of Christ's glorifying his Father on Earth by communicating the tenour of the Christian Doctrine to the Disciples so that some of them by the Light received were to be special Instruments of converting the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have manifested By outward Teaching and inward Illumination Outward Teaching was necessary the Mystery of the Gospel was but sparingly revealed by former Prophets but Christ who was in the Bosom of the Father knew the depth and bottom of it John 1.18 No Man hath seen God at any Man the only begotten Son who is in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him and accordingly he revealed it to the Disciples And besides by an inward Light he gave them to understand it for Christ preached publickly but all did not understand him but those to whom it was given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Mat. 13.11 So much is intimated in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And herein Christ fulfilled that Prophecy Psal. 22.22 I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren The Disciples of Christ especially the Apostles are adopted into the Privileges of Coheirs with Christ and therefore to them he declared his Father's Name than which there could not be a greater Privilege Now by the Name of God some understand one thing some another according to the different Acceptations of the word Name Largely and more generally we may understand whatever is necessary to be known and believed to Salvation concerning God's Will and Essence That is his Name all by which the Father might be known as Men are known and distinguished by their Names The meaning is that he had made known to them the whole Doctrine concerning God's Will and Essence teaching them that in one Essence of God there are three distinct Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost that the Father begot the Son his substantial Image by eternal Generation and sent him in time that he might take a true Humane Nature on him that so he might become a Mediator between God and us by whom alone we have access to God that we may obtain Grace and Life Eternal Now this he manifested in his Doctrine in the Course of his Life and by the Light of the Spirit freeing them from all Prejudices contracted by their own Darkness or the obscure Doctrine that was then taught in the Church 1. Observe Christ's faithfulness to his own Charge He opened all the Mysteries of God's Name that is of the true Religion to them We that are Ministers and you that are Masters of Families should learn of him It is our Duty to teach the Flock committed to our Charge Acts 20.20 I kept back nothing that was profitable to you teaching you publickly and from House to House We are to draw out all the Truths necessary to Salvation It is not enough that Ministers live honestly and unblameably that they are hospitable and kind but they must teach the People to read God's Name If you hire a Man to prune the Vineyard and he diggeth in the Field to fight in the Battel and he watcheth the Stuff it is not the Work you set him about So to you that are Masters of Families the Apostles were Christ's own Family God expecteth it from you Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Do not disappoint the Lord he reckoneth upon it your Family should be a little Flock a little Church Families are the Fountains of Church and Common-wealth Oh how sweet will it be when we come to die if we could say as Christ we concerning our Flock you concerning your Families I have manifested thy Name to them that thou gavest me out of the World thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy Word 2. Observe The earnest desire Christ had to glorify his Father by living teaching dying thy Name thy Word Oh that we would learn of our Lord to glorify our Father which is in Heaven to be contented to do any thing to be any thing so we might be to the glory of God! 3. Observe The Excellency of the Doctrine of the Gospel It s Certainty its Clearness 1. It s Certainty It is not a Doctrine forged in the Brain of Men but brought out of the Bosom of God into the Breasts of the Apostles and from them conveyed to us In this word you have the Father's Heart Christ told it the Apostles I have manifested thy Name to them c. Christ is the Original Author Heb. 1.2 In these last Times he hath spoken to us by his Son The Son of God is the first Man in the Roll of the New-Testament Prophets the first was not an Angel but God's own Son the Messenger of the Covenant the Apostle of our Confession Though Christ doth not speak to us immediately in Person yet he spake to us by the Apostles they have their Light from Christ. Therefore he that readeth the Word should seem to hear Christ speak This was that which he whispered to the Apostles in secret 2. The Clearness of the Scriptures Christ knew all the Councils of God and he hath manifested his Name to the Apostles There is a Light shining if we see it not it is a sign we are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them What an Advantage have we above the Gentiles and above the Jews 1. Above the Gentiles The Doctrine of the Essence and Will of God cannot be known by the Light of Nature Somewhat of his Glory shineth in the Creatures Rom. 1.20 For the invisible Things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead Some Characters there are in Conscience though horribly defaced but alas the furthest reach of Nature cometh short of Salvation Nature is blind as well as lame in things supernatural there are some few remains of Light to keep the Law of Nature alive in the Soul for the advantage of Civil Society and Moral Business When Nature putteth on the Spectacles of Art still she is blind There are many Inventions to polish Reason to sharpen Discourse there is Logick for Language Rhetorick for Government and Equity Laws for Health Physick for Manners Ethicks for Societies of Men Politicks for Families Oeconomicks but for Worship Nothing their piercing Wits were there blunt Man is naturally wise for every thing but to maintain a respect between him and God They knew there was a God and that this God ought to be worshipped but what he was and how he should be worshipped they knew not their Knowledg was rather a Mist than a Light His Works told them that
very first Fruits of the Spirit and he gives it as a Pledg of more Grace to follow That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them In the whole Verse Christ sheweth what he had done what he would do and with what Aim His End was two-fold to make way for Application of God's Love and his own Presence as a Vital Principle in their Hearts God's Love and Union with Himself I shall speak now of the first Whence Observe That one great End why God's Name is manifested in the Gospel is that his Love may be in us I. I shall inquire What it is to have his Love in us I shall give you several Observations upon the Phrase 1. Observe That the Love c. He doth not say that they may have Pardon Sanctification or Grace or Comfort in them but Love in them Obs. God's Love in Christ is the ground of all other Favours and Graces whatsoever The Spring of all is Love and the Conveyance is by Union which containeth two Truths 1. That all the Goodness that is in us cometh from the Love of God in Christ. We are loved into Holiness loved into Pardon loved into Grace Isa. 38.17 Thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the Pit of Corruption or thou hast loved me from the Pit He loved his Church and sanctified it Ephes. 5.25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word Rev. 1.5 To him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood Our Holiness is not the Cause of Love but the Fruit and Effect of it There can be no other Reason for any thing we receive So 2 Thess. 2.16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father who hath loved us and hath given us everlasting Consolation and good Hope through Grace c. There was no other cause there could be no other cause not necessity of Nature moral Rule or any former Merit and Kindness Not necessity of Nature God hath always the same Love Not bound by any external Law and Rule Who can prescribe to him Not by any Merit or Debt because of the Eternity of his Love antecedent to all Acts of the Creature There should be no other Reason for the Honour and Majesty of God and our Comfort 2. That we have not only the Blessings and Benefits but the Love it self 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of Love is this that the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! not shewed us but bestowed upon us We have Blessings from his Heart as well as his Hand by his Blessings in us his Love is in us we may gather thence that we are beloved of God and no Benefit is to be valued unless God's Love be in it What good will the possession of all things do us if we have not God himself The Love is more to be valued than the Gift whatever it be God giveth this Love to none but special Friends he giveth his outward Love to Enemies He accepteth not our Duties unless our Hearts be in them and our Love be in them so we should not be satisfied till we can see Love in the Blessings that we receive from God that they come from his Heart as well as his Hand There are Chastisements in Love and Blessings given in Anger salted with a Curse 2. Observe That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them He had before said Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me now let this Love be in them The Love of God is sometimes said to be in Christ sometimes in us Sometimes in Christ Rom. 8.39 Nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Sometimes in us 1 John 4.9 In this was manifested the Love of Christ towards us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him We are the Objects and Christ is the Ground To make it sure it is in Christ and to make it sweet and comfortable it is in us God doth not love us in our selves out of Christ there would be no ground and reason for his Love but in Christ and there is an eternal Cause and Reason why he should love us 3. Observe There is a Love of God towards us and a Love of God in us So Zanchy citing this Text. His Love erga nos towards us is from all Eternity his Love in nobis in us is in time These differ there was a Love of God towards us so he loved us in Christ before the Foundation of the World tho we knew it not felt it not But now this Love beginneth to be in us when we receive the Effects of it and God breaketh open the Sealed Fountain 1 John 4.16 And we have known and believed the Love that God hath to us And therefore it must be distinguished God's Love from Everlasting was in Purpose and Decree not actual Rom. 9.11 That the purpose of God according to Election might stand So Ephes. 1.11 Being predestinated according to the purpose of him that worketh all things after the Counsel of his Will We are loved from Eternity but not justified from Eternity Certainly the Elect are in a different condition before and after Calling 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Secret Things belong to God but revealed Things to us Whatever Thoughts God hath towards us yet we know it not till his Love be in us We are to judg of our Estates according to the Law It is true God is resolved not to prosecute his right against a Sinner that is Elect but he is not actually acquitted from the Sentence of the Law till he actually believeth We are not qualified to receive a legal discharge from the condemnation of the Law till we be actually in Christ Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus And whatever God's Purposes may be towards us we cannot but look upon our selves as under a Sentence of Condemnation and Children of Wrath Eph. 2.3 that is the misery of our present Estate Before we know God as a Father in Chris◠the Love of God is towards us but not in us 4. Observe again God's Love is in us two ways in the Effects and in the Sense and Feeling These must be also distinguished for God's Love may be in us in regard of the Effects when it is not in us in regard of Sense and Feeling It is in us in the Effects of it at Conversion as soon as we begin to live in Christ. Where Christ liveth and dwelleth in us by Faith the
is Love in them It is the common Error of the World to be led with false Evidences Many think God loveth them because he spareth them and followeth them with long-suffering and patience and maketh them thrive in the World and blesseth them with the increase and fatness of an outward Portion Ay but Love and Hatred cannot be known by the things that are without us it must be something within us must discover it Eccles. 9.2 All things come alike to all Some are fatted to Destruction and condemned to worldly Felicity God will give them enough Jer. 17.13 All that forsake thee shall be ashamed and they that depart from me shall be written in the Earth because they have forsaken the Lord the Fountain of Living Waters Worldly Happiness may be God's Curse they shall be written in the Earth they shall have Happiness here that have none hereafter On the other hand there are some whose Names are written in Heaven and tho they have little of outward Comforts yet that is matter of Joy Luke 9.20 Rather rejoice because your Names are written in Heaven We must have a better Evidence than things without us before we can see our Names in those eternal Records and be assured that God loves us When God only gives things without you it is a sign you are only hired Servants You have your Reward and are satisfied and when you die your best Days are at an end there is no Inheritance kept for you as Abraham gave Ishmael and the rest of the Sons of the Concubines Gifts and Portions but he reserved the Inheritance for Isaac This is so far from an Evidence of Love that it is rather a sign of Hatred if your Hearts are herewith satisfied Nay as it excludes and cuts off all outward things so it cuts off all outward Profession as Baptism and Hearing of the Word For where the Heart is not washed Baptism is but the Monument of your unfaithfulness and breach of Vows And so for Hearing of the Word it is but like Vriah's Letters he thought they contained Matter of Preferment but when opened they contained Matter of Danger for he was to be set in the Fore-front of the Battel to be destroyed So when you think to come to God with these pleasing Excuses it is Matter of Condemnation because you have heard so much and profited nothing Here is no Evidence without you of the Love of God 2. Things within are excluded There are some Moral Inclinations meer Instincts of Nature which God hath left in Men out of his common bounty and pity to Humane Society Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the Things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Which shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts These Moral Inclinations by which we avoid gross Sins are not an Evidence of God's Love Again there are Gifts for the use of the Body Hypocrites may have a great share in them Achitophel and Saul had excellent Gifts but this is not an Evidence of God's Love How did God love Christ Herein was a great Evidence of God's Love to Christ he loved him and gave the Spirit to him without measure John 3.33 34. So we know his Love by his Spirit that he hath given to us to witness our Justification and to work our Sanctification The Gift of the Spirit we may know by his Witness and by his Work 1. His Witness Hast thou a full Testimony of thy Adoption Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God It is such a certainty as ariseth from Gospel-Grounds working Joy and Peace stirring up to Thankfulness and Love to God which you have in God's way by praying reading hearing meditating I confess there is something lower that may be called the Witness of the Spirit There are Expressions and Impressions Have you not some secret Impressions of Confidence and Liberty in Prayer and Resolutions to wait upon God Doth he not stir you up to cry Abba Father put you upon often calling upon God and waiting upon God There is something in your Heart that carries you to God These Impressions are a kind of Witness and Testimony of the Spirit tho you have not those actual Testimonies of God's Favour 2. His Work Have you the Work of the Spirit what is that The Work of the Spirit is to sanctify and cleanse Ephes. 5.25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it It is the greatest sign of God's Anger and Wrath that can be to live and die under the Power of Sin not to be sanctified not to be cleansed not to be washed from Sin And therefore are you sanctified cleansed and washed Rev. 1.5 To him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his Blood Is there any care of Obedience stirred up in your Hearts The Spirit will cause us to grow in Obedience John 14.23 If a Man love me he will keep my Words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 3. There is one thing more in the Expression that the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and that is If God love thee thou canst not but love him again 1 John 4.16 For we have known and believed the Love that God hath to us God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him If thou lovest God his People his Ordinances and delightest in Communion with him his Love is in thee These are the Fruits and Effects of it Vse 3. To press us to labour after the Sense of his Love We should go to Heaven as comfortably and as richly as we can not only creep thither but labour after an abundant Entrance 2 Pet. 1.12 Tho it is not always our Sin to want it yet it is our Duty to strive after this Sense of God's Love in us The Sense of God's Love it is the Flame of Faith Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me It is the ground of our Love to him again 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us The more full and direct the Beams are cast upon any solid Body the stronger the Reflexion It is the Life of Joy that which inlargeth our Hearts in Thankfulness It is our Stay in Afflictions and our Strength in Duties especially in Prayer How can we call God Father unless in Custom and Hypocrisy except we have some sense of our Adoption Therefore labour after the Sense of his Love that it may be in you SERMON XLV JOHN XVII 26 And I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it that the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may
instruments of Righteousness unto God Secondly Among other the means required by God there are these two things to be considered Fear of Falling and the Danger of Backsliding 1. Fear of Falling Heb. 4.1 Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of us should seem to come short of it 1 Pet. 1.17 Pass the time of your sojourning here with fear Phil. 2.12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Fear is careful and solicitous what Fear is this a Fear of Caution 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Of Reverence Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me 2. The Danger of Backsliding is often represented to Believers to increase their caution as Christ said to his own Disciples Joh. 15.6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned The danger of Apostasie is represented to them to confirm their standing or laid before them to make them afraid of defection So Heb. 10.26 27. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries 3. The Promise and Exhortation go together that we may carry an even hand between Despair and Presumption Compare vers 12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof with the Text Sin shall not have dominion over you we must not presume because of the filthiness of our hearts and the number of the snares that are still before us we must not despond because of the unchangeableness of Gods Covenant-love Let us improve the Grace we have received that we may continue in it The Act is ours but the Help is Gods To sin upon a confidence that we are sure to persevere is to cease persevering and to fall away because we are sure not to fall away which is a contradiction Vse of Information It informeth us 1. No Doctrine is so sound but a corrupt heart will abuse it therefore as much as in us lies we must prevent these mis-interpretations 2. How prone sinful men are to take all occasions to indulge liberty to sin being naturally bent to Licentiousness they pervert Christs holy Doctrine to this end 3. With what abhorrence we should entertain any thing that lessens the necessity of the Creatures subjection to God or doth befriend sin or inticeth you to make light of Obedience yea though this should be done with the most glorious pretences of Grace it is but Poison ministred by a Perfume 4. What caution and watchfulness we should use over our own thoughts and inferences Every one draweth one Conclusion or other from the Gospel What use do you make of it Many that will not say so that we should sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace are apt to think and do so And since it is natural to us we should be provided of a remedy 1. Let every Sacred Truth be digested into holy Love and Practice Love 2 Cor. 8.1 2. Knowledge puffeth up but charity edifyeth And if any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know Practice 1 Joh. 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him When Truth is turned into Love it is turned into a new Nature and deeds discover the reality of our opinions more than words 2. Let no mystical Truth be set up to avoid Gods unquestionable natural Right to govern his Creature or to infringe the Rights of the Godhead as to set up Christ against the Moral Law as if that were abrogated and if no Law no Transgression no Sin no Duty no Judgment no Punishment no Reward 3. Do not set up Christ against Christ Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Do not set up his Merits against his Law he is Saviour but to those that obey him SERMON XVII ROM VI. 16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness IN this Verse the Apostle proveth that it is unreasonable and absurd to conclude That we may sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace Why Because it destroyeth the state to which we pretend for men cannot be under Grace that serve sin He proveth it by a general Maxim evident by the common Reason of Mankind Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are c. So that in the words we may observe two things 1. A general Maxim evident by the Light of Nature 2. The Application of it to the matter in hand 1. The general Maxim That whatsoever or whomsoever a man voluntarily obeyeth he maketh it or him his proper Lord and Master There take notice of the evidence of it Know ye not q. d. you may easily know this by the common course of affairs of the World Here four things are evident First That omnis servus est alicujus Domini servus that every Servant hath some particular Lord and Master Secondly That the interest of this particular Lord and Master is grounded upon some special Title Thirdly This Title as matters are carried in the World is either voluntary Contract or Consent or plain Conquest getting another into his Power By voluntary Contract one is a Servant that bargaineth with another to serve him either wholly that selleth himself as a Slave or in part for such services and ministeries the one is Servus a Bondman or a Slave the other is Famulus an Attendant or Apprentice not absolutely but for such a time and for such ends By Conquest 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise themselves liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage Fourthly Where a Master hath such a legal Title every Servant is bound to obey his Master Aristotle maketh it the property of a Servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to live not as himself listeth but as his Master pleaseth All these things are plain and obvious to every mans understanding 2. The matter of it there are two things observable 1. Yielding our selves to obey 2. Actual Obedience 1. Consent To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are as a man contracts with another to serve him 2. The Act His servants ye are to whom ye obey whether there hath been a formal Contract yea or no. He that actually obeyeth another is to be accounted his Servant and becometh his Servant The first Notion
the spirit he is regenerate or a new Creature if his heart be set to seek serve please and glorifie God and doth prefer Christ before all the world Phil. 3.8 Then he hath not only a spirit contrary to the flesh and the world but a spirit prevailing above the flesh and the world 1 Cor. 2.12 for we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit of God Then the Government of the Soul is in the hands of Grace 6. The prevalency of the principle is known not only by the bent and habit of our wills but our setled course of Life By our walk for 't is said in the Text They that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit A man is not known by an act or two but by the tenor of his life those that make corrupt inclination their ordinary guide and rule and the satisfaction thereof their common trade they are carnal and in the flesh and so cannot please God Rom. 8.5 but those whose Business it is to serve please and glorifie God and their end to enjoy him and by whom this is diligently and uniformly pursued they walk after the spirit because they live in the spirit they walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 I come to apply this Discourse The first Use is Information 1. That Condemnation yet remaineth upon all those that are out of Christ for that promise there is no condemnation hath an exception limiting it to those that are in Christ. Carnal men think God will not deal so severely as to condemn them but there is no comfort hence to them the Scripture propoundeth Priviledges with their â—ecessary limitations and restrictions where sin remaineth in its power and strength the Law condemneth men Conscience convinceth them and God will condemn them also So the Brutes are more happy than they who follow their pleasure without remorse and offend not the Law of their Creation as they do and when they die death puts an end to their pains and pleasures at once but those that walk after their lusts are but Christians in name certainly they are not made partakers of the spirit of Christ for if they did live in the spirit they would walk in the spirit and none but such can escape Condemnation they that walk after the flesh are without God and without Christ but every one will shift this off from himself but the works of the flesh are manifest Gal. 5.19 Many men visibly declare that they walk not after the spirit by their Drunkenness Adultery Wrath Strife Malice Envy Others more closely live only to satisfie a fleshly mind now whether openly or closely if they cannot make out their living after the spirit they walk after the flesh 2. It informeth us That we can never have solid peace till justification and sanctification be joyned together Justification Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace wiih God Mat. 9.2 Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee so for sanctification 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world Still there are fears of damnation while sin is in us but when it is our honest purpose to please God and we strive against sin and do in a good measure overcome it our Consciences may be the better and the sooner setled The next Use is for Exhortation To quicken us to seek after this Priviledg Do you fear Damnation or do you not if not what grounds of Comfort have you What course have you taken to escape it If you do fear it why do you not flee from wrath to come Mat. 3.7 Why do you not run for refuge Heb. 6.18 You cannot be speedy and earnest enough in a matter of such concernment Again This calls to those that are in Christ to be sensible of their priviledg so that they may bless God for it Gratitude is the life and soul of our Religion and 't is a cold and dull thanksgiving only to give thanks for temporal Mercies it cometh more heartily from us when we bless God for spiritual mercies Psal. 103.1 2 3. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases It also calls to all such to be tender of their peace Every Sin doth not put you into a state of Condemnation again but every known wilful sin puts us to get a new extract of our pardon 1 John 2.1 2. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sins By sin your Title is made questionable and your claim made doubtful repenting and forsaking sin is necessary when we have been foiled by sin that we may have a new grant of a pardon SERMON II. ROM VIII 2 For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death THAT these words are brought as a proof of the former assertion is clear from the causal particle For but whether they are a proof of the Priviledg or Qualification is usually disputed I think of both as when they are explained will appear Therefore I shall first open the wâ—â—ds and then suit the proof to the foregoing assertion In opening the words observe 1. Here is Law opposed to Law 2. By the one we are freed from the other 1. There is a perfect opposition of the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus to the Law of Sin and Death here is Law against Law and the Spirit against Sin and Life against Death Now what are these two Laws I think they may be explained by that of the Apostle Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then it is excluded by what law of works nay but by the law of faith What is there called the law of works and the law of faith is here called the law of the spirit of life and the law of sin and death in short by these two laws is meant the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace 1. The Covenant of Grace is called the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus a Law it is for it hath all the requisites of a Law a precept and a sanction They err certainly That tell us the Gospel is no Law for if there were no Law there would be no Governour and no Government no Duty no Sin no Judgment no Punishment nor Reward but of that more by and by 2. A Law of the Spirit it is Not only because of its spiritual nature as it cometh nearer and closer to the Soul than the Law of outward and beggarly rudiments and therefore Christ called the Ordinances of the Gospel Spirit and Truth John 4.24 Spirit in opposition to the
them and if others do injuries to us to forgive them as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us The second Operation which the Holy Ghost produceth in us is righteousness or justice in all our dealings giving every one his due honour whom tribute and praise to whom praise belongeth not borrowing without a mind or ability to pay which is but a specious robbery and 't is a shame so many Christians are guilty of it I am sure 't is contrary to the Spirit of God for when God hath done so much to manifest his justice to the world all that have the Spirit of God should be very righteous far from Oppression Fraud or Detention of what is another mans The Third Thing is Truth or Fidelity whereby we carry our selves sincerely and free from Hypocrisie and Dissimulation or lying cozenage and deceit God is a God of Truth and the Holiness be worketh in us is true holiness the Apostle groundeth his Exhortation upon that Wherefore put away lying Eph. 4.24 25. and speak truth every man to his neighbour 'T is a sin inconsistent with sincerity more than any other Well then this is the Gospel-spirit now the Holy Ghost doth not only plant these graces in us at first but doth continually increase them and assist us in the exercise of them he doth plant them in us at first Faith is his gift and 't is he doth change our hearts and kindle an holy love in us to God and raiseth the heart to the hope of Salvation 1 Pet. 1.9 begotten to a lively hope This is his first work for men must be good before their actions can be good then he doth increase Grace making all outward means effectual to this end and purpose this is called the supply of the spirit of Christ Jesus Phil. 1.19 meaning thereby a further addition of grace wrought in us by the spirit whereby we grow and advance in the way to Heaven These Impressions are weak in us at first but they are increased by the same Author or Agent in the use of the same means Lastly he doth assist us in the exercise of the same grace still working in us what is pleasing in the sight of God Heb. 13.21 he concurreth to every action and we do not only live in the spirit but walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 all along we are quickned by his influence Let us in the next place consider from whom we receive it 't is said here the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus it belongeth to Christ to give the spirit 1. He is the head ef the renewed state Christ was filled with the spirit to this end to be the head or quickning spirit to his Mystical Body 1 Cor. 15.45 The first Adam was made a living soul the second a quickening spirit not only as he giveth us the life of glory but the life of Grace also so Eph. 1.22 23. he is head over all things to the church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all He is an Head not only to govern and defend the Church but to give them spiritual life and motion as the Head doth to the members for he filleth all with grace all believers are supplied from this fountain and continually supplied till they be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.17 18 19. That is with all the Grace he meaneth to impart to us Well then the spirit is given by Christ John 4.14 Whoso drinketh of the water that I shall give shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life 'T is a living Conduit John 7.38 39. 2. 'T is his law that is written upon our hearts by the spirit The new Covenant is made with sinners in Christ Heb. 8.8 9 10. Behold the days come saith the Lord I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my covenant for this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts Now he that taught us the Christian Faith and Religion doth impress it upon us by his spirit we find a power more than can be from the words alone in the effects on our selves This cometh from Christ whose Law it is but it is immediately wrought by the spirit 3. Christ promised it therefore Christ giveth it John 15.26 The comforter shall come whom I will send you from the father by vertue of his Merit and Intercession Christ from the Father sendeth forth the all-conquering spirit to subdue the world to himself he promised aforehand to send down this sanctifying spirit into mens souls to do this work upon them 4. He giveth it on his own conditions that is to say of Faith John 7.37 38. if any man thirst let him come to me and drink he that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water but this he spake of the spirit which they that believe in him should receive And repentance Acts 2.38 Then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Now these are the conditions of the new covenant which Christ brought out of the Bosom of God 3. By what law By the Gospel this is the law of the spirit of Christ there is some little of the spirit given by the light of nature to help men to read the book of the creatures Rom. 1.19 God shewed it them they might see somewhat of God in the creatures his Wisdom Power and Goodness and God excited their minds to behold it and did dart in some light into their consciences There was more of the spirit given by the legal Covenant they might see much more of the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God in his Statutes and Laws than Heathens could in the book of Nature but generally it wrought unto bondage the free spirit was but sparingly dispensed and to some few choice servants of God but these were but as a few drops of grace the great Flood of grace was poured out by the Gospel The Apostle puts the Galatians to the Question by what Doctrine they received the spirit Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you received you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith He appealeth to their conscience and experience what kind of Doctrine conveyed the spirit to them the preaching of the Law or the preaching of the Gospel and this is meant not only of the Spirit that wrought Miracles but the sanctifying spirit he speaketh of both ver 5. He therefore that ministreth to you the spirit and worketh miracles among
passed upon us by the law and acquitted and discharged from the guilt of sin and being justified by faith are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Tit. 3.7 That I will not speak of now because before in the first Verse I now proceed to open unto you the last Thing at first propounded which was 3. The manner of getting our liberty There are three words in the Text Law Spirit and Christ Jesus Let us begin with the last Christ procureth this liberty for us by the merit of his death and intercession The Law or Gospel offereth this liberty to us and the Spirit first applieth it and sealeth it to the Conscience 1. Christ procureth and purchaseth this liberty for us both from the damning power of the Law and the slavery of corruption We were Captives shut up under Sin and Death and he paid our ransom and so obtained for us remission of sins and the sanctification of the spirit remission of Sins Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption by his blood the remission of sins That 's one part of our recovery highly necessary for guilty Creatures how else can we stand before the Tribunal of God or look him in the face with any confidence but his redemption did not only reach this but the sanctification of the spirit also Therefore 't is said 1 Pet. 1.18 Ye are not redeemed with corruptible things but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Thus Christ doth what belongeth to him and none can share with him in this honour 't is his merit that is at the bottom of the Covenant and procured for us both the favour and image of God that we might love him and be beloved by him 2. There is a Law or New Covenant which offereth this grace to us The law of nature concludeth men under Sin and pronounceth Death upon them Christ hath set up a new remedial Law of Grace by which we are called to submit to Christ and thankfully to accept of his merciful preparations even the great benefits of pardon and life The Gospel or New Covenant doth its part First There is Grace published or offered to us Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he hath anointed me to preach deliverance to the captives 'T is not enough that our ransom be paid but the offer must be made or else how shall it be laid hold upon by faith and received with thankfulness and with a due sense of the benefit Now the Gospel sheweth liberty may be had upon sweet and commodious and easie terms 2. The terms are stated in the Covenant That we give up our selves to the Lord by Christ and be governed and ruled by the conduct of his Word and Spirit Gal. 3.2 Received ye the spirit by the works of the law or the hearing of faith And 2 Tim. 2.25 26. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will The Covenant is not left to our humours and fancies to model and bring it down to our liking no nor are only the benefits offered but terms stated Isa. 56.4 That chuse the things that please me and take hold of my covenant When he hath stated his terms 't is too late for man to interpose his Vote or to imagine to bring down Christianity to a lower rate for we must not new model it but take hold of it as God hath left it Be in Christ and walk after his Spirit 3. This liberty is assured and established by the Covenant the Conscience of sin and the fears of condemnation are not easily done away and we are so wedded to our lusts that the power of reigning sin is not easily broken therefore we had need of a sure firm Covenant to ratifie these Priviledges to us because our fears are justified by a former Law made by God himself therefore God would not deal with us by naked Promise but put his Grace into a Covenant-form that we may have as good to shew for our Salvation as we had for our Condemnation yea and more And God hath added his Oath That the consolation of the heirs of promise might be more strong Heb. 6.18 And it being a latter grant former transactions cannot disannul it so that the Covenant doth its part also to free beâ—ievers from the power of Sin and the fears of Condemnation 4. The Spirit applieth this grace both as to the effects and the sense as to the effects he applieth it in effectual calling as this quickning spirit doth regenerate us and convert us to God and break the power and tyranny of Sin the wages whereof is Death the Gospel is the means but the blessing is from the Spirit John 8.32 Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free that is ye shall know it savingly so as to feel the power and efficacy of it To be set free to know love serve and delight in God is that liberty that we have by the free Spirit Psal. 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit 2. The spirit sealeth it as to the sense when we come to discern our freedom by the effects of it in our own souls Eph. 1.13 After ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise And in the fruit of Christs purchase Gal. 4.4 5 6. But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father The Spirits seal is Gods impress upon our Souls left there not to make us known to God for he knoweth who are his from all eternity but for the increase of our joy and comfort not by guess but some kind of certainty 1 John 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in God and God dwelleth in us by his spirit that he hath given us by the Spirit dwelling and working in us we know our interest this is not so absolutely necessary as the former to our safety but very comfortable There is a Spirit that attendeth the Law reviving fears in men and a sense of Gods Wrath and there is a Spirit attending the Gospel inclining us to come to God as a Father Rom. 8.15 The one is called the spirit of bondage the other the spirit of Adoption Now because the law is so natural to us we the more need this liberty Vse 1. Since there is a Liberty by Christ and that wrought in us by the Spirit but dispensed by the Gospel let us seek it in this way Therefore consider 1. Your need since every man is under the power of Sin naturally and so under a sentence
they speak evil of them 1 Pet. 4.4 and despitefully use them 1 John 3.12 as Cain hated Abel 4. As they are under different assisting powers so they are under a distinct covenant the carnal are under the covenant of Works the Duty of which is to them impossible and the Penalty intollerable They are under the condemning power of the Law Rom. 8.6 to be carnally minded is death It maketh them liable to the Death threatned in the first Covenant But on the contrary they that are under the blessed conduct of God's holy Spirit and obey the Dictates of the New Nature begun in them are under a Covenant of Grace where their sincere obedience shall be accepted and their failings pardoned Gal. 5.18 If ye be led by the spirit ye are not under the law They are still under the Law as a Rule of obedience but they are not under the Curse and Rigor of the Law The Law in its rigor pronounceth Death on every failing so they are not under the Law but being in some measure enabled to do what the Law requires they are pardoned in what they fall short 5. These two Covenants issue themselves into two places or eternal states Heaven and Hell To the carnal the Scripture denounceth God's eternal wrath to the spiritual God's favour and life eternal The Scripture is plain and positive with us Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting All Mankind after they have acted their parts in this World and God cometh to shift the Stage go into one of these two places Well then here is our first step That the whole World is comprised in one of these two ranks there is no neutral or middle state either they are guided by the flesh as all men are in their unregeneracy and if they continue so in a constant slavery to their Lusts their end shall be everlasting perdition or else they are guided by the spirit and obey the motions of Grace and make it their business and main imployment to please God and enjoy communion with God and their end shall be eternal life It is a question you should often and seriously put to your souls Shall I be saved or shall I be damned If you have any sense and spark of Conscience left you when you are sick and dying you will then put it with great trembling and anxiousness of heart Poor Soul whither am I now a going It is better put it now when you have opportunity to correct your error if hitherto you have gone wrong Every man would know his own destiny what shall become of him or what is in the Womb of Futurity concerning the state of his affairs as the King of Babylon stood in the heads of the way to make Divination Now no Destiny deserves so much to be known as this If the question were Shall I be rich or poor happy or miserable in the World it were not of such great moment for these distinctions do not out-live time but cease at the Grave's mouth But this question is of greater moment than so whether I shall be eternally miserable or eternally happy it is foolish curiosity to enquire into other things They are not of such importance that we should know them before hand but it concerneth us much to know whether we be in a damnable or salvable condition if we be in a damnable condition to know it whilst we have time to remedy it if we are heirs of salvation the assurance of our interest will preoccupate our blessedness and will be a great encouragement to us in the way of holiness for the present Now nothing will sooner decide this great question than the business we have in hand whether we be after the flesh or after the spirit for between these two Heaven and Hell is divided These two divide both the present World and the World to come I thought good to premise this that you may consider the weight of the case in hand II. Doct. That these two sorts of men have two different Objects the things of the spirit and the things of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one suit with the one and the other with the other 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of the flesh Let us first know what is meant by flesh and then we shall better understand what are the things of the flesh By the flesh is not meant the mass and substance of our fleshly bodies or the outward part in which our soul is seated and by which it performeth its Functions and Operations but the vitiosity and corruption of humane Nature inclining and addicting it self to the interests of the bodily life There are the inclinations of the flesh and the interests of the flesh the inclinations of the flesh are the evil lustings of corrupt Nature and the interests of the flesh are the things that feed this corruption or gratifie these evil inclinations the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text. Now these are of Two sorts 1. Things apparently evil as all vices and sins Gal. 5.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like Tho the inward root from whence these things flow be hidden yet these effects are apparent rank Weeds that smell strong in Nature's Nostrils These are not all but he concludeth it with a such like but instanceth in these as the most known and most commonly practised as the Commandments forbid the grosser sin in the kind Some serve the flesh in a more cleanly manner and mark in the things enumerated some belong to the blind and corrupt Will as Idolatry and Heresie some to the depraved Will as Witchcraft and Hatred some to the Affections both of the irascible Faculty as Emulation Wrath Strife some to the concupiscible as Vncleanness Revellings some to the sensual Appetite as Adultery and Drunkenness He instanceth not only in the grosser evils as Adultery but Wantonness or any unseemly behaviour that tendeth to excite the Lust of filthiness in our selves or others not only in Witchcraft but Hatred or Malice which is a temptation to it not only in Murder but Wrath and Strife not only in Drunkenness but Revelling riotous Feasts and Meetings There is a difference between sins but the least is to be avoided if we would shun the greater 2. Things good in their own Nature but immoderately affected as all the comforts and appurtenances of the bodily life which are used as baits of corruption as worldly profits honours and pleasures some that immediately tend to the pleasing of the flesh as bodily pleasures
a lawful and necessary Fear which doth quicken us to our Duty Phil. 2.12 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling and is either the fear of Reverence or the fear of Caution The fear of Reverence is nothing but that awe which we as Creatures are to have of the Divine Majesty or an humble sense of the condition place and duty of a Creature towards its Creator The fear of Caution is a due sense of the importance and weight of the business we are ingaged in in order to our salvation Certainly none can consider the danger we are to escape and the blessedness we aim at but will see a need to be serious and therefore this fear is good and holy Secondly There is besides this a slavish fear which doth not further but extreamly hinder our Work For tho we are to fear God yet we are not to be afraid of God This servile fear may be interpreted either with respect to the Precept or the Sanction of the Law First with respect to the Precept and so it sheweth us how men stand naturally affected to the duty of the Law Whatever they do is meerly for fear of being punished Secondly to the Sanction Penalty and Curse The fear of evil is more powerful upon us than the hope of good The greater the evil the greater the fear and the more tormenting Doct. That men under the Law-Covenant are under a Spirit of Bondage Here I shall enquire 1. What is the Spirit of Bondage 2. How is it the fruit of the law-Law-Covenant 3. Whether it is good or bad 1. What is the Spirit of Bondage To open it we must explain Three Things The Nature of the Object 2. The Work of the Spirit 3. The Disposition of man 1. The Nature of the Object The Law requiring Duty of the fal'n creature and threatning punishment in case of disobedience For the Law hath a Twofold Office to convince of sin Rom. 3.20 Now by the Law only cometh the knowledg of sin and to bind over to punishment Therefore 't is said The law worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 In both respects the Old Covenant is called the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 The Law as a covenant of Works is called a Law of sin because it only sheweth our sin and a Law of death because it bindeth us over to death 2. The Work of the Spirit Every Truth is quickned by the Spirit and made more powerful upon our hearts The comfort which we have from the Truth of the Gospel is by the Spirit and therefore 't is called Joy in the Holy Ghost So Law-Truths are applied to the conscience by the Spirit Jer. 31.19 After I was instructed I smote upon the thigh and when the commandment came that is in the light and power of the Spirit sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 That is was made sensible of his sinful and lost condition And indeed the usual Work wherewith the Spirit beginneth with men is to shew them their sin and misery their alienation from God and enmity to him and insufficiency to help themselves 3. The disposition of man which is corrupted under the workings of the Spirit of Bondage And so this Spirit of Bondage or servile Fear worketh several ways according to the Temper of men First in the prophane it giveth occasion of further sinning as conscience being awakened by the Spirit urgeth either the Precept or the Curse the Precept as a Bullock at first yoking groweth more unruly or a River swelleth when it meeteth with a dam and restraint Rom. 7.5 For when we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Sinful practices were more irritated by the prohibition and so our obligation to death increased or else by urging the Curse which produceth the sottish despair Jer. 18.12 And they said there is no hope we will walk after our devices There is a double despair of pleasing or being accepted There is a lazy sottish despair as well as raging and tormenting despair by which men cast off all care of the Souls welfare There is no hope Secondly in a middle sort of men that have a legal conscience it puts them upon some duty and course of service to God But 't is not done comfortably nor upon any noble motives That which is defective in it is this First 't is constrained service This Bondage which is a fruit of the Law doth force and compel men to some unpleasing Task A Christian serveth God out of love but one under the Spirit of Bondage serveth God out of fear A love to God and true holiness prevaileth with the one more than the fear of wrath and punishment for the Spirit of Adoption disposeth and inclineth him to God as a Father but one under the Spirit of Bondage is forced to submit to some kind of religiousness for fear of being damned Indeed both are constrained the one by love the other by fear 2 Cor. 5.14 only the constraint of love is durable and kindly and sweet the other his Task is grievous and wearisome Mal. 1.11 and holdeth most in a fit when danger is nigh they are frighted into some devotion Psal. 78. from 34 to 38. Secondly That service which they are forced and compelled to yield to God is outward service and obedience Isa. 58.7 hanging the head for a day like a Bulrush and as they do Micah 6.7 offer Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousands of Rivers of Oyl or the first born of their body for the sin of their souls 'T is a Sin-Offering rather than a Thank-Offering more to appease conscience than to please God consists in Rituals rather than Substantials and those invented by men rather than commanded by God Whereas the true Christian is otherwise described Phil. 3.3 For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the fiesh But the false Christian is one Matth. 15.8 that draweth nigh to God with the mouth but their heart is far from him their heart is averse from God tho they must have an outward Religion to rest in and so they serve God not as children do a father but as slaves serve an hard and cruel master Thirdly In some the Lord may make use of it to bring on conversion for according to our sense of sin and misery so is a Saviour and Redeemer welcome to us and prized by us There must be a sensible awakening knowledg of our great necessity before we will make use of Christ for our Cure and Remedy None but the sick will care for the Physitian Matth. 9.12 the burdened for ease Matth. 11.28 29. the pursued for a Sanctuary and Refuge Heb. 6.18 None but the condemned to be justified and acquitted Rom. 8.33 34. the lost and miserable to be saved Luke 19.10 2. How is it the fruit of the law covenant The law covenant is double either the covenant of nature which
concerned both Jew and Gentile or the first administration of the covenant of Grace made with the Jews only First the covenant of nature which we are all under naturally breedeth Bondage and shyness of God we are sensible that we are his creatures and so owe him duty and subjection that we have fail'd in our duty to him and therefore lye obnoxious to his wrath and punishment Heathens that had but some obscure notions of God felt somewhat of this Bondage Rom. 1.32 They knew the judgment of God and that they which commit such things are worthy of death They stood in dread of angry justice and not only they but all mankind are under it Rom. 2.15 according to that natural sense which men have of religion so is their Bondage more or less still under fear of death and the consequents thereof This sense or conscience of sin and wrath which the breach of Gods law hath made our due is so ingrained in the nature of man that he cannot disposess himself of it The Apostle compareth it to the bond of marriage which is indissoluble till one of the parties die Rom. 7.1 2 3. The conscience of man is either married to the law as its husband or Christ as its husband not to the latter till it be dead to the former v. 4. Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye might be marrid to another even to him that was raised from the dead Well then this Bondage is the effect of the law or covenant of Nature impressed upon the heart of man and ariseth from a consciousness of guilt and obnoxiousness to Gods wrath and displeasure because of Gods broken covenant Secondly The first administration of the covenant of grace That bred a spirit of Bondage witness that allegory Gal. 4.22 to 26. Abrahams two Wives did represent the two Covenants the first and second administration of the Covenant of grace The first gendred to Bondage men of a servile spirit doing what they did not out of love but slavish fear 2 Cor. 3.9 But if the ministration of death written and ingraven in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away for if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousness excel in glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Gospel was dark and had little efficacy to change the heart of man it did little allay and vanquish this shyness of God rather increased it as it conduced to revive the knowledg of God in their minds and held forth the ransom and way of appeasing Gods angry justice obscurely and darkly rather shewed our distance from God Israel was Gods first-born and so his heir but an heir in non-age Gal. 4.1 2. Their ordinances was a Bond ours an Aquittance but what is this to us Answer Much every way 1. That we may bless God for the greater advantages that we have to breed a Child-like spirit in us by the new Covenant where the Lord who is offended by sin is propitiated by the death of Christ and willing to admit man into his presence and bless him that God as a Judge driveth us by the spirit of Bondage to Christ as Mediator that Christ as Mediator by the spirit of adoption may bring us back again to God as a Father and then having God for our Father we may have Christ for our Advocate and the Spirit for our Comforter and Sanctifier to inable us to observe the Gospel precepts of repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and so be made capable of the promises of pardon and life one covenant maketh us sensible of the grace of the other Christ dealeth with us as children of the family requiring duty from us upon reasonable and comfortable terms 2. Because those that live under the Gospel-dispensation and have not received the power of it may be yet under a spirit of bondage and cherish a legal way of religion In every one that entertaineth thoughts of Religion Law and Gospel are at conflict in his heart as well as flesh and corruption this is clear by Gal. 5.17 18. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would but if ye be led by the spirit ye are not under the law as spirit and flesh do lust against and constantly oppose one another and labour to suppress and diminish each other so do Law and Grace those that are slaves to their sinful lusts and are not inabled by the spirit of the new Testament to do in some measure what the rule injoyneth have their comforts obstructed and while sin reigneth the law reigneth Rom. 6.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but grace Partly by its iritating power and Partly by its condemning power leaving them under a fear of condemnation and urging them to do what they cannot do 3. The Children of God by regeneration and adoption while sin remaineth may have somewhat of bondage remaining in them Look as under the Old Testment when the ingenuous and noble motives of the Gospel were in a great measure unknown there was somewhat of a free spirit in the Eminent Saints Psal. 51.12 though but sparingly dispenced so under the Gospel dispensation there are many sad and drooping Christians who do not improve the comforts provided for them and when they are called upon to rejoyce in the Lord always Phil. 4.4 rather go mourning all the day long but 't is their fault The people under the law dispensation were either the Godly or the wicked or the middle sort the eminently Godly then had a free spirit the wicked were either terrified or stupified the middle sort who were touching the righteousness of the law blameless Phil. 3.6 had a zeal for outward observances but not according to knowledg Rom. 10.2 were meerly acted by a legal spirit so under the Gospel there are the eminently Godly who evermore rejoyce 1 Thes. 5.16 or at least are swayed more with love than fear the weak Godly who have much of their ancient fears and the love of God in them is yet too weak to produce its effect though this love to God do prevail over sin yet not ordinarily over fear of punishment but much of that influences their duties more than their love to God There is too great aversness in their hearts from God and Holiness and they seek to break it by the terrors of the Lord. Not sin but fear is predominant Thirdly Is this spirit of Bondage good or bad I answer 1. We must distinguish of the three Agents in it This Bondage cometh partly from a good cause the spirit of God breeding in us a knowledg of our Duty and a
Belief of the threatnings of God from whence ariseth a sense of our sinful and miserable condition so far 't is good and useful Partly from an ill cause the Devil who delighteth to vex us with unreasonable terrors 1 Sam. 16.14 The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord vexed him The Devil both tempteth and troubleth as the Huntsman hideth himself till the poor Beast be gotten into the toile then he appeareth with shouts and cryes Partly from the corruption of mans heart which either turneth this work to an utter aversation from God or some perfunctory and unwilling way of serving him some know the right use of the Covenant others not and therefore we must consider not only how 't is wrought by the spirit but how 't is entertained by man through our corruption our conviction of sin and misery by the spirit turneth into Bondage and servitude 2. The spirit of bondage is better than a profane spirit Some cast off all thoughts of God and the World to come and are not so serious and mindful of religion as to be much troubled with any fears about their eternal condition it were happy for them if they were come so far as a spirit of Bondage they that are under it have a conscience of their duty but such as perplexeth them and lasheth and stingeth them with the dread and horror of that God whom they serve Now this is better than the prophane spirit that wholly forgets God Psa. 10.4 God is not in all their thoughts whether he be pleased or displeased honoured or dishonoured this may tend to good the gradus ad rem gradus in re Yea it may in some degree be consistent with sincerity for though to have no love to God is inconsistent with a state of grace or to have less love to God than sin yet to have more fear than love is consistent with some weak degree of grace especially if the case be so that love is less felt in act than fear and therefore though men are conscious to much backwardness yet keep up a seriousness though to their feeling 't is more fear than love which moveth them yet we dare not pronounce them graceless for there may be a love to God and a complacency in his ways though it be oppressed by fear that the spirit of adoption is not so much discovered for the time 3. That 't is an ill frame of spirit to be cherished or rested in For while men are under the sole and predominant influence of it they are never converted to God fear doth begin the work of conversion but love maketh it sincere the spirit by fear doth awaken men to make them see their condition terrifying them by the belief of Gods threatning and the sense of his indignation that they may flee from wrath to come Matth. 3.7 Or cry out What shall I do to be saved Acts 2.37 But yet tho they have a sensible work they have not a saving work Some by these fears are but troubled and restrained a little and so settle again in their sensual course but to their great loss for God may never give them like advantages again Others betake themselves to a kind of religiousness and forsake the practice of those grosser sins which breed their fears and so resting here continue in a state of hypocrisie and self-deceiving religiousness 1. USE is Information and Instruction to teach us how to carry it as to the spirit of Bondage First 't is not to be slighted partly from the matter which breedeth the fear and bondage which is the law of God the supreme rule and reason of our duty by which all debates of conscience are to be decided partly from the Author this sense of sin and misery is stirred up in us and made more active by the Operation of the Spirit of God partly from the faculty wherein 't is seated the conscience of a reasonable creature the most lively and sensible power of mans soul which cannot be pacified but upon solid grounds and reasons partly from the effect the fear of eternal death the greatest misery that can befall us for surely 't is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Heb. 10.31 To smother and stifle checks of conscience doth increase our misery not remove it and produceth hardness of heart and contempt of God therefore when our souls are at this pass that we see we are in bondage to sin and know not how to help it in bondage to wrath and know not how to quench these fears which are awakened in us by the spirit surely we should look after solid satisfaction and peace of soul setled on us upon Gospel Terms Run to the blood of sprinkling Heb. 10.20 2. Yet 't is not a thing to be chosen prayed for or rested in Partly because 't is a judiciary Impression a spark of Hell kindled in the conscience a tender conscience we may and must pray for but not a stormy conscience when we ask legal terrors we know not what we ask a belief of the threatnings belong to our duty as well as a belief of the promises but we must not so reflect upon terrors as to exclude the comfort and hope of the Gospel when under a spirit of Bondage we are in a most servile condition far from all solid comfort courage and boldness but is it not an help to conversion Answer Let God take his own way we are not to look after the deepness of the wound but the soundness of the cure not terrible representations of sin and wrath but such an anxiousness as will make us serious and solicitous partly because the law-Law-Covenant is an antiquated dispensation the law of nature bindeth not as a Covenant for the promise of life ceased upon the incapacity of the subjects when under a natural impossibility of keeping it the threatning and penalty lieth upon us indeed till we flee to another court and covenant The Jewish Covenant was abolished when Christ repealed the Law of Moses that Covenant dealt with us as servants the Gospel dealeth with us as sons in a more ingenuous way and inviting us to God upon nobler motives and partly from the nature of that fear that doth accompany it it driveth us from God not to God Gen. 3.5 Adam hid himself among the bushes and he gives us this reason because he was afraid and still we all fly from a condemning God but to a pardoning God we are incouraged to come nigh Psal. 103.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared In the wicked the fear of Gods Wrath once begun it increaseth daily till it come to the desperate fear of the damned and the fault is not in the law or in the spirit but in man who runneth from his own happiness and maketh an ill use of Gods Warnings 2. USE is to put us upon tryal and self-reflection All that attend upon Ordinances receive some spirit
door to God Page 250 Our example Page 301 And encouragement Page 302 How we may be like him Page 303 In seven directions he was delivered for us and how Page 325 Given for and given to us how differ Page 328 Christs love to his what Page 374 375 Christians of two kinds Page 19 100 Few like Christ Page 302 Have in them a principle and power opposite to flesh Page 76 Their life should convince the world Page 78 Indeed who Page 79 All such have the spirit Page 80 Different sorts of Christians Page ib. True Christianity what Page 109 They are warned to take heed of foulest sins Page 127 Are by the spirit exactly made like Christ and wherein Page 149 Children of God shall be manifested Page 128 Might live safe above enemies Page 320 And how Page 320 321 Are compleatly provided for Page 326 Church finally conquers Page 371 Condemnation what Page 2 Freedom from it Page 340 It is either by law of Works or Grace Page 2 The word of God the rule of it Page 2 When final and eternal Page 2 Fears of it hardly rid Page 34 Deserved by sin Original and Actual Page 3 Sin Conversion Page 3 Dreaded by Conscience Page 3 How we exempted Page 3 Out of Christ under Condemnation Page 7 Conformity to Christ in afflictions in holiness in glory Page 299 Corruption of man Page 106 Crucifixion a painful and shameful death Page 137 Conquerors and more Christians Page 366 How and who Page 367 Conscience Page 3 22 65 171 Checks for sin urges to duty Page 3 139 Presignifies Gods Iudgments Page 3 Is a rule Page 171 Not to be slighted Tho from spirit of Bondage Page 157 343 Not to be slighted When from spirit of Adoption Page 171 Presupposeth a God and a Law Page 171 Conviction smother'd tend to Atheism Page 78 Where Conviction begins Page 111 115 Conversation good wherein Page 16 Conversion what Page 5 6 God doth all at first yet we must do and what Page 115 'T is a mighty Work Page 135 Covenants two Page 40 Of nature brings us under fears Page 155 Covenant of Grace a Law of the spirit and why Page 9 10 11 Hath all requisites of a Law Page 11 Is Christs Law Page 17 Giveth liberty Page 20 Set up a remedy for us Page 24 Creatures as such subjects of God Page 35 36 Their state shall be renewed and how probably Page 192 D DEath and sin go together Page 21 89 How many kinds of Death and what each is Page 58 It is a punishment Page 89 A mark of Gods Displeasure Page 89 The Destruction of sin in Believers Page 89 To them a means to enter into glory Page 89 90 Comfortable onely to the holy Page 91 92 Death of Saints differs from Death of sinners and how Page 97 What is Death to sinners Page 108 Very fit Eternal Death be the punishment of sin Page 108 Debtors to the spirit Page 99 100 Christians are so Page ib. One Debt to God is indissoluble Page 101 Increased by Redemption Page 102 104 Decrees vid. Election Purpose Deliverance from Bondage of sin and Death very great priviledge Page 23 But begun now full at last Page 96 Dependence on God binds us to please him Page 68 Subjects us to God Page 102 Desires of Rest prove there is rest to be had Page 220 Desires of Hope strong Page 242 Destiny worthy to be known Page 40 41 117 Deadness to duty whence Page 131 Difficulties whet Christian hopes Page 238 Discouragements in obedience injurious to Christ and us Page 38 Lessen our Comforts Page 246 Sinners not Discouraged in sin Saints should not be in duty Page 247 Discourse with our selves Page 55 Disorder in mans mind Page 20 How great and whence Page 116 Dispair twofold and what each is Page 154 Displeasure of God seen most in his internal Government Page 85 Dissent too weak is too much consent to sin Page 52 Distress what Page 351 And why Page 341 Divel Flesh and World set out their best first Christ sets out his worst first his last is best Page 143 Divine works equally the works of Father Son and holy Ghost Page 94 In way proper to each Page ib. Do and Suffer ere we come to Heaven Page 241 Do as you can in Duty tho you cannot as you would Page 254 Dominion of the spirit Page 74 82 Of our Creator Page 100 Of Property and of Iurisdiction Page 100 In God is Universal Page 101 Dominion of God over all Page 316 Dominion of Man over the Creatures was by gift Page 195 Doubts of Eternity lye at bottom of our backwardness to good Page 143 Drooping Christians wanting to themselves Page 156 Die to sin and live to holiness mutually help each other Page 139 We must to live Page 242 Duty tho small yet must in their season be done Page 361 Dying men usually inquire whither going Page 40 117 To Believers is Christs pulling down their Cottage to build them a Palace on his own Charges Page 360 E EArnest of our Inheritance what how long continues Page 96 Earnestness of desire with hope Page 234 Earth and Heavens new Page 188 End of things best measure of them Page 143 269 Effectual Calling what Page 289 And its properties Page ib. Of meer love of God to us Page 290 Wrought by Almighty power Page 291 The particulars of it Page 291 Ends and aims of men different and they are as is their End Page 107 Election of particular persons to Life Page 293 Of meer grace unchangeable Page 293 Agreeable to the honor of God Page 294 And unsearchable in the methods of love to the Elect Page 294 295 Hence they are made to differ from others Page 295 296 By their conformity to Christ Page 299 In what this is Page ib. Shall be Called Iustified c. Page 304 Obligeth us to Duty and gratitude Page 309 Election and the effects are of grace in excellent order and connexion Page 308 This should affect our hearts and in what particulars Page 309 Endeavours must be continued to success Page 49 Eenemies of our Salvation agree in making us Rebels against God Page 64 Cannot hurt us while God is for us Page 314 315 316 Are in chains of Providence Page 321 Enquiry which dying men make Page 40 117 Episcopius fountain of new Theologie Page 5 Estates two in which all end Page 40 Which is ours we may know by the Scriptures Page 172 Esteem of God and things of God discover what we are Page 44 Eternity compar'd with time may set all right Page 182 Eternal Life what Page 59 Eternal death what Page 59 Exaltation of Christ our justification Page 348 Exhortation more necessary than tryal for weak Christians Page 47 Excommunicated by men received by God Page 186 Expiation of sin previous of our being heirs of God Page 179 Events are to be left to God Page 273 Evidence of true Christianity Page 82 83 84 330 Qualities of
upbraid them This is your eating of raw Fruit Experience maketh them feel the smart of it Secondly There is the Sense of their present Pain Here when we are corrected we are sensless like Stocks and Stones but there must needs be feeling because there is nothing to mitigate their torment no carnal Comforts wherein to steep Conscience no carnal Companions that can be a Comfort to us The more we look upon them the more we see our own sorrow by reflection There is nothing left but Indignation and Impatience and gnawing their Tongues because of their Anguish Their discontent is part of their torment Thirdly For the future their Condition is hopeless If there could be Hope in Hell the Punishment would be the better borne but there remaineth nothing but a fearful looking for of the fiery Indignation of God Heb. 10.27 And 't is a living God who liveth for ever and ever that is their Enemy Oh! who can think of it without Astonishment When they have run through thousands of Years they still expect more 'T is tedious to think of a short fit of Pain of the Stone or Gout but that is for ever They endure all at once by thinking of what is to come II. There is the Fire or an active Sense of the Wrath of God Consider the Greatness of it in these Circumstances 1. God hath an Immediate hand in the Sufferings of the Wicked Heb. 10.33 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God The Wicked fall immediately into his hands the Quarrel is his own therefore he will take revenge by his immediate Power No Creature is strong enough to convey all his wrath as a Bucket cannot contain an Ocean Mans Anger is like himself weak and finite but Gods is infinite Psal. 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thine Anger Surely we do not consider what it is to fall into Gods hands 2. God sets himself a-work to see what he can doe and what a Creature can bear The Capacity of the Creature is enlarged to the utmost Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his Power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction His Justice decreeth it his Wisdom designeth it and his Power executeth it He falleth upon us as an Enemy to the utmost with one hand he upholdeth the Creature and with the other punisheth it Here he sheweth what a Creature can do when armed by him hereafter what he can do himself Psal. 78.39 For he remembred they were but flesh he did not stirre up all his Wrath. It doth not break out in its full weight and force 3. Consider some Instances of Gods Wrath When his Anger is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him Psal. 2.12 In Corrective Discipline when Gods Children fall into any Disease the Burnings of a Feavour the gripes of the Chollick the torment of the Stone they cannot endure two or three dayes pain how wilt thou dwell with devouring Burnings These are nothing to the sharp Punishments of Hell on the Body Poor Creatures are at their Wits-end when but a Spark or Flash of this Fire lighteth into the Conscience Judas hanged himself Job cursed the day of his Birth yet this is but a drop these come from Hell they have been in the Suburbs of it Dives wished that Lazarus might but dip the tip of his Finger in water to cool his Tongue these are Warnings they can tell you what a dreadfull thing it is The Lord Christ who was the Son of God perfect in Faith and Patience he wanted no Courage he was under no Despair in the midst of his Agonies yet he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh! what will become of them whose Portion it is Thus for the Nature Secondly The Duration Everlasting Fire The Pains of Hell are Eternal 1. The Moral Reasons of it are 1. Partly because our Obligations to God are infinite in a way of Love God hath done as much as he could We turn the back upon Eternal Happiness which was offered in the Gospel They can never restore the Honour to God which they have deprived him of therefore their Punishment is for evermore the Justice of God can never be satisfied by a finite Creature Believers do it in Christ but the Wicked are in their final Estate 2. They still remain Impenitent the Damned are not changed in Hell Melted Mettal groweth hard again the bad Thief that had one foot in Hell dieth blaspheming their Judgments are changed but not their Hearts If one should come from the dead he might speak to you of Eternity and that in Hell they suffer Eternal punishments 2. The Natural Reasons are 1. The Fire continueth for ever Heb. 10.33 The Breath of the Lord still keepeth the Flame burning the Fuel continueth for ever and Wicked men continue for ever they consume not but are Immortal in Body and Soul Oh think of this there is no End no Intermission No End the Fire on Sodom lasted but a day but when the Wicked have lain in Hell a thousand years 't is but as the first day When a Man is sick he tumbleth and tosseth and telleth the Hours of the Night and wisheth it were Day We are wont to think a Sermon long a Prayer long what will Hell be Conscience will ever be talking to thee repeating over the Story of thy Life and putting thee in Remembrance of the Wrath of God that endureth for ever And 2. 'T is without Intermission Revel 20.10 They shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Not a drop to cool their Tongues Here Sin is everlasting all day it runneth in the Mind and all night it playeth in the Fancy Wicked men begin the Morning with it and end the Day with it Man is ever haunted with his own Horrours and the Wrath of God inflicted upon him Thirdly The next Aggravation is 't is prepared for the Devil and his Angels for them principally and others to bear them company Sathan and all that are seduced by him are tormented together There is a Principality among the Devils one that was chief and Ringleader in the Rebellion against God he and his Angels and then Wicked men make up the Company in that Region of Darkness 'T was a sad Judgment on Nebuchadnezzar when he was turned out among the Beasts but the Cursed of the Lord are turned out among Devils If a Man knew a House were haunted he would not lie in it for a Night You must keep Company with Sathan and his Angels for evermore The Saints enjoy God and have the Company of good Angels but you must dwell with Devils If the Devil should appear to thee in some terrible Shape would not thy Heart fail thee Thou canst not look upon any in Hell but thou must remember Enemies to thy Soul as well as to God 1. VSE This should make us consider the
The sufficiency of this Knowledg For understanding of this you must know that all Breviats where Religion is reduced to a few Heads must be inlarged according to the just extent of the Rule of Faith As in the Commandments where all moral Duties are reduced to ten words so in the Summaries of the Gospel far more is intended than is expressed As for instance There are two things in the Text the Means and the Object The Means know the Object Thee and Jesus Christ. 1. The Means Know It implieth Acknowledgment Faith Fear Reverence Love Worship and the glorifying God in our Conversations For it is easy to prove out of Scripture the necessary concurrence of all these things in their Order and Place For if I know God to be the only true God I must fear reverence and obey him or else I do not glorify him as God as it is said of the Heathens Rom. 1.21 When they knew God they glorified him not as God It is not a naked sight of his Essence that will save a Man I must know him for a practical End to chuse him and carry my self to him as an Allsufficient Portion I must honour him as the Giver of all things revere and worship him as the just Governor of the World and live purely as he is pure and worship him in a way suitable to the Infiniteness Perfectness and Simplicity of his Nature A Man is not saved by holding a right Opinion of God A Man may be a Christian in Opinion and a Pagan in Life So if I know Jesus Christ to be sent of God as Mediator I am to close with him receive him as such by an active Faith Acts 4.12 There is no Salvation in any other not only by no other but in him it noteth Union and close Adherence and not only that I should be of this Opinion As when a Man is ready to perish in the Floods it is not enough to see Land but he must reach it stand upon it if he would be safe so we must get into the Ark many saw it and scoffed but all others were drowned in that general Wrack that were not in it There was no security for the Man-slayer till he got into the City of Refuge Phil. 3.9 That I may be found in him It is not enough to cry Lord Lord to have a naked Opinion or general and loose Desires 2. For the Object To know thee the only true God There are many Articles comprized that are necessary to Salvation as that God is but one Deut. 6.4 Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord. One in three Persons 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. This God is a Spirit John 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth He is Holy Just Infinite the Creator of all things that he upholdeth all things in his Eternal Decree raising some to Glory leaving others by their Sins to come to Judgment Rom. 9.22 23. What if God willing to shew his Wrath and to make his Power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath futed to destruction and that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory All these Articles concerning God So concerning Christ that he is the Second Person incarnate anointed to be a Saviour to convince the World of Sin of Righteousness of Judgment John 16.8 Of Man's misery by Nature Redemption by Christ necessity of Holiness as a Foundation of Glory All the Articles of the practical Catechism It is a pestilent Opinion to think that every Man may be saved if he do in the general acknowledg Christ. It is said Acts 2.21 Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved not on the Lord but on the Name of the Lord by the Name of the Lord is meant all that which shall be revealed to us of the Lord Jesus in the Scriptures The meaning is whosoever doth receive acknowledg and worship Christ according to what the Scriptures do reveal and testify of him shall be saved Many think the differences of Christendom vain and this general Faith enough but if a general Acknowledgment were enough why hath God revealed so many things and given us such an ample Rule if with safety to Salvation we may be ignorant whether he were true God and true Man whether he redeemed us by Satisfaction or justified us by Works yea or no They seem to tax the Scriptures of Redundances and the Apostles of rash Zeal for disputing with such earnestness for the Faith of the Saints as Paul against Justitiaries James against the Antinomists and Libertines if a general Profession of Christ was enough So they tax the Martyrs of Folly that would shed their Blood for less-concerning Articles So all be resolved into Christ Men think it is enough we need not inquire into the manner of the Application of his Righteousness the Efficacy and Merit of his Passion as if it were enough to hold a few Generals and the more implicit our Faith the better Whereas the Lord would have us to abound in Knowledg and if we persist in any particular Error against Light or do not search it out our Case is dangerous if not damnable I shall not take upon me to determine what Articles are absolutely necessary to Salvation it will be hard to define and we know not by what rule to proceed In the general it is exceeding dangerous to lessen the Misery of Man's Nature the Merit and Satisfaction of Christ or the care of good Works these are contrary to that Doctrine which the Spirit teacheth and urgeth in the Church John 16.8 When he is come he will convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment All that can be certain is that those Opinions which are irreconcilable with the Covenant of Grace or do overturn the Pillar upon which it standeth are irreconcilable with Salvation Vse 1. To confute them that say that every Man shall be saved in his own Religion if he be devout therein Turks Jews Heathens and among Christians Papists Socinians c. You see this is Life Eternal this and nothing else no Religion but that which teacheth rightly to believe in Christ is a way of Salvation There is no Salvation but by Christ. 1 Cor. 3.11 For other Foundation can no Man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Acts 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved There is no Salvation by Christ but by Faith and Knowledg they cannot have benefit by him as some say if they live only according to the Law and Light of Nature Heb. 11.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God And here it is said This is Life Eternal
he was Wise Powerful and Good but they were unhappy in their determination of his Worship they sat a brood and proved but Fools They professed themselves to be Wise but became Fools Rom. 1.22 While they intended him Honour they carved to him the greatest contempt whilst they would express him in the Image of the Creatures they dishonoured him Natural Light is but small in it self and Corruption maketh it less They knew nothing of the misery of Man and the Remedy by Christ our Fall in Adam Original Sin and the Work of Redemption were Mysteries to them they could not dream of these things when they were revealed they counted them Foolishness They spoke of Vertue as a moral Perfection of Vice as a stain of Nature but nothing of Righteousness and Sin as relative to the Covenant of God God used the Heathen as Instruments to put Nature to the highest extent How may we pity them that they could go no further and admire God's Mercy to us that we being weaker than they in natural Gifts are yet stronger in Grace that a Boy out of a Catechism should know more than they Their Misery was great in abusing the Light of Nature our Misery will be greater and Damnation double if we abuse the Light of Nature and Grace 2. Above the Jewes whom God acquainted with his Statutes above all other Nations They knew little of the Name of God in comparison of what we know Therefore Moses desires to know God's Name Exod. 3.13 And it is said Judges 13.18 Why askest thou after my Name seeing it is secret The Divine Glory was hidden and under a Vail In those Appearances of Christ little was known in respect of what was known at his Incarnation It is spoken in reference to the present Dispensation Some notice they had of this Mystery God acquainted them with his Name by degrees as Exod. 6.3 I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the Name of God Almighty but by my Name IEHOVAH was I not known to them God had made himself known by other Names to the Fathers by the Name of God Almighty the Name IEHOVAH that should be an Appellation among his gathered People giving a Being to his People and making good his Promises Afterwards I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jacob as more relating to the Covenant Afterwards Jer. 23.5 6. I will raise up to David a Righteous Branch this is the Name whereby he shall be called THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESS Then God will be known by his Grace justifying his People and accepting them for Christ's sake But in the New Testament all is open and clear he is called the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes. 1.5 Then God the Father and the Mediator were clearly made known Alas the Jewish Church knew little of the Doctrine of the Trinity the Distinction of the Persons the Quality of the Mediator the Way of Salvation What they knew was obscured and the Doctrine of the Messiah horribly depraved Vse Let us bless God for the Word and take heed unto it as to a Light shining in a dark Place What would be our Condition if we had not the Scriptures among us We should be no better than Salvages in the Wilderness or as the Body without the Soul the Earth without the Sun God might immediately have revealed himself to Man he that made the Heart can instamp it with the Knowledg of his Will But he would state his Doctrine into a setled Course that we might not coin Oracles to our selves or obtrude Fancies on others We have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as to a Light that shineth in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 He knoweth to what Liberty we incline in preaching Divine Things No more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those divers Ways and Manners wherewith God spake in times past to our Fathers by the Prophets Heb. 1.1 After the closing of a perfect Canon there needed nothing but ordinary Revelation This is sufficient to Salvation if there were no Book else if the World were full of Books and this only were wanting there were no certain way nor Rule to Heaven Here is God's Heart discovered to us and our Hearts to our selves it is a ray of the Face of God in Christ. John 1.18 No Man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son of God that lay in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him Satan hath been ever maligning this Light that he might more securely domineer in the World Christ undertook he would declare God's Name to his Brethren and here he hath done it O let it it come with Divine Authority upon your Hearts in all the Precepts Promises Threatnings of it that you may come to a nearer sight of God and your selves 4. Observe The Necessity of a Divine Light before we can understand the Things of God I have manifested thy Name c. 1. There must not only be an outward sure Rule of Doctrine but an inward Light We can have no savory Apprehensions of the Things of God till Christ himself become our Teacher the Son of God must always be the Interpreter of his Father's Will He is the Word that speaketh to the Heart All Men by Nature are ignorant of the Name of God without any saving-Knowledg Ephes. 5.8 Ye were sometimes Darkness not only in the Dark but Darkness it self but now ye are Light in the Lord that is enlightned by his Spirit This is proper to the Elect those who are given to him The Church is Christ's open School the Scriptures our Book the Ministers are the Ushers and Christ is the inward Teacher Some are only taught by the Ministers others are taken aside and taught by Christ himself in private His Publick Lectures are read to all Hearers but the Elect are taught of God John 6.68 Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the Words of Eternal Life Others may hear the Word but they perish in their own blindness and unbelief Some play the Truants in Christ's School they will not hear they pass Judgment on themselves Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed The whole City was met to hear but none believe but the Elect and the Apostle doth not say As many as believed were ordained to Eternal Life but as many as were ordained believed It is not given to all Matth. 13.11 It is given to you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given All the Difference is in the Will of God so that the Scholars in this kind are the Called according to his Purpose Christ's teaching is of no larger extent than his Father's Election Some School-masters besides their common Care do teach such Children a-part as they love most they take them and point with the Finger So doth Christ manifest himself to those that are
have finished the work that thou gavest me to do The greatest work that ever could be done if you respect the importance of it The creating of a thousand Worlds would not bring in such a Revenue to Heaven as this one work of Redemption Or the difficulty of it the Son of God to be made Flesh Sin a Curse States most abhorrent from the Felicity of the Divine Nature Or his willingness to undertake it Lo I come to do thy Will He longed to be at it tho he had infinite complacency in the Bosom of the Father yet as soon as God had made an habitable World Prov. 8.30 31. There I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoicing always before him Rejoicing in the habitable part of his Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men. He longed for that time when he might leave the company of Angels and dwell among us and feasted himself with the thoughts of his own Grace And with so much faithfulness I not only finished the Work but glorified thee all he did was for his Father's Glory This could Christ plead as the ground of his Requests he hath paid for all that he asketh not only made satisfaction for Sin but given a price for Glory He cannot out-ask his own Merit his Blood speaketh if Christ should hold his peace Heb. 12.24 And to the Blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel ' s. As clamorous as Abel's Blood for Vengeance It doth not speak against us tho we have made him to serve with our Iniquities but speaks the more for us to pacify his Wrath to pardon us and to do us good 3. The Sublimity of his Office It is an Authoritative Act. God hath always refused such Mediation as is not authorized by himself When Moses interposed for the Children of Israel said God Exod. 32.10 Let me alone that my Wrath may wax bot against them Because he would reserve this honour for him who alone hath this Office under the Broad Seal of Heaven So it is very notable that Christ refused all Mediation to him in the days of his Flesh. As of his Apostles Mat. 15.23 His Disciples came and besought him saying Send her away for she crieth after us c. But Christ would shew that he was sollicitous enough for the welfare of Sinners he needed no Intercessors So his own Mother when she interposed for the Honour of the Wedding John 2.4 Woman saith he What have I to do with thee As if he had said Cannot I do it without your intermedling In these Answers Christ would shew that he would have Sinners come of themselves without any mediation of their Fellow-Creatures they being no authorized Mediators God alloweth no other Mediator of Redemption but Christ and Christ no other Mediator of Intercession but himself It is Sacriledg in the Papists to set up others none is worthy to appear before God but Christ and how unworthy soever we are Christ will have us to come to himself God hath set him up for this purpose and no Copartners are allowed As it was said to Vzziah 2 Chron. 26.18 It pertaineth not to thee to burn Incense but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn Incense Incense could be offered by no other but a Priest and our Prayers by none but by Christ. Heb. 7.28 The Law maketh Men Priests which have Infirmity but the Word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for ever-more Christ is consecrated by an Oath to abide ever-more in the Office which Oath is renewed and confirmed upon his return to Heaven Psal. 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck compared with Vers. 1. God will never repent of dispensing Grace in and through him to Sinners as long as Christ's Consecration lasteth none must meddle with his Office 4. The Articles of the Covenant or the Promise of being heard Therefore Christ speaketh with such Confidence John 11.42 I know that thou hearest me always and Psal. 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance c. There was a Covenant drawn up between God and Christ the Lord promised him as the Fruit of his Labours and Sufferings that he should obtain all manner of Grace for his People All these things shew us the Advantages of having such a Mediator and Intercessor Secondly The Nature of Christ's Intercession It is a part of his Priestly Office of which there were two Acts Oblation and Intercession Oblation was made once on the Altar of the Cross and Intercession is the continuation of his Sacrifice or the presenting it in Heaven It must be explained by Analogy to the Priests of the Law The Sacrifice was slain without the Camp and then the Priests were to enter with the Blood within the Vail into the Holy of Holies with sweet Incense and so to cause a Cloud to arise over the Mercy Seat But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this Building Neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy Place having obtained eternal Redemption for us Heb. 9.11 12. Jesus Christ having offered up himself upon the Cross where he was both Priest and Sacrifice he is gone within the Vail Not into the Holy Places made with Hands which are the Figures of the True but into Heaven it self now to appear before the Presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 It is not a vocal but a real Intercession Christ is gone into Heaven and there presents his Person both in our Nature and his own together with his Merits lifting up Desires which are as a Cloud of Incense before the Mercy-Seat for our Comfort and Salvation Rev. 8.3 And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a Golden Censer and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne The High Priest entred not for himself but for the People having the Names of the Twelve Tribes upon his Breast and Shoulders So Christ is entred on the behalf of us all bearing the particular Memorial of every Saint graven upon his Heart The High Priest staid within the Sanctuary for a short time and so came out to bless the People Christ entred within the Vail at his Ascension and we must wait till his coming out to bless us which will be at the Day of Judgment All this while he hath his Residence in Heaven and then he will open to us and give us entrance So that Christ's Intercession is A constant representation of his Merit for the pardon of our Sins and for our Acceptance together with strong Desires
the Sickness as being the chief of the kind Before I come to the Observations I must clear up the latter part of the Text Thy Word is Truth Why is this added I Answer Either by way of Explication or by way of Argument and Reason 1. By way of Explication Christ would pray intelligibly some might ask as Pilate did What is Truth John 18.38 Christ answereth Thy VVord is Truth The Word is the authentik and publick Record of the Church the Truth whereby we are sanctified is no where else to be found all pretended Truths are hereby to be examined 2. Or else by way of Argument and Reason why Christ would have them to be sanctified by the Truth that they might have a saving experience of the Power of it and so the better preach it to others then we know the Truth of the Word when it sanctifieth This premised I come to the Point Doctrine That God sanctifieth by his Truth I shall open the Point in these Propositions 1. God's way of working is by Light and in infusing Grace he beginneth with the Understanding He dealeth with Man as a rational Creature and therefore not only teacheth but draweth and sanctifieth the Heart by enlightning the Mind As the rising of the Sun doth not only dispel Darkness but Mists and Vapors so doth a saving Light not only dispel Ignorance but Lusts. This way is Spiritual Life begun Ephes. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the Dead and Christ shall give thee Light A Man would have thought the Apostle should rather have said and Christ shall give thee Life than give thee Light It is the Apostle's word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall shine upon thee rather than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall quicken thee But Light is enough the Power of Grace breaketh in upon the Soul by the Light of the Gospel As it is said of the Natural Life John 1.4 In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men. Reason and Understanding are the Fountain of Life to Men so is Spiritual Reason and Spiritual Understanding to the Soul If the Mind of a Man were once Spiritual inlightned and possessed of the Ways of God the Heart could not utterly reject them There is a notional Illumination that like a Winter-Sun shineth but warmeth not leaveth no comfort and profit upon the Heart But a Spiriâ—â—al Light is always effectual for tho the Will and the Judgment are distinct Facâ—lties and the Will is averse as the Understanding is blind yet God doth never soundly and throughly convince the Judgment but he moveth and inclineth the Will If we know things as we ought to know as the Truth is in Jesus Ephes. 4.21 the Heart must needs close with the Ways of God for the Will of Man is not brutish but reasonable and acteth reasonably Answerably â—o the discovery of Good or Ill in the Understanding there is a Prosecution or Aversation in the Will Therefore a through conviction of Judgment must be the ground of Grace in the Heart for God worketh in us not only by a powerful and real Efficacy but agreeably to an intelligent Nature by teaching perswading counselling nothing can be wrought in this moral way unless Light and Knowledg go before 2. It must be a true and not a false Light Truth sanctifieth and Error defileth Titus 1.1 According to the acknowledgment of the Truth that is after Godliness Right thoughts of God and his Ways preserve an awe in the Heart which both restraineth and reneweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom It is Truth that cleanseth the Heart Error leaveth a stain and defilement The Understanding and the Will are like the Head and Stomach a corrupt Heart blindeth the Mind and a blind Mind corrupts the Heart they mutually vitiate one another As in a ruinous House the upper Room being uncovered lets down the Rain to founder the Supporters â—â—low and the rottenness of the Supporters below weakeneth all above Erroneous Persons are generally represented in Scripture as vain and sensual Jude 8. These filthy Dreamers defile the Flesh First there is Dreaming and then Defilement Error maketh way for Looseness and a vain Mind for vile Affections Partly by God's just Judgment some Opinions seem to be remote and lie far enough from practice yet the Persons that profess them are generally loose Nay some Errors seem to encourage strictness as Doctrines concerning the Power of Nature and the Merit of good Actions but we find it is otherwise Duty is best pressed upon God's Terms Phil. 2.12 13. Wherefore my Beloved as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure By the Judgment of God such are of loosest Life God will have his Glory kept unstained Idolatry is expressed by Whoredom Bodily Uncleanness ends in Spiritual Hosea 4.12 13. My People ask counsel of their Stocks and their Staff declareth unto them for the Spirit of Whoredoms have caused them to err and they go a whoring from under their God They sacrifice upon the tops of the Mountains and burn Incense upon the Hills under Oaks and Poplars and Elms because the shadow thereof is good Therefore your Daughters shall commit Whoredoms and your Spouses shall commit Adultery So Rom. 1.23 24. They changed the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the Lusts of their own Hearts to dishonour their own Bodies between themselves Partly by a natural Efficacy the Spirit is embased by Error and all false Principles have a secret and pestilential influence on the Life and Practice We lose a sense and care of Piety if we have not a right apprehension of God's Essence and Will a frame of Truth keepeth an awe Therefore where there is so much Truth as to sanctify yet because it is mingled with Falshood there is no such reverence of God no such strictness Unbelief is the Mother of Sin Misbelief is the Nurse of it In Error there is a sinful confederacy between the rational and the sensual Part and so carnal Affections are gratified with carnal Doctrines 3. Every true Light will not serve the turn but it must be the Light of the Word God hath reserved this honour of sanctifying the Heart to the Doctrine of the Scriptures to evidence their Divine Original James 1.18 Of his own Will begaâ— he 〈◊〉 with the Word of Truth The great change that is wrought in the Heart of Man is by the Word a Moral Lecture may make a Man change his Life but the Word of God maketh a Man change his Heart as Xenocrates's Moral Lectures made Pollemo leave his vitious and sensual course of Life But Regeneration is only found in
the School of Christ He hath begotten us by the Word of Truth And the Ordinance of preaching the Word is consecrated to this purpose Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify them by the washing of Water through the Word There are other Occasional Helps but this is the Instituted Means God will work no other way in his ordinary and revealed course and will accept no other Obedience and Sanctification but by the Word Holiness or that Piety which is proper and genuine is wrought by a Divine Truth otherwise it is Superstition not Godliness Civility not Holiness of Conversation Tho Men have never so good an Inclination yet because they have not a Divine Revelation for their Warrant it is but a Bastard Religion Superstition or framing a strictness of our own accompanied with opposition against the Truth The Word and Spirit are in Conjunction Isa. 59.21 My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth c. These act in Conjunction and it is for the honour of the Scriptures that God hath annexed them 1 Thess. 5.19 20. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying Preaching of the Word and pouring out of the Spirit go together 4. Every part of the Truth worketh not but only the Gospel which is the Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law sheweth us our Spots and the Gospel cleanseth and washeth them away The Work of the Law is Preparation but that which hath a special and direct influence upon Sanctification is the Gospel John 15.3 Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you and that was the Gospel Privilege This pulleth in the Heart to God that we may be partakers of his Grace Moses brought them to the Borders but Joshua brought them into the Land of Canaan The Apostle appealeth to the Experience of Believers Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the VVorks of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Tho the Spirit may be received by the preaching of any part of Canonical Scripture yet most usually by the preaching of the Gospel The Lord would give us this sensible and authentick Proof of the Truth and Excellency of the Gospel that we receive the Spirit of Regeneration by it and not by the Law It is the Instrument by which God useth to confer the Spirit So 2 Pet. 1.4 To us are given exceeding great and precious Promises that by these we may be made partakers of the Divine Nature What part of the Word worketh the Heart to a conformity to God likeneth us in Holiness to God the great and precious Promises It is not by moral Strains nor by terrible Threatnings these have their use in their place but by the great and precious Promises as God was in the sâ—â—ll Voice 5. The Gospel worketh not unless it be accompanied with the Spirit There is a great deal of difference between seeing things in the Light of Reason and seeing things in the Light of the Spirit Truth represented in the Light of Reason begets but an humane Faith leaveth a weak impression and hath but a weak operation upon the Soul but things represented in the light of the Spirit â—â—â—keth quite otherwise there is not only a notional Irradiation but an experimental Feeling they see another manner of Beauty and Excellency in Christ a vanity in worldly Delights which they never saw before Running-water and Strong-water differ not in colour but in taste and virtue John 16.13 When he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all 〈◊〉 1 John 2.27 The Anointing which ye have received of him abidet◠〈◊〉 you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things Most Men content themselves with a superficial Belief they have but a hâ—â—ane knowledg of Divine Things and therefore their Souls are not carried out to Holiness Love Fear Trust Obedience they have a cold and naked apprehension liteâ—â—â— Knowledg is waâ—hy and weak it worketh not 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit 6. This must not only be represented in the Power and Demonstration of the Spirit but received and applied by Faith Sanctification is sometimes ascribed to the Gospel and sometimes to Faith which receiveth the Gospel Acts 15.9 Purifying their Hearts by Faith Our Hearts are purified by the Word of Truth 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing that â—e have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit Here they were purified by Faith The Word worketh not without an Act on our part as well as on God's The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it Heb. 4.2 As a Plaster worketh not till it be applied to the Sore Nay the Apostle's Word implieth more the Word must not only be applied to the Soul but mingled with the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in a Medicine the Ingredients must be mixed together to do good So if we have the Word we must have the Spirit and we must have Faith mix it altogether and then it worketh Faith receiveth the Word as a divine and infallible Truth and that begets an Awe In short Faith working to Sanctification apprehends the Love of God the Blood of Christ the Promises Precepts of the Word and by all these it is ever purging and working out Corruption By apprehending the Love of God Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither Circumcisionâ— availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but Faith that worketh by Love Shall I love that which God hateth O do not this abominable Thing that I hate Jer. 44.4 Faith representeth God pleading thus Is this thy Kindness to thy Friend Do I thus requite God for all his Kindness to me in Christ There is an Exasperation against Lusts. It maketh use of the Blood of Christ. 1 John 1.7 The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sins Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God That is an excellent Purger In outward Purging it is the Water and the Soap cleanseth but the Hand of the Laundress applieth it and rubbeth the Cloaths that are washed Faith apprehendeth the Blood of Christ to purge the Conscience it waiteth for the sanctifying Virtue of his Blood and the Grace purchased thereby So Faith maketh use of the Promises this giveth Faith encouragement to expect glorious Rewards Assistance is purchased and Acceptance is promised 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God Then Faith constantly maketh use of the Precepts and Counsels of the Word by which Sin is discovered and taxed When the Word is received by Faith there goeth a
himself that he offered as a Recompence to angry Justice Otherwise we might say Here is the Person sanctifying but where is the Sacrifice As Isaac said to his Father Gen. 22.7 Behold the Fire and the Wood but where is the Lamb for the Burnt Offering It is good to see in what Nature Christ was the Priest and in what Nature the Sacrifice in his Divine Nature the Priest for he offered himself through the Eternal Spirit to God Heb. 9.14 In his Humane Nature principally he was the Sacrifice for it is said Heb. 10.10 We are sanctified through the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all The Godhead could not be offered for who can offer himself or any other thing to himself And besides the thing sacrificed must be slain for it is Bloodshed which was given to God upon his Altar In this respect it is said by Christ John 6.51 The Bread which I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World And when he had instituted the Eucharist in memory of this great Sacrifice he mentioneth his Body broken and given and his Blood shed Yet because the Priest and the Sacrifice is one the value of this Sacrifice ariseth from the Divine Nature It is the Blood of God Acts 20.28 that is of the Person who was God Fourthly The Persons interested for their sakes 1. Negatively not for himself he needed it not he had no Sin to expiate nor Happiness to purchase anew The Scripture never speaks of Christ's doing any thing for his own sake but still of his Love to us His Incarnation was for us Isa. 9.6 To us a Child is born to us a Son is given His Obedience was for us Gal. 4.4 5. But when the fulness of Time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons His Death was for us Dan. 9.26 The Messias shall be cut off but not for himself Our Lord died not for himself but for his People Isa. 53.4 5. Surely he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and by his Stripes we are healed He was made nothing for himself but all things for us Christ's Merit for himself is an unworthy Doctrine Bellarmine saith Christus praeter eâ— bona quae suis laboribus peperit meruit etiam sibi corporis gloriam nominis exaltationem But if Christ were to merit for himself his Obedience was not voluntary but due and what could he merit which was not from his Conception due to him It is true Christ solaced his Humane Soul with the conâ—ideration of consequent Glory Heb. 12.2 For the Glory which was set before him he endured the Cross and despised the Shame and is set down at the right Hand of the Throne of God But we cannot thence infer a Merit A Prince disguised in a Foreign Country may solace himself with the Honour and Happiness he shall enjoy at home Phil. 2.9 Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore noteth a Consequent in order of Time Christ was first to suffer and then to enter into Glory Luke 24.26 If you say Christ as Man was bound to be subject as a reasonable Creature to God his Maker as the Son of Abraham he was comprehended in the Covenant made with that People I Answer 1. If his Humane Nature was bound to be subject yet not his Person Actiones sunt suppositorum The Humane Nature was taken into his Person and the Divine Nature could do more to free the Humane Nature than the Humane Nature to oblige the Person to Obedience Christ pleadeth his freedom as God's Son Mat. 17.26 If of Strangers then are the Children free 2. The Humane Nature as a Creature was to be subject to God and guided by him as being an Inferior but whether to a Law of God is justly doubted for the Law is given to meer Men for their weakness for the instruction of Good and restraint of Bad and therefore his being subject to the Law was voluntary and not necessary if it were necessary there could be no merit in it Luke 17.10 So likewise ye when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable Servants we have done that which was our Duty to do Again 3. Christ voluntarily brought himself into this condition meerly for our sakes as a Man that removeth his Dwelling into another Country for his Friends sake while he is in that Country he is bound by the Laws of it but meerly for his Friends sake Or as a Surety free before when he cometh into Bonds he must discharge the Debt but all is for his Friend's sake So Christ was made under the Law Gal. 4.4 He that makes himself a Servant to free his Friend is bound to Service yet his making himself a Servant is meritorious In short if Christ had done ought for himself he had been his own Redeemer Mediator and Saviour Christ came into the World sanctified his Nature lived and died for our sakes it is for our benefit and behoof to effect our Salvation His Humane Nature needed nothing but what might accrue to him by the Dignity of his Person 2. Positively for their sakes The Apostles are chiefly concerned in the Context who were sent into the World upon a peculiar Message and Errand but all the Elect are intended partly because it is presently added Vers. 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for all that shall believe in me through their Word partly because it is a common Benefit and what doth not concern the Apostles as Apostles but is common to them with others must be extended to all for their sakes he doth wholly consecrate himself and set himself apart for his Peoples Benefit that he might be theirs it was for their Weal not for his own that he might be their Mediator and Sacrifice Christ was wholly set apart for our use as Mediator he had no other Work and Employment but to procure our Salvation How doth this engage us to make use of Christ for otherwise his Undertaking is in vain if we do not improve him for those Ends and Purposes for which he doth set apart himself even as the Sun would shine in vain if we did shut up our selves in a dark place and did not enjoy the Light and Comfort of it and the Brazen Serpent would in vain be lifted up upon the Pearch and Pole if none that were stâ—â—â—g would look upon it Oh let not Christ be a Christ in vain 2 Cor. 6.1 We then as workers together with him beseech you that you receive not the Grace of God in vain If he wholly gave up himself to be a Fountain of Grace Holiness Comfort and Glory in our Nature and did fit
same Image from Glory to Glory That Glory which we lost in Adam and want by Nature is restored to us in Christ. Some by Glory understand the Spirit who is called a Spirit of Glory and was given to Christ without measure and from him to us as a means of Union between us and Christ and between us and Believers Others understand it of the Honour of Filiation as Christ was a Son by Nature so are we by Grace John 1.14 We beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father And Vers. 12. As many as received him to them gave he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power to become the Sons of God It is an Honour It is a means of Union Adoption maketh way for Union with Christ and Christ left us the Relation of Brethren that we might love one another for we are Brethren But by Glory I suppose is meant rather the Happiness of the everlasting State which is usually called Glory in Scripture and so it is taken Vers. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me And there is the most perfect Union with Christ and we that expect one Heaven should not fall out by the way Ephes. 4.4 One of the Bonds is One Hope All the Difficulty is How was this given them The Disciples were upon the Earth and the greatest part of Believers were not then in being Answ. Christ acquired a Right and left us a Promise he would not go to Heaven till he had made it sure to us by Deed of Gift this then I conceive to be the meaning It is not good to streighten the Sense of Scripture yet some one is more proper Adoption Gift of the Spirit New Nature Eternal Life you may comprize all 1. Observe Christ's Care to make us every way like himself as far as our capacity will bear like but not equal The Reiteration sheweth his Care let them be as we are and the Glory which thou hast given me I have given them What Reseâ—â—lance is there between us and Christ 1. Between us and Christ as the Eternal Son of God 2. Between us and Christ as Mediator 1. Between us and Christ at the Eternal Son of God Christ is the Essential Image of the Father therefore called the Image of the Invisible God Col. 1.15 and the Character or express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 and we are God's Image by Reflection If there be two or three Suns appear one or two are but a Reflection There are some strictures in us Christ is one with the Father and we with him a poor Christian tho never so mean is one with Christ. Christ is called God's Fellow Zech. 13.7 and every Saint is Christ's Fellow Psal. 45.7 God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy Fellows The Father loveth him because he is the express Image of his Person and the Father delights in the Saints because they are the Image of Christ the Father himself loveth you John 16.28 A Man that loveth another he loveth Head and Members with the same Love Christ is the Son of God so are we it was his Eternal Right and Privilege our Title cometh by him John 20.17 I ascend unto my Father and your Father First He is Christ's Father and then Ours His by Nature Ours by Adoption otherwise we could not have it 2. But this likewise chiefly respects the Glory that was given to Christ as Mediator As God communicateth himself to Christ as Mediator so doth Christ communicate himself to his Members Christ as Man was begotten by the Holy Ghost and the same Spirit begetteth us to the Life of Faith The New Nature is formed in us by the Spirit as Christ was formed in the Virgin 's Womb. Gal. 4.19 My little Children of whom I travel in Birth again until Christ be formed in you All his Moral Excellencies are bestowed on the Saints 2 Cor. 3.18 We all beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. If a Picture be well taken it makes us know him whom it represents we see the Lineaments of his Face as if he were present So doth a Christian express and shew forth the Vertues of Christ. 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation that ye should shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of Darkness into his marvellous Light There is an answerable Impression to his Mediatory Actions and a Spiritual Conformity to them Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of Life Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death Ephes. 2.6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus a dying in his Death a living in his Life an ascending in his Ascension dying to Sin rising to Newness of Life our Ascension is by Thoughts Hopes and Resolutions We resemble him in his Afflictions it is a part of our Conformity 2 Cor. 4.10 Always bearing about in the Body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of Christ might be made manifest in our mortal Flesh. An afflicted Innocence and meek Patience is a Resemblance of Christ. And as in this Life we resemble Christ in his Actions and Passions so that a Christian is as it were a Spiritual Christ so in the Life to come we resemble him in Glory Christ after he died rose again and so do we the same Spirit raiseth us that raised Christ. He ascended into Heaven accompanied with Angels so are we carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bosom In Heaven he liveth blessedly and gloriously so do we Christ hath a Kingdom so have we Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Father's Pleasure to give you the Kingdom At the last Day his Humane Nature shall be brought forth with a Majesty and Glory suitable to the Dignity of his Person So shall he be admired in his Saints 2 Thess. 1.10 Then the Mystery of his Person shall be disclosed so shall the Mystery of our Life Col. 3.3 4. For ye are dead and your Life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory Christ judgeth the World so do the Saints 1 Cor. 6.2 Know ye not that the Saints shall judg the World Mat. 19.28 Ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel The second
All Consequent Benefits are procured by the Merit of Christ. The Father that is first in order of Persons is first in order of working and can have no higher Cause than his own Will and Purpose And besides there is an Obligation established to every Person absolute elective Love is the Father's Property and Personal Operation but then his Eternal Purpose is brought to pass in and through Jesus Christ In the carriage of our Salvation Christ interposeth So we are chosen in him as Head of the Elect Ephes. 1.4 pardoned justified sanctified glorified in and through him all these Benefits and Fruits of God's Love are procured by Christ's Merit not only as it is the more for the Freedom of Grace that the Reasons why Man should be loved should be without himself and so the Obligation is increased and not meerly neither for the greater fulness of our Comfort for if God should love us in our selves it would be a very imperfect Love our Graces being so weak and our Services so stained But whence should we have this Grace at first which is the Object of his Love He could never find in us any cause why he should love us God could not love us with honour to himself if his Wisdom had not found out this way of loving us in Christ. There was a double Prejudice against us our Nature was loathed by God's Holiness and then God's Justice had a quarrel against us 1. For God's Holiness What Communion could there be between Light and Darkness God is Holy by Nature and we are Sinners by Nature Nature being corrupted God cannot love it unless he see it in such a Person as Christ is Psal. 5.4 5. For thou art not a God that hast pleasure in Wickedness neither shall Evil dwell with thee The Foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of Iniquity not only the Work but the Person Therefore we are hidden in him found in him as when a Man loaths a Pill we lap it up in something which he affects God abhorred the fight of Man till found in Christ. 2. God's Justice had a Quarrel against us God dealt with Man by way of Covenant and so hated Man not only out of the Purity of his Nature but out of Justice his Righteous Anger was kindled because of the breach of the Covenant When Subjects are fallen into displeasure with their Prince such an one as the King loveth must mediate for them So God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 How cometh God who seemed to be bound in point of Honour to avenge himself on Sinners to be reconciled In Christ he received satisfaction God was resolved to manifest an infinite Love to Man but he would still manifest an infinite Hatred against Sin which could not be more fully manifested than by making Christ â—â—e ground of our Reconciliation Thus the Wisdom of God hath taken up the difference between us and his Holiness and between us and his Justice that so Divine Love may be like it self not blind but rational This was the great Prejudice how could the Holy God the Just God who is not overcome with any Passion love such vile and unworthy Creatures as we are The Question is answered he loveth us in Christ and for Christ's sake Secondly Take the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the ordinary Acceptation So it signifieth Similitude and Likeness but then it signifieth not an exact Equality but some kind of Resemblance Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5.48 One as we are One. So here 1. There is a Disparity 2. A Likeness 1. A Disparity for in all Things Christ hath the preheminence both as God and as Mediator 1. As God he is most perfect in whom God hath found all Complacency and Delight Prov. 8.30 Then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his Delight rejoicing always before him He was God we are Creatures He the natural Son Psal. 2.7 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee We the adopted Children John 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God God's Love to Christ was necessary ours is a free dispensation John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life 2. As Mediator so he is the first Beloved God loves Christ as the first Object of his Love after Christ he loveth those that are Christ's The Relation begins with him John 20.17 Go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father unto my God and your God He is loved as the Head of the Mystical Body we as Members the Head first then the Members He is loved for his own sake we for his 2. Yet there is a Likeness God loveth us with a like Love 1. Upon the same Grounds Nearness and Likeness 1. Nearness He loveth Christ as his Son so he loveth us as his Children 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God There is a three-fold Ecce in Scripture 1. Ecce demonstrantis as pointing with the Finger John 1.29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sin of the World It referreth to a Thing or Person present and it noteth the certainty of Sense as there he pointed at him as present or to a Doctrine and then it noteth the certainty of Faith Job 5.27 Lo this we have searched so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good believe it as a certain Truth 2. There is Ecce admirantâ—s as awakening our drowsy Minds more attentively to consider of the Matter as Lam. 1.12 Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow So here entertain it with Wonder and Reverence as an important Truth 3. Ecce exultantis vel gratulantis as rejoicing and blessing our selves in the Privilege Psal. 121.4 Behold he that keepeth Israel he neither slumbers nor sleeps Now all these take place here Behold it with Faith and Confidence as a certain Truth behold it with Reverence and Wonder as an high Dignity behold it with Joy and Delight as a Blessed Privilege as it is a certain Truth we should believe it more firmly as it is an important Truth we should consider it more seriously as it is a comfortable Truth we should improve it more effectually to our great Joy and Satisfaction in all Conditions The Wisdom of God findeth out Relations between God and us to establish a mutual Love between us He would be known not only as our Creator but our Father and indeed none is so much a Father as God is Earthly Parents have but a drop of Fatherly Compassion suitable to their finite Scantling never had any such Bowels and
While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is your Heart set upon and what do you make your Scope and Aim A Child of God prayeth professeth in order to Eternity A Man shall know his general Scope by what satisfieth him Are you contented with the World to have your Names written in Earth to have your whole Portion in this Life for other things you will give Goda Discharge Luther would not give God an Acquittance Valde protestatus summe nolle sic à Deo satiati Grace must have Eternity for it would fain answer God's Love it would live for ever for ever to praise God and serve God All the World will not satisfy it without this eternal enjoiment of God 2. Have you an Eternal Principle Is there a Life begun that cannot be quenched Is the Immortal Seed conveyed into your Hearts 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of Corruptible Seed but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Then certainly thou art loved from Eternity for thou hast a Pledg of it First or last there is a Work wrought in their Souls that can never be undone and disannulled something that is of an Everlasting Nature And therefore what Seeds of Eternity hath God planted in your Hearts Common Graces and Moral Vertues these are of no long continuance the Soul must have an abiding Work an immortal Work 3. You may know it by this you will be much in Trial whether this be wrought in you or no whether there be such an Eternal Principle conveyed into your Hearts Morality is puffed up never suspects it self and common Grace puts us into good Moods now and then gives some tasts and flashes Heb. 6.4 5. They were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Power of the World to come Morality doth not labour to see that all is sure and safe and Common Grace only gives us some Taste and Flashes But a Child of God is looking after the Unction that will abide the Seed that remaineth and is careful to see that there is Grace and to be increasing in Grace and is always examining whether it be real SERMON XLIII JOHN XVII 25 O Righteous Father the World hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me OUR Lord had laid down the Object of his Prayers and the Matter of them and now he comes to the Reasons tho in such affectionate Addresses to God we should not be anxious in stating the Method Some conceive this a Doxology as Mat. 11.25 26. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight He had fully discharged his Office as a Prophet and therefore giveth Thanks But I rather look upon it as a part of Supplication He had made his Will and Testament and now alledgeth the Equity of it Here First A Compellation O Righteous Father Secondly The Qualification of the Disciples for that Glory which he sought for them Saving Knowledg Which is illustrated I. By its Opposite the affected and obstinate Ignorance of the World The World hath not known thee II. By its Efficient and Exemplary Cause but I have known thee First A Compellation Righteous Father In which there is an Argument secretly couched For always Titles of God are suited to the Matter in Hand It is brought to shew the Reason why the World is excluded the participation of Heavenly Glory and the Equity in bestowing it upon the Elect. He had before called him Holy Father now Righteous Father God is Just and Righteous two manner of ways in a Legal and in an Evangelical Sense In a Legal Sense his Justice is rewarding Men according to the Merit of their Actions Thus he dealeth with the Reprobate lost World In the Evangelical Sense God's Righteousness doth not regard the Merit of their Actions but the State of the Person and judgeth them rather according to what they have received than what they have done And so God dealeth with the Elect and Reprobate the one are rewarded according to their Works the other according to their State evidenced by their Works to both God is just So that I might 1. Observe That in the Condemnation of the World God is just tho they remain in blindness 1. Because God hath done enough God is aforehand with them they have more Means than they use well The Gentile World had Light enough from the Creatures to convince them of the True God Rom. 1.19 20. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead so that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without excuse Yet they would not acknowledg the True God The Jewish World had Miracles enough to convince them of the true Messiah Joh. 15.24 If I had not done among them the Works that no other Man did they had not had Sin but now they have both seen and hated me and my Father The Carnal World within the Pale of the Church have had means enough to be better and tho it be blind in the things of God yet the Lord is clear Isa. 5.4 What could I have done more for my Vineyard than I have done in point of External Administration The Lord loveth to be clear when he judgeth Psal. 51.4 compared with Rom. 3.26 In all Debates he loveth the Victory Isa. 65.2 I have spread out my Hands all the day unto a rebellious People which walketh in a way which was not good after their own Thoughts None goeth to Hell for want of warning Mat. 23.37 O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings but ye would not 2. They have not done their part They dally with Means scorn Wisdom their Weakness is wilful and their Blindness affected The Things of God must be spiritually discerned but they are folly to them 1 Cor. 2.14 For the natural Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can be know them because they are spiritually discerned There is not only an Impotency but a Scorn there is a positive Enmity as well as an Incapacity John 3.19 This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men loved Darkness rather than Light because
What they know not naturally as brute Beasts in those things they corrupt themselves Suppose they use the Spectacles of Art to help the Native Light of Reason with Industry yet their Eyes are blind How erroneous in Religion were the Civil Nations Rom. 1.22 Professing themselves to be wise they became Fools very foolish in Matters of Worship The Romans placed Fear Humane Passions and every paltry thing among their Gods The ruder and more brutish Nations worshipped only the Sun and Thunder things great and wonderful And still now we see great Scholars given over to fond Superstitions Nay go higher suppose besides the Spectacles of Art Nature be furnished with the Glass of the Word yet we see great Scholars very defective in the most useful and practical Points Nicodemus a Teacher in Israel knew not Regeneration John 3.10 Usually they delight rather in Moral Strains than Mysteries of Faith and err in one Point or another usually the Controversies of their Age they are blinded by Pride or Interest are loth to stoop to Truth revealed and so are outstarted by the Vulgar Surgunt indocti rapiunt Coelam c. they dispute away Heaven while others surprize it Nay suppose they had an exact Model and Proportion of Faith and do pry into all the Secrets of Religion as it is possible to do with the common Light and Help of the Spirit which is as far as a Reprobate can go yet all this is without any change of Affection without any savour or relish of Truth This Speculative and Artificial Knowledg doth not change the Heart But here is an Objection Many Carnal Men have great Parts and profess the Knowledg of the True God I Answer 1. The greatest part of the World lieth in Ignorance they are born in Darkness live in Darkness love Darkness more than Light and are under the Powers of Darkness Ephes. 6.12 The Rulers of the Darkness of this World The Devil hath a large Territory over all the blind Nations 2. Carnal Men that own the True God and profess him yet in a Scripture-sense they do not know him For Knowledg not being affective it is reputed Ignorance John 8.54 55. Of whom ye say that he is your God Yet ye have not known him but I know him and if I should say I know him not I shall be a Liar like unto you but I know him and keep his Saying It is a Lie to pretend to Knowledg without Obedience 1 John 2.4 5. And hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the Truth is not in him For all their great Parts they are but Spiritual Fools they have no true Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So are all Carnal Men Titus 3.3 We our selves also were sometimes foolish out of our Wits They do not understand things Spiritual and such as tend to maintain Communion with God they love and do those things with delight that are against all Reason hurtful to Body and Soul Natural Men are sometimes represented as Fools that judg amiss sometimes as Infants that know nothing Isa. 28.9 Whom shall he teach Knowledg and whom shall he make to understand Doctrine they that are weaned from the Milk and drawn from the Breast Sometimes as Beasts that are uncapable of Understanding Psal. 32.9 Be ye not as the Horse or as the Mule that hath no Vnderstanding Fools they are in their choice that prefer a Nut or an Apple before a Jewel they spend all their time in looking after Riches and Honours and such kind of things as do not conduce to Eternity for Carnal Pleasures forfeit their Souls and yet think themselves very wise In their Course they make War with Heaven and enter into the Lists with God as if they were stronger than he In their presumption they give out themselves for the Sons of God when they are the Devil's Children as if a Man born of a Beggar should pretend to be the Son of a King Fools and Mad-men challenge all Lands as theirs so do they all Promises and Comforts Within a little while experience will shew them to be Fools their Eyes are never opened to see their Folly till it be too late Luke 12.20 Thou Fool this Night thy Soul shall be required of thee Jer. 17.11 As a Partridg sitteth on Eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth Riches and not by Right shall leave them in the midst of his Days and at his End shall be a Fool. There is no Fool to the Carnal Fool Godly Men are only wise that are wise to save their Souls Vse It informeth us 1. Of our Misery by Nature For as the Reprobate lost World are so are we all by Nature we have no Knowledg of the True God Job 11.12 Vain Man would be wise tho Man be born like a wild Asses Colt We are apt to think our selves Angels but we are Beasts Every one affects the repute of Wisdom we would rather be accounted Wicked than Weak If a Man were born with an Asses Head or were monstrous and mishapen in his Body this were sad It is worse to be born with the Heart of an Ass to be born like a Wild-Asses Colt with such gross and rude Conceits of God and Holy Things This is our Estate by Nature 2. The Danger of Ignorance it is the state of the Reprobate World It is good to think of it partly that we may avoid it our selves and strive for Knowledg partly that we may be thankful if we have obtained Knowledg and partly that we might pity others as Christ wept over Jerusalem Luke 19.41 42. And when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy Day the things which belong unto thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes It is one of God's sorest Judgments when the Lord hath left threatning other things then he threatens a blind Heart and a vain Mind The great reproach that Nahash would lay upon Israel was to put out their right Eyes The great Design of the God of this World upon the Men of this World is to put out their Eyes that they might not come to the Knowledg of the Truth 3. Positive Ignorance is a sign that we are of the World I mean where we have Means and Opportunities to the contrary and do not come to the Knowledg of God and of his Ways 1 John 2.13 I write unto you little Children because ye have known the Father God hath no Child so little but he knows his Father The blind World knows him not when there is Night in the Understanding or Frost in the Heart it is a sign of a Worlding when Men are ignorant unteachable and do not grow in Knowledg God's Children many times may be ignorant and do not profit according to their Advantages John 14.9 Have I been so long
concerning his Essence and Will Psal. 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name there he hath made himself most known In Creation and Providence we may read much of God but in the Bible more and chiefly his Word of Promise and Covenant which is that Theater upon which his Mercy and Truth is discovered which is the Representation wherein God delighteth And again the Covenant as it is revealed in the Gospel is a chief part of his Name for his Name was secret before the New-Testament-Dispensation was set afoot Judg. 13.18 Why askest thou thus after my Name seeing it is secreet There was little known of the Trinity of the Son of God the Incarnation of the Son of God c. 1. Point That one great Priviledg of the Gospel is to know God by his right Name 1. I shall shew you how God's Name and Title hath been often changed and altered because he would acquaint his People with his full Name by degrees Exod. 6.3 I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the Name of God Almighty but by my Name IEHOVAH was I not known to them First to Abraham to distinguish him from Idols and false Gods El Shaddai then Jehovah as giving Being to his People making good his Promises after God of Abraham God of Isaac and God of Jacob as relating more to the Covenant then God that brought them out of the Land of Egypt Exod. 20.2 then God that brought them out of the Land of the North then the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ before that The Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 The Jewish Church knew little of the Doctrine of the Trinity distinction of the Persons quality of the Mediator God proclaimed his Name Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin but the way of Pardon was not then so fully discovered Some Names God hath from Everlasting as Eternal Infinite some relate to the present State as Creator Lord God in Covenant the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. 2. What the Gospel especially doth discover more of God 1. The Distinction of the Persons in the Godhead At the Baptism of Christ the whole Trinity was sensibly present the Son in the Body the Father in the Voice and the Holy Ghost in the form of a Dove This was the Mystery brought upon the Stage 2. The Incarnation of Christ 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the Flesh. The World was acquainted with this great help to Piety The Jews had a Temple here is a Temple wherein the Godhead dwelleth bodily Col. 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily 3. The Attributes of God are more amply declared Every Excellency of God hath its proper Theater where it is seen In the Gospel all are discovered but chiefly Mercy Justice and Truth His Power and his Wisdom are seen in the World but more in the Gospel the Heavens do not declare half so much of the Glory of God as the Word and Doctrine which Christ brought out of the Father's Bosom 1 Cor. 1.24 Christ the Wisdom of God and the Power of God There is Truth 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen The greatest Assurance of his Faithfulness was his sending Christ that which we expect is nothing so difficult to believe as the Incarnation of the Son of God his second coming is not so unlikely as his first if he came to Suffer and to Purchase he will come to Reign His Wisdom in joining God and Man together in the Person of Christ Justice and Mercy together Comfort and Duty together in the Covenant of Grace two Natures two Attributes God loseth no Honour Man wanteth no Encouragement God sheweth his Justice Rom. 3.26 To declare I say at this time his Righteousness that he might be Just and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus While the Sacrifices continued God only shewed Patience and Forbearance His Holiness and Hatred of Sin by laying it on Christ punishing it in Christ. His Wrath the most dreadful sight of God's Wrath is upon Golgotha God spared not his Son But his Grace that was on the top Tit. 3.4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared This is the Attribute that beareth sway in the Gospel Mercy is in Office ever since the Fall there was not so much Kindness to Man discovered in Innocency God did good to a good Man there was no Mercy to Enemies then there Man was made after God's Image here God is made after our Image and Likeness Mercy and Grace comes now to shew it self to the World Vse Let us admire and study more the Name of God in the Gospel The first Letter of Christ's Name is Wonderful He is a Mystery that is worthy our Contemplation The Angels have known more of God since Christ was revealed Eph. 3.10 To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God Let it take up your Thoughts set your Minds awork Heb. 3.1 Wherefore Holy Brethren partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession Jesus Christ. There cannot be a more affective humbling and Heart-changing Consideration 2. Point That none can discover this Name of God but Christ none Authoritatively none perfectly 1. None Authoritatively can fix his Name by which he shall be known among the Creatures The imposition of Names implieth Superiority the less is named of the greater Adam had this favour to name the Beasts as having Authority over them Gen. 2.19 20. And out of the Ground the Lord formed every Beast of the Field and every Fowl of the Air and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them and whatsoever Adam called every Living Creature that was the Name thereof And Adam gave Names to all Cattel and to the Fowl of the Air and to every Beast of the Field Now God is over all there is no higher to name him therefore he nameth himself Jesus Christ who is the very Image of God he cometh and declareth his Name My Name is in him Exod. 23.21 He is God and therefore Authoritatively fixeth the Name of God establisheth the Gospel as the Rule and Direction of the Church 2. None can so perfectly discover him Our Hearts are too narrow to conceive of God and our Tongues too weak to express him Prov. 30.4 What is his Name and what is his Son's Name if thou canst tell Who knoweth his Pedigree exactly Who knoweth his Being Who hath been in his Bosom to discover him so as Christ hath done we must have a borrowed Light to see him Vse 1. Sit down with this Revelation which Christ hath left in the Church there is enough to instruct Faith tho not to satisfy
our infirmities he liveth a glorious life Luke 20.28 He is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live to him though they do not live to the World they live to God those that are departed out of this World have another Life the Souls of the Just are already in the hands of God and their Bodies are sure to be raised up at the last Day So Christ liveth to God Doctrine That the due consideration of Christs being raised from the Dead doth mightily promote the spiritual Life in us This will be evident if we consider what advantage we have by Christs Resurrection 1. It evidenceth the Verity of Christian Religion and that Christ was no Deceiver for his Resurrection is a sufficient attestation to the Dignity of his Person and Offices Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead Acts 17.31 He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead This is a strong and undeniable Argument that Christ is the Son of God the Saviour and Judge of the World Where lyeth the force of the Argument Christ dyed in the judgment and repute of the World as a Malefactor but God justified him when he would not leave him under the power of Death but raised him up and assumed him up unto Glory thereby visibly declaring unto the World that the World was mistaken in him that he was indeed what he gave out himself to be the Son of God and the Judge of the World to whom is given power over all flesh either to save or destroy them according to his Covenant This Argument supposeth 1. That there is a God sufficiently represented to us by other means 2. That whatsoever exceedeth the power of Nature or course of second Causes is done by this God 3. Among all the Miracles this of raising a dead man to life is the greatest the cure of a disease is not so much 4. That if this be done to a person unjustly accused and condemned in the World it is a Justification of his Cause before all the World and a sure mark of Divine Testimony 5. The Cause between Jesus Christ and those that condemned him was That he made himself to be the Son of God and Saviour and Judge of the World this he evidenceth himself and this was preached by his Disciples Surely the Supreme and Just Governor of the World would not justifie a Cheat and Imposture and so far permit the Devil to deceive in his Name as to change the course and order of Nature and so far directly to work against it as to raise a man from the dead Now it is a mighty advantage to the advancement of the spiritual Life to be sure of the Religion that requireth it at our hands much of it being against the inclination of corrupt Nature for then there is no tergiversation or excuse as if our Rule were uncertain or that we did trouble our selves more than needeth us of absolute necessity 2. It sheweth us the Perfection of his Satisfaction there needeth no other Sacrifice to abolish sin for it is said in the Text In that he dyed he dyed unto sin once and elsewhere the unity of the Mediator and the Sacrifice is pleaded to shew the perfection of it The Unity of the Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator between God and man the Man Christ Jesus And Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many The ground of this Argument standeth thus That Christ came to take away sin the benefit which the World needeth either he hath done it sufficiently or not done it if sufficiently we have what we desire if not it must be either because other Mediators were necessary to supply his defects but where are they Who can challenge this Honour as authorized by God and recommended to the World as Christ was Or what can they do beyond what he hath done No there is but one Mediator or else because another Sacrifice or Offering was necessary because this could not attain its end then Christ needed again to undergo Death for the single Sacrifice did not the work which was the taking away of sin But this was enough to ransom all Souls no other propitiatory Sacrifice was necessary Why how doth it appear By the Resurrection for when Christ was raised from the dead our Surety and Mediator which were the Qualities he took upon himself was let out of prison and dismissed as having done what he undertook Isa. 53.8 He shall be taken from prison and from judgment The Debtor may have confidence the debt is cancelled when the Surety is let out of prison and walketh freely abroad when Christ is risen from the dead and advanced to a glorious condition surely his Merit is full enough and he hath a perfect release and discharge as having done his work and needeth no more to come under the power of Death which is a great encouragement to us to set upon the destruction of sin Christ hath paid a full ransom to purchase grace to make our endeavours effectual 3. It is a visible demonstration of the Truth of the Resurrection and Life to come For Christ who would be an Example to us of all painful and self-denying Obedience would also be a Pattern of the Glory and Felicity that should ensue Therefore after a life of Holiness and Sufferings he dyed and rose again and entred into the Glory that he spake of which is a great encouragement to us to follow his steps for all this is a pledge of what shall be done in us It is said 1 Pet. 1.21 That God raised him from the dead and gave him glory that our faith and hope might be in God The Resurrection of Christ and the consequent Honour and Glory put upon him is the great prop and foundation of our Faith and Hope Certainly it much concerneth us to believe the truth of the Resurrection and the reality of the unseen Glory else all Holiness Patience Self-denial and practical Godliness would fall to the ground Now when our Teacher who hath told us of these things hath given sufficient evidence of the Truth of them in his own Person by his own rising from the dead and his own ascending into Glory it helpeth mightily to silence the objections of Unbelief The thing is not incredible nor impossible Christ in our Nature did arise from the dead and ascend up into Heaven nay it is not only possible but certain for Christ is risen and entred into Glory as our forerunner Heb. 6.20 to make the way accessible to us and to seize upon it in the name and right of all true Believers and secure a landing
exercised in Holiness is the Way that the Home this the Race that the Goal this the Warfare that the Crown this the Labour that the Reward this the Means that the End Here we have the Beginning and First-fruits there the whole Crop and Harvest Now an holy Man is here united to God 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit therefore there the Union is greater and more close for God will be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 Here an holy Man knoweth and seeth God by Faith Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent and 2 Cor. 5.7 For we walk by faith not by sight therefore there the Vision is more clear 1 Joh. 3.2 We shall see him as he is Here he is renewed according to the Image of God 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory therefore there shall be another manner of transformation 1 Joh. 3.2 Then we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Here he injoyeth Communion with God 1 Joh. 1.3 Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ there it shall be more full and uninterrupted Here he rejoyceth and delighteth himself in God Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple there more especially when there shall be nothing to divert that delight and the participation of his benefits shall be more full Here he promoteth the glory of God and setteth forth his Praise either by way of design making that his scope 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God or of Resemblance 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Eph. 1.12 That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ there his whole work is to laud and praise God and he doth more perfectly resemble him there being nothing to obscure his Image 3. It is an endless and everlasting Life Such as are once possessed of it shall never be dispossessed again If man be designed to injoy a chief good and this chief good must content all our desires it must also be so firm and absolutely immutable as to secure us against all our fears for a fear of losing would disquiet our minds and so hinder our Blessedness Now that there is no fear of that let us consider what may be said concerning the firmness of it 1. On Gods part 2. On the part of the Blessed 1. On Gods part it standeth on three strong Foundations First The infinite Love of God which is from Eternity to Eternity Psal. 103.17 The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to them that fear him before the world was and when the world shall be no more Secondly The everlasting Merit of Christ which never loseth its force and effect Heb. 9.12 Having obtained eternal redemption for us not that Christ is always propitiating God by a continued Sacrifice no the work was once done in a short time but the virtue of it is of everlasting continuance Thirdly The unchangeable Covenant so Heb. 13.20 Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant Though the Covenant made with Israel was abolished yet this continueth for ever and shall never be altered because it was able to reach the end for which it was appointed which is the eternal Salvation of man that was a temporary Covenant this eternal 2. On the part of the Blessed who being once admitted to the sight of God cannot any more cease from the Love of God or be subject to Sin Heaven is a Paradise where the flowers that grow are incorruptible and undefiled and never fade away 1 Pet. 1.4 II. The Reasons of it why this is our final Reward 1. Because this is the End to which they are appointed every thing hath its end and final perfection for God made nothing in vain Now inanimate things tend to such an end as they are appointed unto by Gods over-ruling Providence such things as have a self-moving Principle as Beasts they are carried to their end by Instinct Appetite or natural Inclination those things which have Reason and Knowledge foreseeing the End order the Means thereunto they know the End chuse the Means as meer men they seek to be happy and Christians who are holy Men seek to be most like him who is holy and happy Now then since whatever acteth acteth for an End they that have their fruit to Holiness have their End everlasting Life A capacity of an endless Blessedness doth difference a Man from the Beasts that perish a disposition to it doth difference the Saints from the ungodly and the fruition of it at length doth difference the glorified from the damned 2. Gods Government requireth it The wisest Lawgivers could not devise any other means to make men good besides Poena Praemium Punishment and Reward For in the right Dispensation of these two the Life of Government doth consist Indeed many Laws do more incline to Punishments than Rewards for Robbers and Manslayers death is appointed but the innocent Subject hath only this reward that he doth his Duty and escapeth these punishments In few Cases doth the Law promise a Reward the reason is because Fear is a greater and more commodious Engine of humane Government than Love and inflicting Punishment is the proper work of Mans Law for its end and use is to restrain evil But Gods Law propoundeth Rewards equal to the Punishments because the use of Gods Law is to guide men to their proper Happiness It is Legis candor the Equity and Favour of Mans Law to speak of a Reward it commands many things forbids many things but still under a Penalty ex malis moribus nascuntur Leges to restrain evil is its natural work But Gods Covenant being ordered for another end doth not only threaten Sinners but promise life to the holy and these Threatnings and Promises carry a proportion to Gods Nature eternal Life on the one hand and eternal Death on the other Deut. 30.15 See I have set before thee this day life and death good and evil and Mat. 25.46 These shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal There are no where such dreadful Punishments and such bountiful Rewards as are propounded to us Christians eternal Punishment is the reward of the disobedient and eternal Life
's concurrence to Mortification 90 The incouragement we have from the Spirit 's concurrence 91 The Graces of the Spirit cannot thrive in an unmortified Soul 44 Till Sin be mortified all the good we do is but a covering of Sin ibid. N. NEw Covenant the design of God in setting it up 105 The tenor and constitution of it ibid. Sealed in Baptism 18 New Nature opposite to Sin 88 Yet still Sin to be watched against ibid. Newness of Life what it is 15 The properties of it 16 Christ the Cause and Pattern of the New Life 53 How Baptism obligeth us to walk in Newness of Life 17 Motives to walk in Newness of Life 21 O. OBedience the necessity of it 115 The fruit of it 116 Motives to make it more clear and explicite 129 It is the fruit of the word implanted in our hearts 121 Resolutions of Obedience how to continue them 115 Our being Servants of God appears not by bare consent but by Obedience 114 Obedience from the heart what it signifies 118 Why we should be obedient from our hearts 122 Obey bodily lusts may be obeyed two ways 64 Occasions of Sin to be avoided 100 Old man why Sin called the Old man 28 The Old man is to be crucified 29 Why the Old man is to be crucified Vide Crucifixion 29 Ordinances encourage us to strive against Sin 92 Own how God ownes his Servants 144 P. PArdon Gods freeness to pardon no allowance to sin 106 Belongs only to the Penitent ibid. God will pardon the sins of those that serve him 144 Perseverance the Doctrine of Perseverance no encouragement to sin 108 Means to persevere ibid. Pleasure of Gods ways 126 Of a life spent in Gods service proved 143 144 The Pleasure of sin will not countervail the pain 137 We are to be dead to carnal Pleasures if we would mortifie Sin 32 Power against sin the more obedient we are to the sanctifying Spirit the more Power against sin 37 Praying against sin the reason why it prevails not with many 94 Predominancy of one Sin over another and of Sin over Grace 80 Presumptuous sins the mischief of them 101 Prevent how to prevent acts of Sin 138 Professor the visible Professor to look after freedom from Sin 40 Profit of Gods service 126 Profit of sin will not countervail our loss by it 137 Promises of the Gospel encourage us to strive against Sin 91 Providences of God are helps and occasions for subduing Sin 93 Punishment of sin of loss and of sense in this world and in another 36 Purposes against sin the reasons why they prevail not in many 94 R. REckoning our selves dead to Sin and alive to God what it implies 58 Regeneration the parts of it 15 Reign of sin when Sin is said to reign 63 64 76 Why Sin is said to reign in the Body rather than the Soul 61 The Reign of sin may be prevented in our frail mortal state 63 Why Christians should take heed that sin reign not in them 65 81 The mischief of reigning sin 83 A Note of a carnal heart 84 Uncomely in those that profess themselves Christ's 85 Destroys our hopes of Glory 86 The actual Reign of sin makes way for the habitual 101 Relapses into sin which consistent with true Repentance 52 Religion Christian the Verity of it demonstrated from Christs Resurrection 50 Repentance what is implied in it 5 Professed in Baptism 6 Resisting sin Objections against it answered 93 What kind of Resistance is required 96 How we are to resist sin 103 How you may know that you do not resist sin Vide Striving against Sin 96 Resolved we should be resolved against Sin 134 Resurrection demonstrated by the Resurrection of Christ 51 Resurrection of Christ a pattern and pledge of the new Birth 17 18 The cause and pattern of our life spiritual and eternal 51 52 How we are conformed to the likeness of it 21 The Analogie between Christs Resurrection and his life after it and our rising to the life of Grace and of Glory 49 51 The consideration of it promotes the spiritual life 50 It demonstrates the Truth of the Christian Religion ibid. It demonstrates our Resurrection 51 Shows the fulness of Christs Satisfaction ibid. The advantages we have by it 50 Resurrection spiritual described 28 Reward why few Laws propound a Reward 152 Of Sin and Righteousness wherein they agree 155 Wherein they differ ibid. The reason of this difference 156 Why life eternal is our final Reward 152 Right of God to us 71 85 Right by Covenant to temporal blessings is sweeter than a bare providential Right 146 Righteousness various acceptations of the word 68 111 S. SAcraments our Vnion and Communion with Christ signified by the Sacraments 10 They are solemn means of our Communion with the Death of Christ 9 Both Sacraments chiefly relate to Christs Death and why 10 11 Sacrament of Baptism Vide Baptism Sacrament of the Lords Supper Vide Lords Supper Satisfaction of Christ the Resurrection of Christ shows the fulness of his Satisfaction 50 Senses much sin let in by the Senses 73 Servants by consent and by conquest explained 110 Servants of sin Vide serving sin Servants of sin carry it as if they were free from Righteousness 131 Servants of God are so by open profession 114 We appear to be so not by bare consent but obedience ibid. Motives to it 149 Directions to undertake the Service of God Vide Service of Righteousness ibid. Servants of God and Servants of Sin receive wages suitable to their work 114 Service of Righteousness why so called 142 Service of Righteousness and Service of Sin opposed 127 The difference between these two Services 125 None can be the Servant of Righteousness but he that is freed from the Service of sin 127 The excellency of the Service of Righteousness 126 A Servant of Righteousness should do as much yea more for Righteousness than formerly he did for sin and why Vide Activity 127 The pleasure profit and honour of Gods Service 126 143 144 The amiableness of a life spent in Gods Service 143 Serving sin what it is to serve sin 31 Servitude of sin natural and acquired 117 Men voluntarily enter into this Service 113 Before Regeneration we were all Servants of sin 30 113 114 117 Yea naturally we were under a fatal necessity of serving Sin 114 It is necessary and useful to Gods people to reflect on this that once they were Servants of sin 118 Our former Servitude to sin should stir up in us thankfulness to our Redeemer 118 And quicken us to more diligence for the future 119 Why Sin should not be served 69 The fruit of serving sin 115 It is impossible to serve sin and God too 113 Service of sin and service of righteousness opposed Vide Service of Righteousness 125 Shame for sin the object of it 116 Sin is really matter of shame 140 In carnal men and Gods people how they differ 139 The cause of true shame for
all persons and hath the hearts of Men in his own hands and performeth all things according to his own will He knoweth their Persons Necessities and Temptations and if we trust him for our Heavenly Inheritance we may trust him for our daily Maintenance which he vouchsafeth to the Fowls of the Air and Beasts of the Field yea to his Enemies while they are sinning against him dishonouring his Name oppressing his Servants opposing his Interest in the World he that feedeth a Kite will he not feed a Child He that supplieth his Enemies will he not take care of his Friends those of his own Family Indeed he chooseth rather to profit us than please us in his Dispensations but 't is your duty to refer all to his Wisdom and Love 3. Eternal Blessedness is also the fruit of this Adoption Rom. 8.17 If sons then heirs coheirs with Christ as soon as we are taken into Gods Family we have a right to the blessed Inheritance and the right and hope that we have now is enough to counterballance all Temptations Alas what are all the carnal pleasures and delights of Sin which tempt us to disobey our Father to those blessed things which he hath provided for us in Heaven 'T was Esau's Profaneness to sell his Birth-right Heb. 12.16 So all the fears and sorrows of the present Life Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock 't is your fathers good pleasure to give you a kingdom if we have the Kingdom at the last 't is no great matter what we suffer by the way but hereafter we shall fully receive the fruits of our Obedience Rom. 8.23 We our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies In Heaven we have the fullest and largest demonstration of Gods love and favour 'T is Love now and Grace now that he will take us into his Family and Imploy us in his Service But then 't is another manner of Love when taken not onely into his Family but Presence and Palace where we have not onely a Right but Possession not onely some remote service and ministration but everlastingly injoying delighting and praising God Secondâ—y We now come to the proof and testimony of our Interest in this Priviledge The spirit beareth witness with our spirit Here let us 1. Open the double Testimony 2. What the one superaddeth above the other 3. The necessity of their conjunction to our full comfort 1. The Nature of this double Testimony and there first let us begin with that which is more known to us and understood by us and that is the Testimony of a renewed conscience Let us consider it as conscience and as renewed 1. As conscience There is a secret spy within us that observeth all that we think or speak or do Rom. 2.15 Their conscience bearing them witness and their thoughts in the mean time accusing or excusing Now this conscience must not be slighted partly in respect of our selves because 't is so intimate to us 'T is a spy in our bosoms and can give a better judgment of us and our actions than any thing else can The judgment of the world by way of applause or censure is foreign and grounded upon appearance therefore not so much to be valued 1 Cor. 2.11 The spirit of a man which is in him knoweth the things of a man Who knoweth more of us than we do our selves And this witness cannot be suspected of partiality and ill will for what is dearer to our selves than our selves Therefore if our hearts condemn us what shall be said for us 1 John 3.20 21. For if our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things Beloved if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God And partly because of its relation to God 't is called the candle of the Lord Pro. 20.27 'T is Gods Deputy Judg and in the place of God to us and therefore if it doth accuse or excuse it is to be regarded for it is before Gods Tribunal that it doth condemn or acquit us 'T is his sentence that we are to stand in fear and dread of to whom doth it accuse us but to God whose Wrath doth it fear but Gods even then when there is no outward cause of dread and fear Conscience is the Vicegerent of the supreme Judg partly because of the rule it goeth by which is the will of God by which good and evil are distinguished which is either revealed by the light of Nature or the light of Scripture the light of nature Rom. 2.14.15 For the gentiles who have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law to themselves which shew the work of the law upon their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another The Apostle proveth the heathens had a law because they had a conscience for conscience ever inferreth some rule and law by which good and evil are distinguished The light of Scripture comprehendeth either the Covenant of Works or the Covenant of Grace Works and so conscience condemneth all the world as guilty before God Rom. 3.19 and there is no escape from this sentence but a regular appeal and passage from Court to Court Psal. 10.3 4. If thou shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified where poor condemned sinners may take sanctuary of the Lords Grace and humbly claim the benefit of the New Covenant Grace wherein the penitent believer and those that sincerely obey the Gospel are accepted The legal conscience condemneth all the world but the evangelical conscience aquitteth us if we sincerely and thankfully accept the new covenant that is if we take the priviledges offered for our happiness and the duties required for our work therefore 't is said 1 Pet. 3.21 Baptism saveth not the puting away of the filthiness of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience toward God Not the bare Ordinance but the Covenant which is sealed by it And what doth the Covenant require Accepting the Lords offers and resolving to obey his commands 2. As renewed By nature conscience is blind partial stupid but by grace it 's made pure tender and pliant and more able to do its office The spirit is not said here to witness to our heart but to our spirit that is to conscience as renewed and sanctified now such a conscience implieth these things 1. Some knowledg of and consent to the new covenant for without knowledg the heart is not good Pro. 19.20 It erreth in point of law and rule and therefoe cannot well witness in the case And 2. Consent there must be for we cannot claim Priviledges by a Charter which we never accepted Therefore Isa. 56.4 And chuse the things
we must consider 1. The object 2. The Act. 3. The Properties 1. The object We consider God as good there is a double motive in the object to excite us to love God Because he is good and doth good Psal. 119.68 from his nature and from his work 1. The excellency of his nature he is good There is a threefold goodness in God 1. His essential goodness which is the infinite perfection of his Nature 2. His moral goodness and holiness which is the infinite perfection of his Will 3. His beneficial goodness which is the infinite propension that is in him to do good to the creature All these are the object of our love 1. His essential goodness should make him amiable to us partly because the glorious perfections of his nature are the object of our esteem and esteem is the ground of love We affect what we prize and value or else we do not really esteem prize and value it and partly because they are the object of our praise now we praise God for his excellencies to increase our love to him and delight in him otherwise our praise is but an empty complement and partly because the Angels and blessed Spirits do admire and adore God for the excellencies of his nature not only for the benefits they have received by him but as he is an infinite and eternal Being of glorious and incomprehensible Majesty they are represented as crying out Isa. 6.3 Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Now God must in some measure be served on earth as he is in Heaven Surely we should not speak or think or worship the infinite eternal God without some act of love holy delight and pleasure Ps. 14.71 Praise ye the Lord for it is good to sing praises to our God for it is pleasant and praise is comely so Psal. 95.1 Come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation and all this is the acting of love for the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods there are the motives Psal. 5.10 Let them that love thy name be joyful in thee So that you see 't is a great duty to delight our selves in Gods essential perfections 2. His moral goodness or his righteousness and holiness Surely this is an amiable thing and therefore the object of our delectation I prove it thus First If holiness be lovely and pleasant in the creature why not in God In the Saints Holiness doth attract our love Psal. 16.3 My delight is in the saints the excellent ones of the earth and Psal. 15.4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. We are to love Saints as Saints reduplicative why not God as Holy and Righteous We are to love the law of God as it is pure Psal. 119.140 Therefore we are to love God a copy of whose Holiness the Law is the same reason that doth enforce the one doth enforce the other Secondly I argue We are to imitate his Holiness and Righteousness therefore we are to love and delight in it Eph. 5.1 Be ye followers of God as dear children and 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory Now love begetteth likeness 't is the greatest demonstration of Gods love to us to make us like himself and the greatest expression of our love to God to desire it to endeavour after it to value and prize it as our happiness see Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness 3. His beneficial goodness or benignity Psal. 100.5 For the Lord is good for his mercy is everlasting Therefore all his Saints should love him we are first led to the Lord by our own interest and the benefits we have or may have by him Psal. 86.5 Thou Lord art good ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all that ca lt upon thee This doth first attract the heart of guilty sinners to seek after God but afterwards we look upon him as a lovely object in himself while we look upon benignity as a moral perfection in God without the fruits which flow thence to us 't is an engaging thing as 't was observed heretofore that Cesar's vertues were more amiable than Cato's vertues Cesar's Vertues were Clemency Affability Liberality Cato's vertues rigid Justice and Fidelity in his dealings both were amiable but the one more taking than the other There is somewhat a like observation Rom. 5.7 Scarcely for a righteous man would one die but for a good man one would even dare to die By the righteous man is meant one of a severe and rigid innocency by a good man a man bountiful and useful To apply it Gods benignity is a thing amiable tho it be considered but as an Attribute in God not exercised and acted on us because this most suiteth the necessities of the indigent and faln creature therefore the Scripture doth much insist upon it to move us to return and seek reconciliation with him 2. He doth good or hath been good to us 1. As in Creation He made us out of nothing after his own image We must remember him as a Creator so as to consider the obligations which lye upon us to love please and serve him Eccles. 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth All that we are and have we have it from God and for God 2. In redemption Where we have the greatest representation of the goodness of God 1 John 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be a propiliation for our sins 'T is the signal instance and Rom. 5.8 Herein God commended his love that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly The fullest discovery 3. In the mercies of daily providence Deut. 30.10 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God for he is thy life and the length of thy days Especially in his tender care about his people Psal. 31.33 O love the Lord all ye his Saints for the Lord preserveth his Saints and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer His hearing prayer is one instance Psal. 116.1 I will love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications 4. In the rewards of the other world which are provided especially for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath â—ntred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him and 1 John 3.1 â— Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God Behold now we are the sons of God and it doth not appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Thus God
deep experience of his grace in Christ that have not taken up some light thoughts about it but are deeply overcome and possessed with a sense of his love whose heart and soul is towards God and his wondeful love in Christ is the root and foundation of all their Religion now these thorough-Christians who are rooted and grounded in faith and love they are not so much believers in conflict as believers in triumph and whereas others make an hard shift to get to Heaven with much labour both of flesh and Spirit and many doubts and fears they keep up a continual rejoycing in God and find little or no trouble or disturbance in the Spiritual life Lusts are more mortified and Satan is discouraged and they are assisted with a larger experience of grace than others receive 1. USE Is information 1. To shew what cause they have to be ashamed that are discouraged by smaller temptations that cannot run with the foot-men Jer. 12.5 The smallest things separate them from the love of God in Christ or darken the comfort of it in their souls 2. The great priviledges of a Christian. Turn him to what condition you will raise him or cast him down kill him or spare his life you cannot harm him inrich him or beggar him his happiness is not at your command he is not at the disposal of any creature in the world Devils or Men crosses and contrary winds blow him to Heaven Cant. 4.16 and here death life heigth depth if God hath good to do by his life he will preserve him if his work is ended he will take him away by death All doth better his heart or hasten his glory 3. What an advantage those Christians have above others that make it their business to love God and count it their happiness to be beloved by him Take either first that make it their business to love God Love God once and all that he doth will be acceptable to you and all that you do will be acceptable to him for if we love him nothing will be grievous not commands grievous nor tryals grievous 1 John 5.3 Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth 'T is from a father and all that you do is acceptable to God The lovers mite is better taken than the vast treasures of enforced service If you love him you may be sure he loveth you John 14.21 Secondly They count it their happiness to be beloved by him and then under the sorest temptations 't is enough that God loveth them if he will not take away his loving-kindness from them 't is enough though he visit them with scourges Other things will not satisfie them without this but this satisfieth them in the want of all other things Psal. 106.7 2. USE Is to exhort us to several duties 1. To the great duties of Christianity which give us an interest in this unchangeable love I shall instance in faith and love First by faith to put our souls in Christs hands for there alone we are safe against temptations 2 Tim. 1.12 For I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 1 Pet. 4.19 Commit the keeping of your souls to him So Psal. 37.3 4. Trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the land verily thou shalt be fed Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee thy hearts desire 'T is not a devout sloath or careless negligence but a resolution to take his way and adhere to it trusting him with all events We may do it upon the confidence of his willingness fidelity and sufficiency His Office sheweth his willingness 't is his office to save souls which he cannot possibly neglect Luke 19.10 The son of man came to seek and save that which was lost His Covenant sheweth his fidelity 1 Cor. 10.13 But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able His nature or his Divine Power sheweth his sufficiency He is God Phil. 3.21 and he is with God Heb. 7.25 2. The next great duty is love for love is the mutual bond between us and Christ as Christ is the bond of union between God and us We must not intermit our own love the love of God keepeth us and we are bidden to keep our selves in the love of God Jude 21. John 2.27 28. Ye shall abide in him and then presently abide in him And John 15.5 Abide in me and I in you The greatest danger of breaking is on our part there is no fear on Christs part Now we must use the means possess the heart with the love of God in Christ. We must believe the love of God think of it often not by light thoughts but let it be radicated in our hearts and let us rouse up our selves to love God again who hath shewed so much love to us 2. Let us forecast all visible dangers and not fix too peremptorily on temporal happiness There are a world of vicissitudes in our pilgrimage but all are ordered for good to a Christian. Let us not too peremptorily fix on life or death heighth or depth but beg of God to sanctifie every condition Phil. 4.12 I know how to be abased and how to abound to be full and to be hungry to abound and to suffer need We are subject to changes sometimes in credit and sometimes in disgrace sometimes in sickness and sometimes in health sometimes rich and sometimes poor there needeth wisdom to carry our selves in prosperity as well as adversity 3. Let us get our hearts confirmed against these temptations that may assault our confidence Life death if God prolong life there is occasion for service if death cometh that is our comfort Rev. 14.8 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. Phil. 1.20 I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is much better Death is a passage to glory it shall not separate us from Christ but joyn us to him Phil. 1.23 Lay up this comfort against the hour of death 'T is a separation that causeth a nearer conjunction Then Angels the evil Angels are under Christ Col. 1.16 You are never in Satans hand but Satan is in Gods hands Then for Principalities and Powers no Potentates have any power but what is given them from above John 19.11 Thou couldest have no power at all against me were it not given thee from above And Christ promiseth Matth 16.18 Vpon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Things present and things to come Whatsoever is present is either good or evil the good things are for our comfort in our pilgrimage the evil fit us for an happier estate but we have no assurance of things to come Matth. 6.34 Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof And then heighth depth We are acquainted with the heighth and depth of the love of God we know
is some Faith in that in taking Christ at his word The defect of this love is that you mind your own personal benefit and safety rather than the pleasing obeying and glorifying of God so far there is weakness in this act but this is the only way to bring in the creature as when a Prince offereth pardon to his Rebels with a promise that he will restore them to their forfeited priviledges in case they will lay down their arms and submit to his mercy Self-Interest moveth them at first but after love and duty to their Prince holdeth them within the bounds of their Duty and Allegiance I will ease you saith Christ you shall find rest to your Souls I will be a rewarder to you and give you eternal life As lost creatures we take him at his word and afterwards love him and serve him upon purer motives Or take the similitude thus In a treaty of marriage the first proposals are grounded upon estate suitableness of age and parentage and neighbourhood and other conveniences of life conjugal affection to the person groweth by society and long converse Fire at first kindling casts forth much smoke but afterwards it is blown up into a purer flame 2. Some love him for the good which they have received from him Not so much that he may be God but because he hath been good and indeed the love of gratitude is a true Christian and Gospel love and hath a greater degree of excellency than the former because thankfulness is the great respect of the creature to the Creator and because so few return to give God the glory of what they have received but one of the healed lepers returned back and glorified God Luke 17.15 18. And because gratitude hath in its nature something that is more noble than self-seeking and bare expectation for common reason tells us that 't is better to give than to receive and in this returning love we seek to bestow somthing upon God in that way we are capable of of doing such a thing or God of receiving it This returning love is often spoken of in Scripture as a praise worthy thing Psa. 116.1 I will love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications And Rom. 12.1 I beseech you â—herefore Brethren by the mercies of God that you present youâ— bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service God hath the honour of a precedency but we of a return 1 John 4.16 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us There 's the true Spirit of the Gospel in such a love for Gospel obedience and Service is a life of love and praise and thankfulness 3. Some love God because he is good in himself Not only that he may be good to us or because he hath been good to us but because he is good in himself Gods essential goodness which is the perfection of his Nature his infinite and eternal Being and his Moral Goodness which is the perfection of his will or his holiness and purity is the object of love as well as his beneficial goodness or that goodness of his which promoteth our Interest I prove it Partly because God is the object of love though we receive no good by it Love and goodness are as the Iron and the load-stone nature hath made them so Now God considered in his infinite perfection is good as distinguished from his doing good Psa. 119 68. And Partly Because God loveth himself first and the creature for himself Pro. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself The first object of the Divine complacency is his own being and the last end of all things is his own glory and pleasure Rev. 4.11 For thy pleasure they are and were created Now this is a reason to us because the perfection of holiness standeth in an exact conformity to God and by grace we are made partakers of a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Which mainly discovereth its self in loving as God loveth and hating as God hateth And therefore we must love him in and for himself and our selves for him And Partly Because if God were only to be beloved for the effects of his benignity and beneficial goodness this great absurdity would follow that God is for the creature and not the creature for God for the supream act of our love would terminate in our happiness as the highest end and God would be only regarded in order thereunto Now to make God a means is to degrade him from the dignity and preheminence of God Partly Because we are bound to love the creatures as good in themselves though not beneficial to us Therefore much more God as good in himself if we are to love the Saints as Saints not because kind and helpful to us but because of the Image of God in them though they never did us any good turn Psa. 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the Excellent in whom is all my delight If we are to love the Law of God as 't is pure then we are to love God because of the Moral goodness of his nature Psa. 119.140 These things are out of Question clear and beyond all controversy why not God then in whom is more purity and holiness If indeed we are perswaded of the realâ—â—y and excellency of his being Now in this last rank there are degrees also 1. Some love Christ above his benefits They do not love Pardon and salvation so much as they love Christ 1 Pet. 2.7 To them that believe Christ is precious To love the gifts more than the person the Jointure more than the Husband in a Temporal cause would not be counted a sincere love The truth is at first the benefits do first lead us to seek after God Man usually beginneth at the lowest and loveth God for his love to us but he riseth higher upon aquaintance First he loveth God for that tast of his goodness which we have in the Creatures then for that goodness God exhibiteth in the Ordinances for that help he offereth us there for our greatest necessities then as in graces Justification and Sanctification then as in Christ as the fountain of all then God above Christ as Mediatour as the ultimate object of love 2. Possibly some may come to such a degree as to love Christ without his benefits The height of Moses and Paul is admirable who loved Gods glory above their own Salvation Exod. 32.32 Blot me out of thy Book And Rom. 8.3 I could even wish my self accursed from Christ for my Brethren and kinsfolk in the flesh Lay all his personal Benefit or the happy part of his Portion at Gods feet in Christ for a greater end to promote his glory but this extraordinary zeal is very rare if attained by any other in this life 3. Some love the benefits for his sake Heaven the better because Christ is there pardon the better because God is so much
we might yield up our selves to God to love and serve and please him for we by his blood are purged from dead works that we might serve the living God Heb. 9.14 3. Believers are said to reconcile themselves to God 2 Cor. 5.20 We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God As they do imbrace the offered benefit and lay aside their enmity and love God that loveth them and devote themselves to his use and service 2. More particularly I shall do three things 1. State the foregoing breach 2. Shew you the nature of this reconciliation 3. Shew you how Christ is concerned in it 1. To state the foregoing breach take these Propositions 1. God and man were once near friends Adam was the Lords favourite You know till man was made 't is said of every rank and species of the Creature God saw that it was good But when man was made in his day Gen. 1.31 God saw what he had made and behold it was very good An object of special love God expressed more of his favour to him than to any other Creature except the Angels Man was made after his Image Gen. 1.26 When you make the Image or Picture of a man you do not draw his feet or his hands but his face his tract or foot-print may be found among the creatures but his Image and express resemblance with man and so he was fitted to live in delightful Communion with his Creator Man was his Vice-roy Gen. 1.27 God intrusted him with the care charge and dominion over all the Creatures Yea he was capable of loving knowing or injoying God other Creatures were capable of glorifying God of setting forth his Power Wisdom and Goodness objectively and passively but man of glorifying God actively as being appointed to be the mouth of the Creation 2. Man gets out of Gods favour by conspiring with Gods grand Enemy His Condition was happy but mutable before Satan by insinuating with him draweth him into Rebellion against God and upon this Rebellion he forfeiteth all his priviledges Gods Image favour and Fellowship God would deal with him in the way of a Covenant Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Do and live sin and die The comminatory part is only expressed because that only took place So that by this Rebellion he lost the integrity of his nature and all his Happiness he first run away from God and then God drove him away he was first a fugitive and than an exile 3. Man faln draweth all his posterity along with him For God dealt not with him as a single but as a publick person Rom. 5.13 Whereas by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all for that all have sinned And 1 Cor. 15.47 The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from Heaven There 's a first man and a Second man nos omnes eramus in illo unus homo Adam and Jesus are the two great Institutions the one consistent with the Wisdom and Justice of God as the other with the wisdom and grace of God so that Adam begets enemies to God Gen. 5.3 Adam begot a Son in own likeness And 1 Cor. 15.49 we read of the Image of the earthly one Every man is born an enemy to God his nature opposite his ways contrary to God and so is eternally lost and undone unless God make some other provision for him 4. The Condition of every man by nature is to be a stranger and an enemy to God Col. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds That double notion is to be considered Strangers there is no Communion between God and us we cannot delight in God nor God in us till there be a greater suitableness or a divine nature put into us If that be too soft a notion the next will help it we are enemies there is a perfect contrariety we are perfectly opposit to God in nature and ways We are enemies directly or formally and in effect or by interpretation formally men are enemies open or secret open are those that bid open defiance to him as Pagans and Infidels and Idolaters Secret so are all sinners their hopes and desires are that there were no God they would fain have God out of their way rather than part with their lusts they would part with their God Psa. 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God 'T is a pleasing thought and supposition that there were no God In effect and by Interpretation they do things or leave things undone contrary to to Gods will and take part with their sins against him As Love is a Love of duty and subjection so hatred is a refusal of obedience Love me and keep my Commandments Exod. 20.6 They are angry with those who would plead Gods interests with them But how can men hate God who is summum bonum fons boni The School-men put the Question We hate him not as a Creator and Preserver but as a Law-giver and Judge As a Law-giver because we cannot injoy our lusts with that freedom and security by reason of his restraint God hath interposed by his Law against our desires Rom. 8.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity to God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be As a Judge and avenger of sin not only desire of carnal liberty but slavish fear is the cause of this enmity Men hate those whom they fear We have wronged God exceedingly and we know that he will call us to an account we are his debtors and cannot answer the demands of his Justice And therefore we hate him what comfort is it to a guilty prisoner to tell him that his Judge is a discreet person or of a stayed Judgment he is one that will condemn him A condemning God can never be loved by a guilty creature as barely apprehended under that notion 5. God hateth sinners as they hate him For we are Children of wrath from the womb Eph. 2.3 And that wrath abideth on us till we enter into Gods peace John 3.36 And the more wicked we are the more we incur Gods Wrath. Psal. 7.11 He is angry with the wicked every day They are under his curse Gal. 3.10 Whatever be the secret purposes of his grace yet so they are by the sentence of his Law and according to that we must Judge of our condition 2. The nature of this reconciliation 1. As the enmity is mutual so is the reconciliation God is reconciled to us and we to God On Gods part his Wrath is appeased and our wicked disposition is taken away by regeneration for there are the causes of the difference between him and us his Justice and our sin His Justice is satisfied in Christ so that he is willing to offer us a new Covenant Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He is
of liberty What debtor would not be discharged How glad is an honest man to be out of debt What guilty Malefactor would not be acquitted Oh let it not seem a light thing in your eye We have lost our Spiritual relish if it do Oh prize a pardon apprehend it as a great benefit sweeter than the honey and honey comb VSE 3. It should engage us to love God Luke 7.47 Her Sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little SERMON XXXVI 2 Cor. 5.19 Not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation DOct. One great branch and fruit of our reconciliation with God is the pardon of sins Reasons 1. Because reconciliation implyeth in its own nature a release of the punishment of sin or on Gods part a laying aside of his wrath and anger as on ours a laying aside of our enmity and disobedience Isa. 27.4 Fury is not in me Anger in God is nothing else but his Justice appointing the punishment of sin and he is said to be reconciled or pacifyed when he hath no will to punish or doth not purpose to punish And therefore fitly is this part of the reconciliation expressed by not imputing our trespasses Especially because our reconciliation with God is not the reconciliation of private persons or of equals but such as is between Superiours and Inferiours a Prince and his rebellious Subjects Parents and their disobedient Children the Governour and Judge of the World and sinning mankind And therefore not to be ended by way of agreement and composition but by way of satisfaction humiliation and pardon Satisfaction on Christs part humiliation on our part pardon on Gods When persons fall out that are in a private capacity the difference may be ended by composition they may quit the sense of the wrong done to them but the case is different here God is not reconciled to us meerly as the party offended but as the Governour of the World A private man as the party offended may easily remit a wrong done to him without requiring satisfaction or submission according to his own pleasure As Joseph was reconciled to his Brethren But here God is not considered as the party offended meerly but as the Supream Judge who is to proceed according to Law When the Magistrate forgiveth there must be a stated pardon and so God is to find out a way how the Law is to be satisfied and the Offendor saved by releasing the punishment in such a way as the Law may not fall to the ground and that is not without the satisfaction of Christ and the submission of the sinner and the solemn grant of a pardon A private man may do in his own case as pleaseth him but there is a difference in a publick person The right of passing by a wrong and the right of releasing a punishment are different things because punishment is a Common interest and is referred to the Common good to preserve order and for an example to others 2. This branch is mentioned because this was the most inviting motive to bring the Creature to submission and to comply with Gods other ends To understand this reason consider 1. Among the benefits which we have by Christ some concern our felicity others our duty some concern our priviledges others our service qualities rights The internal qualities and graces are conveyed and wrought in us by the sanctifying Spirit the rights and priviledges are conveyed to us by deed of gift by the Covenant of grace or new Testament Charter or Gospel Grant As the one frees us from a moral evil which is sin the other from a natural evil which is misery of the one sort is holiness and all those divine qualities which constitute the new nature Inherent graces Of the other sort are pardon of sins Adoption right to glory adherent rights and priviledges Now God offereth the one to invite us to the other by the Gospel as a deed of gift or special act of grace God offereth the one upon condition we will seek after the other which deed of gift cannot take effect till we fulfil the condition We cannot have remission of sins till we have repentance 'T is true he giveth the qualification as well as the priviledge repentance as well as remission of sins Acts 5.31 But he giveth it this way He giveth repentance offering remission that 's the natural way of Gods working The appointed means to draw mans heart to the performance of the condition As the Spirit doth work powerfully within so he useth the word without Well then if we would have the benefits by Christ we must have all or none repentance as well as remission Faith as well as Adoption and Justification and Holiness as well as a right to Glory For Christ in all the dispensations of his grace looketh at Gods Glory as well as our interest Therefore if we come rightly to the covenant and expect grace by our redeemer we must come with a true heart in full assurance of fatih Heb. 10.22 2. The one is the first inviting and powerful motive to the other Partly our desires of happiness which even corrupt nature is not against are made use of and apt to gain upon us to a desire of Happiness God would leave some inclination and desires to happiness in the heart of man that might direct us in some sort to seek after himself Act. 17.27 That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him Nature catcheth at felicity we would have impunity peace comfort glory we are willing as to our own benefit to be pardoned and freed from the curse of the Law and the flames of Hell we are naturally willing of justification but naturally unwilling to deny the flesh and to renounce the credit profit or pleasure of sin and to grow dead to the World and worldly things But these other suit with our desires of happiness Therefore God would in reconciling the creature go to work this way promise that which we desire on condition that we will submit to those things which we are against As we sweeten pills to Children that they may swallow them down the better they love the Sugar though they loath the Aloes So here God would invite us to our duty by our interest and therefore in reconciling the World to himself he would first be discovered as not impuâ—ing their trespasses to them 2dly Partly because of our fears as well as our desires of happiness God taketh this way The grand scruple which haunteth the creature is how God shall be appeased and quit his controversie against us by reason of sin Micha 5 6. Wherewith will he be appeased and what shall I give for the sin of my Soul There is a fear of death and punishment which ariseth from these natural sentiments which we have of God Rom. 1.32 Knowing the judgment of God that they which
take to bring about this peace how else should he give his consent or seek after the benefit in such a solemn and humble manner as is necessary And how else can we be sensible of our obligation and be thankful and live in the sense of so great a love John 4.10 If thou knewest the gift c. 2. As God will not do us good without our knowledge so not against our will and consent and force us to be reconciled and saved whether we will or no Man is a reasonable Creature a free Agent and God governeth all his Creatures according to their receptivity With necessary Agents he worketh necessarily with free Agents freely a will is required on our parts Revel 22.17 Whosoever will And Psa. 110.3 His people shall be a willing people in the day of his power Their hearts are effectually inclined to accept of what God offereth All that receive the faith of Christ receive it most willingly and forsake all to follow him Acts 2.41 They gladly received his Word then was that prophesy in part verified 3. God will not work this will and consent by an imposing force but by perswasion because he will draw us with the cords of a man Hosea 4.14 That is in such a way and upon such terms as are proper and fitting for men God dealeth with beasts by a strong hand of absolute power but with man in the way of counsel intreaties and perswasions as he acted the tongue of Balaams Ass to strike the sound of those words in the Air not infusing discourse and reason Therefore 't is said Numbers 22.28 He opened the mouth of the Ass But when he dealeth with man he is said to open the heart Acts 16.14 As inwardly by a secret power so outwardly by the Word so offered that they attended That 's a rational way of proceeding so to mind as to choose so to choose as to pursue Man is drawn to God in a way suitable to his nature 4. To gain this consent the word is a most accommodate instrument I prove it by two Arguments 1. From the way of Gods working Physically morally powerfully sapientially The physical operation is by the infusion of life the moral operation is by Reason and Argument Both these ways are necessary in a condescension to our capacities fortiter pro te Domine suaviter pro me God worketh strongly like himseâ—f and sweetly that he may attemper his work to our natures and suit the key to the wards of the lock Both these ways are often spoken of in Scripture John 6.44 45. No man can come unto me except the father draw him as it is written in the Prophets they shall all be taught of God They are taught and drawn so taught that they are also drawn and inclined and so drawn as also taught As it becometh God to deal with men Therefore sometimes God is said to create in us a new heart making it a work of power Psa. 51.10 And we are his workman-ship created to good works Eph. 2.10 Sometimes to perswade and allure Hosea 2.15 I will allure her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her Gen. 9.27 The Lord shall perswade Japhet By fair and kind intreaties draw them to a likeing of his ways The Soul of man is determined to God by an Object without and a Quality within The Object is propounded by all its Qualifications that the understanding may be informed and convinced and the will and affections perswaded in a potent and high way of reasoning but this is not enough to determine mans heart without an internal Quality or Grace infused which is his physical work upon the Soul There is not only a propounding of Reason and Arguments but a powerful inclination of the Heart and so we are by strong hand plucked out of the snares of death Both are necessary the power without the word or perswasion would be a bruitish force and so offer violence to our faculties Now God doth not oppress the liberty of the Creature but preserve the nature and interest of his workmanship On the other side the perswasion offers of a blessed estate without power will not work for if the Word of God cometh to us in word only but not in power the Creature remaineth as it was dead and stupid 2. If we consider the Impediments on mans part The word is suited as a proper cure for the diseases of mens Souls Now these are Ignorance slightness and Impotency 1. Ignorance is the first disease set forth by the notions of Darkness and Blindness Eph. 5.8 2 Pet. 1.9 We are so to spiritual and heavenly things Though men have the natural power of understanding yet no spiritual discerning so as to be affected with or transformed by what they know 1 Cor. 2.14 no saving knowledge of the things which pertain to the Kingdom of God or their everlasting happiness This is the great disease of Humane Nature worse than bodily blindness because they are not sensible of it Rev. 3.17 Thou thoughtest that thou wast rich and increased with goods and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Because they seek not fit Guides to lead them 2. Slightiness They will not mind these things nor exercise their thoughts about them Matth. 22.5 And they made light of it would not let it enter into their care and thoughts Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Non-attendency is the great bane of mens Souls 't is a long time to bring them to ask What shall I do to be saved 3. Impotency and weakness which lieth in the wilfulness and hardness of their hearts our non posse is non velle Psal. 58.4 5. They are like the deaf Adder which stoppeth her Ear and will not hearken to the Voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely And Matth. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thy Children together as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but ye would not And Luke 19.14 We will not have this Man to rule over us John 5.40 They will not come unto me that they may have life Psal. 81.11 Israel would have none of me Prov. 1.29 But they hated Knowledge and did not choose the Fear of the Lord. You cannot because you will not the will and affections being engaged to other things You have the grant and offer of Mercy from God but you have not an heart to make a right Choice If you could say I am willing but cannot that were another matter but I cannot apply my self to seek Reconciliation with God by Christ is in true Interpretation I will not because your blinded Minds and sensual Inclinations have misled and perverted your will your obstinate and carnal wilfulness is your true impotency Now what proper cure is there for all these evils but the Word of God Teaching is the proper means to cure Ignorance for men have a natural understanding Warning us of our danger
belongeth to them that are of full Age who by reason of use have their Senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil. 2. That Fundamentals in the Scripture are clear and certain God hath not left us in the dark but pointed out a clear way to Heaven of Faith and good Works Ephes. 2.10 We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them It is a disparagement to the Word to make it an uncertain Rule The Way to Heaven is beaten and we may observe the Track and Foot-prints of the Flock It is a good Observation of Chrysostom That the Saints do not complain of the darkness of the Scripture but of their own Hearts Open thou mine Eyes not make a new Law 3. These necessary Doctrines must be entertained without doubt and hesitancy It is dangerous when Foundation-stones lie loose We are pressed to stand fast in the Faith 1 Cor. 16.13 and to hold the Profession of it without wavering Heb. 16.23 Not to enquire after the Gods of the Nations Deut. 12.30 and Gal. 1.8 Though an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Doctrine to you than that which ye have heard let him be accursed The notion of new Light chiefly aimeth at undermining the old Doctrine of the Scriptures For the main of Religion a Man should be setled above doubt and contradiction Till we have certainty there cannot be Grace the Soul is not brought under the Power of Truth for things that are controversial have no efficacy and force The great hindrance of Saving-knowledg is that natural Atheism and those habituated Doubts which are found in the Heart 4. We must be zealous for lesser Truths when we have received them upon certain Grounds Every piece and parcel of Truth is precious a little Leaven of Error is dangerous Gal. 5.9 A little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump Error fretteth like a Gangrene and grows still higher and higher Men think it is enough to be careful of Fundamentals all other Knowledg is but Scientia Oblectans for delight not safety Oh it is dangerous to stain the Understanding though you do not wound it There are Maculae and Vulnera Intellectûs It is dangerous to be wanton in Opinions that seem to be of a smaller concernment Men that play with Truth leave themselves open to more dangerous Errors Some say Fundamentals are few believe them and live well and you are saved This is as if a Man in building should be only careful to lay a good Foundation no matter for Roof Windows or Walls If a Man should untile your House and tell you the Foundation the main Butteresses are safe you would not be pleased Why should we be more careless in Spiritual Things 5. Take up no Practices nor Principles but upon full conviction This imposeth a necessity of often change or at least of frequent doubting Men do not search but act out of blind Obedience and then they are liable to seduction 1 Thess. 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good It is a pertinacy not a constancy when I have no clear warrant A Christian should be able to give an answer to every Man that asketh him a reason of the Hope that is in him with meekness and fear 1 Pet. 3.15 otherwise we shall never be able to secure our Practices and Opinions against the Objections in our own Hearts and answer the Sophister in our own Bosoms 2. Observe That no Knowledg is sufficient to Life Eternal but the Knowledg of God and Christ. I am to prove 1. No other Knowledg is sufficient 2. How far this is enough for such an End and Purpose The Scripture asserts both for the words are exclusive and assertive there is no other Knowledg and this is sufficient 1. No other Knowledg is sufficient to Life Eternal I shall prove it by two Arguments 1. Out of Christ we cannot know God The Gentiles had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something that was known of God Rom. 1.19 20. which served to leave them without excuse but not to save their Souls The Apostle instanceth in such Attributes as are obvious but more terrible than comfortable as Eternity Power c. They had some loose thoughts of his Godhead and Power but no distinct view of his Essence that is reserved for the Scriptures The Scriptures are the Picture of Christ and Christ is the Image of the Father 2 Cor. 4.4 Lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine upon them God never made out himself to the World in that latitude and greatness as he hath done to the World in Christ. In Christ's Person and Kingdom the Majesty of God is known in the Divine Power of his Operations the strength of God in the excellency of his Benefits the Love of God The wisest Heathens that had no other Glass than the Book of the Creatures whereby to dress up their Apprehensions could only see a first Cause a first Mover a Being of Beings some great Lord and Governor of the Order of the World whom they mightily transformed and misfigured in their Thoughts they knew nothing distinctly of Creation and Providence of the Nature of Worship which is necessary for whosoever is saved must not only know God's Essence but his Will for otherwise we shall but grope as the Heathens did Acts 17.27 That they should seek the Lord if haply they should feel after him and find him We cannot seek him to satisfaction 2. Without Christ no enjoying of God It must be such a Knowledg as bringeth God and the Soul together Now between us and him there is a great Gulph all gracious Commerce is broken off between God and the fallen Creature John 14.6 No Man cometh unto the Father but by me No free Trade unto Heaven but by Jacob's Ladder John 1.51 Hereafter you shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man There is no Access but by Christ and so no Salvation but by him Acts 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved In the fallen State of Man there is need of a Mediator in Innocency we might immediatly converse with God God loved his own Image What could a just and holy Man fear from a just and holy God But now that of God's Creatures we are made his Prisoners we can expect nothing of Mercy because he is just Guilty Nature presageth nothing but Evil. Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the Judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death The great Question of the World is Wherewith shall I appease him to give his Justice content and satisfaction Mich. 6.8 In all the Inventions of Men they could never find out a sufficient Ransom to expiate Sin to reconcile God to sanctify humane Nature that we might have commerce with Heaven 2.
to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou best sent The Heathens had many Moral Vertues but unless God did reveal himself to them by extraordinary ways which we cannot judg of all their priviledg was ut mìtiùs ardeant their Works being but splendida peccata If any now may be saved without Christ Christ is dead in vain and we may want the whole Gospel and yet be safe the Philosophy of Aristotle and Seneca would be the Way and Power of God unto Salvation as well as the Gospel We must have a care left by going about to make them Christians we make our selves Heathens Vse 2. Let us bless God for the Gospel that revealeth God and Christ. Many Nations are spilt on the World without any Knowledg of God and Christ and are as Sheep whom no Man taketh up blessed be God for our Privileges When we look to the Hole of the Pit from whence we were digged we shall find our selves as barbarous as others Portenta diabolica penè Aegyptiaca Numina vincentia saith Gildas of our Idols God threatneth Israel Hos. 2.3 I will strip her naked and set her as in the day that she was born If we should despise the Gospel abuse the Messengers of it God will return us to our old Barbarism and we that were so shy of letting in Popery should usher in Atheism When the Professors of the Gospel were banished Cambridg and Peter Martyr heard the Sacring Bell he said There is the Gospel's Passing-Bell It would be sad if we should hear such a sound The Ministry I may speak it without arogancy are the only visible Party that uphold the Life of Religion in the Land the Lord knows what may be the sad Fruits of their Suppression if either these Lights should be extinguished by Violence or be starved for want of Oil Methinks our Message should make our Feet beautiful We preach God and Christ If we be a little earnest for the Faith of the Saints remember it is for the good of your Souls it cannot be Zeal for our Interests for this is the way to endanger them bear with us it is in a Case of Salvation or Damnation If we be besides our selves it is for Christ 2 Cor. 5.13 If we seem to hazard all many Nations to whom God hath denied the Mercy would welcome it with all Thanksgiving when God hath opened a Door of Hope to the Indians it may be it will be more precious Vse 3. Study God in Jesus Christ. This is the most glorious Subject of Contemplation there we may find him infinitely just and yet merciful pardoning Sinners yet salving the Authority of this Law there we may see God and Man in one Person and the Beams of Divine Majesty allayed by the Vail of Humane Nature in the Godhead of Christ we may see his Power in his Humane Nature his Love and Condescension He is our Lord and yet our Brother a Man and yet God's Fellow and Equal Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow saith the Lord of Hosts He would have a Mother on Earth that we might have a Father in Heaven our Relation and Alliance to Heaven groweth by him In Christ only can we look upon God as a Father Deum absolutum debent omnes fugere qui non volunt perire otherwise we shall perish and be overwhelmed with despair Again Non solum periculosum est sed etiam horribile de De◠extra Christum cogitare In Trials and Temptations it is dangerous to think of God alone to consider him out of Christ but here infinite Majesty condescendeth to converse with you The Indian Gymnosophists would lie on their Backs and gaze on the Sun all day Oh how should we by the deliberate Gaze of Faith reflect upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.16 this glorious Mystery fit for Angels to look into Only get an Interest in it or else it will be more cold and comfortless thy God and thy Christ that is another thing when thou canst own God as thy Father and Christ as thy Brother Luther saith Deus magis cognoscitur in praedicamento Relationis quà m in praedicamento Substantiae To know God in relation to us is far sweeter than to be able curiously to discourse of his Essence John 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you When we know God in Christ and Christ in us this is to know him indeed not only be hear-say but acquaintance to know him so as to love him and enjoy him Vse 4. To press us to seek Salvation in no other but in God through Christ. Come to Christ you are in need of Salvation and there is no other way Acts 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Christ is an Alsufficient Saviour able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God through him Heb. 7.25 a Plaster broad enough for every Sore do you cast your selves upon him see if he will refuse you John 6.37 He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast off Now I shall come to the Particulars that are to be known concerning God and Christ. First Concerning God Doct. 1. That there is a God This is the Supream Truth and first to be known Heb. 11.6 They that come to God must believe that he is The discussion is not needless Though it be impossible to deface those Impressions of the Deity which are engraven upon our Hearts yet the drift of our Desires and Thoughts goeth this way as if there were no God Psal. 10.4 The Wicked through the pride of his Countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his Thoughts All his Thoughts are there is no God Psal. 14.1 The Fool hath said in his Heart There is no God Though he durst not speak it out yet he saith it in his Heart he entertaineth some such suspicious Thoughts and Desires about this Matter Those that are guilty of Treason would fain destroy the Court-Rolls so carnal Men would destroy all Memorials of God Yea many of the Children of God feel this Temptation Is there a God It will be not lost labour to answer the Inquiry I shall pitch upon such Arguments as are every Man's Mony 1. God is evidenced by his Works 1. Of Creation The World is a great Book and Volume the Creatures are Letters the most Excellent are Capital Letters If you cannot read the Beasts will teach you Job 12.7 8. Ask now the Beasts and they will teach thee and the Fowls of the Air and they shall tell thee Or speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Who knoweth not in all these that the Hand of the Lord hath wrought this The mute Fishes that can hardly make any sound