for God requires these Mic. 6.8 but it is a grievous delusion to think that by any such things wee can finde acceptation or bee justified before God No no let a man accompt all the daies of his life that hee hath spent and all the duties that hee hath performed spilt and lost without Faith Christ will tell you this is the work of God that yee beleeve c. Joh. 6.28 29. it is called a work because a work of Gods power and working and a work that hee delights in wee should bee exercised in to take our farewel of the World renounce our selves and to fly to Christ for refuge from the storm of Gods wrath and indignation and to prefer him before all this is the work of faith that takes us off from all our resting on our works and brings us naked unto Christ All other duties are very good in their season and kinde but like Josephs brethren none welcome without a Benjamin No works welcome and pleasing to God without faith which brings Christ God saith without Christ see not my face he would have us put on all Christian graces the whole Armour of God Eph. 6.16 But above all take the shield of Faith Because this plece of armour hath a singular excellency in it above all other because it defends all the rest the breastplate of Righteousness is excellent to keep the heart and the helmet of hope to keep the head but faith must keep both As a broad Shield that quencheth Satans fiery darts at whatever part they bee shot and the truth is there is no grace Satan so much shoots at Luke 22.32 for hereby hee knows wee still prevail against him therefore this is a weapon not only by which wee are said to overcome but the victory it self 1 Joh. 5.4 5. it cannot bee said so of any other weapon therefore above all put on this Now for the attaining of this grace we must know and be convinced 1 That wee have it not by nature In the flesh there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 and this is a work of the Spirit to convince the World of sin because it beleeves not Joh. 16.8 8. and till the heart bee convinced thus a farther work cannot be expected Luk. 1.53 2 Bee fully convinced that it is the Lord onely that must work it he must draw us or else we will not or can not come to Christ Joh. 6.44 3 Bee convinced of our great unworthinesse that he should bestow it upon us because of our frequent sleighting of Christ and Gadaren-like refusal of him preferring our Swinish lusts before him God gives faith where it may be to the glory of his grace Eph. 1.3 6. 4 Know that beleeving is receiving of Christ in all his Offices and giving up our selves unto his disposal Joh. 1.12 5 Know what a dangerous thing it is to bee mistaken in this Faith there bee many things which the Devil and the World call faith which are not so Act. 8.13 Joh. 2.22 6 That there is no Christ to be received by faith but only in and by the Promises of the Gospel Act. 15.7 he saith the Gentiles should hear the Word of Gods Gospel and beleeve So Eph. 1.13 Oh make much of Promises search them hide them in your hearts look for Christ in them think much on them and turn them into Prayers this it may bee will bee meant by the hiding the treasure Mat. 13.44 45. 7 Bee perswaded that the Promise carrieth Christ when the Spirit of God spreads it and applies it and works with it in the publick Ministry Rom. 10.17 2 Cor. 3.18 Otherwise it may bee said why may I not bee contented with reading at home but know that the Ministry is the Ministry of the Spirit and the Spirit works in it Hence Ministers are said to justify their hearers Dan. 12.3 Quest But will any conviction serve to work faith Answ The Spirits conviction goeth farther than any humane Joh. 16.8 10. that will reach to the heart for it is unresistible 1 Thess 1.5 Our Gospel came not unto you in word only c. this Spirit of Illumination is strong for it subdues all and transforms all 2 Cor. 3.18 Oh then bee instant constant and fervent in prayer for this good Spirit of his for it is promised to them that ask it Luk. 11.13 Now to shut up this use for the attaining this pretious grace I shall commend to you the consideration of one place it is of Act. 17.11 12. where it is said The Bereans were more noble or better disposed than they of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so therefore many of them beleeved Where observe how the Bereans attained unto faith 1 They attended carefully on the publick Ministry 2 They did this with all readiness of mind though they being Jews Pauls Doctrin was contrary to them yet they laid aside all prejudice against it and heard with readiness It is a great matter to have a minde to the Gospel this was their better disposition 3 They were not contented with the publike Ministry alone but in private they searched the Scriptures daily they did not onely now and then repeat Sermons but made it their work daily to search the Scriptures and that judiciously and with consideration Neither was it any disparagement to Pauls Ministry to bee tryed by them but an honour to it and credit to bee found to bee exact according to the Scriptures And it is not the least part of Christian Wisdome to be often trying of and setting home upon his heart a profitable truth till hee hath fixed it there and driven the nail to the head 4 It follows many of them beleeved not a few but many and therefore they beleeved God gave this great blessing to their diligent attention and frequent search of the Scripture so that many beleeved both of men and women And sure if any of us do the like wee shall speed as they did It is to perswade and exhort beleevers still to keep on the exercise of faith to maintain this good estate of Justification Exhort 2. To beleevers Faith is of constant use for their continued Justification and the comfort of that estate Gal. 2.16 Even wee have beleeved in Christ Jesus that wee might bee still justified by the faith of Jesus Christ It is observable that is spoken of Abraham Gen. 15.6 that hee beleeved God and it was accounted to him for righteousness though doubtless hee beleeved before upon the calling out of his own Country but at this time hee is said to be justified by faith because the Holy Ghost would give a singular Testimony to his faith at this time for his own and our comfort When God made him a Promise of seed when Abraham and Sarah were both very aged and so an unlikely thing had he not beleeved God who promised Faith therfore justifies at all times it
runs away from Christ and his People and Ordinances and can rejoyce when hee is furthest from Communion with him or can be content with beholding Christ afar off or conceit he hath enough of Christ already this is to bee far from Christ and from beleeving Caut. 6. Take heed that we bar not our selves out from Imputed Righteousnesse by inventing or pleading some pretence distinction or difference to exclude us as to say that it is the greatness and multitude of our sins shall hinder us or the imperfection of our duties and services or the littlenesse of our humiliation or the fewnesse of our good works declaration of his righteousness which is mentioned and repeated as a principal matter that the Spirit of God would have us take notice of the which is amplified First by an Exegosis or Explication Secondly By the adjunct of time to declare at this time c. This latter remains to be spoken to Quest What is meant by the Righteousness of God here Answ This is needful to bee opened because it is certain that Righteousnesse is ascribed to God in several respects and significations Righteousness of God the father taken four waies Divines do usually reduce them to four significations First That the Justice or Righteousness of God doth signify his Rectitude and Integrity and Purity as it is opposed to sin Psalm 11. vers the last the Righteous Lord loves righteousness his countenance doth behold the just It was said before vers 5. The Lord tryeth the Righteous but the wicked his soul hates c. This is usually called universal Justice and comprehends all virtues or moral perfections in it Secondly It is taken for the Mercy Goodness bounty of God whereby hee bestows many benefits on his Creatures 1 Sam. 12.7 Samuel saith to Israel Let mee reason with you of the Righteous Acts of the Lord which the Lord did in Egypt sending Moses and Aaron to them and bringing them out of Egypt and in the 45. of Isa 13. The Lord raiseth up Cyrus in Righteousnesse that hee should build up Jerusalem and let go the Captives and his thus sending of Moses and Aaron and raising up of Cyrus were signal Acts of his Mercy Thirdly The Righteousnesse of God signifies his Truth and constancy in keeping his Word and fulfilling his Promises 1 Joh. 1.19 If wee confess our sins hee is just and faithful to forgive c. Not that hee will forgive meerly for our confession of them as if there were any thing in the Act of confession to deserve forgiveness but 't is because hee is faithfull hee hath promised to forgive them and so will bee as good as his word Isa 45.19 I said not unto the seed of Jacob seek yee mee in vain I the Lord speak Righteousness that is this I have promised and I will do it Fourthly Gods Righteousness signifies that perfection of God whereby hee distributes to every one according to their works rewarding the godly and punishing the wicked Psal 9.7 8. The Lord hath prepared his Throne for Judgement and hee shall judge the world in righteousness The Lord is there described as the Judge of all the World and so judging righteously every person So also the Word is taken Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the righteous judgement of God that they that do such things are worthy of death and the word is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies righteous Judgement and that is to punish with death them that are worthy of it Nahum 1 2-6 So Jerem. 51.56 The Lord God of recompence shall surely requite you I will not further inlarge this but still the Question remains which of these waies the righteousnesse of God is taken in this place for it is manifest that the righteousnesse of God is in all these respects evidenced in the Justification of a sinner for First There is the Truth and Faithfulnesse of God Luk. 1.69 70. Hee hath visited us as hee spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets c. So Act. 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witnesse c. Secondly His Mercy and Goodnesse doth appear in our Justification This David hath recourse unto in Psal 51.1 2. Bee merciful unto mee and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out mine iniquities But I conceive the Apostle doth intend onely the first and last sense for they are not contrary I mean Gods rectitude and his distributive or his relative and vindictive justice but are co-ordinate and the one doth infer the other but especially his vindictive justice is meant in the Text and this appears first because the Apostle had mentioned before both his Grace and Free grace in the forgiveness of our sins and also the imputation of righteousness vers 24. and his Truth too vers the 21. This was testified in the Law and the Prophets therefore now he speaks of another distinct Attribute of God namely his Justice Secondly The Apostle addes several Expressions to signify this as first hee saith that hee might bee just and the Justifier they are Conjugates and relate to the proper meaning of the word Justice which is suum cuique tribuere The Justifier of him that is of man who is unjust So that the Apostles meaning is the Lord justifies a sinner in a way of Justice Secondly Hee saith that God would declare his Justice in the way that hee proposes for the sinners Justification Thirdly Hee doubles the words to declare his Righteousness implying this that God would have us to take special notice of it for it is as much as if the Apostle should have said there is not onely Mercy and Truth in a sinners justification but there is also Justice in it The Lord declareth his justice in this thing and therefore it is that the Father set forth Christ to bee a Propitiation that hee might declare his Righteousness If the Lord had said Well ye are great and grievous sinners I am content to forgive you all your sins this would have declared the grace of God But when hee saith also that this is through the redemption that is in Christ and that hee hath set forth Christ to bee a Propitiation and that the blood of Christ was shed for thy sins this doth declare his Justice as much as his Truth and Grace Fourthly There is another expression to this purpose To declare I say at this time what is that but in the times of the Gospel since that Jesus Christ hath shed his blood for though the Justice of God was but darkly signified in the Old Testament by the Types of the Sacrifices and punishments inflicted yet it was far more clearly held forth by the Death of Christ and that the chastisement of our peace was on him Fifthly Adde to all these the like phrase used in other Scriptures declaring the justice of God 2 Thess 1.5 6. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God c. and vers 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with
Justice is one of Gods Essential Attributes so that he is denied to be God if he bee denied to bee just hence Paul reasons Rom. 3.5 Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance God forbid for then how should God judge the world this is to thrust God out of his Judgement Seat Hence it is that there is no work of God that hee doth to Mankind at any time but there must needs be an act of Justice in it Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes therefore if he pardon sin he must doe it in a way of righteousnesse and if he punish sin he must doe it in a way of righteousnesse this he doth by the necessity of his nature It is most certain this righteousnesse of Gods nature is eternal and sin is committed in time but this being supposed that sin is committed it must necessarily follow that a just God must punish it Obj. 2. But with what punishment must he punish it For Answer look into Rom. 1.32 who knowing the Judgement of God c. the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the righteousnesse of God In this answer of the Apostle there are three things to be noted First That this is universally known even by the very Heathens that he speaks of and whose wickednesse he describes before even they by the light of nature and the workings of their own Consciences do acknowledge the justice of God Secondly That this righteousnesse of God is the cause fountain and rule of all punishments that are inflicted for thus it is described that they that commit such things are worthy of death and that the wages of sin is death yea even eternal death Thirdly this is natural and essential to God for though in respect of the exercise of it it is occasioned by men or devils yet in respect of the foundation and root of it the Divine perfection or Gods blessed nature requires it Now for the Objection Object If a man can forgive a trespass committed against him then God can without satisfaction Answ It follows not for first a man forgives wrong done unto him but to forgive sin without satisfaction is another matter for sin hurts an universal good Secondly It is one thing for a private person to forgive the offence and another thing for a publick person as a Judge if a Judge forgives without satisfaction hee sins against his office and calling now shall not the Judge of all the world do right Thirdly a mans justice is not essential hee may bee a man though unjust but Gods justice is himself Fourthly a man is subject to a Law but God is a Law to himself Object If God punish sin naturally and necessarily then hee must punish sin to the utmost of his power as fire burns but God doth not so Answ This follows not for that necessity whereby God punisheth sin requires not that hee should punish sin as much as he can but as much as is just for God doth not act as senselesse creatures but with understanding and will with liberty accompanying his actions Eph. 1.11 Hee worketh all things after the counsel of his own will thus you see how the justice of God being the very nature of God it must needs act in the justification of a sinner Reas 2. The same may bee cleared by the infinite holinesse and purity of God which is likewise one of his divine perfections Thou art a God of purer eies than to behold iniquity So 1 Sam. 2.2 God cannot behold sin with an eye of approbation but when hee looks upon it it is with an angry and revenging eye Psal 5.4 5. Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness God hates sin naturally and necessarily therefore hee must punish it either in the Sinner or the Surety according to the demerit of it Exod. 31.7 He will by no means acquit the guilty though hee bee most merciful to those that are in Christ in whom his justice is satisfied yet hee irreconcilably hates and abhors all such as are guilty Jer. 44.4 Do not this abominable thing that I hate hee cannot acquit them or free them from punishment but hee must violate his own nature therefore hee must needs condemn and punish them and whomsoever hee justifies it is upon the ground of the satisfaction of his justice in and by Christ on their behalf and thus you see there must needs be justice in the pardon of them because he is unchangeably holy Reas 3. A third Reason or Ground is taken from the supream providence of God and his Government of the world considered with the nature of sin Psal 9.4 5. Thou sittest in thy throne judging right and vers 5. Thou hast rebuked the heathen thou hast destroyed the wicked thou hast put out their name for ever This Supream government of God is universal and extended to all the World Hee doth necessarily impose and exact obedience at the hands of reasonable creatures and in case of disobedience hee must needs reduce the creature into order as being Judge and Law-giver Hence are these places 2 Thess 1.6 It is righteous with God to recompence vengeance to those that trouble you Heb. 2.2 Every transgression of the Law received a just recompence of reward Jude 7. The Sodomites suffer the vengeance of the justice of eternal fire Now let sin bee considered and it overthrows the supream government of God Rom. 1.31 It s rebellion against him it pulls him out of his Throne and deposes him from it therefore by some act of Government and Authority which is exercised in a way of justice the sinner must bee brought into order and though Gods wise and gracious dispensation hath laid upon Christ the punishment of our sins I mean the sins of the elect yet punished they must bee in the sinner or surety and there can be no dispensation for that without denial of the judiciary power and justice of Almighty God Vse 1. First use for Conviction and Terrour to vile sinners that are out of Christ It is a terrible thing to be out of Christ That seeing pardon of sin is not onely in a way of mercy and truth but also in a way of righteousnesse it shews us what a groundlesse delusion they please themselves withall that live in their unbeleef and impenitency and yet hope to bee saved by the Mercy of God In vain such do hope for the mercy of God yea there is none so desperately wicked living near the means but that upon this very ground they sleep securely in sin and commit it with greediness because God is so merciful Now to discover the grosseness of this deceit consider first that though God bee infinitely merciful yet his mercy alwaies goes together with his truth Psal 86.15 Hee is plenteous in Mercy and Truth i. e. as God hath abundance of mercy so hee is plenteous in truth his truth is in fulfilling both his promises and threatnings thou canst not expect mercy of
his grace wherein hee hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence It was such abundance of wisdome that no creature could reach unto or comprehend that this strange way should bee found out for a sinners attonement 2 The Glory and Riches of Gods grace are singularly manifested hereby it had been glorious grace if that God should or could of his good will alone towards men have pardoned their iniquities as Saul said to David 1 Sam. 24.19 If a man find his enemy will hee let him go well away but sinful men and women which of themselves are Gods enemies and cannot hide themselves any where but God will finde them hee not only lets them go well away and freely pardons them but freely forgives them in such a way that cost him so exceeding dear as the blood of his onely Son When there was no other sufficient remedy for the misery of man but this when as the pardon and redemption of souls is so exceeding costly and pretious this above measure exalts the riches of Gods grace as David said 2 Sam. 24.24 I will not offer of that that cost mee nothing This was Davids royal spirit So this is Gods royal love that hee saved not his people in a way that cost him nothing 1 Joh. 4.9 10. Herein is the love of God manifest to us that hee sent his Son into the World to dye that wee might live by him And again Herein is love that hee sent his Son to bee a Propitition for our sins they that do not understand this have too low and mean conceits of the love and grace of God 3 Here is a demonstration of the glory of the Holinesse of the Lord in his so hating and punishing of sin even to the uttermost though but imputed and that to such a Son he that breaks a pitcher because deadly poyson was in it or burieth a beggars coat because infected with the plague shews his hatred to them but hee that throws away a vessel of gold because poysoned or burneth or burieth some royal and rich robes for the leprosy cleaving to them hee is carried with greatest indignation against the corruptions of them now this is the case of Gods hatred of the sins of the Elect imputed to the Son of God here is the pearl of great price even the richest treasure so and so dealt withall this is mighty holiness and hatred of sin Psal 99.8 9 It is said Thou art a God that forgavest them though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions Whence hee inferres Exalt the Lord our God for hee is holy hee speaks of the Lords manner of forgiving of the sins of his people it was with vengeance for their inventions surely this is an holy God but this is incomparably more to pardon the sins of his Elect in such a way by laying the chastisement of their peace on his only Son Oh what an holy God is this 4 Adde to the rest the glory of Gods Kingdome Providence and Government This is that which the Saints do blesse the Lord for Psal 145.10 11. They speak of the glory of thy kingdome and talk of thy power now the glory of Gods kingdome appears in this that hee rectifies all the disorders that are in the world by sin there is no confusion in the World but that which is in sin or brought in by it which hath made the world like that woful land Job 10.21 22. A land of darknesse and of the shaddow of death without order now to bring all into order again was a busy work and this is a glorious work of the government and providence of the Lord. There are strange examples of Gods glory in holy Writ concerning this in the sin of Josephs brethren selling Joseph into Egypt to bee a bond-servant accused imprisoned and in great abasement many years what strange disorder was here how strangely did the Lord rectify and amend this by setting him at liberty making him Ruler over all the land of Egypt and making his brethren to stoop to him and be beholding to him for their sustenance afterwards Another Example I might tell you of of the great confusion among the Jews by Hamans sin in the daies of Ahasuerus yet how gloriously did the Lord work for his Church in the confusion of Haman and the deliverance of the Church and the destruction of their enemies Here was a great deal of disorder by sin but Gods providence set all in right order again yea and brought great good out of all this disorder that wee may say according to Sampsons riddle out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong sweetnesse but the matter in hand is a greater and deeper riddle Adams sin had brought a woful Ataxy and confusion into all the world and grievous dishonour to God then Providence findes out a way by the death and blood shed of the second Adam to bring all into a better order than ever they were before in the Lord makes a better and a surer covenant and ordered in all things 2 Sam. 23.5 and Christ is set up in his Kingdome to order and to establish it with justice and judgement for ever Isay 9.7 Ye may see by all this what abundance of glory redounds unto God by the death of Christ and the sinners justification thereby Vse 1. Refutation of Socinians Refutation of that damnable blasphemy of the Socinians in making the death of Christ onely exemplary and no wise satisfactory whereby they do rob God of his glory and would disappoint him of his principal end of the incarnation of his onely begotten Son yea and rob him of his glory which hee hath sworn that hee would not give unto another The Devil hath formerly done great mischief to Christian Religion by Heresies of Monstrous shapes but this is a blasphemy of a more bloody dye whereby hee induces down-right Paganism or as bad as Turcism again Oh that such a Godlesse Christlesse-villany should bee ever tollerated to harbour amongst Christians This is a lamentation and shall surely bee the saddest lamentation of these last perilous times Use 2. The Doctrin of Gods justice is sutable to the Gospel It may serve to discover and confute the general mistake and error about the Doctrin of the Gospel Truely the Lord hath dealt graciously with us in the times of the New Testament and especially with his people in these latter times wherein the Grace of God and the Riches therof are more abundantly sounded forth and magnified above former ages and most blessed is the estate of those vessels of Grace the persons that receive it in truth and are made partakers thereof but beloved I do very much fear lest that Satan get advantage by this means to make innumerable persons to miss their mark and Gods mark too causing them utterly to pervert the doctrine of the Gospel and the grace of God and his principal plot and purpose therein so as to cause many to forget
was and confessed them as Saul and Pharaoh did and a while abstained from them as Simon Magus from his Sorcery and making restitution of their ill gotten goods In the mean time not seeking with diligence the Pearl of price but putting off all upon Christ and his grace hoping that they shall find mercy though they fly not to this satisfaction as the Man-slayer with fears terrours and restlesse speed from the Avenger of bloud to the City of refuge forgetting that God will make us know the worth of a Redeemer and of satisfaction by Christ before wee shall have it Psal 107.12 13. Hee brought down their strength with labour they fell down and there was none to help Then they cried unto the Lord c. Let all such carelesse wretches know That if justification be a state of Blessednesse Psal 32.1 2. then their state is a state of cursednesse And though they sleep in that estate their damnation slumbereth not but may come on them in a night and stop their breath while they lye sleeping Vse 2. Faln mans misery Let us hereby bee convinced of the misery of faln man whose state is not only dangerous but desperate without this satisfaction And yet alas how little is it considered by wretched Sinners our days are like those Matth. 24.39 We have many Noahs preachers of righteousnesse to warn us of the evil to come but no man takes warning Wee are singing and chanting to the sound of the Viol while God sounds an alarum by the trumpet of warre Wee are dancing in jollity while God is marching in Battalia We are drinking in the Wine and strong Drink while God is letting out our Blood Wee are devouring the Creatures while wee are devoured of the Creator Wee are joyning Sexes in Marriage while God is separating soul from body Swimming in pleasures till we are drowned in the floud and no man takes warning as if there were no danger in the matter wherefore to give you ataste of it 1 Consider that all have sinned Rom. 3.23 All without exception have been in an estate of sin and in want of that righteousnesse that should stand before God for acceptation And though education or a better nature should stop sin in some from bringing forth so early or breaking out so foulely as it doth in others yet there is no difference there lyes a hidden Spring-head in all both Jewes and Gentiles circumcised and uncircumcised binding them over to the Wrath of God And least you should therefore say you shall escape as well and your condition is as good as others 2 Consider we all are come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 come short of his grace by the losse of original righteousnesse and of his glory by the separation which our sins have made The fruition of God is the Goal of our race wee run to obtain our sins have cast us behind in this race as the Greek word there sounds Justification by Christs satisfaction is the only way now left to attain the end of our race which whosoever wants must never hope to enjoy God 3 Nothing in the Creature can justifie Good Works Duties Services Prayers Tears Groans are all too mean to make God to account him righteous no nor to give all his estate to the poor and his body to bee burnt for Religion for the Law required that God should bee served with all our might and all our power and ability but by the works of the law can no flesh bee justified Rom. 3.20 Moreover by the Law sin is known and manifested but what makes known sin cannot justify from it for 't is madnesse for a Traytor when hee is convicted of Treason by some Statute to expect an acquittance by that Statute that condemned his Crime to Death so 't is in man to expect Absolution by the Law which condemns his sin to death The Law therefore leaves man without all hope 4 The grace of God cannot justify any soul without Christs satisfaction Men may hope to bee saved by Gods Grace and Mercy but without Christs satisfaction their hope is meerly groundlesse Paul names Gods grace in the Text but addes through the Redemption which is in Christ Jesus not by grace without it The Devil would plead Gods grace to get out of his misery if that would do it as well as you Every carnal wretch would plead it 'T is a pretious Plea to flye to Gods grace yet none is welcome but hee that hath a High-Priest Heb. 4.15 16. Let us come boldly to the throne of Grace what may any poor soul come Surely no unlesse hee hath the Therefore to the Wherefore Unless hee hath a High Priest that was tempted in all points like unto us Else hee 'le finde the throne of Grace to bee a Judgement Seat and may call to the mountains to fall upon him Revel 6.16 to save him from the wrath of him that sits upon the Throne when hee comes to beg for grace Nothing but the redemption that is in Christ Jesus can procure the souls welcome No gift of man can appease God Prov. 6.34 35. The jealous God will not spare in the day of vengeance hee will not regard a ransome neither will hee rest contented though thou givest many gifts God-man in one person is alone the accepted price The Father would not take a farthing more than his justice did exact nor a farthing less than what was due As where ten pound is due the Creditor exacts not twenty and where twenty pounds are due hee will not accept often so the father required Christ for satisfaction being the exact return according to the fathers Justice For Job 34.23 God will not lay upon man more than is right And Paul clears him Rom. 3.5 6. what shall wee say then Is there unrighteousness with God God forbid Hee is no Extortioner to take more nor could take less than his due He doth not willingly afflict the children of men Lam. 3.34 35. much lesse doth hee exceed in the affliction of his own Son Now therefore if God required his Son as an infinite price for the satisfaction of his infinite wrongs to become a ransome for lost man surely man was faln into a most woful estate Beware therefore O sinful wretch that sleepest in thy security least God cause his consuming fire to fall on thee this moment as it did on Sodom O what a remediless what a helpless estate is thy soul fallen into Let thy tears run down like a river day and night give God no rest cease not to complain to him Let thine heart like Noahs Dove find no place to rest on till thou hast gotten Christs satisfaction to bee thy souls Ransome Use 3. Of Instruction and Exhortation to every man Instruction to take the right way to justification to take the right way for Justification The world hath been tampering about it ever since Adams fall and the Devil hath so much over-clouded it That the greatest
men prosper Answ They do sometimes prosper outwardly but then God sendeth leannesse into their souls as Psal 106.15 and spiritual judgements Psal 81.10 Hos 4.14 To bee under wrath and not to feel it is the worst of conditions When God doth reserve his wrath for men and lay it up in store unto the day of the righteous and dreadful revelation thereof Vse 2. Comfort to men in Christ Here is great consolation to men in Christ The great thing that wee have to fear is the wrath of God and that which mainly doth trouble the soul is his anger Now wee being in Christ this is done away Hos 4.14 Rom. 8.1 All sins are covered All good shall be bestowed Every affliction shall be sanctified and advantagious We may boldly meet with God and consult with him before his Mercy Seat Object But doth not Gods anger sometimes smoak against the sheep of his pasture Psal 74.1 David complains there was no soundness in his flesh because of Gods anger c. Answ It cannot bee denyed but that his anger may bee so far kindled against such a one that hee may hide his face from him and lay sad afflictions upon him But then it is not the vindicative or destructive wrath of a Cruel Enemy or as to sinners unreconciled But his wrath is medicinal Jerem. 9.7 Roman 5.11 the Corrections of a Father who though he loves yet will not cocker his childe but teach him duty as Psal 99.8 Hos 2.6 7. Num. 12.14 Object Yea but my affliction is in my soul and conscience too therefore it is his anger and vengeance Answ Why is hee not a God that hideth his face sometimes from his own Israel Isa 45.15 therefore do not too rashly conclude by this Quest What shall I then do Answ 1 Enquire into the ground of thy interest in Christ and that throughly 2 Ransack thy conscience and see what relapses thou hast had and labour to recover thy self and rise again Rev. 2.4 5. 3 Betake thy self to Christs sacrifice and propitiation afresh Isa 8.17 4 Humble thy soul before the Lord and be ashamed of thy offence Numb 12.14 Use 3. Of Admonition Take heed of rash judging of the children of God to teach us to take heed of rash judgement concerning the children of God However for the present they are or may bee afflicted by the hand of God The fashion of the World in this case is to conclude that either they are very Hypocrites or else greater sinners than other men and that now the vengeance of God hath found them out Thus did Jobs friends judge him and God was offended with them for it Job 42.7 So did Shimei curse David 2 Sam. 16.7 8. And the Barbarians Paul Act. 28.4 That vengeance would not suffer him to live This Christ forbiddeth Luke 13.2 3 And Psalm 41.1 3. sets forth diverse blessings of a man that judges wisely of the poor in the time of his affliction It s a singular grace of God and shall never go unrewarded As the Moon is nearest to the Sun when the least light doth outwardly appear So is God nearest to the Godly when they have the least outward Light of Comfort Psalm 91.15 Above all beware that the Afflictions of the people of God bee not a stumbling block to thee as it often falls out by the just judgement of God upon uncharitable persons Thus the death of the young Prophet that spake against the Altar hardened Jeroboam in his Idolatry and his other sins God doth afflict many times because hee loves And he will not bee traced in his waies as ordinarily men may be Eccles 7.14 God hath set Adversity and Prosperity the one against the other to the end that man should finde nothing after him that is that none may find out that end which God hath in afflicting of his servants Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his judgements c. Christ a Propitiation THE ELEVENTH SERMON ON Romans 3.24 25. Whom God hath set forth a propitiation Doct. THat through the Sacrifice and bloud-shed of Christ God the Father is throughly pacified with all those that have interest in Christ From whence now followeth Vse 4. It may put us upon serious enquiry how the Lord stands affected towards each of our persons whether his wrath be appeased towards us or no It is a question requiring the most serious consultation and full resolution Luk. 14.31 seeing that God cometh with such force and strength against us It is time to enquire whether it be peace or no And wee should not rest until wee could say as Psal 85.2 3. And of your selves in particular as 1 Thess 5.9 God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation Loc a state of Wrath is opposed to a state of Salvation and some there are that are appointed to it Ah should every one say am not I one of those This is the first Question that must be resolved for our Salvation Mat. 3.7 This made the Pharisees and Sadduces to make some shew and semblance of Repentance and flock to the Baptism of John And it is the first work of the Law of God upon a Sinner Rom. 4.13 The Law worketh wrath that is it discovers the Wrath of God against the sinner And it is certain that till this Work of God be done and this Question cleared to thy soul thou hast not taken one step from Wrath and Hell 2 This concerns not one or a few actions of sin but our state in and under wrath and all depends on this if the Lord doth hate our persons what hope of peace with him can wee have Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh whatsoever they doe they cannot please God If a man know not his estate he knows not what to avoyd or what to doe but hee must needs goe on in the dark and worship hee knows not what nor how 3 Satan strives to hide this from every soul so long as hee can Hee blindes mens eyes 2 Cor. 4.4 5. 1 By godlesse cogitations Psal 14.1 2 By presumption Revel 3.17 Matth. 7.21 3 By over-charging our hearts with sensual lusts and the cares of this life Luk. 21.34 4 By an evil Conscience Joh. 3.20 5 By Idols set up in our hearts Isa 44.20 6 By the practice example and company of evil men of the world Joh. 7.48 Have any of the Rulers beleeved on him 4 If a man is a stranger to this inquisition and unwilling to this search he is evidently the subject of Gods anger Psal 10.4 5 6. and also vers 11. 13. and it is a manifest token of the Atheism of his heart 5 There will come times when every sinner shall be forced to enquire into this and that when it is near past hope of remedy As when death approaches and the anger of God beginneth to seize us Then shall wee say is not this evil come upon us because the Lord is not among us Deut. 31.17.29.24 25. Then will
and pliably and plead all this word and work of propitiation before the Lord continually Ezek. 16. ult 2 Cor. 5.19 Job 22.21 22. Isa 12.1 2. Exhor 2 To the members of Christ 2. Seeing Gods anger is pacified towards you see that yee walk answerable to so great a priviledge 1 Blesse God for this propitiation Luk. 1.64 what had our condition been without this Psal 44.3 2 Take heed of kindling it again by relapses into your former courses Psal 85.8 He will speak peace unto his people but let them not return again to folly It is the first use the Spirit makes of this grace of Christ 1 Joh. 2.1 These things I write that you sin not So 2 Cor. 7.1.5.11 But if you shall bee bold to sin know that though God doth love your persons yet hee will bee displeased with your actions as 2 Sam. 11. ult and take vengeance on your inventions 3 Learn to make use of this propitation of Christ continually as 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Not onely before conversion but after the same it s ever to bee used more necessary than fire and water meat and drink Quest When should wee more especially make use of Christs Propitiation Answ 1 In our daily relapses into sin which make new defilements and therefore wee must have fresh recourse to the fountain Heb. 13.8 thus the daily Sacrifice prefigured the daily use of Christs sacrifice for attonement That 22 Psalm setting forth his passion was daily sung each morning with the offering up of the Sacrifice as is judged from its title 2 In all our duties and services whereof the most holy have iniquity in them and therefore stand in need of Christ that they may finde acceptance as was typified Exod. 28.38 and their sacrifices were given into the hand of the Priest and offered by him so our spiritual services by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 3 In daies of humiliation and attonement as Levit. 16 29. Heb. 10.22 It is not fasting or weeping God looks to but a sacrifice c. 4 At each Sacrament there should bee a solemn remembrance of this propitiatory sacrifice Rom. 6.3 Wee are baptized into his death 1 Cor. 11.26 It s done in remembrance of Christ 5 In our ordinary Callings and the discharge of them Whatsoever ye do do it to the glory of God Col. 3.17 6 In afflictions desertions and temptations In desertions Christs blood brings us near in temptations hee gives us victory Col. 2.15 Dan. 9.17 Isa 53.5 6. 1 Sam 26.19 How shall wee make use of it Quest How shall wee make use of Christs Sacrifice in these times and cases Answ 1 Wee are to remember our daily back-slidings with humble acknowledgement and brokennesse of heart and to see the necessity of Christs propitiation Jer. 3.12 13. Return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord I will not cause mine anger to pass upon thee nor keep it for ever onely acknowledge thine iniquity c. 2 Wee are to observe as wee are able the imperfections and defaults in our duties that wee may bee humbled thereat and see what great need wee have of Christs propitiation as Nehemiah chap. 13.22 when hee had done his best then hee praies Remember me O God concerning this and spare mee according to the greatness of thy Mercy 3 In regard of the remainder of corruptions that are too strong in us Wee are to look upon the Lord of glory crucified and meditate upon the Sacrifice of Christ Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our Consciences c. 4 Wee are to apprehend and plead by faith and prayer the Promises of God as confirmed to us by the blood of Christ They are all made and performed by him They are branches of the Covenant of Grace and the blood of Christ is called the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 As the Priest sprinkled the people the book c. Heb. 9.19 20 23. So now ought Christians set faith on work to sprinkle all Ordinances and the word it self and our selves and all our works 5 When as Gods anger doth lye heavy upon the soul by desertion or temptation c. then wee are to cast our burden upon Christ in the free Covenant of grace and peace Psal 55.22 Isa 54.8 9. This shall bee to me as the waters of Noah c. Christ set forth to be a Propitiation THE TWELFTH SERMON ON Rom. 3.24 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation WEE have seen before of the efficient cause of a sinners justification 1 God the Father 2 The inward impulsive that 's the free grace and favour of God 3 The meritorious cause 4 The instrument apprehending the object that is faith in Christs blood 5 The end in respect of us that is our remission of sins and eternal salvation In respect of God the manifestation of his Justice and Mercy Now the Meritorious Cause is amplyfied 1 By the degree and measure and manner of it it was by blood 2 By the efficacy of it it was a propitiation 3 By the ground or manner of it in the word set forth of which next is this Quere Quest What is the meaning of setting forth Christ to bee a Propitiation Answ Christ was formerly set forth for a Propitiation in times of the Old Testament But very darkly under Types and shadows and very restrainedly in that 't was onely to the Jews or the Proselytes that were joyned to them But now in the New Testament Christ is clearly and openly set forth in the Ministry of the Gospel and without all restraint both to Jews and Gentiles 1 Joh. 2.2 a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world Heb. 9.7 The Mercy Seat was shut up in the times of the Old Testament though the benefit was extended to the whole Church of the Jews yet to them onely and such as joyned to them and besides none but the High Priest might go into it and that not commonly but onely once a year But now in the times of the New Testament Christ our Mercy Seat is set forth in the Promises and Preaching of the Gospel to all sorts of sinners that they have free recourse to him for themselves and that at any time This I conceive was intended by the Translators in this place and it is pious and precious The word here used doth often signify the purpose and decree of God from all eternity Rom. 8.28 And of mens purposes to do any thing Rom. 1.13 But it s especially applyed unto the mystery of Christ Gods eternal purpose in gathering of sinners unto him in one head Eph. 1.9 And this signification doth marvellously suit here to shew unto us how it comes to pass that Christ is the Propitiatory or placatory sacrifice for sin Even because God the Father purposed and fore-appointed this way of reconciliation from all eternity In regard of the composition of the word it may signify hee proposed before or held forth in former times viz.
not hasty in concluding that thou hast it And for the discovery of this whether thou art in the faith consider these trials 1 more general 2 more particular 1 More general Consider First Tryals of faith whether thou hast a lower work of faith which although it doth not justify yet it is a step unto the other viz. to beleeve the truth of all the things that are written in the Law and the Prophets Act. 24.14 It thou hast not a dogmatical faith of these thou art worse than the Devils and if thou beleevest them but as the Devils thou shalt have no more benefit by thy saith than the Devils have But if this faith have a tendency to justifying Faith it is of pretious use to thee and causeth thee as it did Paul to exercise thy self to have a Conscience void of offence toward God and man ver 16. This is known very much by your beleeving the Commandements as well as the Promises but see do you beleeve the Commandements hee that beleeves them will set upon the obeying of them Heb. 11.8 yea he will have respect to every Commandement do you beleeve the threatnings Sure then you will tremble at them So David did Psal 119.120 Isa 66.2 5. As when wee see a Childe shooting at us wee fear not his arrows not will stir for him because we beleeve not that hee can or will hurt us But if we see a skilful archer to level at us wee will not dare to stand within bow-shot because wee beleeve hee will hit us So 't is in apprehending Gods threatnings against our sins When he shoots his arrows at us Ps 45.5 certainly if a man beleeves not Commands and Threatnings hee beleeves not with justifying faith Yea see how thou likest the faithful application of the word to thy conscience especially when it is impartial A naughty unbeleeving heart will turn from it 2 Tim. 4.3 at the least hee doth not love to apply it to himself for his profit Heb. 4.2 and such a hearer may sit under the means all his life time and never bee the better 2 See whether thy faith bee a working faith By this thou shalt know whether it bee the work of God if it act vigorously against the allowance of any sin that Faith which lyeth dead and idle is like a dead and unsavory carcass in Gods accompt Jam. 2.22 24. that Faith that works not by repentance Mark 1.15 that works not by love Gal. 5.6 that brings not forth good fruits that bauks any duty and imboldens to any Sin Col. 1.10 Psal 119.1 2. it is not hard for him that shall descend into his own conscience to discern what manner of faith hee hath attained unto 3 See whether your faith bee any other than what you have by natural power and abilities attained unto hee that hath no other hath not this saving faith wrought in him for this is wrought by a divine supernatural power Matth. 16.17 flesh and blood hath not revealed it Col. 2.12 Faith of the operation of God Eph. 1.19 It is true a carnal man may do many duties required of him in the moral Law for the outward performance because hee hath the seeds of the Law left in him but saving faith must bee created and wrought onely by the power of God which shews that the faith of some is but a meer fancy seeing they have no more than meer nature in them there was never any difficulty in the attainment of it 4 It is a grace that is not wrought in the heart unless soundly humbled Neither will ever abide in a proud heart how can you beleeve c. Joh. 5.44 Heb. 2.4 See how the Lord brought down Paul and the Jaylor and those Act. 2. So that until Pride and Self conceitedness and Vain-glory and Contempt of others bee removed yea all glorying in and boasting of our own righteousnesse And unlesse the heart bee brought to some constant frame of humility it neither will or can beleeve And the want of this is the cause why so many Professors turn to errours and prophaneness and a loose kinde of life it comes from the unbrokenness and untamedness of their hearts Now Faith of all other graces is a heart-breaking and soul-humbling grace More particularly There are divers degrees and measures of faith And wee must take heed that wee do not lay stumbling blocks before the eies of weak beleevers by setting down such trials of faith as belong onely to strong beleevers Such as Abraham Moses Job c. When as weak ones cannot finde them in themselves they disquiet themselves without just cause For clearing of which consider some signs of the weakest faith out of Mark. 9.24 where you shall find an example in the poor man that brought his Son to our Saviour Christ to bee healed and made profession of his Faith in which wee may observe these particulars Signs of the weakest faith 1 There is a sound Conviction of his unbeleef hee perceives what an unbeleeving heart hee had and this is the first work of the Spirit of God Joh. 16.8 and a work perceiveable by the weakest beleever now none can convince the soul of its unbeleef but the Spirit of God and this is such a conviction as causeth the sinner not onely to see but to mourn for his unbeleef before the Lord to pray and strive earnestly against it He said with Tears Lord help my unbeleef hee therefore that is not sensible of this sin on the like manner hath not so much as a weak faith wrought in his heart 2 There is a strong desire after faith and grace and Christ So there was in this poor beleever It is ordinary in the Scripture to expresse the nature of the weakest faith by hunger and thirst as Joh. 7.37 38. now that signifies a restless desire after Christ and Grace accompanied alwaies with strong indeavours in the use of the means to attain unto the things desired It is not a lazy and listless desire such as the Sluggard hath which kills him but such as sets the heart and outward man on work to attend diligently on the means of grace to attain unto faith in Christ and that in a greater measure Wherefore let lubberly and lazy Professors take notice of this that they have no true faith in their hearts 3 In this beleever there was a holy jealousy that hee might not bee deceived about his grace that made him so to complain A weak beleever deals like a wise man that is but a young beginner and newly set up in his trade hee fears exceedingly lest hee should bee deceived with counterfeit wares or copper mony so it is with a provident Christian hee is very circumspect and wary lest hee should bee deceived with Copper and Alchymy faith Therefore hee loves a faithful and searching Ministry that will gage his heart and discover the unsoundness of it Joh. 3.21 Hee comes to the light that his deeds may bee made manifest
Christ who is the end of the lam for righteousnesse in his boing made a curse for us 3 Unlesse faith justifieth as it hath a respect and relation unto Christ as its object it can have no more to doe with satisfaction than any other grace as Charity Temperance c. but we know that they being works of the Law avail nothing to our justification Rom. 3.20 but the great property of faith above other graces is to draw vertue from Christ for justification and to exercise it self on the free grace and mercy of God exhibited in him Obj. But was not Abraham's faith justifying as it beleeved the power of God Rom. 4.21 22. He beleeved in God who quickneth the dead and God that had promised was able to perform therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse Ans It is true he beleeved the power of God but that did not justifie him but his beleeving on the promised seed Gen. 22.18 He saw Christ's day by faith Joh. 8.56 It is true the faith of Gods power was a stay to him in great temptations he was exposed unto so it may be to us but wee cannot be justified by that faith which only beleeves the power of God to save us Vse 1. It serves to refute those that deny faith to have such a relation unto Christ in justification as hath been spoken of Such as say faith doth justifie without reference to Christ whereby the form and life of justifyng faith is taken away Christ is robbed of his glory and the Consciences of Christians of their comfort and peace Vse 2. It discovers the unjustified estate of those persons that doe not cast anchor here i. e. in Christ A man may have great knowledge and many gifts and beleeve too to admiration as they who had the faith of Miracles in the Primitive times Matth. 7.22 23. and yet be unjustified yea he may beleeve the Articles of Christian religion study the Promises and think he doth apply them to himself and yet be unjustified It is the very case of the seed in the stony ground that received the word with joy Math. 13.20 Why consider what is the word that even a carnal heart may rejoyce in it is the word of promise and this word a stony heart may receive and apply to himself and abide stony stil though Israel had transgressed the Law and cast off the thing that was good yet he would cry My God we know thee Hos 8.1 2 3. So the Jewes Joh. 8.39 41. and thus many catch at Gods mercy and seem to build upon the Promise and yet perish everlastingly Obj. But alas should I not build my salvation and justification on the promises of God what else should I repose my considence in Ans Promises vvill not justifie The Promises alone are not sufficient to bear the weight of a sinners justification and salvation neither doe they doe any thing further than they doe direct unto exhibit and bestow upon us a sufficient righteousnesse to save us and this must be had in a person not in a promise or proposition As for example the Israelites bit with the fiery Serpents were not healed with the promise or the light but the vertue drawn from the Brazen Serpent by looking on him So the promise alone will not justifie but only as it discovers and exhibits such a person i. e. Christ who puts forth or is cloathed with such a righteousnesse which being seen with the eye of faith puts the sinner into a state of justification Neither doe all the Promises discover or exhibit Christ though they are all exhibited in Christ 1 Tim. 4.8.2 Cor. 1.20 In Christ yea and amen but without Christ neither yea nor amen Rom. 8.32 God gives his Son first then other things Eph. 1.3 He blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in Christ but we can have none nor lay claim to any promise in the Book of God without him Quest What comfort is there then for such a man by the promises in Jesus Christ Ans The comfort truly is that there is an exhibition and holding forth of Christ in them to the vilest sinners and whilst there is life there is hope to get into Christ and get interest in the Promises 1 Joh. 5.11 This is the record that God hath given us life eternal and it is in his Son Hence Christ is called the Covenant Isa 49.8 because not only his person was and is the main thing in the Covenant but also because all the promises in the Covenant are his and made to him and in him and through him only conveyed to beleevers Thus we see what a dangerous thing it is to pitch our faith first on any thing but Christ and thence to expect a justified estate Quest How is faith in Jesus Christ known Ans 1. By the entrance of it which is such that it separates the sinner unto Christ as Psal 45.11 Forget thy fathers house c. As it is in persons marrried who forget and leave their fathers house and old friends and sequester themselves to marriage communion so it is with those that are married to the Lord Jesus though they have been intangled in their affections to their old ways yet by hearkning to the word of Christ they renounce and forget all for Christs sake then the King takes pleasure in them 2 By the progresse of it as they have received Jesus Christ the Lord so they walk in him Col. 2.6 7. and are subject to him in every thing Ephes 5.24 yea they live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 Vse 3. Instruction and exhortation to shew and exhort us whither to goe for justification It is unto Christ and the mercy of God in him Let the main care and desire of our souls be after the person natures works and merits of the Lord Jesus and thereby shall wee bee possessed of this great benefit of justification through him Neither is my meaning that we should seek to come unto him any other way than by the Word and Promises for if we doe we can never come to him but meet with Satan as an Angel of light in some Enthusiasm But wee must bee acquainted with the Promises yea such as doe carry and exhibit Christ unto us and therein close with Christ before wee can claim the promises of pardon or of the Spirit or of any grace or glory Mot. 1. Consider Christ as he stands in relation to the Father he is 1 No other than the Son of his love Col. 1.13 the Fathers love is infinite to him and therefore he hath given all things into his hands for our justification and salvation Joh. 3.35 whatever fruit or testimony of the love of God the soul stands in need of he may be sure to have it from Christ 2 The Father hath sealed him Joh. 6.27 hee hath not only designed him but signed and sealed him a Commission to be a Mediator hath set his stamp upon him his express
out of the sparks and embers almost extinct Therefore they are no small difficulties that they are brought unto who let their peace and comforts decline and be almost extinguished before they renew them 3 Wee must bee much in the exercise of our faith on Christ for justification Faith is not onely the breeder and bringer forth of our joy and comfort but it is the nurse and foster-mother of them cherishing and feeding of them till wee come to a full and perfect age in Christ Jud. 20. Col. 2.1 2. Phil. 1.25 All fruits the neerer they come to ripeness the sweeter they bee and so is the fruit of faith sweeter in the ear than in the blade If a justified estate bee sweet at the first it must needs bee much sweeter as the strength of faith and spiritual acquaintance with God increaseth Faith thus exercised doth these things 1 It conveies the thing that is desired or sought Hence in the Scripture it is so often made the instrument of Gods conveyance of all his blessings to us Heb. 11.11 and Gal. 3.14 the promise of the Spirit is received through faith Remarkable is Christs saying to the Centurion Go thy way and as thou hast beleeved so be it done unto thee Mat. 8.13 whatever faith laies hold on it make it its own 2 Though the comfort of things beleeved and of a justified estate in particular bee sometimes delayed yet it supports the heart with patience to wait for it which made Hanna quiet that shee looked no more sad 1 Sam. 1.10 18. and this made Abraham rejoyce in the assured expectation of the promised seed 3 Faith exercised makes the soul quick-sighted in apprehending the fulnesse and satisfaction in the grace desired and expected It sets the soul as Moses upon mount Nâ—bo to see the glory of the promised land It shews the many mansions the Crown of glory the immortal inheritance the kingdome that shall not bee shaken a far off before wee come into possession So Abraham and Sarah saw the things promised Heb. 11.13 and was perswaded of them imbraced and injoyed them in a great measure as things present 4 Exercise of faith in Christ and apprehending Justification thereby is the fundamental work of faith and all other works of faith do depend upon it It is very observable in the Old Testament that when the Lord would strengthen the faith of his people to beleeve any particular blessings hee gave them a promise of the Messiah So when hee made promises of deliverance of Ahaz and his people hee granted this sign Behold a Virgin shall conceive Isa 7.14 So when hee promised the restauration of his people out of Captivity hee promises Christ and Justification by him Behold I raise up to the seed of Jacob a righteous branch and in his daies Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the Name whereby hee shall bee called Jehovah our righteousness and this is laid for a ground for the peoples faith to work upon to cause them to beleeve their return out of Captivity So would wee have our faith set on work to act lively in any particular duty or occasion would wee exercise it in word Prayer Sacraments the way is to go to the fountain Mal. 3.1 5. Zach. 6.12 13. Behold the man whose name is the branch hee shall grow up out of his place and hee shall build the Temple of the Lord. Would wee set any graces on work as love to God or Man Faith must work with or rather exercise it self in it and set it on work Gal. 5.6 Would we resist temptation Faith quencheth all the fiery darts of Satan Eph. 6.16 and makes us strong in the Lord and the power of his might In a word whatever our estate occasion or businesse is Faith in Christ and in Justification by him must bee set on work and it is like the powring waters on the roots that will make all grow and bee fruitful Quest How may we improve our faith in Christ for the continuance of our Justification Answ Beware of those things that hinder the exercise of faith in Christ such as these 1 Unbrokenness of heart Mark 8.17 Act. 19.9 hardnesse of heart hinders faith often altogether alwaies in part as far as it doth prevail It is with ones faith in this case as with a benummed hand or foot that cannot work or walk for the present Thence then if you will have your faith to work get your heart into a tender and lowly frame Psal 77.2 2 Immoderate Aggravation of sin is another let and contrary to the former Thus it is some-times with broken-hearted Sinners they see their sins and their multitude and hainousnesse and then they plead their great unworthiness and pore continually upon their corruptions so much as to put away Christ and the promise and the grace of God from them and then it is impossible to beleeve on Christ or to get peace or comfort of a justified estate Hee that rakes in a kennel doth in vain complain of the vile savour So it is with those beleevers who are too much contemplating on and aggravating their corruptions It is true there must bee Humiliation to make us hunger after Christ and receive him on his own terms but to labour so for Humiliation as to knock off our hands from Christ is a great evil Isa 45.22 you must look on your sins but withall look on Christ Look on your wounds but also on the brasen Serpent Complain with Jonah that yee are in the belly of Hell yet look towards the Holy Temple i.e. Christ Jon. 2.4 Look unto him who came to seek and to save that which was lost Matth. 18.6 That came to bind up the broken hearted Isa 61.1 2. that inviteth the heavy laden Matth. 11.28 3 The least allowance or hankering after any known sin this makes it impossible to beleeve How can yee beleeve c Joh. 5.44 One is Proud and another Covetous another malicious another hath an unruly tongue c. yet they will complain at fits that they cannot beleeve truely no marvail Gal. 2.17 if while wee hope to bee justified by faith wee our selves are found sinners is Christ therefore the Minister of sin far bee it why but such kind of sinners do make Christ the Minister of Sin Beloved wee come to the Sacraments to get our faith strengthened but what kinde of faith it is a holy faith Jude 20. such as purifies the heart Act. 15.9 and dare wee bring a dirty or impure faith to bee strengthened or would wee have that confirmed or sealed that will not take the impression of salvation beware of the impression of condemnation 4 Another let is immoderate or disorderly seeking our Peace in our Sanctification I say immoderate 1 When wee seek our comfort altogether in our Mortification or Sanctification or make it our main stay and staff One builds upon his Love another in his good works or duties and this is the basis of
see the helplesnesse of such persons who though there be but one way in the world to be saved Acts. 4.12 yet they set at nought this way There is but one Ark to save them from eternal destruction and that they make a mock of as the Old world did and now it is in vain to look for salvation any where else Jer. 3.22 Nay this refusal is your condemnation Joh. 3.19 Joh. 10.26 Luke 12.46 Joh. 12.39 and though by common providence you are saved from the miseries of your outward man yet know this that it is another businesse to bee saved from your sins and Christ came not to save us from our afflictions but from our sins Matth. 1.21 and these are by farre the greatest calamities and evils that we are subject to Briefly there you are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity and must bear your own iniquities your selves and in your unbelief are bound to keep the whole Law Rom. 11.32 and bound to the curse of the Law Gal. 5.3 Quest How shall I know whether the bond of my iniquity bee broken or no Ans You may know by what Christ tells you Joh. 8.34 Verily verily I say unto you he that committeth sin is a servant of sin Now to commit sin in his sense is to practise iniquity or to live in the commission of any known sin be it Pride Covetousnesse Uncleannesse Malice or whatsoever evil way it is thou art still then a slave of sin and Christ hath not set you free from the bondage of it Rom. 7.5 When we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death and so long as these motions are at work say not I have Abraham to my father and God to my Father for there is another father whose lusts yee doe and you see how peremptory the Lord Jesus is in affirming it because he knowes the world will not easily beleeve it Vse 2. Comfort to beleevers in regard of this effectual satisfaction of Christ and the comfort stands in the blessednesse of their estate which is 1 That they are discharged from all their sins without exception Be of good chear your sins are forgiven you Matth. 9.2 though there be some sins which yee have committed are more hainous than the rest as David and Paul have done yet the grace of God is exceedingly abundant 1 Tim. 1.13 and there is no sin that can bring or plead any accusation against you Rom. 8.3 God sending his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh for sin condemned sin in the flesh i.e. all our sin is condemned in the flesh of Jesus Christ he hath undertook to answer and hath answered all the pleas and accusations of sin that are made against a beleever so that the righteousnesse of God is fulfilled in us and sin being pardoned God thinks no worse of us than if we had never sinned 2 Consider what manner of discharge from sin this is it is perfect and it is everlasting It is perfect and leaves the soul all fait Cant. 4.10 and he gave himself for his Church that he might make it without spot or blemish to present it to himself a glorious Church Ephes 6.26 27. and Ezek. 16.9 I washed thee with water yea I throughly washed away thy bloud c. Besides it is everlasting Jer. 31.33 34. I will remember thy sins no more Isa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions c. as our of a debt-book So Heb. 10.16 And though wee can remember them to charge them upon our selves that were such and such yet God will not charge them on us and if he doe not who is the Judge what hath any caviler to doe with us Quest But how can this bee that God should be so forgetful of our sins Ans He saith I will not remember your iniquities that is as yours I have put them upon another account 2 Cor. 5.19 20. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them Q. Why but suppose I should fall again and again into the same sins c. Ans First look that your faith and interest in Christ be sound and if it bee sound this doctrin will not embolden you to sin for we write these things that you sin not 1 Joh. 2.1 and then your new folly shall not be charged upon you for you have the same Advocate with the Father as ever you had and God doth not play fast and loose with his servants but his promises are all Yea and Amen and his Covenant that shall stand inviolable maugre the gates of Hell it is to remember thy sins no more It may be the world judges hardly of thee and layes these and those Inditements against thee but it is no matter the Judge of all the world will acquit thee and will not mention them against thee either in the day of Death or Judgement 1 Cor. 4.3 It is a small thing for me to be judged of you he that judgeth me is the Lord. He that hath said it will stand to it he will never remember thine iniquities though they have been never so many never so great and though corruptions still remain in thee yet God sees them not so as to impute them but to pardon and heal them He sees no iniquity in Jacob c. Numb 23.21 Suppose the rod of God be upon thee and thou smartest and sayest Now God calleth my sins to remembrance yet beleeve it God is true when he speaks of the future time that hee will remember thy sins no more It may be when God afflicts you hee would have you call your sins to remembrance but hee will not doe it 3 Consider that this was Gods end in giving his Son and Christs end in giving himself to be a Propitiation it was for the remission of sins i. e. for all the sins of beleevers and can we think that God will lose his end Paul saith that his grace was not in vain 1 Cor. 15.10 for if it bee then it is either because he cannot attain his end or because he will not if he cannot obtain his end he should not be Omnipotent or something should hinder him and be stronger than he if he will not hee would derogate from his wisdome to bee so changeable and from his truth that he fails not of his word and promise yea that absurdity would follow that Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2.21 which is the greatest absurdity in the world 4 The bloud of Christ alone dischargeth us from our sins it needs no addition to be made to it Heb. 10.14 By one offering c. that now which is perfected by one offering is spoyled by any addition whatsoever if any thing should bee required to be performed by us in way of addition to it then we were undone and could never bee able to attain to this discharge So that
and chiefest seeking especially such a Kingdome as is founded in Gods righteousness Oh! that poor deluded sinners would take heed of Couzening their own souls in a matter of this great importance for beloved know it that Gods righteousness is the wedding garment Matth. 22.11 and there bee many will thrust in themselves amongst those that have it whom the Lord will find to bee without it one day to their utter expulsion out of his presence Use 3. Comfort It lerves for the strongest ground of comfort to poor discouraged beleevers that is in all the World that it is no other than Gods righteousness upon which their justification and salvation is grounded the comfort is inestimable and cannot possibly bee reacht by our weak understandings see the particulars 1 A Beleever hath a righteousness that can satisfy the Law fully the Law requires perfect obedience and the Gospel returns perfect obedience Rom. 3. last Do wee then make void the Law c. i.e. the very doctrin of faith doth establish the Law 1 Because whatever the Law requireth wee perform it in Christ by faith 2 By faith we glorify God his justice and make a full payment thereof by God in Christ 3 If wee had stood in innocency or had had as much righteousness as Adam before the fall or the Elect Angels yet all this had been but the righteousness of a poor creature but this is Gods righteousness 4 This righteousness can make a sinner righteous but so the Law could never do 2 This is everlasting righteousness Dan. 9.24 i.e. first continual though wee commit new sins continually yet this righteousnesse is like a fountain opened Zach. 13.1 2. it can never bee lost as Adams righteousness was and the Angels too It was a great miracle that the Lord wrought for his people in the Wilderness that forty years together their cloathes waxed nor old upon them Deut. 29.5 than is nothing in comparison of this everlasting righteousness which is a Garment of Salvation that will never wax old Psal 119.142 3 This Righteousness is the righteousnesse of the Judge himself its Christs own righteousnesse and who is there may not tremble to remember that fearful day of most strict and exact account But Jesus Christ himself cannot finde any spot in his own righteousness or any fault with it and therfore the great comfort of the faithful is in this against the great day If any man sin wee have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2.1 ◠4 This is the Marrow of the whole book of God on which the salvation of all that shall bee saved depends To such as fear my Name the Sun of righteousnesse shall arise c. Mal. 4.2 and this is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets as the text hath it but is far more gloriously revealed in the New Testament Rom. 1.17 and if this righteousnesse of God should fail us then were preaching in vain faith in vain as the Apostle saith in another case yea the Scriptures should bee in vain Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles should not onely bee lyars but false witnesses and that in open Court and upon record Now can wee think that the God of truth would deceive us by sending such a company of false witnesses to us far be it from him Mark Rev. 19.8 9. To her i.e. to the Lambs wife was granted that she should be arayed in fine linnen which is the righteousnesse of Christ the Fleece of the Immaculate Lambe But is there no question of this v. 9. we are assured of the truth of it these are the true sayings of God viz. the certain and undoubted sayings of God who will not lye and his hand and seal for it Therefore it is said in the daies of the Gospel 〈◊〉 shall say surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength Isa 45.24 Oh! what a foundation is here of faith and stedfastness to rest our selves on So that we may say we are arrived at the fair Havens the fairest port in all the World Consider wee but what wee are in our selves it may make us prize it wee are but shameful naked creatures Rev. 3.18 but this righteousnesse will cover our nakedness nay but this is but a small matter in comparison to what the Prophet sayeth Isa 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord c. for hee hath cloathed me with garments of salvation hee hath covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bride-groom decketh himself with ornaments and a bride adorneth her self with her jewels It is the joy of a true Beleever that God is his God in Christ and that hee hath in Christ such a Princely and Priestly robe as is called the robe of righteousness and the garment of Salvation i.e. the righteousness of God a Garment of Gods own making and it is as the bride-groomes robe and hee will at his marriage not onely cover our shame but appear with his Ornaments too and if this bee too little hee addes also the Brides Ornaments and Deckings also wherewith shee is attired on her wedding day thus Psal 45.13 14 15. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within c. shee shall be brought to the King in ralment of needle work c. these are such things as wee are wont to admire for beauty and excellency but there are far greater things than those in the Lord and his righteousness Use 3. Exhortation to every soul to seek after this righteousness Seek after Gods righteousnesse Surely the name that is here given it is a sufficient motive 1. It is Gods righteousness efficiently not onely in a General sense as the earth is the Lords and every good gift comes down from him as the Father of lights but subjectively that inherent righteousness that is in the Saints may bee called Gods righteousness as an effect of Gods grace but man is the subject of that but that person who is God is the subject of this righteousness 2 This puts a sinner not only into a safe estate but into a state of abso lute perfection Understand it not as the deluded Familists and Quakers imagine as though there were no sin in him or done by him but that though considered in himself hee hath many corruptions wants and weaknesses yet in Justification hee hath none at all but is compleat in Christ 2 Pet. 1.4 Col. 2.10 there are many that do boast of outward excellencies and seek them only to have profit pleasure and credit but account basely of the children of God that want such low things but alas these outward things are not our compleatness but many times do hinder it and you that do content your selves with your Philosophy and knowledge of arts consider that it will not make you compleat yea if you rest in it it is vain deceit and will spoil you in the main Col. 2.8.10 And what though you adde to it an outward profession frequent ordinances vers 11 12.
hee must renounce his own righteousnesse Quest How should a man come to renounce his own righteousness Answ There are two sorts of Actions required to this end 1 In the Understanding 2 In the Will 1 Something must bee wrought in the understanding as appears Rev. 3.17 18. Laodicea knew not that shee was wretched and miserable and blinde c. I Counsel thee to annoint thine eies with eye-salve that thou mayest see i.e. her self to bee blind and miserable c. The soul must bee convinced of the inconceivable misery of its natural estate that every Childe of Adam hath lost all righteousnesse being dead in sin a Childe of wrath and under the power of the Devil Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing Mat. 7.18 A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God This eye-salve to bring this discovery by opening our eies must bee had of and derived from the Lord Jesus and it is called the Spirits conviction Joh. 16.8 The Spirit 's convincing the world of sin 2 The second thing is Conviction of the righteousness of God Joh. 16.9 For it is the ignorance of Gods righteousness that makes us trust in our own It is exceeding requisite to have a discovery of the righteousness of Christ made unto us this white raiment that we may buy it to cover our nakedness and that wee may see this raiment wee have need of Christ's eye-salve and this is not a general discovery only that Christs righteousness is provided for sinners and that it is to bee attained but it is particular and respecting our selves It is for a man to bee wise for himself and to bee convinced of the nature worth and excellency of the righteousness of Christ in relation to the naked and needy condition that hee himself is in And this will make a man desire as Paul that hee may be found in him It also breeds deliberate thoughts and serious projects for the supplying our wants Besides it is so strong and effectual that it will not suffer the soul to rest without it and concludes thus I must go unto Christ for his righteousness or else I perish This being backed with infallible and undeniable arguments taking such impressure in the knowledge and judgement must needs set the will and affections on work to go to choosing this so great bonum apparens or rather real good now appearing presented unto them 2 The next main duty concerns the will and its subjection to this righteousnesse and it is spoken of by Paul Rom. 10.3 That the Jews would not submit to it Now this submission is especially of the heart and will and stands 1 In a serious renouncing of all confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 it is the resolving to say no more to the works of our hands that they are our Gods Hos 14.3 It is a kinde of habitual despair of all help by any thing in us or done by us and that not only in our first conversion but afterwards when the soul is more acquainted with God and with its own self 2 In the subjecting our selves to Gods righteousnesse the bowing and abasing the soul before the Lord in a thorow sight of our misery and unworthinesse and this is called the receiving the sentence of death in our selves 2 Cor. 1.10 to become an afflicted and poor people that will trust in the name of the Lord for it is nothing but pride that keeps up the heart above God and his righteousness 3 In the hastening of the soul unto Christ and his righteousness a labouring constantly to go beyond the means though a man shall use the means never so diligently As it is with the Mariner though his hand bee upon the Oar and Helm yet his heart is ever towards the Haven So it is with the Sinner that longs after the satisfaction of Christ though his hand bee on the means yet his heart is on the righteousness of Christ 1 To make the means powerful on the soul to bring it to Christ to bee as winde to his Sails For if a ship have never so good tackling and have no winde and be becalmed it makes no speed towards its haven 2 Hee sees the need of Christ to cover the weaknesses of his services and for this his heart is on Christs righteousnesse seeing that no sacrifice will bee accepted but what comes thorow the hands of this High Priest who is also the only Altar Heb. 13.10 3 As the substantial injoyment in all means and ordinances These hee looks at but as dishes to bring to him the bread of life in and dishes are onely for the meats sake Hee looks at them but as boats to bring him to Christ and therefore intends to dwell in them no longer than he is on his journey and therefore he often stirreth up himself to lay hold on Christ 4 In a considerate serious deliberate choice of Christ or the passing over the spiritual and everlasting estate to the Lord Jesus and this is the frequent casting the soul upon the righteousnesse of Christ Psal 91.16 and it is a work of faith and prayer Psal 62.8 Trust in the Lord at all times yee people c. Pour out your hearts before him or roule your hearts upon him and all this is the Lords working and he must be mightily intreated to do this great work for us Vse 5. It is a ground of everlasting Thank fulness unto God for all beleeving sinners That the God of all grace hath thus provided for their eternal peace What an Incomparable mercy is it that the Lord when hee findes his poor Church and People in their blood polluted and cast forth That hee should love them and spread his skirt over them Ezek. 16.8 c. That hee should cover their nakednesse annoint them with oyle cloath them with broidered work fine linnen c. the very description of the justification of a sinner What a wonderful love is it that makes a Great Monarch take a beggar in raggs and nastinesse and marry her to himself yet it is the King of Glory doth so with us Oh let us magnify the Lord for this great mercy and think often upon his love and take heed of the Sin of the Church of the Jews vers 15. They trusted in their own beauty and so went a whoring away from Christ But take heed of so much as speaking in thy heart for my righteousnesse the Lord hath done this Deut. 9.4 5. understand that it is not for thy righteousnesse for thou art a stiffe-necked people It is spoken of bringing of the people into the land of Canaan but apply it to the present point Ezek. 36.32 when the Lord had spoken of Justification c. hee addes not for your sakes do I do this saith the Lord God bee it known unto you bee ashamed and confounded c. still the Lord beats upon this in all the mercies
a people that have no understanding â— therefore he that made them will have no mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Yee have no understanding as if he should have said Yee have unmade and undone your selves by your folly wherefore I will not pitty you as my Creatures but if there were any validity in what this Objector saith then the Devils might comfort themselves which are the Creatures of God as well as men but of them and all the wicked of the world is that verified Prov. 16.4 God made all things for himself and the wicked for the evil day Obj. 5. If I must be the everlasting Object of Divine justice and vengeance for my sin I will bear it as well as I can Answ Now wretched creature is it come to that pass dost thou know what thou sayest know the Lyon by his paw Cain said Gen. 4.13 My punishment is greater than I can bear Proverbs 18.14 A wounded spirit who can bear Remember how it was with Job chapter 6.12 Is my strength the strength of stones Again Job 7.14 15. My soul chuseth strangling c. And Hezekiah Isa 38.13 I reckoned till morning That as a Lion so will he break all my bones Psal 88.15 Heman said whilst hee suffered the terrours of God he was distracted Job 31.23 Destruction from the Almighty was a terror unto me and by reason of his highnesse I could not endure Now these men that are last mentioned were precious Saints and Servants of the Lord that had a singular support of divine grace and yet they upon some lesser manifestations of the terrors of God in this life did thus expresse themselves But what is this in comparison of the Sinners of Sion Isa 33.14 15. what is this in comparison of everlasting burnings everlasting punishment Matth. 25. and the last vers streamings of brimstone chains of darknesse everlasting fire c. Matth. 25.41 the bottomeless pit an everlasting death immortal mortality according to that expression Rev. 9.6 they shall seek death and shall not find it they shall desire to dye and death shall flee from them consider but that expression of everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 the words are these Then shall hee say also unto them on the left hand depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mark that word prepared it is spoken as if the Almighty Wisdome did deliberate and as it were set down and devise all stinging and terrible ingredients for a temper of greatest torture to make up that dreadful fire wherein hee meant to torment eternally his enemies do but cast an eye upon the sufferings of the Lord Jesus and his agony and prayer under the sense of his Fathers wrath and judge how well thou art like to bear the wrath of a sin-revenging God In a word let mee shut up this discourse with that of the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 13. vers 11. Yee speak peace false peace to your own hearts build the Wall and dawb it ever with untempered mortar thus saith the Lord say unto them you dawb it with untempered mortar that it shall fall and there shall bee an overflowing showre and yee O great hail-stones shall fall and the stormy wind shall rent it The great God commands the great hail-stones to throw down the walls and daubings that yee shall say where is the daubing wherewith wee have daubed it All the vain Cavils of impenitent sinners shall bee scattered and do them no good I shall finish this use with a few conclusions following thence Conclusi 1. It is a horrible depth of Satans subtilty to hold an unbeleeving or impenitent sinner in a senseless security without feeling or fear of divine vengeance seeing such a soul is continually subject to bee seized on by the justice of God and that notwithstanding this sinners should bee so desperate that they turn to their course as the horse to the battel Jerem. 8.6 This is suitable to those expressions 2 Thes 2.9 10. where the Apostle tells us of the efficacy of Satan with all power and with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousness in them that perish Now these are Satans plots by which hee deceives souls 1 To procure them secrecy and successe in their wicked enterprizes for secrecy you have a place in Esay chapter 29.15 Their works are in the dark and they say who seeth mee or who knoweth us they dig deep to hide their counsel from the Lord much more from me saith the Prophet surely your turnings of things up and down shall bee as the Potters clay for shall the work say of him that made it hee made mee not Psal 64.5 They incourage themselves in an evil matter they commune of laying snares privily and say who shall see them but God shall shoot at them c. Now for their success in their wickedness and attempts the Devil makes fair promises of that too and for a while it may bee they may prosper Thus Haman Doeg the Scribes and Pharisees for some time prospered so did Julian the Apostate We read of this delusion of prospering in sin in Dan. 8.24 Hereupon the poor deluded wretches strengthen themselves in their wickedness Psal 52.1 2 He draws them by all the Baits hee can to engage them to their lusts to Ale-houses drinking revelling gaming feasting all manner of good-fellow-meetings and Bedlam-fooleries where the Devil himself is present in his Pontificalibus Prov. 1.11 Come say they let us lay wait for blood c. wee shall finde all pretious substance wee shall fill our houses with spoil cast in thy lot c. 3 Hee fills their heads with a multitude of worldly occasions with hope of gathering wealth so hee dealt with Cain in his building and as the Idolaters used when they sacrificed their Children to Moloc to drown the cries of their children with the noise of Drumms so these drown all the noise of Conscience with the lowder noise of the cumber and clutter of those worldly affairs 4 The Devil like a crafty juggler casts mists before the eies of his slaves or else as the Philistims dealt with Sampson puts out their eies that they shall not see the ugly face of sin They call evil good and good evil and so draw on iniquity and Isa 5.19 20. there they challenge God and say Let him make speed and hasten his work c. Let the Counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come c. Oh how miserable is that soul that is thus deluded by the Devil and led captive at his pleasure and what a fearful thing is it to abide one moment in such a condition Conclusi We are to justify God in all his severity 2. Then let us justify God in all the severity of his Commands Threatnings Judgements this was the frame of Davids heart when hee was kindly humbled Psal 51.4 That thou maiest bee justified when thou speakest
and clear when thou judgest David was now all for justifying of God in whatsoever hee said and did and so should wee Let us take heed of entertaining such thoughts as do rise up against the justice of God 't is a great sin to fly out against the Justice of civil Courts as is the practice of some The Prophet Isaiah speaks of a sad time wherein hee lived Chap. 59.4 None calls for justice nor any pleads for the truth Amos 5.10 They hate him that rebuketh in the Gate this is a horrid crime to bee against the Justice of the Magistrate but wee speak now of a higher matter which is the justice of God himself and to be against this is to bee against God himself for Gods Justice is his very Name and being It were well if they would consider this who do so vehemently decry the preaching of the Law whereas every wise and sober Christian knows 't is his duty to love the strictest commands of God and that they are very useful to keep him from sinning against God Psal 119.11 I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee and so in another place By the words of thy mouth saith David I have kept mee from the paths of the destroyer And as some are against the strictnesse of the Commands so others are offended at the severity of Gods threatnings Amos 7.10 The Prophet there denounced the judgements of God against Jeroboam and Amaziah said The Land was not able to bear his words and hee must bee gone from Bethel vers 12.13 How harshly did the chief Priests and Pharisees resent those threanings of Christ Luk. 20.16 when Christ there told them that the Lord of the vineyard should destroy the cruel Husbandmen and give the vineyard to others they said God forbid and as it was with them so it is with the people with whom wee have to do in our ministry God forbid say they that there should bee so much severity in God as Ministers speak of but beloved is not preventing justice pretious justice and preventing Physick the best doth it not argue much tenderness in a father to threaten the Rod to his Childe if hee shall adventure to come near to a pit where hee may bee drowned So I say of the judgements of God as they are all righteous and just when they are executed upon Gods Enemies so they are for the prevention of sin in his Children wherefore instead of slandering the Justice of God or repining at it let us justify his waies Lam. 3.39 40. Why doth the living man complain a man that suffereth for his sin Let us search and try our waies and turn again unto the Lord. The drowning of the Old World the burning of Sodome with fire and brimstone the destruction of Jerusalem seems harsh to flesh and blood and some there are that quarrel against and are not afraid to deny the eternity of Hell torments and yet wee are not displeased with a man that kills a brood of Serpents or a kennel of wolves and why Because there is an antipathy in our natures against such harmeful Creatures Now thus it is in Case of sinning against God sin is contrary to Gods nature and Gods nature is contrary to sin if fire burns fuell who blames it or wonders at it and why it is the nature of fire so to do and it is the nature of the holy God to hate sin Psal 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and upright in thy judgements Conclusi 3. If there bee so much evil in sin Wonder at Gods patience in forbearing sin then wonder at the patience of God in forbearing of thee thus long and grow to a self-abhorring and see what an indispensible necessity lies upon every soul for to bee deeply humbled for sin and turned universally from it even whilst it is called to day take notice of that Jerem. 8.8 No man repenteth of his wickedness saying what have I done and let that place bee verified in us Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have peirced and mourn Mr. Calvin interprets that place of God the Father and there may be a truth in it that each person is pierced by our sins Oh! Therefore Mourn as for an onely Sonne and let us bee ashamed that wee can mourn for every petty loss or cross Yea suppose it were the loss of an only Son but cannot mourn at our peircing of Jehovah If a man had brought confusion or destruction upon the whole Creation yet this were infinitely short of the evil of sinne that is a wearinesse to God himselfe Isaiah 1.14 The Lord there complaines of the sinnes of his people though they did so many costly duties that hee was weary to bear them what cannot the infinite God bear them and can a sinful heart bear them Yea how dare a poor wretch live wilfully one hour in sin when as hee knows that God will not pardon it without great Repentance But here perhaps hee will shift or pervert some Scripture or another to palliat his Conscience But now if wee thorowly understand and consider the Argument I am upon wee can finde out no way to escape punishment for our sinnes If this bee true that God cannot in justice pardon sin without punishment God will punish all our sinnes either in our own Persons or in our Surety When I say God cannot let sin pass unpunished the Reason is because God cannot do that which is contrary to his Nature nor change his Nature it were a contradiction to conceit this It is said in the second of Timothy 2.13 God cannot deny himself c. And shall a Sinner then dare to live one hour in such an estate that if God do not or cannot deny himself if hee dye in it hee shall infallibly bee damned Doe not go away now and say as the people did of Ezekiel Chapt. 20. verse the last Do they not say of mee O Lord God doth not this man speak Parables But Friends this is no parable that I Preach but a plain Truth and undeniable and therefore if you are rational you must needs yeeld to the strength of these things 4 If there bee so much evil in sin then let us set our strength against it and all the temptations of Satan whereby by hee labours to draw us into it I might here tell you of the danger of sinne how that death is the wages therof and that eternal fire shall bee the portion of all impenitent sinners But Brethren it is a stronger Argument when I tell you that it is contrary to God and this is true not only of great sinnes but also of small as it is sin those little sinnes as wee term them even vain thoughts Jer. 4.14 and Idle words Matth. 12.36 do expose you to Eternal Wrath not onely a prophane Conversation but also a vain Conversation will prove thy destruction without a Redeemer and therefore Christ dyed for this end to redeem
lye or the holy God should sin or Almighty God should be weak so it is that the most just God should pardon sin to them that are without Christ yea know how impossible it is that any thing should act contrary to its nature as our Saviour reasons Doe men gather grapes of thorns c. yet the Lord of Nature can and hath changed the nature of inferiour Agents because his is above them but it cannot be conceived without blasphemy concerning the unchangeable Nature of God he saith I am Jehovah I change not Mal. 3.6 He is that eternal being that is ever the same and if so then thou must bee a member of Christ and so answer justice even the justice of God by the Surety or else thou must certainly bee the everlasting object of Divine vengeance and observe examples and expressions of Scripture to this purpose 2 Pet. 2.4 5. If God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell and delivered them unto chains of darknesse c. Mark the words the Angels before their fall were most glorious Creatures and had God pardoned restored one of them he might have done God more service than many millions of men but them hee spared not he abated nothing at all but cast them down to Hell and put them into everlasting chains But why did not God spare them why because they had no Christ to answer Gods justice for them Heb. 2.16 Christ took not on him the nature of Angels Again Rom. 11.21 If God spared not the natural branches the Jewes take heed lest he spare not also thee Suppose thou art in the number of them that profess the name of God as the Jewes did suppose thou art a member of the visible Church yet God will not spare thee no more than the Jewes Why should he not spare his own people that had so many priviledges Rom. 9.1 5. Oh beloved the reason is because they received not Christ they were broken off and though you think of your selves as well as of the greatest that ever sinned the just God except you get Christ will not cannot spare you Adde that Rom. 8.32 He spared not his own Son being a Surety for sin What was God without natural affection or was hee cruel No but Christ was now bound by an ingagement to his Fathers Justice and therefore God spared him not shall any close sinner hope then to be spared Now let me bring these things to the result of them and it is this That in some cases all deliberation is excluded as 1 Where there is but one possible means or way of safety deliberation is used when there are many wayes or means which is the best that wee may take 2 In case of imminent danger where without this means there is absolute impossibility of escaping destruction 3 In case of extreme present necessity as in case of violent storms the Mariner doth not deliberate whether he should throw out his Treasure or cut down his Masts for the saving of his life and the lives of all that are in the Vessel with him in these cases all deliberation is vain by the very light of nature and reason Now in the businesse in hand all these doe meet together to exclude all deliberation For 1 There is but one way to appease wrath and satisfie the Justice of God for sin Acts 4.12 and there had not been this way except that God of his grace had given it Besides it is utterly impossible for any to be saved without Christ Heb. 10.26 27. Without a sacrifice for sin there remains nothing but a certain fearful expectation of judgement And lastly it is a matter of extreme present necessity It is eternally necessary that God should be just and it is necessary the sinner should justifie the righteous God the Lord brought Pharaoh to it at last Exod. 9.27 when hee had poured forth all his Plagues upon his heart he confessed and said The Lord is righteous and there is no such prophane wretch but shall bee brought to confesse as much at last though hee bee never a whit the better for it but how much better is it to justifie God by flying to the only sanctuary even to Christ as the Publicans justified God Luk. 7.29 by flying to Christ in the use of the means but the Pharisees rejected the Counsel of God against themselvs rejected Christ and his Ordinances against themselves i.e. to their own destruction When Paul preached Christ it is said that he declared all the counsel of God Acts 20.27 so it is necessary we should receive all the Counsel of God which is revealed in the offer of Christ to us it is extremely necessary that every soul should fly from the wrath to come when Lot hath the rain of fire and brimstone about his ears shall hee linger Shall he not escape for his life and this is not Lots case only but the common case of all the wicked Psal 11.6 Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest and this is the portion of their cup. Me thinks upon this consideration troops of sinners should flock to Christ as the very Sadduces did to John Matth. 3.7 who saith to them Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come how comes it to passe that yee come in now that have stood out so long Why you will say wee have been warned and warned many a time and we would take no warning till now at last we see it necessary to flee from the wrath to come and who is it can deliver us from it The Apostle tells you 1 Thess 1.10 that it is Jesus that delivers us from the wrath to come Instruc Love Christ for his satisfaction 3. This may teach all the faithful to love the Lord Jesus most ardently see what an Argument you have for it that he stopped the hand of Divine justice from seizing on poor miserable Creatures putting his life in his hands Job 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life for my Sheep and sure his sheep should love him very much for this Christ laid down his life partly in love to the justice of God lest that the stream thereof should bee stopped and partly in love to our poor souls as Ephes 5.2 Who loved us and gave himself for us an offering c. But some will say What need that could not God have forgiven us without an Offering at least such an offering A. No it must be presupposed that the justice of God necessarily required it otherwise we cannot think such bloud should ever have been shed Now to him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his owne bloud to him be glory and honour for ever Rev. 1.5 6. Eph. 5.25 26. the fountain of our salvation is in the love of Christ and the wonder of that love and the freenesse of it is that hee loved us such sinners together with
the intensnesse and strength of it that it was stronger than death and all this to wash us from our sins 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive wee the love of God because he laid down his life c. sustaining the pains of death Of what death the First and Second Death He washed us in his bloud from all the filthinesse of Hell and Death All the dunghills in the world cannot defile us as sin doth and it was the filth of sin that Christ's bloud washed us from Sin defiles the soul yea the whole man Matth. 15.19 You then that are beloved ones and washed can yee content your selves with a slight consideration of this What manner of love is this Qualis Quantus 1 Joh. 3.1 Ephes 3.18 That yee may comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge c. Mark here is a thing that concerns all Saints and wee should labour for such might and strength as not only to apprehend in our minds but comprehend and lay hold upon all the measures of this love in our hearts and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge i. e. either all other knowledge or else all the knowledge of carnal persons or all the knowledge of the Saints in the perfection of it that is it is the most desirable blessing in the world to understand the love of Christ aright Wee can never know too much of this love What should this love work upon our hearts truly wee should bee rooted and grounded in love not only have some leaves of profession but be rooted and grounded in it and it may lye deep in our hearts as roots and foundations use to doe yea this love of the Lord Jesus must bear up all the bulke and wait of our Christian trials yea as a root feed and nourish other graces and holy indeavours in us Oh it is much to be lamented that so many have left their first love They are but few sure that have ever had any rooted or grounded love to Christ at all that is suitable to Gospel measure or rule Luk. 7.47 What is the Gospel measure of love A. Matth. 10.37 Hee that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me i. e. our love to Christ should exceed all other loves and affections in our hearts yea in comparison of Christ we should hate father and mother c. Luk. 14.26.33 wee should hate all forsake all so farre as they stand in competition with Christ or the things of Christ else we cannot be the Disciples of Christ Instr 4. Redeemed ones have great boldnesse towards God This may work in all redeemed ones a marvellous boldnesse towards God that which the Scripture often expresses Ephes 3.12 In whom wee have boldnesse of accesse with confidence Heb. 10.19 Having boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the bloud of Jesus It is sweet and precious that we have Heb. 4.16 Let us goe with boldnesse to the Throne of grace c. i. e. to Christ our High Priest hee hath set up a Mercy-seat for us And is that all Nay but saith the Apostle Heb. 12.23 Wee are come to God the Judge of all and we are come to the Seat of Justice and wee may in an humble boldnesse plead the justice of God and say Lord who art the Judge of all doe mee justice thou art just and therefore the Justifier of him that beleeveth in Jesus Oh ponder and take again upon thy heart the meaning of this it is not only that hee may bee merciful and gracious and the Justifier of beleevers though that bee a sweet and precious truth too to be beleeved and rejoyced in but it is that hee may bee just Oh beloved this is the very quintessence of faith when as the beleever by faith shall present unto God the Father the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ for satisfaction for sins and goe to him with a full price in his hand and current pay and to say as they doe in dealing here is one and there is t'other and this is not bare distributive but commutative justice between God and man where there is not only Geometrical but Arithmetical proportion that is weight for weight and measure for measure is observed Oh then tender all the pay together all the obedience of Christ active and passive tender we to the righteousnesse of God the righteousnesse of Christ it is such a jewel as exceeds our sins infinitely though they have been very many and great Gods justice shall be no loser by us at all and let poor beleevers incourage and embolden their hearts with this Luther was bold when he prayed thus not only Fiat voluntas tua but Fiat voluntas mea not only let thy will be done but let my will be done and it was but the confidence of faith upon this ground we are speaking of Oh beloved the world will account this malepertnesse to come thus before God that they are more bold than welcome but they are strangers to these things and to all that liberty we have in Christ Gal. 2.4 It would be sauciness indeed for those that are out of Christ to approach at any time on this manner to God but let the Children take this as the daily portion of the Childrens bread and it is no wrong to that text 1 Joh. 1.9 to take it in this sense If we confess our sins he is just for Christs sake to forgive us our sins nor to that 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse Inst Adore the righteousnesse of God in all his wayes 5. If God be thus just exactly just in the justification of a Sinner let us learn to acknowledge and adore the righteousness of God in all his wayes Psal 145.17 If his mercy doth not pardon one sin but in a course of justice through the death of Christ then doubtlesse the Justice of God will not be bafled or turned aside in the managing other matters in the world The light of Nature sees nothing but mercy in this case but the light of Grace sees Gods justice also So that though God deals otherwise many times in many things than we could have expected or can see a reason of yet he is always just and holy in his proceedings and it is not enough for us to acknowledge the righteousnesse and holinesse of God in some of his ways and works or in his ways towards others and not towards our selves and in his dealing with some persons and not with all but wee must justifie the Lord in our hearts and words always in all things toward all in all the ways of his providences in his afflicting the godly as well as punishing the wicked Ezra 9.13 yea in the prosperity of the wicked In his great Counsels of Election and Reprobation in the rejection of the Jews c. of which when Paul had spoken Rom. 11. he
concludes vers 36. and cryes out Oh the depth of the wisdome of God c. So let us alwayes doe when we cannot trace God in his wayes Eccl. 7.14 God hath set prosperity and adversity the one over against the other to the end that no man should finde any thing after him i. e. that none should see the print of his steps When God deals thus and his ways are over-clouded by us never let us quarrel or cavil at any passage of his providence but let us fall down and adore the righteousnesse of the Lord and judge him not according to outward appearance but say How unsearchable are thy judgements c. and Psal 17.19 Thy righteousnesse O God is very high c. and truly beyond the reach of men and Angels thou hast done great things oh God who is like unto thee thou hast shewed me great and sore troubles and shalt quicken me again and raise me up from the depths of the earth So when God visiteth the sins of the Fathers upon the Children acknowledge Gods righteousnesse in it for Children are part of their Parents and it is just with God to punish such as hate him when and where he pleaseth Besides many times children approve of the sins of their Parents and imitate them and doe worse than they as Belshazzar Dan. 8.22 So when God gives grace to some and denies it to others that are alike sinful this seems harsh to Arminians and carnal persons but God saith Shall I not doe what I will with mine own Mat. 20.13 The Glory of Gods Righteousnesse is the end of Redemption THE SIX AND TWENTIETH SERMON ON Rom. 3.25 26. To declare I say at this time his righteousness WEE have heard how that not only the mercy and truth of God but also his justice doth concur and act in the justification of a sinner but there is yet more in the words when it is said that this is done for the declaration of the righteousnesse of God and that with a repetition of it to signify that God would have us to take special notice of this And there is implyed an answer to a secret objection for it might bee said why did not the Lord freely forgive the sins of his Elect without the redemption wrought by Christ to satisfy such a question the Lord saith because this way of forgiveness by Christs redemption makes most for the declaration of the justice of God in the pardoning of sin The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated declaration or to declare is rendred Phil. 1.28 a manifest token so I conceive the meaning is here and it should be rendered for a manifest token or for the demonstration of the righteousness of God God would have his people to know that there was great necessity of this way of justification because that God is essentially just and cannot otherwise forgive sin except his justice be satisfied Doctr. The main end of the redemption wrought by Christ The main end of redemption and that hee was made a Propitiatory sacrifice for sin was the demonstration of the glory of the justice of God to the world This point lies clear in the Text and it is that which is signifyed by that speech that is so often used in all the great works of God especially his Mercies to his people and his Judgements upon his Enemies this is still mentioned as the end that God aims at in Exodus and Ezekiel That yee may know that I am the Lord that is Just Holy Merciful and Faithful c. and such a one as I have revealed my self to be it is expressed excellently Jerem. 9.23 24. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome c. but let him that glorieth glory in this that hee understandeth and knoweth mee that I am Jehovah which exercise loving kindnesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight The true knowledge of God is a matter of wonderful worth and it is not onely to know him to bee a God that exercises loving kindness but also Judgement and Righteousnesse in the earth and the reason is because in these things the Lord delighteth These things are according to the nature and heart of God Now mark that the Lord would have us to know him to bee such a God and to glory in this for this is the happiness of a poor creature Now that you may know how pertinent this is to the matter in hand yee may compare with it 1 Cor. 1.30 31. where it is said That Christ is made unto us of God wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption that according as it is written Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. Whence there is evidently a reference to that place of the Prophet Jeremy So that to put both places together there will bee this collection from them That God the Father hath appointed and sent the Lord Jesus Christ to bee the Head and Fountain of all spiritual blessings and especially of righteousnesse to the faithful that they may know him to bee Jehovah that exerciseth loving kindness judgement and righteousness in the earth to strip all the Children of Men of all glorying in themselves and to cause them to ascribe all the glory to the Lord For the handling of this I shall open two things 1 How the shedding of Christs blood for a Propitiatory Sacrifice makes for the glory of Gods justice 2 Why the demonstration of this glory was the end of the shedding of Christs blood How the shedding of Christs blood glorifieth Gods justice Quest 1. How doth the shedding of Christs blood to be a Propitiatory sacrifice make for the glory of Gods justice Answ Not in an ordinary manner onely as all other judgements of God do shew forth the Justice of God but in a most transcendent and eminent way such as never was before and that in two respects especially 1 In regard of the person whose blood is shed his relation to the Father as being his onely begotten Son his dignity as having a Name above every Name and hee that is appointed Heir of all things by whom he made the World the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.2 3 There was never Justice executed upon such a person as Christ was So yee may consider the love of the Father to him Matth. 12.18 Hee was the Fathers beloved in whom his soul delighted and his love to the Father and his doing alwaies that which was pleasing to the Father Joh. 14.31 and yee may adde to these the fervent prayers to his Father with strong cries and tears Heb. 5.7 together with the extremity of his sufferings that is an Hell upon Earth and the pains of the second death before the first death and in the daies of his flesh So that neither the Cup nor any drop of the Cup did pass away from him Matth. 26. This was a new an admirable and transcendent justice such as never