the Mediator that High Priest through whose hands all go and whose Incense perfumes all our duties Rev. 8. 2. And remembers that his Service is not Meritorious but Eucharistical he believes that Christ will cover the follies and present the uprightness and he shall be accepted in the beloved 5. By enabling us to wait for the reward notwithstanding all the present discouragements that are in our way Faith works in patience faith entertains the promises and maketh realities of them though it seeth them afar off and can live upon them Heb. 11. 13. It dares to trust in God it saith the word is true a God that cannot lye hath given it who can give being to it will not forget Thus it makes us willing to wait Gods time and mean while confidently to hold on in our Obedience nothing doubting of the recompense and thus it supplies our Obedience USE I. For Information in a few particulars 1. Learn hence what to judge of those that profess faith and yet live in all disobedience Gospel times and places afford a great many of these who talk big of their faith and yet declare by their Conversation that they are under the dominion of their lusts these boast of a false gift and that may be applied to them Jam. 2. 18. A dead faith is of the same import with no faith for if there were any it would be active and if so it would have its operations and we are certain that the genuine operation of faith is by love Gal. 5. 6. i. e. Obedience to God which flows from a sincere love to him and though it should sometimes be supprest yet it would recover again and shew it self forth It is then vain for Drunkards vain Company keepers profane Swearers and such like to talk of their faith whose lives say they have none 2. Hence also learn what to think of those who on pretence of faith encourage themselves without Repentance in their Disobedience How many who have made some profession and do something in duties do live in gross neglects and are drawn into great transgressions and though they are convinced of it and cannot deny but that it is sin in them yet make a light matter of it their faith answers all and they do not repent soakingly of it but wipe off all with an easy complement and the Blood of Christ must answer for it though it be a truth that it must so if ever it be forgiven yet there is a way that faith directs to of which they are regardless What is this but to make faith a Cloak for sin which how contrary is it to the nature and end of it and must needs declare that they have it not or do not exercise it aright 3. Hence then how injuriously do our adversaries charge us for pleading for faith to nourish in men a neglect of Obedience This proceeds from the malignity of the proud hearts of men against the Gospel way of Salvation by Christ Rom. 6. 1. When as it is evident that the Doctrine of Faith is the ground of our establishing Evangelical Obedience since without it none can obey God aright and there is nothing that so obligeth quickeneth and helpeth us in our Serving of God as this faith doth if any then improve it to nourish neglect in them and embolden them to live in sin it is their ignorance of the nature of faith and these being without the experience of the efficacy of it None love God so much or are so convinced of the necessity of Circumspect walking or take such delight in the Law of God as those that have large measures of faith 4. See here a reason why Gods Children so often come short in their Obedience it is not because of a strong but of a weak faith If ever there be a defect in our vigorous Serving of God there was first a languishing in our faith if we are bold at any time to neglect our duty or to commit sin it is because our faith is not lively in the belief that God is Holy Just Omniscient that he hates sin c. If ever we are disheartened in duty and take discouragement from the difficulty of it and do it unevenly it is because faith is low in its actings and this may be instanced in every other respect if Peter sinks he is of little faith Mat 14. 31. 5. Here also is a reason why God sometimes leaves his own to fail in their Obedience Though they engage in duty with much confidence and resolution yet they flag and sail and fly off the reason is because they did not set about it in faith denying themselves and their own grace humbly depending on Christ but relied on their own strength eminent was this in Peter we see his confidence Mat. 26 33 35. And how bravely he began vers â—1 compare Joh. 18. 10. And yet see what all this came to verse 69 c. USE II. Let it be for Exhortation and that 1. In general to all As you would ever be able to Serve God aright seek after this faith This is the first thing and without it all other attempts or endeavours will be vain Consider 1. Without it you can do nothing Evangelically Under the First Covenant man had strength in himself yet he needed Divine Influence for the exerting of it for which there was requisite a faith in God but under the Covenant opened to man who hath lost his strength both the will and the deed must be fetched from Christ in whom all our help is Till you are believers you have no strength at all all you do without faith is legal and unprofitable for it will be condemned by the Law under which you are the Gospel life is a life of faith Gal. 2. 20. And till you believe you are dead Eph 2. 1. 2. Hence you cannot please God with any thing you do Heb. 11. 6. If you please your selves and think you do it very well and begin to commend your selves for it and are contented in it and if you please men in it who look on the outside and cannot know the heart and they applaud you for it yet this is all your reward As for God who is the Judge and according to whose judgment actions are weighed and will be determined you have no acceptance with him he loaths your actions and will condemn them because done without faith Would you not then live in vain and lose all your works Seek to be found in the faith Waith therefore on him who is the God of all grace that he would bestow this grace upon you whereby you may serve him acceptably and receive the reward of grace at his hand in the day of recompence 2. To the Children of God Would you lead a life of exact and constant Obedience See then to your faith I know nothing of greater moment for Gods people since faith is to influence the whole of our life and all will be according
hath purchased it he came for that very end and he hath accomplished it there was more done for the making way for the pardon of sin than in the making of the World When Justice had condemned the Sinner to dy and there was no deliverance to be had but by satisfaction made to it and there was none that could make that satisfaction but a Divine Person God spared not his own Son but gave him for us when there was no other offering that could expiate this guilt he delivered him for our offences Rom. 4. ult 2 Cor. 5. 21. and he hath paid the Redemption price and now God may be both just and justify Here lay the necessity of Christ coming and dying because sinners could not be saved unless pardoned and they could not be pardoned unless the Law were satisfied this was the one thing that made his coming necessary and in coming he hath done it to effect so that he is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. 2. God freely offers this pardon where the Gospel cometh He invites the children of men to come to him that they may be forgiven he proclaims pardon to the world and bids them seek it of him and maketh large promises to them that so do of bestowing it on them that is one great argument that he useth when he bids men to seek after him Isa 1. 18. 55. 7. Ezek. 18. 30. and elsewhere plentifully yea he is grieved when men will not come to him for it It is the great provocation under the Gospel that Christ and his Salvation are neglected and he hath put it in the directory of prayer and made it one petition that he hath put into our mouthâ— Mat. 6. 12. Forgive us our debts and such as have sought it have readily obtained it Contexâ— Verse 5. 2. There is never an one of us but doth infâ—nitely need it there is no doing without one foâ— the children of men it is therefore the greateâ— concern that lies upon us the first thing wâ— have to seek after for 1. We are all Sinners This is the natural state in which all men are at first the fall hath brought it upon the whole race We are Sinners by Imputation the great Transgression which our first Parents perpetrated when they stood as publick Persons is become ours and we stand condemned for it Rom. 5. 12. The defilement of nature is upon us all that Original in dwelling Sin which hath depraved all our faculties and powers and filled them with the habits of perversness Psal 58. 4. 51. 5. And we have committed innumerable Actual Sins Gen. 8. 21. So that there is a woful deal of matter for pardon in every one of us for it is Sin that makes us to need forgiveness 2. We are hereby under Guilt Guilt is an inseparable companion of sin according to the tenour of the law-Law-Covenant so that as long as we are under that we stand guilty The Law dooms every sinner to dy for every the least transgression of it and Guilt is the Obligation lying on him to suffer the same Guilt is a Prison in which the sinner is shut up for punishment and he cannot break out of it its bars and bolts are too strong and we are told that all the world are guilty before God Rom 3. 19. i. e. so long as they abide under the Law 3. There are fearful miseries await us by reason of this Guilt Guilt holds us under the Curse and that is a tremendous thing all the miseries of this life and all the sorrows of hell are contained in it We read of a fearful great Roll and it was Written within and without and what were the contents of it why it was the Curse Zech. 5. begin No tongue can express no heart conceive the wretchedness of that man who must undergo all that is written in it and yet this is the guilty sinners portion and whiles guilty he cannot escape it 4. There is no avoiding these miseries without a pardon that and only that can remove our Guilt We cannot make satisfaction it is vain to hope or attempt it Thousands of Rams c. signify nothing here nor can we any way fly from it because our Guilt keeps us close prisoners and will drag us before the great Tribunal forgiveness is the one way to have it taken off and that is the thing we want Try all other courses and they will deceive you but get a pardon and your business is done miss of that and you are undone There lies all the hope of a sinner Dan. 9. 9. To the Lord belong mercies and forgivenesses It is as much as your Lives yea your Souls are worth that you obtain it be not then careless about this one thing lest you rue it for ever 5. Obtain forgiveness and you have all secured to you that is needful to make you happy for ever Get this and all will come with it without it you can have nothing else Christ will not bestow his Adoption and his Grace and his Glory upon an unpardoned sinner but when he gives a pardon he will give every thing else Why then do men sit still neglect this great business Can you find any thing else of equal moment is there any other business comparably necessary to this be not then careless about it but set your selves to seek it Directions how to do so will fall under a folâ—wing Doctrine only be not slight about it â—ive your selves no rest till you have gotten a parâ—on signed and sealed Bless God who hath told â—ou of it and go to him for it in the Name of Christ ask that faith of him by which you may â—ceive it and be made happy by it USE II. Let this put us all upon the Trial â—f our state Whether we are indeed pardoned â—nd I know no question more solemn and weighâ— that any of us hath to put to our own Soul â—an this Am I a pardoned one are my sins forgiven â—th God blotted out my Transgressions And except â—en be dead asleep in a Lethargy of carnal secuâ—ty one would think they could not live at any â—st till they had gotten a comfortable resolution â—f this question till they had a supporting hope â—ilt upon a good foundation Can we think of â—e Judgments of God to which we are exposed â—an we meditate on the day of Death which we â—e hastning unto and know not how soon it will â—er take us Can we have any comfortable â—oughts of the day of Judgment which is hastning â—here all that are found out of Christ and so â—ithout a pardon will be adjudged to everlasting â—iseries and yet not know how we are laid in â—r such a day Let us then be sollicitous about â—is matter and be often bringing our selves to the â—ictest Rules of Trial which the word of God affords us and of which we may shortly have an account Believe it the resolution of this case of Conscience will make
refers to some trouble that he met with after his Conversion and yet he tells us how sadly he was oppressed with it That the sense of Guilt is terrible to him that hath the impressions of it on his Spirit we have already observed That therefore which is here only to be enquired is How a true Convert who is a Justified consequently a pardoned person comes to be distrest with Guilt which is removed by Forgiveness And this is a Case worthy our looking into For the right stainâ— and explaining whereof I may offer these Conclusions 1 It is certain that in the forgiveness of Sin the whole Guilt of it is removed A Pardon hath 〈◊〉 proper respect unto Guilt it makes not the 〈◊〉 not to have been nor takes away the merit of it but it removes the obligation of it that bound the Sinner to Dy a pardon doth not take away a part and leave a part but it dischargeth all it doth not remit the fault and retain the punishment nor doth it abate the Eternal Punishment and reserve the Temporal but it altogether dears the man from the Law sentence against him for this reason it is said to be blotted out c. God indeed forgives as a Judge and corrects as a Father but this respects not the Law but the Gospel and the Correction is to heal the person it is not an act of Revenging Justice but Parental Discipline Jer. 10. 24. 2. That Justification in which Sin is pardoned is not an eternal and immanent but a temporary and transient act They that talk of an Eternal Justification mistake the Scripture notion of it True in the Eternal Compact between God the Father and Son there were those given to the Son whom he was in due time to Redeem and Justify Isa 53. 11. And so this was secured for them and when Christ Rose from the Dead he was as our Sureâ—y Justified 1 Tim. 3. 16. And so there was a â—ustification taken out for us Rom. 4. 25. But the â—ctual application of it to us is upon our believing Rom. 5. 1. There is an act of God which passeth upon the Sinner whereby his Guilt is taken off â—rom him and this is part of that which the Scripâ—ure calls Justification And therefore before that we are counted Children of Wrath Eph. 2. 3. The â—hing was made sure before but we must be in Christ before we pass from Condemnation Rom. 8. 1. 3. There is a double consideration to be had 〈◊〉 the forgiveness which is applied to the Sinneâ— viz. 1. In respect to his Person and State The naturaâ— state of every Child of Adam is a state of Condemnation as he stands Guilty of the Imputatioâ— of the First Transgression and as he is Born undeâ— the power of In dwelling Original Sin by verâ— whereof his State is a State of Guilt Now 〈◊〉 state is removed in Justification in which theâ— are two things done for the person viz. He is 〈◊〉 free from Guilt and Condemnation and adjudged to Eternal Life called a passing from death 〈◊〉 life 1 Joh. 3. 14. The man is removed from under the Law and put under Grace Rom. 6. 〈◊〉 And by this the mans state is secured for Eternity he is for ever out of the reach of the Law threaâ—ning 2. In respect to his actions A pardoned justifiâ— man is not presently got rid of the Body of Death but is sometimes carried Captive by the Law 〈◊〉 his Members and hence he may and sometimâ— doth do the things that are displeasing to God Sam. 11. ult And this must be by sin for nothinâ— else can properly displease him and there is farther consideration to be had on account 〈◊〉 these which we may observe in that which folloâ— 4. That there is a sort of Guilt that cleaves to 〈◊〉 sinful actions of the Children of God If we look Guilt in a strict legal sense as that which binâ— â—he person over to suffer the vengeance of the Law so there is none can befal a justified Believâ— Rom. 8 1. The person is by the justifying act but beyond this danger God hath said Deliver him from going to the pit I have found a ransom he hath imputed Christ's Righteousness to him and it stands for him and cannot cease so 〈◊〉 do But yet there is something that may beâ—al a Justified person that the Scripture puts such name upon David was such an one before he â—urdered Uriah and yet prays to be cleared from â—uilt Psal 51. 14. What this is we must further â—nquire only in general observe that it cannot â—espect the mans state but his actions and the â—onsequents thereon in the Providence of God 5. That actual sins are not actually forgiven the â—an before they are committed Every Justified Beâ—ever is under the moral Law as a Rule though â—ot as a Covenant and so every neglect of or â—oing any thing against the Law is truly Sin â—nd stands in need of forgiveness and for this â—eason they are enjoyned to pray every day for 〈◊〉 Mat. 6. 12. This saith they want it else there â—ould be no occasion to pray for it and inâ—eed all the sins we commit after believing 〈◊〉 go to Christ's score else the Law would all foul on us This forgiveness must be taken 〈◊〉 after the sin is committed for if it were â—ctually applied before we need not go for it â—ery day God doth not as the Pope who â—etends to be Christ's Vicar give men Indulgenâ— for sins to be committed so many years hence all the Indulgence he affords us is if we sâ—n we have an Advocate by whom we may obtain forgiveness 1 Joh. 2. 1. Besides the way in which the Children of God come to obtain actual forgiveness of the sins they fall into is in the way of renewed Repentance and Faith and Godly Sorrow David repented and God forgave him and a particular repentance cannot be till there be the particular sin to be repented of 6. Hence Justification in this respect is a continueâ— Act. Divines rightly put that difference between Justification and Sanctification that the latter is a work but the former an act Now the Justifying act as it respects the person is at once and in aâ— instant at what time God imputeth the Righteousness of Christ to a Sinner and reckons it to him for his by this Imputation he is in the Law account a perfectly righteous person whence 〈◊〉 abstractively declared of him 2 Cor. 5. 21. And in this respect he is as Righteous in Gods account the first hour of his believing as he shall be in thâ— Day of Judgment But the actual forgiveness 〈◊〉 his particular sins is an effect or resultancy foâ—lowing from this Justification and it comes 〈◊〉 after the sins are committed and upon his Repeâ—rance and renewal of his Faith in Christ anâ— that must needs be succedaneous for it is conâ—dered not in respect of God in whose Eterniâ— there is no succession but of the Creature 〈◊〉 which
when it holds him under Guilt and Condemnation 2 There is a double respect in which a man may be said to be righteous in reference to Guilt viz. 1. When he never was Guilty and so he is b◠morally and legally righteous He that never saided of doing what the Law requires nor transgresed any of the precepts of it he is no way obnoxious to any of the threatnings of the Law no◠in danger of suffering the miseries denounced in i◠2. When the Guilt is taken off A person th◠hath been Guilty may become legally righteou◠by having his Guilt removed according to the tenour of the Law and that is when the Law hath received full satisfaction on his account when the penalty denounced is satisfied the obligation 〈◊〉 punishment ceaseth for the end of the Law 〈◊〉 thereby attained So that if there be a way found for a Sinner to be discharged of his Guilt with the fulfilling of the Law on his account he ma◠so be declared a righteous person after he hath been Guilty and this is the glorious priviledg◠discovered in the Gospel Rom. 4. 5. 3. It is certain that Christ was personally perfectly righteous every way We are not looking upon h◠Righteousness considered as God but as he was 〈◊〉 our nature and therein subject to the law Gal. 4. 〈◊〉 Which law was the Rule of mans Righteousness 〈◊〉 which Christ as man was to yield conformity and he did so Now there were two respects 〈◊〉 which he was subject to the Law why he w◠so will be presently considered 1. That he might fulfil the Righteousness of it 〈◊〉 so merit eternal life The Law saith Do and liv◠Rom. 10. 5. This Christ exactly attended 〈◊〉 saith it became him Mat. 3. 15. He came to do 〈◊〉 Fathers will Psal 40. 7. And he did it Hence that encomium Heb. 7. 26. 2. That he might suffer the penalties of it for sin and so make satisfaction to the Justice of God He is said to make his Soul an offering for sin Isa 53. 10. And herein he answered the laws demands said to be made sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. He took the Guilt on him and expiated it both these are comprized in that Mat. 5. 17. I come not to destroy the law but fulfil it 4. That the Righteousness of Christ as Mediator is Relative True Christ being under the Law did thereby become obliged to answer it but he put himself under it voluntarily The Son of God who is the person was above the law but in our nature he would be subjected to it yet this was not for himself but to Redeem us Gal. 4. 5. And he wrought out this Redemption by his entire Obedience to the Law it related to those whom he was to Redeem and hence he is said to be cut off not for himself Dan. 9. 26. And see Hebr. 2. 14 15. 5. Hence Christ by his Righteousness answered the Justice of God for us i. e. For all whom he bore this Relation to Isa 53. 11. And this he did 1. By exactly performing the Righteousness which the Law required of us for us The Law promised life to perfect Obedience this was the tenure on which man was to enjoy happiness and in no other way Christ obeyed this Command to procure the life for us which we had forfeited for though we are commanded personal Obedience by the New Covenant yet not as the Law condition of life nor can we challenge it for our so doing if we could so do the possession is purchased Eph. 1. 14. 2. By expiating our Guilt Christ not only suffered but he bore our penalty in it Isa 53. 4 5 6. He could not suffer for his own sins because he had none and if he suffered for us it was by some relation to us and that must be as our Surety and Representative Now when Justice hath taken its satisfaction of the Surety it cannot come upon the Principal and that Christ did not only suffer for us but satisfy Justice by it is evident Heb. 10. 14. Rom. 8. 34. 6. This whole Righteousness of Christ is reckoned to us in the New Covenant on our believing Though it be laid in for us upon his performing it yet there is an order in which it comes to be applied to us and that is according to the tenour of the New-Covenant which is declared to be in the way of believing hence we are said to be Justifyed by faith Rom. 5. 1. And this Righteousness is said to derive to us upon believing Chap. 3. 21. And faith is suited hereto the design of the New-Covenant being to manifest the Grace of God in our Pardon and Justification in that it receives and adventures upon the Righteousness of Christ offered in the promise and so acknowledgeth our Salvation to that Grace 7. Hereupon there being an exchange of persons our unrighteousness is removed to him and his righteousness is transferred upon us Christ is put in our room to answer the Justice of God for us God takes that Sacrifice in lieu of the Sinner and now having answered his Law in him he looks upon us in him We are therefore said to put on Christ he first put us on when he offered himself to God and now we put him on when we come to God through him and so what demands the Law hath to make upon us they are carried over and set to his score and what he hath done to merit or satisfie in our stead is put to our score and now God looks upon us as arrayed with the Redeemers Righteousness and so hath no Guilt to charge on us and nothing less then this can be the meaning of that famous Text 2 Cor. 5. 21. He made him to be sin for us c. Now that there are some in the world whom God looks upon with such a respect is not to be doubted and the Gospel assures us that all true believers are such and were it not so the whole design of the great Redemption must fall to the ground for this was the end of it and if it should lose its end it would be vain Uprightness of heart inseparable from a Righteous one Conclu 2. THat uprightness of heart is an inseparable qualification of such a righteous one All that are righteous in an Evangelical sense are also upright in heart Though the Psalmist doth not intend the same thing in these two expressions yet he aims at the same person he doth not speak of two sorts of men When the word Righteous is used alone it comprehends both frequently but when both are put together they must be taken distributively Here then let us enquire 1. What is the Uprightness of heart here intended A. We observed that it points to Sincerity as opposed to Hypocrisy and it refers to the new nature which is put into us in Regeneration by which our whole Soul is wrought to a conformity to the will of God called truth in the inward parts Psal 51.
is mercy for such too Such an oâ— was Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 6. and what eâ— were they Acts 19. 19. I might instance in mâ— things but these may suffice 2. Sins committed with the greatest and mâ— horrid aggravations do not exclude men frâ— pardon that the same sins in themselves 〈◊〉 more or less heinous according to their circuâ—stances is evident by the Word of God Jâ— 15. 22 24. and the light of nature tells us that the more there is of presumption or ingratitude that the more obligations are broken the more is the Guilt that is contracted thereby and by this occasion the sin that is least in it self may grow up into a formidable great one and yet when all these are added to encrease â—he Guilt they will not make the sin amount â—o unpardonable it may yet be forgiven Here I might multiply but I shall only point â—o three or four more comprehensive ones 1. Though men have fallen into all manner of sins and those the most vile yet there is â—orgiveness Some men have been noted for â—ne some for another but when men Sell â—hemselves to all wickedness Sins against the â—ight of nature and conscience this renders them â—xceeding great When every one brings guilt â—supportable along with it what must so maâ—y do when they have added iniquity to sin â—s drunkenness to thirst this declares men to be â—eyond measure vile and fills up their indictâ—ent with a fearful company of Articles and â—et such a man ought not to despair of but â—eek to God in hope for a pardon how maâ—y sins of the first magnitude are charged upâ—n Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. begin What a proâ—igious monster of iniquity was he grown up 〈◊〉 be and yet is he left as an instance of Gods pardoning grace to give us to underâ—and how far it can extend it self in shewing â—ercy 2. Though they have lived a long while in such sins and multiplied them they have not only fallen into them but made a trade of themâ— and pursued them to old age it hath been the course they have followed from their youth upward they have accustomed themselves to it theâ— is a vast difference between being overtaken wiâ— a Sin and making it ones way and course anâ— every repeated act of a sin enflames the reckoâ—ing and fills up the Ephah yea by this meaâ— men grow more and more hardned and so theâ— grow worse and worse and yet when men haâ— done their utmost on this account God may aâ— sometimes doth come and turn them to himseâ— and bestow a compleat remission upon themâ— and for this also Manasseh is an amazing instancâ— hence Gods offer is not only to such as haâ— played the harlot once but many a time and haâ— made a trade of it Jer. 3. begin 3. Though men have long withstood the caâ— of the Gospel and strivings of the Spirit wiâ— them yet they may be forgiven To sin agaiâ— Gospel light is far more provoking than to Sin â—gainst the meer light of nature to despise aâ— not regard the means of Grace in which Goâ— sets before men the things of their peace aâ— against the Spirit who comes in and with thoâ— means and pleads with Sinners by Convictioâ— Awakenings Terrors c. is a most stupendâ— aggravation of Sin much more then for suâ— to live and ly in scandalous Sins and follow tâ— abominations of the Heathen to Sin in 〈◊〉 Land of Uprightness for men that sit under the Gospel and are followed with calls and counsels and promises and threatnings not only to live in Unregeneracy but to addict themselves to and allow themselves in Drunkenness Swearing Whoredom Sabbath-breaking and all manner of debauchery and profaness is a most unaccountable wickedness this is to do worse than the Heathen and yet such as these are not hopeless God hath forgiveness for such too What Indictments did God bring in against Ephraim by the Prophet and yet see how he declares himself Hos 11. 8 9. How shall I give thee up Ephraim c. and doubtless our Saviours design is to commend this precious truth to us in the Parable of the Prodigal Luk. 15. 11 c. 4. Though men have relapst into great and grievous sins after Conversion there is forgiveness for them there is a state of Justification in which a person stands acquitted from Condemnation which abides immutable and Gods Children do not fall out of it by any falls that they take but there are sad falls which they are sometimes hurt by great sins they are overtaken with and sometimes complicated such was Davids to which he is supposed to have respect in â—his Psalm it is a fearful thing for such an one so to sin see how aggravated it was 2 Sam. 12. 7 8. What love is sinned against what mercy â—s despised what obligations are broken by it â—nd yet God forgave him upon his purpose to â—sk it verse 5. and how heinously did Solomon fall and we have that Asterism on it 1 Kinâ— 11 9. God had appeared to him twice and yâ— God forgave him Aarons Calf and Asa's Perâ—cution of the Prophet are also instances for thiâ— and is not here enough to prove the truth that 〈◊〉 is so if the things mentioned are not in theâ—selves exclusive of a pardon what can be suppâ—sed more likely to do it than they 2. I proceed now to give the ground 〈◊〉 reasons of the Doctrine and there are tâ— assertions that will be serviceable for this pâ—pose 1. That the vertue of Christ's Sacrifice 〈◊〉 sufficient for the forgiveness of all sins 〈◊〉 we may gather some intimation of what Gâ— purpose was when we consider what proviâ— he hath made However here is reason sâ—cient to evidence that all Sin may be pardoâ— when we are acquainted that there is enoâ— in the remedy for it Here observe thâ— things 1. That there is no forgiveness without sâ—faction made to the Justice of God the 〈◊〉 stands out against every Sinner and condeâ— him to dy and that Law was the Rule of â—lative Justice between God and man and 〈◊〉 not be baulked without violence offered to 〈◊〉 Righteousness It therefore is asserted Hebâ— 22. Without blood there is no Remission for 〈◊〉 God forgives the Sinner freely in the appâ—tion of it to the Subject yet forgiveness 〈◊〉 be first laid in for him and that by a sufâ—ent price paid for him or else there were no room for such an Application as the case stands between God and man in the First Covenant so that if there could have been no satisfaction made there could not have any forgiveness been conferred but the Law must have unavoidably past into execution upon the guilty Creature 2. That God hath accepted of his Son to make this satisfaction Jesus Christ hath undertaken it and his Father is well pleased with it The Sinner himself was firstly responsible for it and God might have made his demands of him and no other but it hath pleased him
he would not be concerned in it God is angry at nothing but Sin and Sinners for it and that which brings them under this wrath is their Sin that hath engaged his Revenging Justice against them on account of his Law by which he Governs the reasonable Creature Gods anger as it is an Attribute in him would hurt none of his Creatures but if they become the butt against which it shooteth its arrows then they have put themselves in the way of it and woe to them and none but Guilty Sinners so do The holy Angels have no burden by it it never toucheth or comes near them they that are reconciled to God in and through Christ by the application of his Blood to them cannot be hurt by it No it is the Sentence which tells the Sinner from the Mouth of an Holy and True God Thou must dy this this is the burden and what is it that receives this but a Conscience convicted of Guilt 3. Hence as long as this Guilt abides he must needs be under that load This is it that chains him down to it which Concludes him under it let him be otherwise circumstanced to his hearts desire yet all avails not Guilt maintains the Curse against him Guilt for all pronounceth him a man of Death whiles he is under Guilt the Law is his enemy it thundereth out its threatnings against him and he is every moment exposed to feel the dint of the Curse Psal 7. 11. And it is certain that if it abide it will sooner or later work his bane the arrow is upon the string ready to fly and bath it self in his hearts blood Verse 12â— 13. And hence there is no Peace to be hoped foâ— in this Condition Isa 57. ult 4. God in pardoning the Sinner takes off thiâ— Guilt from him This is the great benefit thaâ— comes in to him by it And here observe 1. That pardon bears a proper respect to Guilâ— There are several Considerations under which Siâ— cometh but of them all that which a pardon 〈◊〉 concerned about and extends to is Guilt It doth nothing to the taking away the being of Sin to the removing of the defilement of it that belongs to Sanctification but it is conversant about the Guilt Pardon is the act of the Judge and it respects the Crime as it exposeth the Sinner to punishment and that ariseth from his Guilt 2. Hence in it the Sentence of the Law Condemning him is removed This is the very thing it doth The penalty of the Law was Death and he by being exposed to it was a man of Death but a pardon brings with it a revoking of that Sentence God when he pardons the Sinner saith that he shall not Dy but Live the Curse of the Law shall not take place upon him but he shall be delivered from it It is excellently expressed Job 33 24. Deliver him from going down to the pit Hence that conclusion Rom. 8. 1. There is now no more Condemnation the Sin remains for that which hath once been done cannot be undone the merit abides it will be for ever true That the man hath done things worthy of Death but the Sentence it self is revoked How this is done consistent with the Justice of God will be enquired in a following Doctrine but so it is a pardoned man is out of the reach of the Law in its Curses He is for ever delivered from his Judge 3. Hereupon in the account of the Law his Sins are as if they had never been When Guilt is translated by a pardon the Law hath no more to charge the man with than if he had never committed any Sin at all It is true he hath reason to remember his faults and to be humbled for them but the Law hath discharged him and this is part of the meaning of that Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law Sin doth not reign to death in such an one the pardoned Sinner is made the Righteousness of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. and this is the meaning of that strange expression Numb 23. 21. He hath seen no iniquity in Jacob nor perverseness in Israel it cannot be intended of his Omniscience for if there be any sins committed by his people as cetainly there are he must needs so see and know them Nor can it be intended of his dealing with them in the Discipline of the New-Covenant for so he both seeth and is displeased at the bold transgression of his Children 2 Sam. 11. ult The thing that David did displeased the Lord and he corrects them severely on this account as he did David It must therefore aim at him as a Judge he seeth nothing in them for which to condemn them and why so but because their Guilt is removed 4. This makes way for the easing Conscience of its load It is true as there are some whose Sins ly upon them and they are insensible of it as was before observed so there are some whose Sins are taken off by this forgiveness and yet they feel burden by them because they have not the clear apprehension of a Pardon sealed in their Consciences The thing may be done and they not know it but be afraid about it hence to the easing of the mind there is necessary the inward assurance witnessed by the Spirit of God in the â—earts of his people but the foundation of it is â—id here When a pardon is written signed and â—aled in Heaven the man is put out of danger â—d the thing it self is done which is afterwards â—itnessed to and confirmed in him and his state 〈◊〉 the same before and after this Assurance though â—e comfort of it is so enjoyed which the Psalâ—ist prays for Psal 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of â—y Salvation USE I. This may afford a word of Aâ—akening to all Unpardoned Sinners and let all â—ch be solemnly advised to listen to the truth in â—nd And there is a double awakening that I â—ave to offer to all such 1. Be awakened to see and be affected with â—our present misery Take heed of sleeping in â—rnal security you have little reason for it if â—ou understand how the case is with you Conâ—der then 1. You are under Guilt Who is there in the World that can wash his hands from being a sinâ—l creature It is the Wise mans challenge Prov. â—0 9. Who can say I am pure from my sins and I â—are every Soul to whom this Doctrine may â—ome to make an answer to it and if Sin can â—e charged on you how can you excuse your â—lves from being Guilty except you have alreaâ—y obtained a pardon You are in your natural â—tate under the Law and your outward relatiâ—n to the Gospel doth not discharge you from it how vainly soever you please your selves with itâ— and if so consider Rom. 3. 19. Every mouth shâ— be stopped and all the world found Guilty Thaâ— Law which hath hold on you saith
actual sin it is requisite that it be done by a reasonable creature capable of acting as a cause by counsel this therefore is not imputable to Infants for though they have a reasonable Soul in them yet it is not in a present capacity of exercising that reason which want seems not to be a fruit of sin but a condition of nature and had not man fallen it would in all likelihood have been so it is therefore said of those that dy in their Infancy That they have not sinned after the similitude of Adams Transgression Rom. â—5 14. Though how soon they discover their natural corruption is lamentably to be observed however this extends to all men without exception that arrive to any use of their reason how actual sin will be charged on meer naturals I cannot grasp though the want of the use of reason be a punishment of Adams sin yet this utterly obstructs the rational acting of such an one for that he cannot discern between good and evil But there is none that ever had the use of reason but hath abused it by sinning against God and that both by sins of Omission and Commission he hath thought spoken done otherwise than the Law requires we have a natural man characterized Rom. 3. 10. c. And none are exempted from it we are told Psal 58. 3. They go astray as soon as they are born speaking lies i. e. they are set that way and it breaks out as soon as they are capable though in some more notoriously than in others Now there is no difficulty in telling how actual sin should be imputable to the person committing it for if all owe Obedience to the Law their neglect of or doing any thing contrary to it cannot but render them Guilty 2. When the nature is corrupted by the inherency of Original Sin That there is such a thing as the sin of nature is evident from the word of God it is called Concupiscence or Lust Jam. 1. 14. Indwelling Sin Rom. 7. 17. Sin that is alwayes present Verse 21. The Flesh Joh. 3. 6. The body of sin Rom. 6. 6. Of Death 7. 24. The Law in the members v. 23. The body of the Sins of the flesh Col 2. 11. The Old man Eph. 4. 23. Now all these point to the root or fountain from which actual Sin proceeds and therefore must intend something divers from it hence we read of Lust Conceived and Sin the issue of it Jam. 1. 15. Now this Sin is in all Adams Posterity born after the ordinary course of nature even Infants and Naturals too it is therefore usually called Our Birth Sin and Our Conception Sin according to Psal 51. 5. And it derives from the corrupt fountain from whence we all proceed Adam defiled himself lost the Image of God contracted the Image of Sin and then he Propagated it Gen. 5. 2. And how should it be otherwise for Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Job 14. 4. And though this be in one sence a punishment fallen upon us for the first Transgression yet in it self it is really Sin it is a Sinful state that we are in by it the Definition of sin belongs to it it is Anomy 1 Joh. 3. 4. Mans nature by it doth not answer the Law of Creation And that it is imputed is evident because it is an Image for which God despiseth man Psal 73. 20. It is that which they Dy for Rom. 5. 14. Psal 137. ult It is certainly in them and therefore may be charged on them and the Righteousness of their being found Guilty by reason of it will one day he made good by him who is Judge of all mean while the foundation of the equity of it is laid in that which follows Hence 3. In respect of the Relation which they bear to Adams first Transgression That our first Parents became Guilty by their eating the forbidden fruit is beyond dispute God had a Sovereign Authority to Command and they owed him entire Obedience the Sin it self was great being a Violation of the Sacrament of the Covenant and so the whole Law was transgressed by it and that they dyed justly none can rationally doubt But we are given to understand that they drew their whole Posterity into the same Condemnation with themselves and this is clear from Rom. 5. 12 17 18 19. Hence though they were not actually in being yet that Sin is imputed to them as theirs and here upon they suffer penally for it their being born in Sin and unto misery is a proper resultancy from it Verse 12. The equity of which Imputation is in that God transacted with Adam at first as a Publick Person in whom he would have all to stand or fall he therefore represented his whole Progeny as a King doth his people as a Father his Family So that all Humanity being contracted in our first Parents humane nature became Guilty in and with them as it was naturally derivable from them 3. What is the state of those that are under the Imputation A. In one word it is a state of Condemnation We read Joh. 3. 18. He that believes not is Condemned already By which we are given to understand how it is with all men by nature all the Worldâ— stand Condemned before God and there is not onâ— clear of it till by Faith in Christ they come to receive a discharge Now they come under this Condemnation by the Imputation of Sin to them for Condemnation hath a respect to punishment and that always presumes a fault that hath merited it and hence in a fair process the fault is first charged and proved and there-upon the Sentence passeth Now this must needs be a miserable state if we Consider 1. That if God impute Sin to any he will condemn them for it the Righteousness of God as a Lawgiver and Judge calls for this God cannot beâ—d Iniquity in any without detestation of it Hab. 1. 13. And the Sanction of the Law by which â—e testifyeth this detestation of his is that which â—e hath bound himself unto As therefore God will charge none but Guilty Sinners and such as â—e will convince of Sin and Guilt so he will doom â—em accordingly for in this his Relative Justice â—anifests it self 2. That if God do thus condemn he will proâ—eed to Execution according to it He will be as â—ood as his Word and the Condemned Sinner shall â—nd it so to his cost God saith as he meaneth â—nd will therefore do as he saith When God had â—ast a fearful doom upon Saul for his disobedience â—e find what a Seal he clapt upon that Sentence 〈◊〉 Sam. 15. 29. The strength of Israel will not ly or â—pent True there is room at present under the Gospel to have the Sentence reversed by a free â—ardon but if this be neglected and the person â—mes thus to the bar of Justice at last he must 〈◊〉 the Execution 3. The punishment of Sin is tremendous It is
it it cannot answer the Law for yoâ— Come then with your sins and confess your insâ—ficiency address free grace put up that petitioâ— Psal 25. 11. For they name sake Oh Lord pardâ— mine iniquity so shall the Imputation of Sin ceaâ— and you be made blessed A Pardoned Man is one without Guile DOCTRINE VI. THE Pardoned Man is one in whose Spirit there is no Guile It was observed in opening of the Text that these last words of it are put for the evidence of such a person whose happiness is described from his pardoned state or a Characteristical note by which a man may know himself to be such an one Pardon of sin in a Theological sense properly refers to the great benefit of Justification for though among menâ— is one thing to Justifie a person and another thing to pardon him a man is then only Justified at a Civil Bar when he is legally found innocent or not Guilty of the Crime he was Indicted for whereas a pardon supposeth the man to have been found Guilty and a Sentence accordingly to have past upon him to suffer according to the Law and then the supream power doth upon prerogative acquit him from the Sentence and set him at liberty without any satisfaction given for the Crime whereas God in pardoning the Sinner looks upon him in his Surety at whose hands his Justice hath received Satisfaction and accordingly acquits him Judicially as 2 Cor. 5. 21. And so the Justice as well as the Mercy of God doth herein display it self 1 Joh. 1. 9. It is true if we look upon the man in himself and with reference to the Covenant of Works so it is a pardon for the Law hath found him Guilty and condemned him Such is the condition of every one in his natural state and in that regard there is an act of free forgiveness passeth upon him who hath done nothing himself to obtain it and so the wonderful grace of God herein appears But look upon him in Christ as he was indented for in the Covenant of Redemption and is put into him under the Covenant of Grace so the satisfactory Obedience of Christ is reputed as his and on this trial he is sound without iniquity i. e Imputatively and hereupon is acquitted and that is a Justification and belongs to 〈◊〉 as one essential part of it and so is that to be understood Numb 23 21. Now though there be a wonderful change of state that passeth upon the man in Justification for in it he passeth from Condemnation and is adjudged to an Eternal Kingdom yet because it is meerly Relative 〈◊〉 hath not in it self a self-evidence but must be discovered some other way and because it doâ— not pass upon all men since the greater paâ—t oâ— mankind will fall under Condemnation Nor indeed are the Elect Justified as Elected but when the New Covenant is ratified with them nor caâ— they know their Election till they can discenâ— their Justification it therefore concerns ever one to be inquisitive after this and because it is noâ— made known by Immediate Revelation but by coâ— comitant Effects enquiry is to be made after themâ— and therefore we have one of them laid before 〈◊〉 in our Text and Doctrine Here then three things may be enquired into 1. What is to be understood by one in whose Spirit there is no Guile 2. Whether this have any influence into our pardon or Justification 3. What evidence this gives to confirm us in the knowledge and belief of our being pardoned and justified Of these in order 1. What is to be understood by one in whose Spirit there is no Guile A. This manner of expression is used in the Scriptures more than once as a Periphrasis of a Godly man So Joh. 1. 47. Rev. 14. 5. The word Guile signifies Fraud or Deceit but is used equivocally Sometimes in a good sometimes in a bad sense There is an honest Craft 2 Cor. 12. 16. and there is a dishonest one which is pointed at in our Text and there are many things in which this Guile is practised there is Guile in mens words such is Flattery Psal 12. 2 3. and Lying to deceive Mic. 6. 12. And there is Guile in mens carriages when they pretend Friendship and yet lye in wait Psal 55. 21. And there is Guile in a Profession of Religion 2 Tim. 3. 5. But the root of all this lies at the heart the falseness whereof puts men upon these Guileful practises Hence Guile is in the word of God used for Hypocrisy and to be without Guile for Sincerity And when this is referred to the Spirit or Soul it intends that there is an inward principle of it in the man which influenceth into his Life and Conversation and this points us to that Sanctification that is wrought in the man at Conversion But for a more particular opening of this observe these things 1. That in the best of Gods Children here there is a Body of Death remaining We have Paul himself crying out by reason of it Rom. 7. 24. And what else is intended by this but the relicks or remains of the Sinful Corruption which the nature of man is defiled with by the Apostasy It is that Sinfulness in our nature which hath in it a repugnancy to the Law of God and cannot yield subjection to it Rom. 8. 7. And therefore is always Warring against the Law in the Mind Chap. 7. 23. And for any meer man in this Life to exempt himself from it is counted a daring piece of impudence Prov. 20. 9. Hence that Hypothesis 1 Joh. 1. 8. If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves And that positive Conclusion Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not 2. That in this Body of Death there is a remaining Sinful Guile It is therefore called a Body because there is every branch or member of carnal Concupiscence in it for though the whole of it be mortifyed in Sanctification yet there is no member of it is wholly destroyed but remains though not in its reigning power and there is no lust but a Child of God shall find the stirring of 〈◊〉 in him if he warily observe himself Now this Guile is one of those Lusts or rather a quality of them all and all men bring it with them into the World riveted to their corrupt nature Psal 58. 4. On which account we have that assertion of the Prophet Jer. 17 9. The Heart is deceitful above all things 3. That this Guile doth too often wofully break forth in the Lives of Gods people And this is a sufficient evidence that it is there for if they had none they would never discover any but how often doth it appear to others And though it many times acts closely and indiscernibly to the world yet they themselves might observe it if they would be acquainted at home Do not good men sometimes act deceitfully in their treating with others Did
God in the Conscience of the person A Copy of his pardon thus ratified iâ— given to him and he is made to read and believe it as coming from God himself and from whence resulteth the Testimony of Conscience acquitting of us 1 Joh. 3. 21. If our heart condemn us not c. i. e. acquits us on good grounds Now this God giveth to the man when he sees best and this is more peculiarly aimed at in our Text though not in separation from the former for without that this is a delusion nor is there any safety in an acquitting Conscience so long as God condemneth us 3. Wherein this readiness in God to forgive is discovered A. Besides that God hath proclaimed this in his Word to belong to his great and glorious Name as that wherein he delighteth to make himself known to the Children of men Exod. 34. 6 7. There is abundant demonstration that he hath given for the confirmation of the truth of it 1. In that any of the sinful race of men have ever been forgiven Such is the vile nature of Sin so high is the affront that is offered to God by it there is so much of malignity in the least Sin and so great an indignity done to the Declarative Glory of God by it that if he had not an heart in him to pardon there had no such thing ever been heard of One Sinner pardoned though the least that ever was in the world is a Monument of Gods wonderful Grace and proclaimeth him to be a forgiving God One such instance saith that there is forgiveness with him for it must proceed from his own voluntary inclination who found the Sinner to be his Enemy and might justly have destroyed him for ever To see a Sinner saved from hell is a matter of just admiration to all such as ever were acquainted with the nature of Sin and what it hath made men to be 2. In the way which he hath contrived to bring about the forgiveness of Sinners The right consideration of this will shew us how deeply Gods heart was engaged for it in the days of Eternity and how unchangeably it is fixed on it in as much as he laid it out before time and pursued it to effect in the fulness of time and truly this is that which hath surprized the Holy Angels themselves with astonishing wonder and they still gaze upon it with greatest admiration the Psalmist observeth Psal 130. 4. With thee there is forgiveness but how comes it to be with him how came he to have a stock of pardoning mercy laid up by him It is true nothing is more free than forgiveness it cannot be bought by but must be given to the Subject but there must a door be opened for the extending of this though God is prone to pardon Psal 86. 5. Yet there was that which lay in the way of it which must be removed else there could have been no application of it the Justice of God which was concerned in and by which the First Covenant was ratified had righteously doomed man to dy for sin and the truth of God had declared that he would stand by his own Law yea and his Holiness by which he is bound for his own Glory would not admit that that Covenant should be baulked Mat. 5. 18. How then shall the Sentence be Executed and yet the Sinner be pardoned There was but one way in which this could be brought about and that was by the interposition of the Eternal Son of God undertaking to be substituted in the Sinners room and to answer all the demands of the Law in his stead that so Justice being satisfied might conspire with Mercy in the Sinners Salvation Psal 85. 10. In which affair the Son of God must become man and be humbled to death and bear all the weight of Divine Displeasure even all the penalties of sin Isa 53. 4 5 6. Nor was Salvation possibly to be had in any other way Acts 4. 12. And yet such was the kindness of God that all this should not obstruct the matter but he would rather make all wonders to meet in one and not Spare his own Son but give him for us that so he might express his kindness to us in pardoning out sins And what greater discovery of good will could there be 3. In the free offers that he maketh of it to men He hath not only made way for it by the Obedience of his Son who paid the price of our Redemption but published it in the Gospel and tendered it to all that come within the sound of that Proclamation And there are two things that set forth his readiness to apply this forgiveness to Sinners 1. That he maketh offer of and invites Sinners to accept it He hath ordered that man be told that he hath forgiveness and that they be bidden to come for it He doth not wait till miserable Sinners cry to him for it which yet would be a rich favour if so they might find it at his hands but because they sought it not nor ever would have done so he sends them an Embassy about it Isa 65. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 20. And would he do so did he not delight in pardoning 2. That he offereth it freely And if he did not do so the Sinner must for ever go without it for he had nothing to purchase it with The Gospel Invitations come as freely as can be supposed Isa 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. If it be here objected you teach that there are Gospel Conditions on which it is only to be had how then can it be said to be free it may readily be replied there are no other Conditions required in the Gospel but what among men are required in order to receiving and being invested with the freest gift that can be there is nothing but acceptance of this gift and acknowledgment of the kindness of the bestower faith is the hand that receiveth it whereas unbelief puts it away and is it not meet that he who would have the benefit of a gift do accept of it or doth such acceptance derogate from the grace of the Giver and what is our Obedience but our thankfulness to God for so unspeakable a gift and shall any say the gift was not free be cause I was thankful for it the Sinner was worthy of death and deserved no pardon and yet he may have it for receiving and is not God willing 4. In the urgent entreaties he useth with men to accept of this forgiveness He not only offers it but pleads and is very urgent and importunate with them as if it were a kindness done him to take it of him as well as to them in their having it he useth all sorts of arguments to perswade them by he tells them what need they stand in of it that their eternal welfare depend upon it that they are condemned and going to Execution and must need perish if they be not pardoned and therefore how much they
must to misery The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. Every man in this world is laying up treasure for another if not in heaven it is in hell which is the woful end of the Sinners way 3. That he cannot put himself into the way again but must be brought into it He lost it by his own folly but if ever he recover it again God must put him into it Hos 13. 9. As he knows it not so he hath no power to get into it Such is his impotency and enmity that he cannot take a step in it till that be removed Rom. 8. 7. And none but God can change it how should a dead man go Eph. 2. 1. 4. The man cannot be happy unless be holds on in this way to the end he must keep in it and not forsake it but follow it The Crown is hung up at the Goal and he must run to that Rev. 2. 10. If a man be set in a right path and after that he leaves it he will be bewildred and lost Gal. 5. 7. Luk. 9. ult 5. That he may thus hold on in his way be must be kept in it Perseverance is a gift of God we have the reason of it Psal 37. 24. The Lord upholdeth him with his hand The many falls Gods Children take in hours of Temptation are an evidence who is their keeper Hither it is to be ascribed that any get through their way the difficulties whereof would be too hard for them Sin Satan and World that withstand would also overcome them stop up their way and make them to give out 3. What is the way in which men may come to have pardon and felicity A. Mans blessedness consists in his enjoying of Gods favour and fellowship with him Now there have been two ways in which men have been pointed to this one displayed in the Covenant of Works and the other in the Covenant of Grace 1. The old way of the Covenant of works was laid out to man in his primitive state He then stood entirely in Gods favour he had no Guilt upon him that needed a pardon had the glorious Image of God imprinted upon him which sitted him for Communion with his Maker God then gave him a Law suited to his nature and not exceeding his created abilities in conformity to which he was to be happy for ever had he not declined from this there had needed no other but he turned out of it by Apostasy and so fell under Guilt and a Curse and now the Law could no longer give him life Gal. 3. 21. That way is for ever shut up the Tree of Life is guarded against him with Cherubim and a Flaming Sword he is a man of death and unless that Curse be taken off he can never be happy for which there was no provision in that way though the Law could afford man happiness it could not give him salvation 2. There is the new way of the Covenant of Grace which God hath opened to fallen man and therein revived his hope which was lost by the fall Called a new and living way Heb. 10. 19 20. This is revealed in the Gospel called the way of salvation Acts 16. 17. And this is the way under our consideration for there hath been no other since the Apostasy concerning which let us observe 1. That it is by Christ alone that we come to obtain pardon and life On this account he is the way Joh. 14 6. God hath made him to be all that to us which is requisite to our obtaining eternal glory 1 Cor. 1. 30. He hath made our peace for us satisfied Justice purchased a pardon and a Kingdom he is the one Mediator between God and us the way is through the veil of his flesh Heb. 10. 20. 2. That there is a New Covenant way in which we come to enjoy all this in and by Christ Though he is the way yet there are Rules how we may have him so to us for 1. There are the Covenant terms on which all his benefits are offered These point the way how we may have a title to him and enjoy blessedness and if we comply not with them notwithstanding the sufficiency of Christ we shall not be profited by him These are 1. Faith in him Pardon and peace becomes ours through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us now this is applied to us on and with our believing hence we are said to be Justified by Faith and that not only declaratively but instrumentally as by it we receive this Righteousness and put our whole confidence in it till when we abide under condemnation Joh. 3. 15. 2. Holiness which also we must derive from him We are told that without it there is no seeing God Heb. 12. 14. For though this doth not influence our Justification yet it hath the things in it that accompany salvation and consists in a sincere conformity in heart and life to the Rules of Holiness whence proceeds a well ordered Conversation of which Psal 50. ult 2. That it is in compliance with these terms that we obtain pardon and salvation There is no other encouragement to hope for it It is from Christ that we must have the Grace to comply but it is in this way that he saves us he gives grace in order to glory Psal 84. 11. Hence all Unbelievers and unholy persons are excluded from this USE I. To discover and reprove the false hopes if many Who almost but nourisheth in himself an expectation of salvation but it is to be feared the most do cheat their own souls and will be miserably disappointed viz. 1. Those that hope to be pardoned and saved but never enquire after the way of it They have heard of Redemption and Salvation by Christ and take up with that and think themselves safe they never ask the way nor think how they may come by a title to Christ and his salvation they never asked that question Acts 16. 30. What shall I do to be saved but presume that salvation will come in course let them live as they list but know it Christ's Redemption profiteth none but those to whom it is applied in which they are made to go in the way of it with which if you comply not you will perish 2. Those that take a great deal of pains to obtain Salvation but in a wrong way Some who have convictions on their consciences of their misery by sin are put upon endeavours to get that misery removed and obtain Gods favour but never felt their utter impotency to satisfy for sin or please God by their own righteousness engage â—n legal Repentances reformations and operose dutes and take great pains in them and so think all is well Rom. 10. 3. What multitudes are built on this bottom but be assured this way hath been inaccessible since mans Apostasy none of fallen men ever get to heaven by it Paul took another course Phil. 3. 8. 9. 3. Those that acknowledge the right way
him and the Apostasy by which he fell under the threatning of that Covenant are comprehended within this purpose and made way for the Grace of it but we now look upon man as fallen and so guilty of death and here we find that Gods Grace appears in that he hath told us that he will not leave that whole unhappy race to perish in their sins but will bring back a number of them to the enjoyment of blessedness This is revealed in the word and there was a promise of it from Eternity Tit. 1. 2. This was the end of Gods sending his Son in our nature Joh. 3. 16. And thiâ— was a purpose of Grace Eph. 16 28. 2. That if fallen man get into and keep this way he must know it The service of God is a reasonablâ— service Rom. 12. 1. Man is not guided in this way by instinct but counsel the way is but one and â—annot be found blindfold There are many by â—aths leading to destruction and if he will avoid â—e must be able to distinguish them which requires â—nowledge the want of it is a destructive thing Hos 4. 6. Besides the way of life is a narrow way and not easily found the way to ruine is broad and men are apt to take it and the bias of natural corruption inclines them to it it is as much as our life is worth to know this way Joh. 17. 3. 3. All mankind in thei natural state are ignorant of this way Rom. 3. 17. As to the first way prescribed to man in his integrity there are some relicts of that ancient Law on the consciences of meer Heathen which make them sometimes excuse sometimes accuse them Rom. 2. 14 15. Yet that knowledge labours of a double infelicity for the understanding of it is so broken imperfect that the most it doth is to leave men inexcusable Rom. 1. 19 20. But they are grosly mistaken and misled in the greatest part of that Rule But besides that is no longer a way of life to fallen man the Law is become weak through mans sin Rom. 8. 3. So that if the man knew the length and breadth of it it would never lead him to the enjoyment of God and blessedness the way of peace and reconciliation is another thing of which he hath no natural intelligence Among all the excellent discourses of morality which some Ethnicks have made themselves famous for there is not the least footstep of any mention of Christ and his Righteousness and Salvation through him Indeed they never come to a right discovery of mans misery neither in the causes nor effects much less of the only remedy Hence the Preaching of Christ was to them egregious folly 1 Cor. 1. 23. 4. Fallen man can by no means come to know this way but by Revelation It is true the moral Law is so far a Rule of Obedience under the Gospel that all the Duties required in it are to be attended by us Tit. 2. 11 12. And the natural light in men is capable of being improved to discover and approve the truth equity of these moral precepts but it cannot discern the Evangelical use of them or how they are serviceable to mens salvation according to the New-Covenant they can have but a legal notion of them but the grace to do them acceptably must come from Christ and that the acceptance hereof must be through him this is above natures reach and then the Gospel Articles of the Incarnation of the Son of God of the Redemption wrought out by him of his merit and satisfaction Justification by the Imputation of his Righteousness c. The natural man hath no resentment of these and if God had not revealed them they had never been known and the reason is because fallen mans salvation is not a thing necessarily argued from the being of God but was meerly arbitrary with him Mans fall had put him into the hand of revenging Justice and it was at Gods liberty whether he would save him or no till then he pleased to tell him of it it was impossible he should ever know of it for his will is the supream cause Besides the way in which this salvation is brought about is so admirable that no Creature could ever have conjectured it that the Eternal Son of God should become man that he should be humbled to death and by his stripes we should be healed Doubtless Satan thought there was no possible way to recover us and when God revealed this purpose of his the Angels of light were surprized at it those Cherubims are gazing with admiration on the Mercy Seaâ— 5. That all the faculties and powers in fallen man are opposite to this way They are combinedly set against it it might be instanced in all severally but we may here more particularly take notice of it in the Understanding As for the Will that is full of Enmity Rom. 8. 7. The Affections are set on things below Phil 3. 19. All the powers of the body are servants of unrighteousness Rom. 6. 19. Now all these are confirmed by the understanding which is not only ignorant of the right way and so cannot know the excellency of it how then should it commend it to them but is erroneous Calls good evil c. Isa 5. 20. It is preoccupied with a false way which it approves of commends and cannot part withal Jer. 8. 5. Hence it entertains Gospel truths with a forestalled and prejudiced mind which confirms the enmity of the will and perversness of the affections it shuts out the light and will give no credit to the reports of the Gospel and this must needs render him very unteachable because he must first be untaught these things Were he only out of the way he were easier reduced but because he thinks his the only way much is to be done to fit him for right instruction 6. The gracious design of Gods revealing this way with respect to the Elect is to bring them into and keep them in it All do not experience this efficacy These discoveries are made wherever the word of God comes and the business of the Ordinances is to point out to man the way of life to toll miserable man where Salvation is to be had but how few embrace it and comply with it how much cause of that complaint Isa 53. 1. Who hath believed our report Yea this is the very Article of Condemnation in places where Christ is Preached Joh. 3. 19. But this was not the prime reason of Gods making known this way to man though it prove so eventually to many but it was because God had a number whom he had chosen according to his purpose of Grace to be made partakers of life and so to be put in the way of it for which he would treat them according to their nature And because these live scattered among others these proclamations are made for their sakes and it always hath this event sooner or later on these Act.