enjoyned in the first Commandement and against trusting in man is there a curse denounced But Christ Jer. 17. 5. v. commands us to believe in him John 14 1. Ye believe in John 1. 12. God believe also in me John 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life vers 36. He that believeth in the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him John 6. 47. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life The same respect that Christians give unto God the father they must also give unto the son believing on him which is an honour due only to God other creatures men and Angels may be believed but not believed on rested on this were to make them Gods this were no less than Idolatry Secondly loving of Jesus Christ with all the heart commanded above the love nay even to the hatred of father mother wife children yea and our own lives Luk 14. 26. He who is not disposed where these loves are incompatible to hate father and all other relations for the love of Christ can be none of his I ought dearly and tenderly to love father and mother the Law of God and nature requiring it of me but to prefer dear Jesus Phil. 3. 7 8. Master Brad. Acts and Mon. Fol. 1492. who is God blessed for ever before all and above all as Paul and the primitive Christians and Martyrs have done before me your house home and goods your life and all that ever you have saith that Martyr God hath given you as love tokens to admonish you of his love to win your love to him again Now will he try your love whether you set more by him or by his tokens c. when Relations or life stand in competition with Christ and his Gospel they are to be abandoned hated c. But Secondly all outward worship is due to Christ as First Dedication in Baptism is in his name Mat. 28. 19. Baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the name by that right initiating them and receiving of them into the profession of the service of one God in three persons and of depending on Christ alone for salvation Baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is the consecrating of them unto the sincere service of the sacred Trinity Secondly Divine invocation is given to Jesus Christ 2. Ponderâ— upon these Scriptures 2 Cor. 12. 8. 9. 1 Thes 1. 1. 2 Thâ—s 1. 1 2. 2 Cor. 1. 2. Acts 7. 59. Stephen calls upon the Lord Jesus to receive his spirit 1 Cor. 1. 2. All that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Thes 3. 11. God himself and our father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you Ephe. 1. 2. Grace be to you and peace from God our father and from our Lord Jesus Christ It is the Saints Character that they are such as call on the Lord Jesus Acts 2. 21. Acts 9. 14. But Thirdly Praises are offered to our Lord Jesus Christ Rev. 5. 9. And they sung a new song saying Thou arâ— worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation vers 11. And I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels This is taken out of Daniel cap. 7. 10. whereby the glory and power of God and Christ is held forth they being attended with innumerable millions of Angels which stood before the fiery throne of God c. round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands vers 12. saying with a loud voice worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Vers 13. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever here you have a Catholick confession of Christ's divine nature and power All the creatures both reasonable and unreasonable do in some sort set forth the praises of Christ because in some sort they serve to illustrate and set forth his glory Here you see that Christ is adored with religious worship by all creatures which doth evidently prove that he is God since all the creatures worship him with religious worship we may safely and boldly conclude upon his Deity Here are three parties that bear a part in this new song 1. The redeemed of the Lord and they sing in the last part of the 8. verse and in the 9. and 10. verses Then 2. The Angels follow verse 11. and 12. in the third place all creatures are brought in joyning in this new song verse 13. That noble company of the Church Triumphant and Church Militant sounding out the Praises of the Lamb may sufficiently satisfie us concerning the divinity of the Lamb. But Fourthly Divine adoration is also given to him Mat. 4. Mark 1. 40. Luke 5. 12. So that he touched Christ his feet as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not kneeled as the word is translated Mark 1. 40. This Leper came to know Christ was God 1. by inspiration 2. by the miracles which Christ did 8. 2. A Leper worshipped him Mark saith he kneeled down and Luke saith he fell upon his face He shewed reverence in his gesture Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean He acknowledged a divine power in Christ in that he saith he could make him clean if he would This poor Leper lay at Christ's feet imploring and beseeching him as a dog at his master's feet as Zanch de Red. renders the word which shews that this Leper look'd upon Christ as more than a Prophet or a holy man and that believing he was God and so able to heal him if he would he gave him religious worship he doth not say to Christ Lord if thou wilt pray to God or to thy father for me I shall be whole but Lord if thou wilt I shall be whole He acknowledges the Leprosie curable by Christ which he and all men knew was incurable by others which was a plain argument of his faith for though the Psora or scabbedness may be cured yet that which is called Lepra Physicians acknowledg incurable for if a particular Cancer cannot be cured much less can an universal Cancer as Avicen observes Mat. 2. 11. Though the wise men
being without sin could neither by Indignation displease his Father nor by Desperation destroy himself So that if you consider either the adjuncts of Hell or the effects then I say we do remove all them as far off from the holy soul of Christ as Heaven is from Hell or the East from the West or darkness from light c. Thirdly Consider the punishment it self Now concerning this we say That our blessed Saviour as in himself he bare all the sins of the Elect. So he also suffered the whole punishment of body and soul in general that was due unto us for the same which we should have endured if he had not satisfied for it and so consequently we affirm that he felt the anguish of soul and horror of Gods wrath and so in soul entred into the torments of Hell for us sustained them and vanquished them One spaking in honour of Christs passion saith Cum iram Dei Calvin in Math. 2â— 39. sibi propositum videret When he saw the wrath of God set before him presenting himself before Gods tribunal loaden with the sins of the whole world it was necessary for him to fear the deep bottomless pit of death Again Calvin in Math. 27. 46. saith the same Author Cum species Christo objecla est c. Such an object being offered to Christs view as though God being set against him he were appointed to destruction he was with horror affrighted which was able an hundred times to have swallowed up all mortal Creatures but he by the wonderful power of his spirit escaped with Victory What dishonour was it to our Saviour Christ saith another to suffer that which was necessary for Fulk in Act 2. Sect. 11. our Redemption namely that torment of Hell which we had deserved and which the Justice of God required that he should endure for our Redemption Or rather what is more to the honour of Christ then that he vouchsafed to descend into Hell for us and to abide that bitter pain which we had deserved to suffer Eternally and what may rather be called Hell then the anguish of soul which he suffered when he being yet God complained that he was forsaken of God O Sirs this we need not fear to confess that Christ bearing our sins in himself upon the Cross did feel himself during that combat as rejected and forsaken of God and accursed for us and the flames of his Fathers wrath burning within him so that to the honour of Christs Passion we confess that our blessed Redeemer refused no part of our punishment but endured the very pains of Hell so far as they tended not neither to the derogation of his Person deprivation of his Nature destruction of his Office c. Here it may be query'd whether the Lord Jesus Christ underwent the idem the very self-same punishment that we should have undergone or only the tantundem that which did amount and was equivalent thereunto To which I Answer That in different respects both may be affirmed The punishment which Christ indur'd if it be considered in its substance kind or nature so 't was the same with that the Sinner himself should have undergone but if it be considered with respect to certain circumstances adjuncts or accidents which attend that punishment as inflicted upon the Sinner so 't was but equivalent and not the same The punishment due to the Sinner was death the curse of the Law upon the breach of the first Covenant now this Christ underwent For Gal. 3. 13. he was made a Curse for us The adjuncts attending this death were the Eternity of it Desperation going along with it c. These Christ was freed from the dignity of his Person supplying the former the sanctity of his Person securing him against the latter therefore in reference unto these and to some other things already mentioned it was but the tantundem not the idem but suppose there had been nothing of sameness nothing beyond equivalency in what Christ suffered yet that was enough for it was not required that Christ should suffer every kind of Curse which is the effect of sin but in the general accursed death Look as in his fulfilling of the Law for us it was not necessary that he should perform every holy duty that the Law requireth for he could not perform that obedience which Magistrates or Married persons are bound to do It s enough that there was a fulfilling of it in the general for us So here it was not necessary that Jesus Christ should undergo in every respect the same punishment which the offender himself was lyable unto but if he shall undergoe so much as may satisfie the Laws threatnings and vindicate the Law-giver in his Truth Justice and Righteous government that was enough Now that was unquestionably done by Christ But some may object and say How could Christ suffer Obj. 1 the pains of the second death without dis-union of the Godhead from the Man-hood for the God-head could not dye Or what interest had Christs God-head in his humane sufferings to make them both so short and so precious and satisfactory to Divine justice for the sins of so many Sinners especially when we consider that God cannot suffer I Answer It followeth not that because Christ is United Answ 1 into one Person with God that therefore he did not suffer the pains of Hell for by the same reason he should not have suffered in his body for the Union of his Person could have preserved him from sufferings in the one as well as in the other and neither God Angels nor Men compelled him to undertake this difficult and bloody work but his own free and unspeakable love to Man-kind as himself declares Joh. 10. 17. Therefore my Father Isa 53. 12. Psal 40. 7 8. Heb. 10. 9 10. loves me because I lay down my life ver 18. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self If Christ had been constrained to suffer then both men and Angels might fear and tremble but as one saith well Voluntas Bernard sponte morientis placuit Deo The willingness of him that dyed pleased God who offered himself to be the Redeemer of fallen man But secondly I Answer from 1 Joh. 3. 16. Hereby Answ 2 perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us The person dying was God else his person could have done us no good The Person suffering must be God as well as man but the God-head suffered not As if you shoot off a Cannon in the bright ayr the ayr suffers but the light of it suffers not Actions and passions belong to persons Nothing less then that person who is God-Man could bear the brunt of the day satisfie Divine justice pacifie Divine wrath bring in an everlasting Righteousness and make us happy for ever But Thirdly I answer thus Albeit the passion of the humane Nature could not so far reach the God-head of Christ that it
matchless wrath of an angry God that was so terribly imprest upon the Soul of Christ quickly spent his natural strength and turned his moisture into the Psal 32. 4. drought of summer and yet all this wrath he patiently underwent that Sinners might be saved and that he Heb. 2. 10. might bring many sons unto glory O wonder of love Love is passive it enables to suffer The Curtii laid down their lives for the Romans because they loved them so 't was love that made our dear Lord Jesus lay down his life to save us from hell and to bring us to heaven As the Pelican out of their love to her young ones when they are bitten with Serpents feeds them with her own blood Gen. 3. 15. to recover them again so when we were bitten by the old Serpent and our wound incurable and we in danger of eternal death then did our dear Lord Jesus that he might recover us and heal us feed us with his own Jeh 6. 53. 54 55 56. Dilexisti me Demine magis quà m teipsum Bern. blood O love unspeakable This made one cry out Lord thou hast loved me more than thy self for thou hast laid down thy life for me It was only the golden link of love that fastned Christ to the Cross and Joh. 10. 17. that made him die freely for us and that made him willing to be numbred among transgressors that we might Isa 53. 12. be numbred among general assemby and church of the Heb. 12. 23. first born which are written in heaven If Jonathan's 2 Sam. 1. 26. love to David was wonderful how wonderful must the Heb. 10. 10. love of Christ be to us which led him by the hand to make himself an offering for us which Jonathan never did for David for though Jonathan loved David's life and safety well yet he loved his own better for when his father cast a javelin at him to smite him he flies 1 Sam. 10. 33 34 35. for it and would not abide his fathers fury being very willing to sleep in a whole skin notwithstanding his wonderful love to David making good the Philosophers notion that Man is a life-lover Christ's love is like his name and that is wonderful yea it is so wonderful that Isa 9. 6. it is supra omnem creaturam ultra omnem mensuram contra omnem naturam above all creatures beyond allmeasure contrary to all nature 'T is above all Creatures for it is above the Angels and therefore above all others 'T is beyond all Measure for time did not begin it and time shall never end it place doth not bound it sin doth not exceed it no estate no age no sex is denied it tongues cannot express it understandings cannot conceive it and 't is contrary to all Nature for what nature can love where it is hated what nature can forgive where it is provoked what nature can offer reconcilement where it receiveth wrong what nature can heap up kindness upon contempt favour upon ingratitude mercy upon sin and yet Christ's love hath led him to all this so that wel may we spend all our days in admiring and adoring of this wonderful love and be always ravished with the thoughts of it But Secondly Then look that ye love the Lord Jesus Christ with a superlative love with an over-topping love there are none have suffered so much for you as Christ there are none that can suffer so much for you as Christ the least measure of that wrath that Christ hath sustained for you would have broke the hearts necks and backs of all created Beings O my friends there is no love but a superlative love that is any ways sutable to the transcendent sufferings of dear Jesus O love him above your lusts love him above your relations love him above the world love him above all your outward contentments and enjoyments yea love him above your very lives for thus the Patriarchs Ptophets Apostles Saints Primitive Christians and the Martyrs of old have loved Act. 20. 24. cap. 21. 12 13. 2 Cor. 1. 8 9 10. cap. 4. 11. cap. 11. 23. Heb. 11. 36 37 38 39. our Lord Jesus Christ with an over-topping love Rev 12. 11. They loved not their lives unto the death that is they slighted contemned yea despised their lives exposing them to hazard and loss out of love to the Lamb who had washed them in his blood I have read of one Kilian a Dutch Scholmaster who being asked whether he did not love his wife and Children answered Were all the world a lump of gold and in my hands to dispose of I would leave it at my enemies feet to live with them in a prison but my Soul and my Saviour are dearer to me than all If my father saith Jerom should stand Hieron ad Heliodor epist 1. before me and my mother hang upon and my brethren should press about me I would break through my brethren throw down my father and tread underfoot my mother to cleave to Jesus Christ Had I ten heads Cere non amaut illi Christum qui ali quid plusqe am â—â—ristum amant Aug. de resurr Hey do nâ—t lâ—ve Christ who love any thing more than Christ said Henry Voes they should all off for Christ If every hair of my head said John Ardley Martyr were a man they should all suffer for the Faith of Christ Let fire racks pullies said Ignatius and all the torments of Hell come upon me so I may win Christ Love made Hierom to say O my Saviour didst thou die for love of me a love more dolorous than death but to The more Christ hath suffered for us the dearer Christ should be â—nto us the greater and the bitterer Christs sufferings have been for us the greater and the sweeter should our love be to him me a death more lovely than love it self I cannot live love thee and be longer from thee George Carpenter being asked whether he did not love his wife and children which stood weeping before him answered My wife and children my wife and children are dearer to me than all Bavaria yet for the love of Christ I know them not That blessed Virgin in Basil being condemned for Christianity to the fire and having her estate and life offered her if she would worship Idols cried out Let money perish and life vanish Christ is better than all Sufferings for Christ are the Saints greatest glory they are those things wherein they have most gloried Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra your cruelty is our glory saith Tertullian It is reported of Babylas that when he was to die for Christ he desired this favour that his Chains might be buried with him as the ensigns of his honour Thus you see with what a superlative love with what an over-topping love former Saints have loved our Lord Jesus and can you Christians who are cold and low in your love to Christ read over these
times I might turn you to many other Scriptures but in the mouth of twenty Witnesses you may be very clearly and fully satisfied that Jesus Christ is the Saints Beloved 1. When the Dutch Martyr was askt whether he did not love his Wife and Children he Answered Were all the World a lump of gold and in my hand to dispose of I would give it to live with my Wife and Children in a Prison but Christ is dearer to me than all 2. Saith Jerom If my Father should stand before me and if my Mother should hang upon me and my Brethren should press about me I would break through my Brethren throw down my Mother and tread under-foot my Father that I might cleave the faster and closer unto Jesus Christ 3. That Blessed Virgin in Basil being condemned for Christianity to the fire and having her Estate and Life offered her if she would worship Idols cryed out Let money perish and life vanish Christ is better than all 4. Love made Hierom to say O! my Saviour didst thou dye for love of me a love more dolorous than death but to me a death more lovely than love it self I cannot live love thee and be longer from thee 5. Henry Voes said If I had ten heads they should all off for Christ 6. John Ardley Martyr said If every hair of my head were a man they should all suffer for the Faith of Christ 7. Ignatius said Let fire racks pullies yea all the torments of Hell come on me so I may win Christ 8. George Carpenter being asked whether he loved not his Wife and Children when they all wept before them Answered My Wife and Children are dearer to me than all Bavaria yet for the love of Christ I know them not 9. O Lord Jesus said Bernard I love thee more than all my Goods and I love thee more than all my Friends yea I love thee more than my very self 10. Austin saith he would willingly go through Hell to Christ 11. Another saith He had rather be in his Chimney-Corner with Christ than in Heaven without him 12. Another crys out I had rather have one Christ than a thousand Worlds by all which 't is most evident that Jesus Christ is the Saints best Beloved and not this or that sin Now by these 13 Arguments 't is most clear that no gracious Christian do's or can indulge himself in any Trade course or way of sin Yea by these thirteen Arguments 't is most evident that no Godly man has or can have any one beloved sin any one bosom darling sin though many worthy Ministers both in their Preaching and Writings make a great noise about the Saints beloved sins about their bosom darling sins I readily grant that all Unregenerate persons have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins but that no such sins are chargable upon the Regenerate is sufficiently demonstrated by the thirteen Arguments last cited And O! that this were wisely and seriously considered of both by Ministers and Christians there is no known sin that a Godly man is not troubled at and that he would not be rid of There is as much difference between sin in a Regenerate person and in an Unregenerate person as there is between poyson in a Man and poyson in a Serpent Poyson in a mans body is most offensive and burdensome and he readily uses all Arts and Antidotes to expel it and get rid but poyson in a Serpent is in its natural place and is most pleasing and delightful So sin in a Regenerate man is most offensive and burdensome and he readily uses all holy means and Antidotes to expel it and to get rid of it But sin in an Unregenerate man is most pleasing and delightful it being in its natural place A Godly man still enters his protest against sin a gracious Soul while he commits sin hates the sin he commits O Sirs there is a vast difference between a special and a beloved sin a darling sin a bosom-sin Noah had a sin and Lot had a sin and Jacob had a sin and Job had a sin and David had a sin which was his special sin but neither of these had any sin which was their beloved sin their bosom sin their darling sin that passage in Job 31. 33. is observable If I covered my Transgression as Adam by hiding mine Iniquity in my Bosom Mark in this Text while Job calleth some sin or other his Iniquity he denyeth that he had any beloved sin for saith he Did I hâ—de it in my Bosom did I shew it any favour did I cherrish it or nourish it or keep it warm in my Bosom O! No I did not A Godly man may have many sins yet he hath not one beloved sin one bosom sin one darling sin he may have some particular sin to which the Unregenerate part of his will may strongly incline and to which his unmortified affections may run out with violence too yet he hath no sin he bears any good will to or doth really or cordially effect Mark that may be called a mans particular way of sinning which yet we cannot we may not call his beloved sin his bosom sin his darling sin for it may be his greatest grief and torment and may cost him more sorrow and tears than all the rest of his sins it may be a Tyrant usurping power over him when it is not the delight and pleasure of his Soul A Godly man may be more prone to fall into some one sin rather than another it may be Passion or Pride or Slavish fear or Worldliness or Hypocrisie or this or that or tother Vanity yet are not these his beloved sins his bosom sins his darling sins for these aâ—e the Enemies he hates and abhors these are the grand-Enemies that he prays against and complains of and mourns over these are the potent Rebels that his Soul crys out most against and by which his Soul suffers the greatest violence Mark no sin but Christ is the dearly beloved of a Christians Soul Christ and not this sin or that is the chiefest of ten thousand to a gracious Soul and yet some particular corruption or other may more frequently worst a Believer and lead him Captive but then the Believer crys out most against that particular sin O! saith he this is mine Iniquity this is the Saul the Pharoah that is always a pursuing after the blood of my Soul Lord let this Saul fall by the Sword of thy Spirit let this Pharoah be drown'd in the Red Sea of thy Sons blood O! Sirs It is a point of very great importance for gracious Souls to understand the vast difference that there is between a beloved sin and this or that particular sin violently Tyrannizing over them for this is most certain whosoever giveth up himself freely willingly cheerfully habitually to the service of any one particular Lust or Sin he is in the state of Nature under wrath and in the way to eternal Ruine Now
a little to shew the vanity folly and falshood of that Opinion that is received and commonly avowed by Ministers and Christians viz. That every Godly person hath his beloved sin his bosom sin his darling sin seriously and frequently consider with me of these following particulars First That this Opinion is not bottomed or founded upon any clear Scripture or Scriptures either in the Old or New Testament Secondly This Opinion that is now under consideration runs counter cross to all those thirteen Arguments but now alledged and to all those scores of plain Scriptures by which those Arguments are confirmed Thirdly This Opinion that is now under consideration has a great tendancy to harden and strong then wicked men in their sins for when they shall hear and read that the Saints the dearly beloved of God have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins what inferences will they not be ready to make What are these they call Saints wherein are they better than us have we our beloved sins so have they Have we our bosom sins so have they have we our darling sins so have they They have their beloved sins and yet are beloved of God and why not we why not we Saints have their beloved sins and yet God is kind to them and why then not to us why not to us also Saints have their beloved sins and yet God will save them and why then should we believe that God will damn us Saints have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins and therefore certainly they are not to be so dearly loved and highly prized and greatly honoured as Ministers would make us believe Saints have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins and therefore what Iniquity is it to account and call them Hypocrites Deceivers Dissemblers that pretend they have a great deal of love to God and love to Christ and love to his Word and love to his ways and yet for all this they have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins Surely these mens hearts are not right with God with much more to the same purpose Fourthly If Christ be really the Saints beloved then sin is not their beloved but Christ is the Saints beloved as I have formerly clearly proved and therefore sin is not there beloved A man may as well serve two Masters as have two Beloveds viz. a Beloved-Christ and a beloved Lust Fifthly Those supernatural Graces or those Divine qualities that are infused into the Soul at first conversion are contrary to all sin and opposite to all sin and engages the heart against all sin and therefore a converted person can have no beloved sin no bosom sin no darling sin Seriously weigh this Argument Sixthly This Opinion may sill many weak Christians with many needless fears doubts and jealousies about their Spiritual and Eternal conditions Weak Christians are very apt to reason thus Surely my Conversion is not sound my Spiritual Estate is not good my Heart is not right with God a saving work has never yet past upon me in power I fear I have not the root of the matter in me I fear I have never had a through change I fear I have never yet been effectually call'd out of darkness into his marvellous light I fear I have never yet been Espoused to Christ I fear the Spirit of God hath never taken up my heart for his Habitation I fear that after all my high profession I shall at last be found an Hypocrite I fear the Execution of that dreadful Sentence Math. 25. Go ye Cursed c. And why all this O poor Soul Answer Because I carry about with me my beloved sins my bosom sins my darling sins Ministers had need be very wary in their Preaching Writing that they don't bring forth fuel to feed the fears and doubts of weak Christians it being a great part of their work to arm weak Christians against their fears and faintings But Seaventhly This Opinion that is now under consideration is an Opinion that is very repugnant to sound and sincere Repentance for sound sincere Repentance includes and takes in a divorce an alienation a detestation a separation and a turning from all sin without exception or reservation One of the first works of the Spirit upon the Soul is the dividing between all known sin and the soul 't is a making an utter breach betwixt all sin and the soul 't is a dissolving of that old League that has been between a Sinner and his sins yea between a Sinner and his beloved Lusts One of the first works of the Spirit is to make a man to look upon all his sins as Enemies yea as his greatest Enemies and to deal with his sins as Enemies and to hate and loath them as Enemies and to fear them as Enemies and to arm against them as Enemies Seriously ponder upon these Scriptures Ezek. 18. 28. 30 31. 14. of Ezek. 6. 2. Cor. 7. 1. Psal 119. 101. 104. 128. verses True Repentance is a turning from all sin without any Reservation or exception he never truly repented of any sin whose heart is not turned against every sin The true penitent casts off all the rags of Old Adam he is for throwing down every stone of the old building he will not leave a horn nor a hoof behind The reasons of turning from sin are universally binding to a penitent Soul There are the same reasons and grounds for a penitent mans turning from every sin as there is for his turning from any one sin Do you turn from this or that sin because the Lord has forbid it why upon the same ground you must turn from every sin for God has forbid every sin as well as this or that particular sin There is the same Authority forbidding or commanding in all and if the Authority of God awes a man from one sin it will awe him from all He that turns from any one sin because it is a Transgression of the holy and righteous Law of God he will turn from every sin upon the same account He that turns from any one sin because it is a dishonour to God a reproach to Christ a grief to the Spirit a wound to Religion c. will upon the same grounds turn from every sin Quest But wherein does a true penitential turning from all sin consist Answ In these six things First in the alienation and inward aversation and drawing off of the Soul from the love and liking of all sin and from all free and voluntary subjection unto sin the heart being filled with a loathing and detestation of all sin Psal 119. 104. 128. as that which is most contrary to all goodness and happiness Secondly In the wills detestation and hatred of all sin when the very bent and inclination of the will is set against all sin and opposes and crosses all sin and is set upon the ruine and destruction of all sin then the Penitent is turned from all sin Rom.
though all this might seem to cross both Nature and Grace both Reason and Religion yet Abraham was willing to obey God in this also and to do what he commanded Gen. 22. so David was a man after Gods own heart which fulfilled all his Wills as the original runs in Acts 13. 22. And it is said of Zacharias and Elizabeth that they walked in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord c. Luk. 1. 6. 1 Thes 2. 10. Ye are Witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe 13thly Universal Obedience speaks out the strength of our love to Christ and the reality of our friendship with Christ Joh. 15. 14. Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you That Child shews most love to his Father that observes all his precepts and that Servant shews most love to his Master that observes all his Masters commands and that Wife shews most love to her Husband that observes all he requires in the Lord So here c. 14thly Universal Obedience will give most peace rest quiet and comfort to the Conscience Such a Christian will be as an eye that hath no Mote to trouble it as a Kingdom that hath no Rebel to annoy it as a Ship that hath no leak to disturb it Psal 119. 165. Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them But 15thly Mans holiness must be conformable to Gods Holiness Ephe. 5. 1 2. Be ye followers of God as dear Children Math. 5. 48. Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect Now God is Righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works and so ought all to desire and endeavour to be that would be saved 1 Pet. 1. 15. As he who hath called you is Holy so be ye also holy in all manner of Conversation v. 16. because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy But 16thly The holiness of a Christian must be conformable to the holiness of Christ Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. Now Christ was holy in all things It behoveth us said he to fulfill all Righteousness And this should be the care of every one that professeth himself to be Christs to endeavour to be holy as Christ was holy 1 John 2. 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself to walk even as he walked But 17thly Servants must obey their earthly Masters not in some things only but in all things to wit that are just and lawful Tit. 2. 9. Exhort Servants to be obedient to their own Masters and to please them well in all things What Master will be content that his Servant should chuse how far forth he will observe and do those things which he doth require of him much less may we think that such arbitrary and partial performances will please that God who is our Heavenly Master 18thly The promises of mercy both spiritual and temporal are made over to universal obedience 1 King 6. 12 13. Deut. 28. 1 2 3 Ezek. 18. 21 22 27 28. turn to all these promises and dilate on them c. 19thly One sin never goes alone as you may see in the falls of Adam and Eve Lot Abraham Noah Jacob Joseph Job David Solomon Peter Ahab Judas Jeroboam one sin will make way for more as one little Thief can open the door to let in many great ones Satan will be sure to nest himself to lodge himself in the least sins as Birds nest lodge themselves in the smallest branches of the Tree and there he will do all he can to hatch all manner of wickedness A little wedge makes way for a greater so do little sins make way for greater 20. The reasons of turning from sin are universally binding to a gracious soul There are the same reasons and grounds for a penitent man's turning from every sin as there is for his turning from any one sin do you turn from this or that sin because the Lord hath forbid it why upon the same ground you must turn from every sin for God has forbid every sin as well as this or that particular sin there is the same Authority forbidding or commanding in all and if the Authority of God awes a man from one sin it will awe him from all c. But 21stly One sin allowed and lived in will keep Christ and the Soul a-sunder As one Rebel one Traytor hid and kept in the House will keep a Prince and his Subject a-sunder or as one stone in the Pipe will keep the water and the Cistern a-sunder So here But 22dly One sin allowed and lived in will unfit a person for suffering as one cut or one shot in the shoulder may hinder a man from bearing a burden will he ever lay down his life for Christ that can't that won't lay down a Lust for Christ But 23dly One sin allowed and lived in is sufficient to deprive a man for ever of the greatest good One sin allowed and wallowed in will as certainly deprive a man ōf the blessed Vision of God and of all the treasures pleasures and delights that be at God's right hand as a thousand One sin stript the fallen Angels of all their glory and one sin stript our first Parents of all their dignity and excellency Gen. 3. 4 5. One flye in the box of prccious Oyntment spoyls the whole box One Thief may Rob a man of all his treasure one Disease may deprive a man of all his health and one drop of Poyson will spoyl the whole glass of Wine and so one Sin allowed and lived in will make a man miserable for ever One Mill stone will sink a man to the bottom of the Sea as well as a hundred 't is so here But 24thly One Sin allowed and lived in will eat out all peace of Conscience as one string that jars Will spoyl the sweetest Musick so one sin countenanced and lived in will spoyl the musick of Conscience One Pyrate may Rob a man of all he has in this world But 25thly and lastly The Sinner would have God to forgive him not only some of his sins but all his sins and therefore 't is but just and equal that he should turn from all his sins If God be so faithful and just to forgive us all our sins we must be so faithful and just as to turn from all our sins The Plaister must be as broad as the Sore and the Tent as long and as deep as the Wound It argues horrid Hypocrisie damnable folly and wonderful impudency for a man to beg the pardon of those very sins that he is resolved never to forsake c. Object But it is impossible for any man on Earth to walk in all God's Statutes to obey all his Commands to do his will in all things to walk according to the full bredth of Gods Royal Law Sol. I Answer there is a two-fold walking in all the
Statutes of God there is a two-fold Obedience to all the Royal Commands of God First One is legal when all is done that God requireth and all is done as God requireth when there is not one path of duty but we do walk in it perfectly and continually thus no man on Earth doth or can walk in all God's Statutes or fully do what he Commandeth For in many things we offend all Jam. 3. 2. So Eccles 7. 20. There is not a just man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not 1 King 8. 46. For there is no man that sinneth not Prov. 20. 9. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one 1 Joh. 1. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Secondly Another is Evangelical which is such a walking in all the Statutes of God and such a keeping of all the Commands of God as is in Christ accepted of and accounted of as if we did keep them all this walking in all God's Statutes and keeping of all his Commandements and doing of them all is not only possible but it is also actual in every Believer in every sincere Christian and it consists in these particulars First In the Approbation of all the Statutes and Commandements of God Rom. 7. 12. The Commandement is holy and just and good ver 16. I consent unto the Law that it is good there is both assent and consent Psal 119. 128. I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right A sincere Christian approves of all Divine Commands though he can't perfectly keep all Divine Commands But Secondly It consists in a Conscientious submission unto the Authority of all the Statutes of God Every Command of God hath an Authority within his heart and over his heart Psal 119. 161. My heart standeth in awe of thy Word A sincere Christian stands in awe of every known Command of God and hath a spiritual regaâ—d unto them all Psal 119. 6. I have respect unto all thy Commandements But Thirdly It consists in a cordial willingness and a cordial desire to walk in all the Statutes of God and to obey all the Commands of God Rom. 7 18. For to Will is present with me Psal 119. 5. O! that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes ver 8. I will keep thy Statutes But Fourthly It consists in a sweet complacency in all Gods Commands Psal 119. 47. I will delight my self in thy Commandement which I have loved Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man But Fifthly He who obeys sincerely obeys universally though not in regard of practice which is impossible yet in regard of affection he loves all the Commands of God yea he dearly loves those very Commands of God that he cannot obey by reason of the infirmity of the flesh by reason of that body of sin and death that he bears about with him ponder upon that Psal 119. 97. O how I love thy Law Such a pang of love he felt as could not otherwise be vented but by this pathetical exclamation O how I love thy Law ver 113 163 127 159 167. ponder upon all these verses But Sixthly A sincere Christian obeys all the Commands of God he is universal in his obedience in respect of valuation or esteem he highly values all the Commands of God he highly prizes all the Commands of God as you may clearly see by comparing these Scriptures together Psal 119. 72 127 128. Psal 19. 8 9 10 11. Job 23. 12. But Seventhly A sincere Christian is universal in his Obedience in respect of his purpose and resolution he purposes and resolves by Divine assistance to obey all to keep all Psal 119. 106. I have sworn and will pâ—rform it that I will keep thy Righteous Judgments Psal 17. 3. I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress But Eighthly A sincere Christian is universal in his Obedience In respect of his inclination he has an habitual inclination in him to keep all the Commands of God 1 King 8. 57 58. 2 Chron. 30. 17 18 19 20. Psal 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always oven to the end But Ninethly and lastly Their Evangelical keeping of all the commands of God consists in their sincere endeavour to keep them all they put out themselves in all the ways and parts of obedience they do not willingly and wittingly slight or neglect any Commandement but are striving to conform themselves thereunto as a Dutiful Son doth all his Fathers commands at least in point of endeavour So your sincere Christians make Conscience of keeping all the Commands of God in respect of endeavours Psal 119. 59. I turned my feet unto thy Testimonies God esteems of Evangelical Obedience as perfect obedience Zacharias had his failings he did hesitate through unbelief for which he was struck dumb yet the Text tells you That he walked in all the Commandements of the Lord blameless Luk. 1. 6. Because he did cordially desire and endeavour to obey God in all things Evangelical Obedience is true for the essence though not perfect for the degree A Child of God obeys all the Commands of God in respect of his sincere desires purposes resolutions and endeavours and this God accepts in Christ for perfect and compleat obedience This is the glory of the Covenant of Grace that God accepts and esteems of sincere obedience as perfect obedience Such who sincerely endeavour to keep the whole Law of God they do keep the whole Law of God in an Evangelical sense though not in a legal sense A sincere Christian is for the first Table as well as the second and the second as well as the first he doth not adhere to the first and neglect the second as Hypocrites do neither doth he adhere to the second and contemn the first as prophane men do O Christians for your support and comfort know that when your desires and endeavours are to do the Will of God entirely as well in one thing as another God will graciously pardon your failings and pass by your imperfections He will spare you as a man spareth his Son that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. Though a Father see his Son to fail and come short in many things which he enjoyns him to do yet knowing that his desires and endeavours are to serve him and please him to the full he will not be rigid and severe with him but will be indulgent to him and will spare him and pitty him and shew all love and kindness to him The Application is easie c. The second Question or case is this viz What is that Faith that gives a man an interest in Christ and in all those blessed benefits and favours that comes by Christ or whether that person that experiences the following particulars may not safely groundedly and
which are covered from our eyes as dead carcasses are buried under the ground some from Garments that are put upon us to cover our nakedness others from the Egyptians that were drowned in the red Sea and so covered with water others from a great Gulf in the earth that is filled up and covered with earth injected into it and others make it in the last place an allusive expression to the mercy-seat over which was a covering Now all these Metaphors in the general tend to shew this that the Lord will not look he will not see he will not take notice of the sins he hath pardoned to call them any more to a judicial account As when a Prince reads over many Treasons and Rebellions and meets with such and such which he hath pardoned he reads on he passeth by he taketh no notice of them the pardoned person shall never hear more of them he will never call him to account for those sins more So here c. When Caesar was painted he puts his finger upon his scar his wart God puts his fingers upon all his peoples scars and warts upon all their weaknesses and infirmities that nothing can be seen but what is fair and lovely Thou art all fair my Love and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. 7. Sixthly It best agrees to that expression of not imputing of sin Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile So Psal 32 2. the Apostle in that Rom. 4. 6 7 8. Now not to impute Iniquity is not to charge Iniquity not to set Iniquity upon his score who is blessed and pardoned c. Seventhly and lastly It best agrees with that expression that you have in the 113. Psalm and the 11 and 12. Verses For as the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that fear him as far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our Transgressions from us What a vast distance is there betwixt the East and West of all visible latitudes this is the greatest and thus much for the third Argument The Fourth Argument that prevails with me to judge that Jesus Christ will not bring the sins of the Saints into the judgement of discussion and discovery in the great day is because it seems unsuitable to three considerable things for Jesus Christ to proclaim the infirmities and miscarriages of his people to all the world First It seems to be unsuitable to the glory and solemnity of that day which to the Saints will be a day of refreshing a day of Restitution a day of Redemption a day of Coronation as hath been already proved now how suitable to this great day of solemnity the Proclamation of the Saints sins will be I leave the Reader to judge Secondly It seems unsuitable to all those near and dear relations that Jesus Christ stands in towards his Isa 9. 6◠Heb 2. 11 12. Eph◠1. 21 22. Rev. 19. 7. Joh. 15. 1. Joh. 2. 1 2. he stands in the Relation of a Father a Brother a Head a Husband a Friend an Advocate Now are not all these by the Law of Relation bound rather to hide and keep secret at least from the world the weaknesses and infirmities of their near and dear Relations and is not Christ is not Christ much more By how much he is more a Father a Brother a Head a Husband c. in a spiritual way than any others can be in a natural way c. Thirdly It seems very unsuitable to what the Lord Jesus requires of his in this world the Lord requires that his people should cast a Mantle of Love of Wisdom of Silence and Secresie over one anothers weaknesses and infirmities c. Hatred stirreth up strifes but Love covereth all sins Loves mantle is very large Love will find a hand a plaister to clap upon every sore Flavius Vespacianus Prov. 10 12. 1 Pet 4 8 the Emperour was very ready to conncal his friends Vices and as ready to reveal their Vertues So is Divine love in the hearts of the Saints If thy Brother offend thee go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone If he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother As the Pills of Reprehension are to be gilded and sugar'd over Mat. 18. 15. with much gentleness and softness so they are to be given in secret tell him between him and thee alone Tale-bearers and Tale-hearers are alike abominable Heaven is too hot and too holy a place for them Psal 15. 3. Now will Jesus Christ have us carry it thus towards offending Christians and will he himself act otherwise Nay is it an evil in us to lay open the weaknesses and infirmities of the Saints to the World and will it be an excellency a glory a vertue in Christ to do it in the great day c. A fisth Argument is this It is the glory of a man to pass over a Transgression The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to pass over a transgression Prov. 19. 11. or to pass by it as we do by persons or things we know not or would take no notice of Now is it the glory of a man to pass over a transgression and will it not much more be the glory of Christ silently to pass over Non 〈◊〉 quen-◠quam nisi offendam said a Heathen the transgressions of his people in that great day The greater the Treasons and Rebellions are that a Prince passes over and takes no notice of the more is his Honour and Glory and so doubtless it will be Christs in that great day to pass over all the Treasons and Rebellions of his people to take no notice of them to forget them as well as to forgive them The Heathens have long since observed that in nothing man came nearer to the Glory and Perfection of God himself than in Goodness and Clemency Surely if it be such an honour to man to pass over a Transgression it cannot be a dishonour to Christ to pass over the Transgressions of his people he having already buried them in the Sea of his blood Again saith Solomon It is the glory of God to conceal a thing And why it should not make Prov 25. 2. for the Glory of Divine Love to conceal the sins of the Saints in that great Day I know not And whether the concealing the sins of the Saints in the great day will not make most for their joy and wicked mens sorrows for their comfort and wicked mens terrour and torment I will leave you to judge and time and experience to decide and thus much for the resolution of that great question Now from what has been said in answer to this third Question a sincere Christian may form up this first plea as Eccles 11 9. cap. 12. 14. Math. 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16 3. Rom 1◠10. 2
were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Now concerning the passive obedience or suffering of Christ I would present unto you these conclusions First That the sufferings of Jesus Christ were free and voluntary and not constrained or forced Austin saith that Christ did suffer quia voluit quando voluit quomodo voluit Joh. 10. 17. I lay down my life ver 18. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Gal. 2. 20. Who gave himself for me Christs sufferings did rise out of obedience to his Father Joh. 10. 18. This Commandement have I received of my Father and Joh. 18. 11. The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it And Christs sufferings did spring and rise out of his love to us who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. 20. so Ephe. 5. 25. As Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it And indeed had Christs sufferings been involuntary they could not have been a part of his obedience much less could they have mounted to any thing of merit for us Christ was very free and willing to undertake the work of mans Redemption when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me Then said I Hâ—b 1â— 5. Lo I come to do thy Will O God It 's the expression of one overjoy'd to do the Will of God So Luk. 12. 50. I have a Baptisme to be Baptised with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished There was no power no force to compel Christ to lay down his life therefore it is called the offering of the body of Jesus Heb. 10. 10. Nothing could fasten Christ to the Cross but the golden link of his free Love Christ was big of love and therefore he freely opens all the pores of his body that his blood may flow out from every part as a precious Balsom to cure our wounds The heart of Christ was so full of love that it could not hold but must needs burst out through every part and member of his body into a bloody sweat Luk. 22. 44. At this time it is most certain that there was no manner of violence offered to the body of Christ no man touched him or came near him with Whips or Thorns or Spears or Lances Though the Night was cold and the Ayre cold and the Earth on which he kneeled cold yet such a burning love he had in his breasts to his people as cast him into a bloody sweat 'T is certain that Christ never repented of his sufferings Isa 53. 11. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied It is a Metaphor that alludes to a Mother who though she hath had hard labour yet doth not repent of it when she sees a Child brought forth So though Christ had hard Travel upon the Cross yet he doth not repent of but thinks all his sweat and blood well bestowed because he sees the Man-child of Redemption is brought sorth into the world He shall be satisfied the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies such a satiating as a man hath at some sweet repast or banquet And what do's this speak out but his freeness in suffering But here some may object and say that the Lord Jesus Obj. when the hour of his sufferings drew nigh did repent of his Suretyship and in a deep passion prayed to his Father to be released from his sufferings Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me and that three times over Math. 26. 39 42 44. Now to this Objection I shall Answer first more generally Answ and secondly more particularly First in the general I say that this earnest prayer of his doth not denote absolutely his unwillingness but rather sets out the greatness of his willingness for although Christ as a man was of the same natural affections with us and desires and abhorrences of what was destructive to nature and therefore did fear and deprecate that bitter cup which he was ready to drink yet as our Mediator and Surety and knowing it would be a Cup of Salvation to us though of exceeding bitterness to himself he did yield and lay aside his natural reluctancies as Man and willingly obeyed his Fathers will to drink it as our loving Mediator as if he should say O Father whatsoever becometh of me of my natural fâ—ar or desire I am content to submit to the drinking of this Cup thy Will be done But Secondly and more particularly I Answer that in these words of our Lord there is a two-fold voice 1. There is vox naturâ— the voyce of nature Let this Cup pass from me 2. There is vox officii the voyce of his Mediatory office 〈…〉 less not as I will but as thou wilt The first voyce 〈◊〉 this Cup pass intimates the velleity of the inferiour part of his Soul the sensitive part proceeding from unnatural abhorrency of death as he was a Creature The latter voyce Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt expreâ—â— the full and free consent of his will complying with the will of his Father in that grand everlasting design of bringing many Sons unto glory by making the Captain of their Salvation perfect through sufferings Heb. 2. 10. It was an Argument of the truth of Christ his humane Nature that he naturally dreaded a dissolution He owed it to himself as a Creature to desire the conservation of his being and he could not become unnatural to himself For no man ever yet hated his own Flesh Ephe. 5. 29. Phil. 2. 8. But being a Son he learned submission and became obedient to the death even the death of the Cross that shameful cruel cursed death of the Cross the suffering whereof he owed to that solemn Astipulation which from everlasting passed between his Father and himself the third person in the blessed Trinity the Holy Ghost being witness And therefore though the Cup was the bitterest Cup that ever was given man to drink as wherein there was not death only but wrath and curse Yet seeing there was no other way left of satisfying the justice of his Father and of saving Sinners most willingly he took the Cup and having given thanks as it were in those words The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it Never did Bridegroom goe with more chearfulness to be Married to his Bride than our Lord Jesus went to his Cross Luk. 12. 20. Though the Cup that God the Father put into Christs hand was bitter very bitter yea the bitterest that ever was put into any hand yet he found it sweetned with three Ingredients 1. It was but a Cup it was not a Sea 2. It was his Father and not Satan that mingled it and that 〈◊〉 in all the bitter Ingredients that were in it 3. It was a gilt not
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he assumed apprehended caught laid hold on the seed of Abraham as the Angel did on Lot as Christ Gen. 19. 16. did on Peter or as men do upon a thing they are glad Mat. 14. 31. they have got and are loath to lâ—t go again Oh sirs it is a main ground and pillar of our comfort and confidence that Jesus Christ took our flesh for if he had not took our flesh upon him we could never have been saved by him Christ took not a part but the whole nature of man that is a true humane soul and body together with all the essential properties and faculties of both that in man's nature he might die and suffer the wrath of God and whole curse due to our sins which otherwise Heb. 2. 14. being God only he could never have done and that he might satisfie divine justice for sin in the same nature that had sinned and indeed it was most meet and fit that the Mediator who was to reconcile God and man should partake in the natures of both parties to be reconciled Oh what matchless love was this that made our dear Lord Jesus to lay by for a time all that glory that he John 17. 5. had with the father before the world was and to assume our nature and to be found in fashion as a man to see Phil. 2. 8. the great God in the form of a servant or hanging upon the Cross how wonderful and astonishing was it to all that believed him to be God-man God manifested in 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 11. our flesh is an amazing mystery a mystery fit for the speculation of Angels that the eternal God should become 1 Tim. 2. 5. the man Christ Jesus that a most glorious Creator should Dan. 7. 9 13 22. Mat. 2. 11. become a poor creature that the Ancient of days should become an Infant of days that the most high should stoop so low as to dwell in a body of flesh is a glorious mystery that transcends all humane understanding It would have seemed a high blasphemy for us to have thought of such a thing or to have desired such a thing or to have spoken of such a thing if God in his everlasting Gospel had not reveiled such a thing to us Among the Romish Priests Friars Jesuits they count it a great demonstration of love an high honour that is done to any of their orders when any Noble man or great Prince who is weary of the world and the world weary of him comes among them and takes any of their habits upon him and lives and dies in their habits Oh what a demonstration of Christ's love is it and what a mighty honour hath Jesus Christ put upon mankind in that he took our nature upon him in that he lived in our nature and died in our nature and rose in our nature and ascended in our nature and now sits at his fathers right hand in Acts 1. 10 11. our nature Though Jacob's love to Rachel and Jonathan's love to David and David's love to Absolom and the primitive Christians love to one another was strong very strong yet Christ's love in taking our humane nature upon him does infinitely transcend all their loves I think Bern. sup cant ser 20. saith one speaking of Christ he cannot despise me who is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh â— for if he neglect me as a Brother yet he will love me as a husband that 's my comfort Oh my Saviour saith one didst thou Hierom. die for love of me a love more dolorous than death but to me a death more lovely than love it self I cannot live love and be longer from thee I read in Josephus that when J. s Bel. Jud. l. 1. c. 8. Herod Antipater was accused to Julius Caesar as no good friend of his he made no other Apology but stripping himself stark naked shewed Caesar his wounds and said let me hold my tongue these wounds will speak for me how I have loved Caesar ah my friends Christ's wounds in our nature speak out the admirable love of Jesus Christ to us and Oh how should this love of his draw out our love to Christ inflame our love to that Jesus who is God-man blessed for ever Mr. Welch a Suffolk-minister weeping at table being asked the reason said it was because he could love Christ no more ah what reason have we to weep and weep again and again that we can love that Jesus no more who hath shewed such unparalelled love to us in assuming of the humane nature Et ipsam animam odio haberem si non diligeret meum Jesum I must hate my very soul if it should not love my Jesus saith Bernard ah what cause have we given to hate our selves because we love that dear Jesus no more who is very God and very man But Thirdly Is Jesus Christ God-man is he very God and 3. consult hese Scriptures Isa 61. 1. Dan. 9. 24. 1 John 3. 8. Luk. 1. 74. 75. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 4. very man then we may very safely and roundly assert that the work of Redemption was a very great work the Redemption of souls is a mighty work a costly work to redeem poor souls from sin from wrath from the power of Satan from the curse from hell from the condemnation was a mighty work wherefore was Christ born wherefore did he live sweat groan bleed die rise ascend was it not to bring deliverance to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound was it not to make an end of sin to finish transgression and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to destroy the works of the Devil and to abolish death and to bring life and immortality to light and to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie us to himself and to make us a peculiar peple zealous of good works Certainly the work of Redemption was no ordinary or common thing God-man must engage in it or poor fallen man is undone for ever The greater the person is that is engaged in any work the greater is that work the great Monarchs of the world do not use to engage their sons in poor low mean and petty services but in such services as are high and honourable noble and weighty and will you imagine that ever the great and glorious God John 1. 18. 8. Pro. 22. 33 would have sent his son his own son his only begotten son his bosom son his son in whom his soul delighted before the foundations of the earth was laid to redeem poor sinners souls if this had not been a great work a high work and a most glorious work in his eye The Creation of the world did but cost God a word of his mouth Let there be light and there was light but the Redemption Gen. 1. 3. of souls cost him his dearest son there is a
accursed death Oh what a Leprosie is sin that it must have blood yea the blood of God to take it away Now thus you have seen 1. That the sufferings of Christ have been free and voluntary and not constrained or forced 2. That they have been very great and heinous 3. That the punishments which Christ did suffer for our sins were in their parts and kinds and degrees and proportion all those punishments which were due unto us by reason of our sins and which we our selves should otherwise have suffered 4. That Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the very torments of Hell though not after a hellish manner 5. That he that did feel and suffer the torments of hell though not after a hollish manner was God-man 6. That the punishments that Christ did sustain for us must be referred only to the substance and not to the circumstances of punishment 7. That the meritorious cause of all the sufferings of Christ were the sins of his people Now to that great question of giving up your account at last according to the import of Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 3. Ram. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 7. those ten Scripures in the margent you may in the fourth place make this safe noble and happy plea Oh blessed God Jesus Christ hath suffered all those things that were due unto me for my sin he hath suffered even to the worst and uttermost for all that the Law threatned was a curse and Christ was made a curse for me Gal. 3. 13. he knew no sin but was made sin for me 2 Cor. 5. 21. and what Christ suffered he suffered as my surety and in my stead and therefore what he suffered for me is as if I had suffered all that my self and his sufferings hath appeased thy wrath and satisfied thy justice and reconciled thee to my self For God was in Christ reconciling the 2 Cor. 5. 19. world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them And he hath reconciled both Jews and Gentiles unto God in one body on the Cross having slain enmity thereby Jesus Christ took upon him all my sins they were all of them laid upon him and he bare or suffered all the wrath and punishment due for them and he suffered all as my surety in my stead and for my good and thou didst design him for all this and accepted of its sufficient and effectual on my behalf Oh with what comfort courage and confidence may a believer upon these considerations hold up his head in the great day of his account Let me now make a few inferences from the consideration of all the great and grievous sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore First Let us stand still and admire and wonder at the love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners that Christ should rather dye for us than the Angels they were creatures of a more noble extract and in all probability might have brought greater revenues of glory to God yet that Christ should pass by those golden vessels and make us vessels of glory Oh what amazing and astonishing love is this This is the envy of Devils and the admiration of Angels and Saints The Angels were more honourable and excellent creatures than we they were celestial spirits we earthly bodies dust and ashes they were immediate attendants upon God they were as I may say of his privy chamber we servants of his in the lower house of this world farther remote from his glorious presence their office was to sing Hallelujahs Songs of praise to God in the heavenly Paradise ours to dress the Garden of Eden which was but an earthly Paradise they sinned but once and but in thought as is commonly thought but Adam sinned in thought by lusting in deed by tasting and in word by excusing why did not Christ suffer for their sins as well as for ours or if for any why not for theirs rather than ours Even so O Father for so it pleased thee We move this question not as being curious to search thy secret counsels O Lord but that we may be the more swallowed Mat. 11. 26. up in the admiration of the breadth and length and depth and height of the love of Christ which passeth knowledg The Apostle being in a holy admiration of Eph. 3. 18. 19. Christ's love affirms it to pass knowledg that God who is the eternal Being should love man when he had scarce Prov. 8. 30 31. a Being that he should be enamoured with deformity that he should love us when in our blood that he should pity us when no eye pitied us no not our own Oh such was Christ's transcendent love that man's extreme Ezek. 16. misery could not abate it the deploredness of man's condition did but heighten the holy flame of Christ's love 't is as high as Heaven who can reach it 't is as low as Hell who can understand it Heaven through its glory could not contain him man being miserable nor Hell's torments make him refrain such was his perfect matchless love to fallen man that Christ's love should extend to the ungodly to sinners to enemies that were in arms of rebellion against him yea not only so but Rom. 5. 6 8 10. that he should hug them in his arms lodg them in his bosom dandle them upon his knees and lie them to his breasts that they may suck and be satisfied is the highest improvement of love That Christ should come from the Isa 66. 11 12 13. eternal bosom of his father to a Region of sorrow and John 1. 18. Isa 53. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. John 17. 5. Mat. 25. death that God should be manifested in the flesh the Creator made a creature that he that was cloathed with glory should be wrapped with rags of flesh that he that filled Heaven should be cradled in a manger that the God of Israel should fly into Egypt that the God of strength should be weary that the judg of all flesh should be condemned that the God of life should be put to death that he that is one with his father should cry out John 19. 41. of misery O my father if it be possible let this cup pass from me that he that had the keys of hell and death Mat. 26. 39. Rev. 1. 18. John 19. 41 42. should lie imprison'd in the Sepulchre of another having in his life time no where to lay his head nor after death to lay his body and all this for man for fallen man for miserable man for worthless man is beyond the thoughts of created natures The sharp the universal and continual sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ from the cradle to the cross does above all other things speak out the transcendent love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners That wrath that great wrath that fierce wrath that pure wrath that infinite wrath that
that the other Part which is drawn up and fitted for the Press may also be crowned with many blessings Hereby thout wilt put a high obligation upon the Author to do all he can to be yet a little further serviceable to thy soul and others to thy salvation and others before he goes hence and shall be seen no more FINIS The Table A Of Acceptation THe second part of Justification consists in the acceptation of the sinners person as perfectly righteous in Gods sight pag. 317 318 319 Of Access Our Access is by Christ pag. 276. 277 Of Adam We recover more by Christ than we lost by Adam pag. 353 The Righteousness of the second Adam transcends the Righteousness of the first Adam in three respects pag. 354 355 356 Of Afflictions Christ sympathises with his people in all their afflictions pag. 277 278 279 Of Assurance Assurance is hindered eight ways pag. 29 to 42 Of the glorious Attributes of God Four glorious Attributes of God that are ascribed to the Lord Jesus Christ in the blessed Scriptures pag. 221 to 225 B Bellarmine BEllarmin ' s Limbus patrum is a mere Fable pag. 203 204 Of bearing up the hearts of God's people The Imputed Righteousness of Christ will best bear up the hearts of the Saints under the sense of their weakness and imperfections pag. 358 359 360 361 Of the Body of Christ Of those special Scriptures that speak out the certainty and verity of Christ's body pag. 238 to 243 That Christ had a perfect entire compleat body and every thing which is proper to a body pag. 247 248. C Of Christ's Claim CHrist lays claim to all that belongs to the Father as God pag. 233 234 235 Of Christ's Eternal Deity Christ's Eternal Deity proved at large by variety of special Arguments pag. 208 to 235 Eleven Inferences from the Divinity and Humanity of Christ pag. 260 to 284 Of Strong Consolations Nine strong Consolations that flow from the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness pag. 339 to 365 Of Christ's Soul That Christ had a true humane and reasonable soul pag. 244 245 246 247 Of the Curse That Jesus Christ was made a curse for us pag. 204 205 206 207 208 D Of Debt CHrist takes our debt wholly upon himself pag. 377 378 379 Of Christ's Deity pag. 208 to 235. Of the Devil The Devils acknowledg four Articles of our faith pag 185 186 Of Christ's dying Vpon six grounds there was a necessity of Christ's dying pag. 370 Who those are for whom Christ died pag. 370 371 E Encouragement to poor sinners Poor sinners encouraged to come to Christ pag. 267 268 269 Of the Excellency of Christ Of the Excellency of Christ above man above all men yea above Adam in Innocency pag. 279 280 281 F Of the faithfulness of God OF God's faithfulness pag. 327 328 Of Faith What that faith is that gives a man an interest in Christ and in all those blessed benefits and noble favours that come by Christ opened at large pag. 54 to 59 Chrriâ— being God man should raise and strengthen our faith in our Lord Jesus pag 260 261 Of Fears The Imputed Righteousness of Christ will answer all a Christians fears pag. 345 346 347 348 Of Fulfilling the Moral Law How believers fulfil the moral Law pag. 343 344 345 G The Scape-Goat The Scape-Goat was a most lively Type of Christ pag 368 369. Of God There are four things that God cannot do pag. 319. Of the Godhead of Christ Of Christ's Godhead pag. 208 to 235 A smart reproof to those that deny the Godhead of Christ pag. 281 282 283 284 H Of the Hatred of Sin The sufferings of Christ should raise up in us the greatest Hatred of Sin pag. 296 to 300 Of the Headship of Christ Christ considered as a common Head pag. 365 to 373 Of Hell and Hellish Torments That Christ's soul after his passion upon the Cross did not really and locally descend into the place of the damned is made evident by several Arguments pag. 147 148 149 203 204 Objections against Christ's suffering of Hellish Torments answered 1 Objection answered pag. 144 145 2 Objection answered pag. 145 146 3 Objection answered pag. 146 147 4 Objection answered pag. 147 148 149 150 151 5 Objection answered pag. 151 152 153 That there is a Hell is proved at large by Scriptures and Arguments pag. 155 to 185 c. Hellish Torments are matchless easless and endless pag. 175 176 177 178 179 180 c. There are ten things in Hell pag. 176 177 c. A fivefold Improvement of Hellish Torments pag. 186 Of the place where Hell is pag. 197 to 203 Of Honouring of Christ Christ as he is God-man is to be honoured and exalted above all pag. 269 270 271 Of Humility Christ is the greatest pattern of Humility that ever was or will be in this world pag. 274 275 I Of the Imputed Righteousness of Christ Of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness at large pag. 315 to 339 Nine choice Consolations that flow from the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness pag. 339 to 365 Of Infirmities That Christ took our Infirmities upon him pag. 248 249 Inferences Eleven Inferences drawn from the Divinity and Humanity of Christ pag. 260 to 288 Seven Inferences from the consideration of the great sufferings of Christ pag. 289 to 315 Of the General Judgment and of men's particular Judgment-day See the Questions Imputed Righteousness gives the greatest boldness before God's Judgment-seat pag. 361 362 363 364 365 Of the Justice of God The Righteousness of Christ satisfies the Justice of God to the uttermost farthing pag. 339 340 341 342 In the Justification of a sinner God doth act as a God of Justice pag. 319 320 Of Justification Justification in the sight of God is made up of two parts pag. 315 316 317 318 319 L Of the Love of Christ Of the firstness freeness and greatness of Christ's love c pag. 261 262 263. Admire and wonder at Christ's love pag. 289 to 292 Of our Love to Christ We must love Christ with a superlative love pag. 292 to 295 M Of the Manhood of Christ The Manhood of Christ proved at large pag. 235 to 249 N Of Christ's two Natures Of his Eternal Deity pag. 208 to 235 Of Christs Manhood pag. 235 to 249 Several reasons why Christ did partake of both natures pag. 249 to 260 Eleven Inferences drawn from the Divinity and Humanity of Christ pag. 260 to 284 Of the several Names of Christ The several Names which denote the Essence of God are attributed to Christ also in the blessed Scriptures pag. 208 to 221 O Of the active obedience of Christ Christ did perform that active Obedience unto the Law of God which we should but by reason of sin could not perform pag. 89 to 94 A Plea drawn up from the active Obedience of Christ pag. 94. 95 96 97 Of the passive obedience of Christ pag. 97 to 105 c. Of universal obedience see Vniversal