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A79435 Yahweh Tsidkenu or The plain doctrin of the justification of a sinner in the sight of God; justified by the God of truth in his holy word, and the cloud of witnesses in all ages. Wherein are handled the causes of the sinners justification. Explained and applied in six and twenty sermons, in a plain, doctrinal and familiar way, for the capacity, and understanding of the weak and ignorant. By Charles Chauncy president of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge in New-England. Chauncy, Charles, 1592-1672. 1659 (1659) Wing C3739; Thomason E979_11; ESTC R222074 232,660 312

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will justify but that and therefore to seek justification or quieting to a troubled soul by any other is but to spend our mony for that which is not bread Isa 55. or to go to buy bread with brass mony such as is not current coyn in Heaven Nay other knowledge is so far from bringing peace to a disquieted spirit that it brings with it tormenting and vexation of spirit Eccl. 1.18 Hee that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow other knowledge may and will puff up 1 Cor. 8.1 2. but this will humble humble us in our own apprehensions but really exalt us Prov. 4 8. Exalt her and shee will exalt thee Other Divine knowledge will build well but the knowledge of Christ laies the foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 this must needs have great substance and strength that bears up all the weight and bulk of the whole Christian edifice and let mee speak from my heart to all Students that hear this that unless your main care bee to get this knowledge you do but build Babels and Castles in the air And oh that many would make this their great study if they did there would not be so many new waies to heaven and false lights as there are 2 Pet. 3.18 19. Direct 2. Make this thy great heart design in comming to hear the word Preached for to get faith seeing it comes by hearing Resolve upon that end and think with thy self if thou commest with any by-ends the searcher of hearts will meet with thee if thou hast an Idol in thy heart thou shalt bee answered according unto it Ezek. 14.7 How many come with their Idols Some to get other knowledge and not of Christ Some to judge the Minister and to carp at the truths delivered Some to see and to bee seen and others out of meer formality and custome But alas where are they that stir up themselves to lay hold on Christ Isa 64.7 Direct 3. Remember to follow the example of the Bereans and in searching the Scriptures be much in studying the promises Act. 10.43 Act. 13 38 39. Think it not enough that you are Children of the Covenant as the Jews were Act. 3.25 but yee must become also the children of the promise for they only are accounted for the seed Rom. 9.8 Direct 4. Bee very watchful that carnal Objections and Cavils against Christ or his heavenly Mysteries or Doctrine arise not in your hearts without checking of them and strugling against them Thou mayest as easily empty the Ocean with a Cockle shell as measure the mystery of godliness with carnal Reason Do not cast off any truth of Christ because you can see no reason for it or cannot understand how this or that should bee Prov. 3.5 Trust in the Lord and lean not on thine own understanding Luther hath such a speech That mans corrupt reason is a terrible enemy to faith and this is the reason why many great Scholars are left of God And so our Saviour saith I thank thee O Father c. Matth. 11.25 Nicodemus will say How can these things bee Joh. 13.6 and the Philosophers will say of Paul when hee goeth to Preach these things what will this Babler say Oh! but remember God will confound the wisdome of this World thou shouldest rather say with Agur when thou hearest the Doctrin of Christ surely I am more brutish than any man when hee heard of Ithiel and Vcal I have neither Wisdome nor Knowledge of the most holy being an humble teachable heart to the word preached Pro. 8.4 5. and if any man among you seem to bee wise let him become a fool that hee may bee wise 1 Cor. 3.18 Prov. 9.4 5. Direct 5. Look at it as an extream vilenesse in thine heart and wily working of Satan when Christ is preached and the grace of God in Christ if thou canst go away from the word preached with an unbeleeving unmoved heart Observe for this two or three places Joh. 8.26.31 Christ had been preaching of the Father and of himself and his own death his mission and Commission and pleasing of the Father and vers 30. the text saith when hee spake those words many beleeved on him the Spirit takes special notice what words they were that wrought upon the hearers i.e. Christs unspeakable conjunction with the Father the Sufferings and Cross of Christ his holy Life and Death they stood out long but now they yielded So 2 Cor. 4 4-6 If our Gospel bee hid c. in whom the God of this World hath blinded the eies of them that beleeve not c. that is all the beauty of God the Father that shines in the face of Jesus Christ his Wisdome Justice Mercy Truth c. are hid from them Satan blinds them and their own naughty hearts and there is also a dreadful judgement of God in it Direct 6. Labour for Self-denial for wee must renounce all confidence in the flesh Priviledges Duties righteousnesse of our own Phil. 3.3.9.10 the righteousnesse of Faith excludes all this this is our betaking of our selves to the wings of Christ Matth. 23.37 i.e. wholly to bee under the covert of them as chickens under the wings of a Hen in a storm Use 4. It is a great comfort to you that beleeve in the Lord Jesus you are in the right way to the Father Joh. 14.6 you are in a most blessed estate Eph. 1.16 Jam. 2.5 the world looks at you as poorly provided for but you have abundance you are rich in faith and rich in Christ partakers of his unsearchable riches Eph. 3.8 1 Cor. 1.5 Vse 5. It serves to teach beleevers a main duty that most concerns them to practise i. e. to go on in a justified estate by faith in the Lord Jesus or imbracing the mercy of God in Christ and that because 1 They have the main principle in them to maintain a justified estate which others want viz. justifying faith Gal. 2.6 Though the well of living waters bee very deep beleevers have wherewithall to draw out of it They have a price in their hands to get wisdome Christ is neer Eph. 2.13 he is neer who iustifieth Isa 50.8 Isa 46.13 2 The benefit of justification should be maintained constantly in a Christians heart and that lively and as far as may bee without interruption and though our justification bee in it self unchangeable yet it is changeable in the diverse effects of it Our peace and comfort is often ebbing and flowing and subject to darknings as with David when hee saith I am cast out of the sight of God Psal 31.22 and cryed his bones were broken and that hee lay in the deep and therefore that wee may maintain our peace its worth our while to take pains in preventing our decaies and declinings It is easier to preserve peace and joy than to recover it out of an afflicted and dark condition as its easier to maintain health and strength than to fetch it at deaths door easier to keep the fire burning than to blow it up
yee Prisoners of hope As Anna the Prophetess Luk. 2.38 spake of Christ to all those that looked for redemption in Israel so speak we this day to all such amongst us as look for eternal redemption Wee cannot mention any other means but only Christ nor any better thing than liberty For Motives to seek redemption 1 Liberty is the best news to Captives that the world can afford The Father calls the time an acceptable time and the day of salvation Isa 49.8 9. when Christ is given for a Covenant of the people that he may say to the Prisoners goe forth and to them that are in darknesse shew your selves So Isa 61.1 2 3. Christ saith The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek to proclaim liberty to the Captives the opening of the Prison to them that are bound c. The possibility of liberty is good news to a Gally-slave but Spiritual liberty is the best news on earth 2 This Redemption is most excellent It is the Spiritual Jubilee the year of general release the acceptable year of the Lord Isa 61.1 2. How solemn was the Jewish Jubilee observed Levit. 25.8 10. yet that lasted but a year this is eternal Heb. 9.12 3 It is dangerous to refuse this Redemption yet those Jews 2 Chro. 36. ult when Cyrus by Proclamation gave them all a free discharge to depart from Babylon a place where they had suffered grievous bondage to their own Country accepted not the Kings royal favour but abode willing Captives and Slaves still loving Babylon more than Jerusalem so after Proclamation of Redemption wrought and at this day generally offered many love Babylon more than Jerusalem their bondage under the Devil more than their liberty through Christ Joh. 8.36 The Jews contemned the liberty that the Son would have given to them The people of Nazareth hearing Christ preach deliverance to captives liberty to the bruised c. Luke 4.18 24. at first admired the gracious words that came out of his mouth yet would have destroyed Christ and set at nought his counsel So some love the general news of Christ a Redeemer but care not to apply it nor earnestly to seek it The hired Servants might goe free Levit 25.40 41. at the year of Jubilee but many would not goe to their families and fathers possessions but said I love my Master and like my condition so that they had their ears boared with an Awle to be servants for ever Exo. 21.5 6. Thus it is to be feared many might bee boared for Spiritual Bond-men and that Satan hath boared many for his Bond-men Bee exhorted therefore to consider the present offer Gospel days are Jubilee days the year of release the acceptable year of the Lord. It concerns all Bond-men to sue out the general Proclamation if they would have any benefit thereby It was the most prevailing motive amongst the Romans to act when their Liberties lay at stake Estote viri Libertas agitur In this quarrel they would bee prodigal of their bloud but here 's no danger but in not contending for your liberty And indeed Isa 61.2 The day of vengeance is joyned with the Proclamation of liberty Oh see then the dreadful danger of refusal Quest How should I partake of this plenteous Redemption in Christ Jesus Ans Directions to attain Spiritual liberty 1. Let us bring the matter to an issue and draw some conclusion giving the Verdict one way or other that wee are in bondage or at liberty Satan is willing that wee should leave the matter in suspense or else draw a false conclusion As the Jews Joh. 8.32 pleaded that they were not in bondage forgetting that Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath shut up all under sin without exception And that all that are redeemed are drawn up from out of the sink of sin Tit. 2.14 and that all the redeemed were taken from under all the Curses of the Law Gal. 3.13 They like the escaped Beast have as it were a ropes end about their neck and fetters at their heels 2 Let us seek liberty with courage and magnanimity for we must expect discouragements When we but talk of Liberty the tale of Bricks will be doubled and if we are escaping we shall be pursued with all the forces of Pharaoh The Devil will presse hard after us if we set but a foot forward for Canaan Hee will increase our durance and raise all the Train-bands of Earth and Hell against us with all the Militia in the Magazine of our hearts But Isa 57.14 Cast yee up cast you up prepare the way take up the stumbling-block out of the way See your Leader in the Cloud and Pillar of Fire Zech. 9.12 Isa 4.5 See the door of Hope the valley of Achor Hos 2.14 3 Let us renounce all Redeemers but Christ Some think they can redeeme themselves by leaving their sins amending their lives or excusing their sins as small and making God amends for them by duties and services forgetting that no man can redeeme his brother Psal 49.8 nor yet can any redeeme himself 4 Let us with Israel cry continually in our bondage The Lord saw their affliction and heard their cry Exod. 3.7 and sent Moses to them when they were at worst to set them at liberty give God no rest Fill Heaven and Earth with your cryes So did the Church Lam. 5.16 whose bondage was not comparable to ours The Crown is faln from off our heads wee bee to us for wee have sinned vers 21. Turn us O Lord and wee shall c. 5 Study the truth of the Gospel for the promises setled on the heart by meditation bring home the Redeemer and set us at liberty Joh. 8.32 imprison it not therefore Rom. 1.18 6 Attend the motions of Gods Spirit in and with the Word for it belongs to the holy Spirit to apply this Redemption called therefore the spirit of liberty 2 Corinth 3.16 17. slight not the suggestions of it but follow it home into the soul Thus farre for instruction of Captives 2 Exhortation to the Redeemed in divers particulars from this Doctrin 1 To labour for a deadly hatred of sin Return not into Aegypt and watchfulness against it that brought us into this bondage Let us not be like unthankful Israel that when our Ransome is paid and Salvation wrought we should desire to return again into Aegypt What is this but to despise the price paid God destroyed them that he had redeemed out of Aegypt because they beleeved not Jud. 5. And will take it very hainously at our hands that wee should voluntarily accept that slavery that he paid so great a price to redeeme us from Not only a vile conversation is now dangerous but a vain one not only to live scandalously but to live unprofitably For 1 Pet. 1.18 We are redeemed from our vain conversation 2 To make continual use of Christ our Redeemer Make continual use
for God requires these Mic. 6.8 but it is a grievous delusion to think that by any such things wee can finde acceptation or bee justified before God No no let a man accompt all the daies of his life that hee hath spent and all the duties that hee hath performed spilt and lost without Faith Christ will tell you this is the work of God that yee beleeve c. Joh. 6.28 29. it is called a work because a work of Gods power and working and a work that hee delights in wee should bee exercised in to take our farewel of the World renounce our selves and to fly to Christ for refuge from the storm of Gods wrath and indignation and to prefer him before all this is the work of faith that takes us off from all our resting on our works and brings us naked unto Christ All other duties are very good in their season and kinde but like Josephs brethren none welcome without a Benjamin No works welcome and pleasing to God without faith which brings Christ God saith without Christ see not my face he would have us put on all Christian graces the whole Armour of God Eph. 6.16 But above all take the shield of Faith Because this plece of armour hath a singular excellency in it above all other because it defends all the rest the breastplate of Righteousness is excellent to keep the heart and the helmet of hope to keep the head but faith must keep both As a broad Shield that quencheth Satans fiery darts at whatever part they bee shot and the truth is there is no grace Satan so much shoots at Luke 22.32 for hereby hee knows wee still prevail against him therefore this is a weapon not only by which wee are said to overcome but the victory it self 1 Joh. 5.4 5. it cannot bee said so of any other weapon therefore above all put on this Now for the attaining of this grace we must know and be convinced 1 That wee have it not by nature In the flesh there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 and this is a work of the Spirit to convince the World of sin because it beleeves not Joh. 16.8 8. and till the heart bee convinced thus a farther work cannot be expected Luk. 1.53 2 Bee fully convinced that it is the Lord onely that must work it he must draw us or else we will not or can not come to Christ Joh. 6.44 3 Bee convinced of our great unworthinesse that he should bestow it upon us because of our frequent sleighting of Christ and Gadaren-like refusal of him preferring our Swinish lusts before him God gives faith where it may be to the glory of his grace Eph. 1.3 6. 4 Know that beleeving is receiving of Christ in all his Offices and giving up our selves unto his disposal Joh. 1.12 5 Know what a dangerous thing it is to bee mistaken in this Faith there bee many things which the Devil and the World call faith which are not so Act. 8.13 Joh. 2.22 6 That there is no Christ to be received by faith but only in and by the Promises of the Gospel Act. 15.7 he saith the Gentiles should hear the Word of Gods Gospel and beleeve So Eph. 1.13 Oh make much of Promises search them hide them in your hearts look for Christ in them think much on them and turn them into Prayers this it may bee will bee meant by the hiding the treasure Mat. 13.44 45. 7 Bee perswaded that the Promise carrieth Christ when the Spirit of God spreads it and applies it and works with it in the publick Ministry Rom. 10.17 2 Cor. 3.18 Otherwise it may bee said why may I not bee contented with reading at home but know that the Ministry is the Ministry of the Spirit and the Spirit works in it Hence Ministers are said to justify their hearers Dan. 12.3 Quest But will any conviction serve to work faith Answ The Spirits conviction goeth farther than any humane Joh. 16.8 10. that will reach to the heart for it is unresistible 1 Thess 1.5 Our Gospel came not unto you in word only c. this Spirit of Illumination is strong for it subdues all and transforms all 2 Cor. 3.18 Oh then bee instant constant and fervent in prayer for this good Spirit of his for it is promised to them that ask it Luk. 11.13 Now to shut up this use for the attaining this pretious grace I shall commend to you the consideration of one place it is of Act. 17.11 12. where it is said The Bereans were more noble or better disposed than they of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so therefore many of them beleeved Where observe how the Bereans attained unto faith 1 They attended carefully on the publick Ministry 2 They did this with all readiness of mind though they being Jews Pauls Doctrin was contrary to them yet they laid aside all prejudice against it and heard with readiness It is a great matter to have a minde to the Gospel this was their better disposition 3 They were not contented with the publike Ministry alone but in private they searched the Scriptures daily they did not onely now and then repeat Sermons but made it their work daily to search the Scriptures and that judiciously and with consideration Neither was it any disparagement to Pauls Ministry to bee tryed by them but an honour to it and credit to bee found to bee exact according to the Scriptures And it is not the least part of Christian Wisdome to be often trying of and setting home upon his heart a profitable truth till hee hath fixed it there and driven the nail to the head 4 It follows many of them beleeved not a few but many and therefore they beleeved God gave this great blessing to their diligent attention and frequent search of the Scripture so that many beleeved both of men and women And sure if any of us do the like wee shall speed as they did It is to perswade and exhort beleevers still to keep on the exercise of faith to maintain this good estate of Justification Exhort 2. To beleevers Faith is of constant use for their continued Justification and the comfort of that estate Gal. 2.16 Even wee have beleeved in Christ Jesus that wee might bee still justified by the faith of Jesus Christ It is observable that is spoken of Abraham Gen. 15.6 that hee beleeved God and it was accounted to him for righteousness though doubtless hee beleeved before upon the calling out of his own Country but at this time hee is said to be justified by faith because the Holy Ghost would give a singular Testimony to his faith at this time for his own and our comfort When God made him a Promise of seed when Abraham and Sarah were both very aged and so an unlikely thing had he not beleeved God who promised Faith therfore justifies at all times it
and disanul in their thoughts and apprehensions the Justice of God as though it were altogether Heterogeneal Heterodox and impertinent to the mystery of the Gospel Now I beseech you that yee would bee convinced of this whatsoever yee forget that there is more of the justice of God declared and demonstrated in the Gospel and Gospel mysteries thereof than there is in the Law I might tell you of those dreadful Threatnings against them that sin against the Gospel See Heb. 2.2 3. Heb. 10.26 27. Heb. 12.25 where there is a far heavier punishment denounced against the Gospel sins and sinners than there ever was against the transgressions or transgressors of the Law and if wee look into Examples it is true that there were heavy punishments inflicted in the times of the Old Testament as the drowning of the whole World the destruction of Sodome and Jerusalem yea take in the rejection of the evil Angels yet none of all these were comparative to the example in the text and Heb. 1. Christ is set above the Angels and hath a name above every name yet even upon him Divine Justice hath passed never any Justice was like this yet this must go for Gospel-justice yea this is the end of all that grace that the Lord hath shewed in the Gospel and in the death of Christ it is for the demonstration of the Justice of God yea the indispensable Justice of God The Lord would convince all the World in the Tenor of the Gospel how terrible his Justice and his Wrath is That is very remarkable Rom. 1.17 18. That in the Gospel the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith Even since that in the same Gospel The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse and ungodliness of men c. why but was not Gods Wrath revealed in the Old Testament Truely the Text shews that it was never so cleared and demonstrated before Now let mee adde this that the Text holds forth in those words at this time what time was that time but the time of the Gospel whereby the Spirit of God intimates that there would bee mighty need and more than ever in the secure times of the Gospel that the Justice of God should bee manifested now many will think that since the death of Christ nothing but the Grace of God should bee heard of and that it would be accounted Legal Preaching to tell the people of the Justice of God but even at this time behold I say in these wanton times of the Gospel behold that God would have his justice declared more than ever in former times and say not that in the Gospel times this justice as executed onely upon Christ is declared for though that bee true in regard of the members of Christ yet doubtlesse as for others no doubt but the state of Chorazin and Bethsaida Tyre and Sidon is far worse than the state of unbeleevers and impenitent persons in the times of the Old Testament I do willingly receive and imbrace the difference betwixt the Law and Gospel held forth by the Protestant divines that free grace and remission of sins is promised and bestowed in the Gospel upon all beleevers Joh 3.16 which the Law strictly taken mentions not yet the contempt or neglect of this grace being a greater sin than any other must needs bring an heavier weight of justice upon them that are guilty thereof Let all this serve to rectify our judgement concerning the main Scope of the Gospel which is not onely to set forth Gods infinite grace in Christ but also to demonstrate his justice against sin Vse 3. The grounded security of the faithful Instruction It may shew us the impregnable and grounded security of the faithful and the strongest foundation of assurance that I know of in the whole book of God that is in short the infinite love of God in Christ that follows necessarily upon this demonstration of his justice in the death of Christ If that the Lord had forgiven sinners without any more adoe of his meer will and Grace without any price or ransome this easy way of forgiveness prated of by the Socinians and Carnal Gospellers would in no sort have so declared or demonstrated the infinite love of God to the Elect as this doth that when as God the Father without violence and wrong to his just and holy nature I may speak it with reverence could not pardon one sin by his grace yet in his admirable wisdome and grace hee hath been at that cost to give his Sons blood to bee a ransome for sin that justice may have its due course This is the meaning of that vers 24. wee are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ this is admirable grace and free grace indeed All the Angels in Heaven and men on earth may bee astonished at this Oh! how exceeding pretious were our sinful souls to the Lord our God that they should bee valued at such a price by the Lord himself when as the Son of God himself was valued but at thirty peeces of silver by sinful men there was never such a price as this given for any creature besides and never such a love as this that either would or could be at this cost Object It is prophanely and wickedly objected by Hereticks in this case that if Christ dyed for sinners then the Sons love to us far exceeded the Fathers love the Father deals rigorously with sinners but the Son laies down his life for them God the fathers love to the faithful in scripture expressions and divers effects so all the Love is in the Son and not in the father Answ In the general the love of all the Divine persons is infinite and the same and therefore cannot admit degrees let us therefore abhor all such odious comparisons More particularly to root out all such evil surmises see what course the Scripture takes to discover the Fathers love in this whole mystery which is by all means to bee acknowledged and adored 1 There is the Fathers eternal Purpose and Decree to save a certain number of faln man-kinde and to redeem them from destruction which is called his so loving of them Joh. 3.16 2 There is the Fathers love in sending of his Son to take flesh upon him 1 Joh. 4.9 10. herein is the love of God manifested that he sent his Son into the World c. 3 There is the Fathers commandement given to his Son to dye for his Elect thus the Son himself acknowledgeth Joh. 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and power to take it up This commandement have I received of my father 4 God the Father therefore loves his Son because hee laid down his life Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life 5 God the Father is pleased to reveal this grace in the Gospel and the ministry thereof 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath