sin removed which brings under condemnation and another to have the being and acting of sin removed Paul had the guilt removed yet not the being or acting Rom. 7. 2 It is one thing to be under sin as sins captive another as sins servant Thou art under sin but is thy will against it The evil that thou doest doest thou hate and count it thy burden and hell desiring as earnestly the mortification as pardon of it thou art then not under sin as sins servant but onely as its captive as Paul was Rom. 7.24 and yet hee triumphs There is no condemnation Object O but were I freed from condemnation I should have more life in Duties Ordinances than I have Answ 1. There is a difference betwixt the having of life and the feeling of it do not say because thou doest not feel life therefore thou hast none 2 Thy feeling the contrary to wit a want of life argues thou hast it for a dead man feels nothing Use 1. See then what a vast difference there is betwixt the condition of one that hath interest in Christ and another mans the one is freed from condemnation the other is under it There is as much difference as is betwixt one man going up the gallowes to bee hanged and another going from the gallows with a pardon in his hand to the Court there to sit at the Princes Table 2 How blessed then is the condition of every soul interessed in Christ Such are freed from condemnation David Psal 32. saith Blessed is hee whose iniquities are forgiven Why because such a one is freed from condemnation take away the cause you remove the effects so take away sin and condemnation ceaseth the blessedness therefore lyes in this that such are freed from condemnation O who would not then seek an interest in Christ what Drunkard Swearer in this Congregation but would do it when the condition of such is so blessed A man when frantick or mad though condemned to dye yet hee thinks his condition as good as the best but when hee comes to himself and sees where hee is then hee cryes out O that I were in the condition of such a one and such a one So when men are mad after their lusts and besotted with them they think their condition good though under a sentence of condemnation but when such shall at the houre of death or judgement come to themselves and see where they are then shall they cry out O that I were in such a ones condition and such a ones Balaam when hee came to dye would dye the death of the righteous So when men come to dye O then that I were such a one whom if they could they would have hanged while they lived 3 Then how great a sin and how much below their condition is unbeleef in the people of God Soul hath Christ freed thee from condemnation and wilt thou distrust him for salvation And doth Christ say as much to thee and wilt thou by unbeleefe give Christ the lye Deale not thus O soule by thy loving Saviour 4 This casts many persons and brings most men in the Countries Towns and Parishes of the world under condemnation Why they have not interest in Christ and such and onely such are freed therefore all others are under it still 1 Art thou one who livest and walkest in prophane courses a Drunkard Swearer unclean person c. thou art one cast by this doctrine for as yet thou hast not interest in Christ 1 Joh. 1.6 If wee say that wee have fellowship with him and walke in darkness wee lye and do not the truth If such have not fellowship with Christ then no actual interest in him communion flows from union if it bee a lye to say they have communion much more to say they have actual interest and consequently union 2 Art thou a moral man and restest here thou also hast as yet no interest in Christ Heathens many of them did excel in Morality yet knew not Christ The Scribes and Pharisees came behinde none of our Moralists yet hear what Christ saith to them Matth. 5.20 For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven 3 Art thou a Religious man or an outward Professor resting here in thy outward Profession and the performance of some external duties Stand thou by too thou hast not as yet interest in Christ Rom. 2.28 29. For hee is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but hee is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Object But though I have not interest in Christ is there no hope for a soule in this condition Answ No continuing in it but mistake not hope there is thou mayest yet come to Christ and so come out of it and so although for the present thou hast not interest in Christ yet possibly coming to Christ thou mayest have it and then there is hope for thee I say soul which soever of these conditions is thine there is hope thou mayest come to Christ and in this way there is hope for thee Art thou a prophane sinner a persecutor read 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Mark 3.28 Verily I say unto you All sins shall bee forgiven unto the sons of men and blasphemies wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme Art thou a moral man so was Nicodemus Joh. 3. Art thou an outward professor only and so an hypocrite indeed read Isa 65. vers 2. with 5. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way which was not good after their own thoughts which say Stand by thy self come not near to mee for I am holier than thou these are a smoak in my nose a fire that burneth all the day 5 And lastly This is comfort to the Saints against the guilt of all sin whatsoever Are souls in Christ freed from condemnation Then poor soul thy sins shall never condemn thee they may rob thee of thy peace and comfort here but shall never of thy Crown and glory hereafter they may bring corrections upon thee but never condemnation for thou art freed from that Amen SERMON II. ROM 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation THree Observations I have raised from these words 1 That it is a Saints priviledge to be freed from Condemnation 2 This comes from our in-being in Christ 3 Those who are freed from Condemnation are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit I handled the First the last day now for the Second viz. Doct. That our freedome from Condemnation comes from our in-being in Jesus Christ In the
threat of death in case of disobedience and the promise of life upon condition of obedience by assuring her seed in giving forth this rule unto them that they are already most certainly freed from death and possessed of life and that therefore shee gives not forth this rule unto them to bee as a way or meanes through the observance of which they may escape the one or obtaine the other but only as a declaration of their Fathers will and their duty that by it they may bee instructed how they ought to walk and to please God Hence the obedience of Sarahs Children so farre as they are subject to their Mother Sarah only receiving their Law out of her hand is pure Gospel obedience i. e. obedience springing from the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them as the principal efficient cause from love and thankfulness to-their Father as the moving cause from an earnest desire that their Father might have some service from them and glory by them as the final cause and this is pure Gospel obedience when God is Agent Motive and End in all we doe 4 Hence wee may learn That a true Beleever as he doth not expect life and salvation from his obedience to the Law so should hee not fear death and condemnation either by his falling short in obedience or by his disobedience This Position will sound harsh in some cares and be accounted a leavened Principle but doe but observe how naturally it flowes from what hath been laid downe and proved for if the promise of life and salvation upon condition of obedience and the threat of Death and Condemnation to the disobedient bee proper to the Law as Hagars Law and if the Law as Hagars Law be now cast out then hath a Beleever nothing to doe with the Law as it is a law promising life to the obedient or threatning death to the disobedient and if so then cannot he expect life and salvation from it though hee should obey it nor need hee fear death though hee disobey it This necessarily follows that which hee hath nothing to doe with is dead to delivered from c. hee can neither expect good no nor fear evil from But the Law as Hagars Law hee hath nothing to doe with is dead to it delivered from it therefore he can neither expect good nor need he fear evil from it Obj. But it will be said Such a principle as this dâ—th open a wide gap to all manner of licention nesse Ans Not so but contrariwise it is co a gracious heart the most powerful motive and the greatest help that can bee to holinesse for as there is nothing moves such a one so strongly as doth this perswasion upon the heart that whatsoever it hath is of the free love of God only and that this love is such as that nothing can separate from it so nothing affords the Soule more firme help and reliefe against sin and temptations to sin than doth the knowledge and assurance of this that sin and temptation though it should conquer cannot condemn for so long as the Soul looks upon a possibility of being condemned by sin if vanquished by it he is in continual fear and therefore whensoever hee findes the motions of sin or temptations to sin stirring in himself hee presently grows weak and faint through this fear I shall bee vanquished and so condemned and as a fainting man is not in a capability to stand up against an enemy assaulting him with full strength so this fainting Soul whose strength through fear is gone before it is assaulted sinkes downe presently under the assault and is without any great resistance made a captive to that thing it hates which thing the Apostle Paul had large experience of in himself when hee said Sinne taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in mee all manner of concupiscence for without the law sin was dead for I was alive without the law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to bee unto death for sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. But now when a Soul apprehends this that Hagars condemning Law hath nothing to doe with him and can from the clear knowledge of this say beleevingly to sin and temptation when hee feeles it beginning to stirre O sin O temptation though I should now yeeld to thee which is the thing thou wouldest have yet know this that thou shalt never condemn me which is the thing thou seekest hereby he doth as I may say disanimate the strength of sin and temptation and mightily encourageth himself and so adds to his owne strength that whereas be ever before encountred sin with disadvantage hee doth now encounter it with advantage and fights with the greatest resolution that can bee and without faint-heartednesse which faint-heartednesse comes in by the doore of this fear if I am conquered I am undone but if this fear be removed from the heart and the Soul once throughly perswaded of this my condition doth not depend at all upon the event of this Combate but whether I conquer or am conquered that is the same then shall it finde its hands made strong to fight and its heart also mightily resolved Such a state or condition as this I am speaking of there is but it is knowne only of those whom God hath brought out of Hagars School and who are in the School of Sarah my meaning is such as God hath enlightned to see and enabled to receive in the love of it this blessed truth that rigid servile Hagar is an out-cast and hath no longer rule over them having neither punishments to inflict nor rewards to bestow upon them but milde and loving Sarah is their only Mother and hath the sole government of them whose Children though they may be corrected with gentle rebukes yet can they never become out-casts and bee disinherited as Hagars may Till wee come into Sarahs Schoole we cannot learn this lesson yea Sarahs Children whilst they continue in Hagars Schoole will be offended at it Thus we have done with the First Question viz. what we are to understand by the Old Covenant I come now to the Second viz. Quest 2. What kind of Covenant this Old Covenant is Ans This is indeed the knotty Question and if there be any peece of the Doctrine of the Covenants that seemes to have perplexing difficulties in it this is it Before I can deliver my thoughts hereof positively it is necessary that something bee laid downe Negatively in opposition to that common principle which holds this Old Covenant to bee a Covenant of Grace and to differ from the New only in respect of administration so making the Old and the New not to be two diverse Covenants but two administrations of one and the same Covenant the one more dark the other more clear but the Covenant to bee for substance the same and
justification from death eternal hath respect to his passive Rom. 5.10 Christs Passive obedience viz. his death and sufferings is that frees us from condemnation for herein hee bare the curse of the Law and was condemned for us So that all the free dome poor souls have from that guilt which is brought in by sin and the consequence thereof viz. a sentence of condemnation here with its effects and the final execution thereof hereafter is by the death of Christ his blood his passive obedience 1 Joh. 1.7 Rev. 1.5 Hence these and such like Scriptures which attribute justification to the blood death and sufferings of Christ speak not of justification fully but onely of a part of it viz. Justification from death eternal Hence also wee learn how exceedingly every Saint is beholding to Christ for dying for had hee not dyed wee had been all to this very day under the fearful sentence of condemnation with all the effects thereof and should have been under the final execution thereof for ever in hell hereafter and also for fulfilling the Law of God actively for him which had hee not done though his death shoud have freed him from hell yet could hee not have had an entrance into Heaven 4 But wherein doth it appear that this freedome from condemnation is such a great and glorious priviledge Answ 1. Is it not a great and glorious priviledge for a man to have all his accusers mouths stopped This is the priviledge of those who are freed from condemnation Suppose a Malefactor under sentence hath a pardon that very act stops all his accusers mouthes as to that thing for which hee was condemned So the act of Gods pardoning grace stops sins mouth consciences mouth the Devils mouth As there can bee no legal condemnation without a precedent accusation so there can bee no accusation as touching things remitted after pardon When Satan accused Joshua Zach. 3. begin Christ stops his mouth Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire So when the Devil accuseth any soul which hee hath delivered from condemnation Christ stops his mouth is not this Satan one whom I have freed from condemnation Have not I plucked him out of the fire Are not his sins pardoned Why then Satan doest thou rake up these old businesses again 2 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to bee freed from that which to bee under would make one unspeakably miserable for ever Soules freed from condemnation are so under condemnation and under the wrath of God which burnes like devouring flames of fire I Under condemnation and under all the plagues and judgements of God under the weight of all thy sins each of which will one day weigh like a mountain of lead under all the dreadful curses of the Law under the sting and biting of a tormenting conscience under the power of the Devil under all afflictions as legal punishments for sin c. 3 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have ground to beleeve that I shall injoy an eternal life with God in glory after this short life is ended This is the soules that is freed from condemnation Christ would never have freed him from the one but in order to the other Hee would never have plucked him out of hell but in order to the putting him into Heaven and therefore once freed from hell and thou art safe for ever returning thither again Joh. 5.24 There is a passage from death to life but none back again 4 Is it not a great priviledge to bee in such a condition wherein I can triumph over all my enemies spiritual and temporal Soules freed from condemnation are in this condition they can triumph over sin because they see the guilt thereof taken away and have the promise and strength of Christ to mortifie it in them over the Law because the curse is gone Gal. 3.13 over the Devil because they see principalities and powers spoyled over death because it s but an entrance into life and so far as there is evil in it it s swallowed up into victory over hell because Christ hath delivered them from wrath to come over the malice reproaches contumelies of the world because Christ hath overcome the world and also they behold all the malice of the world bound up in a chain and that chaine to bee at the disposal of their Father 5 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to know assuredly that although through infirmity I fall into sin yet sin shall never be laid to my charge This is that souls also which is freed from condemnation Rom. 8.33.34 6 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have a share and propriety in all that is Christs this is their's they are heirs of God and coheires with Christ and so Christs life death riches wisdome righteousness strength grace glory all is theirs 7 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have all our afflictions and crosses turned into blessings and mercies This also is their's they meet with no affliction but it is a mercy to them if in poverty their poverty is a mercy if in sickness if in temptation under reproach under losses yea death it self yet it is a mercy 8 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have God and the whole Creation at peace with a man This likewise is theirs God is at peace with that soul Col. 1.20 and all the creatures which are at war with others are at peace with him Such are in Covenant with God and being so God makes a Covenant for them with all the creatures as Job 5.23 Hos 2.18 9 And lastly Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have all things working together for our good Health if wee can have it strength parts riches honours if wee can have them Satans temptations Gods hidings c. all things conspiring as it were our good This is the priviledge of called souls who are freed from condemnation Rom. 8.28 Object O but will some poor soul say Were I freed from condemnation surely the Devil would not bee so busie with mee by his temptations I should not bee so under his power as I am Answ 1. It is one thing to bee under the power of Satan by way of Divine permission God permitting Satan to have a power over thee another by way of voluntary subjection Christ was under the power of Satan by way of Divine permission when his body by Satan was transported from place to place So also Peter when hee was left to be winnowed by Satan and Paul when buffeted yet none under Satans power by way of voluntary subjection 2 Thy temptations rather argue that thou art freed from condemnation than otherwise Satan doth not use to trouble his friends but those that are his enemies or in a way to bee so Object But I finde corruption strong within mee which surely would not bee were I freed from condemnation Answ 1. It is one thing to have the guilt of
convincing thereof and cry out of it and yet are strangers to Gospel-humiliation Many a one cryes out of his Drunkenness c. and resolves against it I have been so and so O but I think I will never do so more I will turn over a new leaf c. and yet are not humbled Cain saw his sin and run mad upon it and Judas saw it and hanged himself and yet were not humbled So men may sinne till they runne mad hang and drowne themselves and yet not humbled 4 It doth not arise from looking on the Law and the threats thereof and pressing these on the soul Some there are who hearing of repentance and Gospel-humiliation would fain get a repentance and humiliation of their own and hereupon they run to the Law and read over and over the Threats Curses and Damnations of the Law thinking by this to do the deed when alas poor souls they do but knock a flint to get water out of it none comes and they knock knock knock their hearts and the Law together to bring forth the water of repentance and all to no purpose none comes 2 What manner of looking upon Christ is this that doth beget this Gospel-humiliation Answ It is not a looking upon Christ with the outward and bodily eyes Thus many saw Christ when hee was here below yea thus they beheld Christ who yet crucified him and yet this did not beget Gospel humiliation in any that beheld him only thus And thus likewise every one shall see him when hee comes as Rev. 1â—7 Behold hee cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him yet wee read not that this shall humble any who are not otherwise humbled indeed mens hearts shall fail them for fear men shall bee gastered and at their wits end when the Drunkard and Sabbath-breaker and hee that comes hither now to scoffe and flout and jeer shall see Christ coming in flaming fire to take vengeance on him they shall bee at their wits end mens hearts shall faile them the Captain and the sturdy valiant Souldier which now have hearts like Lions and Tigers and will not bee startled though they meet with men or Devils who have lived here prophanely drinking and swilling their hearts who never failed them shall at this day when they shall see Christ coming to take vengeance on prophane persons faile them and shake and quiver within them like an ashen leaf and they shall cry to the mountains and rocks to fall on them c. and yet for all this they shall bee far from having any work of Gospel-humiliation upon them therefore it is not looking upon Christ with the bodily eyes doth it But that looking upon Christ which begets this true Gospel-humiliation it is looking upon Christ with a spiritual eye an eye of faith that is looking upon Jesus Christ not as if he were a man onely like other men walking here but as one that God the Father sent into the world to dye for the fins of poor sinners and who when hee was here did suffer death to this end that hee might take their sins away and by dying hee hath washed mee a poor foul filthy sinner and cleansed mee from all my sins When a poor Drunkard c. who hath lived like a Swine twenty thirty forty years lookes thus upon Christ hee is ashamed of himself and mourns bitterly for his sins when hee can say I have been such a vile Drunkard such a Sot such a Whoremaster as there hath not been such another in the Country and yet Christ dyed for mee and hath washed and cleansed mee this humbles thoroughly this begets Gospel-humiliation 3 But how doth this looking upon Christ as pierced for sin beget this true Gospel-humiliation Answ 1. By clear convincing a man of sin There is nothing in the world which brings such clear and strong convictions of sin as this doth the Law hath no such convictions as grace hath and beholding of Christ brings the Law though it come and tell a sinner of a thousand sins hee is guilty of here and here and here thou hast failed at such and such a time thou hast been drunk been with thy Queans yet the Law presently puts a man upon doing which being a very natural way the poor sinner which had a wound quite through but even now comes and claps a duty or two on and so all is healed up and the man is as whole as a fish and now hee thinks himself no sinner at all and therefore observe where ever the Law is most preached and urged there men are beaten into a road of Civility and there is no men in the world that bless themselves more that they are in a good estate and without sin than these men But now looking upon Christ that doth fully and clearly convince a man of sin when a poor soul looks upon a pierced Christ O saith the soul what a vile wretch am I I was drunk at such a time prophaning the Sabbath at such a time and suffering my children to do it at such a time and behold this sin I see it piercing of Jesus Christ I was sleighty formal in duty proud unbeleeving envious against my brother at such a time and behold yonder I behold those very sins piercing of Christ This convinceth the soul of all sins and it so convinceth as the soul sees there is no other way in the world nor help for it but to run to Jesus Christ and to flye to the blood of Christ O saith the soul I am such a sinner and I see there is no help nor releef in the world for mee but yonder bleeding Christ 2 By exceedingly aggravating of a mans sins The Law cannot aggravate sin as looking upon a pierced Christ will and doth O this wondrously aggravates sin 1 It shews that every sin I commit is against a loving Father O saith the soul thus and thus have I done against God and behold what a loving Father hee is to mee yonder I behold his Son his onely begotten Son hanging upon the Cross and hee is whipping and wounding of him for what I have done beeause otherwise I must have been whipped and wounded for it to all eternity O the greatness of his love and O the greatness of my rebellion O that ever I should bee such a wretch and walk thus as I have done 2 It shews that every sin committed it wounds Jesus Christ and goes to the heart of Christ When it looks upon Christ as pierced then it sees such a sin I committed at such a time that comes and gives him a blow and such a one and such a one that comes and runs him in the side then the soul looks upon it self and saith O what a wretch am I the other day I was light and wanton and behold now I see that very sin wounding Jesus Christ the other day I was got with my merry companions in such a Chimny-corner with my
Fiddle my Pot and Tobacco-pipe singing and making merry and jovial and behold that very sin then committed it thrust a spear into the side of Christ O vile creature therefore that I was that ever I did thus the other day I sat dressing and trimming and pricking up my selfe curling and laying out my haire by handfulls three houres together and altogether neglected prayer c. and now I see that sin wounding Jesus Christ The other day I was with my Queans in such a corner c. railing at these Round-heads Independents Sectaries c. and now I see this also wounding Jesus Christ The other day I was speaking evill of my brother grudging against him proud arrogant c. and now I see this piercing the side of Jesus Christ 2 By bringing a pardon in hand to the soul looking upon Jesus Christ brings a pardon in hand to the soule Now a man being convinced of sin and then his sin aggravated to the highest and then a pardon brought this will breake his very bea rt for his sinne to thinke that eyer hee should do thus When a man comes to thinke thus I am the vilest sinner that hath been in all the Country O but yonder Christ hee hath been pierced for my sins and behold I see him And to assure mee that hee is pierced for my sinnes behold God the Father through the wound that was made in his side hath given mee an Acquittance and here I have my pardon in hand which though it hath cost mee nothing yet Christ hath paid dear for it and thinking and beleeving thus hee reflects upon himselfe and his sinnes and his heart melts all into tears and O saith the soule that ever I should do thus that ever I should do thus and now it calls it selfe Wretch and Foole and Devil it hath walked so towards God and it is so incensed against his sinnes that were they flesh and blood to bee fought with as wee fight with men it would presently try its life with them 4 By assuring him of a Crown and Inheritance that God hath laid up for him The Soule lookes upon Christ as pierced and as it is convinced of sinne hath sinne aggravated and a pardon brought So also by looking upon Christ it hath assurance given it of a Crowne it shall one day enjoy O saith the soule now I behold that very thing viz. my sinne which kept mee from enjoying of a Crowne and Kingdome Christ hath taken it away A Crowne from all Eternity was prepared for mee and nothing is in the way to keepe mee from possessing of it but this I have been a filthy sinfull and a foolish creature and have both forfeited my Crowne to Gods Justice and given the same to the Devil But behold yonder Jesus Christ hath bought this Crowne againe for mee satisfying Gods Justice and by force hath taken the same from the Devil and hee gives it mee freely though hee hath paid his dearest blood for it When the soule looks upon this and considers the infinite love of Christ in it and its wretchedness that it should cause Christ to suffer thus much it is even melted and broken to peeces The most effectual means to kill and subdue Sin One SERMON on 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous IN the former Chapter the Apotle laies before Beleevers that plenteous Redemption that is in Jesus Christ and the precious vertue and merit of his Bloud to cleanse poor Sinners from their sins vers 7. But if wee walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin and also what riches of pardoning grace and mercy are in God to poor sinners In the first verse of this Chapter hee makes use of these things to stirre up to holinesse of life and modification of sin in all Beleevers These things write I unto you that you sin not as if he should say I doe not write these things that now you might live as you lift and sin boldly because Christs Bloud is so efficacious and Gods Grace so free no nothing lesse but I write these things that from such considerations you might be more provoked to holinesse of life and the mortification of sin in you the end of these discoveries and the use you should make of them is purity not prophaneness holinesse not licentiousnesse These things write I that you sin not By the way observe two things Obser 1. That the end of Gospel Revelation is to keep men from sin 1 John 3.8 He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Acts 26. â—â— To open tâ—eir eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me Rom. 8.3 4. For what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit And this must needs be the end of Gospel-Revelation because 1 God sent Christ to this end Tit us 2.13 14. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that hee might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 2 The Gospel is preached to this end Acts 14.15 We also are men of like passions with you and preach unto you that yee should turne from these vanities unto the living God c. 3 The Spirit is given to this end to make us holy 4 It was the end of all Gods administrations it was the end of the Legal administration Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made c. which administration being weak and not able to doe it as Rom. 7.9 10 11. For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to be unto death for sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Chap. 8.3 4. For what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spiit Heb. 7.19 For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing of a
resolution too but sayest thou well yet sin I will overcome thee then thou fallest to praying thy selfe against it and gettest others to pray for thee and runnest to this Minister and the other and â—readest thy case before him and askest his advice what thou shouldest do in it notwithstanding all this thine own endeavours or any help they can afford thee thy sin is still too strong for thee well then When there is no other way thou knowest left thou fallest to keeping of Fasts makest vows and covenants and doest as good as swear to the Lord of heaven and earth that henceforth thou wilt bee as godly as passes and never sin against him more nor do as thou hast done and then it may bee before two dayes or a week come at an end thou breakest all and art now in a worse case than ever and even at thy wits end O poor souls This is the way you go in to get holinesse to have your sins mortified and this is the fruit of it after all your striving and strugling tugging and pulling to fetch your sins out by head and ears they abide there still and the reason is because you go about it in a way of working whereas you should look for all from Grace and so study the Grace of God more Sin it is like Sampson binde them with ever so many iron fetters of the Law it will snap them all to peeces Though in some these fetters chain sin which is because sin is willing to bee chained that so hereby they may bee lulled asleep in a good opinion of themselves and thereby deceive their owne souls yet others whom God out of love will not suffer to bee gulled in this manner finde it otherwise they see and know by woful experience that all these fetters are but like so many twine threads bind a Lion with a twine thread and what doe you you were as good and better sit still and doe nothing for he will but tear and rent you the more So sin by all this doth but rage the more The Apostle excellently sets this forth Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. But sin taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in mee all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to be unto death for sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Sin taking occasion Sin made an advantage of the Commandement to bee more insolent Without the Law sin was dead Sin lay still and did not shew that livelinesse which was in it till the Commandement came to restraine it and then it began to bestir it self the Commandement would have laid bonds upon it then sin which lay asleep and as it were dead before gets up saith the Commandement you shall be curbed and bound nay but saith Sin I will not be bound saith the Commandement you shall not doe thus nay but saith Sin I will doe it and the more because you say I shall not Therefore poor Soule hast thou been toyling and sweating and tiring thy self with thy Vowes and Covenants one year after another to master thy sins and is all hitherto to no purpose then poor Soule take another way for hitherto thou hast been out of the way labour to get a sight of the rich grace of God to poor sinners and then thy heart will from a holy ingenuity say What is there such abundance of grace in God to poor sinners is hee willing to pardon me a poor Sinner give mee Heaven and make mee blessed for ever and shall I bee such a Wretch as to nourish such a deadly enemy to him in my bosome as this my sin is O no no I le never bee so base and unworthy and deal so ungratefully with so good a God I tell thee poor Soule that such considerations as these are will more weane thy heart from sin and beget a hatred thereof within then ever all the thunderings or terrors of the Law either will or can doe The Advocateship of Jesus Christ a great ground of the Saints comfort and support under sins and infirmities IN One SERMON on 2 Joh. 2.2 If any man sin wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous THe last opportunity I read these words unto you but was then besides my own intention when I pitched on them taken up in the way that nothing was spoken to them I come now to the words wherein the Apostle seems to prevent an Objection which some poor soules from what hee had said before would bee ready to make thus Object You tell us that these precious Gospel-truths which now have been declared to us are revealed for this very end that wee should not sin if so what will become of us who have heard these things over and over and yet still do what wee can wee fall into sin and are ever and anon overcome thereby sure wee are of all most miserable wee are undone for ever Answ If any man sin wee have an Advocate with the Father as if hee should say Poor soul wouldest thou not sin because the Grace of God is so free and yet doest thou sin For all this bee not discouraged do not throw away all thy hope for put the case wee do sin yet there is remedy Wee have an Advocate with the Father In the words wee have 1 The SVPPOSITION of anevill If any man sin which wee are not to understand as though the thing spoken in way of supposition were a thing which might possibly bee or not bee for it is not so the thing is a certaine thing that every man doth sin none is or can whilst hee is here bee exempted from sin and so indeed it is not a supposition or a thing supposed to bee but a thing which really is As if the Apostle should say Well grant it that you sin for there is none in this world exempted from sin any man may sin as well those which are Fathers as you which are children it is not said have sinned but do sin relating as well to sin pre sent and yet to come as sin past 2 The prescription of A REMEDY and that is Christ Jesus our Advocate and Propitiation Wee have an Advocate with the Father or rather these words are laid down as a bottome or foundation for the faith comfort and support of poor Saints against and under all their sins and infirmities Of the first viz. the evil supposed Doct. The best and dearest of Gods children are not priviledged from sin whilst they are here Sin is a leprosie that cleaves to us all more or lesse whilst wee are in this world Wee never read of a Saint so holy in Scripture but look him over and wee shall finde some spot upon him here or there Noah Abraham David Peter Paul none of them were without their
because Ishmael was borne of the Bond-woman who had no absolute right and could therefore convey none to her seed but Esau of Rebecca who was a Free-woman had a right to convey which Esau despiseth Upon this Principle another follows viz. That carnal and slighty Gospel professors of which Esay was a Type doe prove to bee worse and more vile than meer legalists of which Ishmael was a Type for observe Esau having despised his Birth-right degenerates into a prophane person Heb. 12.16 but Ishmael not so for after that he was cast out of his Fathers Family hee was yet very strict as I shall shew hereafter By what wee have said it is now clear enough that the Moral Law as it is Sarahs Law the Law of the New Covenant so it is not to bee cast out because it belongs to the Free-woman who must not be rejected But for so much of the Moral Law as belongs to Hagar i. e. is a part of the Old Covenant and not brought by Christ into the New all that is to be cast out for it belongs unto the Bond-woman and what saith the Scripture Cast out the bond-woman c. From this double consideration of the Moral Law as it is the Law of Hagar the Old Covenant and as it is the Law of Sarah the New several useful lessons doe arise 1 Hence we may learne how to reconcile such Scriptures as seeme to have opposition and contradiction in them about the Law as namely Rom. 7. where the Apostle tells us vers 4. Wee are dead to the Law and vers 6. delivered from the Law yet saith vers 12. The Commardement is holy just and good vers 14. The Law is spiritual vers 16. I consent saith he to the Law that it is good vers 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inner man vers 25. with my minde I my selfe serve the Law of God How may we reconcile these doth not the Apostle speak contradictions Not so for in verses 4.6 hee treats of the Law as it is the Law of Hagar the Old Covenant and so he saith we are dead to it delivered from it in the following verses he treats of the Law as it is the Law of Sarah or of the New Covenant and so hee calls it spiritual holy just and good consents to it delights in it serves it c. So Gal. 2.19 I through the law am dead to the law i.e. the Law hath set mee wholly free from the Law Is not this a contradiction No for the Apostle speakes of the Law under its twofold consideration as it is the Law of the old Covenant and as the Law of the New and so his meaning is this I through the Law through receiving embracing or having to doe with the Law as it is the Law of the New Covenant am dead to the Law that is am set wholly free from the Law and have nothing to doe with it as it is the Law of the Old Of the like interpretation are those words Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death i.e. By the Law of the New Covenant or the Law as it is the Law of the New Covenant which the Apostle calls the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus because the New Covenant-ministration is a ministration of the Spirit a ministration that giveth life 2 Cor. 3.6.8 and hath Christ for the Mediator of it Heb. 8.6 chap. 9.15 chap. 12.24 and the Bloud of Christ as the seal or ratification of it Heb. 9.16 17 18. I am freed or delivered from the Law as it is the Law of the Old Covenant which as such is called A law of sin and death because sin is discovered by the Law of the Old Covenant but not mortified by this discovery but rather enlivened and the soul findes it self inwardly more provoked to it Rom. 7.5 7 8 9 10 11. Hence the discovery of sin which is by the Old Covenant not killing sin but rather making it to increase it consequently kills the soul and so it becomes a Commandement unto deaths a law of death a ministration of death 2 Corinth 3 7. So also Rom. 6.14 the Apostle speaking of Beleevers saith We are not under the law but under grace yet 1 Cor. 9.21 speaking of himselfe who was a Beleever he saith he was under the Law to Christ Are not these contradiction No because in the first place the law is spoken of as it is the Law of the Old Covenant administred by Moses so Beleevers in Gospel-times are not under it in the latter the Law is spoken of as it is the Law of the New Covenant administred by the Lord Jesus so Paul himself and all Beleevers who are willingly subject to Christ are also willingly subject to his Law Againe 1 Tim. 1.9 it is said The law is not made for a righteous man i. e. the righteous person is one that hath nothing to doe with the Law nor the Law with him so that in effect the Law is made voyd to him it is to him as though it were nothing and he to it as though there were no Law in the world yet Rom. 3. last it is said Doe wee make voyd the law through faith nay we establish the law what may we judge of these expressions The answer is still what I have said The Apostle in the former place confiders the Law only as it is the Law of the Old Covenant in which respect he saith it is not made for the righteous man i. e. he hath nothing to doe with it he is not under it in the latter only as it is the Law of the New Covenant and in this respect the preaching of faith doth not nul the Law to the Beleever but doth rather establish it as I am coming to shew Thus we see how this distinction about the Moral Law both doth and will bring all those opposite Scriptures which concern the Law to a sweet concord and harmony one with another 2 Hence wee may learne That the Moral Law doth still remaine as a rule to Saints even in Gospel-times for mark it the Moral Law is Sarahs Rule as well as Hagars now though Hagar the Servant in Gospel-times is an outcast yet Sarah the Mistris still remaines in the Family and governes there The Moral Law therefore as it is Sarahs Rule remaines in as full force even in Gospel times as ever Now because some not understanding this distinction have weakly and unadvisedly cast the Moral Law wholly out of doores as being a thing of no use to Beleevers under the New Testament as there are others that hand over head will bring it in I shall therefore establish this Position that the Moral Law is yea must bee a Rule to Saints even under the New Testament and that by these following Arguments Arg. 1. If the coming of Christ doth not destroy the Law as a Rule but
done of such who having transgressed against any of the aforesaid commands would have attonement made for them and their sin forgiven them joyning herewithall repentance for their offence and reformation of it Under these two Heads viz. the blessings of the Old Covenant and the grace of it is comprehended the whole of the Old Covenant and therefore I shall treat of each severally Concerning both which I may say as the Apostle when he was about to treat of the Melchisedaical Priesthood Of which we have many things to say and hard to be uttered First for the Blessings of the Old Covenant they were of two sorts 1 Blessings outward and Temporal 2 Blessings Spiritual and Eternal but both upon condition First for those Blessings that were outward and temporary they were also of two sorts either First Blessings more common by which I understand such Blessings as though Israel with whom this Old Covenant was made did enjoy them by vertue of the Old Covenant yet were they not peculiar to the Children of the Old Covenant for even others besides them did oftentimes enjoy them by vertue of common providence As they were Blessings given by Covenant they were peculiar to them but as Blessings they were common and of such a nature that others who stood not under this Old Covenant as they did did yet notwithstanding through the meer bounty of common providence oftentimes partake of them Now these were 1 Long life in the Land of Canaan This was given upon condition of obedience and therefore wheresoever we have it promised the condition of obedience is also annexed Exod. 20.12 Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may bee prolonged in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee i. e. in so doing thou â—ait have long life in Canaan Deut. 5.33 33. Yee shall observe to doe therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you you shall not turne aside to the right hand or to the left you shall walk in all the wayes which the Lord your God hath commanded you that yee may live and that it may bee well with you and that yee may prolong your dayes in the Land which yee shall possesse chap. 11.8 9. Therefore shall yee keep all the Commandements which I command you this day that yee may bee strong and goe in to possesse the Land whither yee goe to possesse it and that yee may prolong your dayes in the Land c. vers 21. That your dayes may bee multiplied and the dayes of your children in the Land which the Lord sware unto your Fathers to give them as the dayes of heaven upon the earth Chap. 25. 15. chap. 30.20 chap. 32.47 Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day which yee shall command your children to observe to doe all the words of this law for it is not a vaine thing for you because it is your life and through this thing yee shall prolong your dayes in the Land which yee goe over Jordan to possesse This Blessing was forfeited upon their disobedience Deut. 4.25 26. When thou shalt beget children and childrens children and shalt have remained long in the Land and shall corrupt your selves and make a graven Image or the likenesse of any thing and shall doe evil in the sight of the Lord thy God to provoke him to anger I call heaven and earth to witnesse against you this day that yee shall soone utterly perish from off the land whereunto to yee goe over Jordan to possesse it yee shall not prolong your dayes upon it but shall utterly bee destroyed Hence also on the contrary wee have those phrases Yee shall dye the man that doth so and so shall surely dye so frequently denounced in the Bookes of Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy against the disobedient which we are not to understand of death eternal because a man might make forfeiture of his life through breach of this outward Covenant as did Moses and Aaron and many others of those who fell in the Wildernesse and yet be a person saved from Wrath eternal nor are we alwayes and in all cases to understand it of Death as a punishment inflicted by the Civil Magistrate upon Offenders deserving it but we are to understand the phrase the man doing thus and thus shall dye very frequently if not most frequently of Death inflicted by the hand of God for breach of that Covenant which kept and observed would cause that their dayes should be prolonged but broken and violated did cut them short 2 Multiplying of them as a Nation Deut. 6.3 Hear therefore O Israel and observe to doe it that it may bee well with thee and that yee may encrease mightily c. chap. 8.1 All the Commandements which I command thee this day shall yee observe to doe that yee may live and multiply c. Deut. 30.16 I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God to walk in his wayes and to keep his Commandoments and his Statutes and his Judgements that thou mayest live and multiply c. So chap. 11.21 Chap. 13.17 with others Now as this promise of multiplication was conditional upon condition of their keeping the Covenant so no sooner did they breake Covenant but presently they fell under the contrary Curse Deut. 28. vers 15. compared with 62. But it shall come to passe if thou wilt not hearken to the voyce of the Lord thy God to observe to doe all his Commandements c. yee shall bee left few in number whereas yee were as the stars of Heaven for multitude because thou wouldest not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God So Chapter 4. vers 27. 3 Advancing them above all other Nations yet still upon condition of their obedience Deut. 28.1 And it shall come to passe if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voyce of the Lord thy God to observe and to doe all his Commandements which I command thee this day that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the Nations of the earth vers 13. And the Lord will make thee the head and not the tayl and thou shalt bee above only and shalt not be beneath if that thou hearken unto the Commandements of the Lord thy God which I commanded this day to observe and doe them So chap. 26.19 Hence whensoever they became disobedient immediatly they did forfeit this mercy and came under the contrary curse Deut. 28.15 But it shall come to passe if thou wilt not hearken to the voyce of the Lord thy God to observe to doe all his Commandements c. What then see vers 37.43 44. Thou shalt become an astonishment a proverb and a by-word among all Nations whither the Lord shall lead thee the stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high and thou shalt come downe very low hee shall lend to thee and thou shalt not lend to him hee shall bee the head and thou shalt bee the tayl They are
Worthies who had greatest share of this communion upon the Mount not one enters Canaan the Type of the heavenly rest but all dye in the Wilderness holding forth thus much that men may have much communion with God in the way and after the rate of the Old Covenant and yet fall short of heavenly glory perish in their sins notwithstanding this such was and is that communion that comes in by vertue of the Old Covenant 8 A resemblance there was in this Old Covenant of SANCTIFICATION which lay in an outward observation of meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal Ordinances imposed on those who stood under the first Tabernacle as the Apostle tells us Heb. 9.8 9 10. in reference to which Sanctification Israel goe under the titles of a holy people a holy Nation c. But this Sanctification as it was an outward thing sanctifying no further then unto a purifying of the flesh Heb. 9.13 so was it conditional and they were no longer a holy Nation Gods holy people than they did obey God and keep his Covenant their holinesse when and wheresoever it is spoken of is ever laid up in the performance of the condition of the Covenant as Exod. 19.5 6. Now therefore if yee will obey my voyee indeed and keep my Covenant yee shall bee unto me a holy Nation Deut. 28.9 The Lord shall establish thee a holy people unto himself as he hath sworne unto thee if thou shalt keep the Commandements of the Lord thy God and walk in his wayes Deut. 26.16 with 19. This day the Lord hath commanded thee to doe these Statutes and Judgements c. that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God 9 This Old Covenant had also in it a resemblance of GLORIFICATION which was figured in that outward glory and happinesse promised to Israel and whilst they were obedient enjoyed by them in the possession of the promised Land but chiefly in that presence of God communion they had with him in the Holy of Holies but this also was conditional for breaking Covenant they are cast out of their Land and their Paradise is turned into a Wildernesse yea their Holy of Holies their Typical Heaven is destroyed and broken down and hereby all that presence of God and communion with him which was by vertue of it enjoyed is lost to them 10 This Old Covenant had also lodged up in it SPECIAL AND PECVLIAR ORDINANCES as the New hath through which the aforesaid blessings were conveyed the sweetnesse and comfort of them enjoyed Heb. 9.1 Then verily the first Covenant had Ordinances of Divine service and a worldly sanctuary These Ordinances were committed to Israel with whom this Covenant was made and hence the Apostle saith that to them did partaine the service of God Rom. 9.4 i. e. the exercise of true worship did appertaine to them they were by God made Keepers of his rich Cabinet of precious Ordinances in which respect they are stiled a Kingdome of Priests Exod. 19.6 i.e. a Kingdome of Worshippers for Worship was the Priests work This blessing also was conditional therefore observe they are a Kingdome of Priests but it is upon condition If yee will obey my voyce indeed then shall yee be unto me a Kingdome of Priests no longer then they obey are they a Kingdome of Priests Hence as Judah in the time of the Babylonian Captivity were for their rebellion cut off this priviledge so likewise it is pronounced against Israel for their Spiritual Adultery or Idolatry that they should abide many dayes without a Sacrifice without an Ephod Hos 3.4 i. e. they should for their breach of Covenant be deprived of this priviledge of the Covenant viz. special Ordinances 11 A resemblance there was in this Old Covenant of those SPECIAL GIFTS AND GRACES which are the peculiar blessings of the New Covenant For 1 By vertue of this Old Covenant there was a kind of FAITH wrought in those that stood tinder it for look as it is in the New Covenant which holds forth an absolute Election an absolute Donation of God himself to a Soul an absolute union of the Soul with Christ out of which doe flow a faith that can never fade So in this Old Covenant there being an outward and conditional Election Donation of God Union c. there doth thence also spring a faith but this faith is of the nature of the thing it springs from viz. Conditional and Temporary it is a faith built either upon Duties or Ordinances or outward Priviledges or Experiences or Providences or a hanging upon or cleaving to in an outward way or for the obtaining some outward mercy some promise of Gods or else built upon some extraordinary incomes or appearances of God either in a way of particular words given in or Revelations Visions c. from things of this nature which the children of the Old Covenant were capable of attaining and which being attained they did strait way finding such things in themselves conclude a right in the fore-mentioned blessings of the Covenant there did arise a thing very like true faith and it is not amisse if wee call it a faith of the Old Covenant 1 For this Faith as it did spring from Duties we read of the righteous man trusting to his owne righteousnesse Ezek. 33.13 here is a trust and confidence laid in Duties a mans owne righteousnesse but observe If he commit iniquity all his righteousnesse shall not bee remembred but for his iniquity he hath committed hee shall dye mark the issue he dyes What good now doth his trust doe him hee trusts in his owne righteousnesse hath faith confidence grounded upon it thinks because of it I am surely the childe of God shall bee saved c. but no sooner doth hee commit iniquity but hee dyes for all this this faith-trust can neither preserve it self alive nor him from death that hath it 2 For Ordinances the Old Covenant as I have said had Ordinances in it now much faith was by many reposed in these Wee have a notable text Jer. 7.14 Therefore will I doe unto this house which is called by my name wherein yee trust as I have done to Shiloh The Temple Gods House was Gods owne Ordinance and appointment and a visible signe of his presence and hence the Jews did put much confidence in the enjoyment of their Temple therefore vers 4. the Prophet brings them in crying out the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these they thought surely they must needs bee happy so long as they had the Temple of the Lord an enjoyment of Ordinances among them But yet this confidence was but a lying confidence and therefore saith the Prophet Trust not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. and further tells them vers 14. that they should not have this trust long for the Temple wherein they did so much trust God would destroy and where