semel tantum missus est Dei Filius secundum alterum saepe missus est mittitur quotidie Nam secundum alterum missus est ut sit Homo semel tantum factum est secundum alterum verò mittitur ut sit cum Homine quomodo quotidiè mittitur ad Sanctos missus est etiam ante incarnationem ad omnes Sanctos qui ante fuerunt etiam ad Angelos Unde Aug. de Filio c. Lomb. L. 1. D. 13. twofold sending of him the one External and Visible the other Internal and Invisible the First was Christ's sending to be Man that 's past and over and was to be but once the Second is Christ's sending into Man that yet continues and is reiterated from time to time Now these two though they are of a different nature must not be parted he that would regularly hope for Salvation by Christ must have the latter as well as the former sending for 't is most certain that a Christ without if it be not also a Christ within will never save A Christ in our Flesh must be accompanied with a Christ in our Hearts there must be not only a Christ sent to us but also a Christ sent into us or else he will not profit us The whole business of Merit lies upon the Christ without as he took our Nature and therein fulfilled the Law but the fitting or qualifying of persons to have a share in the blessings merited that lies in the Christ within as he is received into the heart In a word the impetration is by Christ without but the application is by Christ within Now therfore I say you must nor rest in the One unless you find the Other too there are very dangerous mistakes abroad in the world about this Some are all for a Christ within making nothing of a Christ without a most pernicious Opinion and destructive of all Christianity Others again are all for a Christ without contenting themselves with this that he was sent into the world to save Sinners and this to them is enough for future happiness they look no farther But now whoever would be wise to Salvation must take in both so as to adore believe in rest upon a Christ as externally sent and yet so as to make sure of a Christ in * Col. 1.27 himself through the gracious operations of the Spirit Paul here in this Verse speaks of the External Sending in the 10 Verse he speaks of the Internal Sending And if Christ be in you all that live under the Gospel know the former but few know the latter O how is it with you Christ was sent to you but is he in you he was formed in the Virgins womh but is he formed in your hearts as the expression is Gal. 4.19 he came from heaven in a corporeal manner for you but did he ever in a spiritual manner come into you you have the external mission but have you also the mystical Vnion hath the Father who sent his own Son in your Flesh sent also his own Spirit into your hearts which is the great Promise of the New Testament as the former was the great Promise of the Old see Joh. 14.26 Joh. 15.26 Joh. 16.7 'Pray search diligently into these things for be assured that a Christ as only sent in the likeness of sinful flesh if He and his Spirit be not also received within I say a Christ so stated will never make you happy Men exhorted to believe in him whom God sent 6. Did God thus send Christ it calls aloud to you all to believe in him Hath the Father chosen him set him apart every way fitted him to be a Redeemer sent him into the world for that end and after all this will you not receive embrace fly to and venture your selves your All upon him O what an Argument is this to draw Sinners to an hearty closure with Christ what will engage Souls to believe on him if this will not Christ as sent is the Object the Ground and also the great Encouragement of Faith Sinners you may very safely believe on him for he 's no Impostor or Deceiver but that very person whom God sent to be the Saviour of the world And 't is not only so that you may safely believe on him but 't is your great duty to believe on him for he who sent him layes this as his grand Command upon you so to do 1 Joh. 3.23 And this is his Commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that great Work which he injoyns that ye believe on him whom he hath sent 'T is observable how high Christ speaks of the knowledge of himself under this notion as he was sent of God Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent As also how desirous he was that the World might know and believe that he was thus sent of God Joh. 17.21 23. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they all may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me Now what was it that Christ propounded to himself in all this certainly he had more in his eye than the bare notional knowledge of or naked assent to this great Truth that he was the Person sent of God Yes his desire reach'd to a practical and fiducial knowledge of it to such a knowledge as might be attended with true and saving Faith So that 't is not enough for you to know and believe in a common and general way that Christ was indeed sent of God which will only make you differ from Jews and Heathens but you must so know and so believe it as to receive accept close with rest upon him in a saving manner which will make you differ from all outside and formal Christians Further let it be considered what was God's great design in the sending of Christ 't was this that Sinners believing in him might live So the Gospel tells you over and over * Joh. 3.16 17 God so loved the world that he gave or sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved is not here a strong engagement as well as an high encouragement to believe And it being God's act to send his Son he looks upon Himself as highly concerned according as men carry it towards him therefore saith Christ * Math. 10.40 He that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me * Luk. 10.16 He that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And especially this holds true in
the matter of believing or not believing O do you close with Christ and receive him upon the Gospel-offer not only He himself but his Father also is highly pleased herewith and takes it very kindly at your hands I sayes God here are Souls that do not throw away or tread upon that costly remedy which I provided for them who give me the glory of my Wisdom and Mercy who would not have my great designs in the sending of my Son to be frustrated who duly entertain the Messenger whom I sent to transact the great affairs of my Glory and their Good who answer my expectations in my highest Love c. I say this pleases God exceedingly But on the other hand do you reject Christ make little of him stand it out against him refuse to believe how heinously doth God resent such carriage this he looks upon as an high despising and undervaluing of his Mercy a desperate striking at his Glory which is very dear to him a very unworthy requital of his Love a dangerous attempt to make all his Grace to be to no purpose and must not all this highly provoke him Suppose some Great Person hearing of the sad condition of some poor Captives should out of meer compassion to them send from a far Country his own and only Son to redeem them and this Son should in Person come to them and treat with them about their redemption he offering to pay down their ransom to free them from all their misery provided they will but trust on him and be subject to him If now these Captives should slight all this and choose still to continue in their chains rather than upon these terms to accept of deliverance would not this folly and obstinacy greatly incense both Father and Son Or suppose again some offended Prince against whom the Treason had been committed should send his Son to the Traytor with a Pardon in his hand and he should take no notice of this Son or Pardon brought by him but reject and slight both what could be expected to follow upon this but the greatest indignation Now is not this the very case of Vnbelievers nay is not theirs much worse in respect of the Person sending the Person sent the Benefits offered the Conditions required and therefore must not they incur an higher displeasure and make themselves obnoxious to a worser severity Sinners shall not these things be thought of will nothing prevail upon you to believe Was Christ sent and did he come to you and will not you come to him will you not yet understand that it is He only who must save you to allude to that Act. 7.25 He supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them but they understood not do you look for another Son or another Saviour to be sent indeed hath God such another Son to send or was not the once sending of this Son enough hath not God in Christ given you his last Way and Method for Salvation so that there is no Other to be expected after that And was he only sent did he not do all for which he was sent and so returned back again to his Father is there any thing further to be done but only that you will repent and believe Methinks these Considerations should work upon you yet I 'm sure they will not unless the Lord persuade your hearts to believe and he himself be pleased to work Faith in you We may speak much to convince you of your Duty but when we have said all 't is God who must both incline and inable you to believe who must over-powre against unwillingness and strengthen against weakness Faith is his Gift Eph. 2.8 he who gives the Christ to be believed on must give the Grace to believe with he who sent Christ to you must draw you to Christ * Joh. 6.44 No man can or will come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him So much for the Duties proper to be urged upon God's sending of Christ in which you have the First Vse Use 2. Comfort to Believers from God's sending Christ Secondly It affords abundant matter of Comfort to all sincere Christians The Truth which I have been upon Christ sent by God may be useful not only as a powerful incentive to Duty but also as a firm foundation of inward Comfort O believers set your Faith Hope Joy as high as ever you can this Sending of Christ will bear you out in it you cannot God having done this over-believe or over-rejoyce I 'le shew you what there is wrapped up in a Christ sent and for the better raising of your Comfort I 'le instance in Particulars for 't is with Gospel-Truths as 't is with your perfumed things which so long as they are wrapp'd up do but weakly affect the Sense but when they are taken out opened and parted then they do more strongly send forth their fragrant odours 1. Did God send Christ surely then great was his good Will towards you For had it not been so would he ever have done such a great thing for you as this therefore that heavenly Quire of Angels singing in consort upon the Birth of Christ made this a part of their Spiritual Song * Luke 2.14 Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth peace good will towards men I follow our reading of the latter Clause though I know it might be and is otherwise rendred why did they say good will towards men O because now in the Sending and Incarnation of Christ God had given out the highest demonstration that was possible of his good Will towards them Had there been any thing but that in his Heart and had there not been an abundance of that in his Heart he would never have sent and so sent his own Son 2. Did God send Christ surely then he is in good earnest real hearty in the matters of Salvation After such a thing as this Saints have not the least reason to be jealous of God or to question the reality of his Call offers invitations intentions promises declarations concerning their happiness What higher assurance could God give of his heartiness and reality in these than this if he once send his Son there 's no room left for suspicion or doubting This assures us that God is real in his Promises and will be faithful to his Promises for by it they are all at once ratified and confirmed If God make good the grand Promise of Sending his Son what other promise will he not make good a Christ sent is the Seal of all the Promises See Isa 7.14 3. Did God send Christ then you need not fear but that the work of Redemption is compleated When such a Person sends and such a Person is sent the Thing shall be done effectually and throughly be it never so high so hard if Christ undertake it hee 'l accomplish it Had a Creature indeed been sent there might
subdued and conquered all the powers of Hell held it out till all was finished all this was done in our flesh by Christ-Man though not as meer Man I say in our flesh for had it not been so * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost Haec erat Dei virtus in substantià pari perficere salutem Non enim magnum si Spiritus Dei Carnem remediaret sed si Caro consimilis peccatrici dum Caro est sed non peccati Tertull. adv Marcion l. 5. the thing had not been so great but that Christ in our very Nature and Flesh should be able to do such things there 's the wonder doubtless he must be assisted and strengthened by an higher Nature otherwise it could not have been thus Nay that Christ-Man should continue yet to do such strange and mighty things O stand and wonder at his Power 'T was the stone cut without hands by which you are to understand Christ in the miraculous production of his Humane Nature which smote the image c. Dan. 2.34 You read of one sitting upon the cloud like unto the Son of man having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle for the cutting down of his enemies Rev. 14.14 and the Son of man is brought before the ancient of dayes and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him c. Dan. 7.13 14. Now that Christ in the Nature of Man should be thus exalted and also do such great and glorious things is not this wonderful Suppose you had seen * Exod. 2.3 Moses when a child in his Ark of bullrushes laid in the flags by the rivers brink and then afterwards had seen him when grown up in the head of the people of Israel as their ruler and deliverer as he is stiled Act. 7.35 subduing Pharaoh and all his Host would not this have struck you with admiration What then shall we say and think of Christ he that for some time was shut up in his Mothers womb lay as a weak infant on her lap suck'd at her breasts c. and when grown up suffer'd and dy'd upon the Cross this very Christ is the redeemer of the world the Saviour of man the King of all the earth the universal Conqueror over Devils and all Enemies whatsoever exalted far above principalities c. what shall we say to these things verily they command adoring silence and wonderment I have been very long yet not too long I hope upon this head when the Incarnation of the Son of God is before me than which there never was a greater thing to be wondred at could I say too much in order to the raising of your hearts to the highest adoration both of the thing and also of the persons concern'd in it what more proper and necessary to be urg'd upon such an Argument than such a frame of spirit Fourth Branch of the Exhortation To labour after the powerful influence of Christ's Incarnation upon Heart Life 4. Fourthly this great mystery of Christ's Incarnation must have some powerful influence upon your hearts and lives My Brethren 't is not enough to believe it to have an ineffective light in the head about it no nor sometimes to have the affections wrought upon in the admiration of it but this must be attended with deep impressions upon the heart and have a great efficacy upon the life The Apostle having spoke of the * 1 Tim. 3.16 mystery of Godliness presently he falls upon Christ's being manifested in the flesh as a great part of that mystery of Godliness and this in particular as well as the whole Gospel in General is set forth thereby because where 't is known and believ'd aright it doth very much conduce and operate to the promoting of Godliness St. John tells us 1 Joh. 4.2 Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God is every Spirit that confesseth this of God yes so far as assent to the truth and a faithful profession of that truth will carry it But such as would be said to be of God in a more special and saving way they must not only assent and profess but they must live suitably to what they do so believe and profess this truth of Christ's being come in the flesh must have an efficacy upon them in what is practical and then they will be of God indeed A God incarnate is both the great incouragement to Faith and also the great incentive to Duty Should I here fall upon the several particulars which offer themselves and enlarge upon them I should too much trespass briefly therefore let me but touch upon six or seven things 1. Was Christ sent in flesh and do you know and believe it Christians upon this must be humble Oh how humble should you be What an argument is here from Christ's Incarnation for humility in his assuming flesh he hath set before you the highest the most glorious pattern of humility that ever was will you not follow it * Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for saith he I am meek and lowly he gave sufficient evidence of his lowliness in becoming Man now is it not better to learn of an humble God than of a proud man O Christian after such abasement of thy Lord and Saviour wilt thou be haughty and proud how unsuitable is a proud sinner to an humble Saviour What saith one more mysterious than God humbled more monstrous than man proud When ever pride self-conceitedness self-exalting begin to rise in the heart think of the humility of the Son of God how he emptied himself made himself of no reputation took upon him the form of a Servant c. and surely this will be an effectual Antidote against pride The Apostle when he would further lowliness of mind in the Philippians this is the consideration which he sets before them Phil. 2.3 6 7 c. * Diabolus superbus hominem superbientem perduxit ad mortem Christus humilis hominem obedientem reduxit ad vitam quia sicut ille clatus cecidit dejecit consentientem sic iste humiliatus surrexit erexit credentem August tem 3. p. 1051. We were undone by a proud Devil and a proud heart if ever we be sav'd it must be by an humble Saviour and an humble heart 2. Do not sin Partly Must not Sin that there may be in you as full a conformity to Christ as here you can come up to he took your Nature and sinn'd not therein you should be as like to him as ever you may Partly that Christ may have his end in his coming in the flesh for why did he so come but that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8 that he might redeem you from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 that you being delivered out
guide and the giver of the spiritual life as the Soul gives life to the Body so the Spirit of God gives life to the Soul in which respect he is called * Dicitur Spiritus vitae quód animam vegetet vivificet divinâ gratiâ Contzen Sicut Spiritus naturalis facit vitam naturae sic Spiritus Divinus facit vitam Gratiae Aquin. the Spirit of life And this Life or Quickening by the Spirit is either that which is at the first Conversion or that which is subsequent and follows after Conversion 1. First there is that Life which is proper to the first Conversion When the Sinner is converted he 's quickened or made alive for indeed till that great work was done in him in a spiritual sense he was no better than a dead man before renewing grace there 's no life 'T is the regenerating Spirit which inspires this into the Soul I say into the Soul for that 's the receptive subject of this Life There is another Life or quickening to be wrought also by the Spirit which is proper to the Body of which the Apostle speaks here Verse 11 shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you in reference to which Christ too is called a quickening Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 but the proper subject of the present and spiritual enlivening by the Spirit is the Soul Now take a man before Conversion he hath a Soul spiritually dead he lives the life of Nature the common animal life and that 's all but when the Spirit comes and renews him it breaths a divine and excellent life into him Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins Luk. 15.32 for this thy brother was dead and is alive again The Spirit of life is the Spirit of regeneration and he working as a regenerating Spirit is the Spirit of life 2. There is the Spirits quickning after Conversion For this in such a sense is a continued abiding repeated act we are but once regenerated and therefore but once habitually quickned but the actual and subsequent quickning is renewed and reiterated from time to time This lies in the exciting and actuating of the several Graces the taking off the deadness of the heart in holy Duties the drawing out of vigoxous and lively desires after God and Christ the raising and stirring up of the Affections c. And all this is done by the Spirit of life also the life and liveliness too of a Christian is from the vital quickning influences of the Spirit without which there can be no spiritual vivacity in him Therefore the Spouse pray'd * Cant. 4.16 Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out she directed her prayer to the Spirit and what did she pray for for that which I am upon viz. the enlivening and exciting of her Graces she expresses it metaphorically but this was the thing which her Soul breath'd after To apply this in a word for 't is not a point which I intend to stay upon Sirs V. S. R. You see whether you are go for life Here 's the Spirit of life to him therefore you must apply your selves for life 't is the living Spirit which must make you live Are you not spiritually dead is not this the sad condition of all who lie in the Natural State what are such but as so many walking Ghosts they are no better than dead even whilst they live as the Apostle speaks of the Widow that lives in pleasure 1 Tim. 5.6 is not Grace the Life of the Soul what is Life it self but a kind of Death without Christ and Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Ignatius Alas you may move walk breath eat drink sleep put forth all the several acts of the animal Life and yet for all this in reference to any spiritual Life be but dead persons And is it so with any of you O why do you not fly to the Spirit of Life that you may be quickned God convince you of the misery of spiritual Death that you may endeavour to get out of it and God convince you of the glory excellency necessity of the spiritual Life that you with the most earnest desires pursue after it what is is to have the Life of Nature and to want the Life of Grace to have living Bodies without and dead Souls within to be able to doe whatever is proper to Nature and not to be able to put forth one vital act of Grace Is not the spiritual death a certain forerunner of the eternal death can he that is dead here being without God hope to live with God hereafter O that you would be persuaded to make out after the spiritual Life I would in hearty desires say that for every dead Soul which they once wrote upon the Tomb of dead Brutus utinam viveres would to God that thou mightest live But how shall that be accomplished why thus here 's the Spirit of Life whose Office it is to quicken the dead whoever thou art therefore if thou wilt but betake thy self to this Spirit he can and he will give thee Life Life thou must have for 't is better to have no Life than not to have this Life Life thou maist have nay Life thou shal◠have if thou wilt but implore improve wait depend upon this Spirit of Life Further you that are Saints in whom the quickning Spirit hath effectually wrought yet do not you find your selves too often under great deadness certainly you are great strangers to your selves if you do not find it to be so you are not dead yet often under deadness O now whenever 't is so with you and you groan under it as your burden do you also apply your selves to this Spirit of Life You go to Duty attend upon Ordinances pray hear the Word receive the Sacrament and you would fain be lively in all would you be so indeed look upwards then as knowing 't is the Spirit of Life that must make you so Quickning Grace is very pretious to the Soul that is sincere a Child of God cannot be without it he cannot be satisfied in the bare having of grace unless it be lively nor with the bare performance of Duty unless he be lively in it How earnest was David in his prayers to God for it Psal 119.25 37 40 88. Quicken thou me according to thy word Quicken thou me in thy way Quicken me in thy righteousness Quicken me after thy loving kindness the earnestness of his desires after it made him go over it again and again And no wonder it is so for how sweet are Ordinances to a gracious person when he hath life in them when therein he can get his Graces up his Affections up and lively when he prays and hath life in prayer hears and hath life in hearing receives and hath life in receiving O then great is his joy Deadness very much hinders Comfort in
Duty as the Soul is quickned so proportionably 't is comforted In order therefore to this how doth it concern you to improve the Spirit of God as the Spirit of Life who can thus animate and enliven you but he he who freed you from the Law of Sin and Death must also free you from all that dulness and deadness of Spirit which sometimes possesses you therefore when David was desiring this mercy he puts the Spirit before it Thy Spirit is good c. Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake Psal 143.10 11. Indeed as none can cleanse the filthy heart but the purifying Spirit nor soften the hard heart but the mollifying Spirit so none can enliven the dead heart but the quicking Spirit When the Child was dead the Prophet sent his staff but that would not do the work the Child did not revive till the Prophet came himself so you may have quickning Means and quickning Ordinances and quickning Providences but if this quickning Spirit doth not come himself you will be dead still O therefore whenever you find the Heart under inward deadness presently carry it to this quickning Spirit for quickning Grace I would not have any here mistake me to put a wrong interpretation or make bad inferences from what hath been spoken so as to slight neglect cast off External Means Ordinances Duties because they are but dead things of themselves and 't is the Spirit onely which gives life Some infer such a practise from the premises but they do it very unwarrantably For 't is true that the Spirit of Life onely quickens but then he doth this for men when they are in the use of and in attendance upon the Means he first quickens to duty and then in duty and by duty his way and method is to give out his enlivening influences when the Soul is waiting in holy Ordinances And therefore these must be highly valued and duely attended upon though it be the Spirit onely which works in them effectually upon the heart 'T was the the Angel moving the Waters that did the Cure yet the poor Cripples were to lie by the Pool side so 't is here 'T is a good Caveat therefore that of Musculus upon the Words Ista Spiritus Dei efficacia c. that efficacy of the Spirit saith he is always to be pray'd for yet we must take heed that we have a due respect for those outward Means which the Spirit will have us to make use of But no more of this 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 CHAP. V. Of the Law or Power of Sin under which all Men are by Nature The whole Matter in the Words drawn into several Observations The main Observation broken into Three The First of which is spoken to viz. That every unregenerate person is under the Law of Sin That Law of Sin is opened in the twofold notion of it Two Questions stated 1. How doth Sin act as a Law in the Unregenerate 2. How it may be known when 't is the Law of Sin or wherein doth the difference lie betwixt the Power of Sin in the Regenerate and in the Unregenerate The Point applied by way of Information to inform us 1. of the bondage of the Natural State The Evil and Misery of that set forth in some Particulars 2. To inform us of the necessity power and efficacy of restraining and renewing Grace Both spoken to HHaving opened the Words and fixed upon that Interpretation of them which I judge most proper and genuine The Observations raised from the Words which was my work the last time I come now to fall upon those Observations which are grounded upon and do best therewith It hath been already observed First that the Holy Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life this I have given some short account of and will add nothing further upon it I might Secondly observe That this Spirit of Life is in Christ Jesus the regenerating Spirit is in Christ though not as the regenerating Spirit according to our common notion of Regeneration This was also cleared up in some Particulars when I was upon the Explication of the Words and in the following Verses I shall have occasion to handle it fully therefore here I 'le pass it over There 's a Third Observation which takes in the principal matter in the Text that therefore I shall onely insist upon namely That all regenerate persons by the Law of the Spirit of Life are made free from the Law of Sin and Death For this is that which Paul here affirms concerning himself and he speaking here not as an Apostle but as One regenerate quatenus regenerate that which he saith of himself is applicable to all such they all are made free from c. The General Observation broken into Three This being more generally laid down just as it lies in the Words of the Text and it being very comprehensive I will therefore more particularly branch it out into three Observations 1. That every man in the world as he is in the natural and unconverted state 1. Obs before the Spirit of Life or the regenerating Spirit takes hold of him is under the Law of Sin and Death 2. That such who are truly regenerate are made free from the Law of Sin and Death 2. Obs 3. That 't is by the Law of the Spirit of Life that these are made free from the Law of Sin and Death 3. Obs Each of these Points are of great weight and importance therefore I shall distinctly and largely speak to them First Observ handled I begin with the First which you may shorten thus Every unregenerate man is under the Law of Sin and Death In the handling both of this and also of the two other I shall mainly direct my Discourse to the Law of Sin as to the Law of Death that I shall onely speak to in the close of all This first Doctrinal Proposition is not so express in the letter of the Words as the two following but 't is strongly implied and very naturally deducible from them Paul himself that * Acts 9.15 chosen vessel who was so eminent in the Love of God the Graces of the Spirit the work and priviledges of the Gospel till it pleas'd the Lord savingly to work upon him was under the Law of Sin for he says here he was made free from it implying there was a time when he was enslaved under it As to the civil freedom of a Roman he tells us he was born to that Acts 22.28 but as to Evangelical freedom from the command and bondage of Sin he doth not say he was born free but made free this was not the result of Nature Birth or any such thing but the meer effect of divine grace Further he saith the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free whence it follows that till
onely of a commanding but also of a condemning nature And which is not usual where it commands and is obeyed there it condemus which shows the difference betwixt the Law of sin and all other Laws they do not condemn where they are obeyed 't is onely the breach or non-performance of them which makes a person liable to Condemnation but herein lies the cursedness of the Law of Sin upon the obeying of it it becomes a condemning Law and it onely condemns where 't is obey'd But observe how this comes about for there is a difference in this double Act of the Law of Sin to command that is Sins proper and natural act to condemn that is Sins act onely eventually or meritoriously it rules of it self directly and propenly but it condemns onely as it lays the foundation of Condemnation by another for there is another Law which formally is the condemning Law viz. the Law of God upon the violation of it And this speaks the inexpressible misery of the Unregenerate they are under that Law which tyrannically commands them here and which upon their obeying of it will most certainly condemn them hereafter Sin a Law as it backs its Commands with Promises and Threatnings 2. Secondly that I may further clear up this Expression of the Law of Sin let me compare it with other Laws Divine and Humane Take the Law of God or Men they are usually back'd with * Some therefore defins a Law Ordo rectam gubernandi rationem includens ex prudentiâ prodien◠transgredientibus prenam obtemperantibus praemium decernens See Wendel Polie l. 2. c. 11 Rewards and Punnishments and 't is convenient it should be so if not for the strengthening of the Laws in themselves yet however for the furtherance of mens Obedience to them for men generally do not obey them upon the Authority of the Legislators or the intrinsick goodness of the Matter of the Law but as they are thereunto either allured by Rewards or deterred by Punnishments these are the things that do most prevail with them to yield their Obedience to the Laws both of God and Men. Answerably now to this Sin Indwelling in the Corrupt Nature will be backing its Commands with Promises and Threatnings it will be pretending to Rewards and Punnishments which though in themselves they are but sorry things yet they have a great power and efficacy upon besotted Sinners For instance Sinner saith Sin I enjoyn thee to fall in with me and my ways to do as I bid thee do I will that thou dost go and swear and steal and be filthy and profane Sabbaths and please the flesh c. here 's the Laws or Commands of Sin well how doth it strengthen and back them why thus Sinner do but obey me and here are such Profits Pleasures Delights Honours Preserments all of which upon thy complyance with me shall be thine if thou wilt but be my loyal Subject and do what I would have thee thou shalt live at ease flourish in the world pass thy days in mirth be respected by all with a great many more Promises of this nature therefore why do'st thou demur why do'st not thou presently submit and obey Particularly you read of the pleasures of sin Heb. 11.25 now it represents and heightens these to Sinners and by them urges and almost enforces Obedience to its Commands O saith Sin do but hearken to me and do thus and thus then what a delightful pleasant Life will you live how will all Comforts then flow in upon you then your good days will begin when you once resolve to comply with my Laws but 't will never be well till then And are all these promises and sollicitations of Sin in vain no! the poor deluded Sinner believes hearkens yields closes with them and knows not how to resist its Commands back'd with such promises and rewards But if these soft and mild insinuations these enticing and alluring Arguments will not do Sin then appears in the Lionsshape and begins to menace and threaten it alters its language and saith Sinner wilt thou cast off my Laws and chuse to be subject to some Other then look to thy self and take what follows wilt thou engage in a course of Duty and fall in with a strict and godly life then know what will be the fruit of this much better than thine O thou cursed Lyar thou must expect the loss of all that is good the undergoing of all that is evil thou must look for nothing but prisons reproaches derision contempt poverty persecution and what not thou must bid adieu to all thy Comforts prepare for the carrying of an heavy Cross live a pensive afflicted Life this will cost thee deer expose thee to the loss of Liberty Estate Relations Credit nay of Life it self O how doth Sin to draw and hold the Sinner in vassalage to it self and to keep him off from the way of holiness bestir it self and summon in all its Threats and Menaces And may not unrenewed Souls too truly be said to be under the Law of sin in these respects with what efficacy doth it entice them to what is evil by what it promises and deter them from what is good by what it threatens Do not these promises and threatnings of Sin carry it with men in their natural state the former for Sins of Commission the latter for Sins of Omission that they know not how to withstand them O that what we do see every day was not too full a demonstration of their being under the power of Sin as promising and as threatning By this you understand what there is in a Law in the strict notion of it that is applicable to Sin upon which the Apostle might ground his Metaphor of the Law of Sin 't is a commanding thing and it urges and seconds its Commands with promises and threatnings both of which are proper to a Law One thing further I desire you to take notice of and 't is this that Sin considered as simply commanding so 't is not a Law but it then becomes formally and compleatly a Law when it commands and the Sinner obeys so that he owns the power of it and willingly subjects himself to its dominion ô now 't is a Law indeed As it is in the Laws of Vsurpers they meerly as imposed by them are no Laws because not made by persons in lawful Authority but if a people freely own these Usurpers and willingly put themselves under subjection to them them to them their Laws become valid and obligatory so here as to Sin it hath not the least right to any dominion over the Soul it hath no power but what is by usurpation and therefore its Laws are meer nullities but yet if men which is the Case of the Unconverted will voluntarily put themselves under its Government and consent that it shall rule them to them de facto it becomes a Law and hath the force and authority of a Law though de jure it
ire Cypr. fear it For to you 't will come without a sting and you know the Serpent that hath lost its sting may hiss but cannot hurt 't is in it self an enemy and the * 1 Cor. 15.26 last enemy but to you 't is an harmless because a conquer'd enemy it may seem to threaten the greatest evil but in truth it shall do you the greatest good But here lies your main happiness you are wholly exempted from eternal death the second death you shall dye but once and then live with God forever 'T is this second death that makes the first to be so formidable for a man to dye that he may live that 's not at all dreadful but to dye here in order to a worser death hereafter there 's the thing which is only dreadful When death is but an inlet to eternal life a departure to be * Phill. 1.23 with Christ when there 's no condemnation to follow after it you may and you should meet it with joy and holy triumph And know that to you it shall not be bare freedome from eternal death but it shall also be the possession of eternal life there 's very much in the privative part of the mercy but when the positive part too is joined with it how high doth it rise ô admire and adore the Grace of God! The least of your sins deserves death the best of your duties doth not deserve life and yet you are freed from that which you so much deserve and shall be put into the possession of that which you so little deserve here 's the riches of the grace of God towards you Sin and Death are the two * Peccatum mors sunt duae partes adaequatae humanae miseriae nam in culpâ poenâ tota miseria hominis consistit Streso comprehensive evils all evil is summ'd up in and under them but you are freed from both what reason have you to rejoice and to admire the Lords boundless goodness ô the damned in hell who are under this death and feel it what would they give to be freed from it You through the merit of Christ and the power of the Spirit are made free from it therefore you should first be very thankeful and then very chearful What great things hath the gracious God done for you he hath delivered you from the Rule of sin whilst you live from the hurt of death when you dye have not you abundant cause of blessing and rejoicing 'T will not be long before this Death will look you in the face and lay its cold hands upon you 't is every minute making its nearer approaches to you by every breath you draw it gets ground upon you well be not troubled at this you know the worst on 't 't is death but not damnation 't is the parting of the Soul from the Body but no parting of the Soul from God 't is but dying temporally that you may live eternally how great is your happiness proportionable to which how great should your thankefulness and holy joy be So much for this Verse ROM 8.3 4. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit CHAP. IX Of the Laws inability to justify save High and glorious Matter contained in these two Verses Of their Coherence with what went before The difference amongst Expositors about that The General sense and meaning of the Words The various Readings and Explications of them They are divided into Five Parts There 's a Complication in them of the several Causes of the Sinners Justification and Salvation The First Branch of the Text insisted upon What the Law c. Four things observed in it Of its Literal Exposition What is here meant by Law What that was which the Law could not do How 't is said to be weak What the Flesh is by which 't is weakened The whole matter drawn into one Observation Of the Special matter of the Laws impotency as it refers to Justification and Salvation Three Grounds or Demonstrations of its impotency 1. It requires more than what the fal'n Creature can perform 2. It doth not give what the fal'n Creature needs 3. It cannot make reparation for what the fal'n Creature bath done Use 1. To humble us because we have a Nature in us by which Gods own Law is thus weakened where some thing is said against the Power of Nature Use 2. First To vindicate the Honor of the Law notwithstanding the Weakness charg'd upon it Secondly The Laws Obligation not to be cast off because of this Thirdly Nor yet is it to be look'd upon as altogether weak or useless Use 3. To take men off from expecting Righteousness and Life from and by the Law Use 4. To stir up Believers to adore the Love and Mercy of God in sending his Son when the Law was under an utter inability to justifie and save High and glorious things contained in these Verses OUr Apostle here Eagle-like soar's aloft and rises up in his discourse to the most sublime truths of the Gospel These two Verses set things before us so high and glorious as may fill Heaven and Earth Angels and Men with amazement and astonishment Here 's the whole Gospel sum'd up in a few words contracted and brought into a narrow compass here 's in one view Man undone and Man recover'd the depths of the Creatures misery and the heights of Gods Mercy in a short abridgement Here 's Gods sending his Son which surely was the greatest thing that ever he did it being the highest contrivance of his infinite Wisdom and the highest product of his infinite Love Here 's this Son sent in our flesh the first and the great Mystery of the Gospel for it comes in the front of the Gospel-Mysteries 1 Tim. 3.16 Here 's sin condemn'd and the Sinner acquitted the Law represented as impossible for us to keep yet fulfilled for us in a most strange and wonderful manner as Christ hath done and suffered that for us which we were utterly unable to do and suffer our selves O the * Eph. 3.18 bredths lengths depths heights of the Wisdom Mercy Justice Holiness of God! for all these several Attributes in what is here set forth do concur and shine forth in their greatest lustre Who can hear or read these two Verses with due consideration and not be in a divine transport and extasie for the truth is whatever is short of the most raised workings in the Soul is too low for the glorious things here spoken of The Coherence of them with what goes before We must first enquire into their Coherence or Connexion with what goes before They are a further proof or confirmation of the main Proposition laid down in the first
legis impotentiam aliò ut Legem absolvat à culpá quam dat carni viz. nostrae i. e. corruptae nostrae naturae Muscul Ne quis parum honorificè Legem impotentÃae argui putaret vel hoc restringeret ad Ceremonias expressit nominatim Paulus defectum illum non à Legis esse vitio sed Carnis nostrae corruptelâ Calvin through our Flesh 't is not so in and from it self but only through our depraved nature 't is meerly by accident et aliundè that it lies under this impotency The Law is not to be blamed but we had not we finn'd the Law would have been still as able and mighty in its operations as ever it was did it but meet with the same subject it would soon appear that it hath the same power which it had before Adam fell So that I say the Law is not at all in the fault but only we because of the Flesh Observe here the wisdom and care of our Apostle where-ever he seems to tax the Law there he will be sure to vindicate it As where he speaks of its irritating of corruption he there layes the blame upon his own wicked nature not at all upon the holy Law Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead For I was alive without the Law once but when the commandment came Sin revived and I died And the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death For Sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me Yet vers 12 13 14. The Law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good Was then that which is good made death unto me God forbid But Sin that it might appear Sin working death in me by that which is good that Sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful For we know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin And thus we should carry it with respect to the Laws weakness O in it self 't is mighty and powerful but there is sin in us by which only the Law is made weak there therefore the blame must lye Could we but get rid of this Sin we should soon find what a mighty thing the Law is so mighty that nothing would be too high or too hard for it 2 Secondly Take heed that you do not cast off the Law upon this pretence 'T is indeed weak as to such ends but yet 't is a Law and that which is obligatory to all even to Believers themselves under the Gospel State and Covenant Shall we because of this weakness especially it being occasioned by our selves cast off the Law and pretend that we are not under the obligation of it we must not so argue Observe it in the Apostle even when he was proving the weakness of the Law as to Justification and shewing that God had found out another way for that viz. the way of Faith yet foreseeing that some might run themselves upon this rock and infer from hence that they had nothing to do with the Law he therefore adds * Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law in its proper place and Sphere The Creature as a creature is under a natural and therefore indispensable obligation to this Law so as that nothing can exempt him from that obligation It commands to love fear serve honour obey God wherein it obliges so strongly that God himself with reverence be it spoken cannot free the creature from its obligation to these duties True indeed Believers are not under the curse rigor or bondage of this Law or under it as it is the condition of life but they are and it cannot be otherwise under the obligation of its commands as to an holy life There may be and blessed be God there is a great change as to circumstances a great relaxation as to the Laws rigors severitys and penaltys but for the main duties of Obedience and Holiness it is eternally obligatory and never to be abrogated O therefore do not look upon your selves as made free from this Law though it be weak and unable to justifie and save you it can damne upon the breaking of it though it cannot save by the keeping of it 3 Thirdly Neither must you upon this look upon the Law as altogether weak or useless I say not as altogether weak for though as to some things it be under a total impotency yet as to other things it still retains its pristine power It cannot take away sin or make righteous or give life which it promis'd at first and for which it was appointed for the commandment was ordained to life Rom. 7.10 here 's the weak side of the Law as to these 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as to the commanding of duty the directing and regulating of the life the threatning of punishment upon the violation of it here it can do whatever it did before The Laws preceptive and punitive part where 't is not taken off by Christ are yet in their full strength only as to the promissory part of it viz. its promising life upon the condition of perfect Obedience there 't is at a loss In a word its authority to oblige to duty or punishment is the same that ever it was but its ability to give righteousness or life in which respects only the Apostle here speaks of it is not the same If God open this Law to you and set it home upon your Consciences you will find it hath yet a very great strength and efficacy in it let it not therefore be altogether weak in your eye Nor altogether useless For Some will be ready to say if the Law be thus weak then what use is there of it to what end doth it serve what is to be looked for from that which can do so little for us But do not you thus reason For though the Law be not of use to you as to Justification I mean in a way of immediate influence upon the Act or State a remoter influence it may have yet in other respects 't is of great and admirable use viz. as a Monitor to excite to duty as a Rule to direct and guide you in your course as a Glass to discover sin as a Bridle to restrain sin as an Hatchet to break the hard heart as a * Gal. 3.24 Schoole-master to whip you to Christ The Lord Jesus indeed hath taken Sin-pardoning God-atoning Justice-satisfying Soul-saving work into his own hands he would not trust this in the hands of the Law any longer because he knew the weakness of it but for other work the awakening and convincing of a Sinner the terrifying of the secure the humbling of the proud the preparing of the Soul to close with Christ though this last act be only eventual and accidental as to the Law all this work I
say yet lies upon the Law Be you who you will Believers or unbelievers regenerate or unregenerate the Law is of marvellous use to you 'T is a rule to all whether they be good or bad and as so none are exempted from it as is by several Divines sufficiently proved against the Antinomists and it hath too very good and useful effects upon all whether called or uncalled Saints or Sinners Our Apostle who here doth so much depress the Law in respect of Justification doth elsewhere in other respects speak much of its usefulness Rom. 3.19 Now we know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 7.7 What shall we say then is the Law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Gal. 3.19 24. Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the Seed should come to whom the Promise was made and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Wherefore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith I must not launch out into this vast Ocean you have variety of * Taytor's Reg. Vitae Burg. Vind. Legis Boltons Bounds c. Baxter in several Treat with divers Others Facessat longè ex animis nostris profana ista Opinio Legem non este regulam Est enim inflexibilis vivendi regula Calvin Treatises upon this Argument namely to prove that the Law is still a Rule and still very useful in those great effects which have been mentioned I refer you to them for further satisfaction This I only touch upon as it lies in my way both that I may prevent dangerous mistakes and also shew you how you are to carry it towards the Law O let it be highly esteemed reverenced honoured by you yea bless God for it for though indeed 't is weak and unprofitable as the Covenant of Works yet as 't is a Rule and as it produces such effects upon the Conscience so 't is of great use and highly beneficial So much for the 2d Vse Thirdly Use 3. Was the Law thus unable to do for the Sinner what was necessary to be done then never look for Righteousness and Life from and by the Law For as to these it cannot do your work unless you could do its work it cannot justifie or save you unless you could perfectly obey and fulfil it O pray expect little from it nay nothing at all in this way you cannot answer its expectations and it cannot answer yours It highly concerns every man in the world to make sure of righteousness and life but where are these to be had only in Christ in the way of believing not in the Law in the way of doing We would fain make the Law stronger than indeed it is and 't is natural to us to look for a righteousness from it because there was our righteousness at first and that suits best with the pride of our hearts Man is not so averse to the Law in point of obedience but he is as apt to rest upon the Law for Heaven and Happiness if he can but do something which the Law requires O this he looks upon as a sufficient Righteousness and as a good Plea for Heaven Especially when Conscience is a little awakened then the poor Creature betakes himself to his doing to his obedience to the Law and this he thinks will do his work till God lets him see his great mistake As 't is * Hos 5.13 said When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judab saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb yet could he not heal you nor cure you of your wound just so 't is with the convinced Sinner in reference to the Law both as to his practise and also as to his success I would not be mistaken in what I have said or shall further say as if I did design to take off any from Obedience to the Law God forbid all that I aim at is only to take men off from trusting in that obedience and from leaning upon that as their Righteousness We should be doers of the Law for * Rom. 2.13 not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified yea we should go as far as ever we can in our endeavours after a Law-righteousness for though that be not sufficient to justifie us before God yet that must make us righteous in his eye * Vide Burg. of Justif 2d p. Serm. 22. p. 215. as to qualitative and inherent righteousness and so we are to understand that Text with many others of the same import * Deut. 6.25 It shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God as he hath commanded us But yet when we have gone the furthest the Righteousness which we are to rely upon is only the Gospel Righteousness or the imputed Righteousness of the Lord Jesus if we take up with any thing short of that we are * O nos miseros si vel tantillum nostra salus basi tam infirmá nitatur Beza in 1 Joh. 1.8 miserable and lost for ever As to the Law is it thus weak or rather are you thus weak and yet will you bottom your expectation and confidence there can you fulfil or satisfie it in its demands of perfect personal universal constant Obedience If you cannot then which nothing more certain it can never then do your business nay upon the least failure it will be your enemy to plead against you for the non-performance of its Conditions and so though it cannot as a Friend do you much good yet as an Enemy it can and will do you much hurt What a sad case is the legalist in the Law condemns him because he doth no more obey and the Gospel condemns him because he doth no more believe he 's lost on every hand O this is woful And yet how many precious Souls split themselves upon this rock millions of men look no higher than the Law that is the foundation upon which they build their confidence for Life and Salvation Could we but get into them and be privy to the Grounds of their Hope we should find that 't is not Christ and Faith in him but the Law and some imperfect Obedience thereunto upon which they bottom they deal honestly wrong no body live unblameably make some external Profession perform such duties are thus and thus charitable to the poor c. and hereupon they are confident of their Salvation Now I deny not but that these are very good things I wish there was more of them yet when any rest in them or upon them for Righteousness and Life they set them
its cursed nature but yet that comes infinitely short of that representation thereof which we have in a dying crucify'd sacrific'd Christ the death of all those Sacrifices was nothing to the death of this one Sacrifice whereby Sin eminently appears in its own colours What a sad thing is it that men generally make so little a thing of it as though there was not much evil either in it or by it but in so doing how do their thoughts differ from God's thoughts for surely if he had not judg'd it to be very heinous he had never carried it towards his Son as he did I would desire Sinners to take their prospect of it through this medium of Christ's being a Sacrifice for it if any thing in the world will bring them to the sight of its malignity this will do it It pleases God to look upon believers through a dying Christ and so he loves them but could we but look upon Sin a thing never to be lov'd through a dying Christ how should we hate it Of the severity of God's Justice 8. Eightly this demonstrates also the severity impartiality terribleness of God's Justice By Christ's death and Sacrifice we have not only a declaration of the Justice of God in it-self in that he would not remit sin without blood for satisfaction Rom. 3.25 but a declaration also of the adjuncts and properties of his Justice viz. that 't is very severe impartial and terrible He was inflexibly set upon the punishment of sin such was his hatred of it and his respect to the honour of his Law that Sin shall not by any means escape his punishing hand and every punishment too shall not suffice but if shall be such as may fully answer the heinousness of the offence I and if his own Son shall interpose in the Sinners stead and take his guilt upon him and become his Surety even he be he never so dear to God must undergo the utmost punishment that ever he was capable of both for matter and degree God will fall upon him and * Rom. 8.32 not spare him no not in the least O how severe and impartial is his Justice Never was there such an instance or demonstration of these as in the sufferings of the Lord Jesus For pray consider what it was that he suffered besides all the sufferings of his Life at last he suffered death and that not a common or ordinary death but the very worst of deaths a death that had all ingredients into it to make it bitter wherein was all that bitterness which either the wrath of man or which was much worfe of God himself could sqeeze into it And though Christ foreseeing what this death was pray'd again and again that he might be * Joh. 12.27 saved from it that this †Mat. 26.39 42 44. cup might pass from him yet his Father was inexorable and would not hear him but die he must and so die too surely here was divine Justice under the highest severity and impartiality yet without the least mixture of injustice And when the thoughts and sense of this were upon Christ they made his ‖ Mat. 26.38 Soul exceeding sorrowful cast him into most bitter agonies insomuch that * Luk. 22.44 he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground how dreadful and terrible is punitive Justice what a * Heb. 10.31 fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God! this we see and know in our Saviours case O that we may never know and feel it in our own experience I might further infer from the premises 9. the unsearchable Wisdom of God 10. also his unconceiveable Love and Grave 11. the preciousness of Souls 12. the costliness of Salvation 13. the great dignity of Christ's person from which his Sacrifice deriv'd all its virâ—ue efficacy but I must not speak to all that this vast Subject would lead me to So much for the Inferences drawn from the main Point 2. The next Vse shall be Exhortation Vse 2. Of Exhortation in which I would press some of those Duties which do best suit with the Truth before us hitherto I have chiefly been upon the informing of the judgment I now come to matters of practice Christ as a Sacrifice to be much studied and meditated upon 1. And first as Christ's Sonship and Incarnation of which before so his being a Sacrifice and thereby condemning sin should be very much the object of your study and meditation This you are to study that you may know more of it to meditate upon that you may draw out and improve what you already know about it for so I would at present distinguish betwixt these two supposing the one to be like the filling of the vessel the other like the drawing out of that vessel As to the first I would be earnest with you to be much in studying a sacrific'd crucify'd Christ if the knowledge of him as taking flesh is to be laboured after as you have heard it is surely the knowledge of him as dying in flesh and as condemning sin in his flesh is also to be laboured after In this Sacrifice of Christ you have the very mirror of the Grace of God the master-piece and highest elevation of his Love the glorious product of his infinite Wisdom the great basis and foundation of mans happiness should it not therefore with the greatest diligence be look'd into Our excellent Apostle determin'd to know nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 the preaching of this was the great matter of his Ministry 1 Cor. 1.23 We preach Christ crucified and he makes the Gospel in its revelation mainly to point to this which therefore he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of the Cross 1 Cor. 1.18 it being so how should the consideration hereof heighten our endeavours after a full and distinct knowledge of it God's own Son to be offered up as a Sacrifice for the sin of man O admirable and wonderful dispensation what a mystery is this how should all be prying into it Here we have Christ at his worst now the knowledge of him as at the worst is the best knowledge for Christians for they having their best by his worst the knowledge of him under that notion must needs be the best knowledge for them If Christ as a Sacrifice in the full import thereof was but better understood by Sinners O what benefit and advantage would thereby accrue to them how steddily would they believe how ardently would they love how patiently would they suffer how thankfully would they adore how chearfully would they walk should not these be prevailing inducements to such to labour after a fuller knowledge of him as so considered But in the enforcing of this duty let me not be mistaken 't is not a notional historical knowledge only of Christ as sacrific'd that I would have you to pursue after but I would state it
man he was bound to obey but he was not at all but by his own consent bound to be man and therefore his Obedience was free because his Incarnation was free and without any obligation †Mr. Baxt. Aphor. p. 58. A worthy person thus expresses it Even Christ's Obedience to the Moral Law was not his duty till he voluntarily undertook it it being therefore upon his consent and choice and not due before consent must needs be meritorious And though when he was once a Servant he was bound to do the work of a Servant yet when he voluntarily put himself in the state of a Servant and under the Law not for his own sake but for ours his work is never the less meritorious As 't is with a Surety he having engag'd with and for the debtor is thereby bound to pay the debt yet he payes it freely inasmuch as 't was his own free act to bring himself under such an obligation and so 't was here in what Christ did 3. 'T is further added * Burg. of Justif p. 2. pag. 409. That though Christ considered simply and absolutely as man might be obliged by the Law yet as our Surety and undertaking for us in a fide-jussorial manner so his obligation was wholly voluntary and free My Author goes on and opens himself thus Suppose Christ to be made a Man and thereby absolutely obliged to fulfil the Law for himself yet that he should enter into agreement with the Father to obey it as a Surety for such a term of years upon earth thereby to procure Salvation for a Sinner undone otherwise this was wholly gracious and voluntary and Christ was not obliged to it as Man Upon the whole thése three things being well weighed the Objection is sufficiently answered for suppose that Christ in such a sense was bound to keep the Law yet there were other respects peculiar to his Person and Obedience which made it so voluntary and for us as that it may truly be look'd upon as meritorious and imputable So much of the first Proposition 2. Proposition Christ being made under the Law fulfilled it 2. The Second is this Christ being thus made under the Law he fulfilled it Matth. 3.15 thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness Matth. 5.17 18. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth the end of the Law viz. as the Law in him receiv'd its full and final accomplishment Two things as you have heard were contain'd in its righteousness the duty it commanded the penalty it threatned in both respects Christ fulfilled it For in his active Obedience he did the former and in his passive Obedience he underwent the latter The preceptive mandatory part of the Law he fulfilled actively both as he shun'd whatever evil that prohibited and also as he did whatever good that enjoyned he was originally and actually holy acted all along in exact and universal conformity to the Laws commands so he fulfill'd it actively Joh. 8.46 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Pet. 2.22 1 Pet. 1.19 Acts 3.14 Dan. 9.24 1 Joh. 2.2 Heb. 7.26 The penal and minatory part he fulfill'd passively by his bearing of its curse when he dy'd upon the Cross With respect to both Christ's Obedience was so full and perfect so adaequate to all the Laws demands that it could not but say I have enough I am fully satisfied I can ask no more And this fulfilling of the Law was the foundation upon which his Satisfaction and Merit was built without which he could neither have satisfied nor merited O saith God Son if thou wilt satisfie me there 's my holy and just Law satisfie it unless that be satised I cannot be satisfied by its violation I was offended by its fulfilling I must be appeas'd Well! Christ accepts of the terms Lo saith he I come in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy Will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Psal 40.7 8. And what he undertook he made good he went so far that neither the righteous God nor the righteous Law could tax him with any defect If it had not been thus though he had obey'd never so much for us though his Obedience had been never so free and voluntary yet it would not have been either satisfactory or meritorious for all satisfaction and merit are founded upon the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness The gracious God is pleas'd to accept of an imperfect Obedience if sincere from us but the just God would have a perfect Obedience for us he can accept of a mite from us but from our Surety he would have the whole debt paid down Whether Christ's active fulfilling of the Law as considered in itself in its intrinsick worth and value could properly and formally merit of God as Some * Opera Christi absolute considerata meriti propriè dicti rationem habent non respectu promissionis alicujus sed insitâ suâ vi tanquam opera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutè indebito Eadem autem benignâ promissione Dei niti quatenus meritum illud ad nos refertur omnio concedimus Essen Tri. Crucis p. 294. hold or whether it did merit respect being had to God's Ordination Covenant and Promise as †Equidem fateor si quis simpliciter per se Christum opponere vellet judicio Dei non fore merito locum quia non reperiretur in homine dignitas quae possit Deum promereri Calvin Instit l. 2. c. 17. sect 1. Vide Chamier tom 3. l. 9. c. 1. sect 7. Nec aliter Christi meritum accipimus quà m quòd legi plenissime satisfecit non solius obedientiae insitâ vi ac dignitate ad divini juris rigorem appensâ sed ad legem satisfactoriae sic meritus ex divinâ promissione fuit non absque eâ Meritum ad foedus non extra illud aestimatur non ad merum Dei jus quasi ullâ cujusquam actione in rationem debiti trahi posset Hoornb Socin conf p. 627. Others is a nicety that I have no mind to engage in that was the way wherein he merited which is the thing that I only design to speak unto 3. Proposition Christ's Obedience is imputed and made over to Believers 3. The third Proposition Christ having thus fulfilled the Law this his Obedience is made over and imputed to Believers For otherwise how doth the Apostle here say that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us This is that imputed righteousness which is so often spoken of in that one Chapter of Rom. 4 in reference to this Christ is said to be made righteousness to us 1