but so is not yours Death shall not set you at liberty but let you in to a farther bondage even the bondage of Hell where you shall for ever ly bound and fettered in those everlasting chains of darkness O then be excited in the sense and apprehension hereof to look out for your Redemption your deliverance betimes Which where you are to look for this Text will inform you pointing out unto you the one and only Redeemer even the Lord Iesus who gave himself for us that he might redeem us Quest 3. From what the Lords people are Redeemed Q. Redeem us from what That leadeth me to the third Branch A. To which I might return Answer from all the aforesaid Particulars wherein that our bondage consisteth Ans Sin Satan Law Death From all these the Lord Christ redeemeth those for whom he gave himself As 1. From death 1. To begin first with the last from Death though not from the Power yet from the fear of it This was one end of his assuming the nature of Man of being made Man as the Apostle tells us in that Text forecited Heb. 2.14 15. That through death he might deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage Which he did by conquering of death and taking away the sting of it which was sin So as they who believe on him now have no more cause to fear that enemie which he hath so conquered and disarmed as it shall not be able to hurt them and from the power whereof in due season they shall be fully delivered Thanks be to God saith Paul speaking in the person of all believers which giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 viz. both over Sin and Death 2. From the Law 2. And so for the Law When the fullness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to Redeem them that were under the Law Gal. 4.5 Christ being himself made under the Law by a voluntary subjection undertaking the fullfilling of it for himself and his Elect people he thereby hath Redeemed them from that slavery wherein they were under it by reason of the rigorous exaction of it requiring that from them which they are not able to perform as also from the Curse of it Christ hath Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 undergoing that penalty which the Law had denounced against all the Transgressors of it 3. And the like for Satan 3. From the power of Satan Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness Col. 1.13 that is from the power of Satan who is the Prince of darkness Him did Christ destroy in and by his death Through death he destroyed him that had the power of death the Devil Heb. 14. Here did that promised seed of the Woman bruiz and break the serpents head according as it was foretold Gen. 3.15 Christ trampled upon Satan that old serpent Him he conquered in his death Which he manifested in his Resurrection and Ascension wherein he triumphed over him Having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them Col. 2.15 When he ascended up on high he led Captivitie Captive Eph. 4.8 leading Captive all the spiritual Enemies of his Church which before had held his people Captive Satan among the rest 4. But I shall not insist upon any of these 4. From Sin My Text directing and confining me to the first of them Redemption from Sin Here begins all that servitude and bondage to which man is now subject And from this hath Christ redeemed his people He gave himself for us saith the Text that he might redeem us from all iniquity Christs people Redeemed from Iniquity All iniquity From Iniquity 1. From Iniquity from All iniquity so I shall divide the words In the one taking notice of the substance of this benefit in the other of the Extent of it Deal with them severally That he might redeem us from Iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is from Sin Which is fitly expressed by this word properly signifying an Illegality what ever is done besides or contrary to the Law Such is Sin So Saint Iohn defines it 1 Iohn 3.4 Sin is the transgression of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniquity And from this Christ hath redeemed his people There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and he shall turn away ungodliness from Iacob so the Apostle citeth that Text of the Prophet Isaies pointing at Christ Rom. 11.26 Which in effect speaketh the same thing with this in the Text He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from Iniquity Quest How redemed from Iniquity Q. And how is Christ said to have done or to do this A. Here if we will hearken to Socinians Ans The Socinians sense rejected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nempe per praedicationem Apostolorum fultam illo spiritu quem Christus ipsis impetraverat Groti Annot. ad loc whom Grotius herein complyeth with they will tell us what he doth that this was done by the preaching of the Apostles who being supported and enabled by that Spirit which Christ had impetrated and obtained for them their Ministery became effectual to such an end for the turning of men from those iniquities those sinful wayes and courses which formerly they were given over to But this I let go as savouring of a spirit which is but too willing to conceal and darken the truth whilest it holdeth forth but a part a small part of it A. Ans The word Redemption opened For a more full and satisfactory Answer consult we the word which is here and elsewhere made use of That he might Redeem us To Redeem in common use we know what it is to procure the liberty of a Captive Now this may be done two wayes By Price or Power Which is by price or Power By price paying a Ransome for him By power freeing him by a strong hand Both of these in Scripture we find called by the name of Redemption The former most commonly and properly So the word in the Text naturally signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might Redeem viz. by paying of a Price That is the proper signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which coming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth as the Latin word Solvo answering to it also doth both to pay and to loose it properly imports a Ransome the Price which is payed for the Redeeming of one This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redemptionis precium And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is properly a Redemption in such a way by the paying of a price Of such Redemption we often read As elsewhere so in that Chapter Lev. 25. where we read of the Redeeming of land that is sold or morgaged v. 25. and of Persons who have sold
morte suâ omnibus sufficientissimè promeruit vitam aeternam donandam utique omnibus ex pacto Evangelico si crederunt is aliquibus ex peculiari meritorum suorum applicatione promeruit efficacissimè ut crederent c. D. Davenant de morte Christi in sine Quamuis meritum Christi aequaliter se habeat ad omnes quoad sufficientiam non tamen quoad efficaciam quod intelligendum est non tantum ex parte effectus qui in imo sit non in alio sed etiam ex parte voluntatis quâ ipse Christus meruit diverso modo obtulit sua merita pro diversis D. Davenant ibid. Christus omnibus per mortem impetravit reconciliationem remissionem peccatorum Collat. Hag p. 183. Christum omnibus peccatorum remissionem impetrasse nâ—stra est sententia Ib d. p 172. The Arminian Doctrine of Universal Redemption disclaâ—med Rom. 3.25 26. Iustice and Mercy here meeting together and sweetly imbracing each other But in a more special way say they he dyed for some amongst mankind even Gods Elect people who were given to him by his Father to be his purchased possessions For them he gave himself that he might as our Text hath it actually redeem them frem all Iniquity and purifie them to be a peculiar people unto himself applying to them the merit of that his death making it effectual for their Justification Sanctification and Salvation Or as others express it Christ dyed for all Conditionally meriting for them Salvation upon the condition of their believing but for some viz. his Elect absolutely meriting for them that they should believe Which in effect speaketh the same thing with that which others of our Divines following the Schooles have unwarily yeelded that Christ dyed sufficiently for all but Effectually only for his Elect. Thus have some indeavoured to qualifie this Doctrine But as for others those with whom I have now to deal conceiving that errour which hath intangled some among us not to be spun with so fine a thred they spare not to assert what the followers of Arminius have done before them that Christ dyed alike for all as well for Cain and Iudas as for Peter and Paul and that he purchased and obteined Remission of sins and reconciliation with God as well for the one as the other Man 's own fault in not receiving and believing on him being the only cause why this Reconciliation is not applyed unto all which otherwise as it was alike intended for all so it would be alike effectual unto all This is the Doctrine which is by some and not a few with great zeal held forth at this day as if it were main the basis and principal Pillar of Christian Religion and that which I suppose doth among some other infect this place at this day But as for this Doctrine as upon a due tryal it hath sometime since been sensured and condemned by a Synod Synod Dordrec Anno 1618. as truly venerable as pious and learned as any the world hath seen for some hundreds of years by-past convocated for that purpose I mean that of Dort so we must profess that we cannot assent unto it Which that we may not seem to do without just warrant give me leave as briefly as I may to bring it to the test first examining the grounds whereupon they assert it and then declaring the Reasons why we reject it For the former Arguments for Universal Redemption examined the grounds whereupon those of this perswasion build this their faith they are reducible to two heads Scripture and Reason Begin with the former Scripture 1. From Scripture reduced to 4. heads wherein there are many Texts which they make use of and those some of them such as at the first hearing seem to speak much for them Select we the choycest of them which we may reduce into these four Ranks Such as affirm that Christ dyed for the world the whole world for All men for Every man Examine we them severally and briefly First Arg. 1. Christ given for the world Christ is said to be given for the world So we have it in that Text which is looked upon as the Palmarium the Prime and principal evidence in this cause so much insisted on by all that are Advocates for it viz. Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Son c. As also in that other of no less note 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself In which and other Texts of like nature the Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption as they conceive is clearly held forth Ans The word world taken in divers senses Ans For answer whereunto let that word be examined which sounds so loud in the ears of the vulgar world A word diversly used as in common language so in Scripture phrase where we find it 1. Sometimes put for the whole Creation 1. For the whole Creation the whole frame of Heaven and Earth with all the Creatures in them So it properly signifieth The world was made by them Joh. 1.10 that is All things as the third verse hath it 2. Sometimes it is used more restrainedly for the chief Inhabitants of it the world of Reasonable Creatures Angels and Men. 2. The Reasonable world Angels and Men. So we find it 1 Cor. 4.2 where Paul saith of himself and other of his fellow labourers we are made a spectacle to the world that is as the next words expound it to Angels and Men This is the Reasonable world 3. Sometimes in the third place it points at one part of this world the world of mankind universally considered 3. The world of man-kind universally considered even all the Sons and daughters of Adam So the Apostle useth it Rom. 5.12 where he tells us that by one man sin entered into the world And again in the verse following untill the Law sin was in the world meaning that All men were involved in the Sin of their first Parent sinning in him as the 12th verse explains it self 4 The Reproate world 4. Sometimes again in the fourth and fifth place it is put for a part of this world which is divided into two two worlds in one The Elect world the Reprobate world Each called the world So we find the latter and that undeniably in many Texts As Ioh. 7.9 where our Saviour declares that he prayed not for the world So again Ioh. 14.17 where speaking of the Spirit of truth he saith The world could not receive it And again v. 22. where Iudas not Iscariot not the Traitor but another of the Apostles so named puts the Question to his Master Lord saith he how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the world In which and divers other Texts of like kind we are to understand the unbelieving wicked reprobate world which are the greatest part of the world And if there be a Reprobate there must
Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin saith Paul of himself Rom. 8.2 Thus doth Christ set his Elect people at liberty from those sins wherin they were before intangled Such were some of you saith the same Apostle to his Corinthians viz. fornicators Idolaters c. but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 As they were justified by his Merit so sanctified by his Spirit Thus is Christ made unto all true beleevers as Righteousness so Sanctification as the same Apostle tels them 1 Cor. 1.30 Righteousnesse by his Satisfaction and perfect obedience for their Justification Sanctification by the gift and work of the Spirit of Regeneration whereby he subdueth Corruption in them So Purifying them to be a peculiar people to himself as it followeth in the Text. Of which God willing I shall speak more fully when I come to handle that latter Branch to which this part of Redemption more properly belongeth 2. Thus you see how Christ may be said to Redeem his people from Iniquity 2. Christ Redeeming his people from All iniquity And this he hath done and doth from All Iniquitie There is the Extent of this Benefit of which but a word This Redemption reacheth to all Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From all Iniquity Iniquity or Sin is twofold Original and Actual Original Adams sin imputed with Natural Corruption inherent Actual accursed fruits springing from that Root sinfull thoughts words Actions Every of which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Transgression of the Law and so sin Iniquity Now from all these doth Christ Redeem his people The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 from Original sin Actual sin Taking away the guilt of it He hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Rev. 1.5 Yea and the filth and pollution of it If the blood of Bulls and of Goats c. sanctified to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot unto God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.13.14 Such vertue there is in the blood of Iesus Christ being applyed to the Soul by faith Now it both satisfies and sanctifies freeth both from the guilt and power of sin And that of All sin He shall save his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 Not from one or many but all sins To this end he gave himself for his people that he might Redeem them from All iniquitie R. And so it must be otherwise his Redemtion had been an imperfect Redemption R. This Redemption a perfect Redemption One debt not discharged is sufficient to keep a prisoner in the goal One foot in the snare is enough to detain the intangled bird But Christ is a perfect Saviour a perfect Redeemer And therefore those whose Redemption he undertaketh he redeemeth them from all iniquity from the Guilt and Power of all sin Thus have you the Doctrinal part opened with a touch of Application by the way which come we now to prosecute Applic. Directing it in the first place by way of Confutation Here taking up a stone to cast at a three-fold Adversary Applic. Confutation of a three-fold Adversary Socinians Papists Arminians 1. Begin with the first and worst Socinians Socinians opposing Christs satisfaction who will not indure to hear of any such Redemption properly so called that Christ should thus Redeem his people by paying a price for them making satisfaction unto the Justice of God for their sins Against them we take up this word in the Text which we oft meet with elsewhere where Christ is said to give himself for his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might Redeem them which word as you have heard properly signifieth such a Redemption viz. by paying a price And that it must be so taken in this and the like places not Metaphorically as they would have it but properly we may learn from the Apostle who plainly expounds this phrase in that known Text 1 Cor. 6.20 repeated Cap. 7. v. 23. where he sheweth us how Believers are said to be Redeemed Ye are bought with a Price saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. with the precious blood of Jesus Christ Sensus est Christus vos â peccatis redemtâ—s sibi manci-pavit sed magno ei statis morte ipsius cruenta Grot. Annot. in 1 Cor. 6.90 as St. Peter explaines it 1 Pet. 1.19 A Text so clear that Grotius though but too willing to evade all Texts of that nature is enforced to interpret it in such a sense To which might be added the Context here He gave himself for us that he might redeem us Where the Apostle plainly sheweth how and in what way Christ Redeemed his people viz. by giving himself for them giving himself a Ransome a Counterprice for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we found it it these forecited Texts Matth. 20.28 1 Tim. 2.6 But as for this pernicious and damnable doctrine of theirs I have so fully discussed it heretofore among you in handling of that Text Obj. The One and Onely Mediator printed Anno 1651. 1 Tim. 2.5 whereof I have also given an account to the world as that I hope I shall not need to insist upon it again To leave them 2. 2. Papists who teach that In the next place come we to the Papists Did Christ thus give himself for his people to Redeem them from all iniquity How is it then that they they tell us 1. That though the sin be forgiven yet the punishment may remain 1. The sin being pardoned the punishent may remain Though not Eternal yet Temporal The former being satisfied for by Christ yet the other may be left for us to undergo and suffer either in this Life or in Purgatory Which if so then must Christ be but a partial Redeemer not having redeemed his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from All and the All of Iniquity Which how doth it derogate from the merit of his death Obj. But why then was David punished in the death of his Child Obj. David punished in the death of his child notwithstanding the Prophet had assured him that God had forgiven his sin as we find it 2 Sam. 12. v. 13 14. A. This was not to him any wayes a satisfactory but Castigatory punishment A Chastisement rather than a Punishment Ans A chastisement rather than a punishment as many of the tryals and afflictions wherewith God exerciseth his people are Propter hoc imponit nobis poenam Propter hoc imponit nobis poenam non de peccatis sumens supplicium sed ad futura nos corrigens Chrysost Hom. de Penit. For this cause saith Chrysostome doth God inflict punishments upon his people
faithfully to be held and taught according to the Evangelical and Apostolical truth that this ransom was given for them of whom the Lord himself saith Even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that every one that believes in him may not perish but have eternal life So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that every one that believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting life And the Apostle saith Christ was once offerred for the taking away of the sins of many And in those dayes was the ordinary Gloss compiled for Strabus (p) Vsheri histor Gottes p. 433. Calvis Chronol 840. Possevini Apparat. Strabus Sixtus Senens biblioth Qui omnes vult salvos fieri non quod nullus hominum esset quem salvum fieri nollet qui virtutes miraculorum facere noluit apud eos quos dicit acturos suisse poenitentiam si fecisset sed ut omnes homines omne hominum genus intelligamus per quascunque differentias distributum Gloss ordin in 1 Tim. 2. Ut gustaret mortem pro omnibus praedestinatis vel omnibus hominibus generaliter quia omnibus pretium sufficit Gloss ordin in 2 Heb. the great admirer of Gotteschalcus was the compiler of it which speaking in the very words of Augustin on Tim. 1.2 saith Whereas it is said that God would have all men to be saved the meaning is not that there is none whom God would not have saved but all that is all sorts of men So Heb. 2. Who tasted death for every man or all men that is saith the common Gloss for all that are predestinated or for all men generally because the price is sufficient for all Neither can it be thought that the ordinary Glosse should hold forth any other doctrine seeing the Compiler thereof was so great an Admirer of Gotteschalchus and his Doctrine Now who doth not know that this ordinary Gloss hath been generally received in the Church of God especially in those times wherein it was made and published In the 10th and 11th Centuries this truth lived and was owned by Anselmus Cantuariensis for he saith (q) Pro omnibus mortuis mortuus est unus Christus i. e. nullum habens omnino peccatum qui solus hostia sufficiens suit pro peccatis omnium Anselm in 2 Corinth 5. Sic justo judicio etiam per unius justitiam venientem in omnes homines electos itum est in justificationem c. quae justificatio transit in omnes homines non quia omnes homines veniant ad gratiam justificationis Christi cum ram multi alienati ab illa in aeternum moriantur sed quia omnes qui renascuntur in justificationem non nisi per Christum renascuntur Sicut omnes qui nascuntur in condemnationem non nisi per Adam nascuntur Ideo dictum est omnes omnes eosdem autem omnes postea multos dicit Anselm in hom 5. Sed per omnes homines omne genus hominum intelligamus per quascunque differentias distributum Anselm in 1 Tim. 2. that Christ is said to die for all men that he was a sacrifice sufficient for the sins of all and whereas the Apostle saith As by the offence of one judgment came upon all to condemnation even so by that righteousness of one the free gift came upon all to justification of life that is saith Anselm not because all men do come to justification of life by Christ but because none are justified but by Christ as none are generated but by Adam and therfore it is said All All but these all are by the Apostle called many and are the Elect. And whereas it is said who would have all men to be saved that is saith he not because there are none whom God would not have saved but by All we are to understand all sorts of men By the Waldenses who say in their confession (r) The History of the Waldenses translated out of French by Sampson Leunard lib. 1. cap. 8. cap. 12. that Christ is our life and truth and peace and justice Advocate and Sacrifice who died for the salvation of all those that believe and whose Doctrine was the same with Calvins By Peter Lombard who saith also with Augustin (Å¿) Ideoque cum audimus in sacris literis legimus quod velit omnes homines salvos fieri ita intelligere debemus tanquaÌ„ diceretur nullum hominem salvum fieri nisi quem salvum fieri ipse voluerit non quod nullus sit hominum nisi quem salvum fieri velit c. Pet. Lombard senten lib. 1. dist 46. that whereas it is said God would have all to be saved that is to be understood of all sorts of men not that there are none whom God would not have saved And by rhe Interlineary Gloss which was compiled by Anselmus (t) Anselmus Laudunensis glossam interlin composuit Sixtus Senensis bibliothe Anselmus Possevin Apparat. Anselmus Filius hominis venit ut daret animam suam redemptionem pro multis non pro omnibus sed pro his qui credere voluerunt Gloss interlin in Marc. 10. Tho. Bradwardinus Doctor profundus Gre. Ariminensis Scholasticorum subtilissimus Jo. Wiclephus Anglorum decus Bobemiae desiderium Reformatorum facilè Princeps Jo. Huss Martyr Propheta Laudunensis which saith that Christ gave himself a ransom for many that is not for all but for such as should believe And who doth not know also that the Interlineary Gloss was generally received In the 13th and 14th Centuries lived Thomas Bradwardinus Gregorius Ariminensis John Wicleffe John Husse and Hierom of Prague Bradwardine maketh it his work and business throughout his Book de causa Dei to prove and demonstrate the immutability and impedibility of the will of God that Gods will and decrees are absolute and inconditionate and the efficacy of grace determining mans will against the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians Gregorius Ariminensis layeth down 5 Propositions (u) 1. Nullus est praedestinatus propter bonum usum lib. arbitrii quem Deus scivit illum habiturum qualitercunque consideretur bonitas ejus 2. Nullus est praedestinatus quia prastitutus finaliter sore sine obice habituali gratiae 3. Quemcunque Deus praedestinavit gratis tantummodo misericorditer praedestinavit 4. Nullus est reprobatus propter malum usum liberi arbitrii quem Deus praevidit illum habiturum 5. Nullus est reprobatus quia praevisus fore finaliter cum obice gratiae sive originali sive actuali Gregor Ariminens in senten fol. 162. Deus non vult omnes homines salvos fier ad verbum Apostoli dico sicut dicit Augustinus intelligendum est secundum distributionem accommodam ut sit sensus deus vult omnes homines salvos fieri id est omnes homines qui salvantur salvos fieri nullâ—s enim nisi eo volente salvatur vel
in praedâ—cato verbo fit distributio non pro singâ—lis generum sed pro generibus singulorum quia de quolibet geneâ—e statu hominum vult aliquos salvos fieri Greg. Ariminens fol. 165. 1. That no man is predestinated for the good use of free-will which God fore-knew that he should have 2. That no man is predestinated because he was fore-known to continue to the end without let to habitual grace 3. That whomsoever God hath predestinated he hath mercifully and most freely predestinated 4. That no man is reprobated for the ill use of free will which God did foresee he would be guilty of 5. That no man is reprobated because he was foreknown to have finally an impediment of grace whether original or actual And saith he God would not have every particular man to be saved And whereas the Apostle saith God would have all men to be saved John Wicleffe was of the same judgment with John Husse and John Husse saith expresly that Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world in regard of sufficiency but for the Elect onely in regard of efficacy (w) Non tantum pro nostris sed etiam pro totius mundi scil quantum ad sufficientiam sed electis tantum quantum ad efficaciam Explicat Joan Hus in Epist Jean cap. 2. Hussi opera In the 15th and 16th Centuries this truth was maintained and defended by Luther Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Musculus Zanchius Piscator Junius Rollock Perkins Whitaker Fulk Cartwright Pareus Molineus Willet Pemble Prideaux Rivet Ames Twisse the Synod of Dort and many other of great worth for learning and holiness which is so well known that it needs not my proof And thus good Reader by this taste you see how this truth hath one time after another descended upon you as your right and inheritance and will you readily lose or easily part with your Inheritance I shall not use any arguments or reasons to demonstrate this truth that is the work of this Treatise neither shall I endeavor to vindicate all those Scriptures which are brought to prove Vniversal Redemption for that would be the work of another Treatise only whereas it is said in Scripture that Christ died for all or for the world thou mayst be pleased to consider the ground occasion or rise of these expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the times of the Old Testament it was said He that is Christ shall confirm the Covenant for many Dan. 9.27 In the English it is with many but in the Hebrew it is for or unto many In Christs time whilest he lived on earth it was said for many He gave himself a ransom for many If you ask the Merchant himself saith Augustin who those were that he paid the price for De hoc autem precio quare sit susum quid interrogamus alium Redemptor ipse respondeat dicat ipse mercator hic est inquit sanguis meus qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem pecatorum August contra Julian Pelag lib. 3. cap. 3. he will tell you for many Mar. 10.45 For even the Son of man came to give his life a ransom for many not for all but for many So Mat. 26.28 Christ said This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many not for all but for many but when Christ was risen from the dead and had sent out his Apostles to preach the Gospel not only to the Jewes but to all Nations or unto every creature and when the Gentiles did receive the Gospel and believe on Christ then the Apostles in their Preaching said God would have all to be saved and that Christ died for all and for the world Why so not because he died for every particular man in the world but for the Gentiles as well as the Jews No sooner therefore did Cornelius a Gentile believe but the Apostle Peter saith of Christ He is the Lord of all Act. 10.36 And Paul speaking both of Jewes and Gentiles Rom. 3.9 saith But now the righteousnesse of God is manifested even the righteousnesse of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all even upon all them that believe for there is no differenee v. 21 22. So 1 Tim. 2.3 he saith God would have all men to be saved v. 4. And Christ gave himself a ransome for all v. 6. which he plainly speaks in regard of the Gentiles for he saith in the verse whereunto I am ordained a Preacher and an Apostle a Teacher of the Gentiles v. 7. So also 1 John 2. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for our sins onely but also for the sins of the whole world that is not for ours only who are believing Jewes but also for the sins of the Gentiles the world of the Gentiles Thus Cyril interprets the words because John saith he was by Nation a Jew and lest it should be thought that he taught that Christ was only a Propitiation for the Jewes saying Who is the Propitiation for our sins he addeth (x) Joannes quia natione Judaeus erat ne existimaretur docuisse pro Judaeis tantùm Christum propitiationem esse quando dixit est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris adjecit pro totius etiam mundi peccatis ut etiam Gentes significaret Cyril lib. 11. cap. 19. and for the sins of the whole world that he might signifie the Gentiles And you may observe that when an Epistle is entituled the Epistle General then it is directed to the Jews that were scattered up and down throughout the world So 1 Pet. 1.1 Peter an Apostle to the strangers scattered through Pontus c. And that Epistle is stiled the Catholique or Epistle General So also James 1.1 Now this Epistle of John is entituled the Epistle General and therefore directed or sent to the Jewes scattered throughout the world and therefore the Apostle saith who is the propitiation not for our sins only who are believing Jewes but for the sinnes of the Gentiles or the whole world Herein also our learned Dr. Lightfood will help you with some light for saith he the world was by Jewish (y) Universum terrarum orbis populum distribuunt in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israelitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nationes mundi istam etiam phrasiologiam agnoscit eadeÌ„ pagina Evangelica Mat. 6.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod Luc. 12.30 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hinc vox mundus usitatissimè pro Gentibus Joan 3.16 17. 1 Joan. 2.2 Centur. Chorograph cap. 1. Writers divided into Israel and the Nations of the world which Phrasiology the Evangelists do acknowledge Mat. 6.32 After all these things do the Nations seek which Luke 12.30 is the Nations of the world Hence the word world saith he is most ordinarily used for the Gentiles John 3.16 17. 1 John 2.2 Now because men do not diligently observe or weigh the Ground and Rise of these expressions they are mistaken
into the Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption Neither shall I say any thing in answer to those reasons that are ordinarily brought to prove the universality of Redemption and sufficiency of grace given to all Bellarmine himself hath said enough who after he had earnestly laboured to prove a sufficiency of grace given to all because else all men would not be capable of admonitions exhortations and reprehensions or of Gods displeasure for their sins he granteth two Propositions The one is this (z) Sit jam rertia Propositio nulla esset in Deo iniquitas si non solum aliquibus sed etiam omnibus hominibus auxilium sufficiens ad salutem negaret haec certissima est apud omnes qui ex divinis literis peccatum originale noverunt nam cum per peccatum primi hominis nascantur omnes filii irae nihil nobis jure debetur nisi poena Quarta Propositio sive detur sufficiens auxilium omnibus sive tantum aliquibus nos tamen de nullius salute donec in hac vitâ fuerit desperare debemus neque ab ullo subtrahere correptionem exhortationem alia charitatis officia Haec quoque sine controversiâ recipitur ab omnibus nam tametsi nonnulli ita desererentur a Deo omnique auxilio prorsus destituerentur ut nulla ratione converti possint nos tamen qui nescimus qui sunt illi de omnibus benè sperare debemus Apostolum Paulum audire qui jubet ut cum patientia corripiamus cos qui resistunt veritati Bellarm. de gratia lib. arbitr lib. 2. cap. 4. There should be no iniquity in God though he should deny sufficiency of grace not only to some but unto all for saith he seeing by the sin of the first man we are all born the children of wrath nothing is due unto us but punishment The other Proposition is this whether there be a sufficiency of grace or help given to all or only to some we are not to despair of the salvation of any while they are in this life neither are we to withdraw our admonition exhortations or reprehensions For saith he though some be forsaken of God yet we know them not Neither shall I say much in reference to or of the persons engaged in this Controversie I know there are Learned men of both perswasions only I wish That according to the practice of this Judicious Author the Controversie may be so managed that there be no transgression of the law of peace and moderation for as the Church of Lyons speakes in this case (a) Qui non tranquillè pacificè moderatur quod sentir sed statim paratus est ad contentiones dissentiones scandala etiamsi non habeat haereticum sensum certissimè habet haereticum animum Vsher histor Gottes pag. 77. he that doth not quietly and peaceably moderate his judgment but is apt to fall into dissentions and scandals though he have not an heretical sense yet he hath an heretical mind 2. That in the management of this cause there may be no reflexion upon God himself as to say if it be so or so then God is the Author of sin or then God is cruel or not sincere or not wise or not just c. for is not God able to make out his justice wisedome or sincerity though I understand it not Augustin speaks well unto this matter In one Scripture saith he it is said God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy In another Scripture it is said He would have all men to be saved (b) Occurit enim cur pereant ex his aliqui cum omnipotens Deus omnes homines salvos fieri velit in aguitionem veritatis venire deinde cur rursus induret alios misertus aliorum aut quomodo omnes salvos fieri velit homines eum ipse nonnullos ne salventur indurer hoc quantum ad humanam justitiam videtur injustum sed quis ita desipiat vel potius quis ita blasphemet ut dicat de justitia dei lege humanae justitiae disputandum quae profectò si justitiae dei adversatur injusta est ab illo enim qui summe justus est omne quod qualitercunque justum est manare manifestum est Non est ergò de illa majestate divinae sapientiae humanae vanitatis arbitrio disputandum August de praedestinat gratia cap. 2. it may be some will say why then do any perish if God would have all to be saved and why doth he then harden some and shew mercy to others or how doth he will that all should be saved seeing he hardens some that they may not be saved This as to mans justice seemes unjust but who is so mad or rather who doth so blaspheme as to dispute of Gods justice by the rule of humane justice or who will measure Gods wisedome by the wisedome of man We are not to dispute of the Majesty of Divine Wisedome by the vanity of humane wisedome for the wisedome of the flesh is enmity to God 3. That there may be no reflexions upon mens persons that are now living Perit judicium cum res transit in affectum for when it comes to personal reflexion an affection and heat is begotten and when affection prevailes the matter and judgment is lost The Apostle Paul saith But foolish talking and jesting let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints Ephes 5.3 4. The word for jesting is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which by Aristotle Aristot Ethic. lib. 4. cap. 3. is used for the vertue of urbanity and facetious deportment but because this facetiousness doth often degenerate into evil he saith the word is used for dicacity and scurrility and so it is forbidden by the Apostle in this Scripture No man is to make himself or others merry with the sins or reproach of another This kind of jesting in Print doth neither commend a mans cause Qui talibus dictis scatent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 graecis ridicularii latinis talia vero personam graviorem qualis est hominis Christiani non decent Grotius in locum nor become his person especially if he be a Minister of the Gospel Surely Gods cause hath no need of our passions or vanities 4. That there may be no wrong done to the persons that are dead by making them to speak when they are dead what they never thought while they lived or what is contrary to the general scope and sense of their Writings for this if willingly done will be found at the great day to be no better then false witness But if there shall any word or line drop from their pen that may occasion such a Citation let men take the Counsel of the Church of Lyons who farther speaks thus in this case (c) De caeteris verò qui in ipsa infidelitate atque impietate sua perseverantes sunt perituri si de Scripturae sanctae autoritate quod etiam pro
he himself is also compassed with infirmity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potens Beza Gr. Annot in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic rursus ad affectus pronitatem referendum est Grot. ibid. i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Beza expounds it aptus idoneus one fit and meet to take compassion And so is the Lord Jesus our great High-Priest rendered by his sufferings Having in his own person had experience of them he is made more compassionate towards others in like condition as the same Apostle hath it Heb. 4.15 We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin All this we acknowledge to be truth 2 Christ giving himself in our stead as our Surety But not the whole truth Christ as he dyed for our good so secondly in our stead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For us Even as David lamenting the death of his Son Absalom is said to have wished would God I had dyed for thee O Absalom 2 Sam. 18. last that is dyed in his stead that so by his own temporal death he might have prevented the danger of his Eternal death Thus the Lord Iesus Christ out of that wonderful love which he bare to man-kind he gave himself for them dying for them that by his death he might prevent theirs which otherwise he saw them bound over to In this sense Christ is said to have dyed for us in that Text Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were sinners Christ dyed for us that is in our stead as our surety to save and deliver us from death So the verse there foregoing explains it where it is said scarsly for a righteous man will one dye yet for a good man some would even dare to dye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a good man that is in his stead to prevent his death And thus did the Lord Jesus give himself for his people dying for them in their room and stead so to free and deliver them from death And so most fitly and properly are we to understand the word in the Text. Who gave himself for us viz. as our Surety making satisfaction to the Justice of God for our sins So the next words clearly explain it who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity from the guilt and punishment of sin of which God willing more hereafter And in this way did Christ give himself for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his whole self Thus he gave his whole self both Body and Soul as was in part shewed before Both which were partakers in his sufferings Not only his Body to which by a Synecdoche this is sometimes attributed and referred Thus our Saviour speaking to his Disciples Joh. 6.51 tels them The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world And Heb. 10.10 we are said to be sanctified through the offering of the Body of Christ Not by presenting it in heaven as Grotius would expound it but offering it upon earth upon the Altar of the Crosse Which Texts and the like we are to understand Synecdochically Not that only the Body of Christ was interested in these his sufferings but his soul also So it was before his Passion having divers conflicts specially with the apprehension of that death which he was to undergo Now is my soul troubled saith he to his Disciples Ioh. 12.27 and what shall I say Father save me from this hour And so again in the Garden he complaineth in the like manner to some of them My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Matth. 26.38 And as before so much more in his Passion where conflicting with the wrath of God being under a cloud of spiritual desertion he cryeth out in the anguish of his soul My Lord my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Thus was his soul also made a partner in this suffering as the Prophet Isai expresseth it in the three last verses of his 53. Chap. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin v. 10. He shall see of the travail of his soul v. 11. He hath powred out his soul unto death v. 12. Thus did he in his suffering give himself wholly his whole humane nature both Body and Soul The divine nature in the mean time supporting of the Humane as I said and seeming as it were to suffer with it And thus you have seen this first Particular in the Text somewhat largely opened and explained wherein hath been shewed unto you both what this Gift was and how said to be given Now adjourning the Application till afterwards not having as yet so full a rise for it as I desire proceed we to the second which acquaints us with 2. Partic. The Giver of this Gift Christ himself The Doner who it was that thus gave this gift which is Christ himself So it is the Gift and Giver here are both one who gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So we find it often elsewhere Gal. 1.4 who gave himself for our sins c. 2. v. 20. who gave himself for me Eph. 5.25 Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it 1 Tim. 2.6 who gave himself a ransome for all All speaking the same thing with this in the Text. The great God even our Saviour Iesus Christ who gave himself for us Obj. Gave himself But what Obj. 1. God the Father gave his Son do we not elsewhere read that he was given by his Father God so loved the world saith that known Text Ioh. 3.16 God the Father that he gave his only begotten Son In this was manifested that love of God towards us saith the same Evangelist because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might be saved through him 1 Ioh. 4.9 And again in the verse following Herein is love not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins It was God the Father that sent his Son upon this errand Him hath God the Father Sealed Joh. 6.27 given him Commission to do what he did Yea and sending him into the world he delivered him up unto death He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all Rom. 8.32 And the Prophet Isai describing his Passion tels us Isai 53.10 It pleased the Lord to bruize him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin speaking of God the Father And so much we may learn from Christs own mouth who speaking to the woman of Samaria calls himself The Gift of God Joh. 4.10 How then is he said to give himself Ans Father and Son concurring in this Donation Ans To this the Answer is obvious God the Father gave his Son yet his Son gave himself both concurring in the same Act. So it is in all
was what he hath done and to what end but Believe in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Believe on me He that believeth on him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God Joh. 3.18 This it is and only this which must make the death of Christ to become effectual unto you so it is agreed at all hands even your applying the merit thereof to your selves by faith Be a plaister or potion never so soveraign yet if it be not applyed if it be not drunk it will never do the Cure which it is proper for Even so is it with the blood of Christ which in it self as we find the Ancients often comparing it is such a Soveraign Medicine of vertue sufficient to cure all sin-sick soules in the world yea were they ten thousand times more than they are so as if all did take it Populum hoc immortalitatis habet quidem in se ut omnibus prosit sed si non bibitur non medetur Prosper Resp 1. ad Object Vincent all should certainly be recovered But as Prosper adds Si non bibitur non medetur If it be not drunk it cures not Not being applyed by faith it becomes in effectual And therefore as ever you desire to receive any benefit from the death of Christ see that you apply it by believing on him receiving him as your Saviour resting and relying on him for the obteining of what he hath merited Remission of sins and eternal Salvation Object Obj. How can they thus come unto Christ who are not assured that he dyed for them I but here a poor soul taking a shaft out of the Arminian quiver to wound it self with will hapily reply How can I do this How can I thus believe on him when as I do not know whether he intended this for me whether he gave her self for me or no This being dubious and uncertain what warrant or incouragement have I thus to come unto him thus to lay my hand upon the head of that sacrifice which I know not whether it was offered for me or no Thus do the Patrones of Vniversal Redemption by this Argument of theirs stane those off from coming to Christ who are not of their perswasion But herein let them not be hearkned to Ans All sin-sick soules invited and incouraged to come unto him Neither let this discourage or dishearten any from coming to him and believing on him Art thou only such a one as feelest the needs thou hast of him seest thy self lost without him One that feelest the weight and burden of sin and art weary and heavy laden under it so as thou earnestly desirest to be Redeemed from all iniquity and to be Purified to be freed and delivered from the guilt and power of sin now come and come boldly unto Jesus Christ laying hold on him by faith as thy Saviour Arguments inducing poor sinners thus to come unto Christ as one who hath given himself for thee so applying the merit of his death unto thy self In order whereunto to put thee upon this attempt of so great concernment take into consideration these few particulars 1. Thine own pressing necessity the need thou hast of a Saviour 1. Their absolute Necessity of a Saviour being in thy self a lost creature and without a Saviour for ever lost not being able to any thing of thy self for thy self for thy recovery out of this lost estate Such is the condition of all men by nature They are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impotent without strength as the Apostle hath it Rom. 5.6 When we were yet without strength Christ dyed for us Not able to do any thing for the reconciling of themselves unto God And it must needs be so Being all dead in sin as the same Apostle sets forth mans natural state Eph. 2.1 and elsewhere Now what can a dead man do for the raising up of himself No more can a poor sinner do for the freeing of himself from that wretched accursed state and condition wherein he is by reason of sin So as there is an absolute necessity of a Saviour 2. And secondly thus seeing and feeling thy self to stand in need of a Saviour now take notice that there is but one Saviour no other Saviour but Jesus Christ 2. No other Saviour but Jesus Christ no other way or means of Salvation but by through him Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Act. 4.12 No other Mediator whether of Redemption or Intercession but only Jesus Christ There is one God and one Mediator betwixt God man the man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2.5 No hope in any other way of obteining reconciliation with God Now this thy condition being so desperate as that there is but this one way left to save thee what should hinder thee from putting thy soul upon this way Should a Shipwrackt man floating among the waves of the Sea ready to perish espy a raft cast forth and seeing no other way whereby he can possibly be saved but by that he should not need to be perswaded to take hold of it he would not spend time in demurring whether it was cast forth for him or whether it would save him or no but he would forthwith cast himself upon it and there hang. Thus standeth the case all men by nature are in a shipwrackt condition all plunged into a Sea of misery by reason of sin all in a perishing state ready every moment of time to sink into the bottom of hell Now loe Iesus Christ is cast forth as such a Plank to such an end Him hath God set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 And other way or means of salvation there is none What then should hinder poor sinners who see themselves in this condition to put themselves upon this way Not standing to reason whether this Plank was cast forth for them whether Christ was given for them and whether they shall be sure to be saved by him but to take hold of him casting themselves upon him as knowing that if this way save them not they must perish and that for ever Such adventures men often make in desperate cases they put themselves upon any wayes which may give them any hopes of succour And such is the case here Poor sinners are in a desperate condition as to whatever themselves or any Creature whether Man or Angel is able to do for them Onely in this way it cannot be denyed there is hope for them And why then should they not put themselves upon the adventure It was the incouragement which Shecaniah gave unto Ezra to set upon a work of Reformation among the people for the diverting of Gods judgements from them Ezra 10.2 We
upon a diverse account being under the power Tyrannie f many hard Masters 1. The first and chief whereof is Sin 1. Under sin under which all men are An unquestionable truth which the Apostle sets down with a Probatum est Rom. 3.9 we have before proved both Iewes and Gentiles that they are all under sin So again Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin declared them so to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as under the guilt so under the power of sin God be thanked saith the same Apostle to his Romans ye were the servants of sin Rom. 6.17 And again v. 20. When ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousnesse Such is the condition of all men before the grace of God meet with them to set them at liberty they are all servants of Corruption as Peter saith of those Saduces 2 Pet. 2.19 Serving diverse Lusts and Pleasures as Paul saith of himself and other believers before their conversion Tit. 3.3 And what greater slavery can there be in the world than this No drudgery like that of Sin If the Law of God be what it is The perfect Law of liberty as Saint Iames call it Iam. 1.25 Then the Law of sin must needs be a perfect Law of servitude and slaverie And under this slavery are all men by nature Even sold under sin So saith regenerate Paul of himself in regard of the remainders of Corruption which he found in himself Rom. 7.1 I am Carnal sold under Sin So he was so far forth as he was Carnal What are they then who are wholly such nothing but Carnal they must needs be no other but perfect slaves such as Ahab was of whom it is said that He sold himself to work wickednesse 1 King 21.22 2. And being thus under the Tyranny of sin 2. Under the power of Satan they are also under the power of Satan Paul being sent to the Gentiles he was sent upon this errand to turn them from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26.18 Such is the condition of all men by nature they are under the power of Satan that God of this world who blindeth the minds of them which believe not as Paul speaks 2 Cor. 4.4 Being in the snare of the Devil and taken Captive by him at his Will as the same Apostle saith of impenitent sinners 2 Tim. 2. last 3. To this add they are also under the Law Ye are not under the Law but under Grace saith aul to his beleeving Romans c. 6.14 3. Under the Rigorous exaction of the Law Intimating that before they were under Grace they were under the Law And so are all men before the Grace of God meet with them to put them under another Covenant they are under the Law the Law and Covenant of works Which like an Egyptian Taskmaster requireth that from them and that under the penalty of eternal condemnation which of themselves they are no ways able to perform By reason whereof they ly under the lash and Curse of the Law As many as are of the works of the Law they are under the Curse Gal. 3.10 4. And to this add 4. Under the fear of death they are also in bondage under fear of death So the Apostle sets forth their Condition Heb. 2.15 They are such as through fear of death death Temporal and Eternal are all their life time subject unto bondage Heb 2.15 Like slaves who are ever afraid of being cast into the Dungeon Such is the condition of all men by nature Q. But how cometh it so to be Quest How cometh man into this Captivity What did God make man in this estate A. Not so Man at the first was made a freeman in an honourable estate Lord over the rest of the Creatures and over himself Ans By falling from his God a servant to none but to his God whose service is perfect liberty But in this estate he continued not Man being in honour abideth not Psal 49.12 But falling from his God by his disloyalty and disobedience he fell from his state of Perfection forfeiting and losing that freedom which he had and so inslaving himself and all his Posterity who being then in his loyns and sinning in him are made justly lyable to the punishment of that his sin Thus did Man at the first sell himself and all his Posterity even as Esau did who by selling his Birth-right for a mess of Pottage made himself a servant to his younger Brother accordidg to that forenamed Prophecie Gen. 25.23 The Elder shall serve the Younger which as to spiritual privileges was made good in the person of Esau himself and as to Corporal in his Posterity who were afterwards subdued and brought into subjection by the posterity of Iacob as the story sets it forth 2 Sam. 8.14 After the same manner did our first Parent Adam sell himself and all his Posterity for an Apple by the eating whereof contrary to the command of his God he forfeited all his privileges making himself and all his posterity Servants and Slaves in such manner as you have heard Applic. All to be convinced of this Captivity and affected with it Applic. A truth which I wish it might in a right serious way be brought home to the hearts of all those whom it concerns that they might be throughly convinced of it You who are yet in your natural estates not changed and renewed by Grace know that this is your condition Such slaves are you in bondage under all these Tyrants Sin Satan the Law Death And O that you might be truly affected herewith This being the very first step to your deliverance so to see and feel this your servitude as that you may groan under it and so be brought to seek after a Redeemer Which till you do never look to be made partakers of this blessed Redemption here spoken of Especially labour to see and feel your selves to be under the Tyranny and Bondage of Sin un-the power of it servants to it sold under it A condition how miserable Even regenerate Paul though freed from the Dominion of sin yet feeling the workings of the remainders of Corruption in him he thereupon cryeth out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O miserable man that I am And did this make him look upon his present condition as wretched how wretched then must yours be in whom sin ruleth and reigneth who are not in any degree as he was freed and delivered from the power of it Most miserable is this your slaverie So you look upon the condition of the Israelites in Egypt and the Jewes in Babylon and so upon Turkish Gallie-slaves But alas what is their servitude to yours They might be may be free in the midst of their slaverie their servitude reaching only to the outward man the Body yours to the inward to the Soul your souls being hereby inslaved Their servitude is temporarie but for a time such as death will put an end to
themselves for slaves by paying the price of their Redemption v. 51 52. Sometimes we find it in that other way Redemption by Power In this sense God is said to have been the Redeemer of his people Israel whom by a strong hand he brought out of Egypt They remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer Psal 78.35 And in such a sense God is said to Redeem the lives of men by working temporal deliverances and salvations for them Who redeemeth thy life from destruction saith David of himself Psal 103.4 He redeemed them from the hand of the enemy it is spoken of Gods delivering Israel from the hands of the Egyptians at the red sea Psal 106.10 Christ redeeming his people both these wayes Q. Now in which of these senses shall we take the word here in the Text A. Why take it which way we will we cannot take it amiss both suiting well with the matter in hand Both these wayes may Christ truly and fitly be said to Redeem his people from their Iniquitie This he hath done and doth by Priee and Power by the one freeing them from the Guilt by the o-from the Dominion of sin Consistebat ea servitus in duobus affectu Reatu Estius Com. in Text. In these two consisteth the servitude and bondage of men under sin that they lie under the Guilt and Power of it And from both these Believers are freed and delivered by Christ 1. 1. By Price freeing them from the Guilt of sin Begin with the former Christs freeing and delivering his people from the guilt and punishment of sin This he hath done and that by paying a Price for them the Price of his own Blood So the Apostle clearly sets it down in that known Text Eph. 1.7 repeated in the same words Col. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins Christ thereby making satisfaction unto the Justice of God hath merited and obtained the Remission of sins for his Elect. In this way it was that he put away sin as the Apostle hath it Heb. 9.26 Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself To put away sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the abolishing of it as to the guilt and obligation thereof whereby it bindeth sinners over unto eternal condemnation This hath Christ taken away by that Sacrifice which he offered up upon the Cross the Sacrifice of himself Upon this account it is that Christ is called the Propitiation 1 John 4.10 God sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.2 He is the Propitiation for our sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a means to Propitiate to appease the wrath of God due unto man for sin This hath Christ done by that sacrifice of himself by shedding his Blood Him hath God set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his Blood Rom. 3.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Propitiatorie Placatorie alluding unto the Mercy-seat under the Law which covered the Ark of the Covenant wherein the Tables of the Law were which is called by that name The Propitiatory being a token of Gods Reconciliation to his people and of his grace and favour towards them shadowed out by the Clouds sitting and resting upon it This Propitiatory this Mercy-seat was a type of Christ the ttue Propitiatory through whom God is reconciled and made propitious unto his people by the shedding of his blood and their sins covered from his sight as the Tables of the Law were covered by the Mercy-seat from the eyes of men Christ giveth himself a ransom for his peoplet And thus hath Christ redeemed his people by paying a Price giving himself a Ransome for them So he himself sets down the end of his coming into the world Math. 20.28 The Son of man came to give himself a Ransom for Many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of their Redemption which is as I said the proper signification of that word And so in that other Text 1 Tim 2.6 Who gave himself a Ransom for all where the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word never elsewhere met with in the New-Testament properly signifying a Counterprice when one giveth himself for another body for Body engaging himself to do or suffer what he should have done for the obtaning of his liberty or saving his life And such a Ransom did the Lord Jesus give himself for all his Elect people laying down his life for them that so making satisfaction to the Justice of God for their sins he might redeem them free and deliver them from the Guilt and Punishment of them 2. And as from the Guilt so also from the Power and Dominion of them This benefit he merited for his people by his death 2. Freeing them from the Dominion of sin which he merited for them by his death Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver Gold from your vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ saith Saint Peter to the believers to whom he writeth 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Such was their Conversation before their conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vain conversation They then walked in the vanity of their minds as Paul saith of the unbeleeving Gentiles Eph. 4.17 being given over to those unfruitfull works of darkness as he calleth sinfull waies and courses Eph. 5.11 doing those things whereof they had no fruit but shame as he tells his Romans Rom. 6.21 Such was their Conversation before Conversion A vain yea and a wicked conversation We also had our conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind so he telleth his Ephesians Cap. 2. v. 3. But from this conversation they were redeemed by the blood of Christ he having merited this benefit for them that they should be freed as from the Guilt so from the Power and Dominion of of sin And what he hath thus Merited for his Elect he also effecteth in them Effecteth in them by his spirit which he doth by the powerfull operation of his Spirit whereby he setteth them free from the service of sin Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness Rom. 6.18 Now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness v. 22. Free though not from the in-being in-dwelling and working of sin yet from the power and dominion fo it so as though it did still abide in them yet it did not rule over them And thus are all believers made freemen and that by the spirit of Christ Where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie 2 Cor. 3.17 Liberty as from the yoak of the Ceremonial and Rigour of the Moral Law so much more from the Law of sin Libertatem hic intellige a vitiis Grot. Annot. ad loc which no longer ruleth in the beleever The
the apprehension of this unspeakable benefit obtained for us by Jesus Christ our spiritual Redemption let it affect our hearts with joy and gladnesse Rejoycing in this more than in all our other Temporal inioyments herewith drowning all our carnal fears and sorrows Fear not for I have redeemed thee Isa 43.1 2. And rejoycing in it give unto our Redeemer the Glory of this his work 2. Give unto their Redeemer the Glory hereof 1. Admiring the love 1. Admiring the love of Jesus Christ which the Lord Jesus hath herein expressed to us that he should thus engage for us giving himself to Redeem us purchasing our Redemption at so dear a rate Not with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with his own pretious blood as Saint Peter there hath it 1 Pet. 1.19 O what love was this So a poor Prisoner would look upon it Should another come and freely ingage for him for the payment of his debt though it were but some small sum of ten or twenty pound which himself was no waies able to have payed he would never forget this love What cause then have we to admire and adore this love which the Lord Iesus hath herein shewed unto us in this giving himself to redeem us 2. Admiring it 2. Giving thanks to him return unto him the promise which is due unto him for it This David calleth upon himself to do for his Temporal Redemption Psal 103.1 2 4. Blesse the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Who Redeemeth thy life from destruction And was he so thankfull for a Temporal O how thankfull should we be for this Spiritual this eternal Redemption which we have obtained by Iesus Christ For this let our Souls for ever bless him giving thanks unto him O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good c. Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so saith the same Psalmist Ps 107.1 2. acknowledging his goodness in their temporal deliverances And this do we much more who are the Redeemed of the Lord Iesus give we thanks unto him for this so unspeakable a benefit 3. And giving thanks to him let it be our in devour to express this our Thankfulness 3. Express their thankfulness to him Which do we 1. 1. By loving of him By answering this love with love loving him who hath expressed such love to us This it was and only this that induced him to undertake this work for us his Love This it was that moved God to work that Redemption for his people Israel out of Egypt In his love and in his Pitty he redeemed them Is 63.9 And what else was it that moved the Lord Iesus to undertake this work of eternal Redemption for us He loved us and gave himself an offering for us Eph. 5.2 He loved the Church and gave himself for it v. 25. who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Rev. 1.5 O then let us labour to answer this love with love loving this our Redeemer who thus meerly out of his love hath given himself to Redeem us 2. And loving him Live to him 2. Living to him Let this love of Christ constrain us c. That seeing he dyed for us to Redeem us we who live do not henceforth live unto our selves but unto him who thus dyed for us as the Apostle applies it 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Living unto him according to his Prescriptions and to his Glory as you heard that phrase opened before 3. And living to him let us also Dye to him 3. Dying to him Whether we live we live unto the Lord or Whether we die we dy unto the Lord Rom. 14.8 In both dedicating our selves unto him As in life so in death As living to him so dying in him Blessed are the dead which dy in the Lord even so saith the Spirit Rev. 14 13. that is in the faith of Christ Thus dyed the Patriarch All these dyed in the faith Heb. 11.13 in the faith of the promised Messiah And so see that we Dy. Not only in the Profession of the doctrine of faith the Gospel but in the practice and exercise of it Resting and learning upon this our Redeemer Even as Iacob is said to have done upon the top of his staff Heb. 11.21 Bequeathing and commending our spirits unto him as the Martyr Stephen did who breathed out his Soul with these words Lord Iesus recieve my Spirit Acts 7.29 Thus living thus dying now doubt not but that in due time we shall be made partakers of that full and perfect Redemption which Christ is said to be made unto all Beleevers 1 Cor. 1.30 Even that Redemption of our Bodies of which the same Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.23 Our Souls being here Redeemed from the Guilt and power of sin both Souls and Bodies shall be hereafter freed from all the Consequents of it 4. Hath Christ given himself to redeem us from Iniquity Vse 4. The Redeemed of the Lord not to inslave themselves by returning unto sin O then far be it from any of us which are so Redeemed to return to this Bondage again by inslaving our selves to any base lust Which who so shall do they thereby shew themselves unworthy of such a Benefit So we would think of a Captive who being redeemed out of the hands of his Enemies by a great ransom should being in his right wits put himself under their power again returning to his former slavery who but would judge him worthy there to remain unworthy of such a second favour And truly such a Judgment hath the spirit of God passed upon wilfull Apostates whose doom we may read in those two known terrible Texts The one Heb. 6.4 ◠6. It is unpossible for those who were once enlightned with the knowledge of the truth and have tasted of the heavenly gift of Christ that gift of God and of this great benefit of Redemption by him having a general knowledge thereof and made some particular application of it to themselves not without some delight If they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame If they return to to their former estate there is little or no hope of such in as much as by this their wilfull Apostacy they offer so high an affront to him whom once they owned and acknowledged cor their Saviour and Redeemer treading him under foot As that other Text hath it Heb. 10.26 c. If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrîfice for sin but a certain fearfull looking for of Judgement and fierce indignation He that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy Of how much soarer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hathtrodden under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant
an unholy thing Now this in a degree do all presumptuous Backsliders who having been sacramentally washen in the blood of Christ and professed faith in him to look for Redemption through him do afterwards return with the Dog to the vomit and with the Sow that is washen to the Wallowing in the mire as Saint Peter describes such kind of persons 2 Pet. 2. last what do they herein but trample upon their Redeemer O take heed it be not so with any of us Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing or to depart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grotius observes from the living God Heb. 3.12 Such Apostacie beware of lest thereby we put our selves into a desperate hopeless condition As for such how can they expect any benefit from the death of Christ whilest they thus directly cross the end for which he dyed which was to redeem those for whom he gave himself from iniquity free them as from the guilt so from the power of sin Which let all those who expect to have any share in this benefit have a special regard unto Being Redeemed by Christ bought with his blood as you believe do not now sell your selves as Ahab did to work wickedness so as to give ovet your selves to any sinfull way or course whatsoever In so doing what do you but sell your selves for nought As the Lord tells his people the Iews Isa 52.3 By their sins they had sold themselves into the hands of the Babylonians for which they had not so much as thanks from those their hard Masters And truly so do all revolting and backslding Christians by returning to their former sinfull wayes they sell themselves for nought yea that which is worse than nouhht for naught for that which without spedy repentance will bring them to nought prove their utter ruine Which far be it I say from every of us Is it so that we profess our selves to be in the number of these Redeemed ones now let this Grace of God bringing salvation which hath herein appeared unto us teach us and that effectually this great Gospel-Lesson here held forth that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we live soberly Righteously godly in this present world This is our Apostles drift and scope in the Text where he maketh use of this as an Argument to press and enforce that Lesson upon Christians that they should so live in as much as Christ gave himself for them for this end viz. to Redeem them from Iniquity And such use let all of us make of it Not turning this Grace of God into wontonness taking liberty to sin because Christ hath redeemed us from it but therefore denie all ungodliness and worldly lusts living soberlie righteouslie and Godlie Such it becomed the Lords Redeemed ones to be They shall call them the holy people the Redeemed of the Lord saith the Prophet speaking of the Iewes when returned from their Babilonian Captivity Isa 62. last And such let all the Lords people be such as lay claim to this Benefit Being the Redeemed of the Lord let them be a holy people such a are redeemed from their vain conversation as Saint Peter describes true beleevers 1 Pet. 1.19 so walking as becometh those who have interest in so great a mercy Vse 5. Comfort to all true beleevers who are the Lords Redeemed ones To close up all in the 5th and last place Hath the Lord Jesus given himself for his people to redeem them from All iniquitie Why then let me hear for the Comfort and Consolation of all true beleevers take up the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.34 what though Satan the great Accuser do now bring against you many indictments charging upon you many and great sins yet let none of them dismay or discourage you Remember what you heard from Saint John that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin Which in effect speaketh the same thing with this in the Text. Christ gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity Who then is it that shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Having such a Surety who hath undertaken for them and discharged their debt to the uttermost farthing True indeed had he made satisfaction in part and left them to do the rest as Papists would have it well might they the best of them be thought full about their condition The least sum undischarged by the surety and left upon the account of the Debtor who hath nothing to pay it with is enough to keep him indurance And so would the least sin left unsatisfied for be enough to detain us under the Curse of the Law which runs in that latitude Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing Gal. 3.10 But here is the Comfort of true beleevers The Redemption which Christ hath purchased for them is a full and plenary Redemption even from All iniquity and the All of iniquity And therefore whilest blinded Papists busie themselves about their Labour in vain studying how to make satisfaction for their sins let the Lords people onely study how to testifie their thankfulness unto him who hath taken this work out of their hands and done it for them To this Great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ who hath thus given himself for us to Redeem us from all Iniquitie To him with the Father and Eternal Spirit be praise honour and glory now and for ever Amen Thus have I done with the former of those Ends wherefore Christ gave himself the first and immediate end Redemption Come we now to the latter which is a consequent following upon it viz. Purification And purifie unto himself a Peculiar people c. Parts 3. IN the handling of which words I shall propound these 3. things to be considered The Agent Act End The Purifier the Purification and the Design therein Who it is that doth this How he doth it and Wherefore he doth it Deal with them severally 1. The Agent the Purifier Part 1. The purifier Christ himself who it is that undertaketh this work which is even he that undertook the former Redeemer and Purifier are both one even the great God our Saviour Iesus Christ He it is that Purifieth those whom he hath Redeemed Of which more anon Part 2. The Act Purification 2. But how doth he do this That is the second thing the Act. To which Answer may be returned This he may be said to do two wayes Sacramentally Really Christ said to purify his people two ways 1. Sacramentally 1. Sacramentally Such were the Jewish Purifications under the Law which were made by divers kinds of Offerings and Washings Oblations and Ablutions and other Ceremonial observances Of which the Apostle speaking Heb. 9.13 tells us that they sanctified to the hurifying of the flesh making those who made
unto so as not willing to over look or neglect any of them Such was Davids obedience I shall not be ashamed saith he whilest I have respect unto thy commandements Psal 119.6 And the like we read of Zacharie and Elizabeth They were both righteous before God walking in the Commandements of the Lord blameless Luk. 1.6 And such must the obedience of a Christian be an universal obedience such in desire and indeavour so as not willingly to balk or neglect any commandement That Ruler which we speak of how strict soever he had been as he said of himself in observing of the rest of the Commandements yet withdrawing his obedience **** to that one which our Saviour for Probation or conviction sake propounded unto him that he should go and sell all that he had and give it to the poor he thereby shewed himself to be no better than an Hypocrite And so do they who pick and choose their Duties yeelding a partial respect to the Law of God obeying in some things not in other For which that of Saint Iames is express Iam. 2.10 Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Suppose a man so exact as that he should strictly observe the whole Laws except only in some one particular therein required or forbidden yet allowing himself in that one particular breach of it that declareth him not to be what he would be thought a righteous person That general Maxim holdeth true in this case A quatenus ad omne He that yeeldeth obedience to one Commandement because it is a command of God upon that account will yeeld the like obedience to all And this are Christians to do And this being sincere they will do Being such as are truly Sanctified now as the Apostle saith they are prepared to every good work 2 Tim. 2.2 Ready to do what ever their God requireth fromt hem And such see that your obedience be as to desire and indeavour an Vniversal obedience doing that all that which the Lord requireth in his word Here is the Matter of good works which Christians are to have an eye at in the first place 2. And then secondly have an eye to the Order first looking at the more weighty duties Dir. 2. Good works to be done in right Order It was that which our Saviour chargeth upon the Pharisees denouncing a woe against them for it Mat. 23.23 woe unto you scribes and Pharises hypocrites for ye pay tithe of Mint and Annise and Cumin and have omitted the weightier things of the Law Judgment Mercie Faith To be carefull in small matters but regardlesse in those of greater importance is a sure sign of an Hypocrite Not but that these things also are to be regarded These things ought ye to have done saith our Saviour there to them but not to leave the other undone Those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weightier things of the Law duties of greatest importance Christians must have an eye at in the first place Not slighting not neglecting them however Yea and if it happen that there be any competition these are to have the precedence First look at the more weighty duties preferring them 3. Doing these works in a right Order that they may be truly good works see that they be done out of a right Principle Dir. 3. Out of a right Principle viz. a threefold Principle of Faith and Love and Obedience 1. Of Faith 1. of faith without which the Apostle tells us it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Faith as concerning the work which we doe that it is a thing required by God agreeable to his mind and will of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 14. v. last where he concludes whatsoever is not of faith is sin What-soever is done though the thing it self be indifferent or good yet being done with a wavering conscience without assurance that the work is in it self well-pleasing to God and that it hath good warrant from the Word it is sin in him that doth it so also concerning Gods acceptation of our persons and services that he doth and will accept whatever we do in the name of Christ Out of such a Principle did the Patriarchs do those works for which they are commended Heb. 11. What they did they did it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in faith by faith 2. Of Love 2. Of Love In this sense see that Faith work by love What we are sure to be agreeable to the mind and will of God do it out of Love Love to God I will love thee O Lord saith David Psal 18.1 And love to his Law O how do I love thy Law saith he Psal 119.97 Love to his Testimonies I love thy Testimonies v. 119. Love to his Commandements and Precepts I love thy Commandements above gold yea above fine gold v. 127. Consider how I love thy Precepts v. 159. And out of this love keep and observe them My soul hath kept thy Testimonies and I love them exceedingly v. 167. And thus also what duties we do unto our Neighbour do them out of love Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Thus what good works we do do them out of a right Principle of Faith and Love 3. And Thirdly Obedience 3. Obedience Not out of any by and sinister respects but in way of Obedience unto God So did Abraham when he went out to seek a Country which he knew not where to find yet by Faith he obeyed saith the Text Heb. 11.8 So doe we taking notice what God would have us to do now not standing to consult with flesh and blood about it which Paul saith he did not Gal. 1.16 in obedience to him do it Thus did Peter though he had fished all night and caught nothing yet Neverthelesse saith he to his Master at thy word I will let down the Net Luke 5.5 Thus having a word from God now in obedience to him do what he requireth Thus did our blessed Saviour suffer what he suffered He was obedient to the death Phil. 2.8 And thus let us do what we do All our works do them in obedience unto God doing what we do to Man as unto God So the Apostle requires servants to do their duties unto their Masters Eph. 6.5 Servants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singlenenesse of heart as unto Christ doing what they did in obedience to their supream Lord and Master Christ in serving them serve him Not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart so he goeth on v. 6. Mark it In doing their Masters work they must have an eye at God doing what they do as his will With good will doing service as to the Lord and not unto men v. 7. Not looking onely or yet chiefly at their Masters on earth but at their great Lord and Master in heaven the Lord Christ who requireth
Grace as the same Apostle further describeth the same sin Cap. 10. v. 29 As for such I say just it is with God to give them up to an impenitent heart to a reprobate sense so as that they should never seriously think of coming to Christ any more But as for this it is hoped it is not your case Obj. 6 Obj. Yea but I do not know but it may be and I fear it is Ans But why do we fear so The sin against the holy Ghost by some unjustly charged upon themselves Be not wicked overmuch saith the Preacher Eccl. 7.17 viz. in thine own apprehension as the Text may be expounded which some are whilest they make their condition worse than really it is So do not you But for the cure of all these feares put your soules upon this way of coming unto Christ Which if God shall incline your heart to do now take this as an evidence that you are not under the guilt of that unpardonable sin but rest assured that upon your coming to him you shall find mercy from him Him that cometh unto me though a Backslider an Apostate the worst of Christians or of men I will in no wise cast out The reason why desperate Apostates receive no benefit by Christ is not because he will not receive them but because they will not come unto him Only come unto him and fear not Quest But how shall I so come unto him Quest How to come unto Christ so as to be received of him as that I may be assured that I shall not be cast out not rejected by him Ans Ans A useful Question which I wish were in the heart of every of you seriously to propound to your selves For Answer whereunto in brief take these few and plain Directions 1. That you may come unto Christ Dir. 1. Hear of him you must first hear of him Encline your ear and come unto me saith the Lord Isa 55.3 And this must they do who would come unto Christ they must encline their ear they must be acquainted with the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning him Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me saith our Saviour v. 45. of this Chapter In this way it is that God the Father bringeth men to his Son Christ by teaching and instructing them in the Doctrine of the Gospel With out which there is no coming unto him no believing on him How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 A necessary preparation for the soule in coming to Christ it must first have the eye opened the understanding enlightned with the knowledge of him to know who and what he was and is what he hath done and what he hath suffered and to what end and what benefit they may expect from him and in what way they shall come unto him Thus it is God doth not bring men blindfold to Christ but he first openeth their eyes and taketh the vail off from their hearts making a discovery of him to them As for ignorant soules who know nothing of Christ they are not in a capacitie of comming to him Dir. 2. Be convinced of the need of him 2. Thus hearing of Christ then in the next place be convinced of the need you have of him which till a man be he will never come unto him This it was that brought those impotent and diseased persons unto him in the dayes of his flesh even the sense of their own bodily infirmities And this it is which putteth the soul upon coming to him even the sense of its own sinfulness and misery Which labour you to be throughly convinced of that you may see and feel your lost undone condition without him that you may be truly and throughly sensible of the burden of sin Such and only such they are that Christ inviteth to come unto him Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden Mat. 11.28 viz. under the burden of sin groaning under it earnestly desiring to be freed from it both from the guilt and power of it 3. Being thus in measure fitted and prepared for Christ now hearken to his Invitation and Command Dir. 3. Hearken to his invitation and command calling you to him requiring you to come to him This it was that made Peter so adventurous to come unto his Master upon the water Lord saith he Bid me come unto thee upon the water Mat. 14.28 Now this word every poor sinner which is in measure prepared hath he hath a command from Christ to come unto him Come unto me saith he which is to be looked upon not only as an Invitation but an Injunction 4. And hearing this Word now forthwith apply your selves to yeild a ready obedience to it Dir. 4. Yeild a ready obedience to it So did Peter No sooner did he hear that word from his Masters mouth Come but presently leaving the ship wherein he was he casts himself into the Sea And the like do you Hearing this word of command from this your blessed Saviour requiring you to come unto him now stand not to reason with flesh and blood but renouncing all other confidences betake your selves unto him resolving to break through all difficulties come what will come to make towards him Among other renounce your own righteousnesse Man 's own righteousness to be renounced Like as the Story tells us of blind Bartimaeus when sitting by the high-way-side and crying after Jesus then passing by he heard him call him to come unto him he presently casting away his garments saith the Text rose and came to him Mark 10.50 Even thus do you hearing Christ calling you to come unto him which he doth in his Word now arise and cast away your garments even all impediments as the garments of sinful lusts the rotten rags of the old Adam so the garment of your own righteousnesse This it was that Paul cast overboard made loss of his own righteousnesse that he might come unto Christ that he might win him Phil. 3 8 9. The like do you that you may be cloathed with that white garment the righteousness of Christ come naked unto him That you may be filled by him come empty to him That you may be enriched by him come poor to him bring no money with you ' Remember that Proclamation forenamed Come buy wine and milk without money They who come unto Christ bringing money in their hands I mean any thing of their own whereby they may think to purchase an interest in him and his benefits let them expect no better welcome than what Simon Magus found from Simon Peter when he came to him proffering him money to buy the Holy Ghost with Thy money perish with thee saith he Acts 8.20 Would you be welcome to Christ so come to him as to be received of him come empty to him emptied of your own righteousness renouncing all confidence in whatever of your selves you have