you not be fully convinced by all this that the Father's Love to you is very great and if so will you not admire him for it You must * Joh. 5.23 honour the Son even as you honour the Father and you must adore bless love the Father even as you do the Son God forbid that I should go about to lessen your most thankful sense of what the Son and Spirit have done for you but yet know that these the Father as the first Cause doth work by 't is He who by them doth do so great things for you 'pray think high of their love but then think high of his love too Further I would persuade you to entertain good thoughts of the Father 'T is a temptation though not so usual which some gracious Persons lie under they can with more comfort think of the Son than of the Father they do not so much question the Love of the Son as of the Father they cannot deny but that the Son is indeed a very gracious Person for he came from heaven * Luke 19.10 to seek and to save what was lost to * 1 Tim. 1.15 save Sinners yea the chiefest of them c. hereupon they can in some comfortable manner encourage themselves to hope in him But as to the Father they are not so confident they are more jealous and suspicious and have a greater dread of him than they have either of the Son or of the Spirit Doth Satan assault any of you in this manner or do such thoughts as these prevail over you O be convinced of your mistake You have as great encouragement for faith and hope from the Father as you have from the Son for you hear 't was He who sent Christ and whatever Christ was or did all was but in pursuance of his good pleasure therefore have you any reason to think otherwise than well of him Surely * 1 Joh. 4.16 God is Love this very thing his sending of his Son represents him as full of Mercy Goodness and Grace the Sinner hath not the least cause to be jealous or afraid of him O when unbelief and hard thoughts of God the Father begin to rise beat them down by arguing thus was not He the first spring from which redeeming Grace did flow the great contriver and willer of man's recovery who set Christ on work but he who sent him into the world to be a Saviour but he who imploy'd his own Son for the good of Sinners but he O that you would labour to get your Faith encourag'd and strengthened as to the first Person and that it might rise up to the first Cause of all and there fix and terminate that your faith and hope may be in God as the Apostle expresses it 1 Pet. 1.21 Christ sayes Joh. 14.1 Let not your heart be troubled ye believe in God believe in me also and let me say he believe in Christ believe in God also as the fountain and original of all your happiness Christ to be loved for his ready submission to his Father in sending him 3. It calls upon us to love Christ greatly O how should the consideration of this endear Christ to every gracious heart God sent him but not against his will how willing was he to be sent upon the errand of your Salvation he freely consented to whatever the Father was pleased to put him upon for your good He very well knew before hand what would follow upon this sending what he was to undergo how he was to be abased if he do engage to redeem and save you yet notwithstanding this no sooner did the Father call him to it but he most readily and cheerfully obeyed O the infinite Love of Christ He came down from heaven that he might carry you up to heaven he that was a Son for your sake stooped to be a Servant that you of slaves might be made sons What had become of you if Christ had refused to come when the Father sent him O love the Lord Jesus let his Person be very dear and precious to you admit him into your hearts who was willing to take the whole business of your Salvation into his hands what Love can be enough for a Father sending and a Son coming 'T is true God sent him but his obedience to his Father was no diminution of his Love to you and 't is true in this Embassy he acted in a way of inferiority to his Father but 't was his pity to you which made him willing to put himself into such a state of subjection and inferiority for that did not proceed from his Nature before he had assumed yours but meerly from his dignation and gracious condescention and now after all this will you not love him how can you do otherwise than love him Suppose you had heard him as soon as ever God had signified his pleasure to him and said Son the fulness of time is come I must send thee down to earth to redeem man saying Father I am ready here I am send me whithersoever and about whatsoever thou pleasest to promote thy Glory and the good of Souls I am willing to go where-ever thou 'lt have me yea I le stick at nothing which thou shalt judge necessary for the preventing of the Sinners everlasting ruine Send me to be made Flesh I submit to lie in a Manger I submit to die upon a Cross I submit lay what Commands upon me thou pleasest to further the Salvation of Souls they shall all be obey'd Suppose I say you had heard Christ uttering such Words to his Father doubtless it would have wrought very much upon you your Hearts would have been all in flames of Love to him O wretched Creatures we know all this was spoken and done too by our Lord Jesus and yet how cold how weak is our Love to him Christ a Pattern herein for imitation 4. It calls upon you to imitate Christ in his carriage with respect o his being sent Thus never go till you be sent then go readily both of these were admirably done by our Lord Jesus He went not till he was sent before he would move one step he would have his Father 's Mission and Commission a great Mind he had to be at Redeeming Work his Heart was exceedingly set upon it yet he would stay till he was sent called authoriz'd thereunto by his Father But as soon as he was so called how readily and cheerfully did he engage * Heb. 10.7 Lo T come to do thy Will O God Now in this his deportment he hath set us an excellent copy to write after teaching us alwayes humbly to wait for a Call from God and when it comes let it be what it will faithfully to comply with it Whatever rank or station God hath set you in see that you therein * 1 Cor. 7.17.20 24. abide and that you meddle with no Work Employment Office Vndertaking further than as you are called thereunto
forth like the Sun after it hath been shut up under a dark and thick cloud then God owned him as his own Son before all the world and made it to appear who and what he was And this is that which the Apostle aimed at in the place cited his onely design there being to prove that God had given the World sufficient Evidence that Christ was his very Son and amongst other Evidences of it he instances in the miraculous raising of him out of the Grave So that the begetting in Psal 2. and in Acts 13. are of a quite different nature the one being proper as relating to the thing it self the other improper as relating only to the declaration or manifestation of the thing We argue from the proper and primary sense of the words Thou art my Son c. the Adverse Party from their improper and secondary sence as the Apostle makes use of them in that place In the Scripture dialect several things are said to be done when they are declared and manifested to be done so Paul brings in Christ as begotten at the day of his Resurrection because it was then declared that he was the eternally begotten Son of God A Fourth False Ground of Christ's Sonship 4. 'T is said Christ is God's Son and so called because of the preheminence and dignity of his Person or because of his great advancement and exaltation to the Offices of King and Priest Heb. 1.4 5. Being made so much better than the Angels Deus misit suum Filium i. e. Christum illum suum cui communis alioqui Filii Dei Titulus propter singularitatem excellentiam proprius est factus Slichting in Loc. as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they For unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son Heb. 5.5 Christ glorified not himself to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee Here you see Christ's Sonship comes in upon his exaltation with respect to his Person and Office Christ not God's Son in respect of his dignity and advancement I answer this proves as little as that which went before for here also 1. 'T is clear that Christ was the Son of God before he was thus exalted 2. His Exaltation was not the ground but the result and consequent of his Sonship he was not a Son because he was exalted but he was exalted because he was a Son First the Apostle describes him in what relates to the formality and Essence of his Sonship Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightness of his Glory and the express image of his Person and then he sets down the Honour which the Father put upon him not to be a Son for that he was already but because he was a Son for that 's the ground of the more excellent name given to him and so the words in Vers 4 5. come in 3. 'T is strange that this day of Christ's begetting should be so multiplied there 's the day of his Nativity and then it was to day have I begotten thee there 's the day of his Resurrection and then too it was To day have c. there 's the day of his Exaltation and then again it was To day have c. Had this Text been cited forty times in forty several Cases we must have had so many several grounds and Causes of Christ's Sonship But why then Some may say is this place so often repeated in the New Testament I answer not only because 't is apply'd to the several declarations of Christ's Sonship but also to shew that all which the Father did to and for Christ was all to be resolv'd into his eternal Sonship as the ground thereof he was raised again because he was the Son of God exalted to great Honour and Dignity because he was the Son all was grounded upon this his Relation And therefore when ever such great things are brought in concerning Christ this Text is mentioned as pointing to that Sonship which was the ground of them but not to assert that they were the ground of it * Christ not the Son of God because of his Kingly Dominion Vide Jacob. ad Portum contra Ostorod Def. Fid. Orthod c. 37. p. 512 ad 518. Not because of his preheminence c. Epiph. adv Heres p. 740. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 4. Though the glory which the Father hath conferr'd upon Christ as King Prophet and Priest be very great yet it will not reach that which is wrapp'd up in his being the proper and only begotten Son of God Sonship and Office are different things and the highest Office can never come up to what is in Sonship by eternal Generation A Fifth False Ground of Christ's Sonship 5. Fifthly 't is said that Christ is the Son of God in respect of that special love and affection which the Father bears to him Matth. 3. 17. Lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And whereas Christ is called the only begotten Son of God they with whom I have to do say there 's no more in it than only this that Christ is the most beloved of God As Isaac is stilled Abraham's only Son Gen. 22.2 his only begotten Son Heb. 11.17 now how is this to be taken had not Abraham an Ishmael as well as an Isaac how is Isaac then called his only begotten Son why only as he had a greater share in his Fathers love than Ishmael had For the same reason Solomon calls himself an only Son Prov. 4.3 therefore the Septuagint render the word there used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beloved and so our Translators fill it up and only beloved in the sight of my Mother So say they 't is here as to Christ's being the only begotten Son of God God hath a special love for him and that 's all Christ not the Son of God in respect of his Fathers special Love Answ But we must not suffer this great Title of our Lord Jesus to be thus wrested out of our hands Without all question God hath transcendent superlative love for Christ his dear Son he is called Col. 1.13 but yet we say 1. As before this Love is not the Cause of his Sonship but his Sonship the cause of it He is not a Son because belov'd but he is belov'd because a Son therefore it cannot be the Cause which is but the Effect 2. If this was the proper foundation of Christ's Sonship then there would be only a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. adv Haer. l. 1. c. 2. p. 741. gradual difference betwixt his Sonship and the Sonship of Believers For they being belov'd of the Father as well as he and even as he is
justificari nisi ci inseramur uniamur unus spiritus cum eo fiâ—mus Sâ—â—eso the first Adam could do us no hurt were we not descended out of his loyns and in him as our common head and so the second Adam can do us no good unless we be made One with him and in him as our head also If we so be then there shall be gracious communications most blessed derivations from him but if not none of these can be looked for And who would not now desire to be in Christ who would not purchase this priviledge with a world nay who would not give ten thousand worlds for it O that you would all make sure of it Do not trouble your heads with curious enquiries into some difficulties about this union but let this be your business to make sure of the thing The poor low-gifted Christian may get it though the highest gifted man cannot grasp it VSE 3. Directions how to get into Christ But I must direct as well as perswade Methinks I hear some saying How may this blessed Vnion be attained what shall we do that we may be in the number of those who are in Christ Jesus For answer to this I must again refer you to its double bond and ligament the Spirit and Faith and advise you to get both of them Would you have Christ to be one with you then get the Spirit would you be one with Christ then get Faith 1. First get the Spirit which may be done by attendance upon the Word and by Prayer Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the Hearing of Faith the Apostle means the Hearing of the Gospel or the Evangelical Doctrine The Gospel doth highly conduce to the obtaining of the Spirit for 't is the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Do any therefore want this Spirit let them wait upon the Gospel dispensation and publication and through the Grace of God attending that Dispensation they shall have it Let me also recommend Prayer as an excellent means for the procuring of the Spirit O Sirs what will bring you into Christ but the Spirit and what will bring the Spirit into you but Prayer you should be praying for the Spirit though you cannot as yet pray with the Spirit O that you would often go to God and plead with him for the giving of it to you Say Lord we read if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his now Lord we dread the thoughts of being none of Christs O to be out of Christ is a woful state and we perceive that is our state till we have thy Spirit we hear 't is the Spirit that knits the Soul to Christ till therefore we are partakers of it we cannot be knit to him wherefore we beseech thee to give it to us O whatever thou deniest to us do not deny us this good Spirit Thou hast promised * Luk. 11.13 to give thy Spirit to them that ask him Lord upon our bended knees we ask him of thee O now make good thy promise to us I say do you but thus pray and the thing shall be done a good God never denies his good Spirit to the good Seeker of it 2. Get Faith also This is a Grace highly precious and excellent the Apostle Peter speaks of several precious things and Faith is one of them 't is precious blood 1 Pet. 1.19 't is precious Christ 1 Pet. 2.7 't is precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 and 't is also precious Faith 2 Pet. 1.1 Now amongst many other things which make it so precious this is one 't is the * Fidei Gratia incomparabilis haec est quod animam copulat cum Christo sicut sponsam cum sponso c. Luther tom 1.466 Grace which unites to Christ The woman consenting to take the man for her Husband upon that the matrimonial union follows so the Sinner consenting to the receiving and obeying of Christ which is one great act of Faith upon this he is united to him this I say makes Faith so precious O this is one of Faith's royal excellences nothing puts a greater worth and glory upon it than this great effect Well then see that you make sure of it are you yet without it in the sad state of unbelief You have no share in and can make no claim to this Mystical Union so long as 't is thus with you you must be put into another state and become true Believers then 't will be well These are the only persons who are in Christ we who believe are in him that is true 1 Joh. 5.20 For whom did Christ ask of his Father that they may be one even as we are one 't was for them that should believe on him Joh. 17.20 c. Therefore let it be your great endeavour to be Believers for let me tell you in the very first moment of believing you will actually be the members of Christ the Soul is in Christ as soon as ever Faith is in it I 'le say no more but only add this As you desire to get Faith first get the Spirit for if you once come to have that Spirit he will most infallibly work Faith in you Of all the several Graces he will not let that be wanting wherever he is The Vses hitherto have been General VSE 4. Several things press'd upon those who are in Christ To admire the Love of God I shall now more particularly direct my self to those who are in Christ Jesus And first is it thus with any of you that you are indeed taken into this near Vnion with Christ how should you admire the love of God! I here consider God personally and so I would excite you to admire the Love of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost for indeed all the Persons have a great hand in this Vnion and the love of each of them in it is very admirable The Father first lays the foundation of it and then he orders the accomplishment of it therefore 't is said 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him i.e. of God the Father are ye in Christ Jesus c. and he also is said to call unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 The Son is willing to be One with you what a condescension is that and he is the person in whom the Vnion is primarily terminated Then the Holy Ghost brings it about as one great Agent therein So that all the three Persons are concerned in the Mystical Union 't is to the Son by the Will of the Father through the agency and operation of the Spirit O let Father Son and Spirit all be adored by you Which that I may the more effectually perswade you to let the Thing it self be considered and how you stand in reference to it To be in Christ Jesus so nearly so indissolubly united to him what mercy is this There are in the Vnion many things of a
5.8 If any provide not for his own and especially for those of his own house he hath denied the faith You are Christ's * Joh. 13.1 own of his house and kindred nearly related to him nay members of himself and therefore certainly he will provide for you And that he will do in all your concerns whether outward or inward that look as you must * 1 Cor. 6.20 glorifie God in you body and in your spirit for both are Gods so Christ will supply you in your bodies in your spirits for both are his Death shall not hurt them 5. Are you in Christ then you have no reason to be afraid of Death Though it be * Job 18.4 the King of terrours of all terribles the most terrible yet as to you there 's no cause of fear why because it can never dissolve the union that is betwixt Christ and you and so long as that abides death can never do you much hurt Hear me thou sincere Christian do'st thou live thou art in Christ do'st thou dye thou art in Christ neither life nor death therefore shall be hurtful to thee Nay 't is so far from that that death it self shall be thy advantage To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain Phil 1.21 You read of dying in the Lord Rev. 14.13 of sleeping in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 the Saints dye their bodies are thrown into the grave that vast repository yet there they are united to Christ yea their very dust is so This Death cuts asunder all other knots but it cannot do so to the mystical knot it dissolves the union 'twixt soul and body 'twixt husband and wife c. but it shall never dissolve the union betwixt Christ and the believing Soul When the body of a Child of God shall be no better than a rotten carkass Christ will say O yet this very carkass is precious to me for 't is in union with me * Psal 102.14 David speaks of the Saints favouring the dust of Zion the very dust of dead Believers is valued by Christ insomuch that he will not lose the least atome of it They shall certainly rise again 6. Are you in Christ Here 's matter of Comfort as to the certainty of an happy resurrection Your bodies may be lock'd up in the grave for a time but Christ who hath the key of the grave they being united to him will certainly open it and take them out he will raise them up again and that with advantage too for they shall then * Phil. 3.21 be fashioned like to his own glorious body The head is risen and the members shall rise also by virtue of the union that is betwixt them Quod praecessit in capite sequetur in corpore as Austine speaks 1 Cor. 15.20 Now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you So Joh. 6.54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day And this is not to be limited to a bare resurrection there is more in it than so for * Dan. 12.2 1 Cor. 15.22 all shall arise the resurrection shall be general and universal But yet there will be a vast difference in it 't will be an happy resurrection to them who are in Christ but a dreadful resurrection to others The wicked shall be raised by Christ as a judge in order to their tryal and the passing of the sentence of death upon them but the Saints shall be raised by Christ as an head virtute unionis in order to the receiving of the blessed sentence of life Joh. 5.28 29. Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation How should Believers rejoyce in this Great is the love of the Father to them 7. Are you in Christ then great is the Fathers love to you Take Believers as they are in themselves the Father greatly loves them but now as they are in Christ and made one with him there 's an additional love an higher love belonging to them from the Father because they are so near to his own Son Therefore upon this union God loves them with the same love wherewith he loves Jesus Christ himself Joh. 17.23 I in them and thou in me c. that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me O Believers what a love hath the Father for you upon this And Christ's own love too is very great to you for you are his flesh and * Eph. 5.29 30. no man ever hated his own flesh yea he told his Disciples * Joh. 15.9 As my Father hath loved me so have I loved you So near an union must needs be accompanied with a very dear affection 't is not always so with us but as to Christ the strength of the affection from him shall always be answerable to the nearness of the union with him They shall persevere 8. Are you in Christ Jesus Here 's Comfort as to your perseverance stability and fixedness in the state of grace This upon which all depends a Child of God may be fully assured of for will Christ lose a member a part of himself shall one united to him finally and totally fall away from him no that shall not be So long as the union is firm and indissoluble do not fear I speak not against the duty of fear but the sin of fear 'T is not here in and out in to day and out to morrow but 't is once in Christ and ever in Christ there 's your safety Indeed the Saints stand firm upon several great foundations as the Fathers election the * Heb. 6.17 immutability of his council the tenour of the Covenant c. but this also must be taken in their inseperable union with Christ You are not only in Christ's hands out of which none shall pluck you Joh. 10.28 but you are in Christ as your head and who shall be able to sever the members from this head If Christ should lose a member he would be imperfect as an head you are * Eph. 1.23 his fulness as hath been said now he will be Christus plenus a full Christ as * Aug. in Ps 36. he speaks which he would not be if any of his members should be taken away from him If he might lose one he might then lose another and another and so he would be sure of none O your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 therefore 't is sure and
and therefore not to be neglected In things of this nature men are very prone to run themselves upon one of these two rocks either they rest upon the means not looking up to the Spirit or they cast off the means casting all upon the Spirit * Quosdam nimia voluntatis suae fiducia extulit in superbiam quosdam nimia voluntatis suae diffidentia dejecit in negligentiam Illi dicunt quid rogamus Deum ne vincamur tentatione quod in nostrâ est potestate isti quid conamur benè vivere quod in Dei est potestate ô Domine ô Pater qui es in Coelis ne nos inferas in quamlibet istarum tentationum sed libera nos à malo August Agendae gratiae sunt quia data est potestas orandum ne succumbat infirmitas Bradw l. 2. c. 4. p. 473. either they are proud and can do all without God or dejected and slothful so as that God must and shall do all without them both of which are most dangerous mistakes You have heard that 't is the Spirits sole Act to free from Sins power that you your selves and all Causes and Means whatsoever are utterly unable to produce this effect what now will you draw from hence what that you have nothing to do that 't is a vain thing for you to use any endeavour on your part or to attend upon any means for 't is God and his Spirit that must do all ô pray do not so argue you 'l erre most perniciously if you do The Spirits sole efficiency as to the formal production of the act is very well consistent with the Creatures endeavours he indeed doth the thing yet he 'l have the Creature do what he can in order to it he doth all in us and for us yet he 'l do nothing without us therefore the confidence must be on him but yet diligence is requir'd of us 'T is the warmth and influences of the Sun which make the fruits of the earth to grow yet the Husbandman must plow the ground and sow his seed 't was the Angel stirring the waters that wrought the cure yet the poor Cripples were to lie by the pool side which allusion was before made use of upon this account and thus 't is here So then as to that which I am upon unquestionably 't is the power of the Spirit which alone frees from the power of Sin but yet you in your sphere are to be active and to do what in you lies in order to this very thing as namely you are to attend upon the Word the several Ordinances in and by which the Spirit works to read the Scriptures to be much in consideration of the evil of Sin and the sad effects of its dominion not to do any thing that may tend to the strengthening of its power by abstinence fasting c. to keep it under where it vents it self in some bodily lusts c. And in the doing of these things with all faithfulness and diligence you may with the greater confidence expect that the Spirit will exert his power for the real and thorough delivering of you from the Law of Sin 2. Such a◠are freed c. are to ascribe all to the Spirit 2. The Second word of advice is this Let such who are made free from this Law of Sin own the Spirit of Life as the author of their freedom and ascribe the glory of it to him Is this done for any of you you are infinitely engaged to God and to his Spirit How high should you be in the admiring of him how humble in the ascribing of all to him how should you evermore be crying out Not unto us ô Lord and Spirit not unto us nor unto any thing in all the World besides but unto thy name be all the glory Assuredly if this Spirit had not effected this liberty for you you had been to this day as much under Sins bondage as you your selves ever were or as any others yet are you may take the comfort but God must have the sole glory of it The Apostle praid for the Romans that God would fill them with all joy and peace in believing that they might abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Rom. 15.13 't is this power of the holy Ghost that hath done your work keep your eye there Acts 3.12 Why look ye so earnestly on us saith Peter as though by our own power we had made this man to walk possibly God was pleas'd to make use of such instruments in order to your spiritual rescue but why is your eye so much upon them as though they had done it by any power of their own no 't was not so all was done in the power of God We poor Ministers must say We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4.7 and all other things whatsoever must say the same But is nothing to be ascrib'd to a mans self to the actings and determination of his own will to the improvement of his natural abilities is it not enough to ascribe part yea the better part to the Spirit but some part to the Creature ô this we like dearly to divide 'twixt God and our selves to share with him in part of the glory due upon his special grace (a) Aqnin 1.2 Quaest 109. A. 6 7 Syn. Trid. Sess 6. c. 2. Can. 3. Bellar. de Lib Arb. l. 6. c. 15. Remonst in Acta Syn. p. 1. p. 64. Armin. Declar. Sent. p. 98. in Ep ad Hip. Addo illum doctorem mihi maxime placere qui Gratiae quam plurimum tribuit c. Some seem highly to cry up the grace of God and very much to assert the impotency of Nature and yet in after-positions and distinctions the Creature must come in for a part may be God shall have the (b) J. G. Red. red in Praef. nine hundred ninety ninth proportion but the thousandth part man himself must have which if it be granted to him in a little time he 'l put in for more till at last it come to this man did all and God did nothing 'T is safest and best to ascribe all to God 't was a good speech of (c) Non est devotionis dedisse prope totum sod fraudis retinuisle vel minimum Contra Collat. c. ult Saints further exhorted Prosper 'T is not devotion to give almost all to God but 't is dishonesty to keep the very least part from him the all is not too much to be attributed to him the least is too much to be attributed to the Creature 1. I cannot confine my advice to Gods people to this only Head three things further I would say to them and I have done 1 To love and honour the Spirit You are greatly to love and honour the Spirit This you do or ought to do to the Father to the Son pray do the same to
his own Son in the likeness c. O the infinite Love Mercy Compassion of God! The weaker was Gods Law the stronger and higher was Gods love O that he should not let us all perish under the Laws impotency that he should imploy One for our recovery who was every way able to do what the Law could not how should we adore his mercy in this But this leads me to the following words in the Text God sent c. where I shall have occasion more fully to press this duty upon you So much therefore for this First Branch of the Words What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh ROM 8.3 God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh c. CHAP. X. Of Christ's Mission and of God's sending him Man being utterly lost upon the terms of the Law it pleased God to find out and to pitch upon another Way which he knew would be effectual That was the sending of his own Son c. Four things observed in the Words All reduced to three Observations Of Christs Mission How be was sent and sent by God It notes his Praeexistence before his Mission and Incarnation his Personality his being distinct from the Father 'T is opened First Negatively 1. 'T was not Christ's ineffable and eternal Generation 2. 'T was not any local Secession from his Father Secondly Affirmatively 'T was 1. Gods preordaining of him to the Office and Work of a Mediator 2. His qualifying and fitting of him for that Office and Work 3. His authorizing and commissionating of him to engage therein 4. His authoritative willing of him to assume mans Nature and therein so to do and so to suffer 5. His trusting of him with his great designs How was this Sending of Christ consistent with his equality with the Father this answered Two wayes Why was Christ sent answered first more Generally then more Particularly in Four things Use 1. To stir up persons 1. To admire God 2. To admire in special the Love of the Father 3. To love Christ 4. To imitate Christ with respect to his Sending 5. Not to rest in the external Sending of Christ 6. To believe on him whom God hath sent Use 2. This is improved for the Comfort of Believers The Law being weak God pitch'd upon another Course He Sent his Son THe Laws impotency and weakness nay utter inability to recover justifie and save the lost Sinner hath been spoken to I go on to that which thereupon the Wise and Gracious God was pleas'd to do And what was that why to the praise of his glorious grace he sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh The Great God is never at a loss if one Means fails he hath another if all Means fail which fall within the view of the Creature yet God hath his secret reserves and that under the deck which shall no the work Upon Adams Sin all Mankind was lost plung'd into a woful abysse of misery obnoxious to eternal wrath and accordingly God might have dealt with them in the utmost severity of his Justice What is there now to prevent this to give any relief to man in this deplorable State Alas the Sinner cannot help himself the Law stands with a withered arm and can do nothing there 's no Creature in heaven or earth to interpose as to all of these the case was desperate Therefore God * Deus Solus in hâc intricatâ causâ poterat prospicere remedium Streso himself engages to let the world see what He could do * Isa 63.3 He looked and there was none to help therefore his own arm brought Salvation Here indeed was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a God helping at a dead lift in the greatest streights and in the most admirable manner If ever with reverence be it spoken infinite Wisdom was put to it now was the time yet even in this intricate and perplexed State of things That found out a Way which would do the business a Way which none could have thought of but God alone he sent his own Son c None could cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this but God himself this was his alone invention and contrivance The restoring of fal'n man was impossible to the Law yet it shall be done God will take * Noluit proptereà quod Lex imbecillis erat per praritatem humanae naturae opus salutis humanae abjicere quasi non posset per aliam quod ista Legis via non succedebat efficere Musc another strange and wonderful Course which shall do it effectually what his own Law cannot do his own Son can therefore him hee 'll send A very high and costly Way yet rather than all mankind shall perish God will make use of it here 's the very mirror of the Wisdom Love Grace Pity of the blessed God God sending his own Son c. Of the Reading of the words To make the Sense run more smoothly Some turn the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reading the Words thus God sent his c if the following Conjunctive particle And be kept in this Reading is not much amiss Some render it in the * Dictio interpretata Mittens Participium est c. et propterea ad servandum Participium Tempus aliqui Interpretes verterunt rectè Activum in Passivum legendo sic Deus filio suo misso in Carne Cajet Passive form Deus misso Filio suo c. * Duplex est Hebraismus unus est óportet supplere Latine Ideò Alter quia Participium Mittens ponitur loco Verbi Misit Tolet. Some would put in the word Ideò therefore Since the Law was weak through the flesh therefore God sent his own Son and for sin c. but as to these things there 's no great difficulty In the whole Paragraph you have Their Division into Four Parts 1. The Act or the Thing done namely the Sending of Christ 2. The Person whose Act this was or the Person sending viz. God the Father God sent c. 'T is a known Rule when the Name or Title of God is set in contradistinction to the Son 't is then taken not Essentially but Personally for the First Person God the Father instances of which are very common 'T is here said God sent his own Son therefore it must be understood of God the Father Christ being his Son and upon that consideration he being stiled the Father And * Mr. Perkins on Galat. 4.4 p. 271. this Person is called God not because he partakes more of the Godhead than the Other Persons Son and holy Ghost do but because he is the first in the Order of the Three Divine Persons and because he is the beginning of the Son and of the Holy Ghost but hath no beginning of his own Person for he doth not receive the Godhead in the Personal consideration of it
improvement of it Was Christ sent and did God thus send him what doth this great act of God call for from us I 'le tell you in a few things 1. It calls upon us greatly to admire God Use 1. God to be admired for his sending of Christ O how should all our souls be drawn forth and elevated in the adoring of God for his sending of Christ What rich Mines of Grace have we in these few words God sent his own Son Here 's the greatest thing that ever God did or ever will do 't was much that he should make a World but what 's the making of a World to the sending of a Son The Apostle in the Text seems to ascend step by step and to crowd together variety of great and glorious things that he might the more heighten God's Love and draw up the hearts of Believers to the admiration of it For 1. here is Sending 2. God sending 3. God sending a Son 4. His own Son 5. The sending of this Son in our flesh Yea 6. in the likeness of sinful flesh Yea 7. in that Flesh to offer up himself as a Sacrifice for sin 8. Doing this for this End that sin might be condemned and that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us 9. Doing this too when the Sinners Case was desperate as to the Law is not here maguum in parvo and doth not the Apostle thrust things together heaping one thing upon another that he might the better set off and aggrandize the Love of God There 's enough in any One of them to make you stand and wonder but when you have them conjunct and all set before you in their proper emphasis and import how should you be affected and wrought upon to admire the Grace of God! The truth is take all together and you have here a representation of that Low Mercy Goodness which was too great and bigg for any but a God If you read no further than the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh there man is utterly lost but if you go on to God 's sending of his Son c. there the day of Salvation begins to dawn there 's an effectual remedy for a desperate malady now the case is altered O let the blessed God be therefore for ever magnify'd and adored 2. More particularly The Love of God the Father to be admired this calls upon you to admire the Love of God the Father and alwayes to entertain good thoughts of him they are distinct Heads however let me put them together I would not too curiously divide or distinguish betwixt the Sacred Persons in their several Acts much less would I set them in competition or prefer one before another as if we were more beholden to the One than to the Other As they center in the same common Essence 't is the same Love and the same gracious actings in all but yet they being personally distinct and they having those acts which are proper to them as so distinguished so they have their special and peculiar Love And 't is very good for us to understand what is immediately done by the Father what by the Son what by the Spirit which we must the rather endeavour after because the Scripture usually I do not say alwayes apply's this effect to the First that to the Second and another to the Third Person I am at present only to speak to the acts of the Father wherein he hath display'd that Love which is proper to him which if you please to look into as the Scripture sets them forth you will find your selves under a strong obligation to admire him as personally so considered For 'pray observe who did from all eternity predestinate elect choose you was it not God the Father Predestinating Love is the Father's Love Eph. 1.3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world c. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will After this came Redeeming Love and had the Father no hand in that Love nay had not He the first and the chief hand therein For did not he find out the ransom Job 33.24 I have found a ransom did not he contrive and lay the whole model and platform of Redemption in his eternal purpose and ordination therefore 't is said Isa 53.10 The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand that great Work resolves it self into the Will and pleasure of the Father as the first and principal Cause of it Christ as Mediator is brought in but as subordinate to him as being but the ministerial and executive agent in redemption for 't is but in his hands that the pleasure of the Lord should prosper Who chose sent called Christ to that Work and fitted him for it but the Father as you have heard So also who assisted and strengthened him in it but the Father Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold of which upholding and strengthening Grace by the Father Christ assured himself beforehand as you read Isa 50. 7 9. and it was accordingly made good to him as you read Matth. 4.11 Luke 22.43 Then again who rewarded Christ when he had finished his Work but the Father therefore to him Christ pray'd for this Joh. 17.4 5. I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was And now Christ hath made the purchase who doth authoritatively collate upon persons the blessings purchased but the Father Rom. 8.33 It is God that justifieth 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ c. Luke 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Who is it that works in Sinners their meetness for heaven but the Father Col. 1.12 Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Who is it that reveals the great mysteries of the Gospel but the Father Matth. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Who bestows and gives the Spirit but the Father Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth And to shut up this who secures and keeps in a state of grace but the Father Joh. 10.29 My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's band Now Christians may
the matter of believing or not believing O do you close with Christ and receive him upon the Gospel-offer not only He himself but his Father also is highly pleased herewith and takes it very kindly at your hands I sayes God here are Souls that do not throw away or tread upon that costly remedy which I provided for them who give me the glory of my Wisdom and Mercy who would not have my great designs in the sending of my Son to be frustrated who duly entertain the Messenger whom I sent to transact the great affairs of my Glory and their Good who answer my expectations in my highest Love c. I say this pleases God exceedingly But on the other hand do you reject Christ make little of him stand it out against him refuse to believe how heinously doth God resent such carriage this he looks upon as an high despising and undervaluing of his Mercy a desperate striking at his Glory which is very dear to him a very unworthy requital of his Love a dangerous attempt to make all his Grace to be to no purpose and must not all this highly provoke him Suppose some Great Person hearing of the sad condition of some poor Captives should out of meer compassion to them send from a far Country his own and only Son to redeem them and this Son should in Person come to them and treat with them about their redemption he offering to pay down their ransom to free them from all their misery provided they will but trust on him and be subject to him If now these Captives should slight all this and choose still to continue in their chains rather than upon these terms to accept of deliverance would not this folly and obstinacy greatly incense both Father and Son Or suppose again some offended Prince against whom the Treason had been committed should send his Son to the Traytor with a Pardon in his hand and he should take no notice of this Son or Pardon brought by him but reject and slight both what could be expected to follow upon this but the greatest indignation Now is not this the very case of Vnbelievers nay is not theirs much worse in respect of the Person sending the Person sent the Benefits offered the Conditions required and therefore must not they incur an higher displeasure and make themselves obnoxious to a worser severity Sinners shall not these things be thought of will nothing prevail upon you to believe Was Christ sent and did he come to you and will not you come to him will you not yet understand that it is He only who must save you to allude to that Act. 7.25 He supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them but they understood not do you look for another Son or another Saviour to be sent indeed hath God such another Son to send or was not the once sending of this Son enough hath not God in Christ given you his last Way and Method for Salvation so that there is no Other to be expected after that And was he only sent did he not do all for which he was sent and so returned back again to his Father is there any thing further to be done but only that you will repent and believe Methinks these Considerations should work upon you yet I 'm sure they will not unless the Lord persuade your hearts to believe and he himself be pleased to work Faith in you We may speak much to convince you of your Duty but when we have said all 't is God who must both incline and inable you to believe who must over-powre against unwillingness and strengthen against weakness Faith is his Gift Eph. 2.8 he who gives the Christ to be believed on must give the Grace to believe with he who sent Christ to you must draw you to Christ * Joh. 6.44 No man can or will come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him So much for the Duties proper to be urged upon God's sending of Christ in which you have the First Vse Use 2. Comfort to Believers from God's sending Christ Secondly It affords abundant matter of Comfort to all sincere Christians The Truth which I have been upon Christ sent by God may be useful not only as a powerful incentive to Duty but also as a firm foundation of inward Comfort O believers set your Faith Hope Joy as high as ever you can this Sending of Christ will bear you out in it you cannot God having done this over-believe or over-rejoyce I 'le shew you what there is wrapped up in a Christ sent and for the better raising of your Comfort I 'le instance in Particulars for 't is with Gospel-Truths as 't is with your perfumed things which so long as they are wrapp'd up do but weakly affect the Sense but when they are taken out opened and parted then they do more strongly send forth their fragrant odours 1. Did God send Christ surely then great was his good Will towards you For had it not been so would he ever have done such a great thing for you as this therefore that heavenly Quire of Angels singing in consort upon the Birth of Christ made this a part of their Spiritual Song * Luke 2.14 Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth peace good will towards men I follow our reading of the latter Clause though I know it might be and is otherwise rendred why did they say good will towards men O because now in the Sending and Incarnation of Christ God had given out the highest demonstration that was possible of his good Will towards them Had there been any thing but that in his Heart and had there not been an abundance of that in his Heart he would never have sent and so sent his own Son 2. Did God send Christ surely then he is in good earnest real hearty in the matters of Salvation After such a thing as this Saints have not the least reason to be jealous of God or to question the reality of his Call offers invitations intentions promises declarations concerning their happiness What higher assurance could God give of his heartiness and reality in these than this if he once send his Son there 's no room left for suspicion or doubting This assures us that God is real in his Promises and will be faithful to his Promises for by it they are all at once ratified and confirmed If God make good the grand Promise of Sending his Son what other promise will he not make good a Christ sent is the Seal of all the Promises See Isa 7.14 3. Did God send Christ then you need not fear but that the work of Redemption is compleated When such a Person sends and such a Person is sent the Thing shall be done effectually and throughly be it never so high so hard if Christ undertake it hee 'l accomplish it Had a Creature indeed been sent there might
which might be as useful in order to Information as the two Former were in order to Exhortation and Consolation Something hath been spoke for the opening of the Nature and Grounds of Christ's being sent but as to the determination or close application of that to his Person wherein we have to do with Jews and Infidels little hath been spoken I mean in that way and method which is proper to those Opposers of Christ and Christianity Here therefore I should lay down and make good these two Propositions 1. That that Jesus in whom we Christians believe even He who was born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and rose again c. I say this Jesus was the very Person whom God sent and consequently that he was the Shiloh or Messias prophesied of 2. That this Jesus was so sent by God to be the true and only Messiah as that besides and after him no other Person is to be expected in that nature or quality to be sent by God Now though these be two as weighty and as Fundamental Truths to us Christians as Christians as any whatsoever and though I could not hope to reach the great Enemies of the Gospel so as to fasten any conviction upon them yet probably I might in the pursuing of this Argument reach some weak Christians so as to confirm stablish them in the belief of these great Truths yet I shall not at present engage in the discussing of these two Propositions First because in so great Points 't is better to say nothing then not to speak fully and throughly to them which if I could other Discouragements being removed hope to do yet here in this place without making the Work in hand too vast and big to be sure I could not Secondly because however pertinent this Undertaking might be to some other Texts to that which I am upon it would not be so pertinent where the Apostles drift and design is not so much in opposition to Jews and Infidels to assert that Christ was the very Person sent of God as to assign for the Comfort of Believers the Way and Course which God took to bring about their Salvation when upon the terms of the Law it was impossible namely he sent his own Son c The Text therefore not tying me to it I may wave it I shall have work enough to go over what the proper and immediate Sense of the Contents of this Chapter will lead me to and therefore I may well cut off what is of a more remote and forraign Consideration So that this shall suffice for the First Observation Christ was sent and sent by God the Father ROM 8.3 God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh c. CHAP. XI Of Christ's being the Natural and Eternal Son of God The Second Observation spoken to Of Christ's being God's Son How his Sonship is attested in Scripture Of his being God's own Son That opened as he is considered both relatively and absolutely That He is the Natural Son of God coaequal coessential coaeternal with the Father is asserted and proved by sundry Scriptures The true Notion and Ground of Christ's Sonship vindicated against the Socinians Where 't is made good against them that He is not the Son of God 1. in respect of his miraculous Conception Nor 2. of his extraordinary Sanctification Nor 3. of his Resurrection Nor 4. of the Dignity and Advancement of his Person Nor 5. of the Father's Special Love to him Nor 6. of Adoption Nor 7. of his Likeness to God But he is the Son of God in respect of his participation of his Father's Essence and of his eternal Generation Some Others besides Socinians somewhat concern'd in this Controversie Of the different communication of the Divine Essence from the Father to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Use 1. In which by way of Inferenee 't is shown 1. That Christ is God 2. That he is a very great and glorious Person 3. That the work of Redemption was an high and costly Work Use 2. Christians from hence are exhorted 1. To study Christ in this Relation as God's own Son Some Directions given about that 2. To believe him and on him as Such 3. To honour and adore Christ 4. To admire the greatness of God's Love Use 3. To draw forth the Comfort wrapp'd up in this Relation of Christ I Proceed to the Third General observed in the Words 2. Observ Christ God's Son and his own Son the Description of the Person sent he is described by his near and special Relation to God as being God's own Son From whence the Second Observation will be this That the Lord Jesus the Person sent by God as you have heard was his Son yea his own Son 1 Joh. 4.14 We have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world Here Two things are to be spoken to 1. Christ was God's Son 2. He was God's own Son 1. First Christ was God's Son He was truly the Son of man but not only the Son of man for he was also the Son of God and he was as truly the latter as the former In reference to his Humane Nature he is stiled the * Gen. 3.15 Seed of the Woman the †Gal. 3.16 Seed of Abraham the ‖ Matth. 1.1 Son of David the * Isa 11.1 Jer. 23.5 6. Zech. 6.12 branch of the root of Jesse the Son of man in reference to his Divine Nature he is stiled the Son of God This Relative Appellation or Title is so frequently apply'd to Christ that if I should cite the several Texts where it occurs I must transcribe a great part of the New Testament Several attestations of Christ's Sonship Yet it will not be amiss to take notice of the several attestations there upon record to this great Truth As that of John Baptist Joh. 1.34 I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God That of Nathanael Joh. 1.49 Rabbi thou art the Son of God That of Peter Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Son of the living God That of the Centurion Matth. 27.54 Truly this was the Son of God That of the Eunuch Acts 8.37 I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God That of Martha Joh. 11.27 Yea Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God which should come into the world The Devils themselves witnessed to it Matth. 8.29 they cryed out saying What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God Mark 3.11 Vnclean Spirits when they saw him fell down before him and cryed saying Thou art the Son of God Christ himself even when he was speaking to God the Father often asserted and pleaded his Sonship And the Father himself in a most solemn and open manner attested it First at Christ's Baptism Matt. 3.17 Lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I
am well pleased and then at his Transfiguration Matth. 17.5 Behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son The Apostle 1 Joh. 5.7 8. speaks of the Witness of Heaven and of Earth There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one And there are three that bear witness in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one Now what is the thing which they bear witness to 't is Christ's Sonship for that is instanc'd in as to the First and Supream Witness Vers 9. If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater For this is the witness of God which he hath testified af his Son You see how fully this Truth is attested and how abundantly God was pleas'd to clear it up in the first promulgation of the Gospel it being the great thing necessary to be known and believed Indeed the Jews as to the Body of them had a vail before their eyes so that they could not discern this near relation of Christ to God they saw the Son of man but they did not see the Son of God they went no higher than * Matth. 13.55 56. Is not this the Carpenters Son is not his mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas and his sisters are they not all with us * Joh. 6.42 Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph whose Father and Mother we know how is it then that he saith I came down from heaven Nay when Christ plainly and boldly told them that he was the Son of God they could not bear it Joh. 10.33 For a good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy and because that thou being a man makest thy self God you may know what they meant by this by Christ's reply Vers 36. Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God Nay they were so offended at it that for this very thing they took away his life Joh. 19.7 The Jews answered him we have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God You have a full account of it Mark 14.61 to 65. Again the High Priest asked him and said unto him Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed And Jesus said I am c. Then the High Priest rent his cloaths and said What need we any further witnesses Ye have heard the blasphemy what think ye and they all condemned him to be guilty of death Thus the eyes of that people were then and O that they were not so still so blinded that they could not perceive Christ to be the Son of God but the Lord hath given sufficient evidence thereof to all who do not willfully shut their eyes upon the light 'T is a Truth out of all question to us who are called Christians yet about the Nature and Manner of Christ's Sonship there are some unhappy Controversies rais'd amongst us 2. Secondly Christ was God's own Son so 't is here signanter God sending hîs own Son I have told you in the Original 't is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of himself or his ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper Son as 't is Vers 32. God is Christ's proper Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 5.18 and Christ here is God's proper Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is not barely a Son but a Son in a special and peculiar manner God's own Son This being a Truth of very high import a most Fundamental Point I will endeavour first to explain and prove it and then to vindicate and make good its true and genuine Notion against Opposers Our Lord Jesus Christ is God's own Son whether you consider him comparatively and relatively I mean How Christ is God's own Son in reference to other Sons or absolutely as he is in Himself abstractly considered from all Other Sons God hath three sorts of Sons By Creation by Grace by Nature 1. Consider him Comparatively And so he is thus stiled to difference or distinguish him from all Other Sons For God hath three sorts of Sons 1. Some are so by Creation or in respect of their immediate Creation by God so the Angels are the Sons of God of whom Divines commonly interpret those passages in Job Chap. 1.6 There was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord Chap. 38.7 When the morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy So Adam upon this account he being immediately made by God is called the Son of God Luke 3.38 2. Some are the Sons of God by Grace viz. the Grace of Regeneration and Adoption thus Believers are the Sons of God as they are spiritually begotten of him and adopted by him Joh. 1.12 13. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God c. which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth c. Gal. 4.3 To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Chrildren by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Then 3. in contradistinction to these there is God's own Son or his Son by Nature one that is a Son of another rank and Order than the former in this respect God hath but One Son namely Christ True Believers are his Sons which speaks the exuberancy of Divine Love towards them * 1 Joh. 3.1 â—â— Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! therefore Christ owns them for his Brethren Heb. 2.11 Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren and Vers 17. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren But yet they are not Sons as Christ is his Sonship and theirs are of a very different nature differing no less than specifically Upon which account he sometimes appropriates the paternal relation in God unto himself Luke 10.22 All things are delivered to me of my Father c. Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions And elsewhere he distinguishes 'twixt God as being his Father and as being the Father of Believers Joh. 20.17 Go to
for the nature and quality of the Love though not for the degree of it Joh. 17.23 c. and hast loved them as thou hast loved me I say it being so if the Love of the Father to Christ was the proper ground of his Sonship it would then follow that they are Sons just as Christ is only in a lower degree But surely the Scripture holds forth more than a gradual difference betwixt his Sonship and theirs that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Heb. 1.4 more excellent name which the Apostle speaks of carry's more in it than barely an higher degree of Sonship it points even to a different kind and order thereof 3. As to the Instances alledged for that use and signification of the word which might undermine that which we put upon it 't is answered that Isaac is called the only Son and the only begotten of Abraham not only because of all the Sons he had his greatest love but there were other grounds and reasons of it he was the only Son by Sarah the only Son by Promise and the only Heir of the Promise upon which accounts as well as upon the highest proportion of his Fathers love to him he is stiled the only begotten Son The same under different Circumstances may be said concerning Solomon But suppose that this was the only thing held forth in the Vnigeniture of these Persons will it follow that therefore 't is all in the unigeniture of Christ too when there is so great a disparity 'twixt Person and Person Sonship and Sonship as hath been already and might yet further be demonstrated if it was needful 4. There is in Scripture another Title given to Christ to which the Father's greater love towards him than towards others doth more properly belong namely his being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first-born or the first-begotten Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world c. Col. 1.15 The image of the invisible God the first-born of every Creature And elsewhere upon some special and particular Considerations with respect to his Resurrection he is called the first-born from the dead Col. 1.18 the first-begotten from the dead Rev. 1.5 but as the Title in that reference is applied to Christ I am not now to meddle with it What doth his being the First-born or First-begotten hold forth Answ * Quomodo primogenitus esse potuit nisi quia secundum Divinitatem ante omnem creaturam ex Deo Patre sermo processit Tertull. Some expound it of his eternal Generation by the Father Some of the preheminence and dignity of his Person as also of the immunities and priviledges which belong to him above others As the First-born under the Law had an excellency put upon him from his Primogeniture to him the dominion and †Gen. 27.29 49.8 authority over the Family did belong as also the ‖ Deut. 21.15 16 17. double portion in the inheritance and he was the most beloved In reference to which the people of Israel are stiled Gods first-born Exod. 4.22 Israel is my Son even my first-born because of that great glory which God put upon that people and that singular affection which he bore to them In all these respects Christ is God's First-born if you understand it of his eternal Generation so 't is incommunicable to any Other so he is primogenitus unigenitus first-begotten and only begotten too but if you understand it of the excellency of his Person and of the Other particulars mentioned so in such a degree 't is communicable to others For Israel you see in a subordinate and allusive sense was stiled God's first-born and all Believers too may be so stiled in respect of the dignity of their Persons and of God's special love towards them As Christ is the Only begotten of the Father that 's exclusive to all as he is the first-begotten of the Father that signifies praelation but not exclusion Saints are excellent though not so excellent as Christ beloved though not so beloved as Christ heirs though not such heirs as Christ And therefore had Christ been called only the first-born and that too in its second import and significancy something then might have been inferred from it for the nulling of that Sonship which we plead for as only belonging to him but besides this he is also called the only begotten wherefore he must be alone in this relation And though the Saints do in a lower degree share with him in the Father's love as he is the first-born yet they do not at all share with him in the glory of his eternal Generation as he is the only begotten A Sixth False Ground of Christ's Sonship 6. Sixthly we are told that Christ is the Son of God in respect of Adoption that he is not the Natural or Essential only the adopted Son of God This our Opposers are not afraid nor ashamed to assert O how low will they bring the Sonship of our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ not Gods Son in respect of Adoption they 'l make him any thing rather than grant what indeed he is but for Answer This is no novel Opinion or that which was never broached in the Church before 't was the old Heresie of those two Spanish Bishops * See Forbesii Instruct Historico-Theolog L. 6. C. 1. Felix and Elipandus condemned in a †Concil Tom. 20. p. 82. c. secundum Edit Reg. Paris Council held at Frankford very near a thousand years ago both ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Hierosol Quod si etiam unigenitùs Filius dicitur ex Gratiâ non verè genitus ex naturâ proculdubio Nomen veritatem unigeniti perdidit postquam Fratres habere jam caepit Privatur enim hujus veritate nominis si in unigenito non est de Patre veritas naturalis Fulgent Si quaeritur an Christus sit adoptivus Filius secundum quod Homo sive alio modo Respondemus Christum non esse adoptivum Filium aliquo modo sed tantum Naturalem quia Naturâ Filius Dei est non Adoptionis gratiâ Lombard Vide alios è Scholasticis in Hoorneb Socin Confut. tom 2. c. 1. de Christo p. 30. è Patribus in Zanch. de Tribus Elohim p. 249. Fathers and Schoolmen all but Durandus argue much against it Take in brief these Four Arguments against it 1. In all the * Legi relegi Scripturas Jèsum Filium Dei Adoptione nusquam inveni Ambros Scriptures Christ is never stiled the Adopted Son of God nay there 's nothing there to be found in the least to countenance the attributing of such a Sonship to him 't is a meer forgery of man to evade and put off what the Word expresly asserts We read much of God's adopting of Saints but nothing at all of his adopting of Christ 2. Then Christ and Believers would have the same Sonship they being Sons by Adoption as well as he
of God You find in Scripture that saving Faith is described by its special reference to Christ as standing in this relation so Gal. 2.20 The life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me why doth the Apostle thus express it by the Faith of the Son of God I answer partly because Christ the Son of God is the efficient and * Heb. 12.2 author of faith partly because this Son is the great Object of faith and partly because Faith in its essential act doth very much eye Christ as thus related to the Father for 't is a believing or relying upon him as the Son of God 'T is very usual in the Gospel where it speaks of believing to mention Christ with it as standing in this relation 1 Joh. 3.23 This is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him as the only begotten Son should not perish but have everlasting life O what a person is Gods own Son for Sinners to believe on what an all-sufficient Saviour how able to * Heb. 7.25 save to the utmost must he needs be who is God and Man the Son of God and the Son of Man And indeed 't is not enough barely to believe on Christ but there must be such a believing on him as may in some measure be answerable to this his relation is he God's own Son at what a rate should we believe what a faith should we act upon him what great things should we expect for him and from him can any thing be too high for our faith when we have the proper natural Son of God in our eye as its basis and foundation Saints should have their faith raised not only upon the encouragement of the Promises but also upon the consideration of Christ's Person as he is so near and dear to God I have formerly observed how our Apostle in the Text rises higher and higher in the setting forth of the Love of God he sayes God sent there was Love he sent his own Son there was more Love this own Son he sent in the likeness of sinful flesh there was yet more Love and this he did for this end that he might for sin condemn sin in the Flesh c. there was the very top and zenith of Love Now as there is a rise in these things in the setting off the Love of God so there is also a rise in them in their several engagements and encouragements to us to believe in Christ and to believe in him yet more and more firmly and fiducially he was sent therefore we must believe he was and is God's own Son therefore we must the rather and the more strongly believe he took our flesh here 's an higher argument for an higher faith in that flesh he condemned sin performed all that the Law commanded suffered all that the Law threatned what a faith doth this call for Now if notwithstanding all this it shall yet be either no believing or but faint-believing both will be sad though in a great disparity for the faint-believing is unanswerable to what is reveal'd and uncomfortable to the Saint but the no-believing is damnable to the Sinner 3. Branch of the Exhortation To honour Christ 3. Thirdly is Christ God's own Son how then should all honour and adore him certainly upon this Sonship the highest yea even divine adoration it self is due to him Is he a Son such a Son the Son of such a Father the greatness of his Person arising from that high and near relation wherein he stands to God calls for the highest respect reverence veneration which Angels or Men can possibly give unto him Besides this 't is the absolute Will of the Father that all should * Joh. 5.23 honour his Son even as they honour himself for he having the same Nature and Essence with the Father the Father will have him have the same honour which he himself hath which whosoever deny's to him reflects dishonour upon the Father who will not bear any thing derogatory to the glory of his Son 'T is a known * Nicephor lib. 12. cap. 9. Sozom. l. 7. c. 6. story that of the carriage of Amphilochius to the Emperour Theodosius he had petitioned the Emperour to be severe against the Arrians to discountenance and suppress them because in their Opinions they did so much disparage the Son of God but could not prevail whereupon he made use of this device coming one day into the presence of the Emperour and of his Son Arcadius who now ruled joyntly with his Father he made his humble obeysance to the Emperour himself and shewed him all reverence but as for his Son he passed him by shewed him no respect at all rather dealt derisorily with him stroking him upon his head and saying to him in a way of contempt Salve tu Fili The Emperour upon this was much offended sharply reproves Amphilochius for his affront to his Son c. whereupon the good man vindicates his carriage plainly telling the Emperour he had given reverence enough to his Son And now the Emperour was more incens'd commands him with great indignation to be thrust out of his presence c. which whilst some was doing Amphilochius turn'd himself to the Emperour and said thus O Emperour thou being but a man canst not bear the contempt or disparagement of thy Son how dost thou think the great God can bear that contempt of his Son which the Arrians cast upon him the Emperour was much affected at this begg'd the Bishop's pardon commended his ingeny and did that now which he refus'd to do before The inference is undenyable if great Men stand so much upon the giving of all honour and due observance to their Sons much more will the Great God stand upon the giving of all due Honour and Reverence to his own and only Son O therefore let Christ be highly adored and honoured by you If you ask me how I answer every honouring of him is not sufficient but it must be such as may suit with his infinite Majesty and Greatness you must conceive of him as God as the Natural and eternal Son of God and according to that honour which is due to him as such so you must honour him The Apostle speaks of some * Rom. 1.21 who when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God so some pretend to give some glory to Christ but they do not glorifie him as God O this is that which you must come up to to adore and reverence Christ in such a manner
Dominus David semen Abrahae qui est ante Abraham Factor terrae factus in terrâ August de Temp. Serm. 20. Serm. 23. He who sate upon the throne was willing to lie in the manger he that was clothed with brightness and Majesty disrob'd himself put off his own royal attire and put on our course rags he who fill'd the World confin'd himself to a Womb he who was the Maker of all own'd a poor Woman for his Mother he who was David's Lord became David's Son what unsearchable mysteries of the Grace of Christ are here He had Angels at his beck and might have employ'd one of them upon this service but he would not he 'l come himself and trust no Creature in such an undertaking was not this Love God's first love saith * Dr. Reyn. on the Passions ch 11. p. 99. one to man was in making man like himself his Second great love was in making himself like man There 's †1 Joh. 3.1 a what manner of love upon the Sons of men being made the Sons of God but what manner of love was there in this that the Son of God should be made the Son of Man I have nothing to say but wonder wonder This great person vouchsafed to come so near to believers that he is not ‖ Heb. 2.11 ashamed to call them Brethren he was willing to be made like to them that they might be made like to him he took of theirs that he might give them of his and since they could not * Deplorata certè res erat nisi Majestas ipsa Dei ad nos descenderet quando ascendere nostrum non erat Calvin Instit l. 2. c. 12. ascend to him he was pleased to descend to them O inexpressible Love He did not only take flesh but that very flesh and blood which we have yea he stoop'd to the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost likeness of our sinful flesh and how did he abase himself by and in this flesh Phil. 2.7 8. But made himself of no reputation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he emptied himself as it were of all his former glory and fulness and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross Christ's external state in our Nature was so low and mean which he yet never stuck at or regarded * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. de Inc. verbi p. 96. his design being to do good and not to appear in any worldly pomp or grandeur that it seem'd to be below him not only as he was God but even as he was Man He who before was equal to God was now scarce equal to Man 't was prophetically spoken in his person Psal 22.6 I am a worm and no man nay he was scarce equal to the meanest of other creatures for he saith Matth. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head now surely the lower Christ's condition was the higher should be our admiration of his Love When the Humane Nature as in us was at the worst sadly tainted by Adam's fall then Christ took it upon him though our stock was now sowre and degenerate yet he was willing to be ingrafted into it When the noblest Families are under an attainder of treason persons are very shy of matching into them 't was no better than so with ours and yet the Lord Jesus did not refuse to match into it My Brethren had he assum'd our Nature before we had spoyl'd it even that had been an admirable condescention but to assume it when in us it was so spoil'd defac'd here was the highest condescention that was imaginable The Angelical Nature was pure and untainted for though many Angels had sinned yet their Nature was not touch'd because they not standing in a Common Head as Man did the Fall of some did not reach the whole order and yet Christ meddled not with that Nature but with ours Heb. 2.16 Verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham O the grace and love of Christ to Man There are Five expressions concerning him under the word made every one of which holds forth the greatness of his humiliation and consequently of his love 1. He was made flesh Joh. 1.14 2. He was made of a woman Gal. 4.4 he might have had flesh immediately created but 't was not so there was the instrumental concurrence of a woman to it which heightens his humiliation therein then 3. he was made under the Law Gal. 4.4 yea 4. he was made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 yea 5. he was made sin 2 Cor. 5.21 Now though there be some gradual rise or rather fall in all these yet I conceive the first holds forth the greatest humiliation the reason is because there is a greater distance and repugnancy betwixt God and Flesh than there is betwixt Flesh and any of the other things which follow but shall not all put together highly affect us and fill our Souls with high thoughts of the Love of Christ Blessed God! what hearts have we if such Considerations as these will not work them up to a Christ-admiring frame Dear Saviour thou who didst once take our sinless flesh be pleas'd to take away our lumpish dull sinful hearts that there may be in us some such warm and raised affections as may in some measure answer to thine immense Love in thy Incarnation 2. Admire the Holiness of Christ That he should take true flesh and yet but the likeness of sinful flesh be so like a sinner and yet no sinner come so near to sin and yet be so far off from it assume our Nature so wofully corrupted and vitiated as it is in us and live so long in that Nature after it was assum'd and yet be perfectly free from sin that so much sin should lye upon him and yet not the least sin be committed by him O this is very strange and wonderful Who can touch pitch and not be defiled who can take a Nature which in its proper subject was wholly depraved and yet be holy why Christ did so and yet was holy and if he could not have so done without impeaching his Holiness as well as he lov'd man he would never have been made man O let the Holiness of Christ be adored by you 3. Admire the Power of Christ That that Nature which is so weak in us should be so strong in him that he even in our flesh should be able to do and suffer as he did this is admirable Therein he bafled a tempting Devil bore up under the greatest pressures that ever lay upon any did not sink under all his Sufferings wrought unquestionable Miracles pacified divine wrath satisfy'd God's Justice fulfilled the Law condemned sin
the Gospel answers to the hyssop under the Law Well! after our Saviours being an offering for sin as we have nothing further to do but only through Grace enabling of us * Vid. Cameron Misc p. 529. to perform these Evangelical conditions so nothing less than that will serve our turn for a share and interest in the great effects and fruits thereof Frequent application to be made to this Sacrifice 6. Sixthly you are not to rest in some one single application of your selves or in the first application of your selves at your first believing to this great Sacrifice for expiation and remission but you are to repeat and renew it daily For though 't is true all the guilt of believers is removed thereby yet that is done in this method 't is removed as 't is contracted and as the benefit of it is accordingly drawn forth by the fresh applications of it O do not rest in what you did at your first Conversion but be you every day applying your selves to a sacrific'd Christ new guilt must have new pardons and daily sins call for daily expiations 'T is observable that Christ is set forth not only by the yearly expiatory Sacrifices or by those that were but seldom offered but also by the daily Sacrifices Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God c. We should not lie down in our beds at night before we have applyed our selves to a dying Christ for the cleansing of our persons from the guilt of the sins of the day past Yea we should never go to God in duty but we should revive upon our thoughts and make use of this Sacrifice Under the Law the blood was to be sprinkled even upon the Mercy-seat Levit. 16.14 God sits upon a Throne of Mercy but even that requires the blood of Christ no mercy from him no acceptance with him can be expected but upon the intervention of this Sacrifice God and Christ to be admired and adored upon this 7. Seventhly Upon this Sacrifice and what followed thereupon God and Christ are highly to be admired and adored by you This holy admiration hath been already again again press'd upon you under the foregoing gracious acts mention'd in the Text but surely that which is now before us doth as much deserve and call for it as they or any other whatsoever Is God to be admired because he sent his own Son because he sent this Son in flesh yea in the likeness of sinful flesh and is he not to be admired also for his making of him to be a Sacrifice for sin and for the condemning of sin in his flesh doubtless he is What Christ a Sacrifice a Sacrifice for such as we such great things brought about thereby O what matter is here to draw out admiration what so great so wonderful as this how much are the highest thoughts the most raised affections below the greatness of this mystery It hath my Brethren been largely set before you now I would ask How are your hearts affected with it 't is very sad if we can hear of such stupendious mercy and yet be but little wrought upon under the hearing of it Pray fancy to your selves what the Angels thought of this what frame they were in when they saw the Son of God hanging and dying upon the Cross as an expiatory Sacrifice Oh you may well suppose that it fill'd them with astonishment they were even amaz'd at this strange and wonderful spectacle never such wondring in Heaven as when the Lord Jesus was thus suffering on earth now shall that be little to you which was so great to them shall they thus admire and will you who were most concern'd in the thing and the greatest gainers by it be stupid and unaffected In Christ's being a Sacrifice God on his part hath display'd and advanc'd all his Attributes yea they by this have received their utmost advancement infinite Wisdom Justice Holiness Mercy could go no higher than a Christ crucifi'd and on your part by this your work is done your happiness being every way secur'd and your misery fully prevented by this you are reconcil'd to God and God to you condemning-sin is condemn'd it-self all its guilt expiated the righteousness of the Law fulfill'd c. by a strange and unthought-of method God hath fetch'd the greatest good out of the greatest evil by Christ's dying you live all which being considered is there not sufficient ground why you and all should admire and adore God And amongst other things pray in special admire his love his transcendent superlative matchless love what manner of love was this that God should give his Son to be a sacrifice for you 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Had not Christ been a person infinitely dear to God the thing had not been so much but that he should devote him to be sacrific'd whom he so dearly lov'd there 's the incomprehensibleness of his love 'T is reported of the PHOENICIANS that in their Sacrifices they did not use to Sacrifice an enemy or a stranger but * Porphyr do Abstin l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some one that they had a special love for this I 'm sure was done by God in his giving of the Son of his love to be a Sacrifice for us therefore what admiration can be high enough for him When * Gen. 22.10 c. Abrahaham had the knife in his hand and was just going to offer his Son Isaac God stop'd his hand and provided a cheaper Sacrifice for him this was more than what he did for his own Son him he would have to be offered up and would admit of no other Sacrifice and when the hand of Justice was lifted up ready to destroy us then God to secure us interpos'd and found out a Sacrifice of propitiation not a Ram but his only begotten Son O the heights bredths lengths depths of his love And must not Christ be admired also surely yes was not his love too admirable as well as the Fathers Oh well might the Apostle say Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me Eph. 5.2 And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Vers 25. as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it Rev. 1.5 Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood this was loving indeed When the * Joh. 11.36 JEWS saw Jesus weeping over LAZARVS they said Behold how he loved him but alas what was Christs weeping over him to his dying for us what was the shedding of a few tears to the shedding of his blood how may we come with a more emphatical Behold behold how he
Gospel as well as under the Law Page 13 'T is not only No Condemnation to Believers but positive Salvation Page 16 Of the dreadfulness of Condemnation Page 25 How it may be avoided Page 32 Persons exempted from it are to be thankful and chearful Page 37 c. What the Condemning of Sin is Page 460 There may be troubles in the Conscience after Sin and yet Sin may reign Page 212 The Contrariety of the two Walkings Page 95 The Corrupt Nature set forth by Flesh Vide Flesh The Covenant of Redemption touched upon Page 298 Of the New Creature Page 65 Of the crucifying the Flesh Page 66 D. The Law of Death opened Page 152 249 Sin and Death go together especially when 't is the Law of Sin Page 250 How the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Death Page 253 c. Comfort from hence to such against the Fear of Death Page 257 In temptations to Sin 't is good to consider that 't is Sin and Death Page 254 Comfort to Believers as to Death from their Vnion with Christ Page 81 Christ's Death a strong Dissuasive from walking after the Flesh Page 128 The main Ends of Christ's Death made good against the Socinians Page 518 c. Man had not died if he had not sinned Page 250 Of the Saints Dignity from their Vnion with Christ Page 96 Of the Dominion of Sin See the Law of Sin E. The converting Spirit works efficaciously and irresistibly Page 234 Of the spiritualness of a mans Ends. Page 111 Expiation of sin by Christ's Sacrifice Page 449 That finished on Earth not done in Heaven Page 505 The Nature of this Expiation Page 510 The Extent of it Page 511 Vide Sacrifice F. God the Father's Love to be admired in his sending of Christ Page 303 Saints are to think well of God the Father as well as of God the Son Page 305 Faith the Bond in the Mystical Vnion Page 49 Faith to be repeated in fresh applications to Christ Page 553 There are but few in Christ Page 118 Flesh is in the Best Page 91 All particular Sins comprehended in Flesh Page 97 Of being in the Flesh and walking after the Flesh ibid. Flesh taken for corrupt Nature Page 99 Why that is set forth by Flesh Page 100 Flesh considered more Generally Page 99 Particularly Page 101 The Philosophical notion of Flesh and Spirit Page 105 What it is to walk after the Flesh Vide Walking What the Flesh is by which the Law is made weak Page 263 Of Christ's being sent in Flesh that opened Page 375 He did not bring his Flesh from Heaven Page 376 Of the verity of his Flesh against the antient Hereticks Page 377 379 380 That proved ibid. How he was sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 406 c. And but in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 410 c. Of the excellency of Christ's Flesh Page 417 He as sent in Flesh is to be believed on Page 424 Of Freedom from the Law of Sin Vide the Law of Sin Freedom from its Guilt and from its Power Page 150 Of Christ's Fulfilling the Law Vide Law G. The eternal Generation of Christ the Son of God proved Page 324 c. The difference between that and common Generation Page 356 Its mysteriousness Page 354 Of the excellency of the Gospel and Christian Religion Page 415 The Priviledges of Believers under the Gospel above those under the Law Page 450 Grace set forth by Spirit and the Reasons why 't is so Page 104 c. There should be in Saints a Growth in Spiritualness Page 137 Of the Spirits being a Guide Page 108 Whether Christ took our very Guilt upon him Affirmed Page 490 H. Heaven made credible upon Christ's Incarnation Page 447 Holiness press'd from Vnion with Christ Page 75 From being made free from the Law of Sin Page 225 From the Incarnation of Christ Page 437 The Holiness and sinlesness of Christ's Humane Nature Page 411 The necessity thereof Page 414 The difference of the Humane Nature as in Christ and as in us Page 386 Of the advancement of the Humane Nature by Christ's assuming it Page 451 Christ to be highly Honoured 'T is shewn wherein Page 363 Humiliation the way to Consolation Page 5 6 Saints to be humbled that they were so long under the Law of sin and that sin still hath such a power in them Page 217 c. As also that there should be that Flesh in them by which God 's own Law is made weak Page 271 Humility press'd from Christ's taking our Nature Page 437 Of the HypostaticalVnion Vide Vnion I. About the Idem and the Tantundem With respect to Christ's Sufferings Page 489 To his Active Obedience Page 608 c. Of the Imputation of Christ's Active Obedience Vide Obedience How the imputation thereof is to be stated Vide ibid. The Incarnation of Christ largely discoursed of Page 372 c. His Mission and his Incarnation two distinct things Page 376 The Latter not impossible not incredible Page 386 The Grounds laid down why Christ was Incarnate Page 387 c. Prophesies and Types of it ibid. Seven Propositions insisted upon for the explication of it Page 393 c. What benefit had they by Christ who lived before his Incarnation Page 397 Why he was Incarnate just at that time when he was incarnate Page 398 A firm Assent is to be given to the Verity of Christ's Incarnation as also a firm Adherence to him as incarnate Page 420 c. Many other Duties urged from this Incarnation Page 426 c. As also the Comfort of it to Believers is set forth in several Particulars Page 441 c. Whether if Man had not sinned Christ had been incarnate Neg. Page 406 Of Inclinations Good or Evil and their difference in the Godly and Others Page 110 The severity of God's Justice in Christ's being a Sacrifice Page 543 The Law unable to Justifie Page 266 Whether there be two distinct integral parts of Justification Page 602 In the Justifying of Sinners God proceeds upon the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness Page 610 As to Christ we are justified by Works as to our selves by Faith Page 610 L. Law of Sin what it is Page 151 What the Law of the Spirit is Page 159 All Vnregenerate persons under the Law of Sin Page 169 c. How Sin is a Law opened in the proper improper notion of a Law Page 172 c. Wherein Sin acts as a Law Page 177 How it may be known when it is the Law of sin That particularly opened Page 179 c. All the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Sin Page 154 203 c. They are freed from Sin only as 't is a Law Page 149 203 206 Their freedom from the Law of Sin proved from Scripture and Argument Page 207 c. How fâ—r men may go and yet not be freed from the Law of Sin Page 210 A serious Exhortation to all to get free from it
What this sending of Christ was not Page 289 What it was opened in Five things Page 290 How this was consistent with his equality with his Father explained Page 294 The Grounds of Christ's being sent Page 296 The Love of Father and Son to be adored upon this Page 302 c. All are to go when they are sent not before Page 307 None to rest in the external sending of Christ Page 309 Christ as sent to be believed on Page 310 Comforts from Christ's being sent Page 313 None free from Sin here Page 8 Sin a vile and base thing Page 190 The Tyranny of it Page 192 Its advantages against us Page 232 It hath not barely a Being but too great a power even in the Regenerate Page 203 The special and most prevailing Sin must be most resisted Page 222 Christ's Death the highest Demonstration of the Evil of Sin Page 541 What the Condemning of Sin is Page 460 Of the breaking of the Heart for and from Sin upon Christ's being a Sacrifice Page 546 SOCINIANS dealt with and these great Truths made good against them 1. That Christ did praeexist before he was born of the Virgin Page 284 2. That Christ was the Son of God not in respect of the things which they alledge Seven of which are instanc'd in and largely refuted but in respect of his eternal Generation Page 323 c. 3. That he who was antecedently the Son of God was in time made the Son of Man or was incarnate Page 393 c. 4. That Christ was a true and proper Expiatory Sacrifice and the true notion of his Expiation is made good gainst them Page 481 c. 5. That he made Satisfaction to the Justice of God Page 515 6. The principal Ends of Christ's Death are asserted and their Ends thereof proved not to be the principal Page 517 c. 7. That Christ is truly and Essentially God Page 349 Sons of God by Creation by Grace by Nature Page 321 Christ God's Son Page 319 Scripture attestations of it Page 319 c. Christ God's own Son Page 321 That opened Comparatively and Absolutely ibid. His bâ—ing the Natural Son of God Co-equal Co-essential Co-eternal with the Father begotten of him by eternal Generation is explained proved and largely vindicated against Opposers Page 323 c. He is not God's own Son partly in respect of eternal Generation and partly in respect of his miraculous Conception c. Page 345 c. Of the different communications of the Divine Essence from the Father to the Son and to the Spirit Page 348 Christ's Godhead inferr'd from his Sonship Page 349 How Christ's Sonship is to be studyed Page 354 c. All are to believe Christ to be the Son of God and to believe on him as such Page 358 How he is to be Honoured as the Son of God Page 363 What Comfort doth arise from Christ's Sonship Page 368 How the Spirit is the Spirit of Life Page 162 How 't is said to be in Christ Jesus Page 161 He is the Spirit of Life Formally Page 162 Effectively Page 163 c. What is meant by the Law of the Spirit Page 158 His making free from the Law of Sin opened Page 228 Of the Necessity Sufficiency Efficacy of the Spirits Power and Operation in that Page 230 c. The Spirit the sole Efficient therein Page 243 How he secures against the Law of Sin after Conversion Page 240 Deliverance from Sins power is to be expected from this Spirit and to be ascribed to him Page 244 c. Of the Spirits greatness and glory Page 241 He is greatly to be honoured Page 247 How the Spirit may be obtain'd Page 70 The Spirit taken Personally and Habitually Page 104 What it is to Walk after the Spirit Vide Walking Of Christ's Substituting himself in the Sinners stead Page 483 The true Nature and Ends of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Page 528 c. Christ sympathizes with his Members Page 80 T. The Tabernacle a Type of Christ's Body Page 389 Of the Distinction of the Persons in the Sacred Trinity Page â—87 Great relief under Troubles of Coâ—â—ence from Christ's Incarnation Page 513 U. How Sin reigns in the Understanding Page 181 How the Spirit works on the Understanding in order to freeing from the Law of Sin Page 236 Of the Union Of Three Persons in one Nature Of two Natures in one Person Of Persons where yet both Natures and Persons are distinct Page 44 Of the Hypostatical Union Page 399 Of the Sublimeness and Mysteriousness of it Page 400 Opened in Four things Page 401 c. The Mystical Union opened Page 42 c. That also is a great Mystery Page 43 Of the threefold Union 'twixt Christ and Believers Mystical Page 48 Legal Page 48 Moral Page 48 The Bonds of the former the Spirit and Faith Page 49 Several Scripture-Resemblances by which 't is set forth Page 52 c. Six Properties of it Page 54 c. How Persons may know whether they be under it Page 60 Of Natural and Spiritual Union with Christ ibid. Of External or Common and Internal or Special Union Page 61 Sinners exhorted to labour after this Union Page 68 How it may be attained Page 70 Without Union no Communion Page 69 Several Duties urged upon such who are united to Christ Page 72 c. Several Comforts directed to such Page 78 c. The Mystical Union made credible by Christ's Incarnation Page 444 W. Of Walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Page 88 Why the Apostle pitches upon this Evidence Page 90 Spiritual Walking not the Cause of the Priviledge but the Property of the Person to whom it belongs Page 93 The contrariety of the Two Walkings Page 95 Men must be in Christ before they can live the Spiritual Life Page 96 There alwayes was and alwayes will be different Walkers ibid. What it is to Walk after the Flesh opened Page 97 103 c. Walking in the Flesh taken in a good sense Page 98 Of the more gross and the more close Walking after the Flesh Page 120 Men dehorted from Fleshly Walking Page 121 c. The Dehortation enforced with diverse Motives Page 122 c. Directions in order to it page 129 c. What it is to Walk after the Spirit Page 104 106 Opened by the Spiritualness of the Principle Page 106 c. Guide Page 106 c. Affections Page 106 c. Propensions Page 106 c. Ends Page 106 c. All in Christ thus Walk Proved Page 112 This Walking Excellent Page 132 c. Pleasant Page 132 c. Saving Page 132 c. Spiritual Walkers are To be very thankful Page 136 To be yet more Spiritual Page 137 To take the Comfort of it Some Discouragements about it removed Page 139 The Will is the principal Seat of Sins Power Page 181 How the Spirit works upon the Will efficaciously yet without the infringing of its Liberty Page 238 Reader In the drawing up of this Index many things occasionally spoken unto have slipped me but thou wilt find them under those main Heads which I chiefly insist upon to each of which thou art here directed FINIS
heart such as thus * Math. 5.4 mourn shall be comforted these * Joh. 2.9 waters Christ will turn into wine As joy in sin will end in sorrow so sorrow for sin will end in joy But to return to our Apostle He had as to his outward state his abasements and his advancements too and he knew how to carry himself under both * Philip. 4.12 I know how to be abased and I know how to abound So as to his inward state he also had his abasements and his advancements Sometimes t is O wretched man that I am c. there 't was abasement then presently 't is There is no Condemnation c. there 't was advancement And let me add that Pauls comfort in this Chapter had never been so high so full as to himself so encouraging as to others if he had not in the former Chapter first smarted under the cutting and piercing Conviction of Sin O to have one who but even now was almost pressed down under Soul-burdens now saying yet there is no Condemnation to them c. how may this animate and strengthen the Faith of a poor Christian when ever troubles of Conscience by reason of sin shall be upon him The Prop. considered in its parts This being the Proposition I will consider it in its Parts And so you have in it First The Praedicate or the Priviledge asserted viz. exemption from Condemnation There is therefore now no Condemnation c. Secondly The Subject or the Persons described to whom and to whom onely the Priviledge belongs And to take the most easie division of the words at present they are described 1. By their Vnion with Christ in reference to their State they are such who are in Christ Jesus 2. By their Qualification or Property in reference to their Course they walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit I conceive this Clause doth more immediately refer to the persons who are in Christ and is properly descriptive of them yet mediately they may refer to and be descriptive of the persons to whom there is no Condemnation as I shall hereafter show Of the different readings of the words If you take the words in the body of them there is some yet no very great difference in the reading of them The latter branch but after the Spirit is wholly left out by the Vulgar Translation and by those Expositors who follow it I know not why unless it be because the Syriac Version did the same which * Proinde nulla est Condemnatio iis qui non ambulant secundum carnem in Jesu Christo Vers Syr. Version in the reading of the Words is not only defective as to this but very harsh in the misplacing of them There is therefore no Condemnation to those who walk not after the flesh in Christ Jesus Some other such Variations might be taken notice of but I 'le pass them by The General Proposition being taken in pieces will afford us these two Observations 1. That there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus The Obs raised 2. That such who are in Christ Jesus and so secured from Condemnation this is their Property or Course they walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The discussing of these two Points will take me up some time Of the first Observation I begin with the First in the handling of which I will 1. chiefly speak to the Priviledge and only in a general way joyn the description of the Subject with it 2. I will then more particularly speak to that and show what it is to be in Christ Jesus or how persons may be said to be in Christ Jesus Of the First at this time For the better opening of which I must premise these seven things Seven things premised for explications 1. First the Apostle doth not say There is now no Affliction or no Correction to them who are in Christ but there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ 'T is one thing to be afflicted another thing to be condemned God may and will afflict his Children but he 'le never condemn them it may be much affliction yet 't is no Condemnation Indeed God afflicts here that he may not condemn hereafter 1 Cor. 31.32 When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World God is so gracious that he will not condemn yet withall so wise so just so holy that he will afflict Grace in the Heart secures from eternal not from temporal Evils God cannot condemn and yet love but he can chasten and yet love nay therefore he chastens because he loves As many as I love I rebuke and chasten whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth And it may be even to them who are in Christ not only bare Affliction but there may be something of the nature of * Quamvis Deus absoâ—vit verè poenitentes ab omni poenâ satisfactoriâ propter Christi mortem non tamen illos liberat abomni poenâ medicinali castigatoriâ Davenant in Col 1.24 See of this Burg. of Justif Lect. 4.5.10 Eaxt. Aphor. p. 68. c. Boltons Bounds c. p. 163. c. Rutherfâ— Survay paâ—â—â— ch 31. Punnishment in that affliction though not in a vindictive way or upon the account of satisfaction The nearer a person is to Christ and the dearer he is to God the surer he is to be punished if he sin Tou only have I know of all the Families of the Earth therefore I will punish you for your iniquities Amos 3.2 God may pardon and yet punish temporal punishment is very consistent with pardoning Mercy Psal 99.8 Thou answeredst them O Lord our God thou wast a God that forgavest them though thoù tookest vengeance of them for their iniquities God had put away Davids sin yet he shall smart for it his own Soul shall live but his Child shall dye as a punishment for his sin See 2 Sam. 12.13 14. The Malefactor may not be condemn'd to dye as to his Life he may be acquitted yet he may be judged to be whipp'd or burnt in the hand for his offence so 't is here You must distinguish therefore betwixt no Condemnation and no Affliction or no Correction Saints are exempted from the former but not from the latter 2. Secondly The Apostle doth not say there is no Matter of Condemnation in them who are in Christ only as to Fact he saith there is no actual Condemnation to such There is a vast difference betwixt what is deserved and what is actually inflicted betwixt what is de Jure and ex Merito and what is de Facto Take the very best of Saints there is enough and enough in them which deserves eternal Condemnation and if God should proceed according to their merit it would be Condemnation over and over again for even they have sin and commit sin and wherever
safe Take the Saints apart from Christ the strongest could not stand take them as joyned and united to him the weakest shall not fall When the first Adam was our head our condition was mutable in him we stood upon very slippery ground but now when Christ is our head we-stand fast and firm * Psal 125.1 even as mount Zion never to be removed 'T is but the same Grace now which we should have had upon our first creation I speak of the kind not of the degree yet 't is not amissible as that was because of our union with another head God will hear their Prayers 9. Are you in Christ this assures you of the audience of your Prayers If ye abide in me saith Christ ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you◠What an incouraging word is this God will grant your requests for the love he bears you upon other accounts but to be sure he will do this for you you being under such a near conjunction to the Son of his Love Vnion and Communion go together 10. Are you in Christ know then that Vnion and Communion go together and is not this full of comfort As all communion is founded upon union so all union terminates in communion and the closer is the union the fuller is the communion Union with Christ is a very enriching thing it interests a person in all that Christ is or hath this is that fellowship of the Son to which the Saints are called 1 Cor. 1.9 You being in Christ his Person is yours you are his and he is yours My beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 2.16 Upon the Covenant relation God is yours upon the Mystical Vnion Christ is yours You being in Christ all his Attributes are yours his wisdome yours to guide you his power yours to protect you his mercy yours to pity you his All sufficiency yours to supply you and so in the rest As the Father in the Gospel once said to his Son * Luk. 15.31 Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine so saith Christ to the believing Soul thou art ever in me all that I am or have is thine Being in Christ you share with him in all his Offices hence you are Kings and (a) Omnes Christiani sant Sacerdotes quia membra unius Sacerdotis August de Civ De◠lib. 20. cap 10. Priests as he is in a spiritual and mystical notion Rev. 1.6 And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God c. 1 Pet. 2.5 Saints are stiled an holy Priesthood and v. 9. a royal Priesthood Being in Christ you bear his name as hath been shown and you partake with him in his high Relations and Dignities he 's a Son of God so are you Joh. 20.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father he 's heir of all things Heb. 1.2 you joynt heirs with him Rom. 8.17 Being in Christ all his Merit is yours his sufferings (b) Caput membra sunt quasi una persona mystica ideo satisfactio Christi ad omnes fideles pertinet sicut ad su◠membra Aquin. 3. p. Q◠49. Art 1. satisfaction are as much to your advantage as if you had suffered and satisfied in your own persons You being in Christ all the (c) Unio haec est spiritualis illa relatio hominum ad Personam Christi quâ jus acquirunt ad omnes illas benedictiones quae ad ipso praeparantur Ames medul lib 1. cap. 26. fect 2. Fides purè docenda est quod per eum sic conglutineris ut ex te Christo fiat quasi una Persona quae non possit segregari ut cum fiduciâ dicere possis ego sum Christus h. e. Christi justitia victoria vita est mea vicissim Christus dicat Ego sum ille peccator h. e. ejus peccata mors mea sunt quia adhaeret mihi ego illi conjuncti enim sumus per fidem in unam carnem os Luther Homo cum fiduciâ possit gloriari in Christo dicere meum est quod Christus vixit egit dixit passus est mortuns est non secus quam si ego illa vixissem egissem dixissem passus essem mortuus essem sicut sponsus habet omnia quae sunt sponsae sponsa habet omnia quae sunt sponsi c. Idem blessings priviledges which he hath purchased are yours as justification atonement adoption access to God c. You being in Christ that very glory which he hath is yours see Rev. 3 2◠Joh. 17.24 Luk. 22.29 You being in Christ all the promises in him are Yea and Amen to you 2 Cor. 1.20 Gal. 3.29 You being in Christ all his victories and triumphs over enemies are yours Rev 2.26 27. Upon Union with Christ you have Vnion too with the * See Sedgw. on the Covenant p. 208. Father and the Holy Ghost In a word you being Christ's all is yours 1 Cor. 3.21 and what can be said further Is not all this enough for your comfort Here 's blessed communion flowing from a blessed union here 's partaking indeed of the fatness of the Olive upon your being ingrafted into it as 't is Rom. 11.17 Vnion secures from Condemnation 11. Are you in Christ then 't is no condemnation so the Text expresly tells you O what a ground of rejoycing is exemption from condemnation what can be sweet to him who is obnoxious to it what can be bitter to him who is secur'd against it this is the happiness of all in Christ Poor Christless Souls are condemned over and over Law and Gospel and Conscience and which is worst of all the great God condemns them but 't is not so with you who are in Christ to you 't is no condemnation You are justified here and shall be solemnly publickly declared to be so at the great day You are in Christ◠not only as the members in the head which is your Mystical Vnion but as the Debtor in the Surety which is your Legal Vnion Christ's payment and satisfaction is yours and God will not fall upon him and you too for payment The Wife under covert is not liable to an arrest or action at Law but all must fall upon her Husband You being married to Christ this supersedes the process of the Law against you if it be not fully satisfied it must seek its reparation at the hands of your spiritual Husband Christ himself as to any condemnatory charge it cannot fall upon you Amongst all the damned in Hell there 's not one in Christ to be found that 's no place for such as are limbs of him And to shut up all upon this Vnion 't is not onely No condemnation but 't is also certain salvation 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life Joh. 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also Christ the Head is in Heaven and where he is there he will have
the Spirit He 's the great agent in your Regeneration deliverance from Sins Soveraignty illumination conviction turning to God believing mortification c. from him your light life strength liberty joy peace do all proceed why do you not more love and honour the Spirit O love the Son for what hath been done without but love the Spirit also for what he hath done within the whole management of Soul-work within in order to salvation now lies upon the hands of the Spirit let him be adored and honoured by all Saints 2 To live under the Law of the Spirit As you have found the Law of the Spirit in your first Conversion so you should live under the Law of the Spirit in your whole Conversation There is the power of the Spirit at the first saving work that is here spoken of and there is in what sense you have heard the continuation of it in the whole life now this you are to labour after I mean two things 1. you are to live under the constant influences 2. under the constant government and rule of the Spirit Blessed is the man that hath it always working in him and ruling of him what a life doth he live who ever lives under the Spirits authoritative guidance Col. 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts c. I and let the Spirit of peace rule in your hearts 'T is a great motive to men to come under the rule of Christ to consider that where he rules there he saves and 't is also a great motive to sanctified persons to live under the rule of the Spirit to consider where he rules there he comforts his governing and his comforting go together he that is acted by the Spirits command and yields up himself to the Spirits guidance shall neither want peace here nor come short of Heaven hereafter 3 To set Law against Law Set Law against Law the Law of the Spirit against the Law of Sin You yet find too much of this latter Law and it goes to the heart of you that Sin should yet have so great a power over you well what have you to do in this case why set Law against Law power against power the power of the Spirit against the power of Sin this should humble you that should support you That power which could baffle Sin when in its full strength can it not subdue it in the remainders thereof that power which could bring you in to God in spite of all opposition is it not sufficient to keep you now you are brought in to God 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation that very power is put forth for your establishment now which was put forth for your Conversion at the first ô fear not the Law of Sin against you so long as the Law of the Spirit is for you When you are beset and enemies press hard upon you see that you improve both for duty and comfort this power of Gods own Spirit Thus I have finish'd the three Observations which take in the summe of this Verse Rom. 8.2 Reader the Contents of this Chapter were insisted upon only in the close of a Sermon I having under the former Head the Law of Sin exceeded the bounds allowed by the Press cannot upon this Head the Law of Death make any considerable enlargement From the Law of Sin and Death CHAP. VIII Of the Law of Death The connexion 'twixt Sin and Death Where 't is the Law of Sin there 't is the Law of Death Regenerate persons are made free from this Law that opened with respect to Death temporal and Death eternal Vse 1. Men persuaded to believe that Sin and Death go together dehorted from thence not to sin Vse 2. Of the happiness of Gods people Of the Law of Death THe Apostle here sets a twofold Law before us the Law of Sin and the Law of Death the former I have been large upon the latter I must dispatch in a few words And Death The word Law is not repeated but according to that interpretation which some put upon the Words 't is to be * Ut Lex ad utrumque ex aequo referatur Erasm Of the twofold Sense of the Words repeated 't is the Law of Sin and 't is the Law of Death too as if the Apostle had said The Law c. hath made me free both from the Law of Sin and also from the Law of Death In the * See pag. 152. opening of them I told you there is a twofold Sense given of them 1. Some tell us there is in them the Figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein one thing is set forth by two words therefore they render this and Death as being onely an Adjective or Epethite of Sin thus the Law c. from the Law of Sin and Death that is from deadly Sin or from the Law of Sin which is of a deadly nature 2. Others take the word substantivè making the Law of Death to be a Law by it self as well as the Law of Sin as if this Death was not to be melted into Sin and the deliverance from it into the deliverance from Sin but that they are distinct things and point to distinct deliverances Now both of these Senses are very true and good and indeed I know not which to prefer From the First The Matter contained in them one single point offers it self to us viz. That Sin is a deadly thing From the Second these three which mutatis mutandis perfectly answer to the three former under the Law of Sin 1. That men by Nature and before Regeneration are under the Law of Death 2. That upon Regeneration or such as are Regenerate are made free from the Law of Death 3. That 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life which frees from the Law of Death The due handling of these Heads would take up a great deal of time but I having already staid too long upon this Verse and upon some other Considerations I am necessitated to contract and therefore for the better shortning of the work I must pitch upon another method wherein I may draw all into a narrow compass Three things abserv'd in the Words That Sin and Death go together Three things onely shall be observ'd 1. That Sin and Death go hand in hand together There 's an inseperable connexion or conjunction betwixt them they come here in the Text very near each to the other there 's but an and betwixt them and that too is copulative the Law of Sin and Death And well might the Apostle put them together when God himself in the methods of his Justice and in the threatning of his Law hath so put them together and surely what he hath so joyn'd no man can put asunder When Sin came into the world Death came along with it the one trod upon the heels of the other if man will sin he shall
ire Cypr. fear it For to you 't will come without a sting and you know the Serpent that hath lost its sting may hiss but cannot hurt 't is in it self an enemy and the * 1 Cor. 15.26 last enemy but to you 't is an harmless because a conquer'd enemy it may seem to threaten the greatest evil but in truth it shall do you the greatest good But here lies your main happiness you are wholly exempted from eternal death the second death you shall dye but once and then live with God forever 'T is this second death that makes the first to be so formidable for a man to dye that he may live that 's not at all dreadful but to dye here in order to a worser death hereafter there 's the thing which is only dreadful When death is but an inlet to eternal life a departure to be * Phill. 1.23 with Christ when there 's no condemnation to follow after it you may and you should meet it with joy and holy triumph And know that to you it shall not be bare freedome from eternal death but it shall also be the possession of eternal life there 's very much in the privative part of the mercy but when the positive part too is joined with it how high doth it rise ô admire and adore the Grace of God! The least of your sins deserves death the best of your duties doth not deserve life and yet you are freed from that which you so much deserve and shall be put into the possession of that which you so little deserve here 's the riches of the grace of God towards you Sin and Death are the two * Peccatum mors sunt duae partes adaequatae humanae miseriae nam in culpâ poenâ tota miseria hominis consistit Streso comprehensive evils all evil is summ'd up in and under them but you are freed from both what reason have you to rejoice and to admire the Lords boundless goodness ô the damned in hell who are under this death and feel it what would they give to be freed from it You through the merit of Christ and the power of the Spirit are made free from it therefore you should first be very thankeful and then very chearful What great things hath the gracious God done for you he hath delivered you from the Rule of sin whilst you live from the hurt of death when you dye have not you abundant cause of blessing and rejoicing 'T will not be long before this Death will look you in the face and lay its cold hands upon you 't is every minute making its nearer approaches to you by every breath you draw it gets ground upon you well be not troubled at this you know the worst on 't 't is death but not damnation 't is the parting of the Soul from the Body but no parting of the Soul from God 't is but dying temporally that you may live eternally how great is your happiness proportionable to which how great should your thankefulness and holy joy be So much for this Verse ROM 8.3 4. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit CHAP. IX Of the Laws inability to justify save High and glorious Matter contained in these two Verses Of their Coherence with what went before The difference amongst Expositors about that The General sense and meaning of the Words The various Readings and Explications of them They are divided into Five Parts There 's a Complication in them of the several Causes of the Sinners Justification and Salvation The First Branch of the Text insisted upon What the Law c. Four things observed in it Of its Literal Exposition What is here meant by Law What that was which the Law could not do How 't is said to be weak What the Flesh is by which 't is weakened The whole matter drawn into one Observation Of the Special matter of the Laws impotency as it refers to Justification and Salvation Three Grounds or Demonstrations of its impotency 1. It requires more than what the fal'n Creature can perform 2. It doth not give what the fal'n Creature needs 3. It cannot make reparation for what the fal'n Creature bath done Use 1. To humble us because we have a Nature in us by which Gods own Law is thus weakened where some thing is said against the Power of Nature Use 2. First To vindicate the Honor of the Law notwithstanding the Weakness charg'd upon it Secondly The Laws Obligation not to be cast off because of this Thirdly Nor yet is it to be look'd upon as altogether weak or useless Use 3. To take men off from expecting Righteousness and Life from and by the Law Use 4. To stir up Believers to adore the Love and Mercy of God in sending his Son when the Law was under an utter inability to justifie and save High and glorious things contained in these Verses OUr Apostle here Eagle-like soar's aloft and rises up in his discourse to the most sublime truths of the Gospel These two Verses set things before us so high and glorious as may fill Heaven and Earth Angels and Men with amazement and astonishment Here 's the whole Gospel sum'd up in a few words contracted and brought into a narrow compass here 's in one view Man undone and Man recover'd the depths of the Creatures misery and the heights of Gods Mercy in a short abridgement Here 's Gods sending his Son which surely was the greatest thing that ever he did it being the highest contrivance of his infinite Wisdom and the highest product of his infinite Love Here 's this Son sent in our flesh the first and the great Mystery of the Gospel for it comes in the front of the Gospel-Mysteries 1 Tim. 3.16 Here 's sin condemn'd and the Sinner acquitted the Law represented as impossible for us to keep yet fulfilled for us in a most strange and wonderful manner as Christ hath done and suffered that for us which we were utterly unable to do and suffer our selves O the * Eph. 3.18 bredths lengths depths heights of the Wisdom Mercy Justice Holiness of God! for all these several Attributes in what is here set forth do concur and shine forth in their greatest lustre Who can hear or read these two Verses with due consideration and not be in a divine transport and extasie for the truth is whatever is short of the most raised workings in the Soul is too low for the glorious things here spoken of The Coherence of them with what goes before We must first enquire into their Coherence or Connexion with what goes before They are a further proof or confirmation of the main Proposition laid down in the first
by communication from any other in which respect he is in Scripture more frequently stiled God than either the Son or the Holy Ghost 3. You have the Person sent our Lord Jesus Christ And he is set forth 1. by his neer Relation to God God sending his Son In order to the Sinners Redemption God did not imploy an ordinary Person a meer Servant a Creature that stood at a great distance from him but so great was his Love he imploy'd a Son 2. by the speciality and peculiarity of this Relation God sending his own Son In the Greek 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of himself In Vers 32. 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his proper Son or his own Son There is that in this expression which very much heightens Christ's Sonship he was not barely a Son but God's own Son a Son in a special extraordinary incommunicable manner 4. Here 's the further explication of this Sending with respect to the way and manner of it how did God send his Son why in the likeness of sinful flesh If you go further into the Words than that Branch of them which I have now read there are two Generals more to be observed in them but they will be taken notice of in their proper place Three Observations raised There are three great Doctrinal Truths here to be handled 1. That Christ was sent 1. Obs and sent by God the Father 2. That Christ thus sent was God's own Son 2. Obs 3. That Christ God's own Son was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh 3. Obs The First handled I begin with the first That Christ was sent and sent by God the Father Here are two things to be spoken to Christ's being sent and his being sent by the Father but they may very well be put together Before I fall upon the close handling of this Sending of Christ there are three things which it presents to our Consideration his Praâ—xistence his Personality his Personal Distinction from the Father let me therefore a little touch upon each of these of Christ's Praeecistence before his Innation 1. This Sending of Christ strongly imply's his Praeecistence before his Incarnation For if he had not had a Being before how could the Father send him that which is not cannot be sent 'T is not said here * Non de novo creans vel faciens sed quasi praeexistentem misit Aquin Misit non creavit aut condidit sed qui secum erat ceaeternus eundem ad nos 〈◊〉 â—egavit non ut eâ—â—et ubi non fuer at c. Sed up appareret ubi in visibili modo erat Soro The whole body of the Socinian Authors agree in this except Erasmus Johannis who fell in with the Arrianâ— See Socinus his Disp with him De Filii Dei existeâ—â—â— that God now created him or made him as if he did not exist before but he sent him which must as I said strongly imply that he did exist before this Sending This the †Socinians fiercely oppose and therefore in this matter they are worse than the Arrians For these though they deny'd that Christ was from all Eternity and made him to be only first created by God upon the misunderstanding and perverting of his being called the first born of every Creature Col. 1.13 the beginning of the creation of God Rev. 3.14 yet they asserted Christ's existence long before his Incarnation But the Socinians following Photinus deny that he had any Being or Existence before he was conâ—â—â—ed and brought forth by the Virgin Mary So that their Opinion about the Person of Christ is somewhat worse than that of the Old Arrians for which they are admonished and dealt with a little sharply by a late * Sandius in Nucleus Histor Eccles who p. 229. L. 1 concerning the Praeexistence of Christ thus expresses himself Licet dogma de Praeexistentiâ Christi antesaeculaâ—i in Symbolo dicto non contineatur c. nihilo minus praestat tutiorem viam sequi Christi praeexistentiam non denegando Nam si Christus praeextitit quanti res plena periculi Christo id nolle concedere quod ei jure comperit quà m mitem judicem habituri sunt qui ita sentiunt Hâ—si Christus non fuit ante Mariam periculo tamen vacat confessio praeexistentiae Nam Christus non succensebit illis qui ei nimium honoris attribuerint Nec est quod timeant se eo ipso detrabere Majestati Patris Nam ut taceam non esse contrarationem vel impossibile Fillum fuisse primogenitum ante òmnes creaturas certe Majestati Patris magis convenit quòd â—alem Filium anto saecula genuerit Deâ—â—de nec habent quod vereantur sâ— per praeexistentiam tollere veri Christ hamanitatem potest enim virtute Divinâ quilibet Angelus incarnari uniri cum came in unitatem Personae sic ut ille unitus simul dici possit Homo Angelus Plato non negavit animas praeexistentes post incarnationem fieri homines Arrian Writer himself The Orthodox fully prove the Eternity of Christ against the One and consequently the Praexistence of Christ before his Incarnation against the Other And One would think the Scriptures are so clear in this that there should not be the least Controversie about it For they tell us that Christ was in Jacobs time Gen. 48.16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil c. it might easily be proved that this * Vide Franzii Disput Theolog Disp 14. The. 40. p. 436. Angel was Christ That he was in Job's time for he said Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth meaning Christ That he was in the Prophets time under the Old Testament for the Spirit of Christ was in them 1 Pet. 1.11 That he was in Abrahams time yea long before it Joh. 8.56 c. Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and was glad Then said the Jews unto him thou art not yet fifty years old and hast thou seen Abraham Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you before Abraham was I am That he was in the Israelites time for 1 Cor. 10.9 't is said Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted him is added in some Translations however the Sense will so carry it That he was in the Prophet Isaih's time for Joh. 12.41 you read These things said Isaias when he saw his glory and spake of him that is of Christ Now were not these Periods of time before long before Christ's being born of the Virgin therefore he had an existence before that How fully and plainly is this asserted in the Gospel Joh. 1.1 2 3 10. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God The same was in the beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made He was in the world
his mercy to Sinners he had gracious purposes in himself towards Man and whereas all mankind lay before him in an undone and ruin'd condition he would not leave them to perish eternally in that condition Then supposing this which cannot be deny'd God must send something must be done or else these gracious purposes of God will be lost and all men must inevitably perish for ever For as to all Other Wayes the Sinners Case was desperate with respect to them there was no hope or help some new and strange course must be taken or else as things stand on the Creatures part there 's nothing to be look'd for but hell and damnation Now things being brought to this pass therefore God will send yea he will send his own Son for hee 'l be sure to pitch upon a Way which shall infallibly and effectually do the work Observe it in the Text when or because it was impossible for the Law to do then or therefore God sent his Son since neither the Law nor any thing else could operate to any purpose towards the advancing of God's Honour and the promoting of the Sinners good it was necessary in order to these great Ends that God himself should interpose in some extraordinary way which thereupon he accordingly did in the sending of Christ But more particularly let us take it for granted that there was a necessity of Sending yet why did God pitch upon his Son and send him might not some Other Person have been sent as well as he or might not some Other Way have been found out as good as this I answer No Christ the Son must be the very Person whom God will send And him he pitch'd upon so far as we poor shallow mortals are able to judge of his deep and unsearchable actings or to assign the reasons of them for these Reasons 1. First because he was the Person with whom the Father had covenanted about this very thing There was a Covenant commonly called the Covenant of Redemption which had passed betwixt these two Persons in which the Father engaged so and so to Christ and Christ reciprocally engaged so and so to the Father a considerable part of the terms and matter of which Covenant is set down Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed c. The Father Covenants to do thus and thus for Fallen Man but first in order thereunto the Son must Covenant to take man's Nature therein to satisfie offended Justice to repair and vindicate his Father's Honour c well he submits assents to these demands indents and covenants to make all good and this was the Covenant of Redemption Now upon this Covenant God sends his Son that being done in pursuance of and agreeable to that admirable compact or stipulation that had passed betwixt them both So that this Sending was not founded meerly upon the Father's absolute Will or Sovereignty over Christ but upon the foederal agreement made betwixt them as to this very matter Of which I 'le say no more here having formerly had an opportunity to publish some thoughts about it 2. Secondly God sent Christ because he saw that was the very best way which could be taken and therefore in wisdom he pitch'd upon it O there was no Way like to that The Father had great desigus now to carry on as for example to let the world see what an evil thing Sin was what a dreadful breach it had made betwixt himself and the Creature how terrible and impartial his Justice was what an Ocean of Love he had in his heart to promote the Sinners happiness yet so as in the first place to secure and advance his own glory in the magnifying of all his Attributes to indear himself his Son and all his mercies to his people to lay a sure foundation for the Righteousness and Salvation of believers were not these great and glorious designs Now there was no Way for the accomplishing and effecting of these comparable to this of God's sending his Son What God might have done some other way by his absolute Power and Will abstracting from his decree I dare not enquire into much less determine any thing about it or wherther this was the Onely Way I leave to others to discuss but certainly this was the best the fittest Way and therefore the Wise God pitch'd upon it Eos itaque qui dicunt itane defuit Deo modus alius quo liberaret homines à miseriâ mortalitatis hujus ut unigenitum Filium c. parum est sic refellere ut istum modum quo nos per Mediatorem Dei Hominum hominem Jesum Christum Deus liberare dignatur asseramus bonum divinae congruum dignitati verum etiam ut oftendamus non alium modum possibilem Deo defuisse cujus potestati aequalitèr cuncta subjacent sed sanandae nostrae miseriae convenientiorem alium non fuisse Aug. de Trin. lib. 13. cap. 10. Austine went no higher than thus 3. Christ was sent because as this was the best and the fittest Way so he was the best and the fittest Person to be imploy'd in such an Embassy God always sends the fittest messengers upon his errands 't was a great errand for Christ to come from heaven to earth about man's Redemption but God saw that He was the fittest messenger to be imploy'd therein and therefore he sent him For as he imploys none in his work especially when 't is high and of great importance whom he doth not either find or make fit for it so the more fit any are for his work the rather he doth imploy them and therefore this was that which induced him to send Christ none being so fit for the managing and transacting the Work of Redemption as he was which I shall endeavour to make out in a few Particulars Christ's superlative fitness for it appears from and was grounded upon Christ's Fitness for the Work of Redemption set forth 1. His two Natures the Hypostatical union of Both in his Person He was God Joh. 1.1 Phil. 2.6 1 Joh. 5.20 Rom. 9.5 Isa 9.6 Tit. 2.13 He was also Man 1 Tim. 2.5 then too he â—as God-man in one Person Col. 2.19 Now who could be so fit to bring God and Man together as he who was himself both God and Man who so fit to negotiate with both as he who was a middle Person betwixt both who so fit to treat with an offended God as he who was God who so fit to suffer as he who was Man and to merit by suffering as he who was God-man Had he been only God he could not have suffered had he been only Man he could not have merited but being both he was eminently fit for both viz. for suffering and meriting for obeying and satisfying Thus his not to be parallell'd Fitness was grounded upon his Personal consideration 2. 'T was grounded upon his glorious Attributes his Power Wisdom Mercy Goodness Faithfulness
have been some ground of fear that he would not have been able to have gone throught such a work but when Christ is pitch'd upon all ground of fear is removed to be sure he can and will finish what he engages in And 't is evident that he perfected what he came about from the Father's re-admitting him into Heaven had there been any thing left undone by him would the Father have given him such a reception as he did Believers do not fear all is * Joh. 17.4 finished Christ gave not over till he brought it * Joh. 19.30 to that You do your work by halfes very weakly and imperfectly but Christ did his compleatly yea though the Law it self through your flesh was weak yet Christ in your flesh was strong he did that throughly which the Law was altogether unable to do 4. Did God send Christ know to your Comfort he hath not yet done As to his own Satisfaction he hath no more to do but as to Your Glory and Happiness he will yet do more He sent Christ once into the Flesh and he will send him again in the Flesh not to suffer and die again no Christ †Rom. 6.9 being dead dies no more there 's now no further need of any suffering and dying but to appear * c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athan. de Incar Verbi p. 110. like Himself in Glory and then to take you up into Glory Once already he came down from Heaven to Earth from thence hee 'l come again for what end why to carry you up from Earth to Heaven Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many that 's past and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation this is yet to come O long for it and rejoyce in it His First-Sending was to make the Purchase his Second shall be to put you into Possession which shall be done as certainly as the former is done and then there will be nothing further to be done 5. Wherefore did God send Christ for most gracious ends and purposes 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners c. 1 Joh. 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Joh. 3.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Now were these God's Ends and shall they not be accomplished may not Faith fetch strong encouragement from these for in order to the strengthning of Faith we are to look to God's Works and their great Ends as well as to his Word and Promise 6. Did God send Christ set this against All. Against the weakness of the Law that which the Law could not do Christ did that which was too hard for it was not too hard for him the Text tells you he was sent on purpose to make up what was defective in the Law Set it also against the guilt of Sin upon Christ's Sending presently you read of the condemning of sin God sent his own Son c. and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Sin was to be destroy'd and the Wise God took a fit course imploy'd a fit messenger for that end as the Scape-Goat with the Sin of the people was to be sent away by the hand of a fit man into the Wilderness Lev. 16.21 Several Other things might be instanced in whatever it is which troubles the dejected Christian let him therein study a God sending a Son sent and there he may find very proper and considerable satisfaction in every Case 7. God sent Christ for whom for you who see your lost and undone condition Matth. 15.24 I am not sent but unto the lost Sheep of the house of Israel so his Commission was straitned at first but afterwards it was enlarged to the lost sheep of the Gentiles also Luke 19.10 The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Matt. 9.13 I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am chief 8. He that sent Christ was also pleased to lay a special Trust and Charge upon him to secure all the Elect and to look to it that not One of those should perish Here 's a Truth which is like the full Honey-comb you cannot touch it but Honey and sweetness drops from it And I the rather here take notice of it because I find our Saviour himself when he is speaking of his Sending to make mention of it or when he mentions it to take in also his sending as Joh. 6.39 40. This is the Father's Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And this is the Will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day O when the Father sent Christ he made this known to him as his Will and Pleasure that he should take special care of all his Elect and see that not one of them should be lost And this Christ submitted to as a part of his Surety-ship and ever since he hath with all faithfulness observed this his Father's Will and made good his Trust in the securing of every sincere Christian And for your Comfort know that this Trust doth as much lie upon Christ's hands now as ever it did that even as to your individual Persons if you be true Believers it is the Father's Will to Christ that he should not lose one of you or let one of you perish A child of God perish O by no means that neither Father nor Son will permit Rather than that should befal any of the Elect God would send his Son again to do and suffer all over again if such a thing was to be imagined Here then Believers is matter of strong Consolation for you viz. as to your Spiritual and Eternal State you are safe Christ is under a special obligation to secure you For the Father did not only send him in order to the bringing of you into a good estate but he did also then entrust him with the keeping of you in that estate when he should have brought you into it and what can be spoken higher for your support and comfort But I must leave these things with you O that you would often think of them especially in Soul-distresses and be ever drawing from them till your Hearts be even brim-full of Heavenly Consolation A Third Vse offers it self
as may be suitable to his Nature and Relation as he is the infinite God and the eternal only begotten Son of God and what Honour can be high enough for such a Person But more particularly there 's a twofold Honour which you must all give to Christ 1. The Honour of Worship Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth in the first-born into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him God will have his only begotten Son to be worshipped though he be very tender to whom that honour is given Divines do from hence strongly argue yet I know * Remonstr Apolog Cap. 2. 16. Episcop Inst Theolog. lib. 4. sect 2. cap. 34. 35. Some make but little of this Argument to prove the Godhead of Christ thus if religious Worship be God's peculiar if a God be the sole and adaequate object of Divine Worship if no Creature be to share with him therein it being that Glory which he will not give to another Isa 42.8 Matth. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and yet the Father will have Christ to be the proper Object of divine Worship hence it follows that then he is and must be more than meer Man that he is true and very God And surely it would be no better than flat Idolatry in us Christians to give proper and formal religious worship to Christ was he not truly God as well as truly Man Therefore as to this Franciscus David and Christianus Franken both Socinians were in the right against Socinus if Christ was but meer Man the common Principle in which they all agreed then he could not be worshipped with religious Worship without Idolatry whereupon they would not give any such worship to him And as this Worship proves Christ's Godhead so his Godhead is the * Of this see Zanch. de tribus Elohim l. 3 c. 12. Junius Def. Trinit contra Samosat Profess Leid Cens cap. 16. Voetius de Adorat Christi Cheynel Trin-unity very largely p. 334. c. Dr. Stillingfleet of the Idolatry of the c. chap. 2. p. 112 113 114. ground of it for the adaequate immediate proper ground of Divine Worship as attributed to Christ is his divine Nature Essence and Sonship true he as Man is to be worshipped but not because he is Man the Humane Nature of Christ is the Object of Worship but 't is only as 't is taken into Personal Vnion with the Divine As he is Mediator and set in such an Office he is to be worshipped but this is not the proper and fundamental reason thereof for though he never had been Mediator yet Worship would have been due to him as the Father and Spirit are to be worshipped though the Office of Mediator belongs not to them Further the Lord Jesus as he in our Nature hath done such great and excellent things for us is to be worshipped yet this is only a forcible motive and inducement thereunto not the proper ground of it it remains then that the alone reason of Worship given or done to Christ is his being God and the co-equal co-essential Son of God And he being so what an obligation doth this lay upon you to worship him there 's inward worship consisting in the trust fear reverence adoration of the heart there 's outward worship consisting in attendance upon and due observance of Gospel-institutions as Prayer Hearing the Word c in both of these respects let Christ be worshipped by you both are due to him as he is God's own Son Well may you tender your homage to him in this way when Angels themselves bow before him and worship at his throne 2. Secondly there 's the Honour of Obedience which you must also give to Christ This is annexed to the declaration of his Sonship at the same time in which the Father attested that Christ was his Son he enjoyned obedience and subjection to him * Matth 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased what follows hear ye him this hearing of Christ is the Creatures obeying of him in all his holy Laws Commands and Institutions and so 't is as if God had said here 's a Person whom I own for my Son in a special and peculiar way whom therefore I have set as * Psal 2.6 my King upon my holy Hill of Sion into whose hands I have put †Matth. 28.18 all power upon whose shoulders I have laid the ‖ Isa 9.7 Government therefore I charge you to hear him and to yield all Obedience and Subjection to him O Sirs 't is God himself and not such a poor worm as I who requires this of you it must be Reverence and it must be Obedience too this high relation of Christ calls for both and believe it without this Obedience he that is God's Son will never be your Saviour for Heb. 5.9 Being made perfect he became the author of eternal Salvation unto all them and to none but them that obey him I have spoken much to press believing on this Son upon you but let me add there must be obeying of him as well as believing on him Obedience is not so of the very essence of Faith but that Faith may very well be defin'd without it yet 't is an inseparable Adjunct or Consequent or fruit of Faith and these two do alwayes concur in the Subject though they be different in themselves and have a different influence upon justification and salvation But that which I aim at is this since Christ is the Son of God and this is clearly revealed to you since this Son hath made known to you in the holy Gospel what his Will and pleasure is how he would have you to live what to do what to shun I beseech you now hearken to him comply with him in all his excellent Commands give up your selves in an universal subjection to his blessed Laws let there be an obediential frame of heart to his whole Will this is indeed to honour him and to honour him in such a way as best answers his Sonship to God and his Lordship over you 4. Branch of the Exhortation To adore the Love of God 4. Fourthly is Christ no lower a Person than God's own Son what cause have we then to admire and wonder at the greatness of God's Love in his sending of him Here 's a glass indeed to transmit and represent unto us the Love of God O how shall we get our hearts affected with it what thankfulness in us can bear any proportion to the mercy before us For God to send to send a Son such a Son in such a manner as follows in the words here 's the Wonder of Wonders God never did the like before and hee 'l never do the like again and blessed be his name there is no need he should 'T would have been admirable mercy if God would have sent some other person upon this errand to redeem
and save undone Sinners if send he will why did he not send an Angel or a body of Angels to try their skill and see what they could do nay why did he not send an Angel as he once did with a * Gen. 3.24 flaming Sword in his hand to keep off Sinners from the tree of life O this did not comport with his gracious designs though it did too well with the Creatures merit therefore he would not do it no his own Son shall be pitch'd upon he 's the Person whom God will send And his End in sending this Son was as gracious as the Person whom he sent was glorious surely here was Love great Love great even to the degree of infiniteness Millions of Angels were nothing to one Son to one such Son the nearer the relation was 'twixt God and Christ the greater was the affection shown to us Christ God's own Son his first born his only begotten Son the Son of his Love who lay in his bosome had been his delight from everlasting for him to be sent to recover and save Man vile sinful wicked undone man the Son to be imploy'd for the Servant the Slave the Enemy O astonishing mercy O admirable goodness and condescension How may we here cry out Lord * Psal 8.4 Psal 144.3 what is man that thou art thus mindful of him and the †Joh. 3.16 Son of man that thou makest this account of him Here was God's so loving of the world so as can never be express'd he so loved the world as that he gave his only begotten Son c. So loved the world what is there in this so why so inexpressibly so unconceivably Joh. 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins God own'd it as a great discovery of Abraham's Love to him when upon his command he was willing to offer up his only begotten Son but alas how infinitely short did that come of his own Love in his sending and parting with his only begotten Son for the good of Sinners here he intended to give out the highest manifestation of his Grace and he hath done it to purpose The * Isa 1.2 heavens and the earth were once called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the ingratitude of a sinful people may not now Heaven and Earth Angels and Men all Creatures whatsoever be called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the stupendious Love of God O Christians what influence hath this upon your dull and sluggish hearts what are you made of that you are no more in the sense of it drawn out in the blessing loving admiring of God Pray if there be any holy ingenuity in you take some pains with your selves that you may be much more affected with it and give not over till you have such thoughts and affections upon God's sending his own Son raised in you as may in some measure answer to those thoughts and affections which you shall have about it when you shall be in Heaven Use 3. For Comfort from Christ's Sonship So much for Exhortation the third and last Vse shall be for Comfort and surely here is ground of strong Consolation to Believers that which may highly conduce to the furthering of their joy and the strengthning of their faith You who are such study this Sonship of Christ dwell upon it often in your most serious thoughts make the best of it and then tell me whether you do not find that solid Support and Comfort from it which you desire and need Shall I broach this full Vessel and draw out a little of that heart-chearing liquour which is in it then know that 1. As Christ is the Son of God so are you When I say SO are you you must understand me of the Verity not of the Kind or Manner of the Sonship you are not Sons as Christ is viz. by eternal Generation yet Sons you are in another way viz. by regeneration and adoption and though herein you come short of Christ you being but adopted Sons and he the natural Son yet as you are but such there is greater glory put upon you than if you were descended from or adopted by the greatest Monarch of the World May not this be matter of great comfort to you to consider that whatever Christ is that you are according to your capacity and necessary subordination to him that all that Grace which fell upon him falls upon you likewise and yet so it is is he the anointed of God so are you is he a Son so are you is he the beloved of God so are you is he the Heir of God so are you in these respects also 't is * Joh. 1.16 Grace for Grace I am upon your Sonship in conformity to Christ's Sonship the truth of which you have no reason to question since the procuring of this for you was one thing that God in special aimed at in the sending of his Great Son into the world Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son c. that we might receive the adoption of Sons and therefore in this relation Christ takes you in with himself Joh. 20.17 Go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God 2. You may now upon this confidently expect the bestowing of all good For Christ being God's own Son and he having given him to you what can come after that can be too great or too good for him to give to you what will God now deny after the gift of such a Son He * Rom. 8.32 that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Saints let this be thought of as all blessings come to you from God as he is the God and Father of Christ for 't is * Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ so all blessings are assur'd to you from this relative consideration of God viz. as he is first the God and Father of Christ and then in him your God and Father too 3. You may he sure that there is an infinite value worth and efficacy in Christ's Obedience and that he was a person able to accomplish your Redemption Christ being such a Son this speaks him to be a Person of great dignity that dignity of his Person gives the highest assurance to Faith both that he was every way able to go through what he undertook and also that there must be an infinite Virtue and Merit in what ever he did or suffered What can be so
his invention and contrivance and his only the wisest Creatures in the world had they united all their wisdom could never have thought of such a way for the redeeming of lost man In so desperate a case God himself to speak after the manner of men was fain to set his own wisdom on work to find out a remedy and this was that which he found out and pitched upon O the infinite unsearchable incomprehensible Wisdom of God! The Apostle speaks of the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 of the manifold wisdom of God Eph. 3.10 of his abounding in all wisdom and prudence Eph. 1.8 what may these expressions refer to but to God's deep and most wise designs and methods display'd in the work of man's redemption by a Christ incarnate And which was a great demonstration of his Wisdom see how the remedy was suited to the malady Man at first would be as God and that ruin'd him therefore now God shall be as Man and that shall restore him Man gave the wound and Man shall heal that wound O the wisdom of God! 2. His Power for Christ as he was the Wisdom of God so also the Power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 and as he was so in other respects so eminently in that which I am upon 'T was an act of mighty power for God so nearly to unite the Godhead and the Manhood the bringing of two Natures so distant together in one Person must needs be the product of infinite power For God to make something out of nothing that speaks the greatness of his Power but for God to be made Man there being in some respects a greater distance betwixt the Godhead and the Manhood than 'twixt Something and Nothing this speaks a greater power 'T is much that Soul and Body two such different Beings should be so conjoyn'd as to make a Man that such disagreeing Elements should be reconcil'd in corpore mixto but what are these to the joyning of the Godhead and Manhood in one hypostasis 3. His Justice Is sin committed the holy Law broken doth the Creature lye under guilt God stands upon the vindication of his Honour the making good of his threatnings the satisfaction of his Justice Satisfaction he will have and in that Nature too in which the offence had been committed and because the Creature was altogether unable to make it in order thereunto God will have his own Son to take flesh that he may be in a capacity to obey do suffer what Justice required and when this Son had so assum'd flesh God fell upon him charg'd him with the guilt of all Believers exacted of him that punishment which was due to them would not spare him in the least or ' bate him any thing O the severity and impartiality of God's Justice 4. His Mercy Goodness and Love And doth not this Attribute shine forth as brightly in our Saviour's being made flesh as any of the former Here was the tender mercy of our God Luk. 1.78 God's so loving of the world Joh. 3.16 the great manifestation of his Love 1 Joh. 4.9 his glorious grace and the riches of his grace Eph. 1.6 7. Did ever God give the world such a demonstration of his Love and Grace as in the Incarnation of his Son O matchless infinite unlimited Love and Grace He had done exceeding well for Man as he made him at first for he put him into a very good state stamp'd his own Image upon him made him above all other Creatures to be his favourite but he foolishly sin'd and fell from God and thereby lost all his happiness Well! what did God now do did he let Man alone shut up his bowels against him fall upon him with his utmost wrath did he say Nay since 't is thus let him even rise as he hath fallen since he would be so foolish as for a trifle to break with me let him rot and die and perish for ever I 'le do no more for him O no! not such a word or thought did pass from the gracious God towards his miserable Creature He pitied undone man found out help for him yea sent his own Son to restore him and how did he send this Son why in Flesh but in what Flesh surely it shall be altogether glorious flesh such as shall be of a quite other Nature than that is which we poor mortals have I so it was in some respects but in others but just like to sinful flesh put all this together and was not here Love God will have sin to be punished but then the punishment shall be laid upon his own Son and the sinner himself shall be acquitted O the heighth of Justice and yet O the heighth of Mercy too There 's more of Mercy in God's sending Christ and sending him in this way than there would have been in his absolute pardoning of sin without any sending or any satisfaction because alwayes the more costly a mercy is the more there is of Mercy in that mercy And meer pardon nay Salvation it self have not so much of Mercy and Love in them as what was in Christ's assuming our Nature for as to the first 't is more for a King to put himself into the Traytor 's stead and himself to make satisfaction for his Offence than just to pardon him and as to the second in Salvation there is our advancement but in Christ's Incarnation there was his abasement now 't is more for such a Person as Christ to be abased than 't is for such a Creature as Man to be advanced All which being consider'd what an obligation doth there lie upon us to get our hearts rais'd up unto and drawn out in the highest admiration of God's Mercy God the Son to be admired 't is shewn here also how or wherein Secondly God the Son or Christ himself the Person who was incarnate he too is greatly to be admired with respect 1. to his Love 2. to his Holiness 3. to his Power 1. For his Love which indeed was superlative and admirable transcending the reach of the highest finite capacity Christ knew what our flesh was how much it was below him to take it * Te propter vitamque tuam sum Virginis alvum Ingressus sum factus Homo c. Lactant. de Benefic Christi yet for our good he readily condescended to it and was willing to debase and depress himself if he might but advance and exalt us here was the mirror of Love The greatness of his Person speaks the greatness of his Love * Phil. 2.6 7 8. Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God But made himself of no reputation c. what a Person was Christ before his Incarnation what a fall was here thereby for such a Person * Jacet in pannis qui regnat in coelis Mundum implens in praecepi jacens Sidera regens ubera lambens c. Conditor Mariae natus ex Mariâ Filius David
of the hands of your enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of your life Luk. 1.74 75. Partly too because upon Christ's sending in the flesh you have so full a demonstration of the evil of sin how hateful it was to God c. for it having got into the world nothing could expiate it unless God's own Son will take flesh yea and suffer and die in that flesh and so bring about the expiation of it O what an evil is sin Now notwithstanding and after all this will you yet love it and live in the commission of it what will this be but in effect to say you regard not what Christ was or did that you desire as far as in you lies to make this his great act the taking of flesh to be insignificant and to no purpose as also to declare to the world by your practises that you have quite other thoughts of sin than what God himself hath Especially they must shun those sins which do most disparage and debase the Humane Nature 3. Of all sins be sure you shun those which do most directly disparage and debase the Humane Nature such as drunkenness intemperance bodily uncleanness c. what a sad thing is it that ever such things should be done where there is such a Nature When Christ hath assum'd that Nature and by assuming it hath so dignified and advanc'd it nay when he hath so highly glorify'd it as to carry it up with him to Heaven and there to sit with it at the right hand of God shall we by such and such sinful courses the gratifying of such base lusts * Agnosce O Christiane dignitatem tuam divinae consors factus Naturae noli in veterem vilitatem degeneri conversatione redire Leo de Nativ dishonour and disparage it God forbid Sinners let me intreat you when ever the temptation comes to excite you to those Evils which in special do entrench upon the glory of the Humane Nature as to drink to excess to defile your bodies by fleshly lusts c. do but seriously think with your selves that you are Men and shall such carry it as beasts that your Saviour hath just such a body as you have and doth he abuse it by the committing of such Evils that he hath your Nature and doth he so and so sin in it that he hath restor'd it as 't is in himself to its pristine glory and will you as 't is in your selves keep it as vile as ever surely if such who are drown'd in sensuality did but seriously think of this they would abandon their base lusts rather than by them debase their excellent Nature They must love God and Christ 4. Love God and Christ yea love them strongly ardently to a very intense degree of love * 1 Joh. 4.16 God is Love he hath made it appear so in his sending of Christ in flesh therefore he deserves love he hath sufficiently acted and declared his love to you how will you act and declare your love to him c. he loved and * Joh. 3.16 so loved you will you not ‖ Si amare pigebat saltem reamare non pigeat August de Catech. Rud. return love for love I and so love him too to the utmost of your capacity What will fire the cold heart with love to God if this will not do it viz. his sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh he that knows and considers this certainly he cannot but be full of divine Love And then Love Christ was he willing to put on your rags to cloath himself with your flesh did he take your Nature and that too under those circumstances which have been mentioned doing this not for himself but wholly for your good was he pleas'd so far to condescend as to become one of you nay to put himself not only into your Nature but also into your stead he might have been a Man and yet not a Surety O let him have your Love your most hearty and cordial Love pray let it be your greatest grief that you have no more love for him who deserves so much alas 't is but a drop when it should be an Ocean but a poor spark when it should be a vehement flame And I would have you to love Christ who is incarnate as well as because he was incarnate what an alluring attracting object of Love is Christ God-man God loves him as he is in our flesh the Angels love him as in our flesh the glorify'd Saints love him too in that notion will not you also love him as he is so considered Christ in our Nature is a Person very amiable what is there in mear man to draw our love to him which is not in Christ God and Man with great advantage he indeed is the Deliciae humani generis * Psal 45.2 fairer than the children of men the †Cant. 5.10 chiefest amongst ten thousand ‖ 16. altogether lovely those excellencies which are but scattered in us do all like lines in the Centre concur in him A Christ incarnate is the love of heaven let him be the love of earth too 5. So love Christ as to be willing nay ambitious to do to suffer Be ambitious to do and suffer for Christ to be abased for him O Sirs what shall we * Deus Homo factus est quid facturus est Homo propter quem Deus factus est Homo August tom 3. p. 1070. do for him who hath done such inexpressible things for us shall we be loth to take his Cross who was so willing to take our Nature he had but the likeness of sinful flesh and yet how willingly and patiently did he suffer we have the reality of sinful flesh shall we hang off from suffering or be impatient under it what abasement can be too much for the sons of men when the Son of God was thus abased what service can be too mean for us when Christ stooped to the form of a Servant He that knows how much Christ's love was above him will never think any work or service to be below him 6. As Christ was pleas'd to partake with you in your Nature Labour after the participation of the divine Nature so let it be your desire and endeavour to partake with him in his I mean that which the Apostle speaks of when he saith that by these you might be partakers of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 even man in such a sense is capable of this and therefore should pursue after it 'T was part of Christ's humiliation to take our Humane Nature but 't is our highest exaltation to be brought under the participation of his divine Nature of which though we cannot be partakers as he was of the former for then we should be properly and formally deify'd which is high blasphemy yet in the fruits and effects of it and in regard
glorying who would take away from them the Manhood of Christ since as 't is truly said * Nullus potest eo capite gloriari in quo asserit Naturam suam non haberi Leo Epist 11. No man can glory in that head in which he believes there is not his own Nature And how injurious are the Saints unto themselves who do so little meditate upon improve and draw comfort from Christ in this consideration Wherein doth Christ's Incarnation afford matter of Comfort to Believers If it be ask'd What is there in a Christ incarnate for the strengthning of the Faith the heightning of the comfort of God's Children give me leave to answer this Question in several particulars 1. There 's this in it certainly this must be an effectual and the most effectual way imaginable for the promoting of God's glory and the Sinners good This an effectual way to promote God's glory and the good of Sinners If Christ become Man that must be a very proper and powerful Means in order to these ends for besides the greatness of the thing in it self if it shall please God out of his abundant mercy to propound to himself the bringing about of such things he out of his infinite Wisdom will be sure to pitch upon such means as shall certainly reach them and therefore he pitching upon this unquestionably it shall attain what it was designed for Is not this then ground of joy and a great support to faith to consider that there is a way and such a way way found out as shall infallibly and effectually promote your good 2. In this you have in high demonstration of his * Nihil tam necessarium fuit ad erigendam spem nostram quam ut demonstraretur nobis quantum nos diligeret Deus Quid vero isto indicio manifestius quam quod Dei Filius Naturae nostrae dignatus est inire consortium Aug. de Trin. l. 13. Love yea the highest that was possible The highest demonstration of God's Love for there was in it ultimus divini amoris conatus infinite Love it self could go no higher than a Christ in Flesh Now this Love of God is the strongest the most heart-reviving cordial that can be given to a gracious person and answerable to the degree of that so is the degree of his comfort for evermore where God displayes his highest Love there he hath the highest comfort You that are such do you desire an evidence of this and would that chear you here you have one the very highest that God could give viz. his sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh All the Promises are seal'd by this 3. By this as hath been already observed under a former head all the promises are seal'd confirm'd and ratify'd Christ's Incarnation was not only one of the promises it self yea the grand Old-Testament promise but it was the seal and confirmation of all the rest When God would give Ahaz a sign for the incouraging of his faith as to the making good of a particular mercy promis'd what was that sign why Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel Isa 7.14 and so it is in all other respects The Promises indeed are confirmed several wayes but there is not any one thing which gives an higher confirmation to them than this Christ's being made Flesh What ever God hath promis'd 't is all sure now to be made good why because his great promise of the Incarnation of his Son than the which nothing could be more high and more improbable is exactly accomplished A Christ incarnate is Faith's highest security Saints you have no reason now to question either God's power for what cannot he do who can unite the Godhead and the Manhood what can be too hard for him who can make a Virgin to conceive or his mercy and willingness to do any thing for you for he that will send his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh what will he stick at what can come after that can be so great as that * Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son how shall he not with him give us all things Well therefore might the Apostle say All the promises of God in him in Christ are yea and in him Amen c. 2 Cor. 1.20 A very great and precious Truth here lies before me All the great objects of the Christians Faith and Hope are by Christ's Incarnation made sure and credible This proved by Instancâ—s which there-I would fain speak more fully unto 't is this that all the excellent Objects of the Christians Faith and Hope are made credible nay sure and certain upon the Incarnation of the Son of God This I 'le endeavour to make out in some Instances As the Mystical Vnion 1. There 's first the mystical union betwixt Christ and Believers a very great mystery as you have heard Christ in believers and one with them what can be more wonderful yet 't is sure there is such a thing and we may be assured of it for 't is made credible and certain by that which I am upon The Hypostatical Vnion ascertains the Mystical Vnion the union of Persons is not so much as the Personal Vnion he that hath thus united our Manhood to his Godhead in one Person why may he not mystically unite our persons to his Person this latter union not being so high as the former As 't is said * Heb. 7 7. the less is blessed of the better so I may here say the less is confirmed by the greater if Christ had not come so near us in the taking of our Nature the mystical union might have been more doubtful but now there 's no room for doubting Observe that place Heb. 2.11 Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one there 's the union in the same common Nature for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren there 's the near relation or the mystical union grounded upon the former Communion with God Christ's special presence the inhabitation of the Spirit 2. There 's Communion with God Christ's special presence in the Soul the inhabitation of the Spirit All very high and glorious things so high that the poor creature knows not how to believe them yet they also are very credible and certain upon Christ's Incarnation 'T is more for God to be made man then 't is for God to converse with man God manifested in the flesh is more than God manifesting himself to flesh Moreover Christ in our flesh laid the foundation of the Creatures Communion with God and removed that which hindred it namely distance and enmity these two stood in the sinners way as to this blessed communion but Christ removed them both and so brought it about 'T is observable the Apostle having spoken of the Incarnation of Christ 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. presently he adds and truly our
stand before him as in our flesh dying and suffering for it if God will become Man the guilt of meer man shall not be so able to damn as the merit of God-man to save O thou true penitent be thy sins never so many never so great yet do not give way to despairing thoughts Bring out thy sins * Dr. Sibbs on 1 Tim. 3.16 p. 59. saith one weigh them to the utmost aggravation of them and set but this in the other scale God manifested in the flesh to take away sin now will all thine iniquities seem lighter than vanity yea be as nothing in comparison of that which is laid down as a propitiation for them And again saith he What temptation will not vanish as a cloud before the wind when we see God's Love in sending his Son and Christ's Love in taking our Nature upon him to reconcile us by the Sacrifice of his blood But some may object 't is a great while since Christ took flesh and in that flesh made satisfaction to God is not the efficacy and merit thereof impaired by that no not in the least Christ's merits are as fresh and have as great an efficacy now as they had at the first moment of his Incarnation and Passion may not that of the Apostle Heb. 2.16 have some reference to this where he speaks of Christ's taking flesh in the Present Tense as if 't was done but now for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he taketh not on him the nature of Angels but he taketh on him the seed of Abraham I speak this for the comfort of Christians but not so as to give advantage to the Socinian who because the words run in this Tense would therefore have them to be no proof of Christ's Incarnation Do your many defects the imperfections in your Graces and Duties trouble you you have Christ's perfect Manhood his perfect Holiness and Obedience in that Nature to fly unto The Apostle Col. 2. sets down the Hypostatical Vnion Vers 9. In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily well suppose it doth so what 's this to Believers why it follows immediately V. 10. And ye are compleat in him Christ being such a Person so full and perfect a Mediator in him every believer is and must be compleat So that though the sense of imperfections in your selves must humble you yet it must not overwhelm you because in Christ you are perfect Are you afraid notwithstanding all the Calls Invitations Promises of the Gospel yet to close with Christ O do not give way to such fears If you come to him cast your selves upon him will he cast you off he hath assur'd you he will not Joh. 6.37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast off Besides his word you have this to secure you he in his Person came from heaven to you and if you by Faith shall go to him do you think he will not give you kind reception I am sure and I will venture my Soul upon it that the gracious promises and encouragements of the Gospel to draw sinners to Christ shall all be made good for since he was pleas'd to take my flesh I have not the least reason to doubt but fully to be assur'd that he is real hearty in good earnest in all of them Many things of this nature might here be spoken unto but 't is full time to put an end to this subject ROM 8.3 4. And for sin condemned sin in the Flesh That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us CHAP. XIII Of Christ's being a Sacrifice and expiating Sin thereby A Fifth Head in the Words discussed viz. the End of God in sending his own c. or the Effect thereof How the Wisdom of God is secured by this End Of the placing of the Words for sin The whole a little descanted upon What the condemning of sin is opened more generally more particularly in three things The condemning of sin for sin opened a twofold interpretation given of it Of the Flesh in which sin is said to be condemned The Observation raised from the Words where 1. Of Christ's being a Sacrifice for Sin How he excels the Old Law-Sacrifices and of their reference to him Six things in those Sacrifices which are all to be found in Christ the true Sacrifice 'T is enquired 1. What a kind of Sacrifice he was proved that he was an expiatory Sacrifice Of the difference and distinction of the Jewish Sacrifices Four Heads insisted upon for the confirming of the main Truth As 1. that our sins were the meritorious Cause of Christ's Sufferings 2. that he did substitute himself in the Sinners stead where two Questions are briefly answered 1 Whether he underwent the same punishment that was due to the Sinner or only that which was equivalent thereunto 2 Whether he took the guilt of sin upon himself or only submitted to the punishment thereof 3. that he was killed and slain and his blood shed in correspondency with the Levitical expiatory Sacrifices 4. this is prov'd from the Ends and Effects of his Death viz. Atonement and Expiation both of which are opened Of the concurrence of the Heathens in their notions about Sacrifices 'T is enquir'd 2. When and where Christ was an expiatory Sacrifice 't is answered when he dy'd upon the Cross 2. Of the Effect of his Sacrifice the condemning of Sin Parallel expressions cited Of the nature of the expiation of Sin Of the extent of it with respect to the Subject and Object Whether were all Sins expiated by the Law-Sacrifices Use 1. I infer from the premises 1. The verity of Christ's Satisfaction 2. The true Nature and principal Ends of his Death 3. The vanity and falshood of all humane satisfactions 4. The true notion of the Lord's Supper 5. The happiness of Believers under the Gospel above theirs who liv'd under the Law 6. The excellency of Christ's Priesthood and Sacrifice 7. The Evil of Sin 8. The severity of God's Justice Use 2. Several Dutys urged from hence as Holiness the Love of Christ c. Use 3. This improved several ways for the Comfort of Believers A Fifth Head viz. the End of God in sending his Son c. or the Effects thereof IN the preceding Words God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh Four things have been observed and opened in these now read a Fifth Head offers it self to our consideration and that is the Effect of Christ's mission incarnation and of what followed thereupon or God's End in all this Did he pitch upon so admirable a Way and Method surely some high and glorious Effect must be produced thereby and so there was for thereby sin was condemned and surely too therein the Wise God must propound to himself some great and very considerable End to be accomplished and so he did for he aim'd at nothing lower than that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in Believers In the Words then
what could there be in them to pacisie an angry God or to to purifie a guilty Sinner what was the blood of a Beast as considered in it self to expiate the sin of a Man The Apostle plainly tells us Heb. 10.4 It is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin therefore he sayes there was no perfection by the Levitical Priesthood Heb. 7.11 and the Law made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 in which were offered gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Heb. 9.9 So that whatever virtue those Sacrifices had further than the taking away of civil guilt ritual uncleanness securing from Church and State-penalties it wholly depended upon the institution of God and the merit of Christ The brazen Serpent heal'd such as were stung yet not from any intrinsick power in it self but only as God was pleas'd to give that power and efficacy to it and so 't was here in the case of the old Sacrifices These four things I have laid down both to clear up the Sacrifices themselves and also because they are of great use to set us right in our conceptions about Christ the great Sacrifice which must be opened by them Answerably now to these two great Ends and Effects of the Mosaical Sacrifices the same were designed to be done and were actually done by the Lord Jesus when he offered up himself to God upon the Cross whereby he also 1. atoned God 2. expiated the sin of the Elect. As God was angry and offended with the Sinner so Christ by his death procur'd atonement pacification reconciliation as the Sinner lay under guilt so Christ brought about the purgation or expiation of his guilt both of these were done by him and that too not only really but in a much higher way than what was done by the old Sacrifices therefore he was a true proper expiatory Sacrifice yea the most eminent expiatory Sacrifice Of atonement and reconciliation by Christs Sacrifice 1. For atonement or reconciliation By Adams Fall a sad breach had been made 'twixt God and Man Sin had greatly incens'd the holy God against his sinful Creatures nay there was a mutual and reciprocal enmity contracted between them Things being in this dismal state the blessed Jesus interpos'd himself in order to the appeasing of an offended God and the reconciling of him and the Sinner the two parties that were at variance For the effecting of which he did not only as a bare Internuntius treat with both or only offer up prayers to the one in which respect Moses atoned God Exod. 34.10 11 12 13 14. and intreaties to the other 2 Cor. 5.20 and so proceed by some verbal interposures but when nothing else would do it he was willing even to lay down his own Life to die as a Sacrifice upon the Cross by this means to bring God and Man together again in amity and love By which death of Christ the offended God was perfectly atoned and reconciled to the Sinner so as that now upon the satisfaction made to him therein he could without any injury to his Justice and Holiness receive the Sinner into his favour and not inflict upon him that wrath and punishment which he had made himself obnoxious unto this is the true notion of atonement and reconciliation by Christ and all that we * Non statuimus Deum irato propriè factum esse propitium sed Christi Satisfactione causas irae divinae obliteratas esse ut salvâ justistiâ suâ possit gratiam exhibere Essenïus p. 253. mean by it But that this was thus done by him what one thing is there in all the matters of Faith wherein the Gospel is more clear and full 1 Joh. 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood c. Rom. 5.10 11. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement 2 Cor. 5.18 19. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Col. 1.20 21. And having made peace through the blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself c. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath be reconciled in the body of his flesh through death So Eph. 2.13 14 c. Isa 53.6 the chastisement of our peace was upon him i. e. by his penal sufferings our peace was made with God 'T is true which our * Socin de Serv◠p. 1. c. 8. Adversanies would fain improve to their purpose that all along in these Scriptures the reconciliation is said to be on Mans part as if Sinners were reconcil'd to God not God to them but there 's a special reason for that viz. * Baxters Life of Faith p. 189. because they were the first in the breach they fell out with God before he fell out with them as also because the averseness to reconciliation is on their part wherefore if they be willing to be reconcil'd to God and are actually reconciled to him there 's no question of it but that he is willing to be reconciled to them and is so actually Some would have the reconciliation as on God's part to be spoken of Heb. 2.17 that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is according to the Hebrew Enallage as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as * De Satisf p. 93. Grotius well observes Howerver supposing that this Text doth not so expresly hold forth the thing yet there is enough in those convincing Reasons Arguments and Consequences which the Word elsewhere affords to prove the reconciliation to be mutual as is fully proved by divers Which reconciliation you see was accomplished by Jesus Christ yea by his death and blood so that he exactly answers to the first effect of the Jewish Sacrifices Of the Expiation of Sin by Christ's Sacrifice 2. The for the Second the expiation of sin that also was done with great advantage by Christ his death carried indeed a Sin-expiating virtue in it and was most truly of an expiatory nature Let us a little look into the Scripture see what it saith about this and that we shall find not only to assert the thing but so to assert it as withal to set down and determine the nature and true notion of it I mean this
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. p. 97. PORPHYRY's Objections against Sacrifices in general viz. they would encourage men to be wicked All to labour after an interest in Christ's Sacrifice and in the benefits thereby procured 3. Thirdly I would excite you to labour after and to make sure of a personal interest in this great Sacrifice and in the benefits resulting from it For 't is a thing to be resented with the greatest sadness imaginable that where â—ere is such a Sacrifice so at first offered up to God and now so revealed to men that yet so many millions of Souls should perish and as to their spiritual and eternal state be little the better for it because they regard not as to themselves either the thing or the good that flows from it My Brethren I beseech you if you have any love for your Souls let it not be so with you but let it be your greatest care to secure an interest in this Sacrifice and to partake of the blessings procured by it be often considering and questioning with your selves here 's a Sacrifice for expiation and atonement but what 's this to us here 's a dying Christ but did he die for us shall we be ever the better for his death if this propitiatory oblation be not ours what will become of us Under the Law the Gentile-strangers were to offer Sacrifices as well as the born-Jews see Numb 15.14 15. Lev. 17.8 and amongst the Jews the poor as well as the rich with respect to which difference in mens outward condition God accordingly appointed different Sacrifices Lev. 14.21 but yet something or other both were to Sacrifice and in their offerings for the ransome of their Souls all were to give alike Exod. 30.15 The rich shall not give more the poor shall not give less than half a Shekel Now all this was to shadow out two things about Christ's Sacrifice 1. its equal extent to all men notwithstanding all national or civil differences be they Jews or Gentiles rich or poor 't is the same Christ to all if they believe for there is no difference Rom. 3.22 2. the equal obligation lying upon all men to look after make sure of and rest in this one and the same all-sufficient Sacrifice none in order to remission justification atonement eternal life need to carry more to God by Faith and Prayers and none must carry less Sirs let us all put in for a share in Christ's offering and in the benefits purchased thereby for if we should come short of that we are lost eternally Are not reconciliation with God the expiation of sin eternal redemption c. things most necessary and most desireable if so where can we hope to have them but in a sacrific'd Redeemer but in the imputation of the merit of his death and Sacrifice And I add do not only make sure of the thing objectively considered but labour also after the subjective assurance of it Oh when a Christian can say Christ dy'd for me * Gal. 2.20 gave himself for me his body was broken and his blood shed for me he took my guilt and bare my punishment how is he filled with †1 Pet. 1.8 joy unspeakable with | Phil. 4.7 peace that passes all understanding what a full-tyde of comfort is there in his Soul This is the receiving of the atonement as some open it and that is very sweet Rom. 5.11 And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement This is to be ey'd and only rely'd upon 4. In the actings of Faith eye Christ as a Sacrifice for sin and there let all your hope and confidence be bottom'd I say in the actings of Faith eye Christ as a Sacrifice for indeed this grace hath to do with him mainly and principally as dying and sacrific'd the Apostle speaks of Faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 't is a bleeding crucified Saviour that is the great and most proper object of Faith true it takes in a whole Christ all of Christ his Nativity holy Life Resurrection Ascension Intercession c. but that which it primarily and chiefly fixes upon is his death and passion When a Soul is brought into Christ to close with him in the way of believing what of him is first in its eye in that act is it a Christ as ascending as sitting at the right hand of God as interceding no thus it beholds him for the after-encouragement and support of Faith but that which it first considers is a Christ as dying upon the Cross and so it layes hold upon him And no wonder that 't is so since all the great blessings of the Gospel do mainly flow from Christ's death they are assur'd and apply'd by his Resurrection Ascension and Intercession but they were procur'd and purchas'd by his death as the Scriptures abundantly shew Rom. 5.9 10. Eph. 1.7 et passim now tnat which hath the most causal and most immediate influence upon these that deserves to be first and most eyed by Faith Here 's the difference 'twixt Faith and Love this chiefly looks to the excellencies of Christ's Person but that to the merit and efficacy of his Sacrifice When the Apostle Gal. 2.20 had spoken so high of his Faith in the Son of God he tells you in what notion he did therein consider him by adding who loved me and gave himself for me The stung Israelite was to look upon the brazen Serpent as lifted up and so he was healed do you desire to find healing redemption salvation by Christ O look upon him as lifted up upon the Cross so all good shall come to you Further I say let all your hope and confidence be bottom'd here this is that firm rock which you must only build upon for pardon peace with God salvation for all Oh take heed of relying upon any thing besides this Sacrifice Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ he that glory 's or trusts in any thing besides that his glorying is vain The forlorn undone Sinner should be alwayes clasping and clinging about this Cross resting upon the merit of Christ thereon and upon that only for all that hope will be but dying hope which is not solely bottom'd upon a dying Saviour The * Quum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victima pro te Stultitia est morte alterius sperare salutem Heathens could not believe that ever the death of Sacrifices should do the guilty person good they look'd upon it as folly to hope for life by anothers death but blessed be God we see that which they did not we firmly believe and steadily hope for expiation and Salvation by Christ's one offering of himself and lay the sole stress of our Faith and happiness upon that which they counted folly But let us be sure we do not mistake here I mean let us indeed
as ever you can you should endeavour after perfect obedience though you cannot arrive at it Our Saviours perfect obedience may encourage us in our lamented defects but we must not thereupon stint or limit our selves in our obedience A gracious mans will is alwayes above his power he can do but little but he would do all 'T was an high commendation given to Caleb saith God of him * Numb 14.24 he followed me fully or as 't is in the Hebrew vajemalle achari he fulfilled after me and thus it is with every Caleb one that is after God's own heart as the word signifies hee 's for fulfilling after God The Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulness or fulfilling of obedience 2 Cor. 10.6 Epaphras pray'd for the Colossians Chap. 4.12 that they might be compleat in all the will of God and 't is said of Zechary and Elizabeth Luk. 1.6 they were righteous in all the commandments and ordinances of God O that it might be thus with you If streight bodies be put together there is an universal contiguity betwixt them they 'l meet and touch each the other throughout and so where the heart is sincere it will close with every part of God's Law Christians pray rejoyce in Christ's fulfilling the Laws righteousness and rest upon that only but yet in the way of duty and obedience aspire in your selves at the highest fulfilling of the Law which here you are capable of 3. Thirdly the Law-righteousness Christ hath fulfilled for you but the Gospel-righteousness you must perform your selves The Moral Law as 't was strictly and properly the Covenant of works Christ hath satisfied in his doing of what it required but the Evangelical Law requiring Faith and Repentance you your selves must satisfie Christ's obedienee to the former is made yours by imputation but as to the latter there must be your own personal and inherent obedience We reade of Christ's being made under the Law and of his fulfilling the Law but we never reade of his being made under the Gospel or fulfilling the conditions thereof no you must repent your selves believe your selves or else all that Christ hath done upon the account of the Law will not profit you I would not be mistaken in this therefore 1. I do not mean that you are to perform the Gospel conditions in your own strength was it so you might as well do what the Law as what the Gospel requires it being as easie in your own strength to obey the one as the other You your selves are to repent and believe but 't is not of your selves these are the gift of God Nor 2. do I mean that the performing of the Gospel-conditions is left to the lubricity of your Wills so as that it should be uncertain and undetermin'd whether you should perform them or not for upon the Election of God and the purchase of Christ all that do belong to him shall certainly believe and repent Nor 3. do I mean that upon the fulfilling of the Gospâ—â—-Law you should have another formal righteousness before God distinct from that which results from Chaist's obeying the Moral Law which is imputed to you but only that upon your performing of the Gospel-conditions way may be made for the application of Christ's legal obedience to you as the only thing wherein stands your righteousness these are things which might be very much enlarg'd upon but I am now in hast All therefore that I drive at is this Christ fulfilled the Moral Law for you but he never fulfilled the Gospel-Law for you you must repent and believe your selves or else you cannot rely upon the imputation of Christ's Obedience to the Law if you be impenitent and unbelieving both Law and Gospel are unfulfilled and in full force against you 'T will be an insignificant plea at the great day when the Laws righteousness shall plead against you for you to say Lord Christ fulfilled that righteousness true will God say he did so but the Gospel-righteousness was not fulfilled by you therefore what my Son did as to the other is nothing to you 4. One thing more you that are Believers take a further view of the great love of God and Christ and let the sense of it work up your hearts to the highest thankfulness Was God pleas'd to send his own Son in flesh for this very end that he might fulfil the Law and when his Son had so done doth he reckon that obedience to you as if you had done it your selves O incomprehensible infinite amazing love Was Christ willing to submit to this on these terms to take flesh O the transcendent superlative love of Christ He who made the Law to be made under the Law he who was the Lord and Soveraign to be willing to become a Subject he to undertake to do that which you could never have done and without the doing of which you must have eternally perished he to condescend to do what the Law demanded to suffer what the Law threatned what shall we say to this love surely we can never enough adore it or sufficiently bless God for it Saints did you but consider what humiliation this was in the Son of God what a dreadful enemy this Law would have been had not its righteousness been fulfilled into what a blessed state things are now brought it would certainly highly affect you with the love of Christ and engage you to love serve praise him eternally The third Vse is Comfort to the people of God Vse 3 and indeed to such here is not a little matter of rejoycing The righteousness of the Law fulfilled in us great and blessed words Did God imploy such a person in such a way for such an end that end must needs then be attained and if so what shall hurt them for whom it was attained You who believe do often fear that the Laws righteousness is ready to rise up against you you tremble at the thoughts of it when you consider how short you come of it but fear it not for in Christ 't is exactly perfectly fulfilled and that for you too in your stead that 't is as well as if you had obey'd it fully in your own persons is not here ground of Comfort You eye the imperfection of your own obedience and you do well but pray eye too the perfect obedience of the Lord Jesus which is yours by imputation There is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ why now no condemnation because now Christ hath fulfilled the Laws righteousness for such and thereupon who or what shall condemn them You are troubled because of the Law of Sin but that the Spirit hath freed you from you are troubled because of the Law of God inasmuch as you come so much short of its righteousness but that by Christ is fulfilled for you You desire a righteousness such an one as will bear you out before God here 't is for you Christ's own righteousness is yours O you may say