himself and fittest to declare himself But then there is yet a higher rise of the mystery or a lower descent of God for it s all one God descending is the wonder ascending he sent his Son mans admiration is already exhausted in that but if there were any thing behind this which follows would consume it in the flesh If he had sent his own Son might he not have sent him in an estate and condition suitable to his glory as it became the Prince and Heir of all things him by whom all were created and do subsist Nay but he is sent and that in a state of humiliation and condescendency infinitly below his own dignity That ever he was made a Creature that the Maker of all should be sent in the form of any thing he had made O! what a disparagement there is no such distance between the highest Prince on the throne and the basest beggar on the dung-hill as between the only begotten of the Father who is the brightness of his glory and the most glorious Angel that ever was made And yet it would be a wonder to the World if a King should send his son in the habit and state of a beggar to call in the poor and lame and blind to the fellowship of his Kingdom It had been a great mystery then if God had been manifested in the nature of Angels a great abasement of his Majesty But O! what must it be for God to be manifested in the flesh in the basest naughtiest and most corruptible of all the Creatures even the very dâ—egâ— of the Creation that have sunk down to the bottom All flesh is graâ—s and what more withering and fading even the flower and perfection of it Iâ—a 40.6 Dust it is and what baâ—er Gen. 18.27 and corruption it is and what viâ—er 1 Cor. 15.44 and yet God sent his Son in the flesh Is this a manifestation nay rather it is a hiding and obscuâ—ation of his glory it s the putting on of a dark vail to eclipse his brightnesse yet manifested he is as the intendment of the work he was about required manifested to reproach and ignominy for our sin This is one and a great point of Christs humiliation that he took not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 But yet to compleat this mystery more the Son descends a third step lower that the mystery may ascend so much the higher in the likeness of flesh not so but in the likeness of sinful flesh If he had appeared in the prime flower and perfection of flesh in the very goodliness of it yet it had been a disparagement if he had come down as glorious as he once went up and now sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high if he had been alwayes in that â—eâ—plendant habit he put on in his transfiguration that had been yet an abasement of his Majesty but to come in the likeness of sinful flesh though not a sinner yet in the likeness of a sinner so like as touching his outward appearance that no eye could discern any difference compassed about with all these infirmities and necessities which are the followers and attendants of sin in us a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs a man who all his life time had intimat acquaintance and familiarity with grief grief and he were long acquaintance and never parted till death parted them nay not only was he in his outward estate subject to all these miseries and infirmities unto which sin subjects other men but was something beyond all his viâ—age more marr'd then any mans and his form more then the sons of men Isa. 52.14 and therefore he was a hissing and astonishment to many he had no form of nor comeliness in him and no beauty to make him desirable and therefore his own friends were ashamed of him and hid their faces from him he was despised and rejected of men Isa. 53.2 3. Thus you see he comes in the most despicable and disgraceful form of flesh that can be and an abject among men and as himself speaks in Psal. 22.6 a worm and not a man a reproach of men and dispised among the people Now this I say is the crowning of the great mystery of Godliness which without all controversie is the mystery in all the world that hath in it most greatnesse and goodnesse combined together that is the subject of the highest admiration and the fountain of the sweetest consolation that either Reason or Religion can afford The mysteries of the Trinity are so high that if any dares to reach at them he doth but catch the lower fall it is as if a worm would attempt to touch the Sun in the Firmament But this mystery is God coming down to man to be handled and seen of men because man could not rise up to Gods highnesse it is God descending to our basenesse and so coming near us to save us It is not a conâ—ounding but a saving mystery there is the highest truth in it for the understanding to contemplat and admire there is the greatest good in it for the will to choose and rest upon It s contrived for wonder and delight to Mâ—n and Angels these three which the Angelick song runs upon are the Jewels of it Glory to God peace on Earth and good will towards men SERMON XII Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son c. OF all the works of God towards man certainly there is none hath so much wonder in it as the sending of his Son to become man and so it requires the exactest attention in us let us gather our spirits to consider of this mystery not to pry into the secrets of it curiously as if we had no more to do but to satisfie our understandings but rather that we may see what this concerns us and what instruction or advantage we may have by it that so it may ravish our affections I believe there is very palpable and grosse ignorance in thousands of the very thing it self many who professe Jesus Christ know not his Natures or his glorious Person do not apprehend either his highness as God or his lowness as man But truly the thing that I do most admire is that these who pretend to more knowledge of this mystery yet few of them do enter upon any serious consideration about it for what use and purpose it is though it be the foundation of our salvation the chief ground of our faith and the great spring of our consolation yet to improve the knowledge of it to any purpose of that kind is a thing so rare even among true Christians that it is little the subject of their meditation I think indeed the lively improvement of this mystery of godliness would be very effectual to make us really what we are said to be that is Christians There is somthing to this purpose 1
and in his own person he submitted to be tempted to sin though it had been evil for us he had been overcome by it yet this brings him a step lower and nearer us and maketh the union more hopeful But since he can come no lower and can be made no liker us in the case we are in then certainly if the match hold We must become liker him and raised up out of our miserable estate to some suitableness to his holy Nature and therefore the love and wisdom of God to fill up the distance compleatly and effectuat this happy conjunction that the creation seemeth to groan for for vers 22. the whole creation is pained till it be accomplished he hath sent his blessed Spirit to dwell in Vs and to transform our natures and make them partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 as Christ was partaker of humane nature and thus the distance shall be removed when a blessed Spirit is made flesh and a fleshly man made spirit then they are near the day of espousals and this indwelling of the spirit is the last link of the chain that fastens us to Christ and maketh our flesh in some measure like His holy flesh By taking on our flesh Christ became bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh But the union becometh mutual when we receive the spirit we become bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh as it is expressed Eph. 5.30 In allusion to the creation of Eve and her marriage to Adam the ground of the marriage is That near bond of union because she was taken out of man and therefore because of his flesh and bone she was made one flesh with him even â—o the sinner must be partaker of the Spirit of Christ as Christ is partaker of the flesh of sinners and these two concurring these two knots interchanging and woven thorow other we become one flâ—sh with him And this is a great mystery indeed to bring two who were so far assunder so near other Yea it is nearer then that too for we are said not only to be one flesh with Christ but one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit because he is animated and quickned by one Spirit that same Spirit of Christ and indeed spirits are more capable of union and more fit to embosome one with another then bodies therefore the nearest union conceivable is the union of spirits by affection this maketh two souls one for it transports their spirit out of the body where it lives and setleth it there where it loveth Now my beloved you see what way this great marriage that heaven and earth are in a longing expectation after shall be brought about Christ he did forsake his Fathers house when he lest that holy habitation his Fathers bosome a place of marvellous delight Prov. 8.30 And descended into the lowest parts of the earth Eph. 4.9 And He came out from the Father into the world John 16.28 This was a great journey to meet with poor sinners But that there may be a full and intire meeting you must leave and forsake your fathers house too and forget your own people Psal. 45.10 You must give an intire renounce to all former lovers if you would be His all former bonds and engagments must be broken that this may be tyed the faster And to hold to the subject in hand you must forsake and forget the flesh and be possessed of his holy Spirit as he came down to our flesh you must rise up to meet him in the Spirit the Spirit of Christ must indeed prevent you and take you out of that natural posture you are born into and bring you a great journey from your selves that you may be joyned unto Him This Spirit of Christ is his messenger and ambassadour sent before-hand to fit you and suit you for the day of Espousals and therefore he must have a dwelling and constant abode in you This indwelling imports A special familiar operation and the perpetuity or continuance of it The Spirit is every where in his being and he worketh every where too but here he hath a special and peculiar work in commission To reveal the love of God in Christ to engage the soul to love him again to prepare all within for the great day of Espousals to purifie and purge the heart from all that is displeasing to Christ to correspond between Christ and his Spouse between Heaven and Earth by making intercession for her when she cannot pray for her self as you find here vers 26. and so sending up the news of the souls panting and breathing after Christ sending up her love groans and sighs to her beloved giving intelligence of all her necessities to Him who is above in the place of an Advocat and Interceeder and then bringing back from Heaven light and life direction from her Head for the Spirit must lead in all truth and consolation for Christ hath appointed the spirit to supply his absence and to comfort the soul in the mean time till he come again you have this mutual and reciprocal knot in 1 Ioh. 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us by the spirit that he hath given It is much nearness to dwell one with another but much greater to dwell one in another and its reciprocal such a wonderful interchange in it we in him and he in us for the Spirit carries the soul to Heaven and brings Christ as it were down to the earth He is the Messenger that carries Letters between both our prayers to Him and His prayers for us and love-tokens to us the anointing that teacheth us all things from our husband 1 Ioh. 2.27 and revealing to us the things of God 1 Cor. 2.12 giving us the fiâ—st fruits of that happy and glorious communion we must have with Christ in Heaven as you see ver 23. of this chap. and sealing us to the day of redemption Eph 1.13 and 4.30 Supplying us with divine power against our spiritual enemies fetching alongs from Heaven that strength whereby our Lord and Saviour overcame all Eph. 3.16 Gal. 5.17 This is a presence that few have such a familiar and love-abode But certainly all that are Christs must have it in some measure Now whosoever hath it its perpetual the Spirit dwells in them It s not a sojourning for a season not a lodging for a night as some have fits and starts of seeking God and some transient motions of conviction or joy but return again to the puddle these go through them as lightning and do nâ—t warm them or change them but this is a constant residence where the Spirit takes up house he will dwell he dwelleth with you and shall be in you and abide for ever Joh. 14.16 17. If the Son abide in the house for ever Joh. 8.35 much more the master of the house must abide Now the Spirit where he dwells hath gotten the command of that house all
of his children from necessities strength perfected in weaknesse grace sufficient in infirmities hath some greater glory then strength and grace alone Thereâ—ore he hath chosen this way as most fit for the advancing his glory and moâ—t suitable for our comfort and edification to give us but little in hand and environ us with a crowd of continued necessities and wants within and without that we may learn to cry to him as our Father and seek our supplies â—rom him and withall he hath not been sparing but liberal in promises of hearing our cryes and supplying our wants â—o that this way of narrow and hard dispensation that at first seems contrary to the love and bounty and riches of our Father in the perfect view of it appears to be the only way to perpetuat our communion with Him and often to renew the sense of His love and grace that would grow slack in our hearts if our needs did not every day stir-up fresh longings and his returns by this means are so much the more refreshing There is a time of childrens minority when they stand in need of continual supplies from their Parents or Tutors because they are not entered in possession of their inheritance and while they are in this state there is nothing more beseeming them then in all their wants to addresse to their Father and represent them to Him and it is fit they should be from hand to mouth as you say that they may know and acknowledge their dependance on their Father Tâ—uly this is our minority our presence in the body which because of sin that dwells in it and its own natural weaknesse and incapacity keeps us at much distance with the Lord that we cannot be intimatly present with him Now in this condition the most natural the most comely and becoming exercise of children is to cry to our Father to present all our grievances and thus to intertain some holy correspondence with our absent Father by the messenger of prayer and supplication which cannot return empty if it be not sent away too full of self-conceit This is the most natural breathing of a child of God in this world it is the most proper acting of his new life and the most suitable exspiration of that Spirit of Adoption that is inspired into him since there is so much life as to know what we want and our wants are infinite therefore that life cannot but beat this way in holy desires after God whose fulnesse can supplie all wants this is the Pulse of a Christian that goeth continually and there is much advantage to the continuity and interruptednesse of the motion from the infinitenesse and inexhaustednesse of our needs in this life and the continual assaults that are made by necessity and temptation on the heart But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry c. He puts in his own Name in the latter parr though theirs was in the former part When he speaks of a donation or priviledge he applies to the meanest to shew that the lowest and most despised creature is not in any incapacity to receive the greatest gifts of God and then when he mentions the working of that Spirit in way of intercession because it imports necessity and want he cares not to commit some incongruity in the Language by changing the Person that he may teach us that weaknesse infirmities and wants are common to thebest and chiefest among Christians That the most eminent have continual need to cry and the lowest and obscurest believers have as good ground to believe the hearing and acceptance of their cryes that the highest are not above the weakest and lowest ordinanceâ— and that the lowest are not below the comfort of help and acceptation in him Nay the growth and increase of grace is so far from exempting men from or setting them above this duty of constant supplication that by the contrary this is the just measure of their growth and altitude in grace as the degrees of the hight of the Water of Nilus in its overflowing are a sure sign of the fertility or barrennesse of that year so the overflowings of the spirit of Prayer in one gives a present account how the heart is whether barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ or fruitful and lively and vigorous in it It is certain that contraries do discover one another and the more the one be increased that is not only the more incompatible and inconsistent with the other but gives the most perfect discerning of it When grace is but as twi-light in the soul and as the dawning of the day only grosse darknesse and uncleanesse is seen but the more it grow to the perfect day the more sin is sin and the more its hated wants are discovered that did not appear and therefore it exerciseth its self the more in opposition to sin and supplication to God To speak the truth our growth here is but an advancement in the knowledge and sense of our own indigencey It s but a further entry into the idolatrous Temple of the heart which makes a man see daily new abominations worse then the former and therefore you may easily know that such repeated sights and discoveries will but presse out more earnest and frequent cryes from the heart and such a growth in humility and faith in Gods fulnesse will be but as oyl to feed the flame of supplication For what is Prayer indeed but the ardency of the affection after God flaming up to him in cryes and requests To speak of this exercise of an holy heart it would require more of the spirit of it then we have but truly this is to be lamented that though there be nothing more common among Christians in the outward practice of it yet that there is nothing more extraordinary and rare even among many that use it then to be acquainted with the inward nature of it Truly the most ordinary things in Religion are the greatest mysteries as to the true life of them we are strangers to the soul and life of these things which consists in the holy behavior and deportment of our Spirits before the Father of Spirits These words give some ground to speak of some special qualifications of prayer and the chief principle of it The chief principle and original of prayer is the Spirit of adoption received into the heart It is a businesse of a higher nature then can be taught by precepts or learned by custome and educationâ— there is a general mistake among men that the gift of prayer is attained by learning and that it consists in the freedom and plenty of expression But O! how many Doctors and disputers of the world that can defend all the articles of faith against the opposers of them Yet how unaquainted are they with this exercise that the poor and unlearned and nothings in the world who cannot dispute for Religion yet they send up a more â—avory and acceptable sacrifice and sweet
its impossible that he should do nothing else but pray in an express formal way but the souls walking with God between times of Prayer should compense that and thus Prayer is continued though not in it self yet in meditation on God which hath in it the seed of all worship and is virtually Prayer and Thanksgiving and all duties Let us then consider If our bodies be not more exercised in Religion then our souls yea if they be not the chief agents how many impertinencies and roveries and wandrings are throughout the day the most part of our conversation if it be not profane yet it is vain that is unprofitable in the World it neither advantageth us spiritually nor glorifies God it is almost to no purpose and this is enough to make it all flesh And for our thoughts how do they go unlimited and unrestrained like a wilde Ass traversing her wayes and gadding about fixed on nothing at least not on God nay fixed on any thing but God If it be spiritual service should it not carry the seal of our spirit and affection on it We are as so many shadows walking as pictures and statues of Christians without the soul and life which consists in the temper and disposition of the spirit and soul towards God SERMON V. Vers. 1. That walk not after the flesh but after the spirit IT is no wonder that we cannot speak any thing to purpose of this Subject and that ye do not hear with fruit because it is indeed a mystery to our judgements and a great stranger to our practice There is so litle of the Spirit both in Teachers and those that come to be taught that we can but speak of it as an unknown thing and cannot make you to conceive it in the living notion of it as it is Only we may say in general It is certainly a divine thing and another thing then our common or religious walk is It is little experience so we can know the less of it but this much we should know it is another thing then we have attained it s above us and yet such a thing as we are called to aspire unto How should it stir up in our spirits a holy fire of ambition to be at such a thing when we hear it is a thing attainable nay when Christ calls us unto himself that we may thus walk with him I would have Christians men of great and big projects and resolutions of high and illimited desires not satisfied with their attainments but still aspiring unto more of God more conformity to his will more walking after the Spirit more separation from the course of the World and this is indeed to be of a divine spirit The divine Nature is here as it were in a state of violence out of its own element Now it s known by this iâ— it be still moving upwards taking no rest in this place and these measures and degrees but upon a continual motion towards the proper center of it God his holiness and Spirit We desire to speak a word of these three 1. The nature of this spiritual walking Next Its connexion and union with that blessed state of non-condemnation And then of the order of this how it flows from a mans being implanted in Christ Jesus Which three are considerable in the words This spiritual walking is according to a spiritual rule from spiritual principles for spiritual ends These three being established aright the walk is even the motion of a Christian within the compass of these it is according to the word as the holy rule it s from the faith love of Jesus Christ as the predominant principleâ— Nay from the Spirit of Jesus living in the heart by faith and dwelling in it by love as the first wheel of this motion the Primum Mobile and as it begins in the Spirit so it ends there in the glory of Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father Consider this then it is not a lawless walking and irregular walk it is according to the rule and the rule is perfect and it is a motion to perfection not a rest in what is now attained to The course of this world is the way and rule of the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 There is a spirit indeed that works in them and a rule it works by the spirit is that evil spirit contrary to the holy Spirit of God you may know what spirit it is that works by the way it leads men unto a broad way path'd and troden in by many travellers it s the Kings high street the common way that most part walkes into according as their neighbours do as the most do But â—hat King is the Prince of this World satan who blinds the eyes of many that they may not see that pit of misery before them which their way leads them to A Christian must have a kind of singularity not in opinion but in practice rather to be more holy and walk more abstracted from the dregs of the worlds pollution this were a divine singularity Indeed men may suspect themselves that separats from the godly in opinion they have reason to be more jealous of themselves when they offend against the generation of the just but if this were the contention and design of men to be very unlike the multitude of men nay to be very unlike the multitude of Professors in the affection and practice of holiness humility and spiritual walking I think this were an allowed way though a singular way Men may aspire to as great a difference as may be from the conversations and practice of others if there be a tending to more conformity to the Word the rule of all practice The Law is spiritual and holy saith Paul but I am carnal this therefore were spiritual walking to set that excellent spiritual rule before our eyes that we who are carnal may be transformed and changed into more likeness to that holy and spiritual Law If a man had not an imperfect rule of his own fancy and imagination before his eyes he could not be satisfied with his attainments but with Paul would forget them in a manner not know them but reach forward still to what is before because so much length would be before us as would swallow up all our progress this would keep the motion on foot and make it constant A man should never say Master let us make tabernacles its good to be here no indeed the dwelling place and resting would be seen to be above As long as a man had so much of his journey to accomplish he would not sit down on in his advancement he would not compare with others and exalt himself above others Why because there is still a far greater distance between him and his rule then between the slowest walker and him This made Paul more sensible of a body of death Rom. 7 then readily lower Christians are Reflections on our attainments and comparisons with others which are so often the
it s a subject of such admiration in it self and so much conceâ—nment to us Every word hath weight in it and a peculiar emphasis there is a gradation that mystery goes upon till it come to the top every word hath a degree or step in it whereby it rises high and still higher God sent that is very strange but God sent his Son is most strange but go on and it s still the stranger in the likeness of flesh and that sinfull flesh c. In all which degrees you see God is descending and coming lower and lower but the mystery ascends and goes higher and higher the lower God come down the higher the wonder rises up Still the smaller and meaner that God appears in the flesh the greater is the mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh If you would arise up to the sensible and profitable understanding of this mystery you must first descend into the depths of your own natural wretchedness and misery in which man was lying when it pleased God to come so low to meet him and help him I say you must first go down that way in the consideration of it and then you shall ascend to the use and knowledge of this mystery of Godliness Gods sending hath some weight of wonder in it at the very first apprehension of it if you did but know who he is and what we are a wonder it had been that he had suffered himself to be sent unto by us that any message any correspondence should passe between heaven and earth after so soul a breach of peace and Covenant by man on earth Strange that heaven was not shut up from all intercourse with that accursed earth If God had sent out an Angel to destroy man as he sent to destroy Ierusalem 2 Chron. 21.15 If he had sent out his armies to kill those his enemies who had renounced the yoke of his obedience it had been justice Matth. 21.41 and 22.7 If he had sent a cruel messenger against man who had now acted so horrid a rebellion it had been no strange thing as he did send an Angel with a flâ—mming sword to encompasse the tree of life he might have enlarged that Angels commission to take veangence on man and this is the wonder he did not send after this manner But what heart could this enter into who could imagine such a thing as this God to send and to send for peace to his rebellious footstool man could not have looked for acceptance before the throne if he had prevented and sent first up supplications and humble cryes to heaven and therefore finding himself miserable you see he is at his wits end he is desperate and gives it over and so flees away to hide himself certianly expecting that the first message from heaven should be to arme all the creatures against him to destroy him But O! what a wonderful yet blessed surprisal God himself comes down and not for any such end as vengeance though just but to publish and hold forth a Covenant of reconciliation and peace to convince man of sin and to comfort him with the glad tidings of a Redeemer of one to be sent in the likeness of flesh It s the gâ—andor and majesty of Kings and great men to let others come to them with their petitions and it s accounted a rare thing if they be accâ—ssable and affable But that the Lord of lords and King of kings who sitteth in the Circle of the Heavens and before whom all the inhabitants of the Earth are as poor Grashoppers or crauling worms about whose throne there are ten thousand times ten thousand glorious Spirits ministring unto him as Daniel saw him Chap. 7. v. 9 10. that such an one should not only admit such as we to come to him and offer our suits to his Highness but himself first to come down unto Adam and offer peace to him and then send his own Son And what were we that he should make any motion about us or make any mission to us Rom. 5.10 while we were yet enemies that we were when he sent O how hath his Love triumphed over his Justice But needed he fear our enmity that he should seek peace no wayes one look of his angry countenance would have looked us unto nothing thou lookest upon me and I am not one rebuke of his for iniquity would have made our beauty consume as the moth far more the stroak of his hand had consumed us Psal. 39.11 But that is the wonder indeed while we were yet enemies and weak too neither able to help our selves nor hurt him in the least and so could do nothing to allure him nothing to terrifie him nothing to ingage his love nothing to make him fear yet then he makes this motion and mission to us God sending c. God sending and sending his own Son that is yet a step higher Had he sent an Angel it had been wonderful one of these ministering Spirits about the Throne being far more glorious then man But God so loved the world that he sent his Son might he not have done it by others But he had a higher project and verily there is more mystery in the end and manner of our redemption then difficulty in the thing it self no question he might have enabled the creature by his Almighty power to have destroyed the works of the devil and might have delivered captive man some other way he needed not for any necessity lying upon him gone such a round as the Father to give to the Son and the Son to receive as God to send and the Son to be sent nay he might have spared all pains and without any messenger immediatly pardoned mans sin and adopted him to the place of Sons Thuâ— he had done the business without his Sons or any others travel and labour in blood and suffering But this profound mystery in the manner of it declares the highness and excellency of the end God proposed and that is the manifestation of his love Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us 1 John 3.1 and in this was manifested the love of God toward us that God sent his onlâ— begotten Son in the world 1 Joh. 4.9 And truly for such a design and purpose all the world could not have contrived such a suitable and excellent mean as this nothing besides this could have declared such love there is no expression of love imaginable to this to give his Son and only begotten Son for us It had been enough out of meer compassion to have saved us however it had been but if he had given all and done all besides this he had not so manifested the infinit fulness of love there is no gift so suitable to the greatness and magnificence of his Majesty as this One that thought it no robbery to be equal with himself Any gift had been infinitly above us because from him but this is not only infinitly above us but equal to
subordination to God and sowen a perpetual discord and enmity between them this hath conquered all mankind and among the rest even the elect and chosen of God these whom God had in his eternal Council predesâ—inated to life and salvation sin brings all in bondage and exerciseth the most perfect tyranny over them that can be imagined makes men to serve all its imperious lusts and then all the wages is death it binds them over to Judgment Now this sedition and rebellion being arisen in the world and one of the most noble creatures carried away in this revolt from allegiance to the Divine Majesty the most holy and wise Council of Heaven concludes to send the Kings Son to compesce this rebellion to reduce men again unto obedience and to destroy that arch traitor sin which his nature most abhoâ—s And for this end the Son of the great King Jesus Christ came down into the world to deliver captive man and to condemn conquering sin There is no object that God hath so pure and perfect displeasure at as sin therefore he sent to condemn that which he hates most and perfectly he hates it to condemn sin and this is expressed as the errand of his coming 1 Ioh. 3.5 8. to destroy the works of the devil all his wicked and hellish plots and contrivances against man all that poyson of enmity and sin that out of envy and malice he spued out upon man and instilled into his nature all these works of that Prince of Darkness in enticing man from obedience to rebellion and tyrannizing over him since by the imperious laws of his own lusts in a word all that work that was contrived in hell to bring poor man down to that same misery with devils all that Christ the only begotten Son of the great King came for this noble businesse to destroy it That Tower which Satan was building up against Heaven and had laid the foundation of it as low as hell this was Christs business down among men to destroy that Babylon that Tower of darkness and confusion and to build up a Tower of light and life to which Tower sinners might come and be safe and by which they might really ascend into Heaven Some do by these words for sin understand the occasion and reason of Christs coming that it was because sin had conquered the world and subjected man to condemnation therefore Jesus Christ came into the world to conquer sin and condemn it that we might be free from condemnation by sin And this was the special cause of his taking on flesh if sin had not entered in the world Christ had not come into it and if sin had not erected a Throne in mans flesh Christ had not taken on flesh he had not come in the likenesse of sinful flesh So that this may administer unto us abundant consolation If this was the very cause of his coming that which drew him down from that delightful and blessed bosome of the Father then he will certainly do that which he came for he cannot fail of his purpose he cannot misse his end he must condemn sin and save sinners And truly this is wonderful love that he took sin only for his party and came only for sin or against sin and not against poor sinners He had no commission of the Father but this as himself declares Ioh. 3.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved As one observes well Christ would never have hinted at such a jealousie or suggested such a thought to mens minds had it not been in them before but this we are naturally inclined unto to think hard of God and can hardly be perswaded of his love when once we are perswaded of our enmity Indeed the most part of the world fancy a perswasion of Gods love and have not many jealousies of it because they know not their own enmity against God but let a man see himself indeed Gods enemy and it is very hard to make him believe any other thing of God but that he carries a hostile mind against him and therefore Christ to take off this perswades and assures us that neither the Father nor he had any design upon poor sinners nor any ambushmâ—nt agâ—inst them but mainly if not only this was his purpose in sending and Christs in coming not against man but against sin not to condemn sinners but to condemn sin and save sinners O blessed and unparallel'd love that made such a real distinction between sin and sinners who were so really one Shall not we be content to have that wofull and accursed union with sin dissolved Shall not we be willing to let sin be condemned in us and to have our own souls saved I beseech you beloved in the Lord do not think to maintain alwayes Christs enemy that great traitor against which he came from Heaven Wonder that he doth not prosecute both as enemies but iâ— he will destroy the one and save the other O let it be destroyed not you and so much the more for that it will destroy you Look to him so iniquity shall not be your ruine but he shall be the ruine of iniquity but if you will not admit of such a division between you and your sins take heed that you be not eteâ—nally undivided that you have not one common lot for ever that is condemnation Many would be saved but they would be saved with sin too Alace that will condemn thee as for sin he hath proclaimed irreconciliable enmity against it he hath no quarter to give it he will never come in terms of composition with it and all because it is his mortal enemy therefore let sin be condemned that thou may be saved It cannot be saved with thee but thou may be condemned with it The word for sin may be taken in another sense as fitly a sacrifice for sin so that the meaning is Jesus Christ came to condemn and overthrow sin in its plea against us by a sacrifice for sin that iâ— by offering up his own body or flesh And thuâ— you have the way and means how Christ conquered sin and accomplished the business he was sent for It was by offering a sacâ—â—fice for sin to expiat wrath and to satiâ—fie justice The sting and strength of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law as the Apostle speaks it 1 Cor. 15.55 we had two great enemies against us two great tyrants over us sin and death Death had past upon all mankind not only the miseries of this life and temporal death had subjected â—ll men but the fear of an eternal death of an everlasting separation from the blessed face of God might have seized upon all and subjected them to bondage Heb. 2.15 But the strength and sting of that is sin it is sin that arms death and hell against us take away sin and you take away the sting the strength of death it
hath no force or power to hurt man but death being the wages due for sin Rom. 6.23 all the certainty and efficacy in the wages flowes from this work of darkness sin But Now the strength of sin is the Law this puts a poysonable and destructive vertue in the sting of sin for it is the sentence of Gods Law and the justice and righteousness of God that hath made so inseparable a connexion between sin and death this gives sin a destroying and killing vertue Justice arms it with power and authority to condemn man so that there can be no freedom no releasment from that condemnation no eschewing that fatal sting of death unless the sentence of Gods Law which hath pronounced thou shalt die be repealed and the justice of God be satisfied by a ransome And this being done the strength of sin is quite gone and so the sting of death removed Now this had been impossible for man to do these parties were too strong for any created power the strength of sin to condemn may be called someway infinit because it flows from the unchangeable law of the infinit justice of God now what power could encounter that strength except that which hath infinite sterngth too Therefore it behoved the Son of God to come for this business to condemn sin and save the sinner And being come he yokes first with the very strength of sin for he knew where its strangth did ly and so did encounter first of all with that even the justice of his Father the hand writing of ordinances that was against us for if once he can set them aside as either vanquished or satisfied he hath little else to do Now he doth not take a violent way in this either he doth it not with the strong hand but deals wisely and to speak so with reverence cunningly in it he came under the Law that he might redeem them who were under the Law Gal. 4.4 force will not do it the Law cannot be violented justice cannot be compelled to forgo its right therefore our Lord Jesus chooseth as it were to compound with the Law to submit unto it he was made under the Law he who was above the Law being Law-giver in mount Sinai Acts 7.38 Gal. 3.19 he cometh under the bond and tye of it to fulfil it I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Mat. 5.17 he would not offer violence to the Law to deliver sinners contrary to the commination of it or without satisfaction given unto it for that would reflect upon the wisdom and righteousness of the Father who gave the Law But he doth it better in an amicable way by submission and obedience to all its demands whatsoever it craved of the sinner he fulfils that debt he satisfies the bond in his own person by suffering and fulfils all the Commandments by obedience And thus by subjection to the Law he gets power over the Law because his subjection takes away all its claim and right over us therefore it is said that he blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances which was against us by nailing it to his cross and so took it out of the way Col. 2.14 having fulfilled the bond he cancell'd it and so it stands in no force either against him or us thus the strength of sin which is the Law is removed and by this means sin is condemned in the flesh by the suffering of his flesh it is fallen from all it's plea against sinners for that upon which it did hang viz. the sentence of the Law is taken out of the way so that it hath no apparent ground to fasten any accusation upon a poor sinner that flees in to Jesus Christ and no ground at all to condemn him it is wholly disabled in that point for as the Philistines found where Sampsons strength lay and cutted his hair so Christ hath in his wisdom found where the strength of sins plea against man lay and hath cutted off the hair of it that is the hand-writing of ordinances which was against us This is that which hath been shadowed out from the beginning of the world by the types of Sacrifices and Ceremonies All these offerings of Beasts of Fowls and such like under the Law held â—orth this one sacrifice that was offered in the fulness of time to be a propitiation for the sins of the world and something of this was used among the Gentils before Christs coming certainly by tradition from the Fathers who have looked afar off to this day when this sweet smelling sacrifice should be offered up to appease Heaven And it is not without a spâ—cial Providence and worthy the remarking that since the plenary and substantial One was offered the custom of sacrificing hath ceased throughout the world God as it were proclaiming to all men by this cessation of Sacrifices as well as silence of Oracles thâ—t the true atonement and propitiation is come already and the true Prophet is come from Heaven to reveal Gods mind unto the world There were many ceremonies in sacrificing observed to hold out unto us the perfection of our atonement and propitiation They laid their hands on the beast who brought it to signifie the imputation of our sins to Christ that he who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And truly it is worth the observation that even those sacrifices for sin were called sin and so the word is used promiscuously in Leviticus to point out unto us that Jesus Christ should make his soul sin Isa. 53.10 that is a sacrifice for sin and he made sin for us that is a sacrifice for sin When the blood was poured out because without shedding of blood no reconciliation Heb. 10. the Priest sprinkled it seven times before the Lord to shadow out the perfection of that expiation for our sins in the vertue and perpetuity thereof Heb. 9.26 that he should appear to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself to put it away as if it had never been by taking it on him and bearing it And then the High Priest was to bring in of the blood into the holy place and within the vail and sprinkle the Mercy Seat â—o shew unto us that the merit and efficacy of Christs blood should enter into the highest Heavens to appease the wrath of God Our High Priest by his own blood hath entered into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us Heb. 9.12 And truly this is that sacrifice which being offered without spot to God pacifies all ver 14. Sin hath a cry cryeth aloud for vengeance this blood silenceth it and composeth all to savour and mercy It hath so sweet and fragrant a smell in Gods account that it fills Heaven with the perfume of it He is that true scape-goat who notwithstanding that he did bear all the sins of his people yet he did escape alive albeit he behoved to make his soul a sacrifice for
not deceive your selves the true quarrel is because they run not to the same excesse of riot with you if they will lie cozen defraud swear and blaspheme as other men you could indure to make them companions as you do others and the principle of that is the enmity that was placed in the beginning that mortal irreconciliable feud betwixt the two families are two seeds of Christ and Satan But as I told you this enmity acts in a more subtile and invisible way in some and is painted over with some fair colours to hide the deformity of it not only the grosser corruptions of men carry this stamp but take even the most refined piece or part in man take his mind take the excellency of his mind even the wisdom of it yet that hath enmity incorporated into it and mixed with it throughout all for the wisdom of the flesh is enmity with God as it may be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very prudence and reason of a natural man which carries him to a distance from and opposition with the common defilements in the courses of men yet that hath in its bosome a more exquisite and refined enmity against God and so the more spiritual and purified it be from grosser corruptions it is the more active and powerful against God because it is as it were the very spirit and quintessence of enmity You see it 1 Cor. 1. how the wisdom of God is foolishness to the wisdom of the world and then again that the wisdom of the world is the greatest folly to the only wise God Men that have many natural advantages beyond others are at this great disadvantage They are more ready to despise godliness as too base and simple a thing to adorn their natures As Christ said of rich men it may be said of wise men of learned men of civil and blameless persons who have a smooth carriage before the world how hard is it for such to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven hard indeed for they must be stript naked of that ere they can enter through this narrow gate I mean the opinion and conceit of any worth or excellency and so diminished in their own eyes that they may go through this needles eye without crushing The stream of enmity runs under-ground often and so hides it self under some other notion till at length it burst forth openly I find it commonly run in the secret channel of amity or friendship to some other thing opposite to God So Iames 4.4 the amity of â—he world is enmity with God and 1 Joh. 2.15 He that loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him There are two dark and under-ground conduits to convey this enmity against God Amity to the world and Amity to our selves self-love and creature-love We cannot denounce war openly against Heaven but this is the next course To joyn to or associat with any party that is contrary to God and thus under the covert of friendship to our selves and love to the world we war against God and destroys our own souls I say first Amity to the world carries enmity to God in the bosome of it and if you believe not this hear the Apostles sharp and pungent question you adulterers and adulteresses know you not that the Amity of the world is Enmity with God He doth not speak only to persons guilty of that crime but to all natural men who are guilty of an adultery or whoredome of a more spiritual nature but as abominable and more dangerous There is a bond and special tye betwixt all men and God their Maker which oblidgeth them to consecrate and devout themselves their affections and endeavours to his honour especially when the Covenant of the Gospel is superadded unto that in which Jesus Christ our Lord reveals himself as having only right to us and our affections as willing to bestow himself upon us and notwithstanding of all the distance between him and wretched sinners yet filling it up with his infinit love and wonderful condescency dimitting himself to the form of a servant out of love that so he might take us up to be his chast Spouse and adorn us with his beauty This he challengeth of us whoever hear and profess the Gospel This is youâ— profession if you understood it That Iesus Christ shall be your well-beloved and ye his that you shall separate your self to him and admit no stranger in his place that the choice and marrow of your joy love and delight shall be bestowed on him Now this bond and tye of a professed relation to that glorious Husband is foully broken by the most part by espousing their affections to this base world Your hearts are turned off him unto strangers that is present perishing things whereas the intendment of the Gospel is To present you to Christ as pure Virgins 2 Cor. 11.2 Truly your hearts are gone a-whoring after other things the love of the world hath withdrawn you or kept you in chains these present things are as snares nets and bands as an harlots hands and heart Eccles. 7.26 they are powerful inchantments over you which bewitch you to a base love from an honourable and glorious love O that you would consider it my beloved what opposition there is betwixt the love of the world and the love of the Father betwixt amity to that which hath nothing in it but some present bait to your deceitful lusts and amity to God your only lawful Husband Affection is a transforming and conforming thing Si terram amas terra es the love of God would purify thy heart and lift it up to more similitude to him whom thou loves but the love of the world assimulats it unto the world makes it such a base and ignoble piece as the earth is Do you think marriage-affection can be parted My wel-beloved is mine therefore the Church is the Turtle the Dove to Christ of wonderful chastity it never joyns but to one and after the death of its marrow it sighs and mourns ever after and sits solitarily You must retire my beloved and disingage from the love of other things or you cannot love Christ and if you love not Christ you cannot have peace with the Father and if you have not that peace you cannot have life this is the chain of life the first link begins at the divorcement of all foâ—mer loves and beloved idols once the soul must be loosed in desire and delight and that link must be fastned upon the most lovely and desireable object Christ the desire of the Nations and this draws alongs another link of peace and life with it Do not mistake it Religion would not hinder or prejudge your lawful business in this world O it were the most compendious way to advance it with more ease to your souls But certainly it will teach you to exchange the love of these things for a better and more heart-contenting love Then Amity to our selves is Enmity to