legal obedience was necessary unto life by the first Covenant made with Adam Do this and live Rom. 10.5 by which since the fall no man can be saved 2. By way of a final perpetual Decree never to be altered Such is the Covenant of Grace in the Gospel confirmed by an oath to shew the immutability thereof for Christ offered one sacrifice for sin for ever upon rejection whereof there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin If ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins saith our Saviour Ioh. 8.4 Again one thing may be necessary to another two ways 1. Necessitate causae as that which giveth it its being and foundeth a right unto it So the payment of a price is necessary to a purchase and foundeth that right which the Purchaser hath thereunto 2. Necessitate viae without the which I cannot come to the possession of the thing purchased For though the price procure me the property yet I must go the way which will bring me unto it before I can be personally possessed of it The only cause of salvation is the free Grace of God and price of the bloud of Christ deriving a property thereunto upon us as one by faith with the Purchaser by regeneration descending from him by adoption joynt heirs with him But we cannot come to the actual possession of that inheritance without running that race of Evangelical holiness which is the way thereunto From these things thus distinguished we gather this conclusion that although the Gospel were not originally necessary unto blessedness by the Law of Primitive Creation another Covenant having been made with Adam in order unto life yet upon supposition of the fall of man and of the unchangeable sanction of God whereby the Covenant of Grace is made perpetual so the Gospel is indispensably necessary unto salvation called in the Scripture the Gospel of Salvation the Power of God unto Salvation the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation yea by the name of Salvation it self 1. The sacrifice of Christ necessary Ad acquisitionem to the purchasing of blessedness for us called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by an Hypallage as some think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A purchase of Salvation of glory of Redemption The bloud of Christ was both a price of ransome whereby we were Redeemed out of misery He gave his life a ransome for many Matt. 20.28 and a price of purchase of that eternal Glory unto which though it were his own he could not ascend so as to take possession thereof for us which was one principal business of his Ascension I go to prepare a place for you Joh. 14.2 until first he had suffered as himself telleth us Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory Luk. 24.26 for Christ having a double right unto glory a natural right as the Son of God and a purchased right as the Saviour of the world reserveth the former unto himself and bestoweth the latter upon the Church 2. The gracious Acts of Divine Love in Iustification and Adoption necessary unto the Ius ad rem or deriving a title upon us For sonship hath a right accompanying it If sons then heirs Gal 4.7 The inheritance it self is sometimes called by the name of Adoption Rom. 8.23 Gal. 4.5 3. Faith and Repentance which two Evangelical graces Christ hath honoured in the business of Salvation above others because they are humbling graces the one teaching us to judge and abhor our selves the other to go out of our selves for righteousness these necessary ad Statum to that condition wherein we are capacitated to receive the conveyance of that inheritance so purchased for us and derived upon us Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Act· 3 19· He that believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal life Joh· 3 15. 4. Evangelical obedience necessary to the Ius in Re to the Actual possession of this Inheritance as the onely way which leads thereunto For without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 It is a gradus and an inchoation of Glory Thus we see the absolute necessity of the Gospel wherein we finde Christ meritoriously purchasing God graciously conveying Repentance humbly disposing Faith comfortably receiving and sincere obedience gradually conducting us unto eternal salvation In the next place let us observe the All-sufficiency of the grace of the Gospel unto the effecting of that blessedness whereunto it is so necessary In sickness Physick is necessary but when Death comes it is not sufficient to withstand it But there is a Plenipotency in Evangelical grace to consummate our Salvation for us Christ is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by him Heb 7.25 Every thing which he did corporally for us he will do the same spiritually by his Grace in us So that though we be yet imperfect in our selves yet we are complete in him Col. 2.10 And as there was a consummatum est pronounced upon his work on earth whereby he wrought Redemption for us It is finished Joh. 19.30 So there will be a consummatum est pronounced upon his work in Heaven whereby he applyeth Redemption unto us It is done Rev. 21.6 He will perfect every good work which he begins and be the finisher of what he is the Author unto us And this is a further demonstration of the excellencie of the Gospel That as it is an onely so it is an all-sufficient means unto that blessedness which is therein tendred unto us Lastly the excellency of the Gospel will appear if we consider the infinite value and pretiousness of the things therein concerned 1. The preciousness of the subject by the grace thereof Redeemed It is true by sin our bodies are become vile and our souls cursed and might both be justly made vessels of dishonour But if we view them in their primitive integrity made after the Image of God in the Grace and Glory whereof they are capable in the immortal condition whereunto they are reserved in the honourable accompt which God hath of them when he hath once formed them for himself a people for his Name in whom he will be admired in these respects we may truely say that there is nothing which a man can give in exchange for his soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The preciousness of the price whereby we were purchased the bloud of God as the Apostle calls it Act. 20.28 3. The preciousness of the condition whereunto we are by the Gospel called To be justified from the guilt of innumerable sins To have the peace of God which passeth understanding the joy of salvation which is unspeakable and glorious the Favour of God which is better then life shed abroad upon the Soul To have the sting of Death pulled out the fire of Hell quenched the worm of conscience killed the sentence
any we can discover to have belonged unto Adam and his natural posterity had they persisted in that integrity wherein they were created For then the Reward would only have born proportion to the obedience whereunto it related but now it shall have its dimensions from the dignity of the Person and excellency of the price whereby it was purchased both which do infinitely surpass both the person and obedience of Adam or any other meer man 3. By the Gospel there is more divine and supernatural help afforded to Believers to carry them through their course of obedience unto glory then there was unto Adam in Paradise To Adam was given a posse non peccare si vellet a power not to sin if he would and a power to have willed if he would so have done but he had not special supernatural assistance given him to will for if he had had that he had persevered But unto believers there is such grace given qua efficitur ut velint It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure saith the Apostle Phil. 2.13 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power saith the Prophet David Psal. 110.3 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them saith the Lord Ezek. 36.27 This point is excellently handled by that renowned champion of the grace of God St. Austen in his book De correptione Gratia II. The excellencie of the Gospel will appear if we compare it with the Law of Moses The Priesthood thereof a nobler Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec the Covenant thereof a better Covenant established upon better promises as the Apostle proveth at large in his Epistle to the Hebrews 1. The Law moral considered singly and alone is a ministration of death and condemnation a killing enthralling inexorable insupportable Law insomuch that the people were not able to endure the commands thereof Heb. 12.20 Why should we dye say they This great fire will consume us If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more then we shall dye Deut. 5.25 But the Gospel is a ministration of the Spirit and Righteousness and therefore more glorious as the Apostle argues 2 Cor. 3.7 8 9. 1. Hereby the curse of the Law is removed for Christ came to bless us Act. 3.26 That repentance and remission of sins might be preached in his name 2. Hereby we are delivered from the Law as a Covenant of life though not as a Rule of living the righteousness of Faith being substituted in the room thereof as the Apostle teacheth us Act. 13.39 Rom. 3.20 28. Gal. 2.16.3.10 13. 3. Hereby the Rigour of the Law is corrected Christ procuring acceptation of sincerity instead of perfection He is the Altar which sanctifieth all our oblations so that the Lord notwithstanding their defects is well pleased with them pardoning that in them which comes from our weakness and accepting and rewarding that which comes from his own Grace 1 Pet. 2 5. Isa. 56.7 4. Hereby the Coaction of the Law is sweetned by healing and assisting grace that whereas the Law doth onely drive by terrour and bondage unto the doing of duty which otherwise we should rather have left undone Mallent licitum quod male delectat as St. Austin speaks the Spirit of Grace in the Gospel shedding abroad the love of Christ into our hearts doth cause us with delight to run the ways of Gods commandments c Vt non sit terribile sed suave mandatum for the yoke of Christ is easie and his burden light and his Commandments not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 5. Lastly hereby the Irritation of the Law is rebuked that whereas the restraints thereof did before exasperate corruption that like an obstructed River Ab obice saevior iret it gathered strength by suppression now all the channels of the heart being opened by grace the course of obedience goeth on with more freedom and lust is not able to gather head against it as it was wont to do 2. The excellency of the Gospel will appear if we compare it with the ceremonial Law For though quoad substantiam Foederis the Covenant was the same to them and us Christ theirs and ours the new Testament hidden in the Old and the Old expounded in the New as St. Austin speaks yet quoad modum Administrandi there is as much greater excellency in the Gospel then in the Law as there is in the body or substance then in the picture or shadow whereby it is represented 1. The Law was dark and obscure a veil over the eyes of that people but in the Gospel Christ is evidently set forth Gal. 3.1 We see with open face the glory of God 2 Cor. 3.18 Though the Jews had the same promises of eternal life and an heavenly Country with us yet they were overshadowed with the Types of an holy Land and temporal blessings there and therefore the Apostle telleth them of another rest besides that of their Sabbath and Canaan There remaineth a rest for the people of God Heb. 4 9. 2. The Law was exceeding Burdensome in many chargeable and painful observances a yoke which they were not able to bear Act. 15.10 Whereas the yoke of Christ is light and easie unto the bearing whereof he encourageth us by glorious promises and assisteth us by the supplies of his Spirit of grace 3. The Law is weak and unprofitable not able to make the comers thereunto perfect to expiate sin to pacifie God to quiet conscience or procure salvation It is true by vertue of divine Institution it was profitable to the uses for which it was designed namely to prefigure and lead unto Christ for that salvation which it self could not give But Christ being come the use of it is wholly ceased and it become to all intents weak and unprofitable And therefore Moses and Aaron both dyed before the entring of Israel into Canaan the Lord thereby signifying as Tertullian hath observed the mortality of the Law and its impotency to bring men into the possession of the Promises that it was to give way to Christ who had an unchangeable Priesthood and to his Gospel which was an everlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 Thus we see the excellencie of the Gospel above the Law for by it onely is ministred Grace to pardon the sins committed against and to perform the duties required by the Moral Law and by it is Christ exhibited to accomplish the Prefigurations of the ceremonial Law For the Law came by Moses but Grace and Truth by Iesus Christ. III. The excellency of the Gospel appeareth if we compare it with any other the most noble perfections acquirable by the uttermost improvement of natural abilities either in Genere notitiae or in Genere morum 1. The highest knowledge attainable by humane
Thus have I endeavoured to shew the excellencies of Christ and the unsearchable riches of his Gospel as the alone necessary and indispensable means unto all solid comfort in this life and unto all true blessedness in another in comparison whereof all other the noblest endowments are not onely loss but dung All these things whereby I have proved the greatness of the Gospel are evident demonstrations of the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ thereby since the dignity of science is founded in the Sublimity Majesty greatness of the subject known So that I shall need add but one thing more which is particular to the saving knowledge of Christ that it doth not discover onely him and his excellencies unto us but doth convey them upon us and give us a right and interest in them And hereupon it is An enlivening knowledge I live by the faith of the Son of God He that believeth in me saith our Saviour shall live though he were dead which is more then can be said of all the excellencies in the world they all run like Jordan into a dead Sea the grave devours them without hope of a resurrection But our life in Christ is an abiding and an abounding life It is An ennobling knowledge it giveth us a priviledge dignity and power to be called the Sons of God It is A justifying knowledge by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many It entitleth us to all the merits of the Death and obedience of Jesus Christ. It is A sanctifying knowledge which purifieth the Heart and worketh by love hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments Lastly it is a saving knowledge This is eternal life to know thee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ. I shall very briefly conclude with but three words of Exhortation 1. To my self and Brethren to whom the dispensation of this glorious Gospel is entrusted that we would be ever mindful of our commission Ambassadors must keep strictly to the Mandate of their Princes and never deviate from their instructions Our Commission is to teach men to observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded to preach unto them the unsearchable riches of Christ to take them off from all presumptuous sins from all vain delights from all carnal confidence from all self-opinion of their own performances to set forth Christ before them as the desire of all nations to convince them of the All-sufficiency of his righteousness and of the great duties of faith and obedience which they owe unto him as King of Saints Not to preach our selves our own fancies passions or interests but so to preach Christ Jesus the Lord as becomes the excellencie of his person and offices as becomes the Majesty and awfulness of the doctrines of Salvation 2. To all in place of power and authority that since Christ to whom all power was given did and still doth put it forth for our salvation they also would be exhorted to exert their power for the honour and interest of Christ and his Gospel By the light of their gracious examples to render the beauties of holiness amiable unto others for the lives of great men are a kinde of law to those that are under them By their zeal courage and justice to put to shame the insolencies of any who by profaness and atheism either of tongue pen or life dare offer any scorn or indignity to the Lord or to the Gospel of Glory By their wisdom and love to Christ to use all means for promoting the Gospel of Salvation and removing out of the way whatsoever doth obstruct the powerful progress and prevalencie thereof amongst men And here I cannot but with grief of heart once more bewail those doleful divisions which deface the beauty and shake the stability of this once flourishing Church For as in the natural body solutio continui doth both pain deform it so do breaches in the body of Christ abate both the strength and comeliness of it while we thus by our divisions lessen and weaken one another we comfort and advantage a common adversary Do not all learned and sober Protestants agree in the Doctrine of the Church of England in the vitals essentials of true Religion in the great foundations of faith worship and obedience Have they not all one Father one Head one Faith one Hope one heavenly Canaan whither they profess to be all going Why then should brethren fall out by the way Why is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered I am no Prophet to foretell future events Yet since the Psalmist hath told me that where brethren dwell together in unity there the Lord commandeth a blessing Psal. 133. Since he hath joyned the peace and prosperity of the Church together Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces Psal. 122. Since the Apostle hath assured me that if we be of one minde and live in peace the God of love and peace will be with us 2 Cor. 13.11 I cannot but upon these grounds verily perswade my self that if we would with a sincere eye to the glory of God the interest of the Gospel and the peace of the Church which things ought to be most dear unto us set our selves with a spirit of meekness and moderation to heal the breaches and reconcile the differences which are amongst us that so if possible we might be like the Primitive Christians of one heart and one soul the Lord would say unto us as he did unto his people when they laid the foundation of his Temple Hag. 2.19 From this day I will bless you And if this would not effectually do it that which I have last to say I am sure would Which is 3. To perswade all who profess the Gospel to lead their lives agreeable thereunto to hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience and to express the lineaments ofChrist in their conversation There is no precept more frequently inculcated in the writings of the Apostles then this therefore I shall give it you in their words as having most of aw and authority in them How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called Put off the old man put on the new man if ye have heardChrist and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus As ye have received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him He that saith he abideth in him ought himself to walk even as he walked Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ. Adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Shew forth the vertues of him who calleth you out of darkness into his