to making up of the match vers 9. Then I washed thee with water yea I throughly washed away thy blood from thee and I anointed thee with oyl I cloathed thee also with embroidered work and shod thee with badgers skins c. That is when Christ comes to cast his affections on us and to wed us unto himself he finds us polluted and naked not with a rag on us Full of filth just nothing have we he takes us with nothing nay we are worse than nothing So that here is the point what ground is there whereby a man that is dead and hath no goodness in him mâ—ke him as ill as can be imagined what ground hath he to receive Chriâ—t Yes To as many as received him to them he gave the power to become the sons of God First The receiving of Christ and then comes Believing It is the receiving of this gift that is the means whereby Christ is offered to us The Apostle joyning the first and second Adam together makes the benefit we have by the second to lye in the point of receiving Rom. 5.17 Object If it be a free gift why is faith required Sol. Because faith takes away nothing from the gift If a man give a beggar an Alms and he reach out his hand to receive it his reaching out the hand makes the gift never the less because the hand is not a worker but an instrument in receiving the free gift Rom. 5.15 If through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace hath abounded unto many in Jesus Christ. And vers 17. If by one man's offence death raigned by one much more they that receive abundance of grace shall raign in life by one Jesus Christ Here 's the point then God is well pleased and therefore sends to us Wilt thou have my Son with him thou shalt have abundance of Grace and everlasting life and my love too There 's no Creature in this place but this shall be made good unto if he can find in his heart to take Christ thou shalt have a warrant to receive him Now to receive Christ is to believe in his name and to draw near unto him The word Receiving is a taking with the hand with free entertainment as vers 11. immediately before the Text. It 's not so properly Receiving as Entertaining He came to his own and his own received him not they were like the foolish Gaderens that preferred their pigs before Christ they would rather have his room than his company and so when Christ comes and thou hast rather be a free man as thou thinkest and wilt not have him to raign over thee then thy case is lamentable Then self-will self-have Tâ—e only point is whether we come to Christ or he come to us there is a drawing near If thou comest to Christ he will not put thee back if Christ come to thee by any good motion if thou shut not the door against him thou shâ—lt 〈…〉 him Râ—v 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock iâ— aâ—â— man heaâ— mâ— vâ—ice and open the door I will come in unto him and â—up wiâ—h hâ—m and he wiâ—h me Rev. 1.16 The Lord by the knock of his mouth by the sword that comes out of his mouth would fain come in and be familiar with thee If thou wilt not let him in is it not good reason that as in the Canticles Cant. 5.6 he withdraw himself If he see thy sins and would fain come in what an encouragement hast thou to open Joh. 6.37 He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Canst thou have a better word from thy Prince than this When he holdeth out his golden Sceptre if thou takest hold on it thou art safe otherwise thou art a dead man thou canst not have a greater security all the point is Faith is a drawing near unto Christ and Unbelief is a going from him The Gospel is preached to those that are afar off and to those that are near Eph. 2.17 He came to preach peace to you that are afar off and to them that are nigh Who were they that were afar off they were those that had uncircumcision in the flesh without Christ Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that had no hope to these Christ came these that were afar off by faith drew near that expression is a singular one Heb. 10.38 Now the just shall live by faith What is that but if any man draw back that is if any man be an Unbeliâ—ver my soul shall have no pleasure in him Faith makes a man come and draw near to Christ. It 's a shame-faced bashfulness that makes a man draw back its unbelief if any draw back and to believe is to go on with boldness We are not of them which draw back unto perdition but of them c. What an excellent encouragement is this to come with boldness unto the Throne of Grace that we may find help in time of need So that now let thy estate be what it will if thou wilt not hold off but dost entertain Christ though thy sins be as red as scarlet be not discouraged they shall be made as white as wool Isa. 1.18 The very sinner against the Holy Ghost is invited and why is that unpardonable Can any sin be so great as to over-top the value of Christ's blood There is not so much wretchedness in the heart of man as there is Grace Goodness and Mercy in Christ But then it is unpardonable Why Because it is the nature of the disease that will not suffer the plaister to stick on It counts the blood of the Covenant wherewith we should be sanctified an unholy thing Heb. 10.29 If this sinner would not pluck off the plaister and tread it under foot he should be saved but this is it when God is liberal and Christ is free we have not the heart to take him at his word and come To open this Word this is the point of all this is the free preaching of the Gospel indeed when a man hath nothing desirable in him but is stark naught and stark dead and is not worth the taking up that yet he may challenge Christ and be sure of all Unless thou hast Christ thou hast nothing by Promise not so much as a bit of bread by Promise if thou hast it it is by Providence All the Promises of God are in him 2 Cor. 1.20 that is Christ yea and Amen Ye are the Children of the Promise in Christ Gal 3.29 and 4.28 but you have nothing till you be in Christ. The Question is What must I do in this case What encouragement shall I have in my rags when I am abominable worth nothing There are certain things that are preparations to a Promise such as are Commands Precepts Entreaties which encourage them to it and then comes a proposition I being a Believer shall have eternal life If Christ
mouth First He convinceth the Gentile which was easie to be done after he convinceth the Jew that there is righteousness to be had in another though none in my self He shall convince the world c. As if he should say To be shut up under unbelief is to be convinced of all sins Now consider what is the nature of unbelief it is to fasten all sins upon a man and when I have faith all my sins are put out of possession they are as if they were not but if we are shut up under unbelief we are dead The second work of God's Spirit is the Ministry of the Word He shall convince the world that there is righteousness to be had by a communion with another though we are guilty in our selves yet he will set us free and the reason is because I go to my Father As if he should say though you be convinced of your sins that you are wholly dead in trespasses and sins and have no means in the world to put that away yet notwithstanding the second work of God's Spirit is to convince of righteousness that there is a righteousness to be had in Christ because he was our Surety arrested for debt he was committed to prison where he could not come out till he had paid the utmost farthing There is a justification to be had in me I go to the Creditor I have made no escape not like one that brake the prison and ran away but I am now a free-man I have not made an escape before the debt is paid then I might be brought back again but the debt is discharged and therefore I go to my Father to maintain my plâ—ce and standing I was given unto death for your sins but I am risen again for your justification and I now sit at my Father's right hand this is the second thing But is there not a third thing that the work of the Ministry must do Yes to convince the world that there is judgment or righteousness inherent There is a hard place I shall speak of it it is usual in Scripture to joyn righteousness and judgment together The words of the Lord are righteousness and judgment And the integrity of a man's heart which is opposed to hypocrisie is called judgment as God liveth who hath taken away my judgment Job 27.2 How did God take away his judgment is it meant that he had taken away his wits No but he hath put his heavy hand on me that hath put a conceit in the mind of my friends that I am an hypocrite though to confront the error of his mis-judging friends he was resolved to persist in his integrity vers 8. My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live His judgment was taken away i. e. the opinion they had of his integrity And this will expound another place in Matth. 12.20 A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall be not quench until he send forth judgment unto victory What is that until he send forth judgment This judgment signifies nothing but those inherent graces those infused qualities that God sends into the heart of a Christian which being produced in the children of God by the spirit of judgment through which they are eâ—abled to judge what is right and acceptable to God in Christ who is their wisdom are themselves called judgment You read therefore of washing away the filth of the Daughters of Sion and purging the blood of Jerusalem which is the sanctification of the Church by the spirit of judgment Isa. 4.4 In a man's first conversion there are but beginnings of grace what is faith hope patience and fear it is like a smoaking flax i. e. like the smoaking wick of a candle made of flax as when a candle burns in the socket it is now up now down you know not whether it be alive or dead so in the first conversion of a Christian infidelity and faith hope and despair mount up and down There is a conflict in the beginning of conversion but he will not give it over until he bring forth judgment until he get the victory of all opposition from the flesh And what is the reason Because the Prince of this world is judged He shall convince the world of an inherent righteousness in spite of the Devil's teeth because he is condemned He that before worked in the children of disobedience is now cast down The strong man is cast out and therefore upon that ground you have the third point Besides the grace of justification following upon Christ's death there is another the grace I mean of sanctification through which the Devil shall be dispossessed the Devil is strong where he doth wicked things but he shall be disarmed he shall not touch thee the wicked one shall not hurt thee thou shalt overcome him I now go forward The third thing I noted besides faith and justification was Thaâ— we must observe what relation one hath to the other and how it comes to pass that justification is attributed to faith there being more noble graces in us than faith I answer the reason is because faith is brought as the only instrument whereby we receive our justification purchased by the merits of Christ's death When we say faith is an instrument we must understand it right well we say not faith is an instrument to work my justification Christ alone must do that it is no act of ours nothing is in us faith is said to be an instrument whereby we get our justification in respect of the object it is a nearing us to Christ it is the instrument of application the only instrument whereby we apply the medicine and the plaister of Christ's blood whereby we that were strangers and afar off are made near faith is the only hand which receiveth Christ wâ—en the hand layeth hold on a thing it layeth hold on a thing without it self so is faith a naked hand not as a hand that gets a man's living but like a beggar's hand that receives a free alms given by the donor as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.17 For if by one man's offence death raigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. There is abundance of grace and a gift of righteousness faith is the only means whereby we receive this gift Whereupon I inferred this which was of great consequence seeing faith did justifie not as an active instrument but as it did râ—ceive the gift of grace it did follow that the weakest faith that was did get as much justification as the strongest faith of any whatsoever because faith justifieth not as a work but as it did receive a gift therefore our Saviour saith O ye of little faith Matth. 8.26 yet as little as it was it was builded upon the Rock and though Satan desired to winnow them and fift them as
he is the child of God and shall go to Heaven is not Faith thou mayst carry this assurance to Hell with thee This Faith is not Faith For faith comes by hearing and that not of every word or fancy but by hearing the Word of Truth Faith must not go a jot further then the Word of God goeth If thou hast an apprehension but no warrant for it out of the Word of God it is not faith for it s said After you heard the Word of Truth you believed So that we must have some ground for it out of the Word of Truth otherwise it is presumption meer conceipts fancy and not Faith Now I shew'd unto you the last time how this might be for while a man is an Vnbeliever he is wholly defiled with sin he is in a most loathsom condition he is in his blood filthy and no eye pities him And may one fasten comfort on one in such a condition on a dead man And this I shew'd you was our case When Faith comes to us it finds no good thing in us it finds us stark naked and stark nought yet there is a Word for all this to draw us unto Christ from that miserable Ocean in which we are swimming unto perdition if God catch us not in his Net Hearken we therefore to Gods Call There is such a thing as this Calling God calls thee and would change thy condition and therefore offers thee his Son Wilt thou have my Son Wilt thou yield unto me Wilt thou be reconciled unto me Wilt thou come unto me And this may be preacht to the veriest Rebel that is It is the only Word whereby faith is wrought It is not by finding such and such things in us before hand No God finds us as bad as bad may be when he proffers Christ unto us He finds us ugly and filthy and afterwards washes us and makes us good It is not because I found this or that good thing in thee that I give thee interest in my Son take it not on this ground No he loved us first and when we were defiled he washt us from our sins in his own blood Râ—v 1.5 Now there is a double love of God towards his Creatures 1. Of Commiseration 2. Of Complacency That of Commiseration is a fruit of love which tenders and pities the miserable estate of another But now there is another love of Complacency which ariseth from a likeness between the qualities and manners of persons for like will to like and this love God never hath but to his Saints after Conversion when they have his Image enstamped in them and are reformed in their Vnderstandings and Wills resembling him in both then and not till then bears he this love towards them Before he loves them with the love of pity and so God lov'd the World that is with the love of Commiseration that he sent his only Son that whosoever believed in him might not perish but have everlasting life And therefore he said in the Prophet Isaiah In his Love and in his pity he redeemed them chap. 63. ver 9. Now we come to the point of Acceptation The Word is free and it requires nothing but what may consist with the freest gift that may be given Although here be something that a man may startle at Object Is there not required a condition of faith and a condition of obedience Sol. Neither of these according to our common Understanding do hinder the fulness and freedom of the Grace of the Gospel 1. Not Faith because Faith is such a condition as requires only an empty hand to receive a gift freely given Now doth that hinder the freeness of the gift to say you must take it Why this is requisite to the freest gift that can be given If a man would give something to a Begger if he would not reach out his hand and take it let him go without it it s a free gift still so that the condition of Faith is such a condition as requires nothing but an empty hand to receive Christ. 2. Obedience hinders it not I am required may some say to be a new man a new Creature to lead a new life I must alter my course And is not this a great clog and burthen And do you account this free When I must crucifie lusts mortifie Passions c. Is this free when a man must renounce his own Will Yes It is as free as free may be as a I shewed you the last time The very touching and accepting of Christ implies an abnegation of former sinfulness and a going off from other courses that are contrary to him If the King give a pardon to a notorious Rebel for Treason so that now he must live obedient as a Subject the King need not in regard of himself to have given the pardon if he give it it takes not from its freeness that he must live like a Subject afterwards the very acceptance of the pardon implies it But now to declare Faith and to open the Mystery thereof Faith is a great thing It is our life our life stands in the practice of it That as in the offering of Christ for us there is given him a name above every name That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow As I say in the purchasing of Redemption so in the point of acceptation God hath given unto this poor vertue of faith a name above all names Faith indeed as it is a vertue is poor and mean and comes far short of love and therefore by the Apostle love is many degrees preferr'd before faith because love fills the heart and faith is but a bare hand it lets all things fall that it may fill it self with Christ. It s said of the Virgin Mary That God did respect the low estate of his hand-maid So God respects the low estate of Faith that nothing is required but a bare empty hand which hath nothing to bring with it though it be never so weak yet if it have a hand to receive it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a like precious faith 2 Pet. 1.1 that of the poorest Believer and the greatest Saint Now that we may come unto the point without any more going backwards In the words read there is the point of faith and a thing God confirms it withal a seal In whom also after that you believed you were sealed Faith is of it a self a thing unsealed The sealing with the holy Spirit of Promise is a point beyond faith it s a point of feeling and not only of believing of Gods Word but a sensible feeling of the Spirit A believing in my soul accompanied with joy unspeakable and full of glory of which sealing we shall speak more hereafter Observe for the first 1. The Object of it In whom you trusted We speak of Faith now as it justifies as it apprehends Christ for its Object for otherwise Faith hath as large an Extent as all Gods Word Faith hath a
testifie I answer In this place our Spirit is as it were an evidence of God from heaven as a loud token given assuring me upon good grounds that I have not mis-applyed the promises but though God do write bitter things against me yet that I love him still and cleave unto him that for all this I know that I still hunger and thirst after Righteousness that I will not be beaten off nor receive an ill report of my Lord and Saviour that I rest wait fear and trust in him still When thus our valour and faith is tryed then comes the same spirit and seals with our spirit that we are the children of God When our seal is first put then God seals with our spirit the same thing by his spirit To this effect is that in 1 Joh. 3.8 we read three Witnesses are set down the Spirit the Water aand the Blood and these three agree in one These three witness that we have everlasting life and that our names are written in heaven How do these three agree with these two Witnesses very well St. John he ranks them according to the order of their clearest evidence first the Spirit then the Water then the Blood the Apostle here he ranks them according to their natural being first our spirit in Justification and Sanctification and then God's spirit For the spirit of all other this is the clearest evidence and when this is bright and manifest there needs no more the thing is sealed So the Testimony of Water is a clear evidence whereby is meant Sanctification this is put next unto the Spirit for when the Spirit is silent yet this may speak for though I have many wants and imperfections in me yet if my spirit can testifie unto me that I have a desire to please God in all things that I resolve upon and set up his service as the pitch of all my utmost endeavours that with allowance I willingly cherish no corruption but set my self against all sin this Water will comfort and hold up a man from sinking as we see in all the sore tryals of Job Job 28.2 Still he stood upon the integrity of his own spirit and would not let that go though he were sore beaten of the Almighty and slandered for a wicked person But the water may be muddy and the strugling of the flesh and spirit so strong that we happily shall not be able to judge which is master What then Then faith lays hold of the blood in Justification which though it be the darkest testimony yet is as sure as any of the other Now in comparing of these witnesses together in St. John and in my text I rank the water and the blood with the testimony of our spirit And the Spirit mentioned in St. John and in my Text to be all one not as though we wrought them but we believe them to be so If a man ask how I know that I am sanctified the answer must be I believe and know it to be so the work producing these things in me comes of God but for the work of discerning this is certain how our affections stand in this case it comes of us but yet to come nearer the matter The testimony of our spirit I conceive to be when a man hath taken a survey of those excellent things belonging unto Justification and Sanctification when according to the substantial truths which I know in the Word I observe and follow as fast as I can what is there commanded when I take the Candle of the Word and with the bright burning lamp search into the Word what is there to be done and so bring it home to my self thereby mortifying my corruptions this is the ground-work of the witness of our Spirit First as in the blood with my spirit I must see what is needful to be done in order unto Justification what free promises of invitation belong thereunto I must see how God justifies a sinner what conditions on our part are required in Justification I must see what footings and grounds for life and what way of hope there is for a graceless man to be saved yea even for the worst person that may be In this case a man must not look for any thing in himself as a cause Christ must not be had by exchange but received as free gift as the Apostle speaks Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is of faith that it may be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed I must there bring unto the receiving of Christ a bare hand It must be of grace God for this cause will make us let fall every thing before we shall take hold of him Though qualified with humiliations I must let all fall not trusting unto it as to make me the worthier to receive Christ as some think When thus at first for my Justification I received Christ I must let any thing I have fall to lay hold of him that then he may find us thus naked as it were in our blood and in this sort God will take us that all may be of mere grace Another thing the Apostle adds and that is that the promise may be sure If any thing in us might be as a cause or help to our Justification a man should never be sure therefore it is all of grace that the promise might be sure As though God should say I care for nothing else bring me my Son and shew me him and then all is well And in this case you see he doth not name hope or love or any other grace but faith for the nature of faith is to let fall all things in laying hold on Christ In Justification faith is a sufferer only but in Sanctification it works and purgeth the whole man and so witnesses the certainty and truth of our Sanctification and so the assurance of Salvation Hence from the nature hereof in this work the Apostle in 2 Pet. 1.1 writes to them who had obtained like precious faith In this case it is alike to all in vertue in this work whatsoever the measure be And I may liken it thus St. Paul you know writes With these hands I get my living Now though strong hands may work more than weak hands and so earn a great deal more yet a beggar who holds out his hand may receive more than he or any other could earn So faith justifies only receiving not working as we may see Joh. 1.12 But to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name Received him that is believe in him How Come and take him How as it is in Rev. 22. And let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely Now when I see that God keeps open house come who will without denying entertainment to any and when God's spirit hath wrought the will in me what lets me now to receive
to bring a man to salvation without Christ whereas if he be not under grace under Christ he is accursed If thou wilt be saved by the Law it is not thy endeavour or doing what lieth in thee that will serve the turn every jot and â—ittle that the Law requires must be fulfilled What would be thine estate if thou shouldst be examined according to the strict rigour of the Law Not the least word or thought that is contrary to it but thou must give an account for If thou standest upon thine own bottom or lookest to be saved by thine own deeds not one vain word which thou speakest but thou shalt be questioned for cast and condemned Consider then the great difference of being under Christ and grace and of being under the Law When we are under Christ we are freed from a great deal of inconvenience we are not liable to answer for those evil things which we have committed as in that comfortable place of Ezekiel All his iniquities that he hath done shall not be mentioned unto him When a man is come to forsake his old way his evils are cast out of mind a marvellous comfort to a Christian whereas if a man be not in Christ every idle word he must be accountable for if in Christ the greatest sin he ever committed he shall not hear of All they that stand on Gods right hand hear onely of the good things they have done you have fed cloathed and visited me But they on the left hand hear not a word mentioned concerning the good they have done only their evil deeds are reckoned up Now that I may declare to you the difference between the Law and the Gospel I will difference it in three particulars 1. The Law rejects any kind of obedience besides that which is thorough sound full and perfect without any touch of the flesh It rejects all crackt payment it will take no clipt coyn That obedience which hath any imperfection joyn'd with it will not be accepted But here I must not speak without book See Rom. 7.14 We know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal And then concludes O wretched man c. The Law is spiritual What 's that We may know the meaning of it by the particle but but I am carnal The Law is spiritual That is it requires that all our works be spiritual without any carnality or touch of the flâ—sh If in any point of our obedience there be a smell of the cask it is rejected If the beer be never so good yet if it have an evil smatch it will not relish Let our services have this savour of the flesh and they will not be pleasing to God neither will they have a right savour in his nostrils And thus the Law is spiritual but wâ— are carnal Now it is otherwise here in the state of the Gospel Alas We are carnal it 's true The Apostle himself complains That thâ—re is â— law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind and leâ—ding him â—aptive c. Yet notwithstanding the Gospel accepts our obedience thougâ—â—he Law will not What 's the reason of this Why it 's plain Wâ—en â—he Law comes it looks for justice it presents a strict rule to us it requires wâ— shâ—uld be compleat But now the Gospel doth not so it requires â—ot justifiâ—ation of our own but looks that being justified by Gods free grace we â—hould â—hâ—w forth our thankfulness and express that we are so in heart bâ— our obedience to our utmost power Here 's all the strictness of the Gospel If there bâ— a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to what a man hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 God takes well the desires of our mind This iâ— then our blessed condition under the Gospel it requires not perfect obedience but thankfulness for mercies received and a willing mind Suppose we cannot do what we would that 's no matter God looks to our affections and the willingness of our minds if it be according to the strength that thou hast it is received with acceptance Here then arises the second point of difference and that is 2. The Law considers not what thou now hast but what thou once hadst If thou sayst I have done my best and what would you have a man do more then he can do The Law heeds not that It considers not what thou doest but what thou oughâ—st to do It requires that thou shouldst perform obedience according to thy first strength and that perfection once God gave thee that all thou doest should have love for it's ground that thou shouldst love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and strength Mat. 22.37 Herâ— the Law is very imperious like those Task-masters in Egypt that laid burthens on the Israelites too heavy for them to bear They had at first materials and then they delivered in the full tale of bricks But when the straw was taken from them they complain of the heaviness of thâ—ir burthen But what 's the answer You are idle you are idle you shall deliver the same tale of bricks as before Exod. 5.17 So stands the case here It 's not enough to plead Alas if I had strength I would do it but I have not strength I cannot do it But the Law is peremptory you must do it you are compell'd by force you shall do it The impossibility of our fulfilling it does not exempt us as appears by comparing Rom. 8.3 with Rom. 7.6 although it be impossible as the case stands for the Law to be by us fulfilled yet we are held under it as appears plainly thus If I deliver a man a stock of money whereby he may gain his own living and be advantageous to me and he spend it and when I require mine own with increase he tells me True Sir I received such a sum of money of you for this purpose but I have spent it and am disinabled to pay Will this serve the turn will it satisfie the Creditor or discharge the debt No no the Law will have its own of him If thou payest not thy due thou must be shut up under it It 's otherwise under the Gospel that accepts a man according to what he hath not according to what he hath not And here comes in the third point 3. Under the Gospel although I am fallen yet if I repent the greatest sin that is cannot condemn me By repentance I am safe Let our sins be never so great yet if we return by repentance God accepts us Faith and Repentance remove all The Law knows no such thing Look into the Laws of the Realm If a man be indicted and convinced of Treason Murther or Felony though this man plead True I have committed such an offence but I beseech you Sir pardon it for I am heartily sorry for it I never did the like before nor never will again Though he thus repent shall he escape No the rigour of
to lay it down and I have power to take it up This had I from my Father They are grosly deceived then that say Christ's active obedience was not free and voluntary because he was commanded for as well may they say his passive was not voluntary and so not meritorious because it likewise was commanded which none can deny Thus Christ's offering was a free-will-offering though it was a most bitter one yet this being a part of his Father's Will he went as voluntarily to the pains of the Cross as thou dost to thy dinner when thou art throughlâ— hungry For his meat and his drink was to do his Father's Will Joh. 4.34 And this makes it of such worth and efficacy that he did it willingly See it in the type that went before him in Isaac Isaac was grown up he was no Babe he was able to carry wood enough to burn himself when he went to be sacrificed and therefore sure he had strength If Isaac had pleased he might have ran away from the old man his Father yet he suffers himself to be bound and to be laid upon the wood A true type of our Saviour His also was a free-will offering and so a sweet-smelling sacriâ—â—ce unto God It being the highest active obedience it presently pacifieth the wâ—â—th of his Father He humbled himself and became obedient This obedience of our Saviour is the matter and ground of our Justification Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one Judgment came on all unto condemnation so by the righteousness of one the free gift came on all to Justification of life By the obedience of this blessed Saviour many are made righteous so that now our Saviour's obedience followeth next Now this obedience is double Active or Passive 1. Active And this was that whereby he did all the Will of his Father The reason why he came into the world if we look the place bâ—fore alledged will appear Heb. 10.5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and burnt-offering thou wouldst not have but a body hast thou prepared me In burnt offerings and Sacrifice for sin thou hast no pleasure then said I Behold I come in the volume of thy book it is written of me that I should do thy Will O God When he cometh into the world saith he Lo I come For what to do thy Will O God The reason why he came into the world was that he might be obedient unto his Father Thus it behoveth us saith he to John to fulfil all Righteousness John wondred that he that was pure and spotless should come to him to be baptized He knew Baptism presupposed some sin or blot some stain or corruption to be washed off and therefore it 's said Mark 1.5 That there came unto him all the Land of Judaea to be baptized confessing their sins And sure if one who had been but a bare man should have come to John and say he had no sin and yet desired to have been baptized by him he had had no right to Baptism yet our Saviour saith Let alone let it be so that we may fulfil all Righteousness I have no need indeed in regard of my self but I have taken upon me the form of a servant and therefore what the lowest of them must do that must I do therefore was I circumcised and therefore am I baptized I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And he fulfilled it to the utmost both in his active and passive obedience Now for his active Obedience it had a double 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or consummatum est First For his active Obedience in the whole course of his life I hâ—ve glorified thy name and finished the work which thou gavest me to do Would you know what it is to glorifie God in this world It is to finish the work which he giveth us to do Art thou a Minister if thou wouldst glorifie God finish the work he gave thee to do then mayest thou say Glorifie thou me with thy Glory c. But now Christ's work was not all ended when he said he had finished it the greatest part was behind to wit his Passive obedience All the works of his life were done of which actions there Christ is to be understood but then cometh his Passion and that being finished there is something to do yet after that for he was to rise again to our Justification but for the oblation of the sacrifice it was fully finished If we look upon our blessed Saviour in the whole course of his life For 1. Though he lived in a whole world of sin yet he was free from all manner of sin 2. He was enriched with all manner of good works graces and vertue Christ had both of these He was free from any spot of sin though in the midst of a wicked world and there was nothing â—n him which could expose him to any temptations He was continually assaulted and yet he was spotless The Prince of the world came and yet he found nothing in him Satan could find nothing in him whereon to fasten any temptation Such a Priest it became us to have who was holy and harmless Heb. 7.16 Vndefiled separate from Sinners There is the purity of his nature he is holy and in his carriage harmless he did no man hurt Vndefiled a pure and innocent Lamb a lamb without blemish separate from sinners and could not contract any guilt of sin Though he conversed with Publicans and sinners at the Table yet they could not infect him He knew no sin neither was there guile found in him 1 Pet. 1.19 Therefore we see when it comes to the point that the Devil would tempt him yet he himself must needs say What have I to do with thee thou holy one of God He is forced to acknowledge him to be so And so if we look on the place where he saith I do the Will of my Father always Joh. 8 2â— there likewise he shews himself the holy one of God In a word as he was thus obedient unto God so was he subject to men too to his Father in the family and to Caesar in the Commonwealth As he taught he did Subjection towards Governors was his Doctrine and rather than he would not pay Tribute he would have it out of the fishes belly To shew a Recognition of his subjection unto higher powers the text tells us He went about doing good This man say they hath done all things well And at the last cast when all the quarrels and Accusations were brought against him they could bring nothing that could hold water that he could boldly challenge them all as it were Which of you can accuse me of sin You that pick so many holes in my coat come forth spare me not accuse me yet at the last he is accounted a just man Judas himself could acknowledge him to be blameless and that he had sinned in betraying his innocent blood Pilate's Wife could say
so that the Judge though he feared not God nor cared for man by reason of her importunity granted her desire Mark the other thing in the Apostle he bids us pray with the Spirit and with perseverance and he that cometh thus hath a promise made to it He that calleth on the Name of the Lord shall be saved Call on me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee it 's set down fully Matth. 6.7 Ask and you shall have seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be as opened One would think this were idem per idem but it is not so He bids us ask and it shall be given seek and you shall find c. There is a promise annexed to asking seeking and knocking but it is also proved by universal experience for every one that asketh c. It 's very man's case never any man did it yet that hath lost his labour in not attaining what he asked If thou hast it not yet thou shalt have it in the end it is so fair a petition to ask to have thy sins pardoned that God would be friends with thee and that Christ would make thee love him and that God would be thy God that God delights in it This is the point then Suppose God answer not presently yet knock still seek still that is perseverance the thing whereby it is distinguished from temporary asking The hypocrite will pray in a time of need and adversity but his prayer is not constant Job 27.10 Will the hypocrite always call upon God If they come and seek God and he will not answer as Saul did they will try the Devil God would not answer Saul and he presently goes to the Devil It 's not so with God's children they pray and pray and wait still they pray with the Spirit and with perseverance God deals not always alike with his children but differently sometimes he answers presently sometimes he makes them wait his leisure Psal. 32.5 I said I would confess my sins says David and my transgressions and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin so Dan. 9.21 When he set himself to seek God even while he was speaking and praying the man Gabriel appeared unto him and touched him about the time of the evening oblation Before the word was out of his mouth God was at his heart and presently sends him a dispatch The like we see in Esay 65.24 Mark what a promise there is It shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear This is a great encouragement but it may be God will not always do this and what 's the reason Why he hath a wonderful great delight to be wrestled withal and to hear the words of his own Spirit nothing is more delightful to him than this when the Spirit is earnest and will not give over I will not let thee go unless thou bless me Gen. 32.26 It 's said in the Canticles honey is under the lips of the Church Cant. 4.11 Why so it's because there is no honey sweeter to the palate than spiritual prayer to God And therefore God delays to answer thee because he would have more of it If the Musicians come and play at our doors or windows if we delight not in their Musick we throw them out money presently that they may be gone but if the Musick please us we forbear to give them money because we would keep them longer for we like the Musick So the Lord loves and delights in the sweet words of his children and therefore puts them off and answers them not presently Now God's children let him deny them never so long yet they will never leave knocking and begging they will pray and they will wait still till they receive an answer Many will pray to God as prayer is a duty but few use it as a means to attain a blessing Those who come to God in the use of it as a means to attain what they would have they will pray and not give over they will expect an Answer and never give over petitioning till they receive it ROM 5.1 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ c. HAving declared unto you the nature of faith and that point which concerns the practice of it in our near approach unto God I am now come to shew unto you the fruits and benefits Christians receive from this Mother-grace and that the Apostle sets down in these words He sets down 1. The Mother-Grace it self together with its principal benefit Justification or reconciliation with God that whereas we were afar off we are made near and of enemies made friends of God Then 2. There are the daughters or hand-maids of this grace For when we are justified by Faith then 1. We have peace with God that peace of conscience which passeth all understanding then 2. We have free access by faith unto the Throne of grace so that we need not look for any other Mediators Christ hath made way for us to God so that we may go boldly to the Throne of grace and find help at any time of need 3. There follows a joyful hope that a Christian hath by it a taste of Heaven before he come to enjoy it We rejoyce in hope saith the Apostle hope being as firm a thing as faith faith makes things absent as present hope hath patience with it and would have us wait We shall be sure of it but yet we must wait patiently 4. Not only rejoycing in hope but even in that which spoils a natural man's joy as in crosses troubles afflictions for even these are made the matter of this man's joy not delectable objects only Not in time to come after afflictions but in afflictions so as that which spoils the joy of a natural man is fuel to kindle this man's joy Now concerning justification by faith though it be an ordinary point yet there is nothing more needs Explication than to know how a man shall be justified by Faith It is easily spoken hardly explicated Therefore in this mother-Grace I shall shew you 1. What faith is that doth justifie And 2. What this justification is For it is not so easie a matter neither 1. Concerning the nature of faith I have spoken sufficiently already wherein it consists but yet notwithstanding there is a certain thing as like this faith as may be and yet comes short of it Many there are who are like the foolish Virgins that thought they were well enough and thought they should come time enough So many think verily that they have faith yea and perchance go with such a perswasion to their very graves and think they have grace and that they labour after Christ and lay hold on him and are free from worldly pollutions so as that they have a
become guilty before God This is the end of the first part This being done in the latter end of the Chapter he proceeds to speak of the second work of the Comforter To convince the world of righteousness but on what grounds Because I go to my Father and ye see me no more that is he shall assure the conscience that now there is a righteousness of better things purchased for us that Christ was wounded arraigned and condemned for us that he was imprisoned but now he is free who was our surety yea and that he is not free as one escaped who hath broken prison and run away for then he could not have stayed in Heaven no more than Adam could stay in Paradise after his fall but now that Christ remains in Heaven perfectly and for ever reconciled with the Father this is a sure sign to us that the debt is payed and everlasting peace and righteousness brought in for our salvation This the Apostle enlargeth and shews this to be that righteousness which Adam had and which we must trust all unto And this he doth unto the sixth Chapter From whence the Apostle goes on to the third point convincin the world of judgment and of righteousness unto the ninth Chapter which are two words signifying one and the same thing but because he had named righteousness before which was the righteousness of justification without a man in Christ Jesus he calls the third judgment which is that integrity which is inherent bred and created in us to wit sanctification as we may see in Esay 42.3 where it is said of Christ A bruised reed shall be not break and the smoaking flax shall he not quench till he bring forth judgment unto victory Where he shews judgment to be a beginning of righteousness in sanctification even such a one as can never be extinguished So Job 27.2 The word is taken where Job expostulateth the matter As the Lord liveth who hath taken away my judgment c. all the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my nostrils my lips shall not speak wickedness nor my tongue deceit God forbid that I should justifie you till I die I will not remove my integrity from me my righteousness I will hold fast and will not let it go c. Here you see by judgment is meant integrity and that righteousness which is created and inherent in us so that the substance of that place in Esay is that God will never give over so to advance and make effectual that weak righteousness and sanctification begun in us until it shall prevail against and master all our sins and corruptions making it in the end a victorious sanctification And the ground hereof is for the Prince of this world is judged he is like one manacled whose strength and power is limited So that now though he be strong yet he is cast out by a stronger than he so that he cannot nor shall he ever rule again as in times past This strain of Doctrine the Apostle follows in this Epistle shewing that as the righteousness of Justification by the blood of Christ is a thing without us so the righteousness of Sanctification is a thing created and inherent in us and the ground of the witness of our spirits as we shall shew in its own place So that the blood of Christ doth two things unto us in Justification it covers our sins and in Sanctification it heals our sins and sores that if there be any proud or dead flesh it eateth it out and then heals the wound Therefore the Apostle says You are not under the Law but under Grace He that sees the Law is satisfied by another and all to be of free grace he will not much stand on any thing in himself for his Justification but as a poor beggar be content all should be of mere grace Therefore he concludes Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace After this the Apostle goes on to other particulars shewing divers things especially the twelfth Verse of this Chapter where he drives unto the point of sanctification as though he should say you are freed from the Law indeed as it is a Judge of Life and Death but yet the Law must be your Counsellors you are debtors of thankfulness seeing whence you are escaped that you may not live after the flesh and then he proceeds to shew them how they should walk that seeing they had received the spirit they should walk after the spirit now that they had received that which should subdue and mortifie the flesh and the lusts thereof they should be no more as dead men but quick and lively in operation by living after the spirit otherwise they could not be the Sons of God vers 16. and he comes to the words that I have now read For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father for the spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Where the Apostle shews the ground of our Union and Communion with Christ because having his spirit we are of necessity his as S. John speaks 1 Joh. 3.24 Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath giveâ— us What ties together and makes one things far asunder but the same spirit and life in both so that spirit which is in Christ a full running over fountain descending down and being also infused into us unites us unto him yea that spirit communicated unto me in some measure which is in him such fulness that spirit doth tie me as fast unto Christ as any joynt ties member to member and so makes Christ to dwell in my heart as the Apostle speaks to this purpose Ephes. 2.21 That thus by one spirit we are built up and made the Temple of God and come to be the Habitation of God through the spirit so that by this means we are unseparably knit and united unto him for what iâ— it makes one member to be a member to another not the nearness of joyning or lying one to or upon another but the same quickening spirit and life which is in both and which causeth a like motion for otherwise if the same life were not in that member it would be dead and of no use to the other so that it is the same spirit and life in the things conjoyned which unites them together yet to explain this more as I have often in the like case said Imagine a man were as high as Heaven the same spirit and life being diffused into all his parts what is it now that can cause his toe to stir there being such a huge distance betwixt the head and it Even that self-same life which is in the head being in it no sooner doth the head will the toe to stir but it moves So is it with us
all for Christ 96 97 Free grace in bringing sinners to Christ 84 No Free will to good 86 G. TO be given up to our selves a more fearful thing than to be given up to Satan 44 52 The Gospel not seasonable nor savoury till the Law hath been preached 33. How the Gospel differs from the Law 36 The fulness and freedom of the Grace of the Gospel not hindred by the conditions of Faith and Obedience 84 85 Guilt of sin taken away in Justification 133 134 H. HArdness of heart a hindrance to Conversion 2 3 Hell for whom provided 56 Hell described 157 c. That Christ suffered not the pains of Hell proved 80 Christians rejoyce in Hope 151 The Humiliation of Christ v. Christ. I. IMputation of Righteousness See Righteousness To be given up to Insensibleness a woful thing 52 53 Joy in the sense of God's love surpasseth all worldly joy 98. It is attainable ibid. The reason why many believers are strangers to it 98. Some Joy may be in a Temporary 121. How to try true Joy 151. Means to get it 151 152 Justification what it signifies 123. How the Fathers used the Word 123. Justification one simple act of God 124 How we are said to be justified by Faith and how by Christ's blood 93 134 In what sense we are Justified by Faith according to Paul and in what sense by Works according to James 124 Impossible to be justified but by imputed Righteousness 125 129 130. In the instant of Justification no sins are remitted but those that are past 130. A twofold Justification 127 Why a justified person may and must pray for the remission of sins past 131 Justification frees from the punishment and guilt too 133 134 Justification confounded by the Papists with sanctification 125. The difference between them 135 137 No Justification before Faith 142 How we are Justified by Faith alone 141 Judgment in Scripture sometime taken for Righteousness inherent 139 How men are deceived in Judging of of their spiritual estate 18 K. KNowledge one act of Faith 95 L. THe use of the Law 33 65 112 It is necessary to be preached before the Gospel 33 112 Men are under the Law till they come to Christ 35. how fearful a thing it is to be under the Law 35 36. the difference between the Law and the Gospel in three particulars 36 Love of God twofold 91. No temporary believer loves God 123 To be given up to our own Lusts a more fearful thing than to be given up to Satan 43 44 M WAnt of Meditation one cause most believers have so little joy in God 98 Mistakes in judging our spiritual estates See Judging Morality too much trusted to 21. It 's insufficient to bring men to heaven ibid. N. NAtural reason not to be trusted to 21. Too short to convince of sin throughly 22 Mans condition by Nature described 25. The Natural man dead in sin 29. His best works cannot please God and why 29.30 The Curses attending a Natural man in this world 49 c. Two blows that God gives a Natural mans soul in this life the one sensible 51. the other insensible 52. The Curses attending him at Death 53 c. O. CHrists active Obedience mixed with his passive 73 Wherein his active Obedience consisted 74 c. Wherein his passive 75 Partial Obedience a false glass to judge our estates by 21 To design only our Old age for God is dishonourable to him 9 10 Old age most unfit for Repentance 11 12 Men apt to have too good Opinion of themselves 17. The causes of it 1â— c. Men deceived in judging of their estates by the good Opinions of others 19 P. PArtial Obedience see Obedience Passive Obedience see Obedience Peace a fruit of Faith 143 147. Why many Christians want the sense of it 143 144 147 The differences between a true and a false Peace 148 The Causes of a Carnal Peace 147 148 Christ is our Peace 149 Spirit of Prayer what 115 116 1. The Importunity and efficacy of it 116 Why a person already justified may and must Pray for the forgiveness of sins past 130 131 R. NAtural Reason see Natural To Receive Christ what 85 What Reformation may be in a natural man 120 121 Repentance prevents ruine 3 Repentance not in our own power but in Gods gift 6. The sinfulness of deferring it 5 Death-bed Repentance the hindrances of it 13. Not to be trusted to 14. Hard to prove it sound 14 Superficial Repentance is vain 24 Repentance in what respects necessary to justification 132 Remission of sin See Forgiveness Resting or Relying upon God a proper Act of Faith 96 Righteousness two fold 123 129 Imputative Righteousness what it is 125 129. Impossible to be justified without it and why 129 130 S Sanctification a distinct thing from Justification 127 Satan See Devil A difficult thing to be Saved 22. Sealing a distinct thing from Faith 137. The Causes of Security 149. Self-Examination necessary to Conversion 17. a mark of a sound believer 128. Self flattery See flattery Self-Love how it deceives men in judging their estates 18. Sin continued in hastens Gods judgements 2.3 Sin compared to a weight 11. to Cords 12 Sin gets strength by continuance 12. The Sinfulness of Sin set forth in 6. considerations 37.38 c. The dreadful fruits and consequence of Sin It pollutes the Soul 41. It makes men loathsom to God 42 It brings the Devil into the heart 43. It calls for wages 45. The greatness of Sin should be no bar against believing in Christ 85. No Sin overtops the value of Christs blood ibid. Encouragements for Sinners to come to Christ 85. Sin not discovered throughly but by the spirit 109 Sin may be cast away and yet no true Conversion 121 Sin is only a Privation and no positive being 124 Sins not pardoned before they be committed 115. The guilt and punishment of Sin taken away in Justification 133 Spirit of Bondage what 109 Spirit of Prayer see Prayer T. A Temporary Faith how far it may go 117 c. How to know it from true faith 120 Temporary Believers desire Christ only in affliction 120. They do but only tast of Christ 121. They desire mercy but not grace 122. They do nothing out of love to God 122 The sinfulness of thoughts 42 The end of Gods Threatnings 3 U. UNregenerate Men See Natural Our unworthiness should not keep us from coming to Christ. 84 W. THe Will wrought by God as well as the deed 112. The Will more than the Deed 112. How God takes the Will for the deed 113 He that hath a Will to receive Christ hath a warrant to receive him 86 God alone enclines the Will to receive Christ ibid. A woful thing to be suffered by God to have our own Wills in this world 66 Our Wills must be crossed here or for ever hereafter ibid. The Willingness of Christs sufferings rendred them the more meritorious 74 The Word presented to our faith