of it The Jews to prove themselves to be Freemen and never in bondage alledge that they were Abraham's seed vers 33. They said Abraham was their father v. 39. and God was their father ver 41. Christ denies both and says the Devil was their Father which he proves by their contempt of him and his Doctrine as more at large appears in this Chapter The Sum of all is this viz. They vainly pretend to an Interest in God who dishonour the Son of God it is my Father that honoureth me Of whom ye say he is your God yet ye have not known him First I shall make good the Words of our Saviour against the Jews and prove That they knew not God because they knew not Christ the Son of God God cannot be savingly known but as he hath revealed himself in Christ. God hath revealed himself to the Jews in his word not only as the Creator of Heaven and Earth and as that God who brought them out of Egypt so they knew him but that he intended to send his Son into the world the Seed of the Woman to redeem Man Zech. 9. 11. Isa. 45. 17. Had the Jews believed this they would never have treated Christ so scornfully saying Where is thy Father v. 19. Such a spiritual Redeemer they looked not for they thought the Messiah should be some Temporal Prince who should come of some Noble Family with great attendance armed with Power and Strength to deliver them from the Roman Yoak to restore the people to their Liberties to enlarge his Dominion over other Nations keeping up the Mosaical Polity every where they never dreamed that the Son of God was to come in man's Nature to dye for Sinners to bring in a new Everlasting Righteousness and Life though all this was foretold in the Old-Testament yet they did not so understand it All outward deliverances promised to the Jews were through Christ. So to unbelieving Ahaz Isa. 7. 14. All Mercies promised to the Jews hung upon the Kingdom of David which pointed to Christ. Isa. 55. 3 4. Jer. 23. 3 4 5 6. Ezek. 34. 22 23. and Ezek 37. 25 c. All the hope of Israel in all Ages was reposed in Christ only Zech. 9. 9. c. Amos 9. 11. c. The Gospel being first to be Preached to the Jews Christ ceased not to Preach to them notwithstanding all their scorn and contempt of Him and his Doctrine expressed by their Contumelious words and wicked attempts to take away his Life They took up stones and cast at him v. 59. 'T is evident that the greatest part of the Jews did not know God though the Psalmist says Psal. 76. 1 2. In â—udah is God known his name is great in Israel in Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling-place in Sion Yet Christ here reproves them for their ignorance of God even in â—erusalem According to that of the Prophet Isa. 1. 3. The â—x knoweth his owner and the â—ss his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people â—oth not consider o My people is sottish they have not known me they are sottish châ—ldren they have no understanding Jer. 4. 22. No wonder the Gentile world knew not God but that his own people the Jews should not know him this is strange They knew there was a God and did worship him according to the Law but not according to the Gospel therefore though they said they knew him yet not doing the Duty of those who rightly know God they are said not to know him But Secondly to bring down the point nearer to our selves 1. Obs. Many do pretend to an Interest in the God of Abraham as their God and Father who yet know him not As there were many carnal Israelites of old who had a form of knowledg in the Law Rom. 2. 20. So there are many formal Christians now who have a form of knowledg according to the Letter of the Gospel and yet do not truly know God in Christ Jesus Many call God their God and Father whom he will never own for his true Children God owns none for his Children who do not own Christ for his Son carrying it towards him accordingly Our relation to God as Children springs from our relation to Christ the Son of God our union to Christ by Faith proves our adoption but whilst we are without Christ we are looked upon as aliens and strangers as without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. I shall include all that I have further to say from this Text in this general observation viz. 2. Oâ—s A right saving Knowledge of God is only in and through Christ We cannot know God unto Salvation any other way From the Analysis of these two Chapters and the coherence of the Text with the Context it plainly appears by these words of our Saviour to the Jews That none do truly know God the Father who do not acknowledg Christ to be the Son of God All the saving Knowledge we have of God is from the Knowledge Christ hath of God who lying in the bosom of the Father hath declared him to us John 1. 18. John 14. 9. We ought not to speak any thing of God but what he has said of himself in his word Theology is the Doctrine of God concerning himself concerning his works and his will Christ as man was ignorant of some things and knew no more than the Father revealed to him Mark 13. 32. so Joh. 7. 16 17. My doctrine says he is not mine but his that sent me 't is of God I speak not of my self or from my self but as I hear John 5. 30. So he received the Revelation from the Father Rev. 1. 1. As our Knowledge of God flows from the Knowledge Christ has of God So our Knowledge of Christ is from himself John 14. 21. As he does by his Spirit reveal himself to us so he doth reveal the Father to us in himself Mat. 11. 27. John 6. 46. No man hath seen God at any time no not Moses himself hath seen the Father but had all from Christ who gave the Law upon the Mount Acts 7. 38. Whatever Notices there may be in the minds of men of a Deity yet they know not God aright without faith in Christ. Saving Knowledge is that by which we understand the right way of a sinners salvation by Christ or it 's the Knowledge that shews us what we must do to be saved A convinced sinner is at a great loss about his Salvation till God open to him the Mystery of his free Grace in Christ giving him thereby the Knowledge of Salvation Luk. 17. 7. God's love is towards the Elect before they know him but it is not in them till they know him then they understand how they are beloved of God his love is shed abroad in their Hearts Rom. 5. 5. 'T is in them John 17. 26. And I in them Not only for them but in them before we knew God or Christ Christ had
suffered for us interceded for us but before Faith he is not said to be in us i. e. Not to live in us by his Spirit that we may live to God Gal. 2. 20. This Saving Knowledge of God which I am now speaking of is not the Knowledge of his Essence but of his Grace Love and Good-Will towards us in Christ and this the only begotten Son declares to us John 1. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plenior perfectior rerum explitio CHAP. II. THat I may more distinctly open to you the nature of this saving knowledge of God in Christ I shall shew 1. What may be known of God out of Christ. 2. All that may be known of God out of Christ is better known in and by Christ. 3. What may be known of God in and by Christ that cannot be known any other way 4. What it is to know God in Christ. 5. What a true saving knowledge of God implies 1. What may be known of God out of Christ viz. The invisible things of God even his eternal Power and Godhead Rom. 1. 19 20. This Natural Philosophical knowledge of God though it be not sufficient to Save us yet 't is sufficient to Damn us to render us inexcusable and consequently to justifie our Damnation It may convince us of Sin but does not enable us to shun it or to do Good to addict our selves to it in a constant way this is a special work of the Holy Spirit Natural Concience knows something of God but nothing of Christ till our Ears are opened Psal. 40. 6. Aures perfodit digged or bored our Ears There is an obstruction a stoppage in all our Natural faculties that Spiritual objects can't enter till we are Spiritually enlightned till God moves our Hearts to assent to this Divine Revelation of God in Christ so giving us knowledge which is an effect of Divine Power 2 Pet. 1. 2 3. Eph 1. 19 2 Thes. â— 11. Which overthrows the Pelagian Doctrine asserting it to be in man's power to believe contrary to 2 Cor. 4. 7. and 2 Cor. 2. 5. in the Power of God i. e. In the irresistible efficacy of his Grace Though all Natural men do resist Grace at first yet Grace overcomes them at last takes away all final prevailing resistance turning the heart of stone into a heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. Besides to be able to resist the Grace of God is no Argument of man's Power but of his Weakness Malice and Pride The Gentiles knew God by the Creation but not by the Scriptures forbidding inward Lust and Concupiscence which natural light does not Rom 7. 7. They judged thoughts to be free for this reason the Gentiles are said not to know God 1 Thes. 4. 5. 2. All that may be known of God out of Christ is better known in and by Christ By Reason we know that the World was made but by Faith we know it more certainly Heb. 11. 3. The light of Nature gathers up something from the Works of God but Faith gathers up more from the Word of God the Word speaks more distinctly than the Works of God do these hold forth something of God in the general Notion of a Deity but leave us in the dark where to find out this God They speak out God to our Reason by some remote consequences leading us up to a first cause and in a discursive way convincing us of the Being of a God but few men have such Logical heads as to keep themselves under the power of these reasonings they are apt ever and anon to sink at last into practical Atheism He is a Practical Atheist who does not order his life according to those inward speculations he has of God The Word holds forth God more powerfully and directly to our Faith shewing us that God in Christ which it speaks of Since in the Wisdom of God i. e. by the Fabrick of Heaven and Earth setting forth the Wisdom of God the World cannot by all its Wit and Wisdom comfortably know God unto Salvation therefore he calls us to Faith in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 21. 3. What may be known of God in and by Christ that cannot be known any other way viz. His Pardoning Grace which as Sinners we are most of all concerned to know all other Attributes of God make against us without the knowledge of this which makes all to be for us The way of a Sinners Salvation is no where revealed but in Christ the last word the Law speaks is Death in the day thou eatest thou shalt dye and so leaves us under that Sentence till the day of Execution The Devils knew God without a Redeemer and therefore tremble Jam. 1. 19. The Gentiles knew God but not in Christ Rom. 1. 20. The Jews knew God as the Creator of the World as their Deliverer out of Egypt as the founder of their Commonwealth but not as the Father of Christ the true Messiah All this knowledge of God out of Christ does represent him to us only as our Judge which leads a Sinner to utter Despair overwhelms him with a sense of God's Wrath. 'T is only in Christ that we look upon God as a Saviour freely pardoning all our Sins This Pardoning Grace flows down to us only through Christ In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins Col. 1. 14. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be apâ—opitiation through Faith in his blood to deelare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God Rom. 3. 24 25. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Who hath saved us and called ws with a holy calling Not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. From all these Texts it plainly appears that God never had a thought from all Eternity of Pardoning Sinners but only in and through Christ and what applications we have made and do make every day unto God in the Name of Christ for the Pardon of Sin does highly concern every one of us seriously to consider This hidden Mystery of Gods Pardoning Grace unknown to the World before Mat. 13 35. is revealed to us in and by Christ being intimate with the Father even in his bosom Joh. 1. 18. And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth John 3. 32. Let us receive his Testimony and set to our seal that God is true and will never pardon any who believe not in Jesus The end of his Coming into the World in our Nature was
for the sake of Repentance but because by Repentance a man becomes willing to receive Christ 't is a vain thing to pretend to Faith in Christ for Pardon unless we see the Fruits of Faith in our selves in the exercise of all other Graces and in those good works of Holiness that always accompany Saving-Faith Faith never speaks but in some act it never gives a comfortable sense of it self but in some present act now 't is impossible truly to act Faith without an universal consent of the Soul to this act it diffuses its influence all over the Soul touches the Soul in every part strikes upon every string puts the whole Soul in tune every thing in a man does answer and correspond to such an act of Faith you may see your Faith in your Hope Love fear Zeal Repentance c. All Graces rise or fall as Faith does 't is like the spring of a Watch it sets all the Wheels in motion We may have a clearer discerning of Faith by a reflex act whence all assurance springs then we can by a direct act though you cannot see your selves closing in with Christ for Pardon whilst you only intend that thing and would fain prove Faith by it self and by its own justfying act yet if you look through your Love your Repentance through all the fruits of Faith in your Lives you will more clearly discern it in its Saving Justifying Act that you do really and sincerely take Christ as your only Righteousness and to shew that you do so you produce those things as proofs of your sincerity which this Faith hath put you upon and which you could never bring your selves to till Faith came drawing the whole Soul after Christ and strongly inclining you to a holy life this is God's way of teaching his Children by putting Principles of Faith and Holiness into their Hearts powerfully inclining them to live to God this is set forth by God's teaching the Ants to provide their Meat in the Summer Prov. 6. 8. i. e. God inclines them naturally to do this so does God Spiritually incline his Children by his Spirit dwelling in them to act as Christians ought to do The sum of all is this The Justifying-Righteousness of a Believing sinner before God lies in the Remission of sin and God's Gracious acceptation of sinful man upon the sole account of the Obedience of Christ our Mediator apprehended by Faith and imputed to him for Righteousness thus the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifest In humane Judicatories Forgiveness implies a meer non-imputation of the fault only but no imputation of Righteousness because in our Courts a man is Tried for some particular Offence and if he be found Guilty and through the Favour of the Prince obtain his Pardon that Pardon looks no further than that time for the after-course of his life he is accountable to the Law and must be Judged by it he stands upon his good Behaviour and must be a doer of Righteousness to avoid the Condemnation of the Law if not he must answer for his misdoing and be judged according to Law But 't is not so in Divinity for when we obtain the Pardon of sin by Faith that Pardon is general and universal to a man's life's end 't is not only a Pardon of this or that sin to such a time but a Pardon of all sins for ever such a Pardon does necessarily imply in it an imputation of Righteousness because no sin can ever be imputed to him his Pardon is valid in all times to come though the Law be still a rule of Obedience yet he is no longer under the Law as a Covenant of life but under Grace and for all his miscarriages under the New Covenant he must apply himself to the Grace of that Covenant for Mercy and Pardon but he shall never be judged by the Law more the satisfaction of Christ is instead of all legal Righteousness to him and to that he stands the Law having accepted of it delivers him up to Christ untouched by the hand of Vengeance to be governed ever after by the Law of Grace which establishes the holiness of the Law though it shuts it out of our Justification yet not out of our lives but strictly enjoins it CHAP. VI. The APPLICATION SINCE God hath given us the knowledge of Salvation by the Remission of sin let us act according to that knowledge and begin our Religion with Remission of sin I mean let us first study that point well when we are over that are got into the Mystery of that great Gospel-Truth we shall more clearly see upon what account it is we are dealt with looked upon and accepted as Righteous in Christ unto Eternal Life Faith ought to have both the active and passive Obedience of Christ in its eye but I would not too nicely distinguish between them abstracting the active from the Passive ascribing the Remission of sin to one and our title to life to the other because I find some who do so apt to drop the Righteousness of Christ that will not serve the turn they must have a Righteousness of their own an Evangelical righteousness to strengthen their title to Life thus while they set up a Law of Grace requiring such and such things to be done by us in order to our Justification they turn Grace into Works set up a New Covenant of Works differing from the first only in this that whereas the first Covenant in Innocency justified upon the account of perfect Obedience this upon the account of our imperfect Obedience We know but in part there will be some difference among us in our Notions and Conceptions of these things and more in our Words and Expressions the same thoughts in one and another seldom come forth in the same words I have offered you what I take to be most agreeable to the Mind of God Do you search the Scriptures and judge I do conceive that the New Covenant of Grace requires as compleat and perfect a Righteousness nay a higher Righteousness for the Justification of a Sinner than the Law of Innocency did for the Justification of a sinless man That was but the Righteousness of man this must be the Righteousness of God reckoned or imputed to us not his essential Righteousness but that which is wrought out for us by him who is God and which God approves of and being thus justified God does graciously accept of our sincere imperfect Obedience together with our persons Let us not puzzle our selves about a second Justification get the Pardon of all your sins sealed to you in the Blood of Christ and fear no after-charge at the last day that will answer all I see no room for a Second Justification Can it be imagined that defects of our Grace here in this imperfect state should be brought in as proofs against the truth of Grace in our perfect state hereafter If Grace in its perfection cannot sufficiently evidence its Truth I see
before Do you find Christ hath had a quickning influence upon your Hearts is indeed become your life He savingly knows Jesus Christ who doth act towards him according to what he believes of him Let men talk of this or that concerning Christ and pretend to understand all Mysteries to have all knowledge yet unless they can shew the work of the Gospel written in their hearts as the Apostle speaks of the work of the Law Rom. 2. 15. I say unless they can shew the work of the Gospel written in their hearts I am sure they are nothing For it is impossible to receive Christ by the saving knowledge of Faith and not to have his Image impressed upon all the faculties of the Soul by that Faith which first brought it in The very conceptions of Faith concerning Christ are the very thoughts of a mans own heart so he is so he thinks so he acts even as he believes Gospel truths cannot enter into our rational Nature at any other door than that of Faith When Faith comes there needs nothing else to turn that Soul unto God Every man is an his Faith is Faith contains the true inward sense of the Soul about Jesus Christ And God is the Author and Finisher of this Faith and understood to be so by all true Believers Pray let us close up all with this for I am only now labouring as well as I can to shew you in general how Faith lets Christ into the Soul The main thing in Conversion is Faith and the main thing in Faith is the Power of God in working it These two things are principally taken notice of by all Believers They observe them in others much more in themselves Acts 11. 17 18. compared with Acts 14. 23. What notice did they take there of the Faith God had wrought in those They perceived they had received the same Faith with themselves that God had granted unto the Gentiles Repentance unto life Faith is the main thing in Conversion Christ is the same in himself both before and after Conversion So are all Gospel-truths the same in themselves only then we did not believe them and now we do It is Faith makes all the difference and the principal thing in Faith is the power of God in working it How doth Paul admire the goodness of God to him that he should obtain Mercy and believe in Jesus Lord saith he What wilt thou have me to do He never called him Lord before The High Priest was his Lord and Master before from whom he received his orders what to do against the Saints Now he is Sick of that imployment he lays down his Commission at the feet of Christ and desires he would give him instructions what to do None should be his Lord None should now command him but Christ Lord what wilt thou have me to do The beginning of Faith and Conversion lyes in looking unto Christ for Power to believe And our first Faith usually breaks out in an Outcry to God to help our unbebelief All true Converts are sensible of this they in Acts 7. 47. How did they Praise God for their Conversion They ascribe it all to him I say our first Faith in the Lord Jesus comes in with a sense of God's Power in working it and Faith is known to be the gift of God by those who have it They who begin their Faith in the strength of their own Reason thinking to take in such considerations of God and Christ and to draw such arguments from Scripture as can induce them to believe will find themselves mistaken I am persuaded the doubts and fears of many Believers have their rise from hence That they did not begin their Faith in such an humble dependance upon God for strength to believe they did not I say do this as they should And it appears that that is the cause of their fears because nothing but such a dependance upon Christ for Grace does cure them When once they have learned the right way of believing and trusting in Christ they enter into rest there is an end of all their fears There are Promises in Scripture made unto Faith and there are Promises made of Faith These so far as we may be concerned in them seem to be made to Believers quite void of Faith Though to Unbelievers remaining in unbelief nothing is promised yet all things are promised to Unbelievers going out by Faith unto Jesus Christ Or if you will I had rather express it thus These promises of our first faith of the first Grace of giving the Spirit and the like they are made to Christ in the behalf of Unbelievers such who were from Eternity ordained unto Life so many of them whose Names were written in the Lamb's Book of Life The Covenant of Grace made between God and us doth respect the Covenant of Redemption between the Father and the Son This first Faith is wrought in us in such a manner that we are sensible of the Divine Power and Efficacy of God's Grace in working it Though God doth lead out our Souls into rational considerations of Himself and his Son yet we find that these considerations do flow into our Minds from an inward Revelation made of Christ. We do know that such thoughts of God and Christ could never have come into our minds if the Holy Ghost had not suggested them In his Light we see Light and our coming to Christ is always by the Father's drawing CHAP. II. More Particularly How Christ is in us by Faith How Faith brings Christ into the Soul Or how Christ conveys himself into our hearts through Faith And also How we may discern this in our selves THis is the Point and a Point of greatest concernment it is unto us all And therefore I beseech you follow me with your strictest Attention First That Christ may be in us it is necessary that he should be first outwardly proposed unto us There is an outward Light of the letter proposing Christ to us and there is an inward Light of the Spirit revealing Christ in us It is one thing to speak Notionally from the outward Light of the Letter another thing to speak Experimentally from an inward Light of the thing it self in our own Souls Besides the outward Light of the Word there is in every true Believer an inward Light flowing through the Word from the Object or thing spoken of The Spirit reveals Christ the Object and so making us Light in the Lord in his Light we see Light As we cannot see the Sun but by its own Light so neither can we see Christ but in his own Light By Faith we go unto Christ by Faith we go into Christ and we sit down in his Light entertaining our selves with Spiritual Contemplations of his Glory I say that Christ presents himself to us in a Gospel Promise as our God and Saviour He offers himself to us as such and by offering himself or under that proposal he doth act as a Gracious
not but there may be matter of doubt among the Saints in heaven it self whether they be real Saints or no. 'T is the weakness and imperfection of things that casts them under a suspicion but when they shine out in their full beauty and glory there is no room for any objection Does any man question whether the Sun be risen at Noon-day If perfect Day will not pass for Day then there is no difference between Day and Night Light and Darkness must be all one 'T is not a right way to a setled peace of Conscience that some take who instead of an humble application to free Grace for the Pardon of sin do apply themselves to their own goods works considering how holy they have been how holy they are how holy they intend to be and all this in order to their Justification at last 't is a hard matter to keep men humble under such thoughts they will be glorying in the flesh and think themselves something when they are nothing To look for Justification by our own Holiness will prove an ineffectual motive unto Holiness either they are discouraged from the visible imperfection of their Holiness or else they grow remiss in it thinking that any thing will serve to justifie them since perfect Righteousness is not required such as they have must serve the turn rather then fail of eternal life any thing will do under the umbrage of it may be but a pretended sincerity a good meaning must answer for a bad life and on they go in their wonted evil course all is but imperfection and weakness and the Covenant of Grace not requiring perfection will bear with that and pass it by I confess there is Grace enough in the Gospel to Pardon all your sins but whether the best of you have good works enough to justifie your Persons you had best see to that I dare appeal to all your Consciences in point of experience whether you do not find your selves growing more holy and conscientiously strict in your walking with God under an humble dependance upon the Free Grace of God in Christ Jesus for the Pardon of all your sins than ever you did under your greatest endeavours to save your selves by your own works The Grace of God teaches to deny all ungodliness and nothing will effectually do it but that The great question among us this day about Justification is Whether our Good Works and Evangelical Righteousness have not some place in our Justification as con-causes or social causes having some partial influence at least that way I would propound two Expedients for Peace 1. Since the main point of difference is about the use of our Good Works at the day of Judgment when we shall be sententially justified or pronounced just by God I would have the decision of this left to that day for I fear we are not likely to agree sooner Then 't will appear that evidences of Faith are no cause of the Justification of our persons in the sight of God That will be resolved into pure Faith resting upon Christ for Righteousness and life 2. Since we cannot agree in the nature use and proper ends of Evangelical Righteousness let us more strictly intend the thing it self and labour every one of us to be more Evangelically holy and righteous in our lives and conversations Did we live more by Faith in Christ Jesus we should quickly see how all good works rise out of that Faith by which all true Believers are already justified All that An inomianism that the Orthodox Preachers of Free Grace are falsly charged with lies here Because they maintain and I hope ever will maintain that the first thing a convinced sinner is to eye in his turning to God is the Free Grace and Mercy of God in Christ for the Pardon of Sin Evangelical Conviction leads him to a reliance upon Christ in some degree of Saving Faith for the pardon of all his Sins and this Faith begets in him a secret hope of Pardon and is the spring of all after Sanctification viz. of Mortification of Sin of Repentance of all new Obedience Let this be remembred as the main thing we contend about that we begin our Religion at the Grace of God and not think to ground our Faith in Christ upon any legal preparations or works of our own We ought not to hold a convinced sinner one moment under Legal Terrors without making an offer of Grace in Christ to him I see not what should hinder a sinner under the height of Legal Conviction from hanging himself as Judas did I am sure a thorough Legal Conviction of Sin will sink any man into utter despair if Faith in Christ come not in immediately to his relief Indeed those who are but half convinced by the Law and know not the strict Spiritual sense of it may betake themselves to their works and duties and think to save themselves that way but this is so vain a thought I will not spend time to confute it you who have lived so long under the Light of the Gospel can answer that your selves Besides Pure Legal Convictions have a greater tendency to Despair than to Faith they naturally work despair but 't is the work of God a supernatural work of his Spirit that any under such Convictions are made to believe in Christ. The Conviction becomes Evangelical in all who believe and it is Faith makes it so Evangelical Conviction includes Legal Faith indeed pointing to Christ abates something of the Terror of the Law and by a clearer Gospel-light expounds the law into its true sense and meaning which no natural man can gather from the bare Letter of the Law and thus Faith by the Law lets us further into the knowledge of sin than the Law alone without the Gospel could ever do And this is that Faith we preach as the beginning of all true Conversion and the only spring of all true Holiness We cannot begin to lead a holy life till we first look unto Christ by Faith for the pardon of sin CHRIST THE Great Redeemer of Body and Soul 1 COR. VI. 20. For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's CHAP. I. FOR ye are bought with a price c. i. e. with the Price of the Blood of Christ who has redeemed us to himself and purchased an everlasting Right in and Dominion over our bodies and souls therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's Or thus Obs. The absolute Dominion that God has over us and the special right that he hath in us and to us not only as our Creator but as our Redeemer lays a strong Obligation upon us to glorifie God in our body and in our Spirit which are his 'T is fit that man should have the use of his own things what he has bought and paid for we stand much upon our Property would not have that invaded meum tuum
had a Son from eternity yet he had none of humane race none of our kind all being fallen in Adam 4. Our spiritual Sonship runs thus If children then heirs 't is not so among men all Sons are not Heirs but only the eldest but we shall every one possess the whole Inheritance Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom c. Mat. 25. 34. 5. Adoption among men implies a succession into the inheritance after the death of the Adopter Haereditas est successio in universum jus defuncti Civil A Testament is of force after men are dead Heb. 9. 17. The Heir whether Natural or Adopted has nothing to do with the Estate till then But our Heavenly Father never dies our Elder brother never dies and yet we enter into possession have a present Copartnership with the Father and the Son Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1. 3. Nay we actually enjoy the whole inheritance with the Father and the Son indeed they are our inheritance the only portion of our Souls Had God left us never so much to be enjoyed by it self apart from God 't would be as nothing to us Heaven would not be Heaven if God were not there therefore we are said to be glorified together Rom. 8. 17. Christ will be always among his Brethren John 17. 24. Their Glory lies in beholding his the Father and the Son will have all things to be in common between them and the Saints and that to all Eternity Here is a Glorious Adoption indeed the world never knew the like What manner of love is this that we we should be called the children of God Tho our Heavenly Father never die nor our Elder Brother never die yet we must die before we can have full possession of the whole inheritance so did the Man Christ and so must we If we suffer with him we shall reign with him 2 Tim. 2. 12. CHAP. III. Fourthly The signs of Adoption 1. A Loving peaceable disposition Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Mat. 5. 9. Who is the God of peace and hath commanded us with great earnestness if it be possible and as much as lies in us to live peaceably with all men Rom. 12. 18. So far as may be without wrong to the truth and our own Consciences we must so follow Peace as not to quit Holiness Heb. 12. 14. A zealous contending for the Truth is very consistent with the peaceable Temper of a true Christian We may have salt in our selves and yet have peace one with another Mark 9. 50. Adoption is an uniting principle the Saints should live together in Love as the Children of one Father as joined in the same interest Behold how good and how pleasant is it for brethren to dwell together in unity Psal. 133. 1. What Abraham said unto Lot Gen. 13. 8. we should say to each other Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee for we be brethren I wish there were more of this sign of Adoption among the Children of God this day We have reason all of us to pray for more of that Wisdom that is from above Which is first pure then peaceable gentle and easy to be intreated James 3. 17. 2. A spiritual and holy Conversation Abraham's children do the works of Abraham Joh. 8. 39. Walk in the steps of his faith Rom. 4. 12. Who is the father of us all V. 16. The Children of God should not debase themselves to the sordid practices of the men of the World they should shine out as lights in the midst of a crooked Generation making streight paths for their feet walking evenly and uprightly as those who are led by the Spirit of God and thereby do approve themselves to be the Children of God Rom. 8. 14 3. A reverential Fear of God in all our ways 1 Pet. 1. 17. Mal. 1. 6. joined with filial Obedience 1 Pet. 1. 14. which they are led to not from a mercenary hope of reward but from an innate Principle of Love to God as their Heavenly Father they cannot but take after that will of God of which they were begotten 4. A restless breathing and panting after God when he hides his face from us in any displeasure A child of God can't bear the least distance between God and his soul Psa. 42. 1 2. There is nothing that a gracious Soul more desires than the presence of God Psal. 84 10. Psal. 65. 4. He is carried out by a Divine instinct after God his joy is full when he is in communion with God and he is presently troubled when his face is hid The more God sheds abroad his Love in our hearts the more are our hearts captivated to him made more willing in the day of his power to serve him The Love of God is a conquering Love a heart-subduing Love it has a mighty constraining power over us drawing the will after it The Law presses duty but gives us no strength to perform it it pricks us forward as with the point of a Sword but does not bear us up in doing it The Law commands Holiness but under the Gospel Holiness commands us the Principles of it being inlaid in our renewed Natures We consent unto the law that it is good we delight in it after the inward man Rom. 7. 16. 22. 'T is written in our hearts we are a Law to our selves and therefore not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9. 21. The Grace of the Gospel suits our wills to the will of God the free Spirit of Christ inclines us to new Obedience God knows how to commend his Love to us how to ingratiate himself with us till he has so taken our hearts that we begin to be sick of love towards him Cant. 5. 9. Full of vehement desires and longings after him David's heart was ready to break under this most holy frame Psalm 119. 20. Till we are Adopted children we are as to our state under the Law To be under the Law is to be without a Spirit of Grace to be a debtor to the Law when we have nothing to pay to be under the curse and servitude of the Law acting out of Fear not Love We can't Love God or Godliness till we Believe God loves us in Christ this molifies and changes the heart we are holy by choice now are a Law to our selves ergo the Doctrine of Free-Grace is no licentious Doctrine as some would make us believe 'T is not wrangling about Faith and Works but living by Faith that gives us an experimental knowledge of the truth and power of the Doctrine of Free-grace which makes us own God as our God We must break the First Commandment before we can break any of the other Nine In a dying hour Bellarmine's Tutissimum est will be good Doctrine When we bring things to an issue between God and our own
under continual influences from Christ. In the next place I shall speak of power and wisdom not as they relate to the Person of Christ but to his Doctrine or to Christ Preached we Preach Christ Crucified The Doctrine of Christ Crucifi'd is a powerful Doctrine able to save those who believe it Rom. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 18. Heb. 4. 12. This Doctrine is called the Wisdom of God in a Mystery 1 Cor. 2. 7. 't is the revelation of a Mystery Rom. 16. 25. There are many Mysteries in this Doctrine The manifold wisdom of God Ephes. 3. 10. This way of saving sinners by Christ Crucified is called The wisdom of God because he doth thereby manifest his deep and unsearchable wisdom they who are spiritually enlightened do count it so they desire to know nothing else 1 Cor. 2. 2. The Gospel contains the Glorious method of a Sinner's Salvation by Christ who is therefore called the Wisdom of God Prov. 8. 12. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2. 3. The Doctrine of the Gospel appears to be a powerful Doctrine because it is so effectually a means for the Conversion of sinners who are so much against Conversion certainly there is Wisdom and Power in it else it could never bring such a strange thing as that to pass Obj. The learned men of the world see not any Wisdom in the Gospel the Greeks seek after Wisdom but cannot find it there and therefore they count it foolishness They seek after Wisdom And why not Must we not speak reason in the Pulpit Answ. We speak wisdom among them that are perfect 1 Cor. 2. 6. i. e. That have a true solid judgment of Spiritual things But if you mean by reason that which falls under our understanding and is comprehensible by us as men I say we speak Mysteries above reason which we propound only to your Faith the Doctrine of the Gospel is worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. Let not man oppose his wit to the Wisdom of God We speak Wisdom but not the Wisdom of this world but the Wisdom of God in a Mystery hidden Wisdom When our frail reason can do nothing in discerning this wisdom the Spirit comes and demonstrates the Truth to us with power by an invincible internal perswasion 1 Cor. 2. 5. Men may think by their Wit Learning and prompt Parts to run down the Doctrine of the Gospel But let them remember that Christ is the Power and Wisdom of God They who do not rely only upon Christ Crucisied for Justification unto life do despise the Gospel and count it foolishness they are ashamed of the Gospel Rom. 1. 16. Paul was not let us follow his Example and labour to promote it praying daily for the propagation of the Doctrine of the Gospel That the way of God may be known upon earth and his saving health among all nations Psalm 67. 2. Because the foolishness of God is wiser then men c. V. 25. The Power and Wisdom of God by anironical concession are here called weakness and foolishness i. e. admit this according to the opinion of the unconverted Jews and Gentiles Let them say what they will what they call foolishness is wiser then men i. e. then the wisdom of men and what they call weakness is stronger than men i. e. then the strength of men Any thing that belongs to God is to be preferred before that which is but Humane the least things of God do infinitely exceed the greatest of mens When we consider that the Name of God is upon such a thing it should create a reverence in us towards it whatever is in God is God The way that God has made choice of and the means he hath pitched upon must needs be the best for all things are great or little weak or strong as God makes them to be by putting more or less of his fulness into them Obj. They who count the Gospel foolishness are the wise men of the world therefore sure they are in the right Answ. Not many wife are called and when they are called they see the folly of their carnal wisdom by which they judged amiss of Christ before The APPLICATION LET us now consider seriously how we stand affected towards Christ and the Gospel whether we do receive the truth in the love of it viz. Whether we do indeed believe in the Lord Jesus and are persuaded that nothing is required as a Meritorious procuring cause of our Justification in the sight of God but Christ and his Righteousness received and applied by Faith And that all our Evangelical righteousness so much contended for is only to prove the truth and sincerity of our Faith from whence it springs though I think there will not be any formal proving of such matters then Yet if this be all I would not contend about it but leave others to their own methods schemes and expressions heartily wishing all may understand them as clearly and Orthodoxly as they profess to understand themselves Though I must tell you those words will prove the most wholesome and grow most in use among serious Professors which they best understand and which do most easily and plainly convey the Spiritual sense of the Gospel into their minds If any should say our own Evangelical Righteousness hath some causal influence into our Justification though I count it a very Unorthodox expression yet I would in Charity think that the reason why they say so is out of a zeal to promote practical Holiness by the strongest motive imaginable And if they who say Holiness of life is only an effect of Justification making it as indispensably necessary in all who are justified as the former Is not Holiness secured and promoted this way as well as the other way and without any suspicion of derogating from Christ Pray then Why should we contend so much for the former way laying stumbling-blocks before others who cannot get over them when all our ends are better answered the other way Let none say we are Solifidians who hold this We know very well that good works are required in the New Covenant as well as Faith but all that is required in the New Covenant is not required unto Justification Besides Justifying-Faith doth many things by its influence which must not be put into the justifying act of Faith for then we shall confound Justification and Sanctification and make them as the Papists do all one As the Apostle hath stated the point of Justification we are not only to consider how we are justified in God's sight but in the first place to consider how God himself is Just in his Justifying-act Rom. 3. 26. If God be just in that act and can Pardon sin without any impeachment of his Justice then sure there is sufficient ground and reason for it God can do no unjust thing and if God in justifying Believers be just i. e. if there be merit enough in the Blood of Christ to