First The gracious Condescension of Christ to lodge in the Believers Nature Thus to do was a Favour and Priviledge deny'd the Angelick Nature which fell by Apostacy it being design'd and intended only for the Seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 For verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angels but he took the Seed of Abraham This is one Principal Reason why the Devils are so Implacably set against the Lord Jesus Christ and all who bear his Image Because Christ became a Mediator between God and Abraham's Seed but not between God and themselves Mark 1.24 Let us alone cry'd those Apostate Spirits in the Possessed What have we to do with thee c. These Devils knew they had no Interest or Propriety in Christ as a Saviour He took not their Nature on him he was never design'd by God who sent him into the World as a Saviour for any but Abraham's Seed and this inrages them so will all the wicked Reprobates of the World swell with Spight and Madness against the Son of God and all the Elect whom he came to Redeem They are herein acted by the Spirit of their Father John 8 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do c. Secondly That Firm and lasting Union which by Christs Incarnation is effected between the ever Blessed God and true Believers As by Adam's Apostacy both himself and all his Posterity in him were Ejected or cast out of God's Favour and Communion which was evidently seen in Adam's Ejection or his being cast out of the Earthly Paradice the Type of Heaven Gen 3. last So by Christ's uniting the assumed Nature of Abraham's Seed to God an unshaken and an immovable Foundation is laid for an Everlasting Union between the Elect Abraham's Seed and God As the Union between Christ's Godhead and his Humanity is for ever Inseparable so the Union and Bond of Friendship between God and Believers shall never be Null'd or made void let Devil World corrupt Nature Death and Hell do what they can The Names of the two Pillars in Solomon's Temple intimated and Typically shadowed forth to the Faith of the Believers under the Old Testament Dispensation that the spiritual Temple which is the Church of God's Elect being built and resting upon the Pillar of God's Omnipotency it shall never be prevail'd against by the powers of Darkness 1 Kings 7.21 To these two Pillars Jachin and Booz the Spirit of God in John alludes Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh I will make a Pillar in the Temple of my God c. Thirdly The Fruit and Effect of that Union viz. sweet Communion and Everlasting fellowing Fellowship with Father Son and Holy Ghost As is the Union such will be the Communion 1 Jo. 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also might have Fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. Ver. 7. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have Fellowship one with another c. Secondly The Work of his Humiliation and self Abasement Christ's Incarnation and his humbling himself in the assumed Nature are two distinct things The Incarnation in order of Nature must precede or go before his Humiliation the former was in order to the latter To make make it obvious and plain Consider the two Natures of Christ which constitutes him fit for the great Work of Mediation between God and and sinfull Men. First His Godhead As Christ is God he is no way capable of being humbled Secondly His Humanity the Nature in which he was humbled Reason teaches that before he could humble himself in the assumed Nature that Nature must first be Actually in Being As touching God's assuming the Human Nature it cannot properly be call'd or thought an Act of Humiliation And that because as is already hinted the Godhead is not capable of being humbled To which I add that the Godheads assuming the Human Nature is no way a humbling but rather an Advancement and that the highest and greatest that ever was or ever will be granted and vouchsafed to any created Being to the Human Nature This Act of God in uniting to himself the Human Nature was a high Act of matchless and unparallell'd Condescention to Abraham's Seed his Elect and chosen in Christ It will then be demanded wherein Christs Humiliation consisted To which I answer in two Particulars First In his laying aside and not pleading the Perfection of his sinless Nature and the perfect Conformity of his Life to the Law of God If the Lord Jesus had not stood as a Surety for the Elect the Curse of the Law could no way Reach or take hold of him and the Reason is because he was never guilty of transgressing the Law Christ was Made not Born under the Law So saith the Spirit of Truth Gal. 4.4 It is one thing to be Born under the Law and it is another thing to be Made under the Law To be Born under the Law presupposes that Party Partaker of a sinful polluted Nature which lays him open to the Sentence and Curse of the Law To be Made under the Law presupposes Christ's voluntary Act of subjecting himself to the Law of God Not only to the preceptive commanding Part of it that he might keep the Law for the Elect of God for whom he became a Surety But to the minatory and cursing part of it too to the end he might be made a Curse for them and that by bearing in his own Body and Soul the Laws-curse which was due to Gods Elect for their breach of the Law Phil. 2.7 But made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men. And being found in Fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death yea even the Death of the Cross 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sed exâ—â—anivit semet ipsum he emptied himself The word properly signifies he â—ob'd or he utterly emptied himself he debased or made himself vile And this he did himself it was neither his Fathers nor any of his Enemies Act. This is to be taken in no other sense than as was said already his laying aside and not pleading his own spotless Innocency whereon if he had stood no Accusation brought in against him would have held water to cast him at the Law Bar. Secondly His voluntary subjecting himself to a Liableness to stand charg'd with all the sins of God's Elect as truly as if they had been Personally committed by himself together with the Shame and Curse due for them Christ standing bound for the Elect could object nothing against Gods just Proceedings against him seeing iâ— was his own voluntary Act to become their Surety neither God Angels oâ— Men could force him to it On this Account it was that he stood speechless at the Laws Bâ—r. Esa 53.6 Aâ— we like sheep have gone
which can never be overthrown Jo. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life In this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only Begotten Son into the World that we might live through him 1 Jo. 4.9 Here 's also a clear Discovery what little Reason the poorest and weakest Believer hath to question or doubt of Christ's Love to him or her What! step in between thee and Hell and not love thee To take all thy Guilt and filth of sin upon himself And for the same to be made a Curse that thou poor undone sinner mightest be made the Righteousness of God in him and not love thee When the incensed Justice of God was up in Arms against thee and just ready to fall on thee for Christ his own Son to step in between thee and that fatal Stroak which had it fallen on thee would have compleated thy Misery and have put thee beyond the reach of all Possibility of ever being saved I say for Christ to step in between thee and that fatal Stroak and to suffer the Sword that would have killed thee to be lodg'd in his own Bowels was as strong and convincing an Argument that he lov'd thee as any can be made use of by God himself Never was there greater and more end aring Love in one Party towards another than the Love wherewith God the Father and Christ his Son lov'd the Elect Neither can God Angels or Men lay down stronger and more convincing Arguments to prove or confirm it so to be than God the Fathers Readiness and Willingness to Sacrifice his own and only Son whom he lov'd equally with himself and the Sons Willingness to lay down his Life and not only so but consenting to be made a Curse for the Elect. Oh! matchless and astonishing Love who ever knew or heard of the like except it self I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd giveth his Life for the Sheep Jo. 10.11 Greater Love hath no Man than this that a Man lay down his Life for hiâ— Friend Jo. 15.13 But God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us c. 1 Jo. 3.16 And as the Just and Righteous Law of God did not spare the sinless Son of God when Arraign'd at his Bar as a Surety for sinners So neither did the Son of God flinch or shrink in the Contest till he had vanquisht and overcome the Condemning Power of the Law leaving it and all the other Enemies of his Elect Nail'd to the Cross having by his Death on the Cross put to death the Damnatory Sentence of God's Righteous Law against God's Elect and spoil'd all Principalities and Infernal Powers of that accusing Power they had by sin obtain'd against God's chosen Yea having rifled Hell it self with Death and the Grave those destroying and devouring Enemies of Mankind so as that nothing was left in the way to obstruct or hinder the Elects safe Arrival in Heavenly Glory And all this by the Virtue and Merit of that Satisfaction he gave to the Justice of his Father by obeying the Law both Actively and Passively in the Assumed Nature On this Account it is that there remains now no Condemnation in force against that Man or Woman which believes in the Son of God The Moral Law is indeed a Law or Rule of Holy Living to all Believers and as a Looking-glass to discover to Believers the Spoâ—s and Defects which abounds in their Hearts and Lives while in a state of Imperfection and to shew them the continual need they stand in of the Blood and Righteousness of Christ the Mediator till they come to the end of their Race But to condemn or sentence any true Believer in Jesus to Damnation or Eternal Death the Moral Law hath no Power There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. Rom. 8.1 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 And can this be any other than sweet to true Believers especially to such as have lain so long in the Laws Prison till the Irons thereof have reached even to the very Soul Secondly The Death of Christ is most sweet and delightful to the true Believer in that in Christ's Death all the Sins and Iniquities of the Believer were Arraign'd and put to death so as the Believer shall never never be Arraign'd or Condemn'd for them either here or hereafter There were two things in sin by which the Elect of God were held captives First the Guilt of sin which lays them open to Condemnation and the Wrath to come From this the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ set them for ever free as hath been already observ'd Secondly The defiling Power of Indwelling sin this also is slain and put to death in the Death of Christ and by Virtue hereof it is that every Believer in Jesus is made to die to sin in Heart and Life through the powerful Efficiency of the Holy Ghost inwardly applying to the Soul of the Believer the Efficacy of the Mediator's Death For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the Likeness of sinful Flesh and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh Rom. 8.3 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Who his own self bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 Let this Caution be observ'd and improv'd by every true Believer viz. that not the Being of indwelling sin but its condemning and reigning Power are condem'd and put to death in the Death of Christ So as that that indwelling sin which yet remains in a justified Believer shall never either lay him open to Condemnation or to keep the Believer under its captivating Power as before Regeneration it did He will subdue our Iniquities and thou wilt cast all our sins into the depth of the Sea c. Mic. 7.18 For sin shall not have Dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 Jo. 3.8 He that is born of God doth not commit sin ver 9. Thirdly The Death of Christ is most sweet to a true Believer in that the Curse which sin put into bodily Death it is by Christ's Death taken away to every Believer the Curse due to sin was the very Sting of Death so witnesseth the Holy Ghost The Sting of death is sin c. 1 Cor. 15.56 This Christ the Surety of the Believer bore that the Curse in Death might be turn'd into a
not doubting but that the Spirit of Christ which made it so delightful and ravishing to themselves would make it the same to other Believers if once Printed At their earnest Request I did make a Promise of Publishing the same when I found my self thereunto Encouraged by Providence All the Harm I wish thee kind and charitable Reader is that the Spirit of Truth who Inspir'd Solomon the Penman of that Glorious Mystery handled in this short Treatise may graâ—iously vouchsafe unto thee such a measure of the Anointing from above as may Render thee capable of understanding and applying thy self by Faith the things held forth and contain'd in it that so thou may'st Experimentally come to taste and feel the sweet Joy and Delight wherewith the unworthy Author met in Studying and Preaching the same And wherewith those godly Believers who heard it Preacht did meet at whose Importunity I have now Publisht the same for the publick Good If thou findest any Comfort and Soul Advantage by reading it let it be a Motive to stir thee up to joyn with me in heartily requesting the more Learned and Experienced of the Bridegrooms Friends and faithful Ambassadors to supply my great Deficiency and shortness in setting forth the Commendation of this Incomparably Excellent Appletree in whose Shadow and Fruit consists the very Life and the Ail of all true Believers both here and hereafter If it happens thou think me too sharp and too bâ—ld in handling the Papist the Quaker and Arminians c. In this Treatise I heartily desire thee to consider but two things for preventing Prejudice in thy Spirit either against the Truth herein discover'd or against the Instrument by whom the Providence of God sees fit to make the Discovery to thee First The apparent Disparagement which the Principles and Practises of the above mention'd Hereticks put upon the â—hurches Appletree in that they hold and teach that Christs Righteousness alone is not sufficient to justifie a Sinner at the Bar of God without the Sinners Qualifications as concauses with Christs Righteousness in Justification This is a disparagment to Christ the Churches Appletree which the God of Love and Patience himself cannot bear Deut. 18.18 Jo. 5.23 And should not I herein Patrizare that is Imitate my Father in decrying and condemning such a Christ debasing and Soul damning Principle I should not by being silent herein evidence my self to be the Adopted Son of God Secondly Boldness for God and Zeal for the Honour of his Son are some of those blessed Effects which the Shadow and Fruits of the Appletree produce in all true Believers who sit under the shadow and feed on the Fruit of the Churches Appletree Acts 4.13 Gal. 4.18 To convince any hereof who question the Truth of what I now assert Let such but once get saving Acquaintance with this Appletree by sitting under its comfortable and delightful shadow in time of the most raging Storms they meet with and by feeding believingly on its Fruit And in case they become not bold and zealous for God and Christ I shall be willing to bear the ignominious Brand or Character of a false Prophet Acquaint now thy self with him and be at Peace thereby God shall come unto thee Job 22.21 O taste and see that the Lord is goodâ— blessed is the Man that trusteth in him Psal 34.8 Sermon I. Cant. 2.3 As the Appletree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I sat down under his Shadow with great Delight and his Fruit was sweet to my taste AMong all the Metaphors whereby the Wisdom of God hath seen sit to set forth the Excellency and Commodiousness of Christ his Son as he is design'd for the Happiness and Comfort of poor elected Sinners None so sets him forth to the life as this of the Appletree as will most plainly appear by two things First By explaining or unfolding the Sense and Meaning of the Spirit of God in this Allegory or Metaphor Secondly By a due and scriptural Application of the same to the Souls of poor weak tempted Believers for the Relief and Comfort of whom the same is left upon Record I begin with the first viz. to Explain and unfold the Sense and Meaning of the Spirit of God in this Allegory or Metaphor The design of the Spirit of God in this Allegory is I humbly conceive to set forth the incomparable and transcendent Excellency of Jesus Christ above all other of Adams Children and that on a twofold Account First On the Account of what he is in himself Secondly On the Account of the great Work he is design'd and call'd to by his Father First On the Account of what Christ is in himself he far and unspeakably transcends all the Children of Adam so witnesseth the Spirit of God concerning him Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer than the Chlidren of Men Grace is poured into thy Lips therefore God hath Blessed thee for ever To this also witnesseth the Church of God the true Spouse of Christ which is acted and guided by the Spirit of God Cant. 5.10 My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand and ver 16. His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely This transcendent Excellency of Christ in himself on which account he Excells all the Children of Adam is to be considered with respect to two things First In respect of his Godhead as Christ is God he is blest with an uncreated essential Excellency above all Created Beings from whom as such all created and communicated Excellency in Angels and Saints flows and springs Zach. 13.7 Jo. 17.5 Phil. 2.9 Heb. 1.3 Secondly In respect of his Humanity Christ is transcendently more Excellent than all the Children of Adam and that on a twofold Account First On the account of the Spotless Purity and perfect Integrity of his Human Nature whereby a Foundation was laid for uniting the elect World to God in a Bond of an Everlasting Union Had not the Humanity of Christ been spotless and free from all Stain of sin it could not possibly have been capable of Union with thâ— Divine Being Psal 5.4 Mal. 1.13 2 Cor. 5.21 It is on this Account that Christ is stil'd the Lamb of God Jo. 1.36 John speaks with Allusion to the Pascal Lamb under the Law which was to be a Lamb without Spot or Blemish Exod. 12.5 To this also alludes the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1.19 But with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot The sinless Purity of his Human Nature and the exact Conformity of all his Human Actions to the demand of Gods Law are here intended Secondly On the Account of the extraordinary Anointing of the Spirit poured out on the Humanity of Christ to sit and meeten him for the great Work of Mediation between God and elect Sinners Of this Christ himself gives an Account by the Evangelical Prophet Esa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me
because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach glad tidings to the meek c. This was excellently held forth in the Person of Aaron the High Priest under the dark Dispensation of the ceremonial Administration an Eminent and Glorious Type and Shadow of Christ the Elects High Priest Psal 133.2 It is like the Precious Ointment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aarons Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garment The material Oyl wherewith Aaron Christs Type was anointed did prefigure and type out the Effusion of the Spirits Gifts and Graces on the Human Nature of Christ to fit and qualifie him for the Work the Father hath sent him about this anointing was poured out on Christ without measure as witnesseth the Scripture Jo. 3 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the Words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him This is further backt and confirm'd by Colos 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell And Colos 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Besides the personal Anointing of Christs Human Nature wherewith the Father anointed him above his fellows Psal 45.7 there was a Soul enriching Stock of Grace put into his Hands as Mediator in time to be communicated to all the Elect who are to be the Members of his Mystical Body Hence it is that Believers are said to receive of Christ's Fulness Jo. 1.16 And of his Fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace Ephes 4.7 But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ Christ as God is the Source and Fountain of all the Graces of Believers as God-man he is the Meriter and Purchaser of all Grace for them and Christ as Mediator he hath the dispencing Power committed to him by the Father to communicate to and bestow upon every Member of his Body what measure of Grace he pleaseth Secondly Christ far excels all Adam's Children on the account of the Work to which the Father design'd him in Eternity and whereto he in time call'd him This great Work is to reconcile God and elect Sinners together by the Interposition of his Mediatorial Righteousness to make up that Breach which the Sin and Apostacy of Adam had effected between God and the Elect and to keep and continue them in an everlasting Covenant of Love and Peace so as that there should never be any Possibility of their being at Enmity any more for ever 2 Cor. 5.19 to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses to them By World in this as in other places is intended the elect World for whom Christ was made Sin and a Curse and between whom and God his offended Father he stept in as a Mediator to make Peace by offering up himself in Sacrifice to God's Justice 1 Tim. 2.5 6. for there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time Compare with this Jo. 10.15 and Jo. 17.9 and it will plainly appear that Christ became a Mediator of Redemption and Intercession for God's Elect and none else If what hath been said concerning what Christ is in himself and the great Work to which the Father hath design'd and call'd him be rightly considered it will appear beyond all Contradiction that he infinitely excels and transcends all the Children of Adam None of Adam's Posterity were ever qualified like him neither were any of them ever call'd to so great and glorious a Work as he was this in the general But more particularly to come to the Allegory or Metaphor by which his transcendent Excellency is allegorically set forth there are three things in the Apple-Tree which bespeaks the Lord Jesus a None-such to the Elect. First The Lowness and Comliness of the Apple-Tree above other Trees It grows lower and nearer the Ground than other Trees usually do The matchless Lowliness and Humility of Christ is hereby set forth none could ever compare with him herein Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly This is anciently Predicted of him as appears Zach. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Ass and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass Mat. 21.4 5. Six things wherein this will appear First His condescending to become his Father's Inferior first as a Son a Relation which imports Superiority and Inferiority Psal 2.7 I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee c. Jo. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. Jo. 14.28 For my Father is greater than I. Secondly As a Servant to do his Work Psal 89.20 I have found David my Servant with my Holy Oil have I anointed him Esa 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth * This Inferiority of Christ to God is to be understood in respect of the Office he voluntarily took on him for the Elects sake not in respect of Nature or Essence as appears Zach. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow Jo. 10.30 I and my Father are one Heb. 1.3 Who being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person c. Secondly His condescending to assume the Humane Nature Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch as the Children did partake of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same Vers 16. For verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angels but he took upon him the Seed of Abraham There are two things which if considered will put a bright Lustre on this Act of Christ's Condescention First The Baseness of the Matter of that Body he assumed viz. A Clod of Earth and that the worst of Earth viz. Red Earth so the word Adam in Hebrew signifies Secondly The abject State and wretched Condition into which it fell by the Apostacy and Rebellion of Adam to which he knew he must become subject Hence it is he is stiled a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief Esa 53.3 4. Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh c. Thirdly In his being Born of mean Parents Christ as God did single out and choose the Womb in which his Humanity was to be Conceived which was not an Empress a Queen or some Lady of Rich and Noble Extraction according to the Flesh but a mean and despicable Maid of a mean and poor Family so poor that she was not able to compass a Lamb but must be trusting to a pair of Turtle Doves for a Sacrifice
for sin Not that God is indeed Wrath with the Elect sinner as he is with the Reprobate who hath no share or part in his Sons Redemption But Satan and carnal Reason do represent God as a wrathful Enemy to the sinner this the poor sinner fully concludes to be so and from hence he feels a miserable Hurricane within himself as if God were indeed his Enemy and design'd to damn him for transgressing his Just and Righteous Law That the elect sinner as Adams Child is born Heir of the Curse Partaker of a Nature as polluted and vile as Hell it self can make it and likewise obnoxious to the Wrath threatned for the breach of the Law and that according to do and live sin and die is and must be granted But that he being Elect and chosen of God in Christ is under the Curse and in danger of being seiz'd by the Wrath of God is no less than Blasphemy to think or say and that for these Reasons following First Because of the Compact and Agreement between the Father and the Son concerning the Elect in Eternity By virtue of which Agreement the Elect are not only secur'd from the Curse of God's Law by Christ their Vademony and Surety being made a Curse for them according to Esa 53.5 Gal. 3.13 But they are also secur'd in Christ their Head and covenanting Representative of eternal Life according to 2 Cor. 5.21 6 Cor. 1.30 Secondly Because of the Plenary and full Payment by way of Purchase and Redemption which Christ the Elects Undertaker hath made to Gods Justice for them Concerning which I am not afraid to affirm that neither the strict Law of God nor yet his Justice can demand more by way of Satisfaction for the sins of the Elect than is to be found in that one Oblation which he offered to God when he through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God c. Heb. 9.14 Heb. 10.14 Thirdly Because of the declared Satisfaction of God the Father with that his Sons Mediatorial Performance according to Esa 53.11.12 Mat. 3.17 Jo. 16.10 Fourthly Because it would be a charging God the Father with Injustice to hold or say that he looks that the same Debt should be twice paid First by Christ his Son whom he himself chose and anointed to this very Work of redeeming his Elect Captives And secondly by the Elect Personally themselves such a practise as this would be hiss'd at by graceless Moralists and shall Man be more Just than God Job 4.17 Fifthly Because it would be an everlasting Stain and Reflection on the Name and Honour of the Lord Jesus Christ as if he had engag'd in a work which he prov'd not able to accomplish viz. to redeem God's Elect and to secure them from the Curse of God in case the Elect be still under that Curse and Wrath. The Point then which I conclude upon is this viz. That God's Elect are either secur'd from the Curse of the Law and deliver'd from the Wrath of God or else there must be some defect in the Justice of God or in the Mediatorial Satisfaction of the Son of God the Elects Surety but there is there can be no Defect in the Justice of God nor yet in the Mediatorial Satisfaction of the Son of God the Elects Surety Therefore the Elect of God are secur'd from the Curse of the Law and deliver'd from the Wrath of God Rom. 8.23 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us 1 Thes 1.10 Even Jesus who hath delivered us from the wrath to come From what hath been said it will necessarily follow that the Storm and Hurricane occasion'd by the fear of the Wrath of God in the Soul of an Elect sinner is rather from the sentence of the Law not rightly understood than from any actual Execution of the Curse and Wrath of God upon him for sin Whatever Thoughts or Apprehensions the Elect sinner hath concerning the Wrath of God which raiseth such a terrifying storm in the Conscience this is an undoubted Truth that nothing but flying to the Shadow of Christs Mediatorial Satisfaction can allay that storm and give the troubled Soul inward Comfort Job 33. Then he is gracious unto him and saith deliver him c. Heb. 6.18 Who have fled for refuge to the hope set before them c. A fifth storm wherewith the Elect sinner will frequently meet in the World is the scorching Heat of Tribulations and outward Persecutions of this our Lord himself hath had large Experience none more and of this he hath forewarn'd all his following Members who are to follow him in the Regeneration In the World ye shall have Tribulation c. Mat. 10.22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake c. 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution This was the Path wherein the now Triumphing Martyrs follow'd the Captain of their Salvation who was made perfect through suffering Heb. 2.10 These kind of storms are very uneasie and frightful yet they must be gone thorow by those who follow the Lamb to the Kingdom of Heaven It is here as it is with those Merchants who covet to partake of the Riches in the Indies They must expect to meet not only with contrary Winds but with fearful storms and dreadful Hurricanes too before they can come to possess the desired Riches of that Country And of all storms the Hurricane is most frightful and dangerous the same being occasion'd by a meeting of all the four Winds together opposing each the other with all their strength When but one of the Winds blow tho' it blow not only fresh but boisterously yet if the Ship hath but Sea-room enough she will weather the Point yea albeit the Wind chop about from one point to another But when all the four Winds blow in their full strength together the Ship knows not which way to steer her course All she can do is to commit her self to the Mercy of the restless Sea which like a Gulph is ready with open Mouth to swallow her up When it comes to this the Mariners hope of escaping with their Lives is at a very low Ebb if any Hope at all be left them And surely did not the over-ruling Providence of Heaven watch over poor Mortals in such Hurricanes the great Deep must be their Tomb. As there are natural Storms which attend the Children of Adam threatning the Life and Comforts of their Body so there are spiritual Storms which as design'd and manag'd by the Devil strike at and threaten the very Life and Comfort of the Soul As the former of these so also the latter they admit of degrees some Souls as well as some Bodies they meet with and pass thorow far greater and sharper storms than others And as the common Care and
gives that honourable Title of Mediator to any but the Son of God Secondly None was ever found by the Wisdom of God who was capable of such an high Office and that for two Reasons First Because the Mediator who must come in between God and sinners must be God as well as Man Now it is most certain that neither the Virgin Mary nor any other of the Saints of whom Papists make use as Mediators are God Secondly Because none of the Creatures to be Redeem'd were able to encounter with the Death and Miseries through which the Mediator was to go in making up the Breach between God and the Elect. Neither Virgin Mary nor any other Saint shed their Blood on the Account of Ransoming sinners I have trodden the wine press alone and of the people there was none with me Esa 63.3 And I looked and there was none to help and I wondred that there was none to uphold therefore mine own Arm brought Salvation unto me and my fury it upheld me ver 5. Is Christ divided was Paul Crucified for you c. 1 Cor. 1.13 This Work of bearing sin as a Surety for sinners was for unconceiveably great that I am very bold in affirming that had the Virgin Mary that Capital Idol of the Romish Synagogue with all the other Saints whom the Papists joyn with her as Coadjutors or fellow Helpers to make her Mediation and Intercession in Heaven the more successful joyn'd with her in lying under the weight of the sins of God's Elect It would have sunk her and them to into the nethermost Hell yea and all the Angels of Heaven had they been under that Load It never yet belonged to any to be a Mediator of Intercession but to him that was a Mediator of Redemption These two constitutive Parts of a compleat Mediator must never be parted they are both in Christ and in none other in Heaven or Earth Esa 53.12 with the Scriptures already Quoted To which I add a third Reason viz. Because neither Virgin Mary nor any other Saints or Angels were ever nominated or appointed to that High and most Sacred Office by God the Father This is Christ's Right excluding all others and that by the Priviledge of his Birth I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this day have I Begotten thee Ask of me and I will give thee c. Psal 2.7 8. to this great Office he was Anointed and set apart by the declared Will and sacred Oath of him who cannot lie or change The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest forever after the Order of Melchizedech Psal 110.4 Neither of these things can be said of the Virgin Mary or any meer Creature without horrid Lying and Blasphemy against the Glorious and ever Blessed Trinity Branch the second Learn hence how near akin to Popery such be who notwithstanding they declare against Popery lay the stress of their Hope of obtaining any Mercy on their own worse than Threadbare Performances Such Persons sacrifice to their own drag Hab. 1.16 Their own deep Humiliations their Prayers their Fastings their Almsdeeeds something of their own Qualifications must claim the Honor of procuring the favor and kindness God shews them or at least be brought in collaterally with Christ's Merits as the procuring Cause of the Mercy they receive How do these kind of Professors extol and and advance the Honour and Dignity of the Lord Jesus Christ These instead of running to shelter themselves under the shadow of this Appletree viz. The Righteousness and Satisfaction of Christ They run to the false covering of their own Qualifications ascribing their success unto them not to Christ How little differing from downright Papists are these Esa 30.1 Oh! how hard a thing is self-denial for a Man to do duty and not to trust to it For a Christian to be all in Christ and nothing in himself in the point of Merit and Trust to obtain the good he wants These are as great strangers to the Grace of the Gospel and will in the end be found as far from the Kingdom of Heaven as those Papists from whom they think they separate being no better than those foolish Virgins in Mat. 25. who for want of the Oyl of Grace in their Hearts were shut out of Heaven He that is a Christian in Truth as he devolves the whole concerns of his Life and Salvation on the Lord Jesus Christ to be secured by him alone and in his own way so he ascribes the Praise of every Blessing he receives for Soul and Body to Christ the Son of God not excluding God the Father and the Holy Ghost such a Soul knows it to be high Sacriledge to ascribe any part of the Praise of his Salvation to any but God Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give Glory for thy Mercy and for thy Truths sake Psal 115.1 For my Names sake will I defer mine Anger and for my Praise will I refrain for thee that I cut thee not off Esa 48.9 Not for your sakes doo I this saith the Lord God be it known untâ—â— you be ashamed and confounded for your own ways O house of Israel Ezek. 36.32 To which I will only add that of our Saviour So likewise ye when ye have done all these things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Luke 17.10 In the Scriptures now Quoted it is most plain and conspicuous to any who are not either judicially or wilfully blind that all occasion is taken away from saved sinners of ever boasting of any worth or goodness of their own in the sight of a Holy God Ephes 2.9 Branch 3d. See and learn hence what little Cause or Reason any true Believers have to be dismay'd or discouraged at any Difficulties which lies in their way of Duty to God He who sits by Faith and humble Dependence under the shadow of this Almighty Redeemer and All-sufficient Saviour needs not fear tho' all the World were up in Arms against him For most certain it is the Word of God and rooted Experience assures me of it that Christ will either blast and confound all the crafty Pollicy and Strength of the Believers Enemies that they shall not be able to touch him so as to spoil him or else he will endue the Believer with an Heroick Spirit of Fortitude and heavenly Courage whereby he shall be enabled to suffer patiently and constantly for the Cause of God which is unspeakably better and every way more eligible to that Believer who would give an Evidence of his Faith in and his Love to the Person and Cause of his Beloved Jesus I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die and the Son of man that shall be made as the grass Esa 51.12 Fear not for I have Redeemed thee I have called thee
and Comfort to poor fainting desponding Souls Esa 50.4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary c. The Spirit of God by Solomon tells us that a word fitly spoken is like Apples of gold in Pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 Here we are to understand that a word in due time and place and pertinent to the purpose As beyond all dispute it is Amiable and Ravishing to the Eye to behold so orient and dazling a sight as Apples of Gold drawn to the Life in Pictures of Silver So undoubtedly a word of Counsel and Comfort brought Home to the Conscience of a doubting wounded Sinner ravisheth and gladdeth the broken Heart As cold water to a thirsty Soul so is good news from a far Country Prov. 25 25. When the word suited to a poor tempted Souls Distress is brought home in the nick of time as we say Oh! how sweet is it then Thirdly A third thing which bespeaks the Word of Christ sweet to a real Believer is the Holy Ghost his Efficiency and quickening Power accompanying the same what we say of corporal Bread Rayment Physick Drink c. what can they avail to comfort and nourish the Body without the Spirit of God bless and sanctifie their use to the end for which they are appointed The same may be truly said of the Word and Sacraments c. what can they avail for the Souls good if the Efficiency and quickning Influence of the Spirit of God go not along with their use It is for want of this quickening Virtue of the Spirit of God that so many Sermons are Preached and so few sinners really Converted It is for want of this quickning Efficacy of the Spirit that so many Ordinances of Religion are attended and enjoy'd by thousands of Professors without any sensible or visible Growth in Grace The Word of God is like a well made Knife or Razor tho' never so keen and sharp yet without a living Agent they can neither Cut nor Shave So the Word of God neither the Law can awaken convince or wound the Conscience for sin Nor yet the Gospel Heal or Comfort a Soul in Distress without the Energy and quickening Efficacy of the Spirit of God There are two sorts of People who hereby appear to be in a woful Condition First such as frequently hear and read the Word Receive Sacraments and go the Round in all external Acts of Religious Duties and yet without any motion of spiritual Life from the Spirit of God in their Souls These are like blind Horses in a Mill going round all day long alway treading in the same Tract not seeing or considering where they are or what they are doing These keep to the Form in a Customary way but heed not the inward Power which is that which renders all Acts of Religious Worship both pleasing and acceptable to God and which proves the Soul to be in Reality a living Member of Christ's Mystical Body Esa 29.13 2 Tim. 3.5 Rev. 3.17 Secondly There be others who in pretence of internal Motion and Power in the Soul from the Spirit who to avoid the Damning Formality of the others now mention'd will not only neglect but even slight the Word and Ordinances reflecting on the Word as a dead Letter and the Holy Institutions of Christ in his Churches as carnal poor empty and beggarly Elements Some of these are Seekers in plain English Quakers who are always learning But never come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 3.6.7 Others are super-ordinanced who have gotten above all ordinary Means These in their own Conceits at least are so near Perfection that they need not the use of outward Ordinances These are gotten in outward Shew and Profession above Ordinances but never yet were they acquainted with true Piety Both these sorts are under the powerful working of an Infernal Spirit of Delusion which feeds their Souls with Chymerical Whimsies and Enthusiastical Dreams instead of the Doctrin which is according to Godliness These wretched Extreams are to be carefully shunn'd and avoided as the as the Paths which lead to Hell and Eternal Ruin The sure way hereto is to keep within sight and hearing of the Shepherds Tents Cant. 1.8 Beâ—are of false Teachers and avoid the Doctrin which hath not God's Word for its Foundation Esa 8.20 In hearing and reading and all other Ordinances of Religious Worship see that the outward Form and the inward Power be not separated Those things which God hath joyned together must not be put asunder Esa 59.21 Mat. 19.6 That great Man Augustin us'd to call the Word of God Creating Words Verba Divâ—na saith he sunt verba creativa And that on the account of the quickening Energy and Power that goes along with them This is a Truth which hath been acknowledged â—s well by Enemies as by Friends to the Truth Jo. 7.46 The Officers answered never Man spake like this Man Luke 24.32 And they said one to another did not our Hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures He that brags of the Word of God and is a Stranger to the Power thereof in his own Soul he is an hypocritical Formalist He who boasts of the Power of the Spirit within and holds not the Form of sound Words indited by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost to be a Rule of Faith and Holy Life he is a deluded Enthusiast From both these Extreams the Care and Faithfulness of the Great Shepherd will keep all who are given him by the Father Thirdly The Works of Christ are all sweet to the true Believer By Works here I intend the Works of his Mediatorial Undertaking Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy Works Psal 86.8 Besides the Works of Creation and Providence which are common to the whole Trinity there are Works which are Peculiar to Christ as Mediator I will reduce them to six Heads First His Work of Incarnation or his Assuming the Human Nature into Unity with his Sacred Godhead This is the Mystery of all other Mysteries and of this the Temple and Tabernacle of old were shadowy Types To this Mystery that in Prov 8.31 had reference even before Christ came in the Flesh yea before the Birth of Time it self if I may so speak rejoycing in the habitable Parts of his Earth c. The then intended Union between the Godhead and our Flesh is in that Scripture pointed at and this is chiefly intended by John Jo. 1.14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us c. And by Paul in 1 Tim. 3. last And without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh c. There are three things especially which bespeak the Incarnation of Christ to be sweet and delightful to the true Believer
Blessing to all the Members of Christ viz. All who savingly believe in him There are some whose Names I am unwilling to mention who tell Men that bodily Death is a Part of the Curse due to sin and that the Believer as well as the Unbeliever must undergo and bear it as such namely the Curse which is due to the Believer for sin From whom I do and shall for ever dissent and that for the two Reasons here following First Because Death puts an end to all a Believers sinning and sorrowings which occasioned holy Master Dod's Saying that Death was the greatest Friend to a true Believers Grace that is in the World For saith he that which Praying and Hearing and Sacraments c. do but help to weaken viz. sin in the Heart and Life of the Believer Death comes and with one stroak cuts it off And at the same time and with the same Blow puts an end to all the Believers Sorrows and Afflictions And if this be a Curse to a Believer for my part I do not understand what it is to be Blest Though Death in it self be a Curse to the first Adam and his Children as it is the Wages of sin Rom. 6.23 yet to them who are in Christ that Curse is turned into a Blessing so saith the Holy Ghost whose Testimony goes beyond all other Testimonies in Matters of Faith See Rev. 14.13 And I heard a voice from Heaven saying write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord From henceforth Yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them And of such it is also said And God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nither shall there be any more paâ—n for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 Secondly Because Death not only perfects the Grace of a true Believer but it is also an Inlet to the Kingdom of Glory On these two Accounts it is I doubt not that the day of Death is preferrable before the day of ones Birth Eccles 7.1 A good Name is better than precious Oyntment and the day of death than the day of ones Birth On the same Accounts I do not question Paul did prefer to die rather than to continue in the Body as he himself tells us Phil. 1.21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is Gain Herewith also concurs 1 Cor. 3.22 Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods In this Enumeration of Particulars of second causes wherein the Members of Christ are said to be interrested I understand the same thing to be intended which is held forth in that general Assertion And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 And is not this a sweet Fruit to a Believers spiritual Taste Fourthly The Powerful and Glorious Resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the Dead is most sweet and delightful to the true Believer That Christ was raised up from Death is beyond controversie Acts 2.24 Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of Death because it was not p ssible he should be holden of it Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given Assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead Rom. 1.4 And declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection f om the dead This Resurrection of Christ from the dead can be no other than sweet to all true Believers and that on a threefold Account First As it is God the Fathers Actual Discharge to Christ the Publick Head and Representative of Gods Elect and to them in him from that sin of theirs which he as their Surety stood charg'd with and from the whole of that Debt which he undertook to pay for them As Christs Active and Passive Obedience was the full Payment of Believers Debts to God so Gods raising him from Death was Gods Actual Discharge to his Son and in him to all Elect Believers to assure them that the Debt which Christ his Son undertook to pay for them is now fully paid and satisfied witness his Actual Release and Discharge from the Prison of the Grave where Christ as Undertaker and Surety for Gods Elect was detain'd until the Justice of his Father said it is enough I am now satisfied to the full every Iota and Tittle of the Law is by him perfectly obey'd both Actively and Passively I have no more to lay to his or the Elects Charge for whom he became a Surety Discharge him let him be set at Liberty as Christ the Son prov'd faithful to the Father in performing to the utmost what he had undertaken for securing the Fathers Glory and the Salvation of the Elect committed and given in charge to him by the Father So God the Father proves Just and Righteous to Christ in giving him under the Hand of his Unerring Spirit of Truth a full Release and General Discharge not only for himself but for his Redeemed ones also Of this Christ had not the least doubt when he struck Hands with his Father he knew his Father to be the God of Truth who could not lie or deal unjustly with any much less with his own only Son who he could not but know would stick at nothing though it were to empty himself and to become nothing And which was worse to be made a Curse to finish the Work his Father had given him to do For the Lord God will help me therefore I shall not be confounded therefore have I set my Face like a Flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed He is near that justifieth me who will contend with me Let us stand together who is mine Adversary let him come near to me Isa 50 7 8. What was of old predicted by this Evangelical Prophet concerning God the Fathers justifying his Son upon his finishing the Work he had undertaken to go through it is now declared and made known by the Gospel to be Actually accomplished and made good according to those and other the like Predictions of him I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do Jo. 17.4 5. And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was All Power is given me in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28.18 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Acts 5.31 And without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh
justified in the Spirit c. 1 Tim. 3.16 Let the Believer who either hears or reads this concerning Christ's being Raised from the Dead but seriously weigh and consider of how great Concern this Act of Gods releasing Christ is to secure and strengthen the Foundation of the Believers Comfort and Assurance and he will find that the oftener he chews this Cud by serious Meditation accompany'd with fervent Prayer to the Throne of Grace the sweeter this Fruit will be to his Taste How comes it to pass that some poor Tempted Believers do often Hear and Read of God's having Raised Christ his Son from the Dead and yet they hear and read it as if they themselves were no way concern'd in it 't is as a dry Chip to them they taste no sweetness in it The Reason hereof is they do not consider neither can they believe that God in Raising his Son from the Dead hath Actually declar'd from Heaven that he is now Actually reconcil'd to and at an Everlasting Peace with all Believers with the poorest and weakest as well as with the strongest Believer And therefore the sure and only way for a poor weak tempted Believer to relish and taste the Sweetness of this Fruit is to Act Faith on the Resurrection of Christ appropriating the Virtue and Merit thereof unto himself thus and hath God indeed Raised up his Son Jesus Christ from the Dead And that as he was the Surety and Representative of all the Elect and was God's Design in raising him to give a publick Testimony to that Satisfaction which he himself received at the Hands of Christ in the behalf of God's Elect. Why then most â—ertain it is none but Lyars against God can deny it that no sin of God's Elect remains unsatisfied for which had they not been the Just â—nd Righteous God would never have â—uffered their Surety to have so much as peep'd out of his Prison the Grave in which he that â—ver Blessed one lay confin'd until God's time of discharging him accorâ—ing to Promise was come What Reason then canst thou shew O my drooping disponding Soul â—â—hy thou shouldest fear an Arrest â—â—om God for those sins for which Christ thy Surety was already Arrested and Committed and from which also he was Actually Acquitted and Legally Discharged by that great God against whom thy sins were committed whereof his Glorious and Powerful Resurrection from the Dead is a full and convincing Proof See and consider how the Holy Ghost Argues in the behalf God's Elect. Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is God that Justifieih Who is he that Condemneth 〈◊〉 It is Christ that Died yea rather that is Risen again who is even aâ—â— the Right Hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us Rom. 8.33.34 The Interrogation or Question here put implies a strong Negâ—tion and the plain English or meaning of it is that in vain is it foâ— any Enemy of Gods Elect to briâ—â— before God any Bill of Indictmeâ—â— or Accusation for sin against anâ— of God's Elect. The Argument where by this is inforced is twofold Firsâ— Gods own Act already past it God that Justifieth he against whoâ—â— sin hath been committed and wâ—â—â— alone hath the Right and Power to forgive it He hath on full Satisfaction given to his Justice by the Surety of his Elect Pardoned the sins of all the Elect who are now virtually pardoned and justified in that Justification past on Christ their publick Head and Representative Secondly The Death Resurrection from the Dead and Intercession of Christ the Elect's Surety First His Death this was the conâ—mmating Act whereby he compleaâ—ed the Payment of our Debt for which he became bound to God for â—he Elect. Secondly His Resurrection from the â—ead which is God's Discharge from hat Obligation he lay under as the â—â—rety of the Elect. Thirdly His Work of Intercession â—â—t God's right Hand to which â—ace and Office he would never have â—â—â—n admitted had not the Passage â—ereto been clear'd up and prepar'd 〈◊〉 the Satisfaction given There can â—â—en be no Reason shewn why or â—â—erefore the weakest Believer should â—â—r being damn'd or sent to Hell 〈◊〉 his sins seeing his Redeemer and Surety is raised from the Grave And is Actually ascended from the lower pars of Gods Earth to sit at his right Hand in the highest Heavens to enter on the Glorious Work of Interceding with God his Father for him a poor shatter'd tempted Soul Object But my sins are so many and great and my Faith so very very weak that I am often assailed with fearful Doubtings and Questionings whether I be one of those Elect in whose behalf Christ received that Full and Actual Discharge from God the Father To this I Answer in the Particulars following First Suppose thy sins do fâ— Quantity and Quality not only equalize out out-do the crying Abominations of any now in Glory Nay not only so but I will add the Abominations of any nay a the Reprobates in Hell except tâ— unpardonable sin which many in thâ— place have committed I say suâ—pose thy sins were as many and great as the sins of those now meâ—tion'd yet if thou seriously consider the unconcieveable Worth and the infinitely incomprehensible Value of the price paid to God's offended Justice for the sins of the Elect There will appear no real or solid Ground to fear the Greatness of thy sins in case the numberless Numbers of the Elects sins were thy own sins personally and that there were a Thousand Millions of Elect Sinners more than there be Stars in the Firmament Yet the Shoulders of that Almighty Saviour who became Surety for Gods Elect would bear them all and that without any danger of sinking under their Weight Remember that place Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him c. To which let mâ— for thy Comfort and future Encouragement in believing add the Mercy of Jehovah which with the Merit of Christ's Satisfaction for sin is so every way Infinite and Incomprehensible that it swallows up and out-doeth all the Power that can be in sin to damn or ruin any Elect Sinner for whom Christ the Son of God Dyed and Rose again All the Breaches of God's Law are the Acts or Omissions of Finite Creatures But the Mercy of God in pardoning Sinners and the Merit of Christ his Obedience and Sacrifice to deserve and obtain their Pardon they are the Mercy and the Merits of an Infinite God And as soon might a little Wren or Sparrow Dive into the deepest part of the Sea and ascend up again to give an Account of its Depth as any created Being can be capable of sounding or Fathoming the investigable and bottomless Depth of God the Fathers pardoning Mercy and of Christs the Sons Merit to purchase the Elects Pardon Secondly And what though thy Faith be so weak so very very weak as thou complainest it is this need
not hinder thy Comfort in feeding on this best and sweetest of Fruits For thy Faith though it be never so weak proves it self to be a Divine Faith by its Operation in thee First In that it empties thy Heart of all conceited Rigteousness of thine own whereby Satan and corrupt Nature would have thee to look for Life and Salvation Secondly In that it carries thee out to rest under the shadow of Christ's Mediatorial Satisfaction hoping and expecting Life and Salvation by his Merits alone Though all Mens Stomachs be not equally sharp at Table yet he that hath the least Stomach might eat to as great Satisfaction and Content as he that eats most Let thy Faith be never so weak thou wilt find by Experience that the oftener thou doest taste of this Fruit of Christ's Death and Resurrection with Application thereof to thy self crying out Believingly My dear Lord Jesus Christ who died to discharge the Debt of my sins and who rose again for my Justification the sweeter and the more delightful will it be and not only so but thy poor weak Faith will by this means gather strength day by day Thirdly And as touching those fearful Doubtings and Questionings whether thou in particular be one of those Elect for whom Christ dyed and rose again I need say no more than to assure thee that this hath been the Case of the most eminent Saints now Triumphing in Glory when in a Militant State as thou now art that Soul that was never troubled with Doubtings and Questionings about his State was never yet blest with a right saving Faith Not that these Doubtings are of the Essence of true Faith or as if thou wer 't not bound to be humbled for them before God and oblig'd to strive against them But an Argument they are that thou art acted by a twofold Principle and that the Devil is now discover'd to be thine Enemy Both which effectually proves thee to be one of those Elect for whom Christ both died and rose again Secondly The Resurrection of Christ is sweet to a a true Believer As the same is a sure and certain Pledge of his own and all other Believers being raised not only from a State of Mortality but also from a State of Imperfect Grace The Resurrection of Christ the Believers Surety is the Ground and Foundation of a Believers both rising more and more to Newness of Life And of his being raised again out of the Dust of Death to partake in the Glory of the last Resurrection Rom. 6.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 15.49.54 Phil. 3.21 Jo. 6.40 Thirdly The Resurrection of Christ is sweet to the Believer as it is an invincible Argument to prove that Christ his Surety having once dy'd and by his Glorious Resurrection overcome Death he is never more to dye so witnesseth the Holy Ghost Rom. 6.9 Knowing that Christ being raised up from the Dead dyeth no more Death hath no more Dominion over him Rev. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore c. The Ground hereof is the infinite Satisfaction given to his Fathers Justice for the sins of the Elect by that one Death which he underwent If it were possible for Christ to dye a thousand times over and over his dying so many Deaths could not be more Satisfactory to the Justice of God for the sins of the Elect than was that one most shameful bitter and cursed Death of the Cross which he suffer'd and underwent once for all Rom. 6.10 For in that he dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God God the Father hath now no more sin to charge on him than what he stood charg'd with on the Cross when he said on his giving up the Ghost it is finished Jo. 19.30 Heb. 10.14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified It is not in this Case as it hath been with but too many of Adam's Children and is in this very day who have been forced to pay over and over the self same Debt Such is the Baseness and Knavery of the Oppressours of the Age we live in God the Father of Christ is not such a Creditor he is a Just and a Righteous God And being so there is no Ground to fear that ever he will Twit in the Teeth either Christ his Son the Elects Surety or any poor Believer with those Sins which Christ once satisfied for This Fruit is passing sweet to that Soul who frequently feeds on it Fifthly The Glorious Ascension of Christ from Earth to Heaven is most sweet to the true Believer and it is so on a twofold Account First As it proves the compleat Conquest and Victory of Christ the Believers Head and Surety over all the Enemies of God's Elect of whom it was spoken by way of Prediction Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led Captivity captive c. Psal 68.18 These things are Prophetically spoken of Christ by way of Allusion or Comparison and which are by the Apostle Paul apply'd to Christ's Glorious Ascension Ephes 4.8 The Metaphor is taken from earthly Kings and mighty Potentates who when they had got the Victory over their Enemies us'd to bind to their Chariot Wheels the Chief of the Enemies dragging them along in Triumph Thus did the Lord Jesus the Surety of Gods Elect when he Ascended to Heaven he led Devil Sin Curse of the Law World Death Grave and Hell Captives so that they can never more slave or insult over any of God's Elect this is intended by Christ in Jo. 16.33 In me ye shall have Peace in the World ye shall have Tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the World And the same is intended by Paul in Colos 2.15 And having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly Triumphing over them in it This also is intended in Rev. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I live for evermore and have the Keys of hell and of death The term Keys denotes the universal Power which Christ by dying Atchieved over all the Enemies of his Redeemed ones Christ's Ascension from Earth to Heaven is every true Believers Triumph over all the Powers of Darkness of this World so witnesseth the Spirit of God Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerours through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 Secondly Christ's Ascension to Heaven is sweet to the true Believer on the Account of the personal Appearance he makes there for all the Members of his Mystical Body That Christ is enter'd Heaven as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fore-runner of his Members is expresly set down and affirm'd for the Comfort and Encouragement of all true Believers Whether the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 6.20 For Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands which are the figures of the true
but into Heaven it self now to appear in the Presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 And there are three Ends for which he so appears First That he might represent his Members Spotless and Blameless in the Virtue and Merit of that Obedience which he himself as their Representative perform'd on Earth to answer the Demand of the Law It is on the Account hereof that the Spouse of Christ viz. the Church of true Believers is by Christ himself styl'd and accounted all fair and Spotless Thou art all fair my Love there is no Spot in thee Ephes 4.7 Cant. 4.7 That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without Blemish Ephes 5.27 And ye are compleat in him c. Colos 2.10 Secondly That he might enter on the Possession of the purchased Inheritance which he himself purchased for his Members Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his Glory Luke 24.26 And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Jo. 14.3 The Believers Life and Crown are in the Hands and Keeping of Christ to be secur'd for them till they arrive at Heaven where he is Which is the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the Praise of his Glory Ephes 1.14 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.6 This is a Mercy and an Inestimable Priviledge given by God to the Elect that the Life of their Souls and all the Glory and Blessedness whereto God elected them in Christ his Son is deposited by God the Father in the Hands of Christ who will never fail or betray them On which Account it is that the condition of the poorest and weakest Believer living is in a better and infinitely safer State than the first Adam and his Posterity were in before the Fall The Reason whereof is this viz the Life and Salvation of the first Adam and his Children depended on the Obedience of a Mutable Agent who might and did fall and come short in fulfilling the condition of that Covenant of Works under which they Acted for Life But the Life and Salvation of the Elect is now secur'd in Christ God-Man who can as soon cease to be what he is as he can forget or neglect or suffer the poorest and weakest of those committed to him by the Father to perish And is not this a most sweet Fruit And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish c. Jo. 10.28 And this is the Fathers Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should loose nothing but should raise it up at the last Day Jo. 6.39 Thirdly That he might enter on the Great and Necessary Work of Intercession which leads to the Sixth Particular comprehended in the general term Works Sixthly The Intercession of Christ is most sweet to the true Believer There are six things in it which makes it so First The Propriety the Believer hath in it yea even the meanest and weakest Believer hath as real a Propriety therein as the strongest Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us Rom. 8.34 My little Children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 1 Jo. 2.1 Secondly Whatevever Christ Prays for he most certainly obtains it of this he had Experience when on the Earth before he had Actually discharg'd the Debt which he took on him for the Elect. And Jesus lift up his Eyes and said Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me And I knew that thou hearest me always Jo. 11.41 42. Who in the days of his flesh when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong Cryings and Tears unto him that was able to save him from Death and was heard in that he feared Heb. 5.7 But now seeing all Righteousness is by him fulfilled according to what he undertook and he in the Merit thereof not only Ascended from Earth to Heaven but even sat at the Father's Right Hand what is it that the Father can deny him especially when what he prays for is before in the Heart and Promise of God his Father to grant him and that in a way of Recompence for the faithful Discharge of the Trust reposed in him by his Father Psal 2.8 Esa 53.12 There are some poor trembling Believers who when they need such or such a Mercy and know not what they shall do without it dare not beg the Mercy they want The Mercy is so great and they themselves so every way unworthy they think it great Presumption to seek or pray for it Let such turn their Eye off from staring and poring on their own Unworthiness keeping it fixt on the Incomprehensible Merit and Worthiness of the Lord Jesus Christ and then let them keep back from God's Throne of Grace and give way to Discouragement if they can 'T is Christ's Worthiness not the Believers Qualifications that prevails with God Oh! poor distressed fainting Soul who art even swallow'd up of that Gulph of Sinfulness Distraction Deadness and Heart Hardness whereof thou complainest Consider and remember for thine Encouragement that when thou findest thy self unable to pray there is one at God's Right Hand praying for thee whom God the Father knows not how to deny or throw off So prevalent with him is that Efficacious Intercession of his own Son who was Consecrated thy High Priest by God's own Sacred Oath The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Psal 110.4 And having such an High Undertaker for thee with God so my part I cannot conceive what should discourage or drive thee back from Wrestling with God till Jacob like thou overcome him This is the Use that God himself would have the weakest Believer make of that great High Priest Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we might obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.16 Thirdly There is there can be no Case or Condition so desperate or wretched in respect either of Sin or of Affliction out of which Christ by his Intercession cannot rescue and save the tempâ—ed fallen and deserted Believer Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is Mercy and with him there is plenteous Redemption and he shall Redeem Israel from all his Iniquities Psal 130.7 8. The Lord preserveth the simple I was brought low and he helped me Psal 116.6 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of Temptations c. 2 Pet. 2.9 There hath no Temptation
taken you but such as is common to Man but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able to bear 1 Cor. 10.12 To which I will only add Wherefore he is able also to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Heb. 7.25 And can any Fruit be sweeter than this to a poor Distressed Tempted and Despairing Soul Fourthly By the Intercession of Christ the Peace and Reconciliation procured by his Meritorions Sacrifice is kept up and conâ—inuâ—d for ever For unto us a Child is Born unto us a Son is Given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulders c Esa 9.6 The keeping up and continuing the Peace between God and the Elect as necessary as the first Procurement of it As by the Meritorious Virtue of his Sacrifice he hath procur'd Peace with God for the Elect so by the renewing Efficacy of his Spirit in the Souls of Believers and his prevailing Intercession in Heaven for them he continues and keeps up that Peace Psal 37.23 24. Jer. 32.40 Rev. 8.3 4. Fifthly The Intercession of Christ in Heaven is the cause of Application of all the Good spiritual and bodily which Believers receive at the Hands of God As the Procurement of all Good for the Elect depends on Christs Sacrifice so the Actual Application thereof to them depends on his Intercession And whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be Glorified in the Son If ye ask any thing in my Name I will do it Jo. 14.13.14 In the sixth place to add no more The Intercession of Christ with his Father in Behalf of the Elect is not a matter of precarious Entreaty but of Justice and Equity wherein he cannot be put off He intercedes for no Favour or Mercy but what he first paid 〈◊〉 price for on the Behalf of his Elect and therefore it must not be thought a matter of meer Entreaty but of Equity and Justice for God to 〈◊〉 to Believers what they ask in Christ's Name To what hath been observ'd concerning those six several sorts of Works which are Peculiar to Christ as Mediator between God and Sinners I will add one more and it is his Providential Work of Gubernation or Ruling the World and that as all the rest of his Works is most sweet to the true Believer That the Government of the World is in a way of Recompence committed by the Father to Christ is plain by his own Declaration thereof to his Apostles All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth c. Mat. 28.18 The same witnesseth Paul And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be Head over all things to the Church Ephes 1.22 The same also Apostle to the Philippians saith Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That in the name of Jesus every Knee should Bow both of things in Heaven and things on Earth and things under the Earth Phil. 2.10 That the Works of Providence are also sweet to the true Believer seven things will make it Appear First God's King who Rules the Providential Kingdom here on Earth he is also the Believers King That Christ is God the Fathers King is plain and evident from the Scriptures above-mentioned to which may be added Psal 2.6 Yet have I set my King upon my Holy Hill of Zion From these Scriptures it is plain that God hath committed the Government of all things in his Providential Kingdom to Christ his Son to be improv'd for the Good and Advantage of God's Elect. The Prospect which Balaam had hereof put him on declaring the Victoriousness and Felicity of the People of God above all other People on Earth The Lord his God saith he of Israel is with him and the Shout of a King is among them Numb 23.21 That Christ is the Believers King is evident from the Scriptures following Esa 33.22 For the Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us Rev. 15.3 And they sang the Song of Moses the Servant of God and the Song of the Lamb saying great and marvellous are thy Works Lord God Almighty Just and True are thy Ways thou King of Saints Of Kings it is said Regum est parcere Subjectis debellare superbos It is the Part or Property of Kings to deal gently with these who submit readily to their Rightful Authority but to subdue and vanquish their Enemies who submit not to the Yoke of Duty This Property of a King will be found to be in God's and the Believers King above all the Crowned Heads that ever breath'd on Earth For as Christ is God the Father's King to Sway the Scepter of his pardoning Mercy and Gospel Grace in the Hearts and Lives of the Elect who in effectual Calling are made his willing Subjects He will by his Almighty Power defend and save them from all adverse Powers which seek to spoil and ruin them He will not only defend and protect them from all Enemies and Dangers but he will carry it gently and tenderly towards them under all their Weaknesses and Infirmities But towards the wicked who refuse and reject his Yoke he will vanquish and subdue them Not by the Scepter of his special Grace as he deals with God's Elect But wiht that Iron Rod which the Father hath put into his Hand for this very end He will break them to pieces Psal 2.9 But those mine Enemies which would not that I should Reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me Luke 19.27 This is undoubtedly a high Priviledge and Mercy wherewith God's Chosen are Eternally Blest above the rest of the Race of Adam to be under the commanding Power and Everlasting successful Conduct of such a King The Damned in Hell would give ten thousand Worlds if they had them at command to be under the Conduct of this King But for their opposing and despising this precious and sweet Redeemer they are judicially given up to the Tyranny of such a King as knows no Mercy who instead of saving will continue to torment and destroy Rev. 9.11 This Lord Jesus He and He alone excluding all others is the Head and King over the Church of God's Elect. None will claim such a Priviledge but the Man of Sin and such as are akin to his Antichristian Hierarchy Christ is to the Church of the Living God a Head of saving Influence as well as a Head of Commanding and Protecting Power which none in Heaven or Earth can pretend to without borrid Blasphemy Were this very Point but rightly understood and by Faith apply'd as it should it would make the weakest Believer in England as bold as a Lyon in the ways of his Holy Profession But for want of this even Ministers themselves shamefully Cowardize when Christs Enemies appear Rampant Secondly There
two things in this place reserving the vindicating this Doctrin to a more seasonable Opportunity First I do affirm in the fear of the great God that none on Earth do more hate and loath Sin than those Persons who find in their Experience that God hath done them unspeakable Good by their Sins and herein I shall I doubt not be seconded by the Suffrage not only of all Orthodox Divines but of all serious and Experienced Christians Secondly I do affirm that it no more follows from hence that a true Believer will or can take Encouragement to commit or continue in the Practice of Sin than it follows that he will or can venture to drink down deadly Poyson because he is told that an Able and Skilful Physitian is by his Art and Skill able to Extract out of the rankest Poyson an Antidote to Expel Poyson or that a Believer should be willing to throw himself off the Top of a House which he cannot but expect will issue in breaking his Bones because he knows that such or such a Bonesetter is skilful at setting Bones England is come to a sad Pass when the People are grown so wise in their own Conceits that they think themselves able to instruct and teach their Teachers the Sense hereof endangers the most faithful and lively Reprovers for God in this formal and sleepy Age being struck dumb not well knowing either what to Preach or how to speak to their Auditory without snuffing and offending them If we press People to the necessary Duries of practical Holiness then we are accounted Legal Preachers Men who Preach up Moses and who are for being justified by Works If we Preach up Justification by the alone Râ—ghteousness of the Son of God freely imputed by God's Act of free and sovereign Grace without any thing of the Sinners own Qualifications joyn'd as Con-causes therewith Then we are accounted Antinomians we Preach Free Grace Free Grace and who sees not who have their Eyes open this to be a sad Prognostick of God's approaching Judgment on the Land God sometimes causeth the Tongue of his faithful Reprovers to cleave to the Roof of their Mouth that they shall not be able to reprove or warn a rebellious People who are to be plagued with the Scourge of God's Judgments as in the Case of the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 3.26 And I will make thy Tongue cleave to the Roof of thy Mouth that thou shalt be dumb and shalt not be to them a Reprover for they are a rebellious House The like Instance we have Recorded in the Prophet Amos. They hate him that reproveth in the Gate and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly Here was the Sin of that Day they would not bear or endure to be toucht by God's Reprovers And God takes such a Way and Method with them as to cause them to see and read their Sin in the Punishment which was to come upon them which was That when they stood most in need of a faithful Monitor or Reprover even then when the Rod of God was heavy upon them they should not have him read and compare Amos 5.10.13 With this agrees that of Paul to Timothy where he tells him That the time will come wherein Men will not endure sound Doctrin but after their own Lusts will they heap up unto themselves Teachers having itching Ears 2 Tim. 4.3 This day is this Scripture fulfilled in England For by woful Experience the true Ambassadors of Christ find that they can reprove no kind of Error in Religion but one or other is presently toucht even to a being rootedly prejudiced against the Minister I 'll hear this railing Preacher no more he Preaches against other Mens Religions and what hath he to do with the Papists with the Quakers with the Arminians Cannot he Preach the Gospel And so in like manner if the Preacher comes close to particular Faults as the Pride in Apparel in Professors Mens taking a Liberty now and then to be Drunk now and then to Game and to spend their precious Time in Ale-houses and Taverns chatting and prating away the time which should be spent at Home in the Family or in the Closet in working out their own Salvation with Fear and Trembling they cannot bear faithful and plain dealing I know saith the guilty Conscience he means me I like it not This is harsh Preaching I 'll hear it no more I like such and such better Such a Preacher he Preacheth Free Grace clearly and such a Minister he Preaches the Love of God sweetly When perhaps neither the Preacher so highly commended and cry'd up for a Non-such nor yet he that so commends him understands savingly or experimentally what the Grace of God means or how the same is made the Sinners It even amazes me to think how few of those Preachers who now pass current for Free Grace Preachers will be own'd by Christ at the great Day for right Gospel Preachers And how few of those who make so great a Noise in crying such up will be found what they seem to be viz. true and sound hearted Believers This is not design'd as a Stumbling-block or a Discouragement in the way of any weak Believer but rather for a seasonable Warning or Caution to empty Talkers who think highly of themselves to take heed they prove not mististaken in their Opinion of themselves Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Sixthly In the darkest Night of Affliction and Temptation the sweet Smiles of Christ's Face will cheer and comfort the true Believer The Pillar of Cloud in Moses his time it was both Darkness to the Egyptians and Light to the People of God Exod. 14.19 20. The same Dispensation may be a Cross for Good to Gods Child and a dreadful Curse to a Reprobate The Knowledge and Belief hereof put the Church upon giving that seasonable Caveat to her boasting Enemy who in the time of God's chastizing her for Sin did not a little rejoyce at the Afflictions of the Church concluding that those Afflictions were the Forerunner of the Churches Destruction Rejoyce not against me O mine Enemies when I fall I shall arise when I sit in Darkness the Lord shall be a Light nuto me Mic. 7.8 Fatherly Chastisements and Fatherly Love do very well consist together so saith Christ who as he is God knows all things and who as he is Man found it in his own Experience that his Father the God of Love who loves him his Son as he loves himself yet when venting his dislike of and his Displeasure against the Sins of the Elect charg'd on Christ He handled him so sharply and severely that the Son of God found a Necessity of crying out in the Bitterness of his Soul My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 And yet God was still his God and his dearly loving Father for all that As many as I love saith Christ I rebuke and chasten c. Rev. 3.19
Yea so far are Afflictions and Tribulations from being a Token of God's being a Mans Enemy that indeed to be exempt and free from them is an Argument that the Person is none of Gods But if ye be without chastening then are ye Bastards and not Sons Heb. 12.8 * God 's Afflictive Dispensations are to his own Children the purging Pills whereby God the Great and only Wise Physitian will purge out of the Heart and Affections of his Children those Remains of Sin yet abiding in them And as in Nature those Pills or that Potion which are Bitterest and which makes the Patient sickest are the best for curing though they are hardly gotten down So in Christianity those Corrections and Chastenings from God's own Hand which are the sorest and sharpest to corrupt Nature they are Attended with the greatest Efficacy to kill Indwelling Corruption in the Believer Before I was Afflicted said Holy David I went astray but now have I kept thy Word Psal 119.67 And in another place I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right and that thou in Faithfulness hast Afflicted me Psal 119.75 When the darkest and most dismal Cloud of Affliction and Trouble seems to overcast the true Believer and not only to overcast him but to compass him about so as there appears no likelihood of his Escape yet even then there is a Bright side in that Cloud which shines on the Believers Inside to comfort and encourage him in Trusting in and Relying on God in the way of Believing and Dependance And not only so but we Glory in Tribulation also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us Rom. 5.3 Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort Who comforteth us in all our Tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any Trouble by the Comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.3 4. Nevertheless God that comforteth those that are cast down c. 2 Cor. 7.6 Seventhly and lastly The Lord Jesus Christ the Head and King of all true Believers being Pilot to sit at the Helm of all Affairs wherein the Glory of his Father and the Salvation of his Elect are concern'd he will so Steer the Course of all second Causes in this World as not one of his Believing Members shall ever come short of a Safe and Happy Arrival at Glory but shall most infallibly be securely conducted through all Storms and Hurricanes which can possibly arise to overwhelm and sink the true Believer Let what Times soever God pleases come let what Calamities soever fall out in the Land Plague Famine Civil War Forreign Invasion Penal Laws Bishops Court Devil World indwelling Sin Let all come upon thee at once and display the Banner of their Force Policy and Malice against thee to ruine and destroy thee yet thou who art a real Believer art safe being secur'd under the shâ—dow of the Appletree and not only safe from any Harm which can come to thee by such Storms or Enemies But thou shalt be infallibly assur'd of safe Landing in Heaven and that by Virtue of that Universal Conquest and Victory Atchiev'd by thy Head and King over all his and thy Enemies And his having gone through all those kind of Storms which thou fearest thou shalt meet with and that as thy Representative and hath shot the Gulph of Death and is now Actually Possest of thy Crown and Mansion in the highest Heavens whereto the Efficacious Virtue and Power of thy Redeemers Ascension will in a very short space of time bring thee to behold and enjoy the great and unspeakable things which he hath purchas'd for thee and for all that truly Love and long for his Appearing God is our Refuâ—e and Strength a very present Help in Trouble therefore will not we fear though the Earth be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Though the Waters thereof rear and be troubled though the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof Psal 46.1 2 3. Whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 6.20 What hath been observ'd from the latter part of the Text concerning the Fruits of the Appletree which are so sweet to the Taste of a true Believer many things might have been spoken by way of Application both to the Comfort and Joy of all true hearted Believers and also to the Terror and Amazement of all Papists Quakers Arminians c. who are destitute of the Fruit of this Appletree When spiritual Famine from God comes on these graceless because Christless Souls when they come to be Hunger-bitten and their starv'd Souls languish away in them for want of the Fruit they now ridicule and scorn Then will that dreadful and killing Word take hold of and be Actually fulfilled in them Esa 65.13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold my Servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry behold my Servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty behold my Servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Behold my Servants shall sing for Joy of heart but ye shall cry for Sorrow of heart and shall howl for vexation of Spirit This is and will be the Doom of all those who sit not under the Protecting Shadow of this Appletree The Fruit of this Tree is sweet to none but to those to whom its Shadow is Delightful The Shadow and the Fruit belongs to none but to God's Elect even Christs Redeemed ones Well therefore may the Believer cry out and say with the Prophet Although the Figtree shall not Blossom neither shall Fruit be in the Vine the Labour of the Olive shall fail and the Field shall yield no Meat The Flock shall be cut off from the Fold and there shall be no Herd in the Stalls Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation Hab 3.17.18 The Mediatorial Righteousness of God Man is upon me and his protecting Care and Providence is over me for my Covering to shelter me from the Laws Curse From the Agonies of a fearful Conscience from the dreadful Temptations of Satan and from the deserved Wrath of God Here 's my hiding place in time of Storm and Tempest of whom should I be afraid Psal 27.5 Whenever a Storm arises whether rais'd by Satan or the World or by my own corrupt Nature or by Gods deserting or hiding his Face for a time I presently by Faith and Prayer run to the Appletree and take up my place under its Shadow crying out with Holy David Keep me as the Apple of the Eye hide me under the Shadow of thy Wings from the wicked that oppress me from my deadly Enemies who compass me about Psal 17.8 9.
astray wâ— have turned every one to his own waâ— and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all Ver. 7 He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet 〈◊〉 opened not his Mouth he is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before her Sheater is dumb so he opened not his Mouth What was the reason of this profund Silence when not only his Reputation but his Liberty and his dear Life too lay at stake No other Reason can be given by Men or Angels for it but this viz. His voluntary Act in striking hands with his Father as a Sponsor or Surety in the behalf of the Elect in whose room as their Representative he promised to see all their Debts fully discharged And that by a most exact keeping the Law for them and by bearing to the uttermost the Shame Curse and Death to which the Law sentenced the Elect for sin The Blessed Redeemer having thus laid himself under a legal Tie or Obligation to God his Father when Justice call'd him to hold up the Hand at the Bâ—r in order to his coming to a full and legal Trial He had not one word to object against the severity of the Laws proceeding against him though he had not the least spot of sin of his own to be charged with yet having undertaken as a Surety for the Elect their sins tho' never so many horrid and vile he must take them as his own And 〈◊〉 he did witness his own Acknowledgment at the Laws Bar. Psal 4â— 12 For innumerable Evils have compassed me about mine Iniquities have taken hold on me so that I am not abâ— to look up c. The numberless Numbers of the Elects Iniquities were by God imputed and charg'd to his Account and he the Immaculate spotless Lamb of God takes them as hiâ— own according to Esa 53.8 and 1 Peâ— 2.24 who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree c. They who deny a change of Persons between Christ and God's Elect do buâ— bewray their own Unskilfulness in thiâ— greatest of Mysteries And in pretence of opposing Antinomianism sufficiently demonstrate themselves to bâ— the worst and most pernicious Antinomians now in London For most certain it is and Goâ— will make such Men know it sooneâ— or later that in the same sense where in Christ was made a sinner at thâ— Bar of Gods Law the Elect of Goâ— stand justified at the Throne of Grace As the Lord Jesus Christ could be nâ— other way made or prov'd a sinner but by Gods imputing to him the Iniquities of the Elect to which he himself agreed and consented so Elect sinners can no other way be Partakers of a spotless justifying Righteousness but by Gods imputing that of his Sons to them As all the Guilt and Defilements which by sin came on Gods Elect were imputed to and charg'd on the Son of God so all that Mediatorial Righteousness both Active and Passive which Christ perform'd and fulfill'd to answer the Laws demand was and is imputed to and charg'd on the Elect in effectual calling for their free and full Justification from all charge of sin and he or they that have the face to deny this do sufficiently prevent any others studying Arguments to prove them Heterodox and unsound in this Foundation Doctrin of Justification wherein they who are made Partakers of the Anointing of the Spirit of Christ cannot but see and stand convinced that the whole current of Sacred Scriptures and of Orthodox Protestant Divines both Non and Conformists are full â—tive against them Thirdly The Death of Christ is sweet â—nd delightful to the true Believer Three things there be which bespeaks it so to be First In that Christs dying the cursed Death to which the Elect were liable was the consummating Act oâ— the Execution of God's Law upon him and in him upon all the Elect oâ— God It was Luthers Observation and Saying upon the Son of Gods being put to Death that the two greatesâ— Potentates on Earth were on thâ— Cross striving for Victory viz The Law of God and the sinless Soâ— of God The Law falls on Christ as the greatest of Transgressors as he stood charg'd with all the most horrid Abominations that the Eye of Gods Omâ—nisciency foresaw the Elect should eveâ— fall into The Laws knows or shews nâ— Mercy though Christ be the Son oâ— God and the Law-maker too yet Satisfaction must be given which give occasion here to mind the Readeâ— of the Old Maxim Law-makers muâ—â— be no Law-breakers I am certain that Maxim was never yet morâ— truly verified and made good in nâ—â— case than it was in this of Chrisâ— bearing and undergoing the Penalty 〈◊〉 his own Righteous and Just Law The Law cries out against Christ in whose Person all the sins of God's Elect did meet here 's a Transgressor a Sinner the greatest that ever appeared at God's Bar And that on the account of the innumerable Rebellions and Transgressions of all the many Millions of God's Elect which lay upon him though he was never toucht with the least stain of Corruption in his assumed Nature Neither was the least Deviation from the Rectiâ—ude of the Law ever found in his Practise and Life yet he is the Party who is like to satisfie Justice for all those Debts he hath taken on him to discharge and seeing that the principal part of the Debt which he took on him to pay viz. Actual Conformity to the Righteous Demands of the Law is undeniably found in him And that there remains now nothing to discharge and clear off of what he hath undertaken as a Surety but to under go a bodily Death to answer the Accessory Debt whereto the Elect became obnoxious by Adam's first Rebellion let him die that shameful ignominious and cursed Death of the Cross Thus the Law Sentenc'd and Condemn'd him as a Malefactor and the blackest Criminal that ever held up Hand at the Bar of any Court of Judicature either Human or Divine The Law having passed on him he was deliver'd up to Justice to the end the Curse of the Law might be inflicted on him his Executioner in this doleful Tragedy must be his own Dear and Tender Father who Lov'd him from Everlasting and will to endless Eternity love him as he loves himself Yet notwithstanding Die he must and that by having the Sword of his Fathers vindicative Justice sheath'd in his very Bowels till his very Soul was powered forth like Water Awake O Swordâ—â— against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow Zach. 13.7 c. Because he hath powered out his Soul unto death c. Isa 53.12 I am poured out like water and all my Bones are out of joint my Heart 〈◊〉 melted l ke Wax in the midst of my Bowels Psal 22.14 He that spareâ— not his own Son but delivered him up for us all c. Rom. 8.32 Here 's an Argument of the Fathers Love to Elect sinners