in great Degree and the worst are not excepted who carelesly and contemptuously continually provoke him who defie him proclaim War against him and are resolved to persist and die in their Rebellion and Enmity against him But we leave these things to further Meditation IV. The 4 th observable in the Text is the Instrument of Reconciliation the Person whom God makes use of in the Execution of his Counsel and Design of Reconciliation and that is Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by Christ Such is the ordinary Hellenistical use of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So we have it Acts 13. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred by him all that believe are justified Here might be a large Field of Discourse by particularizing the manner and method which Jesus Christ God's Messenger to Mankind sent to effect and execute this Design of Reconciliation makes use of We shall at present do little more than name them The 1 with which God by Jesus Christ begun the Execution of his Designs was the miraculous History of Christ from and before his Birth to his sending the promised Gift of the Holy Ghost This was all along the most evident Proof of his Mission and Commission from God for this Affair and it was necessary in order to his entring upon and continuing his Negotiation 2 The 2 d. was his Doctrine Here Jesus was to explicate open and declare his Message and Business more particularly and distinctly He was to tell them who and what he was from whom he came his Relation to Man c. that He was the one only true God infinitely great holy and just but above all good mercifull compassionate infinitely desirous of their Welfare and that they might be saved or be the Objects of his Eternal Favour and Delight not of his Justice and unavoidable Severity that he was their Maker and Father that he would not only receive their Return and Submission with Joy but effectually help and assist them in it Such a taking and moving Representation of God is that of the Parable of the Prodigal He was more-over to acquaint them with the conditions and terms of Reconciliation which were Repentance future Obedience humble Submission and sincere Application for pardon and that for the Sake and upon the Account of himself or of what he was appointed by God to do and suffer the Consequence of their accepting or refusing the Condition so graciously offered by God All this was done in his Precepts Promises Threatnings And thus far the Application was made immediately to Man to take away the Enmity that was in his Nature and Will to God and to qualifie him for the Amity and Friendship of God The 3 of these means of Reconciliation was his Merit and Oblation of himself as a Sacrifice His most exactly vertuous holy and perfectly obedient Life to God and being an Universal Sacrifice for all Mankind who had been Offenders By the Interposition and Consideration of these it became the Justice Clemency and Wisdom of God to be mercifull and benevolent to rebellious Mankind in all these Instances presently to be mentioned That is it was the wisest way and of best effect to the World better than to have been reconciled without it And this part of the means respecting God immediately was to remove the Enmity on his side that he might be just and yet not cast away all kindness and care even of all degenerate Man but particularly be the Justifier of all them that believe who should now become dutifull and obedient to God by Jesus Christ We may add to these a fourth and that is the continual Intercession of Jesus Christ in Heaven by which he still carries on the reconciling Design between God and the World For I make account that his Intercession in Heaven reacheth as far as his Propitiation here upon Earth that is to the whole World bad and good unconverted and converted impenitent and penitent For the impenitent he interceeds to God for his patience and forbearance and his continuance of his Blessings inward and outward All the means of Repentance and Conversion to them so long as God in his infinite Wisdom shall think fit For the penitent and good he interceeds for their general Pardon upon their general Repentance and particular when they fall into any sin He interceeds also for their improvement advance and perseverance in their Duty and Obedience to God that they might be preserved through God's Power and Care through Faith unto Salvation and finally at last be put into possession of immortal Bliss be with him where he is and see and partake of his Glory V. The last observable in the Text is one principal Effect of God's Reconciliation viz. Not impating their Trespasses unto them I call it but one because there are several others as we shall presently shew More-over this is an Effect of Reconciliation which must necessarily be preceded by others and without which this will never follow For it is not so well said by some very learned Men as it seems to me that Grot. Satisf Outr. de Sacrif there are several Degrees of Remission of Sins as it would that there are several Degrees or rather Effects of Reconciliation Suspension of punishment is not remission Some of these must go before the other Let us see them in order briefly 1 The first Effect of God's Reconciliation to the World is his Forbearance and Long-suffering not presently seizing and bringing Sinners to execution that he strikes not immediately upon our Indignities and Provocations and not only so but during this time of his Patience affords them the Obligations Means Helps and Assistances of Repentance and Reformation Such are all corporal Blessings his holy Word and Spirit the Examples of holy and vertuous Men who by these means have been converted and some of them perhaps irresistibly on purpose that they might be the means of others Conversion or Confirmation and Improvement in Goodness All this we all owe to the Merits Oblation and Intercession of Jesus Christ I say all both bad and good i. e. those who generally live according to the Flesh who are under the Power of Lusts and inordinate Appetite and those who live according to the Spirit who are generally governed by their Conscience the Fear and Love of God a Divine Principle inspired or commanded by the Holy Spirit The bad are almost perpetual Sinners the best in this Life are not altogether without Sin the bad live in Sin the good are sometimes over-taken by it Now it may be truly said that it is for Christ's Sake that God is so far reconciled to the World by him as to forbear the present Execution of his displeasure or punishment and to continue the motives and means of better Behaviour that he waits a bad Man's general and a good Man's particular Repentance that he gives time and means for the Reformation of the one and recovery of the other 2 A 2 d.
use it And indeed the first is always attended with the other two For he that hath a great affection for truth will readily embrace it where ever he discovers it endeavour to recommend and make the best use of it he can shewing what influences it hath upon his heart and life This excellent quality of our Spirits is more than once commended and commanded in the Holy Scriptures 'T is this which our Saviour means in his Parable by the honest and good heart which having received the word keeps it and brings forth fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. It was the want of this which was one of the Causes of the seduction from the Verity of the Gospel in those who perished viz. Because they received not the love of the truth i. e. Not only the Gospel particularly called the truth but of truth in general 1 Thess 2. 10. And it was this our Saviour above all things required in men to become his Disciples And 't is for this reason together with the incomparable evidence of the truth of Christian Religion that it is to be believed that never an honest man of capacity who hath been rightly instructed in the principal Doctrines of it hath long held out against it and finally disbelieved it We may add to this natural effect of probity the extraordinary and supernatural one even in those who may be for some time doubtfull or erroneous in those greatest Verities so perhaps may God permit It procures God's especial care to enlighten and encline such to the reception of truth 3ly Another cure of this Infidelity is a branch of modesty that is but a just and true esteem and value for our selves and therefore particularly to be carefull we entertain not too great a Conceit of our own ability and sufficiency above other mens to find out the falsity or weakness or uncertainty in common receiv'd opinions of consequence If we seem to our selves to observe it let us still be diffident of our own Judgment and believe we may be mistaken and that there may be something in them or for them which we do not yet see and therefore reserve the alteration of our belief to further consideration Those who are strongly conceited of their knowledge and sufficiency in judgment above other men and are hugely pleased with it are very forward and ambitious to shew it to themselves first and then to other men more especially in contradicting and correcting what is generally taught and believed and that by the most esteem'd and of the best Reputation and Authority The Holy Scripture hath given us this general advice also Rom. 12. 3. Not to think too highly of our selves but soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith But because some men in their Infidelity may rely more upon the Wit and Learning of one whom they much esteem than upon their own it is to be advised 4ly To have a great deference and respect to the most publick Testimony or to the most general received Opinion so much the more still by how much it is larger in respect of places and ages The least effect this consideration ought to have upon us is to make us cautious and suspicious when we are inclined to believe and advance any Opinion contrary because it appears true to our selves or some few other really knowing men We ought diligently and impartially to examine what it is in the common Opinion we cannot perswade our selves to be true and how such a general mistake should come to pass He that contradicts an Universal belief had need be the wisest of men and he that rejects a very general one should be very wise The first is not to be done without a Demonstration and even that which so appears to us is reasonably to be suspected though till we see otherwise it cannot be denied by us because in a thing a thousand times considered and debated it may seem much that none before hath light upon this Demonstration though I do not say it is impossible And as for those perswasions which are very general in things judged of great concern and consequently most frequently brought into conversation writing and practice it had need be a very great evidence and having lain long under variety of examination is at last also generally approved that should entirely remove or displace them Yet I deny not but a man may have sometime a reason sufficient at first to suspect to doubt to say that the new Opinion looks with a good countenance and seems not to want a fair probability And then it seems no more than Justice and a thing becoming the publick Care that it should have a fair hearing But here too that we be not imposed upon we are to take a true account of the Universality or Generality of received perswasions not call those of one Nation or Country or perhaps one quarter of the World introduced and maintained by mere interest cunning and force or of one or some few Ages I say we must not call these universal or more general than indeed they are This is the fault and folly of the Roman Church which will needs have Transubstantiation Purgatory Image and Saint Worship and an hundred others to be the Catholick Opinions and Practices in the Church of Christ when we can produce whole Countries and Nations greater than theirs now and many more Ages and the best even of their own Church which neither believed nor practised such things This remedy is proper against blameable singularity whether out of ignorance or affectation I will add but one more and so have done with this general head also And that is 5ly That as it hath been already a general Advice to possess our minds throughly with probity and plain honesty and consequently a prevalent love of the truth So it will much help and assure the effect thereof to purge them of all prejudices which may oppose it and to leave truth and honesty as few and as weak Enemies in our Breasts as it is possible for us We must therefore turn out and send away all unreasonable Inclinations Humours Appetites and Passions which may have any influence upon our understanding and judgment in our enquiring or assent to any truth We are to keep our minds sincere and upright This will prevent or repress the Influences of many Causes of Infidelity at once For in pursuance and application of this general Direction we shall free our minds from the love of any lusts from the extravagant and most unreasonable desire of liberty uncontroulableness and independency from pride vain self-conceit and affectation of singularity from the humour of setting our selves in good earnest to oppose and contradict from wrath and impatience against God Almighty and his Providence from spite and envy against knowledge and goodness and good men against their reputation and interest in the World and finally from Scepticism it self or as I now take the word from timidity
pray that he went away rather justified than the other or justified and not the other according to a known Hebraism justified i. e. accepted approved by God in that particular Act of his Prayer to God as useth or ought to be done to him who is just and doth well The same is the Sense of the word Rom. 8. 33. 'T is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth We know the World doth condemn reproach hate us Christians for our Religion for our believing upon Jesus but that we despise because we know too that we have the favour and approbation of God for so doing Thus also it is recorded of Phinehas Psalm 106. 30 31. that he executed judgment slew Zimri and Cozbi in the Act of Uncleanness and it was counted to him for righteousness or for justification or the effect of it was justification for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have often the same signification as Gal. 2. 21. i. e. he was and ought to be and ever shall be unto all Generations greatly approved and highly praised for that Action in so eminent a degree righteous and just done with so much Zeal and Courage for the Honour of his God and the good of his People And we read too how he was rewarded by God for it with the high Priest-hood in his Family Nay the justification of Abraham himself is said sometimes to be in the same sense for some one particular eminent Act of Obedience to God Rom. 3. 18. Heb. 11. 8 17. Jam. 2. 21. though at other times for his general Faith and Piety or obediential Temper to God And of this justification he is set forth as an eminent and extraordinary Example Rom. 4. So it is in like manner with all good men who walk in the steps of the Faith of Abraham as the Apostle phraseth it viz. who are religious obsequious to the Will of God in what manner and whensoever he shall sufficiently make it known to them and consequently men of sincere Probity of Spirit devoted to all that is good and just Of which hereafter This usage of a just man or justification may be distinguished into 1 negative or doing him no harm 2 positive doing good to him bestowing certain benefits and positive favours upon him But there are three more remarkable instances of both these and frequently mentioned in the Scripture The first is remission of sins upon repentance or an omission of punishment for them like as one that hath been just and never committed any sin useth to be treated He suffers no evil from God for sin and this is negative The second is the Holy Spirit 's influences operations in the Souls of Men. And the third is Eternal Salvation upon perseverance in a good and holy life All these are more particularly regarded by St. Paul in the Text As if he had said Therefore being by Faith of which presently restored to the Favour of God particularly expressed in the forgiveness of sins the gift of the Holy Spirit the promises and assurances of Eternal life we have peace with God We are in a state of Amity and Friendship with him and we have Peace and Tranquility in our own Consciences which do not now threaten us with God's Anger or Punishment and that through our Lord Jesus Christ Now if this be the true notion of justification when it is joined with Faith as I think it is Then first it is not the same with sanctification or making a man inherent holy and just Justifying the ungodly through Faith in the Scripture-style is not making an ungodly man godly as the Papists Socinians and Grotius would have it A mistake in that learned Man which hath led him into many other Misinterpretations of Scripture Nor 2 is it in a strict Sense an accounting or reckoning a Man perfectly just or more than he really and truly is for that were to say that God may be deceived and judge things otherwise than they are It is true the Church of England in one of her Articles hath used the words accounting righteous for the merits of Jesus Christ by faith and not for our works But there needs no force to make them signifie the treating or using as righteous for the Merit of Christ upon the condition of Faith without any Merit on our part which is the true Christian Doctrine of Justification as we shall presently see Nor 3 is Justification to pronounce or declare a Man inherently just as it were in a solemn Sentence who is not so for this were to make God give a false sentence Nor 4 is it to cover or cloth a Man even a penitent sinner with the pure Robes of Christ's perfect Righteousness and then to appear to God pure and spotless as Jesus Christ himself For this were to suppose God to look no further than the outside and represent him like old Isaac deceived by Rebekah and Jacob. These are the notions of men who seem never to attend to the proper Nature of things but are content to talk only in Figures And in truth they might do much more harm if they were not antidoted by other plain Scripture Doctrines such as that of the necessity of Holiness of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins and everlasting Salvation Nor 5 is Justification God's imputing the Righteousness of Christ to Man who lives in any sinfull Breach or Neglect of God's Law There is indeed a comfortable and true notion under those phrases and that is That sinners fare the better for the compleat Righteousness or perfect Obedience of Christ Great and many indeed were the benefits God was pleased to afford sinfull mankind for the sake of Jesus Christ No less than such as these his long suffering and forbearance all sorts of temporal Blessings all the inward and outward means of Vertue and Goodness All this even to sinners while sinners which some learned men have called degrees of remission of sins I should rather say instances of justification or dealing by men as useth to be done to the innocent and just who had never offended Then further upon true repentance entire pardon for all past sins All in the other life and all in this except what God in his fatherly Wisdom may think fit for our discipline and means of further improvement in Vertue and Holiness constant forgiveness upon constant repentance for the interfering faults of good Men and finally Everlasting life All this Men owe to the compleat Righteousness of Jesus Christ from the beginning to the End of his life It was for his sake God was pleased to have any regard to or compassion upon the degenerate Race of Mankind that God might by so eminently rewarding him shew the World how acceptable to him Holiness and Vertue were and encourage to the Attainment of the highest Degree of them possible All this is true and a reasonable Administration of God in the Government of the World But yet it is not
this and something else if God give life and health may find another opportunity SERMON VI. 2 COR. V. 19. To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them IN these few words we read the most important part of the Design of Christian Religion The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed the glad Tidings which the Gospel hath brought to the World Now do we hear the joyfull News and the best that ever sounded in the Ears of Mankind The Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth who is only able to save or destroy us Eternally looks towards us with a Countenance full of Compassion and good Will Here we have the Completion of that Prophetical Hymn sung at the Birth of the Great Jesus by a Choire of Angels Glory be to God on high on Earth peace good Will towards men and very fitly repeated by all hearty Christians whose Minds are enlightned and Hearts sensibly touched after the Communion in that Service i. e. the sending of such a Person as the Ever-blessed Jesus and with such a Design would one Day redound to the Glory of the Divine Wisdom and Goodness both Heaven and Earth sounding aloud his Praises It would also be peace on Earth just Cause of unspeakable Comfort and Joy in all Men who should hear the News that the Eternal God an infinite offended Majesty did lay aside his frowns and regard them with a serene and mercifull Countenance or Peace on Earth i. e. between all Mankind Jew and Gentile Greek Barbarian and Scythian there was now to be no Hatred Contention or Strangeness in respect of Religion All were to be united in the Service of the same God and Lord. Christ was to be the Peace or Peace-maker breaking down the Partition-wall Eph. 2. Finally good Will towards Men in Consequence to God's gracious regard what Acts of Grace and Favour might not Men then expect Great were the Blessings and Benefits now more especially which God was preparing for the Sons of mortal and sinfull Men. Who ought to echo back the Celestial Hymn in such words as that of the Psalmist O sing unto the Lord a new Song sing unto the Lord all the Earth sing unto the Lord bless his Name shew forth his Salvation from day to day Ps 96. 1. Most of the words in the Text may afford us matter of excellent Observation These five I. The Act Reconciling II. The Author God III. The Parties God and the World IV. The Instrument Christ V. The principal Instance or Effect of this Reconciliation not the onely one Not imputing their Trespasses unto them I. The Act the Design the Business to be done Reconciliation This supposeth some Aversion and Enmity in the Parties to be reconciled God and the World The Parties were Enemies This we ought a little to explain and shew in Propriety of Speech 1 How man was God's Enemy and 2 how God may be Man's It needs not much explication or proof that Mankind hath been and in greatest part still is the Enemy of God Enmity imports 2 things 1 A Contrariety of Nature and Will 2 and more strictly mischievous Designs Intentions and Actions according to ones Power In both these respects Man was and is generally still the Enemy of God In the 7 th Chapter to the Romans is an excellent Comment Rom. 7. 12. upon this Enmity between the Divine Nature and Laws and the unregenerate Man for in such Sense St. Paul speaks of himself And the same Apostle tells us That the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. The degenerate and regenerate Nature are contrary one to the other Ephes 4. 22. The old Man is corrupt the new Man is created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness Most expresly and plainly Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be And the Gentiles which were almost all the World nor were the generality of the Jews inwardly much better amongst other their abominable Qualities are termed Haters of God Thus we see how man is the Enemy of God But how is God man's Enemy i. e. sinfull and degenerate Man 1 It must be acknowledged that God's Nature Will and Laws are as contrary to Man's as his is to God's 2 That God hates a sinfull Nature as such to speak after the manner of men infinitely more than the wicked Man doth the holy and pure Nature of God A wicked man is not so perfectly and in so high a Degree wicked and sinfull as God is righteous and holy and so it is every where express'd in the Scripture God's Soul hates the wicked Prov. 15. 9. It must be acknowledged 3 that God often treats wicked Men in some respects as a Man useth to treat his Enemy He punisheth and destroys them too when irreclaimable But then more generally he useth them like one who beareth their Persons good Will for he pities their blindness and perverseness he bears them with the utmost Patience In the midst of their highest Injuries and Provocations he continues his Blessings corporal and spiritual the good things of this Life oft-times in plenty and the means of Repentance and Salvation his word and spirit He in kindness chastiseth them to the same purpose All these are the Effects of his Benevolence and love of good Will to them even while Enemies Indeed after all this if they grow senseless obdurate and contemptuous He oft-times makes them Examples in this World however in the next He utterly destroys them Body and Soul not their Being but all for which it is desirable But this Treatment proceeds not from any Malice in God against their Persons but from Love and Care of the rest of his Creatures It is only when it becomes necessary to the Government of the World when wicked Men ought not to be any longer born when their mischievous Impiety and Example becomes intolerable Thus we see the difference between wicked Men's Enmity to God and God's to Men. On God's part what there is is most just and necessary but on Man's horribly unjust However an Enmity there is but not irreconcilable For God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself And that 's the II. Thing The Author God He began the Design immediately after the Apostacy and degeneracy of Man and hath been ever since prosecuting of it and that in or by Christ too as we shall presently mention and here we are to observe that it is but one of the parties at Enmity that design'd and endeavour d a Reconciliation and that is God Stupendious Goodness God an infinite Majesty Sovereign of Heaven and Earth desires a Reconciliation with man the meanest of his own reasonable Creatures God infinitely holy wise and good Man unholy foolish and wicked God neglected and forgotten and most part wilfully injuriously offended and even insolently despis'd Man his unnatural and ungratefull