2 Thes 1. 6 7. Psal 116. 7. Hâ—b 4. 3. Fifthly Sin shall never more have dominion over them Rom. 6. 14. Sixthly God will withhold no good thing from them Rom. 8. 32. No temporal blessing Math. 6. 33. No spiritual blessing 1 Tim. 4. 8. No instruction Jer. 31. 33. Isa 54. 13. Joh. 14. 26. No sanctified correction Heb. 10. 10 11. Rom. 5. 3 to 5. No consolation Isa 51. 3. 2 Cor. 1. 4. No edification and increase in Grace Eph. 4. 12 16. Nay all things shall work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. Lastly They can never forfeit their state of Grace and interest in the Favour of God Joh. 13. 1. 2 Cor. 7. 10. They shall be sure to be kept by the mighty power of God unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. There is not the least room left for a falling off from Grace Because First Salvation is purchased for them and if the end be purchased then all the means to the end and God in Justice is bound to make good Christs purchase and to deliver what he bought and paid for 2 Tim. 4. 8. Secondly Preservation in grace is ingaged to them Jer. 32. 40. 1 Thes 5. 23 24. The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it Here we may see both Sanctification and Salvation is secured to all that are savingly called of God Salvation is the End and sanctification is the Means and both are sounded not on the will of Man or on his care and fidelity but as depending on the act and faithfulnesse of God not only the first Act of Sanctification but Preservation continuance and growth in Grace is the work of God and it's perseverance is laid upon divine preservation to which God hath bound himself by promise to every Soul that is truly sanctified and his Faithfulness is engag'd to make it good Thirdly They are put into the Hands of Christ on purpose to be secured in Grace to Glory Joh. 10. 28 29. They shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand They are engraven on the palms of his hands their walls are continually before him Isa 49. 16. Their Walls that is their safety This was spoken in a time when the Walls of Jerusalem were broken down Yet at that time God had Walls about them to secure them which they saw not Both Believers themselves their Graces and all the Promises are put into the hands of Christ hence they cannot fall away Fourthly True Grace is of an abiding nature 1 Joh. 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed abideth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not at constantiam penitissimam inhaesionem saith one 'T is an abiding and constant inhesion of Grace Some to evade the evidence of this Truth would pervert the sense of it taking it for the new Creature which is born of God whereas the Original is clear against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine Gender which notes a person not a thing Again it would be a Tautologie to add a reason why such a one cannot sin because he is born of God and his seed remaineth in him whereas the new Creature and the seed of God are all one but here they note two things First A Person Secondly The Regenerate part of the Person which is fully explain'd in the following ver where he that is born of God or the Child of God is opposed to the Child of the Devil which is meant of a distinct Person not a different Nature in the same Person and this seed of God is of an abiding nature wherever it comes it comes never wholly to depart more Isa 59. 21. Fifthly Because their Life is hid in Christ and therefore cannot be lost and perish at their pleasure Col. 3. 3 4. The Believers Grace is sure in the Root however it be in the Branch and therefore Christ engages to his people that they shall live because he lives Joh. 14. 19. Lastly They have an Inseparable union with the Spirit of Grace that dwells in them Rom. 8. 11. He that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Where the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one observes ever notes the Person of the Holy Ghost not his Graces so that the Saints have an abiding union with the Spirit of God the third Person and so cannot perish for want of Grace but are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation He can never want Water that may have access to the Fountain or Ocean nor can any Soul be destitute of Grace that is united to the Spirit of Grace The Graces of Saints are sure their Faith their Preservation is sure O what a glorious priviledge is this that flows to Believers from this purchase of Christ that their Salvation is sure and they may know it to be so CHAP. XVIII Sanctification and Holiness is purchas'd for Believers by the Death and Sufferings of Jesus Christ ANother part of Christs purchased Treasure for Believers is Fourthly The Sanctification of their Natures and Persons Here I shall shew 1. That the Lord Jesus hath Purchased Grace and Holiness 2. For whom this Holiness is purchased 3. What this Holiness is he hath purchased 4. That this is part of Christs Treasure First That the Lord Jesus hath purchased the sanctification of the Natures and Persons of his people This I shall prove by several Arguments First All the Types under the Law do imply so much and darkly open this great truth to Believers We find that Christ in the non-age and Infant state of his Church and People dealt with them in Figures and Shadows So the Laver and Sacrifices the Priests pure and white Robes and Vestments and the washing of their Garments when they were to approach the Divine Majesty were Typical of this Holiness which he was to procure for his people in the fullness of time so much the Apostle imports Col. 2. 17. Which are a shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ The shadow goes before and the body follows These Types are precedaneous to the coming of Christ and his full accomplishment of the things intended and signified by them thus Christ is the Altar that sanctifies the gift In him we have those true and solid good things which were shadowed out in those Ceremonies under the Law saies Daven on the place Secondly The Names and Titles given to Christ import so much He is called Jesus because he shall save his People from their sins Mat. 1. 21. He is called a Redeemer to deliver them from their Bondages and hard Service He is termed the Sanctifier For he that Sanctifieth and they that
second Adam as Mediator the Difference between whom was great the first Adam but a Creature this a Creator or Quickning Spirit the first Adam had his Rise from the Earth this second Adam as to his person from Heaven whence saith Paraeus 't is evident the Apostle doth not speak here of the matter of Christs Body but of the Original and Dignity of his Person for he grants in this whole Discourse that Christ's Body is one and the same with ours else how can his Resurrection be a proof of ours and 't is said As by man came death so by man came also the Resurrection of the Dead 1 Cor. 15. 20 21 22. And if Christ had not a real natural Body then he could not be the Seed of the Woman neither had his Death been a real Death or a satisfactory Propitiation if the same Nature that sinned had not also suffered And therefore it must needs be that Christ had a Natural Body He Eat Drank Spake Walked was weary smitten bound crucified which are also demonstrations of a Natural Body And as he had a perfect Body so had he a Soul also contrary to the Doctrine of Apollinaris or else he could not be a perfect Man and in all things made like unto his Brethren for 't is said when God made Man He breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and man became a living Soul Gen. 2. 7. Hence saith Lactantius A Soul-less Body is no Humane Body 'T is said His Soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto Death Mat. 26. 38. Had not Christ a real Soul he had not been a living man nor could be said to have died when he cried out Father into thy hands I commit my Spirit Luke 23. 46. And having said so he gave up the Ghost This Spirit the Lord Jesus gave up into his Father's hands was not his Divine Nature for that was one with and ever with the Father and therefore must needs be his Soul which was his Life and that departing he is said to dye and give up the Ghost Besides That Knowledge in which he is said to increase with those Humane Affections that manifestly appeared in him and those Acts of his Natural Will plainly proves his Soul these being the Essential Faculties of a Rational Spirit Neither could he have perfectly transacted the Office of a Mediator and undergone all the Sufferings that were to be borne for the Sin of Man had he not consisted of a Humane Soul as well as Body part of these Penalties yea the greatest part being Spiritual and such as none but the Soul could be fully sensible of And in point of Justice the Soul of man having sinned there must be a Soul also in the Redeemer to undergo Sufferings wherefore he must needs be perfect man in the Essential Parts of the Humane Nature Body Soul He had also the Properties of the Humane Nature both Essential and Accidental The Essential Properties of man as well of the Soul as Body were in him The Essential Properties and Faculties of the Soul which are the Understanding Will Affections were seated in his Nature he had a created Understanding that eminently shin'd out in his youthful years being able at Twelve years old to dispute with the Learned Doctors of his Day even to the astonishment of his Hearers Luke 2. 46 47. And they found him in the Temple sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them Questions and all that heard him were astonished at his Vnderstanding and Answers And ver 52. Jesus increased in Wisdom and Stature He had likewise Natural Affections so as without sin He loved the young man in the Gospel for those Excellencies that were in him Mark 10. 21. And had a peculiar degree of Affection to John above the rest of the Disciples Joh. 19. 26. He had compassion on the multitude Mat. 9. 36. And was grieved for the Heart hardness of his Disciples Mark 3. 5. And had indignation against Peter's tempting him to decline his Redemption-work Mark 8. 33. He had also the Essential Properties of a Humane Body such as do flow from the Essence thereof and are so absolutely necessary to it as that without these the Body would cease to be a Body as Quantity Figure Members Dimensions He had a Material Body consisting of Flesh and Bone with its Lineaments and Members Face Hands Feet he had a Stature in which he grew as other men do Luke 2. 52. A Body circumscribed in a place that must needs have a Circumference and be in one place at once circumscriptively not definitively as Spirits are Neither does its Union with the Divine Nature or its glorified state in Heaven alter this Essential Property of a Body Nor is the Omnipotency of God a sufficient Argument to warrant the Body of Christ to be in Heaven and Earth and in divers places at once seeing God's Absolute Power never crosseth his Actual Power or infer a contrariety to his Truth and to the natural Being of things Neither did he assume the Parts and Essential Properties of Man only but the Infirmities also and accidental Properties of the Humane Nature though not those which were Personal and Vicious and procur'd by Personal Sins or defection in their particular Natures as Diseases Blindness Lameness Deformity which were not the absolute and universal Products of Original Sin incident to every one but arising from some particular Causes and peculiar to some Persons onely these our Lord Jesus did not take upon him but such Infirmities as were accidental to the whole Nature for that he himself also is compassed with Infirmities Heb. 5. 2. not sinful as culpable Ignorance and Errour but Natural Infirmities such as were incident to our Natures Sin excepted and such as were the Effects and Punishment of Sin these Christ took on him as inculpable Ignorance Humane Passions of Sorrow Fear Anger in the Soul Hunger Thirst Weariness Pain bloody Sweat and Death in the Body Mark 13. 32. Mark 11. 13. Math. 26. 38. Math. 9. 36. Mat. 16. 23. Joh. 19. 28. Joh. 4. 6. Heb. 5. 8. Luke 22. 44. Mat. 27. 50. And O what enriching Priviledges and full Consolation do flow to Believers from the Words assuming the Humane Nature into Personality with himself And what glorious Excellencies are in Jesus Christ as he is God-Man in one Person infinite Treasures which can never be traced out nor fully understood by the Children of men as will appear if we consider the kind of this Union and the Consequents of it First Consider the kind of this Union between the Divine and Humane Nature of Christ and O what a glorious Mystery is it First It is a real Union 't is not Nominal in Name onely or Metaphorical in Shew or Similitude but in Reality and Truth The Divine and Humane Nature do constitute one Person which is Jesus Christ We have already proved that Jesus Christ is perfect God and perfect Man he is really so in one
was undone because a man of unclean Lips Isa 6. 4 5. And the Church Isaiah 64. 6. profess they were as an unclean thing Paul an elect Vessel a man of singular Revelations yet laments that in him dwelt no good thing Rom. 7. 18. That he was carnal and sold under Sin ver 14. and when he would do good evil was present with him ver 21. Secondly Here 's Comfort that their Corruptions in them shall not break their Covenant Relation to God Psal 89. 30. to 35. There can be no Forfeiture of this Promise I will be their God and they shall be my People Thy Lye cannot make God untrue Rom. 3. 3. 4. Thy evil Eye cannot make his Eye evil too Matth. 20. 15. Thy wicked Thoughts cannot alter his gracious Thoughts Isa 55. 8. 9. Thy invincible Corruptions cannot overcome his Mercies nor the Enmity of thy Nature make God thy Enemy Thirdly Christ is employed in Heaven about this very Work of subduing thine Iniquities he intercedes ever and why That this People might be sanctified by the Truth Joh. 17. 17. That they might have more Grace and the Spirit given out to mortifie their Corruptions he reigns in Heaven on purpose to bring down his and their Enemies 1 Cor. 15. 25. He carries on the work of Redemption in Heaven and what is that but to set his People free indeed he hath an assured care now in Glory to fulfil his Promises one of which is that Iniquity shall be subdued Mic. 7. 18. Romans 6. 14. Fourthly Christ's promise to the Father is security for the Destruction of thy Sin he is engaged to present his people compleat to the Father Eph. 5. 27. and to keep them unblameable to his heavenly Kingdom 1 Thes 5. 23. Fifthly His Glory and Pleasure is concerned in the Death of thy Corruptions Isa 53. 10. The Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand What is this Pleasure of the Lord It is the Redemption of his People from the Tyranny of Sin and the Slavery of Satan into the glorious Liberty of the first born of Glory 2 Thes 1. 11 12. Lastly Grace is of a prevailing Nature and must destroy thy Lusts at last and the Spirit of Grace is in his people Mat. 12. 20. the Interest of Sin and Sinners cannot always stand before the Interest of God and his people Esther 6. 13. Fourthly Here 's Comfort to tempted Believers such as are always dogged with filthy and frighâ—ing Temptations restlessly haunted with vile and blasphemous Thoughts and miserably buffeted with dreadful and dangerous Suggestions if Christ be interceding in Heaven then surely he will one day or other put an end to all the Temptations and in the mean time over-rule them that they shall not prevail over thee 1 Cor. 10. 13. Heb. 2. 19. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour those that are tempted Christ is a merciful High-priest and wants neither Knowledge Bowels or Abiliiy which might render him capable to relieve the tempted he hath the tempting Serpent the roaring Lion in Chains and will mercifully say to that proud one come so far and no farther Fifthly Here 's Comfort to Gods people under their Afflictions and Sufferings in the World or by the World if Christ be interceding in Heaven for them then surely he will not leave them comfortless in their Sufferings for him Joh. 14. 8. chap. 16. 32. 33. Then Tribulation nor Persecution nor any thing else can separate them from the Love of God in Christ Rom. 8. 35. He that is for them is stronger than all that are against them â—ers 31. He will be with them in the Fire and in the Water Isa 43. 2. Christ is never sweeter than when the World is most bitter to a Child of God Afflictions can but file away the Rust and scoure away the Filth it cannot diminish the Grace nor injure the State of those that are interested in Christ's Mediation Christ's Cordials are never better than when his people are most faint and languishing Christ in Heaven laughs at the vain hopes of his Enemies and will dash all their Attempts against himself and Interest in pieces Psal 2. 4 9. He will strengthen his tyred distressed Servants under Sufferings Isa 42. 10. 2 Cor. 12. 9. His Arm is made bare his Power display'd and his Strength made perfect in their Weaknesses Psal 27. 14. This may be the Trouble and dejecting Fears of some how they shall hold out-in times of Tryal I am afraid says one I shall never bare Reproaches Hatred Bonds Loss of Goods and death for Christ with a magnanimous and Gospel Spirit Why Soul It shall be given thee in that hour not only to believe but to suffer for Christ Phil. 1. 29. The Fury of the Adversary shall not terrifie you nor their rampent Rage deject your Courage Isa 35. 4. Sixthly Here 's Comfort to such as are Mourners for Sion and grieve at the Afflictions of God's People That lament to see Christ's Interest on foot and the Wicked on horse-back Transgressors to prosper and the Godly afflicted that weep to behold Divine Providences thwarting his Promises The Lord hath promised that to Christ shall every Knee bow and every Tongue confess Men read of glorious things spoken of Sion but when they look to the Interest of God they see nothing but matter of trouble and grief They look to the Earth and behold Darkness and Confusions they look to the Church of Christ and lo Decayes and Dyings Now this breeds trouble to the Friends of Christ to see things run counter and cross to expectation and promise yet here is Comfort from the Intercession of Christ on this account For First The Lord Jesus sits at Helm he is upon the Throne and reigns as King for ever and this hath been the Faithful s Refuge and Support in the worst of Times Psal 10. 2. 4. 16. Psa 29. 10. The Lord Jesus hath the Government of Nations as well as of Sion on his shoulders Isa 9. 6. Eph. 1. 22. He rules over all Psal 103. 19. His Kingdom ruleth over all Men and Devils cannot wrest the Scepter out of his hands In spight of all he is King of Sion Psal 2. 6. and his Government is maintained in all the Confusions that are on the Earth and if so there is no cause for the People of Christ to be dejected Fear not said Caesar to his Mariners in a Storm Caesar is here Why are ye so fearful said Christ to his Disciples when trembling at their Dangers in a boysterous Storm O ye of little Faith Matth. 8. 26. That Vessel cannot miscarry that hath Christ at Helm and if it could said Luther mallem ruere cum Christo quam regnare cum Caesare I had rather perish with Christ than reign with Caesar Secondly His Paths are in the deep waters Psal 77. 19. Thy way is in the Sea thy paths are in the deep waters and thy foot-steps are not
the Spirit too for Christ is not divided He that hath Christ hath the Father and the Spirit for these three are one Now a Soul that hath the Spirit of Christ may know it by the effects of it The Spirit of Christ is a quickening Spirit it begets a principle of Life The Soul that was dead to God and holiness now hath a new life a heart to move after God it works from other motives even from love to God Dost thou find thy heart always dead to every act of Grace No heart to pray hear c. and is this habitual O then here 's no fruit of Christs Spirit The Spirit of Christ is a sin-opposing spirit always quarrelling with Lust always convincing troubling humbling the Soul for sin Gal. 5. 17. Tit. 2. 11 12. It gives no peaceable possession to it but always opposes it as fire doth water Where the Spirit of Christ is 't is a leading guiding Spirit Rom. 8. 14. Christians what is it leads you Is it your own Spirits if you have received the Spirit of God you may know it by those Scripture ways it takes to put you upon duty such a one is coâ—vinced by the word and perswaded and help'd by the word to this and the other duty Again The Spirit of Christ is a praying Spirit A Soul that is in Christ cannot live without prayer though no eye see it and no good come by it yet he cannot omit secret prayer Zach. 12. 10. Rom. 8. 15. 'T is not enlargement of affections parts abilities and expressions in prayer but the inditings of the Spirit inward breathings sighs and groans of the Spirit A man may pray like a Saint or an Angel and yet not have a jot of the Spirit of prayer but it is the encouragement of the Spirit to wrestle with God by Christ the inward suggestions of hope when a Soul can go to God as to a Father when the very heart goes out to God in prayer and when prayer is wing'd with Faith and Love These are the effects of a Spirit of prayer and the fruit of a Souls reception of Christ Thirdly They that have obtain'd an interest in Christ have crucified the flesh with the lusts there of Gal. 5. 24. They and only they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh that is the body of death original sin The general Nature of sin the universal extents of sin come under the workings of this Crucifixtion O try Souls â—ath the Axe been ever laid to the root of sin Have you ever found felling stroaks upon the bodie of your Corruptions are you baptiz'd into the death of Christ and as he died for sin so do you die to sin and by vertue of his death and wounds do you fetch power and strength from him to crucifie it There 's a difference between the curbing and the crucifying of sin sin may be chain'd up imprison'd and not crucified Hypocrites that are under a seeming change do restrain and confine sin yea they may punish sin but do not crucifie it The crucifying of sin is the giving it a deadly mortal wound fetch'd from the blood and death of Christ Faith fetches vertue from the Grave of Christ to destroy the power of sin nothing so mortally stabs this Leviathan as a believing reflection on our propriety in Christs Crucifixtion and a laying hold on promises by Faith in order to the application of the benefit of a crucified Christ Rom. 6. 4 6. Our old man is crucified with him The putting our lusts into the side wounds and grave of Christ A levelling the Ax to the body of sin doth strange work to the crucifying of it Trie then are your corruptions Pride Passions Earthliness as strong as ever deceive not your selves this will never assure your interest in Christ till sin be destroyed 't is true when the wound is given sin doth not immediately die but the bodie of sin is dying and the believing Soul finds his corruptions hath less strength every day as a man that loseth his blood weakens more and more so a Soul that crucifies Lust finds it to weaken day by day Fourthly Another effect of a Souls union with Christ is this There will be some resemblance of Christ 1 Joh. 4. 17. As he is so are we in this World As Christ was Crucified in the flesh so are his Crucified to the flesh And as Christ was risen and justified in the Spirit so are they sanctified by the Spirit and have the nature and Image of Christ Hence we are said to be made conformable to the Image of his Son Rom. 8. 29. They that are Christ's are in some measure of truth like him 1 Joh. 3. 3. They have something of Christ's Nature and Spirit Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus Phil. 2. 5. Christ's mind was off from and above the World and herein lies as great an evidence of interest in Christ as in any thing that Soul is dead to and wonderfully loose from the World Gal. 6. 14. Christ's mind was heavenly he favour'd the things above his meat and drink was to do his Fathers will If you are Christ's you will be of the same mind nothing in the World will so much delight you as to do something for God Christ's mind was heavenly to do his work and hasten home and if you are Christ's this will be your mind to dispatch your work and hasten home Christ was full of mercy humility meekness If you are interested in Christ so it will be with you Lastly They that are interested in Christ do interest Christ in themselves and in all that is theirs 2 Cor. 8. 5. They first gave themselves to the Lord Such do devote and make over themselves and all to Christ and glad they have any interest parts capacities that Christ will accept of they cannot keep back a part no were it a thousand times dearer Christ shall have all Can. 6. 3. I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine The keeping back of part lost Ananias and Saphira they were undone and damned for ever Act. 5. If Christ be yours you will entitle him to all you are and have And thus are we come to a Conclusion in this matter That Soul that can come to seal to those things is a happy Soul O blessed Soul indeed Then mayst thou boldly say The Lord is my helper God Christ the Spirit the Promises the Kingdom and glory is mine Thus much for the use of Examination CHAP. XXX Containing a Vse of Exhortion pressing Believers to several duties HAving already dispatch'd Motives Counsels and Directions to Sinners about their coming to this Christ I shall only apply this last use of Exhortation to those who are interested in this rich and glorious Jesus Christians you that are made happy in your Relation to Christ and invested with a Title to these glorious Treasures of all persons you are most obliged to duty Christians be you advis'd and exhorted to
his Natures in his Offices in his sweet and gracious Dispositions In his Natures severally considered and united in his Hypostatical and Personal Union The Person of Christ consists of two Natures God the true Emanuel or God with us God manifested in the Flesh Man the true Emanuel or God with us God manifested in the Flesh So Joh. 1. 14. The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory the Glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth That is the Word which was God in the Second Person The brightness of his Glory and express Image of his Person Heb. 1. 3. took our Nature to himself in one Person and became Mediatour perfect God and perfect Man First Perfect God equal with the Father in Essence Joh. 10. 30. I and my Father are one that is one God not one Person 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Person but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing or Being I am in the Father and the Father in me and therefore my Sheep are safe they are in my hand and in my Father's hand here are two distinct Subsistences and we are the same I and my Father are one God as God I am equal with him the same in Substance equal in Power and Glory Rom. 9. 5. Of whom concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever over all men and over all things or in all as Vatab. This Scripture is generally used by all Interpreters to prove the Divine Nature of Christ He is God over all and blessed for ever in himself and of himself and the Author of all those Blessings his Creatures enjoy By him are all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth Visible and Invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Coloss 1. 16. And therefore he is perfect God this being his peculiar Operation to create the World By him all things consist he upholds all things by the word of his Power Heb. 1. 3. Supporting and ruling them which is another property of the Divine Nature the ruling and bearing up of all things in the World which none but everlasting Arms can do So he hath Power to forgive Sins which only God can do to raise the Dead to judge the World Mark 2. 5 7. Joh. 11. 43 44. Acts 17. 31. To know the Secrets of all Hearts Luke 5. 22. To be the Object of Religious Worship Heb. 1. 16. All which abundantly prove the Lord Jesus to be perfect God and so of infinite Perfection and Blessedness to inrich all that come unto him which will evidently appear if we do but a little consider those Perfections of the Divine Nature as opened in the Scriptures all which are in Jesus Christ First His Simplicity being a most pure Essence without the least Composition or Diversity of Parts or Accidents There is no mixture of Qualities or Excellencies in God but every Attribute is his entire Essence and therefore he is a most pure and simple Being as the Names he gives himself import especially these two Ehejeh Exod. 3. 14. I am hath sent me unto you The Word is in the future Tense I will be hath sent me but in the Hebrew the future Tense expresseth often both the Present and preterperfect and so this Word holds forth God's most simple absolute and immutable Being and self Existence So Jehovah a Name which God seems to take most Delight in and which doth as it were sum up all his glorious Excellencies in one word importing his most pure glorious and incomprehensible Essence which he hath in and from himself before all time and unto all Eternity subsisting in and of himself and giving Being to all his Creatures and therefore must needs be the most perfect and simple Being The Unity of his Essence proves his Simplicity he is one God though three Persons Deut. 6. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one God he is the first Being and one undivided Essence and therefore most pure and simple He is altogether a most perfect Being in and of himself who wants nothing that is excellent nor can have any thing in himself that is evil and therefore is a most simple pure Nature And if Jesus Christ as God be such a simple and excellent Being then he is a most perfect Treasure to his People there is nothing wanting in him to make them happy nor can there be any thing in him or come from him to make them miserable then he is true and faithful to Believers there can be no Contrarieties in him or Contradictions proceed from him his Love is sincere his Purposes are true there is a reality in his Expressions for he is one and of one mind to his redeemed ones O Believers think on the Purity of Christ's Nature the Perfection of his Blessedness the Integrity of his Affections and the Infiniteness of all his Perfections to make his beloved ones happy There 's no Moth or Rust no Worm or Death can ware out his pure Affections to his People There is no mixture in his Nature Composition is the Corruption or Imperfection of created Beings but in Christ's Divine Nature there is Unity and Simplicity there is nothing can alter his Thoughts and Resolutions to his sincere ones he is most true and most full in all his Perfections and this his Simplicity assures Believers of eternal and infinite Blessedness in their Union with and Relation unto him for he is in himself the most absolute and perfect Being the first and most simple Being he is most perfect in and of himself for he hath all his Perfections in and of himself as God and all that is sufficient for his infinite Blessedness in and from himself and hath all that in him which is sufficient for the Good of his Creatures and highest Happiness of his People Again he is most perfect because he wants nothing from another to make him blessed He needs no Creatures to contribute any thing to him nor doth he lose any thing by Creatures falling from him or can have any Addition to his Glory or Blessedness by the access of men or Angels to him So also he doth what pleaseth himself nothing can resist his Will or frustrate his Purposes and therefore is most perfect in himself And if the Lord Jesus be so perfect in himself then he is the Author of Perfection to his People for he hath made over himself his whole Person God-Man to Believers to be their Shield and exceeding great Reward Then Believer thy case is happy thy Treasure is full and perfect thy Choice is a blessed Choice and thy Lot a perfect Lot fall'n in a good Ground Then the Person of thy Beloved is altogether lovely his Accomplishments being altogether perfect not a Spot or Blemish in him Then all his Gifts to his Spouse are perfect his Righteousness is a perfect
and perfume them with my Incense not the Excellency of your Duties but the Worthiness of my Intercession shall procure your needed Mercies Secondly Here 's Comfort to troubled Believers such as are in the depth of Soul-misery and cast down with the sight of their Sins guilt of their Consciences and Fears of their Condition that go mourning all the day long forget to eat their Bread feed on Worm-wood and Gall refuse with Rachel to be comforted because their first born their Comforts first Love and Holiness are not Jer. 31. 15. This is the case of some poor Souls from day to day they meet with no Consolation eat Ashes in stead of Bread and mingle their Tears with their Drink they go from Ordinance to Ordinance and their Fear come and go with them they feel little Change by all they do or enjoy their Hearts are harâ— proud vain carnal unbelieving hence they fear they are Hypocrites and shall be cast away to all Eternity Now here 's Comfort to such from Christs Intercession in Heaven he is there pleading thy cause and pressing after thy cure thou hast provoked God but he is appeasing his Wrath 1 John 2. 1. 2. Thou art angring God every day but he is always pleasing him for thee thou art making Breaches upon the Law of God and he is there closing up those Breaches by his Blood and Intercession thou art busie making wounds upon the Glory of the Father and Christ is there presenting the deep Gashes and bloody Stroaks his Justice laid upon him for those very Sins when God is resolv'd to be aveng'd for thy Backslidings Christ is then discovering his constant Obedience and upright Faithfulness for thee he pleads with the Father thus Father shall thy Anger burn for ever and thy Vengeance always wax hot against this Soul My Child Remember what I have borne for him I have already suffered for his Sin and given a plenary Satisfaction to the Demands of Justice and wilt thou charge it on him Father let his Sins be on me as David 2 Sam. 24. 17. Let thy hand I pray thee be against me these Sheep what have they done 'T is I am their Surety and in thy Account the Offender I have answered for their Offences and discharged their Debts why wilt thou pursue them in thy Anger Holy Father in Justice spare these Offenders behold them in my Blood and cloathed with my Righteousness Obedience and Suffering 't is true their Natures are vile but mine is holy and they are Members of my Flesh and of my Bones they are diseased but I have undertaken their Cure and will present them to thee without Spot and Wrinkle And this Intercession of Christ shall certainly prevail with God for thee that thy Iniquities may be pardoned and thy Sins remembred no more Heb. 8. 12. All that is promis'd in the new Covenant Christ intercedes for in Heaven for he is the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. The Mediator of the new Covenant Heb. 9. 15. But the Forgiveness of Believers Sins is part of the new Covenant Jer. 31. 34. Mich. 7. 18. where God forgives one Sin he forgives them all Jer. 33. 8. I will cleanse them from all their Iniquities c. He will pardon not only Sins before but after Grace not only small but great Sins Psal 25. 11. Not only Sins that have been once but often committed Jer. 3. 22. Return ye back-sliding Children and I will heal your Back-slidings He doth not say once or twiee but let their Back-slidings be never so great and many upon their Return God will pardon them nay though they be as Scarlet and as red as Crimson Isa 1. 18. Object I did once hope that God had pardon'd all my Sins but now I fear it because I have back-sliden after Mercy and wallowed in Sin after washing and God threatens he will not forgive such Jer. 14. 10. chap. 5. 7. Sol. 1. The Reason why God would not pardon their Sin was not because they were too great for Pardon but because they would not return Jer. 15. 7. I will destroy my People because they return not from their Ways Jer. 23. 14. The Lord promiseth to such as have gone aside from his Ordinances even from their Youth that if they will return to him he will return to them Mal. 3. 7. Jer. 4. 1. Secondly If God will pardon all their Sins then he will pardon their Relapses after Mercy be they never so great upon their returning to him God speaks indefinitely I will cleanse them from all Iniquity Jer. 33. 8. Thirdly If God will pardon their Sins before Grace much more those after Grace if he will forgive them when Enemies then much more being reconciled the Apostle useth the same Argument Rom. 5. 8. 9. Fourthly If there be no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus then God will surely pardon all their Sins that ever they commit for there is never a Sin but will condemn the Soul if it be not pardoned but the Soul that is in Christ is never no not one Minute of time in a condemned State Rom. 8. 1. Fifthly If the Lord Jesus haâ—h satisfi'd for all the Sins of Believers then they shall furely be forgiven otherwise God would be argu'd of Injustice and Christ would shed his blood in vain but the Lord Jesus hath satisfied divine Justice to the full for the Sins of all his People Isa 53. 5. 6. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ransome 1 Tim. 2. 6. paid by Christ was a full and sufficient price and therefore his Satisfaction is compleat for all their Sins if this were not so he could not have cleans'd them from all Sin but he cleanseth them from all Sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. Christ could not have saved them to the uttermost that come to God by him were his Satisfaction imperfect but this he doth Heb. 7. 25. Lastly If the Lord should not pardon all the Sins of his People he would be unjust and unfaithful 1 Joh. 1. 9. but that he cannot be Zeph. 3. 5 He will not do Iniquity he is the faithful one that cannot deceive or be deceiv'd Isa 45. 21. Let God be true and every man a Lyar. Thirdly Here 's Comfort to Believers that are dejected in the sense of their strong Corruptions and unsubdued Lusts The Body of Death in some doth make them doubt the truth of Grace and fills their Lives with Bitterness and Terrours The badness of their Hearts and vileness of their Natures makes some conclude their final Ruine But here 's Comfort to such Firstly In that it hath been and is the case of the dearest Children of God their Corruptions like the Sons of Zerviah have been too hard for them Abraham accounts himself Dust and Ashes Gen. 18. 27. Job cries out I am vile Job 40. 4. David says Mine Iniquities are gone over my head as a Burden too heavy to bear Psal 38. 4. Isaiah from a reflex View of God's Glory concludes he
thee I will rejoyce over thee I will forget the wrongs thou hast done me I will requite thy Vnkindness with Kindness and draw thee with cords of Love with cords saith one woven and spun out of my very Heart and Bowels O miserable Caitiff embrace my Counsels listen thine Ears to Heaven gate and hear the melodious Musick that is there made by refined Spirits why wilt thou rather lye with damned howling Devils than sing Hallelujah's and the Song of the Lamb with saved Souls Accept of me and unchangeable Glory unspeakable Priviledges and Rivers of Pleasures shall be thine Thus doth the Lord Jesus woo poor perishing Souls to be happy and is not this Pity indeed Fourthly His readiness to receive them when they come to him No sooner do they open the door but he comes in Rev. 3. 20. If any man open the door I will come in unto him No sooner doth the Prodigal return but his Father meets him yea runs to meet him as if he could never come soon enough at him Luke 15 20. Mercy is upon the wing when it comes to receive returning Sinners No sooner did Ephraim repent but God repented too As soon as he said Turn thou me God said He shall be turned when he cries Thou art the Lord my God presently God Answers Is he not a pleasant Child So willing is Christ to receive returning Sinners as that he promiseth he will in no wise cast them out Joh. 6. 37. Yea if they cannot come unto him he will go and fetch them and if they cannot go he will draw them Joh. 6. 44. Fifthly His great Joy when he hath obtain'd them The Father of the Prodigal keeps a Feast and makes merry when his lost Child is found Luke 15. 23 24. Psal 104. 31. The Lord shall rejoyce in his Works and this he doth when he hath finished them Heb. 4. 4. But there is nothing the Lord Jesus Christ takes more pleasure in than in the Redemption of Souls Prov. 8. 31. He delighted in the habitable parts of the Earth This you vvill find further amplified in the Parables of the lost sheep and lost piece of Silver Luke 15. from vers 4. to 11. CHAP. XII The Improvement of the Pity of Christ by way of Terrour Encouragement and Advice ARE there such deep and large Bowels of Pity in Jesus Christ not only towards his Friends but his very Enemies Then here is First Terrour to Impenitent Sinners Ah Souls hovv fearfully great is your Sin being a plain defiance to the Mercy and pity of Christ Every Transgression of yours is a kicking the very Bovvels of Mercy and a stab at the Heart of Divine Pity O! hovv vile are your Iniquities vvhilst vvithout Christ They are no less than a despising of the Riches of the Mercy and Goodness of God which would have led you to Repentance and a treasuring up of Wrath against the day of Wrath Rom. 2. 4 5. O Sinners you run on score in abusing of the highest Mercy that ever was you provoke your best Friend against you Alas Who can help you if Mercy it self becomes your Enemy The Bowels of Christ are your last Asylum if this door be shut against you Farewel Souls and can you hope that Mercy will plead for you when rejected by you or will not God hear the Complaint of despised Mercy think you Sinners the Compassion of Christ shall come forth at the last day and say I would have saved that Soul but it would not how often would I have gathered it but it resisted Mat. 23. 37. I offered to pay it's Debts and to get him an Acquittance in the Court of Heaven but he refused it I would have ransom'd him from Death to Life and adopted him to an Inheritance in Glory but he would not I would have stamp'd the divine Nature on him and brought him into the Likeness of the Lord of Glory but he would not I would have put down his Name in the book of Life and secur'd his Title to Heaven but he would not I called he would not answer I perswaded he refused I beseeched he despised I strived he resisted and now Justice into thy hands do I deliver these rebellious Souls to be dealt with according to the Threatnings of the Gospel and Severity of the Law that my Wrongs may be avenged O! what a terrible Complaint will this be Sinners tremble then at the Thoughts of your abusing divine Mâ—rcy Vse 2. Of Encouragement to dejected Souls If there be such tender pity in the Lord Jesus O then take Courage hence to hope for Mercy these Mercies of Christ are infinite boundless and bottomless O what a stock of Mercy is in him for troubled Souls to trade upon what unfathomed Deeps are there in divine Compassions enough to serve all thy Turns and Necessities have thy Sins been many The free Gift is of many Offences to Justification Rom. 5. 6. Of the Offences of many persons be they never so many or the many Offences of one person there is vertue enough in this free Gift of the Blood of Christ for the pardoning them all if such return he saith one that had love enough to give us Christ hath Bowels enough to give us pardon believing Souls shall never dye for Debt if the Bowels of Christ hath wherewithal to pay it O! what Shifts will tender Parents make to keep their indebted Children out of Prison They will beg and borrow of others pinch themselves and spare what they can rather than their Children shall be undone and surely the Mercy of Christ must needs make the most of his Blood and Obedience of his Intercession and Satisfaction for the Pardon of his People And therefore Daniel joyns Mercies and Forgiveness together Dan. 9. 9. Is thy Unworthiness great and deservest thou nothing but Wrath from God O bear up thy Sinking Spirit on the Arm of Mercy Mercy is in vain and signifies nothing if Justice only must take place hast thou abused Mercy and sinn'd away the Favour of thy God Thou hast lost his Gift but he hath not lost his giving the Child spils his Water and goes to the Well to fill his Pitcher again there is more Mercy O troubled Soul in the deep Wells of Salvation for those that seek it Obj. But I have provoked God to withhold Mercy Ans Let me tell thee O distressed Believer there are Forgivings as well as Givings in the Bowels of Christ and I know not which are greater Are thy Wants many Be of good chear Mercy hath enough to supply them all and is as free to give as able and take this for they Encouragement Mercy never gives where there are Deservings Are thy Griefs Labours Fears Troubles and Burdens great Yet comfort thy self Misery and Mercy are a Kin Mercy lives in the â—lymate of Misery and never thrives better than in Misery's Ground to do good to miserable Creatures is Meat and Drink to Mercy John 4. 32. I have Meat to eat
pardoned as well as one And if the grace of God bring salvation then all must be forgiven or none And the same blood of Christ can as well pardon all as one For if the blood of Christ be the blood of God then 't is of an infinite value and can as easily blot out every sin as one sin and as well discharge Talents as Pence Ezek. 18. 22. Larga Dei pietas veniam non dimidiabit Aut nihil aut totum dabit Thirdly This pardon of sin is procured for repenting Believers and for all of them Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Acts 13. 38. chap. 26. 18. Faith is necessary to pardon because it takes off all self-righteousness and all pretences of merit Faith carries the soul off to a dependance on another for righteâ—â—sness and salvation Faith is a self-denying Grace and expects all upon the account of the Promise Believers and every Believer have their sins pardoned and shall not perish Joh. 3. 16. Now lest some should pretend to believe who indeed do not the Seripture qualifies this Faith by certain Characters 'T is also to repenting souls that pardon is assured and therefore remission of sin is joined with repentance Acts 5. 31. Luke 24. 46 47. Ezek. 18. 30. But what is this repentance Doth it consist only in an external sorrow for sin and an audible begging of mercy No no Judas and Cain were thus troubled for sin and yet never arrived to sound repentance 'T is the mourning and returning believer to whom this Promise is made and to such and to every one of these is a full pardon procured Fourthly This pardon is procured by the blood of Christ and that satisfaction made to the Father by his suffering It is an Opinion sprung up of men of corrupt minds that pardon of Sin is the procurement of Inherent grace and external Righteousness but not the product of Christ's blood suffering and satisfaction which I shall now endeavour to disprove Math. 20. 28. To give his Life a Ransome for many Heb. 9. 26. But now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself chap. 9. 12. Col. 1. 14. Thus you see 't is the blood of Christ offer'd up to God that procureth peace and removeth the guilt of sin and indeed pardon of sin with respect to Gods Justice could be no otherway obtain'd For First God had past an irrevocable sentence that the Soul that sinneth should dye Gen. 2. 17. Now if this penalty was not inflicted upon Transgressing Adam how would there be a fulfilling of this threatning But some may enquire How comes Adams sin to be charg'd on his Posterity Answ Adams Transgression by the strict union there was betwixt him and all mankind he being their Head Root and Representee was most justly devolv'd on his Off-spring Rom. 5. 14 19. And therefore God would not have been true to his word had not this penalty been inflicted on the Debtor or his Surety But let God be true and every Man a lyar Secondly Fallen Man could not pay this debt and make this satisfaction for sin For the sin being of an infinite Guilt and the punishment being Death Eternal Rom. 6. 23. Man could never pay his ransom and set himself at liberty and therefore some other way must be found out which was only by the Lord Jesus God-Man whose God-head was able to support his humane Nature under suffering and render his endurings of an Infinite value Heb. 9. 14. Acts 20. 28. This is the second Fruit of Christ's Purchase the forgiveness of all the sins of penitent believers even past present and to come that nothing shall be laid to their charge Rom. 8. 1. Thirdly Acceptation of their Persons is another Fruit of Christ's purchase Eph. 1. 6. Where in he hath made us accepted in the beloved 'T is not enough to the compleating of Christs design in saving Souls that their sins be forgiven and the guilt and penalty removed and a discharge of all the Obligations to wrath by reason of sin procured All this a person may have and yet no interest in the full favour of God nor right to any saving blessing from him for 't is not sufficient to give a Man a Title to Glory that he be innocent or free from offending but he must come up to the terms of the first Covenant and do all things required of him and have a Positive as well as a Negative Righteousness There must be in order to an acceptance with God not only a not imputing of sin but a reckoning of Righteousness saith Dr. Owen he must be reputed fully Obedient also The Law requires a perfect and perpetual Obedience Gal. 3. 10. Should thy Soul be set free from all the charge of past sins yet thy defect of Righteousness would undo thee for ever They must be righteous that enter into Life Eternal Math. 25. 47. Even as Righteous as God is Righteous But this is impossible to be attain'd by lapsed man In many things we offend all Jam. 3. 2. There is none Righteous no not one Rom. 3. 10. And therefore there must be a Righteousness procured for and imputed to Believers and that is the Righteousness of Christ The Commutation of his Obedience for our Disobedience Rom. 5. 19. By the Obedience of one shall many be made Righteous This Righteousness is called a white Robe and fine Linnen Rev. 7. 9. Chap. 19. 8. The sweet smelling Garment of our Elder Brother wherein God takes infinite delight and pleasure Math. 3. 17. Isa 42. 1. The ground of all that pleasure that God taketh in his people is the Righteousness of his Son not any of their Services and duties And look what pleasure the Father takes in his Son as Mediatour the same he takes in every Soul that truly comes unto him John 17. 26. That the same love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them VSE If Believers are pardoned and accepted with God then hence it follows First That God never punishes them in wrath and displeasure All the stroaks of God on Believers are but fatherly chastisements Not Judicial acts Heb. 12. 6. He takes vengeance on their inventions but never on their persons Punishment always bears some proportion to the offence but the sufferings of Gods people are infinitely less then their deserts and therefore are the Fruit of Divine Faithfulness and Covenant Love Psal 119. 75. Psal 78. 30 to 34. Secondly God will accept of all their sincere desires and services though never so mean through Christ Isa 38. 14. Isa 63. 8. Exek 20. 40 41. Psal 51. 17. Thirdly They have access to God with boldness at all times Eph. 3. 12. chap. 2. 8. Fourthly They are entred into rest and have peace with God and with their own Consciences Math. 11. 28. Heb. 4. 9. Rom. 5. 1.
they are given usually but to a few So is Holiness the priviledge of the fewest and least number of men few there be that find it Mat. 7. 13. Riches can procure the greatest things procurable as one saith Money answereth all things that is all things that are saleable among men so Holiness though it cannot purchase Mercy yet it fits persons for the greatest Mercies and highest Services None more advanced than holy Souls they dwell in the presence of God Psal 140. 13. They are through Christ very potent with God they are fit for the highest work When Persons come to dye they see the excellency of holiness and would purchase it with a world This proves that Sanctification is a rare Treasure Again The purchas'd Holiness of Christ hath not only excellent worth but large quantity he hath purchas'd fullness of Grace Grace for Grace O Believer though thy heart be empty of grace yet Christ's Treasure is full he hath as much as ever thou canst need or crave to make thee as Holy as thou wouldest be and that to all Eternity VSE If Holiness be the Purchase of Christ then 't is not the Creatures procurement or by any ways or means obtained short of the merit of Christ what the Apostle says of Righteousness is true of Sanctification Gal. 2. 21. If Righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain So if holiness be the Fruit of Mens Purposes Labours and Duties then Christ died in vain 'T is too common an errour in many to charge Christ with too much in some things and too little in other things In justification some lay too much on Christ I mean by charging their sins on him for pardon which they were never throughly convinc'd or repented of and in sanctification charge him with too little expecting their holiness and meetness from their purposes duties and improvements As if holiness were to grow out of the Sepulchres of their Services and not out of the grave of Christ 'T is true indeed the Lord Jesus hath appointed means for the promoting of Holiness and given promises and Ordinances for the conveying and perfecting of it but the vertue of all depends upon his blessing 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. Rom. 9. 16. Secondly Then how unexcusable are perishing Sinners under the Gospel that will not come to Christ to be made holy You that lye in your blood and from the Crown of your head to the sole of your feet are full of filthy Ulcers and putrifying sores whose Consciences cannot but condemn you sometimes for uncleannesse and never being cleansed by the blood of Christ how will you appear before the Holy God a Consuming fire in your unpurged sins How unjustifiable is your filthynesse who might have been cleansed but would not What will you answer in the day of Indignation when all this tender'd but refused Grace shall come against you when you would willingly part with the whole World if you had it to get a clean heart and a purged Conscience How dreadful will that word be in the day of Inquisition Ezek. 22. 24. Thou art a Land Thou art a Soul that art not cleansed How cutting will the memory be of rejected Grace when God shall say I would have healed you but you are not healed Jer. 51. 9. You might have had your natures changed your Consciences cleansed and your hearts sanctified but you would not Now away thou prophane hard-hearted wretch Be gone thou secret Drunkard Swearer Thief Lyer take him Devil go and be filthy still wallow in thy blood there lye cursing in torment to all Eternity as long as I am God thy blood shall lye upon thee Thirdly Then the Holinesse of Believers is and shall be sure being grounded on the Purchase of Christ 'T is bought and paid for O Believer for thee purchas'd Sanctification is assuredly thine as thou art not thine own The truth continuance growth and perfection of Grace is procured for thee by a price A price agreed on betwixt the Father and the Son First God will not deny it Justice it self cannot with-hold thy purchas'd due As sure as Christ with-holds not one drop of his blood or penny of the price so sure will not God with-hold any part of this Purchase Rom. 3. 26. That he may be just and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus And if the justifier then sure the sanctifier Poor doubting Believer when thou seest nothing but unworthiness in thy self of the least Grace and peace from God then think 't was Christ not I that made this purchase he who did not can not make a forfeit of his right and whose blood must perish whose Honour and Interest must suffer if one of those for whom Christ dyed should dye and perish for want of Holinesse O no! this cannot be The Judge of all the Earth must do right Gen. 18. 23. Secondly Jesus Christ the believers Advocate cannot suffer to see his poor and needy deprived of their right He is the Mediatour betwixt God and his people The days-Man and Umpire to see truth Established in the Earth and every one to receive his due He will give wicked Men their due much more his Children And all Power in Heaven and Earth are in his hands Math. 28. 20. He is the Faithful Witnesse Holy and Just one and therefore will cause that believers shall have the distributions of the due Measures of his Purchas'd Grace Thirdly there is nothing in thee or without thee that can hinder the accomplishment of it Isa 43. 13. I will work and who shall let Let Earth and Hell Sin and self combine together they shall not keep back the Communications of grace one day beyond God's time Math. 12. 20. 'T is not the strength of thy lusts can prevail against the arm of God and forces of his eternal Spirit who is commissioned to bring down all thy Enemies and set thee free indeed Christ will Reign till he brings down all his Enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. The greatest part of which is the Corruptions of his people CHAP. XIX Adoption-Grace prov'd to be the Fruit of Christ's Purchase The excellency of this state opened in several particulars I Come now to a fifth Fruit of Christs Purchase and discovery of that glorious Redemption-Treasure procur'd by his death that is a state of Adoption those whom he sanctifies he adopts and brings into a new Relation to himself to God the Father Son and Spirit The work of Sanctification doth change their Nature Adoption changeth their state they are really alter'd by Sanctifying Grace and relatively by Adoption-love God now becomes their Father and they are his Sons and Daughters 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. Come out from amongst them and touch not the unclean thing Here 's a change in their Nature and Life And I will be your God and you shall be my Sons and Daughters there 's a change in their state Adoption is the taking of persons that are strangers and