which can never be overthrown Jo. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life In this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only Begotten Son into the World that we might live through him 1 Jo. 4.9 Here 's also a clear Discovery what little Reason the poorest and weakest Believer hath to question or doubt of Christ's Love to him or her What! step in between thee and Hell and not love thee To take all thy Guilt and filth of sin upon himself And for the same to be made a Curse that thou poor undone sinner mightest be made the Righteousness of God in him and not love thee When the incensed Justice of God was up in Arms against thee and just ready to fall on thee for Christ his own Son to step in between thee and that fatal Stroak which had it fallen on thee would have compleated thy Misery and have put thee beyond the reach of all Possibility of ever being saved I say for Christ to step in between thee and that fatal Stroak and to suffer the Sword that would have killed thee to be lodg'd in his own Bowels was as strong and convincing an Argument that he lov'd thee as any can be made use of by God himself Never was there greater and more end aring Love in one Party towards another than the Love wherewith God the Father and Christ his Son lov'd the Elect Neither can God Angels or Men lay down stronger and more convincing Arguments to prove or confirm it so to be than God the Fathers Readiness and Willingness to Sacrifice his own and only Son whom he lov'd equally with himself and the Sons Willingness to lay down his Life and not only so but consenting to be made a Curse for the Elect. Oh! matchless and astonishing Love who ever knew or heard of the like except it self I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd giveth his Life for the Sheep Jo. 10.11 Greater Love hath no Man than this that a Man lay down his Life for hiâ— Friend Jo. 15.13 But God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us c. 1 Jo. 3.16 And as the Just and Righteous Law of God did not spare the sinless Son of God when Arraign'd at his Bar as a Surety for sinners So neither did the Son of God flinch or shrink in the Contest till he had vanquisht and overcome the Condemning Power of the Law leaving it and all the other Enemies of his Elect Nail'd to the Cross having by his Death on the Cross put to death the Damnatory Sentence of God's Righteous Law against God's Elect and spoil'd all Principalities and Infernal Powers of that accusing Power they had by sin obtain'd against God's chosen Yea having rifled Hell it self with Death and the Grave those destroying and devouring Enemies of Mankind so as that nothing was left in the way to obstruct or hinder the Elects safe Arrival in Heavenly Glory And all this by the Virtue and Merit of that Satisfaction he gave to the Justice of his Father by obeying the Law both Actively and Passively in the Assumed Nature On this Account it is that there remains now no Condemnation in force against that Man or Woman which believes in the Son of God The Moral Law is indeed a Law or Rule of Holy Living to all Believers and as a Looking-glass to discover to Believers the Spoâ—s and Defects which abounds in their Hearts and Lives while in a state of Imperfection and to shew them the continual need they stand in of the Blood and Righteousness of Christ the Mediator till they come to the end of their Race But to condemn or sentence any true Believer in Jesus to Damnation or Eternal Death the Moral Law hath no Power There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. Rom. 8.1 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 And can this be any other than sweet to true Believers especially to such as have lain so long in the Laws Prison till the Irons thereof have reached even to the very Soul Secondly The Death of Christ is most sweet and delightful to the true Believer in that in Christ's Death all the Sins and Iniquities of the Believer were Arraign'd and put to death so as the Believer shall never never be Arraign'd or Condemn'd for them either here or hereafter There were two things in sin by which the Elect of God were held captives First the Guilt of sin which lays them open to Condemnation and the Wrath to come From this the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ set them for ever free as hath been already observ'd Secondly The defiling Power of Indwelling sin this also is slain and put to death in the Death of Christ and by Virtue hereof it is that every Believer in Jesus is made to die to sin in Heart and Life through the powerful Efficiency of the Holy Ghost inwardly applying to the Soul of the Believer the Efficacy of the Mediator's Death For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the Likeness of sinful Flesh and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh Rom. 8.3 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Who his own self bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 Let this Caution be observ'd and improv'd by every true Believer viz. that not the Being of indwelling sin but its condemning and reigning Power are condem'd and put to death in the Death of Christ So as that that indwelling sin which yet remains in a justified Believer shall never either lay him open to Condemnation or to keep the Believer under its captivating Power as before Regeneration it did He will subdue our Iniquities and thou wilt cast all our sins into the depth of the Sea c. Mic. 7.18 For sin shall not have Dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 Jo. 3.8 He that is born of God doth not commit sin ver 9. Thirdly The Death of Christ is most sweet to a true Believer in that the Curse which sin put into bodily Death it is by Christ's Death taken away to every Believer the Curse due to sin was the very Sting of Death so witnesseth the Holy Ghost The Sting of death is sin c. 1 Cor. 15.56 This Christ the Surety of the Believer bore that the Curse in Death might be turn'd into a
THE Only REFUGE OF A Troubled Soul In time of Trouble Affliction OR The Sweet and Soul-Ravishing MYSTERY of the Apple-Tree Explained and laid open in Two Discourses from Cant. 2.3 for the Comfort and Encouragement of the True Believer in the midst of the worst and sorest Afflictions which can possibly befal him in this World And the Awakening the most secure Sinner who is yet a Stranger to the said Mystery Publish'd at the earnest and importunate Request of several Godly Persons who heard the same Preached Come Trembling Sinner hasten taste and see What Fruit grows on the Spouses Apple-Tree By J. Barry an unworthy Minist of the Gospel LONDON Printed for the Author 1700. To his Highly Honoured Friends Doctor John Tarlass Physitian to St. Thomas his Hospital in Southwark and his truly Religious Consort Honoured Sir and Virtuous Madam I Do sincerely own and ingeniously Acknowledge my self so highly oblig'd to you both for your great Kindness and Respect shewn to unworthy me and my Family since we Providentially came as Pilgrims and Strangers into England that I am really concern'd that I can hitherto but Retaliate in verbal Acknowledgments The Divine Providence seeing it best for me to keep me low in outwards and by that means to render me uncapable of that Duty which the Care Pains and constant Diligence of an Able and Faithful Physitian obliges to It is well known both to your selves and my Friends and Relations who were Eye and Ear Witnesses of the near Approaches I made towards the Grave How that I owe my Life under God several times over and over to the great Skill Care and Faithfulness of Ingenious and Faithful Doctor Tarlass And I do now own and Acknowledge the same to the Praise of Jehova the Great and Chief Physitian and the deserved Commendation of Doctor Tarlass his worthy Instrument I hope dear Sir I shall be Enabled to carry to the Grave a becoming Remembrance of your Christian Kindness and Tender Respect shewn and exprest on all Occasions towards the most unworthy of Christs Ambassadors who through special Grace can say in truth that he prizes and values his present Poverty and Reproach occasion'd by his Love to and Zeal for the Gospel of Jesus Christ more than he doth all the Honour and Riches which this vain flattering and bewitching World is capable of advancing to And I greatly hope and sincerely pray that the ever Blessed God who hath endowed you with so Excellent a Gift of Understanding and discerning the State and Condition of Human Bodies and of distinguishing between the manifold and various Maladies and Distempers to which they are obnoxious even to an Excelling the most of Physitians now in London and who hath Crown'd your Labours with such Success as bespeaks you preferrable and desirable above all of your Function by those Patients who have experienc'd your Skill and Faithfulness That this ever Blessed God I say who hath done for you what is now mention'd above what I am capable of expressing may prove your spiritual Physitian in that needful Hour when decaying Nature is breathing out its Vltimum Vale to the present World is and shall be the Prayer and Cordial Wish of your highly oblig'd and thankful Patient who shall not cease whatever others think or say of you to Trumpet out your deserved Fame and real Worth while I enjoy the Faculties of Memory and Speech And what I pray and wish God may be to you in a dying Hour the same I pray and wish he will be to your dear and Religious Consort in whom you are so greatly Blest And for both your sakes to whom I own my self for ever obliged I heartily pray that God may work out for his own by the effectual Call of his own Spirit your dear Posterity that when you are call'd off and they by Providence are call'd on the Stage of publick Service they may be Actted by the same Spirit whereby ye are both Acted so as their Usefulness in their Day and Place may render and bespeak them as serviceable and desirable as their Parents the which if God vouchsafe them as I hope he will they will then live truly Honourable and die lamented as I am confident you will whenever you go hence My prefixing your worthy Names to the ensuing Treatise will I hope be lookt on as a making Amends for my great Deficiency and shortness in Handling so sweet and excellent a Subject especially in the Esteem and Judgment of those who have the same value for you both as I have The Method I have taken in owning your Kindness will I greatly hope be no way displeasing seeing I know not how otherwise to do it to my own Satisfaction I conclude this short Dedication with my hearty well Wishes and Prayer to God for you both that the Subject of the Appletree so weakly handled in the ensuing Treatise may be through the Powerful Influence of the Holy Ghost in both your Souls made as delightful to you in reading it as it was to me in Studying and Preaching it and as Ravishing as it was to those at whose earnest Request I have been prevailed with to Publish the same I am Honoured Sir and virtuous Madam Your ever obliged Friend James Barry THE PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader Courteous Reader WHen first I Preacht on this sweet and delightful Subject the Appletree I little thought or expected to have been seen in Print So far was I and still am from judging my self capable of handling so Mysterious and Profound a Subject as it really deserves to be handled That which induc'd me to a Willingness to Publish my Thoughts and Conceptions about it I lay down in two Particulars First The real Sweetness and Soul-ravishing Delight which with the Spouse I found under the Shadow of the Sweet and Precious Jesus who is Allegorically set forth in this Metaphor whose Fruit hath often reviv'd and exhilerated my fainting Soul while I continu'd sitting under his Divine Shadow to keep and secure me from being scorched to death by the violent Heat of the tempestuous Storms which have been rais'd against me by the powers of Darkness and which have incessantly followed me since I was effectually called out of a State of Nature especially since I was call'd to the Work of the Ministry The only Wise God saw it good to permit Satan and his Instruments not only to commence but even to maintain and keep up a sharp War against me that I might know experimentally what a shadow this Appletree affords to poor Bewildred Soule and how that there is no other shadow than can secure a poor 〈…〉 Secondly The delightful Sweetness which several Savory-spirited Christians declared they met with to the Joy and rejoycing of their Spirits in the handling this Subject Since when I have been often and more than ordinarily importun'd by several both in City and Country to Publish in Print what they heard me deliver on the Appletree Subject They
because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach glad tidings to the meek c. This was excellently held forth in the Person of Aaron the High Priest under the dark Dispensation of the ceremonial Administration an Eminent and Glorious Type and Shadow of Christ the Elects High Priest Psal 133.2 It is like the Precious Ointment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aarons Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garment The material Oyl wherewith Aaron Christs Type was anointed did prefigure and type out the Effusion of the Spirits Gifts and Graces on the Human Nature of Christ to fit and qualifie him for the Work the Father hath sent him about this anointing was poured out on Christ without measure as witnesseth the Scripture Jo. 3 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the Words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him This is further backt and confirm'd by Colos 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell And Colos 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Besides the personal Anointing of Christs Human Nature wherewith the Father anointed him above his fellows Psal 45.7 there was a Soul enriching Stock of Grace put into his Hands as Mediator in time to be communicated to all the Elect who are to be the Members of his Mystical Body Hence it is that Believers are said to receive of Christ's Fulness Jo. 1.16 And of his Fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace Ephes 4.7 But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ Christ as God is the Source and Fountain of all the Graces of Believers as God-man he is the Meriter and Purchaser of all Grace for them and Christ as Mediator he hath the dispencing Power committed to him by the Father to communicate to and bestow upon every Member of his Body what measure of Grace he pleaseth Secondly Christ far excels all Adam's Children on the account of the Work to which the Father design'd him in Eternity and whereto he in time call'd him This great Work is to reconcile God and elect Sinners together by the Interposition of his Mediatorial Righteousness to make up that Breach which the Sin and Apostacy of Adam had effected between God and the Elect and to keep and continue them in an everlasting Covenant of Love and Peace so as that there should never be any Possibility of their being at Enmity any more for ever 2 Cor. 5.19 to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses to them By World in this as in other places is intended the elect World for whom Christ was made Sin and a Curse and between whom and God his offended Father he stept in as a Mediator to make Peace by offering up himself in Sacrifice to God's Justice 1 Tim. 2.5 6. for there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time Compare with this Jo. 10.15 and Jo. 17.9 and it will plainly appear that Christ became a Mediator of Redemption and Intercession for God's Elect and none else If what hath been said concerning what Christ is in himself and the great Work to which the Father hath design'd and call'd him be rightly considered it will appear beyond all Contradiction that he infinitely excels and transcends all the Children of Adam None of Adam's Posterity were ever qualified like him neither were any of them ever call'd to so great and glorious a Work as he was this in the general But more particularly to come to the Allegory or Metaphor by which his transcendent Excellency is allegorically set forth there are three things in the Apple-Tree which bespeaks the Lord Jesus a None-such to the Elect. First The Lowness and Comliness of the Apple-Tree above other Trees It grows lower and nearer the Ground than other Trees usually do The matchless Lowliness and Humility of Christ is hereby set forth none could ever compare with him herein Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly This is anciently Predicted of him as appears Zach. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Ass and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass Mat. 21.4 5. Six things wherein this will appear First His condescending to become his Father's Inferior first as a Son a Relation which imports Superiority and Inferiority Psal 2.7 I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee c. Jo. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. Jo. 14.28 For my Father is greater than I. Secondly As a Servant to do his Work Psal 89.20 I have found David my Servant with my Holy Oil have I anointed him Esa 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth * This Inferiority of Christ to God is to be understood in respect of the Office he voluntarily took on him for the Elects sake not in respect of Nature or Essence as appears Zach. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow Jo. 10.30 I and my Father are one Heb. 1.3 Who being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person c. Secondly His condescending to assume the Humane Nature Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch as the Children did partake of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same Vers 16. For verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angels but he took upon him the Seed of Abraham There are two things which if considered will put a bright Lustre on this Act of Christ's Condescention First The Baseness of the Matter of that Body he assumed viz. A Clod of Earth and that the worst of Earth viz. Red Earth so the word Adam in Hebrew signifies Secondly The abject State and wretched Condition into which it fell by the Apostacy and Rebellion of Adam to which he knew he must become subject Hence it is he is stiled a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief Esa 53.3 4. Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh c. Thirdly In his being Born of mean Parents Christ as God did single out and choose the Womb in which his Humanity was to be Conceived which was not an Empress a Queen or some Lady of Rich and Noble Extraction according to the Flesh but a mean and despicable Maid of a mean and poor Family so poor that she was not able to compass a Lamb but must be trusting to a pair of Turtle Doves for a Sacrifice
Love and Favour and the benighted deserted Soul When the Waves and Billows from God are commissioned to pass over the poor Soul as if its utter Ruin were design'd by God This is a Storm indeed and the hardest to be wrestled with by the Man who hath been frequently visited with the sweet and Soul-ravishing Embraces of God's Love Either of these four Particulars if it be sharp on a poor Man it may be compar'd to a sharp Storm at Sea occasion'd by either of the four Winds which may set a Man hard to it But when all four come on a Man at once then the Soul is made to understand what a spiritual Hurricane means A Man may loose his All in this World his Substance may be lost his Trade may fail he may come to be as poor as Job and yet being in Esteem for his Goodness and Honesty he may have Trust and Credit among his Neighbours and so may in time recover his Losses If a Man may be clouded as to his Name and Credit among Men and yet having of his own wherewith to subsist in the sight and midst of his Traducers and Reproachers he may make a pretty good shift to weather the point A Man may be extream poor he may be blacken'd with Reproach he may be visited with bodily sickness yet having sensible Communion with God none of these single storms can overset him because the discerned Smiles of God's reconciled Face supplies all the other wants But for the same Person to be stript of all visible Substance and to become a Proverb of reproach among all sorts as well Friends as Enemies to be smitten in his Health and to feel himself under the actual Arrest of Death 〈◊〉 And at the same time for God to seem to write bitter things against him and to carry it towards the Poor Soul as if he were become the Man's Enemy if there be a spiritual Hurricane this side Hell this is one All these bitter Ingredients met together in that sad Hurricane which the Devil was permitted to raise against Job His Substance swept all away and he left as empty handed as when he came into the World He was cast out of the kind and charitable Thoughts of all as well his Friends and nearest Relations as Enemies and Strangers and the God of his Life and Comfort too did set himself in Battel Array against him Oh! what a Hurricane was this Holy Upright hearted Man in it must needs be very sore and sharp when such a Mirrour of Patience le ts fly such Expressions as to Curse the very day of his own Birth Job 3.1 2 3. and to wish himself to be ameer Non-Entity ver 16. with other Expressions full of unbecoming Reflections on that Just Holy and Tremendous God whom he lov'd and fear'd above all things It were worth while if those deluded and graceless Perfectionists who talk so boastingly and ignorantly of a sinless Perfection had power to consider without prejudice how far Job was from that sinless Perfection they teach and affirm is attainable in this Life and for Proof whereof they bring in Job for one Instance Asserting that he was perfect in their Sense let Job's great Impatience in the time of his sore and sinking Trials together with his own Acknowledgment of his Imperfection in Sanctification be weigh'd in the Ballance of an unbyassed and unprejudicate Consideration and then will it convincingly appear how vain and altogether contrary to God's Truth and the Experience of all true Believers that silly Opinion of theirs is If I justifie my self mine own Mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse Job 9.20 If I wash my self with Snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the Ditch and mine own Cloaths shall abhor me ver 30 31. Holy David was somewhat near to Job in point of Troubles and Afflictions as appears by Psal 42.7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water-spouts all thy Waves and thy Billows have gone over me And in Psal 142.4 I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my Soul Other Instances might be here brought in to shew what Hurricanes the Saints of God have gone through and yet it hath not been in the power of those Hurricanes to overset or overcome those Servants of the Living God The higher and sharper the storms were the closer Faith did cling to its Object witness Job's fixed Resolution Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 That of David also is to the purpose Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death yet will I fear no evil Psal 23.4 These and all the most Eminent Saints of God Recorded in Scripture whenever they felt any thing of a storm approach them their way they took for self Preservation was to run by Faith and Prayer to the shadow of Christ And as they so every true and uprighted-hearted Believer when he finds himself stript of all outward Accommodations forsaken of all Relations and familiar Friends made an Obloquy of the blackest Reproach compast about with the shadow of Death and the Face of God himself seeming to Frown on the dying Believer yet in the very height of his Extremity his Faith will catch hold of the Appletree and there will hold come Life come Death Oh! the Excellency and Power of a Divine Faith To apply what hath been discover'd concerning Christ's Suitableness and Commodiousness to answer the necessitous Condition of poor sinners from this Metaphor of the Appletree let the first Use be of Information I will Branch it forth into six particular Branches Branch the first Learn hence how sacrilegious and wicked the Doctrin of Popery is which allows and teaches that there are more Mediators between God and Sinners besides Jesus Christ the continual use Papists make of the Virgin Mary and other Saints in their Praying to God is an evident proof hereof They that doubt hereof let them for their own Satisfaction look into the Rosary or Ladies Psalter which is the poor besotted Papists Vade mecum The which whoever reads comparing the same with the Word of God will soon be convinc'd of the Idolatry of the Church of Rome The Spirit and Word of God assures us that there is but one onely Mediator between God and sinful Men and that the Man Christ Jesus is that Mediator For there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was Established upon better Promises Heb. 8.6 And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant Heb. 12 24. To convince you of this sacrilegious and damning Doctrin I offer three things to serious Cosideration First The Word of God no where
astray wâ— have turned every one to his own waâ— and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all Ver. 7 He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet 〈◊〉 opened not his Mouth he is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before her Sheater is dumb so he opened not his Mouth What was the reason of this profund Silence when not only his Reputation but his Liberty and his dear Life too lay at stake No other Reason can be given by Men or Angels for it but this viz. His voluntary Act in striking hands with his Father as a Sponsor or Surety in the behalf of the Elect in whose room as their Representative he promised to see all their Debts fully discharged And that by a most exact keeping the Law for them and by bearing to the uttermost the Shame Curse and Death to which the Law sentenced the Elect for sin The Blessed Redeemer having thus laid himself under a legal Tie or Obligation to God his Father when Justice call'd him to hold up the Hand at the Bâ—r in order to his coming to a full and legal Trial He had not one word to object against the severity of the Laws proceeding against him though he had not the least spot of sin of his own to be charged with yet having undertaken as a Surety for the Elect their sins tho' never so many horrid and vile he must take them as his own And 〈◊〉 he did witness his own Acknowledgment at the Laws Bar. Psal 4â— 12 For innumerable Evils have compassed me about mine Iniquities have taken hold on me so that I am not abâ— to look up c. The numberless Numbers of the Elects Iniquities were by God imputed and charg'd to his Account and he the Immaculate spotless Lamb of God takes them as hiâ— own according to Esa 53.8 and 1 Peâ— 2.24 who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree c. They who deny a change of Persons between Christ and God's Elect do buâ— bewray their own Unskilfulness in thiâ— greatest of Mysteries And in pretence of opposing Antinomianism sufficiently demonstrate themselves to bâ— the worst and most pernicious Antinomians now in London For most certain it is and Goâ— will make such Men know it sooneâ— or later that in the same sense where in Christ was made a sinner at thâ— Bar of Gods Law the Elect of Goâ— stand justified at the Throne of Grace As the Lord Jesus Christ could be nâ— other way made or prov'd a sinner but by Gods imputing to him the Iniquities of the Elect to which he himself agreed and consented so Elect sinners can no other way be Partakers of a spotless justifying Righteousness but by Gods imputing that of his Sons to them As all the Guilt and Defilements which by sin came on Gods Elect were imputed to and charg'd on the Son of God so all that Mediatorial Righteousness both Active and Passive which Christ perform'd and fulfill'd to answer the Laws demand was and is imputed to and charg'd on the Elect in effectual calling for their free and full Justification from all charge of sin and he or they that have the face to deny this do sufficiently prevent any others studying Arguments to prove them Heterodox and unsound in this Foundation Doctrin of Justification wherein they who are made Partakers of the Anointing of the Spirit of Christ cannot but see and stand convinced that the whole current of Sacred Scriptures and of Orthodox Protestant Divines both Non and Conformists are full â—tive against them Thirdly The Death of Christ is sweet â—nd delightful to the true Believer Three things there be which bespeaks it so to be First In that Christs dying the cursed Death to which the Elect were liable was the consummating Act oâ— the Execution of God's Law upon him and in him upon all the Elect oâ— God It was Luthers Observation and Saying upon the Son of Gods being put to Death that the two greatesâ— Potentates on Earth were on thâ— Cross striving for Victory viz The Law of God and the sinless Soâ— of God The Law falls on Christ as the greatest of Transgressors as he stood charg'd with all the most horrid Abominations that the Eye of Gods Omâ—nisciency foresaw the Elect should eveâ— fall into The Laws knows or shews nâ— Mercy though Christ be the Son oâ— God and the Law-maker too yet Satisfaction must be given which give occasion here to mind the Readeâ— of the Old Maxim Law-makers muâ—â— be no Law-breakers I am certain that Maxim was never yet morâ— truly verified and made good in nâ—â— case than it was in this of Chrisâ— bearing and undergoing the Penalty 〈◊〉 his own Righteous and Just Law The Law cries out against Christ in whose Person all the sins of God's Elect did meet here 's a Transgressor a Sinner the greatest that ever appeared at God's Bar And that on the account of the innumerable Rebellions and Transgressions of all the many Millions of God's Elect which lay upon him though he was never toucht with the least stain of Corruption in his assumed Nature Neither was the least Deviation from the Rectiâ—ude of the Law ever found in his Practise and Life yet he is the Party who is like to satisfie Justice for all those Debts he hath taken on him to discharge and seeing that the principal part of the Debt which he took on him to pay viz. Actual Conformity to the Righteous Demands of the Law is undeniably found in him And that there remains now nothing to discharge and clear off of what he hath undertaken as a Surety but to under go a bodily Death to answer the Accessory Debt whereto the Elect became obnoxious by Adam's first Rebellion let him die that shameful ignominious and cursed Death of the Cross Thus the Law Sentenc'd and Condemn'd him as a Malefactor and the blackest Criminal that ever held up Hand at the Bar of any Court of Judicature either Human or Divine The Law having passed on him he was deliver'd up to Justice to the end the Curse of the Law might be inflicted on him his Executioner in this doleful Tragedy must be his own Dear and Tender Father who Lov'd him from Everlasting and will to endless Eternity love him as he loves himself Yet notwithstanding Die he must and that by having the Sword of his Fathers vindicative Justice sheath'd in his very Bowels till his very Soul was powered forth like Water Awake O Swordâ—â— against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow Zach. 13.7 c. Because he hath powered out his Soul unto death c. Isa 53.12 I am poured out like water and all my Bones are out of joint my Heart 〈◊〉 melted l ke Wax in the midst of my Bowels Psal 22.14 He that spareâ— not his own Son but delivered him up for us all c. Rom. 8.32 Here 's an Argument of the Fathers Love to Elect sinners