provoked him is a great manifestation of love had we never angred him nor given him any occasion against us much more had we done much for him it would not have been so strange to see him laying out himself to the utmost for our salvation but to see him in such a wonderful way working about the salvation of those that had greatly offended him and given cause of trouble with whom he was grievously incensed must make us to say hence is unparalled love those for whom God has done this have been great Offenders This appears by these three things 1. They are guilty of innumerable transgressions the sins of the Elect are beyond their account they are more than the hairs of their heads Psal 40.12 sin is flowing from them as water from a sountain their lives are filled with sin besides the sin they commited in Adam there is the sin of their nature which is a standing provocation which by its remaining in the soul brings new guilt every minute besides what it does by the influence that it has into actual transgressions while they continue in their natural condition all their moral actions are sins besides those actions which for the matter of them are sinful which are many the rest are sinful for the manner and after conversion there is sin in all their actions there is abundance of iniquity that every elect vessel that grows up to years is guilty of 2. That every sin is a great wrong unto God sin is an horrible injury unto God sin is rebellious against God sinning is the casting off of the yoke of God sinning is an insurrection of the soul against God Luke 10.14 in sin there is also great contempt cast upon God sin is a villifying and slighting of God men expose the name of God to scorn by sinning against him Rom. 2.23 sin is also enmity against him in all obedience there is love in all disobedience there is hatred Sinners strike at God when they sin John 15.24 God is greatly wronged by all sin and the sins of the people of God have many of them particular aggravations that do greatly increase the offence 3. That every man is the proper cause of his own sir and the guilt of it does properly belong to him the carnal reason of man is casting in many objections from the decree of God from the withdrawing of divine assistance and from the corruption of nature but the Scripture does allow none of those objections but fastens the guilt of sin upon him that does transgress the Law and hlames men for their iniquities and men lay not weight on these cavils so as to excuse others that are injurious unto them and there is this reason for it because men act voluntarily in their transgressions they are not forced to sin but choose it 3. It was great love for God to give his Son to dye for our salvation when he might justly have damned us when it was a righteous thing for him to have ruined us when he had us in his hands and might have cast us off for ever his proceedings would not have been unjust he had done us no wrong there had been no cruelty in it if he had thrown us into hell he would not any ways have trespassed upon any rule of righteousness but onely have done that which was sair and equal no imputations of injustice could have been cast on him he had no ways blemished his name non stained his glory his proceedings must have been justified and he would by our ruine have gained glory to his justice in this time to take care of our salvation speaks more free love if God could not fairly have done any other without staining his own name there would not have been any such evidence of love but the glory of his justice would have remained entire to him if we had perished he sent his Son to dye for our salvation when he might with honour have cast us off when there was no tye upon him to do any such thing but he mightfairly have damned us This is evident 1. From the proceedings of God God is a righteous God it is impossible that he should vary one hairs breadth from the rule of righteousness The Judge of all the world will do right gen 18.25 and his proceedings are such as do justifie the casting off of sinful man the constitution of the law does give in evidence of it if the law had been unjust it had been an unrighteous thing to make it as well as execute it and indeed God has not onely made it but executed it he has executed it upon the angels that sinned he has cast them down to hell 1 Pet. 2.2 4. and he does execute it upon multitudes of men in all ages multitudes perish according to this law yea he has executed the law upon his Son Christ Jesus Christ has bore the curse for us gal 3.13 and had it not been just God would not have inflicted it had it not been just Christ would not have subjected himself unto it 2. From the acknowledgment and testimony of conseience though there be abundance of cavils in the heart of man against this yet when they come to be throughly inlightned they witness to the justice of this proceeding many mens consciences have been silenced from objecting any thing against this many have been so convinced after all their arguings that they have been speechless as he Mat. 12.12 they have fallen down at Gods foot and yielded themselves to be justly miserable that whatever become of them they had nothing to accuse God of Psal 51.4 all men must first or last own this and yield themselves guilty Rom. 3.19 3. From the nature of Sin sin is an injury unto God the spirit of sin is to destroy God Psal 14.1 and besides this when men sin they break that Law which has threatnings of ruine annexed unto it and run upon the point of the sword and east themselves into the jaws of death Ezek. 33 11. 4. It was great love for God to give his Son to dye for our Salvation in this respect that he did it nor having received nor ever expecting to receive satisfaction for the mercy our salvation is principally from the grace of God but that has been paid for but the sending of Christ to die for sinners is meerly from the grace of God and has never been paid for nor ever will Justification Adoption Sanctification and eternal glory have been purchased but the sending of Christ into the world to die was never purchased God never received any recompence for this mercy he never had any satisfaction for this mercy 1 Job 4.10 He loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins the method and order of working about our salvation is this 1. Free and gracious Election which is the first cause of Redemption and Salvation and an effect of neither of them 2. Redemption which is the effect of Election and
Covenant with Adam Gods covenant with Adam is generally confounded with the covenant of works to the great hindrance of our understanding of Gods dealings with Man-kind Adam indeed was made as well as we under a covenant of works under a covenant of life upon condition of perfect obedience but besides this there was a particular covenant with Adam whereby he was constituted a legal head or representative of his posterity to act in our behalf to stand or fall for us as well as himself this is plainly held forth in that he is said to be the figure of him that is to come that is of Christ Rom. 5.14 he was the figure of Christ inasmuch as he was made a publick person as Christ also was this also is evident because we sinned in him his fall is truly ours Rom. 5.12 which could not have been if we had not been in him as our representative because God had constituted him our head therefore his sin became ours Rom. 5.19 1 Cor. 15.22 There is a great difference between these two covenants there might have been a covenant of works though there never had been any such covenant with Adam constituting him a publick person that was accidental to the covenant of works God made a covenant of works with the Angels but he never appointed them any publick person to act for them but every one stood singly for himself we make a great difference between them in these three particulars 1. The Covenant of Adam proposed a particular way for the accomplishment of the covenant of works the covenant of works states the condition of life but God by â—aking Adam a publick person finds out a way for the fulfilling of this condition God has proposed two wayes for the accomplishing of the covenant of works First By making a covenant with Adam to perform obedience for his posterity this way sailed The Second was By making a covenant of redemption with Jesus Christ wherein Christ undertook to fulfil the covenant of works for us this I call the second way because tho this covenant was made first yet it was revealed last as not to take place until the covenant with Adam was violated 2. The Covenant with Adam has never been fulfilled but the covenant of works has Adam utterly sailed of performing that particular covenant made with him if that covenant had been fulfilled all mankind had been happy whereas they were all exposed to misery by him Rom. 5.12 but the covenant of works has been fulfilled Christ fulfilled it Matth. 3.15 and we in him Rom 8.4 3. By vertue of Adams covenant we are only liable to punishment for that sin which we committed in him for that covenant only laid duty on him as he was to act joyntly for himself and us and that covenant was at an end on his eating the forbidden fruit but by the covenant of works we are liable to punishment for our personal sins that covenant threatens death for any transgression Gal. 3.10 A Third thing to be considered is That the Covenant of Works did admit of a Mediator It will be readily granted that though the evil of sin be incomparably great yet it is not so great but that God may have compassion upon us and find in his heart to provide a Mediator for us his infinite mercy may move him to give us a Redeemer though sin do greatly provoke him The great question is Whether he has not so bound himself by his lavv as to take away all possibility of help by a Mediator Whether the Law will give way to the interposure of a Mediator Whether the Word of God does not bind him to punish the sinner in his own person if so it is a vain thing to expect any help from a Mediator for no violence may be done unto the law and the words of the curse have such a force as if they did devote the sinner unto personal ruine in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye Gen 2 17. but we must distinguish between such threatnings as are legal and such as are personal some threatnings are personal and infallibly to be fulfilled upon these that are threatned though the threatnings of eternal destruction against impenitent sinners must unavoidably take place on them but there are some threatnings which are legal and intend no more but that the Offender must dye legally that is be punished with death either in his own person or the person of his surety thus many humane laws are to be understood thus it is among men in case of debt and there is nothing in the words of the law that does contradict this interpretaiton The words do enforce no more than this the words of the law are not any ways strained by putting this sence upon them neither is there any thing in the case of it self to oppose this interpretation for the fufferings of a furety answer the end of the Law as well as the sufferings of the Offenders Gods name is as much vindicated and there is as full a testimony given to the holiness of God by the sufferings of a surety as if the sinner had suffered in his own person there is no probability that Adam did at first understand this interpretation of the cnrse it was a secret that God kept in his own breast until there was occasion for its publication indeed from the first publishing of the Law God shewed that a publick person might perform the preceptive part of it for others and by failing therein might expose others with himself unto ruine as Adam did Which shews it also to be very fair that a publick person may suffer for us if a publick person may ruine us why may not a publick person recover us but we have no grounds to conclude that Adam knew any thing of the possibility of salvation in case he sinned but God after the Fall revealed it unto him But God has by his practice clearly given us this interpretation of the curse of the Law God himself has provided a Mediator for us and inflicted the punishment of our sins on him which shews it is no ways contradictory to his law so to do such a proceeding is agreeable to the law otherwise Go would never have had an hand in it God has shewed us how the law is to be understood in executing it on Jesus Christ and it is very unreasonable to think that there should be any thing in the law to hinder our salvation by Jesus Christ for this way of salvation has been decreed by God before the world 1 Pet. 1.20 he was foreordained before the foundation of the world and certainly he would never make such a law as should overthrow his decree the law must be so understood as not to cross his everlasting purposes of saving sinners by Christ the Apostle argues that the covenant of grace could not be disanulled by the law of Moses which was given four hundred and thirty years after Gal. 3.17 so I may
the Law pronounceth the sinner an heir of death Rom 6.23 and it is a most vain imagination for man to think the Law will take up with obedience instead of the sufferings of death disobedience brings the curse but obedience cannot remove it obedience would have prevented the curse but obedience cannot remove it the Law makes no mention of obedience for satisfaction obedience is a thing of another kind then the satisfaction which the Law demands the active obedience of Christ could not satisfie for our sins and how can men think that that obedience which was due to the Law if we had never sinned can satisfie for our sins that the paying of that natural debt which we were born under will also satisfie this new debt which we have contracted by sin especially when our obedience is so defective that in that we are again deserving damnation 2. The law requires perfect obedience in order unto life gal 3.12 the man that doth these things shall live in them it is perfect obedience for it is such obedience as is not mingled with sin if there be any mixture of sin then the person is exposed to the curse but it is impossible that a person should at the same time be an heir of the curse and the blessing of hell and heaven but there is no man in this life does attain unto perfect obedience those that put their trust in their own righteousness do not perform right obedience their obedience is only the shell and carcase of obedience their best works are not only sinful but properly sins for they are acted by a spirit of lust in all that they do self-love rules every unregenerate man Rom. 8.8 they that are in the flesh cannot please God and the obedience of the people of God is greatly tainted with sin the Saints do many things that are sins and their best duties also are sinfully defective sin cleaves to them besides the positive workings of sin they cannot perform any inward act of grace with their whole soul as long as the soul is imperfectly sanctified 1 King. 8.46 there is no man that sinneth not Question But is not God above the Law may not he dispense with his own Law and save sinners notwithstanding Answer The Law does derive all its authority from God but he is not so above the Law as to disanul it and act contrary to it God may not contradict the law to say that God is above the Law so as to dispence with it is to say that God is above himself the Law is Gods Law and he will own it to set God against the Law is to set God against himself the Law is nothing else but an everlasting rule of Justice that God has made between himself and man and the Lord will never suffer any violence to be done to his Law every jot and tittle of the Law must be fulfilled Mat. 5 18. there is no such Gospel as overthrows the Law Rom. 3.31 do we make void the Law by Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law if the Law might have been dispensed withal there had been no necessity of Christs death it was upon that account that Christ died to answer the demands of the Law and why should God be prodigal of the blood of his Son if man might have been saved by Gods soveraign dispensing with the Law would God have put Christ to such sufferings Christ must suffer that so the Law may be satisfied and Indeed the consciences of men will never have peace till they see the Law answered conscience ecchoes to the Law and if enlightned will condemn where the law condemns as long as the Law curses conscience will curse too there is no quieting of conscience as long as he sees the Law against him the reason is because the Law is the voice of God 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law the Law makes sin to have such power to sting and torment the conscience 4 This way of salvation by mens own righteousness is contrary to Gods providence in providing a perfect righteousness for us in Jesus Christ God has prepared a righteousness to our hand by Christ Jesus Dan. 9.24 he brings in everlasting Righteousness this Righteousness is altogether compleat and there is no defect either in the doing or sufferings of Christ and it was for us Heb. 10.14 by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and it was by wonderful providences this righteousness was provided for us this is the most observable and glorious work that ever God did in the World this lay much upon the heart of God from everlasting 1 Pet. 1.20 he was fore ordained before the foundation of the World and is the most remarkable among all the births of time besides other providences for the accomplishment of this there were those two exceeding eminent ones the incaruation of the Son of God whereby God became man a misterious work and of infinite condescention wherein the greatest glory is bestowed upon the humane nature of Christ that any creature is capable of the other is Gods inflicting his wrath on Christ Jesus and executing the curse of the Law upon his dearest Son a thing that would never have entred into the heart of man to conceive of had it not been revealed unto us and when we see Gods making such preparation for the salvation of sinners and in so costly a way providing a righteousness for them may we not conclude that they stood in necessity of this righteousness that they were uncapable of providing one for themselves surely we had ground to conclude that they were in a perishing condition and would be lost for ever if God did not take care for them who would imagine that these sinners could provide a righteousness for themselves and earn their own salvation but these are the workings of the hearts of self-righteous men and herein you cast an imputation upon the wisdom of God in troubling himself to provide a righteousness for you when with some assistance and strengthening from him you could provide one for your selves men herein are reproaching of God as if he had put himself to needless expence they are blemishing this great work of God as if it were in vain God has set open a fountain to wash in for sin and for uncleanness but they hope to wash themselves clean enough by their own tears God has set up a Ladder whose foot stands upon the Earth and whose top reacheth unto to Heaven but they hope to build a Tower whose top shall reach to heaven and climb up that way God has provided himself a Sacrifice but these think they can make attonement themselves what do you but asperse and blemish the infinite wisdom of God as if he took a great deal of care and were at a great deal of cost about that that signified nothing and troubled himself with vast expence to make a way
such that no unworthiness nor provocation can overcome his mercy but there is a sufficiency of grace in him for any thing that is an act of mercy A second thing that makes awakened sinners fear that there is an impossibility of their salvation is an apprehension that it is contrary to the Justice of God and not reconcilable with the sentence of the Law God stands bound in faithfulness to see the Law made good and they are to seek about the consistency of the Law and Gospel the clearing up of which difficulty I shall refer unto the next chapter at present it may suffice to say that God in his Word declares it to be consistent with his Justice Rom. 3.26 that he may be just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus it is a great help unto conscience to see how the Justice of God and Righteousness of the Law is preserved in the Justification of sinners but where the manner of it is not well understood conscience has matter of satisfaction in that God testifies that it is so The second thing to be premised is What we are to understand by the Righteousness of Christ and that which is intended hereby is the whole course of the Obedience and Sufferings of Jesus Christ by the Righteousness of Christ we are to understand that which he performed as a surety his mediatorly Righteousness this Righteousness is spoken of John 16.10 Of Righteousness because I go to my Father Rom. 5.18 by the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all to the justification of life Dan. 4.24 to bring in everlasting Righteousness upon this account it is that he is said to be made for Righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1.30 to be the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.65 this is sometimes called the Righteousness of God Rom. 10 3. Rom. 3.21 either because Christ who wrought it out for us is God as well as Man or because it is a righteousness of Gods providing in distinction from a Righteoufness of our own working out sometimes it is called the Righteousness which is by Faith Heb 11 7 because Faith is the condition whereby we come to be interrested in it sometimes they are joined together and it is called the Righteousness of God which is by Faith Rom. 3.22 Phil 3 9. That this Righteousness of Christ doth not only intend his active obedience but likewise his sufferings is manifest from hence because the Righteousness of Christ is that whereby we are justified it is by that that we come to be righteous in the sight of God Rom 5 18 and not only this active obedience of Christ has an influence into our Justification but his sufferings also the Apostle does once seem to attribute it to his Obedience Rom 5 19 by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous but this don't exclude the sufferings of Christ from having a part in our Justification Obedience may comprehend his suffering for in them he was obedient or else when it is said that by his Obedience we are made righteous that part of Justification may be understood which does consist in giving a title unto heaven there are two parts of Justification one is absolution from guilt the other is declaring men heirs of life this latter may be intended which is the fruit of the active Obedience of Jesus Christ or else by Obedience as one principal part of Christs Righteousness the whole may be intended as when we are said to be justified by his blood his active obedience is not excluded but the sufferings of Christ have an influence into our justification as well as his Obedience for we were in such a state that active obedience alone was not sufficient for our Justification when man was in innocency he needed only active obedience for his justification but man fallen needed more for his justification than Obedience he needed satisfaction somewhat to pacifie the provoked anger of God no meer Obedience would make a recompence for sins for the Law threatned death for them the holy life of Christ could not satisfie for sin it was something of another kind that the Law required namely the sufferings of death and the Scripture doth abundantly witness unto the influence of Christs Sufferings into our justification we are justified by his blood Rom 5 4 so we are said to be redeemed cleansed from sin reconciled to God to have our sins purged with his blood which was typified by the sacrifice under the Law so that the Sufferings of Christ are intended as well as his active obedience by his Righteousness And the Sufferings of Jesus Christ may very properly be called a part of his Righteousness partly because in them he did fulfil the command of God and that duty that lay upon him as our surety that was one of the things he undertook as our Mediator to redeem us from the curse being made a curse for us as it was his duty to fulfil the precepts of the Law for us so likewise to bear the penalty of the Law if he had failed in that he had not answered his Office obligations he stood bound to God to undergo the punishment of our sins God expected that from him to make his Soul an Offering for sin Isa 53 10. and he was under a command to lay down his life as the second person in the Trinity he was equal to the Father but as Mediator he was commanded by him John 10.18 I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and power to take it again and this Commandment have I received of my Father Jesus Christ sulfilled the Law of the Mediator in his sufferings and therefore he is said to be obedient unto death the death of the Cross Phil. 2 8. the same is implyed in that expression he learned obedience by the things that be suffered Heb 5.8 the meaning is not that he learned to obey but he Learned by the sufferings what a difficult thing Obedience was it was a part of his Obedience to suffer and so may be called his righteousness and so indeed there is righteousness in those sufferings of the Saints which in a way of holiness they do expose themselves unto and those sufferings of Christ may be called his righteousness partly because by them he became legally righteous the sins of the Elect were imputed unto him and he was legally guilty he stood bound to answer for the sins of his people and accordingly was apprehended by the justice of God and the punishment of the Law inflicted upon him by bearing of which he has paid the debt and the Law has no more power over him by his sufferings he is become righteous in Law and discharged from any more sufferings for ever having suffered the punishment of our sins the Law has acquitted him has nothing at all to object against him he has answered the Law and now is reputed legally righteous hence it is that presently upon his suffering he
is said to be justified justified in his Spirit 1 Tim. 13 16 that is by his Resurrection unto life by his sufferings he has delivered himself from that guilt that lay upon him and is become in the eye of the Law righteous CHAP III. The Proposition That it is a safe thing to appear in the Righteousness of Christ Arg I. Because Christs Righteousness is the Righteousness of the Law. THe Subject of the present discourse is That it is a safe thing to appear in the day of Judgement in the Righteousness of Christ it is safe to go before the Judgment Seat of God having no other righteousness to plead for our Justification but Christs Righteousness this Righteousness is sufficient and will prevail for the salvation of all those that have an interest in it we may with quietness depend upon it as that which will serve our turn there is no other Righteousness that can be come at that it is safe appearing in our own personal righteousness is many ways defective and uncapable of being the matter of our Justification that Righteonsness that is performed by the Saints is acceptable unto God but it can't procure the acceptance of their persons the acceptance of it self is procured by Christ Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 but we may justly venture our selves upon the righteousness of Christ other foundations will prove sandy but the Righteousness of Christ is a firm foundation for faith and therefore it was Pauls great care that he might be found not in his own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ Phil. 3.9 The Truth of which Proposition I shall demonstrate by the following Arguments Arg. I. The Righteousness of Christ is the Righteousness that the Law required of us it answers the demand that the Law makes of us and therefore it is safe appearing in it There is a necessity of our having the righteousness of the Law God has stated the Law to be a rule of his proceeding towards man wherein he has set down the terms upon which he will bestow life and execute death in that Covenant he gave not onely a Law unto man but likewise to himself from which he will never swerve O it is utterly vain for any man to expect acceptance with God without that righteousness which the Law requires until the Law be answered man can lay no claim to blessedness neither can God in faithfulness bestow blessedness upon man God has bound himself to see the Law fulfilled to a tittle this Law can't be abrogated nor disanulled Saints indeed are not under the condemning power of it because it has been fulfilled for them but yet the Law stands in fotce as a rule according to which God will distribute eternal rewards Math 5.18 One jot or one tittle of the Law shall in no wise pass till all be fulfilled man may break the Law but God will fulfil it the Law is never out of date and as it cannot be abrogated so neither can it be moderated God will never take up with less satisfaction then the Law admits of nor with a less perfect Obedience then the Law requires God does under the Gospel accept of imperfect Obedience but not for Justification There can be no varying from the utmost and highest demands of the Law the Law is unflexible and must be exactly attended it abates nothing so that a regular conscience can never give peace until the Law be fully answered the Law gives sin a condemning power 1 Cor 15.56 the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law therefore the Law must be answered And it is sufficient for us if we have the righteousness of the Law there is no danger of our miscarrying if we have that righteousness the sincerity of the angels in heaven is that they have the righteousness of the Law and that is a sufficient sincerity for us if we have the righteousness of the Law if we have the righteousness of the Law then we are not liable to the curse of the Law we are not threatned by the Law Justice is not provoked with us the condemnation of the Law can take no hold upon us the Law has nothing to object against our salvation that soul that has the righteousness of the Law is out of the reach of the threatnings of the law where the demand of the Law is answered the Law finds no fault the Law curses only for want of perfect obedience Gal. 3.10 yea moreover where there is the righteousness of the Law God has bound himself to give eternal life such persons are heirs of life according to the promise of the Law the law declares them heirs of life Gal. 3.12 the man that doth them shall live in them Now that the righteousness of Christ is that righteousness which the Law requireth of us is clearly held out in the Word of God Rom. 8.4 where the Apostle sets down the end of Gods sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemning sin in the flesh which is that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us the meaning of it must needs be that we might be made righteous by the imputation of Christs righteousness this righteousness is said to be fulfilled in us in as much as we have fulfilled it in our surety so Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth the end of giving Moses his Law was to drive us to Christ in whom alone we have the righteousness of the Law this is also clearly held out in all such Scriptures where Christ is said to be our righteousness and that we be made righteous by his Obedience for righteousness consists in answering the demands of the Law it is only that righteousness that the Law demands of us that can denominate us legally righteous if Christs Righteousness were not that which the Law requires of us we could not be accepted as righteous upon that account and the Scripture speaks particularly of Christs sufferings that they were those which the Law required of us Gal. 3.8 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that curse that he redeemed us from is that he endured and that was the curse of the Law and indeed herein lies the excellency of Christs righteousness where by it is a foundation of so much comfort and support unto Saints that it is that righteousness that the law requires of us this is that consideration from which conscience does take satitfaction But there lies one great objection against this that the Apostle Paul seems to make an opposition between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith and between justification by the law and justification by grace and by faith and by the promise so a man is not justified by the law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ Gal. 2.6
place against the sins of ungodly men being executed to the full upon them Mat. 5.18 it has taken place against the sins of the Elect upon Jesus Christ the curse having been executed upon him Gal 3.13 He baâ—k redeemed us from the curse being made a curse for us and God does bestow eternal life upon none but those who have fulfilled the righteousness of the Law in their Surety eternal life is given as a recompence of Christs Righteousness Rom. 5.21 PROPOSITION III. This covenant of Works could not be known by our first Parents any other way than by divine revelation because both the promises and threatnings of this covenant depended on the free will of God so that whatever a bilities of understanding Adam had in his first estate they were insufficient to make a discovery of them the precepts of the Law were written In the heart of man when he was first made and so they are still though not so legibly Rom. 2.15 They show the works of the Law written in their hearts and this I dont understand to be any distinct work of God from that of creating the soul for the precepts of the Law excepting that one of the Sabbath have a self-evidencing power so that supposing man to have an understanding he can't but have some knowledg of them and supposing them to have an understanding not corrupted he can't but have a clear knowledge of them but the promises and threatnings of the Law are not understood by any thing written in mens heart Conscience indeed by its own natural light does give evidence that sin is offensive to God and so affright men with expectation of wrath but it can't witness the certainty of Judgments much less of eternal condemnation except it have received some further light either from the Works or Word of God. PROPOSITION IV. The Covenant of Works does require Obedience only as the condition of life there are several other Obligations upon us unto Obedience some antecedent to the covenant of works as the infinite excellency of God the work of Creation some of them consequent as the dying love of Christ Gods giving converting Grace and many the like but the covenant of works requires it only as a condition of life and hence tho the covenant of works be fulfilled for us by Jesus Christ so that there is no engagement on us to perfect obedience as it is a condition of life yet those antecedent obligations do remain upon and we ow obedience still as a natural due Psal 95.6 that primitive obligation as we are creatures will ly upon us for ever besides those other obligations that God has laid upon us since PROPOSITION V. The covenant of works requires perfect but not personal obedience the obedience required in the covenant of works is perfect for one transgression layes man open to the curse but it does not stand upon personal obedience every one is obliged to personal obedience but this is upon another account and not by vertue of the covenant of works the covenant of works never tied us up to personal obedience as the condition of life God has been so far from binding us up to personal obedience as the condition of life that he never did propose that way unto us but from the beginning of the world constituted a publick person to act in our behalf and upon his failing immediately revealed Jesus Christ to be another publick person to act for us Rom. 5.19 PROPOSITION VI The life promised in the Covenant of works is a life of glory in heaven the promise is life Gal. 3.12 The man that doth them shall live in them some have thought that Adam should have had only the continuance of that blessedness which he was created in if he had kept the Covenant it is very true that there is no mention in the Covenant of his going to heaven but we have clear ground to conclude from Scripture that if man had stood he should have gone to heaven according to this promise 1. Because hell where the devils are is the reward of disobedience by the covenant of works therefore heaven where the holy angels are is the reward of Obedience it is meet the rewards should be proportionable I know it is answered that sin deserves evil at Gods hands but holiness which is due unto God does not deserve any rewards but this does not take off the force of the argument for it is by the Law that sin merits as well as holiness and hence wicked men are punished only for such sins as they commit in this life 2 Cor. 5.10 and there is as much goodness in holiness as evil in sin and it is a meet thing that God should bestow as much good in a way of obedience as he inflicts evil in a way of disobedience besides the Law expresses the punishment of sin by death Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death and the reward of obedience by life Gal. 3.12 the man that doth them shall live by them therefore it is a life directly opposite to that death a life that contains as much good in it as that death doth evil those terms do mutually explain one the other 2. Because Christ in fulfilling of the law for us has purchased life for us in heaven Christ has purchased heaven for us Epb. 1.14 it is called a purchased possession and he did it by performing the righteousness of the Law for us it is by making of us righteous that we come to have a title unto eternal life Rom 5.21 Grace reigns by righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. Because Christ tells the young man in the Gospel that enquired of him what good thing he should do that he might have eternal life that if he would enter into life be should keep the Commandments Mat. 19.16 17. where we may mind that the life enquired after by the young man was a life in Heaven and that Christ in this answer is leading of him to the covenant of works upon a design to convince him of his inability to keep it 4. Because the Apostle Paul gives that as the reason that men cannot be justified by the Law because they are sinners Rom. 8.3 3.20 the Legallists that Paul disputes against expected eternal life in heaven by their works yet in all his disputes with them he never telis them that the covenant of works does not promise any such thing if he could have told them so that would clearly have cut off all their hopes but he still shows that they can't have Salvation by the Law upon this account because they can't fulfil it yea he plainly implies that the reward by the Law and Gospel are the same but the way of obtaining it is different Rom. 4.4 He that worketh has the reward by debt be that worketh not hath it by grace The second thing that falls under Consideration here is What is the difference between the Covenant of works and the
was appointed to bring us into an estate of justification and salvation Jesus Christ had his Authority bestowed upon him to bring us to life John 17.2 Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him accordingly Christ has done more for our blessedness than Adam was to do Adam was to bring us out of an estate of innocency into an estate of justification but Christ has brought us out of a guilty estate into an estate of justification yea Christ has done more for our blessedness than Adam did for our ruine Adam brought us from innocency to misery but Christ has brought us from misery not back again to innocency but to blessedness in this respect that Salvation that Christ has wrought is more eminent and remarkable than that destruction that Adam wrought and for the pur chasing of this there was more required than for the restitution of us to our primitive condition the sufferings of Christ were sufficient to procure our restitution unto innocency but there was a necessity of the active obedience of Jesus Christ to bring us into an estate of blessedness Christs active obedience was necessary for us as well as his passive and this was one reason why it was requisite that Christ should continue so long upon earth that by a course of obedience for many years he might purchase eternal life for us the influence of the blood of Christ into our justification was typified by the Sacrifices the influence of the active obedience of Christ into our justification was typified by the white Garments of the Priests and the beautiful Garments of the High Priest our justification is compared to the putting on of white Raiment Rev. 3.18 some have objected against the necessity of Christs active obedience to our Justification that by his sufferings he satisfied for our sins of omission as well as of commission and if our sins of omission be satisfied for it is all one as if we had performed the duty but that is a mistake we can't he justified except obedience be performed Gal. 3.12 The man that doth them shall live in them suffering is the fulfilling of the threatning not of the command meer suffering has satisfaction but no merit in it suffering for sins of omission only removes the guilt contracted by the omission suffering for sins of omission puts us into such a condition as if the duty had not been omitted but not into such a condition as if it had been performed into such a condition as Adam was in not such as Believers are in in a sin of omission there are two things to be observed a neglect of duty towards God which is to be punished and a neglect of the condition of life which condition must be attended before life be bestowed the forgiving of an omission may be where the duty is still expected if a man fail of paying Money at the day his omission may be forgiven and yet the money may be expected The sixth Proposition for the clearing of the Argument is That Jesus Christ has fulfilled the righteousness of the Law. He has answered all the demands and challenges of the Law what the Law could chalenge from us has been accomplished by and upon Christ First Christ has fulfilled Obedience unto the commands of the Law Jesus Christ lived a life of spotless holiness and integrity obedient in all things unto the command of God Joh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do 1 Pet. 2.22 Who did no sin neither was guil found in his mouth he lived in a perfect and absolute conformity to the Law of God all the dayes of his life and therefore he is said to know no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 concerning this active obedience of Christ I shall here only observe these two things 1. That he did all the common duties of the Law and such particular duties as were proper to the Relation that he sustained he did not sustain all relations as that of Husband and Parents and therefore the duties peculiar to such relations were not requir'd of him nor performed by him neither was there any need that he should stand in all relations and fulfil the work required of all some give that reason why Christ was in this or that condition that it was to sanctifie those conditions to his People and by that reason he had need have been in all conditions that the like might be sanctified to his people but it was sufficient that Christ fulfilled the whole Law as it was required of one in his station and that is enough to answer for the Elect whatever relation or condition they are in Secondly Christ did obey not only moral commands but also subjected himself to the commands of instituted Worship and as he was circumcised in his infancy so when he was adult he was Baptized and gives that reason of it because it became him to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 So Christ partook of the Lords Supper Mat. 26 29. some think that the reason why Christ was Baptized was that he might thereby shew his approbation of Johns Baptism but that might have been done by his Word and I can't think that Christ would use a fignificant ceremony if the signification had not at all belonged to him neither would he perform an act of Worship that was not proper for him only to shew his approbation another reason that is given is that it was to sanctifie our Baptisme but their Baptism was sanctified that were Baptized before besides it is not the example but the institution of Christ that sanctifies our Baptism Another reason that hereby he was inaugurated and consecrated to his Office but there is nothing leads to that he was solemnly consecrated immediately after this Ordinance has no such signification but the reason of it was because sin was imputed to him and as this Ordinance seals up to us deliverance from sin through Christs Blood so it sealed up to him deliverance from the guilt of sin through his own Blood through the shedding of his Blood he was justified 1 Tim. 3.16 and this was a Seal to his Faith and sin imputed was Sacramentally done away hereby the like may be said of his partaking of the Lords Supper Secondly Christ Jesus has likewise born the penalty of the Law the death of Jesus Christ was a legal death it was the execution of the Law the putting of Christ to death was an act of vindictive justice it was a fruit of the wrath of God this is evident because he is said to he made a curse for us the curse is the condemning sentence and execration of the Law Gal. 3.13 this the Apostle proves from Dout 21.22 23. that law was a ceremonial Law whereby they that were hanged on a Tree were ceremonially accursed to typifie the accursed death of Jesus Christ this typical reason excepted there is no reason
why this sort of death should fasten a curse on a person more than any other legal death this Law makes the man that was hanged a ceremonial curse to typifie Christs having the moral curse Again it is clear be cause God punished Christ with death for sin and God does not punish sin but by the Law the death of Christ was on the account of sin Isai 58 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures Several things are here objected As 1. That Christ did not suffer spiritual death in sin the loss of the image of God which is a part of the penalty of the Law Ans Christ bore the essential parts of the curse not all the accidental there be many circumstantial parts of the curse wherein there may be great variety so one Reprobate does not bear all the pains diseases and afflictions that others do some Reprobates shall not endure bodily death as they which are alive at the coming of Christ so Christ did suffer some sorrows that were peculiar which indeed there was no absolute necessity of from the moral Law as he suffered a legal death from men died as a Malefactor with many aggravating circumstances there was no need that Christ should suffer the same in specie with reprobates it was sufficient that he suffered the same in pondere the death of the Soul in sin flows not from the curse absolutely considered but from the disposition of the patient it is a punishment fit for sinners but not for a Mediator 2. Obj. Christ did not suffer the torments of Hell which are a principal part of the curse Ans He did not suffer in Hell but he suffered the same for substance with them that are there as for the bodily punishments of Christ they were very great but he bare the punishment of Hell in his soul he bore the loss of the comfortable fruition of God Mat. 27 46. and he had the doleful sense of the wrath of God on his heart this is held out Psal 110.7 He shall drink of the brook in the way and as we have peace of conscience through imputed righteousness so he had torment of conscience from imputed sin what was it else that he conflicted with in his agony was it only the fears of temporal death which many Martyrs have born with triumph he grapled with the wrath of God that made him sweat drops of blood 3. Obj. Christ did not suffer eternal death and the eternity of the punishment is the great aggravation Ans T is trâ—e he suffered but a few years and the extremity of his punishment was but for a few hours because the infinite dignity of his person made his short sufferings equivalentâ— to the everlasting punishments of the damned for an infinite person to suffer a temporal punishment is as much as for a finite person to suffer an eternal punishment it may be as severe justice to punish Christ with the like pains for a few hours as to punish a damned man with them for ever a less quantity of Gold equals a greater quantity of silver it seems to be as great a testimony of the holiness of God and a vindication of the honour of his Law to punish his dear Son with a temporal as sinners with eternal punishment The seventh thing to be considered is That Christ performed the righteousness of the Law for us it was performed on our account that we might be justified thereby 1. The active Obedience of Christ was performed upon our account whatever was done that way was done by him as our Mediator and Representative Rom 5.14 by the obedience of one many are made righteous and Christs Righteousness as distinct from his sufferings sis spoken of as a ground of faith 1 John 2.1.2 we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who also is the propitiation for our sins so in Dan. 9.24 the bringing in of everlasting righteousness is spoken of as a distinct thing from finishing transgression and making an end of sin which are benefits to come by the Messiah neither does it any ways prejudice this truth that Christ owed Obedience unto God as he was man it being essential to man to owe obedience to his creator for Adams Obedience was a natural debt yet if he had obeyed all his posterity would have lived and tho Christ himself were rewarded for his obedience and sufferings as is held forth Phil. 2.7 8 9 10. that hinders not its usefulness for us the primary design of it was to accomplish our salvation which hinders not but that God might give some signal testimony of his acceptance of the love and service of Christ by recompensing him for the same 2. The sufferings of Jesus Christ were also upon our account and indeed there can no other account be given of these sufferings no other reason but this can be assigned of them his sufferings were exceeding great as appears by his being afflicted before hand about it by his heaviness and amazement by his prayer by his sweating drops of blood and no satisfactory reason can be given of these sufferings but only that he bore our curse it was not for any personal sin for he had none Heb 7.26 it was not to prevent any sin God sometimes Brings afflictions on his people to prevent their sinning 2 Cor. 12.7 but there was no danger of Christs sinning his nature was not tainted and the union of the divine nature with the humane was a sufficient security it was not meerly in a way of trial to try the patience and faith of Christ the Scripture gives in no evidence of that neither was it principally to give us an example of patience but he suffered to make an attonement for us and recencile us to God. The Scripture represents the sufferings of Christ under a three sold consideration all serving to clear up this point 1. It is represented as a price of redemption Mat. 20.28 The Son of man came to give his life a ransome for many Rev. 5.9 thou wast slain and hast Redeemed us to God by thy blood A Second consideration is of a sacrifice the sins of the people were typically laid upon the sacrifice and then it was slain so Christ was sacrificed for us Eph. 5 2. Christ hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us the fruit of this is Reconciliation A third consideration of them is they are a punishment Jesus Christ took upon the guilt of our sins that is our obligation to punishment the demerit of sin whereby the sinner deserves punishment was not translated to him as the merit of his righteousness is not translated to us but the title to blessedness arising there from so Christ took upon himself our obligation to punishment and accordingly God inflicted the punishment of our
that righteousness themselves as he would have done if Adam had kept the covenant of works but he don't do thus the promise in the covenant of works is life which includes all manner of felicity but Believers are far short of felicity they have much sin remaining in them are left to fall into many sins they are liable to very sore and dreadful afflictions and to death the promise of the Law is not fulfilled to them therefore it seems they have not the righteousness of the Law. Ans 1. These sorrows do not come upon the People of God for want of a perfect righteousness or for want of compleat satisfaction and this is an evdence of it because those sorrows do not come in a way of vindictive justice or vengeance though they are for the matter of them the same with the curses of the Law yet not for the manner they do not come to satisfie God for sin those Saints that have the most sin have not always the most sorrow to be left unto sin is not a curse to the people of God Hezekiah was left to sin in mercy 2 Chron 32.31 It was that be might know what is in his heart and so their afflictions Rev. 3.19 Whom I love I rebuke and chasten Jer 24 5 I have sent them into the land of the Chaldeans for their good Sin opens a door to afflictions but God brings them in mercy All the wayes of the Lord are merccy and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies Psal 25.10 2. Though Christ has fulfilled the righteousness of the Law for us yet God is not absolutely bound to reward the righteousness of Christ just in the same manner as he would have done the righteousness of Adam though the righteousness be the same yet there may be circumstantial differences in the reward blessedness is the reward of righteousness but there may be so the circumstantial parts of the reward that may differ as it was with the sufferings of Christ he suffered not in all things the same that the Elect should have done but yet he suffered as much so it is here Christ has purchased perfect blessedness for us yet he has not so purchased it that God is bound to bring us presently and at once into the possession of it Christ has purchased the good of the covenant of works viz. blessedness to be dispensed to us according to the tenor of the covenant of grace viz. to have it begun here and perfected hereafter therefore he is called The Mediator of the new covenant Heb. 12.24 and his seed is called the blood of the everlasting covenant Heb. 13.20 3. There is special reason also why God should not wholly deliver his people from sin and sorrow in this world the special reason why he leaves them to sin is to take occasion thereby for the magnifying of his pardoning grace there are also weighty reasons why he exercises his people here with many sorrows in particular that he may vindicate his own holiness and that he may carry on the work of Sanctification in them in a way suitable unto the nature of Man. CHAP. IV. The second Argument from the Prophecies and Tâ—pes of the Old Testament the third Argument from God's love in giving his Son to dye for us the fourth Argument from the Exaltation of Christ Argument 2. GOd has foretold in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament that Christ should bring us to Salvation by his righteousness therefore it is safe appearing before God therein God has foretold this both in the plain Prophecies that he gave to the ancient Church and in those Types that he gave them wherein this Truth was represented 1. It was foretold in the Prophecies of the Old Testament God by degrees did reveal much of the way of Salvation unto the Church of Israel though it fell abundantly short of those manifestations which he has given in Gospel times yet what was then made known serves as a great confirmation of the truth of the Gospel and I shall not insist on such Prophecies as do only hold forth Salvation by Christ without revealing the particular way of it as where it is said the seed of the woman should bruise the serpents head that in him all the Families of the earth should be blessed that he should be a light to the Gentiles and salvation to the ends of the earth though I might make good the Argument from hence for our condition was such that Christ could not save us without working out righteousness for us but I shall only urge such Prophecies as do hold forth Christs saving of us by his righteousness of which there are these four sorts 1. It was foretold that the Church should have their righteousness from Christ that they should derive their Justification from him Isai 45.24 Surely shabl one say in the Lord Jehovah have I rightousness and strength righteousness is not here taken for holiness or the righteousness of sanctification but the righteousness of justification the Church has its sanctification from Christ by infusion and assistance and their justification from him by the imputation of his righteousness and henco that Name The Lord our Righteousness is given to Christ Jer. 23 6 and the same name is given to the Church Jer. 33.16 both of them in remembrance that the Church does derive her Righteousness from Christ accordingly Christ is said to bring in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 2. It was foretold that Christ should dye for our sins the death of Christ was not onely foretold but also upon what account it should be 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures this we have at large set down in Isa 53 where we may mind 1. What he suffered namely death besides many other calamities he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter ver 7 he was cut off out of the land of the living ver 8. God made his soul an offering verse 10. 2. Vpon what account he suffered the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all ver 6. 3. What benefit redounds to us by his sufferings by his knowledge that must not be understood subjectively but objectively by the knowledg of him shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities 3. It was foretold that Christ should effect our salvation by doing that for us that sacrifice and burnt offering could not do Psal 40 6 7 8. sacrifice and offering thou didst not desice but mine ears hast thou opened c. concerning which Scripture you may observe these things 1. That the thing that sacrifices could not effect for us was our reconciliation there was some imagination in men that sacrifices should make their peace but God did not accept them upon that account 2. When he says mine ears hast thou opened he speaks concerning Christ this we have the authority of the Apostle for Heb. 10.5 3. By this phrase is imported the Obedience and
set in the second place of dignity the throne being the highest the Lord Jesus is advanced unto greater glory in heaven as he is man then any angel in heaven in special besides other particulars in having the administration and government of all things in his hands This Exaltation of Christ is a clear evidence of Gods accepting that sacrifice that he offered up for us 〈◊〉 and being fully satisfied for our sins by the sufferings of Jesus Christ And there are three things therein that serve to convince us hereof 1. By Christs Exaltation he is delivered from that suffering estate which our sins brought him into he is hereby set free from that state of humiliation which he was in for our sins vengeance had taken hold of Christ as our surety the justice of God seized him he was apprehended as one liable to the Law and God took vengeance on him and soured out wrath on him but now by his Exaltation he is set at liberty justice has dismissed him God has done exacting any more punishment on him which is a clear evidence that he is wholly discharged of that guilt that was upon him Christ subjected himself to the wrath of God and God punished him as much as he pleased Christ bore the curse till God laid it was enough In his resurrection God opened the prison door and let him out God sent an Officer to deliver him from his grave Mat. 28. 2. The angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door Gods delivering of Christ evidenceth the satisfaction that he has received by his sufferings if Christ were not risen it would be an argument that sins were not satisfied for 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not risen your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins but his resurrection shews that Gods demands are answered and therefore when Christ was raised from the dead he is said to be justified God gave him a legal acquittance and discharge from that guilt which he had taken upon him 1 Tim. 3.16 God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit the Apostle Peter expresses it thus he was quickned in the spirit 1 Pet 3.18 so that when he was quickned he was justified Christ could never have been delivered out of the hands of Justice if he had not paid the uttermost farthing Hence we are said to have a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 God has begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead this consideration is a means by Gods blessing to beget a lively hope in us the ground of our hope is the resurrection of Christ it might better be rendred a living hope the same word is rendred living 1 Pet. 2.4 this is such an hope as will abide and continue the hope that is built upon the foundation will never fail other hopes may dye away but this is a living hope a parallel Scripture to this is 1 Pet. 3.18 we have the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ a well-informed conscience is satisfied with this when a mans conscience accuses him of sins they are manifest and he can't deny them heinous and he can't excuse them yet this silences those accusations that Christ is risen Conscience sees in the resurrection of Christ the satisfactoriness of his sufferings and has peace on that account that the debt is paid and upon the same account it is that Paul attributes power to the refurrection of Christ Phil. 3.10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection when God sets this consideration home upon the heart it has a mighty comforting power this will raise up a drooping spirit when a man is distressed indeed with the guilt of sia the world has no power to comfort him his priviledge cannot his duties cannot but this thing set home has power to ease his heart resiesh his soul silence his conscience the sence of this brings great comfort to a christian and the Apostle mentions this consideration as the security of christians against condemnation and as that which adds further encouragement to that which rises from his death Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth it is Christ thao dyed yea rather is risen again 2. By Christs Exaltation he is rewarded for his sufferings God presently upon his sufferings took him up into heaven and bountifully rewarded him for his undertaking some seem loth to grant that Christ did merit for himself but there is no danger in affirming that according to compact God did gloriously recompence Christ for his Obedience and sufferings for us the primary design of Christs undertaking was to merit for us but it was every way suitable that this service of his should be rewarded 2 Phil. 8.9 he humbled himself and became obedient to death the death of the cross wherefore also God hath highly exalted him God took wonderful contentment in it that Christ would lay down his life for us that is the intendment of that expression therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life John 10.17 God did highly approve of it and took a complacency in it and in Christ by reason of it and manifested his approbation by rewarding it Christ has a glorious reward in heaven and this is an evidence that he has gone thorow his undertaking that he has not failed in the work that God committed to him If Christ had failed of righteousness not only we but he also would have failed of glory Christs own had a dependance upon his working out of perfect righteousness as well as ours his happiness and ours were imbarked together if he had not run the race he had not been crowned if he had not been a conquerer he had not received the prize if he had sunk under the work and not compleated our redemption God would not have bestowed this reward upon him but since he has received a glorious reward we may conclude he has done his work and performed the Office of a surety this argument the spirit of God makes use of John 16.8 9 10. the comforter will convince of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more the way whereby Christ came to sit down on the right-hand of the majesty on high was the purging of our sins with his blood Heb. 1.3 the thing whereby Christ came to be admitted into the holy place Was the obtaining of eternal redemption for us Heb. 9.12 The way that he came to partake of that priviledge of sitting down with his Father on his throne was the overcoming the difficulties of the work which he undertook Rev. 3.20 3. By his Exaltation he has the administration of things put into his hands that he may bestow upon sinners that salvation in order to which he suffered that he may put him into the possession of that glory which was the end of his undertaking it is
unholiness in God holiness is his nature Isa 6.3 yea such is the perfection of Gods nature that he is not liable to those temptations to speak false that men are men sometime speak false out of fear they fear the anger and contempt of men but God fears none men sometimes speak false in hope of gain Jacob lies to get the blessing Gehezi to enrich himself but God is not capable to gain any thing by the creature men sometimes speak false that they may appear better than they are but it is impossible that God should appear more gracious and glorious than he is men sometimes decline the fulfilling of their promises because it proves difficult to do it or brings some unthought of inconveniencies upon them but every thing is easie to God every thing is known unto him before the foundation of the world God having engaged salvation to believers they may say as David therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed c. the salvation of believers and the honour of Gods faithfulness are embarked together they must sink and swim together believers cannot fail of salvation unless God fail of his glory unless Gods word faile which is impossible the salvation of believers cannot faile Argument 6. They that are commanded of God to believe in the righteousness of Christ may safely appear before God in the righteousness of Christ but we are commanded by God to believe in the righteousness of Christ though the calls of the Gospel are many times propounded in a way of invitation they are set before us as gracious offers wherin God is in a way of grace tendring a great benefit unto us yet they have the force of commands I might argue the safety of coming unto Christ from thence that we are invited to come unto him for help for surely in those invitations God does not go about to delude men and lovingly draw them in to take such a method for the salvation of their souls as would fail them 't is not to be imagined that the glorious God would with great seeming love to the souls of men draw them into a snare and with an appearance of good-will to them advise them to take a course that were not safe it is not to be thought that God would lovingly and with a great deal of tenderness perswade men to set their feet on slippery places and build their hopes upon a sandy foundation there is no soul delusion in the Gospel he would not urge men with such compassion to put their trust in Christ but that the well-fare of their souls is secured thereby they may without fear venture upon the counsel and entreaties of the Lord being secure in that that God will not lead them into danger when God advises us to trust in Christ he commands this way to us as a way of safety for 't is no part of love to advise us to put our confidence in a broken reed but besides what might be argued this way these invitations have in them the force of commands and lay us under duty in obedience unto God to come unto Christ as there is love in these calls so there is authority also we are not left at liberty whether we will come to Christ or no but are required to come God does prescribe this way and enforce it both by his love and also his authority God that has put Jesus Christ into office doth require us to receive him in all his offices Psal 2 12. and among other ways to be putting our trust in him therefore this is called the work of God John 6.29 this is the great business that he has set us to do and this is called his commandment 1 John 3.23 which shews not only that it is commanded but that this is the special commandment that God lays peculiar weight upon and hence it is a sin for men not to believe in Jesus Christ this the spirit reproves for John 16.9 of sin because they believe not on me hence God is angry with those that stay away from Christ Luk. 14.21 This command of believing in Christ is a branch of the second commandment in the Law by that command it is required that we should worship in that way that he appoints that we should attend such worship as is instituted by him not devised by man and this is the great institution of God under the covenant of grace that we worship him by Jesus Christ seek to God through him and believe in God thorough him Jesus Christ is the great ordinance that God has set up to be worshipped by Jesus Christ as God is to be worshipped with divine worship by vertue of the first command Jesus Christ as mediator is the means whereby we are to draw nigh to God by vertue of the second command as the sacrifices of old were a principal ordinance whereby God was to be worshipped so Christ who was typified by those sacrifices was and is the principal ordinance whereby fallen man is to draw nigh unto God and through whom we are to believe in him And this command of God does argue the safety of appearing in Christs Righteousness the command of God does evidence our assnred salvation in this way this would never have been commanded of God if it were not safe And this appears by three things 1. If it be commanded that we believe in Jesus Christs Righteousness then it is lawful for us so to do God would never put us upon that which its own nature is not lawful it must needs be a warrantable thing for us to put our trust in the righteousness of Christ there can be no unlawfulness in attending that which God requires but if it were not safe to appear in the righteousness of Christ it could not be lawful to believe in it it would be an irregular thing to put our trust therein and that on two accounts 1. It would be a putting of too much honour upon Christ and his righteousness if it were not safe appearing in Christs Righteousness then Christs Righteousness were not worthy to be believed in if it were not safe trusting in it then we should give too high a commendation to it when we believe in it for when we believe in it we proclaim it to be safe so to do it would be an idolizing of Christs righ teousness to trust in it if it were not safe so to do it is a fault to believe in that which cannot save when we believe in Christs Righteousness we give him the honour of having purchased salvation for us if it were not safe to trust in Christs righteousness then in so doing we should give him a glory that belongs not to him 2. It would be self-flattery for us to believe in the righteousness of Christ if it were not safe appearing in it it could not be lawful to trust in it to trust in it would be presumption what would it be but to delude our selves and to please
our selves with an idle dream which would deceive us â—â—men are blamed in the Word of God for such confidences Isa 29.18 it is not lawful or warrantable for us to believe in that which we have not sufficient encouragement to believe in but we have not sufficient encouragement to believe in the righteousness of Christ if it be not safe to appear before God in it what can encourage us to depend upon and be satisfied in that which it is not safe to depend upon 2. If it be commanded that we believe on the righteousness of Christ then it is duty so to doe then we are bound in conscience to come unto Christ we cannot without sin stay away from Christ and therefore surely it is safe to trust in the righteousness of Christ the holy God would never make it our duty to trust in that which is not a sufficient ground of faith it were an hard lesson to be bound in conscience to do that which we could not satisfie our consciences in doing it were wildness for any man to imagine that God should command us to love that which is not lovely or to mourn for that which is not matter of sorrow or to rejoyce in that which is not matter of joy so it is to think that God should require us to trust in that which is not a ground of confidence that would be very hard for God to bind us to put our confidence in that which we could not put our confidence in except we were out of our wits if it were not safe to trust in Christs righteousness what could induce us to do it except we were under a delusion it is against nature for man to put confidence in any thing but under this notion that there is ground of confidence in it what perswasions can prevail to make men rest on that which they could not safely rest upon the Lord is a righteous God and gives no such unequal command all his commands are righteous he requires but what is equal Psal 119 138. 3. If God commands us to believe on the righteousness of Jesus Christ then we must do it upon pain of damnation if we fail thereof every sin does by Law deserve death and the continuance in the neglect of any known command does unavoidably bring death and ruine and so the neglect of this command John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already because be hath not believed in the Name of the only begotton Son of God certainly then it must be a safe thing to believe on Jesus Christ if there be no safety in believing there is no reason that we should be punished for not believing if there be no safety in believing in Christ then it is madness to believe in Christ and will God punish us for not acting the part of mad men it were an unreasonable thing for a man to believe in Christ if it were not safe so to do and therefore unreasonable that he should be punished for not doing of it will God damn man for not building their hopes for Heauen upon the sand will God cast a man into Hell because be will not embrace a delusion and put his confidence in a broken Reed the Lord is a righteous God and would never punish men for not believing if they had not abundant encouragement to believe the command of this holy God gives us great security in believing John 12.50 I know that his command is life everlasting OBJECTION Here it may be objected against this Argument That we are commanded by God to believe for many things and to believe in the righteousness of Christ for them which we have no certain security that we shall enjoy in a way of believing whatever we pray for we must do it believing and we must do it in the Name of Christ thus we are to believe for health for the conversion of all our Children for rain and other publick mercies so that it is no bard or unreasonable thing to be commanded to believe for that which is not sure in a way of believing neither do we want sufficient encouragement to believe though the thing we believe for be not sure to us in that way ANSWER That Act of Faith which is the condition of the Covenant of Grace is far differing from other acts of Faith that are required of us we do believe for a mercy when by a spirit of Faith we take hold of any of those encouragements which God gives us with respect to that mercy that when we are encouraged by the power of God the mercy of God the love of God to us indennite promises the redemption of Christ to rely upon God with quietness for a mercy with submission to his holy will. We do believe in God for that mercy and this we have sufficient encouragement to do though there be no certainty that we shall enjoy the mercy in that way and this God may fairly command us though he don't absolutely promise the mercy but that Faith which is the condition of the covenant of Grace does much differ from this that is an accepting of Christ and Salvation by him as offered to us and a relying on him for it according to the promise of the Gospel that this is the Faith that is required as the condition of the covenant of grace is evident because it is called a receiving of Christ justifying Faith is the receiving of the promise of the Gospel 't is a relying upon God in Christ according to the invitations of the Gospel and God would never require us to accept of an offer and rely upon him for it if it were not safe so to do how is it possible for any man to rely upon God for the making good of his offer if it were not safe so to do CHAP. VI. The seventh Argument from the Spirits assuring Men of the truth of the Gospel The eighth Argument from Gods bestowing the beginnings of Salvation on Believers here in this World. Argument 7. THat Righteousness which the Spirit of God convinces and assures men that they may safely appear before God in that they may safely appear in but the Spirit of God does convince and assure men that they may safely appear before God in the righteousness of Christ that must needs be true which the spiril convinces men to be true Satan labours to shake mens belief of this and raises doubts and questions in the heart about it and from thence we may argue probably that it is true but the spirit of God does perswade and convince men of the truth of it and establishes the heart in it and from thence may infallibly argue the truth of it In opening and declaring this Argument we may Consider 1. That many men are convinced and assured that it is fafe appearing before God in the righteousness of Christ there are some kind of perswasions about it in the hearts of many others that are bestowed partly upon the testimony of men partly
Gospel truths but men may be taught by the spirit and yet be very unable to give a resolution of many Objections the Disciples were taught of God that Jesus was the Son of God Mat. 16.17 and yet knew not what to say to that Objections that Elias must first come Mat. 17.19 tho a Christian cannot answer many Objections about the sufficiency of Christs Righteousness yet he knows that that will satisfie his heart that it is sufficient namely that God gives this testimony to it and invites him to venture upon it 4. Consider in what way the spirit of God works this conviction and assurance and that is by a spiritual illumination of the mind the spirit of God is not wont in adult persons to reveal this Doctrine in any extraordinary way he works this conviction in such adult persons only as have the knowledg of the Doctrine by hearing and reading of the Word men must not expect to be taught that in a miraculous way which they may learn in an ordinary way neither would this be suffieient to work a through conviction and assurance of it a man may have things revealed unto him extraordinarily by God that has no Faith as Balaam neither does the Spirit assure men of this in way of testimony the Spirit of God is wont to testifie and witness some things to the soul of the Saints the Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 but he does not in that way reveal unto men the truth of the Doctrine of the Gospel but he openeth our eyes to see the truth of it the Spirit gives us eyes to see and also the actual understanding of the truth of the Gospel he puts a principle of spiritual understanding into us by a work of creation ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 he also assists us actually to discern the truth of this way of salvation by Christ while the soul is hearing reading and meditating of it he puts a light into him discovering it to be true and sometimes while the soul is thinking of his misery the spirit brings to remembrance some word and with that puts in a light into the soul that satisfies the heart in the truth of the Gospel and this is wrought these three wayes 1. The Spirit helps us to see the truth of this in the testimony of God in his Word 't is not any inward testimony that our Faith depends upon but the testimony of God in his Word and the inward work of the Spirit is to help us to receive the sure Word of Prophecy and depend upon that God witnesses in his Word plentifully to that that there is salvation wrought out for us by Christ that he has redeemed us purged away sins brought in everlasting righteousness and in this testimony of God we see the truth of the thing it self the Spirit satisfies the heart and clears it up to him that this is Gods testimony that it is no deceit that it is not any device or forgery of man under a pretence of Gods testimony but that this is the very Word of God the Word comes in Gods Name and has many characters of divine authority in it and the soul is satisfied that it is Gods Word 1 Thess 2.13 ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God The Spirit also satisfies the heart in the faithfulness of God naturally men have no assurance of the faithfulness of God though they profess it but the spirit convinces the soul that the Lord is a God of truth I know him whom I have believed 2 Tim 1 12. he does with Sarah judge him faithful that has promised and here though his soul be precious to him yet he can quietly venture it upon his Word 2. The Spirit helps us to see the certainty of this in a way of reasoning from other Principles which we do undoubtedly receive there is an assurance by arguing from such things as we are certain of this is called the demonstration of the spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 when once a man is principled in that foundation that the testimony of God in his Word is certain and infallible then he is assured of such principles as these that Jesus Christ who was our Surety is exalted to the right hand of God that sinners are invited to rely upon the blood of Christ that Christ has fulfilled the righteousness of the Law for us for these things are plainly laid down in the Word of God he had the notion of these things before but now he is assured of them and being assured of them God help him to argue from them the infallible certainty of salvation by Christs righteousness John 16.10 the spirit convinces of righteousness because I go to my Father so a Christian sometimes after he is come to Christ finds by experience in that way the sanctifying and comforting presence of God with him and from hence he argues and is more established in the Doctrine of salvation by Christ 3. The Spirit helps to see the glorious excellency of God and Jesus Christ and thereby the great Objections of his heart do vanish away and fall of their own accord there are some less Objections which arise for want of distinct knowledg and from a mis-understanding of some places of Scripture which though they prove temptations yet don't wholly hinder the workings of Faith but the main Objections of the heart were that God could not find in his heart to pardon such sins as they have been guilty of and that the Law threatens them with ruine but the spirit discovers unto the soul the excellency of God in Christ the riches of Gods grace and the preciousness of the righteousness of Christ and then those Objections fall Psal 36.7 How excellent is thy loving-kindness O Lord therefore the sons of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Consider 5. That this is a great work of Gods Spirit to convince men and assure them that it is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ it is a matter of exceeding great difficulty to give entertainment unto this truth and hence it is that many men are never satisfied in it all their dayes they continue all their lives long under the means of grace and yet never come unto the knowledg of this truth and many others whom God has perswaded of it have been long before they were satisfied though they have been full of inward troubles and fears and thereby put upon it to be inquisitive into the way of salvation yet were long before they came to Christ their hearts were unsatisfied about their safety in so doing and after prevailing and clear conviction doubts are ever and anon arising in their hearts and this difficulty must needs be very
manifest at that time that it is his testimony and hereby this differs from the delusions of Satan as the Prophets knew it to be the Lord that revealed things unto them so Saints at the time knew it to be the Spirit of God that witnessed to them they do not need any other help at that time to know it to be the voice of God they do not need a candle to see the Sun though soon after they may have doubts Thus I have cleared up the assumption of the Argument it remains that somewhat be added to evidence the proposition that it must needs be safe appearing in that righteousness upon the account of which God does bestow the beginnings of salvation here And I may evidence that from these two Principles The first Principle is That righteousness which does purchase any part of the good of the covenant does purchase the whole good of the covenant by the righteousness of Christ believers stand already possessed of some part of the good of the covenant and that righteousness that brought them into the possession of that will in due time bring them into the possession of what remains for that which purchases any part of the good of the covenant must needs purchase the whole the condition upon which all the good of the covenant depends was one so that the good of the covenant must be wholy purchased or wholly forfeited it could not be in part purchased in part forfeited the condition of the covenant of works was perfect righteousness if that were performed all the good of the covenant was purchased if that were not performed all the good of the covenant was forfeited an imperfect righteousness would not purchase any one good thing mentioned in the covenant one sin was sufficient to break the whole covenant and expose unto death one sin would make a course of righteousness for many years utterly ineffectual unto the purchase of any good and lay the sinner open unto the curse of the Law Gal. 3.10 Rom. 6.23 whatever was done towards the performance of the condition of the covenant signified nothing except the full was performed that God required so the condition of the covenant of the Mediator was perfect obedience to the law of the Mediator viz. perfect obedience to the commands of the law and perfect bearing of the curse 't is true that the active and passive obedience of Christ have a distinct respect one of them to the possession of good the other to the removal of evil the one is meritorious the other satisfactory one procures the blessings promised the other delivers from the evils threatned but yet Christ being made under such a covenant the success of one depended upon the other and they are joyntly together the purchasing cause of our salvation and one of them would have had no efficacy at all towards our salvation if not accompanied with the other so that this principle stands firm that that righteousness that does not procure all the good of the covenant procures none that righteousness can purchase no good for us that is not sufficient for our compleat salvation that cannot purchase the beginnings of salvation that does not justifie us seeing therefore on the account of Christs righteousness we have already the beginnings of salvation that righteousness is suffieient for our Justification and Salvation The Second Principle is That God in giving the beginnings of salvation in a way of believing in Christs righteousness for salvation does own that to be the way of salvation God does in this way give such mercies as are evidences of his favour and such as do accompany salvation he subdues sin quickens the heart in holiness reveals his loving kindness c. And herein God does plainly testifie that this is the way to salvation and that the righteousness of Christ was the procuring cause of salvation if the righteousness of Christ were not sufficient for our salvation God would be angry with us for believing in Christs righteousness we might expect frowns and judgments in this way but Gods giving the beginnings of salvation in this way does eminently own it to be the way of life when did God in such a way own men in a way of depending upon their own righteousness or external priviledges they have some common mercies but none of the beginnings of salvation but the beginings of salvation being bestowed in this way are an evident sign of divine approbation of it God bore witness to the Apostles preaching this doctrine by many wonderful signs Heb. 2.4 and he bears witness to those that by saith receive this doctrine by wonderful gracious effects in them he gives the earnest of heavenly glory which evidently shews the efficacy of this righteousness which they trust in to accomplish their salvation Eph. 1 13 14. in whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory CHAP. VII The ninth Argument From the Sacraments of the New-Testament Two Objections against this Doctrine Answered Argument IX IT is safe appearing before God in that righteousness the efficacy whereof unto salvation we are taught in the Sacraments of the New-Testament But in the Sacraments of the New-Testament we are taught the efficacy of Christs righteousness unto salvation God in these Sacraments is by sensible signs teaching of us this truth so that in the Sacraments there is a divine testimony to this doctrine 1. We are taught the efficacy of Christs righteousness unto salvation by the ordinance of Baptism as 't is said of circumcision that it was a seal of the righteousness of Faith so is baptism the washing of water signifies our washing in the blood of Christ as the legal washings had a respect unto the cleansing away of sin by Christs blood so has our baptismal washing this ordinance practised first by John and afterwards appointed by Christ to be a perpetual ordinance in the gospel church is appointed on this design to strengthen our Faith in this Doctrine 1. This appears because by baptism is held forth our fellowship with Christ in his sufferings that is signified thereby that we have an interest in the vertue of his sufferings that his sufferings are made over unto us that we do participate in the good and benefit of them Rom. 6 3. so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death there was sealed up unto us the vertue and efficacy of his death therefore verse 4. we are said to be buried with him by baptism into death the like expression you have Col. 2.12 we are thereby partakers of his sufferings as if we our selves had suffered and if this be held forth then our justification and reconciliation is held forth for that is procured by the sufferings of Christ Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. 2. Baptism is
the account of their own righteousness meeting with such commendations of the practice of holiness they are much confirmed in their carnal confidence in such ways as these 1. Hence they think their own righteousness does draw the heart of God unto them they think that their holiness does attract the affection and good will of God unto them they imagine that their holiness does work them into Gods love that the beauty of their holiness does captivate the affections of God and their cries and carriages do work upon divine compassions and make God willing to bestow salvation upon them and indeed a self-righteous man doth attribute more to his own righteousness than a Saint does to the righteousness of Christ a godly man neither does nor ought to make the righteousness of Christ the foundation of Gods sove Christ has purchased the favour of God and reconciliation with him but he did not purchase the good will and love of God there was no need of purchasing that God could love sinners freely there was no possibility of purchasing that that was too great a thing to be 〈…〉 Christ procured the effects of Gods love but not the love it self Gods love was the cause of Christs coming not the effect thereof but the self-righteous man imagines a vertue in his own righteousness to draw the heart of God to him and engage the love of God. 2 Hence they think their own righteousness does make amends for their miscarriages that they have made are atonement for themselves for their former sins they think their repentance makes up that breach that sin had made and that out of a respect unto that God forgets what they have done amiss they imagine that there is a reconciling vertue in their reformations and good services that they satisfie God for what has been past And herein they attribute more to their own obedience than we ought to do to the active obedience of Christ Christs active obedience was not sufficient to satisfie for sin it purchased the blessings of the covenant but it did not deliver us from the curse active obedience to the Law has merit in it if it be perfect but it has not any satisfying vertue it is something of another kind that God requires for satisfaction the Law threatens death for sin Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death so that Christs active obedience could not satisfie for sins if he undertake to satisfie for sins he must bear the punishment of death 3. Hence they think that out of a respect to their own righteousness and upon the account therof God will bestow salvation upon them they think that this is that which interests them in all the good of the covenant their own prayers and reformations and affections and zeal in the cause of God is that which makes them heirs of glory and gives them a title to the eternal inheritance They look upon their own righteousness as the price of heaven and think they have done something to the earning of glory they are at work for God and look upon heaven to be their wages And herein they attribute that to their own righteousness that ought to be attributed unto the righteousness of Christ This was the very design of the active obedience of Christ to give us a claim to glory because we were very unworthy and could not fulfil the condition of the Law Jesus Christ undertook for us and has performed the righteousness of the Law and merited eternal life Rom. 6.23 The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. Another temptation to make men depend upon their own righteousness and seek salvation in that way is the seeming excellency of their own righteousness there is a real excellency in true holiness it is the perfection of mans nature sin is a vile thing but holiness does advance and perfect mans nature holiness is the glory of man The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour the Righteous are called excellent ones Psal 16.3 and though all the righteousness of self-righteous men is but hppocrisie and therefore an abomination in Gods sight yet they themselves do imagine that there is an excellency in it and from hence they make it a ground of confidence imagining an excellency in it they think God is taken with it and that it is meritorious they do from the excellency of their carriage promise salvation to themselves And there is a four fold excellency which they are wont to take special notice of 1. The moral excellency of their carriage they count their carriage excellent because they live according to principles of honesty and sobriety and piety they are no Drunkards nor Oppressors not Railers nor Sabbath-breakers nor Swearers c. but they have a good conversation they do not live a prophane nor sensual life are not blemishing themselves by vicious courses they have an amiable lovely and justifiable carriage their outward carriages are according to principles of reason and religion their behaviour is equal and honourable they walk without blame the Pharisee was lifted up with that he was no Extortioner unjust person nor Adulterer the young man was taken with that that he had been moral from his youth Mat. 19 20. Paul speaks of that as a thing which men build much upon that as touching the righteousness of the Law they are blameless Phil. 3 6. 2. The religious affections that they feel working in their hearts Sometimes such men have great affections they have melting affections under the considerations of their sins and Gods mercies outward salvation the sufferings of Christ for sinners and the like they have a delight in Ordinances strong desires after Christ and holiness they have a zeal against the sins of the times and for the better party the Scripture is plentiful in instances of such affections in unconverted men as Saul the stony-ground hearers and others and they count these sincere and are highly taken with them they look upon these to be the very spirits of religion things which do greatly ingratiate them with God. They look upon these affections as blessed frame of heart these they think are the things that God does especially delight in they count these heavenly frames of heart they are much affected with their affections now they reckon they have a suitable frame of heart to spiritual things 3. The difficulties that they go through in serving of God which raises the price of their services and makes them more available they mind that they take a great deal of pains in serving God in reading and praying and taking spiritual opportunities they dont gratifie a slothful spirit but are laborious in religion and they hope God takes notice of that so they are at considerable expense they spend of their Estates in works of piety and charity and on that account value their duties highly so they are much in fasting and in that way afflict their bodies so they upon the account of Religion have displeased
covenant with him and when that covenant was broke he presently proposed a new covenant to him it is no part of the work of man to devise a way of his own head to lead to heaven but to walk in that way that God has prescribed unto him but when men trust in their own righteousness they go without book they have no word from God to warrant their way they lean unto an invention of their own this is like the practice of Jeroboam that kept a Fast in the moneth that he bad devised in his own heart 1 Kings 12.32 33. men in this way do venture their souls upon a fancy of their own God gives them no assurance that he will accept them in that way men have only their own judgments for it that this is a way of salvation God has not told them that this way satisfies him and answers his expectations but men guess that this way will do men venture it as if they were able by their own understandings to determine what way would please God and needed not any revelation in the Word they stay not for a promise but boldly venture upon God without one what madness is to desert the way that God directs to and take away of your own as if you had found out a better way to heaven than God tells you of you have an imagination that this way will do but is it not a daring thing for men to venture the eternal state of their souls upon an imagination of their own it is great folly for men to neglect the way wherein they have a promise and trust in one wherein they have none you act in this as if you did not matter though you should perish 't is strange that men should in a matter of such importance go upon such slender ground if you should be mistaken in your judgment what way pleases God your souls are lost and if you should miscarry in this way it would not he strange for you had no warrant from God for it you may miscarry and God be faithful God is under no covenant engagements unto you in this way is it not strange that men should be shie and scrupulous and afraid to trust God in such a way wherein they have his solemn promise and yet bold and daring to rely on him in such a way wherein he has given them no encouragement herein preferring their own judgment before the covenant of God. 2. God has declared against that way it is a presumptuous thing to trust in God without his Word but more presumptuous to trust in God against his Word and thus these men do for God in his word has abundantly witnessed against this way God sends men word from heaven that this way by mens own righteousness is insufficient for salvation he tells us that that was the reason of the miscarrying of the Jews because they sought as it were by the works of the Law. Rom. 9.32 he reproves men for conceitedness of their own righteousness Rev. 3.16 he tells that that if they seek Justification by the Law they are fallen from the covenant of grace Gal. 5.4 he tells them that no man living can be justified by the works of the Law Gal 2 16. Rom. 3.20 he tells they will be ruined in this way behold all ye that kindle a fire and compass your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lie down in sorrow Isa 50.11 he declares that they are cursed that do so gal 3.10 as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse how dare any man then thrust himself upon God in this way is God wont to discourage men from their duty and threaten them in way of safety will men believe the vain imaginations of their own hearts before the positive declarations of Gods Word do men think that God reproves them when he is not angry and threatens them in jest does God speak one thing now and will he speak another at the Day of Judgment is there one rule given for conscience to judg by here and another for God to Judg by hereafter will God curse those at the Day of Judgment that he blesses now bless those that he curses now will he not judge the secrets of men according to the Gospel Rom. 2.6 men are too timorous when they dare not trust in God in that way that he has proposed and commended unto them and men are too bold when they trust in God in that way that he condemns what assurance can they have of acceptance where the Word of God gives them assurance of the contrary it is madness to challenge life in such a way as God has wittnessed against what reason can men give of such declarations if there were any bottom for Faith in their own righteousness you have a strange kind of Faith that will venture upon God though he witnesses against you what comfort can men take in such a way men had need of strong arguments to satisfie themselves that that is a way of salvation that God calls a way of damnation would God discourage them from it if it were indeed a way of salvation can men expect that God will deny his Word in the Day of Judgment to save them 3. It is against the rule of Justice for men to be saved in that way it is against the justice of the Law the Law puts in an unanswerable objection against the salvation of such men the law allows the salvation of those that believe on Christ Rom. 3.26 it has not a word to gainsay but it stands as a flaming sword to keep other men out of paradice in a way of confidence in mans own righteousness there is no way to reconcile the justice of God and mens salvation if men be saved in such a way what will become of the Law and what will become of the justice of God that stands engaged to fulfil the Law what warrant have men to expect salvation in such a way wherein God must part with his own glory before he can bestow glory upon them wherin he must deny his nature before he can satisfie their expectation how can men think that God is so in love with their performances as to pervert Judgment for their sakes and pull them into heaven by force though the Law does possibly declare against such proceedings God would not save believers but with the leave of the Law till care was taken that that might be satisfied and will he save these men to the overthrow of his Law and everlasting reproach of his justice the righteousness of the Law does not admit of their salvation 2. The law requires that the curse must be executed for sin the Law pronounceth the sinners accursed Gal 3.20 cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them
to heaven when there was a better path before sure God who is infinite in wisdom would not have provided a righteousness for sinners in Christ if they could provide one for themselves this providence of God does speak you to be under a dreadful mistake Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law given that could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law Rom. 8.3 4 What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Gal. 2.16 5. This way of salvation by mens own righteousness is cross to Gods design the great design of God in pardoning and saving of sinners is to glorifie the riches of his grace to let the world understand what a gracious God he is God has other methods to glorifie his other attributes by the creation of the world by his giving of the Law by eternal punishments upon wicked men and angels he glorifies his power wisdom holiness and justice but notwithstanding these works of God the pardoning grace of God lay hid but he has contrived the salvation of sinful man as for the further manifestation of his other attributes so in special to make known the riches of his pardoning and saving grace Eph. 1.7 in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Eph. 2.7 speaking of the benefits we have by Christ he gives this as the reason That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus and this way of salvation by Christ and a proper means for the furthering of this end though Christ has purchased pardon and glory for us that does not hinder the manifestation of Gods grace for though our pardon and salvation be a due debt in respect of Christ yet it is a free gift in respect of us though there be a purchase yet not by us but God sent his Son to make that purchase for us Rom. 6.23 the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord but when men seeks salvation by their own righteousness they seek it in a way directly repugnant to the design of God this is a way to exalt themselves and to rob God of his glory when men trust in themselves they glory in themselves they boast in their own excellency and not in the free grace of God for if it be of works then it is no more grace Rom. 11.6 the self-rightous man does cross Gods end if he should attain Salvation in that way God would miss his aim the self-righteous man takes a course to dash the counsels of God to pieces and make the design that was upon his heart in the salvation of Sinners come to nothing he seeks to overthrow this glorious contrivance of God for the advancement of the glory of his grace if man should have salvation as the fruit of his own earnings and the reward of his own deservings man would be blessed but the glory of grace would not be manifested Gods design would fall to the ground and the counsel of his heart for ever miscarry but the counsels of God stand for ever and the thoughts of his heart to all generations can it enter into the heart of any man to conceive that God will not be true to his own design but gratifie the humors of men by saving of them in such a way as is destructive to it surely men are horribly stupid to expect salvation in such a way as will not stand with Gods design what ever hopes of this kind men feed themselves with they will end in disappointment if such men be not disappointed God must be disappointed CHAP. IX USE II. Examination Whether men do believe in the Righteousness of Christ VSE II. TO put you upon the Examination whether you do put your trust in the righteousness of Christ if so then you are in a safe condition and may stand before God another day with comfort in the great day of the Lord multitudes that have made a profession of Religion will miserably fail of their expectations and that upon this account that they want the Wedding Garment but although you have many failings yet if you believe in Christ you shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 all your Religion signifies nothing as to your salvation if you do not believe in Christ if you would know then what you are like to meet withal at the day of judgment whether you shall find acceptance with the Lord when tousands shall not try your selves by this whither you do believe on Jesus Christ there be some other wayes of trial from all those things that do accompany salvation but this is the principal way to which indeed all others are reduceable there be other properties that are evidential of a mans safety but this is the foundation evidence as that which gives him his right and title to salvation 1 Joh. 5.13 I have written to you that believe on the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life examin therefore whether you do indeed believe on the Son of God there be many that say they have Faith Jam 2.14 there be many pretenders to Faith there is as much deceit in the heart about Faith as about any other grace there are imitations and resemblances of Faith such as the Scripture does give the name of Faith unto Luk. 8.13 which for a while believe all sorts of men that make prosession of the Doctrine of salvation by Christ profane men profess this and self-righteous men profess this men that were never sensible that God was indeed angry with them and men that do imagine that they have pacified him are both of them pretenders to Faith in Christ men that do indeed trust in that that they never did much provoke God and men that trust in that they have pleased him again do both make profession of their Faith in Christ therefore it stands you in hand strictly to examine whether you do indeed believe in the righteousness of Christ And you may try it these several wayes 1. By the foregoing work of Humiliation 2. By the manner of the souls first closing with Christ 3. By the living a life of Faith on Christ Jesus 4. By that holiness that does accompany and flow from Faith in Jesus Christ 1. Try your Faith by the foregoing work of Humiliation there is a preparatory work necessary before a sinners closing with Christ this is a work that comes between the rest of the foul in sin and the sinners accepting of Christ men do not immediately step out of a condition of quietness in sin into a state of salvation a tree must first be prepared bofore it be laid in the building the bodies at the resurrection must be prepared before life
Christ indeed it is contrary to nature for men to be willing to be damned wicked men do act as if they love damnation Prov. 8.36 they that hate me love death they do so interpretatively but for men directly and understandingly to be willing to be damned is against nature God had planted a principle of self-love in men whereby they do necessarily desire their own happiness no perswasions can prevail with men not to desire their own happiness we may as soon perswade a stone not to be heavy or the Sun not to shine there is a weight upon the soul of every man carrying of it that way this is implanted by God in the very constitution of nature and remains in man in his corrupt and his renewed estate a man must shake off his nature before he can shake off this desire self-love is natural unto man man is capable of happiness and being capable of it stands in need of it he cannot be satisfied until his capacity of happiness be filled hence he necessarily and perpetually desires happiness besides this it is contrary to Gods command for a man to be willing to be damned for God has commanded us to seek salvation he is often calling upon us to be seeking life and that with earnestness Luke 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate and this seeking must be with earnest desires and indeed when this work of Humiliation is wrought in the heart he yields under this encouragement that there is some hope of salvation in God hopes of life in this way is one of the things that make him lie down at Gods foot the four leprous men fell unto the Host of the Syrians because that was the most likely way for their lives to be preserved 2 King. 7 4. the Syrians submitted to Ahab in hope to find favour 2 King 20.31 when the soul is humbled he is as desirous of salvation as ever and it is the hope of that that has a great influence into his humiliation 2. Affirmatively it is an absolute submitting of himself unto Gods disposal when humbled he yields himself into the hands of God and makes an absolute resignation of himself unto the will of God he yields himself a prisoner he would have yielded upon terms before but now he yields absolutely as a Rebel when he sees himself conquered yields so does the Soul to God. This carriage is opposite to his carriage before 1. He does not seek deliverance from himself he yields to God despairing in himself he don't feed himself with vain hopes and carnal confidences any longer those hopes have all died away his strong holds that he trusted in are thrown down he does not stay any longer upon his affections reformations victories over corruptions c. he has no dependance upon any strength of his own to gain any thing that will commend him to God he has no dependance on Ordinances on his own wisdom to discover any way of help but he throws up all his carnal hopes as vain and submits himself to mercy Luk 15.17 2. He leaves off quarrelling with God before he was humbled his heart wrought within him he could not bear the thoughts of it that God should cast him off his heart rose up against God and he thought he had hard measure from God his sins were all decreed he had done what he could he took great pains and yet God did not shew him mercy his heart rose to think that God should make him to damn him save and pardon others and reject him but now his mouth is stopt he is silenced he lets fall all his pleas yields it to be fair for God to cast him off he says as David Psal 51 4. against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mayst be justified when thou speakest and clear when thou judgest Question In what way is this work of Humiliation wrought and the soul brought to submit himself to God. Answer In general it is wrought by conviction it is not wrought by the infusion of any new principle into him the soul under this work is in a state of nature neither is it wrought by mens own endeavours Humilation is not the fruit of mans industry but is a thing forced on him by conviction as men under the first work of the Spirit are by conviction forced to fear and so by a work of conviction they are compelled to yield themselves to God their strong holds are pulled down and they necessitated to resign themselves God works this work by conviction Particularly 1. By giving him experience of the failing of all means he sees no other way left he has been trying to wring himself out of the hands of God he has been turning every way and refuge fails him he sees all his carnal hopes fall flat to the ground his carnal hopes vanish and dye away he has been waiting for light and behold obscurity he has been trying all conclusions every way he could devile and think of turning every stone he hoped by his prayers to make his heart better and by his fastings and by his watchfulness sometimes he thought if he had more terrors that would do sometimes if he had more encouragements then his heart would be better he has tryed the utmost of his skill upon his heart sometimes he hoped that in time his heart would grow better sometimes if he could hear such a Minister sometimes if he could get such a good book that others had got much good by then his heart would mend the sinner is like a man lost in the woods that thinks if he steers such a course that will bring him to the path and if that fails he thinks if he steers such a course that will do but at last he can contrive no longer but is utterly lost in his own sence so the sinner has had many contrivances but all his projects faiâ—le upon experience he finds himself after all his pains under the reigning power of sin and that he is spiritually dead he thought he had made some proficiency but now he finds by experience that the life of sin is whole within him and that he has no power nor disposition to any thing that is good he has no spirit to any thing that is good he had enlargements formerly and thought he could delight in Sabbaths but God is pleased to withdraw those encouragements that he had and suffers the corruption of his heart to break out and upon that occasion his affections wither away that discourages him that his heart dies within him and he has no more strength now he sees he cannot love God mourn for sin c. and hereby all his vain hopes of mending his own heart fall to the ground Rom. 3 9. Sin revivived and I died 2. By convincing of the strictness of the Law this is another thing that helps to make him yield God convinces him of the rigour and exactness of the Law he
imagined before that his duties would make amends for his sins that God would be at peace with him because of his affections but God shews him that the Law stands for perfect righteousness the Law must be fully satisfied that the Law pronounces a curse for every sin that it can neither be abrogated nor moderated but must be fulfilled that the law curses every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them gal 3.13 and herâ—by the sinner sees the insufficiency of all his duties and is brought to despair in himself 3. By leaving a hope in the heart that God may yet help him this conduces much to make the sinner yield there is a secret hope that God leaves in the heart that God will have mercy upon him God leaves an apprehension in men of the possibility of their salvation if they don't yield there is certain death but there is some hopes that God may spare them they have some hopes arising from the power of God he can make dry bones to live and from the mercy of God whose thoughts are not as mens thoughts nor his ways as mens ways but high above them as the heavens are above the earth that also begets some hope that there is a way of salvation by Christ that others have found help when they have been in such a case that there are promises of taking away the heart of stone Ezek 11.19 this hope helps the soul much in submitting to God. 4. By discovering his own Soveraignty men are greatly offended at Gods proceedings and unsatisfied about his decrees and providences and this hinders them from submitting unto him but God by his spirit lets in some discovery of his own soveraignty and thereby convinces him that God does him no wrong that God may bestow his grace where he pleases that he has dominion over his creatures this makes the soul confess with Job Job 42.2 I know thou canst do every thing the soul standing convinced of these things can do no other but yield up himself into the hands of God. Before I leave this way of trial I shall answer two scruples that may arise in the hearts of some of the People of God about their Humiliation 1. Doubt I sear whether I had a thorow work of Humiliation I never saw so much of the wickedness of my own heart as some others do speak of Answer 1. There is no necessity of seeing all those sinful inclinations that are in the heart particularly there is a great variety as to the particular discoveries that God makes to divers men and one great occasion of it is the different temptations that they are under some see more of a worldly spirit some more of a froward some more of an aspiring spirit a man may have discoveries of his own heart after he hath been a Saint many years that he never had before if a man see the fountain it is sufficient though he do not see all those various channels wherein it may run 2. There is no necessity of seing particularly their inability to every duty they must feel themselves spiritually dead they feel themselves unable to do any thing that is good but some men can speak abundance more particularly to their inability to this and that duty than others can there are some duties that did not come into their thoughts at that time it is necessary they should lose their sense of their ability to any thing should not be conceited of any power or sufficiency it is not enough for men to see that they can do nothing of themselves men may say that when they only find need of assistance and not of the infusing of a principle of grace into them but it is sufficient if they feel themselves spiritually dead but there is no necessity that at that time they must particularly take notice of their inability to love Gods People to be thankful c. though often they do their thoughts are wont to be fixed at that time on such particulars as they were wont before to pride themselves most in and such as they have special occasion at that time to think of from what the hear or read 3. There is a necessity of seeing so much of his own heart as to make him despair of mending it to see it wholly under the power of sin a man may see abundance of corruption and wickedness in his own heart and yet be a stranger to it though he sees a great deal yet if he imagines that he can cure it if he have hopes of getting victory over it he will not be humbled Isai 57.12 thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way yet sayest thou not there is no hope thou hast found the life of thy hand therefore thou wast not grîeved before he be humbled he must see himself altogether under the power of sin Rom. 7 9. 4. There is a necessity of seeing so much as to set him down that God may righteously cast him off a man may see much and yet not yield it that it is fair for God to reject him one foundation of quarelling is an opinion of what he is and has been doing this breeds a great deal of wrangling in the heart Isai 58 3 he is excusing of himself because he would be better and has taken pains in Gods service so that there is a necessity that he should see so much of his own wicked heart as may quite silence him that he may see himself inexcusable that he may not have a word to say but may be satisfied in Gods proceeding if he should cast him off Luk. 18.13 Doubt 2 I fear whither I have had a through work of Humiliation because I never found so much opposition to the yielding of my self into Gods hands as some others speak of others have more dreadful risings of heart and more horrible sturdiness of spirit and bore more dreadful terrors before they could be brought to yield were much longer opposing and resisting than it was with me somewhat this way I found but not so much as others and therefore I fear whither the work were true Answer 1. Men have had a great deal more of opposition to this work of Humiliation than they take notice off or understand all those methods and wayes that men take to establish a righteousness of their own are from a spirit of opposition to this work of Humiliation all mens endeavours to get any thing to commend them to God are the workings of this spirit mens flying to refuges of lies and hiding themselves in the strong-holds of their own righteousness are because they are not willing to submit to God all mens strivings to obtain the savour of God by their prayers affections reformations are upon this account that they are not willing to yield themselves to be lost why do men strive to earn their own salvation but because they are unwilling to submit to the meer mercy of
Christ more worth than all the Gold of Ophir he esteems the blood of Christ of sufficient vertue to purge away every sin and the obedience of Christ sufficient to procure all manner of good for him he sees peace in him and victory in him and life in him as a man prizes bread because that preserves life as a sick man prizes a skilful Physitian as a man prizes his money because that is vertually all things here 't is meat and drink and clothes c. Money answers all things so does the Believer prize Christ he sees all things vertually in him he sees he has perpetual need of him he prizes him as the only way of happiness 5. Being satisfied in Christ the believer sees enough in Christ to answer the needs of his soul there is a fullness in Christ his soul finds rest there he does not see any need of his own righteousness to commend him to Gods acceptance he is satisfied in the Robes of Christs Righteousness he sees there is no need of his to make him beautiful in the eyes of God he is satisfied in this bread of life and he finds no necessity to feed upon husks other men imagine a need of something of their own to ingratiate them with God and to procure their acceptance they dare not trust in Christ alone but are labouring to piece out his righteousness with theirs and when they hear the tenders of grace made through Christ they are not satisfied but are looking out for something else to encourage them they dare not trust in this alone but the believer is satisfied in Christ and he throws away all other confidences both as vain and as needless he finds no want of any other righteousness to justifie him and carry before God he don't regard nor desire any thing of his own to commend him to Gods acceptance he sees there is ground enough of encouragement in Christ Phil. 3.3 we rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh 1 Cor. 2.2 I have determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified 6. Counting this way of salvation a glorious way this way of salvation pleases God 't is a way that he has chosen and this way please the believer he likes it and is taken with it it is a glorious way in his eye he has an high esteem of this way he counts it an excellent and glorious way as it is a way of safety all other ways that men have imagined and devised he despises them as deceitful as meer traps and snares for the souls of men as ineffectual unto the end proposed but his soul does magnifie this way as that which does answer the end and will effect and bring about that salvation that it is proposed in order to he is affected with this way as it is a sure way that will not fail those that trust therein 1 Pet. 2.4 to whom coming as to a living stone he is affected with it that God has laid so strong a foundation of the salvation of his people that they cannot be disappointed of it and he counts it a glorious way as thereby the glory of God is much advanced In this way the glorious mystery of the Trinity is made known in this way the excellent skill and workmanship of the Lord is seen in reparing the ruines of Mankind and raising up of man from the gulf of misery unto the pinnacle of happiness in finding out a way to reconcile his own glory and mans salvation in bestowing blessedness upon man in such a way that free grace shall have all the glory in this way the wonderful love of God does appear in this costly way of salvation upon this account the soul is taken with this way of salvation as a way that will much advance the glory of God we should have been great strangers to God and have seen little of his glory comparatively had it not been for this way of salvation it is pleasant taking notice of the beamings forth of Gods glory in this way Rev. 5.13 blessing and honour and glory and power be to him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever 7. Rejoycing in Christ Jesus the believer finds a great deal of joy in Christ he solaces himself in the thoughts of the righteousness of Christ while others are rejoycing in the sparks that they have kindled he sits under the shadow of Christ with great delight his heart is many times raised with the discoveries of Christ sometimes his soul is filled with joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 believing he rejoices with joy unspeakable and sult of glory 1 Pet. 1 8. sometimes he can triumph in Christ over all the enemies of his soul while others are boasting in themselves what duties they have done what frames they have attained what service they have done to the cause of God but the believer is making of his boast of Christ glorying in his righteousness the soul can triumph in that notwithstanding all matter of discouragement Rom. 8.34 who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died 1 Cor. 15.55.6 7. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God that giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Question 2. Vnder what considerations are these astings of Faith drawn forth Answer There be many considerations which the hearts of believers do pitch upon which draw forth the exercise of Faith as the considerations that unbelief fixes upon are very many only here mind this that where the Lord makes one encouraging consideration powerful upon the heart it is an in-let to many others And we may reduce them principally to these three Heads 1. The heart fixes sometime on the consideration of Gods mercy saith is drawn forth by the consideration of the merciful nature of God Psal 44.18 When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up the soul says God is of infinite mercy he can find in his heart to blot out greatest transgressions his mercy is greater than our sinfulness he can overcome all our guilt Mic. 7.18 who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity c. sometimes upon the consideration of the freeness of Gods mercy he has no dependance on our worth he can give life without any thing in us to draw his heart towards us Rom. 5.21 grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life c. sometimes on the merciful purposes of God who has designed to shew mercy upon many of the sinful children of men he has determined to bring many sinners unto the enjoyment of himself 2 Tim. 1.9 sometimes on the exercise of his mercy in sending his Son to dye for sinners Joh. 3.16 somtimes the thoughts pitch on the merciful invitations that the Lord makes to sinners 2 cor 5.20 somtimes on the exercise of his mercy on great
sinners Mary Magdalen Paul and others 1 Tim. 1.16 sometimes on the tender love of Christ abundantly manifested when here on earth sometime the spirit sets home one of these considerations and sometime another which draws the heart to believe when under the greatest sence of vileness Psal 36.7 how excellent is thy loving kindness O God therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings 2. The heart fixes sometimes on the consideration of Gods saithfulness that is a mighty stay to the heart when he has a spiritual sight of the faithfulness of God when that is fastned on the heart that makes him receive the promise whatever improbability there be in it Heb. 11.11 when we have to do with a faithful man we lay weight upon his word so does the believer on Gods when this consideration of his faithfulness is fastned on his heart the soul says it must needs be so as God promises for God is a God of Truth it is impossible that God should lye God cannot mistake nor deceive his word is infallible his promise cannot fail hereby he stops the mouth of carnal reason God has promised so and so to us and promised so and so to Christ and he is not fickle and inconstant repentance is hid from his eyes 1 John 5.9 if we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater why should I fright my self with appearances and uncertain reasonings why should I doubt though the things are strange and wonderful though we can't see the reason of these things the Word of God cannot fail we may venture our souls on it if they were more worth than they are Psal 91 4. 2 Tim. 1.12 3. The heart fixes sometimes upon the sufficiency of Christ that comes with mighty power upon the heart stilling accusations dissipating fears drawing the heart to rejoyce in Christ Phil. 3.10 that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection somtimes the Lord fastens it on the heart that Christ is the way that God has appointed unto life Heb. 10.19 20. sometimes that Christ has born our sins in his own body 1 Pet. 2.24 sometimes that Justice is satisfied the Law fully answered by Christ that God may without any injustice pardon and save Rom. 3.26 that the sacrifice of Christ is acceptable unto God Eph. 5.2 that God has fully avenged himself on Christ 2 cor 5.21 that Christ is our Passover the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world that all the families of the earth shall be blessed in him that he is our High-priest bearing our names on his breast in the most holy place these and scores of such considerations which the Lord at times fastens on the hearts of his people do wonderfully help them to cast themselves upon Christ giving him the glory of redeeming them Rev. 5.12 worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Question 3. In what conditions does a believer thus exercise faith in Christ Answer 1. Where he is more clearly satisfied in his own good estate there are times when the people of God have very comfor table satisfaction that they are in a good condition they have comfortable hopes that they are in a state of Justification that God has pardoned their sins and will save them these hopes arise from a discerning of their former actings of faith their sanctification and that joy in the Holy Ghost which they have had and at such times as these they do live a life of Faith upon Christ when they can see their sanctification they do not build upon that as the matter of their justification neither do they so live upon any signs as to lie in the neglect of acting dependance on Christ though there is too much of that Spirit to live upon signs and to neglect Christ yet this Spirit does not rule a Saint but notwithstanding his hopes his venturing himself upon the free and gracious offers of the Gospel though he finds comfort in those evidences that God gives him of his good estate yet he is from time to time renewing his acts of dependance upon Christ Cant. 2.3 I set under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my taste 2. When he is more in the dark about his condition there are times with many at least of the people of God when they are greatly exercised with fears there be many things that give occasion of fear to them they are afraid because they see great workings of corruptions cannot discern love to God do not find love to Ordinances seem to grow worse and worse so they are afraid because they nave not such comforts as other christians have they do not find that presence of God with them that they think they should have if they were Saints many temptations they meet withal that shake their hopes exceedingly but in this condition they do not neglect to believe in Christ though when they are in the dark they have great struglings of unbelief but they do not cast off their faith in Christ their faith has not dependance upon their signs when signs fail yet the foundation of their faith remains though they see not yet they do believe at such a time it is their duty to believe when they are in darkness and have no light their work is to stay on the name of the Lord Isai 50.10 and this is their spirit Saints live by faith and not by sight 2 Cor. 5 7. and though they are at a loss what they are and what they have done yet they see ground of faith in Christ their relyance does not depend upon their assurance Psal 73.26 my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever By this way of trial we may conclude against three sorts of persons that they have not true Faith. 1. Such persons as satisfie themselves that they have believed in Christ and closed with him sometime formerly and don 't live in a way of believing they nourish an hope because they have believed at such a time but neglect to roll themselves on Christ from time to time so it is with some dry and unsavoury professors they have got an hope from some old works they had upon their hearts many years since they trust that that will carry them to heaven and don 't live a life of faith but live in a wretched neglect of Christ many times such mens religion is quite worn out by that time they grow into years and they are like salt that has lost its favour Heb. 3.14 2. Such persons as generally live upon their own righteousness but only now and then they force themselves to rely on Christ the general way of their living is upon their good frames and services but now and then they have a Sermon against their trusting in their own righteousness or it is given as a
carnal confidence that grows upon mens mourning does expose some to the same sin a man may do that many times that he hates Rom. 7.15 the hearts even of godly men are extreamly tainted with sin CHAP. X. Vse 3. Exhortation To Awakened sinners to believe on the Righteousness of Christ Jesus USE III. IF it be safe appearing before God in the Righteousness of Christ here is ground of Exhortation to all such as are awakened to believe in this Righteousness such sinners whose Consciences are indeed awakened are deeply concerned how they shall appear before God while other men are busying themselves to get worldly comforts seeking a felicity in this World and casting off the care of their souls you are making it your business to get into such a condion that you may be accepted with God that you may not miss of eternal salvation it is a matter of trembling to you to think of being a cast-away you dread the thoughts of damnation and are willing to take any pains that you may avoid it you have been labouring for peace and can't get it you have been searching for it as for hid treasures but hither to you have not obtained it you would fain be saved at last what ever trouble you go through here though you should be poor in this world afflicted all your dayes if you might be saved then you have your desire such persons are exhorted from hence to venture their souls upon the righteousness of Christ it is natural to such men to seek help from their own righteousness but beware of that many a soul has been lost in that way that way of self-righteousness is sprinkled with the blood of Souls many a man and woman have been undone in taking that by-path as you desire the welfare of your souls come to and accept of Jesus Christ roll your selves upon him make him your stay and your refuge flee for refuge to the hope that is set before you Heb. 6.18 despair of all other methods of Salvation and trust alone in Jesus Christ let fall all other pleas as such that can stand you in no stead and return the case of your soul upon this plea of Christs righteousness lay up all your hopes in Christ have your whole dependance upon his righteousness Jesus Christ has made a compleat purchase of Salvation he has bought off the guilt of sin and has bought blessedness and life eternal for sinners and God has stated this law of Grace that he that believes in Christ shall be saved by him God has constituted a rule of forgiveness and salvation God has constituted a new covenant according to which he will dispense life unto sinners he tenders a new Covenant unto us according to which we may receive justification from Christs righteousness God tells us upon what terms we shall have life he has stated the method wherein he will bestow mercy he has laid out the way in the Gospel and declares that whoever believes on Christ shall have everlasting life John 3.16.36 this is the only way wherein men shall receive Salvation from Christ if men come not to these terms they shall perish notwithstanding the purchase of Christ 't is only in a way of believing that men come to have any saving benefit by Christ believing in Christ is the condition of the covenant of grace this is indeed a suitable way for our partaking of the benefits of Christ 't is suitable that they should accept of the grace of God and righteousness of Christ that are saved by them it is very meet that salvation should be in such a way that the honour of Gods grace and Christs righteousness may be preserved yet the great reason of Gods stating this way of salvation by Faith was his soveraign pleasure there was no absolute necessity of this that salvation by Christ should be obtained in a way of believing Faith interests us in Christ but it is not through any natural vertue in Faith but by the free constitution of God the influence that Faith has into our justification and salvation is by Gods appointment God has voluntarily stated his law of grace there was no necessity that there should be any condition at all laid upon us God might without the performing of any condition by us have justified by Christ as we were made sinners by the sin of Adam without our consent so might we have been made righteous without our consent but it pleases God to require a condition which seems to be partly that we may have salvation in the way of a covenant which is for our comfort partly to render them that refuse the condition the more inexcusable the pleasure of God is the reason that there was a condition and like wise that Faith is the condition if he had made love to himself or sorrow for sin the condition that would have carried a face as if justification were the reward of our works yet God might have done it if he had pleased but he has stated this law of Grace that he that believeth shall be saved Act. 10.43 whoever believeth on him shall have remission of sins this is the covenant of reconciliation therefore as you do desire everlasting blessedness venture your souls upon the righteousness of Christ this is a way of safety In urging this Exhortation I shall 1. Present some Motives before you 2. Mention some considerations further to inforce those Motives 3. Answer such Objections as awakened sinners are wont to make 1. One Motive is the great sin of rejecting of Christ and not coming unto him men have reason to be afraid to continue in unbelief because there is so much sin and iniquity in it many a wakened sinners that do confess and bewail other sins and speak of them with bitterness of spirit do not lye under the sense of this sin here they are ready to excuse themselves or justifie themselves they don't take the blame of their rejecting of Christ to themselves they plead for that and vindicate themselves as if it was not their fault as if they had not sufficient reason to believe but herein you are greatly mistaken you look upon your unbelief to be your infirmity and calamity but not your sin this is a meer delusion the professed rejecting of Christ was that which filled up the measure of the Jews sins and the heart rejecting of Christ is sin John 16.9 the comfortes shall convince of sin because they believe not in me and tho this heart rejecting of Christ be not a flagitious yet it is a crying sin you cannot anger God more by any thing than by continuing in the neglect of Christ this is the great controversie that God hath with sinners not that they have been guilty of these or those particular transgressions but that they abide in the rejection of the Gospel you may see the greatness of this sin by the many rules that are broken by this sin and by the fountain of it 1. See the
greatness of the sin by the many laws and rules that are broken by it men do violate many Commandments at once in this sin it is a complicated iniquity it is not a single sin but many evils are twisted together in it the rejecting of Christ crosses a great many rules men by their unbelief do cast abundance of dishonour upon God and lie in the breach of many Precepts There are many Rules broken by this sin For 1. You break that particular command of believing in Christ believing in Christ is not only according to many general rules but there is a special command for it we may not only argue this duty by consequence from some general Precepts but here is an express commandment for it it is in terminis required as we are beseeched to believe and invited so we are required John 6.29 this is the work of God that we believe on him whom he hath sent 1 Joh. 3.23 this is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ so that by neglecting to come to Christ you break a plain express Precept you carry contrary to the very letter of the Word of God if it were not so expresly set down there might be more pretence for cavilling you might have more to plead that there was some mistake in mens arguing this to be a duty but now you do oppose a plain direct precept what colour can men have to question whither it be their duty when it is set down in the Scripture in so many letters and syllables some awakened sinners that have reformed their former wayes of sin and taken up a course of Religion are apt to please themselves that they don't live in any known sin whereas they live all the while in the neglect of coming unto Christ but how can you sooth up your selves with this when you neglect a plain and express Commandment 2. You deny to Jesus Christ the honour of his Mediatorly Office and of that great Sacrifice that he has offered up unto God God had made Christ Mediator he has committed the work of reconciliation unto Christ and Jesus Christ has undertaken it he was every way furnished for it and has discharged it and upon that account he is worthy to be depended upon Faith in him is an honour due to him Rev. 5.12 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain c. but by your rejecting of him you withhold that honour that belongs to him you deny him the honour of having made satisfaction for sin you should honour every one according to their desert but you cast contempt upon his sacrifice as if it were not sufficient for you you disparage him when you are afraid to venture upon him you cast great reflections as if there were no such virtue in his death and righteousness as is pretended there is a great deal of despising of Christ you belie him the language of unbelief is that his blood is not precious that it does not cleanse from all sin that his sacrifice is not pleasing unto God that the gold he tenders will not make you rich that the white Raiment he offers will not hide your shame thus Jesus is slighted and undervalued by every unbeliever they have low thoughts of Christ and carry accordingly 3. You cast great contempt upon the wisdom of God in finding out such a way of Salvation this is a way that God in infinite wisdom has contrived collos 2.3 there are in Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg but you do desert this way as an unsafe way you dare not venture yourselves in this way as if God when he undertook to find out a way to bring sinners unto glory missed it and did not discover a way that will do that commends this way of life to us that God himself contrived it it is not the invention of man a thing plotted and devised by any finite understanding but the contrivance of God himself but you by refusing of Christ carry as if this were a deceitful way as if this way did not reach the needs of your soul this way is chosen of God and refused by you as if you understood better than God what you needed 4. You refuse wonderful love to reject the kindness and love of God is an abuse of it you ought with thankfulness to entertain Gods love but by rejecting of Christ you reject the greatest love that ever was revealed was it not an act of wonderful love for God to send his Son to dye for us what need had he to be at any such cost if we had been all damned what would he have lost by it we may see in this how deeply the heart of God was concerned in our salvation he did that for us which would have been too much for us to have asked we may well wonder that God would be willing to do such a thing for our salvation it was a great thing for God to be willing that sinners should be saved but for him to lay out himself so in order to it was much more Joh. 3.16 so God loved the world and again it was a great act of love for God to make such a law of grace that he that believeth shall be saved that he should make so small a thing the condition of salvation and say to us as the Prophet did to him wash and be clean if God had laid the sorest burdens upon us and put us upon never so many difficulties as the condition of salvation we should have had reason to bless his name but he only lays this condition on us to accept his offer it was great love that God should make this offer to you when he passes by thousands in the world and never speak a word to them about the way of life yet opens this way to you revealing of it and calling upon you to be saved he cast your lot in a time when and where these offers should be made and the way of life is held forth with all plainness and when he has snatched others away younger than you he is yet waiting upon you keeps knocking at your door and upon this account you are utterly inexcusable in refusing to come to Christ shall God be at a great deal of cost and care in order to your salvation and will you not accept of his Son shall Christ make a journey from heaven to save you and shall he lose his labour God in compassion has provided bread for you and will you not eat it a garment for you and will not put it on has he sent a Physitian and will you not accept his help are Gods bowel earning over your dying souls and will you reject his care indeed when you refuse Christ you despise the tender love of God and that heart is very hard that can slight such tender love you are guilty of great ingratitude that do reject this offer you are greatly injurious unto God thus to blow upon his love
a cloud of Witnesses that have gone before you in other ages and many at this day that betake themselves unto Christ for refuge others that have been trying all conclusions and turning every stone have at last seen a necessity to come unto Christ others have been satisfied with the encouragements that God has given and have taken sanctuary in Christ men of judgment and prudence not subject to be led by fancies and delusions more than other men have let go all carnal confidences and fled to this hope set before them and this they have done nor once or twice in any hurry of temptation but they live in this way I live by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2.20 their coming unto Christ is no rash inconsiderate act but after they have had the consideration of it many years have weighed it and pondred it looked on all sides and considered all that can be said they don't see cause to repent but continue to believe it is no unadvised act they understand what they do 2 Tim. 1.12 and the longer they live the more established in a way of believing Gods dispensations towards them since their coming unto Christ are not such as do discourage them but they are more encouraged still to commit themselves unto Christ why don't you come also unto Christ methinks you should be ashamed to be listning unto carnal reasonings and giving way to the pride of your hearts when others have overcome them methinks it should stir up a spirit of fear to see others getting into the way of salvation and you left behind to be a prey to Devils think what your sins have been what inward workings have been in your bea rt and you must say you have as much need of Christ as other men think what the call of God is how free and full the invitation is and you must say you have as much encouragement to come to Christ as other men and others that love their souls as well as you do yours have ventured them in the hands of Jesus Christ and do you not think that it will be hard to you to see others stand at the right-hand of Christ another day and your selves rejected 2. You must never expect inward peace and quietness unless you come unto Christ you complain now in the bitterness of your souls what a sorrowful life you lead you find little comfort in any thing you are so terrified with a guilty conscience that it eats out the comfort of your life a dreadful sound is in his ears Job 15.21 you are under such apprehensions of the anger of God that you know not how to bear it when you hear or read the threatnings of Judgment you are terrified that that will be your portion when you see instances of judgment you are afraid that God will do so with you leave you to such and such sins bring such and such calamities upon you your heart is meditating terror affrighted with the thoughts of damnation Sermons terrifie you providences terrifie you your heart is always loaded the way to have inward peace and quietness is to come to Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ but until you come to Christ you must never expect to be better you may have a pleasing dream it may be for a while and your wound may be skinned over but you must not expect to have any true peace so long as you stand at a distance from Christ what peace can men expect while their sins are not pardoned what peace can men enjoy as long as God is angry you must expect no other but to spend your days in vanity and your years in trouble if you give not entertainment unto Christ through fear of death they were all their life-time subject unto bondage Heb. 2.15 the venom of sin will be burning in your bowels until you look unto the brazen serpent and what madness is it for men needlesly to live a tormented life are you not weary of this condition have you a mind to live in sorrow longer don't you care to be delivered from your fears thou wilt never have peace without coming unto Christ you have tried a great while in vain and it will be in vain still but if you will give entertainment unto him his blood will heal the conscience scatter fears and refresh your hearts The sting of death is sin and strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God that giveth victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. If you do no not come to Christ you will lose all the pains that you have taken in religion you had need be careful that you lose not the things that you have wrought the labour that you have taken in religion is all lost with respect unto some expectations of yours therefrom as to the mortifying of sin thereby the getting of the good-will of God the purchasing of pardon c. and if you do come to Christ you must see it to be lost in this respect Phil. 3.7 those things which were gain to me those have I counted loss for Christ but yet in some respect the pains you have taken may be of advantage unto you in as much as you are nearer to salvation than before you began to seek after God you have been travelling in the way towards heaven some men are nearer the Kingdom of God a great deal than others Mark 12.34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God you have been taking a great deal of pains have withstood temptations have got much knowledge have broken off your sinful practices come to understand somewhat of the plague of your own hearts you are got over many bars that lay in the way of your salvation you have escaped many rocks upon which some souls have split in pieces are in a fairer way to get to heaven than you were sometime since and it would be sad to perish upon the borders of Cannan after sore travel in the wilderness to sink at the mouth of the harbour after you have rid out many Storms to lose all your care and labour and sorrows after all to go down to hell among those that never took any pains for salvation and this you will certainly do if you do not come to Christ though you are past the streight of reformation yet if you don't enter and go through the gate of humiliation and faith if you do not cast away your carnal confidences you will not enter into life when the Galatians were carried away with opinions of their own righteousness Paul says to them have you suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain gal 3.4 all your labour will be in vain and your souls will be lost if you come not to Christ 4. You will exceedingly bewail it hereafter if you do not accept of Christ you will rue it in another world you stand upon frivolous objections neglect to come unto
to the enjoyment of himself in a way of hearkening to his counsels why did God make such a creature that should have such a capacity and such desires if he had not an heart to bestow this good upon him God satisfies the desires of every living thing heavenly glory though it be great yet it is not too much for our need he bestows upon the beasts of the earth the fish of the sea and Fowls of heaven such things as are suitable to their needs and why should we think that God is unwilling to bestow upon man what he needs if men will take the directions that he gives unto them 4. God has made heaven on purpose to bestow it upon men together with the angels the earth was made for man and so was heaven too God raised this glorious building on purpose to entertain men it is a Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 God has prepared for them a City Heb. 11.16 this was one of the first works that God ever did to prepare this place of blessedness for men he did not need any heaven for himself he was infinitely happy before heaven was made bnt he made it on purpose for such as shall come to Christ how then can we think that God is unwilling to bestow it upon them now it is made he will not say it is too good for them he turned man indeed out of Paradise that was made for him because that was made for him only so long as he retained his integrity but the heavenly Paradise was made for such as will come unto Christ 5. This is but proportionable to that design that is upon the heart of God men do not stick to do great things for the accomplishing of designs that lie much upon their hearts Princes will be at vast expence to shew their magnificence the Artist will take a great deal of pains to shew his skill and God has a design upon his heart to manifest his glory and has done great things for that end he made this glorious fabrick of heaven and earth to be as a glass wherein his glory is represented and the eternal salvation of such as you is greatly subservient to this end Eph. 1.5 6 Eph. 2.6 7 here is nothing in this contrary to Gods glory nothing that is an hindrance to it but it suits that end the mercy of God is much honoured by his pardoning and saving of sinners Micah 7.18 herein is seen what free compassion is in the heart of God it is much for the glory of God to lead sinners through all the difficulties of the way unto heaven it is much for the glory of God notwithstanding all their unworthiness to bestow heaven upon them it is much for the glory of God to have multitudes in heaven to be spectators and admirers of his glory Joh. 17.24 That they may be with me where I am to behold my glory which thou hast given me 6. There has been a great price paid for it if you had kept the covenant of works and been perfectly obedient unto God without any defect you would not have doubted of Gods readiness to accept of you and save you but here is as fair a way made for your acceptance and salvation God is fully satisfied for every jot of that glory that he promises unto you Jesus Christ has payed the full price of it according to the tenour of the covenant it is a due debt to all that are partakers of the righteousness of Christ it is an act of Justice in God to bestow salvation upon them heavenly glory is purchased glory Eph. 1.14 until the redemption of the purchased possession Discouragement 2. The many sins that he has been guilty of sometimes a Saint has a dismal frightful apprehension of his sins they appear to him as a dark cloud he knows that God is an holy and a jealous God he speaks dreadfully in his Word against sinful practices and has brought dreadful judgment upon angels and men for their sins and hence he is fearful that God will not pardon him his sins proves his great temptation hence his heart is still harping upon that string that God is an holy sin-revenging God and that he hath been guilty of abundance of sin Psal 40.12 mine iniquities take hold of me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me And there are two things especially that prove matter of temptation and make him afraid to believe One thing is the many aggravations that he sees in his sins he sins against light against covenant not withstanding abundance of mercy with a great deal of perverseness they have reiterated sins after bewailing of the same they have sinned with deliberation their sins seem to have exceeded the limits of pardoning mercy The other thing is that they fear that their sins do speak and evidence their hypocrisie they are apt to think they should not they could not do so if they were not hypocrites they fear that such carriages are not consistent with grace and thence they are much discouraged they think if they have been hypocrites all this while there is very little hope for them that would be such a provocation that they fear God would never pardon it the fear of their hypocrisie makes them fearful to cast themselves upon Christ For the removal of this discouragement Consider 1. That the law of God leaves as much room for the pardon of great fins as of little ones lesser sins and greater sins are all mortal by the law by the sentence of the law one sin is as certainly destructive as a thousand The wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 and the Law does allow of the pardon of multitudes as well as of one the Law allows of the pardon of sin provided there be satisfaction the Law stands upon it to have punishment but it does not stand for personal punishment in case of great sins no more than in case of little sins the Law makes no distinction but it gives as much liberty for the pardon of great offenders as of lesser there is no tittle that way in the covenant of works that great sinners must dye in their own persons the thing that the Law looks at is that sin be punished according to the demerit thereof that the Justice of God be vindicated but God does not bind up his own hands that he may not forgive great sinners he reserves that liberty to himself in the law of punishing any sins in a surety and so of pardoning them the law admits of the pardon of any sin if there be satisfaction the reason that the sin against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable is not from any thing in the covenant of works but because God when he provided a surety made an exception of that sin but if sin be punished the law is satisfied the law does not forbid the pardon
of great sinners that is evident because God does pardon great sinners Luk. 7.47 her sins which are many are forgiven 2 Jesus Christ has satisfied for great sins and great sinners as well as lesser when God sent Jesus Christ it was in his liberty to appoint him to dye for what sins and sinners he pleased Christ Jesus was capable of satisfying for one as well as for another for he was so worthy a person that he was capable by his sufferings to expiate the greatest sins his short sufferings were sufficient to satisfie for the greatest offences and God did put that work upon him to satisfie for great sins and he has discharged it he has satisfied for great offenders Christ has payed a price of redemption for the greatest sins one excepted therefore generally in Scripture it is said that he has made reconciliation for sins without any exception he bare our sins 1 Pet. 2.24 he is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2.2 he has purged our sins Heb. 1.3 yea the Scripture testifies that his blood cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 he died for the chiefest sinners as is implyed 1 Tim 1.15 and therefore sinners without distinction are invited to come to Christ for forgiveness 3. Gods manner is to suffer a great deal of sin to remain in his people here he could if it pleased him purge it out all at once but he suffers it to be otherwise for many great ends as to magnifie his power in preserving the seed of grace notwithstanding all that opposition which is made by Satan and their own corruption so to carry on the work of sanctification in such a manner as that they shall stand in continual need of justification and pardon and among other ends this is not the least to try the saith of his people and exercise taht there be none of the people of God but are attended with a great deal of sin so was Noah Jacob Asa Jehosaphat and Paul Rom. 7.23 I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin that is in my members and that shews that God can love those that have a great deal of sin in them and that he can pardon them his suffering of it to be in his own evidences the sufficiency of grace to pardon it 4. God is as free to pardon hypocrites as any other men if they come unto Jesus Christ the people of God are afraid many times that they are hypocrites but that should not discourage them from believing hypocrites are as wellcome to come unto Christ as Saints God does not exclude those that have lived long in a way of hypocrisie they may come with freedom of spirit notwithstanding men should not suspend the exercise of Faith until it be cleared up to them they are no hypocrites when they are most in the dark about their state their way is to trust in the name of the Lord and stay themselves upon their God Isa 50.10 if you should be hypocrites there is encouragement enough to receive the Gospel God has pardoned thousands that have spent a great deal of time in hypocrisie were not the Jews that Christ and the Apostles offered salvation generally to hypocrites had not Paul lived a great while in a way of hypocrisie and Nicodemus God rejects not any man that accepts of Jesus Christ though he has been an hypocrite Discouragement 3. That God passes by many others and does not bestow salvation upon them there be many whole Nations that God passeth over and leaves to perish and many particular men among his visible people many are called but few are chosen Mat. 20.16 and they can't see any reason why God should bestow salvation upon them when he does deny it to multitudes of others why God should make such a difference between them and others when they are called on to believe on Christ they are afraid to do it it damps their hearts to think that there are so few that God does save so many rejected and they can fee nothing in themselves to incline the heart of God to them God passes over many wise men noble men valiant men rich men learned men good natur'd men men of great accomplishments and don 't bestow salvation on them if they could but see any reason why God should set his heart upon them and make such a difference between them and others it would not be so hard to them to believe but when they consider what kind of men God has cast off and rejected it makes them fear that God will reject them also the severity of God upon others discourages them as if there were little likelihood of their salvation they are frighting of themselves as if there were little hopes for them it is a sinking thing to them that many men more probable than they have fallen short of Salvation if they could give a reason why God should set his heart upon them when he rejects others it would mightily satisfie them but because they can't they are full of doubts For the removal of this Discouragement Consider 1. The only reason why God sets his love on one man and not upon another is because he pleases he acts the soveraignty of his own will in it it is his own will that makes the difference between men 1 Cor 4.7 who maketh this to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received Rom 9.15 I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy God in loving of men acts arbitrarily he acts as the Potter in forming his Vessels to divers uses out of the same lump the with of God is sufficient to move him to chuse one and refuse another he can bestow his love upon men where there is nothing in them to draw it the will of God can act independently and indeed it cannot have a dependance upon any other thing there is nothing out of God that can incline the will of God all those things that men are apt to suppose to have an influence upon the will of God have indeed a dependance upon his will there is nothing in any man to sway the will of God any way there is nothing in any man to be an argument with the Lord to love him nothing that can work upon the affection of God to make God love him he has no excellency that can perswade the Lord to love him whatever beauty understanding good nature he has those things can't sway God God is not taken with those excellencies and accomplishments that are in men as to have his heart fastened and allured to them thereby and on the other hand there is nothing in man that can hinder God from loving of him if the man be weak in understanding of contemptible and wicked Parents and his outward condition mean yet God can set his heart upon him there is nothing in this and that man that can have any efficacy upon