there is an unchangeable agreement between the will of the Creator and the creature so according to the same measure and degree wherein we conform our wills to Gods we proportionably enjoy the holinesse and blessednesse of that state THE TRINITY Proved by Scripture 1 JOHN 5.7 For there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one IN the fifth verse of this Chapter the Apostle had laid this down as an Article of faith that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God Who is he that ovcrcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Sonne of God 1 John 5.5 Now for the proof of so glorious a truth the Apostle produces six witnesses and ranks them into two orders some bear record in heaven and some bear witnesse on earth some bear witnesse on earth as ver 8. Ver. 8. of this Chapter There are three that bear witnesse on earth the Spirit and the water and the blood and these three agree in one and some bear record in heaven in the words of my Text There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one In the words you may take notice of these particulars 1. The number of the heavenly witnesses or the number of those witnesses that bear record in heaven viz. three 2. Their dignity or excellency they are in heaven 3. Their act they bear record 4. The names of the witnesses the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost 5. Their unity and these three are one I would observe from the context Observ That it is not an easie matter to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God Whence is it else that the Apostle so often urges this point in this Epistle whence is it else that whereas it is sufficient for any truth to be confirmed by the mouth of two or three witnesses here are no lesse than six witnesses produced to prove that the Lord Jesus is the Sonne of God three heavenly and three earthly and indeed who can declare the great mystery of the eternal generation of the Son of God I will give five wonders in five words 1. God the Father communicates the whole divine essence unto the Sonne and yet hath the whole divine essence in himself If God communicates his essence it must be his whole essence for that which is infinite cannot admit of any division partition or diminution yet methinks we have a faint resemblance of this here below 'T is not with things of a spiritual nature as with things of a corporeal spiritual things may be communicated without being lessened or divided viz. when I make a man know that which I know my knowledge is still the same and nothing diminished and upon his account whether that Argument against the traduction of the soul that if the soul of the Father be traduced the Father is left soul-lesse be cogent I leave to the judgment of the learned 'T is to be granted that to communicate the notion is one thing and the faculty is another but both are things of a spiritual nature 2. God the Father and God the Sonne are one essence and yet though the Father begets the Sonne the Sonne doth not beget himself The Father and the Sonne are one God yet the Lord Jesus is the Sonne of God under that notion as God is a Father and not the Sonne of God under the notion as God is a Sonne and so not the Sonne of himself 3. God the Father begetteth God the Sonne and yet the Father is not elder than the Sonne nor the Sonne younger than the Father he that begetteth is not in time before him that is begotten if God was a Father from everlasting then Christ was a Sonne from everlasting for relata sunt simul natura an eternal Father must have an eternal Sonne 4. The Father begets the Sonne yet the Sonne is not inferiour to the Father nor the Father superiour to the Sonne The Lord Jesus Christ being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God it was his right and therefore it was no robbery as he is coeternal so he is coequal with the Father 5. The Father begets the Sonne yet the Sonne hath the same numerical nature with the Father and the Father the same numerical nature with the Sonne an earthly sonne hath the same specifical nature with his Father but then though it be the same in regard of kinde yet it differs in regard of number but God the Father and God the Sonne have the same individual numerical nature Use Let me entreat you that you would attend unto the record and testimony that is given by those witnesses and for your encouragement consider the difference between these heavenly witnesses in the Text and earthly wi nesses and so I shall proceed to that which I mainly intend 1. On earth there may be some single or one witnesse but here are no lesse than three 2. Earthly witnesses are such as are lyable to exception but these are in heaven beyond all exception 3. As for earthly witnesses it may come to passe that their names may not be known these here are named the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost 4. Earthly witnesses when they are produced either may be silent or it may be bear false witnesse but these bear record and their record is true 5. Earthly witnesses may not agree in their witnesse as the witnesses brought against Christ but there is a sweet consent and agreement amongst these witnesses for these three are one 6. Whereas Earthly witnesses although they may be one in regard of consent yet they are not one in regard of essence every man hath one particular individual essence of his own but these are one in regard of essence Now pray mark this for if it be so then the Father is God the Son God and the Holy Ghost God And therefore the Socinian who denies the Deity of the Word and of the Holy Ghost will perswade you to believe that these words are to be expounded thus these three are one that is sayes he these three agree in one but that this is not the meaning of the phrase appears by the variation of it in the next verse the words are Ver. 8. There are three that bear witnesse on earth the Spirit the water and the blood and these three agree in one Now if both phrases note unity in consent here is an occasion of offence and falling administred by the variation of them in these two verses why is it not said the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost agree in one as well as the Spirit water and blood And suppose we should grant that the onenesse spoken of in the Text is to be expounded of consent in will and agreement yet it would prove the Godhead both of the Father and Spirit for in free Agents
giving of the Law on Mount Sinai and yet there he speaks in the singular number Exod. 20.2 Exod. 20.2 I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage 3. 'T is likely the Princes did at first speak in the plural number not to note their power and greatnesse but their modesty and warinesse that it was not their design to rule according to will but according to counsel that they were willing to advise with others and to be guided by others The wisest Kings on earth will have their counsel and it is no more than needs plus vident oculi quam oculus many eyes see more than one eye Eph. 1.11 but Gods Counsel is his Will Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own Will Nor indeed is it safe or fit for any to govern arbitrarily or purely by will but he whose Will is his counsel it is so far from needing a rule that it is the only Rule Isa 63.7 8 9 10. 2. As a plurality of persons so a Trinity of persons may be proved out of the old Testament I shall mention and only mention for brievity sake one place in the Prophecy of Isaiah in the seventh verse you have mention made of Jehovah or the Lord in the ninth verse of Jesus Christ called the Angel of his presence in the tenth verse of the holy Spirit but they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit 2. You have this doctrine more clearly delivered in the new Testament as will appear by several instances Mat. 3.16 17. 1. At the Baptisme of Christ the Trinity of persons were clearly discovered you may read the history And Jesus when he was baptized went up strait way out of the water and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him and lo a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Consider here 1. We have three names given severally and particularly to three persons 1. He who spake with a voice from heaven was the Father 2. He who was Baptized in Jordan is called the Son 3. He who descended in the shape of a Dove is called the Spirit of God 2. There were three outward signes or symboles by which those three persons did manifest themselves 1. The Father by an audible voice the Word in heaven is borne witnesse to by a word from heaven 2. The Son in the humane nature 3. The holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove 3. They are described by three distinct actions 1. The one cries by a voice from heaven This is my well-beloved Sonne heare him this could not be the voice of the Sonne for then he would be Sonne to himself nor can this be attributed unto the Spirit for then Jesus would have been the son of the Spirit 2. The second after his Baptisme prayes Luke 3.21 It came to pass that Jesus being baptized and praying the heaven was opened 3. The third descended in the shape of a dove and rested upon Jesus Christ Now to close this particular why might it not be said that the Father was baptized in Jordan as well as the Sonne or that the Father descended in the shape of a dove as well as the Spirit or that the Sonne did all this speak with a voice from heaven and was baptized in Jordan and descended in the shape of a dove if this were not a truth that there are three persons in the divine essence hence the primitive Christians used to say unto any one that doubted of the Trinity abi ad Jordanem videbis go to Jordan and you will see a Trinity 2. This doctrine may be proved from the institution of the Ordinance of Baptisme Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne Mat. 28.19 and of the Holy Ghost and indeed no wonder if God discovered himself to be three persons and one God at Christs Baptisme when the name of the blessed Trinity is as it were in faire and legible Characters writ upon the forehead of the Ordinance of Baptisme its self Baptisme its self is as it were baptized in the Name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost now these I call the words of institution for although you have not here the first institution of Baptisme John the Baptist who was called so from this very Ordinance administring this Sacrament and the Disciples questionlesse from the Command of Christ himself the Evangelist John tells us that Jesus himself baptized not Joh. 4.2 but his Disciples yet here you have a solemn command for baptisme and the forme of the administration thereof unto all generations And here consider 1. Christ commands them to baptize not in the names but in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost if you consider them personally so they have three names Father Son and holy Ghost if essentially then but one name unum nomen una deitas one God one deity and I observe farther that which way soever we expound this phrase in the name either calling upon the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost as some or in the name by the authority or at the appointment of God the Father Son and holy Ghost as others or in the name viz. for the service honour and glory of God the Father Son and holy Ghost as a third sort you must either make these to be three Gods or else three persons in the Godhead for who is the object of our prayers but God who hath authority to appoint Ordinances for his Church but God whom are we to serve and worship but God alone Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God Mat. 4.10 and him only shalt thou serve 2. They were to baptize not in the name of the Father by the Son or by the Spirit but in the name of the Father Sonne and Spirit which notes the equality of the three persons 3. Father Son and holy Ghost are so joyned together that we are no lesse baptized in the name of the Sonne and of the Spirit than of the Father and therefore their deity is the same their power and authority the same 4. An Article is thrice prefixed and added to every one baptizate in nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Father that Son that holy Ghost that Father whose voice you have heard from heaven that Sonne whom as yet you see in the humane nature that holy Ghost whom you have seen descending upon me in the shape of a Dove Surely the repetition of this Article doth not want its singular Emphasis that Father that Sonne and that holy Ghost 3. This doctrine may yet further be cleared from that saying of our Saviour John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter hence is plainly proved the personality of the Holy Ghost he is
in this nature only Heb. 4.14 15 16. 2. His Names Christ Jesus this was his proper Name Jesus Christ his appellative Name Jesus that denotes the work and businesse for which he came into the world as appeares from the reason which the Angel that came from heaven as an Herauld to proclaim his incarnatâ—on gives of the imposition of this Name Thou shalt call his Name Jâ—sus fâ—r he shall save his people from their sins This Name though it be given to others in Scripture yet to him eminently to them as types of that compleat Saviour who should come after them and save his people from their sinnes Christ that denotes the several Offices in the exercise whereof he executes this work of salvation Christ in the Greek being the same with Messiah in the Hebrew i. e. anointed Under the Law the solemne ordination or setting apart both of things and persons to special services was by anointing thus we read of three sorts of persons anointed Kings Priests Prophets and in respect of all these Offices Jesus is called Christ From the words thus briefly explained arise these two Observations 1. That there is now no other way of friendly communion between God and man but through a Mediator 2. That there is no other Mediator between God and man but Jesus Christ Doctr. 1. That there is now no other way of friendly communion between God and man but through a Mediator and indeed considering what God is and withal what man is how vastly disproportionable how unspeakably unsuitable our very natures are to his how is it possible there should be any sweet communion betwixt them who are not only so infinitely distant but so extreamly contrary God is holy but we are sinful Isa 6.3 with Gen. 3.5 1 Joh. 1.5 with Eph. 5 8. Rom. 7 1â— in him is nothing but light in us nothing but darknesse in him nothing that 's evil in us nothing that 's good he is all beauty we nothing but deformity he is justice and we guiâ—tinesse he a consuming fire and we but dried stubble in a word he an infiniâ—ely and incomprehensibly glorious Majesty and we poor sinful dust and ashes who have sunk and debased our selves by sin below the meanest rank of creatures and made our selves the burthen of the whole Creation and can there be any communion any friendship between such Can too walk together Amos 3.3 except they be agreed And what agreement can there ever be but through a Mediator If ever God be reconciled to us it must be through a Mediator because of that indispensible necessity of satisfaction Rom. 8.7 and our inability to make it If ever we be reconciled to God it must be through a Mediator because of that radicated enmity that is in our natures to every thing of God and our impotency to it and thus in both respects that God may be willing to be a friend to us and that we may not be unwilling to be friends to him there needs a Mediatour 2 Cor. 5.19 compared with Joh. 14.6 Doctr. 2. That there 's no other Mediator betwen God and man but Jesus Christ And one Mediator i. e. but one Opus est Mediatore ad Mediatorem istum Bernard p. 262 Leo. 1. Papa Roman Epist. 83. ad Palestinos Episcop c. 4. The fondnesse of Papists in their multiplicity of Mediators not only unto God but to our Mediator himself having no other foundation than only their superstition cannot be of moment with them who labour to be wise according to Scripture That those members of the Church who are contemporary here on earth do indeed pray for one another cannot be denied but that they are therefore Mediators of Intercession hath been denied by the more Antient Papists themselves This Title of Mediator is throughout the New Testament appropriated unto Christ Heb. 8.6 Hâ—b 9.15 Heb. 12.24 and indeed there 's none else fit for so high a work as this but only he Resol 1. The singular suitablenesse of his person to this eminent employment To interpose as a Mediator betwixt God and men was an employment above the capacity of men Angels or any creature but Jesus Christ in respect of the dignity of his person was every way suited for this work Which you may take in these four particulars 1. That he was truly God equal with the Father of the same nature and substance not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the like nature but of the same nature as is excellently cleared by that famous Champion for the Deity of Christ against the Arrians Athanasius Col. 2.9 In him dwelleth the fulness of the God-head bodily Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non divinitatis sed deitatis D. Prideaux fasc p. 76. 't is not the fulnesse of the Divinity but of the Deity thereby intimating an identity of essence with God the Father and holy Ghost Though the Divine essence be after a several manner in the several Persons of the blessed Trinity in the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without receiving it from any other in the Son by an eternal generation and in the holy Ghost by proceeding yet 't is the same essence of God that is in all three persons Tylen Syntagm p. 401. Lysord his plain mans senses exercised p. 82. because such is the infinite simplicity of this essence that it cannot be divided or parcelled Thus Christ not to speak any thing concerning the other persons is stiled so the Son of God as one equal with the Father for upon this it is that the Jews ground their charge of blasphemy against him that he said God was his Father making himself equal with God Joh. 5.18 The force of their reason lies in this the natural Son of God is truly God and equal with God as the natural son of man is man equal and of the same substance with his father Angels and men are the Sons of God by Adoption Lyford p. 93. but Christ is the natural Son of God the only Son of God and therefore truly God I and my Father are one Joh. 10.30 he thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.6 For the further confirmation of this take these Arguments 1. He whom Scripture honours with all those Names which aâ—e peculiar unto God must needs be God That Christ hath these Names ascribed to him appeares from these instances He is not only stiled God the Word was God Joh. 1.1 but God with such additional discrimination◠〈◊〉 neither Magistrates who because they are Gods Depuâ—ies and Vicegerents here on earth Psal 82 6. are sometimes called Gods nor aâ—y creature is capable of The great God Tit. 2.13 The true God 1 Joh. 5.20 The mighty God Isa 9.6 Over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 The Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 The Lord from heaven 1 Cor. 15.48 Yea that great Name Jehovah the Lord or Jehovah our
called another Comforter now he who is distinguished from the Father and the Sonne in the manner as to be called another comforter is either distinguished in regard of his essence or in regard of his personal subsistence not in regard of his essence for then he would be another God and therefore he is another in regard of his personal subsistence 4. You have a clear proof for this doctrine in the words of the Text There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one and to that purpose consider 1. You have mention here of three witnesses now three witnesses are three persons 2. The Word and holy Ghost are conjoyned in their Testimony with the Father which is not competible to any creature and lest we should doubt of this it is expresly said even by Saint John himself to be the witnesse of God Verse 9. If we receive the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater for this is the witnesse of God which he hath testified of his Son and concerning Christ it is said that he is the true God ver 20. This is the true God and eternal life let the Socinian shew me where any creature is called the true God Concerning the Spirit also in this Chapter it is said ver 6. that he is truth it self It is the Spirit that beareth Witnesse because the Spirit is Truth 3. If there be three witnesses whereof every one of them is God the one not the other and yet not many Gods but one true God the point is clear there are three distinct persons subsisting in one divine essence or which is all one there are three persons and one God 3. I am to speak something to the distinction of these three persons though they cannot be divided yet they may be they are distinguished many things in nature may be distinguished which cannot be divided for instance the cold and the moisture which is in the water may be distinguished but they cannot be divided Now that those three persons are distinguished appears 1. By what hath been already said the Father is not the Son nor the Son the Father nor the holy Ghost the Father or the Son 2. By the words of the Text here are three heavenly witnesses produced to prove that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God namely the Father the Word and the holy Ghost now one and the same person although he hath a thousand names cannot passe for three witnesses upon any faire or reasonable account whatever you may be sure that God reckons right and he sayes John 8.13 Father Sonne and holy Ghost to be three witnesses there are three that bear record in heaven so in Saint Johns Gospel the Pharisees charge our Saviour that he bare record of himself say they thou bearest record of thy self thy record is not true now mark what Christ replies ver 17 18. It is written in your Law Ver. 17 18. that the Testimony of two men is true I am one that bear witnesse of my self and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me where you have our Saviour citing the Law concerning the validity of a Testimony given by two witnesses and then he reckons his Father for one witnesse and himself for another 4. I shall speak a few words to the order of these divine persons in order of subsistence the Father is before the Son and the Son before the holy Ghost The Father the first person in the Trinity hath foundation of personal subsistence in himself the Sonne the second person the foundation of personal subsistence from the Father the holy Ghost the third person hath foundation of personal subsistence from the Father and the Sonne Now although one person be before the other in regard of order yet they are all equal in regard of time Majesty glory essence this I conceive to be the reason why in the Scripture sometimes you have the Sonne placed before the Father as 2 Cor. 13.14 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen Gal. 1.1 So Gal. 1.1 Paul an Apostle not of men neither by men but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead Sometimes the holy Ghost is placed before the Father as Eph. 2.18 Through him we have an accesse by one Spirit unto the Father Eph. 2.18 Rev. 1.4 5. Sometimes before Jesus Christ Rev. 1.4 5. John to the seven Churches in Asia Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven Spirits which are before the Throne by the seven Spirits there is meant the holy Ghost and from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witnesse c. The consideration of this caused that rule amongst our Divines ab ordine verborum nulla est argumentatio there is no argument to be urged from the order of words Now this shews that although one person be before another in regard of relation and order of subsistence yet all are equal one with another in regard of essence And therefore beware lest you derogate the least jota or tittle of glory or Majesty from any of the three persons As in nature a small matter as to the body may be a great matter as to the beauty of the body cut but the haire from the eye brow how disfigured will all the face look If you take away never so little of that honour and glory which is due to any of the divine Persons you do what in you lies to blot to stain to disfigure the faire and beautiful face of the blessed Trinity 5. I am to enquire whether the mystery of the Trinity may be found out by the light of nature Resol There are two things in the general that I would say in answer to this question 1. That the light of nature without divine Revelation cannot discover it 2. That the light of nature after divine Revelation cannot oppose it 1. That the light of nature without divine Revelation cannot discover it and for that purpose take into your thoughts these following considerations 1. If that which concerns the worship of God cannot be found out by the light of nature much lesse that which concerns Gods nature essence or subsistence but the Antecedent is certainly true For 1. As for the part of the worship and service of God which is instituted and ceremonial it is impossible that it should be found out by the light of nature for instance what man could divine that the Tree of life should be a Sacrament to Adam in Paradise How comes the Church to understand what creatures were clean what were unclean that the Priesthood was setled in the Tribe of Levi and not in the Tribe of Simeon or the Trible of Judah certainly these lessons were not learned by the candle-light of nature 2.
heavens called the Milky-way which are invisible upon the account but now mentioned Sense tells us that the Sunne is of greater magnitude in the morning and evening than at noon here reason again interposes corrects sense tells us it onely apeares so because of the densenesse or thicknesse of the air or medium and that for the same reason if you put a piece of money into a bason of water it will appeare of a larger size than if it were in a bason without water that which I aim at is this that as reason doth thus correct sense à pari faith should correct reason 2. Philosophical Axiomes must be kept within their proper bounds and limited to a finite power for instance Ex nihilo nihil fit that out of nothing proceeds nothing is a truth if it be understood with reference to a finite power So A privatione ad habitum non datur regressus is a truth upon the same termes Sic una numero essentia non potest esse in tribus personis that one and the same numerical essence cannot be in three distinct persons is a truth limited as before I mean with reference to a finite power but all this and ten thousand Arguments more of this nature cannot overthrow this principle that there are three persons and one God for we are not speaking now of that which is finite but of that which is infinite Suppose this Question should be started how the same numerical essence can be in three persons possibly an answer might be returned thus Suppose a father begets a sonne and communicates to him the same numerical soul and body which he hath still himself and both of these should communicate the same soul and body to a third here would be three distinct persons yet the same essence in them all but I know a reply would quickly be made This is impossible answer must be made It is true as to that which is finite but not unto that which is infinite c. The time allotted for this exercise being spent in the handling of the doctrinal part of this Observation I can speak but a few words to the Use and Application Use 1. This doctrine should establish us in the truth of the Gospel even this mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest unto the Church the Heathens as we have heard could not attaine unto this knowledge by the light of nature Oh what a comfort is this that we serve an incomprehensible God! one God and yet three persons to comprehend is to environ and keep in all that God is for my part I would not worship that God that I could comprehend the doings of God know no bounds much more his essence and subsistence Kings have their Crowns a circle about their head and should also have a circle about their feet they should not go which way they please but keep themselves with n the limits of Law both of God and man and this speaks them to be creatures though in a greater letter finite beings but it is otherwise with God as he will not have any Articles put upon him so he cannot have any circles or lines drawn about him for an infinite God to be finite and limited is a contradiction in adjecto 2. Let us study this doctrine of the Trinity and as a motive to this consider we cannot worship God aright without some knowledge of this truth As God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost are the object of divine faith so are they the object of divine worship we must worship Trinity in unity and unity in Trinity you may direct your prayers unto God the Father Son and holy Ghost but you must not pray unto either of the persons but as united unto the other Gerard tells us in Loc. com de sanctissimo Trinitatis mysterio cap. 1. that it is absolutely necessary in some measure to know this truth and that not only the denial of the Trinity of persons but the ignorance of it is damnable Eph. 2.12 the Apostle tells the Ephesians that sometime they were Atheists we render it without God in the world but in the original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheists in the world and the reason of this you have in the beginning of the verse because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the knowledge of Christ although a man acknowledges there is but one true God yet if he knows not this God in Christ he is an Atheist 3. Blesse God for the cleare discovery of this truth under the Gospel Blessed are our eyes for we see and our eares for we heare 'T is Gods method to discover himself by degrees we know more of God now than the Jews did and we shall know more in heaven than we know on earth Now God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost lead us unto all truth and bring us at last unto himself that we may enjoy him and have a more full and clear discovery of him unto all Eternity Amen READER BE pleased to take notice that the worthy Authour of this Sermon not long after he had preached it by a very sad hand of God fell sick and dyed so that he had not opportunity himself to bring it forth into light you have it here as it was taken by a good Noter yet so as it hath been compared with the Authours own Notes which yet being for the most part wrote in Characters the Comparer could not make so much advantage of them as he desired Had the Lord been pleased to spare him his life this Discourse had come forth more exact and accurate than now it doth but such as it is it here presents it self to thee and 't is hoped though that is wanting which might please the learned eye yet there is that in it which may profit the judicious Christian you will here see the difference of Treatises put forth by the Authours themselves and by others which is as great as the difference betwixt the childe whom the mother nurses her self which is full and faire and lusty and that which is put out after her death which is too often infirme lean and starv'd If thou findest any thing in this Sermon that is for thy profit blesse God for it and pray that no more such hopeful instruments may be cut off in the prime of their days THE DIVINE AVTHORITY OF THE Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God c. YOu have heard there is a God and you have had a discourse concerning the Trinity I am now to clear and prove to you the Divine authority of the Scriptures therefore I crave your attention to what the Scripture reports of it self in 2 Tim. 3.16 c. It was motive enough to the Ephesians to plead and zealously to conte d for the image of Diana because they said it was that which fell from Jupiter Acts 19.35
Christ said the poor Martyr but I can dye for Christ Love will say to the truth as she said to her Mother in Law Whether thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God my God where thou diest I will die and there will I be buried the Lord do so to me Ruth 1.16 17. and more also if ought but death part me and thee Gen. 34.3 Love is the glue that makes the heart cleave to the Object as it is said of Shechem His soule clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob. Minuit Felix octa Love is the twist of soules Crederes unam animam in duobus esse divisam it is but one soul that informs Lovers Christians if you would hold fast the truth LOVE IT Love hates putting away 2 Thes 2.11 12 when ever your love begins to decay you are in danger of Apostacy For this cause God shall send them strong delusions to believe lies for what cause why because they received not the love of the truth Christians look to your standing there is much of this judicial blast abroad the generality of Professors have contented themselves wâ—th and rejoyced in the Light of the Truth and in the Notion of the Truth and in the expressions of the Truth but they have lost their love to the truth Parts without grace hath been the precipice of this evil and adulterous generation the foolish Virgins of this age have got Oyle only in their Lamps but none in their Vessels and so perish 2 Pet. 3.17 You therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest you also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own steadfastness Let it be your care to receive the truth in the power of the truth in the impressions of the truth upon your hearts in the love of the truth Love the truth even when the truth seems not to love you when it makes against your Carnal interests when it calls for your right eye and your right hand The right eye of your sinfull pleasure the right hand of your dishonest gain when the truth comes to take away all your false Principles and to take away all your false evidences not to leave you worth a Duty or a Church-priviledge not to leave you so much as a Creed or a Pater-noster or a good meaning but casts you out of all which self and flesh hath counted your gain in point of salvation Ezech. 16.5 Phil. 3.7 to the loathing and abhorring of your persons c. Yet even then I say Receive the truth in the love of it God intends you more good in it then you are aware of and therefore say with young Samuel Ure seâ—a corripe ut aeâ—ernum parcas Bern. Speak Lord for thy servant heareth and with Bernard do Lord wound me scorch me slay me spare me not now that thou mayest spare me for ever Thirdly There is yet another means Ver. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is in the verse next to my Text relating to the same duty though under a various expression That good thing which was committed to thee KEEP The good or excellent trust and depositum was either the Ministerial Office with the gifts and graces which Timothy received by Ordination for the edifying of the Church or else The form of sound words here committed to him in my Text whichsoever this duty is incuâ—cated upon Timothy again and again that he must keep it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserve it as under Lock and Key and saith Beza He keeps his depositum that improveth it so that the depositor findes no cause why he should take it away But how shall Timothy or any other Evangelical Minister or Christian be able so to keep it it followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Occupatio est by the Holy Ghost The duty indeed is very difficult but by calling in the help of the Spirit of God Believers shall be enabled to do it and he is not far from every one of them Rom. 8.26 Col. 1.29 for so it follows by the Holy Ghost WHICH DWELLETH IN VS He is IN them as a Principle of life and power by his vertue and influence helping their infirmities and working in them mightily Great is the opposition that Believers meet withall and Satan and this present evill world hath been too hard for many not Professors only but Ministers also men that seemed to be stars of the first magnitude they have proved to be but falling-stars meer Comets that for a time make a great blaze but quickly extinguish They went on from us because they were not of us 1 Joh. 2.19 But real Saints true Believers shall hold out why because greater is he that is in them then he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 keep by the HOLY GHOST THAT DWELLETH IN VS Christians walk in the Spirit and pray for the Spirit cry mightily to God for the continual presence and operation of the Holy Ghost and for your encouragement Luke 11.13 take along with you that blessed promise of our Saviour If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Now to the King eternal immortal invisible 1 Tim. 1.7 the only wise God be honor and glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS Books Printed for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Corn-Hill THE works of that learned and laborious Divine John Weemse in four Volumes 4. Mr. Byfield on the Collossions fol. Mr. Thomas Edwards Gangraena four Volumes in 4. Ainsworths works fol. And his communion of Saints 12. Dr. Staughtons heavenly conversation 12. Bp. Downam on the Covenant of grace 12. Robins Essayes 12. Mr. Dicksons Exposition on Matthew Mr. Brinsley a learned Treatise of Christs Mediatorship and the souls implantion 8. Mr. Brinsley Brazen Serpent and Christs Membership Mr. Dicksons Exposition on the whole book of the Psalms one Volume 8. second edition Mr. Watsons works viz. 1. The Art of Divine Contentment the fourth edition 2. The Christians Charter shewing the priviledges of believers in this life and the life to come the fifth edition Mr. Ashes Sermon at Mr. Whitakers funeral Dr. Spurstow on the Promise second edition Retorford on the Covenant of grace Mr. Cottons Exposition on the book of Ecclesiastes and Canticles second edition A learned Treatise proving the Deity of the Holy Ghost by Mr. Estwick Mr. Gurnals Christian Armor third Edition Mr. Hutcheson on the Gospel according to St. John in fol. On the twelve small Prophets second edition Mr. Gurnals Christians Armour the second part Dr. Guile on the Canticles AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE Relating to the chief Heads handled in this TREATISE A. ADAM able of Creation to keep the Law p. 108 109. The one man by whom sin entred into the world p. 136.
THE Morning Exercise METHODIZED Or certain chief HEADS and POINTS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION Opened and Improved in divers SERMONS BY SEVERAL Ministers OF THE CITY OF LONDON In the Monthly Course of the MORNING EXERCISE at GILES in the Fields MAY 1659. Eccles 12.11 The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one shepheard LONDON Printed by E. M. for Ralph Smith at the sign of the Bible in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1660. To the Right Honourable CHARLES Earle of WARWICK NICHOLAS Earle of SCARSDALE PHILIP Lord WHARTON JOHN GLYN late Lord Chief Justice of ENGLAND Sir JOHN BROWNLOW Baronet And to the Right Worshipful JOHN CREW Esq GILES HUNGERFORD Esq JOHN PIT Esq THOMAS ROBINSON Esq And to the rest of the Nobility Gentry and others the Inhabitants of Giles in the Fields Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ Right Honourable and Beloved IT is no small advantage to the holy life to begin the day with God The Saints are wont to leave their hearts with him over night that they may find them with him in the Morning when I awake I am still with thee saith holy David Psal 139.18 Before earthly things break in upon us and we receive impressions from abroad 't is good to season the heart with thoughts of God and to consecrate the Early and Virgin operations of the mind before they are prostituted to baser objects When the world gets the start of Religion in the Morning it can hardly overtake it all the day and so the heart is habituated to vanity all the day long but when we begin with God we take him along with us to all the businesses and comforts of the day which being seasoned with his love and fear are the more sweet and savory to us If there were no other benefit of the Morning Exercise than to be an help to us in this setting the mind on work upon holy things before it receive taint from the world and the distraction of our ordinary affairs it should upon that account be a very welcome guest to our dwellings But there are other benefits not a few that do attend it wherever it goes namely that it hath become an happy occasion through Gods blessing of manifesting the Unity and Brotherly accord of the Ministers of this City whilest by their mutual labours they strengthen one anothers hands in the Lords work and by a joynt testimony confirm those truths which each one apart dispenceth to his own Auditory for in the mouth of two or three Witnesses shall every word be established 2 Cor. 13.1 Besides that by the course which this Exercise hath hitherto held each Auditory cometh to have a taste of the several gifts which one and the same Spirit dispenseth for the use of edifying and this not without some conformity to the antient pattern Other fruits and advantages of the Morning Exercise see in the Introduction Serm. 1. towards the end where the several Congregations of the same City were not plures Ecclesiae Collaterales divers Sister-Churches but one and the same Church meeting by parts in several places fed and supplied by Officers in common who by turns in each place dispenced the word to them having their Government in common Now this Morning Exercise hath the Lord once and again sent amongst you there is a Providence that goeth along with Ordinances the journeys of the Apostles were directed by the Spirit as well as their doctrines Acts 16.7 The course of this Exercise though it hath been ordered by mans choice yet not without Gods direction To you is this word of Salvation sent saith holy Paul Acts 13.26 not come or brought but SENT and that as a message from our heavenly Father without whose providnece a Sparrow falleth not to the ground Now it concerneth you to see what use you will make of it Sermons dye not with the breath in which they were uttered If the dust of the Preachers feet bear witnesse against the despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more Matth. 10.14 15. Wherever the Word is preached 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a testimony how for a testimony either to them Matth. 24.14 or against them Mark 13.9 God keepeth exact account or reckoning what means and advantages each place or people have enjoyed Three years have I come seeking fruit Luke 13.7 alluding to the three years of his own Ministry which then were fully elapsed This SECOND Miracle did Jesus in Canaan of Galilee John 4.54 He taketh notice of a first and a second so 2 Pet. 3.1 This SECOND Epistle write I unto you and Jer. 25.3 These THREE AND TWENTY years have I spoken the Word of the Lord rising early c. You see God keeps a Memorial how many years the Gospel hath been amongst a people yea every day is upon account for so it is added even unto this day What pressing Exhortations you have had how many and how long you have enjoyed them all is upon the File therefore it concerneth you to see that all this be not without fruit and some notable good effect that your account may be with joy and not with grief and shame The rather I urge this because the Exercises of this Month have not been ordinary Morning Exercises but all the Arguments were picked and chosen as the Preacher sought to finde out acceptable words even words of truth Eccl. 12.10 and disposed into a certain order for the greater benefit It is observed that the Psalms of David that are alphabetically disposed are most exact in the composure so I hope I may say without offence these Sermons digested into a method are the more accurate with what perspicuity and strength they are managed as to the Doctrinal part and with what warmth and vigour as to the Application I cannot speak being strictly enjoyned silence by my Brethrens severe modesty but the World will judge and you I hope will evidence by your own growth in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ These Sermons which with so greedy attention you formerly heard with the hearing of the ear are now written for a memorial and that they may be subjected to your view and more deliberate consideration I say they are written not only for the Churches use but yours in special and oh that they may be written upon your hearts engraven there with a durable Character such as shall never be defaced Honourable and Beloved I hope I need not presse any of you to get these books into your houses I can easily presume it of the abler sort amongst you and would earnestly presse it upon the meanest even the servants in your Families that they would abate not only of superfluous expences but deny themselves somewhat even of their ordinary conveniences to purchase these Sermons which if the Ministry should fail a judgement which England was never in such danger
yield to a sottish despaire there is some hope when conviction ends in groaning rather than murmuring And you do not fret against the Lords Soveraignty but complaine to him of the naughtinesse of your hearts begging his grace for Christs sake therefore go and lie at his feet and say Lord I have a blinde minde a froward heart none more I shall never of my self flie the evil forbidden performe the good commanded renounce these bewitching lusts take up such a course of service to thy blessed Majesty O take away this stony untractable heart c. You are in Prison but you are Prisoners of hope if you do so 2. To presse the Converted to thankfulnesse we were once in such a pitiful case till God plucked us as brands out of the burning we were utterly miserable and destitute of all good O blessed be God that opened the Prison door and proclaimed deliverance by Christ to poor Captives and not onely proclaimed it but wrought it for us none but an Almighty arme could loosen the Bolts and shut back the many Locks that were upon us Peter when the Angel made his Chains fall off considered the matter Acts 12.12 and went to give thanks among the Saints Oh when there were so many Doors and Bolts upon you such difficulties and disadvantages in the way of your conversion Consider it and bless God for your escape Blessed be the Lord that gave me counsel in my reines Psal 16.7 3. Let us compassionate others that are in this estate poor souls in what a sad condition are they We have not usually such a deep sense of their misery as we should have Israel was to pity strangers because they were once strangers in the Land of Egypt we our selves have been in the house of bondage O pity poor captive souls Especially doth this concern the Ministery they that do induere personam Christi that stand in the stead of Christ should induere viscera Christi put on the bowels of Christ Phil. 1.8 God is my Record how greatly I long after you in the bowels of Christ Jesus when we were ungodly and without strength Christ dyed for sinners and wilt not thou labour for them and employ thy Talent to Edification Oh if we had more weighty thoughts about the worth and danger of souls we would not do the Lords work so sleepily as usually we do but as co-workers with God we would beseech you with all earnestnesse not to receive the grace of God in vain 2 Cor. 6.1 Every advantage should be taken hold off as a sinking perishing man if it be but a bough in the waters catcheth at it so should we presse you to improve all closer applications and Ministerial helps and that with compassion and tendernesse as having our selves been acquainted with the heart of a poor impotent captive sinner THE COVENANT OF Redemption OPENED Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne he shall see his seed c. O Fall the Prophets this Prophet Isaiah was the most Evangelical Prophet * Non tam Propheta dicendus est quam Evangelista Ep. ad Paulam Eustochium tom 3. p. 9. Quanto Propheta hic aliis antecellit Prophetis tanti haec ejus c. 53. edita Prophetia caeteris ejus praestare videtur oraculis Moâ—us in Praef. ad com in c. 53. Isaiae Hierome calls him Isaiah the Evangelist Of all the Prophesies of this Prophet that which you have in this Chapter is the most Evangelical Prophesie I do not remember any one piece of Scripture in the Old Testament so often cited in the New Testament as this 53. chapter of Isaiah it being cited there no lesse than eight or nine times The Eunuch you read of in the Gospel was converted by a part of it after God by the Ministry of Philip Acts 8.30 c. had opened his eyes to see Christ held out in it In the whole Chapter you have a most lively and full description and representation of the humiliation death and passion of Jesus Christ which indeed is so exact and so consonant to what hath fallen out since that Isaiah seems here rather to pen an History than a Prophecy That Christ all along is here treated upon Ingenuè prosâ—â—cor illud insum câ—put ad fidem Christianam me adduxisse nam plus millies illud caput perlegi c. Joh. Is Levit. vid. Horneb contra Jud. l. 6. c. 1. p. 408. and not the sufferings of the Jewish state I shall not now insist upon Philip when he had this Scripture before him he preached Jesus Acts 8.35 Christ brings it down to himself Mark 9.12 And the matter of it is so convictive from that cleare light that goes along with it that several of the Jews in the reading of this Chapter have been brought over to the Christian Religion as not able to stand out against the light and evidence of it The time allotted for this exercise being but short I must fall upon my work presently I come to that Branch which I am to insist upon When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed c. In the verse before you have Christs innocency he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth why then did he undergo so much It pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief How could the Father salvâ justitiâ deale thus with an innocent person and with his own Son too I answer Christ had now put himself in the sinners stead and was become his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his surety and so obnoxious to whatever the sinner had deserved in his own person and upon this the Father might without any injustice and actually did for the manifestation of the unsearchable riches of his wisdome and love bruise him and put him to grief The Lord Jesus had no sin in him by inhaesion he was holy harmless undefiled Heb. 7.26 c. but he had a great deale of sin upon him by imputation He was made sin that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 It pleased Christ to put himself thus under our guilt and therefore it pleased the Father thus to bruise him If you ask further what had Christ to encourage him either to or in these sufferings Though there was infinite love in Christ to put him upon all this and to carry him thorough all this yet there must be something more you have therefore here very precious * Mr. B. looks upon these rather as Prophesies than as promises Append p. 39. Verse 10. Ver. 11. Ver. 12. promises made to Christ upon this his undertaking as that he should see his seed he should prolong his dayes the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand he should see the travel of his soul and God would divide him a portion with the great and he should divide the spoile
1 John 5.4 as well as a Saviour a Faith that is for obedience as well as priviledge Oh you that have this Faith go away in peace be of good comfort This everlasting Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son is yours your good was promoted and secured in this Treaty and foederal Engagement How much doth this Covenant speak for the benefit of believers if you be such 't is all yours By it you are already brought into a state of Grace by it you shall hereafter be brought into a state of glory Upon this Covenant Christ now sees you as his seed upon this Covenant you shall hereafter see him as your Saviour face to face unto Eternity To this Father to this Son with the Holy Spirit be glory for evermore THE COVENANT OF GRACE Heb. 8.6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he is the Mediatour of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises THE general design of this Epistle is my special design in this Text viz. to demonstrate to you that you live under the best of gracious dispensations that Jesus Christ our deservedly adored Mediator of the New Covenant hath obtained a more excellent Ministry and by the faithful discharge of that Ministry more excellent benefits than either Moses the Messenger-Mediator or the Levitical Priests the Stationary-Mediators of the Old Covenant But now now is not here a note of time but of opposition as in Rom. 7.17 now then i. e. after the Law received so Grotius or if you will have it to note the time 't is the time of the Gospel this last time Hath he obtained not by usurpation but by election he hath of divine grace freely received * Anselm A more excellent ministry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister is he that doth something at the command of another Heb. 1.7 and so 't is said of Magistrates Rom. 13.6 they are Gods Ministers but 't is chiefly spoken of the Priests Nehemiah 10.39 The Priests that minister because they offer those things that God requires they are said to minister Exodus 28.35 43. Christs ministry is more excellent thatn the Levitical he executes it partly on earth and partly in heaven but he amplifies the excellency chiefly from the excellency of the Covenant * Paraeus and therefore it follows By how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant If you take the old Covenant for the whole dispensation under the old Testament as well Gospel-promises as those things which are more strictly legal then we may truly say he old and new Covenant are for substance the same and therefore the Comparison relates rather to the form than to the matter of the Covenant * Calvin The Covenant of grace is dispensed with more latitude clearnesse and power of the Holy Ghost * Dâ—odate and therefore it may be called a better Covenant Which was established upon better promises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys He names that which may most affect them with joy in saying it is established upon better promises All Coveâ—ants consist in promises The Covenants of Kings and Princes amongst themselves consist in promises of either not hurting or helping one another the Covenants of Princes and people consist in promises the Prince promises justice clemency and defence the people promise love obedience and gratitude so in the Covenant of grace the first and chief part whereof is I will be thy God and of thy seed and we promise faith obedience and worship the promises of the Old Covenant run more upon temporal good things the promises of the New Covenant are chiefly remission of sins sanctification by the Spirit c. and the Covenant is said to be established the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. Legislatum Law and Covenant are joyned together in Scripture They kept not the Covenant of God and refused to walk in his Law Psal 78.10 The New Covenant containeth certain precepts which every one must obey that will obtaine the promise Thus you have the meaning of the words The Observation I shall commend to you is this The Gospel Covenant or the new Covenant is the best Covenant that ever God made with man I will not stay you long in the general notion of a Covenant the word sometimes signifies an absolute promise of God without any restipulation as Gods engagement to Noah Gen. 9.11 And I will establish my Covenant with you neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth Whatever mans carriage shall be God promises that he will no more drown the world So the promise of perseverance Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people Our perseverance doth not leane upon imperfect grace but upon divine favour but I wave this and shall speak of Covenants as they note the free promise of God with restipulation of our duty * Camero A Covenant is amicus status interfaederatos so Martin a friendly state between Allies 'pray ' consider the several Covenants the Scripture mentions and they are three namely the Natural Legal and Gospel Covenant the Natural commonly called the Covenant of Works that flourished till the first sin the Legal Covenant that flourished till the Ascention of Christ and the pouring out of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles though it began to languish from Johns preaching and began to grow old throuhout the course of Christs Miniâ—try the Gosp l Covenant that flourisheth from Christ till the end of the world I shall speak but little of the first something more of the second but dwell upon the last 1. The Natural Covenant is that whereby God by the right of Creation doth require a perfect obedience of all man-kind and promiseth a most blessed life in Paradise to those that obey him and threateneth eternal death to those that disobey him that it may appeare to all how he loves righteousnesse and holinesse how he hates impiety and wickednesse In this Covenant I shall consider but these three things 1. Gods condiscention that he would enter into Covenant with man God was at liberty whether he would create man or not and when God had made this glorious Fabrick there could be no engagement upon him besides his own goodnesse to keep it from ruine Matth. 20.15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own but man having an understanding and will to comprehend and observe the Laws given him had a natural obligation to duty which can no way be dissolved there is no power in heaven or earth can disoblige man from loving and obeying God Now that God will deale with man not summo
and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God and Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven It so farre transcends the capacity of humane reason that reason cannot so much as approve of it Gerhard Alting when it was revealed without inward illumination and perswasion of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 2.9 10 14 15. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned but he that is spiritual judgeth all things and hereupon it is called the Nâ—w Covenant not in respect of the time that it had no being before the incarnation of Christ but in respect of the knowledge of it the knowledge of the Legal Covenant was born with us and it was fore-known to nature but the Gospel-Covenant was whoâ—ly new revealed from the bosome of the Father it was administred by new Officers confirmed by new Sacraments let into the hearts of people by new pourings out of the Spirit therefore the Apostle prayes Ephes 1.17 18. * Maccovius That the God of oâ—r Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints God would never have instituted the Legal Covenant but for the Gospels sake Galat. 3.24 Wherâ—fore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ The Law was a sharp School-master by meanes whereof the refractory and contumacious minds of the Jewish people might be tamed for Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to evâ—ry one that believeth 2. The Gospel-Covenant is better than the Legal in respect of the manner of it the Law was a Doctrine of works commanding and prescribing what we should be and what we should do Gal. 3.12 And the Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them But now the Gospel requires faith in Christ for righteousnesse and salvation Rom. 3.21 But now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested therefore saith Augustine faith obtaines what the Law commands we have no help from the Law * Gerhard the condition of the Law is simply impossible it finds us sinners and leaves no place for repentance * Camero and notwithstanding the sprinkling of Gospel that there was with the Law yet it was but obscure And that shall be the next particular 3. The Gospel-Covenant is better than the Legal in respect of the manner of holding forth Christ in it though the Gospel is one and the same whereby all Saints are saved in all times for there was not one way of salvation then and another since Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Yet the Doctrine of the Gospel was more obscure in the Old Testament Umbratili per se inefficaci ceremoniarum observatione c. Amyrald partly through Prophesies of things a great way off and partly through types Christ was wrapt up in shadowes and figures in the Gospel the body of those shadowes and the truth of those types is exhibited the Land of Canaan was a type of heaven Israel according to the flesh was a type of Israel according to the Spirit the spirit of bondage of the spirit of Adoption the blood of the Sacrifices of the blood of Christ the glory of divine grace was reserved for Christs coming they had at most but starre-light before Christs coming * When Christ first came it was but day-break with them Christ was at first but as a morning starre 2 Pet. 1.19 though soon after he was as the sun in the firmament Mal. 4.2 The Apostle saith Heb. 10.1 The Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things and in this respect it was that the Apostle saith the Gospel was promised to the Fathers but perform'd to us Rom. 1.1 2. It was hid to them and revealed to us Rom. 16.25 26. and not only by fulfilling of Prophesies which we may see by the comparing of Scripture but by the Spirit Ephes 3.5 The mystery of Christ in other ages was not made known unto the Sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit They had but a poor discovery of Christ but we have the riches of this mystery made known unto us Col. 1.26 27 * Alting The old Covenant leads to Christ but 'tis a great way about the Gospel Covenant goeth directly to him their Ceremonies were numerous bâ—rdensome and obscure those things that represent Christ to us are few easie and cleare * Synops pur Theol. 4. The Gospel-Covenant is the better Covenant in respect of the form of it the promises are better promises the promises of the Law are conditional and require perfect obedience Lev. 18.5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgements which if a man do he shall live in them the condition you see is impossible Beloved 'pray ' mistake not there is expresse mention of eternal life in the Old Testament Isa 45.17 Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end Dan. 12.2 Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlâ—sting life and some to shame and everlasting contemp and that the Law cannot save us that is accidental in respect of our dâ—filement with sin and our weaknesse that we cannot fulfill the condition Rom. 7.12 The law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good and it is the Word of life Acts 7.38 Who received the lively Oracles to give unto us and the Apostle brings in Abraham and David for examples of Justification by faith Rom. 4.6 13. but yet their promises were chiefly temporal we have the promise of temporal good things in the New Testament as well as they in the Old only with the exception of the Cross Mark 19.29 30. Verily I say unto you There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or fathers or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions that was the exception with persecution
save Justice was to have its penni-worths out of our Surety and nothing could be abated of blood God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that he might be just Rom. 3.25 26. 5. That he that hath the power of death might be destroyed Hebr. 2.14 through death he destroyed him that hath the power of death that is the Divel Satan hath the power of death not as a Judge but as an Executioner and Christs death hath destroyed him not taken away his being or undivel'd him but shatter'd his Forces broken and subdued him The crucifying of Christ was the Divels plot he put Judas upon betraying him the Jews upon accusing him Pilate upon condemning him the Souldiers upon executing him but our Lord out-shot him in his own Bowe and cut off Goliah's head with Goliah's Sword It fared with Satan as it is storied of a certain Souldier who being cu iously inquisitive after the time of his death went to an Astrologer who of a long time would make him no answer till at the length overcome by his importunity he told him that he should dye within three dayes whereat the Souldier being angry draws his Sword and kills the Astrologer for which murder within three dayes compasse he was executed And thus Satan plotting the death of Christ to put by his own ruine promoted and procured it Our Saviours death gave him such a deaths wound as he will never claw off The Lyon is terrible saith Chrysostom not only awake but sleeping And so Christ not only living but dying came off a Conqueror Judg. 16.30 as Sampson at his death pulled down the pillars of the house and made a greater rout among the Philistines than in all his life and therefore it is very observable when the death of Christ approached and being in view Satan perceived how great disadvantage was like thereby to accrue to him and his Kingdome how he laid about and bestirred himself by all means possible to hinder it he put Petâ—r upon disswading him Master favour thy self and let not this be unto thee and Christ presently smelt him out in that advice as appears by his rebuke Get thee behinde me Satan Matth. 16.23 Matth. 27 19. he buzz'd dreams into the head of Pila es wife and thereby endeavoured to take him off and divert him from pronouncing the sentence upon him 6. To take away the meritorious cause of death viz. sinne And verily had all the Divels in hell been routed and sin that Divel in the bosome remain'd undisturbed it had been an inconsiderable victory God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh for sin Rom. 8.3 thaâ— is by a sacrifice for sin we have such another Ellipsis Hebr. 10.6 condemned sin in the flesh Christ by his blood wrote aâ— ill of Inditement and Condemnation against sin he sued it to an out-lary and undermiâ—ed it as to its dominion and damnation Rom. 6.10 in that he dyed he dyed unto sin once The Saints dye unto sin namely by Mortification Verse 11. Reckon ye your selves also to be dead indeed unto sin but thus there was never any alive in Christ but he dyed unto sin namely the utter ruine and undoing of sin The Messiah shall be cut off to finish transgression and make an â—nd of sins Dan. 9.24 There is a double finishing of sin by consummation and by consumption the meaning is not as though Christ compleated that which sinners had left imperfect or varnisht over those sins which came out of their hands rude and unpolished no he could neither put an hand nor set a tool to such work as this but to make an end of sin to eat into the heart and tear out the bowels of it such is Christs hatred of sin that rather than it shall live himself will dye APPLICATION Three Uses may be made of this Doctrine for 1. Information 2. Exhortation 3. Comfort Use 1 1. For Information in foure particulars 1. This lets us see the transcendent and inexpressible love of Christ to poor sinners Let such as can entertain hard thoughts of Christ look upon him as nailed to the Crosse and shedding his blood and then tell me if they do not think him in good earnest in the businesse of saving souls Oh how was his heart set upon sinners that would thus shed his heart-blood for sinners The Rabbins have a saying that upon every apex or tittle of the Law there hangs a Mountain of sense and doctrine In every drop of Christs blood there is an Ocean of love Who loved me Gal. 2.20 and gave himseâ—f for m The death of Christ was such a demonstration of love as the world never saw When God made the wordl he intended the evidence of his power he ordained hell digg'd Tophet and fill'd it with fire and brimstone and thereby manifested the severity of his jâ—stice he humbled himself to death and therein his purpose was to demonstrate the transcendency of his love this made the love of Christ of such efficacy and constraining influence upon the Apostle Paul Be ause we thus judge that if one dyed for all than were all dead 2. Cor. 5.14 When Christ once wept at Lazarus his grave by-standers made this inference upon it Behold how he loved him John 11.36 but if weeping at the grave for his death argued such love what love was it then to dye and go down into the grave for Lazarus It were an easie thing to lose our selves in this delightful Maze and Labyrinth of love the righteous Judge of all the world unrighteously accused and condemned the Lord of life was dying the eternal and ver blessed Son of God strugling with his Fathers wrath he that had said I and my Father are one crying out in his bitter agony My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He that hath the keys of hell and death lay sealed up in anothers grave Blessed and dear Saviour whither hath thy love to sinners carried thee Well might the Apostle in an holy rapture and extasie expresse himself in an elegant contradiction when he desired the Ephesians might know the love of Christ which passes knowledge Ephes 3.19 2. Hence learn the horrible and cursed evil of sin there is sure an abominable filthinesse in that which nothing but the blood of God could purge and expiate We may guesse at the depth and breadth of the sore by the plaister that is prepared and applied It s a desperate disease that requires such a desperate cure sin is an infinitely mischievous evil which nothing could remove but infinitely precious blood You that view sin in its right features and proportions take a prospect from Mount Calvary look through the perspective of Christs blood and seriously ponder the bitter and dreadful agonies of the Son of God when he sweat and bled and groaned and dyed under
we are as really united unto Christ as the members of the body are to the head Hence are we said to be h Ephes 5.30 members of his body of his flesh and his bones As the head communicates real influences to the body so doth Christ to Believers communicates to us his Spâ—rit graces fulnesse spiritual light life strength comfort Joh. 1.16 4. A close near dear intimate union Like that of the food with the body which it nourisheth Hence Believers are said to eat Christs flesh and to drink his blood John 6.54 Such an intimate union as that one possessive particle is not sufficient to expresse it not said my Vineyard is before me but my Vineyard which is mine is before me Cant. 8.12 5. An inseparable perpetual indissoluble union A marriage knot which neither men sins sorrows death nor Divels are able to dissolve Who or what can separate us from the love of God The Apostle clearly resolves his own question i Rom 8 38 39 I am perswaded that neither life nor death c. Believers are held in Christs hand he that would break this union must first be too hard of fist for Christ yea and for his Father too No man shall pluck them out of my hand my Father is greater than all and no man can pluck them out of my Fathers hand Joh. 10.28 29. And thus we have dispatch't the second Question 3. What are the efficient causes of this union Sol. 1. The efficient causes of this union are either principal or less principal 1. Principal and so this great work of union being opus ad extra 't is indivisum and so ascribed 1. In common to the whole k 1 Pet. 5.10 John 6.44 45. Ephes 2 6 7. Godhead Hence we are said to be call'd by God the Father into the fellâ—wship of his dear Son 1 Cor. 1.9 So likewise this union is ascribed to the Sonne The dead shall hear the voice of the Sonne of God and live Joh. 5.25 Joh. 10.16 2. But more especially the Spirit of God in a more peculiar sense is said to be the principal Author of this union He it is that knits this marriage knot betwixt Christ Jesus and true Believers Look as l Acts 4.24 Creation in some respect is appropriated to the Father m 1 Pet. 1.18 Redemption to the Son so the Application of that Redemption to the Holy Ghost 'T is by one Spirit that we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 'T is by the Holy Spirit the Comforter That we are convinced of sin righteousnesse and judgment Joh. 16.7 8 9. 'T is by the Holy Ghost that we are renewed Tit. 3.5 2. Lesse principal or the means or instruments of union These are twofold outward inward 1. Outward Generally all the Ordinances of God by the Ordinances it is that we come to have n Job 22.21 acquaintance that is union and communion with Jesus Christ 'T is by these golden pipes that golden oyle is conveyed to us from that golden Olive Zech. 4.12 More especially 1. The Word read preach't meditated on believed improved 'T is by hearing and learning of the Father that we come to Christ Joh. 6.44 45. The Holy Scriptures were written for this end that through them we might have fellowship with the Father and his Sonne 1 Joh. 1.3 The way to have Christs company is to keep Christs words Joh. 14.23 2. The Sacraments those spiritual Seals and Labels which God hath fix't to his Covenant of Grace 1. Bapti me By one Spirit we are baptiz'd into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 Hence we are said to be buried with Christ by Baptisme into death Rom. 6.3 4. Baptisme styled the Laver of regeneration Tit. 3.5 By Baptisme we put on Christ Gal. 3.7 2. The Lords Supper this is a great means of strengthning and evidencing our union and advancing our communion with Christ Jesus We are all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 Hence that 1 Cor. 10.16 The bread which we break is it not the communion of means argâ—ments evidences of our communion with the body of Christ The wine which we drink is it not the communion of the blood of Christ Thus much for the external means of union 2. Inward internal intrinsecal means of union on mans part i. e. faith Not a bare historical miraculous temporal dead faith No but a living working justifying saving faith Christ comes to dwell in our hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 'T is by faith alone that we receive Christ Joh. 1.12 That we come unto him and feed upon him Joh. 6.56 'T is by faith that a Believer lives in and to Christ and Christ lives in and for a Believer Gal. 2.20 Thus much for the Explication of the termes of our Proposition for the fixing of it on a right Basis I now proceed to the second part of my discourse viz. Now That there is such a spiritual mystical real close inseparable union betwixt the Lord Jesus and true Believers 2. Confirm appears three ways 1. From those many synonymical terms and equivalent expressions whereby the Scriptures hold forth this union Christ is said to be in Believers Col. 1.27 Rom. 8.10 To dwell in them Ephes 3.17 To walk in them 2 Cor. 6.16 So are Believers said to abide in Christ as he abides in them 1 Joh. 4.16 Joh. 15.17 To dwell in Christ as Christ in them Joh. 6.56 To put on Christ to be cloathed with him Gal. 3.27 Each of these expressions clearly import that near and intimate union that is betwixt the Lord Jesus and true Believers The King of Saints hath two Mansion houses one in heaven the Throne of his glory another on earth a Tabernacle of flesh the heart of a Believer which is the seat of his delight Prov. 8.31 his lesser Heaven Isa 57.15 66.1 2. 2. From those several similitudes by which the Scriptures shadow out this union Believers are said to be lively stones 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6. Christ the living foundation the chief corner-stone on which they are built Ephes 2.20 21. Believers are styled living branches Christ the true Vine into whom they are engraffed and in whom they bring forth fruit Joh. 15.1.5 Christ the faithful loving discreet Bridegroom Believers his Loyal Affectionate obedient Spouse Ephes 5.31 32. Cant. 2.16 5.1 Believers are intitled Christs body Ephes 1.23 Bone of his bone flesh of his flesh Ephes 5.30 Christ the Believers head Ephes 1.22 In a word the head and mystical body are call'd Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 In all these Resemblances he that runs may read the union betwixt Christ and Believers pourtrayed out to the life unto us 3. From that communion which there is betwixt Christ and true Believers Omnis communio fundatur in unione Communion where ever it is of necessity argues union as the effect necessarily implies the cause Believers they communicate with Christ in his fulness Joh. 1.16 In his o 2 Cor 5.21 Solus
account of mercy without any consideration had of justice This is the first way of pleading when guilty meer mercy for mercies sake but to be justified upon this plea is an evident contradiction Therefore secondly the only plea for a guilty person to be justified upon is to plead mercy for the sake of some satisfaction made to the justice and honour of the Law And by how much the fuller this satisfaction is by so much the fuller is the justification of such a person as is upon this plea discharged Now a full satisfaction may be made two wayes 1. By suffering the whole penalty due 2. When a valuable consideration is accepted by the offended party or Judge wherein the honour of the Law is as much saved as if it had never been broken or as if being broken the full penalty had been inflicted on the breaker And here I have these two things to prove 1. That man could never make such satisfaction to the justice of God nor any creature for him 2. That the Lord Christ hath made such full satisfaction that it stands now with the honour of the holy God to justifie sinners upon the termes of the Gospel Assertion 1 First That neither man nor any creature could satisfie offended justice 1. Not by suffering the penalty for that being infinite requires an infinite continuance under it there beiâ—g no other way for an finite creature to suffer infinitely and so the whole penalty will ever be suffering but can never be suffered for in etetnity stop where you will and there is yet as much to come as is already past nay infinitely more for that which is past is but a finite time of suffering though millions of ages are past but an eternity of suffering is yet to come and after as many more millions of ages still still an infinite eternity is future that never can be so exhausted but an eternity will still be left Secondly not by any act of service which amounts to a valuable consideration worthy to be accepted of the Judge as satisfactory to his affronted justice for two Reasons 1. Because God is more dishonoured by one sin than honoured by an eternity of obedience for God is not at all obliged to Cherubims and Seraphims for obeying him all the Creation naturally oweth its utmost possibility of service as an eternal debt to its great Creatour Now the least act of disobedience or sin being injury and Treason thereby a new obligation is contracted viz. to suffer condigne punishment the former obligation unto duty remaining eternally in as full force as ever which if we could discharge yet were we but unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 Can a man be profitable to God Job 22.2 If thou be righteous what givest thou to him or what receiveth he of thine hand Job 35.7 An eternity of service in the highest perfection is every creatures debt as a creature and besides this an eternity of suffering too is every delinquent creatures debt as delinquent But one debt cannot pay another since therefore all that the whole Creation can do for ever would but just satisfie the first natural obligation unto pure justicâ— viz. the debt of obedience it â—s quâ—te impossible that ever any creature should supererogate or spare any thing from hence towards satisfying the secondary superadded ob igation unto offend d iustice viz. the debt of punishment either in its own behalf or anothers Secondly The other reason why neither man nor any creature for him can ever satisfie the offended Creator by the highest services because they all have it from him when they do obey him of his own do they give him for in him we live and move and have our being What hast thou O man nay O Angel O Arch-angel that thou hast not received all our nay all their springs are in him without him we can do nothing The more we do for God the more he doth for us and consequently still the more we owe him So that acts of obedience are so farre from satisfying our Obligations to God as that they contract new ones for even for them are we obliged Assertion 2 Having cleared the first we come to the second point That Christ hath so fully satisfied his Fathers offended justice as it stands now with the honour of the holy God to justifie every sinner that can upon Gospel termes plead his interest in this satisfaction Here we must enquire into these three things 1. The matter of this satisfaction 2. The forme or that which makes it infinitely satisfactory and meritorious 3. What are those Gospel terms First For the matter of Christs satisfaction I humbly conceive that the whole state of his humiliation from his conception to his resurrection for at his resurrection began the second state of Christ as Mediatior viz. his exaltation to be continued to the general Resurrection and then he shall resign up the Kingdome to the Father and God shall be thenceforward all in all 1 Cor. 15.24 28. that this state I say of our Redeemers humiliation is entirely lookt upon by God as the valuable consideration wherein his justice with honour acquiesceth and rests satisfied It hath two parts First his taking the forme of a servant at his incarnation Secondly his management of and deportment in that state First his Incarnation and this presents God with a double satisfaction whereby he may with honour entertain thoughts of love to man-kind 1. In that humane nature is in Christ unstained with either original or actual sin for by his divine conception by the holy Ghost he received of his Virgin-mother a pure undeflowred Virgin humane nature the second Adam revives the inâ—ocency of the first those eyes could without disparagement behold his manhood which are purer than to behold iniquity and even in their sight though no other flesh living could yet this flesh must be justified 2. In that humane nature is in him dignified with union to the divine and is become the seat and mansion of the Godhead so that how loathsome soever sin hath rendred it in us yet in him it is highly exalted even as highly as the Divine Nature in him was abased for the Humane Nature ascends just in the same proportion as the Divine descended that is to the utmost possibility for God could stoop no lower than to become a man nor man rise higher than to be personally one with God Thus you see Christs entering into his state of Humiliation hath rendred the nature of man very considerable againe in the sight of God so that he can now with honour exercise good will towards it Secondly His management of this state consists in his active and passive righteousnesse By his active Righteousnesse I mean his obedience to the whole Law to the Ceremonial in being circumcised baptized keeping the three yearly feasts c. To the moral in not committing one sin or neglecting one commanded duty even to subjection to his Parents and paying Tribute to
both meer supererogations of an infinitely glorious person And first for his active Riâ—hteousnesse iâ— stood in his obedience to the Ceremonial and Moral Laws 1. His obedience to the Ceremonial Law was a meer supererogation for the substance to comply with the shadows the Antitype to do homage to its owâ— types besides he submitted to those very Ordinances whose end and institution supposeth guilt and whâ—se Nature argues them designed only for the use of sinners what foreskin of impurity had he to be cut off in circumcâ—sion what filth to be washt awâ—y in baptism did the holy childe Jesus defile his mothers womb as common mortals do that are conceiv'd in sin and brought forth in iniquity And yet he was circumcised and baptized and his mother offered for her purification Luke 1.21 22. ch 3.21 No imaginable obligation lay on him to these submissions being to him meer ciphers wholly insignificant 2. His obedience to the Moral Law Although it must be granted that as man it was his duty Gal. 4.4 yet was it not his duty to become man True a creatures homage was due from him when a creature a servants work when in the form of a servant but the whole was free and arbitrary because his entring into that state was so for what but his own infinite love could ever move the eternal Word to pitch his Tent in our Nature what obligation lay on the Heir of all things to take the form of a servant who bound the eternal Son of God to become in the fulnesse of time the Son of man And as his active righteousnesse so secondly his passive too was a meer supererogation for his Almighty Fathers Holy All-seeing Eye could never espy the least iniquity in him to punish what had the Divine Justice to do with him for he was a sinlesse person he suffered not for himself Dan. 9.26 No for us 2 Cor. 5.21 And therefore since no obligation lay on him to do what he did or to suffer what he suffered he may impute the merit both of the one and the other to whomsoever and upon what termes soever he and his Father please But before I come to consider the termes upon which Christs satisfaction is applied I must answer some questions and clear the scruples in the way Object 1 1. What is become of the Law of that first Covenant made with Adam in Paradise Gen. 2.17 repeated again to the Jews Deut 27.26 The sum of which you have fully expressed Ezek. 18.4 The soul that sinneth it shall dye I answer It is not executed nor abrogated but released or dispensed with First it is not fully executed for there is no condemnation to them that re in Christ Jesus c. Rom. 8.1 Secondly It â—s not abrogated for it is in part executed upon Believers they are liable to the first or natural death which is the wages of sin although the second death hath no power over them besides all manner of chastisements and afflictions Psal 89.30 31 32. And also that Law is totally executed upon finally impenitent unbelievers over whom not the first only but the second death also hath power 2 Thess 1.8 For he that believeth not is condemned already John 3.18 That is the Gospel finds him and every one in a state of condemnation but those who believe it proclaims deliverance to those who through unbelief reject it judging themselves unworthy of everlasting life see Acts 13.46 it leaves such as it found them viz. under the condemnation of the Old Covenant since they refuse the pardoning mercy of the New Thirdly I answer therefore positively that the first Covenant is released and dispensed with by super-inducing a New Covenant of Grace over it that whosoever closeth with and comes into the terms of the New should be exempted from the rigour and extremity i. e. from the eternal condemnation of the Old Joh. 3.16 It is not said He that believes shall not be sick shall not be afflicted shall not dye No but he shall not perish Thus you see the Covenant of Works as to its execution upon such as are in the Covenant of Grace is in the chief part restrained but yet in some part inflicted They never shall complain under the eternal and destructive yet they do complain under the temporal and corrective punishment of their sinnes Lam. 3.39 Yet more particularly for the clearer understanding of this we must consider that the first Covenant lays a double obligation on sinful man First In reference to what is past and here it requires satisfaction and reparation from us for our sin in breaking it And secondly In reference to the future after such satisfaction and amends made it requires perfect conformity still as at first absolute obedience to all Gods commands being the eternal debt of the reasonable creature to that God that made it in his own Image if therefore we could which hath already been proved to be impossible ever have satisfied Gods injur'd Law for our past breach the Law would still have come upon us for future exact conformity to pay the residue of that eternal debt and its language would be Sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee as a Felon though butn't in the hand is yet bound to live honestly for the future at his peril Now the New Covenant of Grace relieves us as to both these cases and dispences with the rigor of the Law As to the first It comforts us with the good news that the Son of God hath satisfied his Fathers Justice and if we believe but in him God will accept of us as if we had satisfied in our own persons The case the Law leaves us in is well expressed Isa 33.14 Hebr. 10.31 But the relief the Gospel brings us in St. Pauls language Rom. 8.33 34. You have both together excellently Ezek. 33.10 11. As to the second Obligation the New Covenant dispenseth with the rigor of that too for woe to a justified and pardoned person if he must lose all again upon the least defailance therefore the Gospel proclaims pardon of sin upon repentance and acceptance of sincere endeavours to obey him Gods language now is Sinners be but in good earnest do but love me heartily and my ways let me but see a childe-like ingenuity in you and I will put down your upright though imperfect performances in the book of my remembrance Mal. 3.16 and blot out your transgressions when repented of out of the book of my remembrance Mandata Dei tanquam facta reputantur Aug. Retr l. 1. quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur Thus doth the candor of the Gospel dispence with the rigor of the Law God deals not with us as an Aegyptian task-master but as a Father with his children whom he loves Christs yoke is easie his burden light Object 2 If any doubt how it stands with Gods veracity and immutability having once declared that the soul that sinneth shall dye to contradict it by declaring
the Lord Jerem. 2.3 Heires Gal. 3.19 first-born Heires Heb. 12.23 compare Deutr. 21.16 yea joynt-heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 each of them having right to and possession of that Inheritance which hath no Corruption Succession Division 1. No corruption 1 Pet. 1.4 It 's not corrupted by outward principles as fire violence c. Nor by inward principles as sin and other taints which defile or prutribility as the best things here below are from their own or their subjects innate principles Isa 29.14 1 Pâ—t 1.18 compare James 5.2 2. It hath no Succession the Father and Children alwayes living upon the same Inheritance whence as Christs Priesthood so their inheritance is unchangeable Hebrews 7.24 3. It hath no Division for every Heire enjoyes the whole God being infinite and indivisible as every eye enjoyes the whole Sun c. Hence there will be no occasion of jealousie or quarrelling among the Brethren for let others have never so much I shall not have one jot the lesse To his Isaacs his Heires his Conquerours God gives his all not half with Ahashuerus and Herod but his whole Kingdome Compare Gen. 25.5 2 Chron. 21.3 Rev. 21.7 It 's otherwise with Heires and Wives here below because their interests are divisible Luke 12.13 Gen. 30.15 1 Sam. 1.6 7. Their Dignity appeares 2. In their high Offices 2. In their Offices Like Christ their Head they are Gods anointed ones 1 John 2.20 27. and that to a threefold Office Prophetical Priestly Kingly Psalme 105.15 Revel 1.6 Where the Prophetical Office is not mentioned probably upon this account because included in the Priestly Office The first-born in every Family were typical Kings Priests and Prophets Exodus 24.5 which therefore were the Birth-right of Reuben who by his sin forfeited the Government to Judah the Priest-hood to Levi and the double portion or inheritance to Joseph 1 Chron. 5.1 2. see Numb 3.45 But Gods adopted ones shall never forfeit their Unction 3. In their Dominion Their Dignity appeares 3. In their Dominion and this by five particulars 1. By their Ministers or attendance an heavenly Guard Heb. 1.14 2. By the extent of their property they are Lords of all 1 Cor. 3.21 23. Compare Psalme 8. Their Title is as good as large they holding all in Capite which is the worst Title among the Sons of men but the best among the Sonnes of God 3. By their Right and pure use of all Tit. 1.15 Job 5.24 4. By the benefit and advantage redounds to them out of all Rom. 8.28 There 's no creature but owes homage and payes Tribute to these Lords A Saint gets more good by other mens estates than the Possessours themselves The first-fruits and fat of all come to those who are the first fruits of God and of the Lamb. 5. By their immunities Kings children have great immunities Matth. 17.25 26. but Gods children have all immunities being priviledged from the hurt of every thing Luke 10.19 Rom. 8.35 38 39. Second branch of the doctrine This for the Explication of the first Branch of the Doctrine The second Branch is That every true Believer is a child of God by Regeneration Explication I shall first explain this Head then prove and apply both together Quest What is Regeneration Here I shall endeavour to open First The Name Secondly The Thing The Name The Name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's used but twice in the New Testament Matthew 19.28 Tit. 3.5 haply in several senses the one glorious the other gracious Yet both may very well be understood in a gracious sense and so in the former place Judas is excluded as having no hopes of a glorious Session because he wanted a gracious Regeneration It s Synonima's in Scripture are very Emphatical Thus it s called a quickening Ephes 2.1 a formation Gal. 4.19 a Birth John 3.3 8. a Baptizing Matth. 3.11 a renewing of the minde Rom. 12.2 a new heart and spirit Ezek. 36.26 that being renewed by saving knowledge this by saving grace a new creature which is the product of Omnipotency Gal. 6.15 2 Cor. 5.17 The new man it renewing the whole Ephes 4.24 and the Divine Nature in respect of its transcendent excellency 2 Pet. 1.4 For the thing it self Regeneration is taken 1. Absolutely The thing and so it 's really the same with effectual vocation both which are either active or passive that in Relation to the party Regenerating and calling this in reference to the party Regenerated and called 2. It 's taken Relatively and so it 's the foundation of our first Filiation or Sonship whereby we are begotten Sons Generation is the foundation as of humane so also of Divine Filiation and as by faith we are adopted Sons so by Regeneration we are begotten Sons Quest What is Regeneration Answ It 's the production of a new and spiritual being by the Introduction of a new and spiritual forme It s nature As therefore Isaac before generation was a non entitie in nature so every child of the promise before Regeneration is a non entity in grace 1 Cor. 13.2 Gal. 6.3 and as in Generation there is a formation or the introduction of a new forme which gives being distinction and operation so is it likewise in Regeneration Gal. 4.19 This forme is nothing else but truth of grace infused 3. As in nature the corruption of one thing is the Generation of another so in grace the corruption of the old man is the Generation of the New Rom. 6.4 6 11. And lastly as in natural Generation no forme is introduced but by various preparations and previous dispositions so in Regeneration much Legal and Evangelical preparation ushers in the New Birth which preparation consists especially in Conviction Illumination c. The Nature of Regeneration will appeare more distinctly by comparing it more particularly with natural Generation The termes of conveniency and 1. In the termes of conveniency or similitude 2. In the terms of difference or dissimilitude They agree 1. In the causes 2. In the manner of production 3. In the matter produced For the first in both there is 1. A principal cause and thus God is the Regenerate mans Father witnesse the Text Isa 6.9 Heb. 2.11 13. the Church is his Mother Gal. 4.26 27. 2. There are subordinate and instrumental causes such are Christs Ministers who are therefore sometimes called Fathers 1 Cor. 4.15 and sometimes Mothers Gal. 4.19 Compare 1 Thes 2.7 3. The constitutive cause a seed which is partly materialâ— namely the Word 1 Pet. 1.23 partly spiritual the influence and efficacy of the Holy Ghost John 3.5 without which the material seed or letter is ineffectual 2 Cor. 3.6 2. They agree 2. In the manner of production In both there is 1. A conception Christ spiritual as well as personal is ever conceived by the power and overshadowing of the Holy Ghost This holds true in other Generations Matth. 13.23
is singularly attributed to Christ because he purchased our Adoption as well as our Regeneration Ephes 1.5 Tit. 3.5 6. The third ground is Divine glory which is the end of all Gods Works much more of such gracious Dispensations as are Regeneration and Adoption Ephes 1.5 6. Isaiah 43.21 The fourth ground is encouragement unto faith by the favours and priviledges vouchsafed unto Believers 1 Tim. 1.16 And these are more implied than expressed in the Text yet flow naturally enough out of it Use 1 1. Of Information About the sad condition of all unbelievers by rule of contraries Are all Believers Gods children c Then no unbeliever is a childe of God either by Regeneration or Adoption Not by Regeneration as having no life of grace which initially infused is the new birth And hence every unbeliever is First A dead man as dead in Law Joh. 3.18 dead in sin Ephes 2.1 dead under wrath and curse Joh. 3.36 Gal. 3.10 compared with Gen. 2.17 dead in expectation and fear Hebr. 10.27 Whoever hath not a part in the second Birth shall be sure to have a part in the second Death Secondly Unbelievers being not children of God can expect nothing from God as a Father Now the state of unregeneracy excludes them from both filiations for unlesse God be a Father by Regeneration he will be no Father by Adoption Nor can unregenerate persons be children by Adoption because they have no faith Hence they are Orphans and so helplesse for God will be no Father to such fatherlesse Children But are they altogether fatherlesse No verily therefore Thirdly They have woful parents namely sin and disobedience Ephes 2.2 wrath and curse Ephes 2.3 2 Pet. 2 14. and lastly Satan Joh. 8.44 who is also their God 2 Cor. 4.4 as God is the Believers Father Oh miserable wretches as destitute of an heavenly Father and more miserable as the woful children of most hellish and cursed Parents who have nothing to make over to them but sin and cutse and that they will do with a vengeance Use 2 2. Of Humiliation And that not only for profane Esau's who despise their birthright nor only for barely nominal and foederal children Deut. 32.5 19. compared with 1 Cor. 7.14 but even for such as groundedly call God Father yet carry not themselves as children to such a Father They are children of the greatest wisest and most Ancient King allude to Isa 19.11 yet walk not up to their principles as Regenerate Sons nor up to their priviledges as Adopted Sons as is evident by the following particulars 1. They think not of rejoyce not glory not in nor walk up to the dignity of Divine filiation but are mean-spirited and sink almost at every difficulty Isa 49.14 15. the natural Son of God did not so 2. They are palpably worldly as if they had no Father to care for them no hope nor portion but in this life Jerem. 45.5 Matth. 6.28 30. That worldlinesse which reigns in Natural men tyrannizeth too often in Regenerate men 3. They behave not themselves as Brethren of Christ and as Children of one Father compare Hebr. 2.11 with Ephes 4. ver 3. to ver 6. Malach. 2.10 How do Brethren fall out by the way how great is their difference when the matter of difference is so little what quarrelling about the hedge when both agree about the inheritance We all professe to believe the holy Catholick Church yet minde not the Unity of the Church but rather the promoting of a party and faction in the Church to the shame of Religion the scandal of the weak who by reason of our differences are puzled which way to choose and the opening of the mouth of the enemy May we not justly feare as one notes well that the neglect of true Religion and true Catholick unity is making way for Atheisme or for Popish Catholick unity Exhort and 1. Unto strangers Use 3 3. Of Exhortation And first unto strangers secondly unto children For the first Art thou an Alien Oh never rest till thou get into a state of Sonship and to this end 1. Be convinced of thy Orphanhood and hellish Filiation 2. Make good thy effectual vocation justification and reconciliation this is done outwardly by consciencious attendance on the Ordinances inwardly by the spiritual Baptisme and faith Gal. 3. ver 25. to ver 29. 2. Unto children Secondly If thou be a childe of God then 1. Evidence thy Sonship this is done by evidencing thy vocation 2 Pet. 1.10 and is necessary First In order to Gods glory Secondly In order to thy duty and comfort Thirdly In order to others conversion and edification neither of which will proceed to purpose without some comfortable evidence of thy filiation 2. Carry thy self as a child of God This will blow up the fire of grace light the candle of comfort and beam forth in thy conversation to the conviction conversion and edification of others To this end First Honour thy Father Directions Mal. 1.6 acknowledge and testifie his dignity and excellency This do 1. Negatively take heed of dishonouring God passively by omission What childe can see or hear his father wronged or converse needlesly with dishonourers of his father 2 Cor. 6.17 18. 2. Affirmatively dishonour not God actively by commission as David Peter and others did How many not only Bastards but genuine Children are either ashamed of or shame to their heavenly Father especially in evil company â—econdly Obey thy Father 1 Pet. 1.14 this flowes from the former and is part of the honour Children owe to their Parents Ephes 6.1 2. Colos 3.20 and much more we to our heavenly Father Hebr. 12.9 whose commands are all of them so holy equitable profitable compare 2 Kings 5.13 Thirdly Imitate thy Father Ephes 5.1 2. This flows from both the former and by it we do both honour and obey God Children are apt to follow their Parents in Naturals in Civils in Morals and if we be Gods children wee must walk not only with him but also like him 1 Joh. 4.17 2.6 Especially imitate God in endeavouring to bring many to glory Hebr. 2.10 Our imitation of God is a great part of our following the Lord Ephes 5.1 2. Fourthly Submit to his chastisements Hebr. 12.7 As afflictions piously born are evidences of our Sonship so the holy humble and fruitful bearing of them is our duty as Children Fifthly Depend universally upon Divine provision and protection casting all thy fears cares and burdens upon thy Father Matth. 6.25 1 Pet. 5.7 Psal 55.22 Faith is both the mother and nurse of Adoption Be not worse than thy own Child who can live without carking upon thy fatherly love and providence Sixthly Abound in filial affections as love delight and fear to offend thy Father Thy sin is exceedingly aggravated by the dâ—gnity of the party offended and offending as well as by Gods singular love to thee Lev. 4.3 13 22 27. 21.9 God may well say to
requirâ—ng sometimes the one sometimes the other when Repentance is the duty to be discharged calling sometimes for fasting weeping and walking in sackcloth and ashes nay the rending of the heart and not the garmenâ—s Joel 2.11 12. and sometimes and that very commonly for turning to the Lord nay the whole work of Repentance is in Scripture expressed by Humiliation in the promise of pardon to the penitent their Repentance is described to be an humbling of the uncircumcised heart and acceptance of the punishment of their sin Lev. 26.41 So when Rehoboam and Manasseh Repented they are only said to humble themselves 2 Chron. 12.6 33.2 And under the Gospel we read of Repentance for sin as well as from sin and 't is denominated godly sorrow which worketh Repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 Working not only as a cause but complement perfecting finishing and compleating Repentance and therefore the Apostle James requires them that draw nigh to God and clean their h art and purifie their hands that they be afflicted mourn and weep and humble themselves under the hand of God James 2.8 9 10. And the Covenant of Grace promising Repentance doth expresse it self by these two acts you shall see the evil of yo r wayes and loa h yâ—ur selves because of your iniquities and abâ—minations And I wâ—ll put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my ways Ezek. 36.27 31. So that according to the expressions of Scripture as well as the experiences of the Saints Humiâ—iation of the sâ—ul is an essential act and eminent part of Repentance and this is that which I in the description do denominate sense of and sorrow for sin as committed against God thereby intending to note unto you that the soul must be humbled that will be lifted up by the Lord and his humiliation doth and must consist of these two parts Conviction and Contrition sight of and sorrow for sin The first part of humiliation is A Spirit of Conviction First part of humiliation or sight of sin in every penitent soul which is no other than the operation of the Holy Ghost opening the blinde eye to see the deviations of the soul and the destruction inevitably attending the persistance in it this act of Repentance and Humiliation is no other but the Prodigals return to himself in sense of his own starving condition whil'st his fathers servants have bread enough Luke 15.17 Rom. 7.9 the arrival of the Law unto the reviving of sin in Pauls sense and feeling the communing with our hearts that we may tremble Psal 4.5 and not sin a searching and trying our ways that we may return unto the Lord a smiting on the thigh with a What have we done Lam. 3.39 the smiting of Davids heart 2 Sam 24.10 with an I have sinned against the Lord the judging of our selves that we may not be judged of the Lord the Spirit of bondage which goeth before the Spirit of Adoption In a word it is the souls serious erection of a Court in its own breast and setting conscience in the Throne and making a judicial processe to descry and determine its eternal condition in order to which 1. It spreads before it self the Law of God as that whâ—ch must be the Rule of life and reason of death and condemnation the will of God dictating duty and disswading iniquity awarding recompence according to obedience or disobedience In a word determining of men Thus do and live or thus do and dye thus I will be worshipped and you shall be rewarded in this if you transgresse you shall be thus punished the soul seeth clearly that the Law is in nature and necessity a Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ whil'st by serious consideration of its genuine sense and due extent the soul standeth convinced this is du y enjoyned this is sin inhibited herein if I offend not only in deed and word but thought or imagination I am a Transgressor bound under guilt and the expectation of judgment thus the coming of the Law into Pauls minde becomes the revival of sin and Josiah his reading in the Law of Moses led him to the tremblings of heart and renting his garment before the Lord 2 Chron. 34.18 19. For as indeed wiâ—hout the Law there is no transgression so without the knowledge of the Law there can be no conviction ignorance of Divine pleasure is the great obstruction of Repentance and therefore the Prince of this world doth daily endeavour to blow out the light of the Word or to blinde the eyes of the sons of men that they may not see and be converted but God sends his Prophets rising up early and sending them to read the Law in the ears of men that Israel may see his sinne and Judah her transgression The first act of Repentance is the falling of the scales from off the sinners eyes the first language of a turning soul is Lord what wouldest thou have me to do So that the soul humbling self-examinant seeing the Law to be holy just and good that which must be the rule and reason of its condition it being to arraign and condemn it self becomes studious of the Law in its full sense and due extent in commands prohibitions promises and threats and sets before its eye every particular precept and pondereth the righteousnesse of that God who hath declared a curse against every one that continueth not in the Law to do it and so by the justification of and insight to the Law of God exciteth the soul to self-reflexion and is constrained to cry out What have I done whereupon it 2. Surveigheth the past course of his own life summoneth together all faculties powers and members of both soul and body to make rehearsal of his past conversation in word thought and deed and to give an exact account of their conformity or disagreement with the Law of God established and rule by which it must be judged and now he communeth with his hearâ— considereth his ways examineth him â—lâ— makes an exact comparison of his life with Gods Law layeth the liâ—e close to h s carriage and so convinceth himself of his deviations and â—rregularities insomuch that sin reviveth and he dyeth guilt appeareth and grief and shame aboundeth his own heart condemns him as disobedient and a Transgressor of the Law that he is constrained to câ—y out What I shâ—uld do I have not done and I have left undone what I ought to have done Rom. 7.19 I have sinned against the Lord if God be severe to mark what is amisse I cannot abide in his presence for I have not only offended in part of his holy Law and broken the least of his Commandments but I have violated the whole Law and am a Transgressor against every Command nay he cometh on this consideration to be convinced of his anomy and ataxy the pravity of his nature that enmity to the Law which is implanted in his very being and that irregularity whereby
grace which produceth some particular and partial change but not a total and universal 4. A real change to distinguish it from hypocrisie which makes shew of a great and goodly change but is only outward and seeming not inward and real which three are often taken but as often mistaken for holinesse 5. Wrought it is neither natural nor acquired or taken up by the power of our own free will or force of others perswasion strength of reason convictions resolutions from within or without Hence we are said to be Gods workmanship Eph. 2.10 To be wrought to the same thing 2 Cor. 5.5 6. In the whole man 1 Thes 5.23 The God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole soul and body and spirit be kâ—pt blamelesse c. So that if you ask where is the seat of this holinesse is it in the head or heart or conscience or outward man I answer in no one but all of them it is as leaven that leaveneth the whole lump it is as the soul tota in toto tota in qualibet â—arte The understanding in a new sanctified person is enlightned to discern spiritual things which before he understood not his memory sanctified to retain what is good and shut out what is hurtful conscience awakened to check for sin and exc te to duty will subdued to embrace good resist evil affections orderly placed to love fear desire delight it and to hate and what is sutable to holinesse and the whole outward man for speech actions behaviour yea habit and dresse is composed as becometh holinesse 7. Of a formerly vile sinner grace makes a mighty change when it works effectually none so bad so far gone but it can br ng home Ezek. 16.6 Esay 55.13 it findes one in his blood and leaves him clean it findes a thorn and leaves a mirtlâ— it meets with a Publican and Harlot and leaves a Saâ—nt it meets with a bloody Persecutor and hellish Blasphemeâ— and turns him into a Preacher or Martyr as Paul it findes men as bad as bad can be and leaves them in as good a state as the best 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. 8. By the Spirit of God we may not ascribe it to the vertue of Ordinances or worth of Instruments 1 Cor. 9.11 But ye are washed but ye are justified but ye are sanctifiâ—d by the Spirit of our God Art nâ—ture education can do nothing here it is not by might or power but by the Spirit of God Zach. 4.6 9. Whereby the heart is purged c. here the parts of holinesse which are two mortification and vivification Esay 1.16 17 Cease to do evil learn to do well The first is privative The second positive Grace works right when there is first a leaving of old sin it is not putting a new piece on an old garment or clapping a new Creed to an old life or new duties to wonted courses Deut. 22.9 10 11. this were to sowe with divers seeds or wear a garment of woollen and linnen which God hates but there must be as to the privative part 1. A heart purged from the love of every sin there may be sin left in the heart no sin loved and liked the evil that I do I haâ—e sin and grace may stand together Rom. 7.15 not love of sin and grace 2. A life from the practice and dominion of sin sin remains still but raigns no more he was a servant of sin Rom. 6.17 18. and had members enough to be instruments of sin a mouth to speak it a tongue to speak for it a wit to invent for it reason to argue for it hands and feet to work and walk fot it purse to spend upon it there is none of these now Secondly and the other part is yet much better he is in heart and life carried out after every good it is not a bare breaking off of sin that makes a Christian it is one half of a Christian but there must be a turning from sinne and bringing forth fruites meet for Repentance You have both these parts 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and perfect holinesse c. To come to the Reasons of the point which are foure Reas 1. This is Gods great designe therefore should be ours It is the greatest design God hath upon his people in all he doth to and for them All the immediate acts of God and all his mediate tend to this 1. All Gods immediate acts Pitch where you will carry it to the first of Gods acts towards man in Election God hath chosen us before the foundation of the world Ephes 1.4 2 Thes 2.13 that we should be holy So that I may not say If I am Elected I shall be saved though I live in sinne but if Elected I must be Sanctified and dye to sinne 2. Take all the acts of the three persons apart 1 Pet. 1.14 15. 1 Thes 4.7 First The Father if he adopt if he regenerate if he call it is that we should be holy Secondly It is the end designed by all that Christ did his Incarnation Hebr. 2.11 Hebr. 13 12 Eph. 4.26 27. Life Death Doctrine Example Humiliation Exaltation Prayers Promises Threats Miracles Mercies yea of his Intercession in heaven that we might be sanctified Thirdly It is the end of all that the Holy Ghost doth All the works of the Holy Ghost may be referred to three heads 1. His gifts 2. Graces 3. Comforts and all these tend to holinesse 1. All the gifts of the Holy Ghost if a gift of prayer of conviction terror c. it is to sanctifie thee if of knowledge utterance c. it is to make others holy 2. A l his graces What is Knowledge Faith Repentance Love Hope Zeal Patience given for but to make thee holy yea they are the several parts of thy holinesse it self which is made up of nothing but the graces of the holy Spirit 3. All the comforts of the Spirit are given to strengthen our hands in holinesse What is the peace of God love of God pardon of sin assurance of salvation joy in the Holy Ghost Spirit of Adoption given for but to make us more watchful humble lively in holinesse The Privy Seals of Justification must be attested in Letters Patents under the broad Seal of Sanctification or it may be well suspected Jeremy had two Evidences of his purchase Jerem. 32.10 one sealed the other open so must we 2. The mediate acts of God whatsoever they be in Providences or Ordinances First All ways of Gods Providence to his people tend to their sanctifying 1. If God afflict he saith to sicknesse Go and pull me down that proud sinner that he may be sanctified Go saith the Lord to the winds and storms of the Sea blow and beat the Ship to awaken me that sleepy Jonah Jonah 1.17 2.10 swallow him up saith he to the Whale the Lord spake to
declare to them the true God and he doth it ab effectu That God which made the world and all things therein is Lord of heaven and earth ver 24. To Create is the best demonstration of a Deity And this God being everywhere by way of repletion * Jer. 23.24 cannot be locally confined He dwelleth not in Temâ—lâ—s made with hands ver 24. And though in former times when the vaile of Ignorance was drawn over the face of the world God seemed lesse severe ver 30. The times of this ignorance God winked at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did as it were overlook them not taking the extremity of the Law yet now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent ver 30. And if it be asked why now repent why may we not take our full sleep The Reason is because now is the broad day-light of the Gospel which as it discovers sin more clearly so judgment upon sinners He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world Which words are Gods Alarum to the world to awaken it out of security This is a sweet yet dreadful point When Saint Paul discoursed of judgement to come Faelix trembled Acts 24.25 He that is not affected with this Truth hath an heart of stone For the illustration of this there are six things I shall discusse 1. That there shall be a day of judgement 2. Why there must be a day of judgement 3. When the day of judgement shall be 4. Who shall be the Judge 5. The order and the method of the Trial. 6. The effect or consequent of it I begin with the first That there shall be a day of judgement There is a twofold day of judgement 1. Dies particularis a particular judgement at the day of death immediately upon the souls dissolution from the body it hath a judgment passed upon it * Hebr. 9.27 Eccles 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was the spirit shall return to God that gave it As soon as the breath expires the soul receives its particular sentence and knows how it shall be with it to all eternity 2. There is Dies universalis a general day of judgement which is the great Assises when the world shall be gathered together and of this the Text is to be understood He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world I might impannel a whole Jury of Scriptures giving in their verdict to this but in the mouth of two or three witnesses the truth will be confirmed Eccles 12.14 God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing Eccles 12.14 whether it be good or evil Mat. 12.36 Every idle word men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement * Mat. 12 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 96 13. Now is the day of Arr ars then will be the day of Account Psalme 96.13 For he cometh for he cometh to judge the Earth The Ingemination denotes the certainty and infallibility of his coming Secondly Why there must be a day of judgement 1. That God may execute justice on the wicked Things seem to be carried here in the world with an unequal balance The Candle of God shines upon the wicked * Job 29.3 They that tempt God are delivered * Mal. 3.15 Diogenes seeing Harpalus a Thief goâ—on prosperously said sure God had cast off the government of the world and minded not how things went here below 2 Pet. 3.4 2 Pet. 3.4 There shall be in the last days Scoffers saying Where is the promise of his coming Therefore God will have a day of Assizes to vindicate his justice he will let sinners know that long-forbearance is no forgiveness 2. That God may exercise mercy to the godly Here piety was the white which was shot at they who prayed and wept had the hardest measure those Christians whose zeal did flame most met with the fiery tryal Rom. 8.36 Rom. 8.36 For thy sake we are killed all the day long The Saints as Cyprian saith are put in the wine-presse and oft the blood of these grapes is pressed out God will therefore have a day of judgement that he may reward all the tears and sufferings of his people They shall have their Crown and Throne and White Robes though they may be Losers for him they shall lose nothing by him * Rev. 7.9 Thirdly When the day of judgement shall be 'T is certain there shall be a judgment uncertain when the Angels know not the day nor Christ neither as he was man Matth. 24.36 And the reason why the time is not known is 1. That we may not be curious There are somethings which God would have us ignorant of Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father hath put in his own power We must not pry into Gods Ark or intermeddle with his Arcana imperii it is a kinde of Sacriledge as Salvian speaks for any man to break into the Holy of holies and enter into Gods secrets 2. God hath concealed the time of judgement that we may not be careless We are alwayes to keep Centinel having our Loyns girr and our Lamps burning not knowing how soon that day may overtake us God would have us live every day saith Austin as if the last day were approaching * Ideo latet ultimus dies ut observentur omnes dies Austin Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum This is the genuine Use our Saviour makes of it Mark 13.32 Of that day and houre knows no man no not the Angels in heaven Take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is But though we cannot tell precisely when this day of the Lord shall be yet in probability the time cannot be far off Hebr. 10.3.7 He that shall come Hebr. 10.37 will come and will not tarry Chrysostome hath a simile when saith he we see an old man going on Crutches his Joynts weak his radical moisture dried up though we do not know the just time when he will dye yet it is sure he cannot live long because natures stock is spent So the world is decrepit and goes as it were upon Crutches therefore it cannot be long before the worlds Funerals and the birth-day of judgement The Age which Saint John wrote in was the last time 1 John 2.18 in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.18 the last houre then sure the time we now live in may be called the last minute Psal 96.13 For he cometh to judge the Earth Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall come but he cometh * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew how near the time is It is almost day-break and the Court is ready to sit Jam. 5.9 The Judge standeth at the door Verily if Security * Mat. 24.37 Apostasie * 1. Tim. 4.1 Decay of Love * Mat. 24.11
Inundation of Sin * 2 Tim. 3.1 Revelation of Antichrist * 1 Joh. 3.18 Non secus ac slavescente arista colonus colligit pro foribus adesse messem be made in Scripture the Symptomes and Prognosticks of the last day we having these gray haires among us the day of judgement cannot be far off Fourthly Who shall be the Judge I answer the Lord Jesus Christ Thus it is in the. Text He will judge the world by that man whom he hath ordained That man who is God-man We must take heed of judging others this is Christs work John 5.22 The Father hath committed all judgement to the Son * Judicium erit totius individuae Trinitatis quoad consensum authoritatem Christi vero quoad visibilem actum promulgationem executionem 1. Sagacitas He who once had a Reed put into his hand his Father will now put a Scepter into his hand he who had a Purple Robe put upon him in derision shall come in hâ—s Judges Robes he who hung upon the Crosse shall sit upon the Bench. There are two things in Christ which do eminently qualifie him for a Judge 1. Prudence and Intelligence to understand all Causes that are brought before him * Hebr. 4.13 He is described with seven eyes Zech. 3.9 to note his Omnisciency he is like Ezekiels wheels full of eyes * Ezek. 10.12 2. Potestas Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heart-searcher he doth not only judge the fact but the heart which no Angel can do * 2. Strength whereby he is able to be revenged upon his enemies Christ is armed with Soveraignty therefore the seven eyes are said to be upon one stone Zech. 3.9 To denote the infinite strength of Christ and he is described with seven horns Rev. 5.6 As Christ hath an Eye to see so he hath an Horn to push As he hath his Balance so he hath his Sword As he hath his Fan and his Sieve so he hath his Lake of fire Revel 20.10 Fifthly The Order and Method of the Trial. Where observe 1. The Summons 2. The Judges coming to the Bench. 3. The Processe and Trial it self 1. The Summons to the Court and that is by the sounding of a Trumpet 1 Thes 4.16 The Lord shall descend from heaven with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God Saint Hierom saith that whatever he was doing he thought he heard the noise of this Trumpet sounding in his ears Surgite mortui Arise ye dead and come to judgement * Hierom in Mat. Note 1. The shrilness of the Trumpet it shall sound so loud that the dead shall hear it 2. The efficacy of the Trumpet it shall not only startle the dead but raise them out of their graves Matth. 24.31 * Vere vox magna vox tubae terribilis quae petras scindit inferos aperit vincula mortuorum dirumpit haec autem omnia citiuss peragenda quam sagitta in aere transit in momento in ictuâ—oculi They who will not hear the Trumpet of the Ministery sounding but lie dead in sinneâ— shall be sure to hear the Trumpet of the Archangel sounding 2. The manner of the Judges coming to the Bench. Christs coming to Judgement will be Glorious yet drâ—adful Fâ—rst It will be glorious to the godly The Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Titus 2.13 1. Christs Person shall be glorious His first coming in the flesh was obscure his glory was vail'd over Isa 53.2 3. All who saw the Man did not see the Messiah but his second coming will be in vigore fulgore very illustrious and resplendent He shall come in the glory of his Father Mark 8.38 that is he shall wear the same embroydered Robes of Majesty as his Father 2. Christs Attendants shall be glorious He shall come with all his holy Angels * Mat. 25.31 Mat. 25.31 These Sublime Seraphick Spirits who for their lustre are compared to lightning * Mat. 28.3 are Christi Satellitium part of Christs Train and Retinue He who was led to the Cross with a Band of Souldiers shall be attended to the Bench with a guard of Angels Secondly Christs coming to judgement will be dreadful to the wicked At the coming of this Judge there will be ignis conflagrationis a fire burning round about him 2 Thes 1.7 He shall be revealed with his Angels from heaven in flaming fire * Si talis sit horror venientis qualis erit judicantis Aug. c. When God did give his Law upon the Mount there were thunders and lightnings and Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoak because the Lord descended upon it in fine * Exod. 19.16 18. Exod. 19.16 18. If God was so terrible at the giving of the Law O how terrible will he be when he shall come to require his Law 3. The Processe or the Tryal it self Where observe The 1. Universality Of the Tryal The 2. Formality Of the Tryal The 3. Circumstances Of the Tryal First The Universality of the Tryal it will be a very great Assizes never was the like seen 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ * 2 Cor. 5.10 Kings and Nobles Councels and Armies those who were above all Tryal here have no Chaâ—rter of exemption granted them they must appear before Christs Tribunal and be tryed for their lives neither power nor policy can be a subâ—er-fuge They who refused to come to the Throne of Grace * Hebr. 4.16 shall be forced to come to the Bar of Justice And the dead as well as the living must make their appearance Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead both small and great stand be ore God c. We do not use to cite men to our Courts when they are dead but at that day the dead are called to the Bar and not only Men but Angels Jude 6. The Angels which kept not their first estate he hath reserved in chains to the judgement of the great day Secondly The Formality of the Tryal which consists in the opening of the Books * Rev. 12.20 Dan. 7.10 The judgement was set and the books were opâ—ned There are two books will ba opened 1. The book of Gods Omnisciency God not only observes but registers all our actions Job 14.16 Thou numbrest my steps The word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to number * Unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liber signifies to put a thing into the book as if Job had said Lord thou keepest thy day-book and enterest down all my actions into the book we read of Gods book of remembrance * Mal. 3.16 Mal. 3.16 This book will be produced at the last day 2. The book of Conscience Let there be never so much written in a book yet if it be clasped it is not seen Men have their sins written in their conscience but the book is clasped
shall * be joyned to the Lord and become one Spirit his mind and will perfectly taking place in us * Isa 48.18 our peace will be as a River when our righteousness shall be as the waves of the Sea No reflections upon sins or sorrows pass'd with bitterness of spirit as now we have in our greatest Triumphs and festivities as the Jews in their Feasts of Tabernacles Lev. 23.40 had their willow boughs among their Palmes while they remembred the dangers they passed in the Wilderness on their Festival Revolutions but every review if actual felicity can possibly give way to it will only widen and dilate the soul for a more ample fruition of the present state even * Si quaeris de visione Dei qualis est actio aut quies potius ut rerum di cam vescio Deciv 22.29 that peace of God which passeth all understanding So that as Augustine sayes if you ask what this enjoyment is of God what kind of action or rather rest to speak truth I know not and no wonder when that which is enjoyed here * Phil. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containes more than any understanding can comprehend 3. To make up the Kingdom there must be a Crown and so there is but this Crown is the King himself here the King of glory enters in at our everlasting gates but there we shall enter in to the King of glory * Gen. 15.1 I am thy exceeding great Reward But there are three wreaths in this Crown 1. God as considered the object of Vision the Chrystal Ocean of all Truth and there we shall be able to read every truth in the Original and see it in him as our faces in a glass not only those truths that are so mainly conducing to our happiness but those more speculative to * Etiam curiositas satietur Anselm the satisfaction of curiosity it self Luther discoursing at Supper the night before he died said That as Adam after his sleep knew his Wife to be bone of his bone and call'd all the Creatures by their names so after * Psal 17.15 we shall awake we shall not only be satisfied with Gods image but shall know one another yea all things to be known Philosophy will then be not a dead contemplation but a meditation of life and every idiot now shall then have the collection and pure extract of all the notions in the world while the book of life lies open and legible before his face the idea's and Representations of all beings in God the Father the mirrors of all grace and truth in Jesus Christ the beauty of all delights and sweetnesses imaginable in the holy Spirit and all these in all and all in one with infinite variety in unity transcendent to all imaginable reflections of glory But who of us * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Aris dark creatures can bear this inaccessible light and therefore he * 1 King 8.10 11. appeared in the Temple in Divine darkness all the purest light in the world being but a shadow of God If an idolatrous Temple of Diana's was so bright that the door-keepers cryed always to them that entred in Take heed to your eyes 't is difficult to imagine how even an immortal * Exod. 33.20 eye should see him and live Therefore * Rev. 2.28 to him that overcomes he will give the morning starre a * Lumen confort ans uti Scholastici loquuntur light to strengthen the eye to behold this glory as all the Starres can look upon the Sun we shall then not only have all the Riddles of providence unfolded seeing how one Politician was used to crack anothers Crown and one Serpent broke the head of another but the glorious Majesty of God shall be reflected to us in the all-glorious body of Jesus Christ as the rain-bow about the Throne Rev. 4.3 nay some think the very Angels shall assume aery bodies to feed the eyes of the Saints with all and to be in a nearer capacity of conversing with them Yea Saint Augustine sayes De civit Dei lib. 22. c. 29. we shall see God in his Saints and their glorious actings as well and as manifestly as we now see mens bodies in the vital actions of the bodies 2. The next wreath in this Crown is the perception of Divine goodness to the satisfaction of our love as all other desires this is the great Sabbath of loves and the soul like a Phaenix shall lie down in a bed of Spices and live like a Salamander in those * Cant. 8.6 Coals of Juniper desiring exstatically to be in its best self and archetypon God himself Isa 33.14 But who of us can dwell with devouring flames who of us can lie down with everlasting burnings even the love wherewith God loveth himself and loveth his Saints but then we shall find his love strengthening of us to love him with his own love and these dull earthly hearts of ours by beholding of that Sun shall be converted into fixed Stars reflecting back his own glory we shall then feel the sweetness of Gods Electing love from all eternity the love of our blessed Jesus which was * Cant. 8.6 stronger than death yea we shall then enjoy the Spirit of love who is 1 John 4.8 love it self and whose * Psal 63.3 Sicut ferrum immissum in ignem totum fit lignis sic Paulus accensus charitate totus fit charitas loving-kindness is better than life And as one sayes of Paul that as Iron put into the fire becomes all fire so Paul enflamed with charity and love becomes altogether love If The Philosophers say the reason of the Irons cleaving to the Loadstone so constantly is because the pores of both bodies are alike and so there are effluxes and emanations that slide through them and unite them together now this will be the magnetism of heaven that our wills shall perfectly fall in with the Divine Will and nothing seem good to us but what is good in Gods esteem so that we shall then need no threatnings to drive us nor promises to lead us but Divine goodness will so perfectly attract us that we shall be naturalized to God and goodness and be no more able to turn off from that ineffable sweetness than the Loadstone is to convert it self to the West 3. The last wreath is the result of both the former from vision and fruition of infinite truth and goodness reflected in the Center of the soul springs up delight to all eternity Heaven is nothing but * Gaudium de veritate Aug. Alicubi the joy of truth After a tedious Racking of our braines on a knotty probleme if we discover any satisfaction with what an exultancy do we break out into the Mathematicians phrase * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Archimed I have found I have found what I a long time studied for What joy will it be then
glory of God be it spoken since this Exercise was first set up such a moneth hath not been known in this City A word of Exhortation What now remaineth men and brethren but that the Ministers of the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hieros praef Cat. Nostrum est dicere vestrum vero agere Dei autem perficere Gospel having done their work in holding out unto you a Form or Model of sound words you stir up your selves in the strength of Jesus Christ to do yours and what is that but that which is commended here to Timothy That you hold fast the form of sound words which you have received of them They have held it forth it concerns you to hold it fast First see therefore that you hold it fast in your understandings My brethren in this Moneths Exercise you have had many of the chief Heads and Points of the Christian Faith unvailed to you * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem ut supra Non existimes institutiones istas homiliis esse similes c. Sed haec quae per ordinem tradimus documenta c. not only as so many single truths and several precious Jewels to lie by you but that to which possibly most of you have been strangers hitherto as far as the design could well suffer Methodized as it were into a Chaine of Pearls to weare about necks truths fitly joyned together and compacted into a body by that which every joynt supplyeth Now your duty is to wear this Chain or Bracelet carefully that it may not be broken Your labour must be to imprint this Method of truth in your mindes and judgements by vertue whereof you may be able to know them in their Series and Connexion and when you hear any of these Points handled in Sermons you may be able to know one truth from another where they are to be fixed in the Orb of Divinity and so to refer them to their own proper place and station which will prove to be a greater advantage to your proficiency in the knowledge of Christ then you can easily believe It is observable Rom. 8.28 when the Holy Ghost having hinted effectual calling as the ground of that blessed truth that all things work for good to those that love God yet he mentions it again in the very next verse and why but to shew us what place it obtains in the golden chain of salvation how it takes its room between Predestination and Justification Whom he did predestinate them also he CALLED and whom he CALLED them he justified of so great moment it is not onely to know Gospel-truths but how to posture them in their proper rank and file where every truth is to stand This advantage in a great measure you have had by this Moneths Exercise see that you improve it to the clearing of your understandings in the Method of Gospel Doctrines Secondly Hold them fast in yor Memory Truely the Order of this Moneths Exercise if you be not wanting to your selves will not contribute lesse strength to your memories than light to your understandings The truths themselves have been a Treasure given you by your heavenly Father and the Method will serve you for a sack or purse to keep them in and truely it would be a labour neither unprofitable nor uncomely to take so much paines your selves and to teach your Families to do so too scil to Conne this Model without book and the Lord teach you to get them by heart You may once a week or so revolve them thus in your minds I. There is a God II. The Scriptures are the Word of God III. In the God-head there be three Persons or Subsistencies Father Son and Holy Ghost God blessed for ever IV. God Created man in a perfect but in a mutable estate V. The Covenant of works God made with man in his innocency VI. Original sin in the first spring of it in Adams first transgression VII Original corruption derived from thence into mans nature VIII Mans liablenesse to the curse or the misery of mans state by nature IX Mans impotency to help himself out of this estate X. The Covenant of Redemption or the transaction between God and Christ from all Eternity about mans salvation XI The Covenant of Grace revealed in the Gospel XII Christ the only Mediatour between God and man considered in his Person Natures and Offices XIII Christs state of Humiliation XIV Christs state of Exaltation XV. Christs satisfaction to Divine Justice XVI Effectual calling XVII Vnion with â—hrist XVIII Justification by Christs Righteousnesse XIX Son-ship to God consisting in Adopition Regeneration XX. Saving Faith XXI Repentance XXII Holinesse XXIII The Resurrection XXIV The last Judgement XXV Hell XXVI Heaven Christians this and other such like Catalogues or Formes of the Articles of Christian Faith imprinted upon your memories will be of great benefit and service to you Do ye serve your memories and your memories will serve you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hieros praef Catechis labour to get them so imprinted upon your memories that they may never be blotted out Thirdly Hold fast yea hold forth these precious Truths delivered to you in your lives and conversations Christians let it be your care and behold it shall be your * Deut. 4.6 wisdom in the eyes of all the beholders to live this morning Exercise the glory whereof hath filled this Assemblie for a moneth together To engage and quicken you herein let me mind you of one rare advantage this Model carrieth with it above most of the acute and learned Treatises of Schoolmen or solid Tractates of Catechetical Divines who have taken great paines in opening and stating the Principles of Christian Religion The Reverend Divines who have travelled in this service of your Faith have in their several Sermons with singular skill and piety brought down Principles unto practice and improved all their Doctrines to Vse and Application wherein they have shewed themselves Workmen that need not be ashamed wise Builders that know how to handle the Trowel as well as the Sword and that made it their design to build up their hearers in holinesse as well as in knowledge The School and the Pulpit met together the Doctor and the Pastor have kissed each other Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. They have not discust the Doctrines of Faith in a jejune frigid speculative way only but what they cleared to the judgment they wrought it home upon the heart and affections with such warmth and sweetnesse as that the hearers seem'd for the present to be carried into the mountain of transfiguration where they cryed out with Peter It is good for us to be here So that although their Sermons were very large yet the greatest part of their Auditories thought they had done too soon and went away praising God that had given such gifts unto men Oh let it be your care dearly Beloved that as this Model hath been