Covenant For it was easier for Man to understand the quality of the punishment that attended sin than to conceive of Celestial Happiness of which he was incapable in his animal state 'T is true God might have bestowed Heaven as an absolute gift upon Man after a course of obedience but 't was not due by the condition of the first Covenant A natural work can give no title to a supernatural reward Mans perseverance in his duty according to the Original Treaty had been attended with Immortal Happiness upon the Earth but the blessed Hope is only promised in the Gospel and unspeakably transcends the felicity of Nature in its consummat state This Reward is answerable to the unvaluable treasure which was laid down for it The Blood of the Son of God as 't is a Ransom to redeem us from misery so 't is a Price to purchase glory for Believers 'T is called the Blood of the New-Testament because it conveys a title to the Heavenly Inheritance Our impunity is the effect of his Satisfaction our positive happiness of his redundant merit God was so well pleased with his perfect Obedience which infinitely surpasses that of any meer creature that he promised to confer upon those who believe in him all the glorious qualities becoming the Sons of God and to make them associates with him in his Eternal Kingdom The compleat happiness of the Redeemed is the Redeemers recompence in which he is fully satisfied for all his sufferings Now the transcendent excellency of this above the first state of Man will more distinctly appear by considering I. The place where 't is enjoyed and that is the Heaven of Heavens Adam was put into the Terrestrial Paradise a place sutable to his natural being and abounding with all pleasing objects but they were such as creatures of a lower kind enjoyed with him But Heaven is the Element of Angels their native seat who are the most noble part of the Creation 'T is the true Palace of God intirely separated from the impurities and imperfections the alterations and changes of the lower World where he reigns in Eternal Peace 'T is the Temple of the Divine Majesty where his exellent Glory is revealed in the most conspicuous manner 'T is the habitation of his holiness the place where his honour dwells 'T is the sacred Mansion of Light and Joy and Glory Paradise with all its pleasures was but a shadow of it II. The Life of Adam was attended with innocent infirmities For the body being composed of the same principles with other sensitive creatures 't was liable to hunger and thirst and weariness and was to be repaired by food and sleep Adam was made a living Soul therefore subject to those inclinations and necessities which are purely animal And although whilst innocent no disease could seize on him yet he was capable of hurtful impressions though he should have been preserved from death yet he was perishable His life was in a perpetual flux 't was Immortal not meerly from the temperament of his Body but to be sustained by the power of God in the use of means From hence it follows that Adam in his natural state was not capable of the vision of God Heaven is too pure an Air for him to have lived in The Glory of it is inconsistent with such a temper'd Body Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven The faculties would be confounded with its overcoming brightness Till the sensitive powers are refin'd and exalted to that degree that they become spiritual they cannot converse with glorified objects Now the bodies of the Saints shall be invested with Celestial qualities The Natural shall be changed into a Spiritual body and be preserved as the Angels by the sole vertue of the quickning Spirit The life above shall flourish in its ful vigour without any other support than the Divine power that first created it And as the body shall be spiritual so truely immortal and free from all corruptive change as the Sun which for so many ages hath shined with an equal brightness to the World and hath a dureable fulness of light in it In this respect the Children of the Resurrection are equal to the Angels who being pure Spirits do not marry to perpetuate their kind for they never die And the glorified body shall be cloathed with a more Divine beauty in the Resurrection than Adam had in the Creation The glory of the second Temple shall excel that of the first In short the first Man was of the Earth earthy and could derive but an earthy condition to his descendents But the Lord Christ is from Heaven and is the principle of an Heavenly and Glorious life to all that are united to him III. The felicity of Heaven exceeds the first in the manner and degrees of the fruition and the continuance of it 1. The Vision of God in Heaven is immediate Adam was a spectator of God's Works and his understanding being full of Light he clearly discover'd the Divine Attributes in their effects The stroaks of the Creators Hand are engraven in all the parts of the Universe The Heavens and Earth and all things in them are evident testimonies of the excellency of their Author The invisible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen And the knowledg that shined in his soul produced a transcendent esteem of the Deity in whom Wisdom and Power are united in their supreme degree and a superlative love and delight in him for his goodness Yet his sight of God was but through a Glass an eclipsing medium For inferior beings are so imperfect that they can give but a weak resemblance of his infinite perfections But the sight of God in Heaven is called the seeing of him as he is and signifies the most clear and compleat knowledge which the rational soul when purified and raised to its most perfect state can receive and out-shines all the discoveries of God in the lower World Adam had a visible copy of his invisible beauty but the Saints in Heaven see the glorious Original He saw God in the reflection of the Creature but the Saints are under the direct beams of Glory and see him face to face All the Attributes appear in their full and brightest lustre to them Wisdom Love Justice Holiness Power are manifested in their exaltation And the glorified Soul to qualify it for converse with God in this intimate manner hath a more excellent constitution then was given to it in the Creation A new edge is put upon the faculties whereby they are fitted for those objects which are peculiar to Heaven The intellectual eye is fortified for the immediate intuition of God Adam in Paradise was absent from the Lord in comparison of the Saints who encompass his Throne are in the presence of his Glory Besides 'T is the peculiar excellency of the Heavenly Life that the Saints every moment enjoy it without
makes us guilty of his Death And when he shall come in his Glory and be visible to all that Pierced Him what Vengence will be the portion of those who despised the Majesty of his Person the mystery of his Compassions and Sufferings Those that lived and dyed in the darkness of Heathenism shall have a cooler Climate in Hell then those who neglect the great Salvation CHAP. XII Divine Justice concurs with Mercy in the work of our Redemption The Reasons why we are Redeemed by the Satisfaction of Justice are specified to declare Gods hatred of Sin to vindicate the honour of the Law to prevent the secure commission of Sin These Ends are obtained in the Death of Christ. The reality of the Satisfaction made to Divine Justice considered The requisites in order to it The appointment of God who in this transaction is to be considered not as a Judg that is Minister of the Law but as Governour His right of Jurisdiction to relax the Law as to the execution of it His Will declared to accept of the compensation made The consent of our Redeemer was necessary He must be perfectly Holy He must be God and Man THe Deity in it self is Simple and Pure without mixture or variety The Scripture ascribes Attributes to God for our clearer understanding And those as essential in Him are simply one They are distinguish'd only with respect to the diverse objects on which they are terminated and the different effects that proceed from them The two great Attributes which are exercised towards reasonable Creatures in their lapsed state are Mercy and Justice these admirably concur in the work of our Redemption Although God spared guilty Man for the honour of his Mercy yet He spared not his own Son who became a Surety for the offender but delivered Him up to a cruel Death for the glory of his Justice For the clearer understanding of this three things are to be considered 1. The Reasons why we are redeemed by the Satisfaction of Justice 2. The Reality of the Satisfaction made by our Redeemer 3. The compleatness and perfection of it Concerning the first there are three different Opinions among those who acknowledge the reality of Satisfaction 1. That 't is not possible that Sin should be pardoned without Satisfaction For Justice being a natural and necessary excellency in God hath an unchangable respect to the qualities which are in the Creatures That as the Divine Goodness is necessarily exercised towards a Creature perfectly holy so Justice is in punishing the guilty unless a Satisfaction intervene And if it be not possible considering the perfection of the Deity that Holiness should be unrewarded far less can it be that Sin should be unpunisht since the exercise of Justice upon which Punishment depends is more necessary than that of Goodness which is the cause of Remuneration For the Rewards which Bounty dispenses are pure Favours whereas the Punishments which Justice inflicts are due In short Since Justice is a Perfection 't is in God in a supreme degree and being infinite 't is inflexible This Opinion is asserted by several Divines of eminent Learning The Second Opinion is That God by his Absolute Dominion and Prerogative might have releas'd the Sinner from Punishment without any Satisfaction For as by his Sovereignty He transfer'd the Punishment from the guilty to the innocent so He might have forgiven Sin if no Redeemer had interposed From hence it follows that the Death of Christ for the Expiation of Sin was necessary only with respect to the Divine Decree 3. The Third Opinion is That considering God in this transaction as qualified with the Office of Supreme Judg and Governor of the World who hath given just Laws to direct his Creatures in their Obedience and to be the rule of his proceedings with them as to Rewards and Punishments He hath so far restrain'd the exercise of his Power that upon the breach of the Law either it must be executed upon the Sinner or if extraordinarily dispenst with it must be upon such terms as may secure the Ends of Government and those are His own Honour and publick Order and the Benefit of those that are governed And upon these accounts 't was requisite supposing the merciful design of God to pardon Sin that his Righteousness should be declared in the Sufferings of Christ. I will distinctly open this In the Law the Sovereignty and Holiness of God eminently appear And there are two things in all Sins which expose the Offender justly to Punishment 1. A Contempt of God's Sovereignty and in that respect there is a kind of equality between them He that offends in one is guilty of all they being ratified by the same Authority And from hence 't is that Guilt is the natural Passion of Sin that alwaies adheres to it For as God hath a Judicial Power to inflict Punishment upon the Disobedient by vertue of his Soveraignty so the desert of Punishment arises from the despising it in the violation of his Commands 2. In every Sin there is a contrariety to Gods Holiness And in this the natural turpitude of Sin consists which is receptive of degrees From hence arises Gods hatred of Sin which is as essential as his Love to Himself the infinite Purity and Rectitude of his Nature infers the most perfect abhorrence of whatever is opposite to it The righteous Lord loves righteousness but the wicked his soul hates Now the Justice of God is founded in his Sovereignty and his Holiness and the reason why 't is exercised against Sin is not an arbitrary Constitution but his Holy Nature to which Sin is repugnant These things being premised it follows That God in the relation of a Governor is Protector of those Sacred Laws which are to direct the Reasonable Creature And as 't was most reasonable that in the first giving the Law He should lay the strongest restraint upon Man for preventing Sin by the threatning of Death the greatest evil in it self and in the estimation of Mankind so 't is most congruous to Reason when the command was broke by Mans Rebellion that the Penalty should be inflicted either on his Person according to the immediate intent of the Law or something equivalent should be done that the Majesty and Purity of God might appear in his Justice and there might be a visible discovery of the value He puts on Obedience The life of the Law depends upon the execution of it for impunity extenuates Sin in the account of Men and incourages to the free commission of it If Pardon be easily obtained Sin wil be easily committed The first temptation was prevalent by this perswasion that no punishment would follow Besides if upon the bold violation of the Law no punishment were inflicted not only the glory of God's Holiness would be obscured as if He did not love Righteousness and hate Sin but suffered the contempt of the one and the commission of the other without controul but it
in this oeconomy of our Mediator his Humiliation was the cause of his Exaltation upon a double account 1. As the Death of Christ was an expression of such humility such admirable Obedience to God such Divine Love to Men that it was perfectly pleasing to his Father and his Power being equal to his Love he infinitely rewarded it 2. The Death of Christ was for Satisfaction to Justice and when he had done that Work he was to enter into rest It behoved Christ to Suffer and enter into Glory 'T is true Divine Honour was due to him upon another title as the Son of God but the receiving of it was deferr'd by dispensation for a time First He must redeem us and then Reign The Scripture is very clear in referring his actual possession of Glory as the just consequent to his compleat expiation of sin When by himself He had purged our sins He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high And after he had made one Sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God And not only the Will of the Father but the nature of the thing it self required this way of proceeding For Jesus Christ by voluntary susception undertaking to satisfie the Law for us as he was obliged to suffer what was necessary in order to our Redemption so 't was reasonable after Justice was satisfied that the humane nature should be freed from its infirmities and the Glory of his Divine be so conspicuous that every tongue should confess that Jesus who was despised on Earth is supreme Lord The Apostle sums up all together in that triumphant challeng Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect 'T is God that justifies who is he that condemneth 'T is Christ that died yea rather is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us 3. The excellent benefits which God reconciled bestows upon us are the effects and evidences of the compleatness of Christs Satisfaction And these are pardon of Sin Grace and Glory The Apostle tells us that the Law made nothing perfect all its Sacrifices and Ceremonies could not expiate the guilt nor cleanse the stain of sin nor open Heaven for us which three are requisit to our perfection But Christ by one Offering hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified By him we obtain full Justification Renovation and Communion with God therefore his Sacrifice the Meritorious cause of procuring them must be perfect 1. Our Justification is the effect of his Death for the obligation of the Law is made void by it God forgives us our Trespasses blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross. The terms are used that are proper to the cancelling a civil Bond. The killing letter of the Law is abolisht by the Blood of the Cross the Nails and the Spear have rent it in pieces to signifie that its condemning power is taken away Now the infinite vertue of his Death in taking away the guilt of sin will more fully appear if we consider 1. That it hath procured Pardon for sins committed in all ages of the World Without the intervention of a Sacrifice God would not Pardon and the most costly that were offered up by sinners were of no value to make compensation to Justice but the Blood of Christ was the only propitiation for sins committed before his comming The Apostle tells us He was not obliged to offer himself often as the High-Priest entered into the Holy place every year with the Blood of others but now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself The direct sense of the Words is that the virtue of his Sacrifice extended it self to all times for otherwise in regard Men have always needed propitiation He must have Suffered often since the Creation of the World And if it be askt how His Death had a saving influence before He actually Suffered the answer is clear We must consider the Death of Christ not as a Natural but Moral cause 't is not as a Medicine that heals but as a Ransom that frees a Captive Natural Causes operate nothing before their real existence but 't is not necessary that moral Causes should have an actual being 't is sufficient that they shall be and that the person with whom they are effectual accept the Promise As a Captive is releast upon assurance given that he will send his ransom though 't is not actually deposited Thus the death of Christ was available to purchase pardon for Believers before his coming for he interposed as their Surety and God to whom all things are present knew the accomplishment of it in the appointed time He is therefore call'd the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world not only in respect of God's Decree but his Efficacy The salvation we derive from him was ever in him He appeared under the Empire of Augustus and dyed under Tyberius but he was a Redeemer in all ages otherwise the comparison were not just that as by Adam all die so by Christ all are made alive 'T is true under the old Testament they had not a clear knowledg of him yet they enjoyed the benefit of his unvaluable Sufferings For the medium by which the benefits our Redeemer purchased are conveyed to Men is not the exact knowledg of what he did and suffered but sincere Faith in the Promise of God Now the Divine Revelation being the rule and measure of Faith such a degree was sufficient to Salvation as answered the general discovery of Grace Believers depended upon God's goodness to pardon them in such a way as was honourable to his Justice They had some general Knowledge that the Messiah should come and bring Salvation Abraham rejoiced to see the day of Christ Moses valued the Afflictions of Christ more than the Treasures of Aegypt And Believers in general are described to be waiters for the Consolation of Israel In short the Jewish and Christian Church are essentially one they differ no more than the morning and Evening Star which is the same but is diversly called from its appearance before the Sun-rising or after its setting So our Faith respects a Saviour that is past theirs respected Him as to come Besides The saving vertue of his Death as it reaches to all former so to all succeeding Ages He is the same yesterday to day and for ever not only in respect of his Person but his Office The vertue of the Legal Sacrifices expired with the Offering upon a new sin they were repeated Their imperfection is argued from their repetition But the precious Oblation of Christ hath an everlasting efficacy to obtain full Pardon for Believers His Blood is as powerful to propitiate God as if it were this day shed upon the Cross. He is able to save
Imaginations or when looking on Him through the appearing disorders of the World they thought Him unjust and cruel As the most beautiful Face seems deformed and monstrous in a disturbed stream But the most renowned Philosophers dishonoured Him by their base apprehensions For the true Notion of God signifies a Being Infinite Independent the universal Creator who preserves Heaven and Earth the absolute Director of all Events that his Providence takes notice of all Actions that He is a liberal Rewarder of those that seek Him and a just Revenger of those that violate his Laws Now all this was contradicted by them Some asserted the World to be eternal others that Matter was and in that denied Him to be the first Cause of all things Some limited his Being confining Him to one of the Poles of Heaven Others extended it only to the Amplitude of the World The Epicureans totally denied his governing Providence and made Him an idle Spectator of things below They asserted That God was contented with his own Majesty and Glory That whatever was without Him was neither in his thoughts nor care as if to be employed in ordering the various accidents of the world were incompatible with his Blessedness and He needed their Impiety to relieve Him Thus by confining his Power who is Infinite they denied Him in confessing Him Others allowed Him to regard the great affairs of Kingdoms and Nations to manage Crowns and Scepters but to stoop so low as to regard particular things they judged as unbecoming the Divine Nature as for the Sun to descend from Heaven to light a Candle for a Servant in the dark They took the Scepter out of God's hand and set up a foolish and blind Power to dispose of all mutable things Seneca himself represents Fortune as not discerning the worthy from the unworthy and scattering its gifts without respect to Vertue Some made Him a Servant to Nature That he necessarily turn'd the Spheres Others subjected Him to an invincible Destiny that He could not do what He desired Thus the wisest of the Heathens dishonoured the Deity by their false imaginations and instead of representing him with his proper Attributes drew a picture of themselves Besides their impious fancies had a pernicious influence upon the lives of Men especially the denial of his Providence for that took away the strongest restraint of corrupt nature the fear of future Judgment For humane Laws do not punish secret crimes that are innumerable nor all open as those of persons in power which are most hurtful Therefore they are a weak instrument to preserve Innocence and Virtue Only the respect of God to whom every heart is manifest every action a Testimony and every great Person a Subject is of equal force to give check to sin in all in the dakrness of the night and the light of the day in the works of the hand and the thoughts of the heart 2. Philosophy is very defective as to Piety in not injoyning the Love of God The first and great Command in the Law of Nature the order of the Precepts being according to their dignity is Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy Heart Soul and Strength 'T is most reasonable that our Love should first ascend to Him and in its full vigor For our Obligations to him are infinite and all inferior objects are incomparably beneath him Yet Philosophers speak little or nothing of this which is the principal part of natural Religion Aristotle who was so clear-sighted in other things when he discourses of God is not only affectedly obscure to conceal his ignorance as the Fish which troubles the Water for fear of being catcht but 't is on the occasion of speculative Sciences as in his Phisicks when he considers him as the first cause of all the motions in the World or in his Metaphysicks as the supreme Being the knowledg of whom he saith is most noble in it self but of no use to Men. But in his Morals where he had reason to consider the Deity as an object most worthy of our Love Respect and Obedience in an infinite Degree he totally omits such a representation of him although the Love of God is that alone which gives price to all moral Virtues And from hence it is that Philosophy is so defective as to Rules for the preparing Men for an intimate and delightful Communion with God which is the effect of Holy and Perfect Love and the supreme Happiness of the reasonable Nature If in the Platonical Philosophy there are some things directing to it yet they are but frigidly exprest and so obscurely that like Inscriptions in ancient Medals or Marbles which are defac't they are hardly legible This is the singular Character of the Gospel that distinguishes it from all humane Institutions it represents the infinite amiableness of God and his goodness to us to excite our Affections to him in a Superlative manner it commands us to follow him as dear Children and presses us to seek for those Dispositions which may qualifie us for the enjoyment of him in a way of Friendship and Love 3. The best Philosophers laid down this servile and pernicious Maxime That a wise Man should alwayes conform to the Religion of his Country Socrates who acknowledged one Supreme God yet according to the counsel of the Oracle that directed all to Sacrifice according to the Law of the City he advised his Friends to comply with the common Idolatry and those who did otherwise he branded as superstitious and vain And his practice was accordingly For he frequented the Temples assisted at their Sacrifices which he declares before his Judges to purge himself from the Crime of which he was accused Seneca speaking of the Heathen worship acknowledges 't was unreasonable and only the multitude of fools rendered it excusable yet he would have a Philosopher to conform to those customs in Obedience to the Law not as pleasing to the God's Thus they made Religion a dependance on the State They performed the Rites of heathenish Superstition that were either filthy phantastical or cruel such as the Devil the master of those Ceremonies ordain'd They became less than Men by worshipping the most vile and despicable Creatures and sunk themselves by the most execrable Idolatry beneath the Powers of darkness to whom they offered Sacrifice Now this Philosophical Principle is the most palpable violation of the Law of Nature for that instructs us that God is the only object of Religion and that we are to obey him without exception from any inferior Power Here 't was Conscience to disobey the Law and a most worthy cause wherein they should have manifested that generous contempt of Death they so much boasted of But they detained the truth in unrighteousness and although they knew God they glorified him not as God but chang'd the Glory of the Incorruptible God into an Image made like to a corruptible Man and to Birds and Beasts and creeping
things A sin of so provoking a nature that God gave them up to the vilest lusts whereby they defiled and debased themselves Carnal impurity being a just punishment of Spiritual 4. They arrogated to themselves the sole praise of their Virtues and Happiness This impiety is most visible in the writings of the Stoicks the Pharises in Philosophy They were so far from depending on God for Light and Grace in the conduct of their Lives from praying to him to make them vertuous that they opposed nothing with more pride and contempt They thought that Wisdom would loose its value and lustre that nothing were in it worthy of admiration if it came from above and depended upon the Grace of another They acknowledged that the natural Life that Riches Honours and other inferiour things common to the worst were the gifts of God but asserted that Wisdom and Vertue the special perfection of the Humane Nature were the effects of their own industry Impious folly to believe that we owe the greatest benefits to our selves and the lesser only to God Thus they robb'd him of the Honour of his most precious Gifts So strongly did the poison of the old Serpent breathed forth in those words Ye shall be as God that infected the first Man still work in his Posterity Were they Angels in perfection yet the proud reflecting on their excellencies would instantly turn them into Devils And as they boasted of vertue so of happiness as intirely depending upon themselves They ascribe to their Wise-man an absolute Empire over all things they raise him above the Clouds what ever may disquiet or disorder they exempt him from all Passions and make him ever equal to himself that he is never surprised with accidents that 't is not in the power of pains or troubles to draw a sigh or tear from him that he despises all that the World can give or take and is contented with pure and naked Vertue in short they put the Crown upon his Head by attributing all to the power of his own Spirit Thus they contradicted the Rites of Heaven Their impiety was so bold that they put no difference between God and their wise person but this that God was an immortal Wise-Person and a wise Man was a mortal God Nay that he had this advantage since 't is great art to comprize many things in a little space to enjoy as much happiness in an age as Jupiter in his eternity And which is the highest excess of Pride and Blasphemy they prefer'd the wretched imperfect vertue and happiness of their Wise-Man before the Infinite and unchangeable Purity and Felicity of God himself For God they said is wise happy by the priviledg of his Nature where as a Philosopher is so by the discourse of Reason and the choice of his will notwithstanding the resistance of his Passions and the difficulties he encounters in the World Thus to raise themselves above the Throne of God since the rebellious Angels none have ever attempted besides the Stoicks 'T is no wonder that they were the most early opposers of the Gospel for how could they acknowledg God in his state of abasement and humility who exalted their Verutous Man above him in his Majesty and Glory Yet this is the Sect that was most renowned among the Heathens 5. Philosophy is very defective in not propounding the Glory of God as the end to which all our actions should finally refer This should have the first and chief place in that Practical Science For every Action receiving its specification and value from its End that which is the Supreme and common to all Actions must be fixt before we come to the particular and subordinate and that is the Glory of God Now the design of Philosophers in their Precepts was either First To use Vertue as the means to obtain Reputation and Honour in the World This was evident in their Books and Actions They were sick of self-love and did many things to satisfie the Eye They led their lives as in a Scene where one person is within and another is represented without by an Artificial imitation of what is true They were swell'd with presumption having little merit and a great deal of vanity Now this respect to the Opinion of others corrupts the intention and vitiates the action 'T is not sincere Vertue but a superficial appearance that is regarded For 't is sufficient to that purpose to seem to be vertuous without being so As a proud person would rather wear counterfeit Pearls that are esteemed right then right which are esteemed counterfeit So one that is vain-glorious prefers the reputation of being vertuous before real Vertue From hence we may discover that many of their most specious Actions were disguised Sins their Vertues were false as their Deities Upon this account St. Austin condemns the Heroical Actions of the Romans as vicious Virtute civili non vera sed veri simili humanae gloriae servierunt Pride had a principal part in them Or secondly The end of Philosophy was to prevent the mischiefs which licentiousness and disorders might bring upon men from without or to preserve inward peace by suppressing the turbulent passions arising from Lust or Rage that discompose the mind This was the pretended design of Epicurus to whom Vertue was amiable only as the Instrument of pleasure Or thirdly The heighth of Philosophy was to propound the beauty of Vertue and its charming Aspect as the most worthy Motive to draw the Affections Now supposing that some of the Heathens although very few by discovering the internal beauty of Vertue had a love to it and perform'd some things without any private respect but for the rectitude of the action and the inward satisfaction that springs from it yet they were still defective For Vertue is but a ray of the Deity and our duty is not compleat unless it be referred to his Glory who is the principle and patern of it In short the great Creator made Man for himself and 't is most just that as his Favour is our sovereign happiness so his Glory should be our supreme end without which nothing is regular and truly beautiful By these several instances it appears how insufficient Philosophy is to direct us in our principal duty that respects God 2. Philosophy was defective in its directions about moral duties that respect our selves or others 1. Philosophers were not sensible of the first inclinations to sin They allow the disorder of the sensitive appetite as innocent till it passes to the supreme part of the Soul and induces it to deliberate or resolve upon moral actions For they were ignorant of that Original and intimate pollution that cleaves to the humane nature and because our faculties are natural they thought the first motions to forbidden objects that are universal in the best as well as worst to be the necessity of Nature rather then the effect of Corruption
Accordingly all their Precepts reach no farther than the Counsels of the Heart But the desires and motions of the lower faculties though very culpable are left by them indifferent So that 't is evident that many defilements and stains are in their purgative vertues 2. The Stoicks not being able to reconcile the passions with reason wholly renounced them Their Philosophy is like the River in Thrace Quod potum saxea reddit Viscera quod tactis inducit marmora rebus For by a fiction of fancy they turn their vertuous Person into a Statue that feels neither the inclinations of Love nor aversions of hatred that is not toucht with Joy or Sorrow that is exempt from Fears and Hopes The tender and melting affections of nature towards the misery of others they intirely extinguish as unbecoming perfect Vertue They attribute Wisdom to none but whom they rob of Humanity Now as 't is the ordinary effect of folly to run into one extreme by avoiding another so 't is most visibly here For the Affections are not like poisonous plants to be eradicated but as wild to be cultivated They were at first set in the fresh soil of Mans nature by the hand of God And the Scripture describes the Divine perfections and the actions proceeding from them by terms borrowed from humane affections which proves them to be innocent in their own nature Plutarch observes when Lycurgus commanded to cut up all the Vines in Sparta to prevent Drunkenness he should rather have made Fountains by them to allay the heat of the Wines and make them beneficial So true Wisdom prescribes how to moderate and temper the affections not to destroy them 'T is true they are now sinfully inclin'd yet being removed from Carnal to Spiritual objects they are excellently serviceable As Reason is to guide the Affections so they are to excite Reason whose operations would be languid without them The natures that are purely spiritual as the Angels have an understanding so clear as suddenly to discover in objects their qualiteis and to feel their efficacy but Man is compounded of two natures and the matter of his body obscures the light of his mind that he cannot make such a full discovery of good or evil at the first view as may be requisite to quicken his pursuit of the one and flight from the other Now the Affections awaken the vigour of the Mind to make an earnest application to its object They are as the Winds which although sometimes tempestuous yet are necessary to convey the Ship to the Port. So that 't is contumelious to the Creator and injurious to the humane nature to take them away as absolutely vicious The Lord Jesus who was pure and perfect exprest all humane affections according to the quality of the objects presented to him And his Law requires us not to mortifie but to purify consecrate and employ them for spiritual and honourable uses 4. Philosophy is ineffectual by all its Rules to form the Soul to true Patience and Contentment under sufferings Now considering the variety and greatness of the changes and calamitys to which the present life is obnoxious there is no Vertue more necessary And if we look into the World before Christianity had reform'd the thoughts and language of Men we shall discover their miserable errours upon the account of the seeming confusion in humane affairs the unequal distribution of temporal good and evils here below If the Heathens saw Injustice triumph over Innocence and crimes worthy of the severest punishment crown'd with Prosperity if a young man dyed who in their esteem deserved to live for ever and a vicious person lived an age who was unworthy to be born they complained that the World was not governed according to Righteousness but rash fortune or blind fate ruled all As the Pharisee in the Gospel seeing the Woman that had been a notorious sinner so kindly received by Christ said within himself If this Man were a Prophet he would know who it is that touches him So they concluded if there were a Providence that did see and take care of sublunary things that did not only permit but dispose of all affairs it would make a visible distinction between the Vertuous and the Wicked 'T is true God did not to leave the Gentiles without a witness of himself for sometimes the reasons of his Providence in the great changes of the World were so conspicuous that they might discover an eye in the Scepter that his Government was managed with infinite Wisdom Other Providences were vail'd and mysterious and the sight of those that were clear should have induc'd them to believe the Justice and Wisdom of those they could not comprehend As Socrates having read a Book of Heraclitus a great Philosopher but studiously obscure and his Judgment being demanded concerning it reply'd that what he understood was very rational and he thought what he did not understand was so But they did not wisely consider things The present sense of troubles tempted them either to deny Providence or accuse it Every day some unhappy wretch or other reproacht their Gods for the disasters he suffered Now the end of Philosophy was to redress these evils to make an afflicted to be a contented state The Philosophers speak much of the Power of their Precepts to establish the Soul in the instability of worldly things to put it into an impregnable fortress by its situation above the most terrible accidents They boasted in a Poetical bravery of their Victories over Fortune that they despised its flattery in a calm and its fury in a storm and in every place erect Trophies to Vertue triumphing over it These are great words and sound high but are empty of substance and reality Upon tryal we shall find that all their Armour though polish't and shining yet is not of proof against sharp Afflictions The Arguments they used for comfort are taken 1. From necessity that we are born to Sufferings the Laws of humanity which are unchangeble subject us to them But this consideration is not only ineffectual to cause true contentment but produces the contrary effect As the strength of Egypt is decribed to be like a reed that will pierce the hand instead of suporting it For our desires after freedom from miseries are inviolable so that every evil the more fatal and inevitable 't is the more it afflicts us If there be no way of escape the Spirit is overcome by impatience or dispair 2. From reflexion upon the miseries that befal others But this kind of consolation is vicious in its cause proceeding from secret envy and uncharitableness There is little difference between him that regards anothers misery to lessen his own and those who take pleasure in other afflictions And it administers no real comfort If a thousand drink of the waters of Marah they are not less bitter 3. Others sought for ease under sufferings by remembering the pleasures that were formerly enjoyed But
are more then Conquerours through Christ that loves them They are always in an ascendent State and believing rejoyce with an unspeakable and glorified Joy Death it self is not only disarmed but made subservient to their everlasting good Briefly Christian Patience endures all things as well as Charity because it expects a blessed issue It draws from present miseries the assurance of future Happinss A Believer while he possesses nothing but the Cross sees by Faith the Crown of the Eternal Kingdom hanging over his head and the lively hope of it makes him not only patient but thankful and joyful This sweetens the loss of all temporal goods and the presence of all temporal evils St. Paul in his Chains was infinitely more contented than Caesar or Seneca than all the Princes and Philosophers in the World I will conclude this Argument by a short reflection on the immoral maxims of several Sects of Philosophers The Cynicks assert that all natural actions may be done in the face of the Sun that 't is worthy of a Philosopher to do those things in the presence of all which would make impudence it self to blush A maxime contrary to all the rules of decency and corruptive of good manners For as the despising of Vertue produces the slighting of reputation So the contempt of reputation causes the neglect of Vertue Yet the Stoicks with all their gravity were not far from this advice Besides among other unreasonable Paradoxes they assert all sins are equal that the killing a Bird is of the same guilt with the murdering a Parent a Principle that breaks the restraints of fear and shame and opens a passage to all licentiousness They commended Self-Murder in several cases which unnatural fury is culpable in many respects of rebellion against God injustice to others and cruelty to ones self Zeno the founder of that Sect practised his own Doctrine For falling to the ground he interpreted it to be a Summons to appear in another World and strangled himself Aristotle allows the appetite of revenging injuries to be as natural as the inclination to gratitude judging according to the common rule that one contrary is the measure of another Nay he condemns the putting up an injury as degenerous and servile He makes indignation at the prosperity of unworthy Men a Vertue and to prove it tells us the Grecians attributed it to their Gods as a passion becoming the excellency of their natures But if we consider the Supreme Disposer of all things may do what he pleases with his own that he is infinitely Wise and in the next World will dispense Eternal recompences there is not the least cause of irritation for that seeming disorder He also allows pride to be a noble temper that proceeds from a sublime Spirit He represents his Hero by this among other characters that he is displeased with those who mention to him the benefits he hath received which make him inferiour to those that gave them as if humility and gratitude were qualities contrary to magnaminity He condemns Envy as a vice that would bring down others to our meanness but commends Emulation which urges to ascend to the height of them that are above us But this is no real Vertue for it doth not excite us by the worth of moral good but from the vain desire of equality or preheminence And Plato himself though stiled Divine yet delivers many things that are destructive of moral honesty He dissolves the most sacred band of humane society ordaining in his Common-wealth a Community of Wives He allows an honest man to lie in some occasions whereas the rule is Eternal We must not do evil that good may come thereby In short a considering Eye will discover many spots as well as beauties in their most admired institutions They commend those things as Virtues which are Vices and leave out those Vertues which are necessary for the perfection of our nature and the Vertues they commend are defective in those qualities that are requisit to make them sincere If Philosophy were Incarnate and had exprest the Purity and Efficacy of all its Precepts in real actions yet it had abundantly fallen short of that Supernatural Angelical Divine Holiness which the Gospel requires Till the Wisdom of God remov'd his Chair from Heaven to Earth to instruct the World not only the depravation of the lower faculties but the darkness of the humane understanding hindred Men from performing their universal duty The Gospel alone brings light to the Mind Peace to the Conscience Purity to the Affections and rectitude to the Life CHAP. XVIII Examples have a special Efficacy above Precepts to form us to Holiness The Example of Christ is most proper to that end being absolutely perfect and accommodate to our present state Some Vertues are necessary to our condition as Creatures or to our condition in the world of which the Deity is uncapable and these eminently appear in the Life of Christ. They are Humility Obedience and Love in suffering for us His Life contains all our Duties or Motives to perform them Jesus Christ purchased the Spirit of Holiness by his sufferings and confers it since his Exaltation The Sanctifying Spirit is the only Concomitant of Evangelical Mercy The Declaration of the Law on Mount Sinai was not accompanied with the renewing Efficacy of the Spirit nor the natural Discovery of the Divine Goodness in the Works of Creation Providence The lower Operations of the Spirit were only in the Heathens The Philosophical change differs from the Spiritual and Divine Socrates and Seneca consider'd Our Saviour presents the strongest Inducements to perswade us to be holy They are proper to work upon Fear Hope and Love The greatness of those Objects and their Truth are clearly manifested in the Gospel THe Second Means by which our Redeemer restores us to Holiness is by exhibiting a compleat Pattern of it in his Life upon Earth For the discovery how influential this is upon us we must consider That in all the most noble works the principal Cause is an exact Idea in the mind of the Agent and Examples are the same He that desires to excel in Painting or Sculpture must view the most accomplisht Pieces of those Arts. Thus in Morality the consideration of Eminent Actions performed by others is of admirable efficacy to raise us to perfection That Examples have a peculiar Power above the naked Precept to dispose us to the practice of Holiness appears by considering 1. That they most clearly express to us the Nature of our Duties in their Subjects and sensible Effects General Precepts form abstract Idea's of Vertue but in Examples Vertues are made visible in all their Circumstances 2. Precepts instruct us what things are our Duty but Examples assure us that they are possible They resemble a clear Stream wherein we may not only discover our Spots but wash them off When we see Men like our selves who are united to frail flesh and in the
Him in the admirable Oeconomy of our Redemption 'T is not upon the account of his essential and eternal Purity which is common to all the Persons but in regard of his Office to infuse Holiness into the depraved Soul and renew the Divine Image that he is so call'd Now Jesus Christ purchased the Spirit by his Humiliation and Sufferings and conveys Him to us in his Exaltation and Glory 1. He purchas'd the Spirit by his Sufferings For since Man fell from his original Innocence he is justly depriv'd of special Grace that is necessary to heal and recover him And till by a perfect Sacrifice Divine Justice was appeased that had shut the Treasury of Heaven and the Forfeiture taken off he could not obtain the eternal Riches God must be reconciled before He will bestow the Holy Spirit a Gift so great and so precious the earnest of his peculiar Love and special Favour to us Therefore our Saviour tells his Disciples who were extremely afflicted for his departure from them That it was expedient he should go away for otherwise the Spirit would not come whose Office was to convince and convert the World The departure of Christ implied his Death and Ascension both which were requisite in order to the sending of Him If the Blood of Christ had not been shed on the Cross the Spirit had not been poured forth from Heaven The effusion of the one was the cause of the effusion of the other The Rock that refreshed the Israelites in the Desert did not powre forth its miraculous waters till it was struck by the Rod of Moses to instruct us That Christ our Spiritual Rock must be struck with the Curse of the Law the mystical Rod of Moses to communicate the Waters of Life to us that is the Spirit who is represented in Scripture under that element 2. Our Redeemer confers the Spirit after his glorious Exaltation When he ascended on high he led Captivity captive and gave gifts unto men After his triumph over Principalities and Powers He dispenc'd his Bounty in this rich Donative For the Holy Spirit was first given to Christ as the reward of his excellent Obedience in dying that was infinitely pleasing to God to be communicated from him to Men. And he received the Spirit in the quality of Mediator upon his entrance into Heaven The Psalmist declares this Prophetically Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for Men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them He acquired a right to those Treasures by dying but he takes possession of them after his Ascension Now He is Crown'd He holds forth the Scepter of his Royalty Therefore 't is said that when Christ was upon the Earth the Holy Spirit was not given because Jesus was not Glorified If it be objected that Believers before the Ascension of Christ were partakers of the Spirit the answer is clear 1. It was upon Christ's interposing in the beginning as Mediator and with respect to his future Death and Ascension that the Spirit was given to them 2. The degrees of communicating the Spirit before and after the Ascension of Christ are very different whether we consider the gifts of the Spirit those extraordinary abilities with which the Apostles were endued or the fruits of the Spirit the Sanctifying Graces that are bestowed on Believers the measure of them far exceeds what-ever was conveyed before The Spirit Descended as in a dew upon the Jewish Nation but 't is now powred forth in showers upon all flesh Now in the stile of Scripture things are said to be when apparently and eminently they discover their being So that comparatively to the Power and Virtue of the Spirit discovered in the Church since the Glorification of Christ he was not given before All the former manifestations are obscured by the excess and excellency of the later And not only the Decree of God which is sufficient to connect those things that have no natural dependence but there are special reasons for the order of this Dispensation for the great end of the Spirit 's coming was to reveal fully to the World the way of Salvation to discover the unsearchable riches of Grace to assure Men of happiness after this Life that they might be reduced from a state of Rebellion to Obedience and their affections be refined and purified from all Earthliness and made Angelical and Heavenly Now the Principal demonstrations which he used to perswade Men of these things are the Death and Resurrection of Christ without which these Mysteries had been under a cloud That the Instruction therefore of the Spirit might be clear and effectual it was necessary Christ should Suffer and enter into Heaven and accomplish those things he was to teach And from hence we may observe that the Sanctifying Grace of the Spirit is only the concomitant of the Evangelical Mercy The Gospel and the Spirit are the Wings by which the Sun of Righteousness brings healing and life to the World The declaration of the Law from Mount Sinai was Divine but not accompanied with the efficacy of Grace Therefore 't is called the ministration of Death It conveyed no Spiritual strength as delivered by the hands of Moses considering him precisely in the quality of the legal Mediator but threatned a Curse to the breakers of it All the promises of Mercy scattered in the Books of Moses belong to the Covenant of Grace The Gospel is called the Law of the Spirit of Life and the Ministration of the Spirit that is the Spirit of Holiness and Comfort from whom true and Eternal Life proceeds 〈◊〉 is solely communicated by it The discovery of the Divine Goodness in the Works of Creation and Providence is natural and without the renewing power of the Spirit There is a correspondence between the external Revelation of Mercy and the internal Grace of the Spirit in their Original as the one is supernatural so is the other Not but that the Heathens had some fainter beams of the Sun of Righteousness for he inlightens every man that comes into the World and some lower operations of the Spirit whereby they were reduced from Intemperance Incontinency and other gross Vices to the practice of several Vertues that respect the Civil Life And of this we have an eminent instance recorded by Diogenes Laertius That Polemo half-drunk crown'd with Roses and in the dress of a Harlot rather than of a Man coming into the School of the severe Zenocrates hearing him discourse of Temperance as by a Charm was so perfectly changed that casting away the Garland from his Head and the lascivious Ornaments that were about him and which was more considerable his vicious Habits from his Soul he that entered in a Reveller come forth a Philosopher so corrected and composed in his manners that he was called the Dorick tone which of all others was the most solemn and majestical in the Musick of
grave and vertuous among them censur'd the Martyrs as fool-hardy in their generous Sufferings for the Name of Jesus Christ. Antoninus accused the Christians of obstinacy in their readiness to endure Torments Arrianus represents their Courage as proceeding from a customary contempt of Death which he opposes to Judgment and Reason Crescens the Stoick was the Persecutor of Justin Martyr In all Ages the Gospel felt the sharp points of their malicious Wits They despised it as an ill-contrived Fable as the entertainment of small Understandings And Faith as the presidium of the weak and illiterate who were incapable of consideration Now when those who were in highest reputation for their Morality and Learning discountenanced Christianity it was a strong Argument to move the vulgar Heathens to judg of it as a meer delusion In our Saviours time 't was urged as a sufficient reason against the receiving of Him as sent from God Because none of the Pharisees the most learned and most likely to understand the Prophecies concerning the Messiah believed on him 2. The Heathen Priests vehemently obstructed the reception of the Gospel for their Interest was specially concern'd upon the account of their reputation and gain With great Art they had kept the People in Ignorance for a long time They perswaded them that their Idolatrous Ceremonies made the gods favourable and were the supreme Causes of their Prosperity From this Fountain all Superstition was deriv'd Now if the Doctrine of Christ that strictly forbids the Worship of Idols were received who would attend to their old Lies Who would purchase their deceitful Promises Who would maintain them with prodigal Donatives Who would esteem them divine Men They must lose their honour and support and for their Fables be the scorn of the Multitude 'T is no wonder then that their Passions should be edged and their Endeavours furious in opposing the Truâ—h And since the People had a reverend regard for their Office they readily joyned with them in their opposition 3. Princes who were ador'd by the People thought themselves obliged to prevent the introduction of a new Religion lest their Empire should be in hazard or the Majesty and Greatness of it lessen'd For Religion being the true Foundation of publick Peace every change in it is suspected as dangerous and likely to bring some eminent alteration in the State St. Paul was accused for teaching Customs which were not lawful for them to observe being Romans And in after-times Christians were condemn'd as seditious and mutinous and their Assembly as riotous unlawful And 't is observable that there never was a less favourable constitution of time than when the Gospel was first preacht For Tiberius was extreamly cruel and extreamly jealous of all novelty that might disturb his repose And Nero the bloodiest Tyrant that ever sat on the Roman Throne endeavour'd to strangle Christianity in the Cradle Besides the Doctrine of Christ was not only new and strange but severe for it gives no dispensation for Persons of the highest rank from universal duty 'T is the Law of God to whom all are equally subject and must be equally obedient It gives rules without exception to the Court as well as the Cottage to those cloth'd in Purple and those in Sack-cloth it condemns the greatest for Delinquents and guilty of Eternal Death if they do not abandon those pleasures to which corrupt Nature and many strong Temptations violently incline them Now the Heathen Princes who were prosperous and vicious could not relish a Doctrine that retrencht their exorbitant desires strictly forbade their unconfin'd enjoyment of sensual delights which they esteem'd the Prerogative annext to their supream dignity From what hath been discours'd we may judge how great resistance the Gospel met with in its first publication For all things that can make an enterprâ—se impossible were united together against it Wisdom and Power the pleasures of Sin and zeal for Religion the understandings and wills of Men the Learned and Ignorant Magistrates and People Men and Devils joyn'd to suppress it Hell was in a Commotion and the Prince of Darkness in Arms not to suffer the Crowns of so many Kingdoms to fall from his Head which for so many ages he had kept He was enrag'd to lose the Homage and service especially of the more knowing Nations as the Graecians and Romans who by how much the more capable of truth with so much the more art to the dishonour of God for a long time had been kept under his Deceit 2. If we consider the means by which the Gospel was conveyed it will be more evident that Omnipotence alone made it succesful When Christ came from Heaven to convert the World it had been according to the Law of reason more suitable to his purpose to have been born at Rome the seat of the Empire wherein the confluence of all Nations met than in an obscure corner So when the Apostles were first sent forth to propagate the Gospel humane prudence would judge that they should have been assisted either with Authority and Power or with Learning and eloquence to compel or perswade to a submission to it But if there had been any proportion between the quality of the instruments and the effects produced the Gospel had been esteem'd a Doctrine purely Humane The immediate Agents had been intituled to all the honour by the suffrage of the senses and their proper sufficiency would have obscur'd the Vertue of Christ that wrought in them Therefore God chose the weak things of the World to confound the mighty and base things of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen Yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that his Glorious Power may be fully manifested The persons employed were a few fishermen with a Publican and a Tent-maker without Authority and Power to force Men to obedience and without the charms of Eloquence to insinuate the belief of the Doctrines they deliver'd 1. They were without Authority and Power Other Religions were established in several Nations by persons of the greatest Eminency and credit among them That of the Persians by Zoroastres that of the Egyptians by Hermes that of the Grecians by Orpheus that of the Romans by Numa all Kings or of great Reputation for their Wisdom and Vertue and they were received without contradiction For being correspondent to the corrupt inclinations of Men it was not strange that the Princes had either capacity to invent them or power to plant them And in later times Mahomet opened a way for his Religion by his sword and advanced it by his Conquest Now 't is no wonder that a Religion so pleasing to the lower appetites that gives licence to all corrupt affections in the present Life and promises a sensual Paradise suitable to beasts in the future should be embrac'd by those who were subject to his arms But the Apostles were meanly born and educated without
credit and reputation destitute of all humane strength and had only a Crucified Person for their leader Christianity was exposed naked in the day of its birth without any shelter from secular Powers 2. They had not the advantage of Art and Eloquence to commend their Religion There is a kind of charm in Rhetorick that makes things appear otherwise than they are the best cause it ruins the worst it confirms Truth though in its self invincible yet by it seems to be overcome and Errour obtains a false triumph We have a visible proof of this in the Writings of Celsus Symmachus Caecilius and others for Paganism against Christianity What a vast difference is there between the lyes and filthiness of the one and the Truth and Sanctity of the other Yet with what admirable address did they manage that Infamous Subject Although it seem'd incapable of any defence yet they gave such colours to it by the beauty of their expressions and their apparent reasons that it seem'd plausible and Christianity notwithstanding its brightness and purity was made odious to the people But the Apostles were most of them wholly unlearned St. Paul himself acknowledges that he was weak in presence and his Speech was not with the enticing words of Mans Wisdome A crucified Christ was all their Rhetorick Now these impotent despicable Persons were imployed to subdue the World to the Cross of Christ and in that season when the Roman Empire was at its height when the most rigorous Severities were used against all Innovations when Philosophy and Eloquence were in their flower and Vigour so that Truth unless adorn'd with the dress and artifice of falshood was despis'd and a Message from God himself unless eloquently convey'd had no force to perswade Therefore the Apostles debased themselves in the sense of their own weakness We have this treasure in earthen vessels That the excellency of the power may be of God not of us 'T was from distrust of themselves their true confidence in God proceeded They were onely so far powerful as he enabled them like inâ—â—ruments in which there is not Vertue sufficient for the carving of a Statute if they do not receive it imprest from the Artificer that uses them Briefly as God the Author of Wonders uses that which is weak in Nature to conquer the most rebellious parts of it He makes the weak sand a more powerful bridle to the impetuous Element of Waters than the strongest banks rais'd by the industry of Men and compos'd of the most solid materials so he was pleased by a few artless impotent persons to confound the wisdom and overcome the power of the World 3. The great sudden and lasting Change that was made in the World by the Preaching of the Gospel is a certain Argument of the Divine Power that animated those mean appearances and that no instrument is weak in Gods hands 1. The greatness of the Change is such that it was only possible to Divine Power 'T is a great Miracle to render sight to the Blind but 't is more miraculous to inlighten the Dark mind to see the truth and beauty of Supernatural Mysteries when they are disguis'd under reproach sad representations and effectually to believe them especially when the inferiour appetite is so contrary to Faith 'T is a prodigy to raise the Dead but 't is more admirable to sanctify an habituated sinner For in comparing the quality of those Miracles that is the greatest in the performing whereof God is discover'd to be the absolute Lord of the greater Nature Now the intellectual Nature is superiour to the corporeal Besides there is no contradiction from a Dead body against the Divine Power in raising it on the contrary if any sense were remaining it would ardently desire to be restor'd to the full enjoyment of Life but corrupt Nature is most opposite to renewing Grace Now these marvelous effects were produced by the Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Heathens The glorious light of Truth scattered the thick and terrible darkness of Ignorance and errour that was so universal The Gospel in its power and the quality of its effects was like those words Let there be Light which the Eternal Word pronounced upon the confused Chaos and infused a Soul and Life into the World The clear knowledge of God in his Nature and Glorious Works of Creation and Redemption of the duty of Man of the future state was communicated to the meanest understandings And in proportion to the Light of Faith such was the measure of Piety and Holiness Idolatry that had Number Antiquity Authority of its side was intirely abolisht The false Deities were cast out of the Temple and the Cross of Christ was planted in the Hearts of Men. Accordingly the Apostle tells the Thessalonians For they themselves shew of us what manner of entring in we had unto you and how ye turned to God from Idols to serve the Living and true God and to wait for his Son from Heaven whom he raised from the Dead even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come Innumerable from secret Atheism publick Gentilism were converted to acknowledg and accept of the Redeemer for their Lord. What could produce such a marvelous change in the World but an Almighty power How seemingly impossible was it to bring so many who were proud in their natures perverse in their customs and indubitably assenting to their false Religions from such a distance as the Worship of innumerable Deities to adore a Crucified God 'T was admirable that Alexander broke the Persian Empire with an Army of Thirty Thousand but what is there comparable in that Conquest to the Acts of the Apostles How much less difficult is it for some Nations to change their Kings than for all to change their Gods How far more easie is it to overcome the bodies of Men than subdue their Souls Upon the most exact inquiry there will never be found in humane nature any cause capable to produce such an effect nor in the Records of all Ages any example like it Add to this the excellent Reformation in the hearts and lives of Men. As their understandings so their wills and affections the sources of action were miraculously alter'd What the Sages of the World could not effect in a few select Persons The Gospel hath done in great numbers nay rais'd them above all their feigned Ideas above the higest pitch of their Proud Philosophy Those strong and furious passions which Natural Reason was as unable to restrain as a threed of silk is to govern a fierce beast the Gospel hath tamed and brought into order It hath executed what Philosophy durst never enterprise despairing of Success The Gospel hath made the Wise Men of the World resign their Reason to Faith it hath perswaded Carnal Men to mortify the Flesh the Ambitious to despise secular Honours the Voluptuous to renounce their Pleasures the Covetous to distribute their Goods to the Poor the
the Church from all these will be the last Glorious Act of Christs Regal Office And 't is observeable the Day of Judgment is call'd the Day of Redemption with respect to the final accomplishment of our Felicity that was purchas'd by the infinite Price of his Sufferings The day of Christs Death was the Day of Redemption as to our Right and Title for then our Ransom was fully paid and 't is by the Immortal efficacy of his Blood that we partake of the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God but the Actual enjoyment of it shall be at the last day Therefore the perfection of all our Spiritual Priviledges is refer'd to that time when Death our Lâ—st Enemy shall be overcome The Apostle saith and not only they but our selves also which have the first Fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies During the present Life we are taken into Gods Family in the quality of his Children but the most Solemn Act of our Adoption shall be at the last Day In this there is a similitude between Christ and his Members for although he was the Son of God by his marvelous Conception and own'd by him while he perform'd his Ministry upon the Earth yet all the Testimonies of Gods Favour to him were not comparable to the Declaration of it in raising him from the Grave Then in the face of Heaven and Earth He said Thou art my Son this Day have I begotten thee So in this Life God acknowledges and treats us as his Children he cloaths us with the Righteousness of his Son feeds us with his Word defends us from our Spiritual Enemies but the most Publick Declaration of his favour shall be in the next Life when all the Children of the Resurrection shall be born in a Day Add further although the Souls of Believers immediately upon their Separation are receiv'd into Heaven and during the sleep of Death enjoy admirable Visions of Glory yet their Blessedness is imperfect in comparison of that excellent degree which shall be enjoyed at the Resurrection As the Roman Generals after a compleat Conquest first enter'd the City privately and after having obtain'd License of the Senate made their Triumphant entry with all the magnificence splendour becoming the Greatness of their Victories So after a Faithful Christian hath fought the good fight and is come off more than a Conquerour he enters privately into the Coelestial City but when the body is rais'd to Immortality he shall then in the company and with the acclamations of the Holy Angels have a Glorious entry into it I will briefly consider why the Bodies of the Saints shall be rais'd and how the Divine Power will be manifested in that last Act. 1. The General reason is from Gods Justice As the Oeconomy of Divine Providence requires there must be a Future State when God shall sit upon a judicial Throne to weigh the Actions of all Men and render to every one according to their quality so 't is as necessary that the Person be Judged and not one Part alone The Law Commands the entire Man compos'd of his Essential Parts the Soul and Body And 't is obeyed or violated by both of them Although the Guilt or Moral Goodness of Actions is chiefly Attributed to the Soul because 't is the Principle of them yet the Actions are imputed to the whole Man The Soul is the Guide the Body the Instrument 't is reasonable therefore that both should receive their recompence We see the Example of this in Humane Justice which is a copy of the Divine The whole Man is punisht or rewarded The Soul is punisht with Disgrace and Infamy the Body with Pains the Soul is rewarded with Esteem and Honour the Body with External marks of Dignity Thus the Divine Justice will render to every one according to things done in the Body whether Good or Evill 2. The special reason of the Saints Resurrection is their Union with Christ for he is not only our Redeemer and Prince but our second Adam the same in Grace as the first was in Nature Now as from the first the Soul was destroyed by Sin and the Body by Death so the second restores them both to their Primitive state the one by Grace the other by a Glorious Resurrection Accordingly the Apostle saith that by Man came Death and by Man came the Resurrection from the Dead Christ removed the Moral and Natural impossibility of our Glorious Resurrection the Moral by the infinite merit of his Death whereby Divine Justice is satisfied that otherwise would not permit the Guilty to be restor'd to Eternal Life and the Natural by his rising from the Grave to a Glorious Imortality For his Infinite Power can do the same in all Believers 'T is observable the Apostle infers the Resurrection of Believers from that of Christ not only as the Cause but the Original Example For the Members must be conform'd to the Head the Children to their Father the younger to the elder Brother Therefore he is call'd the first-fruits of them that sleep and the first begotten of the Dead In Christ's Resurrection ours is so fully assur'd that the event is infallible Now no less than Infinite Power is requisite to raise the Bodies of the Saints from the dust and to transform them into the similitude of Christs 1. To raise them Nothing is more astonishing to Nature than that the Bodies which after so many Ages in the perpetual circulation of the Elements have past into a thousand different Forms one part of them being resolved into Water another evaporated into Air another turn'd into Dust should be restor'd to their first State What Wisdom is requisite to separate the Parts so mixt and confounded what Power to recompose them what Vertue to reinspire them with new Life It may seem more difficult than to revive a Dead Body whose Organs and matter is not chang'd of which we have Examples in the Scripture When the Spirit of the Lord plac't Ezekiel in the midst of a Valley cover'd with bones and caused him to consider attentively their Number which was very great and their extream dryness he askt him whether these bones could live upon which as one divided and ballanc't between the seeming Impossibility of the thing in it self and the consideration of the Divine Power to which nothing is impossible he answered Lord thou knowest Upon this God commanded him to Prophesie upon those bones and speak to them as if they had been endued with Sense and Understanding O ye dry Bones hear the Word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord God unto these Bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live And I will lay sinews upon you and will bring in flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put Breath in you and ye shall live and ye shall know that I am
how can we expect any cooling streams from Him If we consider him as Man he is resembled to a root out of a dry ground the Justice of the Divine and the infirmity of the Humane Nature did not promise any comfort to us But what cannot infinite Love united to infinite Power perform Divine Goodness hath chang'd the Laws of Nature in our favour and by an admirable act open'd the Rock to refresh us 3. The Rock was struck with the Rod of Moses a Type of the Law before it sent forth its streams thus our Spiritual Rock was wounded for our Transgressions bruised for our Iniquities then opened all his treasures to us Being consecrated by Sufferings he is the Author of Eternal Salvation In this respect the Gospel propounds him for the object of saving Faith I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him Crucified The Sacraments the Seals of the New Covenant have a special reference to his Death the Foundation of it 4. The Miraculous Waters followed the Israelites in their Journey without which they had perisht in the Wilderness This represents that Indeficiency of the Grace of Christ. A Soveraign stream flows from him to satisfy all Believers He tells us Whosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of Water springing up unto Everlasting Life 3. The Brasen Serpent sensibly exprest the manner of his Death and the benefits derived from it Therefore Jesus being the Minister of the Circumcision chose this Figure for the Instruction of the Jews As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever beleeves in him should not perish but have Eternal Life The Sacred Story relates that the Israelites by their rebellious murmuring provoked God to send Serpents among them whose Poison was so fiery and mortal that it brought the most Painful Death In this affliction they addrest themselves to the Father of Mercies who World by their Repentance Commanded Moses to make a Serpent of Brass and erect it on a Pole in the view of the whole Camp that whosoever lookt on it should be healed By this account from Scripture we may clearly understand something of greatest consequence was represented by it For the only Wise God ordains nothing without just reason Why must a Serpent of Brass be elevated on a Pole could not the Divine Power recover them without it Why must they look towards it could not a healing vertue be conveyed to their wounds but through their eyes All this had a direct reference to the Mystery of Christ. For the biting of the Israelites by the fiery Serpents doth naturaly represent the effects of Sin that torments the Conscience and inflames the Soul with the apprehensions of Future Judgment And the erecting a Brasen Serpent upon a Pole that had the Figure not the Poison of those Serpents doth in a lively manner set forth the lifting up of Jesus Christ on the Cross who only had the similitude of sinful flesh The looking towards the Brasen Serpent is a fit resemblance of Believing in Christ Crucified for Salvation The Sight of the eye was the only means to derive vertue from it and the Faith of the heart is the means by which the Sovereign efficacy of our Redeemer is conveyed This is the will of him that sent me saith our Saviour that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have Eternal Life As in the camp of Israel whoever lookt towards the Brasen Serpent whatever his wounds were or the weakness of his sight had a present remedy so how numerous and grievous soever our Sins be how infirm our Faith yet if we sincerely regard the Son of God suffering he will preserve us from Death For this end he is presented in the Gospel as crucified before the eyes of all Persons 2. Things endued with Life and Sense prefigur'd the Messiah I Shall particularly consider the Paschal Lamb an illustrious Type of him Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us The whole scene as it is laid down in the 12th of Exodus shows an admirable agreement tween them 1. A Lamb in respect of its natural innocency and meekness that suffers without resistance waas fit emblem of our Saviour whose voice was not heard in the street who did not break the Bruised Reed nor quench the smoking Flax. He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he open'd not his Mouth He is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearers is dumb so he openeth not his Mouth 2. The Lamb was to be without Spot to signify his absolute perfection We are Redeemed with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without Spot 3. The Lamb was to be separated from the Flock four days the Lord Jesus was separated from Men and consecrated to be the Sacrifice for the World after three or four years spent in his Ministerial office preparing himself for that great Work 4. The Paschal Lamb was sacrificed and substituted in the place of the first-Born The Levitical Priesthood not being instituted at their going forth from Egypt every Master of a Family had a right to exercise it in his own House Our Redeemer suffer'd in our stead to propitiate Gods Justice towards us 5. The Blood was to be sprinkled upon the Posts of the door that Death might not enter into their Houses That sacred Ceremony was typical for the sign it self had no resemblance of sparing and certainly the Angel could distinguish between the Israelites and the Egyptians without the bloody mark of Gods Favour but it had a final respect to Christ. We are secur'd from destruction by the blood of sprinkling They were to eat the whole Flesh of the Lamb to signify our intire taking of Christ upon the terms of the Gospel to be our Prince and Saviour 6. The effects attributed to the Paschal Lamb viz. Redemption from Death and Bondage clearly represent the Glorious Benefits we enjoy by Jesus Christ. The destroying Angel past over their houses and caus'd the Egiptians to restore them to full liberty That which all the dreadful signs wrought by Moses could not do was effected by the Passover that overcame the stubbornness of Pharaoh and inspir'd the Israelites with courage to undertake their journey to the promised Land Thus we pass from Death to Life and from bondage to the Glorious liberty of the Sons of God by vertue of Christs Blood 3. Reasonable Persons represented our Saviour either in their Offices actions or the memorable accidents that befel them Joseph the beloved of his Father sent by him to visit his Brethren by them unworthily sold to strangers and thereby rais'd to be their Lord and Saviour was a lively type of him Jonach three dayes and nights in the Whales belly and miraculously restor'd