is that which is the impossible thing of the Law that which is impossible for the Law to do The Law is the holy Commandements of the Eternal God Maker of all things these discover sinne and condemne the sinner but they deliver not from either That which is of use and is of this nature to shew and sentence for sinne cannot possibly work deliverance to a sinner but it is the Gospel that Law of faith that discovereth a Saviour Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ how a sinner may be made righteous and so be delivered from sinne and how one condemned by the righteous Law may be delivered from that condemning sentence and so be set free from death which sinne deserved God sending his own Sonne c. where it appears that a sinner may be delivered from his sinne and made riâ—hteous and delivered from the Law and not condemned What the Law could not do in that it was weak through â—â—e flesh God sending his own Sonne c. The former Objection may yet be urged for it may be said the Law is righteous and can it not then give righteousnesse and life Answ The Apostle explaineth the Yet the Law is in no fault thing and amplifieth it the Law cannot do it not that there is fault in the Law this impossibility cometh through the weaknesse of mankinde now fallen who are not able to keep the Law The Law is not weak as if not perfectly righteous and holy or as if it had not a promise of life annexed to it but you are weak who are not able to keep it It is through mans weaknesse who is not able to performe the righteousnesse thereof that the Law is become weak the perfect exact holinesse thereof makes through our weaknesse weakning it that none can stand righteous by it nor live by it Hence ariseth the inpossibility of help by the Law Thus the Law is still preserved honourable and is magnified when yet it cannot help us and we are in the fault the fault is wholly ours Again the Apostle displayeth the Gospel 2. By opening the causes of a sinners salvation glory and displayeth the mystery thereof by opening the causes of the salvation of a sinner 1. The outward impulsive cause the impossibility and impotency of the Law to save through the impotency of man who stands bound to keep the Law this is the external impulsive this very thing that the Law cannot help us but condemns our sins and us for our sinnes and curseth us which is not thorough any fault in the Law of it self but only by accident by reason of our corrupt nature this this is that outward thing which moveth God to save sinners that which might move God to come and execute the sentence of the Law that moved God to provide a Saviour That which the Law cannot do through mans default that God doth by sending his own Son 2. The efficient or working cause the first working cause in saving a sinner God God set the accent there it must be noted with emphasis lift up the voice and stay the heart upon that Word write it in great letters It is not my observation that you must not slip over this one syllable but the Apostles divinely inspired as afterwards in this chapter when he saith If GOD be for us and again It is GOD that justifieth God against whom our sins are God whose righteous and eternal Law we have rendred uselesse to an utter impossibility to do us good and that for ever until He put us into another state He is the first agent in the work of our salvation 3. The material cause What course doth God take to save a sinner God sends his own Sonne Gods own Sonne doth take away sin by his passion bearing our sins in his own body his own Son in our flesh in which he was incarnate kept the Law for us and so the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled 4. The final cause which is this Redemption is wrought by the Christ of God that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us in us who have made the Law unable to do us any good who have made it to the Law impossible to set us free from sin and death 3. In us may some say in whom lest 3. By describing the persons for whom this salvation is wrought we should be deceived herein to our everlasting undoing while there is such a Gospel such a Saviour we have the persons described for whom all this is done In us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit that is in us that believe in Jesus Christ but because many do deceive themselves in saying we believe and do not believe the Apostle useth not those words but taketh up this description which noteth out a believer by the Spirit he hath received and the Spirit by the rule and dominion he hath now in and over him and this rule of the Spirit over believers by this that sin doth not now reign in them though sinne be in them and the ruling of the Spirit and the dethroning of sinne by their walk it is not ordered by the flesh nor at the will of the flesh but their life is ordered by the Spirit of Jesus Christ through the Word of this his grace dwelling in their hearts Thus we see proved in these words that there â—an be no condemnation to those that are in Christ for though the Law would condemn them because they are sinners and there is sinne in them that deserves condemnation yet their sinnes being condemned in Jesus Christ by a righteous God God may pardon them with the good leave of his justice doing no wrong at all to the holy Law SECT 3. For the further opening of the words here are Three things of special observation three things of special observation 1. The diverse acceptation of the word flesh in the compasse of this Text. First it notes mankinde with all its abilities and excellencies upheld in men of 1. The word flesh taken four wayes here God himself in his long-suffering since the fall in these words weak through the flesh Secondly it notes out the humane nature as corrupted with sinne in the words sinful flesh for the flesh of sinne that is mankinde such as sin hath made it not such as God made it soaked with sin under the power of sin weak frail flesh the soul and its endowments beslaved to the flesh to the senses to the sensual apperite to the things the outward man the flesh desireth insomuch that the whole man may well be called flesh Thirdly It notes the humane nature frail and mortal but not polluted with sin In the words condemned sinne in the flesh that is in the flesh of Jesus Christ Fourthly it notes the corruption or sinfulnesse of mans nature in the words walk not after the flesh Now from these several acceptations of the word flesh we gather Four observations from that
the Law as to the point of life and righteousnesse of justification and salvation which is briefly delivered by Paul who in his own person gives us one that is taught of God thereby when he saith I through the Law am dead to the Law never more looking for righteousnesse and justification of life that way that I might live unto God Gal. 2. 19. No life but through this death never thus dead but through the Law when it comes the Law comes sinne revives and we dye and this dying is the way to life even to a living unto God SECT 3. Secondly No sinner can work his own 2. A sinner cannot save himself for six reasons deliverance for 1. We are weak and without strength Rom. 5. 6. There is no strength in us to fulfill the Law no strength to satisfie the justice and so turn away the wrath of God much lesse is there strength in us to recover our lost integrity nor to keep it if we had it again restored to us no strength to help our selves to meet the Lord in the wayes of his saving grace or to choose and walk in the way that is call'd holy no strength for any service unto God 2. We are flesh and in the flesh that is wholly corrupted with sin under the power and reign of sin the poyson of the Old Serpent hath run like water into our bowels and like oyle into our bones from the spirit of our mindes to all our outward members we are leprous all unclean and soaked in iniquity conceived in sinne and shapen in wickednesse we Rom. 5. 6 8. are sinners and ungodly when God in Christ by his death comes in love and â—ity to redeem us we lie in our blooâ— untill he saith to us Live we are dead in sin and trespasses till he qâ—icken us and how can such please God they cannot do Rom. 8. 8. it 3. We are enemies unto God our Rom. 5. 10. 8. 7. Col. 1. 21. 2 Cor. 10 3 4 5. wisdome our savour and smatch is enmity unto God We are enemies in our mindes because they are on evil works our principles our thoughts our reasonings our imaginations are high things lifted up in rebellion against the knowledg of God and the obedience of Christ and as strong holds fortified and kept in a desperate Warre against the Spirit of the Lord which in the Ministry even of the Gospel comes forth to bring us into a blessed captivity and subdue us and our very hearts the worst part of man unto himself and to his obedience the carnal minde of man is not subject to the Law of God neither can be there is no good to be done with it put it off Rom. 8. 7. mortifie it crucifie it crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof for that is all the good that can be done with it good it will never be but we must be in the Spirit and the Spirit of Christ dwell in us to enable us to such work or else we have no will no heart to it Rom. 8. 13. Oh then how farre are all men from any ability to work their own deliverance 4. We see not our sinfulnesse nor our misery nor can nor will be brought to see it by any other means than by the Scripture the written Law of God which is the only glasse in which we can truly see our selves James 1. 23. Rom. 7. 7. 5. Though the Law hath not lost it's rectitude yet our weaknesse to keep it maketh the Law by accident to be the more against us And 6. Notwithstanding all this that hath been spoken we yet are full of high thoughts of our selves we are proud and secure sinners and are naturally bent to seek to establish our own righteousnesse For the use of this The consideration The use of this hereof should take us wholly off our own legs and bring us to self-denial It should cause us to deliver up our selves to the Law that we might be throughly convinced of these things and that the Spirit might be in and through the Law a Spirit of bondage in us and we might be glad at heart of a Saviour that can deliver us SECT 4. Thirdly No meer creature can possibly 3. No meer creature can save a sinner for six reasons Matth. 16. 26. 1 Pet. 1. 18 deliver us for 1. No creature is above the Law If the Law of God cannot give life it is not in the power of the creature to do it The Creator alone is above the Law 2. No creature nor the whole Creation hath in it a worth to be a price of value for a soul All the treasures of both the Indies all things in this world because corruptible things are not so excellent as a soul and the price of the Redemption thereof at the hands of God is too high for men and Angels it ceaseth for ever in respect of the creature Psal 49 6 8. 3. Whatever any creature can do he owes it for himself and does but his duty 4. Grant yet that some creature could give help could there be any salvation for then for this very cause we should be servants unto the creature and this were to bring us into bondage and not into liberty they are not their own who are bought with a price if the creature did lay down the price we were the creatures servants which to be is absolute slavery 5. Our evils are greater than can be removed by creatures yet removed they must be if any of us be saved and our good that we may be happy is greater than can be by them communicated The evil is the infinite wrath of God the guilt and damning nature of sinne standing in force and confirmed by the strength of an eternal perfect Law the Empire of sin and death the power of the Divel that strong armed man of whom we read Luk. 11. 21 22. The good we stand in need of is a righteousnesse above the righteousnesse of the Law a Resurrection as well spiritual as corporal the communication of the divine nature eternal life and a blessednesse excelling the blessednesse of Adam in Paradise and a Kingdom which cannot be shaken All and every of these are beyond any created power to give or take away 6. No creature could ever think of the way manner or means whereby we might be delivered The world in the wisdome of God upheld for some thousands of years in its wisdome and abilities by its wisdome knew not God much lesse could finde out the way of peace and â—reconciliation for sinners with the God that made them 1 Cor. 1. 21. Markinde was continued and their rational power sustained and the work of the Law written in their hearts was apparent in them and yet with all the glory of God in his works of Creation and general providence preaching to them they perished in their vain imaginations and professing themselves wise in searching to finde out
God they became fools corrupted Gods glory and turned his truth into a lye unto themselves Rom. 1. 21. 2. 14. And as for the holy Angels they could not finde out the way of mans reconciliation for they come to know it by the Church Ephes 3. 10. SECT 5. And fourthly as for any other means what can enter into mans heart but the 4. Nor any other means offering of Sacrifices even to thousands of Rams or ten thousands of Rivers of oyle a thing impossible to be had or the giving of the sonnes of our bodies for the sinnes of our souls a bloody and as fond as desperate a course or the building of Temples to God but all these with such like God rejects Micah 6. 6 7. Isa 66. 1 2 3. Now these are the uses unto which we should put this Doctrine The use of this First to shew our lost estate by nature to put us all among the lost All men are helplesse and hopelesse in respect of themselves or any other creature Secondly To strip us of all fig-leaves lay us naked and to shut us up to Christ Thirdly To endear Jesus Christ unto us that we may say Give me Christ or else I dye And fourthly to form us to a readiness to be any thing that God would have us to be that Christ may be ours CHAP. III. Containing the second great Truth which is the fulnesse of the salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ proved and set forth by many choice truths which the Apostle in this Text taketh for granted SECT 1. THe second Doctrine is this There is absolute fulnesse of salvation for sinners in Jesus Christ In Doct. 2 There is fulnesse of salvation in Christ for sinners Proved 1 Cor 1. 30. him there is a redemption plenteous Psa 130. 7. and eternal Heb. 9. 12. salvation to the utmost Heb. 7. 25. in him an everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9. 24. in him righteousnesse and strength he is made to us of God wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption what can a sinner need and yet his needs are unspeakable but they are all exceeding abundantly in glory to be supplyed in Christ A sinner a most imperfect nothing yet if believing he is compleat in Christ in him it pleased the Father Col. 2. 9 10. Col. 1. 19. Joh. 1. 16. that all fulnesse should dwell that out of his fulnesse poor needy sinners might receive even grace for grace grace answerable to that which is in Christ the head of his body the Church grace upon grace more and more still he it is who came by water and blood all sorts of taking away sinne is in him the whole of legal ablutions 1 Joh. 5. 6. Joh. 3. 34. Rom. 5. 21. and cleansings and he hath the Spirit not by measure Grace reignes over sinne and death through righteousnesse unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. To open this that this fulnesse of salvation Opened may appear I shall follow our Apostle in this Text. Two wayes it may be set forth First In the most excellent truths intimated pre-supposed and taken for granted as bottome substrate and foundation or ground truths upon which his frame of declared Doctrine of the Gospel here delivered is built Secondly In the six special heads expressed which before were pointed out SECT 2. The Truths taken for granted and intimated are these First That even the Elect of God and 1. By five truths taken for granted here in the Apostles words the Redeemed by Christ are by nature in the same condemnation with all others of the children of Adam for they are flesh weak sinful flesh they are unable to keep the Law undeâ— sinne and under the curse for whom God sent his Sonne the Law being unable to help them and their deliverance being that thing which was impossible for the Law to do Although all men are not Reprobates yet all by reason of sinne are reprobable Man in himself hath no cause of glorying and as to God no cause of complaining To the Elect man is there undeserved grace and to the Reprobate is there deserved punishment The Elect and Redeemed remain till their effectual calling in themselves miserable carnal alienated from Ephes 2. 1 2 3. the life of God dead in sinne and trespasses the children of wrath even as othets In them are no propensions inclinations or fore-going dispositions to receive grace not one of them was ever able to raise up himself to meet God in the wayes of his grace God never gave Christ to any because he was better than others nor sent the Gospel to any because they would give it better entertainment This only may be said of him which is true of any other man that being a reasonable creature and not a stock or a brute beast he is a subject upon which the glory of God and his Image may be reestamped but for any goodnesse or lesse guilt God findes them all in their blood and wallowing in their filth none righteous no not one all altogether unprofitable and abominable Secondly That condemnation death and hell have their power from sinne and sinnes strength to condemn lyeth in the Law and in the righteousnesse thereof for mark here God to deliver from condemnation condemns sinne and sinne being the swerving from the righteousnesse of the Law for which the Law sentenceth the Transgressor thereof with the curse sin is then utterly gone when the righteousnesse of the Law is every way fulfilled God therefore purposing to deliver fetcheth out the very heart of sinne and taketh it quite away by providing that the Laws righteousnesse be fulfilled Hence it is manifest that this is an undoubted and first truth that the Laws righteousnesse is the strength of sinne The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law 1 Cor. 15. 56. Full salvation can no other way be wrought but by unstinging death and by fulfilling the Law which is the only way to pluck out deaths sting let this be done and the deliverance from sinne and death is full and compleat Thirdly That mercy in God cannot make him like of sinne or blinde him that he should not see it and the sinfulnesse of it or cause him to dislike the righteousnesse of the Law and of the just sentence thereof because God cannot forgo his holinesse justice and omniscience God condemned sinne that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled he condemns sinne he provides that the Law be fulfilled and so he saves the sinner Fourthly That the benefit of Gods saving love and of the Redemption by Christ and of the Gospel is never to any man actually till it be in him and if never in him never was it to him intentionally God and Christ never intended life and righteousnesse to those in whom he never fulfills it This is taught in the words in us SECT 3. And fifthly As the ground of the whole work here declared and as the
the saved may have no other grounds in themselves to look for mercy but their doings and ways abominable and loathsome and they might be loathing and abhorring themselves as they look to receive mercy that it might be for ever known and acknowledged by them that God doth all not for their righteousnesse but for his own names sake Mark there also how God layeth down this as the reason and ground of making Covenant with any taking them to be his people and promising to be their God For I will saith God be merciful to their transgressions and I will Heb. 8. 9 12. remember their sinnes no more Likewise this is evident from the manner of disposing the heart of the federate of him whom God receiveth into Covenant he is brought to this frame even to smiting on his breast standing aloof off not lifting up so much as his eyes to heaven in sense of unworthinesse and conscience of guilt and filth and to say God be merciful to me a sinner To be ashamed Luk. 18. 13 14. Ezek. 16. 62 63. Mâ—t. 11. 28 1 Joh. 1. 7 9. and confounded and never open his mouth any more because of his shame when God is pacified towards him for all that he hath done So also the promises made to confession of sinnes the invitations of the Gospel to the sinneburdened and sick with sin The prayers and arguments used in prayer by Gods people such as this for thy names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity Psa 25. 11. for it is great This were strange Logick a strange art of reasoning but that this is all that in us doth move God to pardon even that which deserveth damnation our sinnes our sinfulnesse and this is that only thing besides his own bowels of tender compassions which causeth him to will our salvation and to will the giving of a Saviour and to will the appointing of all means and effectual workings in and by those means useful to salvation Our lost estate by sin moved Christ to come to seek and save and moved God the Father to send him to seek and save Mark the arguings of the godly the bottome on which they fasten their foot when they sue for justification and cry for mercy Enter not into judgement for no flesh Psa 142. 2 Psa 130. 1 2 3. Jer. 14. 7. living can be justified in thy sight And out of the depths of the guilt and filth of sinne have I cried unto thee c. And Do thou it though our iniquities testifie against us for we have sinned against thee for our back-slidings are many So runs the Gospels summe This is a faithful saying and worthy of all 1 Tim. 1. 15. acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners And the subjects of the grace of the Gospel Publicans Sinners Harlots A Manasseh A Mary Magdalene 6. The pattern of Gospel-mercy Saul 1 Tim. 1. 16. with ver 12. 13. Phil. 3. 4 5 6. made a Paul Saul the pattern in what he was before conversion obtaining mercy a Persecutor a Blasphemer injurious full of Pharisaical confidence of his own righteousnesse which held his eyes blind-fold ignorant of Christ and his heart malignant to all that was of Christ and so the chief of sinners this Saul obtained mercy for a pattern these were his meritorious works his previous dispositions his free-will power to the obtaining of saving mercy the pattern in the grace abounding in his conversion the grace of 1 Tim. 1. 14. faith and love which is in Christ Jesus that is which is truly Christian the pattern in the work upon him remaining after Gal. 2. 19 20 21. Phil. 3. 5. 6 7 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15 Rom. 7. 7. to the end of the ch conversion the pattern of mercy to all sinners that shall afterwards believe in Jesus Christ to eternal life in all these through the conflicts they shall sustain in their spiritual warfare SECT 3. Be informed and directed hence in four Rom. 8. 2. The use 1. To inform us things 1. In the right use of the Law in respect of life and justification which is this first that righteousnesse cannot be had by the Law but the curse and therefore secondly Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 7. 13 look upon it that sinne may be known that sinne may become to thee exceeding sinful when thou findest that it worketh death in thee even that Law kills thee which is good holy just and spiritual thirdly make use of it to conclude Gal. 3. 23. Gal. 3. 24. Phil. 3. 8 7 9. thee under sinne and shut thee unto faith in Christ and fourthly that thou mayest be schooled unto Christ fifthly that thou mayest renounce thine own righteousnesse which is by the Law as losse and dung as offalls and dogs-meat that thou mayest winne Christ and be found in him who is true food riches and the best gain sixthly that by the body of Christ Jesus crucified for sinners thou mayest be delivered from the Law of thy first husband legally inasmuch as he is dead even Rom. 7. 4. the Law as it is a Covenant that so thoâ— mayest be free to be married unto another even to the Lord Jesus Christ risen from the dead that thou mayest bring forth fruit unto God and no more bring forth fruit unto thy self dead fruit that hath self-ability for the principle and spring and self-glorying for the end which must needs make the best of works done after the holy Law to be dead fruit carrion-like stinking and abominable 2. In the right use of the disability thou findest in the Law to help and deliver this is by accident Lay the blame altogether upon thy self for there lyeth the cause thereof let thy corrupt nature thy flesh be charged with it that the Law may be magnified and kept honourable in thy esteem and that God the holy Law-giver may be justified and cleared when he therein judgeth thee Say with blessed Rom. 7. 10 14. Paul the Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin 3. In the right use of the weaknesse and wickednesse of the flesh when thou feelest Phil. 3. 3 4 the same Have no confidence in the flesh in thy natural abilities priviledges performances Place no confidence in them for ever for flesh defiles them and makes to it self-advantage of them Never trust thine own heart any more for Prov. 28. 26. this is the property of the fool that is not wise towards God the more thou feelest the motions of sinne in thy members look out and betake thy self to Christ to free-grace so much the more Is there not a cause hast thou not weakned the holy perfect Law bring out thy sick and weak thy blinde and halt thy deaf and dumb thy leprous and dead bring them out before this Lord Messiah The great miracles he wrought in the perfect powerful present
creatures and so are subject to change we should have found so much weaknesse and changeablenesse The holy Angels stand before God through Christ as their Mediator of Confirmation who need no Mediator of Reconciliation and Redemption because they never sinned 9. This raiseth the heart to an exclusive 2 King 7. 34. resolution like the Lepers in the book of the Kings in this manner If we stay in our natural estate we are sure to perish if we come into Christ we can but perish perhaps we may finde favour and grace for there is enough in him yea and it begets in the soul the positive resolution of the Prodigal there is bread enough in my Fathers house and I perish Luk. 15. 15 16 17 18. here and starve with hunger I will arise and go to my father and say father I have sinned 10. Lastly The blessednesse of a sinner consisteth and cannot possibly consist in any Rom. 4. 6 7 8. other thing than in forgivenesse and in a non-imputation of sinne in the merciâ—ul covering of iniquity for what shall become of him that hath sinned if hiâ— sinne be charged upon him he must passe under the eternity of the wrath to come which sinne hath justly subjected him unto and then where will be the time and place for blessednesse what can be beyond everlasting if forgivenesse of sinnes be the blessednesse of a sinner then here is nothing in man to move God but this here is a sinner a man undone by his own sin but I will be his God and will be Heb. 8. 10 12. merciful to his transgressions and I will remember his sinnes no more This this is the Covenant by which we sinners can live and stand in the sight of God SECT 2. But wherein may it be made to appear Illustrated six wayes that the weaknesse of the Law made weak through the sinfulnesse of man moved God to give his Son Answ 1. Because this is the main reason why God left the Gentiles to themselves for above two thousand years upholding them neverthelesse in the utmost of natural abilities which are in man since the fall and giving them all the blessings of Creation continued in his Providence with goodnesse and long-suffering that all the world might see man cannot by his wisdome finde out the true God finde out the way of reconciliation and salvation man cannot do ought but wander from God he understands not and will not ask after Christ and then God will say Behold me to them that asked not Isa 65. 1. after him and that shall be verified I Isa 41. 27. Junius in locum 1 Cor. 1. 21. am found of them that sought me not then God giveth Christ the first that saith to Zion behold behold the things which none could tell of he that is the one the only one that bringeth good tydings Paul to the Corinths opens this saying After that in the wisdome of God who wisely disposeth of all things in his providence governing the ages of the world and the generations of men upon the earth the world by wisdome their wisdome of the light of nature with which they came into the world indued of God the Creatour having the book of the creature open before them and time afforded to improve it to the utmost of which wisdome even in the things of God they grew conceited professing themselves to be wise neverthelesse the truth is they by wisdome know not God much lesse could ever so much as dream of Christ It pleased God in his infinite eudoky or good pleasure by the foolishnesse so esteemed by the wise of the world of the preaching of Christ crucified for the Redemption of a sinner to save them that believe 3. The reason why the Jewes were left of God to doat about the establishing of their own righteousnesse to which thing all men by nature stand enclined neither can they by the utmost abilities of reason in man arise higher or seek any thing else that the Jews I say went about Rom. 9. 31 32. this to their cutting off was this that all men being concluded in unbelief from the Reign of which they cannot deliver themselves when the Gospel of Christ is told them never so plainly and all that they will drive that Gospel unto is but this to seek the more to establish thereby their own righteousnesse It might appear that salvation cometh only then unto men when the Lord will of his own free-grace take hence the occasion to have mercy upon them all whether they be Jews or Gentiles and there the Gentiles sooner attained the righteousnesse which is by faith in Christ Jesus than the Jews who had the Scripture which the Gentiles had not and the Jews cannot get over this evil of going about to establish their own righteousnesse and do make to themselves Christ Jesus A stumbling Rom. 11. 3â— 33. stone and a Rock of offence to this day nor will it ever be otherwise untill God glorifie the riches and power of his grace to have mercy upon them When Paul that heaven-measuring soul knowing in Gospel-mysteries through the Revelations which Christ gave unto him entred into the discourse of these wayes of God he is rap't in admiration and breaks out thus Oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out 3. This was the reason why the Law was given that the Jews having the Law in a perfect draught from God himself by the glorious ministery of the holy Angels in the hand of a Mediator Moses might Gal. 3. 19. 20 21 22 find that thereby they could not have life given them because they could not get righteousnesse thereby but were all concluded under sinne that so the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe and not to them that would stand by their works by which with the help of the holy Law to the uttermost they could never attain to righteousnesse although they sought it zealously thereby 4. The first proposing of the Gospel to Adam fallen proveth that mans destruction by disobedience was the rise and ground of the exhibiting of the Messiah It was proposed in a threatening to the Tempter when Satan had through subtlety destroyed Gods workmanship and in these words was it first Preached It shall break thine head that is the womans sâ—ed shall break thine head she that brought in sin upon mankind by thy seducement shall be the instrument to bring forth that man that seed that shall dissolve the Devils works the ruined workmanship of God shall be reared and restored by flesh of the woman by which it was ruined 5. The manner of disposing of the Covenant of grace teacheth this for therein Ezek. 36. 25 31. God promiseth to work all the work even by a new Creation out of worse then nothing against all impossibilities to any created strength that
cures of bodily miseries here on earth were all to direct us where to seek and finde the cure of all spiritual maladies Christ Jesus loosed the cords of afflictions by loosing the cords of sinne the true method in taking away the cause and thereby the sad effects sheweth the skill of a Physician indeed 4. Here be advised what is the greatest and most shameful perversnesse and that is to continue in sinne that grace may abound Rom. 6. 1. to turn this grace into wantonnesse and lasciviousnesse to professe Christ and live Heathenishly Grace free-grace and not the Law breaks down the dominion of sinne Christ dissolves the works of the Divel he was manifested Rom. 6. 14 1 Joh. 3. 8 5. to take away sinne and in him is no sin he is not faulty in the work he undertook 2. Be perswaded to come to Christ let rhis love draw thee will God take the Use 2. To exhort rise and ground of shewing mercy from thy undone estate there also do thou take thy rise and from thence look unto him what can stand in the way to hinder that love which sinne cannot hinder which sinne drew forth to full manifestations think on 't seriously frequently believingly to turn thee quite about after this God Again be ravished with desires and admiration Oh the heights depths lengths and breadths of this love of God! The Lord strengthen us with might by his Spirit in the inner man that we may comprehend with all the Saints the love of God in Christ in all its dimensions and Ephes 3. 16 18 19. measures to the filling of us with all the fulness of God the fulnesse of this his revealed glory And while thou contemplatest the wayes of Gods grace admiring astonishment will cause thee to cry out Oh the depths both of the knowledge and wisdome of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding Rom. 11. 33 34 35. out who hath given to him first let him stand forth and it shall be recompensed unto him who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor Use 3. To comfort 3. Comfort also springs out and flows hence in abundance first under sinnes guilt and under sinnes motions Die under Rom. 7. 9 13. the feeling thereof let sinne in the thought thereof grow exceeding sinful and abominable in thine eyes as indeed it is in it self view thy self a sinner in the perfect glasse of the pure Law of God behold it in the reflexion of the crucifying death and burial of the Sonne of God for the sinne of the world and let free-grace be glorified and then thou art safe Secondly under temptations of presumption and of despair under the temptation of presumption either that of carnal confidence or that of carnal conceptions of mercy Nothing in us or in any other creature or thing out of God himself was the cause of Gods love to any Christ himself is but the gift of this love of God when thou lookest upon thy self dwell upon thy guilt and filth that thou mayest by faith alone dwell in God and God dwell in thee he sindes thee sinful lost and forlorn and he will save and in saving cannot leave thee such for then he did not save Under the temptation of despair what support is here No sinne no Law made God to loath as in justice he should but to pity and to redeeme Thirdly under the power of enemies Isa 49. 24 25 26. Behold here sinne that sells the sinner occasions the workings of the tender bowels and mercies of the infinite God of God the Father to save Behold here the Lawful Captive the Captive of the Mighty is redeemed and delivered Hitherto of the fourth truth demonsâ—rating the second great doctrine concerning the full salvation which is in Jesus Christ Now let us come to the fifth medium which the Apostle giveth to demonstrate the All-sufficiency of this salvation CHAP. VIII Treating of the fulnesse of salvation by Jesus Christ proved from the end of the sending of Christ intended and attained which was the expiation of sin and the fulfilling of the righteousnesse of the Law both for and in the sinners that shall be saved SECT 1. 5. THe words of the Apostle now to 5. Salvation is full where sin is expiated and the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled for and in us sinners be handled are these And for sinne condemning sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us did God send his own Sonne here is delivered this glorious truth viz. That the end of Christs mission incarnation and passion being to expiate sinne and to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law both for and in us doth abundantly prove the salvation of those that are in Christ to be absolute and full Here three affrighting and sinking sentences Opened and while opened demonstrated are savingly and everlastingly answered The awakened sinner when he considers the Law of God and the Bonds of his obedience thereunto as he is a reasonable creature cannot but reason thus 1. I am a sinner and sinne condemns me by the righteous sentence of the Law which I have broken It is answered The Sonne of God is sent in the flesh for sin to be the sacrifice to take it away the Lamb of God slain in sacrifice for the sin of the world God condemns sinne which would condemn thee God condemns it in the flesh of his own Sonne as the Syriack readeth the words in his flesh and the connexion of the words in these two verses doth inforce that sense for he that sent his own Sonne in the flesh to condemn sinne in the flesh and so save the sinner must needs condemn sinne in his flesh and not in our flesh for had we born in our bodies the condemnation due by the Law for our sinnes we had perished everlastingly and had for ever layn under the curse of the Almighty Law-giver but sinne is expiated by a sacrifice of infinite value sinne is condemned in the flesh of Gods own Sonne therefore thou shalt never be condemned for thy sinne 2. The Law requireth perfect obedience and righteousnesse of the creature and continuance in the same I cannot perform the obedience which the Law requireth and were all my former sinnes forgiven I shall sinne again It is answered the Sonne of God hath fulfill'd the righteousnesse of the Law in thy nature for thee for God sent him in the likenesse of sinful flesh he sent him about sinne that he in the flesh the humane nature might fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law therefore he was sent not for himself who was not obliged to the Law but for us to fulfill it for us therefore his obedience is thy obedience his righteousnesse thy righteousnesse The righteousnesse of Christ Jesus the righteousness performed by him is performed for thee not for himself it is thine it is the righteousnesse of God