is the sanctifying of the heart Circumcision Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maist live Rom. 2.29 He is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Consider the foregoing verses On the contrary evil and unsactified hearts are called uncircumcised in Scripture Lev. 26.41 If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled Jer. 9.25 26. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will punish them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Iudah and Edom and the children of Ammon and Moab and all that are in the utmost corners that dwell in the wildernesse for all these nations are uncircumcised and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart Acts 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye doe alwaies resist the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe ye Circumcision then as you see was not onely a seale of the righteousnesse of faith The Passover The Passeover or Paschall Lamb Exod. 12. was a Type of Christ the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world as it hath been explained before The sprinkling of the blood upon the doore-posts signified the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon the heart and soule for removing of the filth as well as the guilt of sin which was also signified by other sprinklings and washings of the Law as I shall shew you anon Sacraments extraordinary The Baptism in the cloud and in the red Sea figured the same which is now signified by our Baptism under the Gospel of which I shall speak in its due place The Manna in the wildernesse was a type of Christ who is the bread of Life upon whom whosoever feedeth by faith hath a spirituall life in Christ he dwelling in Christ and Christ in him to wit by the graces of his spirit Christ himself thus expounded what the Manna signified as you may read at large Ioh. 6.48 to 59. Types The Brazen serpent Numb 21.9 with Iohn 3.14 15. was a type of Christ restoring spirituall life as well as delivering from the death of condemnation As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And this is life eternall that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 The Laver Exod. 30.17 typified our sanctification by the Blood of Jesus Christ Eph. 5 25 26. Even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word We read of the Laver of regeneration Tit. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost The blood of the Sacrifices sprinkled signified the blood of Christ in its sanctifying vertue Heb. 9 1◠14. For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heighfer sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serve the living God! chap. 10.22 Let us draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water The Promises 2. Let us consider the Promises even of the covenant of promise Jer. 31.33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh And will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them Here you see how large a part of this Covenant consisteth in the promises of sanctifying grace Prophecies 3. Let us consider the Prophesies Zach. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse It is the uncleannesse of sin that is washed away by this Fountain of Grace Isa 61.1 2 3. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound c. This freedom here spoken of is from a state of thraldome in sin from the bondage of corruption as well as from the obligation to punishment for it is said ver 3. the latter part That they might be called trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified The like we have chap. 42. 6 7. I the Lord have called thee in righteousnesse and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and give thee for a covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes and bring out the prisoners from the prison them that sit in darknes out of the prison-house Here we see that the opening of blinde eyes is spoken of and what is that but the grace of saving knowledge and what the prison is you may gather out of my foregoing words upon the former text Mal. 3.2 3. He to wit Christ is like refiners fire and like fullers sope And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousnesse Sacraments of the N.T. 4. The Sacraments of the New Testament signifie the same sanctifying grace Rom. 6.4 We are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even so also we should walk in newnesse of life 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified Here you see the washing of Baptism signifies the sanctifying as well as the justifying vertue of the blood of Christ John 1.35 He that sent me to baptise with water the same said unto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remain on him the same is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost See also chap. 5.3 Except a man be born of water and of the
If there be one Body one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all can those that break all these bonds asunder and cast these cords away from them be easily excused 2. Consider how expresly contrary to the command of Christ this practice is John 13.34 A new commandement give I unto you that ye love one another as I loved you that ye also love one another 3. How expresly contrary it is to that mark whereby the Disciples of Christ are to be known unto all men John 13.35 Hereby shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another 4. How expresly it is contrary to that Gospel-frame of Spirit promised in that great Gospel-promise called the New covenant Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you where onenesse of heart and newnesse of spirit are joyned together 5. Doe not selfe-will'd dividers as plainly reject and slight the most affectionate beseechings wooings of the spirit of Christ as other grosse hard-hearted sinners who stop their eares against the invitations of the Gospel See 1 Corinth 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same things that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement Phil. 2.1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord and of one minde May we not out of these words have divers patheticall arguments but for brevity sake I shall take that if any bowels and mercies as another argument for our consideration 6. Consider then whether these words doe not imply that those have cast off bowels and mercies who by rending and dividing spare not to pull out the very bowels of the Church And when Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.8 Finally be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitifull and courteous Doth not he so joyne being of one minde and having compassion one of another so together and loving as brethren and being pitifull that we may conclude that true pitty and compassion are banished away where division and contention possess the heart 7. Those that rend and divide in or from the Church pretend usually that they would have all things reduced to the primitive pattern and most necessary indeed it is that we write after that copy But how unlike is a Church divided rent and torne to that Church that continued with one accord in the Temple praising God being of one heart and of one soule 8. As the Primitive church was the best pattern for a Church so is the example of Christ the best president for our imitation Christ came to reconcile God and man and brake down the partition wall between Jew Gentile making both one and being the chief sheepherd seeks the reducing of all his sheep into one sheepfold But how unlike unto his example is the practise of those that build up walls of partition and separation between Christian and Christian sow discord among brethren and spare not to smite the Lords sheepherds that the sheep may be scattered Will the Lord account this an acceptable piece of service nay is it not an abomination to him See Prov. 6.16 17 18 19. These six things doth the Lord hate yea seven are an abomination unto him a proud look a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations feet that be swift in running to mischiefe a false witnesse that speaketh lies and him that soweth discord among brethren The last is not the least of these evils and he that is guilty of the seventh cannot well be free from most of the six forementioned abominations Obj. But it is hard charging so much evil upon this one miscarriage for it is to be feared that many godly men especially in these times are guilty of it Answ The sinne is never the lesse in its own nature because godly men be they of one party or other are guilty of it Murther and Adultery are not a whit the lesse evil because David so eminent a Saint was guilty of them nor Idolatry the more to be pleaded for because Solomon fell to the commission of it nor is Polygamie to be accounted a small sin because many of the godly Fathers under the Law lived in it Yea 't is a greater sin for such as are godly to commit than such as have no feare of God before their eyes The worth of the person will but adde to the weight of the sin and the Lord aggravates the crimes of David Solomon and other of his servants because they were committed against greater mercies grace and light Upon these considerations as I cannot but judge this a necessary reproof so I am bound highly to prize and say blessed be the labours studies and endeavours of those who seriously minde and trace out the way of peace so little known And the Church shall reap more benefit and they themselves more comfort by such endeavours than ever any shall receive by all their ranglings and perverse disputings for things that are of sevenfold lesse consequence than the Church's unity and peace And I doubt not my brethren in the work of the Gospel but your late and continued prayers and endeavours for unity and concord in the Churches of Christ will yeild you more comfort and peace in the day of your account than all that ever you read or shall read of our novel controversies Let us go on then I beseech you and be as zealous for unity and peace as others are for strife and contention and if there be no remedy but we must strive let us strive and pray for the peace of Jerusalem yea let us strive with God in prayer that her walls may be built up and that peace may be within her walls and prosperity within her palaces for they shall prosper that love her A fourth fort of those that hinder the salvation of others from their sinnes are such as are men of evil practises who by their bad examples doe mischief to many Man is of an imitating nature especially in things that are evil spirituall diseases are infectious and this is one maine reason why admonition is required in case of disorderly walking and excommunication enjoyned in case of obstinate scandall because sinfull examples are of a leavening and infectious nature A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump examples of evil are more effectuall for mischief than all the arguments we can use for good upon the soules of men for one that is saved by good instruction from the Word of God a hundred perish by evil example As evil examples are dangerous in all so more especially in these four sorts of persons
delivered from the greatest evill so thereby he is restored to the chiefest and choicest good g See Master Baxters Saints Rest part 1. cap. 4. sect 4. By Reason man excelleth beasts by Holinesse he excelleth himself inferiour onely to the Angels in Degree and made like unto the Lord as far as a Creature may be to his Creator Ball of Faith pag. 285. the image of God and the enjoyment of him is Mans greatest good yea what greater good is any creature capable of than to be brought into conformity to God and the fruition of him to all eternity Now righteousnesse and holinesse are Gods Image and therefore the new man is said to be created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after God that is after the Image of God in righteousness true holiness Eph. 4.2 And the new man is expresly said to be renewed in knowledge which we must understand of sanctified knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3.10 And by this we are made capable of the eternal inheritance of the Saints in life Col. 1.12 Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet h Haec autem aptitudo vel novae dignitatis conditto ut in nobis inveniatur duo praeâ—upponit ex parte Dei potentem operationem misericordem acceptationem Operatione enâ—m acceptatione divina â—oonei constituimur ad participandam sortem sanctorum Oâ—… divina necessaria est quia mutari nos oporreâ— navas 〈◊〉 efficipâ—ius quam participes esse pâ—ssumus coelestium benefiâ—â—â—um Nam in nobis nihil est aliud quam summa inâ—ptitudo â—â—â—num spirituale sive intelligendum sive faciendum sive denique â—â—â—um Dav. in loc to be partakers of the inheritance with the Saints in light This meetnesse requires a two-fold work of God 1. His gracious acceptation of us 2. His powerfull operation of a work of grace in us for we must be changed and made new Creatures before we can be partakers of the heavenly blessings Blessed are the pure in heart saith our Saviour Christ Mat. 5.8 for they shall see God i Negaâ— quenquam posse Deum videre fine sanctimonia quoniam non aliis oculis videbimus Deum quam qui reformati fuerint ad ejus imaginem Calv. in loc And without holinesse no man shall see God Ro. 12.14 Sanctification makes us capable of the vision of God not as a meer condition or passive qualification but as the necessary disposition of the Agent towards its Object as the seeing faculty is required to the act of seeing as well as a visible object Joseph said unto his Brethren Ye shall not see my face except your younger Brother be with you Benjamines being with them was nothing to their naturall faculty of seeing they had eyes sufficient to look Ioseph in the face if they might have been admitted into his presence without Benjamines being there and therefore his company was a meere condition But when the Psalmist saith Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law we take this to be his meaning that unlesse the blind eye of our understanding be illuminated we can discern no more in spirituall than the man born blinde could of naturall things till Christ had opened his eyes For the naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Thus without holinesse no man shall because without it no man can see k Ita Deus nobis erit notus conspiâ—uus ut videatur spiritu à singulis nobis in singulis nobis Aug. de Civ Dei l. 22. c. 29. God For by the Sanctification of the understanding the Soule is enabled to behold him and the sanctified will and affections onely are able to enjoy him and were an unsanctified soule in Heaven it could enjoy nothing at all of the glory of the Lord. Yea if you will but acknowledge that the great worke of Christ in the Salvation of his people consisteth in his bringing them to glory which none that is a Christian can deny our argument will be strong enough For what is grace but the beginning of glory and what is glory but the perfection of grace wherein sin is removed and compleat holinesse bestowed upon the Soule Our growth from one degree of grace to another is called our being changed or transformed from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Here then grace is called glory For grace and glory differ not specifically l Magis minus non variant speâ—iem but gradually and therefore are the same essentially Davenant calls Grace aetas infantilis gloriae the infant age of glory A man is the same person when he is grown to full stature as he was when he was an infant consisting both of the same essentiall and integrall parts But the difference is in growth so the glorified in Heaven are the same that were the sanctified on Earth onely in this they differ what was begun here is absolutely perfect there here they were regenerated John 3.3 1 Pet. 2.2 Isa 66.11 Eph. 4.13 and born againe and as new-born babes fed upon the sincere milke of the word sucking and being satisfied with the breasts of consolations but there they are grown to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ and sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb continually feasting themselves in the presence of God Because this argument may probably be the most taking with those that wait and rejoyce in the hope of glory I shall insist the more largely upon it and more particularly consider wherein Heavens glory consisteth Paul tells us Rom. 14.17 The Kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost He speaks indeed of the Kingdome of grace but glory being the same in kinde we may take a view of it as we are able according to these particulars 1. Righteousnesse which is the first part of glory mentioned hath different acceptions and therefore we must give you a distinction by the way 1. Righteousnesse is sometimes taken in a strict and narrow sence and is distinguished from holinesse holinesse being a conformity to the first table of the Law and righteousnesse to the second holinesse having respect to God and righteousnesse to man immediately and in this sense we take it in such texts of Scripture where holinesse and righteousnesse are both expressed as Luk. 1.75 2. Righteousnesse is sometimes taken more largely and promiscuously or convertibly with holinesse And so where we read of righteousnesse or holinesse severally in Scripture one and the same thing is usually intended And in this latitude righteousnesse or holinesse is our conformity to the whole will of God here sincerely hereafter perfectly
forth abortives or untimely fruit But as a woman in travaile that hath sorrow because her houre is come but as soon as she is delivered of the Child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world So Christ was in exceeding sorrow and heavinesse at the approach as I may say of a hard bargain when his houre drew nigh Mat. 26.38 But how abundantly was he satisfied when he saw that he had purchased a gratious and a numerous seed as the fruit of his body by those intolerable throwes that tormented his soul Thus likewise Paul having enumerated many grosse sorts of sinners 1 Cor. 6.9 10. addes ver 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus q Nam sanguis Christi purgationis nostrae materia est ex ejus morte et resurrerectione justitia et sanctificatio nobis contigit Calv. in loc Hoc adjecit ut Mediatorem etredemptorem in memoriam redigat per quem nobis tot bona provenerunt Pet. Mart. in loc and by the Spirit of our God What is here wrought by the Spirit was purchased by Christ and is wrought upon his account or in his name for there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we should be saved from our sins This is the fountaine mentioned Zach. 13.1 that is opened to the house of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse that they may be purified therein This is signified in baptism under the Gospell Titus 3.5 Which is called the laver of regeneration For as the washing of water puts away the filthinesse of the flesh so the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 This also was typisied by the ceremoniall washings under the Law if we look back unto them which in themselves were ineffectuall as is plainly expressed at large Heb. 9. take more speciall notice of ver 12.13.14 Neither by the blood of Goats and calves but by his own blood he entred into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God As likewise Heb. 10. The Apostle shews the insufficiency of the legall rites in the beginning of the Chapter and therefore the Sacrifice of Christ must take place according to Scripture which saith Lo I come to doe thy will O God by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all And ver 14. by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified according to the tenour of the new Covenant wherein saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their hearts and in their mindes will I write them as you may read ver 16. see more in the following verses Multitudes of texts to this purpose might be quoted as those that are produced to confirme the Doctrine which I will not stand to repeate and many others I shall summe up all in a word Whatsoever is promised in Scripture concerning our Sanctification is purchased and ratified by Christ Jesus For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen unto the glory of God by us 2 Cor. 1.20 Christ the Efficient cause of sanctifying grace Christ the procreating cause of sanctification Christ saves his people as the Efficient cause working Sanctifying grace in them And he is 1. The Procreating 2. The Conserving 3. The Perfecting cause of it For in and by him Grace is begun continued increased and perfected Christ is the procreting or principall efficient cause of Sanctification He is therefore said to be made unto us of God-Sanctification 1 Cor. 2.30 Heb. 2.11 For both he that Sanctifieth and they who are sanctified c. And him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel Act. 5.31 And he is called Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 And what is said of Repentance and Faith may be said of every Grace for he is the fountaine of Grace and doth willingly communicate and readily distribute to the necessities of his people It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Col. 1.19 And in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 Hid not from but for his people for saith John c. 1.16 of his fulnesse we all receive and grace for grace Christs sanctifying work consists of two parts 1. r Not that these are two really distinct parts or works but one worke in distinct respects or considerations The rooting out of sinne 2. The implanting of Grace Sinne is called the old man the flesh the body of sinne and our old man is said to be crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sinne Rom. 6.6 And they that are Christs are said to have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 Grace is called the new man Eph. 4.24 the new creature Gal. 6.15 the first resurrection Rev. 20.6 and the faithfull are risen with Christ Col. 3.1 And we are said to be dead unto sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.11 In all which we see that the two parts of the worke referre to the death and resurrection of Christ not meerly because Christs death and resurrection purchased it for us but also because by the same power that he raised up himselfe from the dead he actually mortifies our sins and raiseth us againe to newnesse of life The Faithfull have an interest in Christs Death and Resurrection by way of communion with him he communicates unto them the vertue of his Death and Resurrection makes them therein conformable to himselfe Thus saith Paul Phil. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship or communion of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Obj. Is not the holy Ghost our Sanctifier as Christ is our Redeemer and the Father our Creator in a speciall manner Why then doe you attribute that to Christ as the speciall Efficient which belongs to the Holy Ghost Answ 1. It is true that these works are in some speciall manner attributed to the three persons severally and the holy Ghost is specially called by Divines our Sanctifier as may also be proved from severall texts of Scripture Yet withall we must remember that the workes of the Trinity that are termed workes ad extra are undivided thus God the Father created Eph. 3.9 The Son created John 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was
more but what may be retorted again in like manner I know not If he shall say as some do Christ hath repented believed and done all for thee It may be answered so you say he did for Cain and Judas if he did as much for every man as for any man and yet they are damned If he shall say Christ will give thee a believing penitent heart and will take away thy hard and stony heart this destroyes their own tenet for then there is some speciall grace purchased for and bestowed upon one which another hath no share in But I will not now trouble you with the controversie at large onely for your help to satisfie your selves and silence gainsayers consider what hath been already laid down in the foregoing discourse Christ hath by his own blood obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9.12 And this redemption is from dead works to serve the living God as you may see ver 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God See likewise cap. 10.9 10.14 Then said I Loe I come to doe thy will O God By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all For by one offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Thus we see he hath redeemed his people from all iniquity as the Apostles expression is Tit. 2.14 He hath purchased for them perfect eternall Sanctification Faith and Repentance which the Gospel requires Christ gives unto his people as a part of what he hath purchased for them He gives repentance unto Israel Acts 5.31 He is Jesus the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 of his fulnesse we all receive and grace for grace Joh. 1.16 It is from the fulnesse of his Purchase as well as of the fulness of the Grace that dwells in him that his people do receive Christ hath purchased the beginning increase and perfection of all sanctifying and saving grace for his people And herein hath he done more for his people than for others herein hath he done much more for Abel Jacob Peter than for Cain Esau Judas Here is enough to make a partition wall between the Elect and Reprobate 5. This will likewise inform us wherein the multitude of carnal people among us deceive themselves in their accepting of Christ for their Savior They look upoÌ„ Christ as coming to save them from the wrath of God onely that is due unto them for sin and they are willing to be saved by him We doubt not but the vilest sinner that delighteth in his abominations who saith he is willing that Christ should save him from the wrath of the Almighty speake truth We need not question but any man would be willing to be saved from the flames of Hel yea the Devils themselves would not refuse to be delivered from them for nature it self abhorres sufferings Who would be willing to go to a place of everlastâ—ng torment But true faith accepts of Christ as a perfect Saviour to save the soule from all its misery both of sin and suffering And this is the main difference between the faith of a child of God and the Faith of the ignorant and carnall multitude There is not the prophanest wretch but would be willing that God should be reconciled unto him blotting out his sins but how hard a matter is it to perswade a sinner to be reconciled unto God willingly parting with his sins All the wooing intreating beseeching and the best Rhetorick we can use is too little to prevaile 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God So saith Peter Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which warre against the soul This is indeed the great and main work of the Ministers of the Gospel to perswade sinners to accept of Christ for salvation from Sinne sinne is the mire that carnall persons stick in and are unwilling to be drawn out of 6. This will also informe us who they are that are the best Gospel preachers that most exalt the riches and grace of Christ undoubtedly those that preach Christ a Saviour from sinne as well as from the fruit and effects of sinne Many thinke there is no Gospel-preaching but onely the preaching of pardon and remission of all sin to the worst of sinners If we preach the doctrine of Sanctification that is accounted Legall doctrine but if we perswade swearers drunkards and the worst of sinners that they have nothing to do but believe their sins are pardoned already and that the legal work of repenting watching striving against sin and care to please God must not be regarded then we shall be extolled for preachers of free-grace Alas poor mistaken souls are Christ and Grace onely exalted in the pardon of sin and must we take no heed to the sanctification of sinners Is it a Gospel-work to preach Christ as having taken away suffering the fruit of sin and is it a legall Doctrine to preach Christ for the destruction of sin that is the cause of suffering and the worst of evils You have pretended to be admirers of Free-grace if you are so indeed you may here stand and wonder with your selves at your gross mistake and that you have admired the grace of Christ no more You have amired that murder persecution witchcraft blasphemy and the like should be forgiven that Manasseh Paul and many of the Jews that crucified Christ should be freely pardoned you have been ready to cry Grace grace riches of grace grace abounding and super-abounding to such a work as this 'T is true there is cause enough to magnâ—fie this wonderfull work of Christ and we may well say This is the Lords doing and it is mervailous in our eyes I would not willingly in the least dimmish this pardoning grace of Christ Yet come and behold and admire Grace once more to wit the sanctifying Grace of Christ Is it not a wonder to see the Wolf dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the falling together and a little Child to lead them To see the Cow and the beare feed and their young ones lie down together and the Lion eat straw like an Ox To see a sucking Child play upon the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child put his hand upon the Cockatrice den Isa 11.6 7 8. To see a Sinner become a Saint 2 Chr. 33. Gal. 1.23 1 Cor. 10.20 2 Pet. 1.4 1 Joh. 1.3 to see a Sorcerer become a sincere Worshipper of the Living God To see a furious Persecutor become a painfull Preacher of that Faith which once he destroyed To see those that had formerly communion with Devils to be made partakers of the Divine nature
that may be worth some thousand pounds So is the esteem of most concerning the worth of Christians he that talks most and wordeth it best in all company is the onely man when a weighty serious Christian of fewer words and meaner outside is of no account But the worth of a Christian lies not in a few good words nor in plausible performance of duties but in true and real sanctification from sinne A sincere humble-hearted Christian is worth his weight in gold and I doubt not but one such Christian will weigh down a hundred vainglorious talkers in the balance of the Sanctuary Think not the highest Mountaines are the most fruitfull Land because they overlook the lower Valleys the mountains indeed are most in shew especially at a distance but the lowest valleyes bring forth fruit most abundantly Gifts and Grace compared There is a great deale of difference between Gifts and Graces as I shall instance in three particulars There is the gift of knowledge and the grace of knowledge the gift of faith and the grace of faith the gift of prayer and the grace of prayer There may be oft times is a large gift of all these where the true grace of them is wholly wanting No doubt but Iudas and divers others lawfully set apart to the work of the Ministrie were indued with a large measure of the gifts of knowledge faith and utterance both for preaching and prayer But how farre were they from the grace of either Our Saviour Christ himself gives us an account of many Mat. 7.22 that will say at the last day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works and then will he professe unto them I never know you depart from me ye that work iniquity But true sanctifying Grace is precious in his esteem the grace of knowledge is more precious than any thing in all the world Prov. 3.13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdome and the man that getteth understanding For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver the gain thereof than of fine gold she is more precious than rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Happy indeed are they that have the grace of knowledge when many that are endued with great gifts are and shal be eternally miseable Hel it self is full of large gifts yea the Devils there have greater knowledge than all the Saints on earth The gift of knowledge through the corruption of man puffs up as we see by woful and abundant experience when the grace of knowledge makes a man more humble The mere gift makes a man wise in his own eyes and while he takes himself to be a knowing man he knowes nothing as he ought 1 Cor. 8.7 Seest thou a man that is wise in his own eyes there is more hope of a foole than of him saith Solomon Prov. 26.12 A foole in Solomons usuall sense is one that is wicked and verily there is more hope of a profane person than of him that is well conceited of himself The Gospel took better effect among Publicans and Harlots than with the Scribes and Pharisees for to them saith Christ the Publicans and Harlots enter into the kingdome of God before you Mat. 21.31 And the reason is evident for a profane person is more easily convinced of his sin which is a good step toward conversion and a necessary antecedent to it A self-conceited proud person resisteth God in his message and motions and God resisteth him so that there is as it were an antipathy between them The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsell of God Luke 7.30 and God resisteth the proud James 4.6 but he giveth grace to the humble And the grace of knowledge makes a man humble little in his owne eyes and low in his own esteem shewing him his ignorance wants weakness and the more a man truly knowes the more he sees what he knows not and dare not rashly adventure upon things above his reach Ps 131.1 Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me There was likewise the gift of Faith even to the working of Miracles which was nothing in the Lords esteem without sanctifying Grace 1 Cor. 13.2 Thogh I have faith so that I could remove mountaines and have no charity I am nothing But the grace of faith in all that are indued with it is precious 2 Pet. 1.1 And the triall of this grace is said to be much more precious than of gold 1 Pet. 1.7 There is also the gift of Prayer and this furnisheth a man with words and apt composure as to the outward form but the grace of Prayer furnisheth the heart with the sense of its wants and apprehension of the worth of grace and fills the soul with sighs and groans when it wants words to speak its minde There was more of the grace of prayer in that short Petition of the self denying Publican God be mercifull to me a sinner than in many of the Pharisees long prayers and their fastings to boot The Pharisees prayed by measure and the Papists pray by number but a gracious spirit prayes by weight and such prayers are most prevalent Jam. 5.16 The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Regard not then so much how long thou prayest or what are thy expressions in prayer as what are thy sighs and groans and what the serious sense of thy heart in prayer and supplication The speciall help of the spirit lies in framing the heart with the affections not the tongue with words for prayer as is evident Rom. 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Measure not then the quantity of thy gifts to know what thou art in point of Christianity but try the quality the sincerity and growth of thy grace A little grace with little gifts is of farre greater value than the greatest gifts without grace A small vessel laden with Gold from the Indies is of more value than the greatest ship laden with Coales Salt or such like Commodities Grace lies not meerely in the head but chiefly in the heart and in the feet also of a Christian to wit the habit of grace in the inward affection and the exercise in the outward conversation or course of life together with the actings of the inward faculties 1. In the heart or inward affections Thus according to the tenour of the new Covenant the true grace of knowledge rectifies the heart Jer. 31.33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And 't is the
heart that God especially calls for Prov. 23.26 My Son give me thy heart With the head man assenteth to the truth of God but with the heart man consenting believeth unto righteousnesse Rom. 10.10 that is justifying faith is seated chiefly in the heart I doe not exclude the understanding The head inventeth words but the heart inditeth matter for prayer and praise My heart is inditing a good matter saith David Psal 45.1 The head may dictate to the tongue but grace frameth and fixeth the heart for duty Psal 57.7 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed Here the heart leadeth the way to the outward service calling upon awakening the tongue Psaltery and Harp ver 8. Awake my glory that is my tongue which is therefore called our glory because it is the instrument wherewith man glorifies God compare Psal 16.9 with Acts 2.26 and you shall finde that that which the Psalmist calleth the glory the Apostle translateth the tongue in quoting that text Therefore did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad 2. True Grace is also much in the feet of a Christian I mean the exercise of grace is in the course of life and conversation not excluding the inward exercise which is called our way wherein we are to walk according to the Word of God Thus also in the new Covenant God promiseth as to write his lawes in the hearts of his people so to cause them to walk in his statutes Ezek. 36.27 Psal 119.59 I thought on my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies ver 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way ver 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path Walking is an act of continuance and imports the constant course of life in such Scripture-phrases as these Thus saith David Psal 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord yea Grace causeth not onely to walk but also to run in the waies of God Thus likewise saith David Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy commandements Thus Paul I therefore so run not as uncertainly 1 Cor 9.26 and he exhorteth us v. 24. So run that ye may obtain Gifts have been and are still much abused but Grace cannot be misimplied The strivings hot contendings fearfull schismes and factions in the Church of Corinth were made through the pride and vainglory of the gifted men among them There were so many tongues and so many speakers puffed up with self-conceit that those gifts which were given them for edification were abused to ostentation and confusion in their solemn meetings which Paul corrects as we read at large 1 Cor. 14. What is the cause of our sad divisions and the great disorder that we are grown into but this that men play the wantons with the gifts that God hath given them Scripture tells us knowledge puffs up 1 Cor 8.2 And when men are swoln with pride 't is no mervaile if they break out into contention for saith Solomon Onely by pride cometh contention Prov. 13.10 Let then the most humble peaceable selfe-denying serious Christian be accounted the best and let grace be ever preferred before gifts Lastly if Christs great work be the saving of his people from their sins this informes us that a soule given up to a state of sin is in a most sad condition No judgement like that of being given up to a reprobate sense and vile affections Had we stood with Abraham and seen Sodom flaming and smoking with fire and brimstone and so terrible wrath from Heaven consuming her inhabitants would not our hearts have aked within us at so dreadfull a sight But that which righteous Lot saw while he lived among them which vexed his soul from day to day even their filthy and unlawfull deeds was in itself a sight far more grievous to behold Men are apt to judge that God is highly displeased with those that fall under some remarkable temporall judgement but little regard his wrath in giving up soules to sinne yea a seeming judgement sometimes begets an hasty and rash censure When the Viper fastned upon Pauls hand no doubt said the Barbarians this man is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the Sea yet vengeance suffereth not to live Acts 28.4 And had Job lived in our daies we should have had many ready to charge him in the depth of his misery with wickedness and hypocrisie as his friends did But beloved there is a sort of vengeance from heaven that lies upon the greatest part of the world and upon many among us which is little regarded and that is Gods leaving men up to their own hearts lusts Rom. 1.24 26. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleannesse through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their bodies betweene themselves and ver 26. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections To the like purpose speaketh Solomon Prov. 22.14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein And 't is well reckoned by the Psalmist among the heavy judgements upon Israel in the Wilderness that when they lusted exceedingly tempted God he gave them their request but sent leannesse into their souls Ps 106.14 16. Ps 81.11 12. But my people would not hearken unto my voice I rael would none of me so I gave them up unto their owne hearts lusts they walked in their own counsels the judgement upon evil men seduce is that they shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 And were it well considered we might observe the remarkable judgement of God upon many in these times How many of those that waxed wanton and despised the precious Truths and Ordinances of God are now given up to swearing drunkennesse whoredome and such like abominable wickednesse Had these men been smitten with lightning and thunderbolts from heaven for their departure from the waies of righteousnesse we should have been ready to say this is the finger of God Certainely God hath already pointed them out more sadly by the heaviest plagues in that they have been given up to hellish blasphemies and to work wickednesse with greedinesse and his hand in this is more heavy upon them than if we had seen them fall dead in our streets As it is the Saints happinesse that their little grace shall be improved so is it the misery of a multitude of seared Sinners that their filthy and vile affections shall be still increased as it is written Revel 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still CHAP. IV. IF the great work of Christ our Saviour be the saving of his people from their sins Use of Reproof then this reproves those that do what in them lies to hinder this
of their sin before they be also condemned to the same pit of hellish howling CHAP. V. FIrst let me exhort you in generall to get your hearts deeply possessed with the consideration of this truth 1. Use of Exhortation That the great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sinnes This will be of great concernment to the glory of God and the good of your own and others soules as will more fully appeare in the following discourse The not understanding and want of consideration of this is the cause of great contentednesse in sinne among profane and earnall persons They look onely upon judgement as the great evill they are liable unto as for their sinnes they love and delight in them as if there were no evil in them So little do most consider of the evill of sinne that were it not for fear of the judgement annexed to the Law and denounced against sinners they would have no thoughts of ever-leaving their sins the Language of many poore carnall soules declares as much Tell a profane person of his evill courses so as to convince him of his sinne he will answer he hopes he may repent hereafter and God may have mercy on him at the last The example of the Thief on the Crosse much takes with him but for present reformation he hath no minde to it Tell me plainly thou that livest in known sinnes being convinced in conscience of the evill of them and that yet there is no saving work wrought upon thy heart Tell me I say and let Conscience answer when thou hast had good motions upon thy heart from the Spirit of God in thy solitary seasons or when thou hast been plainly shewed by some powerfull Sermon what thy state is how sinfull and damnable Hath not thy deceitfull heart wedded to corruption silenced the voice and quieted the workings of conscience by telling it this work of turning to God and seeking his grace is indeed necessary to salvation but this is a work that may be done hereafter and so it be done any time t is well enough though in sickness or old age And doth not this plainly shew that thine ey is only upon the evil of suffring for sin not upon sin it self for were sin accounted a greter or as great an evil as suffering yea were it accounted an evil of any moment at all there would be no pleading for a little more slumber a litle more folding of the hands to sleep in sin Were sinners as sensible of the evill of sin as of the pain of scorching flames oh how would they awake and rouze up themselves plead no longer for the flesh to delight it self in sensual pleasures Is it not ignorance in this point that is the cause why so many in these times will not account a Sermon of repentance or holinesse worth the hearing and that the Preacher that spends much time upon such subjects is esteemed no better than ignorant of the mysteries of the Gospel Is not ignorance of this doctrine the cause why so many self-conceited self-sending teachers meddle so little with the propheticall and kingly office of Christ and insist almost wholly upon his Priestly office and handle that but by the halves too They are much upon the satisfaction which Christ hath made to God for sinne by his fulfilling the Law and suffering for us but the purchase of sanctifying grace is little taken notice of Verily every office of Christ is very necessary to the saving of his people His Propheticall office is necessary to their teaching and enlightning in the waies of holinesse his Kingly office is necessary for the subduing of rebellious lusts and affections for the conducting of them and leading them on in the paths of righteousnesse and his purchase as he is our Priest of sanctifying grace is as necessary as his obtaining pardoning grace for us The not laying of this to heart is surely the cause of so much slightnesse and remissnesse even in many of the children of God themselves in their whole spirituall course Tell me truly thou that fearest God and dissemble no longer to thy own injury and Gods dishonour Hast thou not many times said thus in thy heart I am verily perswaded my estate is good before God that I have true grace and an interest in the precious merits of Jesus Christ and though I be not so carefull watchfull and spirituall as I might be though I give way to such and such lesser evils and neglect such and such smaller duties yet having an interest in Christ who is able to save me to the uttermost all these will be pardoned and done away in the day of account and being not under a covenant of works but of free-grace for the remission of sinnes I need not be so very scrupulous Whence now comes such evill and carnall reasonings in thy heart but from hence that thou little considerest that the great work and care of Christ is to save thee from thy sinnes Thou lookest upon suffering as the greatest evil and upon sinne as little in comparison of it thou thinkest free-grace is chiefly yea almost wholly if not onely to be admired in the remission of sinnes and magnified in the justification of Gods Elect diminishing his grace in their sanctification O how exceedingly is God dishonoured not onely by wicked men but even by his own children also for want of rightly considering wherein their salvation lies O learn now if thou hast not hitherto considered it that it is the great work of Christ to save his people from their sinnes And to that end weigh well the arguments confirming the Doctrine And to the end thou maist be further helped in thy understanding of this truth of so great importance study againe and consider better very many Scriptures that speak of the work of salvation by Christ and see whether thou hast not exceedingly straitned the sense and meaning of them by conceiving them to speak of salvation from the fruits of sin onely when they specially intend salvation from sinne onely Did not these words in the text He shall save his people from their sinnes and these words Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world seem to thee to be meant onely of the guilt and punishment of sinne O learn now more clearly and fully to understand the sense of Scripture concerning Gospel-grace and know that Christs saving his people by sanctifying them as well as justifying them is the very stream both of the old and new Testament And here that I may help your understanding a little I shall instance 1. In the Sacraments and Types 2. In the Promises 3. In the Prophesies of the old Testament 4. In the Sacraments of the new Testament 5. In the Gospel-invitations together with some other texts of Scripture Sacraments ordinary 1. For the Sacraments which were ordinary in the old Testament Circumcision of the flesh signified circumcising that