Thus you see the Doctrine opened That Christ hath given himself as a ransome to redeem all beleevers from all iniquity from the transgression of the Law from the guilt of sin and so from the punishment of all sin For the further opening and unfolding of this excellent Point consider with me briefly these four particulars First That all beleevers they are by nature under all Iniquitie when the Text saith That Christ gave himself to redeem them from all iniquitie This implieth that beleevers were under all iniquitie what need Christ give himself to redeem them from that under which they were not You shall finde this evidently declared Rom. 5. 12. By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned And Ephes 2. 1 2. 3. the Apostle speaking of beleevers he saith of them as well as of others that they were dead in trespasses and sins and that they are by nature the children of wrath as well as others and that they were in time past acted by the Divell and walked after the course of the world according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience And again Rom. 3. 19. all the world is become guiltie before God all men by nature as well beleevers as unbeleevers are all under iniquitie First they are under the transgression of the Law they break the Commandments of God continually Secondly they are under the guilt of that transgression for he that hath the sin must have the guilt Thirdly they are under the punishment that belongeth to the breakers of the Law for he that committeh sin and hath the guilt thereof must needs be lyable to the punishment Here is the first thing considerable Christ gave himself to redeem beleevers from all Iniquitie therefore they are by nature under all iniquitie The second thing to be considered is How beleevers come to be under all iniquitie To this I answer that they are born under the power of iniquitie Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquitie saith a beleever that is David and in sin did my mother warm mee they were warmed in sin and conceived in iniquitie and the Apostle in the place before alledged Eph. 2. 3. telleth us that we that are beleevers were all by nature the children of wrath But you will say Whence is it that beleevers come to bee born under iniquitie vassals to sin slaves to Sathan and exposed to the wrath of God whence cometh this I answer and that in a word onely it cometh thus by their first Father Adam for all mankinde was in Adam in his loynes and Adam in innocencie represented all mankind he stood as a Parliament man doth for the whole country for all that should be born of him so that look what Adam did all his posterity did Now Adam broke the Commandment of God eating that fruit God had forbidden him to eat off he breaking this Commandment all his posteritie brake it upon the breaking of the commandment there cometh a guilt upon him the guilt that came upon him came upon all that were in him and so upon all mankind upon the guilt God layeth a punishment for sin What is that to withdraw that Image of holiness and righteousnesse wherein he was created and to leave him to a contrary Image of unholinesse and unrighteousnesse that was the punishment that God laid upon Adam and this punishment God layeth upon all the posteritie of Adam because they were as truly guiltie of Adams sin as he was whence it commeth that all that are born of Adam are guiltie of eating the forbidden fruit being guilty of that the punishment that is laid upon that sin is laid upon them that holinesse and righteousnesse wherein they were once in Adam created is taken from them and they are left to a contrary Image of Sathan an image of unholinesse and unrighteousnesse Whence it cometh to passe that they are all born under the guilt of sin under the power of Originall corruption slaves to Sathan and the objects of divine wrath Thus you see the second thing how it cometh to passe that all beleevers are under all iniquitie The third thing is How Christ cometh to redeem beleevers from all this iniquitie how Christ by giving of himself could redeem beleevers from all iniquitie I beseech you observe it Christ did it thus Because that which brought beleevers under iniquitie as you have heard was the breaking of Gods Law Christ he cometh and fulfillleth the Law of God and he suffereth all that which the justice of God thought due for the breach of his Law And so Christ doing that which beleevers should have done namely to keep the Law and suffering that which beleevers had deserved by their sins Christ doing and suffering this in the nature of beleevers that is in mans nature so that the same nature that sinned suffered the same nature that was bound to keep the Law did keep the Law in Christ hence it cometh to passe that Christ giving God the full price for their ransome he cometh to redeem them from all iniquitie And that you may yet the better see that Christ by this act of his giving himself thus to be a man to obey all the Law and to suffer all the wrath of God due to sin that he did fully pay the price that might ransome all beleevers consider but in brief these things First God and Christ made a compact or a covenant together God offereth Christ this who was the second person in Trinitie that he would become man and in mans nature fulfill the Law and suffer all that wrath of God that was due for the breach of this Law God promised Christ that hee should acquit and discharge all such as beleeved in him Christ he agreeth to this Covenant and undertakes it after the Covenant was made he came and performed it he became man and gave a perfect price for the full payment of what ever was due God abated him not a farthing the uttermost farthing of that which beleevers were condemned to pay hee paid it he perfectly kept the law he perfectly suffered the uttermost of all that wrath of God that was due to sin And all this was done by Christ who was God all this was done by the Second Person in Trinitie so that now the person obeying the Law of God was infinitely better then the persons breaking the Law of God the person that did suffer the wrath of God was infinitely better then the persons that should have suffered the wrath of God for they were but men but this was the very Son of God So that now God satisfieth God God paid the ransome to God therefore the ransome cannot but be compleat And thus cometh Christ by giving of himself fully paying a price to redeem from all iniquitie all them for whom he paid it that is all that doe beleeve in him It
my brethren is Christ said to be in the soul of every beleever because the vertue and influence of Christ is working in them as truly as it is in himself onely differing in regard of degrees and perfection Now for the fuller illustration of the Point give me leave in the last place to shew you the means whereby Christ is in all them that are justified They are these two First the grace of Faith For this in-being of Christ in all justified persons is the consequent of their union with him Now by faith they are joyned to Christ and Christ being joyned to them and they to him Christ is in them as well as they in him Therefore in that forenamed place Eph. 3.17 Christ is said to dwell in our hearts by faith Another means is The abiding of Christs word in us John 15.7 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you In the fourth Verse our Saviour had said thus Abide in me and I in you now repeating that again he somewhat altereth it and saith If ye abide in me and my words abide in you I conceive the ground of the alteration is onely this because the abiding of Christs word in people is a means whereby Christ doth abide in them By the words of Christ I take it is meant the Gospel of Christ with all the commandments instructions and promises that are contained in it Now when this Word of Christ doth abide in people which it doth when understood remembred practised and observed by this means Christ is said and made to abide in them The words of Christ are as so many plants which he doth ingraft into a poor soul as we doe ingraft Cions into a stock Therefore the Apostle calls it the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Jam 1.21 Now look as the stock cometh to have the nature and to bear the fruit of the Cion by having the Cion implanted and ingrafted into it even so by ingrafting the word of Christ into us we come to have the sap and life of the Spirit of Christ and consequently Christ himself to abide in us For the further understanding of the Point you must in the last place know That however the Lord Christ is in all justified persons yet he is not wholly and compleatly in them not so as to exclude sin and Satan out of them Christ is in them and sin and Satan are in them also so that Christs dwelling in them is but imperfect yet notwithstanding it is perfecting and in the end shall be consummate and then Christ shall onely be in them and sin and Satan altogether shut out This serveth my brethren to teach us all which is the readiest and surest way to become justified persons and partakers of Christ and all his priviledges to wit to get Christ to be in us In vain dost thou hope for any Christian priviledge in vain dost thou indeavour after any thing that is necessary to salvation if by faith Christ is not brought to be in thee People doe oft trouble themselves many waies but most are ignorant or negligent of this way whereas our hope of happinesse of the forgivenesse of our sins our labours and endeavours after heaven are all in vain if we doe not labour by beleeving to get the Lord Jesus Christ to be in us Many conceit that Christ will be for them but he will be for none but for them in whom he is I mean not now to dispute whether Christ be for us or in us first but this is sure he will be for none but such as he is in also Therefore saith the Apostle Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory The Connexion is to be observed Christ the hope of glory but Christ in you implying that as we must have no hope but Christ and therefore Christ is called our hope so we can never have Christ to be our hope if we have not Christ to be in us Learn this therefore I say above all things to labour to be joyned to Christ by a lively faith that so you may come to have him in you and then he shall be for you and never till then Thus much for the first thing The condition of all such as are justified They have Christ in them Now for the second which is the main thing the Apostle aimeth at the Evidences or Signs whereby it may be known who have Christ in them Yee have them in the next words The body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse Give me leave first to open the words unto you By Sin you know is meant the transgression of Gods law the going beside the rule of Gods Commandment either in neglecting what is enjoyned or in doing what is prohibited this is sin By Righteousness also must be meant the contrary to this For howsoever righteousness is sometime in the Scripture taken strictly for the observation of those duties that concern men which the second Table injoyneth yet sometime it is taken largely for the observation of the whole Law of God and all duties concerning God and us and thus it is usually taken when as it is not joyned with something else that doth restrain it Here it is opposed to sin and therefore as by sin is meant the going beside the Commandment of God so by righteousnesse is meant the observation or doing of the Commandment of God Thus you see what is meant by sin and what by righteousnesse But it is more difficult to know what is meant by the bodie and what by the Spirit The bodie is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse I take it here by the bodie is meant the bodie of corruption the bodie of sin that same Original corruption that is in all of us by nature It cannot be understood of the natural body because of the opposition to spirit for by the spirit here cannot be understood our soul or our spirit for it cannot be said that any mans spirit or soul is life to righteousnesse it may be said that it is enlivened to righteousness but it cannot be said to be life to righteousnesse therefore seeeing by the spirit the soul of a man cannot be meant I thinke it is clear that by the the body the bodie of man cannot be meant But by the body I conceive as I said is meant the body of sin for so Saint Paul calleth it Rom. 6.6 That the bodie of sin might be destroyed Now this Originall corruption is called a bodie in these respects 1. Because that it commeth to us by propagation from the parents of our bodies 2. To expresse the baseness of it for our bodies are but base and vile as Saint Paul calleth them Phil. 3.21 3. To expresse the fadingness of it for that is our comfort as our naturall bodies are mortall so the body of sin originall corruption is also mortall to all the Saints Therefore it is called flesh
because through the merit of Christ and the mercie of God it is transitorie to all beleevers 4. Lastly it is called a bodie because as our bodies are made up of many Integrals and consist of several members by which they act and exercise severall functions so also originall corruption is one thing consisting of many particular sins as so many integrall parts or severall members whereby it putteth forth it self in severall operations For these and such like reasons Originall corruption is called a bodie Thus you see what is here meant by bodie And now it is more easie to understand what is meant by the Spirit The Spirit is life because of righteousnesse For if by the body be meant originall corruption then by the Spirit must be meant originall righteousnesse that which is elsewhere in the Scripture called the divine nature or the seed of God or grace or holiness or the like Originall holiness or righteousness is that which I take it is here meant by the Spirit It is so called John 3.6 That which is born of the spirit is spirit and so in many other places Now this same habit of holiness is called the Spirit 1. To shew the excellency of it That as a Spirit is an excellent thing far above all bodily substances so is holiness the excellentest of Gods creatures for grace is also a creature as other things 2. To shew the durableness of it though sin shall die in the Saints and be utterly destroyed yet grace shall never be destroyed stroyed nor cease in the Saints of God 3. It is called the Spirit in regard of the Objects of it for the Objects of this grace are spirituall things 4. In regard of the Author of it It is the holy Spirit of God that begets and works it in people therefore as the child beareth the name of the Father so doth this of the Spirit Thus you see what is meant by sin namely the transgression of Gods Law either in omission or commission What by righteousness The observation of Gods Law in the duties of the first and second Table What by the bodie Originall corruption What by the spirit the habit of holiness or originall righteousnesse Now then the whole amounteth to this That if so bee the Lord Christ be in people then there is a death of sin in them and a life of righteousnesse Thus much is meant by the words let them be taken any way which way soever Expositors can carry them this must be the sence of them and therefore we need not spend further time in the Exposition but will fall directly upon the Doctrine which is this In whomsoever Christ is there is a death of sin and a life of righteousnesse The Point is very evident and expresse in the Text being the main matter scope and drift thereof as well as in other places of Scripture For the proving of it not to trouble you with many other Scriptures you may consider these things First The ends and the offices of Christ which the Apostle Paul expresseth Tit. 2.14 Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquitie and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works The main end of Christ is the redemption of a people from all iniquitie which implieth not onely the removal of the guilt of sin but the destroying of the bodie of sin Therefore 1 Joh. 3.8 it is said That for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devill Not onely the guilt of sin but the power and dominion of sin is the work of the Devill now therefore for this purpose saith the Text the Son of God was manifested that he might free us from the guilt yea and from the dominion and life and power of sin There is one end Another end of Christs giving himself was To purifie us therefore he must put sin to death in us for to purifie is nothing else but to purge out corruption as the fire doth work the drosse out that is in the gold Again To purifie us that we might be a peculiar people zealous of good works Where there is a zealousnesse of good works there must be a life of righteousnesse So that by that place you plainly see that the end of Christ is the putting of sin to death and bringing in the life of righteousnesse Moreover Christ was to be the second Adam and he is so called 1 Cor. 15.45 And to speak the truth the first Adam was a Type of Christ as it is Rom. 5.14 Who is the Figure or Type of him that was to come For not onely the Ceremonies amongst the Jewes were Types of Christ but even Adam in his fall in his undoing the world in his overthrowing of mankind was a Type and Figure of Christ also Onely other Types did figure out Christ by way of similitude but Adam by way of dissimilitude and contrarietie For look what Adam did the contrary to that Christ is to doe Now Adam did cause to all in whom he was as the Parent is in the child a death of righteousnesse and a life of sin Therefore the contrary the Lord Jesus Christ must work in all those in whom he is a death of sin and a life of righteousnesse Secondly this Point is also plain from the consideration of those respects in which Christ is said to be in people Those are as you heard before First in regard of his Spirit Secondly in regard of his Vertue influence and sap that is in them Now where ever these are there must be a death of sin and a life of righteousnesse For the former even as fire doth purge away drosse and rust so the holy Ghost works out corruption and puts sin to death where ever he cometh and as light expelleth darkness even so doth he expell unrighteousnesse and sin because he is the holy Spirit Again for the vertue and life of Christ you know it was the life of righteousnesse therefore whereever this is there must be a life of righteousnesse in that man Last of all the truth of this will appear from the consideration of that communion with Christ and conformitie to him that all those must have which are in Christ and Christ in them Wherein they must have a communion with and a conformitie to Christ Saint Paul sheweth Rom. 6. from the third verse to the twelfth In the third Verse he layeth down that Union by Faith which all justified persons have with the Lord Jesus and from this he inferreth a communion with him and a conformitie unto him But in what In his death and in his resurrection If we have been planted together saith he v. 5. in the likenesse of his death mark not in the same death but in the likeness thereof wee shall bee also in the likeness of his resurrection Where the Apostle declareth that like as there was in Christ a bodily death and a bodily resurrection so there is in
is that doe this and live doe it the Law it doth not accept of endeavours and of desires there is nothing that standeth with the Law but a perfect doing Hence is that same Gal. 3.10 there saith the Apostle Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them Here is the first direct property of the Law it accepteth of nothing but perfect obedience it pardoneth no failings it will admit of no imperfections but Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them The second direct property of the Law is this that it giveth Commandements but it giveth no power at all to obey the Commandements it setteth us a rule but it helpeth with no vertue no strength to walke by the rule In this respect it is that the Law is called the Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 Who hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit By the Letter there is meant the Law as by the spirit is meant the Covenant of Grace the Law is called the Letter because as the writing of Letters doth direct us and shew us a Coppy but administreth no kind of art or skill to the Scholler to follow the coppy so this is the property of the Law it prescribeth a rule but administreth no ability to walk by the rule These are the two direct properties of the Law Now in respect of these two man so long as he was in the state of innocency before his fall he was well enough I t is true the Law would pardon no faylings would accept of no imperfect obedience but man in that estate needed not to care for he had power to keep the whole Law and to observe every tittle thereof and to yeeld perfect obedience to every thing contained in it Again the Law was a meer Letter directing onely what should be done but affording no helpe for the doing of what is required man had power in himselfe God had given him it in his creation to obey the Law to write exactly after that coppy But since man is come into a state of sinne since the fall of man the Law hath by accident and by occasion of mans fall two other properties First of all that the Law doth curse every man that is under it even unto Hell this is that in the forenamed place Gal. 3.13 As many as are under the Law are cursed for cursed is every one that doth not all that is written in the book of the Law Hence it commeth to passe that the Law doth inflict damnation upon all them that are under it Hence are these names given to the Law 2 Cor. 3.6 7 9. In the 6. verse the Letter killeth that is the Law killeth us In the 7. verse it is called the ministration of death In the 9. verse it is called the ministration of condemnation all these names are given to the Law because through mans fall there is occasioned a property to the Law to kill and to destroy and to condemn Againe another property that is occasioned to the Law by sinne and by the fall of man is this that the Law doth multiply transgressions in the hearts and lives of people This is a strange thing therefore I pray observe the opening of it I say the property of the Law it is that it doth multiply transgression and sinne in the hearts of people for therefore it is that the Apostle saith Rom. 5.10 The Law entred that sinne might abound the Law doth cause the abounding of sinne there had never been so much sinne in the world if it had not been by the Law not directly but by occasion doth the Law multiply transgressions in the hearts of people The Apostle in Rom. 7.4 5. compareth the Law to a Husband the sinfull heart to a Wife that look as by the Husband the Wife commeth to bring forth children so by the Law mans corrupt heart commeth to bring forth sins If you aske how this commeth about It is thus The Law it commeth with Commandements and with prohibitions it commandeth people to doe these and these things it commandeth people to leave undone these and these things now the Law meeting with the corruption of mans heart setting a rule to that heart that will not be ruled it makes the heart to rebell and transgresse if there were no Law there would be no sinne if the Law did not command there were no sinne in not doing if the Law did not forbid there were no sinne in doing But now the Law comming to the corrupt heart bidding them doe corruption refusing to doe the Law causeth corruption to sinne The Law again comming to a corrupt heart and bidding them refraine corruption refusing causeth corruption to sinne for if there were no rule there could be no erring besides the rule Thus in these respects it is that by occasion the Law commeth to have this property to be as a Father and as a Husband multiplying transgressions in the hearts of people Gather up that which I have said and lay them together the two direct properties of the Law and the two accidentall properties of the Law occasioned by corruption and you see there are four properties of the Law So then to be under the Law it is nothing else but to be under these four properties of the Law to be in such a state and condition wherein we are liable to all these four properties of the Law Viz. First That nothing will serve our turn but perfect obedience no sinne to be pardoned no frailty to be past by no imperfection to be covered Secondly To be in such a state and condition wherein there is a great deale commanded but no power no strength communicated to enable us to doe any thing that is commanded Thirdly To be in such a state and condition wherein we are under a curse and condemnation even to the pit of hell Lastly To be in such a state and condition wherein dayly and hourly there are sinnes multiplied and brought forth in us through the corruption of our nature To be in a state that hath these four miserable properties is this to be under the Law Now let us shew you what it is to be under Grace And first what Grace is and then what it is to be under Grace I pray observe this also Grace it is nothing else but the free promise of Salvation in and by the Lord Jesus Christ This is Grace To be under grace is to be under the four properties of grace For as the Law had four properties so this grace hath four properties contrary to the Law all of them direct and proper to Grace The first propertie of Grace is this There shall be a pardon of sin the sins that are past shall be forgiven That this is in grace you may see in Jer. 31.34 For I will forgive their iniquities and
and sin they that have an overcoming and victorious faith they have this happiness You therefore that are not such labour to be such for if you are not beleevers you have no benefit by Christ it shall be to you as if Christ had never dyed Is there any thing in the world that is able to interest you in this gift but onely faith Suppose you had never so much honour will this bring you to be in the number of those for whom Christ is given Suppose you had never so much wealth and good trading health and strength of bodie and the confluence of all other outward contentments Will all this Interest you in the gift of Christ No no Christ hath not given himself for worldlings for those that are loaden with honours and carnall pleasures and profits he hath given himself for those that have faith and onely for them As ever therefore you desire to have an interest in this gift of Christ labour to have in your souls this grace of Faith Would it not do any one good to be in the number of those who are so dear unto Christ that for their sakes he gave himself There is no way to be in their number but to bee beleevers Oh therefore above all minde this to get the grace of faith it is that one thing necessary for they that are beleevers are the Persons for whom Christ hath given himself Thus I have done with the two first Parts of the Text the Action of Christ He gave himself Together with the Object thereof For us that is for beleevers Come we now to the End why Christ gave himself for beleevers And this is laid down in the latter part of the Verse That he might redeem us from all iniquitie and purifie unto himself a pecuâ—iar people zealous of good works Here are two ends of this action of Christ the one is Particularly concerning them for whom he gave himself concerning Beleevers That he might redeem them from all iniquitie The other is concerning himself that he might purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works These are the two ends of Christs giving of himself the one concerneth the good of his people the other the glory of himself Here was the end of Christs Incarnation of Christs obedience to the Law of Christs suffering and passion the glory of himself and the good of his people This was the end of all that Christ did and these two are ever joyned together in Christ mans salvation and Gods honour First of all we will begin with the first end which is all I suppose that we shall go through with at this time and that is that which concerneth beleevers that he might redeem us that is us that are beleevers from all iniquitie For the opening of the words We will shew you first of all what is meant by iniquitie and then secondly What is meant by redeeming from all iniquitie For the first What is meant by iniquitie The Word in the Original it is Transgression That he might redeem us from all transgression It is a going beside the Law a violating and breaking of the Law of God It is well translated iniquitie for it is an evill for the Law of God is onely good and therefore going beside the Law must be evill It is injurious to God dishonourable to him therefore it is called iniquitie But yet this transgression of the Law or iniquitie as it is here called it is to be taken largely not only for the act of iniquitie the act of breaking the Law but for all the consequences and for all the concomitants of it The transgression of the Law with all the Effects of it is here meant by iniquitie And therefore by iniquitie here are three things meant 1. The transgression of the Law of God that which wee commonly call sin that is meant by iniquitie Mat. 13.41 They shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them which doe iniquitie that is them that transgresse the Law of God There is one thing which is here meant by iniquitie the violation of Gods statutes the transgression of Gods Law 2. By iniquitie is meant also that which followeth upon this and that is guilt that same guilt which cleaveth to the conscience of a man upon every transgression of Gods Law This is also meant by iniquitie as you may gather from that in Hebr. 8.12 I will be mercifull to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more What is here meant by Iniquitie Not the transgression of the Law of God for God cannot but remember that ever for all things past as well as to come are present before him But by not remembring iniquity is meant this I will not charge upon them the guilt of their iniquitie I will acquit them from that judgement which by their iniquitie they are bound over to So that here by iniquitie is meant that guilt which followeth the transgression of Gods Law 3. By Iniquity is further meant all that wrath which is deserved by breaking of Gods Law that which they are bound over to by the guilt all that judgement which justly followeth the transgression of Gods Law and that is slaverie to Sathan and the vengeance of God here and hereafter This is also meant by Iniquitie all temporall spirituall and eternall wrath that righteously followeth upon the breach of Gods Law Thereupon it is that you shall finde in Act. 8.23 Peter there speaks to Simon Magus I perceive saith he that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity Observe there how they are joyned together Gall of bitterness and bond of iniquitie Why is the bond of iniquitie called the gall of bitterness Because who ever is under iniquitie they are in a gall of bitterness they are under all the wrath which from God is due justly to sinners horror of conscience slaverie to Satan and temporall and eternall vengeance Thus you see what is meant in the Text by iniquitie These three things the breaking of Gods Law the guilt which followeth upon it and all the judgements of God which followeth upon that plagues both temporall and eternall The Second thing is What is meant by redeeming them from all iniquitie What it is to redeem you are well acquainted with to redeem it is by a ransome to set a person free from that evill to which he is bound over and so it is here to be understood Christ by paying a ransome setteth free beleevers from all that miserie to which they were bound by their Iniquitie The words being thus explained the Doctrine arising from them is this That Christ gave himself for beleevers for this end that by becomming aransome for them he might set them free from all transgression of the Law of God from all guilt that followeth upon transgression and from all punishment that is due to the transgression of the Law The Doctrine you see is nothing
else but the very words of the Text explained For the proof of it you may please to consider that name that is given to Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15 47. The first man is of the earth earthie The second man is the Lord from heaven Christ here is called the second man what is the reason of it Because there is a proportion between Christ and the first Adam onely it is a proportion of unlikenesse and contrarietie not a proportion of likeness and agrement Christ is just contrary to the first man how is that The first man did bring all mankind under sin and guilt and punishment Christ he doth bring all beleevers all mankind that doe beleeve in him he bringeth them all from under sin from under guilt from under punishment Thus there is a likeness between Christ and Adam onely by way of contrarietie Christ undoing what Adam did Christ bringing our of all that miserie into which Adam brought us therefore Christ is called the Second Man the first man undid us all the Second hath made us all that are beleevers the first man hath run us into debt the Second hath redeemed us from all that miserie into which the first hath plunged us And not to prove this onely in generall you shall see it proved in all the particulars how that the Lord Christ hath been a ransome and setteth free all beleevers from all Iniquitie First of all The first thing that I told you is meant by Iniquitie it is the breaking the transgression of Gods Law Now Christ he hath set beleevers free from this iniquitie he hath delivered them from the transgression of Gods Law this is that you have in the 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as filver and gold from your vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ Observe the precious blood of Christ doth redeem beleevers from their vain conversation that is from the transgression of Gods Law from a course of disobedience and of breaking Gods Commandments I pray observe it it is a thing that the world thinks not of Christ hath redeemed beleevers from the very breaking of Gods commandments from their vain conversation It is true beleevers are not yet perfectly free from all transgression of Gods Law yet notwithstanding they are freed from a great deal which they were subject to before which none doe obtain but they that doe beleeve for howsoever they cannot but sin yet notwithstanding sin doth not raign in them though they are not delivered from the presence of sin yet they are delivered from the power of sin as you have it in Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace Sin indeed it hath a being in beleevers but yet notwithstanding it cannot so act and command them as it did formerly they doe not transgress the Law of God with resolution with love with delight the transgressions of the Law of God which they fall into they are their burthens they are their shame they are their grief they are the things that they hate and would not doe Thus I say in a great part they are for the present delivered from the first kind of iniquitie from the very violation of the Law of God and in due time they shall come perfectly to be delivered from all transgressions of Gods Law And there fore Saint Paul in Rom. 7. 24. when he cryeth our Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death that is from the power of sin that is in mee who shall deliver me from that Originall corruption whereby I am made to commit iniquitie and to transgress Gods Law He presendy subjoyneth I thanke God through jesus Christ my Lord. As if he should say I thank God Jesus Christ hath delivered me We have a title to perfect deliverance from all transgression and we have the beginnings of it in that we are now delivered from the power and raign and dominion of all sin Thus you see the first thing proved Christ hath delivered beleevers from the first kind of iniquitie that is from the transgression of the Law so that corruption doth not reign in them Secondly Christ hath also delivered them from the guilt of sin as he hath in a great part delivered them from the acting of sin This is that you have Eph. 1. 7. In whom wee have redemption through his bloud the forgiveness of our sins Where sin is forgiven there all the guilt of sin is removed by the bloud of Christ beleevers have their sins forgiven therefore the guilt of their sins is taken away so that there is no guilt of any sin committed by a beleever that lieth upon him but he is as perfectly free from the guilt of any sin whatsoever he hath committed as a man is freed from debt by a discharge from the Creditor Thirdly Christ hath also redeemed beleevers from the punishment of all iniquitie so that there is no punishment of iniquitie can fall upon any beleever See this in Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus that is to beleevers Christ hath redeemed them from the curse of the Law therefore from all punishment that belongeth to the breaking of the Law This the Apostle excellently setteth forth in Rom. 5. 18. Where as saith he by the offence of one that is the first Adam judgement came upon all men to condemnation So by the righteousnesse of one that is of Jesus Christ the free gift came upon all men to justification of life Observe it All that are in Christ they have a free gift of justification they are acquitted and discharged from all punishment of sinne whatsoever Indeed I am not of their minde that say That God never punisheth his children for sin it is an abhominable Doctrine and contrary to the whole course of the Scriptures But yet this I desire you to observe That though God punisheth beleevers for their sin yet there is no beleever that hath the punishment of sin For you must know that there is a punishment for sin and a punishment of sin the punishment of sin that beginneth in the wrath of God and endeth in eternall damnation now no beleever hath this punishment Indeed for their sins they are punished but not with a punishment of sin neither cometh their punishment from wrath neither doth it end in hell but all the punishment they have for sin is a fatherly correcton it is sueh a punishment as whereby God cleareth his justice to the world and makes it appear that he is no cockering Fathe It is such a punishment whereby they are trained fitted and educated for the Kingdome of heaven to which Christ hath redeemed them so that though God punisheth them for sin yet hee never layeth upon them the compleat punishment of sin Christ hath redeemed them from the fruit of iniquitie
of it Again it is constant not onely for a time but for ever Yea and there is a progress in it also sin still groweth weaker and the strength thereof daily more and more abateth But where is not such progress where there is not a continuance in the deaths-wound of sinne there the deaths-wound was never given to sin by the blessed spirit of Christ For howsoever Christ doth not kill the old man presently yet he killeth it cortainly and when once the deaths-wound is given it can never be recovered any more Hereby you may trie whether there be a death of sin in you however you may finde in your selves all the parts and kinds of sin and corruption the severall lusts and inclinations of the flesh rising and bubling up in you however some times particular corruptions may have a very strong hand and put forth abundance of might in you to the mastering and captivating of you so that you are for the present sold under sin as the A postle Paul speaks of himself Rom. 7. yet if there be this lessening and weakning of corruption and that universally and constantly it is most certain there is a death of sin in you Now on the other side let me shew you how you may know the life of righteousness and this will also help you the better to discover the death of sin For as yee have heard both goe together and the one helps to manifest the other Therefore I say in the next place let us consider the severall effects of the life of Righteousnesse which are these First where ever there is a life of righteousnesse there is a seeking after God and after the things of God Righteousnesse is of a divine nature and therefore it alwaies carrieth the soul wherein it is up to God from whence it came As the fire being heavenly doth alwaies move upward so righteousness because it is of God doth alwaies raise up the soul of that person in whom it is toward God Hence it is that the righteous are described to be a generation of them that seek the Lord Psal 24. and Psal 27. 8. the Psalmist professeth that he will seek the face of god People that have no life of righteousness are described Rom. 7 to be such as do not seek after God But whereever there is a life of righteousnesse there is a seeking after God God in himself God for himself God as he is accomplished with his holy excellencies and admirable Attributes and perfections God as he is take him altogether is alwaies the aim and scope end and object of the desire of that soul that is endued with the life of righteousnesse so that when he praies or receives the Sacrament or hears the word or whatsoever he doth he seeks after God in all And as he seeks after God so he seeks after the things of God the favour and mercie of God the presence and fellowship of God those glorious inheritances which are Gods and are called his because they are with him the things of the kingdome of God they are the things he seeks after that hath the life of righteousnesse in him Secondly where the life of righteousnesse is there is a sutableness of the spirit and an agreement of the heart to the whole law of God I beteech you observe this The body of righteousness is nothing else but as it were the stamp of Gods Law there is a proportion and conformitie between the one and the other therefore in whomsoever the life of righteousnesse is in his spirit there is a sutableness of disposition to the whole Law of God so that howsoever there is much antipathie and deformitie and unlikeness and disagreement from the Law of God yet notwithstanding there is something within that soul that is agreeable to the whole Law of God so that there is no particular branch nor part of the Commandment of God but it doth find a principle to which it is suted and agreeable in the heart of all them that have the life of righteousnesse in them And this I take it is the meaning of that of writing the Law of God in their hearts that is the very Law of God in all the parts of it it hath a stamp and impression and a resemblance in the spirit of all them that have the life of righteousnesse This the Apostle largely expresseth in that seventh of the Romans from the 15. Verse and so forward I consent saith he to the Law that it is good and that it is holy and just They that have the life of righteousnesse they doe not onely finde a truth and a justice in Gods Law but they doe finde a goodness a loveliness in Gods Law there is a sutableness and an agreement between their spirit and the whole Law of God not onely in some but in all particulars Those branches of Gods Law which are most contrary to their customes and naturall dispositions and inclinations they see them good they behold them amiable they finde a disposition in their souls suteable and agreeable thereunto And hence is that of David Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments There is the second thing The third Effect of this life of righteousness it is a discerning of the evill of sin The want of the life of righteousnesse is the very cause why people doe not see the evill of sin Many people doe see the evill of the consequences of sin the plagues and judgements that come for sin but they doe not see the evill of sin Take sin in its own nature as it is an unlikeness to the nature of God as it is a transgression and a going beside a swerving from the Commandment of God they doe not see any evill in sin thus But now where ever there is the life of righteousnesse there is an apprehension and feeling of the evill of sin as it is sin it self and the reason of it is cleer because that the life of righteousnesse is nothing but an impression of the Law of God upon a man therefore it must needs cause that soul in which it is to know and apprehend the Evill of the transgression of Gods Law In a word they that have the life of righteousnesse in them they doe in their hearts apprehend sin to be the greatest evill and the most bitter thing that is in the world whether it be a great sin or a small sin in regard of the matter of it whether it be a secret sin or a publike sin in regard of the circumstance however sin may differ yet they apprehend the greatest evill and bitterness to be in all sin thereupon it is that they are as truly though not as strongly shy of the least sin as of the greatest of the secretest sin as of the most publique and scandalous sin You have Saint Paul for this Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death The
hearts openly and plainly and particularly judge them by the Scriptures and observe their hearts in the course of Gods dealing with them and their dealing with God and accordingly apply the touchstone of the Scriptures I am confident by the signes and evidences of grace that are in the Scriptures people may come to discerne their own hearts not by any vertue or skill of their own but by the vertue and skill of God whose power goeth along with his Word It is true a Hypocrite may deceive the quickest-eyed Minister in the world if he will not openly lay his heart before him and therefore good Ministers oftentimes speake peace to them to whom no peace belongeth yet they speak the truth according to those evidences that are expressed to them Were not the wise virgins deceived in the foolish Was not David deceived in Achitophell Were not the Disciples deceived in Judas Yet notwithstanding as I said if people will sincerely deal with their fellow brethren and with their Minister and when God calleth upon them to try themselves if they will turne their inside outward if they will nakedly lay open the state of their own hearts so clearly as they can discerne I doubt not but the Minister of God from the word of God may speak assured peace and give them certaine evidences of the truth of grace Were not these things thus it were not possible we should ever come to assurance it were in vain that the Lord hath given us so many signes and tokens if by observing and trying we might not come to discerne the estate of our hearts Therefore for such of you as in truth find from time to time by these and the like evidences the truth of grace in you know you that there is ground of comfort for your soules And as this is ground of comfort to you that have these things so it is ground of terror to those that want them I know you are almost all frequenters of the Word speakers well of the practise of religion happily you have some reformation in you happily you have some Ministers that speak peace to you happily there is no disturbance in your consciences happily there is some kind of joy and rejoycing in you in hearing the Word c. But my brethren whatever there is that can be in you if this be not in you if there be not a death of sin and a life of righteousnesse be it known unto you that Christ is not in you neither are you in the state of grace You may go on and please your selves with dreams of a happy estate because of such and such appearances of grace yet this I assure you if the death of sin be not in you and the life of righteousnesse Christ is not in you nor never will be for you Again therefore be amazed and tremble and fear and cast away your vain hopes all you that have not found the death of sin and life of righteousnesse Be assured of what the Lord Christ speaks in John 12. The words that I speak shall judge you at the last day Be assured of this that the Lord Jesus Christ will judge your estates by these and such like tryals as these are at the last day and if you cannot be found meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light by the Ministers and Ministry of the Word faithfully dispensed from the Scriptures you shall never be found meet to bee partakers of it in the judgement of God at the last day for so as the Word judgeth God judgeth and as the Minister judgeth while he keepeth to the Scriptures the Lord Christ will judge at the last day So that you see here is Comfort for some and Terror for others Comfort for such as have a death of sin and a life of righteousness though there bee much corruption though there be much weakness of grace in you yet here is comfort for you and terror for all others whatever their morall vertues and common graces or their restraining gifts or outward profession is Well then what now remains but that in the last place we be all exhorted from the Lord to labour to increase the death of sin and life of righteousness in us They are but imperfect in the best of us let us labour to make them both more perfect to perfect the death of sin and the life of righteousness Why so Because that the death of sin and life of righteousness they are the Evidences of Christs being in us the evidences of the goodness of our estates therefore the more these are the more are our Evidences of our part in Christ and the greater will our comfort be and we shall make more sure our calling and election This is that which the Apostle Peter meaneth 2 Pet. 1. 5. Give all diligence saith he to make your valling and election sure But how is that done by making sure those things in your selves that are the tokens and signs and evidences of Gods Election How shall this be done saith the Text there adde one grace to another to your faith vertue to your vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience brotherly kindnes and to brotherly kindness love perfect your grace increase the life of righteousnesse perfect in you the death of sin increase the ruine of the old man the more you increase these things the more you increase your Evidences of your part in Christ What can you desire that is able to administer to you so much comfort to provide so good a help for you against those fears we have so long justly feared what can prepare you for those ensuing calamities that are approaching as your Evidences of a part in Christ But nothing can give you so much evidence of a part in Christ as the death of sin and life of righteousnesse Therefore I beseech you studie above all things what ever else you neglect to increase and perfect in you the death of sin and life of righteousness that so the Evidences of Christ being in you may be certain And so much for this time and Text. FINIS GRACE MAGNIFIED OR THE PRIVILEDGES OF THOSE That are under Grace By that Reverend Divine THOMAS HOOKER Late Preacher in New England TIT. 2. 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men c. LONDON Printed by G. D. for Francis Eglesfield and are to be sold at the Sign of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1651. GRACE Magnified OR The PRIVILED GES of those that are under Grace SERMON III. Rom. 6. 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace THe blessed Apostle Saint Paul having in the two former Verses exhorted the Romans to whom he wrote this Epistle that they should not let sin reign in their mortall bodie nor yeeld their members as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sin He cometh in this Verse to prevent a
to keep sinne from reigning over thee thou shalt be sure to have the victory in the end fall on thy side Thus much for the first part of the verse the promise that the Apostle makes to the people of God Sinne shall not have dominion over you Let us now come as breifly as we can to the second part of the verse and that is the ground and reason of this promise For you are not under the Law but under Grace Give me leave in a word to observe something in the generall before we come to the words themselves The Apostle had exprest a great deale of sweet incouragement to these Beleevers in that he promiseth in the name of God that sinne should not have dominion over them the ground and reason of all this is because they were not under the Law but under Grace This teacheth us thus much and I will note it in a word by the way That All the incouragement we have from God it is all of Grace It is not by workes for then it would come by the Law but it is by Grace that is of Gods free mercy of his free gift This is it that the Papists and the old Pelagians and divers other Heretiques will not give to God that all that we have for matter of incouragement is of Grace Again we may also observe another thing the ground of mercy which the Apostle here had exprest to the people of God he makes it come by Grace and not by the Law But how commeth this grace to them It commeth by Christ and by the Gospell The Lord Jesus Christ he is the meritorious cause of all this grace the Gospel that is the Revealer the Preacher of this grace the Instrument whereby God doth make known and communicate it to us In as much then as the Apostle makes the ground of all the mercy that beleevers have to be by grace and that grace commeth by Christ and the Gospel you may learn in the next place in the generall this instruction also That All the priviledges and mercies that we do enjoy they all come to us by Christ and by his Gospel So much is here included in the word Grace by Christ and by the Gospel come we to injoy all the favour and mercy from God that we doe injoy I will shew you a little in brief how that by Christ we come to injoy all the grace and favour we doe injoy See first that place in Rom. 5.18 19 20. there the Text plainly sheweth that as all our misery and all the displeasure of God came on us by one man that is by Adam so all the mercy and the favour of God with all the comforts and priviledges that we doe injoy they come to us by the second man that is by Jesus Christ you may read the place at your leasure you shall find it expresse in the Text. This is it also you shall see as plainly exprest in the first Verse of that Chapter Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also wee have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand Observe peace with God it cometh by Christ access to that grace with God wherein we stand is all by Jesus Christ And as it is thus for Christ so it is also for the Gospel whatsoever priviledges or favours from God we enjoy they are all through the Gospel 2 Thes 2.14 Whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ All our glorie cometh by Christ all this glory of Christ is partaked of us through the Gospel And hence also is that in 2 Tim. 1.10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Still you see the Gospel is made the means whereby we come to injoy those favours and priviledges from God that we doe injoy But you may object if so be all the grace and favour Gods people have had with God come by Christ and by his Gospel then how came they to enjoy it that lived before the coming of Christ and the preaching of the Gospel the Patriarchs and Fathers from Adam to Christ To this I answer that as they so many of them as were beleevers had the same grace and favour with God that we have so they also had the same Christ and the Gospel that we have Christ and the Gospel was as well made known to them as to us and by Christ and the Gospel they came to enjoy that grace with God which they had as well as we doe Hercupon it is that Christ professeth that Moses and the writings of the Prophets did bear witness of him as he speaks in Joh. 5.46 And the Apostle Saint Paul speaking of the unbeleeving Jewes layeth down the cause therof not to be a want of the revelation of Christ in the writings of Moses and the Prophets But saith he 2 Cor. 3.14 their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament and even unto this day when Moses is read the vail is upon their heart Christ and the Gospel are revealed in the Old Testament as well as in the New onely here is the difference there was a vail put over their minds that they could not see this Christ and this Gospel that was revealed in the Old Testament And therefore the same Apostle in 1 Cor. 10.3 professeth that the beleeving Jews of the Old Church did eat of the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drink For saith he they dranke of that spirituall rock that followed them and that rock was Christ They were partakers of the same Christ and of the same Gospel that we are The difference is onely this They that were before the coming of Christ they had the Law in a greater plentie and they had the Gospel in a greater scarcitie than we have They had more of the Law and lesse of the Gospel we have lesse of the Law and more of Christ and the Gospel They had not onely the Morall Law but the Judiciall Law and the Ceremoniall Law whereas we are delivered from the Judicial and Ceremoniall Law onely so far as there was in any of them a Morall Equitie And as they had more of the Law so they had lesse of the Gospel Christ indeed was preached to them but it was in Types and Figures but to us Christ is preached nakedly the Gospel indeed was revealed to them but very darkly very obscurely but now to us it is preached in an open and full manner But you will say what is the reason that God put this difference between the people of God before Christ and since I answer The Reason was this Because that before Christ the Church was in his infancie in his childhood therefore as great Heires so long
say of good seed if it be very good it prospereth in all good grounds if it thrive not in one the ground we say is naught If the physick be good and it work not kindly upon the body the body we say is naught if it work not at all we reckon that body to be desperately ill and in a dangerous estate So it is here the Word of God is this seed it is this physick if when it is plainly and powerfully discovered in the evidence and declaration of the Spirit of God it work not upon us to the mortification and purging out of the corruption of nature if it take not root in the heart and grow there and spring up to everlasting life that heart is naught and as yet such a one is in a miserable condition and never yet had any true experience of the work of grace upon him never yet found any found and saving operation of the spirit in him so long as the Word of God in the ministry of it proves ineffectuall so long doth a man continue under the power of Satan and a slave to divers lusts If Christ in his Word get not the mastery of the heart certainly that heart is in the possession of the Devill It is a place of observable Rom. 8.7 The wisedome of the flesh by flesh there is meant the corruption of nature is enmity against God and saith the Text it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can it be It is an undoubted argument of a corrupt and unregenerate heart of an ungracious and fleshly heart that is not nor cannot be subject to the power of the truth of God I doe not say but the power of the word in judgement may oftentimes awaken a man and terrifie the conscience and yet the man remain still in the state of nature and unconverted but I say it is an ill signe when the soule of a man is not able to stoop to that purity and holinesse and goodnesse that is revealed in the Word when a man cannot say with the Apostle The Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good even then when it gainsayes him in his most dearest sinne and directly crosses him in his wicked courses My brethren God is holy and his Word is holy that heart therefore that opposeth the Word and stands out against it and refuseth to give entertainment to it must needs be an unholy heart where there is a likenesse and similitude there is an agreement it is impossible for the Word of God that is pure in it selfe to find any place in an impure heart he therefore that withstandeth the Word in the powerfull ministry thereof hath just cause not onely to suspect but to conclude of himselfe that he is yet farre from the kingdome of God and that there is as much difference between God and him as is between heaven and hell Mark for this end I beseech you a passage or two in the Scripture and suffer not your selves to be deluded by Satan and your deceitfull hearts Howsoever a man may make a tush of the truth of God now and think to plead a pretended hope of mercy whatsoever the Minister saith yet see what the Spirit of God concludeth of such men as withstand the power of the Word of God in the faithfull ministry thereof Observe therefore that place in 2 Tim. 3 8. It is the description of a naughty and wicked heart As Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses so doe these men What are these men Men of corrupt mindes and reprobate concerning the faith If there be a Jannes and Jambres resisting Moses standing out against the Word of God opposing the Ministers thereof who have hearts rising up against the truth of God when it is evidently and plainly revealed by his Messengers What are these in the judgement of God They are men of corrupt mindes and reprobate concerning the faith That is they have mindes not knowing hearts not approving the good Word of God and this is the just judgement of God upon them their mindes are so besotted and their hearts so hardned that they are fo farre from doing what God requireth that they desperately resist it and take up armes against it You have another passage of the Apostle to this purpose in Phil. 3. Many saith he are the enemies of the crosse of Christ but how shall we know them whose god is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things and what is the end of these men whose end is destruction It is a clear place suffer not Satan to blind your mindes my brethren if this be the truth of God as it is most true that it is so then certainly if any man find his heart guilty of these sinnes he must know himselfe to be in the state of damnation I appeal to any mans heart here present Is not the Word of God holy Is it not a gracious word Is it not a heavenly truth doubtlesse every heart will yeeld to it that it is a good Word of God There are none so senselesse I presume that dare openly professe that they care not for the Word of God and that there is not such holinesse and such goodnesse in it as is said to be in it I dare not think that there harboureth such a thought scarce in the heart of a man that liveth in the bosome of the Church It is true my brethren it is a holy and a good and a heavenly Word What then shall we think of that soule that opposeth this holy and gracious Word must we not conclude him to be an unholy and gracelesse man must not he that opposeth this heavenly Word of God be a hellish man Certainly it must be a marvailous profane and devillish heart that must goe against that heavenly truth whereby the soules of the Saints are converted and brought to heaven and made capable of the sight of the face of God who is holinesse it selfe Let men therefore be perswaded of this truth and take this Word home with you I doubt not but there be some in this Congregation that are yet in their naturall condition that are not subject to the Law of God that if you pursue them with the power of the Word they will turn back and resist it and gainsay it such swine as our Saviour speakes of that when Pearles are thrown before them will turn back and flie in the faces of those that dispence them and all to rend them Consider of it if thy heart therefore when the Word of God commeth directly and powerfully home to thee and laves hold upon thy conscience and telleth thee these and these sinnes thou hast committed such and such hypocrisies were in thy duties and performances such wayes of holinesse and precisenesse thou must walk in and such courses of sinne you must forsake if I say thy heart gainsay this truth and thou art carryed violently against the Word Alas poor soule think of it content
is in this case as if a man were in prison for a great deal of monie and a friend of that mans should agree with his creditor that upon condition he would discharge the man and let him out of prison he would pay him the full debt If the creditour accept of this offer and the partie perform the condition the poor man is acquitted and discharged Even thus it is God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ agreed that upon Christs paying of all that which was due to God from all those for whom he paid it they should be discharged Christ he did it and so they are set free Thus you see how it cometh to passe that Christ by giving himself hath set free all beleevers from all iniquitie Lastly for the full clearing of this point consider the reasons why Christ should thus pay this price for beleevers why Christ should give himself to redeem beleevers from all iniquitie There are two reasons of it The one in respect of God the other in respect of beleevers First In respect of God Christs love to God made him doe it Beleevers they are the elect and chosen of God chosen by him to a kingdom Now to the end they might come to the kingdom to which God hath chosen them they must be redeemed from Iniquitie they cannot redeem themselves therefore they must lie there Christ out of love to God the Father that he might bring to happines those whom God hath chosen to happines he offereth himself and undertakes the work This is that you have in Hebr. 10. 5 6 7 8. the Apostle there brings in Christ speaking to God the Father When he cometh into the world that is when Christ was Incarnate he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast no pleasure Then said I lo I come in the volume of thy book it is written of me to doe thy will O God God had appointed Christ to ransome beleevers Christ knowing it to be Gods will out of his love to God willingly offereth himself to doe it so that here is the first reason in obedence to God out of love to God that he might deliver his elect and bring them to that happiness to which God hath chosen them he giveth himself to redeem them from all iniquitie The second reason is From Christs love to beleevers Beleevers as they were the chosen of God so they were the chosen of Christ The Lord Christ had a speciall affection to beleevers upon three grounds First Because they were Gods chosen and Christ loving God could not chuse but love them Secondly because they were his own chosen for he hath chosen them as well as God the Father Thirdly Because by God the Father they were given to him as hee himself saith John 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me Upon these three grounds Christ loveth beleevers now loving of them Christ could not but pitty them in their miserie therefore having it in his power he setteth himself to bring them out and so giveth himself a ransome to redeem them from all iniquitie so you have it Eph. 5.25 Husbands love your wives as Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it by the Church is meant the company of beleevers his love to them is said to be the cause of his giving himself for them Thus by these things you have seen the Doctrine cleared and opened That Christ gave himself for that end that he might become a ransome and set free beleevers from all iniquitie from the transgression of the Law and from the guilt of that transgression and from the punshment that belonged to that guilt To make now some Use of this Point and so to conclude This Doctrine my brethren is wonderfull sweet and usefull and therefore I have been somewhat the longer in the proving and explaining thereof It serveth both for Consolation Exhortation and Instruction First of all here is wonderfull sweet consolation to all you that are beleevers you that have a faith purifying your hearts a faith working by love a faith as a brestplate which preserveth in you a conjugall affection to Christ from all the aduldulteties of the world flesh and Devill you that have a faith overcomming the world to you I speak you are those happy ones for whom Christ gave himself to redeem you from all iniquitie to redeem you from the power of sin from the guilt of sin from the punishment of sin Be therefore of good comfort thou that art a beleever thou shalt certainly be delivered from all iniquitie Hath Christ given himself for this end and is not attainable It were folly in Christ to give himself for an end which is not attainable No my brethren hath Christ given himself for it and shall it not be done If this be the end for which Christ gave himself then either this end is made good or else Christ is disappointed of his end Is it possible thinkst thou for Christ to redeem thee from all iniquitie Oh yes Christ hath made the world he hath conquered hell the Devill and the grave therefore Christ can doe this If it be possible for Christ to doe it then Christ will doe it for it was the very end why he gave himself Doest thou think Christ hath been at so much cost and pains that he hath coveted thy redemption so strongly that he hath not spared himself but given himself for this end to redeem thee from all iniquitie and will not Christ effect it Oh consider it and be assured of it seeing it is the very end for which Christ gave himself the thing shall be done Thou that art a beleever thou art alreadie redeemed in a great measure from all iniquitie thou art redeemed from the power and dominion of sin thou art no longer a servant of sin thou art now a servant of righteousnesse thou art already redeemed from the guilt of all sin there is no sin God will ever charge upon thee to thy condemnation thou art already delivered from the punishment belonging to sin Oh take comfort in that redemption thou already hast and rejoyce under hope in that which is to come the time is coming and shall assuredly be when thou shalt be perfectly redeemed from all iniquitie Thou art now freed from the power of sin the time is coming in which thou shalt be freed from the presence of sin The Lord Christ he hath now so ordered it that God in his justice is tyed to deliver thee from all iniquitie for he hath paid the price therefore God must set thee free God covenanted with Christ that if he would pay the full price for the redemption of beleevers they should be discharged Christ hath paid the price God must be unjust or else hee must set thee free from all iniquitie Oh comfort thy self therefore with this What Moses once said to the children of Israel I may speak to
all those in whom Christ is a death of the bodie of sin and a resurrection in regard of the life of righteousnesse This the Apostle plainly and largely proveth in that place For the further opening of this Point you must consider that there are divers degrees both of the death of sin and of the life of righteousnesse First there is a perfect death of sin when the whole body of sin is altogether destroyed and perfectly rooted out of a man And there is an imperfect death of sin when the whole body of sin and every particular of it is in part and but in part destroyed and rooted out of a man Again on the other side there is a perfect life of righteousnesse when the whole frame of holiness is perfectly and compleatly set up in a man and an imperfect life of righteousnesse when the same frame is in every particular of it yet but imperfectly set up My brethren that I chiefly desire you should mark is this That in the imperfect death of sin and in the imperfect life of righteousnesse there is a kind of perfection in regard of the particular parts both of the body of sin and of the frame of holiness There is no part no member of the body of sin that is not destroyed and supprest onely it is destroyed but in part and not perfectly Every member I say of the body of sin doth in part suffer death Therefore the Scripture calleth it the destruction of the body Rom. 6. 6. Our old man saith the Apostle is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed It cannot be said that the old man is crucified or the body of sin destroyed if so be that every part of the old man and every member of the body of sin bee not in some measure destroyed But although every part and particular of the body of sin be destroyed yet here is no part no particular but is still alive and unsubdued even in the people of God Even in them that be in Christ there are the seeds of all corruptions to be found there are the reliques of every kind of sin there are the lustings of every fruit of the flesh and sometime one part of the body of sin sometime another part according as God is pleased to leave them for their tryall doth break out and manifest it self in them So it is also in regard of the life of righteousnesse That same imperfect life of righteousnesse hath in it every part of holinesse so that there is no grace that is not in part quickned no piece of the Image of God that is not in part stamped upon the soul Thereupon it is said That the godly have the seed of God remaining in them that they are partakers of that divine nature that they have the Law of God written in their hearts that they bear the Image of God that they be the children of God None of these things could be said of them if they had not every part and particular of grace and holines in some measure in them yet notwithstanding there is no part no particular of the body and frame of holiness perfectly in them but onely imperfectly and in degrees Thus you see what is here meant by the death of sin and the life of righteousnesse not that which is perfect for that shall never be attained to till after the death of the bodie but that which is imperfect and that is infallibly in all in whomsoever Christ is Yea and not onely one of these but joyntly both of them are imperfectly in all these that are in Christ and therefore the Apostle in the Text joyneth them both together For howsoever we will not now stand to dispute whether the life of righteousnesse be the cause or spring of the death of sin as the coming in of light is the cause of the expulsion of darknesse yet this is sure that they are alwayes inseparable and go together there is no life of righteousness where there is not a death of sin and there is no death of sin where there is not a life of righteousnesse Now then my brethren the sense and meaning of all this Point that I have thus opened and proved to you cometh to thus much That who-ever have Christ in them they have the whole body of sin in every part of it weakned and destroyed and the whole frame of holinesse and righteousnesse in every part of it begun in them though both but in part Give me leave now as briefly as I can to make application First then here you have a cleer locking-glasse wherein you may be able to judge of the faces of the state and temper of your souls I beseech you consider it well and the Lord set it home upon your hearts either you have Christ in you or you have him not in you If Christ be in you then you have this imperfect death of sin and life of righteousnesse but if you have not this then Christ is not in you Be exhorted therefore I beseech you to try your selves by this touchstone But some will say How shall I be able to know whether I have this same death of sin and life of righteousnesse in mee yea or no This is shewen already yet to help you more particularly I will shew you how you may judge of that imperfect death of sin and life of righteousnesse which is to be found in us in this world And first for the death of sin you must know that there is a great deal of difference between the restraint or the sleep of sin and this death of sin Many people deceive themselves with taking the restraining or sleep of sin for the death of sin And indeed many times a sin that is restrained or asleep may appear to others and to a mans self to be more dead then a sin that is dead indeed For this same death of sin that is to be in all those that have Christ in them is not as I said before an utter destruction a plenary and full abolishment of sin but it is onely a weakning a lessening and diminishing thereof Now a sin that is onely weakned and yet stirreth may be more manifest then a sin that is restrained or asleep and stirreth not for the present One that is shut up in a prison cannot do so much in the street as a weak and dying man that is in the streets and one that is asleep cannot doe so much as a weak and dying man that is not asleep Even thus many times sin so long as the sit of restraint or sleep lasteth doth not manifest it self so much as when it is dead with this imperfect death for then it is onely weakned and lessened in the strength of it Therefore I say it concerneth us much to know the difference And I conceive you may know it by the effects of the death of sin which are these First of all where the body of sin is lessened and weakned
there no sin can command the whole soul but howsoever it may command part of the man yet there is no part that will be wholly commanded by it This Saint Paul expresly sheweth Rom. 7. from the 15. verse to the end of the Chapter It is true saith he with my flesh that is with my unregenerate part for by flesh there he doth not mean his bodie but the naturall part both of soul and bodie I serve the law of sin but with my minde that is with the regenerate part of soul and bodie I serve the Law of God Whereever there is a death of sin there will be a part in every part of a man that will not be subjected or commanded by any sin This I take to be the meaning of that 1 joh 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and hee cannot sin because he is born of God That is so far as he is born of God that same part in him which is the seed of God the off-spring of God it cannot sin sin cannot command that though it command all the rest Thereupon it is called the divine nature and the spirit because as the Spirit and the divine nature will not be masterd by corruption so the regenerated part of a man will not be commanded by any sin whatsoever Secondly which is indeed a fruit of the former and a further expression of it where there is this death of sin there sin is never committed with full consent delight and purpose of heart They that have sin alive in them drink down iniquitie like water and draw sin unto them as it were with cart-ropes And that I conceive the Psalmist meaneth by departing wickedly from God Psal 18. 21. They that have sin dead in them imperfectly may depart from God but they doe not wickedly depart from him not with full consent content delight and purpose of heart And the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh doe minde the things of the flesh A man that hath sin dead in him may commit sin but hee doth not minde sin We may conceive what this minding is by this similitude When a woman that is with child strongly longs after something she doth minde that thing How her mind is continually upon it her ele her heart her fancis her thoughts her whole self as it were is taken up with it Thus is it with those that have sin alive in them their particular corruptions are minded by them they doe with full gale post after the satisfying their lusts They are said to make provision for the slesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14. But now they that have sin dead in them doe never commit sin with the full bent of their spirit with the full consent and delight of their will but there is ever an antipathy to the sin a with-drawing from the corruption something that doth lust against it as well as something that doth lust after it Thirdly he that hath sin dead in him is freed from many particular sins that he did formerly commit Rom. 7. 5. When we were in the flesh that is when sin was alive in us the mations of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death While sin is alive it is perfectly fruitfull but when it is dead the fruitfulness thereof is much lessened Such saith the Apostle were some of you 1 Cor. 6. 11. implying that now they were not such though formerly they had been There is in the regenerate a ceasing of many though not of all the actions of sin The power of sin in them is weakned therefore the fruitfulness of sin must needs be diminished There is a great alteration wrought in their wills and affections in their thoughts words and actions in their generall and particular calling in their duties towards God and man They do not bring forth so many fruits of sin as they were wont at least they doe now for the ordinary course of their lives refrain from bearing the fruit of such sins as are grosse or scandalous Fourthly the godly in whom sin is dead doe not onely cease bearing the fruits of grosse and scandalous sins but oftentimes though not perpetually are able to deny and forbear the committing of any particular sin even those that are most naturall to them most strong in them that are wont to catch them on a sudden and to prevail over them even those the godly have power oftentimes to resist and overcome A man that is in the flesh that hath sin alive in him is described Ephes 2. 3. to be such a one as doth fulfill the desires of the flesh and therein appeareth the life of sin when the desires of the flesh are alwaies fulfilled But now on the other side the imperfect death of sin appeareth in this that not onely some of the desires of the flesh are never fulfilled but even all the desires of the flesh are alwayes more or lesse crossed and not fulfilled And this I take to be the meaning of that Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot doe the things that you would I suppose that latter clause You cannot doe the things that you would is not onely meant of the Spirit that by the flesh the Spirit is disabled to doe the things that it would but it is also meant of the flesh that by reason of the Spirit the flesh cannot doe the things it would that look as sometimes the remnants of the flesh doe hinder the Spirit that it cannot doe as it would so also the beginnings of the Spirit do hinder the flesh that in nothing it is able to do the things it would This is a fourth Effect whereby the weakning of corruption doth appear That sin is not able to work in us that which it would no not in any particular whatsoever but in those sins that are most naturall many times there is a denying of them and a forbearing to commit them and to fulfill the desires of them Now to these you must in the last place add that which is a propertie accompanying all of them and is the last particular whereby the death of sin appeareth and that is That this same weakning and lessening of corruption discovered in these Effects that I have opened unto you is both universall and also durable and permanent First it is universall there is not onely a weakning and lessening of corruption in some parts but in all And herein it differeth from all counterfeit death of sin in which there may be a weakning of some sins yet not of all but though some happily be weaker then they were others are as strong as ever But where-ever this death of sin is indeed there sin is universally weakned and this also will appear in all the particulars and parts
discouragement which of all others is the greatest hinderer of our endeavours after holinesse and might happily dis-hearten these Romans from yeelding obedience to this exhortation for they might think with themselves that it was impossible for them to keep sin from reigning in them and therefore it was in vain for them to indeavour to doe what he had exhorted them unto To prevent this discouragement the Apostle in this Verse that I have read unto you annexeth a promise to that his Exhortation and in the name of God asâ—ureth them that they shall attain to that which he had commanded them to labour for He had exhorted them that they should not let sin reign in them and here he promiseth that sin shall not reign over them Before I come to speak of the words as they stand alone by themselves let me observe one thing briefly from the coherence of them with the words going before and that shall be onely this That God commandeth his children to doe nothing but he promiseth to make them able to perform it Whatsoever God hath bid his people doe he hath promised that his people shall doe it It is a Point clear and evident from the Text the Lord here commandeth them that they should not let sin reign in them and here he also promiseth that sin shall not reign over them It is as evident in other places of Scripture I might give you divers instances thereof but that I onely purpose to touch this Point and no more because you see I gather it from the Coherence yet I will name you one or two for the fuller clearing thereof God commandeth his people to fear his name as you have it often in the Scripture and in Jer. 32.39 he promiseth to give them a heart to fear him I will give them saith he there one heart that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and their children after them The Lord commandeth his people to love him to set their hearts upon him My son give me thy heart as you have it in the Proverbs And the Lord promiseth that he will make them set their hearts upon him Hosea 2.14 I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably to her the word is I will speak to her heart as it is in some of the Margents of your Bibles It is a metaphor alluding to the manner of a man that having a desire to have the conjugall affection of such a maid doth so set himself to allure her and draw her as to bring her heart for to love him so faith the Lord as I have commanded my people to give me their heart I will allure them and speak to their heart so as I will make them set their hearts upon me I need not give you any further instances you see the point is cleare and directly issueth from the coherence of the Text with the foregoing words and by these places and the like you may see the truth of the Doctrine viz. Gods gracious manner of dealing with his Children that he pmiseth to make them able to doe whatsoever it is that he commandeth them to doe And this my brethren is the difference between the Covenant of workes and of grace between the Law and the Gospel In the Law which is the Covenant of workes the Lord commandeth many things but promiseth to helpe them in nothing In the Covenant of grace which is the Gospel the Lord commandeth nothing but he promiseth to make them able to doe it If you aske me the ground or reason of Gods dealing thus with his Children I answer there is a double reason of it The first is Because it is Gods purpose that his children shall obey in some measure all his Commandements It is the purpose of God he hath decreed it from all eternity that his people shall obey his Law not perfectly for that they have done onely in Christ their Head their Husband their Undertaker not legally for that is impossible considering their infirmities but evangelically in uprightnesse though not in perfection In truth though not in measure and degree This the Lord hath decreed from all eternity that his people shall keep his Commandements as you see it promised in Ezek. 36.17 They shall walk in my statutes and keepe my judgements and doe them Now Gods promises they are nothing else but the expression of his eternall purpose to his children so that whatsoever God hath promised to his children that he hath from all eternity purposed to his children God therefore having purposed this that his children shall keep his Commandements in an Evangelicall manner he must make them able to doe it for except God helpe them to performe what he requireth it is not in their power to doe it In regard of obedience to Gods Commandements Gods children are as the world was before it was made when it was nothing there was no power in the world to have a Sunne or Moone to have a Sea or Firmament to have men or beasts because the world was nothing So there is no power in Gods children to obey any Commandement for in regard of obedience to God they are as nothing they are dead in trespasses and sinnes therefore they are said to be created of God unto good workes implying that before they were nothing If therefore God will have it done God must give them a power to doe it Indeed it is true they ought to doe it though they cannot for they had a power once in Adam therefore God may justly require it of them yet they cannot doe it for they are nothing Here is then the first Reason why God hath promised to enable him to doe all that he hath commanded because he hath purposed and resolved that they shall obey him and without his ability they cannot obey him for they are dead in sinnes and trespasses The second Reason is Because God hath for divers wise ends decreed that all the obedience of his children shall come from Christ and by Faith This is expresse in the Scripture to the end that no man might glory in himselfe but that all glorying might be in Christ God hath decreed this that no obedience shall be wrought by any that is acceptable but what shall come from Christ by Faith Now if it come from Christ by Faith then it must come by a promise for there is nothing the object of faith but a promise and a divine promise To the end therefore they may have a promise God hath promised to enable them to all he commandeth that so they by faith resting upon this promise they might come to this obedience by faith and so may have nothing to glory in themselves Here are the two Reasons of the point And so you see the observation cleare that God commandeth his people nothing but he promiseth to make them able to performe it There is onely this caution to be added that howsoever God promiseth to enable his people
obey it they grieve when they cannot obey it now this according to the Gospel is counted obedience Thus Christ hath delivered us from the Law as it did occasion sin to reign in us Again secondly Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the Law for Christ having satisfied the justice and wrath of God for our transgressing the Law the Law can have no force to curse us Here is the first reason why sin cannot have dominion over Gods people Because Christ hath satisfied God for the sins of his people redeeming them from under the Law Secondly Because all that are Christs people must be like unto Christ Thereupon it is that the children of God are said to put on Christ they are said to live the life of Christ to be the members of Christ to be the brethren of Christ the branches of Christ All these Metaphors are to shew us that there is a likeness between Christ and all that are his people Now as they are to be like Christ in other things so in these two things First sin had no dominion over Christ it never Lorded over him to obedience Secondly Death and damnation never had power over Christ First sin had no dominion no power over him Christ indeed was oft tempted to sin but he never obeyed sin The world set it self to insnare him the Devill set himself to draw him into sin but neither world nor Devill could never have any power over him to bring him under sin Indeed Christ was under the guilt of sin for hee bore our transgressions but Christ was never under the reign of sin sin had never any power over him to make him obey it In this must all the people of God be like unto Christ that as sin had no power of Christ to make him obey it so sin must have no power over any of Gods people to make them obey it Now there is a double obedience The one is when as sin is obeyed at all the other is when as sin is obeyed with full consent of the will The first when sin is obeyed at all though it be with grief and opposition from this obedience of sin shall the people of God be delivered in due time in the world to come after death then they shall be perfectly like Christ when they shall be perfectly freed from doing the commands of sin But from that other obedience of sin to obey it with full consent of will as a child doth the father as a subject doth the law and commands of his Soveraign from this obedience of sin Christ delivereth his people in this world and so in part they are made like unto him in this life while they are freed from the reign of sin so that though sin captive them yet sin doth not Lord it over them neither doe they obey sin fully with consent as a Subject his Soveraign Again secondly death had no power over Christ Rom. 6. 9. Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him The Lord Christ indeed was once seized upon by death he was once under the power of a temporall death but he being once raised from death death now never can reach Christ any more In this also must all Gods people be like unto Christ Indeed it is true once death and damnation had dominion over us we were under the guilt and sentence of condemnation as Christ was once under death but as Christ once being delivered from death death never after had dominion over him so all that are the people of God being by Christ delivered from the sentence of damnation it shall never come to have dominion over them Once they were under the power of sin to damnation but now by Christ they are delivered from it death hath no more dominion over them howsoever a bodily death prevaileth so far as to part body and soul for a while yet not so as to expose them to damnation To the end therefore that there may be a proportion between the root and the branches between the head and the members between the elder brother and the rest of the brethren between Christ and the people of God hence it cometh of necessitie that sin must not have dominion over any of Gods people To apply this Point now thus opened and cleared It serveth first for Instruction to teach us the falsenesse of that Position that is in the world That all men are sinners alike that there is no difference between sinners in the world When any of Gods Children come to a wicked man a drunkard a whoremaster a swearer c. and tells him of his sin saith he presently we are all sinners alike I have my vice and you have your vice one man hath one sin and another man another but sinners we are all alike This is a damnable opinion and a mark and brand of a wretched person But now this Doctrine teacheth us that howsoever it is true that Gods people and others are all sinners and alike by nature yet there is a great deal of difference between Gods people that are under sin and the unregenerate man Indeed Gods children they are under sin but mark it they are not under the dominion of sin thou art under the dominion of sin but they are not under that There is the difference we are all sinners but we are not all alike sinners We that are the people of God are under the guilt and power of some sins but yet we are not under the dominion of any sin Sin hath neither dominion over us to rule us as a Soveraign doth his subjects nor to damn us as it shall doe them that are not in Christ But as for thee that art a carnall wretch thou art under the dominion of sin thou doest obey sin in the lusts thereof if sinne bid thee doe a thing thou doest it and doest it withall thy heart and so as thou art under the reign of sinne so thou art under the damnation of sinne except by faith and repentance thou commeth out of this condition Therefore learn that there is a difference between the people of God and the men of the world we are all under sinne but not under the dominion of sinne as the world is Secondly The second Use is for Consolation and it is a point of wonderfull comfort to all the people of God I doe not speake now to them that are unregenerated that are Aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel strangers to the Covenant of promise that are without Christ and God in the world this is childrens bread and it belongeth not to such dogs as they are But I speak this to all that are in the Covenant to all that are borne againe And that you may know to whom I speak take this one signe such of you as are as truly burthened with the presence of sinne as with the guilt of sinne such of you as are as truly offended with the filth of sinne as
thou finde that God commandeth thee much and thou doest little but yet thou art in a condition wherein the Lord hath promised so thou wilt use the means and trust upon him to make thee able in an acceptable manner to doe all that he biddeth thee doe Doth the Law threaten doth the Law curse yet thou art in a condition wherein neither the threatning nor curse of the Law shall ever reach thee to condemnation Findest thou mighty rebellions in thy nature against the Law of God yet thou art in a condition wherein is promised a new nature which shall be made conformable and subjected to the Law of God What should make thee therefore hang down thy head Sharply are such Christians to be reproved that being in Christ lead lives as if they were out of Christ Doest not thou make the world to thinke that that is false which Christ saith That his yoke is easie and his burthen light If Christs yoke be easie and his burthen light why is it saith the world that the servants of Christ walk so disconsolately and complain of heavie burthens You shall find an exhortation of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 6.1 We beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain There is a double receiving of Gods grace in vain The one is when as Gods grace is offered and preached to people and out of love to the world and to their sins they slight it and will not receive it Another receiving the grace of God in vain it is when as people have entertained the grace of God and have entred into Covenant with Christ and yet notwithstanding doe not take the comforts that the grace of God affordeth them This is also a receiving the grace of God in vain This is thy case whoever thou art that art a beleever and yet notwithstanding doest not make melodie in thy heart and triumph over thy enemies What have the redeemed of the Lord to doe but to praise the Lord What have the members of Christ to doe but to rejoyce in Christ Doe you thinke when the Lord giveth that Commandement Phil 4. Rejoyce alwaies in the Lord and again I say rejoyce he doth not bid them rejoyce in riches in friends in honours in pleasures c. this is worldly this is damuable but he biddeth us rejoyce in the Lord in the priviledges we have by Christ through the New Covenant of Grace he biddeth us rejoyce and always rejoyce Do you thinke I say when God gave you that Commandment he had forgotten the state in which he left you that he had left you under the power of many sins subject to many failings unable to perfect obedience Doe you thinke I say again that God forgot the condition wherein he left you No God knew well enough what state he left you in that you are as Israel mingled with the Canaanites and yet he biddeth you to rejoyce why so There is ground enough for your rejoyceing because you are not under the Law but under grace and if under grace surely there is ground enough for your rejoycing notwithstanding all your failings Consider therefore then my brethren I beseech you doe not you receive the grace of God in vain doe not you slight as it were and not make use of the grace of God which thus administreth matter of rejoycing in all conditions to you that are in Christ when as you walke so lumpishly because of sin formerly committed or because of corruptions that for the present lie upon you Indeed I deny not but it becommeth Christians to mourn and they that doe not mourn shall never rejoyce in the day of judgement and the people of God are mourners in Zion Yet what kind of mourning There is a double sorrow A godly sorrow and a worldly sorrow A godly sorrow is this when as a soul melteth into tears upon the consideration of his sins and wants because he beleeveth that God through Christ will accept him notwithstanding them all this sorrow the more of it the better this sorrow melloweth the heart softneth the heart makes it frameable to the impressions of the word of God But now the other sorrow which is a worldly sorrow when as a soul is beaten out of heart because of sin formerly committed because of mighty corruptions that doe annoy him to mourn without hope and confidence of acceptance this is worldly sorrow and causeth death this is altogether unbeseeming Christians Receive now this sharp reprehension and be humbled for it and labour to remember your condition You are not come to mount Sinai but to mount Zion You are not under the Law but under Grace Therefore rejoyce in the Lord alwaies and be so cheerfull that the world may see that the service of Christ is a sweet service Here is the second Use The third is for Instruction to them that are not in Christ to such of you as remaine yet in your naturall estate The condition of them that are in Christ is this they are not under the Law but under Grace Thy condition who art not yet in Christ is just the contrary thou art not under grace but under the Law There are none that doe more assume to themselves the priviledges of grace then they that are not under grace You shall have your profane Wretch your painted Civillian your formall Hypocrite men that are dead in trespasses and sinnes that are servants to sinne while with full consent they obey sinne in the lusts thereof yet you shall have these challenge to themselves the priviledges of the Covenant of grace you shall have one swear an Oath and when he hath done say God forgive me you shall have another say I am a great sinner but I hope God will be mercifull to me Another I cannot keep the Commandements but I hope God will accept me thus these wretches that are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity they claime the priviledges of grace But I would have them know so many of you as have no evidences that you are translated out of the state of nature and ingrafted into Christ by his holy Spirit that you are not under grace but under the Law What is that You are in such a condition wherein nothing but perfect obedience shall stand you in stead If you pray as well as you can yet if you doe not pray as perfectly as God commanded in the Law you shall never be heard If you keep all the Commandements of God and faile but in one yet you shall be damned there is no accepting of imperfect obedience of you because you are not under Christ but under the Law And I tell thee this the Saints of God shall commit greater sinnes and goe to Heaven when thou lesser and goe to Hell Peter forsweareth his Master with an Oath and Curse and yet he is pardoned thou shalt not sweare and curse or deny Christ for the ordinary matter and shalt be damned Saul yeeldeth God imperfect
Abraham That man that not onely enjoyeth the Priviledges of the Church but yeeldeth the obedience of faith according to the Word of God revealed and walketh in obedience that man alone shall be blessed with faithfull Abraham Two points may be hence raised but I shall hardly handle them both therefore I will passe over the first onely with a touch and that lieth closely couched in the Text That Faith causeth fruitfulness in the hearts and lives of those in whom it is Mark what I say A faithfull man is a fruitfull man Faith inableth a man to be doing Ask the Question By what power was it whereby Abraham was inabled to yeeld obedience to the Lord The Text answereth you They that walke in the footsteps not of Abraham but in the footsteps of the faith of Abraham A man would have thought the Text should have run thus They that walk in the footsteps of Abraham that is true too but the Apostle had another end therefore he saith They that walk in the footsteps of the faith of Abraham implying that it was the grace of faith that God bestowed on Abraham that quickned and inabled him to every duty that God required of him and called him to the performance of So that I say the Question being Whence came it that Abraham was so fruitfull a Christian what inabled him to do and to suffer what he did Surely it was faith that was the cause that produced such Effects that helped him to perform such actions The Point then you see is evident Faith is it that causoth fruit Hence it is that of almost all the actions that a Christian haah to doe faith is still said to be the worker If a man pray as he should it is the prayer of faith Jam. 5.15 If a man obey as he should it is the obedience of faith Rom. 16.26 If a man war in the Church militant it is the fight of faith 1 Tim. 6.12 2 Tim. 4.7 If a man live as a Christian and holy man he liveth by fasth Gal. 2.20 Nay shall I say yet more if he die as he ought he dieth by faith Heb. 11.13 These all died in faith What is that by the power of faith that directed and ordered them in the course of their death furnished them with grounds and principles of aflurance of the love of God made them carry themselves patiently in death I can say no more but with the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether yee bee in the faith Why doth not the Apostle say Examine whether faith be in you but whether yee bee in the faith His meaning is that as a man is said to be in drinke or to be in love or to bee in passion that is under the command of drinke or love or passion so the whole man must be under the command of faith as you shall see more afterwards If he pray faith must indite his prayer If he obey faith must work If hee live it is faith that must quicken him and if he die it is faith that must order him in death And wheresoever faith is it will doe wonders in the soul of that man where it is it cannot be idle it will have footsteps it sets the whole man on work it moveth feet and hands and cies and all parts of the bodie Mark how the Apostle disputeth 2 Cor 4.13 We having the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeved and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore speak The faith of the Apostle which he had in his heart set his tongue a going If a man have faith within it will break forth at his mouth This shall suffice for the proof of the point I thought to have pressed it further but if I should I see the time would prevent me The Use therefore in a word is this If this be so then it falleth soul and is a heavie Bill of Indictment against many that live in the bosome of the Church Go thy wayes home and read but this Text and consider seriously but this one thing in it That whosoever is the son of Abraham hath faith and whosoever hath faith is a walker is a worker by the footsteps of faith you may see where faith hath been Will not this then I say fall marvellous heavie upon many souls that live in the bosome of the Church who are confident and put it out of all Question that they are true beleevers and make no doubt but that they have faith But look to it wheresoever faith is it is fruitfull If thou art fruitlesse say what thou wilt thou hast no faith at all Alas these idle Drones these idle Christians the Church is too too full of them Men are continually hearing and yet remain fruitless and unprofitable whereas if there were more faith in the world we should have more work done in the world faith would set feet and hands and eies and all on work Men go under the name of professors but alas they are but Pictures they stir not a whit Mark Where you found them in the beginning of the yeer there you shall find them in the end of the yeer as profane as worldly as loose in their conversations as formall in dutie as ever And is this faith Oh faith would work other matters and provoke a soul to other passages then these But you wil say May not a man have faith and not that fruit you speak of May not a man have a good heart to God-ward although he cannot find that abilitie in matter of fruitfulnesse My brethren be not deceived Such an opinion is a meer delusion of Satan whereever faith is it bringeth Christ into the soul Mark that Whosoever beleeveth Christ dwelleth in his heart by faith Eph. 3.17 And If Christ be in you saith the Apostle the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you that is Whosoever beleeveth in the Lord Jesus Christ dwels in such a man by faith now if Christ be in the soul the bodie cannot be dead but a man is alive and quick and active to holy duties ready and willing and cheerfull in the performance of whatsoever God requireth Christ is not a dead Saviour nor the Spirit a dead Spirit The second Adam is made a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 And wherever the Spirit is it works Effects suteable to it The Spirit is a Spirit of puritie a spirit of zeal c. and where it is it maketh pure and zealous c. When a man will say he hath faith and in the mean time can be content to be idle and unfruitfull in the work of the Lord can bee content to be a dead Christian let him know that his case is marvellously fearfull For if faith were in him indeed it would appear yee cannot keep your good hearts to your selves where ever fire is it will burn and where ever faith is it cannot be
further then God is pleased by a mightie hand to break open the heart of a man and to enlighten it whether he will or no as a man may say 2 Tim. 3 6 7. this is observed to be the main cause why men are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth They are very good Churchmen as they say often in the Church alwaies hearing and yet notwithstanding remain as poor ignorant silly sots in the main things of life and salvation as if they had lived all their dayes in the West-Indies What is the reason and ground of this The Apostle complaineth there of a certain company of widdows that were ever learning certainly then you would thinke that they were good Schollars no that they were not What was the cause what alwaies learning up early and down late and yet never come to the knowledge of the truth What is the cause The Apostle telleth you in the sixt verse They are laden with sins and led about with divers lusts And vers 8. They are of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith or as it is in the Margent of your Bibles of no judgement concerning the faith Mark like unto these carnall hearted widdows there is a sort of men in the Church of God that carry the cloak of profession upon them and will run to every Lecture and take hold of every occasion to hear a Sermon and yet alas know nothing but are as silly and ignorant in the main grounds of Religion as blind in the things of God as any in the world Will you know the reason why they thrive not Observe it They are laden with lusts and led about with divers pleasures their hearts cleave close to some corruption they harbour some bosome lust in their souls they have a form of godliness but they take not up the power of Religion because it would remove and dis-place those lusts that they love so well I beseech you observe that place Isa 6.9 10. When the Lord had a purpose to overthrow the people and to bring a desolation upon them for their obstinacie he biddeth the Prophet go and preach to them but to what purpose Not to doe them any good for he would not save them Well what course then must the Prophet take Goe saith God and tell this people Hear ye indeed but understand not and see yee indeed but perceive not Make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavie and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and hear with their cares and understand with their heart and convert and bee healed I beseech you observe this Text If they did see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand 〈…〉 God would heal them But God in his just judgement will not have them see nor hear nor understand that they might not convert and be healed and he will accomplish this work by the Ministerie of the Prophet and therefore he sendeth him to harden them by his preaching and how Make their hearts fat and then as it followeth their ears will be heavie and their eies will be shut Now observe what makes an heart fat First continuall glutting of ones self with diet with immoderate eating and drinking and then secondly continuall idenesse these two make men fat Just so it is with the soul of a sinner When as the heart of a man cleaveth to a corruption when as a mans affections are glued unto it so that he takes delight in it let it be what lust so ever it will be you shall ever finde him feeding upon it The proud man continually feeds himself upon his pride his minde is ever taken up with the thoughts of this or that fashion with this or that way of attiring and adorning himself The Adulterer is still feeding on the pleasures of his lust alwaies contemplating on those cursed delights The covetous man meet him where you will assoon as he is up in a morning presently he is talking of buying and selling of bargaining and match-making So the drunkard and the rest of sinners the meat is never out of their mouthes their hearts are continually set upon those sinfull corruptions to which they are addicted And withall mark as there must bee feeding so there must be resting for daily exercise and labour spendeth a man and therefore we know those that will feed any creature fat put it up So when a man is resolved to contiune in that course wherein he is is setled on his lees hath set up his staffe he will go no further but there he will stay such a mans heart is fat and what followeth his eyes will be blind Whatsoever shall come from the Minister to thwart that sinfull disposition of his to crosse that lust which lieth in his bosome any way to disease him or stir him off his dregs though it be never so clear and plain and delivered with never so much evidence and demonstration of the Spirit of God it self yet he cares not for it he is resolved to do what he pleaseth and to take his own course let them all say what they will Hence it cometh to passe that in these daies of light wherein the means of knowledge run through the greatest part of the land and abound as the rivers from the sea and yet men remain stark blind in the mysteries of salvation and altogether unreformed in their lives Doe but observe a little the temper of mens spirits and you shall finde it generally to be this Those truths out of the word of God which they conceive to crosse their quiet and disturbe their peace they will not indure Their heart is resolved to be at peace and at libertie come what come will and therefore whatsoever truth it be that causeth any disquietness or disturbance in them away with it Oh say they I will have none of that I have done with that point Surely it is no marvell that such men are not informed seeing they have shut their eies and will not see Oh say they I see no reason for this I understand not why I may not doc such and such a thing Yea you will not understand it you will not be informed because it will trouble and disquiet your hearts There is many a man my brethren who if he might have his libertie in sinfull courses allowed him and might injoy his credit and contentment and ease in the world together with the Gospel would take up many truths that are now despised by him but the main ground of his contempt lies here he must have his sin he will take his libertie he will enjoy himself what ever is said to the contrary And hence it is that God in his just judgement seeing that such men will not entertain the truth in the â—ove thereof that they might be saved they should be given up to strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie that they all might be damned who beleeved not the