work hee doth as it were give command to have heaven doores set open for poor sinners to come in though yet there was no need of this heaven being prepared and furnished by the Father on very purpose for them to come thither But both to shew their willingnesse and desire of the thing speak thus as also to confirm and strengthen the faith of poor souls in coming to Christ For suppose it should bee which never will bee that there should bee a time wherein the will of the Son should decline the work of the salvation of poor sinners yet is the Fathers will so much in the thing that hee would as it were lay a command upon the Son to do the work And again suppose it should bee which never to all eternity will bee that there should bee a time wherein the Fathers will should draw back yet then the will of the Son is so much in this thing that hee would as it were give mee leave with reverence so to speak lay a command upon the Fathers will to bring it up to the thing The Holy Ghost using this manner of speaking not as though there were or ever would bee any such thing that either the Father or Son should be unwilling but onely to speak to our capacity who being poor finite creatures can no way conceive of these infinite mysteries of the Gospel but as they are by a certaine kinde of periphrasis or circumlocution of speaking making us by severall things and words to understand something of one thing unfolded to us it expresseth it selfe after this manner One place more I shall mention and that is in Joh. 10.27 28 29 30. where we have the wills of either mentioned together with an engagement of their utmost power and ability in the Salvation of Sinners the will of Christ vers 28. And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Of the Father vers 29. My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Of both conjoyned vers 30. I and my Father are one as if Christ should say My Father and I are not only willing to save Sinners but we are resolved to doe our utmost against all those which shall appear enemies to this work we are not only willing to save them but we will save them over the heads of their Adversaries maugre all opposition of men or Devils that shall be made against this work we will not only carry them to Heaven but doe our best also against all such as shall attempt to snatch them out of our hands as we are carrying them thither Thus much for clearing the truth of our Proposition that it is so I now come to give some reasons why it must needs be so In prosecution whereof I shall seemingly divide that which is most intirely one viz. the Will of God and Christ shewing you in several 1 Why it must needs be that God the Father is willing 2 Why it must needs be that God the Son is willing that Sinners should be saved 1 For God the Father of whose will is the greatest doubt with poor Sinners we look upon Christ as made up of Mercy and Love but on God the Father as an austere Man to free us from such thoughts and jealousies of the gracious God I shall lay down some Reasons to shew why God the Father must needs be willing that poor Sinners should be saved 1 Because God the Father hath decreed from all eternity to save Sinners he hath enacted the same above and made it a Statute Law in Heaven that Sinners should be saved which clearly argues that he was willing for what other thing was there to bring forth this decree but his owne Willingnesse He worketh all things after the counsel of hit owne will Ephes 1.11 if therefore the Father then were willing then must he of necessity be willing and as willing still seeing in Himself and in his Decree which is Himself he is immutable and changeth not so that once having through the immutable counsel of his owne will decreed to save Sinners he to all eternity this decree being an immutable Law and an irrepealable Ordinance of Heaven remaineth willing to save sinners To this decree for the confirmation of our faith he hath added his Oath and Seal 1 His Oath Heb. 6.17 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us not that the Decree of God needed an Oath for the confirmation of it it being firme and unalterable in it self but only to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the immutability of his Counsel God to an immutable decree addes another immutable thing viz. an Oath that so by two immutable things wee might have strong consolation for should we suppose that the decree of God should be broken yet Gods Oath bindes him to to be immutable 2 His Seal 2 Tim. 2.19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Gods decree of Election the foundation of the Saints happiness it hath a Seal not as I said of the Oath that it needs any Seal it being as firme without the Seal as with it but to raise our faith the more God bindes his decree with an Oath an Oath for confirmation in things among men being an end of all strife and he ratifies the same with a Seal an usual way of confirming Deeds and Evidences amongst men 2 Because the Covenant made between God and Christ requires it This Covenant we have expressed as saith the Learned Ames Isa 53.10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his Soul an offering for Sin he shall see his Seed he shall prolong his daies and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand VVhere the conditions on Christs part are that he must be bruised put to grief his Soul made an Offering for sin on Gods part that he should see his Seed his Sons and Daughters the fruit of his Travel prolong his daies and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand Now such a Covenant being made and Christ having already performed his part thereof it must needs be that the Father must be willing poor Sinners should be saved because otherwise he should break his Covenant made with his Son 3 Because the glory of several of the Divine Attributes calls for it God should loose abundance of the glory of his Attributes should he not save sinners As 1 Of his Mercy and Free Grace whereupon should he bestow the riches of his mercy should he not make poor
hands of Christ there are no terrors threatnings no curse no noise of death hell and damnation though I break the same all these things being gone And on the other side is there not much to cause love heaven eternal life is given before ever I strike a stroak do one action that the Law requires of mee set one step in a way of obedience all my sins are pardoned in Christ and through him before ever I commit them is not here much to beget love and to make mee out of love to yeeld obedience to the holy Law of God who hath pardoned my sins made mee an heire of life eternal and all without my merit or desert therefore I say this obedience having not slavish fear in it but arising from love must needs bee Gospel-walking 3 That obedience which is the fruit and effect of the working of Gods holy Spirit in us is Gospel-walking for not the Law but the Gospel or New Covenant gives the Spirit which helps us to obey But now all obedience to the Law as it is in the hands of Christ is such for to such as take the Law of Christ Christ first gives his Spirit then his Law as Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you What then And I will cause you to walk in my wayes First the Spirit to inable to obedience then the Law and they do obey it Therefore all such obedience is Gospel-walking Other Questions there are behinde which I cannot reach at present I shall onely minde you of this that what hath been before spoken serves to correct two great mistakes 1 A MISTAKE of some men of the one hand who are so much for the Gospel and do so cry it up that they throw the Moral Law quite out of doors as though there were no room for that in the Gospel Temple They think that grace and good works are so inconsistent one with the other that they can never stand together and therefore that grace may bee all the Law and good works shall bee nothing at all whose mistake is corrected from what hath been said and proved that the Moral Law remaines a Rule to Saints in Gospel-times 2 A MISTAKE of some others on the other hand who out of zeal for the Moral Law do hand over head urge and press the same as the Rule of Saints never considering how or in what sense the same remaines a Rule and by so doing they bring the glorious Sons of Sion the free-born Saints of the Gospel under the power and commands of a Covenant of Workes ere they are aware Whose mistake is corrected by distinguishing of commands as they are Moses's and Christs In the first sense the Law is not a Saints Rule and it is dangerous so to make it in the latter it is and it is sweet and comfortable so to receive it Therefore you that are Saints and Beleevers hence learn two things I Not to reject the Moral Law as a Rule to order your lives and conversations by but with love delight and chearfulness approve of imbrace and obey the same 2 Not to take the Moral Law for your Rule as it comes out of Moses his hand for then you bring your selves under the power of a Covenant of Workes and your soules will bee continually filled with terror fear and trembling covered over with darknesse lying under apprehensions of wrath and altogether weake and unable to do what is commanded But take it out of the hands of Christ and then with Paul you will say The Law if holy just and good I consent to the Law that it is good I delight in the Law of God after the inner man yea with my minde I my selfe do serve the Law of God Which Gospel-walking the Lord bring you and I daily more and more unto Amen When a mans walk may bee said to bee a Gospel walk SERMON VI. Rom. 8.1 Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit BY this time you know the meaning of these Phrases which you have oft heard to bee meant either of Legal or Gospel walking Walking after the Old or New man I have spoken or Legal walking and am now upon Gospel walking The last day I shewed you what Gospel walking is I now proceed to another Question viz. 2 Quest When may a mans walk bee said to bee a Gospel walke or a walking after the Gospel I answer I. When the Rule of a mans obedience is a Gospel Rule i.e. the Law as it is in the hands of Christ. Of this having spoken at large the last day I shall wholly wave it now 2 When the principle of a mans obedience or walking is a Gospel principle Quest But what is the Gospel principle Answ This Gospel holds forth two great things viz. a crucified Christ to bee beleeved on and the Powring out of the Spirit of Christ into the hearts of beleevers The first respects our Justification the latter our Sanctification or our obedience and walking Now as Christ crucified is the great Principle in the business of our Justification whence alone that flows from the knowing and beleeving on a Crucified Christ so the Spirit of Christ in the hearts of Saints is the great Principle in the matter of our obedience whence that flows Hence Rom. 8. the Sons of God are said to bee lead by the Spirit of God i.e. the Spirit doth not onely teach a beleever what is his duty but doth as it were take him by the hand and lead him to it help and guide him in it There is more held forth in the word leading than in teaching I teach another when I write him a copy and lay it before him and tell him how hee should hold his pen and order and guide his hand but now when I do not onely do this but take his hand in mine and write therewith I may bee better said to guide or lead him So the Spirit of God teacheth a beleever when it makes discovery of any truth to him hee was ignorant of before and shows him what duty that truth calls for from him but when it doth not onely do this but also inables the soul to receive this truth and to walk up to what this truth calls for conforming the soul to the truth or will of God then doth it exercise its leading power in the soule And therefore Ezek. 36.27 God saith I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my wayes c. In the Gospel or New Covenant the Spirit of God put into a beleever is the causing constraining principle to obedience and holy walking As in the Old Covenant though the fruit seem never so glorious yet the principle or root of all obedience is Flesh So in the New Covenant though the outward fruit seem never so mean and weak yet the principle or root is the Spirit All Gospel graces and works are fruits of the Spirit as Gal. 5.22 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy
failings in one thing or other It is a divine maxime there is no man that doth good and sinneth not All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Jew and Gentile saith the Apostle are all under sin Quest But why doth God suffer sinne to bee in his people Answ God hath many gracious ends in it as 1 To keep them humble Paul had a thorne in the flesh that hee might not bee exalted above measure Spiritual pride is one of the Saints greatest enemies God therefore suffers sin to bee in his that so they might bee kept low that they might alwayes see something in them as a ground or matter of humiliation something that they might bee continually reflecting upon to keep them low 2 To teach them to live by faith Should there bee no sin in us there would not bee that need of faith and of living by faith that by reason hereof there is The more a Christian falls the more hee is taught to live by faith When I see righteousness in my self I am prone to rest too much upon and to live upon that but when I can see no righteousness at all but do instead thereof see daily and hourly a great deal of unrighteousness I am led hereby to live out of my selfe upon anothers righteousnesse and hereby faith is kept in daily exercise 3 To prevent security The more enemies a man hath about him and near him the more watchful hee is thereby made Now God suffers these enemies to abide in his children that they may hereby bee continually awakened by the hourly alarms of these enemies and thereby kept from security 4 To exalt his own grace towards them The more sin is in those that are saved the more grace appears in their salvation 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbeleef And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 5 To shew forth more of his power in them 1 In strengthening them against sin 2 In upholding them under their falls 3 In mortifying sin in them 6 To make them the more compassionate of their fellow-brethren under the like infirmities Gal. 6.1 Brethren if any man bee overtaken in a fault yee which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also bee tempted Heb. 5.2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that hee himself also is compassed with infirmity 7 To make them more to long to bee dissolved 8 To permit wicked men hereby to bee stumbled and offended at the wayes of God Use Then bee not discouraged at the sight and feeling of sin in thee but seek God that hee would work and wait upon him for the accomplishing of these and such like gracious ends in thee thereby Thus much in a word of the first thing in the Text viz. the SUPPOSITION If any man sin I come now to the second viz. The REMEDY prescribed or what that is which may support and comfort Saints notwithstanding this sin that dwells in them and that is the Advocateship of Jesus Christ Wee have an Advocate Doct. The Advocateship of Jesus Christ now hee is in heaven is a great ground of comfort and support to Saints against and under all their sins and infirmities In the opening of this I shall shew 1 What this office of an Advocate is 2 What manner of Advocate Christ is 3 Whose cause hee pleads 4 What hee pleads for 5 The manner of his pleading 6 The prevalency of it 7 Why Christ is a Saints Advocate 8 How this makes for our comfort and support 9 What wee may learn hence as matter of our duty 1 What is this office of an Advocate Answ The word Advocate is in Scripture no where used but in this place therefore to finde out what it is wee must look to the first rise of it Now it is a borrowed speech taken from the Civil Law in which those are called Advocates which wee in the Common Law call Councellors Now in Law the office of an Advocate is this to plead in a way of Justice and from principles of equity and justice anothers cause who is not so well able to plead it himself Christs office then as an Advocate is this to plead the causes of poor sinners who cannot themselves plead them and that in a way of Justice Here is the great difference betwixt Christs pleading and ours Whensoever wee plead wee plead but as petitioners but when Christ pleads hee pleads as an Advocate A petitioner hee brings his cause to the foot of mercy and leaves it there hee dares not appeal to Justice lest hee bee cast but now an Advocate hee pleads in a way of justice hee brings his cause to the bar of Justice and is willing it should bee tryed by Justice and stand or fall there When wee come with our causes to God wee must as petitioners throw them down at the foot of mercy and stand to the verdict of mercy but when Christ takes up our causes hee goes boldly to the bar of Justice and pleads them there hee makes appeals to Justice and saith Do but speak O Justice whether it bee not a fit and requisite thing that this poor sinner should have the cause go of his side I have dyed satisfied for him purchased this is it not a just and equal thing that it should go well with the poor sinner and his cause I will be tried even by thee O Justice 2 What manner of Advocate is Christ Answ 1. Hee is an Advocate in the superior Court An Advocate in the superior Court is better than in the inferior because there may bee an appeal from the inferior and a sentence there passed is not determinative because it may bee reversed above but now the Laws and Decrees of the superior Court they are binding and determinative there can bee no appeale thence but whatsoever is ratified there carries the authority and force of a Law with it Now Christ is an Advocate in the superior Court hee is an Advocate with the Father as in the Text and so Heb. 9.24 it is said that Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands but heaven it selfe the High Priests under the Law when they were to plead which was a part of their office they entred into the holy places made with hands they pleaded here below But now Christ our High Priest and Advocate hee is gotten into heaven it self and there hee pleads in Gods presence at the highest bar hee pleads So Heb. 4.14 Wee have a great High Priest which is passed into the Heavens Heaven now is the place where Jesus Christ is Priesting of it and where Christ is pleading with the Father for us And hence it comes to pass that whensoever Jesus Christ gets any sentence to bee
1 He presents the persons of his Saints before his Father saith Christ such a thing I plead for and behold here is the Person see what hee is in how near relation to me they are those that thou hast given me they are mine and they are thine see Lord they are no other I speak for 2 Hee presents all the wants of his Saints he spreads these before God Lord they want preserving grace persevering sanctifiing c. 3 He presents his owne merits and righteousnesse before his Father Lord saith Christ is there no righteousness in this poor sinner behold here is righteousness Doth thy Justice require satisfaction behold here it is I have glorified thee it may bee Lord these sin and dishonour thee but I have glorified thee 4 Hee mannageth their cause as his own in his own Name Hee takes up their cause and saith Lord their cause is my cause it is the cause I am ingaged in and have dyed for Joh. 17.10 I am glorified in them as to say Lord if it were onely for them indeed thou mightest deny mee but their cause is my cause their cause and mine their glory and mine is linked together 5 Hee useth arguments with the Father hee doth not barely plead but useth arguments What arguments in John 17. the pattern of Christs Intercession in heaven doth Christ use with his Father vers 6 7 8 9 10 11 c. Hee answers all the Objections that Satan brings against poor souls See Zach. 3.1 2. And hee shewed mee Joshua the high Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee is not this a brand plucked out of the fire 6 Hee useth authority in pleading Joh. 17.14 Father I will hee layes a kinde of heavenly command as I may say upon the Father hee leaves his petitions as his will which must bee fulfilled 6 The Prevalency of Christs Intercession 1 The person pleading is a great person Heb. 4.14 a great High Priest and that in a threefold respect First great indignity such will bee heard hee is King of Kings Secondly great in power and so able to give whatsoever hee pleads for and therefore undoubtedly will not let his prayers bee lost All power is given to mee So Joh. 14.13 14. And whatsoever yee shall aske in my Name that will I do that the Father may bee glorified in the Son If yee shall aske any thing in my Name I will do it If anything in heaven or in earth bee useful for Saints hee can command all Thirdly great in favour with God long acquaintance makes persons great in favour Christ was from eternity brought up with the Father near relation makes persons great in favour and Christ is the onely childe of God A man that is great in favour will prevail when another cannot 2 The person hee pleads with is his Father Hee is Gods Son his onely Son the pleading of a Son is very prevalent with his Father This the Apostle makes use of Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that wee have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Yea hee is such a Son as was ever obedient to his Father and hee pleads this his obedience Had you a childe that never angred you and hee should come and say Father I never angered you I pray do not deny mee such a request could you deny him when all the servants in the house cannot procure such a thing to bee done the Son doth but come and say Pray Father let it bee done and it is done Jesus Christ cannot but prevail because it is his Father hee pleads with 3 The cause hee pleads is a cause of Justice Many times when a great person or one in near relation to the Judge pleads though his cause bee unjust yet hee carries it what then will Christs pleading do who is so great in so near relation to the Judge and hath a just cause too think you Will not hee prevail 4 The person hee pleads with is our Father which further shews the prevalency of Christs Intercession If a Father have a childe hee loves dearly a little intreating will make him willing to do any thing for his good But now if another dearly beloved Son should come and plead for this childe with his father and the childes Father too how prevalent would that plea bee 5 God hath appointed him this as his office to plead Hee is an Advocate called by God Heb. 5.4 5. And no man taketh this honour unto himself but hee that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to bee made an high Priest Psal 2. Ask of me God would never have put Christ into this office were hee not willing to bee prevailed with whensoever Christ pleads God remembers that hee put Christ into this office and this makes his pleading very prevalent 6 God is as willing to give those things hee pleads for as hee is to plead for them If a man bee but willing to give there needs not much argument to prevail saith Christ Joh. 16.26 27. I say not I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you as to say I do not say that you shall have all meerly because I pray as if the Father were unwilling and my praying made him willing no nor so The Father himself loveth you and is willing to give you mercy though I pray not as to say I need not to pray for any want of love that is in the Fathers heart to you or willingness to give mercy if that were all I need never pray How willing then must hee needs bee when I pray 7 Why Christ is a Saints Advocate 1 Reason Because it is a part of his office viz. his Priestly office and Christ will not have any of his Offices lye vacant 2 Because it is much for Christs honour that the whole work of our salvation from first to last should bee so mannaged as that hee should still have a hand in it and every part thereof 8 How this makes for our support and comfort against and under all our sinnes and infirmities Answ In these three things 1 By Christs Advocateship God the Father is put in continual remembrance of that full and satisfactory sacrifice which was once offered for sin Hence Christ who intercedes for ever Heb. 7. his blood is said to speake Heb. 12.24 And to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel How did Abels blood speake Not with an audible voyce but by a teal representing Cains sin before God the Father 2 By Christs Advocateship there is a continual application of pardon to the soul Christs death did purchase his intercession doth apply and the application of pardon although it were perfected at once yet it
against them c. but when we have done so to submit to his will who will have them remaine in us this I say is the way to come up to it the looking to Christs victory over them It is granted that the sight of Corruptions yet stirring in the soul is matter of very bitter mourning but not of despairing he that comes into the Field and seeth an Army of Enemies if some bee slaine some breathing out their last some bleeding c. hath not cause to despair though to mourn so here 5 In the Gospel we have a sight of Christ as engaged by way of standing Office to look to the keeping peace between God and his Children 1 Joh. 2.2 6 We have a discovery of the Saints being seized of all the riches of heaven and earth by being seized of Christ the great Gift of God and Gospel blessing Ephes 1.3 Hee that hath given us his Son how shall he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8 3â— and they have Gods Bond for performance yea all things put into their best Friends hand for them He is head over all things for them Ephes 1.22 that they may look over all things and persons in heaven and earth with comfort so long as Gods security is good Christ remaines Lord of all things they shall never want what is good for them here nor misse of glory hereafter Psal 84. Hee shall give grace and glory The love of Christ in his blessed Gospel which this choyse Servant of the Lord had tasted abundantly of and the Spirit of Christ who doth take of Christs and shew it to his Saints and so glorifie Christ had made so great an impression on him that as a dear friend of the heavenly Bridegroome he was carried out exceedingly with Saul when converted Lord what wilt thou have me to doe and did much in drawing poor Sinners to Christ whereof there is good proof where hee lived and also in labouring to unite Saints and furthermore in studying and holding forth the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus not only in his Churches but over the Nations This being the designe of Christ at this day to possesse his owne right to take to himself his great Power and Reign to cause the Kingdoms of this World to become his owne Rev. 11.15.18 to set up in them his owne Administrations and Lawes instead of those Heathenish and Antichristian Laws c. that have been and are yet in a great measure in the Nations and appoint his owne Officers over them It is dangerous to hinder it in the least you know what a rebuke Peter met with from Christ when hee would speaking according to Carnal reason have hindred the present work and designe our Lord Jesus was about Get thee behind me Satan thou savourest not the things that be of God but the things that be of men How sad a thing is it then when the Lord doth so rebuke us as at this day speaking very plainly and knocking aloud at our door by various Judgements by extraordinary Droughts and immediately upon the removal of them by general Sickness all the Land over by taking away many precious Saints from among us in this Nation of late c. his hand being yet stretched out that notwithstanding all these things when the Lord doth hearken and hear there is not a returne to him that smiteth but a revolting more and more in all sorts of persons from the highest to the lowest a going back againe by those very steps the Lord in a more than ordinary way brought us up to in this poor Nation appearing for us while wee were following him in some measure of sincerity and singleness of heart with such successes as made the very Heathen and Anti-christian World about us astonished I say a going back by those very steps we had gained towards Aegypt again c. Instead of following the Lord fully as Caleb and Joshua did behold a consulting with flesh and bloud and humane wisdome more than with the Word of God let us mourn before the Lord for these things and labour to live by faith and prepare for further sufferings And in order hereto with plaineness of heart read these things and read with an intention that they may bee read upon your conversation The Author writ and preached and walked the truth look not after Notions so much as the power of the truth which the Lord give thee and all of us grace to doe Peasen Hall 29th of the 9th Month. 1657. John Manning To the Reader Reader IT is an Argument of unspeakable favour and matchlesse condescention that the God of glory would vouchsafe to enter into the band of a Covenant with any of the Race of sorry Man and therefore the clearing up the Nature of the New Covenant made with Beleevers in Christ which is a great designe of one of these Treatises must needs be of choyse advantage to the Saints As estrangement from the Covenant is a depth of misery Ephes 2.12 so a special experimental acquaintance with it is a height of happiness When the Ark a signe of the Covenant was taken it was said of old The glory is departed from Israel but when men have this Ark of the Covenant with them there are the approachings of the greatest glory to them He that is owned within the verge of the Covenant hath an everlasting hold of God himself to such a Soul it may bee said thy God thy glory Tossed tempted Souls may finde support and succour here fainting sinking Souls reviving drooping dejected Soules refreshment yea when they have drawne and suckt the largest draughts out of these brests of Consolation yet they are still as full as ever It addeth abundance of sweetnesse to any even the lowest or least injoyments if they can bee discerned to have their conveyance in the way of the New Covenant to him that hath them yea a froward disquieted discontented heart will bee sweetly bowed into a submission unto the Will of God in the worst conditions if it can but descry the face of a reconciled God through a free promise therein And to help forward submission to the Will of God which another of these Treatises calleth for give us leave to adde a few words by way of direction 1 Keep a fixed eye upon God under the sharpest Dispensations if thou eyest the Rod more than the hand that useth it thou wilt manifest thy self a froward Childe under the gentlest fatherly Chastisements but if thy eye be ehiefly upon a Divine hand which smiteth thou wilt more quietly stoop unto it when it carrieth with it the greatest shew of enmity Good old Eli when such sad newes was sent unto him as should make the ears of all that heard of it tingle yet he keeping his eye upon God 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord hee freely submitteth Let him doe what seemeth him good 2 Keep affections unto Christ very high and to Creatures very low heart engagements
the incensing of them and making them rash and furious against the present powers And as for the two others I have coppied out part of a Letter received from each NOw dear Sir I begge your prayers that I may bee kept in the houre of my trial from the evil of every temptation incident to such a condition and may bee enabled to doe or to suffer whatsoever the will of the Lord is I am a poor Creature and when I look upon my self I am ready to say Surely the Lord will not make use of such an unworthy Creature as I am in any such Honourable work in the World as to bee counted worthy to suffer or doe any thing for his name But when I consider in whom persons and performances are accepted and made worthy I am silent and can only say I am in the hand of the Lord let him doe with mee as seemeth good unto him Indeed I have an unruly Natural temper that is ready to be running out to wrathful wayes pretending the accomplishment of the righteousnesse of God thereby but I desire to look on it as my burden and shame and to bewaile it both in my self and others in whom I judge I see too much of it especially some suffering Saints both in their speaking and writing which is a sore blemish making them much unlike our Lord and Master who when hee was reviled reviled not againe and when evil entreated threatned not neither doth it answer that blessed counsel Psal 37. throughout O could we be found more in Christs Lamb-like posture in which he overcomes Revel 17. we should also bee more glorious and speedy over-comers Faith and Prayer when joyned with humility meekness and patience seldome misse an eminent successe whatever it bee they contend against this is a portion my Soul wants begge it for mee and exhort to it in others SIR I shall not detain you longer but let you know that hitherto the Lord hath been with me and I find that Christs Sufferings have so large a present allowance that even besides the future wages of Glory which shall bee revealed in us wee are gainers of more than can bee spoken Love Light Freedome Power and what not that is good for us and truly Gods choyse hath been so clear both as to matter and manner of Sufferings that were it to begin again I think wee should be rather apprehensive of being over-set with the honour and comfort than to bee sunk with fear or trouble but whether the Baptisme is fully accomplished is yet to mee a question me thinks this is too casie for a Crown the drops of bloud are yet to come at least it must not bee my will but the Lords and if the remainder of wrath shall be restrained it must bee from them that lye free among the dead over whom the worldly life hath no power no more than the second Death so that if our Father sees wee may bee without danger to our selves or hazzard to his own concernments adventured a while longer in this world of trouble and temptation hee may suspend taking us to himself and yet surely the fiery Chariot must be made ready the Lord grant that our faith fail not if wee boggle at the passage wee may come short of the Kingdom living testimonies of dying Saints for their Lord and Master did make a quick dispatch of worldly Principalities Kings of Armies must flee apace when God gives the word and the company grows great that publish it The Contents of the ensuing Treatises 1 The Conformity of a Saint to the will of God On Act. 21.14 THe Text opened and explained Page 1 Doct. That it is a great and special duty lying upon Saints even in the most hard and difficult cases to have their wills bowed and submitted to the will of God p. 2 The definition of Divine submission to the will of God p. 3 opened p. 2. to 8 The Division of this submission to the will of God p. 9. opened p. 9. to 11 The Obligation lying upon the creature to submit to this will of God 12. This opened in many particulars to p. 14 The Excellency of this blessed worke set forth in several particulars p. 14. to 16 The Evil of not submitting to the will of God the greatness of it set forth in several particulars p. 16. to 18 General Rules to bring us to and further us in this submission p. 18. to 20. Cases of Conscience about submission of our wills to Gods p. 20. to 66 2 The will of God and Christ concerning Sinners On Gal. 1.4 The Text opened page 67 68 Doct. That the Salvation and Sanctification of poor sinners is the will of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ p. 68 What Will of God is here spoken of p. 69 That it is the will of God and Christ sinners should bee saved proved p. 70 Christs will manifested in two particulars ibid God the Fathers will shewed in several particulars p. 71 to 75 Reasons why it must needs bee that God the Father is willing p. 75. to 81 Reasons why it must needs bee that Jesus Christ is willing from p. 82 to 90 Object If it bee thus Then will it follow that all sinners must necessarily bee saved This answered p. 90 91 Object That God will have all men to bee saved answered p. 92 Object But what incouragement doth this afford to the faith of poor sinners to say God and Christ are willing c. Answered ibid. Object But if it bee not the will of God and Christ that all sinners should bee saved then I may presume in laying hold on the Premise because I may bee one of those whom it is the will of God not to save Answered ibid. Object But would it not bee better for the faith and comfort of poor souls to say that God would have or that God doth will it that all should bee saved Answered ibid. Use 1. Then let poor sinners hence be incouraged notwithstanding all the suggestions of Satan and cavils of their own hearts to come to Christ for salvation p. 94 95 Use 2. Comfort to the Saints your salvation is sure you have God and Christ the will of either ingaged for you p. 96 Use 3. Duty to the Saints Then bee you willing to doe or suffer any thing for God p. 97 3 No Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Proved in Seven Sermons on Rom. 8.1 Serm. I. The Text opened p. 98 Doct. Souls interessed in Jesus Christ are persons priviledged and exempted from Condemnation p. 99 What is meant by Condemnation opened p. 100 to 103 Why souls in Christ must needs bee freed from it p. 103 to 105 What that is which frees those which are in Christ from Condemnation p. 105 106 How great and glorious a Priviledge this is shewed p. 107 to 100 Objections answered p. 110 111 Use 1. See then what a vast difference there is betwixt the condition of one that hath interest
one with him When a King makes a League with another all his Subjects make League with him the VVill is King Lord chief Commander in the Soul when that closeth with God the whole man closeth when the VVill melts into Gods VVill and is swallowed up in it all the affections melt together and are swallowed up there-with 2 It conduceth greatly to a constant living in God and to him in improper phrase we use to say that a man is where his will is if our wills be in Gods our life is there Enoch is said to walk with God but how the Apostle tells us Heb. 11.5 He pleased God i. e. in effect to say he served not his owne will and desires but Gods 3 It is the nearest conformity that can be in us to the life of Angels Angels are perfect conformists to Gods VVill and therefore we are bid to pray that the VVill of God by us might be done on Earth as it is by Angels in Heaven 4 It is the most acceptable Sacrifice we can offer up to God Abels Sacrifice found acceptance because it was of the fat the will I may call the fat for it is the best part of man when this is offered up to God we offer up the fat Elies Sons made the Sacrifices of the People to be abhorred because they took the fat to themselves our services though never so many and great will be abhorred if this fat bee taken from them 5 It is abundance of Grace in one lump the exercise of much grace together or in one act as before I have noted 6 It is the most perfect imitation of Christ the highest act as I may so say of Christs obedience was his submission of his will to his Fathers therefore the Holy Ghost makes the whole of his obedience to lye chiefly in this Heb. 10.7 8 9. compared with Psalm 40.6 7 8. 7 It is better for us to submit to Gods VVill than to have our owne wills there is no grate acted in the one much in the other I am oft-times made worse by the one seldome or never better but alwaies bettered by the other Self-love is the root that the one growes upon but love to God the root of the other 8 It is the way to have our Mercies given to us again when we give them up to God in a way of submission to his will Abraham gives his Isaac to God and God gives him his Isaac again Job takes it well at Gods hands in taking his Estate from him God gives him his Estate double again V. The EVIL of not submitting to the VVill of God is very great for 1 IT is rebellion against the great God as he is absolute Lord and Soveraign of the Creature For a King to declare his VVill by a Law and the Subject to say I le not submit to it is among men rebellion in him as a Subject yet this case falls short of ours for no King is so absolute a Soveraign as that the bodies lives Souls of his Subjects are by right at his dispose yet such is God who therefore may command all and we are bound to submit 2 It is against Saints relation to God as a Father Christ as their Husband it is not fit for the Child to say when the Father saith do such a thing I will not doe it nor doth it become the relation of a Wife to say Husband I will love you only know this I will not submit to you when as it is the great duty of her relation 3 It thwarts our Christian Profession Christian Profession declares us to be the Servants of God it is meet the Servant should be ruled by the Masters will not his owne 4 It fights against the life of Faith what is the life of Faith but a constant reliance upon God this reliance being the act of the will ceaseth to be whensoever the will starts aside 5 It is to declare our selves wiser than God whilst we submit not our wills to his for this is certaine God bids us to vaile our wills to his in nothing but what he judgeth best for us for us therefore in this or that thing not to submit is in effect to say Lord in this or that thing I know what is good for my self better than thou dost 6 It makes our condition worse whatsoever it be A man in a Quick-sand the more he struggles the deeper he sinkes so it is with the Soul that struggles against the will of God his condition whatsoever it be is made worse by it 7 It makes our whole life uncomfortable and us weary of it Jonas his stout will made him at last even weary of his life Jonah 4.3.9 8 It renders us unthankful for mercy for note there is no dealing of God with his but hath mercy in it now when in this or that dealing I cannot submit to Gods will I do neither see my mercy nor am thankful for it VI. The RVLES IN THE GENERAL which may bring us to and further us in this submission are 1 SEt this alwaies before thine eyes and let it be thy Christian Motto GODS WILL IS BEST 2 Forbear making conclusions as touching Gods dealings with thee until such time as God hath given thee his light to judge of them or thou art come to the end of them Men ordinarily make conclusions by the light of their owne reason or whilst they are in the middle of a Dispensation This confounds them and makes them to quarrel with Gods dealings so as they can take nothing well 3 Keep thy heart and affections loose from the Creature if they are intangled and engaged that way they will draw in thy will with them then must it needs depart from the Will of God that motion that lies towards the Creature is from the Creator 4 Take not hold of Christs strength by fits only to serve thine owne turn when thou art at a dead lift but let him be thy daily strength thy strength to every action thy strength in every condition then shalt thou in all conforme to the Will of God 5 Apprehend thy will when it begins to start and give thy heart charge with it as with a run a-way The Cockatrice is best crushed when in the egge the Serpent in the will when he first begins to stir 6 Think not more hardly of God because of present dealings than thou findest thou hast cause to think of him for dealings past 7 Confirme thy self as much as may be in those thoughts that thou art a fool and dost not know in the least what is good for thy self the more thou hast drunk in this opinion of thy self the more willing thou wilt bee to bee at Gods dispose 8 Study the Covenant of Grace more the light of that in the Soul will expel the dark conclusions of carnal reason which doe ever oppose Gods Will. The knowledge of this Covenant is the only foundation of all good thoughts of God and his dealing
it is not two Laws but one So it is here And hence it follows that rightly understood they cannot bee contrary each to other but must of necessity agree because they are one for were they contrary they then should cease to bee one Yea they should not onely cease to bee one but cease to bee contraries destroy each other for authority to enact a Law to bee thus and thus and contradict the same in the publication thereof makes both a nullity So that our Conclusion is this viz. The Salvation and Sanctification of sinners is the will of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ This General I shall branch out into two particulars 1 That it is the will of God and Christ sinners should be saved It is the will of God and Christ sinners should be sanctified 1 Both God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are exceedingly willing and earnestly and truly desirous that poor sinners should be saved This is proved Joh. 6.37 38 39 40. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Where we have the will of God and Christ set forth in several particulars 1 Christs will manifested 1 By his resolvednesse to entertain all poor sinners coming to him vers 37. I will in no wise not not i. e. nothing in the world shall ever make mee cast out that soul 2 By his great and long journey undertaken for and about their salvation vers 38. I came down from Heaven as to say do poor sinners doubt of my will to save them I do faithfully ingage my self to do it yea let them but consider what a long journey I have made about this work 2 God the Fathers will is shewed 1 By his act of Donation or giving of poor sinners to Christ putting them over into his hands to save them vers 37. All that the Father giveth me 2 By his mission of Jesus Christ vers 38. But the will of him that sent me which is put rather upon God the Fathers will than Christs not as if Christ had been unwilling but onely to convince poor sinners how much and how exceedingly the will of God the Father is in the thing as well as Christs Christ having before expressed his own willingnesse now assures them that hee could not bee more willing than his Father was yea of the two if any hee would make them beleeve that his Fathers will was firstly and mostly in the business 3 By that double charge that the Father layes upon the Son at his sending of him away 1 That none of those be lost which hee had committed to him vers 39. This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing as to say My Son I put over sinners to you commit them to your care and keeping look you to it that none of those I commit to you bee lost but that they bee all forth-coming in the day when I shall require them for I give them to you and I shall expect tale of them all from you again 2 That to every one beleeving on him hee should give eternal life vers 40. This is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have eternal life As to say My Son I send you down on earth among a company of poor sinners and when you come there you shall finde many poor sinners will beleeve on you this therefore is that I would have you to minde when you are gone and think of it as my will whosoever hee is that shall beleeve on you give him eternal life I charge you reject none but whoever hee bee give him eternal life This will of God and Christ in the salvation of poor sinners wee have also Heb. 10.7 8 9. Lo I come here is the will of Christ to do thy will O God here is the will of the Father When God said Sacrifice and offering I wil have no longer these will never satisfie my justice nor throughly save sinners whom I will have to bee saved but I have prepared and fitted thee to bee a sacrifice then saith Christ Lo I come here am I Father if sacrifice and offering will not do it here am I Father take my blood if that will do it or punish mee as thou wilt so that sinner may bee saved To this agree those words of Christ to his Disciples Joh 4.34 My meat here is the will of Christ shewed in his delight is to do the will of him that sent me here is the will of the Father And upon what occasion were these words spoken why upon occasion of the converting of a poor woman To our purpose likewise are those words of Christ spoken Joh. 17. in his last prayer to his Father vers 24. Father I will here is the will of Christ that those whom thou hast given me here is the will of the Father And very observable it is that as God the Father gave the Son a charge and command when hee went down to the earth that of all those which hee had given him hee should lose none Now Jesus Christ having done his work on earth and throughly saved them hee comes as it were in a way of commanding to his Father as if hee should say O Righteous Father you gave me a charge when I left heaven that of all those you had given mee I should lose none this command O righteous Father I have obeyed and of those which thou hast given mee I have lost none And now O Father I come to thee and this is my will which I will have to bee done that those whom thou hast given mee may bee with mee where I am Thus God and Christ seem as it were to command each other as though there were some unwillingnesse in either which is not so there being nothing that the hearts of both breathe more earnestly after than the salvation of poor sinners but onely speaking by way of condescention to our capacities to make us poor creatures sensible how exceeding willing they are to have poor sinners saved they speak thus The Father to shew his willingnesse layes a command upon Jesus Christ and doth as it were hasten him out of heaven about the work though yet there was no need of this it being the joy of his soul and his very meat and drinke to save sinners The Son likewise to shew his willingnesse having done his
Sinners the objects thereof 2 Of his Truth for God having decreed to save Sinners entred into a Covenant with his Son passed his Oath and given his Seal for the confirmation of it what high derogation would it now be to the glory of his truth and faithfulness should he not bee willing to save sinners 3 Of his Wisdome God in his infinite VVisdome having contrived so glorious a way as is that new and living way by the Bloud of Jesus for poor Sinners to be saved in how would it derogate from his Wisdome if after the contrivance of such a way he should be unwilling to doe that for which he contrived it 4 Of his Patience and forbearance Where would the glory of this Attribute be if God should forbear and forbear and yet have no will all this time to the Salvation of Sinners yet doe I not say that God hath a will so save all those whom in his patience he forbears or that God can have no glory of this Attribute in any other way than this of the Salvation of Sinners for I think that God shall have glory of this Attribute in many whom yet he will never save as Rom. 2.4 5. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance but after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of Wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God but this is my meaning against part and indeed the greatest of the glory of this Attribute which ariseth from Gods shewing mercy to Sinners after his patience hath been long provoked would be lost should not God be willing that Sinners should be saved 5 Of his Justice one would think that if any Attribute of God should or could shine in the condemnation of the whole race of Mankind it should be Justice but yet Justice it self would bee so farre from gaining as that it would have its glory eclipsed should not God be willing that poor Sinners should be saved for it is every whit as much for the glory of Justice to give a discharge upon satisfaction received as to require paiment before satisfaction given and a failing in the one cannot be without a breach of Justice as well as in the other now Christ having given Justice satisfaction for a considerable number of the Race of Mankind should Justice now pass a Sentence upon all without exception it would be much to the dishonour thereof 4 Because God the Fathers exaltation of his Son Christ at his right hand engageth him to it which will appear if we consider two things 1 That God the Father hath called Christ to Heaven and set him down there at his right hand for this very end to be a Prince and a Saviour to poor Sinners Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins which cannot but have much influence upon the Fathers will in this thing for so long as he sees his Son Jesus Christ sitting at his right hand he is put in continual remembrance of the end of his calling him thither to wit the compleating of that most glorious work of the Salvation of poor sinners 2 That God the Father hath set him about a work there put the case God should forget it yet will continually remember him of it which is the work of Intercession whereby Christ spreads that bloud which once was shed here below on earth before the Throne of God in Heaven by which God the Father is put in continual remembrance of that Sacrifice that once here below was offered for sins and what engagements from thence lye upon him to bee willing that poore Sinners should bee saved 5 Because the delight of the Father in this work as it argues that he is willing to have poore Sinners saved so also that he must needs be so because otherwise a great part of his joy and delight which is in this work should be lost This we have Luke 15. where throughout the chapter by the joy of the Man for his Sheep the Woman for her peice of Silver and Father for his Son is set forth the great joy and delight that God takes in the conversion of Sinners that the joy here spoken of is the joy of the Father and not the joy of Angels is clear 1 Because it is no wherein the Chapter called the joy of Angels but joy in the presence of the Angels i.e. God rejoycing before the Angels v. 10. 2 Because the third Parable which is as it were a Comment on the other makes not so much mention of the joy of Servants as of the Father for his Sons return the greatnesse of which joy in this third Parable we have set forth in four or five particulars 1 The Father runs to meet the Son whilst yet the Son was a great way off v. 20. the Son it may be goes flowly but the Father runs to meet him 2 He falls on his neck and kisseth him Josephs salutation to his beloved Benjamin and the rest of his Brethren when he was so full of joy that he wept again for joy 3 He causeth the best robe to be brought forth for him with a ring on his hand when Pharaoh was exceedingly taken and delighted with Joseph he arraies him in rich attire and puts a ring on his hand 4 He makes a Feast and that of the best not only the Calf but fatted Calf vers 23. 5 He triumphs his joy was so great vers 24. all which serves to set forth the exceeding joy and delight of God in the conversion of poore Sinners to declare which upon occasion of Pharisees murmuring at Publicans and Sinners following of Christ is the main scope of this Chapter in all the three Parables 2 For Jesus Christ his will is and must needs be in it as well as the Fathers 1 Because it is the will and command of his Father that hee should save sinners This will of the Father Christ himself layes down as one great argument which moved him to take this work in hand grounding his own willingness upon Gods Joh. 6.37 38. All that the Father giveth mee shall come to mee and him that cometh to mee I will in no wise cast out For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent mee As if hee should say I will not cast out any poor sinners coming to mee because the Father hath willed mee I should not Yea God the Father hath not onely willed the thing but given Christ an express command to go about the business which is somewhat more than bare willing I may will a thing to bee done and that such a one should do it and yet not presently give an express command for the doing of it This command wee have Joh. 10.18 where Christ speaking
Sentence of Condemnation upon him notwithstanding this because though in Christ he be justified yet he is not absolved until such time as he hath his particular Pardon as for example A company of Persons for Rebellion against their Soveraigne are actually proclaimed Traytors and if taken are by the Law adjudged to dye the young Prince desirous to save the lives of some of these gives his Father a Ransome for them the persons ransomed known only to the Prince and his Father are now pardoned and so esteemed in sight of the Prince and his Father yet because the names of these Persons are concealed and it is a secret to whom this belongs the Law therefore which proceeds not upon secret but knowne grounds takes no cognizance thereof but though many of them be justified and the Princes Son hath a general Pardon in his hand for them yet in regard the particular Pardons are not given forth the Law not acknowledging them pardoned because in a Legal way they are not followes the general Sentence upon all without exception until such time as the particular Pardon is produced and then as each hath his particular Pardon produced so the Law actually acquits him and not before This is the Comparison the Application is In Adam's Fall we all were proclaimed Traytors and adjudged to dye Christ willing to save a certaine number of these condemned persons gives his life a ransome for them which God accepts and hereupon Christ hath a general Pardon given to him by vertue of which all these persons considered in the Lump as in him their common Person are pardoned yet because it is a secret known to God and Christ alone who they are which are pardoned the Law of God therefore which proceeds not upon secret but manifest things takes no notice of this but followes the general Sentence of Condemnation upon all until such time as each one hath a particular Pardon drawne out of the general given an applied to him so that a man may vertually be justified in Christ as his common Person and yet justly under an actual sentence of Condemnation from the Law 2 From the effects of that Sentence viz. Punishments here on Soul and Body as they flow from Divine Wrath and are for the satisfaction of Justice not that Souls in Christ are freed from all sufferings in Soul and Body for they suffer through Adams Fall in both as well as others but these their sufferings are Fatherly Chastisements not legal Punishments inflicted out of wrath to satisfie Justice which for them is already by Christ satisfied yea Death it self which they with others suffer is not a Legal punishment but a translation to a better life Now punishments are the effects of this Sentence only as they are Legal punishments all which they are freed from and so from all the effects of this Sentence 3 From the Final execution thereof viz. the Condemnation of Hell this such as are in Christ are freed from also 1 Thess 1. last 2 But why must this be so Ans 1. Because a soul in Christ is one actually united to him and one with him and being so no Sentence of Condemnation can fall upon him but the same must light upon Christ himself who is one with him As a Woman after Marriage though shee owe ever so many Debts yet the Arrest doth not light upon her but upon her Husband 2 Because the Law which should condemn him hath satisfaction given now to condemn after satisfaction received were unjust and illegal 3 Because such a one hath a pardon given him Now after pardon there is no sentence of Condemnation though before there might now they have a Pardon and such a one as is 1 With satisfaction to the Law therefore not a forced or constrained Pardon but a most just one 2 Purchased and therefore due by debt though not to us God owes us nothing yet to Christ he is in debt As the Pardon respects us it is all Free Grace free grace in God to accept of Christs payment for us he might have made us paid the Debt our selves As it is the courtesie of the Creditor to accept a Surety hee might make the Debtor pay himself Free Grace when he hath accepted of it to give forth the Pardon to this or that Soul rather than another another might have had it and thou and I have wanted it yet as the Pardon respects Christ its Debt he paid dear for it 3 Sealed with Bloud the New Testament which brings this pardon is sealed with the bloud of the Testator now after such a pardon there can be no condemnation 4 Because he is by a publick act of God acknowledged a just and righteous Person I doe not say he is accounted an innocent person because once he was guilty but a just and righteous person because though once guilty yet not now Now this publick justification of him hath more in it than a bare pardon for that only remits Sin and takes away unrighteousness this conferres grace and gives righteousness so as that such a person is now no longer looked upon not only as no sinners but as a righteous person that hath obeyed all the commands of God And this Justification is such that as none can bee more legal so none is of more force to keep off Condemnation he being justified both by the party offended and the Judge himself for God is both these and it is God that justifieth Row 8.33 and what can bee more for any mans justification 5 He is in the hands of two omnipotent Keepers who as they have power sufficient to defend him so are resolved never to deliver him up to Justice Joh. 10.28 29. God and Christ But what if the Keepers differ within themselves then hee may bee delivered up No saith Christ no fear of that for I and my Father are one vers 30. 3 But what is that which frees those which are in Christ from Condemnation Ans 1. NEGATIVELY Not the righteousnesse of old Adam although the unrighteousnesse of old Adam brought Condemnation upon us yet the righteousnesse of old Adam cannot free us from it the best of old Adams righteousnesse since the Fall is marred by his unrighteousnesse so that although once it were sufficient to bring us to glory yet now it is lame yea through the Fall sinful and altogether imperfect that which will help forward our Condemnation instead of freeing us from it so as that though a man should never in all his Life-time commit any part of the unrighteousnesse of old Adam yet such now is his righteousnesse that in following of that hee might hasten his condemnation But secondly and POSITIVELY Our freedome is through the righteousness of Christ the new Adam Rom. 3.20 21 22. chap. 5.18 19. which righteousness is two-fold Active Passive the Active gives us Title to glory the Passive frees us from condemnation as our Justification to life eternal hath respect to Christs active obedience so our
prosecution of this point I shall shew 1 That the Saints have in-being in Jesus Christ 2 What in-being in Christ Saints have 3 That in-being in Christ frees Saints from Condemnation Of the first Saints have in-being in Christ 1 If Saints have in-being in the Covenant of Grace then also in Christ with whom this Covenant is made but Saints have in-being in the Covenant of Grace Heb. 8.8 for finding fault with them he saith Behold the dayes come saith the Lord when I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah The Parties to whom this Covenant of Grace belongs are the house of Israel and the house of Iudah i.e. all the Saints The Covenant is made with Christ as Psal 89.3 I have made a Covenant with my chosen but for them that is they are the persons to whom all the priviledges and benefits of this New Covenant doe belong if therefore all the priviledges of the Covenant of Grace belong to Saints then have they in-being in the Covenant of Grace and so in Christ with whom the Covenant is made 2 If Saints are renewed after the Image of Christ then have they in-being in Christ no renewing by Christ but from in-being in Christ no depravation but from our union with the old Adam no renovation but through our union with the new Adam But Saints are renewed after the Image of Christ Col. 3.10 Beleevers are said to be renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him i.e. after the Image of Christ There is a knowledge that men have from their union with the old Adam i. e. natural light and natural understanding this knowledge though it were in mans first Creation very perfect yet now it is very imperfect and in a great measure lost Natural light and the Copy of Natural knowledge being much blotted by the Fall of man now Saints they are by Christ renewed in knowledge How not so much in a Natural way not in that knowledge which was a part of the Image of the first Adam but they are renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him i. e. the knowledge that Saints have by Christ it is Spiritual knowledge such knowledge as is a part of the Image of the new Adam so that Saints in their knowledge are renewed after the Image of Christ they have a knowledge for kind though not for degree the same with that Christ hath and as in their knowledge they are renewed after the Image of Christ so likewise in their righteousness and holiness which are the other parts of the Image of the new Adam they have such a righteousness as Christ hath and such a sanctification or holiness as Christ hath now this being so that Saints are renewed after the Image of Christ it must follow that they have in-being in Christ for renovation comes from union and in-being 3 If Saints may lay claime to Christ and what is Christs as their owne and proper right then have they in-being in Christ for in things of this nature propriety whereby I may challenge a thing for my owne comes from possession no possession no laying claime to a propriety But Saints may lay claime to Christ and what is in Christ as their owne they may lay claime to Christs Wisdome Riches Righteousness Strength Grace Glory and all as theirs and therefore they have in-being in Christ 4 If Saints are crucified with Christ quickned raised up and made to sit together in heavenly places with Christ then are they in Christ for it is by vertue of in-being that they are quickned together with him raised up and made to sit together in heavenly places Ephes 2.5 6. Even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus 5 If Saints partake of daily supplies of life grace and strength from Christ then are they in Christ for there is no participation but from union the branches partake of the juyce of the root from union with the root members partake of the life of the head from union with the head but Saints partake of daily supplies of grace life and strength from Christ without which constant supplies they grow dry and wither yea can doe nothing as Christ saith Joh. 15.5 I am the Vine yee are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me yee can doe nothing therefore have in-being in Christ 6 And lastly If Saints can never fall finally or perish everlastingly then have in-being in Christ for it is not hanging on the our-side of the Ark but being within which keeps from drowning it is not the branches lying by the Vine but being in it that preserves it from withering But Saints can never fall finally Joh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemration but is passed from death to life Ch. 10 28 29. And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand my Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand therefore they have in-being in Christ 2 But what in-being in Christ have the Saints Ans There is a Three-fold in-being in Christ that Saints have 1 A Vertual in-being in Christ as Christ is the common Person or representative of all Gods Elect and this comes meerly from Gods Election there being no other reason of it God hath elected them to Salvation and therefore hath given them to Christ who is become their common person 2 A mystical in-being in Christ as Saints are members of that true Spiritual invisible Body whereof Christ is head this comes chiefly from regeneration 3 An actual in-being in Christ not but that the former which I terme mystical is actuall too but I distinguish it from that because that is such an in-being as chiefly tends to make the Body of Christ perfect this is such an in-being as doth chiefly tend to the making of their particular persons perfect in him whereby every Saint in particular hath actual union with Christ and is actually in this blessed Person of the Lord Jesus and by being in him made perfect and actually justified from all sin now this is through faith and regeneration Obj. But have not Saints actual union before Faith is Union the fruite of faith or faith of union Ans Actual union is Two fold either Christs actual uniting himself to us or out being actually united to Christ You in me I in you there is an actual union on Christs part and on our part Actual union on Christs part that is before beleeving and is then effected when Christ first comes into us by his Spirit to draw us to his
which thou mayest know it 1 By the present light and life it brings with it First if it be in matter of teaching that it goes before thee it brings light which is an inward discovery in a way of Spiritual reasons and demonstration of the thing it teacheth to the Soul carrying with it a strong and powerful conviction of the truth and certainty of the thing it teacheth unto the Soul that is taught so as that that very thing which the Soul formerly sought oftentimes after by Natural light and reason and yet remained in the dark and could come to no certaine conclusion about it is now in an inward and secret and spiritually rational way made clear to it so as that the Soul can say I now see and know and beleeve that such a thing is and how it is truth this inward light is much better seen and discerned in that Soul where it is when it is then either then or at another time can be expressed by that Soul This light in Scripture is called Revelation Matth. 11.27 No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him 1 Corinth 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit Ephes 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of Wisdome and Revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightned that yee may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints And the inspiration of the Almighty Job 32.8 But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding To difference the same from that light which is from Natural reason or relation of others Christs Love to his owne One SERMON on Joh. 13.1 Having loved his owne which were in the World hee loved them unto the end THese words are brought in by the Evangelist as the result or issue of Christs actual thoughts of leaving this World and going to his Father Jesus knew that his hour was come Christ was now pondering in his minde that the time grew near the hour was come that he must now depart out of this World to the Father and leave his poor Children behind him in the World his heart now seems to be wholly possest and taken up with such thoughts my time is come I must depart out of this World I must goe to the Father I must leave my poor Disciples behind me in it and what doth such cogitations revolved to and fro in his minde produce why new actings of love fresh yernings of bowels towards his that he was now to leave having loved his owne which were now in the World hee loved them unto the end he had love before to his owne but now these cogitations raise his love sets all his love on work that as his heart thought of nothing so much as this I must now leave the world so it vents forth it self in nothing so much as in this love to his poor Children that hee was to leave behind him and therefore if from hence to the hour of his death yee trace Christ yee shall see nothing but the actings of love the greatest love that can be 1 He doth them a service of love in washing their feet 2 He institutes and administers an Ordinance of Love the Supper of the Lord. 3 He preacheth a long Sermon of love and 4 He makes a prayer of love chap. 17. Nothing but love now appears in Christ to his he forgets all their faults their doubtings c. and he can think and speak of nothing but love And let me but a little reminde you of the time when this love did work so strongly it was just then when Christ was going to dye one would have thought now Christ should have been taken up about himself pondering upon what hee was to suffer no hee forgets himself in a manner and can think of nothing but his Children and therefore all his care is not how he might get through his Sufferings but how they might live comfortably when he should be gone Having loved his owne hee loved them to the end What blessed dying thoughts were here in Christ not malicious thoughts not revengeful not murmuring nor repining because he was to dye not roaring and blaspheming but thoughts of love to his Doct. Christs love to his owne is a choyce and an everlasting love In the handling of this point I shall shew 1 Who are meant by Christ's owne 2 In what respects they are called Christs owne 3 That Christ hath a love to his owne 4 That this love it is a choyse and an everlasting love 1 Who are meant by Christs owne Ans 1. Not all men it is clear from the Text for 1 It is said he loved his owne in the World not all the World his owne Christs owne that his love runs out unto are clearly distinguished from the world being not called the world but a people in the world 2 His owne here are such and such only as are loved with an everlasting love for having loved his owne he loved them unto the end but so Christ hath not loved all the World for then none should ever perish but so he hath loved all that are his owne 2 By owne here we are to understand Beleevers receivers of him such as for the present did or for future should beleeve on him as Joh. 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their words But in what respects are Beleevers called Christs owne Ans 1. They are his owne by Donation or gift of his Father what a man hath by gist is his owne Christ hath Beleevers by gift of his Father Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth mee shall come to me therefore commers or beleevers are the Fathers gift John 10. 27 28 29. My sheep hear my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all John 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me c. And who are they Ans Beleevers as vers 20. which shall beleeve on me through their word 2 They are Christs owne by purchase Purchase gives a right Christ hath a right in his by purchase Acts 20.28 Take heed to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne blood 3 They are Christs owne by powerful conquest Christ hath not only purchased them of his Father but hee hath fought for them and won them by conquest There are five or six potent enemies that Christ pitched field with for the gaining of his owne and hath won them by conquest out of the
hands of them all 1 Divine JVSTICE and displeasure Man was no sooner faln from God but he fell into the hands of Justice Justice having the Creature in bonds will not release him without satisfaction made Christs owne who were in the bulk of fallen Mankind being now with the rest in the hands of Justice Christ goes and surrenders up his own life in the stead of theirs and by dying conquers Iustice and so wins those which were his owne for whom lie dyed out of Justices hands 2 SIN As man by the fall was a prisoner to Justice so a subject to Sin Christs own being in this vassalage with the rest under the guilt of sin and power of it Christ that hee might ransome and redeem his own incounters this enemy likewise giving a deadly blow to it as Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might bee destroyed that henceforth wee should not serve sin and by this his ingagement hee gains his own out the hands of sin from under the guilt of it and the dominion likewise This remarkable conquest of Christ over sin in the behalf of his own we have recorded 1 Cor. 5.55 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks bee to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Where wee have a list of those potent enemies that Christ by conquest hath rescued his own out of the hands of three of them being brought in together the first is Death which through Christs Conquest is swallowed up into victory vers 54. The second is Sin The third is the Law over all which Christians through Christ have the victory vers 57. and may boldly triumph O death where is thy sting 3 Which is one in die former List and none of the least or weakest is the LAW Man fallen from God falls under the curse and condemnation of the Law the Law curses him and condemns him darts down all its thunderbolts upon the head of the sinner Christ now seeing his own among the rest lying under a curse a sentence of condemnation that hee might regain his own hee puts himself under the Curse and saith Curse mee O Law but deliver and let go my own the Law streightway bends all its power against Christ and turnes the edge of its curses upon him but falling upon a mighty one the Law is vanquished and overcome and all its Curses being plucked out of its hands Christ taketh up his own and in a triumphant manner carries them away from under the curse of the Law This is lively set forth Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree 4 The WORLD Christs own in the Text are said to bee in the world how in the world in the world as a friend No but in the world as a mortal enemy that hates malignes them would if it could eat them up Joh. 15.19 If yee were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Christ seeing his own in the hands of such an Enemy ingageth this Enemy likewise and will not quit the field till hee hath got the Conquest and broken the power of this Enemy and so redeemed his own as Joh. 16. last These things I have spoken unto you that in mee yee might have peace in the world yee shall have tribulation but bee of good cheer I have overcome the world 5 The DEVIL The Devil is the Laws and Justices Jaylor Man by his falling from God coming under the power of the Law and Justice falleth into the hands of this Jaylor Christ seeing his own in the croud among the rest now in the hands of this powerful and cruel Jaylor that hee might ransome his own hee falls upon this Jaylor pitcheth a field with this potent Prince of darkness and having given him a total foile hee carries his own away as the glorious and triumphant spoyles and trophies of his victory This Conquest is set forth Col. 2.15 And having spoyled principalities and powers hee made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it 6 And lastly HELL Hell is the Devils prison Christs own among the rest through mans fall and the enmity of Satan the Jaylor were in danger to bee cast into this prison Christ seeing this assaults the Jaylor breaks open the prison doors and in token of victory hath the Keyes of the prison delivered into his hands As when a General conquers a City or Castle the Keyes in token of victory are delivered into his hands So Christ having conquered the Jaylor and broken open the prison hath the Keyes delivered to him And hereby Christ frees his own from all fears of being cast into this prison for the Keyes are not now in the hands of Satan the Jaylor who is their enemy but in the hands of Christ who is their loving friend and hath therefore gotten the Keyes into his hand that they might not bee cast in Rev. 1.18 I am hee that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the Keyes of Hell and of Death Lay all together and it will evidently appear that Christ hath a right a glorious right unto his own by Conquest for hee hath fought for them with many potent enemies and by the strength of his Almighty Arm wrested them out of the hands of them all who therefore now himself alone and no other hath the right the onely right to challenge them as his own 4 They are Christs own by Compact or Covenant The Father having by Covenant put them into Christs hands They are not onely given as before but given by Covenant for when Christ stood a common person a Covenant was drawn up betwixt the Father and him in which Christ Covenanted on his part to satisfie the Fathers Justice the Father again Covenanted to give to Christ a seed this is expressed Isa 53.10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin hee shall see his seed hee shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand This Covenant as saith a godly man of our times is Dialogue-wise expressed Isa 49. where Christ at the first and second verses begins shewing his Commission and Qualification and asking what hee should have for so great a work God answers vers 3. and offers low onely the Elect of Israel Christ who was now making his bargain thought these too few and therefore saith If that were all hee should labour in vain vers 4. yet tells God hee would do his work though it were but for these
Then 1 Christ will not see his own want Will a Father see his childe want when it lyes in his power to help him Will a loving husband see his wife want when it lyes in his power to supply her Hee will not shee is his own the childe is the fathers own the wife is the husbands own And think you will Christ see his own want Is his care less than a fathers love less than a husbands Doest thou want inward outward wants go to Christ and say Lord I am thy own and wilt thou not provide this and that for mee 2 Let wicked men take heed how they wrong beleevers Though a father can bear to see another childe wronged yet not his own a husband another woman abused yet not his own wife this provokes him hee cannot bear it but cries out Why do you wrong my childe Why doe you abuse my wife Christ will not bear it to see his own wronged but those that wrong them shall pay dearly for it When God brought Israel out of Egypt Israel was Gods Son Hos 11.1 When Israel was a childe then I loved him and called my Son out of Egypt Amaleck as Israel was in the way falls upon him God gives Amaleck a crushing blow at present and observe it four hundred years after God thinks of this and destroyes Amaleck for it 1 Sam. 15.2 3. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts I remember that which Amaleck did to Israel how hee laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt Now go and smite Amalecke and utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not but slay both man and woman infant and suckling oxe and sheep Camel and Asse Yea observe Mat. 25. Christ at the last day will passe sentence for or against men as they have behaved themselves to his 3 Let not Saints injure one another If a Father have many children and the one wrongs the other hee takes it ill Why because all are his own and hee will not see his own wronged by his own so Christ will not take it kindely at the hands of those Saints who wrong and injure their brethren because they are all his own and hee will not see any of his own wronged by any whomsoever David was a man after Gods owne heart yet an injury done to Uriah a godly man cost him dear Aaron and Miriam were both Saints yet but for speaking against Moses in an unbeseeming manner the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and Miriam is smitten with the Leprosie Numb 12. For the second Is the love of Christ to his owne a choyse and an everlasting love then 1 A Saint can never fall from the love of Christ though he may fall so as to loose the manifestation of it yet never the love it self which is everlasting If a Soul once in Christs love might fall from it how should his love be everlasting 2 How blessed is the condition of the poorest beleever he is a man beloved of Christ every beleever may be called Jedidiah the beloved of the Lord one loved with an everlasting love Is in accounted a priviledge among men to have the love of a great man whose love is like himself fading and changeable O what is it to have the love of Christ King of Kings whose love also is as himself immutable everlasting Christs Favourites are never cast out of favour 3 How then doe Saints injure Iesus Christ 1 By calling his love upon every turne into question I fear Christ doth not love me such a time such a day in such a duty I had his love but now I fear I have lost it What injury is this to the love of Christ He saith my love it everlasting Soul I will love thee freely and I will love thee for ever for ever thou sayest once I had his love but now I have lost it 2 By measuring his love by theirs When I make my love to Christ a measure to measure Christs love to me by If I love Christ much then I think Christ loves mee much if I love Christ a little then I think he loves me but a little and if I love Christ not at all then I think he loves me not at all What a dishonour is this to the love of Christ to hang it upon my love as it the same were greatned or lessened by my love were much little or not at all as mine is I confess in respect of the manifestation of love it is so oftentimes but for the love it self that is not so changeable for it is immutable and everlasting 4 Take heed of sinning against this love If Christs love be everlasting sin not against everlasting love grieve not everlasting love by sinning You think perhaps the thing you commit is but little O know this the lesse the thing is for which you grieve everlasting love the greater is your sin that for so little a thing you will grieve everlasting love Consider Saints Christ saith as it were to you Souls if you will sin you shall sin against everlasting love you shall trample my love 5 Serve God freely and without fear out of pure love if Gods love did depend upon our walking then we might fear but when it doth not so but is everlasting what hinders but that we should serve cheerfully without fear 6 Labour to get a portion of this love Sinners Sinners would you have portions seek a portion of this love Dost want a portion for thy self art poor c. begge a portion of this love say Lord though I have nothing else I shall have enough if thou wilt give me a portion of this love Fathers Mothers doe you want portions for your Children and it may be damn your Souls to get them O seek a portion of this love for them a Childe which is left here with such a portion though hee have nothing else is better than that Childe which is heir to ten thousand pounds a year Mothers goe home now and tell your Children Children I have heard of the love of Christ O that thou wouldest seek this portion Childe And poor Servants and people that work all the week long goe now together and say we have heard of the love of Christ where is everlasting rest O that we had that for our portion good Lord give us our portion there Quest But is there any hope of attaining this love Answ Yes this love is a free love Hosen 14.4 I will heal their back-sliding I will love them freely c. say why not I have it Q. But is this free to Sinners A. Yes Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us would Christ give his life for Sinners and will he not give his love to Sinners Nay it was his love made him give his life Q. But how shall I come by this love A. I say no more but this Goe to Christ for it goe
Fiddle my Pot and Tobacco-pipe singing and making merry and jovial and behold that very sin then committed it thrust a spear into the side of Christ O vile creature therefore that I was that ever I did thus the other day I sat dressing and trimming and pricking up my selfe curling and laying out my haire by handfulls three houres together and altogether neglected prayer c. and now I see that sin wounding Jesus Christ The other day I was with my Queans in such a corner c. railing at these Round-heads Independents Sectaries c. and now I see this also wounding Jesus Christ The other day I was speaking evill of my brother grudging against him proud arrogant c. and now I see this piercing the side of Jesus Christ 2 By bringing a pardon in hand to the soul looking upon Jesus Christ brings a pardon in hand to the soule Now a man being convinced of sin and then his sin aggravated to the highest and then a pardon brought this will breake his very bea rt for his sinne to thinke that eyer hee should do thus When a man comes to thinke thus I am the vilest sinner that hath been in all the Country O but yonder Christ hee hath been pierced for my sins and behold I see him And to assure mee that hee is pierced for my sinnes behold God the Father through the wound that was made in his side hath given mee an Acquittance and here I have my pardon in hand which though it hath cost mee nothing yet Christ hath paid dear for it and thinking and beleeving thus hee reflects upon himselfe and his sinnes and his heart melts all into tears and O saith the soule that ever I should do thus that ever I should do thus and now it calls it selfe Wretch and Foole and Devil it hath walked so towards God and it is so incensed against his sinnes that were they flesh and blood to bee fought with as wee fight with men it would presently try its life with them 4 By assuring him of a Crown and Inheritance that God hath laid up for him The Soule lookes upon Christ as pierced and as it is convinced of sinne hath sinne aggravated and a pardon brought So also by looking upon Christ it hath assurance given it of a Crowne it shall one day enjoy O saith the soule now I behold that very thing viz. my sinne which kept mee from enjoying of a Crowne and Kingdome Christ hath taken it away A Crowne from all Eternity was prepared for mee and nothing is in the way to keepe mee from possessing of it but this I have been a filthy sinfull and a foolish creature and have both forfeited my Crowne to Gods Justice and given the same to the Devil But behold yonder Jesus Christ hath bought this Crowne againe for mee satisfying Gods Justice and by force hath taken the same from the Devil and hee gives it mee freely though hee hath paid his dearest blood for it When the soule looks upon this and considers the infinite love of Christ in it and its wretchedness that it should cause Christ to suffer thus much it is even melted and broken to peeces The most effectual means to kill and subdue Sin One SERMON on 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous IN the former Chapter the Apotle laies before Beleevers that plenteous Redemption that is in Jesus Christ and the precious vertue and merit of his Bloud to cleanse poor Sinners from their sins vers 7. But if wee walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin and also what riches of pardoning grace and mercy are in God to poor sinners In the first verse of this Chapter hee makes use of these things to stirre up to holinesse of life and modification of sin in all Beleevers These things write I unto you that you sin not as if he should say I doe not write these things that now you might live as you lift and sin boldly because Christs Bloud is so efficacious and Gods Grace so free no nothing lesse but I write these things that from such considerations you might be more provoked to holinesse of life and the mortification of sin in you the end of these discoveries and the use you should make of them is purity not prophaneness holinesse not licentiousnesse These things write I that you sin not By the way observe two things Obser 1. That the end of Gospel Revelation is to keep men from sin 1 John 3.8 He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Acts 26. â—â— To open tâ—eir eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me Rom. 8.3 4. For what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit And this must needs be the end of Gospel-Revelation because 1 God sent Christ to this end Tit us 2.13 14. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that hee might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 2 The Gospel is preached to this end Acts 14.15 We also are men of like passions with you and preach unto you that yee should turne from these vanities unto the living God c. 3 The Spirit is given to this end to make us holy 4 It was the end of all Gods administrations it was the end of the Legal administration Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made c. which administration being weak and not able to doe it as Rom. 7.9 10 11. For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to be unto death for sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Chap. 8.3 4. For what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spiit Heb. 7.19 For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing of a
of Notions when I am curious of this ever to deliver some fine new Notions Secondly of Method when I tye my self so to the rules of Method that I will not digress a hair whatsoever good may come of it Thirdly of Expressions when I strive to cloath what I deliver in brave curious taking Language neither of these wore in Paul and in whomsoever they are hee shall not for his heart be spiritual 3 Vnnecessary Disputes Luther saith by Disputing he had lost many a spiritual frame of heart Though we come off Conquerours yet yet seldome do wee come off better but many times worse from a Dispute than when wee went to the same Paul bids Timothy and Titus for this reason avoid these 1 Tim. 6.4 5. Hee is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strife railings evill surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gaine is godlinesse from such withdraw thy self And vers 20. O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust avoiding prophane and vain bablings and oppositions of Science falsly so called And Chap. 1.4 Neither give heed to Fables and endlesse Genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith 2 Tim. 2.23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender strifes The Preface to the ensuing Discourse concerning the Old Covenant by a Friend to the Author thereof IT is recorded of Moses that hee dyed that the Lord buried him and no man knoweth of his Sepulchre unto this day Deut. 34.6 Whereby as the Lord did honour him so hee did provide against that undue honour which Israel might superstitiously give unto him But the Devil who wished Moses dead when alive Exod. 17.4 would have him live when dead Jude 9. Hereby in a figure another thing is transferred unto us viz. That the Law being dead and the Seed being come the Law is dead it should bee sought after no more bee mentioned or magnified no more that Jesus who is the true Joshua may live alone and reign alone But the Adversary who opposeth the Law in the Lawlesse for whom it was made exalteth the Law in the righteous who are delivered from it perswading those that a little service a little obedience is enough and these that all is too little that loosnesse may destroy those and that these if possible might perish through bondage Whose heart doth not ake to consider the diversity of Opinions found amongst the professing Disciples of the Lord Jesus Yea whose heart would not bleed seriously considering the diversity of Religion also whilst men remove from him that calleth into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel Gal. 1.6 1 Who seek righteousness unto faith a present to appease an angry God that afterwards they may see his face who send their duties before them as Jacob sent his Droves when hee went to meet Esau his brother saying These are to finde grace in the eyes of my Lord. But do not seek faith unto righteousnesse that they might say If now I have found grace in thy sight accept my present at my hand 2 Who seek righteousness for a foundation saying Lord Lord open unto us Why because wee have prophesied in thy name c. Matth. 7.22 But have no foundation for their righteousnesse being as the house built upon the sands Matth. 7.26 3 Who blesse themselves in themselves that they are not as other men but never blesse themselves in the Lord that hee is not as other Lords It is one thing to bee a Protestant another to bee a Christian one thing to bee reformed upon the same root another thing to bee made altogether new Papists may become Protestants and Popish Churches obtain another name but what is Antichristian in Constitution cannot bee Christian in Reformation reform a Beast yet though tame gentle better ordered every way it is a Beast still It is therefore the greatest concernment upon earth for a Christian to prove himselfe legitimate by the Fathers and also by the mothers side The Jews were blinde who said they were Abrahams seed and never in bondage to any man Joh. 8.33 yet in bondage to the Romans at that time and though naturally they were from Sarah yet mystically from Hagar a seed to bee cast out Hast inquired Reader who is thy Mother upon the account of the new birth thou sayest God is thy Father but by whom by the bond-woman or by the free by the old Covenant or by the New The following discourse may help thee in thy discoveries thereabout The Author was in the eyes of many as an Angel flying through the midst of heaven in a great measure mighty in word and deed who having the minde of Christ had also his worke of witnesse-bearing to his Kingdome Joh. 18.37 yet did hee not so converse in the outward as to bee a stranger to that within nor as Balaam who did advertise Balack what Israel should do unto his people himself yet abiding in the tents of Moab Hee was a witnesse of truth in truth living the use and application of what bee taught whose gifts made him desirable grace more humility most of all when his face did shine hee knew it not when hee had most of works in his building for hee used them much hee could indure none in his foundation who would say Old Covenant ground is rotten what is builded thereupon will fall Let his resolves concerning the Old Covenant bee improved unto Conclusions touching the New and thou wilt say looking from Hagar unto Sarah as sometimes Abraham when hee saw Egyptian faces Now I perceive thou art fair and surely thou hadst seen her much more fair had shee been presented in that light which the worthy Author was furnished with but that is translated to shine in this world no more Accept therefore of a few words from a stammering lip supplementi gratia and know The New Covenant was not in its constitution after the Old but before it Adam in the day of his creation was under it and although it was Adams duty from the will of God imposing a Law thereunto to expect his standing in favour from his standing in obedience yet it was also Adams unseen priviledge from the will of God disposing of events to bee accepted from everlasting to everlasting in Christ Jesus It is called therefore New respecting the Old not in the Constitution but Revelation thereof 2 Consent and acceptation is not necessary to the constitution of the Covenant as Gods Covenant with every living creature that hee would drown the world no more Gen. 9.10 was not founded in the consent of the creature but in the will and purpose of God So also Gods Covenant for calling justifying and glorifying the Elect. There is a Covenant-rule Israel Ro. 11.27 a Covenant with Israel Israel ignorant thereof and a stranger thereto as Eph. 2.12 for Israel is no Covenanter untill faith nor
threat of death in case of disobedience and the promise of life upon condition of obedience by assuring her seed in giving forth this rule unto them that they are already most certainly freed from death and possessed of life and that therefore shee gives not forth this rule unto them to bee as a way or meanes through the observance of which they may escape the one or obtaine the other but only as a declaration of their Fathers will and their duty that by it they may bee instructed how they ought to walk and to please God Hence the obedience of Sarahs Children so farre as they are subject to their Mother Sarah only receiving their Law out of her hand is pure Gospel obedience i. e. obedience springing from the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them as the principal efficient cause from love and thankfulness to-their Father as the moving cause from an earnest desire that their Father might have some service from them and glory by them as the final cause and this is pure Gospel obedience when God is Agent Motive and End in all we doe 4 Hence wee may learn That a true Beleever as he doth not expect life and salvation from his obedience to the Law so should hee not fear death and condemnation either by his falling short in obedience or by his disobedience This Position will sound harsh in some cares and be accounted a leavened Principle but doe but observe how naturally it flowes from what hath been laid downe and proved for if the promise of life and salvation upon condition of obedience and the threat of Death and Condemnation to the disobedient bee proper to the Law as Hagars Law and if the Law as Hagars Law be now cast out then hath a Beleever nothing to doe with the Law as it is a law promising life to the obedient or threatning death to the disobedient and if so then cannot he expect life and salvation from it though hee should obey it nor need hee fear death though hee disobey it This necessarily follows that which hee hath nothing to doe with is dead to delivered from c. hee can neither expect good no nor fear evil from But the Law as Hagars Law hee hath nothing to doe with is dead to it delivered from it therefore he can neither expect good nor need he fear evil from it Obj. But it will be said Such a principle as this dâ—th open a wide gap to all manner of licention nesse Ans Not so but contrariwise it is co a gracious heart the most powerful motive and the greatest help that can bee to holinesse for as there is nothing moves such a one so strongly as doth this perswasion upon the heart that whatsoever it hath is of the free love of God only and that this love is such as that nothing can separate from it so nothing affords the Soule more firme help and reliefe against sin and temptations to sin than doth the knowledge and assurance of this that sin and temptation though it should conquer cannot condemn for so long as the Soul looks upon a possibility of being condemned by sin if vanquished by it he is in continual fear and therefore whensoever hee findes the motions of sin or temptations to sin stirring in himself hee presently grows weak and faint through this fear I shall bee vanquished and so condemned and as a fainting man is not in a capability to stand up against an enemy assaulting him with full strength so this fainting Soul whose strength through fear is gone before it is assaulted sinkes downe presently under the assault and is without any great resistance made a captive to that thing it hates which thing the Apostle Paul had large experience of in himself when hee said Sinne taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in mee all manner of concupiscence for without the law sin was dead for I was alive without the law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to bee unto death for sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. But now when a Soul apprehends this that Hagars condemning Law hath nothing to doe with him and can from the clear knowledge of this say beleevingly to sin and temptation when hee feeles it beginning to stirre O sin O temptation though I should now yeeld to thee which is the thing thou wouldest have yet know this that thou shalt never condemn me which is the thing thou seekest hereby he doth as I may say disanimate the strength of sin and temptation and mightily encourageth himself and so adds to his owne strength that whereas be ever before encountred sin with disadvantage hee doth now encounter it with advantage and fights with the greatest resolution that can bee and without faint-heartednesse which faint-heartednesse comes in by the doore of this fear if I am conquered I am undone but if this fear be removed from the heart and the Soul once throughly perswaded of this my condition doth not depend at all upon the event of this Combate but whether I conquer or am conquered that is the same then shall it finde its hands made strong to fight and its heart also mightily resolved Such a state or condition as this I am speaking of there is but it is knowne only of those whom God hath brought out of Hagars School and who are in the School of Sarah my meaning is such as God hath enlightned to see and enabled to receive in the love of it this blessed truth that rigid servile Hagar is an out-cast and hath no longer rule over them having neither punishments to inflict nor rewards to bestow upon them but milde and loving Sarah is their only Mother and hath the sole government of them whose Children though they may be corrected with gentle rebukes yet can they never become out-casts and bee disinherited as Hagars may Till wee come into Sarahs Schoole we cannot learn this lesson yea Sarahs Children whilst they continue in Hagars Schoole will be offended at it Thus we have done with the First Question viz. what we are to understand by the Old Covenant I come now to the Second viz. Quest 2. What kind of Covenant this Old Covenant is Ans This is indeed the knotty Question and if there be any peece of the Doctrine of the Covenants that seemes to have perplexing difficulties in it this is it Before I can deliver my thoughts hereof positively it is necessary that something bee laid downe Negatively in opposition to that common principle which holds this Old Covenant to bee a Covenant of Grace and to differ from the New only in respect of administration so making the Old and the New not to be two diverse Covenants but two administrations of one and the same Covenant the one more dark the other more clear but the Covenant to bee for substance the same and
done of such who having transgressed against any of the aforesaid commands would have attonement made for them and their sin forgiven them joyning herewithall repentance for their offence and reformation of it Under these two Heads viz. the blessings of the Old Covenant and the grace of it is comprehended the whole of the Old Covenant and therefore I shall treat of each severally Concerning both which I may say as the Apostle when he was about to treat of the Melchisedaical Priesthood Of which we have many things to say and hard to be uttered First for the Blessings of the Old Covenant they were of two sorts 1 Blessings outward and Temporal 2 Blessings Spiritual and Eternal but both upon condition First for those Blessings that were outward and temporary they were also of two sorts either First Blessings more common by which I understand such Blessings as though Israel with whom this Old Covenant was made did enjoy them by vertue of the Old Covenant yet were they not peculiar to the Children of the Old Covenant for even others besides them did oftentimes enjoy them by vertue of common providence As they were Blessings given by Covenant they were peculiar to them but as Blessings they were common and of such a nature that others who stood not under this Old Covenant as they did did yet notwithstanding through the meer bounty of common providence oftentimes partake of them Now these were 1 Long life in the Land of Canaan This was given upon condition of obedience and therefore wheresoever we have it promised the condition of obedience is also annexed Exod. 20.12 Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may bee prolonged in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee i. e. in so doing thou â—ait have long life in Canaan Deut. 5.33 33. Yee shall observe to doe therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you you shall not turne aside to the right hand or to the left you shall walk in all the wayes which the Lord your God hath commanded you that yee may live and that it may bee well with you and that yee may prolong your dayes in the Land which yee shall possesse chap. 11.8 9. Therefore shall yee keep all the Commandements which I command you this day that yee may bee strong and goe in to possesse the Land whither yee goe to possesse it and that yee may prolong your dayes in the Land c. vers 21. That your dayes may bee multiplied and the dayes of your children in the Land which the Lord sware unto your Fathers to give them as the dayes of heaven upon the earth Chap. 25. 15. chap. 30.20 chap. 32.47 Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day which yee shall command your children to observe to doe all the words of this law for it is not a vaine thing for you because it is your life and through this thing yee shall prolong your dayes in the Land which yee goe over Jordan to possesse This Blessing was forfeited upon their disobedience Deut. 4.25 26. When thou shalt beget children and childrens children and shalt have remained long in the Land and shall corrupt your selves and make a graven Image or the likenesse of any thing and shall doe evil in the sight of the Lord thy God to provoke him to anger I call heaven and earth to witnesse against you this day that yee shall soone utterly perish from off the land whereunto to yee goe over Jordan to possesse it yee shall not prolong your dayes upon it but shall utterly bee destroyed Hence also on the contrary wee have those phrases Yee shall dye the man that doth so and so shall surely dye so frequently denounced in the Bookes of Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy against the disobedient which we are not to understand of death eternal because a man might make forfeiture of his life through breach of this outward Covenant as did Moses and Aaron and many others of those who fell in the Wildernesse and yet be a person saved from Wrath eternal nor are we alwayes and in all cases to understand it of Death as a punishment inflicted by the Civil Magistrate upon Offenders deserving it but we are to understand the phrase the man doing thus and thus shall dye very frequently if not most frequently of Death inflicted by the hand of God for breach of that Covenant which kept and observed would cause that their dayes should be prolonged but broken and violated did cut them short 2 Multiplying of them as a Nation Deut. 6.3 Hear therefore O Israel and observe to doe it that it may bee well with thee and that yee may encrease mightily c. chap. 8.1 All the Commandements which I command thee this day shall yee observe to doe that yee may live and multiply c. Deut. 30.16 I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God to walk in his wayes and to keep his Commandoments and his Statutes and his Judgements that thou mayest live and multiply c. So chap. 11.21 Chap. 13.17 with others Now as this promise of multiplication was conditional upon condition of their keeping the Covenant so no sooner did they breake Covenant but presently they fell under the contrary Curse Deut. 28. vers 15. compared with 62. But it shall come to passe if thou wilt not hearken to the voyce of the Lord thy God to observe to doe all his Commandements c. yee shall bee left few in number whereas yee were as the stars of Heaven for multitude because thou wouldest not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God So Chapter 4. vers 27. 3 Advancing them above all other Nations yet still upon condition of their obedience Deut. 28.1 And it shall come to passe if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voyce of the Lord thy God to observe and to doe all his Commandements which I command thee this day that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the Nations of the earth vers 13. And the Lord will make thee the head and not the tayl and thou shalt bee above only and shalt not be beneath if that thou hearken unto the Commandements of the Lord thy God which I commanded this day to observe and doe them So chap. 26.19 Hence whensoever they became disobedient immediatly they did forfeit this mercy and came under the contrary curse Deut. 28.15 But it shall come to passe if thou wilt not hearken to the voyce of the Lord thy God to observe to doe all his Commandements c. What then see vers 37.43 44. Thou shalt become an astonishment a proverb and a by-word among all Nations whither the Lord shall lead thee the stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high and thou shalt come downe very low hee shall lend to thee and thou shalt not lend to him hee shall bee the head and thou shalt bee the tayl They are
rich honourable advanced above others whilst they obey but if they disobey their riches is turned into poverty their honour into reproach they who before were the Head now become the tayl 4 Blessing them in the City and Field in the fruit of their Body their Ground their Cattel in their Basket and Store in their out-goings and in-comings in their Store-houses and all they set their hands unto Deut. 28.1 2 3 c. And it shall come to passe if thou shalt harken diligently unto the voyce of the Lord thy God to observe and to doe all his Commandements which I command thee this day blessed shalt thou be in the City and blessed shalt thou bee in the field blessed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy cattle the increase of thy Kine and the flocks of thy Sheep blessed shall be thy Basket and thy store blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy Store-houses and in all that thou settest thine hand unto c. So Deut. 7.12 13. Wherefore it shall come to passe if yee hearken to these judgements to keep and doe them that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the Covenant and mercy which hee sware unto thy Fathers and he will love thee and blesse thee and multiply thee he will also blesse the fruit of thy wombe and the fruit of thy land thy corne and thy wine and thy oyl the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep c. It is evident enough that these mercies were given forth upon condition and therefore so soon as ever they were found wanting in the condition their mercies were turned into judgements their blessings became curses as Deut. 28.15 16 17 c. But it shall come to passe if thou wilt not hearken unto the voyce of the Lord thy God c. Cursed shalt thou bee in the City and cursed shalt thou bee in the field Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in and cursed shalt thou bee when thou goest out c. 5 Giving them victory over their Enemies yet still upon condition Deur 28.7 vers 1. If thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God c. What then See vers 7. The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face they shall come out against thee one way and flye before thee seven wayes Levit. 26.3 with 7 8. If yee walke in my Statutes and keep my Commandements and do them Yee shall chase your Enemies and they shall fall before you by the Sword And five of you shall chase a hundred and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight c. But no sooner do they rebel but the contrary curse is upon them Levit. 26.14 with 17. But if yee will not hearken unto me and will not do all these Commandements I will set my face against you and yee shall be slain before your Enemies and they that hate you shall reigne over you and yee shall flye when none pursueth Deut. 28.15 with 25. But it shall come to pass if thou wilt not bearken c. The Lord shall cause thee to bee smitten before thine Enemies thou shalt go out one way against them and flye seven wayes before them and shalt bee removed into all the Kingdomes of the earth So vers 47 48 49. c. 6 Giving them rain and fruitful seasons Lev. 26.3 4. If yee walk in my statutes c. Then will I give you raine in due season This mercy as obeying they did enjoy it so disobeying they lost it Deut. 11.13 14 c. And it shall come to passe if yee shall hearken diligently unto my Commandements which I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to serve him c. That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season the first raine and the latter raine ver 16 17. Take heed to your selves that your heart be not deceived and yee turn aside and serve other gods and worship them And then the Lords wrath be kindled against you and he shut up the heaven that there be no rain c. Lastly putting far from them the Pestilence and all manner of sicknesses and diseases the Sword evill noy some Beasts Famine Captivity c. But this upon condition in case they did obey they should bee freed from all these but if they did rebell and disobey they should come under them Deut. 7.12 with 15. Wherefore it shall come to passe if yee hearken to these judgements and keep and do them the Lord will take away from thee all sicknesse and will put none of the evill diseases of Egypt which thou knowest upon thee but will lay them upon all them that hate thee Lev. 26.6 And I will give peace in the land and yee shall lye down and none shall make you afraid and I will rid evill Beasts out of the Land neither shall the Sword go through your Land if yee walke in my Statutes c. as vers 3. Deut. 28.15 with 21.22 But if thou wilt not hearken to the voyce of the Lord thy God c. The Lord shall make the Pestilence cleave unto thee untill hee have consumed thee from off the Land whither thou goest to possesse it The Lord shall smite thee with the Consumption with a Feaver and with an Inflammation and with an extreme burning and with the Sword vers 27. The Lord will smite thee with the Botch of Egypt and with the Emerods and with the Scab and with the Itch whereof thou canst not bee healed The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse and blindnesse and astonishment of heart vers 35. The Lord shall smite thee in thy knees and in thy legs with a sore Botch that cannot be healed from the sole of the foot to the top of the head vers .60 61. Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt which thou wast afraid of and they shall cleave unto thee Also every sicknesse and every Plague which is not written in the Book of this Law them will the Lord bring upon thee until thou be destroyed For Famine see vers 53.54 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters in the siege and straitnesse wherewith thine enemies shall distresse thee For Captivity see vers 41. Thou shalt beget sons and daughters but shalt not enjoy them for they shall go into Captivity Fâ—â— â—vill Beasts read Lev. 26.21 22. And if yee walk contrary to mee c. I will send wild Beasts among you which shall rob you of your children and destroy your