the sight of God Use 2. The vile nature of sin discovered That wee should hereby learn to know the vile nature of sin and to judge aright of it which very few are acquainted withall Which evidently appears both by their security when they have committed it their cloaks and colors to hide it and their boldnesse in committing of it none of which would ever bee if they did understand what it is Now a sure way to discover it and to remove and scatter all mistakes about it and to digest well this principle that no sin can ever bee pardoned but the course of Divine justice must certainly and necessarily pass upon it as surely as God is God that is as surely as God is just and righteous which if hee should cease to bee or but abate of it in any one act hee should cease to be God Rom. 3.5 6. If God bee unrighteous how then shall hee judge the World that is hee cannot possibly bee Judge of it if hee should pass by any one sin unpunished The day of judgement is called Rom. 2.5 The day of the Revelation of the righteous judgements of God Therefore no unrighteous sentence can pass from him But it s unrighteous to suffer any sin to go unpunished though in respect of temporal punishments God deals variously as his wisdome disposes yet hee is ever just which then hee will clear to all the world Rom. 2.2 Wee know that the judgement of God is according unto truth that is as hee cannot bee deceived by any colour or pretence to hide any sin so neither will hee pass any false sentence upon any action that is to bee judged not according to appearance but according unto truth nor will hee deal partially about it for then hee should not bee the God of truth and vers 6 7 8 9. Hee shall render unto every man according to his works that is the nature of distributive justice if any thing bee abated of this or lessened or if there should bee any exception the nature and essence of justice should bee violated and so also the very being of God should cease besides God being a holy God doth hate sin according to his infinite holinesse infinitely God hates nothing in the world but sin therefore all the infinite hatred of God is spent upon sin alone Now what a thing is that that an infinite divine hatred like a mighty undivided stream should with all its united forces and inundations and detestation run forceably and irresistably upon every sin how small soever as vain thoughts Prov. 15.26 and foolish talking wanton glances of the eies and the very secret lusts of the heart Mince and extenuate your sins as much as you will yet the Lord hates every sin as sin and therefore cannot choose but punish every sin little or great according to the desert of it and if God should hate sin less than hee doth hee should cease to bee God Quest How may that bee cleared Answ Why if God did not hate sin infinitely he should not bee infinitely holy and wee say truely that a thing cannot bee more or less infinite whatsoever is infinite it remains so to eternity if it should bee a degree under that it must be finite for infinite holiness must needs bee accompanied with an infinite hatred of sin So if Gods holiness or hatred of sin should bee less than it is it should bee finite and if infinite holiness bee denyed to God then his Godhead is denyed also Let vile sinners ponder this that think and say many times that Gods Ministers speak too harshly of sin and hope that God is not so much offended as they would make us beleeve neither doth hee hate it so exceedingly Oh poor Creatures beware of all such thoughts if God should hate sin less than hee doth hee should cease to be God Oh consider the certainty of these things I beseech you be convinced of this that it is a gross and dangerous errour to conceive that Gods mercy is greater than his justice and it proceeds from the ignorance of the divine nature for whatsoever is in God is God and all his attributes are infinite and one infinite cannot bee greater than another neither can one attribute bee contrary to another nor exclude another nor abate and overcome another for how can God bee divided in himself Gods mercy indeed hath a larger extent as being upon all his works Psal 145.9 but his distributive justice reaches onely to men and Angels but in themselves they are both infinite and equal Further for more clear demonstration of this that Christ is set forth to bee a Propitiation for the remission of the sins of the Elect consider a place Gal. 3.13 Christ was made a Curse for us there bee two things especially observable First That Christ is called a Curse not only that hee that is God over all was accursed for the sins of the Elect imputed but a Curse that being the abstract comprehends the confluence and collection of all the Curses due to their sins none excepted there is a curse due to every sin of every Elect soul and they all meet upon Christ But secondly it was said hee was made a Curse by whom was hee made but by God the Father by the most loving Father though the most loving and beloved Son though hee did alwaies those things that pleased him Joh 8.29 Yet such a Father made such a Son to bee accurst that is not onely forsook him so that for the time hee had no sense of the presence of Gods grace and favour towards him but filled him brim-full as it were with the sense of his fierce indignation due to his peoples sins What manner of Justice is this in God the Father beloved in the Lord that dealt thus with a holy Son and such a Son whatsoever might stay the hand of Justice from proceeding against him was found in Christ yet nothing could prevail I may adde that Heb. 12.3 Consider him that indured such contradiction c. mark the words how emphatical him standing in such relation unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sufferer the greatest Sufferer what did hee suffer such a contradiction c. such an one as never was there was never any parallel to it and their contradiction was a counterfaction and take this of God too Luk. 22.53 the contradiction of men and the malediction of God Oh consider him that suffered these things reason with your selves about him and say Wherefore hath the Lord done this as was spoken in the like case Exod. 12.26 What means this service c. wee must tell our children the meaning of the Sufferings of Christ as the Jewes were to tell their children the meaning of the Passeover Quest What evil is there in sin that Divine Justice should so pursue it and that God cannot passe it by except that Gods Justice doe proceed against it Ans Sin is extreamly opposite to the nature of God
soul from the hand c. 2 It is an irresistible and mighty redemption Luke 1.67 Hee hath raised up a Horn of salvation that is a Kingdome power Dignity and strength of salvation every way sufficient to succour 3 Perfect not only in impretation of a possibility of deliverance but also in actual application to call the Elect to bring their soules to glory Rev. 5 9. Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood so also from all our enemies Luk. 1.71 That wee should bee saved from our Enemies from all our iniquities Tit. 2.14 from death Hos 13.14 I will ransome thee from the power of the grave from the power of Satan Heb. 2.14 By death hee destroyed him that had the power of Death that is the Devil from the World Gal. 1.4 from the wrath of God Rom. 5.9 not onely present but to come 1 Thess 1.10 from the whole curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.15 from all that which the justice of God hath pronounced against transgressors yea both of soul and body to eternity Eph. 4.30 Heb. 9.12 Reas 1 Taken from the fitness of Christs Person being the word Incarnate to accomplish the work of our redemption for three things are required 1 Power to redeem us and to vanquish our Enemies Hell Death World Devil Christ is God over all Rom. 9.5 2 Right to redeem not only of propriety but of propinquity the next kinsman onely can redeem Deut. 25.5 the second Person in the Trinity that took mans nature was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next of kin Eph. 5.30 flesh and blood 3 Dignity must bee given to the price paid Act. 20.28 these things suited none but Christ Reas 2 From things requisite to a sufficient redemption and satisfaction as 1 Price must bee such as will content the person to whom 't is due but the ransome paid by Christ was according to the Fathers will Heb. 10.9 and a sweet smelling savour to God Eph. 5.2 2 There must be an equality too of the debt or wrong in the Price paid for therefore satisfaction is required the sin of man made all things unequal between God and man now Justice requires equality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. Ezek. 18.29 Oh yee house of Israel are not my waies equal are not your waies unequall such is the satisfaction of Christ to all the sinnes and punishments temporal and eternal of all the Elect and is a just recompence for all the dishonour and wrong done to God by them which the glory of the World could not have reached to 1 Pet. 1.18 19. you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold c. It was such a Price as by one offering perfected for ever Heb. 10.14 those that are sanctified and what would we have more than perfection was the Law broken Christ is better than the Law hee is the essential word of God doth sin rob God of his Glory Christ is the brightness of his Fathers Glory Heb. 1.3 3 The Price paid must bee voluntary not forced for otherwise it would rather bee satispassion than satisfaction The damned in Hell do not satisfy for sin Christs payment was voluntary Joh 10.15 I lay down my Life and vers 18. I have power to lay it down He gave himself for us Eph. 5.2 4 Satisfaction must bee of that which is otherwise undue such was Christs the Father could in Justice exact no such matter at his hands being innocent He made him to be sin who knew none 2 Cor. 5.21 5 It must bee clear and evident to secure Captives or Debtors and to give their Souls and Consciences satisfaction but such was Christs redemption Heb. 9.9 14. The gifts and Sacrifices of the Law could not make him that did the services perfect as pertaining to the Conscience c. but Christ offered through the eternal Spirit that is the God-head of Christ purged the conscience from dead works Witness also the Resurrection the full price is paid seeing our surety is set at liberty from the grave Rom. 4.25 the Prison into which hee was cast for our sins Vse 1. To confute sundry errors and Heresies Confutation of Popish partial redemption and Socinian blasphemies that deny it as of Papists that make Christ a partial Redeemer and his satisfaction imperfect that bee satisfyes onely for the fault and leaves us to satisfy for the punishment or that he redeemed us from the eternal but would leave us to satisfy for the temporal punishment If Christs redemption bee perfect there is nothing left to bee done by us nor suffered in way of satisfaction Heb. 7.25 Christ saves to the utmost and needs not our botching For the Socinians they ascribe no more than Turks to Christs redemption Let us cease to rake in those Dung-hills their Nomination is a sufficient confutation Use 2. This singular redemption by Christ Bondage of unregenerate necessarily infers a singular bondage and slavery in which all unregenerate sinners lye Jer. 10.14 Egypt was never such an iron Furnace as the sinner is in Were wee not enthralled what need a ransome what need of redemption bodily bondage as in the Turkish slavery mony might redeem but nothing less than the blood of God could redeem us See the estate of the ungenerate 1 They are in hands of such Lords as do rule with rigour and severity over them 2 They have not freedome of will to do any thing they could do in their state of innocency for God 3 They are forced to indure most intollerable things to be born 1 The Lords over natural men are of two sorts 1 Principal 2 Ministerial The Principal is the most just and terrible God whose Justice they have wronged by sin therefore wee are said to bee redeemed from under the curse of the Law Gal. 4.4 7. that is from under the revenging Justice of the Law As Malefactors are called the Kings Prisoners properly not the Goalers that keep them So Sinners are Gods Prisoners and who can deliver them out of his hand but Christ Ministeriall Lords are the Devil and his Angels and the Conscience accusing condemning and tormenting for sin Hence Sinners are said before Conversion to bee under the Devils power Act. 26.18 under the power of darkness Col. 1.13 and taken as beasts alive of the Devil at his will 2 Tim. 2. ult Yea God makes a mans Conscience his keeper going up and down constantly with him haling him to condemnation Thus the Spirit often works through the Law in the affrighted Conscience and though some make this their Keeper Drunk that they may escape yet God awakens him to his former terror 2 A natural man hath no spiritual liberty to do nor enjoy good by any Promise Ordinance or Priviledge his heart is weary and burthened by all Mal. 1.13 hee is led by the nose as a slave serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 led along like bruite beasts with sensuality and hurried on by a violent appetite
the eye of man So is God to the Sinner But now as transcendently evil as Sin is Christ hath satisfied for it and put an end to all troubles to thy Conscience about it By one offering hee hath perfected for ever such as are sanctified Heb. 10.15 God saith I will bring forth my Servant the branch and I will remove the iniquities of the Land in one day Zech. 3.8 9. Yee shall call therefore every man his Neighbour under his Vine and under his Fig-tree For Psal 85.10 Mercy and Truth have met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other that is all Gods excellencies gloriously shine forth in Christs satisfaction Comfort yee one another with these words 2 Consider for your Comfort Weak beleever justified as much as stronger That the weakest true beleever is justified as much as the strongest What was imputed to Abraham for his Justification was and is imputed to the weakest Saint Rom. 4.22 23 24 To Us it shall bee imputed if wee beleeve on Christ as Abraham did 'T is true all apprehend not this satisfaction alike but the matter and form of our justification is all one Therefore rejoyce O weak Christian thy cloathing notwithstanding all thine infirmities is as bright shining in the eyes of God as that of Abraham or the greatest Saint in the world Quest How can wee come to comfort through the satisfaction of Christ Answ 1 Gain your Acquittance a writing drawn with Gods own hand with your name in it 1 Joh. 5.13 These things have I writ unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Son of God that yee may know yee have eternal life So that if you beleeve there is the writing grounded on a Record vers 11. and there is your Name in it You see your way to finde your Names there get it sealed to your hearts by the Spirit 2 Let there bee an humble active embracing of Christ in the Word of Promise God requires besides his own good pleasure and the Councill of his will the work of faith Rom. 3.25 2 Thess 1.11 Thou must exercise thy humble obediential Faith as thy day-labour even a conflicting faith Rev. 2.17 and a praying Faith Ezek. 36.32 and a confessing faith As they did their sins laying their hands on the head of the Scape-Goat Lev. 16.21 So the hand the type of faith was put on the head of the burnt offering Lev. 14. And an humbling Faith which indeed is the most humble grace of all Rom. 11.20 Thou standest by Faith bee not high-minded From which grace Christ is never far Isa 57.15 yea they when pricked at heart saw Christ presently Act. 2.38 and Peter applies the Promise to them and reveals mercy to such bleeding souls Christ and a lamenting soul are never far asunder 3 Bee comforted That this way of yours by Christs satisfaction is the true way to Justification Men cry up many new waies 'T is a great mercy in such varieties of errors not to err The truth of this way of Justification is not onely true upon the truth of the word but upon the truth of God himself If God bee God this justification must needs bee true For here justice is satisfied and so God pardons which hee could as well un God himself as do where his justice is not satisfied So that wee may testify to you 1 Pet. 5.12 That this is the true grace of God in which you stand Men have a conceited grace different from this but here you may safely set up your resting place for ever Use 5. Remember to maintain perpetual homage and observance of Jesus Christ Never forget so great a mercy David cries Psal 116.6 O Lord I am thy servant and the Son of thy hand-maid thou hast broken my bonds The way of Servants and Slaves ingaging themselves to their Lords was they yeelded their submission with promise and oath to be Loyal to them as their Lords and holding their hands between the hands of their Lords they said I become your Servant from this day forth for life for limbs for worldly honors and shall owe you my fidelity as long as I live Well might this holy man say I am thy Servant since God had not brought him into but broken his bonds Paul argues much this way 2 Cor. 5.14 15. And hee dyed for all that they that live should not live unto themselves Which falls foul upon that ignoble conceit That if Christ gives satisfaction wee are freed from all obedience to the Commandements By which this doctrin of Christs satisfaction is made the occasion of prophaneness and Christ is become the Minister of sin which Paul abhorred Gal. 2.17 'T is true that since Christ hath paid the price of our redemption there is nothing for us to do by way of satisfaction but as much as in us lies in obedience to the will of Christ both from the nature of righteousness and holiness which are worth our exercising and from the Moral consideration of Christs yeelding obedience to every Commandement and out of a study for conformity to the state of glory hereafter Yea there is a Causal connexion such as is between the cause and effect between Christs satisfaction applyed to us and our holiness For Union with Christ by Faith produceth this fruit necessarily 1 Joh. 3.6 Hee that abides in him sins not The Spirit of Christ works it Ezek. 36.27 and true faith purifies the heart Act. 13.9 Act. 26.18 So then let every man do the works of God without him or suspect the work of God within him Lest fancy that works folly rather than faith that works purification bee found within him For hee that is bought with a price will glorify God in soul and body which are Christs by Redemption The Exactness of Christs sufferings THE SIXTH SERMON ON Rom. 3.24 25. A propitiation through Faith in his blood WEE have spoken in General of Redemption Come we now more particularly to consider first the manner and secondly the efficacy of this satisfaction The Manner of our redemption is by the blood of Christ and therefore 't is phrased here by Faith in his blood of which let us inquire Quest What is meant by blood here Answ The manner of Christs satisfaction is by blood Blood is put by a Synecdoche of the part for All the sufferings of Christ which hee underwent for the sins of the Elect especially his bloody death with all its concomitants So called First because death especially when it is violent it joyned with effusion of blood as Matth. 23.30 If wee had lived in the daies of our fathers wee would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets and Matth. 27.24 Pilate said I am innocent of the blood of this just person that is of his Death Secondly Herein respect is had to all the sacrifices of the Law whose blood was poured out when they were offered up Heb. 9.22 Almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and
woful condition come upon you Take heed as it follows there vers 46. Seeing that you put away the Word from you and Judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life you that have a pardon offered to you being condemned male-factors and yet will bee prophane unclean and proud still you do as good as say wee care not for the pardon wee scorn the offer of remission of sins though we bee damned for them Let such desperate souls know they judge themselves unworthy c. Object You will say why whatsoever my sins are though I go on yet grace is sufficient to save mee at last Answ But doth not the Apostle say shall wee continue in sin c. far bee it that ever such a thought should enter into any heart Rom. 6.1 2. Sodomites themselves had they had this grace preached by any Messenger from God they would in all likelihood have beleeved and repented What is this but turning the Grace of God into wantonness that branded sin of Jud. 4. Ordained of old to Condemnation and the very characteristical Note of Reprobation to turn Gods grace into Lasciviousness T is true God doth not presently reject where grace proffered is neglected Rom. 10 ult All the day long c. yet it is oft a sad presage that grace will depart from those for ever that prophanely set it at nought The day of Grace is short Luke 19.41 2 Cor. 6.2 Col. 1.6 the Gospel brought forth fruit in the Colossians The first day they heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth Use 3. Comfort to beleevers that this grace is free It is an unspeakable ground of comfort to poor beleevers What better Cordial can you take than this what Doctrin should you rather learn you complain of sins before Calling of corruptions yet remaining of coldness in duty and you say how can such a wretch as I bee accepted or justified The Doctrin takes away the ground of your Lamentation in saying you are justified and pardoned freely not onely by Gods Grace and Mercy but altogether freely Rom. 5.16 the free gift is of many offences to justification So vers 18. the free gift came to justification Luth. in Epist ad Gala. Let Moses saith Luther bee dead and buried and his Sepulchre never bee found in point of justification This is your security and makes your justification such as a man may have peace in and boldness and confidence in the inward Combates of Conscience and in the panges of death for it makes the promises sure Rom. 4.16 unmortified corruption would make justification upon any other terms uncertain but Gods free grace is a sure Rock to build on a foundation that cannot bee undermined It puts you under the Kingdome of grace where grace must as surely reign unto life as sin did unto death Rom. 5.21 Further this Justification gives safety and perpetuity of happiness because this feee grace is unchangeable Rom. 5.2 Being justified by Faith wee stand in Grace wee never fall from it and vers 17. They which receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in Life by one Jesus Christ Consider seriously that this grace is given when wee are enemies to God lying in our blood besmeared in our filthiness Now it is not likely a poor beleever shall ever fall into a worse estate than this was So that the same grace must needs be still continued to him Use 4. Exhortation to all sorts 1 to unjust 1 Exhortation first to unjustified persons If justification bee of free grace then let carnal and prophane men see a little chink of light beaming into their dungeon of darkness Here is some possibility of obtaining mercy and pardon at the Lords hands Free Grace is the main motive to the Lord for to give Remission of sin Let it also bee a strong Motive to you to seek out after it If free why may not you have a share in it as well as others If the fault bee not in your selves it may bee yours as well as others T is not sins hainousness nor multitude can keep you out God keeps open house for Grace and Mercy and every poor beggar that will may come The Dole is not given because a man hath better Cloaths better Parts or abilities but to poor souls that come to fetch it Avoid discouragement and prophaneness when God is dispensing his grace to others as bad as thee Go then among the crowd of Prodigals thrust in among them Rom. 4.5 To him that works not that never did a good work but beleeves on him that justifieth the ungodly i. e. There are none justified but ungodly for all are ungodly before justification though afterward they are not ungodly in that they fall to working the work of God though not to trust in any work set their hearts on all the works of the Covenant though not on the Covenant of works Hear what the Spirit saies to thee Rev. 22.17 Whoever will let them take of the water of Life freely Here is a dram of Aqua vitae for a dead soul freely offered if thou wilt accept of it and wilt thou not accept of it say not I have no good work to commend mee for they that work not are not shut out Isa 55.2 but without money though not a penny in thy pocket not one good work at all To direct you in it 1 Know that Justification presupposes Damnation in a way of justice Directions to attain justification Thou therefore that desirest justification must bee convinced and certainly conclude thou art a condemned person in the rigour of Gods Justice according to that Ezek. 36.31 You shall remember your own evil waies and doings were not good and shall loathe your selves or judge your selves worthy to bee destroyed so Rom. 3.19 that all the World may become guilty Your soules must come to the bar of Gods justice and hold up your hands and cry guilty guilty yea and pass the sentence of condemnation on your own souls 2 Bee zealously diligent Direct 2 that you receive not the grace of God in vain 2 Cor. 6.1 Paul in 2 Cor. 5.21 having spoken of free justification before hee addes wee then as workers together with him beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain You have heard of Gods grace now wee Apostles and Ministers of Christ beseech you that this grace bee not lost or in vain If our intreaties may prevail with you Oh! suffer not this water of life to bee spilt in vain 3 You must for ever resolve to live in the Kingdome of grace Rom. 5. ult Grace ought to reign Direct 3 you must not think to subject it to your lusts for grace must have the command of all Tit. 2.12 it denies ungodliness the throne 2 To justified Persons Are you justified freely by his grace 2 To such as are justified first learn to adore free grace lye low in the dust with Paul
the utmost whatsoever punishment was due to his Members for their sin therefore there is none remaining to be suffered by them The Proposition is thus proved If any of the Members of Christ should bee punished for their sins then God the Father should inflict a double punishment for the same sins but it cannot stand with the Justice of God to punish the same sins twice So that the bitterest afflictions Gods children suffer in this life are of a farre differing nature from punishments Simile For as the Sea-waters though they are in themselves salt brackish and brinish and very fretful yet running through the many veins turnings and windings in the earth lose their saltnesse and only retain refreshing cooling and clensing sweetnesse and moysture in them so the afflictions falling on Gods children in themselves sharp and brinish yet running through the Merits and Bowels of the Lord Jesus only retain a cleansing cooling and refreshing nature in them Obj. But Gods children suffer as many and the same material evils with other men as poverty sicknesse losses crosses and death it self Eccles 9.1 There is one event to all yea the godly have oft the worst of it Psal 73.14 All the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning while the wicked vers 5. Are not in trouble like other men How then doth it appear that Christ hath suffered all the punishment of the elect Sol A carnal eye indeed seeth things in this estate but a righteous judgement sees them farre otherwise Moses could see the Bush all on fire and yet not consumed Exod. 3.2 Daniels companions met with a fiery Furnace whose flame burned not those that were in it but those that stood by Dan. 3.22 25. These were seemingly scorching fiery flames but were not so in reality But you will say wherein is the difference 1 In regard of the Principle from whence they come Difference between afflictions of godly and the wicked they much differ The judgements laid on the wicked come from an angry Judge the afflictions of the godly from a loving Father God punisheth the wicked as part of their payment in indignation and wrath whence they are called children of wrath Ephes 2.3 And when he is about to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall rain on him while he is eating Job 20.23 All comes to the wicked from a Sin-revenging God but to the godly from a careful Father Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth So God speaks of David Psal 89 30-34 If his children forsake my Laws and walk not in my judgements I will visit their offences Neverthelesse my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to fail 2 They differ in their nature They have not the venome nor poyson in them 1 Cor. 15.55 56. that Achitophels had who being but rejected once in his counsel had so much venome of sin in that small affliction that hee hanged himself 3 In their suitablenesse Miseries are called the Lords cup. An expression borrowed from Physitians that have their several Doses of Potions according to the several Diseases Now the wicked hath a cup fit for him Psal 11.6 Upon the wicked hee shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. Where could a man step when it rained fire and brimstone in Sodome This is a killing cup. So Psal 75.8 A cup full of mixture in the hand of the Lord whose dreggs the wicked of the earth shall drink So Jer. 25.28 and Isa 27.7 The godly have another cup fit for them who also have need of Physick and this cup sometimes is very bitter Joh. 18.11 Shall I not drink of the cup that the Father hath given me When a Father gives his dear child a potion how exact will he bee rather under than over in the quantities of the ingredients Christ hath drunk already the poysonous Cup Matth. 26.39 Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me None remains but the purging cup. And Gods faithfulnesse requires that this cup bee tempered according to our strength and ability 1 Cor. 10.13 4 They differ in their end Jam. 5.11 You have heard of the patience of Job and yee have seen the end of the Lord. What end That the Lord is very pittiful and of tender mercy So did Abraham Jacob and Joseph find an happy issue of all their sorrows Deut. 8.16 To doe thee good in the latter end David said it was good for him Psal 119. And calls the man blessed who endureth correction whom God chastiseth and teacheth Psal 94.12 and it is said Dan. 11.35 Some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge them and make them white Now the calamities of wicked men doe hasten and heighten their everlasting destruction and are at best but the beginnings of sorrows and furtherers of their sins by making their hearts hard and their eyes blind As it fared with King Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.22 This is that King Ahaz that in the time of his distresse trespassed yet more against the Lord. This also was the event of Jerobeams calamities for 1 King 13.4 33. after his hand was withered and again recovered he returned not from his evil ways Look what good the flames of Hell doe the damned as much and no more doe afflictions for the wicked they curse God and blaspheme more and more God therefore stabs the wicked as an enemy with his Sword but lances the godly as a Surgeon his Patient with the Launcet Thus chastisements befall the godly but punishments the wicked Vse 3. Of strong Consolation to all the children of God That Jesus Christ hath suffered all that punishment Comfort to Gods children that their poor souls might have bewailed here and must have done for ever hereafter Christ hath drunk off that cup of trembling to the bottom he hath left no Curse no Death eternal no Hell for you to suffer your condition can never be lower than it is in this world God bids the Ministers take care to comfort you O Elect and precious Isa 40.1 2. Comfort yee comfort yee my people c. they are commissioned from Heaven to speak to your very hearts telling you your iniquities are forgiven Why because you have received in your head mony enough to pay your debts to the utmost As God hath given us in charge to comfort you so hath he given you charge to receive comfort Let then the veriest babe in Christ come and refresh himself with these breasts suck at this Nipple wheresoever is the least spark of true grace let that soul rejoyce because Christ suffered all this perplexity and amazement that you might never suffer it Heb. 2.14 Hee dyed to deliver those that through fear of death c. he dyed to save you from slavish fear He wept that you might bee
have destroyed Christ had not the sins of the elect met on him 2 The killing Christ is a farre fouler bloud-guiltinesse than ever David incurred than to kill an only Son or to murther a Josiah a King a godly King for this is the crucifying the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 and may therefore well be lamented 3 The love we owe and bear to Christ for his unparallel'd condescentions to make us heirs of glory should engage our hearts to weep for his death as he did for Lazarus's death Joh. 11.35 56. which the Jewes took notice of to be the probate of his love Behold how he loved him Thus Christ imputes the repenting tears of that sinful woman Luke 7.47 to love Christs great graciousnesse makes the most stony heart to lament its provocations 4 The sense of our dreadful and undone estate that needed the death of Christ to establish a Covenant of Grace with us should provoke us to bee in bitternesse as God expects Ezeck 16.62 63. And I will establish my Covenant with thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord. 5 The Spirit of grace and supplication is now poured forth into the soul and that Spirit is a spirit of Lamentation and works and continues a broken and contrite spirit in all that receive it as it did in those Converts Acts 2.37 Pricking them to the heart for all their wrongs and injuries put upon Christ for embruing their hands in his precious bloud Look back therefore upon thy pleasure that thou hast taken in sin and with what greedinesse thou hast committed it and compare them with Christs sufferings and what hee deserved at thy hands that it may break thy heart as it did Davids 2 Sam. 12.7 8. when hee had long lain in a slumbering condition and God told him how much he had done for him wondring that after so much love he should despise his Commandements and make so wretched a requital How doth he cry out upon his sins vers 13. and loathes himself Obj. But a Christian should rejoyce in the Crosse of Christ how then comes it to be the object of sorrow Sure Paul thought otherwise Gal. 6.14 Sol. How the Crosse is a ground of rejoycing as well as of mourning It is true Christs Crosse is a ground of rejoycing as well as a ground of sorrow Of sorrow in respect of that hand we had in his death the wounds which our sins gave him the hard dealing and unkind requital he hath received for all his love Of joy in respect of the benefits and good we receive by his death Let us therefore maintain a spring of godly sorrow for our sins and streams of joy for the blessings we receive by him which is the true eating the Passeover with bitter Herbs Exod. 12.8 Also making confession of their sins Levit. 16.21 The Papists have a seeming practice of this duty keeping Good-friday in penance and lamentation setting up a Crucifix before them and zealously hating the Jewes for putting Christ to death but think not of their own sins that they had a hand in it To whom Christ might justly say as to the Women weeping at his Crosse Luk. 23 28. O yee daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves for your sins whereby you have wounded me which is the duty of every Christian 2 Upon the consideration of Christs extream sufferings for Sin the Members of Christ are pressed hard Christs members should hate sin to hate every evil way and to shun all sin for ever 1 Because it was one end of Christs crucifying To hate sin is the end of Christs death that sin and the flesh should be crucified Gal. 5.24 that They that are Christs have crucified the flesh understanding by the flesh the corruption of Nature with the affections and lusts of it Christs members should pluck up the very roots of sin the very inward lusts that grow in the heart Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our Old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might bee destroyed that is the whole corruption of Nature may be killed by the death of Christ yet not so farre as to free us from all sin but that we might not serve sin or obey it in the lusts thereof For this cause did Christ bear our sin upon the Crosse That we being dead unto sin might live unto righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 That is that we should behave our selves like dead men not to be moved nor inticed to sin For first this was the end which God propounded to himself in his Sons death to destroy sin Wee must be very careful how we frustrate the end of God in our giving way to sin Secondly Christ hath by his death merited the death of sin and so we are said to dye with Christ and so bee freed from sin Rom. 6.7 Thirdly adde to this the efficacy of Christs death which works the ruine of sin in all his members Hence Phil. 3.10 wee read of a power and force in the death of Christ to make us conformable to his death while his Spirit is killing sin in us So that Christs death hath no comfort for them that hate not sin 2 Our sin killed Christ We must hate sin because it killed Christ if then wee have any love to Christ wee must needs kill sin Psal 97.10 Yee that l ve the Lord hate evil The Love of Christ constraineth us to it 2 Cor. 5.14 The law of Nature makes a man that hee cannot indure the sight of one that hath killed his father or his dear Friend but his very heart will rise against him and hee cannot choose but follow the Law upon him to the utmost to hang him if all the law in the World will do it And can wee bee so unnatural that sin should destroy our dearest Saviour and we not be avenged upon it How should wee bee transported with Indignation at sin that brought on our Redeemer the pains both of the first and second death Then let us pursue our sins with all possible detestations if wee let them go wee are no Friends to Christ Let us stab them to the heart till they bleed their last that drew the blood of Christ Let them never come to any Sanctuary or City of refuge but as Avengers of that precious blood let us leave sin no shift no way to escape Let us say to them as David to the young man that told him hee had slain Saul 2 Sam. 1.14 How wast thou not afraid to stretch out thy hand to destroy the Lords annointed and David commanded him strait to bee slain do thou likewise Reason thus also against all temptations these sins were the death of my Saviour and why should they bee my delight They pierced his hands and feet
Christ who is the end of the lam for righteousnesse in his boing made a curse for us 3 Unlesse faith justifieth as it hath a respect and relation unto Christ as its object it can have no more to doe with satisfaction than any other grace as Charity Temperance c. but we know that they being works of the Law avail nothing to our justification Rom. 3.20 but the great property of faith above other graces is to draw vertue from Christ for justification and to exercise it self on the free grace and mercy of God exhibited in him Obj. But was not Abraham's faith justifying as it beleeved the power of God Rom. 4.21 22. He beleeved in God who quickneth the dead and God that had promised was able to perform therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse Ans It is true he beleeved the power of God but that did not justifie him but his beleeving on the promised seed Gen. 22.18 He saw Christ's day by faith Joh. 8.56 It is true the faith of Gods power was a stay to him in great temptations he was exposed unto so it may be to us but wee cannot be justified by that faith which only beleeves the power of God to save us Vse 1. It serves to refute those that deny faith to have such a relation unto Christ in justification as hath been spoken of Such as say faith doth justifie without reference to Christ whereby the form and life of justifyng faith is taken away Christ is robbed of his glory and the Consciences of Christians of their comfort and peace Vse 2. It discovers the unjustified estate of those persons that doe not cast anchor here i. e. in Christ A man may have great knowledge and many gifts and beleeve too to admiration as they who had the faith of Miracles in the Primitive times Matth. 7.22 23. and yet be unjustified yea he may beleeve the Articles of Christian religion study the Promises and think he doth apply them to himself and yet be unjustified It is the very case of the seed in the stony ground that received the word with joy Math. 13.20 Why consider what is the word that even a carnal heart may rejoyce in it is the word of promise and this word a stony heart may receive and apply to himself and abide stony stil though Israel had transgressed the Law and cast off the thing that was good yet he would cry My God we know thee Hos 8.1 2 3. So the Jewes Joh. 8.39 41. and thus many catch at Gods mercy and seem to build upon the Promise and yet perish everlastingly Obj. But alas should I not build my salvation and justification on the promises of God what else should I repose my considence in Ans Promises vvill not justifie The Promises alone are not sufficient to bear the weight of a sinners justification and salvation neither doe they doe any thing further than they doe direct unto exhibit and bestow upon us a sufficient righteousnesse to save us and this must be had in a person not in a promise or proposition As for example the Israelites bit with the fiery Serpents were not healed with the promise or the light but the vertue drawn from the Brazen Serpent by looking on him So the promise alone will not justifie but only as it discovers and exhibits such a person i. e. Christ who puts forth or is cloathed with such a righteousnesse which being seen with the eye of faith puts the sinner into a state of justification Neither doe all the Promises discover or exhibit Christ though they are all exhibited in Christ 1 Tim. 4.8.2 Cor. 1.20 In Christ yea and amen but without Christ neither yea nor amen Rom. 8.32 God gives his Son first then other things Eph. 1.3 He blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in Christ but we can have none nor lay claim to any promise in the Book of God without him Quest What comfort is there then for such a man by the promises in Jesus Christ Ans The comfort truly is that there is an exhibition and holding forth of Christ in them to the vilest sinners and whilst there is life there is hope to get into Christ and get interest in the Promises 1 Joh. 5.11 This is the record that God hath given us life eternal and it is in his Son Hence Christ is called the Covenant Isa 49.8 because not only his person was and is the main thing in the Covenant but also because all the promises in the Covenant are his and made to him and in him and through him only conveyed to beleevers Thus we see what a dangerous thing it is to pitch our faith first on any thing but Christ and thence to expect a justified estate Quest How is faith in Jesus Christ known Ans 1. By the entrance of it which is such that it separates the sinner unto Christ as Psal 45.11 Forget thy fathers house c. As it is in persons marrried who forget and leave their fathers house and old friends and sequester themselves to marriage communion so it is with those that are married to the Lord Jesus though they have been intangled in their affections to their old ways yet by hearkning to the word of Christ they renounce and forget all for Christs sake then the King takes pleasure in them 2 By the progresse of it as they have received Jesus Christ the Lord so they walk in him Col. 2.6 7. and are subject to him in every thing Ephes 5.24 yea they live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 Vse 3. Instruction and exhortation to shew and exhort us whither to goe for justification It is unto Christ and the mercy of God in him Let the main care and desire of our souls be after the person natures works and merits of the Lord Jesus and thereby shall wee bee possessed of this great benefit of justification through him Neither is my meaning that we should seek to come unto him any other way than by the Word and Promises for if we doe we can never come to him but meet with Satan as an Angel of light in some Enthusiasm But wee must bee acquainted with the Promises yea such as doe carry and exhibit Christ unto us and therein close with Christ before wee can claim the promises of pardon or of the Spirit or of any grace or glory Mot. 1. Consider Christ as he stands in relation to the Father he is 1 No other than the Son of his love Col. 1.13 the Fathers love is infinite to him and therefore he hath given all things into his hands for our justification and salvation Joh. 3.35 whatever fruit or testimony of the love of God the soul stands in need of he may be sure to have it from Christ 2 The Father hath sealed him Joh. 6.27 hee hath not only designed him but signed and sealed him a Commission to be a Mediator hath set his stamp upon him his express
prize the pardon more and to esteem the grace of God in Christ much more Hee that is throughly pained with sicknesse will highly esteem the Physician when Davids bones were broken hee praies for multitude of tender mercies Psal 51.1 7 8. and so it was with Paul Rom 7.24.25 Our spiritual conflicts in the trouble of our Consciences for sin make us to judge the better of the grace of Christ towards us in his grievous agonies when hee cries out My God my God c. and say with Paul The grace of God was exceeding abundant 1 Tim. 1.14.18 3 Repentance is a grace that plows up and stirs the heart fitting of it for the seed of the Word to take better root in it Plow up the fallow ground Jer. 4.3 and when this is plowed and plowed deep the seed is not so likely to bee choaked with thornes Repentance will make a thriving and fruitful Christian under the means of grace and one that shall have a plentiful and joyful harvest They that sow in tears shall reap in joy hee that goeth forth with weeping bearing pretious seed shall come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him Psal 126.5 6. 4 Repentance breeds a patient frame of heart under Gods afflicting hand Whereas otherwise at such a time the heart will be very unruly and outragious Take David in his saddest time that hee under passed after his great sins when his heart was kindly broken hee would justify God Psal 51.4 and this is because it makes us humble and laies the heart low in consideration of our great unworthinesse of the least mercy and desert of the greatest judgements from Gods hands and then what ever God threatens yea whatever he inflicts the heart is quiet silent and patient not in the least repining against but justifying of God in all his wayes 5 Repentance makes the heart charitable and pittiful to others that fall into sin and will keep us from rigour and pride in censuring of them too severely from the remembrance of our sinful failings and frame of spirit as Tit. 3.2 3. Shew meeknesse towards all men for we our selves were sometimes foolish c. 6 This repenting frame is a Sin-mortifying frame of spirit No grace carries on the work of mortification more in the heart than repentance seeing it is continually weeding out and plucking up the remainders of corruption in the heart Sin no sooner shews it self but a broken heart is repenting of it and mourning for it God hath placed this grace in a beleevers heart to bee continually cleansing out and throwing forth the filth and dreggs of corruption still adhearing to the heart in this life and hence it is that wee read after all the faylings of the most precious Servants of God the wheel of repentance was still turned over their sins though they were fully certified of pardon and forgivenesse Concl. 2. A beleever whatsoever his faith is had need be fervent and instant in prayer for the pardon of his sin This our Saviour taught his Disciples in the rule of prayer Matth. 6.12 and we are still to doe it in these respects 1 Because our sins are daily renewed and wee had need have pardon renewed and remission afresh applied unto us as our sins are renewed therefore we had need continually be praying for this that our sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come Act. 3.19 2 That we may get faith and assurance of pardon and forgivenesse Worldly men would not only have outward Estates Lands and Possessions but they seek to have assurance thereof Now this assurance of pardon is not gotten ordinarily without much contention in prayer Hab. 6.11 We desire that every one of you doe shew the same diligence to the full assurance c. It is much to bee lamented that any Christian should content himself with an opinion or conjecture of forgivenesse and so become no other than James calls them chap. 1.3 Double-minded men unstable in all their wayes A double-minded man is such a one as is alwayes questioning Gods grace in Christ unto him and his interest in the Promises whereby he is very unstable and here he contents himself without indeavouring a stability of faith and assurance to say with Job I know my Redeemer liveth Wee have need of a great increase of faith and measure of assurance that our sins are pardoned that wee may bee able to undergoe great trials and strong temptations and to lay up like the rich man riches for many years and with Joseph store of provision against the years of famine For so the Thessalonians when they had much-assurance received the Word in great affliction with joy in the Holy Ghost 1. Thess 1.5 6. Oh then a daily course of prayer is needful that wee may get the sense and feeling of the mercy of God to our souls in the pardon of our sins Yea this is more than naked assurance when a man can feel the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 when a man is sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Ephes 1.13 and hath the earnest of his heavenly inheritance in his heart Many by the strength of their faith have trusted in Gods mercy even then when the Lord hath hid his face from them or shewed them an angry countenance but the feeling of the grace of God is more this is for the heart to find the warmth of his love and behold the gracious smiles of his countenance in the lowest condition and it is a very heaven upon earth or a lively fore-taste of the joyes of heaven 3 This is needful that the soul may have the pardon of frâ— in all the fruits and effects thereof in their further accomplishments and perfection though wee are freed from the damnation and dominion of sin yet wee are not freed from the remainders of it Wee know how Paul groaned under his unmortified corruptions Rom. 7.23 24. and the Church is taught to pray Take away all iniquity and Hos 14.2 wee must look sometimes to meet with terrours of Conscience and to bee in darknesse without any light wee must look for desertions and temptations by reason of the remainders of sin and therefore we are to pray for full redemption from sin in all the fruits and effects of it 4 It is needful to pray that we may make a right use of the pardon of sin having once obtained it For the heart is apt under such a favour to wax proud and wanton and carelesse as it is with many an ungodly childe when a father hath made over a great estate into his hands he will care no more for his father nor doe any duty belonging to a childe so the children of God would doe being left to themselves when God hath made known to them this blessed estate of the pardon of their sins they are ready in their prosperity to say they shall not bee moved Psal 30.6 and there is no state
and chiefest seeking especially such a Kingdome as is founded in Gods righteousness Oh! that poor deluded sinners would take heed of Couzening their own souls in a matter of this great importance for beloved know it that Gods righteousness is the wedding garment Matth. 22.11 and there bee many will thrust in themselves amongst those that have it whom the Lord will find to bee without it one day to their utter expulsion out of his presence Use 3. Comfort It lerves for the strongest ground of comfort to poor discouraged beleevers that is in all the World that it is no other than Gods righteousness upon which their justification and salvation is grounded the comfort is inestimable and cannot possibly bee reacht by our weak understandings see the particulars 1 A Beleever hath a righteousness that can satisfy the Law fully the Law requires perfect obedience and the Gospel returns perfect obedience Rom. 3. last Do wee then make void the Law c. i.e. the very doctrin of faith doth establish the Law 1 Because whatever the Law requireth wee perform it in Christ by faith 2 By faith we glorify God his justice and make a full payment thereof by God in Christ 3 If wee had stood in innocency or had had as much righteousness as Adam before the fall or the Elect Angels yet all this had been but the righteousness of a poor creature but this is Gods righteousness 4 This righteousness can make a sinner righteous but so the Law could never do 2 This is everlasting righteousness Dan. 9.24 i.e. first continual though wee commit new sins continually yet this righteousnesse is like a fountain opened Zach. 13.1 2. it can never bee lost as Adams righteousness was and the Angels too It was a great miracle that the Lord wrought for his people in the Wilderness that forty years together their cloathes waxed nor old upon them Deut. 29.5 than is nothing in comparison of this everlasting righteousness which is a Garment of Salvation that will never wax old Psal 119.142 3 This Righteousness is the righteousnesse of the Judge himself its Christs own righteousnesse and who is there may not tremble to remember that fearful day of most strict and exact account But Jesus Christ himself cannot finde any spot in his own righteousness or any fault with it and therfore the great comfort of the faithful is in this against the great day If any man sin wee have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2.1 ◠4 This is the Marrow of the whole book of God on which the salvation of all that shall bee saved depends To such as fear my Name the Sun of righteousnesse shall arise c. Mal. 4.2 and this is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets as the text hath it but is far more gloriously revealed in the New Testament Rom. 1.17 and if this righteousnesse of God should fail us then were preaching in vain faith in vain as the Apostle saith in another case yea the Scriptures should bee in vain Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles should not onely bee lyars but false witnesses and that in open Court and upon record Now can wee think that the God of truth would deceive us by sending such a company of false witnesses to us far be it from him Mark Rev. 19.8 9. To her i.e. to the Lambs wife was granted that she should be arayed in fine linnen which is the righteousnesse of Christ the Fleece of the Immaculate Lambe But is there no question of this v. 9. we are assured of the truth of it these are the true sayings of God viz. the certain and undoubted sayings of God who will not lye and his hand and seal for it Therefore it is said in the daies of the Gospel 〈◊〉 shall say surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength Isa 45.24 Oh! what a foundation is here of faith and stedfastness to rest our selves on So that we may say we are arrived at the fair Havens the fairest port in all the World Consider wee but what wee are in our selves it may make us prize it wee are but shameful naked creatures Rev. 3.18 but this righteousnesse will cover our nakedness nay but this is but a small matter in comparison to what the Prophet sayeth Isa 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord c. for hee hath cloathed me with garments of salvation hee hath covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bride-groom decketh himself with ornaments and a bride adorneth her self with her jewels It is the joy of a true Beleever that God is his God in Christ and that hee hath in Christ such a Princely and Priestly robe as is called the robe of righteousness and the garment of Salvation i.e. the righteousness of God a Garment of Gods own making and it is as the bride-groomes robe and hee will at his marriage not onely cover our shame but appear with his Ornaments too and if this bee too little hee addes also the Brides Ornaments and Deckings also wherewith shee is attired on her wedding day thus Psal 45.13 14 15. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within c. shee shall be brought to the King in ralment of needle work c. these are such things as wee are wont to admire for beauty and excellency but there are far greater things than those in the Lord and his righteousness Use 3. Exhortation to every soul to seek after this righteousness Seek after Gods righteousnesse Surely the name that is here given it is a sufficient motive 1. It is Gods righteousness efficiently not onely in a General sense as the earth is the Lords and every good gift comes down from him as the Father of lights but subjectively that inherent righteousness that is in the Saints may bee called Gods righteousness as an effect of Gods grace but man is the subject of that but that person who is God is the subject of this righteousness 2 This puts a sinner not only into a safe estate but into a state of abso lute perfection Understand it not as the deluded Familists and Quakers imagine as though there were no sin in him or done by him but that though considered in himself hee hath many corruptions wants and weaknesses yet in Justification hee hath none at all but is compleat in Christ 2 Pet. 1.4 Col. 2.10 there are many that do boast of outward excellencies and seek them only to have profit pleasure and credit but account basely of the children of God that want such low things but alas these outward things are not our compleatness but many times do hinder it and you that do content your selves with your Philosophy and knowledge of arts consider that it will not make you compleat yea if you rest in it it is vain deceit and will spoil you in the main Col. 2.8.10 And what though you adde to it an outward profession frequent ordinances vers 11 12.
right and will not punish sins twice So that although they are not exempted altogether from Gods fatherly Chastisements and afflicting hand in this life yet there shall bee no condemnation unto them the exactnesse of Gods Justice cannot doe this Job 38.10 11 12. Farre be is from the Almighty that hee should doe wickednesse c. It would be rightly accounted great injustice in a Magistrate to punish the same offence twice therefore much lesse can God be guilty of it Comf 3. This serveth to answer all cavills and objections though there were Millions of them that can bee made against the good estate of a beleever That is a precious truth that alone overthrows all contrary errours Such is this that our sins are pardoned not only in a way of truth and mercy but in a way of justice Sathan and our own Consciences will object many things against our comfort if we plead only the mercy and the truth of God and will say but where is then the Justice of God Can Mercy pardon without the consent of his Justice but now whilst we beleeve in Christs satisfaction justice and peace kisse each other yea justice saith I am pleased Many things will bee cast in our dish in the day of temptation about the multitude and greatnesse of our sins and our manifold grievous relapses but Tit. 2.14 Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquity hee hath paid the full price that justice could exact or require and we may say as it is in Jam. 2.13 Mercy coming through saith rejoyceth against judgement Comf 4. This is the special favour of the Spouse of Christ that they can plead the righteousnesse of God in Christ as the Lord saith Hos 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in rightteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindnesse i. e. in free grace pittying our miserable condition and in faithfulnesse and truth performing his promises that he hath made but is that all No but hee will doe it in righteousnesse too that is in a way whereby he will declare his justice as well as his mercy and truth This is the sure match that the Lord hath made with a poor soul which will stand good not only in the Court of Chancery but in the Court of Justice or Common Pleas too Such an inviolable match hath the Lord made with a poor beleever and how then can he break off from it to leave the soul in a state of Widdowhood Isa 62.4 Thou shalt bee no more termed forsaken but thou shalt bee called Hephsibah for the Lord delighteth in thee Vse 4. For instruction and exhortation and there might be several branches of it 1 If pardon of sin is given and must be received in a way of justice as well as in a way of mercy and truth then let every soul seek pardon of God in such a way as may stand with Divine justice There is many a condemned Malefactor standing at the barre that cries for mercy in vain at the hands of the Judge not considering the place of the Judge which is to doe justice So it fareth with many convicted and awakened sinners they goe to God in such a natural way as Benhadad went to Ahab saying The Kings of Israel wee have heard are merciful Kings so they say we have heard the God of Israel is a merciful God I will goe to him with sackcloath about my loyns and ropes about my neck i.e. with Humiliation and Self-judging and I hope that hee will pardon me Beloved in the Lord this is needful and commendable and I would not discourage any one from it but the distressed sinner is forced to it by the sense of his misery and some natural instinct and indeed alone it is insufficient to prevail with God unlesse he can plead his justice too as well as his mercy Thence you finde that God is described so Isa 45.21 There is no God else besides me a just God and a Saviour i. e. none besides me that is a just God in saving of sinners hee so saves as that hee may be just still and none can save so besides this just God as Jer. 3.22 23. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and the multitude of the mountains in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel for shame hath devoured the labours of our fathers and we lye down in their shame for we have sinned against the Lord our God It is but a vain thing for you to take pains to goe to any other for salvation besides this just God and if ever he save you it will be in a way of justice Quest What is that way of justice that we must expect justification in Ans There is or can be but one way that was ever heard of to satisfie the justice of God that sinners might bee justified i.e. by the Father's making his own Son a propitiation for them that is the mystery in the text that God forgiveth sins through the bloud of his Son and beloved consider that Luther took a great deal of pains to understand this and prayed much and earnestly to the Lord for it before he could get the right meaning of it The mystery is this That the Son of God manifested in the flesh must make his soul an offering for sin to satisfie Divine justice or else all Mankind must perish eternally Then if this bee so let every one see the great necessity of getting into Christ and accordingly fly without delay to the Lord Jesus Let me say to thee as it was said to Lot Escape for thy life neither stay c. lest thou bee consumed deliver thy self as a Roe from the hands of the Hunter or as a Bird from the hand of the Fowler My thinks this Argument should fire every sinful man out of his miserable estate and make him fill Heaven and Earth with cries that he may gain Christ yea my thinks the Lord seemes to take the Lingerers by the hand as he did Lot Gen. 19.16 The Lord being merciful to them to bring them to Christ The Arguments whereby I would presse this upon poor sinners are The urgent and extreme necessity of a Redeemer for a sinner not only because the Scripture cannot be broken Joh. 10.35 which saith Without shedding of bloud there is no remission Heb 9.22 Besides there is no pardon of sin but in the New Testament and where a Testament is there must needs be the death of the Testator Heb. 9.16 or else the Testament is of no force Nor only the necessity of Gods unchangeable Decree who chuseth every soul that shall bee saved in Christ Ephes 1.4 and these are inviolable things but this is the extreme necessity that now I must needs put you in mind of i.e. the necessity of Gods nature that he is so just that hee can by no means acquit or clear the guilty Look how impossible it is that the God of truth should
the intensnesse and strength of it that it was stronger than death and all this to wash us from our sins 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive wee the love of God because he laid down his life c. sustaining the pains of death Of what death the First and Second Death He washed us in his bloud from all the filthinesse of Hell and Death All the dunghills in the world cannot defile us as sin doth and it was the filth of sin that Christ's bloud washed us from Sin defiles the soul yea the whole man Matth. 15.19 You then that are beloved ones and washed can yee content your selves with a slight consideration of this What manner of love is this Qualis Quantus 1 Joh. 3.1 Ephes 3.18 That yee may comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge c. Mark here is a thing that concerns all Saints and wee should labour for such might and strength as not only to apprehend in our minds but comprehend and lay hold upon all the measures of this love in our hearts and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge i. e. either all other knowledge or else all the knowledge of carnal persons or all the knowledge of the Saints in the perfection of it that is it is the most desirable blessing in the world to understand the love of Christ aright Wee can never know too much of this love What should this love work upon our hearts truly wee should bee rooted and grounded in love not only have some leaves of profession but be rooted and grounded in it and it may lye deep in our hearts as roots and foundations use to doe yea this love of the Lord Jesus must bear up all the bulke and wait of our Christian trials yea as a root feed and nourish other graces and holy indeavours in us Oh it is much to be lamented that so many have left their first love They are but few sure that have ever had any rooted or grounded love to Christ at all that is suitable to Gospel measure or rule Luk. 7.47 What is the Gospel measure of love A. Matth. 10.37 Hee that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me i. e. our love to Christ should exceed all other loves and affections in our hearts yea in comparison of Christ we should hate father and mother c. Luk. 14.26.33 wee should hate all forsake all so farre as they stand in competition with Christ or the things of Christ else we cannot be the Disciples of Christ Instr 4. Redeemed ones have great boldnesse towards God This may work in all redeemed ones a marvellous boldnesse towards God that which the Scripture often expresses Ephes 3.12 In whom wee have boldnesse of accesse with confidence Heb. 10.19 Having boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the bloud of Jesus It is sweet and precious that we have Heb. 4.16 Let us goe with boldnesse to the Throne of grace c. i. e. to Christ our High Priest hee hath set up a Mercy-seat for us And is that all Nay but saith the Apostle Heb. 12.23 Wee are come to God the Judge of all and we are come to the Seat of Justice and wee may in an humble boldnesse plead the justice of God and say Lord who art the Judge of all doe mee justice thou art just and therefore the Justifier of him that beleeveth in Jesus Oh ponder and take again upon thy heart the meaning of this it is not only that hee may bee merciful and gracious and the Justifier of beleevers though that bee a sweet and precious truth too to be beleeved and rejoyced in but it is that hee may bee just Oh beloved this is the very quintessence of faith when as the beleever by faith shall present unto God the Father the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ for satisfaction for sins and goe to him with a full price in his hand and current pay and to say as they doe in dealing here is one and there is t'other and this is not bare distributive but commutative justice between God and man where there is not only Geometrical but Arithmetical proportion that is weight for weight and measure for measure is observed Oh then tender all the pay together all the obedience of Christ active and passive tender we to the righteousnesse of God the righteousnesse of Christ it is such a jewel as exceeds our sins infinitely though they have been very many and great Gods justice shall be no loser by us at all and let poor beleevers incourage and embolden their hearts with this Luther was bold when he prayed thus not only Fiat voluntas tua but Fiat voluntas mea not only let thy will be done but let my will be done and it was but the confidence of faith upon this ground we are speaking of Oh beloved the world will account this malepertnesse to come thus before God that they are more bold than welcome but they are strangers to these things and to all that liberty we have in Christ Gal. 2.4 It would be sauciness indeed for those that are out of Christ to approach at any time on this manner to God but let the Children take this as the daily portion of the Childrens bread and it is no wrong to that text 1 Joh. 1.9 to take it in this sense If we confess our sins he is just for Christs sake to forgive us our sins nor to that 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse Inst Adore the righteousnesse of God in all his wayes 5. If God be thus just exactly just in the justification of a Sinner let us learn to acknowledge and adore the righteousness of God in all his wayes Psal 145.17 If his mercy doth not pardon one sin but in a course of justice through the death of Christ then doubtlesse the Justice of God will not be bafled or turned aside in the managing other matters in the world The light of Nature sees nothing but mercy in this case but the light of Grace sees Gods justice also So that though God deals otherwise many times in many things than we could have expected or can see a reason of yet he is always just and holy in his proceedings and it is not enough for us to acknowledge the righteousnesse and holinesse of God in some of his ways and works or in his ways towards others and not towards our selves and in his dealing with some persons and not with all but wee must justifie the Lord in our hearts and words always in all things toward all in all the ways of his providences in his afflicting the godly as well as punishing the wicked Ezra 9.13 yea in the prosperity of the wicked In his great Counsels of Election and Reprobation in the rejection of the Jews c. of which when Paul had spoken Rom. 11. he
they come in at the Ministry of the Word It is not the will of the Father that one of these little ones should perish Mat. 18.14 All these do mightily help to confirm our faith 2 It should teach us highly to prize this propitiation of Jesus Christ It was pretious to God the Father and so ought it to bee to us 1 Pet. 2.6 7. God the Father gave Christ the preheminence in all and above all Hee preached him with his own voice and bade all men to hear him He set him forth with mighty signes and wonders and gifts of the Holy Ghost and the ministration of his Angels and acclamations of his Saints c. How highly then should he be prized by us 3 It should teach men to set a high price upon their own fouls You see that when they are in Captivity and slavery to Satan and in a lost estate there is nothing in the World no not all the World with all its worth can redeem them but only the propitiation of Jesus Christ Mat. 16.26 When God gave Egypt for his peoples ransome and Aethiopia and Seba for them hee shewed that hee prized them at a high rate Isa 42.3 4. But all the Kingdomes of the world are base and vile if compared with the foul of man God set that at the price of his Sons blood and Christ did so esteem it that hee gave his life for it Should it not then bee highly valued of us 4 As God the father set forth this Christ to us so let us set forth this Christ as a propitiation to God the father When wee apprehend God to bee displeased and angry with us wee may humbly go to him and say Lord thou hast before all time set a part and ever since time began set forth thy Son Jesus Christ to bee a propitiation for sinners Now thus thou hast imboldened us to set forth the same Jesus Christ to be our Propitiation to thee Thou hast sealed him to bee such and now thou canst not deny thy own hand and seal Joh. 6.27 Wee are fure that Christ is an offering and sacrifice of sweet smelling savour unto God Eph. 5.2 How unsavory so ere that wee are or have been And if wee pay God in his own coin that will bee current with him Lastly Set forth Christs propitiation to others every one to your respective relations As the Spouse Cant. 5. last He is altogether lovely Loe this is my beloved and this my Friend c. Inform the ignorant convince the erroneous ashame the voluptuous and contemners of Christ out of that foolish choice which they have made of other lovers instead of him Draw all that you may that they may forsake all other besides that they may go and seek him with you as chap. 6.1 Justification by Faith THE FOURTEENTH SERMON ON Romans 3.25 Through Faith in his blood HAving spoken concerning the satisfaction of Christ and the excellent fruit and effect thereof i. e. a propitiation I shall now proceed to that which is called the Instrumental cause of Justification Laid down in those words faith in his blood whence I shall note two observations 1 That the satisfaction of Christ is effectual to our justification through faith 2 That Faith as it justifieth doth especially apprehend the blood and sufferings of Jesus Christ Doct. 1. That the Satisfaction of Christ is effectual to the Justification of a Sinner through Faith Christs blood justifieth through faith Or That it is through the grace of Faith that the blessing of Justification is attained and conveyed This the Text holds forth plainly to us viz. That although wee are justified freely through Christs purchase and redemption yet Gods constituted way of applying this free grace of God and Merit of Christ to Sinners is through Faith and this is that which Paul makes his solemn conclusion vers 28. and a mighty ground of Christian Religion viz. Our justification by Faith without the works of the Law Which hee proves by the impossibility of justification by works by the Testimony of Habakkuk and by the Example of Abraham Rom. 4.9 11. Gal. 2.16 c. in diverse places plentifully insisted on Now for the better understanding of this truth it will bee needful to Answer a few questions 1 In what sense it is that through Faith a Sinner is justified 2 How Paul and James are reconciled 3 Why is it rather through faith than any other graces Quest In what sense is it that through Faith a Sinner is justified Answ For Answer In what sense faith justifieth I shall shew first in what sense it doth not justify then how it doth 1 A Sinner is not justified by Faith as it is a vertue or work in us because the Apostle doth exclude all works as such from Justification and Faith and works are opposed Rom. 3.28 Besides if it hath its place in justification as a work it cannot stand with the free grace of God Rom. 4.16 for grace and works are still opposed Rom. 11.5 6. Further that righteousness by which a sinner is justified must be exact and perfect but our faith is imperfect 1 Thess 3.10 2 Faith doth not justify as if the very act of beleeving were the matter of righteousnesse or any part thereof by which wee stand righteous before God This appears in that the righteousness by which wee are justified is not our own Phil. 3.9 but our faith is our own though wrought in us by the Spirit of God Hab. 2.4 and by these two Answers wee oppose two errours viz. of the Papists and Arminians who wickedly rob Jesus Christ of his honour and make an Idol of faith whereas wee are justified by the blood of Christ Rom. 5.9 vers 19. by the obedience of one c. 3 Faith doth onely justify us relatively or as it hath reference to its object Jesus Christ and his righteousness As the hand of a beggar receiving a bag of Gold bestowed upon him inriches him Now it s not the hand properly but it is the bag of gold freely bestowed that makes a beggar rich So the hand of the woman that touched our Saviour Christ healed her not as it was a hand but as it conveyed the vertue that came out of Jesus Christ So a mans faith is said to justify him because it receiveth Christ or the righteousness of Christ and indeed whatsoever is done by faith is done by Christ and therefore our being said to bee justified by faith Rom. 3.28 Eph. 2.8 is our being justified by Christ But here is a great Question How can it bee said that Faith can justify so much as instrumentally seeing that an Instrument is a cause how then can wee have any hand as causes in our Justification Answ Justification taken actively and passively Wee are to know that Justification is taken two waies 1 Actively 2 Passively The active Justification is that whereby God the Father justifies a sinner and pronounceth him just for the
sake of the imputed righteousness of Christ In this sense faith is no cause nor hath any influence at all into a sinners justification but Justification taken passively is that whereby beleevers by faith as by an hand do receive apprehend and apply to themselves the merits of Christs death and in this sense faith is an instrumental cause viz. A passive Instrument and cannot bee denyed its place in and influence into a sinners justification And this distinction you may see clearly grounded both in the places mentioned and Rom. 8. and in this chapter and in Rom. 5.1 the word is used in a passive sense Quest 2 How are Paul and James reconciled for James Ch. 2.21 saith that Abraham and Rahab were justified by works and ver 22. hee sets down this general conclusion that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone Answ Paul and James reconciled The conclusion of the Apostle is not as the Papists say that good works are a part of our righteousness and the cause of our justification before God neither as many of our Divines say That good works do justify as they declare us to bee just before men though that be a truth also but he shews that justifying faith is such as is effectual by good works or that it is a working faith that doth justify us which he proves both by comparing the faith of men and devils together as also by the example of Abraham and Rahab thence hee hath a distinction of faith which is lively and fruitful in good works and of a false and dead faith which is a bare profession of faith and formal acknowledgement of the Articles of Religion destitute of all good fruites so that James his discourse comes to this upshot That wee are not justified by a false or a dead faith and though James saith wee are justified by works he means by a common Metonymy a working faith Infants justifi cation Quest How are Infants justified by Faith Answ 1 Justification by faith belongs to persons grown and of understanding Rom. 10.17 2 Without doubt God hath his secret waies of applying the righteousness of Christ to infants by his Spirit which hee gives to them Isa 44.3 Quest Why is it rather through Faith than any other grace Why faith justifies Answ 1 Because by Faith is our union with Christ and our ingrafting into him and justification is a special priviledge and benefit properly arising from our union with Christ And then is the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us according to the Gospel dialect when it is apprehended by faith and hence justification is set after vocation Rom. 8.30 and therefore after faith because faith is wrought in vocation 2 The proper nature and office of faith is to rely and rest on Christ or the grace of God in Christ for Righteousness and Salvation hence the phrases of resting beleeving leaning on him as on the Rock the Corner stone c. 1 Pet. 2.6 Isa 26.3 4. and other places Faith makes it its proper distinguishing action to look out for a righteousness for justification and finding it in Christ wholly rests and relies on it as the Rock and Foundation the poor Sinner must be stayed by and built upon 3 Faith makes a special use of all the Promises draws water out of those wells receives and imbraces all the good things held forth in them but especially imbraceth remission of sins as one of the highest and chiefest Gospel concernments which hee hath to appropriate and improve to his greatest comfort and the foundation for to build on and exercise all other graces and duties and thence the just is said to live by faith Hab. 2.4 4 Because faith is constituted and ordained of God in the Covenant of grace as a necessary and indispensible means for attainment of this end in adult persons He did from eternity pitch on the grace of faith above all other for the applying the righteousnesse of Christ unto the soul of a Sinner 5 Because faith gives more glory to God and Christ than any other grace having free grace for its support and in a special manner free grace in Justification and going out of and denying it self more than any other grace receiving all from and attributing all to Christ and his fulnesse Joh. 1.16 and most especially whatever it hath or expecteth for justification Which makes the Apostle speak as hee doth Eph. 2.8 and every true beleever with him by grace we are saved through faith Use 1. This Doctrin doth clearly discover the dangerous estate of unbeleevers The danger of unbeleevers above all others there being no other way to receive that grace that is offered unto us in Christ or to attain unto the comfort of it Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God and what comfort or support can that man have who is not pleasing unto God There is but one Ark in all the World to save a poor sinner from the deluge of destruction that is Christ Jesus and no getting into this Ark but by faith There is death all the World over but in Christ As it was in the daies of Noah c. So shall the comming of the Son of man bee Matth. 24.38 39. how many on the face of the earth shall the second deluge or overwhelming destruction finde out of Christ the only Ark for poor sinners to bee saved by When the flood came the world knew nothing i. e. beleeved nothing and therefore rejected and despised the Ark that was preparing Oh! unbeleef is a soul-damning sin 2 Thess 1.8 9. especially in those that live under the clear dispensation of the Gospel Matth. 16.15 16. It was for this sin the Jews were broken off Rom. 11.20 even the whole body of the Nation and have been ever since the most accursed people in all the world Mark it all yee unbeleevers your curse is doubled and your Condemnation is The Condemnation Joh. 3.19 The Law pronounceth a curse for the breaking of it but the Gospel a far greater for not receiving Christ and your Life and Salvation which is offered unto you through him A Malefactor dies by the Law justly because by his wickedness hee hath deserved it but if hee hath an offer of a pardon and refuseth it hee is doubly guilty of his own destruction And this is the misery of poor unbeleevers in the daies of the Gospel Joh. 3.18.36 Obj. Why do you tell us of the danger of unbeleef which are not Infidels but hristians Ans Innumerable multitudes of souls do perish like the herd of Swine in the Sea that are driven headlong to destruction by Saran upon this conceipt that they are in the faith when they are not Therefore Use 2. Let this teach us to examine and try our selves whether wee are in the faith 2 Cor. 13.5 seeing we are justified by Faith Say thus have I gotten this precious grace viz. faith in Christs blood yea or not and bee