better Covenant established upon better promises But I must explain it before I admire it The Gospel Covenant is that whereby God upon the condition propounded of faith in Christ promiseth remission of sins in his blood and a heavenly life and that for this end that he might shew forth the riches of his mercy * Camero Here I shall propose the same considerations as in the former Covenant only still something more and more comfortably considerable in the consideration of the persons contracting namely God and man according to the proposed method 1. Consider Gods gracious condescention And now Beloved that I have named Gods gracious condescention were my heart but duly affected with it it would constrain me to stop and put in a large Parenthesis of admiration before I should speak a word more Will God after the loss of the natural communion wherein he created man will God when man dâ—eads his Majesty and trembles at his revenging justice will God then as a merciful Father enter into a Covenant of peace with poor undone sinners affrighted with the sense of sin and wrath O the incomprehensible â—ondescention of such unsearchable riches of grace that grace should abound according to sins abounding when sin over-flow d all its banks that God should make a way thorough the deep into the heavenly Canaan never can we enough admire such Extasying grace This is the first thing considerable 2. The second thing considerable is the duty which God requires in this Gospel Covenant and that is Faith faith whereby we embrace the remedy offered us We want a pardon and nothing but faith can receive it we want perfect Righteousnesse and nothing but faith can furnish us with it we want that which may make this Covenant effectual to us and make it a blessing to us and nothing can do any of these things but faith faith is the Antecedent Condition for which the Reward is given 3. The third thing considerable in the Gospel Covenant is the promise Now the promise of the Gospel Covenant is comprehended in the word Salvation therefore the Gospel is called the salvation of God Acts 28.28 And this is the great businesse of Christ to be a Saviour Isa 49.6 That thou mayst be my salvation to the end of the earth when the Angels preached the Gospel they thought they could not expresse their news in better language than to tell people of salvation that must needs be great joy to all people In short when Gospel Ministers come clad with garments of salvation as Heraulds do with the garments of their Office then Saints may well shout aloud for joy Psal 132.16 Now this promise of salvation contains all Gospel promises in it but they are reduced to these foure 1. Justification this is a priviledge which other Covenants were unacquainted with and without this what would become of poor sinful man And this may well be the first great Gospel promise I might name not some Verses but whole Chapters to prove it Rom. 4. and 5. Gal. 3. and 4. but in a word if you would know the preciousness of this promise Ask those that have but felt what sin is and they will tell you 2. The second promise contained in Gospel salvation is Sanctification Rom. 8.2 3 4. The Law of the Spâ—rit of life in Christ hath made me free from the Law of sin and death for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit q.d. The efficacy and power of the sanctifying Spirit which gives life to believers frees us from the tyranny of sin and death and whereas the Law by reason of the corruption of our nature could not make us pure and perfect but rather kindled than extinguished corruption God hath cloathed his Son with our flesh to take away the guilt and power of sin that his perfect righteousnesse might be imputed to us and fulfillâ—d by us that we might not live according to the motion of our sinful nature but according to the motion of his holy Spirit 3. The third promise is the resurrection of the body You know the penalâ—y of sin is the death of soul and body though the soul be immortal yet its being miserable for ever may sadly be called an Eternal death Now let the guilt of sin be abolished and you do therewith abolish the punishment of it for guâ—lt is only an obligation to punishmenâ— let sin be pardoned and the sinner is freed from death and though believers dye yet it is as a corne of wheat falls into the ground they thereby obâ—ain a multiplied life John 6.54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinkeâ—h my blood hath Eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day 4. The last promise is Eternal life a spiritual blessed and immortal life in heaven John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting life The Covenant of Grace is excellent fitted to bring us to the chiefest good Now the chiefest good consists in communion with God that was broken by sin and can never be perfectly recovered till sin be abolished therefore when the guilt of sin is taken away by Justification and the filthinesse of sin is taken away by Sanctification and the penalty of sin taken away by Resurrection then what can hinder our communion with God when we have once obtained perfect holinesse nothing can hinder us of perfect happinesse Thus you have the promise of the Gospel-Covenant which was the third considerable in it 4. The fourth thing to be considered in the Gospel-Covenant is the Mediator of this better Covenant and that is Jesus Christ God-man blessed for ever through his dignity he hath purchased salvation Hebr. 9.12 14. By his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God c. And he is not only the Author of Eternal salvation by his merit and efficacy but the most absolute example and pattern to us how we should walk that we may obtain his purchased salvation Rom. 8.29 God did predestinate us to be conformable to the Image of his Sonne that he might be the first born among many brethren 1 Cor. 15.49 And as we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the heavenly And this is the only Covenant whereof Christ is Mediator the first Covenant needed no Mediator the Old Covenant as Legal take it without its sprinkling of Gospel and so chiefly Moses but in all respects meer men were Mediators but of the New Covenant Christ was Mediator but this I shall leave
we are as really united unto Christ as the members of the body are to the head Hence are we said to be h Ephes 5.30 members of his body of his flesh and his bones As the head communicates real influences to the body so doth Christ to Believers communicates to us his Spâ—rit graces fulnesse spiritual light life strength comfort Joh. 1.16 4. A close near dear intimate union Like that of the food with the body which it nourisheth Hence Believers are said to eat Christs flesh and to drink his blood John 6.54 Such an intimate union as that one possessive particle is not sufficient to expresse it not said my Vineyard is before me but my Vineyard which is mine is before me Cant. 8.12 5. An inseparable perpetual indissoluble union A marriage knot which neither men sins sorrows death nor Divels are able to dissolve Who or what can separate us from the love of God The Apostle clearly resolves his own question i Rom 8 38 39 I am perswaded that neither life nor death c. Believers are held in Christs hand he that would break this union must first be too hard of fist for Christ yea and for his Father too No man shall pluck them out of my hand my Father is greater than all and no man can pluck them out of my Fathers hand Joh. 10.28 29. And thus we have dispatch't the second Question 3. What are the efficient causes of this union Sol. 1. The efficient causes of this union are either principal or less principal 1. Principal and so this great work of union being opus ad extra 't is indivisum and so ascribed 1. In common to the whole k 1 Pet. 5.10 John 6.44 45. Ephes 2 6 7. Godhead Hence we are said to be call'd by God the Father into the fellâ—wship of his dear Son 1 Cor. 1.9 So likewise this union is ascribed to the Sonne The dead shall hear the voice of the Sonne of God and live Joh. 5.25 Joh. 10.16 2. But more especially the Spirit of God in a more peculiar sense is said to be the principal Author of this union He it is that knits this marriage knot betwixt Christ Jesus and true Believers Look as l Acts 4.24 Creation in some respect is appropriated to the Father m 1 Pet. 1.18 Redemption to the Son so the Application of that Redemption to the Holy Ghost 'T is by one Spirit that we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 'T is by the Holy Spirit the Comforter That we are convinced of sin righteousnesse and judgment Joh. 16.7 8 9. 'T is by the Holy Ghost that we are renewed Tit. 3.5 2. Lesse principal or the means or instruments of union These are twofold outward inward 1. Outward Generally all the Ordinances of God by the Ordinances it is that we come to have n Job 22.21 acquaintance that is union and communion with Jesus Christ 'T is by these golden pipes that golden oyle is conveyed to us from that golden Olive Zech. 4.12 More especially 1. The Word read preach't meditated on believed improved 'T is by hearing and learning of the Father that we come to Christ Joh. 6.44 45. The Holy Scriptures were written for this end that through them we might have fellowship with the Father and his Sonne 1 Joh. 1.3 The way to have Christs company is to keep Christs words Joh. 14.23 2. The Sacraments those spiritual Seals and Labels which God hath fix't to his Covenant of Grace 1. Bapti me By one Spirit we are baptiz'd into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 Hence we are said to be buried with Christ by Baptisme into death Rom. 6.3 4. Baptisme styled the Laver of regeneration Tit. 3.5 By Baptisme we put on Christ Gal. 3.7 2. The Lords Supper this is a great means of strengthning and evidencing our union and advancing our communion with Christ Jesus We are all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 Hence that 1 Cor. 10.16 The bread which we break is it not the communion of means argâ—ments evidences of our communion with the body of Christ The wine which we drink is it not the communion of the blood of Christ Thus much for the external means of union 2. Inward internal intrinsecal means of union on mans part i. e. faith Not a bare historical miraculous temporal dead faith No but a living working justifying saving faith Christ comes to dwell in our hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 'T is by faith alone that we receive Christ Joh. 1.12 That we come unto him and feed upon him Joh. 6.56 'T is by faith that a Believer lives in and to Christ and Christ lives in and for a Believer Gal. 2.20 Thus much for the Explication of the termes of our Proposition for the fixing of it on a right Basis I now proceed to the second part of my discourse viz. Now That there is such a spiritual mystical real close inseparable union betwixt the Lord Jesus and true Believers 2. Confirm appears three ways 1. From those many synonymical terms and equivalent expressions whereby the Scriptures hold forth this union Christ is said to be in Believers Col. 1.27 Rom. 8.10 To dwell in them Ephes 3.17 To walk in them 2 Cor. 6.16 So are Believers said to abide in Christ as he abides in them 1 Joh. 4.16 Joh. 15.17 To dwell in Christ as Christ in them Joh. 6.56 To put on Christ to be cloathed with him Gal. 3.27 Each of these expressions clearly import that near and intimate union that is betwixt the Lord Jesus and true Believers The King of Saints hath two Mansion houses one in heaven the Throne of his glory another on earth a Tabernacle of flesh the heart of a Believer which is the seat of his delight Prov. 8.31 his lesser Heaven Isa 57.15 66.1 2. 2. From those several similitudes by which the Scriptures shadow out this union Believers are said to be lively stones 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6. Christ the living foundation the chief corner-stone on which they are built Ephes 2.20 21. Believers are styled living branches Christ the true Vine into whom they are engraffed and in whom they bring forth fruit Joh. 15.1.5 Christ the faithful loving discreet Bridegroom Believers his Loyal Affectionate obedient Spouse Ephes 5.31 32. Cant. 2.16 5.1 Believers are intitled Christs body Ephes 1.23 Bone of his bone flesh of his flesh Ephes 5.30 Christ the Believers head Ephes 1.22 In a word the head and mystical body are call'd Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 In all these Resemblances he that runs may read the union betwixt Christ and Believers pourtrayed out to the life unto us 3. From that communion which there is betwixt Christ and true Believers Omnis communio fundatur in unione Communion where ever it is of necessity argues union as the effect necessarily implies the cause Believers they communicate with Christ in his fulness Joh. 1.16 In his o 2 Cor 5.21 Solus
take off the veile from the Text in a short explication By one man and him we may consider 1. His name Adam and this comprehends his person sex and kind 2. His order he was the first man 1 Cor. 15.45 3. His person in the individual And so Original sin properly is not derived from the proximate Parents but the prime-parent 4. His nature Adam was one non tantum in individuo sed in specie one comprehending the whole root representing the whole stock the seed and generation of man-kind so Adam is taken for the species of man Sinne The Apostle here speaks of sin not sins as if he would precisely determine it of that one root of sin distinct from those many following fruits this sin hath been the Original the incentive the cause of all sinne this sinne stained the world Entered into the world viz. by propagation sin entered like death Now death is actually propagated as he said scio me genuisse mortalem I know I beget a dying child a child subject to death sinne entered not by example but generation The World By the world we must not understand terrenam corpâ—ralem vitam the pleasure and delights of the world for the Saints are crucified to the world in this sense Gal 6.14 and so Original sin should not seize on believers Nor 2. In locum mundi for as Pareus observes the Angels first sinned and sin first entred by them into the place of the world Nor 3. In Paradisum into Paradise for sin was first committed by Eve in Paradise But 4. We must understand the inhabitants of the world Vniversum genus humanum all man-kind Martyr Gorranus as Mart. Gor. And death by sinne The query among Divines is what this death is Some suppose the death of the body as Ambrose some the death of the soul as the Pelagians but as Haymo observes mors animae corporis in omnes pertranstit the death both of soul and body passed on all for as Origen saith Orig. Mors corporalis umbra est spiritualis the death of the body is only the shadow of the death of the soul so that by death in the Text we must necessarily understand the death of soul and body with all the antecedents and consequents of both Willet sicknesse weaknesse corruption guilt horrour despair Death passed upon all men Corporal death on all the most holy most flourishing most probable to live spiritual and eternal death on all men in the sentence not in the execution Rom. 3.19 the sentence is reversed the execution for ever forborn to believers For all have sinned For the opening of this I shall only give you the glance of Musculus In Adam omnes fuimus in lumbis ejus c. we were all in the loynes of offending Adam from that masse we sprung and therefore as Levi paid tythes in the loyns of Abraham Hebrews 7.9 10. so it is no wonder if we being in the loyns of Adam are found sinners in him Doct. Now the mournful truth that the Text presents us with is this viz. That our first Parent by his transgression hath left an unhappy portion of sinne and death to all his posterity thus much the Text expresseth thus much it confirms we have this unwelcome entail from our first Parent Concerning death I shall not dilate because the shade of death doth alwayes accompany the body of sin but I shall only insist on that part of our portion sin We are entituled to Adams sinne 'T is a derivation from the root to the branches as poyson is carried from the fountain to the Cistern as the children of Traytours have their blood tainted with their fathers Treason and the children of Bond-slaves are born in their Fathers condition Omnes in Adamo peccaverunt Aug. quia omnes unus ille fuerunt Aug. All were entangled in Adams sin because all were folded up in Adams person And the same Father in another place Traxit reatum homo quia unus erat cum illo à quo traxit Man drew down guilt upon himself because he was one with him from whom he drew it Greg. And it is an excellent observation of Gregory Genus humanum in parente primo velut in radice putruit Man-kind putrified in the first parent as in a root Adam is as the poysoned root and the clusters are envenomed because the root was poysoned had Adam stood and preserved his perfection his glory as a royalty had descended to his seed to man-kind but by his offence forfeiting his beauty and contracting on himself both guilt and an universal loathsomenesse both losse and loathsomnesse he transmits to his posterity and it is upon his breath that every child that comes into the world sucks in poyson with his first breach and is no sooner a living creature than a deformed sinner This truth we find early confirmed in the world so Adam begat Seth according to his own likeness Gen. 5.3 non ad similitudinem Dei sed ad similitudinem sui Brockman and it is very considerable the Original phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his image in his likeness the word is as it were redoubled to set the greater brand upon corrupt nature in his image nay in his likeness And to shew the necessity of our drawing corruptness from Adam holy Job expresses it by a quick and smart interrogation Job 14.4 Nay th s truth David seems to bedue with tears and deplore with sighs Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me In the times of the Gospel this spot is more clearly discernable and from whence we received the contagion Rom. 5.19 By God we are creatures by Adam we are sinners so that Text By one mans disobedience many were made sinners And so most remarkably 1 Cor. 15.49 And as we have borne the image of the earthly c. Nor is that gloss of Cyprian upon the place to be over-passed Imaginem terreni portavimus Cypr. peccandi propensâ—â—nem mortem imaginem caelestis portemus constantiam in sanctitate instaurationem ex morte corruptione ad vitam immortalitatem i. e. We have borne the image of the earthly Adam a propensity to sin and death let us bear the image of the heavenly a constancy in holiness and instauration from death and corruption to life and immortality I shall only adde one Scripture more Ephes 2.3 We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Now there are three things which are considerable for the dispatch of the doctrinal part of the Text. 1. To demonstrate more particularly the transmission of Adams sin to us Now Adams sin is transmitted to posterity two wayes 1. By imputation 2. By inhaesion the guilt and the stain of his sin is propagated to all his posterity Particle 1 1. The sin of Adam is derived to us by way of imputation and that upon a double demonstration may be evidenced
the whole earth mans baser part the body but his celestial part his heaven-born soul is contaminated by it the sun moon and stars in it are turn'd into blood 2. This Original sin is diffused derived and communicated 2. Diffusive whereas actual sins are not Personal faults of Parents are not imputed to Children and defile not their Children unlesse imitated or unbewail'd Childrens teeth are not set on edge by the sowre grapes their Parents thus eat but Original sin being the sin of the nature of the Parent becomes the sin of the Child and will be entailed further to the last man upon earth for Children have the nature but not the person of their Parents An Objection answered And let it not seem strange that God should suffer this original sin to be so vastly diffusive that he should not exempt his own people wholly from it There is the same reason that corruption should remaine amongst them which there was for the abode of the Canaanites amongst the Israel of God of old It tryes them and brings them often to Bochim and makes their life a vall y of teares and whilst they go on their wâ—y weeping and crying unto God by reason of it they beare precious fruit for God does make good come unto believers out of this great evil making it an Antidote against carnal confidence and self-love a meanes to exercise their faith and a sure evidence of his own power and presence in the keeping of them Besides it is farre better for us by this occasion to be under the second Adam then ever it could have been being under the first The first Adam was a head of clay of the earth earthly The second Adam is a head of gold 1 Cor. 15.47 The Lord from heaven Though we were made holy in the first Adam yet having a mutable will we might under him perish everlastingly but they that are in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life a glory beyond what we could have had if we had continued in innocency for under that first Covenant we could have expected only a reward answerable to our own works but under the second we hope for glory in some measure proportionable to Christs merits Though we know not what that glory is yet this we know that when he appeares we shall be like him 1 Joh. 3.2 And in the mean while as the Israelites who were before but Brick-burners and potters by reason of the Canaanites amongst them learn'd the art of warre and became Renowned soldiers so the true Israel of God by this meanes put on their whole spiritual Armour and dayly fight the good fight of faith and become more than Conquerors to conquer a lust being more glorious than to conquer a Kingdome through Christ that strengthens them when these Philistines are upon them as upon Sampson then the Spirit of the Lord comes upon them 〈◊〉 and what lust is able to stand before his Spirit Josh 10 24 25 As Joshuah took the five Kings and shut them up in the Cave at Makkedah till the Battel was over and then slew them So the Lord is pleased to shut up and restrain the corruption of his people in the Cave of their body untill their warfare be finished but then he brings them out and slays them they shall then never see these enemies more And therefore holy Paul who cryes out Rom. 7.24 25. Who shall deliver me addes presently I thank God c. as if he had breathed the same breath out in praise which he had taken in in prayer for deliverance so soon does God answer prayer made against this sin according to his will And thus we have seen something towards the explaining of this difficult matter Application The nature of this undertaking being more to informe your judgments than to deal with your affections I shall the rather hope to be excus'd if I be not proportionably so large in the Application which I am now come unto and shall lay down what I intend to speak to under these two heads 1. Of Instruction 2. Of Exhortation to inform your judgment and to quicken your practice 1. If we all have corruption thus by nature inherent in us 1. Use of Instruction it may silence all complaints against God for exposing of us to such wants and miseries at our very entrance into the world and so all along during our continuance in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence come evils was a question which did much puzzle the Philosophers of old here we are resolved of it The evil of sin and sorrow comâ—s from this root No wonder now that our children are more miserable than the young ones of Beasts or Birds because they are more siâ—ful 2. Hence it follows that in the very best there is a mixture borh in their principles and actions There was two in Rebecca's womb there are two in their hearts the Old mâ—n and the New man nature aâ—d grace flesh and Spirit Hence that striving that â—ombate betwixt them daily The unregenerate person this sin reigns in his body is as a Temple and his soul as a Shrine for this his Diana This keeps the house and all things are in peace In the glorified Saint this sin is wholly done away this unclean thing does not go with him into the new Jerusalem Only the gracious person is the field in whom the flesh warreth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh He is like the Moon which hath its spots when it receives the fullest influence from the Sun sin in him will not dye willingly but as a dying man multiplies his stroaks at his enemy though they are comparatively but weak ones 2. Use of Exhortation For Exhortation let me recommend these following Duties 1. To a right knowledge of this sin 1. Get a right knowledge of thy self according to this doctrine it is folly in men to have travel'd much abroad and to be strangers in their own Countrey It will be found the greatest folly for thee to be never so knowing in other things if thou beest a stranger to thine own heart and dost not know that it is desperately wicked The very Heathens apprehended this precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know thy self to be of such consequence as to grace it the more they said it came down from heaven I am sure it is Gods message unto you from this truth this day Know your selves unlesse you know your selves thus lost Christs coming will be in vain unto you John 3.4 10. for he came only for the lost sheep Nicodemus had never doubted so much of Regeneration and a new birth had he understood the defilement of his first birth I am afraid there are many Masters in Israel that are ignorant of this still or else they would labour not only to reforme their lives but especially to get new hearts also thou canst not kill one lust unlesse thou layest the Axe
and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God and Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven It so farre transcends the capacity of humane reason that reason cannot so much as approve of it Gerhard Alting when it was revealed without inward illumination and perswasion of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 2.9 10 14 15. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned but he that is spiritual judgeth all things and hereupon it is called the Nâ—w Covenant not in respect of the time that it had no being before the incarnation of Christ but in respect of the knowledge of it the knowledge of the Legal Covenant was born with us and it was fore-known to nature but the Gospel-Covenant was whoâ—ly new revealed from the bosome of the Father it was administred by new Officers confirmed by new Sacraments let into the hearts of people by new pourings out of the Spirit therefore the Apostle prayes Ephes 1.17 18. * Maccovius That the God of oâ—r Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints God would never have instituted the Legal Covenant but for the Gospels sake Galat. 3.24 Wherâ—fore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ The Law was a sharp School-master by meanes whereof the refractory and contumacious minds of the Jewish people might be tamed for Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to evâ—ry one that believeth 2. The Gospel-Covenant is better than the Legal in respect of the manner of it the Law was a Doctrine of works commanding and prescribing what we should be and what we should do Gal. 3.12 And the Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them But now the Gospel requires faith in Christ for righteousnesse and salvation Rom. 3.21 But now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested therefore saith Augustine faith obtaines what the Law commands we have no help from the Law * Gerhard the condition of the Law is simply impossible it finds us sinners and leaves no place for repentance * Camero and notwithstanding the sprinkling of Gospel that there was with the Law yet it was but obscure And that shall be the next particular 3. The Gospel-Covenant is better than the Legal in respect of the manner of holding forth Christ in it though the Gospel is one and the same whereby all Saints are saved in all times for there was not one way of salvation then and another since Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Yet the Doctrine of the Gospel was more obscure in the Old Testament Umbratili per se inefficaci ceremoniarum observatione c. Amyrald partly through Prophesies of things a great way off and partly through types Christ was wrapt up in shadowes and figures in the Gospel the body of those shadowes and the truth of those types is exhibited the Land of Canaan was a type of heaven Israel according to the flesh was a type of Israel according to the Spirit the spirit of bondage of the spirit of Adoption the blood of the Sacrifices of the blood of Christ the glory of divine grace was reserved for Christs coming they had at most but starre-light before Christs coming * When Christ first came it was but day-break with them Christ was at first but as a morning starre 2 Pet. 1.19 though soon after he was as the sun in the firmament Mal. 4.2 The Apostle saith Heb. 10.1 The Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things and in this respect it was that the Apostle saith the Gospel was promised to the Fathers but perform'd to us Rom. 1.1 2. It was hid to them and revealed to us Rom. 16.25 26. and not only by fulfilling of Prophesies which we may see by the comparing of Scripture but by the Spirit Ephes 3.5 The mystery of Christ in other ages was not made known unto the Sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit They had but a poor discovery of Christ but we have the riches of this mystery made known unto us Col. 1.26 27 * Alting The old Covenant leads to Christ but 'tis a great way about the Gospel Covenant goeth directly to him their Ceremonies were numerous bâ—rdensome and obscure those things that represent Christ to us are few easie and cleare * Synops pur Theol. 4. The Gospel-Covenant is the better Covenant in respect of the form of it the promises are better promises the promises of the Law are conditional and require perfect obedience Lev. 18.5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgements which if a man do he shall live in them the condition you see is impossible Beloved 'pray ' mistake not there is expresse mention of eternal life in the Old Testament Isa 45.17 Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end Dan. 12.2 Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlâ—sting life and some to shame and everlasting contemp and that the Law cannot save us that is accidental in respect of our dâ—filement with sin and our weaknesse that we cannot fulfill the condition Rom. 7.12 The law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good and it is the Word of life Acts 7.38 Who received the lively Oracles to give unto us and the Apostle brings in Abraham and David for examples of Justification by faith Rom. 4.6 13. but yet their promises were chiefly temporal we have the promise of temporal good things in the New Testament as well as they in the Old only with the exception of the Cross Mark 19.29 30. Verily I say unto you There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or fathers or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions that was the exception with persecution
righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 2. He in whom are those high and eminent perfections those glorious attributes of which no câ—eature is capable must needs be more than a creature and consequently God 1. He that is Omnipotent whose power is boundlesse and unlimited must needs be God The highest power of creatures hath its non ultra Thus far may it â—o but no further but Christ is said to be Almighty Rev. 1.8 The Lord God Omnipotent Rev. 19.6 2. He that is Omniscient that searcheth hearts that hath a window into every mans breast that can look into all the rooms and corners of our souls that can see through all those Veils and coverings which no creature-eye can pierce must needs be God and these are the excellencies ascribed to Christ He needed not that any should testifie of man because he knew what was in man Joh. 2.25 I am he which searcheth the heart and reines Rev. 2.23 He knew their thoughts Luke 6.8 so Mark 2.8 Joh. 13.19 c. 3. He that fills heaven and earth and all places with his presence must needs be God and thus was Christ in heaven while he was on earth The Son of man which is in heaven Joh. 3.13 That where I am Joh. 14.3 Christ as God was then in heaven when as man he was on earth So as God he is still on earth though as man he sits at the right hand of God in heaven I will be with you to the end of the world Matthew 28.20 4. He that is immutable and eternal must needs be God The heavens are the work of thy hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure c. but thou art the same and thy years shall have no end Psal 102.25 26 27. so is Christ the everlasting Father Isa 9.6 The same yesterdy to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 5. He that hath life in himself and is the fountain of life to others must needs be God and thus is Christ the Prince of life to others Acts 3.15 and hath life in himselfe Joh. 5.26 3. He to whom those works of infinitenesse are ascribed to which no lesse a power is sufficient than that of Omnipotency he must needs be more than a creature He that laid the foundation of the earth that by a word commanded all things out of nothing that preserves them from mouldring and sinking into their first nothing again that could pardon sin destroy him that had power of death Mark 2.5 7 8 9 10 c. Heb. 2.14 subdue principalities and powers Redeem his Church carry his people triumphing into heaven he must needs be God And all these works of infinitenesse are ascribed to Christ the work of Creation Without him was nothing made of all that was made Joh. 1.3 Of conservation Vpholding all things by the Word of his power Heb. 1.3 of redemption which he purchased with his blood Acts 20.28 4. He whom Angels adore before whom the highest and best of creatures fall down giving that worship which is peculiarly due to God must needs be more than a creature and thus it is to Christ Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 so Mat. 2.11 I might adde the equality of Christ in all those solemn benedictions and praises upon Record in the New Testament all which argue strongly that he must needs be truly God 2. As he is truly God so is he compleat and perfect man having not only an humane body but a rational soul and in all things was like to us sin only excepted That he had a real not an imaginary body appeares from the whole story of the Gospel He that was conceived born circumcised Gerhardi Loci Commun Forbes Disputat Historico Theolog. L. 2. was hungred athirst swet drops of blood was crucified he that went from place to place and had all those sinlesse affections which are proper unto bodies had a true and real body and such was the body of Christ That he had an humane soul is clear also from the story of the Gospel He that grew in wisdome and knowledge as 't is said of Christ Luke 1.80 Luke 2.40 he whose knowledge was bounded and limited as was also said of Christ Of that day and that houre knoweth no man no not the Angels Propterea totum hominem sine peccato suscepit ut totum quo constabat homo à peccatorum peste sanaret August Sicut totum hominem Diabolus decipiendo percussit ita Deus totum suscipiendo salvavit Fulgent neither the Sonne of man but the Father Mark 13.32 As God he knew all things as man his knowledge was but the knowledge of a creature and therefore finite all which argue he had a humane soul as well as body and was compleat man The whole Nature of man was corrupted destroyed and therefore 't was needful Christ should take upon him whole man that the whole might be repaired and saved 3. He is God and man in one person He had two Natures but was but one person there was a twofold substance divine and humane but not a twofold subsistence for the personal being which the Son of God had before all worlds Hooker Eccles pol. pag. 293. suffered not the substance to be personal which he took although together with the Nature which he had the Nature which he took continue for ever thus both Natures make but one Christ He was the Son of God and the Son of man yet not two Sons but one person He was born of God and born of a Virgin Lyford p. 100. but 't is in respect of his different Natures Thus was Christ Davids Son and Davids Lord Maries Son and Maries Saviour and Maker too By the right understanding of this we may be very much helped in reconciling those seeming contradictions which frequently occurre in Scripture concerning Christ He is said to be born of a woman and yet to be without beginning of dayes Zanch. in Ephes p 35. himself sayes his Father is greater than he and yet he is said to be equal with the Father All which may be cleared by this He was but one person and therefore as in man who consists of soul and body the actions of each part are ascribed to the person the man is said to understand 't is not his body but soul that understands yet this is ascribed to the person Lyford p. 101. though it be but the formal act of one part so in regard of this hypostatical union of two Natures in one person the acts of each Nature are ascribed to the person Thus 't is said the Jews câ—ucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 i. e. they crucified that person who was the Lord of glory Acts 20.28 God is said to purchase his Church by his blood as God he could not shed his blood but 't was that person who was God Thus is Christ said to be in heaven when he was on earth i. e. as God he was in heaven And so what
Paul say unto you he affixeth his name and sets to his hand q. d. I say it and I will stand to it and so if your heart be uncircumcised by not putting off the body of the sins of the flesh if you live in any one known approved sin Christ and the death of Christ shall profit you nothing Ah! revenge the blood of your dearest Lord upon your dearest lusts and when Satan presents to you a sugred spiced cup tempting you to the commission of any sin say as David of the waters of Bethlehem Farre be it from me oh Lord 2 Sam. 23 1â— that I should do this is not this the blood of my Saviour that not only hazarded but laid down his life for sin 2. Did Christ let out his blood for us let our lives then run out for Christ in a vigorous activity and unwearied exercise of grace It is the Apostles argument and it 's very forcible We judge that he dyed for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them 2 Cor. 5.15 Christ did not shed two or three drops of his blood only or breath a veine and shall two or three duties a few shreds and odde parcels of holinesse serve to return back to Christ What can we think too much for him Tit. 2.14 that thought not much of his blood for us the blood of Christ is as well for the purity as the purchase of his people 3. Did Christ thus humble himself to death for us let us then prize him exceedingly and raise him in our esteem above riches honour pleasure father mother husband wife friend yea life it self Quanto pro me vilior tanto mihi charior Ber. or any other thing that we are apt to account precious how ought he to be prized and preferred above all things that prized such in considerable nothings as we are at so high rates as his own blood if you put Christ into one end of the scale be sure he out-ballances every thing that can be laid in the other To you that believe he is precious Other things may be rated according to that particular excellency that he hath put into them 1 Pet. 2.7 but you will be careful to keep the highest Room for the best friend and say Come down this and t' other vanity this friend must take place whatever other things may make twelve Christ shall be thirteen to a carnal heart nothing so low prized and undervalued as Christ but with believers that have an interest in him and know the worth of him he is in highest esteem Cant. 5.9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved say the daughters of Jerusalem they have sleight low thoughts of him and another be it who it will is to them as good as he but what answer makes the Spouse My Beloved is white and ruddy Ver. 10. the chifest among ten thousand If there were a general Muster and all the sons of men stood together Christ would be above and beyond them all and Paul is of the same mind who desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 as if he had said Let me but be acquainted with Christ and his Crosse such a superlative esteem he had of him that I care not this if I burn all my Books Whatever he had heretofore accounted excellent when his judgement was byassed with wrong apprehensions he now accounts drosse dung dogs meat Phil. 3.8 for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord all not worthy to be named the same day with Christ Nay Christ himself hath told us they are not worthy of him that do not think him most worthy Mat. 10.37 4. Christ humbling himself thus low should teach us highly to prize our souls by the price that was paid for them we may conceive at what a raâ—e God values them If God should have said concerning any soul I so esteem it that rather than it shall perish I 'le dissolve and unpin the whole Fabrick of heaven and earth that you 'le say had evidently demonstrated an high valuation of souls but the course God hath taken shews a much higher esteem of them Now let this deare bought ware be precious ah let none of us adventure a soul for the satisfying of a base lust let not any sin steale that away upon easie termes which put the Lord of glory to such expences Christ that best knows the worth of souls for he paid for them so values them that he tells us the gaine of the world were no sufficient or satisfactory compensaâ—ion for he losse but of one of them Mark 8 36. and a man that should make that bargaine as too many do might put all his gaines in his eye Ingenâ—i hominis nulla si aestimatio and see never the worse after it What the Civilian saith of a Free-man is much more true of an immortal soul Noâ—hing can be valued with it Tradesmen know that buying deare and selling cheap will undo them but it will much more undo you to sell châ—ap that which Christ hath bought so deare Do not pawn your soules to Satan that is do not adventure upon the commission of any sin with this reserve I will repent before I dye and then all is well that is as if thou shouldst say Here Satan I give thee my soule to pawn in lieu of the pleasure or profit of this or that sin and make it in my bargaine that if I repent I will have it again till then I deliver it into thy custody and if I never repent take it it is thine own for ever Nay but ask Satan when he comes thus higgling for thy soul and bids thee pleasure profit preferment or any such toyes and trifles but canst thou subtile Tempter give any thing aequivalent to the blood of God the price that hath been already paid for it our souls were not Redeemed with silveâ— and gold 1 Pet. 1.18 and let us never sell them for that with which Christ could not purchase them 5. Did Christ humble himself to the shedding of his blood let us then be willing if need be to shed our blood for Christ. We needed Christs death and possibly Christ may need ours though not for merit and satisfaction No that was our need for which his death was abundantly sufficient and needs not ours to make any additions or heapt overplus measure but Christ may need our death to seale his truth and credit his Gospel Act. 20.24 the Apostle Paul counted not his life deare that he might finish his course with joy to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God And the Holy Ghost gives an honourable character of some Heroical noble-spirited Christians that they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12.11 and the blood of the Lamb animated them to such valour that they overcame and conquered by the
losse of their lives Ye have not yet resisted unto blood saith the Apostle but how soon it may come to that ye know not Heb. 12.4 It 's your duty and will be your wisdome to prepare for such a black bloody day as that there are two things in the death of Christ that may animate and embolden us into a willingnesse to dye for him 1. A motive one good turne requires another 2. A pattern Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 Verbi verba sunt nobis Documenta verbi facta sunt nobis exempla August A place very much abused by the Socinians as though there were no more in the death of Christ then an example but one end of Christs death must not exclude another in the blood of Christ there 's both a price and a pattern he hath set us a Copy and upon his call we should be ready to write after him with our blood 6. By Faith and an hearty acceptance of Christ let us put in for a share and get an interest in the blood of Christ He hath it 's true dyed for sinners but without faith what is all this to you though ye be sinners Without blood Christ could not save you and without faith the blood of Christ cannot save you Rom. 3.25 Heb. 9.14 Acts 15.9 God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood the conscience is purged by his blood and the heart purâ—fied by faith This precious blood of Christ doth no other way purifie than as applyed and sprinkled by faith Every man was under the Law to lay his hand on his burnt-offering of atonement Lev. 1.4 he must own it for his Sacrifice thou must stretch out an hand of faith and put it on the head of thy sin-offering owning Christ as thy Lord and Saviour for it is not Christs blood as barely shed upon the Crosse but as received into the heart that justifies and saves The Son of man is lifted up John 3.15 that whosoever believes on him should not perish Universal causes act not but by a particular application as Adams sin pollutes no child till applyed by the generation of the Parent The Sun though it enlightens the whole world helps no man to see till its light be received into the eye Suppose the blood of Christ were as extensive and universal a cause of salvation as any men pretend to and contend for it could produce no such effect till faith hath wrought a particular application a great gift enriches not the beggar in the rich mans hand but in his own having received it Use 3. Here 's abundant comfort to all them that have by faith applyed and interested themselves in Christ crucified here 's blood that will interpose between you and harmes Christs treading the Wine presse leads you into the Wine Celler though to him it was very painful to you it is very comfortable that which he felt as blood believers may taste as wine Never was there such a Cordial for drooping and disconsolate soules as that which came from Christs heart when his side was broacht and set running upon the Crosse Comfort in five particulars 1. Your enemies are foyled A Believer hath many enemies this blood of Christ hath either reconciled or disarmed them either made them friends or left them impotent enemies To give a short list of a few of them 1. The justice of God that 's satisfied out of Christ it hath a dreadful quarrel and implacable controversie and poor believers are many times afraid under their misapprehensions that exact and inexorable justice will either non-suit or give a verdict against them but they are more afraid than hurt this blood hath made justice their friend Being justified by faith Rom. 5.1 Rev. 4.3 we have peace with God and in Christ he now sits with a rain-bow about his Throne God once drowned the world in wrath but smelling a sweet savour of rest from Noahs sacrifice he purposed and promised never to do so any more and as a badge and token of his favour and the firmnesse of that Covenant of Peace he put his Rain-bow in the clouds If you can upon good grounds say that Christ is yours there 's a Rain-bow about Gods Throne his Bench of Judicature and condemnation is turned into a mercy-seat justice will set hand and Seale to your acquittance and be so farre from pleading against you that it turnes your Advocate Rom. 3.25 26. and Christ having shed his blood because God is just the believer must be justified 2. The Law is fulfilled To be under the Law is a state full of danger and terrour and Saints are many times afraid that it will be put in as a black bill of inditement against them but the blood of Christ hath scracht the curses out of the Rolle He hath Redeemed them from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Rom. 6.14 being made a Cursâ— for them they are not under the Law but under grace Not undeâ— the Law as to its invenomed curses inexorable severity and intolerable penalties The Law it self to every believer 1 Tim. 1.9 is as it were non-suited by the death of the Law-maker It is not made for a righteous man it was given to Adam when he was righteous and yet strongly obliges such as are righteous but it lies not against a righteous man so the word signifies as to his condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not laid as an Axe to the root of the tree Col. 2.15 3. Satan is subdued Christs bruised heele hath broken his head He spoyled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Crosse The whole Host of Hell with all their traine of Artillery was led Captive by him on the Crosse and tyed to the Chariot-wheels of this triumphant Conquerour When the door-post was sprinkled with blood the destroying Angel passed away the blood of Christ sprinkled on the conscience is a choice Antidote and preservative against this devouring Abaddon not but that he still may be a Tempter and a troubler but he shall never be a conquerour never a tormentor Christopher Haasse a Swedish Senator being at the point of death the Devil appeared by his bed side with pen ink and paper Come quoth he reckon up thy sins in order as thou hast committed them that I may carry them in a Catalogue to Gods Tribunal whether thou art going Well Satan saith he if it must be so let the Catalogue be under this head and Title The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head and away flew the Devil in a great rage ah sirs had we but the right art of pleading the blood of Christ it would make this roaring Lion more to tremble than the Lion doth at the cock-crowing 4. Sin is abolished and that is a far worse enemy than the Devil Many a
verse Having in the 19. verse asserted Christs fitness for that work it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell c. Besides that infinite fulness which he had as God by natural and necessary generation there was another unmeasured fulness depending upon Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and good pleasure and thereby imparted unto Christ Now he comes to shew his work described First By its nature To reconcile to himself to make peace Secondly By its instrument that is the blood of the Cross by him Thirdly The object of it which are All things whether they be things in earth or things in heaven By which learned Davenant understands the Angels spoken of as the things in heaven and so many others supposing that the Elect Angels werâ— confirmed in their estate by Christ But with submission to better judgements I conceive 1. that there is not sufficient evidence in Scripture to shew that the holy Angels had their confirmation from Christ nor doth it seem to be necessary forasmuch as it is commonly acknowledged that Adam who was under the same Covenant with the Angels if he had continued in the observation of Gods precepts for so long time as God judged meet he should have been confirmed by vertue of the Covenant of Works some other way And therefore it was rather to be thought that the Angels have their confirmatiom from Christ as God and Head over all things than as Mediatour The actions of Christ as Mediatour supposing a breach according to that place Gal. 3.20 A Mâ—diatour is not a Mediatour of one i. e. of two parties which are one politically i. e. which are agreed in one but of parties at variance 2. Howsoever if the Angels had been confirmed by Christ yet surely they were not reconciled by Christ for Reconciliation implies a former enmity as these things in heaven are said to be And therefore I rather understand it of departed Saints Patriarchs Prophets c. who as they went to Heaven not to any Limbus so this expression is used to insinuate that they were saved by the grace of Jesus Christ even as we as it is Acts 15.11 and that the blood of Jesus Christ did expiate not only those sins which were committed after his death but those also which were long since past Rom. 3.25 as Sol nondum conspictus illuminat orbem The light and influence of the Sun is dispersed among us before the body of the Sun doth appear above our Horizon So then here you have mans Reconciliation Justification and Salvation described together with the procuring cause of it set forth 1. More generally By him 2. More specially By the blood of his Cross by the shedding of his blood for us by his death and passion compleated on the Cross The doctrine I intend to handle is this That the death of Jesus Christ is the procuring cause of mans justification and salvation Amongst all those heresies which God hath suffered to spring among us that they that are approved may be manifest none are more dangerous than those which concern the person and office of Christ of those many streams of errour which run into the dead Sea of Socinianism these are two They deny the Godhead and the satisfaction of Christ and so indeed subvert the whole Fabrick of the Gospel This latter I shall here endeavour to discuss and shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall explain it 2. Assert 3. Defend 4. Apply it 1. For the Explication of this great Gospel-mystery which truly if it fall we are without hope and so of all creatures most miserable I shall lay down these steps First God made the world and man in it for his own service and glory And this end he cannot be disappointed in but must have it one way or other Secondly Man by sin thwharted Gods end and cast dirt upon his glory and so doth every sinner Every sin is a reflection upon Gods Name a blot in Gods Government of the world so that some make it a pretence for their Atheism saying That if there were a God he would not suffer sin to be in the world Thirdly God is inclined by his Nature and obliged by his interest to hate sin and punish the sinner and so to recover his glory 1. I say God is inclined by his nature to hate and punish sin I do not positively conclude that he is absolutely obliged I shall not here meddle with that nice question Whether God was so far obliged to punish it by his nature that he could not pardon sin without satisfaction but this is manifest look upon man as a sinner and so Gods Nature must needs be opposite unto him The Scripture describes God in such manner not only in regard of his Will but also in respect of his Nature Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity c. Exod. 34.6 where the nature of the Divine Majesty is represented among other parts of the description this is one He will by no meanes clear the guilty Psalme 11.5 The wicked his soul hateth and the reason is added from Gods Nature ver 7. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse his countenance doth behold the upright And it may further appear that here punishment of sin is not an act of Gods Will but of his Nature Because the Actions of Gods Will are only known by Revelation not by reason or the light of Nature but that God should and would punish sin this was known by natures light to such as were unacquainted with Revelation-light Hence came the Conclusion Acts 28.4 This man is a Murderer whom though he hath escaped the Sea yet Vengeance suffereth him not to live Vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a supposed Goddesse but indeed nothing else but Divine Justice 2. God is obliged by his interest to punish him as he is the Ruler of the world By sin there comes a double mischief 1. God is wronged 2. The world is wronged by a bad example and hardned in sin so that if God might pardon sin as it is a wrong to himself yet he is in a manner obliged to punish it to right the wronged world and to make such sinners patterns of severity that the world may not make them examples of ungodlinesse even as King James might pardon the Powder-Traytors so far forth as his Person was concerned but if you look on it as a wrong to the whole Nation to the Protestant Religion so he was obliged to punish them to make them warnings to others in the like cases so that you see mans punishment was necessary for Gods glory and the Worlds good Fourthly The punishment to be inflicted must be sutable to sins Nature and Gods Majesty and therefore an infinite punishment for this is justice to observe an exact proportion between sin and punishment Fifthly The only way whereby this punishment might be suffered and yet man saved was by the incarnation and
and is exalted to give remissiâ—n of sin and Repentance and to consecrate us unto himself a peculiar people These Lessons and every of them are written in such legible Characters in the death of Jesus Christ that he that runs may read them and each of them are pathetical perswasions to Repentance whil'st they are read by any seriously observant soul they reflect these serious and pensive thoughts How vile is mine iniquity that hath provoked so great severity and exp sed my Surety to so much misery how great peril was my soul in which is râ—deem d by so great a price how dangerous those wounds which are only cured by the death of the Chyrurgion how dissonant to holinesse and daring to justice is that sin which but imputed exposed the only begotten Son of God to be deserted by his Father how fierce that fury which could not be appeased without suffering it must needs be fearful to fall into the hands of an angry God for how will he fume at the servant that thus frets at his Son how will he tear the Principal that thus tormenteth the Surety how shall God punish us for our own sins who is so wrathfully displeased with his Son for other mens sins Oh what shall be the sufferings of the Reprobate if these be the sufferings of his dearly beloved needs must fraile man sink under the burden of Divine fury when the God of Angels needed the support of an Angel If my Repentance will avenge the quarrel of my suffering Saviour shall I not do it if Repentance will rescue me from wrath to come shall I not performe it had I not better weep a few days here then in hell for ever and the rather for that I weep not without cause nor mourn without hope The sin was mine the sorrow my Saviours the transgression mine the satisfaction my Sureties Oh the depth of his pity that endured this for mine iniquity What he endured for a time I must have endured for ever if in him the Father had not been well-pleased Shall that be my delight which cost my Surety so dear Shall I call on the Lords Name or be called by the Name of Christ and not depart from iniquity was Jesus Christ thus broken for me and shall not my heart be broken for and from sin hath he R deemed me from this wrath to come and shall he not Redeem me from my vain conversation shall I expect Remission and not accept repentance through his blood Oh what reason have I to return to God and glorifie him with my soul and body which are his for he bought them at a price and a deare price his own blood he hath consecrated a way of access unto the Father through the vaile of his own flesh but shall I dare to approach not having my heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and my body washed with pure water he is reconciled but shall I againe rebell I am healed shall I againe sin a pardon is to me extended shall I not receive it with a pensive and prostrate soul Thus then we find that there is much of strength in this Argument even above a thousand Arguments to enforce Repentance if but right reason keep the Throne what reply can be made or reason rendred why the call of the Gospel should not be obeyed whilst it pleadeth with so much clearnesse for our repentance from the consideration of the death of Christ But the second Argument urged by the Gospel to induce us to repent is the day of judgement 2. Argument to enforce repentance The former Argument doth assault our affections this our passions that the soul may be surrounded with suggestions unto repentance and if either the one or the other are under the command of right reason the design of the Gospel may not miscarry the dread of the day of judgement drives the Ministers of God to Preach and perswade repentance Knowing the terrours of â—he Lord we perswade men saith the Apostle for that we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive according to the things done in the body according to that he hath done in the body whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 11. This is sure a profitable proper Argument to perswade repentance which provokes unto the Preaching of it and therefore the same Apostle doth in Acts 7.30 31. urge it but now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent for that he ha h appointed a day wherein to judge the world in righteousnesse c. And this Argument is so pregnant and profitable to perswade repentance that it is urged by John the Baptist The Kingdome of God is at hand therefore repent nay the axe is laid to the root of the tree and every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit must be hewen down and thrown into the fire therefore bring forth fruits meet for repentance Matthew 3. and very often by the Lord Jesus himself This is so proper an Argument to enforce repentance that it is noted to be set at a distance to the thoughts of the impenitent they live as having made a Covenant with death and an agreement with hell Isa 28.15 put farre away this evil day it is noted that the Doctrine which increaseth ungodlinesse denieth the resurrection 2 Tim. 2.16 17 18. And such as walk after their own lusts are scoffers at the day of judgement 2 Pet. 3.3 4 5. And it is to be observed that those in Athens who repented not at Pauls Preaching mocked when he made mention of the resurrection and last judgement But certainly there is much in the day of judgement to move the hardest heart and most stubborn sinner to repentance the same Spirit which is to convince the world of sin and of righteousnesse convinceth also of judgement for the day of judgement answereth all the sinners pleas whereby he defendeth and encourageth himself in sin for it assureth of certaine detection and conviction of sin It is a day which alloweth not the least encouragement from secresie for therein every mans deeds must be made manifest whether they be good or evil nay the very secrets of all hearts shall be laid open and sinful thoughts themselves must then be judged the day of judgement determineth a period to all impiety and denieth the duration of its props and Pillars profits and pleasures in the world determining all the advantages of sin to be at the best but pleasures of sin for a season calling on rich men to howle and weep though they live in pleasure on earth in James 5.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. The day of judgement assureth of the punishment of the wicked however they scape scot-free in this life and by their present power Gods patience and humane strength they evade and escape many evils which befall the godly yet they are but reserved to this day of vengeance and this is the day in which the wicked must appeare Cursed and manifesteth
is Almighty and he must do it because he hath promised it This is Pauls Argument to King Agrippa Vers 6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our Fathers c. And this is Christs Argument by which he proveth the Resurrection against the Sadduces Matht 22.32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Objection This Argument of Christ proves onely the Immortality of the Soul but not the Resurrection of the Body Answer It proves also the Resurr ction of the body because God is the God of Abraham Isaa and Jacob not onely the God of one part of Abraham but of whole Abraham not onely the God of his soul but of his body And therefore whole Abraham must live for ever for Gods Covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob is an everlasting Covenant 2. From the justice of God God cannot but raise the dead because he is a just God and must reward every man according to his works Now in this life men are not rewarded the Righteous in this life are oftentimes persecuted and the wicked are in prosperity And therefore there must come a rewarding time and if so then first there must be a Resurrection For dead men cannot be rewarded Objection Is it not enough that our Souls be rewarded Answer No For our bodies are partakers in good and evil actions with the soul and therefore it is just that they should be Partakers also in rewards and punishments Shall God require services of the body and shall he not reward those services Do not the Saints of God beat down their bodies and bring them into subjection Do they not fast often and mortifie their earthly members and suffer Martyrdome with their bodies And therefore God cannot but raise their bodies to the Resurrection of Life and raise the same bodies for it cannot stand with Gods justice that one body should serve him and another be rewarded or that one body should sin and another body be punished A just Judge will not suffer one man to fight and get the victory and another to be crowned The same body that sinneth must dye and the same body that conquers must be crowned What justice can there be for God to cast a body that never sined into Hell and that never was in Adam 3. From the end of Christs coming in the flesh which was to destroy all the Enemies of our Salvation Now the last Enemy which must be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.26 and death cannot be uttetly and totally destroyed unless there be a Resurrection of the dead 4. From the Resurrection of Christ This is Saint Pauls great Argument 1 Cor. 15.12 c. If Christ be risen how â—ay some that there shall be no resurrection of the dead For Christ rose as a Publique Person and as the Head of his Church And if the Head be risen all the members must also rise and therefore he is called the First-fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 and the First-born of every creature And if the First-fruits be lifted up out of the grave the whole lump will certianly follow Hence also it is that Christ is called the Second Adam 1 Cor 15.21.22 and Paul argueth stroâ—gly That as by man came death so by man also came the resurrection of the dead and as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive But now in the first Adam all dye not onely spiritually but corâ—orally and therefore in the second Adam all must be corporally made to live And live again in the same bodies for Christ rose with the same body that he dyed with And therefore he rose with his scars and wounds and he convinced his Disciples that the body he rose with was a tâ—uâ— body and not a Spirit For a Spirit hath not flesh and bones saith Christ as ye see me have Luke 24.39 Objection Doth not the Apostle say in that very Chapter 1 Cor. 15 44. That the bodies of men shall be spiritual bodies at the Resurrection And therefore they cannot be the same bodies 1 Cor. 15.50 Doth not the same Apostle also say That flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Hence the Socinians and divers others gather That the bodies of men shall not have flesh and blood and eyes and heads and feet at the Resurrection but shall be airy and spiritual bodies Answer There is a vast difference between mutation and perdition The same bodies shall be raised for substance but marvellously altered in regard of qualifications and endowments as you shall hear in the next particular Non aliud corpus sed aliter We read Exod. 4.6 7. That M ses put his hand into his bosom and when he took it out it was leprous as snow and again he put his hand in his bosom and pluckt it out and it was turned again as his other flesh Here was the same hand when belepred and when whole A Beggar when he puts off his rags and puts on the apparel of a King is the same man though outwardly altered or changed So shall it be at the Resurrection the bodies shall be the same for sâ—bstance though altered wonderfully as to their Qualifications and Endowments And as for that saying of the Apostle That flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God the meaning is not That the substance of flesh anâ— blood shall never enter into Heaven for Christ in his Humane Nature is now in Heaven but that flesh as it is corrupted and sinful cloathed with infirmities and subject to mortality and death flesh and blood as it is in this transitory estate liable to corruption should not enter into Heaven and therefore it followeth in the Text Neither shall corruption inherit incorruption 1 Cor. 15.50 5. I might argue lastly from the Immortality of the S ul For the soul was made by God to dwell in the body and though it can subsist of it self without the body yet it still retains appetitum unionis a desire of re-union with the body and therefore is in an imperfect estate and not compleatly happy till it be re-united to the body And therefore that the souls of the godly may be compleatly happy and of the wicked compleatly miserable there must of necessity be a Resurrection of the body that so soul and body may be re-united and partake togâ—ther either of compleat happiness or compleat unhappiness Adde to this what is said by Durand that great Schoolman That when a man dyeth not onely the soul of that man continueth alive but some substantial part of that mans body and God also the great Creator and first cause of all things And why should any man think it incredible for God to re-collect the parts of the matter of any mans body which are perished and to re-unite the same body to the same soul again
they must whether they will or no behold the Lord Jesus with those very eyes which have been the casements to let in iniquity into the soul They shall see that Christ whose Sabbaths and Ordinances they have despised and whose Laws they have trampled under their feet That drunken and adulterous body that swearing tongue those hands of thine which have been workers of iniquity and those feet which have been swift to shed blood shall rise at the last day to be tormented in everlasting flames That flesh of thine for which thou hast made such provision to fulfil the lusts of it shall arise into everlasting con emâ—t and punishment O consider what howling and lamentation will be when thy soul and body shall meet again and shall curse one another and call to the Mountains to fall upon them and rocks to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb but all in vain When thy godly Minister shall say to thee as Reuben to his Brethren Gen. 42.22 Did I not tell you before of these things but you would not hearken unto me and as Paul to the men in the ship Acts 27.21 If you had hearkened unto me you might have scaped this loss O quam miserum est Deum videre perire ante Pretii tui perire conspectum Suppose a man were to go to bed at night with an assurance that the next morning he should be hanged drawn and quartered he would have but little comfort in that nights rest And did a wicked man consider that whensoever he falls asleep and is laid in the grave he shall awake to everlasting condemnation this would make his joynts to loose and his knees to smite one against the other as Belshazzars did at the sight of the Hand-writing The Lord give you grace to perpend and weigh these things and lay them to heart before it be too late Vse 4. IF there shall be a Resurrection of the dead let us labour so to live that when we dye we may have a happy Resurrection that we may arise to the Resurrection of Life that there may be a necessary connexion between the eleventh nd twelfth Articles of our Creed and that immediately after the Rvsurrection of the body we may be received into life everlasting Here I shall briefly answer unto two Questions 1. How shall we know whether we shall have a blessed and happy Resurrection 2. What must we do that we way have a happy Resurrection Question 1. How shall we know whether we shall have a blessed and happy Resurrection Answer 1. If thou be a just man thou shalt have a happy Resurrection The Apostle tells Acts 24.15 That there shall be a Resurrection both of the just and the unjust The unjust shall come out of their graves to the Resurrection of damnation but the just to the Resurrection of life If thou be a just man just in thy dealings just in thy words and oathes just both to God and man and labourest to give God his due in the duties of the First Table and man his due in the duties of the Second Table if thou joynest justice with holiness and holiness with justice thou shalt certainly have a joyful Resurrection Job was a just man and one that feared God and therefore he believed that with those very eyes of his he should see God to his everlasting comfort 2. If thou refusest earthly Resurrections upon base terms thou shalt have a happy Resurrection The Apostle tells us Heb. 11.35 of many blessed Martyrs who would not accept deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection They might have risen to great preferments if they would have complied upon base terms but they would not accept of an earthly Resurrection that they might obtain a better Resurrection When S. Basil was offered great preferments if he would have subscribed to the Arian Heresie he refused them with scorn and contempt c. he would not accept deliverance upon such unworthy tearms When Hormisdas a Persian Noblâ—man was devested of all his Honours for his Religion and afterwards restored again and offered greater advancements if he would renounce it He answered Si p opter ista me Christum denegaturum existimas ea denuo accipe If you think I will deny my Christ for these things take them back again But if you accept of earthly Resurrections upon base and sinful Conditions you shall have a sad and woful Resurrection 3. If thou glorifiest God with thy body here thy body shall be glorified at the Resurrâ—ction If thou beatest down thy body and bringest it under subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 Rom. 12.1 6.13 if thou offerest up thy body a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God if thou makest thy body an instrument of righteousness if thy body be erviceable to the soul in the worship of God then shall it be made a most glori us body But if it be the Devils instrument unto sin if thou makest it a slave to thy lust here it shall rise at the last day unto everlasting misery 4. If thou hast a gracious soul here thou shalt have a glorious body hereafter for the body followeth the soul it is but as the souls shadow If when thou dyest thy soul goeth to Hell thy body will come thither at last and if thy soul go to Heaven thy body will come thither also And therefore examine what kinde of soul thou dyest withal if thy soul be beautified with grace if sanctified and regenerated if thou mindest thy soul more then thy body and labourest for Soul-riches and Soul-honours and Soul-food then thy body shall be happy at the Resurrection But if thy soul be polluted and deformed if starved by the neglect of Gospel-Ordinances if poysoned with sin if infected by evil company if thou dicest and cardest it away if thou losest thy soul for want of looking too thy body will arise to the Resurrection of Condemnation 5. Lastly and especially If thou hast got a real interest in Christ and his righteousness then thou shalt have a most blessed Resurrection for Christ Jesus is the Resurrection and the life John 11.25 and whosoever believeth in him shall rise to life everlasting If thou gettest into Christ while thou livest thou shalt dye in Christ and sleep in Christ and be raised by Christ unto eternal happiness But if thou hast not got into him by a Christ-appropriating faith thou canst not dye in him nor sleep in him nor rise by him as Head unto life everlasting but as a revengeful Judge unto everlasting damnation Question 2. VVhat must we do that we may have a happy Resurrection Answer 1. You must labour to be just persons that you may partake of the resurrection of the just 2. You must refuse earthly resurrection upon base terms as the three Children and Daniel did 3. You must glorifie God with your bodies you must make them helpers to your souls not hinderers you must make them Temples of the Holy Ghost The
John 15.4 5. Oh! let 's then labour to see and be truly sorrowful for all our sins and pray Lord Turn thou us Jer. 31.18 and we shall be turned from all our sins and accept of a whole Christ for our only Lord and Saviour oh sith we cannot wash our hands in innocency le ts be washing them daily in the tears of true penitency let 's go to the Fountain open'd to wash in for sin Zâ—ch 13.1 Isa 30. ult Rev. 20.10.14 15.21.8 and for uncleanness that we may not be cast into the River and Lake of fire and brimstone Oh! let 's now bathe our souls in the blood of Christ that everlasting burnings may not hereafter seize upon us Hence Learn 3. Not to blame Gospel-Ministers for preaching of terrors hereby they would stave us off from running head-long into Hell and bring us to repentance that we may not be cast into that prison where there is no place for repentance 2 Cor. 5.11 Knowing the terrors of the Lord we perswade men in love to their precious souls we are bound being assured we must give an account to awake our hearers Hebr. 13.17 lest they forget God and be turned into hell we dare not betray your pretious souls to gratifie you at present Psal 9.17 and indulge you in your sins as the Apostle says We must not for meat destroy the work of God Rom. 14.15.20 for preferment favour or respect from you at present we dare not suffer your immortal souls to perish without warning oh friends be not angry with us the Embassadours of Jesus Christ when we see any of you hastning down the broad way which leads to Hell as sure as we are here now if we then cry fire fire to bring you back You have no more reason to think us your enemies for this warning of you and telling you the truth in love Gal. 4.16 than any of your children have to think the most dear and tender Parents amongst you were their enemies when seeing them through carelessnesse ready to fall into fire or water they should cry out oh take heed Children or you are irrecoverably lost Learn 4. Not to grudge sinners their portion in this World Davids advice should be our practice enforced from this very Doctrine viz. Not to fret our selves at evil doers nor to be envious against the workers of iniquity Psal 37.1 2. 9.17 Prov. 24.20 for they shall soon be cut down as the grasse they shall be turned into Hell their foolish prosperity will destroy them their candle shall be put out and that in a snuff which will never cease stinking why then should we be offended at their prosperity here who are reserved to an extremity and eternity of torment hereafter Mal. 3.15 it is a grosse mistake to call the proud happy or to think the godly most miserable 1 Cor. 15.13.19 because they are here sometimes a little under a cloud The Psalmist was tempted to it but the knowledge of this Doctrine in the Sanctuary Ps 73.3.18 19 did soon rectifie his judgement and made him conclude that God had set them in slippery places to be cast down into destruction Job 20.6 7. and utterly consumed with terrors and perish for ever we had more need to pity than repine at our wicked Neighbours Mat. 19.24 with Luke 16.25 having their good things here when we consider how hard a matter 't is to have good things here with Dives and with Lazarus too hereafter in Abrahams bosome Learn 5. Lastly To admire and be greatly affected with the superlative love of Christ in undergoing that punishment in our stead if we will receive him for our Lord and Saviour which will be extream and eternal torment to all that do refuse him And if he be Judge Mat. 10.14.15 39 40. they who receive not his Embassadors in his Name are of that number Oh! who would not then kiss the Son that believe the wrath of God will inflict these eternal torments Oh! Christians such I wish we may a l be in deed and truth let 's bless and kisse this blessed Son of God that bare for us this insupportable wrath Psal 2.12 1 Thes 1.10 Colos 2.15 Hosea 13.14 1 Cor. 15.54 55. Mat. 23.14 Hebr. 2.3 Gal. 3.13 Hebr. 2.9 even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come and triumphed over principalities and over tho Grave and Hell the greatnesse of the damnation we are exposed to by nature doth greaten the salvation purchased by grace Oh! blessed Jesus thou wast cursed here and tasted'st the death that was accursed even this in thy sentence Isa 53.5 7 8. Rom. 8.1 Mark 3.29 with Heb. 6.2 5.9 Acts 2.24 Psal 116 3. John 8.51 thou wast bruised afflicted and broken of God for us but thou was taken from Prison and from judgement and everlasting condemnation for it was not possiâ—le that Thou shouldst be holden of any pains so that though every Believer shall see a Temporal yet shall he never see Eternal Death but inherit Eternal Life OF HEAVEN MATTH 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world THE Description of Heaven is a work fitter for an Aaron the High Priest of the Most High when upon Mount Hor he is stripping himself of the vile body of sin or for a Moses when on the top of Nebo after a Pisgah prospect * Deut. 34.5 as the Jews comment he died at the * Cant. 1.2 kiss of God refunding that * Gen. 2.7 breath of life and expiring his soul into the bosome of God Nay more fit to be described by a pen taken from the Wing of a Cherubim than the stammering tongue of any mortal man For whoever attempts to speak of an heavenly state while himself is on earth his discourses of that must needs be like the dark dreams and imaginations of a child concerning the affaires of this world while it self is yet swadled and cradled in the womb Yet discourses of Heaven were never more seasonable upon earth When * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. Laer. Anaxagoras was accused as not studying Politicks for his Countryes good he replied I have a very great care of my Country pointing up to heaven if ever Christians had cause to make all honest haste to heaven 't is in a sinful and a perverse generation when the waters cover the earth whether should a Dove-like soul fly but to the Ark of God when Gods judgements and his Avengers of blood threaten us on every hand what City of refuge can we run to but the Sanctuary of God when we know not how soon the members of Christs body in conformity to their Head may be called to sweat drops of blood 't is wisdom for us with our bitter hearbs to keep the Passover and to think on that * Luke 22.12 large upper Roome wherein we may be Feasted
a place for them to which * Luk. 13.28.29 they shall come from the East and from the West from the North and fâ—om the South and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdâ—me of God and this to raise the appetites of their faith and hopes when a Supper of so many thousand years preparation is the entertainment they are invited to And so I come to the second Part of the Text and that is the admission into this prepared Possession Come ye blessed of my Father c. When a Kingdome is proposed every man is ready to be catching at a Crown but therefore our Saviour tells us it must be had by inheritance that is the title by which we must be admitted * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inherit as the Jews had Canaan divided and apportioned to the several Tribes by * Numb 26.55 lot so some too curiously and boldly adventure to assign to every Saint a Mansion bigger than the whole earth which is true indeed in this sense in regard immensity and God himself is the * Psal 16.5 lot of their inheritance but it is an inheritance in regard 1. There is a claim made to it only by the new-born and first-born of God and so by right of birth except * John 3.3 a man be bâ—rn again cannot see the Kingdome of God the spirit of a slave cannot manage the Scepter of a Prince nay they that look to sit on Thrones of glory with Christ * Mat. 19.28 must follow him in the regeneration of the body * 1 Cor. 15.36 that must dye ere it be quickned * 1 Cor. 15.50 for flesh and blood in corruption moral or * Exod. 33.20 natural cannot inherit the Kingdome of God which made the * Moriar ne moriar ut te videam Aug. confessii Father cry out Oh then Lord let me dye lest I dye that so I may see thee Now if an unregenerate body cannot enter much lesse an unregenerate soul An infamous person * Turpis persona Myns in instit in the Civil Law may be excepted against as not fit to be an heir and shall the Laws of men be purer than the Laws of God If the pure in heart * Mat. 5.8 only can see God here in reflections and * 1 Cor. 13.12 through a glasse darkly then surely they must be without * 2 Pet. 3.14 spot or wrinkle who must see him face to face Heaven is entailed upon holy souls 't is their birth-right for no other but * Rev. 22.14 they that keep the Commandments of God have right to eat of the Tree of life or enter in through the Gates into that Jerusalem and vision of peace 2. They inherit by right of Adoption for Christ is heir and we heirs of his righteousnesse and so co-heirs of his glory and * Rom. 8.17 hâ—irs of God if sons then heirs now we are the sons of God by Adoption Regeneration makes us not perfectly holy and so not perfectly sons and so not heirs and therefore we * Gal. 4.5 1 Joh. 3.1 2. receive the Adoption of sons and being called to be we are sons and if sons then heirs for if a son be passed by in his Fathers Will and not named and a reason of the passing of him by the Testament is invalid in Civil Law when anoâ—her is made heâ—r and God his nature and love transcends all the compassions of men and is a greater obligation than any Laws among them so that if thou canst make it out that thou hast the spirit of Adoption thou art as sure to inherit this Kingdome as thou mayst be sure thou art not by name excepted from the inheritance in the Gospel of Christ which is his Will and Testament 3. 'T is inherited by right of Donation and Gift * Luke 12.32 Fear not lâ—ttle flâ—ck it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdome and though the wages of sin be death and men are but justly rewarded therein for their demerit yet * Rom. 6.23 eternal life is the gift of God and it is not such a gift as is a salary or stipend for our work * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pay for our service for * Luke 17.10 when we have done all that we can we are but unprofitable servants and deserve nothing unlesse it be to be * Luke 12.47 beaten with many stripes It is not an honorary gift as he that had lost an Arme in Battel his Commander General gave him an Arme of gold as an honourable reward of his service but alas * Matth. 5.47 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What singular thing can we do to emerit any thing at Gods hands when the more we do we are the further from merit in regard we are the more indebted to our Master who gave us the opportunity and grace to performe it Nor is it an Eleemosynary gift of charity such as we extend to poor fellow creatures for that is but a piece of justice and self-love if we have that in abundance which others want to relieve them Every act of charity is but a piece of equity a paying of our debts for we are to * Rom. 13.8 owe every man love but God ows us nothing nor is he bound to pity our poverty which we have by our own default contracted on our selves but this gift of God is a meer * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratuitous act of bounty and grace but when it is promised and given then it is but an act of justice to grant possession and so the title is inheritance but by way of free Donation 4. By right of Redemption they may be said to inherit for under the Law the next of Kin was to redeem a sold or morgaged possession accordingly Christ took our nature upon him Ruth 4.5 that he might be of our consanguinâ—ty he became * Gal. 3 13. a curse for us * 2 Cor. 5.22 was made sin that he might ransome penitent believers from the curse and * Hebr. 7.25 having satisfied to the utmost and * 1 Cor. 6.20 bought us with a responsible price he hath right to give his sheep * John 10.28 eternal life and therefore it is calâ—ed * Ephes 1.14 the purchased possession In Law he that buys a slave may dispose of him as he please by his will accordingly Christ hath made hâ—s will to dispose of all those he hath bought * John 17.24 Father I will that where I am these may be also And so they are heirs by Will and Testament of him that took upon him the right of Redemption Now I come to the second thing in the second general and that is the heirs of this inheritance described in these words Ye blessed * Patris est benedicere of my Father 't is the Fathers work to blesse his Son and when Isaac blessed
communicativenesse to their off-spring groweth more and more the higher you go it grows more in brutes than plants in men than in brutes in God therefore love and goodnesse which are most communicative are most transcendent Now God himself is the heaven we plead for he is the Region of souls and spirits and for the resurrection of the body his infinite power can surely * 1 Cor. 15.38 give to every seed it s own body though one part of our flesh was sublimated into the fire another precipitated into ashes and cast into the midst of the Sea devoured by a fish taken and eaten again by men and another part dissipated into the Aire and sucked into some other body Borel Med. Pari. ita refert yet if a Chymick can out of the ashes of a flower reproduce the flower in its former beauty nay out of the dung of beasts reproduce the very herbs they have eaten notwithstanding what is passed into nourishment by the architectonical parts and spirits yet abiding in those Reliques much more can God recover our bodies from all possible dispersions and conversions into other bodies when all the World shall be his Furnace and every thing resolved into its first seminal parts by the reverberation of the flames and give to every body * Florem Resurrectionis Tert. de Resur the flowre of resurrection and a reflorescence into glory 2. As there is a God and so that Kingdome so there are heirs and they are immortal souls and therefore fitted to be * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uti Platonici in Divine conjunction for that which is contiguous to an Eternal Omne contiguum aeterno spirituali est aeternum spirituale Spiritual Being is Eternal and Spiritual but man is here only himself when in communion with God and spiritual things And God when he infused the reasonable soul he breathed into man the * Gen. 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breath of lives And Tertullian who had too grosse a conception of the nature of the soul yet calls it * Vaginam afflatus Divini liberalitatis suae haeredem Religionis suae sacerdotem Christi sui sororem the sheath and scabbard of Divine breath heir of his bounty c. in the exercise of those acts of apprehension judgement and argumentation it is impossible such steddy and orderly consequential actions should be performed by a fortuitous concurse of atomes or its reflexive acts much lesse by the purest flame no body being able to penetrate it self nor to dive into it self without a disorder of its parts But Religion rather then Reason being the great * Religio penè sola quae hominem discernat à mutis Lactan. de divi praemio l. 7. difference of a man from brutes 't is a sign he is made for communion with a better being and therefore as Augustine sayes Thou hast made our heart O Lord for thee and it will never * Quum tibi inhaesero ex toto me viva erit vita mea plena te tota nunc autem quia plenus tui non sum oneri mihi sum lib. de confes rest till it come to thee and when I shall wholly inhere and cleave to thee then my life will be lively but now being not full of the enjoyments of thee I am a burden to my self The World was made for brutes to live in but for man to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lact. ibid. contemplate the Wisdome and Power of God he made many brutes but one man that he might be chieflly for the * Dei socius Aug. de Civ l. 12.20 ut cohaereat autori lib. 22.1 society of God and keep coherence to his Maker And alas the World is but a dry Morsel to an immortal soul whose vast Chaos of desires cannot be satisfied by it though every drop of comfort in it was swelled into an Ocean There is upon the soul such a drought without God as * Cant. 8.7 all the waters in the world cannot quench it such an endlesse thirst after truth and goodnesse in the general notion as it can never be satisfied till it find out the * Psal 36.9 fountain of this water of life 3. This Eternal state is the common sense of the World and the voice of natural conscience hath in all Ages proclaimed it Every Nation hath some Diety or other and so a Religion Heathens sacrifice though it may be it be to the Divel who cruelly sucks their very blood Turks and Saracens must have the black drop cut out of their breast and their circumcision every Religion puts some restraints upon mens lusts and lives Now though I believe though there were no reward or a future state Religion would be as good for our bodies as prunings are to Trees * Prov. 3.8 health to our navels marrow to our bones yet its severities would in no degree down with men were it not for the urgings and prickings on of natural conscience But Christians above * 1 Cor. 15.19 all men were most miserable if in this life only they had hope whose principles enjoin the highest degree of self-denial patience and bearing of the Crosse But every good man let the mad World prate as it will and vomit all its gall and bitternesse in reproaches and persecutions yet if he suffer for righteousnesse sake in innocent patience his own conscience gives him an acquittance and a secret absolution so as he can * Rom. 5.3 glory even in tribulation yea every devout soul more or lesse tasteth of those first fruits of heavenly delight in being conscious * 2 Cor. 1.12 of his duty discharged in simplicity and godly sincerity whatever calamities may attend him in this life which if they were not pledges of a fuller crop in that future harvest of joys the best men were most unhappy by that great frustration and disappointment of their expectations And so wicked men though the World may applaud their actions as highly vertuous by a sordid spirit of flattery yet * Mens habet attonitos surdo verbere coedit Per. their own consciences affr ght them and smite them with many a deadly and deaf blow which no body else doth hear or observe Cain may build his Cities and his Walls as high as the Clouds yet there is that within as he said to the Emperour that will ruine all * Gen. 4.5 his countenance falls and the guilt of his Brothers blood maketh his soul to blush and pulleth down his high looks The highest-formed sinners that have sinned themselves into despaire have nothing left them * Heb. 10.27 but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shâ—ll devoure such Adversaries Others that have sinn'd themselves into the highest presumptions never come to any senseless ease till they attaine to * Isa 28.15 make a Covenant with Hell and can be content to * Heb. 11.25 suffer
His sin is entailed on all his seed 137 138. transmitted by imputation p. 139 and 140. made ours without any impeachment of Gods justice p. 141. by generation not imitation p. 142 143. hurt received by him must quicken the acceptance of the second Adam p. 145. his sin will not be our acquittance p. 148. Advantage great by systems and modules of Religion p. 16 17 18 19. Adoption its kinds p. 436. its name explained 437. Divine differs from humane Adoption p. 438. Adoption presupposeth Vocation Regeneration and Justification p. 438. it entitles to God Christ and Heaven ibid. Adoption the properties p. 439. and priviledges of it p. 440. Adoption is different from Regeneration yet not divided from it p. 446. Adoption an effect of faith p 469. Affections unruly cashier'd when we come to heaven p. 650. Angels their service to the Lord Jesus Christ p. 323 324. not confirmed not reconciled by Jesus Christ as Mediator p. 338 339. Antinomians refuted p. 423 424. Apparel of Saints in heaven p. 652. 653. Atheisme three sorts Vita pag. 51 52. Voto pag. 51 52. Judicio pag. 51 52. Assent to Gods being and bounty ground of Addresses to him p. 30. Assurance an effect of faith p. 472. B. Bars to communion with God three and how removed p. 272. Barring sinne imports punishment p. 346. Belief of Gods being the foundation of Religion p 30. fountain of obedience p. 54. Belief of Christ to be the Son of God is not easie p. 66. Believing sinner the subject of Gospel-repentance p. 489. Believers their dignity and duty pag. 433. Believers united to Christ. p. 278. Believers whom p. 379. Believers persons graces and duties relate to Christ. p. 395 396. Birth-right despised is dreadful p. 448. Blessedness of mans-natural rectitude p. 111. Blessed estate of the New Covenant p. 254 259. Blessed how said of the Saints p. 664 665. Bodies of Saints re-united to souls p. 657. Bodies of Saints and sinners differ at Resurrection p. 591 592. Body of man subject to Gods wrath p. 184. Body it s very self-same substance shall be raised p. 591 592 593. It s prime endowments at Resurrection p. 593 594. Bodily infirmities shaken off in heaven p. 651. Blood of sin to be shed for the blood of Christ p. 296. Bowing at the Name of Jesus what it means p. 321. by whom to be done p. 322 323. C. Cause encourageth to suffer p. 2 3. Captain encourageth contest ibid. Calling effectual p. 353. what it is and how wrought p. 357 358. Called who p. 359. few p. 360. by what ib. from what causes p. 361 362 363. by what means p. 365. to what end p. 366. when p. 367. Call is holy ib. heavenly p. 368. without noise p. 370. immutable p. 371. Care accompanieth true r pentance 541. Case of man fallen helpless by nature 207. Catechismes commended 21. Children of God by Regeneration and Adoption 435. Children of God their carriage directed 448 449 450. Christ is Lord how 330 331. a good Captaine 2 3. Christ is truly God 266 267. and truly man 268. God and man 269. Christ and promises not God the immediate object of saving faith 460. Christians changes three 557. Christian Religion reasonable 483. Come ye blessed what kinde of speech 666 667. Command to Adam and Covenant of works 122. Complaints against God charmed 267. Compassion to brethren sheweth a sense of our own natural weakness 215. Communion an evidence of union with Christ 385. Conditions in order to mans Redemption between God the Father and God the Son p. 222 223. Conquest of enemies an effect of Faith 470. Conscience proveth that there is a God 43 44. Conscience engendreth fear 46 47. Consent of Nations universal and perpetual proves that there is a God 48. Confession of sin a part of Repentance 509 510. How to be made 511 512 513 514. Conviction wherein it consists and how it acts 493 494. Contrition wherein it consists 496 497. Conversion its parts 502. Crown of Saints in heaven what 654. It s threefold wreath 655 656. Covenant what it means 123 124 235. Covenants in Scripture 235. Covenant Natural what it is 236. Legal what it is 237 238. Evangelical what it is 239. Covenant an act of condescention in God 130. Imports Gods promise and mans duty 239. Gods dealing with Adam in Paradise how and why called a Covenant 125. Covenant of Works wherein it consists p. 126 127. How and why given by Moses 128 129. Israel was not under it ibid. Men out of Christ yet under it 130. Covenant of Redemption what it is and between whom 216 217 218 219. It is to be particularly improved by Believers 230 231 232. It confirms the Covenant of Grace its blessings 228 229. Covenant what 233. Gospel Covenant the best of Covenants 235 239. Covenant of Works and Grace are to be differenced by men 131. Covenant of Redemption different from Covenant of Grace 218. Creation the work of God 31. Man created holy and mutable 105. Creatures execute Gods wrath on man 189. Themselves liable to Gods wrath 190. Creeds Apostles Athanasii Nicene c. justified 20. Curse of the Law due to man by nature 181. Cure of faln man Omnipotent 208. D Death of Christ its kinde manner and grounds p. 283. The Reasons thereof 290 291 292. Death of Christ a sacrifice and only so possible 342. Deserving cause of Christ his death 345. Death of Christ was in our place and stead 347. Diligence in duty and readinesse to dye for Christ but a reasonable recompence for his death for us 297 299. Christ dyed willingly obediently and humbly 287 288 289. Death of Christ a pregnant Argument to Repentance 528 529 530. Death destroyed by the death of Christ 303. Desire accompanieth Repentance 544. Dependence on God the duty of such as believe God is 60 61. Divel an enemy to Faith 481. Divels subject to Jesus Christ 326 327. Divel limited by Christ 328. Doctrine of Trinity to be prized 82. Dominion of Saints 442. E Elect dead in sin before called and poor in the world p. 359. Entrance of sin into the world what and how 136. Enemies of man foiled by the death of Christ 301. Entertainment of Christ 434. Epistle to the Romans a Module of Religion 8. to the Hebrews 9. to Galathians ibid. Ephesians 10. Timothy and Titus ibid. Errors are obviated by a Module of Religion 12 14. Errors about Repentance 55. Error in fundamentals inconsistent with Faith 480. Morning Exercise when it begun and how profitable it hath been 23 24. Duties towards it 25. Extremity of hell torments by their inflammation fire and preparation and association with Divels 628 629 630 631. Eternity the property of hell torments 632 633. Evidences of eternal life laid down in a Module 15. Exaltation of Christ opposed to his Humiliation 306 307. It s priority to his humiliation as a merit or meer antecedent discussed 308 309. it was exceeding high 311. Exaltation of Christ by three