mock-offer and hence you shall find in Scripture some promise ever annexed unto Gods offer which is the ground of faith Ier. 3.22 This call or offer hath three speciall qualifications first it is inward as well as outward for the Lord calls thousands outwardly who yet never come because they want an inward call to come an inward whispering still voyce of Gods Spirit and therefore it is said He that hath heard and learned not of man only but of the Father commeth unto me Iohn 6.45 The Lord doth not stand at the outward doore only and call to open but the Lord Jesus comes in he comes neare unto the very heart of a poor sinner makes that understand Hos. 2.14 and the Lord makes his grace glorious and his mercy sweet unto the hearts of his Elect Look saith the Lord Jesus how I have left thousand thousands in the world and have had greater cause so to have left thee but behold I am come unto thee oh come thou now unto me 2. It is a particular call for there is a generall call and offer of grace to every one Now though this be a meanes to make it particular yet the Spirit of Christ which is wont to apply generalls unto particulars particularly makes the call particular that the soule sees that the Lord in speciall means me singles out me in speciall to beleeve otherwise the soules of the elect will not be much moved with the call of God so long as they think the Lord offers no more mercy to me then to any reprobate and therefore the Spirit of Christ makes the call particular Esay 43.1 I have called thee by name Iohn 10.5 He calleth all his sheep by name not that the Lord calls any by their christen name as we say as the Lord did extraordinarily call Samuel Samuel and Paul Paul but the meaning is look as the Lord from before all world 's writ down their names in the book of life and loves them in speciall so in Vocation the first opening of Election the Lord makes his offer and call special and so speciall as if it were by name for the soule at this instant feeles such a speciall stirring of the spirit upon it which it feels now and never felt before as also its particular case so spoken unto and its particular objections so answered and the grievousnesse of its sinne in refusing grace so particularly applyed as if God the onely searcher of hearts onely spake unto it and so dares not but thinke and beleeve that the Lord meaneth mee 3. It is effectuall as well as inward and particular Luk. 14.23 Compell them to come in Iohn 10.16 Christs other sheep shall heare Christs voice and those he must bring home for every inward call is not effectuall There came a man in without his wedding garment Mat. 22.6 7 8. whence our Saviour saith Many are called but few chosen but this I now speak of is a calling out of purpose Rom. 8.28 and therefore never leaves the soule untill it hath reall possession of Christ and rests there this call falls upon a sinner humbled not hard hearted hence the call is effectuall Mat. 9.12 13. 2 Chron. 30.10 11. it is such a call as was in creation Rom. 4.17 And hence the soule cannot but come and when t is come it cannot depart like Peter Lord whither should we goe and therefore though it hath never so many objections in comming to Christ never so much weaknesse or heartlesnesse to close with Christ yet the Lord brings it home and there keeps it and now it infinitely blesseth God that ever the Lord gave it an eye to see an heart to come and seek after Jesus Christ. Thus much of the nature of this Call now follows the necessity of it which appears in these three particulars 1. No man should come unlesse first called as it is in calling to an ordinary office so t is in our calling much more unto speciall grace the Apostle saith Heb. 5.4 that No man takes this honour but he that is called of God so what hath any man to doe with Christ to make himselfe a sonne of God and heire of glory thereby but he that is called of God what have we to doe to take other mens goods unlesse called thereto what have we to doe to take the riches of grace and peace if not called thereto t is presumption to take Christ whiles uncalled but not when you are called thereunto 2. Because no man would come without the Lords call Mat. 20.6 7. Why stand you here all the day idle The answer was No man hath hired or called us thereto When there is an outward call onely yet men will not come in Mat. 23.37 and therefore there must be an effectuall call to bring men home Esay 55.5 and therefore you shall see many let there be a legall command suppose to sanctifie a Sabbath or to speak the truth they have no objections against obedience unto this but presse them to beleeve shew them Gods call for it they have more feares and objections rising against this then there be haires on their head because the soul would not close with this 3. Because no man could come unlesse called Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me unlesse the Father draw him and how doth the Father draw any man but by this call if the Lord should not come and speak himselfe and make his call the most joyfull tidings and the sweetest message that ever came to it it would say I have no heart I cannot I am not able for Rom. 11.32 wee are shut up under unbeliefe and therefore the Lord Jesus Luke 15.5 must bring his sheep home upon his shoulders else it will dye in the wildernesse of its own droopings whereas when the Lord effectually speaks the soul cannot but come Lastly how this call is a ground of faith and what ground of faith For answer hereunto I doe not make this call considered without the promise the ground on which Faith rests for that is Gods free grace in the promise but the ground by which it rests or wherefore it rests upon the promise The mind sees 1. the freenesse of mercy to a poore sinner in misery and this breeds some hope the Lord may pitty it 2. The fulnesse and plenteous riches of mercy and this gives very great encouragement to the soule to think The Lord if I come to him surely will not deny me a drop Psal. 130.7 8. The Prodigall comes home because of bread enough in his fathers house though he was not certaine he should have any 3. The preciousnesse and sweetnesse of mercy makes the soule long vehemently for it Psal. 36.6 7. and makes it set all other things at a low rate to enjoy it but when unto all this the Lord sends a speciall commandement a speciall message on purpose and calls it to come in and accept of it and take mercy as its own and that for no
and therefore though I may be spared for a while yet there is a time wherein Christ himselfe will come out against me in flaming fire To this purpose doth the Spirit worke for beloved the great meanes whereby Satan overthrew Man at first in his innocencie was this principle although thou dost eate and so sin against God yet thou shalt not dye Gen. 3.4 Ye shall not surely die the Serpent doth not say Ye shall not die for that is too grosse an out-facing of the Word Gen. 2.17 but he saith Ye shall not surely die that is there is not such absolute certainty oâ— it it may be you shall live God loves you better then so and is a more merciful Father then to be at a word and a blow Now look as Satan deceived and brought our first parents to ruine by suggesting this principle so at this day he doth sow this accursed seed and plant this very principle in the soyl of every mans heart by nature they do not think they cannot beleeve that they are dead men condemned to dye and that they shall dye eternally for the least sinne committed by them Men nor Angels cannot perswade them of it they cannot see the equity of it that God so mercifull will be so severe for so small a matter nor yet the truth of it for then they think no flesh should be saved And thus when the old Serpent hath spit this poyson before them they sup it up and drink it in and so thousands nay millions of men and women are utterly undone The Lord Christ therefore when he comes to save a poore sinner and raise him up out of his fall convinceth the soule by his Spirit and that with full and mighty evidence that it shall dye for the least sin and tels him as the Lord told Abimelech in another case Gen. 20.3 Thou art but a dead man for this and if the Spirit set on this let who can claw it off I tell you beloved never did poore condemned Malefactor more certainly know and hear the sentence of condemnation past upon him by a mortall man then the guilty sinner doth his by an immortall and displeased God therefore those three thousand cry out Act. 2.37 Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued We are condemned to dye what shall we doe now to be saved from death Now the soule is glad to enquire of the Minister Oh tell me what shall I do I once thought my selfe in a safe and good condition as any in the Town or Countrey I lived in but now the Lord hath let me heare of other newes dye I must in this estate and t is a wonder of mercies I am spared alive to this day There is not onely some blind feaâ—es and suspitions that it may possibly be so but full perswasions of heart dye I must dye I shall in this estate for if the Spirit reveale sin and conviâ—ce not of death for sin the soule under this work of conviction being as yet rather sâ—nsuall then spirituall wil make a light matter of it when it sees no sensible danger in it but when it sees the bottomlesse pit before it everlasting fire before it for the least sin now it sees the hainous evill of sin the way of sinne though never so peaceable before is full of dâ—nger now wherein it sees there are endlesse woes and everlasting deaths that lye in wait for it Rom. 6.21 And now saith the Spirit you may goe on in these sinfull courses as others doe if you see meet but oh consider what will be the end of them what it is to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season and to be tormented for ever for them in the conclusion for be assured that will be the end and hence the soule seeing it selfe thus set apart for death looks upon it selfe in a farre worse estate then the bruit beasts or vilâ—st worme upon the earth for it thinks when they dye there is an end of their misery but oh then is the beginning of mine for ever hence also arise those feares of death of being suddenly cut off that when it lyes downe it trembles to think I may never rise againe because it 's convinced not only that it deserves to dye but that it is already sentenced for to dye hence also the soule justifies God if he had cut him off in his sin and wonders what kept him from it there being nothing else due from God unto it hence lastly the soule is stopt and stands still goes not on in sin as before or if it doth the Lord gives it no peace Ier. 8.6 Why doth the horse goe on in the battell because it sees not death before it but now the soule sees death and therefore stops oh remember this all you that never could beleeve that you are dead condemned men and therefore are never troubled with any such thoughts in your mind I tell you that you are far from conviction and therefore far from salvation if God should send some from the dead to beare witnesse against this secure world concerning this truth yet you will not beleeve it for his messengers sent from heaven are not beleeved herein woe be to you if you remaine unconvinced of this point But you will say how doth the Lord thus convince sin and wherein is it exprest which is the third particular All knowledge of sin is not conviction of sin all confession of sin is not conviction there is a conviction meerely rationall which is not spirituall there are three things in spirituall conviction There is a cleare certaine and manifest light so that the soule sees its sin and death due to it clearely and certainly for so the word Ioh. 16.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to evidence a thing by way of argumentation nay demonstration the Spirit so demonstrates these things as that it hath nothing to object a mans mouth is stopped hee hath nothing to say but this behold I am vile I am a dead man for if a man have many strong arguments given him to confirme a truth yet if he have but one objection or doubtfull scruple not answered he is not fully as yet convinced because full conviction by a cleare sun-light scatters all dark objections and hence our Saviour Iude 15. will one day convince the wicked of all their hard speeches against him which will chiefly be done by manifesting the evill of such wayes and taking a way all those colours and defences men have made for such language before the Spirit of Christ comes man cannot see will not see his sin nor punishment nay he hath many things to say for himselfe as excuses and extenuations of his sin One saith I was drawne unto it the woman that thou gavest me and so layes the blame on others Aâ—other saith It is my nature Others say All are sinners the godly sinne as well as others and yet are saved at last and so I hope shall
think the Lord pardons your sinnes because you have been lesse sinners then others or if you think the Lord will not pardon your sinnes because you are greater sinners then any else you sin exceedingly against the riches of Gods grace in this point What is the meane by which the Father doth thus justifie T is for the satisfaction or by the price of the redemption of Christ Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.10 Eph. 1.7 for Mercy would but Justice could not forgive without satisfaction for the wrong done Hence Christ satisfies that Grace and mercy might have their full scope of forgiving So that neither works before conversion which are but glistering sins Rom. 1.18 nor works of grace in us after conversion can be causes of our Justification for Abraham when he was justified and sanctified yet had not whereof to boast but beleeved in him that justified the ungodly Rom. 4.5 And the Apostle Paul saith expresly We that believe have beleeved that we might be justified Gal. 2.16 t is therefore the price of Christs redemption which doth procure our justification But understand this aright for this price is not applyed to each particular man as the common price redeeming all for then every Beleever should be accounted a saviour and redeemer of all but as the price of those soules in particular to whom it is specially intended and particularly applyed Christs righteousnesse is sufficient to justifie all to whom it is imputed but it is no further imputed then to the attaining the end of imputation viz. to justifie and save me in particular not to make me a head of the Church or a common Saviour it argues a man weakly principled that denies the necessity of Christs satisfaction to our Justification because forsooth every Beleever should then be a Redeemer By Satisfaction I understand the whole obedience of Christ unto the very death which is both active and passive by which we are justified Heb. 10.10 Phil. 2.8 that righteousnesse of Christ wrought in his satisfaction is imputed which satisfies the Law and divine Justice Gal. 4.1 2 3 4. which is both active and passive the very reason why the Law requires perfect obedience of us which we cannot possibly bring before God is that wee might seek for it in Christ that fulfilled all righteousnesse and therefore he is called the end of the Law for righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 4. And it is strange that any should deny Justification by Christs active obedience upon this ground viz. because that by the works of the Law which satisfy the Law shall no sinner be justified and yet withall say that we are justified by that which satisfies the Law This righteousnesse of Christ is not that of the God-head for then what need was there for Christ to doe or suffer but that which was wrought in the Man-hood And hence it is finite in it selfe though infinite in value in that it was the righteousnesse of such a person This righteousnesse of God-man may be considered two wayes First absolutely in it selfe Secondly respectively as done for us 1. Christs absolute righteousnesse is not imputed to us viz. as he is Mediatour Head of the Church having the Spirit without measure which is next to infinite c. for though these things are applyed for our good yet they are not imputed as our righteousnesse and therefore the objection vanisheth which saith we cannot be justified by Christs righteousnesse because it is of such infinite perfection 2. The respective or dispensative righteousnesse which some call justitia fidejussoria is that whereby Christ is just for us in fulfilling the Law in bearing Gods Image we once had and have now lost by sin and thus we are truly said to be as righteous as Christ by imputation because hee kept the Law for us and here observe that the question is not whether all that Christ did and had is imputed to us as our righteousnesse but whether all that he did pro nobis for us as a surety in fulfilling the Law be not for substance our righteousnesse and therefore to think that we are not justifyed by Christs righteousnesse because then we are justifyed by his working of miracles preaching of Sermons which women are not regularly capable of is but to cast blocks before the blind so that though Christ doth not bestow his personall wisdome and justice upon another yet what hinders but that that which Christ doth by his wisdome and righteousnesse for another the same should stand good for him for whom it is done for thus it is in sundry cases among men Christs essentiall righteousnesse infinite wisdome fulnesse of spirit without measure c. is not imputed to us yet these have conspired together to doe that for us and suffer that for us by which we come to bee accounted righteous before God hee shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse Ier. 23.6 This righteousnesse therefore imputed to us justifies us Rom. 5.18 we are said to be made the righteousnesse of God in him not the righteousnesse of God whereby he is just but whereby we are just opposed to the righteousnesse of man which is called our owne righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 Rom. 1.17 Not righteousnesse from him as the Papists dreame but righteousnesse in him nor remission by Christ only but righteousnesse in Christ this imputed justifies as sin imputed condemnes Who are the persons the Lord doth justifie They are beleevers we are justifyed by faith Rom. 5. or for Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith Phil. 3.9 it is by faith not as a work of grace but as by an instrument appointed of God for this end Christ did not dye that our sins should be actually and immediately pardoned but mediately by Faith Iohn 3.16 Iohn 17.20 and the Lord in wisdome hath appointed this as the only means of applying righteousnes because this above all other graces cast down all the righteousnesse of man in point of justification and so all cause of boasting and advanceth grace and mercy only Rom. 3.27 Rom. 4.16 Rom. 4.5 Rom. 9.30 31 32. the faithfull account themselves ungodly in the businesse of justification and thence it is said that Abraham though a godly man in himselfe yet beleeved in him that justifies the ungodly he only is righteous whom God pronounceth and saith is righteous Now Faith above all other graces beleeves the word and a Beleever saith I beleeve I am righteous before God not because I feele it so in my selfe but because God saith I am so in his Son so that you are not justified before you beleeve nor then only when you have performed many holy duties but at the first instant of your closing with Christ you are then to see it and by Faith to admire Gods rich grace for it What is the extent of this sentencâ— The description saith that Christs satisfaction thus applyed the Father doth two things 1. He absolves them from all guilt and condemnation of sin so that in this sense