clearly implies there were that did say so 3. A third principle he layes down is the doctrine of original corruption even in the regenerate themselves (c) Pelagiani negant originate peccatum Aug. cont Mendac Against those that taught the * Pelagiani Aug. contr Mend. total abolition of original sin in and by Baptisme or that denied the being or at least the damnable nature of it Verse 8. If we say we have no sin c. 4. The necessity of confession of sin not only against them (d) Epiphanius calls the Novatians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murderers of repentance Basil de poenit that decried repentance for sin and confession of sin but against them that denied pardon to them (e) Montanistae Novatiani Jerom. Ep. ad Marcel de erroribus Montani that repent If we confesse our sinnes he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins c. 5. He asserts the doctrine of actual sinne in the regenerate against them that affirmed that (f) The Simonians Gnosticks and other hereticks of that age taught that there was no sin but unbelief that to the justified all things were clean however they live vid. Aug. de perfectione justi c. 21 Clem. Alex. c. conceived the Apostles after the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon them nullis esse peccatis aut passionibus ohnoxii Joviniani docebant justum nec leviter peccare a justified person could not sin or which is the same that God sees no sin in his children If we say that we have not sinned we make him a lyar c. If we say we have no sin there 's the denial of original sin if we say we have not sinned there 's the denial of actual sin both make up the great heresie of the (g) Catharists in the third Centurie after Christ Catharists who held perfection in this life 6. The Apostle vindicates the preceptive obligation of the moral Law even over justified persons Against the Antinomian (h) The Simonians Carpocratians Marcionites Maniches did not only deny the moral law but curse and blaspheme it as given not by God but by some unlucky nature heresie which presumptuously breaketh even that yoke also from the neck of the Disciples Chap. 2. verse 3 4 5. Hereby we know that we love him if we keep his Commandments So early were these poysonous weeds sprung up in the Church of God The other Module which the Apostle layeth down is a Catalogue of Gospel-evidences certain marks and signs of an interest in Christ A Catalogue of Scripture-evidences and of a right and title to life eternal such as these 1. Obedience to Gods Commandments ut sup 2. Contempt of the world Ch. 2.15 3. Stedfastnesse in the doctrine of the Gospel verse 8 19 20 24. 4. Conformity to Jesus Christ in holinesse ch 3. ver 3. 5. Mortification 6 7 8 10. 6. Love to the Saints verse 14. and chapter 5.2 10 11. 7. A believing confession * Most blasphemously denied by the Simonians Chrystolites Pâ—oâ—tâ—es c. Aug. de haeres of Gods sending Jesus Christ into the world as the promised Messias with love to him and thankfulnesse for him chap. 4. In the four first verses of the fifth chapter we have no lesse than seven evidences each lincking in with the other and bearing witnesse to the other As 1. You have faith in Christ bearing witnesse to Regeneration Whosoever believeth c. is born of God 2. Love to God bearing witnesse to faith He that loveth him that begat c. 3. Love to the Saints bearing witnesse to our love of God He loveth him also that is begotten Augustine understands it of our love to Christ but the Context expounds it of our love to the Saints for so it followeth ver 2. where we have 4. Love to God reciprocally witnessing our love to the Saints Hereby we know we love the children of God when we love God 5. Obedience to Gods Commandments bearing witnesse again to our love And keep his Commandments 6. Delight testifying the truth of our obedience His Commandments are not grievous 7. And lastly Victory over the world bearing witnesse to Regeneration For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world Verse 4. It were easie out of this and the other two subsequent Epistles to compleat the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gospel EVIDENCES which are not thus expresly delineated that by them only the Church might describe her members as some loose and vaine spirits fancy but for the members of the Church to try and examine themselves by whither they be real and living members yea or no. It were easie I say to adde to the Catalogue but I have insisted too long upon the first demonstration sc Scripture Pattern I come now to the second demonstration namely The advantages of such Modules 1. For the Ornament of the truth The excellency and advantage of such Forms and Collections of Evangelical truths And In the first place it addes much to the beauty and ornament of the truth whither it be delivered from the Pulpit or from the Press in such Systemes and Platforms the Hearer or Reader may as in a Map or Table sometimes of one sort sometimes of another behold divine truths standing one by another in their Method and Connexion mutually casting light and lustre upon each other Every truth single is very precious and indeed of infinite value as purchased with and ratified in the blood of Christ but to see the truths of the Gospel linked together in their proper union facing one another like the Cherubims Exod. 25.20 is very glorious As the stones of the Temple when they were squared and polished in the Forrest were very costly for both matter and workmanship but when they were layd into the building and formed up into a Temple what a beautiful and magnificent structure did they make The Disciples beholding it Luk. 21.5 were filled with delight and wonder The Curtains of the Sanctuary each by themselves were very rich both for their materials and curious Embroyderies but had you seen them in their Connecture each Curtain fastned to the other with taches of gold and so making up one entire perfect Tabernacle sparkling and shining in all its native spendour it would have been a ravishing sight The very representation of many Countries in one Nation of many Nations in one of the divisions or quarters of the world and of all the quarters described in one Globe or Map it is very delightful to the eye of an intelligent beholder at once discovering the scite and cognation the Longitude and Latitude the distance and degree of every Kingdome and County such globes and tables are full of delight and profit It is in a most eminent manner observable in the Creation of the world of every single days work it is said God saw that it was good but when the whole Compages of heaven and earth was set together into
any other grace as love that then would have been currant and have justified us as faith doth now Fifthly God justifieth in a proper sense two ways first 5. How God As a Legislator secondly as a Judge 1. As a Legislator enacting by his Soveraign Authority that sweet and gracious Law of the New Covenant by vertue of whose tenor every sinner that believes is justified from the guilt of sin from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.38 9. This Law of justification by faith is Gods own act and deed the great Instrumentum pacis between God and man he hath proclaimed his Letters Patents the King of heaven and earth hath in the Gospel our Magna Charta given his Warrant under his own broad Seal that he that believeth shall not be condemned 2. As a Judge the God of heaven may in three respects be said to justifie a Believer First Forthwith upon his believing God owneth him secretly within himself as a person justified God esteems and approves of him as in that state unto which he hath by believing a title good in Law an indefeasible right a justified estate emergeth actually as soon as faith the Law-title thereunto emergeth as a necessary resultance by vertue of the tenor of the Gospel-Law which only justified vertually potentially and conditionally before every Believer in general but now actually absolutely and in particular it justifieth him as a Believer when he is so Secondly At the moment of dissolution God justifieth as the Judge of all the earth passing a private sentence and award unto everlasting life upon every believing soul Thirdly But eminently at the last day when the Ancient of days shall take the Throne and in open Court before the whole Creation by publick sentence for ever acquit and discharge Believers at that great and last Assizes 6. How Works Sixthly Shall I need to adde that Works are said to justifie us Jam. 2.4 because they justifie our faith or demonstrate before God and man and to our own consciences that our faith is not a dead and barren but a true and living one by its fruitfulness in well-doing 7. How the Spirit Seventhly But I must not forget lastly that the Spirit of God is said to justifie us 1 Cor. 6.11 and that two ways first directly by working faith in the heart which is one of the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Now Causa causae est etiam causa causati the Spirit justifieth as it is the Author of the justifying grace Secondly reflexively The Divine Spirit clears up justification to a Believers conscience by discovering the truth of faith by working assurance and by sealing a Believer to the day of Redemption The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God and if children then heirs c. Rom. 8.16 17. Thus I have at length done with my first Task the opening of the Point which finds it self summed up in this definition Justification is a judicial act of God as Law-giver and Judge of the world gracioussly discharging a Believer for the sake of Christs satisfaction from the condemnation of the Law of Works by the tenor of the Gospel-Law or New Covenant which requireth of accepte h from imputeth unto sinners faith in Christ Jesus as their righteousnesse see Rom. 3.25 6 7 8. Rom. 4.5 Phil. 3.9 To improve it now which was my other task by way of refutation I infer against the Antimonians first Vse Refut That justification is not from eternity 1. Because a person must be charged with guilt before he is justified or discharged but nothing can be before eternity if discharg'd from eternity when was he charged what from eternity too then he will be at once eternally charged with and discharged from guilt which if any excuse from a contradiction they are much wiser than I am 2. My Text convinceth them actual faith is not from eternity therefore not justification before God for if faith justifie us not before God but only at the bar of conscience then there will be no justification at Gods bar at all once mention'd in Scripture for works do it at mans bar what is it I wonder that justifieth from eternity Not Gods decree to justifie for then his decree to glorifie would make glorification from eternity too but Decreta Dei nihil ponunt actu in subjecto Gods decrees are immanent acts and passe nothing actually upon the creature 3. A justified person was actually under condemnation whil'st he was an unbeliever Rom. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already but he could not be at all condemned if justified from eternity 4. Saint Paul expressely affirms that the believing Corinthians were not once but now were justified 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus c. Secondly I infer against them that they are dangerously mistaken in thinking that a Believer is righteous in the sight of God with the self-same active and passive righteousnesse wherewith Christ was righteous as though Believers suffered in Christ and obeyed in Christ and were as righteous in Gods esteem as Christ himself having his personal righteousnesse made personally theirs by imputaâ—ion This is their fundamental mistake and from hence tanquam ex equo Trojano issue out a throng of such false and corrupt deductions and consequences as these That God sees no sin in his children that affliction and death are not proper punishments of sin to Believers that all future sins are already actually forgiven as well as past and present that a Believer must not pray for the pardon of sinne but only for the manifestation of it that God loved Noah when drunk Lot when so and besides incestuous David when acting Adultery and Murther Peter when he was cursing and swearing and denying Christ with as high a love of complacency and delight as when coâ—versant in the most spiritual exercises of grace that all which God requires as a sinners duty in the Gospel is to believe that Christ dyed absolutely for him in particular that this is alone true Gospel faith and the doubting or questioning this the unbelief which the Gospel so much condemneth that to argue our justification from our sanctification and gather assurance of Gods love from our love and fear of him is a Legal principle that obedience to Gods Commandments is not properly a Believers debt but that all the obligation which lies upon him to holinesse is only the voluntary expression of his love and gratitude to God not as what is due but what is comely And lastly for I should be tyred to name all that Christ hath kept the Gospel-Covenant for us as well as satisfied the Law So that not only our Legal righteousnesse is without us in Christ our Surety but our Evangelical righteousnesse it self also Now to pluck up all these desperate consequences by
the New Covenant which is a perpetual Law of pardoning repenting and believing sinners whomsoever whensoever but as such Neither was Christs suffering like the Cancelling of a Bond a total discharge of us from suffering the penalty threatened in the Law we dye still and afflictions are punishments still True indeed upon Christs satisfaction made God and he are agreed that a believing sinner should not be punished with the everlasting destructive penalty threatened for whosoever believes shall not perish but they are not that he shall not be John 3.16 for he is punished with the temporal corrective punishments of the threatening as sicknesse and natural death yet even these through infinite goodnesse so ordering and disposing it prove much more a benefit than a penalty to a believer Vse 2 Vse 2. What cause have we then with the lowest and profoundest Humility to adore the Majesty of the living God First To adore his holinesse Reverence those eyes of his that are purer than that they can endure to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 Let this God be thy dread and awe Dare not to make a mock of sin tremble at the horrid guilt and sinfulnesse of the least sin look upon it as an affront and treason against an Eternal Majesty as worthy the Curse of the Law and the wrath of an Almighty God as that which could not be expiated at a lesser rate than the blood of God Acts 20.28 Secondly to adore his wisdome in finding out such a person to satisfie his justice as our Redeemer Consider here that God could not suffer could not dye Nay could not properly satisfie himself for it had not been a satisfaction to his justice at all but meer mercy and so no justification of a sinner but meer pardon if the person satisfying had been only God Again Consider that a meer creature could never satisfie as I before demonstrated a meer creature had perish't in the attempt would have been overwhelmed and crush't to pieces with that insupportable load the guilt of sin and the wrath of God The person therefore that must satisfie must neither be finite nor infinite neither the creature nor the Creator neither God nor man yet must be both Here now the understandings of men and Angels must have been tyred to all eternity Rom. 11.33 see also Eph. 1.7 8. fully hereunto and lost for ever in a bottomlesse gulf of horror and amazement to finde out such a person O the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God! Thirdly To adore the infinite riches of his grace Rom. 3.24 in justification and here consider 1. God might have let man alone seized the forfeiture as the Tree fell it might have lain for ever what obliged God to accept of satisfaction 2. The Redeemer hath trodden the wine-presse alone what ever was done in this satisfaction he did it Of the people there was none with him The sinner hath not the least hand in it could not pay one Christ paid every to the utmost farthing Thirdly It was the Judge himself who contrived this way to justifie us and it was at his cost he gave his Son herein God commended his love to us as Abraham once did his faith to God in that he spared not his son his only begotten son whom he loved So that if we rightly weigh it it will appear that by how much the satisfaction is the fuller by so much the pardon is the freer by how much his justice is the more by so much too is his mercy the more glorified and still still infinitely the more are we obliged Use 3. Consol Here 's unspeakable comfort for every humble though doubting soul every contrite spirit that hungers and thirsts after righteousnesse Vse 3 First Consider how full satisfaction Christ hath made he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God through him he is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well-pleased all power is committed into his hands God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance and Remission of sins Secondly Consider he inviteth thee as a sinner to come in unto this Gospel-righteousnesse in the general tenor of his Proclamation Whosoever believes c. If any man sin 1 John 2.1 2. we have an Advocate with the Father c. An Whosoever excludes none that excludes not himself Thirdly Consider Christ assures thee that art the person I now speak to he who is the Truth assures thee thou shalt be welcome Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest c. This is your very case Heark the Master callâ—th you will you not be of good courage and Go when he saith Come he that never yet cast out any that came unto him that never will he saith so himself Thou mayst believe him he never broke his word yet he will not begin with thee he cannot deny himself Fourthly Consider those standing Monuments of Gods free justifying grace that are on record in the Scripture What hath been done may be done again Nay will be done again in the case we speak of by the God that changeth not God hath pardoned as great sinners see Ephraims case Jer. 31.18 see the Corinthians example 1 Cor. 6.10 11. see Pauls 1 Tim. 1.13 Whoever goes and doth likewise shall receive likewise for Christ is yesterday and to day and the same for ever Fifthly Consider it is the very designe of God in giving his Son and of Christ in giving himself to dye for us to justifie such as thou art Isa 16.1 Luke 4.19 20. Jer. 3.12 1 John 5.9 Vse 4. Exhort First To the Unconverted Vse 4 Use 4. Exhort Let me then beseech sinners not to love death Why should iniquity be your ruine There is balme in Gilead there is a Physitian there Why are ye unwilling to be healed Turn ye Turn ye why will ye dye Would it be a hard matter to perswade a condemned person to be willing not to be executed were he not distracted if having a pardon offered upon the easie terms of confessing his fault and serious promising amendment he should bid the Prince keep his Pardon to himself for his part he was in love with his chains he would not be released he would dye Thou art the man whoever thou art that neglectest Gospel-grace what fury and raging madnesse is it that thou art guilty of Thy soul with all its eternal interests lies at stake and as if it were neither here nor there what became of thee for ever thou despisest the riches of Gods forbearance after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart Rom. 2.4 5. treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath Is it well done of thee sinner is this thy kindnesse to thy own soul is this thy thanks to thy Redeemer How inexcusable art thou thy self being Judge thou canst not answer it to thy conscience to thy God with the least colour or shadow
42.3 weak as a bruised reed through dimness and scantiness of knowledge as a building laid upon a weak or narrow foundation cannot be strong weakness of assent strength of temptations natural timorousness Rom 4.19 20. Act 6. suspiciousness and lowness of spirit In others it is strong and they are full of Faith as Steven having clear and large knowledge c. Both weaker and stronger may be considered either as Habitual in the root and principle or Actual as exercised toward Christ and the promises For the Definition or Description of Faith I shall not heap up words in mentioning many but take up with that full and excellent one of the late Judicious Assembâ—y in their larger Catechism that Christians may with more readiness and safety entertain it Description Faith is a Saving Grace wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God whereby he being convinced of his sin and misery and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of that lost condition not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the Gospel but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness therein held forth for pardon of sin and for the a cepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation It hath here for its Genus or general and common nature a Grace it being compared with Love Hope c. they herein agree The word Grace distinguisheth it from other Habits even good and vertuous that are acquired this is a Grace or gracious disposition or habit infused A Saving Grace to distinguish it from and set it above common Grace and make it one of those better things that accompany salvation Heb 6.9 The Subject is twofold Subjectum Recipiens Occupans 2. Subject Subjectum recipi ns The first the Subject receiving it or in which it is most ordinarily called the Subject and this is The heart of man a sinner elected and called 1. It is Man that believeth not Angels for of their Faith we have no ground to speak It is Man not God and the Spirit in us but man through them Yea Man singularly not of another but of him that hopeth for life the Just shall live by HIS Faith not by anothers 2. It is the Heart of man with the heart man believeth Rom 10.10 the Heart includeth Will and Affections it is not the Vnderstanding onely nor so much though that necessarily makes way Coming to Christ is a spontaneous motion of Will and Affections renewed and this is beleiving there is assent to things revealed as true and acceptance of things offered as good receiving Joh 1.12 embracing with suitable affections to the Revealer and things revealed 3. The heart of a man a sinner for man upright is not capable of this Faith which is in God through a Mediator Believing the word of another concerning restoral and reparation speaketh loss and decay acceptance of alms poverty Indeed Adam might and must thus far exercise Faith in beleiving and trusting God it belongeth to the first commandment that he continuing upright there would be a continuation of Gods love and his happiness but Faith apprehending the promise of God of acceptation through the righteousness of another necessarily speaketh man a sinner Rom. 4.5 as Justification which is by Faith is of the ungodly Rom. 11.7 4. The heart of man a sinner elected the election obtained it the rest were hardned Tit. 1.1 and therefore is it called the Faith of Gods elect Remarkable is that expression As many as were ordained unto life beleived Act. 13.48 and our Lord saith all that the Father giveth him come unto him Joh 6.37 and the Jews not believing was because they were not his sheep and therefore heard not his voyce 5. The heart of man a sinner elected and called is the Subject of Faith Rom. 10.17 Faith is by hearing it is the souls answer to and compliance with Gods call God vailing his omnipotency under and putting it forth with words of command Uncalled and unbelievers are the same and therefore calling is one of the links of the golden chain of Salvation Rom. 8.28 30. and goeth before Justification by Faith in which Call the Terminus â quo is Satan sin misery death we are called from and the Terminus à d quem we are called to Christ God Holiness and Life Subjectum Occupans Materiale The Subject about which Faith is employed or Object that which and in which we believe is not God immediately though primarily Heb. 6.1 but Christ immediately and the Promises which are in him yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 and God through Christ 1 Pet. 1.21 he that believeth not in the Son believeth not in the Father and he that hath not the Son hath not the Father Act. 20.21 Repentance is peculiarly referred to God and Faith to the Lord Jesus Christ Faith also and the Promises Heb. 10.23 or God through Christ promising are Correlates and of all Promises those that concern righteousness and life through the blood of a Mediator are the peculiar object Act. 10.43 1 Joh. 5.10 11. Believing the witness of remission and the recrod of giving eternal li e is mentioned it is called beleeving the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glad tidings in the Gospel promises of remission and salvation Mark 1.16 It is true that Faith doth believe and apply every word of God Some things reductively and secondarily are the object of Faith in a sequacious Spirit credulous to whatever is contained in Scripture as that Abimelech had a wife c. Gen 20. Some things are more directly the Word of God expressed and asserted in the History of the Bible yet being believed have not an immediate connexion with Justification and Salvation thereby But the grand testimony of and through Christ Faith as saving principally respecteth and as assenting in the mind looks upon the Promise as accepting in the Will and Affections respecteth Christ The ground on which we believe Formale called the Formal Object of Faith shall be referred to the Externally moving Cause to believe of which afterwards Of all Four Causes I shall speak in order 3. Causes Efficient Principal and first of the Efficient which is either Principal or less Principal The Principal Cause may be considered as that from which the beginning acting continuance growth and perfection of Faith do proceed and this is the Blessed Trinity or God the Father through the Son by the Spirit 1. The beginning root and habit of Faith is from God if of every a Phil 1.6 good work and b Jam 1.17 gift then this and therefore it is called the c Ephes 2.8 gift of God and to you it is d Phil 1.29 given to believe e Heb 12.2 Jesus also is called the Author this is wrought by the Spirit it is
Faith c. yet in good measure must other graces accompany for this is an indispensable duty to add to Faith temperance 2 Pet. 1.5 patience brotherly kindnesse Faith with many other graces are called in the singular number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fruit of the Spirit because connex and inseparable Gal. 5.22 Besides that the growth and strength and activity of other graces have dependance upon it both as it pleads with Christ in prayer for all and pleads with the soul to act stir up and abound in all Abrahams faith had self-denial accompanying it there will be patience for he that believeth will not make hast See more tending to this under the fifth effect of faith Let not men speak of their faith then when other graces are no way suitable Seventhly True and saving Faith is working and fruitful though love and good works are not the form of it as the Papists plead yet it alway hath love accompanying Gal. 5.6 James 2.17 Eph. 1.15 and worketh by love and without works is dead Per opera consummatur fides non ut formatum per suam formam sed ut forma per suas operationes actus primus per actum secundum Alting Faith alone justifieth but Faith which justifieth is not alone Bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum They that are in Christ Jesus by Faith are described by walking in Christ and according to the Spirit Quomodo accipitur fide quomodo ambulatur in eo ad praescriptum voluntatis ejus vitam instituendo ex ejus Spiritu vivendo Zanch. in Col. 2.6 Faith is obediential Rom. 16.26 and cannot but be so for he that believeth really his labour shall not be in vain in the Lord cannot in reason and holy ingenuity 1 Cor. 15.58 but think it meet he be fruitful and abounding alway in the work of the Lord Alii cogitant pii credunt Aug. for others they do but think not know the greatness and certainty of the reward Yea indeed that assurance I before spake of proceeds from Faith through obedience By this we know that we know him know put for believe Zanch. in loc as Isa 53.11 if we keep his Commandments I shall therefore according to St. Pauls command to Titus affirm constantly this as a faithful saying Tit. 3.8 That they which have believed must be careful to maintain good works Eighthly True and saving Faith trusting God for the greater will trust him for lesser mercies To them that through Christ do believe in God 1 Pet. 1.21 this will seem forcible arguing and a necessary inference He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up I believe for me Rom 8.32 how will he not with him give me also all things freely God hath made all sorts of promises to true Faith and accordingly many of the Servants of God have expressed confidence in God when things have gone worst with them they would not be afraid what man can do unto them nor of evil tidings Psal 11.7 their hearts were fixed trusting in the Lord The just's living by Faith is true in this sence also Gal. 2.20 and that of Pauls living the life in the flesh by the Faith of the Son of God hath much in it Though I know natural timorousness and living too much the life of sense may occasion some worldly fears in a Believer as boldness of temper carelesness false confidence may much bear up an unbeliever Yet in great measure their pretences to faith are questionable I might say their faith is but pretence who say they can trust God with their Souls but will not trust him with bodies and estates Ninthly 1 Pet. 2.7 Vers 8. Isa 53.2 Cant. 5.9 True and Saving Faith makes Christ very precious to them that believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to the unperswadable he is a stone of stumbling without form or comeliness they ask the believer What is thy beloved more than another And no wonder for none but the believer hath a cleared eye to behold things that aâ—e spiritually discerned Tolle meum tolle Deum Psal 34.8 Psal 104.34 None but he hath that special interest which inhanceth the price and valuation None but he hath that experience by which it is tasted and seen that the Lord is good But sight propriety and experience will make him inestimably precious and the meditation of him sweet Faith that seeth his necessity seeth also his excellency and takes him not upon constraint but choyce Those things that are â—pposite to true Faith are of two sorts 6. Opposites First Such as speak the soul void of it and are simply inconsistent with it Secondly Such as actively war against it and repel it These I shall call Contrarily Opposite those Privatively Opposite though the terms may seem not fully suitable to all the particulars Some things are Privatively Opposite to true and Saving Faith Privatively as relating to the Vnderstanding others as to the Will others as to the Life First As to the Vnderstanding and Assent 1. Ignorance bilndness darkness of the inconsistency of which with Faith see before of the Word the Instrumental Cauâ—e This either is invincible Ignorance Act. 17.30 where means of cure are wanting Or Vincible which carelesness sloath or affectation causeth for there are some persons willingly and wilfully ignorant 2 Pet. 3.5 Joh. 3.19 and love darkness 2. Unperswadableness to assent to the truth of the Word and Promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impersuasibilitas Rom 11.30 31 When men are not satisfied in the grounds of believing and so assent not wherein yet somtimes there is a battery shaking the Assent and by parley bringing near a surrender Act. 26.28 an almost perswasion which yet is ineffectual 3. Error in Fundamentals especially those that concern Faith Christ the Promises Justification and salvation Corrupt minds are reprobate concerning the Faith 2 Tim. 3.8 Therefore doubtful Disputations Rom. 14.1 where on one side is error are dangerous to the weak Secondly As to the Will Affections and Consent Heb. 2.3 1. Unbelief not accepting the good things promised through ignorance or careless neglect of great salvation 2. Disbelief when men through dissatisfaction with the reasons to believe or through pride stubbornnâ—ss uncompliance of spirit Joh 5 39 40 44. WILL not come to Christ for life will not submit to the righteousness of God Thirdly As relating to Life practice and profession 1. Heresie is Privatively Opposite Such as joyn obstinacy and promulgation to their errors 2 Tim 2.16 whose words eat like a gangrene Tit 3.10 are to be rejected as men void of and enemies to the Faith 2. Apostasie from the truth and profession of the Gospel called denial viz. after knowing and owning These never were of the Faith 1 Joh 2.19 else would they not have gone from it This is a dangerous thing drawing
delivered unto you so you may be delivered into it Rom. 6.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Form of doctrine into which ye were delivered Efficacius vitae quam lnguae testimonium Ber. Confession Bernard What a sore judgement will abide such as suffer all these morning influences to passe away as water over a swans back that come the same from these morning visions they came to them How shall we escapt if we neglect so great salvation Hold it forth I say Christians in your lives the Conversation is a better testimony to the truth then the confession I have met with a general vote in the Auditory that attended this morning Ordinance that these Sermons might be Printed that so what hath once past upon your ears might be exposed to your eye whereby you might stay and fix upon it with the more deliberation Whether I may prevail with the Brethren or no for their second travel in this Service I know not There is one way left you wherein you may gratifie your own desires and Print these Sermons without their leave though I am confident not without their consent and that is PRINT THEM IN YOVR LIVES AND CONVERSATIONS Live this morning Exercise in the sight of the world that men may take notice you have been with Jesus You have been called up with Moses into the Mount to talk with God Now you come down oh that your faces might shine that you would commend this morning Exercise by an holy life that you may be manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by VS 2 Cor. 3.3 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 To that end Take along with you these two great helps in the Text FAITH LOVE Hold fast the form of sound words in FAITH and LOVE I know some Expositors interpret these as the two great COMPREHENSIVE HEADS of sound words or Gospel-Doctrine in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith and Love Faith towards God and Love towards men Faith the summe of the first Table and Love of the second or Faith in Christ and Love to Christ or Faith as comprehending the Credenda things to be believed Love as comprehending the Facienda things to be done But I am sure it is not against the Analoge of Faith or the Context to improve these two as Mediums to serve this command of holding fast sound Doctrine And so in the entrance it was propounded as the fourth Doctrine scil Faith and Love are as it were the two hands whereby we hold-fast the Form of sound words 1. Faith First then Christians look to your Faith that is an hold-fast grace which will secure your standing in Christ As unbelief is the root of Apostacy and falling back from the Doctrine of the Gospel Heb. 3.12 So Faith is the spring of Perseverance 1 Pet. 1.5 Kept by the power of God through faith to salvation Faith keeps the Believer and God keeps his faith Now faith keeps the believer close to his Principles upon a two-fold accompt Faith realizeth Gospel-truth 1. Because faith is the grace which doth REALIZE all the Truths of the Gospel unto the soul Evangelical Truths to a man that hath not faith are but so many prettie Notions which are pleasing to the fancy but have no influence upon the Conscience they may serve a man for discourse but he cannot live upon them suffering Truths in particular are pleasing in the Speculation in times of prosperity but when the hour of temptation cometh they afford the soul no strength to carry it through sufferings and to make a man go forth unto Christ without the Camp bearing his reproach Heb. 13.13 But of Faith saith the Aposte it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen faith makes all Divine Objects although very Spiritual and subtile in their own nature faith makes them I say so many realities so many solid and substantial verities it gives them a being not in themselves but unto the believer and of invisible it makes them visible as it is said of Moses he saw him that was invisible How by faith verse 23.24 that which was invisible to the eye of nature was visible to the eye of faith Faith brings the object and the faculty together Heb. 11.27 Hence now men yet in their unregeneracy though haply illuminated to a high degree of Gospel-Notion in time of tribulation will fall away and walk no more with Jesus because through the want of Faith Divine Truth had no rooting in their hearts all their knowledge is but a powerlesse notion floating in the brain and can give no reality or subsistence to Gospel-verities Knowledge gives lustre but Faith gives being knowledg doth irradiate but Faith doth realize knowledge holds ou◠light but faith adds life and power It is Faith my Brethren whereby you stand 2 Tim. 1.12 Faith is that whereby a man can live upon the truth and die for the truth I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Look to your Faith Christians For again Faith fetcheth strength from Christ Secondly Faith will help you to fetch strength from Jesus Christ to do to suffer to live to die for Jesus Christ and the truths which he hath purchased and ratified by his own blood Phil. 4 13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Faith invests the soul into a kind of Omnipotency I can do all things Other mens impossibilities are faiths triumph Faith is an omnipotent grace because it sets a work an Omnipotent God In the Lord I have righteousness and strength is the boast of faith Isa 45.24 Righteousnesse for Justification and strength for Sanctification and for carrying on all the duties of the holy life this is insinuated in my Text Hold fast c. in FAITH which is in CHRIST JESVS So that if it were demanded How shall we hold fast the answ is by Faith how doth faith hold fast in Christ Jesus scil as it is acted by and as it acts upon Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is a Fountain of strength Psal 71.16 and that strength is drawn out by faith hence Davids Resolve I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy Righteousnesse even of thine onely 2. Love The second grace which you must look to is LOVE Love is another hold-fast grace I held him and would not let him go said the Spouse of her Beloved Cant. 4.3 I tell you sirs Love will hold fast the truth when Learning will let it go the reason is because Learning lieth but in the head but Love resteth in the heart and causeth the heart to rest in the thing or person beloved I cannot dispute for
in dignity offices and dominion the priviledge of Adoption 441. Love of God Father and Son manifest in the Covenant of Redemption 227. Love of Christ in his death 293. and union with Sinners 386. Love to God the evidence of Faith concerning his being 55 56 59. Losse of all good the paine of Hell Natural 625 626. Spiritual 625 626. Eternal 625 626. M Mans composure of body and powers of soul prove that there is a God 41. Man comprehends the whole species of such a creature 106. Man made mutable though holy and why 113. Man is depraved 〈◊〉 sinful 111. Mans misery by sin 173 174 175 p. 176. Man not Angels subjects of Faith 455. Mediator needful 263 264 265. Mediator of the Covenant of Grace who 241 261. Mediator one named man and why named Christ Jesus and why ib. Mediator is Christ and none but Christ 265 266 c. Mediator comfortable in all conditions giving man confidence of accesse to God 254 255. Misery inevitable to such as despise the Mediator ib. Merit of Christ the ground of Adoption and Regeneration 447. Method in Sermons necessary and profitable 22. Means of Repentance 546. Ministry needful unto Faith 483. Ministers must be burning and shining lights 1 2. Ministers must suffer affliction ib. Mixture of grace and sin is in the best men 167. Mutability the meer cause of mans sin 112. Mutability of mans created estate was just and necessary 113. Mutability attended mans Happinesse as well as Holinesse p. 114. Mutability and its sequel must lead us to God for confirmation 119. N Name of Christ part of his Exaltation 315 what it is 316. how it is above every Name 317 318 319 320. how Christs Name was given by God 320 321. Nature by three Arguments proveth that there is a God 30 31. Natural Agents by their operation proveth a God 42. Natural conscience proveth a God 43. Nature stained with Adams sin 151. Nature without Divine revelation discovereth not a Trinity nor yet opposeth it when revealed 77 78 79 80 81. Nature of God well studied a special help to repentance 547. New Covenant better than the old 243. Nobility no cause of boasting 145. Notes of repentance 539 540. O Object External could not necessitate man to sin p. 112. Object of New better than of the Old Covenant 251. Obedience in Subjection to Commands Submission to Providence The duty of such who believe God is 63 64. Offence at preaching Gods anger against sin is groundless 192 193. Offices of Christ fit him to be the only Mediator 271 272. Offices of Christ communicated to the Saints 441. Old Covenant abrogated 252. Opposition of Christ consistent with subjection to Christ how 327 328. Sin Originale originans discussed 135 c. Originale originatum discussed 150 151 c. Original sin is a defection 112. Original how said of mans pravity 155 156. Original sin is hard to be understood 134. Original sin confirmed by counsel 144. Acknowledged by Heathens ib. Original sin is called man and old man in what sense p. 157 158 159 160 161 162. a body and a body of sin 162 163 164. Original sin hath polluted mans nature 151 152 153. Original sin is to be subdued 170. Original sin to be conf ssed and bewailed 165. Original sin imbitters all worldly comforts 171. Ordinances argue original sin in mans nature 153. Ordinances means of union with Christ 383. P Pain in Christ his death 285 286. Pardon of sin freely given how 425 426. Parents beget their children in their own image 151. Parents good yet children by nature evil 152. Parents care for posterity quickned by the miscarriage of the first Parent of us all 147. Parents childrens looking glasses by which they dresse their lives ib. Penitent must be humbled and why 498 499 450. Peace a duty and blessing to be pursued 556. Peace an effect of Faith 47. Pelagius the first opposer of original sin p. 144. Person in the Godhead what it is 69. Persons in the Godhead three 70. Plurality of persons in the Godhead proved 71 72 73. Persons in the Godhead distinguished not divided 75. their order declared 76. Person promises properties and providences of Christ all belong to believers 393 394. Persecution of Saints a crimson sin 386. Perseverance of Saints certain 387. Pleading at Gods bar necessary to justification 404. Plea of not guilty can never procure justification at Gods bar 405. Popish Repentance false 515. Pravity and inbred corruption what it is 155. the parts of it 156. Pravity and a naughty nature is in every man 150. Pravity of the nature of man evidenced by Scripture 151 152 153. Salvation of Christ 151 152 153. Sacraments 151 152 153. Sad effects 151 152 153. Prayer an help to repentance 552. Prayer answered an effect of Faith 469. Prayer its extent and encouragement p. 262. Preparations of heaven how from the foundation of the world 660 661. Preparation to last Judgement characterised 617 618. Priestly office of Christ and its parts 272 273. Price of the soul of Christ his death 298. Price paid for man was not idem but tantundem 425. Principle and cause two distinct things 69. Principles good and bad two distinct blasphemous to assert 112. Promises were made to Christ on the account of his satisfaction for mans sin 209 300. Promises of Justification Sanctification Resurrection Eternal life The Promises of the better Covenant 240 241. Promises of temporal mercy better under the New than under the Old Covenant 248. Protestant doctrine of the imputation of Christs righteousness defended 387. Profane repentance what it is p. 516. Prosperity of profane no plea against Deity 50 51. Q Quakers repentance vile false and wicked 518 519. R Reason and sensation evince the Divine authority of the Scriptures 90. Revelation from God admitted by all and reason it should 88 89. Revelation not to be received untill cleared to be of God ibid. Rectitude is conformity to a Rule 107. Rectitude of Adam by Creation was of the whole man understanding will and sensitive appetite 109. Rectitude natural and not natural to man how 111. Regeneration explained 442. it s Synonimas 443. it is defined ib. Regeneration compared with natural generation 443 444. they agree in cause subject and manner of production ib. 445. disagree in properties 446. Religion making known Christs satisfaction most excellent 350. Relations of men subject to Gods wrath p. 187. Relation to God reason of comfort and duty 436. Repentance not to be repented explained 485. In its Nature 487. Necessity 520. Notes 539. Next way to it 546. Repentance defined 487. Repentance is a recession from sin and return to God 502 503 504 505. Return to God the second part of Conversion 506 507 508. Repentance seven false kinds 515 516 517 518. Repentance contemned when 334 335 336. Repentance neglected when and with what issue 537 538. Resurrection possible and credible 579 582 583 584 585. what it means ib. who to be
Magistrates themselves under terrors for their vitious actions and those who are not subject to any humane Tribunal why do they with such fury reflect upon themselves for their crimes certainly it proceeds from hence that natural conscience dreads the supreme Judge seeing nothing is able to shelter them from his Tribunal nor restrain his power when he will take vengeance on them In vain doth the Atheist reply that these fears are the product of a common false opinion which is conveyed by education to wit that there is a God who is provoked by sin and that ignorance increases these terrors as little children fear bug-bears in the dark for 't is certain First That no Art or endeavour can totally free a sinner from these terrors whereas groundlesse fears are presently scattered by reason and this argues there is an inviolable principle in nature which respects a God We know there is nothing more disturbs the spirit than fear and every person is an enemy to what torments him hence the sinner labours to conquer conscience that he may freely indulge himself in sin but this is impossible for conscience is so essential that a soul cannot be a soul without it and so inseparable that death it self cannot divorce a man from it perire nec sine te nec tecum potest it can neither dye with the sinner nor without him 't is true the workings of it are unequal as the pulse doth not always beat alike but sometimes more violent and sometimes more remisse so this spiritual pulse is not always in equal motion sometimes it beats sometimes it intermits but returns again those scorners who run a course of sin without controule and seem to despise hell as a meer notion yet they are not free from inward gripes conscience arrests them in the Name of that God whom they deny although they are without faith they are not without fear desperate sinners ruffle it for a time and drench themselves in sensual pleasures to quench that scintilla animae that vital spark which shines and scorches at once but all in vain for it happens to them as to Malefactors who for a time drown the apprehension of their danger in a Sea of drink but when the fumes are evaporated and they seriously ponder their offences they tremble in the fearful expectation of the Axe or Gallows A sinner may conceal his fears from others and appear jolly and brave when conscience stings him with secret remorse as a Clock seems to be calme and still to the eye but 't is full of secret motions within under a merry countenance there may be a bleeding heart To conclude so far is a sinner from being able to quench these terrors that many times the more they are opposed the more powerful they grow thus many who for a time breathed nothing but defiances to conscience and committed sin with greedinesse yet conscience hath with such fury returned upon them that they have run from profanesse to superstition as fugitive slaves are forc't back to their Masters and serve in the vilest Drudgery fearing severe punishments 2. The best men who enjoy a sweet calmness and are not disquieted with the terrors of conscience they abhor that Doctrine which discards the fear of a Deity so that those who are most freed from these terrors believe them to be radicated in nature and grounded upon truth and those who esteem them vain are most furiously tormented with them in which respect the Divine goodnesse shines forth in the greatest lustre towards those who love and fear him and his justice against those who contemn it thus Caligula who was the boldest Atheist in the world yet when it thundred ran with trembling under his bed as if God from heaven had summoned him to judgement whereas Socrates who was the Heathens Martyr died with the same tranquility of spirit wherein he lived 3. 'T is worthy of our serious thoughts that these terrors of conscience are most dreadful when the sinner approaches death the sense of guilt which before was smothered is then revived conscience like a sleeping Lyon awakes and destroys at once experience tâ—lls us many sinners who have lived in a sencelesse dye in a desperate manner and from whence doth this proceed but from the presages of a future judgement conscience anticipates the vengeance of God then the Alarums are encreast and the storme is more violent for the soul being sensible of its immortal nature extends its fears to Eternity and trembles at him who lives for ever and can punish for ever Argument 3. The consent of Nations agrees in the belief of a God although the Gentiles did grossely mistake the life and essence of the infinite Deity imagining him to be of some humane forme and weaknesse and in this respect were without God in the world yet they conspired in the acknowledgement of a Divinity the multiplicity of their false gods strengthens the Argument it being clear they would rather have any God then none and this belief cannot be an imposture because 't is First Universal What Nation so barbarous as not to worship a God certainly that which is common to all men hath a foundation in nature Secondly 't is perpetual falshoods are not long lived but the Character and Impression of God is indelibly sealed upon the spirits of men Thus we see the Universal Reason of the World to Determine there is a God 2. The Scripture proves there is a God to faith Psal 19. David speaking of the double manifestation of God by his Works and his Word appropriates a converting power to the Word this exceeds the discovery of God in the Creation in respect of its clearnesse and efficacy Psalme 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name There are more apparent Characters of Gods Attributes and Perfections in the Scripture than in the Book of Nature in the Creation there is Vestigium the foot-print of God but in the Word there is Imago his Image and lively Representation As the Angels when they assumed visible bodies and appeared unto men yet by the brightnesse and Majesty of their appearance discovered themselves to be above an humane Original so the Scriptures although conveyed to us in ordinary language and words yet by their authority and sanctity evidence their Divine descent and that there is a holy and righteous God from whom they proceed There is a vehement Objection urged by Atheists in all Ages against a Divine Providence and consequently against Gods Being We may hear the Tragedian thus resenting it Sed cur idem Qui tanta regis sub quo vasti Pondera mundi librata suos Ducunt orbes hominum nimium Securus ades non sollicitus Prodesse bonis nocuisse malis Senec. Hippol. The afflicted state of innocency and goodnesse and the prosperous state of oppression and wickednesse Honest men suffer whilest the unrighteous and profane swim in the Streames of Prosperity hence they concluded fortuna certa aut incerta
to disobey him this renders them inexcusable at the last Secondly To those who are Atheists voto in desire Psal 14. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God the heart is the Fountain of desires he wishes there were no God this Atishem springs from the former men live as if there were no God and then wish there were none guilt always begets fear and fear hatred and that strikes at the being of the object that is hated as Malefactors desire there were no Law nor Judge that they might escape deserved punishment Well their desires are as visible to God as their actions are to men and in the day of Revelation there will be a proportion of Wrath answerable to the Wickednesse of their hearts Thirdly To those who are Atheists judicio in opinion these low running dregs of time afford us many of these Monsters for many to reconcile their principles with their practices that they may undisturbedly enjoy their lusts take this as an Opiate potion that there is no God but this is the most irrational and impious blasphemy 1. Irrational for the Name of God is written in so fair a Character upon this universal frame that even whil'st men run they may read it and therefore God never wrought a miracle to convince Atheisme because his ordinary works convince it Moreover the notion of a Deity is so deeply imprest on the Tables of all mens hearts that to deny God is to kill the soul in the eye to quench the very principles of common nature to leave never a vital spark or seed of humanity behinde 't is as if an ungracious soul should deny he ever had a Father He that does ungod God does unman himself 2. 'T is the most impious 't is formally Deicidium a killing of God as much as in them lies but there are no Atheists in hell the Divels believe and tremble he that willingly quenches that light which is planted in his breast he is passing from that voluntary darknesse to a worse like an offender on the Scaffold he doth but blinde his eyes to have his head cut off he goes from inward darknesse to utter darknesse Use 2 Vse 2. Let us stablish our hearts in the belief of Gods Being in the latter times the World is wholly disposed to Atheisme as the Scripture attributes the ruine of the Old World to their Atheisme and Profanesse so it foretells the universal disease of the last Age will be Atheisme and Infidelity Luke 18.8 Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh shall he finde faith on the earth it were impossible there should be such a palpable contradiction between the lives of men and this fundamental of Religion did they with assurance and certainty believe it Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good Atheisme is the root of Profanesse moreover the spiritual mysteries of Religion which exceed the flight of reason are opposed by many upon the account of their Atheisme they question the truth of Gods Being and therefore disbelieve supernatural Revelations let us then treasure up this truth First As the foundation of faith for all the truths of Religion spring from this as their common principle the watering of the root will cause the branches to flourish so the confirming of this will render our assent to the doctrine of the Gospel more clear and strong Secondly As the fountain of obedience the true and sound belief of every holy truth always includes a correspondency in the believer to the thing believed and this must descend from the understanding to the affections and the conversation Now the fundamental duties which we are to pay to God are love fear dependance and submission to the will of his Law and of his Providence 1. Love He is the supreme object of love for his excellencies and benefits Psal 5.11 Let them also that love thy Name rejoyce in thee the Name of God imports those glorious Attributes whereby he hath exprest himself to us all the excellencies of the creature meet eminently in him and all their imperfections are removed in him there is nothing unlovely in worldly things how refined soever they be there is an allay of dregs the all that is in them is mixed with corruption but in God the all that he is is perfection in the most glorious creature as a creature there is aliquid nihili some imperfection it is not exactly fitted for the soul but God is the Adequate and compleat object of our love There is such an infinite eminency in God that we are obliged to a proportionable affection the first and great Commandment is Matth. 22.36 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy strength all the kinds and degrees of our love are due to him we must put no bounds nor limits to it in him it must begin in him it must end a remisser love is a degree of hatred we disparage his excellencies by the coldnesse of our affections O had we but eyes to see his beauty how would all the excellencies of the creatures become a very Glow-worme that only glitters in the night Moreover God planted this affection in the nature of man that it might be terminated upon himself as its centre and treasure as our natural faculties are fitted for their several objects the eye for colours the ear for sounds the palate for tasts so love is fitted for God that being as the Soveraign which sways all our powers Love is called pondus animae that sets all the wheels in the clock of the soul a going this sets the understanding a work in the serious contemplation of the Divine excellencies it diverts the thoughts from other things and fixes them on God it excites strong desires and earnest aspirings after him it stirs up zeal which is flamma amoris love in a flame to remove all obstacles which hinder the most intimate union with him it produces joy when the soul reposes its self in God and with infinite sweetness possesses him it causes the greatest diligence alacrity and resolution in all our ways to please him for love is ever the spring and rule of all our actions such as it is such likewise will they be thus we may see that God as there is in him a union of all excellencies challenges the most intense and vehement degree of our love he being only fitted for it and that our love being a superlative affection is only proper to God and therefore to love any creature without God or in an equal manner to him is to Deify the creature to place it in the room of God and so it renders us guilty of Idolatry in a spiritual sense But such is the ignorance of mens minds and the depravednesse of their wills that few there be who love God 't is true there may be something like love in natural men to
may not believe a doctrine thus holy a doctrine thus practised by him that published it and confirmed by miracles then a man is under an impossibility of ever being satisfied from any thing from God for what shall satisfie If God speak to us from heaven we should as much suspect that as if an Angel come from heaven we should suspect him but since we believe and know there 's a God and he is just and merciful it 's impossible the divine goodnesse should consent to such Impostors But you will say what are these miracles to us I say therefore thirdly they are a sufficient reason to engage us to believe the divinity of this holy doctrine though we never saw them You do not see Christ your selves nor did you see him dye nor work miracles but would you have had Christ live alwayes among you If you would he must then never dye and the great comfort of our life depended upon his death he dyed is risen and gone to heaven would you have him come down from heaven and dye that you might see it and would you have him dye quite thorow the world at the same time which must be if you would imagine we must see every thing our selves it 's a great piece of madnesse to believe nothing but what we see our selves Austin was troubled himself in this case Lib. 6. Conâ—es cap. 4. he had been cheated before and now he was resolved he would believe nothing but what should be plain to him at length says he O my God thou shewed'st me how many things I believed which I saw not I considered I believed I had a father and mother and such persons were my Parents how can I tell that a man may say it may be he was drop't from heaven and God made him in an extraordinary way so if I never were out of this Town it 's madnesse for a man to say there 's never another Town in England or to say there is no Sea because I saw it not Nay if a man come and tell me there 's this doctrine that teaches me all self-denial mortification weanednesse from the world and say this is of God and when he hath done ventures life children family have we not reason to believe it If you will not believe 't is either because the first persons were deceived themselves or else because you think they would deceive you now deceiv'd themselves they could not be when they saw so many miracles done and deceive you that they would not neither for would any good man to deceive an other undo himself they dyed for it and writ this book and sealed it with their blood and therefore there can be no reason to doubt of it they were witnesses and delivered what they saw Luke 1.2 7. Prop. As we have rational evidence the Scripture is the Word of God so we have evidence also from inward sensation born we are with principles of conscience and the truths in this book are so homogeneal to man that he shall finde something within himself to give testimony for it 2 Cor. 4.2 By manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God Joh. 5.44 Men believe not because they receive honour one of another and in Scripture they that would not believe are they that would not repent Mat. 21.28 to the 33. men that practice drunkennesse whoredome sensuality covetousnesse pride and know that these things are sinnes they are the great unbelievers because they are loth to leave their sins offer the greatest reason in the world for a thing if it be against a mans interest how hard and almost next to impossible is it to convince him A man would believe that the Romans were in England that reads the Roman History but if he shall finde the coyne of the Roman Emperour he will much more believe it Do a bad action O the secret terrours that a man finds within him as if he felt something of hell already Do a good action and the secret sweetnesse joy and peace that attends it that he cannot but say I believe it for I feel some degrees of it already 1 Cor. 14.24 25 c. he speaks to the inward principles of his conscience The reason men believe not the Scriptures is not because 't is unreasonable to believe them but because they have a desperate love to sinne and they are loth to entertain that that should check their interest There is in every life that certain sagacity by which a man apprehends what is natural to that life what nourishes that life a man that lives according to the Law written in his heart finds there 's that in this Revelation that feeds nourishes and encourages it so that this man finds experimental satisfaction in it Doth the Word of God tell me the wayes of God are pleasant I thought they were hard and difficult now I finde the yoke of Christ is easie and that no happinesse like this and no blessednesse like that I thought if I did not comply with such things I could never be blessed now I finde I need nothing to make me happy but my God he finds and feels these things are certan true and real Thus I have done with the demonstration You will easily observe I have neither taken notice of what the Papists tell us we must believe the Scripture because the Church saith it we cannot tell what the Church is till the Scripture had told us And though I have not mentioned the testimony of the Spirit yet I suppose I have spoke to the thing for I cannot understand what should be meant by the testimony of the Spirit except we either mean miracles wrought which in Scripture is called the testimony of the Spirit of Christ Acts 15.8 9. the giving of the Holy Ghost it 's the giving of those extraordinary miracles that fell down among them so Heb. 2.4 Acts 5.32 I say if by the testimony of the Spirit you mean this then you can mean nothing else but the Spirit assisting enabling helping our faculties to see the strength of that Argument God hath given us and by experience to feel what may be felt which comes under the head of sensation APPLICATION First then study the Scripture If a famous man do but write an excellent book O how do we long to see it or suppose I could tell you that there 's in France or Germany a book that God himself writ I am confident men may draw all the money out of your purses to get that book you have it by you O that you would study it Wnen the Eunuch was riding in his Chariot he was studying the Prophet Isaiah he was not angry when Philip came and as one would have thought asked him a bold question Vnderstandest thou what thou readest he was glad of it Acts 8 27 28. one great end of the year of release was that the Law might be read Deut 31.9 it 's the wisdome of
of Redemption it was from all eternity it was not made when Christ was just coming into the world but from everlasting Two Scriptures seem to hold out this 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Here is the purpose of God here is grace given in Jesus Christ how in the Covenant betwixt the Father and him when was this given before the world began h. e. from all eternity So Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lâ—e promised before the world began How was this life promised before the world begun but in this everlasting Covenant wherein the Father promised unto Christ eternal life for all his seed I have been speaking to you of a very great mystery of which the Scripture speaks but little signanter we have not the termes but we have the sense and substance of this Covenant of Redemption there laid down If in any assertion I have seemed too bold I am very ready to take shame for iâ— I am sorry my work did lie in such an untrodden path wherein I have but very few to give me any direction I will shut up all with a little Application And first Application I would from hence stir you up to an high admiration of the great and infinite love of God of God the Father of God the Son what manner of love hath the God of Grace revealed in this Covenant Love that for the freenesse of it and greatnesse of it we should admire in this life as we shall admire it in the life to come Both persons have discovered unconceivable love in this transaction Oh let both of them be admired with the highest admiration 1. Admire the love of the Father we are more apprehensive of the love of the Son than we are of the love of the Father I would not speak any thing to diminish the love of the Son God forbid Oh 't was wonderful superlative love only I would heighten your apprehensions of the Fathers love in the great work of our Redemption Redemption was not only brought about by Christ but the Father had a great hand in it therefore 't is said The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand And I have found a ransome God so loved the world Isa 53.10 Job 33.24 John 3.16 that he gave his only begotten Son c. I might instance in several particulars to set out the Fathers love in our Redemption but take only that which I have been upon That the thoughts of God should be upon poor lost man so as to finde out a way for his recovery that he should call his Son and say Come let us consult together I speak after the manner of men Is there no way to be found that man may yet live he is now obnoxious to me and I might throw him into hell but may not I be satisfied and he saved too I am not willing he should utterly perish I say that God should thus set his thoughts on work for wretched man and treat with his Son and strike up a Covenant with his Son and therein lay such a foundation for mans recovery let Angels and men and all creatures adore this love and oh that you would return love for love return your drop for Gods Ocean We must honour the Son as we honour the Father John 5.23 and we must love the Father as we love the Son 2. And then admire the love of the Son too he is willing to engage in this Covenant he knew the termes of it what the Redemption of man would cost him even his life and precious blood yet for all this he willingly and freely binds himself to redeem poor sinners whatever it cost him O the heights depths breadths of this love Ephes 3.18 Blessed Jesus that ever thou shouldst consent to lay down thy life for me to wash away my sins in thine own blood 1 John 3.16 Rev. 1.5 to give thy soul as an offering for sin upon this encouragement and motive that thou mightest sâ—e such a poor worme as I brought in to God that thou shouldst set thy self as a Skreen betwixt Gods wrath and my poor soul and do and suffer ten thousand times more than what tongue can expresse or heart conceive What shall I what can I say to all this but fall down and wonder at that Love which can never be Fathomed So much for the first thing Vse 2 Secondly This Covenant of Redemption may be improved for the encouraging and strengthning of faith Faith sometimes is ready to question the blessings of the Covenant of Grace and the Continuance or Perpetuity of the Covenant of Grace that 's the great Foundation of Faith and when it staggers about that 't is very sad with the soul Now I 'le lay down two things for the help of Faith 1. The blessings of the Covenant are sure 2. The Covenant of Grace it self is sure First The blessings of the Covenant are sure They are called the sure mercies of David Isa 55.3 Isaiah 55.3 They are sure for Continuance and they are sure for Performance 1. For Continuance common mercies are dying perishing uncertain things but Covenant mercies are stable durable lasting things A great estate may come to nothing Prov. 23.5 Riches are uncertain things Imaginaria in saeculo nihil veri Tertul. 1 Tim. 6.17 And so in all worldly comforts they are but a fashion matters of fancy rather than of reality and they passe away 1 Cor. 7.31 But now grace pardon of sin adoption c. these are blessings that abide for ever Rom. 11.29 2. They are sure also for performance I mean whatever blessing God hath put into this Covenant as 't is full of blessings all shall certainly be made good to believers otherwise God would not be faithful to his Covenant which certainly he will be Men may be false in their Covenants to God but God will certainly be true in his Covenant to men Heaven and Earth shall passe away rather than there shall be the least entrenchment upon Gods truth in the not performing of his Covenant Secondly The Covenant of Grace is sure in it self a Covâ—nant firme unalterable never to be broken 't is called an everlasting Covenant Gen. 17.7 Hebr. 13.20 a Covenant that shall stand fast Psal 89.28 a Covenant ordered in all things and sure 2 Sam. 23.5 The Covenant of Grace is so firmly ratified that there can be no nulling of it 1. God hath ratified it by his Oath Gen. 22.16 Hebr. 6.13 Si non credimus Deo promittenti at credamus Deo juranti Hierom Amant Scripturae pro pacto ponere Testamentum Aug. 14 15 16 17 18. His promise is enough but surely hâ—s oath must put all out of question there 's no room for unbelief now God hath sworn
to it 2. God hath ratified it by the death of his Son A mans last Will as soon as he is dead is in force and cannot then be disanulled The Covenant of Grace is a Testamentary Covenant which by the death of the Testator is so setled that there 's no altering of it Gal. 3.15 c. Hebr. 9.15 16. Again the Covenant of Grace is ratified by the seals which God hath annexed to it What was sealed by the Kings ring could not be altered Esther 8.8 God hath set his seal to this Covenant his broad seal in the Sacraments his privy seal in the witnesse of his Spirit and therefore 't is sure and cannot be reverst And further than all this 't is ratified in and by that Covenant which hath been now opened The Covenant of Redemption betwixt God and Christ secures the Covenant of Grace betwixt God and believers What God promises us he did before promise unto Christ and the Fâ—ther would not make good his promise unto Christ if he should not make good his promises to the Saints And therefore as in other respects so in this also the Covenant may be said to be confirmed of God in Christ Gal. 3.17 with respect to that paction and stipulation that was betwixt them I lay all this before you for the strengthning of your Faith as to the stability of the Covenant of Grace so long as that Covenant stands you are safe and you see there 's no question but that Covenant will stand which God hath set upon such firme pillars This promise in the Text He shall see his seed will assuredly bring every believer into heaven O that faith might triumph in the consideration of this the Covenant of grace is sure Davids Faith did so when death was in his eye and affliction in his eye Yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire 2 Sam. 23.5 When Faith begins to faint look up to this Covenant and reason thus God will not alter his promise to me but to be sure he will not alter his promise to his Son I may fail in such and such conditions but Christ hath been faithful in all every childe of God may take much comfort from this Vse 3 In the third and last place I would have you to enquire what this Covenant of Redemption is to you Here 's a blessed Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son how far are you and I interested in it or like to receive benefit by it Was it universal that all men should have an equal share in it Some very learned men I know tell us of Pactum universale betwixt the Father and the Son Daven de morte Christi c. but I crave leave to differ from them 1. Because that which they make their Pactum universale is rather a Proposition or a Promise than a Covenant as he that believeth shall be saved 2. I know not how to believe that there should be a solemn Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son upon which never any man should be the better Did ever any sinner get any thing by this universal Covenant 3. We may preach the Gospel to all upon an indefinite Proposition He that believeth shall be saved and we need not to assert an universal Covenant for the universal preaching of the Gospel This was the great reason that prevailed with these worthy men to assert such a Covenant I know no Covenant but that special Covenant into which the seed of Christ were only taken I am loth to fall into the dusty roade of Controversies all along in this Discourse where I could not avoide them I have but just cross'd them over and so presently falne in again into some more quiet and private way Passing by therefore this universal Covenant of men more moderate and the universal Redemption of others who go higher I shall only lay down that which I judge to be a great truth viz. That 't is the Elect only who are concerned in this Covenant Such and such persons there were individually considered whom God the Father in his Electing love doth freely give to Christ for these and only for these doth the Lord Jesus engage to lay down his life Redemption on the Sons part shall be no larger than Election on the Fathers part that there may be a perfect Harmony and Agreement betwixt them in their love So then Beloved if you would draw down comfort to your selves from this Covenant you must finde out this that you are the Elect of God chosen of him to be Vessels of his mercy before the world was Christ undertook to give his life only for those whom the Father had first given to him these he only pray'd for and therefore surely these he only dy'd for You 'le say I put you upon a very difficult search 't is true 't is very hard for a man to know his Election but yet it may be known otherwise the Apostle would never have urged this as a duty upon Christians To make their Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Paul knew that the Thessalonians were elected of God 1 Thess 1.4 And he did not know it by Revelation only No he gives another account of it he knew it by way of inference from what he saw of God in them Ver. 5. For our Gospel came not to you in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost c. If Election may be known by others why not by our selves I grant à parte ante so it cannot be known so the book is clâ—sped and sealed and none can open it Rev. 5.3 5. but the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah but à parte post by such and such effects and operations upon the heart so it may be known Several of these might be set before you out of the Word but I 'le only instance in the grace of Faith He that believes is certainly in the number of Gods Elect he 's a chosen Vessel of mercy All the Elect shall believe sooner or later they shall close with Christ upon the termes of the Gospel John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me there 's Election shall come to me there 's Faith Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed None but the Elect can savingly believe The sum of all then for the clearing up of your interest in this Covenant of Redemption is this Have you the precious Faith of Gods Elect Are your hearts wrought up to a blessed accepting of Christ Tit. 1.1 Have you ever had such a sense of sin and guilt and misery as to go out of your selves and only to rest upon the Lord Christ Do you venture your souls upon his all-sufficient merits And is this Faith a working Faith an heart purifying Faith a sin mortifying Faith James 2.14 a world overcoming Faith a Faith that closes with Christ as a Lord Acts 15.9
8.33 Christ hath died who still makes Intercession and both these are so full so sufficient a relief against the guilt of sin that as we have no other so we need no other as the High Priests bore the names of the people before the Lord so does Jesus Christ the names of his Elect Heb. 9.25 Heb. 9.12.24 Heb. 10.12 Heb. 11.25 1 John 2.1 but the High Priests of Old were at certain times only to appeare before the Lord once a yeare to enter into the holy place but Christ our spiritual High Priest is not only entered but sat down at the right hand of God to negotiate constantly on his Churches behalf He ever lives to make Intercession Heb. 11 25. And besides the constancy consider the prevalency of his Intercession that God that regards the cry of Ravens that will not altogether neglect the humiliation of Ahab that God that is so ready to answer and honour the prayers of his own people cannot but much more regard the prayers of his only Son praying by his blood and praying for nothing more than what himself hath deserved and purchased He that is such a great High Priest is excellently fitted in respect of this Office for the work of Mediation 2. The Prophetical Office of Christ is the great Deut. 18.15 Joh. 1.24 25 45. John 6.14 the only relief we have against the blindnesse and ignorance of our mindes He is that great Prophet of his Church whom Moses fore-told the Jews expected and all men needed that Sun of Righteousnesse who by his glorious beams dispels those mists of ignorance and errour which darken the mindes of men and is therefore stiled by way of eminency that light John 1.8 and the true light Joh. 1.9 The execution of this Prophetical Office is partly by revealing so much of the Will of God as was necessary to our salvation partly by making those revelations powerful and effectual 1. In revealing the Will of God for no man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1.18 The manner of revealing the mind of God hath been different in several ages 1. Sometimes making use of instruments who were either ordinary as under the Law the Priests whose lips should preserve knowledge and under the Gospel Pastors and Teachers Mal. 2.7 2 Chron. 15.3 Eph. 4.11 12 13. Or else extraordinary as Prophets under the Law and Apostles and Evangelists in the first plantation of the Gospel 2. For sometime instructing his Church immediately in his own person Heb. 1.1 2. 2. In enlightening effectually the souls of his people in causing the blinde to see and making them who were once darknesse to be light in the Lord Eph. 5.2 Thus he instructs by his Word and by his Spirit 1 Pet. 1.12 and by that Soveraignty he hath over the hearts of men opens their hearts to receive his counsels He that can thus speak not only to the eare but to the heart is also in this Office excellently fitted for the work of Mediation 3. The Kingly Office of Christ is the great the only relief we have against our bondage to sin and Satan He to whom all power is given in heaven Mat. 28.18 Eph. 1.20 21 22. Heb. 2.8 Phil. 2 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 15.27 28. Isa 61.1 and in earth Mat. 28.18 He whom God hath raised from the dead and set at his own right hand in heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church It is he that restores liberty to the captives and opens the Prison doors to them that are bound This great Office of a King he executes chiefly in these Royal acts 1. In gathering to himself a people out of all kindreds Gen. 49.10 Isa 55.4 5. 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 1 Pet. 1.3 5. Eph. 4.12 13. 1 Thes 4.16 17. Nations and tongues and in making them a willing people in the day of his power Psal 110.3 2. In governing that people by Laws Officers and Censures of his own ordaining Isaiah 33.22 Ephes 4.11 12. Mat. 18.17 18. 3. In bringing all his elect into a state of saving grace and preserving that grace alive in their soules which himself hath wrought though it be as a spark of fire in an Ocean of water in carrying it on to perfection and crowning it with glory 4. In restraining over-ruling and at last destroying all his and his Churches enemies Psalme 110.1 those who will not submit to the Scepter of his grace he rules with his Iron rod and will at last dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel Psal 2.9 And thus is Christ not only in respect of the dignity of his person but the suitablenesse of his Offices the only fit Mediator between God and man The doctrinal part of this Scripture being thus cleared take one word by way of application Use This may informe us of the unspeakable folly and misery of all such as despise this Mediator there is but one Mediator but one way of Reconciliation unto God but one way of having sin pardoned our natures cleansed the favour of God restored our lost condition recovered and that is through the Mediation of Christ and shall it be said of any of us as Christ himself speaks of those foolishly obstinate Jews they would not come unto him Col. 3.4 that they might have life Joh. 5.40 There is in Christ the life of Justification to free us from that eternal death the Law sentences us unto the life of sanctification to free us from that spiritual death we are under by nature there is in him a sufficient relief against whatever is discouraging and shall we be so little our own friends so false to our own concernments as to reject his profered help notwithstanding we do so highly need it 1. In rejecting this Mediator you sin against the highest and greatest mercy that ever was vouchsafed to creatures 't is mentioned as an astonishing act of love in God that he should so love the world as to give his only begotten Son c. Joh. 3.16 so beyond all comparison Phil. 2.6 7 8. John 15.13 compared with Rom. 5.8 so beyond all expression and oh what an amazing condescention was it in Christ who though he thâ—ught it no robbery to be equal with God was yet pleased to make himself of no reputation and took upon him the forme of a servant became obediâ—nt unto death even the death of the cross and all this as our Mediator there is not any mercy we enjoy but 't is the fruit of this mercy Eph. 2.12 2. You hereby reade your condition the same with Pagans the emphasis of whose misery consists in this that they are without Christ and
save Justice was to have its penni-worths out of our Surety and nothing could be abated of blood God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that he might be just Rom. 3.25 26. 5. That he that hath the power of death might be destroyed Hebr. 2.14 through death he destroyed him that hath the power of death that is the Divel Satan hath the power of death not as a Judge but as an Executioner and Christs death hath destroyed him not taken away his being or undivel'd him but shatter'd his Forces broken and subdued him The crucifying of Christ was the Divels plot he put Judas upon betraying him the Jews upon accusing him Pilate upon condemning him the Souldiers upon executing him but our Lord out-shot him in his own Bowe and cut off Goliah's head with Goliah's Sword It fared with Satan as it is storied of a certain Souldier who being cu iously inquisitive after the time of his death went to an Astrologer who of a long time would make him no answer till at the length overcome by his importunity he told him that he should dye within three dayes whereat the Souldier being angry draws his Sword and kills the Astrologer for which murder within three dayes compasse he was executed And thus Satan plotting the death of Christ to put by his own ruine promoted and procured it Our Saviours death gave him such a deaths wound as he will never claw off The Lyon is terrible saith Chrysostom not only awake but sleeping And so Christ not only living but dying came off a Conqueror Judg. 16.30 as Sampson at his death pulled down the pillars of the house and made a greater rout among the Philistines than in all his life and therefore it is very observable when the death of Christ approached and being in view Satan perceived how great disadvantage was like thereby to accrue to him and his Kingdome how he laid about and bestirred himself by all means possible to hinder it he put Petâ—r upon disswading him Master favour thy self and let not this be unto thee and Christ presently smelt him out in that advice as appears by his rebuke Get thee behinde me Satan Matth. 16.23 Matth. 27 19. he buzz'd dreams into the head of Pila es wife and thereby endeavoured to take him off and divert him from pronouncing the sentence upon him 6. To take away the meritorious cause of death viz. sinne And verily had all the Divels in hell been routed and sin that Divel in the bosome remain'd undisturbed it had been an inconsiderable victory God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh for sin Rom. 8.3 thaâ— is by a sacrifice for sin we have such another Ellipsis Hebr. 10.6 condemned sin in the flesh Christ by his blood wrote aâ— ill of Inditement and Condemnation against sin he sued it to an out-lary and undermiâ—ed it as to its dominion and damnation Rom. 6.10 in that he dyed he dyed unto sin once The Saints dye unto sin namely by Mortification Verse 11. Reckon ye your selves also to be dead indeed unto sin but thus there was never any alive in Christ but he dyed unto sin namely the utter ruine and undoing of sin The Messiah shall be cut off to finish transgression and make an â—nd of sins Dan. 9.24 There is a double finishing of sin by consummation and by consumption the meaning is not as though Christ compleated that which sinners had left imperfect or varnisht over those sins which came out of their hands rude and unpolished no he could neither put an hand nor set a tool to such work as this but to make an end of sin to eat into the heart and tear out the bowels of it such is Christs hatred of sin that rather than it shall live himself will dye APPLICATION Three Uses may be made of this Doctrine for 1. Information 2. Exhortation 3. Comfort Use 1 1. For Information in foure particulars 1. This lets us see the transcendent and inexpressible love of Christ to poor sinners Let such as can entertain hard thoughts of Christ look upon him as nailed to the Crosse and shedding his blood and then tell me if they do not think him in good earnest in the businesse of saving souls Oh how was his heart set upon sinners that would thus shed his heart-blood for sinners The Rabbins have a saying that upon every apex or tittle of the Law there hangs a Mountain of sense and doctrine In every drop of Christs blood there is an Ocean of love Who loved me Gal. 2.20 and gave himseâ—f for m The death of Christ was such a demonstration of love as the world never saw When God made the wordl he intended the evidence of his power he ordained hell digg'd Tophet and fill'd it with fire and brimstone and thereby manifested the severity of his jâ—stice he humbled himself to death and therein his purpose was to demonstrate the transcendency of his love this made the love of Christ of such efficacy and constraining influence upon the Apostle Paul Be ause we thus judge that if one dyed for all than were all dead 2. Cor. 5.14 When Christ once wept at Lazarus his grave by-standers made this inference upon it Behold how he loved him John 11.36 but if weeping at the grave for his death argued such love what love was it then to dye and go down into the grave for Lazarus It were an easie thing to lose our selves in this delightful Maze and Labyrinth of love the righteous Judge of all the world unrighteously accused and condemned the Lord of life was dying the eternal and ver blessed Son of God strugling with his Fathers wrath he that had said I and my Father are one crying out in his bitter agony My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He that hath the keys of hell and death lay sealed up in anothers grave Blessed and dear Saviour whither hath thy love to sinners carried thee Well might the Apostle in an holy rapture and extasie expresse himself in an elegant contradiction when he desired the Ephesians might know the love of Christ which passes knowledge Ephes 3.19 2. Hence learn the horrible and cursed evil of sin there is sure an abominable filthinesse in that which nothing but the blood of God could purge and expiate We may guesse at the depth and breadth of the sore by the plaister that is prepared and applied It s a desperate disease that requires such a desperate cure sin is an infinitely mischievous evil which nothing could remove but infinitely precious blood You that view sin in its right features and proportions take a prospect from Mount Calvary look through the perspective of Christs blood and seriously ponder the bitter and dreadful agonies of the Son of God when he sweat and bled and groaned and dyed under
eum Deus And for this may be rationally urged 1. That in the whole woâ—k of our Redemption effected by Christ Jesus Christ had a respect noâ— unto himself but unto us It is for us that he humbled himself to the Death of the Crosse for us men and our Salvation 2. Jesus Christ had right to all the Honour Glory and Majesty which now he is possessed of in Heaven by vertue of his being the Sonne of God and the glory which he hath now in Heaven John 17.5 he had with God before the world was 3. The freeness of Gods love in giving Christ and of Christs in giving himself for us was such that the main intention of God was that not Christs but our estate might be bettered John 1. â—18 Rom. 9.5 if the Son of God had never left the bosome of the Father he had been for ever God bl ssed in himself But such was the love of the Father that he gave his only begotten Son that we might not perish Joh. 3.16 who believe but might have everlasting life 4. It is fit to be considered that the glory which Christ hath in Heaven in sitting at the right hand of God is such that it cannot be merited by the sufferings of the Humane nature of Christ And therefore it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath frâ—ely given him a name above every name This last interpretation of the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that to which most of our Protestant Divines do incline I will not here undertake to determine the Question I find it the judgement of some of our Learned Divines Dr. Featly Mr. Anthony Burgesse That there need be no Controversie about this thing for the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes order but whether the order of causality or antecedency or both may be consistent with the Analogy of Faith 1. For if we look upon Jesus Christ as rewarded for his sufferings for us we may thence be assured that our sufferings for him though of another nature shall be eternally rewarded Psal 58.11 2. Or if you note the order only that Jesus Christ was first humbled and then exalted we may thence learn that before honour is humility Prov. 18.12 1 Pet. 5.6 and that if we Humble our selves under the mighty hand of God in due time he will exalt us Leaving therefore this Question I proceed to the Doctrine of Christs Exaltation as it is laid down in this Text. Doct. It pleased God the Father for his own glory that the Lord Jesus Christ after he had been deeply humbled should be highly exalted Thus it pleased God that he who had humbled himself to the death of the Cross Heb. 7.26 Phil. 2.7 Acts 3.15 1 Cor. 2 8. Acts 2.36 Heb. 2.16 1 Pet. 3.22 should be made higher than the Heavens and he who had taken on him the form of a Servant should now appear in Heaven like himself the Prince of life and he that made himself of no reputation should now be in Heaven the Lord of Glory and the same Jesus who was crucified God hath made both Lord and Christ and He who took not on him the nature of Angels but took on him the seed of Abraham is exalted above Angels being gone into Heaven and is on the Right Hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him There is a word in the Text that is very Emphatical which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath highly exalted The Elegancy of the Greek tongue is singular The Apostle hath a notable word Ephes 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minimorum minimus Beza Minor minimo Cor. a Lap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emphaticus est hic notandus Pleonasmus q. d. Super omnem altitudinem exaltavit super-exaltavit Ambros Multiplicavit sublimitatem ejus Syr. Sublimitate sublimavit eum Arab. Insigniter extulit Justinianus lesse than the least of Saints and here we have a no less remarkable word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath highly exalted him God hath exalted Jesus Christ above all Exaltation the Exaltation of Jesus Christ was super-superlative The Latine Version of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exaltavit eum he exalted him is too low to express the sublimity of the Greek word We have here an elegant and an emphatical Pleonasme which the Greek tongue borrows of the Hebrew as is frequently used in the New Testament as it is said of the Magi when they saw the Star they rejoyced with great joy Mat. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so when Christ came to Celebrate his last Passeover he saith to his Disciples Luke 22.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With desire have I desired to eat this Passeover So it is saâ—d here the Lord Jesus Christ was very highly exalted he was exalted with all Exaltation Jesus Christ in his Resurrection was exalted in his Ascension he was highly exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God he was very highly exalted above all Exaltation Christ in his Resurrection was exalted above the Grave in his Ascension above the Earth and in his Session at Gods right hand he was exalted above the highest Heavens It is very Remarkable how the steps of Christs Exaltation did punctually answer to the steps of his Humiliation There were three steps by which Jesus Christ descended in his voluntary Humiliation Heb. 2.16 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 Gal. 4.4 Heb. 7.22 1 Cor. 5.7 First His Incarnation by which he was made of a woman and so became man he was made sinne and so became out Surety he was made a Curse and so became our Sacrifice This was the largest step of Christs Descension and Humiliation for it was more for the Son of God to become the Son of man than for the Son of man to die and being dead to be buried and being buried to continue in the state of the dead and under the power of death untill the Third Day Answerable to this degree of his Humiliation was his Resurrection for as by his Incarnation he was manifest in the flesh Rom. 1.3 4. the son of man made of the seed of David according to the flesh so by his Resurrection from the dead he was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness The Resurrection of Christ was the first step of his Exaltation He was declared to be the Son of God Clarificatio Christi ab ejus resurrectione sumpsit exordium Aug. He was alwayes the Son of God even during the dayes of his flesh but then he was openly declared to be the Sonne of God that he could by his own Almighty Power raise up the Temple of his Body which the Jewes had Destroy'd The second step of Christs Humiliation was his poor painful and contemptible life and his painful shameful and cursed death of the Cross Heb. 5.7 He was found in
both meer supererogations of an infinitely glorious person And first for his active Riâ—hteousnesse iâ— stood in his obedience to the Ceremonial and Moral Laws 1. His obedience to the Ceremonial Law was a meer supererogation for the substance to comply with the shadows the Antitype to do homage to its owâ— types besides he submitted to those very Ordinances whose end and institution supposeth guilt and whâ—se Nature argues them designed only for the use of sinners what foreskin of impurity had he to be cut off in circumcâ—sion what filth to be washt awâ—y in baptism did the holy childe Jesus defile his mothers womb as common mortals do that are conceiv'd in sin and brought forth in iniquity And yet he was circumcised and baptized and his mother offered for her purification Luke 1.21 22. ch 3.21 No imaginable obligation lay on him to these submissions being to him meer ciphers wholly insignificant 2. His obedience to the Moral Law Although it must be granted that as man it was his duty Gal. 4.4 yet was it not his duty to become man True a creatures homage was due from him when a creature a servants work when in the form of a servant but the whole was free and arbitrary because his entring into that state was so for what but his own infinite love could ever move the eternal Word to pitch his Tent in our Nature what obligation lay on the Heir of all things to take the form of a servant who bound the eternal Son of God to become in the fulnesse of time the Son of man And as his active righteousnesse so secondly his passive too was a meer supererogation for his Almighty Fathers Holy All-seeing Eye could never espy the least iniquity in him to punish what had the Divine Justice to do with him for he was a sinlesse person he suffered not for himself Dan. 9.26 No for us 2 Cor. 5.21 And therefore since no obligation lay on him to do what he did or to suffer what he suffered he may impute the merit both of the one and the other to whomsoever and upon what termes soever he and his Father please But before I come to consider the termes upon which Christs satisfaction is applied I must answer some questions and clear the scruples in the way Object 1 1. What is become of the Law of that first Covenant made with Adam in Paradise Gen. 2.17 repeated again to the Jews Deut 27.26 The sum of which you have fully expressed Ezek. 18.4 The soul that sinneth it shall dye I answer It is not executed nor abrogated but released or dispensed with First it is not fully executed for there is no condemnation to them that re in Christ Jesus c. Rom. 8.1 Secondly It â—s not abrogated for it is in part executed upon Believers they are liable to the first or natural death which is the wages of sin although the second death hath no power over them besides all manner of chastisements and afflictions Psal 89.30 31 32. And also that Law is totally executed upon finally impenitent unbelievers over whom not the first only but the second death also hath power 2 Thess 1.8 For he that believeth not is condemned already John 3.18 That is the Gospel finds him and every one in a state of condemnation but those who believe it proclaims deliverance to those who through unbelief reject it judging themselves unworthy of everlasting life see Acts 13.46 it leaves such as it found them viz. under the condemnation of the Old Covenant since they refuse the pardoning mercy of the New Thirdly I answer therefore positively that the first Covenant is released and dispensed with by super-inducing a New Covenant of Grace over it that whosoever closeth with and comes into the terms of the New should be exempted from the rigour and extremity i. e. from the eternal condemnation of the Old Joh. 3.16 It is not said He that believes shall not be sick shall not be afflicted shall not dye No but he shall not perish Thus you see the Covenant of Works as to its execution upon such as are in the Covenant of Grace is in the chief part restrained but yet in some part inflicted They never shall complain under the eternal and destructive yet they do complain under the temporal and corrective punishment of their sinnes Lam. 3.39 Yet more particularly for the clearer understanding of this we must consider that the first Covenant lays a double obligation on sinful man First In reference to what is past and here it requires satisfaction and reparation from us for our sin in breaking it And secondly In reference to the future after such satisfaction and amends made it requires perfect conformity still as at first absolute obedience to all Gods commands being the eternal debt of the reasonable creature to that God that made it in his own Image if therefore we could which hath already been proved to be impossible ever have satisfied Gods injur'd Law for our past breach the Law would still have come upon us for future exact conformity to pay the residue of that eternal debt and its language would be Sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee as a Felon though butn't in the hand is yet bound to live honestly for the future at his peril Now the New Covenant of Grace relieves us as to both these cases and dispences with the rigor of the Law As to the first It comforts us with the good news that the Son of God hath satisfied his Fathers Justice and if we believe but in him God will accept of us as if we had satisfied in our own persons The case the Law leaves us in is well expressed Isa 33.14 Hebr. 10.31 But the relief the Gospel brings us in St. Pauls language Rom. 8.33 34. You have both together excellently Ezek. 33.10 11. As to the second Obligation the New Covenant dispenseth with the rigor of that too for woe to a justified and pardoned person if he must lose all again upon the least defailance therefore the Gospel proclaims pardon of sin upon repentance and acceptance of sincere endeavours to obey him Gods language now is Sinners be but in good earnest do but love me heartily and my ways let me but see a childe-like ingenuity in you and I will put down your upright though imperfect performances in the book of my remembrance Mal. 3.16 and blot out your transgressions when repented of out of the book of my remembrance Mandata Dei tanquam facta reputantur Aug. Retr l. 1. quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur Thus doth the candor of the Gospel dispence with the rigor of the Law God deals not with us as an Aegyptian task-master but as a Father with his children whom he loves Christs yoke is easie his burden light Object 2 If any doubt how it stands with Gods veracity and immutability having once declared that the soul that sinneth shall dye to contradict it by declaring
made righteous in Law Righteousnesse is a conformity to the Law he that fulfills the Law is righteous in the eye of that Law he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within the protection of it as he that transgresseth the Law is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilty in the eye of the Law and without the protection of it Now the Law of the New Covenant runs thus He that believeth shall not perish so that a Believer keeps and fulfills this Law and therefore faith is imputed to him for righteousnesse Rom. 4.22 23 24. because faith is the keeping of the New Covenant which therefore is called the Law of faith Rom. 3.27 in opposition to the Old Covenant called there by the Apostle the Law of Works As therefore innocency or perfect obedience would have justified Adam had he stood by vertue of the Law of Works or Old Covenant whose tenor is Obey and live for then he had fulfilled that Law and as his Disobedience actually condemned him by vertue of the same Law Disobey and dye for it Gen. 2.17 So now believing in Christ justifyeth by vertue of the Law of faith for it is the keeping and fulfilling of the Gospel-Covenant whose tenor is Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved And again unbelief actually condemneth by vertue of the same Law He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God Joh. 3.18 That is because the unbeliever is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the protection of the Gospel or Law of faith he cometh not up to its righteousnesse he is condemned already as a sinner by the Law of Works and yet once more with a witnesse condemned as an unbeliever as a monster that hath twice been accessory to his own murder first in wounding himself and secondly in refusing to be healed The Law of works includes us all under sin we are all dead our case was desperate but God who is rich in mercy through his great love wherewith he hath loved us Ephes 2.4 John 3.16 his immense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we were dead in sins and trespasses hath sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And this is that Law according to which he will judge the world according to my Gospel saith Paul Rom. 2.27 Every Believer therefore though he wants the righteousnesse of the Law of Works viz. innocency yet he shall not be condemned because he hath the righteousnesse of the Gospel viz. faith which is the New Law in force according to which God now dealeth with us and shall judge the world at the last day And here it will be richly worth our very heedful Observation that although a Believer hath not the righteousnesse of the Law of Works iâ—herent in himself for if he had he were not a sinner but should be justified by that Law yet by faith he lays hold upon Christs satisfaction which in the very eye of the Law of Works is an unexceptionably perfect an infinitely glorious righteousnesse So that faith justifieth us even at the Bar of the Law of Works Ratione objecti as it lays hold on Christs satisfaction which is our Legal righteousnesse it justifieth us at the Bar of the Gospel or Law of faith formaliter ratione sui as it is Covenant-keeping or a fulfilling of the Gospel Law For he that keeps a Law is righteous where that Law is Judge the Law-Maker by his very making of the Law makes him righteous and the Judge that pronounceth according to the Law for a Judge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will infalâ—ibly pronounce him so But that with all requisite distinctnesse we may apprehend this great affair let us take a view of some of the most considerable and important causes which concur to the producing this excellent effect the discharge and justification of a sinner and state their several interests and concernments in their respective influences upon and contributions towards it 1. How free grace justifieth And first The free grace of God is the first wheel that sets all the rest in motion It s contribution is that of a proegumenal cause or internal motive disposing God to send his Son John 3.16 That sinners believing might be justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.24 For Christ dyed not to render God good he was so eternally but that with the honour of his justice he might exert and display his goodnesse which contriv'd and made it self this way to break forth into the world 2. How Christs satisfaction Secondly Christs satisfaction is doubly concern'd in our Justification 1. In respect of God as a procatartick cause of infinite merit and impetrative power for the sake of which God is reconciling himself unto the world in Christ not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5.19 2. In respect of the Law of Works Christs satisfaction justifieth us formally as our proper Legal righteousnesse I call it our righteousness because it becomes imputed to us upon our believing faith being our Gospel title by pleading which we lay claim to all the benefits accruing from the merit of Christs performance to aâ—l effects uses and purposes as if it had been personally our own I call it our Legal righteousnesse because thereby the Law of God owns it self fully apaid and acquiesceth in it as in full reparations and amends made unto it for the injury and dishonour received by the sin of man We must plead this against all the challenges and accusations of the Law Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is Christ that dyed c. Rom. 8.33 And thus our Legal righteousnesse required in the first Covenant that of Works is wholly without us in our Redeemer yet imputed upon our account Thirdly The Gospel justifieth quâ Lex lata 3. How the Gospel as it is the Law of faith for the very tenor of the Gospel-Covenant is Believe and thou shalt be saved Fourthly Faith justifieth vi Legis latae 4. How faith as it is our Evangelical righteousnesse or our keeping the Gospel-Law for that Law suspends justification upon believing Faith pretends to no merit or vertue of its own but professedly avows its dependance upon the merit of Christs satisfaction as our Legal righteousnesse on which it layeth hold nor can it shew any other title to be it self our Evangelical righteousnesse but only Gods sanction who chose this act of believing to the honour of being the justifying act because it so highly honoureth Christ So that as a most judicious pen expresseth it the act of believing is as the silver but Gods Authority in the Gospel-sanction is the Kings Coyne or Image stamp't upon it which gives it all its value as to justification Without this stamp it could never have been currant and if God had set this stamp on
in Faith without wavering is required and he that wavereth is bid not to think he shall receive any thing Yea Jam. 5.15 the efficacy of the prayer of Faith is by him asserted and throughout Scripture by remarkable expressions and instances abundantly confirmed and proved Fidelem si putaveris facies is true as to God Sen. as well as man And that of the Roman Historian Liv. Vult sibi quisque credi habita fides ipsam plerumque obligat fidem But it doth not produce this eminent effect as to Prayer only rendring it acceptable but also 5. Acceptance to the person in all services together with the distinction of and denomination of Good given to habits and actions flowes from Faith Heb. 11.6 vers 4. vers 5. Without Faith it is universally and utterly impossible to please God By Faith our Sacrifices become excellent and we with them we and they please God and therefore it is not without good reason usually accounted that Wedding garment which renders our presence welcome to the Lord in any Ordinance or service Mat. 22.11 Faith taketh away the savor of the flesh which whatsoever is born of the flesh hath and gives a divine tincture and relish it is like a vein of gold running through all duties which makes them precious though still they be somewhat earthly That it is Characteristically denominative of other Graces and distinctive of them fâ—om moral vertues those splendida vitia may appear if it be considered That even that eminent Grace of Love is nothing without Faith 1 Cor. 13.2 Gal. 5.6 as no Faith without it could be any thing and doth nothing without it Faith worketh by Love not Love but Faith by it Faith being first and chief in being and working Humility was eminent in the woman and Centurion Mat. 15.27 28 Mat. 8.8 10. yet not Humility but Faith was taken notice of this being the main tree that a sprig from its root receiving its excellency from it and by faith accompanying and overtopping it becoming true humility and not a degenerate meanness and abject lowness of Spirit Sorrow for sin would not deserve the name of Repentance nor Confession be ingenuous but for the hand of Faith laid on the head of the Scape-goat Faith believing Gods promise concerning the Moderation Sanctification removal of Affliction worketh in a way of Patience Jam. 1.3 and this Faith accompanying ennobles Christian Patience and makes it not to be Obstinacy or Insensibility So it makes a Christians contempt of the World not to be a Vain-glorious pretence or a sullen morose reservedness Thus might we run through many more 6. Conquest over Adversaries and hinderances in the way to heaven Isa 9.6 Heb. 2.10 Ephes 6.16 Faith in the mighty God the Captain of our salvation who hath led captivity captive disarmed the powers of darkness and triumphed over them and we in him our head makes couragious and that victorious for if we resist the General of the adverse party will flee Jam. 4.7 1. Pet. 5.9 only we must resist him stedfast in the Faith holding up that shield that will repel and quench all his darts For the life of sence in the lusts of the flesh and of the eye 2 Cor. 5.7 and the pride of life the life of Faith is diametrically opposite thereto by Faith not sight c. doth necessarily weaken it as we find in those Worthies Heb. 11. that by Faith denied themselves in so many things pleasing to flesh and blood and did and suffered so many things contrary thereto For the World as that same eleventh of the Hebrews giveth remarkable instance so St. John beareth testimony in most significant phrase to the power of Faith herein 1 Joh. 5.4 calling it the Victory whereby we overcome the world because certain victory attends and shall crown all that fight the good fight of faith against the World as the God and Prince of this world so the pleasures of the world the honors the profits the friendship of the World with their contrary troubles and the snares and temptations of both 7. Confession and profession of the Faith This is an inseparable adjunct and consequent of true Faith though I call it not a property because this may be where true faith is not but where Faith is this will be also all is not gold that glisters but that is not gold that doth not glister Can a man carry fire in his bosom and not discover it Can a man have the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 5.13 and believe yet not speak The Apostolical command is not only that we stand fast in the Faith 1 Cor. 16.13 Heb. 10.23 Rom. 10.10 but also that we hold fast the profession of our Faith for as with the heart man believeth to justification so with the mouth confession is made to salvation Let our unchristianly and irrational deriders of Professors and Profession consider this 8. It giveth the soul a sight of things invisible Heb. 11.27 Joh. 1.18 Exod. 33.20 2 Cor. 4.18 and an enjoyment of things to come By Faith Moses saw him that is invisible Jehovah whom otherwise no man hath seen nor can see and live Yea by the same St. Paul and others of the faithful looked at those eternal good things which are not seen 5.7 for they walked by Faith and not by sight By this the Saints can look within the vail By Faith the soul takes a prospect of the promised Canaan this being the Pisgah of its highest elevation Joh. 8.56 By this Abraham saw Christs day and rejoyced It gives a present subsistence to certain futures and is the evidence of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and not seen for which cause the believers conversation will be in heaven where he seeth his treasure is and where therefore his heart is 9. Joy and Peace in some degree is an immediate effect of true Faith and no true Joy is without Faith though higher degrees flow through Assurance Rom. 15.13 There is joy and peace in believing and a joy of Faith especially when conjoyned with growth Phil. 1.25 It is expressed by leaning and staying upon the Lord which speaks support fixation quietation of mind For which cause a childe of God under desertions prefers his life of Dependance before the Worldlings life of enjoyment and findes some satisfaction in present unsatisfiedness hath some glimmerings of light in the dark night of unassuredness God hath promised to keep him in peace in peace translated perfect peace whose mind is staid on him 2 Isa 26 3. Ch ron 20.20 because he trusteth in him Believing in the Lord brings establishment not only as to the condition and state of the person but also as to the disposition and frame of the mind We finde it in other cases believing the promise and relying on the power and love of another affords a great calm and some secret joy to a mind
our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and perfect holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 The whole work of the Gospel is to carry on and compleat Repentance this is the profit to be reaped by every Ordinance the Word preached perswades Repentance thâ— Sacraments received stir up and seal Repentance the communion of the Saints carrieth on the work of Repentance Exhorting one another daily lest any be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin Hebr. 3.13 The Gospel is the great Charter of our priviledges purchased by Jesus Christ and they all run into this Repentance this is the benefit by Christs death Resurrection and Ascension this is the fruit of the Spirit of Adoption Zech. 12.10 it is a Spirit of prayer and mourning over him whom we have pierced in brief Repentance is the contract of the Covenant of Grace the Law cannot give it and the light of nature cannot give it only the Gospel can effect it the Covenant of Grace confers on us an accesse to and communion with God as our God not as we are innocent for we are guilty of the breach of the first Covenant but as we are penitent sorrowful for and turned from the evil of our ways so that in this respect we must needs conclude Repentance is a grace of great necessity we reap no benefit enjoy no priviledge of the Gospel but by Repentance the mystery of Redemption Christs Incarnation Death Resurrection Ascension and Exaltation and all the Ministrations of the Gospel are in vain to the impenitent 3. Most pregnant Arguments perswading to Repentance are proposed in and by the Gospel this is light so powerfully convincing that all others which past before it is but darknesse in comparison of it whether it be the light of nature making known sin as it is specifical and particular contrary to certain standing dictates not in its contrariety to the image and holinesse of God and that without any clear and certain way of escape and Repentance or the light of the Law which layeth men under full plain and clear conviction even unto self-condemnation but coucheth the pardon and possiibility of Redemption under such dark figures and expressions that with much difficulty it may direct and provoke Repentance but in the Gospel the Sun of r ghteousnesse shines brightly unto conviction and self-condemnation nay unto speedy and chearful conversion There is no Argument in Nature or in the Law to enforce Repentance but it is urged in the Gospel I and much more doth Nature stir up Repentance by sins inconveniency to mans state or the Law by sins incongruity to the holy just and good command of God the Gospel doth the same nay and further addeth its inconsistency with that estate intâ— which we are resolved by the Redemption of Jesus Christ and so it presenteth us with two most pregnant Powerfully Convinc ng and Perswasive Arguments unto Repentance such which no Professed Religion in the World it self excepted doth propound and they are these 1. The death of Jesus Christ. 2. The day of Judgment The first Argument propounded in the Gospel to perswade Repentance is The death of the Lord Jesus Christ This is an Argument potent in operation to every true believer faith doth no sooner touch the hem of its garment but it cureth like the bones of Elisha quickens the dead man that is but let down into this Grave and pregnant in perswasion to every rational soul that is but candid and ingenuous It is storied of Antonius the Senator of Rome that he intending to provoke the people to râ—venge the death of Caesar slain at the Senate by Brutus and Cassius brought out his bloody Robe and cryed out Here is the bloody Robe of your Quondam Emperour Thus the Gospel presents to our faith a crucified Christ and slain Saviour slain for and by our sins that we may look on him whom we have piâ—rced and mourn over him that we may see him whom our lusts have slain and be revenged on them by Repentance The contemplations of a crucified Christ cannot but constrain Repentance Mount Calvary is a place of heart-melting to every ingenuous soul that makes it his walk for that it presents unto his observation a man nay more than a man a God under the most grievous sufferings not for his own but the sins of others exposed unto that sad estate not by any constraint or necessity but his own choice pity and compassion in whom we reads these three heart-moving Repentance-provoking considerations viz. 1. The great severity of offended justice and fury provoked by his iniquity Here he seeth the vilenesse of his sin and fiercenesse of Gods anger who would not nay in justice could not spare man without satisfaction he had said it and now seeth it executed In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Here is furious justice which falls fearfully on a Surety a Mediator and fierce fury that favours not a Son an only begott n Son Surely sin is hainous greatly provoking to God that his displeasure thus rageth It is sure a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God who makes the Son of his love thus roare out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh Impiety horrid Impiety that cannot be expiated by any thing but the very heart-blood of God! O fury fearful fury that forsakes a Son only become a Surety for sinners what pensive thoughts must needs arise in the serious observer of this sad spectacle especially when he proceeds to the next consideration which is this 2. Great love and pity of a Saviour who willingly endureth these sad sufferings out of choice not constraint for the sins of others not of himself Oh unconceivable love ineffable pity that we sinned and he thus suffered he left glory to be exposed to shame he undertakes an Atonement and Reconciliation between God and man and endure h infinite fury to effect it no guile was ever found in his mouth whose soul undergoeth this grief the debt was ours and he payeth the utmost Mite for us All we went astray and on him was laid the punishment of us all Isa 53.3 4. he is wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our sins and that whil'st we were sinners that slighted and rejected him Greater love can no man shew than to dye for his friend but behold here is matchlesse love whil'st we were yet enemies Christ gave himself for us These Torments we must have endured to Eternity if they had not been inflicted on him 3. We here see the gracious acceptance we have with God the great liberty of accesse to God which is to us afforded the wrath of God thus poured forth on his Son is pacified towards sinners and the Covenant of Works being thus accomplished is abolished and man that was at distance from God draweth nigh unto him for this crucified Christ was thus lifted up that he might draw all men unto himself
way upon the hearing of this terrible Text shall say to me as the Devils in the Gergesens said to our Saviour Art thou come hither to torment us before the time Mat. 8.29 I say no but to warn you to flee from the wrath to come and reduce you from the broad into the narrow way 3.17 7.13 14. for all the while you are in a state of nature going on in sin against God you do but wrong your own souls and by hating wisdome love death Prov. 8. ult Rom. 6. ult yea eternal death though you like not to hear of it Let not prejudice take away your judgement and then a Boanerges * Mark 3.17 with Joh. 12.29 a son of thunder to day may fit you to give better entertainment to a Barnabas * Acts 4.36 with Rev. 4.5 a sonne of Consolation to morrow For my part I hope I am not studious neither do I expect to please men Gal. 1.10 1 Cor. 4.3 in treating on this severe point their censure is a small thing to me if I may approve my self the servant of Christ our Judge which I shall endeavour in not erring from the scope of this his last sentence in my Text wherein we have Text divided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The persons sentenced or judged viz. the wicked described by their station on the left hand condition cursed 2. The person sentencing viz. Christ who is Lord Chief Justice of all the world me 3. The punishment or sentence it self pronounced by this Judge who cannot but do right namely Depart from me into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels from God who hath no beginning into Hell which hath no end noting the pain of 1 Tim. 1.7 Ter. à quo ad quem Loss Depart from me Sense into everlasting fire c. Where we have Hell Torments set forth by their quality extremity eternity quantity extremity eternity 1. Extremity aggravated by their inflammation fire the preparation of them prepared the association in them the Divel and â—his Angels 2. Eternity which makes all Hell â—ndeed evalasting fire Take the summe in this Proposition Doctrine The wicked shall depart from Christ into the greatest Torments Or if you will have it shorter take it in Davids words a Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into Hell I shall endeavour to prepare this for Application by Explication and Confirmation I. Explication of the Subject Predicate I. Explicat 1. The Subject the wicked i. e. All ungodly men and women who dye in their sins unclean unsanctified Rev. 21.27 1 Cor. 6.9 10. 2 Thes 1.9 Colos 3.6 who know not God nor obey the Gospel the Goats on Christs left hand at the great day in my Text denominated the cursed * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 execratio horrenda abominanda Camerarius Ger. Harm Evang. with a dreadful execration detested of God with abomination and destinated to all misery without remedy 2. The Predicate the greatest punishment or Hell of which I shall say somewhat to First The name Hell answering to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheol and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid nominis quid rei which though the former primarily signifies the grave and the latter the valley of the son â—f Himmon yet they do also signifie extreame and eternal torment especially the latter in the new Testament where Christ speaks b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5.29 30. with v. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole body being cast into Hell the fiery Hell which Mark explains to be inextinguishable c Mark 9.43 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Mat. 18.9 Hence our Saviour elsewhere bids fear him who is able to destroy soul and body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hell d Mat. 10.28.23.15.33 Luke 12.5 Men could not cast the soul into the proper Gehinnom but God can cast that into Hell after the body is killed which several of the Ancient Jewish Doctors * Targ. Jonath B. Uz. Hierus Paraph. in Gen. 3. ult Praeparavit Gehennam improbis infuturo seculo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. apprehending they did by Gehinnom Metaphorically describe the infernal fire as the Learned * Targ. Jonath B. Uz. Hierus Paraph. in Gen. 3. ult Praeparavit Gehennam improbis infuturo seculo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. have proved notwithstanding what is said to the contrary in that abominable Treatise of Hell justly sentenc'd to be burnt about two years ago wherein the Jesuited Pen-man * P. Cheitomaeus Beza Scapula Minshaw Usher Fulk Buxtorf Lex Talm. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iderâ— sonant apud Ignatium Epist ad Ephes 4. S. R. Lond. printed 1657. whither out of ignorance or malice or both hath most shamefully wronged our best Authors But could he and any others which they cannot evade the Tropical signification of Gehenna yet all the strength of their Arguments to shake and remove Hell Pillars will be but just enough as it fared with Sampson in a far more lawful undertaking Judg. 1.16 28. when he shook the Pillars of the house in which the Philistines were to pull down the rotten Fabrick of their hellish Tenet upon their own Pates sit'h there are abundantly more of Scripture expressions noting an extreame and eternal misery after this life is ended viz. Destruction by way of eminency e Mat. 7.13 utter darknesse where weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth f 22.13 and the worme dyeth not g Mark 9.43.48 damnation h Mat. 23.33 everlasting punishment i 25.46 eternal fire chains blacknesse and mists of darkness k Jude ep 6 7 13. the Prison where the spirits of the disobedient be l 2 Pet. 2.4 17. with 1 Pet. 3.19 wrath to come m 1 Thes 1.10 5.9 the furnace of fire n Mat. 13 42. the second death bottomless pit place of torment lake of fire and brimstone o Rev. 2.11 9.2 14.10 20.10 19.20 21.8 Secondly The nature of Hell may be thus described 't is no lesse than the eternal and second death in its latitude as opposite to eternal life i.e. The most miserable state of the wicked wherein they are everlastingly separated from the sight of God and all comfortable good The description of Hell lock't up in chains of darknesse under the fresh lively and afflicting sense of the wrath of God justly kindled and â—ontinually flaming against them for their sins and according to the measure of them so that they are filled with never ceasing horrors of conscience and scorched in soul and body with such grievous flames as will for evâ—r torment but never consume them to an annihilation The description explained More particularly this Description suggests two things agreeable to them already noted in the Text further to be explained viz.
glory of God be it spoken since this Exercise was first set up such a moneth hath not been known in this City A word of Exhortation What now remaineth men and brethren but that the Ministers of the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hieros praef Cat. Nostrum est dicere vestrum vero agere Dei autem perficere Gospel having done their work in holding out unto you a Form or Model of sound words you stir up your selves in the strength of Jesus Christ to do yours and what is that but that which is commended here to Timothy That you hold fast the form of sound words which you have received of them They have held it forth it concerns you to hold it fast First see therefore that you hold it fast in your understandings My brethren in this Moneths Exercise you have had many of the chief Heads and Points of the Christian Faith unvailed to you * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem ut supra Non existimes institutiones istas homiliis esse similes c. Sed haec quae per ordinem tradimus documenta c. not only as so many single truths and several precious Jewels to lie by you but that to which possibly most of you have been strangers hitherto as far as the design could well suffer Methodized as it were into a Chaine of Pearls to weare about necks truths fitly joyned together and compacted into a body by that which every joynt supplyeth Now your duty is to wear this Chain or Bracelet carefully that it may not be broken Your labour must be to imprint this Method of truth in your mindes and judgements by vertue whereof you may be able to know them in their Series and Connexion and when you hear any of these Points handled in Sermons you may be able to know one truth from another where they are to be fixed in the Orb of Divinity and so to refer them to their own proper place and station which will prove to be a greater advantage to your proficiency in the knowledge of Christ then you can easily believe It is observable Rom. 8.28 when the Holy Ghost having hinted effectual calling as the ground of that blessed truth that all things work for good to those that love God yet he mentions it again in the very next verse and why but to shew us what place it obtains in the golden chain of salvation how it takes its room between Predestination and Justification Whom he did predestinate them also he CALLED and whom he CALLED them he justified of so great moment it is not onely to know Gospel-truths but how to posture them in their proper rank and file where every truth is to stand This advantage in a great measure you have had by this Moneths Exercise see that you improve it to the clearing of your understandings in the Method of Gospel Doctrines Secondly Hold them fast in yor Memory Truely the Order of this Moneths Exercise if you be not wanting to your selves will not contribute lesse strength to your memories than light to your understandings The truths themselves have been a Treasure given you by your heavenly Father and the Method will serve you for a sack or purse to keep them in and truely it would be a labour neither unprofitable nor uncomely to take so much paines your selves and to teach your Families to do so too scil to Conne this Model without book and the Lord teach you to get them by heart You may once a week or so revolve them thus in your minds I. There is a God II. The Scriptures are the Word of God III. In the God-head there be three Persons or Subsistencies Father Son and Holy Ghost God blessed for ever IV. God Created man in a perfect but in a mutable estate V. The Covenant of works God made with man in his innocency VI. Original sin in the first spring of it in Adams first transgression VII Original corruption derived from thence into mans nature VIII Mans liablenesse to the curse or the misery of mans state by nature IX Mans impotency to help himself out of this estate X. The Covenant of Redemption or the transaction between God and Christ from all Eternity about mans salvation XI The Covenant of Grace revealed in the Gospel XII Christ the only Mediatour between God and man considered in his Person Natures and Offices XIII Christs state of Humiliation XIV Christs state of Exaltation XV. Christs satisfaction to Divine Justice XVI Effectual calling XVII Vnion with â—hrist XVIII Justification by Christs Righteousnesse XIX Son-ship to God consisting in Adopition Regeneration XX. Saving Faith XXI Repentance XXII Holinesse XXIII The Resurrection XXIV The last Judgement XXV Hell XXVI Heaven Christians this and other such like Catalogues or Formes of the Articles of Christian Faith imprinted upon your memories will be of great benefit and service to you Do ye serve your memories and your memories will serve you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hieros praef Catechis labour to get them so imprinted upon your memories that they may never be blotted out Thirdly Hold fast yea hold forth these precious Truths delivered to you in your lives and conversations Christians let it be your care and behold it shall be your * Deut. 4.6 wisdom in the eyes of all the beholders to live this morning Exercise the glory whereof hath filled this Assemblie for a moneth together To engage and quicken you herein let me mind you of one rare advantage this Model carrieth with it above most of the acute and learned Treatises of Schoolmen or solid Tractates of Catechetical Divines who have taken great paines in opening and stating the Principles of Christian Religion The Reverend Divines who have travelled in this service of your Faith have in their several Sermons with singular skill and piety brought down Principles unto practice and improved all their Doctrines to Vse and Application wherein they have shewed themselves Workmen that need not be ashamed wise Builders that know how to handle the Trowel as well as the Sword and that made it their design to build up their hearers in holinesse as well as in knowledge The School and the Pulpit met together the Doctor and the Pastor have kissed each other Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. They have not discust the Doctrines of Faith in a jejune frigid speculative way only but what they cleared to the judgment they wrought it home upon the heart and affections with such warmth and sweetnesse as that the hearers seem'd for the present to be carried into the mountain of transfiguration where they cryed out with Peter It is good for us to be here So that although their Sermons were very large yet the greatest part of their Auditories thought they had done too soon and went away praising God that had given such gifts unto men Oh let it be your care dearly Beloved that as this Model hath been
Christ said the poor Martyr but I can dye for Christ Love will say to the truth as she said to her Mother in Law Whether thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God my God where thou diest I will die and there will I be buried the Lord do so to me Ruth 1.16 17. and more also if ought but death part me and thee Gen. 34.3 Love is the glue that makes the heart cleave to the Object as it is said of Shechem His soule clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob. Minuit Felix octa Love is the twist of soules Crederes unam animam in duobus esse divisam it is but one soul that informs Lovers Christians if you would hold fast the truth LOVE IT Love hates putting away 2 Thes 2.11 12 when ever your love begins to decay you are in danger of Apostacy For this cause God shall send them strong delusions to believe lies for what cause why because they received not the love of the truth Christians look to your standing there is much of this judicial blast abroad the generality of Professors have contented themselves wâ—th and rejoyced in the Light of the Truth and in the Notion of the Truth and in the expressions of the Truth but they have lost their love to the truth Parts without grace hath been the precipice of this evil and adulterous generation the foolish Virgins of this age have got Oyle only in their Lamps but none in their Vessels and so perish 2 Pet. 3.17 You therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest you also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own steadfastness Let it be your care to receive the truth in the power of the truth in the impressions of the truth upon your hearts in the love of the truth Love the truth even when the truth seems not to love you when it makes against your Carnal interests when it calls for your right eye and your right hand The right eye of your sinfull pleasure the right hand of your dishonest gain when the truth comes to take away all your false Principles and to take away all your false evidences not to leave you worth a Duty or a Church-priviledge not to leave you so much as a Creed or a Pater-noster or a good meaning but casts you out of all which self and flesh hath counted your gain in point of salvation Ezech. 16.5 Phil. 3.7 to the loathing and abhorring of your persons c. Yet even then I say Receive the truth in the love of it God intends you more good in it then you are aware of and therefore say with young Samuel Ure seâ—a corripe ut aeâ—ernum parcas Bern. Speak Lord for thy servant heareth and with Bernard do Lord wound me scorch me slay me spare me not now that thou mayest spare me for ever Thirdly There is yet another means Ver. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is in the verse next to my Text relating to the same duty though under a various expression That good thing which was committed to thee KEEP The good or excellent trust and depositum was either the Ministerial Office with the gifts and graces which Timothy received by Ordination for the edifying of the Church or else The form of sound words here committed to him in my Text whichsoever this duty is incuâ—cated upon Timothy again and again that he must keep it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserve it as under Lock and Key and saith Beza He keeps his depositum that improveth it so that the depositor findes no cause why he should take it away But how shall Timothy or any other Evangelical Minister or Christian be able so to keep it it followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Occupatio est by the Holy Ghost The duty indeed is very difficult but by calling in the help of the Spirit of God Believers shall be enabled to do it and he is not far from every one of them Rom. 8.26 Col. 1.29 for so it follows by the Holy Ghost WHICH DWELLETH IN VS He is IN them as a Principle of life and power by his vertue and influence helping their infirmities and working in them mightily Great is the opposition that Believers meet withall and Satan and this present evill world hath been too hard for many not Professors only but Ministers also men that seemed to be stars of the first magnitude they have proved to be but falling-stars meer Comets that for a time make a great blaze but quickly extinguish They went on from us because they were not of us 1 Joh. 2.19 But real Saints true Believers shall hold out why because greater is he that is in them then he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 keep by the HOLY GHOST THAT DWELLETH IN VS Christians walk in the Spirit and pray for the Spirit cry mightily to God for the continual presence and operation of the Holy Ghost and for your encouragement Luke 11.13 take along with you that blessed promise of our Saviour If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Now to the King eternal immortal invisible 1 Tim. 1.7 the only wise God be honor and glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS Books Printed for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Corn-Hill THE works of that learned and laborious Divine John Weemse in four Volumes 4. Mr. Byfield on the Collossions fol. Mr. Thomas Edwards Gangraena four Volumes in 4. Ainsworths works fol. And his communion of Saints 12. Dr. Staughtons heavenly conversation 12. Bp. Downam on the Covenant of grace 12. Robins Essayes 12. Mr. Dicksons Exposition on Matthew Mr. Brinsley a learned Treatise of Christs Mediatorship and the souls implantion 8. Mr. Brinsley Brazen Serpent and Christs Membership Mr. Dicksons Exposition on the whole book of the Psalms one Volume 8. second edition Mr. Watsons works viz. 1. The Art of Divine Contentment the fourth edition 2. The Christians Charter shewing the priviledges of believers in this life and the life to come the fifth edition Mr. Ashes Sermon at Mr. Whitakers funeral Dr. Spurstow on the Promise second edition Retorford on the Covenant of grace Mr. Cottons Exposition on the book of Ecclesiastes and Canticles second edition A learned Treatise proving the Deity of the Holy Ghost by Mr. Estwick Mr. Gurnals Christian Armor third Edition Mr. Hutcheson on the Gospel according to St. John in fol. On the twelve small Prophets second edition Mr. Gurnals Christians Armour the second part Dr. Guile on the Canticles AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE Relating to the chief Heads handled in this TREATISE A. ADAM able of Creation to keep the Law p. 108 109. The one man by whom sin entred into the world p. 136.