another these things are according as the teachings of God do accompany our teachings we often see a weaker and plainer discourse blessed with success whilst that which is more artificial neat and laboured comes to nothing St. Austin hath a pretty similitude to illustrate this Suppose saith he two Conduits the one very plain the other curiously carved and adorned with images of Lyons Eagles c. the water doth not refresh and nourish as it cometh from such a curious Conduit but as it is water Where we find most of man we frequently find least of God I speak not this to encourage carelesness and laziness but to provoke the dispensers of the Gospel to more earnestness and servent prayer for the assistance and blessing of the Spirit upon their labours and to make men less fond of their own gifts and abilities blear-eyed Leah may bear Children when beautiful Rachel proves barren Inference 4. Learn hence the transcendent excellency of saving spiritual Inference 4. knowledge above that which is meerly literal and natural One drop of knowledge taught by God is more excellent than the whole Ocean of humane knowledge and acquired gifts Phil. 3. 8. Joh. 17. 3. 1 Cor. 2. 2. Let no man therefore be dejected at the want of those gifts with which unsanctified men are adorned If God have taught thee the evil of sin the worth of Christ the necessity of Regeneration the mystery of faith the way of communion with God in duties trouble not thy self because of thine ignorance in natural or moral things thou hast that Reader which will bring thee to Heaven and he is a truly wise man that knows the way of salvation though he be ignorant and unskilful in other things thou knowest that which all the learned Doctors and Libraries in the world could never teach thee but God hath revealed them to thee others have more science thou hast more savour and sweetness bless God and be not discouraged 2d Use for Examination If there be no coming to Christ without the teachings of Use 2. the Father then it greatly concerns us to examine our own hearts whether ever we have been under the saving teachings of God during the many years we have sate under the preaching of the Gospel Let not the question be mistaken I do not ask what Books you have read what Ministers you have heard what stock of natural or speculative knowledge you have acquired but the question is whether ever God spake to your hearts and hath effectually taught you such lessons as were mentioned in our last discourse O there is a vast difference betwixt that notional speculative and traditional knowledge which man learneth from man and that spiritual operative and transforming knowledge which a man learneth from God If you ask how the teachings of God may be discerned from all other meer humane teachings I answer it may be discerned and distinguished by these six signs Sign 1. The teachings of God are very humbling to the soul that is taught Humane knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8. 1. but the teachings of God do greatly abase the soul Job 42. 5. I have heard of thee by the bearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes the same light which discovers to us the holiness justice greatness and goodness of God discovereth also the vileness baseness emptiness and total unworthiness of man yea of the best and holiest of men Isa. 6. 5. Sign 2. The teachings of God are deeply affecting and impressive teachings they fully reach the heart of man Hos. 2. 14. I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her or as it is in the Hebrew I will speak to her heart When God showeth unto man the evil of sin he so convinceth the soul that no creature comforts have any pleasure or sweetness in them and when he sheweth unto man his righteousness pardon and peace in Christ he so comforteth and refresheth the heart that no outward afflictions have any weight or bitterness in them one drop of consolation from Heaven sweetens a Sea of trouble upon Earth Psal. 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. Sign 3. The teachings of God are sanctifying and renewing teachings they reform and change the heart Eph. 4. 21 22 23. If so be that you have heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind c. See here what holiness and purity is the effect of divine teaching holiness both external and internal negative and positive holiness of every kind follows the Fathers teachings all the discoveries God makes to us of himself in Christ have an assimulating quality and change the soul into their own likeness 2 Cor. 3. 18. Sign 4. All Gods teachings are practical running into obedience Idle notions and useless speculations are not learnt from God As Gods creating words so his teaching words are with effect as when he said let there be light and there was light so when he saith to the soul be comforted be humbled it is effectually comforted Isa. 66. 13. it is humbled Job 40. 4 5. As God hath in nature made no creature in vain so he speaks no word in vain every thing which men hear or learn from the Father is for use practice and benefit to the soul. Sign 5. All the teachings of God are agreeable with the written word the Spirit of God and the word of God do never jarr Joh. 14. 26. He shall take of mine and shew it unto you When God speaketh unto the heart of man whether in a way of conviction consolation or instruction in duty he always either maketh use of the express words of God in Scripture or speaks to the heart in language every way consentaneous and agreeable to Scripture So that the written word becomes the Standard to weigh and try all divine teachings Isa. 8. 20. To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light or morning in them whatever is discrepant and jarring with the Scripture must not pass for an inspiration of God but a deluding sophism and insinuation of Satan Sign 6. The teachings of God are very satisfying teachings to the soul of man the understanding faculty like a Dial is enlightned with the beams of divine truth shining upon it this no mans teachings can do men can only teach objectively by propounding truth to the understanding but they cannot enlighten the faculty it self as God doth 1 John 5. 20. he giveth man understanding as well as instructions to be understood he opens the eyes of the understanding as well as propoundeth the object Eph. 1. 18. And thus we may discern and distinguish the teachings of God
and the validity of our claim to Jesus Christ. In pursuance of which design I shall first lay down some general rules and then propose some particular tryals First I shall lay down some general rules for the due information of our minds in this point upon which so great a weight hangs Rule 1. Though the Spirit of God be given to us and worketh in us yet he worketh not as a natural and necessary but as a free and arbitrary agent he neither assists nor sanctifies as the fire burneth ad ultimum sui posse as much as he can assist or sanctifie but as much as he pleaseth Dividing to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12. 11. bestowing greater measures of gifts and graces upon some than upon others and assisting the same person more at one season than another and all this variety of operation floweth from his own good pleasure his grace is his own he may give it as he pleaseth Rule 2. There is a great difference in the manner of the spirits working before and after the work of regeneration whilest we are unregenerate he works upon us as upon dead Creatures that work not at all with him and what motion there is in our souls is a counter-motion to the spirit but after regeneration it is not so he then works upon a complying and willing mind we work and he assists Rom. 8. 26. our conscience witnesseth and he beareth witness with it Rom. 8. 16. It is therefore an Errour of dangerous consequence to think that sanctified persons are not bound to stir or strive in the way of duty without a sensible impulse or preventing motion of the spirit Isa. 64. 7. Rule 3. Though the Spirit of God be given to believers and workâ—…th in them yet believers themselves may do or omit such things as may obsâ—…ruct the working and obscure the very being of the spirit of God in them ita nos tractat ut à nobis tractatur he dealeth with us in his evidencing and comforting work as we deal with him in point of tenderness and obedience to his dictates there is a grieving yea there is a quenching of the Spirit by the lusts and corruptions of those hearts in which he dwelleth and though he will not forsake his habitation as a spirit of sanctification yet he may for a time desert it as a spirit of consolation Psal. 51. 11. Rule 4. Those things which discover the indwelling of the Spirit in believers are not so much the matter of their duties or substance of their actions as the more secret springs holy aims and spiritual manner of their doing or performing of them 't is not so much the matter of a prayer the neat and orderly expressions in which it is uttered as the inward sense and spiritual design of the soul 't is not the choice of elegant words whereby our conceptions are cloathed or the copiousness of the matter with which we are furnished for even a poor stammering tongue and broken language may have more of the spirit of God in it This made Luther say he saw more excellency in the duty of a plain rustick Christian than in all the Triumphs of Casar and Alexander the beauty and excellency of spiritual duties is an inward hidden thing Rule 5. All the motions and operations of the spirit are alwayes harmonical and suitable to the written word Isa. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them The Scriptures are by the inspiration of the spirit therefore his inspirations into the hearts of believers must either substantially agree with the Scriptures or the inspirations of the spirit be self-repugnant and contradictory to one another It is very observable that the works of grace wrought by the spirit in the hearts of believers are represented to us in Scripture as a transcript or copy of the written word Jer. 31. 33. I will write my Law in their hearts Now as a true copy answers the original word for word letter for letter point for point so do the works of the spirit in our souls harmonize with the dictates of the spirit in the Scriptures whatsoever motion therefore shall be found repugnant thereunto must not be fathered upon the spirit of God but laid at the door of its proper parents the spirit of errour and corrupt nature Rule 6. Although the works of the spirit in all sanctified persons do substantially agree both with the written word and with one another as ten thousand copies penned from one original must needs agree within themselves yet as to the manner of infusion and operation there are found many circumstantial differences the spirit of God doth not hold one and the same method of working upon all hearts the work of grace is introduced into some souls with more terrour and trouble for sin than it is in others he wrought upon Paul one way upon Lydia in another way he holds some much longer under terrours and troubles than he doth others inveterate and more prophane sinners find stronger troubles for sin and are held longer under them than those are into whose hearts grace is more early and insensibly infused by the spirits blessing upon religious education but as these have less trouble than the others at first so commonly they have less clearness and more doubts and fears about the work of the spirit afterwards Rule 7. There is a great difference found betwixt the sanctifying and the comforting influences of the spirit upon believers in respect of constancy and permanency his sanctifying influences abide for ever in the soul they never depart but his comforting influences come and go and abide not long upon the hearts of believers Sanctification belongs to the being of a Christian Consolation only to his well being the first therefore is fixed and abiding the later various and inconstant Sanctification brings us to Heaven hereafter consolation brings Heaven into us here our safety lyes in the former our cheerfulness only in the latter There are times and seasons in the lives of believers wherein the spirit of God doth more signally and eminently seal their spirits and ravish their hearts with Joy Rara hora brevis mora sapit quidem suavissime sed gustatur rarissime Bern. unspeakable but what Bernard speaketh is certainly true in the experience of Christians It is a sweet hour and it is but an hour a thing of short continuance the relish of it is exceeding sweet but it is not often that Christians taste it And so much may suffice for the general rules about the in-being and workings of the spirit in believers for the better information of our understandings and prevention of mistakes in this matter I shall next according to promise lay down the particular marks and tryals by which we may discern whether God hath given us his spirit or no by which grown Christians when they are in a due composed
All delights all pleasures all joys which are not phantastick and delusive have their spring and origin here Rom. 8. 6. to be spiritually minded is life and peace i. e. a most serene placid life such a soul becomes so far as it is influenced and sanctified by the Spirit the very region of life and peace when one thing is thus predicated of another in casu recto saith a learned man it speaks their intimate Connexion peace is so connatural to this life that you may either call it a life that hath peace in it or a peace that hath life in it yea it hath its enclosed pleasures in it Such as a stranger intermeddles not with Prov. 14. 10. Regeneration is the term from which all true pleasure commences you never live a merry day till you begin to live to God therefore it 's said Luke 15. 24. when the prodigal son was returned to his Father and reconciled then they began to be merry None can make another by any words to understand what that pleasure is which the renewed soul feels diffused through all its faculties and affections in its communion with the Lord and in the sealings and witnessings of his Spirit That is a very apt and well known similitude which Peter Martyr used and the Lord blessed to the conversion of that Noble Marquess Galeacius If said he a man should see a company of people dancing upon the top of a remote hill he would be apt to conclude they were a company of wild distracted people but if he draw nearer and behold the excellent order and hear the ravishing sweet Musick that is among them he will quickly alter his opinion of them and fall a dancing himself with them All the delights in the sensual-life all the pleasure that ever your lusts gave you are but as the putrid stinking waters of a corrupt pond where Toads lye croaking and spawning to the Crystal streams of the most pure and pleasant fountain Fourthly This life of God with which the regenerate are quickened in their Union with Christ as it is a pleasant so it is also a growing increasing life Joh. 4. 14. It shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life It is not in our Sanctification as it is in our Justification our Justification is compleat and perfect no defect is found there but the new Creature labours under many defects all believers are equally Justified but not equally Sanctified therefore you read 2 Cor. 4. 16. that the inward man is renewed day by day and 2 Pet. 3. 18. Christians are exhorted to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour if this work were perfect and finished at once as Justification is there could be no renewing day by day nor growth in grace perfectum est cui nihil deest cui nihil addi potest the Apostle indeed prays for the Thessalonians that God would sanctifie them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly perfectly 1 Thes. 5. 23. and this is matter of prayer and hope for at last it will grow up to perfection but this perfect holiness is reserved for the perfect state in the world to come and none but * Perfectio Sanctificationis in isthaâ—… vil a non reperitur nisi in somniis quorundam sanaticorum 〈◊〉 deluded proud spirits boast of it here but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. and upon the imperfection of the new Creature in every faculty that warfare and dayly conflict spoken of Gal. 5. 17. and experienced by every Christian is grounded grace rises gradually in the soul as the Sun doth in the heavens which shineth more and more unto a perfect day Prov. 4. 18. Fifthly To Conclude this life with which the regenerate are quickened is an everlasting life This is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his son 1 Joh. 5. 11. this principle of life is the seed of God and that remains in the soul for ever 1 Joh. 3. 9. it is no transient vanishing thing but a fixed permanent principle which abides in the soul for ever a man may lose his gifts but grace abides the soul may and must be separated from the body but grace cannot be separated from the soul when all forsake us this sticks by us This infused principle is therefore vastly different both from the extraordinary gifts of prophecie wherein the Spirit sometimes was said to come upon men under the old Testament 1 Sam. 10. 6 10. and from the common vanishing effects he sometimes produceth in the unregenerate of which we have frequent accounts in the new Testament Heb. 6. 4. and Joh. 5. 35. it 's one thing for the Spirit to come upon a man in the way of present influence and assistance and another thing to dwell in a man as his Temple And thus of the nature and quality of this blessed work of the Spirit in quickening us Secondly Having seen the nature and properties of the spiritual life we are concerned in the next place to enquire 2. into the way and manner in which it is wrought and infused by the Spirit and here we must say First of all That the work is wrought in the soul very mysteriously so Christ tells Nicodemus Joh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit there be many opinions among Philosophers about the original of winds but we have no certain knowledge of it we deseribe it by its effects and properties but know little of its original and if the works of God in nature be so abstruse and unsearchable how much more are these sublime and supernatural works of the Spirit so We are not able to solve the Phaenomena of nature we can give no account of our own formation in the womb Eccles. 11. 5. who can exactly describe how the parts of the body are formed and the soul infused it's curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 139. 16. but how we know not Basil saith divers questions may be moved about a Fly which may pose the greatest Philosopher we know little of the forms and essences of natural things much less of these profound and abstruse spiritual things Secondly But though we cannot pry into these secrets by the eye of reason yet God hath revealed this to us in his word that it is wrought by his own almighty power Eph. 1. 19. The Apostle ascribes this work to the exceeding greatness of the power of God and this must needs be if we consider how the Spirit of God expresses it in Scripture by a new Creation i. e. a giving being to something out of nothing Eph. 2. 10. In this it differs from all the effects of humane power for man always
design thus far And this actual application is the work of the Spirit by a singular appropriation Fourthly and Lastly This expression imports the suitableness of Christ to the necessities of Sinners What they want he is made to them and indeed as money answers all things and is convertible into meat drink rayment physick or what else our bodily necessities do require so Christ is virtually and eminently all that the necessities of our souls require bread to the hungry soul and cloathing to the naked soul. In a word God prepared and furnished him on purpose to answer all our wants which fully hits the Apostles sense when he saith Who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousness sanctification and redemption The sum of all is Doct. Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christ with all his precious benefits becomes ours by Gods special and effectual Application There is a twofold Application of our redemption one Primary the other Secondary the former is the Act of God the Father applying it to Christ our Surety and virtually to us in him the later is the Act of the holy Spirit personally and actually applying it to us in the work of conversion the former hath the respect and relation of an example model or pattern to this and this is produced and wrought by the vertue of that What was done upon the person of Christ was not only virtually done upon us considered in him as a common publick representative person in which sense we are said to dye with him and live with him to be crucified with him and buryed with him but it was also intended for a platform or Idea of what is to be done by the Spirit actually upon our souls and bodies in our single persons As he dyed for sin so the Spirit applying his death to us in the work of mortification causes us to dye to sin by the vertue of his death and as he was quickned by the Spirit and raised unto life so the Spirit applying unto us the life of Christ causeth us to live by spiritual vivification Now this personal secondary and actual application of redemption to us by the Spirit in his sanctifying work is that which I am engaged here to discuss and open Which I shall do in these following Propositions Propos. 1. The Application of Christ to us is not only Comprehensive of our Justification but of all those works of the Spirit which are known Propos. 1. to us in Scripture by the names of regeneration vocation sanctification and conversion Though all these terms have some small respective differences among themselves yet they are all included in this general the applying and putting on of Christ Rom. 13. 14. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Regeneration expresses those supernatural divine new qualities infused by the Spirit into the Soul which are the principles of all holy actions Vocation expresseth the terms from which and to which the soul moves when the Spirit works savingly upon it under the Gospel call Sanctification notes that holy dedication of heart and life to God our becoming the Temples of the living God separate from all prophane sinful practices to the Lords only use and service Conversion denotes the great change it self which the Spirit causeth upon the soul turning it by a sweet irresistible efficacy from the power of Sin and Satan to God in Christ. Now all these are imported in and done by the Application of Christ to our souls for when once the efficacy of Christs death and the vertue of his resurrection come to take place upon the heart of any man he cannot but turn from Sin to God and become a new creature living and acting by new principles and rules So the Apostle observes 1 Thes. 1. 5 6. speaking of the effect of this work of the Spirit upon that people Our Gospel saith he came not to you in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost there was the effectual application of Christ to them And you became followers of us and of the Lord ver 6. there was their effectual call And ye turned from dumb Idols to serve the living and true God ver 9. there was their conversion So that ye were ensamples to all that believe ver 7. there was their life of Sanctification or dedication to God So that all these are comprehended in effectual application Propos. 2. The Application of Christ to the souls of men is that great project Propos. 2. and design of God in this world for the accomplishment whereof all the Ordinances and all the officers of the Gospel are appointed and continued in the world This the Gospel expressly declared to be its direct and great end and the great business of all its officers Eph. 4. 11 12. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some pastors and teachers till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ i. e. the great aim and scope of all Christs Ordinances and officers is to bring men into Union with Christ and so build them up to perfection in him or to unite them to and confirm them in Christ and when it shall have finished this design then shall the whole frame of Gospel Ordinances be taken down and all its officers disbanded The Kingdom i. e. this present oeconomy manner and form of Government shall be delivered up 1 Cor. 15. 24. what are Ministers but the Bridegrooms friends Ambassadors for God to beseech men to be reconciled when therefore all the elect are brought home in a reconciled state to Christ when the marriage of the Lamb is come our work and office expire together Propos. 3. Such is the Importance and great concernment of the personal application of Christ to us by the Spirit that whatsoever the father hath Propos. 3. done in the contrivement or the Son hath done in the accomplishment of our Redemption is all inavailable and ineffectual to our Salvation without this It is confessedly true that Gods good pleasure appointing us from eternity to Salvation is in its kind a most full and sufficient Impulsive cause of our Salvation and every way able for so much as it is concerned to produce its effect And Christs humiliation and sufferings are a most compleat and sufficient meritorious cause of our Salvation to which nothing can be added to make it more apt and able to procure our Salvation than it already is yet neither the one or other can actually save any Soul without the Spirits application of Christ to it for where there are divers social causes or concauses necessary to produce one effect there the effect cannot be produced until the last cause have wrought thus it is here The Father hath elected and the Son hath redeemed but until the Spirit who is the last cause have wrought his part also we cannot be
that is saving can be done without the concurrence of special grace Other acts that have a remote tendency to it are performed by a more general concourse and common assistance so men may come to the word and attend what is spoken remember and consider what the word tells them but as to believing or coming to Christ that no man can do of himself or by a general and common assistance No man can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come unto me i. e. believe in me unto Salvation Coming to Christ and believing in him are terms aequipollent and are indifferently used to express the nature of saving faith as is plain from ver 35. he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst it notes the terms from which and to which the soul moves and the voluntariness of the motion notwithstanding that divine power by which the will is drawn to Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Except my Father not excluding the other two persons for every work of God relating to the Creatures is common to all the three persons nor only to note that the Father is the first in order of working but the reason is hinted in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath sent me God having entred into Covenant with the son and sent him stands obliged by that paction to bring the promised seed to him and that he doth by drawing them to Christ by faith so the next words tell us the Father doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draw him that is powerfully and effectually incline his will to come to Christ not by a violent coaction Non violenta coactioâ—…mmediata sed voluntatis à deo aaversae henevola flectio Glas. Rhet Sacra p. 2â—…6 but by a benevolent bending of the will which was averse and as it is not in the way of force and compulsion so neither is it by a simple moral suasion by the bare proposal of an object to the will and so leaving the sinner to his own election but it is such a persuasion as hath a mighty overcoming efficacy accompanying it of which more anon The words thus opened the Observation will be this Doct. That it is utterly impossible for any man to come to Jesus Christ Doct. unless he be drawn unto him by the special and mighty power of God No man is compelled to come to Christ against his will he that cometh comes willingly but even that will and desire to come is the effect of grace Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure If we desire the help and assistance of grace saith Fulgentius Ut ergo desideremus adjutorium hoc quoque est gratiae ipsa namque incipit effundi ut incipiat posci Fulgen. Epist. 6. ad Theod. even the desire is of grace grace must first be shed forth upon us before we can begin to desire it by grace are yâ—… saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. suppose the utmost degree of natural ability let a man be as much disposed and prepared as nature can dispose or prepare him and to all this add the proposal of the greatest arguments and motives to induce him to come let all these have the advantage of the fittest season to work upon his heart yet no man can come till God draw him we move as we are moved as Christs coming to us so our coming to him are the pure effects of grace Three things require Explication in this point before us First What the drawing of the Father imports Secondly In what manner he draws men to Christ. Thirdly How it appears that none can come till they be so drawn First What the drawing of the Father imports To open this let it be considered that drawing is usually 1. distinguisht into Physical and Moral The former is either by coaction force and compulsion or by a sweet congruous efficacy upon the will as to violence and compulsion it is none of Gods way and Method it being both against the nature of the will of man which cannot be forced and against the will of Jesus Christ who loves to reign over a free and willing people Psal. 110. 4. The people shall be willing in the day of thy power or as that word may be rendred they shall be voluntarinesses as willing as willingness it self it is not then by a forcible coaction but in a Moral way of perswasion that God the Father draws men to Jesus Christ he draws with the bands of a man as they are called Hosea 11. 14. i. e. in a way of rational conviction of the mind and Conscience and effectual perswasion of the will But yet by Moral perswasion we must not understand a simple and bare proposal or tender of Christ and grace leaving it still at the sinners choice whether he will comply with it or no * Non videmus deum concionautem scribentem docentem tamen ac si videmus credimus habet enim omn is veritas vim inclinativam major majorem maxima maximam sed cur ergo non omnes credunt evangelio Respondeo quod non omnes trahuntur a deo Baptist Mantuanus de patientia lib. 3. cap. 2. for though God do not force the will contrary to its nature yet there is a real internal efficiency implyed in this drawing or an immediate operation of the Spirit upon the heart and will which in a way Congruous and suitable to its nature takes away the rebellion and reluctance of it and of unwilling makes it willing to come to Christ and in this respect we own a physical as well as a Moral influence of the Spirit in this work and so the Scripture expresses it Eph. 1. 19 20. that we may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead here is much more than a naked proposal made to the will there is a power as well as a tender greatness of power and yet more the exceeding greatness of his power and this power hath an actual efficiency ascribed to it he works upon our hearts and wills according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead thus he fulfills in us all the good pleasure of his will and the work of faith with power 2 Thes. 1. 11. And this is that which the Schools call gratia efficax effectual grace and others victrix delectatio an overcoming conquering Coelestis qu edam ineffabilis suavitas Jansenius Aug. Lib. 4. cap. 1. delight thus the work is carried on with a most efficacious sweetness So that the liberty of the will is not infringed whilst the obstinacy of the will is effectually subdued and over-ruled for want of this
poured out many prayers and tears to the Lord for them you have cryed for them as Abraham for his Son O that Ishmael might live before thee O that this poor husband wise child brother or sister might live in thy sight and still you see they contain at one rate carnal dead and senseless well but yet give not up your hopes nor cease your pious endeavours the time may come when the Father may draw as well as you and then you shall see them quit all and come to Christ and nothing shall hinder them They are now drawn away of their own lusts they are easily drawn away by their sinful Companions but when God draws none of these shall withdraw them from the Lord Jesus What is their ignorance obstinacy and hardness of heart before that mighty power that subdues all things to it self Go therefore to the Lord by prayer for them and say Lord I have laboured for my poor relations in vain I have spent my exhortations to little purpose the work is too difficult for me I can carry it no farther but thou canst O let thy power go forth they shall be willing in the day of thy power Infer 6. If none can come to Christ except the Father draw them then surely none can be drawn from Christ except the Father leave Infer 6. them that power which at first drew them to Christ can secure and establish them in Christ to the end Joh. 10. 29. my Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand When the power of God at first draws us out of our natural state to Christ it sinds us not only impotent but obstinate not only unable but unwilling to come and yet this power of God prevails against all opposition how much more is it able to preserve and secure us when his fear is put into our inward parts so that we dare â—…t depart we have no will to depart from him Well then if the world say I will ensnare thee if the Devil say I will destroy thee if the flesh say I will betray thee yet thou art secure and safe as long as God hath said I will never leave thee nor for sake thee Heb. 13. 5. Infer 7. Let this engage you to a constant attendance upon the ordinances Infer 7. of God in which this drawing power of God is sometimes put forth upon the hearts of men Beloved there are certain seasons in which the Lord comes nigh to men in the Ordinances and Duties of his worship and we know not at what time the Lord cometh forth by his Spirit upon this design he many times comes in an hour when we look not for him when we think not of him I am found of them that sought me not Isa. 65. 1. it's good therefore to be found in the way of the Spirit had that poor man that lay so long at the pool of Bethesda reasoned thus with himself so long have I lain here in vain expecting a cure it 's to no purpose to wait longer and so had been absent at that very time when the Angel came down he had in all likelihood carryed his disease to the grave with him How dost thou know but this very Sabbath this Sermon this prayer which thou hast no heart to attend and art tempted to neglect may be the season and instrument wherein the Lord may do that for thy soul which was never yet done upon it Infer 8. To conclude how are all the Saints engaged to put forth all the Infer 8. power and ability they have for God who hath put forth his infinite almighty power to draw them to Christ God hath done great things for your souls he hath drawn you out of the miserable state of sin and wrath and that when he let others go by nature as good as you he hath drawn you into Union with Christ and Communion with his glorious priviledges O that you would henceforth imploy all the power you have for God in duties of obedience and in drawing others to Christ as much as in you lies and say continually with the Church Draw me we will run after thee Cant. 1. 4. Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ. The Fifth SERMON Serm. 5. EPHES. 2. 1. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses Opening that work of the Spirit more particularly by which the soul is enabled to apply Christ. and sins IN the former Sermons we have seen our Union with Christ in the general nature of it and the means by which it is effected both external by the preaching of the Gospel and internal by the drawings of the Father We are now to bring our thoughts yet closer to this great mystery and consider the bonds or ligaments by which Christ and believers are knit together in a blessed oneness And if we heedfully observe the Scripture expressions and ponder the nature of this Union we shall find there are two bands which knit Christ and the soul together viz. 1. The Spirit on Christs part 2. Faith on our part The Spirit on Christs part quickening us with spiritual life whereby Christ first takes hold of us and faith on our part when thus quickened whereby we take hold of Christ accordingly this Union with the Lord Jesus is expressed in Scripture sometimes by one and sometimes by the other of these means or bonds by which it is effected Christ is sometimes said to be in us so Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory and Rom. 8. 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin and other times it is expressed by the other bond on our part as 1 Joh. 5. 20. we are in him that is true even in his son Christ Jesus and 2 Cor. 5. 17. if â—…ny man be in Christ he is a new creature The difference betwixt both these is thus aptly expressed by a late Author Christ is in believers by his Spirit 1 Joh. 4. 13. the believer is in Christ by faith Joh. 1. 12. Christ Mount Pisgaâ—… p. 22 23. is in the believer by inhabitation Rom. 3. 17. the believer is in Christ by implantation Rom. 6. 35. Christ is in the believer as the head is in the body Col. 1. 18. as the root in the branches Joh. 15. 5. believers are in Christ as the members are in the head Eph. 1. 23. or as the branches are in the root Joh. 15. 1 7. Christ in the believer implyeth life and influence from Christ Col. 3. 4. the believer in Christ implyeth Communion and fellowship with Christ 1 Cor. 1. 30. when Christ is said to be in the believer we are to understand it in reference to Sanctification when the believer is said to be in Christ it is in order to Justification Thus we apprehend being our selves first apprehended by Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 12. we cannot take hold of Christ till first he take
hold of us no vital act of faith can be exercised till a vital principle be first inspired of both these bonds of Union we must speak distinctly and first of the first Christ quickening us by his Spirit in order to our Union with him of which we have an account in the Scripture before us You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins in which words we find these two things noted Viz. 1. The infusion of a vital principle of grace 2. The total indisposedness of the subject by nature First The infusion of a vital principle of grace you hath he quickened These words hath he quickened are a supplement 1. made to clear the sense of the Apostle which else would have been more obscure by reason of that long Parenthesis betwixt the first and the fifth verses for as the * Illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regitur à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. est igitur hoc loco hyperbaton synchysis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae est species 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujus quidem anomaliae causa est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interjectio sententiae prolixioris Piscator Pooles Synop. learned observe this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you is governed of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath he quickened verse 5. so that here the words are transposed from the plain grammatical order by reason of the interjection of a long sentence therefore with good warrant our Translators have put the verb into this first verse which is repeated verse the fifth and so keeping faithfully to the scope have excellently cleared the Syntax and order of the words Now this verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath he quickened imports the first vital act of the spirit of God â—…or his first enlivening work upon the soul in order to its Union with Jesus Christ for look as the blood of Christ is the fountain of all merit so the Spirit of Christ is the fountain of all spiritual life and until he quicken us i. e. infuse the principle of the divine life into our souls we can put forth no hand or vital act of faith to lay hold upon Jesus Christ. This his quickening work is therefore the first in order of nature to our Union with Christ and fundamental to all other acts of grace done and performed by us from our first closing with Christ throughout the whole course of our obedience and this quickening act is said verse the fifth to be together Ex Christo conjuâ—…cto nobiscum ut capite cum membris profluunt in nos omnia beneficia in quorum numero est vivificatio Rolloc in Loco with Christ either noting as some expound it that it is the effect of the same power by which Christ was raised from the dead according to Eph. 1. 19. or rather to be quickened together with Christ notes that new spiritual life which is infused into our dead souls in the time of our Union with Christ for it is Christ to whom we are conjoyned and united in our regeneration out of whom as a fountain all spiritual benefits flow to us among which this vivification or quickening is one and a most sweet and precious one Zanchy Bodius and many others will have this quickening to comprize both our justification and regeneration and to stand opposed both to infernal and spiritual death and it may well be allowed but it most properly imports our regeneration wherein the Spirit in an ineffable and mysterious way makes the soul to live to God yea to live the life of God which was before dead in trespassis and sins in which words we have Secondly In the next place the total indisposedness of 2. the subjects by nature for as it is well noted by a * Non vocat hic semi mortuos aut aegrotos ac infirmos sed prorsus mortuos omni fa ultatebene cogitandi aut agendi destituti Rolloc in Loc. learned man The Apostle doth not say of these Ephesians that they were half dead or sick and infirm but dead wholly altogether dead destitute of any faculty or ability so much as to think one good thought or perform one good act you were dead in respect of condemnation being under the damning sentence of the Law and you were dead in respect of the privation of spiritual life dead in opposition to Justification and dead in opposition to regeneration and sanctification and the fatal instrument by which their Souls dyed is here shewed them you were dead in or by trespasses and sins this was the Sword that kill'd your souls and cut them off from God Some do curiously distinguish betwixt trespasses and sins as if one pointed at original the other at actual sins but I suppose they are promiscuously used here and serve to express the cause of their ruine or means of their spiritual death and destruction this was their case when Christ came to quicken them dead in sin and being so they could not move themselves towards Union with Christ but as they were moved by the quickening Spirit of God Hence the observation will be this Doct. That those Souls which have Union with Christ are quickened with a Supernatural principle of life by the Spirit of God in order Doct. thereunto The Spirit of God is not only a living Spirit formally considered but he is also the Spirit of life effectively or causally considered and without his breathing or infusing liâ—… into our souls our Union with Christ is impossible It is the observation of learned Camero that there must be Observandum est unionem unitionem inter se disserre unio est rerum actus qui formae rationem habet nempe actus rerum unitarum quâ unitae sunt unitio autem actus significat causâ—… efficientis c. Camero de Eccles p. 222. an Unition before there can be a Union with Christ. Unition is to be conceived efficiently as the work of Gods Spirit joyning the believer to Christ and Union is to be conceived formally the joyning it self of the persons together we close with Christ by faith but that faith being a vital act presupposes a principle of life communicated to us by the Spirit therefore it 's said Joh. 11. 26. whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye the vital act and operation of faith springs from this quickening Spirit so in Rom. 8 1 2. the Apostle having in the first verse opened the blessed estate of them that are in Christ shews us in the second verse how we come to be in him The Spirit of life saith he which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death There is indeed a quickening work of the Spirit which is subsequent to regeneration consisting in his exciting recovering and actuating of his own graces in us and from hence is the liveliness of a Christian and there is a quickening act of the Spirit in our
sooner is the soul quickened by the Spirit of God but it answers in some measure the end of God in that work by its active reception of Jesus Christ in the way of believing what this vital act of faith is upon which so great a weight depends as our Interest in Christ and everlasting blessedness this Scripture before us will give you the best account of it wherein omitting the Coherence and contexture of the words we have three things to ponder First The high and glorious priviledge conferr'd viz. power to become the sons of God Secondly The subject of this priviledge described As many as received him Thirdly The description explain'd by way of Apposition even as many as believed on his name First The priviledge conferr'd is a very high and glorious 1. one than which no created being is capable of greater power Beza hoc jus Piscator hanc dignitatem Lightfoote prarogativam Heinsius privilegium nec multo aliter vâ—…ce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hellenistae usâ—… videntur cum Câ—…aldeorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresserunt Heins to become the sons of God this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of large extent and signification and is by some rendred this right by others this dignity by others this prerogative This priviledge or honour it implys a title or right to Adoption not only with respect to the present benefits of it in this life but also to that blessed inheritance which is laid up in heaven for the sons of God and so Grotius rightly expounds it of our consummate sonship consisting in the actual enjoyment of blessedness as well as that which is inchoate not only a right to pardon favour and acceptance now but to heaven and the full enjoyment of God hereafter O what an honour dignity and priviledge is this Secondly The Subjects of this priviledge are described as many as received him This Text describes them by that 2. very grace Faith which gives them their title and right to Christ and his benefits and by that very act of faith which primarily conferrs their right to his person and secondarily to his benefits viz. receiving him there be many graces besides faith but faith only is the grace that gives us right to Christ and there be many acts of faith besides receiving but this receiving or embracing of Christ is the justifying and saving act as many as received him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as many be they of any nation sex age or condition For there is neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision nor Uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond or Free but Christ is all and in all Col. 3. 11. Nothing but unbelief barrs men from Christ and his benefits as many as received him the word signifies to accept take or as we fitly render to receive assume or take to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem est Grot. us a word most aptly expressing the nature and office of faith yea the very justifying and saving act and we are also heedfully to note its special object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him the Text saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him i. e. his person as he is cloathed with his offices and not only his benefits and priviledges These are secondary and consequential things to our receiving him * Oblatio est actio Dei plerunque mediata facta in verbo receptio est actio hominis ita tamen ut simul quoque sit beneficium dâ—… nec enim homo posset recipere mediatorem nisi fides quae receptionis hujus est organon 〈◊〉 deo daretur Wendel So that it is a receiving assuming or accepting the Lord Jesus Christ which must have respect to the tenders and proposals of the gospel for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. therein is Jesus Christ revealed proposed and offered unto sinners as the only way of justification and salvation which Gospel offer as before was opened is therefore ordinarily necessary to believing Rom. 10. 11 12 13 c. Thirdly This description is yet further explained by this additional exegetical clause even to them that believe in his 3. name here the terms are varied though the thing exprest in both be the same what he call'd receiving there is call'd believing on his name here to shew us that the very essence of saving faith consists in our receiving of Christ by his name we are to understand Christ himself it is usual to take these two believing in him and believing in his name as terms convertible and of the same importance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipse est nomen suum nomen ejus ipse est his name Drusius is himself and himself is his name So that here we have the true nature and precious benefits of saving faith excellently exprest in this Scripture the summ of which take in this proposition Doct. That the receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ is that saving and vital act of faith which gives the soul right both to his person and Doct. benefits We cannot act spiritually till we begin to live spiritually therefore the Spirit of life must first joyn himself to us in his quickening work as was shewn you in the last Sermon which being done we begin to act spiritually by taking hold upon or receiving Jesus Christ which is the thing designed to be opened in this Sermon The soul is the life of the body faith is the life of the soul and Christ is the life of faith There are several sorts of faith besides saving faith and in saving faith there are several acts besides the justifying or saving act but this receiving act which is to be our subject this day is that upon which both our righteousness and eternal happiness do depend This as a form differences saving faith from all other kinds or sorts of faith by this it is that we are justified and saved To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God Forma vel aliquid formae analogum ponitur differentiae loco yet it doth not justifie and save us by reason of any proper dignity that is found in this Act but by reason of the object it receives and apprehends the same thing is often exprest in Scripture by other terms as coming to Christ Joh. 6. 35. rolling or staying upon Christ Isa. 50. 10. but whatever is found in those expressions it is all comprehended in this as will appear hereafter Now the method into which I shall cast the discourse of this subject that I may handle it with as much perspicuity and profit as I can shall be First To explain and open the nature of this receiving of Christ and shew you what it includes 1. Secondly To prove that this is the justifying and saving act of faith 2. Thirdly To shew you the excellency of this act of Faith 3.
mercy God now beseeches you will you not yield to the intreaties of your God O then what wilt thou say for thy self when God will not hear thee when thou shalt intreat and cry for mercy Which brings us to the Motive 3. Consider the sin and danger that there is in refusing or Motive 3. neglecting the present offers of Christ in the Gospel and surely there is much sin in it the very malignity of sin and the summ of all misery lyes here for in refusing Christ First you put the greatest contempt and slight upon all the Attributes of God that it is possible for a creature to do God hath made his justice his mercy his wisdome and all his attributes to shine in their brightest glory in Christ never was there such a display of the glory of God made to the world in any other way O then what is it to reject and despise Jesus Christ but to offer the greatest affront to the glory of God that it is possible for men to put upon him Secondly you hereby frustrate and evacuate the very design and importance of the Gospel to your selves you receive the grace of God in vain 2 Cor. 6. 1. as good yea better had it been for you that Christ had never come into the world or if he had that your lot had fallen in the dark places of the earth where you had never heard his name yea good had it been for that man if he had never been born Thirdly hereby a man murthers his own soul. I said therefore unto you that you shall dye in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins Joh. 8. 24. unbelief is self-murther you are guilty of the blood of your own souls life and salvation was offered you and you rejected it yea Fourthly The refusing of Christ by unbelief will aggravate your damnation above all others that perish in ignorance of Christ. O 't will be more tolerable for heathens than for you the greatest measures of wrath are reserved to punish the worst of sinners and among sinners none will be found worse than unbelievers Secondly To Believers this point is very useful to perswade 2. them to divers excellent duties among which I shall single out two principal ones Viz. 1. To bring up their faith of acceptance to the faith of assurance 2. To bring up their conversations to the principles and rules of faith First You that have received Jesus Christ truly give your selves no rest till you are fully satisfied that you have done so acceptance brings you to heaven hereafter but assurance will bring heaven into your souls now O what a life of delight and pleasure doth the assured believer live what pleasure is it to him to look back and consider where once he was and where now he is to look forward and consider where he now is and where shortly he shall be I was in my sins I am now in Christ I am in Christ now I shall be with Christ and that for ever after a few days I was upon the very brink of hell I am now upon the very borders of heaven I shall be in a little while among the innumerable company of Angels and glorified Saints bearing part with them in the Song of Moses and of the Lamb for evermore And why may not you that have received Christ receive the comfort of your union with him there be all the grounds and helps to assurance furnisht to your hand there is a real union Viget apâ—…d nos spei immobilis virtus firmitas Cypr. Sermone de patientia betwixt Christ and your souls which is the very groundwork of assurance you have the Scriptures before you which contain the signs of faith and the very things within you that answer those signs in the word So you read and so just so you might feel it in your own hearts would you attend to your own experience The spirit of God is ready to seal you 't is his office and his delight so to do O therefore give diligence to this work attend the study of the Scriptures and of your own hearts more and grieve not the holy Spirit of God and you may arrive to the very desire of your hearts Secondly Bring up your conversations to the excellent principles and rules of faith As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Col. 2. 6. live as you believe you received Christ sincerely in your first close with him O maintain the like seriousness and sincerity in all your ways to the end of your lives you received him intirely and undividedly at first let there be no exceptions against any of his commands afterward you received him exclusively to all others see that you watch against all self-righteousness and self-conceitedness now and mingle nothing of your own with his blood whatever gifts or enlargements in duty God shall give you afterwards You received him advisedly at first weighing and considering the self-denying terms upon which he was offered to you O shew that it was real and that you see no cause to repent the bargain whatever you shall meet with in the ways of Christ and duty afterwards Convince the world of your constancy and chearfulness in all your sufferings for Christ that you are still of the same mind you were and that Christ with his cross Christ with a prison Christ with the greatest afflictions is worthy of all acceptation as you have received him so walk ye in him let him be as sweet as lovely as precious to you now as he was the first moment you received him yea let your love to him delights in him and self-denyal for him increase with your acquaintance with him day by day 4 Use of Direction 4. Use. Lastly I will close all with a few words of direction to all that are made willing to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and sure it is but need that help were given to poor Christians in this matter it is a time of trouble fear and great temptation mistakes are easily made and of dangerous consequence attend heedfully therefore to a few directions Direction 1. First In your receiving Christ beware you do not mistake Direct 1. the means for the end many do so but see you do not Prayer Sermons Reformations are means to bring you to Christ but they are not Christ to close with those duties is one thing and to close with Christ is another thing if I go into a Boat my design is not to dwell there but to be carried to the place whereon I desire to be landed So it must be in this case all your Duties must land you upon Christ they are but means to bring you to Christ. Direction 2. Secondly See that you receive not Christ for a present shift Direct 2. but for your everlasting portion many do so they will enquire after Christ pray for Christ cast themselves in their
contained in the sixth and last Titile of Christ. Waiting for the Consolation of Israel SEveral Glorious Titles of Christ have been already spoken to out of each of which much comfort flows to Believers 't is comfortable to a wounded soul to eye him as a Physician comfortable to a condemned and unworthy soul to look upon him under the notion of the Mercy The loveliness the desirableness and the glory of Christ are all so many springs of Consolation But now I am to shew you from this Scripture that the Saints have not only much consolation from Christ but that Christ himself is the very Consolation of Believers he is pure comfort wrapped up in flesh and blood In this Context you have an account of Simeons Prophecie concerning Christ and in this Text a description of the Person and quality of Simeon himself who is described two wayes 1. By his Practice 2. By his Principle His practice was heavenly and holy he was a just and devout man the principle from which his righteousness and holiness did flow was his faith in Christ he waited for the consolation of Israel In which words by way of Periphrasis we have 1. A description of Christ the Consolation of Israel 2. The description of a Believer one that waiteth for Christ. First That the Consolation of Israel is a phrase descriptive 1. of Jesus Christ is beyond all doubt if you consult vers 26. where he i. e. Simeon is satisfied by receiving Christ into his arms the Consolation for which he had so long waited Secondly And that waiting for Christ is a phrase describing 2. Phrasis est Judaeistum temporis familiaris notissima qua Messiae adventum significabatur Lodov Capell the Believers of those times that preceeded the incarnation of Christ is past doubt they all waited for that blessed day but it was Simeons lot to fall just upon that happy nick of time wherein the Prophecies and Promises of his incarnation were fulfilled Simeon and others that waited with him were sensible that the time of the Promise was come which could not but raise as indeed it did a general expectation of him John 9. 19. but Simeons faith was confirmed by a particular revelation vers 26. that he should see Christ before he saw death which could not but greatly encourage and raise his expectation to look out for him whose coming would be the greatest consolation to the whole Israel of God The Consolation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit is frequently called in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter but Christ in this place is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comfort or consolation it self the reason of both is given in John 16. 14. He shall take of mine and shew it unto you where Christ is said to be the matter and the Spirit the applier of true comfort to the people of God Now this consolation is here expressed both with a singular Emphasis the Consolation intimating that there is nothing of consolation in any thing beside him all other comforts compared with this are not worth a naming And as it is emphatically expressed so it is also limited and bounded within the compass of Gods Israel i. e. true Believers stiled the Israel of God whether Jews or Gentiles Gal. 6. 16. From whence the point of Doctrine is DOCT. That Jesus Christ is the only Consolation of Believers and of none besides them Doct. So speaks the Apostle Phil. 3. 3. For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Those that worship God in the Spirit are sincere Believers to such sincere Believers Christ is consolation our rejoycing is in Christ Jesus and they have no consolation in any thing beside him nothing in the world can give them comfort without Christ we have no confidence in the flesh The Gospel is glad tidings of great joy but that which makes it to be so is Jesus Christ whom it imports and reveals to us Luke 2. 10 11. In the opening of this comfortable point four things must be spoken to for the right stating the method of our Discourse viz. 1. What is meant by Consolation 2. That Christ and he only is Consolation to Believers 3. That Believers only have Consolation in Christ. 4. How it comes to pass that any Believer should be dejected since Christ is Consolation to all Believers The first thing to be opened is the nature of Consolation 1. which is nothing else but the cheariness of a mans spirit whereby he is upheld and fortified against all evils felt or feared Consolation is to the soul what health is to the body after wasting sickness or the reviving Spring to the earth after a long and hard Winter and there are three sorts of consolation or comfort suitable to the disposition and temper of the mind viz. Natural Sinful and Spiritual Natural Comfort is the refreshment of our natural Spirits by the good Creatures of God Acts. 14. 17. Filling their hearts with food and gladness Sinful Comfort is the satisfaction and pleasure men take in the fulfilling of their lusts by the abuse of the creatures of God James 5. 5. Ye have lived in pleasure upon earth i. e. your life hath been a life of sensuality and sin Spiritual Comfort is the refreshment peace and joy gracious souls have in Christ by the exercise of faith hope and other graces Rom. 5. 2. and this only deserves the name of true solid Consolation to which four things are required First That the matter thereof be some spiritual eminent and durable good else our consolation in it will be but as the crackling of Thorns under a Pot a sudden blaze quickly extinct with the failing matter Christ only gives the matter of solid durable Consolation The righteousness of Christ the pardon of sin the favour of God the hopes of glory are the substantial materials of a Believers Consolation Rom. 5. 2. Mat. 9. 2. Psal. 4. 6 7. 2 Pet. 1. 8. Things are as their foundations be Secondly Interest and propriety in these comfortable things is requisite to our consolation by them Luke 1. 47. My Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour 'T is no consolation to him that is hungry to see a Feast to him that is poor to see a Treasure if the one may not taste or the other partake thereof Thirdly Knowledge and evidence of interest in some degree is requisite to actual consolation though without it a man may be in the state of consolation for that which appears not is in point of actual comfort as if it were not Fourthly In order hereunto the work of the Spirit upon our hearts is requisite both to give and clear our interest in Christ and the promises and both these ways he is the Comforter The fruit of the Spirit is joy Gal. 5. 22. And thus briefly of the nature of Consolation Secondly Next I will shew you that Christ and
every Creature is suitable to its nature You see divers Creatures feeding upon several parts of the same herb the Bee upon the flower the Bird upon the seed the Sheep upon the stalk and the Swine upon the root according to their nature so is their food sensual men feed upon sensual things spiritual men upon spiritual things as your food is so are you If carnal comforts can content thy heart sure thy heart must then be a very carnal heart yea and let Christians themselves take heed that they fetch not their Consolations out of themselves instead of Christ. Your graces and duties are excellent means and instruments but not the ground-work and foundation of your Comfort they are useful buckets to draw but not the well it self in which the springs of consolation rise If you put your duties in the room of Christ Christ will put your comforts out of the reach of your duties Inference 3. If Christ be the Consolation of Believers what a comfortable Inference 3. life should all Believers live in this world Certainly if the fault be not your own you might live the happiest and comfortablest lives of all men in the world If you would not be a discomfort to Christ he would be a comfort to you every day and in every condition to the end of your lives your condition abounds with all the helps and advantages of consolation you have the command of Christ to warrant your comforts Phil. 4. 4. You have the Spirit of Christ for a spring of comfort you have the Scriptures of Christ for the rules of comfort you have the duties of Religion for the means of comfort why is it then that you go comfortless If your afflictions be many in the world yet your encouragements be more in Christ your troubles in the world may be turned into joy but your comforts in Christ can never be turned into trouble Why should troubles obstruct your comfort when the blessing of Christ upon your troubles makes them subservient to promote your happiness Rom. 8. 28. Shake off despondency then and live up to the principles of Religion your dejected life is uncomfortable to your selves and of very ill use to others Inference 4. If Christ be the Consolation of Believers then let all that desire Inference 4. comfort in this world or in that to come imbrace Jesus Christ and get real union with him The same hour you shall be in Christ you shall also be at the fountain head of all Consolations Thy soul shall be then a pardoned soul and a pardoned soul hath all reason in the world to be a joyful soul in that day thy Conscience shall be sprinkled with the blood of Christ and a sprinkled Conscience hath all the reason in the world to be a comforting Conscience in that day you become the Children of your Father in Heaven and he that hath a Father in Heaven hath all reason to be the joyfullest man upon earth in that day you are delivered from the sting and hurt of death and he that is delivered from the sting of death hath the best reason to take in the comfort of life O come to Christ come to Christ till you come to Christ no true comfort can come to you The Sixteenth SERMON Sermon 16. EPHES. 1. 7. Text. Enforcing the general exhortation by a seventh motive drawn from the first benefit purchased by Christ. In whom we have redemption through his blood the remission of sins according to the riches of his grace SIx great Motives have been presented already from the Titles of Christ to draw the hearts of sinners to him more are now to be offered from the benefits redounding to Believers by Christ. Essaying by all means to win the hearts of men to Christ. To this end I shall in the first place open that glorious priviledge of Gospel remission freely and fully conferred upon all that come to Christ by faith in whom we have redemption by faith c. In which words we have first a singular benefit or choice mercy bestowed viz. Redemption interpreted by way of apposition the remission of sins this is a priviledge of the first rank a mercy by it self none sweeter none more desirable among all the benefits that come by Christ. And therefore Secondly You have the price of this mercy an account what it cost even the blood of Christ in whom we have redemption through his blood Precious things are of great price the blood of Christ is the meritorious cause of remission Thirdly You have here also the impulsive cause moving God to grant pardons at this rate to sinners and that is said to be the riches of his grace Where by the way you see that the freeness of the grace of God and the fulness of the satisfaction of Christ meet together without the least jar in the remission of sin contrary to the vain cavil of the Socinian adversaries In whom we have redemption even the remission of sins according to the riches of his grace Fourthly You have the qualified subjects of this blessed priviledge viz. Believers in whose name he here speaks we have remission i. e. we the Saints and faithful in Christ Jesus vers 1. we whom he hath chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world and predestinated unto the adoption of Children vers 4 5. we that are made accepted in the beloved vers 6. 't is we and we only who have redemption through his blood Hence observe DOCT. That all Believers and none but Believers receive the remission Doct. of their sins through the riches of grace by the blood of Jesus Christ. In the explication of this point three things must be spoken to 1. That all that are in Christ are in a pardoned state 2. That their pardon is the purchase of the blood of Christ. 3. That the riches of Grace are manifested in remission First That all that are in Christ are in a pardoned state where I will first shew you what pardon or the remission of sin is Secondly That this is the priviledge of none but Believers First Now remission of sin is the gracious act of God in and through Christ discharging a believing sinner from all the guilt and punishment of his sin both temporal and eternal 'T is the act of God he is the author of remission none can forgive sins but God only Mark 2. 7. against him only i. e. principally and essentially the offence is committed Psal. 51. 4. To his Judgement guilt binds over the soul and who can remit the debt but the Creditor Mat. 6. 12. 'T is an act of God discharging the sinner it is Gods loosing of one that stood bound the cancelling of his bond or obligation called therefore remission or releasing in the Text the blotting out of our iniquities or the removing our sins from us as it 's called in other Scriptures see Psal. 103. 11. Mica 7. 18 19. It is a gracious act of God the
Christ hath made us free and be not again entangled in the yoke of bondage Gal. 5. 1. and again Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men It 's Christs prerogative to prescribe the rules of his own house he hath given no man dominion over your faith 2 Cor. 1. 24 one man is no rule to another but the word of Christ a rule to all follow not the holiest of men one step farther than they follow Christ 1 Cor. 11. 4. Man is an ambitious creature naturally affecting dominion and dominion over the mind rather than over the body to give law to others feeds pride in himself so far as any man brings the word of Christ to warrant his injunctions so far we are to obey and no farther Christ is your Lord and Lawgiver Inference 6. Lastly Let this encourage and perswade sinners to come to Inference 6. Christ for with him is sweet liberty for poor captives Oh that you did but know what a blessed state Jesus Christ would bring you into Come unto me saith he ye that labour and are heavy laden and what encouragement doth he give to comers but this my yoke is easie and my burthen is light The Devil perswaded you that the ways of obedience and strict godliness are a perfect bondage but if ever God regenerate you you will find his ways ways of pleasantness and all his paths peace you will rejoyce in the way of his Commandments as much as in all riches you will find the worst work Christ puts you about even suffering work sweeter than all the pleasures that ever you found in sin O therefore open your hearts at the call of the Gospel come unto Christ then shall you be free indeed The Nineteenth SERMON Sermon 19. 1 PET. 3. 18. Text. The Saints coming home to God by Reconciliation and Glorification opened and applied For Christ hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God THe scope of the Apostle in this place is to prepare and fortifie Christians for a day of suffering In order to their chearful sustaining whereof he prescribeth two excellent rules of mighty use for all suffering Christians First To get a good Conscience within them vers 16 17. hic murus aheneus esto Secondly To set the example of Christs suffering before them vers 18. for Christ hath once suffered for sinners the sufferings of Christ for us is the great motive engaging Christians to suffer chearfully for him In the words before us we have First The sufficiency and fulness of Christs sufferings intimated in that particle once Christ needs to suffer no more having finished and compleated that whole work at once Secondly The meritorious cause of the sufferings of Christ and that is sin Christ once suffered for sins not his own sins but ours as it follows in the next clause which is the third thing here observable viz. Thirdly The admirable grace and unexampled love of Christ to us sinners the just for the unjust in which words the substitution of Christ in the room and place of sinners the vice-gerence of his death is plainly expressed Christ died not only nostro bono for our good but also nostro loco in our stead Fourthly Here is also the final cause or design and scope of the sufferings of Christ which was to bring us to God Fifthly Here is also the issue of the sufferings of Christ which was the death of Christ in the flesh and the quickning of Christ after death by the Spirit many excellent observations are lodged in the bosom of this Scripture all which I must pass in silence at this time and confine my discourse to the final cause of the sufferings of Christ namely that he might bring us to God where the observation will be plainly and briefly this DOCT. That the end of Christs cursed death and bitter sufferings was Doct. to bring all those for whom he died unto God In the explication and preparation of this point for use two things must be spoken unto viz. 1. What Christs bringing us to God imports 2. What influence the death of Christ hath upon this design of bringing us to God First What Christs bringing us to God imports and certainly 1. there be many great and excellent things carried in this expression more generally it notes our state of reconciliation and our state of glorification by reconciliation we are brought nigh to God Ephes. 2. 13. Ye are made nigh i. e reconciled by the blood of Christ. Heb. 12. 22 23. we are said to come to God the Judge of all By reconciliation we are brought nigh unto God now by glorification we shall be brought home to God hereafter 1 Thes. 4. 17. We shall be ever with the Lord but more particularly this phrase that he might brings us to God imports First That the chief happiness of man consisteth in the 1. enjoyment of God that the creature hath as necessary dependance upon God for happiness as the stream hath upon the fountain or the image in the glass upon the face of him that looks into it Look as the sum of the creatures misery lies in this depart from me separation from God is the principal part of damnation So on the contrary the chief happiness of the creature consisteth in the enjoyment and blessed vision of God 1 John 3. 2. Psal. 17. 15. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Secondly It implies mans revolt and apostasie from God 2. Ephes. 2. 12. But now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometime afar Liâ—…t facult ates non â—…runt per lapsum abolitae determinatio tamen earum ad objecta spiritualia fuit protinus extincta Zeaeâ—… de imagine Dei. off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Those whom Christ bringeth unto God were before afar off from him both in state and condition and in temper and disposition we were lost creatures and had no desire to return to God the Prodigal was said to go into a far Country Luke 15. 30. Thirdly Christs bringing us to God implies our inability to return to God of our selves we must be brought back by Christ or perish for ever in a state of separation from God the lost sheep is made the embleme of the lost sinner 3. Luke 15. 5. The sheep returns not to the fold of it self but the shepheard seeks it finds it and carries it back upon his shoulders and the Apostle plainly tells us Rom. 5. 6. that when we were without strength i. e. any ability to recover help or save our selves in due time Christ died for the ungodly Fourthly Christs bringing us to God evidently implies 4. this that Gods unsatisfied justice was once the great bar betwixt him and man man can have no access to God but by Christ Christ brings us to God by no other way but the way of satisfaction by his blood he hath suffered
they live so securely and pleasantly as they do in a state of so much danger and misery 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. The God of this world blinds the eyes of them that believe not Thirdly You have seen what the life of the unregenerate is and what maintains that life in the next place I shall 3. give you evidence that this is the life the generality of the world do live a life of carnal security vain hope and false joy this will evidently appear if we consider First The activity and liveliness of mens spirits in pursuit of the world O how lively and vigorous are their hearts in the management of earthly designs Psal. 6. 4. Who will shew us any good The world eats up their hearts time and strength Now this could never be if their eyes were but opened to see the danger and misery their souls be in how few designs for the world run in the thoughts of a condemned man O if God had ever made the light of conviction to shine into their Consciences certainly the temptations would lye the quite contrary way even in too great a neglect of things of this life but this briskness and liveliness plainly shews the great security which is upon most men Secondly The marvellous quietness and stillness that is in the thoughts and consciences of men about their everlasting concernments plainly shews this to be the life of the unregenerate how few scruples doubts or fears shall you hear from them how many years may a man live in carnal families before he shall hear such a question as this seriously propounded What shall I do to be saved There are no questions in their lips because no fear or sense of danger in their hearts Thirdly The general contentedness and profest willingness of carnal men to dye gives clear evidence that such a life of security and vain hope is the life they live Like sheep they are laid in the grave Psal. 49. 14. O how quiet and still are their Consciences when there are but a few breaths more between them and everlasting burnings Had God opened their eyes to apprehend the consequences of death and what follows the pale Horse Rev. 6. 8. it were impossible but that every unregenerate man should make that bed on which he dies shake and tremble under him Fourthly and Lastly The low esteem men have for Christ and the total neglect of at least the meer trifling with those duties in which he is to be found plainly discovers this stupid secure life to be the life that the generality of the world do live for were men sensible of the disease of sin there could be no quieting them without Christ the Physician Phil. 3. 8. All the business they have to do in this world could never keep them from their knees or make them strangers to their Closets all which and much more that might be said of like nature gives too full and clear proof to this sad assertion that this is the life the unregenerate world generally lives Fourthly In the last place I would speak a few words to 4. discover the danger of such a life as hath been described to which purpose let the following brief hints be minded seriously First By these things souls are inevitably betrayed into Hell and eternal ruine this blinding is in order to damning 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded those that are turned over into eternal death are thus generally mop't and hoodwinkt in order thereunto Isai. 6. 9 10. And he said go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed Secondly As damning is the event of blinding so nothing makes Hell a more terrible surprise to the soul than this doth by this means the wrath of God is felt before its danger be apprehended a man is past all hope before he begins to have any fear his eternal ruine like a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high wall cometh suddenly at an instant Isa. 30. 13. And as it damns surely and surprizingly so Thirdly Nothing more aggravates a mans damnation than to sink suddenly into it from amidst so many hopes and high confidence of safety for a man to find himself in Hell when he thought and concluded himself within a step of Heaven O what a Hell will it be to such men the higher their vain hopes lifted them up the more dreadful must their fall be Mat. 7. 22. And as it damns surely surprizingly and with highest aggravations So Fourthly This life of security and vain hope frustrates all the means of recovery and salvation in the only season wherein they can be useful and beneficial to us by reason of these things the word hath no power to convince mens Consciences nothing can bring them to a sight and sense of their condition therefore Christ told the self-confident and blind Jews Mat. 21. 21. That the Publicans and Harlots go into the kingdom of God before them and the reason is because their hearts lye more open and fair to the strokes of conviction and compunction for sin than those do who are blinded by vain hopes and confidences Inference 1. Is this the life that the unregenerate world lives then it is not to be wondered at that the preaching of the Gospel hath so Inference 1. little success who hath believed our report saith the Prophet and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Isai. 53. 1. Ministers study for truths apt to awaken and convince the Consciences of them that hear them but their words return again to them they turn to God and mourn over the matter we have laboured in vain and spent our strength for nought and this is the cause of all security and vain hopes bar fast the dores of mens hearts against all the convictions and perswasions of the word the greater cause have they to admire the grace of God who have or shall find the convictions of the word sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit to whose hearts God brings home the Commandment by an effectual application Inference 2. If this be the life of the unregenerate world what deadly enemies Inference 2. are they that nourish and strengthen the groundless confidences and vain hopes of salvation in men This the Scripture calls the healing of the hurt of souls slightly by crying peace peace when there is no peace Jer. 6. 14. the sowing of Pillows under their arm holes Ezech. 13. 18. that they may lye soft and easie under the Ministry and this is the Doctrine which the people love but O what will the end of these things be
which effectually worketh also in you that believe 'T is a successful instrument only when it is in the hand of the Spirit without whose influence it never did nor can convince convert or save any soul. Now the Spirit of God hath a soveraignty over three things in order to the conversion of the sinner viz. 1. Over the word which works 2. Over the soul wrought upon 3. Over the time and season of working First The Spirit hath a glorious soveraignty over the word it self whose instrument it is to make it successful or not as it pleaseth him Isai. 55. 10 11. For as the rain cometh down and the snow from Heaven c. so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth as the Clouds so the word is carried and directed by divine pleasure 't is the Lord that makes them both give down their blessings or to pass away fruitless and empty yea 't is from the Spirit that this part of the word works and not another those things upon which Ministers bestow greatest labour in their preparation and from which accordingly they have the greatest expectation these do nothing when mean time something that dropt occasionally from them like a chosen Shaft strikes the mark and doth the work Secondly The Spirit of the Lord hath a glorious soveraignty over the souls wrought upon 't is his peculiar work to take away the stony heart out of our flesh and to give us an heart of flesh Ezec. 36. 26. We may reason exhort and reprove but nothing will stick till the Lord set it on The Lord opened the heart of Lydia under Pauls ministry he opens every heart that is effectually opened to receive Christ in the word if the word can get no entrance if your hearts remain dead under it still we may say concerning such souls as Martha did concerning her Brother Lazarus Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died So Lord if thou hadst been in this Sermon in this Prayer or in that counsel these souls had not remained dead under them Thirdly The Spirit hath dominion over the times and seasons of conviction and conversion therefore the day in which souls are wrought upon is called the day of his power Psal. 110. 3. that shall work at one time which had no efficacy at all at another time because this and not that was the time appointed and thus you see whence the word derives that mighty power it hath Now this word of God when it is set home by the Spirit is mighty to convince humble and break the hearts of sinners Joh. 16. 9. The Spirit when it cometh shall convince the world of sin the word signifies conviction by such clear demonstration as compelleth assent it not only convinces men in general that they are sinners but it convinceth men particularly of their own sins and the aggravations of them So in the Text sin revived that is the Lord revived his sins the very circumstances and aggravations with which they were committed and so it will be with us when the Commandment comes sins that we had forgotten committed so far back as our youth or childhood sins that lay slighted in our Consciences shall now be rouzed up as so many sleepy Lyons to affright and terrifie us for now the soul hears the voice of God in the word as Adam heard it in the cool of the day and was afraid and hides it self but all will not do for the Lord is come in the word sin is held up before the eyes of the Conscience in its dreadful aggravations and fearful consequences as committed against the holy Law clear light warnings of Conscience manifold mercies Gods long-suffering Christs precious blood many warnings of judgements the wages and demerit whereof by the verdict of a mans own Conscience is death eternal death Rom. 6. 23. Rom. 1. 32. Rom. 2. 9. thus the Commandment comes sin revives and vain hopes give up the Ghost Inference 1. Is there such a mighty power in the word then certainly the word is of divine authority there cannot be a more clear and Inference 1 satisfying proof that it is no humane invention than the common sense that all Believers have of the almighty power in which it works upon their hearts so speaks the Apostle 1. Thes. 2. 13. When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Can the power of any creature the word of a meer man so convince the Conscience so terrifie the heart so discover the very secret thoughts of the soul put a man into such tremblings No no a greater than man must needs be here none but a God can so open the eyes of the blind so open the graves of the dead so quicken and enliven the Conscience that was seared so bind over the soul of a sinner to the judgement to come so change and alter the frame and temper of a mans spirit so powerfully raise refresh and comfort a drooping dying soul. Certainly the power of God is in all this and if there were no more yet this alone were sufficient to make full proof of the divine authority of the Scriptures Inference 2. Judge from hence what an invaluable mercy the preaching of Inference 2. the word is to the world 't is a blessing far above our estimation of it little do we know what a treasure God committeth to us in the Ordinances Acts 13. 25. To you is the word of this salvation sent 't is the very power of God to salvation Rom. 1. 16. and salvation is ordinarily denied to whom the preaching of the word is denied Rom. 10. 14. It 's called the word of life Phil. 2. 16. and deserves to be valued by every one of us as our life the eternal decree of Gods election is executed by it upon our souls as many as be ordained to eternal life shall believe by the preaching of it Great is the ingratitude of this generation which so slights and undervalues this invaluable treasure which is a sad presage of the most terrible judgement even the removing our Candlestick out of its place except we repent Inference 3. How sore and terrible a judgement lies upon the souls of those Inference 3. men to whom no word of God is made powerful enough to convince and awaken them Yet so stands the case with thousands who constantly sit under the preaching of the word many Arrows are shot at their Consciences but none goes home to the mark all fall short of the end the Commandment hath come unto them many thousand times by way of promulgation and ministerial inculcation but never yet came home to their souls by the spirits effectual application Oh friends you have often heard the voice of man but you never yet heard the voice of God your understandings have been instructed but your
to Christ. The Twenty second SERMON Sermon 22. JOHN 6. 45. Text. It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught The teachings of God opened in their nature and necessity of God every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me HOW necessary to our Union with Jesus Christ the application of the Law or coming home of the Commandment to the heart of a sinner is we have heard in the last discourse and how impossible it is either for the Commandment to come to us or for us to come to Christ without illumination and instruction from above you shall hear in this This Scripture hath much of the mind of God in it and he that is to open it had need himself to be taught of God In the foregoing verses Christ offers himself as the bread of life unto the souls of men against this doctrine they oppose their carnal reason ver 41 42. Christ strikes at the root of all their Cavils and objections in his reply ver 43 44. Murmur not among your selves no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him q. d. you slight me because you do not know me you do not know me because you are not taught of God of these divine teachings the Prophets of old have spoken and what they foretold is at this day fulfilled in our sight so many as are taught of God and no more come unto me in the way of faith 't is impossible to come without the teachings of God ver 44. 't is as impossible not to come or to miscarry in their coming unto me under the influence of these Divine teachings ver 45. The words read consist of two parts Viz. 1. An allegation out of the Prophets 2. The application thereof made by Christ. First An allegation out of the Prophets it is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God the places in 1 the Prophets to which Christ seems here to refer are Isa. 54. 13. and all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and Jer. 31. 34. and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord these promises contain the great blessings of the New Covenant viz. Divine instruction and heavenly illumination without which no man can be brought up to the terms of the New Covenant Secondly We have here the application of these Testimonies 2. out of the Prophets made by Christ himself every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me In which words we have both the necessity and the efficacy of these divine teachings without them no man can come and under them no man can miscarry The words being fitly rendred and the sense obvious The Notes are DOCT. 1. That the teachings of God are absolutely necessary to every man Doct. 1. that cometh unto Christ in the way of faith DOCT. 2. No man can miss of Christ or miscarry in the way of faith Doct. 2. that is under the special instructions and teachings of the father DOCT. 1. That the teachings of God are absolutely necessary to every man that cometh unto Christ in the way of faith Of the necessity of Divine teaching in order to believing Qui credunt praedicatore forinsecus insonante intus à patre audiunt atque disâ—…unt qui autem non credunt for is audiunt intus non audiunt Aug. de praedest cap. 8. the Apostle speaks in Eph. 4. 20 21. but ye have not so learned Christ if so be that you have heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus i. e. your faith must needs be effectual both to the reformation of your lives and your perseverance in the wayes of holiness if it be such a faith as is begotten and introduced into your hearts by divine teachings Now in the Explication of this point I shall speak distinctly to the following enquiries 1. How doth God teach men or what is imported in our being taught of God 2. What those special lessons are which all believers do hear and are taught of God 3. In what manner doth God teach these things to men in the day of their conversion to Christ. 4. What Influence Gods teaching hath upon our believing 5. Why it is impossible for any man to believe or come to Christ without the Fathers teachings First How doth God teach men or what is imported in 1. our being taught of God To this I will speak both negatively and positively for your clearer apprehension of the sense and meaning of the Spirit of God in this phrase First The teaching of God and our hearing and learning of him is not to be understood of any extraordinary visional appearances or Oraculous and immediate voice of God to men God indeed hath so appeared unto some Numb 12. 8. such voices have been heard from Heaven but now these extraordinary wayes are ceased Heb. 1. 1 2. and we are no more to expect them we may sooner meet with Satanical delusions than Divine illuminations in this way I remember the Learned Gerson tells us that the Devil once appeared unto an holy man in Prayer personating Christ and saying I am come in Person to visit thee for thou art worthy but he with both hands shut his eyes saying nolo hîc Christum videre satis est ipsum in gloria videre i. e. I will not see Christ here it is enough for me to see him in glory We are now to attend only to the voice of the Spirit in the Scriptures this is a more sure word than any voice from Heaven 2 Pet. 1. 19. Secondly The teachings of God are not to be understood as opposite unto or exclusive of the teachings of men Divine teachings do not render Ministeral teachings vain or useless Paul was taught of God Gal. 1. 12. and his Conversion had something extraordinary in it yet the Ministry of Ananias was used and honoured in that work Acts 9. 4 17. compared Divine teachings do indeed excell but not exclude humane teachings I know that Scripture Jer. 31. 24. to which Christ here refers is objected against the necessity of a standing Ministry in the Church they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother c. but if those words should be understood absolutely they would not only overthrow all publick Ordinances of Gods own institution 1 Cor. 12. 28. and deprive us of a principal fruit of Christs Ascension Eph. 4. 11 12. but for the same reason would destroy all private instructions and fraternal admonitions also Such a sense would make the Prophet to contradict the Apostle and spoile the consent and harmony of the Scriptures the sence therefore cannot be negative but comparative it shews the excellency of Divine but doth not
we stand in Christ as dead branches in a living stock which are only bound to it by external ligatures or bonds that hold them for a while together or whether our souls have a vital union and coalition with Christ by the participation of the living sap of that blessed root Secondly The trial of this union which is by the giving of the Spirit to us the Spirit of Christ is the very bond of Union betwixt him and our souls I mean not that the very person of the Spirit dwelleth in us imparting his essential properties to us it were a rude blasphemy so to speak but his saving influences are communicated to us in the way of sanctifying operations as the Sun is said to come into the House when his beams and comforting influences come there Nor yet must we think that the graces or influences of the Spirit abide in us in the self same measure and manner as they do in Christ for God giveth not the spirit to him by measure in him all fullness dwells he is anointed with the Spirit above his fellows but there are measures and proportions of grace differently communicated to Believers by the same Spirit and these communicated graces and real operations of the Spirit of grace in our hearts do undoubtedly prove the reality of our union with Christ as the communication of the self-same vital juice or sap of the stock to the branch whereby it lives and brings forth fruit of the same kind certainly proves it to be a real part or member of the same tree Thirdly Which brings us to the third thing namely the certainty of the trial this way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this or by this we know we so know that we cannot be deceived To clear this let us consider two things in grace viz. 1. Somewhat Constitutive of its being 2. Somewhat Manifestative There is something in grace which is essential and constitutive of its being and somewhat that flows from grace and is manifestative of such a being we cannot immediately and intuitively discern the essence of grace as it is in its simple nature So God only discerns it who is the author of it but we may discern it mediately and secondarily by the effects and operations of it Could we see the simple essence of grace or intuitively discern our union with Christ our knowledge would be demonstrative à priori ad posterius by seeing the effects as they are lodged in their cause but we come to know the being of grace and the reality of our union with Christ à posteriori by ascending in our knowledge from the effects and operations to their true cause and being And accordingly God hath furnished us with a power of self-intuition and reflection whereby we are able to turn in upon our own hearts and make a judgement upon our selves and upon our own acts The soul hath not only a power to project but a power also to reflect upon its own actions not only to put forth a direct act of faith upon Jesus Christ but to judge and discern that act also 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and this is the way in which believers attain their certainty and knowledge of their Union with Christ from hence the Observation will be DOCT. Doct. That interest in Christ may be certainly gathered and concluded from the gift of the spirit to us no man saith the Apostle hath seen God at any time if we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 Joh. 4. 12 13. The being of God is invisible but the operations of his Spirit in believers are sensible and discernable The souls union with Christ is a supernatural mystery yet is it discoverable by the effects thereof which are very perceptible in and by believers Two things require Explication and Confirmation in the Doctrinal part of this point 1. What the giving of the Spirit imports and signifies 2. How it evidences the souls interest in Jesus Christ. First As to the importance of this phrase we are to enquire 1. what is meant by the Spirit and what by the giving of the Spirit Now the Spirit is taken in Scripture two wayes viz. Essentially or Personally In the first sence it is put for the God-head 1 Tim. 3. 16. Justified in the Spirit i. e. by the power of his Divine Nature which raised him from the dead In the second sense it denotes the third person or subsistence in the glorious and blessed Trinity and to him this word Spirit is attributed sometimes properly in the sence before mentioned as denoting his personality at other times metonymically and then it is put for the effects fruits graces and gifts of the Spirit communicated by him unto men Eph. 5. 11. be ye filled with the Spirit Now the fruits or gifts of the Spirit are either 1. Common and assisting gifts or 2. Special and sanctifying gifts In the last sence and signification it must be taken in this place for as to the common assisting and ministring gifts of the Spirit they are bestowed promiscuously upon one as well as another Such gifts in an excellent degree and large measure are found in the unregenerate and therefore can never amount to a solid evidence of the souls union with Christ but his special sanctifying gifts being the proper effect and consequenâ—… of that Union must needs strongly prove and confirm it In this sense therefore we are to understand the Spirit in this place and by giving the spirit to us we are to understand more than the coming of the spirit upon us the spirit of God is said to come upon men in a transient way for their present assistance in some particular service though in themselves they be unsanctified persons thus the spirit of God came upon Balaam Numb 24. 2. enabling him to prophesie of things to come and although those extraordinary gifts of the spirit be now ceased yet the spirit ceaseth not to give his ordinary assistances unto men both regenerate and unregenerate 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10 31. compared but whatever gifts he gives to others he is said to be given to dwell and to abide only in believers 1 Cor. 3. 16. know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you an expression denoting both his special propriety in them and gracious familiarity with them there is a great difference betwixt the assisting and the indwelling of the spirit the one is transient the other permanent That is a good rule the Schoolmen give us illa tantum dicuntur inesse quae insunt per modum quietis those things are only said to be in a man which are in him by way of rest and permanency and so the spirit is in believers therefore they are said to live in the spirit Gal. 5. 25.
to be led by the spirit ver 18. to be in the spirit and the spirit to dwell in them Rom. 8. 9. And so much of the first thing to be opened viz. what we are to understand by the giving of the spirit Secondly In the next place we are to enquire and satisfie 2. our selves how this giving of the spirit evidently proves and strongly concludes that souls interest in Christ unto whom he is given and this will evidently appear by the consideration of these five particulars First The spirit of God in believers is the very bond by which they are united unto Christ if therefore we find in our selves the bond of union we may warrantably conclude that we have union with Jesus Christ this is evidently held forth in those words of Christ Joh. 17. 22 23. The glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me 't is the glory of Christs humane nature to be united to the God-head this glory said Christ thou gavest me and the glory thou gavest me I have given them i. e. by me they are united unto thee and how this is done he sheweth us more particularly I in them there is Christ in us viz. mystically and thou in me there is God in Christ viz. Hypostatically so that in Christ God and believers meet in a blessed union 't is Christs glory to be one with God 't is our glory to be one with Christ and with God by him but how is this done certainly no other way but by the giving of his Spirit unto us for so much that phrase I in them must needs import Christ is in us by the sanctifying spirit which is the bond of our union with him Secondly The Scripture every where makes this giving or indwelling of the spirit the great mark and tryal of our interest in Christ concluding from the presence of it in us positively as in the Text and from the absence of it negatively as in Rom. 8. 9. now if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Jude ver 19. sensual not having the spirit this mark therefore agreeing to all believers and to none but believers and that alwayes and at all times it must needs clearly inferr the souls union with Christ in whomsoever it is found Thirdly That which is a certain mark of our freedom from the Covenant of works and our title to the priviledges of the Covenant of grace must needs also inferr our Union with Christ and special interest in him but the giving or indwelling of the sanctifying spirit in us is a certain mark of our freedom from the first Covenant under which all Christless persons still stand and our title to the special priviledges of the second Covenant in which none but the members of Christ are interested and consequently it fully proves our Union with the Lord Jesus This is plain from the Apostles reasoning Gal. 4. 6 7. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son then an heir of God through Christ. The spirit of the first Covenant was a servile spirit a spirit of fear and bondage and they that were under that Covenant were not Sons but Servants but the Spirit of the New Covenant is a free ingenuous spirit acting in the strength of God and those that do so are the Children of God and Children inherit the blessed priviledges and royal immunities contained in that great Charter the Covenant of Grace they are heirs of God and the evidence of this their inheritance by vertue of the second Covenant and of their freedom from the servitude and bondage of the first Covenant is the spirit of Christ in their hearts crying Abba father So Gal. 5. 18. if ye be led by the spirit ye are not under the Law Fourthly If the eternal decree of Gods electing love be executed and the vertues and benefits of the death of Christ applyed by the spirit unto every soul in whom he dwelleth as a spirit of sanctification then such a giving of the spirit unto us must needs be a certain mark and proof of our special interest in Christ but the decree of Gods electing love is executed and the benefits of the blood of Christ are applyed unto every soul in whom he dwelleth as a spirit of sanctification This is plain from 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ where you see both Gods election executed and the blood of Jesus sprinkled or applyed unto us by the spirit which is given to us as a spirit of sanctification There is a blessed order of working observed as proper to each person in the Godhead the Father electeth the Son redeemeth the spirit sanctifieth The spirit is the last efficient in the work of our salvation what the Father decreed and the Son purchased that the Spirit applyeth and so puts the last hand to the compleat salvation of believers And this some Divines give as the reason why the sin against the spirit is unpardonable because he being the last agent in order of working if the heart of a man be filled with enmity against the spirit there can be no remedy for such a sin there is no looking back to the death of Christ or to the Love of God for remedy this sin against the spirit is that obex infernalis the deadly stop and bar to the whole work of salvation oppositely where the spirit is received obeyed and dwelleth in the way of sanctification into that soul the eternal love of God and inestimable benefits of the blood of Christ run freely without stop or interruption and consequently the interest of such a soul in Jesus Christ is beyond all dispute Fifthly The giving of the spirit to us or his residing in us as a sanctifying spirit is every where in Scripture made the pledge and earnest of eternal salvation and consequently must abundantly confirm and prove the souls interest in Christ Eph. 1. 13 14. In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance c. So 2 Cor. 1. 22. who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts And thus you have the point opened and confirmed The Use of all followeth Use. Use. Now the only Use I shall make of this point shall be that which lyeth directly both in the eye of the Text and of the design for which it was chosen namely by it to try and examine the truth of our interest
97. 11. though the harvest to reap and gather in that Joy and Comfort be not yet come and there are many other wayes beside that of joy and comfort whereby the indwelling of the spirit may evidence it self in thy soul if he do not enable thee to rejoyce yet if he enable thee sincerely to mourn for sin if he do not enlarge thy heart in Comfort yet if he humble and purge thy heart by sorrows if he deny thee the assurance of faith and yet give thee the dependance of faith thou hast no reason to call in question or deny the indwelling of the spirit in thee for that cause But the Apostle saith they that walk in the spirit do not fulfil Obj. 5. the Lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. but I find my self entangled and frequently overcome by them therefore I doubt the spirit of God is not in me 'T is possible the ground of your doubting may be your Sol. mistake of the true sense and meaning of that Scripture it is not the Apostles meaning in that place that sin in believers doth not work tempt and oftentimes overcome and captivate them for then he would contradict himself in Rom. 7. 23. where he thus complains but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members but two things are meant by that expression you shall not fulfil the Lusts of the flesh First That the principle of grace will give cheque to sin in its first motions and cause it to miscarry in the womb like an untimely birth before it comes to its full maturity it shall never be able to gain the full consent of the will as it doth in the unregenerate Secondly if notwithstanding all the opposition grace makes to hinder the birth or commission of it it do yet prevail and break forth into act yet such acts of sin as they are not committed without regret so they are followed with shame sorrow and true repentance and those very surprizals and captivities of sin at one time are made cautions and warnings to prevent it at another time if it be so with thee thou dost not fulfill the Lusts of the flesh And now Reader upon the whole if upon examination of thy heart by these rules the Lord shall help thee to discern the saving work of his spirit upon thy soul and thereby thine interest in Christ what a happy man or woman art thou what pleasure will arise to thy soul from such a discovery Look upon the frame of thine heart absolutely as it is in it self at present or comparatively with what once it was and others still are and thou wilt find enough to transport and melt thy heart within thee certainly this is the most glorious piece of Workmanship that ever God wrought in the world upon any man Eph. 2. 10. the spirit of God is come down from heaven and hath hallowed thy soul to be a Temple for himself to dwell in as he hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 2 Cor. 7. 16. Moreover this gift of the spirit is a sure pledge and earnest of thy future glory time was when there was no such work upon thy soul and considering the frame and temper of it the total aversation strong opposition and rooted enmity that was in it it is the wonder of wonders that ever such a work as this should be wrought upon such an heart as thine that ever the spirit of God whose nature is pure and perfect holiness should choose such an unclean polluted abominable heart to frame an habitation for himself there to dwell in to say of thy soul now his spiritual Temple as he once said of the material Temple at Jerusalem Psal. 132. 13 14. The Lord hath chosen it he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it O what hath God done for thy soul Think Reader and think again are there not many thousands in the world of more ingenuous sweet and amiable disposition than thy self whom yet the spirit of God passeth by and leaveth them as Tabernacles for Satâ—… to dwell in such a one thou lately wast and hadst still remained if God had not wrought for thee beyond all the expectation and desires of thine own heart O bless God that you have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that ye might know the things which are freely given unto you of God The Twenty fifth SERMON Sermon 25. 2 COR. 5. 17. Text. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a New Creature Of the nature and necessity of the New Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new YOU have seen one tryal of an interest in Christ in our last discourse namely by the donation of the Spirit we have here another Tryal of the same matter from one of the greatest and most noble effects of the Spirit upon our souls namely his work of renovation or new creation if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature The Apostles scope in the immediate context is to disswade Christians from a carnal sinful partiality in their respects to men not to dispense them after the manner of the world according to the external differences but the real internal worth and excellency that is in men This the Apostle presses by two arguments one drawn from the end of Christs death verse 15. which was to take us off from those selfish designs and carnal ends by which the world is swayed Secondly from the new spirit by which believers are acted they that are in Christ are to judge and measure all things by a new rule if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away q. d. we have done with that low selfish spirit of the world which was wholly governed by Carnal interest we are now to judge by a new rule to be acted from a new principle aim at a new and more noble end behold all things are become new In these words we have three general parts to be distinctly considered viz. 1. The great question to be determined if any man be in Christ. 2. The Rule by which it may be determined viz. he is a new Creature 3. This general rule more particularly explained old things are passed away behold all things are become new First We have here the great question to be determined Whether a man be in Christ a question upon the determination 1. whereof we must stand or fall for ever by being in Christ the Apostle doth not here mean the general profession of Christianity which gives a man the reputation of an interest in him but by being in Christ he means an interest in him by vital union with his
profession this was what the Apostle complained of Phil. 3. 18. for many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ men cannot study to put a greater dishonour and reproach upon Christ than by making his name and profession a cloak and cover to their filthy lusts Thirdly The necessity of crucifying the flesh appears from the method of Salvation as it is stated in the Gospel God every where requires the practice of mortification under pain of damnation Mat. 18. 8. Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire the Gospel legitimates no hopes of salvation but such as are accompanied with serious endeavours of mortification 1 John 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure 't was one special end of Christs coming into the world to save his people from their sins Mat. 1. 21. nor will he be a Saviour unto any who remain under the dominion of their own lusts Fourthly The whole stream and current of the Gospel put us under the necessity of mortification Gospel precepts have respect unto this Col. 3. 5. mortifie your members therefore which are upon the earth 1 Pet. 1. 15. be ye holy for I am holy Gospel presidents have respect unto this Heb. 12. 1. wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us c. Gospel threatnings are written for this end and do all press mortification in a thundring dialect Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men the promises of the Gospel are written designedly to promote it 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God but in vain are all these precepts presidents threatnings and promises written in the Scripture except mortification be the daily study and practice of professors Fifthly Mortification is the very scope and aim of our regeneration and the infusion of the principles of grace if we live in the Spirit let us walk in the Spirit Gal. 5. 25. in vain were the habits of grace planted if the fruits of holiness and mortification be not produced yea mortification is not only the design and aim but it is a special part even the one half of our sanctification Sixthly If mortification be not the daily practice and endeavour of Believers then the way to Heaven no way answers to Christs description of it in the Gospel he tells us Mat. 7. 13 14. Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it well then either Christ must be mistaken in the account he gave of the way to glory or else all unmortified persons are out of the way for what makes the way of salvation narrow but the difficulties and severities of mortification Seventhly In a word he that denies the necessity of mortification confounds all discriminating marks betwixt Saints and Sinners pulls down the Pale of distinction and lets the world into the Church and the Church into the World 't is a great design of the Gospel to preserve the boundaries betwixt the one and the other Rom. 2. 7 8. Rom. 8. 1 4 5 6 13. but if men may be Christians without mortification we may as well go into the Taverns Ale-houses or Brothel-houses among the roaring or sottish crew of sinners and say here be those that are redeemed by the blood of Christ here be his Disciples and Followers as go to seek them in the purest Churches or most strictly religious families by all which the necessity of mortification unto all that are in Christ is abundantly evidenced Fourthly In the next place we are to enquire into the true principle of mortification 't is true there are many ways attempted 4. by men for the mortification of sin and many rules laid down to guide men in that great work some of which are very tristing and impertinent things such are those prescribed by popish votaries but I shall lay down this as a sure conclusion that the sanctifying spirit is the only effectual principle of mortification and without him no resolutions vows abstinencies castigations of the body or any other external endeavours can ever avail to the mortification of one sin the moral Heathens have prescribed may pretty rules and helps for the suppression of vice Aristides Seneca and Cato were renowned among them upon this account but yet as Lactantius well observes moral Philosophie did rather abscondere vitia quam abscindere hide it rather than kill it formal Christians have also gone far in the reformation of their lives but could never attain true mortification formality pares off the excrescences of vice but never kills the root of it it usually recovers it self again and their souls like a body not well purged relapse into a worse condition than before Mat. 12. 43 44. 2 Pet. 2. 20. This work of mortification is peculiar to the spirit of God Rom. 8. 13. Gal. 5. 17. and the spirit becomes a principle of mortification in Believers two ways namely 1. By the implantation of contrary habits 2. By assisting those implanted habits in all the times of need First The spirit of God implants habits of a contrary nature which are destructive to sin and are purgative of corruption 1. 1 John 5. 4. Acts 15. 9. Grace is to corruption what water is to fire betwixt which there is both a formal and effective opposition a contrariety both in nature and operation Gal. 5. 17. There is a threefold remarkable advantage given us by grace for the destruction and mortification of sin For First Grace gives the mind and heart of man a contrary bent and inclination by reason whereof spiritual and heavenly things become connatural to the regenerate soul Rom. 7. 22. For I delight in the Law of God after the inner man sanctification is in the soul as a living spring running with a kind of central force Heaven-ward John 4. 14. Secondly Holy principles destroy the interest that sin once had in the love and delight of the soul the sanctified soul cannot take pleasure in sin or find delight in that which grieves God as it was wont to do but that which was the object of delight hereby becomes the object of grief and hatred Rom. 7. 15. What I hate that I do Thirdly From both these follow a third
it appear that there is such a Union betwixt Christ and believers it is no Ens rationis 1. empty notion or cunningly devised fable but a most certain demonstrable truth which appears First From the Communion which is betwixt Christ and believers in this the Apostle is express 1 Joh. 1. 3. truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his son Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies such fellowship or Copartnership as persons have by a joynt interest in one and the same enjoyment which is in common betwixt them So Heb. 3. 14. we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ipse venit in sortem nostrae mortalitatis ut in fortem nos adduceret suae immortalitatis clarum autem est hic agi de consortibus unctionis quales sunt omnes fideles qui unctionis participes fiunt Rivet partakers of Christ and Psal. 45. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here the Saints are called the companions consorts or fellows of Christ and that not only in respect of his assumption of our mortality and investing us with his immortality but it hath a special reference and respect to the Unction of the Holy Ghost or graces of the Spirit of which believers are partakers with him and through him Now this Communion of the Saints with Christ is entirely and necessarily dependant upon their Union with him even as much as the branches participation of the sap and juice depends upon its Union and coalition with the stock take away Union and there can be no communion or communications which is clear from 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. All is yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods where you see how all our participation of Christs benefits is built upon our Union with Christs person Secondly The reality of the believers Union with Christ is evident from the Imputation of Christs righteousness to him for his Justification That a believer is justified before God by a righteousness without himself is undeniable from Rom. 3. 24. being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus and that Christs righteousness becomes ours by Imputation is as clear from Rom. 4. 23 24. but it can never be imputed to us except we be united to him and become one with him which is also plainly asserted in 1 Con. 1. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousness sanctification and redemption he communicates his merits unto none but those that are in him hence all those vain cavils of the Papists disputing against our Justification by the righteousness of Christ and asserting it to be by inherent righteousness are solidly answered When they demand how can we be justified by the righteousness of another can I be rich with another mans money or preferr'd by anothers honours Our answer is Yes if that other be my surety or husband indeed Peter cannot be justified by the righteousness of Paul but both may be justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them they being members joyntly knit to one common head principal and surety are one in obligation and construction of Law head and members are one body branch and stock are one tree and it 's no strange thing to see a graff live by the sap of another stock when once it is ingraffed into it Thirdly The Sympathy that is betwixt Christ and believers proves a Union betwixt them Christ and the Saints smile and sigh together St. Paul in Colos. 1. 2 4. tells us that he did fill up that which is behind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the remainders of the sufferings of Christ in his Flesh not as if Christs sufferings were imperfect for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. but in these two Scriptures Christ is consider'd in a twofold capacity he suffered once in Corpore proprio in his own person as mediator these sufferings are compleat and full and in that sense he suffers no more he suffers also in Corpore mâ—…tico in his Church and members thus he still suffers in the sufferings of every Saint for his sake and though these sufferings in his Mystical body are not equal to the other either pondere mensura in their weight and value nor yet designed ex officio for the same use and purpose to satisfie by their proper merit offended Justice nevertheless they are truly reckoned the sufferings of Christ because the head suffers when the members do and without this supposition that place Acts 9. 5. is never to be understood when Christ the head in Heaven crys out Saul Saul why persecutest thou me when the toe was trod upon on earth how doth Christ sensibly feel our sufferings or we his if there be not a Mystical Union betwixt him and us Fourthly and Lastly The way and manner in which the Saints shall be raised at the last day proves this Mystical Union betwixt Christ and them for they are not to be raised as others by the naked power of God without them but by the vertue of Christs resurrection as their head sending forth vital quickening influences into their dead bodies which are united to him as well as their souls For so we find it Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you even as it is in our awakening out of natural sleep first the animal spirits in the head begin to rouze and play there and then the senses and members are loosed throughout the whole body Now it 's impossible the Saints should be raised in the last resurrection by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them if that Spirit did not knit and unite them to him as members to their head So then by all this it is proved that there is a real Union of the Saints with Christ. Next I shall endeavour to open the quality and nature of this Union and shew you what it is according to the weak 2. apprehensions we have of so sublime a Mystery and this I shall do in a General account of it and Particular First More generally it is an intimate conjunction of believers to Christ by the imparting of his Spirit to them whereby 1. they are enabled to believe and live in him All divine Spiritual life is originally in the Father and cometh not to us but by and through the son Joh. 5. 26. to him hath the Father given to have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quickening enlivening power in himself but the Son communicates this life which is in him to none but by and through the Spirit Rom. 8. 2. the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death The Spirit must therefore first take hold of us before we can live in Christ and
when he doth so then we are enabled to exert that vital act of faith whereby we receive Christ all this lyes plain in that one Scripture Joh. 6. 57. As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that cateth me that is by faith applys me even he shall live by me So that these two namely the Spirit on Christs part and Faith his work on our part are the two ligaments by which we are knit to Christ. So that the Spirits work in uniting or engrassing a soul into Christ is like the cutting off the graff from its native stock which he doth by his illuminations and convictions and closing it with the living stock when it is thus prepared and so enabling it by the infusion of faith to suck and draw the vital sap and thus it becomes one with it Or as the many members in the natural body being all quickened and animated by the same vital Spirit become one body with the head which is the principal member Eph. 4. 4. there is one body and one Spirit More particularly we shall consider the properties of this 2. Union that so we may the better understand the nature of it And here I shall open the nature of it both negatively and affirmatively First Negatively by removing all false notions and misapprehensions 1. Negatively of it And we say First The Saints Union with Christ is not a meer mental 1. Union only in conceit and notion but really exists extra mentem whether we conceit it or not I know the atheistical world censures all these things as fancies and idle imaginations but believers know the reality of them Joh. 14. 20. At that day you shall know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you This doctrine is not phantastical but scientifical Secondly The Saints Union with Christ is not a Physical Union such as is betwixt the members of a natural body and 2. the head our Nature indeed is assumed into Union with the person of Christ but it is the singular honour of that blessed and holy flesh of Christ to be so united as to make one person with him that Union is hypostatical this only Mystical Thirdly Nor is it an Essential Union or Union with the divine nature so as our beings are thereby swallowed up and 3. lost in the divine being Some there be indeed that talk at that wild rate of being Godded into God and Christed into Christ and those unwary expressions of Greg. Naz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do but too much countenance those daring Spirits but oh there is an infinite distance betwixt us and Christ in respect of nature and excellency notwithstanding this Union Fourthly The Union I here speak of is not a foederal Union or an Union by Covenant only such a Union indeed 4. there is betwixt Christ and believers but that is consequential to and wholly dependent upon this Fifthly and Lastly It is not a meer Moral Union by love and affection thus we say one soul is in two bodies a friend 5. is another self the lover is in the person beloved such a Union of hearts and affections there is also betwixt Christ and the Saints but this is of another nature that we call a Moral this a Mystical Union that only knits our affections but this knits our persons to Christ. Secondly Positively and First though this Union neither 2. Positively makes us one person or essence with Christ yet it knits our persons most intimately and nearly to the person of Christ 1. the Church is Christs body Coloss. 1. 24. not his Natural but his Mystical body that is to say his body in a Mystery because it is to him as his natural body the Saints stand to Christ in the same relation that the natural members of the body stand to the head and he stands in the same relation to them that the head stands in to the natural members and consequently they stand related to one another as the members of a natural body do to each other Christ and the Saints are not one as the Oak and the Ivy that clasps it are one but as the graff and stock are one it is not a Union by adhesion but incorporation Husband and Wife are not so near soul and body are not so near as Christ and the believing soul are near to each other Secondly The Mystical Union is wholly supernatural wrought by the alone power of God So it 's said 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2. but of him are ye in Christ Jesus we can no more unite our selves to Christ than a branch can incorporate it self into another stock it is of him i. e. of God his proper and alone work There are only two ligaments or bands of Union betwixt Christ and the Soul viz. the Spirit on his part and Faith on ours but when we say faith is the band of Union on our part the meaning is not that it 's so our own act as that it springs naturally from us or is educed from the power of our own wills no for the Apostle expressly contradicts it Eph. 2. 8. it is not of your selves it is the gift of God but we are the subjects of it and though the act on that account be ours yet the power enabling us to believe is God's Eph. 1. 19 20. Thirdly the Mystical Union is an immediate Union Immediate I say not as excluding means and instruments for 3. several means and many instruments are employ'd for the effecting of it but immediate as excluding degrees of nearness among the members of Christs mystical body Every member in the Natural body stands not as near to the head as another but so do all the mystical members of Christs body to him every member the smallest as well as the greatest hath an immediate coalition with Christ. 1 Cor. 1. 2. To the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours Among the factious in this Church at Corinth those that said I am of Christ as arrogating Christ to themselves were as much a faction as those that said I am of Paul 1 Cor. 1. 30. to cure this he tells them he is both theirs and ours Such inclosures are against law Fourthly The Saints Mystical Union with Christ is a 4. fundamental Union it 's fundamental by way of Sustentation all our fruits of obedience depend upon it John 15. 4. As the branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the Vine no more can yeâ—… except ye abide in me It 's fundamental to all our priviledges and comfortable claims 1 Cor. 3. ult all is yours for ye are Christs And it is fundamental to all our hopes and expectations of glory for it is Christ in you the hope