceases for ever as to you Or if any could have been able Why did the Mâ—diâ—tor come thus low And where should have been the Glory of Grace and Truth that hath shined so Radiantly in His Sufferings And therefore from all these be exâ—orted to give Him the Credit of your Sâ—lvation by making Use of His Righteousnesâ— and by founding your Plea before God on His Sufferings as ever ye would have your Souls saved Otherwayes ye can expect nothing but to fall under the Rigour of Justice and to be made to satisfy for your own Debt to the uttermost farthing and when will that be Darâ— the most innocent amongst you step in to satisfy Justice for themselves if not is there not a necessity to make Use of His Sufferings for that End Which He haâ—h made attainable by His Tearing of the Vail of His
And this is summed up in these Words He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied Upon which two stands the Covenant of Redemption And hence it is That all things relating to the Salvation of the Elect are to sicker and fiâ—m that there is no possibility of the misgiving or failing of whatever is here transâ—cted upon We have spoken somewhat of the Price which the Son the Mediator was to give and of the Soul-travel which He underwent in the paying of it We shall now speak of the Words as they hold out thâ— Promises made to the Mediator and it 's two fold 1. He shall see of the travel of his soul Which Words being an Explication of the former and looking also to these which follow there is a Word to be supplied which will â—â—k in both and it is fruit He shall see the fâ—uit of the travel of his soul That is He cannot but have a Seed and a numerous off-spring because of His Soul-travel in bringing them Forth and so the Promise in this respect shews the certainty of the eff ct that is that He shall most certainly bring forth in H s travelling The 2. Promise is That He shall see the Fruit of His Soul-travel or His Seed It 's much to have a Seed but it 's more to see it it 's not only this That Christ shall have a numerous Isâ—ue but that He shall Out-live Death to see and over-see and be a a Tuâ—or to them though by His Death He Purchase Life to them We shall from the first Promise take two Observations The 1. is this That our Lord Jâ—sus by His Suffering and Soul travel shall câ—rtainly attain the Fruit He aims at in it His Death and Sufferings shall not be Fruitless but shall certainly have the intended Fruit Whatever we take the Fruit to be whether we take it our of the former Words it 's a Seed that he shall see or have Or whether we take it out of the following Words It 's the Justifying of many Both these come to the same thing and it shall certainly come to pass and be made effectuall in the Up-shot of it As the Lord Himself sayeth John 12.24 Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth muâ—h fruâ—t Where He compares His own Death to the sowing of Seed which when sown doth rot and then springs up and hath Fruit so as if He had s id my Death shall be a Seed or Seed-time whereon abundant Fruit shall follow for the Good and Salvation of many This Doctrine supposes 1. That our Lord Jesus had a respect in the laying down of His Life to the Salvation of Hâ—s own Elect People or thus that our Lord Jesus in the laying down of His Life had a designe and purpose to save the Elect as often He saith I lay down my life for my sheep And here they are called a Seed and Fruit and such as are Justified in due time 2. That this purpose should by His Sufferings be certainly made effectual this being the Fathers Promise to Him He shall see His seed or the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied It cannot be frustrated And we may furder confirm it from these Grounds 1 Because it is a Covenanted and Transacted business betwixt the Father and the Son and is here Promised If therefore there cannot be a failling of the Transaction and Bargain it must certainly have the full effâ—ct 2 Because the Mediator hath faithfully â—ulfilled His part of the Covenant And if He haâ—h been so faithfull on His side Then Jehovah on the other side of the Covenant who hath in it promised Satisfaction to Him for the travel of His Soul cannot but perform His part also The Mediator performed His Part even till it câ—me to these sweet Words uttered by Him on the Cross It is finished And therefore as I said the other part That he shall see the fruit of his Soul-travel must also be performed 3. It 's also clear from the End and Designe of the Covenant of Redemption betwixt the Father and the Son and of Christs laying down His Life which was to bring about Life unto and to make it forthcoming for all them that the Father had given Him and to and for no more nor to and for no fewer Therefore He saith All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me And I give them eternal life and will raise them up at the last day Now this being the End of the Covenant and of Christs Death and the mean whereby the Glory of Grace is manifested that Life might not only be Purchased to the Elect but also actually conferred on them according to the Fathers and the Mediators designe in the Covenant Christ Jesus cannot but have the Promise made good unto Him there being an engadgement of and on the God-head to speak after the manner of Men as to the Reality Certainty and Success of the performance and for making out this Promise to the Mediator The 1. Use Serves for Instructing and Clearing of us in several things contraverted by unsound men For if this be a Truth That our Lords Sufferings and Soul-travel cannot but have Fruit and the Fruit that He aimed at therein then 1. There is a definit particular and certain number Elected to partake of the Benefit of Christ's Sufferings because there is only such a particular number that is given to Christ to be Redeemed by Him and that do actually partake of the Benefit of His Sufferings which cannot fail 2. That Christ's Sufferings are not intended as a Price and Satisfaction for the Sins of all and every one for so He should not see the Fruit of the Travel of His Soul but should in a great part miss and loss it if He had intended that the Travel of His Soul should have been undergone for Judas as well as for Peter 3. There is here a Ground for the Certainty and Efficacy of the Grace of God in converting Elect Sinners for Christ Jesus cannot loss these who are committed to Him to be Redeemed more then He can loss the Fruit of His Suffering then sure Faith is not left pendelous on Mans Free-will but is put out of question as to all His own through His undertaking As He saith That no man can come to me except the Father draw him so He saith These that are given me shall and must come to me There is a Put or Powerful Draught of the Spirit of God which is nothing else but the efficacy of His Grace by which this is made infrustrably sure and not left contingent 4. See here the Truth of the Perseverence of Elect and Regenerat Saints who are appointed to be the Fruit of His Soul-travel and a Satisfaction to Him for the same For if they should fail and not persevere to the End The Promise here made to the Mediator should be cast loose and not
be necessarily performed and fulfilled 5. See here how the Salvation of Elect Sinners depends on the ingadgement betwixt God and the Mâ—diator Their Redemption depends on Hâ—s paying of the Price and their attaining the benefit of it depends on God's ingadgement to the Mediator Therefore we are said 1 Pet. 1. To be keeped by the power of God through faith unto salvation It serves withall to clear the Soveraignity of God and the Freenesse of His Grace when Sinners cannot pretend to have any hand in the Work to mar the Beauty and Efficacy of Grace that shine therein Use 2. There is here 1. something for the incouragement of such as would fain believe in Christ And 2. Somewhat for Comfort to and for Confirmation of them who have betaken themselves by Faith to Christ 3. It serves withall to incourage them who would be at believing and find difficulty in the way while they are breathing after Him It 's certainly promised that He shall have a seed and shall see of the fruit of the travel of his soul such therefore may expect that they shall come speed who would fain be at that which is the fulfilling of Gods ingadgement to the Mediator for it was Transacted in the Covenant of Redemption that His Suffering should be for the good of Elect Sinners and that the Father should make Application of His Purchase made thereby to them I say 2dly It serves to Comfort Incourage and Confirm such as are fled to Christ and find their own difficulty how to win through for they haye a good Cautioner to make out their Faith and what concerns their Salvation Gods Promise to the Mediator shall not be for nought nor in vain but shall have it's accomplishment if poor sinners were leâ—t to their own guiding the bargain should never take effect nor be made out but it may incourage and comfort the poor Believer though it should also humble him that the business is put in another and better hand then his own This hath strengthened the wavering hearts of many Believers before that both sides of the Covenant as to their forth-coming and performance depend on the Father and on the Mediator the Mediator undertaking the payment of their Debt and the Lord Jehovah undertaking to draw them in to the Mediator and by His Power to bear them through till they get all that the Mediator hath Purchased for them conferred on them 2dly Observe That all the benefits and advantages that any have ever gotten or shall get that lead to Life Eternal and which concurr to promove the Work of their Salvation are the Fruits of Christ's Purchâ—se by His Soul travel is a Sinner brought to Bâ—lieve I 's a Fruit of His Suffering iâ— a Siâ—neâ— Glorified It 's the Fruit of the same And therefore when in the one woâ—d it is said He shall see his seed It 's â—aid in the next word He shall see of the fruit of the travel of his soul To shew that a Souls ingadging to Christ by Faith wherebâ— the Person becomes one of His Seed flows from His Suffering and is a Fâ—uâ—t of the Travel of His Soul As it is 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God thâ—ough him or in Him Where our righâ—eousness and what conduces to our Juâ—â—ification is derived from His being made Sin or a Sin-offâ—ring for us And Gal. 3.13 It ' said that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on us gentiles Whatever is comprehended under that Bâ—essing as taking in both the l nd aâ—d Meâ—ns by which we come by it flows from His being a curse for us and from His being brought under sad Suffering and sore Soul-travel for us In this Doctrine ye would consider something for clearing of it or rather take the Doctrine it self several wayes and it will help to clear it elf 1. Then when we speak of the Fruit of Ch ists Sufferings we mean not only tâ—at our Justification the Pardon of ouâ— Sins and our entry into Heâ—ven are Fruâ—ts of it But that our Believing Repenâ—ance Holâ—ness and every thing that leads thereunto are Fruits of it also Therefore it 's promised to Christ Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power And that these that are given to Christ shall come is a Promise â—s well as it 's a Promise that these that come shall be Justified and the one foâ—lows upon Christs Ingaging and performing of the Ingagement as well as the other 2. If we take the Doctrine thus That there is nothing thaâ— a Sinner gets that leads to Life and Salvâ—tion but it 's a Fâ—uit of Christ's Purchase We get neither Repentance nor Faith nor Holiness nor any other such thing but on the account of Christs Satisfaction Or 3dly Take it thus Whatever is needfull for compleating of them that are Châ—ists Seed whom He hath Purchased whatever they want or stand in need of whether Righteousness Holiness Repentance Faith Hâ—pe c. All are purchased by Him and are the Fruits of His Death and Souâ—-travel This riseth clearly from the Words He shall see of the fruit of the travel of his soul That is He shall see Sinners believing on Him and repenting for sin as well as Hâ— shaâ—l see them Glorified which will be clear if we consider these two Reasons 1. The nature of the Covenant wherein all the Promises concerning Sinners Salvation are comprehended there being but one Covenant of Redemption and that being a Promise of this Covenant to circumcise the heart to love God and to writ his law in it as well as to pardon Sin and all the Promises of the Covenant depending on Christs Sâ—ipulation and these things in the Promises flowing from the Covenant betwixt God and the Mediator Sinners can have no Right to any thing that is Promised but by a. Covenant neither can they have any access to them but through Christs Suffering 2. It 's clear from the End of the Covenant that whatever Sinners have need of they must be in Christs common for it now if we had Faith or Repentance or any other Grace from our selves or on our own account we should not be in His Debt and Common for all that we need as indeed we are according to that 1 Cor. 30 31. He is made of God unto us wisdom to be our Guide and Teacher righteousness to be our Justifier and the meritorious Cause of it sanctification To be the Worker and the Procurer of it and in a Word compleat Redemption and this is subjoyned as the Reason of all That he that glories or rejoyces may glorie or rejoyce in the Lord that is Whether there be a looking to Faith or Repentance or any other Grace there may be no cause to be Vain or Proud of it but that knowing these to be from Christ and
the Majesty of God It would say this to you let not Our Lord Jesus rue of His Sufferings for as many as hear of this Offer and do not credit Him with their Souls they do what they can to make Him repent that ever He became Man and Suffered so much when He is thus shifted and unkindly requited by them to whom He makes the Offer and this is very home and urgent pressing of the necessity of making use of Him when such an Argument is made use of for thus it stands with you and His Offer speaks this Either make use of Christ and of His Soul-travel for saving of your Souls that so He may be satisfied or if ye slight Him ye not only destroy and cause to perish your own Souls but ye refuse to Satisfie Chirst for His Soul-travel and do what in you lyes to marr and defeat the End and Designe of His Sufferings and is not this a great and strongly pushing dilemma The result of your receiving or rejecting of Christ will be this if ye receive Him ye satisfie Him if ye reject Him ye say ye are not content that He should be satisfied and what can be expected to come of it when Christ Suffered so much and when all that was craved of you was to make use of Him and when it was told that that would satisfie Him and yet that was refused What a horrible challenge will this be in the Great Day And therefore to presse this Use a little we shall shew you here 1. What it is that we exhort you to And 2. What is the force of this Motive 1. We would commend to you in general that ye would endeavour the Salvation of your own Souls This is it He cryes to you Prov. 1.22 How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and ye scorners delight in scorning turn ye at my reproof c. He aims at this that ye should get your Souls saved from Wrath and this should not be prejudicial nor at the long run unsatisfying to your selves and it will be very satisfying to Him 2. It is not only to aim at Salvation simply but to aim at it by Him to aim at Pardon of Sin and Justification through His Righteousnesse and Satisfaction And that ye would bring no other Argument before God to plead upon for your Peace with Him but this and that ye would aim at Holinesse as a Fruit of His Death He having purchased a peculiar people to himself to be zealous of good works As it is Tit. 2.14 And that ye would aim to do holy Duties by His strengthning of you and that ye would live by Faith in Him which is your victory over the world and the very Soul of the practice of all holy Duties And 3. That ye aim to have a Comfortable Refreshfull and Chearfull Life in Him and by what is in Him as if it were your own it being legally yours by Faith in Him To be stoping your own mouth as having nothing in your selves to boast of and as I just now said to be chearing and delighting your selves from that which is in Him And as it is Psal 147. Even to be hoping in his mercy In a word It is to be studying peace with God through Him to be studying Holiness in His strength and to be studying a Comfortable and Chearfull walk through the grounds of joy that are given you in Him which is very reasonable would ye then do Him a favour and have Him Delighted and Satisfied do but this give Him your Souls to be saved by Him in His own way come to Him sensible of Sin and founding your Peace on Him though weak in your selves yet strong in Him On whom as the mighty one God hath laid help And studying holiness in His strength drawing vertue from Him only to moritify your lusts That it may be known that Christ hath died and is Risen again because Grace shines in such a Person And be Comforted in Him He that glories let him glorie in the Lord having given up with Creature-comforts and Confidences with your own Gifts Parts Duties c. And having betaken your selves to the Peace Strength and Consolation that are in a Mediator and which run through the Covenant of Grace and flow forth from Him as the Fountain from whom all the Grace and Comfort that come to us are derived 2dly For the force of the Motive consider seriously if this be not a pinching strait that ye are put to if this be it wherein Our Lords Satisfaction lyes and wherein the Salvation and Edification of your own Souls consist we pose you if it be any great difficult or unreasonable thing that is called for from you and if the Motive whereon it is prest be not most just and reasonable that these who have or profess to have the Faith of this that it will be Satisfaction to Him for all His Soul-travel that Sinners make use of Him should yeeld it to Him And whether in the Day of the Lord it will not be a most hainous shamefull and abominable Guilt that when the business of your own Salvation stood on this even on your Satisfying of Christ by yeelding ye refused disdained and scorned it and would not make use of Him for your Peace and would noâ— in His strength study Holiness though your own Souls should never be saved nor He satisfied or His Soul-travel This of all other Challenges will be the sharpest and most bitting and upon the other hand it may be most comforting to a poor bodie that is sensible of Sin and afraid of Wrath is there or can there be hazard to do Christ a pleasure by believing on Him It 's a thing delightsome to Him and therefore let this be one great Motive to press believing in Christ among the rest which though it be cross and thwarting to the unbelieving heart and may look like presumption to look a Promise in the Face and to offer to make application of it to the poor Sinners self Yet seing it's a thing so pleasing to Christ that it satisfies Him for all His Sufferings essay it upon this very account remembring alwayes that He delights in them that hope in his mercy and to him be praise for ever SERMON XLVIII ISAIAH LIII XI Vers 11. He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisâ—â—â—d by his knâ—wledge shall my righteous servant justifie ma y for he shall bear their iniquities IT 's a great Work that Our Lord Jesus hâ—th undertaken in Satifying the Juâ—tice of God for the Sins of tâ—e Elâ—ct and He hath at a dear Raâ—e and with great Expence and Travel performed it Now it is but reason that He should again be satisfied that so Jehovah's Satisfaction and the Mediator's Satisfaction may go together and that is the thing that is promised here in these Words What this Satisfaction is which is promised to Him as the great thing in which He delights and by which He
His Sufferings if this Covenant had not been which gives them warrand to lay hold on the same Ere Faith can Act on Christs Sufferings it must have this Ground laid down That it hath a warrand by Vertue of this Covenant to lay hold on them 3. The knowledge and offer of this Mysterious Contrivance of Grace is also necessary and doth concur to bring about the Freedom This must be manifested that there is such a Saviour such a Satisfaction and such a Covenant wherein the Ground is laid down and a Warrand given by Vertue of this Covenant to make Use of Christ's Satisfaction and to come by the Benefit of it This is implyed in that Word His knowledge So Rom. 10. It 's said How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard which sayes plainly That there can not be Faith except knowledge preceed I observe this the rather because many think to come to Heaven without Knowledge and so continue still in their Ignorance But ere their can be sound Faith there must necessarly be some measure of Knowledge of these things that are necessary to be known As that we are Sinners and that we are lost in our selves That Jesus Christ is the alone Propitiation for Sin and that according to the Covenant of Grace they that believe on Him shall be Absolved and set Free 4. There is a concurring of Faith for taking hold of this Benefit of Offered-salvation through Christ how Faith concurres with Christs Satisfaction in order to the making of our Peace with God We shall not now stand to speak particularly only in general it is by His Knowledge that it Justifies For though He have sufficient Righteousnesse and though the Covenant give warrand to take hold of it yet if there be not an actual taking hold of it It will not profit us Therefore Rom. 3.22 and 9.30 It is called The righteousness which is by faith in him And Rom. 4.5 The Apostle saith To him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted to him for righteousness It is not Faith without it's Object Christ nor the Object Christ without Faith But it is Faith taking hold of Him as it's Object by which we have access to plead for Absolution without Christ our Faith will do us no good and without Faith Christ will not profit us For without Faith we have no Title to Christ And each of these would be put in their own Room and Place Christ in His Room and Faith in it's Room as the condition on which His Purchase is made offer of to us More particularly Let me First consider the Title that Christ gets in these Words He is called the Lords Servant and His Righteous servant 1. As for Servant It looks to Him as Mediator as this whole Chapter with Chapter 42.1 and 52.13 do abundantly clear Christ Jesus then as Mediator is the Lords Servant or He in performing the Office of Mediator is His Fathers Servant so the Lord calls Him Psal 89.19 When He says I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have found David my servant c. For He is there speaking of Jesus Christ with whom the Covenant of Grace as with the head of the Confederated Party is principally made It imports these Four which may be as so many Reasons of this Designation 1. An Humiliation and Inferiority in respect of God as it 's said Phil. 2. He humbled himself and became of no reputation In which respect He Himself sayes that the Father is greater then he And that He is sent That He came not to do his own will but the will of him that sent him This holds forth a great Wonder in the dispensation of Grace That the Fathers Fellow and Equal He that was Lord and Master of all should become a Servant in the Work of Redemption for the saving of Souls This must sute be a great Work wherein the Son becomes a Servant As it must be a greater Wonder that Grace so far condescended as to make Him who is the Prince of Life to become a Servant And we would look at it as a much greater and far more momentuous business then we use to do to get a Soul saved 2. It imports His Prerogative as being Singularly and Eminently Gods Servant He is called Heb. 13.20 The great shepherd So may He be called the great Steward and Deputy over all the Lord's House So then He is a Singular Choise and Non-such Servant Behold sayes Jehovah Isa 42.1 My servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth Though all be Gods Servants yet in this respect He is Singularly and Solly a Servant as He is Great Lord Deputie made head over all things to the Church who was before all things and is preferred to all things This is very Comfortable to Believers to consider that though Our Lord Jesus be a Servant yet He is a Choice and Singular Servant Administrator and Steward for their Good it being for them that He becomes a Servant 3. It imports the particular Task or Work that is laid on Him and the Commission that He hath gotten to follow forth and prosecute that Work which is the main Reason of this Designation of a Servant Because He is intrusted with carrying on the Great Work of the Redemption of Elect Sinners Therefore He sayes I came not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me and to finish his work And I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Because He is particularly intrusted with the bringing about of that Work He hath gotten so many given Him to Redeem and Save to whom He is appointed a Shepherd a Head and Overseer or Bishop Therefore He calls Himself the good shepherd And is called by the Apostle the Shepherd and Bishop or Overseer of Souls And of all that are given Him He loseth none but maketh accompt of them all And this is yet more Comfortable when we consider that Christ is not a Servant simply but a Servant Commissionat to gather in Souls to bring home the lost Sheep of the House of Israel This is His Office and Service even to satisfie for the Sins of such to destroy the power that the Devil hath over them and so subdue Sin in them 4. It imports this that the Work which He performs in the Redeeming of Souls is so acceptable to God and doth so mightily concur and Co-operat to the promoving of His Design that the Lord owns every thing that He performs as performed by His Great Ambassadour and by Him who hath the Trust of all the affairs of His House committed to Him So that Our Lord Jesus in performing the Work of Redemption cannot but be acceptable to Jehovah because it is a performing of that with which He hath intrusted Him Therefore John 4. He sayes that it is his meat to do his fathers will and to finish His Work And to this
will O! my God By which will saith the Apostle we are sanctified And had there not been such a Will His Sufferings had not been usefull to us 3. Consider the Offer that is made in the Gospel to Sinners which is the object of our Faith For the Covenant of Redemption is not the Ground and Object of our Faith though it clears the Ground and Reason of our Faith but it 's Gods Offer in the Gospel according to that place Mark 16.15 16. Go ye and preach the gospel to every creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved He warrands them to go and make it known to all to whom they shall Preach that there is Remission of Sinâ— to be had through Faith in Christ and this is a Ground to Faith when God makes offer of Christ's Satisfaction in the Gospel on condition that we believe and accept of Him When we by Faith close with the offer it gives us as it were an Assignation to Christs Purchase The Gospel sayes as Paul doth Acts 13.38 Be it known to you that through this man is preached to you remission of sins and by him all that believe are Justified And Faith consents to that as giving God credit and accordingly closes with and rests upon it as the ground of it's Plea before God So that when the Question comes to be asked What have ye to Answer the Law and to pay your Debt with Faith or the believing Sinners Answers I have nothing of my own but there is a Satisfaction in Christ according to the Covenant of Redemption which is holden out and made offer of to me in the Gospel and is given and allowed to me for defence against what the Law or Justice can say And I betake me to that And this is the native and kindly Act of Faith in Justification when it makes use of this Defence and Trusts to it alone This is even it that Paul hath Philip. 3.9 compared with v. 8. I count all things loss that I may win Christ and be found in him That when it shall be asked Paul where art thou I may have it to say I am here Lord even in Christ and in His Righteousness this is the ground of his Plea having given up with his own Righteousnesse as to his Justification before God and he will have no other defence but that 4. Consider the end of all these to wit of Christ's Sufferings of the Covenant of Redemption and of the Offer of the Gospel It 's the Praise of the Glory of His Grace that God may make it known that He is Gracious and freely Gracious without respect to any thing in in the Sinner This End is not only set out in these two peaces put together one is Rom. 3.26 To declare I say his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus That he might be Just That is one that will fulfill His threatnings and therefore He hath provided One to Satisfie His Justice and One that is Faithfull in keeping His Promises and therefore He is the Justifier of them that believe in Jesus The other place is Ephes 1.6 Where when the Apostle hath spoken of Election Predestination and Adoption he sets down the end of all to wit To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved And this is a Ground that makes all sure For God cannot fail to Justifie the Sinner that believeth in Christ as He is offered in the Gospel because that is the very end of His Justifying Sinners the Praise of the Glory of Grace which He will not miss but most certainly and infrustrably come by The Uses are 4. in general The 1 whereof is for Information and it 's such a Lesson of Information as without it all the Preaching of the Gospel is to no purpose and the hope of Eternal Life were utterly desperat if such a Doctrine were not in the Gospel that through Faith in Christ a Sinner may be Justified would any know then how they may be Absolved this Answers the Question and tells us that it is through Faith in Christs Righteousness and no other way And if we digestedly believed the former two Doctrines 1. That we must all come before the tribunal of God And 2. That we are all obnoxious to the Curse of God we would think this were a very concerning Question to be put how such a guilty Sinner may be Absolved and Justified And indeed if we be not clear in this point It 's as to any Fruit in vain for us to Preach and for you to hear or to think of coming to Heaven Which is in a Word that a Sinner through resting on Christs Righteousness according to the Covenant of Grace may come to be absolved and fred from the Guilt of Sin and from the Curse as if he had never sinned nor been lyable to that Curse For further clearing of this Use Consider 1. What Justification is 2. What we mean by Faith And 3. What are the Causes of this Justification spoken of in the Text. 1. By Justification in this place is not to be understood the making of a Person perfectly holy nor to have Grace infused into him for that is Sanctification But it is to be absolved and declared free in respect of the Guilt of Sin and of the Curse as if a Man had never Sinned As it 's said Ephes 1.6 Wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved It 's an Act of Gods free Grace whereby our Sins are pardoned and we accepted as Righteous in His sight c. as our Catechisme hath it as if our Sin had never been 2. When we speak of Faith we mean not a General Historical Faith that Devils or Reprobat Men may have and whereby an assent of the Judgement is given to the Truths of the Word though indeed Justifying Faith doth presuppose that neither by Faith do we mean such a Faith whereby a man doth at the very first believe that he is Pardoned and which puts away all doubting and lifts him in his own conceit to the hight of assurance about the obtaining of the thing It 's the Antinomian presumption to believe at first hand that I am Justified and Pardoned But it 's such a Faith that takes hold of Christs Righteousness made offer of in the Gospel that I may obtain Justification and pardon of Sin through Him According as it 's said Gal. 2.16 We believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ It 's an actuall closing with the offer of Christs Righteousnesse and a submitting to the terms of it for Justification The Souls founding of all it's defence before God on Christs Righteousnesse and Purchase offered to it in the Gospel and resting on it for Life and Salvation As suppose there were a Multitude of Rebels to whom Pardon were by Proclamation offered on condition that at such a time they should
have a Name and Commendation in the Place where they Live and they have may be some School-craft and Learning and therefore they are perswaded that they cannot miss Justification and where is there one Person amongst many if it be not some poor Body even it may be poor in the World that ever thinks that the Severity of the Law or the Threatnings thereof concern them But are there any moe wayes to Heaven but one Or is there one for the Rich and another for the Poor Do not all come in at this Door is not this the way even to take with your Sin and to flee to Christ for Life And yet are there not some among you that cannot endure to think of Hell to dread it or as we use to speak to even your selves to it because ye are thought something of able to do your turn and have some parts and abilities but there are many more Rich more Wise and Learned Folk then you are in Hell that were never absolved before God nor never shall yet there is a propensnesse in Great Men in Rich Men and in Men of Parts to slight this Doctrine But such have in some respect more need to give all diligence to make your calling and election sure then many others and yet ye go not so far as they do who yet go not the just length A 5th Sort are such as never knew any inward Work or exercise of the Spirit of God upon their Consciences but have lived with a sort of wholeness of heart all their dayes If any be called to take notice of this Doctrine they are called to take notice of it There is a generation sayeth Solomon Prov. 30.12 which are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness They conclude they are Absolved but never look inward to see if there be ground to bear that conclusion 6ly And lastly There are a sort that are Formal and Hypocritical They were never grosly Prophane but they were as little truly and seriously Religious ye had need therefore to take heed whereon ye found your Peace and beware that ye take not the Form of Godlinesse for the Power of it especially when the Form is come to so great a hight And seing this way of Justification is holden out to you through Christ we exhort and beseech you all and especially those of such sorts as we have named to look well that this Grace be not received in vain In a Word these two sorts would take special heed to this Doctrine 1. Some that mind not Religion at all 2. Others who if they mind it mind it not in the way of Grace but as it were by the Works of the Law We declare to you that Justification iâ— by Faith in Jesus Christ and by resting on His Righteousnesse as many as take that way they may be assured to come speed and they that misken and slight that way shall never win to Heaven for there is no other name given whereby a sinner can be saved but the name of Jesus only He is the way the truth and the life and no man cometh to the father but by him SERMON LIII ISAIAH LIII XI Verse 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many c. THere is as I said lately nothing of greater Concernment to a Sinner to know then these two 1. What it is that satisfies Justice and makes a Sinner acceptable before God 2. To know how that may be attained or what way it is applyed And this verse shortly but very clearly answers both 1. That which Satisfies Justice is the travel of Christs soul or His Sufferings 2. The way how this is Applyed Derived or Communicat is set down in the latter part of the verse By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities This is the effect of Christ's Sufferings that many by them shall be Absolved from the Guilt of Sin and from the Curse And this is the way how these many come to be thus Absolved It is by believing on Him for thus His Satisfaction is accounted theirs as if they themselves had Satisfied We proposed the last day this Doctrine to be spoken to from the Words That there is a way through Faith in Christ and resting on His Sufferings by which a Sinner obnoxious to Gods Curse may attain to be Justified and declared free before the Throne of God This Doctrine implyes these Two things in general 1. That there is such a thing possibly attainable by a Guilty Sinner as Justification 2. That Justification is to be attained allanerly by Faith in Christ Jesus resting on His Righteousnesse By his knowledge shall he justifie many As there is a necessity to be Absolved so there is a necessity to take this way for Absolution because this and this only is holden out to be the way how Justification is attained It 's by Christs knowledge which in short is by Faith in Him We discoursed somewhat of the positive part of this Truth the other day Which is of great Concernment the understanding thereof being the very hinge of the Gospel and that wherein in a special manner the Gospel and Covenâ—nt of Grace differs from the Law and Covenant of Works and pointing out a way for coming by Righteousnesse and Life through Christ in opposition to the Law as a Covenant of Works that holds out a way to Righteousnesse and Life through our own performances We touched also at some Uses of the Doctrine for directing of you to the believing use-making of Christ for coming at Peace with God It would follow now that we should speak a little to that Use of Refutation that flows natively from this Doctrine For if this be the way and the only way of the Justification of a Sinner before God to wit by or through Faith in Christs Righteousnesse Then all these wayes that lead not Sinners to resting on Christ's Righteousness alone for Justification and Peace must be inconsistent with the Gospel and so to be rejected and abhorred whether they be in Doctrine or in Practice And we choose the rather to speak a Word to this because it will clear the Doctrine of Justification by Faith the more when we come to see and consider these Corruptions and Errors that are foisted in by Heterodox Men in this great Truth of God to the Perverting and Corrupting thereof And it will the more provoke us to thankfulnesse to God who hath graciously delivered us from these Snares Errors and Corruptions An Error and mistake here about the Substance of this Truth being such as though we held all other Truths incorrupted will ruine us There are we suppose Four Sorts of Errors especially that contradict this grand Truth anâ—nt Justification by Faith in Christs Righteousnesse to which we shal speak a little The 1. is That old rooted Error of Papists who in this Point â—nervat and overturn the whole way of the
laid hold upon by Faith but on condition of our own Works alone For though they pretend that it may be called Christ's Merit because say they He hath procured Grace to work these Works yet in effect their way of Justification is to restore us to that Covenant which Adam had and to ability to keep the same terms though as we said the rise be different 4ly It 's inconsistent with our natural State for it suppons Man before Conversion to have a free-will to good and ability to dispose himself to receive Grace and gives him a hand in turning himself to God as if he were not dead in Sins and Trespasses and so the soveraignity of Grace is bounded and limited to wait on a Man so disposed and so disposing himself 5ly It destroyes the nature of Gods Law as if it were consistent with His holy Law to have such and such Lusts abounding within and did not exact a reckoniâ—g for such branches of it as they call Venial Sins 6ly It overturns the Scripture Doctrine concerning Sin for it makes many Sins to be in effect no Sins 7. It corrupts and destroyes the nature of the Sacraments and makes new Sacraments that God never appointed and gives them power to work that which God nevâ—r gave them as if the very works wrought did confer Grace 8ly It is inconsistent with the Justice of God as if forsooth such poor Triffiles and Toyes as these which they invent were satisfaction enough to his Justice yea as if some men could more then satisfie Justice and could not only merit Heaven to themselves but also help to merit it to others and as if God were bound in proper Justice to the Creature and that not only on the account of this Promise but also if not mainly on the account of Merit of Condignity All these things are involved in this Popish way of Justification and inconsistent with the Truth of the Gospel And we have touched on them to let you see that it is not one Error that is here but a complication of Errors And truely if there be not an abhorrency at Popery because of this gross Error in Justification there is but little ground to expect that Men will keep at suitable distance from it in other things And therefore from what hath been said take a few Directions as your Use of it and if we were tender it might do us good now and then to get a little view of such Errors 1. Then see here the necessity of being more distinct and clear in Gods way of Justification in the way how peace is made betwixt Him and a Sinner when we see how many Errors follow and creep in after one Error and when we consider how Popish Priests and Jesuits are moving and how this same Error which hath so many Errors with it is stealling in ye had much need to be well acquainted with the Truth and to be guarding your selves against Errors especially when some lay so little weight on it that they call it a striving about words which sayeth that there is but little abhorrence of the thing I am apt to think that the most part of them that are called Christians could not well tell how to expose Popery Armenianisme or Antinomianisme if they were tempted to imbrace them or any other Erronious Heresy And when withall we consider how naturally we are inclined to shuffle by the Covenant of Grace and to cleave to the way of Works or to turn the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works we would try well what we incline to in this point whether in our Judgement or in our Practice least we fall from that which is right in practice at least if not in opinion also I intreat you to study this as a main point of Christian Religion even that ye may know and be clear in your knowledge of the way how God accepts of and justifies a Sinner 2dly Know that this Error of Popery in particular is not of so little concernment as many think it to be It 's a wonder that Men should think differences about matters of Religion to be so light and so little a matter as if it were but the change of outward ceremonies or of Words Hence it comes to passe that there is so little Care and Zeal to prevent the rise and spreading of Errors We shal only commend to you Three things for guarding you in reference to this Error 1. Sist your selves often before the Tribunal of Gods Justice till your hearts be brought under suitable impressions of Gods Holinesse and Justice of the severity and strictnesse of his Law and of the necessity of your answering to it in your own Persons or in the Person of a Cautioner And then consider what will be your defence in such a posture 2dly Carry alwayes alongst with you the impression of your Original Sin and Natural Corruption and of the sinfulness of your Practices This will make you loathsome and abominable in your own eyes and Christ precious and such a Soul will not be in such hazard of putting his own merits in the room of Christ's 3. Think upon that which in Gods offer is presented to you as the way of making your Peace Though ye would study Holinesse in order to that end when ye are so sinful and when Divine Justice is so severe It looks not like the way to Peace But when ye consider Gods offer in this Gospel as it is held forth Act. 13.38 39. Be it known unto you men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses And the invitation that is given Isa 55. to them that have no money to come and buy freely without money and without price And see God tabliâ—g His call on another ground than your Holinesse and putting in your offer Jesus Christ and His Righteousnesse It 's a raising and rousing up of the Soul to expect Absolution before the Throne of God on a more solid foundation that will bear it's weight We would beware of taking that way of Justification and of making our Peace with God that seems to be most rational like to our corrupt nature for as many say to be sorry for Sin to study to make amends and to do what they dow seems to be the most reasonable way and agrees best with our corrupt nature but that is not it which will do your turn but the way which God hath holden out and that is by His knowledge by Faith in the Righteous Servant 3dly See here how much we are obliged to God for holding out to us the right way to Life If ye look to many Nations abroad the way to Life is holden out to them on this ground even their own inherent Holiness their own Good Works their giving of considerable parts of their Estates their Pennances c. Which
Christ in these and that they have the Grace from Him to preform them He furnishes the Stock and they Trade with it and so for the attaining of Life they are obliged to their own Trading which is in Words to pretended Grace but really to put our own Works and Righteousnesse in the Room of Christ's Righteousnesse as the ground or meritorious cause of Justification for the Grace given to us enabling us to Work is not Christ's Righteousness but our own because given to us and working in us and so it is alwayes our selves and our own Righteousnesse not Christ and His Righteousnesse that we rest upon A 2d Instance of some Folk that speak of Christ and of attaining Life through Him yet it is not in respect of His Merit but in respect of His Strength for such will say we hope through Christs Strength to come to Heaven their meaning wherein is that He will help them so to repent and believe so to be holy and resist tentations as they shall come to Heaven thereby as the deserving cause of their coming thither It 's true there is something right here when in it's own place if whole Christ were rested upon Justification being put in the first place and His Merit rested upon for that it were good that His strength were leaned to and made use of for performing the duties of Sanctification but when His Strength is rested upon as the alone thing and when we look not to Christs Purchase and Merit as the ground of our acceptation but to Christ as enabling us to do Duties to the end that we may give God a recompence thereby at the best it is but He and we together this certainly is wrong for nothing is proposed as a Satisfaction to Gods Justice here but what is immediately our own A 3d. Sort are somewhat wiser who it may be think that any thing that is in themselves is not worth the naming but partly through Christs Merit and partly through what they have and can do themselves or by these joyned together they hope to be saved This was the Doctrinal Error of the Galatians who attributed Justification to Christ and to the Works of the Law joyntly This way ascribs to Christs Righteousnesse this much that it makes our own Righteousnesse to be accepted as the ground of our Justification before God which in some respect is worse then the Covenant of Works for the Covenant of Works sought a perfect Righteousnesse but this way offers an imperfect Righteousnesse and to mend and to eke out our imperfect Righteousness it takes in the Righteousnesse of Christ but there is no such Covenant or way of Justification in Scripture for God made but two Covenants for men to attain Life by one of Works which is now impossible The other of Grace by which only it is possible to attain Justification and Life This makes a third Covenant or Contrivance by a mixture party of some Works in us and partly of some Grace in Christ to make up what is inlaking in our Works and yet this way is very pleasing to our nature and that to which we are much inclined for Justification for men are naturally disposed to think that they give Christ enough when they allow His Righteousness to make up what is defective in their own It 's true indeed that Christs Merits do wash our Duties but our Duties come never up to be the ground of our Justification in whole oâ— in part which is evident from this that ere Christ make our Duties or Performances acceptable He makes our Persons first to be accepted and that once being then any thing performed by us in Christ's strength according to the will of God is acceptable also But now we proceed further in the Words of the Text and before we come to the causes of our Justification we shall briefly Observe two or three things that lye obviously in our way The 1. whereof is this That the Absolving of a Sinner through the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse is the proper and native result of Christs Purchase and the great intendment of it His Sufferings and Soul-travel were undergone to procure Justification to many So that if we would know what is the Fruit of Christs Soul-travel here it is By his knowledge shall many be justified Therefore Rom. 5.9 It 's attributed to his Blood Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath and 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God through him That which I mean is this That Christs intendment in His dying was to redeem and really and actually to procure Absolution and Justification before the Throne of God to so many as should believe on Him Or we may take the Doctrine these two wayes which yet come both to the same account 1. Thus that the things which Christ intended in Hâ—s Death was not a meer possibility that Sinners might be Justified nor to lay down a conditional way of their Justification whereby â—hâ—y might come or not come to it and so to make it possible buâ— that which He intended was that their Juâ—â—ification might follow absolutly I do not mean instantly and without the interveening of a condition For here His knowledge comes in as the condition but that which I mean is that He diâ—d that their Justification might actually and certainly follow as a fruit of His Purchase In a word His Death and Sufferings were not to make Juâ—â—ification possible to all but that so many as He bargained for might be absolutely Justified or that many that is all the Elect might be actually Justified because He shaâ—l bear their iniquities therefore by His knowledge they shall be Justified We Observe it for these Ends or Uses 1. To give an answer to that question What is the native result of Christs Death to His People we say it is their absolute and actual Justification These that would extend the Grace of God and the Death of Christ so broad and wide as to leave out none say in effect that the design thereof was to lay down such a way as makes it possible to all to be Justified and yet such a way as makes it possible that none at all shall be justified for it hirgs justification on the free will of the creature so in striving to make Grace broader then God allows they come to make it none at all by leaving it on mans freewill whether it shall be effectual or not But blessed be God the Covenant of God was not on these terms for it is said here That by his knowledge he shall justifie many 2. It gives us these two practical Uses 1. It shews what should be our intendment in our Use-making of Christs Death and that is that we may be Justified and Absolved by it even to make use of it for attaining to Pardon of Sin and Peace with God If this be over-looked and neglected all
free so the Offer is very broad and comprehensive as we see Isaiah 55.1 Ho every one that thirsts come to the waters and Revel 22. Whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely And we find these expressions all that believe and whosoever believes to be frequently used in the Scriptures which takes in all that will yeeld themselves to Him on the terms of the Covenant to close the bargain with Him 4. Consider God's end in the Justification of Sinners which is to make His Grace to shine and to triumph and to make it's victory over mans Sin Conspicuous and Glorious by being beyond it not in respect of the number of Persons but in this respect that as Adams one Sin brought Death on many so the Death of Christ hath brough Justification to many as it is Rom. 5. The judgement was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification Whereas Adams one Offence brought Death on many here the relieving of one Sinner is the procuring of freedom to many because in that respect Christ is a Satisfaction for many Offences But it may be Objected here is it not said that the way to Heaven is strait and few their be that enter in thereat They are thin sown to say so that are Heirs of this Inherâ—tance I answer by a distinction Though they be comparatively few yet considered in themselves absolutely they are mâ—ny or they are simply many though comparatively but few Consider and Compare them with the multitude of reprobats that are even in the visible Church they are few yet if ye will consider them in themselves they are many and it 's most true that is spoken Revel 7.9 I saw a number which no man could number if we look since the beginning of the World how some are taken in this Age and some in that some of this Nation and some of another they will be found to be but few when all of all Nations are put together yet in themselves they are many There are these three Uses of it which may be Reasons why it is put in here The 1. is to let us see the largeness of the extent of the worth of Christ and of the allowance of Grace in reference to the Justification of Sinners through Him which should make us stand pause and wonder It had been much if Grace had saved but one more if it had saved a thousand or twenty thousand But O! what ground of admiration is it when many are saved by it This is the native end why it is put in here even to shew that it is not for nought that Christ died It shall be a blessing to many I marke it because though the presumptuous thoughts of many lead them to extend the Merits of Christ to all in the visible Church yet it may be that in others there are too narrow and limiting thoughts of the extent of His Merits and of the allowance of Grace as to the number of the Elect that shall be saved It being certain that as we are in hazard and ready to abuse any thing so this if it be said that they are many that are Justified we are ready to exclude none and if it be said that they are few we are ready to make Grace as it were an a nigard and Churle and to contract and narrow too much the application of it The 2d Use of it Which is a Second Reason why this Word many is put in here may serve for encouragement to Sinners and to hearten them to assay to get this benefit of Justification made their own many trow and in some respect it is a truth that it 's a singular and odd thing to come by Justification and hence they conclude that they will never get it and indeed if the thought of it's Singularity and Rareness made them careful to win at the thing it were an profitable use of it but when it makes them heartlesse to attain the thing it 's a wrong and prejudicial use of it But Sinners there is here ground of Encouragement Provocation and up-stirring to you to seek after Justification through Jesus Christ because there are many that are the Objects of it The Righteousnesse of Christ is a Righteousness that will save many It 's an Article of the Covenant of Redemption that Christ shall get many the Promise will give Title and Right to many He will not be content if He get not many now putting these together it cannot but be very great encouragement to seek and a strong ground to expect Justification on this account because 1. That which a believing Sinner gets is Justification Pardon of Sin both Original and Actual and it 's compleat actual Justification not only the procuring the Offer of it but the Application of it Justification from all things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses and Justification never to be reversed 2. This Justification is designed for and allowed to many the stepping in of some before others doth not wrong them and there needs not be disputs about Election for the Text sayes that the allowance of Grace is to many 3. It is Christ's Satisfaction that He get many to be Justified and the moe that step to to lay hold on this benefit He hath as it were the more Satisfaction And if the Sinner should say I know not if I be included in that number the terms of the Covenant run to all that believe if there be a fleeing to Christ by Faith for refuge there needs not be anxious disputing whether the Sinner will come speed but there should be a steping forward many have gotten good and many will get good and there is room sufficient for as many as will yeeld themselves up to Christ and rest upon His Righteousnesse It 's a large mantle that covers thousands and the Lord will have thousands to be hidden under it and Justifyed by it 3dly It serves to be a most terrible ground of inexcusableness to these to whom Christ's Righteousnesse is spoken of and offered in the Gospel who yet neglect to make use of it that He was content to lay down His Life and that as a ransome for many none needs to say I knew not if I will be welcome He said it was for many and though He said not it was for all yet it 's for all that will believe in Him And therefore it is not nor shall not because He hath confined the benefit to few that ye are or shall be excluded but because though He extended the benefit to many yet ye excluded your selves and none of you who hear this Gospel shall have it to say I betook my self to Christ by Faith but He refused to admit of me and He would have no moe then He had there are many who please themselves with such a Word as this when they hear that many will be saved But it will be the dearest bought
Justification before God seclude his own Righteousnesse and betake himself to Christ's Righteousnesse alone as Contra-distinguished to his own 4ly We say That Christ's Righteousness is in Him and imputed to us or made ours by imputation is the alone Meritoritorious Cause of our Justification and Salvation so as that which He hath purchased is reckoned and accounted the Sinners as if it were His own inherently and personally This I also gather from the Words By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities Would ye know as if the Prophet had said how Christ is the Meritorious Cause of Justification Thus it is because He shall bear their iniquities if He hath taken on the burden of their Sins and had their Sins imputed to Him then it will follow by proportion that they are Justified by the imputation of His Righteousnesse to them and there is nothing that the Scripture doth more inculcat then this That we are Justified by the Righteousnesse of Christ without us and imputed to us or reckoned ours we by Faith laying hold upon it and Gods accepting of it for us mak s it become ours and yet there is nothing that we do more particularâ—y erre in and which Papists do more scoâ—n and flout at wholly enervating the way and contrivance of Grace by excluding and shouldering out the Righteousnesse of Christ calling it in derision a Putative or meerly fancied and â—maginary Righteousnesse as if there were â—o reality in it and by bringing in and establishing their own Righteousnesse though it be very clear from this and many other Scriptures that Christs Righteousnesse must be ours by imputation because He â—are our iniquities He became our Righteousnesse by paying of our Dâ—bt as our Cautioner and no otherwayes the Scripture never speaks of His being our Righteousnesse by procuring ability to us to pay our own Debt I shall clear this 4th Branch a little further because it will serve to clear the rest That is thâ—t Christ's Righteousnesse as it is in Him and imputed to us is he only Meritorious Cause of our Justification And if we consider 1 The way of Justification that is used among men this will be the more plain There being two Covenants by the one of which Life was once attainable and by the other of which it is only now attainable 1. The Covenant of Works which absolves a man that never brake it which is as when one among men or before mens Court is declared to be free because he was never oâ—ing the Debt 2. The Covenant of Grace that provides a Cautioner to pay the Sinners Debt upon whose payment thereof had recourse to by Faith there is access in Law to the Sinner to call for absolution even as it is in mens Courts though the principal Debter hath nothing to pay yet if the Cautioner pay the Debt it is the principal Debtors clâ—aring and if he should be again charged to pay the Debt his immediat deâ—ence would be that the Cautioner had payed it already So is it here the Lord hath borrowed and made use of this way that is used among men to make the Mystery of Justification which passeth in the Court of God the more clear to us it is as if one should alleadge that such a Person is owing so much and he should say I cannot be charged with it and upon what ground Not because I was not owing the Debt but because such anone has payed it for me So sayeth the Apostle Rom. 8.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifies who shall condemne it is Christ that died c. The defence proposed before the Tribunal of God is Chritis dying and that is as much as he hath payed the Price or Debt who then can charge it on the principal Debtor And the frame and contexture of the words shews that it is a judicial precedour for they suppose a charge or lybel and a sentence and the Meritorious Cause of the Sentence of Absolution is that Christ hath died 2ly If we consider the nature of the two Covenants and compare them together it will be clear the Papists confound the two Covenants For works to them is the condition of both Covenants making use of that place Matth 19.17 2â— Keep the commands if thou will be perfect sell all thou hast and give to the poor quite contrary to the scope of it for therein Christ is putting the man to a thing impossible to himself to bring him to see the necessity of a Mediator and discover his unsoundnesse when he will not forgoe his great Possâ—ssions for him But the Scâ—ipture doth so clearly difâ—ereâ—ce the Covenant of Grace and â—he Covenant of works that they are opposed For the Covenant of works sayeth do this and live and the Covenant of Grace sayeth If thou shall believe with thy heart in the Lord Jesus and conâ—â—sse with thy mouth thou shalt or saved And therefore the account of ones being Juâ—â—ified in tâ—e Covenant of Grace must be different from the account whereon one is Justified in the Covenant of Wâ—rks otherwayes they would not be opposit The Covenant of Works respects inhâ—rent Righteousnesse as the condition The Covenant of Grace respects Faith taking hold of the Righteousnesse of Christ and therefore H s Righteousnesse must Justifie as being in Him without us and as imputed to us it cannot be our Righteousnesse within that Justifies for so it should be the same with the Covenant of Works for though Christ did procure inherent Righteousnesse to us it makes no difference in the condition it self which is works 3ly It will be clear if we consider how the Scripture speaks of Christ's Righteousnesse becoming ours even as our Sins became Christ's and was the cause if we may so speak of His condemnation that is as He became lyable to the Curse that as He stood a Legal Person in our Room He became guilty and lyable to the payment of our Debt For otherwayes it is abominable once to speak of His condemnation and if His Righteousnesse become ours as our Sin became His then certainly His Righteousnesse is the cause of our Justification as it is in Him inherently and in us by imputation only The blasphemy of Antinomians is most detestable and not at all pleaded for even by Papists and therefore we stand not on it here Now our Sin became Christ's by imputation therefore His Righteousnesse must be ours the same way If it then were asked How we are Justified The Text answers He shall justifie many because he shall bear their iniquities The Prophet makes his Sufferings to be the antecedent whereof our Justification is the consequent for His bearing of our iniquities is given as the reason of our Justification this is also clear 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him In which words the Spirit of
Sin and Wrath may come to be absolved And this leads you in to know that there is a New Covenant made through a Mediator in which there is a Promise of Life and Salvation through believing in Him which Rom. 10. is called the law of faith which gives a Sinner ground of hope to be Justified by the Righteousnesse of a Cautioner and leads him in to know the Defence that he may and ought to plead upon before God And there is here presupposed as a necessity of knowing your selves so a necessity of knowing the Law and Covenant of Works for if we plead innocent in any one Sin whereof we are guilty it may hazard our eternal ruine And a necessity of knowing Jesus Christ who is the Meritorious Cause of our Justification that He became man and did take to Himself a true Humane Body and a reasonable Soul that by the Union of His two Natures He might be God and Man in one Person in reference to which He must needs be known for if we know Him not to be Man we cannot understand how Divine Justice is Satisfied and if we know Him not to be God we cannot understand how the Humane Nature can be sustained and supported and carried through in Satisfying the Justice of God and withal a necessity of knowing how the Mediator procures this Justification and this leads us in to know His Office how He was a Priest and interposed betwixt God and Sinners and made Himself an Offering for our Sin and maketh intercession for us how He was a Prophet and how when the thing was unknown to wit how a Sinner might have peace with God He revealed it of Old by His Prophets in the Old Testament and by His Apostles and Ministers in the New Testament and doth by His Spirit ellighten the Soul to take up the difference betwixt Justification by Faith and Justification by Works how He is a King to subdue Sin in us to mortifie our Corrupt Nature that will still boast till it be subdued to guide us in His way to fight our Spiritual Battels in us and for us and to take course with all His and our Enemies Otherwayes if we know not this though we were justified just now we would be led captive by Sin and Satan to our ruine within an hour but knowing Him to be King it gives Faith footing to expect Through-beating and Victory 4. As we must know what Christ is so we must know what is in Christ and what is communicated and applyed to Sinners by Him and so the condition of the Covenant of Grace which is Faith whereby we come to be united to Christ and that this Faith is not a bare assenting to the Truth but a closing with and a resting on Him for we can never believe except we know what Faith is 5. It is needful that we know what Dutie is called for from a Justified Person to wit Repentance and Holiness because though He Justifies none for Repentance yet He Justifies none but Penitents and He requires Repentance from all whom He Jusâ—ifies Except ye repent saith Christ ye shall all likewise perish For the Curse lyes at the door and we are so to Repent as that with grief and hatred of Sin we turn from it unto God with full purpose of heart and endeavour after new Obedience 6. There is also a necessity of the Knowledge of Christs Ordinance though non absoluâ—ely in order to Justification to know the Sacraments and how thâ—y represent Christ and the benefits that come by Him and how they do Ratifie and Confirm the Believers Right to Him and these good things promised through Him Let me intreat you Believers and as many as look for Justification to â—â—ndy throughly to know that these things are necessary to be known even to know God and your selves and what ye may be justly charged with before Him that your mouths may be stoped to know Jesus Christ and His Offices For ye can never upon ground expect Justification except ye know who hath procured it to know what God requires of these who are Justified in a Word study so much as may bring you to know your lost estate and the remedy thereof and how to found your Defence when ye come before God c. And if ye would study thus to know God and know your selves and your Natural Condition and Jesus Christ and the way how ye come to be Justified through Him and your Duty to Him and so make a Catechisme to your selves out of these few heads it were a short and sure way to come to knowledge The 2d Use Serves for Reproof and Conviction to them that lye still in ignorance which is a most Sinful and Dangerous Condition for if Knowledge be a Duty and if Ignorance be a Sin and such a Sin as hazards the Soul then what a woful case are many of you in who now hear me Lay aside all other Sins I would be ashamed to speak of the great Ignorance that is among you How many of you are there that cannot give any tollerable account of your Catechism who know not your natural State and Condition nor the way how to come at peace with God nor any ground for your Faith to rest upon nor Christ nor His Offices and alace if it be so what better are ye then Heathens Sure ye are much worse because ye have dispised Knowledge Can the Gospel give you Faith to whom it never gave Knowledge There are several sorts of Persons to whom I would here speak a Word 1 There are some that never lay the necessity of Knowledge to heart betwixt whom and Turks and Pagans there is in this respâ—ct but little difference and yet such will be ready to say we live and do as well as we may that there may not be a quarrel or contraversie betwixt God and us But is it possible but there must be a quarrel if it were but on this alone account that ye think there is none O! that ye would consider what a Sin Ignorance is when the Devil appeared in the World he made it a great part of his first Work to extinguish and put out the light of Knowledge and by this means he labours still to keep Folk in Ignorance hence the Apostle sayes 2 Cor. 3. If our gospel he hid it is hid to them who are lost whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded Prophanity and Error are great Baits and Snares but Ignorance carries moe to hell then both these do for Ignorance fostereth and cheerisheth if it do not also beget Prophanity and Error as the Apostle Peter insinuats when he sayes that the Ignorant or Unlearned Wrest or pervert the Scriptures unto their own destruction much Ignorance and Conceit of Knowledge will soon and easily shake people loose and make them a Prey to Error and also to Prophanity must not Ignorance then be an evil thing when it leads the way to so many other Sins and at
for which cause Faith gets the name of Knowledge here and elsewhere in Scripture the antecedent being put for the consequent For Faith hath alwayes Knowledge with it though Knowledge hath not alwayes Faith 2. That there be an assent to the thing known as when we know that we are Sinners and that it is the Blood of Christ that must cleanse us from Sin we must assent to the truth of these as Christ sayes John 8. If ye believe not Moses his writings how shall ye believe my Words If ye assent not to the truth of that he hath written how can ye believe my speaking both these are in the understanding and if there be no more this makes but Historical Faith 3. When the Soul knows it's a Sinner and under the Curse and that Christ is a Saviour and that there is Salvation to be gotten by such a Mean and that he an able Saviour and hath assented to the truth of these there is a consenting of the heart to that Truth conditionally proposed and made offer of that is to receive Christ as he is offered in the Gospel which in Scripture is called a receiving of Him John 1.12 To as many as received him c. And this is an Act of the Will respecting Christ as offered and a bargain proposed that will make the Soul happy where Faith accepts 4. There is a resting on Christ received as a good bargain which is also an Act of the heart or will called in Scripture a committing our selves to him a leaning on him or rolling our selves on him which we conceive to be the same that Paul hath Philip. 3.9 That I may be found in him When the Soul places it's safety here and lippens to Christs Righteousnesse alone as contradistinguished to it 's own These Two last Acts are properly the essence of Faith as Justifying and they are well holden out in the Catechism where Faith is described to be a saving grace whereby we receive and rest upon Christ as he is offered in the Gospel we shall illustrat it in a comparison made use of before to this purpose Suppose there were a number of Rebells that had incurred the Princes displeasure and were guilty of Treason by the Law suppose also the Princes Son or some Courtier hath satisfied for them and procured their Pardon and Peace upon which there comes out a Proclamation that if they will submit and yeeld themselves and lay down their Arms they shall be pardoned and admitted to friendship as if they had never Rebelled These Rebels must know 1. That there is an Act of Favour past and a Proclamation made on such Terms 2. They must have a general Faith and Assent to the thing and that there is no Question but such a thing is done 3. There is a consultation by the understanding with the will if they will admit of and receive it and trust themselves to it And then 4. There is the hearts consenting to accept of the offer of Grace on the Terms of the Proclamation and a resting on it which is a lippening of their Defence to it that if ever they should be called to an accompt they will make use of such an Act of Grace and of the Proclamation for their Defence and safety and lippen to it and to His Faithfulnesse who made the Proclamation believing that He will fulfil His Word and Promise It is just so here in a Sinners acting Faith for Justification We may instance and illustrat it also in the example of the Prodigal wherein we may find something of all this when he had been in the hight of his distraction and madness in his natural condition It 's said He came to himself he knew and believed that there was meat enough in his Fathers house and resolved to go home upon his knowledge follows his resolution and his will consents I will rise and go which supposes his Faith of an offer of meat on condition of his going and then there is that whereon he grounds his Defence I will say father I have sinned I will disclaim all and betake me to thy Grace implyed in the word Father he resolves to table his Defence on this ground and upon this comes home More particularly 1. Knowledge of the Object rested upon is necessary Rom. 10. How can they believe on him of whom they have not heard It is not possible we can believe what we know not And as every other step hath some doctrinal mistake and some practical so hath this The Doctrinal mistake is that Error of Papists unworthy to be refuted They say there is no Knowledge requisit to Faith Yea some of their prime men have said that Faith is rather Ignorance then Knowledge but surely then Faith would not be called Knowledge if it might rather be defined Ignorance but this they maintain to keep the People in Ignorance of the Gospel and it 's the ground of many moe Errors and much Delusion It 's even as a blind man could go well in a slippery place where are many Pits for Knowledge is no lesse necessary to Faith then eyes are to such a man The practical Errors in this are such as we find in many of you who think ye can believe well but ask and put you to it ye cannot tell what many of you are obstinat maintainers of implicit Faith while ye say ye have Faith and yet cannot tell what it is nor whereon it is grounded but we say that Knowledge is so necessary to Faith that if it be not a part of it yet it 's necessarly antecedanious to it and presupposed Therefore if ever ye would be accounted Believers study Knowledge and the Knowledge of Christ Crucified at least so far as to ground your Faith upon It 's sad that so many will maintain the reality of their Faith and yet are grosly Ignorant of the Fundamentaâ—s of Religion Knowledge is the very use of and first step to believing and yet it 's hardly possible to brangle the vain confidence of many whom it 's as impossible to bring to Knowledge 2. There is an Assent requisit to the Object Known which is that we call historical faith and this is to be confirmed in the general Truths contained in the Gospel as that Adam was made according to Gods Image that he fell and brake the Covenant of Works and made himself and all his lyable to Gods Curse That we are by that Covenant under Gods Curse That Christ Jesus the Son of God according to the Covenant of Redemption entered Himself Cautioner for the Elect that He really died and payed their Debt That His purchase is made offer of in the Gospel and that according to the Covenant of Grace there is an real absolution from Sin and an eternal happinesse to be had at the great Day through embracing of Him There must be an assent to the Truth of these things for it is impossible that they who think not themselves Sinners and that mind
not a Day of Judgement and a reckoning will ever close with Christ and lippen to His Righteousnesse I fear there are but few hearers of the Gospel that come the length of Devils in believing and yet all will needs be counted Christians we would here upon the one hand disclaim the Popish Error that plâ—ceth all the essence of Faith in the understanding which is somewhat strange seing they scarce think Knowledge of the thing to be believed necessary The reason is because they know or at least own nothing more of the concurrence of Faith in Justification then is obedience to a Commandement they think it 's a duty obedience to a Commandment to assent to any Truth therefore they take this general historical Faith to be the only Faith as they take Holinesse to be the only ground of their Peace when they are called to an accompt and thus Faith as a part of their Holinesse comes in but they admit of no particular respect to Faiths taking hold of Christs Righteousnesse as the immediat ground of their Peace Upon the other hand we would seclude the vain Faith of many Professors who some way believe all that 's in the Bible so as they question nothing herein They know no other Faith but this yet if this were Justifying Faith the Devil should have it For they believe and tremble They believe there is a God that Christ is the Son of God that they that believe shall not perish that God is Faithful c. But this Historical Faith is not enough 1. Because as I just now said it may be in Reprobats and Devils 2. Because the Scripture expresly differenceth this sort of Faith from saving Faith many were called Believers to whom Christ would not commit himself as it is John 2.24 For though they believed it to be truth which He spake yet they rested not on Him So in the Parable of the Sower Math. 13. There are three grounds that receive the Seed which imports in two of them at least a kind of Believing but the fourth ground is only good 3. Because this Faith Acts upon every revealed Truth alike and assents to all Passages recorded in the Bible alike as one and to that Paul left his cloak at Troas and the like as it Acts on that this is a faithful saying that Christ came into the world to save sinners and such like But according to the ground formerly given Faith as it Justifies Acts on Christ only and therefore this bare assent to the Truth of the Word cannot be Justifying Faith because it Acts no otherways on Christ then it doth upon other things ye would therefore know a difference in your practice betwixt these two The crediting the truth of a thing and your actual receiving and resting upon that Truth As for Example a man proposeth Marriage to a woman and she believes that he is in earnest and not in scorn yet there is a great difference betwixt that and her actual consenting to marrie him So it is here the man may believe that Christ doth really make offer of Himself to him and yet be far from cordial receiving of Him or take it in the example made use of before suppose that some of the Rebells we spoke of believe the Proclamation to be a Truth yet thinking it hard to be under the bands of Government they do not embrace it If it be Objected here That the Scripture often calls Justifying Faith a believing that Christ is the Son of God which is no more then this assent of the Judgement or Historical Faith For Answer it would be considered of whom the Scripture there speaks 1. It is of Jews for the most part who had the Faith of the Messiah generally among them and no question the Believers of them such as the proselyted Eunuch Martha and Mary had the Faith of the Messiah satisfying Divine Justice and of their Justification through His Satisfaction But the great question of the Jews was whether Jesus the Son of Mary was the Messiah or not and it being revealed and believed that he was the other followed they rested on Him of will to say so as the Messiah 2. Believing of Christ to be the Son of God doth not exclude but include their consenting to the receiving of Christ but it holds forth also their assent to and perswasion of that Truth that was then debated that He was indeed the promised Messiah and the Son of God For the Devils confessed Him to be the Son of God and none will say but there was more in their believing Him to be the Son of God then in the Devils believing it who never believe unto Salvation as they did 3. Consider that as sometimes Knowledge is put for Faith so this assent may be put for Faith where yet more is implyed in it especially considering that Rom. 10. Faith is called Faith of the heart with the heart man believeth Now believing with the heart being an Act of the will these Testimonies setting out Faith to be a believing Christ to be the Son of God must imply a lippening to Him following upon it we are therefore never to look on these places as comprehending a bare assent only but as including also and carrying alongst with it the cordial receiving Him and of resting upon Him For the 3. to wit the receiving Act of Faith which differs from the former as we shew in the examples hinted at before It looks to the Covenant of Redemption betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator it accepts of the Terms of the Covenant as they are proposed in the Gospel and consents to the bargain and as God proposes the Righteousnesse of Christ it submits to the same which Paul 1 Tim. 1. calls a saying worthy of all acceptation to be welcomed and believed as such and the Believers mentioned Heb. 11. are said not to have received the promises but to have seen them afar off and to have embraced or saluted them This receiving is no Physical or Natural Act as if we were to receive such a thing by the mouth or bodily hand It 's an Act of Faith in the heart proportioned and suited to this Spiritual Bargain or Marriage proposed in the Covenant of Grace and it 's like a mans consenting to a civil bargain or like a womans consenting to marry a man As when it is said to Sinners ye are naturally dead in Sins and trespasses and under Gods Curse But be it known to you that we preach Remission of Sins to you through the Blood of Christ Faith considers this offer accepts of and welcomes it The 4th and last Act is a resting on him which is still the same Faith but another Act of it Not as if there might be a receiving and not a resting or a resting and not a receiving or as if we were to difference them in respect of time but Faith is said to receive as it respects the Gospel offer of Christ and his Satisfaction and it
Phrases that the Scripture useth to this purpose and where we are said to be Justified by faith There is a sort of causality attributed to Faith that can be attributed to no other Grace nor Works Hence the Righteousnesse of Christ is called the Righteousness of faith and we are said to be Justified by faith in his blood So Phil. 3.8 9. I count all things to be but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God bâ— faith and Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood many moe such Phrases there are And truly it would look very unlike the Scripture to expone these Scripture Phrases of a Righteousnesse of Works or by Works 3. Consider how the Apostle opposeth the two Covenants The Covenant of Works made with Adam and the Covenant of Grace made with Believers in Jesus Christ Rom. 10.5 6 7. Moses describeth the righteousness of the law that the man which doth these things shall live by them The Righteousnesse of the Law speaks of doing by which we come to be Justified But the righteousnesse of faith or the Covenant of Grace Speaketh on this wise The word is near thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart That if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Where the Apostle opposeth these two Covenants not in respect of merit only as if the one were inconsistent with Grace and not the other but he opposeth them in this that the Righteousnesse of the one Covenant is in doing and the Riâ—hteousness of the other Covenant is by believing And therefore according to this opposition whaâ—ever is a mans doing is not the ground of his Peace and Justification before God because the Righteousnesse of his doing is the condition of the Covenâ—nt of Works and the Righteousnesse of the Covenant of Grace is quite of another nature to wit Believing in him who justifieth the ungodly 4. Consider that the thing that is the ground of our Justification before God is Christ's Righteousness inherent in Himself and imputed to us for the covering of our nakedness because He is as our Cautioner hath payed our Debt Hence it follows that Faith hath another way of concurring in Justification then any other thing can have because it 's Faith which receives and puâ—s on that Righteousnesse which no other thing doth That I may be found in him saith the Apostle Philip. 3.9 not having my own righteousness but the righteousness which is by the faith of Christ So that to be in him is to hâ—ve His Righteousnesse and this Righteousnesse is put on by Faith Only take two words of Adverisement ere we come to clear the other branch of the Doctrine The 1. is this when we speak of the peculiarness of the way of Faith's concurring in Justification so as no other Grace or Work doth we design not to weaken or cry down the necessity of Repentance and of other Graces nor of good Works the very thoughts whereof we abhore but to give every one of them their own and the right place and therefore it 's a gross calumnie to say that we affirm that the study and practice of Holiness and good Works is not necessary we only cry them down on this account that when we come before God our Works or Holinesse aâ—e not to be presented to Him as the ground of our Justification and Absolution but the Righteousnesse of Christ that Faith takes hold of and in this we say that Faith peculiarly concurres as no other Grace doth because iâ—'s fitted with an aptitude to receive and apply Christs Righteousnesse which no other Grace is as we say iâ—'s by the eye that a man sees though if he had not a â—ead and brains he would not see So though Fai h and Hol nesse or good Works be not sepâ—rat yet Faith is as it were â—he eye of the Soul that discerns and takes hold of Christs Righteousnesse The 2. is this That when we speak of good Works we speak of tâ—â—m as the Apostle doth Tit. 3.5 where 〈◊〉 saith not â—y the works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us and by good Works denyed in the point of Justification we understand all that is our own doing not excluding â—nly some things that were so accounted iâ— the time of darkness as almesdeedâ— and the like but as we have said all that is our own doing The 2d Branch is that this peculiarness of Faiths concurring in Justification is not from any efficacy in Faith or from Faith considered as our Deed or Work but as it Acts on Christ as the Objâ—ct of it and therefore when it is said Rom. 4.3 That Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness The meaning is not as if God had accepted his believing as an Act or Work for his Righteousnesse and that it was accounted as a perfite Grace but the meaning is that Christ Jesus the promised Seed received by Faith or his betaking of himself to the Riâ—hteousness of Christ holden out to him in the Promise was accounted his Righteousnesse as if he had had an inherent Righteousnesse of his own and so Faith is imputed not in respect of it's Act but in respect of it's Object By his union with Christ through Faith Christs Satisfaction becomes his To clear it a little take these considerâ—tions 1. Consider Faith as a Grace in us and so it cannot be imputed for Righteousness for in that respect it 's a Work and is excluded by the Apostles opposition made of Grace and Works It must therefore be Faith considered as acting in it's Object 2. Consider that in Scripture to be Justified by Christ by his blood and by Faith are all one because when it is said we are justified by Christ or by His Blood it takes in Christ and His Blood laid hold on by Faith therefore sometimes Christ sometimes Faith is called our Righteousnesse because as Christ considered as suffering and satisfying is the meritorious cause of our Justification so Faith is the instrumental cause taking hold of His Satisfaction which is our Righteousnesse both are necessary in their own way and Christs Righteousnesse implyes Faith and Faith implyes Christ and His Righteousnesse the one implyes the other necessarily 3. Consider the Phrases used in Scripture to this purpose as where we are said to be justified by faith it ever respects Christ and where we are said by faith to put on Christ It is not Faith considered as Righteousness of it self but it 's Faith considered as Acting on Christ and His Righteousness Therefore it 's the Righteousness which is by Faith the Righteousnesse which is in Christ and by Faith taken hold of by us and
becoming ours The Uses are several 1. For information and conviction and we would 1. be informed in and understand well the meanining of this Doctrine when we say that Faith is necessary to Justification and concurreth in attaining of it as no other thing doth that ye may give it it 's right place and may make no confusion of these things that are distinct 1. We deny not Works notwithstanding of all that we have said to be necessary more then we do Faith but the great difference is anent the giving of Faith and Works or Faith as it is a work on equal share in respect of causality in our Justification And therefore we would beware with Papists to attribute a sort of condignity to Faith as if it merited eternal Life which flowes from their ignorance of Gods Covenant For they think that since He commands us to believe and promiseth Life to believing that there is a merit in believing as they fancie there is in Prayer Almes-deeds and others Duties or good Works but in this respect as it is a Work in us the Apostle excludes Faith and makes our Justification free whereas if Faith in Justification were considered as a Work meriting our Justification it should not be free and although there be no Papists in profession here amongst us yet it may be there are some and that not a few that think God is obliged to them because they believe and that expect Heaven and life Eternal on that ground even as when they pray they think they should be heard for their Praying and when they give Almes that they should be rewarded for the same as a meritorious Work 2. Neither do we understand when we say that Faith is necessary to Justification and concurreth in the attaining of it That by believing we are disposed to be holy and so more enabled to Justifie our selves which is also a Popish Error wherein I fear many professors of the Gospel amongst us ly who think they are obliged to their Faith because it disposes them to hear read pray and the like and so enableth them to work out a Righteousnesse to themselves whereby they expect to be Justified This is another fault and Error to be guarded against For though we give Faith a radical vertue to keep Life in other Graces yet so considered it is still a piece of inherent Holiness and pertains to Sanctification and not to Justification 3. When we say that Faith concurres in the attaining of Justification we do not say that it concurres in the same manner that Repentance Prayer and good Works do concur But it may be said here seing we grant that good Works and Duties are necessary what then is the difference I answer in these two 1. Faith is the proper and peculiar condition of the Covenant of Grace and not our Works or Holiness whereof Faith considered as a Work is a part Works is the condition of the Covenant of works for it sayes in this manner The man that doth these things shall live by them but the Covenant of Grace in opposition to it sayes If thou believe with thy heart in the Lord Jesus and confess with thy mouth that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved as it is Rom. 10. What Works is in the one Covenant Faith is in the other Covenant and that as it is opposed to Works and to Faith it self as it is a Work in us 2. There is a peculiarness in Faith's concurring for the attaining of Justification in respect of it's instrumentalness in taking hold of Christ for our Justification or in receiving and resting upon Him as we said before for that end For when Christ is offered in the Gospel Faith flees to Him receives Him takes hold of Him and rests on Him neither Repentance nor Prayer nor any good Work hath an aptitud and fitness to receive Christ and present His Satisfaction to God as the ground of the Sinners defence as Faith hath And therefore it 's so often said by Divines according to the Scripture that Faith is the instrumental cause of our Justification which we shall clear in two or three similitudes which the Scripture makes use of 1 Christ compares Himself to the brazen Serpent lifted up in the wildernesse John 3.14 Man by Sin is stung deadly as the Israelites were by the fiery Serpents Christ Jesus as suffering and hung or lifted up upon the Cross is proposed to our Faith to look upon as the brazen Serpent was proposed to them that were stung and put up on a poll for that end and as there was no healling to the stung Israelites except they looked to it and the cure followed to none but to these who did behold it So Christ Jesus proposed as the Object and meritorious Cause of Justification Justifies none but such as look to Him by Faith and although they were to look to the Brazen Serpent yet their look gave no efficacy to the cure but it flowed from Gods ordaining that as a mean of their Cure even so it is not from any efficacy in Faith considered in it self that Sinners are Justified but it is from Jesus Christ the Object that Faith eyeing Him lifted up as the Saviour of the elect and His Satisfaction as appointed of God for that end doth Justifie and therefore it may well be called an instrumental cause because it is not Christ abstractly considered that Justifies more then it was the Serpent considered abstractly without their looking to it that did cure but Christ considered and laid hold on by Faith and in this respect Faith is said to Justifie even as the e e looking to the Brazen Serpent put them in capacity of the Cure though the Cure flowed from Gods appointment and not from their looking So is it in Faith's concurring for the attaining of Justification A 2d Similitude is that of miraculous Faith We find it often said by the Lord in His working such Cures Thy faith hath made the whole There was no efficacy in Faith it self for producing the Cure but it was the mean by which the Cure was transmitted to the Person under such a disease So it is in believing in order to our Justification It is by believing on Christ that our Spiritual Cure in Justification is transmitted to us and we are said to be Justified by Faith as they were said to be cured by Faith because by Faith it is convoyed to us A 3d. Similitude for clearing that Faith may well be called the instrumental Cause of Justification may be this even as the Advocats pleading may be called the instrumental Cause of the Clients absolving As suppose a man whose Cautioner had payed his Debt were cited to answer for the Debt his Advocat pleads his absolution and freedom from the Debt because his Cautioner hath payed it although the Debt was payed yet the man had not been absolved if it had not been so pleaded on this behalf So the concurrence of Faith in the
Sinners Justification is to table Christ's Satisfaction for his defence before God and to plead his absolution that ground The believing Sinner's Faith sayes it is true I was own so much Debt of Sin but Jesus Christ my Cautioner to whom I am fled hath satisfied for it therefore I ought to be absolved and the Law allowes of this sort of pleading and upon this ground in which respect Faith concurreth in attaining and may well be called the Instrumental Cause of our Justification I shall say no more on this Use but these two words we may partly regrat our great ignorance that we know so little of the use of Faith in our Justification And partly we mâ—y lament the great confusion that is in these times wherein men are set to overturn such a clear truth as if Faith had no instrumentality in our Justification but as if it and other Duties and Works were equal sharers and alike in it Which 1. overturns the nature of Gods Covenant of Grace in making Works the condition of it as if there were no difference betwixt the two Covenants of Works and of Grace 2. It hath this miserable ill attending it that it shoulders out Christs Righteousnesse and shuffles in an inherent Rrighteousnesse of our own as our defence when we come immediatly before the Throne of God whereas the Gospel puts us to a Righteousnesse without us and imputed to us This way leads us to seek Righteousnesse in our selves whether Works or Faith as a Work be made the ground of our Justification it is all one For if Faith considered as a Work in us disposing us to Holiness and as a part of sincere Holiness be the thing presented to God as the ground of our Justification it is still something within us and such a thing as is still imperfite which would miserably mar poor Souls comfort whereas the Righteousnesse of Christ laid hold on by Faith being made the ground of our Justification it affoords solid consolation For though Faith in us be weak and imperfite yet His Righteousnesse is perfite and as it was not the Israelites looking as we said that was the ground of their health and cure but Gods appointing of such a mean for their cure looked to Otherwayes they that were weak-sighted and had bleared eyes might think themselves not in such capacity of healling as these who were strong and more clear-sighted whereas they were all alike cured if once they looked even so is it here A 2d Use of this and the other Doctrine formerly spoken of is for Direction and practical Information would any know how to get Justification by Christ here is the way It 's by Faith in Him when Christ Jesus and His Satisfaction is made offer of in the Gospel for Justifying all self-condemning Sinners that lay hold on Him Sinners by Faith fleeing to Him and resting on Him get a title to His Righteousnesse that cannot but save them So that if it were 1. asked what is that which a man appearing before the Throne dare hazard to present to God as the ground of his defence It 's answered Christs Righteousness His Satisfaction 2. If it were asked How comes one to have Title and Right to that Righteousnesse so as he may own and present it for his defence It is answered that it is attained by believing in Him If it be asked how comes Faith to get a Title to that Righteousnesse is it by any vertue or efficacy in Faith as a Work in us It 's answered no but it comes to get Title to it by going out of it self by receiving and taking hold and making use of the worthinesse that is in Christs Righteousness which is as a Garment able to cover the Sinners nakednesse and to hide all his spots and as a compleat Ransom to pay all his Debt And this we see here upon the one side a necessity of Faith in order to Justification and upon the other side a warning not to count Grace and the Righteousnesse of Christ the less free that Faith hath an instrumentality in the application of it Faith having Two things that it pleads upon 1. Emptiness and need in it self whence it arrogats nothing to it's own pleading but 2. founds it's defence on the good ground it hath to propose And therefore as upon the one hand we would know that there is away to come by Justification by taking hold of Christs Righteousnesse by Faith So upon the other hand we would be afraid to let any thing stick to us from our Faith as if we had a meritorious or efficient hand in or were to be thanked for our winning to Justification For as a Beggar in receiving an Alms can alleadge no merit to be in his receiving or calling for it so no more does Faiths receiving mar the freedom of our Justification by any merit in it Use 3. Seing Faith concurres instrumentally in the attaining of Justification there is here clear ground to exhort you by Faith to receive Christ and to commend to you the exercise of believing because without it ye cannot be Justified and by it ye shall certainly be Justified Use 4. Here O! here is ground of consolation to poor Sinners sensible of Sin trembling at Gods Bar as being obnoxious to the Curse that by receiving of Jesus Christ they may be absolved from the Debt of Sin and fred from the Curse Therefore if there be any such here put forth your hands and receive what is in your offer open your Souâ—s mouth wide and let in Christ and He will fill it Faith having as to our Spiritual Life the same place that the mouth hath to the body as to the entertaining of the natural and bodily Life it opens and receives what is needful to keep in the Life of the Body And were not this good news to poor Souls burdened with Sin loathing themselves and their own Righteousnesse seing it all to be but as filthy Rags and crying out with the Jaylour what shall we do to be saved Paul would say to such and we say it in the Lords name Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be justified and saved for Justification is derived by Faith in Him to the Sinner Use 5. This serves exceedingly to humble a Sinner whether it be a Sinner aiming and seeking to be Justified or a Sinner that hath attained Justification in so far as there is no ground of boasting here If ye be aiming to be Justified it may humble you for what can ye contribute to it being enabled ye can indeed receive what is offered and that is all neither can ye receive except ye be enabled as is said It serves also to humble such as are Justified Have ye Righteousnesse it's not your own but Christ's It 's He only that did the turn if it should be said ye beliâ—ved and may boast of that I ask what did ye when ye believed did ye any more but this ye pleaded guilty and did consent
to take Christs Righteousnesse and the pardon of Sin through Him freely and what matter of boasting I pray is here none at all Thus this Doctrine contributes both to make these who are seeking pardon and these who have gotten pardon humble Where is boasting then sayes the Apostle it is excluded by what law by the law of works no but by the law of faith as it is Rom. 3.17 The believing Sinner does nothing and hath done nothing towards the procuring of His own Justification but gets all freely We can never think nor speak aright of Justification but it layes our vain humour and stops the mouth from boasting while it saith What hast thou O! man but what thou hast received and if thou hast received it why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not received it We shall close and shut up the whole of this Doctrine by proposing some few considerations as conclusions from it 1. See here a necessity of being acquainted with the Truths of the Gospel and with this Truth in particular concerning Justification whereof alace many are very ignorant seing there are so many wayes to go wrong and so many do go wrong about it we had need to be the more clear in the right way If there were more knowledge of this and of other Truths we might speak and hear with more profite and if ye did not please your selves with meer and airy notions but sought to be settled in what ye hear of other Truths and of this in particular it would contribute much to your peace and rid you of many doubts and difficulties A 2d Consideration is That there is much need to walk in holy fear in studying this and other Truths there are so many wayes to err and a wrong step here is very dangerous It were exceeding profitable to be more in the study of Justification that is of the very marrow of the Gospel and is deservedly accounted to be articulus stantis aut cadentis ecclesiae but ye would come to it in fear being jealous of your own ignorance and shallownesse of capacity rightly to take it up especially when new questions are rising and started concerning it And as Paul and David studied this way and held it forth to others as the way whereby they went to heaven and whereby others must come to it So we commend it to you to follow them A 3d. Consideration is If Faith be so necessary to Justification as without it ye cannot be Justified is there not reason that ye should study to be distinct and clear that ye have Faith and that ye are indeed Believers This is one of the great Uses of all this Doctrine If there be no way but Faith and if in studying this one way many go wrong then as ye would make your calling and election sure study to make this sure by puting your selves to the tryal if ye be taking this way as the Apostle most pathetically exhorts 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves if ye be in the faith prove your own selves c. It 's truly matter of wonder to think how so many men and women are so soon satisfied in the matter of their believing which yet is so tickle and difficult a businesse we would have none to be jumbled and confounded about it who desire to be serious in the thing yet we would have all wakened and put to diligence many men have taken pains to be wrong in this matter of Justification and how few of you have taken pains to go right in it and how is it that many of you win so easily at it Seing the Apostle Rom. 9. calls it a stumbling stone to many and a rock of offence Surely 〈◊〉 it be so your coming at it by guess and ignoranly is to be suspected And therefore on this consideration ye would be awakened to put your selves more seriously to the study of it and to try your selves if ye be come well to it for it 's the special yea the only-ground of your peace before God There are many of you who in a manner think it impossible to miscarry in this For ye know that there is no way to be Justified but by Faith and yet if many of you were put to it ye know not the manner nor way how Faith Justifies which shews that it is not so easie a matter as ye take it to be A 4th Consideration is this That in speaking of Justification and Faith's peculiarnesse or peculiar way of concurring in it ye would beware of crying down Works as to their usefulness or necessity This was an error that soon entered in the Church as soon as Paul cleared and pressed the Doctrine of Justification by Faith some arose who as James shews in the 2d Chapter of his Epistle affirmed that Works were not needful but Faith would save them no sayes James that faith is dead and vain that wants works And therefore remember 1. That although we tell you that Works are not properly the condition of the Covenant of Grace yet we say that Faith and Works are never separat in a Justified Person sound Faith cannot but work and put on to the study of Holinesse 2. We say although Works concur not in the obtaining of pardon of Sin yet we say they are needful to Salvation and to folks entry in to Heaven For the Apostle saith Heb. 12.17 That without holiness none shall see the Lord Though it's Faith that makes our friendship yet it 's by holinesse that it 's entertained and it 's holinesse whereby our communion is keeped up with God Therefore Col. 1.12 We are said by it to be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light For it transforms us to Gods Image 3. Works are necessary though not to procure our peace yet for the entertaining of our peace and except we have Works we cannot have a solid proof that our Justification by Faith is real and in this respect James sayes Chap. 2. that Abraham was Justified by Works That is by his Works he was declared to be a justified person As to the Justification of his person he was justified by Faith before Isaac was born but by his offering up of Isaac and other Fruits of his Faith he was declared and manifested to be a Justified man and made suitable to the Covenant that he was ingaged in with God Therefore as the sum of all be exhorted to study the exercise of Faith and Holinesse so as every one of them may have it 's own room and place for that will be your advantage and without this no other thing will advantage you Now God himself that calleth for both Sanctifie and enable us for both SERMON LXII ISAIAH LIII XI Vers 11. For he shall bear their iniquities IT 's a thing that can neither be easily believed nor yet understood how by Christs knowledge or by Faith in Him many shall be justified In these Words the Prophet adds a Reason that both confirms
that gave His Son and of the Mediator that came to buy and redeem Elect Sinners at so dear a rate and to take on such a weighty burden to ease them of it Were there any here as we hope there are that know the weight of Sin O! but they would think much of this even of Christs taking on the burden of Sin and casting it by having Satisfied Justice for it and loosed the knot of the Law and of the Curse that tyed it to them To become Man was much but to bear the burden of our Sins was more Angels wonder at this that He who is their head should become so low as to fist Himself before Gods Tribunal and to undergo the Suffering of Death and to take on the weighty burden of the Elects Debt and to Satisfie for it If we were in a right frame of Spirit we could not hear this word but it would ravish our hearts and put us to a pause and holy nonplus but the most part alace walk lightly under the burden of Sin without ever considering what Christ hath done to remove it from off His People nay I am afraid that Believers who have ground to be lightned through Christs condescending to bear their burden do not as they ought acknowledge Him who hath taken the burden off them 4ly From comparing these words with the former Many shall be justified for he shall bear their iniquities Observe That Christ's bearing of our iniquities and His Satisfaction for our Sins is imputed to us as the immediat ground of our Absolution and Justification before God So that if it were asked what is the ground on which a Sinner is Justified before God The Text answers Because Christ hath born their iniquities He hath payed their Debt even as to make comparison fore clearing of it when a Debtor is pursued and hath nothing to pay yet he pleads that the Debt cannot be exacted of him because his Cautioner hath payed it and the ground on which that Debtor is absolved is his instructing that the Cautioner hath payed that Debt which being done he is set free So is it here The Believer he is Gods Debtor Christ Jesus is his Cautioner who hath payed his Debt who when he is brought to the Bar of God and somewhat is laid to his charge he pleads upon the ground of Christs Satisfying for his Debt and that therefore he ought not to be put to answer for it himself according to that Word Rom. 8.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifies who shall condemn and the ground fol ows It is Christ that died He hath payed the Debt Use Among other things there are two consequences that follow upon this Doctrine that serves to clear the Doctrine of Justification 1. That the Righteousnesse whereby we are Justified is imputed to us and accepted of God as if it were our own ye are sometimes hearing of imputed Righteousnesse and it 's of great concernment to you to know it well yet I am afraid that many of you are very ignorant of it I shall therefore in a word or two explicat it by comparing the two Covenants The Righteousnesse of the Covenant of Works is an inherent Righteousnesse as it is Tit. 3.5 Not by works of righteousnesse which we have done It 's a Righteousnesse of our own doing made up of our Praying Hearing and other Duties as they are Acts of ours The Righteousnesse of the Covenant of Grace is an imputed Righteousnesse that is when Christs doing and Suffering is accounted ours Take both in this comparison The Righteousnesse of the Covenant of Works is like a Debtor or Tennent his paying of his own Debt or Rent by his managing his businesse providently and dexterously and none other is troubled with it The Righteousnesse of the Covenant of Grace is like one that hath spent up and debauched all and hath not one penny to pay his Debt or Rent with but hath a worthy able and responsal Cautioner who hath payed for him Both being pursued and brought before the Judge The first man is absolved because what he was owing he payed it at the term precisely The other man grants that he was owing the Debt but pleads that his Cautioner hath payed it aâ—d the Law excepts of the Cautioners payment and pursues the Debtor no further but absolves him So is it here when the Believer comes to stand at Gods Bar it is nothing in himself that he pleads upon but it 's Christs Sufferings who said on the Cross it is finished The Debt of my People is fully payed and Faith pleading for Absolution on that ground according to the Law of Faith he is absolved as if he had payed the Debt himself or had been owing none If then it should be asked Believers what ground have ye to expect to be Justified The Prophet answers here Christ hath born our iniquities and this is the Believers Defence and therefore see here a possibility to reconcile these Two that some men scorn and flout at as irreconcileable to wit how one can be a Sinner and yet Righteous he may be sinful in himself and yet Righteous through the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse So 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might made the righteousnesse of God in him Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but believeth on him who justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse The man ungodly in himself is justified through the Satisfâ—ction of Christ imputed to him for Righteousnesse and laid hold on by Faith as if he had not Sinned or had actually satisfied himself 2dly This consequence followeth That it serves to clear how Faith Justifies as when we say Faith is our righteousnesse and is imputed to us for righteousness we are not to look on Faith properly as a Grace in us and divided or abstracted from the Object no by no means but as it is a laying hold on the Object It 's Faith in him that justifies and Through his knowledge shall many be justified because he shall bear their iniquities Faith Justifies by vertue of Christs Satisfaction and as taking hold of it Faith does not Justifie as it is an Act of Grace in the Sinner but as closing with Christ the Object of it even as in the similitude we made use of before It 's not enough that the Cautioner hath pâ—yed such a mans Debs but the man must instruct it by producing the Discharge the production whereof is the cause of his Absolution in Law yet the vertue that makes the Discharge so to concur is not the Discharge it self but the Cautioners payment or Satisfaction mentioned and contained in the Sinners Discharge even so is it here It 's Christs Righteousnesse that concurreth as the meritorious cause of the Sinners Absolution and Faith concurres as the Instrumental Cause in the pleading of that Defence whereon Justification follows as an effect of
thing that the only begotten Son of God should be loved on this account accepted and glorified in this Work even because He poured out his soul unto death out of zeal to His Fathers Glory in prosecuting the Work of Sinners Redemption 4. And he made intercession for the transgressours Which points out His making application of His Death and the benefit thereof to the many whose Sins He bare He died to take their Sins away and interceeds to have His purchase made effectual For though this be applyed usually to His Prayer on the Cross yet that is but one particular of His intercession which is of larger extent and therefore it 's noted as a condition required of the Mediator that He must not only die but also intercâ—ed that the benefits of His death might be made forthcoming for them for whom He died Thus ye see we have the sum of Gods Covenant here as if the Lord were proposing to the Mediator Now Son if thou wilt pour out thy Soul unto death and thereby bear the Sins of my Elect People and make intercession for them thou shalt losse nothing by it thou shalt have a notable Victory and Triumph and a great Spoil In the Words before The Mediator having accepted the Terms of the Covenant and performed them though not actually at that time but in the Purpose and Decree of God which now are actually performed therefore the Promises are turned over in a concluded Covenant and in an absolute Right to Him What needs further explication we shal endeavour to reach it as we speak to the Observations and because the Words for the most part yeeld the same Doctrines that have been spoken to before we shall not insist in them 1. Then from the repitition Observe in general That the nature and terms of the Covenant of Redemption betwixt God and the Mediator is a profitable Doctrine and useful to be understood and believed by the People of God Therefore it is so clearly proposed and again and again repeated and laid before their eyes and summed and repeated in this verse to keep them in mind of it These that know the Covenant of Redemption as that which hath in it the sum of all the Foundations of our Faith and the ground of our access to God and of our peace with Him they will easily grant that that it 's very necessary to be studied known and believed For First by it we know what we may expect from God because what we are to expect is promised to Christ in this Covenant as to our head This portion with the great and this dividing of the spoil with the strong He hath it as our head 2. Because we know by this Covenant how we come by these things promised And that is by pouring out of his soul into death bearing of our sins and interceeding for us Which supposes and includes our betaking of our selves unto Him by Faith 3. Because by this Covenant the rich and free Grace of God hath it's due Glory For there is nothing considered here as the reason of setting captives free but Christs paying of the Price it comes freely to us as a gift bestowed 2dly And more particularly Observe That though our Lord Jesus Christ in the Work of Sinners Redemption had a sore Combat and Fight yet He hath a glorious Out-gate Triumph and Victory It was the greatest fairest and most serious onset and assault that ever was heard of that our Lord Jesus encountered with As the remembrance and consideration of what hath been spoken of His being in an agony and sweating drops of blood of his praying that if it were possible that cap might depart from him Of His crying my God my God why hast thou forsaken me c. Will most convincingly make out the Justice of God pursuing Him for all the guilt of the Elect Principalities and Powers being in His tops The Devil the Prince of this World having all His Instruments yocked and at Work some to nod the head some to mock and scourge Him c Yet He did abide it all out He gave his back to the smiters and his cheeks to them that pulled of the hair and hid not his face from shame and spitting And had a most glorious Victory and Triumph over all what we said in exponing of the Words clears it somewhat and that Word John 12.31 Now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out to point out His Victory over the World and the Devil and that Word Col. 2.14 15. He spoiled principalities and powers He uncloathed them and left not as we use to speak a whole rag on them He by a strong hand pulled all the Elect from them and left none of them in their possession He brake open the prison doors and set them all at liberty This was indeed a great Victory He hath also a great spoil of many Captives and great Glory being exalted in our nature At the right hand of majesty on high having a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee might bow and that passage Ephes 1.20 21. Is to the same purpose He hath put all things under his feet c. If we look to Reason it cannot be otherwayes 1. If we consider what our Lord Jesus was in His Person being the Son of God He cannot but be glorious John 17.5 He proves Father glorifie me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Though by being Man He became of no reputation and a vail was drawn over the declarative Glory of the God-head in His Person for a time yet He remained still the Son of God and Glorious in Himself and it cannot be but He that is God must be Glorious in His Exâ—ltation when that vail that obscured His Glory is taken away 2. His Office as Mediator and head of the Elect proves it He that waâ— appointed head ovâ—r all things to the Church could not but be great and glorious and therefore when that of Psal 16.10 Is cited by the Apostle Act. 2.24 and 13.35 It 's said That it was impossible that death could keep him 3. It will be clear if we consider the Work it self wherewith He was intrusted it being a Work that was so well liked of and approven by God He could not but have a Glorious Victory and Out-gate Therefore sayes He John 10. My Father loveth me because I lay down my life for my sheep and Philip. 2.8 It 's said Because he humbled himself and became obedient unto death therefore God hath highly exalted him It was the contract betwixt God and the Mediator that He should first become low and then to be exâ—lted and therefore He behoved to be exalted and made very Glorious Use 1. Learn not to underâ—â—lue nor to vail and obscure the Glory of 〈◊〉 Mediator from the consideration of His Sufferings for though He was low yet He is now exalted He had a most
and make use of his Intercession For the Third To wit the inconveniencies and prejudices of this evil they are very many we shall only hint at them for they are dierectly opposit to the good that comes by the improving of Christs Intercession 1. It makes many prayers to be fruitless and frustranious though folks should weary themselves in prayer yet it is all but lost labour and the Lord will say as it is Isaiah 1. Though ye make many prayers yet I will not heaâ— them if Christs Intercession be neglected but one word put up in Christs name hath a gracicious hearing 2. It makes many prayers and other duties also to be lifelesse No duty goes with folks neither can it go with them when Christ is slighted Seing it is by Faith in Him that we have Life derived to us whereby we are made lively in every thing 3. It hath much anxiety following on it To be praying and to have no expectation nor ground of expectation of a hearing For if we look no further than to something in our selves it is but a poor foundation of quietnesse and peace 4. It hath this prejudice that it inures habituats and accustomes us to a low esteem of Christ and makes us want many sweet experiences that we might have of his usefulnesse and worth and it fosters a disrespect to Christ whereas the use making of his Intercession keeps alwayes up an esteem of him and mâ—kes the thoughts of him fresh and it is ever well with the Soul while he is esteemed of and it is impossible it can be well when he is not in request Now ye may easily gather what all this aims at even that ye may not satisfie your selves wiâ—h the form of Dutie but that ye may look that it be rightly discharged so as Christ in his Offices and particularly in His Priestly Office and more particularly in this part of it be made use of It may be there are some here that have been called Christians these 20 30 or 40. years But I would inquire at you what use have ye made all the while of Christs Intercession The neglect of this is a Sin against mercy a Sin against your own Souls and the cause of many other Sins therefore take it among your reproofes that not only ye have neglected prayer lived in ignorance and taken his name in vain but that ye have also long professed Faith in Christ and yet have not made use of Christs Intercession This will be amongst your saddest challenges when ye come to sickness and to your death-beds and ye will have it heavily charged on you That there hath been great slighting and miskening of Christ even when ye thought what ye were praying to him In the 4. place To clear it yet further we shall 1. Hint at some symptomes or evidences of neglecting of Christs Intercession 2. At some Characters of a Person that is making use of Christs Intercession aright 3. At some Directions that may help to the suitable performance of this duty And 4. At some Motives and Incouragements to it First For the Symptomes or Evidences of miskening and slighting of Christs Intercession 1. This is one when there is little walking under the impression of the need of His Sacrifice when folks walk whole-heartedly to speak so and without due conviction of the distance that is betwixt God and them For Christs Intercession flows from His Satisfaction and the improving of His Satisfact on flows from the conviction of our natural distance from God when folks are not sensible of their enmity and of their vileness and see not their need of washing when they have a heal heart few challenges little exercise of repentnce and of self-loathing it 's a great evidence that there is little or no use made of Christs Intercession The 2d Symptome is deep security and much self-confidence where these are Christs Intercession is little or not at all made use of When a Soul makes no question of nor nor hath any doubt about it's own peace or about it's praying or getting a hearing This is indeed self-confidence and does flow from the former to wit Ignorance of our distance from God which is clear both from experience and from Scripture They that make least use of Christs Intercession and have most carnal confidence have readily fewest challenges Thus the Pharisee stands Luke 18. and prayes saying Lord I thank thee c. The greatest part of such folks prayers is thanksgiving on carnal grounds Whereas the poor Publican dare not come near but when the Pharisee comes boldly forward He stands a far off and sayes Lord be merciful to me a sinner Who as if he had said have a respect to the Covenant of Grace and so to the improving of Christs Intercession It 's certainly an ill token when folks sit down with confidence to their prayers and rise up from them without all fear of being denyed and said nay A 3d. Symptome of not making use of Christs Intercession is when folk have too much anxiety which is a fault that a Believer may easily fall in when he hath no ground from himself to propose to God for a hearing and when he cannot answer his own challenges and is therefore discouraged which sayes that he lippens not much to Christ and to His Intercession A 4th Symptome is When duties of worship become burdensome when it wearieth folk to pray to sanctifie the Lords Day c. when these are fashions and cumbursome to them The reason wherof is because they take the burden wholly or mostly on themselves and lay it not over on Christ Whereas were he rightly made use of it would be found to be a truth That His yoke is easie and his burden light as himself saith Matth. 11.30 A 5th Symptome is When folks are not thankful for any mercy they receive and are not wondring how it comes that they get such mercies as they have when they think little of their dayly bread of Ordinances of access to Pray c. Souls that are improving Christs Intercession think much of any mercy because the least mercy is quite without the reach of the merit of ought they can do and must come to them by the Mediation of another Thus every mercy becomes a double mercy as it is considered in it self and as it comes to them by vertue of Christs Intercession therefore the Believer Improving Christs Intercession wonders at every thing he meets with from God that he is admitted to pray or to praise for he knows that it 's from free-grace thus admitting Sinners through and by a Mediator As to the 2d To wit The Characters or evidences of a persons making use of Christs Intercession The 1. may be this A constant use-making of Christs Satisfaction when the Soul is never quiet but when it hath a respect to that And this use-making of Christs Satisfaction hath in it always either more implicity or more expresly an use-making of his Intercession
stand on it when seriously taken with but may submit to his Righteousness and say Be it so Lord I am content to take what thou freely offerest And the more sinful and lost ye be in your selves when suitably affected therewith the more wonderful is the grace of God in the Plot of your Redemption the more strong is your consolation and the greater ground of believing have ye your sins do not surprize God nor the Mediator the Bargain was made before your sins were committed and therefore the price must reach them even when they are all summed up together He was content to accept of them so as to satisfie for them and blessed be he for evermore that accepted of the bargain and payed the price according to his undertaking SERMON XXVI ISAIAH LIII VI Vers 6. All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all IN the former verse the Prophet hath asserted three most wonderful truths and very concerning to the people of God and yet such truths as will not be easie got digested by natural reason 1. That our Lord Jesus was put to sore and sad sufferings He was wounded and bruised c. 2. That these sad sufferings were for us the Elect it was for our sins and what was due to the Elect he was made to bear them He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities 3. The end of these sufferings or the effect that followed on them to us pardon of sin peace with God and healing The chastisement of our peace was on him and by his stripes we are healed And each of these being more wonderful then another therefore the Prophet goes on to clear their rise which is no less wonderful How it came to pass that he suffered and suffered so much and that we have such benefite by his sufferings It could not would he say be otherwayes but it behoved our Lord Jesus to suffer and to suffer so much and for us Neitheir was it unreasonable that it should be for our benefite For we had all like lost sheep gone astray and every one of us had turned to his own way And there was no way of relief for us but by Christ's stepping into our room and interposing for us and ingaging to pay our debt and by vertue of that interposition and bargain The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all And therefore 1. Would ye have the reason of Christ's so great sufferings Here it is the Elect had many sins and he interposing for them their compt was scored-out and they were reckoned on his score 2. If the cause and reason be asked How it came to pass thaâ— Christ suffered so much for us Here it is he undertook to satisfie for our iniquities and God imputed them to him Even as if a Dyvour were pursued and one should step in and be Cautioner for him and being enacted Surety should take on and become lyable for the Debt The exacting it of him is the laying it on him But 3. If it be asked how it comes to pass that his sufferings become our healing and bring peace to us It is answered it was so transacted and agreed upon He was content to pay all our debt and the Father accepted of his payment for ours Our blessed Lord Jesus engaging and satisfying the Elect are set free and Justice betaketh it self to him as the more responsal Party This is the scope of the words which though but few yet exceeding full and signâ—ficant as holding out the fountain and fundamental grounds of the Gospel We shall look upon them in these three respects 1. As they imply a Covenant and Transaction whereby the Elects sins are transacted on Christ and his righteousness is made application of to them Christ undertaking to pay their debt and Jehovah accepting thereof and promising that his satisfaction made for the behove of the Elect shall be applyed to them 2. In respect of the effects which are two Which though they seem contrary the one to the other yet they are well consistent together and subordinat the one of them to the other The 1. is of Justice on Christs side he satisfies for the debt due by the Elect. The 2. is of Mercy and Grace to the Elect which is also implyed but comparing these words with the former it is very clear He is wounded and bruised and they are healed the chastisement of their peace was on him the imputing of their debt to him makes that it is not imputed to them 3. In respect of the influence that the eternal Covenant hath on these effects it lays down the way how these may be justly brought about which is the scope of all even to shew how Christ Jesus being the innocent Son of God and without sin was made lyable to the debt of the Elects sin He became Cautioner for them and is made lyable on that account to satisfie for them It clears also how his sufferings stood for theirs which may seem to be unreasonable and unjust among men that the sufferings of an innocent party should stand for the guilty It was so articled in the Covenant of Redemption that the Son as Mediator interposing and undertaking to pay the Elects debt the Lord Jehovah the Creditor should not reckon it on their score but on the Mediators and that he should count for it The Prophet in every verse almost is striking on the sweet and pleasant string of this noble plot and contrivance of God concâ—rning the Redemption of Elect sinners called the Covenant of Redemption Which these words considered with respect to their scope do in all the parts of it clearly hold out And therefore the clearing of it being the clearing of a main ground of our Faith in reference to Christs sufferings and to the way how they are made forth-coming to us and withal to the benefits that come by them to us we cannot speak too much nor too often of it if we could speak of it suitably to the passing excellency of the matter The first Doctrine supposed here is that there is an eternal Covenant and Transaction betwixt the Lord Jehovah and the Mediator wherein the whole business concerning the Redemption and Salvation of the Elect is câ—ntrived There is an eternal Covenant past betwixt God and the Mâ—diator wherein all that is executed or will be concerning the Elect till the day of Judgement was contrived There is nothing relating to the Elects Salvation but it was in this Transaction exactly contrived and laid down even as it is in time executed And it 's called a Covenant in Scrip ure and we call it so not strictly and properly as if all things in Covenanâ—s among men were in it but because materially and substantially it is so and the resemblance will hold for the most part The Lord having laid down in it the plot of man's Salvation in
a legal way so as his grace and mercy may be glorified and his justice satisfied hath put it in this form so as it may bear the name of a Covenant Wherein we have 1. Mutual Parties the Lord Jehovah the Party offended on the one side and the Lord Mediator Him the Party engaging to satisfie on the other side Which shews the freeness of the Redemption of the Elect as to them and the certainty of their Salvation And withal the immutability of Gods purpose for the Parties are not mutable Creatures but on the one side Jehovah and on the other side the Mediator though considered as to be Incarnat and the Head of the Elect This whole business bred there to wit in the Council of the God-head for promoving of that great end the glorifying of the Grace and Justice of God in the Elects Salvation 2. Whereabout is it It 's about this matter how to get the Elect saved from the curse to which on their foreseen fall and sinning they were made lyable Redemption necessarily presupposing mans fall and the Covenant of Works to which the certification and threatning was added The soul that sins shall die and the Elect presupposed as fallen as well as others are lyable to that curse except a satisfacton for them do interveen So that the Elect are considered as having sins and as being in themselves lost And what is the Lord Jehovah and the Mediator doing what are they about in this Covenant It 's how to get the punishment due to the Elect for their sin removed from them And these persons us all in the Text are all the Elect wherein there is imlyed a paticular consideration of them that are designed to Life and Salvation and a particular consideration of all their sins and of their several aggravations that there may be a proportion betwixt the price and the wrong that God hath gotten by their sinning against him 3. The occasion of this Covenant and the reason why it behoved to be is holden forth in the first All we like sheep had gone astray and turned every one of us to his own way The Elect as well as otheâ—s had made themselves through their sinning lyable to Gods wrath and curse and they were uncapable of Life and Salvation till the curse was removed And so there is a lett and obstruction in the way of the execution of the Decree of Election which must stand for the Glorification of God's Grace and Mercy primarly intended in all this work and till this lett be removed the Glorification of God's Grace is letted and obstructed For the removal of which obstruction there is a necessity of a Redeemer for the Elect are not able to pay their own debt themselves Now that there may be a Redeemer and that a price of Redemption may be laid down there is also a necessity of a Covenant otherwise the Redeemer cannot be if a Transaction do not preceed on which the Redeemers interposing is founded 4. What is the price what is the stipulation or that which the Mediator is ingaged to and that which provoked Justice required It is even satisfaction for all the wrongs that the sins of the Elect did or were to do to the Majesty of God These sins deserved wounding and smiting and the Capitulation runs on this that Justice shall get that of the Mediator that the Elect may be spared And comparing this verse with the former upon the one side our Lord Jesus gives his back to bear their burden and engages to satisfie for their debt and to undergo the punishment due to them And upon the other side Jehovah accepts of this offer and engagement and lays over the burden of their debt on him As the Mediator instates and inacts himself in their room for payment of their debt so he lays it on him and accepts of it 5. The end of this great Transaction to wit of the undertaking on the Mediators side and of the acceptation on the Fathers side is that the Elect may have pardon and peace and that by his stripes they may be healed That Justice may spare them and pursue him and that the discharge of the debt purchased by him may be made forth-coming to them as if they had payed the debt themselves or had never been owing any thing to Justice Hence Deductions may be made holding forth several points of truth As 1. Concerning the determinatness of the number of the Elect. 2. Concerning the vertue and efficacy of the price which the Mediator hath payed and the fulness of his Satisfaction 3. Concerning imputed Righteousneâ—â— which is or may be called the laying of his Righteousness on us as our Iniquity was laid on him he is counted the Sinner by undertaking our Debt and the Elect by receiving the offered Righteousness in the Gospel are accounted righteous by vertue of his satisfying for their Debt 4. Concerning the ground and matter of wonderful Soul satisfaction and ravishment that it is here that God should be thus minding the salvation of the Elect and thus contriving and ordering the work of their Redemption that their Debt shall be payed and yet nothing to speak so come out of their Purse and that by so excellent a mean as is the intervention of the Mediator and that this shall notwithstanding of the dear price payed by him be made freely forth-coming to the Elect. Use 1. O! Look not on the salvation of Sinners and the bringing of a Sinner to Heaven as a little or a light business and work it 's the greatest work and most wonderful that ever was heard tell of yea it s in effect the end of all things which God hath made and of his preserving and guiding the World in the order wherein it is governed even that he may have a Church therein for the praise of the glory of his Grace we are exceeding far and sinfullâ— wrong in this that we value not the work of Redemption as becomes and that we endeavour not to pry â—nto and take up the admirable love anâ— deep wisdom of God that goes along and shines brightly in this whole contexture who could ever have found out this way when he Elect were lying under Gods Curse and Wrath that then the Son of God should undertake to satisfie for them and that the Majesty of God should be so far from all partiality and respect of Persons that he will pursue his own dear Son for the Elects Debt when he undertakes it This is the rise of our Salvation and the channel wherein it runs O! rare and ravishing O! admirable amiable O! beautiful beneficial contrivance blessed eternally blessed be the contriver Use 2. The second Use serves to stir us up to study to know somewhat and to know more of the way of Salvation under this notion of God's covenanting with the Mediator not thereby to astrict God to mans laws forms but for helping us to the better more easie up-taking of these