to tremble you think he is too strong for you and you shall never be able to withstand him any longer and your hearts are almost crushed and sunk with fear of Satans power but what 〈◊〉 Satan do Nil potest diabolus â—isi missus vel permissus He is but a creature and he is a wicked creature and he is a conquered creature and he is a chained creature and he is a cursed creature Christ hath conquered him and therefore you shall conquer him all the victories of Christ do reach unto you God doth chain him and restrain his power and working Thus far he shall go and no farther God will give you grace sufficient to resist and withstand him and will not suffer you to be tempted above your strength and at last yea shortly will bruise Satan under your feet Greaâ—er is he that is in you than hâ—â— that is in the world He Rules the world which troubles and tempts you but your God will not suffer you to be led into temptation 3. Your Covenant-Interest and Relation should secure your hearts against the Against the fears of what God will do feares of what God will do You see sometimes great changes and alterations and judgements in the earth how terrible God is to the inhabitants thereof what desolations he makes how he shakes the mountains and makes the hills to fall down at his presence his fire burnes and consumes and goes on and no man knows the power of his wrath nor can say when or where his indignation will end and cease But in all the dark and dreadful dispensations of Gods providence the people of God have no cause to fear for he hath an hiding placâ— from the storm for them and his chambers of protection for them untill the indignation be over His eyes are over â—â—e righteous it shall surely be well with them that fear before him every thing shall work for good unto them and should publique calamities involve you with other people yet your God will either support you under them or deliver you out of them or translate you into a better place and condition free from all sin and misery and trouble into the place of eternal rest and happinesse 4. Your Covenant-Interest and Relation should secure your hearts from the Against the fears of what our selves shall do fear of what we our selves shall do what will become of us in the latter end we oft times fear that we shall never hold out and persevere in the paths of righteousnesse and we feare that providence will not hold out that we shall not have enough to sustain us all our dayes But why do we fear these fears is not Christ the Finisher of our Fath who is the Authour of our Faith and will not God perfect the work which he hath begunne and are we not kept by his power through Faith unto salvation and hath he not promised that he will never depart from us and to put his feare into our hearts that we shall never depart from him And as for an outward enough and sufficiency for all our dayes alas why do we fear future supplies who live every day upon present mercies Our God hath said that he will never leave us nor forsake us and that bread shall be given us and our waters shall be sure Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the saâ—eâ— for ever so your God is an al-sufficiency for all times in all times and unto all times there is no end of his goodnesse nor of his care nor of his love 5. Your Covenant-Interest and Relation should secure your hearts against Against the fears of what ours shall do the feares of what yours shall do and what will become of them when you are dead you have but little your selves and shall leave lesse unto your children But O that we had more faith for then we should have less fears but remember a few things 1. Be more careful what good you may do your childrens fouls than fearful what good God will do for your childrens bodies if your children be only your children they are then heires of vanity and sinne and misery but did you take care to make them Gods children they should be heirs of mercy and blessing 2. Though you die yet your God ever lives whose care and bounty is not restrained to one person or to one generation but extends unto believers and unto their seed after them Gen. 17. 7. And thou art the helper of the fatherlesse Psal 68. 5. In thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy Hosea 14. 3. 3. Though you cannot finde provision for your children after you and therefore fear yet you may finde promises for your children and therefore you should not fear if you cannot leave them with a portion yet if you can leave them with a promise of God it may very well quiet and satisfie you and this you may Psal 112. 2. The generation of the upright shall be blessed Psal 102. 28. The children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established bâ—fore thee 6. Your Covenant-Interest and Relation should secure your hearts against the Against the fears of what shall become of the Churches of Christ feares of what shall become of the Churches of Christ especially in times of heresies and seducements and of threatenings and endeavours to subvert the Ordinances and all Gospel Ministrations And truly many do fear in respect of these at this time but we should not inordinately fear in respect of them for there are no people in the world that have Christ so near them and God so engaged unto them as the Church The foundation of the Church is too strong for the gates of hell and the Church of God will alwaies be found a very burdensome-stone for all people All that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it Zach. 12. 3. And as for the Ordinances and Ministrations of Christ in his Churches they shall continue as long as Christ hath a Church on earth as long as the Covenant abides a people of the Covenant shall abide and as long as the people of the Covenant abides the Ordinances for those people shall abide no not all the corrupt opinions of men nor powers of men shall ever be able to pluck the Sunne out of heaven nor drive out the everlasting Gospel from the earth If any thing should make us to fear the continuance of those amongst us it is only our unthankfulnesse and our unfruitfulnesse and our contempt and scorn of them 7. Lastly your Covenant-interest and relation should secure your hearts against Against the fears of death the fear of deaâ—h you should not fear to live not yet to dye who have God to be in Covenant for the sting of death is gone it is taken out by the death of Christ 1 Cor. 15. Death separates soul and body but it can never separate
unto it in holinesse of conversation The condition in which sinners lie whiles under the Law and the curse thereof and without Christ is set forth in the 18 19 20 21. verses I will give you the The Words opened summe of it They have to do with God as a terrible Judge sitting on the Throne of his Justice This is represented by Mount Sinai that burned with fire and where theâ—e was blackness and darkness and tempest verse 18. All which shew unto us that dreadful and burning wrath of God against sinners and when he manifests himself unto them as their offended Judge then they are filled with confusion and perplexity and horror They can neither fly from this God nor yet abide his dreadful presence this is set out in verse 19. 20. as if nothing but death were to be expected and present destruction And truely the manifestations of God were then so terrible that Moses himself said I exceedingly fear and quake ver 21. No not the most righteous person is able to stand before God as a â—udge But now let us consider the other estate unto which Believers in Christ are brought by the Gospel This is set forth in verse 22 23 24. But ye are come unto Mount Sion the heavenly Jerusalem instead of Mount Sinai which was the seat of wrath ye are come to Mount Sion which is the throne of Grace And unto the City of the living God ye are not now in a wilderness condition but brought into a resting place into the heavenly Jerusalem which is the vision of peace where being reconciled by Christ you do abide and enjoy the living God for your God And to Myriades or innumerable company of Angels even the Angels are fellow-Citizens with you in the heavenly Jerusalem and in this life your fellow-servants and Ministers To the general assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven Through Christ ye are made members of the true Catholick Church of the Elect and of all Believers whose names are inrolled in heaven written in the book of life predestinated unto grace and glory And unto God the judge of all who will condemn and punish his adversaries and absolve comfort and reward and save his people according to his faithfull promises And to the Spirits of just men made perfect To the Church triumphant in heaven which is freed from all sin and misery and partakes of perfect holiness and happiness to which you have now a present right and of which are long you shall by Christ have a sure enjoyment with them that are already entred into that Possession And to Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant Ye are under a Covenant of grace which proclaimes remission of sin and of which Christ himself is Mediatour and Surety by whom God is satisfied and reconciled And to the blood of sprinkling to the partaking of this blood which was shed for the remission of sins and to cleanse us from sin so that you are now justified and sanctified by him which speaketh better things than that of Abel The blood of Abel spake and cryed out against Cain for curse and vengeance but the blood of Jesus Christ speaks to God for mercy and pardon of sin and peace and life and is effectual for these Thus you see into what a surpassing condition the Gospel brings believers in Christ and of what efficacy the Apostles exhortation of them to holiness should therefore be CHAP. VII The Covenant of Grace considered in relation to Christ the Mediatour THIS last verse I have purposely chosen to carry on farher the discourse of the Covenant of Grace in relation to Christ Jesus as Mediatour The Covenant of Grace considered â—n relation to Christ as Mediatour thereof And let me tell you that herein lies the strongest hopes and the sweetest comforts and the surest grounds that we sinners have that as there is a New Covenant a Covenant of Grace so that Jesus Christ is the Mediatour thereof For set Jesus Christ aside as Mediatour in this Covenant there would be no admission of sinners into it nor any participation of the good things in it nor any ability of our standing or abiding in it I finde in Scripture a seven-fold relation that Jesus Christ hath to the Covenant Christ hath a seven-fold relation to the Covenant He is the substance of the Covenant The principal confederate party 1. He is the substance of the Covenant even the Covenant itself Isa 42. 6. I will give thee for a Covenant of the people Isa 49. 8. He is our very peace and our very life and our very salvation and if I may not be mistaken he it is that fulfils and makes the Covenant good on both sides 2. He is the principal confederate party As Adam was in that Covenant of works standing for himself and all his posterity so Jesus Christ in this Covenant of Grace for himself and all that believe on him Heb. 1. 5. I will be to him a Father and be shall be to me a Son 1 Joh. 20. 17. I ascend to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God 3. He is the Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. The Messenger of the Covenant The Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in He it is who opens and reports unto us the good will of his Father and the gracious love of the Father and what hath past and hath been agreed on 'twixt the Father and him touching our salvation he reveals this Covenant and treats with sinners about it and shews them the way how to come in and prevailes with them by his Spirit 4. He is the Witness of the Covenant Isa 55. 4. Behold I have given him The Witness of the Covenant for a Witness to the people Rev. 1. 5. From Jesus Christ the faithful witness c. He testifies to the Covenant by word and deed and oath and his testimony is true 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy all acceptation that Jesus Christ is come into the world to save sinners He is the Yea and Amen to every word of promise and grace that God hath spoken concerning us that it is good and true that God hath said it and that he will performe it 5. He is the Surety of the Covenant Heb. 7. 22. Jesus was made a Surety of The Surety of the Covenant a better Testament and Covenant As God is in some respect a Surety for Christ Isa 52 13. Behold my servant shall deale prudently so Christ is a Surety for God undertaking that his Father shall perform what he hath promised Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out verse 38. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me verse 39. And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all
after the order of Melchizedeck whence I thus argue That if the Priestly Office of Christ still continues in Heaven then there is some work which Christ still doth in Heaven Because an Office is therefore given and therefore continues in regard of some work that is to be done and to be continued by him who is invested with such an Office It were absurd and ridiculous to imagine that Jesus Christ should still enjoy an Office of Priesthood to no use or purpose there being nothing for him to do in that Office 2. He is very sensible of our conditions here on earth both in a way of apprehension He is very sâ—nsible of our conditionâ— here on earth and in a way of compassion In a way of apprehension Rev. 2. 8. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty Acts 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me In a way of compassion Heb. 4. 15. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and Chap. 5. 2. He hath compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way To what end were these if Christ could or would not or might not do any thing for his servants because he is in heaven and they on earth 3. His love remaines as strong unto them now he is in heaven as it was unto them His love remaiâ—â—â— strong as ever whiles he was on earth Rev. 3. 9. I will make them to know that I have loved thee And love is active in the behalf of them who are beloved 4. His Relation is as near as it was the same union and the same relation still He is the Head and we the Members he is the Root and we the Branches he is the His relation is as neer as it was Husband and we are his Spouse still if the same near relation continues still surely works of kindness continue still 5. You have his Promise to act for you though he be now in heaven Joh. 14. There is a promise for it 13. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do verse 16. And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Our faith else would be at a losse 6. Our Faith would be at a losse in all our accesses and approaches if Jesus Christ should give over all working for us nor it is not sufficient that we Our saith else would be at a loss represent his sufferings and merits unless he himself doth the same on our behalf 2. But now let us inquire what is that eminent and great work which Christ What is that eminent work that Christ doth in heaven for us doth in heaven for us it is Christs Intercession for us Rom. 8. 34. It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Hebr. 7. 25. He ever liveth to make intercession for them I will open two things concerning the Intercession of Christ our Mediatour The Intercession of Christ viz. 1. the nature of it 2. The vertue or benefit of it 1. The Nature of it The Nature of it You read in Scripture of a three-fold Intercession A three-fold Intercession in Scripture Our intercession one for another 1 Our intercession one for another 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that Supplications Prayers Intercession and giving of thanks be made for all men Moses interceded for the people of Israel when they fell into that great sin of Idolatry which did so much provoke God to wrath And David made intercession for the life of his child and Paul for Epaphroditus and Onesimus All the people of God on earth do pray one for another but this is not in their own name but in the Name of Christ 2. The Spirits Intercession Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit it self maketh Intercession The Spirits Intercession for us c. verse 27. He maketh Intercession for the Saints accoâ—ding to the will of God And his Intercession is not a formal and meritorious intercession as Christs is but only a causal or virtual intercession by teaching us what to pray for and by giving us hearts and abilities and affections for to pray 3. Christs Intercession which was partly done whiles he was on earth Joh. 17. 9. Christs Intercession I pray not for the world but for all them that thou hast given me and Luke 22. 31 32. Simon Simon Satan hath desired to winnow you as wheat but I have prayed for thee And partly done whiles he is now in heaven And it may be thus described This Intercession of Christ is a glorious and authoritative work of Christ our High A description of it Priest and Mediatour wherein he takes upon him the cause and condition of all and every Believer and wills the effectual application of all and every good which he hath merited and purchased for them which will or request of Christ the Father hears and alwayes grants There are many things observable in this description 1. The Intercession â—f â—hrist is a glorious work There were works of Christs It is a glorious work Humiliation as to be born and die and there are works of Christs Exaltation amongst which Intercession is one He doth this work now being in his glory and he doth it after a glorious manner not by prostrating himself as once he did in the Garden or by falling down on his knees as he did on earth but bâ— presenting of his Person and sufferings and merits unto his Father on our behalf in heaven as the reason of the good which we desire to enjoy 2. And therefore I add that it is an Authoritative work There is a praying as An authoritative work one distinguisheth out of humility which is a desire or request for things unmerited And there is a praying out of Authority wherein one doth not meerly present his request to be granted but also his right that it ought to be granted Such is the Intercession of Christ which is grounded not absolutely In promisso on Gods gracious promise but principally In precio in his own satisfaction and merit upon which he may justly demand and challenge audience and performance 3. Christs Intercession in heaven respects not himself but his Church and every It respects not himself but his Church Member thereof on earth When he was on earth he many times prayed for his and for himself but being now in heaven and glorified he prayes not for himself but only for his on earth For as their Intercessor he takes upon him their persons and their cause and their condition as Paul intreated for Onesimus and Judah for Benjamin unto his Father You read of the High Priest that when he went into the Sanctuary he went in with the names of the twelve Tribes upon his breast So Jesus Christ when he went up to heaven he did as it were carry up
apply It is ridiculous themselves to Christ and then they must back again with Christs Merits and why not without any more adoe to Christ at first Quest But before I passe on I would speak a word unto a more material Scruple viz. Whether Christs Intercession in heaven be not a probable Argument of the imperfection of Christs Merits at his death If his death were sufficient to purchase all good for us what need then of his Intercession Sol. I answer the death of Christ was sufficient Ad promerendum but the Intercession of Christ is required only Ad applicandum There was no imperfection at all in his death for it was a plenary satisfaction and merit nor doth the Intercession of Christ argue any imperfection in his merit because his Intercession is not a new meriting but only a continual application of that which he hath already merited by his death Use 1 Doth Jesus Christ now in Heaven make intercession for us How sad then is their condition who have no part in Christ who have not him for their Advocate with the Father not appearing for them not interceding on their behalf How sad is their condition who have no part in Christs Intercession You that will not be perswaded to hearken to receive Christ but resist his Spirit and slight his Gospel and reject him what will you do in the dayes of your distress and death 1. All saving mercy comes unto us upon the Intercession of Christ his Intercession is the application and the donation of Righteousnesse Reconciliation Forgiveness and Salvation unto us 2. And can you have faith on him to be your Advocate and Intercesser whâ— would not receive him to be your Lord and head O stand out no more against the Offers of Christ least you shut out your selves from the Intercession of Christ One day you will finde a need of Christ to help you you will pray for mercy and you will pray for salvation and these Prayers will not prevail without Christs Intercession If you do indeed desire to be heard in what you pray then hear Christ in what he speaks to you and prayes you to hearken to him hear his voice receive himself by faith obey his will hearken unto him that he may hearken unto you Vse 3 You that are Believers perhaps as yet are but weak and are apt to be shaken and afraid of your selves and of your requests how they will speed and whether Weak Believers must remember they have an Advocate with the Father they will speed and many times are ready to be silent in Prayer O do not so but Remember that you have an Advocate with the Father Remember that Jesus Christ ever lives to make Intercession for you Remember that what is purchased by his death that will he apply unto you by his Intercession In all your addresses and prayers look off from your selves and look more on your Intercessor Believingly consider 1. Who he is even Jesus Christ the Righteous your Lord your Christ your Mediatour your Priest and Intercessor 2. What his Intercession is on what it is grounded not on your merits but on his own The end of that Intercession viz. To give out to you what he hath purchased for you 3. The qualifications of his Intercession 1. It is Mighty and Powerful It never fails it is never denyed nor can be 2. It is Pitifull he is full of compassion towards you is very sensible of your infirmities presently hears you and is ready to help you 3. It is Vniversal First As to every one of you Secondly As to every one of your Requests for Mercy for Favour for Grace and strength c. 4. It is sufficient Though all the Members on Earth pray at one time from all the Quarters of the Earth he hears you all will plead for you all will speed you all 5. It is Absolute his Intercession carries it against your unworthiness for his Own sake 6. It is Perpetual every day you pray and every day every hour yea for ever he lives to make Intercession for you Object Why then are we not presently heard Sol. You are so but not supplyed alwayes presently because as it belongs to the Fidelity of his Intercession to speed you so it belongs to the Wisdom of the Intercessor when to deliver out unto you that help Jesus the Mediatour of the Covenant Heb. 12. 24. And to Jesus the Mediatour of the New Covenant and to the Blood of Sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel I Have discoursed of Jesus Christ our Mediatour in Relation unto his Person and to the Natures united in his Person and unto his Obedience both Active and Passive and likewise unto the Vertues or Benefits by him as our Mediatour viz. Satisfaction and Remission and Reconciliation and Redemption and Purchase And then of the great Work which Jesus Christ doth still for us in Heaven as our Mediatour viz. his Intercession I shall now close up this Discourse with the Resolution of three notable Questiâ—â— which shall be in stead of the general Uses for the whole matter 1. Whether Jesus Christ as Mediatour did die for all and every man and those forementioned Benefits of his death were intended and extended unto all 2. Whether any Person can certainly know the particular intention of Christs death in the Benefits of it unto himself 3. How a person may evidently know that Jesus Christ died for him and satisfied Gods justice for him SECT VIII 1. Quest WHether Jesus Christ as Mediatour died for all and every man Redeemed all Reconciled all Purchased Salvation Whether Christ died for â—very man for all Sol. Concerning this Question there are several Opinions of men 1. Some have held that Jesus Christ died for all things that is for all â—â—veral opiniâ—â—â— about it creatures whatsoever because the Apostle saith that Christ by his blood Reconciled all things and therefore they conclude that the Sun and the Moon and the Stars and all the Elements yea and the very Divels were Reconciled by Christ a vild Opinion As if Jesus Christ who appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself and to Reconcile God unto us and is the Mediatour betwixt God and men should be a Mediatour also for damned Divels who are eternally judged for their transgression or should satisfie Gods justice for the Heavens and Earth and such like Creatures which were never capable of offending or sinning against God! But by all things which the Apostle saith Christ hath Reconciled he means the universal Church which is now partly in Heaven and partly in earth 2. Some have held that Jesus Christ hath died for all mankind without any difference of sins or sinners that he took upon him all the sins of all men and did by his death expiate all their sins and Ipso facto reconciled them to God without any respect to believing or not believing Nay let them speak out their own
ascribes justification only to Faith And verily thus it holds as to the present dispute Christ died for his sheep if for none but his sheep than for them only when Christ said I pray not for the world but for them whom thou hast given me Joh. 17. 9. This is as much as if he had said I pray only for them whom thou hast given me So when Christ saith I lay down my life for my sheep and afterwards so describes his sheep that all unbelievers are none of the sheep for whom he died now it will follow that he died only for his sheep And indeed I would fain know for whom Christ should die for besides his sheep should he die for them who were never given unto him of whom he never took care to whom he never was a Shepherd for them that were never a part of his flock and charge Is this the commendations of of a good Shepherd to lay down his life for such as have no Relation at all unto him nor he unto them Object But it is said that Christ died for the ungodly Rom. 5. 6. Sol. 'T is true yet not for all the ungodly for those who are made his sheep by grace were indeed in themselves ungodly sinners thâ—se ungodly spoken of there by the Apostle for whom Christ died verse 6. and 8. in verse 9. are said to be Justified by his blood and that they shall be saved from wrath through him and verse 10. are reconciled by his death and therefore much more being reconciled shall be saved by his life And truely such ungodly as these who in themselves were so and sinners and enemies but by the death of Christ were justified and reconciled and should undoudtedly be saved by him were no other then those whom he here calls his sheep not that his do continue ungodly but that the estate from which he justifies and saves them was so Object And for that conclusion from Paul saying Christ gave himself for me Hence it cannot be inferred therefore for none else but Paul I answer that speech is not alike with this I lay down my lifâ— for my sheep Here is the full number For as in a Testament where common Legacies or Estates are bequeathed unto all the Children and Kindred and Friends though this Child or Kinsman or Friend cannot say this is given to me Ergo there is nothing given to any other besides me yet all and every one of them can say This Estate is given unto us mentioned in the Will therefore it is not given to any other but our selves who only are mentioned therein So though no particular Believer can appropriate the death and vertues of the death of Christ unto himself in exclusion of any other Believer who are all mentioned in the Will and Testament of Christ yet all Believers who are the sheep of Christ can say that Christ hath died for us and hath purchased and left the inheritance to us only none other being mentioned in his Testament nay all unblâ—evers being expresly left out But I proceed unto another proof Acts 20. 28. Feed the Church of God which From Acts 20. 28. Eph. 5. 23 26 27. he hath purchased with his own blood Christ is the Head of the Church and the Saviour of the body Ephes 5. 23 25. Husbands love your Wives as Christ also loved his Church and gave himself for it verse 26. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word verse 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle but that it should be holy and without blemish In these places you see plainly five particulars 1. That the Church of God was purchased by the blood of Christ his blood was shed to Redeem and purchase it 2. That the love of Christ was to his Church and that from his love to his Church did flow the giving of himself for it 3. That the end why he gave himself for his Church was to make it holy and glorious 4. That of that Church for which he gave himself He is the Head 5. That the same Church is the body of Christ and that of that body he is the Saviour Whence I thus Argue Those whom Christ purchased by his blood were the Church of God those whom he loved were his Church those for whom Christ gave himself were his Church those to whom Christ is Head are the Church and those of whom he is a Saviour are his body the Church But all men whatsoever and every man whosoever are not the Church of God nor are Members of the Church of Christ nor is he the Head of them therefore he did not die or give himself for all and every man nor is he a Saviour to them The Major Proposition is the express Letter of these Scriptures the Minor Proposition is also most certaine viz. that all and every man is not the Church of God nor are they Members of the Church of Christ Consider the Church in any Scripture-acceptation this cannot be denied The Church is either 1. Invisibilis which is Coetus fidelium Or 2. Visibilis which is Coetus profitentium All and every man comes not within either of these they are neither believers on Christ nor professors of Christ Againe There is a Catholick Church of Christ viz. Believers in any time or part of the world and there is a particular Church of Christ which is a number of professing Believers joyned in the worship of Christ in this or that particular place Under neither of these Considerations are all and every Man Members of the Church of Christ Againe there is the Militant Church here on earth suffering for Christ and there is the Triumphing Church reigning in Heaven and glorified with Christ all and every man cannot fall in with either of these If all and every man cannot be found within the compass of the Church of Christ if this never was and is not and never will be then Christ did not die nor give himself for all and every man Object 'T is true that Christ gave himself for his Church but it is not said only for his Church and that he is the Saviour of the body but not only of the body Sol. 1. If one should thus argue from the precedent part of the Verse Verse 25. Husbands love your Wives as Christ loved the Church that they may love others besides their Wives because it is not said Love your own Wives only we should look on such a Gloss as somewhat Atheistical and Scoffing and Scurrilous so when we read that Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it c. Or Hosea 2. 19. I will Marry thee to my self it is not said Only yet Marriage is a particular and exclusive contract but let us review the place againe and try whether it will not yield us as much as Only for the Church Those for whom Christ here gave himself of them he is
forgiveness of any sin old or new but do urge Repentance in relation to forgiveness upon those very accounts which as they The grounds for it conceive the Scripture promises of forgiveness do require Now the Arguments produced for this opinion that God doth not pardon all sins past present and to come at once and together are these First Those very Covenant expressions respecting the pardon of sin which the former Opinion used to the contrary e. g. Heb. 8. 12. Their iniquities I will remember no more Not to remember iniquity any more doth say they in common sense suppose say they that that iniquity was before for if it never yet was it cannot be said to be remembred at all nor to be remembred any more So that passage in Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity and Jer. 33. 8 I will pardon all their iniquities do suppose an iniquity or offence committed For if it be not yet committed how can it be properly said to be forgiven unless as Bishop Downham saith we will make God like the Pope who aforehand forgave sins Of the Coven Ch. 8 p. 119. to come which never yet were committed So Isa 43. 25. I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions where pardoning of sins is compared to the blotting out of debts entred into a book But say they debts which as yet never were made may not be entered into the book and therefore cannot be said to be blotted out and consequently sins yet to come cannot be said already to be pardoned Secondly other Sriptures purposely speaking of the forgiveness of sins have a restrainedness unto sins committed and look only at them Jer. 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me Mark have sinned and have transgressed respecting the sins past not what they shall commit which if already forgiven must have come in also which they have sinned and which they shall sin Ezek. 18. 22. All the transgressions that he hath committed shall not be mentioned unto him 1 Joh. 2. 1. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Here Christ makes intercession for sin as an Advocate but it is upon this supposition if any man sin as if sin must be committed before he makes Intercession for their pardon of it As in the Old Testament there were no sacrifices for any future sin but all the sacrifices for sin were for sins already committed so c. Thirdly These conditional qualifications which God himself makes with respect to the forgiveness of sins and therefore I wonder how any one dare to call them Popish and Antichristian they do necessarily suppose a precedent Commission of sins vide 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my people which were called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked wayes then will I forgive their sinne 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall finde mercy Acts 3. 19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Mark if my people shall humble themselves if they shall pray if they shall tuâ—n from their wicked wayes If we confess our sins c. All these penitential Qualifications which God makes Antecedents unto forgiveness do suppose a peculiar respect unto sins already committed for doth God put us to humble our hearts for sâ—n which we never yet committed or for sins only which we have committed doth God put it upon us to pray for mercy to pardon sins which never were or sins which have been would he have us to confess these sins which never yet were in being to offend him or only such whereby we have offended him doth he at any time enjoyn us to forsake and turn from sins which perhaps we never thought on much less actually fell into or else the sin in which we have walked and into which we have fallen Why then say they if these be required for forgiveness and these respect sins only that are past then all sins past present and to come are not pardoned at once Fourthly If all sins past present and to come are forgiven at once unto believers then no believer is to pray unto God for the forgiveness of any sin which he commits after he is once brought in to Christ yet Jesus Christ doth teach even believers to pray Forgive us our trespasses Matth. 6. 12. Luke 11. 4. For he teacheth them thus to pray who could upon good grounds call God their Father which none can but true Believers Here some do think to evade the strength of this Argument by distinguishing 'twixt pardon of sin and the manifestation of that pardon unto the soule They grant that Believers do pray for the pardon of their sins committed in respect of the manifestation thereof unto their consciences but not for any new act of remission as unto sin committed before God Unto which there is a double Reply 1. One that it cannot easily be demonstrated in Scripture that to pray for the forgiveness of sin is any where so to be taken as to mean only the manifestation of forgiveness and not the act of forgiveness And in the Petition before mentioned it seems it cannot hold For Christ teacheth us to pray unto God Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us now our forgiving of their trespasses is not only in way of manifestation to the trespasser but also in a real precedent act of condonation 2. The other is that the Saints in Scripture when they sinned against God did humbly acknowledge their sins and did earnestly pray unto God first for the pardon of those sins and next for the manifestation of that pardon e. g. David in Psal 51. 1. prayes expresly for the pardon of those great sins which he had committed Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving-kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions He useth the very same Phrase which God himself useth in his Covenant for the actual fogiving of sins I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions Isa 43. 25. so he blotteth out my transgressions and not for a meer manifestation only And after this he prayes for the manifestation and sense of the forgiveness of his sins in ver 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Fifthly It is possible that a believing person may fall into such a sin or sins of scandal for which he may be justly cast out from the visible Church and upon his neglect of Repentance or practice of Repentance he stands bound or loosed from his sin not only in earth but also in heaven for so Christ himself delivers it to us in Matth. 18. 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever you shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and
whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven But this cannot possibly be if all his sins be already pardoned in heaven for then he is alwayes loosed and never bound in heaven This Argument is of that strength that I do not see how it can be answered for if upon the right sentence of the Church of Christ the offender is bound in heaven as well as on earth in respect of his sins then his sins are not all pardoned at once and if upon repentance he is loosed in heaven i. e. absolved and forgiven as well as loosed on earth thence also it follows that all his sins past present and to come are not at once forgiven in heaven take the one or the other or both still it shakes that Opinion of a forgivenesse of all sins at once Sixthly If all sins past present and to come are forgiven at once before they are repented of then a Regenerate and a justified person in the midst of his grossest sins as suppose Davids adultery and murder may joy and rejoyce as much in God and look on him as well pleased as when they do humble their soul and repent and seek his face To this one Francis Cornwell answers freely and plainly When sin is most In lib. of the difference between Legal and Evangelical repentance p. 54. prevalent and the heart is most hardened he speaks expresly of Regenerate and justified persons yet then can they glory in Christ Jesus with a large heart breaking forth into thanksgiving as Paul did Rom. 7. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yea and he that commits a gross sin and doubteth the pardon of it committeth a double sin the one against his Sanctification and the other against his Justification And what though a believer usually upon the pag. 56. committing of gross sins doubts of his estate this is from a defect in faith and not from any Rule and Precept of Gods Word And that it is all one and alike unto God when a person is humbled or not humbled and when he repents and forsakes his gross sins or repents not of them but continues in them for all is already pardoned on Gods part c. But these strange deliveries are contrary 1. To the Word which in case of gross transgressioâ—â— calls for humbling and mourning and repenting of the heart and weeping anâ—â—â—plication because God is dishonoured and displeased 2. To the exigence in all the children of God so fallen who thereupon have broken their peace and lost their joy and exceedingly interrupted their confidence with fear 3. To the Assertion of these very men who do hold that in case of gross transgression there must be deep humiliations to get assurance and joy Seventhly To these another Reason may be added and is added by some that forgiveness of sin is a judicial act in God as the contrary act of condemning is now the Judge neither condemns nor yet forgives offences which are not extant and which cannot be proved upon the Offender that ever he was guilty of them But when they are charged and pleaded then doth he condemn or acquit so it would be strange for a Judge to condemn one for faults not committed and so acquit a man for sins never in being and so not deserving punishment Eighthly Lastly the great and continual work of Christ in heaven as our Intercessor and Advocate 1 Joh. 1. 2. and the daily suing out of pardon in his Name and for his sake seems to carry much in it for the acquiring of daily pardon and continued forgiveness of sins His great work of Intercession and Advocater-ship surely it contains in it something more than to obtain an assurance that all is still pardoned Thus have I delievered unto you the two different Opinions with their several Arguments concerning this great Question whether all the sins of believers past present and to come are pardoned by God at once Now I shall make bold to deliver unto you my own thoughts concerning it and those different Opinions about it The truth concerning these different Opinions They agree in five particulars First I do observe that they do both agree in five particulars e. g. 1. That as to Gods eternal decree or purpose of forgivenesse all the sinnes of his people are forgiven God did not intend to forgive some of their sins and not the rest but an universal and full and compleat forgiveness was fixedly purposed and resolved on by God 2. That all the sins of his people in their absolute number from first to last were laid upon Christ who in the dayes of his suffering did meritoriously purchase perfect Remission of all their sins to be applied in future times to them and by them 3. That as soon as ever any person is brought into the Covenant by believing on Jesus Christ all his sins past whatsoever they have been they are actually forgiven unto him and God will never remember them any more 4. That as to the state of Justification there is a full and perfect remission of all sins considered under the differences of time past present and to come As in the state of condemnation there is not any one thing pardoned so in the state of Justification there is not any one sin but is pardoned for the estate of Justification is opposite to all condemnation and curse and wrath 5. That no Repentance or work of ours is a meritorious cause neither God nor any true believer looks on it as so of Justification or pardon of any sin neither the repentance which we call Initial neither that which we call Renewed we acknowledge no meritorious cause of pardon of sins but the blood of Christ Secondly The maine differences which I doe observe do rest in two The differences betwixt them things 1. One is that sins not yet committed are actually pardoned and we are to believe so say the one party not so say the other party untill committed or repented 2. Repentance is required say both of them but with this difference because sin is pardoned say the one but the other say that sin may be pardoned That we may have the comfortable sense and experience of pardon say the one that we may have the◠〈◊〉 forgiveness as well as the comfort of it say the other In this difference my own judgment inclines to that Opinion which holds That all the sins past of a Believer are at once forgiven and all his future sins are remitted unto him upon renewed acts of believing and repenting for Christs sake If that Opinion be true that Justification be one continuing or continued act this would reconcile all To me this Opinion 1. Hath clear grounds in the Scripture 2. Doth best suit with the Covenant which in this case still suits Faith and Repentance together 3. Doth best agree with the wayes which God still hath put his people upon in relation to forgiveness 4. And with the practice of the
who is the Donor or Giver of all It suits best with God the Donor of all It doth suit best 1. With his will and pleasure Who in this Covenant will appear and be known to be the Lord the Lord merciful and gracious abundant in goodnesse and truth Exod. 34. 6. 2. With his glory and praise which questionably devolves on himself alone seeing all our blessings come only out of his Treasury and from no reason or merit of ours but only from his own graciousness free gifrs redound unto the praâ—se of the giver only Thirdly This way of gracious giving suiâ—es best with us the receivers of blessings It suits best with us the receivers from God For consider us eiâ—her 1 As meer sinners We have no hope or plea from any thing in our selves we are a company of lost people who have undone our selves and are both insufficient to help our selves and also unworthy that God should help us 2. As made believers Faith can finde no ground to plead with God to challenge him to rely on him to expect anything from him but his promise to give and to give graciously A believer neither may nor can rest on any work or worth of his own all is but drosse and dung he trades only with a gracious God in Christ 3. As Petitioners thus also it suites best with us Gods graciousness is the best ground for us to ask upon O save me for thy mercies sake Psal 6. 4. Answer me in thy truth the surest ground to speed Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. 16. The most fixed and invariable ground God is for ever the Lord merciful and gracious you will quickly finde a want of worthiness in your selves but you shall never find a want of goodness and graciousness in God Vse 1 Are all the blessings which are in the Covenant given by God unto his people not upon the account or reason of their worthiness but of Gods graciousness A threefold error censuâ—ed Then behold a three-fold error worthy to be censured and shunneâ— First Of the Papists who boast so impudently of their meritorious good Of the Papists works merita de Congruo before men are in the state of grace merita de condigno being in the state of grace They can take up all sorts of merits for soul aâ—d bâ—dy nay heaven itself and eternal glory upon the account of their own merits Hear what Bellarmine saith opera nostra propriè merentur faelicitatem de Lib. 5. de 〈◊〉 cap. 16. 17. congruo Hear what Vashquiz saith opera nostra nâ—n habent dignitatem à persona Christi sed à persona à qua procedunt Hear the Anathema of the Council of Trent against all who deny that the works of justified persons do vere mereri vitam In 1. 2. Tom. 2. Disp 214. c. â— N. 44. Aeternam but against this we may oppose the Scripture Not by the works of Righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us saith Paul Tit. 3. 5. Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified saith David Psal 143. 2. How holy a man was Job and how abundant in good works see Chap. 31. 16 17. and yet saith Job Chap. 9. 15. Though I were righteous I would not answer him but I would make my supplication to my Judge and ver 20. If I justifie my self mine own mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse Paul how strict was he and as touching the righteousness which is in the Law how blameless And yet he will be found in Christ Not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3. 9. Secondly Of the ordinary sort of Protestants who set out something of their Of the ordinary sort of Protestants own as reasons why God should bless them and save them they mean no body any harm and they serve God devoutly and keep their Church and pay every one their due and say their Prayers and their Belelief and their ten Commandements and cry God mercy when they sin and will not all this deserve heaven and a few blessings on earth Thirdly But most of all to be blamed and that with pity are poor broken-hearted Of poor brokenhearted sinners sinners who discern so much sinfulness and unworthiness in themselves and yet are so difficult to place their hopes in the graciousness of God and are hearking extreamly after something of worth in themselves something in themselves for which God would hear and help them if once they could reach unto it It is a great work to break a hard heart It is a greater work to make a broken heart to look up and trust for mercy It is the greatest work to make such an heart to believe for itself that all mercies and blessings are to be had upon the sole account of Gods graciousness Whether this may arise from our exceeding Guilt which fills us with exceedingâ—â—â— slavish fear or from the pride of our hearts which would be something or from the greatness of Gods kindnesse which is so unusual with man or from the particular genius of unbelief which is gone and hath nothing to say more when once we come to acknowledge Gods graciousness for the sole reason of all our blessings and possessions or from all these conjunctively I will not now dispute but sure I am that the broken-hearted sinner is hardly brought off from boasting on himself and is hardly brought on to commit or venture all his hopes and confidences on the graciuosness of God as the entire cause why God should pardon accept blesse and save him And this is a principal cause why his soule dwells so long with fears and tears and sadnesses Doth God dispence all the blessings of the Covenant unto his people not upon the account of their worthiness but only of his own graciousness Then under the Under the sense â—f unworthinesse let us go to God and trust on him sense of all our want yea and of all our unworthinesse let 's go to God and pray to him and trust upon him to do us good for his own Name sake Here is water said the Eunuch to Philip what doth hinder me to be baptized So say I God promiseth to give all blessings unto his people and he promiseth to give them graciously now what should hinder you from going to God and beseeching and trusting of him to perform his good Word unto you You are grieved for your sins what should hinder â—ou to believe the free forgiveness of them You would fain have your hearts sanctified what should hinder you from going to God and trusting on him freely to make them holy You would have
Joh. 14. 23. If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come and make our abode with him Ver. 16. The Father shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever The Father dwells in us 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them The Son dwells in us Ephes 3. 17. Christ dwells in your hearts by Faith The Spirit dwells in us Rom. 8. 11. Fourthly That all the people of God have the Spirit of God may plainly appear by the works â—f the Spirit which are to be found in every one of them 1. They are sanctified by the Spirit Ye are sanctified by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. 2. They are led by the Spirit As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God Rom. 8. 14. 3. They are upheld and strengthened by the Spirit Psal 51. 12. Vphold me with thy free Spirit Ephes 3. 16. To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man 4. They are partakers of the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. Our selves have the first fruits of the Spirit 5. They are helped by the Spirit Rom. 8. 26 The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities and the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered 6. They are taught by the Spirit Joh. 14. 26. The Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things 7. They are comforted by the Spirit Acts 9. 31. They walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost 8. They are sealed by the Spirit Ephes 1. 13. In whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Quest 3. Why doth the Lord put his Spirit within every one of his Reasons of it people Sol. There may be assigned six Reasons for it viz. 1. Necessity 2ly Congruity 3ly Conformity 4ly Excellency 5ly The love of God 6ly The purchase of Christ First Necessity The presence and enjoyment of the Spirit is necessary for The necessity of it them in many respects 1. For applying of Christ unto them and for the applying of them unto Christ For applying Christ that there is a conjunction or union between Christ the Head and his Mystical body the Church is an unquestionable truth And how Christ who locally in heaven should be joyned or united to his Church here on earth this cannot be done but by the Spirit who doth knit or joyn Christ to us and us to Christ as really as the head is joyned to the body and as the body is joyned to the head But take the instance in any particular believer that Christ is his and he is Christs it is certain but how comes Christ to be his what is that on Christs part which makes this union it is the Spirit and none but the Spirit and what is it on our part which makes this union it is faith and it is caused by the Spirit So that the Spirit is necessary to this union on either part on Christs part to apply or unite him to us and on our part in causing faith which applyes and unites us to Christ And unto this reciprocal union the Spirit is such a necessary agent that without him there cannot possibly be any union at all No man can be united to Christ but by the Spirit neither can Christ I speak it with reverence unite himself to us but by his Spirit 2. For conveying of spiritual life into them or a new being into their souls For conveying of spiritual life Naturally all men are dead in trespasses and sins and every faculty in them is totally defiled and polluted and corrupted and is deprived of the glory of God nor can any man help himself in this case nor can any creature do it None can raise him from his death but that Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead Therefore is the Spirit called the Spirit of life and the Spirit of grace forasmuch as he is the authour of both unto our souls it is the Spirit who quickens them by infusing the life of Christ into them and who renews them by changing of them into the image of Christ 3. For all the actings of grace Take me any Christian though endowed with For all the actings of grace all the principles of grace and great measures thereof now put him upon any particular acting put him upon believing put him upon repenting upon mourning upon any acts of obedience why looâ—â—s no member of the body can move or strive but from an influence from the head no more can we act any grace we have but by an influence from the Spirit of Christ our Head Joh. 15. 5. And we find it in experience that it is with our souls Simile as with a ship which stirs not if the wind stirs not and it stirs more or less as the wind is greater or lesser so if the Spirit of God stirs not in us our graces stir not c. For all our receptions 4. For all our Receptions Would you know any truth of God you cannot know it unless the Spirit of God give you his light to know it 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. would you be acquainted with the love of God you can never perceive it unless the Spirit shed abroad that love in your hearts Rom. 5. 5. would you be clear and satisfied in your relation of sonship unto God as your Father all the men in the world cannot perswade and satisfie as to that unlesse and untill the Sperit beareth witness with your Spirits that you are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. Secondly Congruity It is meet and fit that the people of God should have the Spirit of God For Congruity 1. They are his children and is it not meet that the children of God should have the Spirit of God should they not bear his image if they were led by the same spirit by which the children of this world are led had they not another Spirit they could not be his children 2. They are his servants and therefore they have much to do for him and they have much to suffer for him Is it not meet that the Lord should help his servants The services of the people of God which they are to do for him and to suffer for him are above all their own strength and therefore God will give them his Spirit to enable them for all their services whether active or passive the Spirit can supply them for every work 3. They are his Heirs and intended for eternal glory and is it not fit that they should have the Spirit of grace who must have the Spirit of glory Heirs of God Rom. 8. 17. Before a person comes to heaven it is fit that he should be fitted for heaven be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. And who