the other necessarily along with it never love that Faith that leaves the Heart as a Swines-sty to Lusts that leaves it swarming with unclean and vain Thoughts or that leaves the Heart just as it was before or that Faith that only cleanseth the outside and does no more such a Faith however esteemed by the Man will never be accounted for true Saving Faith before God I do not I dare not say that Believers will always discern this heart-purity or cleanness but this I say that true Faith will set the Man a work to purify the Heart and will be making use of Christ for that end not only to have the arm of the dominion of Sin broken but to have the Soul more and more delivered from the indwelling power of it and this will the design that he will sincerely drive to get the Heart purified within as well as the outward Man inward Heart-abominations will be grievous and burdensome to him as well as scandalous out-breakings A second place is Gal. 2.20 21. I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life c If ye would know a Companion of true Faith here is one it hath a life of Faith with it There is one life killed and another life is quickened the life that is killed is that whereby the Man sometime lived to the Law I am dead to the Law says the Apostle a Man's good conceit of himself that once he had is killed and taken away he wonders how it came that he thought himself Holy or a Believer or how he could promise to himself Heaven in the condition he was in There is another life comes in the place of that and it 's a life that is quickened and maintained by and from nothing in the Man himself but it 's wholly from and by Christ The Believer hath his holiness and strength for doing all called for Duties and his comfort also from Christ and he holds withall his very Natural Life his present Being in the World from Christ his all is in Christ his stock of life strength and furniture is not in himself but he lives by a continual Traffick as it were on Bills of Exchange betwixt Christ and him when he wants he sends a Bill to Christ and it 's answered in every thing that he stands in need of and that is good for him He is a dead Man and he is a living Man and where-ever true Faith is there the Man is dead and there the Man is living Do not I pray mistake it by thinking that true Faith is but vented puts forth it self only in reference to this or that particular or at this or that particular time only for Fâ—ith must be exercised not only at starts as when when we are under Challenges for Sin or at Prayer but we must design and endeavour to exercise Faith thorow all our Life that is we must by Faith look for every thing that is useful and needful for us from Christ and be always endeavouring to drive on a common Trade of living this way we must be habituating our selves to seek after Peace Strength and Consolation and what else we need out of the fulness that is in Him This Life of Faith is to see the want of all things in our selves and yet to have all things by making use of Christ in all things contenting and comforting our selves that there is Strength in Him though we be weak in our selves and that He hath gotten the victory over all His and our Enemies and that we shall at last through Him be victorious in our own Persons contenting and satisfying our selves that He hath compleat Righteousness though we be Bankrupt and have none of our own and betaking our selves allenarly to that Righteousness for our Justification before God Thus making a Life to our selves in Him He living in us by His Spirit and we living in Him by Faith O sweet and desirable but mysteriouâ— Life The third place is Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither circumsion availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love He doth not simply say Faith but faith that works by love for Faith is an operative Grace and this is the main vent of it the thing by which it works it works by Love Faith is the hand of the new Creature whereby every thing is wrought it having Life from Christ and we may say that Love is in a manner the hand of Faith or rather like the fingers upon the hand of Faith whereby it handleth every thing tenderly even out of love to God in Christ and to others for His sake Faith works and it works by Love that 's a sound and good Faith that warms the Heart with love to Christ and the nearer that Faith brings the Believer to Him it warms the Heart with more love to others And therefore love to the People of God is given as an evidence of one that is born of God 1 Joh. 5.1 because wherever true Faith is there cannot but be love to the Children of God flowing from love to Him that begets them That Faith that 's not affected with God's dishonour out of love to Him and that can endure to look upon the Difficulties Sufferings and Afflictions of the Children of God without sympathizing and being kindly affected therewith is not to be taken for a sound Faith but to be suspected for a Counterfeit The fourth place is James 2 14. Shew me thy saith by thy works c. True Faith hath always sound Holiness with it in all manner of Conversation in the design and endeavour of the Believer which is withall through Grace in some measure attained What avails it for a Man to say that he loves another when being naked or destitute he bidâ— him depart in Peace be warmed be filled and yet in the mean time gives him nothing that he stands in need of would not such a poor Man think himself but mocked Even so will not God reckon you to be but Mock-believers or Mockers of Faith when ye profess your selves to be Believers in Christ while in the mean time ye have neither indeed Heart-purity nor Holiness in your outside Conversation that is but such a Faith as Devils may have that will never do you good Ye would believe this for a truth that there will never a Faith pass for Faith in God's account and so there should never a Faith pass for Faith in your account but that Faith that sets the Man a work to the study of Holiness that Faith that works by Love that Faith that purifies the Heart and that Faith that puts the Person in whom it is to study to have Christ living in him and himself living in Christ I promised to name a few Scriptures that speak out some more condescending Characters of Faith And 1. I would think it a good token of Faith to have Folk feared for missing and falling short of the Promises
every thing whereof ye are said to be shorâ— Though ye live and should die Carnal and Unrenewed yet ye think stil ye have an honest Mind or Heart for all that and what I pray is your honest Mind but a rotten and prophane Heart that vails your Hypocrisie with a pretext of Honesty Would ye think that Man honest spoke of Isa 44.19 who with one part of the Tree warmed himself and with another part made a god and fell down and prayed to it and yet in your Sense he hath an honest Mind for he followeth his light which is but darkness and the deceit of his Heart carrying him away from God though he cannot see it he discerns not because he considers not that there is a lie in his hand and that a deceived heart hath led him aside so it is with you and if many of you saw what is latent under that honest Mind and Heart there would be nothing that would make you loath your selves more a little time will convince you that that which ye looked for most good from was your greatest and most traiterous Enemy He that trusts in his own heart is a fool saith Solomon Prov. 28.26 it supposes that Folks are ready to lippen to their Heart and to hearken to the language of it concerning their Spiritual Estate but it says also that they are Fools that do so for it betrayes them and there is no folly comparable to that whereby a Man betrayes his own immortal Soul and that he doth who trusts in his own Heart A seventh Reason is from the deceitfulness of our Heart and the natural Corruption that sticks to us There is naturally in us Pride and Self-conceit we are disposed and given to think any thing that is our own though it be but a shew is as good as others reality to think our own Light and Knowledge our own other Parts and Gifts to be as good as those of any others whosoever they be And with Pride there is joined Self-love we dow not abide to think evil of our selves or to suspect our selves Though this Self-love be indeed Self-hatred and is but love to our Corruptions and makes us that when we live in hatred of God to think that we love Him so that we cannot be induced to think that we love Him not for we know that love to God is good and we love our selves so well that we cannot endure to think that we want it hence it 's said of some in the last Times 2 Tim. 3.2 3. That they shall he covetous proud boasters blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankful unholy without natural affection truce-breakers c. having a form of godliness and denying the power of it and the founâ—ain of all is Self-love for saith he men shall be lovers of their own selves And as Self-love is the fountain of much Evil so it 's the fountain of Self-deceit and keeps out any thing that may make Men question their own Condition so that if a word come in and say thou hast no ground for thy Faith the Heart will be ready to answer and say it cannot be that I am a Self-deceiver and self-Self-love as a partial Judge will offer to vindicate the Man and so makes him shift the Challenge Now when all these are put together you may see how many Grounds Folks have to go wrong upon and Men having Hearts disposing and inclining them to go wrong and little pains being taken to discover the deceit of them is it any wonder that they think they Believe when indeed they Believe not and be empty and toom-handed having little or nothing to rest upon while they think they are Rich and want nothing These are not fancied and far fetched things but obvious and at Hand and may easily be gathered from your daily Practice In all which it 's our design and scope to bring you to try your long unquestioned Peace do not therefore think that it is impossible to be thus perswaded as many of you are and yet to be mistaken which is another Ground of Folks deceit for Laodicea was very confident in thinking her self to be rich and encreased in goods and to stand in need of nothing when she was in the mean time poor blind miserable wretched and naked and the Galatians as we may see chap. 5.8 had a perswasion which was not of God As there may be a perswasion of a point of Doctrine as being right which yet is an errour so there may be a perswasion of a Man's Spiritual State as being right and which he will stoutly maintain to be so while in the mean time that perswasion is not of God that calleth him but a strong Delusion If all that be Faith that ye call Faith then certainly the way to Heaven is much broader then the Scripture hath chalked it out and Ministers needed not say Who believes our report for all should thus believe it It will then and must then turn to this that your perswasion is not of Him that calleth you and if a deceit may ly and lurk under this perswasion of yours ye have certainly so much the more need to put the business to tryal And this is the last Use which we cannot now insist on That seeing so many think they Believe who Believe not and that there are but few that believe the Report and indeed rest on Christ for their Salvation as He is offered to them in the Gospel it is of your concernment to endeavour to put your selves without the reach of this Complaint and to make it sure that ye have believed and received the Report Is there any thing of concernment if this be not even to makâ— your Calling and Election sure and that cannot be made sure as to you till your Faith be made sure If we could prevail this far with you we would count it a blessed Fruit of this and of many other Preachings even that some of you who have never quâ—stioned your Faith might be engaged first seriously to close with Christ and then to put your selves to the tryal that on distinct grounds ye might be able to say I know in whom I have believed and that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day There are many of you that talk of Faith and yet cannot only not assert your Interest in Christ distinctly but cannot so much as give any solid grounds of your Believing and should not this think ye put you to try it Is there not a Day coming wherein ye will all be tried whether your alledged Faith was true Faith or but Presumption and wherein the Conscience which is now quiet and which it may be never keeped you from an hours Sleep shall awake and put forth its Sting and shall bite and gnaw and ye who shall continue under the power of this Delusion will be put to gnaw your Tongues for pain and horrour under the gnawings of your Conscience Ye that
c. Faith differently acts on Christ and the Promise for obtaining of these Now the Faith that we would insist on is the Fâ—ith that rests on Christ for Pardon of Sin on which all the rest of the acts of Faith depend it 's that Faith whereby a Sinner receives Christ and casts himself over on Him that Faith whereby Union with Christ is made up Thirdly We would premit That there is a great difference betwixt Faith and the Effects of it as Peace Joy Assurance of God's Love and these other Spiritual Priviledges that follow Believing It 's one thing actually to Believe another thing to have the Peace and Joy that follows upon and flows from Believing the one being as the putting out of the Hand to receive the Meat and the other as the feeding on it It 's the first of these we mean and intend to speak of even that Faith whereby we grip Jesus Christ Himself and get a Right to all these Priviledges in and through Him Fourthly We premit That even this Saving Faith hath its degrees as all other Faith hath some have more weak Faith some stronger some have that full Assurance spoken of Heb. 10. or a Plerophory not only as to the Object that it 's sufficient but as to the apprehending and obtaining of Life through that Object so that they are able to say neither height nor depth nor any thing else shall be able to separate them from the Love of God in Christ Jesus we say then that Saving Faith hath its degrees though the degree be not that which we speak of but it 's the kind of this Faith whether weaker or more strong whereby a lost Sinner rolls it self over on Christ the Faith which puts the Sinner off the Ground it stood on ever on Him the Faith which brings the Soul from the Covenant of Works to a new holding of Life by Christ and His Righteousness We shall then speak a little 1. To what we conceive this act of Saving Faith is not for precaveating of mistakes 2. What way the Scripture expresses it when then we say that such a thing is not Saving Faith ye would know that thing is not it that ye must lippen to and when we say such a thing is Saving Faith ye would labour to act and exercise Faith according to it First For what Saving Faith is not 1. It is not the knowing that Christ is God and Man that He was Born was Crucified Dead and Buried and Rose again Ask some what true Saving Faith is they will say it 's a true Knowledge Ask them again how long is it since they Believed they will say since ever they knew Good by Ill ye would know that apprehensive or literal and speculative Knowledge is needful but it will not be taken for Saving Faith 2. It 's not a touch of warmness or liberty in the Affections in a natural way which may be in unregenerate Men yea possibly in Pagans as in a Felix who in the mean time have not so much as Temporary Faith because it rises not from the Word but from dispensations of Providence or from Temporary things and if it rise from the Promises of the Word if there be no more it 's but temporary Faith 3. It is not Convictions which many take for Faith and take it for granted if they be convinced of Sin they Believe and will say whom should they Believe on but Christ and yet they never follow the Conviction to put in practice what they are convinced of 4. It 's not simply a Resolution to Believe as others take Saving Faith to be who being convinced that their own Righteousness will not do their turn resolve to Believe on Christ for Righteousness but they will take a convenient time to do it and many maintain their Peace with this though it be no true Peace but a bare resolution to Believe is not Faith ye use to say there are many good Wishers in Hell I remember the words of a dying Man in this Place who thought he believed before and being asked what difference he conceived to be betwixt the Faith he had before and the Faith he now had attain'd to he answered before I thought or resolved to Believe but never practised it now I practise Believing There is such a subtilty and deceit in the Heart that if it resolve to Believe and if it observably thwart not with Faith it will sit down on that as if all were done therefore the Word is To day if ye will hear his voice that is to day if ye will Believe harden not your heart This resolving to Believe is like a Man sinking in the Water and having a Rope cast out to him he resolves to grip it but does it not So many think they have the Promise beside them and resolve to make use of it but do not presently make use of it and the Ship sinks down and they perish while the Promise abides and swims above 5. It is not Prayer There are many who think they Believe when they some way Repent Pray and put their Hand to other Duties and they know no more for Believing but something of that kind it is true indeed Prayer may help to Believe yet it 's not always with Faith it 's not every one that saith Lord Lord that believeth many will seek to enter that shall not be able Folks very often have these two miserable mistakes about Prayer either they put it in the room of Christ or in the room and place of Faith not considering that they are different things for Faith exerciseth it self on Christ as Mediator and Prayer taketh Him up as God the true Object of Divine Worship though if it be not founded on Christ as Mediator it hath no access the acting of Saving Faith is properly on Christ held forth in the Word and Prayer is a putting up of Suits according to the Word There are many that know no more what use to make of Christ then if He had never been incarnate nor had come under that relation of a Mediator and make their Prayers serve to make up all whereas Faith not only respects Christ as God but His Merits as Mediator and His Offices 6. Nor is Faith only a believing this Word of God to be true though we could wish many were come that length it would make a Man tremble to hear the blasphemous words that some will have when they are asked concerning their believing the truth of the Bible but though ye were that length it were not enough the Devils believe and tremble the Faith that we call you to is more then Historical it 's to resting on Christ to cordial receiving of the Message which He sends to you as suppose a King should send an embassage to a Person to woo her to be his Wife it 's one thing to know that there is such a King another thing to believe that he is real in his offer and that the
they have been in earnest though it hath been but with Moral seriousness that blows them up upon which ground it is that many shuffle in Prayer in the place of Saving Faith and when they Pray with warmness they trow they Believe when in the mean time they never knew what it was in good earnest to lay themselves over on Chist Jesus therefore when we invite you to Believe this is another thing we would bid you beware of that ye put not a flash of Sense in the room of Faith 3. There is yet a more subtile though no less dangerous Mistake that ye would beware of and that is When Faith is confounded with Obedience and is looked on in Justification as a piece of new Obedience with Love Repentance and other duties of Holiness so some think they Believe because they have some Natural awe of God in their Walk and some fear of Sin and do perform some duties of Religion and walk Honestly as they think according to the Rule which is to confound the Covenant of Works and of Grace and to make the Covenant of Works a Covenant of Grace or to turn the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works only with this difference that though their works be not perfect but defective yet wherein they are defective they think there is worth in their Faith to make up that want and to supply that defect and so by Faith they think they will obtain the acceptation of their works and of their Persons on account of their works they look upon their works as pleasing to God but because they are not perfect they will believe or exercise Faith to make up their defects to which the way of Grace is quite contrary which makes the Tree first good and then the Fruit This way that many take is not to draw the evidences of Believing from works of Holiness which is warrantable but the founding of Faith or their hope of Heaven on works and the use they make of their Faith is to ward off Challenges for the imperfection of their works and to make Faith procure aeceptance as I just now said to their works and acceptance to their Persons for their works sake 4. Beware of that which ye ordinarily call a certain assurance or sure knowledge of your Salvation and that all the Promises are yours whereby ye think your selves in no hazard a hope and assuâ—ance of Heaven that ye can give no ground for nor proof of only ye think ye are sure of Pardon of Sin and coming to Heaven and that ye are obliged to maintain that groundless hope but that is not Saving Faith for it 's a hope of Heaven that can give you no right to Christ there must first be a fleeing to Him and closing with Him before ye can have any true and well-grounded hope of Heaven but your hope and confidence is never to question the matter ye are like Laodicea who thought her self rich and to stand in need of nothing when she was beggerly Poor or like these Men who when God was threatning them with Judgement yet would needs presume to think that they leaned on the Lord I think among all the Persons that God hath indignation against it 's in a special manner against these who have this sort of hope and to whom God discovereth the groundlesness of it and yet they will still stoutly maintain and stand fast by their hope it 's to these He speaks Deut. 29.19 who despise and tush at God's Threatnings and say We shall have peace though we walk in the imagination of our own hearts and add drunkenness to thirst the Lord there pronounceth a Curse and to the Curse addeth an Oath that He will not spare such Persons but will separate them for Evil and cause all the curses of the Law to overtake them judge ye now what a condition this is for Persons to be in to be believing that all the Promises are theirs and yet in steed of that to be in the mean time lyable to all the curses threatned in the Word of God it 's this that we call presumption and the hope of the Hypocrite that will perish Job 8.13 the confidence of such shall be rejected and sweeped away as a Speeders Web and shall be rooted out of their Tabernacles and bring them to the King of Terrours they think they Believe always when they are not troubled nor disquieted they never want Faith but have a great deal of it which yet is but a guessing which cannot support and uphold them when they come to a straiâ— when they are more secure they Believe very well and they think when they are more awaken'd and disquiet'd they believe less and their fancied Faith ebbeth quite on them when they hear of any exercise of Mind or trouble of Conscience in others they wonder that they wil not Believe and all this work is to maintain their deep Security and strong Delusion this is then the fourth thing ye would beware of for it 's not the Faith that will turn away the Complaint Who hath believed our report and yet how many are there of this sort who say they shall have Peace and please themselves with this their good Hope say the Word what it will O! be perswaded that this is nothing else but woful Unbelief and Presumption and we preach to you Terrour and the Curse of God though ye cry Peace to your selves the Lord complains of such Persons Jer. 5.12 saying They have belyed the Lord He sent His Prophets to denounce Judgments in the days of Josiah when there was a fair profession of Religion and Reformation yet they would believe and hope that no evil should overtake them That which we aim at in this part of the Use is to make way for what follows even to give you a cleanly ground for exercising of Faith on Jesus Christ when all these Stumblings and Mistakes are rolled out of the way We therefore exhort you to lay your Hand to your Heart and narrowly to try if ye have called or accounted any of these to be Saving Faith for there are hundreds nay thousands that perish under these Pretexts deceiving themselves and deluding others with a Faith they were born and brought up with and they have no more but their groundless hope to prove their Faith by and they will stick by it be said to them what will but be not deceived for God will discover you ye think a strong presumption is Faith and that ye can by such a Faith drink in the Promises but God will make you vomit them up and ye shall be declared to be void of Faith in the great Day therefore be more jealous over your Faith and seek to have your grips of Christ sickered which is done when from the belief of your Hazard and Self-emptyness and of Christ's fulness ye go to Him and close with Him to make up all ye want in Him and this Faith is especially qualified by
Doing of it that will profite you it 's very sad that most plain obvious Duties are not at all followed as the studying of Knowledge the exercising of Repentance one of the very first Duties which is never separated from Faith the humbling of the Soul before God the loathing of your selves for all ye have done the Love of God c. for there may be Challenges for gross Evils in Heathens and Fear is not Repentance but Godly Sorrow that causeth Repentance not to be repented of A fourth Evidence is The want of that Work of God's Spirit that accompanies Faith Faith is a special Work of the Spirit and the gracious Gift of God it 's wrought by the exceeding mighty Power of God whereby He raised Christ from the Dead and by that same Power He worketh in them that Believe now knew ye ever what this Work meaned found ye it ever to be a difficult Work to Believe knew ye ever what it was to have the Spirit of God constraining your Heart to Believe I speak not of any extraordinary thing but certainly Faith is not Natural nor cometh from pure Nature and wherever it is it manifests it self by Works and evidenceth the Power of the Spirit in the working thereof There are some sad Evidences of and bitter Fruits that spring from this Root to wit Folks being Strangers to the experimental Knowledge of the Work of Faith As 1. When Men know no more difficulty to get Christ and to rest on Christ then to believe a Story of Wallace or of Julius Cesar 2. When Folks say that they believed all their Days and believed always since ever they knew Good by Ill and though their Faith be no true Saving Faith but a guessing yet they will not quite it yea it 's impossible for Men to get them convinced that they want Faith 3. When Men never knew what it is to be without Faith it 's one of the great Works of the Spirit John 16.8 to convince of the want of Faith Folks will be easily convinced that breach of the Sabbath that Stealing that bearing false Witness c. are Sins where the special Work of the Spirit is not but how many of you have been convinced of the want of Faith we are constrained to say this sad word when we look on this Text that it is lamentably fulfilled in your Eyes and in this our Congregation think not that we wrong such of you who have believed our Report Ah it 's few even very few of you that Receive and Believe this Gospel Use 2. The second Use is for Conviction If it be ordinary for the great part of the Hearers of the Gospel not to Believe let it sink in your Hearts that it is no extraordinary thing that hath befallen you are ye not such Hearers as many of these were who heard Isaiah and Jesus Christ and if so will not this follow that there are many yea even the thick and throng of the Hearers of this Gospel that Believe not and who if Christ were gathering Sinners by this preached Gospel would not be gathered if where the Gospel comes many do not Believe then here in this City where the Gospel is preached to a great multitude of professing Members of the visible Church there are readily many that do not Believe or let me ask of you a Reason why ye do except your selves either this Truth holds not so universally or many of you must fall under it or else give a Reason why you fall not under it the Truth which Isaiah preached hath been preached to you and yet ye remain Unbelieving and Dispisers of the Invitation to the Marriage of the King's Son as the Jews did we are not now speaking of Jews Turks nor Heathens nor of the Churches in general nor of other Congregations but of you in Glasgow that have this Gospel preached amongst you and we say of you that there are few that believe our Report Think it not our Word the Application flows natively from the Text not from necessity of the thing but from the ordinary course of Mens Corruption are not the same Evidences of the want of Faith which we spoke of among you how many are there in their Life Prophane how many rest on Civility and Formality is there not as little Repentance now as was in Isaiah's time as little denying of our own Righteousness and making use of Christ's though the Word be taught by Line upon Line here a little and there a little It may be though ye think that the Doctrine is true in the general ye will not ye cannot digest the Application That among so many of you visible Professors of Faith there are but few real Believers therefore we shall follow the Conviction a little further by giving you some Considerations to make it out that we have but too just ground to make Application of the Doctrine to you especially considering the abounding of Corruption that is amongst you that ye may be put to fear the Wrath that attends Sin and to flee to Christ for Refuge in time 1. Consider of whom it is that the Prophet is speaking and of what Time Is it not of the Times and Days of the Gospel had not the Spirit in dictating this Text of Scripture an Eye on Scotland and on Glasgow and do not our Lord Jesus Christ and Paul apply it in their Days and why then may not we also in ours and when the Spirit speaks expressly of the last Times that they shall be perilous and of the falling away of many should it not give us the hotter alarm 2. Do not all things agree to us as to them is not this Gospel the same is our Preaching any better than theirs nay had they not much more powerful Preaching and if that Preaching which was much more powerful had not efficacy as to many to work Faith in them what may we expect to do by our Preaching are not your Hearts as deceitful are not your Corruptions as strong are ye not as bent to Back sliding as they were what sort of Folks were they that were unfruitful Hearers were they not Members of the visible Church as ye are circumcised under the Old Testament as ye are baptized under the New was it not these who had Christ and His Apostles preaching to them yea they were not among the more Ignorant sort who did not Believe but Scribes and Pharisees and these not of the prophanest sort only but such as came to Church and attended on Ordinances as ye do yea were such as had Gifts and cast out Devils and preached in Christ's Name as you may see Luk. 13.26 Now when there are so many and of such Ranks who get no good of the Word and of such a great many that will seek to enter in and shall not be able to whom Christ will sall say depart I know you not ye Workers of Iniquity What can be the reason that many of you do so confidently
own Insufficiency acknowledging God's Sufficiency which if we did we should find it go better with us and may not the same be expected in the matter of Believing as well as in other Duties 2. None that ever heard this Gospel shall in the Day of Judgement have this to Object none shall have it to say that they would fain have believed but their meer Infirmity Weakness and Inability did imped them for though it be our own Sin and Guilt that we are unable yet where the Gospel comes that is not the Contraversie But that Folks would not come to Christ would not be gathered that when He would they would not for where there is a will to will and to do go together But it 's Enmity at the way of Believing Security Stupidity Senselesness and Carelesness what become of the Immortal Soul that ruines Folks for the Soul that would fain be at Christ shall be helped to Believe the reason is because the nature of the Covenant of Grace and of the Mediator thereof is such that all to whom He gives to will He gives them also to perform and His Faithfulness is engaged so to do It must therefore return to one of these two That either ye will not receive Him or else ye are willing though weak and if ye be willing Faithful is He that hath called you who also will do it but if it halt at your Perversness and wilful Refusal of the Offer there is good reason that in God's Justice ye should never get good of the Gospel nay there is never one to whom the Gospel comes and who doeth not Believe but formally as it were he passeth a Sentence on himself as the word is Act. 13 46. Ye judge your selves unworthy of eternal life which the Apostle gathers from this ground that they did not neither would accept of Jesus Christ offered to them in the Gospel as the event is that follows on the Offer so will the Lord account of your receiving of it Fourthly As for Directions to help and further you to Believe it 's not easie but very difficult to give them it being impossible to satisfie the curiosity of Nature neither can any Directions be prescribed that without the special work of God's Spirit can effectuate the thing the renewing of the Will and the working of Faith being Effects and Fruits of omnipotent Grace yet because something lyes upon all the Hearers of the Gospel as Duty and it being more suitable and congruous that in the use of Means then when Means are neglected Believing should be attained And because oftentimes these that desire this Question to be answered to wit how they may win at Believing are such as have some beginnings of the work of Grace and of Faith We shall speak a few words to such as would be at believing and exercising of Faith on Jesus Christ And 1. Folk had need to be clear in the common fundamental Truths of the Gospel they would know what their Natural Estate is what their Sin and Misery is and they would know the way how to win out of that State Ignorance often obstructs us in the way of Believing How shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 when Folks Believe not it is as if they had never heard 2. When ye have attained to the knowledge of the common Truths of the Gospel as of your Sin and Misery the nature of the Covenant the Mediator and His Fulness c. Labour to fix well the Historical Faith of them we are sure that many never come this length to believe the History of the Gospel and till that be they can advance no further for as the word is Heb. 11.6 He that comes to God must believe that He is and a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him I say these common simple Truths of the Gospel would well be fixed by a Historical Faith and yet this would not be rested on because though they be excellent Truths yet they may be known and historically believed where Saving Faith and Salvation follow not 3. Be much in Thinking Meditating and Pondering of and on these things let them sink down into your Hearts that the Meditation of them may fix the Faith of them and that they may deeply affect us we would seek to have a morally serious feeling of them as we have of the common works of the Spirit But there are many like the Way sidehearers who as soon as they hear the Word some Devil like a Crow comes and picks it up therefore to prevent this ye would seek to have the Word of God dwelling richly in you ye would meditate on it till ye be convinced of your hazard and get the Affections some way stirred according to the nature of the Word ye meditate upon whether Threatnings or Promises the most part are affected with nothing they know not what it is to tremble at a Threatning nor smile as it were on a Promise through their not dwelling on the thoughts of the Word that it may produce such an Effect 4. When this is done Folks would endeavour a full up-giving with the Law of Righteousness as to their Justification that if they cannot so positively and stayedly win to rest on Jesus Christ and His Righteousness yet they may lay the weight of their Peace with God on no other thing they would lay it down for a certain conclusion that by the works of the Law they can never be justified and would come with a stoped Mouth before God thus tender Christians will find it sometimes easier to give up with the Law then to close with the Gospel as to their distinct apprehension of the thing 5. When this is done Go as it were to the top of mount Nebo and take a look of the pleasant Land of Promises and of Christ held out in them and let your Soul say O! to have the Bargain well closed to have my Heart stirred up to love Him and to rest upon Him O! to have Faith and to discern it in its actings for when the Life of Faith is so weak that it cannot speak yet it may breath and though ye cannot exercise Faith as ye would so as to grip to and catch fast hold of the Object yet essay seriously to do that far as to esteem love and vehemently desire it In this respect the Will is said to go before the Deed though as to God's begetting of Faith there be a contemporariness of the Will and the Deed yet as to our sense the Will outruns the Deed even as in another sense though it makes well for this purpose the Apostle says To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I know not for we ought to have our Will running after Christ and Believing on Him when we cannot attain to the distinct actings of it But it may be here objected and said Is not this Presumption Answ If this were Presumption then
all we have said of the Warrand of the Gospel to Believe is to no purpose Christ never counted it Presumption to desire and endeavour in His own way to believe on Him for attaining of Life through Him To desire Heaven and Peace with God and to misken Christ and pass Him by were indeed Presumption but it is not so to desire these through Him 6. When ye have attained to this Heart desire if ye cannot distinctly to your satisfaction act Believing on Christ ye would firmly resolve to believe and essay it and say This is the way I will and must take and no other as David saith Psal 16.2 O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord Hence the exercise of Faith is called a choosing of God Deut. 30.19 and Josh 24. and seriously sincerely and firmly to resolve thus is our Duty when we can win to do no more and it is no little advancement in Believing when such resolution to Believe is deliberatly and soberly come under 7. When this is done Folks would not hold at a resolution for to resolve and not to set forward will be found to be but an empty resolution therefore having resolved though still looking on the resolution as his gift we would set about to perform and believe as we may and when we cannot go we would creep when we cannot speak words of Faith we would let Faith breath when it can neither speak nor breath distinctly we would let it pant In a word to be essaying the exercise of Faith and often renewing our essays at it which if we did we should come better speed in Believing then we do thus though ye were walking under a Conviction that ye would do no more at this then a Man whose Arm is withered can do to streatch it forth yet as the Man with the withered Hand at Christ's word of Command essayed to streatch it forth and it went with him or as the Disciples when they had toiled long even all the Night and caught nothing yet at Christ's word let down the Net and inclosed a multitude of Fishes so though ye have essayed to act Faith often and yet come no speed yet essaying it again on Christ's calling to it it may and will through Grace go with you 8. When yet ye come not speed as ye would your short-coming would be bemoaned and complained of to God laying open to and before Him the Heart who can change it and ye would have it for a piece of your weight and burthen that your Heart comes not so up to and abides not so by Believing I would think it a good Frame of Spirit when the not having of the Heart standing so fix'd at Believing is an Exercise and a Burthen 9. When all this is done in some measure ye would wait on in doing thus and would continue in this way looking to Him who is the Author and Finisher of Faith for His influence to make it go with you to look to Him to be helped is the way to be helped to Believe or to Pray to Him to better and amend Faith is the way to have it bettered and amended it 's said Psal 34.5 They looked to him and were lightened and their faces were not ashamed And if it be said How can one look that sees not It 's true blind Folk cannot look yet they may essay to look and though there be but a glimmering as the looking makes the faculty of Seeing the better and more strong so the Exercise of Faith makes Faith to encrease this is it that the Psalmist hath Psal 30. v. last Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord that is if ye be weak wait on and He shall strengthen you Believe and give not over though to your Sense ye come not speed Beginners that are looking conscienciously to their way though they have but a glimmering weak sight of Christ and be as the Man that at first saw Mâ—n walking as Trees yet if they wait on they may attain to a more distinct seeing and to a more close and firm gripping of Christ We close with this word of Advertisement That as we speak not of these things as being in Man's power to be performed so neither can they be gone about to purpose but where there is some Faith and Love yet when they are at first looked on they are some way more within our reach then the distinct Exercise of Faith which is a great Mystery The Lord bless His Word and make it useful to you SERMON IX ISAIAH LIII I Who hath believed our report And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed IF Folks soberly and gravely considered of what concerment it is to make use of the Gospel and what depends upon the profitable or unprofitable hearing of it how serious would both Speakers and Hearers be This same poor mean and contemptible-like way of Speaking or Preaching is the ordinary way that God hath chosen to save Souls even by the foolishness of Preaching as the Apostle hath it 1 Cor. 1.21 and where Ministers have been tender how near hath it lyen to their Hearts whether People profited or not They that will read Isaiah how he resented and complained of it and how he was weighted with it will easily be induced to think that he was in earnest and that it was no little matter that made him thus cry out Who hath believed our report We shew that four things were comprehended in the words First That the great Errand of Ministers is to bring the glad Tydings of Jesus Christ the Saviour to Sinners Secondly That it is the great Duty of People to believe and receive the Offer of Jesus Christ in the Gospel Thirdly That it is the great Sin of a People that Hear the Gospel not to believe and receive Jesus Christ when He is offered unto them The fourth and last thing which now we are to speak of having gone thorow the first three is That the great and heavy Complaint that a faithful Minister of the Gospel hath is when these good News are not received and welcomed when they have it to say Who hath believed our report when it is but here one and there one that closes with Christ Considering these words as they hold out the Prophets Resentment and Complaint we shall from them draw four Observations which we shall speak shortly to and reserve the Use and Application to the close of all Observ 1. The first is That its meet for and the Duty of a Minister of the Gospel to observe what Fruit and Success his Ministry hath among a People and whether they Believe or not Isaiah speaks not here at random but from consideration of the Case of the People and as observing what fruit his Ministry had among them we would not have Ministers too curious in this as to the state of particular Persons neitner would we have them selfy or anxious
conjectures about this Matter and the greater their Security be they perswade themselves the more that they have Faith This is as sad as any of the former when they grant all that Folks should make their Calling and Election sure and should endeavour to be sure of their Faith but in the mean time take Peace with the Devil and Peace with their Lusts for Peace with God and a Covenant with Hell and Death for a real Bargain with God This is as true as this Word of God is that there are many that put by all Challenges by this and never suspect their Faith they hope that all shall be well and they must always Believe as if that were the whole Duty of Faith to keep down all Challenges A fourth sort is even of the generation of them that have some thing of God in them who scar in a manner to make all sure and think it is a piece of Humility and of holy and tender walking to maintain Doubâ—ing even as others think it Faith to maâ—â—tain Presumption They are always complaining as if all things were wrong and nothing right in their Case and so foster and cherish Misbelief There is such a thing as this that marreth even serious Souls in their endeavours to make their Calling and Election sure and as long as this is they cannot win to the suitable discovery of this excellent Grace that God calls them to Exercise even Faith in the Lord Jesus Need we make use of Motives to press you to this tryal of your Faith and to this giving of all diligence to make it sure who have especially hitherto neglected it If ye knew any thing of the vexation that Unbelief hath with it and what horrour in Conscience from the sense of distance from God were ye would think it a great matter to be clear in this thing and if it were known and believed how this delusion and unsickerness of Faith destroys the most part of Men in the World even of the visible Church Durst Men ly in their Security as most do without all endeavours to make it sure on good ground that they do indeed Believe Durst they ly still under God's Curse if they thought themselves to be really under it and did not foolishly fancy that it is otherways with them Durst Men treasure up Wrath to themselves if they thought not that the Hope they had were good enough O! but Presumption beguiles and destroys many Souls and particularly this same Presumption of Folks thinking themselves right when they are wrong hath destroyed and doeth destroy and will destroy moe Members of the visible Church then Prophanity Drunkenness Whoredom Theft Desperation or any other of these gross and much abhorred Evils do This is the thing that locks Folk up in their Sin even their Presumption when they say on the matter We shall have peace though we walk in the imagination of our own heart It 's this that makes Men without fear Steal and Lie and commit Adultery c. that they say Is not the Lord among us Is not this the thing that keeps many of you that ye never tremble at the Word of God we have Faith in God say ye we lippen and trust in Him therefore seing Presumption is so rife have ye not need to try your Faith If there were so much counterfeit Money in the Countrey that it were a rare thing to get one good and upright piece of Money ye would think your selves greatly concerned and obliged to try it well lest ye were cheated with base and counterfeit Coyn Is there not need then yea infinitely much more need for them that would be so wise as not to be beguiled about the salvation of their Souls to search and try whether their Faith will abide God's tryal or not Ye will readily move this Question What then are the Characters or Evidences of a solid and sicker Faith that will abide the tryal by which the pretended Faith that is among the Men of this Generation may be examined and put to just tryal I shall first name some direct Scriptures holding out somethings essentially accompanying Faith and then shall add others having more condescending Characters for the more particular differencing of this helping to the decision of this great Question The first Mark whereby ye may try your Faith is The ground and rise of it or that whereby it is begotten and cherished Faith comes saith the Apostle Rom. 10.10 by hearing Doctrinal Faith comes by the preaching of the Gospel and Saving Faith is wrought instrumentally by the same Word of God it being the power of God to salvation it being this Word that is the very ground of our Faith I would ask you where from your Faith comes and what hand the Word of God hath in it There are many that have a sort of Faith not only without but contrary to the Word of God whereby they believe that they will get Heaven while in the mean time the Word of God does directly exclude them Get ye your Faith maintained without ever knowing the necessity of a Promise for that effect Can ye maintain your Peace and not have so much as any foundation in the truth and faithfulness of God to build it upon Love never that Faith that hungers not after the Word that is supposed to be lively without being ever fed by the Word that cannot claim either its rise and original or its growth from the Word I will not say from this or that word in particular or at this or that time read or heard but from the Word of God the Word is the very foundation that Faith builds upon If we look to what either accompanieth or followeth Faith there are some plain Scriptures that will make that clear as Acts 15.9 and put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith there was indeed once a great difference between Jews and Gentiles but now when he hath brought both to believe in Christ the difference is removed There is an efficacy in it to circumcise the Heart to purifie it and to banish Lusts out of it for it closes and unites with Christ and so brings him home to dwell in the Heart and where Christ dwells He commands and so whatever opposes Him is banished Faith gives Christ welcome and will give nothing welcome to dwell with Him that 's opposite and displeasing to Him Faith improves Christ for the subduing of its Lusts and mortifying its Corruptions whereas before there might be an fair outside of a Profession and something clean outwardly and much filthiness and rottenness within but when Faith is exercised on Christ it purifies from all filthiness of the Spirit as well as of the Flesh it applys the Promises for that end even to get the inside made clean as well as the outside yea it s main work is to have the inside the Heart purified that being the fountain of all the pollution that defiles the Man and brings
peculiar work it 's not all who hear Paul preach whose Hearts are opened but it 's the Heart of one Lydia 4. It 's in the nature of it a real work that makes a real inward change on her 5. It 's an immediate work for the Lord not only enlightens her Judgment but goes down to the Heart and opens it and works a change in it immediatly Paul indeed by his preaching opens the way of Salvation to all that heard him from which though many go away with their Hearts unopened yet the Lord hath a secret mysterious real inward work on her Heart which is evidenced by the effect for He not only enlightens her Mind but makes her willingly yield to the call of the Gospel by opening of her Heart In the second place To speak a little for confirmation of the Doctrine we would consider these four or five Grounds or Reasons to shew that there is such a work of the Spirit wherever Faith is begotten and that most intelligibly in them that are at Age. 1. It 's clear from these places of Scripture where there is an express distinction and difference put betwixt the outward Ministry of the Word and this inward powerful efficacious work of Grace on the Heart and wherein the great weight of Conversion is laid on this inward work and not on the outward Ministry of the Word as Deut 29.4 where the Lord by Moses tells the People how many things they had seen and heard and yet says he The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day They had the outward Means in plenty when they wanted in the mean time the inward Power The gift of a spiritual Life and the making them spiritually active to exerce it was with-holden and therefore they did not savingly perceive see nor â—ear Joh. 6.44 Murmure not among your selves no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him It 's written in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me where there is very clearly a distinction put betwixt the outward teaching and the Father's drawing betwixt the Ministers teaching and God's teaching It was one thing to be taught outwardly by Christ as the Prophet of His Church and another thing to be drawen and taught inwardly of the Father This inward teaching is called drawing to shew that it is not external Oratory or Eloquence consisting in words to perswade that can effect the business but a powerful draught of the Arm of the Lord reaching the Heart There are several other Scriptures full and clear to this purpose as Psal 110.3 and Acts 11.21 A second Ground of kin to the former Is from the many and various expressions that are used in the Scriptures for holding forth this work of the Spirit of God in Conversion that point out not only an Hand working and an work wrought but an inward powerful way of working and bringing about the woâ—k as Jeâ— 31.34 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart I will put a new spirit within them and will take away the stony heart out of their flesh Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you c. Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their heart that they shall not depart from me It 's called the Father's drawing John 6.44 as I shew In the Saints Prayers as Psal 51. it 's called even as to further degrees of this work or restoring of lost degrees creating of a clean heart and renewing a right spirit within And many moe the like expressions there are which shew not only Mans impotency and inability to convert or savingly to change himself but also that to his Conversion there is necessary an inward real peculiar efficacious powerful work of the Spirit of Grace 3. It 's clear and may be confirmed from the Power of God which He puts forth and applys in the begetting of Faith and in working Conversion It 's not a mediate work whereby He only perswades congruously as some love to speak but an immediate and efficacious work whereby with mighty Power He works Conversion It is God saith the Apostle Phil. 2 13. that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure and as he not only perswadeth but effectually worketh so he not only works on the Judgment to the enlightning of it but on the Will to encline and determine it by curing it of its crookedness and perversness backwardness obstinacy and rebellion and the Power whereby He worketh this great work is said Eph. 1.19 To be that same mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead that ye may know saith the Apostle what is the exceeding greatness of his powâ—r to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand c. It is such a Power that works Faith and so exercised in the working of Faith as it was in the raising of Christ from the Dead Now could there be use for such a Power if there were no more requisite to Conversion but an objective swasion or a bare proposal of the object with external perswasion to embrace it wherein the Soul is left to it self to choise or refuse as it pleaseth certainly if there were no more considering our natural enmity at God â—nd His Grâ—ce the Devil and Corruption would have much more influence and a far greater stroak upon the Heart to closing up of the same in Unbelief then any outward perswasion would have as to the opening of the Heart and the begetting of Faith therefore His Power is necessarily called for and the Lord addeth it in converting Sinners else the work would for ever ly behind and if Men be spâ—ritually dead in Sins and Trespasses as all Men by Nature are as real a Power must be exerced in raising and quickening of them as there is exerced in raising and quickening of the Dead 4. It may also be cleared from some in whom this Power is exerced as some Children some deaf Persons and others whom we cannot deny to be reached by the Grace of God and yet there can be no other way how thâ—y are reached but by this effectual efficacious and immediate powerful work of the Spirit they not being capable of reasoning or perswasion by force of Argument We shall only add two Reasons further to confirm and some-way to clear why it is that the Lord works and must work thus distinctly inwardly really powerfully and immediatly in working Faith and converting of Sinners The first is drawen from the exceeding great deadness indisposition averness perversness impotency inability and
and is that which Christ wanted This we say is one reason why Christ is so little thought of even because he cometh not with external pomp observation and grandour nor with great temporal gifts to his followers That which mainly is desirable to natural men is that which hath earthly beauty in it a very deceitful consideration and ground though such an one as men are often carried away with and therefore they despise and reject the Saviour 2. Which is another reason of the Doctrine and also clearly implyed that our Lord Jesus Christs Humiliation and coming so low for mans sake his very condescending and stooping for their good is the great ground of their stumbling at him and because of that he is the less thought of Even the very hight of his grace and that great streach thereof that the Son of God became thus low as to become Man a mean Man and a Man of sorrows is a greater ground of stumbling to men then if he had never become thus low Now these two being supposed and thus explained the Doctrine is clear to wit that Jesus Christ that became Man and performed the satisfaction due to the Justice of God for our sins is usually and ordinarily disesteemed and undervalued by them to whom he is offered in the Gospel 1. It was so under the Old Testament and is so likewise under the New What is almost all the Gospel spent on But to hold out Christ upon the one side to be a man of sorrows and upon the other side to shew that men esteemed him not How was he undervalued at his birth when his Mother was thrust out to a Stable and he laid in a Manger And no sooner doth he appear in the exercise of his publick Ministry but his friends offend at him and look on him as a distracted man Mark 3. His Countrey-men contemn him and were offended at him Mark 6. Is not this say they the Carpenter the Son of Mary the brother of James and Joses And how was he esteemed or rather disesteemed and undervalued at his death So that it is said Acts 3.14 They denyed the holy and just one and desired that a murtherer should be granted unto them They rejected the Prince of Life and choosed Barabbas And judging him not worthy to live they cry away with him Hence our Lord saith Matth. 11. Blessed is he that is not offended in me which insinuats that there were but very few to whom his Humiliation proved not a Stumbling-block 2. If we consult experience we will find this to be true how little is he thought of among Turks amongst whom his precious Name is blasphemed though they pretend more respect to him then meer Heathens do How little is he thought of among the Jews who call him a Deceiver And if we come nearer even to the Christian Church and to such as profess their Faith of his being the Eternal Son of God equal with the Father that he is Judge of quick and dead and that they look for Salvation through him yet if it be put to a tryal how few are they that will be found to esteem of him aright since there are but few that believe the report that is made of him but few that receive him as he is offered in the Gospel few that have but such respect to him as to prefer him to their Idols and that give him the first and chief seat in their hearts And if we consider how little eager pursuing there is after him that he may be enjoyed and how indifferent folks are whether they have or want him How many things men dote upon and prefer to Jesus Christ as the Lord complains Jer. 2.13 My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and have digged to themselves cisterns even broken cisterns that can hold no water the thing will be clear beyond all debate We may take in another Branch of the Doctrine here when he saith We esteemed him not and it is this that even Believers are in so far as unrenewed inclined and not without culpable accession to this same sin of undervaluing of Jesus Christ It 's indeed true that the Apostle Peter saith in his 1 Epist Chap. 2. Vers 7. To you that believe he is precious Which place though it confirm the first part of the Doctrine that to them that believe not he is not precious but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence albeit that Believers being compared with Unbelievers have some precious esteem of Jesus Christ yet if we consider the corrupt nature that in part cleaves to them and the degree of their estimation of him that it 's but very little and low in respect of what it should be and the many peevish fits too 's and fro's up's and down's that they are subject to with the many suspicions and jealousies they have of him so that though they were just now fresh and lively in the exercise of their Faith and of their estimation of Christ yet within a little even by and by they give way again to their jealousies the Doctrine will also hold true of them we esteemed him not We shall give the second Doctrine and then speak to the use of both jointly which is this That there is nothing more culpably accessory to the abounding of Unbelief then the poor thoughts and little estimation that Men have of Jesus Christ the undervaluing of him is the great ground and reason why they believe not on him and on the contrary if the Hearers of the Gospel had higher thoughts and a more precious esteem of Christ and valued him according to his unvaluable worth there would be more believing in him then there is When the Gospel comes to invite Men to the Wedding Matth. 22. when Christ is roosed and commended as to what he is what he hath purchased and what he freely offereth to Sinners it 's said that those who were bidden made light of it and went away one to his farm another to his merchandice c. when Christ was spoken of and the offer of Life through him they undervalued and despised it and made light of the offer and therefore turned their backs for they thought more of the House of the Oxen of the Farm and of the married Wife then they thought of him And Acts 17. when Paul is preaching Christ at Athens the Philosophers and Orators these learned Heads despise and disdain him as a setter forth of some strange and uncouth god If we compare this with its contrary it will be further clear to wit wherever there is estimation of Christ it proves a help to Faith and a ground of it so where-ever Christ is lightlied disesteemed and undervalued it breeds in Folk and is a ground to them of these three 1. It cools or rather keeps cool their love and affection to him where he is disesteemed and undervalued he cannot be loved and People in that case become
removing a main obstruction that hinders your Faith and that is the undervaluing of him For if undervaluing of him be the great cause of unbelief and that which mainly obstructs Faith then the esteeming of him from a due impression of his worth must be a great mean of and help to Faith and the more he be esteemed of the more will he be believed on It hath an attractive vertue to draw sinners to love him a screwing vertue to screw up the affections towards him and withal a fixing and establishing vertue to settle and stay the Soul upon him by believing the soul that from the right impression of his worth esteems of him knows that it may lippen to him for he is holy and true And hence it is that the great thing that believers take to ground their prayers upon is some excellency in God some one or other of his Titles and Attributes upon which they fix to bear them up under and against any difficulty that presseth hard upon them This fixes also their hope and expectation of attaining of any good thing that they want through him And therefore upon the one side we would commend to you the study of Christ's worth and upon the other an high estimation of him as that which will fix your Faith and Love and Hope on him This we see to be in a high degree in Paul Philip. 3. I account all things saith he to be but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of him and his transcendent worth ye would not think it lost labour to read and study these places of Scripture that shew what our Lord Jesus is in his Person Nature and Offices that ye may have the Faith of his God-head fixed and may be clear as to the excelling fulness that is in him as namely that of Isai 9.6 To us a Child is born to us a Son is given the government shall be upon his shoulders and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellour the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace of whose Kingdom and Government there shall be no end And to study his excellent Properties his Eternity Omnipotency Faithfulness Mercy c. common to him with the Father and Holy Ghost and the excellent qualifications that as Mediator he is replenished with being full of grace and truth and in all things having the preheminency See Col. 1. John 1.14 and Heb. 1.2 3. c. The reason why we press you to this is not only that ye may have more clear Theory and Contemplation But also and mainly that your affections may be delighted in him and that your Faith may without hink or hesitation come to give him credit Ignorance of Christ breeds disestimation and disestimation makes you not to give him credit and thus ye are kept at a distance from him There is no study more pleasant more precious and more profitable There is here then a task for you that ask what ye shall do even to read and study the excellency of Jesus Christ and to labour to have it well fixed in the imagination of the thoughts of your hearts It will give you notable direction what to do even that which is well-pleasing to God and may be very profitable to you through his blessing Use 5. See here the great necessity and conveniency of studying the disestimation of Christ that is in us as well as of studying the worth that is in him and what he hath out of love suffered for us These two are put together in the Text it being needful for us to be as well acquainted with the one as with the other We shall give you this use in two short Doctrines The 1. whereof is That it is a necessary duty for the hearers of the Gospel to study throughly and to be convinced of and clear in their disestimation of Christ as well as of his worth and excellency because it maketh up repentance and maketh it flow and thorowly humbleth the sinner when he findeth this desperat wickedness and perversness to be in himself and maketh him kindly to loath and abhor himself and unless this desperat wickedness be seen and felt that great and bitter mourning spoken of Zech. 12.10 will never flow forth The 2. is That where folk have any just estimation of Christ and of his worth and are sensible of the evil of unbelief there will also be some sense of the sin of undervaluing of him and the more sense they have of the evil of unbelief they will be the more sensible of their undervaluing of him And will with the Prophet here cry out He was despised and we esteemed him not And from both these ye may see the necessity of studying to find out this corruption the search and discovery whereof will in-sight you in the evil and perversness of your nature and so deeply humble you and also serve highly to commend Christ and his Grace to you and without the discovery of this corruption it 's impossible ever to be humble thorowly or to have right thoughts of Christ and of his Grace Use 6. It serves to let us see the necessity of believing in Christ and of the imploying of him because there is no other way to be free of the challenges of misprising and not esteeming of him but by receiving of him and believing on him A 7th Use may be added and it 's this That the moe there be that despise Christ and the greater difficulty there be in believing on him the more reason have they to be thankful that he graciously works any suitable estimation of himself in and brings them to believe on him These who have gotten any glimpse of his Glory which hath lifted him high in their estimation to the drawing forth of their faith and love after him would praise him for it It 's he and only he that opened your eyes to see him and gave you that estimation of him and circumcised your hearts to love him let him therefore have all the praise and glory of it This is the Word of God and himself bless it to you through Jesus Christ SERMON XIX ISAIAH LIII IV V. Vers 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted Vers 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed THis is a most wonderful Subject that the Prophet is here discoursing of even that which concerneth the sufferings of our blessed Lord Jesus by way of prediction several hundreds of years before his Incarnation It was much that he was to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief But this was more that he was despised and we esteemed him not There is wonderful grace upon the one side that our Lord became so very low and wonderful contempt and enmity on the other side that we despised him and
such an end and yet so as he must flee into it ere he can plead for the benefit of the City So suppose a sinner to be fled to Jesust Christ by Faith he may plead for exemption from wrath by God's determining and appointing a Mediator for such an end And the Mediator Jesus Christ hath this priviledge conferr'd on him that he that thus flees unto him shall be safe Yet it is also suppos'd that such a sinner hath fled to him else he could not expect safety through him notwithstanding of Gods determining the Mediator for safety Thus we would have these three put together And yet as we said they differ for Gods determination is the efficient cause fountain of all Christs satisfaction is the meriâ—orious cause and our believing is the ground on which we have right to plead for the benefit of his satisfaction Even as the man that fled to the City of Refuge his safety was not by any vertue in his running but by God's determination yet his running to the City was requisite as the mids and except he run or fled to it he could not plead for the benefit of the City So our believing gives us ground to plead a right and title to Christ and his satisfaction without which we could not have that right But 2dly Because one will take up this under one notion and another under another To clear it therefore a little further we shall again consider in this Covenant these three steps 1. The determination of it as it is enacted in the Council of the God-head which in sum is this that such and such persons shall be satisfied for by the Mediator and his satisfaction accepted for them 2. The execution of this Covenant where we take in all our Lords sufferings all the stroaks and wounds that Justice pursued him with as Cautioner for the Elect and God's accepting and justifying of him and declaring his accepting of him and being well satisfied with what he did and suffered by his raising him from dead 3. The application of his purchase by his accepted satisfaction which consists in these 1. That these that were given to Christ on this condition that his satisfaction should stand good for them should be justified and saved that is that in due time application of his satisfaction should be made to the persons given him to to be saved by him Which takes in Christ's making intercession that Renewing-grace Faith c. may be given to such persons 2. That the work of the Spirit who as the Sanctifier begets Faith and perswads to imbrace Jesus Christ shall be given them Then 3. follows the Believers actual coming to Christ being sweetly and powerfully drawn to rest on him and his satisfaction Whereupon follows the application of the sentence of Justification and Absolution that results from the former So that whereas it was before Cursed is he that continues not in all things written in the Law Now it is He that believeth on Jesus Christ hath eternal life and shall never come into condemnation All these go and agree well together the Covenant as the ground Christ's satisfaction as the meritorious cause and the application of his satisfaction by Faith which entitles and gives the Believer a right to it The reason why we have so much insisted on this is that we may teach you to joyn respect to the Covenant of Redemption Christ's suffering and your believing together It will not be Faith that will justifie that is without respect to the Covenant Neither will the Covenant and Christ's satisfaction justifie without Faith yet ye would so put them together as the glory of Salvation through Grace may not lye on Faith but on God's everlasting Love and on Christ's satisfaction And indeed it is no little practick for a Soul sensible of sin in the exercise of Faith so to lay the weight of its Salvation on Christ and the Covenant as it neglects not running to Christ by Faitâ— and so to lay hold on Christ by Faith as it lay not the weight on Faith but on Christ and the Covenant As in the comparison before used suppose a man that had killed another unawares had been taken before he wan to the City of Refuge God's determination was not the cause of that but his not running or his not coming at the City So it may be that some are apprehended by the Justice of God that are less sinful than others yet the reason or câ—uâ—e is not in God's Covenant nor in Câ—rists want of worth but in the persons not running or not fleeing to Christ as to the City of Refuge and therefore they are not heard to plead for immunity by vertue of that satisfaction before the Bar of God A 2d sort of Uses are for exhorting and encouraging Sinners to come to Christ There is here then 1. A clear ground to our our Faith and a plain way opened to Heaven and a mighty encouragement to perswade Sinners to lay hold on Christ and to take this way for obtaining of life This Text opens as it were the gates of the City of Refuge and points out the way how to eshew the wrath which is to come There is a way here laid down in the Wisdom Justice Go dness and Grace of God which is made offer of in the Gospel and since it is so we beseech you that ye would not receive this Grace in vain but seing there is a Covenant well ordered and sure a Mediator and a Ransom provided and a way laid down how to come to Christ by Faith let all of you who come under the conviction of Sin and apprehension of Wrath step to and close with him and plead for Pardon by vertue of his Wounds and for healing through his Stripes with respect to the Covenant There are these four things here that will serve to give ground for this Application if we consider 1. The great ground of Faith that is here 2. The great reason we have to make use of this ground 3. The great encouragement we have so to do And 4ly The great necessity we have to make this Application A little to each of these But we shall premit one word to all and it 's this That considering you are all in tryfting terms with God whether ye live at a distance from him the Uâ—e will by way of Exhortation reach you or whether ye be brought to greater nearness under the sense of Sin and have some seriousness in seeking after God it will reach you for Consolation In a word we would exhort all and it may convince some comfort others But to the first thing we proposed We declare and proclaim this as a true and faithful saying that there is here an Everlasting Covenant wherein the salvation of the Elect is concluded through Christs satisfaction to Justice for them and a way laid down for making Peace betwixt God and all them that will thorowly renounce their own righteousnâ—ss and lay hold
suffering and of his suffering for sinners that he was wounded and bruised c. In this Verse the Prophet proceeds to clear how this came to pass that Christ Jesus was made to suffer for the Elect the Seed that God had given him which he doth by laying down the Occasion and Fountain-cause whence it proceeded 1. The Occasion of it in these words All we like sheep have gone astray All the Elect as well as others had wandered and every one of us had turned to our own way We had denuded our selves of all right and title to eternal life and had made our selves liable to Gods curse and wrath through our sinning 2. The Fountain-cause is The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all When we had all strayed Jehovah took our Lord Jesus as the Sacrifices under the Law were taken and put him in our room and laid on him the punishment due to us for our sins and actually pursued him for our debt So the words are an answer to that question How comes it to pass that our Lord Jesus suffered thus for sinners It 's answered The Elect had made themselves lyable to the wrath and curse of God through their straying and to keep them from that wrath God designed and provided his Son Jesus Christ to be the Redeemer and according to the Covenant of Redemption laid on him the punishment due to them for their iniquities In a word their sin and God's appointing him to be Cautioner made him liable to satisfie for all their debt The first part of the words holds out our natural disease The 2. part holds out Gods gracious cure and remedy In the first part we have these three 1. The natural state and condition of all Men and Women even of the Elect themselves who are mainly to be look'd on here All we have gone astray 2. This is illustrat by a similitude We have gone astray like sheep 3. It is amplified Every one of us hath turned to his own way Several words being put together to set out the desperat sinful condition whereinto the Elect as well as others had brought themselves 1. Our natural state and condition is set down in this word straying To stray is to wander out of the way to go wrong to be be wildered For God hath set a rule to men to walk by in the way to life the rule and way of holiness and whoever walk not in that way do go astray and wander out of the right way 2. This is as I said illustrat by a similitude of sheep The comparing of the Elect to sheep here is not at all to extenuat the sinfulness of their straying though sometimes the innocency of that Creature in some other comparisons is insinuated But it is to hold out the witlessness spiritual silliness ad bruitishness of their straying the Scripture usually pointing out that Beast to be disposed and given to wandering And both Nature and Experience tells us that in a Wilderness where there is greatest hazard they are readiest to run on the hazard such is their silly and to speak so foolish inclination Just so are the Elect by Nature 3. It 's amplified by this That every one hath turned to his own way Before it was collectively set down Aâ—l we have gone astray But now lest any should exeem himself it is distributively set down Every one even Isaiah Jeremiah and others such not one excepted This turning to our own way holds out two things 1. It 's called our own way to distinguish it from Gods way as it is Psal 81.11 He gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsels That is in their own inventions or according to their own will humour and inclination 2. While it is said that every one turns to his own way it 's to shew this that beside the common way that all sinners have to turn away from God distinguished from God's way every sinner hath his own particular and peculiar way whereby in his way he is distinguished from another sinner There is but one way to Heaven but many ways to Hell and every one hath his different way some have one predominant lust some another But they all meet here that every one turns from God's way and every one takes a wrong way of his own Considering the scope we shall shortly and passingly point at two general Observations whereof the 1. is this that it contributes much for folks conceiving and considering of Christs sufferings aright to be well acquainted with their own sinful nature and disposition Men will never look rightly on Christs sufferings nor suitably esteem of him nor make him and the Doctrine that holds him and his sufferings forth cordially welcome except they have some sense of their sinful nature and diâ—position Hence it was that many of the Pharisees and Hypocrites of that time wherein the Lord exercised his Ministry amongst the Jews never welcomed him nor prized his sufferings whereas among the Publicans and Sinners many were brought to get good of him Not to insist in the Use of this only in a word see here a main reason why Jesus Christ is so meanly thought of and the respect of his sufferings is so little welcomed and esteemed even because so few walk under the due sense of this that like lost sheep they have gone astray The 2d general Observation from the scope putting both parts of the Verse together is this that we should never look on Christ's sufferings but with respect to the Covenant of Redemption and God's transacting with him as our Cautioner Therefore the last part comes in The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all For albeit we know that Christ hath suffered much yet if there be not an eye to and some acquaintance with the Covenant the rise of his sufferings and God's hand and end in his sufferings it will be to no purpose Therefore when Peter is to speak of his sufferings Acts 2.23 He premits these words Him being delivered by the determinat counsel and fore-knowledge of God and then subjoyns his being crucified Looking on Christ's sufferings with respect to the Covenant 1. It lets us know that Christ's sufferings come not by guess but by the eternal counsel oâ— God and by vertue of that transaction betwixt the Father and the Son and this takes away the scandal off them which the Prophet sets himself here to remove 2. It gives Faith access to make use of his sufferings when we look on him as purposely designed for this end 3. It holds out the love of God Father Son and Spirit towards Elect Sinners That howsoever God looked angry like on the Mediator as personating them and sustaining their room yet that Jehovah had the devising and designing of these sufferings and that he sent his Son to suffer thus it holds out wonderful love 3. And more particularly from the first part of the words which is the main
overcome but when Christ came to satisfie Divine Justice for them all the Companies and Râ—giments of sins so to speak Rendezvouzed and brought in one formidable Army together met on Christ The word is well rendered here were laid on him being the same word in the Root that Saul used when he commanded Doeg to â—all upon the Lords Priests 1 Sam. 22.18 The word is Lay upon them or lay at them As when one is angry with another he will cry Lay upon him and this shews the exceeding greatness of Christs sufferings when all the sins of all the Elect met together as a huge and heavy Host did fall and do terrible execution upon our blessed Lord Jesus This then being the meaning of the words the Question is Whether the Lord Jehovah did lay this punishment really upon Christ or whether as Socinians fondly imagine he only intâ—rceeded for them But for Answer 1. What sort of meaning of the words would that be I pray The Lord made the inâ—quities of us all to interceed on him when the Tâ—xt sayes plainly that they were laid on him and on the matter that he bare them and â—xprâ—sly so vers 11. For he shall bear their iniquities Yea 2. Consider the scope and it câ—mes in as a reason why Christ suffered â—o much and would that can any thiâ—k be a good reason for so great and grievous sufferings undergone by Christ that God made him to interceed for all the sins of the Elect But if you look upon the words in their true meaning they are a clear reason why he was wounded exceedingly bruised and chastened and why he endured so many stripes even because all the sins of all his Elect met on him because he was made to bear the punishment of them all Also the words following clear it He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he stricken And Gal. 3. He was made a curse for us He suffered the just for the unyust He actually and really suffered that which we should have suffered If it be asked Wh t is this to lay iniquity on Christ Or how is it said that the iniquity of the Elect was laid on him Or in what respect I answer 1. In respect of Gods eternal Covenant the punishment due for our sins is laid upon him by an eternal deliberat Counsel or Consultation of the Persons of the God-head Wherein as we shew before Christ enters Surety for us accepts of and engages to pay our debt 2. In respect of Gods actual pursuing Christ having thus engaged himself putting in his hand the Cup and making him drink and the Bill of our account and making him countable 3. In respect of Gods acceptation of that satisfaction which Christ performed and payed down for them This being the meaning of the words we come to point at some things from them and the very opening of them may give us some In-sight in the way of the Gospel and of a notable ground of footing to our Faith If we could rightly apprehend God making this transaction with the Mediator we might not only have a ground to our Faith but a great encouragement to come to Christ and to rest on him who hath thus fisted himself in our room before the Tribunal of Diving Justice and it would waken and warm Faith and Love towards him But Observe here more particularly 1. That all the Elect People of God are lyIng under iniquity even as others This we spoke to the last day and shall not repeat what was then said It 's with respect to iniquity in the Elect that all the business of Redemption is transacted and from hence as the occasion it hath its rise even from God's being offended and from the necessity of a Mediator For this doth presuppose our debt and a standing sentence against us till Christ interposed for the removing of it 2. From its being said before that every one turned to his own way and here that the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Observe that every one of the Elect beside the common state of sin wherein all are hath his own particular guilt that is in his own way This is clearly holden out here while it is said that not only like sheep we have gone astray but that every one hath turned to his own way Which as it holds forth a way in them all different from God's way so also a way in every one of them somewhat different from anothers way And this is called a walking in the counsel of our own heart Psal 81. and a mans own sore 2 Chron. 6.29 and a mans own iniquity Psal 18.23 Because it 's in a special manner his To clear it a little consider that sin is peculiar to a Believer or may be called his own way in these respects 1. In respect of his being more addicted to one sin then another which is usually called a mans predominant Two men may both be covetous and passionat but the one of them may be called a covetous man because he is especially given to that sin of covetousness and the other may be called a passionat man because he is especially given to passion 2. In respect of some peculiar aggravating circumstances Though we will not dar particularly to determine as to persons yet if we look thorow all men and women it will be readily found that there is some sin which in respect of some or several aggravations is in some a greater sin then it is in others And hereby God hath given ground of humiliation to all There is not a man as we just now hinted but readily he hath an evil which is at a greater hight in him then in another As for instance one may be given more to the sin of Drunkenness another more to Hypocrisie another more to Uncleanness c. I do not speak so much here of the divers kinds of sin as of the several aggravations of this or that sin that they are given to such and such a man may have aggravations that will aggrege such a predominant evil in him far beyond what it is in others And it is from this ground that a Believer not in a complementing way but most really and sincerely doeth call and account himself the chief of sinners because there are some aggravations that elevat his sin above the sins of others or above that same sin in others as a weak Believer may have some one good thing in him more commendable than it is in a stronger Believer so the stronger Believer may have some one sin that in respect of its aggravations may give him ground to look on himself as beyond others in sin Use 1. It serves much for our Humiliation in as far as this adds to our sinfulness There are none of us but beside the common way of sinning incident to all we have something that is peculiar to our selves we have our own way wherewith we
be libelled for sin though not for his own sin and what it was to be sentenced and to meet with wrath which gives to sinners a safe and refreshful shelter under him as under the shadow of a great rock in a weary land This is the great design of the Gospel to make proffer of the benefite of these sufferings to you and to pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God Now God himself perswade you to it SERMON XXIX ISAIAH LIII VIII Vers 8. He was taken from prison and from judgement and who shall declare his generation For he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he stricken EVery step of Christs way to sinners and every word whereby it is exprest is wonderful And therefore it is no marvel that the Prophet doth by way of admiration cast in this word And who shall declare his generation We shew you that we conceive these words to be these that express the Prophets turning of himself from Christs Humiliation to his Exaltation He hath insisted long in setting out his wonderful abasement exinanition and humiliation which these words import He was brought from prison and from judgement Which look not only to his external imprisonment to his coming to judgement bâ—fore men but also and mainly and principally to the pinches and straits that he was brought into and his arraignment before Gods Tribunal and so to the cause of his suffering to wit for the transgression of his people as the words following hold out which was not the cause of his censure before men but the procuring cause of what he met with from and before God But though he was brought to prison and to judgement to death and to the grave yet they did not they could not detain him He was taken or as the word signifies he was lift up from prison and from judgement being the same word that followeth He was cut off out of the land of the living which supposes a turn and change from his Humiliation to his Exaltation and these words Who shall declare his generation Set out the unconceivable and unexpressible glory that Christ is exalted unto so Acts 8.33 35. Where these words are cited it 's said In his humiliation his judgement was taken away That is in his lowest step of his Humiliation his judgement or that to which he was adjudged was taken from him and he was declared free However since in these words our Lords Humiliation is implyed and his Exaltation expressed as following on it we think it safest to understand them so The words put together hold out the high degree of Christs glorious exaltation so as his generation cannot be declared He was taken from prison and from judgment and gloriously exalted in another manner and to another degree of glory then either Angels or Believers are or are capable to be For he that is exalted is God whose generation cannot be declared Death having no more dominion over him and he having the keyes of hell and of death In a word we take this Who shall declare his generation most immediatly to relate to Christ's Exaltation as Mediator and to the glory wherewith he was invested and to the dominion that he hath over all creatures yet considering that the Prophets scope is to set out this as wonderful and considering that the first step of his Exaltation is his Resurrection whereby as the Apostle speaks Rom. 1.4 he was declared to be the Son of God with power His Resurrection being singular in this respect that he rose by his own power and considering that Acts 8.35 Philip began to preach to the Eunuch Jesus Christ as the object of Faith We think it reasonable to conceive that he preached Christ to be God from this Text so as the Eunuch might have a solid foundation for his faith And this subserving the scope which is to set out the wonderfulness of Christs love to Elect sinners who being God yet condescended to come thus low for saving of them We may take in his God-head mediatly from which as the former steps of his Humiliation received worth and efficacy so he was thereby sustained and born up under all these sufferings whereby his people are saved From the first and second expressions put together we shall draw three Doctrines relating to three main Articles of our Faith The 1. whereof is this That our Lord Jesus had an out-gate from and victory over the lowest and most pinching pieces of His Humiliation and suffering so that though he was at prison and judgement yet he was lift up from both and had a glorious out-gate This takes in three things which the same grounds will confirm 1. That in his lowest state and step of Humiliation he was sustained and carried thorow so that all the assaults which he was put to endure and encounter with from all his enemies wicked Men and Devils did not overcome him 2. That as he in himself was born thorow and sustained So in respect of God's bar at which he was arraigned he was absolved and set free He so came thorow by paying of the debt that he had an Absolviture as it is 1 Tim. 3. ult Great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit Our blessed Lord Jesus being sustained by the power of his God-head was carried thorow in his sufferings payed the Elects debt and received the sentence of absolution even as a person to speak with reverence in such a subject having payed the debt for which he was imprisoned is absolved and set free 3. It takes in our Lords actual delivery he not only received the sentence of absolution but was actually set free so that as he was pleased to put himself in prison and in straits for us so he was brought from every step of his humiliation from prison and from judgement from death and from the grave He nailed the hand-writing which was against us to his cross as the Apostle saith Col. 2.14 15. And having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it And as it is 1 Cor. 15. at the close He took the sting from death disarmed it and trode upon it And there was necessity for this even such necessiâ—y that it was impossible it could be otherwayes as we have it Acts 2.24 It was not possible that he could be holden of death This will be clear if we consider these things 1. The person that suffered he was not an ordinary nay nor a meer man but God-man As is clear Acts 2.27 cited out of Psal 16. where it is said Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption 2. The end of Christs sufferings which was to satisfie for the debt of his people there having been no reckoning on his own score or account he being still in Gods favour and his Holy One
to bruise him in whose breast to speak so bred the plot of sinners Redemption Jehovah thought it good He loved the salvation of sinners so well that He was content to seem in a manner regardlesse of His own Sons cryes and tears for a time to make way for performing the satisfaction that was due to Justice and He did this with good will and pleasantly We shall not insist more on particular Uses but is there or can there be greater ground of Consolation then this or is there any thing wanting here to compleat the Consolation Is there not an well surnished Saviour commissionate to give Life to whom He will Who hath purchased it that He may give it and a well willing loving and condescending God willing to give His Son and willing to accept of His Death for a Ransome and what would ye have more The Partie offended is willing to be in friendship with the offending Partie and to give and accept of the Satisfaction what can Tentation say or what ground is for Jealousie to vent it self here He that did not spare his own Son but willingly and freely gave him to death for us all how shall be not with him also freely give us all things As it is Rom. 8. And if we were reconcilled to God by the death of his Son when we were enemies shall we not much more be saved by his life as it is Rom. 5.10 There is a great disproportion betwixt Christ and other Gifts yea and the gift of Heaven it self and shall a poor sinner have a suffering Saviour given and may he not also expect pardon of Sin Justification Faith Repentance and Admission to the Kingdom There is here good and strong ground of Consolation to them that will build on it let the Fathers and Christs love to you be welcome in it's offers that His end in bringing many Sons to glory be not frustrated by any of you so far as you can though it cannot indeed be frustrated For the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and he shall see the travel of his soul and be satisfied SERMON XXXVI ISAIAH LIII X Verse 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand CHrist and His Sufferings have been a most delightsome subject to be spoken and heard of before ever He suffered and they would be to us now no less but much more so even very glad tydings to hear that ever the Son of God was made an Offering for sin This Verse as we hinted the last day doth set forth Christ's Sufferings and in these three that the design of God in bruising the Innocent Lamb of God might be the better taken up 1. They are holden forth in the rise where they bred or in the fountain whence they flowed the good pleasure of God It pleased the Lord to bruise him to put him to grief Which the Prophet marks 1. To shew that all the good that comes by Christ to sinners is bred in the Lords own bosom It was concluded and contrived there and that with delight There being no constraint or necessity on the Lord to give His Son or to provide Him to be a Cautioner for dyvour sinners but is was His own good pleasure to do so 2. To show the concurrence of all the Persons of the Trinity in promoving the Work of Redemption of sinners which was executed by the Son the Mediator to shew that the Love of the Son in giving His Life is no greater then the Love of the Father in contriving and accepting of it for a Ransom there being naturally in the hearers of the Gospel this prejudice that the Father is more rigid and less loving then the Son but considering that it was the Father Son and Spirit that contrived Christs Sufferings that the Sons Sufferings were the Product and Consequent of this contrivance it removeth this corrupt imagination and prejudice and sheweth that there is no place for it It doth also contribute notably to our ingadgement to God to be throughly perswaded of the Lords good pleasure in the Sufferings of the Mediator as well as in the Willingness of the Mediator to Suffer He having performed the will of the Father in the lowest steps of His Humiliation 2. They are exprest and holden forth in their Nature and End they were to be an offering for sin and this follows well on the former verse because it might be said How could He that had no violence in his hands nor guile in his mouth be brought so low He hath answered in part by saying It pleased the Father to bruise him and to put him to grief But because that does not so fully obviat and answer the Objection He answers furder that there was a notably good end for it Though He had no sin in Himself nor are we to look on His Sufferings as for any sin in Him yet we are to look upon them as a Satisfaction to Justice for the sins of others even as the Bullocks Lambs and Rams and the Skipgoat were not slain for their own sins for they were not capable of sin yet they were some way Typical Offerings and Satisfactions for sin in the room of others for whom they were offered so our Lord Jesus is the proper Offering and Sacrifice for the sins of His Elect People and His Sufferings are so to be looked on by us and this is the Scop. But to clear the words a little more fully there are different readings of them as they are set down here in the Text and on the Margent Here it is when his soul shall make an offering for sin On the Margent it is when his soul shall make an offering for sin The reason of the diversity is because the same Word in the Original which signifies the Second Person Masculine Thou meaning the Father signifies the Third persons Foeminine his soul shall make it self but one the matter whether we apply it to the Father or to Christ both come to one thing It seems to do as well to apply it to Christ the former Words having set out God's concurrence and good pleasure to the Work these set out the Mediators Willingnesse as in the last Verse it is said that He poured out his soul unto death and properly Christ is the Priest that offered up Himself yet we say there is no difference on the matter now as to the scope the will of the Father and of the Mediator in this Work of Redemption being both one though as we said we incline to look on them as relating to Christ 2. Offering for sin in the Original signifies sin so that the Words are when thou shalt make his soul sin The Words being ordinarly used in the Old Testament and thence borrowed in the New Testament to signifie a sin offering as Exod. 29.14 and Levit. 4.5 and 16. Chapters where
when his Duties go well with him it is easie to him to win over them as he thinks because he rests satisfied with them Paul Phil. 3. Sees not only while he was in Nature that he counted something Gaiâ— beside Christ but after Conversion he finds an Inclination to it and therefore in opposition to this Inclination he doth with a doubtless cry down all things and counts them but Dung and Loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Taking in his Gracious Actions as well as others For the Words in the Text and Context tell us that he is speaking of Duties performed by him even after Conversion and that he found a necessity to cast away the Good as well as the Bad in the point of Justification as a Man that is in a storm at Sea hath a greater reluctancy to cast over Board Silks Satines Velvets and other such fine things then that which is more base and of less worth So he found it more difficult and was put to some harder exercise to be quite of his Duties that they should not stick to him then to be rid of his Sins is there any such exercise as this amongst Folks to be put to wrestling with their Duties not as being angry at them as such but how to get them as it were cast over Board to be Jealous of any good in them or done by them That it prejudge not their esteem of Christ To be bussie in well doing all the Day and in the evening to count all their doing but Loss And to renunce it utterly as to any puffing up by it or as to the making of their peace with God thereby A 3d Evidence is this One that is Single in making use of Christ's Sacrifice will be exercised and disquieted when his Duty is done till there be for acceptance a Staying and Resting on Christs Righteousnesse There are two sorts that utterly fail and fall short here 1. Some that are content with Sin and make lies their refuge 2. Others that are satisfied with Dutie if it go well with them and promise themselves acceptance on that alone Account neglecting Christ but the Believer hath as I just now said on exercise of Faith how to be quite of Sin and another new exercise of it how to be fred from resting on Duty and how to be singly ingadged unto and to rest upon Christ is mind is not quiet in all his Duties till he come hither even to be found in Christ not having his own Râ—ghteousnesse but His It 's a good token when Folks are not only exercised to have Sin Mortified and Duties going with them but also to have their Peace with God grounded on Christ and not on Dutie Hence it is that a Christian will sometimes be taken up a whole day in Dutie and yet have but little or no Peace because he would be over and through all Duties to resting on Christ which he wins not at to his Satisfaction 4ly One that is single in use making of Christ and of His Offering hath a fear of mistaking this Offering of Christ and that some other thing be put in His Room and He miskent or neglected There will not be only a fear least he Sin and come short in the suitable performance of such a Duty and least he fall under Wrath but also Fear and Jealousie least in his Unbelief and Selfyness he going wrong in the use making of Christ and of His Sacrifice as is implyed in the Word Heb. 4.1 Where the Apostle having spoken of many of the Israelites their Unbelief in the former Chapter sayes in the beginning of this Let us therefore fear least a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of us should seem to come short of it to wit through Unbelief Be Holily Jealous as if he had said least as it is Chap. 3.12 13. There be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God In a word he will be suspecting the exercise of his Faith as much as any thing a Naturall Man will sometimes it may be suspect his Duties but hardly will he be brought to suspect his Faith otherwayes he could not have the peace that he hath such as it is This may also be Confirmed from that poor mans prayer to Christ Mark 9. Lord I believe help my unbelief He dare not well trust his own Faith 5ly They that are single in their use making of Christ's Offering not only see themselves Sinners but they carrie along with them the discovery of the naughtinesse of every thing that is best in them when they see that to which others lippen to so much so very unsuitable and that they are far short of that which they should be at they dare not own nor look on it to boast of it but it 's a burden to them to see so much Sin in it It 's nothing to see Sin in some outward Actions and in that which is directly contrary to Gods Law but it 's much to see Sin in our best things as in our Faith in God in our Love to Him and in our ends in Holy Duties A Legal Man will confess it may be readily that he Sins in every thing but he covers all with this that he hath a good heart to God or a good end The Believer on the contrary sees all his good so naughty that it is tasteless to him He never gets any thing to rest on or that can bear his weight to confide in till he come to Christ's Sacrifie 6ly Such as are aiming rightly to make use of Christ's Offering and Sacrifice esteem and think exceeding much of it Therefore they adventure Heaven and their Eternal Salvation on it It 's that which cheers and delights them most that Christ hath stepped in and ingadged to do that for them which neither themselves nor any other Person or thing could do The life saith the Apostle Gal. 2. that I now live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me And 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came to the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief And John heartsomlie Rev. 1.7 To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood c. But they that endeavour not neither aim rightly to make use of Christs Sacrifice think little or nothing of it They are not made glad nor are their hearts lifted up with Spiritual Joy because of it The good and glad news of a slain Saviour are not the chief ground of their Consolation as they are to the Believer This evidence is somewhat general yet sure as well as the former O! but it 's matter of much wonder to the Believer when he thinks how that when the Stroak of Justice was ready to come on him Christ should have interposed betwixt him and that Fatal and Deadly Blow But
it makes the Soul to say though I cannot satisfie for the Debt yet there is in Christ's Righteousnesse whereto I betake my self which can do it And if we look to that which intertains Tormenting Exercises that speak evil of the Grace of God for humbling Exercises are called for and are Profitable we will find it to be this to wit When Souls come to Dispute and Debate with Challenges and do not Interpose the Targe or Shield of Faith taking hold of Christ's Righteousness betwixt them and these Challenges for sometimes a Soul will betake it self to Christ's Righteousnesse for Peace at first and will look upon it self as bound to keep and maintain it 's own Peace and yet will on the matter think that it 's but a sort of Bâ—ffilling or Prophaning of Christ's Righteousnesse to say so to be making dayly use of it for answering of new Challenges And such will be ready to say should not a Believer be Holy And we say that he should and that it were to abuse the Spiritual Armour to take one Piece of it and not another yea or not all the rest but this we say likewise that when one makes use of the Sword of the Spirit he may warrantably make use of the Shield of Faith also Failling in this that is when Christ's Righteousness is not made use of in reference to particular Challenges mightily indisposeth many serious poor Souls for use making of the rest of the Weapons of their Spiritual Warefare And therefore as ye would exercise Faith in general for reconciiling you to God as to your State so ye would exercise Faith on Christ's Offering for doing away of particular Quarrells and for silencing of particular Challenges which is to be dayly washing at the Fountain In short as to the other Question This may be a mark of a Person that is making right use of Christ's Offering for his Peace if he be dayly making use of Christ's Offering for his Peace if he be dayly making use of His Offering for quenching and silencing of particular Challenges The 3d. Thing wherein this exercise of Faith in the use making of Christ's Sacrifice consists is in reference to the defects of our Grace we have indeed much need of Christ and He hath much forth-coming in Him for the helping of Grace for the amending of weak Faith and Love and other Graces as well as for obtaining Pardon of Sin and of Peace with God and for answering of Challenges And yet oftimes these who are making use of Christ in the former two respects are in hazard and ready to think that they should Believe more Love more and exercise other Graces more of themselves But we are to make use of Him for helping defects of Grace as well as for these other things By this I mean not only the use making of Christ meritoriously and so that we should look on Faith Love Repentance and every other Grace as purchased by Him as well as Peace with God and and that we should make use of Christ's Offering for attaining of these But I also mean that we should make use of Christ as a Priest to make His own Offering effectual for attaining all the Benefits of His Purchase Considering that he is able to save to the uttermost all these that come unto God by him The Apostle goeth on this ground Heb. 10.19 20. Seing we have such an high Priest and such an Offering Let us draw near with full assurance of faith c. And if ye ask what this is It is of largely extended use It is even to make use of Christ as a Priest not only as the object of Faith and as the Procurer and Worker of Faith but also for the confirming of weak Faith It 's a looking to Him to get the weak Faith that we dare scarcely lippen to made strong and a lippening or trusting of our weak Faith to Him to carry us through when we dare not well lean to it In the first respect we do by Faith lippen and trust to Christ's Righteousnesse in this last respect we lippen or trust our Faith to Him And look to Him not only for Pardon but we lippen to Him for making Faith to keep it's grips of Him and as it was with that poor man spoken of Mark 9. Who upon the one side betakes himself to Christ If thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us And on the other side being holily impatient finding his Faith like to fail and misgive when Christ sayes to him If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believes he cryes out in that his holy impatiencie Lord I believe help thou my unbelief he acknowledges his unbelief as well as his Faith and trusts Christ with the mending of his Faith and holding together the Sheards of it so to speak when it was like to crack and fall asunder Our doing thus evidenceth a more full denying of our selves when we dare not trust our own believing but as it is committed to Christ and when there is a Crediting of Him and Leaning to Him both for the Benefit we expect and for the Application of it That Word of the Apostle Phil. 3.12 Is apposit and excellent to this purpose That I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus As is also that of Pet. 1 Epist 1 Chap. v. 10. Who are keeped through faith by the power of God So then in answer to both the Questions 1. How to make use of Christ's Sacrifice And 2. How to know if we have made or do make use of it a right We say in short as to the First That there must First be a Leaning to His Merit for the Buying or Procuring of our Peace and a betaking of our selves to it for that end 2. When Tentations recure and when new Challenges arise there must be a constant dayly betaking of our selves to Faith in his Sacrifice as to a Shield or as to a Store-house which He Himself calleth an abyding in him John 15.3 There must be an use making of Christ as a Priest not only to remove dayly Contracted Guiltinesse but also to heall the Infirmity and Weaknesse of our Graces especially of Faith and Love giving Him Credit to bring our Faith and Love to perfection It is a sweet Word which we have Psal 103. He healeth all thy diseases As to the 2d Question we say that Person may look on himself as making right use of Christs Righteousnesse that is dayly making use of Him in these fore-named Respects who if he were to appear before God it is Christ's Righteousnesse only that he would build on He is also dayly making use of Him to answer Challenges as they recurre and dare not lippen to his own Faith but as it is committed to Him Considering that as Faith is in Himself it is dayly in hazard to be extinguished And we may add that he so makes use of Christ as that he dare not go
is the thing here mainly understood as following immediatly an the back of His Sufferings 2. Because they have Life from Him efficiently as He works it in them and by the Gospel begets them Therefore He is said 1. Tim. 1.10 To have brought life and immortality to light through the gospel which was not known in many parts of the World till Christ brought it forth In this respect Believers are Christ's Seed we are not born Believers of our Parents nor have the Faith which we have of the Ordinances nor of Ministers as efficient Causes thereof But it is from our Lord Jesus who is Believers Father Thus Believers have an Affinity and near Relation to Christ even to be His Children And any that would lay claim to Faith or Spiritual Life would see well that it be this way kindly and as we use to say leill come from Jesus Christ and that they be in His Debt and Common for it 2ly They are His Seed in respect of the likeness that is betwixt Him and them or in respect of the Qualifications that are in them as they are said 2 Pet. 1.4 By the exceeding great and precious promises to be made partakers of the divine nature They have of the same Spirit for the kind that He as Mediator hath in Him And it 's in this respect that Cant. 7.1 The Believer is called the Princess daughter which especially looks to the Spiritual Generous and Noble Qualifications that are deryved from Christ to the Believer Hence Believers are said to have the Spirit of Sons when all others though they be the greatest in the World have but the Spirit of Servants and their Generosity is nothing to that of Believers who are made partakers of the divine nature We have not sayes the Apostle received the spirit of fear but of faith and love and of a sound mind Ah! there are many that claime Kindred and Relation to Christ that are very unlike Him 3ly They are called Christ's Seed in respect of the care that He hath of them Never Mother was more tender of the Sucking Child then He is of His Believing Children Therefore sayeth the Lord Isa 49.15 A mother may forget her sucking child but I will not forget thee Hence is that Phrase even as to visible Professors in the Church who refuse to listen to the call of the Gospel which is much more eminently verified in Believers Matth. 23. How often would I have gathered thee as a hen doth her chickens under her wings So tender and respective is He to His Children as the Mother is tender to the Sucking Child or as the Hen is of her newly hatched and young Chickens for they are in some respect come out of His own Bowels His Blood was shed to Purchase them So it is said Isa 40.11 He gathered the lambs with his arm he carries them in his bosome And gently leads those that are with young And O! what Massie Consolation have such Words as these in them And what confidence may Believing Sinners have to come to this Mediator That is a Mother a Father a Brother and a Parent that hath begotten us out of His own Bowels and in some respect as we are Believers hath as a Mother conceived us in His own Womb. 4ly They are called His Seed in respect of the Portion which they get from Him The Apostle sayes that Parents provide for their Children It 's indeed eminently so here Believers come under His Care oversight and Tutory And as a Man provides for His Houshold His Children and Servants Meat in due season And the Apostle sayes he is worse then an infidel that provides not for them of his own house even so our Lord Jesus as He gives Believers their Spiritual Life so He entertains that Life provides for them and trains them up and on till he enter them in to the Possession of Eternal Life they are made by Him Princes Psal 45.16 Intituled to a Kingdom yea all His Children are Kings and sit with him on his throne Rev. 2. last Verse and are made partakers of His Glory and to speak so they Fair as He Fairs they Dwell as He Dwells and behold His Glory O! is not this much That the poor Dyvour that hath nor a Penny left him nor to leave to another should be thus Dignified as to have a claim to Christ's Kingdom to be an Heir and a joynt Heir with Him who is the Heir of all things For so we come to be Retoured to speak so and so be served Heirs to all things As it is Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things And it goes on this ground Heb. 1.2 That the Mediator is appointed heir of all things with whom being joint heirs we are Heirs too and are made to Inherit all things 5ly They are called His Seed because of the manner of their coming to the Possession of that which through Him they have a Claim to For they have Claim to nothing but by being Heirs to and with Him And by believing in Him They are Heirs of the promise in some respect as Isaac was So then briefly to recapitulat all these would ye know the way that Believers are Christ's Seed 1. He begets them and they have their Spiritual Life of Him 2. He is tender of them as of His own Children 3. They are furnished with Qualifications and Dispositions suitable to Him 4. They have a rich Portion from Him and are well provided for 5. What good they get is for His sake who is their Father Here we may allude to that Word Rom. 11. They are beloved for the Fathers sake by a Right and Title to Him they come to have a Good and Goodly Portion They claim not their Portion because of this or that thing in themselves but by their being served Heirs to Christ being come of Him they come to get a Right to what is His. Use As all Relations betwixt Christ and Bellevers speak out much Consolation So doth this if we were in Case to apply it This one Word hath in it and holds forth a good Condition and is a very broad Chartour See here then 1. What we are in Christ's Common and Debt who are Believers It 's much to be made a Friend to be fred from the Curse of God and to have all our Debt payed But this is more to be His Seed to be His own Children to have our Life of Him to have our Provision and Portion from Him It 's really a wonder that we wonder not more at this and other Relations that are betwixt Him and Believers as namely he is the Believers Father and takes them to be His Sons and Daughters He is the Believers Brother and is not ashamed to call them brethren He is the Believers Husband and they are His Spouse He is their Bridegrome and they are His Bride Such Relations as these are pitched upon and made choise of to fill If I may speak so the Faith of
have it more abundantly There are two things that we would speak a Word to for clearing of the Doctrine And then make Use of it The 1. is How this can be God's Design in Christ's Humiliation to beget many Sons to Life 2. How Christ's Death Contributs to this Design For the First When we speak of God's Design hâ—re we mean not His last and ultimat Design but His immediat Design in the Gospel which is subservient to that His last and ultimat Design to wit The Glorifâ—ing of His Grace and Justice in giving the Mediator to Satisfie Justice for Dyvour Sinners who are not able to Satisfie for themselves and He having chosen this as the Midst to that highest end we may well say that this is His immediat Design in the Gospel that thereby the Glory of His Grace and Justice might be manifested For the 2d Which is How Christ's Sufferings contribute to this end It may be soon cleared if we consider that there is a twofold Let in the way of Sinners partaking of Life which Christ's Suff rings do remove The 1. Let is a standâ—ng Quarrel betwixt God and the Elect they having Sinned and having nothing to pay their Debt This our Lord Jesus by His Death removes He payes the Debt and tears the Obligation called the hand writing that was against them nailling it to his Cross Col. 2. And in this respect His Death is called a ransome for many And in the Words before He is said to have made his Soul an offering for sin On the same account to wit That the Principal Debâ—or might be set free The 2d Let is Mans utter unfitnesse to walk with God For though the Debt were taken away yet they have no Life But Jesus Christ by His Death hath laid down a ground how a Sinner may be reconciled to God and may partake of Grace here And so be in case to walk with God even while sojourning in the World in some good measure and of the Life of Glory hereafter His Sufferings are not only a Ransome for their Debt but also a Bridge to speak so to step over the Gulf of the distance thâ—t is betwixt God and them unto Glory whither He as the Fore-runner is gone before them In this sense we have our Graces as the Fruits of Chriâ—t's Suffâ—rings the Life of Grace Faith Love Perseverance c. We have also Protection Preservation and Guiding in the way till we be brought through to Eternal Life As that Word is John 6.39 40. cited before That of all whom the Father hath given me I should loss nothing In the First respect Christ is surity for our Debt In the Second respect He is surity for our Duty In the First Respect we are admitted into Covenant with God In the Second we are entertained in it by Him who lives for ever to make Intercession for us Use 1. See here Believers what ye are in the Fathers Debt for sending His Son And what ye are in the Sons Debt for coming to die for you Ye behoved to have born the Curse your selves if He had not born it but He took it on H mself that ye might be Freed from it Thus it stood with you ye deserved to be shut out for ever from God to have the Sword of His Justice awakened against you And he gave his back to the smitters and his cheecks to them that plucked of the haire And was content that the Sword of Justice should awake against Him and smite Him that He might by His strips heal them and by His Death procure Life to them Yea it stood thus with you and it could not be otherwayes The Justice of God being provocked and the Elect being under the Curse as it is Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them Ezek. 18.4 The soul that sins shall die Either they behoved to die or the Cautioner and our Lord was content to be a Sin-offering thereby to set Sinners free To be lifted up on the cross that he might draw all men after him to pay their D bt which all the Creatures could never have payed And therefore we would asâ— you if ye think Heaven and Glory to be of Worth and if ye think it to be a great mercy to be free from the Wrath to come and from the Damned State and Condition of Reprobat Angels and of Reprobat Men and Women in Hell And to be admitteâ— to enter with Abraham Isaac and Jacob into the Kingdome of God and into these Hâ—avenly Mansions Are ye not much in Chrisâ—'s Debt that procured this for you and at such a Rate that thereby Life might be communicate-to you who were Naturally Dead in Trespasses and Sins whatever the rest of the World think of it if any of you be Born again as you ought in a special manner to think much of it so ye will do in some measure for ye are as much in Christ's Common as all that is worth who was content that Poor Sinners should partake of Him and of the Life that is in Him to taste of Hâ—mself and who hath said Because I live ye shall live also In aâ—most wonderful way His Dâ—ath is the Price by which Life is Communicated to Us And it would become Bâ—â—â—â—vers well to be often reckoning what they are in His Debt It 's an of God's great Ends in the Work of Redemption even to have Sinners esteeming highly of and much Ravished with His Grace and with His Love brightly shinning in the way thereof yet less Conscience is made of this then of many other Duties by Believers We will send an Ear to a Practical Point of Doctrine and will some way ayme to mind it If we be bidden pray we will pray if we be commanded to Mortifie Sin we will endeavour it and so in other Duties But who minds this as a Dutie when we are called of God to Admire and Praise His Grace and Love and Humbly to Glory in Him so as seriously to set our selves to fall about it And yet this were a most Native Proper and Kindly Exercise for Believers even like the Work of those who say Salvation to our God that sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb Rev. 7.10 To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood c. Rev. 1.5 To be taken up with such sweet Soliloquies in our selves about this Subject and with such Songs of Praise to Him who hath given us so noble a Beeing and Life which is convoyed to us by His Blood is sure a suitable Use of this Point For if our Life be of much Worth He must be of Infinitly much more Worth in Himself and should be so to us who purchased it at such a Dear Price The 2d Use is to exhort you whom we suppose to be renewed as some of you now hearing me are and O! that all of you were that when ever ye
to the curse of God for the transgressing of His Law which had said The soul that sins shall die and cursâ—d is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them 2. Add to this the supposition of Christ's undertaking to be the Elects Cautioner and to satisfie for their Debt whereby he steps into their room takes on their Debt And as the word is 2 Cor. 5. ult Becomes sin for them Is content to be lyable to and to be pursued by Justice for their Debt and though here there be a relaxation in respect of the Persons of the Elect for whom the Cautioner stands good yet in respect of the Curse and Death due to them there is no relaxation but the same thing due to them is laid on Him as it is Gal. 3. He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us In every thing He was put to pay the equivalent for making up the Satisfaction due to Justice and these two being put together that Elect Sinners were obnoxious to Wrath and that our Lord came in their Room He behoved to be put to sad and sore Soul-suffering 3. Consider God's end in the Work of Redemption which is to point out the inconceivableness of His wonderfully condescending Grace and Mercy in exacting of satisfaction from the Cautioner and in setting the Sinner free that His Grace may be so Glorified as their shall be a proof given of His Justice and Soveraignity going along with it and Infinit Wisdom being set on Work to glorifiâ— infinit Grace and Justice there is a necâ—ssity for the promoving of this end that the Mediator shall thus satisfie and the more full the Satisfaction be the more conspicuously do the Grace and Justice of God shine forth and are Glorified according to that word Rom 3.26 To declare his righteousnâ—ss that he might be just and the justifier of him that shall believe in Jesus This is the end of Christ's being made a Propitiation that God may be manifested to be Spotlesse and Pure in His Justice as well as Free and Rich in His Mercy and Grace who having given a Law to Man will not acquite the transgression thereof without a condigne Satisfaction 4 Consider that it is indeed a great thing to satisfie Justice for Sin that it 's more to satisfie Justice for all the Sins of one Person which all the Angells in Heaven and Men on Earth cannot do and therefore the punishment of the Damned in Hell is drawn out to Eternities length and yet there is never a Compleat Equivalent Satisfaction made to Justice but it is most of all to satisfie Justice for all the Sins of all the Elect who though they be few in comparison of the Reprobat World yet simply considered they are many yea even innumerable And our Lord having taken all their Sins on Him He is peremptorly required to satisfie for them all And if this withall be added that He is to satisfie for all the Sins of all the Elect at once in a very short time and hath the Curse and Wrath of God due to them Mustered and Marshaled in Batallie against Him and as it were in a great Body in a most formidable manner marching up towards Him and seriously charging Him and all the Wrath which they should have drunken through all Eternity which yet would never have been drunk out nor made the less put in one Cup and propined to Him as the Word is Psal 110. He shall drink of the brook in the way The Wrath of God running like an impetuous River must be drunk up at once and made dry by Him These being put together do clearly and convincingly shew that it could not but be an inexpressible and inconceivable Soul-travell and Suffering that our Lord Jesus was put to The Use of this Doctrine is large and the 1. Use is this Tâ—at ye would take it for a most certain Truth which the Scriptures doth so Frequently and Significantly hold forth That our Lord Jesus in performing the Work of Redemption had much sad Soul-travell and sorrow The Faith of this is very usefull to demonstrat the great love of God and of the Mediator For doubtless the more Suffering be undergone by the Mediator the more love Kythes therein to the Elâ—ct 2. It serves to hold out the Soveraignity and Justice of God and the horribleness of Sin 3. In respect of God's People it 's usefull that they may be through and clear in the Reality and Worth of Christ's Satisfaction He having no other End in it but to satisfie Justice for their Sin 4. It 's usefull to shew the Vanity and Emptinesse of Mens Supposed and Fancied Merits and of any thing that can be alleadged to be in Mans Suffering or doing for the satisfying of Divine Justice seing it drew so deep on Christ the Cautioner And here two gross Errours come to be Refuted and Reprobated One of the Socinians who seek quite to overturn Christ's Satisfaction And another of the Papists that minish His Satisfaction and Extenuat and Derogat from the great Priviledge of the Pardon of Sin as if any thing could procure it but this Satisfaction of Christ by His Soul-travell both which are aboundantly refuted by this Text. But to speak a word more particularly to the First For clearing of which ye will ask What could there be to affect the Holy Humane Soul of our Lord Or what was that wherein His Soul-sufferings did consist But before we speak to this we would premit this Word of Advertisement in the entry That there are two sorts of Punishments or Penal Effects of Sin The 1. Sort are such as are simply Penal and Satisfying as proceeding from some extrinsick cause The 2d sort are sinfull One Sin in the Righteous Judgement of God drawing on another And this proceeds not simply from the nature of Justice but from the nature of a meer sinfull Creature and so from an intrinsick cause of a Sinful Principle in the Creature Now when we speak of the Soul-sufferings of Christ which He was put to in Satisfying for the Sins of the Elect We mean of the former that is Sufferings that are simply Penall For there was no intrinsick Principle of Corrupt Nature nor ground of Chalâ—enge in Him as there is in Sinfull Creatures And therefore we are to conceive of His Soul-sufferings as of some thing inflicted from without and are not to conceive of them as we do of Sinfull Creatures or that have Sin in them whereof he was altogether free Having premitted this we shall speak a little to these two 1. To that wherein this Soul-suffering did not consist 2. To that wherein it did consist For the former wherein it was not 1. We are not to suppose or imagine any actuall separation betwixt His God-head and His Man-head as if there had been an interruption of the Personall Union not so for the Union of the
I could never have expected mercy 2. In the solid Faith of a Believer there is as an Use-making of Christ Crucified allenarly as the meritorious Cause of Justification and Life So he is exercised in this to be allenarly settled on Him as such As for presumptuous Souls as they find it easy to believe so they find it easie to believe and to rest on Him only but as the true Believer hath it for one Piece of Exercise to Him how to win to Christ so it 's a Second Piece of Exercise to Him to get Him rested on only and to get Him as Crucified made the Ground of his Faith As the Apostle insinuates when He sayes 1 Cor. 2.2 I determined to know nothing among you but Christ Jesus and him crucified Where we have three Grounds of Sâ—ving Faith or Knowledge 1. Jesus Christ 2. Him as Crucified and 3. A determining to know no other thing but Him to rest upon for Life and Salvation It 's in this Respect that the Apostle Philip. 3. Doth count all things to be but loss and dung and cast as it were all over board that he may wâ—n Christ and be found in Him Many find it no difficult business to rest on Christ only and to keep out other things from being joyned with Him and never once suspect themselves in this by any thing But the Believer as I just now said hath here an Exercise and Difficulty to get Christ alone rested on so that nothing else be in the least rested on Because he knows nothing else to be a sure Foundation and because he knows that it 's natural to him to rest on other things beside Christ 3. The true Believer is taken up not only to have a sure Ground to build on but also to have his own Gripping at and Building on that Ground made sure It 's his exercise to have it out of question that his Faith is true Faith and not Presumption or Guessing To have the Grace of Faith Actually and Really taking hold of or apprehending Christ Whereas another that presumeth and hath only an Opinion or Conjecture in place of Faith As he is in his own Opinion easily brought to Christ so he finds it easy to exercise believing on Him he will it may be grant that he cannot Sanctifie the Sabbath-day and yet he can believe as if Believing were less difficult then to Sanctifie the Sabbath So many will grant that they cannot Pray and therefore do decline Worshipping of God in their Families who yet will confidently say that they can believe and that they do believe alwayes as if believing were lesse difficult then to Pray for a quarter or half a quarter of an hour But where solid Faith is the exercise of it is a difficult thing and the Person that hath it hath a holy Jealousy of it And the experience of many others and of himself sometime telling him that he may be mistaken he is often trying it and doth not nay he dar not trust much to it and is put often with that Man spoken of Mark 9. To cry and sometimes with tears Lord I believe help my unbelief He dar not trust much to his own Grip and therefore hath recourse to Christ to get it sickered and to have Him taking and keeping the Grip of his Grip as it was with the Apostle Phil. 3.12.4 When Believers have betaken themselves to Christ they have a new Exercise to know that it is so indeed It 's not only an Exercise to them how to Ground their Faith right how to quite all other things and to betake themselves to Christ only and to cast their burden on Him But it 's an exercise to thâ—m to clear that it 's Christ indeed that they rest on or to be clear that they have rested on Him It 's no good token when folk are soon Satiâ—fiâ—d with their Believing and never put it to the Tryâ—l And this is it that mâ—kes many go on guessing till they come to Death which makes a devorce betwixt them and their fancied Faith and discovers it to be but a Delusion Wheras it is Believers Work to try whether they have and to know that they have believed which they win not soon to know and the Reason is because the sense of Sin the apprehension of Wrath and their love to God and to Christ the Mediator with their desire to enjoy Him suffer them not to be quiet till they be sicker We may see all the Four together Philip. 3.7 8 9 10. Where the Apostle speaking of his case when he was a converted Christian in opposition to what it was when he was a Pharisee and thought himself to be very well and a strong Believer sayeth What things were gain to me I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless I count all things to be but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dâ—ng that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness c. The oâ—jâ—ct he would be at is Christ The manner how is Not having mine own righteousness The meâ—n through whâ—ch is Faâ—th in Him This is it that brings him to Union with Him And then he would know experimentalâ—y that he doth know Him savingly as a Believer in Him By finding the power of his resurrection by having fellowship in his sufferings And by being made comformable unto his death Whereby he would prove and make out to his own Quieting and Consolation that he is indeed a Believer The Bâ—liever is never right till he be in Christ and it s his Exercise to be quit rid of all other things and to rest upon him alone neither doth he rest here but he must be clear that he is in Him and that he hath fellowship in His Sufferings and Conformity to His Death This we would recommend to you as your main study as ever ye would comfortab y evidence to your selves your believing in Him SERMON XLVI ISAIAH LIII XI Vers 11. He shall see of the travell of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities THE Bargain of Redemption is a great Bargain and we may say that it is a good Bargain wherein the greatest things that ever were imagined are transacted The sum whereof is in these two 1. What shall be the Satisfaction that must be given to the infinit Justice of God or what shall be the amends that must be made to God for the Satisfying of His Justice for the Sins of all the Elect and that is compended in these Words The travel of Christs soul That is the condition or these aâ—e the Terms on which only the Lord Jehovah will Tryst to speak so and He will Tryst on no other Terms 2. What shall be the Satisfaction that the Mediator shall have for all His Sufferings and Soul-travel
some hard piece of Labour or to bestow of our Means and Substance yea all of it to please Him it had been very reasonable on His part to have demanded it and most unreasonable on ours to have refused it But our Lord layes weight on none of these things as seperated from the laying the weight of our Souls on His Righteousness The Reason is because the making use of His Righteousness and the improving of His Sufferings for our Justification and Salvation shews that He in His Sufferings is esteemed of and He seeks no more but that 2. Consider how good reason ye have to satisfie Christ and yeeld to Him and to improve His Sufferings for your own Salvation Is there any that dar say the contrary Will not Historical Faith say that there is good reason for it if there be any Love to Him or to your own Souls will it not plead for this If ever ye think to be Pardoned is there any other name given whereby ye can expect it Is there any Holiness or Comfort but from Him any hope of Heaven but through Him and will not this bind the Conscience of any that is not desperat to judge That He from whom all this comes should be Satisfied 3. Consider at what a rate He hath Purchased these benefits of the Pardon of Sin of Peace with God of Sanctification of the hope of Heaven c. And how He hath brought them about Did He not ingage in the Covenant of Redemption and hath He not performed all that He ingaged for in taking on our Nature in being in an Agony in Sweating drops of Blood in being Buffeted Mocked Reproached and in Dying to procure Life and Peace to Sinners If we could rightly discern His Sufferings and the benefits that we have by them it would say that there is good reason that He should have a kindly meeting who hath done and Suffered so much to obtain these to us 4. Consider the cheerfull way of His Suffering and of His laying down of the Price how well-pleased He was to undergo all for His People so that He sayeth John 10. No man taketh my life from me but I lay it down of my self and take it up again Psal 40. I delight to do thy will O my God And Luke 12. I have a baptizme to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished And Luke 22. With desiâ—e have I desired to eat this passover before I suffer He opened not his mouth in order to His delivery so well did He love the Salvation of Sinners Now What if a meer and ordinary Mâ—n had done something to the hazard of His Life for you would it not plead with the most Carnal Persons having the least measure of Natural or Moral Inginuity to give Him a meeting Very Heathens will love these that love them much more ought ye to satisfie Him in what He requires who hâ—th done so much for Sinners 5. Consider what He seeks as a Satisfaction hinted at before If it were a great matter or which were to your prejudice there might be some shadow of a ground to Refuse but when it is no more but to make use of His Sufferings for your own good how can it be refused It 's in this Case as if the Patients health would satiâ—fie the Physician as if a Poor Mans receiving of a Sum of Money would satisfie the Rich Friend who is pleased to bestow it Or â—s if one that is naked would satisfie another by putting on the Cloaths laid to his hand by him What reason is there to refuse such Offers And yet this that Christ calls for is even as if the Physician should say to his dying Paâ—ient I will be satiâ—fied greatly if thou wilt take this Potion that is for thy Recovery â—ealth and Cure and I will not be content if thou take it not though the Ingredients stand my self very dear besides that it is for thy good and will Recover thee Or as if the Father should say to the Child I will not be content if thou put not on such a fine Suit that stood me so much Money In a word That which makes the Divour Sinner happy is that which satisfies Him 6. Consider if Jesus Christ get not this Satisfaction what will come of it if ye please Him not in this He will be highly displeased no other thing will Satifie Him though ye should Pray and Weep an hundred years and do many good Works if He get not this Fruit of His Soul-sufferings To wit that ye improve them for your Souls good and Salvation He will be continually displeased Therefore it 's said Psal 2. Kiss the Son least he be angry And that is notâ—ing else but to make Use of Hâ—m in His Offices and it sayes that there is no way to please Him and to eshew His anger but this And indeed if ye anger Him ye anger Him that can be your best Friend and your greatest Foe 7. Consider further how Our Lord Jesus seeks and presses for this Satisfaction from you He â—ends forâ—â— His Friends and Ambassadors to wooe â—n His Name and to beseech you â—o be reconciled and to tell you that it will not be thousands of Rams nor your firâ—â—-born that will do the business but that ye must humble your selves and walk with God which necessarly suppoâ—eth the Use-making of Christ If there had been no pleading with you in His Name there had not been such Sin in not imp oving H s Satisfaction But when He pleads so much and so often for this and intreats every one in particular to Satisfie Him saying as it were let Me see of the Travel of My Soul 〈◊〉 Me have this much Satisfaction for all M Sufferings that ye will make Use of My Righteousnesse and when He is so very serious in Beseeching and Intrâ—aâ—i g it should no doubt make us the more willing to grant Him what He seeks 8. Ye would look upon this not only as a discourse in the general to Siâ—nâ—rs but ye would also look on it as addressed to every one of you in particular And therefore remember that ye will all be called to give an account of this matter and it will be sked you What became of such and sucâ— an offer of Grace and whether ye gave Him â—he Satisfaction that He called for or not According to that Word Act. 17.31 e hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained Whereof he hath given assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead He would have Judged the World though Christ had not come But He will have a day wherein He will call all the hearers of the Gospel to an account especially as to this To wit What welcome they have given to Christ And seing such a day is coming when Folk will be called to an account what Use they made of Him with what face will
Ye are all lyable to appearing before God's Justice-seat Ye are all guilty and by the Sentence of the Law under Gods Curse and Condemned already Because God hath said He that sins shall die We are I say all thus by Nature Use 2. It gives a great commendation to the Grace of God in Christ Jesus it makes Grace wonderfully Glorious That takes the Sinner at this niâ—k and in this pinch We shall not dispute here nor is it needfull nor edifying whether God might have forgiven Sin freely without any intervenient Satisfaction to His Justice seing He hath declared His mind concerning that in His Word Exod. 23.7 I will not justifie the wicked And Chap. 34.7 That will by no means clear the guilty And Gen. 3. The day thou eats or Sins thou shalt surely die This is it that puts Man as considered in his Natural Condition to be as it were in Hell while he is on Earth and puts Him in such a near capacity to the Wrath of God if we may so speak and to the actual undergoing of it That there needs no more but the blowing out of the Breath to put him in the pit yea while He is living he is a Prisoner in Chains till the day of Execution come If Grace reprive him not ye would think much of Grace O! how very much if ye were seriously comparing these two together to be so near Hell and yet as it were to have a Ladder set up for you to ascend to Heaven by And that in such a way as by Christ's becoming a Curse They will certainly never think much of the Grace of God and of the Love of Christ they will never think much of their own hazard nor wil they ever in earnest make use of Christs Righteousness who have not some quick and lively impression and sense of this their Condition by Nature And therefore when ever ye go to Read to Hear to Pray to Meditat c. Take up your selves as naturally arrested before the Court of God and obnoxious to His Wrath This would lay your Pride and make Christs offers in the Gospel lovely to you Use 3. This shews That these who get any good of Christ are much in Christs Debt and Common and have in themselves no cause to boast of it If this be true even of the Elect that they are all once under the Sentence of Condemnation else they could not be Justified and Absolved by Christ Ye that think your selves to be something what have ye to boast of Who hath made you to differ and what have ye but what ye have received It sets you well therefore to be humble and to put a Price upon Christ as the Apostle doth on the same consideration Gal. 2.20 When he sayes Who loved me and gave himself for me That makes Him relish sweetly to the Believer And this is the ground of His Triumph Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again c. This way of Justification makes Christs death Wonderous Lovely and it is on this that the Song of the Redeemed is founded Rev. 1.5 Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever amen And of that new Song Revel 5.9 10. Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the Seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood c. It is an evil token when folk can talk at a high rate of their hope of being Justified when in the mean time they have so little estimation of Christ and their hearts are so little warmed with love to Him who is so Lovely to Believers And when they can so confidently make application of His Purchase to themselves and yet cannot tell when their heart was ever in the least measure ravished with the consideration of Christs love neither did it ever relish to them nor were their hearts ever in the least ingaged to Him on that consideration Use 4. All of you who are lying in this Natural Condition and know not what is your hazard who are living in your Prophanity or at best in your Hypocrisee Civility Formality not Regenerat or Born again but have still the same Faith and Love that ye were born with and no other what is your posture ye are not in Christ but lying naked obnoxious to the Wrath and Curse of God condemned already And what if your breath go out in this doleful condition What if a Palsie or Appoplexie overtake you suddenly What if a Stone fall upon you ere ye go home out of this place There is even but that much betwixt you and Hell Ye are lyable to be arrested before the Court of Gods Justice and how will it be with you when ye come there And when it shall be said that such a Person hath broken the Law and therefore Gods Curse is due to him and therefore away with him For he judgeth according to mens works Are there none of you afraid of this Do ye believe it to be a Truth O! that ye did who are lying contentedly and secure in your Natural Condition and yet it does not trouble you Will you yet lye still contentedly in this dreadful state Is it possible that ye can be well in this condition though ye would heap up Riches as the Sand ye cannot look into the Bible nor into your own heart but it curses you Ye cannot look to the Bar of Gods Justice but the Sentence meets you Depart from me ye cursed This is the Truth of God And if ye think there be any here lying still in black nature and we are not sure all renewed think then upon your case O! that ye saw your posture The Hand-writting coming forth on the Wall did not so afright Belshazzar as this Curse would afright you if it were believed And 2ly If this be your Natural Condition and if ye believe it to be truly so we would expostulat with you and even wonder 1. How comes it to passe that so many of you lye still in your Natural Condition and endeavour not a change of your State It will be wondered at by Angels and by all the Elect yea and even by the Reprobat that never heard of Christ That so many heard the Gospel and had the offer of Christ and yet did not stir up themselves to make use of Him Is it not a wonder that Folk can sleep secure under the Curse of God And bless themselves till their iniquities be found to be hatefull To be in this condition and to sleep quietly under it will have a dolefull wakning 2dly How is it that so few take pains to try how it is with them If many of you were lying under a Decreet of
's said to rest or rely as it respects Christ and his Satisfaction the thing offered and received with regard to the charge to which it is lyable It 's here that it rests and to this it betakes it self as to it's defence when challenged It 's difficult to difference these two or peremptorly to say whether Christs Righteousnesse be received or rested upon yet it 's made our defence because it 's closed with and we make them two Acts of the same Faith though it 's hard to make the one of them to be the effect of the other or the one of them to be antecedent to the other in respect of time at least As a Proclamation of Pardon being made to Rebells they say this Proclamation gives a freedom from the Laws pursuit because they have embraced it and these Rebells make that the ground if ever they be challenged whereon they found their Defence they have this to lippen to and upon this they rest Though none of these Acts can well be said to be before or after the other in respect of time For clearing of this a little more consider that this resting may be looked on either Passively or Actively Passively in respect of the Believers acquiescing in Christ and assuring himself that all shall be well This is not that Act of Faith that is called for to Justification but supposes the Person to be Justified for he must be Justified ere he can rest or acquiesce in it Actively in respect of our resting on him that we may be Justified as the Apostle hath it Gal. 2.16 And this Isaiah 5.6 Is called a taking hold of Gods covenant It is an actual committing of our selves to Him that we may win to peace or a leaning on Him as suppose one were to rest upon a Staff it doth not only imply the effect his having of ease but also and firstly his leaning to or resting on it in order to ease Therefore it 's said Math. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy loaden and ye shall find rest The Act that Justifies is this last and active Act the Act of coming or leaning or resting and the passive Act of acquiescing or assurance is that which follows upon it as a fruit and effect of it And therefore we humbly conceive that it is not safe to define Justifying Faith by Assurance or to say that where-ever Faith is there is Assurance It is rather a resting on Christ that we may have rest and a ground of Defence and reason to be proposed if we should be quarrelled for or charged with the Debt of Sin The Uses are 1. To remove the difficulties as namely it may be asked here is there no confidence not assurance in this Active Act of Faith which is the Essence of it we answer shortly There are Three sorts of confidence pleaded for that are far from the nature of Faith and yet Faith wants not it's own Confidence and Assurance if it be taken in a right sense The 1. is for a man to believe that Christ died for him in particular at the first hand and to think that he hath no more to do but to believe that Christ Died and Suffered for him and that thereupon he is Justified For this layeth a ground for universal Redemption against the current of the Scriptures and can never be a ground of interest in Christ's Righteousnesse It supposes that to be done already and admits not the Soul to concur by believing for coming to the application and yet this is very rise amongst People I believe that Christ died for me and shed His precious Blood for me and so long as they can maintain this presumption and not suffer themselves to admit of any debating and questioning whether they have ground and reason for it or not they think they have Faith enough but this is no Act of Faith nor of the nature of true Justifying Faith which is to take hold of Christ offered that we may come to be absolved through Him Therefore when ever the Scripture puts us to believe It commands us to take hold of Christ offered and not at first hand to believe that he died for us in particular I suppose many are carried away with this presumption that will to their cost at last find it to be otherwayes 2. Others think that all Faith consists in this to believe that God loved them from all Eternity and that they are already Justified which is the Antinomian way They believe not that they may be justified which was Pauls way Gal. 2.16 but they believe that they are Justified And this also presuppons an universal Redemption and to presse it upon you were to bid you all believe that God hath loved you and pardoned you from all Eternity which were to bid you believe a lie for we wot well from the Scriptures of Truth that God hath not loved all from Eternity and yet this is the Faith that many of you presumptuously practises we are all naturally some way Antinomians Papists and Arminians in our practice and the way of Error is more consistent and current with our nature then the way of Truth But O! presumptuous hypocrites will ye darringly and without any ground believe Gods Love to you God shall shake you out of that confidence and blow upon it and make it evanish ye cry out on them that live in Error yet ye practise these same Errors to speak so as fast as ye can we cannot by much Preaching get you brought to the Knowledge of the Truth but ye can drink in Error ere ye hear of it and it will ruin your Souls if Grace prevent not and many of you shall find that thus you have destroyed your selves A 3d. Sort of rotten confidence is that which some have who cannot say they are for the time Justified yet they have a perswasion to get Heaven and to be Justified ere they die or that at death they will be sure of it and they wote well they shall not despair This is also naughty presumption and continued in as hazardous as outer disperation and killeth moe Souls then dispair doth for such rest quietly in their hope of being fred from wrath and having their peace made with God and yet never go to Christ to have it done this is like that mans presumption that sayes tush I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my own heart God is gracious and merciful and I hope he will not be so severe as He is called The Lord calleth this a believing of Him for He sayes in His Word that there is no peace to the wicked and the foolish presumer sayes I shall have peace shall His Word or theirs stand they say Jer. 5.12 and 7 9. The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord are these they make a fair shew of attendence on ordinances and yet steall murder and commit adultery and say we are delivered to do all these things
strong Faith Now if Justification were founded on ought within us it could never be perfit but by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses And one of them made at free as another It 's not here as if one part of the Debt were scored and blotted out and not anoâ—her but all is blotted out becausâ— the Righteousnesse presented before God's Tribunâ—l and imputed to us which is the Defence that Faith gives in is perfiâ—e We may compare strong and weak Faith to two Advocats the one more able and the other weâ—ker pleading the cause before a just Judge strong Faith pleads more strâ—ngly fully and distinctly weak Faith pleads not so fully and distinctly but both pleading on the same ground God the Judge Judgeth not according to the distinctnesse or undistinctnesse of the pleading but according to the Defence or Reason given in and absolves both alike and the weak Believer is as fully pardoned as the strong is The Uses are many and comfortable 1. It serves for our Direction if any were asking how they may come to be Justified This Doctrine answers by Faith in Jesus Christ by taking with your Sin and taking hold of Christs Righteousnesse offered to you in the Gospel and by making that your Dâ—fence before God And is not this a Lesson worthy the learning which the whole Word of God aims at even to instruct you how to make your peace with Him It 's by the knowledge of Christ or by Faith in Him by resting on Him as He is offered in the Gospel and this cannot but be a solid and sicker way of Justification because we have Gods Word for it it 's founded on His Faithfulnesse and on the Transaction made betwixt God and the Mediator we have also the experience of all the Saints for it Abraham before the Law David under the Law and Paul since the Law all of them were led the same way ye would take noâ—ice of this not only as the great question in Catechizing or Examination but as ground whereon ye build your peace if ye were dying There is a perfite Righteousnesse in Christ made offer of to you in the Gospel on condition ye will receive Him as He is offered and if ye so receive Him it shall be yours and ye shall at Gods Ear be absolved the Righteousnesse of Christ shall be as effectual for your absolution as if it were inherent in your selves and Faith shall unite you to Him and make you one with Him In a word ye must all come before Gods Tribunal and there are but two Defences to be proposed either something in your selves as your love and charity or good carriage and duties or to take with your Sin to condemn your selves and to flee to Christ and present His Righteousenesse as the Righteousnesse of the Cautioner that hath payed your Debt and according as ye take the one way or the other ye may expect to be Justified or not and this Doctrine rejects the one way and ownâ— and confirms the other which is by Faith And therefore 2. which is the great Use of all this Doctrine here there is ground laid down to any that would be Justified how they may win to it and a warrand to propose Justification as a thing attainable through Faith in Him ye have it in your offer on these terms and therefore let me earnestly intreat you to accept of the offer if this be the way of Justification take this way seing there is an absolute necessity of Faith in every one that should be at Justification make it sure that ye are indeed fled to Christ and that it is His Righteousnesse which ye make your Defence before the Bar of Gods Tribunal We shall branch forth this Use of Exhortation in these Two or Three words 1. When Christ is spoken of in the Gospel let him be by Faith received and if ye would know what this is labour 1. To know and to take up the difference betwixt self-Righteousnesse and that Righteousnesse which is by Faith For many are so ignorant that they know neither the one nor the other or at least not the one by the other 2. When ye are come to know the difference betwixt these two and are soberly weighing what ye would lippen to in your coming before God with indignation shuffle out and cast by disclaim and renunce your own Righteousnesse and grip to the Righteousnesse of Christ here Faith will have a double Work upon the one hand to reject Self-righteousnesse and upon the other hand to rest upon the Righteousnesse of Christ alone according to that Philip. 3.9 3. When ye have gotten your own Righteousnesse casten and Christs Righteousnesse closed with there is a necessity to cover and hide your selves in it that ye may never so much as in the vaging conceit of your mind be found out of it It alluds to the City of refuge wherein when once entered into and abiden in the person was safe buâ— if he was at any time found without he was in hazard to be killed by the avengâ—â— of blood which held out not only the Act of Faith fleeing to Christ but it 's abiding in Him being hide in Him containing and keeping it self in Him and continuing to plead it's Defence on that ground There may be in a fit of sad exercise a renouncing of our own Righteousnesse but when that is over and we begin to conceit something of that which we have done we are ready to forget Christs Righteousnesse and to lean to our own and that it in a manner to come out of Christ and from our City of Refuge if ever we were in Him Faith as it betakes it self to Christ so it States it self in Christ where only it dare abide the tryal 2. We would commend this to you as the great ground of your Peace and Hope even that ye would put it to the tryal and make it sure whether ye be in the Faith or not It is true there are many beguiled in this and take themselves to be in the Faith when they are not and others question their Faith and their being Justified without just ground yet it 's impossible to win to clearnesse of interest in Christ or to the having of any solid and comfortable hope of enjoying God except there be some clearnesse that we are in the Faith and have indeed betaken our selves to Christ which cannot be win at without putting it to the tâ—â—al Other evidences serve to clear our Justification as they clear our Faith and as they prâ—ve Faith so they conclude and prove our Justification and the out-gate promised Now if believing be such an evidence of Justification and of a well grounded hope of Hâ—aven is there not reason we should put it in good â—earâ—esâ— and frequently to the tryal and seek to know whether we be in the Faith or not The Apostle 2. Cor. 13.5 Doubles his
exhortation to this purpose Examine your selves if ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves that â—hrist is in you except ye be reprobats We do the rather presse this because if we were serious in the tryal there would through Gods blessing be more Faith in some and lesse presumption in others and these that have Faith would have more peace and comfort in it But that which makes many content themselves with a counterfit instead of Faith is that they put it not to the tryal and that which makes them who have Faith to want peace and to live in much anxiety is that they do not more prove themselves as to their Faith These are then the Two main parts of a Believers Dutie by Faith to take hold of Christ and to rest on and in Him and by tryal to make it clear and sure to themselves that they are Believers and these Two are the great up shot of all this Doctrine to perswade us to believe that we may be sure and to perswade us to study to be sure and clear in it that we may be comforted thereby SERMON LXI ISAIAH LIII XI Verse 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities THe Doctrine of Justification through Faith in Christ Jesus was wont to be much thought of among the People of God it is called Gal. 3.8 The preaching of the Gospel to Abraham when God fore-told him of a way of Justification and Salvation through Christs coming of him That in him all the Nations of the earth should be blessed This was the telling of Good news to him and we are sure it is as good news now as ever it was and would be so to us if we could look on it Spiritually as they did For there is as great hazard in Sin and the Curse is as terrible and insufferable and the love of God as fresh now as they were then We have for some dayes been speaking of this Doctrine of Justification and it will be much to speak and hear of it profitably we desire not to insist of what may be unuseful but we conceive there is some necessity in insisting in this It 's our own negligence and ignorance that makes many things of this kind to be very unuseful evenso that we scarcely conceive them and we are made heartless in speaking of them because to many they are as if spoken in a strange language which is and should be for a lamentation The last thing we proposed was to hold forth the mean by which Justification is attained to wit Faith which we observed to shew how Faith concurres in the attaining of Justification Few or none ever denyed Faith to be necessary for the attaining of Justification neither can any that read the Word of God with the least consideration but have that impression of it But the great thing wherein the difference lyes and wherein men miscarry is in attributing to Faith the right or wrong manner of it's concurrence in the attaining of this effect Though these things may at first blush look like meerly notional spiculations and such as do not concern Christians practice yet there is no error in Doctrine about this matter but there is something in folks practice that looks like it and is influenced by it And it's mens inclination to error in practice that makes them as it were to coyn errors in Judgement We shall Observe two generals further and proceed The 1. whereof is That Faith hath a peculiar way of concurrence for the attaining of Justification which can agree to no other Grace nor Work nay nor to Faith it self considered as a Work Therefore Justification of many is here deryved to them by his knowledge or by Faith in Him that is by Faith in Christ as secluding all other things It 's by Faith that Justification is deryved and applyed to us and by Faith we come to have right to it and an Interest in it The 2d is That however Faith concure for attaining of Justification yet it 's not Faith of it self or by any vertue or efficacy in it self but as taking hold of Christ as the Object of it that it justifies Therefore it 's said to be by the knowledge of him or by Faith in Him it 's by receiving Him uniting us to Him and resting on Him that we are Justified We shall shortly explicat both these branches and then come to some practical use of them together 1. Then we say that there is something in Justification attributed to Faith that cannot agree to any other thing which is implyed in many Scriptural Phrases and in this Text in as far as it is said that by his knowledge or by Faith in Him Justification is attained And therefore when we are said to be justified by Faith we affirm that Faith hath a peculiar way of concurring for the attaining of Justification which can agree to no other Grace as to Repentance Love Meeknesse Patience c. not to Prayer Almesdeed or any other good Works or Work For confirming of this consider 1. That we are said to be Justified by Faith in opposition to Works and that there is something attributed to Faith which is denyed to Works Generally this is clear in these Epistles written to the Romans and Galatians Particularly Rom. 4.2 3. If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God for what saith the Scriptures Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is commited to him for righteousness where most clearly and convincingly believing and working are directly opposit the one to the other and Gal. 2.16 We who are Jews by nature knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ or as the word is no not but by Faith that is a man is not justified by Works but by Faith Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law Where the Apostle cannot more purposely and pressingly make a difference betwixt any two things then he doth betwixt these two Justification by Works and Justification by Faith And in all this discourse it cannot be said that the Apostle only excluds Works in respect of merit or Works as they look to the Works of the Ceremonial Law For he opposeth Faith and all sorts of Works or Works in whatsoever respect as inconsistent It 's not one or two sorts of Works but all sorts of Works of the Law and there can be no Works but such as are commended by the Law which are excluded Now if the Apostle seclude all these what are the Works that we can be justified by 2. Consider the peculiar
the Mediators performing according to His undertaking as well as there is faithfulnesse in Gods performing whatever He hath spoken of Him or promised to Him Ye shall only take two or three testimonies for this The 1. is Matth. 3.14 and 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He undertook to satisfie for the Elects Debt and hath accordingly performed it so that the Father is well pleased A 2d is John 17.4 Where He appeareth before the Father and useth it for an argument for His Glorifying him with the same glory he had with the father before the world was I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do I have gotten a task and piece of Work committed to me and now it 's performed And that other Word which He hath on the Cross is remarkable to this purpose It 's finished Now the task and work is ended and I have no more to do but presently to passe to the Victory and to the dividing of the Spoil And a 3d. Testimony is our Lord Jesus His ascension to Heaven and the glory that He will appear in at the day of Judgement when His Kingdom shall be consummat That shall be a proof and testimony that He left nothing undone that was given Him to do that He bare the Sins of many that He gave His back to the smiters and His cheeks to them that pulled of the hair and that He satisfied justice freely and ascended to Heaven as it is 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of Godliness saith the Apostle God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit fully absolved as having performed all whatsoever He undertook Seen of Angels and raised up unto glory Use This is also though a general yet a very comfortable Doctrine to the People of God in as far as from it they may know that there is no more to be payed to the Justice of God for the Sins of the Elect It hath gotten full Satisfaction The Cautioner hath payed all their Debt and is now exercing His Offices for applying to them His purchase making intercession for them overseeing them proving a Tutor to them guiding them and all that concerns them and His Church even doing all things well managing the affairs of His Fathers house as a Son and He cannot but guide all well Other sheep saith He I have which are not of this fold them I must bring in and they shall hear my voice and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish A most pregnant ground of comfort to the Believer that his eternal well-being cannot but be sure and sicker because it hath the Father and the Mediator their faithfulnesse ingaged for it If Jehovah perform the Promises made to the Mediator and if the Mediator perform His ingagement to Jehovah and raise up Believers at the last day then it must follow that their Salvation is sure This is the main ground on which Believers peace is founded and here we may allude to that Heb. 6. He hath sworn by two immutable things wherein it is impossible for God to lie that the heirs of promise who are fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them may have strong consolation even so here There are two immutable things to wit Gods promise to the Mediator and God will and must keep His Word to Him and the Mediators ingagement to God and He will and must keep His Word to Him And indeed we have good proof of both already For it was this ingagement that made the Father send the Son of His Love out of His bosome to be incarnat and to undergo the work of Elect Sinners Redemption and it was this ingagement that made the Mediator die of whom the Father exacted the Price till He declared Himself Satisfied and well pleased Now when these things that seemed most difficult are accomplished what can fail 1. Then there is here ground to fix our Faith upon and indeed there is need to fix it rightly The ground that our Salvation and Perseverance in the Faith is founded on is not our continuing to Pray to Believe and to Love God but this ingagement betwixt the Father and the Son and it is the cause procuring the other as an necessary and infallibly certain effect It 's mainly on this that believers shuld rest quiet and confident 2. It should make Believers humble and cheerful seeing though they be weak in themselves yet here they have a grip and hold for every hand as it were Jehovah's Word and the Mediators Word for their through bearing 3. It should much commend believing and the state of a Believer who have such ground of assurance The greatest Monarch on earth hath not such ground of assurance for his Dinner or Supper as the poor Believer hath for eternal Life For the Word spoken by Jehovah to the Mediator and the undertaking of the Mediator to Jehovah cannot fail and the Believer hath that to rest upon as the ground of his assurance More particularly The Articles on the Mediators side are as I said in these Four exprâ—ssions He hath poured out his soul unto death He was numbred with the transgressours he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressours 1. He must die expressed in these Words He poured out his soul unto death Which implyes Three things 1. That it is an Article of the Covenant of Redemption and of the Mediators undertaking that he should die for Sinners And so it is a needlesse curious and unwarrantable dispute whether fallen man might have been redeemed any other way or whether a drop of His blood was not enough to redeem man because we see here it is Determined and Articled in the Covenant of Redemption that He should die Jehovah will have the Mediator dying And be possible what may to Gods Soveraignity which we would not make to clash with His Justice nor His Just ce with His Soveraignity this may bound and limit us that it 's concluded in this Covenant of Redemption that the Mediator shall lay down His Life and it being concluded It 's certain 1. That God hath given man a Law threatning him that if he should break that Law he should die 2. That all Mankind and so the Elect have broken that Law and so are lyable to the Threatning and Curse 3. That the Mediator became Cautioner and undertook to satisfie for the Elects Debt it was necessary that He should die because He undertook to pay their Debt and to satisfie for their Sin which was death by the Law to them and so the Justice of God is vindicat He cannot be called unjust nor partial nor unholy though He do not actually punish every Sinner that hath Sinned in his own Person because Gods holinesse and Justice appears conspicuously that He would rather execute what was due to the Elect on His own Son then that their Sins should go unpunished
when it came to be accomplished though He gave evidences of His power in making them fall backward who came to apprehend Him yet He raises them again and goes with them And when they mock Him and buffet Him and nod the head at Him and bring Him to the Bar and question Him and when they said If thou be the king of Israel come down from the cross and we will believe on thee which we may think He could have done though they were but tempting Him yet in all these He is silent and never opens His mouth till He come to that It is finished He never spake a repyning word It was wonderfully much to suffer and to die so cheerfully but to pour out His Soul unto Death to take His Life in His own hand and to be so holily prodigal of it as to pour it out there having never been such a precious Life and so precious Blood poured out this was much more Use It shews what esteem ye should have of Souls and every one of you of your own Souls Our Lord Jesus poured out His Soul unto Death for Souls He values Souls so much that He gave His precious Life for them Therefore it 's said 1 Pet. 1.19 We are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ If He esteemed so much of Soulâ— what will it be thought of when ye waste your Souls and ye know not whereon He bought Soulâ— dear and ye sel them cheap for a little Silver or Gold or for that which is worse and far lesse worth what an unsuitableness is here betwixt Christs estimation of Souls and yours betwixt His buying them at so dear a rate and your casting them away for that which is very vanity What do the most part of you get for your Souls Some a bit Land some a House some a fecklesse Pleasure some a Sport some the satisfaction of their Lust or a moments sinful mirth O! pitifully poor bargain what will become of that mirth or lust or pleasure of this house or of that land when Kings and great Men will lye crawling like so many wormes before the Lamb ye will not get your House or Land with you ye will not get leave to wear your brave cloathes ye will have no Silver nor Gold in your Purse in that day And suppose ye had it the Redemption of the Soul is precious and ceaseth for ever by any such Price It 's a wonderful thing that when Christ esteems so much of Souls that Sinners should esteem so little of them Is it not just that such Souls should go to hell when they esteemed them so little worth Use 2. It should teach you to love and heartily to welcome this Lord Jesus Christ what argument of Love and of Trust what motive to welcome Him can there be if this be not That He spared not His Life but poured it out unto death for Sinners How long shall we halt betwixt Christ and Belial We dow not endure to mortifie a Lust to want our Sport and Laughter or a bit of our credit or honour though it should cost us the want of Christ But O! ingrate fool is that a becoming requital to Him that took His innocent Soul in His hand and poured it out for Sinners and when it was some way melted like leid in the fire of Gods Wrath was content to yett it forth abundantly out of love to their Salvation Should it not rather call for love to Him for trusting and welcoming of Him and to Suffering for His sake if He call you to it Will ye skar to hazard your life for Him that poured out His Soul for Sinners It would do a Soul good to think how willingly and cheerfully He Suffered But Alace how reluctantly and unwillingly come we under Suffering for Him However let me commend these three Words to you 1. Love Him For even Publicans will love these that love them and give Christ love for love 2. Credit and Trust Him do not look for ill at His hand what ground is there to suspect Him It is His glory to do good to Sinners and He counts them His triumph and spoil and to make conquest of them He poured out His Soul unto Death or as the Word is Phil. 2. He emptied himself Which seems to look to this Word of the Prophet and is not that warrand sufficient for you to trust and credit Him and to lay the weight of what concerns you upon Him And 3. welcome Him which is a fruit of Faith and Love He is a sweet wooer He is that good shepherd that laid down his life for his sheep he gave himself for his church as it is Ephes 5. Therefore I say welcome Him This is the great thing the Gospel aims at such expressions are a great deepth and it would require time to read to ponder them and to wonder at them and we would be much in praying for a right uptaking of them 3dly From the connexion Because He hath poured out His Soul unto death Observe That our Lord Jesus His willing condescending to die is most acceptable to the Father Therefore He sayes I will give him a portion with the great and be shall divide the spoil with the strong because He hath done so and so and all the Promises made to Him confirm this That is a wonderful Word John 10.17 Therefore does my father love me because I lay down my life for the sheâ—p The only begotten and beloved Son of the Father cannot but be loved Yet He sayes Therefore or on this account does my father love me That is as I am Mediator the Fâ—tâ—ers Minister Steward or Deput in this Work of the Redemption of Sinners and because I so willingly and cheerfully lay down my self for them He hath given me this Victory and Glory So well pleasing to God is the willing and cheerful death of the Mediator that it should be admired by us and should have this weight laid on it by us that seing cheerfulness in obedience is so acceptable to God we would study it for He loves a cheerful giver and cheerfulnesse in any duty It 's much we have this word to speak of to you many Nations never heard it and ye would make some other Use of it then if ye had never heard it O! but it will be dreadful to such as have heard it and do slight it their Souls shall be poured out into Hell even squized and wrung eternally by the Wrath of God Therefore look not lightly on it do not think all this transaction of Grace to be for nought If we were serious we would wonder what it means Alace we think little or nothing to make our peace with God and yet all this business is ere the matter can be brought about It 's a great evidence of the stupidity senslessenesse and absurd unblief of many that they think nothing of Sin and Wrath and of the hazard
He will let him see as much as is meet and Chap. 34. When he gives him his answer It is not any glorious visible brightness he lets him see but he proclaims his name to him The Lord the Lord gracious merciful c. And comparing the words with the scope It sayes that there can be no saving uptaking of God but as he is revealed in the word and that way we are to be fixed in the Faith of the excellency that is in him and in going to him by prayer through the Mediator we would guard against any representation and fix our Faith on clear Promises and attributs as Scripture holds him forth 5. We would endeavour rather to have a composed frame of Spirit with holy reverence in the exercise of fear faith and love and of other spiritual graces then to fill our understanding with things meerly speculative and lesse practical and profitable And supposing that we are in some measure clear in what is revealed of God and of his attributs and promises in the Word in as far as may found our Faith and warrand us to put up such and such suits to God through the Mediator and that we come to him in holy reverence we are rather to exercise our graces and have an â—ve downward in reflecting on our selves â—â—eking to be clear in what is called for in a worshipper of God then to be curiously poring and prying into the Object of our worship himself And therefore let this be well studied even to be up at that wherein we are clear and which we do not question not make any doubt of as namely that we should be in a composed frame of Spirit in holy reverence and under the due impression of the Mâ—jesty of God and then there will be the less hazard if any at all of going wrong whereas if we divert from this and seek to satisfie our selves in the how or manner of up-taking of God we will but myre our selves and maâ— the frame of our own Spirits and bring our selves under an incapacity of going about duty rightly This much we have spoken on the Third part of the Use of Exhortation wherein we allow a sober and solid up-taking of the things of God and in as far as may be profitable for founding of our Faith and for guiding of our practice but not to satisfie curiosity For if we once go to chase and follow question upon question in what concerns the Doctrinal and speculative part of this Doctrine we will run our selves a ground and therefore God having made these things wherein our duty necessarily lyes clear that there is no hazard to go wrong in single following of it we would study these things that are clear which might be another direction and hold us with and at what we are clear in and not suffer our minds to run out on either groundless or unprofitable speculations God himself help to the suitable practice of these things and to him be 〈◊〉 SERMON LXX ISAIAH LIII XII Verse 12. And he made intercession for the transgressours IT 's a great mercy that God hath bestowed such a Mediator on Sinners that He hath given such an high Priest that can be touched with the feeling of Sinners infirmities so as to make Intercession for them And O! but it 's a great mercy to be helped to make right use of him When these two go together to wit a Saviour offered furnished with all these Offices of King Priest and Prophet and a Soul sanctified and guided by the Spirit of God in making use of him according to these Offices It 's a wonderfully and inconceivably gracious dispensation And it 's no doubt a very valuable mercy to be hepled to make use of this part of Christs Office to wit his Intercession This is that whereof we have begun some few dayes since to speak to you and for the better clearing of it we endeavoured to answer some doubts or questions that it may be have arisen and been tossed in the minds of some while we have been discoursing of and opening up this matter That which we would now speak a little to is a subject of that nature that considering our shallowness in uptaking of these things we cannot easily tell whether it be better to speak of or to forbear the speaking of any doubt or question least one occasion â—n another And therefore most certainly there would be much sobriety here and an abandoning of all sinful curiosity least unseasonable and intemperat desiring to know either what is not to be known or what we cannot know mar and obstruct our improvement of what we do or may know several things doubted of may be moved and objected here but we shall only speak a word to the clearing of these Four 1 Some thing concerning the Object of worship and particularly of prayer in general 2. We shall consider how the Mediator is the object of our prayer or how he may be prayed unto 3. A word more particularly in reference to the form of some particular petitions and to what seems most warrantable from the word in these 4. We shall answer some practical doubts that have or may have some puzling influence on the consciences of some Christians But as I said we had need in speaking and hearing of these things to be awed with some deep impression of the Majesty of God on our hearts least we medle carnally with matters of a most sublimely spiritual and holy nature For clearing of the First then we lay down these assertions The 1. whereof is That as there is one worship so there is no formal Object of worship but God This is clear because the worshipping of any with divine worship as namely with believing in them or praying to them supposes them to have such Attributs of Omni-science Omni-potency Supremacy c. As are only agreeable to the Mâ—jesty of God For we cannot pray to one but we must believe that he hears us and so that he is Omni-scient that he is able to help us and so Omni-poâ—entâ— that he is above all and so Supream as it is Rom. 10.14 How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed There can be no divine Object of worship to settle the Soul upon but where the essential attributs of the God-head are and it 's on this ground that we reject invocation of Saints and Angels Adorability being the essentiall property of the Majesty of God as well as Eternity and Immutability are There can be no Adoring or Worshipping of any but where there is Adorability in the Object that is worshipped by that worship and there is none capable of worship but God Supremacy being due and Essential to him only 2. That though there be three Persons in the glorious and blessed God-head distinct yet there are not three distinct Objects of Worship but one Object of Worship only The Father is not one Object of Worship the Son another and the holy Ghost a
truth and that Paul lived in the faith and feeling of it then judge if there be not just ground to expostulate with most part of you as being yet without the faith and feeling of this moâ— concerning thing The 3â— Use of it serves wonderfully to set forth the glory of the free and rich Grace of God that all this business is made and this transaction entered into that Christ comes to satisfie and doth actually satisfie Justice for a number of such wretches that had gone astray like lost sheep This comes in as he scope we have strayed done the wrong but he hath payed the debt satisfied for the wrong done and from comparing this v. with the foregoing we may take these five Considerations that serve to heighten the glory of Gods Grace and Free-love and to shame Believers that are so little in wondring at it 1. Who is smitten his own Son we sinned and he was smitten even he who was and is the Fathers fellow the Sword awakes against him and we go free 2. What did our Lord suffer He was wounded and bruised the chastisement of our peace was on him he laid on him the iniquity of us all It was not a complemental or fashional suffering but he was arraigned before the Tribunal of Justice and did really pay our Debt and satisfie Justice for our Sins 3. Who exâ—ctâ—d this Satisfaction who did smite him It 's the Lord Jehovah it 's the Father which makes the glory of Grace shine the more It 's God the Father whose Heart was tender to the Son of his love that exâ—cts the full price of him so that as he said of Abraham By this I know that thou lovest me because thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only son Isaac from me we may say by this we know God's love to the Elect when he hath not withheld nor spared his own Son from them but hath laid on him the iniquities of them all 4. For whom did he smite him for Sinners for straying Sheep for Covenant-breakers for such as had gone a whoring from God and were bent to sin against him I mean the Elect. 5. When was it that he suffered for them even when they were straying rejecting despising nodding the head at him spitting in his face and saying away with him even then he is praying and dying for them Now put all these together that such a price shall be exacted of such a Cautioner and for such Sinners and at such a time behold see therein how God commends his love to us as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.8 In that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us when we were in our sin not praying to him nor in capacity to pray or give him thanks for any thing that he did or suffered he then died for us Is there any thing here but freedom of Grace and does not this exceeding highly commend the love of God that he exacts the Debt due by us of his Son and the wonderful love of the Mediator and Cautioner that at such a time and for such transgressions he should pay such a price Use 4. Seing this was our state that we were Sinners and that yet herein was the love of God commended that he laid oâ— his Son the iniquity of us all then is there not good ground to take with Sin and to make use of the Remedy to take with Sin and to close with Christ We might take occasion here to exhort 1. To Watchfulness and to walking soberly and humbly from this ground that we have such a Nature 2. To exhort every one to Repentance because by Nature ye are all in such a sinful state and condition â—t may be ground of exercising Repentance even long after your justification and peace made with God who are justified with whom it should be as we see it was with David But 3ly Seing by Nature ye are under God's Wrath and Curse and in a state of enmity with him it mainly serves to exhort you to flee unto Jesus Christ and not to rest till ye gâ—t the quarrel taken away It might be in reason thought that Folks would be soon and easily induced to this even to run unto Jesus Christ and to welcome the Gospel with good will for preventing the Curse and Wrath due to them for sin and for subduing of this sinful nature and inclination to stray from God and his Way Therefore seing there is a fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness since there is a satisfaction given to Justice for removing the guilt of sin since the Spirit is purchased for mortifying of sin making holy let as many as think that they have gone astray and have turned to their own way as they would not be found still at this distance with God make use of Christ for making their friendship with God it 's the word that Peter useth 1 Pet. 2. ult All we like sheep have gone astray but we are now turned unto the shepherd and bishop of our souls hold O hold you near this Shepherd and make use of his Righteousness for making your Peace If we could rightly understand the words we would see in them 1. A Motive to put us on to believing in Christ and can there be a greater motive then necessity We have sinned and gone astray he is the only Saviour there is no other name given under Heaven whereby Sinners can be saved 2. There is also in them an Encouragement to Believing It was for Sinners such as we are that Jesus Christ suffered all that he suffered which may be ground of hope and encouragement to step forward and if neither our need nor Christ's being a Saviour willing to make Sinners welcome will prevail we know not what will do it It will turn to this and ye will be put to it Whether are ye Sinners and if Sinners whether is it not a desperate thing to ly under Sin and Wrath If ye be not Sinners we have no warrand to propose this Doctrine to you to invite or make you welcome to a Saviour but if ye grant that ye are Sinners will ye contentedly ly under Sin will ye be able to bear it out against God or think ye that ye will be well enough for all that and if ye dare not resolve to ly under Sin I would ask what way will ye win from it think ye it easie to win from under it must not the Justice of God be satisfied some of you think that ye can pray your selves out of Sin but what need was there of Christs sufferings if a satisfaction might have been made to Justice another way and if none but Christ can satisfie it turns to this that by all means ye would make use of him else ye will most certainly drown and die in your sins And this is the thing that we would commend to you that under the sense of sin and in the faith of Gods condescending
love ye wouldflee to Jesus Christ and give him employment for making your peace with God and taking away your sin and sanctifying of you O but this be suitable to Sinners and if ye think your selves Sinners prejudge not your selves of the benefite of a Saviour This should be a distinct Sermon EVery expression that the Ptophet useth to set forth the grace of God in Jesus Christ to sinners by is more wonderful then another because indeed every thing that he expresseth is more wonderful then another And there is so much grace and infinite love in the way of the Gospel that it 's hard to know where there is most of it whether in its rise or in its execution whether in the decree of God or in Christs satisfaction whether in the benefits that we enjoy or in the way by which we are brought to enjoy them Sure all together make a wonder passing-great a most wonderful wonder even a world of wonders It is a wonder that as it is vers 5. he should be wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities that the chastisement of our peace should be on him and that by his stripes we should be healed And when here he comes to explain this and to shew how it came to pass that Jesus Christ suffered so much he holds out another new wonder All we like sheep have gone astray c. As if he had said would ye know how it came to pass that the Mediator behoved to suffer and suffer so much All we the Elect People of God had gone astray like so many wandring sheep as well as others not one excepted And there was not another way to recover and reclaim us but this The Lord Jehovah laid on him the iniquity of us all To recover us when we were lost Jesus Christ was substituted in our room by the eternal Decree of God and the iniquities of all of us who are his Elect people as to their punishment were laid upon him This then is the scope to shew the rise of Christs sufferings and how it came to pass that our Lord suffered and suffered so much the occasion of it was the Elects sin and the Fountain cause the Fathers laying of their sin on him by an eternal Decree and making him to answer for it according to that Decree with his undertaking which was the Covenant of Redemption whereof Christ's suffering was the execution Thus we have the Fountain whence our Lord's sufferings flowed He is in the Covenant of Redemption substitute judicially enacted the Elects Cautioner and takes on their debt and being substitute in their room Justice pursues the Claim and Sentence passes against him for making him answerable and liable to the debt of their sins Which sets out as it were a Judge on the Throne Jehovah and two Parties at the Bar We and Him We the Principal Debtors and Him the Cautioner Jesus Christ in our room and place The Law by which the Judge proceeds is the Covenant of Redemption And we the Principal Debtors not being Law-biding he is made liable to the Debt and on this ground the Sentence passes against him for satisfying what we were owing and hereupon followed his sufferings So then the rise of his sufferings is that it was so transacted by the Wise Just and Gracious God and thus this vers comes well in to explain and further to clear what he asserted in the former vers Though the words be few yet they are a great compend and sum of the Gospel How therefore to speak of them so as to unfold them aright is not easie And because the Devil who seeks by all means to marr the beauty of the Gospel doth more fiercely assault where most of its beauty shines and hath therefore stirred up several sorts of enemies to wrest these words and to obscure the beauty of grace that may be clearly seen in them We shall a little open the few words that are in this last part of the verse And the Lord hath laid on hIm the iniquity of us all Having spoken to the former part of it the last day In these few words then we have 1. something spoken of iniquity which three Parties have some acts about to wit 1. The Elect us all 2. Him to wit the Mediator 3. The Lord to wit Jehovah Then we have the express act of the Lord to wit his laying on Him the Mediator the iniquity of us all 1. As for this word iniquity by it is meant sometimes 1. Sin formally taken as it hath a disconformity to the Law of God and supposeth a spot and defect and so it is commonly taken when we pray for pardon of sin And when David says Psal 51. My sin is ever before me And Psal 38. My iniquity is gone over my head And so it is the transgression of the Law of God 2. It is sometimes taken for the effect that sin procureth and so it 's in effect the punishment of sin as Levit. 7. the 18 and 20. verses being compared together vers 18. it 's said He shall bear his iniquity which vers 20. is He shall be cut off and so it is clearly meant of the punishment of iniquity For to bear his iniquity and to be cut off are the same thing there And that word of Cain Gen. 4.14 My iniquity or punishment is greater then I can bear hath a manifest respect to Gods curse inflicted on him for his sin and is as if he had sald I will not get lived under the punishment that is inflicted upon me for every one that finds me will cut my throat and sometimes it is translated punishment as in that of Gen. 4.13 The Question then is Which of these two is understood here in this Text whether iniquity or sin formally taken or iniquity taken for the punishment thereof These who are called Antinomians plead that it is to be understood of sin formally taken But though it be hard so much as to mention this it being so blasphemous-like to assert that our blessed Lord Jesus should be formally a sinner and have the spots and defilementt of sin on him which we wonder that any Christian should dare to assert or presume to maintain Yet because this Scripture is alleadg'd for it we shall clear that iniquity is not here to be taken for sin formally but for sin in the punishment of it And the 1. reason that we give shall be drawn from the plain scope of the words the Prophet having in the 5. vers said that he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities The scope of this vers is to shew how it came to pâ—ss that Christ suffered and suffered so much which he doth by declaring that it could not be otherwise because the punishment of all the sins of the Elect was laid upon him And that which was called wounding and bruising in the former vers is here called on the matter a bearing of their iniquities for if they