rend Pauls heart no doubt but their Unity and accord did as much rejoyce him Therefore how emphatically doth he speak Phil. 2.1 2. If any consolation if any bowels fulfill ye my joy that ye may be like minded c. It 's then the Ministers glory and the Churches glory to walk in lovely accord when in the Church as in Solomons Temple the voice of the hammer is not heard whenas God promised in respect of temporal peace The sword should be turned into plow-shares so the controversal and polemical part of Divinity shall be changed into the practical and affectionate part Again It 's the glory of the Church passively in this sense that for it we are exceedingly to glorifie and praise God We should look upon the spiritual peace of the Church as a greater mercy then all external mercies What an heavy thing is it when Jerusalem shall be made a Babel when the Church shall be like the chaos and confusion that was made at first when God shall bring such a spiritual judgement on the Church as sometimes he did a temporal one upon the enemies thereof Every mans weapon against his neighbour till they had destroyed one another When therefore we see God forming the hearts of believers to uniting terms this we ought to praise God for as being a special means to promote Christs Kingdom Now it 's the glory of believers to be at Unity 1. Because this will exalt them in the very hearts and thoughts of their greatest enemies What is glory but the clara notitia the famous acknowledging of the excellency of such a thing Now nothing will sooner divulge the fame and like the heavens make the noise thereof to go through the Land then unity and agreement As Solomons wisdom spread it self over the world Insomuch that many came from afar to see and admire it Thus it will be also for the Churches accord therefore the Psalmist put an Ecce upon it Behold how good and comely it is for brethren to be of one accord Psal 133.1 2. Thus you heard The Heathens admired the love of primitive Christians Ecce quam se muâ—uo diligenti fratres vocant whereas now we may say Behold how they hate and oppose one another calling one another by all uncharitable names It 's unity then that makes the Churches fame to be over the world 2. Vnity is the glory of the Church because it ariseth from the beauty and pulchritude of it The beauty of a thing is the glory of it now beauty doth arise from the sweet harmony and proportion of all the parts and this is the unity of the Church when every member thereof is harmoniously joyned unto another when there is no dissonancy or difference Certainly It 's a better wish to see the Church in this glory then that of Austins to see Rome in all her temporal glory If any member be deformed or unproportionable to the other parts How unlovely and uncomely doth it make that body So it is here if any make a rent be proud froward or opposite the glory thereof is departed 3. It 's part of their glory because the happinesse and blessednesse of a Church is in their Communion-graces A Church denoteth some society and company Now the advantage of such improvements is by union if one part of the body be divided from the other there is no suppeditation of mutual help therefore there are nerves and ligaments in the body to unite each part to other You see in a civil society if there be not union the glory of it presently dieth divisions like moths rise from within and do immediately consume If then the happinesse of believers lie in their communion-graces and duties What can be more glorious then unity which is the only means to procure subserviency to one another as if several Cities were supplied by pipes of water one to another if those pipes be stopt or cut it brings a necessary destruction The second main particular is That Christ purchased as Mediatour this priviledge as well as others He did not onely die to justifie them to sanctifie them but to unite them also And this should teach us several things As 1. It should not be accounted a slight and little sinne to make any breaches or divisions in Gods Church to do any thing through strife and vain-glory Why because Christ died against this he as Mediatour intended not onely to save his people but to bring them into one Why then dost thou by thy contentions by thy heretical opinions thus sinne against Christs death his intercession and his prayer are for the same effects Now you see in this Chapter that his prayer for unity is ingeminated over and over again and therefore Christ had this even in his thoughts in his very death hence it was that also at his death he appointed the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which though chiefly to seal Gods grace to us yet it did also signifie the love we ought to have to one another as the Apostle urgeth 1 Cor. 10. that as the several corns make up one bread thus do the godly make up one mystical body Divisions then in the Church are against Christs death and against the Sacrament of his death Shall we therefore runne into such sinnes that have such an hainous aggravation 2. That the people of God where they see these divisions are to improve this Argument for Vnity Even as when they groan under any corruption and would gladly have the mastery of it they runne to the blood of Christ praying O Lord Did not Christ die that these sinnes might die Was not Christ crucified to crucifie these lusts So it ought to be in matter of unity Oh Lord make all thy people of one heart of one minde and spirit because Christ died for this also let not his death be in vain Thou wouldst not suffer his bones to be broken nor his garment divided why then shall his Church be torn and divided Do not think humane policies and invented syncretisms will be able to soder together It must be this blood of Christ that obtaineth this 3. Christ did not onely meritoriously purchase this Vnity by his death but in him exemplarily and formally we are made one So that Christ is both the moral cause of this unity and the exemplar also for he by being both God and man in one Person made God and man one when there was such an infinite distance before there is made the most intimate union that can be even an hypostatical union between God and man Now though we cannot attain to such an union yet by reason of this all believers are made one with God and amongst themselves Hence is that often expression of our being in him of ingraffing in him of living in him all which do denote our intimate union with him so that as Christ is not divided in himself The Divine Nature doth not will one thing and the humane Nature the contrary
flying Roll that had curses written on it within and without This is proved by the Parable of the Talents where he that had but one was not pardoned but must give an account and for his negligence be condemned Now by a Talent is meant every thing that a man is betrusted with thereby to glorifie God and it 's called a Talent because of the high price and worth that is in every the least opportunity we have to serve God Oh then let all Superiors tremble at this how great and unexpected will thy account be If thou hast endeavoured to be good thy self and holy yet if thou hast not attended to have holy Children and an holy Family thy Condemnation will be exceeding great Think not to say with Cain Am I my Brethrens Keeper What have I to do with others I am no Preacher or Minister for in that thou hast a trust thou shalt give an account of thy godly improving of it 3. All those sinnes that Inferiors do commit for want of thy care and instruction will be thy sinnes and thou wilt be the cause of their damnation That Rule in morality is also true in Divinity qui non dat vitam aufert Ezechiel must be judged guilty of the Israelites sinnes and God will require their bloud at his hands if he do not his duty to them Eze. 3.18 And therefore Paul protested he was free from their bloud because he had made known all the Counsell of God Act. 20.26 Who then will be able to stand under this burthen Hast thou not sinnes of thy own but thou must have thy Childrens sinnes thy Servants sins also to lie upon thy back as an heavy burthen Will Christ at the day of Judgement condemn men because his poor Members were sick and they visited them not They were hungry and they fed them not And will he not much rather be provoked because there have been sick sinful wicked persons under thy care drunkards and thou didst not admonish Swearers and thou didst not frown on them Shall God make Inquisition for the bloud of the body upon Murderers And will he not for the bloud of Souls Shall Abel though dead speak and cry Vengeance and shall not Children Servants Inferiours damned in hell cry out saying It was the negligence the prophanesse of my Superiors that hath brought me hither Were not men stones and Rocks these Considerations would make them melt and tremble Vse of Exhortation to Governours especially Parents and Masters Take our Saviours example here and follow it see his care was that his Disciples might not sinne that they might be kept in all holinesse Oh then blame and condemn thy self saying my thoughts My cares have been to make them rich to provide for them in the world but not at all have I looked to their Souls Do they not lye swear drink Do they not prophane the Sabbath and live dissolutely yet these things are no trouble to thy heart Canst thou say of thy Children as was said of Austin to his Mother Monica It was impossible that a Childe of so many Teares should perish Are thine Children of praiers and tears and careful instruction How many are too like that Woman of Zebedee she comes to Christ with this Petition That her Sons might sit with Christ in his Kingdom one on the right hand and another on the left dreaming of some earthly temporal greatnesse Thus we are apt to think we will provide so much leave such Estates and in the mean while their miserable Souls are undone to all Eternity Be moved hereunto because 1. This is the greatest love and charity to them You cannot discover greater compassion then by taking care of their Souls Their Souls are more worth then all the world how highly did Christ esteem of Souls when he came into the world and endured all that misery for Souls only He died only to make them blessed 2. Consider that thy evil example who art a Governour doth encourage and embolden Inferiours in their wickednesse They are the more obstinate because thou shewest no dislike no frowns on them they think they have cause to sinne then It 's well observed by Lactantius speaking of this particular about Example The nature of man is proclive to all vice and would seem not only cum veniâ but ratione peccare and this they never do more pleade then when their Superiours are such as act Wickednesse or else doe countenance it 3. Be moved hereunto from the Certainty of the Souls good and uncertainty of all worldly things When thou hast consumed thy self in thoughts and cares about thy Children Solomons Observation will hold true Who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a Fool thou hast laboured for Eccl. 2.19 But now if he hath been instructed in the fear of God This will abide to all Eternity In the next place we come to the Compellation Holy Father From that attribute given to God he is an holy Father and so being a Fountain of all holinesse may easily communicate it to others Obs That God is an holy God and so able to make others holy For we are not to consider of this Attribute meerly as a glorious property in God but to improve it for our good that we also might be made holy This glorious Attribute Isa 6. the Angels of all others do single out and with great â—cclamation praise God saying Holy Holy Holy Yea this is the only Attribute we are to imitate Be ye holy as I am holy not be omnipotent as I am Now God is holy several waies And first He is essentially holy his holinesse and his nature are not two things as it is in Angels and men In this sense Christ said None is good but God God is a pure act and so whatsoever is in God is God His holinesse therefore is not only in that he worketh all things holily but his very nature is holy Hence God is called Jehovah and I AM Exod. 3.14 because what he is he is essentially and therefore seeing his nature is incomprehensible so is his holinesse Seeing we are never able to define what he is so neither can we what his holinesse is Quicquid de Deo dici potest eo ipso indignum est quia dici potest Our dwarfish Nature cannot measure these Pyramides Our shell cannot contain this Ocean Though Astronomers by their Instruments guesse at the magnitude of the Sun yet we cannot reach unto the greatnesse either of Gods Nature or his Attributes Secondly He is not onely essentially holy but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oppositely holy to those false Gods mans corruption hath set up and in opposition to the Devils who are called unclean spirits Hence he is often stiled the Holy One of Israel because they only worshiped the true God Those ancient Christian Writers Arnobius Austin and others who wrote in defence of the Christian Religion did convince Heathens of their Impiety by worshiping such for gods
From whence this Doctrine floweth That now there is no corporal or visible improvement of Christ but spiritual only We are apt now with Thomas to ask for the wounds and prints of the nails We are not now to expect any visible or corporal refreshments by him but what we have must be in a way of faith Heb. 11.1 Faith is the Evidence of things not not seen This the Apostle presseth 2 Cor. 5.16 Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him no more Whatsoever corporal helps and comforts whatsoever visible supports once they had yet now they attend not to any such things any more Christ himself is not now known after the flesh but after the spirit To open this Consider 1. That there was a time when the Apostles and Beleevers had not only a spiritual enjoyment of Christ by Faith but also a visible and corporal one viz. in that time when Christ was familiarly conversant with them in the flesh Then they saw Christ face to face and rejoyced in him as one friend with another Now this in it self could not be but unspeakable comfort with our own eyes to see Christ with our own ears to hear him speak and with our own handâ— to handle that Word of Life as 1 Joh. 1.1 Luk. 10 24. Our Saviour himself cals them blessed even because they lived in that age wherein they might corporally see him Many Kings and Prophets have desired to see and hear the things you do Prophets though they had immediate Revelations and Visions from God and so were called Seers yet they desired to see Christ in his bodily presence And Kings though they had the temporal glory of the world to behold yet they desired to see Christ in the flesh No wonder then if it were one of the three things Austin so desired that he might have lived in those times when Christ was here upon the Earth Do but judge within your selves Would you not go many miles if it were certain Christ were in such a place teaching and working Miracles Now the Disciples by Christs visible presence had many advantages when they were in any outward streights he provided for them though he sent them without any money upon his work yet they confessed they lacked nothing all that while When they were discouraged with their wicked Adversaries he comforted their hearts When they were in any temporal danger as when the Ship was tossed with Tempests he saved them and which is above all he was a visible Doctor and Teacher unto them so that there was nothing in Religion they doubted of but he could infallibly direct them in It 's that which the Papists so much pleade for that there must be a visible infallible Head in the Church who is to decide matter of faith otherwise there cannot be any certainty but one will pretend to the Truth as well as another Now the Apostles had such a visible Head of the Church to direct them though we have none now but the Spirit of God by the Word doth direct and guide such as walk humbly Oh what a Treasure was this That an Apostle could not have one doubt upon his heart any scruple in his Conscience any doubt about any Text in the Old Testament but he had an infallible Prophet to go to who could teach him all things Thus there was a time of outward visible enjoying of Christ But 2. This outward visible enjoying of Christ was not of any advantage at all if there had not been also a spiritual beleeving on him It was not the seeing the hearing the living with him made a man happy but the spiritual receiving of him as a Mediatour Did not Iudas live with him in this kinde was not he as a familiar Friend with him yet for all that he was a Sonne of Perdition Hence our Saviour upon all occasions took them off from attending to such visible advantages as Luke 11.27 when they cried out Blessed is the womb that bare Christ and the paps that gave him suck He corrected this and said Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and do it So that the very Mother of Christ was more blessed in conceiving Christ in her heart by Faith then conceiving him in her womb So Mar. 3.35 when they told him his Mother and Brethren were to seek him he answered Whosoever doth the will of God the same is my Mother and Brother So that now all such corporall considerations are to vanish and spirituall Arguments are to take place Even as when Christ left his Disciples bodily then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon them If then we would duely improve Christ as a Mediatour we are to be a spirituall people our hearts desires and aims must be wholly spirituall But this is too great a lesson for any natural man he cannot make any use of Christ but after a fleshly carnal manner one way or other The life of Faith is as much above them as reason is above a Beast The natural man cannot receive them because spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Therefore wicked men are called sensuall and are compared to brute beasts which are wholly carried out by sence We will instance in some particulars by which it's apparent that we are prone to know Christ after a corporal manner As 1. All those doctrinal Opinions in Popery about visible Images and Crucifixes to represent God and Christ what are these but even to desire Christ to be here bodily with us still And because this cannot be therefore we have a Crucifix we keep some bodily representation of him This the Papists commend as of special use to stir up devotion Hence some of them make the same kinde of worship to be given to a Crucifix as to Christ himself Thus Christ is wholly neglected spiritually he is not propounded as a Mediatour to Faith but as a pleasing picture to the sence And thus also though God be a Spirit and he would not appear to the Israelites in any similitude that they might not make any Image of him yet how prone were they to make similitudes of God and is this only among Papists Are not the common people so ignorant and superstitious as to be doting upon such visible Objects Even as little Children love to play with Babies 2. Our pronenesse to know Christ after a corporal manner is seen in the Doctrine of Transubstantiation where the Papists hold the Bread and Wine to be really turned into the body and bloud of Christ that it 's no longer bread or Wine but Christs body and bloud Therefore they look not up to Christ in heaven by Faith but to Christ in the Sacrament as if his corporal being there were all in all Insomuch that all the affection and devotion they put forth in a Sacrament is wholly visible and carnal They worship it as if the body of Christ were there They set it up to be seen that all may bodily fall down and
upon it that it is sure to have Oh that Unbelief and distrust should ever overwhelm any Godly soul Doth not the Apostle triumph and say Who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Rom. 2. It 's Christ that died Though the divine nature could not suffer yet he that suffered was God as well as man and so it is to be accounted of infinite worth This is more then the Obedience of Men and Angels put together 2. It is of infinite worth in respect of the gracious readinesse and willingnesse of him who did utter it Christ received grace into his humane nature without measure and so this being the gracious offering of him who was God and man it must have necessary acceptance 3. It had infinite worth in respect of the thing uttered which was no lesse then the precious body and bloud of Christ himself he thought not those preparatory sufferings and agonies enough but he consummates all by his Death Oh then let not the trembling sinner fear the insufficiency of the ransome doubt not whether every farthing be paid Say not though such sins may be discharged yet can this that I have committed Can the bloud of Christ cover this sinne as well as others Secondly Consider that though Christ offered up himself as a Sacrifice yet the application of it must be in such a way that God hath appointed It 's not enough that there is a potion which will cure all diseases but it must be taken in that way which the Physician doth prescribe and thus though Christ offered up himself to reconcile God to man yet this is not done till by faith it be received As the bloud of thâ— Sacrifice was to be sprinkled with hysop Thus the bloud of Christ ere it doth wash away our sins must by Faith be sprinkled upon the soul and therefore it 's not altogether here as it is when a man is indebted and lying in prison one comes and paieth the debt for him This man is released without any more a do There is no further thing required but the setting of him at lâ—berty for though Christ hath thus offerrd up himself for the pardon of sinnes yet the Father hath made such an appointment that this price should reach to none but those that beleeve and therefore this Doctrine doth not give the least security to any man to sinne for though Christ died yet his bloud may do thee no good Thou maist lie roaring in hell to all Eternity for all this because thou art not one who doth partake of this death Know the godly themselves while unconverted and abiding in their sinnes have not that actuall benefit of Justification which cometh effectually by Christs Death Thirdly Hence Christs bloud is not only cleansing and washing away the guilt of sinne but the filth of it The Apostle Tit. 3. said that he died to redeem us a peculiar people to himself zealous of good works So that there is none can pleade the justifying efficacy of Christs Death that have not also the sanctifying efficacy of it as it followeth in the Text That they might be sanctified and this will pull up by the very roots all that carnal confidence that most have That come to Christs Death as unto a common Sanctuary It 's true I am a grievous sinner but Christ died Christ was made a Sacrifice but what is this to thee who wallowest in thy filthy lusts Thou art full of thy noisome sinnes and if Christs Death did belong to thee it would wash thee it would purifie thee Do not think Christs bloud can be sprinkled on thee for the pardon of sinne and not for the washing away the filth of it This is the ruine of thousands they divide Christ and separate one effect of his death from another Fourthly Though Christ did but once offer up himself yet the vertue and power of it doth abide for ever It 's not necessary that Christ should be alwaies dying therefore he is said to be a Priest for ever yea this Death of Christ did extend to all the Godly that lived before his Sufferings Abel Abraham and all in the Old Testament had no other Sacrifice to please God with but this It is noted by a Learned man that therefore Cains Sacrifice was not accepted because he did not as Abel offer such a propitiatory Sacrifice as was a Type of Christ but rested in his own duties and works yea it 's thought God by covering Adams nakednesse with skins of Beasts did thereby teach Christs Righteousnesse Look then upon the bloud of Christ as powerfully working as if to day he had been crucified It works as a morall Cause by Covenant and agreement with the Father and therefore it doth as strongly work as ever Fifthly It 's continually useful and necessary seeing we renew sinnes daily and therefore run into new infirmities constantly therefore it behoveth us to apply this medicine continually If a man had been a hundred times stung by Serpents he was as often to look upon the exalted Serpent to be healed if therefore we fall into the mire daily we need washing as often if we get noisomenesse upon us this bloud must daily clense us and certainly we may all say with Peter Not my feet but my whole body also Let that be washed Doth not every part of us get some new pollution Are not hearts affections and mindes constantly polluted If so we cannot be a moment without the application of it as often as we breathe we need the Sprinkling of Christs bloud Sixthly We are to Consider the certain successe and prevalency of it No sooner did the Messengers say Vriah was dead but Davids anger was removed When the destroying Angel seeth this bloud he will passe by if Moses his praier could so much prevail with God that he saith Let me alone and Lot was so accepted that the Angel cannot destroy Sodom till he be removed Then how powerful and prevalent must Christs bloud be Seventhly This Sacrifice is that which Christ presents to his Father The Socinians wold have Christ performing his Priestly Office only in Heaven but it 's plain he did it on earth only what he once did he constantly presents to his Father and the minding of God with this is a farre more efficacious thing then that of the Rainbow God when he beholds this will not again drown the world and when he looketh on Christ will not condemn the humbled sinner Therefore Christ is described Rev. 10. with a Rainbow upon his head to signifie as some think the pacificatory vertue that is in Christ Eighthly The purity of the Sacrifice is not to be forgotten He is called the pure and spotlesse Lamb 1 Pet. 1.19 As it behoved us to have a Priest without sinne So a Sacrifice without any defect otherwise that Sacrifice would have needed another and so there would have been no end Therefore though all we can offer which is ours
be full of blemishes yet when we present Christ by Faith then there is no fault to be found Lastly The vertue of this Sacrifice is to make us like Christ himself he thinketh it not enough to be King and Priest himself but he maketh us also Kings and Priests for ever We offer up Praiers and Praises to him and by him we conquer all our spiritual Enemies The devil and our lusts are subdued Such glory have all they that are partakers of this Sacrifice Vse of Terrour to all wicked and ungodly men who by their Unbelief and Prophanesse reject this Sacrifice The Apostle Heb. 10. cals it trampling upon the bloud of Christ and accounting it a prophane thing Oh how many thousand live that have no esteem and make no account of this Sacrifice Oh remember that this is the last and ultimate Sacrifice He that rejects this hath no more hope There remaineth no more oblation for sinne There is not another Christ or another Sacrifice if thou refuse this Vse 2. Of Encouragement to the Godly Come to this Fountain that is set open for Judah and Jerusalem to cleanse in Doe not say because Christ crucified is a stumbling block and foolishnesse to wicked men that therefore thou wilt disesteem him also There is no sore but this blood will heal and cure Oh let the blood of thy soul be stanched with this blood of Christ This blood speaks good and comfortable things better then that of Abel SERMON CI. Of Sanctification as the Effect of Christs Death Shewing That no man truly believeth in Christ for Justification that doth not also for Sanctification JOH 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also may be sanctified through the Truth WE are now come to the end of Christs Sanctification which is two-fold the finis cui and cujus We shall put them both together for so they are conjoyned in the following clause That they might be sanctified through the Truth Wherein you have 1. The final Cause 2. The Manner of accomplishing it The final Cause That they might be sanctified and from this the Socinian would argue That Sanctification in the former clause was not meant of an oblation by way of Sacrifice because the same word is applied to the Apostles in the Text and they were not to be sacrificed for us To answer this First Some Expositours do expound it of their offering up of themselves by Martyrdom to confirm the truth for Paul professeth his willingnesse herein using the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.15 which was used of some kinde of their Sacrifices but we need not runne to that it 's no new thing in Scripture to use the same word in one verse in different significations and it 's a Rule Talia sunt praedicata qualia permittuntur à subjectis The Apostles then needing not such a Sanctification as Christ applied to himself but that for which he prayed in the former verse We must understand it in the same sense as there It 's true by Sanctification some also will have Justification comprehended and so speak of an imputed Sanctification but we need not stretch the word violently but understand it first Of making inwardly holy and then consequently A setting apart and dedicating our selves wholly unto God by living unto him and thence observe That Christ died not only for our Justification but Sanctification also He made himself a Sacrifice not onely to remove the guilt of sinne but to remove and subdue the power of it not onely to make us happy but also holy Let us consider What is implied in this That Sanctification comes by Christs death And First We are to know that Christ is the Cause of our Sanctification several wayes partly efficiently for not only the Father and the Spirit but Christ himself also is the cause of all the holinesse we have and therefore he is called the life because he gives all supernatural life unto his and is compared to the vine Joh. 15. because as the branch separated from the Vine can bring forth no fruit so neither is a man able without Christ to do the least holy action he is also called the Head and John 1. Of his fulnesse we are all said to receive Thus as God in the course of nature is the authour of every natural gift therefore it 's said In him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 So in the way of grace Christ is the authour and finisher as of our faith so of every holy work in us The Author Heb. 12.2 and therefore we cannot so much as begin or meet Christ he must prevent us and the finisher for although we have begun yet we have not the same manutenency and powerfull preservation what we have begun to build would immediately fall to the ground Thus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of our spiritual life 2. Christ is the meritorious cause of our Sanctification and therefore not only remission of sin but holinesse and zeal is made the consequent of Christs death And the Apostle doth not only Rom. 7.8 shew that we are justified by Christ but also that the body of sinne is mortified thereby Thus Heb. 10. what Sanctification that Apostate had is attributed to the blood of Christ Christ then hath as efficaciously merited holinesse as happinesse He died to destroy the workes of the devil now our captivity to him was not onely in respect of guilt but that bondage and slavery we were in to all lusts and therefore those two benefits are like Castor and Pollux one cannot be without the other 3. Christ is in some large and improper sense called the formal cause of the good in us an assistant form not informing that is Christ received and applied by faith doth in a most inward and intimate manner live in us and thereby strengtheneth us so the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I no longer live but Christ in me Here you see Christ liveth in a godly man for by faith we are united unto him and thus Christ becomes our Head from whom we have all spiritual influx Now an head is a conjoyned and united cause made one with the body and thus is Christ and his Church and therefore is that similitude of an Head and the Body so often used 4 Christ is the final cause of our Sanctification that is we are made holy to this end both that we might shew forth the praises and glory of Christ as our Redeemer as also that we should live to him and set all our affections and desires upon him desiring with Paul To know nothing but Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2.1 Secondly In that by Christs death we are sanctified there is implied That we of our selves are very impure and unclean that we are like so many noisome dunghils For our being unsanctified doth imply 1. Our filthiness or uncleanness this is the state of every man till sanctified by Christ he is like an unclean leper his
strength should fail them lest one time or other they should yeeld to sinne and be overwhelmed Now in the midst of all these fears Christ hath praied for thee as well as for Peter that thy faith may not fail Insomuch that we may say Christs praier for beleevers is all their hope and foundation In some sad exigences how carefull are we to have the praiers of all Gods people to be remembred in such and such a Congregation but if all the Churches in the world should pray for a man it would not amount to so much as Christs praier therefore let the godly comfort one another with these things Lastly He hath praied for their glorification Thus he praied that they may be one even as he and the father are one and that they be where he is viz. that they may enjoy that glory which Christ had purchased for them Therefore he is called the Resurrection Job 11.25 because he will raise up such at the last day The body though dead and consumed to ashes shall not alwaies be in the grave neither shall the soul have such rags and deformities upon it continually but shall be cloathed with glorious robes Thus you see the chief and main matter of Christs praier not so much earthly and temporall things as heavenly for although Christ did comfort his Disciples even in earthly straits Mat. 6.25 that they had a Father in Heaven and if he did provide for all the creatures in the world they might much rather be perswaded of his care to them and Paul argued Rom. 8. he gave his only Son for them how shall he not give all things else Yet the great things that Christ before his sufferings thought fit to commend unto God were spirituall and heavenly benefits And that is the first consideration The matter of Christs Praier Secondly Take notice of the nature of this Praier it 's by way of Mediation It 's a Mediatory Praier and so differs from all the praiers of other men As they are bare meer men so their praiers are bare meer praiers There is no merit no mediation in thee but Christs praier is of a farre more transcendent nature Even as the bloud of the Martyrs came farre short of Christs Their bloud was not expiatory it was not by way of a Sacrifice for sinnes whereas Christs was Thus there is a vast difference between praiers and praiers God may regard one mans praier more then anothers it may be more effectuall as in that supposition though Daniel and Job stood and praied they should not be heard Job you know was commanded to pray for his Friends and his praier was accepted of more then theirs and Daniel was said to be a man greatly beloved because his praiers were so readily heard Likewise the praier of many or a Church is more prevalent then the praier of one single person So a Praier from one in office as a Minister is more then of one in a private condition but yet the praier of Christ as in the office of a Mediatour doth farre surmount all So then in Christs praier we are especially to look to the Mediatory power to the impetratory efficacy of it It 's not a meer supplication as ours are but a powerfull obtaining of what is desired His praier can be no more refused then his bloud they both are in the same nature they go along under the same respect his bloud may as well be without advantage as his praier The high-Priests praier for the people was of greater concernment for the people then their own praiers I tell thee all thy own praiers are not of that consequence to thee as Christs praier is all Mediatory and impetratory efficacy is from that Thirdly Consider the dignity of the Person who did pray for beleevers and thereby cometh an infinite efficacy and worth to it Christ who praied for us being God and man in regard of his divine nature there cometh an infinite worth upon his praier his praier is like himself and from this account it is that it is meritorious with God that it is just with God to grant him his Requests his Supplications are put up in his own name he needeth no Mediatour there is none to make way for his acceptance with God so that this Meditation affords unspeakable consolation though all thy praiers and duties be nothing worth yet Christs is of infinite value The dignity and merit whereby any good cometh to us is not for our praiers but for Christs Certainly the people of God do not live so chearfully upon this consideration as they ought They are careful to pour out their own praiers but not by faith to rest on Christs What needest thou fear who canst bring praiers of infinite merit The Lord Christ hath praied that I might have this mercy he hath praied that this grace should be vouchsafed unto me What fault can be found with Christ What blame or imperfection is to be seen or found in him how can Christ be denied in justice It is his right to have his Requests answered Fourthly Consider the respect and relation Christ stands in towards God the Father And then you will still say his praier is of great concernment to 〈◊〉 Now his relation is the only Son of God and dearly beloved by him This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Mat. 3.17 So that his praiers are heard unquestionably upon a twofold ground the one of justice because infinite in worth the other of love because the only begotten Son This Heb. 5.7 He is said while he praied to be heard in what he feared and Joh. 11.12 Christ thanks the Father that he heard him alwaies and often doth he professe that the Father loveth him the Sonne and that the Father and the Son are one This also is very comfortable to meditate upon Thou hast the praier of him who is the only begotten of the Father whom the Father heareth alwaies and to whom he denieth nothing if we are able to say Lord this is not my praier only This is not my desire only but it s the request of Christ so beloved of thee then thou maist justly beleeve thou shalt be accepted of O Lord though I have no lovelinesse no comelinesse yet Christ hath Some have doubted whether Christ was heard in every thing he praied for and they instance in his praier that the cup might passe from him but that was only conditionall If it be thy will and therefore he added Not my will but thine be done That which he absolutely praied for was Gods support and preservation of him as also the raising him out of the grave That which seemeth to have gteat difficulty is his praier Luke 23.34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do but of the efficacy of this we need not doubt of because the Pharisees and others they sinned against their knowledge and conscience and for such Christ praied not but
he part with his bloud and wilt not thou with a sinne which will breed nothing but torment hereafter Though it be now honey in thy mouth yet it will be gravell in the belly 2. This supposeth the security and safety of the godly Nothing can hinder them of this salvation Our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 They must pull Christ out of heaven overthrow the power of God the Father ere they can be destroied and their security stands upon a twofold bottome 1. His faithfulnesse to discharge his trust What doubt may be made seeing Christ hath undertaken the work of thy salvation Not that thou shouldst live in ease and eat and drink and take no care for thy soul This is to adde hony to poison but in respect of the meritorious and satisfactory part so Christ hath undertaken all when thou art required to believe and repent it is not to merit to satisfie it 's upon other grounds Now then will it not be blasphemy to say Christ will be found unfaithful in his trust To say that Christ should lose any of those jewels that were put into his custody indeed if our salvation and happinesse were in our keeping we should be prodigal of it every day we are found unfaithful in every temptation but so is not Christ As he is yea and Amen the same yesterday and to day and for ever so is thy salvation sure to be It must needs be sure because of the power of Christ Joh. 19.30 I and my Father are one said Christ even to this particular Now none is greater then my Father None can pluck them out of his hands Consider that they are in Gods hands he keeps them alwaies as a precious jewell and he that will destroy them must pluck them out of Gods hands whether he will or no he must be stronger then God that can do this It was Caesars boast that he had ten Legions of such valiant Souldiers that could vel ipsum coelum diruere pull down even heaven it self a vain and wicked boast but no power of men or devils are able to take these treasures out of Gods hands Vse of Examination Try whether thou art one of those that are thus given to Christ and in this I mean not thou shouldst climbe up into heaven see whether thy Name be written in the Book of Life but know this by the infallible property of him who is thus given to Christ and that is to come to him What my Father hath given me will come to me and the Father will draw him Now coming to Christ is not pedibus but affectibus Dost thou take him for thy Lord and King Art thou willing to renounce all those lusts and sins which have had dominion over thee Dost thou cry out and say Oh blessed Lord my sins my oaths my pride my uncleannesse have kept me from thee Conscience bid me come the Word of God bid me come but still this sinne or the other kept me back But now Lord I have broken all the snares here I am to do what thou wilt have me oh it 's to be lamented with bitter lamentations to see how few come to him though he giveth such encouragements SERMON XI Treateth of Eternall Life in the Nature and Properties of it JOH 17.2 That he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him HAving dispatched the Subject to whom this fruit of Christs power is to be vouchsafed we come now to the Fruit and benefit thereof and that is Eternal Life In which we will also comprehend the manner of obtaining it viz. by way of gift He will give The greatnesse of the gift though it may be apprehended yet it cannot be comprehended Though we had the tongue of Angels and the understanding likewise yet we should but speak as a childe and think as a childe when this matter of Divinity is our Theme Every thing is inviting Its life No rich man no poor man but desireth this It 's Eternal Life and so can be much lesse rejected and it 's by way of gift Nothing can be more welcome It 's life there is the necessity of it It 's eternal life there is the excellency of it It 's given there is the freenesse of it so that this gift here supposed is not within this Horizon nor is it made for this Meridian but it extends to the world to come The wisest of the Philosophers were in a misty darknesse about this matter It was much debated whether any happinesse did remain after this life and although sometimes confused thoughts did work on them as on that man who reading a Book of Immortality was so transported that he killed himself immediatly to enjoy it yet these were but generall indigested notions only the Scripture doth give us a distinct and accurate account of this blessednesse after our lives in this world so then we see here an unspeakable priviledge and that most certainly to be bestowed on them whatsoever their lives be here though poor though miserable though afflicted though troubled yet they shall have an eternal life Obs That Christ will give to those that are his Eternal life I shall not enlarge my self according to the vast nature of this Subject which cannot be well understood but by the fruition of it and if you should ask what it is we should desire time still to expresse it as he did what God was yet I shall limit my Discourse to a threefold general head 1. To speak of it positively what it is 2. Comparatively to this temporal and present life 3. Oppositely to eternal death And these three particulars will tend to manifest the greatest excelleneies of it Though when we have fully satisfied you with this bread it will so multiply that many fragments may be taken up First therefore positively This Eternal Life doth essentially lie in the immediate fruition and enjoyment of God This the Scripture doth often call seeing of God for howsoever it be disputed by the Learned whether the bodily eye shall be elevated so supernaturally that it shall be able to see the divine essence though spirituall and immaterial yet so farre as seeing doth imply enjoying and immediate fruition of God so farre they are sure to partake of it Now then consider how great a mercy this is To have God the Object of all our love joy and delight For he only is that universal and infinite object which can satiate and comfort the heart All these earthly comforts they are too narrow too little for the soul Divines say The soul of a man hath an infinite appetite it desireth this and it desireth that and nothing but God is such an universal good that can fully replenish it Now David even in this life he saith Whom have I in heaven and earth but thee Psa 13.35 how much rather will this be true in heaven God is the center of the soul it is unquiet and
spoken oppositely to his divine nature so that to deny the humane nature of Christ though we should affirm he was God yet this is not to know Christ Therefore the Marcionists and some Anabaptists who said he had not a true reall body that he was only in the appearance of a man They do not know Christ 3. To know Jesus Christ implieth also that we have some understanding of his Offices Of his anointing with all sufficiency and fulnesse to be a Mediatour for us He that saith he knows Christ and doth not acknowledge him anointed by God with all fulnesse to be a Mediatour for us saith he knoweth not what Now the ignorance of Christs Office and his fulnesse therein doth wonderfully abound in Popery The devil in former times opposed the natures of Christ when he could no longer succeed that way then he opposeth the Offices of Christ all those doctrines of merits indulgencies and satisfactions do oppose the Offices of Christ for if Christ be the Messiah if he be the full Mediatour to what purpose are all these Although therefore in Popery there is the true doctrine retained about Christs Natures he is acknowledged to be God and man yet in respect of his Offices there is a total burying of him in silence Angels and Saints merits and indulgencies have even almost put out the very Name of Christ amongst them so then all acknowledging that Christ is not enough it must be a Scripture-confessing of him We must give him his full due not make him half a Mediatour half a Saviour and joyn ' our selves or others in this great work 4. To know Christ implieth also that we acknowledge the great love of the Father in sending his only Son thus to mediate for us Therefore it 's added whom thou hast sent and for this reason it 's said he that knoweth and honoureth the Son must know and honour the Father also Joh. 5.23 For from the Father comes the Spring of all this love He so loved the world that he gave his only Son Joh. 3. and certainly this is of great consequence to know the Father sent Christ into the world for hereby we may be assured that all the obedience and sufferings of Christ shall be accepted of by the Father We need not fear it or doubt of it for the Father did make the first motion as it were to the Sonne Though the Sonne also did readily and voluntarily undertake it Now how great a matter was this for God the Father to do Was not Christ the only begotten and beloved of the Father Did he not come out of his Fathers bosome to the Crosse and shall not this make us return all thankfulnesse and obedience unto him Lastly This must necessarily imply a knowledge of our misery and damnable condition by sinne For if we were not lost what need had we of a Saviour If we were not sinners what need of a Mediatour So that the acknowledging of a Christ sent into the world to be a Mediatour is the beleeving also of man by nature to be the childe of wrath the Enemy of God one who may not come into his presence or expect the least hope of mercy till an Advocate and Intercessour come and pleade his cause so that this Knowledge of a Christ should be accompanied with great affections and workings of heart it should breed shame fear and confusion in us it should breed an hungring and thirsting after Christ an esteem of him as the only Remedy In Christ only is our fulnesse our sins would undo us were it not for his righteousnesse our iniquities would overthrow us Did not be intercede blessed art thou then when this Knowledge is like fire in thy bosome kindling holy flames within thee Now here may be some Questions made 1. Doth not this exclude all that lived under the Old Testament dispensation from Salvation For howsoever they might know the true God yet was there any discovery or Knowledge of Christ in those daies This is so great a matter that some have looked upon all the Jews as knowing only temporall promises That they knew nothing of heaven but an earthly Canaan was their heaven That they had no Knowledge of Christ but thought by the bloud of Sacrifices to appease God But to answer this 1. No doubt but the common and ordinary sort of them was greatly ignorant of Christ and therefore rested in their Sacrifices and the knowledge of the Law as the only thing that made them acceptable This is plain by the Apostles Arguments in his Epistle to the Galatians and we see by the Prophets they so relied upon these externall services that they thought themselves beloved of God though abounding in all wickednesse And no wonder they did so for under the Gospel how many rest on their duties and have no faith in Christ But 2. Those that were holy and godly they looked upon all their bodily Sacrifices as Types of Christ It was Christs bloud they put confidence in The Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews shews that God intended Christ by those Sacrifices and that the bloud of Rams and Goats could never clense away sinne as this was Gods meaning so the Priests and Prophets they explained the meaning thereof to the people and sometimes they have clear promises of a Saviour a Messias to come to them who shall be a Prince of Peace and shall bear their sinnes for them as Isaiah speaks like an Evangelist to this purpose which made the Apostle say that the Prophets did bear witnesse of Christ Abraham he saw Christs day and rejoyced Act. 10.43 Now all the godly have the same faith Abraham had therefore he is made the Father of the Faithfull so that what was covered in the Old Testament is revealed in the New Christ they had and Mediation they had though the Knowledge of it was more obscure Hence the Gospel is said to rise like the Light of the Sun 2. It may be demanded why the Knowledge of the holy Ghost is not there said to be Eternal Life as well as of the Father and the Son for without the Spirit of God efficiently enabling us we cannot do any holy duty as well as without Christs merits we cannot be accepted Christ is the meritorious cause and the Spirit of God the applying cause To this we may say that the Knowledge of the Spirit is necessarily implied in the Knowledge of Christ For he was in respect of his humane nature conceived by the holy Ghost when he was to leave his Apostles bodily he promiseth his Spirit to supply his presence So that none can know Christ as a Mediatour that doth not also know the holy Ghost Hence be is called the Spirit of Christ And in the 2d place we may say it 's not necessary that this Text should speak of all things necessary to Salvation It 's enough that other places doe sufficiently testifie it Now that the knowledge of the holy
gates of hell fall to the ground The devil that had power over mens hearts and kept men captive in their lusts is wholly conquered Alas all the power done in temporal deliverances cannot be compared to this redemption It 's true the eye of faith and not of the body must admire this Lastly God is glorified in his Justice and that more then the heart of man can conceive for although in respect of us there be nothing but grace and all that we have and receive is mercy yet in respect of Christ there was exact justice God laid our sins upon him he became a Surety in our stead he undergoeth that wrath that curse that did belong to us God did not abate of any thing that Christ could suffer without sinne so that we have not the pardon of our sins upon any unjust and unlawful terms The Law and Justice cannot complain Gods justice then against sinne is abundantly seen in that though Christ was the only beloved of the Father yet he is not spared but must be made a curse and endure the wrath due unto us so that if a man would consider what arguments should keep him from sinne if he would be affected with Gods wrath against it let him look on Christ crucified oh how can it be that sinne should be so pleasing and delightfull unto thee which was so bitter and full of wrath to Christ Would not God spare his own Children but his justice must be satisfied through Christ then what may wicked men expect Are they able to conflict with Gods wrath Can they satisfie his justice This bloud of Christ though it speak better things then that of Abel to the godly yet it 's more terrible then that to the wicked for thereby it testifieth that God will have bloud he must have an atonement for sinne and that cannot be by thy sufferings though in hell Therefore Gods justice is more glorified by Christ then by the damned in hell for there they are never able completely to satisfie therefore they are kept in those chains to all Eternity The debt is never paid but Christ discharged all to the utmost and therefore the grave could not contain him Thus you see how in every respect God is glorified by our salvation through Christ Though to us a Son be given and to us a childe was born Isa 9.6 He was a Saviour and Mediatour in respect of us not himself yet all this did at last referre to Gods glory That was the Ocean in which this stream did empty it self Thus you have heard wherein God was glorified by Christ In the next place consider the end that Christ did propound in all his doings and sufferings I mean the ultimate and chief end not the proxime or immediate end and that also was to glorifie God his chiefest end was not either to glorifie himself or us these were subordinate ends 1. Not himself hence Joh. 8. I seek not my own glory but the glory of him that sent me It 's true he is said to have an eye to the end of his sufferings Heb. 11. and the Scripture makes his exaltation a consequent of his humiliation yet this was not chiefest in his thoughts The name and glory God gave him exalting him above every great thing was not principally regarded by him but the glory of God So that by this we see how precious the glory of God should be to us how deer in our esteem When we see Christ preferring it above his own glory The aim that Christ had did arise from that love and zeal he had to God for none can referre all things to Gods glory who do not love him above all things who do not give him the preheminency in every thing One said Fiat justitia ruat mundus Let the glory of God be exalted though the whole world be ruined thereby as love to God so purity of intentions and an excellent rectitude of the heart is requisite else self-love and self-respect will be more prevalent then Gods glory 2. As Christ did not principally intend his own glory so neither our happinesse but only as the means to glorifie God Because Gods glory is so deeply interessed in our salvation therefore did he procure it He did not glorifie God that we might be saved but he saved us that thereby God might be glorified yet this doth not at all derogate from the Love of Christ to us neither doth it make us the lesse beholding to him though he would not have saved us had it not been for Gods glory But hereby he demonstrated both his love to us and God at the same time he loved our souls and salvation yet not above the glory of God That would have been unlawfull Therefore at the same time he did demonstrate both his love to us and to God and yet kept the due order that ought to be in his love first to God and then next to us Now the ground and reason why Christ did referre all his obedience both active and passive to Gods glory is 1. Because God himself makes all his own actions to the glory of his Name The end of Creation of Redemption of Christs coming into the world All these were ordered by God for his own glory so that as the work was imposed on Christ which he was to aim at was also required by God Had it been possible for we may suppose impossibilities for illustration sake for Christ to have procured our salvation for other ends then to glorifie God it had been sinne in him for if God be so jealous of his glory that he will not have it attributed to any other beside himself how much would his jealousie have been provoked if this matter wherein his glory is most visible should have been given to any other Gods glory then is the supreme and universal end to which all are to subordinate themselves 2. The glory of God is more noble and hath greater worth in it then any thing else Therefore that which is most noble must be the end as the lesse noble the means Seeing then the glory of God is of infinite excellency even like God himself no wonder if Christ did referre our Salvation to that most high end and by this we are to see that it 's our duty to prize the glory of God above our salvation for our salvation is but the good of a creature but the glory of God is infinite even as God himself We are to judge of and rejoice in the glory of God as more excellent then our own happinesse yet this is not so to be understood as if a man were to be willing to be damned that God might be honoured For it 's our duty to will our salvation we are to seek for immortality and glory and Rom. 2 It 's not lawfull to be willing absolutely for Paul spake conditionally I could wish to be separated from the presence of God If it be not lawfully to will our bodily
he plainly feeleth God working in him The wicked man knoweth God by the creatures and his works abroad but the godly knoweth him by the new creature and works of grace upon his heart and this is the most excellent knowledge when he knoweth God by the regeneration and sanctification of his nature by his heavenly and gracious quicknings to holy duties and against sinne If in regard of out naturall life we live and move and have our being in God how much more in our supernatural life Those know God indeed that feel those divine workings upon their souls As Job before when God had humbled him said I have heard of thee by the ear but now my eye seeth thee Job 42.5 So saith the godly I have heard many Sermons of God but I never felt him till now or as the Queen of Sheba who had heard much of the fame of Solomon but when she came to be an eye-witnesse of it then she was astonished and judged all her former apprehensions nothing Thus it is with the truly sanctified though you tell him what good parts what Scripture understanding what abilities in duties he had Oh saith he all that time I did not know God I never knew him till these inward workings were upon me I spoke of him as a man will do of some strange Countrey he had often heard of but never saw Argum. 5 5. The true godly man only knoweth God because he only hath communion and fellowship with him he only is admitted into Gods presence All wicked men though never so knowing are at a great distance from God They know not the light of his countenance what it is to have the assurance of his favour what to have those experimental sweetnesses of heart which flow from the enjoying of him Therefore it s added in that of Joh. 18. I will manifest my self to him and come and sup with him that is God will give us a joyfull chearfull familiar fellowship with himself he will make known himself as Joseph did at last to his brethren God draweth nigh to them and they to God and this indeed is a choice way of knowing of God when we know what it is to have his love shed in our hearts when we hear God speaking peace to us when it 's not duties nor any religious performance but God himself that the heart partakes of Thus the Psalmist inviteth to taste and see how good God is Psa 34.8 Oh hast thou ever had this tasting and seeing then thou knowest God comfortably Now the ground of all this is because obedience love and fear are the end of all knowledge therefore that knowledge which doth not obtain its end is no knowledge and hence the Scripture saith If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 and generally the Scripture describeth wicked men by this that they know not God as Paul said of the Jews If they had known Christ to be the God of glory they would never have crucified him 1 Cor. 2.5 Thus did men know God as they ought they could not think and speak or live as they do Vse Rest not in any kinde of knowledge about God till it hath these effects on thee Never judge thy self to know any thing of Religion till it hath thus transformed thee till it be the acknowledgement of truth after godlinesse but alas where are the persons where is the Family where are the people that know God The ungodliness they live in proclaim they know no such divine Majesty Oh consider that God knoweth not thee likewise with a knowledge of approbation of omniscience he doth and that will be thy confusion but not of complacency at the day of judgement he will say Depart I know you not Oh that we were such of whom it may be said Their obedience their pure and holy life their delight and acquaintance with God manifests they know God and then you will not die with such terrour with such fear I go to him I have known I go not to an unknown God SERMON XXX The Great End of the Ministery And what should be the end of both Ministers and people in their Preaching and hearing JOH 17.6 I have manifested thy Name to as many as thou hast given me out of the world WE have considered the action or efficacy of the person or efficient spoken of in the Text We now come to consider the person himself and that is Christ who saith of himself I have manifested thy Name Christ speaks in this as he is the great Prophet and chief Shepherd of our souls for being intrusted with this office he did faithfully discharge it whoever reads over Christs life and seeth how laborious and diligent he was to bring men to the knowledge of God and to save their souls must needs say The Lion of the Tribe of Judah went up and down more earnestly to save then the roaring Lion of hell is busie to destroy Hence Joh. 4. while he is emploied to bring home but one poor Sheep that was gone astray the Woman of Samaria he is so earnest in it that he forgets to eat his bread and tels them his meat and drink was to do his Fathers will which was to declare the truth of God and invite sinners to come in unto him so then we see here an excellent President for all the Ministers of the Gospel to follow As Christ was wholly in this to make people know God so ought they to be In Christs works of his Mediatorship and of his Miracles we may not imitate him we cannot but in this of his labour and tender love to mens souls we are bound to follow him Obs That the end of the Ministry and Ministers should be to bring people to the knowledge of God to the saving knowledge of Christ Thus Paul exceeded the Heathen Hercules in his manifold labours to this purpose especially see what a divine profession he makes to them of Ephisus Act. 20.26 27. I take you to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men Here we see there is a soul-murder as well as a body and the Ministers of the Gospel are to keep themselves pure from that for if the bloud of Abels body crieth aloud what outcries will the bloud of peoples souls make Now Paul kept himself thus pure by declaring unto them all the Counsell of God so that if we would doe our duty we must be Lights shining upon the understandings of men that they may know beleeve in and obey God And so Paul again at large 1 The. 2. There his very heart flameth out into affectionate words for their salvation The end then of our Preaching and of your hearing should be to have God manifested to your souls how apt are both Ministers and people to fail of this great and necessary end To open the doctrine you may take notice that as the Logicians speak of a twofold end Finis operis and
thou wantest Oh that the Spirit of God would convince such of their danger their poverty and nakednesse though they think they want nothing I tell thee this good Samaritan as well as the Priest will passe by thee Christ as well as the Law speaks no comfort to thee yea the bloud of Christ speaks more terrible things then the bloud of Abel Thy condemnation will be the greater because Christ came 〈◊〉 the world because he was crucified All thy other sins have not that aggravation as thy rejecting of grace of how much sorer punishment saith the Apostle shall such an one be thought worthy Vse 2. of direction to the people of God if thou fittest mourning like Rachel and refusest to be comforted blame thy own self It 's thy ignorance and folly thy unbelief and doubts cause all this What could God have done more What could Christ have done more then they have done yet thou takest no comfort hereby Oh that thou shouldst onely aggravate thy sinne and thy unworthinesse and not be as diligent to study and finde out all the fulnesse in Christ Christ as a Mediatour ordained by God should be the Book thou art to reade alwaies not a Page not a word but thou shouldst be acquainted with it Oh bewail thy self and say how many comforts how many priviledges have I bereaved my self of I have kept my self in the dark yea in the Whales belly and thought of nothing but sin and hell and damation Oh what little cause I had to wrong my self and Christ so much Oh think Christ bids thee as the Prophet did that Woman bring as many cruses as thou canst I have Oyle enough to fill all and thou art so froward thou wilt not Oh think Christ saith to thee Was it not enough that I lived for thee I died for thee but thou wilt as much as lieth in thee make me do all this in vain Thou sittest complaining and bewailing and Christ he complains of thee Learn then at last that heavenly prudence and Evangelicall skill to make use of whole Christ and all of Christ for thy spiritual good SERMON XXXVI Of Obedience to all the Commandements of God Shewing That that only is truely Obedience And the Property of a Godly man JOH 17.8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me And they have received them c. OUR Saviour in this Verse doth more largely amplifie that to which he had in the 7th Verse spoken more briefly so that he doth still continue in narrating and commending the Disciples Obedience and Faith which are the Jachin and the Boaz the two Pillars of practicall Christianity Their obedience is commended in the former part 1. By their readinesse and willingnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have received as willingly as men do food or gold and silver They put forth their hands to take it with all delight I mean the hands of their soul viz. their affections which are both the feet and the hands of the soul 2. There is the Object Thy words Where 1. We see That is only true and proper obedience which Gods Word requireth Though we be never so diligent and industrious yet if the Word of God commands not such things it 's no obedience 2. The Universality Thy words that is collectively and universally They had an equal respect to all 3. These words are described by the Original of them The words thou gavest me So that Christ though head of the Church yet did not deliver any thing to be beleeved or obeyed but what he had received of the Father an excellent President for all the Ministers of the Gospel We see then every crum in this bread of life is nourishing and we will not lose any 1. Whereas we see that Obedience doth alwaies relate to some Word of God and that we may not of our own heads choose to do what we please in matters of Religion We observe That that only is proper and acceptable Obedience which hath the Word of God requiring it We are apt to make Religion and godlinesse that which our own humours fancie yea and sometimes our lusts do suggest Hence every one is apt to judge of another as religious and godly not by the rule of the Word but by such principles as he hath taken up for himself Thus in Popery he is judged a very pious and obedient man who is most industriously diligent in all that invented worship the Church of Rome abounded with Though there be not one iâ—â—a or tittle for it in Gods Word but as the Word of God is the rule of faith so is it of obedience Faith and the Word must accompany one another and so must obedience and the word commanding Therefore Christ tels the Pharisees their devotion it was a vain devotion because Who hath required this at your hands Mat. 18.9 See a notable expression Isa 66.3 They have chosen their own waies I also will choose their delusions You see Let a man have never such godly intentions never such pious purposes yet if he choose a way of his own in faith and obedience God is greatly displeased and therefore howsoever heresie or an heretick which is as much as a chooser of his own way be by Scripture and Ecclesiastical Writers limited to a way of faith yet the Word may be extended to any practical obedience We may say Superstition is heresie We may say drunkennesse whoredome are heresie because they are waies chosen of men to walk in contrary to Gods Word so he who would have comfort in his obedience must look to Gods command The grounds of this are First From the Supremacy and Soveraignty of God who alone is to prescribe to man his duty He is our great Lord and Master so that as it would be very absurd in a Servant to do that work which he thinketh fit and not what his Master enjoyneth no lesse is it for men to think that God will accept them in such and such waies when yet they cannot bring his Superscription and authority stampâ— upon it Hence it is that the Prophets do so often use this expression Thus saith the Lord It 's not their counsell or their commands but Gods Oh then examine thy actions thy waies thou puttest much confidence in them Thou hast much comfort from them but are they svch as God hath required Did not our Saviour at one word throw to the ground all that glistering golden Piety of the Pharisees There is no command for it This is the foundation you must lay else your building though never so glorious will have a terrible fall Secondly Obedience must have Gods command else it cannot enjoy Gods promise and blessing Whatsoever God commands he hath annexed a gracious promise thereto for our encouragement and reward Therefore it 's said In vain do they worship me There is no promise of Gospel-priviledges or salvation to such actions Now how sad a thing is it when the same
see many of the Christian Teachers and disciples were led away in this as appeareth by the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians What a great task hath the Apostle to take all off from works and the obedience to the Law and to give all to Christ They would give part to Christ and part to their works but not all to Christ so that it 's a very hard thing to pull this weed out of our breast We see all Popery and Socinianisme goeth this way also To doe something that they may be justified thereby 3. Thus they cannot think that it 's so acceptable to beleeve in a Mediatour because it 's chiefly their comfort and their good thereby so that they look upon it as self-seeking and immoderately desiring their own good and peace not as any waies tending to the glory of God But we shall shew you that Faith in the Mediatour doth not only bring comfort and joy to us but admirable glory to God even more then Martyrdom or the highest expressions of Obedience Do not therefore tempt thy self and be a Satan to thy own peace What though thy comfort thy salvation bound up in beleeving yet if God will be honoured and glorified this way Thou art rather joyfully to receive his grace then frowardly to dispute against it so that if this beleeving be a self-seeking it 's such as God would have thee to do and as he that will not eat or drink is guilty of bodily murder so he that will not beleeve on Christ which is called eating and drinking is guilty of soul-murder 4 This is strange and difficult to the godly a long while because our justification and acceptation by him is wholly of supernatural Revelation It 's like the doctrine of the Trinity or of Christs Incarnation As humane reason would never assent to such a Truth were it not for divine Revelation that overpowers all so that all our sins are pardoned through Faith in Christs bloud is likewise of meer divine manifestation For see what nature doth incline us unto in all the heathens when they had sinned so as their Conscience condemned them they went to some solemn sacrifice or other extraordinary work thinking thereby to pacifie the wrath of God Adam was created in a state of Righteousnesse and so by his Obedience of works he was to be justified And upon his fall it became impossible that any should be justified by what he did unlesse sinne could justifie a man Therefore when God discovered a Christ and Justification by faith in him This is new doctrine from heaven Neither Men or Angels could have found out such a way so that it 's no wonder if man be thus averse to this Faith in the Promise because it 's a way that neither the state of Integrity or of man fallen was acquainted with insomuch that a godly man in the sence of his sins must bring such a faith in the Mediatour as he doth in other mysterious supernatural objects of Faith and his heart saith It 's unlikely such a sinner such an offender should finde mercy say O my Soul Are not the other supernaturall Points of Religion that I beleeve very unlikely also and incredible to flesh and bloud Lastly Therefore this seemeth hard to the godly broken hearted sinner because though Faith in a Mediatour be a duty yet it 's not to every one that live that wallow in their sins Christ is not a Mediator whether men repent or not repent You are not to think that it is all one godlinesse or no godlinesse If then such only may beleeve in a Mediatour as do truly and sincerely repent of sinne This will be hard to finde out for there are Ahabs tears and Judas's tears for sinne and indeed upon this depends all In this the godly are so much plunged Christ indeed bids those Come that are heavy laden that hunger and thirst after him But I have great cause to question my self whether I doe thus or not In the second place Why is it so that Prophane and ungodly men think it so easie to beleeve in Christ And they say they do it with all their heart when it 's plain by the Scripture they are not such to whom those glorious things of the Gospel do belong And 1. They think it so easie because they take presumption for faith They think they beleeve when they presume Now to presume is easie because it 's a work of the flesh it 's sutable to our corruptions that the Jews though they committed all lewdnesse yet the Prophet complaineth they would come and lean themselves upon the Lord and trust in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord c. That is not faith which most of the world have It 's presumption it 's carnal-confidence such as those had who said Lord have not we prophesied in thy Name Such as the foolish Virgins had Mat. 25. Such as Paul had before his Conversion when he said He was alive Rom. 7. Oh then tremble at that security and confidence thou hast Thou maist be sure it 's a sinne and of the devil it 's so easie whereas Faith is very difficult 2. They look upon Faith in Christ as easie because they divide the Object they take some things of Christ not whole Christ They think it 's only beleeving on him as a Saviour for pardon of sinne They do not choose him as a Lord to whom in all obedience they resign themselves This is indeed the rock that splits many tell them of beleeving in Christ and they think that is only to rest for salvation They attend not that it 's the receiving of Christ for all the ends and purposes God sent him into the world Now one main end besides our justification and salvation is our Sanctification To redeem to himself a people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 To communicate his Spirit for to make holy as well as his merit to make happy Lastly They think it easie because they never think on any qualifications which are required in those who partake of Christ It 's true there are the Antecedent Conditions of merit or worth Let that Popery be abandoned but yet the Scripture tels who and what kinde of persons they are that must claim an Interest in Christ They are blessed that hunger and thirst for such shall be satisfied Mat. 5. Every one that is athirst is to Come Rev. 22.17 Repent that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3.19 Now prophane secure people they never think of these qualifications They say God is merciful They say Christ is a Saviour but then they never consider of whom They think not that many are called but few chosen They love not those places The way to heaven is a narrow and straight way Not all that say Lord Lord shall finde the gate of heaven opened to them If they thought seriously of these things it would cause an holy trembling in them These things premised Let us consider Why it
Though we be washed yet still we need our feet should be washed Thus Paul Rom. 7. and Gal. 6. Seeing therefore in every duty there is such a combat and constict between grace and sinne There is drosse as well as Gold It behoveth us to renounce all and to say Only Christ Only Christ SERMON XL. Further setteth forth the Excellency and Necessity of pressing the Doctrine of Faith in Christ the Mediatour and of our being affected with it And invites the greatest Sinners to come unto him for Salvation JOH 17.8 And have known surely that I came out from thee and they have beleeved that thou didss send me MArvell not if I am the third time upon this Subject for we see our Saviour doth again and again commend this Faith in his Disciples and certainly this is the Summe of the Gospel the marrow and quintessence of Christianity By this we differ from Jews Pagans and Turks yea by this we are separated from Papists Socinians and other Hereticks None of them allowing this imputed Righteousnesse by a Mediatour which by Faith is to be received Therefore I shall proceed in exalting and pressing this Faith in a Mediator that at last we may come to have a spirituall and sound understanding herein For here are two great stones to be rolled out of the way 1. Ignorance or misbeleef in this Point There are very few that have been Orthodox here There are most in the world that have an erroneous perswasion in this matter under the guilt of sinne they do not fly only to Christ as a Mediatour They say Lo here is Christ and Lo there is Christ They have something else they put a confidence in and therefore what the Lord saith in another case is also true here He will reject their confidence Jer. 2.37 Never were the people of Israel more prone to lean on Egipt and Assyria for outward help rather then on the Lord only then we are in a spiritual manner ready to rest upon some spirituall prop besides the Lord Christ so that ignorant people they know nothing of this and knowing people are hardly perswaded of the truth of it A second stone to be rolled out of the way is that senselesnesse and unsavourinesse on mens hearts though it should be granted that they know and rightly beleeve in this matter for indeed none can prize or be affected with this Subject but such a spirituall heart that is sensible of his spiritual disease and the spiritual Remedy They must be Children of the Adoption They must be Evangelical hearers such as have been in a spirituall Transfiguration with Christ on the Mount as it were That are refreshed with these Truths It 's not every hearer It 's not every one that cometh to the Assemblies that can say How welcome are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of the Gospel Therefore we desire your hearts as well as your heads your tender affections as well as solid understandings This is a Truth that must be eaten you will not feel the sweetnesse of it till it be in your belly Now there are very good grounds why we should be thus insisting upon this Subject For 1. It 's the main scope and end of the whole Scripture If you ask why the Word of God was written the Answer is That the chief principal end was that man being convinced of his sinne and of the utter impotency of any righteousnesse in himself or other Creatures should fly unto Christs Righteousnesse as the onely Sanctuary Thus John These things are written that beleeving you might have eternal life All the Administrations in the Old Testament were Types of Christ as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews doth at large open their meaning It was not their Sacrifices but Christ It was not the bloud of Rams and Goats but Christs bloud Hence it 's said that Moses and the Prophets bear witnesse of Christ It 's true the Scripture hath many other subordinate ends but the chief is to direct us to Christ to make us see that nothing in the world can pacifie God for our sinnes but Christ Oh then how necessary must that be which all the Penmen of the Scripture aimed at Moses David all the Prophets They looked at this Messias And the New Testament is wholly spent in describing his person and his Office or the end of his coming into the world Oh then whatsoever thou maist be ignorant of or negligent in yet give thy self to the studying meditating and beleeving of this Subject 2. The great work of the Spirit of God in the Ministry is to convince of this Righteousnesse It is to make us see that all humane Righteousnesse all moral duties no nor the graces God bestoweth on his people are the Righteousnesse God looks for Joh. 16.9 10. The Spirit of God is there said to reprove or convince the world of sinne especially of that great sinne of Unbelief and then of Righteousnesse which Christ procureth by going to his Father Observe that It 's the work of Gods Spirit thus to convince So that all Moral Philosophy and the wisest directions of the most civil men will leave us in a Wildernesse They cannot tell us what is true Righteousnesse and how we come to be accepted of by God Therefore this is revealed by the Gospel only If we would know what is that Righteousnesse which we may trust to which may be as a Skreen between Gods justice and us Neither Aristotle nor Plato among the Heathens no nor Bellarmine and Suarez among the Papists will inform us rightly Because in the matter of Justification and the doctrine of Righteousnesse they have too much consulted with Aristotle as if the Scripture spake of such a Righteousnesse as the Heathens do No this tels us It 's a Righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us without works this it doth again and again Seeing then all natural reason would never perswade us herein it must necessarily be the Spirit of God that will convince us in this and therefore though you hear ten thousand Sermons of this Subject your hearts will never be convinced of your own sinfulnesse and Christs Righteousnesse till you are overpowerd by Gods Spirit Oh then pray to God that he would make thy heart readily to yield to it yea and rejoyce in it 3. The end of the Law and the preaching of that is wholly for this end to discover Christ the Mediatour Those that would not have the Law preached cannot have Christ preached truly and effectually for Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse Can the end be obtained without the means It 's the Schoolmaster to bring to Christ The disease must be discovered are we will seek out for a Physician The heart must be wounded ere we shall desire oyl The Law then is to be preached in the exact purity of it and in the condemning power of it That so when we see our selves wholly undone in that Court
Scripture that cals these torments everlasting torments a fire that cannot be quenched a worm that cannot die That if this be all thy hope thou maist roar out in horrour and wish thou hadst never been born so that if wicked men would set judgement on work they would see nothing abides them but a fearfull expectation of the vengeance of God all Opinions all Doctrines shut them out If there could one come and bid thee Go on merrily in thy sins be as prophane as thou hast been never think of cries and tears for thy sins because Christ hath died to save thee howsoever This man indeed might make thee run into excesse of all riot and to say Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die and so be saved But the Scripture is so plain against this that all may be perswaded of it without any difficulty Shall we sin that grace may abound saith Paul God forbid Rom. 6.1 And he makes the damnation just of those men who gather such consequences Think then with thy self that in what sence soever Christ died yet thy sinnes make a great gulf between thee and Heaven God hath set a flaming Sword to keep thee out of Paradise therefore cry out I have no hope as yet Oh my condition hath no comfort I cannot meet with any sound Doctor that dares give me any comfort while I love and live in my sinnes Why then wilt thou embrace those lusts that are such a present poison and ruine to thee Hereafter thou wilt be perswaded when too late That sinne hath been thy only Enemy when God shall bid thee Depart ye Cursed then wilt thou bid thy cursed lusts Depart but then it will be too late Vse 2. of Instruction To teach the godly what a sad aggravation there is in every sinne they commit That it 's against the special love of Christ in dying for thee This bloudy circumstance is in thy sinnes which cannot be in the sins either of wicked men or devils Excellent is that Meditation of Eusebius Emissenus Though aith he the devils should be damned for many sinnes and I but for one yet that would exceed the devils Impiety for the devils never sinned against a God that became an Angel for them They never sinned against God that died and was crucified for them but miserable and wretched I pro animâ meâ cur non liquefio cum haec cogito have sinned against a God made man for me Against a God dying an ignominious death for me Against a God leaving me such an example of love and holinesse Indignior sum Lucifero indignior sum daemonibus I am more unworthy then the devils more unworthy then Beelzebub Oh that we could all both think and speak so that not only our tongues may utter it but our hearts be inwardly affected that we might as Bernard said linguam in sanguine cordis tingere Oh then let this special love of Christ to thee more then many thousands wotk in thee more special love and thankfulnesse then others have Take heed of sinne for thy sinnes have this special aggravation in them which wicked men have not Christ hath shewed thee so great love that he himself could not shew a greater and therefore who shall excuse thee if thou sinne for all this Here is then no doctrine of carnal Security in this Point Here is no door set open for Licentiousnesse but as Christ said from a Parable She loved much for much was forgiven her The same should be in all the godly much hath been given and forgiven them therefore they ought to love much and this was set upon Pauls heart even Christs peculiar and special love Gal. 2. Who loved me and gave himself for me Vse 2 Vse 2. Had Christ a peculiar and special love in his praier and death for some only then here we see what is the Thesaurus Ecclesiae not any Popish Indulgences or imagined heaps of superfluous merits but even the death of Christ that and that only doth inrich comfort and make happy all the people of God If therefore thou art one who canst upon true grounds gather thou hast a propriety in Christs death thou art not to be afraid neither living or dying what man or devils shall do unto thee Rom 8. The Foundation of all justification sanctification and glorification is upon this Christ died Who shall condemn It is Christ that died Therefore there cannot be any accusation or condemnation because Christ died Therefore the main Question is What Evidences thou hast for an Interest in Christs Death for if that be once granted unspeakable and innumerable are the priviledges that belong to thee Therefore encourage and strengthen thy heart with the comfortable fruits of Christs Death Let us consider whether thou hast the qualifications of such to whom Christs death is made profitable and advantagious And 1. They that have an Interest in Christs Death they are dead to sin Christs Death and sinnes death go together So the Apostle As Christ died once so should we to sinne and live to Righteousnesse Rom. 6.10 11. and Gal 5. He that is Christs hath crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof If Christ be crucified for thee the lusts of sinne are crucified in thee For the end of Christs Death was not only salvation and happinesse but to kill all the spiritual Enemies we have of this happinesse and sinne is the main for Death had no sting no neither could hell be hell or the devil a devil to thee did not sinne put power into all these Be not then presumptuous but fear and examine thy self Thou speakest much of Christs Death This is in thy month I trust in Christ that died for me But is Christs Death the death of thy sinnes Canst thou see those lusts which like Pharaoh and the Egyptians did once rule over and oppresse thee now drowned in the Red Sea of Christs bloud This is necessary if thou wilt have any comfort because Christ is dead see whether thou art dead to sinne or no Art thou as a dead man who in respect of all pleasures and delights findes no Inclination thus it ought to be with thee The Scripture speaks often concerning this that the godly are dead to sinne sinne hath not that dominion and power once it had Oh but how many as the Scripture distinguisheth are dead in sinne not to sinne Though they have mountains of sinnes lie upon them Though the vengeance of God belong to them all the day long That whether they are eating drinking or sleeping they are an accursed people by the Law which is Gods own Sentence and doom yet for all that they are not afraid neither do they tremble Oh then examine thy self faithfully in this If Christ died for me how comes this sinne to live in me for Christ like Sampson when he died wrought the death of his Enemies When he died it was that those lively active lusts should die also 2. If thou
hast an Interest in Christs Death thou art not only dead to sinne but to the world God forbid that I should glory saith Paul but in the Crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I to the world Gal. 6.14 Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead Col. 3.2 3. Therefore not onely grosse prophanesse doth exclude from a propriety in Christs Death but an immoderate frame of heart to these lawful things below Indeed if thy overflowing affections to these things be a burthen to thee and matter of daily conflict then it 's plain these immoderate affections are not in a quiet pacifical dominion over thee and so they are the evil thou wouldst not do And then these can never hurt non sensus but consensus nocet But if they do withall delight so possesse thy heart that they quite dead thee to God and heaven Thou sindest no rellish in heavenly things comparatively to the earthly Thou canst say contrary to David when thy Wine and Oyle encreaseth thou hast more joy then those that trust in God Psal 4. Then art thou to fear Christs Death and his Praier doth not as yet belong to thee Hence it is that the efficacy of Christs death is much discovered in the godly by this twofold Death it works on them a death to sinne and a death to the world Even his Resurrection manifests it self in quickning of us to all holinesse and seeking of those things that are above Let us then see by the effects that Christs Death belongs to thee 3. They that have an Interest in Christs Death they make that an example of all patience and humble Resignation 1 Pet. 2.21 24. Christs Death is not onely efficacious and meritorious but exemplary also So that if the Lord afflict us it is no more then what hath been done to his only Sonne already Though he were a Sonne yet he learned Obedience saith the Scripture by those sufferings Heb. 5 6. Now then behold Christ in all his sufferings when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not What threatnings might not Christ have denounced against the Jews because they killed him who was the Prince of glory and so dear to his Father but he is like a Lamb that opens not his mouth before the shearer or the killer Oh then how should this shame us for our unruly passions for our impatient workings and commotions of soul Oh silence thy Soul saying Did Christ bear his afflictions no otherwise Did Christ refuse the bitter cup that was given him to drink Did he not say Not my will but thy will be done 4. He that hath advantage by Christs Death looks upon the bitternesse and uglinesse of sinne as being so foul that nothing but the bloud of Christ could wash it away The very thoughts of Christs Death presently makes him say Oh the cursed and foul nature of all sinne Neither men nor Angels could take away the spot of it but only Christs Death Wicked men therefore they are said to trample under feet the bloud of Christ Heb. 10. Because they have not those right precious thoughts about it as they ought to have Though the bloud of Christ speaks better things then that of Abel yet it doth in some respects speak more terrible things because by that we see how infinitely God is displeased with sinne how unsatisfied his justice was till such an atonement was made So that if we look into hell if we behold all the torments and miseries there it doth not so fully represent the foul guilt of sinne as Christ crucified on the Crosse sweating drops of bloud and crying out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me 5. They that shall have advantage by Christs Death they are infinitely affected with that love of God and Christ therein As you see in Paul That love of Christ giving himself for us sinners and enemies to be reconciled thereby to God Oh how mightily did it constrain Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us holds us in an extasie working on us as the Spirit did on the Prophets in their illuminations and prophesies And why so Because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead To consider from what a dying damning estate Christs Death doth free us must needs be like fire burning and inflaming a man all over If we had not been desperately dead dead every way dead in sin dead in guilt dead in respect of all earthly hope Christ would not have died for us Oh then the unspeakable affections and enlargements which the Death of Christ works in those that have a propriety therein 6. They that have a propriety in Christs Death will resign all they have up unto Christ and now live no longer to themselves or to worldly motives but unto Christ Rom. 6.10 11. 1 Pet 2.24 so 1 Cor. 6.20 the Apostle urgeth because we are bought with a price therefore we are none of our own and we should glorifie God in soul and body He then that can claim a Title to Christs Death looks not upon his body his estate his health his parts the faculties and affections of his soul as his own his love is not his anger is not Oh how rare then are they who may urge this Argument Christ died Christ was crucified for me for unlesse thou art a redeemed man and that from thy self and all creatures in the world to live wholly to Christ and to resigne all up to him here is little hope for thee Observe then these qualifications and if upon true search they can be found in thee then proceed to make an application of all those glorious priviledges that come by Christs death Fear not let not the devil or thy own guilty heart keep thee off from tasting yea eating abundantly of this honey Hearken what Christ speaks to his Church concerning priviledges and gracious favours Cant. 5.1 Eat O Friends drink â—ea drink abundantly And 1. Those that can pleade Christs Death may also pleade his Resurrection Intercession and whatsoever glorious actions of his are done for his people If Christ died for thee he rose again for thee he interceded in heaven for thee When thou saiest he is an Advocate to pleade thy cause Rom 8. It 's Christ that died who is risen again so that the Death of Christ is the foundation of all his other gracious acts Hence it is that the remission of our sins is attributed to the shedding of his bloud The atonement of our iniquities is given unto his death because in it he did manifest the greatest obedience unto the will of God and the lowest humiliation of himself for us Phil. 2. If then thou hast a propriety in the death of Christ Christ hath done the utmost for thee even to die for thee You see that put him upon the greatest struglings and agonies if he would have refused in any thing it would
more were Gods mercies Christ that gave them but drops before doth now bid them drink the whole cup of praise and Thanks-giving Now they are taken up to the Mount of Transfiguration They have not only clusters but the Vine it self Consolations abound now when never it may be before Thirdly The Lord Christ his care is seen even in the dangers and afflictions themselves and that divers waies 1. In not suffering them to be but when there is a necessity you are afflicted if need be 1 Pet. 1.6 That word is full of consolation Theâ—â— no affliction no triall but thou didst need it considering thy corruption â—hy dulnesse thy earthlinesse there was a necessity to have some affliction fall upon thee to humble thee and to make thee more enlivened Hence afflictions are compared to the cutting off the luxurious branches of the Vine Joh. 15. which is necessary Frosts and cold have their necessity and both mans body and the ground needs that as well as the Summer This made David say Out of very Faithfulnesse thou hast afflicted me Psa 119.75 And hence afflictions are attributed to Gods Love Whom he loveth he chasteneth Rev. 3. and all because the people of God could not be so fruitful and active if they were not thus chastened So then here is Christs care there shall not be any trouble but when necessary 2. As he wisely ordereth them to be so his great care and love is seen in the time and season when they are inflicted Afflictions will not in every season do good no more then the cutting down of trees or pruning of them is at any time to be done The Patient may dye by the unseasonable letting of bloud Therefore Christ sheweth his great care and love to take the opportune season to afflict and to exercise thee As God would not have mercy upon Epaphroditus presently but he lets him lie in danger it being thereby better both for him and Paul was thereby much afflicted Paul had the buffetings of Satan which did greatly humble him but when was the time after his Revelations And therefore that then it might not puff him above measure It was that he had those Thorns in his side so that Christ doth not onely regard the necessity but the fit time and season of all thy Troubles Even as Christ himself came in the fulnesse of time so doe all his chastisements if they should come sooner or later they would not do that good Paul praieth thrice yet could not remove those strong Temptations 1 Co. 12. 3. His love and care is seen in the nature and kinde of the affliction and trouble There are calamities of all sorts Now as it 's not all kinde of Physick that is for every disease so neither all kinde of calamities that are fit for every sinne Hezekiah gloried proudly in the Treasures he had and therefore God caused an Enemy to come and spoil him of them he might see by the afflictions what his sinne was David was too inordinately affected to Absalom and Adonijah and they became rebels to him and sore afflictions Oh it 's a great matter to observe the wisedom and goodnesse of God in ordering that kinde of affliction rather for thee then another Thou wast not thankful to God for thy health or serviceable to him therefore he afflicts thee with sicknesse The people of Israel were weary of Gods Service therefore God delivered them up to evil Lords and Masters that they should know what another service meant One Godly man lieth under one affliction and another under another Now if one had that which another hath he could never bear it it would be more then death to him so that the wisedome and love of Christ is to be admired in all say this very kinde of affliction and at this time comes from the love and care of Christ 4. As the kinde so the continuance God will not let it abide any longer then it doth his work These horse-leeches shall suck no longer then the corrupt bloud lasteth The devil shall throw some of you into prison ten daies Rev. 2.10 See there how God orders it first it 's but some of them and then into prison there is the kinde for ten daies there is the continuance which made the Psalmist say The rod of the wicked shall not alwaies rest upon the back of the Righteous Psal 125.3 It 's true the people of God have many times thought their deliverance too long Will the Lord cast off for ever Hath he forgotten to be gracious Thus they expostulate and complain but God at another time sâ—â—â—he would hasten it in due time Isa 60.22 and he cals it but a moment â—â—â—rein he had hid his face from them Isa 54.7 although it was seventy years So that the flesh saith one thing and the Spirit of God another Know then that thy exercise is for a continued or appointed time God hath set bounds to these waters and therefore be not discouraged under them Lastly The care and love of Christ is seen in working out a way and making an escape from thâ—m when it 's for their good and his glory There hath no temptation befallen you but out of which he will make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10 13. The Lord knoweth how to deliver those that are his The Artificer knoweth when to take his Gold out of the Fire The wise Physician knoweth when there is bloud let out enough Thus much more doth God know when thy afflictions have done the Errand he sent them about The Wisedom of God also can finde out a way to save thee out of them For he that could finde out a way to save thee from sinne and hell much rathar can he finde out a way to deliver thee from this or that temptation In the fourth general place Christs care and love is seen in sanctifying and fitting thy troubles that they shall be for thy spiritual benefit Whatsoever may be done to thy estate or life yet nothing shall hurt the soul Thus the Prophet This is the fruit of Iacobs trouble to purge away his sinne Isaiah 27.9 and Rom. 8. All things work to the good of them whom God loveth Christ that hath so loved thee would never let this or that come upon thee did he not intend to turn it for thy spirituall good This made David say Before he was afflicted he went astray Psal 119. And when both these go together Afflictions and Sanctification David cals it a Blessednesse not a misery Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest thy way Psal 94 12. If God teacheth thee by thy afflictions the bitternesse of sinne the duty of Faith and weanednesse of Spirit from the world Oh it 's a blessed sicknesse a blessed losse Thank God that ever he laid his hand upon thee Though it seemed grievous to flesh and thou wert apt to be impatient yet nothing under Heaven was better for thee Not that we are to pray for
afflictions It 's disputed whether we may or no but we may not because they are an evil and so no fit object of our desires and in themselves they do no good unlesse sanctified but if the Lord chastise us we are to submit and therefore when Jeremiah praieth Jer 10 21. Correct me but not in thy wrath It 's a concession or submission Lord if thou wilt correct me and it cannot be otherwise then do it with much mercy and love Do not then make thy afflictions an argument of Gods withdrawing or leaving of thee but rather of love to thee Christ loves his Disciples dearly yet not so as to keep them from dangers he will let them be in the world and put them to hardship only he will then take the more care of them But the godly heart doth make this ordinary Objection It 's true in those troubles which are for Christs cause as the Apostles were It is no wonder if Christ take such special care of his if he account all the troubles and losses they have upon his score if he say to them as Abiathar the Priest I was the occasion of all the Priests bloud therefore stay with me thou shalt be as I am and I as thou art but my troubles and afflictions are the fruit of my sin It 's not for Christs Name but want of love to Christ it is my dulnesse and lukewarmnesse that hath brought anger upon me To this consider 1. It cannot be denied but that there is a great difference between those afflictions that are exploratory which are to draw out the graces of the godly and to encrease their glory which comforted one Martyr who said he thanked God though he had sins yet it was not for his sins but his duties they put him to death and those which are castigatory for some sinne committed yet even such are not to cast away all comfort because though there is not so much yet there is great cause of joy even to such if humbled and sensible of sinne under Gods hand for 1. Though it be bitter because it 's for sin yet it 's comfortable to feel thy sin and to repent of it Oh then though thou mournest because thy sinne hath brought this on thee yet rejoyce because thou hast an heart to repent of it The true penitent de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet So that the brokennesse and tendernesse of heart is an evident testimony of thy ground to rejoyce 2. Consider thy voluntary accepting of thy afflictions and judging thy self for them maketh all thy afflictions to be a kinde of Martyrdome It 's required we should accept of the punishment of our sinne Levit. 26.41 And 1 Cor. 11. We are to judge our selves 2 Cor. 7. The Corinthians repenting had a holy revenge upon themselves Now when we do thus kisse the Rod and willingly accept of this affliction It 's a kinde of Martyrdom It is for Gods cause and out of love to him that thou dost with patience endure it 3. Thou hast the chiefest ground of comfort which ever Christs Sufferers have though not that particular they have For the Martyrs did not rejoyce in their Sufferings as matter of merit and as that which was equal to Eternal Glory No They could not but finde many Imperfections even in those noble undertakings And therefore desired pardon even for their very dying for Christ that they had no such perfect faith and patience as they ought It was therefore Christ and his Sufferings administred them all their comforts and this thou maist take though thy sinnes have caused thy afflictions Vse of Instruction what Treasures of comfort the Godly have With what triumph and joy they might live even in the greatest afflictions if beleeving this But oh our leannesse our leannesse whence come all those dejections those outcries I fear this and that may undo me but because Faith doth not present Christ with his open arms ready to preserve them well is beleeving called Eating of Christs flesh and Drinking his bloud Joh. 6. For as a man though he have never so much dainties yet if he eat not they do him no good so it is here Though Christ have never so much love and pity towards thee yet if thou beleeve not this it helpeth thee not Vse 2. of woe to the wicked that are cast out of all his care let the devil tempt them let sin overcome them let hell devour them yet Christ hath not taken them into his special favour SERMON LI. Of the great Danger of Gods Peoples being in the world chiefly from its tempting and seducing to Sinne. JOH 17.11 But these are in the world OUR Saviours Argument you heard in the behalf of his Disciples was partly from the state and condition of Christ who was now leaveing of them and partly from the Apostles who were still to continue in the world as sheep without a Shepherd and that amongst Wolves Therefore the danger they were in is made an Argument why Christs Praier should be heard for them This troublesome and dangerous estate of the Apostles is described in these words But these are in the world Where Note 1. The adversative particle 2. The condition it self The adversative particle is expressed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whereas the Learned observe that that particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used three waies in Scripture 1. Which is most common as conjunctive 2. As adversative 3. As argumentative Here we see it used in all these respects in one Verse And I am no more c. But these are in the world for I go to the Father so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated here As for the Condition it self To be in the world is no more then to have our abode here amongst men who by nature are all set against God and his waies and so daily conceiving and plotting mischief against the Kingdom of Christ So that to say They were in the world was to say They were in the midst of the Sea under the power of all windes and tempests without any haven wherein every moment they might expect utter destruction Obs That the godly mans life in this world is full of spiritual danger and outward trouble For To be in the world these two things are implied To be in a place of wickednesse where are daily temptations to sinne and in a place of misery where are constant troubles and pressures and indeed the former is the greatest evil though we fear the latter more Therefore our Saviour praieth v. 15. that the Father would keep them from the evil of the world They must be in the world but let not the evil thereof infect them it being no lesse a miracle to be kept from the sinnes of the world while we live in it then for those three Worthies not to be burned while in the fiery Furnace The Apostle John excellently describeth the foul contagion of the world 1 Ioh. 5.19 The whole
24.46 It must be so else the Justice of God could not be satisfied else mans Redemption could not be obtained This our Saviour implieth I come to thee but how Even as the Israelites to Canaan through a Sea of bloud That then which our Saviour quickly spake was with great pain and agony undergone I come to thee through fire and bloud The Father doth this to demonstrate the bloudy nature of sinne the unspeakable love of Christ and the order God hath appointed for all beleevers ere they come to glory 1. the bloudy nature of sinne for it was this and nothing else that put Christ to be a Sacrifice for us had not Adam and we in him all apostatized from God There had been no need of his death but now by this transgression and ours superadded without the shedding of his bloud there could be no remission of sinne Yet oh the prophanesse and blindenesse of the world what a little matter do they make of sinne how easily do they think a pardon may be had for it Oh remember the least vain thought or idle word cannot in this world or in the world to come be expiated but by Christs bloud only had there been no other sinne in the world but a vain thought Christ must have undergone all that wrath of God and man ere it could be blotted out Oh think of this you who like Leviathan laugh at the Spear and sport your selves with those sinnes which put Christ to all that Agony Lastly This sheweth the order God hath appointed we must first be on Mount Calvary before we can be on the Mount of Transfiguration As Christ had first a Crown of Thorns here before he had a Crown of glory so it must be with us Rom. 8. We shall be glorified with him if we suffer with him Let this then sweeten all thy afflictions and miseries Though the beginnings of God with thee like those of Joseph to his brethren are harsh and rough yet the endings will be full of sweetnesse and comfort If thou grudest at thy Tribulations say this is to grudge at the Crown of Glory This is to repine at the way to everlasting happinesse In the second general place Consider That when Christ saith he goeth to his Father herein is implied that state of glory and honour he shall have in heaven as if he had said I shall be no more in the state and habit of a Servant no more in a despised and contemned condition but I am going to receive that Majesty and glory which is due unto me Although we told you Christ ascended into Heaven for our good and to pleade our cause yet it was also for his glory and honour This our Saviour excellently presseth Joh. 14.28 If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go to my Father The Disciples were troubled and full of fears because they were to lose his corporal presence but saith our Saviour true love to me would make you do otherwise you would regard my honour more then your benefit It is for your good that I abide with you It is for my glory that I go to the Father Now love that is unfeigned lieth in our affections to another not because of the good we have by him but for his own good Thus the Disciples they were to rejoyce because Christ was to be honoured and exalted though they should lose the comfort of his presence See here then who are they that do spiritually love Christ even such as rejoyce in that he is exalted and glorified though it be to their ruine and undoing O Lord Let me have this comfort and that comfort no longer if Christ may be more honoured As Mephibosheth said Let Ziba take all so that King David was returned safe so that the honour and kingdom of Christ may be promoted let good Name wealth and life it self go unlesse we be the true genuine Sons of God we are never able to abide this touchstone Doe not the most holy depend on Christ more for the benefit they receive by him then to honor and glorifie him Hence they bemoan their want of assurance and evidence which is their comfort more then recumbency on Christ which is his glory So then in that Christ went to his Father it 's implied that now there was a period to be put to all sufferings Now he was no more to be like a Servant but to be made the Prince of Glory Therefore observe the reason why he goeth to the Father because the Father is greater then he Not as the Arians would have it essentially but in outward dispensation because Christ here was in the fashion and form of the meanest and most despised of men Thirdly Though this phrase imply Christs Exaltation yet we must know also that in this is the whole Treasury of a Christian The Fountain of all our Comfort is in this that Christ is gone to the Father Therefore let the beleever diligently improve it for the effects are admirable of this his departure 1. Hereby his holy Spirit is given in the more plentifully and abundantly It is said The holy Ghost was not yet given because Christ was not yet glorified Joh. 7.39 The large administration of the gifts of Gods Spirit were reserved till Christ in triumph went up to heaven Ioh. 16.7 If I depart I will send him to you You see the sending of the holy Ghost depends upon Christs departure The Spirit comes to make a spiritual supply of Christs bodily presence There cannot be two Suns together in the Firmament O then let all those who have Gods Spirit dwelling in them enlightening sanctifying and comforting of them acknowledge this the blessed fruit of Christs going to his Father but men are so prophane and sensual that they know not what the Spirits working upon the Soul is no more then a beast knoweth the operations of a rational Soul 2. A second benefit by Christs going to the Father is the enabling of us with all holy and heavenly gifts either in a sanctifying way or a ministerial Thus Eph. 4. Christ when he ascended into heaven gave gifts to men That you have a Ministry and Ordinances with the spiritual effects thereof it 's wholly from this Yea Ioh. 14 12. all miraculous Gifts do descend from this Our Saviour there saith That he who beleeveth on him shall do greater works then he doth that is as some say greater Miracles in themselves for we reade that by Peters handkerchief and his very shadow wonderful things were done which we reade not of Christ or greater in quantity and extension They did them in more places For whereas Christ wrought no Miracles at Ierusalem the Apostles did or greater as others say in regard of the successe because farre more were converted to the faith by the Apostles preaching then by Christs Well let this be how it will Consider the ground why they shall be enabled to do these great things because saith Christ I go to the
Isa 6. called a fat heart from Cattell that doe grow fat in Fruitfull Pastures But above all places there is one more remarkable Eccles 8.11 Because Sentence is not speedily executed against the sinner Therefore the heart of the Sonnes of men is fully set in them to do evill Fully set There is nothing can divert them they are resolved come hell and come devils they will have their way 6. Hypocrisie or a deceitfull pretending to matters of Religion when yet at the same time their hearts are carnal vile and unsanctified this was the Case of Iudas he never from the beginning did truly love Christ or in a saving way beleeve in Christ as appeaseth Ioh. 6.64 It 's true his hypocrisie was the more wonderful because they left all and followed Christ They were exposed to all hardship and hatred from the world who would not think that only pure ends had moved Iudas but yet you see that even in the poor and low way Christ was in yet Iudas could have false ends and there were temptations to draw out his carnal worldly heart whether he was a convinced hypocrite that lived in sins against conscience at first is hard to say But after he became the Bag-bearer and did daily steal from that publike stock which Christ had for the maintenance of himself and his Apostles then no doubt but he knew he did not walk uprightly and so was a grosse hypocrite Now this hypocrisie all along he discovers especially Mat. 26.7 in this History of Mary who anointed Christs feet with precious Oyntment at a dear rate Iudas murmured at this Iohn the Evangelist mentioneth him only â—e other make all the Apostles to murmure but either it is an Eâ—allage the plural for the singular number or else Iudas was the beginning of the Sedition he was Ringleader and put others on it But in this complaint of this See how speciously and religiously be covered his wickednesse Ad quid perditio haec saith this Son of perdition It might have been sold and given to the poor This he said saith the Evangelist not that he cared for the poor but because he was a Theef If all that had been put into the bagge he could have stolen from it and so enriched himself This was his hypocrisie Another instance is when he had agreed with the Priests about betraying of Christ his Master he comes and kisses him with an Hail Master this which appeared such an obsequious expression of love was made the very sign by which they should lay hold on Jesus and carry him away It is true some of the Ancients have much excused Iudas as if he intended only to cheat the High-Priests of their money because he thought that Christ could escape out of their hands as soon as he was apprehended for Iudas had observed before that when the people took him and intended to throw him down the Hill that he did in a strange miraculous manner convey himself from them but this cannot be for our Saviour had informed them that he must die though as yet his hour was not come that one of them should betray him and that Iudas was earnest and reall in this Treachery appeareth by this expression Whom I shall kisse that is he take him and leade him away diligently as fearing Christ might have escaped them or as it is translated Mat. 26.46 Hold him fast Thus in his most devilish actions he hath fair pretences and under this Visor perpetrares his abominations in like manner Absalom when he was upon that Treacherous design of unnatural rebellion against his Father he pretends a Vow and Piety to perform it Thus that cruell bloudy and deceitful Doeg on whom David acted by Gods Spirit doth pronounce so solemn Curses yet it is said of him 1 Sam. 29.7 He was detained before the Lord Though he was upon some speciall Vow or otherwise serving of God yet he could even then take occasion to inform Saul against David and be the cause of the death of many innocent Priests of the Lord and the Pharisees were so hypocritically Religious that they would not enter into Pilates house lest they should defile themselves when yet they could crucifie Christ Thus when men can harden themselves as they think to cosen God and men no wonder if they fall into perdition Lastly Men who become Sons of Perdition are such as willfully despair of Gods mercy and conclude there is no hope for them Iudas had committed grievous sinnes especially in betraying innocent bloud but his despair at last was worse then all the rest Even that bloud he had shed would have washed away that grievous sinne of shedding it had he by Faith sprinkled himself with it What made Cain so desperately continue in rebellion as was against God though with constant trembling upon him it was his despair My sins are greater then I can bear Thus as the devil when he possessed some bodies threw them in the fire and water so when he doth the soul by despair he violently hurleth them into hell Thus you have heard the inward cause of selfâ—destroiers there are some outward causes mentioned in the Scripture And they are 1. Evil and wicked company Men imboldened in sinne labour to make others so As Joab said to the young man that trembled to runne his Spear into Absalom Fear not saith he have not I loved thee Thus such great Ones such rich Ones or such a multitude they bid thee doe thus Why then shouldst thou regard what Ministers or the Scripture saith Art thou so foolish and precise to be awed with such things Thus Prov. 1. Old hardened sinners are brought in enticing the young man to be one of their company 2. When Satan takes greater hold and possession of men then formerly Thus he driveth them to hell that as you reade the devil entred into some Swine and threw them headlong into the Sea Thus he possessth some men and throweth them as violently into hell Judas before he sets upon this Treachery is said Joh. 13.27 Satan entred into him he entred into him and took full possession of his Soul Thus before Ananias and Saphira did in so horrible a manner lye and dissemble it 's said Act. 5.3 Satan had filled their heart and thus the Jews are said to be of their Father the devil There is a generation of men that have by way of curse the devil often in their mouths but he is much more in their hearts and such men none can stop from hell Lastly God by a just and severe judgement withdraweth or denieth all mollifying and softening grace to some men for their former sinnes and when thus left by God they are in a sencelss stupid and impudent estate of sinning Thus Pharaoh was left by God and then he was so hardned that no Miracles did him any good Vse of Instruction Marvell not if such desperate mad men live amongst you though they come to Church though they hear never
We see by degrees men were prepared to this Apostolical Office in the Church and Judas was one of these Now this was the highest pinacle of the Temple There was not a greater place of honour and trust then to be an Apostle they are called the pillars and the foundations Hence Paul begins his Epistle with this Title Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ which is as great a glory saith Chrysostome as when any Officer under the Emperour writes himself next in place to the Emperour It would be impertinent at this time â—o expatiate in the dignity and excellency of the Apostolical-Office The Ancients said they were Pedes Christi oculi Dei and Ecclesiae mammae Christs feet Gods eyes and the Churches breasts These had infallibility in Doctrine had power to work miracles to expell devils to open and shut heaven as it were and yet the son of perdition is one of these Apostles Thirdly He had not only the Apostolical-Office but the gifts and qualifications of an Apostle He was one of those that returned with joy saying The very devils were subject to them He prophesied he wrought miracles he confessed and published the name of Christ he prayed he performed all the heavenly duties that others did neither do we reade of any neglect in his Apostolical-Office nor is he blamed for defects in any religious duty and certainly if he had been guilty of any such omissions the Apostles would have suspected him but we see when Christ said One should betray him they did no more suspect Judas then themselves Fourthly Christs carriage was as full of sweetness love and respect to him as full of comfort and encouragement to him as to the rest in an external dispensation When they returned from their spiritual circuit Rejoycing as you heard because the devils were subject to them our Saviour speaks indefinitely to them all Rejoyce not in this but because your names are written in heaven Luke 10.20 he speaks here as if Judas his name were written in heaven and Luke 22.30 Christ tels his twelve Apostles They should sit upon twelve Tribes judging Israel Little did men think that Judas would be cast out and one put in his room Now lay all these together and thereby will appear his eminency and esteem in Religion yet for all that he was a sonne of perdition for whereas Chrysostom and others from the fore-mentioned Texts would conclude that Judas was once a true godly man but afterwards fell from his grace that is contradictory to the Scripture as you have heard And when our Saviour condescended to that low humiliation of washing the Disciples feet mentioned onely by John so that the same Evangelist who doth relate in most perspicuous manner the sublimest things of Christ as appeareth Cap. 1. so he mentioneth this action which was of the lowest debasement now in washing of their feet Judas is not excepted Those hands of Christ which wrought so many miracles cured so many diseases bestowed so many blessings yet even these wash not the face or the hands but the feet the meanest part and that of Judas who was immediately to betray him But no wonder he layeth aside his garments and girded himself with a towel and poured water in a bason seeing he formerly laid aside the manifestation of his Divine Nature being in the form of a man and poured out his bloud for us yea it 's thought by many and those learned both by ancient and learned Writers though opposed also by many learned men that Christ gave Judas the Sacrament also Neither say they will this prove that scandalous men may be admitted to the Lords Supper because his sinne was as yet secret and not publick and although Christ as God knew him to be such a secret sinner yet Christ did not in his outward Office of the Ministry act according to the knowledge of God but as a Minister under God in his Office Whether Judas received or no the Lords Supper Those that affirm are many Those that deny are also many Raynardus the Jesuite Lib. cui Titulus vitae optimae finis pessimus at large quoteth the Authors of both sides Some make it a probleme and therefore condemn Prateolus as too rigid who noteth those with heresie that deny his communicating with the other Apostles in this Sacrament In the next place Though thus eminent yet consider these things to debase him 1. In all this eminency and profession of Christ he was an hypocrite he had no true love to Christ nor saving faith as John 6. where at the beginning of all Christ said One is a devil the present tense is not to be neglected and the text saith Even then he did not believe viz. in a saving manner Oh what cause of fear and trembling is this Who can hear of Judas that preacheth that worketh miracles that is often in duties with Christ yet he is not sincere and therefore you may observe that our Saviour in all his Sermons and Parables did press this as the summe of all to look we build upon a Rock to see that we dig deep in our building that we be good ground receiving the seed in a deep and honest heart No subject did our Saviour so much insist on as this when yet we would think in those dayes when Christs teaching and miracles were so visible and outward encouragements to profess him wholly wanting that none should follow him but upon sincere and upright grounds 2. In this time of his profession and communion with Christ he liveth in a secret sinne though the Apostles knew it not yet his own consceence could not but condemn him He was a thief saith the text Christ had many contributers to his sustenance and that was put in a common bag for the maintenance of himself and his Apostles Now Judas he carried the bag how this came about it 's disputed Whether he desired it or no or Whether it was put upon him as judged a fit and faithfull man the Scripture tels not Howsoever we see by this as is to be shewed That it 's a terrible thing to be in such a condition of life as is sutable to draw out the sinnes we are given unto but of that afterward Judas having this great opportunity he stealeth part of the treasury and keepeth part of it for himself What made him to do this whether because he was married and had a charge of children as some conjecture or whether because he had a covetous worldly heart as the Scripture seemeth to encline is controverted So that now Judas becomes a gross hypocrite for the very light of nature taught him not to impropriate that which was common to others he knew it was Christs goods not his own yea many learned Authors say This was not simple theft but sacriledge for what was given to Christ and his Ministry was to an holy use and therefore Judas was guilty of both and the grosseness of his hypocrisie is the more aggravated if
they be thus damnable yet many shall follow their pernicious waies There is no Heresie so deformed but many people will follow it and by this means the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of See this in our daies How greatly do the Papists blaspheme that holy Truth of God by which we are saved because of the many Sects and errours which sprung up amongst us They think this Argument enough if there were no other when they can say how violent is one Protestant against another condemning one another for Heretiques They all pleade the Spirit and yet are opposite to each other and certainly did not the Scripture forewarn us of such things it were enough to make the stoutest beleever sometimes at a stand but 1 Cor. 11. The Scripture saith there again There must be Heresies That necessity ariseth both in respect of mens corruptions and also in respect of Gods wise permission that so the approved and sound may be made manifest It 's no little part of a Christians wisedom in the overflowing of Heresies when men of several waies speciously pretend to Truth and Piety to know how to deport our selves and so to walk that we do not fall from our stedfastnesse Now there is not a surer Buckler to keep off these poisonous arrows from our breasts then to strengthen our selves with powerful Considerations out of the Scripture Thus it must be Thus it will be The Scripture again and again tels us of it men of great Eminency and repute may make shipwrack of their Faith and through deceivablenesse and subtle insinuations will draw many after them Wonder not at this when it comes to passe That is notable to this purpose Act. 20.29 30. Though Paul himself had instructed those Churches yet he tels them after his departure that Wolves would venture in amongst them what a sad change would this be But from whence should they come Even out of your selves will arise men Thus these Toads and Serpents would breed in Gods own Garden As the Leprosie of Heresie is thus a Scandall in Gods Church So the Apostacy and revolt of such as were once forward for the Truth To have them degenerate yea sometimes to become malicious Enemies against what they professed this is very hard Heb. 6. and 2 Pet. 2. mention is made of some who were endowed with eminent gifts and much outward Reformation yet they are supposed to fall away and so to fall as never to recover again Let it not then stumble thee if there be such who will for earthly advantages betray Christ after much love pretended to him That will sell Christ for silver Do not thou loath Religion for this Do not thou begin to say Are there any Religious even in this world Do not thou follow them thinking I may do as they do But rather tremble at such Instances considering how terrible their latter end will be 3. When for the profession of the Truth and Piety we finde our nearest friends and such as ought most to encourage us to set against us yea to betray us and to work our Deaths if it were possible though this be very hard to bear yet say as in the Text This is done that the Scripture may be fullfilled If Christ himself complain it was not an open enemy but thou my familiar friend we took sweet counsell together that did lift up his heel against him that is proudly contemptuously and bloudily set against me Do not thou expect a better condition then Christ thy Master especially attend to that place Mat. 10.34 35. Luk. 11.52 where the consequent of the Gospel preached is to set the nearest relation one against another so that for thy Godlinesse sake neither Father or Friend may own thee yea the wife of thy bosome will betray thee such things have fallen out in times of persecution and therefore be not offended at that which the Scripture hath foretold 4. That Antichrist should prosper and prevail even to the shedding of the bloud of so many thousand Martyrs and yet meet with no remarkable judgement would be an unanswerable Temptation had not the Scripture foretold it The Scripture informeth of a twofold Antichrist a doctrinall one such as John speaks of that denieth Christ to be come in the flesh and a politicall Antichrist or one that is chiefly so in respect of Church-Government who yet also shall be doctrinally Antichrist of whom Paul speaketh that he shall exalt himself above every thing that is called God and of which the Revelation makes often mention for although this Antichrist shall prevail and the greater part of the earth shall receive the mark of the beast yet at last the time will come when those joyfull Songs shall be sung that Babylon is fallen and the judgements of God are just who hath avenged himself upon the Beast Let not then Bellarmine glory in his temporal felicity as a mark of the Church Let him not say in such a daring manner If the Pope be Antichrist and the man of sinne aimed at in the Scripture Why have not horrible judgements from heaven overtaken him All this is easily answered The Scripture foretels he shall have a time and he must for a while make his garments red with the bloud of the Saints But as certainly as he doth this so also shall his perdition come as certainly Wonder not at this or be offended for the Scripture must be fulfilled 5. The manifold exercises and conflicts that Gods own Children have sometimes about the guilt of sinne and sometimes about the power of sinne makes them think there was none so in the world before Oh how shall they bear it there is no mans condition like theirs you cannot hear one reade of the like say they But do not all these troubles arise from ignorance in the Scripture Do ye not reade of David though sometimes on the Mount of Transfiguration yet at other times on the Mount of Calvary Is he not sometimes lifted up with the light of Gods Countenance and at other times so dejected and disquieted he knoweth not what to do And as for the power of Corruption abiding in us Doth not Paul Rom 7. cry out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of Death and the Apostle Jam. 4.5 doth the Scripture speak in vain The spirit that is in us lusteth to envy Even in the Godly there is a strong provocation to envy one of the vilest sins and most contrary to the Spirit of Christ Seeing then the Scripture doth thus admonish us Let not the Children of God walk disconsolately Let them not say God hath forsaken them Let them still remember that the Scripture hath forewarned them of such things That the devil is a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.6 Vse of Instruction Hath the Scripture by it's prediction forewarned against all possible offences that fall out then 1. See the truth and faithfulnes of Christ that hideth not the worst
on them he addeth a Caution Let none of you suffer as a Murderer as an evil doer as a busie body in other mens matters but as a Christian that is Let him look that he do not for any wickednesse of his justly procure civil punishments but only let him keep to his Christian profession and if that be all his fault then let him not be ashamed Therefore he addeth Let such an one commit himself to God as to a faithful Creator Why Creator But because God looketh upon such Sufferers as his Creatures it 's because of my Image shining in them I cannot be a faithfull Creator and not take care of them saith God To this purpose our Saviour often because it 's not the meer sufferings but the cause and motive that is all in all If ye be persecuted for my Names sake and for Righteousnosse sake This must be the ground else we cannot pleade the promise of assistance 2. As it 's possible for a Christian to suffer for his own iniquities so nothing is more ordinary in the world though a man do suffer meerly for Christs sake yet to charge other crimes upon him and to pretend other grounds of their malice against such then meer Christianity This is good to be observed for if the Persecutors say true there was never any holy man or faithful Servant of God suffered but they made the condemnation just and thought at least some of them that they did God good service as our Saviour Joh. 16.2 Were not the Prophets of old whose bloud was shed by Jerusalem traduced as busie-bodies as Troublers of Israel as publike enemies and in Christs time Though the Sun was not more free from spots then he from sinne or any miscarriage in his Ministry yet what accusations did they frame against him and Joh. 8. It was not for the good works they said they stoned him but for his blasphemies So Joh. 18. If this man were not a malefactor we would not have delivered him to thee The Martyrs also when so many thousand of them died willingly for Christ yet by their Enemies they were represented as the vilest of men So that as they did with their bodies put them in Beasts skins that so Lyons might devour them more greedily Thus they defamed them and laid heavy crimes to their charge that so they might have the more just ground to condemn them So that when a Christian suffers as a Christian and when as a busie-body must not be determined by their Enemies nor by the greater part of the world but by Gods Word for they think all zeal against sinne rashnesse and madnesse and all reproofs of wickednesse a busie-medling more then needs Gods Word therefore must be the Star to direct in this Thirdly It must be also granted That a man suffering for those things which are against Christ which are palpably contrary to his Doctrine yet may be so farre seduced as to think he suffers for Christ This is ordinary with all heretikes who have judged themselves Martyrs and made all their sufferings to be for God when yet they blaspheme God Doth not the Papist put his sufferings upon Christs score Doth not every Heretique entitle God to his Cause Do not the Socinians who yet with their whole might oppose the Deity of Christ prerend great obedience so and adoration of him as a constituted God We grant then that men may be horribly deluded in their sufferings They may give their bodies to be burnt and not have true and sound Faith They may be acted by an heretical spirit and yet endure great miseries as the Circumcelliones out of a mad contempt of Death would make men kill them But these also have not Christs promises belonging to them unlesse it be Gods Word indeed and truly so for which the world hateth them they are not within the Ark It 's true Even such who suffer in such deluded waies may have great comfort may finde much consolation within but it 's the devil that transformeth himself into an Angel of Light It 's such comfort as mad men have that laugh and are pleased in the midst of their misery for God will never give comfort but to his own Truths The Spirit of God is not a Comforter but where it first leadeth into the Truth Indeed the confidence and comforts many have died with in their errours have been a stumbling-block but this is to be ignorant of Satans devices and the potent operations of strong delusions upon mens souls It cannot be denied but that even the best Christians who are hated and do suffer in the world have yet many imperfections cleaving to them and do discover many infirmities of the flesh so that as none can be perfect in love of God or in any other grace so neither in enduring the hatred of the world oh how hard is that Rule of our Saviours Mat. 5. when men revile to be patient when men curse to blesse and to render all good for all evil These things do so transcend humane power that many miscarriages several indiscretions and many carnal fears are apt to interweave themselves Now when the matter or cause of our sufferings in Christs and for his Name and if the heart be mainly set for God and his honour though subject to weaknesses such may pleade Christs assistance for all that neither may they fear Christ will disown them because of such adhering infirmities Do we not see the Scripture commending some as eminent when yet at that very time there was some imperfection Abrahams Faith so highly commended Rom. 4. yet had some diffidence mixed with it Jobs Patience so greatly exalted yet had some impatience breaking out God then takes not notice of thy weaknesse but of thy Grace and the godly sufferer may comfort himself that though he hath imperfections yet it is not for them the world hateth him As Bradshaw that holy Martyr said Though he was a sinner and had many Infirmities yet his Enemies did not put him to death for them but for the quarrel of Christ which he had espoused and the Truths of Christ which he preferred above his own life The Grounds of Gods endearment to protect such as are hated for his Name sake are 1. Gods propriety and interest in such It 's not their lives or Liberties are aimed at so much as his Name his Glory his Truth Now God cannot but love what is his own and that infinitely Therefore it hath alwaies been the Custome of Gods people in their Praiers to make their trouble to be in reference to him What wilt thou do for thy great Name said Joshua c. 7.9 And David It 's time to work for men have made void thy Law So it 's thy Temple thy Altars they have polluted and hence God accounts all the malice and madnesse of men discovered against his people as done to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9 4. Could they do that to God which
Spirit of God Subjectively preparing and fitting a man by it So that as to an Archer there are two things that are necessary The Mark to aim at and an Eye to see What could an Archer do without Eyes Thus it is with us in all our Actions The Scripture that is the Mark and therefore Sinne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it misseth of the Mark and then the Spirit of God that must give the Eye Light and Wisedome unto the Understanding The Scripture then is Truth because by it Gods Spirit doth direct and leade us into all Truth Now there is a three-fold Truth that we cannot attain unto without the Scripture 1. True Doctrine 2. True Piety and godlinesse 3. True Consolation and Comfort The want of the first Truth causeth Errour and Heresie The want of the second Hypocrisie and prophanesse The want of the third Distrust and Despair and happy is that man who hath this three-fold Truth and indeed one begets the other True doctrine begets true Godlinesse and true Godlinesse true Consolation For the first Only by this Truth are we guided into true Doctrine whatsoever is brought in contrary or beside this though he were an Angel he is to be accursed Galat. 1. This is the Rule and so what is not according to this must be oblique and crooked Therefore never expect Truth from that man who is not diligent in the Scriptures the Rule of Truth This hath been the Cause why most Heretiques have either accused or despised the Authority of the Scriptures because they know that this Sunne and their darknesse could not consist together They saw their Doctrines and the Scripture could no more stand by each other then the Ark and Dagon Therefore they would rather fall out with Scripture then with their own Opinions as if their own hearts and Consciences were more infallible then the Bible and as if they were not to be made conformable unto the Scripture but the Scripture to them 2. Only by the Scripture do we come to true Piety and Godlinesse You see in this Text Sanctification is by the Truth and James 1.18 God doth beget us by the Word of Truth and many times David doth commend the Word of God for this Effect that it forwarneth man of Sinne That it giveth the Simple Vnderstanding and that even young men may be cleansed from their lusts by taking heed to Gods Word Psalm 119. We see by these Texts that there is no Regeneration or true Reformation but what is wrought by and through the Scripture Therefore Conversion is called the writing of Gods Law in a mans heart So that this makes it clear that though many Heretiques may live civil and externally Religious Lives yet they have no true Godlinesse for false Doctrine begets false Piety when there is falsum in Intellectu that must necessarily produce malum in voluntate And the Reason is plain because Godlinesse is nothing but Truth incorporated Truth digested Truth put into practise It is Gods Law in the heart as you heard Hence as Poison can never nourish a man or afford good Health So neither can any false Doctrine help to any true Piety or Holinesse Men may have seeming Devotions but as the Serpent though it shines and glisters yet is full of inward Poison so whatsoever external Acts of Piety Zeal and Charity Hereticall men may put forth yet by them they cannot be Sanctified if their Errours be Fundamental It was Jeromes Speech Rarò Hereticus fuit pudicus and Vbi malè creditur ibi nec benè vivitur but that is not to be alwaies understood of their External Conversation for many Heretiques have been admirable in their Externals They have had a Sheeps-cloathing upon them and like the Panther have allured others because of their colour till they had devoured them Know thy Errour will make thee more proud loose and it may be at last outwardly prophane and contemning of Integrity for God will not blesse any thing that is not of his own Institution to spiritual Ends. 3. Only by the Scriptures come true Consolations So the Apostle Through the Consolation of the Scriptures 2 Corin. 1. No man hath true solid Joy but the true Orthodox Godly man It is true that as the devil may transform himself into an Angel of Light of Truth So also of Consolation and many Erroneous persons in their way have a great deal of comfort and joy yea they have said they never had so much peace and case as since they have taken up such waies but as their Piety was a counterfeit one so is their joy The holy Ghost that leads into Truth and is the Authour of Sanctification makes such only to rejoyce in him and gives them this Fruit of the Spirit 6. The Scripture is said to be true oppositely to all the Opinions Doctrines and Religions which men set up by their own fancy For every man is said to be a Liar and the Antichristian Doctrines which many are delivered up to beleeve are called a lye by the Apostle 2 Thes 2.11 Turcisme Paganisme is a lye Popery Heresie are Lyes Though they may be never so much pleasing to flesh and bloud Though men carried by humane Arguments may dote on them as they did about Diana's Temple yet all is a lye yea in practicall things whatsoever seduceth thee to do otherwise then Gods Word commandeth this is false Sinne lieth the world lieth the devil lyeth for all that they do is contrary to Gods Word That saith What will it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his soul Mar. 8 36. That saith the pleasures of sinne are but for a season Luk 13.3 Now thou wilt not beleeve this Truth but thou hearkenest to the world to thy own heart and all these betray thee and lye to thee Therefore let the Vse be to perswade and assure thy self of Scripture-Truths walk and live according to the directions thereof SERMON XCIII The transcendent Properties of the Scripture JOHN 17.17 Thy Word is Truth IN what sense the word of God is said to be truth we have declared Let us now come to the Properties of it And 1. It 's the truth of God a divine truth In the Text it 's called thy truth So that Divine Truth must needs transcend Humane or Natural Truths as much as God is above man In humane Authorities we say Thus saith Aristotle Thus saith Plato or thus say such Fathers and Councels but in divine things we must say Thus saith the Lord for because it 's divine or of God it hath an immediate dominion and awe upon the conscience So that whereas in humane Authorities and Philosophical Disputes we may boldly argue against them we may bring our videtur quod sic and quod non yet where truth comes to us as from God there must be an immediate submission though our reason and sense and all the world should contradict yet we must
minde The world was not in a greater Chaos and Confusion at first then we are naturally in our Souls Not knowing understanding or beleeving any thing of God Therefore the Apostle cals such Darknesse it self Ephes 4. And darkened in the minde That is the Eye the Sunne of the Soul and if that be dark all the body must be dark This Spirituall blindenesse and Ignorance upon every mans minde is that which makes him of himself incurable We pity corporally blinde men Oh but the spiritually blinde are lamentable every one is sensible oâ—â—osing their bodily Eye Lord that I might receive my Sight saith he to Christ But oh that there were such a tendernesse and a melting affection about thy Spirituall blindenesse Now Christ hath a Propheticall Office to cure this he doth not only teach by the outward Proposition of the Object but also by giving a Seeing Eye and vouchsafing Spirituall Illumination to the minde and the Understanding In the second place we were under the guilt of our sinnes The Curse of the Law did pursue us we were no waies able to expiate the Guilt of the least sinne Though Rivers of bloud had runne down our Eyes yet they could not have cleansed one sinne or spot away The Jews offered Thousands of Sacrifices but they could not obtain by the Efficacy of them any Remâ—ssion of Sinnes The Heathens sacrificed their Sonnes and Daughters to appease the wrath and fury of their Supposed gods but that could not prevail Oh when the Conscience of a man is arraigned for Sinne when Guilt burneth in the bowels as hot as fire Then a man will think of nothing but compensation Oh that I could satisfie God Oh that I could make amends again as man may do to man but this is impossible Therefore Christ becomes a Sacrifice for this end If we cannot redeem our naturall death much lesse our Eternall Without Bloud there is no Remission of sinne Christs Death ratified and confirmed the Promise and therefore the Covenant of Grace is also called a Testament because this was confirmed by the Death of the Testator Look then as it was with those Israelites when the Destroying Angel passed by if the Posts were sprinkled with bloud then they escaped the destroying Angel so if we be watered and cleansed in the bloud of Christ then we do escape the destroying vengeance of God and thus there is his fitnesse by his Priestly Office 3. We were by sinne in a miserable bondage and captivity to sinne and Satan The Israelites bondage in Egypt or in the Babylonian Captivity was nothing to this Spiritual slavery It 's not indeed so terrible and grievous to flesh and bloud yea they like those Chains and cords of vanity well enough but when Paul is once awakened by the Spirit of Regeneration and that the power of Grace hath prevailed upon him then for those very Reliques of Corruption that are within he crieth out Oh miserable man that I am Rom. 7. Now Christ is fitted with Kingly power to conquer and destroy the power of sinne and Satan There is no lust no Corruption that is too bigge for the King of Glory to overcome Thus as the Jewish Priest represented Christ in his Priestly Office So Joshua the Sonne of Nun did Christ in his Kingly Office as the Apostle insinuateth for Heb 4.8 Heb. 7 2. as no Ogs or Sonnes or Anak the greatest Giants and warlike men in the world were able to stand before him but he did bring the People of God unto their Rest Thus also will Christ who is both the King of Righteousnesse and King of Peace subdue all our Spirituall Enemies and establish us in Everlasting Rest He will first be a King of Righteousnesse and then a King of Peace he will first conquer thy lusts and then give thee a Crown of Glory Oh then admire this fitnesse of Christ to be thy Mediatour See how admirably there is a proportionable fullnesse in him for every emptinesse of thine In the Fourth place Christ is Sanctified or prepared for this work of Redemption If you do regard the peculiar and proper benefits that accrew to us by this Sanctification It would be infinite to reckon all Consider 1. Remission and Forgivenesse of our sinnes that is often attributed to his bloud Now how great a mercy this is David will tell us Psal 32. when he saith Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Blessed It 's the inbred appetite of all to be blessed But they mistake in what it lyeth Therefore the Psalmist telleth us The rich man The great man the prosperous man is not blessed but he whose sinnes are forgiven And indeed though a man had Solomons abundance yet if sinne be not forgiven how can he be blessed You see Cain in the midst of his Cities he was building yet he had no quiet because sinne was not forgiven yea David in the midst of all his Kingly glory did not take any rest but he was disquieted with roaring in his bones all the night long because sinne was not pardoned 2. Christ is sanctified to sanctifie us This is plain in the Text Christ died not only to take away the guilt of our sinne but to make us an holy people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Therefore the garments of the Saints were made white in the bloud of the Lamb Revel 7.14 Do not the Godly groan under the power of Corruption but Christ will sanctifie them as he sanctified himself to that end 3. Peace of Conscience and boldnesse at the Throne of Grace Through him we have free accesse The Apostle hopeth because of him to go boldly unto God This hand-writing against us this gulf is taken away 4. We glory in Tribulations in Afflictions because by Christs Death the sting of them is removed yea we are raised above the fears of Death Christs Death doth take away our Death O Death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15. SERMON XCIX Sheweth further what is implied in that phrase of our Saviour I sanctifie my self Handling chiefly the Priestly-Office of Christ in Opposition to the Socinians and for the Comfort and Direction of Penitent Sinners JOHN 17.19 I sanctifie my self for them c. WE are demonstrating what is implied in this phrase I sanctifie my self for them There remain more particulars which are as follow First This signifieth That Christ was wholly set apart for us that he had no other work or imployment but to minde our good and procure it for us In the Scripture phrase to be sanctified is often used for to set apart and dedicate to such a work that if it be otherwise imployed there is a kinde of prophanation and pollution so if the vessels dedicated to Gods service and sanctified were imployed as Belshazzar did in any common use this was the polluting and defiling of those vessels In some sense it holds here Christ was made man and made under the Law not for himself
but for us Insomuch that if he had done other work then this he had as it were polluted himself he would not then have been doing the work of a Mediatour Though some learned men think That Christ obeyed the Law for himself yet that cannot be because all glory and happinesse was due unto him from the first beginning of his Incarnation He prayed indeed for the manifestation and external possession of that glory which yet he saith he had before the world was made with the Father Seeing therefore that Christ had by vertue of the personal Union all blessedness and happiness due unto him He could not observe the Law that by the obedience thereof he might inherit eternal life but the whole course of his life whether in doing or sufferings was wholly for our good That as the Sunne was made not for it self but for the world so this Sunne of Righteousnesse did arise with healing in his wings for us alone He came as a Physician of whom we could not say Physician heal thy self This then is a treasure of infinite consolation That whatsoever Christ was or did it was wholly for us had it not been for man fallen the Scripture doth not intimate he would have become man It is true some Schoolmen say That the Incarnation of Christ was in it self so glorious a demonstration of Gods wisdome and power and so desirable in it self that though man had not sinned yet Christ would have been made man this being a more glorious thing then the creation of the world or any thing therein yet the Scripture supposeth no other end why Christ came into the world but to be a Saviour which implieth man a lost sinner Hence Isa 9. To us a Sonne is born To us a childe is given and Paul who gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 Therefore his death is compared to a price and a ransome and he himself to a Mediatour and Surety All which denominate he was not for himself but for us yea his Names speak thus much he was a Jesus because he saveth his people from their sinnes a Christ because anointed to do this work An Head because of his influx into his Members Hence the Schoolmen do well determine That the habitual Grace of Christ and the Grace that he had as head is all one really and differs only notionally Of his fulnesse we have all received Joh. 1.16 Grace in Christ is not to be considered as his personal perfection but as our fulnesse As the Fountain hath water not for it self but the streams and as the Head doth not sentire or put forth acts of sense for it self properly but the whole compound Insomuch that there is nothing which Christ did as Mediatour but it was all for us and therefore the Scripture saith Col. 1.11 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Christ then is for us and the Apostle saith He sought not to please himself Rom. 15.3 and he became poor that we might be made rich 2 Cor. 8 9. Hence secondly it followeth That if Christ sanctified himself thus wholly for us if we do not by faith improve him for those ends God appointed him we make him a Christ in vain to have sanctified himself and died in vain Even as the Sunne would shine in vain if all were blinde and did not enjoy the light of it as the brazen Serpent would have been exalted in vain if none that were stung would have looked upon it Oh then let the godly fear lest by their unbelief and distrust they make Christ a Christ in vain his Sanctification of himself wholly in vain Unbelief doth practically what those false teachers of righteousnesse by the Law did doctrinally If righteousnesse come by the Law saith the Apostle then Christ died in vain And thus it is here If Christ sanctified and fitted himself to enrich thee to justifie thee to sanctifie thee and thou by thy unbelief wilt not receive those things then is he a Christ in vain as to thee Oh remember If God will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his Name in vain how much more that taketh Christ in vain which is the most glorious name as we may say whereby God is made known Thirdly This Sanctification of Christ did denote some kinde of sinne and pollution upon him by way of imputation For such things as were unclean they were sanctified by legal Rites Now it 's true Christ of himself had no uncleanness being then holy undefiled and separate from sinners yet because he was our Surety and undertook our debt bearing our sinnes upon him therefore it is that he had imputed sinnes though not inherent Even as the scape-goat had the sinnes of the people laid upon it Hence it is that Heb. 7. ult his second coming is said to be without sin implying that his first was nor because our sins were laid on him and therefore did he so much strive in prayer with those excessive agonies in his soul because of the sense of Gods anger for our sins Though then the Scripture saith He took all our infirmities upon him but without sin that is to be understood of sin inherent in him no such viper could fasten on him yet in respect of imputation our sins were charged on him and so he sanctified himself in his oblation by taking away the guilt of them Oh then consider the infinite love of Christ and be amazed at it that he should become sin and a curse for us that he should be under the displeasure of God for us who was in our persons to have conflicted with it Fourthly In that Christ is here said to sanctifie himself for us there is hereby implied That Christ was a Priest to make an atonement for us and hereupon we might enlarge our selves concerning Christs Priestly-office which is of great concernment as appeareth by the Apostle at large in his Epistle to the Hebrews who doth so industriously assert and explicate this Office as being that which is the foundation of all our grace and consolation I shall only mention these particulars First This Priestly-office did consist in offering up himself a Sacrifice Every Priest was to expiate sin by Sacrifices Now because God would not have burnt-offerings any longer neither could the blood of Rams and Goats purge away sin therefore Christ came to make an atonement So that now we have reconciliation with God upon a two-fold ground his Mercy and his Justice It 's his mercy to send Christ into the world yet in that Christ must satisfie by his death it 's justice And this must needs administer much boldness at the throne of grace for justice can not now implead us The only attribute that a sinner would fear is Gods justice though he be gracious yet he is just also he demonstrated his justice in destroying all the apostate Angels and not saving one of them The Scripture represents him every where to be a just God that will not
acquit the guilty that will render to every one according to his works Oh saith the poor sinner at this I tremble under this I bow down but now by Christs Priestly-office justice is made on our side not only grace is for us but justice also now our very enemy once doth speak for us Justice I am satisfied I can require no more then justice would be unjust if it should require the paiment of the same debt twice This is ingraffed in mans heart to make a satisfaction and compensation to God but that was altogether vain which man did attempt to do therefore Christ came to satisfie for all 2. Herein Christs Priestly-office did exceed those Priests in the Law That they were only typical and did outwardly cleanse but they did not reach to the soul neither would they effect any immediate advantages upon it The Apostle diligently presseth this in his Epistle to the Hebrews and in his Epistle to the Galatians is severe against those who rested upon those external Sacrifices or any works of the Law neglecting Christ and this truth belongs to Christians also for the blood of Christ is not esteem'd we think Baptisme will clear us our tears for sinne or duties will compensate Thus Christ is not in our thoughts and in our hearts Therefore whosoever doth not in every prayer in every duty look to the blood of Christ to cleanse him he forgets this truth that Christ sanctified himself for us we walk as if our duties or Sacraments or Ordinances were sanctified to be our Mediatours It 's the blood of Christ only that cleanseth away our sins and that purifieth our persons and consciences 3. This Priestly-office of Christ is not only in the oblation of his body but also in his prayers for us Thus the Priest did in the Law so that his prayers had more in them then any private man it being a prayer by one authorized and appointed thereunto Christ in this also is our High priest his prayers were of two sorts 1. Those that he prayed for while here on the earth whereof this described in the Chapter is a chief one and the other is that Intercession which he still makes in heaven for us they differ in the manner of petitioning for those on earth were with great cries and groans debasing himself but this in heaven is nothing but the presentation of his will that what he had pray'd for and obtained for his people should be applied to them Now Christs prayer is infinitely above the High priests prayers for this is the prayer of him who is God as well as man it 's of him who is the beloved Son of the Father so that nothing can be in justice denied to Christs prayer because it 's a meriting and an obliging prayer 2. It transcends in love because Christ is so dear unto the Father What shall we say to these things that are so unspeakably happy for the members of Christ 4. Consider the adjuncts of this Priestly-office He is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech In Gen. 14. we reade of Abrahams tything unto Melchisedech the tythes of his spoil who is there called The Priest of the most high God It would be endless to tell you what the learned think about this Melchisedech as also to discuss all the difficulties about him It 's enough for us that the Psalmist Ps 110. prophesied of this long ago and the Apostle applieth it to Christ Heb. 7. Now to be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech doth imply 1. The conjoyning of a Kingly power to the Priesthood In the Old Testament God had separated the Kingly and Priestly Office none might undertake both and therefore when Vzziah though a King took upon him to offer Incense which was the Priests Office God struck him with a leprosie and the Priests withstood him but in this Melchisedech they were both joyned together Christs being then a Priest after the order of Melchisedech doth imply that by vertue of his Priestly office he did attain to a Kingly and therefore the Scripture speaks of that glorious condition he was exalted unto after his sufferings even to be above all Kings and Potentates and therefore it was providential that this Melchisedech though a Priest should have such a name as to be a King of righteousnesse and a King of peace and truly had Christ only sanctified himself to be a Priest for us without this Kingly office we should still be under the power of our lusts and dominion of our sins and should have wanted a spiritual Prince of Glory against that prince of darkness It 's a Kingly Priesthood so that there is not only religion but power accompanying him 2. This implieth the spirituality of his Priesthood for Melchisedech though a Priest yet brought only bread and wine by way of refreshment to Abraham It 's a wonder to see how men of great learning and parts would finde out a real Sacrifice in that fact of Melchisedechs but it is easily proved that Christ after that bodily oblation of himself hath now appointed no other Sacrifices but spiritual There is now nothing bodily or carnal in the Sacraments It 's sursum corda and we are to prepare faith not our teeth for the Sacrament The Priestly-office of old was in a carnal bodily way suitable to all the other religious exercises But now the external way of Christ is spiritual we are to offer spiritual Sacrifices and our prayers are spiritual Sacrifices 3. There is implied the perpetuity of it Melchisedech was a Priest for ever There is no abolition or translation of this Office no Successour to it therefore Christ doth abide for ever That once oblation of himself perfected for ever those that were his So that if he had offered up himself an hundred times more it could not have been more effectual then this once oblation 4. This Priestly-office was confirmed by an Oath God swore to the perpetuity of it The Apostle doth greatly aggravate this Heb. 7.21 That God did not onely promise but confirm it with an Oath Every word of God is as sure as an oath can be but this was done to establish our faith for it 's the hardest thing in the world to a troubled soul for sinne to believe that Christ hath made such an attonement or to believe such a reconciliation therefore God did not only promise it but swore to it Vse To fill the heart of those that do truly believe with unspeakable joy Christ sanctified himself to bring about thy peace Here is oyl enough if thou bring cruises to receive it Is it not sinne in the power of it and the guilt of it that troubleth thee Doth not that raise a great gulph between God and thee Behold Christ hath sanctified himself that sinne should be as if it never had been This is the Paschal Lamb that you are not to eat boiled or raw but rosted with fire not with waterish empty speculations but
fervent affections of faith Are you to meditate on this Sacrifice This blood speaks all good things for thee SERMON C. Of Jesus Christ as Priest Sacrifice and Altar The Properties of that Sacrifice The way how men come to partake of the Benefit of it Its Efficacy as to Sanctification as well as Justification JOH 17.19 I Sanctifie my self for them c. FRom the Person Sanctifying we proceed to the Object-matter which is said to be sanctified and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My self The Priests in the Old Testament consecrated and offered their brute Beasts which though commanded by God to have perfect Qualifications in them yet because Beasts still therefore our Saviours Priesthood doth farre transcend that because it is his own precious body that he thus offers to be an Oblation for himself From whence Observe That Christ was not only the Priest but the Sacrifice it self He offered up himself in that bloudy and ignominious death for our sakes This is the great mystery of our Christian Religion whether you do regard the Doctrinal part of it as a Truth to be beleeved or as it 's Declarative of the love of God and Christ to his Church The Prophet Isaiah cap. 53. is of old long before it was accomplished greatly affected with it and Paul upon every occasion is largely amplifying this substantial Point To clear it Consider these Introductions First That Christ was both Priest Sacrifice and Altar Every thing in Christ is wonderful There is nothing in him after the ordinary manner of nature and therefore he may justly by the Prophet be called Wonderfull and as in other particulars so in this it is true That he should be Priest Sacrifice and Altar Priest he was in both his Natures as God and man Sacrifice he was in his humane nature because that only could suffer And Altar he was in respect of his Divine Nature because by that he was sanctified Oh then the admirable wisedom of God that hath thus appointed all fulnesse to be in him When Abraham was to offer Isaac and the Childe was bound ready to be sacrificed he asketh his Father but where is the Sacrifice God saith Abraham will provide one Thus when all mankinde like Isaac was ready to be Sacrificed to the Eternal displeasure of God even then God found a Sacrifice for us Secondly Consider what is necessary to a Sacrifice and that is That there be some kinde of destruction or annihilation of the thing to the honour and glory of God And thus a Sacrifice and a Sacrament differ a Sacrifice is by offering up of something to God a Sacrament is when God offers and giveth something to us Therefore when the Papists make the Lords Supper to be a Sacrament and a Sacrifice also they speak repugnancies In a Sacrament God giveth to us In a Sacrifice we give to God Now among the Jews there were many kindes of Sacrifices and most of them did typically represent Christ The Paschal Lamb and the Sacrificing of the Red Heifer these are plainly applied unto Christ but above all kindes of Sacrifices those that we called Holocatomata whole burnt-Offerings These did in a most lively manner typifie him for there the whole was to be burnt in fire and offered to God which denoted the great humiliation of Christ both in Soul and body and also the exquisite Torments and Sufferings which were upon him so that he was wounded all over for our Transgressions Thirdly Take notice that he offered up his body as a Sacrifice to God It was in reference to him not meerly in respect of men to witnesse the Truth of God but as every Sacrifice ought to be it was wholly in reference to God though tending thereby to our good It 's unlawful to offer Sacrifices to any but God because hereby is represented Gods supreme dominion and Majesty which is signified by the annihilation or destruction of the thing offered Now though Christ did not cease to be God yet by his Death there was a separation of the soul and body though not of the divine nature from either It was then unto God that he offered up himself Fourthly This Sacrifice it was by way of expiation and propitiation to atone and pacifie the Justice of God which otherwise would have been a consuming fire to all mankinde as it was to the Apostate Angels Sacrifices do imply some kinde of Expiation and by Heathens were used to pacifie the wrath of their gods and thus if Christs body offered was truly and properly a Sacrifice then it could be no other but by way of expiation and satisfaction Now that it was such an expiatory Sacrifice is plain by the Apostle at large in the Epistle to the Hebrews where he compareth Christ dying with those Sacrifices and sheweth the insufficiency of them in respect of Christs once Oblation of himself which comparison would be weak and absurd if Christs Death was not propitiatory No wonder then if the devil hath raised up blasphemous Heretiques to overthrow this Doctrine because in this is contained that happy Reconciliation between God and a sinner In that Christ shed his bloud to atone for us is the whole hope and comfort of the Church of God Fifthly The holy and just nature of God against sinne was such that there was a necessity of Christs sacrificing himself upon the Crosse for us It 's hotly disputed whether God might have forgiven sinne absolutely without Christs Death or by any other way then by Satisfaction But when all is said it 's acknowledged it is the most convenient way and if we do suppose that God would save mankinde no other way but by justice as well as mercy then it was absolutely necessary that Christ should become man seeing no meer man could compensate God neither could the Obedience of any man have delighted God as much as Adams disobedience did offend him Therefore it 's highly derogatory from Christ which Durand saith that if it had pleased God it might have been that as by Adams disobedience all were made sinners so by the same Adams Obedience repenting and beleeving all might have been made Righteous In the second place Consider the properties of this Sacrifice And First It had infinite worth in it Insomuch that had God ordained it so it would have procured Reconciliation for all the sins of all men in the world yea if there had been a thousand worlds of sinners This is that which Divines say That it was a sufficient price and ransome for all though not efficacious Though therefore many are damned this doth not arise from any weaknesse or insufficiency in Christs Death but from the wickednesse and rebellion of men who refuse the means to improve this Ransome for their good There is infinite worth in it and that upon a threefold respect 1. The Person offering who is God as well as man So that what dignity and worth the divine Nature can put
riches his honours his greatness his parts his morality doth not free him from this impurity so that he ought to abhor himself as a monster as a toad This is the foundation of all our misery that we doe not look upon our selves as so many vile carkasses as so many dead dogs Till this be laid as the first principle Christ is not prized Sanctification is not sought after Oh therefore stand like the leprous person afarre off and cry out I am unclean unclean Thou wouldst be ashamed as Adam was to come with this nakednesse and filthinesse upon thee into Gods presence 2. Being unsanctified doth imply That even the holy things we are imployed about do not sanctifie us but we rather pollute them Hag. 2. He that was unclean though he touched the holy things though he ranne to the Temple and the Altar yet he was not thereby sanctified but he rather polluted them and thus while a man is unsanctified those very duties prayers and ordinances he doth runne unto will condemn him as appeareth Isa 1. by that severe expostulation with them that abounded in their Sacrifices yet did not wash them or make them clean 3. There is implied an utter unfitnesse and indisposition to any good work as on the other side a vessel sanctified was meet for his masters use So that till we be sanctified by Christs blood we have no fitnesse for any holy duty iron can as well swim and logs flie as a natural man be prepared to do that which is holy and supernatural Thirdly That our Sanctification is here attributed to Christs Sanctification of himself we see 1. That the initials and beginnings of Sanctification are wholly from him Some have endeavoured to make the very Heathens partakers of some kinde of sanctification making a pietas pagana as well as Christiana but they are to fear lest that might be applied to them which Bernard did to Abailardus Dum sudat Platonem facere Christianum scriptum facit Ethnicum There is no sanctification but where Christ is and Christ and his body cannot be separated as the gold onely in the Temple was sanctified and this is good to lay us low and to make us admiring of the grace of Christ How is it thou art sanctified and others remain prophane polluted like bruit beasts who hath made this difference Who infused this holy nature into thee Wast thou not as loathsom as wallowing in the filth of thy lusts as others till Christs blood did cleanse thee 2. Not only the initials but progressives and consummatives in Sanctification are to be attributed to his Sanctification Therefore you heard him called the finisher as well as the authour of our faith and the Disciples though already sanctified yet are still more and more to be sanctified It 's true here is a difference between our first Sanctification and the increase of it at first we were wholly passive Christ found us dead in our sinnes and wallowing in our blood but afterwards he findes us alive onely needing his continual exciting and quickening grace Therefore Paul though converted yet still lives a life of faith in Christ we need Christ all the day long How unholy earthly dull and lumpish is thy heart if Christ did not constantly sanctifie it Fourthly This Sanctification purchased by Christ must be in truth and integrity so Christ addeth sanctified in the truth that is truly in opposition to those legal and ceremonial sanctifications which did only cleanse the body but not reach to the soul Although in the New Testament we have no such external bodily Sanctification yet still there is an outward Sanctification and an inward both coming by Christ and one separable from the other Thus you heard the apostate is said to be sanctified by the blood of Christ which was not indeed and truly so for then he would not have totally fallen off but in respect of the external administration Hence 1 Cor. 1.2 the whole Church of Corinth though afterwards reproved for many sinfull practices yet are called sanctified and that partly because of the external dispensation of the Ordinances which they enjoyed So that there is a Sanctification external and a Sanctification internall External is when by our Baptisme and Christian profession We acknowledge our selves separated from the world to live unto God but internal is when we are so indeed How shall we call the prophane ungodly person a sanctified one Look to the truth of Sanctification here mentioned in the Text. Now the truth of it lieth 1. In the manner of working of it The Spirit of God by the Word doth thus sanctifie therefore some understand this in the Text by the truth as formerly our Saviour prayed God himself is the onely Authour of Sanctification We cannot make our selves holy no more then we can make our selves men yet God works not in the order of grace immediately no more then in the order of nature where he makes use of second causes Thus in the working of grace he appointeth second means as the Ministry and Ordinances and therefore Paul 1 Cor. 3. saith They were Ministers by whom the Corinthians did beleeve and there is no better discovery of true Sanctification then to examine the manner and way how thou hast received it for if the Spirit of God by the Word hath wrought it in thee then fear not this is of a more noble and supernatural being then what morality or principles of civility can incline unto thee As Christ himself was in his bodily nature conceived by the holy Ghost in an extraordinary manner Thus is every one sanctified in an higher and more sublime way then all the moral and prudential dictates of nature can carry us unto Oh then prove thy self what hath the Spirit of God and his Word done unto thee That was not more wonderfull in those who had a prophetical Spirit then in such who are sanctified To enable men to speak with strange Tongues is not more admirable then to give a man a strange heart to what he had once and strange in respect of others 2. It 's true Sanctification when it hath the universality and integrity of all parts which is the whole Image of God as Paul prayeth 1 Thess 5. I pray God ye be sanctified throughout in spirit soul and body This work of Sanctification it 's an entire compleat harmonical compages of all holinesse take any part of it away and you dissolve the whole fabrick It 's true Sanctification though it have not perfect and compleat degrees but not true if it want any essential parts and therefore called the Image of God which cannot be one grace no more then a man can be a man in one part and a beast in another but the Systeme of all 3. It 's true Sanctification in the permanency and continuance of it Perseverance doth not make Sanctification to be true but the truth of Sanctification makes it persevere Perseverance is an effect not a cause of
true Sanctification as the Apostle speaks 1 John 2.19 They went from us because they were not of us As leaves fall from the Tree when they have no more of their wonted nourishment and this discovers the falshood of those who appear sanctified onely in some fits and upon some sad afflictions on them 4. Truth of Sanctification is discovered by the purity of our aims and ends They love God they obey him from such holy grounds as are suitable to the sanctified nature As the hungry man loveth his food because of his naturall desire to it Thus a sanctified man loveth and doeth that which is holy for holinesse sake 5. True Sanctification is growing and proficient every day more and more That which hath solid root doth not wither but ripens and flourisheth by the Sunne-beams The Apostles though already sanctified yet are still to be more sanctified and certainly such is the sweetnesse and peace which Sanctification brings that it 's no wonder if the heart be never satisfied but still crieth like the horsleech Give Give 6. True Sanctification will make a man diligently and fruitfully improve all the instituted means for the increase of it because the Spirit of God works holinesse Therefore he is fearfull to grieve it Because the Ministry is to make more holy therefore he prizeth it and labours to profit by it yea because afflictions are sent by God to sanctifie the heart therefore he is humble under them and prayeth more earnestly for the Sanctification of them then the removal of them 7. This Sanctification though inchoate and imperfect here yet shall be perfected hereafter in Heaven Christs prayer Christs Spirit Christs merit will at last obtain their compleat and ultimate effect which is full Sanctification in Heaven when there will be no more need to pray for further Sanctification Vse Hath Christ thus merited and pray'd for Sanctification Then know Christ hath done nothing to encourage prophane and ungodly men Christ died not neither is he a Redeemer or Saviour but to such who are made holy This may amaze and astonish all such as divide the effects of Christs death yea and divide Christ himselfe They look upon him as a Saviour but not as a Sanctifier They would have his blood to wash away the punishment of their sinnes but not the filth and pollution of them Oh let the ungodly know They set up an Idol-Christ There is no such Christ as pardoneth but sanctifieth not also Come then more earnestly to be healed of thy soul-pollution then they did of bodily diseases SERMON CII Sheweth Why Christ who could do all things yet put up Prayers What difference there is between his Prayers and ours And the great advantage Believers have by Christs Praiing for them JOH 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone c. HItherto our Saviour hath praied for his Apostles as they were Apostles But because many things in his Petition for them did aâ—so concern all Beleevers and lest it should be thought that none but the Apostles were the Object of his Praier he therefore comes to a third part in his Petition which relates to the Catholique Church even the whole number of those who in time by Gods Spirit shall be enabled to beleeve Christ doth represent in his Praier to God the weakest beleever as well as the most Eminent Apostle So that here begins the third principall part of this Chapter Now in this Context we may observe 1. The Object of Christs Praier 2. The Final Cause of it 3. The Reasons enforcing it The Object of the Praier is set down 1. By a Negative limitation Not for these alone 2. By a Posiâ—ive explication or description But for those who shall beleeve Through their word In the Negative limitation Consider Who it is that is here said to pray The Person is Christ God und man As for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we need say no more to that only we are to adde a further Consideration about Christs Praying Seeing therefore that this is the last place wherein he mentioneth his praying I shall now supply what hath been defective in the consideration of this Point and so Observe That Christ though God yet as man did pray unto the Father as other men This Point about Christs Praying is worthy of our knowledge and right understanding For the Arians and Socinians did from hence argue that Christ was not God it being absurd they say for him to pray who could do what he pleased even as it 's absurd to say that God can pray seeing he is omnipotent and hath no Superiour Yea some of the Ancient Fathers have not spoken so soundly in this Point Hilary makes it to be but a kinde of holy simulation that Christ praied and generally it 's made a reason why he praied that he might give us an example But although this be one subordinate end yet there were other more principal ends 1. Therefore let us Consider upon what ground Christ did pray 2. The difference between his Praier and ours He praied then for himself and his Church 1. Because as man he was not omnipotent and so his humane will was not able to accomplish the things he desired for although as God he could do all things in which respect he wrought Miracles and did them not by Petition as the Apostles but by his own power and in his own Name yet as man so what he desired by his humane will by that he could not simply accomplish it so that in this respect it was that Christ as man did pray 2. As man Christ was subject to the Law of God and so was bound to give that worship and Religious Service to God which the Law did require so that when Christ praied he did it as fulfilling a duty he had voluntarily submitted unto Even as when he came to be baptized he told John it behoved him to fullfill all Righteousnesse Matth. 3.15 It was part of his Righteousnesse to be baptized because as man he was made a member of the Church Therefore Matth. 4. he brings that command of worshiping and serving God alone as reaching to him intimating he was bound by that Command as well as other men So Joh 4. he tels the Woman of Samaria We worship we know not what He puts himself in the Number of Worshipers So that Praier being part of Gods worship and a chief part of it no wonder if Christ was constant in it Hence we reade of spending nights in Praier yea in his Troubles his Prayers were accompanied with strong Cries and Agonies and the more they encreased the more earnestly he praied 3. He praied because though all things were due unto him yet by the Ordination of God he could not be partaker of them but by Praier So that though the Glorification of his body was due unto him from the beginning of his Incarnation yet he is to come to it by way of Prayer Hence in this Chapter he doth by many
undid the Jews Rom. 10. They sought to establish their own Righteousnesse and so would not submit themselves to that of Christ In Popery what is the reigning errour but that men are not taught to go out of the works they do and believe in Christ only Do they not expresly pleade for some co-partnership in the work of Mediation and is not also this poison sucked down every where in all mens hearts who is there till God hath humbled him over and over again that flieth wholly to Christ Nay even in a godly man what is that that keeps the soar so raw and the heart so unquiet Is is not because he would not be beholding to Christ only Therefore when a man is thus fitted by the Spirit of God as to see every thing is a rush a reed to lean upon but Christ Though I could weep a Sea of tears and those tears turn into bloud though I had all the grace of Men and Angels yet it would not reconcile me to God Then is he upon the Confines of Justification Therefore 6. When a man is thus driven out of all hopes and like the people of Israel seeing his Enemy of sinne following behinde and a Sea before then the Spirit of God stirreth up desires and hungrings after Christ then are his out-cries Oh that I could believe Oh that I had an Arm to embrace Christ For we see Judas coming thus far to bewail and confess his sins to throw away that silver he had so unjustly got to cry out of himself But then there were no desires no groans after Christ so that while the Soul is in this posture many times it's ground between hope and despair It is in great agonies like the woman that is to be delivered sometimes throbs come and there is an hope of deliverance but then all goeth back again sometimes they are ready to lay hold on Christ then comes a violent gust and puts all back again It 's true desires of faith if reall and sincere are faith initiall and Mat. 5. there is a promise of full satisfaction to those that hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse and that is implied when our Saviour saith a bruised reed he will not break and smoaking flax he will not quench that is where there are the least motions and tendencies of souls towards grace there shall be the greatest encouragement 7. God leaveth not the afflicted Soul in these desires and agonies but doth so strengthen and enable the heart that now he doth not only desire but actually receiveth and embraceth Christ His desire is put forth into actings so that it 's no longer Oh that I could rest upon Christ But he doth rest his soul on him with a lively recumbency Therefore Joh. 6. believing is called coming unto Christ Those tormenting slavish fears which affrighted him Shall such a sinner as I one that hath more offended God then many thousands approach near to him May I not only touch the hem of his garment but take him also in my arms These and the like Questions he can now answer and therefore cals upon his soul and chideth it Why art thou thus cast down and why art thou thus troubled within thee Beleeve on Christ So that now he doth with Simeon take Christ in his arms He can now say Lord let whatever come I shall bear it patiently now I have seen thy Salvation as it was with the poor Criple that could not stir or move when healed he can take up his bed and walk so the poor tempted sinner that before lay trembling afraid to pray afraid to come to the Ordinances can now arise and walk performing all duties with comfort and zeal You must know that this resting on Christ when thus humbled for sin is not an effect of mans power It 's not in mans strength to make this Iron to swim to walk thus upon the waters when every thing within and without is against man and yet for all this to depend upon the Lord Christ No it must be a divine and supernatural power from above and therefore the work of Gods grace in Faith justifying is as great though not as wonderfull as in miraculous Faith when any were enabled by beleeving to remove Mountains this was not by any greater power of God then when a poor humbled sinner by resting on Christ doth remove those mountains of sins and that great gulf which is between God and the soul We may well call justifying faith miraculous faith For is not this a miracle and a wonder of wonders That the soul thus in darknesse and plunged into the deeps yet should cleave unto Christ and say Though he kill me yet I will trust in him Oh we see if there were nothing but mans power and the troubled sinner were left to himself he would immediatly despair as we see in Cain and Judas Even as the stone naturally descends downwards when you take away the pillar it leaned upon so when you take away all the carnal props and hopes of a sinner and his sins do every way environ him he presently fals into the mouth of despair It 's therefore the great work of Gods grace to enable to beleeve To you it 's given to beleeve Phil. 1.29 And some are said to beleeve through the grace of God Act. 18.27 and faith is called the work of God not only because it 's that special grace which he doth so eminently require but because he is the immediate efficient of it Know then that the mighty work of God goeth to make the soul rest on Christ it would of it self despair a thousand times over and fall into hell before it would come to Christ and Experience confirms this in many sad and tempted Christians who though they goe from Minister to Minister and reade the good promises of the Gospel yet cannot beleeve till the Sprit of God enable them Now God enableth the humbled Soul to believe two waies directive and effective by direction and instruction and that in these particulars 1. By informing him that when the Soul is truly humbled for sin that it is a duty to beleeve in Christ That such are threatned with damnation who shall refuse to come unto Christ and this is a blessed lesson to learn when the Soul shall be thus perswaded that if in this case I receive not Christ I commit a worse sin then ever yet I was guilty of What a madnesse is it in me to damn my self for fear I should be damned I fear my other sins may destroy my Soul and not fear my unbelief This is the great crying sin of all others He that believeth not the anger of God abideth on him yea he is said to be condemned already and to make God a lyar Oh then how happy is that soul when the Spirit of God doth thus enlighten and perswade thee Once it was a Question and a doubt to thee Whether thou mightst lay hold on Christ Once thy thoughts were That
in its nature As the Soul could not produce rational acts if it were not essentially rational so neither could faith put a man upon fiducial acts if it self were not fiducial Again this believing is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldnesse or confidence Mat. 9.2 and so Varinus makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be bold on a man By these Titles then which the Scripture giveth Faith in Christ we see what a powerful operation it hath upon the heart What a Faith of spiritual miracles as I may say justifying Faith is and therefore know that thy doubts fears dejections and tormenting distractions are opposite to believing as darknesse is to light if God do above all graces thus approve faith then he doth above all sins abhor this dejecting unbelief 2. That such a special faith is required appeareth in that the Scripture limits this faith unto Christ as the peculiar and proper object Hence the Evangelist John cals it so often believing in him that brings Eternal Life and it 's Rom. 8. By Faith in his bloud that we are purged and have pardon of sinne and generally when it speaks of faith as justifying it relateth to Christ as the Object of it Not but that it believeth other Truths only in believing of this we are justified as the Israelite might look upon other Objects but beholding of the brazen Serpent only made him whole yea as we told you when the believing of other things is reduced to justifying Faith all other Truths are sweetned and qualified by that as if a man had the Philosophers stone it would turn all other materials into Gold 3. That Faith must be in a special manner fiducial and applying appeareth in the effects that commonly follow it For to this believing is attributed peace and unspeakable joy yea a triumphing over all oppositions and difficulties a boasting and glorying in tribulation Now this could never be without a particular interest in Christ for what peace and joy doth it bring to hear that Christ in the general came to save sinners Do not thousands go to hell for all that It 's therefore necessary to true solid peace that he become my Christ and my Saviour Hence it is that believing is the uniting of the soul to Christ as an husband which is an appropriate Interest as the Church expressed it I am my Well-beloveds and my well-beloved is mine Cant. 2.16 And hence also are those comparisons of an head and a body of a Vine and branches all which argue that the good we have by Christ comes because of our intimate union with him So that if we do respect those glorious effects which usually accompany believing they will necessarily suppose a fiducial appropriation of Christ in a special manner 4. This special faith is seen by the opposites and contrarieties unto it for he that doth not believe is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk 12.29 to be carried up and down as a meteor that hath no fixed place Thus while the soul is not fixed on Christ it 's like a reed tossed up and down with every winde as one in a journey and at a stand seeing two waies and not knowing which way to go or as a man that is uncertain between two arguments like the ballance with equal weights that doth not incline to one side more then another These dispositions of the Soul oppose faith and it 's a resting and a determining of the soul upon Christ And Lastly Diffidence and fear these are made contrary to Faith Fear not but beleeve Luk. 8.50 said Christ to his Disciples which supposeth that faith hath boldnesse and confidence in it We then may judge of the nature of faith by the opposite sinfulness to it and when we see fears wandrings uncertain tossings up and down of the soul in no waies stable and fixed then we may conclude that faith it self is a powerful composing and firm fixing of the soul upon the Lord Christ 5. That faith is thus in a special manner applying Christ appeareth also because otherwise it would be little better then the faith of devils and of such who have only a bare dogmaticall assent for the devils made a Confession of faith That Christ was the Son of the living God and therefore are said to believe yet they tremble and are in unspeakable horrour because they know he is not a Saviour to them and thus many believe that Christ is the Messias but because there is no fiducial adhesion and appropriation of him therefore he is not so to them Even as many saw Christ yet if they did not in particular apply themselves to him they were not healed of their diseases The hungry man may starve though he see a Table furnished with plentiful food if he do not put into his own mouth It 's particular Interest that enricheth that saveth and therefore it 's said The Just shall live by his faith Hab. 2. Lastly This truth may appear From the absurdity of that Position to say faith justifieth as it believeth the Word of God in general only or any Truth asserted in general for then my Faith would justifie me as well in believing Judas hanged himself as that Christ was crucified for me Or that Paul had a Cloak and Parchments as in the bloud of Christ Certainly forgivenesse of sinne is attributed to Christ only and seeing as you heard the object of faith justifying is bonum as well as verum That which is beloved must have the chiefest good in it as well as Truth and this may suffice to instruct you in this main Point that a Christian humbled for sin is not to rest or to be satisfied in this that Christ in generall came to save sinners or that he is able to save thee though an hainous offender but to apply him for thy own particular that thou maist say of all the glory of the Gospel which the devil did falsly of the glory of the world All this is mine Obj. But to this it 's Objected This is to preach Security and to imbolden men in a carnall presumption And therefore it 's a Doctrine to be abhorred as pleasing the Flesh Thus it 's branded as if it were one of Epicurus his Opinions that were called the Syrens of the carnall part of a man But to answer this Answ 1 1. That there cannot any doctrine of comfort and grace be preached but a carnal heart will turn it into the occasion of wickednesse When Paul preached the grace of the Gospel did not some infer from thence Let us sin that grace may abound and did not others turn the grace of God into wantonesse It 's one thing therefore to speak of the proper genius of the doctrine and another thing of the abuse of it through mans corruption If therefore any man living and walking in prophanesse do yet comfort and encourage himself saying I lay hold on Christ I belâ—eve in Christ· This man as he deceiveth himself so he doth grosly abuse
yet because the Foundation of all our Christian comfort is in this Union and Unity is our whole spiritual Treasury Let us follow the Scripture Light in Explication of it And First It is good to Consider what synonimous or equivolent expressions the Scripture hath to represent this Vnity And we reade of an emphatical one 1 Cor. 6.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is joyned to the Lord The metaphor is from glue that doth so closely and inseparably joyn things together He is made one Spirit Is not this a wonderful expression of that intimate Union the believer hath with God He is made one Spirit with him not essentially as if he were made infinite omniscient c. but as it were morally as they say Amicus est alter ego Another word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 1.2 Truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ Thus 2 Pet. 2.4 we are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the divine nature and often we reade of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Communion of the holy Ghost This Communion indeed is a consequent of our Union our Union is the Foundation of our Communion although the word doth not only signifie Communion but Communication sometimes howsoever this signifieth the unspeakable priviledge the godly have by their Union that now all things do become theirs which Christ hath our mala and his bona are communia We cannot fall and perish unlesse Christ also be destroyed with us A last word I shall instance in is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.5 and hereby is intimated our co-planting into him and this the similitude of the Olive-Tree and the Vine doth admirably represent and certainly there is no kinde of Union scarce but the Scripture expresseth our Unity with Christ by it as that of the Head and the body of a Foundation and building of a Vine and its branches of a Husband and wife to shew hereby the Excellency and fulnesse of it every one of those unions having something that another hath not As David doth attribute several Titles to God of a Shield Rock Tower c. to shew that God was all things to him Thus is Christ all Unions to the godly as I may so say 2. There must be an unition as Cameron well observeth before there can be an union a Communication before a Communion Unition is to be conceived efficiently as the work of Gods Spirit joyning the believer to Christ and union is to be conceived formally The joyning it self of the persons together Now there is something on Gods part uniting and something on ours On Gods part that is the spirit of God Eph. 2.8 the Jew and Gentile have through Christ accesse unto the Father through one spirit So that as it 's the Spirit that sanctifieth the Spirit that worketh mightily in beleevers the Spirit that sealeth Thus it is also the Spirit that unites to Christ for of our selves we are aliens from God we all lie dissipated in ruine but it 's the Spirit of God that quickens us and engrafteth us into Christ As the Spirit on Gods part so Faith on our part Eph 3.15 Thus Christ dwels by Faith in our hearts and it 's by Faith we are ingrafted into the Olive-Tree therefore that is called eating of his Flesh and drinking of his bloud whereby we are made one with Christ our head We then may easily conclude all men living in their natural condition without the Spirit of God have nothing of this Unity They must needs wither and perish in their sins 3. We may conceive of a natural union with Christ and a supernatural A natural union all men have in that he took mans nature and not Angels upon him So that in this respect all men though never so wicked yet agree with him in his humane nature and thousands are damned though Christ took mans nature upon him The other union is supernaturall for as Christ though man yet was conceived in a supernatural way by the holy Ghost So all those who are mystically united to Christ are in a supernatural way changed by the holy Ghost and thereby joyned to Christ for it 's the Spirit of Christ as well as of God the Father that doth thus unite us to him We cannot then take any comfort simply in this that Christ was made man unlesse we have a spiritual Vnion with him as well as a naturall Therefore the Apostle excellently to this purpose urging Christs Incarnation Heb. 2.11 14. doth not press absolutely his being made man but so as thereby to help not all men but such as are his brethren all men are not Christs brethren but such as by faith are made one with him Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one that is of one Adam of one root as it is generally expounded but though other men be of that one root as well as such as are sanctified yet the Apostle limits it to such only that are sanctified and from thence draweth that comfortable inference Christ is not ashamed to call them brethren and v. 14. because the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself took part of the same so that it 's plain by these Texts No man can simply take comfort in this that Christ became a man That he is of the same humane nature with Christ for it 's only to the children only to such as are sanctified that his Incarnation is advantagious Hence 4. This union is wholly spiritual and invisible Christ is the head and we the body Christ the husband and we the wife but all this is after a spirituall and mysterious manner The ligaments are spiritual insomuch that this is better felt experimentally then palpably expressed Therefore to carnal and natural men it 's wholly a paradox They cannot imagine what it is Even as spiritual and immaterial objects cannot be discerned by the eye No man hath seen God at any time So neither can this spiritual union be naturally perceived if we should preach all our life time upon it a natural man would never understand one iota or tittle about it Therefore when the Apostle speaking of the union between man and wife Eph. 5.32 therby representing the union of Christ and his Church addeth This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and his Church Oh pray therefore that thou maist experimentally feel this union with Christ That something within may close with this and thou maist be able to say O Lord though I reade it in no Book hear it in no Sermon yet my own heart can discern it 5. Though this union be spiritual yet for all that it is reall it 's not imaginary and a meer fancy but as Christ is a real Christ God a real God faith a real grace so real is our union with these and therefore the effects of this union are altogether real such as
resplendent beams thereof proclaim its presence This is excellently set down Joh. 14.20 21. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you And ver 21. I will love him and manifest my self to him In the second place Though Christ be in us invisibly and spiritually yet he is truly and really and operatively in us So that we are not to look upon this as a fancy or delusion as some non-entity or meer notions of melancholy men No as Christ is a reall Christ so he doth really live and dwell in us if nothing were reall but what is corporeall then our souls should be no reall substances Then the soul of a man would be thought to be a meer fancy and notion likewise But as Christ is reall and the soul is reall so is Christs dwelling and living in it reall yea it is so reall that corporal things are said to have no reality at all comparatively Thus Christ Joh. 15.1 I am the true Vine and Joh. 6.55 56. My flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Now why doth Christ say his body is meat indeed he doth not mean corporally but oppositely to corporall food The very food we eat is not meat comparatively to Christ for our bodies feed on that and yet perish they have not life alwaies abiding in them but who so hath Christ in him he can no more perish then Christ himself Christ is meat indeed and life indeed The godly then finde and know this life and dwelling of Christ to be a reall solid thing and therefore do though not corporally yet spiritually perceive it and know it to be more reall then their bodily life and actions It 's not lesse reall and true because spirituall and mystical Therefore that which on Christs part maketh him to be in us viz. his spirit that is reall and that which on our part receiveth Christ and whereby he dwelleth in us viz. faith that is also a lively grace Therefore though we walk not by bodily sence but by faith yet the things of Faith have as reall and lively subsistence in the soul as bodily objects can affect the body 3. Consider how Christ is to be conceived in his people and that the Scripture represents several waies 1. Christ is in us by way of Vnion so as to be made one mystical person with us I shall not be large in discovering this because I have touched on it heretofore only the first step of Christs being in us is by uniting of himself to us for we are by nature estranged from him and lie as so many lumps of earth devoid and destitute of all spirituall life and motion till Christ unite himself to us so that as it was Gods wonderfull power to call those dry bones and unite them together Thus it is also his admirable power to unite himself to a Beleever Christ doth not stay till we first unite our selves to him but he joyneth himself first to us and this is the first step of Christs saving grace in us 2. Christ is in us so that thereby we are made partakers of his person not only the gifts of Christ and the graces of Christ but Christ himself is in us as Gal. 2.20 Christ liveth in me and so Eph. 3.17 Christ dwels in our hearts so that this King of glory doth not only bring his rich Ornaments and Hangings to beautifie the soul but he himself also in his own person resides there Not indeed corporally as you heard but spiritually for though Christ be in heaven yet that is no hindrance to Faith It 's not distance of place that takes away from Faith no more then of time but as future things are present to heaven so are remote things locally present to it Even as to the eye some Objects though many miles distant are present Faith therefore receiveth the person of Christ and it 's not only the graces of Christ but Christ himself that dwels in the soul but yet by faith it is true many Divines affirm the graces of Gods Spirit to be in us but the Scripture doth expresly relate even to the person of Christ and the Spirit as well as the graces flowing from them 3. Christ is in his people by way of gracious operation as a powerfull efficient which enableth to all those holy and divine actions the godly perform Joh. 15. Without me you can do nothing As the branch without the Vine cannot bring forth any fruit Did not Christ daily move and breathe upon the soul it would alwaies work in a carnal and humane manner Paul saith He no longer liveth but Christ in him Gal. 2.20 For Paul of himself and in his own corruption would follow the boasts of the flesh persevere the desires thereof did not Christ quicken and sanctifie him 4. Christ is in us sacramentally that is in and by the right use of that Ordinance he is in a peculiar manner present to the beleever Therefore it 's called the Communion of the body of Christ 1 Cor. 10. and although Joh 6. the eating and drinking of Christs body and bloud be not there meant of the Sacrament but of Faith in the general for it 's made necessary to every man that would have Eternal life yet by that expression is seen the intimate incorporation of the godly with Christ and in the right use of the Sacrament there is a more sensible visible assurance of such a presence whether Christs presence Sacramentally be other then his presence by a promise is not here to be disputed Certainly if the presence differ not yet the manner of confirming and assuring of it doth otherwise Sacraments would be Seals of the promise in vain and the promise it self would be enough and the enjoying of Christ in a promise would be enough without making use of the Sacrament and so that be wholly needlesse I shall not enlarge on this Point further But come we to the fruits and effects of Christs being in us This is the great necessary thing to finde that Christ is in us for either the devil and sin live in us we no longer live but sin and Satan or else Christ and his Spirit are in us and it 's good to observe what are the Evidences and demonstrations of Christs being in us 1. In whomsoever Christ is he is made a New Creature old things are past away It 's high blasphemy to say Christ is in constant habitual wicked men no 2 Cor. 5.17 If any be in Christ he is a new Creature Now whosoever is in Christ Christ is also in him for they are mutual and reciprocall if therefore thou livest in ignorance and prophanesse conclude assuredly that Christ is not in thee It was the devil that entred into the Swine and hurried them headlong into the Sea Thus still the devil doth hurry many wicked men violently
compleat perfection of a Christian Who is made righteousnesse wisdome and all things and therefore this is the character of those that are spiritual They have no confidence in the flesh and rejoyce in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.3 Lastly We glorifie Christ really in our lives and conversations when we walk as Members sutably to the Head when we order our conversations answerably to the rule of the Gospel For how often do wicked men reproach and dishonour Christ by their ungodly lives as if Christ taught them no better or as if Christ died not to deliver us from all ungodly and sinfull lusts Therefore on the other side then we honour Christ when we are holy as he was zealous as he was humble and meek as he was as Paul said He carried the marks of Christ upon his body so do thou the graces of Christ upon thy soul We come in the next place to a brief description of the subject described Those that thou hast given me Now this is the opposite description to such who are of the world By giving unto Christ some understand by a Metonymy of the effect for the cause Gods decree to give as 2 Tim. 1.9 The grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world began that is decreed to be given to us So some expound the fore-going place The glory which thou hast given me that is which thou hast decreed to give even as in this Chapter he saith I come to thee I sanctifie my self and as John 6.33 Every one that my Father giveth shall come to me where by giving must be understood a decree to give for actual giving is the very coming it self unto Christ Though this be true yet we must adde that in respect of those who were to believe so it 's a decree of giving but in respect of the Apostles and others who did then believe it was an actual giving Now whereas we see the original and fountain of all grace formerly prayed for and now all glory here is because some are given to Christ by the Father we may observe That it 's no free-will or preparatory work in man that begins either his grace or glory but the sole gift of God I shall but touch at this because handled before only as our Saviour thought fit to use this description of believers so often in one Chapter so it should also inform us that it 's a truth of absolute necessity which ought constantly to reign in our hearts that we did not prevent God but Gods grace did prevent us that we did not choose him but he chose us Therefore it 's a violent wresting of the words by Arminians when they will have this giving of some to the Father to be understood for the consequent mens obeying and receiving of the grace offered and so we give our selves to Christ and are not given by the Father That the initials of all good is from grace only and not of us is abundantly convinced by that wretched sinfull and wofull pollution that we are all born in like that miserable infant spoken of by the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 16. I shall not doctrinally inlarge this only let the Use be 1. Admonition to take heed of all those proud and self-advancing Doctrines that magnifie the power of nature that think not grace absolutely necessary that if it be required it 's only ad facilius operandum or that grace doth onely excite and stirre up the natural abilities within us Oh take heed of swallowing down this deadly poison Vse 2. Of Exhortation to the people of God with all humility and astonishment to admire the grace of God in Christ that mollified thee that prepared thee that began first upon thee Alas thou wast wallowing in thy bloud thou wast hotly pursuing thy sins thou didst violently refuse the grace of God till at last he opened thy heart and saved thee against thy will making thee of unwilling willing SERMON CXXXVIII Of Gods love to Christ as Mediatour and in him to all believers from all Eternity JOHN 17. â—4 For thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world THis last clause is brought in as a Reason of that which went before Some make it a Reason of Christs Petition why the Father should hear him viz. because he alwaies loved him and so nothing could be denied to him others referre it to the gift of Glory mentioned immediatly The Father gave Christ glory because he loved him from Eternity but these do not oppose but may include one another The only doubt is In what sense the Father is said to love Christ before the Foundation of the world Many understand it of Christ as the natural and only Son of God That as he had alwaies the same glory with the Father so likewise he was alwaies loved of him and from hence they prove the Deity of Christ But Calvin and others expound it of Christ as Mediatour That the Father did love him from the beginning in appointing of him to be a Mediatour and preparing him thereunto Now this seemeth the more genuine Interpretation and doth not exclude but include the former also So that by direct consequence the eternal god-head of Christ is asserted Indeed Piscator referreth those words before the foundation of the world to the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast given As v. 5. implieth but there is no necessity to make such a trajâ—ction The sum is that Christ as Mediatour doth referre all the glory and honour he hath to the Fathers love Now you must know that when the Father loveâ—h him as Mediatour It 's not absolutely terminated upon the person of Christ but the whole number of beleevers in him and therefore this loving of Christ is to be extended unto all Beleevers for the Apostle saith the same thing of them because of Christ Eph. 1.4 where we are said to be chosen in him before the foundation of the world To be holy and without blame before him in love where that love is referred to Gods predestinating and electing of us by some Interpreters So that from the words we may observe That God the Father loved Christ as Mediatour and thereby all beleevers in him from Eternity This Truth deserveth explication and application And 1. Let us consider wherein the love of the Father was shewed to Châ—ist as Mediatour as that will appear in the designing of him to it and approbation or complacency in him while discharging of it The love of God in preparing him thereunto is seen in these things 1. In appointing and ordaining the second person as the only begotten of the Father to come into the world and take our nature upon him For herein did the Father love the Son because when mankinde was lost and justice could no waies be satisfied by any meer creature that in this exigency Christ should offer himself and so readily professe Behold I come to do thy will O Lord Thus when he formerly had said I sanctifie
world though some are elected and others are reprobated Because all those Divines who do hold such an absolute Election or Reprobation do so positively expresse themselves that the cause of mans damnation is wholly from his sin and mans sin is wholly and freely from himself That he is not necessitated and compelled to sin by such supposed pre-definitive Decrees but that he sinneth of himself and so his perdition is of himself as fully as if there were no such Decrees at all These two things the Orthodox suppose that the Scripture affirmeth both such Decrees of God and also man himself to be the only cause of his damnation and if so be that the understanding of man could not tell how to reconcile these two together It 's better with Cajetan to confess the weakness and imbecility of our apprehensions then to deny the things asserted in Scripture In the second place God is righteous as a Judge in that he bestoweth his effectual grace upon some and not upon others For this end it is that our Saviour doth call his Father righteous because he lets the world alone to it self it deserveth to perish in it's unbelief and rebellion but to others he manifesteth himself God is so righteous herein that Luk. 10. our Saviour is greatly affected with it and blesseth God therein Now to our corrupt judgements we are ready to think that Gods wayes are inequal why he giveth his grace to some that it may be are more wicked and more unworthy then others And then again Others that seem to be more civil and restrained from outward impiety he denieth his mollifying grace to them but if we could judge of things aright even in this wonderfull dispensation of God we should admire his righteousness For the full answer to all humane cavils in this respect is That there is none denied grace but such who by their sins have justly deserved so If Judas be not converted and Peter is Judas hath his sins for which God may justly give him up to spiritual judgements If the men of Tyre and Sydon have not the means of grace as well as Capernaum it 's because their iniquities make them unworthy of it So that there is no man living under the means of grace that can justly complain of God because he doth not give him a soft and mollified heart as well as others For it 's his own personal impiety and voluntary wickedness that makes heaven as it were like brasse and iron to him It 's true God could if he pleased give Judas a soft heart as well as Peter but there is no injustice if God doth not dispence his acts of liberality and grace for then justice and liberality a gift and reward would be all one So that the godly indeed who are partakers of converting grace they have cause to admire and bless God for his unspeakable goodness but the wicked who continueth and perisheth in his sins may say My destruction and damnation is of my self God hath done like an holy wise and righteous God but I have brought vengeance upon my own head But these divine dispensations of Gods justice especially as to spiritual judgements require a larger and more exact scrutiny which is not here to be insisted upon Come we therefore in the next place To take notice of Gods righteousness as a Father unto his own people and children And herein the godly are often sollicited they begin to question and to doubt of Gods promise and his kindness Oh they think If I be thus loved of God! If I be one that doth belong to the promise why doth the Lord deal thus and thus with me Every wicked man he prospereth and thriveth in his impiety but I am afflicted all the day long though I wash my hands in innocency Now to the godly thus exercised I have only two particulars to minde them of 1. That because God is righteous therefore it is that thou art afflicted and it may be more then many wicked men are Though it be an heavy temptation and such an one that we reade David at one time had much ado to overcome yet it is so far from being unrighteousness in God to afflict thee though his beloved childe that he would be unrighteous if he did not Doth not David at another time when the cloud was dispelled say That out of very faithfulnesse God hath afflicted him Psal 119.75 So that the righteousness of God as a Father doth require this It 's true thy afflictions are not properly penal to satisfie his righteousness for that is done already by the blood of Christ but they are castigatory of thy sins and by way of prevention for the future so that there is no exercise befals thee but thou art bound to justifie and clear him say It 's righteous with God to do thus to me because of my several corruptions that are so strong in me 2. Gods righteousness is seen as a Father in respect of his fidelity and veracity to keep his promise to us So that though the good things promised may be deferred thou hast not yet any enjoyment of them yet know The righteousness of God will not suffer him to forget thee Heb. 6.10 The Apostle doth there comfort beleevers That God was not unrighteous and therefore he would not forget their sufferings It 's true it 's Popery to plead the commutative and strict righteousness from God as if there were an inward condignity of our holy works in respect of heaven but a righteousness of fidelity we may and ought to encourage our selves with Vse of Exhortation to all the children of God that the meditation of God as a righteous Father should stop the mouth of impatience say as Christ concerning every chastisement Joh. 18.11 Shall I not drink of the cup that my Father hath given me What wouldst thou have God unrighteous for thy sake Wouldst thou have him not deal sutably to his holy and pure nature Thou hadst rather God should be unrighteous then thou suffer any outward evil Oh do thou abhorre and shame thy self Even wicked men have been forced to acknowledge God just and righteous as a Judge and shall not grace make thee acknowledge this in him as a Father SERMON CXL That every Vnregenerate man whether in or out of the Church is destitute of the true saving Knowledge of God JOH 17.24 Righteous Father the world hath not known thee OUr Saviour we heard is continuing Arguments why he should be heard thus in his Petition for all believers and that which is first suggested in these words is the opposition and contrariety between the world and them Though the world be ignorant and obstinate against Christ yet the Disciples they did readily believe in him Now this is a wonderfull aggravation of their holinesse for them only to believe amongst a world of unbelievers and opposers To see amongst so many that are blinde To be wise amongst so many that are mad yea to believe
or because that can adde any thing to his happiness but because thereby thou art made capable of his love and so he can communicate of his goodness to thee do not then take comfort so much from thy graces as the evidence of Gods love to thee thereby 5. Take notice that it 's most acceptable and well-pleasing unto God that thou shouldst walk in such sense and feeling of his goodness to thee For why are all those commands to rejoyce in him and to bless his name continually Why doth he invite thee to call him Father And why are there such thunderbolts in the Scripture against unbelief and distrust Why is it the main scope of the Scripture to represent God under all love and loving considerations but that all our thoughts of him should be hopefull and comfortable Do not therefore think thou goest beyond thy bounds or it's presumption in thee to draw nigh to God upon such assured apprehensions of his grace No the Scripture expresly commands the contrary Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace and Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Hearken not then to all those doubting temptations within nor all those deceitfull arguments of humane reason without but consider what the Scripture saith and certainly it 's preposterous humility as in Peter refusing to let Christ wash his feet to keep off from the Throne of grace when we are commanded to come to it Besides without this sense of love how can our hearts be raised up to bless and glorifie God It was Davids apprehension of Gods goodness to him that made him call upon his soul and all within him to bless Gods holy Name 6. Consider that this sense of Gods love is the proper and genuine effect of faith in Christ as a Mediator Thus our Saviour doth here make it the consequent of it They have known me whom thou hast sent that the love whereby thou lovest me may be in them It 's not enough to believe in the general That Christ is a Mediator to such as believe in him but with Paul Gal. 2.20 we are to appropriate him who loved me and gave himself for me with this Evangelist John we are to lean our heads as it were in Christs bosom with Thomas we are to say My God and my Lord. Now the genuine but not the necessary and inseparable effect of such an appropriating faith is the sense and assurance of Gods love to me in particular which love of God is so attentive to one believer as if there were no more in the world As they say of the soul it 's tota in toto and tota in qualibet parte so is the love of God totus in universis fidelibus and totus in singulis God loveth a particular believer as much as if there were no more believers in the world Though the objects of his love may be diversified yet his love is not divided or by division diminished Lastly Fix this alwayes upon thy heart that Christ hath prayed for this sense of the Fathers love upon thy soul You see in this prayer where he mentioneth all the great and consequential things unto believers this is brought in at the last as the adorning and sweetning of all the rest for if sanctified if hereafter to be glorified if Christ be in us and we in Christ yet if the experimental knowledge and assurance of this be absent we are as the Disciples under storms and tempests crying out We perish we perish Let the summary Use of the whole be by way of Exhortation to all believers to hunger and thirst yea to have their souls break in longing after the enjoyment of this love of God in us Oh bid all things stand aloof off till thou art made partaker of it Say How long Lord how long is it that thou absentest thy self When shall I have the imbracements of thy love When will the glorious Sunne break out and dispell all the dark clouds that are upon my soul Give not over importuning for it Because of this very prayer of Christ know to thy encouragement that this prayer abideth for ever Though it was once uttered by him upon the earth and he ceased to pray any further yet it still liveth in the efficacy and power of it yea that continual intercession of his in heaven what is it but the reviving of this prayer So that by the vertue of this prayer through his blood we are sanctified we are justified and shall hereafter be for ever glorified FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Chief Heads contained in this TREATISE A Afflictions IT 's a greater mercy to be kept from sinne and evil in our Afflictions and troubles then from the afflictions themselves 444 The Grounds and Reasons why it is so 446 Antichrist That Antichrist should prosper and prevail in the shedding of the blood of so many Martyrs is a dangerous temptation c. 388 A two-fold Antichrist ibid. Apostasie Apostasie and decay in grace may be in several particulars 350 c. Those that plead for the Apostasie of the godly grant there is a distinction to be made 354 Apostats That men may be eminent for a while in the Church of God and yet afterwards prove dreadfull Apostats 372 Arians Arians confuted 73 149 Ascension The benefits of Christs Ascension 291 Assurance Assurance may be attained 356 Astrology How vain and wicked it is to go to Astrologers or Witches or be such 396 Arguments against Astrology and witchcraft 396 397 Atonement Christ was a Priest to make Atonement for us 507 Attributes It is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God to think to those Attributes and relations in him which may excite and stirre up holy confidence and boldnesse 657 B Beginnings THen Beginnings are hopefull when the Spirit in the Ministry or other means of grace did work upon us 382 Then will Beginnings and endings be alike when grace is radicated and enters deep enough into the soul 383 Good Beginnings will have bad endings when men professe Christ out of sinister and worldly respects ib. Hot Beginnings will end coldly 383 Behold What is that glory which they shall Behold shining in Christ 663 Beholding How much is comprehended in this expression of Beholding Christs glory 662 Belief Our Belief is the fruit and effect of Christs death and our election 537 Two opinions about this ib. The state of the Question in some particulars ib. Arguments to confirm us in the truth 538 Believe Why Gods children are so hardly brought to Believe 211 Why prophane men think it easy to Believe in Christ 213 Why Believing in Christ is so acceptable to God 213 214 Believer In what respect Christ did as much for one Believer as another 525 In some particulars the poor weak Believer hath more love and affection from Christ then a stronger 528 The particulars wherein ib. Wherein God sanctifieth their weakness and
infirmities 529 That such is Christs care to Believers that they are remembered in his prayer and death before they had a being 532 This truth is full of consolations ib. The aggravation of the love of Christ to Believers 535 God the Father loveth Believers even as he loveth Christ Vide Loveth 642 It is an indearing respect of Believers to God that they do own him and cleave to him when the whole world goeth quite contrary 685 Propositions clearing the point 686 Believing The Believing of Christ being sent into the world is the foundation of our conversion to God 595 Distinctions premised about Believing 596 Blessed It 's a Blessed thing truly to say at death I have glorified God and finished the work I was to do 103 Introductory particulars about Blessednesse 103 104 The Grounds of this Blessednesse 105 Bloud Christs Bloud washeth away not only the guilt of sin but the filth of it 512 C Call A Lawfull Call in those that preach is necessary and profitable both in respect of Minister and people 494 Children Children of God are of two sorts 226 Christ How Christ being God could pray 8 All the godly are under Christs Mediatory prayer 8 The matter of Christs prayer in four things 9 The nature of Christs praier by way of Mediation 10 The dignity of Christs person praying ib. His relation to God the Father ib. Q. Whether Christ was heard in every thing he prayed for or no 11 Qualifications of Christs prayer ib. The condition of Christs prayer ib. Christs prayer sanctifieth our prayers 12 How Christ who is God can be glorified 24 Christ hath power over all men 36 Six particulars to clear the nature of Christs prayer ib. The dominion of Christ appears in nine particulars 38 c. Christ compar'd to many things 45 Six practical inferences from Christs power 47 48 Three Consolations thence 49 Christ had that glory he pray'd for with the Father before the world was 149 Christ had an eternal being proved by three Arguments 150 151 Whence it is that any deny Christ to be eternal 152 Christ hath all things the Father hath 262 This appeareth in seven particulars 262 263 How all Christ hath is the Fathers 264 Christs protection and preservation to eternal life is to be improved 344 This Doctrine is opened in a fourfold principle ibid The effects of this preservation 346 Christ though God yet as man did pray unto the Father 519 Vpon what grounds Christ who was God as well as man did pray 520 The difference between Christs prayer and ours 521 What advantages believers have by Christs prayers 521 Christ is said to be in believers several waies 620 That Christ is in believers and believers are in him ibid. How Christ lives in believers 621 How Christ is in his people more particularly 624 The fruits and effects of Christs being in his people 626 As Christ is in us so the Father being in Christ is also thereby in us ib. How the Father is in Christ ib. How the Father and Christ can be in believers and yet they have such great remainders of sin in them 630 Christs prayer for his people will certainly and infallibly prevail for them 660 Christ is the original and fontal cause of all the knowledge that believers have 681 Propositions about the point 682 Church Christ is the head of his Church 45 Four things implied therein 46 c. There is a great difference between a Church under persecution and not constituted and a Church constituted 495 Church-office Christ hath a peculiar love of those that are in Church-office according to his rule and way 485 In what particulars this love is shew'd ib. The Grounds of this particular love 486 Comfort The Comfort of being like Christ in suffering 438 Condition Reasons why God sometimes changes his peoples Condition from better to worse 332 It is a very sad thing to fall into such a Condition that draws out our peculiar corruptions we are most prone unto 383 This is opened in several considerations 383 c. Try your Conditions 384 Conformity There is a two-fold Conformity to Christ 437 Conscience Often rebelling against the light of Conscience 368 Conversion Conversion is a greater wonder then a miracle 41 Corporal There is no Corporal improvement of Christ 334 Wherein mens proneness appeareth to know Christ after a Corporal manner 335 D Damn THat there are some men that are wilfull set to destroy and Damn themselves c. 364 The inward Causes that move men to Damn themselves 365 The outward Causes 371 Damnation The everlasting Damnation of men is determined 51 Dangers The greater the Dangers are Christs people are in the greater is Christs care of them 272 This is opened in four particulars 272 273 The godly mans life is full of spiritual Dangers 277 This is explained in eight particulars 278 c. Day Day of grace is to be improved 24 Day of Judgement The Day of Judgement is the greatest day that ever was or shall be ib Death Christs Death is in it self sufficient for all yet he gave himself a ransome for some only 241 Four grounds for it 242 Christ by Death went to his Father 289 The particulars implied in the point 290 Whether it be lawfull to pray for Death 442 Vide Blessed Delusions vid. Sins Depend Depend on Gods gracious power only in the way to heaven 313 Devils Devils are in subjection to Christ 3â— The Devil may foretell some things to come 395 Divisions Divisions are the fruit of the flesh 570 Remedies for preventing and healing Divisions in the Church 575 What those proper sins are that Divisions among the godly are apt to breed in the world 393 Doctrines Free-will and merit are dangerous Doctrines 125 Dying Why the expressions of Christ Dying for All is to be taken indefinitely and not universally 235 236 E Elected THat none of those that are Elected shall perish 349 Introductory Propositions to clear the same ibid. Election Election is the gift of God 250 Four Reasons of it 251 End What things do diminish the comforts of the gody at the End of their day 109 c. The End Christ propounded in his doing and suffering 116 Errours Men are prone to be lead aside to Errors 318 Errors of judgement are damnable 318 Eternal Death Eternal Death 65 Wherein it consisteth 65 66 The difference between Eternal Death and eternal life 66 It is Eternal Death not to know God 77 Eternal Life Christ gives it to those that are his 56 What it is 57 It consists in three things 57 58 It hath six properties 57 60 Eternal Life compared with this present life 63 Conclusions upon this subject 67 68 Helps to be affected with Eternal Life 70 Examples We are not to live by Examples but by precept 379 F Faith FAith in Christ as Mediator is acceptable to God 211 Why Faith is called the work of God ibid. Five Grounds why Faith in a Mediatour should be pressed 223
upon this will bring much Consolation Considering 1. Gods taking the more care of them 2. Their being quaiified as that come under Christs Fraier 3. And that God will ere long take them out of the world Quest Answ Observ How many wayes a godly man may be more sanctified 1. Inrensively 2. Extensively 3. In the deeper radication of grace in our hearts 4. Subjectively 5. Efficienter Growth in Sanctification illustrated by the contraries unto it which are these Reasons Vse Observ That the word of God is the instrument of our sanctification The explication of the point The necessity of learned officers in the Church The Word is Gods instrument and faith is mans The Word is not the principal or efficient but the instrumental cause The necessity of Gods efficiency Without Gods blessing men may by the Scriptures through interpretation be corrupted Instrumentall Causes are physical natural or moral One cause must not be opposed to other causes The Word is the ordinary means The word to some through their wickednes becomes an instrument of greater sinfullness Doct. The Word of God is Truth In how many particulars Gods Word is true I. In regard of the efficient Cause God II. It 's the Rule of all Truth III. It 's true materially IV. Qualitatively V. It 's true Instrumentally There is a threefold Truth we cannot attain to without the Scripture 1. True Doctrine 2. True Piety 3. True Consolation VI. The Scripture is true oppositely to all the Opinions Doctrines and Religions that men set up by their own fancy The excellent properties of the truth of Scripture 1. It 's the truth of God 2. It 's infallible 3. Eternal 4. Universal 5. Supernaturall 6. A holy truth 7. A precious truth 8. A bitter truth Doct. Truth and holinesse are requisite in Ministers of the Gospel Why it is requisite Ministers should be endowed with soundnesse of judgement Why Ministers must be holy Vse T Doct. 2. That Christ hath a peculiar love of those who are in Church-Office according to his rule and way In what particular Christs care is shewed to his Ministers Observ Christ was sent of the Father and did not of himself undertake that office he was imployed in while on the earth Of Christs Commission consider these things The necessity of Christs being sent Observ None may undertake the publike Office of the Ministry without a lawful Call thereunto Dist 1. There is a two-fold sending Mediate and Immediate Dist 2. The substance of the Ministerial Office is the same with that which every Minister hath Rules for private Christians exercising their Gifts Whether reading be preaching Heinsius Grotius Vocation to the Office of the Ministry consists in these things I. Inward qualifications II. Outward Distinct ult That there is a distinct Oâ—fice of the Ministry That none may enter into this Office without an authoritative mission Doct. That Christ set himself apart to be a Sacrifice for us In my Treatise of justification What Christs sanctifying himself implieth I. His purity and holinesse II His ready offering himself for us III. His fitnesse for the office of a Mediatour 1. The fitnesse of his Person 2. His fitnesse in regard of his Offices 1. Prophetical 2. Priestly 3. Kingly IV. He is prepared for this work Benefits of Christs sanctifying himself V. That he was wholly set apart for us VI. That if by faith we improve him not for those ends God appointed him we make him a Christ in vain VII It denotes him a sinner by imputation VIII That he was a Priest to make atonement for us Concerning Christs priestly-office Consider these things Wherein this prayer and his intercession in heaven differ The adâ—unct of his Priestly Office Observ That Christ was not only the Priest but the Sacrifice it self Propositions concerning Christs Priesthood I. That Christ was both Priest Sacrifice and Altar II. What things are necessary to a Sacrifice III. He offered himself to God IV. It was by way of Expiotion V. The necessity of it The properties of Christs Sacrifice I. It hath infinite worth in it II. Though Christ offered himself as a Sacrifiae yet the application must be as God hath appointed III. Christs bloud washeth away not only the guilt of sin but the filth of it IV. The vertue of his Sacrifice abides for ever V. It 's continually useful VI. It 's prevalent with God VII It 's that Christ presents to his Father VIII The purity of it IX The vertue of it Observ Christ died not only for our justification also Concerning this point consider I. How many wayes is the Christ is the cause of our Sanctification II. What is implied in our being sanctified by Christ III. What may be inferred from our being sanctified by Christs sanctifying himself IV. Wherein the truth of Sanctification lieth Doct. That Christ though God yet as man did pray unto the Father Upon what grounds Christ who was God as well as man did pray The difference between Christs praier and ours What advantage Beleevers have by Christ Doct. In what respects Christ did as much for one believer as another There is some difference between beleevers in respect of Christs Death Observ That such is Christs care and love to his remembred in his prayer and death even before they had a being Doct. Reasons Doct. That the faith which â—ustififieth and saveth us maketh us wholly to depend on Christ The several kinds of faith The object of faith It 's an act of the will as wel as the understanding The seat of faith These things are required to justifying faith I. Of faith under the notion of receiving Christ The receiving of Christ implyeth 1. That we have nothing of our own 2. That we are wholly passive in justification 3. That faith doth not justifie for any intrinsecal worth in it 4. Faith is excluded as it is a work 5. And why faith and no other grace doth justifie II. This receiving is not a bare receiving but an imbracing also III. In this act of faith there is a fiducial reposing of the soul upon Christ IV. An application of Christ V. This recumbent act of faith may not only thus receive Christ but we may be assured that Christ is ours Faith hath two acts a direct and a reflex Quest Observ God hath appointed a perpetual Ministry to the end of the world Quest Answ Doct. Consider That there is a two-fold Unity among the godly I. Invisible II. Visible III. 1. The excellency and necessity of unity among Christians appears by the vehement and affectionate praier for it 2. It s a means to bring the world to believe the truth 3. It s promised as a special part of the Covenant 4 Hereby a serviceable helping of one another in spirituaâ—l things is preserved 5. God suffers sad persecutions to befall them that thereby their discords may be removed 6. Unity strengthens 7. It is beautifull and comely 9. Divisions are the fruit of the flesh 10. Because all things
Election that supposeth mans fall and that we are all in a corrupt lump and masse and hereby the grace and free favour of God is made more illustrious Hence the Apostle to the Ephesians is large to shew what they are by nature and how corrupt of themselves that so the grace of God may be made more manifest Such thorns as we are cannot bear any grapes Such polluted Fountains as we are cannot send forth sweet streams Reasons 4 4. Our Election must needs be free and gracious because all the good we are able to do and all the holinesse we have is the fruit and effect of Election He hath chosen us to be holy and unblameable Eph. 1.4 So some beleeved because they were ordained to Eternal Life to be holy not because we were holy They were not ordained to Eternal life because they beleeved but they beleeved because they were ordained to Eternal life Thus you see that godlinesse being the effect of our Election it cannot be the cause and therefore the godly have cause to cry out oh the depths and unsearchable riches of grace Lastly If we consider Election comparatively so it must be wholly of Gods meer gift That is why God chooseth some and not others yea why sometimes the vilest and worst of sinners are taken and others more civill and better moraliz'd are left The Apostle 1 Cor. 2. aggravateth this Not many wise not many noble hath God chosen but the foolish things of the world to confound the wise And thus our Saviour Mat. 11. Thou hast hidden them from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes And it must needs be thus amongst men for so it was with the Angels The Scripture speaks of Elect Angels Now why did some Angels fall and others are confirmed in their eternall happy abode it cannot be any other cause but their Election Therefore when all things are duely considered we must say with the Apostle Eph. 1. That we are predestinated before the foundation of the world that we should be to the praise of his glorious grace The second step of that Ladder whereby the grace of God descends upon us is Vocation and Regeneration That whereby the Lord doth graciously repair his lost image in us and of dead in sinne makes us live a spiritual life Now that this also is wholly of grace appeareth Reasons 1 1. From that original sin defiling the whole man with all the cursed effects thereof for we are not meerly deprived of all good but positively inclined to all evil and filled with a cursed opposition to what is holy The Scripture is very plentiful and emphatical in describing this sinful misery of ours We are brambles and briars in the Wildernesse till he plant us goodly plants in his Garden We are compared to all manner of beasts for the sinful qualities in us till he make us Sons of God so that we would wonder to see the presumption and arrogancy of those Doctrines that would make man free to do good Whereas our Saviour said Then are we free when the Son hath made us free Joh. 8.36 Tunc arbitrium est liberum quando liberatum Reasons 2 2. It 's all of grace because the Scripture attributeth this work solely to God That famous promise I will take away an heart of stone Eze. 11.19 I will give an heart of flesh I will write my Law in their hearts do argue he must be wilfully blinde that will not acknowledge this to be Gods work alone Now then if it be Gods work it cannot be ours also unlesse subjectively not causally Hence it 's called the New Creature because God immediatly gives us such a being and indeed the experience of the godly soul doth evidently witnesse this How long should I have wallowed in my lusts how unwillng to leave them till God changed my heart If God had staied for my consent and cooperation I had still been in the gall of bitternesse It 's God then and not man who laieth the first stone in this spiritual building Doth not the heart of a godly man inform him of more Orthodoxy in this Point then most Books will do Didst thou not keep thy lusts with all might Didst thou not wage open war against God Didst thou yield thy self by agreement or not rather by full conquest Lastly That our vocation and conversion is wholly of grace appeareth if we consider many persons who are thus called as many prophane and wicked persons Men in league with divers temptations to sin such as Paul Mary Magdalene Matthew the Publican What condignity or congruity which the Papists speak of so much could be in these men And therefore observe how Paul upon all occasions doth willingly enlarge himself to speak of the grace of God to him the chiefest of all sinners Austin in his Confessions doâ—â— excellently acknowledge the unwillingnesse in himself to be turned from his lusts till God had overpowerd him and therefore he cals grace verticordis very emphatically The third step of these eminent gifts God giveth his people is Justification from their sinnes This is so great a matter that the Apostle makes our blessednesse to consist in it And David Psa 32. out of the sense of this mercy overlooks all temporal comforts though never so great and admireth this Now this is wholly of grace Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace The Apostle puts two words to shew that it is altogether from the meer grace of God that we partake of such a priviledge Now the Grounds why Justification and pardon of sinne must needs be of Grace is 1. Because the Justice of God is like himself infinite and so all the tears and grievances we may put our selves upon are not able to recompense God We see the damned in hell are therefore detained in those chains of darknesse to all Eternity because they are not able to satisfie the justice of God if they could pay to the last farthing then they would be set at liberty Every sin then even the least hath an infinite guilt in it in respect of Gods infinite Majesty against whom it is committed so that neither one man no nor all men or Angels are able to expunge the least blot Oh then tremble under the least sinne rhou art guilty of Little dost thou consider how insupportable the guilt of it is how impotent thy self and all the world is to cancell and wipe out this debt 2. It must needs be of grace because Christ made himself an expiatory atonement and sacrifico for our sinnes God made our iniquities to meet upon him Isa 53. yea he was made a curse for our sakes so that the doing away of our iniquities is wholly of grace to us for that was Christs work he undertook this load which would have crushed us into the lowest hell If he that was God as well as man did yet sweat drops of bloud under this Agony and cried out My God My God why hast
thou forsaken me If the green Tree burn thus what shall the dry do For thee therefore to think by thy tears and Repentance to expiate thy sinne is wholly to mistake the necessity of Christ a Mediatour This is to put an Atlas his burthen upon a Pigmies shoulder See what the weight of sin did upon Cain and Judas though they would have given a world yet they could not obtain the lest drop of water to ease their spirits but like Dives were tormented in hell while here on earth Oh then that wicked men would consider more they lay load upon load but who at last shall take it off Thou thinkest not that though sin for the present be sweet yet it hath an eternal sting with it What wilt thou do when at last thou shalt cry out with Cain My sinne is greater then I can bear Lastly The last and utmost step of Gods mercy to us is glorification and making of us happy for ever When he hath done this there remaineth no more to be done and even this Crown of Glory is put upon our heads because of grace Rom. 6.23 The gift of God is Eternal Life And Tit. 2. We are saved by grace not by works The Apostle doth in that place with exact diligence shut them out from any share in our Salvation Now that all this from the first to the last even salvation it self is of grace will appear 1. From the imperfection that cleaveth to the best things we do Insomuch that they need grace to pardon so farre are they from having any worth in them for heaven This made the Apostle Paul account all that he had and did dung and drosse for the Righteousnesse of Christ This made David pray that God would not enter into judgement or be strict to mark what is done amisse When we have done all we must say we are unprofitable Servants how much more when we come farre short of all 2. If we consider the transcendant dignity of that glory God will bestow on us It must needs be solely of grace For the Apostle tels us The eye hath not seen it nor the ear heard it nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive of is 1 Cor. 2.9 It 's no lesse then enjoying God himself The immediate fruition of himself is the only happinesse we shall have Now what comparison is there between our graces and God himself Again the Transcendency is seen in the duration Suppose our graces were present yet are they but for a season They are transient expressions Whereas our happinesse doth endure for ever 3. If we are enabled to do any good thing we are so farre from deserving at Gods hand That we are the more obliged to him and ought to be the more thankfull Coronat dona sua non merita nostra The more thou art enabled to repent or beleeve the more thankfull art thou to be to the grace of God Thus all is of grace But you will say Is not heaven called a reward At the day of Judgement doth not God pronounce a blessing because of the good works they have done Are they not called Blessed that die in the Lord because their works follow them Rev. 14.13 All this is true but this proveth no more then that an holy life and godly works they are via Regni not causa Regnandi as Bernard long since If we do not strive and labour we shall never have this Crown If we use not violence we shall never get this Kingdom So that grace doth not encourage to sinne or maintain slothfulnesse but we as the Apostle urgeth Phil. 2. are encouraged to work out our salvation because that it's God who giveth us to will and to doe Vse 1 Vse of Instruction to the godly Are they wholly the gift of God in Christ Is all from the grace of God then let the people of God walk humbly and thankfully Oh it 's a close secret sinne to have self-dependance self-confidence and yet there is no sinne hath greater enmity to the Gospel of Christ then this Neither do thou think to divide the matter between grace and thy duties as the Papists make our hope to be coming partly from our merits and partly from the grace of God What shall David Shall Paul such eminent Cedars in Lebanon fear their own selves and dost thou a low shrub boast of thy self Herein commonly is the difference between a true godly man and a civil vertuous man the one hath a secret hope in himself but the other looks for and expects grace as meerly from God as if he never had done a good work in his life Vse 2 Vse 2. Let this grace of God quicken thee to all life and zeal for God Grace is like fire to melt thee If mans kindenesse worketh upon a good nature how much rather should Gods kindenesse upon a sanctified and a renewed nature SERMON XLVII Of Gods Propriety in his People as the Ground of all the Good that accrueth to them JOH 17.9 For they are thine THis is the third and last description which our Saviour useth of those who are the objects of his praier viz. The propriety that God hath in them They are his own I have handled this Point formerly but then I did it under an absolute notion shewing you how many waies the people of God were his People but I shall now treat on it relatively as it 's an Argument used by our Saviour why he should be heard in his praier for his Disciples And certainly here is much of strength in it They are thine I pray not for thy Enemies nor for strangers but such as are near thee that are of thy own houshold such upon whom already thou hast placed thy love and delight so that our Saviour makes the propriety God hath in his Disciples and so in all beleevers to be the ground of his praier for them And indeed this must needs be very effectual for the Apostle argueth If any man provide not for his own 1 Tim. 1.0 he is worse then an Infidell If then God doth so greatly abhor him who takes not care for his own Shall not the Lord himself provide for his Thus Ephes 1.29 the Apostle urging the duty of Husbands to Wives argueth from propriety Their own Wives and no man ever hated his own flesh Now then God takes this relation of an Husband to his people and because they are his therefore he will hear their praier and vouchsafe all good to them Propriety is so great a matter that Aristotle makes it the cause of all the labour and trading that is in the world insomuch that he saith If all things were common the world would be filled with idle persons but because it 's their own ground their own wealth their own riches therefore they are so diligent to encrease in these things None regard the air the light of the Sun because it 's common to all Whereas if they could be