other death I answer first because this was reckoned the most shameful and dishonourable of all deaths and was usually therefore the punishment of those that had by some notorious wickedness provoked God to pour out his wrath upon the whole land and so were hanged up to appease his wrath as you may see in the hanging of those Princes that were guilty of committing whoredome with the Daughters of Moab And in the hanging of Saul's seven Num. 25. 4. sons in the days of David when there was a Famine 2 Sam. 21. 6. 7. 8 2. in the land because of Saul's perfidious oppressing of the Gibeonites And in Joshuah's hanging of the five Kings of the Amorites But secondly and mainly it was Josh 16. 26. with respect to the Death Christ was to die God would have his Son the Lord Jesus to suffer this kind of death that hence it might be the more evident that in his death he bare the curse due to our sins according to that of the Apostle Gala. 3. 13. Christ was certainly made that curse which he redeemed us from otherwise the Apostle does not reason either soundly or fairly when he tells us we are redeemed from the curse because Christ was made a curse for us he remitteth that curse to us which he received in himself That Father hit the Bela in 3. ad Galat mark who saith Christus supplicium nostrum sine reatu suscepit ut solveret reatum finiret supplicium Christ hath taken our punishment without guilt to loose the guilt and end the punishment We were subject to the curse because we had transgressed the Law Christ was not subject because he had fulfilled it Eam ergo execrationem Oecumenius in 3. ad Galat. suscepit cui obnoxius non erat quum suspensus suit in ligno ut execrationem solveret quae adversùs nos erat He therefore took that curse to the which he was not subject when he hanged upon the tree to loose the curse which was against us Such a curse or execration was Christ made for us as was that from which he redeemed us and that curse from which he redeemed us was no other than the curse of the Law and that curse of the Law included all the punishment which sinners were to bear or suffer for transgression of the Law of which his hanging on the Cross was a sign and symbol and this curse was Christ made for us that is he did bear and suffer it to redeem us from it Christ was verily made a curse for us and did bear both in his body and soul that curse which by reason of the transgression of the Law was due to us And therefore I may well conclude this head with that saying of Hierome Injuria Domini nostra Hierom. in 3. ad Galat. Gloria The Lords injury is our Glory The more we ascribe to Christs suffering the less remaineth of ours the more painfully that he suffered the more fully are we redeemed the greater his sorrow was the greater our solace his dissolution is our consolation his Cross our Comfort his annoy our endless joy his distress in soul our release his calamity our comfort his misery our mercy his adversity our felicity his Hell our Heaven Christ is not only accursed but a curse and this expression is used both for more significancy and usefulness to note out the truth and realness of the thing and also to shew the order and way he took for bringing us back unto that blessedness which we had lost The Law was our righteousness in our innocent condition and so it was our blessedness but James 1. 24. the first Adam falling away from God by his first transgression plunged himself into all unrighteousness and so inwrapped himself in the curse Now Christ the second Adam that he may restore the lost man into an estate of blessedness he becomes that for them which the Law is unto them namely a curse beginning where the Law ends and so going backward to satisfie the demands Rom. 10. 4. of the Law to the uttermost he becomes first a curse for them and then their righteousness and so their blessedness Now Christs becoming a curse for us stands in this that whereas we are all accursed by the sentence of the Law because of sin he now comes in our room and stands under the stroke of that curse which of right belongs to us So that it lies not now any longer on the backs of poor sinners but on him for Heb. 7. 22. them and in their stead therefore he is called a Surety The Surety stands in the room of a Debtor Malefactor or him that is any way obnoxious to the Law such is Adam and all his posterity We are by the doom of the Law evil doâ—rs Transgressors and upon that score we stand indebted to the Justice of God and lie under the stroke of his wrath Now the Lord Jesus seeing us in this condition he steps in and stands between us and the blow yea he takes this wrath and curse off from us unto himself he stands not only or meerly after the manner of a Surety among men in the case of debt For here the Surety indeed enters bond with the principal for the payment of the debt but yet he expects that the debtor should not put him to it but that he should discharge the debt himself he only stands as a good security No Christ Jesus doth not expect that we should pay the debt our selves but he takes it wholly to himself As a Surety for a Murtherer or Traitor or some other notorious Malefactor that hath broken prison and is run away he lies by it body for body state for state and undergoes whatsoever the Malefactor is chargeable withal for satisfying the Law Even so the Lord Jesus Christ stands Surety for us runnagate Malefactors making himself liable to all that curse which belongs to us that he might both answer the Law fully and bring us back again to God As the first Adam stood in the room of all mankind fallen so Christ the second Adam stands in the room of all mankind which is to be restored he sustains the person of all those which do spiritually descend from him and unto whom he bears the relation of a Head Eph. 1. 22. 23. Christ did actually undergo and suffer the wrath of God and the fearful effects thereof in the punishments threatned in the Law As he became a debtor and was so accounted even so he became payment thereof he was made a sacrifice for sin and bare to the â—ull all that ever Divine Justice did or could require even the uttermost extent of the curse of the Law of God he must thus undergo the curse because he had taken upon him our sin The Justice of the most High God reveiled in the Law looks upon the Lord Jesus as a sinner because he hath undertaken for us and seiseth upon him
he created the world Austin told him he was making Hell for such busie Questionists for such cuious inquirers into Gods secrets such handsome jerks are the best answers to men Deut. 29. 29. of curious minds But Thirdly I answer I concerns us but little to know whether Hell be in the Air or in the concave of the 3. Let us not be inquisitive where Hell is but rather let our care be to escape it saith Chrysostem earth or of what longitude latitude or profundity it is Let Hell be where it hath pleased God in his secret counsel to place it to men unknown whether in the North or in the South under the frozen Zone or under the burning Zone or in a pit or a gulf Our great care should be to avoid it to escape i and not to be curiously inquisitive about that place which the Lord in his infinite wisdom hath not thought fit clearly to reveil or make known to the sons of men In Hell there 's nothing heard but yells and cryes In Hell the Fire never slacks nor Worm never dies A Pentelâ—gia dolor inserm But where is this Hell plac'd my Muse stop there Lord shew me what it is but never where To worm and fire to torments there Prudentius the Poet. No term he gave they cannot wear Look as there are many that please themselves with discourses of the degrees of Glory whilest others make sure their interest in Glory So many please themselves with discourses of the degrees of the torments of Hell As in Heaven one is more glorious than another so in Hell one shall be more miserable than another Augustin whilest others make sure their escaping those torments and look as many take pleasure to be discoursing about the place where Hell is so some take pleasure to make sure their escaping of that place and certainly they are the best and wisest of men who spend most thoughts and time and pains how to keep out of it than to exercise themselves with disputes about it But Fourthly I answer That it has been the common opinion of the Fathers that Hell is in the bowels of the Infernum est locus subterraneus Teriu lib. 3. de Anim. earth yea Christ and the blessed Scriptures which are the highest authority do strongly seem to favour this opinion by speaking of a Descent unto Hell in opposition unto Heaven and therefore we may as well doubt whether Heaven be above us as doubt of Hell being beneath us Among other Scriptures ponder upon these Psal 140. 10. Let them be cast into the deep pits that they rise not up again Bring them down into the pit of destruction Prov. 9. 18. Her Guests are in the depths of Hell Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from Hell beneath Sheol is sometimes taken for a pit sometimes for the Grave and sometimes and that significantly too for Hell all downwards One saith that Sheol generally signifies all Mercerus upon Gen. 37. places under the earth whence some conclude that Hell is in the heart of the earth or under the earth without doubt it is below because it is every where opposed to Heaven wich is above it is therefore called Abyssus a deep pit a vast gulf such a pit as by reason of the depth thereof may be said to have no bottom The Devils entreated Christ that he would not send them to this place Luke 8. 31. in Abyssum which is saith one Immensae profunditatis vorago quasi absque fundo Beza upon Mat. A Gulf of unmeasurable depth c. The Apostle 2 Pet. 2. 4. speaking of the Angels that sinned saith God cast them down into Hell So Beza in his Annotations telleth us the Greeks called that place which was ordained for the prison and torment of the damned And reason it self doth teach us that it must needs be opposite and contrary to that place in which the spirits of just men Heb. 12. 23. made perfect do reside which on all hands is granted to be above and Hell therefore must needs be below in the center of the earth say some which is from the Superficies three thousand five hundred miles as some judge Hesiod saith Hell is as far under the earth as Heaven is above it Some have been of opinion that the pit spoken of ino which Corah Dathan and Abiram went Num. 16. 3â— down alive when the earth clave asunder and swallowed them up was the pit of Hell into which both their souls and bodies were immediately conveyed As we know little in respect of the height of Heaven so we know as little in respect of the lowness of Hell Some of the upper part of the earth is to us yet terra incognita an unknown land but all of the lowest part of Hell is to us an unknown land Many thousands have travelled thither but none have returned thence to make reports or write Books of their travels That piece of Geography is very imperfect Heaven and Hell are the greatest opposites or remotest extremes Thou Capernaum which art exalted unto Heaven shalt be Matth. 11. 23. brought down to Hell Heaven and Hell are at furthest natural distance and are therefoe the everlasting receptacles of those who are at the furthest moral distance Believers and Unbelievers Saints and Impenitents And 't is observable that as the heighthe of Heaven so the depth of Hell is ascribed to wisdom to shew the unsearchableness of it O the depth as well as O the Rom. 11. 33. heighth of the wisdom of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out Certainly Gods depths and Sathans depths and Hells depths lie far out 1 Cor. 2. 10. Rev. 2. 24. of our view and are hard to be found out though I ought religiously to reverence the wonderful wisdom of God and to wonder at his unsearchable judgments yet I ought not curiously and prophanely to search beyond the compass of that which God hath reveiled to us in his word The Romans had a certain Lake the depth whereof they knew not this Lake they dedicated to Victory doubtless Hell is such a Lake the depth whereof no man knows 't is such a bottomless pit that no mortal can sound But Fifthly and Lastly I answer Some of the Learned are 5. 2 Pet. 3. 10. 11. 12. 13. of opinion that Hell is without this visible world which will pass away at the last day and removed at the greatest distance from the sedes Beaâ—orum the place where the righteous shall for ever inhabit Matth. 8. 12. In tenebras ex tenebris intelicitâ—r exâ—â—usi infâ—l â—ius exclu â—endi Augusâ—m But the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness Matth. 22. 13. Then said the King to his servants bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness Matth. 25. 30. And cast
Law he did come up to perfect and universal consâ—rmity to it he did whatever the Law enjoyns and he suffered whatever the Law threatens Christ by his active and passive obedience hath fulfilled the Law most exactly and completely Gal. 3. 13. As he was perfectly holy he did what the Law commanded and as he was made a curse he underwent what the Law threatned and all this he did and suffered in our steads and as our Surety what ever Christ did as our Surety he made it good to the full so that neither the righteous God nor yet the righteous Law could ever tax him with the least defect And this must be our great Plea our choice our sweet our safe our comfortable our acceptable Plea both in the day of our particular accounts when we die and in the great day of our account when a crucified Saviour shall judge the World Although sin as an act be transient yet in the guilt of it it lies in the Lord 's high Court of Justice filed upon record against the sinner and calling aloud for deserved punishment saying Man hath sinned and man must suffer for sin but now Christ hath suffered that plea is taken off Lo here saith the Lord the same Nature that sinned suffereth mine own Son being made flesh hath suffered death for sin in the flesh the thing is done the Law is satisfied and so non-suits the action and casts it out of the Court as unjust Thus whereas sin would have condemned us Christ hath condemned sin he hath weakned yea nullified and taken away sin in the guilt and condemning power of it by that abundant satisfaction that he hath given to the Justice of God by his active and passive Obedience so that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus for Rom. 8. 1 3. the blood of the Mediator out-cries the clamour of sin and this must be a Christians joy and triumph and plea in the great day of our Lord Jesus As Christ was made 2 Cor. 5. 21. sin for us so the Lord doth impute the sufferings of Christ to us that is he accepts of them on our behalf and puts them upon our account As if the Lord should say unto every particular believer My Son was thy Surety and stood in thy stead and suffered and satisfied and took away thy sins by his blood and that for thee in his blood I find a ransom for thy soul I do acknowledge my self satisfied for thee and satisfied towards thee and thou art delivered and discharged I forgive thee thy sins and am reconciled unto thee and will save thee and glorifie thee for my Sons sake in his blood thou hast Redemption the forgiveness of thy sins As when Simile a Surety satisfies the Creditor for a debt this is accounted to the Debtor and reckoned as a discharge to him in particular I am paid and you are discharged saith the Creditour so it is in this case I am paid saith God and you are discharged and I have no more to say to you but this Enter into the joy of your Lord Matth. 25. 21. The Fifth Plea that you are to make in order to the 5. Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 14. cap. 18 23. Luk. 16. 3. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27 cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4 5. Ten Scriptures in the Margin that respects the account that you are to give up in the great day of the Lord is drawn from the imputed Righteousness of Christ to us the Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God upon the account of Christ's Righteousness imputed to him whereby the guilt of sin is removed and the person of the Sinner is accepted as righteous with the God of Heaven is that which I shall open to you distinctly in these following Branches First That the Grace of Justification in the sight of God is made up of Two parts 1. There is Forgiveness of the offences committed against the Lord 2. Acceptation of the person offending pronouncing him a righteous person and receiving him into favour again as if he had never offended This is most clear and evident in the blessed Scriptures First there is an Act of absolution and acquittal from the guilt of sin and freedom from the condemnation deserved by sin the desert of sin is an inseparable accident Rom. 8. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is a forensick word relating to what is in use amongst men in their Courts of Judicature to condemn 'T is the sentence of a Judge decreeing a mulct or penalty to be inflicted upon the guilty Person or concomitant of it that can never be removed it may be truly said of the sins of a justified person that they deserve everlasting destruction but Justification is the freeing of a sinner from the guilt of his iniquity whereby he was actually bound over to condemnation as soon as any man doth sin there is a guilt upon him by which he is bound over to the wrath and curse of God and this guilt or obligation is inseparable from sin the sin doth deserve no less than everlasting damnation Now forgiveness of sin hath a peculiar respect to the guilt of sin and removal of that when the Lord forgives a man he doth discharge him of that obligation by which he was bound over to wrath and condemnation Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus vers 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth vers 34. who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died Beloved the Lord is a holy and just God and he reveils his wrath from heaven against Rom. 1. 18. Gel. 3. 10. Râ—m 1. 32. Rom. 6. 23. all unrighteousness and there is a curse threatned to every transgression of the Law and when any man sinneth he is obnoxious unto the curse and God may inflict the same upon him but when God forgives sins he therein doth interpose as it were between the sin and the curse and between the obligation and the condemnation When the sinner sins God might say unto him sinner by your sinning you are now fallen into my hands of Justice and for your sins I may according to my righteous Law condemn and curse you for ever but such is my free my rich my sovereign grace that for Christ's sake I will spare you and pardon you and that curse Jer. 31. 20. and condemnation which you have deserved shall never fall upon you Oh! my bowels my bowels are yearning towards you and therefore I will have mercy mercy Jâ—b 33. 13 24 28 30. upon you and will deliver your souls from going down into the pit when the poor sinner is indicted and arraigned at God's bar and process is made against him and he found guilty of the violation of God's holy Law and accordingly judged guilty by God and adjudged to Job
giver or the taker the inconstancy and slipperiness of it is discernable in the instances last cited It hath raised some but hath ruined more and those commonly whom it hath most raised it hath most ruined Sir if there be any thing glorious in the world 't is a mind that divinely contemns that glory and such a mind I judge and hope God hath given you I have hinted a little at the vanity of worldly glory because happily this Treatise passing up and down the world may fall into the hands of such as may be troubled with that Itch and if so who can tell but that that little that I have said may prove a soveraign salve to cure that Egyptian Botch and if so I have my end Sir Let nothing lye so near your heart in all the world as these eight things 1. Your sins to humble you and abase you at the foot of God 2. Free and rich and soveraign grace to soften and mâ—lt you down Col. 1. 10 11 12 13. Phil. 4. 12 13 14. â—al 2. 20. 1 Cor. 15. 10. 2 Cor. 12. 10. Psal 119. 105. Amos 6. 3 4 5 6. â—â—â— 1. 1 2 3 4 5. into the will of God 3. The Lord Jesus Christ to assist help strengthen and influence you to all the duties and services that are incumbent upon you 4. The blessed Scriptues to guide you and lead you and o be a lamp unto you feet and a light unto your paths 5. The afflictions of Joseph to draw out your charity mercy pity sympathy and campassion to men in misery 6. The glory and happiness of another world to arm you and steel you against all the sins snares and temptations that your high places offices and circumstances may lye you open to 7. The grand points in this Treatise which being laid upon your heart by the warm hand of the spirit are able to make you wise unto salvation and to secure your precious and immortal soul against those pernicious and most dangerous may I not say damnable errours and opinions 2 Pet. 2. 1. that are preached printed and cryed up in the vain world 8. The interest of Christ and his people which will be your honour whilst you live your joy and comfort when you come to die and your Crown of 1 Thess 1. 19. 20. rejoycing in the great day of our Lord. Sir I shall not so far disgust you as to tell the world how many several score pounds of your money hath passed through my hands towards the relief refreshment support and preservation of such who for their piety and extreme poverty and necessity were proper objects of your charity but shall take this opportunity to tell you and all others into whose hands this Treatise may fall that of all the duties of Religion there are none 1. More commanded than this of charity pity compassion Prov. 3. 9 10. Eccles 11. 1 2. Gal. 6. 10. 2 Cor. 8. 3 4 5. cap. 9. 1 2. Isa 58. 7. to the 13. ponder upon it Mat. 25. 34 to vers 41. and mercy to men in misery especially to those of the houshold of faith 2. There is no one duty more highly commended and extolled than this 3. There is no one duty that hath more choice and precious promises annexed to it than this 4. There is no one duty that hath greater rewards attending it than this Evagrius a rich man being importuned by Sinesius a Bishop to give something to charitable uses he yielded at last to give three hundred pounds but first took bond of the Bishop that it should be repayed him in another world according to the promise of our Saviour Mat. 19. 29. with a hundred-fold advantage Before he had been one day dead he is said to have appeared to the Bishop delivering in the bond cancelled as thereby acknowledging that what was promised was made good It is certain that one days being in heaven will make a sufficient recompence for whatsoever a man has given on earth Neither shall I acquaint the world with those particular favours and respects which you have shewed to my self but treasure them up in an awakened breast and be your remembrancer at the throne of grace Only I must let the world know that I owe you more than an Epistle and if you please to accept of this mite in part of payment and improve it for your souls advantage you will put a farther obligation upon me to study how I may farther serve the interest of your immortal soul Let the lustre of your prudence wisdom charity fidelity generosity and humility of spirit shine gloriously through all your places offices abilities riches employments and enjoyments for this is the height of all true excellency and that it may be so remember for ever that the eyes of God of Christ of Angels of Jer. 16. 17. Job 34 21. Prov. 5. 21. Jer. 32. 19. Heb. 4. 13. 'T is a saying of the School-men quic quid est in deo est in deo est ipse deus Devils of Sinners of Saints of Good of Bad are always fixed upon you God is all ear to hear all hand to punish all power to protect all wisdom to direct all goodness to relieve all grace to pardon and he is Totus Oculus all eye to observe the thoughts hearts words ways and walkings of the children of men As the eyes of a well drawn picture are fastned on us which way soever we turn so are the eyes of the Lord. Zeno a wise Heathen affirmeth that God behold even the very thoughts of men Athenodorus another Heathen saith that all men ought to be careful of the actions of their life because God was every where and behold all that was done Of all men on earth Magistrates and Ministers had need pray with David Teach us thy â—sal 27. 1. way O Lord and lead us in a plain path because of our enemies or nearer the Hebrew because of our observers in all the Ages of the world there have been Sauls and Doegs who have looked upon God's Davids with an evil Jer 20. 10. eye and watched for their halting there are multitudes that will be still eyeing and prying into the practices offices carriages and conversations of Magistrates and Ministers the more it concerns them to watch pray act and walk like so many earthly Angels in the midst of a crooked perverse and froward Generation Phil. 2. 15. Wise and prudent Governours are an unspeakable mercy to a Kingdom or Commonwealth which Jethro well understood when he gave Moses that good counsel To make choice out of the people of grave and able men such as feared God men of trath hating covetousness Exâ—d 18. 21 22. 〈◊〉 tirum in â—â—a is a maximas true as old and to make them rulers over thousands and rulers over hundreds over fifties and over tens But in the Nations round how rare is it to find Magistrates qualified suitable to Jethro's counsel Alphonsus
times I might turn you to many other Scriptures but in the mouth of twenty Witnesses you may be very clearly and fully satisfied that Jesus Christ is the Saints Beloved 1. When the Dutch Martyr was askt whether he did not love his Wife and Children he Answered Were all the World a lump of gold and in my hand to dispose of I would give it to live with my Wife and Children in a Prison but Christ is dearer to me than all 2. Saith Jerom If my Father should stand before me and if my Mother should hang upon me and my Brethren should press about me I would break through my Brethren throw down my Mother and tread under-foot my Father that I might cleave the faster and closer unto Jesus Christ 3. That Blessed Virgin in Basil being condemned for Christianity to the fire and having her Estate and Life offered her if she would worship Idols cryed out Let money perish and life vanish Christ is better than all 4. Love made Hierom to say O! my Saviour didst thou dye for love of me a love more dolorous than death but to me a death more lovely than love it self I cannot live love thee and be longer from thee 5. Henry Voes said If I had ten heads they should all off for Christ 6. John Ardley Martyr said If every hair of my head were a man they should all suffer for the Faith of Christ 7. Ignatius said Let fire racks pullies yea all the torments of Hell come on me so I may win Christ 8. George Carpenter being asked whether he loved not his Wife and Children when they all wept before them Answered My Wife and Children are dearer to me than all Bavaria yet for the love of Christ I know them not 9. O Lord Jesus said Bernard I love thee more than all my Goods and I love thee more than all my Friends yea I love thee more than my very self 10. Austin saith he would willingly go through Hell to Christ 11. Another saith He had rather be in his Chimney-Corner with Christ than in Heaven without him 12. Another crys out I had rather have one Christ than a thousand Worlds by all which 't is most evident that Jesus Christ is the Saints best Beloved and not this or that sin Now by these 13 Arguments 't is most clear that no gracious Christian do's or can indulge himself in any Trade course or way of sin Yea by these thirteen Arguments 't is most evident that no Godly man has or can have any one beloved sin any one bosom darling sin though many worthy Ministers both in their Preaching and Writings make a great noise about the Saints beloved sins about their bosom darling sins I readily grant that all Unregenerate persons have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins but that no such sins are chargable upon the Regenerate is sufficiently demonstrated by the thirteen Arguments last cited And O! that this were wisely and seriously considered of both by Ministers and Christians there is no known sin that a Godly man is not troubled at and that he would not be rid of There is as much difference between sin in a Regenerate person and in an Unregenerate person as there is between poyson in a Man and poyson in a Serpent Poyson in a mans body is most offensive and burdensome and he readily uses all Arts and Antidotes to expel it and get rid but poyson in a Serpent is in its natural place and is most pleasing and delightful So sin in a Regenerate man is most offensive and burdensome and he readily uses all holy means and Antidotes to expel it and to get rid of it But sin in an Unregenerate man is most pleasing and delightful it being in its natural place A Godly man still enters his protest against sin a gracious Soul while he commits sin hates the sin he commits O Sirs there is a vast difference between a special and a beloved sin a darling sin a bosom-sin Noah had a sin and Lot had a sin and Jacob had a sin and Job had a sin and David had a sin which was his special sin but neither of these had any sin which was their beloved sin their bosom sin their darling sin that passage in Job 31. 33. is observable If I covered my Transgression as Adam by hiding mine Iniquity in my Bosom Mark in this Text while Job calleth some sin or other his Iniquity he denyeth that he had any beloved sin for saith he Did I hâ—de it in my Bosom did I shew it any favour did I cherrish it or nourish it or keep it warm in my Bosom O! No I did not A Godly man may have many sins yet he hath not one beloved sin one bosom sin one darling sin he may have some particular sin to which the Unregenerate part of his will may strongly incline and to which his unmortified affections may run out with violence too yet he hath no sin he bears any good will to or doth really or cordially effect Mark that may be called a mans particular way of sinning which yet we cannot we may not call his beloved sin his bosom sin his darling sin for it may be his greatest grief and torment and may cost him more sorrow and tears than all the rest of his sins it may be a Tyrant usurping power over him when it is not the delight and pleasure of his Soul A Godly man may be more prone to fall into some one sin rather than another it may be Passion or Pride or Slavish fear or Worldliness or Hypocrisie or this or that or tother Vanity yet are not these his beloved sins his bosom sins his darling sins for these aâ—e the Enemies he hates and abhors these are the grand-Enemies that he prays against and complains of and mourns over these are the potent Rebels that his Soul crys out most against and by which his Soul suffers the greatest violence Mark no sin but Christ is the dearly beloved of a Christians Soul Christ and not this sin or that is the chiefest of ten thousand to a gracious Soul and yet some particular corruption or other may more frequently worst a Believer and lead him Captive but then the Believer crys out most against that particular sin O! saith he this is mine Iniquity this is the Saul the Pharoah that is always a pursuing after the blood of my Soul Lord let this Saul fall by the Sword of thy Spirit let this Pharoah be drown'd in the Red Sea of thy Sons blood O! Sirs It is a point of very great importance for gracious Souls to understand the vast difference that there is between a beloved sin and this or that particular sin violently Tyrannizing over them for this is most certain whosoever giveth up himself freely willingly cheerfully habitually to the service of any one particular Lust or Sin he is in the state of Nature under wrath and in the way to eternal Ruine Now
Old Age to Covetousness and Frowardness Common experience tells us that many times Wantonness is the Sinners darling in the time of his youth and Worldliness his darling in the time of his age and without controversie Christians distinct and peculiar Ages may more strongly incline them to this or that Sin rather than any other or 5thly It may arise from that distinct and particular way of Breeding and Education which he has had Now to arm such Christians against their special Sins their peculiar sins whose Sins are advantaged against them either by their constitutions and complexion or else by their particular Calling or else by their outward state and condition or else by their distinct and peculiar ages or else by their particular way of Breeding and Education is my present work and business for though the raigning power of this or that special peculiar Sin be broken in a mans Conversion yet the remaining life and strength that is still left in those corruptions will by Satan be improved against the growth peace comfort and assurance of the soul Satan will strive to enter in at the same door and by the same Dalilah by which he hath betrayed and wounded the soul he will do all he can to do the soul a further mischief Satan will be still a reminding of the soul of those former sweets pleasures profits delights and contents that have come in upon the old score so that it will be a hard thing even for a Godly man to keep himself from his Iniquity from his special or peculiar Sin which the Fathers commonly call though not truly peccatum in delitiis a mans special darlin and beloved Sin Well Christians remember this once for all viz. That sound Conversion includes a noble and serious revenge upon that Sin which was once a mans beloved bosom darling Sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. Yea what clearing of your selves yea what Indignation yea what fear yea what vchement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge You see this in Cranmer who when he had subscribed with his right hand to that which was against his Conscience he afterwards as a holy revenge put that right hand into the flames so Mary Magdalen takes that hair of hers Of all Sins saith the sound Convert I am resolved to be avenged on my once beloved bosom darling Sins by which I have most dishonoured God and wronged my own precious and immortal soul and by which I have most endangered my everlasting Estate Having thus cleared up my way I shall now endeavour to lay before you some special remedies means or helps against cherishing or keeping up of any special or peculiar Sin either in heart or life against the Lord or against the light and conviction of a mans own Conscience First Cherrishing or keeping up of any special or peculiar Sin either in heart or life against the Lord or against the light and conviction of a mans own Conscience will hinder assurance these several ways First It will abate the degrees of our Graces and so make them more undiscernable Now grace rather in its degrees than in its sincerity or simple being only is that which gives the clearest evidence of a gracious estate or of a mans interest in Christ Sin lived in is like a Vermin to the Tree which destroys the fruit Grace cannot thrive in a sinful heart In some soyl Plants will not grow The cherrishing of Sin is the withering of Grace The casting of a favourable eye on any one special Sin hinders the growth of Grace If a man has a choyce Plant or Flower in his Garden and it withers and shrevils and is dying he opens the ground and looks at the root and there finds a Worm gnawing the root and this is the cause of the Flowers fading the Application is easie Secondly The cherrishing of any special peculiar Sin or the keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord and against the light of a mans own Conscience will hinder the lively actings and exercise of grace it will keep Grace at an under so that it will hardly be seen to stir or act yea it will keep Grace so down that it will hardly be heard to speak When a special or peculiar Sin is entertained it will exceedingly mar the vigorous exercises of those graces which are the evidences of a lively Faith and of a gracious state and of a mans Interest in Christ Grace is never apparent and sensible to the soul but while it is in action therefore want of action must needs cause want of assurance Habits are not felt immediately but by the freeness and facility of their acts of the very being of the soul it self nothing is felt or perceived but only its acts The fire that lyâ—th still in the flint is neither seen nor felt but when you smite it and force it into act it is easily discernable For the most part so long as a Christian hath his graces in lively action so long he is assured of them He that would be assured that this sacred fire of grace is in his heart he must blow it up and get it into a flame But Thirdly The cherrishing of any special Sin or the keeping up of any known transgression in heart or life against the Lord and against the light of a mans own Conscience so blears dimms and darkens the eye of the soul that it cannot see its own condition nor have any clear knowledge of its gracious state or of its interest in Christ c. Somtimes men in riding raise such a dust that they can neither see themselves nor their dearest Friends so as to distinguish one from another the Application is easie The Room somtimes is so full of smoak that a man cannot see the Jewels the Treasures that lyes before him so 't is here But Fourthly Cherrishing of any special or peculiar Sin or the keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord or against the light of a mans own Conscience provokes the Lord to withdraw himself his comforts and the gracious presence and assistance of his blessed Spirit without which presence and assistance the soul may search and seek long enough for assurance comfort and a sight of a mans interest in Christ before it will enjoy the one or see the other If by keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord you set the holy Spirit a mourning which alone can comfort you and assure you of your interest in Christ You may walk long enâ—ugh without comfort and assurance Lam. 1. 16. The Comforter that should relieve my Soul is far from me so in that 1 John 3. 21. It is supposed that a self-condemning heart makes void a mans Confidence before God The precious Jewel of Faith can be holden in no other place but in a pure Conscience that is the only Royal Palace wherein it must and will dwell 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding Faith and a good Conscience Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a
to himself or others it will also put a sting into all a mans troubles afflictions and distresses it will also lay a foundation for dispair and it will make Death which is the King of terrors and the terror of Kings to be very terrible to the soul Twenty-two The keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord either in heart or life will fight against all those patterns and examples in holy Writ that in duty and honour we are bound to immitate and follow Pray where do you find in any of the blessed Scriptures that any of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles or Saints are ever charged with a willing or a wilfull keeping up either in their hearts or lives any known transgression against the Lord. Twenty-three The keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord will highly make against all clear sweet and standing communion with God Parents use not to smile nor be familiar with their Children nor to keep up any intimate communion with them in their neglects and disobedience 't is so here Twenty-four The keeping up either in heart or life of any known transgression against the Lord will fight against the standing joy peace comfort and assurance of the soul Joy in the Holy-Ghost will make its nest no where but in a holy soul so far as the Spirit is grieved he will suspend his consolations Lam. 1. 16. A man will have no more comfort from God than he makes Conscience of sinning against God A Conscience good in point of Integrity will be good also in point of Tranquility If our hearts condemn us not then have we considence towards God and I may say also towards men Act. 24. 16 Oh what comfort and solace hath a clear Conscience he hath somthing within to answer accusations without I shall conclude this particular with a notable saying of one of the Ancients The joys of a good Conscience are the Paradise of Souls the delight of Angels the Garden of delights the Field of blessing the Temple of Solomon the Court of God the habitation of the Spirit Bernard Twenty-five The keeping up of any known transgression either in heart or life against the Lord is a high contempt of the All seeing Eye of God of the Omnipresence of God It is well known what Ahashuerus that great Monarch said concerning Haman when coming in he found him cast upon the Queens bed on which she sate What saith he will he force the Queen before me in the house Esth 7. 8. There was the killing Emphasis in the words before me Will he force the Queen before me What will he dare to commit such a Villany and I stand and look on O Sirs to do wickedly in the sight of God is a thing that he looks upon as the greatest affront and indignity that can possibly be done unto him What saith he whilt thou be Drunk before me and Swear and Blaspheam before me and be wanton and unclean before me and break my Laws before my Eyes This then is the killing aggravation of all sin that it is done before the Face of God in the presence of God whereas the very consideration of Gods Omnipresence that he stands and looks on should be as a Bâ—r a Remora to stop the proceedings of all wicked intendments a disswasive rather from sin than the least encouragement thereunto 'T was an excellent saying of Ambrose If thou canst not hide thy self from the Sun which is Gods Minister of light how impossible will it be to hide thy self fâ—om him whose Eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun Ambrose offic l. 1. c. 14. Gods Eye is the best Marshal to keep the Soul in a comely order Let thine Eye be ever on him whose Eye is ever on thee The Eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good Prov. 15. 9. There is no drawing of a Curtain between God and thee God is totus Oculus all Eye He seeth all things in all places and at all times When thou art in secret consider Conscience is present which is more than a thousand Witnesses and God is present which is more than a thousand Consciences It was a pretty fancy of one that would have his Chamber painted full of eyes that which way soever he lookt he might still have some eyes upon him and he fancying himself according to the Moralists advice always under the eye of a Keeper might be the more careful of his carriage O! Sirs if the eyes of men makes even the vilest to forbear their beloved lusts for a while that the Adulterer watcheth for the twy-light and they that are Drunken are Drunken in the Night How powerful will the Eye and Presence of God be with those that fear His Anger and know the sweetness of his Favour The thought of this Omnipresence of God will affrighten thee from sin Gehezi durst not ask or receive any part of Nahamans Presents in his Masters presence but when he had got out of Elisha's sight then he tells his Lye and gives way to his Lusts Men never sin more freely then when they presume upon secrecy They break in pieces thy people O Lord and afflict thy Heritage They slay the Widdow and Stranger and murder the Fatherless yet they say The Lord doth not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it Psal 94. 5 6 7. They who abounded in abominations said The Lord seeth us not the Lord hath forsaken the Earth Ezek. 8 9 12. The wise man disswadeth from wickedness upon the consideration of Gods Eye and Omniscience And why wilt thou my Son be ravished with a strange Woman and embrace the bosom of a Stranger for the ways of man are before the Eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Proverbs 5. 20 21. Joseph saw God in the Room and therefore durst not yield but his Mistress saw none but Joseph and so was impudently alluring and tempting him to folly I have read of two Religious men that took contrary courses with two lewd Women whom they were desirous to reclaim from their Vicious course of life One of the Men told one of the Women that he was desirous to enjoy her Company so it might be with secrecy and when she had brought him into a close room that none could pry into he told her All the barrs and bolts here cannot keep God out The other desired the other Women to company with him openly in the streets which when she rejected as a mad request he told her It was better to do it in the eyes of a multitude than in the eyes of God O why shall not the presence of that God who hates sin and who is resolved to punish it with Hell-flames make us ashamed or afraid to sin and dare him to his face Twenty-six There have been many a Prodigal who by one cast of the Dice have lost a fair Inheritance A man may be kill'd with one stab of a Pen-knife and one hole
regard to any of the Commandements of God that hath not a regard to all the Commandements of God There is one and the same Law-giver in respect of all the Commandements he that gave one command gave also another therefore he that observes one Commandement in obedience unto God whose Commandement it is he will observe all because all are his Commandements and he that slights one Commandement is guilty of all because he doth contemn the Authority of him that gave them all Even in those Commandements which he doth observe he hath no respect to the Will and Authority of him that gave them therefore as Calvin doth well observe upon Jam. 2. 10 11. That there is no Obedience towards God where there is not an uniform endeavour to please God as well in one thing as in another Thirdly Partial obedience tends to plain Atheisme for by the same reason that you slight the Will of God in any Commandement by the same reason you may despise his Will in every Commandement for every Commandement of God is his Will and it is holy spiritual just and good Rom. 7. 12 14. and contrary to our sinful Lusts and if this be the reason why such and such Commandements of God wont down with you then by the same reason none of them must be of Authority with you Fourthly God requires universal Obedience Deut. 5. 33. c. chap. 10. 12. and chap. 11. 21 22 ver c. Jer. 7. 23. Walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you that it may be well unto you Math. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things that I have Commanded you c. Fifthly Partial Obedience is an audacious charge against God himself as to his Wisdom or Power or Goodness for those Statutes of God which you will not come up unto either they are as Righteous as the rest and as Holy as the rest and as Spiritual as the rest and as Good as the rest or they are not If they be as holy spiritual just righteous and good as the rest why should you not walk in them as well as in the rest To say they are not as holy spiritual righteous c. as the rest O what a Blasphemous charge is this against God himself in prescribing unto him any thing that is not righteous and good c. and likewise in making his will which is the rule of all righteousness and goodness to be partly righteous and partly unrighteous to be partly good and partly bad Sixthly God delights in universal Obedience and in those that perform it Deut. 5. 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandements always upon this account Abraham is called the friend of God in Scripture three times Isa 41. 8. 2 Chron. 20. 7. James 2. 3. and upon the very same account God called David A man after his own heart Act. 13. 22. I have found David the Son of Jesse a man after mine own heart which shall fulfill all my Will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All my wills to note the universality and sincerity of his Obedience Seventhly There is not any one Statute of God but it is good and for our good ergo we should walk in all his Statutes Deut. 5. 25. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you that you may live and that it may be well with you what one path hath the Lord commanded us to walk in but as it concerns his own glory so likewise it concerns our good Is it not good for us to love the Lord and to set him up as the object of our fear and to act faith on him and to worship him in spirit and in truth and to be tender of his glory and to sanctifie his day and to keep off from sin and to keep close to his ways But Eighthly Universal Obedience is the condition upon which the promise of mercy and salvation runs Ezek. 18. 21. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all his Statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die Ninethly Our hearts must be perfect with the Lord our God Deut. 18. 13. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God and Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect Now how can our hearts be said to be perfect with God if we do prevaricate with him if in some things we obey him and in other things we will not obey him if we walk in some of his Statutes but will not walk in all his Statutes if in some part we will be his Servants and in other part of our lives we will be the Servants of sin But Tenthly If the heart be found and up-right it will yeeld entire and universal Obedience Psal 119. 80. Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I may not be a shamed and v. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandements by these verses compared together it appears that then the heart is sound and sincere when a man has respect unto all Gods Commandements without a universal Obedience a man can never have that hope which maketh not ashamed But Eleventhly Either we must endeavour to walk in all the Statutes of God or else we must find some dispensation or toleration from God to free us and excuse us and hold us indemnified though we do not walk in all of them Now what one Commandement is there from Obedience whereunto God excuseth any man or will not punish him for the neglect of obedience unto it The Apostle saith That whosoever shall keep the whole Law â—nd yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Jam. 2. 10. If he prevaricates with God as to any one particular Commandement of his his heart is naught he is guilty of all he hath really no regard of any of the rest of Gods Laws But 12thly The precious Saints and Servants of God whose examples are recorded and set forth for our imitation they have been very careful to perform universal Obedience will you see it in Abraham who was ready to comply with God in all his Royal Commands When God commanded him to leave his Country and his Fathers House he did it Gen. 12. When God Commanded him to be Circumcised though it were both shameful and painful he submitted unto it Gen. 17. When God commanded him to send away his Son Ishmael though when Sarah speak to him about it the things feemed very grievious unto him yet as soon as he saw it to be the Will of God he was Obedient unto it Gen. 21. When God commanded him to Sacrifice his Son Isaac his only Son the Son of his Old age the Son of the Promise the Son of his â—elight yea that Son from whom was to proceed that Jesus in whom all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed and
by charging them all upon Christs score That is a great expression of Nathan to David The Lord hath put away thy sin But the Original runs thus The Lord hath made thy sins to pass over that is to 2 Sam 12. 13. pass over from thee to his Son he hath laid them to his charge Now Christ hath discharged all his Peoples Debts and Bonds There is a two-fold debt which lay upon us one was the debt of Obedience unto the Law and this Christ did pay by fulfilling all Righteousness Math. 3. 15. The other was the debt of punishment for our transgressions and this debt Christ discharged by his Death on the Cross Isa 53. 4 10 12. and by being made a Curse for us to redeem us from the Curse Gal. 3. 13. Hence it is that we are said to be bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. chap. 7. 23. and that Christ is called our Raâ—som Lutron Math. 20. 28. and Antilutron 1 Tim. 2. 6. The words do signifie a valuable price laid down for anothers Ransom The Blood of Christ the Son of God was a valuable price a sufficient price it was as much as would take off all Enmities and take away all Sin and to satisfie Divine Justice and indeed so it did and therefore you read That in his blood we have Redemption even the forgiveness of our sins Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 14 20. and his death was such a full compensation to divine Justice that the Apostle makes a challenge to all Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect and vers 34. Who is he that Condemneth it is Christ that dyed As if he had said Christ hath satisfied and discharged all The Greek word Antilutron is of special Emphasis The vulgar Latine renders it Redemptionem Redemption Beza Redemptioms precium a price of Redemption but neither of them fully expressing the force of the word which properly signifieth a counter-price when one doth undergoe in the room of another that which he should have undergone in his own person As when one yields himself a Captive for the Redeeming of another out of Captivity or giveth his own life for the saving of anothers There were such Sureties among the Greeks as gave life for life body for body and in this sence the Apostle is to be understood when he saith that Christ gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransom a counter-price paying a price for his people Christ hath laid down a price for all Believers they are his dear bought Ones they are his choyce redeemed Ones Isa 51. 11. Christ gave himself Antilutron a counter-price a Ransom submitting himself to the like punishment that his redeemed Ones should have undergone Christ to deliver his Elect from the Curse of the Law did subject himself to that same Curse of the Law under which all man-kind lay Jesus Christ was a true Surety one that gave his life for the life of others as the Apostle saith of Castor and Pollux that the one redeemed the others life with his own death So did the Lord Jesus he became such a Surety for his Elect giving himself an Antilutron a Ransom for them Joh. 6. 51. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Rev. 1. 5. chap. 5. 9. O what comfort is this unto us to have such a Jesus who himself bare our sins even all our sins left not one unsatisfied for laid down a full ransom a full price such an expiatory Sacrifice as that now we are out of the hands of Justice and Wrath and Death and Curse and Hell and are reconciled and made near by the Blood of the everlasting Covenant the Blood of Christ as the Scripture speaks is the Blood of God Act. 20. 28. So that there is not only satisfaction but merit in his Blood there is more in Christs Blood than meer payment or satisfaction there was merit also in it to acquire and procure and purchase all spiritual good and all eternal good for the people of God not only immunities from sin Death Wrath Curse Hell c. but priviledges and dignities of Sons and Heirs yea all Grace and all Love and all Peace and all Glory even that glorious Inheritance purchased by his Blood Ephes 1. 14. Remember this once for all that in justification our debts are charged upon Christ they go upon his accounts you know that in sin there is the vicious and staining quality of it and there is the resulting guilt of it which is the obligation of a Sinner over to the Judgment Seat of God to answer for it Now this guilt in which lies our debt this is charged upon Christ Therefore saith the Apostle God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5. 19. And hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin ver 21. You know in Law the Wifes Debts are charged upon the Husband and if the Debtor be disabled than the Creditor sues the Surety Fide jussor or Surety and Debitor in Law are reputed as one person Now Christ is our Fide jussor He is made sin for us saith the Apostle for us that is in our stead A Surety for us one who puts our scores on his accounts our burden on his shoulders so saith that Princely Prophet Isaiah Isa 53. 4 5. He hath born our griefs and carried our soroows how so He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities that is he stood in our stead he took upon him the answering of our sins the satisfying of our debts the clearing of our guilt and therefore was it that he was so bruised c. You remember the scape-Goat upon his Head all the Iniquities of the Children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins were confessed and put And the Goat did bâ—ar upon him all their Iniquities Lev. 16. 21 22. What is the meaning of this Surely Jesus Christ upon whom our sins were laid and who alone died for the ungodly Rom. 5. 6. and bear our burdens away Therefore the Believer in the sence of guilt should run unto Christ and offer up his Blood unto the Father and say Lord it is true I owe Thee so much yet Father forgive me remember that thine own Son was my Ransom his Blood was the price he was my Surety and undertook to answer for my sins I beseech thee accept of his Attonement for he is my Surety my Redemption Thou must be satisfied but Christ hath satisfied thee not for himself what sins had he of his own but for me they were my debts which he satisfied for and look over thy book and thou shalt find it so for thou hast said He was made sin for us and that he was wounded for our transgressions Now what a singular support what an admirable comfort is this that we our selves are not to make up our accounts and reckonings but that Christ hath cleared all accounts and
reckonings between God and us Therefore it is said That in his blood we have Redemption even the forgiveness of sins Eph. 1. 7. Quest Whether it were not against the justice of God that Q. Christ who was in himself innocent without all sin a Lamb without a spot should bear and endure all thâ—se punishments for us who were the offending and guilty and obnoxious persons only Or if you please thus Whether God was not unjust to give his Son Jesus Christ Q. to be our Surety and Mediator and Redeemer and Saviour for as much as Christ could not be any one of these for and unto us but by a willing susception of our sins upon himself to be for them responsible unto the justice of God in suffering those punishments which were due for our sins I shall speak a few words to this main Question I say then that it is not always and in all cases unjust but it is somtimes and in some cases very just to punish one who is himself Innocent for him or those who are the â—nocent and guilty Grotius in his Book de satisfactione gives divers instances but I shall mention only two First In case of Conjunction where the innocent party and the nocent party do become legally one party and therefore if a Man Marries a Woman indebted he thereupon becomes obnoxious to pay her debts although absolutely considered he was not obnoxious thereunto But Secondly In case of Surety-ship where a person knowing the weak and insufficient condition of another doth yet voluntarily put forth himself and will be bound to the Creditor for him as his Surety to answer for him by reason of which Surety-ship the Creditor may come upon him and deal with him as he might have dealt with the principal Debtor himself and this course we do ordinarily take with Sureties for the recovery of our right without any violation of justice Now both these are exactly applicable to the business in hand for Jesus Christ was pleased to Marry our Nature unto himself he did partake of our flesh and blood and became man and one with us And besides that he did both by the Will of his Father and his own free consent become our Surety and was content to stand in our stead or room so as to be made sin and curse for us that is to have all our debts and sorrows all our sins and punishments laid upon him and did engage himself to satisfie God by bearing and suffering what we should have born and suffered And therefore although Jesus Christ absolutely considered in himself was innocent and had no sin inherent in himself which therefore might make him lyable to Death and Wrath and Curse yet by becoming one with us and sustaining the office of our Surety our sins were laid on him and our sins being laid upon him he made himself therefore obnoxious and that justly to all those punishments which he did suffer for our sins I do confess that had Christ been unwilling and forced into this Surety-ship or had any detriment or prejudice risen to any party concerned in this transaction than some complaint might have been made concerning the Justice of God But First There was a willingness on all sides for the passive work of Christ First God the Father who was the offended party he was willing which Christ assures us of when he said Thy Will be done Math. 26. 42. Act. 4. 25 26 27 28. Secondly We poor Sinners who are the offending party are willing We accept of this gracious and wonderful Redemption and bless the Lord who so loved us as to give his Son for us And thirdly Jesus Christ was willing to suffer for us Behold I come Psal 40. 7. And shall I not drink of the Cup which my Father hath given me to drink Joh. 18. 11. I have a Baptisme to be Baptised with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Luk. 12. 50. He calls the death of his Cross a Baptisme partly because it was a certain immersion into extream calamities into which he was cast and partly because in the Cross He was so to be sprinkled in his own Blood as if he had been drowned and Baptised in it the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendred strained signifies to be pained pressed or pent up not with such a grief as made him unwilling to come to it but with such as made him desire that it were once over There seems saith Grotius to be a similitude implyed in the Original word taken from a Woman with Child which is so afraid of her bringing forth that yet she would fain be eased of her burden Joh. 10. 11. I am the good Shepherd The good Shepherd giveth his life for the Sheep Christ is that good Shepherd by an excellency that held not his life dear for his Sheeps safety ver 15. I lay down my life for the Sheep vers 17. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life vers 18. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self A necessity there was of our Saviours death but it was a necessity of immutability because God had decreed it Act. 2. 23. not of coaction He laid down his life freely He dyed willingly But Secondly No parties whatsoever were prejudiced or lost by it we lost nothing by it for we are saved by his death and reconciled by his death and Christ lost nothing by it ought not Christ to have suffered these things and enter into his glory Luk. 24. 26. The Captain of our Salvation is made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2. 10. You may see Christs glorious Rewards for his sufferings in that Isa 53. 10 11 12. And God the Father lost nothing by it for he is glorified by it I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Joh. 17. 4. Yea he is fully satisfied and repaired again in all the honour which he lost by our sinning I say he is now fully repaired again by the sufferings of Christ in which he found a price sufficient and a Ransom and enough to make peace for ever In the day of account a Christians great plea is that Christ has been his Surety and paid his debts and made up his accounts for him Now from what has been said last a Christian may Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12 14. Math. 12. 1â— cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 3. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 6. 10. Heb. 9. 27 cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet 4. 5. form up this second plea to the ten Scriptures in the Margent that refer either to the general Judgment or to the particular Judgment that will pass upon every Christian immediately after death O blessed Lord upon my first believing and closing with Jesus Christ thou didst justifie me in the Court of glory from all my sins both as to guilt and punishment Upon my first act of believing thou didst pardon all my sins
thou didst forgive all my iniquities thou did'st blot out all my transgressions and as upon my first believing thou didst give me the Remission of all my sins so upon my first believing thou did'st free me from a state of Condemnation and interest me in the great Salvation Upon my first believing I was united to Jesus Christ and I was cloathed with the Rom 8. 1. Heb. 2 3. Righteousness of Christ which covered all my sins and discharged me from all my transgressions remember O Lord that at the very moment of my dissolution thou did'st really perfectly universally and finally forgive all my sins every debt that moment was discharged and every Score that moment was crossed and every Bill and Bond that moment was cancelled so that there was not left in the book of thy remembrance one sin no not the least sin standing upon Record against my soul And besides all this thou knowest O Lord that all my sins were laid upon Christ my Surety and that he became responsible Heb. 7. 21. 22. for them all he did dye he did lay down his life he did make his soul an offering for my sins he did become a curse he did endure thy infinite wrath he did give compleat satisfaction and a full compensation unto thy Justice for all my sins debts trespasses This is my plea O Lord and by this plea I shall stand Well saith the Lord I allow of this plea I accept of this plea as just honourable and righteous Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. But Seventhly Consider that what ever we are bound to do or to suffer by the Law of God all that did Christ do and suffer for us as being our Surety and Mediator Now the Law of God hath a double challenge or demand upon us one is of active obedience in fulfilling what it requires the other is of passive obedience in suffering that punishment which lies upon us for the transgression of it in doing what it forbids For as we are Created by God we did owe unto him all obedience which he required and as we sinned against God we did owe unto him a suffering of all that punishment which he threatned and we being fallen by transgression can neither pay the one debt nor yet the other we cannot do all that the Law requires Nay of our selves we can do nothing neither can we suffer as to satisfie God in his Justice wronged by us or to recover our selves into life and favour again and therefore Jesus Christ who was God made man did become our Surety and stood in our stead or room and he did perform what we should but could not perform and he did bear our sins and our sorrows he did suffer and bear for us what we our selves should have born and suffered whereby he did fully satisfie the justice of God and made our peace and purchased life and happiness for us Let me a little more clearly and fully open this great truth in these few particulars First Jesus Christ did perform that active obedience unto the Law of God which we should but by reason of sin could not perform in which respect he is said Gal. 4. 4. To be made under the Law that he might redeem them that were under the Law So far was Christ under the Law as to redeem them that were under the Law But redeem them that were under the Law he could not unless by discharging the bonds of the Law in force upon us and all those bonds could not be and were not discharged unless a perfect righteousness had been presented on our behalf who were under the Law to fulfill the Law Now there is a two-fold Righteousness necessary to the actual fulfilling of the Law one is an internal Righteousness of the Nature of man the other is an external Righteousness of the Life or works of man both of these do the Law require The former Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. which is the sum of the first Table And thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self which is the sum of the second Table the latter Do this and live Levit. 18. 5. He that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them is Cursed Gal. 3. 10. Now both these Righteousnesses were sound in Christ First the internal Heh 7. 26. He was holy harmless undefiled separated from sinners chap. 9. 14. And offered himself without spot to God 2 Cor. 5. 21. He knew no sin Secondly External 1 Pet. 2. 22. He did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth Joh. 17. 4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Math. 3. 15. He must fulfill all Righteousness Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Now concerning Christs active obedience to the Law of God these things are considerable in it First The universality of it he did whatsoever his Father required and left nothing of his Fathers will undone he kept the whole Law and offended not in one point What ever was required of us by vertue of any Law that he did and fulfilled Hence he is said to be made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. Subject or obnoxious to it to all the precepts or commands of it Christ was so made under the Law as those were under the Law whom he was to Redeem Now we were under the Law not only as obnoxious to its penalties but as bound to all the duties of it that this is our being under the Law is evident by that of the Apostle Gal. 4. 2◠Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law surely it was not the penalty of the Law they desired to be under but to be under it in respect of obedience so Math. 3. 15. Here Christ tell you That it became him to fulfil all Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all manner of Righteousness whatsoever that is every thing that God required as is evident from the Application of that general Oxiome to the Baptisme of John But Secondly The exactness and perfection of it He kept the whole Law exactly as he was not wanting in matter so he did not fail in the manner of performing his Fathers Will there was no defects nothing lacking in his obedience he did all things well what we are pressing towards and reaching forth unto he attained he was perfect in every good work and stood compleat in the whole will of his Father And hence it is that it is Recorded of him that he was without sin knew no sin did no sin which could not be if he had failed in any thing But Thirdly The constancy of it Christ did not obey by sits but constantly though we cannot yet he continued in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them This Righteous One held on his way he did not fail nor was he discouraged yea when
persecution and tribulation did arise against him because of his doing the Will of his Father he was not offended but did always do the things which pleased his Father as he told the Jews Joh. 8. 29. Fourthly The delight that he took in doing the Will of his Father Psal 40. 8. I delight to do thy Will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart or in the mid'st of my bowels as the Hebrew runs by the Law of God we are to understand all the Commandements of God there is not one Command which Christ did not delight to do Christs obedience was without murmuring or grudging his Fathers Commandements were not grievous to him he tells his Disciples that it was his 〈◊〉 to do the Will of him that sent him and to finish his work John 4. 34. But Fifthly The vertue and efficacy of it for his obedience his righteousness never returns to him void but it always accomplishes that which he pleases and prospers in the thing whereto he ordains it and that is the making others Righteous according to that of the Apostle Rom. 5. 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinnâ—rs so by the â—â—bedience of one shall many be made Righteous 2 Cor. 5. 21. God made him to be sin for us who knew no 〈◊〉 that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him and accordingly we are for of God he is made unto us Righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. The perfect compleat Obedience of Christ to the Law is certainly reckoned to us that is an everlasting truth If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandements Math. 19. 17. The Commandements must be kept either by our selves or by our Surety or there is no entering into life Christ did obey the Law not for himself but for us and in our stead Rom. 5. 18 19. By the Righteousness of one the free-gift came upon all men unto justification of life By the Obedience of one many shall be made Righteons By his Obedience to the Law we are made Righteous Christs Obedience is reckoned to us for Righteousness Christ by his Obedience to the Royal Law is made Righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1. 30. We are saved by that perfect Obedience which Christ when he was in this world yeelded to the blessed Law of God Mark what ever Christ did as Mediator he did it for those whose Mediator he was or in whose stead and for whose good he executed the Office of a Mediator before God this the Holy Ghost witnesseth 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 The word Likeness is not simply to be referred to flesh but to sinful flesh as Basil well observes for Christ was like unto us in all things sin only excepted If with our justification from sin there be joyned that active Obedience of Christ which is imputed to us We are just before God according to that perfect form which the Law requireth Because we could not in this condition of weakness whereinto we are cast by sin come to God and be freed from Condemnation by the Law God sent Christ as a Mediator to do and suffer what ever the Law required at our hands for that end and purpose that we might not be condemned but accepted of God It was all to this end that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us that is which the Law required of us consisting in duties of obedience this Christ performed for us This expression of the Apostle God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh if you will add to it that of Gal. 4. 4. That he was so sent forth as that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made under the Law that is obnoxious to it to yield all the obedience that it doth require compares the whole of what Christ did or suffered and all this the Holy Ghost tells us was for us vers 4. He that made the Law as God was made under the Law as God-Man whereby both the obligations of the Law fell upon him 1. Paenal 2. Praeceptive First The paenal Obligation to undergoe the Curse and so to satisfie Divine Justice Secondly The praeceptive Obligation to fulfil all Righteousness Math. 3. 15. This Obligation he fulfilled by doing the other by Dying Mark this double Obligation could not have befallen the Lord Jesus Christ upon any natural account of his own but upon his Mediatory account only as he voluntarily became the Surety of this New and better Covenant Heb. 7. 22. so that the fruit and benefit of Christs voluntary subjection to the Law redoundeth not at all to himself but unto the persons which were given him of the Father Joh. 17. whose Sponsor he became for their sakes he underwent the paenal Obligation of the Law that it might do them no harm He being made a Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. and for their sakes he fulfilled the praeceptive Obligation of the Law do this that so the Law might do them good This the Evangelical Apostle clearly asserts Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Romans 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what end why sinis perfectiuus the perfection and accomplishment of the Law he is the end of the Law for Righteousness that is to the end that by Christ his active obedience God might have his perfect Law perfectly kept that so there might be a Righteousness extant in the humane nature every way adaequate to the perfection of the Law And who must wear this Garment of Righteousness when Christ hath finished it Surely the Believer who wanted a Righteousness of his own for so it follows for Righteousness to every one that believeth that is that every poor naked Sinner believing in Jesus Christ might have a Righteousness wherein being found he might appear at Gods Tribunal but his nakedness not appears But as Jacob in the Garment of his Elder Brother Esau so the Believer in the Garment of his Elder Brother Jesus might inherit the blessing even the great blessing of Justification The only matter of mans Righteousness since the fall of Adam wherein he can appear with comfort before the justice of God and consequently whereby alone he can be justified in his sight is the obdience and sufferings of Jesus Christ the Righteousness of the Mediator there is not any other way imaginable how the Justice of God may be satisfied and we may have our sins pardoned in a way of justice but by the Righteousness of the Son of God and therefore is his name Jehovah Tridkenna The Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. 6. This is his name that is this is the prerogative of the Lord Jesus a matter
Fifthly To say peremptorily he suffered what is it but to say that he principally suffered that he excessively suffered To say he suffered What is it but to say he was the cheif sufferer the arch sufferer and that not only in respect of the manner of his sufferings that he suffered absolutely so as never did any but also in respect of the measure of his sufferings that he suffered excessively beyond what ever any did And thus we may well understand and take those words He suffered That lamentation of the Prophet Lam. 1. 12. is very applicable to Christ Behold and see if there be any sorrows like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fiorce anger Now is it not enough for the Apostle to say that Christ hath suffered but will you yet ask what But pray Friends be satisfied and rather of the two ask what not for what sufferings can you think of that Christ did not suffer Christ suffered in his Birth and he suffered in his Life and he suffered in his Death he suffered in his Body for he was diversly tormented he suffered in his Soul for his Soul was heavy unto death he suffered in his Estate they parted his Rayment and he had not where to rest his head he suffered in his good Name for he was counted a Samaritan a Devillish Sorcerer a Wine-bibber an Enemy to Caesar c. He suffered from Heaven when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He suffered from the Earth when being hungry the Fig-tree proved fruitless to him He suffered from Hell Satan assaulting and encountering of him with his most black and horrid temptations He began his life meanly and basely and was sharply persecuted He continued his life poorly and distressedly and was cruelly hated He ended his life wofully and miserably and was most grievously tormented with Whips Thorns Nails and above all with the terrors of his Fathers wrath and horrors of hellish agonies Ego sum qui peccavi I am the man that have sinned but these Sheep what have they done said David when he saw the Angel destroying his people 2 Sam. 24. 17. And the same speech may every one of us take up for our selves and apply to Christ and say I have sinned I have done wickedly but this Sheep what hath he done yea much more cause have we than David had to take up this complaint For First David saw them dye whom he knew to be Sinners but we see him dye who we knew knew no sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. But Secondly David saw them dye a quick speedy death we see him dye with lingering torments He was a dying from six to nine Math. 27. 45 46. Now in this three hours darkness he was set upon by all the powers of darkness with utmost might and malice but he foyled and spoiled them all and made an open shew of them as the Roman Conquerors used to do triumphing over them on his Cross as on his Chariot of State Col. 2. 15. attended by his vanquished Enemies with their hands bound behind them Ephe. 4. 8. But Thirdly David saw them dye who by their own confession was worth ten thousand of them we see him dye for us whose worth admitteth no comparison But Fourthly David saw the Lord of glory destroying mortal men and we see mortal men destroying the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. O how much more cause have we then to say as David I have sinned I have done wickedly but this Innocent Lamb the Lord Jesus what hath he done what hath he deserved that he should be thus greatly tormented Tully though a great Orator yet when he comes to speak of the death of the Cross he wants words to express it Quid dicam in crucem tollere What shall I say of this death saith he But Thirdly As the sufferings of Christ were very great so the punishments which Christ did suffer for our sins these were in their kinds and parts and degrees and proportion all those punishments which were due unto us by reason of our sins which we our selves should otherwise have suffered Whatsoever we should have suffered as Sinners all that did Christ suffer as our Surety and Mediator always excepting those punishments which could not be endured without a pollution and guilt of sinâ— The chasrisement of our peace was upon him Isa 53. 5. And including the punishments common to the nature of man not the personal arising out of imperfection and defect and distemper Now the punishments due to us for sin were corporal and spiritual And again they were the punishments of loss and of sense and all these did Christ suffer for us which I shall evidence by an induction of particulars First That Christ suffered corporal punishments is most clear in Scripture You read of the Injuries to his Person of the Crown of Throns on his Head of the smiting of his Cheeks of spitting on his Face of the scourging of his Body of the Cross on his Back of the Vinegar in his Mouth of the Nails in his Hands and Feet of the Spear in his Side and of his crucifying and dying on the Cross 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who himself in his own body on the Tree bare our sins 1 Cor. 15. 3. Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures Rev. 1. 5. And washed us from our sins in his own Blood Col. 1. 14. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins Math. 26. 28. For this is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Christ suffered derision in every one of his Offices First In his Kingly Office They put a Scepter in his Hand a Crown on his Head and bowed their Knees saying Hail King of the Jews Matth. 27. 29. Secondly In his Priestly Office They put upon him a gorgeous white Robe such as the Priests wore Luk. 23. 11. Thirdly In his Prophetical Office When they had blindfolded him Prophesie say they who it is that smiteth thee Luk. 22. 64. Sometimes they said Thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil Joh. 8. 48. And sometimes they said He is beside himself why hear ye him Mark 3. 21. And as Christ suffered in every one of his Offices so he suffered in every member of his Body in his Hearing by their reproaches and crying Crucifie him Crucifie him In his sight by their Scoffings and scornful gestures In his Smell in his being in that noysome place Gâ—lgotha Math. 27. 33. In his Tast by his tasting of Vinegar mingled with Gall which they gave him to drink Math. 27. 33. In his Feeling by the Thorns on his Head blows on his Cheeks spittle on his Face the Spear in his side and the Nails in his Hands he suffered in all parts and members of his body from head to foot His Head which deserved a better Crown than the best in
he died chearfully and comfortably without murmuring or repining O what a wonder of love is this that Jesus Christ who is the Author of life the Fountain of life the Lord of life that he should so freely so readily so cheerfully lay down his life for us c. About four in the Afternoon he was pierced with a Spear and there issued out of his side both blood and water John 19. 34. And one of the Souldiers with a Spear pierced his side and forthwith came thereout blood and water Out of the side of Christ being now dead there issues water blood signifying that he is both our Justification Sanctification Thus was fulfilled that which was long before foretold Zach. 1â— 10. 1 Jâ—◠〈◊〉 Zach. 12 1. They shall by water and by blood Thus was there a Fountain opâ—â—ed to the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem even to all the Elect for sin and for uncleanness The Souldiers malice lived when Christ was dead The water and blood forthwith issuing out as soon as 't was pierced with a Spear did evidently shew that he was truely dead The Syriack paraphrase saith he pierced his rib that is the fifth rib where the pericardium lay It is very likely that the very Pericardium was pierced now the Pericardium is a film or skin like unto a Purse wherein is contained clear water to cool the heat of the heart The blood saith one signifies the perfect expiation of the sins of the Church and the water the daily Ambrose on Luk. â—â— washing and purging of it from the remainder of her corruption Water and blood issued on t of Christs side saith another to teach us that Christ justifieth none by his merit but such whom he sanctifieth by his Spirit Christ was pierced with a Spear and water and blood presently issued out of his side that his Enemies might not object that he rose again because he was but half dead on the Cross and being so taken down he revived to testifie the contrary truth John so seriously affirmeth the certainty of his death he being an eye-witness of the streaming out of Christs blood as he stood by Christs Cross O Gates of Heaven O Windows of Paradise O Palace of Refuge O Tower of strength O Sanctuary of the just O flourishing Bed of the Spouse of Solomon Me-thinks I see water and blood running out of his side more freshly than these golden streams which ran out of the Garden of Eden and watered the whole world But here I may not dwell c. But to shut up this particular about five which the Jews call the eleventh and the last hour of the day Christ was taken down and Buried by Joseph and Nichodemus But Thirdly As the death of Christ on the Cross was a lingring death so the death of Christ was a painful death this appears several ways First His Legs and Hands were violently racked and pulled out to the places fitted for his fastenings and then pierced through with Nails his Hands and Feet were nailed which parts being full of sinnews and therefore very tender his pains could not but be very acute and sharpe Secondly By this means he wanted the use both of his Hands and Feet and so he was forced to hang immoveable upon the Cross as being unable to turn any way for his ease and therefore he could not but be under very dolorous pains Thirdly The longer he lived the more he endured for by the weight of his body his wounds were opened and enlarged his Nerves and Veins were rent and torn asunder and his blood gushed out more and more abundantly still Now the invenomed Arrows of Gods wrath shot to his heart this was the direful Catastrophe and caused that vociferation and out-cry upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The Justice of God was now inflamed and heightned to its full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 32. God spared not his Son God would not abate one farthing of the debt But Fourthly He dyed by piece-meals he dyed by little and little he dyed not all at once he that dyed on the Cross was long a dying Christ was kept a great while upon the rack it was full three hours betwixt his affixion and expiration and certainly it would have been longer if he had not freely and willingly given up the Ghost I have read that Andrew the Apostle was two whole days on the Cross before he dyed and so long might Christ have been a dying if God had not supernaturally heightened the degrees of his torment Doubtless when Christ was on the Cross he felt the very pains of Hell though not locally yet equivalently But Fourthly As the death of Christ on the Cross was a painful death so the death of Christ on the Cross was a shameful death Christ was in medio positus he hung between two Thieves as if he had been the principal Malefactor Math. 27. 38. Here they placed him to make the world believe that he was the great ring-leader of such men Christ was crucified in the mid'st as the chief of Sinners that we might have place in the mid'st of Heavenly Angels the one of these Thieves went railing to Hell the Zach. 3 7. other went repenting forth right to Heaven living long in a little time If you ask me the names of these two Thieves who Q. were crucified with Christ I must answer That although the Scripture nominates them not yet some Writers give them these names Dismas and Gâ—smas Dismas the happy and Gesmas the miserable Thief according to the Poet Gesmas damnatur Dismas ad astra levatur That is When Gesmas died to Dives he was sent When Dismas died to Abraham up he went Well might the Lamp of Heaven withdraw its light and mask it self with darkness as blushing to behold the Sun of Righteousness hanging between two Thieves He shall be an Apollo to me that can tell me which was the greater The blood of the Cross or the shame of the Cross Heb. 12. 2. It was a mighty shame that Sauls Sons were 2 Sam. 21. 6. hanged on a Tree O what a shameful death was it for Christ to hang on a Tree between two notorious Thieves But Fifthly and lastly As the death of Christ was a shameful death so the death of Christ was a cursed death Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree The death on Deut. 21. 23. the Tree was Accursed above all kinds of death as the Serpent was Accursed above all Beasts of the field both for Gen. 3. 14. the first transgression whereof the Serpent was the instrument the Tree the occasion Since the death of any Malefactor might be a Monument of Gods Curse for sin it may be questioned why this brand is peculiarly set upon this kind of punishment that he that is hanged is Accursed of God To which I Answer that the reason of this was because this was
esteemed the most shameful the most dishonourable and infamous of all kinds of death and was usually therefore the punishment of those that had by some notorious wickedness provoked God to pour out his wrath upon the whol Land and so were hanged up to appease his wrath as we may see in the hanging of those Princes that were guilty of committing Numb 25. 4. Whordom with the Daughters of Moab and in the hanging of those Sons of Saul in the days of David when 2 Sam. 21. 6. there was a Famine in the Land because of Sauls perfidious oppressing of the Gibeonites nor was it without cause that this kind of death was both by the Israelites and other Nations esteemed the most shameful and accursed because the very manner of the death did intimate that such men as were thus Executed were such execrable and accursed wretches that they did defile the Earth with treading on it and would pollute the Earth if they should dye upon it and therefore were so trussed up in the Ayre as not fit to live amongst men and that others might look upon them as men made spectacles of Gods Indignation and Curse because of the wickedness they had committed which was not done in other kinds of death And hence it was that the Lord God would have his Son the Lord Christ to suffer this kind of death that even hence it might be the more evident that in his death he bare the Curse due to our sins according to that of the Apostle Christ hath Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree The Gal. 3. 13. Chaldee translateth For because he sinned before the Lord he is hanged The Tree whereon a man was hanged the Stone wherewith he was stoned the Sword wherewith he was beheaded and the Napkin wherewith he was strangled they were all Buried that there might be no evil memorial of such a one to say This was the Tree Sword Stone Napkin wherewith such a one was Executed This kind of death was so execrable that Constantine made a Law that no Christian should dye upon the Cross he abolished this kind of death out oâ— his Empire When this kind of death was in use among the Jews it was chiefly inflicted upon Slaves that either falsly accused or treacherously conspired their Masters death But on whomsoever it was inflicted this death in all Ages among the Jews hath been branded with a special kind of ignominy and so much the Apostle signifies when he saith He abased himself to the death even to the Phil. 2. 2. death of the Cross I know Moses's Law speaks nothing in particular of Crucifying yet he doth include the same under the general of hanging on a Tree and some conceive that Moses in speaking of that Curse sore-saw what manner of death the Lord Jesus should die and let thus much sussice concerning Christs sufferings on the Cross or concerning his corporal sufferingâ— I shall now in the second place speak concerning Christs spiritual sufferings his sufferings in his Soul which were exceeding high and great Now here I shall endeavour to do two things First To prove that Christ suffered in his Soul and so much the rather because that the Papists say and write That Christ did not truly and properly and immediatly suffer in his Soul but only by way of simpathy and compassion with his body to the Mystical body and that his bare bodily sufferings were sufficient for mans Redemption 2. That the sufferings of Christ in his Soul were exceeding high and great for the first that Christ suffered in his Soul I shall thus demonstrate First Express Scriptures do evidence this Isa â—3 When thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin he shall see his Seed c. Joh. 12. 27. Now is my Soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour Math. 26. 37. 38. He began to be sorrowful and very heavy These were but the beginings of sorrow he began c. Sorrow is a thing that drinks up our spirits and he was heavy as seeling an heavy load upon him v. 38. My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Christ was as full of sorrow as his heart could hold every word is Emphatical My Soul his Psal 6â— 1. 2. sorrow pierced his Heaven-born Soul As the Soul was the first Agent in transgression so it is here the first Patient in affliction The sufferings of his body were but Christs Soul was beleagured or compassed round round with sorrow as that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sounds 26 Math. 28 the body of his sufferings the soul of his sufferings were the sufferings of his Soul which was nòw beset with sorrows and heavy as heart could hold Christ was sorrowsul his Soul was sorrowful his Soul was exceeding sorrowsul his Soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death Christs Soul was in such extremity of sorrow that it made him cry out Father if it be possible let this Cup pass and this was with strong cryings and tears To cry and to cry Heb. 5. 7. with a loud voyce argues great extremity of sufferings Mark 14. 33. Mark saith And he began to be amazod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to be very heavy or we may more fully express it thus according to the original He begun to be gastred with wondersul astonishment and to be satiated filled brim full with heaviness a very sad condition All the sins of the Elect like a huge Army meeting upon Christ made a dreadful on-set on his Soul Luk. 22. 43 44. 'T is said He was in an Agony That 's a conflict in which a poor Creature wrestles with deadly pangs with all his might mustring up all his faculties and force to grapple with them and with-stand them Thus did Christ struggle with the Indignation of the Lord praying once and again with more intense fervency O that this Cup may pass away if it be possible let this Cup pass away while yet an Luk 22 42 43. Angel strengthened his outward man from utter sinking in the conslict Now if this weight that Christ did bare had been laid on the shoulders of all the Angels in Heaven it would have sunk them down to the lowest Hell it would have crackt the Axel-tree of Heaven and Earth It made His blood startle out of his body in congealed cloddered heaps The heat of Gods fiery Indignation made his blood to boil up till it ran over yea Divine wrath affrighted it out of its wonted Channel The Creation of Geâ— 1. the world cost him but a word he spake and the world was made but the Redemption of Souls cost him bloody sweats and Soul-distraction What conflicts what struglings with the wrath of God the powers of darkness what weights what burdens what wrath did he undergoe when his Soul
desertion Christ is not to be looked upon simply as he is in his own person the Son of the Father in whom he is always well pleased but as he standeth in the room of Sinners Surety and Cautioner Math. 3. 17. Mark 1. 11. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Christ spake these words that thereby he might draw the Jews to a serious consideration and a nim adversion of his death and passion which he underwent not for his own but for our sins Pet. Gal. lib. 8. c. 18. pag 343. paying their debt in which respect it concerned Christ to be dealt with as one standing in our stead as one guilty and paying the debt of being forsaken of God which we were bound to suffer fully and for ever if he had not interposed for us There is between Christ and God 1. An eternal Union natural of the person 2. Of the God-head and Man-hood 3. Of Grace and Protection In this last sense he means forsaken according to his feeling Hence he said Not my Father my Father but my God my God which words are not words of complaining but words expressing his grief and sorrow Our Lord Christ was forsaken not only of all Creature comforts but that which was worse than all of his Fathers favour to his present apprehension left forlorne and destitute for a time that we might be received for ever Christ was for a time left and forsaken of God as David who in this particular was a type of Christs suffering cryed out Psal 22. 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me why art thou so far from my help He was indeed really forsaken of God God did indeed leave him in respect of his sense and seeling So was Christ truly and really forsaken of God and not in colour or shew as some affirm Athanasius speaking of Gods forsaking of Christ saith All things were done naturally and in truth not in opinion or shew Though God did still R liâ—quâ—t Deâ—s dum nâ—n pâ—â—â— â—aâ—h Tâ—â—uâ—â—n continue a God to David yet in Davids apprehension and feeling he was forsaken of God Though God was still a God to Christ yet as to his feeling he was left of God to wrestle with God and to bear the wrath of God due unto us Look as Christ was scourged that we Ambrose might not be scourged so Christ was forsaken that we might not be forsaken Christ was forsaken for a time that we might not be forsaken for ever Fevardentius absolutely denies that Christ did truly complain upon the Cross that he was forsaken of God Fevarden pag â—73 Con 〈…〉 and therefore he thus objecteth and reasoneth If Christ were truly forsaken of God it would follow that the Hypostatical Union was dissolved and that Christ was personally separated from God for otherwise he could not be forsaken To what he objects we thus reply first If Christ had been totally and eternally forsaken the personal union must have been dissolved but upon this temporal and partial rejection or dereliction there followeth not a personal dissolution or general dereliction But secondly As the Body of Christ being without life was still Hypostatically united to the God-head so was the soul of Christ though for a time without feeling of his favour the dereliction of the one doth no more dissolve the Hypostatical Union than the death of the other If life went from the body and yet the Deity was not separated in the personal consecration but only suspended in operation So the feeling of Gods favour which is the life of the soul might be intermitted in Christ and yet the Divine Union not dissolved Thirdly Augustine doth well shew how this may be August lib de 〈◊〉 divin when he saith Passio Christi dulcis fuit divinitatis somnus That the passion of Christ was the sweet sleep of his Divinity like as then in sleep the soul is not departed though the operation thereof be deferred so in Christs sleep upon the Cross the God-head was not separated though the working power thereof were for a time sequestred Look as the Elect Members of Christ may be forsaken though not totally or finally but ex parte in part and for a time and yet their Election remain firm still the same may be the case of our head that he was ex parte de relictus only in part forsaken and for a time always beloved for his own Innocency but for us and in our person as our pledg and Surety deserted There are two kinds of dereliction or forsaking one is for a time and in part so the Elect may be and so Christ was forsaken upon the Cross another which is total final and general and so neither Christ nor his Members never was nor never shall be forsaken Christ in the deepest anguish of his soul is upheld and sustained by his Faith My God my God whereby he sheweth his singular confidence and trust in God notwithstanding the present sense of his wrath But how can Christ be forsaken of God himself being God Quest for the Father Son and Holy-Ghost are all three but one and the same God Yea How can he be forsaken of God seeing he is the Son of God and if the Lord leave not his Children which hope and trust in him how can he forsake Christ his only begotten Son who depended upon him and his mighty power First By God here we are to understand God the Father Answ 1 the first person of the blessed Trinity according to the vulgar and common rule when God is compared with the Son or Holy-Ghost then the Father is meant by this title God not that the Father is more God than the Son for in dignity all the Three Persons are equal but they are distinguished in order only and thus the Father is the first Person the Son the Second and the Holy-Ghost the Third Secondly Our Saviours complaint that he was forsaken Answ 2 must be understood in regard of his humane Nature and not of his God-head although the God-head and Man-hood were never severed from the first time of his Incarnation but the God-head of Christ and so the God-head of the Father did not shew forth his power in his Man-hood but did as it were lye a sleep for a time that the Man-hood might suffer Thirdly Christ was not indeed utterly forsaken of Answ 3 God in regard of his humane Nature but only as it were forsaken that is Although there were some few minutes and moments in which he received no sensible consolations from the Deity yet that he was not utterly forsaken is most clear from this place where he flees unto the Lord as unto his God My God my God as also from his Resurrection the third day Fourthly Divines say that there are six kinds of dereliction Answ 4 or forsakings 1. By dis-union of person and 2. By loss of grace and 3. By diminution and weaknings of grace and 4. By want of assurance
of future deliverance and present support and 5. By denial of Protection and 6. By withdrawing of all solace and comfort Now it is foolish and impious to think that Christ was forsaken any of the first four ways for the unity of his person was never dissolved his graces were never either taken away or diminished neither was it possible that he should want Assurance of future deliverance and present support that was Eternal God and Lord of Life but the two last ways he may rightly be said to have been forsaken in that his Father denied to protect and keep him out of the hands of his cruel bloody and merciless Enemies no ways restraining them but suffering them to do the uttermost that their wicked hearts could imagine and left him to endure the extremity of their fury and malice and that nothing might be wanting to make his sorrows beyond measure sorrowful withdrew from him that solace and comfort that he was wont to find in God and removed far from him all things for a little time that might any way lessen and asswage the extremity of his pain Secondly That Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the wrath of God which was due unto us for our sins The Prophet Isa 53. 4. saith That he was plagued and smitten of God and ver 5. The chastisement of our peace was upon him To be plagued and smitten of God is to feel and suffer the stroak of his wrath And so to be chastified of God as to make peace with God or to appease him is so to suffer the wrath of God as to satisfie God and to remove it And truly how Christ should possibly escape the feeling of the wrath of God incensed against our sins he standing as a Surety for us with our sins laid upon him and for them fully to satisfie the justice of God is not Christianly or rationally imaginable And whereas some do object that Christ was always the beloved of his Father and therefore could never be the object of Gods wrath I answer By distinguishing of the person of Christ Sol. whom his Father always loved and as sustaining our sins and in our room standing to satisfie the justice of God and as so the wrath of God fell upon him and he bore it and so satisfied the justice of God that we thereby are now delivered from wrath through him So the Apostle Rom. 5. 9. Much more being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath by him 1 Thes 1. 10. And to wait for his Son from Heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus which deliverod us from the wrath to come It is a groundless conceit of some learned heads who deny the cause of Christs Agony to be the drinking of that Cup of wrath that was given to him by his Father saying That the sight of it only and of the peril he saw we were in was the cause of his Agony for the Cup was not Joh. 18. 11. only shew'd unto him and the great wrath due to our sins set before him that he should see it and tremble at the apprehension of the danger we were in but it was poured not only on him but into him that he for the sins of his Redeemed Ones should suffer it sensibly and drink it that the bitterness thereof might affect all the powers of his soul and body for the Scripture do's sufficiently testifie that not only upon the sight and apprehension of this wrath and curse coming on him the holy humane Heb. 5. 7. Nature did holily abhor it but also that he submitted to receive it upon the consideration of the divine decree and Math. 26. 38 39 42 44. 1 Cor. 6. 20. cap. 7. 23. agreement made upon the price to be paid by him and that upon the feeling of this wrath this Agony in his soul and bloody sweat of his body was brought on But how could the pourings forth of the Fathers wrath upon Quest on his innocent and dear Son consist with his Fatherly love to him c Even as the innocency and holiness of Christ could well Answ consist with his taking upon him the punishment of our sins for even the wrath of a just man inflicting capital punishment on a condemned person put case it be his own Child can well consist with Fatherly affection towards his Child suffering punishment Did you never see a Father weep over such a Son that he has corrected most severely Did you never see a Judge shed tears for those very persons that he has Condemned There is no doubt but wrath and love can well consist in God in whom affections do not war one with another nor fight with reason as it often falls among men for the affections ascribed unto God are effects rather of his holy will towards us than properly called affections in him and these effects of Gods will about us do always tend to our happiness and blessedness at last how-ever they are diverse one from another in themselves Thirdly That Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the very torments of Hell though not after a Hellish manner I readily grant that Jesus Christ did not locally descend into Hell to suffer there amongst the damned neither did he suffer Hellish darkness nor the flames of Hell nor the Worm that never dyes nor final despair nor guilt of Conscience nor gnashing of teeth nor impatient indignation nor eternal separation from God these things were absolutely inconsistent with the holiness purity and dignity of his person and with the office of a Mediator and Redeemer But yet I say that our Lord Jesus Christ did suffer in his Soul for our sins such pain horror terror agony and consternation as amounted unto cruciatus infernales and are in Scripture called The sorrows of Hell The sorrows of Hell did compass me about or the Psal 18. 5. cords of Hell did compass me about such as wherewith they bind Malefactors when they are led forth to Execution Now these sorrows these cords of Hell were the things that extorted from him that passionate expostulation My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Math. 27. 46. Christs sufferings were unspeakable and somewhat answerable to the pains of Hell Hence the Greek Letany By thine unknown sufferings good Lord deliver us Funinus an Italian Martyr being asked by one why he was so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. and Mon. fol. 853. merry at his death sith Christ himself was so sorrowful Christ said he sustained in his soul all the sorrows and conflicts with Hell and death due to us by whose sufferings we are delivered from sorrow and the fear of them all It was a great saying of a very learned man that setting Iniquity and Eternity of punishment aside which Christ might not sustain Christ did more vehemently and sharply feel the wrath of God then ever any man did or shall no not any person reprobated and damned excepted and certainly the reason annexed
Wife that were taken Prisoners by Cyrus was asked among other things what Ransom he would give for his Wife he answered He would Redeem her liberty with his own life but having prevailed as they returned together every one commended Cyrus for a goodly man and Tygranes would needs know of his Wife What she thought of him Truly said she I cannot tell for I did not so much as look on him or see him whom then said he wondring did you look upon Whom should I look upon replyed she but him that would have Redeemed my liberty with his own life So every Believer should esteem nothing 1 Cor. 6. 20. Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Plutarch in vita Tit. Flam worth a looking on but that Jesus who hath Redeemed him with his own blood Plutarch tells us That when Titus Flaminius had freed the poor Graecians from the bondage with which they had been long ground by their oppressions and the Herald was to proclaim in their Audience the Articles of peace he had concluded for them they so pressed upon him not being half of them able to hear that he was in great danger to have lost his life in the press at last reading them a second time when they came to understand distinctly how that their case stood they so shooted for joy crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour a Saviour that they made the very Heavens ring again with their acclamations and the very Birds fall down astonisht And all that night the poor Graecians with Instruments of Musick and Songs of praise danced and sang about his Tent extolling him as a God that had delivered them But O then what infinite cause have we to exalt and cry up our dear Lord Jesus who by the Hellish sorrows that he suffered for us hath freed us from that more dreadful bondage of sin Satan and wrath that we lay under O! prize that Jesus O! exalt that Christ O! extol that Saviour who has saved you from that eternal wrath that all the Angels in Heaven and all the men on Earth could never have saved you from The name of Jesus saith one hath a thousand Chrysostom Dulce namen Christi Treasures of joy and comfort in it and is therefore used by Paul five hundred times as some have observed The name of a Saviour saith another is Hony in the Mouth and Musick in the Ears and a Jubile in the Heart Were Bernard Christ in your bosom as a flower of delight for he is a whole Paradise of delight saith one I had rather saith Justin Martyr Lâ—ther another be in Hell with Christ than in Heaven without him for Christ is the Crown of Crowns the glory of glorys and the Heaven of Heaven One saith That he Austin would willingly go thorow Hell to Christ Another saith He Bernard had rather be in his Chimny corner with Christ than in Heaven without him One cryed out I had rather have one Christ than a thousand worlds Jesus in the China tongue signifies the rising Sun and such a rising Sun was he to Julius Palmer that when all concluded that he was dead Mal. 4 2. being turned as black as a coal in the fire at last he moved his scorched lips and was heard to say Sweet Jesus It was an excellent answer of one of the Martyrs when he was offered riches and honours if he would recant Do but said he offer me somwhat that is better than my Lord Jesus Christ and you shall see what I will say to you Now O! that the Hellish sorrows and sufferings of Christ for us might raise in all our hearts such a high estemation and such a deep admiration as hath been raised in those worthies last mentioned It was a sweet prayer of him who thus prayed Lord make thy Son dear very dear exceeding dear and only dear and precious to me When ever we seriously think of the great and sore sufferings of 2. All the Hell Socinians grant is Annihilation by reason it is said they shall be destroyed vide Socinus Racoucat Crellius Bidle Richardson c. Christ it will be good to pray as he prayed But Secondly If Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the very torments of Hell though not after a Hellish manner then let me infer that certainly there is a Hell a place of torment provided and prepared for all wicked and ungodly persons Danaeus reckons up no less than nineteen several sorts of Hereticks that denyed it and are there not many erronious and deluded persons that stoutly and daily assert that there is no Hell but what men feel in their own Consciences Ah how many are there that rejoyce Jer. 11. 15. Prov. 2. 14. Isa 65. 3. 2 Thes 2. 11. Math. 25. 41. Isa 30. 33. to do evil and delight in their abominations and take pleasure in unrighteousness But could men do thus durst men do thus did they really believe that Hell was prepared and fitted for them and that the fiery Lake was but a little before them Heaven is a place where all is joyful and Hell is a place where all is doleful in Heaven there is nothing but happiness and in Hell there is nothing but heaviness nothing but endless easeless and remediless torments Did men believe this how could they go so merrily on in the way to Hell Cato once said to Caesar credo quae deniferis dicuntur falsa esse existimas I believe that thou thinkest all that is said of Hell to be false and fabulous So I may say to many in this day Surely you think that all that is spoken and written of Hell is but a story Don't you look upon the people of God to be of all men the most miserable and your selves of all men the most happy Yes O! but how can this be did you really believe that there was a Heaven for the Righteous and a Hell for the Wicked 'T is an Italian Proverb Qui venetias non vidit non credit c. He who hath not seen Venice will not believe and he who hath not lived some time there doth not understand what a City it is this in a sense is true of Hell But now for the Qâ—d sit that there is a Hell that there is such a place of misery prepared and appointed for the wicked I shall briefly demonstrate against the high Atheists and Socinians of this day and therefore thus First God Created Angels and Men after his own Image Man must be so much honoured as to be made like God and no Creature must be so much honoured as to be made like man The pattern after which man was made is somtimes called Image alonâ— So God Created Gen. 1. 27. man in his own Image in the Image of God Created he him Somtimes likeness alone In the day that God created man in the holiness of God made he him sometimes Gen. 5. 1. both Let us make man in our Image
sufferings of Hell are eternal Certainly Infernal fire is neither tolerable nor terminable Impenitent Sinners in There is no Christian which doth doth not believe the fire of Hell to be everlasting Dr. Jackson on the Creed l. 11. c. 3. Hell shall have end without end death without death night without day mourning without mirth sorrow without solace and bondage without liberty the damned shall live as long in Hell as God Himself shall live in Heaven their imprisonment in that land of darkness in that bottomless pit is not an imprisonment during the Kings pleasure but an imprisonment during the everlasting displeasure of the King of Kings Suppose say some that the whole world were turned to a Mountain of Sand and that a little Wren should come every thousand year and carry away from that heap one grain of Sand what an infinite number of years not to be numbred by all finite beings would be spent and expired before this supposed Mountain could be fetcht away Now if a man should lye in everlasting burnings so long a time and then have an end of his Woe it would administer some ease refreshment and comfort to him but when that immortal Bird shall have carryed away this supposed Mountain a thousand times over and over alass alass sinful man shall be as far from the end of his anguish and torment as ever he was he shall be no neerer a coming out of Hell then he was the very first moment that he entred into Hell If the fire of Hell were terminable it might be tolerable but being endless it must needs be easeless Bellar de arte moâ—iendi l. 2. c. 3. and remediless we may well say of it as one doth O killing Life O immortal death Suppose say others that a man were to endure the torments of Hell as many years and no more as there be Sands on the Sea-shore drops of water in the Sea Stars in Heaven Leavs on Trees Piles of Grass on the ground Hairs on his head yea upon the heads of all the Sons of Adam that ever were or are or shall be in the world from the beginning of it to the end of it yet he would comfort himself with this poor thought Well there will come a day when my misery and torment shall certainly have an end But wo and alass this word Never Never Never will fill the hearts of the Damned with the greatest horror and terror wrath and rage amazement and astonishment Suppose say others that the torments of Hell were to end after a little Bird should have emptyed the Sea and only carry out her bill full once in a thousand years Suppose say others that the whole world from the lowest Earth to the highest Heavens were filled with grains of Sand and once in a thousand years an Angel should fetch away one grain and so continue till the whole heap were spent Suppose say others if one of the Damned in Hell should weep after this manner viz. That he should only let fall one tear in a thousand years and these should be kept together till such time as they should equal the drops of water in the Sea how many millions of Ages would pass before they could make up one River much more a whole and when that were done should he weep again after the same manner till he had filled a second a third and a fourth Sea if then there should be an end of their miseries there would be some hope some comfort that they would end at last but that they shall Never Never Never end This is that which sinks them under the most tormenting terrors and horrors You know that the extremity and eternity of Hellish torments is set forth by the Worm that never dyes and it is observable that Christ at the close of his Sermon makes a threefold repetition of this Worm Mark 9. 44. where their Worm dyeth not and again ver 48. where their Worm dyeth not and their fire goeth not out Certainly those punishments are beyond all conception and expression which our Lord Jesus doth so often inculcate within so small a pace Now if there be such a diversity extremity and eternity of Hellish pains and torments which the great God will certainly inflict upon the bodys and souls of all impenitent persons after the day of Judgment then there must certainly be some Hell some place of torment wherein the wrath of God shall be executed upon wicked and ungodly men But Sixthly The greatest part of wicked and ungodly men escape unpunished in this world the greatest number of men do spend their days in Pride ease pleasures and delights in Lust and Luxury in Voluptuousness Psal 73 3. to the 13. ver Job 21. 12. Amos 5. 6. and Wantonness They take the Timbrel and Harp and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ They chant to the sound of the Vial and invent themselves Instruments of Musick They drink Wine in bowls They lye upon beds of vers 3 Ivory and stretch themselves upon their Couches and eat the Lambs out of the Flock and the Calves out of the midst of the Stall and therefore there will be a time when these shall be punished in another world God doth not punish all here that he may make way Rom 2. 4 5. 2 Pet. 3 9. 15. vers for the displaying of his mercy and goodness his patience and forbearance Nor doth he forbear all here that he may manifest his Justice and Righteousness lest the World should turn Atheist and deny his Providence He spares that he may punish and he punisheth that he may spare God smites some Sinners in the very acting of their sins as he did Korah Dathan and Abiâ—am Num. 16. and others not till they have fill'd up the measure of their sins as you see in the men of the old World Gen. 6. 5 6 7. But the greatest number of sinners God reserves for the Math. 7. 13 great day of his Wrath. There is a sure punishment though not always a present punishment for every Sinner Eccles 8 12 13. Those wicked persons which God suffers to go uncorrected here He reserves to be punished for ever hereafter 2 Thes 1 7 8 9 10. Sinners know your Doom you must either smart for your sins in this world or in the world to come That Ancient hit the mark that said Many sins are punished in this World that the providence of God might be more Augustin Epist 54. apparent and many yea most reserved to be punished in the World to come that we might know that there is yet Judgment behind Sir James Hambleton having been Murdered by the Mr. Knox in his History of Scotland Scotish Kings means he appeared to the King in a Vision with a naked Sword drawn and strikes off both his arms with these words Take this before thou receivest a final payment for all thy impieties and within twenty-four hours two of the Kings Sons
accordingly pouring down on his head the whole curse and all those dreadful punishments which are threatened in it against sin for the curse followeth sin as the shadow the body whether it be sin inherent or sin imputed even as the blessing follows righteousness whether it be righteousness inherent or righteousness imputed But Fifthly He that did feel and suffer the very torments of Hell though not after a hellish manner was God-man Christ participates of both natures being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man God-man such a Mediator sinners needed no Mediator but such a one who hath interest in both parties could serve their turns or save their souls and such a one is the Lord Jesus he hath an interest in both parties and he has an interest in both natures the God-head and the man hood The blessed Scriptures are so express and clear in these points that they must shut their eyes with a witness against the light that can't see Christ to be God man to be God and man I shall first speak something of Christ as he is God Now here are fathomless depths and bottomless 1 Pet. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifies to look wishly and intently as the Cherâ—biâ—â—s of old look'd into the Mercy-Seat Exod. 25. 18 19 It signifie prying into a thing over-veiled and hidden from â—ight to look as we say wishly at it as if we would look even through it bottoms if I may so speak here are stupendious and amazing mysteries astonishing and confounding excellencies such as the holy Angels themselves desire to pry into God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwelling in accessible light 1 Tim. 6. 16. Here are such beauties and perfections that had I as the Poet speaks a hundred tongues a hundred mouths and a voice of steel yet I could not sufficiently describe them Nevertheless give me lieve to say something concerning our Lord Jesus Christ who is one eternal God with the Father and with the Holy Ghost I might produce a cloud of witnesses in the case but it is enough that we have the Authority of the sacred Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament confirming of it and therefore I shall lay down some proofs or demonstrations of the eternal Godhead of Christ which I shall draw out of the blessed Scripture This is a point of high concernment that Christ is God so high as whosoever buildeth not upon this buildeth upon the Sands This is the rock of our Salvation The word was God Concerning John 1. 1. this important point consider First That the Godhead of Christ is clearly asserted and manifested both in the Old and New Testament Take a taste of some of those many Scriptures which might be cited Isa 43. 10. 11 12. That ye may know Compare these Scriptures of the Old Testament with these in the New Heb. 1. 2 3. 1 John 1. 7. Aâ—s 4. 12. Eph. 4. 8. Râ—m 9. 30. Jer. 33. 23. Psal 6. 68 18 19 20. and believe and understand that I am he I even I am Jehovah and besides me there is no Saviour And Isa 41. 21. 22 23 24 25. There is no God else besides me A just God and Saviour there is none besides me Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else To me every knee shall bow In Jehovah have I righteousness In Jehovah shall the seed of Israel be justified Compare this with Rom. 14. 10 11. And the Socinians may as safely conclude that there is no other God but Jesus Christ as they may conclude that there is no God but God the Father from the seventeenth of John But they and we ought to conclude from these Scriptures that Jesus Christ is not a different God from the Father but is one and the same God with him so he is called The mighty God The everlasting Father Isa 9. 6. Take a few clear places out of the New Testament as that in Rom. 9. 5. Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever more Christ is here himself called God blessed for ever So Tit. 2. 13. Looking for that hope and the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Who is it that shall appear at the last day in the clouds but Christ who is called the great God and our Saviour God blessed for ever saith Paul to the Romans The great God saith Paul to Titus 1 John 5. 20. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life Phil. 2. 6. He was in the form of God and thought it no robbery to be equal with God And Coloss 2. 9. In him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily John 20. 28. My Lord and my God 1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifested in the flesh To which of Heb. 1. 1. the Saints or Angels did God say at any time thou art my Son The Heir of all things the illustrious brightness of my Glory and lively character of my person Thy Throne oh God is for ever and ever and all the Angels of God shall worship thee Certainly he who is Gods own proper natural consubstantial coessential only begotten Son he is God where ever this Sonship is there 's the Deity or the Divine Essence Now Christ is thus Gods son therefore he is God What the Father is as to his nature that the Son must also be now the first person the Father of Christ is God whereupon he too who is the Son must be God also A Son always participates of his Fathers essence there is betwixt them evermore an Identity and oneness of nature if therefore Christ be Gods Son as is most evident throughout the Scripture he is then he must needs have that very nature and essence which God the Father hath insomuch that if the second person be not really a God the first person is but equivocally a Father These Scriptures out of the Old and New Testament are so evident and pregnant to prove the Godhead of Christ that they need no illustration yea they speak so fully for the Divinity of Christ that all the Arians and Socinians in the world do but in vain go about to elude them But Secondly Let us ponder seriously upon these Scriptures John 3. 13. And no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven v. 31. He that cometh from above is above all he that cometh from Heaven is above all John 8. 23. Ye are from beneath I am from above John 16. 28. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world and again I leave the world and go to the Father Now from these blessed Scriptures we may
82. 16. are nor by office and Title only as Magistrates are called Gods nor catachrestically and Ironically as the Heathen Gods are called nor a diminutive God inferiour to the Father as Arrius held but God by nature every way co-essential co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and the Holy Ghost Hold fast all truth but above all hold fast this glorious truth that Jesus Christ is God blessed for ever The Eourth name or Title which denotes the Essence of God is El Gibbor The strong and mighty God God is not only strong in his own Essence but he is also strong in the defence of his people and it is he that giveth all 2 Chron. 16. 9. strength and power to all other creatures There are no men no powers that are a match for the strong God Now this Title is also attributed to Christ Isa 9. 6. El Gibbor the strong God the mighty God The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying God doth also signify strong he is so strong that he is almighty he is one to whom nothing is impossible Christ's name is God for he is the same Essence with God the Father this Title the mighty God fitteth well to Christ who hath all the names of the Deity given to him in Scripture and who by the strength and power of his God-head did satisfie the justice of God and pacifie the wrath of God and make peace and purchase pardon and eternal life for all his Elect. The Fifth name or Title which denotes the Essence of God is El Shaddai God omnipotent or all-sufficient he wanteth nothing but is infinitely blessed with the infinite Gen. 17. 1. perfection of his glorious being by this name God makes himself known to be self-sufficient all-sufficient absolutely perfect certainly that man can want nothing who hath an all-sufficient God for his God he that loseth his all for God shall find all in an all-sufficient God Mat. 19. â—9 Esau had much but Jacob had all because he had the Gen. 33. 9. 11. God of all Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia what are Riches Honours Pleasures Profits Lands Friends Augustin This name Shaddai belongeth only to the God-head and to no creature no not to the humanity of Christ yea millions of worlds to one Shaddai God Almighty God All-sufficient This glorious name Shaddai was a noble bottom for Abraham to act his faith upon though in things above nature or against it c. He that is El Shaddai is perfectly able to defend his Servants from all evil and to bless them with all spiritual and temporal blessings and to perform all his promises which concern both this life and that which is to come Now this name this Title Shaddai is attributed to Christ as you may clearly see by comparing Gen. 35. 6 9 10 11. and Gen. 32. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. with Hosea 12. 3 4 5. That Angel that appeared to Jacob See my Treatise on Closet-Prayer opening that Gen. 3â— and that 12. Hâ—s pag. 48 49 50 51. where you haâ—e four Arguments to prove that Jesus Christ is the Angel the man that is there spoken of c. was Christ the Angel of the Covenant Mark you shall never find either God the Father or the Holy Ghost called an Angel in Scripture nor was this a created Angel for then Jacob would never have made supplication to him but he was an uncreated Angel even the Lord of Hosts the almighty God who spake with Jacob in Bethel He that in this divine story is said to be a man was the Son of God in humane shape as is most evident by the whole narration The Angel in the Text is the same Angel that conducted the Israelites in the Wilderness and fought their battels for them Exod. 3. 2. Act. 7. 30. 1. Cor. 10. 4 5 9. even Jesus Christ who is stiled once and again the Almighty Rev. 1. 8. cap. 4. 8. In this last Scripture is acknowledged Christ's Holiness Power and God-head Ah Christians when will you once learn to set one Almighty Christ against all the mighty ones of the world that you may bear up bravely and stoutly against their rage and wrath and go on chearfully and resolutely in the way of your duty The sixth name or Title is Adonai my Lord. Though this name Adonai be given sometimes analogically to creatures yet properly it belongs to God above this name is often used in the old Testament and in Mal. 1. 6. it is used in the plural number to note the mystery of the holy Trinity If I be Adonim Lords where is my fear some derive the word Adonai from a word in the Hebrew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies judicare to judg because God is the Judg of the world others derive it from a word which signifies Basis a foundation intimating that God is the upholder of all things as the foundation of a house is the support of the whole building Now this name is given to Christ Dan. 9. 17. Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate for Adonai the Lord Christ sake Daniel pleads here no merits of their own but the merits and mediation of the Messias whom God hath made both Lord and Christ So Aâ—â—s 2. 36. Luk. 1. 4â— cap. 2. 11 12. Heb. 1. 13. Psal 110. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine Enemies thy footstool Christ applies these words to himself as you may see in that Mat. 22. 24. Jehovah said that is God the Father said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 La-adoni unto my Lord that is to Christ sit thou at my right hand sit thou with me in my Throne it notes the Math. 28. 13. John 3. 35. advancement of Christ as he was both God and man in one person to the supremest place of power and authority of honour and heavenly glory God's right hand notes a place of equal power and authority with God even that Epâ—â— 1. 21. Heb. 1. 3. Luk. 22. 69. he should be advanced far above all principallity and power and might and dominion Christs reign over the whole world is sometimes called The right hand of the Majesty and sometimes the right hand of the power of God until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool This implies 1. That Jesus Christ hath ever had and will have enemies even to the end of the world 2. Victory a perfect Conquest over them Conquerours used to make their enemies their foot-stool Those proud enemies of Christ who now set up their Crests face the heavens and strut it out against him even those shall be brought under his feet 3. It implies ignominy the lowest subjection Sapores King of Persia overcoming the Emperour Valerian in battel used his back for a stirrup when he got upon his horse and so Tamberlane served Bajazet 4. The foot-stool is a piece of State and both raiseth and easeth him that
sits on the the Throne so Christ will both raise himself and ease himself by that vengeance that he will take on his enemies c. Now from thâ—se divine Names and Titles which are given to Jesus Christ we may thus argue He to whom the incommunicable Titles of the most high God are attributed he is the most high God but the incommunicable Titles of the most high God are attributed unto Christ ergo he is the most high God But Fourthly Christ's eternal Deity Coequality and Consubstantiality with the father may be demonstrated from his divine Properties and Attributes I shall shew you for the opening of this that the glorious Attributes of God are ascribed to the Lord Jesus I shall begin First with the Eternity of God God is an eternal God 1. Eternity is taken three ways 1 Proâ—â—â—â— preâ—â—rly so it nâ—teth to be withâ—ut beginning and end so God only is eternal 2. Improprie impâ—â—perly so it noteth to have a beginning but no ending so Angels so the souls of meâ— are eternal 3. Aâ—usive so some things are said to be eternal which have had a beginning shall also have an end they are called eternal in respect of their long continuance and duration so ciâ—â—â—â—â—iâ—on and other Mosaical ceremonies were called eternal or everlasting From everlasting to everlasting thou art God Psal 90. 2. The eternal God is thy refuge Deut. 33. 27. He inhabits eternity Isa 57. 15. He is called the Ancient of days Dan. 7. 9. And he is said to be everlasting and to be King of old Psal 74 12. this sheweth he had no beginning In respect of his eternity after time he is called the everlasting God Rom. 16. 26. An everlasting King 1 Tim. 1. 17. That there is no succession or priority or posteriority in God but that he is from everlasting to everlasting the same we may see Psal 102. 26 27. The heavens shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall have no end There is no succession or variation in God but he is eternally the same Eternity is an interminable being and duration before any time and boyond all time it is a fixed duration without beginning or ending The Eternity of God is beyond all possible conception of measure or time God ever was ever is and ever shall be Though the manifestations of himself unto the Creatures are in time yet his Essence or being never did nor shall be bound up by time look backward or forward God from eternity to eternity is a most self-sufficient infinite perfect blessed being the first cause of our being and without any cause of his own being an eternal infinite fulness and possession to himself and of himself what Gid is he was from Eternity and what God is he will be so to eternity O this glorious attribute drops myrth and mercy oyl and honey Now this attribute of eternity is ascribed to Jesus Christ John 1. 1. In the beginning was the word was notes some former duration therefore we conclude that he was before the beginning before any creation or creatures for it is said he was God in the beginning and his divine nature whereby he works is eternal Heb. 9. 14. He is the first and last Rev. 1. 17. hence it is that he is called the first-born of every creature because he who created all and upholds all hath power to command and dispose of all as the first born had power to command the family or kingdom Colos 1. 15 16 17. compare Isa 44. 6. with Rev. 22. 13. Joh. 17. 5. Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory I had with thee before the world was Such glory had the Lord Christ with his father viz. in the heavens and that before the world was this he had not only in regard of Destinátion being predestinated to it by God his father as Grotius would evade it but in regard of actual possession The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way saith Christ the son of God Prov. 8. 22. And as his father possessed him so he John 8. â—8 John 17. 24. Rev. 1. 8. 17. Heb. 1. 10. 11. 12. cap. 7. 3. Isa 9. 6. c. Christ is without beginning of days or end of time and without all bounds of precession or succession was possessed of the self-same glory with his Father before the world was from Eternity His goings forth have been from of old from everlasting from the days of Eternity saith the Prophet Micah speaking of the Messiah Mic. 5. 2. See the Eternity of Christ farther confirmed by the Scriptures in the margent But Secondly As the Attribute of Eternity is ascribed to Christ so the Attribute of Omniscience is ascribed to 2. Chrysostom Christ and this speaks out the Godhead of Christ he knows all things John 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things present and future what I now am and what I shall be saith one on the words John 2. 25. He needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man Shall Artificers know the nature and properties of their works and shall not Christ know the hearts of men which are the work of his own hands Rev. 2. 23. And all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts Now of all a man's inwards the heart and the reins are the most inward Christ is nearer to us than we are to our selves the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendred searcheth signifies to search with the greatest seriousness exactness and diligence that can be the word is metaphorically taken from such as use to search in Mines Mat. 9. 24. and cap. 12. 25. Luk. 5. 22. cap. 6. 18. Luk. 11. 17. and cap. 24. 38. c. for Silver and Gold He is also frequently said to know the thoughts of men and that before they bewrayed themselves by any outward expressions Now this is confessedly God 's peculiar God which knoweth the hearts 15. 8. He is the wisdom of the father 1 Cor. 1. 24. He knows the father and doth according to his will reveal the secrets of his father's bosom the bosom is the seat of love and secrecy John 1. 18. men admit those into their bosoms with whom they impart all their secrets the breast is the place of Counsels that is Christ revealeth the secret and mysterious Counsels and the tender compassionate affections of the father to the world Being in the bosom implyeth communication of secrets the bosom is a place for them it is a speech of Tully to a friend that had betrusted him with a secret crede mihi c. believe me saith he what thou hast committed to me it is in my bosom still I am not ungirt to
third branch to this distinction and maketh it more plain by saying That all things that were made are either visible or invisible or mixt visible as the Stars and Fouls and Clouds of Heaven the Fish in the Sea and Beasts upon the Earth Invisible things as the Angels they also were made Then there is a third sort of creatures which are of a mixt nature partly visible in regard of their bodies and partly invisible in regard of their souls and those are Men Eph. 2. 9. who created all things by Jesus Christ Heb. 1. 2. He hath in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds This may seem somewhat difficult because he speaketh of worlds whereas we acknowledg but one but this seeming difficulty you may easily get over if you please but to consider the persons to whom he writes which were Hebrews whose custom it was to stile God Rabboni Dominus mundorum the Lord of the worlds They were wont to speak of three worlds The lower world the higher world and the middle world The lower world containeth the Elements Earth and Water and Air and Fire The higher world that containeth the Heaven of the blessed And the middle world that containeth the starry Heaven They now being acquainted with this language and the Apostle writing to them he saith that God by Christ made the worlds those worlds which they were wont to speak so frequently of And whereas one scruple might arise from that expression in the Ephesians God created all things By Jesus Christ and this to the Hebrews By whom he made the worlds As if Christ were only an instrument in the Creation and not the principal efficient Therefore another place in this chapter will clear it which speaketh of Christ as the principal Efficient of all things Heb. 1. compare the 8th and 10th verses together To the son he saith thy throne O God is for ever and ever then Christ is God then And thou Lord vers 10. hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thy hands Namely thine that is the Son which he spake of before Christ is the principal Efficient of the Creation and in this sence it is said by him were all things made not as by an instrument but as by the chief Efficient 6. The preservation and sustentation of all things Colos 1. 17. by him all things consist They would soon fall asunder had not Christ undertaken to uphold the shattered condition thereof by the word of his power All creatures that are made are preserved by him in being life and motion Heb. 1. 3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power Both in respect of being excellencies and operations sin had hurled confusion over the world which would have fallen about Adam's ears had not Christ undertaken the shattered condition thereof to uphold it He keeps the world together saith one as the hoops do the barrel Christ bears up all things continuing to the several creatures their being ordering and governing them and this he doth by the word of his power by this word he made the world He spake and it was done And by this word he governeth the world by his own mighty word the word of his power both these are divine actions and being ascribed unto Christ evidence him to be no less than God Now from what has been said we may thus argue He to whom those actions are ascribed which are proper to the most high God he is the most high God but such actions or works are ascribed to Christ ergo he is the most high God But Sixthly Christ's eternal Deity may be demonstrated from that divine honour and worship that is due to him and by Angels and Saints given unto him The Apostle sheweth Gal. 4. 8. That religious worship ought to be performed to none but to him that is God by nature and that they are ignorant of the true God who religiously worship them that are no Gods by nature and therefore This is a clear full evidence that Jesus Christ is and must be more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mere mâ—n or yet a divine man as Doctor Lusâ—ing â—n stiles him in Heb. 7. 22. vers if Christ were not God by nature and consubstantial with the father we ought not to perform religious worship to him Divine worship is due to the second person of this coessential Trinity to Jesus Christ our Lord and God There is but one immediate formal proper adequate and fundamental reason of divine worship or adorability as the schools speak and that is the soveraign supreme singular majesty independent and infinite excellency of the eternal Godhead for by divine worship we do acknowledge and declare the infinite majesty truth wisdom goodness and glory of our blessed God we do not esteem any thing worthy of divine honour and worship which hath but a finite and created glory because divine honour is proper and peculiar to the only true God who will not give his glory to any other who is not God God alone is the adequate object of divine faith hope love and worship because these graces are all exercised and this worship performed in acknowledgment of his infinite perfection and independent excellency and therefore no such worship can be due to any creature or thing below God There is not one kind of divine honour due to the father and another to the son nor one degree of honour due to the father and another to the son for there can be no degrees imaginable in one and the same excellency which is single because infinite and what is infinite doth excel and transcend all degrees and bounds And if there be no degrees in the ground and adequate reason of divine worship there can be no reason or ground of a difference of degrees in the worship it self The father and the son are one one in power excellency nature Jâ—hn 10. 30. one God and therefore to be honoured with the same worship That all men should honour the son even as John 5. 23. they honour the father every tongue must confess that Jesus Christ who is man is God also and therefore equal Pâ—il 2. 6 11 12. to his father and it can be no robbery no derogation to the father's honour for us to give equal honour to him and his coequal son who subsists in the form of God in the nature of God Thus you see the divine nature the infinite excellency of Jesus Christ is an undeniable ground of this coequal honour and therefore the worship due to Christ as God the same God with his father is the very same worship both for kind and degree which is due to the father But for the further and clearer opening of this consider First that all inward worship is due to Christ as 1. Believing on him Faith is a worship which belongs only to God
of the Mediator because of his fulness we all receive grace for grace and herein sheweth the unity of Essence in the holy Trinity and community of Power Wisdom Sanctity Truth Eternity Glory Majesty such is the strict union of the persons of the blessed Trinity that there is among them a perfect communion in all things for all things that the father hath are mine And let thus much suffice for the proof of the Godhead of Christ Concerning the Manhood of Christ let me say that as he is very God so he is very man 1 Tim. 2. 5. The man Christ Jesus Christ is true man but not mere man verus sed non merus The word is not to be taken exclusively as denying the Divine Nature Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both God and man sometimes denominated from the one nature and sometimes from the other sometimes called God and sometimes man yet so as he is truly both and in that respect fitly said to be a Mediator betwixt God and men having an interest in and participating of both natures This Title THE SON OF MAN is given to Christ in the New Testament four score and eight times The design being not only to express a man according to the Syrian Dialect then used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bar Nosho nor only to express Christ's Humanity who was truly man in all things like unto us sin only excepted nor only to intimate his humility by calling himself so often by this humble name but also to tell us to what a high honour God hath raised our nature in him and to confute their Imaginations who denied him to be very Man Flesh Blood and Bones as we truly are and who held that whatever he was and whatever he did and whatever he suffered was only seeming and in appearance and not real and to lead us to that original promise the first that was made to Mankind The seed of the woman shall bruise Gen. 3. 15. the serpent's head that so he might intimate saith Epiphanius that himself was the party meant intended and foretold of by all the Prophets who was to come into the world to all nations in the world Jews and Gentiles originally a like descended of the woman who both had a like interest in the woman and her seed though the Rom. 3. 1 2. Jews did and might challenge greater propriety in the seed of Abraham than the Gentiles could but they having been a long time as it were God's Favourites a selected People a chosen Nation did wholly appropriate Exod. 19 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. the Messias to themselves and would endure no co-partners nor that any should have any right title or interest in him but themselves and therefore they would never talk otherwise than of the Messias the King of Israel the son of David never naming him once the light of the Isa 42. 6. Isai 3. 6. Isai 63. 5. Gen. 3. 15. Luk. 3. 23. to the end Gentiles the expectation of the Gentiles the hope and desire of the eternal hills the hope of all the ends of the earth the seed of the woman the son of man as descending from Eve extracted from Adam and allied unto all Mankind And it is observable that the Evangelist Luke at the story of Christ's Baptism when he was to be installed into his Ministry and had that glorious testimony from Heaven deriveth his Pedigree up to the first Adam the better to draw all men's eyes to that first promise concerning the seed of the woman and to cause them to own him for that seed there promised and for that effect that is there mentioned of dissolving the works of Satan And as that Evangelist giveth that hint when he is now entring this quarrel with Satan even in the entrance of his Ministry so doth he very frequently and commonly by this very Phrase give the same intimation for the same purpose no sooner had Nathaniel proclaimed him the son of God John 1. 49. Nathaniel answered and said unto him Rabbi thou art the son of God thou art the king of Israel but he instantly titles himself THE SON OF MAN vers 51. not only to shew his humanity for that Nathaniel was assured of by the words of Philip who calls him Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph vers 45. but also to draw the thoughts of the hearers to the first promise and to work them to look for a full recovery of all that by the second Adam which was lost in the first Though the gates of Heaven were shut against the first Adam by reason of his fall yet were they open to the second Adam vers 51. And he saith unto him verily verily I say unto you This double Asseveration verily verily puts the matter beyond all doubt and controversie hereafter you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man the Jacob's He alludes to Jacob's Ladder Gen 28. 12. v. Ladder the Bridg that joyneth Heaven and Earth together as Gregory hath it This 51. vers doth greatly illustrate Christ's glory and farther confirm believers saith that Christ is Lord of Angels even in his state of humiliation and hath them ready at his call as he or his people shall need their service to move from earth to heaven and from heaven to earth This Title THE SON OF MAN shews that the Son of God was also the son of man and that he delighted to be so and therefore doth so often take this Title to himself THE SON OF MAN Now concerning the Manhood of Christ the Prophet plainly speaks Isa 9. 6. Vnto us a child is born and unto us a son was given Parvulus a child that noteth his humanity Filius a son that noteth his Deity parvulus a child even man of the substance of his mother born in the Mat. 1. 25. world filius a son even God of the substance of his father begotten before the world Parvulus a child behold Prov. 8. 22. to the end Luk. 2. 7. his humility she brought forth her first born Son and wrapped him in swadling-cloaths and laid him in a manger Filius a son behold his dignity when he bringeth in his first begotten son into the world he saith and let all the Angels of God worship him to prove that he was Heb. 1. 6. v. man 't is enough to say that he was born he lived he died God became man by a wonderful unspeakable and unconceivable union Behold God is offended by man's affecting and coveting his wisdom and his glory for that was the Devil's temptation to our first parents ye shall Gen. 3. 5. be as Gods and man is redeemed by God's assuming and taking his frailty and his infirmity man would be as God and so offended him and therefore God becomes man and so redeemeth him Christ as man came of Acts 17. 31. Isa 7. 14. the race of Kings As man he shall judg the world
that were wrought by Christ and to that sight that they had of his glory in the Mount Mâ—t. 17. Aâ—â—s 1. and to his Resurrection and visible ascension into the highest heaven he alludes to the familiar conversation which the Apostles had with Christ for about three years and also to that touching when after the Resurrection Christ offered himself to the Apostles that believed not in him to touch him The truth of these things were confirmed Luk. 24. to them by three senses hearing seeing handling the latter still surer than the former and this proves Christ to be true man as his being from the beginning sets out his Deity Christ had also those natural affections passions infirmities which are proper to a body as hunger Mat. 4. 2. When he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterwards an hungerd All Christ's Actions are for our instruction not all for our imitation Matthew expresly makes mention of nights lest it should be thought to be such a fast as that of the Jews who fasted in the day and did eat at the evening and in the Chemnit night He would not extend his fast above the term of Moses and Elias lest he should have seemed to have appeared only and not to have been a true man he was hungry not because his fasting wrought upon him but Hilar. because God leâ—t man to his own nature It seems Christ felt no hunger till the forty days and forty nights were expired but was kept by the power of the Deity as the three children or rather Champions from feeling the heat of Dan. 3. 27. the fire Christ fasted forty days and forty nights and not longer lest he might be thought not to have a true humane body for Moses and Elias had fasted thus long before but never did any man fast longer When Christ began to be hungry the tempter came to him not when he was fasting the Devil is cunning and will take all the advantage he can upon us during the forty days and forty nights the Devil stood doubtful and durst not assault the Lord Jesus partly because of that voice he heard from heaven This is my beloved son in whom I am well Mat. 3. 17. pleased and partly because his forty days and forty nights fast did portend some great thing but now seeing Christ to be hungry he impudently assaults him Christ was not hungry all the forty days but after he was hungry to shew he was man Some think that Christ by his hunger did objectively allure Satan to tempt him that so he might overcome him as souldiers sometimes feign a running away that they may the better allure their enemies closely to pursue them that so they may cut them off either by an Ambush or by an orderly facing about so the Devil tempted Christ as man not knowing him to be God or if he did know him to be God Christ did as it were encourage his cowardly enemy that durst not set upon him as God shewing himself to be man And as Christ was hungry so Christ was thirsty John 4. 7. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water Jesus saith unto her give me to drink here you see that he that is rich 2 Cor. S. 9. Psal 104. 27. v. and Lord of all became poor for us that he might make us rich and he that gives to all the creatures their meat in due season he begs water of a poor Tankerd-bearer to refresh himself in his weariness and thirst John 19. 28. Jesus saith I thirst bleeding breeds thirsting sleeping Mat. 8. 24. he was asleep to shew the truth of the humane nature and the weakness of his Disciples faith Christ was in a fast and dead sleep for so much the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies his senses were well and fast bound as if he had no operation of life and therefore the Disciples are said to raise him as it were from the dead The same Greek word is used in many places where mention is made of the Resurrection as you may see by comparing John 2. 19. Mat 27. 52. 1 Cor. 15. 12. the Scriptures in the margent together He was asleep 1. By reason of his labour in preaching and journey he slept 2. To shew forth the truth of his humane nature some think the Devil stirred up the storm hoping thereby to drown Christ and his Disciples as he had destroyed Job 1. 18 19. Job's children in a Tempest before but though Satan had malice and will enough to do it yet he had not power yea though Christ slept in his humane nature yet was he awake in his Deity that the Disciples being in danger might cry unto him more fervently and be saved more remarkably And as Jesus slept so he was also weary John 4. 6. Now Jacob's well was there Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey sat thus on the well and it was about the sixth hour about noon in the heat of the day Christ was weary Christ took on him not only our nature but the common infirmities thereof and he is to be as seriously eyed in his humanity as in the glory of his Godhead therefore it is recorded that he was weary with his journey ere half the day was spent and that through weariness he sat thus on the well that is even as the seat offered or as weary men use to sit c. But in a word he was conceived retained so long in the Virgins womb born circumcised lived about thirty years on earth conversed all that time with men suffered died and was crucified buried rose again ascended and sat down with his body at the right hand of God and with it will come again to judg the world Now what do all these things speak out but that Christ hath a true body and who in their wits will assert that all this could be done in and upon and by an imaginary body But Secondly The several denominations that are given to Jesus Christ in Scripture do clearly evidence the verity and reality of his humane nature he is called 1. The son of the virgin Isa 7. 14. 2. Her first born son Luk. 2. 7. 3. The branch Zach. 3. 8. and 6. 12. 4. The branch of righteousness Jer 33. 15. and 23. 5. 5. A rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch out of his roots Isa 11. 1. 6. The seed of the woman Gen. 3. 15. 7. The seed of Abraham Gen. 22. 18. 8. The fruit of David's loyns Psal 80. 36. and 132. 11. Act. 2. 30. 9. Of the seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1. 3. 2 Sam. 7. 2. 10. The Lyon of the tribe of Judah Rev. 5. 5. 11. The seed of Jacob Gen. 28. 14. 12. The seed of Isaac Gen. 26. 4. 13. A son born to us a child given to us Isa 9. 6. 14. The son of man Mat. 8. 20. Mat. 16. 13. Rev. 1. 13. Dan. 7. 13. Joh.
Adam we were ruined by the second Adam we must be repaired The Rom. 5. 12. humane nature was to be redeemed therefore it was necessary that the humane nature should be assumed The Law was given to man and the Law was broken by man and therefore it was necessary that the Law should be fulfilled by man But Secondly that by this means the justice of God might be satisfied in the same nature which had sinned which was the nature of man Angels could not satisfie divine justice because they had no bodies to suffer the brutish sensible creatures could not satisfie the justice of God because they had no souls to suffer the sensible creatures could not satisfie divine justice because they had no sense to suffer therefore man having body soul and sense must do it for he had sinned in all and he could suffer in all Secondly there are reasons both in respect of God and in respect of our selves why Jesus Christ should be God and God-man also and they are these five First that he might be a meet Mediator between God and man Christ's office as Mediator was to deal with God for man and to deal for God with man Now that he might be sit for both these transactions for both parts of this office he must partake of both natures That he might effectually deal with God for man he must be God If a man sin against the Lord who shall entreat for him saith Eli to his sons 1 Sam. 2. 25. And that he might deal for God with man he must be man He must be God that he may be fit to transact treat and negotiate with God and he must be man that he may be fit to transact treat and negotiate with man when God spake unto Israel at Mount Sinai at the giving of the Law the people were not able to abide that voice or presence and therefore they desired an Internuncius a man like themselves who might be as a Mediator to go betwixt God and them Exod. 20. 18 19. Now upon his very ground Exod. 20. 18. besides many others that might be mentioned it was very requisite that Jesus Christ should be both God and man Heb. 12. 18. that he might be a meet Mediator to deal betwixt God and man Jesus Christ was the fittest person either in that upper or in this lower world to mediate between God and us There was none fit to umpeire the business between God and man but he that was God-man Job hit the nail when he said Neither is there any days-man betwixt Job 9. 33. us that might lay his hand upon us both There was a double use of the days-man and his laying his hand upon them 1. To keep the dissening parties asunder lest they should fall out and strike one another 2. To keep them together and compose all differences that they might not depart from each other the Application is easie man is not fit to mediate because man is the person offending Angels are not fit to mediate for they cannot satisfie divine Justice nor pacifie divine wrath nor procure our pardon nor make our peace nor bring in an everlasting righteousness upon us God the father was not fit for this work for he was the person offended and he was as much too high to deal with man as man was too low to deal with God The holy Ghost was not fit for this work for 't is his work to apply this Mediation and to clear up the believers interest in this Mediation So then there is no other person fit for this office but Jesus Christ who was a middle person 'twixt both that he might deal with both Christ could never have been fit to be the Mediator in respect of his office if he had not first been a middle person in respect of his natures for saith the Apostle Gal. 3. 20. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one but God is one A mediator is not a mediator of one that is of one party but is always of two differing parties to unite them not of one that is 1. Not of one person because mediation implies more persons than one it necessarily supposes different parties betwixt whom he doth mediate Christ to speak after the manner of men lays his hand upon God the father and saith O blessed father wilt thou be at peace with these poor sinners wil◠thou pardon them and wilt thou lift up the light of thy countenance upon them if thou wilt then I will undertake to satisfie thy justice and to pacifie thy wrath and to fulfil thy royal Law and to make good all the wrong they have done against thee And then he layeth his hand upon the poor sinner and saith sinner art thou willing to be changed and renewed art thou willing to come under the bond of the covenant art thou willing to give up thy heart and life to the guidance and government of the spirit then be not discouraged for thou shalt certainly be justified and saved 2. Not of one nature the Mediator must necessarily have more natures than one he must have the divine and humane nature united in his single person or else he could never suffer what he was to suffer nor never satisfie what he was to satisfie nor never bring poor sinners into a state of reconciliation 2 Cor 5. 19 20. with God and 't is farther observable that the Text last cited saith God is one viz. as he is essentially considered and therefore as so he cannot be the Mediator but Christ as personally considered he is not of one that is not of one nature for he is God and man too and therefore he is the only person that is fitted and qualified to be the Mediator and 't is observable that when Christ is spoken of as Mediator his Manhood is brought in that nature being so necessary to that office 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Jesus Christ was God and man as man he ought to satisfie but could not as God he could satisfie but ought not but consider him as God and man and so he both could satisfie and ought to satisfie and accordingly he did satisfie according to what was prophecied of him Dan. 9. 24. He did make reconciliation for iniquity and brought in everlasting righteousness He did not begin to do something and then faint and leave his work imperfect but he finished it and that to the glory of his father John 17. 4. I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And 't is good to observe the singularity and oneness of the person mediating not many not a few not two but one Mediator between God and man there was none with him in his difficult work of Mediatorship but he carried it on alone though there are many Mediators among men yet there is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
divine greatness stamp'd upon the works of providence but what are the works of Providence to the work of Redemption what are all providential works to Christ's coming from heaven to his being incarnate to his doings sufferings and dying and all this to ransom poor souls from the curse hell wrath and eternal death souls are dear and costly things and of great price in the sight of God Amongst the Romans those their proper goods and estates which men had gotten in the wars with hazard of their lives were called Peculium Castrense of a Field-purchase Oh how much more may the precious and immortal souls of men be called Christ's Peculium Castrense his purchase gotten not only by the jeopardy of his life but with the loss of his life and blood Ye know saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as with silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition but with the precious blood of the son of God as of a lamb without a spot Christ that only went to the price of souls hath told us that one soul is more worth than Mat. 16. 26. all the world Christ left his father's bosom and all the glory of heaven for the good of souls he assumed the nature of man for the happiness of the soul of man he trod the Wine-press of his father's wrath for souls he wept for souls he swet for souls he prayed for souls he payed for souls and he bled out his heart-blood for the redemption of souls The soul is the breath of God the beauty of man the wonder of Angels and the envy of Devils 't is of an Angelical nature 't is a heavenly spark a celestial plant and of a divine off-spring 't is capable of the knowledg of God of union with God of communion with John 14. 8. Psal 17. 15. God and of an eternal fruition of God there is nothing that can suit the soul below God there is nothing that can satisfie the soul without God the soul is so high and so noble a piece that it scorns all the world what are all the riches of the East or West Indies what are Rocks of Diamonds or Mountains of Gold or the price of Cleopatra's draught to the price that Christ laid down for souls 't is only the blood of him that is God-man that is an equivolent price for the Redemption of souls Silver and Gold hath redeemed many thousands out of Turkish bondage but all the Silver and Gold in the world could never redeem one poor soul from Hellish bondage from hellish torments Souls are a dear commodity he that bought them found them so and yet at how cheap a rate do some sinners sell their immortal souls Callenuceus tells us of a noble man of Naples that was wont prophanely to say that he had two-souls in his body one for God and another for whosoever would buy it but if he hath one soul in Hell I believe he will never find another for Heaven A person of quality who is still alive told me a few years since that in discourse with one of his servants This pious Gentleman was with me in May 1673. at my house he asked him what he thought would become of his soul if he lived and died in his ignorance and enmity against God c. he most prophanely and atheistically answered that when he died he would hang his soul on a hedg and say run God run Devil and he that can run fastest let him Discipul at de tâ—mp Serâ— 132. take my soul I have read of a most blasphemous wretch that on a time being with his companions in a common Inn carrowsing and making merry asked them if they thought a man had a soul or no whereunto when they replyed that the souls of men are immortal and that some of them after death lived in hell and others in heaven For so the writings of the Prophets and Apostles instructed them he answered and swore that he thought it nothing so but rather that there was no soul in man to survive the body but that Heaven and Hell were mere fables and inventions of Priests to get gain and for himself he was ready to sell his soul to any that would buy it then one of his companions took up a cup of wine and said sell me thy soul for this cup of wine which he receiving We laugh at little children to see them part with rich Jewels for silly trifles and yet daily experience tells us that multitudes are so childish as to part with such rich and precious Jewels as their immortal souls for a lust or for base and unworthy trifles of whom it may be truly said as Augustus Caesar said in another case they are like a man that fishes with a golden hook the gain can never recompence the loss that may be sustained bad him take his soul and drank up the wine Now Satan himself being there in man's shape bought it again of the other at the same price and by and by bad him give him his soul the whole company affirming it was meet he should have it since he had bought it not perceiving the Devil but presently he laying hold of this soul-seller carried him into the Air before them all to the great astonishment and amazement of the beholders and from that day to this he was never heard of but hath now found by experience that men have souls and that Hell is no Fable Ah for what a thing of nought do many thousands sell their souls to Satan every day how many thousands are there who swear curse lye cheat deceive c. for a little gain every day I have read that there was a time when the Romans did wear Jewels on their shooes Oh that in these days men did not worse Oh that they did not trample under feet that matchless Jewel their precious and immortal souls Oh sirs there is nothing below heaven so precious and noble as your souls and therefore do not play the Courtiers with your poor souls now the Courtier does all things late he rises late and dines late and sups late and goes to bed late and repents late Christ made himself an offering for sin that souls might not be undone by sin the Lord died that slaves might live the son dies that servants might live the natural son dies that adopted sons may live the only begotten son dies that bastards might live yea the judg dies that Malefactors may live Ah friends as there was never sorrow like Christ's so there was never love like Christ's love and of all his love none to that of soul-love Christ who is God-man did take upon him thy nature and bare thy sins and suffered death and encountered the Cross and was made a sacrifice and a curse and all to bring about thy Redemption and therefore thou maist safely conclude that the work of Redemption is a great work But
matchless wrath of an angry God that was so terribly imprest upon the Soul of Christ quickly spent his natural strength and turned his moisture into the Psal 32. 4. drought of summer and yet all this wrath he patiently underwent that Sinners might be saved and that he Heb. 2. 10. might bring many sons unto glory O wonder of love Love is passive it enables to suffer The Curtii laid down their lives for the Romans because they loved them so 't was love that made our dear Lord Jesus lay down his life to save us from hell and to bring us to heaven As the Pelican out of their love to her young ones when they are bitten with Serpents feeds them with her own blood Gen. 3. 15. to recover them again so when we were bitten by the old Serpent and our wound incurable and we in danger of eternal death then did our dear Lord Jesus that he might recover us and heal us feed us with his own Jeh 6. 53. 54 55 56. Dilexisti me Demine magis quà m teipsum Bern. blood O love unspeakable This made one cry out Lord thou hast loved me more than thy self for thou hast laid down thy life for me It was only the golden link of love that fastned Christ to the Cross and Joh. 10. 17. that made him die freely for us and that made him willing to be numbred among transgressors that we might Isa 53. 12. be numbred among general assemby and church of the Heb. 12. 23. first born which are written in heaven If Jonathan's 2 Sam. 1. 26. love to David was wonderful how wonderful must the Heb. 10. 10. love of Christ be to us which led him by the hand to make himself an offering for us which Jonathan never did for David for though Jonathan loved David's life and safety well yet he loved his own better for when his father cast a javelin at him to smite him he flies 1 Sam. 10. 33 34 35. for it and would not abide his fathers fury being very willing to sleep in a whole skin notwithstanding his wonderful love to David making good the Philosophers notion that Man is a life-lover Christ's love is like his name and that is wonderful yea it is so wonderful that Isa 9. 6. it is supra omnem creaturam ultra omnem mensuram contra omnem naturam above all creatures beyond allmeasure contrary to all nature 'T is above all Creatures for it is above the Angels and therefore above all others 'T is beyond all Measure for time did not begin it and time shall never end it place doth not bound it sin doth not exceed it no estate no age no sex is denied it tongues cannot express it understandings cannot conceive it and 't is contrary to all Nature for what nature can love where it is hated what nature can forgive where it is provoked what nature can offer reconcilement where it receiveth wrong what nature can heap up kindness upon contempt favour upon ingratitude mercy upon sin and yet Christ's love hath led him to all this so that wel may we spend all our days in admiring and adoring of this wonderful love and be always ravished with the thoughts of it But Secondly Then look that ye love the Lord Jesus Christ with a superlative love with an over-topping love there are none have suffered so much for you as Christ there are none that can suffer so much for you as Christ the least measure of that wrath that Christ hath sustained for you would have broke the hearts necks and backs of all created Beings O my friends there is no love but a superlative love that is any ways sutable to the transcendent sufferings of dear Jesus O love him above your lusts love him above your relations love him above the world love him above all your outward contentments and enjoyments yea love him above your very lives for thus the Patriarchs Ptophets Apostles Saints Primitive Christians and the Martyrs of old have loved Act. 20. 24. cap. 21. 12 13. 2 Cor. 1. 8 9 10. cap. 4. 11. cap. 11. 23. Heb. 11. 36 37 38 39. our Lord Jesus Christ with an over-topping love Rev 12. 11. They loved not their lives unto the death that is they slighted contemned yea despised their lives exposing them to hazard and loss out of love to the Lamb who had washed them in his blood I have read of one Kilian a Dutch Scholmaster who being asked whether he did not love his wife and Children answered Were all the world a lump of gold and in my hands to dispose of I would leave it at my enemies feet to live with them in a prison but my Soul and my Saviour are dearer to me than all If my father saith Jerom should stand Hieron ad Heliodor epist 1. before me and my mother hang upon and my brethren should press about me I would break through my brethren throw down my father and tread underfoot my mother to cleave to Jesus Christ Had I ten heads Cere non amaut illi Christum qui ali quid plusqe am â—â—ristum amant Aug. de resurr Hey do nâ—t lâ—ve Christ who love any thing more than Christ said Henry Voes they should all off for Christ If every hair of my head said John Ardley Martyr were a man they should all suffer for the Faith of Christ Let fire racks pullies said Ignatius and all the torments of Hell come upon me so I may win Christ Love made Hierom to say O my Saviour didst thou die for love of me a love more dolorous than death but to The more Christ hath suffered for us the dearer Christ should be â—nto us the greater and the bitterer Christs sufferings have been for us the greater and the sweeter should our love be to him me a death more lovely than love it self I cannot live love thee and be longer from thee George Carpenter being asked whether he did not love his wife and children which stood weeping before him answered My wife and children my wife and children are dearer to me than all Bavaria yet for the love of Christ I know them not That blessed Virgin in Basil being condemned for Christianity to the fire and having her estate and life offered her if she would worship Idols cried out Let money perish and life vanish Christ is better than all Sufferings for Christ are the Saints greatest glory they are those things wherein they have most gloried Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra your cruelty is our glory saith Tertullian It is reported of Babylas that when he was to die for Christ he desired this favour that his Chains might be buried with him as the ensigns of his honour Thus you see with what a superlative love with what an over-topping love former Saints have loved our Lord Jesus and can you Christians who are cold and low in your love to Christ read over these
instances and not blush Certainly the more Christ hath suffered for us the more dear Christ should be unto us the more bitter his sufferings have been for us the more sweet his love should be to us and the more eminent should be our love to him O let a suffering Christ lie nearest your hearts let him be your Manna your Tree of Life your Morning-star 't is better to part with all than with this Pearl of price Christ is that golden pipe through which the golden oyl of salvation runs and oh how should this inflame our love to Christ Oh that our hearts were more affected with the sufferings of Christ Who can tread upon these hot coals and his Can. 8. 7 8. heart not burn in love to Christ and cry out with Ignatius Christ my love is crucified If a friend should die Joh. 10. 17 18. for us how would our hearts be affected with his kindness and shall the God of Glory lay down his life for us and shall we not be affected with his goodness Shall Saul be affected with David's kindness in sparing his life 1 Sam. 24. 16. and shall not we be affected with Christ's kindness who Joh. 1. 18. to save our life lost his own O the infinite love of Christ that he should leave his Fathers bosom and come down Joh. 14. 1 2 3 4. from heaven that he might carry you up to heaven that he that was a Son should take upon him the form of a Phil. 2. 5 6 7 8. servant that you of slaves should be made Sons of enemies should be made friends of heirs of wrath should Rom. 8. 17. be made heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ that to save us from everlasting ruine Christ should stick at nothing but be willing to be made flesh to lie in a manger to be tempted deserted persecuted and to die upon a Cross O what flames of love should these things kindle in all our hearts to Christ Love is compared to fire in heaping love upon our enemy we heap coals of Râ—m 12. 19 20. Prov. 26. 21. fire upon his head now the property of fire is to turn all it meets with into its own nature fire maketh all things fire the coal maketh burning coals and is it not a wonder then that Christ having heaped abundance of the fiery coals of his love upon our heads we should yet be but key-cold in our love to him Ah what sad metal are we made of that Christ's fiery love cannot inflame our love to Christ Moses wondred why the Bush Exod. 3. 3. consumed not when he see it all on fire but if you please but to look into your own hearts you shall see a greater wonder for you shall see that though you walk like those three Children in the fiery furnace even in the Dan. 3. midst of Christ's fiery love flaming round about you yet there is but little very little true smell of that sweet fire of love to be felt or found upon you or in you Oh when shall the sufferings of a dear and tender-hearted Saviour kindle such a flame of love in all our hearts as shall still be a breaking forth in our lips and lives in our words and ways to the praise and glory of free Grace Cant. 2. 5. O that the sufferings of a loving Jesus might at last make us all sick of love O let him for ever lie betwixt our Cant. 1. 13. breasts who hath left his Fathers bosom for a time that he might be enbosom'd by us for ever But Thirdly Then in the sufferings of Christ as in a Gospel-glass you may see the odious nature of Sin and accordingly learn to hate it arm against it turn from it and subdue it Sin never appears so odious as when we Psal 119. 104 113 128. Rom. 7. 15. cap. 12. 9. behold it in the â—ed Glass of Christ's sufferings Can we look upon sin as the occasion of all Christ's sufferings can we look upon sin as that which made Christ a curse and that made him forsaken of his Father and that made him live such a miserable life and that brought him to die such a shameful painful and cruel death and our hearts not rise against it Shall our sins be grievous unto Christ and shall they not be odious unto us shall he die for our sins and shall not we die to our sins did not he therefore suffer for sin that we might cease from sin did not he bear our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 4. 1. that we being dead to sin should live to righteousness If 1 Pet. 2. 24. one should kill our father would we hug and imbrace him as our father no we would be revenged on him Sin hath killed our Saviour and shall we not be reveng'd on it Can a man look upon that Snake that hath stung his dearly beloved spouse to death and preserve it alive warm it at the fire and hug it in his bosom and not rather stab it with a thousand wounds 'T is sin that hath stung our dear Jesus to death that has crucified our Lord clouded his glory and shed his precious blood and oh how should this stir up our indignation against it ah how can a Christian make much of those sins that killed his deared Lord how can he cherish those sins that betrayed Christ and apprehended Christ and bound Christ and condemned Christ and scourged Christ and that violently drew him to the Cross and there murdered him It was neither Judas nor Pilate nor the Jews nor the Souldiers that could have done our Lord Jesus the least hurt had not our sins like so many Butchers and Hangmen come in to their assistance After Julius Caesar was treacherously murthered in the Senate-house Antonius brought forth his Coat all bloody cut and mangled and laying it open to the view of the people said Look here is your Emperors coat and as the bloody conspirators have dealt by it so have they dealt with Caesar's body whereupon the people were all in an uproar and nothing would satisfie them but the death of the murtherers and they run to the houses of the conspirators and burnt them down to the ground But what was Caesar's coat and Caesar's body to the body of our dear Lord Jesus which was all bloody rent and torn for our sins Ah how should this provoke us to be revenged on our sins how should we for ever loath and abhorr them how should our fury be whetted against them how should we labour with all our might to be the death of those sins that have been the death of so great a Lord and will if not prevented be the death of our Souls to all eternity To see God thrust the sword of his pure infinite and incensed wrath through the very heart of his dearest Son notwithstanding all his supplications prayers Heb. 5. 7. tears and strong cries
against God Under the Law if an Oxe gored a man that he died the Exod. 21. 28. Oxe was to be killed Sin hath gored and pierced our dear Lord Jesus O let it die for it O avenge your selves upon it as Sampson did avenge himself upon the Philistines for Judg. 16. 28. his two eyes Pâ—lutarch reports of Marcus Cato that he never declared his opinion in any matter in the Senate but he would close it with this passage Methinks still Carthage should be destroyed so a Christian should never cast his eye upon the Cross of Christ the sufferings of Christ nor upon his sins but his heart should say Methinks pride should be destroyed and unbelief should be destroyed and hypocrisie should be destroyed and earthly-mindedness should be destroyed and self-love should be destroyed and vain glory should be destroyed c. The Jews would not have the pieces of silver which Judas cast down in the Temple put in the Treasury because Maâ— 27. 5 6. they were the price of blood Oh lodg not any one sin in the Treasury of your hearts for they are all the price of blood But Fourthly let the sufferings of our Lord Jesus raise in all our hearts a high estimation of Christ O let us prize a suffering Christ above all our duties and above all our Mat. 10. 37. Luk. 14. 26. graces and above all our privileges and above all our outward contentments and above all our spiritual enjoyments a suffering Christ is a commodity of greater value than all the riches of the Indies yea than all the wealth of the whole world he is better than Rubies saith Prov. 8. 11. Solomon and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to him he is that Pearl of price which the wise Merchant purchased with all that ever he had no Mat. 13. 46 man can buy such Gold too dear Joseph a type of the Lord Jesus then a precious Jewel of the world was far more precious had the Ishmaelitish Merchants known so Gen. 27. 37. much than all the Balms and Myrrhs that they transported and so is a suffering Christ as all will grant that really know him and that have experienced the sweet of union and communion with him Christ went through heaven and hell life and death sorrow and suffering misery and cruelty and all to bring us to glory and shall we not prize him When in a storm the Nobles of Xerxes were to lighten the ship to preserve their King's life they did their obeysance and leaped into the Sea but our Lord Jesus Christ to preserve our lives Col. 1. 18. our souls he leaps into a Sea of wrath Oh how should this work us to set up Christ above all what a deal ado has there been in the world about Alexander the great and Constantine the great and Pompey the great because of their civil power and authority but what was all their greatness and grandure to that greatness and grandure that God the father put upon our Lord Jesus Christ when Mat 28. 1â— Heb. 1. 13. Eph. 1. 20. he gave all power in heaven and in earth unto him and set him down at his own right hand Oh sirs will you value men according to their titles and will you not highly value our Lord Jesus Christ who has the most magnificent titles given him he is called King of Kings Rev. 17. 14. cap. 19. 16. and Lord of Lords It is observed by learned Drusins that those Titles were usually giâ—â—n to the great Kings of Persia than which there was none assumed more to themselves than they did yet the holy Ghost attributes these great Titles to Christ to let us know that as God hath exalted Christ above all earthly powers so we should magnifie him and exalt him accordingly Paul casting his eye upon a suffering Christ tells us that he esteems of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3. 8. all things as nothing in comparison of Christ All things is the greatest account that can be casâ— up for it includeth all prizes all summs it taketh in heaven it taketh in the vast and huge Globe and Circle of the capacious world and all excellencies within its bosom all things includes all Nations All Angels all Gold all Jewels all Honours all delights and every thing else besides and yet the Apostle looks upon all these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 micae quae canibus vide à Lapide vide Bezam the original word notes the filth that comes out of the entrails of beasts or off all cast to dogs but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dung dog's dung as some interpret the word or dogs meat course and contemptible in comparison of dear Jesus Galeacius that noble Italian Marquess was of the same mind and mettal with Paul for when he was strongly tempted and solicited with great summs of money and preferments to return to the Romish Church he gave this heroick answer Cursed be he that prefers all the wealth of the world to one days communion with Christ What if a man had large demains stately buildings and ten thousand rivers of Oyl what if all the mountains of the world were Pearl the mighty Rocks Rubies and the whole Globe a shining Chrysolite yet all this were not to be named in the same day wherein there is mention made of a suffering Christ Look as one Ocean hath more waters than all the rivers in the world and as one Sun hath more light than all the Luminaries in heaven so one suffering Christ is more all to a poor soul than if it had the all of the whole world a thousand times over and over Oh sirs if you cast but your eye upon a suffering Christ a crucified Jesus there you shall find righteousness in him to cover all your sins and plenty enough in him to supply all your wants and grace enough in him to subdue all your lusts and wisdom enouâ—h in him to resolve all your doubts and power enough in him to vanquish all your enemies and vertue enough in him to heal all your diseases Heb. 7. 25. I have read of a Roman servant who knowing his master was sought for by officers to be put to death he put himself into his master's cloaths that he might be taken for him and so he was and was putâ— to death for him whereupon his master in memory of his thankfulness to him and honour of him erected a brazen Statue but what a statue of Gold should we set up in our hearts to the eternal honour exaltation of that Jesus who not in our cloaths but in our very nature hath laid down his life for us and fulness enough in him both to satisfie you and save you and that to the utmost All the good things that can be reckoned up here below have only a finite and limited benignity some can cloath but cannot feed others can
33. 24. everlasting death then mercy steps in and pleads I have found a Ransom the sinner shall not die but live When the Law saith ah sinner sinner thus and thus hast thou transgressed all sorts of duties thou hast omitted and all sorts of sins hast committed and all sorts of mercies thou hast abused and all sorts of means thou hast neglected and all sorts of offers thou hast slighted then God steps in and saith ah sinner sinner what dost thou say what canst thou say to this heavy charge is it true or false with thou grant it or deny it what defence or plea canst thou make for thy self Alas the poor sinner is speechless Mat. 22. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was muzzled or haltered up that is he held his peace as though he had a bridle or a halter in his mouth this is the import of the Greek word here used he hath not one word to say for himself he can neither deny nor excuse or extenuate what is charged upon him why now saith God I must and do pronounce thee to be guilty and as I am a just and righteous God I cannot but adjudg thee to die eternally but such is the riches of my mercy that I will freely justifie thee through the righteousness of my son I will forgive thy sins and discharge thee of that obligation by which thou wast bound over to wrath and curse and condemnation so that the justified person may triumphingly say who is he that condemneth He may read over the most dreadful passages of the Law without being terrified or amazed as knowing that the curse is removed and that all his sins that brought him under the curse are pardoned and are in point of condemnation as if they had never been This is to be justified to have the sin pardoned and the penalty remitted Rom. 4. 5 6 7 8. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justisieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin It is observable that what David calleth forgiveness of sin and not imputing of iniquity St. Paul stiles a being justified But Secondly as the first part of Justification consists in the pardon of sin so the second part of Justification consists in the acceptation of the sinners person as perfectly righteous in God's sight pronouncing him such and dealing with him as such and by bringing of him under the shadow of that divine favour which he had formerly lost by his transgressions Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all fair my love and there is no spot in thee that is none in my account Deut. 32. 5. nor no such spots as the wicked are full of Look as David saw nothing in lame Mephibosheth but what was lovely 2 Sam. 9. 3 4 13 14. because he saw in him the features of his friend Jonathan so God beholding his people in the face of his son sees nothing amiss in them They are all glorious within and without Psal 45. 13. Look as Absolom had no blemish from head to foot so they are irreprehensible and Jer. 2. 32. without blemish before the throne of God Rev. 14. 5. The pardoned sinner in repect of divine acceptation is without Eph. 5. 26 27. spot or wrinkle or any such thing God accepts the pardoned sinner as compleat in him who is the head Colos 2. 10. of all principality and power Christ makes us comely through his beauty he gives us white raiment to stand before the Lord Christ is all in all in regard of divine acceptance Eph. 1. 6. He hath made us accepted in the beloved All persons out of Christ are cursed enemies objects of God's wrath and Justice displeasing offending and provoking creatures and therefore God cannot but loath them and abhor them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made us favourites so Chrysostom and Theophilact render it God hath ingratiated us he hath made us gracious in the son of his love through the blood of Christ we look of a sanguine complexion ruddy and beautiful in God's eyes Isa 62. 4. Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken but thou shalt be called Hephzibah for the Lord delighteth in thee The acceptation of our persons with God takes in six things 1. God's honouring of us 2. His delight in us 3. His being well pleased with us 4. His extending love and favour to us 5. His high estimation of us 6. His giving us free access to himself It is the observation of Ambrose that though Jacob was not by birth the first-born yet hiding himself under his brother's cloaths and having put on his coat which smelled most fragrantly he came into Gen. 27. 36. his father's presence and got away the blessing from his elder brother so it is very necessary in order to our acceptation with God that we lie hid under the precious Robe of Christ our elder brother that having the sweet 2 Cor. 2. 15. savour of his garments upon us our sins may be covered with his perfections and our unrighteousness with the Robes of his righteousness that so we may offer up our selves unto God a living and acceptable sacrifice not Rom. 12. 1. Isa 64. 6. Phil. 3. 9. having our own righteousness which are but as filthy rags but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Thus you see that Justification for the nature of it lies in the gracious pardon of the sinners transgressions and in the acceptation of his person as righteous in Gods sight But Secondly In order to the partaking of this grace of the forgiveness of our sins and the acceptation of our persons we must be able to produce a perfect righteousness before the Lord and to present it and tender it unto him and the reason is evident from the very nature of God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Habak 1. 13 that is Habak 1. 13. Heb. And to look on iniquity thou canst not do it with patience or pleasure or without punishing it There are four things that God cannot do 1. He cannot lie 2. He cannot die 3. He cannot deny himself 4. He cannot behold iniquity with approbation and delight Josh 24. 19. And Joshua said unto the people ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins such is the holiness of God's nature that he cannot behold sin Psal 5. 4 5 6. that he cannot but punish sin where ever he finds it God is infinitely immutably and inexorably just as well as he is incomprehensibly gracious Now in the justification of a sinner God doth act as a God of justice as well
or freedom whether he will damn the obstinate impenitent sinner or no Look as God cannot but love holiness where-ever he sees it so he cannot But loath and punish wickedness where-ever he beholds it neither will it stand with the infinite wisdom of God to admit of a dispensation or relaxation of the threatnings without satisfaction God had passed a peremptory doom and made a solemn declaration of it in his word that he that sinneth shall die the death and he will not he cannot break his word you know he had fore-ordained Jesus Christ and set him forth to take upon himself this burden to become a propitiation Rom. 3 35. 1 Pet. 1. 20. for sin through his blood and made known his mind concerning it in his written word plainly Isa Exigitur as Junius and some others read it 53. 7. If we read the words it is exacted or strictly required meaning the iniquity or punishment of us all vers 6. It is required at his hands he must answer it in our stead and so he is afflicted and this affliction reacheth even to the cutting him off vers 8. Therefore when Christ puts this work upon an ought and must be he lays the weight of all on the Scriptures thus it is written as you may see in the texts lately cited as if he should say God hath spoken it and his truth engageth him to see it done so God hath threatned to punish sin and his truth engageth him to see it done Oh sirs there is no standing before that God that is a consuming fire a just judg a holy God except I have Heb. 12 9. one to undertake for me that is mighty to save and mighty to satisfie divine justice and mighty to pacifie divine Isa 63. 1. wrath and mighty to bear the threatnings and mighty to forgive sin when God forgives sin he does it in a way of Isa 19. 20. righteousness 1 John 1. 9. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness he doth not say he is merciful but just to forgive us our sins because they are satisfied for and God's justice will not let him demand the same debt twice of the surety and of the debtor too it will never stand with the unspotted justice and righteousness of God to require such debts of us which Christ Rom. 3. 25. by shedding his most precious blood hath discharged for us Mark the maledictory sentence of death denounced by the Law against sinners was inflicted by God upon Christ this is that which the Prophet Esay positively asserts where he saith the chastisement that is the punishment called a chastisement because inflicted by a father and only for a Isa 53. 5 7. time of ourpeace was upon him and again he was oppressed and he was afflicted which according to the genuine sence of the Original is better rendred it was exacted to wit the punishment of our sin and he was afflicted or he answered to wit to the demand of the penalty The curse to Theod. disp l. 15. c. 5. which we are subject saith Theodorus he assumed upon himself of his own accord the death that was not due Gr. mer. l. 3. c. 13. to him he underwent that we might not undergo that death which was due to us saith Gregory he made himself Arnol. de sep verb Tr. 1. a debter for us who were debtors and therefore the Creditor exacts it from him saith Arnoldus Now God's justice being satisfied for our offences it cannot but remit those offences to us As the Creditor cannot demand that of the debtor which the surety hath already paid so neither can God exact the punishment of us which Christ hath suffered and therefore it is just with God to forgive us our sins It will be altogether needless to enquire whether it had been injustice in God to forgive without satisfaction St. Austin's determination is very solid there Aug. de Trinit l. 13. c. 10. wanted not to God another possible way and if it were unjust it were impossible but this of satisfaction was most agreeable to divine wisdom before God did decree this way it might be free to have used it or not but in decreeing this seemed most convenient and after it became When you are forgiven you are then released and for ever acquitted from any after reckonings with the justice of God divine Justice hath no more to say or do against you for remissa culpa remiâ—ttur paena if the fault be forgiven then also is the punishment forgiven nay let me speak with an holy and humble reverence God cannot in his justice punish when he hath pardoned necessary so that there can be no remission without it and however it might not have been unjust with God to have forgiven without it yet we are sure it is most just with him to forgive upon satisfaction Indeed the debt being paid by Christ God's very justice as I may say with reverence would trouble him if he should not give in the bond and give out an acquittance The believing penitent sinner may in an humble confidence sue out his pardon not only at the throne of grace but at the bar of justice in these or the like expressions Lord thou hast punished my sins in thy son wilt thou punish them in me thou hast accepted that suffering of thy son as the punishment of my sin therefore thou canst not in justice exact it of me for this were to punish twice for one offence which thy justice cannot but abhor Oh sirs God doth not pronounce men righteous when they are not but first he makes them so and then he pronounces them to be such so that if a man will be justified he must be able to produce such a compleat righteousness wherewith he may stand before the justice of God ah sinners the Lord is infinitely just as well as merciful and if ever your sins be pardoned it must be by an admirable contemperament or mixture of mercy and justice together it was one of the great ends of the Gospel-dispensation that God might exalt his justice in the justification of a sinner Rom. 3. 26. To declare Isay at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus But Thirdly The only matter of mans righteousness since the fall of Adam wherein he can appear with comfort before the Justice of God and consequently whereby alone he can be justified in his sight is the obedience and suffering of Jesus Christ the righteousness of the Mediatour there is not any other way imaginable how the Justice of God may be satisfied and we may have our sins pardoned in a way of justice but by the righteousness of the Son of God and therefore this is his name Jehovah-Tsidkenu the Lord our Righteousness this Jer. 23. 6. is his name that is this is the Prerogative of the Lord Jesus
a matter that appertaineth to him alone to be able to bring in everlasting righteousness and to make reconciliation Dan. 9. 24. for iniquity The costly Cloak of Alcisthenes 'T is a sign of great favor from the Great Turk when a rich garment is cast upon any that come into his presence Knolls Hist The application is easie which Dionysius sold to the Carthaginians for an hundred talents was indeed a mean and beggarly rag to that embroidered Mantle of Christ's Righteousness that he puts upon us Isai 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments and a bride adorneth her self with her jewels Christ's Righteousness is that garment of wrought gold that we all need to cover all our imperfections Psal 45. 13. Rom. 5. 19. Col. 2. 10. Eph. 5 27. Rev. 14. 5. Rom. 3. 21 22 25 26. and to render us perfectly beautiful and glorious in the sight of God in this Robe of Righteousness we are complete we are without spot or wrinkle we are without fault before the throne of God through the imputation of Christ's righteousness we are made righteous in the sight of God God looking upon us as invested with the righteousness of his Son accounts us righteous All believers have a righteousness in Christ as full and complete as if they had fulfilled the Law Christ being the end of the Law for righteousness to believers Rom. 8. 3 4. invests believers with a righteousness every way as complete as the personal obedience of the Law would have invested them withal When men had violated God's holy Law God in justice resolved that his Law should be satisfied before man should be saved now this was done by Christ who was the end of the Law he fulfilled it actively and passively and so the injury offered to the Law is recompenced God had rather that all men should be destroyed than that his Law should not be satisfied No man can perfectly be justified in the sight of God without a perfect righteousness every way commensurable to God's holy Law which is the Rule of righteousness Do this and live neither can any person have any choice spiritual lively communion with a righteous God till he be clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ All Christ's active and passive obedience was either for himself or in our stead and behalf but it was not for himself but for us that he suffered and obeyed whatsoever Christ did or suffered in the whole course of his life he did it and suffered it as our Surety and in our steads for as God would not dispense with the penalty of the Law without satisfaction so he would not dispense with the commands of the Law without perfect obedience Remember once for all that the Actions and sufferings of Christ make but up one entire and perfect obedience to the whole Law nor had Christ been a perfect and complete Saviour if he had not performed what the Law required as well as suffered the penalty which the Law inflicted The imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us is a gracious Act of God the Father according to his good will and pleasure whereby as a Judge he accounts believers sins unto the Surety as if he had committed the same and the righteousness of Christ unto the believer as if he had performed the same the same obedience that Christ did in his own person so that Christ's imputed Righteousness is as effectual to the full for the acceptance of the believing sinner as if he had yielded such obedience to the Lord himself hence his righteousness is called our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. now without this righteousness there is no standing before the Justice of God But Thirdly As this great design of Christ's redeeming sinners by his blood and sufferings and by his being made a curse for them doth sound aloud the glory of divine Justice and the glory of Gods Veracity so it sounds forth the glory of his Wisdom for hereby he Solon that wise Law maker could never find out a law to put all other good laws in execution but such as are living laws will make the laws to live and will not the wise and living God make his laws and threatnings to live surely he will maintains the authority of his righteous Law When a Law is solemnly enacted with a penalty in case of transgression all those whom it concerns may conclude for certain that the Law-giver will proceed accordingly and it is a Rule in Policy That Laws once established and published should be vigorously preserved If the Lord should have wholly wav'd the execution of the Law upon sinners or their surety it might have tended greatly to the weakning of its authority and the diminishing of the reverence of his sovereignty in the hearts of the sons of men How often does God use that Oath As I live for the fulfilling of his threatnings as well as of his Jer. 22. 24. Ezek. 5. 9 10 11. promises the Lord Jehovah is as true faithful and constant in his threatnings as in his promises what he hath threatned shall undoubtedly come to pass he will be made known by his Name Jehovah in the full execution of all his threatnings The old World found it so and Jerusalem found it so yea the whole Nation of the Jews have found it so to this very day Look as all the saints See Ezek. 5. 13 15. in heaven will readily put to their Seals that God is true and faithful in all his Promises so all the damned in hell will readily put to their Seals that God is faithful in all his threatnings Men frequently deride the Laws and threatnings of great men when they are not put into execution it is the execution of Laws that is the very life and soul of good Laws Should God pardon sin without exacting the penalty of the Law how Eccles 8. 11. Mal. 2. 17. Such an emphasis there is in the Hebrew as Corn. Ã Lapide observes would sinners be hardned and emboldned to say with those men or rather monsters in Malachi Where is the God of judgment i. e. no where either there is no God or at least not a God of that exact precise and impartial judgment as some men say and as others teach But now when God lets sinners see that he will not pardon sin without exacting the penalty of the Law either of the sinner or of his Surety then the sinner cries out O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom Rom. 11. 33. and knowledge of God! God stood so much upon the complete satisfaction and accomplishment of his Law that he was willing that Christ should be a sacrifice that the Law might be satisfied in its penalty and that Christ Rom. 8. 3 4 5. in his own
Fourthly know for your comfort that this imputed righteousness of Christ will answer to all the fears doubts and objections of your souls How shall I look up to God the answer is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ how shall I have any communion with a holy God in this world the answer is in the righteousnâ—ss of Christ How shall I find acceptance with God the answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I die the answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I stand before a Judgment seat the answer is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ Your sure and only way under all temptations fears conflicts doubts and disputes is by faith to remember Christ and the sufferings of Christ as your Mediator and Surety and say Oh Christ thou art my sin in being made sin for me and thou art my curse being â— Coâ— 5. 21. â—al 3. 13. made a curse for me or rather I am thy sin and thou art my rightcousness I am thy curse and thou art my blessing I am thy death and thou art my life I am the wrath of God to thee and thou art the love of God to me I am thy hell and thou art my heaven Oh sirs if you think of your sins and of God's wrath if you think of your guiltiness and of God's justice your hearts will faint and fail they will fear and tremble and sink into despair if you do not think of Christ if you do not stay and rest your souls upon the mediatory righteousness of Christ The Imputed Righteousness of Christ The Imputed Righteousness of Christ answers all cavils and objections though there were millions of them that can be made against the good estate of a believer This is a precious truth more worth than a world that all our sins are pardoned not only in a way of truth and mercy but in a way of justice Satan and our own consciences will object many things against our souls if we plead only the mercy and the truth of God and will be ready to say oh but where is then the justice of God can mercy pardon without the consent of his justice but now whilst we rest upon the satisfaction of Christ justice and mercy kiss Psal 85. 10. each other yea justice saith I am pleased in a day of temptation many things will be cast in our dish about the multitude of our sins and the greatness of our sins and the grievousness of our sins and about the circumstances and aggravations of our sins but that good word Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquities he hath paid Titus 2. 14. the full price that justice could exact or require and that good word mercy rejoyceth against judgment may James 2. 13. support comfort and bear us up under all The infinite worth of Christ's obedience did arise from the dignity of his person who was God-man so that all the obedience of Angels and men if put together could not amount to the excellency of Christ's satisfaction The righteousness of Christ is often called the righteousness of God because it is a righteousness of God's providing and a righteousness that God is fully satisfied with and therefore no fears no doubts no cavils no objections no disputes can stand before this blessed and glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ that is imputed to us But Fifthly know for your comfort that the imputed righteousness of Christ is the best title that you have to shew for a Kingdom that shakes not for riches that corrupt not Heb. 12. 28. 1 Pet. 1 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3 4 for an inheritance that fadeth not away and for an house not made with bands but one eternal in the heavens 'T is the fairest certificate that you have to shew for all that happiness and blessedness that you look for in that other world The righteousness of Christ is your life your joy your comfort your crown your confidence your heaven your all oh that you were still so wise as to keep a fixed eye and an awakened heart upon the mediatory righteousness of Christ for that 's the righteousness by which you may safely and comfortably live and by which you may happily and quietly die It was a very sweet and golden confession which Bernard made when he thought Guliel Aâ—bas in vâ—ta Bern. lib. 1. cap. 12. himself to be at the point of death I confess said he I am not worthy I have no merits of mine own to obtain heaven by but my Lord had a double right thereunto an hereditary right as a son and a meritorious right as a sacrifice he was contented with the one right himself the other right he hath given unto me by the vertue of which gift I do rightly lay claim unto it and am not confounded ah that believers would dwell much upon this that they have a righteousness in Christ that is as full perfect and compleat as if they had fulfilled the Law Christ being the end of the Law for righteousness to believers invests believers with a righteousness every way as compleat as the personal obedience of the Law would Rom. 8. 3 4. have invested them withal yea the righteousness that believers have by Christ is in some respect better than that they should have had by Adam 1. Because of the dignity of Christ's person he being the son of God his righteousness is more glorious than Adam's was his righteousness is called the righteousness of God and we are made the 2 Cor. 5. 21. righteousness of God in him The first Adam was a mere man the second Adam is God and man 2. Because the righteousness is perpetual Adam was a mutable person he lost his righteousness in one day say some and all that glory which his posterity should have possessed had he stood fast in innocency But the righteousness of Christ cannot be lost his righteousness is like himself from everlasting to everlasting 't is an everlasting righteousness when once this white rayment is put upon a believer it Dâ—n 9. 24. can never fall off it can never be taken off This splendid glorious righteousness of Jesus Christs is as really a Rev. 19. 8. believers as if he had wrought it himself A believer is no loser but a gainer by Adam's fall by the loss of Adam's righteousness is brought to light a more glorious and durable righteousness than ever Adam's was and upon the account of an interest in this righteousness a believer may challenge all the glory of that upper world But Sixthly know for your comfort that this imputed righteousness of Christ is the only true basis bottom and ground for a believer to build his happiness upon his joy and comfort upon and the true peace and quiet of his conscience upon what though Satan or thy own heart or the world condemns thee yet in this thou maist rejoyce that God justifies thee you see what a bold challenge Paul
vers 12. Yea surely God will not do wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert judgment It would be high injustice in a magistrate to punish the same offence twice and it would be high blasphemy for any to assert that ever God should be guilty of such injustice Whilst Christians set up a righteousness of their own and build not upon the Rom. 10. 3. righteousness of Christ how unsetled are they how miserably are they tossed up and down sometimes fearing and sometimes hoping sometimes supposing themselves in a good condition and anon seeing themselves upon the very brink of hell but now all is quiet and serene with that soul that builds upon the righteousness of Christ for he being justified by faith hath peace with God observe Rom. 5. 1. that noble description of Christ in that Isa 32. 2. And a man that is the man Christ Jesus shall be as a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land When a man is clothed with the righteousness of Christ who is God man it is neither wind nor tempest it is neither drought nor weariness that can disturb the peace of his soul for Christ and his righteousness will be a hiding place a cover and rivers of water and the shadow of a great rock unto him for being at perfect peace with God he may well say with the Psalmist Isa 26. 3. Psal 4. 6 7 8. I will lay me down in peace The peace and comfort of an awakened sinner can never stand firm and stable but upon the Basis of a positive righteousness When a sensible sinner casts his eye upon his own righteousness holiness fastings prayers tears humblings meltings he can find no place for the sole of his foot to rest firmly upon by reason of the spots and blots and blemishes that cleaves both to his graces and duties He knows that his prayers need pardon and that his tears need washing in the blood of the Lamb and that his very righteousness needs another's righteousness to secure him from condemnation If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand Psal 130. 3. Psal 1. 5. that is rectus in curia stand that is in judgment Extremity of justice he deprecateth he would not be dealt with in rigour and rage The best man's life is fuller of sins than the firmament is of stars or the furnace of sparks and therefore who can stand in judgment and not fall under the weight of thy just wrath which burneth as low as hell it self i. e. none can stand were the faults of the best man alive but written in his forehead he was never able to stand in judgment when a man comes to the Law for Justification it convinceth him of sin when he pleads his innocence that he is not so great a sinner as others are when he pleds his righteousness his duties his good meanings and his good desires the Law tells him that they are all weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary and found Dau. 5. 27. too light the Law tells him that the best of his duties will not save him and that the least of his sins will damn him the Law tells him that his own righteousnesses are as filthy rags do but defile him and that his best services do but witness against him The Law looks for perfect and personal obedience and because the sinner cannot come up to it it pronounceth him accursed and though the Gal. 3. 10. sinner sues hard for mercy yet the Law will shew him none no though he seeks it carefully with tears but Heb. 12. 17. now when the believing sinner casts his eye upon the righteousness of Christ he sees that righteousness to be a perfect and exact righteousness as perfect and exact as that of the Law yea it is the very righteousness of the Law though not performed by him yet by his surety the Lord his righteousness and upon this foundation he stands firm and rejoyces with joy unspeakable and full of glory The Saints of old have always placed their happiness peace and comfort in their perfect and compleat Justification rather than in their imperfect and incompleat sanctification as you may see by the Scriptures in the margent with Jer. 23. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Luk. 7. 48 50. Rom. 4. 6 8. cap. 5. 1 3. Isa 38. 16 17. cap. 45. 24 25. Phil. 4. 7. many others that are scattered up and down in the blessed book of God That text is worthy to be written in letters of Gold Isa 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord saith the sound believer my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation He hath imputed and given unto me the perfect holiness and obedience of my blessed Saviour and made it mine he hath covered me all over from top to toe with the robe of righteousness as a bride groom decketh himself with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her self with her jewels Though a Christian's inherent righteousness be weak and imperfect â—maimed and stained blotted and blurred as it is yet it affords much comfort peace joy and rejoycing 1 Chron. 29. 9. Jâ—b 27. 4 5 6. Neh. 13. 14 22 31. Isa 38. 3. Prov. 21. 14. 2 Cor. 1. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 3. 4. cap. 5. 4. as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together Job was much taken with his inherent righteousness Job 29. 14. I put on righteousness and it cloathed me my judgment was as a robe and a diadem unto me Look as sober modest comely apparel doth much set forth and adorn the body in the eyes of men so doth inherent grace inherent holiness inherent righteousness when it sparkles in the faces lips lives and good works of the Saints much more beautifie and adorn them in the eyes both of God and man Now if this garment of inherent righteousness that hath so many spots and rents in it will adorn us and joy us so much what a beauty and glory is that which the Lord our God hath put upon us in clothing us with the robe of his son's righteousness for by this means we shall recover more by Christ than we lost by Adam the robe of righteousness which we have gotten by Christ the second Adam is far more glorious than that which we were deprived of by the first Adam But Seventhly Then know for your comfort that you 7. Gal. 6. 14. have the highest reason in the world to rejoyce and triumph in Christ Jesus Phil. 3. 3. For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus we rejoyce in the person of Christ and we rejoyce in the righteousness of Christ 2 Cor. 2. 14. Now thanks be to God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ Deo gratias was ever in Paul â—s
magnitude and multitude great drops and those so many so plentious as that they went through his Apparel and all streamed down to the ground and now was the time that his garments were dyed with crimson red that of the Prophet though spoken in another sense yet in some respect may be applyed to this Wherefore art thou red in thy Apparel and thy garments like him that treadeth the Wine-fat O what a sight was here his Isa 63. 2. head and members are all on a bloody sweat and this sweat trickles down bedecks his garments which stood like a new firmament studded with stars portending an approaching storm Nor stays it there but it falls down to the ground Oh happy garden that was watered with such tears of blood Oh how much better are these rivers than Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damasâ—us yea then Bernard all the waters of Israel yea than all those rivers that waters the Garden of Eden so great was Scanderbegs ardor in Battel that the blood burst out Bucholeer of his lips but from our Champions not lips only but whole body burst out a bloody sweat Not his eyes only were Fountains of tears or his head waters as Jeremy wished but his whole body was turned as it were into Jer. 9 1. Rivers of blood A sweet comfort to such as are cast down for that that their sorrow for sin is not so deep and soaking as they could desire Christs blood is put in Scripture by a Synecdoche of the part for all the sufferings which he underwent for the sins of the Elect especially his bloody death with all its concomitants so called First Because death especially when it is violent is joyned with the effusion of blood If we had lived in the days of our Fathers we would Math 23. 30. not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets And so again Pilaâ—e said I am Innocent of the Math. 27. 24. blood of this just person that is of his death Secondly Herein respect is had to all the Sacrifices of the Law whose blood was poured out when they were offered up Hâ—b 9. 22. Almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without shedding of blood there is no remission so that the blood of Christ is the Anti-type aimed at in the blood of those Sacrifices that were slain for Sinners sins But Secondly As the death of Christ on the Cross was a bitter death a bloody death so the death of Christ on the Cross was a lingring death It was more for Christ to suffer one hour than for us to have suffered for ever but his death was lengthened out he hung three hours on the Cross he dyed many deaths before he could dye one from the sixth hour till the nineth hour that is from twelve till three in the Afternoon there was darkness over Math. 27. 45. all the Land About twelve when the Sun is usually brightest it began now to darken And this darkness was so great that it spread over all Luk. 23. 44. the Land of Jewry yea some think over all the world so we translate it in Luke And there was darkness over all the Earth to shew Gods dislike of their horrid cruelty He would not have the Sun give light to so horrid an act the Sun as it were hid her face that she might not see the Sun of Righteousness so unworthily so wickedly handled It was dark 1. To shew the blindness darkness ignorance of the Jews in crucifying the Lord of glory 2. To shew the detestation of the fact 3. To shew the â—vileness of our sins This darkness was not a natural Eclipse of the Sun for first it cannot be so total so general Nor Secondly It could not be so long for the interposed Moon goeth swiftly away Certainly this was no ordinary Eclipse of the Sun seeing the Passover was kept at the full Moon when the Moon stands right opposite to the Sun on the other side of the Heaven and for this cause cannot hinder the light of Exod. 10. 12. the Sun but a supernatural work of God coming to pass by Miracle like as the darkness in Aegypt The Moon being now in the full it being the mid'st of the Lunar moneth when the Passover was killed and so of necessity the body of the Moon which useth to Eclipse the Sun by its interposition and being between us and the Sun must be opposite to and distant from the Sun the diametrical breadth of the Hemisphere the Full Moon ever rising Suid. in viâ—ae 5. Dion at the Suns setting and therefore this Eclipse could never be a natural Eclipse Many Gentiles besides Jews observed this darkness as a great Miracle Dionysius the Areopagite as suidas relates could say at first sight of it Amos 8. 9. Either the World is ending or the God of Nature is suffering of this darkness Amos long before had Prophesied And it shall come to pass in that day that I will cause the Sun to go down at Noon and I will darken the Earth in the clear day The opinion of Authors concerning the cause of this darkness are various some think that the Sun by Divine power withdrew and held back its beams others say that the obscurity was caused by some thick Clouds which were miraculously produced in the Ayre and spread themselves over all the Earth Others say that this darkness was by a wonderful interposition of the Moon which at that time was at full but by a Miracle interposed it self betwixt the Earth and Sun Whatsoever was the cause of this darkness it is certain that it continued for the space of three hours as dark as the darkest Winter Math. 27. 46. Nights About three which the Jews call the nineth hour the John 19. 28 30. Sun now beginning to receive his light Jesus cryed with a loud voice Eli Eli Lama sabachthani My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And then that the Scripture might be sulfilled he said I thirst and when he Luk. 23. 46. had received the Vinegar he said It is finished and at last crying with a loud voyce he said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and having said thus he gave up the Ghost Christs words were ever gracious but never more gracious than at this time You cannot find in all the books and writings of men in all the Annals and Records of time either such sufferings or such sayings as were these last words and wounds sayings John 19. 30. and sufferings of Jesus Christ And having said thus he gave up the ghost or as John relates it He bowed his head and gave up the ghost Christ would not off the Cross till all was done that was here to be done Christ Emisit nâ—n amisit Ambrose bowed not because he was dead but first he bowed and then dyed that is he dyed freely and willingly without constraint and