and so insufficient being but a kind of entrance made by faith and other preparative dispositions the latter is that on which the maine waight of the business lies and it s done say they by the improovement and exercise of those good dispositions according to the command of the Law So that a Papist keeping to the principles of his religion must either have his blessedness from the Law or stand accursed still and if we make the best of it he is chargeable with that follie for which the Apostle taxeth the Galathians vers 3. Of beginning in the spirit and seeking to be made perfect by the flesh And herein the hand of God is remarkeable either in mercie or justice or both to some of them in taking them off from their old plea so that when they are to die they dare not trust their soules in so crazie a bottome yea their great Champion Bellarmine when he hath bett his braines and stretched his wits in sundrie pages to uphold the doctrine of justification by inhaerent righteousnes yet at length he comes to this resolve * Because of the uncertaintie of our owne righteousnes and the danger of vaine glorie therefore it is * the safest way to trust onely in the mercie and goodnes of God In which words he doth upon the matter unweave his owne webbe and destroy what he had built For if this be the safest way it is so because it is Gods onely approoved way for the justification of a sinner and conseq this way alone must be taken and all other wayes must be rejected and avoided as being not onely not the safest but positively unsafe and certainly full of danger yea unquestionably destructive 2. Blind ignorant Protestants which have nothing of religion but onely the bare name a meer outside their Christendome the faces of Christians They were baptised they keep their church they come to the communion and receive their Maker as they carnally and grosly speak they have a share in the outward priviledges of the church saying Lord Lord and therefore they think that no blame lies upon them the curse is farre enough of from them they are accepted of God and in a blessed condition thus the Jewes gloryed in the Temple of the Lord which the Lord condemneth as a trusting in lying words Jer. 7.4 They boasted of their priviledges that they were Abrahams seed never under bondage yea that they had one father even God c. The Lord Jesus tels them plainly that they were the servants of sinne and of their father the Divel Jo. 8.33 34 41 44. A clear glasse wherein the generalitie of our people may see their faces all their religion stands in this that they are called Christians and goe among the people of God this is their blessedness But oh wofull people how came you by this blessedness whence had you it you are under the Law it holds you under guilt and pronounceth you accursed and alas these priviledges and services are far too weak and poor things to take off that guilt and to remove that curse which sticks to your wretched souls Oh my soul pitties your sottishness Awake from your slumber and deliver your selves from these delusions before ye perish in them 3. Civil livers which go far in the observation of the outward duties of the second Table they are honest in their dealings equal in their actions sweet in their behaviour and as far as the letter os the Law will carry them unreprovable these are the righteous men which justifie and bless themselves as the young man Matth. 19.20 and the Pharisee Luke 18.11 but these went away unjustiâ—â—ed and therefore accursed Thus it was with the Apostle Paul before his conversion who had more to boast of in the flesh than any man for besides circumcision and many other Jewish priviledges which he enjoyed he came up so high in conformity to the righteousness required in the Law that as touching it he saith he was blameless and these things were his gain but when he found Jesus Christ he looked upon them all as loss and cast them away as dung yea as dogs-meat ⸪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alluding to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 2. before Phil. 3 5-8 as if he had said If those dogs those evil workers the Jewish Teachers which press circumcision and legal righteousness do taste such savour and sweetness in this kinde of meat let them take it to themselves as fittest for them it will not down with me I have other meat which these men either do not know or cannot digest This is just the case of many among us But oh man if thou wilt bring thy self and thy work to the standard thou wilt finde that although thou blessest thy self and others bless thee too yet thou art without the sun-shine of Gods blessing For if it were granted that thou hast gone thorow-stitch in thy duty to men yet still the business is lame and halts on a side all this while thou hast neglected thy duty to God and dost thou look to be accepted for thy partial obedience would this be a sufficient acquittance to a child in his fathers house that he hath discharged himself well in all his carriage to his brethren and servants in the family while he hath never regarded his duty to his father or can he expect his fathers blessing may he not rather fear his curse This is thy case who restest in the moral righteousness of the second Table 4. Religious professors who besides all these have also a form of godliness they have the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law Rom. 2.20 and in the Gospel too 2 Tim. 3.5 they have seen and sorrowed for their sins and bad courses they have broken off their iniquities and reformed their ways they perform religious duties pray reade the Scriptures hear the Word preached observe the Lords day shew some degrees of love and respects to good men In a word they have sundry commendable abilities within and bring forth many materially good fruits without and hereby they work out unto themselves a carnal peace perswading themselves that they are in good case and accounting themselves righteous and blessed of God but all this will go for no more in the Court of Heaven than the righteousness of the Law which holy Paul durst not stand to for his justification He did not onely disclaim those priviledges and that righteousness which before he had accounted his gain but all things whatsoever yea doubtless saith he I do count all things but loss I do even at this present since I came truly to know the Lord Jesus Christ renounce and cast away all things whatsoever I am or have in the business of my justification before God save the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ Phil. 3.8 9. Let a man reach out as far as is possible in conformity and obedience to the first Table
but what then is the curse of him who is the God of all people that 's but a flea-biting to this 2. It 's a grounded and authorative curse It hath a superscription and stampe of divine warrant upon it the power of heaven goes along with it which puts weight upon it and makes it heavie and bitter Elisha cursed the mocking children in the name of the Lord and that curse commissioned and enraged the 2 she beares to teare them in peices 2. Kin. 2.23.24 So the Law curseth the sinfull children of Adam in the name of the Lord and this curse armeth all Gods judgments against them The causles curse is contemptible it shall not come Pro. 26.2 But the Law of God finds abundant cause in the sonnes of men and therefore it curseth with authoritie and efficacie When a naturall father curseth his children as Noah Cham Gen. 9.25 And Jacob Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.7 This breaths out authority and therefore it strikes deep When the Pope curseth with bell book and candle as they say his seduced slaves which have received his marke tremble at it because they apprehend though falsly the authoritie of Christ himself to be in it how much greater cause of trembling is there when the father of the spirits who is God over all curseth transgressours 3. It 's an impâ—â—â—iall and thorough-dealing curse it overtakes all sinners none can escape or avoyd it Cursed is every one that continueth not in al things c. vers 10. Before No abilitie of nature or religious priviledge or any excellencie whatsoever can possibly shelter or safeguard thee from it till thou arrivest at Jesus Christ We read of Levi that he knew not his father nor his mother nor his brethren nor his owne children Deut. 33.9 So the curse of the Law saith unto every one without exception I have not seen thee I doe not know thee it falls downe-right on all without respect of persons They use to picture Justice blind even the justice of humane Lawes so the justice of the divine Law is after a sort blind it can neither be bribed nor dashed out of countenance it cannot be swayed either by feare or favour it takes no notice of any by considerations which might turne it aside from it's right course Zach. 5.3 The flying roule goes over the face of the whole earth to cut of every one that stealeth and every one that sweaâ—eth c. Yea it 's so impartiall that it will not spare or favour a justifyed person who is now under the wings of Christs blessing but will look grimly upon him and reach him some sharp lashes if it find him faultie or miscarrying 4. It 's a subtil and a spirituall curse it peirceth into the inwards and goes downe into the bowels of the bellie it can strike the very spirit of the sinner so that oftentimes when no curse appeares without yet then there is nothing but curse within when the outward man is compassed about with blessings the inward man lies in the midst of all evil yea is filled with the curse of God The bodie is fat and faire liking the bones flourish like an herb the Estate prospers their name is up no bands in their death c. but even then God sendeth leanness into their soules Psal 106.15 Their minds are more blinded their hearts more hardened their consciences more seared they are more crusted they grow more secure and uncapable of any good Lam. 3.65 Give them obstinacie of heart thy curse upon them Let their hearts be covered over as with a buckler to keep of every blow from Gods word or hand This is Gods curse on the heart so that while all things are so well composed without that they promise to themselves nothing but blessing yet even then the curse of God sits close on their spirits and ripens them insensibly for destruction 5. It 's a standing and abiding curse The Justice of God hath brought it so home and given it such a deep expression into the nature of man that it 's unremoveable No power either of man himself or of any or all the creatures in heaven or earth is able to take it off The sinfull soule under the curse of the Law is like to a prisoner bound hand and foot and throwne into the dungeon readie for execution he cannot loose the chaines nor get himself out he is sure for starting No power abilitie disposednes in or from the sinner himself can availe any thing towards the ridding of him from the jawes of the curse No footsteppe or possibilitie of help by or from the creature man or Angell to put to a little finger towards his release from it The flying Roule which enters into the house of the Theife and swearer must remaine in the midst of his house and consume it timber and stones and all Zach. 5.4 The wrath of God abides on the disobedient sinner Jo. 3.36 Time cannot wear it out Isa 65.20 If a remedie be tendered to the sinner he is utterly uncapable of it * 1 Cor. 2.14 He hath nothing which can concur with grace whereby to further his recovery in the least measure but contrariwise he fastens the curse more upon himself * Rom. 2.5 and runs more and more into the clutches of it and further still out of the reach of blessedness Lay all these things together and judge in your selves what cause we have to reflect sadly upon our selves and to lie downe in dust and ashes under the sence of our owne miserie as finding and knowing our selves to lie under the stroke of his great and terrible curse Woe is me for the lamentable ignorance and sottishnes of our people generally which sport and sing and walk merrily under this burthen as if they were the happiest creatures under the Sun But oh be convinced of it and put it not away from you any longer Why will you not acknowledge your selves to be such as the Lord and his Law have found and voted you to be will you goe about to make the Law a vaine thing and the Lawgiver a liar That thou canst never doe the word of the Lord endureth for ever let God be true and every man a lyar Come downe into the dust cast away thy plumess thy corrupt fancies of an imaginarie blessednes thou art really a cursed man Please not thy self in this Hell of thine as if it were an Heaven but be advised to take downe this unquestionable truth and know it for thy self that it may lie neer to thy heart and thou mayst be humbled under thy wofull condition Thus much of the 2d use Sect. 4. Use 3d 4th THirdly let us heare pause a while that we may consider and admire the wonderfull condescension of the Lords goodnes and wisdome towards the sonnes of men in that he doth so sweetly allay and mitigate the curse that it doth not poure out all it's furie upon us All the inhabitants of the world being
taken down before we dismiss it may serve to bring us all out of love with one wicked practice which is too common every where and that 's cursing and to discover it to be a thing both desperately sinfull and even in it self unreasonable Some profane unsavoury ones are not afraid upon any trivial occasion to curse themselves if this or that be not so I would I were hanged I wish this meat may be my poison Let me never thrive c. and these dreggish dangerous times have brought forth a generation of men of corrupt minds and dissolute principles which can curse themselves with a kind of authority and bravery If I do not such and such a thing and it may be some desperate abominable crime God damn me God confound me c. As for imprecations against others how ordinary are they there be deboist unnatural children which blush not to curse their parents so parents curse their children masters their servants and one neighbour another you shall hear a man sometimes curse his horse if he do but stumble or his cattel if they turn out of the way or his very axe hammer or the working-tool in his hand if it miscarry In short there is no language so ready to our common people if they be displeased or put into passion as hangment vengeance the devil a mischief the pox or the like when as the mad man they cast firebrands arrows and death Prov. 26.18 And some have so accustomed their tongues to such hellish speeches that they are to them but words of course they curse when they mean no harm which is an abominable taking of Gods Name in vain seeing every imprecation is virtually at least a prayer to God to do the thing expressed or intended therein Let me advise you therefore to consider what you are doing you are under the curse of the Law and will you be so bold and busie with it Oh that you were wise and that ye would cause these words to sinke down into your ears and seriously ponder in your hearts these particulars following 1. Cursing is given in Scripture as the mark and brand of persons that are notoriously profane and such as are strangers from God and in the bond of iniquity Psal 10.7 his mouth is full of cursing See 1 Sam. 17.43 and 2 Sam. 16.5 the practice of Shimei Jud. 17.2 Micahs mother Rom. 3.14 it s sometimes followed home with remarkable judgments Exod. 21.17 Prov. 30.11 see the exemplary punishment of Shelamiths son Lev. 24.14 2. It is very unbeseeming and inconsistent with the profession of Religion not becoming those which have given their names to Christ and from that very consideration sometimes forbidden Rom. 12.14 Eph. 4.31 1 Pet. 3.9 it is so foul a thing that the practice of it if habituated and frequent will scarcely stand with saving grace Christians that give way to it and suffer themselves to be overcome by it do very much forget themselves See Jam. 3.4 10. c. Peter foully overtaken Mat. 26.74 3. It argues a great measure of flintiness and strange audaciousness of spirit when a man dare adventure to play with such edge-tools to bandie so terrible a thing as the curse is and to dally with it upon every trifling occasion 4. In thus doing you take upon you the office of the Law yea you step into the Lords own seat God hath put this burthen on the Law as to bless the observers so to curse the transgressors of it how darest thou then incroach upon it who made thee a Law-giver or who gave thee this authority Oh take heed thou makest thy self guilty of most unwarrantable usurpation 5. You invite the curse and call for it to come and seize upon your selves or others as if it were too slow and made not haste enough but thou maist be well assured it hath wings it s the flying roll and thou wilt find to thy sorrow one day that it comes with too much speed thou needest not to hasten it 6. You adde more misery to the miserable Thou art wretched above measure already through the curse of the Law which lieth upon thee wilt thou increase thy wretchedness by sealing up the curse against thy self and that with thine own mouth Thy children are in a wofull condition by means of the sin and curse which thou hast derived unto them and wilt thou make it more wofull by pronouncing a curse upon them with thine own lips may not many a child say to his father and mother Is it not enough that you have brought me into the world accursed by the Law of God but I must have your curse also 7. Yea lastly you provoke the Lord to take you at your words and to say Well be it unto you even as you will Thou saist God damn me it s a bargain thou shalt be damned The Lord doth oftentimes send down the curse upon the children according to the imprecation of their parents the prints whereof stick upon them visibly all their days They that love cursing shall have cursing enough Psal 109.17 18 19. Therefore put away this bad language from you and let it not be heard any more amongst us Chap. 3. Sect. 1. The second Conclusion what this imports that Christ was made a curse for us THe second Conclusion or Doctrine which these words hold forth unto us is this Christ was made a curse for us which are under the curse of the Law Jesus Christ the Son of God the second person in Trinity became a curse for the sons of men who stand accursed by the doome of Gods righteous Law Let it be observed that he is not onely accursed but a curse and this expression is used both for more significancy and fulness to note out the truth and realness of the thing and also to shew the order and way he took for bringing us back unto that blessedness which we had lost The Law was our righteousness in our innocent condition and so it was our blessedness Jam. 1.25 but the first Adam falling away from God by his first transgression implunged himself into all unrighteousness and so inwrapped himself in the curse Now Christ the second Adam that he may restore lost man into an estate of blessedness he becomes that for them which the Law is unto them namely a curse Rom. 10 4. beginning where the Law ends and so going backward to satisfie the demands of the Law to the uttermost he becomes first a curse for them and then their righteousness and so their blessedness For making good this truth I shall endeavour to clear these two things 1. What this is that he is made a curse for us and wherein it stands 2. By whom or by what power he was made a curse for us For the former Christs becoming a curse for us stands in this that whereas we are all accursed by the sentence of the Law because of sin he now comes into our room and stands under the
Sect. 1. The third Conclusion What Redemption is THe third Conclusion or Doctrine is the marrow and summe of the Text. Christ by being made a Curse for us hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law This is the result the issue the fruit of the Lord Christs becoming a curse for us that hereby we are redeemed from the curse of the Law under which we were held This Truth may receive proof from the consent of other Scriptures Let us hear but two or three of the fullest testimonies that thereby it may be established Gal 4 5. God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem us c. Tit. 2.14 He gave himself for us that he might redeem us c. Heb. 9.11 12. Christ by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle than that under the Law and by his own blood hath obtained eternal Redemption for us Observe here that this Redemption followeth upon and floweth from Christs becoming a Curse for us two wayes 1 In the intention and purpose of God and Christ God the Father in his eternal counsel did propound unto himself this end of giving Christ and Christ in the fulness of time did set before his eyes the same and in giving himself to become a curse that poor inthralled sinners might be redeemed thereby from the curse of the Law 2 In the effect and event of the thing Look what the Lord did intend to work and to bring about by Christs undergoing the curse for us the same was and is throughly wrought and brought about to the full The thing is done as to the making of a plenary satisfaction to Divine justice and so obtaining the benefit of Redemption on the behalf of all those for whom the Lord hath appointed it in his eternal purpose But for a more particular clearing and beating out of this Doctrine I shall endeavour 1 To shew what this Redemption is and wherein it stands 2 To give some arguments or grounds of Scripture-reason for the confirmation of it For the former the Scriptures of the New Testament afford us several words to express the nature of this benefit The most general word is rendred Deliverance and notes out a setting one free by any means whatsoever as in the Lords Prayer Deliver us from evil Mat. 6.13 2 Pet. 2.9 Tâ—e Lord knoweth how to deliver c. This word is used to express the work of Redemption 1 Thess 1.10 Who delivereth us from the wrath to come There is another general word of the same signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 12.58 properly it imports a changing from or an alienation It is used once and but once that I know in this argument to wit Heb. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There be some other words of a more restrained signification one which is sometimes rendred Delivering as Act. 26.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but properly notes a taking away by force or by an act of justice as 1 Cor. 5.13 Act. 12.11 The Apostle Paul in mentioning this benefit maketh use of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 1.4 That he might deliver us c. There be other two words more frequent in Scripture which signifie a setting free by paying of a price The former is in reference to Captives or Prisoners who being in bondage to others are set at liberty by the payment of a Ransome This is called Redeeming or redeeming from Luke 1.68 and Rom. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are all in slavery under sin the Law Satan c. Christ comes and by laying down his life for us payes our ransome and so delivereth us out of their hands The latter word is borrowed from the Condition of such persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as having been abridged of their former liberty or of such things as having been alienated from their first owners and so being under the power of others are now brought out from that condition and brought into a state of freedome We read in the Law of sundry persons and things who being under the power of others might yet be redeemed as servants which had sold themselves lands and dwelling-houses which were sold by their ownners Levit. 25.23 c. And this Redemption was made by paying a valuable consideration according to the number of years to the Jubilee more or lesse and so buying them out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the import of the word here used and seems to be an Allusion to that Levitical Ordinance We had sold our selves to the drudgery of sin and were become Satans servants and so liable to all that curse and wo that attends upon that slavery Now the Lord Jesus comes and because our case is desperate no revolution of years could ever have brought us a Jubilee but we must be bond-men for ever therefore he hath paid an infinite sum that he might buy us out clearly from this accursed servitude and bring us into true liberty we are said to be ransomed not with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. and to be bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 and Christ is said to be slain and to buy us with his blood Rev. 5.9 The Scripture is exact and copious in discovering this great work in the particulars of it shewing us thâ— different termes 1 From which 2 Unto which Christ hath redeemed us 1 From what hath he redeemed us From sin Mat. 1.21 From all iniquity Psal 130.78 Tit. 2.14 From death Hos 13.14 From the power of the grave Psal 49.15 from the Law Rom. 7.6 Gal. 4.5 and here from the curse of the Law From this present evil world Gal. 1.4 From the earth and from among men Rev. 14.3 4. From the wrath to come 1 Thess 1.10 Out of the hands of our enemies Luke 1.71 74. 2 Unto what hath he redeemed us To himself Deut. 4.34 2 Sam. 7.23 To God Rev. 5.9 to be the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb Rev. 14.4 to be a peculiar people to himself Tit. 2.14 to serve him without fear all our dayes Luke 1.74 75. Yet further the Redemption of Mankinde is considerable in a double respect 1 As it is an act and work of Christ the Mediator and so the immediate product of his sufferings thus it exists in Christ himself as Rom. 3.24 the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ therefore he is called the Redeemer Isa 59.20 Rom. 11.26 and he is said to send redemption to his people Psal 111.9 he hath laid down the price and so effected the business Heb. 9.12 he hath obtained redemption He professeth that he came to give his soul to be a ransome for many Matth. 20.28 and the Apostle tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he gave himself a counter-ransome for all a ransome every way equivalent and full 1 Tim. 2.6 2 As it is a benefit actually brought home applied to elect sinners by
of peace and salvation to the lost world but every mothers childe of us had continued in the bond of iniquity and had suffered the extremity of the curse in our own persons for ever For this is the very next bottome whereupon all Gospel-grace and whatsoever is necessary to the salvation of sinners doth stand and as it were the soul from which it hath both being and breathing The excellency of the cause hath a strong influence into the effect to make it excellent also If we look upon the nature and frame of man in the first Creation his body curiously wrought out of the dust of the earth his soul breathed into him from heaven to be both a living creature and made after the Image of God Gen. 1.26 2.7 and all this done with a word we cannot but say it is a very excellent and precious work David stands wondering at it Psal 139.14 15. How much more excellent and precious is the work of grace which is the fruit of Redemption our second Creation for the effecting whereof the Lord did not onely Let it be but as if that were not sufficient the second person must lay aside his glory and take upon him the form of a servant and not onely bear our nature but also our sin and curse even to the death Phil. 2.7 8. By this we should estimate the exceeding great worth of that grace which is brought unto us by the revelation of the Gospel If some good things of nature be precious much more are those of grace Deut. 33.1 c. Prov. 3.14 15. And if we cannot but wonder at some of the eminentest works of nature how much more cause have we to admire the beauty and glory of that great work of grace which the Apostle calls marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 See 1 Pet. 1.12 4 God will have a Church Although Adam and all his posterity revolted from God and ran away into the tents of Satan his utter enemy to his dishonour and their own ruine yet for all that he hath a designe to fetch back and recover a number of them to make them his own people and thereby to glorifie the riches of his grace towards them in an eminent measure Me thinks I hear the Lord speaking on this manner What hath the crooked Serpent of hell served me thus Hath he enticed Adam unto rebellion against me and cheated him into the curse of my Law Alas poor man I pitty thee that thou hast suffered thy self to be thus ensnared How art thou fallen from thy dignity Into what a gulf of perdition hast thou implunged all thy posterity Ier. 48.30 But I know Satan his pride his malice and his envy that he would not leave me a people on the earth to serve me I know his wrath but it shall not be so his lyes shall not so effect it I will take a speedy course to befool him in his own plot I will have a people that shall be for my praise in despite of him Having therefore predestinated from eternity a considerable number of this forlorn generation and finding them now among the pots covered all over with filth and shame through their Apostacy his infinite wisdome deviseth a way to recover them out of captivity He gives the Lord Jesus out of his own bosome thaâ— by taking upon him the curse due to them he might ransome them from the curse and separate them from the lost world which lyes in wickedness and under the power of Satan and so form them for himself that they might shew forth his praise Isa 43.21 These are the very matter whereof the Church consists I mean the invisible Church which may be defined a chosen company of the posterity of Adam whom God hath purchased with his own blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People Mat 16.18 and Nation to be a peculiar people to himself Act. 20.28 Rev. 5.9 Tit. 2.14 Thus out of the ashes of this ruined world God raiseth up to himself a glorious Phenix Eph. 5.26 A Church which shall never dye but shall be established for ever Psal 102.28 125.1 5 The Church is very dear and precious in the eyes of the Lord Jesus They are the purchase of his own blood and thereby are become his peculiar people The costliness of any commodity puts upon it a suitable preciousness endearing it to the person which bare the cost of it Jacob served a hard service for Rachel and that inhanced her worth in his heart and increased his love to her so that the dayes seemed to him but a few Gen. 29.20 Michal Davids wife cost him two hundred fore-skins of the Philistims 1 Sam. 18.27 A great adventure an high exploit This doubtless rendred her the more dear to him which appears by his peremptory requiring her after she was unjustly taken away from him and had been some years another mans wife Probably seven years 2 Sam. 3.13 14 c. Jesus Christ served a very hard service and wrought a very great exploiâ— that he might purchase unto himself a Church to be his Spouse and having compassed her with much difficulty he looks upon her as his Sister his Love his Dove his fair One yea all fair the fairest among women the One the onely One the choice One his heart is ravished with her Cant. 4.9 she is as the poor mans little Ewe Lamb that lay in his bosome and was unto him as a Daughter 2 Sam. 12.31 A Kingdome or City wonne in battel with confused noise Hephzibah Isa 62.4 Multo sanguine ac vulneribus ea victoria stetit and garments rolled in blood Isa 9.5 is so much more dear to the Conquerour because it cost so dear The Kingdome of heaven the City of the great King is conquered out of the the hands of Satan at a very dear rate It cost the Lord Jesus strong crying and tears yea much blood and many wounds therefore surely it is very near to his heart and precious in his sight Isa 43.4 6 The condition of the invisible Church and all the members of the Lords chosen people is incomparably happy They are the onely renowned Society in the world for they are the Lords Redeemed ones This glorious design when once it takes place in poor lost sinners and is laid in their bosomes puts them into a glorious estate We may say of the Church as Moses of Israel Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord c. That we may take the length and breadth of this happiness let us look upon Redemption in its 1 Properties 2 Benefits 3 Priviledges Sect. 2. Three properties of Redemption and three Benefits issue from it 1 REdemption by Christ hath these three excellent Properties 1 It s free and gracious As the Israelites sold themselves to their corporal enemies for naught so we became slaves to our spiritual enemies without price and as they so we are redeemed without
Mount EBAL Levell'd OR REDEMPTION FROM THE CURSE Wherein are Discovered 1. The wofull condition of Sinners under the Curse of the Law 2. The nature of the Curse what it is with the symptomes of it in its Properties and Effects 3. That wonderful dispensation of Christs becoming a Curse for us 4. The Grace of Redemption wherein it stands in opposition to some gross Errors of the times which darken the truth of it 5. The excellent Benefits Priviledges Comforts and Engagements to duty which flow from it By Elkanah Wales M. A. Preacher of the Gospel at Pudsey in York-shire O piissime frange esurientibus panem tuum meis quidem si dignaris manibus sed tuis viribus Bernard super Cantic Serm. 1. London Printed by R. Trott for Tho. Johnson at the Golden Key in St. Pauls Church-yard 1659. The Epistle Dedicatory To the Right Honourable THOMAS Lord FAIRFAX Right Honourable IT may seem somewhat strang that one of so low a name and as low desert especially being so far gone towards the Sunset of his day here below should now in this press-oppressing Age hazard himself thus upon the publike stage I hope I may speak it in truth it is not any itching desire to be seen in print that hath prevailed with me to make this adventure The great Motive was this Sundrie of my worthy freinds both Ministers and private Christians which conceive a better opinion of me than I doe of my self have sometimes expressed their desires that I would leave something behind me before I shall goe hence and be no more which might conduce to the building up of my hearers in their most holy faith and obedience This invitation comming from several hands and so frequently renewed after along time of serious debating it within mine owne brest I inclined to think it might be the call of God VVhereupon I resolved to make choice of some fit subject to handle in mine ordinarie ministration at home and having pitched upon this and brought it to a period by the good hand of God upon me notwithstanding many interruptions I shall now send it forth to shift for it self in the crowd I have no reason to account it any thing worth as it commeth from me I freely acknowledg that I fail very much in the manner of handling yet the Argument it self is of special necessity and worth touching upon the three maine Pillars or principles of Christian Religion viz. Mans miserie by the fall his Recoverie by Christ and his Duty arising thereupon If the Lord be pleased to give it favour in the eyes of his people and to make it usefull to raise the price of the grace of Redemption in the hearts of those that heard it or of any others and to engage them more strongly to the love and service of their dear redeemer I have my whole desire I humbly crave leave that I may inscribe it to your Lordships Name thereby to manifest some small Testimonie of my thankfulness for your many undeserved favours You were pleased to take notice of me in the time of the fiâ—st wars and ever since as occasion was offered to looke upon me with a far fairer aspect than I could desire Although I am a man of a mean parentage and condition in the world and formerly a stranger to your Honour yet you received me as a minister of Jesus Christ and have shewed forth a tender care of my welfare a rare condescension in persons of so high rank besides many reall kindnesses making me at sundrie times very noble offers of places of considerable profit for my better support and more comfortable progress in the Lords work How much your Lordship hath deserved of this Nation by managing the militarie affaires of it to the apparent hazard of your estate health and life too is so famously known to all that I am willing to hope that this age although otherwise unthankfull enough cannot so easily forget it as not to send down the memorie of it to posteritie Your love to true godliness in the power of it your readines to supply the necessity of the S t s your affectionatness to faithful Ministers your care to provide godly Preachers for all places where you have power or interest and to allow them comfortable saleries for their labours these and the like good works do praise you in the gates in the hearts tongues of all those which either know or have heard the report of them But I am perswaded that the lowlines of your spirit cannot willingly heare a trumpet sounding forth your praises Therefore I forbeare The Lord direct your heart into the love of God and the patience of Christ put under his hand to support you in all your weaknesses and afflictions and conferre upon you all spirituall blessings in heavenly places preparing for salvation which shall be the dayly prayer of Your Lordships humble servant Elk Wales To the Reader THe doctrine of Christs Satisfaction by his bloudy death to the Justice of God for the sins of all who beleeve in him is so clearly held forth in Scripture that there are none found to contradict it but such who deny his eternall Godhead and thereby are forced by adding one Heresy to another to renounce the Doctrine of his satisfaction also For who but a God could rescue us out of the hand of the Divel give a Ransome for sin satisfy infinite Justice and redeem us from the curse of the law Who but a God could reconcile us to God and purchase Justification sanctification and eternal salvation for us And therefore let all those who beleev that Christ Jesus is the true God one in essence with the Father be also confirmed in the Doctrine of his Satisfaction The whole comfort and happiness of a Christian is wrapt up in these two fundamentall truthes For if Christ be not God or if he be a God onely by Office as Magistrates are called Gods and not by nature then is Christian religion a Compound of folly Madness and Idolatry in worshipping a meer creature or a made God as the Socinians blasphemously call him with Divine worship in praying to him in trusting and beleeving in him And if he hath not made satisfaction for our Sins then are we still under the curse of the Law liable to the revengfull justice of God must of necessity perish everlastingly Indeed the word satisfaction is not in Scripture no more then the word Trinity or Sacrament but there is that in Scripture which is every way aequivalent to it For it sayeth That we are Redeemed by Christ. Col. 1.14 And not Redeemed by way of Permutation as when one Prisoner is exchanged for another or by way of free manumission as Ahab freely dismissed Benhadad or by way of force and power as the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt unless it be in reference to the Divel out of whose clutches we are by force rescued by Christ. But by way of Justice by paying
and speed well Page 280 The conclusion of this passage with further satisfaction to the broken soul Page 281 282 CHAP. XI 5. TO the Lords Redeemed ones walk as it becometh such in five Duties Page 283 1. Admire this mercy rejoyce in it and let this joy break forth in praises Page 284 2. Hold fast your liberty and return not into a second bondage either more palpable by Apostacy or more covert of conscience or conversation ibid. 3. Give your selves up wholly to the pleasure and obedience of the Redeemer both in doing and suffering Page 290 The equity of this shewed in three Motives ibid. 1. He onely hath propriety in you Page 293 2. Your safety and comfort here depends very much upon this Page 294 3. This shall be most insisted upon in the great day of Inquisition Page 295 The general neglect of this duty bewayled with further pressing it Page 297 4. Labour to bring others to partake of this benefit which concerns Page 299 1. Ministers of the Gospel Page 300 2. Governours of Families Page 302 3. Neighbours and friends especially allyed in blood or affinity Page 305 5. Love the appearing of your Redeemer manifest it by the actings of Page 308 1. Vehement desires ibid. 2. Lively hope Page 309 3. Hearty rejoycing in the foresight of it Page 310 Helps to this duty Page 312 1. Keep thy self unspotted of the world ibid. 2. Preserve in thy self a willingness to dye Page 313 3. In thy whole course after conversion commit thy soul and hopes of happiness unto Jesus Christ Page 314 4. When death arrests thee commend thy spirit into the hands of the Lord thy Redeemer Page 316 CHAP. XII 6. ADmonition to beware of cursing our selves or others inferred upon this new ground further pressed by motives as being both irrational and irreligious Page 317 Mount EBAL levell'd OR Redemption from the Curse Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us CHAP. I. The introduction shewing the coherence scope and summ of the Text in three conclusions THe Apostle Paul writ this Epistle to the Churches of Galatia with his own hand so we find chap. 1 2. 6.11 This countrey was scituate in Asia the lesse See Calvin Pâ—scator Bullinger Paraeus c. and the inhabitants thereof as some Historians report were anciently descended from the Galli or French who growing a very numerous people were inforced to seek abroad into forraign coasts for convenient habitation some of them coming into these parts and lighting upon a countrey which bordered upon Cappadocia and Bithynia sate down there and called it in reference to their first Original Galatia see 1 Pet. 1.1 Who was the first that preached the Gospel among them and was the instrument to reduce them from their Gentilisme to the faith and profession of Christ whether it was S. Paul or some other of the Apostles as it is not easie to determine so neither is it necessary for us to know This is certain 1. That there were Churches planted in that region chap. 1 2. 1 Cor. 16.1 2. That Paul and his companions travelling through those parts were forbidden to preach the word in Asia Act. 16.6 Yet 3. That he preached the Gospel unto them in his ovvn person see chap. 1.8.11 and 4.13 probably at that time vvhen he passed through that region before the inhibition came to him and 4. That after all this he vvent over that countrey again and strengthened all the disciples in the truth of the Gospel vvhich they had received Act. 18.23 But as it often fell out that the Churches began too soon to degenerate and decline from their primitive purity * Vergere in pejus so these Galatians vvere quickly removed from the simplicity of the Gospel by the instigation of the false Apostles pressing a necessity of circumcision and the observation of the Lavv of Moses to be joyned vvith Christ unto justification and salvation And to the end they might the more easily prevail those deceitful vvorkers vvent about to slight and debase the authority of the Apostle by all means possible Upon this occasion he sends them this Epistle vvherein after the inscription he chides them sharply for their Apostasie then he asserts the truth of his doctrine and authority of his Apostleship for the clearing vvhereof he sets dovvn the story of his life past both in his Judaisme and Christianisme After vvhich he sets upon the main business to maintain the doctrine of justification by faith alone vvhich he prosecutes in this chapter and the next adding thereunto an earnest exhortation to stand fast in their spiritual liberty and to the practise of other Christian duties of speciall concernment and so concludes We shall fetch the coherence no higher then from the 6 verse of this chapter The hinge of his disputation runs upon this conclusion We are justified by faith alone without the works of the Law To make the proof more clear and full he brings Arguments both for the Affirmative and for the Negative The Affirmative part is We are justified by faith alone To prove this he layes down tvvo Arguments 1. Dravvn from the example of Abraham look by vvhat vvay or means Abraham our Father vvas justified by the same are all his children justified but he was justified by faith alone Ergo ver 6 7. 2. Drawn from Gods mind touching this made known beforehand Look how the Scripture chalks out Gods way of justifying the Gentiles in aftertimes that way they are justified but faith in Christ is the way which it hath chalked out Ergo ver 8 9. The Negative part is We are not justified at all by the works of the Law and for this also he brings two Arguments 1. Drawn from the sentence of the Law it self If the Law it self do solemnly pronounce a curse upon all that depend upon it then justification is not by the works of the Law for if it justifie it blesseth if it curse how doth it justifie but the Law doth so pronounce Ergo ver 10. 2. Drawn from the inconsistence of these two the Law and faith It s onely by faith that the sinner is justified and so lives but the Law is not of faith These two in the businesse of justification flie asunder and cannot stand together even as grace and works do in the decree of election Rom. 11.6 Ergo ver 11 12. Now whether these words be intended for a new argument * Summum et potentissimum argumentum Jun. Paral. or onely for an amplification of something before delivered is doubtful if the former then the ground of the argument must be the near connexion of Redemption and Justification thus If Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law then we are not justified by the works of it for if Justification may be had by the Law then there is no need of Redemption by Christ so the Apostle reasoneth chap. 2. But Christ
not this judged the act of the whole body He was the Tree we the branches when the tree falls all the branches fall with it * Corruit cuncti simul in genitore cadente corruimus 3. We do all actually break the Law in our own persons and that 2 wayes 1. in the frame and disposition of our natures which are corrupt filthy crooked wholly broken off and turned aside from conformity and subjection to the Law Our disobedience in Adam draws along after it a woful depravation of our natures so that we are all bred and born transgressours Psal 58.3 Isa 48.8 Adam begat a son in his own image a sinner like to himself Gen. 5.3 David in his penitentiall confessions after his grievous fall bewails this as the rise of all the mischief Psal 51.5 This leprosie this poyson hath overspred all mankind and the whole nature of it all sorts sexes states degrees and not one free and all the parts and powers of every man in soul and body throughout Our first Father being a corrupt tree hath infused corruption into all the branches and being a poysoned fountain hath shed his poyson into all the streams flowing from him Hence every man is born not onely destitute of all goodnesse but also wholly averse from it not onely prone to all evil but also full of it as a Toad is full of poyson Rom. 1.29 and this sinful stain is as fresh at this day and so will be till the worlds end as it was at the first it is renewed in every succeeding generation with advantage 2. in the course and practise of our lives we do according to our kind the bad tree brings forth bad fruit the corrupt spring brings forth unwholsome waters if the powers or habits be depraved the operations and actings which proceed from them can be no better * Laesae facultates lasae actiones Prov. 21.4 all the workings of man in his corrupted estate are evil and sinful like himself See Psal 14.1 2.3 * Laesae facultates lasae actiones Prov. 21.4 All our wayes in reference to the fiâ—st Table are unholinesse in reference to the second unrighteousnesse It were easie to demonstrate this by running over all the Commandments We are still breaking the Law 1. In thought all the buddings and imaginations of our minds are onely evil continually ⸫ Pro. 24.9 Gen. 6.5 Matth. 5.19 Tit. 1.15 2. In affection the motions and actings of our hearts are perverse and wicked We love the evil and hate the good Mich. 3.2 so our trusts fears joyes c. they all run crosse and counter Jer. 17.9 3. In speech evil corrupt loose unprofitable communication falshood flattery pride scorning censuring and a thousand extravagancies of the tongue Psal 5.9 and 36.3 Rom. 3.13 4. In action we commit evil and omit good or marr it in the making Psal 14.1 abominable works none that doth good not one Gal. 5.19 c. These and such like are the sparks which do dayly fly out of the hellish furnace of our wofull natures as Hos 7.6 And thus much of the second proposition III. All men are found guilty of sin by the light and verdict of the Law The Law of God is a right line which at once discovers what is straight and what is crooked ⸫ Index sui obliqui As it shews unto man what is good and what the Lord requires of him Micah 6.8 so when man hath swarved and transgressed it shews him his contrary evil and chargeth him with doing that which he ought not to have done It 's a glasse which might both let him see his native beauty if he had any and his deformity and spots which he hath brought upon himself It 's a finger which both points at the right way and discovers to the traveller the wrong way As it is in humane Laws the very same Statute that forbids treason murther theft c. doth also when any of these facts are committed charge them upon the Actours and the ordinary Rule and Warrant to proceed by in trying the parties is this or that Statute or Law of the land so it is in the Law of God it hath a voice whereby it can cry aloud to the conscience of the sinner and tell him This is a misdemeanour and that is a miscarriage for which thou must answer Thus it was with our first Parents as it may very probably be inferred from Gen. 3.7 And yet it is not materiall as to the truth and authenticknesse of the verdict whether the sinner see this light and hear this voice or not the Sun sends forth his light although all the world were blind the candle will shine although all in the room were asleep so the righteous Law of God cryes out of violence and wrong although sinners be deaf and cannot hear it and chargeth them with iniquity although they wretched souls be so blockish that they will take no notice of it In brief the Law chargeth all the world to be under sin and guilty before God Rom. 3.9.19 Thus of the third Proposition IV. All men being found guiltie by the verdict of the Law doe therefore stand accursed by the doome of the same Law for there is a necessarie connexion betwixt guilt and curse If Adam and his posteritie be justly chargeable with sin against the Law then are they also justly liable to the Curse of the Law for the Law breaths out a curse against all the sonnes and daughters of Adam and claps it on their backs because of sinn so that they are all under the curse even the curse of Almightie God revealed and expressed in the Law To cleare this further let us look upon it 1. in the sentence 2. in the execution of it 1. In the sentence This is the voice of the Lord sounding out in the Law which both threatens it to the transgressours and declares them to be accursed The Law pronounceth the curse against all sinners in the Name of the Lord it tells Adam and his posteritie that they are accursed it saith to every one in particulâ—r without respect of persons to Kings and subjects to fathers and children to Masters and servants to rich and poore c. Thou man thou woman art accursed se Deut. 27.15.16 c. Gen. 4.11 Jer. 11.3 Psal 119.21 It is the flying Roule 20 cubits long and 10 cubits broad which goes forth over the face of the whole earth Zach. 5.2 c. 2. In the exicution as the Law declareth and denounceth the curse so the Lawgiver strikes the sinner accordingly Look what the Law speakes the Lawgiver makes good he executes by his own hand or by his instruments the judgement written as Psal 149.9 As the just judge on earth executes the sentence passed upon the Malefactor according to the Law so doth the Lord the Judge of all the world he inflicts the curse which the Law awards in such manner and measure as he pleaseth thus he
distinctness to his heart and conscience for doubtless every natural man may say of the Law as the Eunuch of the Text in the Prophecy of Isaiah How can I understand it except some man should guide me Act. 8.31 God sends Moses to conduct the children of Israel towards the Land of Canaan but they must go thorow the wilderness and there the Law must be promulgated in a terrible manner with thundrings and lightnings c. that the fear of the Lord might be before their faces Exod. 20.20 Sinners must come to mount Sinai before they come to mount Sion Jesus Christ himself when he comes with healing in his wings and his heart and mouth full of blessing for sinners yet even then he will send his messenger before his face to prepare the way before him they must remember the Law of Moses in the mean time and before his coming he will send them one to go before him in the spirit and power of Elias c. lest he come and smite the earth with a curse Mal. 4.2 4 5 6. Luke 1.17 So that to shut up this use we must crave your excuse if we harp sometimes on this harsh string for although it be not toothsome physick yet it is wholsome We should be both unfaithfull to our great Master and treacherous to your souls if we should withhold from you this so necessary a part of Gods counsel We were not worthy to be admitted Counsellors at Law if we would not plainly tell our Clients the worst of their causes We know the terrour of the Lord therefore we perswade you by the light of the Law to consider of your misery 2 Cor. 5.11 That speech of the Pharisees is a truth though ill meant and worse applied by them John 7.49 The people which know not the Law are cursed When people cannot endure to hear of their sin and curse by the ministery of the Law it is too probable a sign that they lie fast bound hand and foot under the curse Oh my brethren were it not better to hear the curse ringing aloud in your ears in this world while there is a possibility of escaping it than to feel it lying on your souls and bodies in the full power and fury of it in the world to come when the time of mercy and blessing is expired Oh consider it and the Lord give you understanding Sect. 6. Vse 7 8. 7. SUffer the words of exhortation and give me leave to impart unto you counsel from God Oh that your ears were open and your hearts pliable that this counsel mght be acceptable unto you about a matter of so great importance Let this exhortation run in two streams 1. To all the sons and daughters of Adam you see in what wofull case you stand by the just verdict of the holy Law of God I beseech you weigh it well it s the great curse of Almighty God that you lie under Would you see it yet more clearly in its hideousness then look upon it in all its dimensions for breadth it wraps in all mankind Adam and his whole generation to the last man that shall stand upon the earth and all creatures which serve for his use for length it reacheth to eternity for depth it goes down to hell and there puts forth its greatest mischief for height it gets up to heaven and inâ—ects it the moon and stars are not pure in his sight Job 25.5 Review the sad effects and strange properties before mentioned and then tell me are you now convinced of your misery is it come so near to your consciences that you cannot now shake it off any longer Oh then I intreat you for the love of your souls get from under it how dare ye abide in this condition how can ye eat or drink or sleep with such a massie weighty curse lying upon your souls Say Oh wretch that I am I was born at first to blessedness but I am now implunged into a most wofull curse and shall I lie still under it and not go about to recover my first estate Oh no haste away and escape for thy life the longer thou continuest under the curse the more sinfulness and guilt thou contractest and so makest thy self more accursed Deliver thy self betimes how long wilt thou linger in this blacke Sodome 2. To parents and such as have the charge of others alas your children are under the curse of the Law Suppose that some of them were infected with the leprosie pestilence or any contagious disease threatening death or were under any calamity at present which would certainly be their ruine if not timely prevented would ye not use the best means for their help especially if your hearts can tell you that you have had a great hand in bringing them into this danger Oh then if you have the bowels of parents earning in your bellies you will spare no cost nor pains but lay out your selves freely in all ways possible for their seasonable recovery you you have been the immediate instruments of putting them into this lamentable pickle you have begotten and brought them forth and from you they have derived together with their being this dolefull curse and will you suffer them to lie under it still and not put forth your hands to help them out Do ye not tremble to think into what a deep gulf you have implunged them Oh what joy can you have in them in their beauty comeliness towardliness or their sweet natural parts whiles this sad thought is ever and anon coming into your mindes Alas these tender babes these hopefull children are in themselves no better than accursed creatures But we may well mourn over the desperate carelesness of the greatest part of parents and masters which suffer those that are under them to continue in that wofull plight without looking after their recovâ—ry yea give them leave in these licencious days to run up and down from one sect to another and from one wickedness to another and to make themselves still more vile and yet do not restrain them as it is said of Eli 1 Sam. 3.13 And what shall we think of those parents that encourage their children to sinfull ways they may swear scorn at godliness break the Lords day profane his worship neglect yea trample upon his Ordinances and they give them good leave to do so saying in effect to them as Rebecca said to her darling Jacob when she set him on to get the blessing Upon me be thy curse my son Gen. 27.13 While you carry thus towards them I tell you you may bless them morning and evening yet God curseth them Ah cruel father mother master dame you must one day answer for their souls and their blood will be required at your hands You say you love them and would see them do well but I beseech you love them better than thus or you will one day waile and wring your hands to see them irremedilesly miserable 8. This truth being duly
must lye by it for ever Let us work this meditation on our hearts for our deeper humiliation 3 It presents unto us the exactness and impartialness of the justice of God against sinners in that he will let the curse fall even on the head of his onely begotten Son if he finde sin upon him Tribulation and anguish must be upon every soul of man that doth evill without respect of persons Rom. 2.9 11. An unquestionable Maxime for we see tribulation and anguish have fallen heavy upon the soul of the Man-Christ though he did no evil himself onely because he was numbred with the Transgressors and bare the sins of many by imputation We may look upon it as a miracle of Justice and stand wondring at the Lords proceedings against Christ how the curse was inflicted on him in all the punishments of it yea the most grievous and piercing that can be imagined If any might have escaped who more likely than the Son of his bosome the Son of his delights but he might not be spared Justice will not suffer it but puts in its plea and saith I expect reparation for the transgression of my righteous Law If therefore Jesus Christ hath undertaken to pay this debt for sinners let him look to it I must and will be satisfied to the uttermost farthing He is willing to be their Surety and to stand in their room let him therefore bear the whole burden I will not acquit him till he hath discharged the whole debt No no his loud crying and tears his bloody and painful sweats his fervent and heaven-piercing prayers his often renewed petitions that this cup might pass away from him not any one of these nor all these could prevail to stay the hand of Divine justice but he must take off this cup of the Curse and drink it even to the bottome Oh that our secure sinners in Sion would weigh these things sadly and take the measure of the Lords severity against sin by his dealing with his own Son and think thus If these things be done in the green tree what shall be done in the dry Luke 23.31 If he was so strict with his Son what will he be to his slave If he dealt so sharply with his darling how will he deal with his enemy If his righteous servant escape thus hardly where shall the ungodly and sinner appear Prov. 11.31 4 It commends unto us the unspeakableness of the love of the Lord Jesus to poor undone sinners Behold here the Son of God the only begotten of the Father who is the image of the invisible God the first-born of every creature the brightness of his Fathers glory and the dearly beloved of his soul who is cloathed with honour and majesty and whom all the Angels worship even he is come down from heaven hath laid aside his Majesty put off the robes of his glory and abased himself to the lower parts of the earth to become not onely a worm and a reproach of men but also a curse for Adam his wretched posterity to take off the curse of the Law from their shoulders and to stand accursed in their stead Listen and hear 〈…〉 Dien Carth. how sweetly he bespeaks the Lord on our behalf Holy Father here is a company of poor miserable debtors very bankrupts wretched malefactors which lye under thy heavy displeasure and are the children of death but I appear here as their Surety I have taken all upon me require no debt inflict no punishment on them put it all on mine accounts I will discharge all their scores I will answer whatsoever can be laid to their charge Oh incomparable love surpassing all that can be found in the creature the highest pitch whereof reacheth but to friends Joh. 15.13 that is to such as are friendly kinde beneficial to us from whom we have received such good turns as do oblige us to a return of thankfulness and yet even this love is very rare To dare to dye for a good man that is a kinde man that hath been good to us is but a peradventure So much doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 import in some places as in Mat. 20.15 Eph. 4.29 Rom. 5.7 But God commends his love to us in that while we were sinners and therefore enemies Christ dyed for us vers 8.10 So then here is unparalleld loving kindness for who would stoop thus low Who would become contemptible yea abominable for others who would bee content to lye under the extremest miseries for enemies traitors and the worst of creatures Who would entertain and imbrace a curse upon any tearms and not rather shun and avoid it yet this hath the Lord Jesus done for us Oh that we had hearts to admire this miracle of mercy Sect. 5. Use 2. Exhortation in two branches SEcondly Hence we may also draw wholesome matter of Exhortation Hath Christ undergone the Curse Was he made a Curse in our stead who lye under the curse of the Law Oh that all the sons and daughters of Adam would take this into their serious thoughts that thereby they may be excited to learn and to practise two very necessary lessons 1 Of wisdome for themselves 2 Of duty to the Lord Jesus 1 Such poor sinners as have been convinced by the former doctrine of their accursed condition should now be wise for themselves even to give free way to him to take the curse from off them that he may bear it and not to take it to themselves Art thou now sensible of thy sinfull condition Dost thou hear the Law cursing thee aloud in thy conscience And dost thou feel the sting and venome of it drinking up thy spirit Then take to thy self the boldness to send it to Christ tell it Jesus Christ hath removed the curse from thee and laid it on his own shoulders Say Indeed I am a great sinner deeply implunged in transgression mine own iniquities have prevailed against me and are gone over my head and therefore the curse doth justly lye upon me and might presse me down into the nethermost hell but the Lord Jesus blessed be his name for ever is become a curse for me he hath born it in my stead it lyes not now on me but on him If thou hast ought to say against me go to him he will answer thee to the full This might be very seasonable if well digested to such convinced humbled sinners as are of so little faith that they dare not reckon of any good by Jesus Christ Oh saith the poor broken soul Wo is me I am undone for I am a vile accursed wretch I hear indeed that the Lord Jesus is becomed a curse for sinners but as for my self I fear the news are too good to be true I cannot be perswaded that he is made a curse for me What the Son of God made a curse for me for such a base sinful worthless creature as I am It is not probable I cannot beleeve it No no I must
begins at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 Say then Is this thy case Thou hast sinned and now thou sufferest I advise thee to be humbled for it yet not to be discomforted The Redeemer hath born the heat and burthen of Gods wrath for thy sin and these punishments are not the effects of indignation steeled with hatred but anger meekned with love Minde it good Christian the Lord hath annexed this proviso to the Covenant of grace If you transgress you must expect to be visited with the rod yet the Covenant shall stand fast Psa 89.30 c. As poyson duely mixed and ordered by the art of the skilful Pâ—ysiâ—ian doth not kill but help to bring health So the wise God will temper the punishments which he layes on thee for sin that they should not hinder but further the fruit of thy Redemption Thy Saviour learned obedience by the things which he had suffered for thy sin Heb. 5.8 Take thou out the same lesson I might here take occasion to start and dispute this question Whether those which are actually made partakers of the grace of Redemption be so fully freed from the curse of the Law in this life that the evills which they suffer for sin have nothing of the curse in them nor can be truly so called But I look upon it as a strife about words the controversie may be thus decided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The curse may be considered either materially as it is a thing contrary to the good and welfare of the creature and so unwelcome or formally as it the sinners liableness to the avenging wrath of God for sin Or it may be taken either largely for any evill whatsoever which is the reward of sin or strictly for that great evil of evils which stands in the separation of the sinner from God and his eternal perdition Take it materially or in the largest sense and both Scripture and experience speak it aloud that beleevers are not fully delivered from the whole curse in this life But take it formally and strâ—ctly and thus the elect sinner is wholly set free from it at the instant of his conversion The terrible tempest that would overwhelme him and render him utterly and everlastingly miserable is passâ—d by and shâ—ll not fall upon his head onely some drops and sprinklings may dash him but they shall not hurt him yea the nature of them is so altered Medâ—â—inales 〈◊〉 Aâ—g 〈◊〉 corrâ—â—â—â—nes◠〈…〉 â—nes fabrâ—â—â— loâ—â—s â—â—siones â—â—â—â—tâ—onâ—s candidatâ—â—â—es Guil Pâ—â—is apud Ames Bell. Enerv. that they do him good as the Lords Warning-peeces to bring him to repentance after his falls and a Physical receits which though they be not toothsome yet are wholesome to the soul Heb. 12.10 11. Jer. 24.5 If thou be well advised thou wilt not look upon them as effâ—cts of revenging justice but as fatherly chastisements and medicines to cure thy folly and helps to promote vertue as hammering or squarings and knocking 's or washings and whitenings Dan. 11.35 And this may minister sweet refreshing to thee under the roâ—â— even when thou hast the greatest cause of humiliation for thy sin CHAP. VIII Use 4. Examination Sect. 1. The first mark of actual interest in Redemption 4. BUt now lest some bold sinner should snatch at this Consolation under pretence of an interest in the grace of Redemption and the benefits and priviledges thereof it is requisite to adde something for Examination that every one may know whether he be actual partaker of them or no. If this was the great design of Jesus Christ in taking upon him the curse to buy poor sinners out of the hands of the Law and to deliver us from the Curse then it concernes us all to search our hearts and to try our wayes that upon due consideration we may be able to give a true satisfying answer in our own souls to this weighty case of conscience Whether am I indeed and truth redeemed from the curse of the Law For what shall it avail thee to claime that as thy right which upon due search will be found to be none of thine Shall not the Lord judge thee an Usurper and a Theefe in so doing Therefore judge thy selfe by inquiring how thy heart can answer to these markes and evidences of a redeemed soul 1. Dear love of the Redeemer Suppose a poor guiltie-slave tugging and sweating in an hard service under a cruel Lord and readie to breath out his soul for very anguish by reason of his bondage if now some happie man shall in meer compassion disburse a great summe for his ransome and set him at liberty how doth this engage the silly captives heart to his Deliverer How doth the esteem of him and commend him Oh! saith he had it not been for such a man I had lien by it for ever I even owe him my self and all that I am and I shall love him dearly as long as I live This is thy case if thou hast left Christ actually redeeming thee from the Curse Thou canst look upon him and consider both those depths of misery from which he hath rescued thee and that height of felicity whereinto he hath enstaâ—ed thee and also the desperate hazzards which he was constrained to runne for the perfecting of this great work and thou canst seriously profess and say with David I will love thee dearly O Lord my strength and my deliverer Psal 18.1 2. and 116.1 2 c. Thou canst now speak it in the uprightness of thy heart Oh my soul is exceedingly indeared unto the Lord Jesus for looking upon such a miserable creature I was as a dead dog before the Lord the curse of the Law was ready to wearie mee but Christ hath taken it off and delivered me from it Therefore I love him he hath my heart and shall have it for ever well then saith every pretender I doubt not but I am redeemed for I love Jesus Christ else I were not worthy to live But alas there is much false unsound Properties of sincere love of the Redeemer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae ad splendorem solis examen sustinere potest Pasor Lexic dissembling love in the world onely that which is pure sound and uncorrupt will evidence your interest in Redemption Eph. 6.24 Let us therefore hold up this Eagle before the Sun that we may trie whether it be right bred or a bastard True love to Christ the Redeemer is 1. Single carried to the person of Christ in a direct line the eye looks straight towards Christ so that he loves him primarily for himself and the good things which he enjoyes by him but at the second hand I grant that the benefit of Redemption applied is both a meanes to produce and an help to advance this love but when the soul begins to know Christ somewhat experimentally then he sees that beautie and excellency in him which renders him altogether lovely Can. 5.16 now he loves him intirely