us indeed that Christ dyed to confirm the Truth which he had preached and also that his dying and rising again and taking possession of eternal life was to give us an assurance of eternal life and that we shall come thither in due time also they tell us that he dyed for an example but they will not admit that Christ dyed by way of satisfaction or that his death was by way of price and ransom but the Scripture is most express and full as to this and I shall have occasion to speak more fully to it hereafter only at present I shall hint a few Scriptures Mat. 20.28 The Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many So likewise 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave himself a ransom for all Here we have two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Criticks in the Greek Tongue tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were gifts that were given for the ransom of Prisoners such gifts as were given for the setting free and releasing of persons taken Captive in War We were held captive by Sin and Satan we were Prisoners in the hands of Divine Justice Now Christ gave his life as a price to set us free that is the proper signification of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies the price of redemption but the compound word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more full and pregnant that signifies a price or ransom laid down for or instead of another Christ gave his life for our lives as the life of the beast sacrificed went for the life of the man so Christ gave his life for our lives Hence is it said that we are redeemed by Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye were redeemed by price or ransom so the word signifies the Blood of Christ was the Price that was laid down for our Redemption What can be more full and express to this purpose than what our Saviour declareth to us when he saith that he gives his flesh for the life of the world Joh. 6.51 The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world The Son of God assumed our nature and offered it up this he calls his flesh and this he gives for the life of the world that is to purchase and procure life for the world The world lay dead before dead in sin dead in respect of condemnation the world was obnoxious to Divine wrath Now Christ gives his flesh for the life of the world that is he gives his flesh to deliver the world from that state of condemnation in which it was and to bring it into reconciliation with God Joh. 3.17 God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved A word for Application Hath Christ laid down his life for his sheep Behold here as in a Mirroir the greatness of Christs Love Vse 1 The Son of God would not only take our nature but being in our nature he would lay down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us That person who was God and man both laid down his life as man for us he laid down the life of his humanity for us But this I may have occasion to speak to more hereafter This is matter of infinite comfort and support to poor doubting Christians Vse 2 unto such who have fled for refuge to the hope that is set before them and yet have many remaining doubts within them concerning their Salvation whether they shall be saved in the conclusion yea or no. That which is matter of comfort to them is this 1. That Christ hath laid down his life for them Now this is certain Christ hath not dyed in vain Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed If thou shouldst be condemned for thy sins the guilt of which thou fearest whenas thou art a poor Believer and hast fled to Christ for refuge then hath Christ dyed in vain because the end of Christs dying was that those who believe on him might not perish So our Saviour himself tells us Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish If therefore thou who hast fled to Christ for refuge to save thee from the stroke of Divine wrath and from the condemning power of the Law if thou shouldst perish Christ hath dyed in vain If Christ hath laid down his life to purchase eternal life and Salvation for thee and thou shouldst go without it who art a poor Believer and runnest to him for Salvation then Christ hath dyed in vain Consider what the Apostle saith Gal. 2.20 If righteousness come by the Law then is Christ dead in vain If God should put thee to work out a righteousness for thy self and there were no possibility of Salvation but by perfect keeping the Law then there had been no necessity of Christs death but Christs death was not in vain Christ dyed to satisfie Gods Justice for them who could not fulfil the Law for themselves and therefore there is ground of hope that such who have fled to Christ for refuge shall not be disappointed of Salvation 2. A second thing to comfort doubting Christians is that Christ who hath the power to dispose of eternal life to whom he pleases hath invested poor Believers with a Right and Title to eternal life 1. Christ as he is Man and Mediator hath a power given to him to give eternal life to whom he pleaseth Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him 2. Christ having this power given to him hath invested Believers with a Right and Title to eternal life It is a great Text to comfort such who are concerned about their Salvation more than any thing else Joh. 10.29 Christ speaking of his sheep saith I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish If Christ hath given them eternal life how shall they be deprived of it If Christ hath given them eternal life who shall take it from them What Christ hath once given he never takes back again For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Christ therefore having made over a Right and Title to eternal life unto those that are his sheep to all that obey and follow him they must of necessity have it These things may be of use to support poor
doubting Christians who are concerned about their Salvation other men are concerned about their temporal interests in this world but the great concernment of serious Souls is to secure their Salvation Now these considerations may be of great use unto such The end of the first Sermon SERMON II. Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends IN the former Discourse I dispatched the two first Particulars 1. I opened the import of the Phrase what this Phrase did import for a man to lay down his life for his friend 2. I shewed you how it was that Christ laid down his life for us It remains now that I proceed to speak something to the third thing and that is this How is it said that Christ laid down his life for his friends whereas elsewhere it is said that we were enemies when Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Here it is said that we were enemies when Christ dyed for us and yet in the Text it is said that Christ did lay down his life for his friends How are these two to be reconciled I shall lay down several Particulars for the clearing of this which also are necessary to be laid down for the understanding of the Text it self 1. It is certain that by Nature we are all enemies unto God and Christ when he dyed for us when he laid down his life for us found us in a state of enmity Although some of the Elect who then lived when Christ suffered were already reconciled to God yet consider them and us all by nature we are enemies unto God and Christ dyed for us when we were enemies so in the Text before If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.10 Also it appeareth from another Text Col. 1.21 You that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Sin is a plain rebellion against God sin is a fighting against him a perfect opposition to the will of God so opposite is the sinner to Gods will and so much bent upon his own will that he is angry with God and hates God because Gods will crosses his will Now when we were sinners and enemies when we stood in this direct opposition and desiance to God even then Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.8 God commended his love to us that whilst we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Those who are called Sinners in this verse are called Enemies in the 10. verse If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Every sinner is an enemy to God Christ therefore dyed for us when we were enemies that is the first thing 2. The second Particular to clear the Point in hand is this Though we were truly and properly enemies unto God yet in some sense God accounted us and looked upon us as friends how so not as being friends to him but as he being a friend to us not that we had any love or affection for God but that God had good will and kindness for us It is a great Text to clear this 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that God loved us and gave his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Hence is it that one of the Ancients hath this expression Etsi nondum quidem amantibus sed tamen jam amatis Christ saith he dyed for his friends although not for such friends as did already love him yet for such friends as were in some sort beloved by him For it was out of his love that he dyed for us 3. The third Particular to clear it is this Christs Death was the means to make us friends and to reconcile us to God Col. 1.22 You hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death It is a Speech of one of the Ancients Christus non aliter pro amicis mortuus est nisi pro acquirendis scil ut amicos faceret ex inimicis Christ did no otherwise dye for his friends than that he might make them friends that is that he might make them friends who were enemies before and Christs death was influential to make us the friends of God or to reconcile us to him these two ways 2. Christ by his death hath abolished and taken away the enmity that was between God and us Hence is it said expresly that Christ hath slain the enmity by his Cross Eph. 2.16 That he might reconcile both in one body by the Cross having slain the enmity thereby That he might reconcile both that is that he might reconcile both Jews and Gentiles in one body by the Cross that is by the Sacrifice of himself upon the Cross Having slain the enmity thereby that is having taken away the enemity that was between God and us by the Sacrifice of himself upon the Cross God was infinitely offended with us by reason of sin now Christ offering himself as a Sacrifice upon the Cross for our sins hereupon God is pacified and appeased the enmity that God had against us is now slain and taken quite away God hath now no more against us There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Now the enmity that was between God and us being slain and removed there is a foundation laid for friendship between God and us whilst two persons remain unreconciled they cannot cordially love one another whilst the difference remains there are heats and animosities heart burnings one against another but when the difference is taken up then there is a foundation laid for love and friendship So in this case so long as we apprehend that God hath a controversie with us that he is angry with us for our sins that he is ready to condemn us for them this drives us farther from God we cannot love him whilst we are under such apprehensions but when we know that God is reconciled by the death of Christ that his Justice is satisfied that he will not condemn us for our sins this lays the foundation for friendship then are we ingaged to draw near to God and to give up our selves in ways of obedience to him Now Christ by his death hath satisfied Gods Justice and thereby slain the enmity that was between God and us and so laid the foundation of friendship between God and us 2. Christ by his death hath purchased the spirit of regeneration which doth renovate and change our hearts and take away the natural enmity that is in them against God and inclines our hearts unto God Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour The Holy Ghost is shed on us through Jesus
That Christ hath given himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Observe that expression That he might purifie unto himself Christ did not give himself that he might purifie to the Father only a peculiar people but also that he might purifie to himself a peculiar people So Eph. 5.25 Christ gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church Here it is said That he might present it to himself a glorious Church As Christ by his death and sufferings reconciled us to God the Father so he reconciled us to himself also It is true the Scripture when it speaks of the work of reconciliation doth in a peculiar manner attribute it to the Father as the Person to whom we are reconciled and it speaks of our reconciliation to God by Christ 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of Godâ— who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ Col. 1.20 By him to reconcile all things to himself By him that is by Christ To reconcile all things to himself that is to the Father by Christ then we are reconciled to the Father But we must understand this aright When it is said We are reconciled to the Father by Christ we must not suppose that the other Persons are excluded We are not only reconciled to the Father but we are reconciled to the whole Trinity and Christ considered as Mediator as God-man reconciles us to himself considered as God simply And here lies the Mystery of Divine wisdom and goodness that God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself God is the person offended and yet in and by his Son it is he that offers reconciliation to the world 3. The greatness of Christs love in laying down his life for us appears in this That there was no merit in us to move Christ to lay down his life for us It is well observed by Austin It was our sins not our merits that drew Christ from Heaven to earth As we could not merit Christs Incarnation so neither could we merit his death and sufferings for us For what is it that we can suppose that should merit Christs death and sufferings for us Was it our fore-seen faith or our fore-seen obedience This is all that can be supposed Now these were the effects of Christs death and sufferings therefore they could not be the cause of them It is observed by Alvarez That Christs fore-seen Merits were the cause of all that grace that was bestowed upon man in the state of lapsed nature Joh. 1.17 Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ All the grace that we receive in lapsed nature is by Jesus Christ Eph. 1.4 God hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Christs Merits are the foundation of our faith and obedience Whatever faith and obedience is found in us is wrought by the Spirit of Christ in us Now the Spirit it self that works all grace in us is the purchase and fruit of the death of Christ Tit. 3.4 After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour The Holy Ghost is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that is through the Merit of Jesus Christ our Saviour Now it is by this Spirit that faith it self and all other effects of grace are wrought in us therefore it is said By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 4. We were so far from having any merit to oblige Christ to suffer and dye for us that we were full of demerit full of evil merits We were sinners enemies rebels against God and herein God commended his love to us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.8 The greatest love amongst men is when one friend will dye for another Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend But where was it known that ever any man laid down his life for his enemy Yet Christ hath commended his love to us in that while we were enemies he dyed for us Col. 1.21 You that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death It is commonly said That sin is a kind of God-murther Peccatum est Deicidium the sinner would dethrone God and take away the life and Being of God if it lay in his power Now herein the admirable and transcendent love of God to man appeared That when man by sin would dethrone God and take away the life and Being of God if it were in his power that God would lay down his life for them that would take away his life and Being God redeemed the Church with his own blood and Hereby perceive we the love of God that he laid down his life for us Learn to study much the greatness of Christs love in his sufferings Vse 1 and in the work of his Satisfaction Let us often have recourse to the Cross of Christ and by the eye of faith behold the Son of God in our nature giving himself a Sacrifice for our sins The more we study the love of Christ in his sufferings and in the work of his Satisfaction we shall find two notable effects of it 1. Hereby we shall be strengthened and confirmed in our belief of Christs love to us 2. This will be a means to beget greater measures of love in our hearts to Christ 1. The more we contemplate the love of Christ to us in his sufferings and satisfaction the more shall we be strengthened and confirmed in our belief of Christs love to us 1 Joh. 4.16 We have known and believed the love that God hath towards us for God is love How come we to know and believe the love that God hath towards us Compare this with the former verses and they will shew us vers 8 9 10. God is love In this was manifested the love of God to us that he sent his only begotten Son that we might live through him Herein was love not that we loved God but that God loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins When by faith we can apprehend and believe that God hath sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins this will confirm us in the certain belief and perswasion of the love of God to us Who hath reason to doubt of Gods love when he is certainly perswaded and doth firmly believe that God hath sent his Son from Heaven to earth to take our nature and being in our
he expresseth it thus Of his fulness we receive and grace for grace which expression intimateth thus much That the humanity of Christ is the first receptacle of all grace To understand this we must know that our nature had lost original righteousness our nature was deprived of the image of God was alienated from the life of God and the way was barred and shut up as to our reception of grace for our iniquities had separated between God and us as the Prophets expression is Isa 59.1 The Son of God therefore by his Incarnation hath so united the Divine nature to the humane that he hath brought down and deposited as it were the whole fulness of the Godhead in the humane nature assumed that so grace life salvation from which we were estranged and alienated by sin might be brought near to us again and grace being now deposited in a part of our nature from this part of our nature which is taken into personal union with the Son of God which is a nature consubstantial with ours and near akin to us grace life salvation might be derived to us from his fulness we might receive grace for grace Heb. 2.14 Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same Now saith the Apostle elsewhere No man ever as yet hated his own flesh He that is a brother indeed it is no grief to him to part with some of his substance with some of the goods he is possessed of to his own brethren who are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone It is a great Scripture yet farther to illustrate this As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of man Joh. 5.26 27. Calvin observes from that expression because he is the Son of man Christ was therefore ordained by the Father to be the Author of life that so we might not have life to seek afar off Christ received nothing for himself as if he needed any thing for himself but he received that wherewith he might inrich us and the sum of these two verses he makes to be this That is laid open to us in Christ man which did before lye hid in God because the Majesty of God as it is at a great distance from us is like to a spring that lyes hidden and latent Habemus promptum expositum fontem ex quo haurire licet Calvin therefore God hath displayed himself openly to us in Christ We have in Christ a fountain that is near and ready at hand and that which lyes open to us from whence we might receive all grace 10. The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God grace is not only brought near to us but it is made most firm and sure That which a meer man received might be taken away and lost as it was in Adam therefore grace was deposited in the hands of one who was God as well as man that so grace might be made most sure and firm The best of creatures are mutable things and subject to change hence is that expression Job 4.18 Behold he puts no trust in his servants and his Angels he chargeth with folly The Angels themselves which are the highest rank of creatures are subject to change the good Angels who never sinned yet might have sinned and fallen had they not been confirmed by Divine grace And that they might have done so it appears plainly by the instance of the evil Angels The evil Angels were created at first in the same state of dignity and glory as the good Angels were but they being left to the mutability of their own will fell from God whereas the good Angels were confirmed by grace It is a wise speech of Austin God Deum sic ordinâsse Angelorum hominum vitam ut in ea priùs ostenderet quid posset liberum arbitrium deinde quid posset gratiae suae beneficium Aug. saith he hath so ordered and disposed concerning the life of Angels and men that he hath shewn first of all what free-will could do and then what the benefit of his grace could do Free-will both in Angels and men discovered it self to be a mutable thing therefore that grace might be laid sure it was laid in the hands of one who was God as well as man Austin observes Christ was predestinated to be Head of the Church and we are predestinated to be his members Now grace in the Head of the Church is laid most sure The Godhead in Christ is an indeficient never failing Principle of grace So that the humane nature of Christ had not only created habits in it as Adams soul had but the Godhead was personally united to it so that unless we could suppose a dissolution of the Hypostatical or personal Union it is impossible that the humane nature in Christ should cease to be filled with Divine grace Hence is that expression of Christ Joh. 6.57 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father It is as much as if our Saviour had said The Godhead is a living spring a living fountain of grace It is usual with Christ when he speaks of those things which belong to the Divine nature which is common to him and the Father to attribute them to the Father therefore he saith I live by the Father The Father is the first person in the Deity and although the Son be possessed of the same Deity yet when Christ speaks of such things as belong to the Deity or the Divine nature he useth the name of the Father in which expression his own Divinity is comprehended So Joh. 14.10 The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works his meaning is the Divine nature The Divine nature is common to him and the Father but he expresses it thus The Father in me doth the works Now saith he As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father his meaning is the Divinity which is united to my flesh is a living Spring and fountain of grace my humanity receives all grace life and virtue from the Divinity inhabiting in it The Divine nature in the person of the Son holds the humane nature in the nearest closest and most indissoluble union and being so nearly and strictly united to the humanity fills the humanity with all grace So that the firmness and sureness of grace to the Elect depends upon a treble Basis or foundation 1. It depends upon the firmness and indissolubility of the Union that is between the two Natures in Christ 2. It depends upon the Indeficiency of grace and the inexhaustible Fulness that is in the Godhead 3. It depends upon a Believers Union with Christ 1. If the personal Union can never be dissolved then the humane nature which always abides in the nearest union
seek after reconciliation with God and to labour that we may be made friends with God Christ laid down his life for us not because we were made friends before but to make us friends Since therefore the end of Christs death was to reconcile us to God we should seek after reconciliation with him This is the Apostles Argument 2 Cor. 5.19 20. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God It is as much as if the Apostle had said God is willing to be reconciled to us and he hath testified his willingness in giving his Son to dye for our sins and making satisfaction to his Justice Now since God hath expressed himself to be so willing to be reconciled to us we ought to be willing to be reconciled to him We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God Here it may be inquired But what is it for us to be reconciled to God When the Apostle prays us here with so much earnestness in Christs stead to be reconciled to God what is the reconciliation he aimeth at how ought we to be reconciled to God Two or three things I conceive are here intended 1. We ought to seek after reconciliation with God Isa 55.6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found that is seek his face and favour seek reconciliation with him Secure sinners are not aware of the difference that is between God and them although the sinner thinks little of it sin makes a vast breach an hostile difference between God and him God is angry with the wicked every day saith the Psalmist Psal 7.11 And The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Rom. 1.18 God doth maintain his controversie against thee whilst thou goest on in the ways of sin therefore seek reconciliation with him Agree with thy adversary quickly whilst he is in the way Mat. 5.25 Labour to take up all differences between God and thee 2. To be reconciled to God is to accept of the reconciliation which God tenders humbly to embrace that grace which God offers God is in Christ reconciling the world and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation As much as if he should say God hath put himself into Christ on purpose to exhibit and give forth grace and mercy to sinners and he sends his Ministers and Ambassadors on purpose to make a tender of grace and mercy to him Now then are we reconciled to God when we do humbly embrace this grace and mercy offered to us Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto righteousness We ought with the full bent of our affections to embrace the grace of God offered to us in the Gospel 3. If we would be reconciled to God we ought to pray for renewing grace that we may lay aside the old enmity that lurks in our hearts against God It is sin that first of all made the quarrel and difference between God and us and how can we expect in reason that ever we should be brought into perfect reconciliation with God so long as that which first bred the quarrel and made the difference between God and us is retained and kept by us Isa 59.2 Your iniquities saith the Prophet have separated between you and your God Sin is that which sets us at a distance from God If therefore we would have the breach made up and the difference reconciled we must pray for that grace from God whereby we may lay aside that which first made the quarrel The Apostle tells us we are enemies in our minds by evil works Col. 1.21 So long as our minds are set upon sin so long as we continue in the love and practice of any thing that God hates Amicorum est idem velle nolle how is it possible we should be friends with God It is the property of friends to will the same thing and nill the same thing If we would be the friends of God we must will what God wills hate what God hates and love what God loves You that love the Lord hate evil Psal 97.10 This therefore is the second Use an Use of Exhortation to exhort us to seek after reconciliation with God In the third and last place Vse 3 Learn from what hath been opened to admire the greatness of Christs love to us who in some sense accounts us friends whereas indeed we are enemies Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends We are all by nature enemies so we have heard and yet in some sense Christ accounts us friends Christ had a purpose of good will to us even when we were enemies towards him It was from his love that God sent his Son to dye for us when we were enemies Herein God commended his love towards us in that whilst we were yet enemies Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.8 So that God had a purpose of good will in his heart towards us when we were full of enmity in our hearts towards him Only that none may abuse this Doctrine take this caution No man can conclude that God hath a purpose of good will to him that remains an enemy to God and persists in his enmity but he hath reason on the contrary to think that he being an enemy to God by nature and continuing still to be so God remains so to him But however this was the love of God to the world in general that when the whole world were enemies and all were found in a state of enmity against God God loved the world so far as to find out and prepare a means of Salvation for the world God loved the world so far as that he gave his only begotten Son to deliver the world from its perishing condition and to bring it eternal life this was the love of God to us and this commends and sets forth the greatness of Gods love to us that when we were enemies to him he had a kindness for us and so great was his kindness to us that he sent his Son to bring us unto life Joh. 4.9 In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him The end of the second Sermon SERMON III. Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends THE general Proposition that I have laid down as the foundation of our Discourse from these words hath been this That our Lord Jesus Christ hath laid down his life for his people In speaking to this Doctrine I have propounded to speak to these four Heads 1. To open the import of this Phrase what it is to lay down a mans life
these to the terrours of natural death and to the terrours of supernatural death O let us not think it an indifferent thing whether we get a part in Christ yea or no certainly God did not put his innocent Son to suffer all these things we have heard of in vain and certainly if the Gospel be true Christ hath suffered all these things and if Christ hath suffered all these things then all of us did stand in need of them and if we need them it concerns us deeply to make sure our part and interest in them The end of the sixth Sermon SERMON VII Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends I Come now to speak particularly of that which was formerly mentioned in the general and here we shall shew 1. How it was that our Saviour suffered fear and what the fear was that he underwent 2. I shall shew how it was that he suffered grief because these are the two things which the Evangelist insists upon in the Text formerly mentioned Mark 14.33 1. Our Saviour was afflicted with sore fear yea he was even overwhelmed and oppressed by fear yet without sin hence is that expression of the Apostle Heb. 5.7 He was heard in that he feared But here it may be said Object What was that fear that our Saviour was struck with when he is said to be amazed with fear or astonished with fear I answer Answ It was the fear or horror of Divine wrath due to us for our sins Certainly it was not a corporal death that our Saviour feared so much many of the Martyrs by the Grace they had received were much carried above the fear of a corporal death much more may we suppose that the perfect and consummate Grace that was in the heart of our Saviour would have carried him above the fear of a natural death but it was the fear of Divine wrath that he was struck with therefore is it that he crys out Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me What was this cup Certainly the cup of Divine wrath as I may shew you more hereafter this then was that which our Saviour feared the wrath of God Fear says a Learned man was cast into the humane nature of our Saviour which being a creature fear might possess it lest it should be swallowed up of an angry God who did exact as much as rigid justice ought or could require from so great a person who was the Surety or Vndertaker Our Saviour knew right-well that he was to bear not the guilt of one or two or a few sins not the guilt of some lesser sins only but the guilt of the greatest sins he knew that he was to bear the guilt not of the sins of some of the Elect only but the guilt of all the sins of all the Elect what a torrent then or sea rather of wrath must our Saviour needs see coming on his most holy Soul when the wrath of God which was due for the sins of all the Elect was like to come upon him at once Well therefore might he be afraid If it be possible for Satan to aggravate and blow up the guilt of a little sin as we would account it in the eye of a mans conscience so as it shall seem the greatest sin in all the world as certainly he can and those that have to do with troubled consciences know how often he doth it and such a sin is ready to make a soul to despair unless Divine Grace do step in and help it into what a consternation then may we well suppose the humane soul of our Saviour to be cast when the sins of all the Elect the most great horrid and hainous sins as well as the least were bound upon him by the omnipotent hand of God his Father and he knew he was to answer for them all well might our Saviour fear in this case Neither is it to be wondred at that our Saviour should be thus struck with fear and astonishment if we consider that Christ did not only take our nature but he took the infirmities of our nature namely such as were inculpable and without sin and he also assumed our natural affections as grief sorrow and the like It is natural to the creature to fear and tremble at the sight and presence of an angry God thus we read how the rocks clave in sunder and the mountains have trembled when God hath shewn forth the terribleness of his Majesty and it is natural to men when any terrible object presents it self and some evil approaches although it be not as yet inflicted especially when some such evil approches as is greater than a mans strength to fear and be astonished therefore our Saviour having the verity and truth of our nature in him and having the verity and truth of humane passions in him yet without sin having the most terrible object that ever was set before him and that which would have been too great for him to bear had he been but meer man and that is the wrath of the great God due to the sins of all the Elect well might he be astonished and fear 2. Our Saviour was oppressed with grief and sorrow as well as fear Fear is such a passion as ariseth from some imminent or impending evil grief is a passion that ariseth from some present or inflicted evil Fear is the expectation of some suture evil grief is that which ariseth from the sense of some present evil Now our Saviour had not only fear but grief he felt that in his most holy Soul which was cause of greatest grief and sorrow to him This is set forth by the Evangelist Matthew Mat. 26.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He began to be sorrowful and very heavy He began to be grieved and very heavy The Greek word is a full and a significant word The Criticks in the Greek Tongue render it by other words which signifie to be in an agony to be very much grieved Our Saviour was in an agony of sorrow oppressed and overwhelmed with sorrow and therefore it follows in the next words He began to be grieved and very heavy and he said to them that is to his Disciples My soul is exceeding sorrowful So great was our Saviours sorrow that he could not contain himself he must needs vent his sorrow by telling it to his Disciples I say our Saviour seeks a vent for his sorrow by acquainting his Disciples how great his sorrow was he saith to them My soul is exceeding sorrowful There are many holy Souls that will bear great sorrows and undergo many burdens and temptations and yet declare them unto none Certainly had our Saviours sorrows been but common and ordinary he would not have complained of them to his Disciples but so great was his sorrow that he is fain to seek for a little ease by venting himself to his Disciples And what is it that he
is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Herein doth the hostility or enmity of the carnal mind discover it self that it cannot be subject to the Law of God The carnal mind always crosses and thwarts the Will of God Let the Law of God forbid such a sin it will not be restrained from it Let the Law of God command such a Duty it will not be brought to the performance of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not subjected to the Law of God the carnal mind refuseth to be brought into order The Law of God would set bounds to mens thoughts wills and affections but they will not be kept within those bounds whatsoever the Law saith to the contrary they will think what they have a mind to think covet and desire what they have a mind to covet and desire will what they have a mind to will they will not be kept within those bounds the Law of God hath set for them Now this is that that shews the hostile disposition that is in corrupt nature against God in that the corrupt mind doth always thwart the Law of God The Law of God saith such and such sins are to be avoided such and such Duties are to be performed the carnal mind will take no notice either of the one or the other but thwarts and contradicts the mind and will of God this discovers the natural enmity that is in our hearts against God 2. The natural enmity that is in our hearts discovers it self in this In that naturally men do not only hate the Will of God but they hate God himself Mark the expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The carnal mind is enmity against God not only most repugnant to the Law of God it is not subject to the Law of God but it is enmity against God himself Hence it is said that natural men are haters of God Rem 1.30 and in this very Chapter where the Text lyes Joh. 15.24 They have both seen and hated me and my Father You will say Object This is a very severe charge Is it possible that ever any man should hate God God is good the chief good yea goodness it self how is it possible that any man should hate the chief good To this I answer Men do not hate God under that notion precisely as he is good and as he is the chief good but they hate him under another notion they hate him as he is a Law-giver and as he is a Judge they hate him as he is a holy and just God they hate him as his Nature and Will is most directly opposite to the lusts which they love above any thing in the world Hence is it said Peccatum est Deicidium that sin is a kind of God-murder Why so Because the sinner could even wish that God were not in Being that he were removed out of the way because his Will and his Law stand in opposition to his lust This is another thing wherein the enemity that is in the natural mind against God doth discover it self in that men by nature whilst they are unreconciled hate God himself Little do men think that there is this venom and poyson in their natures as to hate God the best and most excellent Being yet we are bound to believe the Word of God before what men think or say of themselves 3. The natural enmity that is in the heart against God is discovered in this In the constant bent and tendency that is in the heart unto evil Col. 1.21 Enemies in your minds by wicked works The mind of a natural man is always set upon evil sometimes it is set upon gross and hainous evils as Murder Adultery Fornication Theft Rapine and the like and when the mind of a natural man is not set upon these grosser evils it is always set upon other evils as Pride Self-love Vain-glory Covetousness and the like The enmity that is in every natural mans mind always discovers it self in one of these ways Either by having his affections let out to grosser sins or else to more spiritual sins Now faith the Apostle we are enemies in our minds by wicked words When the mind is violently set upon those things which are most directly opposite to the Nature and Will of God this is that which doth discover the hostility and enmity that is in us against God Now it concerns us all to be deeply sensible of this enmity that is in our hearts against God For first of all the more sensible we are of this enmity this may be one good means to humble us what cause of confusion should this be to us that we should not only have a will that doth still reluctate against Gods Will against the Divine Will and is most repugnant to it but that we should be enemies to God himself and that we should have a Principle in us that should fight against God and stand in direct opposition to him 2. The more sensible we are of this enmity the more need we shall have of medicinal and healing grace to heal the natural venom and malignity that is in our natures against God Certainly they are much to be pitied Nemini salus concedenda nisi cui divinitùs revelatus fuerit unus Mediator Dei hominum Jesus Christus Aug. who think that moral Vertue is sufficient to bring men to Heaven and that the Heathens by Philosophy and the help of moral Vertue may please God and attain to Salvation This was the Errour of some of the Ancients and some of late have fallen into it But much more true is that of Austin We may not suppose that Salvation is vouchsafed to any man but to him to whom that one Mediator between God and man Jesus Christ is divinely revealed There is no name given under heaven by which we can be saved but the Name of Jesus Christ Acts 4.12 And although some of the Heathens have pretended that they have loved God above all things and some of the corrupter School men have affirmed That men by the power of Nature may love God above all things yet if the matter be diligently inquired into we shall certainly find that which Peter Martyr observed to be most true Sub illa simulata dilectione under that feigned love to God which they pretended unto the greatest hatred did lye hid For those very Heathens who spoke so highly and so seraphically of loving God above all things yet they themselves were found guilty of Idolatry than which nothing can be more contrary to the true love of God But the Divine Oracles will be found to be most true and they tell us That the natural mind is enmity against God and that those that are in the flesh cannot please God therefore it concerns us all to look after medicinal Grace to heal and restore our natures otherwise that natural enmity that is in us will never be removed Vse 2 This should exhort us to