mercy annexed to it it ought alwayes to be understood of a sincere spiritual and Evangelical discharge of that duty Compare Matt 7.7 Hos 5.6 with Jer. 29.12 13. So Joel 2.32 Prov. 1.28 with Psal 145.18 is born of God That is an undoubted evidence of his regeneration for how could the heart of a sinn r bring forth such fruit unless there were the â—oot of grace planted in the heart 2. It may be meant in reference to the Doctrines of the Gospel He hath the Witness himself that is he is able to seal to those t uths experimentally from the work they have had upon his own Conscience and the effects wrought by them in his own soul He hath not only heard by report of the awakening convincing and converting power of the Gospel which are a strong witness of its divine original and authority but this witness he hath within himself as having felt that efficacy So that he can say to the Ministers as the men of Sychar to the woman Joh. 4.42 Now we believe not because of your reports for we have found it our selves to be a divine doctrine because it hath subdued our hearts and wrought mightily upon our spirits Or as the stranger that commeth into the Church Assembly upon whom the Word is quick and powerful and sharp as a two edged sword piercing into his bosom and discovering the secrets of his heart O saith he God is in you of a truth surely this is none other than the Word of the Lord of Hosts 1 Cor. 14.24 25. The Arguments produced by the Minister are a witness without him and the energy of the Word upon his heart is a witness within him 3. Or thirdly You may understand it metonymically the witness for the person witnessing q.d. He that believeth hath the Spirit of grace and holiness conferred upon him He is made partaker of the Holy Ghost whose work it is to bear witness unto Jesus No man out of sincere aff ction and true faith can profess that Christ is the Lord but by the instinct of the Holy Ghost Engl. Annot. in loc and without whom they could never believe in Jesus 1 Cor. 12 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost that is no man can speak it spiritually from the heart as he ought to speak it so as to subscribe to this principle that Jesus is the Lord and to submit to his Lordship and Government but by the Holy Ghost That 's the first thing I would note in the context The nature and excellency of believing 2. We have the sinfulness of the sin of unbelief the horrid and heinous nature thereof It doth implicitely charge the God of truth with falshood and virtually impeach him as a lyar v. 10. latter part He that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the Record that God hath given of his Son How doth unbelief make God a lyar Answ 1. Not by the contamination or pollution of the divine nature as if the Lord contracted any defilement thereby He cannot be tempted to sin nor tainted with sin Jam. 1.13 The blessed Angels are not tainted with pollution but the nature of God cannot be tainted he is infinitely out of the reach of it Unbelief doth not take from the truth of Gods promise but puts a bar in the Way of our receiving the mercy promised 2 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself And mark what the same Apostle saith Rom. 3.3 4. What if some do not believe shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect God forbid q. d. Let not such a cursed thought enter into your hearts it cannot be but the faith of God that is the faithfulness of God as to his word and promise must abide firm and immutable to such as have an interest therein We make our fellow servants oftentimes sinners by real infection when the guilt is spread into their souls being seduced by us and made partakers with us but God is holy holy holy Isa 6.3 infinitely holy unchangeably holy capable of nothing but holiness Our unbelief doth not hurt him but our selves Job 35.6 2. But it makes God a lyar in a way of calumniation or detraction Unbelievers do really and consequentially though unjustly charge God with this imperfection They say in their hearts the Lord is not a God of truth For did they own the truth of God they would undoubtedly subscribe to his word By questioning the matter witnessed we impute falshood to the person witnessing Tantum valet testimonium quantum auctoritas testantis and this is the very nature of unbelief As it is the damning sin that locketh up a man under the guilt of all his transgressions so it is an exceeding heinous and sinful sin it carrieth a kind of blasphemy in the bowels of it it maketh as if God were a lyar As by believing we seal to the truth of God Joh. 3.33 Non quod dei fidem labefactet corum impietas sed quod per eos non stat quin issum arguant vanitatis Calv. So by unbelief we do in effect lay falshood to his charge O the desperate wickedness of mans heart O the horrid abomination of this great ungodliness and the wonderful patience of God towards unbelieving sinners That 's the second thing to be noted The sinfulness of the sin of unbelief 3. Now the Text is brought in as a Specification of that Record which is propounded as the object matter of our faith and in reference to which unbelievers do asperse and calumniate the God of Heaven as a lyar They will not acquiess in the dictates of the Scripture they call in question the record that God hath left concerning his Son And if it be demanded what this record is or what special matter it doth contain The Apostle informeth you in the subsequent verses This is the record that God hath given us eternal Life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life Which words are a Compendium of the Christians Charter An abbreviature of the great deed of gift or conveyance which God hath made of eternal glory and blessedness unto the children of men the record which he hath left touching the way of salvation Wherein you have observable for the distribution of the words these four parts 1. The mercy provided or the blessing conveyed that is eternal life What are we to understand by eternal Life in this place Vita aeterna sumitur 1. Propriè pro beato electorum statu post hanc vitam 2. Impropriè seu Metonymicè pro viâ seu medio perveniendi ad vitam aeternam Ravan I answer 1. Expresly and primarily the enjoyment of God in heaven the blessed Vision and fruition of the Lord in glory the Rivers of pleasures that are at his right hand for ever the
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. That 's the second thing I intended for the confirmation of this property of a Believers union with Christ viz. the inseparableness of it 3. A little to vindicate this point from the grand exceptions thas are made against it I will lay down only two rules Rule 1. This doctrine of the perseverance of a sincere Believer in the faith or the inseparableness of his union with Christ is so far in it self from being as enemy to practical holiness and new obedience that if rightly improved it will be a mighty incentive and provocative thereunto It will have a powerful influence to inlarge a mans heart to run the steps of God's commandments and to cause him to take heed unto himself to continue upright and undefiled in the way of the Lord. This assertion I maintain to obviate the main cavil and objection that is made against this comfortable truth For there is an aspersion cast upon it as if it were not a doctrine according to godliness as if it did minister occasion to slothfulness and carelessness and carnal security They will be ready to say who are the opposers of this truth if a person be in Christ so as to be sure he shall in no case be separated from him then they will be apt to think they may live as they list that they may take what liberty they please to indulge the flesh and satisfie their lusts and walk in a way of licentiousness seeing whatever they do they shall abide in a state of grace and come safe to heaven at the last Thus a door say they would be opened to all manner of wickedness But mind it Sirs It is a calumny falsely laid to the charge of this doctrine For in it self it is a strong argument and motive unto holiness It is a consideration that may have a tendency to the mortifying sin and awakening the Spirit if rightly pressed on the soul and thus it will be improved by a gracious heart * Hac igitur certitudo perseverantiae non potest consistere cum deliberate proposito peccandi nedum tale quid causari Piis exercitiis procreatur conservatur eadem etiam invicem procreat conservat auget Ames Coron 'T is true there is not the most wholsom herb but a toad or spider may suck poyson from it there is not the most heavenly doctrine but a carnal heart will pervert it unto evil especially such truths as are purely evangelical that hold forth the free grace of God Jude 4. They turn the grace of God into lasciviousness that is not only the experience which they have of the grace of God in the exercise of it in their preservation and affording to them means and seasons for working out their salvation but it seemeth principally to be meant of the doctrine of the grace of God There is no doctrine more influential in its native tendency to the subduing of sin and crucifying the flesh and quickning to a closs walking with God But ungodly men wrest it and writhe it to countenance their filthiness So hath it befallen this particular point of the Saints perseverance though in its proper causality it will help to cleanse a man from all the filthiness of the flesh and spirit and make him vigorously to pursue the designes of holiness See what use the Apostle Peter makes of it 1 Pet. 1.5 13. He had before told them that they were elect according to the foreknowledge of God v. 2. and that this grace of election had broken forth in their regeneration from whence they had a lively hope of enjoying the inheritance prepared for the Saints v. 3 4. And then he doth assure them that they were kept by the power of God is the state of grace that they might not fall short of actually possessing what they hoped for v. y. c. And in the close of all he subjoyneth this exhortation v. 13. Wherefore gird up the loyns of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation q. d. If God hath graciously taken care of the concernment of your souls will not you be diligent to advance the glory of his grace Will not you be ashamed to sin against him who hath in every respect dealt so bountifully with you If the Lord has not been unmindful of securing your salvation will not you mind his honour and follow his conduct Should not this mightily prevail upon you never to cast off this God but to cleave unto him unto the end O set diligently and industriously about your work be ready and prepared for all the wayes of holiness and to continue stedfast and unmoveable therein Do not walk as the generality of people walk nor as your selves have formerly walked for God hath called you out of the world and prepared for you a kingdom and taketh care of your preservation that you may come to the enjoyment of it This is the proper use of this doctrine which will plainly appear if you seriously weigh these four things 1. That God hath not promised to preserve his people in the state of grace and union with Jesus Christ whether they be holy or no or however they walk But the promise is to keep them in the exercise of grace in the ways of holiness that so they may not be separated from him If any represent it in another dress it is not the Scripture doctrine of perseverance but they endeavour to cast a slurre upon it We do not teach that God hath ingaged to bring his people safely to heaven let them live as they list or that he will keep them from falling away from Christ though they cast off the fear of the Lord and run to all excess of riot But God hath ingaged to inable them to live the life of the just and to cause them to fear his Name and through the Spirit to mortifie the deeds of the body that so they may never draw back to perdition 1 Pet. 1.5 Ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation It is not said God will keep them by his almighty power whether they believe or no but he will suodue their unbelief and set their faith on work in order to their being secured Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Mark it is not said They shall never depart from Gâ—d though they slight his word and despise his Majesty and reject the fear of his Name But he will maintain in their hearts an holy aw and dread of him that so they may never be cast out of his favour 2. Consider That the
p. 321 Concl. 4. The way of procedure in the business of self-examination is by consulting those marks and signs which are the evidencing properties of union with Christ p. 323 Concl. 5. The marks and signs to be consulted are of three sorts p. 326 1. Exclusive or Negative p. 327 2. Inclusive or Accumulative p. 329 3. Adaequate and proportionate These principally to be minded p. 330 Concl. 6. Such marks and signs of whatever sort whereupon a person may confidently rest in passing judgment upon himself must be clearly deduced from Scripture and bottomed thereon p. 332 Motives to quicken to self-examination as to our union with Christ p. 335 Eight Rules of direction by way of gradation for guidance in this work of self-examination p. 340 Dir. 1. The first and fundamental evidence of union with Christ to be enquired after is whether a sound conversion have been wrought upon us or the grace of regeneration poured forth into our hearts p. 341 Dir. 2. In order hereunto we must be sure to be rightly instructed in the nature of conversion and what a change it makes upon the soul p. 343 Several sorts of counterfeit feigned conversions p. 344 Dir. 3. The grace of conversion is not ever discerned in the first planting of it in the soul and when it is discerned at first it may afterwards be questioned as to the soundness and sincerity of it And therefore enquiry ought to be made into the fruits and effects produced thereby p. 348 Dir. 4. The fruits that will evidence a sound conversion are not some particular duties of Christianity discharged But the main bent of the spirit as to the things of God and the whole tenour of the conversation must be considered on that account p. 351 Dir. 5. That obedience which will prove a sincere conversion must not only be right for the matter what is done But rightly qualified also in respect of the manner how it is done p. 353 Dir. 6. For the right qualifying our obedience that it may be evidential of conversion and union with Christ it must be 1. Spiritual And that in a three fold respect p. 355 2. Universal A threefold universality of obedience p. 358 3. Evangelical Which consists in 4 things p. 363 4. Sincere Wherein sincerity lieth p. 367 5. Of an increasing nature p. 369 6. Stedfast p. 371 Dir. 7. Self-examination if performed successfully must be solemnly undertook with the best intention of the mind and spirit p. 373 Dir. 8. If a person upon most the serious and deliberate examination of himself be still in the dark as to his union with Christ four things to be done in that case p. 374 CHAP. XII Exhortations grounded upon the doctrine of union with Christ 1. To the unregenerate 1. Dare not in any sort to oppose the Saints p. 381 This Exhortation branched into 4 particulars p. 382 Motives to press on this Exhortation p. 388 2. Do not build your hopes of eternal life upon any priviledge or attainment which falleth short of union with the Son p. 393 Exemplified in nine sandy foundations whereupon sinners are apt to build their hopes p. 395 3. With unwearied endeavours labour after this grace of union p. 403 Directions 1. Despair of being saved upon lower terms p. 404 Three cases wherein we must not despair p. 406 Four cases wherein despair is the way to salvation p. 410 Dir. 2. Get the Spirit of Christ What must be done in order to it p. 413 Dir. 3. Endeavor after the uniting grace of faith p. 414 Five encouragements to believing or coming to Christ p. 415 Dir. 4. Lay it seriously to heart That if you perish in a state of separation from Christ you are in the fault and guilty of your own destruction p. 424 2. Exhortations to believers 1. Bless God for this signal grace of your union with Christ p. 425 2. Improve it Six cases wherein it should be improved p. 426 Exhortations to all 1. Learn the Lessons which are from this point to be learnt p. 430 Two spiritual Lessons of a momentous nature instanced in p. 431 2. Discharge the duties that are on this account to be discharged p. 434 1. Bless God for the manifestation of this mystery id 2. Adore the condescension and grace of our Lord Josus Christ p. 435 3. Labour every day more and more to clear it up to your selves that you have the Son by being united to him id Three further evidential properties of this union p. 435 436 437 1 John 5. ver 11 12. And this is the Record that God hath given us eternal Life and this Life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life CHAP. 1. The Context opened the Text explained and the Point of Doctrine deduced IT hath been well observed in the case of Moral Prudence that many never attained to be wise indeed because hindred in the pursuit by an over-weaning conceit of their own Wisdom Multi ad sapientiam pervenissent nisi putâssent se pirvenisse Sen. The like may be truly said of the favor of God and the Kingdom of Heaven Multitudes have fallen short of eternal Life by an over-confident opinion of their interest in it Presumption of finding Mercy with the Lord is one of the principal snares of the. Devil Qui jugum suscipiunt Diaboli Diabolus eos delectat dâ—ipit ne discedant à malo impii usque ad mortem suam whereby sinners are held fast in their impenitence This presumption for the most part is wont to spring from a twofold Fountain 1. Ignorance and misapprehension of the mercy of God 2. Misapplication of the death and righteousness of Christ. I shall endeavor through Divine assistance to contribute a little help against the spreading of this evil and towards the drying up of these poysonous Fountains which have caused the death and ruine of many thousand Souls This I shall do 1. By Shewing the necessity of the Mediation and Righteousness of Christ Satan is not willing to deal roughly with the unregenerate if he could chuse for he stands ever in most danger of losing them when he carrieth himself towards them in so hard a fashion Wherefore he rather flatters and fawns endeavoring to rock them asleep still if he can in the Cradle of security and presumption Whately's New Birth to procure saving Grace for lost sinners 2. By discovering the like absolute necessity of our Union with Christ in order to partaking of that righteousness and receiving the grace which he hath purchased thereby Both these are fully comprised in the Text. I shall only touch occasionally upon the first as it will fall in the way of my insisting designedly upon the latter This portion of Scripture which I have chosen as the basis or subject of the following Meditations may not unfitly be stiled An Abstractor Epitome of the Gospel of Christ whereby life and immortality is
brought to light wherein the way is revealed for restoring fallen sinners to their primitive happiness or conducting souls to everlasting bliss God hath graciously pleased to declare this way by the Scriptures and to leave it upon record in the Word of the Gospel and here we have the substance or summary of that Record viz. That God is the giver of eternal Life and that this life is in his Son c. If you examine the connexion or dependance which the words of the Text have with and upon the foregoing passages of the Chapter You will evidently find our Apostle is herein giving a succinct account of the great foundation-truths which are proposed to be the object of a Christians Faith by closing with which we do eminently and signaly advance the glory of God and by disbelieving whereof we are said to make him a lyar Our faith is to be built upon the word of the Lord to be bottomed upon the Record which God hath given concerning his Son And this saith the Apostle is the Record That God hath given us eternal Life c. The better to clear this coherence and so the genuine import and scope of these words let us a little cast our eyes back upon the context or the verse immediately preceding the Text wherein we may note two things 1. The nature and excellency of the grace of faith or believing on Christ ver 10. former part He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself 1. For the nature of Faith it is a believing on the Son so it is usually set forth in the dialect of the Holy Ghost Act. 16.31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thine house Joh. 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life This is the saving act of Faith which will bring a soul to Heaven a believing on the Son And therefore I might touch by the way on that common distinction as useful to be considered that there is a threefold act of Faith or three waies of Believing in reference unto Christ There is a believing 1. That Jesus is the Christ Credere Christum Christo. In Christum 2. Jesus Christ 3. On the Lord Jesus Christ 1. There is a believing that Jesus is the Christ an assent unto the truth of this principle that he who was born of the Virgin Mary is the true Messiah and Mediator sent of God to be the Saviour of Mankind So the very Devils believe As they know there is one God so they acknowledg this principle that Jesus is the Son of God and the only Redeemer of lost sinners Hence it is that they are so unwearied in their endeavors to hinder poor souls in closing with Christ and that they labour by all manner of false suggestions to draw their affections from the Lord Jesus Mark 1.24 The unclean spirit cried out Let us alone thou Jesus of Nazareth I know thee who thou art the Holy one of God And that herein the Father of lies spake the very truth you will find by the testimony of the Spirit of God himself v. 34. He cast out many Devils and suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him 2. There is a Believing Jesus Christ i.e. a subscribing to the truth of the Doctrines that he delivered which are contained in the Scriptures the Word of Christ and Preached by Ministers of the Gospel in his name Thus a Simon Magus may believe he may own the verity of Christs Word though in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity Acts 8.12 13. When they believed Philip Preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ then Simon himself believed also Thus Nicodemus believed before he was instructed in the necessity or acquainted with the grace of regeneration he was convinced by the Miracles wrought by Christ that he was a teacher sent of God and consequently that the Doctrines which he taught were the truths of God Joh. 3.2 As a carnal person who never tasted of saving grace may have much knowledg in his understanding of the will of Christ so he may be under such convictions upon his judgment as in a sort to approve the Word of Christ Rom 2.17.18 3. But lastly there is a believing on the Lord Jesus When a man is so powerfully convinced of the evil of sin and his own obnoxiousness to the wrath of God and the heart so fully perswaded of the excellency of Christ and the sufficiency of his Righteousness together with the utter insufficiency of all other wayes of deliverance that thereupon he doth actually close with Christ upon Gospel terms and make application to him casting himself upon the Son of God for Salvation and renouncing all things for the enjoyment of him Although believing on Christ doth not alwayes signify a saving faith as see Joh. 2.23 yet for the most part it doth and so may fitly be made use of by way of distinction It being observed by some that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a phrase peculiar to the Holy Ghost and not used by prophane Authors This is the saving act of Faith A believing on or in the Son Joh. 11.25 26. He that believeth in me though he were dead yet he shall live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye For mark it Sirs that assent of the Judgment unto the great truths of the Gospel which is required of the Lord and is well pleasing in his sight is not a bare naked lifeless assent but a compounded and operative assent such as doth ingage the heart to comply with those truths and brings the whole Soul in subjection unto them Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto righteousness That 's for the nature of Faith It is a believing on the Son 2. For the excellency and preciousness of thus believing He that doth so hath the witness in himself i.e. in his own Soul and Spirit and Conscience He hath it graven upon the very tables of his heart But what is this witness which a Believer hath in himself Answ You may understand it either of these three waies 1. In relation to his spiritual state He hath a fundamental evidence that he is a child of God and in covenant with him here is sufficient matter if rightly improved whereupon to raise a testimony of this thing It is faith which brings a man under the favor of God and the act of believing is a sure token that the person is endowed with the grace or habit of Faith Spiritual actions as they must proceed from a Divine principle so they are evidences of that principle from whence they do proceed 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ not with a bare assent of the Judgment but he that believeth it with the heart as before * When a particular duty is produced as an evidence of a state of Salvation or hath a promise of grace and
expressions it appeareth that these are two 〈◊〉 things Our being in Christ and Christ's being in us Burgess on Job 17. Serm. 126. the Lord Jesus cometh and taketh up his residence in them and they are inabled to go forth unto Christ and receive him as he is offered in the Gospel whereby they are in him and thus this Union is established These are matters distinct and accordingly the holy Ghost speaketh distinctly of them Joh. 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you See also Joh. 6.56 He that eateh my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him So that there are two great bonds or ligaments of this conjunction and of the union which followeth thereupon 1. The bond on Christ's part is the Spirit whereby the people of God are apprehended of him and he taketh up his abode in them For he dwelleth in them by his Spirit Rom. 8.9 10. But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin c. Observe that what is called the Spirit dwelling in us in one verse is stiled Christ in us in the other because Christ seizeth on us by his Spirit and abideth in us through the Spirit 2. The bond of this Union on the Believers part is Faith whereby they do apprehend the Lord Jesus Christ and take him home as it were unto themselves Being apprehended by him they take hold of him and so they are knit together Eph. 3.16 17. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith First Christ cometh by the holy Ghost and entereth into them and then they are inabled by faith to receive him unto themselves and to apply themselves unto him and so they are conjoyned and made one together From this mutual conjunction doth arise or spring a twofold Union or Oneness between Christ and Believers There is a 1. Natural 2. Legal Union the bond whereof is The Spirit dwelling in them Faith of the operation of the Spirit I will treat of each of them severally with as much clearness and succinctness as I can CHAP. VI. A natural and a legal Union with Christ Wherein they severally consist A moral Union proceeding from the former The last Proposition explained 1. THere is a natural Union or Oneness betwixt Believers and the Lord Jesus arising from the possession which he taketh of them and his residence in them whereupon they are partakers of the same heavenly and spiritual nature with him having Christ formed in them and dwelling with them Therefore I call it for distinctions sake a natural Union because herein they agree in the same divine and spiritual nature else for the manner of its effecting it is supernatural This you have mentioned abundantly in the Scriptures 2 Cor. 13.5 Christ is in you except ye be râ—â—probates that is If you are Christians in good earnest such as are sound in the faith unless you are persons unapproved * Si quid habent Christi sincerae pietatis Calv. Nisi forte reprobi estis i. e. improbi Marian. such as upon trial are found to deal falsely and unfaithfully in the Covenant of God except you are rotten at the heart gilded metal that will not abide the test and touchstone you must have Christ within you It is not enough that Christ be preached unto you but he must be revealed in you As the Apostle speaketh of his conversion and mission to preach the Gospel Gal. 1.16 When it pleased God who spearated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me Not only called me to be an Apostle and made known Christ unto me but also called me to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ revealing him in me The bond of this Union is the Spirit of Christ which is shed abroad in to the hearts of God's peculiar people and whereby the Lord Jesus taketh up his habitation in them For it is the Spirit that treateth with them in Christ's name and takes possession of them to his use and service For hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which be hath given us 1 Joh. 3.24 This is the first sort of Union betwixt Christ and Believers which we call a natural union and it is wrought by the Spirit of Christ that dwelleth in them Concerning which I will enlarge a little for the better clearing it to your understandings under five Heads 1. This dwelling of Christ in the souls of his people by his Spirit whereupon doth arise a natural union with him is the same thing for substance with the positive part of the grace of regeneration whereby the principles of holiness and new obedience are introduced into them and the image of God is restored upon their natures For it is hereby that the holy Ghost maketh his entrance into them and fixeth his settlement with him You know that regeneration or sanctification take it for the first saving change or distinguishing work upon the soul consisteth of two parts 1. There is a privative part or the mortification and subduing the principles and habits of sin 2. There is a positive part or the introduction of new principles of grace and holiness There is 1. A blotting out the image of the devil 2. Stamping upon a mans heart the divine nature again You read of them distinctly A taking away the heart of a stone and giving an heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 There is a removing of the old man and a bringing in of the new man which is created after God Now Christ's being in his people by his Spirit is the same thing for substance with this positive part of regeneration By the mortification of sin Satan is outed of his possession of the soul and by the implantation of spiritual grace Christ enters and taketh possession of the soul by the renewing of the holy Ghost Thus you have it explained for one expression there seemeth to be exegetical of the other Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you Mark it by the renovation of the heart God's Spirit is said to be within us And by the washing of regeneration the holy Ghost is said to be shed upon us abundantly Tit. 3.5 6. In the new birth Christ is formed in the soul by the working of the Spirit 2. Where Christ doth come by the operations of his Spirit to dwell in the hearts of his people he doth
the second Covenant That Text is very full and worthy to be wrot on our hearts in letters of gold and as with the pen of a diamond Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified 3. The ultimate or compleating act of this justifying faith whereby it becometh such is a fiducial resting or relying upon Christ for righteousness and acceptation with the Lord and for all the spiritual benefits that follow thereupon That which I aim at is this That justifying faith is not absolved and compleated by a bare assent of the understanding but it doth evidently include an act of the heart With the heart man believeth unto righteousness Rom. 10.10 If thou believest with all thine heart Acts 8.37 And the special act of the heart is a reliance upon Christ leaving a mans soul in his hands upon the articles of the Covenant of grace leaning upon his merits for acceptance with God receiving him as he is offered to sinners in the Gospel and trusting in him for acceptance and salvation Thus we have it explained Eph. 1.12 13. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ In whom also ye trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise This is the faith both of Jew and Gentiles We first believed unto whom the word of salvation was first spoken and afterwards ye also believed in Christ What is this believing Why it is a trusting in Christ First the soul heareth the word of salvation promised in Christ and assenteth to the truth of that word and thereupon is perswaded to make his actual application unto Christ and trusteth in him for salvation Psal 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him q. d. There is no way of avoiding destruction from Christ but by believing in him resting upon him they are the blessed of the Lord that put their trust in him * Sed multum inter est utruns â—â—isque credat ipsum esse Christum utrum credat in Christum Nam ipsum esse Christum daemones crediderunt Ille enim credit in Christum qui sperat in Christum diligit Christum Aug. Indeed there are many acts of the soul required unto this faith and comprized therein If a man believe in Christ he must have some competent knowledge of the nature of Christ and his mediatory office and satisfaction there must be a firm and lively assent to the truth of the Gospel a sense of the evil of sin and the inability of all other means besides the righteousness of Christ to recover the sinner out of his lost condition But now a fiducial reliance upon Christ for salvation is the last compleating act For when the sinner being driven from all other refuges whatsoever doth not only hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ but actually renounceth every thing for him and embraceth him as his Saviour casting his soul and all his spiritual concernments into Christ's hands and resting upon him alone for salvation as he is offered in the Gospel this is a justifying and saving faith As a self-justiciary relieth upon his own righteousness so a true believer râ—steth upon Christ's righteousness This is set forth by coming unto Christ Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Come unto me that is believe in me place your hope and confidence in my righteousness The Lord Jesus in the Gospel is set forth as a propitiation he was sent to be the Redeemer of lost sinners Now when a person being affected with his lost estate sensible of the wrath of God and the insupportableness of it and labouring under the burden of sin doth come unto Christ as such and make use of him to that end namely to be his Redeemer and doth rest upon him to make atonement for his soul this is to believe with a justifying faith Joh. 6.35 He that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst It is a looking unto Christ alone for redemption and deliverance upon his account As the brazen Serpent was an eminent type of the Lord Jesus Num. 21.8 9. so the Israelites looking up thereunto did signifie our faith in Jesus by whom our diseases are healed When a poor sinner is stung in his conscience with the fiery Serpent of the guilt of sin and being filled with dread in apprehension of the sad consequents of it doth look up unto Christ as held forth upon the pole of the Gospel to be a Saviour and doth rest upon him expecting redemption only through his blood here are the workings of a justifying faith Joh. 3.14 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up by dying on the Cross or by the publication and tender of his death and righteousness in the Gospel That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life This is the third particular which I intended to commend to you for opening the nature of faith which is the bond of our union with Jesus Christ 4. Wherever and in what soul soever there is this fiducial reliance upon Christ and his righteousness in a saving way there is also as a necessary companion thereof an universal subjection to the will of Christ and a ready submission to his government This I add in the last place to prevent if it be possible the abuse of this doctrine by carnal hearts and to stop the mouth of those clamours which are raised by some against it and the aspersions which they cast upon this evangelical truth as if it were not a doctrine according to godliness Will such be ready to say This doctrine will imbolden sinners in their presumption and vain confidence If to believe savingly on Christ be to rest on him for salvation who will not think that be doth believe What carnal wretch will not say that he doth rely upon Christ But mind it Sirs it is not a thinking or saying he doth rely upon Christ will give a man an interest in him but when he doth rest upon him indeed as he is propounded for a Saviour in the Gospel And such a faith will purifie the heart and cause the person believing to bring forth fruits of holiness in the conversation Else it will be an evidence that he doth but pretend thereunto and doth not rest upon Christ in truth For although it be not the work
contemplatiâ—n of this mercy and seriously pondering it in the heart by Believers that God hath so knit them unto his Son that they shall be still growing up into him and never be separated from him will be of notable efficacy to draw forth their love back again to the Lord and to kindle is their breasts a fervent affection towards him Which love so kindled is a mighty quickner to obedience Love is a commanding passion that will set all the powers of a mans soul on work to please the party that is beloved It will level mountains and make rough wayes smooth and no difficulties will deter it What will not a man do for one whom he dearly loveth You know what is said of Jacob Gen. 29 20. Although he served seven years hard service for Rachel the drought consumed him by day and the frost by night and his sleep departed from his eyes yet it was as nothing to him because he loved her Why Sirs a pure entire and affectionate love to God would cause men willingly to spend themselves in his service it would make them very cautious and fearful lest they should dishonour him or sin against him Now this great priviledge of an indissoluble union with Christ will mightily inflame the heart with affection and stir up a person to thankfulness Will the soul of a Believer be thus arguing with himself hath the Lord Christ been pleased not only to give me a transitory glimps of his favour which yet was more than ever I deserved but taken me into everlasting fellowship with him O what shall I render to the Lord How shall I sufficiently express my readiness to serve him Wherein may I be instrumental to shew forth his praise Surely I will cleave to this God as long as I live and call upon him whilst I have a being I will never more rebel against him Psal 31.23 O love the Lord all ye his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful If it be meant of temporal preservation of how much greater force will the argument be upon the account of spiritual grace and establishment How should a Believer say with David Psal 116.1 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications Because he hath inclined his ear to me I will call upon him as long as I live Surely it is ignorance and unacquaintedness with the workings of the Spirit in a sanctified heart that makes men think doctrines of free grace are incouragements to sin 3. The consideration of the inseparableness of a Believers union with Christ should cause a Christian to entertain a holy jealousie and suspition over his own soul lest at any time he should draw back from the faith That by his fixedness in the wayes of God it may more abundantly appear that his profession of godliness was a sincere profession For if persons are unstedfast in the Covenant of God it will be a shrewd evidence that their hearts were not right with him If they do not hold on their way in the practise of godliness it will be manifest that they went no further than the form of godliness carried them So that the doctrine of perseverance is an awakening doctrine It should awaken us to be watchful over our selves and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling For then we are made partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end Heb. 3.14 That is then it will evidently appear that we are partakers of him and have a share in his death If we sall away from Christ it will be an undeniable token that we were never spiritually ingraffed into him 4. A due meditating upon the inseparableness of a Believers union with the Lord Jesus will incourage the soul of that believer in resisting and repelling the instigations of the devil and standing fast against all sollicitations to sin Through grace thinks a godly man I shall get the victory and therefore I will stir up my strength to the fight I see it is not in vain to strive against the wicked one If God should leave his children in their own hands to stand or fall according to the exercise of their own power then indeed their hearts might sink and their courage might flag But seeing God hath ingaged for my perseverance in the faith I will wrestle with all my might and use the utmost diligence for it will not be in vain so to do Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord and be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Hath God promised to preserve you then be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might follow hard after him and urge him with his promise and in his way you may expect the accomplishment of it This is the first rule for vindication of that property Rule 2. The many counsels and warnings which Christ hath given to his people to look well to themselves lest they should lose their hold of him and be separated from him are no proof at all that they may be separated or that their union with him may be dissolved God's injunctions upon them to keep themselves and his ingagement to be their keeper do not interfere one with the other but may well consist and stand together And the reason is evident Because these cautions anâ— commandments are the very means which God is pleased to make use of for their establishment in the faith whereby he doth fulfil his promise for their safeguard and together with which he doth convey his Spirit into their hearts for prevention of their apostacy This is according to that Statute Law of the Lord of hosts That his Spirit shall go forth in his word and with his word Isa 59.21 Will some say To what end doth God so often warn Believers that they draw not back to destruction if they are not liable thereunto True it doth suppose that they are liable to apostacy in themselves * Verè dicitur fidelem posse à fide suâ deficere quum scilicet in se principiis suis intrinsecis consideratur solis sic enim defectui subjicitur mutabilis existit Deas tamen immutabili faedere spospondit se conservaturum in sais faederatis principium illud vitale Hanc autem promissionem non solet exequi nisi verbi ministerio similibus auxilils adhibitis Ames Coron and without divine assistance would totally backslide and perish from the right way But God hath graciously undertaken for their preservation and abidance in Christ and these cautions are the means for the acomplishment of that undertaking and wherewith he sends forth the holy Ghost to strengthen them that they may abide in his Son Joh. 17.17 Thus I have finished my answer to the fourth head of enquiry touching the most signal properties of a Believers union with Jesus Christ CHAP. VIII The indispensable necessity of Union with Christ Proved by enumeration of the
you bring forth the fruits of righteousness here and endeavour to be holy in all manner of conversation If you live in any course of sin or in the neglect of observing any of God's commandments it is not possible you should come to the enjoyment of God whilst you abide in that estate Never dream of being saved without holiness for such imaginations are but dreams and fancies Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived c. q. d. It is a plain case that the unrighteous will perish unavoidably it is a token of gross ignorance to think otherwise Do not hope for or expect salvation without righteousness for by such hopes and expectations you will but cheat your own souls Gal. 5.19 20 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like Of the which I tell you before as I have told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Mark it if a man live in any of these sins or in any other sin like unto these whether it be filthiness of the flesh or of the spirit open or secret though not here particularly enumerated he cannot enter into eternal life It is a matter as if the Apostle had said which I have studied and the more I think of it the more I am confirmed in it I have preached this doctrine to you formerly and I am still of the same mind and therefore warn you of it again that if you be such persons you cannot be saved 2. Although I counsel you to be much in the works of righteousness yet you must despair of ever being justified or saved upon the account of your righteousness For alas what are the best of our righteousnesses to give satisfaction to the justice of God for the wrong that we have done him If you be pardoned and accepted of the Lord it must be for the sake of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and not by virtue of any thing of your own For the Seripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Gal. 3.22 3. Although you must be active and diligent in the service of God and labour to walk in uprightness before him yet you are utterly to despair of doing this in your own strength It is only strength and aflistance from Jesus Christ that will inable you to be faithful unto Christ If you trust in your own hearts they will deceive you 2 Cor. 3.5 Psal 71.15 16. * Ad evulsionem hominis à statu peccati requiritur 3. ut ex evictione conscientiae desperatiosalutis consequatur respectu nostrarum virium omnis etiam auxilii quod à creaturis haberi potest Ames de cons 4. I would counsel you to work up your hearts to an utter despair of receiving either righteousness or strength from Christ except you get into him Sit down and rest in this conclusion that unless you be united to the Son of God you cannot dwell in the presence of God There is no salvation to be had upon other terms And thus to despair of deliverance in a state of separation from Christ is an excellent means or inducement to drive you unto him Thus the Law is our School-master to lead us unto Christ i. e. by convincing us of our undone condition without him * Lex in vero suo officio est ad gratiam ministra praeparatrix prodest ad justificationem non quod justificat sed quia urgeat ad promissionem gratiae cam facit dulcem desiderabilem Luth. It pursueth us with wrath as the avenger of bloud that we may be forced to hasten into the City of refuge Gal. 3.24 This is the first Direction I intended in order to the attainment of this grace of union Direct 2. If you would be united unto the Son Get the Spirit of the Lord Jesus into your hearts It is only the holy Ghost who is sent in his name that can lead you unto him and ingraff you in him and form Christ within you And if you have not the Spirit of Christ you cannot be his Rom. 8.9 And therefore to this end 1. Be much in prayer to God for this very mercy that he would graciously send the Spirit of his Son into your souls There is an encouraging word to draw forth your fervent supplications in this behalf Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him It is the mercy which he delights to be sought unto for and to be dealing forth in return to the prayers of his Servants 2. Be much conversant with the word of Christ and constant in your attendance upon the Ordinances of the Gospel Be frequent in reading and studying the Scriptures make them the matter of your daily meditations lose no opportunity to acquaint your selves therewith or to wait upon Christ in the wayes of his appointment Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom Col. 3.16 For it is the word and institutions of Jesus Christ which are designed as conduit-pipes to convey the spirit of sanctification into mens hearts And therefore the word hath the promise of conversion annexed unto it because the spirit of conversion worketh in and with and by the word Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Jam. 1.18 Of his own will he begat us with the word of truth As the word cannot work savingly without the concurrent operation of the holy Ghost So the holy Ghost doth not ordinarily work without the word For the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 And when our Saviour prayeth for them that should be gathered unto him it is under this expression For them that shall believe on me through their word Joh. 17.20.3 Take heed that you resist not the Spirit by quenching his motions or rising up in contradiction against the convictions that he is pleased to work upon your hearts Readily hearken to his call and comply with him in the tenders of grace If you repel him by the frowardness and perverseness of your spâ—rits you know not when he will return Joh. 3.8 Take therefore the Apostles advice Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption Direct 3. If you would be knit unto Jesus and so have an interest in him endeavour after the uniting grace of faith in his bloud cast your selves upon his righteousness for salvation according to the proposals
of the Gospel Receive him for your Redeemer as he is tendred therein Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that you should believe on him whom he hath sent i. e. It is a work exceedingly acceptable unto God it is the great work that he requires to bring you unto his Son that you may have life through his bloud It is that work that makes up the conjunction betwixt him and your souls And therefore what is attributed in one place unto union with Christ is in another place ascribed unto faith Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Joh. 3.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned Why Because it is faith which makes up the union by believing on Christ we are implanted into him And therefore take the word of direction Jo. 12.36 Believe in the light that you may be the children of light betake your selves by faith unto Christ that you may be found in him And to that purpose be frequent in meditation upon those incouragements which God hath given unto sinners to quicken them to believe on the name of his Son and to help against the misgivings of their own hearts I will instance only in five 1. It is the command of God that which he hath left in special charge upon mens souls to come unto Christ that they may be saved And therefore it evidently followeth that he is willing you should believe for it is that which he mainly desireth that his will be done that his precepts be observed Can you imagine that God should give you a strict commandment backt with many arguments and motives to the observance of it and yet be loath you should obey that commandment This is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 3.23 2. God sent his Son into the world upon this very errand and business that he might draw sinners unto him in order to their salvation And the Lord Jesus took our nature upon him and was obedient unto the death the accursed death of the cross to this very end and purpose that sinners might come unto him and obtain eternal redemption through his bloud And can it ever enter into your hearts to think that God is not willing to accomplish what he hath designed to bring about or that Christ is not willing to attain the end of his sufferings What was the Fathers design in sending Christ into the world Why that we might live through him and that he might be a propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.9 10. Wherefore hath he published the Gospel of Christ and revealed the glad tydings of salvation through him Why These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name Joh. 20.31 To what end did our Saviour leave the bosom of his Father and sojourn amongst us and bear the weight of his fathers indignation Mark what account himself giveth of it Jo. 12.46 I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness And v 47. I came not to judge the world but to save the world And speaking of his death under the fimilitude of lifting up the brazen serpent in the wilderness v. 32. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me 3. God hath left upon record many precious promises on purpose to invite sinners unto Christâ— from which none are excluded but such as shut out themselves by refusal of the grace which is tendered in them And they are promises of such extent and comprehensiveness as may be sufficient to answer all the objections of a mans spirit against believing in Jesus Joh. 3.15 Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Act. 13.39 By him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses But will the sinner object I am altogether unworthy to come unto the Son of God Why Sirs It is the due sense of our unworthiness that doth fit us for the ready reception of him and addressing our selves unto him that we may by his righteousness be made worthy Art thou apprehensive of the necessity of being partaker of his death and the merit thereof Dost thou hunger and thirst after the enjoyment of him See then the promise or invitation Isa 55.1 2 3. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money that hath no desert or worthiness of his own to commend him unto God or whereby to purchase the least dram of favour come ye buy and eat yea come and buy wine and milk without money and without price c. O but will the sinner reply I have long stood out against the calls of Christ and will he now receive me graciously if I come unto him Why Hear what he saith Isa 57.17 18 19. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart i. e. He withstood chastizement which is one of the loudest and most awakening calls in the time of his distress he sinned yet more against the Lord Instead of returning he held fast deceit and refused to return He went on frowardly that is perversly and stubbornly against all the dealings of God And yet what followeth v. 18 I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comfort to him and to his mourners One would have expected it thus rather I have seen his wayes and I will confound him I will never more have any pity or compassion upon him Nay but faith the gracious God at length he mourns for sin and is humbled for his iniquity and my bowels are turned within me my repentings are kindled together He is coming towards me and I will go forth to meet him I will surely have mercy upon him I will pardon him and guide him in the way of consolation and salvation But what doth this concern me will the heart of a sinner be apt to suggest Am I comprized in this word of comfort Yes if thou mournest for sin and desirest to give up thy self unto Christ and to God by him For it is a promise made without limitation these words are intended for the henefit both of Jews and Gentiles v. 19. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace i. e. My word shall be the means to convey great peace spiritual peace perfect peace lasting yea everlasting peace to him that is afar off and to him that is neer i. e. to the Jews who were a people nigh unto God and to the Gentiles when they shall be gathered to the Church though at that time they were afar off and I will heal him saith the Lord. But will the sinner
soles viderent Bacon de sap veter when the Comforter is come to guide you into all truth then you shall know this mystery q. d. Now it is as the lines of a book that is sealed up a matter beyond your reach but then you shall read and understand 3. That hereupon you may be quickned to set upon this study with prayer with the earnest and fervent lifting up your hearts to heaven that God would anoint your eyes with ey-salve for the perception of this truth That he would open your minds and judgments to understand the Scripture in this particular and lead you into the knowledge and acknowledgment of this mystery For it is an Vnction from the holy One must teach us these lessons 1 Joh. 2.20 27. And therefore that prayer of the Psalmist is an excellent pattern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato for the outgoings of our hearts at such a season Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law 4. That in order to the getting acquaintance with this Doctrine you may be convinced of the necessity of putting your selves under the promise which God hath made to reveal the secrets of his Covenant to his servants For this is one of those secrets a great mystery and upon that account mostly stiled a mystical Union And you know the way to get under the verge of that promise Nulla in discendo mora est ubi spiritus sanctus Doctor adest Beda is by indeavouring to maintain an holy dread and fear of the Majesty of heaven upon your hearts not daring knowingly to sin against him Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant This is the very reason why many poor Christians of low parts in comparison with others can speak more clearly and savourily of these things than some profound Doctors who are strangers to the power of godliness because the promise is not made to great parts and learning Ille qui cum puritate animae legit Scripturas plus proficiet quam si enodare tentaret mysteria multis commentariis Acost Jes but to such as have a reverential awe and regard of the Majesty of God upon their spirits The Lord doth often hide these things from the wise and prudent and reveal them unto babes Why because it so pleased him and because he hath promised to instruct them in these lessons Psal 25.9 The meek he will guide in judgment and the meek he will teach his way Again v. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord him he shall teach in the way that he shall chuse And therefore mark what I say Humility self-emptiness and poverty of spirit together with a due dependance on the teachings of God will strike a greater stroke in acquiring the knowledge of these Lessons than the choicest accomplishments of parts and learning without them A conscientious respect to plain truths and precepts is the way to learn hidden mysteries John 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine That 's the first Conclusion to be premised 2. Concl. 2. Although the Union of a Christian with the Lord Jesus is in it self a mystery not easie to be attained as to right apprehensions thereof yet it is a point of very great concernment to be studied and a clear insight thereinto will abundantly recompense all the pains you can take in the search of it So that the difficulty of attainment shuld not deter us from a diligent enquiry into it but rather stir us up to pursue it with all our might and industry It is a point wherein a man cannot with safety be ignorant It is incumbent upon us as we tender our everlasting welfare to get right apprehensions of the substance of this thing A mistake herein may occasion our eternal undoing And therefore when Christ had treated Mat. 13. of the mixture there is in the visible Church in many parables together How that some are in the Church who are not of the Church that there are many seem to be members of the body who are not spiritually united to Christ the head of the body for that is the drift of the parables though delivered in other words how doth he close his Sermon upon that subject See v. 51. Jesus saith unto them have ye understood all these things As if he had said It doth infinitely concern you to get a good understanding in this matter you cannot safely be in the dark as to this Doctrine Let these things sink deep into your hearts and be much pondered in your thoughts Hence the holy Ghost is so much upon it and doth frequently mention not only the excellency and need of Jesus Christ but likewise the necessity of our Oneness with Christ or being in him It is a dangerous thing to have false conceptions in our minds concerning this union or to be ignorant of it for three Reasons especially 1. Because it is the want of a right knowledge and due consideration of this very thing which is the cause of the ruine of many thousand souls Amongst those that live within the pale of the Church and have heard the joyful sound of the Gospel a great number perish by splitting upon this rock They apply the vertue of the death of Christ to themselves without ever minding whether they are in Christ They hope to be saved upon his account and so go on securely to hell under the shelter of those hopes because they never considered the nature and necessity of being united to his person See the very rise of their destruction how they plead themselves into a fools paradise in expectation of being pardoned and saved through Christs blood because they never minded if they had the Son or not if they were in Christ or no Luk. 13.26 27. Then shall ye begin to say We have eatten and drunk in thy presence and thou hust taught in our streets But he shall say I tell you I know you not whence you are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity Observe their mistake from the answer that is returned them I know you not whence you are as if he had said You are utter aliens and strangers unto me persons with whom I never was acquainted Though you heard my Word yet you were never ingraffed into my body though you were never ingraffed into my body though you have eaten and drunk in my presence yet you were not implanted into me nor ever had any fellowship with me And who are those which thus deceive themselves why many very many as in that parallel Text Mat. 7.22 23. I think experience may give us cause to suspect they are the most 2. It is a dangerous thing to have false apprehensions of Union with Christ because this is the great fundamental blessing upon which all our comfort is built and other spiritual blessings have a dependance hereupon So that see
quodam modo conceditur non electis Ames When he doth take salvation in the offers of it and lay it before the conscience and doth press an acceptance of it upon the heart and doth strive with men and women in order to a closure with it upon Gospel-terms This is sometimes called a knocking at the door of the soul Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me By the door understand the heart of a sinner whereby entrance is made into the whole person and possession took as a man entreth into an house by the door the heart which is naturally shut against Christ nay barred and bolted against him by vain thoughts and vile affections and carnal reasonings by pride and prejudice and love of sin and the world Now to this door Christ cometh by the Spirit who acteth in his name and knocketh at the door that is he doth argue and reason the case with mens souls by his internal motions that they would accept of salvation as it is offered He doth expostulate with them why they will be so foolish as to spend their time and strength in seeking after that which is not bread and cannot satisfie And in order to move them to turn to God he doth set salvation before them and assureth them of the enjoyment of it if they will submit to the government of Jesus Christ If any man open the door I will come in unto him c. This I call an internal-conditional application because it is an inward work of the Spirit treating with the heart of a sinner And pray mind it Sirs as it is a common thing so it is a very dangerous thing to stand out against this application of eternal life When the holy Ghost hath been dealing with a mans heart convincing him of the necessity of closing with Christ and he doth break through such convictions God doth many times withdraw the very strivings of his spirit from such a sinner and never dealeth with him further in order to his conversion Prov. 1.23 Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you It is the speech of Christ the eternal Wisdom of God inviting sinners to repentance q.d. I do not only call upon you by my Word but I will send the holy Ghost to treat with you He shall speak over to your consciences what the Minister preacheth in your ears And what is the issue of rejecting this work of the holy Ghost See v. 24. and onward Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded But ye have set at nought all my counsels and would none of my reproof I also well laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind That is when judgments which you were afraid of shall actually seize upon you and make you desolate when the wrath of God shall fall down upon you suddenly in a dreadful and terrible manner When distress and anguish cometh upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me How is this to be understood seeing God is alwayes found of such as seek him in sincerity Why the meaning seemeth to be this God will withdraw his spirit and deal with their hearts no further and then they will grow hard and impenitent and though they cry in their afflictions yet it will only be the cry of hypocrities such as the Lord will have no manner of regard unto O my brethren let this dreadful Scripture and these awakening expressions sink deep into your ears that you may not dare to resist the holy Ghost or to send him grieved away from you 3. There is an effectual saving application of the benefits of redemption when they are so applyed to us as to be made ours so that we may say this promise is a part of my heritage and the other mercy is that which I have an interest in And this is effected upon our union with Christ When the holy Ghost doth not only shew us his excellency and propound unto us salvation through his righteousness but doth also mightily prevail upon us to come unto Christ and we get into him then we have a right to all that he hath to bestow upon the sons and daughters of men First we must have the Son and so a right to the inheritance by the Son 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption Mark it Then he is made so to us when we are in him It is one thing for Christ to be made wisdom and righteousness c. i.e. to be set apart as the store-house of all these spiritual good things and it is another thing for him to be made so to us By vertue of God's commission and the qualifications poured out upon the Lord Jesus and that active and passive obedience undertaken and performed by him he is made wisdom and righteousness and fanctification and redemption he is delegated to be God's high-steward or Treasurer for the giving out of these mercies he is become the source and fountain of all saving grace But when we are in him he is made wisdom to us and righteousness to us and sanctification to us and redemption to us so that we are actually made partakers of them These four things seem to comprehend the whole of the provisions made to conduct a sinner to glory 1. Wisdom for the revelation of the mind of God to us 2. Righteousness for our acceptation with the Lord. 3. Sanctification for inabling us to walk as a peculiar people and for carrying on the work of holiness to perfection 4. Redemption for our full deliverance from misery and compleating our happiness And all these are made over to us by vertue of our union with him our mystical oneness with Christ So much for opening the several branches of the Description and for the second general Head concerning the nature of this Union wherein it doth consist CHAP. V. The manner how Christ and a Believer are united cleared up in eight gradual Propositions Six of them insisted on 3. COme we now to the third principal Head propounded to be handled touching the manner of this Union how it is brought about The question is Qu. How is this Vnion wrought and accomplished After what manner is this conjunction made up whereby Christ and his people become one Ans I shall return answer to this question by laying down and enlarging upon eight distinct and gradual Propositions To which I must intreat your heedful and diligent attendance 1. Propos 1. The first Proposition is this That all the children of men
in their unregeneracy before they are partakers of the differencing or special grace of God are wholly separated from Christ and meer strangers unto him As they are afar off from God by reason of their apostacy and declension from so they are without Christ by whom alone they can be brought back again unto the Lord. They can plead no share in his death and sufferings or if they do plead it they will be found guilty of usurpation for they are without him in the world This is clearly the doctrine of the Scripture Eph. 2.12 At that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise At that time that is whilst you were dead in sins and trespasses before you were quickned by grace according to the riches of the mercy and love of God v. 4,5 then ye were without Christ not only destitute of the knowledge of Christ as Gentiles though that seems to be the primary intent of the words but without an interest in him because unconverted sinners For what the Apostle speaketh of the Gentiles is true in that sense of all wicked ungodly persons whomsoever There is no difference in that respect between Jews and Heathens carnal Professors and open Infidels S. Paul plainly doth include himself and such as he was before his conversion And therefore in the day of grace when the eternal love of God doth break forth towards his chosen people they are said to be brought to Christ and espoused unto him 2 Cor. 11.2 When they are taught of God they are drawn to the Son of God when they have heard and learnt of the Father then they come unto Jesus Joh. 6.44 45. evidently implying that before they had so learned they were without Christ and at a distance from him That is the first Proposition 2. Propos 2. The sons and daughters of men in their carnal unconverted estate over and above their distance and separation from Christ are actually knit and joyned unto such objects as are wholly inconsistent with their Union with Christ I will instance especially in two things They are 1. In Covenant with sin 2. Contracted to the Law 1. They are in covenant with sin and at league of peace with their corruptions their spirits are glewed and fastened unto base lusts and pollutions Though some remainders of sin abide in the hearts of the godly whilst on this side of heaven yet they are hated and abhorred they are ever pursuing them unto death and executing a kind of holy revenge upon them and never satisfied till they are utterly vanquished and rooted up But now an unregenerate person is under the dominion of sin as an hired servant is under the command of his master Pride bids him go and he goeth flattery biddeth him run and he runneth covetousness injoyneth him to do this and he doth it carnal fear requireth him to wound his conscience in this particular and he woundeth it uncleanness commandeth him to venture upon that provocation of the wrath of God and he ventureth as having given up himself to the obedience of sin As the Lord saith of the Israelites of old it is true in its kind and measure of all impenitent sinners They are joyned to their idols Hos 4.17 Sin hath a being and residence in the hearts of the dearest of God's servants but the spirits of the wicked are fast linked together with it Such a one as Paul may be sold under sin but Ahab sells himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord Rom. 7.14 1 King 21.20 Unconverted sinners yield up themselves to be the servants of unrighteousness You shall find that sin is as dear to a natural man as the most useful members of the body Hence it is that Christ compareth a mans beloved lusts to the right hand and the right eye Mat. 5.29 30. And hereupon it is that their hearts are so ready to rise up with indignation and hatred against the means which are made use of to rid them of their sins and that sometimes they will not stick to be at a great deal of cost and pains to retain their abomiminations See what an offer they make Mic. 6.7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl Shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul q.d. Let us keep our lusts and we will stick at nothing we will part with our Estates and sacrifice our children rather than abandon our bosom corruptions Nay how do many venture their lives not to speak of their souls which all of them willingly run the hazard of losing for satisfaction of their lusts Now Sirs this can never consist with our being joyned to Christ * In omnibus nobis regnavit peccatum Unusquisque tamen habuit in se aliquem specialem regem qui in eo regnabat dominabatur ei Verbi causa in alio regnum tenebat avaritia in alio superbia in alio mendacium regnabat in alio libido dâ—minabatur alius regem patiebatur furorem Postea vere quam venit Jesus occidit omnes reges qui in nobis tenebant regna peccati praecepit nobis interficere omnes istos reges nullum ex iis relinquere Si quis enim aliquem horum in semet-ipso servaverit vivum in exercitu Jesu esse non poterit Si ergo regnat in te avaritia si jactantia si superbia si libido non eris Israeliticus miles c. Orig. hom 15. in Jos He will have no manner of fellowship with the workers of iniquity The design of his coming was to destroy the works of the devil and therefore he will not dwell with such as give up themselves to serve the devil that make it their trade to promote his interest these are the persons whom his soul abhorreth What communion hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.14 Thou lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity Psal 45.7 Into a polluted soul Christ the wisdom of God will not enter nor will he take up his habitation with those that are in confederacy with sin That 's the first object to which sinners are joyned in opposition unto Christ 2. They are contracted unto the Law as it is a covenant of life and are ready to seek for justification and acceptance upon legal terms which is a strong bar in the way of union with Christ For where the Lord Jesus is a Saviour indeed he will be acknowledged as a perfect Saviour he will have the whole glory of our redemption redound unto himself See what the Apostle speaketh to this purpose Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law that is if you seek to be justified by it none are or can be justified by it in reality but if you rely thereupon and expect and look for acceptation with God upon those terms
due operation upon the heart and conscience * Generalia non pungunt unless it be brought home by a personal and particular appropriation to a mans self When a sinner is wrought upon so as to turn savingly from his iniquities he is made to do it understandingly God working upon a mans heart answerably to mans nature He doth not force him to cast off his sins against his will but maketh him ready and willing to abandon them and to that purpose he giveth the sinner a sight of the guilt he is under He maketh him to know what a contempt sin is of the Majesty of heaven what a slighting of an holy and just and righteous Law what a despising of the goodness and compassion of the Lord and consequently a provocation of his wrath that so there may be raised in the soul a regular abhorrence of it and detestation against it and the sinner may be willing to sue out a divorce Will the person think when he is throughly convinced of sin What a fool was I thus to serve these base lusts and pleasures What madness possessed me that I should depart from the Lord and follow after lying vanities For mark it Sirs When the affections act regularly in closing with or rejecting and refusing any spiritual object there must alwayes precede a competent knowledge of the good or evil of that object And the reason is plain because the will and affections are blind and dependent faculties they depend in their operations upon the information of the understanding So that the heart cannot hate the evil of sin nor will the person loath himself upon the account of it till the judgment be convinced of the nature and greatness of that evil You read of this as one of the first works of the Spirit Joh. 16.8 When the comforter is come he will convince the world of sin He will make them to see clearly what an ugly deformed nature it is of what a bitter thing it is to rebel against the most high He will discover unto them the guilt which lieth upon their souls and that by such evident concluding arguments as will take away from them all excuses whatsoever whereby they were apt to cover their transgressions * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore it followeth that he will convince them of their unbelief which is the great damning sin and that whereby other transgressions are fast bound upon the soul To this end God doth sometimes bring the sinner into sore afflictions and tribulations that he may thereby taste the bitterness and malignity of departing from him which before was accounted but a trivial matter little to be regarded Job 36.8 9 10. When they be bound in fetters and holden in the cords of affliction then he sheweth them their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded He openeth their ear also to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity * Jer. 2.19 To this purpose the holy Ghost doth set the Law before a mans face in the spiritualness equity and excellency of it that the sinner may behold himself in that glass and pass judgment upon the evils of his heart and wayes according to that rule For when the commandment cometh then sin will revive indeed and be seen in its proper colours Rom. 7.9 Before the person is mistaken concerning the evil of it he reckoneth it a small matter and wondereth that Ministers and Precisians should make such an ado against sin because he judgeth of it by false rules by the opinion which the generality of the world have concerning it by the pleasure and worldly advantage that are attendant upon it and the like But when the Law cometh his mistakes are rectified and he seeth sin as it is And to this end the Spirit of God doth make discoveries unto the soul of the holiness and purity and infinite and spotless perfections of the nature of God himself against whom sin is committed When Job saw the Lord then he did abhor himself as in dust and ashes Job 42.4 5. When Isaiah had a full sight of the infinite power and holiness and glorious perfections of God then he cried out Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips Isa 6.3 4 5. This is a certain rule and if you will observe your hearts anddemeanour the truth of it will every day further appear to you by experience That as your apprehensions of God are so the manner of your applications unto God will be and so your apprehensions of the evil of sin against God will be likewise This is the first act in order unto a divorce from sin An act of Conviction 2. There is an act of Consideration wherein the heart is awakened to weigh the sad consequents of the evil of sin What will be the issue of these things What will become of my precious and immortal soul if I go on in this course There is no way thinketh the sinner to escape the damnation of hell without conversion and the torments thereof will be endless and everlasting torments If I am once cast into that lake there is no deliverance out of it Therefore you read of confidering and turning from sin Ezek. 18.27 28. When the wicked turneth from his wickedness that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall surely live he shall not die And the truth is the reason why men and women do still hug their sins in their bosoms and roll them as a sweet morsel under their tongues is for want of consideration If they did sit down and consult what would become of them did they lay it seriously to heart and revolve it in their thoughts what precious souls their lusts are destroying what insupportable wrath they are pulling down upon their heads what rich grace they are abusing what an incomprehensible Majesty they are setting against and what a dismal condition it will without a speedy repentance reduce them unto would they harbour sin any longer in their hearts would they not flie from it as from a Serpent certainly they would cast it away with indignation and say Get ye hence ye filthy accursed lusts you have brought me into a wretched estate and should I follow you still I must be undone forever Isa 47.7 Thou didst not lay these things to thine heart neither didst thou remember the latter end of it As if the holy Ghost had said the cause of your continuance in sin is want of consideration if you had laid the end of it to heart it would have put a stop to your carier in a course of impiety This will appear in the return of the prodigal Luk. 15.17 18. When he came to himself he said How many hired servants
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 This is the first thing to be noted 2. For the winning over a sinner to become the Lord Christ's and to surrender up himself into his hands He doth first treat with the sinner to that purpose and doth intreat and perswade him to accept of the grace of the Gospel Just for all the world as it is in order to marriage first the party is wooed before the contract is made so Christ doth woo the soul to become his Spouse and to accept him for an husband To this end he imployeth his Ministers to intreat sinners in his name and sends his Spirit to deal with their hearts and to propound the match unto them Such is his gracious condescension towards fallen man that although the whole benefit of this union redound unto us yet he is pleased to beseech us to close with him 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is not only free grace and abundant grace but 〈…〉 〈…〉 with salvation unto the children of men so he doth seek unto them and earnestly beseech and intreat them to accept the offers of salvation Gen. 9.27 God shall perswade Japhet * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alliciet scilicet ut suo tompore ad cultum Dei tentoria Shem i. e. Ecclesiam accedat Fut. per Apoc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hiph pellexit allexit c. Buxtorf so the word signifieth and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem. Mark it The Church of Christ for some ages was well neer confined to the posterity of Shem Abraham and his seed came out of the loyns of Shem. And by Japhet understand the Gentiles who were his off-spring for by them were the Islands of the Gentiles possessed Now saith the Spirit of God the time will come that the Gentiles shall be gathered unto Christ they shall be brought into the Church How or by what means will this be so brought to pass why Christ will woo them and treat with them he will perswade them effectually and prevail by his perswasions 3. In pursuance of this comparison note further That our faith in Christ which is the uniting grace whereby we are joyned to him and made one with him is The consenting of our hearts to take Christ for our Redeemer as he doth tender himself to us and the resignation or giving up our selves into his hands As in the business of marriage it is the consent of parties that makes it The proposal being made the woman accepteth of such a man to be her Husband and accordingly giveth up her self unto him 〈…〉 gether Thus it is in the transactions of matters between Christ and the Church we are contracted to him by our consent to be his and taking him to be our Lord and husband Cant. 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his Wilt thou have me for thy Husband and Saviour upon the terms of the Gospel saith Christ by his Spirit unto the sinner O Lord answereth the sinner through grace I will I give my full consent and surrender up my self unto thee and thus they are united Therefore it is the great complaint of Christ that he cometh to sinners and they will not accept him Joh. 1.11 He came unto his own and his own received him not Joh. 5.40 And ye will not come unto me that ye might have life And it is said of the Christians of Macedonia when they believed in Jesus they gave themselves unto the Lord 2 Cor. 8.5 4. This consent of the heart to be the Lord Christ's and acceptance of him for our Redeemer if it be such as uniteth us to him and maketh us one with him must be a marriage-consent and acceptance My meaning is It must be so qualified and circumstantiated as is required in the consent of persons when they are married togeâ—her That is to say It must have these three properties It must be 1. A present consent and acceprance 2. A full and hearty consent and acceptance 3. An entrie and indefinite consent and acceptance 1. It must be a present acceptance of Christ and closure with him and not only a promise for the future to take him hereafter and to submit to him in time to come For as Casuists and Civilians observe though promises for the future leave an obligation upon the parties promising yet they do not make up a marriag-contract that must be in words de praesenti So when sinners ingage hereafter to give up themselves to the Lord Jesus although it will add to their sin and condemnation to live in the neglect of performing such ingagements yet they are not thereby united unto Christ but still abide under the wrath of God If we would be made one with him we must immediately give up our selves unto him and take him to be our Lord and Saviour Psal 16.1 2. Preserve me O God for in thee do I put my trust O my soul thou hast said to the Lord thou art my Lord. Psal 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant It is not said I will become thy servant hereafter when I have a convenient season and then I will obey thee and put my trust in thee but I thy servant I thy servant q. d. Here am I ready to set upon any service I enter my self now into thy service to abide with thee henceforward even for ever 1 Cor. 7.22 He that is called being free is the servant of Christ If he be effectually called if he answer the invitation of the Gospel he must ingage without delay in Christ's work For it is the present time which is the time of acceptance and the present day which is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 And the truth is Sirs that bare promises for the future are so far from uniting us to the Son that they are nothing else but the sly endeavours of the heart to put a cheat upon Christ It is by such hypocritical promises that when sinners are convinced of the necessity of closing with Christ they do break through such convictions and get from under the power of them When conscience presseth them hard this is the answer whereby they stop the mouth of conscience hereafter they will become obedient to the Gospel But be not deceived Christ will not be dallyed with but all persons shall know that he searcheth the hearts and the reins and is able to see through their dissimulation and hypocrisie and he will give to every one according to their works Rev. 2.23 2. It must be a full and hearty consent and acceptance with the whole soul of a man It is not a faint wishing and woulding after Christ that will give us an interest in him but
till you have secured your deliverance 4. An unregenerate sinner must needs be in a state of death because out of Christ who is the fountain of life and that in respect of condemnation or liableness to eternal death As we say of a malefactor when verdict is brought in against him and sentence is passed upon him to be executed He is a dead man dead in law and assoon as a writ for execution cometh forth to the Sheriff he will be actually put to death In this sense every unconverted sinner is dead legally dead that is He is condemned to be sent into everlasting burnings So that as the Egyptians said of themselves when their first-born were slain We be all dead men Exod. 12.23 The like sad message may I bring to every impenitent person amongst you Thou art a dead man or woman Verdict is past upon thee as guilty and sentence is gone forth against thee to be sent into the chains of darkness only thou art reprieved for a few moments and hitherto there hath been a respite of execution But let me tell thee if God should send a providence to take thee hence in this condition as for ought thou knowest he may do this night thou wouldest as certainly drop into hell and there lye for ever as now thou art upon the land of the living See a full proof of it Joh. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already Mark it although he be not actually damned yet he is already condemned and if he go on in his way it is impossible he should escape the damnation of hell How is he condemned already Why the Law of God hath pronounced sentence against him to be cast into prison till he have paid the uttermost farthing which will never be paid The sinner hath wronged and rebelled against an infinite Being and the Law doth sentence him to make a proportionable satisfaction Now seeing he cannot render a satisfaction infinite in worth and valuation he is condemned to torments infinite in duration This is the sentence passed upon the wicked and by reason of their unbelief this sentence stands unrepealed It remaineth in its full force and vigour against them they cannot plead the Gospel pardon for their discharge because that pardon is procured through the blood of Christ and given forth to none but such as are united to him If men were duly sensible hereof how would it disturb their carnal peace and cause their hearts to tremble They would not enjoy a quiet hour till they had made sure their acquital from this dreadful sentence They would not eat in quiet lest the next bit of bread they swallow down should stop their breath and prove as God's executioner to drag them into prison They could not sleep in quiet lest before the light of the morning their souls should be required and sent into the bottomless pit of destruction If this point were believed and laid to heart surely it would fill many closets and families full of complaints and cryings out more than if they were under the sorest temporal scourge How would mens retired chambers be filled with prayer and earnest desires after God to pluck them as fire-brands out of the burning What pains would they take to sue out their pardon in the blood of Christ What welcom entertainment would they give unto the Son of God when he cometh to offer life and salvation to them Exod. 12.30 There was a great cry in the land of Egypt for there was not an house where there was not one dead O my brethren If this doctrine were throughly weighed what a great cry would be heard in many places and Parishes where perhaps there are few houses wherein there are not several persons dead sentenced to be sent into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death How would mens bowels earn with pity towards their carnal relations who spend their dayes in rejoycings and are every moment in danger of dropping into hell What mad men should we reckon ungodly persons to be that go on in mirth and jollity or spend their time in heaping up the dross and rubbish of the earth when in the mean time they are persons dead in Law condemned to hell How many do hardly think a serious thought of eternity from one end of the week to the other when yet there is but a step between them and everlasting burnings But if this were considered how would they run from one Minister to another and from one Christian to another with that question What must I do to be saved I am a condemned person can you give me directions how to get the sentence repealed The Lord cause these things to sink deep into your hearts And a little to drive home this nail of doctrine I will mind you further of these two things 1. As Christless sinners are already condemned so the very glory of God is concerned in their damnation or in the execution of the sentence past upon them if they abide in that condition And that is a matter very dear unto him whereof he is exceeding tender and wherewith he will never part Isa 42.8 God made all creatures for his own glory and he will have it from them one way or other If you do not glorifie his free grace by closing with Christ and submitting unto him he will glorifie his justice and severity upon you in your everlasting banishment out of the presence of Christ It is observeable what is said in the case of Nadab and Abihu when they offered up strange fire which God commanded not and they were consumed in a dreadful manner with fire from heaven Lev. 10.3 Then Moses said unto Aaron this is that the Lord said I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified It is as much as if he had said This I am resolved upon that I will have glory from you one way or other If you do not honour me by a due observance of my word I will vindicate mine honour upon you by pouring down the vials of mine indignation So may I say in this case If you do not glorifie God actively in your conversations he will be glorified upon you in your confusion for this is that which he hath determined to have one way or other If you do not give glory to God by submitting to the terms on which salvation is offered you must of necessity be cast into outer darkness and God will glorifie his righteousness and truth and power and holiness in your utter destruction for by one means or other he will be glorified Rom. 9.22 23. 2. As impenitent sinners are dead in Law sentenced to hell and eternal death so if they go on still in their sins the infinite mercy of God will never save them from that sore ruine and desolation This is the constant refuge unto which they have recourse Be it that the Law condemneth them yet God
your selves to an account how the case stands with you Say Have I the son Am I planted into Christ If people are unacquainted with this particular touching themselves it is mostly through the neglect or persunctory discharge of the work of Self-examination As will evid intly appear by these three following considerations 1. Without Self-examination a man can never pertinently and appositely apply the Word of God unto himself nor compare the frame and temper of his soul with the Word of the Lord so as to be able to pass a righteous judgment thereupon My brethren it is the Word of God which is the rule for discovery whether we be in Christ or not as I shall shew you more fully anon but this discovery cannot be made by a bare naked speculation of the truths contained therein except we personally apply the truths unto our selves and compare our selves with them Just as it is in secular matters The Carpenters line and plummet will discover the straightness or crookedness of a piece of timber but this it cannot do by taking a single view of the line unless it be applyed unto the timber The Standard is appointed to shew the justness or falshood of weights and measures but then you must bring them unto the standard and compare them with the standard So the Scripture is the rule for trial of mens hearts whether they be straight or crooked It is the standard to evidence a mans spiritual estate whether his person will hold weight in the ballance of the sanctuary when he cometh to be judged of the Lord but then he must apply this rule unto himself and compare himself with this standard Such persons as would know that they are of God must not only view the light but must also bring their persons and actions unto the light Joh. 3.21 He that doth good cometh unto the light that his deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God He taketh the light of God's word and his own soul and purteth them both together that he may see what correspondency there is between the one and the other And it is said of the wicked v. 20. of that Chapter He hateth the light and doth not come unto it that is He cannot endure personally to apply it unto himself You have many carnal people could be content to know the truth in the general notion but they hate it in the particular application to their case But if you would know whether you are in Christ you must apply and appropriate the word of God unto your selves and compare it with your condition Now to bring this home to our purpose This application of the word and comparing our selves with it can never be done aright without self-examination Except the Physician know the constitution and temperament of the patient he can never apply suitable remedies unto him so except we search and enquire into the frame of our souls we can never apply the Scripture properly and suitably unto our souls Except a man search into his wayes and actions as well as into the word he cannot compare those actions with the word But he will be apt upon every turn to run into mistakes and practical errors He will take that word home to himself which doth not belong to him and pass such a sentence upon himself as is not to be passed upon him It is hinted as the ground of mens deceit and self-cozenage because they do not look into themselves Prov. 21.2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts As if the holy Ghost had said If men did but search their own hearts they would not be so mistaken concerning their wayes nor pass such a false judgment upon themselves They presently conclude that their wayes are right because they do not throughly look into them nor take a view of their spirits which are the principle of action but God ponder eth their hearts 2. If you would know that you are or whether you are united to Christ you must be diligent in the examination of your selves and the reason is Because that is the very means which God hath especially designed to this end and appointed to be made use of to this purpose to bring us unto the knowledge of it This is a Maxim in Religion as clear as the noon-day That if we would comfortably expect any mercy from the Lord or gracious assistance unto any work or business we must look for it in the use of such means as God hath appointed to that end and wherein he is wont to convey such grace and assistance Now self-examination is the means which God hath required to be made use of to bring us to the knowledge of our ingrafture into Christ For Sirs although it is God alone who can powerfully and convincingly make it known to us yet we must not sit still and be idle and say if God will discover it to me I shall know it But we must wait upon him in the way wherein he is wont to meet his people to this end which is in the duty of self-examination If we would have our calling and election made sure our selves must give diligeâ—â—e to make it sure 2 Pet. 1.10 3. Self-examination is the way to arrive at this knowledge whether we are spiritually ingraffed into the Son Because hereby we shall find out those falshoods under which our spirits are apt to lie hid and those deceits whereby our hearts are ready to cheat us in passing a false judgment upon our selves Self-examination will shew us where the cheat lieth and upon what ground it is that we deal treacherously in this matter You read of a people Isa 28.15 who thought themselves to be free from the wrath of God when indeed they were the very generation of his wrath And what was the reason of it whence did this deceit proceed Why they took sanctuary in lies and covered themselves over with falshoods When the overflowing scourge shall pass thorow it shall not come unto us for we have made lies our refuge and under falshood have we hid our selves The meaning I take to be this They built their hopes of deliverance upon rotten pillars and sandy foundations They apprehended themselves to be in a right way when they were not that their hearts were for God when indeed it was a lie for they were set upon sin and idolatry and full of desperate wickedness They thought they were in the service of the Lord and that therefore he would shew them favour when in truth it was a falshood they were in the broad way that leadeth to destruction Now how should a man discover the falshood of these pretences and find out the fallacies whereby our hearts would impose upon us in this case Why By being diligent in the examination of our selves There is a full Text to this purpose Gal. 6.3 4. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceiveth
way for your â—ture getting into Christ It is less dangerous for a â—an to be a stranger unto Christ and know that he is so â—an to be in that condition and not to know it This I â—dd to remove the main impediment that hindreth â—ens setting about the work of self-examination â—or I am verily perswaded herein lâ—eth a principal â—stacle They are loath to search themselves lest â—ey should find the worst by themselvs Just as some â—reless Shop-keepers that are run much behind â—nd they cannot endure to look into their books 〈◊〉 to cast up their accounts lest they should be â—quainted with their own poverty and see in â—â—at a low condition they are But mind it Sirs it â—better to trie and know that you are under the guilt of your sins and children of the wrath of God then to continue such and not to know it It is the knowledge of a sinners perishing condition will cause him to hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ and make him restless in his spirit till he get into Christ These are the people to whom Christ is sent to bring deliverance such as find they are sinners and are heavy laden under the burden of sin Isa 61.1 2 3. They are such lost sheep which the great Shepherd of souls will seek after that is such as are sensible of their lost condition Ezek. 34.16 I will seek that which is lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick But I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them with judgment And it is ignorance of mens misery and wretchedness which is the devils great engine whereby he carrieth sinners blindfold and headlong into the pit of destruction As the knowledge of the disease is the first part of the cure so it is the knowledge of a mans damnable condition which is one of the first steps unto his conversion and salvation This is all I shall speak to the second head under the Use of Trial By way of motive and provocative thereunto 3. Let me close this Use with some special directions to guide you in the discharge of this work of self-examination That you may come to a right conclusion and resolution of the case Whether you are spiritually ingraffed into Christ and be such as have the Son and life through him or not And here I might give you a catalogue of Scripture-marks and evidences for trial upon this account But I shall not multiply particulars we will only insist upon the principal matter to be enquired into for proof of your union with the Son of God And a little to direct you in the method of your proceeding herein that it may be done effectually and successfully you must diligently heed and observe these following Rules of advice wherein I will proceed by way of gradation the better to help both your understandings and memories Direct 1. For the examination and trial of your selves and in order to the passing a righteous sentence upon your selves whether you are united to Christ You must firstly and fundamentally enquire if the grace of regeneration hath been poured out upon you and a sound conversion wrought within you This is the foundation evidence of a mans having the Son and other marks are made use of for discovery of this and in a subserviency to the manifestation hereof And the reason of it is obvious Because in the day of conversion this union is made up By the spirit of regeneration Christ doth take possession of sinners for himself and by a living faith which is one of the graces then planted in their souls they do receive Christ and embrace him as theirs and so are knit unto him as hath been largely opened By a through conversion the Lord Jesus doth cull out a people from the world and gather them unto himself So that this is primarily and chiefly to be sought into whether you are truly converted and made partakers of the renewing grace of the holy Ghost For if any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Here is the grand question Are we new creatures Is there a through change wrought upon our spirits Is corruption mortified in us and the power of it subdued and a new principle of holiness put into and ingraven upon our hearts Thus it will be if you are one with Christ Except you are converted you are strangers to him and have no saving interest in him Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness The body is dead that is the body of corruption is mortified and the force of it is taken away whereby it exercised dominion over you As before you were dead in sin so now you are dead unto sin and quickned and made alive unto righteousness Here is the failure of many and the occasion of their being deceived in this point of their belonging to Christ They sometimes look into the actions of their lives but never seriously consider whether the grace of conversion be shed abroad into their hearts They rest in a civil moral conversation and do not throughly weigh whether they are made partakers of the spirit of regeneration Whereas this is the fundamental evidence of our union with Christ 1 Joh. 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit And Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his That is If he have not those gracious qualifications which are infused into the soul by the spirit in the work of conversion If he have not his heart moulded anew and fashioned aright by the holy Ghost If he have not the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord which was the spirit that rested upon Christ he is none of his Isa 11.2 This is firstly and fundamentally to be enquired after whether the work of conversion be wrought upon us and the grace of regeneration be formed in us Direct 2. If a person would be inabled to take cognizance of himself and to pass a right judgment upon himself whether he be converted and so knit to Jesus He must of necessity in order thereunto be well instructed in the nature and quality of conversion My meaning is this He must rightly understand wherein a sound and sincere conversion lieth and what a change it maketh upon the soul and what effects it produceth that so he may not mistake a feigned conversion for a true and a slight work upon the spirit which is common to the wicked for the grace of regeneration which is peculiar to the people of God For mark it Sirs There is a false conversion as well as a true and counterfeit grace as well as that which is grace indeed and in
reality As there is a feigned faith and formal worship and hypocritical obedience so there is a counterfeit conversion Jer. 3.10 Her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart but feignedly saith the Lord. There is much deceit and treachery in this work there may be a turning from sin when it is done in falshood there may be an inward work upon the heart that doth not amount to a saving change or sanctifying of the heart As for instance 1. There may be a kind of abhorrence and forsaking of some wicked wayes to cleave the faster unto others A sinner may shake off some kind of pride to feed his covetousness and in compliance therewith He may leave his profaneness and become an Idolater or superstitious As it was in the case of Micha Judg. 17.2 5. When his mother cursed and bann'd for her money that was stollen this startled his conscience and made him vomit up the sweet morsel which he had swallowed down But the man Micah had an house of Gods an made an Ephod and a Teraphim A sinner may leave his worldliness and become loose and wanton He may cast off his open debauchery and become a secret opposer of the power of godliness For as sin is contrary to grace and striveth against it so there are corruptions which are contrary to one another and fight one against the other Jam. 4.1 2. There is a kind of conversion from sin to civility When a person leaveth his swearing and drunkenness and revelling and the like and becometh a civil man and of an ordinary external demeanour but proceedeth no further Mat. 23.27 28. 3 There may be an abandoning and casting away many miscarriages in the practise when yet the heart still hankereth after them and were it not for some restraints of providence would quickly rush into the actual commission of them What could have been spoken more like to a convert than that of Balaam Numb 24.13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or bad of mine own mind but what the Lord saith that will I speak When yet he loved the wages of unrighteousness and fain would have cursed Israel 2 Pet. 2.15 4. There may be a kind of conversion from sin for the present with a secret purpose of the heart to return to it again in convenient season A sinner may fall out with his lusts and be filled with dislike of them for some present mischief they have done him when he is corrected for them with an outward judgment and yet the heart intend no total divorce or separation Just as friends may fall out in a fit of passion but when they are come to themselves they are easily reconciled again As it was in the case of the Jews Jer. 34.9 10 11 15 16 17. When the King of Babylons army fought against Jerusalem and the Princes and people were in great distress they turned and did that which was right in the sight of the Lord But when the distress was over they returned back again to their sins as fast as ever So it is with many carnal people when they are on their sick beds O how hot are they then against their sins and what a cry will they make as if none were more filled with hatred against sin But when once the sickness is over they quickly repent of their repentance See how far the people went in time of a destroying plague when they were every hour in jeopardy of their lives Psal 78.34 35 36. When he slew them then they sought him that is they prayed to him and they lamented after the Lord they poured out their supplications in the time of chastisement And they returned that is they left their sins and promised amendment and possibly made solemn vows Covenants never to return to them again if God would deliver them but this once they would serve him for ever And they enquired early after God that is earnestly and affectionately as if they were eagerly set upon regaining his favour and nothing would satisfie them without it They enquired after him as if they had been ready to do whatsoever he should command them And they remembred that God was their rock and the high God their redeemer So that this was not only a sudden flash of their spirits but a matter done upon some kind of deliberation they were convinced that it was best for them to serve the Lord and they cast off their sins upon that conviction And yet all was done but in hypocrisie as it followeth v. 36. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their lips and they lied unto him with their tongues For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Now if persons be not rightly instructed in the nature of a true conversion and where the difference is betwixt it and this counterfeit work it is impossible they should rightly judge if themselves are truly converted If they be not rightly informed of the nature of saving grace they cannot rightly determine whether they are partakers of it I am perswaded that this is the original of the presumption and self-deceit of many They presently conclude themselves to be godly because they are not well instructed in the nature of godliness They think that they have repented unto salvation because they know not wherein such repentance doth consist they take the form of godliness for the power of it and a legal repentance for evangelical If they find some convictions and trouble in their spirits for sin they are presently willing to believe it is a conversion from sin If there be found in their hearts some slight affections to the word they apprehend themselves to be savingly wrought upon by the word If in their conversations they leave some old sins and turn over a new leaf they imagine themselves to be new creatures Whereas a saving conversion is another kind of matter it maketh a change in the whole nature of the sinner It is not limited and confined to any particular faculties of the soul but extendeth it self to the renovation of the whole man Jer. 24.7 It doth not only set a man free from some grosser acts of iniquity which a natural conscience will startle at but setteth up a standing enmity in the soul against every false way whether greater or lesser whether they be sins of the flesh or of the spirit Psal 119.104 And this enmity is a lasting irreconcileable enmity such as shall never be rooted out again It is not as the damming up of a stream with mounds and banks which when they are broken it runneth the same way with as great a violence as ever but it is as the cleansing of the fountain and turning the water into another channel Jer. 3.19 A sound conversion doth not only turn the soul from sin but causeth him to return unto the Lord even unto
In studying to approve our selves in the sight of God So the Apostle seemeth to explain it 2 Cor. 2.17 As of sincerity as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ 2. In serving the Lord for himself My meaning is this Then is a Christian sincere in his obedience when he is not acted therein by fleshly wisdom nor doth make Religion subservient to any carnal ends But he hath a single eye of regard to the glory of God the maintaining fellowship with him and the secuting his own interest in the Lord as a portion for his soul When he is carried on to the works of holiness by spiritual arguments he doth that which is commanded out of respect to the commandment or eo nomine for that very reason because it is the commandment of the Lord and his heart stands in awe of it This alone is to serve the Lord in obedience to his will Else if you set upon a course of Religion for any secular advantage that cometh by it you do but serve your selves by Religion As it is said of the Schismaticks Rom. 16.18 They that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly They pretended Christ but designed themselves And so do hypocrites of all sorts they serve not God by their works of piety but their own profit and advancement in the word * These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ-merchants and Christ-hucksters as one calls them they serve their own credit and reputation and the furtherance of some carnal interest or perhaps they may serve their very lusts and make provision for them by the duties of Religion So the whore in the Proverbs Chap. 7.14 15. She paid her vows and offered peace-offerings that she might purchase a license to sin more freely Thus multitudes of people debase Religion They go on in a constant road of outward performances that at other times they may take the greater liberty and sin with lesser disturbance in their spirits But now a sincere Christian serves the Lord himself in all the parts of his obedience As he is spiritual in the discharge of his work so the reasons and motives are spiritual whereby he is stirred up unto the discharge of it And here is a main ground of the universality of a believers obedience because spiritual reasons are comprehensive of the whole will of God whereas carnal motives and arguments have but a partial influence A little to clear it by instances If you avoid sin because of the shame of the world that will only help to preserve you from open wickedness but will have no influence against secret pollutions which the world cannot observe If you perform duty to please a party or to get some temporal benefit that will only ingage you in the practise of such duties as are countenanced by them and are pleasing in their eye but will no way prevail as to the practise of such as are contemned and despised But now if you obey the will of God because it is his will That will enforce an obedience to all * A quatenus ad de omni valet consequentia that he hath injoyned Psal 119.101 If you abstain from sin because God observeth it this consideration will fence against all sin whatsoever Job 31.1 4. If you walk in wayes of holiness that you may have fellowship with God and glorifie his name and be inabled to give up a comfortable account unto him these inducements will have an influence into the right ordering of all the particulars of your demeanour Eccl. 12. v. 14. And here is the conversation that will prove the work of regeneration and minister joy thereupon When in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 When we do not truck with Religion nor make it a stalking-horse in subordination to any base or corrupt ends But what we do is done in a measure in a singleness of spirit and in the integrity of our hearts as mainly indeavouring therein to to be accepted of God This is the fourth property of evidential obedience It must be sincere 5. It must be thriving obedience and of an increasing nature for sanctifying grace is of a thriving nature So that such as are holy indeed will be still pressing after further degrees of holiness and they that live through the Spirit will endeavour to have life more abundantly they will be going forwards unto perfection at least in vehement desires and sollicitous and earnest indeavours after it Besides there is such sweetness and excellency in communion with God that whosoever tasteth it cannot but be longing and reaching after more and more till he come to full fruition and enjoyment 1 Pet. 2.2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As new born babes q. d. This is the property of all that are regenerate the picture of an infant doth not grow but a living child doth and there is as natural and direct a tendancy in a child of God towards increase in holiness as there is in a new born child to the breast that he may grow in strength and stature And this you will labour after if so be that you have tasted that the Lord is gratious That taste will set an edge upon your desires and cause you to hunger and thirst with greater eagerness after more * Sitis duplex est 1. Vna totalis indigentiae Isa 6.5 13. 2. Altera fruitionis complacentiae partialis Illa tollitur per gratiae participationem haec crescit indies dum sumus in via per fidem ambulantes non per aspectum Ames Coron When persons can sit down contented with the least measures of holiness and think If they have but grace in the smallest degree so much as will give them an interest in God and bring them safely to heaven they will not care for more but there they will take up their rest and live at ease without troubling themselves to aspire after further degrees It is a shrewd sign that they are utterly strangers to the workings of grace in the heart For did they but once taste the spiritual deliciousness of fellowship with the most High it would fill them with an insatiable appetite after greater attainments they would be ever pressing towards the mark and labouring to proceed from strength to strength til they should appear in Sion before the Lord They would study to augment their faith till it came to sight and to promote their hopes till they were turned into fruition and to blow up the smoaking flax of their love till it were kindled in a pure spiritual unmixed flame They would think they never had grace enough till it were swallowed up in glory nor that they were sufficiently holy till made perfect in holiness Job 17.9 He that hath clean hands
talents to the doing of thy will and the advancement of thy glory If hitherto I have served divers lusts and pleasures now I will serve my God even him only If I have for the former part of my life trampled upon thy commandments now I will devote my self wholly to thy fear and to the keeping thy statutes Psal 119.38 Psal 116.16 And 3. Take with you words of prayer and supplication and say unto him Lord Receive me graciously and love me freely and admit me again into thy service It is true that I am altogether unworthy to have the least regard from the God of heaven but I come unto thee through Christ who is worthy I beseech thee mercifully to inrol me amongst the number of thy peculiar people Hos 14.1 2. And my brethren if you do thus unfeignedly give up your selves unto God it will be a present testimony that you are alive from the dead that you are quickned by the holy Ghost Rom. 6.13 4. To put this matter of your conversion out of question Make an immediate entrance upon a course of new obedience Set now upon cleansing your selves further from all sorts of filthiness and actually perform those duties which in your places and stations are to be performed and therein study to approve your selves unto God If thine heart be privy to any corruption that hath been countenanced let it be wholly forsaken and the occasions of sin avoided If any wicked companion hath had too much of thy converse and intimacy now break off society with him If any duty hath been omitted let it be henceforward discharged if slightly performed let it be done in an humble serious and spiritual manner Hereby it will appear that you gave up your selves to be the Lord 's in sincerity that you do not complement only with him as many Professors do who are often professing and protesting to the Lord that they are his servants but still they follow the imaginations of their own hearts Then is the resignment of our selves unto the Almighty done in truth when it doth ingage us presently to walk in the truth I have sworn saith David and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments Psal 119.106 And such is the language of a true Convert I am the Lord 's and now I will demean my self as being his I have given my self to the most High and now I will be no more at my own disposal I have subscribed unto the Lord and accordingly I am doing his work So that here is the last word of advice for the present proof of your conversion and union with Christ thereupon Yield up your selves unto the Lord and serve the Lord your God 2 Chron. 30.8 Make a present entrance in the strength of the Spirit upon all the wayes of holiness and let that be your constant exercise from henceforth unto the end Thus I have finished the second use of the point by way of examination and trial CHAP. XII Exhortations grounded upon the doctrine of Union with Christ. To the unregenerate and Christless To Believers To all 3. THe last Use of this doctrine is for Exhortation wherein I will study to be more succinct and concise addressing my self in what I have to deliver under this head unto you my brethren under a threefold consideration I shall speak unto 1. The unregenerate who are strangers to Christ 2. Believers who are through grace ingraffed into Christ 3. All of you both of the one sort and of the other 1. To the wicked and unregenerate who are strangers unto Christ and that in a twofold respect In respect to 1. Believers 2. The wicked themselves 1. To the unregenerate and ungodly in reference to Believers Take heed that you be not found opposers of them in any regard whatsoever Remember they are knit to the Son of God and what you do against them he takes it as done against himself whose members they are And how will you stand before Christ at his tribunal if now you despise and set against his servants who are not only dear to him but are in him As Abner said to Assahel 2 Sam. 2.22 Turn thee aside from following me wherefore should I smite thee to the ground How then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother So should you bethink your selves How shall I lift up my face to Christ if I wrong his followers How will the Lord Jesus take it at my hands May not I certainly expect that he will avenge their quarrel upon me in my destruction For they are one with him so that he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 Christ hath a tender regard unto them and is sensible of the smallest injury that is done unto them as we are of the least blow or prick upon the apple of the eye Sirs It is the sorriest office imaginable to be a Persecutor of the Saints it is the worst imployment upon earth to set against believers for they are one with Christ and so in effect it is to fight against him * Doleamus necesse est quod nulla civitas impune latura sit sanguinis nostri effusionem Possumus aequè exitus quorundam praesidum tibi proponere qui in fine vitae suae recordati sunt deliquisse quod vexassent Christianos Sed qui videntur sibi impunè intulisse venient in diem divini judicii Non te terremus qui nec timemus sed velim ut omnes salves facere possmus monendo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fert ad scap And therefore let my counsel be acceptable in the words of Gamaliel Act. 5.38 39. Refrain from these men and let them alone if you love your souls do not meddle with them to their hurt do not harbour so much as an hard thought against them for therein you will be found fighters against God you will be found enemies to the Son of God for they are one with him And is it not a dangerous thing to set against Christ If he plead against you who shall maintain your cause before the Lord If thou make him thine adversary who shall be thy friend If Christ sentence thee to hell for opposing his members who shall be able to save thee from thence If you do but touch the Saints to their hurt you will burn your fingers by it nay you will ruine your souls for ever without a speedy repentance for they are one with Jesus This Exhortation may fitly be branched forth into four particulars 1. Do not scandalize or offend the servants of God See to it that you be not guilty of laying stumbling blocks in their way Be careful what in you lieth that you do not grieve their spirits nor sadden their hearts by your disorderly walking But especially take heed that you lay none occasions of falling in their way which is the offence that the holy Ghost * Illud scandalum dicitur ubi recto itinere ambulanti deceptie aliqua
the God of heaven Their tongues will make mention of the praises of his name and sing aloud of his righteousness Psal 149.6 Their hearts will be filled with an holy admiration of his greatness and majesty and wonderful goodness in their redemption 2 Thes 1.10 He will be glorified in his Saints and admired in them that do believe Their lives also will be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Phil. 1.11 2. God is glorified upon believers in more of his attributes and excellencies Peculiarly in his free grace and tender mercy which is the attribute that he delighteth to magnifie and taketh singular pleasure in the exercise of Mic. 7.18 God doth shew forth his truth and justice and declare his power and holiness in the ruine of the ungodly but there are no prints or footsteps of his free grace and compassion Their portion is wrath without mixture Rev. 14.10 But what saith the Prophet of them that are saved Mark that notable Text Isa 63.7 8. I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the praises of the Lord according to all that the Lord hath bestowed upon us and the great goodness towards the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses For he said surely they are my people children that will not lye So he was their Saviour Here is a discovery of grace rich inexpressible grace herein is manifest the goodness of God nay the great goodnesses of the Lord here is mercy and loving-kindness yea a multitude of mercies loving-kindnesses 3. In some of his attributes God is more transcendently glorified viz. in his wisdom and power It was a work of infinite skill and wisdom to find out a way to redeem lost sinners from the jaws of eternal death to execute vengeance upon the transgression and yet to save the transgressors O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Rom. 11.33 It is a work of greater power to pull a soul out of the hands of the Devil than to give him over to the will of Satan Eph. 1.19 20. Nay the very justice of God is better satisfied by believers through their surety than in the damnation of such as perish in their unbelief Here the price paid is the death of a creature but there the precious bloud of the Son of God as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.18 The wicked that perish are ever satisfying and have never given full satisfaction for the wrong which they have done their debt is paying as it were by driblets But in the behalf of believers the work is compleated and finished the utmost farthing was paid together upon the nail and there is nothing further to be demanded For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 Now if God be more glorified in the salvation of such as are in Christ undoubtedly he is willing that you should come unto Christ and is ready to receive you when ye come So much for the third direction Direct 4. To stir you up to a closure with this advice and diligent prosecution of this work of getting into Christ Often revolve in your thoughts and lay seriously to heart this following consideration viz. That if you perish for ever in a separation from the Lord Jesus and for want of being in him that you may partake of his righteousness it will wholly proceed from your own default and your bloud will be upon your own heads And what anguish and horror will this bring to thy conscience in the day of accounts to bethink thy self thus I might have been saved by the bloud of the covenant but I would not and now I must lie bound for ever in the chains of darkness For it is a sinners willful rejecting of the tenders of mercy upon the terms of the Gospel which is the cause of his falling short of the mercy tendred Although it is Gods free grace and not mans free will that doth conduct believers un o the kingdom of heaven yet it is the perverseness and obstinacy of the will of unbelievers which hindereth their deliverance from the damnation of hell Jo. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life Hos 5.4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord Ezek. 18.31 Why will ye die O house of Israel q. d. If you are destroyed for ever you may thank your selves you are the blame-worthy cause of your own eternal ruine by refusing the terms on which salvation is offered And I pray think of it often what an unspeakable torment it will be to thy spirit for ever to reflect upon this very thing I have been wooed and intreated to lay down the arms of my rebellion and to submit to the government of Christ that I might be saved and I would not How often hath the spirit of God strived with me and I still resisted the Holy Ghost The word of God hath called upon me and I have broken through the convictions of the word With what confusion wilt thou be filled when the Lord Jesus shall say unto thee how often would I have gathered thee into the number of my servants and thou wouldest not be gathered and now depart from me thou accursed wretch into everlasting fire Mat. 23 37. Thus I have ended the first head of exhortations directed unto the wicked who are yet strangers unto Christ 2. Let me speak unto the godly who are through rich mercy and grace ingraffed into Christ and made partakers of this priviledge of union with the Son Be exhorted 1. To be much in blessing the name of God for his signal saving and differencing mercy Adore him for advancing you to this high dignity Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon you that you should be called the sons of God! Nay that he should take you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ and intimately knit you unto him 1 Jo. 3.1 Will you bless God for temporal mercies and not be ravished with the contemplation of this super-eminent blessing Certainly my brethren eternity itself will be little enough to admire the wonderful and unsearchable grace of the Lord. 2. Be exhorted moreover rightly to improve the consideration of this unspeakable gift And that especially in these six cases 1. Improve it in case of transgressions to humble you and to fill you with an holy shame and self-abhorrence in the sense of your miscarriages Not only to fill you with hatred against sin but with a loathing and detestation of your selves because of sin Let your thoughts be set on work in this Evangelical manner Hath God advanced me to this high dignity and shall I be so unworthy as to rise up against him Am I a person closely joyned unto Christ and in covenant with God through Christ
dum recipit de reddendo cogitat Sen de Benef. with for his sake Hath the Lord Jesus taken me into such a neer relation unto himself and shall not I love him and serve him with all my strength Surely to this precious Saviour I will cleave and his pleasure I will do and nothing shall separate betwixt my soul and him Take the exhortation in the words of S. Paul Col. 2.6 7. As ye have therefore received Jesus Christ the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving 3. Let me add but a few particulars by way of advice and exhortation to all and so we will conclude our discourse upon this subject If in order to the salvation of sinners by Christ they must be united to him and ingraffed in Christ Then be exhorted all of you 1. To learn the spiritual lessons which are from this point to be learned 2. To practise the duties that are hereupon to be practised 1. Learn the lessons which are from this doctrine to be learned And they are principally two which I shall commend unto you besides what I gave you under the use of information 1. Learn from hence The necessity of regeneration in order to eternal life Except you are persons born again of the Spirit you cannot enter into the kingdom of God Except you be quickned by the holy Ghost it is impossible you should be blessed in the presence of the Lord. Why Because you must have the Son you must be knit unto Christ and it is in the day of regeneration that the knot is tyed whereby the Lord Jesus and a Christian are joyned together It is the grace of regeneration and conversion that removeth a sinner from his own bottom and buildeth him upon the Mediator as upon a sure foundation as hath been largely opened So that believe this point and work it powerfully by meditation and prayer upon your own hearts That no regeneration no salvation It was the doctrine wherewith our Saviour began his Sermon to Nicodemus and he speaketh of it as a matter of great concernment to be studied Joh. 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Mark how the assertion is strengthned with a double asseveration to note how hard a thing it is to convince a sinner effectually of this matter and how neerly it doth concern us to be thus convinced It is as if Christ had said The children of men are apt to think otherwise they hope to get into heaven upon the account of their notional knowledge and common priviledges and moral righteousness and the like But it cannot be I tell thee it cannot be take it upon my word Do your hearts question it Verily it cannot be verily it is impossible that any man should be saved except he be sanctified Whence you will say doth arise this absolute necessity of a man's being born again I answer It doth arise from these four things 1. From the stedfastness and unalterableness of the purpose of God Whom he hath predestinated unto life he hath determined to lead thither through the gate of regeneration So that if ever you get to heaven without partaking of this grace it must be by the change of the decree and purpose of God which is in its own nature unchangeable for the counsel of the Lord standeth fast for ever And observe the tenour of his purpose touching the way of life 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit Although God doth not elect or save any of the children of men for their holiness yet he doth elect them unto holiness that they may be saved 2. The absolute necessity of regeneration doth appear from the infinite holiness and purity of the God of heaven who will never maintain any converse or fellowship with such as lie dead in their sins nor indeed is it possible they should have communion with God till they are washed and sanctified An unsanctified mind cannot behold him an unholy will cannot enjoy him and unholy affections can take no delight or complacency in him My brethren when persons are called into the state of the favour of God they are called also unto fellowship with him Now what communion hath light with darkness What friendly intercourse can there be betwixt a God of incomprehensible purity and such whose spirits are nothing but sinks of filthiness First you must be made again after the image of God and so fitted for acquaintance with the most high for God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity and he hateth all the workers of it Hab. 1.13 Psal 5.4 5. 3. Without a principle of grace planted in the heart there can be no fruits of new obedience brought forth in the life which are of indispensable necessity to our getting safe to heaven Such as are saved by the Lord must be serviceable unto him for Christ will judge us hereafter according to our conversations here As a man soweth that he shall also reap Rev. 2.23 Gal. 6.7 8. Now except you be regenerate you cannot walk in a course of new obedience First there must be a good treasure in the heart before it can be productive of what is good in the life As the principles are so the practise will be Mat. 12.33 34 35. Besides God doith judge of mens works and deeds by the frame of their hearts in the doing of them He doth search the heart and try the reins that he may give to every man according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 17.10 4. The indispensable necessity of regeneration doth arise from the influence it hath to unite a sinner unto Christ without having of whom there is no partaking of life through his bloud The day of regeneration is the day of espousals between the Lord Jesus and his people It is that which helpeth to make the marriage betwixt them For if any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 This is the first Lesson I would from hence commend to your study and meditation 2. Learn from this point of a Believers union with Christ What is the influence of faith in the justification of a sinner or in what sense it is said to justifie us in the sight of God Not by any inherent worth and vertue in it self but because it is the bond that knitteth a sinner to Christ by the imputation of whose righteousness we are made righteous If we are justified it is freely by the grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Only the grace of faith is the instrument to bring us unto Christ and the bond of our union with him that so we may partake of that redemption * Sicut olim in deserto serpens aeneus in ligno punctis à serpentibus medebatur
non omnibus sed iis qui in illum aspiciebant Non quod aspectus medicamentum esset sed quod virtus serpentis per aspectum in iis sanitatem operaretur Ita Christas in cruce exaltatus virtutem passionis suae in iis exercet qui credunt in ipsum Tolet. in Rom. 3. Rom. 3.24 25. Faith doth not justifie a sinner as the hand of a labourer doth enrich him but as the hand of a beggar * Non ut manus laborantis sed ut manus mendicantis Fidem dicimus justificare correlativè hoc est per modum instrumenti quod justitiam evangelicam extra nos in Christo constitutam apprehendit nobis applicat Wendel system majus who is enriched by a free gift which he receiveth with his hand We are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by virtue of the satisfaction which he hath made faith only doth knit us legally unto Christ and implant us into him that we may receive the benefit of that satisfaction 1 Cor. 6.11 Act. 13.39 Rom. 5.1 9 10. 2. Set upon the discharge of those duties which are upon this account to be discharged That is to say 1. Bless the Lord for the manifestation of this great mystery and that your lot is fallen in such times and places when and where it is discovered and set open before your eyes For as the Apostle speaketh It is a mystery which hath been kept hid from ages and generations but is now made manifest unto his Saints To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1.26 27 28. 2. Adore the condescention and grace of our Lord Jesus who was pleased to humble himself to come down to us that we might be exalted unto a state of oneness with him Especially if thou art partaker of this grace how should thy heart be ravished in the contemplation of it Thou shouldst be ready to cry out with an holy astonishment of Spirit as David in another case 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord God my Redeemer and my Saviour Where is any loveliness in my person or what have I deserved at thy hands that thou hast brought me hitherto 3. Take heed to your selves that you do not fall short of this grace and priviledge Labour every day more and more to clear it up to the consolation of your hearts that you have the Son by being united unto the Son And to that purpose besides what hath been mentioned already seriously weigh and ponder these three further evidential properties of such as are in Jesus 1. If you be knit unto Christ you will be sharers with him in all his concernments You will be affected with his interest and affairs as if it were your own If Christ be advanced it will rejoyce your hearts and if his name be dishonoured or his glory be ecclipsed it will bring trouble and sadness upon your spirits If you are in Christ you will joyn interests with him and you will have * Amici sunt qui simul laetantur commodis contristantur adversis quibus eadem bona malae sunt qui sunt iisdem amici inimici common friends and enemies with the Lord Jesus You will be able to say in a measure with Paul it matters not what becomes of my secular concernments so that Christ be magnified Phil. 1.20 And with David The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me And in another place Do not I hate them that hate thee O Lord Am not I grieved with them that rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies Psal 139.21 22. 2. If you are ingraffed into Christ you will not walk in any way of ungodliness whatsoever For whosoever abideth in him sinneth not i.e. he doth not sin allowedly and presumptuously at the rate as wicked men sin Compare 1 Joh. 3.6 with 2 Sam. 22.22 23. 3. Lastly If you are united to the Son of God you will not only readily close with his word but continue stedfast and unmoveable therein unto the end Joh. 15.7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you 1 Joh. 2.5 Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected Hereby we know that we are in him Whoso keepeth his word that is he that hideth it as a treasure in his heart and walketh by the guidance of it in his wayes and will not part with the word nor with the way of holiness therein prescribed notwithstanding all assaults and opp sitions of men and devils In him verily is the love of God perfected i.e. then it doth appear to be love of the right kind and then it hath attained its end which is the perfection of it For to this end is the grace of love planted in the hearts of Christs seed that they may cheerfully obey his word and precepts and stick close thereunto at all times and seasons Hereby we know that we are in him that is If we keep his word and stedfastly cleave unto Christ and to the doctrines which he hath taught For as it is in the second Epistle of John v. 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he both hath the Father and the Son Orig. hom in Gen. cap. 19. Si vis amplecti amplectere sapientiam dic sapientiam sororem tuam esse ut sapientia dicat de te Qui fecerit voluntatem Patris mei qui est in coelis hic meus frater soror mater est Quae sapientia Jesus Christus Dominus noster est cui est gloria imperium in secula seculorum Amen FINIS Courteous Reader By reason of the Authors absence from the Press many literal mistakes and some errors in pointing have happened for which a pardon of course is expected Such Errata as most disturb or alter the sense are here noted Errata PAge 2. The quotation is by the Printer misplaced p 6. l 6. for either r. one p. 22. l. 10 for compare r. comport p. 36. l. 27. r. are p. 37. l. 25. and in some other places for closs r. close p. 40. l. 22. dele un p. 61. l. 17. r. distinguished p. 85. l. 26. r. into p. 94. l. 29. r. him p. 106. in the quotation r. tentat p. 118 l. 2. r. from p. 135. l. 27. dele q.d. p. 136. l. 23. r. Temporary p. 137. l. 10. dele who in the quotation r. testes p. 149. l. 8. r. in both l. 26. r. hungring in the quotation r. unimur p. 212. l. 31. r. naturally p. 219. l. 2. l. 6 for might r. may p. 239. l. 17. r. the p. 253. In the quotation
humanam divinam prout nititur testimonio vel humano vel divino Ames de fid divin verit If it be built upon Education or Custom the Opinions of Learned men or the Traditions of our Fathers and of the Church and the like humane evidence then it cannot amount no higher than to an humane faith And it is to befeared that the faith of the generality of people called Christians is of this sort onely They believe the Christian Religion to be the true Religion and the Bible to contain the word of God Why Because all their forefathers were of that Religion and they were bred and brought up in that way such Ministers have told them so and they see many wise men are of that minde They have the same grounds for their belief as Mahometans and other Idolaters have for theirs And as one well observeth these are Christians rather by chance than by choice If their lot had fallen amongst Heathens and worshippers of stocks and stones for the same reasons they would have been of their Religion they would have opposed the Gospel upon the very same grounds that now they embrace it Divine truths may be believed by a meer humane faith if the testimony be humane upon which they are believed * It being an impossibility that the assent to the matters of faith should rise higher or stand firmer than the assent to the testimony upon which those things are believed My assent to the object believed is according to my assent to the medium on which I believe it Stillingf Rational account p. 112. A divine faith must be built upon a divinetestimony when a man doth believe the word of God from those divine Marks and Characters which are stamped upon it from that mighty and supernatural efficacy which it hath whereby God doth bear witness unto his word Thus the Apostle observeth touching the Thessalonians that they received divine truths upon divine testimony they received it as the â—ord of God for it came to them not in word onely but in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance 1 Thes 1.5 i. e. It had such a powerful influence upon their hearts and consciences that thereby they were assured it was of God 2. There is a Temporary faith which goeth a step further than the former When the judgement is not onely convinced of the divine original and authority of the Scriptures but those convictions work in some measure upon the affections that they are taken with the goodness and excellency of them When the heart is carryed out in a kinde of love and liking to the Person revealing and the Doctrines revealed and there are some degrees of inclination towards a closure with those Doctrines onely they are raised in them but for a fit whist they are in a good mood as we say and it endureth but for a time it cannot abide the trial when any great difficulties attend their obedience unto the word then they cast it off And for this reason it is called a temporary faith Such a faith you meet with in some of the followers of Christ whom yet he durst not trust for he knew they were but hypocrites though now they followed him yet shortly they would set against him when the Scene was altered they would betray him and of false friends become his professed enemies John 2.23 24. Many believed in his name when they saw the Miracles which he did Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men Such was the faith of those others mentioned as his Disciples John 6.66 From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him And therefore it is observable what our Saviour spake to the Jews that believed on him John 8.31 If ye continue in my word then are ye â—â—y Disciples indeed Then are ye my Disciples that is then it will be evident that you are then you will give undeniable proof * â—es tum demum dicuntâ—â— fieri cum inci piunt patefieri that your faith is of the right kind else you may gracious habits the Lord Jesus taketh hold on their souls and by putting forth this habit into act and exercise they receive and take hold of the Lord Jesus Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him i. e. as you have believed on him and imbraced or received him by believing That is the first thing I would commend unto you viz. this Scripture distinction of the sorts of faith 2. This justifying faith hath the Lord Jesut Christ himself for the special immediate object with whom it closeth and upon whom it is exercised It is Christ himself who is primarily tendered in the offers of the Gospel and therefore true faith of this fort goeth forth unto him The special consideration under which a Believer goeth forth to Christ in the actings of faith for justification it is as dying and satisfying the justice of God and therefore usually called faith in his blood and the great incouragement whereupon a Believer is emboldened to act his faith is the tender of the Gospel and the promises thereof but it is Christ himself which is the special immediate object upon which faith as justifying is acted and with whom it closeth The sinner being incouraged by the promise doth embrace Christ in the promise Hence it is commonly stiled faith in Christ and a believing on the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 I have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you c. testifying both to the Jews and also the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Mark it as repentance hath God for its ultimate object it is a turning from sin and returning unto God even unto him so faith hath Christ for its special object The great fundamental act of faith whereupon finners are justified is conversant about Christ Act. 26.18 That they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith that is in me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith that is acted upon me upon Jesus for they are his words It is by faith exerted and acted upon him that forgiveness of sins is conveyed Unto that it seemeth to relate and the other words to come in as a parenthesis as if it had been that they may receive forgiveness of sins by faith that is in me and also an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified It hath sometimes appeared as strange to me to meet with descriptions of the nature of justifying faith without so much as the mention of Jesus Christ the object upon whom it is acted See the process of the workings of the heart of S. Paul in believing and how he taught in the Churches of Christ First he was deadned as to expectation of life from the Law the first Covenant and then he addresseth himself for justification unto Christ by believing on him who is the only Mediator of
faith or faith as it is a spiritual act and work not the works of faith that justifie a sinner in the sight of God yet that faith which giveth him a title to the righteousness of the Mediator by whom alone he can be justified must be an operative and working faith such as purgeth the conscience from dead works and bringeth the soul into subjection unto Christ's Laws and Government To this purpose the words of the Apostle James are observable Cap. 2.14 What doth it profit my brethren if a man say he hath faith and have not works can faith save him It is not said though he have faith and have not works for where there is faith in the heart there will be new obedience in the life but if he say that he hath it if he be a pretender to it can such a dead lifeless pretended faith save him Christ is held forth in the Gospel not only as a Redeemer but as a Lord and a Law-giver and these are inseparably connected and knit together He that presumeth to divide between what God hath joyned together that will accept of Jesus as a Saviour but not as a Soveraign doth not indeed receive the Christ of God but an idol stamed by his own heart Whom he doth save he will rule and govern Heb. 5.9 He became the Anthor of eternal salvation unto all them that obeyed him I shall not need to trouble you with controversal points as whether faith quà justifying under that very notion or consideration doth receive Christ as a Lord This is acknowledged on both hands that the faith which justifieth doth receive Christ in al his offices as a Prophet to instruct and guide us in the ways of God as a King to exercise rule and dominion over us and as a Priest to reconciâ—e and make intercession for us If we come to Christ for salvation we must take his yoke upon us Mat. 11.28 29. For a dividing faith is a false hypocritical faith to whom Christ giveth remission of sins he giveth repentance also He saveth us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost So that if we receive him as a Saviour we must have him as a Sanctifier for he saveth by sanctifying and conducteth sinners to eternal peace by guiding their feet in the ways of peace Thus I have ended together the mystical union betwixt believers and the Lord Jesus which I mainly drove at and intend when I shall speak of it afterwards as the foundation of our communion with Christ and receivings from him as also the sixth Proposition laid down to open the manner of the Conjunction between Christ and his people and their oneness thereupon There are two Propositions more yet behinde which I come now to insist upon that I may finish my answer to the third General Head 7. Propos 7. From this mystical union of a Believer with Christ or being ingraffed into Christ there doth flow another sort of union between them whereof love is the bond which may be well improved as an evidence of the former and it is usually called a moral union Such an oneness as there is between the dearest friends whose hearts are linked together in the bond of amity and mutual affection We say sometimes of intimate friends they are so nearly conjoyned as if they were but one as if the same soul did animate both in their bodies * Amor non est desiderium aut appetitus ut ab omnibus bactenus traditum Nam cum potimur amatâ re non manet appetitus Est igitur affectus quo cum re amatá aut animur aut unionem perpetuamus Scalig. Exerc. 301. Anima est ubi amat potiùs quam ubi animat Deut. 13.6 Thy friend which is as thine own soul So are the Lord Jesus and his peculiar people knit together He hath a very dear and inflamed affection to them He loves them that love him Prov. 8.17 His delights are with the sons of men Prov. 8.31 And on the other hand he is in their hearts so as to live and die together It is the greatest pleasure believers have in the world to be contemplating the excellencies of Christ and conversing with him it is that which doth yield them the most solid content and satisfaction and they are still hungry and thirsting after the further enjoyment of him as if they could never have enough of fellowship and society with him John 21.17 Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time lovest thou me And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee He could hardly bear it to have his love to Christ called in question This union is notably set forth in the Song of Solomon You have many passages for it I will transcribe a few of them See the workings of their hearts towards Christ Cap. 2.3 4 5.6 7. As the apple-tree amongst the trees of the Wood so is my belâ—ved amongst the sons I sate under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste He brought me to the banquetting house and his banner over me was love Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me I charge you O ye Daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field that ye stir not up nor awake my love till he please as if the Church had said O take heed of displeasing the Lord Jesus there is nothing will cut me so deeply to the heart as if you despise him and sin against him He is the life of my life and the strength of my soul it is acquaintance with him that putteth sweetness into all my accommodations they would be comfortless comforts were it not for Christ I am never better then when I am in communion with him Again cap. 3.1 2 3 4. By night on my bed I sought him when my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not I will rise now and go about the City in the streets and in the broad wayes I will seek him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not The watchmen that go about the City found me to whom I said saw ye him whom my soul loveth It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him into my Mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived me as if the soul of a believer should say how much doth my Spirit long after Christ My thoughts are not onely upon him by day but my meditation is concerning him in the night season And if he doth hide his face I have no rest in my Spirit I make use of all means to recover the light of his countenance I pray and seek and cry and watch I converse with this Christian
being unsearchable as himself for his compassions are himself He is a God of mercy his nature and essence is made up of it Psal 62.12 Hast thou multiplyed thine abominations above what can be reckoned Why his compassions are more than can be numbred Let the wicked for sake his wayes and the man of iniquity his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will multiply to pardon Isa 55.7 But can it ever enter into the heart of a man to think that God will ever pardon such a wretch as I have been may the sinner say Mind what followeth v. 8. He is God and not man his mercies are not to be measured by our scantling For my thoughts are not your thoughts nor your wayes my wayes saith the Lord For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my wayes higher than your wayes and my thoughts than your thoughts 2. The death and sufferings of Jesus Christ which he underwent for satisfaction of the justice of God are of infinite value and have given plenary content and satisfaction and he is at the right hand of the Father to plead that satisfaction in the behalf of lost sinners So that there is no ground of despair in this respect as if they might be greater offenders than the blood of Jesus could purchase acceptance for He is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 and there is nothing beyond the uttermost If you perish for ever it is not for want of merit in the death of Christ for it was the death of that person who is the eternal God Act. 20.28 It was the death of the man who was God's fellow Zech. 13.7 The Father hath accepted of the price that he paid In him he is well pleased fully contented as to all the demands of his justice Mat. 3.17 Eph. 5.2 So that if you address your selves unto Christ and to God by him you may come with a full assurance of faith without doubting of acceptance though your sins have been never so great and your condition never so deplorable Heb. 10.19 22. That 's the second thing to be observed 3. As our Lord Jesus is able to save the most heinous sinners that come unto him in sincerity so he is as willing to receive them when they come and he will in no wise cast them out As he is mighty in strength so he is tender of heart his arms are open for the entertainment of such as come to him upon Gospel terms and will subject themselves unto his government So that there is no reason to despair of Christ's willingness to become thy Redeemer Here is that at which poor sinners are apt to stick Alas will they say We question not the sufficiency of his merit but will he ever vouchsafe to undertake the patronage and salvation of such a rebel as I have been Nay but O man art thou willing to accept him for thy Saviour and Master and to follow his conduct and to become his Disciple indeed Why he is abundantly more willing to receive thee into his protection He beseecheth sinners to come unto him and therefore surely he will not reject them when they do come 2 Co◠5.20 Yea but I have been a very rebel against heaven will the sinner say for many years together will not this hinder my acceptance Why mark that precious Text Psal 68.18 He hath received gifts for the rebellious also that the Lord God may dwell amongst them Oh but never was there a sinner in such a case as I am will the soul be apt to urge against himself Yet if thou comest unto Christ he will in no case cast thee on t Put the case that thou hast been guilty of the most horrid transgressions put the case that thou hast ran to all excess of riot yet mind that comprehensive word of promise which proceeded out of Christ's own mouth who is the Amen the faithful and true witness Joh. 6.37 All that the father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out It is an asseveration strengthned with a double negative in the original * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if our aviour had said I will not cast him out whosoever he be that cometh unto me Do you question it I tell you I will not You may build upon it with the greatest confidence As he hath elsewhere confirmed the promise of not forsaking those that are in him I will never never never never leave thee nor forsake thee * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.5 So here he hath strengthened the promise of not refusing such as come unto him I will not reject them I assure you saith Christ I will not So that nothing can stand in the way of mans salvation to hinder the accomplishment of it but his own wilful impenitence and unbelief These are the cases wherein there is not the least ground of desperation in any broken-hearted sinner whomsoever the Gospel hath provided plentiful remedy against it 4. Note in the fourth place That the high-way which leadeth the children of men to this damnable despair and so to give up themselves to commit iniquity with greediness is not doctrines of terror to the impenitent but presumptuously sinning against the Lord. When persons will walk contrary to the light of their own consciences and the clear dictates of the word of God and suffer their vile affections to suppress and stifle the convictions wrought upon their hearts this is the direct path that tends to desperation I pray mind it Sirs Poor ignorant people are very much deluded in this particular When they hear doctrines of wrath and judgment to come and everlasting destruction prepared for the workers of iniquity they presently cry out against the Ministers These are Preachers of damnation they would drive us to despair Nay but O vain man those doctrines tend to shew you the necessity of Christ and getting an interest in him and to cause you to despair in your selves which is a good step to salvation It is rebelling against the light and sinning against knowledge which make way for damnable despair What made Cain despair but because he had wickedly and wilfully departed from the Lord and trampled the commandment under his feet What brought Judas to despair but forcing down the dictates of his own light and conscience And you read of the people in Isaiah They roared like Bears in the agony of their Ipirits because they had gone on to sin against knowledge Isa 59.10 11 12. 5. But then in the last place There are four cases wherein I would quicken you to despair and to press such arguments upon your hearts as may be influential to incline you thereunto And without such kind of despairing you will never effectually mind the working out your salvation 1. You must despair of ever coming to the kingdom of heaven hereafter unless