for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God Better ten thousand worlds should perish for ever than God should lose the honour of his justice This great Obex or bar to our enjoyment of God is effectually removed by the death of Christ whereby it is not only fully satisfied but highly honoured and glorified Rom. 3. 24. and so the way by which we are brought to God is again opened to the wonder and joy of all Believers by the blood and sufferings of Christ. Fifthly and lastly It shews us the peculiar happiness and 5. priviledge of Believers above all people in the world These only are they which shall be brought to God by Jesus Christ in a reconciled state others indeed shall be brought to God as a Judge to be condemned by him Believers only are brought to God in the Mediators hand as a reconciled Father to be made blessed for ever in the injoyment of him every Believer is brought singly to God at his death Luke 16. 22. and all Believers shall be jointly and solemnly presented to God in the great day Col. 1. 22. Jude v. 24. They shall be all presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Now the priviledge of Believers in that day will lie in diverse things First That they shall be all brought to God together this will be the general assembly mentioned Heb. 12. 22. there shall be a collection of all Believers in all ages of the world into one blessed assembly they shall come from the East and West and North and South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God Luke 13. 29. O what a glorious train will be seen following the redeemer in that day Secondly As all the Saints shall be collected into one body so they shall be all brought or presented unto God faultless and without blemish Jude v. 24. A glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Ephes. 5. 27. For this is the general assembly of the spirits of just men that are made perfect Heb. 12. 23. All sin was perfectly separated from them when death had separated their souls and bodies Thirdly In this lies the priviledge of Believers that as they shall be all brought together and that in a state of absolute purity and perfection so they shall be all brought to God they shall see his face in the vision whereof is fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal. 16 11. The objective blessedness of the Saints consisteth in their fruition of God Psal. 73. 25. To see God in his word and works is the happiness of the Saints on earth but to see him face to face will be the fulness of their blessedness in Heaven 1 John 3. 2. This is that intuitive transforming and satisfying vision of which the Scripture frequently speaks Psal. 17. 15. 2 Cor. 15. 28. Rev. 7. 17. Fourthly to be brought unto God must needs imply a state of perfect joy and highest delight so speaks the Apostle Jude v. 14. Christ shall present or bring them to God with exceeding joy and more fully the joy of this day is expressed Psal. 45. 15. With joy and rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the Kings Palace it will be a day of universal joy when all the Saints are brought home to God in a perfected state For 1. God the Father will rejoice when Christ brings home that precious number of his elect whom he redeemed by his blood he rejoyceth in them now though imperfect and under many distastful corruptions and weaknesses Zeph. 3. 17. How much more will he rejoyce in them when Christ presents them without spot or wrinkle to him Ephes. 5. 27. 2. Jesus Christ will exceedingly rejoyce 't will be the day of the gladness and satisfaction of his heart for now and not till now he receives his mystical fulness Col. 1. 24. beholds all the blessed issues of his death which cannot but give him unspeakable contentment Isai. 53. 11. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied 3. The day in which Believers are brought home to God will be a day of unspeakable joy to the holy Spirit of God himself For unto this all his sanctifying designs in this world had respect to this day he sealed them after this day he stirred up desires and groanings that cannot be uttered in their hearts Ephes. 4. 30. Rom. 8. 26. Thus all the great and blessed persons Father Son and Spirit will rejoyce in the bringing home of the elect to God For as it is the greatest joy to a man to see the designs which his heart hath been long projecting and intently set upon by an orderly conduct at last brought to the happy issue he first aimed at much more will it be so here the counsel and hand of each person being deeply concerned in this blessed design 4. The Angels of God will rejoyce at the bringing home of Believers to him the spirits of just men made perfect will be united in one general assembly with an innumerable company of Angels Heb. 2. 22. Great is the affection and love of Angels to redeemed ones they greatly rejoyced at the incarnation of Christ for them Luke 2. 13. They greatly delighted to pry into the mysterie of their redemption 1 Pet. 1. 12. They were marvellously delighted at their conversion which was the day of their espousals to Christ Luke 15. 10. They have been tender and careful over them and very serviceable to them in this world Heb. 1. 14. and therefore cannot but rejoice exceedingly to see them all brought home in safety to their Fathers house 5. To Conclude Christs bringing home of all Believers unto God will be matter of unspeakable joy to themselves For whatever knowledge and acquaintance they had with God here whatever sights of faith they had of Heaven and the glory to come in this world yet the sight of God and Christ the Redeemer will be an unspeakable surprise to them in that day This will be the day of relieving all their wants the day of satisfaction to all their desires for now they are come where they would be arrived at the very desires of their souls Secondly In the last place let it be considered what influence the death of Christ hath upon this design and you 2. shall find it much every way In two things especially the death of Christ hath a blessed causality and influence in this matter viz. 1. It effectually removes all obstacles to it 2. It purchaseth as a price their title to it First The death of Christ removes all obstacles out of the way of this mercy such were the bars hindring our access to God as nothing but the death of Christ could remove and open a way for Believers to come to God The guilt of sin barred us from his gracious presence Rom. 5. 1 2 3. Hosea 14. 2. The filth of sin excluded us
Nobels in his Kingdome but the Saints as the dear Spouse and wife of his bosome this dignifies the believer above the greatest Angel And as the Nobles of the Kingdome think it a preferment and honour to serve the Queen so the glorious Angels think it no degradation or dishonour to them to serve the Saints for to this honourable office they are appointed Heb. 1. 14. to be ministring or serviceable spirits for the good of them that shall be heirs of salvation the chiefest servant disdains not to honour and serve the heir Some imperious Grandees would frown should some of these persons but presume to approach their presence but God sets them before his face with delight and Angels delight to serve them Infer 2. If there be such a strict and inseparable Union betwixt Christ Infer 2. and believers then the graces of believers can never totally fail immortality is the priviledge of grace because sanctified persons are inseparably united to Christ the fountain of life your life is bid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. 3. Whilst the sap of life is in the root the branches live by it thus it is betwixt Christ and believers Joh. 14. 19. because I live ye shall live also see how Christ binds up their life in one bundle with his own plainly intimating it is as impossible for them to dye as it is for himself he cannot live without them True it is the spiritual life of believers is encountred by many strong and fierce oppositions it is also brought to a low ebb in some but we are always to remember there are some things which pertain to the essence of that life in which the very being of it lyes and some things that pertain only to its well-being all those things which belong to the well-being of the new creature as manifestations joys spiritual comforts c. may for a time fail yea and grace it self may suffer great losses and remissions in its degrees notwithstanding our Union with Christ but still the essence of it is immortal which is no small relief to gracious souls when the means of grace fail as is threatned Amos 8. 11. whem temporary formal professors drop away from Christ like withered leaves from the trees in a windy day 2 Tim. 2. 18. and when the natural Union of their souls and bodies are suffering a dissolution from each other by death when that Silver cord is loosed this Golden chain holds firm 1 Cor. 3. 23. Infer 3. Is the Union so intimate betwixt Christ and believers how great Infer 3. and powerful a motive then is this to make us open-handed and liberal in relieving the necessities and wants of every gracious person for in relieving them we relieve Christ himself Christ personal is not the object of our pity and charity Qui respectu fratris in Ecclesia non movetur vel Christi contemplatione moveatur qui non cogitat in labore egestate conservum vel dominum cogitet in ipso illo quem despicit constitutum Cyprian de opere eleemosynis he is at the fountain head of all the riches in glory Eph. 4. v. 10. but Christ mystical is exposed to necessities and wants he feels hunger and thirst cold and pains in his body the Church and he is refreshed relieved and comforted in their refreshments and comforts Christ the Lord of heaven and earth in this consideration is sometimes in need of a penny he tells us his wants and poverty and how he is relieved Mat. 25. 35 40. A Text believed and understood by very few I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in Then shall the righteous answer Lord when saw we thee an hungred c. And the King shall answer and say unto them Verily I say unto you in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it to me It was the saying of a great Divine that he thought scarce any man on earth did fully understand and believe this truth and he conceives so much hinted in the very Text where the righteous themselves reply Lord when saw we thee sick c. intimating in the question that they did not throughly understand the nearness yea oneness of those persons with Christ for whom they did these things And indeed it is incredible that a Christian can be hard hearted and close handed to that necessitous Christian in refreshing and relieving of whom he verily believes that he ministers refreshment to Christ himself O think again and again upon this Scripture consider what forcible and mighty Arguments are here laid together to engage relief to the wants of Christians Here you see their near relation to Christ they are Mystically one person what you did to them you did to me Here you see also how kindly Christ takes it at our hands acknowledging all those kindnesses that were bestowed upon him even to a bit of bread he is you see content to take it as a courtesy who might demand it by authority and bereave you of all immediately upon refusal Yea here you see this one single branch or act of obedience our charity to the Saints is singled out from among all the duties of obedience and made the test and evidence of our sincerity in that great day and men blessed or cursed according to the love they have manifested this way to the Saints O then henceforth let none that understand the relation the Saints have to Christ as the members to the head or the relation they have to each other thereby as fellow members of the same body from henceforth suffer Christ to hunger if they have bread to relieve him or Christ to be thirsty if they have to refresh him this Union betwixt Christ and the Saints affords an Argument beyond all other arguments in the world to prevail with us methinks a little Rhetorick might perswade a Christian to part with any thing he hath to Christ who parted with the glory of heaven yea and his heart blood to boot for his sake Inference 4. Do Christ and believers make but one Mystical person how unnatural Infer 4. and absurd then are all those acts of unkindness whereby believers wound and grieve Jesus Christ this is as if the hand should wound its own head from which it receives life sense motion and strength When Satan smites Christ by a wicked man he then wounds him with the hand of an enemy but when his temptations prevail upon the Saints to sin he wounds him as it were with his own hand as the Eagle and Tree in the Fable complain'd the one that he was wounded by an Arrow winged with his own Feathers the other that it was rived asunder by a wedge hewen out of its own limbs Now the evil and disingenuity of such sins is to be measured not only by the near relation Christ sustains
of the power is of God and not of us as it follows in the next words To the same purpose speaks the same Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 7. So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase Not any thing what can be more diminutively spoken of the Gospel preachers but we must not understand these words in a simple and absolute but in a comparative and relative sence not as if they were not necessary and useful in their place but that how necessary soever they be and what excellent gifts soever God hath furnished them with yet it is neither in their power nor choice to make the word they preach effectual to men if it were then the damnation of all that hear us must needs lye at our door then also many thousands would have been reconciled to God which are yet in the state of enmity but the effect of the Gospel is not in our power Thirdly But whatever efficacy it hath to reconcile men to God it derives from the spirit of God whose Cooperation 3. and blessing which is arbitrarily dispensed gives it all the fruit it hath Ministers saith one * Mr. Anthony Burges are like Trumpets which make no sound if breath be not breathed into them Or like Ezekiels wheels which move not unless the spirit move them or like Elisha's servant whose presence doth no good except Elisha's spirit be there also for want of the spirit of God how many thousands of souls do find the Ministry to be nothing to them If it be something to the purpose to any soul it is the Lord that makes it so This spirit is not limited by mens gifts or parts he concurrs not only with their labours who have excellent gifts but ostentimes blesses mean despicable gifts with far greater success beautiful Rachel is barren and blear-ey'd Leah bears children Ex duobus aetate jam grandibus impiis cur iste ita vocetuâ—… ut vocantem sequatur ille autem non nolito judicare si non vis errare inscrutabilia sunt judica dei cujus vult misâ—…retur Aug. de bono persec Cap. 8. Suppose saith Austin there be two Conduits in a Town one very plain and homely the other built of polished marble and adorned with excellent Images as Eagles Lions Angels the water refreshes as it is water and not as it comes from such or such a Conduit 'T is the spirit that gives the word all that vertue it hath he is the Lord of all saving influences he hath dominion over the word over our souls over the times and seasons of conversion and if any poor Creature attend the Ministry without benefit if he go away as he came without fruit surely we may say in this case as Martha said to Christ in reference to her brother Lazarus Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dy'd so Lord if thou hadst been in this prayer in this Sermon this poor soul had not gone dead and carnal from under it And now what remains but that we apply this truth in those uses that it gives us First Use of Information Infer 1. Is the Preaching of the Gospel by Christs Ambassadors the way which God takes to reconcile sinners to himself Then how inexcusable are all those that continue in their state of enmity though the Ambassadors of peace have been with them all their lives long wooing and beseeching them to be reconciled to God O invincible obstinate incurable disease which is aggravated by the only proper remedy hath God been wooing and beseeching you by his Ambassadours so many years to be reconciled to him and will you not yield to any intreaties must he be made to speak in vain to charm the deaf Adder well when the milder Attributre hath done with you the seveer Attribute will take you in hand The Lord hath kept an account of every year and day of his patience towards you Luke 13. 7. These three years I came seeking fruit on this Fig-tree and finde none and Jer. 25. 3. These three and twenty years have I spoken unto you rising early and speaking but ye have not hearkened Well be you assured that God hath both the glass of your time and the vials of his wrath by him and so much of his abused patience as runs out of one so much of his incensed wrath runs into the other there is a time when this Treaty of peace will end when the Master of the house will rise up and the doors be shut Luke 13. 25. Then will you be left without hope and without Apology We read indeed of some poor and ineffectual pleas that will be made by some at the last day so Matth. 7. 22. We have Prophesied in thy name c. These pleas will not avail but as for you what will you plead possibly many thousand Ideots or poor weak-headed persons may perish many young ones that had little or no time in the world to acquaint themselves with matters of religion or understand the way of salvation many Millions of heathens that never heard the name of Christ nor came within the sound of Salvation who will yet perish and that justly Now whatsoever Apologies any of these will make for themselves in the last day to be sure you can make none God hath given you a Capacity and competent understanding many of you are wise and subtil in all your other concernments and only shew your folly in the great concernments of your Salvation you cannot plead want of time some of you are grown gray-headed under the Gospel you cannot plead want of means and opportunities the Ordinances and Ministers of Christ have been with you all your life long to this day sure if you be Christless now you must also be speechless then Infer 2. Hence it also follows That the world owes better entertainment Infer 2. than it gives to the Ministers of Christ. Christs Ambassadors deserve a better welcome than they find among men Your respects to them is founded upon their office and imployment for you Heb. 13. 17. and 1 Thes. 5. 12. They watch for your souls dare any of you watch for their ruine They bring glad tydings shall they return with sad tydings to him that sent them They publish peace shall they be rewarded with trouble O ungrateful world We read in Eph. 6. 20. of an Ambassador in bonds and he no ordinary one neither we read also a strange Challenge made by another at his own death Acts 7. 52. Which of all the prophets have not your fathers persecuted And they have slain them which shewed before the coming of the Just one Some that break the bread of life to you might want bread to eat for any regard you have to them The office of the Ministry speaks the abundant love of God to you your Contempt and abuse of it speaks the abundant stupidity or malignity of your hearts towards God what a
yearning bowels after him whether he be yours or not you cannot tell but that you are resolved to be his that you can tell whether he will save you is a doubt but that you resolve to lye at his feet and wait only on him and never look to another for salvation is no doubt Well well poor pensive soul if it be so arise lift up thy dejected head take thine own Christ into thy arms These are undoubted signs of a real closure with Christ thou makest thy self poor and yet hast great riches such things as these are not found in them that despise and reject Christ by unbelief 3. Use of Exhortation This point is likewise very improveable by way of Exhortation 3. Use. and that both to Unbelievers and Believers First To unbelievers who from hence must be prest as ever they expect to see the face of God in peace to receive Jesus Christ as he is now offered to them in the Gospel this is the very scope of the Gospel I shall therefore press it by three great Considerations viz. First What is in Christ whom you are to receive Secondly What is in the offer of Christ by the Gospel Thirdly What is in the rejecting of that offer First Motive First Consider well what is in Christ whom I perswade you this day to receive did you know what is in Christ you Motive 1. would never neglect or reject him as you do For First God is in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 19. the Deity hath chosen to dwell in his flesh he is God manifest in flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. a Godhead dwelling in flesh is the worlds wonder so that in receiving Christ you receive God himself Secondly The Authority of God is in Christ Exâ—… 23. 21. My name is in him him hath God the father sealed Joh. 6. 27. he hath the Commission the great seal of heaven to redeem and save you all power in heaven and earth is given to him Matth. 28. 18. he comes in his Fathers name to you as well as in his own name Thirdly The wisdome of God is in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 24. Christ the wisdom of God yea in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. Never did the wisdome of God display it self before the eyes of Angels and men as it hath done in Christ. The Angels desire to look into it 1 Pet. 1. 12. yet they are not so much concerned in the project and design of this wisdome in redemption as you are Fourthly The fulness of the Spirit is in Christ yea it fills him so as it never did nor will fill any creature Joh. 3. 34. God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him all others have their limits stints and measures some more some less but the Spirit is in Christ without measure O hâ—…w lovely and desirable are those men that have a large measure of the Spirit in them but he is anointed with the Spirit of holiness above all his fellows Psal. 45. 2 7. Whatever grace is found in all the Saints which makes them desirable and lovely wisdome in one faith in another patience in a third they all Centre in Christ as the rivers do in the Sea quae faciunt divisa beatum in hoc mixta 〈◊〉 Fifthly The righteousness of God is in Christ by which only a poor guilty sinner can be justified before God 2 Cor. 5. 21. we are made the righteousness of God in him he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. i. e. the i. e. Autorem justitiae nostrae Calv. in Loc. author of our righteousness or the Lord who justifies us by that name he shall be known and call'd by his people than which none can be sweeter Sixthly The love of God is in Christ yea the very yearning bowels of divine love are in him what is Christ but the love of God wrapt up in flesh and blood 1 Joh. 4. 9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us and herein is love that God sent his Son this is the highest 〈◊〉 that ever divine love made and higher than this it 〈◊〉 mount O love unparalell'd and admirable Seventhly The mercies and compassions of Christ are all in Christ Jude v. 21. Mercy is the thing that poor sinners want it 's that they cry for at the last gasp it 's the only thing that can do them good O what would they give to find mercy in that great day Why if you receive Christ you shall with him receive mercy but out of him there is no mercy to be expected from the hands of God for God will never exercise mercy to the prejudice of his Justice and it is in Christ that justice and mercy meet and embrace each other Eighthly To Conclude The salvations of God are in Christ. Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other Christ is the dâ—…r of salvation and Faith is the key that opens that door to men if you therefore believe not i. e. if you so receive not Jesus Christ as God hath offer'd him you exclude your selves from all hopes of salvation The Devils have as much ground to expect salvation as you you see what is in Christ to induce you to receive him Motive 2. Next I beseech you confider what there is in the offer Motive 2. of Christ to sinners to induce you to receive him Consider well to whom and how Christ is offered in the Gospel First To whom he is offered not to the fallen Angels but to you they lye in chains of darkness Jude 6. as he took not their nature so he designs not their recovery and therefore will have no treaty at all with them but he is offered to you creatures of an inferiour rank and order by nature nor is he offered to the damned the treaty of peace is ended with them Christ will nevermake them another tender of salvation nor is he offered to millions of millions as good as you â—…ow living in the word the sound of Christ and Salvation is not come to their ears but he is offered to you by the special favour and bounty of heaven and will you not receive him O then how will the devils the damned and the heathens upbraid your folly and say had we had one such tender of mercy of which you have had thousands we would never have been now in this place of torments Secondly Consider how Christ is offered to you and you shall find that he is offered First Freely as the gift of God to your souls you are not to purchase him but only to receive him Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money let him come c. Secondly Christ is offered importunately by repeated intreaties 2 Cor. 5. 20. As though God did beseech you we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God O what amazing condescension is here in the God of
them and communicates his favour to them as they are in Christ he is all and in all The gifts and blessings of the Spirit are given to men as they are in Christ and without respect to any external differences made in this world among men hence we find excellent treasures of grace in mean and contemptible persons in the world poor in the world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdome and as all believers without difference receive from Christ so they are not debarr'd from any blessing that is in Christ all is yours for ye are Christs 1 Cor. 3. ult with Christ God freely gives us all things Rom. 8. 32. Position 5. The Communion believers have with Christ in spiritual benefits Position 5. is a very great mystery far above the understanding of natural men There are no footsteps of this thing in all the works of creation therefore the Apostle calls it the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies that which hath no footsteps to trace it by yea 't is so deep a mystery that the Angels themselves stoop down to look into it 1 Pet. 1. 12. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them them that love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. Thirdly and Lastly I shall in a few particulars open the dignity and excellency of this fruit of our Union with Christ and shew you that a greater glory and honour cannot be put upon man than to be thus in fellowship with Jesus Christ Joh. 17. 22. The glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one as we are one and therefore more particularly let it be considered First With whom we are associated even the Son of God with him that is over all God blessed for ever Our association with Angels is an high advancement for Angels and Saints are fellow servants in the fame family Rev. 19. 10. and through Christ we are come to an innumerable company of Angels Heb. 12. 22. but what is all this to our fellowship with Jesus Christ himself and that in another manner than Angels have for though Christ be to them an head of dominion yet not an head of vital influence as he is to his mystical body the Church this therefore is to them a great mystery which they greatly affect to study and pry into Secondly What we are that are dignified with this title the fellows or copartners with Jesus Christ not only dust by nature dust thou art but sinful dust such wretched sinners as by nature and the sentence of the Law ought to be associated with devils and partakers with them of the wrath of the almighty God to all eternity Thirdly The benefits we are partakers of in and with the Lord Jesus Christ and indeed they are wonderful and astonishing things so far as they do already appear but yet we see but little of them comparatively to what we shall see 1 Joh. 3. 1 2. Now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is O what will that be to see him as he is and to be transformed into his likeness Fourthly The way and manner in which we are brought into this fellowship with Christ which is yet more admirable The Apostle gives us a strange account of it in 2 Cor. 8. 9. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through â—…is poverty might be rich he empties himself of his glory that we might be fill'd he is made a curse that we might enjoy the blessing he submits to be crown'd with thorns that we might be crowned with glory and honour he puts himself into the number of worms Psal. 22. 6. that we might be made equal to the Angels O the unconceivable grace of Christ Fifthly The reciprocal nature of that communion which is betwixt Christ and believers we do not only partake of what is his but he partakes of what is ours he hath fellowship with us in all our wants sorrows miseries and afflictions and we have communion with him in his righteousness grace sonship and glory he takes part of our misery and we take part of his blessedness our sufferings are his sufferings Col. 1. 24. O what an honour is it to thee poor wretch whom a great many would not turn aside to ask how thou doest to have a King yea the Prince of all the Kings of the earth to pity relieve sympathize groan and bleed with thee to sit by thee in all thy troubles and give thee his Cordials to say thy troubles are my troubles and thy afflictions are my afflictions whatever toucheth thee toucheth me also O what name shall we give unto such grace as this is Sixthly and Lastly Consider the perpetuity of this priviledge your fellowship with Christ is interminable and abides for ever Christ and the Saints shall be glorified together Rom. 8. 17. while he hath any glory they shall partake with him 'T is said indeed 1 Cor. 15. 24. that there shall be a time when Christ will deliver up the Kingdome to his father but the meaning is not that ever he will cease to be an head to his Saints or they from being his members no no the relation never cease Justification Sanctification and Adoption are everlasting things and we can never be devested of them Infer 1. Are the Saints Christs fellows what honourable persons then are Infer 1. they and how should they be esteemed and valued in the world If a King who is the fountain of honour do but raise a man by his favour and dignifie him by bestowing some honourable Title upon him what respect and observance is presently paid him by all persons but what are all the vain and empty Titles of honour to the glorious and substantial priviledges with which believers are dignified and raised above all other men by Jesus Christ he is the son of God and they are the sons of God also he is the heir of all things and they are joynt-heirs with Christ. He reigns in glory and they shall reign with him he sits upon the throne and they shall sit with him in his throne O that this vile world did but know the dignity of believers they would never slight hate abuse and persecute them as they do and O that believers did but understand their own happiness and priviledges by Christ they would never droop and sink under every small trouble at tâ—…t rate they do Infer 2. How abundantly hath God provided for all the necessities and wants of believers Christ is a storehouse fill'd with blessings Infer 2. and mercies and it 's all for them from him
the wounds of Christ Isa. 53. 5. By his stripes we are healed his blood only is innocent and precious blood 1 Pet. 1. 19. blood of infinite worth and value the blood of God Act. 20. 28. blood prepared for this very purpose Heb. 10. 5. this is the blood that performs the cure and how great a cure is it for this cure the souls of Believers shall be praising and magnifying their great Physician in Heaven to all eternity Rev. 1. 5 6. To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood c. to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Secondly The next evil in sin cured by Christ is the dominion 2. of it over the souls of poor sinners Where sin is in dominion the soul is in a very sad condition for it darkens the Understanding depraves the Conscience stiffens the Will hardens the Heart misplaces and disorders all the Affections and thus every faculty is wounded by the power and dominion of sin over the soul. How difficult is the cure of this disease it passes the skill of Angels or men to heal it but Christ undertakes it and makes a perfect cure of it at last and this he doth by his Spirit As he cures the guilt of sin by pouring out his blood for us so he cures the dominion of sin by pouring out his Spirit upon us Justification is the cure of guilt Sanctification the cure of the dominion of sin For First As the Dominion of sin darkens the understanding 1 Cor. 2. 14. so the spirit of holiness which Christ sheds upon his people cures the darkness and blindness of that noble faculty and restores it again Eph. 5. 8. they that were darkness are hereby light in the Lord the anointing of this Spirit teacheth them all things 1 John 2. 27. Secondly As the dominion of sin depraved and defiled the Conscience Tit. 1. 15. wounded it to that degree as to disable it to the performances of all its Offices and Functions so that it was neither able to apply convince or tremble at the word So when the Spirit of holiness is shed forth O what a tender sense fills the renewed Conscience for what small things will it check smite and rebuke how strongly will it bind to duty and bar against sin Thirdly As the dominion of sin stiffned the Will and made it stubborn and rebellious so Christ by sanctifying it brings it to be pliant and obedient to the will of God Lord saith the sinner what wilt thou have me to do Act. 9. 6. Fourthly As the power of sin hardneth the Heart so that nothing could affect it or make any impression upon it when sanctification comes upon the soul it thaws and breaks it as hard as it was and makes it dissolve in the breast of a sinner in godly sorrow Ezec. 36. 26. I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh It will now melt ingenuously under the threatnings of the word 2 Kings 22. 19. or the strokes of the Rod Jer. 31. 18. or the manifestations of grace and mercy Luke 7. 38. Fifthly As the power of sin misplaced and disordered all the affections so sanctification reduces them again and sets them right Psal. 4. 6 7. And thus you see how sanctification becomes the rectitude health and due temper of the soul so far as it prevails curing the diseases that sin in its dominion filled the soul with True it is this cure is not perfected in this life there are still some grudgings of the old diseases in the holiest souls notwithstanding sin be dethroned from its dominion over them but the cure is begun and daily advances towards perfection and at last will be compleat as will appear in the cure of the next evil of sin namely Thirdly The Inherence of sin in the soul this is a sore disease the very core and root of all our other complaints 3. and ayles This made the holy Apostle bemoan himself and waile so bitterly Rom. 7. 17. because of sin that dwelt in him and the same misery is bewailed by all sanctified persons all the world over 'T is a wonderful mercy to have the guilt and the dominion of sin cured but we shall never be perfectly sound and well till the existence or indwelling of sin in our natures be cured too When once that is done then we shall feel no more pain nor sorrows for sin and this our great Physician will at last perform for us and upon us but as the cure of guilt was by our Justification the cure of the dominion of sin by our Sanctification so the third and last which perfects the whole cure will be by our Glorification and till then it is not to be expected For it 's a clear case that sin like Ivy in the old Walls will never be gotten out till the Wall be pulled down and then it 's pulled up by the roots This cure Christ will perform in a moment upon our dissolution For 't is plain First That none but perfected souls freed from all sin are admitted into Heaven Eph. 5. 27. Heb. 12. 23. Rev. 21. 27. Secondly 'T is as plain that no such personal perfection and freedom is found in any man on this side death and the grave 1 Joh. 1. 8. 1 Kings 8. 46. Philip. 3. 12. a truth sealed by the sad experience of all the Saints on earth Thirdly If such freedom and perfection must be before we can be perfectly happy and no such thing be done in this life it remains that it must be done immediately upon their dissolution and at the very time of their glorification as sin came in at the time of the union of their souls and bodies in the womb so it will go out at the time of their separation by death then will Christ put the last hand to this glorious work and perfect that cure which hath been so long under his hand in this world and thenceforth sin shall have no power upon them it shall never tempt them more it shall never defile them more it shall never grieve and sadden their hearts any more henceforth it shall never cloud their evidences darken their understandings or give the least interruption to their communion with God when sin is gone all these its mischievous effects are gone with it So that I may speak it to the comfort of all gracious hearts according to what the Lord told the Israelites in Deut. 12. 8 9. to which I allude for illustration of this most comfortable truth Ye shall not do after all the things that ye do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes for ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which the Lord your God giveth you Whilst you are under Christs cure upon earth but not perfectly healed your understandings mistake your thoughts wander your affections are dead your communion
may make an Idol of it and dote beyond the bounds of moderation upon it but there is no danger of excess in the love of Christ the soul is then in the healthiest frame and temper when it is most sick of love to Christ Cant. 5. 8. Fifthly The loveliness of every creature is of a cloying and glutting nature our estimation of it abates and links by our nearer approach to it or longer enjoyment of it creatures like Pictures are fairest at a due distance but it is not so with Christ the nearer the soul approacheth him and the longer it lives in the enjoyment of him still the more sweet and desireable he is Sixthly Lastly All other loveliness is unsatisfying and straitning to the soul of man there is not room enough in any one or in all the creatures for the soul of man to dilate and expatiate it self but it still feels it self pinch't in Aestuat infelix angusto â—…mite mundi and narrowed within those strait limits and this comes to pass from the inadequateness and unsuitableness of the creature to the nobler and more excellent soul of man which like a Ship in a narrow River hath not room to turn and besides is ever and anon striking ground and foundring in those shallows but Jesus Christ is every way adequate to the vast desires of the soul in him it hath Sea-room enough there it may spread all its fails no fear of touching the bottom And thus you see what is the importance of this phrase altogether lovely Secondly Next I promised to shew you in what respects Jesus Christ is altogether lovely And 2. First He is altogether lovely in his person a deity dwelling in flesh Joh. 1. 14. The wonderful union and perfection of the divine and humane nature in Christ renders him an object of admiration and adoration to Angels and men 1 Tim. 3. 16. God never presented to the world such a vision of glory before and then considering how the humane nature of our Lord Jesus Christ is replenished with all the graces of the Spirit so as never any of all the Saints was filled O how lovely doth this render him Joh. 3. 34. God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him this makes him fairer than the children of men grace being poured into his lips Psal. 45. 2. If a small measure of grace in the Saints makes them such sweet and desireable companions what must the riches and fulness of the Spirit of grace filling Jesus Christ without measure make him in the eyes of believers O what a glory and a luster must it stamp upon him Secondly He is altogether lovely in his Offices for let us but consider the suitableness fulness and comfortableness of them First The suitableness of the Offices of Christ to the miseries and wants of men and we cannot but adore the infinite wisdom of God in his investiture with them we are by nature blind and ignorant at best but groping in the dim light of nature after God Acts 17. 27. Jesus Christ is a light to lighten the Gentiles Isai. 49. 6. When this great Prophet came into the world then did the day-spring from on high visit us Luk. 1. 78. The state of nature is a state of alienation and enmity to God Christ comes into the world an attoning sacrifice making peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 1. 20. All the world by nature are in bondage and captivity to Satan a lamentable thraldom Christs comes with a kingly power to rescue sinners as a prey from the mouth of the terrible one Secondly Let the fulness of his Offices be also considered by reason whereof he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Heb. 7. 25. The three Offices comprising in them all that our souls do need become an universal relief to all our wants and therefore Thirdly Unspeakably comfortable must the Offices of Christ be to the souls of sinners if light be pleasant to our eyes how pleasant is that light of life springing from the Sun of righteousness Mal. 4. 2. If a pardon be sweet to a condemned malefactor how sweet must the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus be to the trembling Conscience of a lawcondemned-sinner If a rescue from a cruel Tyrant be sweet to a poor Captive how sweet must it be to the ears of inslaved sinners to hear the voice of liberty and deliverance proclaimed by Jesus Christ Out of the several Offices of Christ as out of so many fountains all the promises of the new Covenant flow as so many soul refreshing streams of peace and joy all the promises of illumination counsel and direction flow out of the Prophetical Office all the promises of reconciliation peace pardon and acceptation flow out of the Priestly Office with the sweet streams of Joy and Spiritual comfort depending thereupon all the promises of converting increasing defending directing and supplying grace flow out of the Kingly Office of Christ indeed all promises may be reduced to the three Offices so that Jesus Christ must needs be altogether lovely in his Offices Thirdly Jesus Christ is altogether lovely in his relations First He is a lovely Redeemer Isai. 61. 1. he came to open the Prison-dores to them that are bound Needs must this Redeemer be a lovely one if we consider the depth of misery from which he redeemed us even from the wrath to come 1 Thess. 1. 10. How lovely was Titus in the eyes of the poor enthralled Greeks whom he delivered from their bondage This endeared him to them unto that degree that when their liberty was proclaimed they even trode one another to death to see the Herauld that proclaimed it and all the night following with instruments of musick danced about his Tent crying with united voyces A Saviour a Saviour Or whether we consider the numbers redeemed and the means of their redemption Rev. 5. 9. And they sang a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation He redeemed us not with Silver and Gold but with his own precious Blood by way of price 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. with his out-stretched and glorious arm by way of power Col. 1. 13. he redeemed us freely Eph. 1. 7. fully Rom. 8. 1. seasonably Gal. 4. 4. and out of special and peculiar love Joh. 17. 9. In a word he hath redeemed us for ever never more to come into bondage 1 Pet. 1. 5. Joh. 10. 28. Oh how lovely is Jesus Christ in the relation of a Redeemer to Gods elect Secondly He is a lovely Bridegroom to all that he espouses to himself how doth the Church glory in him in the words following my Text This is my Beloved and this is my Friend O ye Daughters of Jerusalem q. d. Heaven and earth cannot show such another which needs no fuller
furious beasts of prey Tantaene animis coelestibus ira O how repugnant are these practices non secus ac Cum duo conversis inimica in praelia tauri Frontibus 〈◊〉 with the study of mortification which is the great study and endeavour of all that be in Christ They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts So much for the order of the words the words themselves are a proposition wherein we have to consider both The 1. Subject 2. Predicate First The Subject of the proposition they that are Christs 1. viz. true Christians real members of Christ such as truly Vere Christiani qui ad Christum pertinent qui se ei dedâ—… regendâ—…s Pol. Synopsis belong to Christ such as have given themselves up to be governed by him and are indeed acted by his Spirit such all such persons for the indefinite is equipollent to a universal all such and none but such Secondly The predicate theâ—…â—…ve crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts by flesh 〈◊〉 are here to understand carnal 2. concupiscence the workings and motions of corrupt nature and by the affections we are to understand not the natural but the inordinate affections for Christ doth not abolish and destroy but correct and regulate the affections of those that are in him and by crucifying the flesh we are not to understand the total extinction or perfect subduing of corrupt nature but only the deposing of corruption from its regency and dominion in the soul its dominion is taken away though its life be prolonged for a season but yet as death surely though slowly follows crucifixion the life of crucified persons gradually departing from them with their blood so it is just so in the mortification of sin and therefore what the Apostle in this place calls crucifying he calls in Rom. 8. 13. mortifying if ye through the Spirit do mortifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye put to death the deeds of the body but he chooses in this place to call it crucifying to shew not only the conformity there is betwixt the death of Christ and the death of sin in respect of shame pain and lingring slowness but to denote also the principle means and instrument of mortification viz. the death or cross of Jesus Christ in the vertue whereof believers do mortifie the corruptions of their flesh the great arguments and perswasives to mortification being drawn from the sufferings of Christ for sin In a word he doth not say they that believe Christ was crucified for sin are Christs but they and they only are his who feel as well as profess the power and efficacie of the sufferings of Christ in the mortification and subduing of their lusts and sinful affections And so much briefly of the parts and sense of the words The Observation followeth DOCT. That a saving interest in Christ may be regularly and strongly inferred and concluded from the mortification of the flesh with Doct. its affections and lusts This point is fully confirmed by those words of the Apostle Rom. 6. 5 6 7 8. 〈◊〉 if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him Mark the force of the Apostles reasoning if we have been planted into the likeness of his death viz. by the mortification of sin which resembles or hath a likeness to the kind and manner of Christs death as was noted above then we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection and why so but because this mortification of sin is an undoubted evidence of the union of such a soul with Christ which is the very ground-work and principle of that blessed and glorious resurrection and therefore he saith vers 11. Reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord q. d. reason thus with your selves these mortifying influences of the death of Christ are unquestionable presages of your future blessedness God never taking this course with any but those who are in Christ and are designed to be glorified with him the death of your sin is as evidential as any thing in the world can be of your spiritual life for the present and of your eternal life with God hereafter Mortification is the fruit and evidence of your union and that union is the firm ground-work and certain pledge of your glorification and so you ought to reckon or reason the case with your selves as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies Now for the stating and explicating of this point I shall in the doctrinal part labour to open and confirm these five things 1. What the mortification or crucifixion of sin imports 2. Why this work of the Spirit is expressed by crucifying 3. Why all that are in Christ must be so crucified or mortified unto sin 4. What is the true evangelical principle of mortification 5. How the mortification of sin evinces our interest in Christ. And then apply the whole First What the mortification or crucifixion of sin imports 1. And for clearness sake I shall speak to it both negatively and positively shewing you what is not intended and what is principally aimed at by the Spirit of God in this expression First The crucifying of the flesh doth not imply the total abolition of sin in Believers or the destruction of its very Neg. 1. Mortificari carnem non est eam ita perimi ut aut prorsus non sit aut nulla prava in homine desideria commoveat quod in corpore mortis bujus non contingit c. Estius in loc being and existence in them for the present sanctified souls so put off their corruptions with their bodies at death this will be the effect of our future glorification not of our present sanctification it doth exist in the most mortified Believer in the world Rom. 7. 17. it still acteth and lusteth in the regenerate soul Gal. 5. 17. yea notwithstanding its crucifixion in Believers it still may in respect of single acts surprize and captivate them Psal. 65. 3. Rom. 7. 23. This therefore is not the intention of the spirit of God in this expression Secondly Nor doth the crucifixion of sin consist in the suppression of the external acts of sin only for sin may reign over the souls of men whilst it doth not break forth into their lives in gross and open actions 2 Pet. 2. 20. Mat. 12. 43. Morality in the Heathens as Tertullian well observes did abscondere sed non abscindere vitia hide them when it could not kill them many a man shews a white and fair hand who yet hath a very foul and black
profession this was what the Apostle complained of Phil. 3. 18. for many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ men cannot study to put a greater dishonour and reproach upon Christ than by making his name and profession a cloak and cover to their filthy lusts Thirdly The necessity of crucifying the flesh appears from the method of Salvation as it is stated in the Gospel God every where requires the practice of mortification under pain of damnation Mat. 18. 8. Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire the Gospel legitimates no hopes of salvation but such as are accompanied with serious endeavours of mortification 1 John 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure 't was one special end of Christs coming into the world to save his people from their sins Mat. 1. 21. nor will he be a Saviour unto any who remain under the dominion of their own lusts Fourthly The whole stream and current of the Gospel put us under the necessity of mortification Gospel precepts have respect unto this Col. 3. 5. mortifie your members therefore which are upon the earth 1 Pet. 1. 15. be ye holy for I am holy Gospel presidents have respect unto this Heb. 12. 1. wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us c. Gospel threatnings are written for this end and do all press mortification in a thundring dialect Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men the promises of the Gospel are written designedly to promote it 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God but in vain are all these precepts presidents threatnings and promises written in the Scripture except mortification be the daily study and practice of professors Fifthly Mortification is the very scope and aim of our regeneration and the infusion of the principles of grace if we live in the Spirit let us walk in the Spirit Gal. 5. 25. in vain were the habits of grace planted if the fruits of holiness and mortification be not produced yea mortification is not only the design and aim but it is a special part even the one half of our sanctification Sixthly If mortification be not the daily practice and endeavour of Believers then the way to Heaven no way answers to Christs description of it in the Gospel he tells us Mat. 7. 13 14. Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it well then either Christ must be mistaken in the account he gave of the way to glory or else all unmortified persons are out of the way for what makes the way of salvation narrow but the difficulties and severities of mortification Seventhly In a word he that denies the necessity of mortification confounds all discriminating marks betwixt Saints and Sinners pulls down the Pale of distinction and lets the world into the Church and the Church into the World 't is a great design of the Gospel to preserve the boundaries betwixt the one and the other Rom. 2. 7 8. Rom. 8. 1 4 5 6 13. but if men may be Christians without mortification we may as well go into the Taverns Ale-houses or Brothel-houses among the roaring or sottish crew of sinners and say here be those that are redeemed by the blood of Christ here be his Disciples and Followers as go to seek them in the purest Churches or most strictly religious families by all which the necessity of mortification unto all that are in Christ is abundantly evidenced Fourthly In the next place we are to enquire into the true principle of mortification 't is true there are many ways attempted 4. by men for the mortification of sin and many rules laid down to guide men in that great work some of which are very tristing and impertinent things such are those prescribed by popish votaries but I shall lay down this as a sure conclusion that the sanctifying spirit is the only effectual principle of mortification and without him no resolutions vows abstinencies castigations of the body or any other external endeavours can ever avail to the mortification of one sin the moral Heathens have prescribed may pretty rules and helps for the suppression of vice Aristides Seneca and Cato were renowned among them upon this account but yet as Lactantius well observes moral Philosophie did rather abscondere vitia quam abscindere hide it rather than kill it formal Christians have also gone far in the reformation of their lives but could never attain true mortification formality pares off the excrescences of vice but never kills the root of it it usually recovers it self again and their souls like a body not well purged relapse into a worse condition than before Mat. 12. 43 44. 2 Pet. 2. 20. This work of mortification is peculiar to the spirit of God Rom. 8. 13. Gal. 5. 17. and the spirit becomes a principle of mortification in Believers two ways namely 1. By the implantation of contrary habits 2. By assisting those implanted habits in all the times of need First The spirit of God implants habits of a contrary nature which are destructive to sin and are purgative of corruption 1. 1 John 5. 4. Acts 15. 9. Grace is to corruption what water is to fire betwixt which there is both a formal and effective opposition a contrariety both in nature and operation Gal. 5. 17. There is a threefold remarkable advantage given us by grace for the destruction and mortification of sin For First Grace gives the mind and heart of man a contrary bent and inclination by reason whereof spiritual and heavenly things become connatural to the regenerate soul Rom. 7. 22. For I delight in the Law of God after the inner man sanctification is in the soul as a living spring running with a kind of central force Heaven-ward John 4. 14. Secondly Holy principles destroy the interest that sin once had in the love and delight of the soul the sanctified soul cannot take pleasure in sin or find delight in that which grieves God as it was wont to do but that which was the object of delight hereby becomes the object of grief and hatred Rom. 7. 15. What I hate that I do Thirdly From both these follow a third