a Doctrine of great joy so it is a Doctrine that obligeth us to great holinesse The Doctrine of Christ in every part and branch of it leads to holinesse If thou meet with any tenent or opinion that furthereth not holinesse looke on that opinion as an errour for whatsoever is the truth of the Lord it is a truth that leads us to holinesse of life and conversation So doth this Doctrine of the resurrection for if wee consider seriously that the bodie shall be raised and we shall be happie at the resurrection in enjoying of God will not this raise up the spirit of a man to thankfulnesse and where there is true thankfulnesse will not that thankfulnesse be legible in obedience Therefore seeing God intends to glorifie thee with himselfe in bodie and in spirit since thou shalt be ever happie with him shouldest thou not glorifie this God while thou art here in thy life and conversation As the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 3.13 14. We according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse What is the use of this Wherefore beloved seeing ye looke for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse A true assurance of salvation given by the Spirit of grace doth not make us negligent in the performance of good duties it doth not make us loose and licentious in our lives but that assurance that is a right assurance which is wrought in us by the Spirit of grace will as well teach us to be holy as assure our hearts that we shall be happy Lucian speaking sceffingly of the zeale of Christians and their readinesse to help one another doth give this as the reason of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These miserable men saith he believe that in bodie and soule they shall be immortall The scoffing Atheist did speake truth in this and found out the true cause of the zeale which was in primitive Christians There can be no holinesse without a perfwasion of happinesse for men after this life If there be no resurrection saith Paul Let us eat and drinke 1 Cor. 15. But when a man is perswaded of this He will purifie himselfe as Christ is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 Againe this shewes the different condition between a Saint and a sinner Looke upon Saints and sinners eye them onely with a carnall eye in respect of the present condition and it may be you shall apprehend a sinner in a better condition then a Saint God oft-times gives temporall blessings to them which he denies to his owne people they are the worlds happie creatures But looke on Saints in this condition and then you shall see a vast difference between the condition of a believer and of a man that is an enemy to Christ the one shall awake and sing He shall awake at the resurrection to be filled with joy to be crowned as a King with immortall glorie The other shall awake and houle As Agag when he thought and was perswaded that the bitternesse of death was past was hewen in pieces so Epicures and prophane men that sing away sorrow feare of Hell and damnation spending their dayes in mirth in a moment they goe downe to the grave Job 21.13 and are raised from thence to suffer torments to eternitie But the Saints sleeping for a while in the grave are raised to felicitie This is elegantly set forth in the book of Wisdome 5. Chap. We fooles thought their lives madnesse and their end without honour and behold they are become the children of God speaking of the Saints vers 6. And in the 8. v. speaking of themselves they doe thus complaine What hath our pride profited us what hath our pomp and riches brought unto us The time will come that wicked men shall wish that they had never been else that some mountaine would be so propitious as to fall on them that they might never come into the presence of God and his Sonne Jesus Christ that shall fit upon the Throne O what a dolefull noyse will it make in the eares of wicked and ungodly men when they shall be called forth to the resurrection of Damnation while the Saints shall be bid to awake to the resurrection of life Who would bee envious at wicked men that grow rich and prosper and flourish in the world that get great estates and leave their estates and houses to their heires if they did but consider that at the resurrection they shall be enforced to take hell as part of their purchase and shall be drawne and dragged as slaves to eternall torments I remember what the Heathen said It is a miserable thing for a man to have been happie Fuisse faelicem miserrimum est Boeth It grieves a man when he comes to povertie to remember that he was once rich when a man is in a disgracefull condition to thinke with himselfe I was honourable this is double misery Remember saith Abraham to the rich man that thou in thy life time didst enjoy riches and poore Lazarus lying at thy gate was denied the crummes falling from thy Table This was the aggravation of the rich mans misery to be put in minde that he had been happy and rich upon the earth Consider this and you shall plainly see that rich and great men without Christ though they live happily to the eye of the world yet they are in a miserable condition and the meanest Saint is in a farre better condition then they The wicked rich men shall awake to howling and screeching to misery and torment eternall the poore Saint to joy rejoycing and happinesse for evermore Wicked men are like the Persians slave who for a day was feasted and had all things provided to delight him that they used to provide for the Emperour and at night he was put to death So wicked men God feasts them as slaves here they have furnished tables and servants children and musicke but poore wretches night comes upon them and death takes off their heads and they are miserable to eternitie Therefore James saith They are nourished as against the day of slaughter God doth but fat them as men use to fat beasts for sacrifice or slaughter so God suffers them to swim in pleasures to live in vanities to get riches to grow fat in the earth but it is to destroy them they are fatted for the day of damnation In this glasse or mirrour see the difference between Saints and sinners Then in the next place seeing it is thus that the people of God shall be made partakers of such happinesse at the resurrection let me exhort you to waite in expectation and desire of it A Ward that knows that when he shall live beyond the dayes of his wardship he shall have his Lands and possessions in his own hands he desires that the time may be expired that he may have all in his own hands that now is in the hands of his Guardian who it may be keepes him
one not by confounding of the person of Christ with the person of a Believer but by the union of these two in the Spirit As the members are one with the head and yet the head is not the members nor the members the head Secondly In this objection as they destroy the personall being of a Believer so they destroy the personall being of Christ as he is the Word made flesh There Christ is nothing but God they apprehending that Christ hath offered up his humane nature wisedome and righteousnesse as things of the first creation and that hee hath no being now but in spirit which they call Christ in the Spirit the spirituall man or God I shall therefore in few words deliver the truth of God concerning the man who is born of God This phrase is taken first largely and so every Creature may be said to be of God because every creature is the workmanship of God and hath its being from God And in this sence all wicked men are called the Off-spring of God Acts 17.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly It is taken strictly And so it is to be understood not of those who have their being from God by creation but by spirituall regeneration And thus it is here taken and in other places John 3.5 Except a man be borne of water the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God John 1 13. In this sence neither God Christ or the Spirit are the new man or the man born of God But the speciall and gracious presence of God through Christ by the spirit doth make a man a new Creature 1 Cor. 1.30 John 1.13 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man is in Christ he is a new Creature He doth not say that if any man is in Christ that then hee is Christ or that Christ is the new creature but that man who is in Christ he is the new creature Having shewed you who the new man or the man born of God is who is here spoken of and freed the Text from famelisticall blasphemies I shall desire that you may be acquainted with this truth Every true Saint is a man born of God 1 Consid It will not advantage a man to make a profession of Christ and to submit to all the outward Ordinances of Christ unlesse a man be made a new creature by Christ Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature We must be borne againe or else it had been better for us never to have been borne Christ will not own any for his or approve them as his Disciples whatsoever profession they doe make of him unlesse he be formed in them 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be unapproved They are the Devils children who are not borne of God John 8.44 2 Consid God hath engaged himselfe in the Covenant of grace that those who are his shall be borne of him Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh As a Carver when he maketh an Image doth begin at the outside of the Timber and cuts shaves and smooths that So hypocrites doe begin at the outside and doe smooth themselves in their outward conversation to men-ward And so there is but an image insteed of a new creature But true Saints are made new inwardly Some say that the heart is the first thing which hath life Cor est primum vivens It is true in the new creation God doth give unto the vessels of his grace new hearts Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse Jer. 32.39 3. Consid Men who are not borne of God cannot haue fellowship with God If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darknesse welye 1 John 1.6 But true Saints have fellowship with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ 1 John 1.3 And therefore they are borne of God 4 Consid God is to be known served and worshipped by true Saints but we cannot truly know him serve or worship him so long as we are old creatures in the state of nature and therefore it cannot be denyed that true Saints are borne of him An old creature is spiritually dead and cannot see God A dead creature cannot performe the actions of a living creature And a sinner cannot serve the living God and performe that spirituall worship which God doth require of those who are quickned to spirituall worship by Jesus Christ 5. Consid The new Heaven and the new Earth is only provided for new creatures but it is provided for Saints and they expect it 2 Pet. 3.13 And therefore they are borne of God Mat. 19.28 Our Saviour saith that such who have followed him in the regeneration shall sit upon Thrones The Saints are translated out of the Kingdome of the world into the kingdome of grace by spirituall regeneration and therefore they shall be translated from the Kingdome of grace into the Kingdome of glory By these considerations it is evident that true Saints are borne of God Vse Let us not try our Saint-ship by our large professions of Christ and subjection to such things which we apprehend to be his Ordinances for externall worship but by our new creation It concerneth every man to be thorowly assured of his heavenly birth who would make his claime good for heaven and glory and be assured that he shall escape the damnation of Hell As our Saviour said of Judas Mat. 26.24 That it had been good for him he had not been borne So it had been good for us that we had never been borne if wee shall live and dye professors of the knowledge of God in Christ and not dye possessors of God in Christ by the new creation Consider therefore 1. That every change or alteration which may be wrought in a man doth not make him a Sonne of God by spirituall regeneration Morall principles may make a great change in a man And Pharisaicall principles may make a man seeme to be very religious to himselfe and others But the Pharisees proselite is farre enough from a true Convert And except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we cannot enter into the Kingdome of God We may walke farre in the way of the Law and performance of duties to make our selves new creatures and the Sonnes of God by our own righteousnesse and legall reformation and may at last stumble at Christ and never come to know what it is to be borne of God 2. A man may take a long walke in the paâ—â— of the Gospell and may after a sort escape the pollutions of the world by Gospel-principles and may taste of the powers of the world to come in the conclusion may sit down short of a new creation here and glory hereafter 2 Pet. 2.20 Hebr. 6. Never truly knowing
Thess 4.17 The Apostle speaks of the same subject and shewes the manner of the resurrection and how Christ shall come from Heaven The Lord himselfe shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Arch-angel and the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first verse 16. Here you see he holdeth forth this that Christ who is that mediator between God and man and true man now in Heaven this Jesus Christ shall descend from Heaven and that the Saints shall rise from the Earth to meet him in the aire So the Angels told the Apostles Act. 1.11 when they looked up to Christ when he ascended this same Jesus shal so come from Heaven as you now see him ascend into Heaven the same Christ shall descend from Heaven and the Apostles shall see him in the same manner with the very same eyes with which they saw him ascend into Heaven with the same eyes they shall see him descend from Heaven the Scripture is so full that I need not take more paines to give you more places for the opening of it unlesse you will please to take one place more out of the Old Testament that you may know that they had a cleare knowledge of this in the dayes of the Law as well as wee have now in the dayes of the Gospel Dan. 12.12 And at that time shall Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the Children of thy people that is the Lord Jesus Christ who always stands for his people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to the same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the booke And many of them that sleep in the dust of the Earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes as the Stars for ever and ever Here you see the same thing held forth Though I will not trouble you with many reasons to confirme this doctrine of the resurrection for the truth is it is a Doctrine above Reason I call here not so much for reason as for Faith to believe what is above Reason and what seemes contrary to carnall reason yet give me leave to give you a reason or two drawne from the sacred truth of Gods word The first is drawne from the truth of God God is true therefore there will be a resurrection he should deceive and delude his people were there not a resurrection of bodies Doth he not often tell us of a resurrection And doth not our Saviour tell us that hee will raise those at the last day who are drawn unto him by the Father Joh. 6.44 And therefore unlesse we will make the great God which is blasphemy to think a lyer and Christ his Sonne a Preacher of the resurrection the greatest impostor in the world and all his Ministers Servants and Messengers cheaters juglers and deceivers of the people we cannot but acknowledge a resurrection for God hath spoken of it and hath revealed this to them that there shall be such a resurrection and they preach it in his name therefore the God of truth should be found a lyer if there should not be a resurrection of bodies according to his word Secondly the justice and mercy of God seeme to call for a resurrection If wee looke upon wicked and ungodly men so God in Justice must send his Son Jesus Christ to raise the dead and to judge the world or else how should the justice of God shine cleare and bright before the eyes and saces of men This is the Argument that the Apostle laies downe 2 Thess 1.5 6. where he speakes of the sufferings of the Saints and of the wickednesse of their persecutors who wrong them for making profession of the truth of the Lord Christ which is saith he a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God it is a demonstration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evident infallible signe that there will be a judgement day and a resurrection because else God should not be just it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you It is just with the God of justice to punish the vessells of wrath disobedient and wicked men who never did flee to his grace for life and salvation it is just with him to pay the persecutors of his people their wages after they have done their worke Now if there were not a judgement day if there were not a resurrection where should God give them their wages for persecuting and troubling them that make profession of his name How should God that is the Judge of the world appeare to be just Here is the first Argument that God is just to wicked and ungodly men and God could not appeare to be just if there were no judgement day no resurrection therefore there shall be a resurrection Now the same things fall alike to the just and unjust we see wicked and ungodly men thrive and prosper in the world they live in pleasure there are no bands in their death as the Psalmist speakes they spend their dayes in mirth and die upon their beds without sorrow How should God appeare to be just unlesse there be another day when God will call these men to a reckning for all the sinnes and iniquities which they did commit against him when they lived upon the Earth Secondly if we looke to the mercy of God And this is the Argument that our blessed Saviour makes use of Matth. 22.31 When the Sadduces came to him who said there was no resurrection nor spirit nor Devill as our Sadduces doe who say there is no Devill but our owne evill thoughts nor good Angels but the good motions of our owne spirits nor any resurrection of the body See what Argument he useth to prove the resurrection as touching the resurrection have yee not read that which was spoken to you by God saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living God professeth himselfe the God of dead Saints in a speciall manner therefore these must live againe and be made happy by this God that professeth himselfe to be their God while their bodies lye rotting and putrifying in the earth God in his never failing faithfulnesse ownes them in the dust keepes their ashes in safety by which Christ doth ascertaine us that there will be a resurrection of bodies at the last day So that you see if this truth be denyed it will overthrow the Scriptures which acquaints us that some are vessels of honour some of dishonour that some are vessels of grace and some are vessels of Gods furie and indignation if there be no judgement day no resurrection there cannot be vessels of
Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Rev. 14.4.13 As the Psalmist speakes Psal 17. When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse that is at the great day of the resurrection after I have had a long sleep in the dust when the night is past and the day of the resurrection shall shine I shall awake and then I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse Isa 57.2 The Prophet hath an expression that runnes this way speaking of righteous and mercifull men saith he they shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds And when Stephen was stoned to death the Holy Ghost tellâ—â—â— us that he fell asleep Act. 7.60 And the Primitive Christians called the places where they buried their dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sleeping places The Earth to every Saint is but a sleeping place Jesus Christ shall come downe from Heaven with a shout and with the voyce of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God And this great Trumpet being blown the dead in Christ shall awake and rise He that dyeth in Christ and is one of his dead men doth not dye but sleep And at the resurrection shal in a moment awake out of his sleep When the Father Word and Spirit did make the Fabrick of the world all things were speedily and suddenly made for the making of any thing there was but verbum factum the word spoken and presently the thing was made Let there be Light and there was light let there be a firmament and there was a firmament so when the Lord Jesus Christ shall speake the word and bid us awake in a moment in the twinckling of an eye those that are dead in the Lord shall awake out of the sleep of death And here by the way let me give you another observation You see at the great day that the dead that lye in the dust shall be raised by the command of Christ who shall bid them come out of the dust Now as no rationall man would conclude from this place that the dead who it may be have their dust lying in severall places in every part of the world a portion of their dust have any power to raise themselves though they are bid to awake eve so when God speaking to soules that heare the word preached doth command them to believe repent live holily and rejoyce we cannot conclude that there is any power strength and ability in the creature to doe what they are commanded to doe no more then the dead can awake of themselves though Christ commands them to awake As when Christ did bid Lazarus come forth of the grave he did presently come forth though he had not any power in himselfe to come forth but that power that bid him come forth enabled him to come forth so though Christ exhort us in the Gospel to believe and to doe good duties we have no power in our selves to doe good duties but that power that bids us doe good duties must inable us to doe them or else we are never able to doe them which moved Augustine to pray thus Da domine quod jubes jube quod vis give Lord what thou commandest and command what thou wilt Againe in the next place take notice that those who shall be raised are called the inhabitants of the dust yee that dwell in the dust the dust for a time is a habitation for the Saints in Eccles 12.5 It is said Man shall goe to his long home The grave is a home or house for a time which may assure us of the resurrection of the same bodies which are entrusted to the dust that which dwelleth in the dust and no other thing in stead of it must be be raised out of the dust Thirdly here is a reason laid downe in the next verse to assure us of our resurrection Thy dew is as the dew of Herbes The Lord Jesus in the power of his Spirit shall be as a heavenly dew upon the dead bodies and dust of the Saints to raise them up and quicken them to a new life Christ in the power of his Spirit may be compared to dew for three reasons first because as the dew comming downe upon the earth the earth bringeth forth grasse without the help and labour of man Mich. 5.7 so without the labour and strength of the creature the Lord Jesus the dew of Heaven coming down upon the dust and ashes of the Saints shall quicken them to a life and make them flourish after they have layen rotting and moldering in the grave Secondly as the dew doth come downe speedily and suddenly upon the earth as you may gather from that expression of Hushai in that speech of his to Absalom concerning David 2 Sam. 17.12 We will come upon him in some place where he shall be found and light on him as the dew falleth upon the ground As the dew falls suddenly and unexpectedly so we will surprise David So the Lord Jesus will come in the twinkling of an eye suddenly upon the bodies of the Saints Therefore he compares his comming to the comming of a thiefe in the night and to lightning which we know is darted through the middest of Heaven with great volubilitie and swiftnesse In the third place Christ shall be as dew because as dew doth make the herbs on which it falls to be fruitfull and to waxe green and flourish after they have seemed to be dead So the Lord Jesus Christ shall quicken the dead carkasses of his Saints and put a life into their dust Thus Moses the holy servant of God speaking of his Doctrine in reference to the flourishing of it Deut. 32.2 saith that his Doctrine shall drop as the raine and his speech shall distill as the dew as the small raine upon the tender herb and as the showers upon the grasse As the dew of Heaven makes the things upon which it falls fruitfull and fertile so the Lord Jesus Christ falling downe upon the dust and ashes upon the rotten bones putrifyed carkasses and skuls of the Saints shall cause them to flourish and to spring up and they shall have a new life put into them by his comming downe upon them Fourthly the Prophet saith that the earth shall cast out her dead from whence we may strongly conclude the resurrection of the same body which is cast into the earth That body which was dead and buried in the earth shall be raised out of the earth But I have sufficiently spoken of these points in my former discourses So that if I should speak from all these particulars I should rather repeat what I have said then present you with new matter The thing therefore that I shall open unto you to day for the furtherance of your joy shall be this to shew you what great joy there shall be at the resurrection of the dead which is held forth in these words Awake and sing I doe make bold to finish this subject here among you this day because I
spend so much time to set forth these joyes Truly I cannot give you a full relation of them Sheba's Queen when she had seene the glorie of Solomons Palace his servants and attendance about him and the glory and pompe of his earthly Estate she confessed that the fame in her owne Countrie was nothing to that she had seene with her eyes 1 Kings 10.7 I beleeved not the words untill I came and mine eyes had seene it and behold the halfe was not told me thy wisdome and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard Fame commonly exceeds the thing which is reported but Solomons glory exceeded the fame of it So we heare of great and glorious things which shall be at the resurrection the joy and glorie that the Saints shall have and we take paines to illustrate it by earthly joyes and spirituall comfort which is the best thing to shadow it But all that can be said is far short of setting forth to the full the glorie and joy of it And therefore seeing that the thing farre exceeds the discourse and apprehension of any man seeing words cannot set forth what glorie and joy this is I will not lay downe any more considerations to shadow forth to you this joy which I professe I want language fully to expresse Wherefore give me leave to make a little use and I shall put a period for the present of speaking of this joy which is unspeakable In the first place seeing there will be great joy at the resurrection therefore wee should rejoice in it before hand God will not faile in giving you of any thing that he hath promised you will find the joy a hundred thousand times greater then any man on earth is able to expresse it to you As God when he promised the people of Israel the Land of Canaan that flowed with milk and honey he did not faile of any thing he had promised to them all came to passe as you have the storie Joh. 21.45 So God hath promised a heavenly Canaan of glorie an everlasting Kingdome a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11.10 Palaces that shall stand fast and firme upon their basis and foundation to the dayes of Eternitie He hath promised to put Scepters into our hands Crowns of glory upon our heads And he that hath promised these things to his people will not faile in performance he is just and faithfull he is not like man he cannot lie he cannot repent of the good he intends to doe for his people Therefore you that are his people rejyocein your portion and inheritance As the young Ward in his non-age or minority when little is allowed him for the present doth rejoyce in foreseeing what large possessions he shall be master of for the future when the time of his Wardship shall be expired So let us who are the Heires of Heaven happinesse and giorie here though wee shall not have the fruition of it untill hereafter rejoyce here as though wee were in the full enjoyment and possession of it Suffer not any wicked unbelieving spirits to bereave you of your joy and comfort by leading you into errour concerning the resurrection O what enemies are these people to the spirituall joy of Gods people that goe about to sow this seed of false Doctrine among them by perswading them that there shall be no resurrection of the bodie but onely a spirituall resurrection here How doe these with specious shewes of truth bereave people of that spirituall joy comfort and contentment that they might take in believing the Doctrine of the resurrection Beloved you meet with many Arguments against the resurrection that baffle carnall reason I professe that if I should follow carnall reason I know there are such strong Arguments against the resurrection that I should easily yeild the bucklers and contend no more for the point but conclude that there would be no resurrection of the bodie but when I looke upon the power of him that hath promised when I consider that God hath said it it answers all objections of carnall reason Therefore shew your selves children of faithfull Abraham stagger not at this promise he believed above hope and against hope It is above hope and against the hope of naturall reason that this bodie should be raised yet give God the glory of his power God hath said that this bodie shall rise and rise as the body of his Sonne that we shall awake and sing and the Earth shall cast forth her dead Considera authorem tolle dubitationem Ter. Consider the power of the agent and all doubting will be removed He that hath promised it is power love and faithfulnesse he will doe what he hath promised for his people what they expect and beyond their thoughts desires and expectations therefore 1 Thess 4. ult Comfort your selves with these words There is no Doctrine that brings so much spirituall consolation to the soule as this it is the spring of spirituall joy in the hearts of the Saints Take away the Doctrine of the resurrection of bodies and take away all spirituall joy and comfort And then look no longer upon the Saints as glorious and happie creatures but as the most miserable abjects that you behold upon the face of the earth If there be no resurrection of the dead saith the Apostle We are of al men most miserable Saints professe themselvs the most happie and joyfull people in the world and rejoyce in their portion and blesse themselves in their happinesse and inheritance But take this Doctrine away let it be granted that there shall be no resurrection let it bee granted that Christ is not risen in his humane bodie and that the Saints shall not rise in their humane bodies as Christ did and be happie in their humane bodies it will damp all the joy of the Saints presently it will quench the Spirit of joy in the people of God For there can be no cause of rejoycing to the Saints but in this assurance that their sinnes are pardoned that they are in Covenant with God that God having loved them from eternitie will love them to eternitie and preserve them in happinesse with himselse Therefore you that truly believe this Doctrine rejoyce in it and suffer not the scoffing enemies of this Doctrine to draw you from it and so from the comfort that will flow into your hearts while you believe it Take heed lest there be in any of you a heart of unbeliefe to depart from the living God And if there be any poore weak Christians here that have been misled by these miscreants and ungodly men let them looke up to God beholding his power and faithfulnesse in their Redeemer that they may see all those objections of carnall reason by which they have been deluded and misled easily answered that so their former joy and consolation may returne to them by believing the Doctrine and joy of the resurrection And let me adde this also that as this is
so wee are saved by grace Wee are made happy brought from a cursed condition into a blissfull condition from horror to joy from hell to heaven from the state of nature to the state of Glory onely by the grace of God It is onely by Grace that wee are what wee are By Grace our sins are pardoned by Grace wee have an inheritance with the Saints by Grace wee are the high born sonnes of the great King of heaven and earth by Grace wee are blessed and loaded with all spirituall and temporall blessings in Jesus Christ and are brought to the enjoyment of eternall felicity happinesse and blissfulnesse Thus wee are saved by grace and by grace alone One of the Ancients doth speake excellently to this purpose Nemo se palpet de suo Satanas est de deo beatus est quid est enim de suo nisi peccatum suum Let no man boast of himselfe for of a mans selfe he is a Devill by God a man is made happy What is a man of himselfe but sin Yee are saved by grace Againe salvation in Scripture is taken for salvation before God in the Court of heaven And it is taken for the saving of a partie in his own spirit and conscience if wee take it in the first sence a man is saved in the Court of heaven onely by grace What is the Reason that the accusing mouth of the Law being stopped no Bill no enditement can be brought against the Elect in the Court of Heaven Is it not this because God in his grace justifieth them This is the Apostles argument Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who can implead or bring an action against them before God for breaking his Law He that is the Judge of the Elect is their justifier Grace hath cast out of Heaven the accuser of the Brethren which accused them before God night and day Rev. 12.10 The accuser can bring no enditement complaint or accusation against the Saints there There is no sin in our consciences that can be heard to accuse us in heaven because there is grace for our justification God beholds his Sonne Jesus Christ before his eve upon whom he hath laid all our sins The bloud of Christ doth with powerfull and undeniable arguments plead for those for whom it was shed The straying and stragling sheep which are within the reach of Gods eternall Grace cannot be condemned because the good Shepheard hath given his life for the sheep Joh. 10.11 God knoweth that he hath received satisfaction before hand for their sins by the hand of the Lord Jesus who is not now to pay any thing but hath already made payment for all their debts and is become the Mediator of the new Covenant of Grace which is sealed in his own bloud under which Covenant upon this consideration there can be no remembrance of sin Heb. 10.14 God beholding his Elect in their propitiation and alwayes hearing the sweet voice of their wrath-appeasing advocate making an heavenly melody in his eares And alwayes beholding our happinesse before himselfe in heaven lying wrapt up in his own grace doth acquaint us in his word of truth That wee are saved by grace Secondly If we take salvation in the other sence for salvation in our spirits and consciences and in this sence we are saved by grace There can be no salvation brought home to our hearts but by the sight of grace If wee had the sanctification of all the Saints which have lived since the fall of Man and should looke upon it all as ours to give comfort to our soules and to assure us that wee are in a state of salvation and should not looke above it to behold Gods grace and our sanctification in it and from it it would not give us any solid comfort or assurance of our salvation Nothing can shine in the heart to give it any comfort but what doth shine and give light in the light and beames of this grace Wee never come to see our selves in a condition of safety till wee see the grace of God Looke unto mee and be saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Isaiah 45.22 None but God can save us and nothing but the sight of God can bring salvation to us Still wee have some objection or other against salvation and justification till God silence all objections by the sight of his own grace There is that onely in God and in Jesus Christ that will silence all objections If our conscience flie in our faces and tell us that wee have committed many thousands of sins more then wee can reckon or number up yet when God gives us a sight of himselfe his sonne and grace the mouth of conscience is stopped and wee see all our sins swallowed up in his love Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us saith Philip. Joh. 14.8 When God sheweth us himselfe our spirits are at rest When Grace is discovered and Gods light doth shine upon the soule Sin death damnation cannot terrifie the soule But they are filled with a spirit of joy in beleeving their free justification who before through feare of death were subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Grace appeareth greater and stronger to bring salvation then sinne powerful to bring damnation Our sins the sins of all the men of the world being the acts of creatures are finite but grace that justifieth us is the grace of an infinite God and is boundlesse and infinite Men are unassured of their salvation unlesse this Grace be presented to the eye of their spirits And men and Devills cannot prevaile against us to enforce us to question our justification and salvation when wee looke upon it That peace which the world cannot take from us nor give unto us that joy which neither the Law nor the workes of the Law can convey unto us nor bereave us off that salvation which damned Feinds can never rob us of is communicated to us by the beholding of Gods grace in the face of the Lord Jesus The soule when it hath a sight of this grace it stands with boldnesse at the Throne of Grace and though it feele hellish sin in it selfe yet it is able to dispute with all the Divels in Hell and to maintaine the freenesse fulnesse and compleatnesse of its own justification from all sin by the grace of God in Jesus Christ If the Divell shall then suggest this to a man that he is a sinner The beleeving soule will make this answer It is true I am a sinner but I am not terrified to desparation because I am ungodly but I rejoyce in this that God justifieth the ungodly by his grace Rom. 4.5 If the Divell shall reply But thou art a great sinner and there is a great damnation The believing soule will returne I am not tormented by the great damnation prepared for great sinners but
The Herbal OF DIVINITY OR The DEAD arising From the Dust To Confute the Hereticks of these Times That say There is no Resurrection IN SEVERAL SERMONS By John Simpson an unworthy Publisher of Gospel-truths in London The Resurrection is one of the Twelve Signes in the Christian Zodiack LONDON Printed for Sa Speed at the Printing-Press in Paul's Church-yard 1659. To the READER Christian Reader IT being appointed to all men once to die Heb. 9.27 God hath so provided that as the wicked shall be no more remembred Job 24.20 so the Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Psal 112.6 and his Memorial shall be blessed Pro. 10.7 Blessed be the Lord Ruth 2.20 that hath not left off his kindness to the living nor to the dead That he hath in this Age as out of Zebulun raised those that handle the Pen of the Writer Judg. 5.1 whereby he accomplisheth that for them that Job wished for himself Job 19.23 Oh that my VVords were written and that they were printed in a Book Many and worthy indeed are the Labours of Others that are extant upon this Argument and indeed so many that the acceptance of this Treatise may be doubted but hoping hereby to raise up more Children unto Abraham I have adventured to publish it Read and consider and that it may take deep rooting in thy heart is the earnest prayer of Thine In the common SAVIOUR SERMON I. ESAY 26.19 Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing yee that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast forth her dead THE beliefe of the resurrection is a present comfort in the midst of misery Resurrectio mortuorum fiducia Christianorun Tertul. The resurrection of the dead is the joy confidence and boasting of Christians And therefore when the people of God had made a sad complaint of their low condition in the words preceding my Text our Evangelicall Prophet for their comfort and consolation doth from the mouth of God present them with this sweet and precious promise of a glorious resurrection of their bodies Let poore Saints bee full of complaints let the billowes of misery and trouble be ready to overwhelme their soules and let God but breake in upon their spirits and give them assurance of a blessed resurrection by his grace and all their trouble all their discomforts all their miseries by the light of this Sunne will presently vanish away You may read the complaint in the precedent verse where the Church complaines that she had been like a woman with child in great paine verse 17. Like as a woman with Child that draweth neere the time of her delivery is in paine and crieth out in her pangs so have we been in thy sight O Lord We know the paines of a woman in travell are the greatest paines and the Church to set forth her trouble compares it to the paines and pangs of a woman in travell But that which doth heighten the trouble and misery of the Church is this that though she were thus like a woman in travell and paine and expected to bring forth some great thing and to doe something in the world which might be left as a lasting monument to the praise of God and be a refreshment to her selfe after her throwes and languishment She finds that all was a false conception therefore she saith in the next verse vers 18. We have been with child we have been in paine we have as it were brought forth the wind She swelled big with expectation and thought she should have brought forth some glorious birth into the world but alas all that she hath brought forth hath been but as it were wind we see nothing but a false conception We have not wrought any deliverance in the Earth neither have the Inhabitants of the world fallen ver 18. Here wee see the sad complaint of the Church And in the words I have read to you you may likewise read the Prophet laying downe that which might comfort and cheare the sad and drouping spirits of the people of God in this sad and lamentable complaint of theirs And that is drawne from a sweet promise that God makes to them of a resurrection as if the Prophet had said let it never trouble you though you be the poorest vilest and miserablest creatures here upon the Earth looke beyond the Earth looke for the accomplishment of Gods promise beyond this present life and then you shall see as much cause to rejoyce as you apprehended cause of mourning before What though you doe no great thing for the present on Earth what though your Enemies prevaile over you what though their cursed devices Counsells and Machinations doe take effect against you what though you fall by their hands and can doe no great things to set up Trophees of glory below remember this Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise c. Thus you see what coherence these words have with the context In the words be pleased to take notice of these parts First here is a promise made to the people of God of a blessed resurrection Thy dead men shall live Secondly the confirmation of this that is as some interpret it from the resurrection of the Lord Jesus My dead body shall rise therefore they shall not lye long in the dust together with my dead body shall they arise or else thus if wee leave out together and with which are not in the Originall then this is the meaning Thy dead men shall live my dead body shall they arise at the resurrection they shall rise as my very dead body I have consulted with the Hebrew text and I find no more but that I see no reason wee should put in together with seeing it is not found in the first copy Thirdly the nature of the resurrection is expressed to us Awake The Saints doe as it were awake out of their sleep Death is nothing but sleep to the people of God The Prophet here to take away the sharpnesse and bitternesse of death compares it to a bed wherein a man sweetly reposeth himselfe and after he is refreshed riseth out againe so after the Saints have layne a while in their beds in their graves they awake as the Psalmist saith As for mee I will behold thy face in righteousnesse I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse Psal 17. ult that is at the resurrection when I awake then I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse I doe not enjoy so much of thee here as I desire to doe but then when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse Fourthly here is the great joy set forth that shall be when the Saints doe arise and that is expressed in that they are bid to Awake and sing When the Saints are raised they are to have a song in their mouthes of joy and the
glory of God in their hearts awake and sing But it is otherwise with wicked and ungodly ones they must awake and houle they must awake when they had rather sleepe an everlasting sleep and wish it might be a continuall and an ever induring midnight to their poore soules but for the Saints they are to awake and sing Fiftly we have the Saints set forth to us in their low condition before this resurrection so they are called the Inhabitants of the dust Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust Sixtly we have a further proofe that there shall be such a glorious resurrection and that there shall be such great joy in the hearts of these Inhabitants of the dust when they are raised by the power of Heaven from death to immortall life and that is from the heavenly dew the Lord Jesus Christ which shall be as dew from the Father upon them to quicken them to life after death For as we see the dew of Heaven falling upon the herbs after they are withered and almost dead by the parching heat of the Sunne they againe waxe green and flourish so when we have laine withering in the grave the Lord Jesus Christ shall be as the dew of Heaven upon us he shall come downe in his power and put a new life into us and after death we shall be raised to a life of glory for thy dew is as the dew of herbs Then in the next place he proves it from the willingnesse of the Earth to be disburthened of her charge when God calls for it the Earth shall presently give up the carkasses that she hath received in The earth is Gods Chest in which he locks up the dust of his Saints for a short time but when God calls for this treasure againe the earth shall presently be willing to yeild what was intrusted to her bowells And the Earth shall cast up her dead These are the parts of this text which is as cleare a promise concerning the resurrection of the dead as we find in all the Old-Testament though others doe otherwise expound it concerning the Jewes deliverance with whom I have not time now to contend I did make choice of this text for these Reasons First because I did consider that though there be many that make profession of Christ and of a resurrection yet there are few that believe in Christ or that believe the truth of the resurrection Durst men live in all wickednesse ungodlinesse and impiety durst they venture to carry the load of their sins with them to the grave when they come to lie on their death-beds and never be troubled for their sinnes never be troubled for their goods unjustly gotten were it possible that men could live thus and die in this sottish and senslesse condition did they indeed and in truth believe there were a resurrection Secondly because I have met with perverse people in the Citie who doe with boldnesse oppose the truth of the Doctrine of the resurrection Truly we need not goe to Jerusalem we need not travel to the holy Land to find out a generation of Sadduces the Lord knowes my heart hath bled within me when I have considered the multitude of Sadduces that are here in London Sadduces of all sorts Episcopall Sadduces Presbyterian Sadduces separated Sadduces dipt Sadduces seeking Sadduces yet all agree in this notion that it is a meere fancy of man a notion of some idle braine that there shall be a resurrection of bodies at the great day of the Lord Jesus I believe that the truth of this is so generally knowne that there is not one thinks that I speak an untruth in this place at this present For impiety hath gotten such a brazen face that it comes forth in the light and though men have professed Christ and Religion and the Doctrine of the resurrection so long yet how many are there now that denie that ever Christ came in the flesh or that there shall be a resurrection of bodies at the great day Therefore I thought I was bound in Conscience if I would deale uprightly in imploying that small talent God hath given me to manifest my dislike of these men and to witnesse against them in the behalfe of the Lord Jesus Thirdly considering the subtle practises and indefatigable labours of these people who under a vizard of Religion deceive poore weake Christians for their sakes and for the satisfying of the weak I did resolve with my selfe to speake something concerning the Doctrine of the resurrection And seeing God hath pressed me to the handling of this point knowing it may be for the good of diverse poore weak Christians I hope it will not be displeasing to any who are truly spirituall and know the Lord Jesus Christ in a true and spirituall way and waite upon him for the resurrection of their bodies I shall therefore without any further Preface addresse my selfe to the words of the Text. Thy dead men shall live Where we are to take notice that though in this place here is nothing spoken concerning the resurrection of wicked men but onely of the dead men of the Lord Jesus yet in other places it is sufficiently held forth Those that dye in the faith are in a speciall manner called the dead men of God and of Christ Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord and these are called in this respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 20.36 the sons of the Resurrection for these are they only who are heirs of glory and the resurrection It were better for others that there never were any resurrection it were better for them that the mountaines might cover them and that they might sleep in verlasting oblivion then to be brought forth before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys the dreadfull Tribunall of the Lord Jesus Christ to give account for all their thoughts words and actions yet you shall see other places clearly holding forth the resurrection of the ungodly and wicked as well as of the Saints though here the Prophet speaks onely of the resurrection of those that die in the Lord Jesus I will give you but one place and that is in Joh. 5.28 29. It is the speech of our Saviour Marvell not at this saith he for the houre is comming in the which all that are in the graves shall heare my voyce and shall come forth those that have done good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the resurrection of damnation Jo. 5.29 So that there is a twofold resurrection of life and of damnation though the Prophet speak onely of the former in this place Secondly Thy dead men shall live that is all those Saints who die and whose bodies are laid in the dust all those shall rise God hath not appointed that all the Saints shall die this the Apostle shewes We shall not all die but we shall all be changed 2 Cor. 15.51 And speaking of those that shall live when the
place then left for Evangelicall griefe for any sinne that we have committed And as sin shall not then bring any sorrow upon us so neither shall the Devill who is the troubler of the Israel of God be able to afflict us Here he is permitted to afflict us as he did Job for the tryall of our Faith and patience and though for the present when we looke on Christ in his person we see that wee are conquerours over the Devill in him yet we meet with the Devill his fierie temptations darts and arrowes which he shooteth into our spirits so that he oft-times causeth us to walke something sadly occasioning troubles which Jerome calleth tempestates mentis the tempests of the mind As Paul tells us that he was buffeted by the messenger of Satan But then this wicked Fiend shall be so chained up that he shall never be let loose upon us again Then he shall be so under our feet that hee shall never have any liberty given him to tempt us any more The accuser of the Brethren is cast out of heaven Revelation 12.10 His accusations and complaints against them cannot be heard by the eare of God to prejudice their Justification but he doth persecute the woman upon the earth Rev. 12.13 He afflicts the Church and brings much trouble oft-times to the Saints but at the generall resurrection we shall be freed wholly from the Devill from all temptations from all troubles all enemies that can be thought upon so that then things shall be fully accomplished and compleated for our good The Apostle though he telleth us that Christ for the present hath abolished death and sinne to us 2 Tim. 1.10 and destroyed him who hath the power of death who is the Devill Heb. 2.14 yet he informeth us that the promises of God made to us in Christ are not fully accomplished compleated and perfected till the resurrection as wee may see by that place 1 Cor. 15.54 then shall be fulfilled that saying speaking of the resurrection day Death is swallowed up in victory then it shall be said O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then shall it be that is it shall be in the full accomplishment wee have now what is there promised in the promise of God by Faith then wee shall have what is in the promise in the actuall fruition of the thing promised So that in this respect there will be great joy because then every Saint shall ride in a Chariot of triumph as a Conquerour of all enemies in his own person And as Christ in his owne body and Spirit did ride to Heaven and triumph over the power of Hell Death sinne curse and condemnation and as the life that we live for the present is by beholding this victory of the Lord Jesus Christ with the eye of Faith so at the generall resurrection all the Saints shall imitate the Lord Jesus Christ and in their owne persons shall ride as Conquerours triumphing over all enemies and shall live the life of vision seeing the same thing done in their owne persons which now by Faith they see done for them in the person of Jesus So that all cause and occasion of trouble and sorrow being taken away there must needs be great joy at the resurrection of those who are raised by the Lord. In the next place as the occasions and causes of all sorrow shall be taken away so likewise all things all objects that may move spirituall joy shall be presented to the Saints to raise their spirits to a spirituall joy who shall be raised and made happy with the Lord Jesus whatsoever it be that can be thought upon that can make any one happy that the Saints shal enjoy they shal enjoy God in a full measure and the Lord Jesus Sweet streames of joy will flow into their spirits because God will make himselfe the Author and worker of their joy Sing O daughter of Sion saith the Prophet Zeph. 3.14 Be glad and rejoyce O daughter of Jerusalem But why must Zion sing and shout behold the reason in the 15. verse The Lord is in the midst of thee and in the 17. ver He will rejoyce over thee with singing There is the chiefe ground of their joy laid downe So the 12. of Neh. 43. it is said the people rejoyced for God made them rejoyce with great joy So at the resurrection God shall make them to rejoyce they shall be alway then at the Fountaine at the Well-head In thy presence is fulnesse of joy at thy right hand saith the Psalmist Psal 17.11 there are pleasures for evermore All the Saints shall then bee in the presence and at the right hand of God where there shall be pleasures for evermore they all shall be in the glory of the Lord Jesus God shall emptie himselfe and the rivers and streames of joy which are in himself into their hearts and spirits so that they shall be swallowed up into those streames and rivers of joy and pleasure which are in the enjoyment of a God Macarius speaketh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ebriety of the Spirit They then shall be inebriated with the fulnesse of a spirituall joy If there be such rejoycing here in the spirit of a Saint when he hath a light from God to see something of God in the face of Christ what spirituall joy shall there be when our joy shall be at the full If there be such joy in the ebbing of the Spirit here what joy will there be when we shall enjoy the high-tyde of the Spirit in the vision of Gods grace and glory hereafter when wee shall eat of the tree of life when wee shall drinke our fill of those rivers of pleasures which runne in the Paradise of God And if there be so much sweetnesse in spirituall joy here what tongue can expresse or heart conceive what there shall be in that joy that shall be hereafter Great glorious and high are the expressions by which Saints doe set forth the joyes that they feele here but no Saint can tell what the joyes shall be hereafter at the resurrection Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within mee thy comforts delight my soule the delight is such here that David had rather have the light of Gods countenance in a Spirit of joy upon him then to enjoy all the glory and great things in the world Thou hast put greater joy into my heart then when the corne and wine of wicked men is increased Psal 4. and in Psal 84. One day in thy house is worth a thousand If there be such joy in the presence of God here in the beholding of his grace in the kisses of his mouth in the imbraces of his Sonne when he doth now sprinkle us with his grace O what joy shall there be when God shall poure out the Spirit of grace and sweetnesse into our soules when he shall open all the treasures of his Spirit and love when
outwardly but by faith doth inwardly feed upon the bread of life Wee are not justified by works of the Law done before or after justification nor by yeelding obedience to any command concerning outward Ordinances but by our submitting in our Judgements to the truth of Gods Grace in Jesus Christ for justification without these I would not here be mistaken as though I did speake against any Saints or any who are spirituall and faithfull in the observation of any externall Ordinances But against zealous Formalists who doe make Saintship and fellowship to depend upon these things and are not spiritually acquainted with the truth of Gods Grace but are perverters of the Gospel In the next place here lyeth Consolation for all that heare me this day in that which I have delivered if God shall give unto them beleeving hearts Hast thou never done any good worke hast thou hated the wayes of God and his people hast thou never looked after the discipline government and ordinances of Christ Yet here is a ground for thee to come in unto Christ we are justified by grace through believing not through working Therefore let it be supposed that thou art without works yet thou hast good ground to take comfore in that which hath bin delivered believe and thou art in a happy condition though thou hast never done a good worke Thou art not to come to Jesus Christ as a righteous man But thou are to come unto him that thou maist be made a righteous man If thou seest thy selfe a vile sinner cast thy selfe into the armes of the grace of the Father by Jesus Christ and thou shalt be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. Promises of Grace are left by God upon record in the Scripture of truth for sinners for ignorant sinners Isa 29.24 They that erred in Spirit shall come to understanding For sinners that murmure against him his wayes truths Prophets as it followeth in the same verse They that murmured shall learne Doctrine For backsliding sinners Hosea 14.4 I will heale their back slidings I will love them freely Him that cometh unto him he will in nowise cast out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are two Negatives in the Greeke which doe strengthen the Negation Iohn 6.37 By which speech our Saviour doth assure poore sinfull creatures that if in truth they come unto him they shall not be rejected by him or ejected from the armes of his love and mercy Christ's invitation is to all sinners All that will may lay hold of him not only the righteous but the unrighteous If thou canst not love God thou maist looke on the Grace of God and take comfort that God loves thee Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners the cheifest and vilest of sinners to repentance Therefore come as a sinner as the cheifest of sinners come I say and welcome The Lord Jesus keeps open-house for all commers the blinde the lame shall not finde the doores shut upon them They shall be well-come as sinners that cannot be entertained as Saints It is reported of Romes first Founder that wanting Subjects he sent forth some to make known his will to all people who lived about him that if any malefactors or such who were oppressed in the places where they lived did come in unto him they should live peaceably in his Kingdome and he would protect them against any that should pursue them and by this meanes he became suddenly the King of a numerous people So Christ doth send forth his Proclamations to assure sinners and vile malefactors that if they will come under his Scepter they shall live peaceably under his Government and that hee will safe-guard them from all their enemies which shall pursue them and by this meanes his dominions are enlarged from Sea to Sea and sinners doe rejoyce in the King of Sion This doctrine if it were received would answer all the objections which are raised in the hearts of men against their happinesse by Jesus Christ Is there any sad comfortlesse soule which would not be comforted if this truth were received What canst thou object against thy selfe to bereave thy selfe of peace which would not be removed if this were throughly believed Art thou a sinner Christ offereth himselfe to sinners Art thou an old sinner An old sinner is but a sinner Hast thou bin a Pharisee like Paul persecuting Christ and the doctrine of Grace A persecuting Pharisee is but a finner And Paul was received to mercy that such might not be without hope of mercy 1 Tim. 1.16 Art thou an Hypocrite An Hypocrite may come as a sinner to Christ Bring what objection thou canst and a perswasion concerning the truth of Gods grace shall answer it and if thou doest believe thou hast as good an assurance as any is in Heaven which will hold good when the hope of the Hypocrite will come to nothing Let no objection keepe thee from comfort but believe what thou hast heard if thou art a sinner conclude not that Christ belongs not to thee because thou art a sinner but say I am a sinner therfore Christ belongs to me Christ came to save sinners As the bright beames of the Sun dispell all mists and clouds so the truth of this doctrine if thou understand it in the light of the Spirit will dispell all thy doubts and objections of unbeliefe They will vanish and thou that camest hether under a spirit of bondage shalt goe away with a spirit of adoption and assurance The true Gospel believed will quickly bring true comfort to thy soule If any of you want comfort and assurance it is because you believe not Christ doth knock at the doore of our hearts and if by believing the doore be opened He will feast with us It is unbeliefe which doth bolt the doore doth keepe him out and doth keepe joy from us The gates of Heaven are shut upon workers and open to believers shut to those who come with money in their hands but open to those who are content to enter without paying any thing for their entrance The gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. ult Whosoever will may drinke of the waters of life freely Rev. 22.21 But if wee will not drinke without money wee shall not drinke one drop of the water of life We see that at a play-house they will not open the doore and let people in without they give mony But it were a disgrace for a King if none should see his Pallace but such who would give money If wee thinke to enter into heaven by doing good workes that wee may be saved by what we doe wee make heaven like a play-house but if wee looke on heaven as the Pallace of the great King of heaven and earth let us know that wee may enter without money It were a disgrace to the King of heaven if he should suffer none to come within his doores to come into his Pallace but those
debt By this consideration in the first place it will be evident to every man who hath any spirituall knowledge of the purity and justice of the Law that it is impossible for sinfull man to finde out any way but the good old way of Grace to happinesse and salvation Secondly wee are justified by grace that God may have the glory of his grace Man fell by pride therefore God will not estate him in happinesse but by humbling him by bringing him upon his knees to the Throne of Grace that he may have the glory of his grace Naturally we are full of pride and would rise by that by which wee fell wee would be made happy by workes as wee are made unhappy by workes Every man that sees himselfe sees how that the whole streame of corrupt nature runs this way man will be doing working and acting that he may be justified But God will not suffer sinfull man to glory before him in his owne workes least he should loose the glory of grace Rom. 4.2 and therefore there is no salvation for us untill wee lie downe at the doore of grace If God enter into judgement no man living shall be justified in his sight Psal 143.2 God doth stop up all other waies to salvation but the way of grace that he may have the glory of his grace in justifiing the objects and vessells of his grace God doth not so much intend mans salvation by grace as his owne glory and praise He formeth his people for himselfe that they may be happy in himselfe and with himselfe and they may shew forth his praise Psal 43.21 It is the minde and pleasure of God that every man should glory in himselfe therefore he justifies and saves us onely by that Grace which is in himselfe In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory And the Apostle when he had dicoursed of the grace of God in our election predestination and adoption doth sweetly acknowledge that grace doth streame forth unto us in all these particulars that it may be to the praise of the glory of his grace Ephes 1.5 6. He maketh us objects of grace that he may receive from us and wee be enabled to give unto him the glory of his grace All the Saints are brought forth standing before the Throne and singing forth this truth Rev. 7.10 Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lambe They ascribe salvation not to their owne workes merits deservings or worthynesse but to the grace of God and blood of the Lambe As earthly and grose bodies cannot mount up to Heaven which is a place of puritie and perfection but they fall downe by their owne weight to the earth unable to ascend thether So our works fall downe to the ground as unable to ascend up to the place of Gods purity and glory to justifie us in his sight that salvation may be attributed onely to his owne grace And he will not justifie us in the court of our owne consciences wee shall not read our names written in heaven till hee bring us from our owne workes righteousnesse performances and endeavours to rest upon the strong arme of his grace that we may give him the glory of his grace in our free justification and salvation Thirdly God saves us by Grace because if it were not by grace it had beene needlesse that the Lord Iesus Christ should have beene given to us If it had been possible for man to have wrought out his owne salvation by his own workes there had been no need that the Son of God should have disroabed himselfe of his glory and been made man like us Why should he have lived a life of sorrow and died a death of shame had it been possible for us to have gotten salvation by our own works Therefore the Apostle concludes that if righteousnesse had been by the Law then Christ had dyed in vaine And thus have I opened to you and shewed you the reasons why wee are saved by grace In aword now to make a little use of it and so I shall conclude for the present In the first place that which I have delivered concerning the eternall grace of God sufficiently confutes that error which is in the spirits of many men who thinke that workes and actings of the creature is the cause of Gods love to the creature God doth not love us because wee love him but we love God because he first loved us from eternity God doth not begin to love us when wee are made new creatures but God loveth us that we may be new creatures Faith is not the Antecedent cause but consequent of election Tit. 3.5 Not by workes of righteousnesse which wee have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Spirit By this passage it is evident that mercy doth precede regeneration and is the cause of spirituall renovation Vocation and justification by faith doe follow predestination if Paul speake the truth Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justfied them he also glorified God loved us when wee had no beings in our selves or among any creatures to assure us that he did not love us for any thing in us there being nothing at all in us when God first loved us The love of God is not like the love of man man loves something which he sees lovely but God sees nothing in the object which he loves but all the motives and arguments lie in the bosome and breast of God which move him to love his creature Man cannot love before he have some lovely object proposed to him but God loves before we have either being or holinesse Wee beleive in God love him and are made lovely before him in time because he loved us before all time The man spiritually wise doth see his happynesse wrapt up in the eternall bowells of Grace and laid up in the everlasting bosome of unchangeable love for him Fond therefore is there conceit shallow there apprehension and understandings dull who beleeve that any thing done or beleeved by the creature in time can be the primary cause of the creatures salvation to whom grace was given for salvation from eternity 2 Tim. 1.2 c. This doctrine of free grace doth overthrow and annihilate the wisdome of the wise the learning of the learned the righteousnesse of him who is most righteous and a stranger to grace The naturall man with his best sight seeth not a righteousnesse beyond the righteousnesse of his own righteousnesse As the wisdome of the spirit is foolishnesse to the naturall man so the wisdome of the flesh is foolishnesse with God Though there be a spirit in a man by which he may have great knowledge and understanding in the things of nature and reason yet it is the spirit of the Almighty which giveth understanding Job 32.8 Untill
the same assistance of Gods grace draw some usefull conclusions from the premises and so put a period to my discourse for the present First this doth discover unto us the usefulnesse and excellency of the unfained faith of the elect As Noah was preserved from the destruction which came upon the old world by going for his safety into the Arke so by the foot of faith wee walke into our Arke Christ Jesus for the Salvation of our soules The world of sin is a dismall wildernesse full of fierie Serpents by faith we eye Jesus Christ as our brasen Serpent and set footing in the heavenly Canaan of gods grace while the sinfull Sodome of the world is destroyed with the raine of fire and brimstone by faith like Righteous Lot wee escape out of it when with Peter wee are readie to sinke and perish in the Sea of sinne by Faith we touch the saving arme of the Lord Jesus and are preserved when wee drinke the deadly poyson of finne by faith we take in Jesus Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or antidote and the deadly poyson doth not hurt us but we are miraculously preserved Faith beholdeth Christ crucified before us Gal. 3.2 and evidently set forth who hath nailed the Law of workes our sinne and death to his owne crosse and wee who deserved damnation are saved through grace Christ is the man who is an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest Isa 32.2 sin is a noxious and a destroying wind as wind in the cavernes of the earth is a cause of an Earth-quake so finne is the cause of destroying Earthquakes in the earthly hearts of men but Christ is our hiding place in which through beleeving wee are safe The Devills infernall windes and blastes destroy many a soule with which he filleth it with hellish errours and impieties to its destruction Acts 5.3 Christ filleth his people by breathing upon them in the Spirit of grace for their salvation but Christ is a shelter from the infernall blastes of Satan And while carnall and unbeleeving men are as a ship under sayle and the Devill unto them is as a powerfull winde violently blowing them to destruction Acts 26.18 Christ by enabling his people to beleeve doth blow them with the pleasant gales of his sweet spirit to the havens of peace and safetie Though there are infectious and destroying windes upon earth yet there are none in Heaven so though the men of the earth are infected with the winds of sinne and Satan to their ruine yet they who live in the Heaven of Gods grace by faith Jesus Christ is a defence unto them When darknesse and tempests are in the Spirits of men from the Law which they have broken Christ who rebuked the tempests of the Sea Mat. 8.2 doth rebuke tempestates mentis Hier the tempests of our troubled minds and consciences and by beleeving there is a great calme in the soule Sinne in the soule is like Jonah in the ship which bringeth a tempest with it but Christ through faith doth cast this Tempest-raiser into the sea of his Fathers grace and the soule is quieted and filled with joy and peace in beleeving The Philosopher saith that Logick to a rationall and learned man is the instrument of instruments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which he shall make little proficiencie in other Arts and Sciences So faith is the Organ or instrument to the spirituall man by which hee is made partaker of the wisdome and spirit of the Lord in which he is to doe all things and without which he can doe nothing Secondly this discovers the reason why the Devill and his agents doe so much oppose the Doctrine of faith and the preaching of it He is an enemie to mans salvation and therefore he is an enemy to the Doctrine of faith through which wee are saved The Devill doth what hee pleaseth to those who are without faith as being unable to resist him Unbeleeving men are like the Israelites without a shield or Speare to defend themselves Jude 5.7 And the Devill doth lead them captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as wild beasts are mastered and ruled by those who have taken them in a snare or net so the word fignifieth but when wee beleeve to Salvation we are furnished with power to oppose him who seeketh our damnation when we beleeve we are armed against his encounters and fitted against his opposition Faith is the soules defensive Shield by wich all his fierie darts are quenched Eph. 6.16 and therefore it is that he doth alwayes raise opposition persecution and reproaches against the Doctrine and prosessors of Faith Thirdly seeing salvation is by faith examine thy selfe concerning thy salvation by trying thy faith Men that are not in the faith who have not Christ in them are not approved Christians 2 Cor. 13.5 Know yee not your owne selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except yee bee reprobates The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except yee be unapproved It is possible that a man may be in a state of unbeliefe and yet no reprobate But he that cannot prove that he hath faith cannot prove himselfe to be a Christian or in a state of Salvation Querie it in thy soule whether thou hast such a faith as we have spoken of Yee have heard that wee are saved through faith which is a supernaturall gift of the Spirit by which those things which the naturall man cannot apprehend concerning salvation are made plaine to the soule Supernaturall things cannot be knowne but by something which is supernaturall As the things of nature are knowne by the light of nature things of reason by the light of reason So the things of eternall life and salvation by the supernaturall gift of faith which is the evidence of the supernaturall things of the Gospel which are invisible Heb 11.1 Abraham beleeved against hope Rom. 4.18 So a spirituall man beleeveth the things of Glory and eternall life which the short line of naturall reason cannot reach or fathome and which naturally he cannot hope for or expect Is thy faith who dost Professe thy selse a child of Abraham such a faith as Abrahams faith was who is the Father of the faithfull Secondly true beleevers see their salvation by faith alone Though a man have many seeds together in his hand yet hee may know the various and diverse natures of those severall seeds So though a justified man have many precious seeds of the Holy Spirit in his heart yet he knoweth the severall natures of them all Though he hath love to God in his heart as well as faith in God yet hee knoweth the nature of Faith which alone is avaylable to Justification Trie whether thou hast been enabled to flie to the strong Tower of Gods grace for safety against Hell sinne and Devills by the silver wings of Faith without the helpe of workes for Justification Thirdly a beleever seeth justification cannot be by grace
what it is to have the Spirit in him and himselfe in the Spirit God in him and himselfe in God Christ in him and himselfe in Christ Quer. But by what meanes is a man born of God may some one say seeing it concerneth us to know that we are born of God and it is so easie to be mistaken It is not by the law by that thou maist have a knowledge of sin Rom. 7. but canst never receive a new life The law bringeth forth servants not sons Ishmaelites not true Israelites Gal. 4. Secondly Those who are borne of God are children of the Gospell not by the workes of the law but by the hearing of faith wee are made new creatures In this Ministery God by his Spirit through faith in his Sonne maketh new creatures Nothing in nature can beethe cause of it selfe so nothing in the new creation can be the cause of it selfe There must be a Father before there can be a Sonne God therefore through faith in his Sonne is the cause of this new creation In this Ministery God doth not speak only by letters and syllables but by his eternall Word and Spirit Our soules are purified in the obedience of the truth of the Gospel unto unfeigned love of the Brethren 1 Pet. 1.22 23. And are borne againe not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever In this Ministry of life and salvation we have an eye to see the olde man crucified in the suffering of Christ Rom. 6.6 That benceforth we should not serve sin In this Ministery wee see Christ as that new man which maketh all things new 2 Corin. 5. The olde Adam stood as a publique person to bring shame sinne and sorrow upon his posterity so Christ the second Adam publique person and new man by whom we are renewed doth bring holy boldnesse righteousnesse and joy Adam communicated his sinfull nature to us so Christ doth communicate his divine nature unto us with those fruits and effects of the spirit which are contrary to the nature of the old man Uniting us unto himselfe and becomming a principle of life to us and in us And as one saith of generation that it doth not consist in the production of a new form but in the union of the form to the matter Generatio non consistit in prodactione sed unitione formae cum materia So spiritual regeneration is not by the production of a new forme but by the union of the forme to the matter By uniting Christ who is as the forme to man who is the matter of the new creature And as wee say that the generation of one thing is the corruption or destruction of another thing so in spirituall regeneration the old man is destroyed Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts O how is the man placed in the uppermost roome of honour and highest seat of happinesse who is spiritually acquainted with this truth Hee overcommeth the world by believing that Jesus is the Sonne of God 1 John 5.1 He admireth the inexpressible love of God by which bee is become the Sonne of God 1 John 3.1 He is borne to possesse the unsearcheable riches of Gods grace He is born to inherit large possessions a golrious inheritance being joynt heir with Christ Ro. 8.17 Hee is bigher by his birth then the Sons of Kings and Emperours Christ he are of one therfore he is not ashamed to cal him Brother Heb. 2.11 And now hee begins to resolve to live like himselfe to live answerable to his condition of glory and honour unto which God of his grace hath brought him He wil live as one who hath hopes full of immortality He wil put on Christ in his conversation as he hath put him on in his free justification A King will not stoope to the earth to take up farthings as a beggar will nor meddle with such mean businesses and employments in which men of meane condition doe exercise themselves So hee will not stoop in spirit to the love of the things of the world which are but as a farthing to the things of glory and eternity Hee will not follow worldly businesse as though hee had no other employment His conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3. He is one of the Chosen generation and royall Priesthood boly Nation and peculiar People and therefore is resolved to shew forth the praises of him who hath called him out of darknesse into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 from impurity to holinesse from a disgracefull and reproachfull condition to honour and favour from vassalage to a kingdome from feare of death to assurance of eternall life from hell to heaven from horror of conscience to joy in believing from a dunghill to a Throne from everlasting wrath to never-ending glory and immortality I might speak more fully of this concerning which no man can speak sufficiently But my intention was not to speak of this but rather of that which is principally intended in the words to shew you the sinlesse condition of the man which is borne of God And therefore give me leave to leave this point that I may briefly open the words which follow in the Text that so I may draw the marrow and substance of them into a short conclusion the illustration confirmation and amplification of which by the grace of God shall be the subject of my ensuing discourse I doe finde that the godly-learned doe not agree in their expositions of these words I shall therefore acquaint you with their severall expositions and shall enlarge my thoughts in the amplifying of that which I doe apprehend in truth to be the meaning of the Apostle in these words First Some say that he cannot commit sin That is Non potest operam dare peccato He cannot make sin his work trade or employment and this is a truth The rode of prophanesse and wilfull sinning hath never been the way in the which the Saints have walked Their path is the path of purity and uprightnesse But this doth not seeme to be the meaning of the Spirit in this place For the Apostle doth not only say that he cannot commit sin but hee cannot sin Secondly Others say that he cannot commit sin as a servant of sin As though our Saviours words were a sufficient exposition of these Joh. 8.34 Whosoever committeth sinne is a servant of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He doth not doe sin as his worke as a servant doth work by the appointment and commandement of his Master I question not the truth of this Sinne shall not have dominion where Christ is Lord and Master in the soule He taketh our soules in unto himselfe by conquest and will not suffer those who commanded us before his conquest to rule over us now he hath subdued them As a conquering King will not suffer conquered Rebels to command his Subjects But the Apostle doth not seeme to