once being in Court and Grace I illustrate it thus There 's a Catholick Pardon in a Statute of Parliament for Grace to all Traitors and that for Treasons past and also to come upon condition that after new Treasons committed they addresse themselves to the Publike Register of the State and cause insert their names in the blank of that Act of Grace Printed and in the keeping of some Officer of State now though any one be Pardoned at his first lapse fully if he fail again and again and yet perform the condition prescribed in Law we cannot say he hath obtained twenty a hundred yea as many severall pardons of Grace as he hath failed against King and State it s but one publike Act of Grace made use of severall times so here in the Gospel there is a written Act of the Grace of God in Iesus Christ Remission to all under the Treason of sin against the Royall Crown and glory of the most High the Supreame Law-Giver and that to the acceptation of the person of the Traitor in full favour when he shall have in his conscience the transumpt or transcript of it at first and also for Grace and Pardon of all after-slips and sins against the glory of the Redemer so he sin not against the only flower of the Prerogative-Royall the operation of the Holy Ghost in a speciall manner upon condition he walk from Faith to Faith and renew his addresse to Christ the great Lord of the Rolls who keepeth the Book of life now I cannot see here many Pardons of Grace but only the double Extract or Copy of the first Act of Free-Grace Obj. 2. But the sins pardoned to the Justified person after the first justification of his person were never pardoned before and they are now pardoned therefore there must be two justifications Ans. They were virtually pardoned and so as he shall never come to condemnation for any sins past or to come but the man now standeth Justus in curia justified in the Court whereas before his first beleeving God looked at him as a judge doth at a guilty person whose person he absolveth from all punishment because his surety hath given a ransom for him and he holdeth forth that ransom to the Judge but the man in all his after faults is so far forth a sinner as that which he hath done though he be a justified David displeaseth the Lord 2 Sam. 11.27 And in so far is he pardoned but God now looketh on him as a Father on an offending Son and this Son doth not hold forth a new ransome to God but onely renew the former nor doth it infer a new acceptance of his person that he had not before 3. Nor place in God any new love of free complacency and good will but only a further manifestation thereof and a greater measure of the love of benevolence 4. It is the same Act of Free-Grace that God putteth forth in pardoning his son now fallen in sin and in accepting his person at first 2. It s the same ransome of Christs atonement of his dear blood that his Faith layeth hold on now as before 3. The pardon of this sin committed by a justified son is not the freeing of him from the eternall punishment of this sin as if he had been under eternall wrath for it before for at his first beleeving when his person was accepted he was fully and freely pardoned and freed from all the obligation to eternall wrath that all or any of his sins past present or to come might subject him unto but it is the renewing of the certainty of the sufficiency of Christs ransom as applyed to take away that sin in particular and that by a renewed Act of Faith now the renewed apprehension of the Grace of God in the same ransom of blood for righteousnesse in Christ as applied to this new guiltinesse maketh not a new forinsecall and Law-act but doth only apply the Lords first Act of Grace to this particular sin nor do I mean that Faith for Remission of sins committed after a soul is in the state of justification is nothing else but a meer reflect Act by which we apprehend and know the first acceptance of a sinner to righteousnesse for it is a direct Act apprehending the former grace of a sufficient ransom as applied to this new contracted guiltinesse for the sinner is condemned for unbelief Joh. 3.18 36. And because he believeth not he is lyable to the wrath of God now he is not condemned because he doth not to his own sense know feel and apply the Remission of sins and satisfaction purchased in Christs blood for him because then he should be condemned because he doth not believe a lie for there was never any such Remission purchased for him he is condemned not for want of sense and actuall knowledge of any such pardon but for want of confiding on Christ as on him who hath made a sufficient atonement for all that believeth and so justifying Faith is some other thing then the sense of purchased Pardon of sins Object 3. Then may I with the like boldnesse believe the Remission of these sins that I am to commit and so sin boldly because I am perswaded they cannot prevail to condemne me eternally as I may with boldnesse believe the Remission of sins already committed Ans. There is a boldnesse of faith And 2. a sinfull boldnes In regard of boldnesse of faith I am to believe the sufficiency of that unvaluable ransome that it cannot be more or lesse nor intended or remitted but doth lie under the eye of justice and equally accepted of God as able to remove the eternall guilt of all sins past present as also of those to come but it were sinfull boldnesse to commit sin because Christ hath payed for it it s a motive to the contrary not to live to our selves but to him that died for us because Christ bare our sins on his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 3.24 1 Pet. 1.18 Gal. 1.4 Rom. 6.1 2 3 4. 1 Pet. 4.1 2. For though I be perswaded there is no fear of eternall wrath in sins to be committed for my faith beleeveth freedom from that in regard of all sins there be other stronger motives to eschew sin then fear of Hell even fear of violating infinite love and mercy there 's a more prevailing and efficacious power in apprehended love to keep from sin it being saving grace then in fear of Hell which of it self is no grace 2. Fear of punishment of sin as sin is to keep from sin though it be not fear of eternall punishent the eternity of punishment is no wayes essentiall to punishment Libertines close remove this motive who will have no sin as sin in Gods Court punished in the beleever It s not punished in Order to satisfaction of justice but it followeth not that it s not punishable as sin Obj. It is mercenary and peculiar to hirelings to
double Notion of justification as D. Abbot teacheth us There is a universall and propâ—â—â—y so called justification There is a partiall and unproperly so called justification or give me leave to say There is a justification of the person of the estate or a justification repeated or rather a reiterated remission I doubt if it be called a justification The former justification doth include 1. The Act of Atonement made by Christ on the Crosse for all the sins of all the Elect of God past present and to come this Act is not tyed to believing nor are we properly justified in regard of this Act. But 2. There is a justification formall of which Paul speaketh Rom. 3. and 4. and Gal. 3 4 and 5. Chapters which goeth along in order of cause time and a required condition of apprehending Christs righteousnesse and this justification of the person while he believeth is but once done and that when the believer doth first lay hold on Christ and righteousnesse imputed in his blood There is 3. A remission and taking away of sin Now according to these are we to consider of doing away sin in a threefold Notion for though justification essentially include remission and pardon of sin yet every remission doth not include justification properly so called Asser. 2. This threefold taking away of sins I clear from the Scripture 1. Christ taketh away our sins on the Crosse causatively and by way of merit while as he suffereth for our sins on the Crosse So Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world 1 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us Col. 2.14 Christ blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to the Crosse. 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins on the tree Isa. 53.10 He made his soul an offering for sin This Atonement of blood was typified in Aaaron who Lev. 16.20 21. was to lay both his hands on the head of the Live-goat and to confesse the sins of the people and did translate them off from the people so as the Goat was to bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited v. 22. Now this was the paying of a ransome for us and a legall translation of the eternall punishment of our sins but it is not justification nor ever called justification there is a sort of imputation of sin to Christ here and a summe paid for me but with leave no formall imputation no forinsecall and no personall Law-reckoning to me who am not yet born far lesse cited before a Tribunall and absolved from sin when Christ had compleatly paid this summe Christ was justified Legally as a publike person and all his seed fundamentally meritoriously causatively but not in their persons There is a second removall of sin and that is when the beleever is justified by faith Paul Rom. 4.6 Even as David saith he also describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works 7. saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin This is the blessednesse of a man born living beleeving Now we say unproperly the heirs of a King not born are blessed Non entis nulla sunt accidentia So if Christs removall of sins on the Crosse were justification all Christs seed and we believers of the Gentiles who were not then born when Christ died should be blessed and justified before we be born Now in this which is formally the justification of the believing sinner the believers person is accepted reconciled justified and really translated by a Law-change from one state to another I mean not that there is a Physicall infusion of a new habit of sanctification and an expulsion of an old habit as Papists teach confounding regeneration or sanctification with justification But there is a reall change of the state of the person 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified c. then they were sometime not justified 2. There is here a reall removall of all sins and a pardon and relaxation from the eternall punishment of all sins as well of sins to come and not yet committed as of sins past present and already committed so as sins not yet committed shall no more involve the believer in the punishment of eternall wrath then sins past or present Yet 3. the sins not committed though virtually pardoned with correction and submission are not formally pardoned that which is not sin at all but only in a naked potency it must be pardoned only in that notion that it is a sin and not first formally remitted and then afterward committed yet it is paid for and the person freed from all actuall condemnation for it but with all conditionally and virtually so he believe in Christ and renew his repentance which graces God shall infallibly give him because the calling and gifts of God are without repentance And of this third removall of sin is that Petition that Christ hath taught justified persons to ask of God Forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sin against us And Nathan saith to David 2 Sam. 12.13 The Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die David before he contracted this horrible guilt of murther and adultery was a man according to Gods own heart and so his person was justified this way God daily taketh away sin Rom. 1.17 For therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith Now the life of faith justifying is not one single act of faith such as is at ouâ— first personall relative and universall absolution but the believer liveth by renewed and often repeated acts of faith such as is To walk from faith to faith The least faith even the Minimum quod sic doth justifie but the Gospel requireth a growth in faith In this sense remission is a continued and one prorogated act of free grace from our first moment of believing to the day of putting the crown on our head If any object that I am contrary to my self in that I sometimes did write that justification is a plenary Pardon in one indivisible act of all sins past present and to come and therefore sin cannot be oftner then once Pardoned If I should answer that the knowledge we have especially in so supernaturall a mystery is but the twilight or the day-Stars glimmering of sinfull men it might suffice but I judge that I speak nothing contrary to that Asser. 3. For two formall justifications of a Beleever I utterly deny which is that which Arminians presse not a little yea and the justification of the person and his acceptance in Gods favour is but one act I never fall from that acceptance
of bones is nothing but half a hell in the spirit is a whole hell The upper hell the grave to Ezekiah is like to swallow him up when dipped in the lower hell and covered with the apprehension of wrath O sweet Jesus what a mercy that thou swallowed up all hels to believers and calmed the sea of hell Vse If in Justification sins be blotted out cast in the depths of the Sea and removed as if they never had been the state of Justification must be a condition of sound blessednesse the most desireable life in the world Ro. 4.6 Even as David also describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered For consider 1. What an Act of Grace it is in a Prince to take a condemned malefactour from under the ax the rack the wheel and so many hours torture before he end his miserable life Or 2. Suppose he were condemned to be tortured leisurely and his life continued and prorogated that bones sinues lights joynts might be pained for twenty or thirty years so much of his flesh cut off every day such a bone broken and by Art the bone cured again and the flesh restored that he might for thirty years space every day be dying and yet never die Or 3. Imagine a man could be kept alive in torment in this case from sleep ease food clothing 500. years or a 1000. years and boiling all the time in a cauldron full of melted lead say the soul could dwell in a body under the rack the wheel the lashes and scourges of Scorpions and whips of iron the man bleeding crying in the act of dying for pain gnawing his tongue for ten hundred years now suppose a mighty Prince by an act of free grace could and would deliver this man from all this pain and torture and give him a life in perfect health in ten hundred Paradises of joy pleasure worldly happinesse and a day all the thousand years without a night a summer all this time without cloud storm winter all the honour acclamations love and service of a world of men and Angels cloath this man with all the most compleat delights perfections and vertues of minde and body set him ten thousand degrees of elevation to the top of all imaginable happinesse above Solomon in his highest Royalty or Adam in his first innocencie or Angels in their most transcendent glory and happinesse Yea 4. In our conception we may extend the former misery and pain and all this happines to the length of ten thousand years this should be thought incomparably the highest act of grace and love that any creature could extend to his fellow-creature And yet all this were but a shadow of Grace in comparison of the love and rich Grace of God in Christ in the justification of a sinner 2. Consider we are freed from the guilt of sin in justification Now this is the eternall debt of sin that remaineth after sin that none can wash away but Christ and that this remaineth after sin is acted 2. That it remaineth for eternity 3. That it is a misery we are onely in justification delivered from is cleare in Scripture 1. Because sin is a debt After the borrowed money is spent and gone somewhat in Law and justice remaineth and this is debt or obligation to make payment to the Creditour 2. So the Scripture speaketh Jer. 2.22 For though thou wash thee with Nitre and take thee much sope yet thy iniquity is marked before me Borith is an hearb that Fullers use for washing and purging yet is sin such a Leopard-spot that no Art no industry of of the creature can remove it Jer. 17.1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond it is graven upon the table of their heart and the horns of your Altars There is writ remaining after sin is acted 2. Writ written with a pen of iron and diamond to endure for eternity 3. Not written onely but ingraved and indented upon the conscience 1 Sam. 24.5 When David rent the rob of Saul his heart smote him so that it left a hole or the mark of the stripe behinde it as when a burning iron is put on the face of an evill-doer it leaveth behinde it a brand or a stigma 2. This is terrible that this brand is eternall as the Prophet prayeth Psal. 109.14 Let the iniquities of his fathers be remembred with the Lord and let not the sin of his mother be botted out 15. Let them be before the Lord continually O dreadfull The sins of wicked men shal stand up in heaven before the justice of God so long as God shal live and that is for ever and ever So the Lord sweareth By the excellency of Jacob That is by himself Amos 8.7 Surely I will never forget any of their works Joh. 10.8 All that ever came before me all that came not in by me the Door and the Way they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theeves and Robbers The false Prophets many of them were dead yet being dead saith Christ this day they are in regard of guilt Theeves and Robbers To this day above sixteen hundred years the Jews are guilty murderers though their fathers who slew the Lord of glory be dead This day Cain is a murderer Judas a traitour and shall be so long as GOD shall live and be GOD Now without shedding of Christs blood there is no remission of sins Heb. 9.22 To be delivered from eternall debt and intituled to an eternall Kingdom is a life most desireable maketh the sinner to stand in the books of Christ as the eternally ingaged debtor of Grace Young Heirs know your blessednesse aright sinners under eternall debt you laugh sport rejoice and you are firebrands of wrath you go singing and shaking and tinckling your bolts and fetters of black and unmixed vengeance Alas how can you sleep How can you laugh and sing Eat the crums The dogs desire but the least and to speak so the refuse of Christ. Doct. The meanest and worst things of Christ to speak so are incomparably to be desired above all things 1. Any thing of Christ is desirable but to lay hold on the skirt of a Jew Zac. 10.23 Because Christ that is with him is good Yea the dust of Zion is a thing that the servants of God take pleasure in Psal. 102.14 The dust and stones of Zion are not like the earth and the mules of the holy grave as Papists fondly dream and are but earth but because the Lord Christ dwelleth there therefore are they desirable The people carried their old harps to Babylon with them and Iosephs bones must be carried out of Egypt to Canaan Why Canaan was Christs land his dwelling Why but we are to love the ground that Christs feet treadeth on This I say not that I judge it holy earth that is
Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus It shall not be well while the Father and Christ the prime Heire and all the weeping children be under one roofe in the Palace-Royall it is a sort of mysticall lameness and that the head wanteth an Arme or a finger and it is a violent and forced conditon for Arme and finger to be separated from the head The Saints are little pieces of mysticall Christ sick of love for union the wife of youth that wants her husband some years and expects he shall return to her from over-sea lands is often on the shoare every ship coming near shoar is her new joy her heart loves the wind that shall bring him home she askes at every passenger news O saw you my husband what is he doing when shall he come Is he shipped for a return Every Ship that carrieth not her husband is the breaking of her heart What desires hath the Spirit and Bride to hear when the Husband Christ shal say to the mighty Angels Make you ready for the journey let us go down and divide the skies and bow the heaven I 'le gather my prisoners of hope into me I can want my Rachael and her weeping children no longer Behold I come quickly to judge the Nations The Bride the Lambs wife blesseth the feet of the Messengers that preacheth such tiding Rejoice O Zion put on thy beautifull garments thy King is coming yea she loveth that quarter of the Skie that being rent asunder and cloven shall yield to her husband when he shall put through his glorious hand and shall come riding on the Raine bow and clouds to receive her to himself The condition of the people of God in the three Kingdoms calleth for this that we now wisely consider what the Lord is doing there is a Language of the Lords fire in Zion and His furnace in Jerusalem If we could understand the voice of the crying Rod The Arrowes of God flee beyond us and beside us but wee see little of God in them We Saile but we see not shoar we fight but we have no Victory the efficacy of second causes is the whole burden of the businesse and this burden we lay upon creatures and it s more then they can bear and not upon the Lord God is crying lamenesse on creatures and multitude that his eminency of working may be more seen 2. Many are friends to the successe of Reformation not to Reformation Mens Faith go along with the promises untill Providence seem to them to belie the promise through light at a key-hole many see God in these confusions in the three Kingdoms but they fall away because their joyning with the Cause was violent kindenesse to Christ it is not a friends visite to be driven to a friends house to be dry in a showre and then occasionally to visite wife and children Christ hath too many occasionall friends but the ground of all is this I love Jesus Christ but I have not the gift of burning-quick for Christ O how securely should Faith land us out of the Gun-shot of the prevailing power of a black hour of darknesse Faith can make us able to be willing for Christ to go thorow a quarter of Hells pain Lord give us not leave to be mad with worldly wisedome 3. When the Temptation sleepeth the mad man is wise the harlot is Chaste But when the vessell is peirced out cometh that which is within either Wine or Water Yet if we should attentively lay our ears to hypocrites wee should hear that their Lute-strings do miserably jar for Hycrisie is intelligible and may bee found out Would Parliaments begin at Christ we should not fear that which certainly we have cause to fear One wo is past and another wo cometh The Prophets in the three Kingdoms have not repented of the Superstition will-worship Idolatry Persecution Prophanity Formality which made them vile before the people and the Judges and Princes who turned judgement into gall and wormwood are not humbled because they were a snare on Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor No man repenteth and turneth from his evil way no man smitteth on his thigh saying what have I done It s but black Popery the name being changed not the thing to think the by-past sins of the Land are by-past and a sort of Reformation for time to come is satisfactory to GOD Ex opere operato By the deed done Yea the divisions in the Church are a heavier plague then the raging sword These same sins against the first and second Table the reconciling of us and Babylon Pride Bribing Extortion Filthiness and intemperance unpunished blood touching blood and not revenged vanity of apparell the professed way of salvation by all kinde of Religions whatsoever are now acted in another stage by other persons but they are these same sins if that head-ship that flattering Prelates took from Jesus Christ and gave to the King be yet taken from Christ and given to men if Christs Crown be pulled off his head no matter whose head it warme it s taken from Christ both wayes I shall pray that the fatnesse of the flesh of Jacob for this do not wax leane and that the warefare of Britaine be accomplished But if the faithfull watchmen know what hour of the night it is now there be but small appearance that it is near to the dawning of Britains deliverance or that our sky shall clear in hast would God the yeare 1645. were with childe to bring forth the salvation of Britain It was once as incredible that the enemy should have entred within the gates of Jerusalem as it is now that they can enter within the Ports of London Edinburgh Dublin I speak not this to incourage Cavaliers for certainly God watcheth over them for vengeance but that we go not on farther to break with Christ the weaknesse of new heads devising new Religions and multiplying Gods for two sundry and contrary Religions argue interpretatively two sundry Gods According to the number of our Cities must come from rottennesse of our hearts O if we could be instructed before the decree that is with childe of Plagues to the sinners in Zion bring forth a man childe and before the long shadows of the evening be stretched out on us But of this Theame no more Grace is the Proposition of this following Treatise when either Grace is turned into painted but rotten nature as Arminians do or into wantonnesse as others do The error to me is of a far other and higher elevation then opinions touching Church-Government Tenacious adhering to Antinomian errors with an obstinate and finall persistance in them both as touching Faith to and suitable practise of them I shall think cannot be fathered upon any of the regenerated For it is an opinion not in the Margin and borders but in the page and body and too near the Center and vitall parts of the Gospel if any offend that I desire to anger them with good-will to
changed before God p. 407. To be justified by Faith is not barely to come to the knowledge that we are justified before we beleeve p. 410. Justification not Eternall p. 411 Faith is not only given for our joy and consolation but also for our justification both in our own soul before God 415 There 's no warrant in Scripture for two reconciliations one of mans reconciliation to God and another of Gods reconciliation to man p. 419. Christs merits no cause but an effect of Gods eternall love ibid. What reconciliation is ibid. Joy without all sorrow for sin no fruit of the Kingdome of God p. 420 The seeing of God Heb. 12.14 and the Kingdom 1 Cor. 6. Joh. 3.3 Not the Kingdom of Grace but of Glory p. 421. All acts of blood and rough dealing in God to his own acts of mercy ibid. SERM. XXV Omnipotency hath influence on 1. Satan 2. Diseases 3. Stark death 4. Mother-nothing 5. On all creatures 6. On sin to speak to them p. 424. Obedientiall power in the creation what it is p. 425. Omnipotency is as it were a servant to Faith p. 428. We worship a dependent God p. 429. We have need of the devil and other temptations for our humiliation p. 432. Immediate mercies are the sweetest mercies cleared 1. In Christ. 2. Grace 3. Glory 4· Comfort 5. The rarest of Gods works p. 433. The deceitfulnesse of our confidence when God and the creature are joyned in one work p. 442. SERM. XXVI Christ in four relations hath dominion over Devils p. 446. Satan goeth no where without a Passe p. 448. We often sign Satans conditionall Passe ibid. A renewed will is a renewed man p. 451. Eight positions concerning the will and affections ibid. A civill will is not a sanctified will ibid. The yeelding of the soul to God and to his light a special note of a renewed will ibid. Affections sanctified especially desires p. 453. The lesse mixture in the affections the stronger are their operations ibid. Minde and affections do reciprocally vitiate one another p. 454. Spirituall desires seek naturall things spiritually Carnall desires seek spirituall things naturally p. 455. God submitteth his liberality of Grace to the measure of a sanctified will in four considerations ibid. Our affections in their acts and comprehension are far below spirituall objects Christ and Heaven p. 456. More in Christ and Heaven then our faith can reach in this life p. 457. SERM. XXVII Satan not cast out of a land or a person but by violence both to Satan and the party amplified in four considerations p. 460. False peace known p. 462. A roaring and a raging Devil is better then a calm and a sleeping Devil ibid. Gods way of hardning as it is mysterious so it is silent and invisible p. 465. The Triall and Triumph of Faith SERMON I. Mar. 7.24 And from thence he arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon and went into an house and would that no man should know it but he could not be hid Matth. 15.21 Then Jesus went thence and came into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon V. 22. And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cryed unto him saying Have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David for my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil Mar. 7.25 For a certain woman whose young little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell at his feet V. 26. The woman was a Greek a Syrophoenician by Nation and she besought him that hee would cast forth the Devil out of her daughter THis Text being with childe of Free-Grace holdeth forth to us a Miracle of note and because Christ is in the work in an eminent manner and there is here also much of Christs new creation and a floor planted and watered by Christs own hand a strong faith in a tryed woman it requireth the bending of our heart to attention for to any seeking Iesus Christ this Text cryeth Come and see The words for their scope drive at the wakening of beleevers in Praying when an answer is not given at the first to a fixed and resolved lying and dying at Christs door by continuing in Prayer while the King come out and open and answer the desire of the hungry and poor 2. For the subject they are a History of a rare Miracle wrought by Christ in casting forth a Devil out of the Daughter of a Woman of Canaan and for Christ to throw the Devill out of a Canaanite was very like the white Banner of Christs Love displayed to the Nations and the Kings Royall Standard set up to gather in the Heathen under his colours The parts of the Miracle are 1. The place where it was wrought Math. 15.21 2. The parties on whom the Mother and the possessed Daughter she is described by her Nation 3. The impulsive cause she hearing came and prayed to Iesus for her little Daughter In which there is a Dialogue between Christ and the Woman containing Christs trying of her 1. With no answer 2. With a refusal 3. With the reproach of a dog 4. Her instancy of Faith 1. In crying till the Disciples interposed themselves 2. Her going on in adoring 3. Praying 4. Arguing by Faith with Christ that she had some interest in Christ though amongst the dogs yet withall as Grace hath no evil eye not envying because the morning market of Christ and the high Table was the Jews due as the Kings Children so she might be amongst the dogs to eat the crumbs under Christs Table knowing that the very refuse of Christ is more excellent then ten worlds 4. The Miracle it self wrought by the womans faith in which we have Christs heightning of her Faith 2. The granting of her desire 3. The measure of Christs bounty as thou wilt 4. The healing of her Daughter Mark saith that the woman came to Christ in a house Matthew seemeth to say that she came to him in the way as these words do make good send her away for she cryeth after us Augustine thinketh that the woman first came to Christ while he was in the house and desired to be hid either because he did not for offending the Jews openly offer himself to the Gentiles having forbidden his Disciples to go to the Samaritans or because he would have his glory hid for a time or rather of purpose he did hide himself from the woman that her faith might finde him out and then refusing to answer the woman in the house she still followeth him in the way and cryeth after him as Matthew saith For Christs Love is 1. Liberal but yet it must be suited and Christ though he sell not his Love for the penny worth of our sweating and paines yet must we dig low for such a gold-mine as Christ. 2. Christs Love is wise he holdeth us knocking while our desire be love-sick for him and knoweth that delayes raiseth and heighteth the market and
Debtor both to the Greeks and the Barbarians both to the wise and unwise Grace awed him as a Debt layeth fetters on an ingenious minde he cannot but out his free and honest mind in paying what he oweth 6. Gods Desertion cannot so hide and over-cloud Christ but against sense the Childe of God must beleeve yea and pray in Faith Ps 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 2. O my God I cry by day Though sin over-cloud Christ and David fall in Adultery and blood there 's a seed of Christ that must cast out blossoms he cannot but repent and sorrow Gods Decree of grace in the execution of it may be broken in a link by some great sin but Christ cannot but soader the chain and raise the fallen sinner It shall be usefull then for the Saints when the spirit cometh in his stirrings and impetuous acts to co-operate with him and to answer his wind-blowing It s good to hoyse up sail and make out when a fair wind and a strong tide calleth sometime Grace maketh the heart as a hot Iron its good then to smite with the hammer When your spirit is Docile and there cometh a gale of Christs sweet West-wind and rusheth in with a warmnesse of heart in a praying disposition to retire to a corner and powre out the soul before the Lord as we are to take Christ at his word so are we to take Christs spirit at his work He knocketh knock thou with him His fingers make a stirring upon the handles of the bar and drop down pure myrhe Let thy heart make a stirring with his fingers also I grant wind maketh sailing and all the powers on Earth cannot make wind yet when God maketh wind the Sea-men may draw sails and lance forth God preventeth in all these the spirit beateth fire out of our slint we are to lay to a match and receive reach in the heart under the stirrings of Free-grace obey dispositions of Grace as God himself when the Sun riseth the Birds may sing but their singing is no cause of the Sun rising 2. It s no truth of God that some teach that the justified in Christ are of duty always tied to one and the same constant act of rejoycing with out any mixture of sadnesse and sorrow for so they cannot 1. Obey and follow the various impressions of the Lords absence and presence of Christs Sea ebbing and flowing of his shining and smiling and his lowring and frowning 2. The Faith of a justified condition doth not root out all affections nay not Love Faith desire and joy if there be sin remaining in the justified there 's place of sadnesse for fear for sorrow for the scumme of affections are removed by Christ not the affections themselves 3. Christ for meer triall sometimes for sin other times doth cover himself with a cloud and withdraw the sense of his favour and it s a cursed joy that is on foot when the Lord hideth his face The Love of Christ must be sick and sad I mean the Lover when the beloved is under a cloud It is not the new world with the Regenerate man here nor a Land where there 's nothing but all Summer all Sun neither night nor clouds nor Rain nor Storm that is the condition of the second Paradice of the better Adam 4. It s a just and an innocent sorrow to be grieved at that which grieveth the Holy spirit and when the Lyon roareth all the Beasts of the field are afraid Grace maketh not Iob a stock nor Christ a man who cannot weep And behold a Woman of Canaan And a certain Woman Of the Woman 1. But one person of all Tyrus and Sidon came to him 2. She was a Syrophenician by Nation 3. Her condition She had a Daughter vexed with a Devill 4. With an unclean Devill 5. The nearer occasion She heard of him 6. She adored 7. She prayed and so way is made to the conference between Christ and her And to the Triall and Miracle A certain Woman There is but one of all Tyrus and Sidon who came to Christ. 1. It beseemeth the mercy of the good shepherd to leave ninety and nine sheep in the Wildernesse and go after one which is lost Luke 15.4 And when all is done alas he hath but one of an whole hundred Christ hath not the tithe of mankinde He maketh a Journey while he is wearied and thirsty through Samaria yea and wanteth his dinner for one Woman at that draught of his net and thinketh he dineth like a King and above if he save one Ioh. 4.33 34. O sweet husbands word Jer. 3.14 I am married to you and I will take you one of a citie and two of a Tribe and I will bring you to Zion Christ taketh sinners not by dozens not by thousands its but once in all the word Act. 2. that three Thousand are converted at once but by one's and two 's Though Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a Remnant shall but bee saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.27 Esa. 10.22 The Reliques and Refuse shall be saved only 2. Common Love scarce amounteth to Grace because Grace is separative and singleth out one of many all graced persons are priviledged persons Heaven is a house of chosen and priveledged ones there 's no common stones in the New Jerusalem but all precious stones the foundations Saphirs the windows Agats and Carbuncles all the Borders of pleasant stones Esa. 54.11 12. 3. Christs way lyeth so of two grinding at the mil of two in the field together of two in one bed Christ wil have but one Christ often wil not have both husband and wife both Father and Son but the one Brother Iacob not Esau of a whole house Christ cometh to the Devils fire side and chuseth one and draweth him out and leaveth all the Family to the devil 4. Christ knoweth them well whom he chuseth Grace is a rare peece of the choise and the floor of the love of Heaven there bee many common stones not many Pearls not many Diamonds and Saphirs The multitude be all Arminians from the womb every Heresie is a peece of the old Adams wanton wit thousands go to Hell black Hereticks and Heterodox as touching the Doctrine of themselves every man hath Grace if you believe himself Vnusquisque est in eâ heresi every man taketh Heaven for his home and heritage Dogs think to rest in Christs bosome men naturally believe though they be but up and down with Christ yet Christ doth so bear them at good-will as to give Grace and Glory Obj. 1. Gods Love is not infinite if it bee limited to a few Ans. This should conclude that there be an infinite number of Men and Angels to whom Gods Love to Salvation is betrothed in affection but his love is infinite in its Act not in its Object The way of carrying on his love is infinite Obj. 2. To ascribe
But is considered as a disease troubling his childe which in love and in pity he seeketh to make riddance of in manner aforesaid and not in anger and displeasure It s true Papists hold that when God forgiveth sin in David he forgiveth not the punishment for David is punished with the sword on his house for that same sin but it is known that this doctrine is a too-fal and Pillar to underprop the Chamber in Hell which they call Purgatory and that their meaning is that punishment inflicted on a justified person is a punishment satisfactory to the justice of God that so they may make the merits of the Saints suffering to ride up as a collateral sharer with the high noble blood of the killed Lamb of God who onely satisfactorily taketh away the sins of the world This we disclaim But on the other hand we hold that there is another justice in God then that legall and sin-revenging justice which Christs sufferings hath expiated and fully satisfied both in regard of Gods acceptation and of the intrinsecall worth of the death of him who was God the Prince of life And this other justice is also the justice of an offended Father correcting though in mercy and so it is a mixt justice the sins of the Saints as sins 1. Because the sins of the Saints are not only the offending of divine revenging justice but also a wrong done against this mixt justice and against the mercy and kindnesse of God 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. Exod. 20.1 2. Psal. 81.6 7 10 11 Psal. 78 11 12 13 42 53 54 55 56. Deut. 32.11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. Amos. 3.2 And therefore God doth punish in his own sins as sins 2. 1 Cor. 11. Those who are not to perish with the world are for this cause because they eat and drink unworthily sick and punished with death v. 30 32 33. It is clear against the Text that Mr. Towne saith That a justified person having the least measure of Faith cannot eat drink unworthily the smallest Faith maketh them worthy and so those who in that Text did eat unworthily did but dally with the Gospel and never actually put on Christ. But Faith doth no more hinder a justified person to receive the Lords Supper unworthily then it doth hinder him to commit adultery or incest or to kill and whosoever should come to the Lords Table under these sins without repenting should Eat and Drink unworthily and such a sin may a believer according to Gods heart as David was commit and there is great oddes between being unworthy and eating unworthily all believers of themselves are unworthy of Christ and Salvation but being in Christ by Faith they are counted worthy and yet they may Eat and Drink unworthily but Mr. Townes sense seemeth to carry That a justified person cannot sin nor Eat and Drink unworthily because Faith maketh him worthy and if so the way of Grace is a wanton merry way the justified are freed from the Law and from any danger of sinning 3. Nothing more evident then that David was punished according to the rule of that mixed and fatherly justice which keeps a due proportion between the sin and the punishment his sin was to cut off Vriahs house out of Israel God sendeth the sword against his house all his dayes he took another mans wife secretly and did commit filthinesse with her the Lord took his wives before the Sun and gave them to Absolon who defiled his bed Here 's justice though I grant mixed with mercy sword for sword bed for bed 2 Sam. 12. Eli honoured his sons more then God suffered them to profane Priesthood and Sacrifices justice rooted out his sons from Priesthood and Sacrifices Hezekiah out of his pride shewed all his Treasures and all that was in his house to the King of Babylons Messengers and justice measured out the like to him all that was in his house and all his treasures were carried away as a spoile to Babylon 4. Ezek. 9.6 Slay old and young begin at my sanctuary Luk. 1.20 And behold thou shalt be dumb because thou believest not my word The Church of God In terminis saith so much Lamen 1.18 The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandment 14. The yoke of my transgression is bound by his hand they are wreathed and come up upon my neck ch 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin 40. Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord Isa. 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil Israel to the Robbers did not the Lord against whom we have sinned Mica 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned 2 Kin. 24.20 For through the anger of the Lord it came to passe in Ierusalem and Iudah untill he had cast them out from his presence that Zedekiah rebelled against the King of Babylon It s not of weight that is brought to take off the force of these pregnant Scriptures The Church consisting of mixed persons good and bad elect and reprobate say they is according to the wicked party punished in justice but not the believing party But I answer all Iudah good and and ill Ieremiah Daniel and all the holy seed were involved with the perverse and obstinate Idolaters in the same common calamity of a sad captivity and it was not the ill figs and stiffe-necked Idolaters that did confesse the Lords Righteousnes and their own Rebellion against the Lord nor did the wicked party enter in a Triall of their wayes and acknowledge that the unregenerate man only suffereth for his sins nor did any of that side with patience hope and silence bear the indignation of the Lord it was the true Church Gods Iacob the meek of the earth that did thus stoop to Gods correction and yet these same were punished for their sins as they acknowledge Lam. 1.18 Mic. 7.9 5. This is also against the Covenant and threatnings thereof Lev. 26.21 And if ye walk contrary to me and will not hearken to me I will bring seven times more plagues on you to vers 41. If then in their heavy afflictions their uncircumcised hearts be humbled and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity 42. Then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob Psal. 89.30 If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgements c. 32. Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod their iniquitie with stripes 33. Neverthelesse my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take from him c. Nothing more evident then that these that are in the Covenant of Grace from whom God cannot remove the sure mercies of David are visited for their iniquities with temporall Rods. 6. It is against Gods anger and displeasure at the sins of his own children for God is really angry at his own childrens sins and why then doth he not punish them for their sins Exod. 4.14 The anger
of the Lord was kindled against Moses Deut. 1.37 Also the Lord was angry with me for your sake And the story sheweth because Moses sanctified not the Lord at the waters of Meribah God would not suffer him to set his foot in the holy Land 2 Chr. 11.9 God was angry with Solomon Deut. 1.20 The Lord was very angry with Aaron 2 Chro. 19.2 The Prophet Jehu said to Jehosaphat that good King There is wrath upon thee from the Lord Isa. 60.10 For in my wrath I smote thee but in my favour I have had mercy on thee 7. The contrary error is founded upon two other errors that all afflictions are subservient Officers and Sergeants to the Law and so they are signes of Gods wrath as is the Law and as Beleevers are freed from the ruling power of the Law so also from the Rod. But this is false for Gods rod of it self is neither a signe of revenging justice nor of free mercy but it taketh its nature and specification from the intention and minde of God all these externalls fall alike to Elect and Reprobate The repenting Theefe and the blaspheming Theefe are under the same Rod of God both die a violent death wicked Ahab and good Josiah are both killed in War the Botches and Agues threatned in the Law Deut. 28.60 are upon Job chap. 2. v. 7. What maketh then the same Rod to be a work of revenging justice in the Reprobate and of justice mixed and temperd with mercy and fatherly kindnesse in the other Certainly Gods pleasure and wise intention punishing for different ends varieth the nature of the rods so as an intention to take satisfactory vengeance on the Reprobate specifieth his Rod and maketh it punishment of black wrath of salt and unmixed justice on him and this intention is an essentiall ingredient in satisfactory punishment God writeth and ingraveth upon the tooth-ake of a Reprobate a parcell of Hell and he stampeth upon burning-quick racking and tortering the ingraving of Heaven of mercy and loving kindnesse in the Beleever bastard Crosses and lawfully begotten afflictions have the same Father but not the same Mother 2. If the Patrons of this error could make Gods rod as Aâ—bitrary as they fancy the duties of the teaching and ruling Law of God to be they should cry down all Crosses and send all the justified persons to heaven with a Passe securing them from all afflicton in the way to heaven and so Christ should bring his many children to glory with dry faces and whole skins whereas Christ himself passed to heaven with the tear in his eye and a bruised soul. The other error is that Christ hath made a full atonement for sin and fully satisfied justice for all that are justified in his blood and therefore they cannot be punished for sin themselves But 1. There is more in the conclusion then in the premises Ergo the justified cannot suffer satisfactory punishment for sin either in whole or part this is most true no mans garments were ever dyed with on drop of red satisfactory vengeance for sin Christ hath alone trode this Vine-presse and of all the Nations there was none with him but yet it no wayes followeth that the regenerate doth not suffer punishment for sin according to the rule of another mixed and tempered justice 2. If this Argument from Christs suffering have nerves it shall conclude that the Elect before they be justified are never punished for sin more then beleeving Saints are yea that God is not displeased with Abrahams Idolatry before his conversion nor with Manassehs blood nor with Sauls persecution because Christ payed justice for sins of Elect persons committed before justification as for sins committed after justification We can fetch no conclusion of a bad condition from affliction It s a part of tendernesse of Conscience in the Regenerate to be too applicatory of the Law and of wrath I am afflicted above all others therefore God is angry with me and I am cast off by God It s a bad consequence there be some Rules to be observed in affliction 1. We are not either to over-argue or to under-argue neither to faint nor dispise Heb. 12. Conscience is too quick-sighted after illumination and too dull-sighted before The reasons why we argue from afflictions to Gods hatred are 1. There 's a Conscience of a Conscience in the beleever that is even in an inlightned Conscience there is some ill Conscience to deem ill of God Psal. 31.22 For I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes This is a hasty Conscience as we say Such a one is a hasty man and soon saddled easily provoked to anger this is a Conscience soon provoked to anger 2. We have not that love and charity to God that we have to some Friend we have such a love to some dear Friend that all his blacks are white his seeming injuries to us do not provoke us we say I can beleeve no evill of such a man and we over-shoot our selves in an over-charge and surfet of charity which proceedeth from a Superplus and dominion of Love to a creature We are in the other extremity to God and Jesus Christ Sense of affliction cooleth our Love and we cannot extend charity so far to our Lord as when we see he dealeth hardly with us to keep the other ear without prejudice free from the report that affliction and the sense of affliction maketh 3. The flesh joyneth with affliction against God affliction whispereth wrath justice sin and the flesh saith That is very true For flesh hateth God and so must slander his Dispensation Ahab could not but slander Micaiah he never Prophesieth good saith he to me Is not Gods Truth good Surely every word of Prophesie is like gold seven times tried The reason of the slander is given by himself I hate him The other extremity is that we under-argue in affliction as 1. We say It s not the Lord the Philistims doubted whither God had sent the Emrods on them for keeping the Ark captive or if chance had done it its grace to father the crosse right 2. We look seldome spiritually on the crosse a carnall eye upon a crosse is a plague Esa. 42.23 Gods anger set him on fire round about and he knew not and it burned him and he laid it not to heart It s strange that Gods fire should burn a man and yet he neither seeth nor feeleth fire Why there 's something of God in the crosse that the carnall eye cannot see because as Zophar saith Job 20.26 A fire not blown shall consume him Some make it and not without reason a fire that hath no noise of bellows or wind to make it take fire and to flame up some are burnt and they neither hear nor see there 's a white powder that burneth and maketh no noise or sound a dumb rod is twice a rod we scarce see what God is doing in this War we are
Nor is that of Jeremiahs to be put in Christs golden censure to be presented to the Father Jer. 15.18 Wilt thou be altogether to me as a Liar and as waters that fail nor that of Job 13.24 Wherefore holdest thou me for thy enemy Christ washeth sinners in his blood but he washeth not sin he advocateth for the man that prayeth to have him accepted but not for the upstarts and boylings of corruption and the flesh that are mixed with our Prayer to have them made white Christ rejecteth these things in prayer that are essentially ill but he washeth the prayer and causeth the Father accept it There be so many other things that are a powring out of the soul in prayer as groaning sighing looking up to heaven breathing weeping that it cannot be imagined how far short printed and read prayers cometh of vehement praying for you cannot put sighs groans tears breathing and such heart messengers down in a printed Book nor can paper and ink lay your heart in all its sweet affections out before God the Service-book then must be toothlesse and spiritlesse talk SERMON VII SOn of David O Lord thou son of David In this compellation consider why Christ is called the son of David never the son of Adam never the son of Abraham It s true he is called frequently the Son of man but never when any prayeth to him and he is reckoned in his Genealogy Davids son Abrahams son the son of Adam but the son of David is his ordinary stile when prayers are directed to him in the days of his flesh The Reasons are 1. Christ had a speciall relation to Abraham being his seed but more speciall to David Because the Covenant was in a speciall maner established with David as a King and the first King in whose hand the Church the feeding thereof as Gods own flock was as Gods depositum and pawn laid down the Lord established the Covenant of Grace with David and his son Solomon who was to build him a house and promised to him an Eternall Kingdom and Grace and perseverance in Grace and that by a sure Covenant the sure mercies ef David Esa. 55.3 2 Sam. 7.8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. 1 Chron. 22.9 10. 2 Sam. 23.5 Yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire Psal. 89.3 I have made a covenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant 4. Thy seed will I establish for ever and build up thy Throne to all generations vers 21 22 23 24 25 26 27.28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37. Gabriel the Angel speaketh the same to Zacharias Luk 1.32.33 So vers 68 69. Acts 13.34 35 36 37. Acts 2.30 Now it was necessary that Christ the Messiah should lineally descend of a King Abraham was not a King Adam was not formally a king by covenant as David was 2. Christ changeth names with David as he never did with any man Christ is never called Abraham but Ezek. 34.23 24. David my servant shall be a Prince among them Hos. 3.5 They shall seek the Lord their God and David their King 3. David entred to a Typicall Throne against the heart of Jew and Gentile Psal. 2.1.2 And so did Christ Acts 4.25 26. And did feed the people of God in the midst of many enemies Psal. 110.1 2. And so did Christ Acts 2.34 35 36. Not so Abraham he was a befriended man in a strange Land That which I aime at is this by the received Divinity of the Jews and of the Gentiles who knew God Christ was a King by the Covenant of Grace and the speciall party of the new Covenant as was David This may be made more evident if we enquire a little in the Covenant 1. What it is 2. Who be the parties 3. What promises 4. What condition 5. What properties 6. Some uses with all Brevity The Covenant is here a joynt and mutuall bargain between two according to which they promise freely such and such things each to other hence God and man made up a solemn bargain in Christ 2. They both consent Christ forced not his Spouse to marry against her will nor was God forced to make a covenant Love and Grace was that which lead Christs hand at the pen in signing the covenant with his blood 3. As a cluster of Stars maketh a constellation a body of Branches a Tree so a masse of Promises concurreth in this Covenant Where ever Christ is clusters of Divine Promises groweth out of him as the Motes Rayes and Beams from the Sun and a family as it were and a society of Branches out of a Tree 4. There is here giving and receiving Christ offereth and giveth such and such favours we receive all by beleeving except the grace of Faith which cannot be received by Faith but by free favour and grace without us in God Grace first and last was all our happinesse If there had not been a Saviour to borrow that expression made all of Grace grace it self we could never have had dealing with God 2. The parties of the Covenant are God and Man Oh how sweet that such a Potter and such a former of all things should come in terms of Bargaining with such clay as is guilty before him Now the parties heer on the one part is GOD on the other The Mediator Christ and the children that the Lord gave him Observe 1. In the covenant of Nature and Works God and his friend Adam were parties contracting And in the second covenant God and his fellow Christ and all his are parties a covenant of Peace cannot be between an Enemy and an Enemy as they are such those who were Enemies must lay down wrath ere they enter into covenant contraries as contraries cannot be united God being the sole author of this covenant did lay aside enmity first Love must first send out love as fire must cast out heat It s true this covenant is made with sinners as God made the covenant of nature with Adam yet righteous but an Union covenant wise could never have been except God had in a manner bowed to us and grace proved out of measure gracious Christ is the party here so Christ hath a seven fold relation 1. As he is more then a creature he is the Covenant it self 2. As he dealeth between the parties he is the Messenger of the Covenant 3. As he saw and heard and testifieth all he is the Witnesse of the Covenant 4. As he undertaketh for the parties at variance he is the Surety of the Covenant 5. As he standeth between the contrary parties he is the Mediator of the Covenant 6. As he signeth the Covenant and closeth all the Articles he is the Testator of the Covenant 7. As he is a side or the half of the Covenant he is the Party contracting in the Covenant For the first Isa. 42.6 I
common servant to both Gods servant in a hard piece of service as ever was Isa. 52.13 Isa. 42.1 Behold my servant Isa. 53.11 My righteous servant yea and our servant Mat. 20.28 He came not to be served but to serve and give his life a ransome for many Alas both parties did smite him Isa. 53.10 It pleased the Lord to bruise him Rom. 8.32 God spared not his own Son and the other party his own smote him Mat. 21.38 This is the heire come let us kill him say they and seize on the inheritance This was cold incouragement to sweet Jesus if it had been referred to us for shame we could not have asked God to be a suffering Mediator for us there 's more love in Christ then Angels and men could fathom in their conceptions 6. The Covenant is the Testament of our dead friend Jesus he died to confirme the Testament Heb. 9.16.17 Every blood could not seal the Covenant Christs blood as dying sealed the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 It both expiated the sins of the Covenanters and also brought back the great Shepheard of the sheep from death For Christ having once paid blood and died it was free to the Surety to come out of prison when he had paid the sum 7. The seventh relation of Christ maketh way to the parties and here Christ cometh under a double consideration one as God so he is one with the Father and spirit and the Lord and the Author of the Covenant 2. As Mediator and so he is on our side of the Covenant Then is the Covenant made with Christ and all his heirs and assignes principally with Christ and with Abrahams nature in him but personally with believers 1. The Scripture saith so Gal. 3.16 The Promise or Covenant is made to Abraham and to his seed he saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ. I grant Beza Piscator and many expound Christ for mysticall Christ for say they it cannot be meant of Christ personally for so it should fight with the scope of Paul who proveth the Promise of life eternall to be made to all believers 2. It should follow that life eternall is given to Christ only but with leave this is not sure for the truth is the promise is neither made to Christs person singly considered nor to Christ Mysticall For 1. The promise is made to Christ in whom the Covenant was confirmed v. 17. 2. In whom the Nations were blessed 14. 3. In whom we receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith 14. Who was made a curse for us ver 13. Now not any of these can agree to Christ Mysticall Christ Mysticall did not confirm the Covenant nor give the Spirit nor was he made a curse but Christ Mediator is he to whom the Promises are made and in him to all his heirs and kindred not simply in his person but as a publike person and Mediator 1. Because the Scripture saith to Abraham and to his seed that is Christ was the Covenant made and these words of the Covenant Ps. 89.26 He shall cry to me thou art my Father my God c. are expounded Heb. 1.5 And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a son and Joh. 20.17 Go to my brethren and say to them I ascend unto my Father and your Father to my God and to your God So Christ the heir of all things and the second heirs under him are all but one confederate-Family 2. The covenant made with David and his seed and the Fathers is fulfilled to Christ and his seed Act. 13.34 35. As concerning that he raised him up from the dead no more to see corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure mercies of David 3. As the covenant of nature and works was made with Adam and all his and there were not two covenants so here the better covenant coming in the place of the former is made with the second Adam and his children Rom. 5.18 19. 1 Cor. 15.20 c. 4. All that serveth to make a covenant are here 1. God demandeth of his son that he lay down his life and for his labour he promiseth that he shall see his seed and God shall give him many children Isa. 53.10 2. The son consenteth to lay down his life and saith Here am I to do thy will thou hast given me a body This is the formality of a covenant when Christ consenteth to the condition Now this covenant was manifested in time between the Father and the Son but it was transacted from eternity This is comfortable that the Father and Christ transacted a Bargain from eternity concerning thee by Name There was communing between the Father and Son concerning thy heaven Father what shall be given to thy Justice to ransom such a one Iohn Anna c. And Christ from eternity did binde for such a person he shall believe in time The Redemption of Sinners is not a work of yesterday or a businesse of chance it was well advised and in infinite wisdom contrived therefore put not Christ to be challenged of his ingagement by refusing the Gospel when thou believest thou makest Christs word good he that believeth not maketh God a liar though in another sense and for ought he knoweth even in this that he frustrateth Christs undertaking in the covenant Men believe the Gospel to be a cunningly devised Fable 2 Pet. 1.16 The Father and Christ are both in this businesse Heaven Hell Justice Mercy Souls and deep Wisdom are all in this rare piece and yet men think more of a Farm and an Oxe Luke 14.18.19 and of a Pin in the State or a Straw or of the bones of a crazy livelyhood or a House 3. Touching the Promises 1. There is no good thing but it is ours by free promise and not by simple donation only this covenant turns over Heaven Earth Sea Land Bread garments sleep the World Life Death into free grace yea it maketh Sin and crosses golden Sins and crosses by accident through the acts of supernaturall providence toward us 1 Cor. 3.21 Rom. 8.28 working on and about our sins 2. All good cometh to us now not immediatly but through the hands of a free Redeemer and though he be a man who redeemed us yet because he is God there is more of God and Heaven and free Love in all our good things then if we received them immediatly from God as Ravens have their food from God without a Mediator and devils have their being only by creature-right not by covenant-right Now for the promises they flow from God to us but all along they fall first on Christ they are of two sorts 1. Some only given to Christ not to us as the Name above all names to be adored and set at the right hand of God is properly promised to Christ Angels share not with him in this Chaire Phil.
place the Father his place Faith its place the sinner his place 1. Vse· All without this covenant are miserable Christ undertaketh not for them The Lord dealeth with them by Law read Deut. 28. Lev. 26. Job 20. chap. 18. and 27. They have bread but it s not sure not so the beleever Isa. 33.16 His bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure The beleever has all by the free holding of Grace his bread by covenant his sleep by promise safety from the sword to lie down and no man shall make them afraid by covenant his land is tilled by the Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36.34 The man not in this covenant hath all by tenour of the condemning Law the weapon of Steel shall go through bones and liver by vertue of the curses of the Law 2. Men never try their standing whether they be under the first husband of the Law or if they be married to the better husband Christ and under Grace where art thou O sinner in Christ or no They live at random and by chance not knowing that the two covenants hath influence on eternity a man is judged according to his state rather then his actions 3. No state so stable and sure as the covenant of Grace Christ is surety for the believer that he fall not away Christ honour is ingaged he shall not have shame of his Tutory Isa. 50.7 I know I shall not be ashamed saith Christ It s his honour to raise me when I fall 4. We may use arguments of Faith challenging God Jer. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned why For thou art the Lord my God The Covenant is Faiths Magna Charta the grand mother-promise all prayers must be bottomed on this Jer. 14.21 Do not abhor us Why vers 22. Art not thou he the Lord God Isaiah 64.9 Remember not our iniquity for ever behold see we beseech thee Why we are all thy people every one doth for its own the Prince for his own People the Father for his own children yea the damme for her own young ones the Shepherd for his own sheep and God for his own in covenant with him an offensive and defensive covenant of Peace and War taketh in the believer and all that serveth him the stones of the field Job 5.23 and in covenant with the horse thou ridest on that it shall not cast thee and crush thee in covenant with the sword with the Canon and Musket with the Spear and Bow yea with Death as a Boat to carry thee over the water to thy fathers Land So the Covenant I 'le blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee Isa. 54.16 I have created the water to destroy Creation is a work of omnipotency only no creature can do it Then fire cannot consume water cannot drown the Saints except by a dispensation of the Lord. 5. Christ is not fastned as a loose nail or as one broken or rotten wedge in the covenant He is there as a nail in a sure place Zach. 10.4 Isa. 22 23. Hang all the vessells of the Fathers house on Christ He cannot break O sweet we are given to the Surety of the covenant Ioh. 17.3 Son answer for him thy life for his life thy glory for his glory and render account of him when the Kingdom shall be given up to the Father Adam was surety in the first covenant and so it fell out free-will holdeth all sure in the Arminian Covenant 6. In desertion to swim upon the covenant keepeth from sinking so Christ in his sad and black hour My God my God why hast thou forsaken me SERMON IX O Lord thou Son of David The one word O Lord holdeth forth Christs Godhead the other Son of David holdeth forth his Man-hood Here 's the perfection of our Mediator in that he is the substantiall Covenant and Emanuel God with us or God us in a personall union the substantiall marriage and aliance between the two houses of Heaven and Earth God and clay 2. He is not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 And why would he take part of flesh and blood but because he would be a child of our house vers 14. 3. He would be of blood to us not only come to the sick and to our bed side but would lie down and be sick taking on him sick clay and be in that condition of clay a worm and not a man that he might pay our debts and would borrow a mans heart and bowels to sigh for us mans eyes to weep for us his Spouses body legs and arms to be pierced for us our earth our breath our life and soul that he might breath out his life for us a mans tongue and soul to pray for us and yet he would remain God that he might perfume the obedience of a High Priest with heaven and give to justice blood that chambered in the veins and body of God in whom God had a personall lodging 1. Vse O what love Christ would not intrust our redemption to Angels to millions of Angels but he would come himself and in person suffer he would not give a low and a base price for us clay he would buy us with a great ransom so as he might over-buy us and none could over-bid him in his market for souls if there had been millions of moe believers and many heavens without any new bargain his blood should have bought them all and all these many heavens should have smelled one Rose of Life Christ should have been one and the same Tree of Life in them all O we under-bid and under-value that Prince of love who did over-value us we will not sell all we have to buy him he sold all he had and himself too to buy us 2. Vse What an incomparable thing must the Mediator God-man be There 's no fair creature no excellent one but there 's a peece of nothing and creature-basenesse and creature-vanity in it even a thing of blood to the mother-nothing of the creation of God there is no Rose but it hath a Brier growing out of it except the Rose of Sharon that flower of the field not planted with hands the Son without a Father and who shall declare his generation A Rose that should smell and cast out odours for a mile of earth or for ten miles could draw to it many beholders but if it should smell for the bounds of the half of the earth it should be more admirable the flower that sprang out of the root of Jesse spreads his beauty and the odours of his myrhe through heaven and earth could the darknesse of hell stand and look on the face of the Sun blacknesse of darknesse should be better seen but convene all the little pieces of the Creation summon before Christ faire Angels all the Troops of the sin-lesse glorified spirits the broad skies fair heavens lightsome stars all the
wise Lord create such a Tree of Knowledge the tasting whereof was the second death by Law and that in Eves eye Why did not God fortifie the first besieged Castle Eves will and minde with grace that the day should not have been the Divels But O vain man is the potter holden to make a vessell of earth as strong as a vessel of Iron or Brasse that though it fall by no fault of the maker it shall not be broken We may say to superiors of clay yea to Angels Who art thou that commandest And beside we may say What dost thou and Why doest thou and What commandest thou another Gospel or no And we may take their will with a reserve But we may know of God Quis who he is that he is Jehovah But we are not to inquire quid and cur Lord Why doest thou this or Lord What is it that thou commandest The Agent here warrants the action and all its motives God infuseth wisdom and goodnesse in all his wayes because they are his wayes goodnesse is a stranger to what Angels and men do except there be a safer Law for their doing then their person God must have absolute obedience though he seeketh no blinde obedience mens actions must be warranted not only from the wisdom of the doer but also from the nature of the deed Gods actions have all and abundance of goodnesse in them from the Lord. It s enough to me what I suffer I mean it ought to be enough if ten Hells for one sin if the absolute former of all things do it we love to put law on God whereas to examine mens commandements is religion we take them upon trust and to examine Gods ways is arrogancy yet we must judge God We see in permitting sin in bloods in confusion in the fall of Adam more fairnesse beauty and glory in Christ Iesus and his new Heaven then we can see of blacknesse of Hell of sin in Divels and in sin possibly it should have been lawfull to the Creature and to Angels to permit sin so they could and would from thence raise a Gospel an heaven of Free-grace Now for temptations from God we are to consider that they are all reason all wisdome all goodnesse 1. Pos. Christ saith to the Disciples of her it had been some comfort if he had given her self but one word I am not sent for this woman nor for any of her blood and kindred she is a Gentile I am sent primarily for Jews Hence Christ may in words and to the apprehension of weak ones say I am not thy Saviour thou art not any of my redeemed ones Christ may give rough answers when he hath a good minde he put a hard word upon the Noble-man Joh. 4. that came to him for his dying son Ye and all your nation will not beleeve except you see signes and wonders Never any man saw and apprehended harder things of God then Ieremiah chap. 15. vers 18. Wilt thou be altogether to me as a lyer and as waters that faile 2. Posit How often doth the promises of the Gospell lye at a distance to us and we have four doubts touching them 1. They are not mine In dispensation God dealeth otherwise with me then with the rest so David Psal. 22.4 Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou deliveredst them and why should he not deliver thee also v. 6. alas it s not so But I am a worme and no man so Esa. 49.13 Sing O Heavens be joyfull O Earth and breake forth into singing O Mountains What is the matter that the Skies and Stars are bidden sing Psalms for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon his afflicted Yea but no mercy for me v. 14. But Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me whoever finde mercy Gods dispensation saith I shall finde none 2 For unworthinesse and sin I am uncapable of mercy the forlorn son dare not believe his father will make him a son in his house why there is all his reason Luke 15.18 19. Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants such was Peters reasoning Lord depart from me for I am a sinfull man 3. I know not how the promises shall be made good to me but Joseph had a word that the Sunne Moon and eleven Stars should honour him but how that could be performed he saw not when he was sold as a slave and that was far from honour yet was he to believe his dream should be fulfilled and so Abraham did adheare to the Promise when God commandeth the Son of Promise to be killed Heb. 11.19 accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead 4. I see not the time of the fulfilling the promise yet Hab. 2.3 Though the Vision tarry wait for it because it will surely come and not tarry We are to remember God can tryall his promise in our seeming through Hell and the Divels black hands as he led Christ throgh Death the Curse and Hell and yet fulfil them when Christ is under a stone and buried the Gospell seems to be buried 3. Posit Christ is on both sides he holdeth up and throweth down in one and the same act he denyeth the woman to be his and is on her side to grace her to believe that he is hers Christ putteth his childe away and he desireth that his child should not be put away from him he is for Jacob in his wrestling and as if he were against him saith Let me alone Christ here doth both hold and draw oppose and defend at once I am not sent He doth not here deny the interests of the Gentiles in the Messiah but his meaning is I am not first and principally sent 2. in the flesh and personally as man for the Gentiles to preach the Gospell to them and to work Miracles for them but principally as the Minister of Circumcision to the Iewes therefore Mat. 10. he forbiddeth his Disciples to go to the Samaritanes but rather to preach to the house of Israel First then a word of Christs sending which includeth these three 1. Designation 2. Qualification 3. Speciall Commission 1. The Designation was an act of Divine and voluntary dispensation according to which the second Person of the Trinity the Son of God not the Father not the Holy Ghost was designed and set apart to take on him our nature place and the Office of the Mediator to redeem us in his own person the Son was fittest to be the first and originall samplar of sons the Son by naturall generation was the most apt Person to be the perfect mould and patern of all the sons by the adoption of grace Gal. 4.4 the substantial power of God is in the holy ghost the personall rise and fountain of all the excellencies of God
other temptation 3. Hence the conscience is timerous and traverseth its wayes under the Triall when a night Traveller dare not trust the ground he walketh on he is in a sad condition he is under two evils and hath neither comfort nor confidence Isa. 50. He that walketh in darknesse and hath no light but some glimmering of star light or half moon under the earth and knoweth not the ground he walketh in Let him trust in the name of the Lord. 8. She runneth not away from Christ under desertion But 1. She cometh to him it s a question what deserted souls shall do in that case See 2. that you run not from Christ it was a desertion that Saul was under and a sad one we read of but he maketh â—â—â—fession of his condition to the Devil a sad word 1 Sam. 28.15 I am sore distressed thereâ—s a heavy and lamentable reason given why the Philistines make War against me Why That is not much they make War alwayes against the people of God Nay but here is the marrow and the soul of all vengeance God is departed from me Why Foolish man What availeth it thee to tell the Devil God is departed from thee Judas was under a totall desertion he went not to Christ but to the murtherers of Christ to open his wound I have sinned Fool say that to the Saviour of sinners the Church deserted Cant. 1. 5. betaketh her self to Christ and searcheth him out Saw ye him whom my soul loveth It s a bad token when men conceiving themselves to be in calamity maketh lies amd policy their refuge Obj. But it is a greater sin to go to Christ being in a state of sin What have I to do to go to him whom I have offended so highly Ans. To run from Christ under desertion is two deaths 1. Desertion is one and if reall the saddest hell out of hell 2. To flee from Christ and life is another death now to come to him though he should kill thee for thy presumption is but one death and a little one in comparison of the other and one little death is rather to be chosen then two great deaths 2. Consider how living a death it is to be killed doing a duty and aiming to flee in to Christ better die by Christs own hand if so it must be as by another and better be buried and lie dead at his feet as to run away from him in a heavy desertion if the believer must die its better his grave to be made under the Throne and under the feet of Jesus Christ as to die in a state of strangenesse and alienation from Christ not daring to come nigh him all the deserted ones that we read of did flee in to himself Psal. 34. Psal. 88. Psal. 39. Job 13.15 Isa. 38. 2. It s good to claime him as thy God though he should deny thee and creep into him though he should throw thee out of his sight Better kisse the sword that killeth thee and be slaine with his own hand as cast away thy confidence 25. But she came and worshipped An heavier temptation cannot befall a soul tender of Christs love then to cry to God and not be answered and to cry and receive a flat and downright renouncing of the poor supplicant yet this doth not thrust her from a duty she commeth and worshippeth and prayeth It s a blessed mark when a temptation thrusteth not off a soul from a duty and 1. when the danger and sad triall is seen its good to go on Christ knew before he should suffer and when they would apprehend him yet he went to the garden to spend a piece of the night in prayer It was told Paul by Agabus if he went to Ierusalem the Jews should binde him and deliver him to the Gentiles it was his duty to go thither he professeth he will go Act. 21.13 What mean ye to weep and break my heart I am ready not onely to be bound but to die for the name of Iesus dying could not thrust him from a duty Esther ran the hazard of death to go in to the King yet conscience of a duty calling she goeth on in faith If I perish I perish 2. In the act of suffering Christ on the Crosse prayeth and converteth the Thief Paul with an iron chain upon his body preacheth Christ before Agrippa and his enemies and preaching Christ was the crime Paul and Silas with bloudy souldiers must sing Psalms in the stocks 3. Indefinitely after the triall and when the temptation is on yet the Saints go on Psal. 44 17. All this is come on us there is the temptation the duty Yet we have not forgotten thee neither dealt falsely in thy Covenant Ps. 119.23 Princes did speak against me there is a temptation yet here is a duty But thy servant did meditate on thy Statutes vers 81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy Word vers 110. The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy Precepts ver 157. Many are my persecuters and mine enemies yet do I not decline from thy Testimonies Psal. 109.3 They fought against me without cause vers 4. For my love they were my adversaries but I gave my self to prayer 1. It s a sign of a sweet humbled servant who can take a buffet and yet go about his Masters service and when a soul can passe thorow fire and water to be at a duty for then the conscience of the dutie hath more prevailing power to act obedience then the salt and bitternesse of the temptation hath force to subdue and vanquish the Spirit its like Grace hath the day and better of Corruption 2. It argueth a soul well watched and kept from the incursion of a house sin and a home-bred corruption for the temptation setteth on the nearest corruption as fire kindleth the nearest powder and dry timber and so goeth along Ps. 18.18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity vers 23. I was upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity The Devill hath a friend within us now there be degrees of friends some nearer of blood then other some the mans own predominant is the dearer friend to Satan then any other sin if pride be the predominant it s so Satan his first-born he agents his businesse by pride 3. So it may argue that the soul steeled and fortified with grace taketh occasion from the sinfulnesse of the temptation and the edge of it to be more zealous and active in duties David scoffed at by Michol said I le be more vile yet so Psal. 22.7 All that see me laugh me to scorn they shoot out the lip they shake the head 8. He trusted in the Lord c. See here a heavy temptation but his faith diggeth deeper to the first experience of Gods goodnesse vers 9. But thou art he that took me out of the womb c. As the Church mocked with this
Sing us one of the songs of Zion Psal. 137. raiseth an higher esteem of Zion because Zâ—ons songs are scoffed at Vers. 5. Let them mock Zion as they list But if I forget Zion then vers 6. I pray God my tongue may cleave to the roof of my mouth So the Theef hearing Christ blasphemed and railed on by his fellow doth take more boldnesse to extoll him as a King Lord remember me when thou comest to thy Kingdome Grace appeareth the more gracious and active that it hath an adversary contraries in nature as fire and water put forth their greatest strength when they actually conflict together Vse 1. Antinomians turn grace in a temptation and then cast off all duties as Christ has pardoned all sin his righteousnesse imputed is mine what do you speak to me of Law-duties The way that cryeth down duties and sanctification is not the way of grace grace is an innocent thing and will not take men off from duties grace destroyeth not obedience Christ has made faith a friend to the Law the death of Christ destroyeth not graces activity in duties It s true grace trusted in becomes our selfe not grace and self cannot storm heaven and take Christ by violence grace though near of kindred to Christ as it is received in us is but a creature and so may be made an Idoll when we trust in it and seek not Christ first and before created grace but beleeving and doing are bloud-friends Joh. 11.26 Vse 2. This would be heeded that in difficulties and straits we keep from wicked wayes and being tempted that we strive to come near the forerunners way it was peculiar to Christ to be angry and not to sin to be like us in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Heb. 4.14 with this difference Christ was tempted but cannot sin the Saints tempted but dare not sin The Law of God honeyed with the love of Christ hath a Majestie and power to keep from sin So Christ made under the Law for us Isa. 53.7 was oppressed he was afflicted oppression will make a sinfull man mad but it could not work upon Christ He was oppressed yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a Lambe to the slaughter So all Christs followers did they are tempted but grace putteth a power of tendernesse on them Joseph tempted saith Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God David is reproached by Shimei but he dares not avenge himself Iob heavily as any man tempted yet Iob 1.22 In all this Iob sinned not nor charged God foolishly I deny not but the temptation doth sometime obtaine half a consent Nabal tempted David so that he resolved to be avenged 2. It will leave a bleck and a crook behinde it in some for their whole life Peter shall be all his life known to be one that once forsware his Lord. But this is fearfull when men both creat temptations by defending a bad cause as holy men may have an unholy cause and then can finde no way to carry it out but by crooked policie and calumnies We are now pursued by Malignants with an unjust war to embrace peace upon any dishonourable tearms to Christ is to desert a duty for fear of a temptation On the other side to refuse an offer of peace because many innocent persons have been killed is also a yeelding to a temptation for by war we kill many moe innocent ones and it s against the Lords counsel Psal. 34.14 Seek peace that is as much as we are not to be patients only but agents even when we are wronged in seeking peace But what if peace flee from me I confesse that is a temptation then saith the Lord follow after it the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daresh is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.14 the Syrochaâ—d is run after peace compell peace and force it as men follow an enemy Rom. 14.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us pursue after things of peace Vse 3. See the sweet use of faith under a sad temptation faith traffiqueth with Christ and heaven in the dark upon plain trust and credit without seeing any surety or pawn Joh. 20.29 Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have beleeved And the reason is because faith is sinewed and boned with spirituall courage so as to keep a barred city against hell yea and to stand under impossibilities and here 's a weak woman though not as a woman yet as a beleever standing out against him who is Isa 9.6 The mighty God the father of ages the Prince of peace Faith only standeth out and overcometh the sword the world and all afflictions 1 Joh. 5.4 This is our victory whereby one man overcometh the great and vast world SERMON XVI Vers. 26. But he answered and said it is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to whelps 27. And she said Truth Lord yet the whelps eat of the crums that fall from the Masters Table 28. And Jesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt and her daughter was made whole from that very houre 30. And when she came to her house she found the devill gone out and her daughter laid upon the bed THe dispute between Christ and the woman goeth on Christ bringeth a strong reason vers 26. why he should not heal heâ— daughter because she and all her nation not being in Covenant with God as are the Jews the Church of God are but dogs and profane and unworthy of Christ which is the bread ordained for the children When Christ humbleth he may put us in remembrance of our nation and nationall sins Isa. 51.1 Look to the Rock whence ye were hewen and to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged I alone called Abraham he was an Idolater Hos. 9.10 I found Israel like grapes in the wildernesse they should have been wild grapes rotten in the wildernesse had I not put them in my basket Ezek. 16.2 Son of man cause Jerusalem to know her abomination How Make them know the stock they came of 3. And say thus saith the Lord unto Jerusalem Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan thy father was an Amorite and thy mother a Hittite When the Jews was to offer the first fruits to the Lord Deu. 26.5 And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God A Syrian ready to perish was my father and went down to Egypt to sojourn there Thus the forgetting of what we are by nature addeth to our guiltinesse Eze. 16.22 And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembred the days of thy youth when thou wast naked and bare and wast polluted in thy blood So the Ephesians must be told how unfit they were by nature for Christ being the very work-house and shop of the Devill in which he wrought Eph. 2.1 2 3. Nationall sins
hath influence in their guilt and contagion on beleevers 1. When they mourn not for them Gods displeasure should be our sorrow 2. When they stand not in the gap to turn away wrath Ez. 22.30 There were Isa. 59. Godly men that departed from ill v. 15. But Gods quarrell was that there was no intercessor in Fasting beleevers though pardoned may have on them a burden of the sins of three nations and be involved in that same wrath with them Nationall repentance is required of every one no lesse then personall Repentance who sorrows for the blood of Malignants and Rebels for their oaths mocking scoffing Massing The sins of the Land Idolatry Superstitious dayes vain Ceremonies c. have influence on a believers conscience in his approach to God But we are here to consider that Christ doth two great and contrary works at once 1. He humbleth the believing woman in reproaching her as a prophane Dog unworthy of the childrens bread that the Will may be more broken for beleeving And 2. He tryeth and tempteth her to see if she can by reproaches be taken off from Christ. A broken will is a broken heart for will is the iron sinew in the heart decourt merit and conceit of any good in thy self but the uncleannesse of a dog And 2. break will that that proud thing may fall in two peeces at Christs feet And 3. Beleeve stick by thy point that though a Dog yet thou art one of Christs Dogs and then all is well The best way to break the will is 1. to offer Hell and the coals of everlasting burning to it yea and when the soul is humbled to humble it more Christ knew that this woman was lying in the dust but he will have her below the dust when he tryeth her with such a humbling temptation Many think the troubled conscience should not be further humbled They say There is nothing for such a soul but the honey and sweetnesse of consolations in the Gospel Nay but often that which troubleth them is subtile invisible pride he 'll not beleeve for want of self-worthinesse Oh I dare not rest on Christ nor apply the Promises because of my sinfull unworthinesse Now if this be humility it s the proudest humility in the world for the soul thus troubled saith I am not good enough nor rich enough for Christ and his fine gold and the truth is he is not a good enough Papist to give a ransome of self-worth for that great ransome of bloud which cannot be bought but though thou shouldst buy Christ the Father will not sell him Christ is disposed to a sinner as a fâ—ee gift not as a wage or a hire There is a difference between down-casting and saving-humiliation down casting may exceed measure in the too much apprehension of the Law-curses and may be conjoyned with much pride and self-love But right and saving humiliation conjoyned with Faith cannot over passe bounds it ariseth often from the sense of grace rather then from the Law God giveth grace to the humble and he giveth humility to the gracious under the sense of rich grace 1 Tim. 1.15 Eph. 3.8 Tit. 3.3 4 5. 2 Tim. 1.9 Nothing humbleth us more then an opinion of the power and excellency of grace Grace known apprehended in its worth layeth down proud nature on the earth 1 Cor. 15.9.10 Christs Grace was Christs Accomt-book to Paul But by the grace of God I am that I am A borrowed garment though of silke will make a wise man humble many sins pardoned made much love to Christ and much humility in the woman Luke 7.44 And made her lay head and hair yea and heart also under the soles of Christs feet no doubt she thought basely of her self and her hair remembring that grace put these feet to a sad and tiresome journey to come in the world to seek the lost to be pierced with nails for her There 's courtesie in free grace being the marrow and flower of unhired love to kill high thoughts of a self destroying sinner Observe also that not to dare to come to Christ and believe and pray because of unworthinesse such as is in Dogs that are without the new City Rev. 22.15 Is but a very temptation And Christ under the notion of tempting and trying offereth that to the woman that she was too daring and bold being a Dog to presume to ask for the childrens bread hence have we to consider how farre the conscience of sinne ought to stand in our way toward Christ hence these considerations 1. Conscience of sin is to humble any that is to make out for Christ Act. 9. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Spoken by Christ brought Paul down off his high horse and laid his soul on the dust Rom. 3.19 Now we know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God It s a speech taken from a malefactor Arraigned and pannelled upon his head When the judge Objecteth What say you this and this Treason is witnessed against you Alas the poor man standeth speechlesse and dumb his mouth is stopped Ezek. 16.63 That thou maist remember thy old shame and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame Christ then hath the sinners neck under his Axe What justice and Law may do that Christ may do The Captive taken in war may be killed by the Law of Wars if he refuse to submit 2. No sin is unpardonable Treason but the sin against the holy Ghost and finall impenitence The Gospel is a Treaty of Peace between parties in war none are excepted but these two 3. But what then if a soul come to this I have either sinned against the holy Ghost or certainly am upon the borders of it because Christ knocked long and a year ago or a long time from this I remember of his farewell rap When Christ knocking took his last good-night with this word he that is filthy let him be filthy still and said he would never come again I grant an ill conscience can speak prophecy Exod. 10.28 29. So Pharaoh did Prophesie and Cain also Gen. 4.13 14. But 2. I can yeeld that there be some farewell knocking 's of Christ after which Christ is never seen or heard at the door of some mens hearts Acts 13.46 Paul speaketh so to the Jews But seeing you put the Gospel from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles The like is Christs language to them Joh. 8.21 Then said Jesus to them I go my way and ye shall seek me and shall die in your sins whether I go ye cannot come I doubt if any can sin the sin against the holy Ghost and the sinner onely and no other complain of it that sin breaketh out in prodigious Acts of wickednesse as blood and persecution Though it were true
2. Quid in hac vita omnes qui veritatem sequimur nisi aurora sumus aurora enim noctem praeteriisse nunciat nec tamen diei claritatem illa satis ostendit sed dum illam pellit hanc suscipit lucem tenebris per mixtam tenet sic nos quedam jam quae lucis sunt agimus tamen in quibusdam adhuc tenebrarum reliquiis non caremus The holiest in this life is but the dawning of the morning we are half night half day Prov. 20. v. 19. Who can say I have made my heart pure I am clean from sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who can say I have a clean heart and not lie Libertines can say it in a higher manner then Papists who acknowledge that venialls little sins motes are in us always in this life but it may be this is the Old Testament-Spirit that speaketh as they say but the Apostle Rom. 3. applyeth the Psalm 14. that stoppeth all mouths of the world as so many guilty malefactors at the high bar of heaven and he proveth that no flesh not David nor the holiest on earth can be justified by works either done by the strength of nature or by the help of grace now if there be no indwelling sin in the justified person we answer not Papists and Pelagians who say That we are justified by works done by the help and aid of Grace after regeneration but not by the works that we perform by the strength of nature for if there be no indwelling sin in the regenerated all their good works must be perfect and sinlesse and can draw no contagion from an impure heart because if there be no indwelling sin and no imperfect sanctification in us as Master Eaton saith its hypocrisie so to think or say how can an impure heart defile these works that are done by the aid of Grace for that which is not hath no operations at all if there be no contagious fountain and no indwelling sin but root and branch be removed in justification then such a fountain cannot defile the actions Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Metaphor from travellers walking on stony or slippery ground Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death If this was but the flesh and unbelief that made this complaint then the combat between the flesh and the Spirit shall come from the flesh now the conflict of two contraries such as are the flesh and the Spirit is not from the one more then the other but equally from both the conflict between fire and water is neither from the fire only nor from the water only but from both yoking together yea certain it is that the flesh cannot and doth not complain of its own motions against the spirit sin cannot complain of sin it s the renewed part that complaineth of the stirrings and motions of the unrenewed part Satan is not divided against Satan nor sin against sin It s true the sins of the Justified are said to be sought and not found Jer. 50.20 And our transgressions are said to be blotted out and blotted out as a thick cloud and to be remembred no more Isa. 43.25 Is. 44.22 Psal. 51.1 And to be subdued and cast in the depths of the Sea Mic. 7.19 and we washed Rev. 1.5 Psa. 51.2 And made whiter then the snow 7. And Christs Church is so undefiled so fair as the Moon clear as the Sun Cant. 5.2 c. 6.10 That Christ himself giveth a testimony of her Cant. 4.7 Thou art all fair my love there is no spot in thee all which are true in a Law-sense and in Legall and Morall Freedom from sin in regard the sins of the justified and washed in Christs blood shall no more be charged upon them to their condemnation then if they had never committed any sins at all and as if their sins were no sins to witnesse against them in judgement they being cloathed with Christs white and spotlesse righteousnesse for they are in their actuall guilt as touching the Law-sting and power as no sins no debts but oblitrated in the Book of Gods accompt and as a blotted out cloud which is no cloud in which regard they must be white fair whom Christ washeth I professe it is sweet to be dipped in the new fountain opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleannesse and under the sweet and fair hand of the Mediator that he might wash us I know he should not be ashamed of his labour but should make fair and white work But in regard of the inherent root essence and formall being of sin the saints are not freed and delivered from sin but these same sins though broken in their dominion to command as Tyrants and removed and taken away Quod actualem reatum eternae mortis in their Law demerite and guilt yet do remain and dwell in the Saints while they are here in this life and these two removals of sin differ much the former is a Law-removall of sin not the removall of the essence and being of sin the other removall is a Physicall removall in root and branch and therefore done by degrees according to the measure of begun sanctification and shall never be perfect in this life while that habit of sanctification which is contrary to sin Physically considered shall be introduced and the person perfected in glory whereas the former removall is so perfect as the person is made spot-lesse and whiter then snow which two removals of sin may be thus illustrated there is a man defiled with leprosie in his bodie this is a Physicall contagion the same man is condemned to die for a high point of treason against the State Prince this is a Law-contagion The Physitian cureth him of his Leprosie by a Physicall expulsion of the disease but by degrees by little and little and maketh at length his skin as the skin of a young childe The Prince and State sendeth to him a free pardon of his Treason and he is at once perfectly acquitted from his guilt but the Princes Pardon doth not Physically and really expell out of his person the shame the inherent blot and infamy of his foul and treacherous disloyalty that he committed against Prince and State so as this pardon should transubstantiate and change him by a Physicall transmutation in a person as innocent and blamelesse as any the most loyall subject of the Kingdom the pardon putteth only upon him a Law-change and a Morall immunity and freedom from a shamefull death and Christs pardon in like manner doth remove a Law-obligation to eternal death so as there 's no condemnation to the man but it removeth not the inherent and Physicall blot nor the reall obliquity between his foul sin and the spirituall Law of God nor doth it make him perfectly sinlesse and holy as if he had never sinned as Antinomians
as he is to mourn for this very thing that Christ was pierced and crucified to remove the guilt and the obligation to satisfactory punishment Zac. 12.10 And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely son Yea it s so the believers sin even when he believeth that his originall corruption is pardoned yet it dwelleth in him having the compleat essence and being of sin so as if he should say he had no sin and nothing in him contrary to the holy Law of God he should deceive himself and the truth should not be in him 1 Joh. 1.8 Yea let him be a Paul Not under the Law but being dead to the Law Rom. 7.6 as touching all actuall obligation to eternall death yet in regard of the reall essence of sin and proper contrariety that sin hath to Gods righteous Law he cryeth out ver 14. For we know that the Law is spirituall but I am carnall and sold under sin 17. Now it is no more I sanctified and pardoned I who am in Christ Rom. 8.1 dead to the Law Rom. 7.6 freed from condemnation that do sinne but sin that dwelleth in me If there were no sinfull I to speak so and no corrupt self in Paul which breaketh out into sin and this indwelling sin were as really in its essence and its being removed and taken close out of Paul as money taken really out of a place is no more left in that place then if it had never been there surely then justified Saints were as clean as these who are up before the Throne clothed in white and when Paul saith It is no more I that do sin but sin that dwelleth in me he should speak contradictions and say It is no more I that do sin but it is I that do sin there should be in justified Paul No Law in his members warring against the Law of his minde as he saith Rom. 7.23 No body of death leading him captive to the Law of sin vers 2â— and making him wretched vers 24. No flesh lusting against the spirit hindering the regenerated to do the good that they would as Paul speaketh Gal. 5.17 There should be no members on earth to be crucified as it is Col. 3.5 No old man to be put off no corruption no deceitfull lusts in us to bee abated as we are charged Eph. 4.22 23. No fleshly lusts in us which warreth against the soul as 1 Pet. 2.11 No weight no sin that doth so easily beset us to be laid aside by the regenerated and justified who are to run their race with patience contrary to the Spirit of God speaking the contrary Heb. 12.1 2. Yea there shall be no originall sin remaining in the justified person which can be named sin nothing in them lusting against the spirit nothing to be mortified crucified resisted nothing to â—e work for the grace of God nothing to be a field and plat of ground to be laboured on by the spirit by faith nothing to be the seed and rise of humiliation the sinner may go to heaven and be nothing in Christs debt to help him against indwelling sin for that ghuest is so taken away as money that was in a place and is every penny really removed to another place yea it s a flat contradiction say Antinomians to be a pardoned soul and yet to have sin dwelling in the soul. Positi 2. The guilt of sin and sin it self are not one and the same thing but far different things that I may prove the point let the tearms be considered There be two things in sin very considerable 1. Macula the blot defilement and blacknesse of sin which I conceive is nothing but the absence and privation of that moralâ— rectitude the want of that whitenesse innocencie and righteousnesse which the holy and clean Law of the Lord requireth to be in the actions inclinations powers of the soul of a reasonable creature 2. There is the guilt of sin that is somewhat which issueth from this blot and blacknesse of sin according to which the person is liable and obnoxious to eternall punishment this is the debt of sin the Law-obligation to satisfaction passive for sin just as there be two things in debt so these two are in sin for when a man borroweth money and profusely and lavishly spendeth it this is unjustice against his brother in matter of his goods and a breach of the eighth Commandment Again this breach in relation to policie to the Magistrate and the Law of the land putteth this broken man under another relation that he is formally a debter and so it is just that he either pay the money or suffer for this act of unjustice and satisfie the Law of the fifth Commandment which is that he satisfie the Law and the Magistrate the publike Father tutor of a wronged and oppressed brother Now here be two things in debt 1. An unjust thing a hurting of our brother in his goods this is a blot and a thing privatively contrary to justice 2. A just thing a guilt a just debt according to which it is most just that the broken man either pay or suffer Now these two as all contraries do Faciunt numerum they make a number as just and unjust must be two things and two contrary things I know there be cavils and subtilties of School-men touching the blot or Macula peccati and Reatus the guilt of sin but this is the naked truth which I have declared Some say the blot of sin is that uncleannesse of sin which is washed away by the blood of the Lord Jesus and this is nothing but the very guilt of sin which is wholly removed in Justification But I easily answer The blot of sin hath divers relations and these contrary one to another As 1. There is the blot of sin in relation to the holy Law as it is a privation of the rectitude and holinesse that the spirituall Law requireth and it is formally sin and not the guilt of sin in which consideration as nothing removeth blindnesse but seeing eyes or deafnesâ—e but hearing ears so nothing formally removeth sin but only the perfect habit of accomplished sanctification and so the blot of sin Macula is not that which is formally removed in justification but only in perfected sanctification 2. The blot of sin in relation to God as offended and injured putteth on the habit of guilt and so it is washed away in the Fountain opened to the house of David and formally removed in justification but now it is not formally considered as sin but according to that which is accidentall in sin to wit obligation to punishment which may be and is removed from sin the true essence and nature of sin being saved whole and intire Hence sin hath divers considerations 1. As sin is contrary to the righteousnesse and holinesse of the Law it is formally sin and this essentiall form and life
never so righteous as the surety except in this sense he is aequè but not aequaliter he is righteous as the surety who has payed the sum for him in regard that the Creditor can no more in Law charge him with the sum then he can in Law charge the surety who hath compleatly paid it so are we in Christ freed from the guilt of eternall wrath in that the Lord can no more in Law charge sin to actuall condemnation on the Believer then he can put Christ to death again or give a new ransom for us but this is but formally a righteousnesse in regard of freedom from the punishment of sin But as I have said the surety is more righteous simply in regard the Surety never broke faith to the Creditor the broken debtor hath broken to him 2. The Surety never injured the Creditor by unjustice done against the eighth Commandement but the broken man hath failed in this But I would be resolved what truth can be in those Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart clean Job 14.5 Who can bring a clean thing out of an un clean No not one Eccl. 7.20 There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Joh. 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us If we be compleatly as righteous as Christ and if as Crispe divines all the Idolatry Thefts murthers of the Redeemed Become actually the transgressions of Christ◠and so cease to be the transgressions of the sinners from that time they were laid upon Christ to the hour of their death Can he determine the time when persecuting Sauls blasphemies and bloody outrages to the Saints were laid upon Christ I conceive he will say from Eternity they were laid upon Christ and ere he believed certainly this was an untruth then Saul made havock of the Church even when he did make havock of the Church and ere he believed for if Saul persecuting and all the Elect unconverted yet disobedient and boiling in their lusts be as righteous as Christ all their life It is most false that ever they were dead in sin or some times disobedient If it be said The Elect considered in themselves and in nature are sinners but considered as men in Christ they are as righteous as Christ it helpeth not for we must not dream of and fancy considerations that hath no reality and truth in them for all now born since our Lord died I am perswaded by the Doctrine of Antinomians were never nor can they be reall and true objects of this consideration For from that time that their sins were laid upon Christ to the last hour of their life they are as righteous as Christ and so washed and justified Now their sins were laid upon Christ as some Libertines say from eternity as others from that day that he died on the Crosse 2. Sins taken away by Christs blood saith Dr. Crispe are no sins of the Saints Christ did take them away and bear their weight even in the fault and sin it self and not the guilt only and not by supposition or meer imputation only and that from eternity But when Antinomians confesse that Christ acted no sin so that in respect of the Act the sinfull act against the Law of God must be here understood not one sin of the Believers is Christs but only in respect of passing accounts from one head to another This is all the truth we here plead for because the Act or somewhat answerable to that done against the Spirituall Law of God is sin it self and essentially sin if this was never upon Christ then sin it self was never upon Christ now there is no other thing remaining in sin but the debt guilt or obligation of sin that can be laid on Christ and the truth is the Scripture expoundeth the laying our sins upon Christ to be nothing but God punishing Christ for our sins as Isa. 5 3.4 The cause and formall reason why Christ did bear our griefs and carry our sorrowes is ver 6. Because the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all and is so expounded 1 Pet. 2. Whereas it is said ver 21. that Christ suffered for us and an objection is removed vers 22. Why should he suffer Did he sin the Apostle answereth by concession of the Antecedent and by denying the consequence vers 22. He did no sin personally neither was guile found in his mouth But it followeth not that he should not suffer legally and for others the punishment due to them so his sufferings is expounded v. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree Now how did Christ bear our sins On the Tree that is by suffering and Gal. 3. Paul evidently distinguisheth between two sorts of persons that are cursed the sinners that abide not in all that is written in the Law to do them v. 10. These are intrinsecally and in their person cursed as being sinners in their person and so the intrinsecall objects of divine hatred and a curse and abominable to God Yea but Christ was also cursed But how Not intrinsecally God is never said to hate his Son Christ nor to abhor him as he doth sin which personally resideth in the man who acteth sin in his own person Therefore the Lords forsaking of Christ his Son is not an intrinsecall detesting or a morall abhorring of Christ but an extrinsecall a penall or a judiciall suspending of the beams and rayes as Cyrill saith or the overclouding of his favour in the comfortable shining on the soul of his own sin and it is not said that Christ was cursed but only vers 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was made a curse for us that is the fruits and effects of Gods curse the punishment due to sinners even that satisfactory and penall curse and punishment which infinit Justice requireth was laid upon Christ while as he died upon the Crosse and suffered the effects of Gods wrath upon his soul for our sins Then he must be the sinner only by Imputation except Antinomians show to us how a person is made sin or accounted the sinner And yet is neither a sinner by inherent and personall acting of sin nor yet by Law-imputation And truely its bad Divinity for Dr. Crispe to say as we are actuall and reall sinners in Adam so here God passeth really sin over upon Christ for we sinned intrinsecally in Adam as parts as members as being in his loynes and we are thence by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2. But it is blasphemy to say that our blessed Saviour sinned intrinsecally in us as part or member of the Redeemed or that he is a son of Gods wrath for sin intrinsecally inherent in him as it is in us Farther Christs bearing of our iniquities is an obvious Hebraisme and all one with the bearing not of the intrinsecall and fundamentall guilt of sin but of the extrinsecall guilt or
nature 2. And the light of Faith is to moderate us in eating drinking sleeping according to Christian sobriety in the measure of the action 3. Faith teacheth us not to eat that we may eat or for an naturall or civill end Grace hightneth the naturall intention to a supernaturall end and to do all these for God and his service 1 Cor. 10.31 And whatsoever we do though but civil service as servants to earthly masters in a civill calling in trading in arts we are to do all as to the Lord not unto men Col. 3.23 Then Christ acting moving by the light of Faith is the formal reason and principle in which lastly and formally ultimate all our actions are resolved 2. Look of how much worth and price thy soul is of as great necessity is Faith except thou wouldst look for the Gospel-vengeance the day or the ages of Eternall vengeance at Christs appearance 2 Thes. 1.8 Isa. 61.2 Ioh. 3.18.36 chap. 8.24 But if it be so that Faith is required in all that I do the businesse of Salvation may some say is hard and difficill work Where shall I have Faith for every stirring of my foot I Answer as all our actions except where Imagination is Principle of the act must be deliberate and so the actions of a rational man so must they be morall now there is no morality in a man who is a citizen of the Church but the morality of faith for its a duty laid upon every one within the visible Church that all his actions morall be watred and lustered with Faith And the truth is the work of our salvation being compared to sailing Heb. 6.19 and to fighting 2 Tim. 4.7 2 Tim. 2.3 4. It s very like a ship which requireth many hands and much attentive carefulness in the owner and sailors Now the Mast is hurt then somewhat wanting in the Deck now the Helm is faulty then the Cords are to be repaired or the Anchor is broken or she taketh in under-water or the Sail is torn or the motion slow There 's charges to the owner and much work to all hands and how many things are required to a huge body of an Army So many thousand men must be lyable to so many thousand wants Some are sick some wounded some a dying some hungry some naked some fall off the Army and are catched by the enemy some be faint some too bold and precipitate yea Armour Houses Bread Drink Fire Tents Physitions Workmen Mattocks Spades Bridges Lathers Horses Engines of War Art and Skill Medicine Councell Courage Intelligence and a thousand things of this kinde are requisite And seldome is an Army but there be some one inconvenient or other in this needy and cumbersome huge body And when is the businesse of Salvation not at a stand one way or other Is there not either on piece or other the shield of Faith or the Anchor of Hope or the Brestplate of righteousnes or some the like broken or faulty Is not our guide who hath seven eyes ten times a day cumbered with us Must not Christ soader our broken Weapons Sow our torn sails Repair one breach or other in us In a thousand the like Faith is to improve the Free-grace the omnipotence the unchangeable love of Christ to promove his own work and to work in us to will and to do according to his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Now for the ingredients of Faith 1. There be in us 2 Cor. 10.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great Forts raised against the light of Faith These natural discourses in the mind that are great works and heights strong holds builded against Christ. The prime faculty reason the discoursive power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thinketh she hath wit enough against Christ and to keep the man out of all danger of eternall salvation over toppeth and out-groweth all Gospel-truths Christ must over-power carnall fate rank and heady souldiers called thoughts every thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so kill some that will not be taken and led captive other thoughts to the obedience of Faith Reason is a predominant bone in it self The carnall minde neither will noâ— can keep rank as an obedient souldier under the Law of God Rom. 8.7 It s much for fine silken and golden reason to say to Christ Lord Prov 30.2 There 's more of a beast in me then of a man I have not the understanding of a man The learned the schoolmen seldome beleeve except gray haired wit turn a childe and go to school again to learn from Christ the new art of beleeving for there was never an act of unbeleef in any but it grew out of this proud and rank stalke of a lofty wit Therefore Christ breaks out a new window in the soul and brings in a new sun that flesh and blood never saw nor heard of before Mat. 16.17 2. Faith hath low and creeping affections to the creature But when the affections are big with childe of the creature as 1. They are strained and swelled in their acts Faith is no faith but a delusion the rich man speaketh with all his heart and with good will of his full barns and its clear he had neither Faith nor Hope toward eternity Luke 12. v. 19.20 For every word being as we say of the length of a cubit a foot and a half Luke 12.18 He casteth forth words of pulling down building greater houses and scraping in all his goods are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my goods all my births and bowels and all my good things For he had no other good things and there 's no apostrophe in the words he speaketh them with their full sound and we speak with good will these things that we tell to our soul. Faith hath but half words and half affections â—â—â—ching the world half acts or broken acts in 〈◊〉 affections closing with the creature smell 〈◊〉 a Faith with child of â—â—ernity to make the excellency of the creature a matter of meer opinion to reckon the worlds witchcrafts of lust gain glory but uncertain and topick arguments to conclude a God-head and a golden heaven in the creature is the height of the wisdom of Faith So Paul Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ. O then may some say Paul you are a dead man He saith no. Neverthelesse I live but I live the life of Faith For Christ liveth in me All his motions toward the creature were half dead like the vitall motions of a crucified man half out of the world and his acts of Faith were lively and vitall and high tuned like the highest note in the musick song Faith cannot break and violently rent in sunder the two sides of the affections with too violent and intense acts of love joy fear desire sorrow as these are terminated upon the creature It s true Faith clippeth nothing from the outmost and most superlative pitch of the love of God of desire fear sorrow joy as they act upon God but addeth wind
Psal. 146.3 4. For that horse shall faint and fall to clay God alloweth Scotland to help England but will not have the souls of his children in England to ride upon an Army of another Nation and to trust in them for salvation To make fire is not so proper to fire To give light not so kindly to the Sun as salvation is Gods only due and therefore let England in this walk on foot and trust in the Lord. 5. The fifth ingredient also in Faith is that it s bottomed upon the sense and pain of a lost condition Poverty is the nearest capacity of believing This is Faiths method Be condemned and be saved Be hanged and be pardoned Be sick and be healed Mat. 9.13 Jam. 4.7 8. Mat. 11.28 Luke 19.10 Faith is a floor of Christs only planting yet it groweth out of no soil but out of the margin and bank of the lake of fire and brimstone in regard there be none so fit for Christ and Heaven as those who are self-sick and self-condemned to Hell This is a foundation to Christ that because the man is broken and has not bread therefore he must be sold and Christ must buy him and take him home to his fireside and clothe him and feed him The chased man pursued upon death and life who hath not a way for life but one nick of a rock if he misse that he is a dead man had he a hundred lives So is the believer pursued for blood there is but one City of refuge in Heaven or out of Heaven this is only only Jesus Christ the great rock And it is true it s in a manner forced Faith and forced love cast upon Christ upon a great venture yet we may make necessity here the greatest vertue or the highest grace and that is to come to Christ. Satan doth but ride upon the weaknesse of many proving that they are not worthy of Christ which is the way of a Sophist to prove an evident truth that cannot be denied But there 's no greater vantage can be had against Sin and Satan then this because I am unworthy of Christ and out of measure sinfull and I finde it is so Satan and conscience teaching me that truth to bring me on a false conclusion therefore ought I therefore must I come to Christ unworthy as I am For free-grace is moved from within it self from Gods good will only without any motion or action from sin to put it self forth upon the sinner to the end that sin being exceeding sinfull Grace may be abundantly Grace and no thanks to Satan for suggesting a true principle Thou art unworthy of Christ to promove a false conclusion Therefore thou art not to come to Christ for the contrary arguing is Gospel-logick Satans reasoning should be good if there were no way but the law to give life But because there is a Saviour a Gospel and a new and living way to Heaven The contrary arguing is the sinners life and happinesse 6. The sixt Ingredient in Faith is that the sinner can lay hold on the Promise 1. Not simply but with relation to the precept for presumptuous souls plunge in their foul souls in fair and precious promises and this is the Faith of Antinomians for the promise is not holden forth to sinners as sinners but as to such sinners for we make Faith to be an act of a sinner humbled wearied laden poor self-condemned now these be not all sinners but only some kinde of sinners Antinomians make faith an act of a lofty Pharisee of one vilde person applying with an immediate touch immediato contactu his hot boiling smoking lusts to Christs wounds blood merits without any conscience of a precedent Commandement that the person thus beleeving should be humbled wearied loaden grieved for sin I confess this is hasty hot work and maketh Faith a stride or one single step but it s a wanton fleshly and a presumptuous immediate work to lay hold on the promises of mercy and be saved This is the absolute and loose Faith that Papists and Arminians slandereth our Doctrine withall because we reject all foregoing merits good works congruous dispositions preparations moving God to convert this man because he hath such preparations and to reject and to leave another man to his own hardnesse of heart because he hath no such payment in hand by which he may redeem and buy conversion and the grace of Effectuall calling especially they building all upon a Babel of their own brick and clay that free-will in all acts of obedience before or after conversion is absolutely indifferent to do or not do to obey or not obey to choose Heaven and life hell or death as it pleaseth as being free and loosed from all Praedetermination and fore-going motion acting or bowing of the will comming either from Gods naturall or his efficacious or supernaturall Providence And so the Papist and Arminian on the one extremity inthroneth nature and extolleth proud merit and abaseth Christ and Free-grace The Familist Libertine and Antinomian on a contrary extremity and opposition turn man into a block and make him a meer patient in the way to Heaven and under pretence of exalting Christ and Free-grace set up the flesh liberty licence loosenesse on the throne and make the way to heaven on the other extremity as broad as to comply with all presumptuous proud fleshly men walking after their lusts and yet as they dream believing in Christ. 2. The soul seeth Christ in all his beauty excellency treasures of Free-grace lapped up with the curtain of many precious promises now the naturall man knowing the literall meaning and sense of the promises seeth in them but words of gold and things a far off and in truth taketh heaven to be a beautifull and golden phancy and the Gospel-promises a shower of pretious Rubies Saphirs Diamonds fallen out of the clouds only in a night dream and therefore jeers and scoffs at the day of judgment and at heaven and hell 2 Pet. 3.1 2 3. For can every capacity smell and taste the unsearchable riches of Christ the fulnesse of God in the womb of the promises by meditating on them and sending them in their sweetnesse and heavenly excellency down to the affections to embrace them No it cannot be that words and sounds and syllables can so work upon a natural spirit If you show not to a buyer pretious and rare commodities and bring them not before the sun he shall never be taken so with things hidden in your coffers as to be in love with them and to sell all he hath and buy them Preachers cannot nay it s not in their power to make the natural spirit see the beauty of Christ Paul Preacheth it but the Gospel is hidden from the blinded man 2 Cor. 4.3 If I cannot Communicate light far lesse can I infuse love in the soul of a lost man 3. Literall knowledge of Christ is not in the power of naturall men but laying down
oppressour and delivered them from pressures of conscience under Episcopacy a Masse-service and burdensome ceremonies and for the sins of the King Queen Court Prelats and Prophets the persecuting and killing the witnesses of Christ in Queen Maries days and in the late Prelats time and the present unjustice carelesse and remisse minding Religion and their labouring to spoile the Kingdome of Christ of that power that Christ hath given to his people of Church-discipline and translating it to their Parliament to make Church-discipline Parliament-discipline confounding so the two kingdoms their tolerating of blasphemous sects some denying the Godhead of Christ some his Kingly Office to sanctifie govern his people some his Priestly some his Propheticall Office and many other sins of Prophets and people not repented of and most of these sins and many others and especially the breach of the Covenant in Scotland these two Kingdomes are to fear heavy judgements and that their calamity is not yet at an end But rather one wo is passed but another cometh Except these lands be humbled and lie in the dust before the Lord Yet in all this the dispensation of God though bloody is but the Lord saying as of old so now to Britain Isa. 1.25 And I will turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy drosse and take away all thy tin 26. And I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy counsellors as at the beginning afterward thou shalt be called the city of righteousnes the faithfull city 27. Zion shall be redeemed with judgement and her converts with righteousnesse 2. A rough dispensation of Christ cannot abide long rough to the Saints he must answer and ease the pain of the womans broken spirit it s a nights pain to Christ to cause the tears run down the cheeks of his Church all the night he cannot but bring a day light of joy before the Suns ordinary time to rise Ps. 30.5 Christ smiteth and weepeth for compassion both at once Tender mercy in Christ moveth as much if not more within then without The mothers bowels are as much on work within when the childe is but upon her breasts and he is not capable to know a mother as a mother and love as love as ever when the deserted is but new and hot come out of the second womb and a babe born over again yet in a spirituall Feaver he is as much as ever in the bowels of Christ though he be not in that case capable of the sense and actuall apprehension of Christ as Christ and of the sense of Christs love as his love Ier. 31.20 Since the time that I sufficiently talked with him in correcting him or since the time of my sufficiency of speaking against him in remembring him I do remember him I spake much in mine anger against him and half against my will I did chide him and scourge him but my moved bowels the stirrings of a compassionating heart did contradict in a manner my rough correcting my heart came out of me with every rough word and stroke The Sun and nature worketh long and many years under earth in the generation of Gold and Silver ere we see gold and silver God and his servant nature did us a pleasure a great favour in that kind in secret down in the bowels of the earth to make unseen and concealed provision for our purses this secret love to us acted down in the dark is no love to us while we find it and see it yet is nature in a mystery under a vail sweating under earth to bring forth for us Mettals Trees Herbs Flowers corn for our service but we see no harvest at that time Christs bowels are sweating and as much labouring in childe-birth paine of compassion and love and tender mercy toward us when we are in an Ague and a fit of desertion as at any time but we are loved of Christ and pittied and we know no such thing All Christs answers and words to this woman till now were but interpretations and Proclamations of wrath and rejecting of her as not one of the lost sheep of the house of Israel a Dog under the Table not a child of the house love came never above ground till now yet did Christs affection and love yern upon her all the time Out of all this we collect Christ may love persons yet his dispensation may be so rough as that to their sense there is no ground of being assured that Christ loveth them til he shall be pleased to manifest it Hence we may gather these Propositions considerable for the Times 1. Propos. Gods free and unhired love is the cause of our Redemption Vocation Sanctification and eternall salvation he loved us in our blood and while we were polluted in our blood Ezech. 16.6.8 When we were the lost world Joh. 3.16 ungodly Rom. 5.6 Enemies ver 10. He quickned us called us when dead in sinnes Eph. 2.1 Without works 2 Tim. 1.9 The bil of Grace is Christs welcome and pay nothing 2. Our Divines say God loveth the persons of the Elect but hateth their sins M. Denne offendeth at this and so doth the Arminians with the same reason if God hate the works of iniquity he cannot but hate the persons and workers of iniquity also It s true the Lord hateth so the persons of the Elect for their sins as he taketh vengeance of their sins on their Surety Christ but this consisteth with the Lords loving of their persons to eternall salvation The truth is Gods affection ad intra of hatred and displeasure never so passeth on the persons of the Elect as on the persons of the Reprobate he had thoughts of love and peace in secret from eternity to his own Elect he did frame a Heaven a Saviour for them before all time 3. Propos. Our Divines do rightly teach that there is a twofold love in God Amor benevolentiae A love of wel willing which he did bear to them before the world was it is called the love of Election Of this love Rom. 9.13 Paul speaketh I have loved Jacob and hated Esau this is fountain love the wel-head of all our salvation There is another love called Amor complacentiae A love of complacency a love of justification so M. Denne termeth it which presupposeth faith Without which its unpossible to please God Heb. 11.6 of this Christ speaketh Joh. 14.21 He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him ver 23. If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him so Christ the wisdom of God saith I love them that love me Pro. 8.17 And so Christ speaketh of his love to his redeemed and sanctified Spouse Can. 4.9 Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes with one
body of Christ that ye should be married to another 5. For when we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death 6. But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held we should serve in newnesse of spirit and not in the oldnesse of the Letter Hence it is clear that there was a time in which Paul and the Elect at Rome were servants of sin Rom. 6.20 21. Under the lusts and motions of sin which work in their Members to bring forth fruit that is sins to death eternall Ro. 7.5 Ergo They were then under the curse of the Law and so far from blessednesse and the servants of sin Rom. 6.20 and persons in the flesh But the case is changed they are now not the servants of sin but servants of righteousnesse Rom. 6.22 Married to a new husband Iesus Christ Rom. 7.4 Whence came this change of two contrary states yea and before God contrary for before God it cannot be one state to be servants of sin under the Law and servants of God and under Grace Certainly from Faith on our part or some other grace in us at least there must be something of grace by which the alteration from a cursed estate to a blessed estate is made then faith is not a naked manifestation of the blessednesse of justification to the which we was intitled before we believed for before we believed we was in a cursed estate This also may be added that if Faith be but a Declaration or manifestation that we are justified before we believe Paul had no reason to deny that we are justified that is that we know to our comfort by works of holinesse that we are justified for works of sanctification are evident witnesses that we are in Christ and are justified 2 Cor. 5.17 1 Joh. 3.14 1 Joh. 2.3 Jam. 2.24.25 2 Pet. 1.10 3. It layeth down this false ground that grace is nothing in us but a meer comfortable sense and apprehension of Free-love and Grace is conceived to be only and wholly in Christ so that there is no inherent grace in the Believer by which he is differenced from an unbeliever sanctification and duties flowing from the habit of grace are nothing but dreams of Legall men Christ justifying the sinner is all and some in the Elect strict and precise walking conduce nothing to salvation To think that it can do any thing in order to salvation is to worship saith Mr. Denne an angry deity 2. To satisfie justice with our works fasting tears duties Therefore our 6. Propos. Is that it is a vain distinction of Master Denne who would have a reconciliation of God to man and of man to God 1. Because we read that man is reconciled to God Rom. 5.10 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Col. 1.20 21. Eph. 2.16 Man is the enemy whereas in Adam he was a friend and in Christ the second Adam he is made a friend but that God is reconciled to man or changed toward his own Elect from an enemy and a God that hateth their persons into a friend and lover of them I never read if at any time God be said to be comforted toward his people or eased these are borrowed speeches 2. Love of Election yea the love that putteth God on work to Redeem Call Justifie Sanctifie the Elect is no love bought with hire yea the price of Redemption which Christ gave for sinners cannot buy eternall love blood and the blood of God shed cannot woodset ancient love all the sins of Devils of men cannot forfeit it make sins floods and seas and ten thousand worlds of rivers they cannot quench that eternall coal and flame in the brest of so free a Lover as God in a word the shed blood of Christ is an â—ffect not a cause of infinite love 3. What â—hen doth reconciliation place any new thing in God No Doth it turn him from an Hater to a Lover No Reconciliation active on the Lords â—art is a change of his outward dispensation not â—f his inward affections Fury is not in me he â—ith himself Isa. 27.4 He cannot wax hot and â—â—ry in the Acts of his spotlesse and holy will Reconciliation turneth not the heart but the hand of the Lord upon the little ones as he speaketh so that he cannot deal with or punish his elect as otherways he would do The Lords justice may be satisfied his love cannot be budded or hired and the effect of justice the inflicting of infinite wrath is diverted as a River that runneth East hath been made to run West and an issue of blood in one member of the body hath been diverted to run at another channell justice was to run through the Elect of God in the due legal punishing of the sinner which yet is extraneous to the just and eternall will of God but infinite wise mercy caused that River to run in another veine through the soul of Iesus Christ. 7. Propos. Joy of the holy Ghost is a fruit of the Kingdom of Grace Rom. 14.17 But not that joy spoken of Rev. 21.4 and Is. 35.10 Which excludeth all tears death sorrow crying all sighing as Mr. Denne dreameth so as joy can no more be separated from the Subjects of that kingdom then light from the Sun heat from the fire or ebbing and flowing can be stopped in waters as he saith far lesse is it true that actuall love and obedience doth inseparably follow this condition except we were made Angels when we are once justified nor is the Kingdom of God spoken of 1 Cor. 6.9 10. And the seeing of God Heb. 12.14 The Kingdom or state of Grace or the seeing of God in a vision of Faith here in this life but of the Kingdom of glory and of the vision of God in the other life as M. Denne expoundeth it that he may elude all necessity of holinesse but that which floweth from no obligation of any Law or Commandement of God But which is in our power of love to perform or not perform if we perform it not it s no transgression of any Law of God 1. M. Denne himself granteth pag. 84. God is not like some nigardly man who will not bid us welcome to his house unlesse we bring our cost with us Nor is holinesse required of us without Faith and before we believe and enter Citizens of the kingdom of Grace Nay by this interpretation 1 Cor. 6. We must be Justified and washed before we can inherit this Kingdom v. 9 10.11 But we are not to be washed and justified before we inherit the Kingdom of Grace and before we believe for so we should be justified and washed before we be justified and washed and the like I say of the Kingdom of God John 3.3 For it should follow that a man must be born again ere he be born again if he must be born again ere
16.6 I said to thee when thou wast in thy blood live This Mandate of omnipotent grace is spoken to Jerusalem as hardened and cold dead in sin Eph. 5 14. Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light This is a Commandement of omnipotency given out of sinfull rebellion If Omnipotence say See ye blind hear ye deaf Grace is a King over sin and omnipotency a mighty Conqueror Rebellion cannot stand before the grace of God could we resigne Rebellious and dead hearts to God he should change them though we be most unable to master them 2. Meer-nothing is a servant to omnipotency he sendeth his mandate or statute of heaven to meer-nothing and Darknesse as the Sergeant and Pursevant of GOD must send out Light by vertue of a creating Mandate 2 Cor. 4.6 3. Every creature is under the awe of Omnipotency and dare not without as it were a written and signed Ordinance and Statute of the Almighty exercise their naturall operations As the Lord sendeth an awfull mandate to the Sea and God saith Do not ebbe and flow and the sea is dried up at his rebuke Psal. 77.16 The waters saw thee O God the Waters saw thee they were afraid So saith he Winds blow not Seas rage not fire burn not Lyons devor not Sun move not Clouds rain not Devils hurt not Waters overwhelm not Sword destroy not and they all obey 4. There is a power obedientiall in creatures to be instruments that can be elevated above and contrary to their nature to miracles as clay to be a plaster to blinde eyes to make them see whereas clay can put out seeing eyes by this Iron can swim Peter walk in the Sea yea devils men crossing Gods Morall wil fulfill his eternall Counsell according to that Ps. 119.91 All are thy servants Hell Devils Gavaliers Malignants Papists are Gods servants 5. By this power where as nature must have time and hours to work yet nature followeth the swift pace of omnipotency the Fever departeth from Peters mother in Law in an instant 6. By this power creatures creep into nothing when God commandeth them so to do God putteth his arm to the Heaven and shaketh it and the Hangings Pillars Walls plenishing of the house of Heaven and earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all dissolved all the old Tenants of the world the Heavens which have sitten in Gods house 5000 years at the first warning of their Almighty Land-lord must remove and retire into nothing if God so command them Vse 1. It is comfort to the believer all things are possible Faith hath omnipotency at its service the sword and wars are gone the enemies of the Lord broken the Temple built Babylon plagued at the nod of Faith Devils cannot stand when Christs Mandate chargeth them to fall Vse 2. It is but little that we can do let us have Hosts of men we cannot have the victory Let man be swift yet the Race is not to the swift let him be strong Yet the battell is not to the strong let him be wise and learned Neither is bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding Eccles. 9.11 1. The word of the Almighty is his deed also Psal. 33.9 He spake it was done he commanded and it stood fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he himself spake and it was The Lords word giveth being to things by the contrary mens deeds are nothing but words so the lives being and actions of the Kings of Israel and Iudah are called Dibre hajamim words of dayes They are the acts and deeds of men living and dying and compassed with dayes for the deeds and acts of men are but words they live and speak a little on earth and die their acts are of as little worth and reality as the airing out and breathing forth of words The greatest Prince maketh a sound for a time as one that speaketh words and then he is gone and lyeth silent in the grave Solomon did many acts but they are called words only 1 Kin. 11.41 And the rest of the acts of Solomon Hebrew The rest of the words of Solomon Are written in the Books of the Acts Hebrew Of the words of Solomon 2 Kin. 21.25 And the rest of the words which Amon did are written in the Book of the words of the days of the Kings of Judah We use not properly to do or act words but to speak words but the holy Language maketh man and all his noble acts but words and would expresse that he is a creature of no great action and can say more then he can do Strong and mighty man is but a creature of words he is a speaking body of clay and can do but little We boast much that this and this we shall do God hath a lock and a chain of Iron on all the creatures Armies are not to be feared the Lord smites the horse and the rider maketh war to cease unto the end of the earth he breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear in sunder he burneth the Chariot in the fire Psal. 46.9 Be not afraid of clay Esay 51.12 Vse 3. If the Lords word create the being of things then are we to conceive of him as of an Independent Soveraigne we forget this and worship a Dependent God If I suffer the people to go to worship at Jerusalem saith Jeroboam I shall lose both life and Kingdom God had promised the contrary to establish him and his Kingdom so he would do what is right in the sight of the Lord 1 Kin. 11.37 38. But he believed that God in the fulfilling of his promise must depend upon the Calves set up at Dan and Bethel So the Jews will have God in the preserving of their Kingdom and place Joh. 11.48 to depend upon the sinfull murthering of the Lord of Glory yea we imagine that God cannot carry on the work of Reformation except we comply with some sort of Antichristian Prelate The King thinketh he cannot be a Monarch except he have a Prerogative to play the Tyrant and his Throne must fall except the Antichrist and blood and unlawfull peace with the bloody Irish murtherers and destroying of the Lords Redeemed flock in both Kingdoms be the bloody Pillars of his Throne and Royall power So God cannot save us if France Denmarke Spain and Ireland come against these Kingdomes we are so wasted except we make a Peace dishonourable to Jesus Christ and his prerogative Royal all this is to place God in a state of Dependency we are too wickedly carefull how God shall acquit himself in his office of Governing the world ere you or I were born the Lord governed the world and his Church without a miscarry the Churches Heaven cannot be marr'd in Christs hand and when we are rotten in the dust he shall carry on all in righteousnesse and wisdom but we take it ill if we cannot have a providence as