is not my basenesse that hinders mee but my corruptions that oppose the worke of grace in my soule and that will be my bane I know that God is able to doe what is needfull and Christ is willing to doe what he is able to those that beleeve in him and rest upon him but this proud heart opposeth the worke of his grace and the operation of his Spirit my minde is so blinde that nothing in the world takes place my heart is still polluted and my distempers still hang upon mee nay sometimes my soule is wearie of the good word of the Lord that would pluck them from me insomuch that I could almost bee content to pluck out my heart and will the Lord shew mercie to mee that oppose mercie and will the Lord make mee partaker of his redemption that resists the worke of his redemption I answer God hath appointed Christ for this purpose and Christ hath undertooke this worke therefore if God hath appointed it and Christ will worke it who can hinder it thy ignorance cannot hinder the Lord Jesus Christ if hee will teach thee hee will inlighten thy blinde minde and convince that stubborne heart of thine nay all the corruptions under heaven cannot oppose this worke of God hee hath appointed it and hee hath power to pull downe a stout stomack and bee hath power to sanctifie a polluted heart corruptions are many and temptations fierce but if he will redeeme who can destroy if he sanctifie who can pollute if he justifie who can condemne this is the worke of a Saviour if Christ will doe it none can hinder it if God hath appointed it nothing can let it but it is the worke of a Christ and God hath appointed it therefore cheare up thy heart in the consideration hereof you that are the Saints of God cast off all those cavils and pretences against the power of Christ and his grace and goe out of your selves and see the privileges that God vouchsafes unto you and reason thus with your selves It is true Lord my heart is naught and I have no power my minde is blinde and I have no wisdome but I know that Christ is made wisdome to mee and thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ to be made wisdome and sanctification to the soule of thy servant though sin pollute me yet Christ can sanctifie mee though the guilt be great yet the pardon of a Christ is greater than the guilt and where sinne abounds grace abounds much more therefore lift up your selves and cheare up your hearts and goe away comfortably what is awanting God will give what hee gives he will maintaine what hee maintaines hee will quicken what hee quickens hee will perfect and he will crowne you and your grace and all in the kingdome of heaven for ever what would you have in this kinde nay let mee speak one thing more Hee is the redeemer of his servants what is that why the Scripture saith the last enemy of all is death and that is the aime of all the wicked that is the worst they can doe now in Saint Matthew Christ saith Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it the gates of hell what 's that it was the fashion among the Jewes as our sessions and assises are kept in the market place so their place of meeting was at the gates so that when he saith The gates of hell shall not prevaile against it his meaning is this when Beelzebub and all the Devils in hell shall joyne together to destroy the Church all the policie of all the Devils in hell shall not prevaile the worst they can doe is to bring them unto death but Christ will bee redemption unto them art thou in captivity he will free thee art thou in persecution he will deliver theeâ— nay when thy body shall lye downe in the grave though the Heathen said when they had burnt the bodies of Gods Saints and throwne them into the water Let us now see how they will rise againe they were deceived thou must be contented for Christ will redeem that dust and say to the earth Give up and to the sea Give up thy dead deliver up the bodies of my servants let their sinews and bones come together and body and soule shall come together and enjoy happinesse in heaven together for evermore if then neither the guilt of sinne can condemne us nor the filth of sinne pollute us if neither misery nor persecution can hurt us then goe away not only comfortably but triumphantly into persecution and prison into holes and caves and dens of the earth Christ will bee all in all unto you in grace here and in glorie hereafter therefore let this comfort you Vse 3 In the third place it is the use the holy Ghost here makes Is it so that there is a conveyance of all grace from Christ to the beleever hee doth what he doth by him and hath what he hath from him then it is a word of instruction to teach us all to lye downe in the dust let no man glorie in man but let him that glories glorie in the Lord this is the maine collection the Apostle inferres God hath chosen the foolish and base things of the world that no man might glorie in flesh as who should say it is not my parts but Christ it is not my abilities but mercie it is not what I can doe but what Christ will performe therefore if Christ then bee Author of all wee have or can doe let him receive all the honour and praise of all we have or doe doth the Lord worke all our workes in us and for us then let him receive the tribute due to his Name and take nothing to your selves away with that proud heart that bars God of his honor and praise and of the due which indeed belongs unto him and ought to be performed by all his servants dost thou thinke the Lord will bestow all his favour upon thee and worke all for thee and thou in the meane time pranke up thy selfe and lift up thy crest no I charge you you Saints of God as to know your owne privileges to be thankfull for them so to know your owne unworthinesse and to lie downe in the dust and be abased for ever and to give God the honour due unto his Name Revel 4.8 The foure and twentie Elders fell downe and laid downe their crownes at the Lambes feet and said Thou onely art worthy to receive all honour and glory and praise If wee had a thousand crownes never so much honour and riches and credit and abilities fling away all at the foot of Christ let him have all the praise thou art worthy Lord we are unworthy thy assistance wee have received thy comfort thou hast continued and thou art worthy of all the honour in that thou hast beene pleased to worke any worke in us and by us to the praise of
save me another clambring upon the trees all floting and crying and dying there there was no saving but for those only that were gotten into the arke Oh so it will be you poore foolish beleevers the world is like this sea wherein are many floods of water many troubles much persecution Oh get you into the arke the Lord Iesus and when one is roring and yelling Oh the devill the devill another is ready to hang himselfe or to cut his owne throat another sends for a Minister and hee crieth Oh there is no mercy for me I have opposed it get you into Christ I say and you shall bee safe enough I will warrant you your soules shall bee transported with consolation to the end of your hopes This was that which comforted Saint Paul and made him bid defiance to all the world Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect as who should say shall all the angels in Heaven shall all the devils in Hell shall all the men upon the earth shall sinne within shall actions without it is God onely that justifieth not for anything we have or doe but for Christs sake This is that I conclude withall this one doctrine affords supply in all wants and courage in all trials I know what troubleth you will this blinde minde never bee inlightned I thinke I shall never be able to conceive of the truths of God aright how can the Lord accept of mee when I condemne my selfe how can the Lord shew any favour to mee when I fall out with my selfe and wonder that I am not in the bottomlesse pit such a base heart I carry about with me and such a polluted conversation and yet live and not in hell I have thought sometimes God cannot be Iust if he doe not condemne me why I say art thou burthened with thy sinnes and dost thou goe out of thy selfe for the pardon of them why goe away comforted the Lord will justifie thee not for thy workes but for Christs merits thou hast committed all iniquitie Christ hath performed all righteousnesse thou hast nothing of thy selfe Christ hath enough for thee and thou art not justified for what thou hast or dost but for the Lord Iesus sake looke up to him therefore and bring him to Gods tribunall to answer for thee that when Satan shall bring in his bils of inditement against thee and say what doe you hope to goe to Heaven doe you not consider the sinnes which you have committed doe you not remember the base courses which heretofore you have taken up and practized doe you not know that every sinner must die why answer Satan again all this is true Ay but remember the Lord Iesus it is true I can doe nothing but Christ hath done all for me what canst thou say to the Lord Iesus though I have offended hee hath never offended though I have sinned yet Christ hath fully satisfied I have deserved the wrath of God why Christ hath bore the wrath of God My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee He was once forsaken of God that I might bee for ever accepted of God goe thy wayes therefore comforted and refreshed the place is admirable Isaiah 43.25 Thou hast made mee serve with thy sinnes and wearied mee with thy rebellions but I even I am hee that blotteth out all thine iniquities and will remember thy transgressions no more The Lord takes notice of this are there any wicked they are as bad are there any vile they are as sinnefull they tired God with their wickednesse All you poore drunkards you trie God with your drunkennesse you prophaners of the Lords day you tire God with your prophanations and you swearers you trie Christ Iesus with your oaths and hidious blasphemies that you belch forth against him upon all occasions you would wonder that God should save such as you and truly so you may well enough for it is a wonder it is a miracle indeed but if you can goe out of your selves and sinnes and goe unto Christ and rest upon him the Lord saith I will blot out all those abominations of yours and Ezekiel 33.32 compare both those places together I will forget all your sinnes even for mine owne names sake as who should say it is not for your sakes no no bee it knowne to those stout hearts of yours it is not for your parts or gifts or graces no nor it is not for all the services wee can discharge but it is onely for mine owne Names sake that I will pardon you and remember your sinnes no more remember thy pride and stubbornnesse no more remember thy prophanenesse no more remember thy vanitie and loosenesse no more remember thou to bee humbled and the Lord will never remember thy sinnes any more Satan it may bee will come in and accuse thee here is a Sabbath-breaker Lord condemne him no more of that Satan saith God Christ hath suffered and satisfied for him no more therefore of that let mee heare no more of those things I have forgotten them saith God this will cheere a mans heart at that great day This also is a ground of incouragement to us against all the trials that can befall us in the course of the world we see that innocencie goeth to the wals no man can stand against envie and hatred and backbiting why though you finde hard dealing here at the hands of wicked men though you be accused here with false surmises and false accusations and slanderous speeches yet set one against the other you shall never bee condemned hereafter There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ there may bee persecutions there may bee accusations there may be oppositions here upon earth raised against thee why yet goe on cheerily there is no condemnation in Heaven if God acquit let men condemne if God approve let men disallow nay lastly here is consolation even in death also what though your bodies bee deprived of your soules and you leave all when you returne again it is but onely thus Come yee blessed of my Father you that are beleevers you shall bee for ever blessed Vse 3 The third use is of exhortation will nothing doe the deed but a Christ why Oh then above all labour for a Christ more than all labour to prize a Christ never let thy heart bee quieted never let thy soule bee contented untill thou hast obtained Christ Take now a malefactor sentence is passed execution to bee administered upon him suggest any thing to him how to be rich or how to bee pardoned how to bee honoured or how to be pardoned Ay saith hee riches are good and honours are good but oh a pardon or nothing ay but then you must leave all for a pardon why take all saith he and give me a pardon that I may live thought in povertie that I may live though in misery though in beggary this is the nature of such a poore creature So it is with a poore beleeving
the mountaines fall on us and to the hils cover us from the presence of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand If any man could beare up himselfe then it were the great ones of the world now take a scantling of your owne strength if any were able to beare the wrath of the Lord it were the kings and the mightie men and the captaines and the rich men of the world but faith the text The day of the Lords wrath is come and who shall bee able to stand It is not the soveraigntie of the king nor the skill and courage of the captaine or the libertie of the freeman or the slavery of the bondman that can deliver them but they all crie to the rocks fall on us and cover us from the presence of the Lord nay that you may yet see the vildnesse and wretchednesse of your hearts and the miserablenesse of your condition when the presence of the Lord appeares see what the text saith Psalme 114.5 7. The sea fled and the earth trembled the hils melted at the presence of the Lord nay the devils themselves tremble as in the 6. and 8. verses of the epistle of Saint Iude The Angels which kept not their first love he hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse to be kept for the judgement of the last day they have their portion for the while but there is a great deale of wrath to come and there are many plagues comming and they know Gods wrath and they shake and tremble in the apprehension of it now when you see this goe home to your owne soules and let every man that would heretofore as his owne conscience can tell him flout God to his face and make a scorn of hell and of judgement and condeÌ„nation go home I say lay this to your owne hearts and say is it so that the mountains shak and the sea shrinks and the devils tremble at the wrath of the Lord good Lord then how shall I be able to beare it that am not able to coÌ„ceive of it nay if any man think that hee is able to undergoe the wrath of God and to bear it off with head and shoulders look but here upon the Lord Jesus Christ that was perfect God and perfect man he that created heaven and earth and bote up the foundation of heaven and earth yet when hee came to beaâ—t the wrath of God it forced teares from his eyes and clodded blood from his body and made him crie out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Doe but now compare your selves with Christ and say did my Saviour buckle under the wrath of God then certainly it will breake you therefore say thou if hee that was the Creator of heaven and earth could not beare it then how shall I be able to beare it when he comes against me for my siâ— and corruption committed by me therefore heart and feare all you stout hearted of the world rather now tremble while you may be comforted than hereafter when you shall never be eased thinke but with your selves how dreadfull that day will be when all the glorious attributes of God shall take their leaves of you he that before had a great deale of mercy and patience and the Lord hath wooed him saying Oh once at last heare and see the things that belong to thy peace there is not one of you all in this congregation but that you have beene compast about with mercies and the justice of God it would have broken out against you had not mercy stepped in to rescue you how easie were it for the Lord to dash us all into the bottomlesse pit every creature of us therefore thanke mercy and patience and forbearance that still you breathe and say blessed bee God that I have to deale with a gracious mercifull and compassionate God that hath kept mee from judgement that I have not ere now perished in it Now thinke with your selves what a day it wil be when mercy shal weep over you take his leave of you say remeÌ„ber thou poore creature how I met thee in thy walkes and kneeled downe before thee and besought thee to take mercy and to be saved and pardoned but thou wouldst not adem therefore this is the last time of asking I will never see thy face more and with that patience as it were buckles under the burthen and saith I have bond with their thus longe I have borne twenty years with some thirtie years with some fortie years with others and all this which I have borne with thee in thy pride and stubbornesse and loosenesse and uncleannesse but now adew never more patience to beare with you what no more mercy nor no more goodnesse saith the soule and they all say no and stake their hands and say adew thou rebellious heart for ever it will make thy heart shake within thee and thou wilt say I shall sinke downe suddenly there is nothing but wrath to bee expected they are all gone to heaven and you must be forever packing to hell Oh feare and feare all you whom it doth concerne this day if so bee Christ cannot beare it then you cannot suffer it but you will sinke under the same for ever Now I come to the reasons of the point in generall why our Saviour suffered paines both in body and in soule then the reasons of it are three and they are all of speciall use Reason 1 First it is taken from the divine justice of God which required this by way of satisfaction as being onely surable and agreeable to the divine justice of God by reason of sinne whereby Adam had intrenched upon the privilege of God the Father every breach of the Law of God intrencheth neerly upon God himselfe and therefore every sinne is of a provoking nature because it is committed against an infinite majestie therefore that divine justice may not be a loser there must be a punishment not onely corporall but also spirituall for justice abates not any thing of the satisfaction God is just and this is justice to give every one his due honour to whom honour belongs and punishment to whom punishment belongs therefore that justice may bee preserved she must inflict these punishments upon our Saviour being in our roome the Jesuites have devised a cavill against this reason say they it needed not that Christ should suffer these for the dignitie of the person of our Saviour may dispence with some part of the punishment and if he beare death it is sufficient he may bee freed from the other paines in his soule Now that this conceit of theirs is a thing marvellous injurious to the justice of God the Father and to the wisedome of the Lord Jesus Christ and to the death of Christ I prove it thus for by the same right that the dignitie of the person of our
unto us wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Doctrine THere is a conveyance of all spirituall graces from God unto all beleevers for the explication of the point wee discovered the tenure of this conveyance and that appeared in six particulars The first is this there is a fulnesse of all grace in Christ whereby hee is able to supply whatsoever is needfull to all those that belong unto him it is not with Christ as it was with Isaac when he had blessed Iacob Esau came and said hast thou but one blessing my father blesse mee even mee also my father no there is enough in Christ for all beleevers that mercy which pardoned Manasses stubborne Manasses idolatrous Manasses that mercy is still with Christ that mercy that broke the heart of the bloody Jailor that stood it out to the last the earth shooke and the boults brake in sunder and the prison doores flew open and yet the heart of the bloody Jaylour stood still was not moved one jot at last the Lord made him tremble too and his heart shooke as well as the earth shooke why the same mercy is still in Christ to pardon thy sinnes as well as Manasses sinnes the same Spirit can humble thy soule as well as it did breake the heart of the cruell Jaylour Secondly as there is a fulnesse of all grace and mercy in Christ to fulfill all the wants of his poore Saints so Christ doth supply unto them whatsoever he seeth may be most fit and convenient for them whatsoever is most proportionable for a poore soule and for the place which God hath called him for the condition in which he hath set him to carry him through the discharge thereof shall bee bestowed upon him looke as it is in the body of a man every member hath so much spirits and blood in it as is fit and necessary for it but the finger hath not so much as the arme nor the arme so much as the leg just so it is here in the body of Christ some Christians are legs some are hands some againe are but fingers in the Body of Christ the Ministers of God and the Magistrates they have need of a great deale of grace abundance of mercy abundance of sufficiencie to helpe them in the discharge of their great and weighty duty but every one shall have what is fit for him Thirdly as Christ hath grace enough for all bestowes enough upon all so hee maintaines the grace which he doth bestow hee doth not onely give what we want but maintains what he gives Fourthly he quickneth what he maintaines Fifthly he perfects what he quickneth Lastly he crownes the grace that he hath perfected he doth the worke in us and then rewards us for the worke Vse 1 The first use is an use of mourning and lamentation it may pierce the hearts and sinke the soules of all unbeleeving creatures under Heaven Christ is wisedome but not to thee Christ is justification but not to thee Christ is sanctification and redemption also but not to thee thy horrour of heart and thy guilt of sinne and pollution of conscience remaine still upon thy soule to this very day therefore no comfort to thee Vse 2 Secondly it is a ground of comfort and consolation to all the Saints of God though you are weake and feeble and have no wisedome to direct you no memory no parts no sufficiency why Christ is made wisedome to you fooles Christ is made righteousnesse to you unrighteous you know your calling not many wise not many noble but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise thereof Vse 3 The third use is a ground of humiliation of Spirit Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord I laboured saith Saint Paul not I it was through the might of Iesus Christ that strengthened me through the grace of Christ that enabled me to it Vse 4 The last use is an use of exhortation or direction namely we hence see whither the Saints of God should goe to fetch succour and supply of what ever grace they want and perfection and increase of what they have already Christ is made all in all to his servants why then away to the Lord Jesus if you will have any thing hee cals and invites Revelation 3. I counsell thee to buy of mee eye salve if thou bee an accursed man buy of Christ justification if thou bee a polluted creature buy of Christ sanctification I counsell thee to buy of me eye salve there it is onely to bee had in that shop therefore goe thither for it It was the resolution of the Prophet David Psalme 31. With thee is the well-spring of life and in thy light shall wee onely see light it is not here to bee had in your hearts nor in your heads nor in your performances nor in the means themselves but with thee is the Well of life yea 't is there 't is not here in our selves 't is onely in a Christ to bee found onely from a Christ to bee fetched and received improve all meanes wee should doe so use all helps we ought to doe so but seeke to a Christ in the use of all with him is the Well of life but you will say if Christ bee made unto us wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption why have not the Saints of God that grace they stand in need of and those inlargements in prayer and holy services which they crave and desire they seeke and have not they pray and obtaine not why the truth is wee doe not goe to Christ for it wee seeke for the living among the dead wee never came where it grew where it was made your hand is in a wrong box you are come to a wrong place grace was never made here If a man should come out of France to buy silkes or velvets here in England every mā would tel him you are come to a wrong place for these commodities they are not made here if you would have broad cloth and saies here you may have but as for silkes and velvets they are not made here so you would have grace out of the means of grace why grace never grew there The Sacrament saith grace is not in mee Prayer saith grace is not in me hearing saith grace is not in me we indeed convey grace but it is not originally in us Christ is the fountaine of grace Christ is made unto us righteousnesse Christ is made unto us sanctification and redemption these tell you wee have heard of the notice of grace we have heard such a rumour such a report that there is wisedome and there is grace and there is mercy and sanctification and redemption but the truth of it is it is not in us it is in Christ onely to be had hee is indeed made unto you righteousnesse and sanctification goe then to him for it and there you may receive it this is the reason why that after the use of all meanes
after the improvement of all helps and opportunities our mindes are still blinde our hearts still stupid and the means prevaile not with us worke not upon us for our good we come to the Word and returne as bad as ever proud before and proud still covetous before and we are as covetous still polluted and dead hearted before wee remaine so still and continue so still why alas grace originally was never made here away to Christ hee is the shop from whence all grace is to bee had wisedome and righteousnesse and all is in him there you must have it but you will say will Christ be made wisedome to me that am so ignorant to me that am so base will Christ bee made sanctification to mee that am so vile and so filthy to mee that am so defiled and polluted why let this incourage you hee is wisedome to such as are polluted hee hath chosen the base things of the world and the things that are not hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance hee came not to call the wise but the foolish to inlighten them all that thou hast to doe is to take it wisedome is made for thee and sanctification is made for thee and redemption is made for thee if thou wilt but receive it it is thine owne it was made and sit of purpose for thee Looke as it is with a father hee sends his childe to the taylors shop tels him the cloth is bought the money paid the suit made for him onely bids him goe fetch it and put it on this is our folly and it is our misery also wee either thinke to purchase or to coine grace out of our owne abilities I tell you no you must goe to the shop it is bought and made already onely put on wisedome and put on sanctification and it is yours Ah but you will say what is the reason if Christ have so much grace that his servants have so little if this bee so why is it thus As shee spake in another case If the Lord be made wisedome to the soules of his servants if the Lord Iesus bee made sanctification to the soule of a poore sinner why are wee then such fooles notwithstanding all the wisedome of Christ why are wee such polluted wretches after all the meanes of sanctification vouchsafed to us If Christ bee so rich then what is the reason we goe so tattered and are such beggerly bancrouts in our Christian course such beggerly prayers such beggerly duties such beggerly performances I answer it is not because Christ will not vouchsafe abundance of grace to us hee offers it freely Oh every man that will let him come and take freely of the water of the Well of life not a spoonefull but a whole bucket full and that freely too nay God hath bound himselfe by an immutable oath Heb. 6. that we might have strong consolation nay the Lord commands in joynes his servants to abound yet more in wisedome yet more and more in patience yet more and more in holynesse Secondly againe I say the fault is not in Christ where is the fault then I answer it is in thine owne selfe-wild pride and sturdinesse of heart and haughtinesse of spirit you thinke you are never well but when you are complaining of your sinnes and quarrelling with your owne soules your mindes are blinde and your hearts are hard and dead and untoward and therefore you fling away the promise and cast Gods kindnesse into his face againe I tell you it is horrible pride because wee cannot have what wee would in our owne power wee will not goe to Christ for a supply of what wee want you complaine you want such grace and you are pestered with such corruptions why thanke your proud venomous heart for it if you have it not if you want it still the fault is your owne you will not repaire thither whereunto you may have succour and receive supply upon all occasions Christ would give it but you will not bestow the fetching of it no matter therefore if you never obtaine it But you will say what course shall we take what means shall we use to get these things at Christs hands First eye the promise dayly and keepe it within view within the ken of the soule as we use to call it be sure the promise of grace never goe out of sight of the soule Looke as it is with a childe that travels to a Faire with his father or goeth into a crowd his eye is alwayes upon his father he bids him doe not gaze about and lose mee the childe is carefull to keepe his father within sight and view and then if hee bee weake and weary his father can take him by the hand and lead him or take him into his armes and carry him or if there be any thing hee wants or would have his father can buy it for him bestow it upon him but if the childe bee carelesse and gazeth about this thing and that thing and never lookes after his father hee is gone one way and his father another he cannot tell where to finde him whose fault is it now it is not because his father would not be within his sight or because hee could not keepe within the view of him but because hee out of carelesnesse lost the sight of his father therefore hee sure alwayes to eye the promise you know as long as the game is within sight the hounds run amaine so I would have the soule make a prey of the promise for so the phrase is in the originall that wee should seeke the Lord and hunt after Christ and seeke the game it selfe the promise it selfe from day to day It is the advice of the Prophet Esay 50. Looke up unto me all yee ends of the earth looke up to mee and your sins shall be pardoned looke up to mee and your soules shall be saved looke up to me and you shall bee sanctified It is not enough for a man to have a conduit full of water and to have the streames run abundantly continually but he must put his vessell under the spout and then he shall bee sure to receive abundance of water so it is with the promise it is not enough to say Christ is wisedome and Christ is righteousnesse but it is not thus with my soule why put thy vessell under the spout then and looke up unto Christ in the promise This is that the Prophet David resolves of I will lift up mine eyes to the mountaines from whence commeth my helpe what is meant by mountains there you know the Temple upon the mount of Moriah now in the Temple in Gods ordinance is Gods presence therefore saith the Prophet David I will lift up mine eyes to those mountains of mercie those everlasting mercies I will looke up to God in his Ordinances from whence commeth all my help as who should say grace comes not from a mans parts grace comes not from a mans abilities but
the suit against the partie offending our Saviour steps into our roome and submits himselfe to the censure of the Father and as we were accounted so he was content to bee accounted and as we were to suffer so he was content to suffer for us God the Father loved him as he was God and holy and innocent yet he condemnes him and lets in his wrath upon him as he was to beare our sins for God the Father might love Jesus Christ and yet give his body to death naturall so God the Father might love the soule of our Saviour and yet give it over to paine supernaturall all the world confesseth that it was without anger that Christ died and yet the Father slew him this conclusion helps us to the interpretation of that place Matthew 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee He was a Father to our Saviour and our Saviour a Son to him Fourthly whatsoever punishment proceeded from the Father our Saviour tooke it upon himselfe yet so as neither his sins deserved it neither did he sinne in bearing of it nor yet was hee overwhelmed in bearing of it as the wicked are which are damned but hee wrestled with it and overcame it hee first tooke upon himselfe that should have come upon a beleever when the wrath of God comes out like a Lion to take the sinfull sons of men from off the earth and the sea of his indignation flowes in amain then the Lord Jesus Christ steps in between the wrath of the Father and the soule of a beleever and hee bears all Iohn 18.11 when Peter would have rescued our Saviour from the high Priests Our Saviour said suffer it to bee so put up thy sword into its place shall I not drinke of the cup which my Father giveth me to drinke of hee doth not say shall I not sip or taste of the cup but shall I not drinke of it that is he drinkes the cup of wrath which was prepared for poore sinners cleane off therefore Esay 63.3 hee is said to tread the wine-presse of the Fathers wrath alone he did squeese it all out observe these explications in this kinde and know thus much that the want of the sense and feeling and operation of Gods love and the feeling of the indignation of Gods wrath in it selfe considered it is not a sinne but so far as our sinnes deserve this wrath of God and deserve this separation and so far as we out of our infidelitie dash the sweetnesse of Gods love we sin in this kinde but none of all this befell our Saviour the bare want of the one and the sense of the other is not a sinne but we sin in bearing it It is a sweet observation of the Schoolmen that our Saviour cried my God my God even in the losse of the sweetnesse of Gods favour and when Christ complaines and sweat water and blood yea clods of blood so that his heart broke within him under the fierce indignation of the Lord this fierce indignation may be attended two wayes or there are two things in it I say in the separation of God from the soule there are these two things to be attended First a want of that grace and holinesse and confidence whereby the soule should close with God that howsoever God goes away yet the soule should follow him as Iacob did after the Lord when hee said I will not let thee goe unlesse thou blesse mee Now it is one thing when God goes away and it is another thing when we push him away therefore that want of grace and holinesse and confidence whereby the soule should cleave to and close with God this is one thing which causeth the separation of God from us this is on our part Secondly there is another worke on Gods part that howsoever the soule stands Godward and Christward and it cleaves to him as Iob did that would trust in him though he kild him yet God may withdraw the sweet refreshing operation and the sensible conveyance of his mercy and compassion from his soule and he frownes upon him and plucks away the hold and lets in his indignation upon him the first of these two can never bee without sinne and it is a hainous sinne when our soules sit loose from God and when we shall separate our selves from the mercy and goodnesse of God and are weary of Gods presence in his ordinances as many wicked men are and are weary of the promises and say as those in Iob did Depart from us for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes this is a cursed sinne and this never was nor could not be in our Saviour but now that the Lord may plucke away the sense of his love and favour and take away the operation and conveyance of his mercy this God may justly doe as he seeth good this was not a sinne in Iob that God did take away the sense of his love and mercy and seemed to be his enemy but if Iob had gone away from God as God did from him then he had sinned but hee held God still this was not a sinne in Iob that God did thus forsake him though haply it was through his sinne deserving it all this did befall our Saviour Christ and yet he was full of holinesse and hangs upon God and said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And God was angry with him because he had our sinnes upon him but the first of these was not in Christ hee did not depart from God the second was inflicted upon our Saviour and that might be justly this ads much light to those passages those two ardent petitions of those two worthy lights Moses and Saint Paul Exodus 32.32 Moses perceiving that the Lord was ready to destroy the Israelites for their sinne he saith Now if thou pardon this sinne thy mercy shall appeare but if thou will not then rase mee out of the booke of life which thou hast written and in Rom. 9.3 Saint Paul foreseeing the rejection of the Jewes and that God would throw them away for sixteen hundred yeeres together the good man seeing the dishonour that was like to come to God the utter destruction of the people of the Jewes he saith I could even desire to be separated from Christ to be cut off from the Nation of the Iewes that they might not be forsaken of God Now should a man pray to be removed out of Gods presence and to be separated from God for ever and to be cut off from God and to be separated from Christ Jesus no for this were sinfull either it signifies that Paul should have his heart loosened and sit loose in his affections to God and to Jesus Christ this Paul did not pray for for it is a horrible sinne and it is an argument he hated Christ and himselfe too Now so farre as it implies our want of love to God and our want of depending upon God it is a fearfull sinne and these holy
hell and condemnation every beleeving soule of you Do not think that God will passe by poore little ones no he will not lose one of you but he will in his appointed time helpe and deliver you therfore be not troubled not dismaied but resolve of this and say I shall bee delivered therefore let my soule be for ever cheared what would you have and what doe you feare Is it your sinnes doe you think that they beare you an old grudge and they will bee clamouring up to heaven against you and complaining of you at the throne of grace doe you feare them so you may justly because of that secret sliding off from the truth Oh saist thou my errand is done in heaven before this time and my sins knocke at heaven gates and say Justice Lord I have taken them in their sinnes and therefore as thou art a God of justice execute justice upon a rebellious soule Now therefore remember that Jesus Christ hath suffered he hath taken thy sinnes upon him and hath suffered the punishments of them 1 Iohn 2.1 Little children sinne not at all It were to be wished that a man might be alwayes humble and poore in spirit and doe all good against the evill done to him and it were to be wished that a man could walke exactly before God but it is not possible so long as we have this body of death it will shew it selfe but if we doe sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the just he is gone to heaven to tell the Father that all is fully answered and he saith Father save all those poore soules whom thou hast given mee I have paid all and answered all for them and therefore Father I will that all that thou hast given mee may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory thus he plead for he doth not plead as we doe but he saith Father I will now if there be any crie against the soule by reason of sinne Christ stops it sinne pleads and Christ pleads and who will prevaile thinke you therefore be not discouraged we have an Advocate with the Father the sinnes of your dreames this last night they have done your errands in heaven before you did awake but let them plead what they can wee have an Advocate with the Father in Heaven and he pleads our cause in heaven and he will prevail in whatsoever he pleads for he will be heard all the pleas of sin shal be fully answered Heb. 12.22 23 24. ye are not come to the mount that might not be touched nor unto burning fire c. But ye are come unto the mount Zion to the citie of the living God and to the Spirits of just and perfect men and to Iesus Christ the Mediatour of the new Testament and to the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel what did the blood of Abel speake see that in Gen. 3.9 10. where is Abel thy brother said the Lord and he answered I cannot tell am I my brothers keeper Oh thou wretch saith the Lord the voyce of thy brothers blood crieth to me from the earth for vengeance against thee thus all our sinnes doe speake but there are some sinnes that crie and say Lord this soule is taken to bee a Christian and a Professer and one that hath some grace but Lord against knowledge and conscience and the directions of the Ministers hee hath sinned thus and this therefore good Lord execute judgement upon him but now here is your comfort you poore Saints I confesse these wretched corruptions of your hearts play the backe friends with you many times but we have the blood of Christ that cries for mercy and pardon and refreshing and forgivenesse sinne pleads and saith Lord doe me justice against such a soule but the blood of Christ saith I am abased and humbled and I have answered all Christ shall be heard and if he plead the cause the day is certainly yours and hee pleads without any fees and his blood speaketh on your behalfe and your sinnes shall never be heard against you but what sticks upon your stomackes Object Oh you have heard that the Lord is a just God hee is so hee is holy and blessed and of pure eyes that cannot endure to behold any polluted or uncleane thing and if God be strict to marke what is done amisse who can abide it Oh then say you you have these sinnes and corruptions and God is pure and you are polluted and you have many secret windings and turnings and devices and you say God knowes all the crevices of my heart and sees all the frame of my soule and if the Lord marke what is done amisse nay hee will marke what is done amisse Who then shall be able to stand How shall I be able to answer it especially considering that Satan saith I have sinned and why should I not be cast out as well as others have beene cast out that have sinned Lord execute justice upon them as they have deserved how shall wee helpe ourselves herein yes admirably for then the blood of Christ comes in and that satisfies all Gal. 5.22.23 The fruits of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse meeknesse temperance faith against such there is no law so it is here there is no law nor no condemnation to beleevers truly penitent for their sins there is no punishment to them nor no wrath to execute judgement upon them because the debt is paid and the Lord is just and cannot and righteous and will not doe it but saith the Devill thou hast sinned and why shalt thou not bee condemned for it but saith justice hold thy tongue Satan for there is no law against them that repent what troubles you now Answer Why the very truth is the thoughts of Hell astonish my heart me thinkes I see a little peep-hole downe into hell and the devils roaring there being reserved in chaines under darknesse untill the judgement of the great day and me thinkes I see the damned flaming and Iudas and all the wicked of the world and they of Sodome and Gomorah there they lie roaring and damnation takes hold upon them and the wrath of God finks them downe to hell Now I have sinned and therefore why should not I be damned and why should not the wrath of God bee executed against mee I answer the death of Christ acquits thee of all and although the wrath of God be of admirable power and force yet you shall bee acquitted by the death of the Lord Jesus Revelations 20. â—â— Blessed and holy is he that hath a part in the first resurrection for on such the second death shall have no power that is wicked men and the ruffians of the world that scorne all commands and despise all the ordinances of God and the lawes of men and neither of them can take place in their hearts they breake all bonds and cast away all commands and the
threatnings of God can take no hold upon them but though they are so rebellious here yet everlasting condemnation shall take hold of them and shall have power over them hereafter and will drag their soules and bodies downe to hell and there they shall suffer intolerably and incomprehensibly and then hell and condemnation shall tell them thus much seeing the commands of God could take no hold upon you therefore we will the mercies of God could not perswade with you but the judgements of God shall prevaile against you What becomes of all the great and mighty men of the world where is Pharaoh and Nimrod and the rest of them the wrath of God hath throwne them upon their backs in hell but you that are true beleevers the second death shall have no power over you though wrath and condemnation seeme to lay hold upon you yet there is no power in them to condemne you because if Christ hath taken away the paines of the second death then it shall never oppresse such as belong to the Lord Jesus Christ therefore goe your way comforted there is nothing that shall ever prevaile against you Object Oh but saith the soule could I see Heaven gates set open if the way were open and plaine that I might see the way and walke in it then I could be comforted but what I in heaven the Angels are all holy and God is a holy God and a pure redeemer and all things there are pure and undefiled can such a wretch as I am come to heaven certainly the Saints will goe out of heaven if I come there Answer No the blood of Christ will doe all this for you and it will make way for thee into heaven as Hebr. 10.19 20. Seeing therefore brethren that by the blood of Iesus we may most boldly enter into the holy places by the new and the living way which hee hath prepared for us through the vaile which is his flesh marke two things in that place you may have boldnesse you feare now that your sinnes will not bee pardoned and that God the Father will not accept of you well be not proud and sawcie but take the blood of Christ along with you and goe on boldly and chearfully All you that have an interest in the great worke of God either for brokennesse of heart or vocation to call you to rely upon the Lord Jesus Christ bee thou a sinner If thou hast faith I speake not of the measure of faith but hast thou faith then why sittest thou here drooping Go you on cheerily and undauntedly and goe with comfort to everlasting happinesse every thing gives you comfort had you but eyes to see it God and men Heaven and earth sinne justice hell and condemnation gives you all comfort If you looke up to justice that saith you poore beleeving creatures goe your way comforted I am setisfied to the full If you looke to hell and death and condemnation they say be comforted you poore beleeving soules we have no power over you the Lord Iesus Christ hath conquered us and if you looke to your owne sinnes they tell you thus much and say be for ever comforted for wee have pleaded against you but wee have lost the cause If you looke up to heaven there you may see glory and happinesse and blessednesse ready to entertaine every beleeving soule and they all call after you and say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you therefore goe away cheerily and get you to heaven and when you come there be discomforted if you can if Christ and God and Heaven and all call you and say come all hither you beleeving soules then lift up your heads with joy and draw the waters of comfort and consolation from this truth onely remember this here when you finde your sins roaring upon you and telling your Father that you have sinned and justice cries and hell threatens then take the blood of Christ and see before your eyes all that ever Christ hath suffered and see justice fully satisfied and heare the blood of Christ speaking as well as the clamours of sinne it is the misery that we are in that we can here the bawlings of Satan and of corruption crying and saying what you salvation and yet have these and these corruptions we heare these and we hearken not to the other the blood of Christ hath pardoned all and will cleanse all Oh heare that voyce and you shall see and heare that it speakes admirable things this is the second use Vse 3 Thirdly hath Christ done all this then stand amazed at that endlesse and boundlesse love of the Lord Jesus Christ but onely that the Scripture cannot lie and God hath said which is faithfull and true and cannot be deceived and is infinite in all his workes otherwise man that is sensible of his sins and wants could not beleeve it but yet Christ hath done it and it is worth the while to weigh it and to consider of it in a holy admiration although wee are not able to walke in any measure answerable thereto had our Saviour only sent his creatures to serve us and had we onely had some Prophets to advise us in the way to Heaven or had hee onely sent his holy Angels from his chamber of presence to attend upon us and minister to us it had beene a great deale of mercy or had Christ come downe from the heavens to visit us It had beene a peculiar favour that a King will not onely send to the Prison but goe himselfe to the lungeon and aske saying is such a man here a man would thinke himselfe strangely honoured and the world would wonder at it and say the King himselfe came to the prison to day to see such a man certainly he loves him dearly or had Christ himselfe come onely and wept over us and said Oh that you had never sinned and oh that you had more considered of my goodnesse and the excellency of happinesse oh that you had never sinned this had beene marvellous mercy but that Christ himselfe should come and strive with us in mercy and patience and we slight it and not onely to provide the comforts of this life but the means of a better life and to give us peculiar blessings nay that the Lord Jesus should be so fond of a company of rebels and hell-hounds that he thinkes nothing good enough for them hee hath prepared heaven for them and he gives them the comforts of the earth for their use too nay he hath given them his blood and his life and all and yet you are not at the highest what doe you talke of life hee was not onely content to part with life but hee was content to part with the sense and sweetnesse of Gods love which is a thousand times better than life it selfe as David saith The loving kindnesse of God is better than life it selfe He was content to be accused that we might be blessed he was content
men did not desire it but this is the meaning they were willing to have suffered the want of the sense and feeling of Gods love and favour for the present though they would have loved and closed with God still yet they would have beene content to want the sense of Gods love that Gods glory might have beene advanced and the salvation of the Jewes furthered so it was here with our Saviour Christ for howsoever according to his humane nature hee did feare the death naturall and the wrath which hee saw comming upon his nature and therefore he said if it be possible let this cup passe from me he might doe it and God by reason required it that a man be sensible of misery yet according to the holinesse of the will of the Father hee did not pray against these but prayed for these and for the beaâ—ing of the punishment for he was sent for this end and it was a part of the Mediatourship this is the meaning of that place Iohn 12.27 What shall I say Father save me from this houre no but therefore came I unto this houre that is the houre of death He came into the world for this end and therefore he submits himselfe Thus much for the opening of the first part of this conclusion that whatsoever wrath should have come forth from the Father upon the faithfull Christ did beare it all Now the second part is this Christ so bears it that his owne sinne never deserved this wrath of God nor hee never sinned in bearing it neither was he overwhelmed in bearing it but he wrestled against it and overcame it it implies two things and it prevents another cavill First the paine of the soule comes either from a cause without or a cause within or from both If a man were to goe to hell it came either from his owne sinne deserving it or from Gods wrath inflicting it or from both now Christ did suffer punishments in his soule but not so farreâ— they came for his owne sinne the cause from within is sinfull and detestable but the cause from without is holy and righteous therefore all that which came from Gods wrath inflicting punishment all that Christ did suffer was so but the wicked have a cause of sinne within them and that Christ having not hee needed not to suffer and because he had no sinne in him he did not suffer all pains of hell hee suffered the displeasure of Gods wrath but yet so much of the punishment as came from sin committed that our Saviour did not suffer Secondly a poore creature bearing Gods anger he hath not onely Gods anger seâ—ing upon him but also it overwhelms him because hee is not able to beare it the plague prevails against him not onely the wrath of God lies upon a sinner in hell but it crusheth him there that he can never goe from it and this Divines call the absolute damnation such a damnation as overturnâ— a sinner in hell and crusheth him there for evermore The reason why a sinnes never comes out of hell is this because his sufferings are not infinitely satisfiable according as his sinnes have beene infinite to provoke God for as Adams sin was infinite and provoking because it was against his Godhead so the sufferings must bee infinite now the sufferings of Christ were of infinite value but Adams sufferings were not of an infinite nature Christ bore the wrath of God and wrestled with it and overcame it and came out from under the 〈◊〉 displeasure of God and why because theâ— were able to satisfie an infinite God who was thus infinitely wronged by the sinne of man therefore the sufferings must be of an infinite satisfying nature as you shall conceive thus a finite sinne of Adam committed against God was infinitely provoking but the sufferings of Christ were infinitely satisfying and so answerable in proportion to what divine justice required this was the meaning of that place iâ— Acts 2.24 Whom God raised up and loosed the sorrowes of death because it was not possible that hee should bee holden downe of death and it is the meaning of that place 1 Cor. â—5 54 Death is swallowed up in victorie Christ endures 〈◊〉 and overcomes it and Iohn 1â— 20 Christ will convince the world of sinne and of righteousnesse why of righteousnesse for I goe unto the Father and why doth hee goe to the Father because hee hath paid the debt to the uttermost hee did satisfie justice to the full for had he not satisfied justice he had beene kept in the graâ—e till this day and wee had beene condemned but now hee hath borne and satisfied all therefore hee must come forth to immortalitie and glory Remember these conclusions and think thus hath my Saviour done all this for me well I will remember it and thinke upon it and I will lay it by mee for ever The fift conclusion followes and that is this The desperation of a damned soule in hell and the eternitie of torments they are no essentials of the second death and therefore they could not nor ought not to be suffered by our Saviour this I say to stop the mouths of all Popish Jesuites and especially of Bellarmine who thinke to east a great scandall upon Calvin and others in this kinde let me open both he parts of it first the damned in hell despaire therefore saith Bellarmine if Christ suffered the pains of the second death he did despaire and did suffer the paines of hell for â—vermore Oh foolish creature who will be so wicked as to say thus Therefore that you may see this cursed opinion consider two particulars in this desperation First the nature of desperation what it is Secondly I will shew that this desperation is no part of the second death First of all for the nature of it what it is desperation as the word carries iâ— is to cast away all hope and expectation of any good this is properly to despaire For if there be any good things with us then we are said to have them in possession and fruition but if good things are absent from us then we are said to expect them and to hope and wait for them and hope saith it may be otherwise this is that which beares up the soules in the most heavie brunt But for hope the heart would breake saith the Proverb and it is true indeed in the greatest miseries that can befall â—â— and when we feele nothing nor finde nothing nor have nothing in sense yeâ— hope saith it may be otherwise and though now I am sinfull and miserable yet I may bee pardoned and though now in the gall of bitternesse yet I may be purged and sanctified and though now I am a damned creature yet I may bee succoured and delivered This is that which sometimes bears up the heart and it is that also which beares up the hearts of the wicked many times here upon the earth when the Lord lets in the horrour of heart and fils
the soule with his indignation his heart would sinke but that a little leane starved hope supports him and he sees than Gods will is not yet fully revealed but that he may be saved and he saith this conscience may bee quieted and this soule may be saved and these sins may bee pardoned now despaire is the quite contrary when the soule hath no good in expectation and that which cuts the heart strings of a mans consolation and plucke a mans comforts up by the roots as hee hath nothing for the present so all means and wayes of getting any good are cut off and then he casts off hope and never lookes to God more because he never lookes for mercy from God and then hope goes out and saith Oh when will it once be cannot these sinnes bee pardoned c And at last hee sees there is no way of getting any good and therefore hee never lookes for mercy more but expects hell and damnation and cries out I am damned I am damned This is despaire and this is the nature of it Secondly this despaire is not any part or essentiall property appertaining to the pains of the second death whether we looke at the withdrawing of the sweetnesse of Gods love or whether wee looke at the inflicting of the wrath of God upon the soule this is no part of them for besides that which Divines will observe namely that all punishments are passions and they suffer them but despaire is a worke of the creature and it issues from himselfe and the creature doth it and therefore it cannot properly bee a punishment nor any part of the second death but besides all this which they observe this desperation so opened it is so farre from being any part of the second death as that it is not a consequent which nextly followes from the second death but from the weaknesse and sinfulnesse of the creature Desperation is not any effect flowing immediatly from the wrath of God upon the creature but it proceeds and comes directly and immediatly from the weaknesse and sinfulnes of the creature Imagine that yee saw the Lord Iesus Christ comming in the clouds with thousand thousands of his holy Angels and the thrones were set up and all flesh appeared the sheep on the right hand and the goats on the left hand and the Lord Iesus Christ passeth the doome and the sentence against them saying Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire Now when a poore damned creature seeth that the sentence is gone and seeth the good wil of God pass'd upon him and the power of his wrath now to bee exprest to the full against him and he apprehends the will of God now fulfild never to be crost more and the decree of God is now exprest never to bee altered more and hee seeth the gates of hell now sealed upon him and that the Lord hath cast upon him the tombstone of his wrath and that he is buried under the power of the second death and now he seeth the time is gone and the justice of God can never bee satisfied more and this power of the Lords wrath can never be removed Oh the time was that I had the word and the power of into quicken me and to informe me and the Spirit of God to strive with me and then there was some hope but now the decree of God is maâ—e unrevokable and this wrath I shall never beare nor never remove There is now to word no praying no hearing no conference no mercy nor salvation to bee hoped for and so the soule lookes no more for any good because the Lord hath so peremptorily set downe his doâ—me thus the soule breaks under the wrath of God and is not able to satisfie and the wrath of God can never bee removed the fire will ever burne and the worme will ever gnaw and now the soule casts off all hope and this is the meaning of those phrases 2 Pet. 3.7 and in the 6. verse of the Epistle of Iude where speaking of the devils the text saith They are reserved in everlasting chains under darknes to the judgement of the great day the devill is hopelesse he hath no hope of good nor shall never receive any good but our Saviour Christ that was able by the power of his God-head to suffer this wrath of God and to satisfie justice and to support himselfe under this wrath and to come out from it he hath a certaine hope to please God the Father and to have everlasting blisse and happinesse with him there is hope with our Saviour because he can beare and satisfie and come from under this wrath Take a bason of water and cast it upon a few coales of fire and it will put them clean out but throw the same boson full upon a great fire and though it may damp it a little at first yet it cannot quench it but rather increaseth the flame and makes it burne the faster what 's the reason of this that it quenched the little fire and not the great fâ—re it was not firstly and nextly because of the coldnesse and crosnesse of the water to the fire for the same water was as cold upon the great fire and as crosseâ— the nature of the great fire but the little fire was rob weake of it selfe to beare the coldnesse of the water and therefore it was quenched but the great fire was able to beare the coldnesse of the water and therefore it was not quenched so it is here the wrath of God is like this water as David saith All thy waves and billowes have passed over me that is the waves of Gods indignation and the ocean sea of Gods wrath â—hen this fals upon a poore weake sinfull creature that cannot beare this but breakes under this wrath and cannot take off the vengeance of the Lord but sinkes under it this creature despaires of all helpe not because of the wrath of the Lord firstly but because of the weaknesse and the sinfulnesse of the creature that could not beare the wrath of the Lord and hence he despaires and the soule saith alas I am weake and a poore sinne creature and this wrath of the Lord is of an infinite vigour I shall never be able to beare it nor to get from under it therefore I despair and cast away all hope of helpe but the Lord Jesus Christ being perfect God and perfect man having a great flame of holy affections kindled in him by the spirit of the Father this did assist him hereby to beare the wrath of God in his soule and not onely was hee able to beare it but to overcome it and although hee were tossed up and downe in the sea of Gods wrath yet he was not drowned and though hee sipped of the poyson yet he was not poysoned therefore he bore the paines of the second death and overcame them and did not despaire he expected to receive good because he knew he should have good thus our Saviour Iohn 19.30 when