this cursed thing Sin For which though he graciously for the sake of these sufferings of Christ pardon the guilt of it to his people and hear their Prayers yet will needs take vengeance on their inventions Psal 99.8 be they never so seriously holy and eminently serviceable to him and to their generation according to his will whereof Moses the Man of God is a most memorable instance That Ancient conceived rightly of the nature of sin who said That if he behoved necessarily either to commit the least sin or go to Hell to be tormented there eternally he would rather wish to desire to go to Hell if he could be there without sin Secondly Concerning the severity of Divine Justice in punishing sin whereof its punishment in the Person of the Son of God at such a rate is one of the greatest clearest and most convincing evidences imaginable to whom he would not abate one farthing of the Elects debt but did with holy and spotless severity exact the whole of it And though he was the Fathers Fellow yet he would needs have him smitten with the awakened Sword of sin-revenging Justice and Wrath Zech. 13.7 As if all the executions that had heed done in the earth on men for sin as on the old World of the ungodly drowned by the Deludge On the miscreant Inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah and of these other Cities upon whom he showered down liquid flames of fire and brimstone even somewhat of Hell in a manner out of Heaven Coelum pluebat Gehennam burning them quick and frying them to death in their own skins On Core Dathan and Abiram and their associats upon whom the earth opened and swallowed them up in a most stupendious manner alive the rest being consumed by fire sent down from Heaven On the one hundred eighty five thousand men of Senacheribs Army all slain in one night by an Angel And on the Israelites who by many and various plagues were wasted and worn out to the number of six hundred thousand fighting men in the short space of fourty years Reflections on which made Moses a witness of all with astonishment to cry out Psal 90.11 Who knows the power of thy anger As if I say all these terrible executions of Justice had been done by a Sword asleep or in the Scabbard in comparison of the execution it did on Jesus Christ the Elects Cautioner against whom it awakened was unsheathed forbished and made to glitter So that we may say had all the Sons and Daughters of Adam without the exception of so much as one been eternally destroyed it would not have been a greater demonstration of the severity of the Justice of God in punishing sin Thirdly Concerning the greatness incomprehensible vastness and unparalellableness of the love of God to the Elect World which he so loved O wonderful so Eternity will but be sufficient to unfold all that is infolded in that mysterious so an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hath not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ita that hath not a sicut a so that hath not an as That he gave his only begotten Son to suffer all these things Joh. 3.16 and to be thus dealt with for them And of the Mediator who was content Phil. 2.6 7 8. Isa 53.3 5 though thinking it no robbery to be equal with God to empty himself and be of no reputation to take on him the shape of a servant to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with griâ—f to be chastized smitten wounded and bruised for their iniquities To step off the throne of his declarative Glory oâ— of his Glory manifested to the Creatures and in a manner to creep on the Foot-stool thereof in the capacity of a Worm and to become obedient even unto the death the shameful and cursed death of the Cross This is indeed matchless and marvellous love Joh. 15.13 Greater then which no man hâ—th to lay down his life for his friends But he being God-man laid down his life for his enemies that he might make them friends Rom. 5.10 Eph. 39 10 O! the hight and depth the breadâ—h and length of the love of Christ whereof when all that can be said is said this must needs be said that it 's a love that passeth not only expression but knowledge its dimensions being altogether unmeasurable So that we may say if it had seemed good to the Lord and been compatible with his spotless Justice and with his infinite Wisdome as Supream Rector and Governour of the World giving a Law to his Creatures to have pardoned the sins of the Elect in the absoluteneâ—s of his dominion that knows no boundary but what the other Divine attributes set to it without any intervenient satisfaction to his Justice at all which needs not to be debated here especially since God hath determined and in the Scriptures of truth made publication of his determination that he will not pardon sin without a satisfaction and particularly without this satisfaction made by Jesus Christ It would not have been a greater and more glorious demonstration of the freeness and riches of his love then he hath given in pardoning them through the intervention of so difficult and toilsome of so chargeable and costly a satisfaction as is the sad sufferings and the sore soul-travel of his own dear Son Who yet is pleased to account sinners coming to him and getting good of him satisfaction for all that soul-travel And indeed which of these is the greatest wonder and demonstration of his love whether that he should have undergone such soul-travel for sinners or that he should account their getting good of it satisfaction to him for the same is not easie to determine but sure both in conjunction together make a wonder passing great even a most wonderful demonstration of love Fourthly Concerning what dreadful measure all they may look for who have heard of these sufferings of Christ and make not conscience in his own way to improve them for their being reconciled to God thereby and whose bond to Justice will be found still standing over their heads uncancelled in their own name as proper debters without a Cautioner When the innocent Son of God who had never done wrong Isa 53.9 and in whose mouth no guile was ever found having but become Surety for the Elects debt was thus hotly pursued and hardly handled and put through sad soul-trouble to cry What shâ—ll I say Joh. 12.27 And falling a-groof on the ground with the tear in his eye in much sorrow and heaviness even to death and in a great agony causing a sweat of blood though in a cold night and lying on the earth conditionally to pray for the passing of that Cup from him and for his being saved from that hour So formidable was it to his holy Humane Nature which had a sinless aversation from and an innocent horrour at what threatned ruine and destruction to it self simply considered And which
fancy to be Faith for either this Doctrine is not true that where-ever the Gospel comes it meets with Unbelief in most part of its Hearers and cannot be applyed to this Generation or that there is much Faith in this Generation that we live in that will not be counted Saving Faith If all of you were Believers there were no ground for this Complaint and if we will take Folks on their own word we can hardly get a Person but will say he Believes so that the generality of Mens Hearts run quite contrary to this Truth and therefore we say it is the scope of this Doctrine and the like to give Folks the alarm and to put them to suspect and try themselves I do not mean that any should cast the work of Faith where it is indeed for that is also a part of our Unbelief and ordinarily when Unbelief falleth on the one side the Devil maketh it up on the other and makes tender Souls question their Faith when they begin to Believe as if they could mend Unbelief with Unbelief but it is to such that we speak who cannot be brought to suspect their Faith certainly ye will wonder one day that ye should have heard such a plain Truth and yet would not so much as ask your own Hearts whether there was reason to suspect your want of Faith as it 's said that Christ marvelled at their Unbelief who heard Him so may we at yours and who ere long ye shall also marvel at your selves on this account Before we prosecute this Use and the rest any further we shall speak to another Doctrine and it is the last that follows from these words tending to the same scope to make us scar at Unbelief which the Prophet makes such a heavy ground of Complaint The Doctrine then is That if there were never so many under Unbelief and never so many who refuse to receive Jesus Christ yet Unbelief is a Sin and a most sinful Sin which though Folks had no more will seclude them from Heaven there were no ground for this Complaint if it were not so even as the Prophet would have had no ground to complain of the Peoples Unbelief if there were not many Unbelievers so Unbelief is a very great Sin in whomsoever it is and makes them exceeding sinful Or take the Doctrine thus It is a very great Sin for a People to whom Christ is offered in this Gospel not to receive Him and rest upon Him for Salvation as He is offered to them therein and it ariseth from this ground That where Christ is not received there the Ministers of the Gospel have ground of Complaint for it supposes a great defect in their Duty seing it is their Duty to Believe yea the great Gospel duty on which all other Duties hang and which is called for by many tyes and obligations This is his commandment saith John in his first Epistle chap. 3.23 that ye believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ therefore it must be a great Sin not to Believe There are shortly three things comprehended in this Doctrine speaking now of Unbelief not only as opposite to Historical Faith which we commonly call Infidelity but as it 's opposite to Saving Faith which we shew is that which is called for here 1. That Unbelief or not receiving of Christ is a Sin or a thing in its own nature sinful It 's a Sin as well as Adultery Murther Stealing Lying Sabbath-breaking c. are yea and in the Aggravations of it a Sin beyond these it is as contrary to the Word and Will of God and is as contrary to the Divine Majesty as Drunkenness Murther Adultery or any other Sin is the positive command of Believing being as peremptory plain and particular as these negative ones are the breach of it must be as sinful 2. That there is such a kind of Sin as Unbelief beside other Sins and such a distinct Duty as Believing that if Folks could do all other Duties if this Duty of Believing be wanting they will be still sinful and there will be still ground of Complaint and if Faith be a particular Duty required and distinct from other Duties and Graces as it 's clear it is Gal. 5.21 then Unbelief must be a particular Sin distinct from other Sins though it hath influence on other Sins as Faith hath on other Duties so Rev. 21.8 it 's ranked among the most abominable Sins the reason why we mark this is because there may be some in whom some gross Sins as Adultery Blood-shed and the like do reign and they get that name to be called Adulterers Murtherers c. others may possibly be free of these who yet have Unbelief reigning in them and therefore they get that name to be called Unbelieving and are ranked with the grossest of Evil-doers 3. That even many in the Times wherein the Scriptures were written and in every Age since are found guilty of this Sin and condemned for it who are as to several other things commended hence it 's said Rom. 10.3 of the Jews that they had a zeal of God which in it self is good though not according to knowledge yet it was their main lett and obstruction in the way to Life that being ignorant of God's righteousness they went about to establish their own for as much zeal as they had for the Law of Moses seing they did not receive Jesus Christ and His Righteousness by Faith it made any other good thing they had unacceptable and the reason why we mark this is that Folks may see that it is not only for gross Sins and with gross Sinners that the Gospel complains and expostulats but it 's also for not submitting unto and not receiving the Righteousness of Christ and therefore ye are far mistaken that think your selves free from just grounds of Challenge because forsooth ye are free of Murther Adultery Drunkâ—nness and the like do ye not consider that Unbelievers arâ— in the same Rank and Roll with abominable Whoremongers Sorcerers Idolaters and Dogs and is not Unbelief contrary to the Command of God as well as Murthâ—r Adultery and these other gross Sins and therefore because Folks think little of Unbelief though it be very rife if they be free of other gross Sins 4. We shall add a fourth thing which the Doctrine implyes That Unbelief though there were no other Sin is exceeding sinful and is first The great ground that makes God expostulate with the Hearers of the Gospel and that makes them come under the Complaint John 5 40. Ye will not come to me that ye may have life and Matth. 23.37 How often would I have gathered you and ye would not and for substance it 's the Lord's great complaint of most of His professing People Psal 81.11 I am the Lord thy God open thy mouth wide and I will fill it but my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me and then follows O that my people
Christs satisfaction or suffering and it is by the way much to be regrated that such is the ignorance of some that if a question be proponed in divers words or expressions as if it should be asked wherefore are we pardoned wherefore are we justified which is one and the same they know not how to answer but here ye are called to remember that Christs being wounded and his bearing the chastisement due to you is the cause of your Pardon and Justification 2. Healing looks to Sanctification as we hinted in the exposition so that if it be asked How comes it to pass that a Sinner is made holy we have it here answered that though efficiently it comes by the Spirit and be his work yet meritoriously it comes by Christs suffâ—rings he bought it by his stripes we are healed And under these two Words peace and healing we take in all things needful or pertaiâ—ing to Life and Godlinâ—â—s for by peaâ—e the feud and enmiâ—y is taken â—way 〈…〉 â—e reconciled to God a Eph. 2.14 〈◊〉 â—â—d to be our peace and he who ca◠〈◊〉 speak peace to all that are afar off and neâ—â—and and also by peace we under stand all 〈◊〉 effects of peace 1. Pardon of Sin Justification Adoption Communion with God here and hereafter Peace with our own Conscience and with the Creatures eterâ—â—â— Peace and Glory and all these good things purchased by Christs death For the Hebrews under peace comprehended all good things And under healing we take in Sanctification as distinguished though not divided from those other things mentioned dying to sin and living to righteousness with the several degrees of their advance and progress and the making of us to be without spot and wrinkle or any such thing So that folk have much advantage by Christs purchase and much prejudice thorow the want of it By his death we are kept out of Hell and admitted to peace with God and every thing that is good We have liberty to pray for all that is good and are brought in his own way and time to the possession of it It 's by the blood of sprinkling that we have a new and living way made patent to us unto the most holy and holiness in the way whereof we enter in thither 6. To whom hath Christ procured all these good things The Text saith it 's our and we the chastisement of our peace was on him and by his stripes we are healed to wit we Elect. Whence Observe 1. That the benefits of Christs purchase redounds only to the Elect there is a certain select number to whom they are applyed and not to all indifferently It 's only of as many as are healed whose chastisements he hath born It 's only they whom the Father hath given him to them he gives eternal life and they shall never perish John 6.45 They are Effectually Called Justifiâ—d and Sanctified 2. Observe That what Christ Jesus hath purchased and the benefits of his purchase redound and are extended to them that are guilty of hainous sins to them that are under transgressions and iniquities that are at feud with God and under many poâ—â—â—tionâ— and most loathsome spiritual Diseases to them who contemned and despised Christ and judged him smitten and plagued of God as is clear from the foregoing words and to them which have gone straying like lost sheep as is clear from the words following This points at these two or three things very useful 1. That the Elect are by nature and before Christ do them good no better than others 2. It shews the freedom of the Grace of God that comes over that and freely gives pardon peace and healing to them And 3ly It serves to strengthen a Sinners Faith who is sensible of his enmity and sinfulness and to be a ground of encouragement to him to step to and lay hold on Christs purchase because it was for such that he died he may humbly yet confidently say Christ died even for such as me for them that wounded and pierced him by their transgressions and iniquities for them that were at enmity with God c. and alace I am such and will therefore on the call of the Gospel come to him and on his own terms endeavour to cast my self on him 7. How are these benefites this Justification Pardon of Sin Peace and Healing and all that is comprehended under them derived from Christ to the Sinner that by Faith fleeth unto him for refuge Answer These two generals will clear it 1. They are derived to us justly and in a legal way Christ steps in in our room that we may come in his room 2. They are derived to us freely he was wounded and bruised that we might go free he endured stripes that we might be healed he got the buffets and bare the burden and we get the benefites there is not a grain weight of it laid on us as it is satisfactory to divine Justice To clear this a little more anent the deriving the benefits of Christs purchase to us there must be a respect had 1. To the Covenant of Redemption the ground of his suffering for us 2. To the Covenant of Grace and Reconciliation wherein the offer of these Sufferings and the benefits purchased by them to us and the terms of both is made 1. I say That respect most be had to the Covenant of Redemption wherein it 〈◊〉 acted in the Council of the God-head that the Son of God should become Man and suffer and condignly satisfie divine Justice by paying the price due by the Elect and that that price being laid down it should be made forthcoming for them for whom he payed it and be reckoned theirs and they set actually at liberty when having recourse thereto by Faith and here there is a legal ground for transferring Christs purchase to and upon us the Cautioner satisfying we the Debtors are on that account absolved in his own order and method and have a right to seek the application of the price and the benefits purchased by that price Christs stands in our room at the bar and sentence passed on him to pay our Debt he satisfied according to his undertaking for us And upon the other hand we are brought in and the sentence of Justification passed on us on that account He saith the Apostle who knew no sin is made sin for us that in him we may be accounted righteous and may be declared free as we are by vertue of his satisfaction But it may be objected here What are we then absolved from the very time of Christs death and forward For answer We would distinguish betwixt a right to the thing and a right in the thing as we use to speak betwixt jus ad rem and jus in re the Elect from Christs death forward and before too have a right to the thing but not in the thing as to the application of it to themselves an elect Person by vertue of Christs Satisfaction hath a legal right to
love ye wouldflee to Jesus Christ and give him employment for making your peace with God and taking away your sin and sanctifying of you O but this be suitable to Sinners and if ye think your selves Sinners prejudge not your selves of the benefite of a Saviour This should be a distinct Sermon EVery expression that the Ptophet useth to set forth the grace of God in Jesus Christ to sinners by is more wonderful then another because indeed every thing that he expresseth is more wonderful then another And there is so much grace and infinite love in the way of the Gospel that it 's hard to know where there is most of it whether in its rise or in its execution whether in the decree of God or in Christs satisfaction whether in the benefits that we enjoy or in the way by which we are brought to enjoy them Sure all together make a wonder passing-great a most wonderful wonder even a world of wonders It is a wonder that as it is vers 5. he should be wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities that the chastisement of our peace should be on him and that by his stripes we should be healed And when here he comes to explain this and to shew how it came to pass that Jesus Christ suffered so much he holds out another new wonder All we like sheep have gone astray c. As if he had said would ye know how it came to pass that the Mediator behoved to suffer and suffer so much All we the Elect People of God had gone astray like so many wandring sheep as well as others not one excepted And there was not another way to recover and reclaim us but this The Lord Jehovah laid on him the iniquity of us all To recover us when we were lost Jesus Christ was substituted in our room by the eternal Decree of God and the iniquities of all of us who are his Elect people as to their punishment were laid upon him This then is the scope to shew the rise of Christs sufferings and how it came to pass that our Lord suffered and suffered so much the occasion of it was the Elects sin and the Fountain cause the Fathers laying of their sin on him by an eternal Decree and making him to answer for it according to that Decree with his undertaking which was the Covenant of Redemption whereof Christ's suffering was the execution Thus we have the Fountain whence our Lord's sufferings flowed He is in the Covenant of Redemption substitute judicially enacted the Elects Cautioner and takes on their debt and being substitute in their room Justice pursues the Claim and Sentence passes against him for making him answerable and liable to the debt of their sins Which sets out as it were a Judge on the Throne Jehovah and two Parties at the Bar We and Him We the Principal Debtors and Him the Cautioner Jesus Christ in our room and place The Law by which the Judge proceeds is the Covenant of Redemption And we the Principal Debtors not being Law-biding he is made liable to the Debt and on this ground the Sentence passes against him for satisfying what we were owing and hereupon followed his sufferings So then the rise of his sufferings is that it was so transacted by the Wise Just and Gracious God and thus this vers comes well in to explain and further to clear what he asserted in the former vers Though the words be few yet they are a great compend and sum of the Gospel How therefore to speak of them so as to unfold them aright is not easie And because the Devil who seeks by all means to marr the beauty of the Gospel doth more fiercely assault where most of its beauty shines and hath therefore stirred up several sorts of enemies to wrest these words and to obscure the beauty of grace that may be clearly seen in them We shall a little open the few words that are in this last part of the verse And the Lord hath laid on hIm the iniquity of us all Having spoken to the former part of it the last day In these few words then we have 1. something spoken of iniquity which three Parties have some acts about to wit 1. The Elect us all 2. Him to wit the Mediator 3. The Lord to wit Jehovah Then we have the express act of the Lord to wit his laying on Him the Mediator the iniquity of us all 1. As for this word iniquity by it is meant sometimes 1. Sin formally taken as it hath a disconformity to the Law of God and supposeth a spot and defect and so it is commonly taken when we pray for pardon of sin And when David says Psal 51. My sin is ever before me And Psal 38. My iniquity is gone over my head And so it is the transgression of the Law of God 2. It is sometimes taken for the effect that sin procureth and so it 's in effect the punishment of sin as Levit. 7. the 18 and 20. verses being compared together vers 18. it 's said He shall bear his iniquity which vers 20. is He shall be cut off and so it is clearly meant of the punishment of iniquity For to bear his iniquity and to be cut off are the same thing there And that word of Cain Gen. 4.14 My iniquity or punishment is greater then I can bear hath a manifest respect to Gods curse inflicted on him for his sin and is as if he had sald I will not get lived under the punishment that is inflicted upon me for every one that finds me will cut my throat and sometimes it is translated punishment as in that of Gen. 4.13 The Question then is Which of these two is understood here in this Text whether iniquity or sin formally taken or iniquity taken for the punishment thereof These who are called Antinomians plead that it is to be understood of sin formally taken But though it be hard so much as to mention this it being so blasphemous-like to assert that our blessed Lord Jesus should be formally a sinner and have the spots and defilementt of sin on him which we wonder that any Christian should dare to assert or presume to maintain Yet because this Scripture is alleadg'd for it we shall clear that iniquity is not here to be taken for sin formally but for sin in the punishment of it And the 1. reason that we give shall be drawn from the plain scope of the words the Prophet having in the 5. vers said that he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities The scope of this vers is to shew how it came to pâ—ss that Christ suffered and suffered so much which he doth by declaring that it could not be otherwise because the punishment of all the sins of the Elect was laid upon him And that which was called wounding and bruising in the former vers is here called on the matter a bearing of their iniquities for if they
overcome but when Christ came to satisfie Divine Justice for them all the Companies and Râ—giments of sins so to speak Rendezvouzed and brought in one formidable Army together met on Christ The word is well rendered here were laid on him being the same word in the Root that Saul used when he commanded Doeg to â—all upon the Lords Priests 1 Sam. 22.18 The word is Lay upon them or lay at them As when one is angry with another he will cry Lay upon him and this shews the exceeding greatness of Christs sufferings when all the sins of all the Elect met together as a huge and heavy Host did fall and do terrible execution upon our blessed Lord Jesus This then being the meaning of the words the Question is Whether the Lord Jehovah did lay this punishment really upon Christ or whether as Socinians fondly imagine he only intâ—rceeded for them But for Answer 1. What sort of meaning of the words would that be I pray The Lord made the inâ—quities of us all to interceed on him when the Tâ—xt sayes plainly that they were laid on him and on the matter that he bare them and â—xprâ—sly so vers 11. For he shall bear their iniquities Yea 2. Consider the scope and it câ—mes in as a reason why Christ suffered â—o much and would that can any thiâ—k be a good reason for so great and grievous sufferings undergone by Christ that God made him to interceed for all the sins of the Elect But if you look upon the words in their true meaning they are a clear reason why he was wounded exceedingly bruised and chastened and why he endured so many stripes even because all the sins of all his Elect met on him because he was made to bear the punishment of them all Also the words following clear it He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he stricken And Gal. 3. He was made a curse for us He suffered the just for the unyust He actually and really suffered that which we should have suffered If it be asked Wh t is this to lay iniquity on Christ Or how is it said that the iniquity of the Elect was laid on him Or in what respect I answer 1. In respect of Gods eternal Covenant the punishment due for our sins is laid upon him by an eternal deliberat Counsel or Consultation of the Persons of the God-head Wherein as we shew before Christ enters Surety for us accepts of and engages to pay our debt 2. In respect of Gods actual pursuing Christ having thus engaged himself putting in his hand the Cup and making him drink and the Bill of our account and making him countable 3. In respect of Gods acceptation of that satisfaction which Christ performed and payed down for them This being the meaning of the words we come to point at some things from them and the very opening of them may give us some In-sight in the way of the Gospel and of a notable ground of footing to our Faith If we could rightly apprehend God making this transaction with the Mediator we might not only have a ground to our Faith but a great encouragement to come to Christ and to rest on him who hath thus fisted himself in our room before the Tribunal of Diving Justice and it would waken and warm Faith and Love towards him But Observe here more particularly 1. That all the Elect People of God are lyIng under iniquity even as others This we spoke to the last day and shall not repeat what was then said It 's with respect to iniquity in the Elect that all the business of Redemption is transacted and from hence as the occasion it hath its rise even from God's being offended and from the necessity of a Mediator For this doth presuppose our debt and a standing sentence against us till Christ interposed for the removing of it 2. From its being said before that every one turned to his own way and here that the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Observe that every one of the Elect beside the common state of sin wherein all are hath his own particular guilt that is in his own way This is clearly holden out here while it is said that not only like sheep we have gone astray but that every one hath turned to his own way Which as it holds forth a way in them all different from God's way so also a way in every one of them somewhat different from anothers way And this is called a walking in the counsel of our own heart Psal 81. and a mans own sore 2 Chron. 6.29 and a mans own iniquity Psal 18.23 Because it 's in a special manner his To clear it a little consider that sin is peculiar to a Believer or may be called his own way in these respects 1. In respect of his being more addicted to one sin then another which is usually called a mans predominant Two men may both be covetous and passionat but the one of them may be called a covetous man because he is especially given to that sin of covetousness and the other may be called a passionat man because he is especially given to passion 2. In respect of some peculiar aggravating circumstances Though we will not dar particularly to determine as to persons yet if we look thorow all men and women it will be readily found that there is some sin which in respect of some or several aggravations is in some a greater sin then it is in others And hereby God hath given ground of humiliation to all There is not a man as we just now hinted but readily he hath an evil which is at a greater hight in him then in another As for instance one may be given more to the sin of Drunkenness another more to Hypocrisie another more to Uncleanness c. I do not speak so much here of the divers kinds of sin as of the several aggravations of this or that sin that they are given to such and such a man may have aggravations that will aggrege such a predominant evil in him far beyond what it is in others And it is from this ground that a Believer not in a complementing way but most really and sincerely doeth call and account himself the chief of sinners because there are some aggravations that elevat his sin above the sins of others or above that same sin in others as a weak Believer may have some one good thing in him more commendable than it is in a stronger Believer so the stronger Believer may have some one sin that in respect of its aggravations may give him ground to look on himself as beyond others in sin Use 1. It serves much for our Humiliation in as far as this adds to our sinfulness There are none of us but beside the common way of sinning incident to all we have something that is peculiar to our selves we have our own way wherewith we
I shall first passingly touch upon and then come to these Doctrines that are more directly held forth in the words 1. Then it is implyed that there is a people of God separated from others and chosen by him on whom he intended and purposed before the World was to glorifie his grace The very designation that they get here clears this It 's my people not only of the Jews nor my people only of the Gentiles but my people both of Jews and Gentiles as Christ sayes John 10. Other sheep have I which are not of this fold them I must bring iâ— 2. It is implyed that this Decree of Election is antecedanius to and goes before the Covenant of Redemption in order of Nature it flows not from Christs death as the effect of it but is prior to it for if Christs death be the mean or price as indeed it is Whereby the sins of God's Elect people are satisfied for then the Decree of Election must preceed it Only we would beware to ascribe to God any priority or posteriority in his Decrees in order of time for he is infinite in wisdom and foresight and able to look on all things with one blink of beholding and to decree things infinite in number at once which we cannot conceive of nor comprehend But this we say that considering the order of things the Decree of Election is not a fruit or effect of Christs death but prior to it and Christ's death follows as a mean to make it effectual He is appointed to save the Elect from their sins and from that which their sins deserved For the transgression of my people was he stricken They were God's people by Election before Christ's ingagement to suffer and satisfie for them much more before his actual suffering and so their Election cannot be a fruit and effect of his suffering Use It serves to vindicate this truth from an error and mistake of the Arminians who as they overthrow the design of grace in the salvation of sinners in other steps thereof So do they in this in making Christ's death to preceed Election and Election to follow it But as we hinted before the Decree of Election is Soveraign being an Act of Grace absolutely free the Lord in it having designed some for manifesting the glory of his grace upon them as the end he hath taken in Christs death and other midses for the promoving of it 3. It is implyed here that even the Elect or God's People are considered as sinful in the Covenant of Redemption For the transgression of my people was he stricken They were considered as sinful as well as others when they were bargained for We need not here dispute whether they were considered as sinful in the Decree of Election it not being necessary in this place nor profitable for you but sure in Christ's undertaking for them they are considered as sinful for God sent not Christ neither came he into the world to purchase life and salvation to righteous folks but he was sent and came to lay down his life a ransome for many to wit sinners and therefore it is given as the reason of his Name Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Use 1. It serves to humble the Elect greatly who when ever they come to get grace they get it most freely for they were no better by nature than others whom God past by as is clear Eph. 2.1 We were dead in trespasses and sins and were by nature children of wrath even as others Peter and Paul were by nature children of wrath as well as Judas And David was a child of wrath by nature as well as Saul when this transaction concerning the work of Redemption was agreed upon and concluded betwixt these most responsal Parties 2. It serves also much for the encouragement of a Believer who is sensible of sin and afraid of wrath and in that posture betakes himself to Christ for refuge though his misbelief should make him say with Peter Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord yet this consideration may hearten him to draw near that Christ was stricken for sinners for the transgressions of his Elect people yea if tâ—ere had not been sin and if the Covenant of Works had holdâ—n foot there needed not to have been a Saviour and therefore sinners have here a solid ground to lay hold upon for life and salvation And therefore as a 3d. Use of it it is an unsafe assertion beside the curiosity of it that Antinomians maintain which is that though man had never fallen yet Christ would have become Man For we see here that Christs becoming Man and his being stricken flowed from his being Surety for Elect sinners and his being Surety flowed from the Covenant of Redemption concerning Elect sinners To be wise without or beside and above what is written in the Scriptures it 's vanity pride and folly 4. It is implyed here that sin where-ever it is deserves stroaks even the sin of the Elect Yea we may add this to it that not only do the sins of the Elect deserve stroaks in themselves being breaches of God's Law but that there is an actual curse standing against them till it be removed And God's threatning The day thou eats thou shalt surely die infers a necessity of stroaks This we say is clearly implyed here because the Mediator entering himself Surety for the Elects debt behoved to be smitten and when he was so smitten sure sin must deserve much We speak not of an absolute necessity but God having revealed to man his duty and added a threatning that in the day he should eat he should die there is a necessity in respect of God's truth faithfulness and unchangeableness who had spoken the word that stroaks should follow sin for sin cannot be removed till the threatning be satisfied Use This may point out to us that sin is no little nor light thing neither is the obtaining of pardon any easie business whatever men generally think of them There are many sad stroaks that follow sin which will hotly pursue sinners who are not in Christ O! do not then think lightly of sin which is the Fountain of so much misery and woe to the sinner If ye knew how exceedingly bitter wrath and the curse is that foâ—lows sin ye would as soon put your head in the fire as ye would meddle with it If ye believed that word to be true which is in Exod. 34 He will by no means clear the guilty And if ye believed God's faithfulness that is ingaged to make good his threatnings challenges for sin would be more strong and stinging 5. It is implyed here that though the Elects sins deserve wrath and that there must be a satisfaction ere they can be removed that yet the Elect cannot satisfie for themselves For the transgressions of my people was he stricken Christ behoved to be smitten ere their sin could be removed If
land of the living fâ—r the transgression of my people was he stricken THere is nothing that concerns us more than to be well acquainted with the doctrine of Christ Jesus and his Sufferings The Prophet hath therefore been much in shewing what Christ suffered in the former words and hath largely described his Humiliation to Judgment and Death for saith he he was cut off out of the land of the living In the words read he answers two important questions concerning his sufferings 1. To what end were all these sufferings he answers that they were for transgressions even to be a satisfaction to Justice for them The 2. Question is For whose sins were the sufferings of Christ to be a satisfaction It is answered expresly in the words for the transgression of my people was he stricken or the stroak was upon him it was for the sins of the Elect and of the Elect only for this is the Prophets scope who having spoken of Christs sufferings and death holds forth the meritorious and procuring cause and end thereof and this is the result design and sum of all even to be a satisfaction for Gods elect People for as we shew by Gods People are not meaned all men in the world nor the Jews only for Christ hath many sheep beside them but it 's Gods peculiar People in opposition to the multitude who are not his People The Doctrine or rather the branch of the Doctrine we left at was this and it 's exclusive that Christ's death is only intended to be a price for the sins of God's elect People and was laid down with respect to them his death and sufferings are to be looked upon and considered only as a price and satisfaction for their sins and for the sins of none other or thus Jesus Christ in his suffering and in the laying down of his life had a respect to the elect and intended the removing of the sins and transgressions of God's elect people only and of none other we know nothing that we can make of these words nor of the Prophets scope in them but this who as he hath been describing Christs sufferings in all other respects so doth he in this to wit in respect of the persons for whom he suffered and of the meritorious cause and end of his sufferings for says the Text for the transgressions of my people that is of Gods elect people was he stricken This branch of the Doctrine is of great weight and concernment in the whole strain of Grace for if this march-stone be lifted and removed Grace becomes common and as some call it universal and so to be in effect no grace at all for Grace hath a peculiar channel of its own wherein it runs towards a certain select number and not towards all I do not mean of grace taken in a large sense for so all men as they are partakers of any mercy or of common favours may be said to have grace extended to them but I mean God's special grace favour and good will which is extended only to the Elect for whose sins Christ suffered the right bounding of which Doctrine shews forth both God's soveraignty in the dispensing of grace and the freeness thereof in communicating and manifesting of it to whom he will and which thus considered is especially engaging of the hearts of them on whom he pleaseth to manifest it Ere I come to confirm this branch of the Doctrine take a word or two of advertisement in the entry 1. That Christ's death may be considered two ways 1. In respect of it self and as abstracting from the Covenant of Redemption wherein it is contrived as to all the circumstances of it in which sense as his death and sufferings are of infinite value worth so they are as Divines use to speak of value to redeem the whole world if God in his design and decree had so ordered and thought meet to extend it 2. We are to consider his sufferings and death as a price agreed upon in the Covenant or Bargain of Redemption wherein these two or three things concur 1. God's proposal 2. Christ's acceptation and design in laying down his life 3. The Fathers acquiescing therein and declaring himself well pleased therewith we speak not here of Christ's death in the first respect that is as abstracting from the Covenant for in that respect he might have laid down his life for few or moe for some or for all if it had been so intended but we speak of it in the second respect as it 's a price agreed upon in God's purpose and Christ's design and in God's acceptation and thus we say that his death is only intended as a satisfaction and recompence for the sins of the Elect and was laid down for them only 2ly We may consider Christ's sufferings and death in the fruits of it either as they respect common favours and mercies common gifts and means of grace which are not peculiar and saving but common to Believers with others being bestowed upon professors in the visible Church or as they are peculiar and saving such as Faith Justification Adoption c. Now when we say that Christ's sufferings and death are a price for the sins of his People we exclude not the Reprobate simply from temporal and common favours and mercies that come by his death they may have and actually have common gifts and works of the Spirit the means of Grace which are some way effects and fruits of the same Covenant but we say that the Reprobate partake not of saving Mercy and that Christs death is a satisfaction only for the Elect and that none others get pardon of Sin Faith Repentance c. by it but they only it was intended for none others and this we clear and confirm from and by these following grounds and arguments which we shall shortly hint at The 1. Argument is drawen from this same assertion of the Prophet thus If Christs death be only a satisfaction for the sins of Gods People then it is not a satisfaction for the sins of all but it 's a satisfaction only for the sins of Gods People therefore not for all for his People are not all men or all men are not his People but his People are a peculiar People separate from others in God's purpose and decree as we cleared before from John 17. Thine they were and thou gavest them me and the Text says expresly for the transgressions of my people was he stricken he respected the sins of God's People in accepting of the Bargain and in laying down his Life and for their sins only God accepted him yea the very mentioning of them thus here secludes all others and we must expone them exclusively as taking in none others and must look upon the things spoken of them as agreeing to no other even as it 's said Heb. 4. There remains therefore a rest to the people of God which is certainly exclusive of all others and hence when our Lord
is pure would study soundnesse in Judgement as well as tendernesse in Practice And yet how many are readily mistaken in this Who if they meet with some that can speak a few good Words and make pretences to a holy Walk though the Second Command be baffâ—ed and disgraced by them and the Name of God torn And though the Fourth Command be made of none effect or price by them it 's thought but little of all is covered with this that they are good Folks and of a tender walk But Oh! can they be good who abuse that wherein the Name and Image of God are most tenderly concerned and will God account that to be Holinesse aggreeable to His Law that slights depreclars and vilifies the best part of His Law Let me therefore beseech you to take in and to close Error with other sins and to look upon unsoundnesse in the Truths of God as a Fruit of the Flesh and withall to look upon sound knowledge in the Mind and the form of sound words in the Mouth as being a Duty that is called for from you as well as other Duties We the rather take occasion to speak to this because the Devil is seeking to turn Men meer Athiests Gallio's as to the Truths of God to care for none of these things and as to weir out the esteem of Truth so to make People to look upon Error as if there were no hurt by it it 's sad that there is not more scarring at and keeping distance from the company of such if they can but give a parcel of good Words and make shewes of respect to Piety in this lukewarm time there is need to guard against this Temper or rather Distemper and to look well that we half not nor divide the Pattern and Copie which God in his Word hath cast to us and set before us we would studie Purity and Tenderneâ—â—e in our Walk and Growth in sound Knowledge and would walk humbly under the impression of our hazard It 's sad when Folks are ill girded and yet scarcely discern it It seems to be a winnowing time and some are already taken off their feet who thought not some Moneths or Years since to have carried in reference to the Truth as they have done It hath been Gods mercy to this place that he hath hedged us about hitherto at which the Devll hath raged not a little Be humbled and have an eye to Him thâ—t can keep his People and can establish them in the Truth and make them unbleamable in holiness till the coming of the Lord. We come now to the 10. verse and from the first part of it yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief These three things arise clearly 1. That though our Lord Jesus was most innocent in His own Person yet was He put to exceeding sore Tryalls and sharp Sufferings For 1 He was bruised to wit like Corn betwixt the upper and neither Milstones or lâ—ke Grapes in the Wine presse which respects not so much his outward sufferings though great for a bone of him was not broken as His inward Soul-sufferings and the inward pressures of Wrath that were on His Humane Soul 2. He was put to grief was sore straitned and punished and these expressions import so much my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death my soul is sore troubled and what shal I say and my God my God why hast thou forsaken me The particulars of this grief were spoken to before and we shew in what respect He was so humbled and that He was most sinless and wâ—thout any the least carnal mude or passion under these expressions in which the sense of grief vented it self most in Him Only if it be here asked what is the reason why the Prophet doth so much insist in pointing out Christ's Sufferings and the extremity of them that scarce almost is there one Verse but he hath in it some one or other new aggravation of them we conceive the reason of it is 1. Because there is nothing wherein the greatness of the Love of God and the kindlinesse of the Mediators condescending doth appear in this for the more He Suffered the more the Love of God shined and His condescendency kythed the more this being the great instance and demonstrative proof of the Love of God God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son As it is John 3.16 O! manifold and vastly comprehensive So what is unfolded in it Eternity will but suffice fully to unfold and this being the great instance of the Mediators condescendencie and of His commending His Love to sinners That while we were yet enemies he died for us As it is Rom. 5. The Lord loves to have this the subject of our thoughts that we may be led thereby in to the Soul-ravishing and satisfying contemplation of the Love whence it came 2. Because there is not any one thing that lyes nearer or that is readily of greater concern to Believers then to be well acquainted with Christ's Sufferings wherein the Lord would have his People spiritually perqueir and it is of their concernment in a twofold respect 1. As it is the ground of their peace Therefore He is called our Peace and a Propitiation for by being acquâ—inâ—ed with Christ's Sufferings Believers have a solid ground for their Faith whereby they discover access to peace with God to Pardon of sin and Justification the Mediator having undergone these sufferings for this end 2. As it is the ground of their Consolation considering that they have a suffering Mediator that hath payed the Price that was due by them even such an One that knows 〈◊〉 what it was to be bruised with Wrath and is therefor very tender of and compassionat towards Souls that are under challenges and apprehensions of Wrath These are sweet words which we have to this purpose 1 John 2. 1. If any man sin we have an advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sins who was content to Suffer and Satisfie for them O! consider then what ye are doing when ye read of His sufferings for the very Marrow of the Gospel and the Life of the Consolation of the People of God lyes here 2. From these words Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief Observe That the Lord Jehovah had the main and principal hand in all the Sufferings of this Innocent Mediator It was not the Jews nor the Scribes and Pharisees nor Pilat but it pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief As is clear Act. 4.27 28. Herod and Pontius Pilat the Gentiles and People of Israel were gathered together to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsell determined before to be done In all that they did they were but doing that which was carved out before in the Eâ—ernal Counsel of God and therefore Peter sayes Act. 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinat
Curse as if he had never had Sin But the difference lyeth here that this last acception of the Word absolves a Man though he have Sin in himself by the interposing of a Surety and Cautioner who payes his Dâ—bt and procures the Sentence of Absolution to him And in this Sense Justification is as if a Man were standing at the Bar of Gods Tribunal Guilty and having a witness of his Guilt in himself and God out of Respect to the Mediator His Satisfaction and Payment of His Debt which He hath laid hold upon by Faith does pronunce that sinfull Person to be Free Absolved and Acquitted from the Guilt and Punishment of Sin and doth accordingly Absolve him upon that accompt So then Justification is not to be considered as Gods Creating and Infusing of gracious habits in us but the declaring of us to be Free and Acquitted from the Guilt of Sin upon the account of Christs Satisfying for our Debt This we will find to be very clear if we consider how the Word is taken both in the Old and new Testament as namely Isaiah 5.23 Woe unto them that justifie the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him And Prov. 17.15 He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord. Where the plain meaning of the Word can be no other then this that when a Judge pronounces a man to be Just although he be unjust it is a wicked thing which the Lord abhores And so Psal 51.4 That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest That is that thou might be declared to be so And Matth. 11.19 Wisdom is justified of her children 2. We will find this meaning of the Word to be clear if we consider Justification as distinguished from Sanctification For in that Popish sense they are both made one and the same but they are distinguished in Scripture As 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified Where he looks on these two Benefits of Justification and Sanctification as distiâ—ct and distinguisheth the one of them from the other now Sanctification being the Grace that renews our nature and makes an inward spiritual change Justification must needs be that Act of Gods Grace that takes away the Guilt of Sin and makes Sinners to be friends with God through Christs Righteousness and so is a relative change of their State 3. It will be clear if we consider to what it is opposed in Scripture it is not opposed to sinning as Sanctification is but to these two 1. To the charging of a Sinner with somewhat unto Condemnation And 2. To the Act of Condemning now the opposit to Condemnation is Absolution as is clear Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifies who shall condemn c. Gods Justifying is put in as opposit to the Charging and Lybelling of the Elect and to the Condemning of them therefore none of these can be and so Justification there looks both to the part of an Advocat pleading and declaring a man to be Free and to the part of a Judge pronouncing him to be Absolved and Justified which well agrees to Our Lord Jesus who Justifies His People both wayes 4. It may also be cleared from parallel Scriptures where Justifying is called Reconciling As 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us c. And how that comes to pass is told in the last v. For he made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him So that to be made the Righteousness of God is to be Justified and to be Justified is to be made friends with or to be reconciled to God and that not by working a moral Change but upon the account of Christ's Satisfact on bringing us into friendship with God So Eph. 1.6 Where to be Justified is exponed to be made accepted in the Beloved And what else is that but to be in good terms with God to have him passing by all quarrels as having nothing to say against us but accepting us through Christ as Righteous So Acts 13.38 39. Be it known unto you that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could be justified by the law of Moses A place that clearly holds forth that as all the Elect are naturally chargable by the Law as being Guilty of the breach thereof and that they cannot be absolved from it by ought in themselves so they are through Faith in Jesus Christ freed from it As if the Lord had said ye are fred from the Sentence of the Law because through Christ is preached unto you Remission of Sins and there is away laid down for your Absolution who believe from the Guilt of Sin and from all the consequents of it 5ly It 's clear from the Text because it 's such a Justifying as hath in it Christs being Sentenced in our Room as the cause of it now He was Sentenced in our Room not by having Sin infused in Him which were Blasphemous to think but by having our Sin imputed to Him and therefore our Justification must be our Absolution by having His Righteousnesse imputed to us As is clear throughout this Chapter Therefore it s said He hath carried our sorrows and born our griefs He was wounded for our transgressions He was bruised for our iniquities by his strips we are healed He laid on him the inquitie of us all And in these words By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities It 's a Justification that comes to us by Christ's taking on our Debt And this we cannot imagine to be otherwayes but by a Legal Change or by a Change of Law-rooms He coming as Surety in our Room and we having Absolution by vertue of His Satisfaction So that the meaning of the Words in short is As if the Prophet had said would ye know what we have by Christ's Sufferings Even this to wit That many as many as whose iniquities He bore and satisfied for shall be Acquitted and Absolved from the Guilt and Punishment of their Sin through His Satisfaction They shall be fred from the Sentence and Curse of the Law which they deserved And shall be declared Righteous through the Righteousnesse of their Cautioner which they have laid hold upon by Faith Hence Observe 1. That all Men and Women even all the Elect themselves are by nature lyable to an arraignment before the Justice-seat of God That they are Justified supposes a bringing of them as it were before His Tribunal ere they can be Justified and have the Sentence of Absolution past in their favours The Apostle takes this for granted
common favours that they have received as evidences of Gods care and kindnesse conclude their Justification It may be some have had now and then deep convictions or have win to Tears in Prayer or at a Sermon Others it may be have had some joy now and then at hearing the Word Others will it may be dream of such and such Heavenly things and have as they suppose a vision of them in their sleep and some joy will follow on it when they are awaked Others may have met with many deliveries by Sea and Land and God hath dealt wel with them and their Children in external things but alace these things may befall unbelievers not one of them nor all of them together if there be no more will Justifie ye would rather try these things whether they be found and evidences of special Love or not by your believing If they have Faith in Christ carried along with them It 's well If ye can say that after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise and that your joy followed upon your closing with and resting upon Christ ye have no reason to question it but where such tastes goes before and are without believing it 's suspect-like there are many of you that have multitudes of things that ye lean to beside Christ and never seriously put your selves to the tryal whether ye be indeed fled to Him 2. Use We would commend this to you as a ground of Tryal of your selves if ye be Justified if ye have seriously taken with your sin and embraced God's offer of the Righteousnesse of Christ and rested on it make this once sure that ye have been sensible of Sin that ye have been beaten from your own Righteousnesse and that ye have fled to Jesus Christ and closed with His Righteousnesse offered in the Gospel then this will natively follow that by His Knowledge thou art Justified His Word speaks it out plain to thee It may be that some think this to be a broad mark and that others will think it narrow Yet it 's a solid mark and no other thing is or can be a mark but as it implyes this though some may presumptuously gather from it a broad conclusion yet it will be found to be as straining and searching a mark when well considered as other marks and evidences are that we cannot at first so easily lay hold upon and therefore we would say that it 's not every one that thinks he believes but it 's such as really believe who have this evidence and for preventing of mistakes we shall follow this evidence of Justification to wit Faith to the very rise of it 1. It supposes a Charge and Summonds as it were given to the Persons to appear before God 2. There is a Sentence discovered standing against them and over their heads by the Covenant of Works now what can ye say to these Two where I desire you not so much to speak your light as your practice and experience what a Charge or Summonds was put in your hands Have ye read the Lybel of your Sins And have ye seen the breaches of the Law and your lyableness to the Curse of God for the same If so then what means the good opinion that many of you have of your selves This is even the thing that the Apostle sayeth of himself before his conversion Rom. 7.9 Before the law came I was alive but when the commandement came sin revived and I died That is before the charge was put in my hand and I summoned to appear before Gods Bar I had a good opinion of my self and I thought that all was well but when I came to take up the Law in the Spiritual Meaning and broad extent of it I saw my self lost and gone and that conceat fell These Three then usually preceed Faith 1. That a person hath had a good opinion of himself 2. That this person is Summoned or Charged to answer at Gods Bar. 3. That the person is made to passe Sentence on himself as lost and undone by reason of the Laws Sentence and Curse standing over his head unrepealled Now how hath it been with you as to these The most part are quite of another disposition then Paul was They think they are well enough because they never discovered their rotten condition but try well how it is with you go in and see if ever ye discovered in your selves 1. An inclination to establish your own Righteousnesse 2. Was ye ever under a work of the Law humbling you and 3. Was ye ever in your own apprehension lost If so then ye are such as Christ came to call 2ly In the next room consider what ye betook your selves to for answering that Charge and for a remedy of that lost condition there is no remedy but the offer of Christ's Righteousnesse in the Gospel Some being charged wirh Guilt betakes themselves to Prayer and that is well done in so far but if ye hold there and go no further it 's not right It 's here as it was with these who lived under the Law who when they had Sinned made use of Sacrifices and the greatest part held there and went no further whereas the believer looked through the Sacrifices to Christ So if ye hold at Prayer and other Duties and go no further these will not profit you but know ye what it is to go to Prayer and in Prayer to go to Christ and rest on his Sacrifice for your acceptance I fear there be great ignorance here The most part know not what they have done when they were charged or if they did any thing they prayed or if they went any further on they looked to the promise of Gods mercy but that is not far enough gone How many such are there who have made their Prayer their only intercessour and have presumed to step in on God's mercy without a Mediator 3. Suppone that ye have betaken your selves to Christ as to the remedy come on and try how your union hath been made up with him where did ye seek and find him Christ Jesus is to be found in the Gospel in the Ministry of the Word Therefore that is put in on good reason in the definition of Faith given to us in the Catechism That its a resting on him as he is offered in the Gospel but I fear and suppose that many have another Christ to speak so whom they have gotten without knowing or making any use of the Word or offer of the Gospel which is the power of God for salvation to them that believe 4. Wherewith did ye take hold on him or how did ye act on him was it by Faith or not There are many who act on him as they think by Prayer not as the meritorious Cause but as the efficient cause of Justification praying for pity and pardon from Him but this is not to take hold of Christs Righteousnesse by Faith Others think that if they can love and serve Him
abjectness of spirit then many of his servants the Martyrs were and to fall hudgely below that holily-heroick and magnanimous courage and resolution wherewith they adventured on extream Sufferings and most exquisite Torments which would be very unworthy of and a mighty reflection upon him who is the valiant Captain of Salvation made perfect through suffering who drank of the brook in the way Heb. 2.10 Psal 110.7 and therefore lifted up the head But here is the great and true reason of the difference betwixt his sad and sorrowful deportment under his Sufferings and their solacious chearful and joyful deportment under theirs that they through his Sufferings and Satisfaction were perswaded and made sensible of God's being pacified towards them and were mightily refreshed by his gracious comforting presence with them amidst their Sufferings while be on the contrary looked upon himself as one legally obnoxious to punishment fisted before the terrible Tribunal of the Justice of God highly provoked by and very angry at the sins of his People who was in a most signal manner pouring out upon his soul the vials of his Wrath and Curse which made him lamentâ—bly and aloud to cry out of desertion though not in respect of the persoâ—al union as if that had been dissolved nor yet as to secretly supporting yet as to such a measure at least of sensibly comforting and rejoicing presence My God my God why hast thou forsaken me here Faith was in its Meridian though it was dark Mid-night as to Joy wherewith as such his Body could not be immediatly affected spiritual desertion not falling under bodily sense Whence we may see how justly the Doctrine of Papists is to be exploded who deny all suffering in his Soul immediatly to salve their darling dream of his local descent as to his Soul while his Body was in the Grave into Hell and to Limbus Patrum to bring up thence into Heaven the souls of the Fathers whom without giving any reason or alleadging any fault on their part they foolishly fancy after their death till then to have been imprisoned there though quiet and under no punishment of sense yet deprived of all light and vision of God and so under the punishment of less the greatest of punishments even by the confession of some of themselves whereby they put these holy and perfected souls for there they say there is no more purgation from sin that being the proper work of their profitable Purgatory in worse case all that length of time after their death then they were when alive on the Earth where doubtless they had often much soul-refreshing fellowship with God and the light of his Countenance lifted up upon them Neither were these his Sufferings in Soul and Body only to confirm the Doctrine taught by him if that was at all designed by him as an end of his Sufferings so much stumbled at in the time which yet I will not debate let be peremptorily deny his Doctrine being rather confirmed by his Miracles and Resurrection and to leave us an example and pattern how we should suffer as non-christian and blasphemous Socinians over which were mightily to depretiate and disparage nay to enervate and quite to evacuate his Sufferings by attributing no more to them then is attributable to the sufferings of his Servants and Martyrs it 's true his Example was an infallible Directory the Example of all Examples but theirs not so yet this doth not at all influence any alteration of the nature of the end 2 Cor. 5 21 Gal. 3.13 1 Per. 2.24 Isa 53.5 6 8.10 12 Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 1 Joh. 2.2 but also and mainly by them undergone for his People and in their room and as sustaining their persons vice and place truly and properly by the Sacrifice of himself to satisfy Divine Justice for their sins And who I pray can put any other comment on these Scripture-expressions whthout manifest perverting and wresting of them He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree which is by the Apostle subjoyned as a superior end of his sufferings to that of leaving us an example discoursed by him immediatly before He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities and the chastisement of our peace was upon him The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all For the transgression o my people was he stricken When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin He bare the sins of many In whom we have redemption through his blood Who is the propitiation for our sins and the like Nor did he undergo these sad sufferings for all men in the world to satisfie Justice for them and to reconcile them to God but only for the Elect and such as were given unto him For First The chastisement of their peace only was laid on him who are healed by his stripes as it is v. 5. of this 53 of Isai For the iniquities of my people was he stricken saith the Lord v. 8. The same who are called the Mediators people Ps 110.3 for saith blessed Jesus to his Father Joh. 17.10 All mine are thine and thine are mine Who shall without all peradventure or possibility of misgiving be made willing in the day of his power He only bare the iniquities of these whom he justifieth by his knowledge v. ii For otherwise the Prophets reasoning would not be consequent He only bare the iniquities of as many trangressors as he makes intercession for v. 12. And that he doth not make intercession for all but for these only who are given to him that is all the Elect is undenyably manifest from Joh. 17.9 where himself expresly saith I pray not for the world but for these whom thou hast given me Now Gods eternall electing love and his giving the Elect to the Mediator in the Covenant of Redemption to be satisfied for and saved by him and his intercession for them are commensurable and of equal extent as is most clear from Joh. 17.6 Where he saith Thine they were to wit by election and thou gavest them to me to wit in and by the Covenant of Redemption Gods decree of election being in order of nature prior to this donation or gift of the Elect in the Covenant of Redemption compared with v. 9. where he saith I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them whom thou hast given me for they are thine It is observable that he saith twice over I pray for them manifestly and emphatically restricting his intercession to them and excluding all others from it Why then should not also his sacrifice the price of the Redemption of these elected and given ones agreed upon in that Covenant betwixt these two mighty Parties be commensurable with the former three Especially since he saith v. 19. For their sakes sanctifie I
and me in the Covenant of Redemption when as theirs is love from bottom even to brim whatever mixture may sometimes be of paternal and domestick Justice proper and peculiar to God's own Family and which as the Head and Father thereof he exerciseth therein not so much as one gut or scruple of vindictive wrath being left therein Ah! it 's both a sin and shame that there shoâ—â—d be with such even with such so much shyness and shrinking to drink after him in the cup of his Cross especially considering that there is such a high degree of honour put upon the suffering Believer for Christ above and beyond what is put on the simple Believer in him so that in the Scripture accompt the suffering Believer is not only but also according to what the Apostle saith Philip. 1.29 To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Eighthly Concerning what mighty obligation lyeth on Believers to mourn and weep to be sad and sorrowful for sin how can they look on him whom they have thus bruised wounded and pierced by their sins without the tear in their eye without mourning for him and being in bitterness as a man is for his first-born and for his only begotten son when they think as all of them on serious consideration will find reason to think that if their sins keeped the tryst and rendezvous when all the sins of all the Elect did meet and were laid on him then sure there came no greater company and more numerous troop of sins to that solemn rendezvous from any of all the redeemed then came from them and that he had not a heavier load and burden of the sins of any then he had of theirs whereby he was even pressed as a cart is pressed down under the sheaves and was made most grievously to groan even with the groanings of a deadly wounded man and that if he was wounded and pierced by their iniquities then surely he was more deeply wounded and pierced by the iniquities of none then by theirs O! what mourning should this cause to them even such mourning as was at Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo on the occasion of the sad slaughter and death of that good and desirable king Josiah this is indeed one of the most genuine and kindly one of the most powerful and prevalent one of the sweetest and strongest springs of and motives to true Gospel-repentance sorrow and mourning for sin Ninthly Concerning the notable and non-such obligation that lyeth on Believers to study the crucifixion and mortification of sin Was it not their sins that crucified and killed precious Jesus Christ the prince of life was it not their sins that violently drove the Nails thorow his blessed hands and feet and thrust the Spear thorow his side to the bringing forth of water and blood shall they not in their burning zeal and love to him and in the height of holy indignation at themselves be avenged on that which brought such vengeance on him shall they not seriously seek to be the death of that which brought him to death and whereof the death and destruction was one of his great designs therein on which he was so intent that in the prosecution of it he did amidst his dying pangs and agonies breathe out his soul O! let it never be heard for shame that ever any of them shall find the least sweetness in that accursed thing that was so bitter to him that ever any of them shall be found to dally with or to hug that serpent and viper in their bosom that so cruelly stung him to death But this being the great subject of these following Sermons wherein the Preacher being in a good measure wise Eccles 12.10 11. hath sought to find out acceptable words and words I hope of uprightness and truth O that they may be to the Readers as goads and nails fastened by him who is the great master of assemblies I shall insist no further only I think I may humbly say that to my knowledge none have preached on this whole Chapter to better purpose every way many may have done vertuously but it 's probable he will be found to excell them all nay if I should say that for any thing I know this Book for so much is amongst the best Books of this nature the World hath seen I suppose hardly will any judicious Christian thorowly exercised to Godliness after he hath read it all over and pondered it think that I have greatly if at all hyperbolized There are in these choice Sermons deepths as it were for Elephants to swim in whereof his surprâ—â—sing sublimely spiritual and very deep diving discourses concerning the Nature of Christs Intercession and the right improvement of it in the last six Sermons is a notable instance and shallows for Lambs to wade in Heb. 5.13 14. There is in them milk for babes in Christ and stronger meat for such as are of full age who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil Nay I may in a good measure say of these Sermons as it 's said of the learned Discourses of a late great man That in the doctrinal part of several of them ye will find the deepth of Poleâ—ical Divinity and in his inferences from thence the sweetness of Practical somethings that may exercise the profoundest Schollar and others that may edifie the weakest Christian nothing readily is more nervous and strong then his Reasonings and nothing more sweetly and powerfully affecting then his Applications There is in them much for information of the Judgment for warming of the Affections and for direction toward a Gospel-becoming Conversation there is much for clearing and expeding the doubts and difficulties of more weak and more darkned Christians and much for edifying confirming and establishing of more growen ones there is much for conviction reproof warning humbling for stirring up and provoking to the serious exercise of Godliness and much for the comforting and refreshing of such as stand in need and are capable of Consolation there is much for discovering rouzing awakening and all â—raming of carnal secure unsound hollow-hearted and hypocritical professours of Religion and much for beating and hammering down of the pride of conceity self-justifying Professors much for training on of young beginners and much for advancing and carrying on in their Christian course such as are entered into it and have made any tollerable progress therein In a woed 2 Tim. 2.15 he doth in a great measure approve himself to God as a work-man that needs not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth and as a skilful and faithful Steward giving to every one his portion in due kind measure and season It may be some Readers will think that there are in these Sermons several co-incidencies of purposes and repetitions To which I shall but presume to say that beside that there is a great
would have put out their hand to receive Him and seing it is so O receive this Gospel give Him room while He is content to sup with you take Him in make sure your union with Him this is the end why this Report is made and Christ is laid before you even that ye may lay your selves over on Him I would follow this Use a little by way of Exhortation and Expostulation jointly seeing the Doctrine will bear both for when Christ is brought so near even to the Mouth and to the Heart it will be great ground of reproof and expostulation if He shall be rejected Be exhorted therefore to be in earnest seing 1. It is a matter of such concernment to you many Nations Kings and Kingdoms have not had Christ so near them as ye have neglect not such an opportunity do ye think that all that is said in the Gospel concerning this is for nought Is it for no use that such a Report is made and Preaching continued so long among you And if it be for any use is it not for this that ye may receive the Report and may by doing so get your souls for a Prey To what use will Preaching be if this use and end of it be missed Will your hearing the Gospel make your Peace with God if Christ be not received 2. Consider the Advantages ye may have by receiving the Gospel that others have not is it a little thing to be called to God's Feast to be married to Christ to be made Friends with God and to enjoy Him for ever the Day comes when it will be thought an Advantage and are there Motives to perswade to any thing like those that are to induce to that 3. Consider what it is that we require of you it 's no strange nor hard thing it 's but Believing and this is nothing else but that the Report concerning Christ be received yea that He be received for your own good that is it that the Gospel calls you to even to betake you to a Physician for Cure to betake you to a Cautioner for your Debt if ye could escape a Reckoning and Wrath another way it were something but when there is no other way to obtain pardon of Sin and Peace or to escape Wrath and obtain favour and friendship with God but this and when this way to speak so is made so easie that it s but to stoop down and to take up Christ at your foot as it were or to roll your selves on Him how inexcusable will ye Unbelievers be when ye shall be arraigned before His Tribunal But 4. look a little farther to what is coming If ye were to live always here it were hard enough to live at feed with God but have ye faith of a Judgement after Death if so how will ye hold up your Faces in that Day that now refuse Christ will not horrible confusion be the portion of many then and will any ground of confusion be like this the slighting of Christ when He shall be seen coming to judge Slighters of Him what horrour will then rise in Consciences when He shall appear and be avenged on them that were not obedient to this Gospel as is most clear 2 Thess 1. When our Lord Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire with his mighty Angels from Heaven to take vengeance on all that know not God and obey not the Gospel 5. Consider that Death and Life are now in your option in your hand as it were choose or refuse I speak not nor plead here for Free-will but of your willing electing of that which ye have offered to you for one of two will be either shall ye willingly choose Life which is a fruit of Grace or refuse Life and choose Death which will be found the native fruit of your Corruption ye may have Life by receiving Christ who is laid to your Door and if ye refuse Him Death will follow it as now in Hearing this Gospel ye carry in choosing or refusing so will the Sentence pass on you at the great Day and so your Sentence in a manner is written down with your own hand as it 's said Act. 13.46 Ye judge your selves unworthy of eternal life not out of humility but maliciously Now when the matter is of such concernment beware of playing the fool if ye will continue presumptuous and secure following your Idols what will the Lord say but let it be so ye get no wrong when ye get your own choice and He but as it were ratifies the Sentence which ye have past on your selves 6. I shall add but this one word more and beseech you that ye would seriously lay this to Heart as a weighty thing considering the Certification that follows on it It 's not only Death but a horrible Death Wrath and Wrath with its aggravation from this Ground like that of Capernaum that was lifted up to Heaven in this respect having Christ brought so near them to whom this Gospel is not the savour of Life unto Life it shall be the savour of Death unto Death and think not this a common Motive though it be commonly used it will bring Wrath upon Wrath and Vengeance upon Vengeance on the Hearers of this Gospel beyond that of Sodom if ye be still Rejecters of it sure none of you would think it an easie thing to be punished as Sodom was nor digest well the Curse that came on them is there any of you but ye would think it uncouth and strange yea stupendious to enter into their Judgement and to have your Lands turned in a stinking Loch and your selves eternally tormented with them but there is more wrath and vengeance following on the sin of Unbelief and rejecting of Christ when He comes to your Door in this Guspel To close up all Consider that Christ is near you and hath been long near you and wooing you ye know not how many Days or Years ye shall have how soon this Gospel may be taken from you or ye from it how soon ye may be put in the Pit where ye will gnash your Teeth gnaw your Tongues and blaspheme God therefore be serious while Christ is in your offer and roll your selves over upon Him while ye have Him so near you welcome this Hearing or Report while it sounds in your Ears that there may be no just ground of this Complaint against you Lord who hath believed our report SERMON III. ISAIAH LIII I Who hath believed our report And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed THe most part of Men and Women think not much of the preached Gospel yet if it were considered what is the Lord's end in it it would be the most refreshful News that ever People heard to hear the Report of a Saviour that is and should be great and glad Tydings of great Joy to all Nations and we should be so composed to hear such News from God and concerning His Will and our own well as to be
generality of you and let not others wrong themselves nor mistake the intent of this Scripture How is it I say that the generality of you that hear this Gospel come under this common and epidemick Temper or rather Distemper to maintain your Peace and Confidence when ye can in the mean time give so little proof of it think ye that Faith cannot be a missing nor mistaken or that it is ordinary and common or that it is indifferent whether ye have it or not we are perswaded that many of you think that if ye have a good Mind as ye call it and a square civil honest Walk and keep still your good Hope that all will be well ye never doubt nor question whether ye have received Christ or not but if Unbelief ly in your Bosom I mean not doubting-desperation or questioning of the God-head but the not receiving of Christ and His Righteousness though ye had more than ordinary Hypocrites have ye will for this Sin of Unbelief find your selves under the standing Curse of God for our Lord says John 3.18 He that believes not is condemned already and vers 36. the wrath of God abideth on him In pressing of this Use I shall shew by a few Aggravations of this Sin why the Lord layeth so much weight upon it and that not so much as it opposeth Faith as as it is a condition of the Covenant of Grace and a mean to unite us to Christ but mainly as it is 〈◊〉 Sin thwarting His Command And 1. It thwarteth with both the Law and the Gospel it thwarteth with the Commands of the first Table and so is a greater Sin than Murther or Adultery nay than Sodomy though these be great vile and abominable Sins which may be thought strange yet it 's true it makes the Person guilty of it more vile before God than a Pagan-Sodomite the nature of the Sin being more hainous as being against the first Table of the Law in both the first and second Commands thereof it being by Faith in God that we make God our God and worship God in Christ acceptably Next it s not only a Sin against the Law but a Sin against the Gospel and the prime Flower to speak so of the Gospel it comes in contradiction to the very design of the Gospel which is to manifest the glory of the Grace of God in bringing Sinners to believe on Christ and to be saved through Him but He can do no great things of this sort amongst unbelieving People because of their Unbelief it bindeth up His Hands as it were to speak so with reverence that He cannot do them a good turn 2. It strikes more nearly against the Honour of God and of the Mediator and doth more prejudice to the Ministry of the Gospel and causeth greater destruction of Souls than any other Sin it 's possible notwithstanding of other Sins that Christ may have satisfaction for the travel of His Soul and there may be a relation bound up betwixt Him and Sinners notwithstanding of them but if this Sin of Unbelief were universal He should never get a Soul to Heaven the salvation of Souls is called the pleasure of the Lord but this obstructs it and closeth the Door betwixt Sinners and access to God it strikes also at the main Fruit of the Ministry it makes them complain to God that the Word is not taken off their Hand it frustrats the very end of the Ministry and it comes nearest the destruction of immortal Souls we need not say it brings on but it holds and keeps on the Wrath of God on Sinners for ever He that believes not as we shew before from John 3. is condemned already and the wrath of God abides on him 3. More particularly There is nothing in God even that which is most excellent in Him if we may speak so not excepte◠but it strikes against it It strikes gainst His Grace and frustrates that when Christ is not received some sort and degree of despite is done to the Spirit of Grace Unbelievers thwart with Him in the way of His Grace and will have no spiritual Good from Him it comes in opposition to His Goodness for where Unbelief reigns He hath no access in a manner to communicate it it strikes against His Faithfulness there is no weight laid on His Promises it counts Him a Liar in a word it strikes against all His Attributes 4. There is no Sin that hath such a train of sad Consequents following on It it 's that which keeps all other Sins livly for none hath victory over any Sin but the Believer the Unbeliever lyes as a bound Slave to every Sin and it 's impossible to come to the acceptable performance of any Duty without Faith for none can come sutably to any Duty without a Promise and can any but a Believer comfort himself in use-making of any Promise We shall close our Discourse with speaking a word to that which we hinted at before even to let you see not only the rifeness of Unbelief but the great hazard that flows from it and the exceeding great evil of it if we be only convinced of the rifeness of it it will not much trouble us except we be also convinced and believe the hazard of it but if we were convinced of both through God's blessing it might affect us more and necessitate us to make more use of Christ ye that stand yet a distance from Christ can ye endure to ly under this great Guilt and ground of Contraversie that is betwixt Him and you do ye think little to hazard on His Upbraidings and Woes even such Woes as are beyond these that came on Sodom the heavy Curse and Malediction of God and yet we say to you who are most civil discreet formal and blameless in your Conversation if there be not a fleeing in earnest to Christ and an exercising of Faith on Him the Wrath of God not only waits for you but it abides on you O tremble at the thoughts of it it were better to have your Head thrust in the Fire than your Souls and Bodies to be under the Wrath and Curse of God for ever it 's not only the Ignorant prophane Drunkard Swearer Adulterer Whoremonger c. that we have to complain of and expostulate with but it 's the Unbeliever who though He be lift up to Heaven shall be cast down to the Pit of Hell If ye ask what is all this that we would be at it's only this in a word we would have you receiving Christ if ye think that Unbelief is an exceeding great Evil and that it 's an horribly hazardous thing to ly under it then haste you out of it to Christ O! haste haste you out of it to Christ kiss the Son lest He be angry embrace Him yield to Him there is no other possible way to be free of the Evil or to prevent the hazard SERMON VIII ISAIAH LIII I Who hath believed our report And to whom
were put to make a report of you as we will be put to it what could we say we are afraid to speak our apprehensions O! how little is this Gospel as to it's Fruit and Success upon the growing hand among you We shall therefore forbear to speak of that which we think hath deep Impressions on our selves concerning you but we would have you to look thorow Matters how they stand betwixt God and you and if we may humbly lay claim to any measure of the judgement of Discerning may we not ask where is there a Man or a Woman amongst most of us that hath a Conversation suitable to this Gospel If we begin at the great Folks that have the things of the World in abundance it 's their work for most part not to be Religious but to gather and heap up Riches and to have somewhat of a Name or a piece of Credit in the World this is the farthest that many of such design And if we come and take a look of the way of the Poorer sort they live as if they were not called to be exercised to Godliness and this is the condition of the Generality to live as if God were not to call them to a reckoning ye will say we are poor ignorant Folks and are not Book-learned but have ye not Souls to be saved and is there any other way to be saved then that royal Way wherein Believers have walked But if we should yet look a little further through you how many are there that have not the very form of Godliness who never studied to be Christians either in your fellowship with others nor when alone or in your Families There are some O! that I might not say many who are hearing me that will not once in the Year bow their Knee to God in their Families many of you spend your time in Tipling Jeasting Loose-speaking which are not convenient yea I dare say there are many that spend more time in Tipling Jeasting and Idle-speaking then in the Duties of Religion either in publick or in private what report shall we make of you Shall we say that such a man spent three or four Hours every day in going up and down the Streets or in Tipling and Sporting and would not spend half an Hour of the Day on God and His Worship and further how many are yet ignorant of the first Principles of Religion a fault that is often complained of and yet we would be ashamed to have it heard of that such Ignorance should be under half a Years preaching of the Gospel that is in this Place under many Years preaching of it and this not only among the Poorer sort but even amongst those who hold their Heads very high and are above others who can guide and govern their own Affairs and give others a good counsel in things concerning the World yet if we come to speak with them of Repentance or of Faith in its Exercise of Convictions and Challenges for Sin of Communion with God of the working of God's Spirit in the Regenerate or of the Fruits of the Spirit they have not a Mouth to speak a word of these things and if they speak any thing O! but it looks wersh tasteless and thieveless like Put them to discourse of Religion it hath no gust to say so it relishes not they have no understanding of it at least that is experimental doeth this look like Folks that have heard and received the Gospel let me say it the Wisdom of this World and the Knowledge of Christ are far different things and if some of you go that length as to get the Questions of the Catechism which is well done in it self if we put you but to express them in other words ye cannot which says plainly that ye are not Masters of your Knowledge And what shall we say of others of whom we cannot say but we get respect enough from them yet how do Selfishness and Worldly-mindedness abound in them and how Graceless and Christless are they found to be when put to the tryal We would also say to you that there is great difference betwixt Civility and Christianity Fairfashions will never pass in Christ's account for the suitable Fruits of the Gospel and will never hinder us from having a just ground of Complaint against you How many have a Form of Religion and want the Power of it who think themselves something when they are indeed nothing and their Profession is so thin and holled to speak so that their Rottenness and Hypocrisie may be seen thorow it Though these things be but general yet they will comprehend a great many of you that are here in this Assembly and if so is there not just ground of Complaint of and Expostulation with you as a People among whom this Word hath no suitable Fruit And as for you that live Prophanely and Hypocritically what shall we say to you or how shall we deal with you we bring the Word to you but ye make no more use of it then if ye had never heard it no more Religion sheweth it self in you then if ye lived among Heathens Shall we say to God the Fruit of the Gospel is there Dare we be answerable to God or can we be faithful to you to flatter you over as if all were well with you and must not our Complaint then rather be this Lord they have not believed our report though we be feckless and though there be ground of Complaint of us yet the Word is His Word and will take hold of you I know that Folks do not readily digest such Doctrine well and it may be some think that few Ministers are better dealt with then we are but we say that that is not our Complaint we confess if we look from the beginning of the World to this Time there will be few Ministers of the Gospel found to have been better dealt with as to outward and civil things but alace should that stop our Mouth yea rather ought it not to be the more sad to us to be so dealt with and to live in civil Love with Men and Women who yet do not receive the Gospel nor deal kindly with our Master Do not think that we will take external respect to us for the Fruit of the Gospel as we have no cause to complain of other things so let us not be put to complain of this but receive Christ in your Heart let Him and His precious Wares have Change and go off amongst you make use of Him for Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and go not for the fashion about the Means that should bring you near Him but be in good earnest and this would satisfie us much and prevent Complaints Lastly I would ask you what will come of it if we shall go on in Preaching and ye in Hearing and yet continuing still in Unbelief will there not be an account craved of us and must we not make a report and if ye
know how interruptions of and threatnings to remove the preached Gospel from you never troubled you That business of the Tender gave a proof that if ye might brook your ease and the things of the World ye cared not what became of the Gospel and of the Liberties of Christ's Kingdom among you nay we may say the Gospel was never less set by never more reproached despised and trode upon then in the time wherein we live and who lays it to Heart If it were well tried there is more pains taken on seckless particulars in a Week then ye take upon your Souls in a Year and which may be spoken to the shame of some more time taken up in Tipling Drinking and Debauching then in Prayer or any other Religious Duty And is not that an undenyable evidence that ye make light of the Gospel They made light of it and went their ways c. saying on the matter care for yonder Invitation who wili as for us we have somewhat else to do A sixth Ground or Cause though possibly it be not so rife is a shifting of Convictions and Challenges a quenching of any begun Exercise in the Conscience Some of you have been made sometimes to tremble as Felix did but ye shifted it and put it off to another time and went away to some Company or Recreation that so ye might stifle it and drive it out of your thoughts Is there any of you but in Sickness or under some other sad Cross or at a Communion ye have had your own Convictions Challenges and Frights about your Souls estate and yet ye have smothered extinguished and put them out again A seventh Ground or Cause which is as large and comprehensive as any is Folks resting and sitting down before they have any solid Ground to rest upon taking a counterfite Work for a real one like these spoken of Hosea 7.16 of whom it 's said They return but not to the most High Some attain to a sort of out-side Reformation and they trow that on that account they are well enough and in good terms with God and when such are called to return they say as these do Mal. 3.7 Wherein shall we return they think they are returned and that their Peace is made already They cannot endure to be bidden Believe or to lay a new Foundation for they think it 's laid already In a word as Laodicea did they think themselves rich and encreased in goods when yet they are poor blind miserable wretched and naked but they know not and so are well satisfied with themselves as gracious Persons resting on these and the like Grounds As 1. It may be they Pray and think something of that 2. They think they have Faith enough if they have a Historical Faith 3. It may be they have had some resolutions and fits of a sort of Tenderness and these they rest upon We shall not insist to shew the rottenness of these Props but shall only say it were in some respect good for many of you that ye had never had the little pieces of Profession ye have There is a sort of civil legal formal fairfashioned Men and Women among us whose Conversation and Communication relishes to none but themselves and speak the Word who will they think that they are without the reach of it I must say this sad word thâ—t I think mâ—ny of you have as much believing as keeps you from Faith in Christ that is ye have as much Presumption and Security as makes you that ye are never serious with the Lord to amend it and to bring you indeed to Believe so that it 's a greater difficulty to beat you off from your rotten Grounds then it is to get you right though both require the Omnipotent Power of God ye think ye Believe always and ye have no Doubts about it and therefore ye think ye have Faith enough to do your turn Ah! when will ye know that Security is no Faith and that there is great difference betwixt Presumption and solid resting by Faith on Christ Eighthly We think that this wrongs many of you because ye are not among the worst sort and others esteem well of you ye think ye are well enough and this makes us that as to many of you we know not whether to be more familiar with or to stand at a distance from you because ye are ready to rest on so very slender Grounds It is not the commendation of Men but the commendation of God that ye should seek mainly after and yet if ye think good Men esteem well of you ye apprehend ye are good enough This was it that madâ— the foolish Virgins so secure because the wise took them and retained them in their Company and this is the neck-break of many especially when they look about them and observe some Sin in others which they have win to abstain from As if it had been enough in Herod and a sufficient proof of the reality of his Religion That he heard John gladly and did many things on the hearing of him A ninth Ground is and it 's a very poor one Folks sitting down on the Means when they have them as if when they have gotten the Gospel they were in no hazard and could Believe when they list I make no question but where the Gospel is powerfully in any measure preached there are many more secure and fearless then if they had it not and it 's very probable somewhat of this is hinted at Luke 13.26 where some are brought in saying to Christ We have eaten and drunken in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets who when He boasts them away from Him at the great Day they will in a manner hardly believe that He is in earnest and they give this for the reason of it that they have heard Him Preach and they have run out to the Fields after Him It were good to fear while ye have the Word lest ye miss the Fruit of it compare to this purpose Heb. 3. at the close with Heb. 4.1 and we will find this commended to us So we see saith the Apostle that they could not enter in because of unbelief let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest any of us should seem to come short of it It 's much yea the first step to Faith to get Folks made suitably affraid to miss the Fruit and Blessing of the Ordinances while they have them It 's good to be affraid to come to the Church and not to get good of the Preaching or to go and read a Chapter of the Bible and not profite by it always to put a difference betwixt the Ordinance and the Blessing of it and to be affraid in the use of the Ordinances to miss the Blessing of them There may be many other Causes and we would not stint and limit you to these but sure these are Causes why this Gospel profites not We may add these
which may be gathered from Heb. 4.1 that stout confidence that thinks it's impossible to miss the Promises is a suspect and dangerous Faith not to be loved it 's a much better Faith that fears then that Faith that 's more stout except there be a sweet mixture of holy stoutness and fear together It 's said Heb. 11.7 that by Faith Noah being moved with fear prepared an Ark c. Noah had the Faith of God's Promise that he should be keeped free from being drowned by the Deluge with the rest of the World and yet he was mourning and trembling in preparing the Ark If there were much Faith among you it would make many of you more holily feared then ye are Love not that Faith the worse that ye never hear a threatning but ye tremble at it and are touched by it in the quick 2. It 's a good token of Saving Faith when it hath a discovery and holy suspition of Unbelief wairing on it so that the Person dare not so lippen and trust his own Faith as not to dread Unbelief and to tell Christ of it There is a poor Man that comes to Christ Mat. 9.23 24. to whom the Lord faith If thou canst believe or canst thou believe yes Lord says he I believe help thou mine unbelief there was some Faith in him but there was also Unbelief mixed with it his Unbelief was so great that it was almost like to drown his Faith but he puts it in Christ's hand and will neither deny his Faith nor his Unbelief but puts the matter sincerely over upon Christ to strengthen his Faith and to amend and help his Unbelief It 's a suspect Faith that 's at the top of Perfection at the very first and ere ever ye wot There are some serious Souls that think because they have some Unbelief that therefore they have no Faith at all but true Faith is such a Faith that is by and beside suspected and feared or seen Unbelief That Faith is surest where Folk fear and suspect Unbelief and see it and when they are weighted with their Unbelief and cry out under it and make their Unbelief an errand to Christ it 's a token there is Faith there 3. The third Character is That it will have with it a sticking to Christ and a fear to presume in sticking to Him There will be two things striving together an eagerness to be at Him and a fear that they be found presumptuous in medling with Him and an holy trembling to think on it yet notwithstanding it must and will be adventured upon the Woman spoken of Mark 5.28 lays this reckoning with her self If I can but touch his cloathes I shall be whole and she not only believeth this to be truth but crouds and thrimbles in to be at him yet vers 33. when she comes before Christ she trembles as if she had been taken in a fault not having dared to come openly to Him but behind him she behoved to have a touch of him but she durst not in a manner own and avouch her doing of it till she be unavoidably put to it It 's a suspect and unsound Faith that never trembled at minting to Believe there is reason to be jealous that Faith not to be of the right stamp that never walked under the impression of the great distance between Christ and the Person the sense whereof is the thing that makes the trembling I say not desperation nor any utter distrust of Christ's kindness but trembling arising from the consideration of the great distance and disproportion that 's between Him and the Person Faith holds the Sinner a going to Christ and the sense of its own sinfulness and worthlesness keeps him under holy fear and in the exercise of Humility Paul once thought himself a jolly man as we may see Rom. 7.9 but when he was brought to believe in Christ he sees that he was a dead and undone man before I give you these three marks of a true Faith from that Chapter 1. It discovers to a Man his former Sinfulness and particularly his former Self-conceit Pride and Presumption I was saith Paul alive without the Law once c. a man living upon the thoughts of his own Holiness but when the Law came I died he fell quite from these high thoughts A second Mark is A greater restlesness of the Body of Death it becoming in some respect worse Company more fretful and strugling more then ever it did before Sin revived saith Paul though he had no more Corruption in him then he had before but it wakened and bestirred it self more I dare say that though there be not so much Corruption in a Believer as there is in a natural Man yet it strugleth much more and is more painful and disquieting to the Believer and breeds him a greate dale more trouble for says the Apostle on the matter when God graciously poured Light and Life into me Sin took that occasion to grow angry and to be enraged that such a neighbour was brought in beside it it could not endure that as an unruly and currish Dog barks most bitterly when an honest Guest comes to the House so doth Corruption bark and make more noise then it did before when Grace takes place in the Soul There are some that trow they have the more Faith because they feel no Corruption stir in them and there are others that think they have no Faith at all because they feel Corruption strâ—gling more and growing more troublesome to them but the stirring and strugling of Corruption if Folk be indeed burdened and affected and afflicted with it will rather prove their having of Faith then their wanting of it Love that Faith well that puts and keeps Folk bickerring to say so in the Fight with the Body of Death for though this be not good in it self that Corruption stirreth yet Sin is of that sinful nature that it flies always more in their face that look God and Heaven-wards then of others that are sleeping securely under its Dominion A third Mark is When the Soul hath never Peace in any of its Conflicts or Combats with Corruption but when it resolves in Faith exercised on Jesus Christ as it was with Paul in that Chapter after his Conversion That is a sound Faith that only makes Peace at first by Christ but that cannot to say so fight one fair stroke in the Spiritual Warfare nor look Corruption in the face nor promise to it self an outgate from any assault of the Enemy but by Faith in Jesus Christ as it was with the Apostle who toward the end of that Chapter lamentably crys O! wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death yet immediatly subjoyns Faiths triumphing in Christ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord he belike before his Conversion thought he could do well enough all alone but it is not so now when he can do nothing without Christ especially in this sore
the Apostles and yet when he is Preaching Acts 28.25 and some believed and others believed not before he dismisses the multitude he adds this one word Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the Prophet unto our fathers saying Go unto this People and say Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive c. where he expressly differenceth his external Preaching from God's inward working and tells that so long as there was a judicial stroke on the Hearts of the People untaken away no external Preaching could do the turn as to their Conversion and bringing of them to Believe which he also does to guard against any offence that might be taken at the unsuccesfulness of his Ministry by any who would be ready to say what aileth these Folk that they will not receive the Gospel to whom he answers Isaiah long before told the reason of it to wit that there is a Plague on their Hearts and Minds which God must remove ere they can receive it 2. To these plain and clear instances we may add two or three Grounds or Reasons As 1. The exceeding greatness of the work of Conversion O how great and difficult is it Therefore it 's set out by the similitudes and expressions of raising the dead creating a new heart of removing the stony heart and the like all tending to set out the necessity of an omnipotent Power or a powerful work of Grace in the begetting of Souls to Christ and if it be so great a work what can the outward Ministry do if the Power of God be not added or what can the Man himself do here can a Mâ—n quicken raise creat or beget himself it's true these comparisons are not to be extended and and applied in every respect yet they hold out that Man being naturally dead can no more contribute to his own quickening and raising and to the bâ—getting of spiritual life in himself then a dead Mâ—n can contribute to his own quickening and raising to his natural life for which cause the Holy Ghost hath made choice of these expressions even to hold out the exceeding greatness of the work 2. Consider the condition that Mâ—n are in when this work is wrought and we will see they can contribute nothing to it thâ—t they have no aptitude for it except that they are subjects capable to be wrought upon being as it is Eph 2.1 dead in sins and trespasses being as to their Souls estate and as to their Spiritual condition like Adam's Body before the Lord breathed in it the Breath of Life and made him a living Soul as his Body could not move stir nor act till then no more can the Natural Man stir or act in the ways of God till a new principle of Spiritual Life be put in him To clear it further we would consider that the Scripture speaks of these three in the Natural Man 1. Of an utter inability and deadness as to that which is Good Dead in Sins Eph. 2.1 We are not sufficient saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.5 of our selves as of our selves to think any thing not so much as a good thought 2. The Scripture holds him out not only as unable for good but perverse and bent to every thing that is Evil Col. 1.21 Alienated and enemies in our minds by wicked works the carnal mind being enmity against God Rom. 8.7 it 's plainly opposite to any thing that is Good and so to the way of Faith 3. Man's Mind is not only naturally perverse and stuffed with Enmity but in an incapacity to be healed while it remaineth such Rom. 8.7 It is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be and therefore in the work of Conversion there is not only an amending but also a renewing of our Nature called for there is more requisite then the rectifying of something in the Man even the creating of new Habits and the infusing of the Principles of Spiritual Life and Motion into the Soul It is true in some Sense the whole Image of God is not absolutely removed the faculties of the rational Soul still remain for Man hath an Understanding and a Will and some sort of Reason but without any tendency to Spiritual Life or to any action for God he hath an Understanding but it 's wholly darkened he hath a Will but wholly perverse and not in the least enclined to Good he hath Affections but wholly disordered and corrupted and set wholly upon wrong Objects so that it 's with Man's Soul as to Good as it is with spoiled Wine Wine when wholesome serves to cheer and refresh but when it 's spoiled it 's quite another thing not only not conducing to Health but it 's noisome and hurtful It 's just so we say with Man's Soul it 's by the Fall quite spoiled and corrupted it is not indeed annihilated or made to be nothing for it retains the same faculties still it hath to speak so the same quantity still but as to it's qualities it 's utterly corrupted and carried closs contrary to God it 's not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be and renovation by Grace is the taking away of the corrupt qualities in part in this Life and wholly in the other Life and the bringing in of new qualities for recovering the beauty of that Image of God which Man hath lost 4. Consider the end that God hath in the administration of His Grace and the Glory that He will needs have it getting in every gracious work and more especially in the work of Conversion and the silence as to any boasting that He will have all put unto that shall partake of it His end in the administration of His Grace is to bring down Pride to stop all Mouths and to remove all grounds of boasting from the Creature that He only may have the glory of Conversion that when ever that question is proposed What hast thou O man but what thou hast received and if thou hast received it why doest thou boast who made thee to differ from another the Soul may answer it was not external Preaching nor my own Free-will nor any thing in me but the power of God's Grace I have nothing but what I have received It is on this ground that the Apostle Phil. 2.12 13. presseth and encourageth Christians to their great work Work out saith he your own salvation in fear and trembling for it's God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure the Lord leaveth not to Man the working of the Will in himself and of him saith the same Apostle 1 Cor. 30.31 are ye in Christ Jesus who is made of God unto us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord as he said before vers 29. that no flesh should glory in his presence there is one ground of boasting that the Lord wiâ—l have removed in a Sinner's Justification and
obtaining the Pardon of Sin by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ but there is another ground or matter of boasting that Man might have if he could reach out the Hand to believe and receive that Righteousness and so put difference betwixt himself and another which in Effectual Calling the Lord puts to silence and quite removes that Man may hâ—ve it to say I have not only Pardon of Sâ—n but Grace to Believe freely bestowed upon me God made me to differ and He only He opened my Heart as He did the Heart of Lydia Thus the Lord will have all the weight of the whole work of our Salvation lying on His Grace that the Mouths of all may be stopped and that His Grace may shine gloriously that we may have it to say with the Psalmist Psal 57.2 It 's the Lord that performs all things for me and with Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 14. I obtained mercy and the Grace of God was exceeding abundant towards me The Uses are these 1. It writes to us in great and legible Letters the great emptiness and sinfulness of all Flesh who not only do not good but have sinned themselves out of a capacity to do good all Men and Women have brought themselves thus lamentably low by Sin that now if Heaven were to be had by a wish sincerely and singly brought forth yet it is not in their power to perform that condition and though it now stands upon the streatching forth of the hand of Faith to receive Jesus Christ yet of themselves they cannot even do this how ought then Sinners to be deeply humbled who have brought themselves to this woful pass I am afraid that many of you do not believe that ye are such as cannot Believe nor do any Good till His Grace work effectually in you 2. It teacheth you not to idolize any instrument or mean of Grace how precious and promising soever No Preaching if it were of a Prophet or an Apostle yea of an Angel will do the turn without Grace come with it there is a necessity of the revelation of God's Arm and of the assistance of His Grace not only to your Conversion but to every duty ye go about Ye should therefore fear and tremble when ye go about any Ordinance lest the Arm of the Lord be not put forth in it 3. It should make you more serious in dealing with God for His effectual blessing to every Mean and Ordinance seing without that no Ordinance can profite you 4. It serves to reprove and repress Pride 〈◊〉 to promove Humility in all such who 〈◊〉 â—â—tten good by the Gospel Have ye Faith or any measure of Holiness what have ye but what ye have received from whence came your Faith and your Holiness ye have them not of your selves these are not Fruits that grow upon the Tree of Nature or in its Garden but on the Tree and in the Garden of Free-Grace and ye have not your selves to thank for them 5. The main Use of it is for confirming and establishing you in the Faith of the Truth proponed in the Doctrine and for confuting and overturning the contrary Error that as it were in contempt of the Grace of God exalts proud Nature and gives Man's Free-will so great a hand in the work of Conversion That the main thing that makes the difference shall not be attributed to the Grace of God but to the Free-will of the Creature which of it self choised the Grace of God offered when another rejected it It may indeed seem strange that the Devil should so far have prevailed with Christians that profess the Faith of Original Sin and of the necessity of a Saviour as to make them look at Grace as useless in this prime step of Conversion and renewing of a Sinner that when the Grace of God and Man's Free-will come to be compared Man's Will should have the preference and preheminence the highest place and commendation in the work and that the great weight of it should ly there and that proud Nature should be thus bolstered up that it shall stand in need of nothing for the Man's Conversion but the right use-making of what it hath in it self And yet it 's no wonder that the Devil drive this design vigorously for what shorter cut can there be taken by him to ruine Souls then to make them drink in this Error that Nature and Free-will will do their turn and so take them off from all dependance on Free-Grace and on Jesus Christ and give them ground of boasting in themselves for when it is thus of necessity they must ruine and perish this should sure make you loath this Error the more And we are perswaded that the day is coming wherein the Truth opposite to this Error shall be confirmed on the Souls and Consciences of all the Opposers of it and wherein the maintaining of this Error shall be found a confirmation of Mans Enmity at Gods Grace which is not subject to His Law nor indeed can be But there are three Questions that may be moved here to which we would speak a word 1. If the Preaching of the Gospel cannot beget Faith without the powerful work of Gods Graâ—e what is the use of the Gospel or wherefore serves it 2. If Men cannot Believe without the work of Grace which the Lord soveraignly dispenseth why doth He yet find fault and expostulate with Men for their not Believing 3. If Grace perform all and Men can make no mean effectual nor do any good without it what then should Men do to come by Believing and this work of His Grace For the first We shall not say much unto it only seing the Lord hath made choice of the Gospel to be the ordinary external Mean of Grace and of the begetting of Faith there is no reason to say that it 's useless for though it be not the main and only thing that turns the Sinner but the Lord hath reserved it to Himself as His own Prerogative to convert and change the Heart of a Rebel-sinner yet he hath appointed it to be made use of as He hath appointed Baptism and the Lords Supper for many good and notable ends uses and advantages that are reached and come by the preaching of it As 1. By it the Righteousness of God is manifested that before lay hid Ye may by the preaching of the Gospel come to the knowledge of the Covenant of Redemption and of the great design that the Lord hath laid down for bringing about the Salvation of lost Sinners Rom. 1.17 Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith 2. By it the Lord revealeth the Duty He calleth for from Men as well as His Will concerning their Justification and Salvation He lets them know what is wrong what is right what displeaseth Him and what pleaseth Him Yea 3. By the preaching of the Gospel He holdeth out what Mens ability is or rather what is their inability and by His external Calling gives
in the practice of Piety because of the necessity of this Grace but on the contrary be the more diligent and serious that ye have so much need of Grace and that of your selves ye can do so little or rather nothing that is truly good without it I know that prophane Hearts are very fertile and broody of Arguments to plead this point of neglect of Means and will readily say what is the fruit of diligence and the prejudice of laziness the one will do us no good and the other can do us no ill seing it's Grace that doth all the work But 1. By your laziness ye mar your own fruitfulness and that through your own fault and make this addition to your guilt that ye not only continue graceless but do so through your sin wilfully 2. Ye may draw on to your natural impotency habitual and judicial hardness of Heart and blindness of Mind it 's on this very ground that many Ears are made heavy many Eyes made blind and many Hearts made fat and is that a little or light matter 3. Though ye may think this little yet that which will bear the weight of your sentence at the Day of Judgment will not be your natural impotency or that Gâ—ace was not made efficacious to yâ—ur Conversion but this will be it that when God sent out His Word to win you and offered His Grace for inabling you to yield ye did maliciously and deliberatly reject it So that it will never be suffered to come to this I was unable because the Word was wilfully rejected before it came to this But secondly Because there are some others possibly that have more seriousness in the use of Means who though they dare not quarrel with Grace yet it weights and discourâ—ges them because they can do so little and they are made heartless to essay and hopeless to come speed and it may be that this is in some whom the Lord allows not to draw any such conclusion but would rather have encouraged we would say to such that they would beware of fainting or being discouraged as if that were impossible to God and His Grace which is impossible to them they would by all means beware of sitting up and â—ackning their hand in Duty because they can do so little We know there are some that need not much to be spoken to for satisfying of them in this point but there are others who are weighted with this Doctrine to whom the Lord allows more tender usage and would not have them to faint nor be discouraged you that are such if any be may know that there is ground for us to press this and that we may remove the construction of hardness from this soveraign way of Gods Grace wherein He hath thought fit to draw Men unto an absolute dependance on Himself In the dispensing of it we shall propose these few Considerations 1. That which was hinted at before never a Man that hath heard this Gospel when he comes to count with God shall have it to say that the reason why he did not receive and embrace it was his impotency and inability but the real reason shall be found to be his wilful rejecting of it and upon the contrary it shall be found that there was never one that would in earnest have had strength to run the way of Gods Commandments and Faith to grip to and embrace Jesus Christ offered in this Gospel that for want of ability came short and if so what reason is there to complain if none want Faith but such as would not have Him and if none that would have Him can complain of their want of Him upon these two we have great ground of encouragement to them that have a sincere affection to be at Him and there is no ground for Folk to sit up or fall lazy in pursuing after union and communion with Him in the use of Means None shall have cause to complain of their want of Him but such as with their own consent gave Him over and any that would fain have had Him shall not miss Him for this real willingness to close with Christ being a work of the Grace of God and it being no less power that works this Will than the power which doth effectuate the work of Conversion and bring it to perfection He that begins the work will perfect it according to His Promise seing there is nothing that He does begin but He does perfect it and therefore in this case Folk had more need to reflect upon their willingness to have Christ and to close with Him on His own terms than to dispute their impotency and inability 2. Consider what they have been whom the Lord hath brought thorow were they not such as had as much need of Grace as ye have had they not the same corrupt Nature that ye have were they not as impotent and unable to do for themselves could any of themselves do more than ye can consider them all that are before the Throne was it not this same Grace of God and not their good Nature nor their Free-will that did the work and they were not expressly or by name included in the Promises more than ye are and ye are not expressly excluded more than they were the Lord brought forward the work of Grace in them that same way that He dealeth with you by the preaching of His Word He brought them first to know their sinfulness impotency and weakness to know that there was need of a Saviour that their Salvation was not of themselves neither was it in them to make right use of the Saviour and Salvation offered but in the power of His Grace and what if He be doing so to thee and if that condition be hard and hopeless now it had been a hopeless and hard condition to these many that are now before the Throne 3. Consider That there is no question but Grace is effectual to carry on the work and to make it go thorow all the difficulty and dissatisfaction is because God keeps the application in His own Hand which the Man's Heart would have in its Hand and which of them do ye think is most sure and encouraging all your fainting and discouragement resolveth in this because ye can do so little If ye be in good earnest desirous to have Grace throughing the work of Faith and Conversion would ye possibly make choise of another or better Hand than God's to put it in is it not as suitable and sure that His Wisdom should contrive and lay down the way as it is to His Power to set it forward and to the freedom of His Grace to make application of it and all more suitable and sure than if it were in your own Hand may ye not think shame to be discouraged on this ground because any thing ye do ye must needs get it from God and that that should be an obstruction in the way of Godliness which is a main encouragement to it
is enough in God and in His Grâ—ce to do their turn How is it then or what can be the reason that we in our Hearts do draw the just contrary conclusion to that which the Spirit of God draws here from this ground when we have the offer of Grace and hear of the power and efficacy of it it should as to our part provoke us to be more busie reasoning thus with our selves that though our Corruption will soon overcome us yet it wi l not it cannot overcome Grace and though the exercise of Faith be above our reach yet it is not above the reach of Grace though we be weak yet Grace is strong and therefore we will work it out And upon the other side we ought to conâ—inue humble and in fear and trembling work it out bâ—cause it 's not we but Grace that doth the work If Grace were well considered there is nothing that would more strâ—ngthen Folks hands to work and upon the other hand there is nothing that would make Folks more watchful and to walk in holy fear considering that we are poor Beggers and thorow our unwatchfulness or conceit and presumption may mar the outlettings of His Grace especially if we grow secure and ungrately forget what we receive from Him 2. I come now to some steps or particular directions implied in this Use because it will be asked What then should Folk do And before I touch on particulars take these two Caveâ—ts in the entry to them 1. That we can propose nothing to be done by you nâ—ither can ye do any thing of your selves that is a gracious act or deed 2. That we understand not that any thing can be done by Men in their Natural state that doth infer or procure and far less deserve the giving of Grace to any but seing God hath given direction to us how to walk in order to the working out of our Salvation we say 1. That it 's safe to us to walk in the way He hath directed us to walk in and in the use of the Means He hath prescribed and much more safe then to lay them aside 2. That there is greater suitableness betwixt the use of the Means and the finding of Grace then there is betwixt the neglect of Means and the finding of it 3. That it aggrees well with Gods way in bringing about the Conversion of Sinners to bring them piece and piece forward sometimes bringing them to the use of external Means and to the performance of outward Duties sometimes convincing them of Sin and letting them see their need of Christ sometimes discovering the worth that is in Christ and bringing them to fall in love with Him ere they actually close with Him and making them in their practice to follow any peep or glimmering of light that is let out to them and to go the length that light discovereth the way and makes it plain as to their duty Now for particular Directions we would 1. Bid you study to be fixed and established in the Faith of these general Truths that relate to Mans Sinfulness and Misery and Insufficiency in Himself that in us that is in ouâ— flâ—sh dwelleth no good thing that naturally we are dead in Sins and Trespasses and cannot quicken our selves and in the Faith of the necessity and powerfulness of Grace and that it 's Christ that must give and work Faith and that Grace can do the turn and prevail where it is put on work ye would also consider and believe the great hazard of missing Grace and the advantage that cometh by it ye would meditate on these things and on the Scriptures that hold them out and on the experiences of the Saints that confirm them that ye may not only have a glance and transient view of them but may be confirmed in the Faith of the truth of them 2. Content not your selves with a general Faith of the truâ—h of this Doctrine but labour to be suitably affected with these things that ye believe and though every affectedness be not special Grace yet I speak to them that are ready to lay the blame and fault on the Grace of God and yet were never affected with their own gracelesness Ye would study to be affected with the gracelesness of your Nature and let it put you to some sanctified disquiet and trouble till with Ephraim ye be made to smite upon your thigh and till ye be put to a holy deliberation and consultation about your own condition a Man that is under the hazard of a civil penalty will think on it again and again it will affect him and he will not be at rest till he be without the reach of it much more should ye be with the hazard that your Souls are in through Sin ye are not excusable so long as ye come not this length 3. Add to this Diligence in the use of all outward Means and Duties whereby and wherein the Lord useth to communicate His Grace abounding always in the work of the Lord as the Apostle exhorteth 1 Cor. 15.58 Be diligent in secret Prayer Reading Meditation Conference Self-examination Hearing keeping good Company and the like which indeed Hypocrites may do yet they cease not for that to be Duties 4. Be sincere and serious in the use and performance of these Means and Duties that which I mean is a moral sincerity and seriousness such as a Man will readily have in a civil Cause that he hath depending before a civil Judge or in hearing of News or the like which is a thing that may be and is often found in Men that are void of a principle of Grace and yet Folk are very often defective in this and make themselves exceeding guilty before God because they come not this length 5. Take heed and beware of entertaining any thing that holds and bars out Grace or of doing any thing that may mar or quench the working or moving of Grace If ye cannot get Christ entertained in your Heart as ye should be sure to give it to no other if ye cannot get Corruption thrust out nor mortified watch against the rising or harbouring of that which ye know to be Corruption and against the incoming or rising of such evils as ye know will keep or put away the Beloved guard also against the neglecting of such Means as by the neglect whereof ye may grieve His Spirit 6. Study and seek after a composed frame of Spirit in your ordinary walk and especially in Duties of Worship Carnal Mirth and Jollity loose Company and suffering the Heart to go a whoring after the things of the World do not only provoke Christ as they are sins but indispose us for Duty and mar the exercise of Grace where it is and keep it back where it is not therefore the wise man saith Eccles 7.3 that sorrow is better then laughter for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better carnal Sorrow is not to be commended but sober sadness or a
Souldiers And we esteemed him not That is we the people of the Jews who owe him more respect esteemed him not And hence he concludes that it is no wonder that but few believe on him And so in the words following he goes on to describe his Humiliation and to remove the offence that might be taken at it Surely he hath born our griefs c. As if he had said there is no such cause to skar and stumble at Christ for his lowness and base outward condition for it was not for himself but for us that he became so low and therefore it did not become us to think so little of him His griefs and sorrows are humane infirmities that he subjected himself to for our sake For the wrath of God which he suffered for us is spoken of afterwards And because there is great difference betwixt Christs bearing of infirmities and our bearing of infirmities He being like to us in all things except sin I shall for clearing of this name three distinctions given by Divines when they discourse of this purpose 1. They distinguish and put difference betwixt the taking on of infirmities and the contracting of infirmities The taking on of infirmities is the assuming of the effect without the cause of the infirmity without the sinful defect Contracting of infirmity is the drawing on of the defect with and by the cause Now we draw on the cause with the effect Christ took on the effect but he had no sinful defect in him to draw on such infirmities He might have taken on the nature of man without the infirmities if he had so pleased but he took on the nature and infirmities without the cause 2. They distinguish betwixt these infirmities which are simply natural such as man might have had though he had never sinned and these infirmities which flow from mans nature as fallen and corrupted The first sort may be called Passive and look to suffering as to be hungry thirsty weary sensible of that which hurts the body The second sort may be called Active and are sinful as flowing from sin and tending to sin as inclination to ill and indisposition to good dulness as to the uptaking of Gods mind c. Our Lord took on the first sort of infirmities that are simply natural and may be without sin But he was free of the other that implyes corruption in the nature He was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin saith the Apostle Heb. 4.15 3. They distinguish infirmities in these that are called natural and common to all men as men and these that are personal and acquired as flowing from some defect in generation or are drawn on by some intemperance grossness in the life and conversation As some Families are subject to Diseases that come by Generation Others draw on Diseases by Whoredome Drunkenness and the like Now our Lord was free of these last because being conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin there was no defect in His Generation And being blameless in his life and conversation he could acquire none of these infirmities and therefore the infirmities which he bare are of the first sort that is such as are common to all men and to men as men And hence we think it probable which some say That as our Lord was not sick so he was not capable of sickness being so perfect in his constitution or complexion which makes for the glory of Grace and saith That our Lord behoved to die a violent death there being no principle in him tending to a natural death though notwithstanding he did most willingly to satisfie Justice for sinners And this may serve to explain these words That he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs We come now to observe some things from the words And 1. From the condition our Lord is described to come to the world in Observe That the Messiah the Lords Servant that was to redeem his people was to become man This is here supposed and Prophesied of as the first step of his Humiliation He is called a Man And it is an aggravation of it that he was to be a man of sorrows Or taking our Lord Messiah to be already come we may take the Observation thus That the Lord Jesus Christ the eternal Son of the eternal Father is also a true and real Man A common truth yet a truth fundamental to the Gospel whereof we are not to think the less or the worse because it is a common truth When the fulness of time came saith the Apostle Gal. 4 4. God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law Who as it is Philip. 2. Thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet took upon him the shape of a Servant and was made in likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient c. So Heb. 2.14 It 's said of him That forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same c. And vers 11. Both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren And vers 16. He took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham wherefore in all thinge it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren He was made even like unto us in all things except sin And if we look to the way of grace there was good reason for this that the Redeemer of sinners behoved to be Man 1. If we consider the interposed or adjoyned threatning to the Covenant of Works The day thou eats thou shalt surely die There must be a satisfaction to Justice and the curse threatned must be born 2. The curse must be born by man the Nature that sinned must die the Party offending must satisfie in his own Person or in a Cautioner And 3. By our Lord's becoming Man 1. He came to have a right as being near of Kin to sinners to redeem them And 2. By this the Law hath right to pursue and exact the Debt of him And 3. By this Grace hath access to commend the Redeemer of sinners to sinners Heb. 2.17 18. And 4.15 16. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to he made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest c. And that we have such a Redeemer it makes God to say so trystable and Grace to have access 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus and this gives man access to step in to God 4. This makes the mystery of Godliness to shine the more radiantly and the wisdome and love of God to shine the more conspicuously thorow it 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh And John 1.14 The Word was made
a Marriage contract especially when it 's so full free and rich on the Proposer and Suiters part but either that Folk think it is not fit for them or that they think nothing of it at all and this is it that hinders closing with Christ Matth. 22. They made light of it and went away c. and Psal 81. My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me 2. When any thing is made equal to Christ much more when any thing is preferred to him he is undervalued and not esteemed of when he gets little or none of Folks care and labour little of their time little of their love and delight few or none of their thoughts c. but they are quite carried away after other things for where the treasure is there the heart will be also and were Christ our Treasure and precious in our esteem our Hearts would be more set on him but it 's strange sad and even astonishing to think how little our Spirits are exercised with the thoughts of Christ how little they are taken up with longing for him and delighting in him and yet we will think that we esteem him 3. Our Lord is undervalued when he is not made use of and imployed and lippened to as an able and sufficient Saviour If there be a learned and skilful Physician in a City in all or most Diseases or an able Lawyer to plead all Causes if Folk have Diseases to be cured and Causes to be pleaded and yet do not imploy such a Physician or such a Lawyer but go to some other though far less skilful and able they undervalue him It is even so here when Folks have many Sins and they seek not to him for Pardon many not only Temporal wants but also and mainly many Spiritual wants and do not acknowledge him in them neither seek to him for supply of them many predominant Evils and they seek not to him to mortifie them many Snares and Temptations and they do not make use of him to prevent and lead them by them and many Spiritual Causes to be pleaded before God or at his Bar and they do not imploy him as Advocate to plead for them 4. He is undervalued when Folk think not themselves happy enough in him nor sicker enough in bargaining with him and when he doth not satisfie and fully content them as if he were yea and nay and as if all the promises were not yea and amen in him when he is not credited intirely and rested upon he is not esteemed of hence he complains John 5. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life and Matth. 23. How often would I have gathered you and ye would not he would to say so with reverence fain do them a good turn but they will not lippen to him O! how much undervaluing of Christ is there even among believers when they hold and draw with him intertain jealousies and suspitions of him scarcely credit him and when they do at any time credit him are in a manner ready to take back their word again How often are Creature-comforts overvalued by them And how often are the consolations of God small with them These and many other wayes are they even they in some considerable measure and degree guilty of undervaluing of Christ Use 2. Take with this sin acknowledge and seek pardon for it It were a good token of some tenderness to be mourning for enmity against Christ and for undervaluing of him as well as for Drunkenness Fornication Theft or any other gross sin And where that gracious and right mourning that is spoken of Zech. 12.10 comes it will be in special for this undervaluing of Christ to the hight of piercing of him We would ask any of you that think ye repent if this sin of slighting him hath pierced you as it did these Acts 2 It may be some think themselves so cleanly and perfect that they have not many sins to mourn for O! dreadful mistake But though ye had no more is not this enough that ever there should have been enmity in your bosome at Christ And should not this prick you at the very heart that ever ye should have so undervalued him But readily they that see fewest sins in themselves will see and take with least of this sin Use 3. It serves to be a warning to all men in nature to consider what their condition is Do ye that have this enmity and are undervaluers of Christ know what is in your hearts And do ye consider what posture ye will be found in if Grace make not a change in the day of Christ ye will be found amongst these despisers and haters that would not have him to reign over them How will you dar to appear or in what posture will ye appear before him when he whom ye despised shall come in the glory of his Father with all the holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his glory And yet appear ye must How will the conscience then gnaw and the heart be affrighted How will challenges waken yea sting and prick you on this ground that the Son of God the Heir of all things the Lord of lords and King of kings who proposed Marriage to you was undervalued and Marriage with him made light of and that a thing of nought was put in his room and place Will not this be a horrible challenge in that day And if ye would consider what will be their posture that mocked and buffetted him and plucked off his hair that nodded with the head and cryed Aha and bade him come down from the Cross that did scourge him and hang him up upon the Cross betwixt two Thieves Such a posture will all of you be in who have despised and disesteemed him ye will meet with that same sad sentence Bring out these mine enemies that would not that I should reign ever them and slay them before me O! what a strange punishment suppose ye will that be when the Saviour of sinners shall stand by and look on till he see vengeance execute on sinners that despised him Think on it for there is such a day coming when ye will all appear before him and when your reckonings will be cast up suffer not your selves to be cheated into an opinion that it will be accounted a little sin to be found under this guilt of despising Christ and let not one of you put it off himself and over upon another they will be found despisers of him that would never let it light nay even many that have Preached him and that would have been angry at prophanity in others as may be gathered from Mat. 7.22 The 4. Use serves to commend this to you as a piece of your duty to study to know Christ and to have the suitable impression of Christ and of his worth as the great mean contributive to the bringing you to credit him and believe on him and to the
esteemed him not even because of his lowness In the words now read and forward the Prophet sets himself to remove the offence that men took at our Lords Humiliation by shewing them that although he became so low yet he was not to be the less esteemed of for that And the ground which he layes down to remove the offence is in the first words of the Text which in sum is this that there was nothing in himself wherefore he should have been brought so low there was no sin in him neither was there any guile found in his mouth but he was graciously pleased to take on him that which we should have born and therefore men ought not to stumble and offend at his stooping to bear that which would with its weight have crushed them eternally and thereby to make their peace with God in the 6. vers he shews how it came to pass that he stooped so low All we saith he like sheep have gone astray and turned every one of us to our own way and the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all We had lost our selves and God in the depth of his eternal wisdom love and good-will found out the way to save us wherein to speak so a Covenant was transacted betwixt God and the Mediator who becomes Cautioner for our sins which are transferred on him From the 7. vers to the 10. vers he goes on in shewing the execution of this transaction and how the Cautioner performed all according to his engagement And from the 10. vers to the close we have the promises made to him for his satisfaction The scope is as to remove the scandal of the Cross so to hold out our Lords pursuing the work of satisfaction to the Justice of God for elect sinners and the good success he had in it In the 4 and 5. verses we have three things 1. This ground asserted Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows 2. Mens enmity aggreged from this yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted In the very mean time that he condescended to stoop so low for us and to bear that which we should have born we esteemed but little of him we looked on him as a plagued man 3. This is more fully explained vers 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities He was so handled for our sins and the chastisement of our peace was on him that which made our peace with God was on him By his stripes we are healed the stripes that wounded and killed him cured us We have here then rather as it were a sad narration then a Prophesie of the Gospel holding out a part of our Lords sufferings yet a clear foundation of the consolation of the people of God it being the ground of all our Faith of the pardon of sin of our peace with God and of our confident appearing before him that our Lord was content to be thus dealt with and to give his back to the smiters and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair We shall clear the words in the assertion which will serve to clear the words of the whole Chapter and also of the Doctrines to be drawn from it 1. The thing that Christ bare is called griefs and sorrows by which we understand the effects that sin brings on men in the world for its the same that in the 5. vers is called his being wounded for our transgression and bruised for our iniquity It 's a wounding that iniquity causeth and meritoriously procureth It 's not sin it self but the effect of sin to wit the punishment the sorrow and grief that sin brings with it called griefs and sorrows Partly because grief and sorrow is necessarily joyned with sin partly to shew the extremity and exceeding greatness of this grief and sorrow and the bitter fruits that sin hath with it 2. How is it said that Christ hath born and carried their griefs and sorrows By this we understand not only Christs removing of them as he removed sickness and diseases as it is said Matth. 8.16 17. But also and mainly his actual and real enduring of them as the phrase is frequently used in Scripture That man shall bear his iniquity or he shall bear his sin Levit. 5. and many other places It sees out a real inflicting of the punishment that sin deserves on him 3. That it is said our griefs and our sorrows it is not needlesly or superfluously set down but to meet with the offence that men take at Christs humbling himself so low As if he had said What aileth you to stumble at Christs coming so low and being so afflicted It was not for his own sins but for ours that he was so handled And they are called our griefs and sorrows 1. Because we by our sins procured them they were our deserving and due to us the debt was ours though he as our Cautioner took it on himself 2. Because though the Elect have distinct reckonings and peculiar sins some moe some fewer some greater some lesser yet they are all put on Christs account there is a combination of them a gathering of them all on him as the word is vers 6. He hath laid on him or made to meet on him the iniquities of us all The meaning then of the assertion is this Surely this is the cause of Christs Humiliation and this makes him not only to become Man but to be a mean poor Man and to have a comfortless and afflicted life in the World that he hath taken on him that Punishment Curse and Wrath that was due to us for our Sins and therefore he ought not to be offended and stumbled at Now because Socinians the great Enemies of Christs satisfaction and of the comfort of his People labour to elude this place and to make Christ only an exemplary Saviour and deny that he really and actually did undergo these Griefs and Sorrows for the Sins of his Elect We shall a little clear and confirm the exposition we have given the question is not about the taking away of Sin but about the manner of removing it They say that it is by Gods pardoning of it without a Satisfaction We say it is by Christs Satisfaction So the difficulty in expounding the words is whether to expound them of Christs removing our Sorrows and Griefs from us or of his bearing of them for our Sin and so really taking it away And that this Scripture means not of a simple removing of them as he did remove Sickness Matth 8.17 but by a real taking them on himself and bearing of of them in order to the satisfaction of the Justice of God for our Sins We shall give these Reasons to confirm it 1. Because these words are to be understood of such a bearing of Sorrows and Griefs as made Christ to be contemptible and despised before others This is clear from the scope for they are given as a reason
intention towards him Upon the other side the more consolation be in this to Believers it speaks the greater ground of terrour to unbelievers because of the prejudice they sustain by the want of this And as many of you as make not Faith and Holiness your study ye ly out of the reach of this consolation that flows from Christs bearing the griefs and sorrows of his own And therefore let the prophane senâ—â—ess multitude that know not what it is to die to the Law or to live to Holiness as ye would not commit Sacriledge stand a-back and not dar to meddle with this redemption till ye stoop and come in at this door of Faith and Holiness And let as many as are in this way admit of the consolation for it 's the Lords allowance upon you But for others if ye presume to take hold of it the Lord will wring it from you and let you know to your cost that ye had nothing to do with it SERMON XXI ISAIAH LIII IV V. Vers 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted Vers 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed THese words and all this Chapter look liker a piece of the History of the Gospel then a Prophecy of the Old Testament The sufferings of the Messiah being so directly pointed at in them We shew that this first part of the 4. Verse holds forth the cause of his sufferings and it is applyed to our Lord Matth. 8.17 and 1 Pet. 2.24 As for the second part of the Verse in these words yet we esteemed him smitten of God stricken and afflicted any who are acquainted with the Gospel cannot but know that it was fulfilled in him and it is an aggravation of their sin who did so undervalue and despise him that though he condescended to come so low for us yet we slighted him even then when there was greatest love let out we abused it and made it the rise of greatest malice and for the 5. Verse it is applied by Peter 1 Pet. 21.24 This whole Chapter then being so Gospel like and having a direct fulfilling in Christ we may draw this general Doctrine from it That our Lord Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified died and was buried and rose again the third day is the very same Messiah that was prophesied of in the Old Testâ—ment and was promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob whom the Fathers before his coming in the Flesh were waiting for And though this may be looked on as but a very common and useless Doctrine yet it is the main ground and foundâ—tion of our Faith we take many things for granted wherein if we were well tried and put to it we would be found unsicker and in this among the rest Now for confirmation of it this same one argument will make it out we shall not follow it at length but in the prosecuâ—ing of it shall astrict our selv s to this Chapter the argument runneth thus if in Christ Jesus that which was prophesied of the Messiah and promised to the Fathers have its fulfilling and accomplishment then he must be the same Messiah that was prophesied of and promised to them for these things spoken of the one and alone Messiah can agree to no other But whatever was prophesied and spoken or promised of the Messiah to the Fathers to the least circumstance of it was all fully accomplished and fulfiled in Christ therefore the conclusion laid down in the Doctrine follows to wit that our blessed Lord Jesus is the same Messiah that was prophesied of promised to the Fathers and whom they before his coming were looking for So that that question needs not now to be proposed art thou he that should come or do we look â—or another Go says Christ Mat. 11.4 5.6 and tell John the blind receive their sight the lame walk and the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear and the dead are raised and the poor have the Gospel preached to them and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me blessed is he who because of my Humiliation is not stumbled Now not to make a rehearsal of the general Prophesies in Scripture all of which have their exact fulfilling in Christ we shall only speak to two things here for makâ—ng out of the Argument proposed 1. That this Chapter speaks of the Messiah 2. That what is spoken in it is literally fulfilled in Christ 1. That this Chapter speaks of the Messiah Though of old the blinded Jâ—ws granted it yet now they say that it speaks of some other but that it speaks of him these things will make it evident 1. If we look to the 13. Verse of the former Chapter where it is said My servant shall deal prudentâ—y he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high there our Lord Jesus is spoken of as the Fathers Servant or great Lord-Deputy and the Jews themselves grant that this is mean'd of the Messiah and there is nothing more clear then that what is spoken in this Chapter relates to him who is called the Lords Servant in the former Chapter as we shew at our entering to speak of it 2 If we look to the description of his Person it can aggree to no other for it 's said There was no guile found in his mouth he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearer is dumb so he openâ—d not his mouth c. he had no sin of his oâ—n which can be said of no other therefore this Chapt r speaks of him 3. If we consider the end and effects of his Sufferings they do also clear it the end of his Sufferings for it 's for the transgressions of his People and as it is Dan. 9.26 He was to be cut off but not for himself the effects He shall see his feed and by his knowledge justifie many And the New Testament is full to this purpose there being no Scripture in all the Old Testament more made use of nor oftener applyed to Christ then this is 2. What is spoken in this Chapter is really and literally fulfilled in Christ and we may shortly draw what is in it to these five Heads all which we will find clearly fulfiâ—led in him 1. To his Suffâ—rings 2. To the ground of his Sufferings 3. To Mens account and estimation of him 4. To the Promises made to him 5. To the effects that followed on his Sufferings 1. For his Sufferings it 's said that he should be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief that he should be despised and rejâ—cted of men and not be esteemed that he should be looked on as stricken smitten of God and afflicted that he should bear ouâ— sorrows and griefs and be wounded for our transgressions
that he should be opp essâ—â— and afflicted and brought as a lamb to the slaughter that he should be numbred amongâ—t the transgressours and that he should die and be buried make his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death all which are clearly fulfille in him and the clearing of his Sufferings whereof we spoke before clears this that not only he suffered but that he was brought so low in suffering 2 For the ground of his Sufferings its â—aid to be the sins of his own Elect He bare our griefs and carried our sorrows he was wounded for our transgrâ—ssions and bruised for our iniquities there was no guile found in his mouth the greatest enemies of our Lord could impute nothing to him Pilat was forced to say that he found no fault in him all which shew that it was for the Transgressions of his People that he suffered 3. As for Mens little esteem of him it is also very clear for He was despised and rejected of men we hid as it were our faces from him He was despised and we esteemed him not the World thought little of him and we that are elect thought but little of him and what is more clear in the Gospel then this where it is told that he was reproached buffeted spitted on despised they criâ—d away with him crucifie him He trusted in God let him deliver him but God hath forsaken him 4. As for the Promises made to him He shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands He shâ—ll see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied and by his knowledge shall many be justified c. what mean all these but that he shall die and rise again and have many Converts that God's work shall thrive well in his hand and that he shall have a glorious Kingdom and many Subjects which is caâ—led afterward his having a portion with the great and his dividing of the sooil with the strong All this was accompl shed in Christ when after his Resurrectâ—on many were win and brought in by the Gospel to believe on him and though Jews and eathens concurred and conspired to cuâ— off all Christians yet his Kingdom spread and hath continued these sixteen hundred years and above 5. As for the effects that followed on his Sufferings or the influence they have on the elect People of God as mâ—ny Converts as have been and are in the World as many Witnesses are there that he is the Messiah every converted pardoned and reconciled Soul seals this truth Hence 1 John 5.7 8 it is said There are three that bear witness in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one and there are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit in his efficacy the Water in the sanctifying vertue of it in changing and cleansing his People and the Blood in the satifying and justifying vertue of it and these three agree and concur in one even this one to wit that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and then it follows He that believeth hath the witness in himself because he hath gotten Pardon through him and therefore can set to his Seal to this truth and say truly Christ is the Messiah The Use is To exhort you to acquaint your selves with these things that serve to confirm this truth the book of the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Hebrews are much spâ—nt upon it even to hold out and to prove Christ Jesus to be the true Messiah and Saviour of his People If this be not made sure and sicker we have an unstable ground for our Faith and though it be sure in it self yet so long as it is not so to us we want the consolation of it and there is a twofold prejudice that cometh through Folks want of thorow clearness in and assurance of this truth 1. To the generality of Hearers there is this prejudice that they are so careless and little solicitous to rest on him And as it made the Jews to râ—ject him who to this day stumbâ—e at him on this same very ground that they know him not to be the Messiah the Christ of God in whom is accomplished all that was spoken of the Messiah to Christians not being through in it they do not rest on him nor close with him as the true Messiah 2. There is a prejudice also from it to Believers who having only a glimring light of Christs being the Messiah come short of thar consolation that they might hâ—ve if they were through in the Fâ—ith oâ— it there is this great evil among Christians that they study not to be solidly clear and through in this point to that if they were puâ— to reason and debate with a Jew if there were not a witness within themsâ—lves of it the truth of the Faith of many would be exceedingly shaken 2. From this That he never speaks of Christs Sufferings but he makes applicâ—tion of them he carried our Griefs he was wounded for our Transgressions c. Observe That Believers would look on Christs Sufferings as undergone for them and in their rooms and place We cleared before 1. That Christ suffâ—red for some peculiarly and not for all And 2. Thâ—t Believers would endeavour the clearing of their own interest in his Sufferings and that they have a right to them Now we shortly add this 3d. of kin to the former That B lievers and such as are fled to Christ for refuge would look on his Suffâ—rings as come under for them and these same Scriptures which we cited to confirm these will confirm this The reason why we would have you confirmed in this is Because 1 It is only this that will make you suitably thankful it is this which is a notable ground of that Song of Praise Rev. 1.4 To him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood c. 2. This is a ground of true solid and strong consolation even to be comforted in the applicative Faith of Christs purchase 3. It is the Lords allowance on his People which they should reverently and thankfully make use of even to look on Jesus Christ as wounded pierced and lifted up on the Cross for them and by doing this according to his allowance there is a paved way made for application of all the benefites of his purchase 3. From the scope looking on the words as spoken to remove the scandal of the Cross Observe which may be a reason of the former that folk will never take up Christ rightly in his sufferings except they take him up as suffering for them and in their room This look of Christ leads 1. To take up much of the glory of grace and condescending love to sinners 2. It leads to take up Christs faithfulness that came to the world on sinners errand according to the ancient transaction in the Covenant of Redemption as he is brougbt in
to procure this of him but he freely and willingly and with delight payed your debt when ye were in the hight of malicious opposition to him doing all that might scarr him from it And had it been possible that man's malice despising and despite could have scarred him he had never died for one sinner but he triumphed openly in his grace over that and all that stood in his way 3. We have here a confirmation of that truth that holds out mans malice and desperat wickedness And can there be any thing that evidenceth man's wickedness and malice more Then 1. To have enmity against Christ 2. To have it at such an hight as to despise him and count him smitten and plagued of God And 3. To be at the hight of malice even then when he out of love was condescending so low as to suffer and satisfie Justice for him ye may possibly think that it was not ye that had such malice at Christ But saith not the Prophet We esteemed him smitten of God Taking in himself and all the elect which might give us this Observation That there is nothing more desperatly wicked and filled with more enmity against Christ in his condescending love and against God in the manifestation of his grace then when even elect souls for whom he hath suffered despise him and count him smitten of God and afflicted It 's indeed very sad yet very profitable to walk under the deep apprehension and soul-pressour of heart-enmity against God and Christ Are there any of you that think ye have such sinful and wicked natures that dispose you to think little of Christ to despise and reject him and his grace Gods Elect have this enmity in their natures And if such natures be in the Elect what must be in the Reprobat who live and die in this enmity If this were seriously considered and laid to heart O but folk would be humble nothing would affect the soul more and stound to the very heart then to think that Christ suffered for me through grace an Elect and a Believer and that yet notwithstanding I should have so despised and rejected him and accounted him smitten of God and afflicted Let me exhort all of you to look back on your former walk and to lay this enmity to heart for the day is coming when it will be found to be a biting and conscience gnawing sin to many 4. In that he aggravates their enmity from this Observe this truth which is also here confirmed that there is nothing that gives sin a deeper Dye then that it is against grace and condescending love that is against Christ when suffering for us and offered to us O! that makes sin to be exceeding sinful and wonderfully abominable and thus it is aggreged Heb. 2. As greater then the contempt of Moses his Law And Heb 6. It 's accounted to be a crucifying the Son of God a-fresh and a putting him to an open shame And Heb. 10. it 's called a trodâ—ng him under foot an accounting the blood of the Covenant to be an unholy thing and a dâ—ing despite to the Spirit of Grace These two last Scriptures look mainly to the sin against the Holy Ghost yet so as there is somewhat of that which is said in them to be found in all unbelievers their despising of Christ It 's a sin some way hateful even to the Publicans and Sinners to hate them that love us to do ill to them that do good to us How much more sinful and hateful is it to despise and hate him who loved us so as to give himself for us and when he was giving himself for us There are many sins against the Law that will draw deep but this will draw deeper then they all even sinning against Grace and the Mediator interposing for sinners and manifesting love to them And the reckoning will run thus Christ was manifested to you in this Gospel as the only remedy of sin and set forth as crucified before your eyes and made offer of to you in the Gospel and yet ye despised him and esteemed him not And let me say it to Believers that it 's the greatest aggravation of their sin It is true in some respect that the sins of Believers are not so great as the sins of others they not being committed with such deliberation and full bensil of will nor from the dominion of sin yet in this respect they are greater then the sins of others because committed against special Grace and Love actually communicated and therefore when the Believer considers that he hath requit Christ thus it will affect him most of any thing if there be any suitable tenderness of frame 5. From considering that it is the Prophet that expresseth this aggravation we may Observe that the Believer that is most tender and hath best right to Jesus Christ and his satisfaction and may upon best ground apply it will be most sensible of his enmity and of the abominable guilt that is in despising and wronging of Jesus Christ Therefore the Prophet brings in himself as one of those that by Christs stripes were healed taking with his guilt we despised and rejected him we esteemed him not we judged him smitten of God The reason is because interest in Jesus Christ makes the heart tender and any wrong that 's done to him to affect the sooner and the more deeply the scurf that sometime was on the heart being in a measure taken away and interest in Christ awakeneth and raiseth an esteem of him and produceth a holy sympathy with him in all the concerns of his glory even as the members of the body have a fellow-feeling with the head Make a supposition that a man in his madness should smite and wound his head or wrong his Wife his Father or his Brother when that fit of madness is over he is more affected with that wrong then if it had been done to any other member of his body or to other persons not at all or not so nearly related to him There is something of this pointed at Zech. 12.10 They shall look unto him whom they have pierced and mourn for him as a man doth for his only Son As if he had said the stroaks they have given the head shall then be very heavy and grievous to be born and will be made to their feeling to bleed a-fresh They thought not much of these woundings and piercings of him before but so soon as their interest in him is clear or they come cordially to believe in him they are kindly affected with the wrongs done to him The Use is That it 's a mark to try if there be indeed an interest in Christ and if it be clear The man whose interest is clearest 1. His wrongs done to Christ will prick him most if the wrongs be done by others they affect him if by himself they some way faint him Wholeness of heart under wronging of Christ is too great an evidence that there is
little or no ground for application of his satisfaction but it 's kindly like when wrongs done to Christ affect most 2. When not only challenges for sin against the Law but for sins against Christ and Grace offered in the Gospel do become a burden and the greatest burden 3. When the man is made to mind secret enmity at Christ and is disposed to muster up aggravations of his sinfulness on that account and cannot get himself made vile enough When he hath an holy indignation at himself and with Paul counts himself the chief of sinners Even thou h the evil was done in ignorance much more if it hath been against knowledge It 's no evil token when souls are made to heap up aggravations of their guilt for wrongs done to Christ and when they cannot get suitable expressions sufficiently to hold it out as it is an evil token to be soon satisfied in this There are many that will take with no challenge for their wronging Christ but behold here how the Prophet insists both in the words before in these and in the following words and he can no more win off the thoughts of it then he can win off the thoughts of Christs sufferings 6. While the Prophet saith when Christ was suffering for his own and for the rest of his peoples sins We esteemed him not but judged him smitten of God Observe briefly because we hasten to a close that Jesus Christ is often exceedingly mistaken by men in his most glorious and gracious works can there be a greater mistake then this Christ suffering for our sins and yet judged smitten and plagued of God by us Or more home even Christ Jesus is often shamefully mistaken in the work of his Grace and in the venting of his love towards them whose good he is procuring and whose iniquities he is bearing The Use of it serves 1. To teach us when we are ready to pass censure on Christs work to stand still to animadvert on and to correct our selves lest we unsuitably construct of him He gets much wrong as to his publick work as if he were cruel when indeed he is merciful as if he had forgotten us when when indeed he remembers us still And as to his privat work in particular persons as if he did fail in his promise when he is most faithful and bringing it about in his own way And 2. which is of affinity to the former it 's a warning to us not to take up hard constructions of Christ nor to misconstruct his work whâ—ch when misconstructed himself is mistaken and misconstructed How many think that he is breaking when he is binding up that he is wounding when he is healing that he is destroying when he is humbling Therefore we would suâ—pend passing censure till he come to the end and close of his work and not judge of it by halves and then we shall see there was no such ground for misconsâ—ructing of him who is every day holding on in his own way and steddily pursuing the same end that he did from the beginning And let him be doing so To him be praise for ever SERMON XXII ISAIAH LIII V Vers 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed IT 's hard to tell whether the Subject of this Verse and almost of this whole Chapter be more sad or more sweet It 's indeed a sad Subject to read and hear of the great Sufferings of our blessed Lord Jesus of the despiteful usage that he met with and to see such a speat of Malice spued and spitted out on that glorious face so that when he is bearing our Griefs carrying our Sorrows we do even then account him plagued smitten of God and afflicted and in a manner look upon it as well bestowed Yet it 's a most sweet Subject if we either consider the love it comes from or the comfortable effects that follow it that hath been the rise the cause and the occasion of much singing to many here below and is the cause and occasion of so much singing among the redeemed that are this day before the Throne of God and as the Grace of God hath overcome the malice of Men so we are perswaded this cause of rejoycing hath a sweetness in it beyond the sadness though often we mar our own Spiritual Mirth and know not how to dance when he pipes unto us These words are an explication of the 4th Verse where it is asserted that Christs Sufferings were not for himself but for us from and by which the Prophet having aggreged Mens malice who notwithstanding thereof esteemed him not yea judged smitten of God he comes again for furthering and carrying on of this Scope to shew more particularly the ground end and effects of Christs Sufferings where ye would remember what we hinted before in general that Folks will never think nor conceive of Christs Sufferings rightly till they conceive and take him up as suffering for them and when we consider this we think it no wonder that the most part esteem but little of the Sufferings of Christ because there are so few that can take him up under this notion as standing in their room and paying their debt and as being put in Prison for them when they are let go free In this 5th Verse We have these three 1. A further expression of Christs Sufferings 2. The cause of them or the end that he had before him in them 3. The benefites and fruits or effects of them There are in the words four expressions which I shall clear 1. He was wounded to shew the reality that was in his Sufferings he was actually pierced or as the word is rendered in the Margin tormented and the cause is our transgressions and while it is said He was wounded for our transgressions he means 1. That our Transgressions procured his wounding And 2. That his wounding was to remove them and to procure pardon to us 2. He was bruised that is pressed as Grapes in a Wine-press he under-went such a wounding as bruised him to shew the great desert of Sin and the heaviness of wrath that would have come on us for it had not he interposed and the cause is our iniquities And these two words transgressions and iniquities shew the exceeding abominableness of Sin Transgressions or Errings pointing at our common Sins Iniquities or Rebellions pointing at greater guilt 3. The chastisement or as the words bear the discipline of our peace was upon him It supposes first That we by nature were at feud with and enemies to God Secondly That before our peace could be procured there behoved to be a satisfaction given to Justice the Mediator behoved to come under discipline and chastisement 4. And by his stripes we are healed he was so whipped that to say so the marks of the rod remained behind the first benefite looks to pardon of Sin and
Peace with God in the first three expressions the second in this last expression looks to our Sanctification and purging from the dominion and pollution of Sin By Christs becoming Sin for us there is a way made to wash us from all the guilt of Sin and from all the foul spots and stains that were on us by Sin and he hath thus procured Holiness to us we come easily by it but it cost Christ dear yea very dear These very sad but most sweet and Soul-solacing words hold out a short sum of the substance and marrow of the Gospel and because they do so we shall speak of them summarily together and ye would the more seriously attend especially such as are more ignorant that by the reading and opening up of this Verse ye may be brought and kept in mind of the sum of the heads of the Gospel and to make the matter the more clear I shall endeavour to make the Doctrines drawen from it as so many answers to six or seven questions As 1. What is Mans condition naturally and what is the condition of all them that get not benefite by Christs death 2. How is Man redeemed and fred from that condition 3. By whom is he fred or who makes the Satisfaction 4. How doth he perform that Satisfaction 5. What are the benefites that flow from and come to us by the Satisfaction performed 6. Who are the Persons for whom Christ hath performed the Satisfaction and to whom he hath procured these Benefites 7. What is the way how these Benefites are transferred or derived to these Persons And putting these seven together we may have a short Catechism in one Verse 1. Then What is Mans condition by Nature 1. He is under Transgressions 2. Under Iniquities 3. At feud with God And 4ly Under wounds and most loathsome Diseases of a sinful Nature In a word Man by Nature is a Sinner guilty greatly guilty under Gods Wrath and Curse and at Feud with God of a most sinful and abominable nature even sick of and loathsome because of Sin The first is implyed in this word He was wounded for our transgressions that is our common Sins The second is holden out in the next word He was bruised for our iniquities or Rebellions which holds out great guilt The third in that word The chastisement of our peace was on him which suppons that we were once without Peace with God The last word By his stripes we are healed supposeth that we continue in that condition filthy and polluted and polluting our selves more and more greedy to drink in Sin and wounding and sickning our selves by Sin Now lay these four words together they clear this truth to our Judgment and serve to point out to us the necessity of a Mediator Again Consider them in a second notion and they tell us that even the Elect themselves are by Nature in the same sinful and rebellious condition wiâ—h others at feud with and under the Curse of God and abominably polluted before they be washed and healed as the Apostle asserts Ephes 2. We are by nature children of wrath even as others and here it is plainly declared He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities c. Some are ready to think as was hinted before that the Elect by nature were better than others or that God foresaw they would be better and therefore he elected them This piece of Arminianism is in all nâ—turally but this Text in down-right contradiction to such a groundless conceit answers and asserts that by nature they are even like others as the Apostle saith Rom. 11.32 God hath concluded them all under unbelief that he might have mercy on all All the Elect as well as others are concluded under Sin and Wrath that the way of obtaining any Spiritual Good might be by Mercy and Free-Grace alone 2. How are Folks fred from this sinful and miserable condition Answer 1. In general Before the quarrel can be taken away and their peace can be made there must be a Satisfaction which is implyed in these words the chastisement of our peace was on him which suppons the necessity of a Satisfaction made or to be made in respect of Gods decree and commination who said the day thou sins thou shalt die and cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the law to do them 2. And more particularly There must be a Satisfaction because there is 1. The Justice of God that hath a claim by a standing law 2. The Holiness of God that must be vindicate And 3 The Faithfulness of God that must cause be performed and come to pass what it hath impledged it self for as well in reference to the Threatning as to the Promise for these words Hath he said and will he not do it relate to the one as well as to the other there is a great mistake in many while they leap immediatly to Mercy without minding the necessity of a Satisfaction to provoked Justice and on this ground that God is merciful which if it were an argument good enough it would say that all even the Reprobate may get Mercy but we would consider the way that God hath laid down for Sinners coming to Mercy and how that before peace can be made he will needs have satisfaction to his Justice 3. Who maketh the Satisfaction The Text says it 's He and Him He was wounded for our trangressions the chastisement of our peace was on Him and who is this He and Him it's in general the Messiah who was then to come he who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary who suffered and was crucified who died and was buried and rose the third day even he who having the nature of God and our nature united in one Person He his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree as is said 1 Pet. 2.24 and He who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him as it is 2 Cor. 5 ult even he of whom the Apostle hath been speaking here while he says We as ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconcealed unto God And when we say it 's Christ that is mean'd of we are to understand it as well negatively and exclusively excluding all others as positively including him when we make him to be the only Saviour we exclude all that Men can do with their Penance Prayers Good-Works and all that Angels can do neither Man nor Angel could satisfie divine Justice and make our Peace with God and therefore it 's said Acts 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved but the name of Jesus where it 's clear that all others are excluded as it is Psal 40.6 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not c.
his purchase before Believing but when he comes to believe the obstruction is taken away that hindered his application and then he hath a new right not only to but in Christs purchase even as a Person that is Minor or mad may have a right to a great possession but by the law he is secluded from the use of it till he come to majority and have the use of reason and this distinction we have as one of the clauses of the Covenant John 6.39 40. where 1. in the 39. Verse Christ says This is the Fathers will that sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day It 's the Fathers will that Eternal Life be given to as many as are given to Christ on his Satisfaction and Christ hath purchased it to them by his Satisfaction absolute as to the event and therefore they have an accessibleness to it a right to it and cannot but partake of it yet not simply but in the way that he hath laid down And therefore 2ly In the 40. Verse he saith This is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have eternal life by believing they come to the application of that to themselves which they had a legal right to before by Christs death 2. Respect must be had to the Covenant of Grace which is not quite an other thing then the Covenant of Redemption but the making offer of it and the benefits contained in it in the preached Gospel when Christ sends out his Ambassadours to woo and invite Sinners to Christ and to bring them to the application of his Purchase and it is by closing with and receiving of Christs offer that the actual Cure comes and that by Christs stripes our sores are healed Even as when a Child that was Minor becomes Major he comes to have a right to possess the same Lands or Sums of Money by the same Law that gave him a legal or simple right to them before or he comes to have a right in that which before he had a right to So elect Souls that have a right to Christs purchase before believing while they are mad in nature are under the curse and wrath threatned in the word of God for not believing but when they come to believe they come to get an extract from the same word of their right in Christs purchase because the Word says He that believes is past from death to life and shall not come into condemnation and so the same word that did condemn before believing doth now absolve upon a Sinners believing and we come at this absolution by receiving of Christs offer in the Covenant of Grace And if it be asked how comes it that the receiving of Christs free offer in the Covevant of Grace gives a right to Christs purchase we answer It is by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption wherein it is so transacted betwixt God and the Mediator so that there is the offer of the Covenant received and the Covenant it self that concur for making over and deriving a compleat Right to wretched Sinners in Christs purchase Let the 1. Use of this be for your instruction and information which is the end wherefore we have chosen in this way by this short view to give you in a very short sum the marrow of the Gospel And if ye remember these few Questions ye may be in a capacity not only to answer us but through grace to exercise Faith on Christ And we think ye will all readily grant that these who cannot at all answer them should not go to the Communion And therefore that ye may take them with you we shall shortly resume them 1. What condition is man in by nature Answer Under sin and misery and even under the curse of God Or thus every man is a sinner and hath a sinful nature or he is under transgressions and iniquities is naturally loathsome wants peace with God and hath need of healing Let this in the first place sink in your hearts 2. How is man freed from this sinfulness and misery Answer He cannot be free from it till there be a condign satisfaction made to Divine Justice wounding and bruising must be to procure pardon and stripes must be to procure healing and chastisement must be to bring about our peace That word Exod. 34. Who will by no means acquit the guilty would alwayes be remembred and Faith would look to a Saviour for satisfaction 3. Who can satisfie Answer Neither Man nor Angel can do it no penances no prayers nor performances of any meer creature will do it but He only that was wounded and bruised He who by Nature is the Son of God the express Image of the Fathers Person and who in respect of His Humane Nature was born of the Virgin Mary like to us in all things except sin It 's he that satisfies Justice and it 's by no other way that we get pardon and peace with God and Holiness 4. What way doth Christ satisfie Justice and make peace betwixt God and sinners Answer He entered himself in our room and as Cautioner undertook our debt suffered the condign punishmens that was due for our sins and payed the price that we should have payed He in a manner left Heaven and became Man had a mean life in the World drank the Cup of his Fathers Wrath was wounded bruised chastised and died a cursed death whereof his hanging on the Cross was but a sign 5. What benefites come to us by his sufferings Answer Pardon of sin Peace with God and healing The Conscience by his blood is sprinkled from dead works the person absolved reconciled to God made whole and made at last to be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing And this is not as Papists blasphemously speak a putative effect but a most real one 6. Who are made partakers of this pardon peace and healing Answer The Elect have right to it and by believing they make the application therefore it 's said here our and we And we may look upon the Prophet speaking in the name of all the Elect or in name of the believing Elect who on believing are actually healed The Elect then are healed and the way how is by faith making application of Jesus Christ 7. How in Justice can he be condemned that was free of sin and how can we be absolved that were guilty Answer He in Justice was condemned because as our Cautioner he came in our room and undertook to pay our debt And on the same ground we wretched sinners may in his way make application of his purchase because it was on these terms that he undertook the debt that we might be set free And it 's on these terms that it is offered in the Gospel that seing he hath payed for elect sinners they may upon the hearing of the offer close with it But how
may the sinner apply it Answer Not only because it 's free and freely offered but by gripping to it by Faith as the Prophet doth here It 's not only to apply it simply but to step in and rest upon it in the terms it is made offer of so that as on the one part Jesus Christ became really lyable to suffering and satisfied for our sins when he said Lo I come in the volume of thy book it is written of me I delight to do thy will So upon the other part the believing sinner comes to apply the price payed by imbracing the price and acquiescing in the satisfaction and gripping to it as his own and by his being brought to say in Faith Let his wounding be my pardon let his chastisement be my peace and let his stripes be my healing By this means as the Law had a right to Christ for his paying the Elects debt so they by believing get a right to the promise of pardon and healing For if the bargain was ficker on the one side to procure wounding to Christ as if he had been the sinner himself so on the other side the bargain is as sure The Believer is set free and may be as really comforted as if he had a righteousness of his own or had never had sinned Use 2. Therefore there is here wonderful matter of consolation to Believers that what was Justice to Christ is Grace and Mercy to us that which was pain to him is pleasure to us His sorrow our comfort his wounding our pardon his stripes our healing c. Use 3. As ye would not prejudge your selves of these benefites which Christ hath purchased make your peace with God through Christ If your pardon and peace be not obtained this way ye will never get it but ye shall be made to pay your own debt and be lyable to wrath eternally because of inability to pay your debt to the full Therefore step to and make the offer welcome how sinful and undone soever ye be The more sensible ye be ye are the more welcome This is the particular use of the Doctrine O! Let these things sink in your hearts that ye are sinners great sinners under wrath and at feud with God that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of lost sinners and that there is no way to pardon and peace but by closing with him and saying hold on his satisfaction That ye may be drawn to cast your selves over on this everlasting Covenant for obtaining the benefits that Christ hath purchased 〈◊〉 â—d himself bless what hath been spâ—ken for this end and use SERMON XXIII ISAIAH LIII V Vers 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed IT were no small progress in Christianity to know and believe the truths that are implyed and contained in this same verse The Lord by the Prophet is giving a little compend of the work of Redemption by his saving of sinners from death through and by the wounding of the Mediator We did a little open the meaning of the words and gave a sum of the Doctrines contained in them at least of some of them which do contribute to this scope The Prophet is here speaking of Christ's sufferings with a respect to the cause of them and the effect that followed them and shews how this was indeed the mistake and blasphemous imputation that we had of and were ready to put on him even to judge him smitten and plagued of God for his own sins whereas God hath another design He was altogether without sin but he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities We were at feud with God and he took on him the chastisement of our peace And this is the effect to procure healing to us We shall now speak a word to three Doctrines further beside what we spoke to the last day which are these 1. That there was an eternal design plot and transaction betwixt God and the Mediator as to Christs suffering for the redeeming of elect sinners before he actually suffered This the Prophet speaks of as a thing concluded For the cause of his sufferings was condescended on and the end and fruit of them was determined which implyes an antecedamus transaction betwixt the Father and him for putting him in the room of sinners And by this transaction Justice hath access to exact the payment of this price He interposed and the Father exacts of him the payment of their debt and seeks satisfaction from him for all that he bargained for 2. That this transaction or design concerning the Redemption of elect sinners is in respect of Christs suffering and satisfying of Justice fully and actually performed he undertook to be wounded and bruised and he was accordingly actually wounded and bruised The transaction as to the engagement in it and efficacy of it took place in Isaiah's time and before his time but as to the actual performance of what the Mediator engaged himself to suffer it is spoken of prophetically by him as a thing done because to be done and now it is done and indeed long ago 3. That the satisfying of Justice by the Mediators Sufferings according to his engagement proves as effectual to absolve justifie and heal these even the grossest Sinners that come under this Bargain and Transaction as if they had actually suffered and payed and satisfied their own Debt themselves these Sins are pardoned through his Sufferings their deadly Wounds are healed by his Stripes as if they had never had a wound their Compt is dashed and scored as clean out as if they had never had any Debt they are acquitted and set free as if they had never been guilty These three Doctrines ly very near the life of the Gospel and the Prophet in this Chapter and particularly in this Verse is often on them Our purpose is only shortly to explicate them to you as a short sum and compend of the tract of the Covenant of Redemption The first of them shews the rise of the work of Redemption The second shews the mids by which it is executed The third holds out the effect and consequence and the end of all For the first then There is we say an eternal transaction betwixt God and Jesus Christ the Mediator concerning the Redemption of Sinners his actual redeeming by being wounded and bruised supposeth this for the Son is no more lyable to suffering not to speak of his suitableness then any other of the Persons of the blessed God-head had there not been an antecedent transaction there was no obligation nor ty on him to be wounded and to enter into the room of Sinners as their Cautioner for payment of their Debt if there had not been a prior engagement neither could his wounding and bruising have proven useful or have brought healing to us if this prior engagement had not been And this is it which
tâ—â—â— they may as really and 〈◊〉 good gâ—â—â—â—d expect the application of it 〈◊〉 them For though all be of Grâ—â—e â—o 〈◊〉 yet it 's a bâ—â—gain on just and legal 〈…〉 God and the Mediator Therefore thâ—â—â— iâ— a Title and Right in Justice for the Elect when they come to Christ that his satisfaction shall stand for them as being Members of his Body and in whose room and place he satisfied Hence it is said 1 John â— 1 If any man sâ—n we have an Advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And whereon is this righteousness founded The next words tell us He is the propitiation for our sins He hath payed the price that was due by us and we may seek the application of it to us according to the transaction past betwixt the Father and Him now performed which is the next point The 2. Doctrine is That this transaction and design concerning the Redemption of sinners is now not only undertaken but fully performed as is clear Acts 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinat counsel of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain The eternal purpose concerning this is now execute As to the efficacy of his sufferings He is indeed the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Because neither the Son 's undertaking was questioned by the Father nor the Fathers promise questioned by the Son To speak so with reverence of such a mystery the Father before his coming trusts him upon his engagement with the Salvation of so many Elect Souls as he had given him And the Son considered as Mediator trusts the Father with the justifying of them according to the promise made to him in the 11. Verse of this Chapter But the actual performance of the undertaking was not till Christ suffered This actual performance of the Covenant comprehends these things shortly 1. That as this plot and design of Redemption was laid down so it hath the performance by all the Parties Covenanting It is actually performed according to the terms of it 2. That it hath the real effects Covenanted for actually and really brought abouâ— Iâ— hath with it a most real and effectual following to speak iâ— whereof Christs actual suffering was a part and 〈◊〉 main â—art I say it â—s performed by all parties according to the â—ermâ—â—â—â—nd hath its â—eal effect in these â—espects 〈◊〉 Christ Jesus hath according to this Covenant sisted himself before the Bar of Justice and undertaken our debt 2. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 pursued Christ for our debt and hath exact 〈◊〉 payment of it from him The 〈◊〉 that belonged to â—is was put in his hand and 〈◊〉 wâ—â— made to drink it in which â—â—specâ—◠〈◊〉 He was made a curse for 〈…〉 3. The word of Divine Justice awaâ—ed against him and did smite him 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ according to his â—â—dertaâ—â—â—g doâ—h accept of the Claim undergoes the Debâ—â— and satisfies Justice therefore â—hâ—n he stands in our room as if he had been the guilty person he opens not his mouth to justifie himself he says not these are not my sins but is as dumb as the sheep is before the shearer because he was our Cautioner The everlasting Covenant to say so stood Registrat over his head and he is made to count for all that was due by and to us 4. It 's performed in this respect that the Father pursues not the Elect on this account to be satisfied of them who as soon as they accept of the Covenant are actually justified and absolved Indeed while they are in nature the sentence still stands Cursed is he that sinneth and believeth not Yet by vertue of his performance of the transaction they have a legal right to Justification and the promise to him stands good that the Elect by his knowledge shall be justified and it hath an actual performance in all them that believe they are really made free as he was made the sinner 5. In respect of the manner 1. It 's perform'd exâ—ctly according to the Covenant even as it was agreed upon that for so many he should suffer and procure eternal life and so it is Eternal life is given to so many according to the condition of this Covenant and Baâ—â—ain 2. As it was a Bargain wherein Justice was to be satisfied so it was exactly satisfied Christ Jesus gets nothing down not one farthing is remitted but satisfies all payes down the full price he drinks â—ut all the wrath contained in the Cup â—ill iâ— come to that sweet word uttered by him amongst his last words on the Cross It is finished The 3. Doctrine is That t ough Elect sinners be as well sinners by nature and as gross sinners as others yet by vertue of this Covenant and upon condition of their accepting of it they may obtain 〈◊〉 do actually obtain peace with God pardon and healing as if they had never sinned or as if they had satisfied the Justice â—f God themselves This is the very end of this transaction He was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed His wounds bruises and stripes effectually procured Justification and healing to us And this is the ground of that which we call imputed righteousness and shews how it comes to pass that we are made righteous by the righteousness of another scornfully called putative righteousness by Papists But considering what is in the former Doctrines and in this we will find it to be a clear truth on which our Justification and the whole weight of our Salvation hangs That the believing sinner closing with Christs satisfaction is as effectually absolved from sin as if he had never sinned Christ's satisfaction becomes as really his as if he had payed the debt himself And if we consider these three 1. The great design of the Covenant of Redemption betwixt God and the Mâ—diator 2. The faithfulness of God in this Covenant in performing his part on the terms on which the Mediator laid down a price for the Elect. 3. The excellency and efficacy of the price payed with respect to the Covenant We will find that there is clear access in Law or according to the Decree of God manifested the Decree is called a Law Thy Law is within my heart for the grossest sinners that come under this bargain and close with this Covenant their obtaining Peace Pardon Justification and Healing as if they had never sinned or had satisfied themselves and that they may confidently expect it on this ground 1. I say if we consider the great end and design of the Covenant betwixt God and the Mediator we will find it to be the Justification of the Elect Christ suffered not for any sin that was inherently in himself He had no sin there was no guile found in his mouth no quarrel betwixt God and him on his own account but he was wounded for our transgressions The chastisement of our peace was on him
hold of and close with Christ and to rest upon his satisfaction for his Justification and healing because he hath God and the Mediator Covenanting for this very end the Mediator engaging to satisfie and God engaging to receive the satisfaction and to justifie all these who shall accept of it and rest upon it 4. It s therefore a notable ground of encouragement and of exhortation to take hold of Jesus Christ and of his satisfaction Folk would not skar at him but lippen their Salvation to him and be sure the bargain will not fail As it is sure that the Mediator hath satisfied it is as sure that his satisfaction shall be made forth-coming to Believers in him 5. To reprove the neglecters and slighters of Jesus Christ and of this offered Salvation through him when he hath taken the threatning and curse of the Law on himself to make out the Promise to them it must be a great aggravation of folks guilt to slight him It serves also to comfort a poor sinner that hath may sins and challenges and knows not how to be quit of them The Covenant sayes our sins are translated on the Mediator that we might be set free Christ Jesus Covenanted on the terms of Justice to make way for us to Covenant on the terms of Mercy God Covenanted with him to pursue our sin in him and he Covenanted to impuâ—e that satisfaction freely to us Hence is that never enough noted saying 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself It 's Justice on his part he satisfies for pardon of sin and peace to them But on the Elects part it's grace God is reconciled to them not imputing their sin to them but it s for Christ's satisfaction that he freely forgives them their sin so that what cost him dear comes most freely to us and this is no small ground of comfort to a Conscience pressed with sin God fix these things in your Hearts SERMON XXIV ISAIAH LIII V Vers 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed IF there were more deep conviction amongst us of our natural deadness in sin and of that fearful condition that naturally we ly under by our lyableness to the wrath and curse of God all Men and Women having by nature Gods curse as the sentence of the Law registrate against them the reading of such a Text wherein a way of remedy is holden forth would be more welcome to us and we are perswaded that such a thorow conviction would not only make the Word more lovely and delightsome to us but more plain and easie to be understood by us and would be sooner taken up by us and one Preaching would thus be more profitable and effectual than many are to you while in a secure condition when People are not under the deep and due conviction of their sin and misery they have no serious thoughts that the word of the Gospel concerns them in particular and that their souls stand in need of that which is spoken to them therein Ye may remember we spoke somewhat from these words for clearing the way of making Peace betwixt God and Sinners and for holding forth the way that God in his infinite wisdom hath laid down for setting of poor sinners that are lying under his Curse free for this end there was an eternal Transaction and Covenant entered into by the Father and the Son the Father demanding and the Son accepting and satisfying as Mediator and Sinners-Cautioner what was due to Justice for the sins of the Elect as was determined in the counsel of God from which bless'd Bargain all our Salvation flows as from the Fountain and runs down as a river to us That which now we are to speak a little to is some profitable Uses which are the scope of all and tend to lead you in to know the use of such Doctrine and not only to know it but to engage you to make suitable practical improvement of it There are several sorts of Uses that flow from this Verse whence the preceeding Doctrines have been drawen The first sort is for Information which ye who are more ignorant and have not so much light in â—ou as to discover the way to Heaven would especially take heed to though they be useful to all And 1. Ye would know and be informed in this that all Men and Women without exception are lying under Transgressions and Iniquities and lyable to be smitten and cursed of God till these be taken away But this having been spoke of in the Forenoon we need nor insist on it now but the truth is neither Law nor Gospel hath gained this much ground on the great part of you as to bring you really to know that naturally ye are dead in sins and trespasses and till this be drunk in and digested other Truths cannot to any purpose profite you 2. Ye would know and consider the necessity of a satisfaction to the justice of God before Sinners can be fred from sin and from the curse and wrath of God that they are under and liable to by reason of their original corruption and actual transgressions Do ye think that Jesus Christ did needlesly enter into the Covenant of Redemption and engage to satisfie and actually and really did suffer and satisfie Justice If men might come so easily to Heâ—ven as many suppose it had been needlesse Wouâ—d God think ye have wounded the Cautioner his own dear Son if those who ly under Sin and Wrath might have by another way satisfied his Justice and restored him to his Honour Nay Eâ—etheir Peace could be made this bâ—hoved to be and yet I must doubt if many do think that there is any such distance betwixt God and them which a word of Prayer or Confâ—ssion or some Pennance cannot remove This is alas the woful Ignorance of many that live under this Gospel but ye would know that a Satisfaction behoved to be and such a Satisfaction as was equivalent to the wrong done and suitable and satisfying to him that was wronged by sin and that among all the Creatures it could not be found Yea ye may read from this the dreadful effects of sin and what a horriblâ— thing it is to have your Transgressions to count for with God your selves If sin brought such heavy things on the Cauâ—ioner what will it bring on thee a Sinner who hath continued all his days in tops with God to speak so and would not make pâ—â—ce with him when he was earnestly iâ—vited to it Yea we may from this know what is that most horrible dreadful and confounding Sentence which is abiding all of you that stand it out and do not make your Peace with God through this Satisfaction of our blessed Lord Jesus When ye shall be made eternally to bear the wrath that Sin deserves which yet is intollerable 3. Ye would hence
thing to be marked Observe That all men even the Elect themselves not excepted are naturally in a most sinful and desperat state and condition so that if ye would know what they are by Nature this is a description of their state All we like sheep have gone astray and every one hath turned to his own way And when it 's called our own way there needs no other Eâ—â—thete to set out the desperatness of it That which I mean is this that all men are naturally under these two 1. They are under guilt before God Eph. 2.1 2. Dead in sins and tresp sses childâ—en of wrath and heirs of condemnation lyable to the curse of God by vertue of the Covenant which Adam broke 2. Which is mostly aimed at here there is in every one a sinful nature a sinfulness or sinning sin an inclination to sin every one hath a straying humour So that although the similitude of sheep aâ—ree not to them in that senâ—e as sheep are innocent creatures yet it agrees to them in this sense that they are silly foolish Creatures And in this respect it is said Gen. 6.8 That all tha imaginations of the thoughts of the heart in man are only evil continually And Eph. 2.1 They are said to be dead in sin not only in respect of their being obnoxious to God's curse but in respect of their natural deadness of their sinful nature and want of spiritual life So Rom. 3 9 10. and forwards the Apostle describes the sinfulness of man's nature at large not only in respect of its guilt but of its inclination to sin and says that their throat is an open Sepulchre Insinuating thereby that men naturally are like to a Tomb and that the Corps within the Tomb is death and sin and that all that comes from them savours of that Their feet are swift to shed blood with their tongues they use deceit c. Every member and part of the body and every faculty of the soul is bent to that which is evil These three may further confirm it 1. If we look in general to what the Scripture speaks of men by nature Eph. 2.1 2 3. Rom. 3 and 5. Chapters They being as it is Isaiah 57. penult As the raging Sea that casts out dirt and mire continually It is alwayes moving and working one way or other and more especially in a storm so that though at one tide ye should sweep the Shore never so clean it will be as foul and dirty the next Tide that cometh So are these hearts of ours as Peter speaks 2 Epist 2. And Jude vers 13. foaming out their own shame And James saith Chap. 4.5 The spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy It hath as great eagerness after and as great delight in sin as a Drunkard hath after and in drink 2. Experience also confirms it Go thorow all the Men and Women that ever were in the World our blessed Lord Jeâ—us being excepteâ— as not descending oâ— Adam by the ordinary way of Generation and that will be found true which the Apostle hath Rom. 3. There is none that doth good no not one And that which is spoken Gen. 6. All flesh hath corrupted their way And what is the spring of all the aâ—ominations that are in the World and the rise of these particular evils that are in believers and Saints mentioned in Scripture as in David Peter and others But this same corrupt nature this body of death as it is called Rom. 7.14 All which strongly prove a fire to be within when there is such a smoak without 3. We may confirm it from well-grounded reason for it cannot be otherwise If the root be of such a nature can the branches be otherwayes Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing No not one Job 14.4 When Adam fell the root was corrupted and the branches cannot be fresh the fountain was defiled and the streams cannot be clean and clear Hence when Adam begot Seth an Elect in whom the Church was continued it is said that he begat a son after his own likeness Gen. 5. He himself was created after Gods Image but begat children after his own Image Though this be a commonly received Doctrine yet it s not without good reason nor for no use insisted on so much here and in other Scriptures We shall therefore speak a little to these four Uses of it The 1. Use of it serves for Information and we may make it a looking-glass wherein we may see clearly our own most sinful state and condition Would ye know what ye are by nature This Text tells you that not only all men have strayed but that each of us or every one of uc hath turned to his own way But knowing how ready we are to shift the challenge we would be perswaded that we are by nature lyable to Gods curse for Adams sin dead in sin and inclined to all evil Sheep are no readier to go the wrong way and will no more readily stray if they want a Shepherd then we are inclined to do There is a common word in many of your mouths that we are all sinners by nature but when it 's searched into we find that there is much ignorance amongst you of what it means many count themselves to be sinners only because of their being guilty of the first sin and so put no difference betwixt the first sin and Original sin which is an effect that flows from and follows upon the first sin The first sin was Adam's deed and is legally ours being imputed to us As it is Rom. 5. Death reigned over all even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam 's transgression because Adam in his standing and falling stood in our room representing all mankind that was to come of him But Original sin is inherent in us and cleaveth closs to us and is that which we are born and bred and grow up with And therefore ye would distinguish these sins that ye may know that ye are not only guilty of Adams first sinful deed but that ye havâ— a present sinful and corrupt nature though it be not â—lways alike exercising and acting it self Others again look only upon their nature as inclined to evil and look not on it as that which makes them lyable to wrath by reason of the first sin But ye would put both together and know that though your sinfulness doth not consist only in an inclination to evil that yet your sinfulness lyes mainly in that and that it will not be long a going wrong And it 's not only your actual straying and going wrong that ye would take notice of but also and mainly of your sinful nature that inclines disposes and sets you on work to go wrong It 's your filthy corrupt Nature the Body of Death the smell and savour whereof to say so is the kything of some actual sin We may clear it in a similitude or two We are by this
truth and that Paul lived in the faith and feeling of it then judge if there be not just ground to expostulate with most part of you as being yet without the faith and feeling of this moâ— concerning thing The 3â— Use of it serves wonderfully to set forth the glory of the free and rich Grace of God that all this business is made and this transaction entered into that Christ comes to satisfie and doth actually satisfie Justice for a number of such wretches that had gone astray like lost sheep This comes in as he scope we have strayed done the wrong but he hath payed the debt satisfied for the wrong done and from comparing this v. with the foregoing we may take these five Considerations that serve to heighten the glory of Gods Grace and Free-love and to shame Believers that are so little in wondring at it 1. Who is smitten his own Son we sinned and he was smitten even he who was and is the Fathers fellow the Sword awakes against him and we go free 2. What did our Lord suffer He was wounded and bruised the chastisement of our peace was on him he laid on him the iniquity of us all It was not a complemental or fashional suffering but he was arraigned before the Tribunal of Justice and did really pay our Debt and satisfie Justice for our Sins 3. Who exâ—ctâ—d this Satisfaction who did smite him It 's the Lord Jehovah it 's the Father which makes the glory of Grace shine the more It 's God the Father whose Heart was tender to the Son of his love that exâ—cts the full price of him so that as he said of Abraham By this I know that thou lovest me because thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only son Isaac from me we may say by this we know God's love to the Elect when he hath not withheld nor spared his own Son from them but hath laid on him the iniquities of them all 4. For whom did he smite him for Sinners for straying Sheep for Covenant-breakers for such as had gone a whoring from God and were bent to sin against him I mean the Elect. 5. When was it that he suffered for them even when they were straying rejecting despising nodding the head at him spitting in his face and saying away with him even then he is praying and dying for them Now put all these together that such a price shall be exacted of such a Cautioner and for such Sinners and at such a time behold see therein how God commends his love to us as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.8 In that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us when we were in our sin not praying to him nor in capacity to pray or give him thanks for any thing that he did or suffered he then died for us Is there any thing here but freedom of Grace and does not this exceeding highly commend the love of God that he exacts the Debt due by us of his Son and the wonderful love of the Mediator and Cautioner that at such a time and for such transgressions he should pay such a price Use 4. Seing this was our state that we were Sinners and that yet herein was the love of God commended that he laid oâ— his Son the iniquity of us all then is there not good ground to take with Sin and to make use of the Remedy to take with Sin and to close with Christ We might take occasion here to exhort 1. To Watchfulness and to walking soberly and humbly from this ground that we have such a Nature 2. To exhort every one to Repentance because by Nature ye are all in such a sinful state and condition â—t may be ground of exercising Repentance even long after your justification and peace made with God who are justified with whom it should be as we see it was with David But 3ly Seing by Nature ye are under God's Wrath and Curse and in a state of enmity with him it mainly serves to exhort you to flee unto Jesus Christ and not to rest till ye gâ—t the quarrel taken away It might be in reason thought that Folks would be soon and easily induced to this even to run unto Jesus Christ and to welcome the Gospel with good will for preventing the Curse and Wrath due to them for sin and for subduing of this sinful nature and inclination to stray from God and his Way Therefore seing there is a fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness since there is a satisfaction given to Justice for removing the guilt of sin since the Spirit is purchased for mortifying of sin making holy let as many as think that they have gone astray and have turned to their own way as they would not be found still at this distance with God make use of Christ for making their friendship with God it 's the word that Peter useth 1 Pet. 2. ult All we like sheep have gone astray but we are now turned unto the shepherd and bishop of our souls hold O hold you near this Shepherd and make use of his Righteousness for making your Peace If we could rightly understand the words we would see in them 1. A Motive to put us on to believing in Christ and can there be a greater motive then necessity We have sinned and gone astray he is the only Saviour there is no other name given under Heaven whereby Sinners can be saved 2. There is also in them an Encouragement to Believing It was for Sinners such as we are that Jesus Christ suffered all that he suffered which may be ground of hope and encouragement to step forward and if neither our need nor Christ's being a Saviour willing to make Sinners welcome will prevail we know not what will do it It will turn to this and ye will be put to it Whether are ye Sinners and if Sinners whether is it not a desperate thing to ly under Sin and Wrath If ye be not Sinners we have no warrand to propose this Doctrine to you to invite or make you welcome to a Saviour but if ye grant that ye are Sinners will ye contentedly ly under Sin will ye be able to bear it out against God or think ye that ye will be well enough for all that and if ye dare not resolve to ly under Sin I would ask what way will ye win from it think ye it easie to win from under it must not the Justice of God be satisfied some of you think that ye can pray your selves out of Sin but what need was there of Christs sufferings if a satisfaction might have been made to Justice another way and if none but Christ can satisfie it turns to this that by all means ye would make use of him else ye will most certainly drown and die in your sins And this is the thing that we would commend to you that under the sense of sin and in the faith of Gods condescending
are chargeable above and beyond others we will readily all grant that we are sinners but who of us will take with our particulâ—r and peculiar guilt that doth more easily beset us who amongst many are as Doves of the Vallies on the Mountains every one mourning for his own iniquity for his own Plague and Sore that by several circumstances may be aggreged as to its sinfulness beyond the sin of others Use 2. The second Use which is the scope serves to shew the exceeding greatness of Christs sufferings O! what a shock he was in when he had not only all the common sins of the Elect to satisfie for but when all their peculiar sins with their respective aggravations rendâ—zvouzed and trifted on him It serves likewise to exalt the free Grace of God and the condescendency of our blessed Lord Jesus who took in altogether in his making satisfaction for them when there were several sorts of them as if every one of the Elect had been set to invent a new sin what great and sore suffering was here when he condescended to drink the Cup that had the wonderful effects of all the sins of the Elect wrung into it when not only in gross he takes on the sins of the Elect but this and that mans particular sins which were all reckoned and summed on Christs account and for which he was made to satisfie and wherein Justice proceeded equally and equipollently this notably confirmed the reality of Christs satisfaction by suffering what all the Elect should have suffered eternally or the equivalent of it for if there had not been a proportional satisfaction in his sufferings wherefore serves such an enumeration of his sufferings Use 3. The third Use serves to lead us in to know how much we are in Christs Debt and what a great encouragement we have to believe and withall what notable ground of consolation Believers have I say 1. It shews how much we are in Christs Debt when we take a view of all our sins and consider that there was a particular view taken of them in the Covenant of Redemption not only all our common sins but even all the particular and peculiar sins of Believers were reckoned unto Christ the Cautioner and put on his account and he engaged to satisfie for all and pay the whole Reckoning doth it not lay a great obligation on us to him who counted for the least farthing of our Debt we like a pack of bank-rupt Dyvours did take on the Debt and the Accompt was put in his Hand not only as I just now said of all our common sins but of this and that particular sin with all their several aggravations and the sinful circumstances that did highten them and he satisfied for them all And of this we would take special notice for it may readily wrong us to look upon the Covenant of Redemption as a Bargain in gross there is a particularness in it to shew not only the soveraignty but the exactness of Justice and also the riches of Gods Grace and of the great condescendency of Christs love to elect sinners 2. It 's a great encouragement to believe for even these sins that would fright and skar serious and exercised Souls from coming forward to Christ were all compted on Christ's scorce and were all satisfied for by him 3. It 's a notable ground of consolation to Bâ—lievers when they are disposed and ready to think that their particular sins are insuperable and unpardonable they think that course might be taken with all their common evils but as for this most sinful and shameful unthankfulness this despising of his Grace this woeful Unbelief c. it stairs them in the face and they know not well how that will be got done away But Believers in Christ who are sorrowful and sadly perplexed on this account is that your own way it's transacted on Christs score with the rest every one of us hath turned to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all O! impregnable ground of strong consolation which is as good news from a far country a non-such cordial to a fainting soul 3. Observe here That a believing Elect or an elect Believer will not only be sensible of sin in the general but of his own particular and peculiar sinful way or thus it 's a good token when Folk look not only on sin in common but on their own peculiar sinful way or thus that Folk should consider their sinfulness not only in common but in particular with its several aggravations The Scriptures which we cited before do confirm this as Psal 18.23 I keeped my self from mine iniquity and 2 Chron. 6.29 where saith Solomon when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief or as it is 1 King 8.38 The plague of his own heart This implys these two things 1. A distinct aggravating of sin when a man not only looks on himself as a sinner but looks on his sin by reason of several aggravating circumstances as being above and beyond the sin of others and abhorreth and loatheth himself as the chief of sinners as David doeth when he saith Psal 51. Against thee thee only have I sinned he is not there extenuating his sin as if it were done only against God but aggreging his sin as the words following shew and I have done this evil in thy sight as if he had said thy concern in the matter doth most affect and afflict me Thou lovest truth or sincerity in the inward parts but I have been alace all this time jugling and greatly playing the Hypocrite which makes it to be a wonderful great evil and Psal 65.3 Iniquities prevail against me and as Paul doth who calls himself the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 So that Believeâ—s before conversion yea and in respect of their natural inclination even after their conversion are wofully inclined each of them to a sinful way of their own called Eccles 11. the way of a mans own heart And of this Believers would be sensible not only of their sinfulness in general and of their particular acts of sin but of their peculiar sinful acts and that for these ends or uses 1. It serves deeply to humble and to press forth to speak so Repentance When we consider our own way to be sinful beyond others and that such and such a man hath sinned but his sin hath not such aggravations as mine this makes the Soul to blush and to say as it is Psal 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassâ—d me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are moe then the hairs of mine head therefore my heart faileth me he wonders at himself how a man can be so given to sin and every day to add one new sinful step to another never to weary and give over this makes him to blush and to be ashamed as it is Ezek. 16.63 the remembering of common sins and
of this and that particular act of sin will not so affâ—ct this but when a sinner remembers that such a sin hath been his own way that humbles and stops his mouth exceedingly 2. This adds a peculiarness to the Grace of God in the Believers esteem and maketh it so much the more amiable and admirable to him as it is with Paul when he saith 1 Tim. 1.13 I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and injurious nevertheless I obtained mercy and the grace of God was exceeding aboundant towards me This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came in the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me he might shew forth all long suffering for a patern to them that should hereafter believe on him I was as if he had said singular in sinning but Grace was eminent and singular in shewing Mercy and hath cast a Copy thereof in me that is singularly eminent The peculiarness of Believers sin as it makes them know the aggravations of it beyond others so it makes them exalt Grace the more 3. It serves someway to discriminat a sound Believer from a Hypocrite and a right sight of Sin from that which is not so It is not so much to know that we are sinners for the light of a Natural Conscience will tell men that especially when their Lives are so bad but it s more to know and rightly to take up the peculiarness that is in our own way of sinning to take up the many windings and turnings of the deceitful heart in following of such a sin that it is addicted to This makes a Believer think that there is no bodies heart like his We see ordinarily that but very few if any natural men will take kindlâ— with the peculiarness of their way of sinning and even when they will take with this that they are sinners in general yet they shun to take with it that they are given to such a sinful way of their own and with the particular turnings windings and traversings of their own hearts to that way But few will grant that they are given to despising or slighting of Christ to Hypocrisie Self seeking Lying c. I will not be peremptory here to say that every body must know what is their own one peculiar sinful way For some see so many predominant sins in themselves that hardly can they pitch upon one by another nor upon the other side will I positively say that they are all gracious that see one sin by another to carry sway in them But this I say that this contributes much for the humbling of the sinner and for the exalting of free Grace And that the Believer will see many windings and turnings in and to their own way that others who are not Believers will not see and will see one predominant after another Whereas a natural man though he complementingly call himself the chief of sinners yet he doth not really think himself to be such But rather if he be given to Drunkenness to Filthiness or the like he will readily cast up David and Lot or some others of the Saints to excuse or extenuat it but the Believer can get none to compare himself with in the point of sinfulness Iniquities prevail over me saith David in the Singular Number but when he speaks of the pardoning and purging away of sin he speaks in the Plural associating others with himself As for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away Psal 65. vers 3. 4. Considering our sinful way as the occasion of this transaction and of the laying of our iniquities upon Christ as the result of it we have this sweet Observation that the Elect are considered in the Covenant of Redemption as foully and vilely sinful and with all the aggravations of their sins and sinful ways so that they cannot be fouller and more vile in time then they were considered to be when they were given to Christ to be satisfied for by him How were â—hey then considered The Text tells us even as straying sheep But that is not all they are considered as such who have had their own peculiar way of straying from God and have turned aside to and run on in their own sinful way Thus the Lord considered the Elect in the Covenant of Redemption thus Jesus Christ considered them in the undertaking for them even with all the several aggravations of their sinfulness so that they are not nor cannot be worse in time then they were considered to be before time This is so ordered by the Lord for these ends 1. That Justice might be distinctly exactly and fully satisfied and that it might be known that it is so he would needs be restored to his honour to his declarative or manifested honour and glory which suffered by man's fall and by the many great and variously aggravated sins of the Elect and would have his Justice as I said fully satisfied And therefore as there is a Volumn of a Book wherein all the Elect are written for whom Christ should satisfie so there is a Volumn of what and for what he should satisfie that there may be a proportional satisfaction and price told down to Justice 2. Believers may have a more full view of the way of Grace and of Christs undertaking for them When Jesus Christ undertook our debt he had a full view of the sum he was to pay he knew what he had to pay to the least farthing and what his peoples sins would cost him and yet he skâ—rred not to ingage to satisfie but did satisfie according to his ingagement to the full 3. It 's also ordered so for this end even to confirm the Believers Faith when he cometh to take hold of Christ and of the Covenant and when this Oâ—jection mutters within him dare such a sinful wretch as I take hold of Christ who have been thus and thus polluted with sin Yes saith the Text for these sins so and so aggravated were not unknown to the Father nor to the Mediator when thou wast bargained about Nay these sins with their aggravations were expresly considered in the Covenant of Redemption and there is no sin already committed or to be committed by thee in time that was not considered before time What was your posture Believers when God passed by and cast the lap or skirt of his love over you Were you not cast out in the open field wallowing in your own blood with your navels uncut having no eye to pity you c. As it is Ezek. 16. And wherefore I pray is this set down But as to let you know that ye are no worse in time then ye were considered to be before ye had a beeing So to aggrege the Love and Grace of God in Christ and to draw you in to him that since God and Christ the Mediator in the transaction about your Redemption stood not on your sinfulness ye may not
stand on it when seriously taken with but may submit to his Righteousness and say Be it so Lord I am content to take what thou freely offerest And the more sinful and lost ye be in your selves when suitably affected therewith the more wonderful is the grace of God in the Plot of your Redemption the more strong is your consolation and the greater ground of believing have ye your sins do not surprize God nor the Mediator the Bargain was made before your sins were committed and therefore the price must reach them even when they are all summed up together He was content to accept of them so as to satisfie for them and blessed be he for evermore that accepted of the bargain and payed the price according to his undertaking SERMON XXVI ISAIAH LIII VI Vers 6. All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all IN the former verse the Prophet hath asserted three most wonderful truths and very concerning to the people of God and yet such truths as will not be easie got digested by natural reason 1. That our Lord Jesus was put to sore and sad sufferings He was wounded and bruised c. 2. That these sad sufferings were for us the Elect it was for our sins and what was due to the Elect he was made to bear them He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities 3. The end of these sufferings or the effect that followed on them to us pardon of sin peace with God and healing The chastisement of our peace was on him and by his stripes we are healed And each of these being more wonderful then another therefore the Prophet goes on to clear their rise which is no less wonderful How it came to pass that he suffered and suffered so much and that we have such benefite by his sufferings It could not would he say be otherwayes but it behoved our Lord Jesus to suffer and to suffer so much and for us Neitheir was it unreasonable that it should be for our benefite For we had all like lost sheep gone astray and every one of us had turned to his own way And there was no way of relief for us but by Christ's stepping into our room and interposing for us and ingaging to pay our debt and by vertue of that interposition and bargain The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all And therefore 1. Would ye have the reason of Christ's so great sufferings Here it is the Elect had many sins and he interposing for them their compt was scored-out and they were reckoned on his score 2. If the cause and reason be asked How it came to pass thaâ— Christ suffered so much for us Here it is he undertook to satisfie for our iniquities and God imputed them to him Even as if a Dyvour were pursued and one should step in and be Cautioner for him and being enacted Surety should take on and become lyable for the Debt The exacting it of him is the laying it on him But 3. If it be asked how it comes to pass that his sufferings become our healing and bring peace to us It is answered it was so transacted and agreed upon He was content to pay all our debt and the Father accepted of his payment for ours Our blessed Lord Jesus engaging and satisfying the Elect are set free and Justice betaketh it self to him as the more responsal Party This is the scope of the words which though but few yet exceeding full and signâ—ficant as holding out the fountain and fundamental grounds of the Gospel We shall look upon them in these three respects 1. As they imply a Covenant and Transaction whereby the Elects sins are transacted on Christ and his righteousness is made application of to them Christ undertaking to pay their debt and Jehovah accepting thereof and promising that his satisfaction made for the behove of the Elect shall be applyed to them 2. In respect of the effects which are two Which though they seem contrary the one to the other yet they are well consistent together and subordinat the one of them to the other The 1. is of Justice on Christs side he satisfies for the debt due by the Elect. The 2. is of Mercy and Grace to the Elect which is also implyed but comparing these words with the former it is very clear He is wounded and bruised and they are healed the chastisement of their peace was on him the imputing of their debt to him makes that it is not imputed to them 3. In respect of the influence that the eternal Covenant hath on these effects it lays down the way how these may be justly brought about which is the scope of all even to shew how Christ Jesus being the innocent Son of God and without sin was made lyable to the debt of the Elects sin He became Cautioner for them and is made lyable on that account to satisfie for them It clears also how his sufferings stood for theirs which may seem to be unreasonable and unjust among men that the sufferings of an innocent party should stand for the guilty It was so articled in the Covenant of Redemption that the Son as Mediator interposing and undertaking to pay the Elects debt the Lord Jehovah the Creditor should not reckon it on their score but on the Mediators and that he should count for it The Prophet in every verse almost is striking on the sweet and pleasant string of this noble plot and contrivance of God concâ—rning the Redemption of Elect sinners called the Covenant of Redemption Which these words considered with respect to their scope do in all the parts of it clearly hold out And therefore the clearing of it being the clearing of a main ground of our Faith in reference to Christs sufferings and to the way how they are made forth-coming to us and withal to the benefits that come by them to us we cannot speak too much nor too often of it if we could speak of it suitably to the passing excellency of the matter The first Doctrine supposed here is that there is an eternal Covenant and Transaction betwixt the Lord Jehovah and the Mediator wherein the whole business concerning the Redemption and Salvation of the Elect is câ—ntrived There is an eternal Covenant past betwixt God and the Mâ—diator wherein all that is executed or will be concerning the Elect till the day of Judgement was contrived There is nothing relating to the Elects Salvation but it was in this Transaction exactly contrived and laid down even as it is in time executed And it 's called a Covenant in Scrip ure and we call it so not strictly and properly as if all things in Covenanâ—s among men were in it but because materially and substantially it is so and the resemblance will hold for the most part The Lord having laid down in it the plot of man's Salvation in
great things and that we may see that the salvation of the Elect is sure forasmuch as it it laid down by way of Bargain Transaâ—â—ion or Covenant betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator whom the Lord will no more fail in performing the promises made to him then he hath failed in giving the satisfaction required This would help both to clear and confirm the faith of Believers and to strengthen the hope of all who are fled for refuge to take hold of him in the certain expectation of these things engaged for in the Covenant seing there is no less reason to think that Jehovah will be forthcoming to the Mediator then there is to think that he hath performed all that he engaged himself for The 2d thing here Is the native effect or fruit of the Covenant and that which the Prophet aims at even to shew how it came to pass that Christ suffered so much because it was so covenanted statute and ordained because he was by a prior contrivance and contract substituted with his own hearty consent in the room of the Elect who had many and great sins to compt for whence â—bserve That by vertue of this eternal Covenant betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator all the sins of the Elect with their several aggravations are imputed to Jesus Christ and reckoned upon his score Or take it thus by this eternal Covenant that past betwixt God and the Mediator the compleat punishment that was due to all the Elect for their sins in their greatest aggravations was laid upon Jesus Christ Jehovah laid upon him the iniquity of us all this is frequently touched on in this Chapter as particularly in the words going before He carried our sorrows he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities c. and it 's sufficiently confirmed in the New Testament as 2 Cor. 5. He who knew no sin was made sin for us he had no sin in himself but by vertue of this Covenant he was made the Sacrifice for our sin and made to bear the punishment thereof and Gal. 3.13 He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law he himself being made a curse for us There are two words which we shall a little clear in this Doctrine and secondly give some reasons of it and then thirdly we shall speak to some Uses from it 1. For the two words or things in the Doctrine to be cleared they are these First What we mean by this when we sâ—y iniquity is laid upon Christ the second is How it is laid upon Christ As to the first When we say inâ—quity is laid upon Christ we mean these things shortly 1. That our Lord Jesus is really made comptable and lyable to Justice for these iniquitiâ—s as if they had been his own by vertue of his Covenant in Gods Justice he having engaged to pay Elects Debt his engagement makes him lyable to it 2. We mean that 's not only our Lord Jesus is made lyable to our Debt but that really he is made to satisfie for it In short we have done the wrong but he makes the amends as if he had done the wrong himself The just satisfied for the unjust He in whose mouth there was no guile was made to satisfie for guilty Sinners as if he had been the guilty person himself By the sins of the Elect God's declarative Holiness suffered Creatures malapertly brake his Command and his Justice was wronged Creatures topped with it to say so and that even after the Curse was pronounced and after they had believed the Devil more than God But our Lord Jesus comes in to make the amends and the Holiness of God is vindicate by his obedience and his Justice is vindicate by his suffering the Elect have deserved wounding but says the Mediator let the wounds which they have deserved come on me let them be mine and thus he makes reparation of the wrong and the amend because though the Elect be spared yet hereby the Lord is known to be as really and as much a hater of sin and as just in fulfilling his threatning as if the Elect had been smitten in their own persons because he punished Sin in his own Son yea by this means he is seen so much the more to be holy severe pure and spotless and that the Son of God sweetly submits to his becoming Man and to these terrible Sufferings for satisfying Diviâ—â— Justice Here O! here the spotless and severity of the Justice of God as also the greatness of the glory of the free Grace and Love shine forth conspicuously 3. It implyes this That really there was a conventing and turning of that Wrath and of these sufferings proportionably on Jesus Christ which Justice was to have inflicted on the Elect eternally if he had not interposed for them and that altogether in a full Cup propined to him and put in his hand that which would have been in so many drops an eternal Hell to Elect Sinners is made to meet on him in one great Sea He gets it to drink up dregs and all in which respect Gal. 3.13 He is said to be made a curse for us The Lord will not pass from one Farthing of what was due to him and will be satisfied with no less than proportionable satisfaction to that which was due to Justice by the Elect themselves though the Surety was his own only Son Therefore it behoved Christ to come under the Curse in which sense he is said to be made a curse for us which supposeth that he endured the same curse and punishment due to the Elects sins in all the essentials of it He behoved to die and to have his Soul separate from his Body for a time and for a season to want in a great measure the comfortable manifestations of Gods favour and presence and to have wrath pursuing him and to have horrour seizing upon him though our blessed Lord being spotless and without sin and having a good Conscience was not capable of these some way accidental circumstances of Unbelief sinful Anxiety and Desperation that sinful finite Creatures are lyable to when they come under wrath The 2d word or thing to be cleared in the Doctrine is How are Iniquities laid upon Christ Jesus In three respects 1. In respect of the eternal Transaction betwixt Jehovah and him as Mediator sustaining the person of the Elect even as one man hath anothers Debt laid on him when by a Law-sentence he is made lyable to it so is Christ made lyable to the Elects iniquity when their account is blotted out and the Debt as it were written down in his accompt to be satisfied for 2. In respect of Justice pursuing him for it When he becometh Cautioner and full Debitor for the Elect he is put to pay their Debt to the least Farthing the Lord musters up against him his terrours and commands his sword to awake and to smite the man that is his fellow But 3ly and mainly In respect of his actual
the Elect in their highest and most aggravating circumstances the particular reckoning of them all as it were being cast up they are all put on his score 3. All these meet togcther in a great Sea and shock upon him at one time as they came from several Airts like so many Rivers Or they were like so many Regiments or rather Armies of men all meeting together and Marshalled to fall pell mell to say so on him One sin were enough to condemn the many sins of one is more but all the sins of all the Elect is much more They deserved to have lyen in Hell eternally but he coming in their room all their sins met as the violent preass of Waters on him What then behoved his sufferings to be when he was so put to it for all the sins of all the Elect and that at once Use 3. We may gather hence a just account of the truth of Christ's satisfaction and a ground of refutation of the Socinian error a blasphemy which is most abominable to be once mentioned as if our Lord had suffered all this only to give us an example and as if there had not been a proportionable satisfaction in his sufferings to our debt nor an intention to satisfie Justice thereby Every verse almost not to say every word in this Chapter refutes this If he had not satisfied for our sins why is he said to be here on the matter put in our room And if his sufferings had not been very great what needed the Prophet to shew the reason of his great sufferings in all the sins of all the Elect their meeting on him There was sure a particular respect had to this even to shew that the meeting of all these sins of all the Elect together upon Christ did cause and procure great and extream sufferings to him He suffered the more that they had had so many sins seing their many sins are given for the cause of his so much suffering Use 4. Here is great ground of consolation to believing sinners Out of this eater comes meat and out of this strong comes sweet The more sharp and bitter these sufferings were to Christ the report of them is in some respect the more savoury and sweet to the Believer whose effectual Calling discovers his Election And indeed I cannot tell how many grounds of consolation Believers have from this Doctrine But 1. If they have sinned there is here a Saviour provided for them 2. This Saviour hath undertaken their debt 3. He hath undertaken it with the Fathers allowance 4. As he hath undertaken it so the Father hath laid on him all their iniquity 5. All the Elect come in here together in one Roll and there is but one Covenant and one Mediator for them all The sin of the poor body of the weakest and meanest is transacted on him as well as the sin of Abraham that great friend of God and Father of the Faithful and the Salvation of the one is as sure as the Salvation of the other All Believers from the strongest to the weakest have but one Right of Charter to Heaven but one holding of the Inheritance 6. The Lord hath laid on him all the iniquities of all the Elect with a particular respect to all their aggravations and to all the several ways that they have turned to sin Their Original sin and all their actual transgressions with their particular predominants as to their punishment And there is reason for it because the Elect could not satisfie for the least sin And it is necessary for the glorifying of Grace that the Glory of the work of their Salvation be not halfed but solely and singlely ascribed and given to God therefore the satisfaction comes all on the Mediators account and none of it on theirs 7. All this is really done and performed by the Mediator without any suit or request of the Elect or of the Believer at least as the procuring cause thereof He buyes and purchases what is needful for them and pays for their discharge And they have no more to do but to call for an extract and to take a sealed remission by his blood The application whereof the Uses that follow will give occasion to speak to Use 5. Since it is so then none would think little of sin which checks the great presumption that is amongst men and women who think little and light of sin and that it is an easie matter to come by the pardon of it They think there is no more to do but barely and baâ—chly to confess they have sinned and to say God is merciful and hence they conclude that God will not reckon with them But did he reckon with the Mediator and that so holily rigidly and severely too and will he think ye spare you If he dealt so with the green tree what will become of the dry Be not deceived God will not be mocked And therefore 6ly As the close of all see here the absolute necessity of sharing in Christs satisfaction and of having an interest therein by this Covenant derived unto you else know that ye must count for your own sins And if so woe eternally to you Therefore either betake your selves to the Mediator that by his Eye-salve ye may see that by his Gold ye may be inriched that by his Garments ye may be cloathed that the shame of your nakedness do not appear And that ye may by being justified by his knowledge be free from the wrath to come or otherwayes ye must and shall ly under it for ever Thus ye have the fulness of Gods Covenant on the one side and the weightiness and terribleness of Gods wrath on the other side laid before you If ye knew what a fearful thing his wrath were ye would be glad at your hearts to hear of a Saviour and every one would run and make haste to be found in him and to share of his satisfaction and to be sure of a discharge by vertue of his payment of the debt and they would give all diligence to make sure their Calling and Election For that end the Lord himself powerfully perswade you to do so SERMON XXVII ISAIAH LIII VII Vers 7. He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth He is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth THough the news of a suffering Mediator seem to be a sad subject yet it hath been is and will be the great Subject of the Gospel and of the gladest tidings that ever sinners heard This being the great thing that they ought in a special manner to know even Jesus Christ and him crucified The Prophet here takes a special delight to insist on it and in one verse after another hath some new thing of his suffering Having in the former verse spoken to the occasion ground and rise of his sufferings to wit the Elects straying like sheep their wandering and turning
it down for either the Elect behoved to die or he himself and since it is so as if he said then behold here is my life take it and I will lay it down that they poor things may go free and therefore does my Father love me says he because I lay down my life for my sheep not because it 's taken from me against my will but because I wiâ—lingly and of my self lay it down and when he is brought before Pilate and Herod and they lay many things to his charge Mat. 26.63 and Mark 15. He held his peace so that it 's said that Pilate marvelled Mark 15. he knew that he could not but have much to say for himself as all men in such a case use to have but he answered nothing or as it 's in the Text yet he opened not his mouth the reason was because he would not divert the course of Justice nor mar the Lords design in the work of the Elects Redemption through his death and sufferings He came not into the world to accuse Pilate or the Jews and to justifie himself though now and then for the conviction of enemies and for his own necessary clearing he did let a word fall but being engaged for the Elect he wil needs perform all that Justice called for And in this willingness he hath a respect to two things 1. To the Fathers satisfaction for his willing suffering is that which makes it a Sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to him 2. To the Elects consolation that they may know thâ—y had a willing Saviour that had no necessity laid on him to satisfie but satisfiâ—d willingly And from these two arises a third even the glory of the Mediators satisfaction for herein his love to the Elect shines brightly I lay down my life for my sheep this is the heart-waâ—ming commendation of his sufferings that with delight and pleasure he underwent them as if he had been purchasing a kingdom to himself Now to come to the Use of all these Doctrines when they with the things contained in them are laid together we profess we cannot tell you what excellent Uses they yield Would to God we were all in such a frame as the Eunuch was in when he read this Scripture as tâ—e divine History gives us an account Acts 8. ver 32. and forward who when Philip had begun to preacâ— to him on this excellent suâ—ject was so taken that before the Sermon or Discourse was at an end be ng holily impatient at any longer delay he says to Philip Here is water what hinders me to be baptized I say again would to God we were all in such a frame and that this were the fruit of such a Doctrine as this to many of you nay to all of you Use 1. Wonder Believers at the extensiveness and infinitness of the Grace of God and at the heart-affecting and soul-ravishing love of the Mediator at Grace in God that spared the Debtor and exacted payment from the Cautioner the Son of his love at love in the Mediator that payed so much and so willingly and cheerfully If any subject of thoughts be pertinent for us while we are about to celebrate the Sacrament of the Lords Supper certainly this were pertinent concerning a crucified Christ in stating himself in our room to pay our Debt and doing this of his own accord without the solicitation or interposing of any Creature and doing it withall so frankly and cheerfully Was ever the like of this love heard tell of for one and more especially for such a one to suffer so much and so cheerfully unrequired we would have you confirmed in the Faith of this great and sweet Truth that he had never better will nay never so good will to eat his Dinner then and as he had to suffer and satisfie Justice for you though at a dear rate He says John 4. It was his meat to do the fathers will that sent him and to finish his work Have ye suitable thoughts of his love when ye read the Gospel have ye in the Word seen him standing before Pilate in your room not answering when he is accused and Pilate marvelling at his silence and did Pilate marvel knowing and being convinced of his innocency and have ye never marvelled or marvelled but very little sure your little marvelling at his silence is the more sadly marvellous that the cause of his silence when he was charged with your iniquities with such and such a piece of your miscarriage with such a vain and roaving heart with such a wanton look with such a profane or idle word of yours with the horrid sin of your having so abused slighted and neglected him c. that the cause I say of his silence at such a terrible accusation and charge and not vindicating of himself or saying these faults miscarriages and transgressions are not mine as he might have done was pure love to you O! is not this strange and yet most true wonder then more at it Use 2. Here is strong consolation to Believers and wonderful wisdom in the rise and convey of it in uniting Justice and Love out of which the consolation springs Justice exacting upon and distressing the Son of God and he satisfying Justice so fully that though all the Elect had satisfied eternally in Hell it had not been made to shine so splendidly and gloriously Justice also on the Mediators side in yielding and giving satisfaction though it should oppress and break Soul and Body And yet love both on the Father and Mediators side on the Fathers side love in finding out this way of satisfaction to his own Justice when there was no cure but by wounding of his own Son and yet he was content rather to wound him than that the Elect should suffer and be wounded eternally and love on the Mediators side who willingly yields and undergoes their Debt and will not hide his face from shame and spitting what may not the Believer expect from God when he spared not his own Son for him and what may he expect from Christ who spared not himself for his sake and who is that good Shepherd that laid down his life for the Sheep and held his tongue and quarrelled not with those that smote him will he quarrel with a poor Sinner coming to him and pleading for the benefite of satisfaction no certainly but as the word is Zeph. 3.17 He will rest in his love or as the word signifies He will be silent or dumb in his love he will not upbraid thee nor cast up thy former miscarriages he will not say reproachfully to thee where wast thou so long playing the Prodigal he is better content with thy recovery than ever he was discontent or ill-pleased with all the wrong thou didst unto him Use 3. This word of Doctrine lays down the ground whereupon a sinner sensible of sin may build his expectation of peace with God The transaction concluded and agreed upon is the ground of his coming
God which should come into the world The 5th place is that of John 20.28 where when Christ bids Thomas reach hither his hand and put it into his side his glory shines so full in his face that he cryes out My Lord and my God and his faith is summed up and compended in that The last place that we shall name is that of Acts 8.37 and it s the Eunuchs confession I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God which is the sum of his faith The 4th and last way of confirmation of this great truth is drawen from the worship which is due unto him and hath been given unto him He is the object of Faith John 14.11 ye believe in God believe also in me He is the object of Prayer Acts 7.59 They stoned Stephen calling upon God saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit and frequently else-where in Scripture he is prayed unto though these two are not too curiously to be separated Use 1. The first Use serves to strengthen your Faith in this that our Lord Jesus Christ who suffered for sinners and is made offer of to them in the Gospel is God equal with the Father and so he is to be closed with and rested on as the brightness of the Fathers glory the reason why we would have you confirmed in the Faith of this is not small for its a most necessary thing and without the faith of it all the work of our salvation will hang louse neither can we have any claim to Eternal Life and therefore we desire you particularly who are ignorant Hearers and who have the name of Christ often in your mouths and yet know not what he is to know remember and believe that he that is the son of Mary is also the eternal son of God being God before he was incarnate and before the World was made and the Maker of all that was made Use 2. The second Use serves to let you know That though it be a most necessary thing to be confirmed in the faith of this Truth that Christ is God yet it 's a greater difficulty to believe and be perswaded of it then the most part take it to be many sad proofs whereof we have in Folks words and moe in their practice Flesh and blood saith Christ Matth. 16. hath not revealed this unto thee It 's a wonder whence many Folks faith comes who never found any the least difficulty in this and it 's a wonder that so few are through in the faith of it so that if they were called and put to it they durst not swear that he is God yea if we would look in a little further we would find that the faith of this is but scarce amongst us not to speak of the gross ignorance of many who will say when asked that he is not equal with the Father or that he was made God and other such like expressions will they have that are abominable to be once named amongst Christians Folks through their ignorance falling into damnable Heresies on the matter and yet not knowing that they do so As if our blessed Lord were a made god and not the same God with the Father For the proving of him to be God proves him to be the same God there being but one God Ye would consider for convincing you that it is thus with many of you 1. The little fear that is in men and women of the Majesty of Christ as God they durst not walk with so little fear of him if they believed indeed that he were God What made the Jews with the Scribes and Pharisees to spit upon him and despise him But because they wanted the Faith of his Godhead And have not ye the same nature in you Ye live in a place where the Faith of Christs Godhead is professed and is not questioned but your practice sayes to beholders that ye believe it not because ye fear him not 2. That your souls do so little welcome the offer of the Gospel that tells that ye believe him not to be God 3. That ye do not place your happiness in Believing on him and in the way of holiness ye say in effect wherefore serves Christ ye care not for him Hence it is that so many live contentedly without him and are not sollicitous about the enjoying of him 4. Even in Believers there is much unbelief of this truth which is sadly evidenced by this that they do not so bless themselves in him and that they do not so reckon themselves to have come well to and to be made up in him as David doth Psal 16. Where he saith and holily glorieth The lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place c. And by the frequent discouragement that is incident to Believers as if Christ had not the guiding of them and of what concerns them or could not guide all well enough for their good If he were believed to be God it would quash temptations banish discouragement comfort under crosses sweeten every condition induce to holiness restrain from sin And in a word it cannot be told what is in the bosome of this one truth when solidly believed For what can possibly be wanting to the Believer in him that is God He hath the fulness of the Godhead to supply what ever they want and sustains the relation of a Husband to the Believer to make it forth-coming And he is furnished with suitable qualifications to make the application thereof What then could be wanting if this were thorowly believed that he is God Let me say it to you the Faith of this would provoke to more holiness and to study more the power then the profession of Religion and would help to live a more comfortable life in every condition SERMON XXX ISAIAH LIII VIII Vers 8. He was taken from prison and from judgement and who shall declare his generation For he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he stricken THese words are a proof of that which we discoursed in the Lecture concerning Christs wonderful love to his pâ—ople Then which no man hath greater that a man should lay down his life for his friend But he hath commedned his love to us in that while we were yet enemies he died for us This is the great commendation of Christ's love and what will he refuse to his people who in his love hath come this length to them In the former part of this verse we shew that there was a hint given of Christ's Exaltation of the Exaltation and Glory of the Mediator following on the back of his lowest sufferings An ineffable and inexpressible Glory which the Prophet rather passeth with a sort of non-plussing silence then insisteth in the declaration of it Who shall declare his generation We come now to the last part of the words For he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he stricken They are added
other people that are not his as Joh. 10 26 27. Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep my sheep hear my voice and I know them which supposeth that some are his and others not so his and so my people cannot be all the world Neither 2. Can it be meant of the whole visible Church who in respect of the external administration of the Covenant are sometimes called his people as all Israel are There is a narrower march or boundary drawn John 10.26 Where the Lord speaking of them that were only externally in Covenant with him sayes Ye art not my sheep to shew that his reckoning there must not go upon external profession And vers 16. Some that were not for the time professing themselves to be his people are reckoned Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring in Nor 3. Can it be limited to them that were actually converted and Believers for he says as I iust now hinted that he hath other sheep that are not yet brought in and he is said to gather together into one the children of God that were scattered abroad John 11.52 So then by my people must be understood these who in Gâ—d's eternal purpose are separat by the Decree of Election to be his own even these whom he hath chosen to glorifie himself in and by them through his Grace and to glorifie them with himself Even these spoken of John 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me They are the people who were transacted for in the Covenant of Redemption and that were given by the Father to the Son to be redeemed by him It was for their sins even for the sins of the Elect that our Lord Jesus was stricken As for the 2d What is it to be stricken for their transgression The meaning is the meritorious cause of their stroak was on Christ which intimats to us that his sufferings and death were procured by the sins of the Elect of God His stroak or the stroak that was upon him as the word is was the amends that Justice got for their sins In a word the stroak that the Elects sins procured and merited Took him out of or away from the land of the living brought him to prison and to judgement and made his soul an offering for sin Neither can this be otherwayes understood For it is not said that for their good or for their behove only or to be an example and pattern of patience only to them he was stricken as some grossly erroneous and prophane men expound the words but for their transgressions was he stricken That is it was their guilt which he having undertaken and engaged to satisfie for which made him lyable to this stroak In this part of the words thus opened up we have two notable Points concerning the Covenant of Redemption 1. The Party for whom it is contrived and intended and that is the Elect or God's People It is not all the World nor all Visible-Church-members that God transacted for in the bargain with the Mediator but my people the Elect of God they were so considered in the transaction and in the execution 2. The great price that was sought or required that was offered and that was agreed upon for the Redemption of the Elect to wit the death of the Mediator even his dying the cursed death of the Cross This is the sum for the transgressions of God's people the stroak was upon him God's design being to glorifie his grace in the salvation of so many sin having interveened to bring them under the curse There is upon the one side the Lord 's giving of them to the Mediator to be redeemed by him and upon the other side the Mediators accepting of them on the terms proposed he is content to satisfie for them to take the stroak on himself deserved by them that they may go free each of these may be considered several wayes for furnishing of sweet Doctrines 1. From the first of these Observe that there are some differenced from others in respect of God's purpose some chosen of God for his people beside all the rest of the World For some are here God's people ere they be born and ere Christ die for them John 17.16 Thine they were and thou gavest them me They are supposed to be God's people in some peculiar respect ere they be given to Christ to be redeemed by him In a word the Lord hath an elect people or a people chosen to salvation in his eternal purpose and decree an elect people or a people chosen out of the world which in this respect are not his people or are not elected There are four qualifications or properties in this Doctrine which will serve to clear it 1. When we say there is such a decree of Election we say that it is a discriminating or differencing decree wherein or whereby there is a taking of some and not all a taking of one and leaving another a taking of Isaac and a leaving of Ishmael a taking of Jacob and a leaving of Esau as it is Rom. 9. And this discrimination or differencing hath these four steps 1. There is a differencing in Gods purpose in respect of the end while all men are alike before him some are designed to erernal life others not therefore Mat. 25.34 it 's said Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world and in this respect the Book of Life is said to be opened Revel 20.12 2. This differencing is in respect of God's offering and giving of them to the Mediator in the Covenant of Redemption wherein some not all are given to Christ John 17 2. That he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him out of the world Where it is clear that so many are given to him in reference to whom he is to exercise his offices 3. There is a differencing in respect of Christ's undertaking and executing his Offices for them he accepts of them John 17.9 For their sakes I sanctifie my self I have separated my self to the Office of Mediator and do offer my self for them that they also may be sanctified And I pray for them I pray not for the world it 's of them that he maketh that sweet account John 6.39 This is the Fathers will that sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And of whom he saith John 10.28 29. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand He answers and is accountable for them and for them only he will count for no other as being redeemed by him and to be made partakers of his glory 4. This differencing is in respect of the promises made upon Gods part to the Mediator in favours of the Elect and of the benefits that flow to them from the
the Elect could have done their own business they needed not to have been so much in Christs common and debt nor to have given him thanks for his undertaking But this is brought in to hold forth the condescendency of his love that when no other thing could do it he interposed as Surety The abominableness of sin was so great that the Majesty of God his infinite Holiness and his spotless Justice being wronged and the finite Creature not being able to make amends for the wrong done did require this For all mankind yea all the Holy Angels could not satisfie for the wrong done by one man to the infinite God therefore he sayes I am the Saviour and there is none else He gives defiance to all Saviours beside himself None can redeem his brothers soul from death nor give a price sufficient for it the redemption of it ceaseth for ever among the Creatures Use Study then to be suitably sensible of this ye may possibly think it to be but a common Doctrine but alaee ye walk not under the due and deep conviction and sense of it hence it comes to pass that so few think themselves in Christs common and that so few make their address to him Ask the most part how they think they will win to Heaven They will readily name many things and wayes ere they light on Christ and Faith in him If they have done a fault they say they will make a-mends or they will pray for pardon and they think that will do the turn Such have this language in effect that either there is no need of satisfaction for sin or that they can satisfie for themselves 6. It is implyed here that though the Elect have sinned and cannot satisfie for themselves yet it is necessary that a satisfaction be provided for them I do not say simply that whoever hath sinned must have a satisfaction made for them For the Lord hath left Legions of Angels and many thousands of reprobat Men and Women without hope of a Saviour or of a satisfaction But considering God's purpose to bring many Sons to Glory and his Decree of Election which must needs stand and that the Elects names are written in the Book of life It is impossible that they can ly still under the curse but must be satisfied for and redeemed from it For the transgression of my people was he stricken My people have sinned and must be redeemed On supposition of the Decree of Election our Lord undertook that great work the Elect cannot perish sin cannot draw them utterly away from God Not only shall no externals such as Devils or Men Persecution Tribulation c. be able to come betwixt them and life but not sin it self that is within them His Decree being peremptory must stand as he sayes John 10. I have other sheep which are not of this fold them also I must bring in God's purpose cannot be frustrated nor altered therefore of necessity their sins must be satisfied for 7. It 's implyed here that for this end to wit that the Elect might be saved from sin and that Gods Decree of Election might stand sure Christ Jesus became Surety and did undertake to satisfie for their sins otherwise he could not have been lyable to be stricken for them if he had not become Surety for them That he was for the transgression of God's people stricken sayes plainly that he was ingaged for them as it is Heb. 7.22 He was made Surety of a better Testament And Psal 40.7 Then said I Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God These things being spoken after the manner of and borrowed from the bargainings or transactions that use to be amongst men we may conceive the business thus hinted before there is the Fathers refusing of somewhat Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desâ—re and his proposing of another thing and that is that the Mediator would engage for the Elect And upon the other side there is the Mediators offer to undertake and his actual undertaking and accepting of the Fathers proposal when Sacrifices and Offerings when thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl will not do it Lo I come saith he And then for a conclusion of the Bargain and Transaction there is the Fathers accepting of his undertaking he is content to take his sufferings as the price for the Elects debt Hence John 17. he saith Thine they were and thou gavest them me that is thine they were by Election and thou gavest them me to be redeemed by me And Heb. 10.10 it 's said that it is by this will that we are sanctified that is by the will of the Father that the Son should be Surety Use Look upon the work of Redemption as a great gracious and glorious work about the designing and contriving whereof the Father Son and Holy Ghost were occupied to speak so with reverence before the World was He might have made Worlds of Angels and of sinless Men and Women at a word and yet he hath graciously condescended to this way for redeeming of the poor Elect. We are alace sinfully disposed to think little of the Salvation and Redemption of a Soul but it is a great matter in God's account the deepest of whose consultation to say so is taken up about it and in the contrivance whereof the manifold wisdom of God conspicuously shineth forth and as in other things therein so in this that there was an ancient undertaking and ingaging by Jesus Christ in the room of the Elect as their Surety 8. While it is said For the transgression of my people was he cut off and stricken it implyâ—s that Christ in his undertaking for the Elect did oblidge himself to undergo all these sufferings that were due to them and even the suffering of a cursed death which was the curse threatned against man for sin The day thou eats thou shalt surely die And though Christ becoming Surety and Cautioner the Party is altered yet the price is still continued to be the same as is clear Gal. 3.13 He was made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on us Gentiles Whereby the Justice of God is vindicat and he hath access to shew mercy to the Elect without any the least imputation to it Nay this way is more for the vindicating of God's Justice and for the making of his faithfulness to shine that Christ became Man and died for the Elect than if the curse had lighted and lyen on all the Elect themselves and it is a greater aw-band on sinners against sin I say again that hereby the pure and spotless Justice of God is more vindicated and hIs faithfulness more demonstrated when he will needs so severely and with so much holy rigidity exact of the Cautioner the Elects debt to the least farthing then if they had suffered themselves eternally It shews forth also both the manifold wisdome and
the riches of the free grace of God there being a Decree of Election for saving so many and for bringing them to Glory And they being under sin there is another decree and threatning that goes forth for cursing the sinner and these two seeming to be altogether irreconciliable the Question comes in on the one hand how is it possible that a sinner under the curse can be saved And upon the other hand how is it possible that an Elect of God can be damned The wisdome of God looseth the knot Spotless Justice is satisfied by taking hold of and falling on the Cautioner Wonderful Grace and Love vent themselves in pardoning the sinner and in accepting of a ransome for him And manifold wisdome manifests it self in knitting these two together so as none of them can want its effect But all returns to the manifestation of the Glory of Grace in the up-shot It cannot be that the Elect shall be damned Yet here stands the threatning of a just God and his curse ready to be execute but here is the reconciliation The curse is execute on the Mediator whereby God shews himself to be a hater of sin and an avenger of the wrong done to his Justice And the Elect sinner is pardoned whereby God manifesteth the freedome of his grace and his wonderfully condescending love But now we come to a 9th Doctrine which is more directly held forth in the words and it hath two Branches that our Lord Jesus his death and sufferings is a proportionable price and satisfaction laid down for the sins of the Elect and for them only This is in the express words of the Prophet If the Question be asked Wherefore suffered Christ all this He answers he suffered it as a price for transgression If it be asked again for whom or for whose transgression did he suffer He answers not for all Men and Women in the World but for the transgression of my people was he stricken or the stroak was on him for their transgressions The first Branch of the Doctrine is to this purpose that Christs suffering is intended to satisfie for the transgression of Gods elected people and with respect to satisfying for their sins did he suffer And if we take these to be truths that we marked before as implyed in the words this will natively and necessarily follow If he engaged to be Cautioner and Surety for the Elects debt then his laying down his life must be on the same account and for the same end Now when we speak of Christs laying down a price to satisfie for the transgressions of the Elect we mean not only this that his sufferings and death have a value in themselves to satisfie for their sins but that they are so intended by him in undergoing of them and that they are so accepted of God according to his purpose and according to the transaction that past betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator They are not only as Socinians say to be a confirmation of the Doctrine which he preached and to be a rule and example to us of patient suffering and of giving obedience to the death as he did But it 's also and mainly to satisfie the Justice of God for our debt So then this wicked Tenet of the Socinians is exceeding derogatory to the sufferings of Christ and to the matchless love that shined in them yea and even to the whole design of Redemption For if Christs sufferings be not a satisfaction to Justice we are left without all just plea and apology for our selves at Gods Bar and if we have none then that curse looks the wakened sinner full in the face The day thou eats thou shalt surely die And however men in their security may please themselves with such dreams and think that a satisfaction to Justice is not needful yet if the conscience be once wakened it will not be quieted without one And if mens Faith give not credit to Gods threatnings they can have but little or rather no comfort at all in his promises There is therefore a necessity of a satisfaction and if Christs sufferings be not the satisfaction there is not another and so the whole work of Redemption is overturned So then though Christ in his sufferings hath left us a Copy how we should suffer yet that is not the only nor the principal end of them but it is contrived in the Covenant of Redemption and intended by the Medi tor and withall accepted by Jehovah that they should be the meritorious cause of procuring pardon to the Elect and the price of their Redemption This may be further cleared and confirmed 1. From the phrase that is ordinarily made use of in Scripture He suffered for the sins of his people And in the Text For the transgression of my people was he stricken Their sins had a peculiar influence in bringing the stroak on him And what influence I pray could they have but as they procured the stroak to him And if his stroaks were procured by our sins then the desert of them was laid on him and his sufferings behoved to be the curse that we elect sinners should have suffered So when he is called their Cautioner it tells that he undertook their debt and his laying down of his life is the performance and fulfilling of his undertaken Suretyship and Cautionry And considering that their debt was exacted of him and that he was arraigned before Gods Tribunal as their Surety in their room and that this could be for nothing else but to answer for them as being their Cautioner His sufferings behoved to be intended as a satisfaction for their sins For the Elects sins were not the cause why Pilate the people of the Jews and the Scribes and Pharisees pursued him to death but for our sins he was sisted before God's Tribunal and being our Cautioner he was called to reckon for them and they were put upon his account or score 2. It 's clear also from the names that his sufferings get in the Scripture where they are called the price of our Redemption a buying of us a propitiation for our sins that pacified God Rom. 3.25 and 1 John 2.2 A Sacrifice often and Ransome Matth. 20.28 The Son of man came to give his life a ransome for many that is for all his Elect people to relieve them from the bondage they were under which plainly shews the respâ—ct that his sufferings had to our sins that they were a propitiation for them to God 3. It 's clear if we consider that Christs death as to its object is for the transgressions of all Gods people of all the Eâ—ect that lived before he suffered whether they died in their infancy or at age and for all that lived or shall live and die after his suffering to the end of the world Now what benefite could redound to them that died ere Christ came in the flesh by his sufferings if it were as Socinians say for his death could not sure be a pattern
rich man nor to the wise man c. God hath not choâ—en many of these as is clear 1 Cor. 1.26 buâ— say to the righteous or holy man it shall be weâ—l with him and is herâ— any thing that should have so much influence on men and take them so much up as how to be well in the close Folk may have a fighting life of it here and may suffer much and be under reproach for a time as Christ was but if thou be holy ere thy Body be laid in the Grave it shall be well with thy Soul And as for all who have chosen the way of Holiness we are allowed to say this to you that it shall be well with you at death and after death at Judgment and even for evermore To them saith the Apostle Rom. 2.9 who by patient continuance in well-doingr seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life O how many great and good things are abiding all the honest-hearted Students of Holiness Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor heart conceived what they are 3ly It 's ground of expostulation with them that neglect and slight Holiness As it will be well with the Righteous or Holy so they shall have a miserable and desperate lot of it who either despise or neglect Holiness Wo to the wicked saith Isaiah 3 1â— it shall be ill with him Some of you may think that ye are rich and honourable are well cloathed fit in fine Houses and have richly covered Tables when poor Bodies are keeped at the door and are destitute of these things and are ready to bless your selves as being well though ye care not for nor seek after Holiness but wo unto you for ye must die and go to the bottomleâ—s Pit and there ye will not get so much as a drop of water to cool your Tongues in these tormenting Flames neither your Riches nor Honours nor Pleasures will hold off the heat and fury of the vengeance of God nor in the â—eâ—st ease you in your exâ—ream pain but as it is Rom. 2.9 Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish four sore words wiâ—l be upon every soul of man that doeth evil O dâ— ye believe this â—'s the truth of God and a very plain truth and we are perswaded none of you will dare downright to deny it Holiness will have a sweet and comfortable close and the neglect of it will have fearful effâ—cts following on it what is the reason then that Holiness is so little thought of aâ—d followed do ye believe that ye will die and think ye ever to come to Judgment or to hear that word Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you for I was hungry and ye fed me naked and ye cloathed me c. O what will become of many of you when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels iâ—flaming fire to render vengeance to all them who know not God and who obey not the Gospel and will say to you Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels for when I was hungry ye fed me not c. this is I grant a general truth yet if it be not received we know not what truth will be received and if it were received the practice of Holiness would be more studied there would be less Sin and more Prayer Reading Meditation more seeking after Knowledge and more watchfulness and tenderness in Folks Conversation always in this the Lord shews the connexion that is betwixt Holiness and Hâ—ppiness and hâ—re ye have the copy and pattern of an examplary walk 3ly From this that the holiâ—ess and blamâ—nleâ—eâ—s of Christ here spoken of is marked in him as peculiar to him for it fits him to be a High Priâ—st and proves that only he could be the Priest that â—uited and became us anâ— that no other could do our turn as the Apostle râ—asons Heb 7 26 27 28. For the law maketh men priests that have infirmity but the word of â—he oath which was since the law maketh the son who is consecrated for evermore From this I say Obseâ—ve That all men even the most holy except Christ who was both God and Man a e sinful and not one of them sinless while living here on earth and the reâ—son is becâ—uâ—e 〈◊〉 any were sinless then this that is said here would not be peculiar to our Lord Jesus Christ that He diâ— no violence neither was there deceit â—n his mouth This being a singular character of our High Priâ—st that none of his Types could clâ—â—m to it exclusively agreeth to him so as it agreeth to none other The Scripture is full to this purpose in asserting that not only all mâ—n are sinnâ—rs as considered in theiâ— naturâ—l condition but that even Bâ—lieveâ— are sinful in part for the same Apostle John that saiâ—h 1 Epist 1.3 Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ saith also vers 8. If we say we have no siâ— we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us and vers 10. If we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us and 1 Kings 8.46 and Eccles 7.20 There is no man that doth good and sinneth not plainly insinuating that all have need of an Intercessouâ— We shall not insist in this only from these words compared with the scope making it peculiar to Christ to be without sin and implying that none other are so we would consider the necessity of its being so 1. For differencing and separating of Jesus Christ from all others by putting this dâ—gnity on him of being holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners this is his prerogative and badge of honour above others 2. It 's necessary for this end to demonstrate the need that there is of his offering himself a Sacrifice for sinners and that it was not for himself but for sinners that he offered up himself and that there is a continual necessity of making use of that Sacrifice for if there were not a continuance of sin in part while Believers are out of Heaven there would be no need of this part of Christs office if we were holy and harmless our selves we needed not such an High Priest Use 1. To establish us in the faith of this Truth That among all men there is none that were true men except Christ that is without sin sin is still abiding in them while in this world of none of them all it can be said that they have done no violence neither is there any deceit in their mouth none of them could ever say since Adam fell the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me yea this is a special qualification of Christ Jesus for his Priest-hood that he was without sin and behoved to be so I am not pleading that sinners should take a liberty to sin because there is no perfection to be win at in this life God
forbid wo unto them that make such an use of this truth nor do I speak of it to allow any to dispense with or to give way to themselves to sin for we shew before that Christ is here proposed as our Patern and we are bidden purifie our selves as he is pure But this we say that none living here on the earth are without sin the most perfect men that are on this side Eternity carry about with them a body of death called five or six times sin Rom. 7. that hath actual lustings and a power as a law of sin to lead captive and that makes the man guilty before God Use 2. For reproof to two sorts of enemies to this Truth 1. These inveterate enemies of the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ to wit the Papists that black train that follows Antichrist who plead for a perfection according to the law as attainable in this life saying down two grounds to prove this perfection 1. That the inward lustings or first risings and moâ—ions at least of the body of Death are no sins And 2. Their exponing of the law so as it may suit to their own apprehension and opinion yet so as they say that every Believer or godly Person wins not to this perfection to keep the law wholly but only some of their Grandees This the Lord hath mercifully banished out of the Reformed Churches as Inconsistent with the experience of the Saints who find a law in their members warring against the law of their mind and leading them captive to the law of sin that is in their members inconsistent with the Scriptures which clear that none have attained nor do attâ—in perfection in this life but the contrary that in many things we offend all and inconsistent with Grace that leaves sinners still in Châ—ists common and debt as standing in need of his imputed Righteousness This perfection they place in inherent Holiness and habitual Grace but we insist not on it 2ly Another sort of enemies reproved here are the old Familists who are owned by these who are called Antinomians several of which miserable persons are now going up and down amongst us who say that the People of God have no sin in them wherein they are worse then Papists for Papists make it peculiar to some only but they make it common to all Believers And Papists make their perfection to consist in inherent holiness but they make the nature of sin to be changed and say that sin is no more so in a Believer even though it be contrary to the Law of God We grant indeed that the people of God are free of sin in these respects 1. In this respect that no sin can condemn them they are not under the Law but under Grace in that respâ—ct Rom. 8.1 It 's said that There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ 2. In his respect that they cannot fall into that sin which as unto death as is clear 1 John 5.17 18 And 3. in this respect that they cannoâ—â—o sin â—s to ly or be under thâ—â—â—â—gn and â—omiâ—ion of sin as is evident Rom. 6 14. The Believer delights in thâ— Lâ—w â—f God according to the inner man Râ—m 7.22 And is not in sin neither doth câ—mmit sin as the unbeliever doth for the seed of God abideth in him and is kept from being involved in that which hiâ— corrupt nature inclines the Believer to So then what the Scriptuâ—e speaks of the Believers being free of sin is to be understood in one of these respects But to â—ay 1. That a Believer cannot sin at all sad expâ—rience and the practice of the Saints is a proof of the contrary Or 2. To say that sin in a Believer is no sin because of his faith in Christ is as contrâ—â—y to Scripture For the Law of God is the same to the Believer and the unbeliever and sin is the same in both Adultery is Adultery and Murâ—her is Murther in David as well as in â—ny other man Sure when Christ bade his Disciples pray for forgivenness of sin daily he taught them no such Doctrine as to account their sins to be no sins For if so they should neither repent of sin nor seek the pardon of it as some are not a shamed to say they should not That which we aim at is to â—lear it to be Christs prerogative only to be free of sin none oâ—her in this life can claim it And to teach Bâ—lievers to carry about with them daily all along their mortal life that which is for their good even the sense â—f sin I know it is now an up cast â—rom some pretended perfectionists to the people of God that they think and say that they have sin and aâ—e not perfect And we are by these men called Antichristian Priests and Jesuits because we Preach that Doctrine Buâ— let it be soberly considered whether it doth better agree with Papists and Jesuits to say that Believers are without sin or to say that they have sin They who say that Believers or the Saints have no sin do agree in this with the Papists who maintain a perfection of holiness or a conformity to the Law in some in this life and who deny the lustings of the body of death to be sin without which opinâ—on though most gross they would not nor could with the least shadow of reason mainâ—ain their Doctrine of Juâ—tification by Works And yet some now among us will needs call us Popish because we say that we have sin and that none of God's people are â—ithout sin in this life Tâ—is seems to be very strâ—â—ge But that wâ—ich hath been the thought of some sharp-sighted and sagacious men since the bâ—ginning of our confusions to wit that Popery is a working as an under-hand design is by this and other things mâ—de to be more and more apparent Is there any thing more like Popery working in a mystery yea more Popish then to say that the motions of corruption in Believers are no sins thaâ— a man or woman may attain to perfection in holiness here and yet to carry on this with that subtilty as confidently to averr that it's Popery to say the contrary Nay if the Scâ—iptures they make use of in their Papers or Pamphlets be well considered we will find that not only a perfection in Holinâ—â—s and Good works is pleaded for but a possibility of fulfilling the Law and Covenant oâ— Works as namely 1 Pet. 1.15 1 John 3.3 and 5.5 and Matth. 5. ult Will ye say they call your selves Saints that are not purified even as he is pure And will ye câ—ll your selves Believers that havâ— not overcome the world c As if all that is commanded duty might be or were perfectly reached in this life and as if no diâ—tinction betwixt begun yea considerably advanced holiness and intire perfection were to be adâ—itted That for which I mark this is to shew that the design of Popery seems to be on foot the Devil
in some inconsiderable persons venting these things when the great Patrons and Authors of them lye derned and hid And it is observable which we have heard of late that some Ring-leaders in this time have declared themselves expresly for Popery Though we have reason to bless God that the people in this place are kept free of these things yet this truth is worthy the vindicating and the hazard and danger is to be guarded against by all of us when this foul Spirit is driving so hard and prevailing with some to publish abroad this errour in Papers And so seeking to draw people into the snare Lay down but these two Principles both now maintained that they that have Faith have no sin and that they that want Grace should not pray what would they turn to and resolve in Satan's design in this is doubtless to make all untender and it is both sad and strange that it is not seen and observed What a terrour and torrure would it be to an exercised and tender Christian and how would it put his Conscience on the wrack to say to him What a Faith is this of yours that cannot keep you altogether from sin and that cannot quite overcome the world God be blessed that hath given poor Believers other and better grounds in the Gospel by which to judge of their Faith so that they may own their Faith as found though they have a mixture of unbelief with it and yet unbelief is alwayes a sin and may say with that poor man Lord I believe help thou my unbelief 4ly Observe That to the making up of a perfect holy walk there is a necessity both of holiness in practice and of foundness in judgement that no deceit or guilt be in the mouth and that no violence be in the bands And this is needful to be taken notice of because many have an aptitude to think that folks may be truly holy be of what opinion judgement and perswasion they will As if God had left the mind of man to be a bare empty Table or Board that he might Write on it what-ever he liked or pleased But our Lord is vindicated here from the scandal of corrupt Doctrine as well as from scandals in his practice And therefore as we would say on the one hand to you who are sound in your judgement and hate errour that if ye be gross and untender in your practice the soundness of your judgement will not prove you to be holy So upon the other side we would say that though it were possible ye could be sinless in your practice if ye take a latitude and liberty as to your judgement to be corrupt and to vent what ye please ye will never get Gods approbation as being holy persons therefore let both be joyned together soundness in Judgement and tenderness in Practice God give the right use of these things SERMON XXXV ISAIAH LIII IX X. Vers 9. And he made his Grave with the Wicked and with the Rich in his death because he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth Vers 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him He hath put him to grief When thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin He shall see his seed He shall prolong his dayes And the the pleâ—sure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand WE were speaking somewhat the last day of our Lord Jesus His Innocency which is here compended and summed up in these two 1. That there was no violence in his hands 2. That there was no deceit in his mouth however he was accounted of among Men and by them numbred among transgressours yet he was so in very deed and before God The Prophet proceeds and answers an objection How came He then to Suffer if He was so innocent especially His Sufferings being ordered by God Who is said to give His Grave with the wicked He answers the Objection and removes the Offence by giving three Grounds for this v. 10. Yet it pâ—eased the Lord to bruise Him He hath put Him to grief This is the first Reason and it is taken from the Fountain whence His Sufferings proceeded Gods good Plâ—asure graciously ordered it so It was the good pleasure of Jehovah that so it should be The second Reason is taken from the Nature or End of His Sufferings in these Words when thou shalt make His Soul an offering for sin Though he suffered before Men as a sinner yet before God it was an Offering for sin To satisfie for and to remove the sins of His Elect People The word may be either When thou or when he shall make His Soul an offering for sin But both come to one thing which is this That His sufferings were not such as befell other Men nay nor such as befell innocent Men but they were ordered on an higher design and for an higâ—er End even to be a Satisfaction for Sinners and to make way for their Freedom A 3. Reason is this as His Sufferings flowed from God's good Pleasure and were a satisfaction for the sins of His Elect People so it hath notable and noble effects And there are Three mentioned here 1. He shall see His seed He shall have a numerous Off-spring many that shall hold Eternal Lâ—fe of Him Men by their suffering of death are incapacitate to increase their off-spring but this is a quickning Suffering and Death that hath a numerous off-spring 2. He shall prolong His dayes Which seems to be another paradox For Mens dayes are shortned by their Sufferings and Death But though He be dead and buried yet he shal Rise again and Ascend and sit down on the right-hand of the Father and live for ever to make Intercession for his People A 3. Effect which is the upshot of all The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand God hath designed Him for a Work which is the great Work of Redemption even the bringing of many Sons to glory This is the Will of Him that sent Him that He should give Eternal Life to as many as should believe on Him And this is called God's good pleasure which shall thrive and prosper in His hand He shall pull many Captives from the Devil and set many Prisoners free He shal by His Sufferings overcome the Devil Death and the Grave and all Enemies and shall gather the Sons of God together from the four Corners of the Earth and that Work shall not misgive nor be frustrated but thrive in His hand So then in this Text we have much of the Gospel compended in few Words We shal speak a little to one Observation more from the close of the 9. v. Where Christ Jesus His Sinlesness and Innocency is holden out in these two There was no violence in his hands no sinfull practice in Him And there was no deceit in his mouth Which looks not only to His sinless carriage before Men and so sayes that He was no Liar nor Dissembler in His Dealing and
to bruise him in whose breast to speak so bred the plot of sinners Redemption Jehovah thought it good He loved the salvation of sinners so well that He was content to seem in a manner regardlesse of His own Sons cryes and tears for a time to make way for performing the satisfaction that was due to Justice and He did this with good will and pleasantly We shall not insist more on particular Uses but is there or can there be greater ground of Consolation then this or is there any thing wanting here to compleat the Consolation Is there not an well surnished Saviour commissionate to give Life to whom He will Who hath purchased it that He may give it and a well willing loving and condescending God willing to give His Son and willing to accept of His Death for a Ransome and what would ye have more The Partie offended is willing to be in friendship with the offending Partie and to give and accept of the Satisfaction what can Tentation say or what ground is for Jealousie to vent it self here He that did not spare his own Son but willingly and freely gave him to death for us all how shall be not with him also freely give us all things As it is Rom. 8. And if we were reconcilled to God by the death of his Son when we were enemies shall we not much more be saved by his life as it is Rom. 5.10 There is a great disproportion betwixt Christ and other Gifts yea and the gift of Heaven it self and shall a poor sinner have a suffering Saviour given and may he not also expect pardon of Sin Justification Faith Repentance and Admission to the Kingdom There is here good and strong ground of Consolation to them that will build on it let the Fathers and Christs love to you be welcome in it's offers that His end in bringing many Sons to glory be not frustrated by any of you so far as you can though it cannot indeed be frustrated For the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and he shall see the travel of his soul and be satisfied SERMON XXXVI ISAIAH LIII X Verse 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand CHrist and His Sufferings have been a most delightsome subject to be spoken and heard of before ever He suffered and they would be to us now no less but much more so even very glad tydings to hear that ever the Son of God was made an Offering for sin This Verse as we hinted the last day doth set forth Christ's Sufferings and in these three that the design of God in bruising the Innocent Lamb of God might be the better taken up 1. They are holden forth in the rise where they bred or in the fountain whence they flowed the good pleasure of God It pleased the Lord to bruise him to put him to grief Which the Prophet marks 1. To shew that all the good that comes by Christ to sinners is bred in the Lords own bosom It was concluded and contrived there and that with delight There being no constraint or necessity on the Lord to give His Son or to provide Him to be a Cautioner for dyvour sinners but is was His own good pleasure to do so 2. To show the concurrence of all the Persons of the Trinity in promoving the Work of Redemption of sinners which was executed by the Son the Mediator to shew that the Love of the Son in giving His Life is no greater then the Love of the Father in contriving and accepting of it for a Ransom there being naturally in the hearers of the Gospel this prejudice that the Father is more rigid and less loving then the Son but considering that it was the Father Son and Spirit that contrived Christs Sufferings that the Sons Sufferings were the Product and Consequent of this contrivance it removeth this corrupt imagination and prejudice and sheweth that there is no place for it It doth also contribute notably to our ingadgement to God to be throughly perswaded of the Lords good pleasure in the Sufferings of the Mediator as well as in the Willingness of the Mediator to Suffer He having performed the will of the Father in the lowest steps of His Humiliation 2. They are exprest and holden forth in their Nature and End they were to be an offering for sin and this follows well on the former verse because it might be said How could He that had no violence in his hands nor guile in his mouth be brought so low He hath answered in part by saying It pleased the Father to bruise him and to put him to grief But because that does not so fully obviat and answer the Objection He answers furder that there was a notably good end for it Though He had no sin in Himself nor are we to look on His Sufferings as for any sin in Him yet we are to look upon them as a Satisfaction to Justice for the sins of others even as the Bullocks Lambs and Rams and the Skipgoat were not slain for their own sins for they were not capable of sin yet they were some way Typical Offerings and Satisfactions for sin in the room of others for whom they were offered so our Lord Jesus is the proper Offering and Sacrifice for the sins of His Elect People and His Sufferings are so to be looked on by us and this is the Scop. But to clear the words a little more fully there are different readings of them as they are set down here in the Text and on the Margent Here it is when his soul shall make an offering for sin On the Margent it is when his soul shall make an offering for sin The reason of the diversity is because the same Word in the Original which signifies the Second Person Masculine Thou meaning the Father signifies the Third persons Foeminine his soul shall make it self but one the matter whether we apply it to the Father or to Christ both come to one thing It seems to do as well to apply it to Christ the former Words having set out God's concurrence and good pleasure to the Work these set out the Mediators Willingnesse as in the last Verse it is said that He poured out his soul unto death and properly Christ is the Priest that offered up Himself yet we say there is no difference on the matter now as to the scope the will of the Father and of the Mediator in this Work of Redemption being both one though as we said we incline to look on them as relating to Christ 2. Offering for sin in the Original signifies sin so that the Words are when thou shalt make his soul sin The Words being ordinarly used in the Old Testament and thence borrowed in the New Testament to signifie a sin offering as Exod. 29.14 and Levit. 4.5 and 16. Chapters where
the sin offering is appointed it is the same Word that 's here intimating that that Sin-offering was designed to bear their sin They shall lay their hands on the Sin or Sin-offering because the Sacrificed Beast was Typically to have the Peoples sins imputed to it though properly no mans fin is imputed to any but to Christ This is also clear if we compare Psal 40.6 with Heb. 10.5 6. That which in the Psalm is rendered Sin-offering in the Original is Sin but the Apostle Heb. 10. hath it sacrifice for sin and it is the same Word which he hath 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us that is an offering for sin by which we may see the unwarrantableness of some Mens accounting Christ to be formally a Sinner because He is called Sin and because our Sin is said to be laid on Him which in Scripture Phrase is as much as His being a Sacrifice for sin in the room of Sinners 3. His soul may be taken either simply for He shall be an offering for sin the Soul being often taken for the whole Person or it may be taken more properly to relate to His Sufferings called the travel of his soul Vers 11. however it is the Person the Man Christ Soul and Bodie that is the Sacrifice and more especially His Soul as the Wrath of God was on it and when He suffered His Soul did undergo that Wrath as well as His Back was given to the Smiter and His Cheecks to them that plucked off the Hair 4. There are two Words furder which we would hint at in the Exposition for clearing of Christ's being called an offering for sin 1. We would put a difference between the Offerings and Sacrifices which were for Sin under the Law and this Offering which is applyed to Christ The Apostle sayes Heb. 10. That it was impossible that the blood of bullocks and of goats could take away sin They were not properly Sin-offerings but as they were Types of that Offering which was to come and so when Christ is called an Offering He is differenced from all the Offerings that were offered before Him by Priests on Earth In this That His Offering oâ— Sacrifice takes away Sin by vertue of it self according to the Covenant But these Offerings of of those Priests that were under the Law as is clear Heb. 9.13 Took not away sin by themselves but only in so far as Christ who was Typifyed by them was made use of and from this we may see it clear 1. That it was by the Blood of Christ that the Fathers under the Law had their sin pardoned and that the Pardon of sin was to them an effect of this Offering as well as unto us 2. That all these Sacrifices and Offerings under the Law were Types of this one Offering and not that one Anniversarie Sacrifice only which was offered once a Year by the High Priest which we the rather hint at because both these are by Socinus that enemie of Christ's Satisfaction controverted he aiming thereby to draw Souls from leaâ—ning to this Offering 2. What we speak of Christ's Sacrifice relates to that which He performed on Earth though He be yet a Priest and lives for ever to make intercession for us yet this Offering respects that which He offered while He was here in the World and especially that which He offered on the Cross as it is said Eph. 5.2 He hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour and Heb. 10.12 This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God and by His Sacrifice once offered up before He went into the most Holy He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified which is also a Truth controverted by that same enemy Soncinus the clearing of it serves not only to open up the meaning of this place but to let us see the effecacy of Christs Sufferings and the nature of them that in them especially His Offering as it brings Pardon of sin and Peace with God does consist so then the meaning of the place is in short That though our Lord Jesus had no sin yet it pleased God in His Counsell to appoint Him to Suffer and that His Sufferingt should be an Offering for the sin of others More particularly If it be asked what is meaned by this an offering for sin we shall clear it from the Type and 1. It is here supponed that there is sin on the Person and that wrath due for sin is to be removed 2. It is supposed that there is an inability in the Person to remove the sin and yet a necessity to have it removed or else he must suffer 3. There is supposed the interveening or coming of something in the place of that Person that is guilty of sin and lyable to wrath 4. There is supposed the acceptation of that which interveeneth by God the Partie offended and so it presupposeth a Covenant whereby the Lord hath condescended to accept of that offering Take it in the Sin-offering goat the Scape-goat Levit. 16. A vive Type of Christ when He is brought into the Congregation 1. The Priest must put his hands upon him and confess the sins and transgressions of the People over him which signified their acknowledgement of their sins and a lyableness to suffering because of them 2. It supposed their proposing of that Goâ—t as a Sacrifice to bear their sins and to take them on him Therefore it was said The Priest shall put the iniquities of the People upon him 3. The one of these Goats was to be sent away into the Wilderness and the other was to be killed and generally all the Sin-offerings were to be killed So that no Remission of sins was without Blood and they came in the room of the Sinners bearing as it were their sin and their punishment And 4. It is to be an atonement to wit a Typical Atonement by this means the People were to have access to Ecclesiastical Priviledges but they could not purifie the Conscience except Christ were made use of who was the true atonement then as He is now still for sin and by vertue of His Sacrifice according to the Covenant they were to deall for the pardon of the sins born by Him We come now to Observe somethings from the Words and 1. It is supponed here that even the Elect and consequently all others are by their sin lyable to God's Judgement and obnoxious to His wrath there were no need of a Sin-offering if this were not The name that Christ gets here supposes that there was Sin and that there was wrath for Sin lying at the door of all Men since Man fell and brake God's Command all Men are before God like Isaac lying before his Father ready to be killed his Father having his hand stretched out with the knif ready to take away his Life And our Lord Jesus is as the Ram
I am not like other men nor like this Publican They are no Drunkards no Oppressors they neither Curse nor Swear and when they see any prophane Persons they are puft up with a good Opinion of themselves because they are not as prophane as they Or 2. They will come a furder Length and positively do many Duties upon which they rest and whereof they are ready to boast with that same Pharisee who vaunted I fast twice a week I give tithes of all I possesse If any Dutie be performed or any good be done by them their Fingers are ready to say so to stick to it But 3. and especially if there be any inward Work as if there be any Liberty or Motion of the affections in Prayer if there be at hearing the Word some Convictions sharper at one time then at another if there be any sort of Repentance Ruing and Sadnesse for Sin c. These they think will do their turn It is most certain and might be cleared both from the Word of God and from Experience that many hundreds of Professors Dash and Perish on this Stumbling Block Isaiah 48.1.2 Where the Lord is speaking of a People that made mention of his name and sware by him but not in truth nor in righteousness of whom He sayes that they call and count themselves of the holy citie and stay themselves upon the God of Israel and the Ground of it is their resting on external Duties of Fasting and Prayer and the like expectations of Happiness grounded on some feckless performances cut the Throats of many Civil and Discreet Men that are not grosly prophane A 3d. Sort do not altogether slight and neglect Christ Himself but they slight and neglect His Offering as if they would in a manner make use of Himself but not of His Sacrifice as Matth. 19. and Mark 10. There is a Man spoken of that comes to Christ would fain be at Heaven and askes good master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life and yet he was going on the Grounds of his own Righteousnesse this is exceeding subtile and deceitfull And therefore ye would take the better Notice of it and how it is fallen into A man may come to Christ as God for Pardon of Sin and some think though most Ignorantly and Erroniously that Christ the Son is more compassionat and ready to Pardon then the Father and may seek Pardon from Him but not for His sake or on His account for there is a difference betwixt making Christ the object of our Worship and making use of Him as Mediator There are many that have prayed to Christ as God and sought Pardon of Sin from Him who never prayed to obtain Pardon by vertue of His Offering Folk may also desire help from Christ to inable them to do Duties that they may thereby work out the work of their own Salvation and be helped this way to make their peace with God who do not ground the making of their Peace with God on His Offering alone These things are exceeding frequent in Peoples Practice who will pray to Christ for such and such things and yet not found their expectation of them upon His Offering or His Righteousness If we would make use Christ's Offering Singly and Rightly we would eschew these and all other wrong wayes 4. It may be asked then what are the Evidences that may give a Person some clearness that he is making use of Christ's Righteousness aright and that it is not his own Righteousnesse nor the making use of Christ only as He is God that sustains him I answer that this is indeed a Mistery and will require searching and watching to observe our own Condition And moe things concurre then one or two to make a full discovery of it In speaking to this as we desire to strengthen the presumption of none So we shall labour to shun the weakning of the Faith of any Sound Believer There are then these Six or Seven Differencing Evidences or Characters of a Person that is rightly making use of Christ's Offering which Difference Him from others And 1. one that truely makes use of Christ's Offering hath not only been brought to see his need of It but his Natural Propension and Readinesse to misken it and rest upon other things beside it for the making of his Peace Whereas another Man who does not rightly make use of it though he may see his Sin and so his need of it yet he sees not neither will take with the Tendencie Propensness and Inclination of his Heart to rest upon some other thing beside it See this difference in Paul before and after Conversion Phil. 3. Before he was Converted he studied as he thought all the Righteousnesse of the Law and no doubt offered Sacrifices which implyed the acknowledgement of Sin and he thought that all was well with him Therefore he sayes touching the righteousnesse of the Law he was blamelesse and verse 6. These things that were gain to me Or these things that I placed my Righteousnesse in I thought the moe Sacrifices that I offered I had the more to buy my Peace by He sees that in his studying of Holinesse he was seeking to make a Stock in himself But after his Conversion he casts all these as to leaning to them or making them any ground of his Peace with God or of his Justification before Him he betakes himself only to Christ's Righteousness and counts them to be but loss I would think it a good evidence for folks not only to see the loosnesse of thâ—ir Hearts in Dutie and that to be a Sin but to see when ought went well with them the inclination of their hearts ready to account that to be Gain and to rest upon it There is such an Humour and Natural Inclination in all and it is a good Token when it is discovered and becomes a Binder and the ground of a Challenge not only that they have sinned in this and that and the other Duty but that they have gone a whoring after their fecklesse performances to the prejudice of their esteem of Christ and of His Righteousness Before the law came saith Paul Rom. 7. I was alive I thought I had a Stock to do my own turn but when the commandment came sin revived and I died There are many that will be convinced of Sin in their performances that will not be convinced of this sinfull Inclination to put these in Christ's Room A 2d Difference or Evidence is this One that aims to make use of Christ's Offering and Righteousness not only their Sins will be an exercise to them how to win over them to Christ but it will be their exercise also how to win over their Graces and Duties to Him It will be an exercise to them not only to have such a Sin in their Dutie taken away but how to win over the Dutie it self that they stumble not on it to the prejudice of their trusting to Christ whereas another Man
when his Duties go well with him it is easie to him to win over them as he thinks because he rests satisfied with them Paul Phil. 3. Sees not only while he was in Nature that he counted something Gaiâ— beside Christ but after Conversion he finds an Inclination to it and therefore in opposition to this Inclination he doth with a doubtless cry down all things and counts them but Dung and Loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Taking in his Gracious Actions as well as others For the Words in the Text and Context tell us that he is speaking of Duties performed by him even after Conversion and that he found a necessity to cast away the Good as well as the Bad in the point of Justification as a Man that is in a storm at Sea hath a greater reluctancy to cast over Board Silks Satines Velvets and other such fine things then that which is more base and of less worth So he found it more difficult and was put to some harder exercise to be quite of his Duties that they should not stick to him then to be rid of his Sins is there any such exercise as this amongst Folks to be put to wrestling with their Duties not as being angry at them as such but how to get them as it were cast over Board to be Jealous of any good in them or done by them That it prejudge not their esteem of Christ To be bussie in well doing all the Day and in the evening to count all their doing but Loss And to renunce it utterly as to any puffing up by it or as to the making of their peace with God thereby A 3d Evidence is this One that is Single in making use of Christ's Sacrifice will be exercised and disquieted when his Duty is done till there be for acceptance a Staying and Resting on Christs Righteousnesse There are two sorts that utterly fail and fall short here 1. Some that are content with Sin and make lies their refuge 2. Others that are satisfied with Dutie if it go well with them and promise themselves acceptance on that alone Account neglecting Christ but the Believer hath as I just now said on exercise of Faith how to be quite of Sin and another new exercise of it how to be fred from resting on Duty and how to be singly ingadged unto and to rest upon Christ is mind is not quiet in all his Duties till he come hither even to be found in Christ not having his own Râ—ghteousnesse but His It 's a good token when Folks are not only exercised to have Sin Mortified and Duties going with them but also to have their Peace with God grounded on Christ and not on Dutie Hence it is that a Christian will sometimes be taken up a whole day in Dutie and yet have but little or no Peace because he would be over and through all Duties to resting on Christ which he wins not at to his Satisfaction 4ly One that is single in use making of Christ and of His Offering hath a fear of mistaking this Offering of Christ and that some other thing be put in His Room and He miskent or neglected There will not be only a fear least he Sin and come short in the suitable performance of such a Duty and least he fall under Wrath but also Fear and Jealousie least in his Unbelief and Selfyness he going wrong in the use making of Christ and of His Sacrifice as is implyed in the Word Heb. 4.1 Where the Apostle having spoken of many of the Israelites their Unbelief in the former Chapter sayes in the beginning of this Let us therefore fear least a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of us should seem to come short of it to wit through Unbelief Be Holily Jealous as if he had said least as it is Chap. 3.12 13. There be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God In a word he will be suspecting the exercise of his Faith as much as any thing a Naturall Man will sometimes it may be suspect his Duties but hardly will he be brought to suspect his Faith otherwayes he could not have the peace that he hath such as it is This may also be Confirmed from that poor mans prayer to Christ Mark 9. Lord I believe help my unbelief He dare not well trust his own Faith 5ly They that are single in their use making of Christ's Offering not only see themselves Sinners but they carrie along with them the discovery of the naughtinesse of every thing that is best in them when they see that to which others lippen to so much so very unsuitable and that they are far short of that which they should be at they dare not own nor look on it to boast of it but it 's a burden to them to see so much Sin in it It 's nothing to see Sin in some outward Actions and in that which is directly contrary to Gods Law but it 's much to see Sin in our best things as in our Faith in God in our Love to Him and in our ends in Holy Duties A Legal Man will confess it may be readily that he Sins in every thing but he covers all with this that he hath a good heart to God or a good end The Believer on the contrary sees all his good so naughty that it is tasteless to him He never gets any thing to rest on or that can bear his weight to confide in till he come to Christ's Sacrifie 6ly Such as are aiming rightly to make use of Christ's Offering and Sacrifice esteem and think exceeding much of it Therefore they adventure Heaven and their Eternal Salvation on it It 's that which cheers and delights them most that Christ hath stepped in and ingadged to do that for them which neither themselves nor any other Person or thing could do The life saith the Apostle Gal. 2. that I now live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me And 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came to the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief And John heartsomlie Rev. 1.7 To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood c. But they that endeavour not neither aim rightly to make use of Christs Sacrifice think little or nothing of it They are not made glad nor are their hearts lifted up with Spiritual Joy because of it The good and glad news of a slain Saviour are not the chief ground of their Consolation as they are to the Believer This evidence is somewhat general yet sure as well as the former O! but it 's matter of much wonder to the Believer when he thinks how that when the Stroak of Justice was ready to come on him Christ should have interposed betwixt him and that Fatal and Deadly Blow But
in this Doctrine to be by Christ's being made an Offering for us It 's not by our praying to Him as God nor by our Holy Living nor by His working Holiness in us though these ought and will be in some measure where He is made use of aright but by His Offering up Himself in a Sacrifice for us and by Gods imputing it to us and considering that Christ Jesus in the Offering in our Room And that thereby God is pacified and Sin and Wrath removed There can no other way be conceived how we are made partakers of it but by imputation This will be the more clear if we consider that the same way that our Sins became Christ's the same way His Righteousnesse becomes ours or the same way that Justice laid Clame to Him for our Debt the same way lay we Claime to His Righteousnesse Now it is Blasphemous to think that our Sin became His any other way but that Legally he entering Himself as our Cautioner our Sin was reckoned on His Score even so His Righteousness becomes ours by being imputed to us So the Apostle sayes 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And have His Righteousnesse derived to us It were good that we would learn how to win to this Righteousnesse even by presenting Him to Justice as Cautioner for our Debt and by taking hold of His Righteousnesse to ground our plea upon when we come to reckon with God for our Sins And we think that there is here a clear ground for refuting of that way of Justification by any thing inherent in our selves For if it be by His Offering that we are Justified then it is by nothing in our selves Now this Name that Christ's Sufferings get bears out that it 's that which satisfies God and absolves us as the alone Meritorious and Procuring Cause And therefore there is no other thing that we can derive our Justification from but His Righteousness only Use 3. Seing by Christ's Offering there is a Ransome and Atonement to be had And seing it is offered in the Gospel we pray you in the Name of the Lord take hold of and improve this Offering let every Body that hears tell that Christ is the Sin-offering endeavour to get Him to be their Sin-offering There are none that know and find that they have Sinned but they would think of an amends and here it is and there is ground to exhort you to make use of it and to encourage you in it because this is the very End of His Suffering and He is fully furnished compleatly to accomplish it If there were no access to Life by this Offering He would not be called a Sin-offering in opposition to all other Offerings There is ground therefore to declare this to you that by Christ Jesus Life and Reconciliation is attainable and that it is actually attained by accepting of this Offering Such as accept of it and rest upon it shall find Acceptation with God and Freedome from Sin and Wrath by vertue thereof It 's a common Question What shall we do we do all we dow or may but if we were studying a long time to tell you This is it even to make use of Christ's Offering This and this only will do your turn compleatly and no other thing will do it The 4th Use Is of strong Consolation to all who betake themselves to Christ He is the Sin-offering that procures the taking away of Sin and Wrath and that procures Friendship with God and there is no imputation of Sin nor condemnation to them who are in him Rom. 8.1 And hence is that triumph v. 34. who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth who is he that will condemne It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again c. If Justice were coming to execute the Sentence what can it say to the Believer Jesus Christ hath stepped in betwixt Wrath and Him and as to Gods acceptation He alone is accounted the Sin-offering and as these who under the Law Offered the Typical Sacrifices had access to the Ordinances and were Sanctified as to the purifying of the Flesh So much more is this Offering able to purifie the Conscience and to purge it from dead works and to give fair access to the Promises of Life and to the Favour of God to all them who make use of it as if they had never Sinned I know much of the weight of this Consolation will lye on this whether Christ's Offering be made use of And some will say How shall we make use of Christ's Offering And others will ask how shall we know if we have made right use of it And would to God that Souls were beatten off from their Pride and Security and brought under the conviction of a necessity of use making of Christ He would discover both to them But before we answer the Question there are two things we would presuppose 1. We presuppose that the Soul is made sensible of it's need of Christ's Sacrifice from the apprehension it hath of a Quarrel bebetwixt God and it and from the fear of His Wrath because of Sin else the asking of such a Question is to no purpose For as we hinted before the Offering of a Sacrifice implyes the Confession of Guilt So the making use of Christ's Sacrifice presupposes sense of Sin Err a Soul can make use of His Offering it must know it 's due was utter Consumption 2. We presuppose That the Soul is desirous to be at God and to have peace with Him To which End Christ is the Midse and there will be no respect had to the Midse except there be a respect had to the End as it is Heb. 11.6 He that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him diligently where there is implyed in the Comer a desire to be at God and an expectation of some Benefit to be had from Him or as the Word is Heb. 7.27 He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Which implyes the Sinners being sensible of his lost condition his desire to be at God and then Christ's Offering comes in as the Mids to bring about and to come by that End But these being presupposed The great thing wherein the Answer of the Question lyes How to make use of Christ's Offering for the attaining of that End of Pardon of Sin and Peace with God seemâ— to be holden out in that Word Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him And therein we may consider Sinners desire to be at God and the use making of Christ in reference to that End in these Three 1. To have the Breach made up with God in respect of their State 2. For quieting the Conscience in respect of Particular Challenges 3. For the
to God without Him as the Word is Heb. 7.25 Them that come to God by him he comes unto God by Christ in Prayer in Praises and in every other Dutie of Worship The Apostle to this Purpose sayes Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God The believing Soul is never right till it 's all be put in His hand Though all these be not distinct and explicit in the Persons use making of Christ's Sacrifice yet he expects that the Application of the Benefits which Christ hath purchased to him shal be made forthcoming to him by vertue of that same Purchase And that He who is the Author will also be the finisher of his faith The sum and upshot of all is to shew that as we have much Good by and in Christ if we could make use of it So He calleth us to be Cheerfull and Comforted in the use making of it and not to Minish our own Consolation when he hath condescended Graciously thus to Extend and Inlarge it with so Richly Liberal and Bountifull a Hand SERMON XL. ISAIAH LIII X Verse 10. He shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand IT may be thought and that very justly that there must be some great and glorious Design driven in the contryvance of the Work of Redemption That was executed by such a Mean as is the Suffering of the Son of God And that there must be some Noble and Notable thing following on it that moved the Father to send his Son and the Son to come for this Work This part of the Text answers and tells us what is the Design He shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes c. He shall communicat Life to many that were Dead and shall beget a Generation that shall have Life deryved from Him as a Seed have from their Parents And so this is a third Answer for removing of that stumbling Objection proposed in the beginning of the Verse to wit How it came to passe that the Innocent Son of God who had done no violence and who had no guile in his mouth was put to such Sufferings We shew that there were three Grounds laid down in Answer to this 1. It pleased the Lord to bruise him It was the Fathers good pleasure The 2d is from the Nature of His Sufferings which were to be a Sin-offering or an Offering for Sin not for His own but for the Sins of the Elect. The 3d. Is That His Sufferings should have notable Fruits and Effects following them set down in Three Expressions which are partly Prophesies telling what should be the Effects of the Sufferings of the Mediator partly Promises made to the Mediator telling what should be His Reward and Hyre to speak so for His Sufferings 1. He shall see his seed that is many shall get good of His Sufferings 2. He shall prolong his dayes That is He shall outlive these His Troubles and Sufferings and shall have a glorious Out-gate and Reign 3. The pleasure of the Lord shal prosper in his hand That is The Work that was given Him to do and to finish shall thrive well and no part of it shall faill or miscarry In the First Promise made to Him or in the first Effect that should follow on His Sufferings in these Words He shall see his seed We have these Three 1. A Relation implyed betwixt Christ and Believers They are His seed such as in the next verse are said to be justifiea by Him It is in short many shall get Pardon of Sin and Justification by His Death In this respect it 's said Psal 45. penult verse In stead of thy fathers shall be thy children whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth 2. A Prophesie and foretelling of the event that should follow Christ's Sufferings and so it holds out this That our Lord Jesus should not only have a Seed but a numerous Seed that should be made sure to Him And it seems to be in allusion to that which is spoken of Abraham and of others in the Old Testament of whom it 's said that they should have Seed That is that many should descend of them But there is more here For whereas others while they are Living or in their Life-time beget a Seed which begetting is interrupted by Death The Death of our Lord Jesus begets His Seed or His Seed are begotten by His Death 3. Considering the Words as a Promise they hold out this That though our Lord Jesus Suffer and Die yet He sha l not only have a Seed but He shall see His Seed He shall outlive His Sufferings and Death And shall be delighted In seeing of them who shall get the good of His Sufferings As it 's said of Job that he saw his children or sâ—ed of the third and fourth generation That is he lived long and saw mâ—ny that came of him even so though our Lord came to Death and to the G ave yet He should not only have a numerous Seed many Children but He should live and see them and that not only for three or four or for ten Generations But for very many Generations And His dying should neither mar His begetting nor the seeing of them And this seeing of his Seed is opposed to such Parents as are Dead and who though their Children and Posterity be in want yet they know it not From the First of these Observe That Believers are our Lord Jesus His Seed they are come of Him whatever their Meannesse and Lownesse be in the World and though they could not clame Kindred to any of externally honest Rank and Quality yet they are His Seed To this purpose the Apostle bespeaks the believing Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.27 28. Ye see your calling brethren how that not many mighty not many wise men after the flesh not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise c. that no flesh should glorie in his presence Though ye be not of any high Rank or Quality in the World yet of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made to us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption In this respect Christ is called the everlasting father Isa 9.6 For He is the Father of all Believers that ever had or shall have Life who are Psal 45. penult verse caled His Children To clear this a little ye shall take it in these Four or Five respects or Considerations in which believers are said to be Christs Seed or be descended of Him 1. In this respect that as Believers they have their being of Him as Children descended from off their Parents as to their Natural being So Believers as they have a Spirituall Being descend from Him and hold their Being of Him without whom they had never been Believers And in this respect they are His Seed 1. Because He Meritoriously Purchased Life to them which
think of injoying of Heaven and Glory ye would think also whence it came to be thus with you O! think on that Rock out of which ye are hewen as ye are Believers and are intitled to Life And this will lay the Natural Pride which Alas too often Believers have going along with their Hope of Life as if they were something better by Nature then others because they have hope to come to Heaven but think this also with your selves that there are no thanks to you but to Him who loved you and washed you from your sins in his own blood which should make you walk softly and with a stoppâ—d mouth and in this Case every thought of your Title unto and of your Hope of Heaven would be both singularly pleasant and profitable to you Use 3. See here that which maketh the Glad Tydings of Christ's Death wonderfully Comfortable It 's much that Christ came and Suffered but if ye add this that His Design in Suffering was to beget Sinners to a New and Spiritual Life tâ— raise and quicken them that were Dead in in Sins and Trespasses to pay their Debt and to Cancell their Obligation It makes it to be much more wonderfull Alas we have great want of Spiritual Affections that are not more Affected with this even with this That the Father should send His Son and that the Son should come into the World and wherefore That He might have a Seed that poor Bodies that were Dead and without Life might be quickned and that such as had no hope of Heaven might have it That in such a way an entry into Heaven should be made to Sinners this is the wonder do ye Believers indeed believe this that the Lord's Design in all the Work of Redemption was to bring Dead Sinners to Life This is it that makes Christ get the Name of a Saviour That the Shepherd being smitten God might turn his hand on the little Ones And therefore as a 4th Use See here a good ground whereupon to Preach to you by the Death of Christ the Offer of Life and the Remission of Sin as the Apostle hath it Act. 13.39 40. Be it known therefore to you men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenness of sins And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not he justified by the law of Moses And there is never a Text that speaks of the end of Christ's Sufferings but readily it some way layes a ground how a Sinner may get Life And it is as it were a Proclamation to Sinners to make the right use of what is offered to them If our Lord Jesus had not Suffered there had not been a warrand for us to speak of Life to you There had been no Treaty with Sinners no Door opened for access to Heaven no ground for any to call God Father But on the Contraire Christ having Suffered and Satisfied Justice it givâ—s us Ground to make this Procâ—amation to you Be it known unto you that through this man is preached unto you forgivenness of sins And these two put together 1. That there is a sufficient Price laid down for the Satisfying of the Justice of God for the Debt of Elect Sinners 2. That this is the Lords Dâ—signe in laying of the Prâ—ce down even to Procure and to Communicat Life to them according to that of John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have everlasting life And that of John 12.32 And if I be lifted up I will draw all men after me This demonstrats that there is a Sufficient-Warrand to make use of Christ for pardon of Sin and for obtaining of Life through Him For readily the Exception is One of Two Either 1. That the Price will not â—o the Turn and that cannot be said for the Death of Christ is a Price Sufficient or 2. That Sinners know nor what is the Lorâ—'s Purpose in it This Text holds out that and tells us Iâ— is that he may have a seed This is the Sum of the Covenant of Redemption saâ—eth the Father Son if thou wilt lay down thy Life Thou shalt see a seed that shall have Life through thy Sufferings and the Lord would never have given His Son to die if He had not minded the Salvation of Sinners and to beget and promove Life in them through His Sufferâ—ngs And to what end is the Gospel Preached by which Life and immortality are brought to light But that what He hath bought may be appâ—yed to Sinners And therefore as a 5th Use We beseech you to concur with Christ in the Design of His laying down of His Life Is it not think ye great Ingratitude to Him and great Cruelty to your selves that when the Lord hath Designed such a thing by the laying down of His Life That ye should as far as ye can stand in the way of it Now His Designe is to have many in His Common for Life â—hat He may have a Seed and to have Poor Sinners that are Dead and Lifelesse in themselves taking with their Sin and coming to Him to get Justice Satisfied and a Right to Life by His Offering And is this a Prejudicial Designe or Unprofitable to Sinnerâ— Why then should ye stand in the way of that When Our Lord hath Designed Sinners good and hath been content to lay down His Life to make Life possible to you when all His Dâ—signe in dying is to have Sinners saved by their betaking themselves to Hâ—m and that by their betaking themselvâ—s to Him the Second Adam They may get a Râ—ght to Life Transferred to them â—s iâ— not Folâ—y and Madness for Sinneâ—s to obstruct what they can this His Design The Apostle makes use of this Argument 2 Cor. 5. â—8 19. He hath given us the word of reconciliation that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them we therefore as ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Châ—ist stâ—ad be ye reconciled to God And what is the reason For he was made sin for us who knew no sin And or this â—nd That we might be made the righteousness of God in him And is not â—his the samâ— Argumâ—nt that â—s in the Text Our Lord was made 〈◊〉 Sin-offâ—ring that Hâ— might see a Seed And 〈◊〉 â—o then we would intâ—eat you if the Blâ—eâ—iâ—g Bowels of Chriâ—â— can have any weâ—ght with you and if you would do Him a Pleasure not to marr His Designe as fâ—r as ye can for He will infrustrably accomplish His Designe And that is to have Souls brought in to make Sinners Peace with God and that they may make use of His Sufferings for that End Need we use Arguments to perswade you to this Whâ—ch is so much for your own good and welfare even to save your Souls To come and be
Fruits of His Purchase all the praise of them may be to Him alone The Use of this is large it speaks something more generally to them that are Strangers to Christ and who think that they would be at Him and something to them that are in Him and something to both And the 1. thing that it speaks is this which we have often heard of but cannot hear of it too often Even the great and glad Tydings and very good News which we have to speak of through Jesus Christ That Redemption is Purchased by Him to poor Sinners and that through Him there is access to Life and Peace and Reconciliation with God from which through Sin we had fallen and run our selves under a Forefaulture of and from which we had been barred up Eternally except He had Suffered There was a will of Separation and Partition standing betwixt God and us which by His Sufferings was demolished and broken down and thereby a door of access to God struck up even through the vail of his flesh These should be refreshing and fresh Newes to us every day as indeed they would be if we rightly knew and believed the benefit of God's Friendship and what were our hazard in lying still in nature and what was the Price that Christ laid down to Purchase for Sinners Friendship with God and delivery from His Curse that it behoved to cost Him sore Soul-travel ere any special Grace could be bestowed on Sinners and that this same Gospel that is Preached to you is a Fruit of the Travel of His Soul and that in making the Covenant of Redemption this same was a part of the Indenture to speak so That these good News might be Published in this same place and these glad Tydings spoken of among you And therefore 2. Put a greater Price on the Means that may furder your Salvation on Repentance Faith Holiness Peace with God c. For they are the Fruits of a very dear Purchase and the Results of a great and sore Conflict which the Mediator had with the Justice of God ere there could be access for a Sinner to any of them There was not so much payed to get the World Created as was payed to buy Faith Repentance Access to God and an Entry to Heaven to Run-away Sinners Nothing was payed for the one but a mighty great Price for the other And therefore 3. We would expostulat with many of you How it comes to passe that ye think so little of these things that Christ hath Purchased that ye think so little of Faith in Him and that so many of you take a counterfit for it try not if you have it trouble not your selves though ye want it and that other things of little value are much esteemed of and over-valued by you Is there any thing comparable to that which Christ hath put such a Price on that He gave His own Life for it and that God hath put such a Price on that He promised it to Christ as a part of the Satisfaction for the Travel of His Soul And yet it s lightly valued by many yea by most Men and Women The day will come when ye will think Faith to be of more value and will think the Pardon of Sin and an interest in Christ's Blood to be valuable above the whole World though ye had it when ye shall be brought to reckon with God for the slighting thereof And therefore 4ly Seing this is a Truth that every thing that leads to Life Eternal is a Fruit of Christs Purchase take the right way to attain it The exhortation implyes these two 1. That ye make a right choise of and put a just value on these things that ye should choose and value 2. That ye take the right way for attaining of these things 1. Then Would ye know what is to be valued and chosen It 's certainly these things that God and the Mediator esteem of and that the Congregation of the First-born esteem of The things that Christ hath Purchased and which are the Fruits of the Travel of His Soul are most excellent and therefore Mind Study and Seek after these things that may lead your Souls in to Life Eternall seek after Faith and Repentance to have your peace made with God to have the heart purified to be of a meek and quiet Spirit Which in the sight of God are of great price as the Apostle Peter speaks to have Pardon of Sin and Holiness for adorning the Gospel of God and to have Glory that ye may see God and injoy Him these things are the best things this is undoubtedly the better part which will never be taken from them Whose choise through Grace it is God will give great Estates Countries and Kingdoms in the World to Men to whom He will not give so much Faith as is like a grain of mustard seed nor a dram of true Holinesse because He thinks much less of the one then of the other and because the one is not so like God nor will it have such abiding Fruit as the other 2dly What way may folk win to make this choice and to attain these best and most valuable things no other way but that which this Doctrine holds out If all things that lead to Life and Salvation be Fruits of Christs Purchase then sure it is by vertue of Christs Purchase alone that ye must come by them Pardon of Sin comes by the Blood of Sprinkling Peace with God Grace and more Grace the exercise of Grace and growth in Holinesse Faith in all its exercises and advances and every other Grace come by His Sufferings as also doth Glory because He hath purchased these Graces of the Spirit as well as Pardon of Sin and Heaven often Christ is miskenâ— and passed by here many think that they shall obtain Pardon of Sin and go to Heaven without Him others though they will not own that yet fail in the second and would make use of Him for Pardon of Sin and for paying of their Debt if they could Repent and Believe in Him but till they find these in themselves they scar to come unto Him whereas the Sinner that is convinced of Sin and of His hazard would lay down this as the first step of his way in coming to Christ any Repentance and Believing and the making of the heart willing to close with and to cleave to Him is the Fruit of Christs Purchase and I must be in His Common for it for there is no other possible way to get it The first airth to speak so that a wakened and sensible Sinner should look unto for Pardon and Peace for Repentance Faith and all things would be to Christ and His Sufferings whence all these come Sinners at first are disposed to take too far a look and so mistake in the order of things Therefore when the sense of Sin pinches them and they set about to believe and find that their hearts are very averse from believing and can
with that which they had bought He sayes to them I have meat to eat that ye know not of And when they begin to wonder what that could be He sayes further to them It is my meat to do my Fathers will and to finish his work And what was that a poor whotish Woman is spoken to by Him and brought by His speaking to acknowledge Him to be the Messiah and to accept of Him as such And by that blessed Work His Hunger and Thirst were Satisfied So Luke 22.15 He saith to His Disciples with desire have I desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer And Luke 12.50 I have a baptisme to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Though he drinking of that Cup was terrible to Him and though mockings and reproaches were not pleasant in themselves yet the love that He had to Sinners good mastered all the bitterness that was in these and made them sweet 3. There is nothing that He more complains of nothing angers and grieves Him more then when He is not made use of Ye will not saith He John 5. come to me that ye may have life To shew that the best interâ—ainment that they could give Him was to come and get Life from Him And it 's told us that He was angry and grieved for the peoples unbelief and hardness of heart Yea He weeps over them because of this Luke 19. All which prove the great delight that He had and hath still in Sinners getting good of Him And frequently in the Song as Chap. 2 and 6. He is said to feed among the lillies There is all His intertainment that He gets in the World He feasts only on the Fruits of His own Spirit in them that welcome Him I shall name but one place more and that is Psal 147.10.11 He delights not in the strength of a horse nor in the legs of a man but in them that fear him The following Words clear it more what it is that delights Him In them that hope in his mercy that is in them that draw into Him by believing He delights in these Beyond all the World Use 1. It were a desirable thing to be believing this Are there any so prophane but are ready to think that if they knew what would please God or Christ they would do it The Question is here answered that this is pleasing and only pleasing to Him If this be wanting there is nothing that will please Him even that ye make use of Christs Sufferings and imploy Him in His Offices for getting the good that may be had by them This is it that ye are câ—lled to and which delighteth Him and if this be not though ye would give Him thousands of rams and ten thousands of rivers of oyl yea the first born of your body for the sin of your souls it will not satisfy Him nor be accepted because this alone is the Satisfaction that He will have for His Soul-travel I shall a liâ—tle explain this and then prosecute the Use of it Ye will ask then What is the Fruit of Christ's Soul-travel that satisfies Him I answer That we take in under it not only 1. That ye should aim to be at Heaven neiâ—her 2. â—his That ye be serious in the Duties of Holiness as if these were Well-pleasing to God without respect to Christ's Sufferings but it is the Use-making and improving of Christ's Sufferings for attaining of these When Folk by this midse by this New and Living Way step forward to Heaven and seek to be Seriâ—us in the study of Holiness when they that could not walk in the way of Holinesse do now walk in it leaning on their beloved and study to live by Faith in Him Tâ—is is it mainly wherein His Delight and Satisfaction doth lye even when a poor Sinner is brought to make Use of Him for Peace and Reconciliation with God for through bearing in all called for Duties for his Consolation and for his Admission to Heaven in the close And therefore they do not only fail here who are Prophane living securely never minding Heaven their Peace with God nor the study of Holiness Neither only these who cast the Law and its Reproofs behind their backs thâ—se are loathsome to God and to Jesus Christ but by this These are also reproved that do not improve the Sufferings of Christ for Peace and Reconciliation with God for Righteousnesse and for Strength for Comfort and encouragement and who hope not in Hâ—â— Mercy The Reason is because though it were possible they could make progresse in Hâ—liness and attain to Comfort and Peace â—hat â—ay yet it would not be thus The Fruit of the Travâ—l of Christs Soul He being paâ—â— by and â—o could not be Satisfaction to Him Buâ— where a poor Sinner sees that he caâ—noâ— câ—me to God of himself cannot make his Peace nor can He walk in the way of Holiness so as to please God and so flies to Christ for refuge and make use of His Purchase there lyeth Christs delight to see such a Sinner come and hide himself under the shâ—ddow of His Sufferings and in this respect the more hardly a Sinner is put at it is the more satisfaction to Him that He in His Death and Sufferings be made use of because this way the Sinners Life is more intirely the benefit of His Sufferings and that such a Person hath any Strength Comfort or Peace and is admitted to Heaven It is allenarly through the Travel of His Soul which is His great Satisfaction And therefore we would 2dly commend to you That as you would do Christ a favour to speak so with reverence And O! what a motive is this for vile Sinners the dust of His Feet to be put in a capacity to do Him a pleasure Endeavour this especially that as to you Christ may see the Fruit of the Travel of His Soul and be satisfied and that all His kindness offered to you may not be Fruitlesse This is the great hing of the Gospel as to that which is pressed upon you and this is the wonderfull motive that is given to presse it That it 's delightsome to Christ and therefore ye should believe on Him It were incouragement enough that it's profitable to your selves But if ye had hearts of stone this should move you to it That Our Lord Jesus seeks no more Satisfaction from you for all His Soul-travel but that ye make use of His Sufferings that ye do not receive this Offer of His Grace in vain nor be Fruitless under it In a word we have here laid before us and think upon it the most Wonderfull Inconceivable and Inexpressible Sute and Request of Him who is the Creator to us poor sinfull creatures and what is it I have been sayes He on the matter in sore Travel and Pain for you now I pray you let it not be for nought let me see the Fruit of it And to speak it with reverence of
many come before Him when it shall be told them That He craved no more Satisfaction from them for all that He Suffered but that they would have improved His Sufferings for their own good and that yet they would not give Him that much Doeth not this say that their is need that we should look well what Fruit there is of His Sufferings that there may be more then if He had not Suffered at all 9. Consider the great weight that will be laid on this Sin of refusing to believe and to Satisfy Him in this to wit in improving of His Sufferings above all other Sins This is a Sin that will be found to be against Equity Thankfullnesse and Ingenuity that when He had done and Suffered so much He was so ill requited Yea it will be found to be a wilfull and malicious Sin That when your Good and His Satisfaction were joyned together ye would rather choise to destroy your selves then to Satisfie Him in saving your selves through Use-making of His Sufferings There are two remarkable Words to this purpose Heb. 6.10 In the 6. Chap. it 's said of such That they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame That is they do displease and anger Him and do what in them lyes to cast reproach upon Him as if He were no Saviour at all or an insufficient Saviour to put Him to Suffer over again in His wanting of Satisfaction for His Sufferings As it is a great pain for a Mother to be in Travel but it 's another and in some respect a greater pain if the Child die in the bringing forth In the 10. Chap. v. 28. It 's called A trading under foot the son of God and an accounting the blood of the Covenant to be an unholy thing And in the 26. v. Before it 's said There remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgement And it 's upon this very account As we did at another occasion make use of these two Scriptures to a like purpose and did thus Caution our Application of them against mistakes For what greater indignity can be put on Him then when His Satisfaction depends on the improving of His Sufferings yet people will not do it As nothing pleases Him better then to improve His Sufferings so on the contrary There is no Sin that doth displease Him more then when they are not improven And if ye will not now believe this to be a Truth yet when the Lord shall call you to count for it ye will find it to be a most certain and sad Truth That He called you to believe and that ye would lye still in your Unbelief Ignorance and Prophanity That ye destroyed your own Souls and made His Sufferings as uselesse as to you as if there had never a door been opened to Sinners to Heaven by them Is there any of you that will be able to answer to this challenge If not Then let Him have this Satisfaction by improving of His Sufferings that He may find to say so that His Death hath not been for nought as to you Study to have Him great in your esteem and to have your Souls saved by the vertue and efficacy of His Sufferings otherwayes the challenge will be unanswerable Considering that He declared that this would satisfie Him and ye knew that it would have pleased Him and removed the quarrel and saved your selves And that withall by this means a comfortable sentence at Judgement might have been procured to you And that yet ye disdained to do it And therefore since it stands so with you be intreated to make earnest and greater earnest of believing and of the great work of getting your own Souls saved which He hath thought so much of else it had been better for you that ye had never had a delightsome hour in the World And sad will the encounter be that ye will have with Him and with your own Conscience in that Day when it shall have this to tell you that ye cannot now expect any Good or Favour from the Judge Because when He would have saved you ye would not have it so but would needs run on your own damnation And therefore we say again either give Him Satisfaction by improving of His Sufferings and by making Earnest of the businesse of your Salvation Or resolve to meet with a most terrible Pursuer of the Quarrel against you The Wrath of God is dreadfull but much more the Vengeance of the Mediator who because ye would not give Him His will in your Salvation He shall have it in your Ruine and Destruction 4. There is here a sweet Word of Consolation to poor Souls that faln would have Sin taken away and are afraid to presume Our Lord will never be angry that ye make use of His Sufferings for your own good Nay He accounts it a Satisfaction to Him that ye improve them That when ye find your selves Arrested for Sin ye put it on His Score and draw a Bill on Him to pay your Debt That when you find your selves under that which to you looks like the dominion of Sin ye look to His Cross for Vertue to Crucifie Kill and Subdue it If therefore as I have often said ye would do Him a Favour or Pleasure make use of Him Be assured that the more weight ye lay on Him ye do Him the greater pleasure And this is all the amends that He seeks for all the wrâ—ngs ye have done to Him and all the Satisfaction that He seeks for all the good turns He hath done to you That ye come to Him thus to make use of Him And it is good Reason even all the Reason in the World that He get this amends made to Him and this Satisfaction granted to Him SERMON XLIX ISAIAH LIII XI Verse 11. He shall see of the travell of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities THere are two things of great Concernment for Men to know for sinfull Men to know if any thing be of Concernment The one is how the Justice of God that is provoked may be Satisfied or what it is by which provoked Justice is Satisfied And the other is What the way is how we come to get that Satisfaction applyed to us or what is the way to get the Benefit of it made ours And both of them are Answered in this v. clearly and shortly The first is holden out in the first part of the v. To be the travel of Christs soul Which hath a special look to the Covenant of Redemption and to the Condition on which it is Accomplished and Performed That is His Soul-travel under which all His Sufferings are comprehended The other is in the Latter Part of the verse By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities This holds forth in short the Gospel nay how
Souls these are special seasons for putting Him to exerce His Office in Justifying of them and this day this Scripture is fulfilled in your ears and ye should let it sink in your hearts that Our Lord Jesus is pursuing His Commission and performing His Service keeping up the Treaty and inviting and perswading Sinners to come to Him that the pleasure of the Lord may prosper in His hand And therefore know assuredly that this is it that Christ is imployed in and taken up with even to get sinners fred from the Guilt of Sin and from Wrath by His Righteousnesse It is not only nor mainly to get them brought to the Church and to His Supper or to get them made Formal and to abstain from Cursing Swearing and Profanity though these will follow of will but it is to get them brought in to Himself and Justified And we have these two Words to say to you further in this matter 1. There is here good ground of encouragement to a poor Soul that would fain make Use of Christ for Pardon of Sin This is even it that Christ is intrusted with It is for this end that He is Legated and Commissioned of the Father And will He not thinks thou do that which He is intrusted with and for which He is mainly sent This is saith He John 6.39 the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting life and that I should raise him up at the last day Which is in Sum That by his knowledge many should be justified And it 's added For he shall bear their iniquities To anticipat and answer an objection For a sensible Sinner might say how can I be justified that have so many Sins Here is a Solution of that doubt He shall satisfie for them All these Words are as it were big with Child of Consolation being the very Heart and Life of the Gospel as any thing that comes so near to Christs Commission and unfolds so much of it is A 2d Word is this That ye mistake Christs Errand Work and Service very far who think to content Him and put Him off with this who would give Him the Name of a Saviour and yet would be at the saving of your selves without Him who would complement Him as it were with fair Generalls but will have none of His Phisick or of His Cures nor will renunce your own Righteousness and make use of His for your Justification This says one of these Four Either that He is not Commissionated and Trusted for this end or that He is not meet for that Trust or that He is not Faithfull in it Or else that ye can do your own turn without Him and that there is no need of His Office And which of all these can abyde the Tryal before God And yet it shall be upon one of these that ye shall be found to have cast at Christ and to have refused to permit Him so far as ye could hinder and abstruct to do His Fathers business and if ye Just not accompts with Him there will be a most dreadfull Reckoning betwixt God and you 2dly Observe That this particular Trust anent the Justifying of Sinners Our Lord Jesus doth most Righteously Diligently Dextrously Tenderly and Faithfully Discharge It was His Fathers will that He should be Baptized and fulfill all Righteousness and more especially that He should Justifie many in this He is very Skilfull and Faithfull and it is on this account He is called The good shepherd and that He is said to lay down his life for his sheep That He is called a faithfull high Priest and is said to be one that is able to save to the uttermost these that come unto God through him and that He is Holy harmless and separat from sinners fit to make Peace betwixt God and Sinners another sort of Priest than Aaron was or any that were before Him He is in a word such a high Priest as became us and as we stood in need of who needed not to Offer Sacrifice for His own Sins He had no more to do but to Satisfie for us The Prophet Isaias Chap. 40.11 Tells how tender he is in bringing Souls to Heaven He gathers the lambs with his arme he carries them in his bosome and gently leads those that are with young And Chap. 42.3 That a bruised reed he will not break and the smoaking flax he will not quench And it is said 1 John 2. If any man sin we have an advocat with the Father and who is he Jesus Christ the righteous Righteous in the Faithfull managing of His Trust by making Sinners Peace with God Would ye know then in what respects or on what account it is that Christ is called Servant We answer in these Respects 1. Though we have failled and broken the Law yet He hath not and God will not look down on Him 2. In this Respect That He pleads for no Sinners Pardon but He can fully pay their Debt and hath done it if He seek one thing from God He yeelds in another and according to the Covenant of Redemption exactly proceeds For He is a propitiation He seeks nothing but he payes for it and wrongs not him in the least who hath Trusted him the Lord Jehovah is not a lâ—ser but hath His Honour restored by Him 3. In respect of His keeping Faith to the Persons that have need of Him for whom He hath undertaken He is not only faithfull to the Master but to the Children and Servants He owns and acknowledges them when they come to Him under their necessities and is forthcoming to them every way suitable and answerable to His Place and Trust in doing good to Sinners Use Had we sensible Sinners to speak to Sinners groaning under a Body of Death with pricked hearts crying out What shall we do for the wrongs that we have done to God Sinners under holy fear to spoil and mar the Bargain and to hazard their own Souls had we I say such Sinners to speak to There are good news here to them the Trust of saving Souls is committed to a Faithfull Shepherd it is not committed to your selves for so it had been a dolefull Trust but it is committed to Him that hath gotten the Sheep by Name given to Him to be kept by Him and He will not suffer them to miscarrie nor to go quite wrong And what more would ye have A salvation and a Price is much but it is more to have a Saviour to make the Application of His Purchase a Bishop of Souls to Justifie and carrie Sinners through to make it sure before God and to make it out the Sinner may sleep sound which in the sense of Sin hath betaken himself to Him to be Justified by His Righteousness and to be in His Debt and Common for obtaining of Pardon and for making the Application of what by His Sufferings He hath Purchased We can say but little to
Rom. 14.10 We shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ And Heb. 9.29 It 's appointed for all men once to die and after that comes the judgement There is a Solemn Decree past That as all Men shall die so every Man shall be brought to a Reckoning and Judgement And Act. 17.31 He hath appointed a day in which he shall judge the world in righteousness c. and that cannot be ranversed See 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ We must There is an inavoidable necessity of it For further clearing and confirming of this ye would know that there are Three Courts that especially the hearers of the Gospel are lyable unto which we would make our selves for They are all put together Rom. 2.12 15 16. There is 1. The Court of the Word wherein God keeps a Justice-seat or Tribunal Condemning the Wicked and Absolving the Righteous As Christ sayes John 12. The word Which I speak shall judge you in the last day And this is it that the Apostle hath in that forecited place Rom. 2 12. As many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law A 2. Court is the Court of the Conscience And this is more broad and extensive reaching all Men without as well as within the Church Wherein God hath His own way of Lybelling and Accusing of and passing Sentence upon Sinners As v. 14 15. When the gentles who have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law these having not a law are a law unto themselves which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another A 3d. Court or Judgement-seat is that which is more Discernable Distinct and Terrible And that is the Judgement-seat of God when He shall conveen all and every one before Himself immediatly and shall Judge and pass Sentence upon them Whether this be done to a particular Person or to the whole World as v 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Use We would have you confirmed in the Faith of this Truth That there are none of us but we are lyable to all these Courts And therefore ye would live so as ye may be in a posture fit for this appearing many of us alace live as if we were never to be called to an account And as if there were no Tribunal that we were to appear before 2ly Observe That all Men and Women even the Elect themselves are naturally and as in themselves obnoxious to Condemnation and lyable to the Sentence of it before Gods Tribunal for Jesus Christ His Justifying of them and procuring their Absolution implyes this much That they as considered in themselves are lyable to and cannot receive another Sentence then that of Condemnation It sayes that not only they have Sinned but that because of their Sin they are lyable and obnoxious to Condemnation That for their Sin Gods Curse is due to them John 3.18.36 He that believes not is condemned already And he that believeth not shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him The Sentence is standing against Him unrepealled even that Sentence which we have Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them The Sinner comes no sooner to look to the Court of the Word nor to the Court of his own Conscience but that Sentence is laid before him And when he comes before God he can expect no other thing The Lord proceeding according to the Rule of the Word So Rom. 3.19 We know that whatever thing the law saith it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Which suppons a lyableness to His Curse and a subjection to the Judgement of God as the Word is rendered on the Margent There are none as considered in their natural condition who have a word to say against it To clear it a little ye would consider two things in the Law as it is a Covenant of Works under which all Men are by Nature 1. The Directive or Commanding part of it that carves out Mans Duty and so it is the Rule of Righteousness to Men and Women and what is not conform to the Commands and Directions of it is Sin and hath a Guilt with it This is most certain that the Law even as to Believers is a Rule of Righteousnesse according to which they are to walk 2. There is in it the Sentence of a Curse whereby the Person that Sins is not only declared to be Guilty but lyable to Gods Wrath and Curse This may be seperated from the former The Law was no doubt a Law of Righteousness to Man in his Innocency and is so to the Believer still who is Absolved from the Curse of it but yet the Believer as considered in his Natural Condition is not only Guilty but stated under the Curse And this is the meaning of the Doctrine That Naturally not only are all Men Sinfull but they are stated under the Curse of God The Law sayes on the matter Man and Woman thou hast not abiden in what is written and therefore thou must die Thou art lyable to the Curse which will light if it be not prevented If there were any need of Reasons to prove this they are not wanting It is so 1. That the Lord may humble all Flesh as the Apostle sayes Rom. 3.19 That every mouth may be stopped and that all the world may become guilty before God 2. It is so ordered that His Grace may shine the more conspicuously When the Person is found Guilty and abnoxious to the Curse by the Law Grace shews it self to be wonderfull in pulling the Sinner from under the lash of the Law As Isaac was set free and a Sacrifice was accepted in his Room So the Sinner is set free and the Mediator in His Satisfaction is accepted in His Room To this purpose it is said Rom. 11.32 God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have have mercy on all Not that He shews mercy on all that ate in unbelief but this is the meaning That it might be mercy to all that should get good of the Mediator and alone mercy to the Elect both of Jews and Gentiles It 's on this ground That Ephes 2.3 The Apostle not only saith Ye were dead in sins and trespasses But also turning it over on Himself He adds And we are all the Children of wrath even as others Lyable by Sin to the Curse of God if it had not been graciously prevented Use 1 Let all of us take a view hereof our Natural Condition and indeed it were the better for us that we were more frequently viewing it What is it will ye say It is even this
laid hold upon by Faith but on condition of our own Works alone For though they pretend that it may be called Christ's Merit because say they He hath procured Grace to work these Works yet in effect their way of Justification is to restore us to that Covenant which Adam had and to ability to keep the same terms though as we said the rise be different 4ly It 's inconsistent with our natural State for it suppons Man before Conversion to have a free-will to good and ability to dispose himself to receive Grace and gives him a hand in turning himself to God as if he were not dead in Sins and Trespasses and so the soveraignity of Grace is bounded and limited to wait on a Man so disposed and so disposing himself 5ly It destroyes the nature of Gods Law as if it were consistent with His holy Law to have such and such Lusts abounding within and did not exact a reckoniâ—g for such branches of it as they call Venial Sins 6ly It overturns the Scripture Doctrine concerning Sin for it makes many Sins to be in effect no Sins 7. It corrupts and destroyes the nature of the Sacraments and makes new Sacraments that God never appointed and gives them power to work that which God nevâ—r gave them as if the very works wrought did confer Grace 8ly It is inconsistent with the Justice of God as if forsooth such poor Triffiles and Toyes as these which they invent were satisfaction enough to his Justice yea as if some men could more then satisfie Justice and could not only merit Heaven to themselves but also help to merit it to others and as if God were bound in proper Justice to the Creature and that not only on the account of this Promise but also if not mainly on the account of Merit of Condignity All these things are involved in this Popish way of Justification and inconsistent with the Truth of the Gospel And we have touched on them to let you see that it is not one Error that is here but a complication of Errors And truely if there be not an abhorrency at Popery because of this gross Error in Justification there is but little ground to expect that Men will keep at suitable distance from it in other things And therefore from what hath been said take a few Directions as your Use of it and if we were tender it might do us good now and then to get a little view of such Errors 1. Then see here the necessity of being more distinct and clear in Gods way of Justification in the way how peace is made betwixt Him and a Sinner when we see how many Errors follow and creep in after one Error and when we consider how Popish Priests and Jesuits are moving and how this same Error which hath so many Errors with it is stealling in ye had much need to be well acquainted with the Truth and to be guarding your selves against Errors especially when some lay so little weight on it that they call it a striving about words which sayeth that there is but little abhorrence of the thing I am apt to think that the most part of them that are called Christians could not well tell how to expose Popery Armenianisme or Antinomianisme if they were tempted to imbrace them or any other Erronious Heresy And when withall we consider how naturally we are inclined to shuffle by the Covenant of Grace and to cleave to the way of Works or to turn the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works we would try well what we incline to in this point whether in our Judgement or in our Practice least we fall from that which is right in practice at least if not in opinion also I intreat you to study this as a main point of Christian Religion even that ye may know and be clear in your knowledge of the way how God accepts of and justifies a Sinner 2dly Know that this Error of Popery in particular is not of so little concernment as many think it to be It 's a wonder that Men should think differences about matters of Religion to be so light and so little a matter as if it were but the change of outward ceremonies or of Words Hence it comes to passe that there is so little Care and Zeal to prevent the rise and spreading of Errors We shal only commend to you Three things for guarding you in reference to this Error 1. Sist your selves often before the Tribunal of Gods Justice till your hearts be brought under suitable impressions of Gods Holinesse and Justice of the severity and strictnesse of his Law and of the necessity of your answering to it in your own Persons or in the Person of a Cautioner And then consider what will be your defence in such a posture 2dly Carry alwayes alongst with you the impression of your Original Sin and Natural Corruption and of the sinfulness of your Practices This will make you loathsome and abominable in your own eyes and Christ precious and such a Soul will not be in such hazard of putting his own merits in the room of Christ's 3. Think upon that which in Gods offer is presented to you as the way of making your Peace Though ye would study Holinesse in order to that end when ye are so sinful and when Divine Justice is so severe It looks not like the way to Peace But when ye consider Gods offer in this Gospel as it is held forth Act. 13.38 39. Be it known unto you men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses And the invitation that is given Isa 55. to them that have no money to come and buy freely without money and without price And see God tabliâ—g His call on another ground than your Holinesse and putting in your offer Jesus Christ and His Righteousnesse It 's a raising and rousing up of the Soul to expect Absolution before the Throne of God on a more solid foundation that will bear it's weight We would beware of taking that way of Justification and of making our Peace with God that seems to be most rational like to our corrupt nature for as many say to be sorry for Sin to study to make amends and to do what they dow seems to be the most reasonable way and agrees best with our corrupt nature but that is not it which will do your turn but the way which God hath holden out and that is by His knowledge by Faith in the Righteous Servant 3dly See here how much we are obliged to God for holding out to us the right way to Life If ye look to many Nations abroad the way to Life is holden out to them on this ground even their own inherent Holiness their own Good Works their giving of considerable parts of their Estates their Pennances c. Which
yet can never quiet the Conscience nor Satisfie Gods Justice Yea our own Predecessours in this Nation were drowned in the same Errors And we were as foolishly and senslesly superstitious as the Inhabitants of any other Nations before the Light of the Gospel brake up among us accounting such and such Sins to be do Sins leaning to their Merits to the Merits of Saints to Indulgences Soul-masses Whippings and a nuâ—ber of things of that kind And now that God hath mercifully fred us of these foolries how much are we obliged to him Hath ever Scotland been thankfull as it becometh for this mercy We do by our unthankfulnesse darken and obscure the freedom of Grace that by this Gospel is preached unto us And there needs no other evidence of it but this That many are to this day as ignorant of the way of Justification of Sinners and as abstract from and as great strangers to the right way of making use of Christ's Righteousness as if it had never been revealed unto them or if they know and can speak any thing of it all the use that they make of it is to turn the Grace of God into wantonness And because Holiness is not the ground of making their Peace with God to take the more Liberty to Lousness These are not Fruits of the Gospel other Fruits must be brought forth or else ye will repent it when ye cannot mend it Let it therefore affect you that God is so ill requite for His goodness and study to be more thankfull to Him that we may speak of these Truths and discover their Errors and that we are not Judicially blinded as many other People and Nations are 4ly Pitie them that are lying under darkness of their Delusions and Errors and pray for them It 's a sore matter that the most part of the Christian World should have the Name of Christians and yet should maintain such Doctrine and lay down and hold such a way as keepeth from benefit by Christ Jesus yea as denyes on their matter that He is come For this is indeed the Spirit of Antichrist and of the Man of Sin that takes Souls off from Christ and yet how few make conscience to pray for these poor people and that God would pursue the whoore and brake up and skell that Market spoken of Revel 18. And would discover His Truth and make His Gospel to be purely preached to them that are fitting in the Region of Darkness and in the Shadow of Death ye would pity bound up and imprisoned Souls in this Error and pray for their reclaiming and that God would keep this Land from it It 's an old seated and rooted Error and the rest are but foolries in comparison of it This is the Devils great ingine and arme others are but vapourers to say so which may tell us that speaking and hearing of such a business is not altogether uselesse What if the day should come that all our Bibles and every English Book that serves to hold out Truth and to discover Error should be taken from you and ordered to be burned and that Books stuffed with their Errors should come in their room Many of you think little or nothing now of the Light and Liberty of the Gospel which ye enjoy but if Heaven be of so much worth this Gospel is of much worth to you and this Truth of it in particular 5ly Let not this Gospel be preached for nought O! receive not this Grace in vain that is this Grace offered to you in the Gospel and the clearing of such Truths to you O! What a challenge and aggravation of our Guilt will it be when we come before the Throne when many other Nations will be condemned because they leanned to their own Merits and made not use of Christ and many of us shall be condemned because though we professed an indignation at these Errors yet we made no more use of Christ than these who by their Doctrine excluded Him If our Predecessors could speak what could they say Would it not be this it is just that ye perish for ye had Christ and His Righteousness clearly preached to you which we had not and yet ye slighted Him Therefore take hold of and improve the opportunity God hath clearly revealed this Truth to the Land and to this Place walk in the Light while ye have it else your condemnation will be the greater as it is John 3.19 6ly Seing God hath given us this a singular mercy even the clear Revelation of the way of Justification by Christs Righteousness and Merits Let us not through our evil conversation make the Truth of God to be evil spoken of turn not the Grace of God into wantonness It was an evil that soon arose in the Primitive Church and which the Apostle disputs against Rom. 2.3 and 6. Because He preached Justification by Grace and not by the Works of the Law some were ready to abuse that sweet Doctrine and to say Let us sin that grace may abound and let us do evil that good may come of it whose damnation sâ—yes he is just And he follows out these Objections and insists in answering of them And O! but this is damnable from the abounding of Gods grace to take the more liberty to Sin and yet what other Language have the Lives of mâ—ny but this Because Justification and Hâ—ppiness are not builded on our Works â—herefore we may live as we list dispitfully and presuâ—ptuously reflecting on the way of Justification by Faith and on God who hath contrived it But if any of you will abuse Gods grace and Sin the more God shall charge it on your own heads this Gospel shall never do you good God will require it of you your Sins are multiplied and your Plagues shall be multiplied above any that have lived under black Popery I dar say many of you would probably have had a greater restraint on you from Sin and would have been more Charitable and Foreward in many external good Works if ye had been profest Papists than now ye are being profest Protestants a judicial stroak on you for the abusing of Grace And is this the Fruit of the Gospel No certainly Grace was never preached that Men should grow cold and indifferent in the practice of good Works but that through the laying hold on Christs Righteousnesse they might have peace with God and that thâ—ough the study of Holinesse God might be glorified Therefore study the exercise of Faith so as ye seclude not Holiness and study Holiness so as ye mar not the freedom o Grace and put these two together which are the Compend of the Gospel when suitably practised SERMON LIV. ISAIAH LIII XI Vers 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many THis blessed Death and Soul-travel of Our Lord Jesus hath been good news to many and it is the ground of all the hope of Life that ariseth from the Word to a Sinner It should never be tastlesse nor dis-relishing
the Jews miscarriage in the point of Justification but being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God they went about to establish their own righteousness That is being ignorant oâ— that which God would accept for Righteousnesse they thought to patch up one of their own and so is it still For some hope to come speed by their Prayers others think to come speed by their good Heart to God a third sort puts in their good Works if not in express Words yet practically all which may let us see the necessity of Knowledge to Justification 4. Consider that there must be Repentence ere a Sinner can be Justified which supposeth Knowledge For he must needs know his Sin and that his own Righteousnesse will not do his rurn and so long as he is ignorant he cannot Repent nor renunce his own Righteousnesse For while he is so he cannot know what is Sin and what is not Sin what is Faith and what is presumption unlesse it be by guess and folk will never be suitably affected with Sin by guesâ— The Apostle Paul as it is Rom. 7 9. Before the law came I was alive that is before it came to him in the knowledge of it's spiritual meaning and broad extent of it while he was a Pharisee he was alive in his own esteem But when the commandment came sin revived and he died He then saw need of another Righteousnesse then his own We preach to you sometimes the necessity of Repentance and of your being humbled and that ye should deny your own Righteousnesse and betake you to Christs but except there be knowledge of your unrighteousnesse It 's as if we should bid you wash where there is no spot seen 5. Look so reward to the Duties of Holinesse which are necessary though not to Justifie you yet that ye may live as it becomes Justified Persons though not to make your peace yet to glorifie God and to keep up friendship with Him Now can any know or do duties who are ignorant Hence it comes to passe that some hazard on Sin taking it to be Dutie and scar sometimes at Duty as if it were Sin 6ly Consider your own peace and in order to it there is a necessity of Knowledge else there will be still a doubting whether ye are right or wrong hence it 's said Rom. 14. He that doubteth or doth doubtingly is damned For he hath a Sentence in his own Conscience against himself though he may be doing that which on the matter is Right 7ly In a Word Ignorance puts us out of case to make use of many notable opportunities and priviledges we know not what use to make of the Word of the Sacraments or of Christ How many have lived a considerable number of years strangers to the advantages that are to be gotten by him through their want of Knowledge Therefore John 4. Christ sayes to the Samaritan Woman If thou hadest known who it is that asked it of thee thou wouldest have given him drink and he should have given thee living water where He insinuats that her Ignorance was a great cause why she keeped at such a distance from Him It 's hardly possible that so many poor Souls would abide at such a distance from Christ if they knew Him There is no desire after that which is unknown and therefore many do live at such a distance from Christ because they have not so much as the literal Knowledge or Historical Faith of His Worth The Uses are Three 1. Take it for granted if ever ye would see the face of God that there is a necessity of Knowledge For Knowledge is a piece of God's Image as well as Holinesse and Knowledge is commanded as well as Holinesse Knowledge was placed in the first Man Adam as well as Holiness and when we are renewed after the Image of God in conformity to the second Adam we are renewed in knowledge And not only so but Knowledge is a mean of the exercise of Faith of Repentance and of Holiness and if such a thing be needful by the necessity of a mids in order to an end if obedience to a command or if the thing it self that is to be known be needful then Knowledge must be needful It 's true we would beware of extremities here as either to say on the one hand that their must be such a high degree of Knowledge For in the speculative part of Knowledge to speak so Reprobats may go beyond Believers Or upon the other hand to think that Knowledge is enough and that there needs no more but Knowledge as alace many do rest upon their Knowledge and therefore we would beware of seperating these two Knowledge and Faith If it be asked here what Knowledge is requisite to Justification I would speak a Word to this Question not so much for satisfying of curiosity but for your Instruction who are more Ignorant and to shew the necessity of the thing and to give you a short view of these things that are necessary to be known about this matter and therefore 1. Ye must know God that Justifies you ere ye can be Justified as it is John 17.3 This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ If ever ye be absolved before such a Judicatory ye must know your Judge That there is one God that He is one in His Essence and that there are three Persons yet so as the Trinity of Persons doth not hinder or obstruct the Unity or Onness of the Godhead John 5.7 There are three that bear record in heaven the father the word and the holy ghost and these three are one Study then to know God who is your Judge not so much out of curiosity seeking to know how the Persons differ as to their manner of subsisting as how to be fixed in the Faith of the thing 2. Ye would know your selves and what may be charged on you before God Can men carry rightly before a Judge or before a Judicatory if they know not how it stands with them And this will lead you to know the State and Case wherein ye were made at first And the Covenant of Works which God made with Man at the beginning when He gave to Him the promise of Life upon condition of Obedience and that ye are lyable to the Curse due for the breach of that Law and Covenant else ye will never know your hazard and knowing the breach of the Law and Covenant of Works it will make you through God's blessing to seek after Justification which otherwayes ye will never do And so ye are to know that the first Covenant was broken by Adam and that this made him and all his posterity lyable to the Curse as being guilty of his transgression and this takes in the knowledge of Originall Sin even of the sinfull Estate wherein ye were born and of your Actual Sins 3. Ye must know how a Sinner lying in such a State and Case under
last to Hell and Destruction hence it is at least in part that the Kingdom of Satan is called the kingdom of darkness and sure they are very proper Subjects of his Kingdom who are Ignorant and is it possible think ye that people can think of God or of their Dutie aright or have any solid peace who are in that Condition They are just like to one sleeping on the top of a Mast in great hazard and yet utterly senslesse of it Look but to two or three Words that hold out the dreadfull danger and hazard of your Condition who are Ignorant The First is that 2. Thess 1. Christ will come in flaming fire to render vengeance to all them that know not God and obey not the Gospel The 2d is Hos 4. My people perish for want of knowledge The 3d. is Isa 27. This is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will have no mercy upon them Think not then little of Ignorance neither think your selves to be well so long as ye live in it A 2d Son will readily grant that Ignorance is an evil thing and that Knowledge is good and desirable but yet they take no pains to have their Ignorance cured and removed or to attain Knowledge They are secure and confident though poor blind and wretched and make their Ignorance a cloak of excuse for their other Sins Hence some will say we have been poor ignorant bodies and we hope that God will not lay Sin to our charge O! what delusion and disperat danger is here If it be asked and it would become us well to inquire in it What can be the reason of this horribly gross Ignorance that is among us which is such that we are almost hoplesse of many of you if some extraordinary works of God's Spirit fall not in on your minds and hearts very readily these go together the most ignorant are the most sensless and the most Ignorant are the most confident The causes of this may be several as 1. Folks undervaluing the practice of Religion let the most Ignorant Persons being earnest in the practice of Religion and they will readily through Gods blessing as seek after so come at some measure of Knowledge This is a fountain of your Ignorance that ye are not in earnest in Religion Then shall ye know saith the Prophet Hosea Chap. 6. if ye follow on to know the Lord Excuse not your Ignorance and want of Knowledge by your not being Book-learned by your want of time and leasure and by other such shifts If ye were in good earnest and serious in seeking after the Knowledge of the things of Religion ye would soon in some measure understand and take them up But ye come and hear and sit for an hour and take no heed what is spoken ye will not read the Catechism nor ask a question about what ye are ignorant of nor will take heed to what is said when others are examined There are none of you but if ye were in earnest ye might come to some good measure of Knowledge because they were sometimâ—â— as ignorant as ye are and as incapable who yet have come to Knowledge and these will be witnesses against you who had the same Gospel the same seasons and means of Knowledge and yet continued full in your Ignorance 2. Many of you do not value the sinfulnesse and hazard of Ignorance For ye continue as secure aâ— if God would never lay it to your charge ye would not readily lye in the Sin of Drunkenness or of Swearing or of any other such things without a challenge but ye can lye still in your Ignorance and in the Sin of not profiting by the means which ye are under and yet dispense with your selves therein and ye secretly say within your selves if we be well otherwayes we hope Knowledge will not be required of us But will not think ye Gods Image be required to be in you are not Faith Repentance and Holiness required and can any of these I pray be without Knowledge do ye see any touched with the impression of their Sin and Guilt but as soon they fall to the study of Knowledge and who continue to be Ignorant but stupid bodies that never saw their hazard which is an ordinary companion and attendant of Ignorance A 3d. Cause is Negligence and sloathfulness The wise man sayes The hand of the diligent maketh rich and slothfulness brings on poverty in every thing if ye compare Folks together ye will find that where-ever any are soberly and seriously diligent God blesses it So that we may gather and conclude their diligence from their Knowledge There are many here who I suppose are very Ignorant but let me ask you what time pains have ye ever bestowed on the study of Knowledge ye hear the preaching and ye read a Chapter of the Bible now and then but that 's not enough for ye may be present here and yet not hear to any purpose How many come to hear the preaching of the Word from whom through their own fault Devils come as so many Craws on new sowen Land and snatch away the Word that is sowen and it 's never known that such seed was sown for most part ye either hear negligently or ye quickly forget all that ye hear ye never speak of it in your Families neither take ye any time for reâ—ding and pondering the Catechism how many of you did ever set any dayes or hours apart to study Knowledge Ye will cry out against pretended Enthusiasiness and Inspirations as Delusions and there is good reason for it But how shall ye get Knowledge if ye will be at no pains for it your practice sayes ye expect it should come by immediat inspiration without all use of ordinary and appointed means 4. Others wil say that they would fain know but they are very dull and incapable and it 's often true that they are so but are such in earnest out of love to Knowledge studying to come by it It 's said of some 2 Thess 2. Because they received not the truth in love God gave them up to strong delusions to believe a lie There are many who study Knowledge but not from a right principle nor from a right motive it may be that they may get their Token to come to the Lord's Supper to eshew shame when they are examined or that they may be able to talk It 's just with God to let such want Knowledge 5. Folks go not about the use of ordinary means as having therein need of God's blessing and of His Spirit to help them rightly to take up His Mysteries they pray not for Knowledge as Gods gift how many of you when ye take up the Catechism to read fall down on your knees to seek God's blessing on your reading thereof When John is speaking of the benefits that come by Christ this is by him put in among the rest And hath given us an understanding that we may know
him that is true 1 John 5.20 If therefore ye would know God aright seek His blessing in the use of His own appointed means ye study the Knowledge of God even as if ye were to read a common humane History if ye seek a blessing to your Meat why seek ye not a blessing on the means of Knowledge which is as necessary to the Soul as Meat is to the Belly How often hath David such a suit to God when he sayes Psal 119. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonderous things of thy law teach me thy statutes c. He thought no shame to pray for Knowledge sure if we prayed more for it we should thrive better in it Other reasons may fall in in the Directions annent the study of Knowledge which we shall give you The 3d. Use Serves to exhort you to and to commend the study of Knowledge to you as a necessary commendable and profitable Duty can we hope to prevail with you in any thing if we prevail not with you in this even to lay the necessity of Knowledge to heart will not the excellency of the Object the Authority of God commanding it the advantages that come by it with the prejudices that attends and follows the want of it commend it to you will ye ever be perswaded to seek after Faith and Holinesse that will not be perswaded to study Knowledge It 's a wonder how many of you can have the confidence to say that ye keep your hearts to God when ye are so void of the very form of Religion which much consists in Knowledge For it 's that wherein it 's keeped and whereby through Grace it 's suitably exercised Sure ye can never have the power of Religion who want the form of it therefore let me exhort you all especially such of you as have some eminency above others to study Knowledge let the more aged study it and let these that are younger study it If the time of youth go over without it it 's one to many if ever the losse be recovered and made up again and ye that can read and have time and parts study the Knowledge of God many of you will be very sad and dreadful spectacles in the great day when ye shall be charged with this that ye never Judged Precious Jesus Christ to be of that much worth as once to put you seriously to the study to know Him This is no Fable nor Fiction but a sad truth when Men vallue and esteem any thing be it Science or Art they will be at pains and give diligence to know it because they prize it Therefore for helping you to the study of Knowledge take these few Directions and a Caveat or two in the close 1. Let none put themselves without the reach of this exhortation let none say we are too old to learn if ever ye think to be Justified by Christ knowledge concerns you greatly It were a commendable thing to see aged Men and Women carefully and conscienscious reading the Catechism and could we once but get you under the impression and conviction of this as a Duty we would think that much were gained 2. Spend some time about this in private weekly It may be it were fit that some of you did so dayly ye spend much time more idly If ye knew the hazard of Ignorance ye would even take some set time to study Knowledge and this would not need to be counted any wronging of or incroaching upon your Christian Liberty as ye stint sometime for Prayer may ye not stint sometime to read the Catechism or to go to some Family where ye that cannot read your selves may have one to read it to you And to several I may add for a help to this that ye would take a part of that time which ye spend on Tipling Is it not obvious that the person that is oftest in the Hostler-house or in the Tavern is ordinarly the most stupidly Ignorant Tell me whether is it better spent time to take an hour in two or three dayes and bestow it in Reading of the Scriptures or of some good and edifying Book whereby you may come to Knowledge and to grow in it then to take several hours every day almost in an Ale-house or Tavern many of you as it is well known will sit down in such places at four or five a Clock in the after-noon and continue till eight or nine at night how much ye drink I speak not to that but sure ye mispend much precious time and much debauch your own Spirits What if by such doings ye be laying a ground for this a challenge Sir you lived in such a place under such means and you spent your time so and so you might have been fred from the guilt of mispending of your time and of your ignorance had you taken a part or the whole time and spent it in the study of Knowledge would not this be better for your Families better for your Souls and better for your Bodies would it not prevent much Sin and much Reproach And therefore if ye lay weight on the good of Soul and Body bestow more time in the study of Knowledge that Sin of Tipling brings alongst with it many other Sins and were it not well done to put some Dutie and even this Duty in particular in the place of it Others of you that Drink and Tiple not a way so much of your time ye know what time ye spend walking on the plain stones and in prattling and talking of idle and unedifying subjects in Drolling and Jesting or in sitting over the Fire as we use to speak in your houses doing nothing when will ye take some of that time in seeking after Knowledge Others of you that follow your Callings will ye leave your Work a little sooner then ye use to do on the Saturnday evening or take the Sabbath afternoon for this Work some of you may study Knowledge in your Shops Others may do it in your Houses if ye would but give over to walk up and down the Streets when ye are not all called to do so 3. Make Conscience to improve the means of Knowledge which ye have read especially the Bible and also the grounds of Religion compendiously summed in the Catechisms lesser and larger ye have frequent preaching and Catechising at every Dyet study to get something and put every dayes lesson to another and this would through Gods blessing increase your Knowledge For instance take this Lesson to day that nothing can Justifie but the Righteousnesse of Christ laid hold on by Faith take another with you the next day and let not one dayes Lesson shoulder out another Let the Husband and the Wife the Children and Servants compare their Notes or what they remember of Sermons together Be often speaking of what ye hear in your Families ye have it may be some Neighbours who would be content that ye come in to them or it may be they have
comprehended the way of a Sinners Justification in the Gospel Covenant and promises and makes offer of it to all that hear of it saying He that believes in the Son shall not perish but have eternal life and all that believe on him shall be justified from all things whereby they could not be justified by the law of Moses This is the external instrumental cause of Justification that holds out the way to Life which supposes the former 4. When this is made offer of in the Gospel there is the oâ—eration of Gods Spirit on the Soul illightning the Mind of the Sinner convincing him of his hazard chasing him to Christ and powerfully perswading him to take hold of His Righteousnesse made offer of to him whereupon the Soul comes to put forth the Act of Faith and to rest upon His Righteousnesse as when it was said by Philip to the Eunuch Act. 8. If thou believest thou mayest justified The Soul answers I believe in Christ the Son of God whereupon it becomes a bargain and this is the inward mean or instrumental cause of Justification 5. Follows Gods imputing to that Sinner that receives Christ as He is offered and rests upon Him by Faith His Righteousnesse and Christs payment and satisfâ—ction to Justice is counted his and according to this his Sins are pardoned for the merit of that Righteousness and he himself is accepted accounted Righteous as if he had never sinned and he hath such a sentence past on him as is held forth in these words of Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered to whom the Lord imputs to iniquity and in these Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus c. Even as before he fled to Christ there was a Curse standing against him And this is an Act of God the Soveraign and efficient Cause To declare his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus as it is Rom. 3.26 which is the final cause We may confirm this either as to the positive part that by believing a Sinner is Justified or as to the negative part that there is no other way possible whereby a Sinner can be Justified but by believing So that this great Effect follows from a sensible Sinners taking hold of Christs Righteousnesse by Faith Ye may look upon a few Scriptures to this purpose as namely Gal. 2.16 Where the Apostle entering in the debate layes down this conclusion Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ as if he had said we have taken this way for the attaining of this end believing that we might be justified The Apostle speaks here 1. Of a Justification by Faith which is opposit to Works and as he ascribes it to Faith so he denyes it to Works 2. He makes it exclusive and will have no other thing to concur in the manner at least but Faith Knowing saith he that a man is not justified by works but by faith 3. He holds out his own and other Believers practice Even we have believed that we might be justified As if he said we took this way of Faith to be absolved before God which by the Law or the Works of the Law would never have been See also to this purpose the Epistle to the Romans 1 2 3 4. and 5. Chapters especially the 3 and 4. In the 3d. chap. v. 25. When he is summing the Doctrine of Justification into a compend he sayes Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins c. Where Christs Righteousnesse is called a Propitiation through faith and Faith is holden out as the Channel in which Justification runs and in the words following the Believer is holden out as the Object of it So Chap. 4. It 's holden out in the instance of Abraham particularly v. 5. To him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Where the Apostle propones Two wayes of a persons aiming to be Justified The 1. whereof is when a man works or worketh not on that account to be Justified by them and on that account seeks to be Justified and that way is rejected The 2. is when a man hath no works but by Faith betakes himself to Christ's Satisfaction and that way is established for that mans Faith is counted for Righteousnesse and is the ground of his peace before God we gave some Scriptures before for this and shall not therefore now insist There is also good reason why it cannot be otherwayes 1. If we consider what man is in himself ungodly rebellious having nothing to present unto God but when a Righteousnesse is presented to him by way of offer and he is through Grace brought to accept of the offer of Righteousnesse of another nothing can be conceived to be brought to receive it but his Faith and iâ— Christs Satisfaction be his Justification and if it be Faith that takes hold of it we have a clear reason why Justification is attributed as to Faith 2. Consider That this contributs most to Gods end which is to glorifie himself especially in his Grace in the Justification of Sinners even to hold forth the manifold riches of His Grace and nothing contributs to this so much and so well aâ— that which speaks the Sinner to be empty and nothing empties the Sinner more then Faith it being the great Act of Faith to bring the Soul of it's own bottom and to stop all boasting to drive it out of it self to be found in Him Therefore it 's said to be of faith that it might be of grace Rom. 14.16 As if he had said if it were by any other thing it could not be by Grace but Faith claims nothing but the Righteousnesse of Christ to rest on He hath payed the price and made the Satisfaction and that Satisfaction is mine saith Faith because it was offered to me and I have been brought to lay hold on it and the nature of this pleading stops the mouth of the creature and proclaims Justification to be alone the effect of Gods Grace and of Christs procurement 3. Consider That if it depended on any other thing our Justification could never be perfit when we speak of Justification and call it perfite It is not so to be understood as if Faith were perfite but Christs Satisfaction which is our Righteousnesse and which Faith layes hold on is perfite â—hough our Faiths grip be weak Hence it is that the weak Believer is Justified as well as the strong all who look unto Christ though with a weak sighted eye yet Salvation through him as well as Abraham because His Righteousnesse is perfite which weak Faith takes hold of as well as
strong Faith Now if Justification were founded on ought within us it could never be perfit but by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses And one of them made at free as another It 's not here as if one part of the Debt were scored and blotted out and not anoâ—her but all is blotted out becausâ— the Righteousnesse presented before God's Tribunâ—l and imputed to us which is the Defence that Faith gives in is perfiâ—e We may compare strong and weak Faith to two Advocats the one more able and the other weâ—ker pleading the cause before a just Judge strong Faith pleads more strâ—ngly fully and distinctly weak Faith pleads not so fully and distinctly but both pleading on the same ground God the Judge Judgeth not according to the distinctnesse or undistinctnesse of the pleading but according to the Defence or Reason given in and absolves both alike and the weak Believer is as fully pardoned as the strong is The Uses are many and comfortable 1. It serves for our Direction if any were asking how they may come to be Justified This Doctrine answers by Faith in Jesus Christ by taking with your Sin and taking hold of Christs Righteousnesse offered to you in the Gospel and by making that your Dâ—fence before God And is not this a Lesson worthy the learning which the whole Word of God aims at even to instruct you how to make your peace with Him It 's by the knowledge of Christ or by Faith in Him by resting on Him as He is offered in the Gospel and this cannot but be a solid and sicker way of Justification because we have Gods Word for it it 's founded on His Faithfulnesse and on the Transaction made betwixt God and the Mediator we have also the experience of all the Saints for it Abraham before the Law David under the Law and Paul since the Law all of them were led the same way ye would take noâ—ice of this not only as the great question in Catechizing or Examination but as ground whereon ye build your peace if ye were dying There is a perfite Righteousnesse in Christ made offer of to you in the Gospel on condition ye will receive Him as He is offered and if ye so receive Him it shall be yours and ye shall at Gods Ear be absolved the Righteousnesse of Christ shall be as effectual for your absolution as if it were inherent in your selves and Faith shall unite you to Him and make you one with Him In a word ye must all come before Gods Tribunal and there are but two Defences to be proposed either something in your selves as your love and charity or good carriage and duties or to take with your Sin to condemn your selves and to flee to Christ and present His Righteousenesse as the Righteousnesse of the Cautioner that hath payed your Debt and according as ye take the one way or the other ye may expect to be Justified or not and this Doctrine rejects the one way and ownâ— and confirms the other which is by Faith And therefore 2. which is the great Use of all this Doctrine here there is ground laid down to any that would be Justified how they may win to it and a warrand to propose Justification as a thing attainable through Faith in Him ye have it in your offer on these terms and therefore let me earnestly intreat you to accept of the offer if this be the way of Justification take this way seing there is an absolute necessity of Faith in every one that should be at Justification make it sure that ye are indeed fled to Christ and that it is His Righteousnesse which ye make your Defence before the Bar of Gods Tribunal We shall branch forth this Use of Exhortation in these Two or Three words 1. When Christ is spoken of in the Gospel let him be by Faith received and if ye would know what this is labour 1. To know and to take up the difference betwixt self-Righteousnesse and that Righteousnesse which is by Faith For many are so ignorant that they know neither the one nor the other or at least not the one by the other 2. When ye are come to know the difference betwixt these two and are soberly weighing what ye would lippen to in your coming before God with indignation shuffle out and cast by disclaim and renunce your own Righteousnesse and grip to the Righteousnesse of Christ here Faith will have a double Work upon the one hand to reject Self-righteousnesse and upon the other hand to rest upon the Righteousnesse of Christ alone according to that Philip. 3.9 3. When ye have gotten your own Righteousnesse casten and Christs Righteousnesse closed with there is a necessity to cover and hide your selves in it that ye may never so much as in the vaging conceit of your mind be found out of it It alluds to the City of refuge wherein when once entered into and abiden in the person was safe buâ— if he was at any time found without he was in hazard to be killed by the avengâ—â— of blood which held out not only the Act of Faith fleeing to Christ but it 's abiding in Him being hide in Him containing and keeping it self in Him and continuing to plead it's Defence on that ground There may be in a fit of sad exercise a renouncing of our own Righteousnesse but when that is over and we begin to conceit something of that which we have done we are ready to forget Christs Righteousnesse and to lean to our own and that it in a manner to come out of Christ and from our City of Refuge if ever we were in Him Faith as it betakes it self to Christ so it States it self in Christ where only it dare abide the tryal 2. We would commend this to you as the great ground of your Peace and Hope even that ye would put it to the tryal and make it sure whether ye be in the Faith or not It is true there are many beguiled in this and take themselves to be in the Faith when they are not and others question their Faith and their being Justified without just ground yet it 's impossible to win to clearnesse of interest in Christ or to the having of any solid and comfortable hope of enjoying God except there be some clearnesse that we are in the Faith and have indeed betaken our selves to Christ which cannot be win at without putting it to the tâ—â—al Other evidences serve to clear our Justification as they clear our Faith and as they prâ—ve Faith so they conclude and prove our Justification and the out-gate promised Now if believing be such an evidence of Justification and of a well grounded hope of Hâ—aven is there not reason we should put it in good â—earâ—esâ— and frequently to the tryal and seek to know whether we be in the Faith or not The Apostle 2. Cor. 13.5 Doubles his
exhortation to this purpose Examine your selves if ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves that â—hrist is in you except ye be reprobats We do the rather presse this because if we were serious in the tryal there would through Gods blessing be more Faith in some and lesse presumption in others and these that have Faith would have more peace and comfort in it But that which makes many content themselves with a counterfit instead of Faith is that they put it not to the tryal and that which makes them who have Faith to want peace and to live in much anxiety is that they do not more prove themselves as to their Faith These are then the Two main parts of a Believers Dutie by Faith to take hold of Christ and to rest on and in Him and by tryal to make it clear and sure to themselves that they are Believers and these Two are the great up shot of all this Doctrine to perswade us to believe that we may be sure and to perswade us to study to be sure and clear in it that we may be comforted thereby SERMON LXI ISAIAH LIII XI Verse 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities THe Doctrine of Justification through Faith in Christ Jesus was wont to be much thought of among the People of God it is called Gal. 3.8 The preaching of the Gospel to Abraham when God fore-told him of a way of Justification and Salvation through Christs coming of him That in him all the Nations of the earth should be blessed This was the telling of Good news to him and we are sure it is as good news now as ever it was and would be so to us if we could look on it Spiritually as they did For there is as great hazard in Sin and the Curse is as terrible and insufferable and the love of God as fresh now as they were then We have for some dayes been speaking of this Doctrine of Justification and it will be much to speak and hear of it profitably we desire not to insist of what may be unuseful but we conceive there is some necessity in insisting in this It 's our own negligence and ignorance that makes many things of this kind to be very unuseful evenso that we scarcely conceive them and we are made heartless in speaking of them because to many they are as if spoken in a strange language which is and should be for a lamentation The last thing we proposed was to hold forth the mean by which Justification is attained to wit Faith which we observed to shew how Faith concurres in the attaining of Justification Few or none ever denyed Faith to be necessary for the attaining of Justification neither can any that read the Word of God with the least consideration but have that impression of it But the great thing wherein the difference lyes and wherein men miscarry is in attributing to Faith the right or wrong manner of it's concurrence in the attaining of this effect Though these things may at first blush look like meerly notional spiculations and such as do not concern Christians practice yet there is no error in Doctrine about this matter but there is something in folks practice that looks like it and is influenced by it And it's mens inclination to error in practice that makes them as it were to coyn errors in Judgement We shall Observe two generals further and proceed The 1. whereof is That Faith hath a peculiar way of concurrence for the attaining of Justification which can agree to no other Grace nor Work nay nor to Faith it self considered as a Work Therefore Justification of many is here deryved to them by his knowledge or by Faith in Him that is by Faith in Christ as secluding all other things It 's by Faith that Justification is deryved and applyed to us and by Faith we come to have right to it and an Interest in it The 2d is That however Faith concure for attaining of Justification yet it 's not Faith of it self or by any vertue or efficacy in it self but as taking hold of Christ as the Object of it that it justifies Therefore it 's said to be by the knowledge of him or by Faith in Him it 's by receiving Him uniting us to Him and resting on Him that we are Justified We shall shortly explicat both these branches and then come to some practical use of them together 1. Then we say that there is something in Justification attributed to Faith that cannot agree to any other thing which is implyed in many Scriptural Phrases and in this Text in as far as it is said that by his knowledge or by Faith in Him Justification is attained And therefore when we are said to be justified by Faith we affirm that Faith hath a peculiar way of concurring for the attaining of Justification which can agree to no other Grace as to Repentance Love Meeknesse Patience c. not to Prayer Almesdeed or any other good Works or Work For confirming of this consider 1. That we are said to be Justified by Faith in opposition to Works and that there is something attributed to Faith which is denyed to Works Generally this is clear in these Epistles written to the Romans and Galatians Particularly Rom. 4.2 3. If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God for what saith the Scriptures Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is commited to him for righteousness where most clearly and convincingly believing and working are directly opposit the one to the other and Gal. 2.16 We who are Jews by nature knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ or as the word is no not but by Faith that is a man is not justified by Works but by Faith Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law Where the Apostle cannot more purposely and pressingly make a difference betwixt any two things then he doth betwixt these two Justification by Works and Justification by Faith And in all this discourse it cannot be said that the Apostle only excluds Works in respect of merit or Works as they look to the Works of the Ceremonial Law For he opposeth Faith and all sorts of Works or Works in whatsoever respect as inconsistent It 's not one or two sorts of Works but all sorts of Works of the Law and there can be no Works but such as are commended by the Law which are excluded Now if the Apostle seclude all these what are the Works that we can be justified by 2. Consider the peculiar
Sinners Justification is to table Christ's Satisfaction for his defence before God and to plead his absolution that ground The believing Sinner's Faith sayes it is true I was own so much Debt of Sin but Jesus Christ my Cautioner to whom I am fled hath satisfied for it therefore I ought to be absolved and the Law allowes of this sort of pleading and upon this ground in which respect Faith concurreth in attaining and may well be called the Instrumental Cause of our Justification I shall say no more on this Use but these two words we may partly regrat our great ignorance that we know so little of the use of Faith in our Justification And partly we mâ—y lament the great confusion that is in these times wherein men are set to overturn such a clear truth as if Faith had no instrumentality in our Justification but as if it and other Duties and Works were equal sharers and alike in it Which 1. overturns the nature of Gods Covenant of Grace in making Works the condition of it as if there were no difference betwixt the two Covenants of Works and of Grace 2. It hath this miserable ill attending it that it shoulders out Christs Righteousnesse and shuffles in an inherent Rrighteousnesse of our own as our defence when we come immediatly before the Throne of God whereas the Gospel puts us to a Righteousnesse without us and imputed to us This way leads us to seek Righteousnesse in our selves whether Works or Faith as a Work be made the ground of our Justification it is all one For if Faith considered as a Work in us disposing us to Holiness and as a part of sincere Holiness be the thing presented to God as the ground of our Justification it is still something within us and such a thing as is still imperfite which would miserably mar poor Souls comfort whereas the Righteousnesse of Christ laid hold on by Faith being made the ground of our Justification it affoords solid consolation For though Faith in us be weak and imperfite yet His Righteousnesse is perfite and as it was not the Israelites looking as we said that was the ground of their health and cure but Gods appointing of such a mean for their cure looked to Otherwayes they that were weak-sighted and had bleared eyes might think themselves not in such capacity of healling as these who were strong and more clear-sighted whereas they were all alike cured if once they looked even so is it here A 2d Use of this and the other Doctrine formerly spoken of is for Direction and practical Information would any know how to get Justification by Christ here is the way It 's by Faith in Him when Christ Jesus and His Satisfaction is made offer of in the Gospel for Justifying all self-condemning Sinners that lay hold on Him Sinners by Faith fleeing to Him and resting on Him get a title to His Righteousnesse that cannot but save them So that if it were 1. asked what is that which a man appearing before the Throne dare hazard to present to God as the ground of his defence It 's answered Christs Righteousness His Satisfaction 2. If it were asked How comes one to have Title and Right to that Righteousnesse so as he may own and present it for his defence It is answered that it is attained by believing in Him If it be asked how comes Faith to get a Title to that Righteousnesse is it by any vertue or efficacy in Faith as a Work in us It 's answered no but it comes to get Title to it by going out of it self by receiving and taking hold and making use of the worthinesse that is in Christs Righteousness which is as a Garment able to cover the Sinners nakednesse and to hide all his spots and as a compleat Ransom to pay all his Debt And this we see here upon the one side a necessity of Faith in order to Justification and upon the other side a warning not to count Grace and the Righteousnesse of Christ the less free that Faith hath an instrumentality in the application of it Faith having Two things that it pleads upon 1. Emptiness and need in it self whence it arrogats nothing to it's own pleading but 2. founds it's defence on the good ground it hath to propose And therefore as upon the one hand we would know that there is away to come by Justification by taking hold of Christs Righteousnesse by Faith So upon the other hand we would be afraid to let any thing stick to us from our Faith as if we had a meritorious or efficient hand in or were to be thanked for our winning to Justification For as a Beggar in receiving an Alms can alleadge no merit to be in his receiving or calling for it so no more does Faiths receiving mar the freedom of our Justification by any merit in it Use 3. Seing Faith concurres instrumentally in the attaining of Justification there is here clear ground to exhort you by Faith to receive Christ and to commend to you the exercise of believing because without it ye cannot be Justified and by it ye shall certainly be Justified Use 4. Here O! here is ground of consolation to poor Sinners sensible of Sin trembling at Gods Bar as being obnoxious to the Curse that by receiving of Jesus Christ they may be absolved from the Debt of Sin and fred from the Curse Therefore if there be any such here put forth your hands and receive what is in your offer open your Souâ—s mouth wide and let in Christ and He will fill it Faith having as to our Spiritual Life the same place that the mouth hath to the body as to the entertaining of the natural and bodily Life it opens and receives what is needful to keep in the Life of the Body And were not this good news to poor Souls burdened with Sin loathing themselves and their own Righteousnesse seing it all to be but as filthy Rags and crying out with the Jaylour what shall we do to be saved Paul would say to such and we say it in the Lords name Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be justified and saved for Justification is derived by Faith in Him to the Sinner Use 5. This serves exceedingly to humble a Sinner whether it be a Sinner aiming and seeking to be Justified or a Sinner that hath attained Justification in so far as there is no ground of boasting here If ye be aiming to be Justified it may humble you for what can ye contribute to it being enabled ye can indeed receive what is offered and that is all neither can ye receive except ye be enabled as is said It serves also to humble such as are Justified Have ye Righteousnesse it's not your own but Christ's It 's He only that did the turn if it should be said ye beliâ—ved and may boast of that I ask what did ye when ye believed did ye any more but this ye pleaded guilty and did consent
and clears it It shall be saith he that many shall be Justified through Faith in Him For he shall bear their iniquities He shall take on and pay their Debt And so as I said it is a reason confirming the former Truth and shewing that it cannot be otherwayes but they must be absolved through Faith in Him because He bears the punishment due to them for their Sin It serves also to clear how Justification is attained by Faith to wit not by any vertue or efficacy that is in Faith abstractly considered as if believing of it self did the turn but by vertue of Christs bearing their iniquities and making Satisfaction for them which Faith layes hold on So that when he said By his knowledge shall many be justified It is not by any efficacy attributed to their believing but by vertue of Christs Righteousnesse and Satisfaction which only Faith gives a Title to and is the midse and way by which a Believer comes to it and so as I have said it serves for explication of the former Truth So that if the question be asked how can Sinners be Justified by believing It 's here answered because Christ shall take on their Debt and the Righteousnesse purchased by Him shall redound to them and be reckoned theirs It 's the same on the matter with that which we have 2 Cor. 5. ult He that knew no sin was made sin for us and what follows That we might be made the righteousness of God in him which clears that this way of Justification which the Gospel holds out is not as I just now said by any efficacy or worth in Faith it self nor by any inherent qualifications in the person that believes but this is the ground of it Christs bearing of our iniquities The Elect were Sinners and Christ hath taken on Him their iniquities Therefore they cannot but upon their fleeing to Him by Faith be Justified when they plead His Satisfaction for their Defence before God their Absolution must needs follow This is the scop of these Words which are as it were the bond knitting all the rest together and containing the foundation whereon our Justification is founded There are only Three Words here that need a little of explication 1. By iniquity is not meaned Sin formally taken We shew when we spake of the 6. v. That Christ was not the Sinner formally considered that being inconsistent with His holy Nature and with the personal union of the Man head with the God-head But the meaning is that He took on Him the punishment due to our iniquities or the punishment that our iniquities deserved 2. When He is said to bear their iniquities it imports a burdensome bearing or His bearing of it with a weight and that there was a weight in it as it 's said verse 3. and 4. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows And therefore the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.24 saith He his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree when He was made a curse for us as it is Gal. 3.13 He did bear our Sins by coming under the Curse that was due to us for them In a word His bearing of our iniquities is a real satisfying of the Justice of God for them by interposing His own blessed back and taking on the stroaks that were due to us 3. When it 's said Their iniquities It relats to the many that in the former Words are said to be justified through His Knowledge it 's spoken of the iniquities of the Elect and Believers who through Christ are made friends with God And therefore these being the many they cannot but be Justified because Christ hath come and payed their Debt according to His Ingagement These Words as almost every other verse of this Chapter contain the substance of the Gospel Take shortly Five or Six Observations from them which we shall put together The 1. Is That the Person who is to be Justified by Faith in Christ is naturally lying in iniquities this is supposed while it is said that Christ shall bear their iniquities â—ven the iniquities of them who are to be Justified through Faith in Him So it 's said before The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all and we all like sheep have gone astray These and many other Scriptures nay the whole current of the Scriptures confirm the point and put it beyond debate I observe it for these Ends and Uses which will shew why it is so frequently marked 1. That the freedom of Gods Grace may kyth the more in their Justification They are Sinners even as others are and it 's Grace that makes the diffâ—rence Therefore their Justification must be free If then any would have good or have gotten good by the Gospel and by Christ offered to them therein let them know that it is freely 2. That a Believer who is Justified should be very humble for he was a Sinner as well as others and is still a Sinner in part Therefore it becomes him to walk fortly with a stopped mouth and to be tender and compassionat towards other Sinners There is not a Believer but the weight of his iniquities would have born him down to Hâ—ll had not Christ interposed and taken them on him and therefore he ought to be both humble and thankful 3. That Sinners who have the offer of Christ's Righteousnesse in the Gospel may not dispair how great soever their Sins be Indeed if they resolve to continue in Sin or to Sin that Grace may abound they have no ground to expect pardon the Apostle doth with abhorrency reject the drawing of such conclusions from the Grace of God Rom. 3. But for a guilty Sinner that hath no good in himself to commend him to Christ to lean to and to believe in Him who justifies the ungodly is a Doctrine which the same Apostle approves and gives an open door to them that desire to abandon Sin and to expect Justification through Christ's Satisfaction Thus a door is set open to you to bâ—lieve in Him who justifies ungodly Sinners to betake your selves to Him who is the Saviour 4. To confound and stop the mouths of all Self-righteous men as having nothing to do with Christ He came to take on iniquity and to bear it He came to seek and to save that which was lost and hath not a commission to save Self-righteous Folks For he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and so long as they continue in that condition they cannot look on themselves as persons whom He came to call neither can they take any comfort in or from His coming The 2d Observation is That wherever iniquity is it 's a burden a heavy burden There is nothing more heavy then Sin it being that which presses the guilty person to the lowest Hell It brought the fallen Angels out of Heaven to the pit ye may tâ—ke an instance or two of