no longer but over-leaping at difficulties forthwith betake thy self to Jesus Christ and thou art actually set free Ioh. 16.9.10 Let thy heart be convinced of righteousness as well as of sin that as thou hast seen thy sin powerfully working towards thy condemnation so thou mayest see and gladly imbrace the righteousnesse of Christs Salvation working as powerfully for thy acquittance and justification Say Lord although I finde no encouragement either in my self or from the creature to expect any good by the work of Redemption yet seeing thou hast graciously promised deliverance to all poor captives that will betake themselves to Jesus Christ and give up themselves to him by faith behold here I am I beleeve help thou mine unbeleef Mar. 9.24 hee shall have the cream of my heart I will make bold to go to him and cast my burthen upon him for ever But here the humbled soul is ready to plead against himself in this manner Sect. 2. Answer to two Objections Object 1. If I knew that this benefit did indeed belong to me then I might have some ground to beleeve on Christ for the obtaining of it But I have no assurance of that and thus to beleeve might be to beleeve an untruth and so instead of doing a duty I should commit a sin Answ 1. This Objection ariseth 1. From ignorance of the extent of the grace held forth in the Gospel as if it did except some particular persons whereas it makes an offer to all and every one indefinitely under the conditions before expressed 2 From a mistake about the proper nature of faith supposing it to be an assurance or perswasion of heart concerning the love of God in special to me and my actual interest in redemption whereas in truth it stands 1 In the understandings assent to the doctrine of the Gospel or a beleef of the certainty of those things which Christ hath done for us as Mediator Nemo jubetur credere se redemptum esse priâ—squam credat in ipsum And 2. The hearts willing consenting and accepting of him with all his benefits freely offered I must not first know that I have right unto actual Redemption and then beleeve on Christ but I must first beleeve on Christ that I may have an actual right in it No man can be groundedly perswaded of his personal interest in Christ and the grace of Redemption till he hath heartily consented to the match which the Gospel offereth and given up himself to him as his Lord Redeemer 2. Yet thou hast sufficient yea abundant warrant thus to beleeve that is to take Christ and to rest on him for Redemption both from Gods express command as 1 Joh. 3.23 and from his invitations by promises of rest righteousness and salvation Matth. 11.28 Act. 13.39 and 16.31 Christ himself tells us plainly Joh. 6.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. answering them that asked him what they should do that they might work the works of God That this saith he is the work or the work of God by way of eminency that work which he would have you to do and which is well-pleasing to him above all other works that ye beleeve c. This is thy work fall to it presently stand not disputing or questioning whether this Redemption be for thee but beleeve that by beleeving thou mayest be instuted in it and it may be actually thine Object 2. But I have heard that this benefit is not for all Christ never intended to buy out all and every one of Adams posterity from the Curse and it may be I am none of that number for whom it was meant Answ 1. To the former branch of the Objection Divines have various apprehensions concerning the extent of Redemption The most received doctrine amongst orthodox Writers as I take it is that it is as narrow as Election and effectual vocation that the Lord did not intend that the curse and sufferings of Christ should be paid as a price for the ransoming of all and every one but only of those who were singularly designed in Gods eternal purpose according to Election to the injoyment of it by effectual calling There be other two opinions which hold an universality of Redemption yet with a very great difference The Arminians teach that Christ dyed for all alike that by his death he obtained that all men should be restored into the state of grace and salvation that Almighty God did not will or intend the redemption of any one more See Wards Conc ad Clerum pag. 19.20 or less than another that both the price was paid for Judas as well as for Peter and the application of it on Gods part is equally for them both not more for Peter than Judas but the difference is made by themselves the one accepting the other refusing the grace tendered by the power of his own will But this doctrine is to be rejected as false and dangerous It doth clearly make void the grace of God and exalt mans free will lifting him up into the seat of God to be his own Redeemer for say they when God hath put forth all those workings of grace which he is wont to make use of in the way to conversion See Suffrag Collegâ—ate in Arâ— 1.2 3. yet still the will is left in an equal poise betwixt beleeving and not beleeving able indifferently to incline either way so that in case a man shall hearken and answer the Lords call by beleeving and so turn effectually this man now hath struck the main stroak in the business in as much as hee might have refused it if he would and he hath whereof to boast and may say I had no more grace given towards conversion than others yet they have rejected it and remain unconverted but I by the freedome of my will have imbraced it and so am converted and consequently in actual possession of the grace of Redemption The Scripture speaks otherwise 2 Cor. 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing if not to think than much less to will or to work Phil. 2.13 It is God which works in you both to will and to work Oh wretched man by thine Apostacy thou hast lost thy self and made thy will a perfect slave to sin so that unless it be first set free by grace it cannot possibly be free to any good There be some other Divines Voluntas in tantum libera in quantum liberata Aug. both learned judicious and godly which allow an universality of Redemption and they deliver their judgement thus or to this effect That Jesus Christ by the appointment of his Father taking upon him the curse due to sin did give himself a sacrifice and paid a price for the ransome of all mankinde yet not with an equal intention and resolution for every one but thus Effectually to redeem and perfectly to save all those whom the Father had given him that is the Elect by applying unto them his
lighter skirmishes for having emptied himself of his glory so that he did not appear to be that which indeed he was and subjected himself to the state of a servant and so a meet object of suffering he became a man of sorrows all his life long Isa 53.3 compassed about with infirmity Heb. 5.2 as soon as he was born he was laid in a manger because there was no room for him in the Inne while he was very young he was persecuted and forced to flie into Aegypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was tempted of Sathan Quod illud dictum civium satis arguit Usser Annal. per poster p. 552. he wrought for his living at the trade of his reputed father as it is more than probable by that speech of the Mazarenes Mar. 6.3 Is not this the carpenter c He was the object of mans reproach he was called a wine-bibber a friend of publicans and sinners an enemy to Caesar one that hath a devil he was subject to the infirmities which are incident to mankind as hunger thirst poverty he was betrayed by Judas forsaken by his disciples abused by the Jews mocked buffetted spit upon crowned with thorns accused arraigned condemned as the vilest malefactor In one word he was a worm and no man Psal 22.6 2. The main brunt it self was that he was struck with death The Sacrifice in the Law was to be slain the goat which was to be offered for a sin-offering for the people must be killed and the blood of it must be brought within the veil Lev. 16.15 The same courses as to killing was to be taken with the burnt-offering peace-offering and trespass-offering as we may see in the 1 3 5 6 7. chapters of Leviticus So it was prophesied Isa 53.12 he poured out his soul unto the death and elsewhere often Now this death which Christ did undergo was both of the body and soul 1. He suffered the death of the body called the first death this Gabriel the Angel revealed to the Prophet Daniel some 1006 years before Dan. 9.26 the Messiah shall be cut off the accomplishment whereof the stories of the Evangelists relate very largely Isa 53.8 Acts 8.33 his life is taken from the earth We by sin had deserved the first death the taking down of this earthly frame by the separation of the soul and body therefore Christ our surety must die that death for us the particular end of death which he should and did suffer was the death of the cross which was so designed and ordered by the all-wise counsel and providence of God both because it was very painfull and grievous and also because it was a most shamefull and ignominious death but especially because it was even by divine appointment stigmatized with this brand of infamy that whosoever was hanged on a tree was to be accounted ceremonially accursed as it is avouched in the close of the verse It was not necessary that he should suffer all the several sorts of death as stoning burning sawing beheading c. it was sufficient that he suffered that one kind of death which the wisdom of God saw to be most fit and suitable neither yet was it necessary that his death should be attended with such cruelties as some men have been enforced to suffer as pulling the flesh from the bone pinching it with hot pincers and the like These are rather personal than natural and meerly accidental not essential to the first death Therefore the legs of Christ were not broken and although his body was laid in the grave yet he saw no corruption because these infirmities did not consist with the dignity of his person and the latter would have made void the fruit and effect of his sufferings Therefore the Scripture declares both these to be contrary to Gods will See Jo. 19 33-36 Acts 2.31 2. He suffered the death of the soul or that which is called the second death Sin brought death into the world not onely that death which pulls down this earthly frame but also that which makes a wofull separation of the whole man from God Therefore the Lord Jesus must undergo this death too Isa 53.10 he made his soul an offering for sin And this death stood in these two things 1. There was a stoppage or withdrawing of the sense of his fathers love and favour from his soul This he complains of as a forsaking Psal 22.1 and it answers to that poena damni punishment of loss which we should suffer But we must understand this to be done in such manner and measure as becomes the person suffering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was not a pulling the Godhead from the manhood this union continued entire all the time of his sufferings and shall do to all eternity Neither was it a deprival of the spirit wherewith his humane nature was filled even from the womb that did still abide in him and shall never be taken away from him according to that precious promise Isa 59.21 which I conceive must be fulfilled first in him and then in his seed with him Neither was it a total or perpetual withdrawing but onely in part and for a time the Lord turned away his face from him for a little season he hid himself out of his sight and would not be found he took off the sweet influence of the joy and comfort of the spirit suspending them for a time and keeping off from him at a great distance Psal 22.1 yet all this while God was present with him by his supporting grace so that he had some intermissions and an Angel came to comfort him Luke 22.43 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he was heard in that he feared Hâ—b 5.7 or he was heard from his feare that is he was heard and delivered 2. There was a letting out and seizing of the Lords wrath and indignation upon his soul God did put into his hand a cup of the red wine of his wrath full of the mixture of the bitterest ingredients and he drank it off This answers to that pâ—na sensus punishment of pain which we should suffer All the waves of Gods displeasure went over his head See Psalm 18.4 5. 88.6 7 16 17. This supernatural death he suffered in both the kinds before mentioned first in the garden and after that on the cross In the garden Mat. 26.36 John 18.1 there the wrath of God did encounter him and he was put to grapple with it hand to hand he bare three several storms one after another and so took a deep draught of this bitter cup. The manner of it is described by sundry expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 14.33 he began to be sore amazed which notes a dreadfull astonishment arising from a sudden commotion of all the powers of his soul together and to be very heavie that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be surprized and possessed with a very great and pressing anguish of spirit through the unspeakable horrour of divine
and speed well Page 280 The conclusion of this passage with further satisfaction to the broken soul Page 281 282 CHAP. XI 5. TO the Lords Redeemed ones walk as it becometh such in five Duties Page 283 1. Admire this mercy rejoyce in it and let this joy break forth in praises Page 284 2. Hold fast your liberty and return not into a second bondage either more palpable by Apostacy or more covert of conscience or conversation ibid. 3. Give your selves up wholly to the pleasure and obedience of the Redeemer both in doing and suffering Page 290 The equity of this shewed in three Motives ibid. 1. He onely hath propriety in you Page 293 2. Your safety and comfort here depends very much upon this Page 294 3. This shall be most insisted upon in the great day of Inquisition Page 295 The general neglect of this duty bewayled with further pressing it Page 297 4. Labour to bring others to partake of this benefit which concerns Page 299 1. Ministers of the Gospel Page 300 2. Governours of Families Page 302 3. Neighbours and friends especially allyed in blood or affinity Page 305 5. Love the appearing of your Redeemer manifest it by the actings of Page 308 1. Vehement desires ibid. 2. Lively hope Page 309 3. Hearty rejoycing in the foresight of it Page 310 Helps to this duty Page 312 1. Keep thy self unspotted of the world ibid. 2. Preserve in thy self a willingness to dye Page 313 3. In thy whole course after conversion commit thy soul and hopes of happiness unto Jesus Christ Page 314 4. When death arrests thee commend thy spirit into the hands of the Lord thy Redeemer Page 316 CHAP. XII 6. ADmonition to beware of cursing our selves or others inferred upon this new ground further pressed by motives as being both irrational and irreligious Page 317 Mount EBAL levell'd OR Redemption from the Curse Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us CHAP. I. The introduction shewing the coherence scope and summ of the Text in three conclusions THe Apostle Paul writ this Epistle to the Churches of Galatia with his own hand so we find chap. 1 2. 6.11 This countrey was scituate in Asia the lesse See Calvin Pâ—scator Bullinger Paraeus c. and the inhabitants thereof as some Historians report were anciently descended from the Galli or French who growing a very numerous people were inforced to seek abroad into forraign coasts for convenient habitation some of them coming into these parts and lighting upon a countrey which bordered upon Cappadocia and Bithynia sate down there and called it in reference to their first Original Galatia see 1 Pet. 1.1 Who was the first that preached the Gospel among them and was the instrument to reduce them from their Gentilisme to the faith and profession of Christ whether it was S. Paul or some other of the Apostles as it is not easie to determine so neither is it necessary for us to know This is certain 1. That there were Churches planted in that region chap. 1 2. 1 Cor. 16.1 2. That Paul and his companions travelling through those parts were forbidden to preach the word in Asia Act. 16.6 Yet 3. That he preached the Gospel unto them in his ovvn person see chap. 1.8.11 and 4.13 probably at that time vvhen he passed through that region before the inhibition came to him and 4. That after all this he vvent over that countrey again and strengthened all the disciples in the truth of the Gospel vvhich they had received Act. 18.23 But as it often fell out that the Churches began too soon to degenerate and decline from their primitive purity * Vergere in pejus so these Galatians vvere quickly removed from the simplicity of the Gospel by the instigation of the false Apostles pressing a necessity of circumcision and the observation of the Lavv of Moses to be joyned vvith Christ unto justification and salvation And to the end they might the more easily prevail those deceitful vvorkers vvent about to slight and debase the authority of the Apostle by all means possible Upon this occasion he sends them this Epistle vvherein after the inscription he chides them sharply for their Apostasie then he asserts the truth of his doctrine and authority of his Apostleship for the clearing vvhereof he sets dovvn the story of his life past both in his Judaisme and Christianisme After vvhich he sets upon the main business to maintain the doctrine of justification by faith alone vvhich he prosecutes in this chapter and the next adding thereunto an earnest exhortation to stand fast in their spiritual liberty and to the practise of other Christian duties of speciall concernment and so concludes We shall fetch the coherence no higher then from the 6 verse of this chapter The hinge of his disputation runs upon this conclusion We are justified by faith alone without the works of the Law To make the proof more clear and full he brings Arguments both for the Affirmative and for the Negative The Affirmative part is We are justified by faith alone To prove this he layes down tvvo Arguments 1. Dravvn from the example of Abraham look by vvhat vvay or means Abraham our Father vvas justified by the same are all his children justified but he was justified by faith alone Ergo ver 6 7. 2. Drawn from Gods mind touching this made known beforehand Look how the Scripture chalks out Gods way of justifying the Gentiles in aftertimes that way they are justified but faith in Christ is the way which it hath chalked out Ergo ver 8 9. The Negative part is We are not justified at all by the works of the Law and for this also he brings two Arguments 1. Drawn from the sentence of the Law it self If the Law it self do solemnly pronounce a curse upon all that depend upon it then justification is not by the works of the Law for if it justifie it blesseth if it curse how doth it justifie but the Law doth so pronounce Ergo ver 10. 2. Drawn from the inconsistence of these two the Law and faith It s onely by faith that the sinner is justified and so lives but the Law is not of faith These two in the businesse of justification flie asunder and cannot stand together even as grace and works do in the decree of election Rom. 11.6 Ergo ver 11 12. Now whether these words be intended for a new argument * Summum et potentissimum argumentum Jun. Paral. or onely for an amplification of something before delivered is doubtful if the former then the ground of the argument must be the near connexion of Redemption and Justification thus If Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law then we are not justified by the works of it for if Justification may be had by the Law then there is no need of Redemption by Christ so the Apostle reasoneth chap. 2. But Christ
cursed Adam when he had sinned Gen. 3.17 and he is said to bring curses on a people and to give a people to the curse and to make them to be an Execration Pro. 3.33 Isa 24.6 43.28 Jer. 42.18 and the curse is said to be powred upon men Dan. 9.11 Sect. 2. A more particular Enquire what the Curse is and wherein it stands BUt it may be worth the labour to enquire more particularly what this Curse is and wherein it stands we may expresse it thus It is the abandoning of the sinner from God and so from all happiness and the throwing of him downe into the folds of his wrath and so into all miserie we read Jos 6. of the accursed thing * God laid a curse on the spoile of Jericho that is devoted it to utter destructions ⸫ Ver. 17 18 * giving a strict charge that no man should meddle with it upon paine of being accursed and devoted to destruction himself which was accordingly executed upon Achan chap. 7. Truly sinne is that Accursed thing there is nothing in all the world so accursed as sinne and whosoever meddles with it God from heaven pronounceth that man accursed and devotes him to the uttermost of his wrath even to eternall destruction Deut. 27.26 God is blessed yea blessednesse it self therefore the blessednesse of the creature must needs stand in the enjoying of God and so of all good in him contrariwise then the cursednesse of the creature stands in its being cast off from God and consequently implunged into his displeasure and the greatest misery It is set forth somtimes by darknesse for God is light and to be separated from him is to be compassed with black darknesse sometimes by death as in the threatning Gen. 2.17 for he is life and to be removed from him is to dwell in the very shadow of death Thus did the Lord curse Adam after his sin q. d. Seeing thou hast a mind to depart from me be it so I do abandon thee out of my presence be gone from me Thou art accursed and accursed thou shalt be and to seal up this sentence he thrusts him out of Paradise Gen. 3.24 Now this Curse even as the sin hath spred and derived it self to all his posterity so that all are accursed in and with him And that we may view it more fully let us consider it in the parts as it lies 1. On the body 2. On the soul 3. On both together I. The curse on the body shews it self miserable 1. Birth 2. Life 3. Death 1. A miserable birth attended with pain and sorrow both to mother and child the mother cries the child weeps there is a curse in the begetting conceiving bearing in the wombe and bringing forth Gen. 3.16 the curse is derived to us and descends upon us all from the loins of our fathers and the wombs of our Mothers Deut. 28.18 it takes hold upon us and is in force against us as soon as ever we have a being 2. A miserable life the Curse attends us and goes along with us during our continuance here in our persons names estates callings and in all that ever we either do or suffer The poyson and power of it breaks forth either 1. In infflicting on us positive evils as on our persons sicknesses diseases deformity weaknesse toilsome labours Gen. 3.19 Deut. 28.21 22 27 60. c. on our estates crosses losses plunderings poverty ver 16.17 31 32. 51 52. on our names disgrace reproach ver 37. on our callings and all our wayes ver 20.29 Or 2. in withholding from us good blessings ver 23. 33. Jer. 5.25 Or 3. in blasting the blessings which we enjoy or putting a sting into them so that they become either hurtfull or unprofitable Mal. 2.2 Yea the earth which is given to the children of men is cursed to the sinner Gen. 3.17 c. denying its strength for his sustenance bringing forth bryars c. 3. A miserable death the body is continually murling away and old age it self tasts deeply of this bitter cup. For although the hoary head be a crown of glory yet that is no thanks to it self its onely when it s found in the way of righteousness Prov. 16.31 still the sinner of an hundred years old shall be accursed Isa 65.20 We are all of the dust and shall at length return to it Gen. 3.19 Psal 89.48 The body by its union to the soul enjoyed life but by separation it becomes a livelesse carkasse This separation is a curse not onely in it self but also 1. in the manner of it for its a parting of two old friends and usually is done with violence and painfulnes as if you would rend an arme from the bodie or pluck the heart out of the bellie 2. In the consequent of it the bodie must lie in the grave and rott there Psal 49.14 so that now the sinner hath no more place in the land of the living a full period is put to all his earthly contentments and sometimes he leaves his name for a curse to posteritie Isa 65.15 and it rotts Psal 10.7 II. But oh all this is nothing in comparison of that curse which falls upon the soule I shall reduce the things which appertaine to this head to 3 particulars 1. An utter forfeiture of the special sweet favour of God even in this life together with a wofull subjection unto his hot displeasure We may suppose the Lord speakes thus to our first Father and in him to us all you had my favour my countenance was towards you I embraced you once with loving kindnes and you were happie in it and if you had continued in your obedience you might have continued in my love and I would still have compassed you about with my goodnes but seeing you have set it so light you shall have no more of it you shall know how you come by it hereafter yea the fire of mine indignation shall smoke against you to the uttermost ye were once my Hephzibah a chosen generation the dearly beloved of my soule now ye are become a smoke in my nostrils the generation of my wrath and a people against whome the Lord will have indignation for ever Thus we are all struck dead with the losse of Gods favour and plunged over head and eares in the sea of his dreadfull displeasure We are deprived of that which is better than life and filled brim-full of that which is worse than death see Isa 27.11 Rom. 1.18 Eph. 2.3 2. An utter losse of the faire pure image of God which was put upon us in the day of our Creation and in stead of that a putting on us the foule black image of the Divel and sinne We may suppose againe the Lord speakes thus I created thee after mine own image I did put upon thee the stampe of the divine nature in wisdome righteousnes and holinese of truth but seeing thou wast so farre from taking care to preserve it that thou didst wantonly
2. Thes 1.9 They shall be shut out as incurable Lepers or as Dogs from communion with God and the society of the Saints They shall be deprived not only of all possibilitie of soul-blessings which they never cared for but also of the good things of this life which were their onely portion The glorious God will not owne them any more Jesus the Mediatour will offer them salvation no more the Spirit of Christ will strive with their soules no more there shall be no Minister to preach peace to them to weep over them and to beseech them to be reconciled to God no friend to comfort them and to wipe away their teares no Sun to shine upon them no bitt of bread or drop of water to refresh them No blessing of God once to come neere them no good to be seen enjoyed or ever to come within their kenning unlesse it be to aggravate their miserie that they may gnash their teeth for madnes in considering what they have lost unto all eternitie without remedie 2. Something that 's positive called the punishment of sense or paine * Paena sensus a totall subjection to the heavie yea intolerable wrath of God in the torments of Hell Everlasting fire Math. 25.41 The vengeance of eternall fire Jude 7. And the wrath to come 1. Thes 1.10 The whole person soule and bodie shall be companion with the Divell and his Angels and beare a part with them in torment The worme of a guiltie conscience shall lie gnawing at the hearts of sinners like a snake or a viper and never die Mar. 9.44 The Lord himself who is a consuming fire will power all the full vials of his wrath upon them troopes and swarms of woes shall encompasse them the raging waves of hellish flames shall roare against them and overwhelme them thus they shall have their portion in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone which is the second death Rev. 21.8 God will set his infinite wisdome on work to extract the Quintessence of all the curses of the Law and his Almightie power shall second this wisdom in inflicting them to the full The fire shall be unquenchable never goe out Mar. 9.43.44 see Rev. 14.9 10 11. The breath of the Lord doth kindle it and still blowes it and keeps it in Isa 30.33 He will hold up the wretched creature with the one hand that it may continue in being and beat it with the other hand that it may ever be dying and never die The perfection of curses Thus I have presented to your view some small scantlings or shadowes and but shadowes of that which no understanding of man or Angel is able to conceive or expresse to the life Viz the curse of the Law due to sin I proceed to the Application Sect. 3. Use 1. 2. And 1. Hence we may be bold to conclude without the least haesitation or doubting that Mankinde is not now in that condition wherein it was at first created For Mankinde is under the curse of God and of the Law but certainly God did not create man accursed in the beginning No such work could possibly come out of the hands of the Lord Jehovah who is God blessed for ever Oh no God made him a blessed creature his posteritie with and him putting upon him some parcels of his own blessednes The Lord looked upon him and saw he was very good Gen. 1.31 And said Oh man I have set the stampe of mine own image upon thee and thou art a blessed creature by that blessedness which I have put upon thee The Law looked upon him and saw him every way conformable to it self and said Oh man I can find no flaw in thee therefore I blesse thee in the Name of the Lord. But oh lamentable change * Heu quantum mutatus ab illo The Law looks at him angerly and saith Oh vile accursed creature The Lord looks on him in deepe displeasure and saith surely some mischeivous hand hath been here Did not I sowe the seed of blessedness in this feild how comes it then to be so full of cursed tares oh the Enemie hath done this As Math. 13.27.28 Thus man is wofully flitted from the top of Mount Gerizon to the topp of Mount Ebal and is quite another than God made him as farr differing from what he was once as cursing is from blessing Oh consider this look back and see what we have been He that was once blessed in the shine of his Princes favour and hath now lost it how sensible is he of it how doth the remembrance of it even pinch and sadden his spirit oh then what desperate brutish hearts have wee that can look upon the ruines of our first blessedness with drie eyes 2ly We should seriously consider and take notice of the wofull condition of all men by nature What can be spoken more to the aggravation of our miserie than this that we lie under the curse of the Law of the most high God The Law speakes aloud to all the sonnes and daughters of Adam jointly and severally as Mal. 3.9 ye are cursed with a curse oh ye wretched Backsliders draw neere heare and tremble yea let every one suffer himself to be convinced of this and take it home and say woe is me I am an accursed creature And to drive this Naile home I shall insist a while on the consideration both 1. of the sad effects and 2. the strange properties of this curse Sad effects of the Curse 1. The sad Effects or consequence of the curse I mean such as are felt even in this life are sundrie as 1. The subjection of the whole creature to vanitie It groaneth and travelleth in paine together Rom. 8.20 c. The curse that lyeth on thee for sinne maketh the creature sick causeth heaven and earth to quake Every creature was full of beautie and virtue according to his kind and capacitie but that beautie is greatly decayed and that virtue much wasted and almost dryed up They were all made to serve thee but now that thou art a convicted Rebell and therefore accursed by the doome of the Law they all fare worse for thy sake the curse reflects upon them because of thy treason against God even as when a Nobleman is found a Traitour and so obnoxious to the Law all his servants and retayners are sharers with him lesse or more in his sufferings 2. Spirituall bondage and thraldome unto Sathan This curse is attended with lamentable soule-slaverie infinitely worse than that of the bodie Every naturall man is a prisoner under the power of the Jaylour of hell even while he lives here in this world God the great King and Judge of the world hath said Take him Jaylour and he hath taken him and holdes him captive to doe his will 2. Tim. 2.26 * He hath strong holds in the hearts of sinners he possesseth them and leads them at his pleasure he saith goe and they goe come and they come
doe this and they doe it He blinds their minds hardens their hearts and works in them powerfully Eph. 2.2 Indeed they spitt at him and say they defie him yet neverthelesse they are his drudges and carry his pack and doe his worke And while they professe that they scorne to serve him yet even then they serve him willingly and with both their hands Oh miserie beyond all expression 3. Unfruitfulness towards God He may complaine of Mankind as once of Israel Jer. 2.21 I had planted the a noble Vine wholly a right seed how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto me All our fruit is fruit unto death we can bring forth no fruit unto God The curse of the Law hath blasted us we are as it were Thunder-struck and made unserviceable We can doe nothing that is truly good or wel pleasing to God Rom. 8.8 When Christ came neere to the figtree and saw nothing on it but leavs he cursed it and then it withered Mat. 21.19 So the Lord seeing Adam and his posteritie now by their Apostasie become degenerate plants pronounced a curse upon them saying Never fruit grow on you any more and so we are become no better than withered stumps Thou thinkest that thou dost good duties this and that good work thou hadst thy hand in such and such good fruits thou canst shew but alas it s nothing so thou art a drie and a barren tree 4. Liablenes to all the plagues and judgments of God The curse setts us in such a posture as we are continually exposed to some mischiefe or other The ground which brings forth bryars and thornes being neere unto cursing its end is to be burned Heb. 6.8 The foolishman thinks his tongue is his owne to use as he will Psal 12.4 But Solomon tells him his mouth is neere to destruction Pro. 10.14 See Ezech. 7.5 6 7. 2. Pet. 2.3 Speaking of false Teachers he saith their judgment lingers not but is hastening on its way their damnation slumbreth not it keeps waking to seize on them in due time And indeed what is it that hindreth vengeance from falling on sinners but onely the Lords patience Thaâ— consuming fire is at hand readie to lick thee up and to destroy thee there is but one stepp betwixt thee and death The Lord might forthwith stop thy breath anâ— then thou art gone for ever the ladder iâ— every moment like to be turned thoâ— hangest but by one weake threed and wheâ— that is broken then thou droppest into thâ— flames of hell 5. Punishing sinne with sinne a very sad effect of the curse when the Lord hath determined to set home the curse upon a sinner with a witnesse then he leaves him to himself for his former provocations either to run himself deeper into the same sinnes or else to fall into more vile and vicious courses and so to heap up wrath against himself As sometimes a father saith of an hopeless child Seeing he will not be reclaymed let him take his course let him run himself out of breath and hasten to his owne ruine Thus he scourged the Gentiles for their wilde courses against the light of Nature Rom. 1.26.28 And the Jewes for their contempt of the word Psal 81.11 12. And their opposing the Gospell 1. Thes 2.15 16. Thus the Lord deales with many of the secure sleepie sinners they give no regard to the offer of mercie therefore the Lord shutts them up in ignorance and saith let him that is ignorant filthy carnall be so still they are not bettered by mercies or judgments therefore they shall be made worse The close deceiver becomes a grosse robber and God gives him over to lying swearing forswearing c. The immoderate use of the creatures becomes grosly riotous God gives him up to beastly drunkenness mispending of his time wasting his estate yea sometimes to wantonness and bodily filthyness to hatred yea scorning of good counsel and the like abhominable practices 6. Hellish terrours startlings of conscience feare of death and of the Judgment to come These are the sparkles which flie up out of these everlasting burnings while the furnace is in heating to devoure the ungodly of the earth Isa 33.14 Fearfulness surprizeth the hypocrites Heb. 2.15 It s one maine branch of mans naturall miserie that through feare of death he is all his life subject unto bondage Act. 24.25 When the Aostle Paul preached of the Judgment to come Felix trembled The sinner feeles many a privie nippe while he is walking on in the wayes of his owne heart he hath gripings in his spirit that torment him and he feeles the flashing of hell fire sometimes in his conscience so that he is appaled with the foresight of the wrath to come His heart smites him and tels him that Vengeance lyes in wait for him because of ignorance drunkenness contempt of the Gospell c. The thoughts of death and judgment damp him and strike him to the heart and he saith oh I must once goe downe into the dust what shall then become of this poore soule * Animula vagula blandula Quae nunc abâ—bis in loca I must be brought to judgment how shall such a sinful wretch as I look the great Judge of heaven and earth in the face Alas poore sinner thou settest a good face on the matter before men but thy heart knowes that it is thus 2. The strange properties or qualities of the curse Strange properties of the Curse are especially these 5. I call them strange because 1. Most of them lie out of the road of the naturall mans apprehension and beliefe they are hid from his eyes he will not easily be perswaded of them 2. Yea the godly themselves doe not so clearly discerne nor so carefully observe or make use of them as they might 1. It is a grievous and a bitter curse Can there be any thing more grievous and bitter than the abandoning of the creature from God It was a very girevous curse which Shimei the Benjamite shott against King David as David himself termes it 1. Kin. 2.8 A strong sore forcible curse so the originall word signifies How much more rightly may all this be spoken of the curse of Gods Royall Law When the Angel of the Lord would measure out a curse against the Merozites according to the bredth of their sinne he bids curse them bitterly Jud. 5.23 Gods curse against sinners is bitter Jer. 4.18 It s made up of gall and worme-wood * Ier. 8.14.9.15 When Solomon would give warning of the danger which may come by the ensnaring of an whorish woman he tells us that in his owne experience he finds her more bitter than death Eccl. 7.26 If he had knowne any thing more bitter he would have mentioned it Now the curse of the Law is the death 〈◊〉 â—he sinner Gen. 2.17 The curse of the people upon Merciles self-seeking persons is grievous it bites sore Pro. 11.26 28.27 Oh
taken down before we dismiss it may serve to bring us all out of love with one wicked practice which is too common every where and that 's cursing and to discover it to be a thing both desperately sinfull and even in it self unreasonable Some profane unsavoury ones are not afraid upon any trivial occasion to curse themselves if this or that be not so I would I were hanged I wish this meat may be my poison Let me never thrive c. and these dreggish dangerous times have brought forth a generation of men of corrupt minds and dissolute principles which can curse themselves with a kind of authority and bravery If I do not such and such a thing and it may be some desperate abominable crime God damn me God confound me c. As for imprecations against others how ordinary are they there be deboist unnatural children which blush not to curse their parents so parents curse their children masters their servants and one neighbour another you shall hear a man sometimes curse his horse if he do but stumble or his cattel if they turn out of the way or his very axe hammer or the working-tool in his hand if it miscarry In short there is no language so ready to our common people if they be displeased or put into passion as hangment vengeance the devil a mischief the pox or the like when as the mad man they cast firebrands arrows and death Prov. 26.18 And some have so accustomed their tongues to such hellish speeches that they are to them but words of course they curse when they mean no harm which is an abominable taking of Gods Name in vain seeing every imprecation is virtually at least a prayer to God to do the thing expressed or intended therein Let me advise you therefore to consider what you are doing you are under the curse of the Law and will you be so bold and busie with it Oh that you were wise and that ye would cause these words to sinke down into your ears and seriously ponder in your hearts these particulars following 1. Cursing is given in Scripture as the mark and brand of persons that are notoriously profane and such as are strangers from God and in the bond of iniquity Psal 10.7 his mouth is full of cursing See 1 Sam. 17.43 and 2 Sam. 16.5 the practice of Shimei Jud. 17.2 Micahs mother Rom. 3.14 it s sometimes followed home with remarkable judgments Exod. 21.17 Prov. 30.11 see the exemplary punishment of Shelamiths son Lev. 24.14 2. It is very unbeseeming and inconsistent with the profession of Religion not becoming those which have given their names to Christ and from that very consideration sometimes forbidden Rom. 12.14 Eph. 4.31 1 Pet. 3.9 it is so foul a thing that the practice of it if habituated and frequent will scarcely stand with saving grace Christians that give way to it and suffer themselves to be overcome by it do very much forget themselves See Jam. 3.4 10. c. Peter foully overtaken Mat. 26.74 3. It argues a great measure of flintiness and strange audaciousness of spirit when a man dare adventure to play with such edge-tools to bandie so terrible a thing as the curse is and to dally with it upon every trifling occasion 4. In thus doing you take upon you the office of the Law yea you step into the Lords own seat God hath put this burthen on the Law as to bless the observers so to curse the transgressors of it how darest thou then incroach upon it who made thee a Law-giver or who gave thee this authority Oh take heed thou makest thy self guilty of most unwarrantable usurpation 5. You invite the curse and call for it to come and seize upon your selves or others as if it were too slow and made not haste enough but thou maist be well assured it hath wings it s the flying roll and thou wilt find to thy sorrow one day that it comes with too much speed thou needest not to hasten it 6. You adde more misery to the miserable Thou art wretched above measure already through the curse of the Law which lieth upon thee wilt thou increase thy wretchedness by sealing up the curse against thy self and that with thine own mouth Thy children are in a wofull condition by means of the sin and curse which thou hast derived unto them and wilt thou make it more wofull by pronouncing a curse upon them with thine own lips may not many a child say to his father and mother Is it not enough that you have brought me into the world accursed by the Law of God but I must have your curse also 7. Yea lastly you provoke the Lord to take you at your words and to say Well be it unto you even as you will Thou saist God damn me it s a bargain thou shalt be damned The Lord doth oftentimes send down the curse upon the children according to the imprecation of their parents the prints whereof stick upon them visibly all their days They that love cursing shall have cursing enough Psal 109.17 18 19. Therefore put away this bad language from you and let it not be heard any more amongst us Chap. 3. Sect. 1. The second Conclusion what this imports that Christ was made a curse for us THe second Conclusion or Doctrine which these words hold forth unto us is this Christ was made a curse for us which are under the curse of the Law Jesus Christ the Son of God the second person in Trinity became a curse for the sons of men who stand accursed by the doome of Gods righteous Law Let it be observed that he is not onely accursed but a curse and this expression is used both for more significancy and fulness to note out the truth and realness of the thing and also to shew the order and way he took for bringing us back unto that blessedness which we had lost The Law was our righteousness in our innocent condition and so it was our blessedness Jam. 1.25 but the first Adam falling away from God by his first transgression implunged himself into all unrighteousness and so inwrapped himself in the curse Now Christ the second Adam that he may restore lost man into an estate of blessedness he becomes that for them which the Law is unto them namely a curse Rom. 10 4. beginning where the Law ends and so going backward to satisfie the demands of the Law to the uttermost he becomes first a curse for them and then their righteousness and so their blessedness For making good this truth I shall endeavour to clear these two things 1. What this is that he is made a curse for us and wherein it stands 2. By whom or by what power he was made a curse for us For the former Christs becoming a curse for us stands in this that whereas we are all accursed by the sentence of the Law because of sin he now comes into our room and stands under the
condemned sinners by their knowledge of him or by faith in his Name for he shall take upon him their iniquities and acquit them from blame And this Covenant of God with Christ is the very basis or bottome of the Covenant of Grace God made a Covenant with Christ the spiritual David Psal 89.3 4. that he might make a Covenant with all his Elect in him Rom. 11.26 27. He made this Agreement with Christ as the Head and on this is reared up the whole frame of precious promises comprised in the Covenant of Grace as a goodly building upon a sure foundation And herein the Levitical Priesthood was a type of the Priesthood of Christ That was settled on Aaron and his successors and continued unto them by Covenant their anointing was to be an everlasting Priesthood Exod. 40.15 and more fully Numb 25.12 13. he gave to Phineas and to his seed the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood and by vertue thereof they were inabled to manage the Covenant of life and peace which was with them Mal. 2.5 as to the Legal and Ceremonial administration of it even so the true Priesthood is settled on Christ and continued to him by Covenant and by vertue of this he manageth the Covenant of Grace in its Evangelical and Spiritual administration And as they must bear the iniquity of the Congregation and so be made typically a Curse for them Lev. 10.17 So Christ must be made a Curse truly by imputation by bearing the iniquity of the Congregation of the first-born which are written in heaven Only the Apostle gives us this difference betwixt these two Covenants that those in the Law were made Priests without an oath but Christ was made with an oath Heb. 7.20 21. For the proof of which he brings Psal 110.4 noting out a special preheminence of his Priesthood above theirs that theirs was changeable and so had an end but his is unchangeable and perpetual the Lord having confirmed the Covenant by his Oath and so infeoffed him in it by a grant never to be revoked Therefore Covenant and Oath are sometimes put together as Psal 89.3 But I am sensible that I have expatiated too far The issue of all is this in short Christ being made a Curse for us proceeds from the purpose and good pleasure of God appointing him and calling him out thereunto and it is the execution of a wonderfull and glorious design or contrivement agreed upon by God and Christ for working out the salvation of the Elect. I hasten to the Application Sect. 4. Use 1. Information in four particulars ANd first This Truth will afford us matter of very useful Information to establish our judgements in some particulars of special concernment 1 It holds forth unto us the strange mischievousness of sin in the nature and workings of it Oh the excessive sinfulness the unspeakable poysonfulness of sin that could reach as high as heaven and bring the Son of the Eternal God under the Curse Oh that the sons and daughters of Adam would look about them begin at length seriously to consider what an hideous Monster they nourish what a venemous Serpent they keep yea hug in their bosomes Look upon it in this glass and see how black and ugly it appears If you have not seen it by the Ministry of the Law so as to humble you and to lay you low before the Lord I beseech you turn your eyes unto Jesus Christ and see what foul work it hath made what mischief it hath brought on him Behold here a strange sight a sad spectacle the blessed Son of God made acursed The justice of the Law hath found him amongst sinners and singled him out from all the company and set him as a mark to shoot at yea hath spent all the arrows of its quiver upon him and thereby hath mangled and rent and torn and wounded him grievously yea hath brought him down to the gates of death even as low as hell When thou hast presented him to thy minde in this pittiful pickle then reflect upon thy self and say What evill beast hath done this Was it any offence that he hath done against the Law in his own person that hath provoked it to pour out such a flood of curses upon him Oh no he was holy harmless undefiled there was no spot of unrighteousness in him It was for my rebellion treason apostacy from my Maker Me me adsum qui feci I have sinned and Christ hath suffered the curse for my sin Take now a survey of the several branches of this curse and see how it dogged him all along from his birth to his burial especially the griefes and the groans the sorrows and the sweats the tears the terrors and the torments of his soul under the power of the second death and then say in thy heart Oh fool that I was I did not beleeve that sin had been so exceeding bad as it is I see now it is no tame beast but an unreasonable ravenous devouring Serpent full of deadly poyson Canst thou see all this heavy load lying on the back of Christ and yet judge any sin to be small or go on with a proud heart and a high look maintaining thine old league with sin and continuing in the hell of thine accursed natural condition as if it were thy heaven 2 It re-mindes us further of the greatness of that misery whereinto man is implunged by sin For if Christ be made a curse who had no sin of his own but onely ours laid upon him What a grievous curse then must needs lye upon them who have the guilt of their personal sins sticking close to their consciences and still lye weltring in their own gore-blood especially on those wretched souls which must bear the wrath due to sin in their own persons for ever The men of the world put the evil day far from them they feel no harme they fear no danger and therefore they blesse themselves in their present state and say No curse shall take hold upon them But oh how much better were it to reason thus Christ was made a curse for sinners therefore surely sinners in themselves and without Christ are in a desperate condition If we should see a man grievously tormented and put to death with extraordinary tortures and should withall understand that he suffered all these things for another mans crimes and not for his own we would conclude thus Surely that man was a notorious Malefactor and if the stroke of Justice had fallen upon his own head what a terrible death must he have indured If this curse was so bitter his wrath so heavy on Christ our Surety how unspeakably bitter and heavy would it be on us the principals Yea bring it home to thy self and say Alas What have I done I have surely spun a fair thred I have brought my self into a lamentable condition that either the Son of God must come down from heaven and be made a curse for me or else I
to be presented before the Lord the one to be offered for a sin-offering the other to be kept alive for a Scape-goat that Aaron having laid his hands on his head and confessed over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel might afterwards send him away bearing their iniquities into a Land not inhabited All this is fulfilled in Christ he hath both given himself to be a sin-offering for us and thereby removed guilt so far that when it is sought it cannot be found Jer. 50.20 So much is implied in that expression Heb. 9.26 He hath put away sin by the sacrifice of himself therefore redemption and propitiation are put together as the effect and cause First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—acamentum he is a propitiation pacifying Gods wrath and rendring him propitious to sinners and thence follows Redemption Rom. 3.24 25. When the debt is discharged then the Law with the arrests and executions of it are void and of no force So Christ having paid our debt hath thereby both removed sin and guilt and voyded the curse of the Law so that now it hath nothing against us 2 He hath broken the Serpents head according to the ancient Prophesie given out in Paradise Gen. 3.15 by taking part of flesh and blood with us he hath through death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil and so wrought our deliverance Heb. 2.14 15. The Son of God was manifested that he might loose or dissolve the works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8 he hath as it were shattered them all to peeces Isa 30.14 and will still be shattering them hee will not spare so that there shall not be left so much as a shred Now this was one of his works to hold poor sinners fast bound and shut up under the brazen bolts of the curse of the Law unto condemnation but he hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder Psal 107.16 He hath met those terrible enemies the Philistims of hell and grappled with them hand to hand he hath discomfited them and brought them under and he will not cease till he hath beaten them small as the dust before the wind nor turn again till they be consumed That which David spoke of himself as the Type See Isa 63.3 4 c. is eminently fufilled in Jesus Christ onely Psal 18.37 38-42 He is that little David that prevailed over the great Champion Goliah of Gath with a sling and with a stone and smote him and slew him 1 Sam. 17.50 51. He is that strong invincible Sampson that rent in peeces that infernal roaring Lion as easily as if he had been a Kid Judg. 14.5 6. that slew the Philistims hip and thigh with a great slaughter Chap. 15.8 and when they had him fast bound with new cords they became as flax upon his armes and with the jaw-bone of an Ass laid heaps upon heaps vers 14 15 16. that carried away the door of the gates of Hell to set the prisoners at liberty Chap. 16.3 and made the noblest conquest when he seemed to be wholly conquered and no hope was left that ever he could look up again slaying at his death far more than hee had slain in his life vers 21-30 He hath spoyled Principalities and powers and triumphed over them on the Cross Col. 2.15 When the High commission Court and Star-chamber were cast down then all fell with them that appertained to them as there are no more informations pleadings censures punishments So there are no Serjeants Bayliffs Apparitors Pursevants even so this Lord Jesus having thrown down the Court of sin by his death and thereby disabled the Law he hath also judged the great Catch-pole of hell and put him out of office so that he cannot now execute the curse and wrath of God upon poor sinners as gladly hee would and although for the present he can reach to bruise their heel and doth often work them wo yet the Redeemer will tread him under their feet shortly Romans 16. ver 20. Sect. 3. An Objection If by Ransome then not by Rescue Answered THus much for the clearing and prooving of the Conclusion but here lieth a Doubt in the way for answering whereof wee may borrow a little light from the premises If our Redemption was by Christ's becoming a Curse for us and so by buying us out with the price of his blood How could it then be by strength of hand and a forcible rescue These two seem to destroy one another Ransome and Rescue Vâ—de Musculum loc com de redemptâ—one To be delivered by the paying of a price and to be delivered by conquest are inconsistent as to the same persons The nature of the things is so different that they cannot concurre in the same deliverance Ans Although these two do usually stand at a distance yet in this great business of the Redemption of mankinde they close well together To clear this take these three Considerations 1. Mankinde by the breach of the Law being become a debtor to justice and under the curse even in the extremity of it and Almighty God who is the party wronged being the onely soveraign Lord and Lawgiver Therefore the principal and most proper way to effect man's deliverance was to give satisfaction to justice so that either sinners must die the death in their own persons or Christ their surety must give his life a ransome for them being at an utter loss in themselves Against this it may be objected Then we must say that Christ redeemed us from God and himself being God he redeemed us out of his own hands by paying a price to himself which is absurd Ans This seeming absurdity will vanish if we keep to Scripture phrase and take along with us these Two things 1. The person of the Redeemer was not onely God but also man and although as to the sufficiency for the work and the valour and efficacie of it he must necessarily be God yet both the right and act of Redemption belonged to him properly as man so that we may say It was the man Christ that bought us out of the hands of the curse and wrath of God 2. God the Father himself had a special hand in this business the whole dispensation and managing of it was by his supream and soveraign appointment as we heard before and thus it is no more absurd to say that God took a course to satisfie his own justâ—ce and to redeem us from himself than to say that a King doth so when he gives his own son to lay down his life Or a Creditor when he requires the debt of his own Son for which the son was surety by the Fathers consent for the saving of Traitors from the stroak of his Law 2. Man being thus obnoxious to the justice of God and therefore delivered up by him into the hands of Sathan as his jaylour or executioner to keep him as his
by his absolute power or why he would do it thus rather then otherwise His Word tells us what he would do and we see by the event what he hath done This way was the will of God and none other and therefore this way Christ took and none other and thereby attained his end Heb. 10.9 10. We may safely rest here and make no further search for who hath known the mind of the Lord Rom. 11.34 His meer will and pleasure Volunt as Dei est pro lege pro causa causarum pro ratione rationum is a reason abundantly sufficient and beyond exception 2. The Lord hath revealed his minde so farr in this particular that we may be bold to go a little further and to resolve thus God who is great in counsell and excellent in working had store of means at hand whereby to set free and recover lost mankinde yet he was pleased to pitch upon this as being most agreeable to his holy nature and most suteable to his high and soveraign ends man's salvation and his own glory I explain it thus God is infinite in all his attributes in his justice as well as his mercy These two cannot interfeere as justice may not intrench upon mercie so neither may mercie encroach upon justice the glory of both must be maintained Now by the breach of the Law the Justice of God is wronged Nec misericordia Dei praescribit justitiam nec justâ—tia aufert misericordiam Aug. so that although mercie be apt to pardon yet Justice requires satisfaction and call's for vengeance on sinners Every transgression must receive just recompence Heb. 2.2 and God will not in any case absolve the guiltie Exod. 34.7 till this be done the hands of Law-mercy are tied that she cannot act And seing satisfaction could not be made to an infinite Majestie but by an equal person and price therefore the Son of God must become a Curse for us by taking our nature and pouring out his soul to the death and by this means Justice and Mercie are reconciled and mercy hath her free course to save sinners So that now presupposing God's Decree we may safely say It must be thus and it could be no otherwise God will have his Justice satisfied to the full and therefore Christ must bear all the punishment due to our sin or else God cannot set us free For he cannot go against his own just will Quod vuli necesse est esse Observe the force of that phrase Luke 24.26 46. Christ ought to suffer and Matth. 26.24 Thus it must be A just earthly Prince holds himself bound to inflict punishment impartially upon the malefactour or his surety it stands upon his honour he saith it must be so I cannot do otherwise This is true much more of God who is Justice it self And as this great design of Christs redeeming sinners by being made a curse for them doth sound out aloud the glory of divine Justice so it also bears visible characters of some other Attributes as 1. His Truth He had passed a peremptory doom and made a solemn declaration of it in his word that he that sinneth shall die the death Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.21 23. and he will not break his word So he had foreordained Jesus Christ and set him forth to take upon himself this burthen to become a propitiation for sin through his blood Rom. 3. 25. 1 Pet. 1.20 and made known his minde eoncerning it in his written word plainly Isa 53.7 If we read the words It is exacted or strictly required meaning Exigitur as Junius and some others the iniquity or punishment of us all vers 6. is required at his hands he must answer for it in our stead and so he is afflicted and this affliction reacheth even to the cutting him off ver 8. yea the Spirit of Christ in the Prophets did signifie unto them not onely his sufferings but also the very particular time of them 1 Pet. 1.11 Therefore when Christ puts this work upon an ought and must be hee laies the weight of all on the Scriptures thus it is written as we may see in the texts before-cited as if he should say God hath spoken it and his truth ingageth him to see it done 2. His wisdome For hereby 1. he maintains the authority of his righteous Law when a law is solemnly enacted with a penalty in case of transgression all those whom it concerns may conclude for certain that the Lawgiver will proceed accordingly And it is a rule in policie That Laws once established and published should be vigorously preserved If the Lord should have wholly waved the execution of the Law upon sinners or their surety it might have tended greatly both to the weakening of its authority and the diminishing of the reverence of his Soveraignty in the hearts of the sonnes of men 2. He provided a curse against Licentiousness Impurity is apt to lay the reins loose upon the necks of sinners If sin had been pardoned without exacting the penaltie of the Law it might have emboldened men in their sinfull wayes their hearts would have been wholly set upon mischief Eccles 8.11 they will say Where is the God of Judgement Mal. 2.17 But now he lets sinners see that he will not pardon sin no not to repenting persons but upon condition of Christ's bearing the curse for them whence they may conclude that he will not spare them if they be bold to continue in their rebellion 3. And probably that he might hereby also cut of all occasions which the devil his enemy might take to calumniate and traduce him He might accuse him 1. of inconstancy and changeableness that having threatned death to transgressours he did quite forget himself in waving the threatning and dispensing wholly with his Law by granting them free remission Yea 2. of partiality and respect of persons that he should be so easie and forbearing as to let them pass without any punishment at all Quasi tam facilis fuisset antea sâ—verus erga seipsum having been formerly so severe and rigid against himself in casting him and his angels into everlasting flames without hope of recovery Sathan might say Lord thou mightest have spared me as well as man But the Lord may answer man hath made satisfaction he hath borne the curse and thereby fully discharged all the demands of the Law if he had not I would not have spared him any more than thee 3. His goodness and loving kindeness God the great Lord and Governour of the world might have rigorously exacted the penalty of the Law on the persons of sinners themselves but he hath so farr dispensed with the Law as to admit of a Suretie by whom the end of the Law that is the manifestation of his justice and hatred of sin might be fulfilled and yet a considerable part of mankinde might be preserved from the jaws of the second death which otherwise must have perished eternally Saith the Lord I
of their own Tenents or the answering of Objections brought against them they do generally turn aside from the usuall and received signification of the words and offer violence to the Text to make it speak what they please For to touch a little on the 4 ends before-mentioned To the first Where doth the Scripture make the confirmationâ— of his Doctrine the professed adequate end of his sufferings He saith indeed that he came into the world that he might bear witness to the truth but this most properly belongs to his prophetical office Jo. 18. â—7 whereas his death belongs to his priesthood and besides his miracles served more peculiarly for the confirmation of his doctrine To the second Christ had power to forgive sinnes even while he lived on earth Mat. 9.6 and exercised that power frequently There was therefore no absolute necessity of his death for the purchasing of a priviledge which he had in possession already although it was necessary for the satisfying of Justice Jâ—h 10.28 17.2 He died to purchase for sinners a right to recâ—iv â—ot for himself a power to give them eternal life that mercie might have a free course to give out pardons which otherwise could not be To the Third It is credible that the death of Christ and such a death as it was in all the circumstances of it should be able to perswade sinners to that faith and hope nay rather it should be the ready way to diswade and knock them off Luke 21.21 To the Fourth it is granted as a secondary subordinate end 1 Pet. 2.21 Nec humilâ—tatis exempla nec charitatis insignia praeter Redemptionis sacramentum sâ—nt aliquid Bern. but doth not take away the other which is the chiefe and principal These two accord well hee dyed to satisfie for our sins and he dyed to to leave us an example of patience and obedience Great is the example of his humility and of his charity but they have no foundation to rest upon if there be no redemption But to go no further than the Text. There be three expressions which they wrest for the supporting and maintenance of their Errour 1 He was made a curse True say they as he was made sinne 2 Cor. 5.21 that is hee was judged by men to be a sinner and he was used accordingly so he was accounted a cursed man and therefore was sentenced to suffer a bodily death on the Cross which was a death proper to an accursed person But this falls short for God saith the Apostle made him to be sin and consequently a curse for us Man was no more but an instrument sinfully acting what God had holily purposed and Christs voluntarily undertaken Besides the Text which is here cited from Moses Deut. 21.23 runs thus He that is hanged is the curse of God or a curse unto God which being applied to Christ can import no less than this that God laid upon him our sin and the punishment due unto it by the doom of his righteous Law that the pleasure of the Lord might be executed upon him for answering whatsoever the Law could exact Nostra causa nostro bono Ut a peccatis retrahamur Nostra vâ—ce nostro loco 2 He was made a curse for us yea say they for us that is for our cause on our behalf for our good and so he gave himself he dyed for our sins that is our sins were the occasion of his death and he died that we might be drawn back from sin We yeeld all this but is there no more Yes assuredly We say for us that is in our room and stead who should else have born the curse in our own persons and for our sins to wit as the foregoing meriting cause thereof and that satisfaction being made to justice the curse might not fall on our heads The Greek word which is most frequently used in this argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is rendred for although sometimes it be put to note no more So Rom. 5.7 but the good or profit of another yet it signifies also in anothers stead and in some places cannot be fitly taken otherwise as 2 Cor. 5.14 If one dyed for all then were all dead which implies plainly that the death of that One was in stead of the death of All. And when the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13. Was Paul crucified for you Thereby denying it he must mean that he was not crucified in their stead for he professeth elsewhere that he suffered for the Church and for the Elects sake that is for their spiritual benefit as Col. 1.24 2 Tim. 2.10 But to put all out of doubt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scripture sometimes makes use of another word which signifies commutation or exchange or being in the place or room of another and must necessarily be so taken when it s applied to this business as Matth. 20.28 1 Tim. 2.6 He bare the curse and gave himself a ransome in our stead 3 Hereby he hath redeemed us from the curse Being made a curse for us he brought us out of the hands of the curse so that God was moved hereby to set us free from the guilt and punishment of our sin Here they bring two things to darken the clear truth 1 That the terme of Redemption Apud Grot. in defens c. 8. must be taken improperly for a deliverance without price or satisfaction such as that of the Children of Israel from Egypt whom God redeemed by the hand of Moses yet he paid no price nor gave in consideration either by death or otherwise for the compassing of it To this we say when the Scripture makes Redemption the effect of Christs bearing the curse of his suffering death of the shedding of his blood c. it can signifie no less than redemption in propriety of speech that is the freeing of poor sinners from the stroak of justice by giving due satisfaction This high extraordinary cause should in all reason produce a nobler effect than such a loose and frozen gloss gives to it Yea how doth this derogate from the worth of that glorious benefit to say it comes at so cheap a rate As for the redeeming of Israel by Moses although it was a type of our redemption by Christ yet wee know that the type and thing typified do not answer one another in all things Christ and Moses are compared as Redeemers but with a vast difference both as to the nature of the thing and the special means by which it was effected That of Moses was onely corporal from the servitude of the body This of Christ is chiefly spiritual from the bondage of eternal death Therefore there was no need that Moses should dye for them and if he had as it could have been no way effectual to their spiritual deliverance so it might probably have been rather destructive to their temporal freedome But Christ our Redeemer must necessarily dye for us else no possibility of
in their first birth this Livery that they are children of wrath Eph. 2.3 and his wrath is revealed from heaven against sin Rom. 1.18 yea the Lord is said to hate not onely sin but sinners Psal 11.5 Hos 9.15 and they are called haters of God Psal 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei osores Deo exosi Pareus sic Theophyl Deut. 5.9 Rom. 1.30 But now by the Redemption which is in Christ as the Curse is taken off so the enmity also is slain wrath is turned away reconciliation is wrought The Messiah was to make reconciliation for iniquity Dan 9.24 which is as much as that 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Being enemies we are reconciled by his death Rom. 5.10 and when poor sinners being by sin enemies and strangers do receive Jesus Christ then in him they receive the Attonement Rom. 5.11 so that now they are actually reconciled Col. 1.20 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and set in an estate of firm amitie and friendship with the glorious God through the blood of the Covenant In the first Adam he disclaimes us as base Rebels but in the second he owne's us as reconciled friends Let the Lord's Redeemed ones lift up their heads and know their happiness Jesus Christ hath slain the enmity which was betwixt God and you This price of Reconciliation hath broken down the wall of separation and although the Lord be still a consuming fire marching against the briars and thornes and burning them altogether yet even then he saith to his vineyard Furie is not in me Isa 27.4 2. Remission of sinnes This goes hand in hand with reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 As the violation of the Law of an earthly Governour brings upon the offender besides the Governour 's displeasure an obligation to punishment and when that obligation is voyded then he is said to be pardoned so man's disobedience against the great Lord of heaven and earth did oblige him to such punishment as the royal Law had threatned but Christ our Surety by bearing it for us hath voided that obligation and so we are discharged from it and in this stands our Pardon Therefore the Apostle joynes Redemption and Remission together as being upon the matter both one Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 and expresly ascribes them both to his blood as the meritorious cause Vide Grot. defens cap. 6. Ludov. Luc. Assert contra Mich. Gittich arg Iun. Non idem sed tantundem Whence by the way we may discover the weakness of that Socinian Argument against Redemption by Christ's satisfaction because our Redemption is called Remission For where satisfaction is made say they by undergoing due punishment or paying a valuable price there is no place for pardon But surely the Holy Ghost knowes better then we how to speak properly It 's Redemption by his blood and yet it is forgiveness of our sinnes And their argument hath more shew then weight For this satisfaction was not made by paying the very same but the as much not the proper strict debt which the Law changeth upon the sinner but the full value or weight of it with some alteration The Law saith The soul that sinneth shall die even the self same person and it must be death eternal because the sinner can never pay the uttermost farthing Had this been there had been no place for pardon Psa 69.4 But now Christ comes in and voluntarily undertakes to restore the things which he took not away that sinners which took them away might be set free Suppose a subject hath committed a crime deserving in rigour of Law perpetual imprisonment if now the King's Son be content to undergo 6 moneths imprisonment in his stead which considering the quality of the person is as much as a mean man's suffering it during life the King indeed may refuse this way of satisfaction because it is not the very letter of the Law but if he accept it what doth it import less then a pardon to the subject This is the Case The Son of God giving himself a sacrifice for sin doth in a short time wrastle through and master those sufferings which would have mastered sinners and hold them under to all eternity Now although Almighty God the great Law-giver might have refused this kinde of payment as not being the very same which the Covenant of works exacteth yet having not onely consented but devised and settled it as the most covenient way for the security of sinners and the manifestation of his glory thereupon he is well pleased with it being as full satisfaction to justice as if the sinner had satisfied in his own person So that the Lord 's accepting of it upon this account is so far from excluding remission that it rather makes way for it and gives it a being This appears further by the Apostles ruled case Heb. 9.22 See Jun. paral Pareus without shedding of blood no remission which holds both in Legal sacrifices and in the great sacrifice of Christ typified thereby as the scope of the place shews But to return The Law chargeth the curse upon the sons of men The Lord Jesus takes the curse upon himself and thereby makes an end of sinnes for this was one of the works which he was to do Dan. 9.24 the debt being paid the book is cross'd the bond is cancelled No forfeiture to be taken no penalty to be undergone Let wretched sinners take notice of their happiness in this also Christ was sent to purge away all your iniquities 1 Ioh. 1.7 Psal 65.3 Redemption blots out all your Items and layes up pardons in heaven for your use to be readie for you in the time of need 3. Justification of our persons Obligation to punishment doth imply liableness to accusation and condemnation for the offence which deserves such punishment The righteous Law of God finding man a transgressour and so unrighteous threatens death as his due And in order to the inflicting of it stands up as an Accuser and passeth sentence against him Now Christ being made sinne and a curse in the sinners stead doth thereby with one and the same labour both set him free from the punishment of sin and acquit him from the accusation and condemnation of the Law Whereupon he may plead that although the demerit of his sin doth crie aloud for punishment yet it is not due to his person because Jesus Christ hath borne it for him and made full satisfaction to justice Rom. 3.24 The Apostle makes justification an effect of the Redemption which is in Christ Jesus Dan. 9.24 the Messiah was to bring in everlasting righteousness Jer. 23.5 6. a righteous Branch is promised to be raised up to David and his name shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness And thus he is made of God to us Righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 When the offence is taken away by a pardon the person is accounted righteous Therefore the not imputing of sin and the
and longs to be more nearly united to him He desires not to be delivered from the curse and so to be righteous and holy that he may have an interest in Christ That is not his method But contra he desires to have real interest in Christ that he may be freed from the Curse and so be clothed with his righteousness and conformed to him in holiness Bona tua non nisi tecum Domine If thy heart can say yea to this thou hast an evidence of sincere love to Christ but if thou lovest him onely for lumps for the benefits which thou gettest by him deliverance from hell and the glory of heaven thy love is mercenary 2. Superlative It transcends and overtops all the Love of the creature The redeemed soul loveth wife children friends his own life and the good things of this world according to their several degrees of goodness and he loves them not fainedly and in shew but truly and indeed within due limits and in such proportion as they are capable of but yet he loves Jesus Christ farre and farre above them all This love leaves all other loves many thousand miles behinde it so that none of them can come near it He is precious singularly precious to them that believe 1 Pet. 2.7 he is an honour to them they have a very high esteem of him His interest prevailes in their soules infinitely above all other interests in the world Christ disownes yea rejects all love tendred to him which is inferiour to the love of our dearest relations Matth. 10.37 yea we must hate these in comparison of him Luke 14.26 Ask thy soul what it can answer to this Doth thy soul set an high price on thy Redeemer Doth thy heart embrace him as incomparably excellent dost thou finde the enjoyment of him more sweet and contenting than all other enjoyments and his absence hiding of his face and restraint of his gracious influences from thy spirit more bitter and grievous then all other wants or burthens which thou mayest meet with But if thy heart set up any thing above him so that Christ and his partie when they stand in competition with some other partie which hath gotten the chair in thy soul are slighted and must sit at its footstool or be thrust out of doors Oh this is a base beggarly love which will not stand thee in stead 3. Invincible To clear this the love of Christ in an elect person actually redeemed may possibly be overcome by the prevailing of the contrary corruption It is not simply impossible being a created quality and therefore no more able to stand of it self without divine support than Adam's love to his Creatour which was so easily mastered by the suggestions of the serpent to the ruine of himself and his posterity yet notwithstanding this possibility it shall never be totally vanquished and lost in the soul It may be greatly decayed and driven into a corner so that the godly Christian may want the sence of it and may verily think that the love of Christ dwelleth not in him at all yet it is there and shall abide in him for ever This fire as that on the Altar shall never be wholly extinguished Because the Spirit of God which first kindled it is still present blowing it up less or more that it cannot die It 's a part of the seed of God which abides in the saints and preserves them from sinning unto death which they must needs do if the love of the Redeemer be totally routed 1 Joh. 3.9 It 's a stream flowing from the well of water which springs up in the believer unto everlasting life John 4.14 The world thrusts sore at this love that it may fall Prosperity on one side presents the beautiful and pleasing objects of riches honours eternal delights Gen. 49.24 to draw the love of the soul to themselves Adversity on the other hand will endeavour to affright the soul from the love of Christ by the sterne and unwelcome shapes of troubles afflictions persecutions and death it self yet it 's bow abides in strength by the hand of â—he mighty God as Joseph's did The Saints love not their lives to the death Rom. 12.11 because they love the Lord Jesus as Jonathan loved David not onely as their own soules 1 Sam. 20.17 but also with a wonderfull Love 2 Sam. 1.26 Jonathan's Love to David was admirable in this that it could not be taken off either by the frowns threats and violence of his Father Saul against David and against himself for adhering to David or by the consideration of his own interest which was deeply concerned in this business he being heir apparent to the Crown and David standing in his light so the love of the right Christian to Christ cannot be wholly overcomed by temptations on the right hand or the left it can envie and despise both the sweet inchanting of pleasure and the bitter affronts of danger and keeps its ground in some good measure against them all Love is strong as death the coales of this fire make a most vehement flame many waters cannot quench it nor the floods drown it Can. 8.6 7. Trie thy self if this be thy temper thy love is right bred but canst thou give way to any thing in the world to take off the edge of thy love to Christ This fire which is so soon put out came not down from heaven Yea minde it thou lovest Christ but thou feelest not a return of love from him to thy soul yet if thy love be incorrupt thou wilt still hold on in prison as well as Liberty in death as well as life it will not be quite tyred out by long delay of comfort but the hope of an answer of peace will keep it acting in thee and the dayes of thy waiting and serving him will seem to thee but a few for the love thou hast to him as Gen. 29.20 4. Accompanied with self-jealousie Although the love of the godly soul to his Redeemer be thus divinely qualified yet he hath keeps up within himself an holy suspicion concerning himself that he may work out his own salvation now actually begun with fear and trembling Phil. 2.13 Look as it is with a poor maid who is deeply in love with some young man of Eminent parts She considers the great worth and excellencie of the person and her own means and unworthiness She sees a vast distance betwixt her self and him so that she shall never be able to answer him according to his condition hence she apprehends some danger of miscarrying least he should reject her and her love should be lost yet still her affection goes out freely towards him and he hath her whole heart only she sees cause to fear least some undue or uncomely carriage of hers should displease him and provoke him to distaste her and this fear makes her the more cautelous and helps her to endeavour to give him all possible contentment that she may
interessing us in the grace of Redemption so we cannot doubt that the Lord hath put upon it this office also to be after the manner of a condition if we observe these Scripture-expressions Rom. 4.24 if we believe on him that raised up Jesus it shall be imputed to us for righteousness Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt believe in thy heart thou shalt be saved and the want of this condition is threatned with death Jo. 8.24 See also Jo. 20.31 Acts 8.37 But 2. This faith towards the Lord Jesus is ever accompanied with repentance towards God which is called repentance from dead works and coupled with faith in God as twins in the doctrine of the foundation of Christ Heb. 6.1 This is the souls irking with its former sinfull estate and wayes and a deep displeasure at himself for them together with a forsaking of them and turning away from them unto God in the sincere purpose of the heart and serious endeavour of the conversation And that repentance hath some hand in this business to be a mean and as a condition too in part of interest in Redemption may appear by promises of mercie pardon and healing made to it Pro. 28.14 Iob 33.27 28. Job 11.14 15 c. 2 Chron. 7.14 Acts 3.19 and the contrary threatning Luke 13.3 which plainly implies that without this there is no escaping of perdition and therefore no actual Redemption So that the sinner now as by one hand of faith he takes Christ's Righteousness unto himself so by Repentance as by the other hand he thrusts away sinne from himself out of his heart and hands that he may enjoy a part in the grace of Redemption Christ the Redeemer himself made these the chiefest subject of his preaching Mark 1.15 and so did his Apostles to whom the publication of this Doctrine was committed Acts 20.21 and directed humbled soules to both these as they had occasion S. Peter ascribes Repentance with Baptisme Acts 2.38 and S. Paul saith Act. 16.31 not that those two preachers differed in their judgements or that either of these two graces were sufficient alone by it self but rather to shew their near affinity that they cannot be separated that the right and thorough performance of the one is the performance of both This is the Kings High-way if you hope to compass Redemption and salvation in any other way you will certainly be deceived Oh that you the careless sinners in Zion for unto you I speak all this while would at length be rouzed by the sound of this trumpet to look out for deliverance by Christ before the prison doors be made so fast upon you that there will be no remedy and to provoke you the more to a thing so necessary consider these Motives 1. There is no possibility of deliverance from sinne and the Curse by any other means A redeemer you must have or you are undone and the redeemer must pay a vaste summe for your Redemption This is done to your hand by Jesus Christ if you will accept it upon his termes If you will not I would aske where will you finde a Redeemer Do you look for another to come He that must do this work must bear the Curse for you But where is the man that can or will undertake this God hath found none in heaven or earth mighty enough to lay this help upon Isa 63.5 but Jesus Christ therefore he hath laid it upon him Psal 89.19 and now there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne There is no wisedome nor power in all the world that can relieve or bestead the sinner which will not submit to this way of God 2. If thou wilt not give way to Christ to glorifie his mercie in rescuing thee from the Curse and Condemnation he will glorifie his Justice in letting thee lie an accursed prisoner for ever If thou wilt seek the Lord his hand will be upon thee for good But if thou forsake him his power and his wrath will bee against thee to thy ruine Ezra 8.22 If thou wilt not kiss the Sonne he will be angry and thou shalt perish in the way Psal 2.12 His taking the Curse upon him will not serve thy turne to secure thee from the danger of it unless thou wilt be perswaded to come up to his termes and heartily embrace him as thine onely Lord-Redeemer will give a large commission to it to destroy thee without mercie He that obeyes not the Sonne the wrath of God abides on him John 3.36 and he will come with vengeance in his hands against them that obey not the Gospel 2 Thes 1.18 3. Now the Lord offers you this incomparable mercie you have the render of it still continued in the Ministerie of the Word and the Spirit is Still inviting and beseeching you to accept of this redemption and reconciliation thereby Oh then hearken to the motion and yeild your selves forthwith unto the Lord. For although you do not give a peremptory denial yet if you sit still and triffle your hearts will be hardened Psal 95.7 8. I know thy thoughts thou takest it for granted that thou canst come and get a part in Christ when thou pleasest but it is not so It 's easie to say God be mercifull to me and it is in thy power to presume but to repent and to believe unfainedly and in truth thou shalt finde to be a work above thy strength I tell thee thou bold sinner God will one day come near and plead thus with thy conscience I gave thee Twenty thirty fortie yeares and all that while my Spirit hath been wrastling with thee to draw thee to Christ and thou sayest I can come at my pleasure If thou canst why hast thou not come all this while Seing therefore thou hast dallied with my grace and rendred all my importunity and waiting void and ineffectuall thou shalt never enter into this blessed rest of Redemption 4. If you have any true love to the Ministers of Christ or any desire of their welfare and comfort then come in and seek for a share in this benefit Wee are the servants of the Lord Jesus sent forth to proclaim Redemption to the world How would it glad our hearts to see you all flocking in as doves to the windowes for your interest therein that we may rejoyce in the day of Christ and say Behold here am I and the soules whom thou hast ransomed with thy blood which have yielded themselves to thee through our Ministery If you set light by this grace and love the world and the contentments of it better than Jesus Christ you break our hearts and you will bring down our heads with shame and sorrow to the grave But if you have no regard of us yet at least pittie your selves When the Lord of the whole world shall call us to give an account of our stewardship and we shall be forced to give in this true evidence against you Lord we have stretched out our hands all the day all the
satisfaction and merits and inabling them by his Spirit to perform the conditions of actual interest therein having no such purpose or resolution for all or any of the rest of mankinde So that Christ dyed for all in this sense that all and every one may obtain actual deliverance and salvation thereby in case they do beleeve but yet he dyed for the Elect onely in this sense that they through the merit of his death which was specially designed for them might be brought infallibly both to faith and to eternal life The difference of this from the first which limits even the paying of the price to the Elect is not so wide as to give just cause to either party to brand the Dissenters with heresie or schisme both of them having the letter of the Scriptures to warrant them The former we may finde Joh. 10.15 I lay down my life for the sheep Act. 20.28 He hath purchased the Church of God with his own blood Eph. 5.25 c. He gave himself for the Church to sanctifie and glorifie it The latter Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his Son Joh. 4.42 The Christ the Saviour of the world 1 Joh. 2.2 A propitiation for the sins of the whole world He gave himself a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2.6 He tasted death for every man Heb. 2.9 Neither am I so confident of the strength of mine own judgement as to determine whether of these is the naked truth of God For who am I that I should adventure professedly to side with either party against men of so great name and worth in the Churches of Christ Onely reserving to my self the liberty of mine own thoughts I shall crave leave to minde you of three things 1. I suppose that this latter opinion cannot justly be charged to wrong any fundamental Truth of Christian Religion or the Doctrine which is according to godliness 2 It seems the fairest way to a right reconciliation of those Texts before mentioned which speak different things 3. I am apt to think that if both were laid together and well weighed they would be found to come near to a friendly agreement and not to stand at so wide a distance as some imagine for both sides do readily grant 1. That the satisfaction given by Christ is abundantly sufficient for the redemption of the whole world yea of ten thousand worlds it being the blood of God Act. 20.28 2. That the offer of it is freely made to all the posterity of Adam by the appointment of God in the ministry of the Gospel and therefore the Ministers must both publish this grace to all and exhort them to imbrace it Mark 16.15 Col. 1.28 3. That it is onely from a special discriminating grace of God that some sinners are brought off to submit to Gods termes while others refuse Act. 18.27 2 Tim. 1.9 4. That onely the Elect are effectually wrought thus to submit and to accept of Christ offered and so are actually redeemed Act. 13.48 5. That all the rest of the world not having this effectual grace vouchsafed them but being left unto themselves do refuse redemption and salvation offered Ioh. 8.24 15.22 and so perish in their sins justly through their own default Matth. 23.37.38 2. But to dismiss this discourse I answer to the latter branch of the Objection thus Neither of the Opinions named will bear such a Conclusion It is but a weak kinde of Logick to argue thus Christ did not intend to pay a price for the ransoming of every sinner and therefore it may not be of me or thus he did not intend to apply this ransome to every one for his actual Redemption therefore perhaps he meant it not to me This is absurd and unreasonable reasoning For 1. Why mayest thou not as well say It may be he doth graciously intend it for me seeing thou canst not plead any unworthiness or uncapableness against thy self which may not bee as just a bar against all others 2. Thou hast an offer of this benefit made to thee every day and thou art invited to entertain it Wilt thou now stand off and say I cannot tell whether it be intended for me or no If a Creditor shall say to his imprisoned Debtor Come forth for thy debt is paid and I am satisfied what a folly were it to answer thus It may be my debt is not discharged I know not whether thou intendest my liberty No rather wave this intention and close with his offer 3. The onely way to put the matter out of doubt is this Apply thy self in the diligent use of Gods Ordinances to the serious and sincere performance of the condition and rest not till thy heart be drawn off from all other things to repose it self on him according to his command Mat. 11.28 4. Although I suppose we may safely conclude that every childe of Adam even continuing in his sinful estate may lawfully take it for granted that Christ became a curse to buy him out from the curse that is that he gave himself a ransome for all men and therefore for him also for ought he knows to the contrary and that he may and certainly shall be partaker of the fruit thereof if he submit to the Lords termes for otherwise what ground have I to make or he to take the offer of Christ yet for all that we may not say that any sinner continuing under the obedience of sin that is that he hath a present interest in Redemption or is actually partaker of it for this implies a contradiction Joh. 8.34 A servant of sin while such cannot be the Lords free man nay rather he ought to be perswaded of the contrary But as for thee poor sensible humbled soul thou mayest groundedly beleeve that thou art one of the Lords Redeemed this is thy priviledge and accordingly it is thy duty by the daily acting of faith on Christ and the constant exercise of all other graces to endeavour after a full assurance thereof in thy soul and in the mean time to stay thy self on the Lord and his sure word for the accomplishment Sect. 3. Answer to three Objections more Object 3. BUt if the actual enjoyment of this benefit be limited to the Elect then I am still where I was for I know not any thing concerning mine election If you can make it sure to me that God hath not cast me out by an eternal Decree but hath appointed me to salvation then I shall have some courage in the using of any means and taking any pains for attaining that end But if I be none of that number then I have nothing to do with Redemption and all my labour of beleeving and repenting and doing good will be lost and I shall runne in vain Answ 1. I grant it to be an undeniable truth that whatsoever we do whether we run or sit still we shall all in conclusion bee found such as to our everlasting estates as God hath decreed we