〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he assumed apprehended caught laid hold on the seed of Abraham as the Angel did on Lot as Christ Gen. 19. 16. did on Peter or as men do upon a thing they are glad Mat. 14. 31. they have got and are loath to lâ—t go again Oh sirs it is a main ground and pillar of our comfort and confidence that Jesus Christ took our flesh for if he had not took our flesh upon him we could never have been saved by him Christ took not a part but the whole nature of man that is a true humane soul and body together with all the essential properties and faculties of both that in man's nature he might die and suffer the wrath of God and whole curse due to our sins which otherwise Heb. 2. 14. being God only he could never have done and that he might satisfie divine justice for sin in the same nature that had sinned and indeed it was most meet and fit that the Mediator who was to reconcile God and man should partake in the natures of both parties to be reconciled Oh what matchless love was this that made our dear Lord Jesus to lay by for a time all that glory that he John 17. 5. had with the father before the world was and to assume our nature and to be found in fashion as a man to see Phil. 2. 8. the great God in the form of a servant or hanging upon the Cross how wonderful and astonishing was it to all that believed him to be God-man God manifested in 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 11. our flesh is an amazing mystery a mystery fit for the speculation of Angels that the eternal God should become 1 Tim. 2. 5. the man Christ Jesus that a most glorious Creator should Dan. 7. 9 13 22. Mat. 2. 11. become a poor creature that the Ancient of days should become an Infant of days that the most high should stoop so low as to dwell in a body of flesh is a glorious mystery that transcends all humane understanding It would have seemed a high blasphemy for us to have thought of such a thing or to have desired such a thing or to have spoken of such a thing if God in his everlasting Gospel had not reveiled such a thing to us Among the Romish Priests Friars Jesuits they count it a great demonstration of love an high honour that is done to any of their orders when any Noble man or great Prince who is weary of the world and the world weary of him comes among them and takes any of their habits upon him and lives and dies in their habits Oh what a demonstration of Christ's love is it and what a mighty honour hath Jesus Christ put upon mankind in that he took our nature upon him in that he lived in our nature and died in our nature and rose in our nature and ascended in our nature and now sits at his fathers right hand in Acts 1. 10 11. our nature Though Jacob's love to Rachel and Jonathan's love to David and David's love to Absolom and the primitive Christians love to one another was strong very strong yet Christ's love in taking our humane nature upon him does infinitely transcend all their loves I think Bern. sup cant ser 20. saith one speaking of Christ he cannot despise me who is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh â— for if he neglect me as a Brother yet he will love me as a husband that 's my comfort Oh my Saviour saith one didst thou Hierom. die for love of me a love more dolorous than death but to me a death more lovely than love it self I cannot live love and be longer from thee I read in Josephus that when J. s Bel. Jud. l. 1. c. 8. Herod Antipater was accused to Julius Caesar as no good friend of his he made no other Apology but stripping himself stark naked shewed Caesar his wounds and said let me hold my tongue these wounds will speak for me how I have loved Caesar ah my friends Christ's wounds in our nature speak out the admirable love of Jesus Christ to us and Oh how should this love of his draw out our love to Christ inflame our love to that Jesus who is God-man blessed for ever Mr. Welch a Suffolk-minister weeping at table being asked the reason said it was because he could love Christ no more ah what reason have we to weep and weep again and again that we can love that Jesus no more who hath shewed such unparalelled love to us in assuming of the humane nature Et ipsam animam odio haberem si non diligeret meum Jesum I must hate my very soul if it should not love my Jesus saith Bernard ah what cause have we given to hate our selves because we love that dear Jesus no more who is very God and very man But Thirdly Is Jesus Christ God-man is he very God and 3. consult hese Scriptures Isa 61. 1. Dan. 9. 24. 1 John 3. 8. Luk. 1. 74. 75. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 4. very man then we may very safely and roundly assert that the work of Redemption was a very great work the Redemption of souls is a mighty work a costly work to redeem poor souls from sin from wrath from the power of Satan from the curse from hell from the condemnation was a mighty work wherefore was Christ born wherefore did he live sweat groan bleed die rise ascend was it not to bring deliverance to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound was it not to make an end of sin to finish transgression and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to destroy the works of the Devil and to abolish death and to bring life and immortality to light and to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie us to himself and to make us a peculiar peple zealous of good works Certainly the work of Redemption was no ordinary or common thing God-man must engage in it or poor fallen man is undone for ever The greater the person is that is engaged in any work the greater is that work the great Monarchs of the world do not use to engage their sons in poor low mean and petty services but in such services as are high and honourable noble and weighty and will you imagine that ever the great and glorious God John 1. 18. 8. Pro. 22. 33 would have sent his son his own son his only begotten son his bosom son his son in whom his soul delighted before the foundations of the earth was laid to redeem poor sinners souls if this had not been a great work a high work and a most glorious work in his eye The Creation of the world did but cost God a word of his mouth Let there be light and there was light but the Redemption Gen. 1. 3. of souls cost him his dearest son there is a
matchless wrath of an angry God that was so terribly imprest upon the Soul of Christ quickly spent his natural strength and turned his moisture into the Psal 32. 4. drought of summer and yet all this wrath he patiently underwent that Sinners might be saved and that he Heb. 2. 10. might bring many sons unto glory O wonder of love Love is passive it enables to suffer The Curtii laid down their lives for the Romans because they loved them so 't was love that made our dear Lord Jesus lay down his life to save us from hell and to bring us to heaven As the Pelican out of their love to her young ones when they are bitten with Serpents feeds them with her own blood Gen. 3. 15. to recover them again so when we were bitten by the old Serpent and our wound incurable and we in danger of eternal death then did our dear Lord Jesus that he might recover us and heal us feed us with his own Jeh 6. 53. 54 55 56. Dilexisti me Demine magis quà m teipsum Bern. blood O love unspeakable This made one cry out Lord thou hast loved me more than thy self for thou hast laid down thy life for me It was only the golden link of love that fastned Christ to the Cross and Joh. 10. 17. that made him die freely for us and that made him willing to be numbred among transgressors that we might Isa 53. 12. be numbred among general assemby and church of the Heb. 12. 23. first born which are written in heaven If Jonathan's 2 Sam. 1. 26. love to David was wonderful how wonderful must the Heb. 10. 10. love of Christ be to us which led him by the hand to make himself an offering for us which Jonathan never did for David for though Jonathan loved David's life and safety well yet he loved his own better for when his father cast a javelin at him to smite him he flies 1 Sam. 10. 33 34 35. for it and would not abide his fathers fury being very willing to sleep in a whole skin notwithstanding his wonderful love to David making good the Philosophers notion that Man is a life-lover Christ's love is like his name and that is wonderful yea it is so wonderful that Isa 9. 6. it is supra omnem creaturam ultra omnem mensuram contra omnem naturam above all creatures beyond allmeasure contrary to all nature 'T is above all Creatures for it is above the Angels and therefore above all others 'T is beyond all Measure for time did not begin it and time shall never end it place doth not bound it sin doth not exceed it no estate no age no sex is denied it tongues cannot express it understandings cannot conceive it and 't is contrary to all Nature for what nature can love where it is hated what nature can forgive where it is provoked what nature can offer reconcilement where it receiveth wrong what nature can heap up kindness upon contempt favour upon ingratitude mercy upon sin and yet Christ's love hath led him to all this so that wel may we spend all our days in admiring and adoring of this wonderful love and be always ravished with the thoughts of it But Secondly Then look that ye love the Lord Jesus Christ with a superlative love with an over-topping love there are none have suffered so much for you as Christ there are none that can suffer so much for you as Christ the least measure of that wrath that Christ hath sustained for you would have broke the hearts necks and backs of all created Beings O my friends there is no love but a superlative love that is any ways sutable to the transcendent sufferings of dear Jesus O love him above your lusts love him above your relations love him above the world love him above all your outward contentments and enjoyments yea love him above your very lives for thus the Patriarchs Ptophets Apostles Saints Primitive Christians and the Martyrs of old have loved Act. 20. 24. cap. 21. 12 13. 2 Cor. 1. 8 9 10. cap. 4. 11. cap. 11. 23. Heb. 11. 36 37 38 39. our Lord Jesus Christ with an over-topping love Rev 12. 11. They loved not their lives unto the death that is they slighted contemned yea despised their lives exposing them to hazard and loss out of love to the Lamb who had washed them in his blood I have read of one Kilian a Dutch Scholmaster who being asked whether he did not love his wife and Children answered Were all the world a lump of gold and in my hands to dispose of I would leave it at my enemies feet to live with them in a prison but my Soul and my Saviour are dearer to me than all If my father saith Jerom should stand Hieron ad Heliodor epist 1. before me and my mother hang upon and my brethren should press about me I would break through my brethren throw down my father and tread underfoot my mother to cleave to Jesus Christ Had I ten heads Cere non amaut illi Christum qui ali quid plusqe am â—â—ristum amant Aug. de resurr Hey do nâ—t lâ—ve Christ who love any thing more than Christ said Henry Voes they should all off for Christ If every hair of my head said John Ardley Martyr were a man they should all suffer for the Faith of Christ Let fire racks pullies said Ignatius and all the torments of Hell come upon me so I may win Christ Love made Hierom to say O my Saviour didst thou die for love of me a love more dolorous than death but to The more Christ hath suffered for us the dearer Christ should be â—nto us the greater and the bitterer Christs sufferings have been for us the greater and the sweeter should our love be to him me a death more lovely than love it self I cannot live love thee and be longer from thee George Carpenter being asked whether he did not love his wife and children which stood weeping before him answered My wife and children my wife and children are dearer to me than all Bavaria yet for the love of Christ I know them not That blessed Virgin in Basil being condemned for Christianity to the fire and having her estate and life offered her if she would worship Idols cried out Let money perish and life vanish Christ is better than all Sufferings for Christ are the Saints greatest glory they are those things wherein they have most gloried Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra your cruelty is our glory saith Tertullian It is reported of Babylas that when he was to die for Christ he desired this favour that his Chains might be buried with him as the ensigns of his honour Thus you see with what a superlative love with what an over-topping love former Saints have loved our Lord Jesus and can you Christians who are cold and low in your love to Christ read over these
times I might turn you to many other Scriptures but in the mouth of twenty Witnesses you may be very clearly and fully satisfied that Jesus Christ is the Saints Beloved 1. When the Dutch Martyr was askt whether he did not love his Wife and Children he Answered Were all the World a lump of gold and in my hand to dispose of I would give it to live with my Wife and Children in a Prison but Christ is dearer to me than all 2. Saith Jerom If my Father should stand before me and if my Mother should hang upon me and my Brethren should press about me I would break through my Brethren throw down my Mother and tread under-foot my Father that I might cleave the faster and closer unto Jesus Christ 3. That Blessed Virgin in Basil being condemned for Christianity to the fire and having her Estate and Life offered her if she would worship Idols cryed out Let money perish and life vanish Christ is better than all 4. Love made Hierom to say O! my Saviour didst thou dye for love of me a love more dolorous than death but to me a death more lovely than love it self I cannot live love thee and be longer from thee 5. Henry Voes said If I had ten heads they should all off for Christ 6. John Ardley Martyr said If every hair of my head were a man they should all suffer for the Faith of Christ 7. Ignatius said Let fire racks pullies yea all the torments of Hell come on me so I may win Christ 8. George Carpenter being asked whether he loved not his Wife and Children when they all wept before them Answered My Wife and Children are dearer to me than all Bavaria yet for the love of Christ I know them not 9. O Lord Jesus said Bernard I love thee more than all my Goods and I love thee more than all my Friends yea I love thee more than my very self 10. Austin saith he would willingly go through Hell to Christ 11. Another saith He had rather be in his Chimney-Corner with Christ than in Heaven without him 12. Another crys out I had rather have one Christ than a thousand Worlds by all which 't is most evident that Jesus Christ is the Saints best Beloved and not this or that sin Now by these 13 Arguments 't is most clear that no gracious Christian do's or can indulge himself in any Trade course or way of sin Yea by these thirteen Arguments 't is most evident that no Godly man has or can have any one beloved sin any one bosom darling sin though many worthy Ministers both in their Preaching and Writings make a great noise about the Saints beloved sins about their bosom darling sins I readily grant that all Unregenerate persons have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins but that no such sins are chargable upon the Regenerate is sufficiently demonstrated by the thirteen Arguments last cited And O! that this were wisely and seriously considered of both by Ministers and Christians there is no known sin that a Godly man is not troubled at and that he would not be rid of There is as much difference between sin in a Regenerate person and in an Unregenerate person as there is between poyson in a Man and poyson in a Serpent Poyson in a mans body is most offensive and burdensome and he readily uses all Arts and Antidotes to expel it and get rid but poyson in a Serpent is in its natural place and is most pleasing and delightful So sin in a Regenerate man is most offensive and burdensome and he readily uses all holy means and Antidotes to expel it and to get rid of it But sin in an Unregenerate man is most pleasing and delightful it being in its natural place A Godly man still enters his protest against sin a gracious Soul while he commits sin hates the sin he commits O Sirs there is a vast difference between a special and a beloved sin a darling sin a bosom-sin Noah had a sin and Lot had a sin and Jacob had a sin and Job had a sin and David had a sin which was his special sin but neither of these had any sin which was their beloved sin their bosom sin their darling sin that passage in Job 31. 33. is observable If I covered my Transgression as Adam by hiding mine Iniquity in my Bosom Mark in this Text while Job calleth some sin or other his Iniquity he denyeth that he had any beloved sin for saith he Did I hâ—de it in my Bosom did I shew it any favour did I cherrish it or nourish it or keep it warm in my Bosom O! No I did not A Godly man may have many sins yet he hath not one beloved sin one bosom sin one darling sin he may have some particular sin to which the Unregenerate part of his will may strongly incline and to which his unmortified affections may run out with violence too yet he hath no sin he bears any good will to or doth really or cordially effect Mark that may be called a mans particular way of sinning which yet we cannot we may not call his beloved sin his bosom sin his darling sin for it may be his greatest grief and torment and may cost him more sorrow and tears than all the rest of his sins it may be a Tyrant usurping power over him when it is not the delight and pleasure of his Soul A Godly man may be more prone to fall into some one sin rather than another it may be Passion or Pride or Slavish fear or Worldliness or Hypocrisie or this or that or tother Vanity yet are not these his beloved sins his bosom sins his darling sins for these aâ—e the Enemies he hates and abhors these are the grand-Enemies that he prays against and complains of and mourns over these are the potent Rebels that his Soul crys out most against and by which his Soul suffers the greatest violence Mark no sin but Christ is the dearly beloved of a Christians Soul Christ and not this sin or that is the chiefest of ten thousand to a gracious Soul and yet some particular corruption or other may more frequently worst a Believer and lead him Captive but then the Believer crys out most against that particular sin O! saith he this is mine Iniquity this is the Saul the Pharoah that is always a pursuing after the blood of my Soul Lord let this Saul fall by the Sword of thy Spirit let this Pharoah be drown'd in the Red Sea of thy Sons blood O! Sirs It is a point of very great importance for gracious Souls to understand the vast difference that there is between a beloved sin and this or that particular sin violently Tyrannizing over them for this is most certain whosoever giveth up himself freely willingly cheerfully habitually to the service of any one particular Lust or Sin he is in the state of Nature under wrath and in the way to eternal Ruine Now
fundamental guilt no no but he was made sin by imputation and law-account he was our Surety and so our sins were laid on him in order to punishment And to prefigure this all the iniquities of Gods people were imputed to their sacrifice though they were not inherently his own as we read Levit. 16. 21 22 Aaron shall put all the iniquities of all the children of Israel and all their transgressions and all their sins upon the head of the Goat and the Goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities and why then should it seem strange that the perfect righteousness of our sacrifice and surety though it be not our own inherently should be imputed to us by the Lord and made ours Frequently and seriously consider that the word answering this imputing is in the Hebrew Chashab and in To impute in the General is to acknowledg that to be another's which is not indeed his and it is used either in a good or bad sense so that it is no more than to account or reckon It is the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us and accepted for us by which we are judged righteous the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the summ as the learned say comes to this That though the words in the general signifie to think to reason to imagine c. yet very frequently they are used to signifie to account or reckon by way of computation as Arithmeticians use to do so that it is as it were a judgment passed upon a thing when all reasons and arguments are cast together And from this it is applied to signifie any kind of accounting or reckoning and in this sence imputation is taken here for God's esteeming and accounting of us righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to reckon or account 't is taken by a borrowed speech from Merchants reckonings and accounts who have their debt-books wherein they set down how their reckonings stand in the particulars they deal in Now in such debt-books Merchants use to set down whatever payments are only made either by the debtors themselves or by others in the behalf of them an example whereof we have in the Epistle to Philemon vers 18. where Paul undertakes to Philemon for Onesimus if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee any thing put that on my account that is account Onesimus his debt to Paul and Paul's satisfaction or payment to Onesimus which answers the double imputation in point of justification Psal 32. 1 2. that is of our sins to Christ and of Christ's satisfaction to us both which are implyed 2 Cor. 5. 21. He made him to be sin for us that is our sins were imputed to him that we might be the righteousness of God in him that is that his rightcousness might be imputed to us The language of Jesus Christ to his father seems to be this Oh holy Father I have freely and willingly taken all the debts and all the sins of all the believers in the world upon me I have undertaken to be their pay-master to satisfie thy justice to pacifie thy wrath to fulfil thy Law c. and therefore Loe here I am ready Psal 40. 6 7 8. Heb. 10. 4 5 6 7 8 9. to do what ever thou commandest and ready to suffer whatsoever thou pleasest I am willing to be reckoned a sinner that they may be reckoned righteous I am willing to be accounted cursed that they may be for ever blessed I am willing to pay all their debts that they may be set at liberty I am willing to lay down my life that John 10. 11 15 17 18. Rev. 20. 6. they may escape the second death I am willing that my soul should be exercised with the most hideous Agonies that their souls may be possessed of heaven's happinesses Oh what wonderful wisdom grace and love is here manifested that when we were neither able to satisfie the penalty of the Law or to bring a conformity to it that then Christ should interpose and become both redemption and righteousness for us Now from the imputed righteousness of Christ a believer may form up this fifth plea as to all the ten Scriptures Eâ—cles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 3. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 5. in the margent that refer to the great day of account Oh blessed God thou hast given me to understand that the mediatory righteousness of Christ includes first the habitual holiness of his person in the absense of all sin and in the rich and plentiful presence of all holy and requisite qualities Secondly the actual holiness of his life and death by obedience By his active obedience he perfectly fulfilled the commands of the Law and by his passive obedience his voluntary sufferings he satisfied the penalty and commination of the Law for transgressions That perfect satisfaction to divine justice in whatsoever it requires either in way of punishing for sin or obedience to the law made by the Lord Jesus Christ God and man the Mediator of the new Covenant as a common head representing all those whom the father hath given to him and made over unto them that believe in him This is that righteousness that is imputed to all believers in their Justification and this imputed righteousness of thy dear son and my dear saviour is now my plea before thy bar of Justice Imputed righteousness is the same materially with that which the Law requireth The Righteousness which the Law requireth upon pain of damnation is a perfect obedience conformity to the whole Law of God performed by every son and daughter of Adam in his own person Now imputed righteousness is the same materially with that which the Law requireth it is obedience to the Law of God exactly and punctually performed to the very utmost Iota and tittle thereof without the least abatement Christ hath paid the uttermost farthing He is the fulfilling of the Law for righteousness and he hath fulfilled the Law in the humane nature to the intent that it might be fulfilled in the same nature to which it was at first given and all this he hath expresly done in all their names and on all their behalfs that believe in him That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in them Rom. 8. 3 4. It is as if our dear Lord Jesus had said oh blessed father this I suffer and this I do to the use and in the stead and room of all those that have ventured their souls upon me that they may have a righteousness which they may truly call their own and on which they may safely rest and in which they may for ever glory Isa 45. 24 25. Now it will never stand with the unspotted holiness justice and righteousness of God to reject this righteousness of his son or that plea that is bottomed upon it Oh the matchless happiness of believers who have so
Fourthly know for your comfort that this imputed righteousness of Christ will answer to all the fears doubts and objections of your souls How shall I look up to God the answer is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ how shall I have any communion with a holy God in this world the answer is in the righteousnâ—ss of Christ How shall I find acceptance with God the answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I die the answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I stand before a Judgment seat the answer is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ Your sure and only way under all temptations fears conflicts doubts and disputes is by faith to remember Christ and the sufferings of Christ as your Mediator and Surety and say Oh Christ thou art my sin in being made sin for me and thou art my curse being â— Coâ— 5. 21. â—al 3. 13. made a curse for me or rather I am thy sin and thou art my rightcousness I am thy curse and thou art my blessing I am thy death and thou art my life I am the wrath of God to thee and thou art the love of God to me I am thy hell and thou art my heaven Oh sirs if you think of your sins and of God's wrath if you think of your guiltiness and of God's justice your hearts will faint and fail they will fear and tremble and sink into despair if you do not think of Christ if you do not stay and rest your souls upon the mediatory righteousness of Christ The Imputed Righteousness of Christ The Imputed Righteousness of Christ answers all cavils and objections though there were millions of them that can be made against the good estate of a believer This is a precious truth more worth than a world that all our sins are pardoned not only in a way of truth and mercy but in a way of justice Satan and our own consciences will object many things against our souls if we plead only the mercy and the truth of God and will be ready to say oh but where is then the justice of God can mercy pardon without the consent of his justice but now whilst we rest upon the satisfaction of Christ justice and mercy kiss Psal 85. 10. each other yea justice saith I am pleased in a day of temptation many things will be cast in our dish about the multitude of our sins and the greatness of our sins and the grievousness of our sins and about the circumstances and aggravations of our sins but that good word Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquities he hath paid Titus 2. 14. the full price that justice could exact or require and that good word mercy rejoyceth against judgment may James 2. 13. support comfort and bear us up under all The infinite worth of Christ's obedience did arise from the dignity of his person who was God-man so that all the obedience of Angels and men if put together could not amount to the excellency of Christ's satisfaction The righteousness of Christ is often called the righteousness of God because it is a righteousness of God's providing and a righteousness that God is fully satisfied with and therefore no fears no doubts no cavils no objections no disputes can stand before this blessed and glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ that is imputed to us But Fifthly know for your comfort that the imputed righteousness of Christ is the best title that you have to shew for a Kingdom that shakes not for riches that corrupt not Heb. 12. 28. 1 Pet. 1 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3 4 for an inheritance that fadeth not away and for an house not made with bands but one eternal in the heavens 'T is the fairest certificate that you have to shew for all that happiness and blessedness that you look for in that other world The righteousness of Christ is your life your joy your comfort your crown your confidence your heaven your all oh that you were still so wise as to keep a fixed eye and an awakened heart upon the mediatory righteousness of Christ for that 's the righteousness by which you may safely and comfortably live and by which you may happily and quietly die It was a very sweet and golden confession which Bernard made when he thought Guliel Aâ—bas in vâ—ta Bern. lib. 1. cap. 12. himself to be at the point of death I confess said he I am not worthy I have no merits of mine own to obtain heaven by but my Lord had a double right thereunto an hereditary right as a son and a meritorious right as a sacrifice he was contented with the one right himself the other right he hath given unto me by the vertue of which gift I do rightly lay claim unto it and am not confounded ah that believers would dwell much upon this that they have a righteousness in Christ that is as full perfect and compleat as if they had fulfilled the Law Christ being the end of the Law for righteousness to believers invests believers with a righteousness every way as compleat as the personal obedience of the Law would Rom. 8. 3 4. have invested them withal yea the righteousness that believers have by Christ is in some respect better than that they should have had by Adam 1. Because of the dignity of Christ's person he being the son of God his righteousness is more glorious than Adam's was his righteousness is called the righteousness of God and we are made the 2 Cor. 5. 21. righteousness of God in him The first Adam was a mere man the second Adam is God and man 2. Because the righteousness is perpetual Adam was a mutable person he lost his righteousness in one day say some and all that glory which his posterity should have possessed had he stood fast in innocency But the righteousness of Christ cannot be lost his righteousness is like himself from everlasting to everlasting 't is an everlasting righteousness when once this white rayment is put upon a believer it Dâ—n 9. 24. can never fall off it can never be taken off This splendid glorious righteousness of Jesus Christs is as really a Rev. 19. 8. believers as if he had wrought it himself A believer is no loser but a gainer by Adam's fall by the loss of Adam's righteousness is brought to light a more glorious and durable righteousness than ever Adam's was and upon the account of an interest in this righteousness a believer may challenge all the glory of that upper world But Sixthly know for your comfort that this imputed righteousness of Christ is the only true basis bottom and ground for a believer to build his happiness upon his joy and comfort upon and the true peace and quiet of his conscience upon what though Satan or thy own heart or the world condemns thee yet in this thou maist rejoyce that God justifies thee you see what a bold challenge Paul
mouth and ever in Austin's mouth and should be ever in a Christians mouth when his eye is fixed upon the righteousness of Christ Every believer is in a more blessed and happy estate by means of the righteousness of Christ than Adam was in innocency and that upon a three-fold account all which are just and noble grounds for every Christian to rejoyce and triumph in Christ Jesus 1. That righteousness which Gen. 3. chap. Psal 8. 5. Eâ—cles 7. 29. Adam had was uncertain and such as it was possible for him to lose yea he did lose it and that in a very short time God gave him power and freedom of will either to hold it or lose it and we know soon after upon choice he proved a Bankrupt but the righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is made more firm and sure to us it is that good part that noble portion that shall never be taken from us as Christ said to Mary Adam Luk. 10. 42. sinned away his râ—ghteousness but a believer cannot sin away the righteousness of Jesus Christ It is not possible â— John 3. 9. Râ—m 8. 35 39. for the Elect of God so to sin as to lost Christ or to strip themselves of that robe of righteousness which Christ hath put upon them The gates of â—ell shall never be able Mat. 16. 18. to prevail against that soul that is interested in Christ that is clothed with the righteousness of Christ Now what higher ground of joy and triumph in Christ Jesus can there be than this But Secondly the righteousness that Adam had was in his own keeping the spring and root of it was sounded in himself and that was the cause why he lost it so soon Adam like the Prodigal son had Luk. 15. 12. 13. all his portion his happiness his â—oliness his blessedness his righteousness in his own hands in his own keeping and so quickly lost stock and block as some speak it O but now that blessed righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is not in our own keeping but in our father's keeping Look as our persons graces and inherent righteousness are kept as in a Garrison by the power of God 1 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the original is a military word and signifies safe keepingâ— kept as with a Guard or in a Garrison that is well fenced with walls and works and so is made impregnable unto salvation so that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is kept for us by the mighty power of God unto salvation God the father is the Lord Keeper not only of our inherent righteousness but also of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ unto us My sheep shall never perish saith our Saviour John 10. 28 29. neither shall any pluck them out of my hand my father that gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my father's hands Though the Saints may meet with many shakâ—â—gs and tossings in their various conditions in this world yet their final perseverance till they come to full possâ—â—sion of eternal life is certain God is so unchangeable in his purposes of love and so invincible in his power that neither Satan nor the world nor their own flesh shall ever be able to separate them from a Crown of righteousness 2. Tim. 4. 7 8. A Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. A Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5 4. The power of God is so far above all created opposition that it will certainly maintain the Saints in a state of Grace Now what a bottom and ground for rejoycing and triumphing in Christ Jesus is here But Thirdly Admit that the righteousness that Adam had in his Creation had been unchangeable and that he could never have lost it yet it had been but the righteousness of a man of a mere creature and what a poor low righteousness would that have been to that high and glorious righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ which is the righteousness of such a person as was God as well as man yea that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is a higher righteousness and a more excellent transcendent righteousness than that of the Angels though the righteousness of the Angels be perfect and compleat in its kind yet it is but the righteousness of merâ— creatures But the righteousness of the Saints in which they stand clothed before the throne of God is the righte ousness of that person which is both God and man Look as the second Adam was a far more excellent person than the first Adam was The first man was of the earth earthy 1 Cor. 15. 47. Look as Adam conveighs his guilt to all his children so Christ conveighs his righteousness to all his he was caput cum foedere as well as the first Adam as the Apostle speaks The second was the Lord from heaven not for the matter of his body for he was made of a woman but for the original and dignity of his person whereof you may see a lively and lofty description in Heb. 1. 2 3. so his righteousness also must needs be far more excellent absolute glorious and every way all-sufficient to satisfie the infinite justice of God and the exact perfection of his holy Law than ever Adam's righteousness could possibly have done Remember sirs that that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is called the righteousness of God He made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him saith the Apostle in 2 Cor. 5. 21. Now that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is called the righteousness of God 1. because it is such a righteousness as God requires 2. As he approves of and accepts 3. As he takes infinite pleasure and delight and satisfaction in The Righteousness the Apostle speaks of in that Scripture last mentioned is not to be understood of the essential righteousness of Christ which is infinite and no ways communicable to the creature unless we will make a creature a God but we are to understand it of that righteousness of Christ that is imputed to believers as their sin is imputed to him Now what a Well of salvation is here what three noble grounds and what matchless bottoms are here for a Christian's joy and triumph in Christ Jesus who hath put so glorious a Robe as his own righteousness upon them Ah Christians let not the consolations of Job 15. 11. God be small in your eyes why take you no more comfort and delight in Christ Jesus why rejoyce you no more in him not to rejoyce in Christ Jesus is a plain breach of that Gospel command Rejoyce in the Lord alway that is Phil. 4. 4. rejoyce in Christ and again I say rejoyce saith the Apostle he doubleth the mandate to shew the necessity and excellency of the duty so Phil. 3. 1. Finally my brethren rejoyce in the Lord. Now
Statutes of God there is a two-fold Obedience to all the Royal Commands of God First One is legal when all is done that God requireth and all is done as God requireth when there is not one path of duty but we do walk in it perfectly and continually thus no man on Earth doth or can walk in all God's Statutes or fully do what he Commandeth For in many things we offend all Jam. 3. 2. So Eccles 7. 20. There is not a just man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not 1 King 8. 46. For there is no man that sinneth not Prov. 20. 9. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one 1 Joh. 1. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Secondly Another is Evangelical which is such a walking in all the Statutes of God and such a keeping of all the Commands of God as is in Christ accepted of and accounted of as if we did keep them all this walking in all God's Statutes and keeping of all his Commandements and doing of them all is not only possible but it is also actual in every Believer in every sincere Christian and it consists in these particulars First In the Approbation of all the Statutes and Commandements of God Rom. 7. 12. The Commandement is holy and just and good ver 16. I consent unto the Law that it is good there is both assent and consent Psal 119. 128. I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right A sincere Christian approves of all Divine Commands though he can't perfectly keep all Divine Commands But Secondly It consists in a Conscientious submission unto the Authority of all the Statutes of God Every Command of God hath an Authority within his heart and over his heart Psal 119. 161. My heart standeth in awe of thy Word A sincere Christian stands in awe of every known Command of God and hath a spiritual regaâ—d unto them all Psal 119. 6. I have respect unto all thy Commandements But Thirdly It consists in a cordial willingness and a cordial desire to walk in all the Statutes of God and to obey all the Commands of God Rom. 7 18. For to Will is present with me Psal 119. 5. O! that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes ver 8. I will keep thy Statutes But Fourthly It consists in a sweet complacency in all Gods Commands Psal 119. 47. I will delight my self in thy Commandement which I have loved Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man But Fifthly He who obeys sincerely obeys universally though not in regard of practice which is impossible yet in regard of affection he loves all the Commands of God yea he dearly loves those very Commands of God that he cannot obey by reason of the infirmity of the flesh by reason of that body of sin and death that he bears about with him ponder upon that Psal 119. 97. O how I love thy Law Such a pang of love he felt as could not otherwise be vented but by this pathetical exclamation O how I love thy Law ver 113 163 127 159 167. ponder upon all these verses But Sixthly A sincere Christian obeys all the Commands of God he is universal in his obedience in respect of valuation or esteem he highly values all the Commands of God he highly prizes all the Commands of God as you may clearly see by comparing these Scriptures together Psal 119. 72 127 128. Psal 19. 8 9 10 11. Job 23. 12. But Seventhly A sincere Christian is universal in his Obedience in respect of his purpose and resolution he purposes and resolves by Divine assistance to obey all to keep all Psal 119. 106. I have sworn and will pâ—rform it that I will keep thy Righteous Judgments Psal 17. 3. I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress But Eighthly A sincere Christian is universal in his Obedience In respect of his inclination he has an habitual inclination in him to keep all the Commands of God 1 King 8. 57 58. 2 Chron. 30. 17 18 19 20. Psal 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always oven to the end But Ninethly and lastly Their Evangelical keeping of all the commands of God consists in their sincere endeavour to keep them all they put out themselves in all the ways and parts of obedience they do not willingly and wittingly slight or neglect any Commandement but are striving to conform themselves thereunto as a Dutiful Son doth all his Fathers commands at least in point of endeavour So your sincere Christians make Conscience of keeping all the Commands of God in respect of endeavours Psal 119. 59. I turned my feet unto thy Testimonies God esteems of Evangelical Obedience as perfect obedience Zacharias had his failings he did hesitate through unbelief for which he was struck dumb yet the Text tells you That he walked in all the Commandements of the Lord blameless Luk. 1. 6. Because he did cordially desire and endeavour to obey God in all things Evangelical Obedience is true for the essence though not perfect for the degree A Child of God obeys all the Commands of God in respect of his sincere desires purposes resolutions and endeavours and this God accepts in Christ for perfect and compleat obedience This is the glory of the Covenant of Grace that God accepts and esteems of sincere obedience as perfect obedience Such who sincerely endeavour to keep the whole Law of God they do keep the whole Law of God in an Evangelical sense though not in a legal sense A sincere Christian is for the first Table as well as the second and the second as well as the first he doth not adhere to the first and neglect the second as Hypocrites do neither doth he adhere to the second and contemn the first as prophane men do O Christians for your support and comfort know that when your desires and endeavours are to do the Will of God entirely as well in one thing as another God will graciously pardon your failings and pass by your imperfections He will spare you as a man spareth his Son that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. Though a Father see his Son to fail and come short in many things which he enjoyns him to do yet knowing that his desires and endeavours are to serve him and please him to the full he will not be rigid and severe with him but will be indulgent to him and will spare him and pitty him and shew all love and kindness to him The Application is easie c. The second Question or case is this viz What is that Faith that gives a man an interest in Christ and in all those blessed benefits and favours that comes by Christ or whether that person that experiences the following particulars may not safely groundedly and
by charging them all upon Christs score That is a great expression of Nathan to David The Lord hath put away thy sin But the Original runs thus The Lord hath made thy sins to pass over that is to 2 Sam 12. 13. pass over from thee to his Son he hath laid them to his charge Now Christ hath discharged all his Peoples Debts and Bonds There is a two-fold debt which lay upon us one was the debt of Obedience unto the Law and this Christ did pay by fulfilling all Righteousness Math. 3. 15. The other was the debt of punishment for our transgressions and this debt Christ discharged by his Death on the Cross Isa 53. 4 10 12. and by being made a Curse for us to redeem us from the Curse Gal. 3. 13. Hence it is that we are said to be bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. chap. 7. 23. and that Christ is called our Raâ—som Lutron Math. 20. 28. and Antilutron 1 Tim. 2. 6. The words do signifie a valuable price laid down for anothers Ransom The Blood of Christ the Son of God was a valuable price a sufficient price it was as much as would take off all Enmities and take away all Sin and to satisfie Divine Justice and indeed so it did and therefore you read That in his blood we have Redemption even the forgiveness of our sins Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 14 20. and his death was such a full compensation to divine Justice that the Apostle makes a challenge to all Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect and vers 34. Who is he that Condemneth it is Christ that dyed As if he had said Christ hath satisfied and discharged all The Greek word Antilutron is of special Emphasis The vulgar Latine renders it Redemptionem Redemption Beza Redemptioms precium a price of Redemption but neither of them fully expressing the force of the word which properly signifieth a counter-price when one doth undergoe in the room of another that which he should have undergone in his own person As when one yields himself a Captive for the Redeeming of another out of Captivity or giveth his own life for the saving of anothers There were such Sureties among the Greeks as gave life for life body for body and in this sence the Apostle is to be understood when he saith that Christ gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransom a counter-price paying a price for his people Christ hath laid down a price for all Believers they are his dear bought Ones they are his choyce redeemed Ones Isa 51. 11. Christ gave himself Antilutron a counter-price a Ransom submitting himself to the like punishment that his redeemed Ones should have undergone Christ to deliver his Elect from the Curse of the Law did subject himself to that same Curse of the Law under which all man-kind lay Jesus Christ was a true Surety one that gave his life for the life of others as the Apostle saith of Castor and Pollux that the one redeemed the others life with his own death So did the Lord Jesus he became such a Surety for his Elect giving himself an Antilutron a Ransom for them Joh. 6. 51. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Rev. 1. 5. chap. 5. 9. O what comfort is this unto us to have such a Jesus who himself bare our sins even all our sins left not one unsatisfied for laid down a full ransom a full price such an expiatory Sacrifice as that now we are out of the hands of Justice and Wrath and Death and Curse and Hell and are reconciled and made near by the Blood of the everlasting Covenant the Blood of Christ as the Scripture speaks is the Blood of God Act. 20. 28. So that there is not only satisfaction but merit in his Blood there is more in Christs Blood than meer payment or satisfaction there was merit also in it to acquire and procure and purchase all spiritual good and all eternal good for the people of God not only immunities from sin Death Wrath Curse Hell c. but priviledges and dignities of Sons and Heirs yea all Grace and all Love and all Peace and all Glory even that glorious Inheritance purchased by his Blood Ephes 1. 14. Remember this once for all that in justification our debts are charged upon Christ they go upon his accounts you know that in sin there is the vicious and staining quality of it and there is the resulting guilt of it which is the obligation of a Sinner over to the Judgment Seat of God to answer for it Now this guilt in which lies our debt this is charged upon Christ Therefore saith the Apostle God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5. 19. And hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin ver 21. You know in Law the Wifes Debts are charged upon the Husband and if the Debtor be disabled than the Creditor sues the Surety Fide jussor or Surety and Debitor in Law are reputed as one person Now Christ is our Fide jussor He is made sin for us saith the Apostle for us that is in our stead A Surety for us one who puts our scores on his accounts our burden on his shoulders so saith that Princely Prophet Isaiah Isa 53. 4 5. He hath born our griefs and carried our soroows how so He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities that is he stood in our stead he took upon him the answering of our sins the satisfying of our debts the clearing of our guilt and therefore was it that he was so bruised c. You remember the scape-Goat upon his Head all the Iniquities of the Children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins were confessed and put And the Goat did bâ—ar upon him all their Iniquities Lev. 16. 21 22. What is the meaning of this Surely Jesus Christ upon whom our sins were laid and who alone died for the ungodly Rom. 5. 6. and bear our burdens away Therefore the Believer in the sence of guilt should run unto Christ and offer up his Blood unto the Father and say Lord it is true I owe Thee so much yet Father forgive me remember that thine own Son was my Ransom his Blood was the price he was my Surety and undertook to answer for my sins I beseech thee accept of his Attonement for he is my Surety my Redemption Thou must be satisfied but Christ hath satisfied thee not for himself what sins had he of his own but for me they were my debts which he satisfied for and look over thy book and thou shalt find it so for thou hast said He was made sin for us and that he was wounded for our transgressions Now what a singular support what an admirable comfort is this that we our selves are not to make up our accounts and reckonings but that Christ hath cleared all accounts and
soul is his sufferings for it follows And he shall bear their Iniquities But Sixthly Christ gave himself for his peoples sins Gal. 1. 9. 6. Ephe. 5. 25. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Who gave himself for our sins Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquities c. but the body only is not himself ergo The Apostle saith Phil. 2. 7. Christus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exinanivit Christ did empty or evacuate himself or as Tertullian expounds it Exhausit Teâ—tâ—llian Conâ—ra Marcian lib. 5. He drew out himself or was exhaust which agrees with the Prophesis of Daniel chap. 9. 26. Mâ—ssias shall have nothing being brought to nothing by his death without life strength esteem honour c. Hence we conclude that if Christ were exhaust upon the Cross if nothing was left him that he suffered in body and soul that there was no part within or without free from the Cross but all was emptied and poured out for our Redemption Again We read That Christ through the eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14 offered himself to God Whatsoever was in Christ did either offer or was offered His eternal Spirit only did offer ergo His whole humane Nature both Body and Soul was offered Thus Origen witnesseth in these words Origen â—om 9 in Levit. Vide quo modo verus pontifex Jesus Christus adsumptâ— batillocarnis humanae c. See how our true Priest Jesus Christ taking the censor of his humane flesh putting to the fire of the Altar that is His magnificent Soul wherewith he was born in the flesh and adding Incense that is an immaculate Spirit stood in the middest between the living and the dead Thus you see that he makes Christs soul a part in the Sacrifice Seventhly and lastly Christs love unto man in suffering for him was in the highest degree and greatest measure that could be as the Lord saith What could I have done any more for my Vineyard that I have not done unto it But if Christ had given his Body only and not his Soul for us he had not done for us all he could and so his love should have been greatly empaired and diminished ergo He gave his Soul also together with his Body to be the full price of our Redemption and certainly the travail and labour of Christs Soul was most acceptable unto God Isa 53. 12. Therefore I will give him a Portion with Isa 35. 12. the great because he hath poured out his Soul unto death c. and bare the sins of many Doubtless the sufferings of Christ in his Soul together with his Body doth most fully and amply commend and set forth Gods great love to poor Sinners Before I close up this particular take a few Testimonies of the Fathers which do witness with us for the sufferings of Christ both in Soul and Body Christ hath taken off us that which he should offer as Ambrose de Incarnat c. 6. proper for us to Redeem us and whatsoever Christ took off us he offered ergo He offered Body and Soul for he took both Another upon these words My Soul is heavy saith Anima Concil Hispalens 2. c. 13. passionibus obnoxia divinitas libra His Soul was subject to passions his Divinity was free c. If nothing were free but his Divine Nature than his Soul was subject to the proper and immediate passions thereof Perspicuum est sicut corpus flagellatum ita animam verè Hierom in 35. cap. Isa doluisse c. It is evident that as his body was whipped so his Soul was verily and truly grieved lest some part of Christs sufferings should be true some part false ergo Christs Soul as properly and truly suffered as his Body the Soul had her proper grief as the Body had whipping the whipping then of the body was not the proper grief of the soul Whole Christ gave himself and whole Christ offered himself ergo He offered his soul not only to suffer by way of compassion with his body as it may be Fulgenâ—ius ad Thâ—aâ—maud lib. 3. answered but he offered it as a Sacrifice and suffered all passions whatsoever incident to the soul The same Author expounds himself further thus Because this God took whole man therefore he shewed in truth in himself the passions of whole man and having a reasonable soul what infirmities soever of the soul without sin he took and bare If Christ then did take and bare all the passions of the soul without sin then the proper and immediate grief and anguish thereof and not the compassion only with the body To these let me add the consent of the reformed Churches French Confes Christ did suffer Harm p. 59. Sect. 6. both in body and soul and was made like unto us in all things Sin only excepted Thomas granteth that Christ Secundum genus passus est 3. Par. qu 46. Artic. 5. omnem passionem humanam in general suffered all humane sufferings as in his soul heaviness fear c. Now the Testimonies of the Fathers and the consent of the reformed Churches affirming the same that Christ was Crucified in his soul and that he gave his soul a price of Redemption for our souls Who can then doubt of this but that Christ verily properly immediately suffered in his soul in all the proper passions thereof as he endured pains and torments in his flesh and if you please this may go for an eighth argument to prove that Christ suffered in his soul Secondly That the sufferings of Christ in his soul were very high and great and wonderful both as to the punishment of loss and as to the punishment of sense all which I shall make evident in these four particulars First That Jesus Christ did suffer dereliction of God really that he was indeed deserted †Forsaken 1. By denying of protection 2. By withdrawing of solace Non solvit unionem sed subtraxit visionâ—m Leo. The Union was not desolved but the beams the influence was restrained forsaken of God is most evident Math. 27. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But to prevent mistakes in this high point seriously consider 1. That I do not mean that there was nay such desertion of Christ by God as did desolve the union of the Natures in the person of Christ For Christ in all his sufferings still remained God and Man Nor 2. Do I mean an absolute desertion in respect of the presence of God For God was still present with Christ in all his sufferings and the God-head did support his Humanity in and under his sufferings but that which I mean is this That as to the sensible and comforting manifestations of Gods presence thus he was for a time left and forsaken of God God for a time had taken-away all sensible consolation and fâ—lt joy from Christs humane soul that so divine justice might in his sufferings be the more fully satisfied In this
sits on the the Throne so Christ will both raise himself and ease himself by that vengeance that he will take on his enemies c. Now from thâ—se divine Names and Titles which are given to Jesus Christ we may thus argue He to whom the incommunicable Titles of the most high God are attributed he is the most high God but the incommunicable Titles of the most high God are attributed unto Christ ergo he is the most high God But Fourthly Christ's eternal Deity Coequality and Consubstantiality with the father may be demonstrated from his divine Properties and Attributes I shall shew you for the opening of this that the glorious Attributes of God are ascribed to the Lord Jesus I shall begin First with the Eternity of God God is an eternal God 1. Eternity is taken three ways 1 Proâ—â—â—â— preâ—â—rly so it nâ—teth to be withâ—ut beginning and end so God only is eternal 2. Improprie impâ—â—perly so it noteth to have a beginning but no ending so Angels so the souls of meâ— are eternal 3. Aâ—usive so some things are said to be eternal which have had a beginning shall also have an end they are called eternal in respect of their long continuance and duration so ciâ—â—â—â—â—iâ—on and other Mosaical ceremonies were called eternal or everlasting From everlasting to everlasting thou art God Psal 90. 2. The eternal God is thy refuge Deut. 33. 27. He inhabits eternity Isa 57. 15. He is called the Ancient of days Dan. 7. 9. And he is said to be everlasting and to be King of old Psal 74 12. this sheweth he had no beginning In respect of his eternity after time he is called the everlasting God Rom. 16. 26. An everlasting King 1 Tim. 1. 17. That there is no succession or priority or posteriority in God but that he is from everlasting to everlasting the same we may see Psal 102. 26 27. The heavens shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall have no end There is no succession or variation in God but he is eternally the same Eternity is an interminable being and duration before any time and boyond all time it is a fixed duration without beginning or ending The Eternity of God is beyond all possible conception of measure or time God ever was ever is and ever shall be Though the manifestations of himself unto the Creatures are in time yet his Essence or being never did nor shall be bound up by time look backward or forward God from eternity to eternity is a most self-sufficient infinite perfect blessed being the first cause of our being and without any cause of his own being an eternal infinite fulness and possession to himself and of himself what Gid is he was from Eternity and what God is he will be so to eternity O this glorious attribute drops myrth and mercy oyl and honey Now this attribute of eternity is ascribed to Jesus Christ John 1. 1. In the beginning was the word was notes some former duration therefore we conclude that he was before the beginning before any creation or creatures for it is said he was God in the beginning and his divine nature whereby he works is eternal Heb. 9. 14. He is the first and last Rev. 1. 17. hence it is that he is called the first-born of every creature because he who created all and upholds all hath power to command and dispose of all as the first born had power to command the family or kingdom Colos 1. 15 16 17. compare Isa 44. 6. with Rev. 22. 13. Joh. 17. 5. Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory I had with thee before the world was Such glory had the Lord Christ with his father viz. in the heavens and that before the world was this he had not only in regard of Destinátion being predestinated to it by God his father as Grotius would evade it but in regard of actual possession The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way saith Christ the son of God Prov. 8. 22. And as his father possessed him so he John 8. â—8 John 17. 24. Rev. 1. 8. 17. Heb. 1. 10. 11. 12. cap. 7. 3. Isa 9. 6. c. Christ is without beginning of days or end of time and without all bounds of precession or succession was possessed of the self-same glory with his Father before the world was from Eternity His goings forth have been from of old from everlasting from the days of Eternity saith the Prophet Micah speaking of the Messiah Mic. 5. 2. See the Eternity of Christ farther confirmed by the Scriptures in the margent But Secondly As the Attribute of Eternity is ascribed to Christ so the Attribute of Omniscience is ascribed to 2. Chrysostom Christ and this speaks out the Godhead of Christ he knows all things John 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things present and future what I now am and what I shall be saith one on the words John 2. 25. He needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man Shall Artificers know the nature and properties of their works and shall not Christ know the hearts of men which are the work of his own hands Rev. 2. 23. And all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts Now of all a man's inwards the heart and the reins are the most inward Christ is nearer to us than we are to our selves the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendred searcheth signifies to search with the greatest seriousness exactness and diligence that can be the word is metaphorically taken from such as use to search in Mines Mat. 9. 24. and cap. 12. 25. Luk. 5. 22. cap. 6. 18. Luk. 11. 17. and cap. 24. 38. c. for Silver and Gold He is also frequently said to know the thoughts of men and that before they bewrayed themselves by any outward expressions Now this is confessedly God 's peculiar God which knoweth the hearts 15. 8. He is the wisdom of the father 1 Cor. 1. 24. He knows the father and doth according to his will reveal the secrets of his father's bosom the bosom is the seat of love and secrecy John 1. 18. men admit those into their bosoms with whom they impart all their secrets the breast is the place of Counsels that is Christ revealeth the secret and mysterious Counsels and the tender compassionate affections of the father to the world Being in the bosom implyeth communication of secrets the bosom is a place for them it is a speech of Tully to a friend that had betrusted him with a secret crede mihi c. believe me saith he what thou hast committed to me it is in my bosom still I am not ungirt to
to divine Justice had not Christ been God-man he could never have been an able surety he could never have paid our Heb. 7. 25. debts he could never have satisfied divine Justice he could never have brought in an everlasting righteousness Dan. 9. 24. he could never have spoiled Principalities and Powers Câ—lâ—s 2. 15. and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them on the Cross a plain allusion to the Roman Triumphs where the Victor ascending up to the Capitol in a Charriot of state all the prisoners following him on foot with their hands bound behind them and the Victor commonly threw certain pieces of Coyn abroad to be pick'd up by the common people So Christ in the day of his solemn inauguration into his heavenly Kingdom triumphed over Sin Death Devils and Hell and gave gifts to men and had he not been God-man he could never have merited for us a glorious Reward If we consider Christ himself as a mere man setting aside his Godhead Eph. 4. 8â— he could not merit by his sufferings for 1. Christ as he was man only was a creature now a mere creature can merit nothing from the Creator 2. Christ's sufferings as he was man only were finite and therefore could not merit infinite glory indeed as he was God his sufferings were meritorious but consider him purely as man they were not This is wisely to be observed against the Papists who make so great a noise of men's merits for if Christ's sufferings as he was mere man could not merit the least favour from God then what mortal man is able to merit at the hand of God the least of mercies by his greatest sufferings But Seventhly Is Jesus Christ God-man is he very God and very man then from hence we may see the greatest pattern of humility and self-denyal that ever was or will be in this world that he who was the Lord of glory that he who was equal with God that he should Phil. 2. 6. John 1. 18. leave the bosom of his father which was a bosom of the sweetest loves and the most ineffable delights that he should put off all that glory that he had with the father John 17. 5. before the foundation of the world was laid that he should so far abase himself as to become man by taking on him our base vile nature that so in this our nature he Heb. 2. 10. might dye suffer satisfie and bring many sons to glory Oh here is the greatest humility and abasement that ever was and oh that all sincere Christians would endeavour to imitate this matchless example of humility and self denial Oh the admirable condescentions of dear Jesus that he should take our nature and make us partakers 2 Pet. 1. 4. of his divine nature that he should put on our rags and put upon us his Royal Robes that he should Rev. 19. 7 8. 2 Cor. 8. 9. make himself poor that we might be rich low that we might be high accursed that we might be blessed Gal. 3. 10 13. Oh wonderful Love oh Grace unsearchable ah Christians did Christ stoop low and will your be stout proud and high was he content to be accounted a worm a wine-bibber an enemy to Caesar a friend of Publicans and sinners a Devil and must you be all in a flame when vain men make little account of you was he willing to be a curse a reproach for you and will you shrug and shrink and faint and fret when you are reproached for his name did Jesus Christ stoop so low as John 13. 14. to wash his Disciples feet and are you so stout and sturdy that you cannot hear together nor pray together nor sit at the table of the Lord together though you all hope at last to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in Mat. 8. 11. v. the Kingdom of Heaven shall one Heaven hold you at last and shall not one House one Bed one Table one Church hold you here Oh that ever worms should swell with such intolerable pride and stoutness he who was God-man was lowly meek self-denying and of a most condescending spirit and oh that all you who hope for salvation by him would labour to write after so fair a copy Bernard calls humility a self-annihilation The same Author saith that humility is conservatrix virtutum Thou wilt save the humble saith Job in the Hebrew Job 22. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is him that is of low eyes an humble Christian hath lower thoughts of himself than others can have of him Abraham is dust and ashes in his own eyes Jacob is Gen. 18. Gen. 32. 10. less than the least of all mercies David though a great King yet looks upon himself as a worm I am a worm Psal 22. 6. and no man The word in the Original Tolugnath signifieth a very little worm which breedeth in Scarlet a worm that is so little that a man can hardly see it or perceive it Oh how little how very little was David in his own eyes and Paul who was the greatest among the Apostles yet in his own eyes he was less than the Eph. 3. 8. See my unsearchabletiches of Christ upon that Text. least of all Saints Non sum dignus dici minimus saith Ignatius I am not worthy to be called the least Lord I am Hell but thou art Heaven said blessed Cooper I am a most hypocritical wretch not worthy that the earth should bear me said holy Bradford Luther in humility speaks thus of himself I have no other name than sinner sinner is my name sinner is my surname this is the name by which I shall be always known I have sinned I do sin I shall sin in infinitum Ah how can proud stout spirits read these instances and not blush certainly the sincere humble Christian is like the Violet which grows low hangs the head down and hides it self with its own leaves and were it not that the frequent smell of his many virtues discovers him to the world he would chuse to live and die in his self-contenting secrecy But Eighthly Is Jesus Christ Godman is he very God and very man then hence we may see how to have access to God namely by means of Christ's humane nature which he hath taken upon him to that very end that he might in it die and suffer for our sins and so reconcile Rom. 5. 1 2. Eph. 3. 12. us to God and give us access to him Eph. 2. 18. By him we have access to the father The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a leading by the hand an introduction an adduction it is an allusion saith Estius to the customs of Princes Eph. 1. to whom there is no passage unless we are brought in by one of their Favourites Though the Persian Kings held it a piece of their silly glory to hold off their best friends who might not come near them but upon special
transgressors and upon that score we stand indebted to the justice of God and lie under the stroke of his wrath Now the Lord Jesus Christ seeing us in this condition he steps in and stands between us and the blow yea he takes this wrath and curse off from us unto himself he stands not only or meerly after the manner of a Surety among men in the case of debt for here the Surety enters bond with the Principal for the payment of the debt but yet expects that the debtor should not put him to it but that he should discharge the debt himself he only stands as a good security for the debtor no Christ Jesus doth not expect that we should pay the debt our selves but he takes it wholly upon himself As a surety for a murtherer or traytor or some other notorious malefactor that hath broken prison and is run away he lies by it body for body state for state and undergoes whatsoever the malefactor is chargeable withal for satisfying the Law Even so the Lord Jesus stands Surety for us runagate malefactors making himself liable to all that curse that belongs to us that he might both answer the Law fully and bring us back again to God As the first Adam stood in the room of all mankind fallen so Christ the second Adam stands in the room of all mankind that are to be restored he sustains the person of all those which do spiritually descend from him and unto whom he bears the relation of a Head When God appointed his dearest Son to be a Surety for us and charged all our debts upon him and required an exact satisfaction to his Law and Justice insomuch that he would not abate the Son of his love one farthing token of the debt he did demonstrate a greater love to Justice than if he had damned as many worlds as there are men in the world O let us never cast an eye upon Christ's Suretyship but let us stand and wonder yea let us be swallowed up in a deep admiration of Christs love and of his Fathers impartial justice Ah what transcendent wisdom also does here appear in reconciling the riches of Mercy and infinite Justice both in one by the means of a Surety If all the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth had been put to answer these Questions How shall sin be pardoned how shall the sinner be reconciled and saved how shall the wrath of God be pacified how shall the Justice of God be satisfied how shall the Redemption of Man be brought about in such a way whereby God may be most eminently glorified they could never have answered the questions But God in his infinite Wisdom hath found out a way to save sinners not only in a way of Mercy and Grace but in a way of Justice and Righteousness and all this by the means of Christ's Suretyship as hath been already declared Now from the consideration of Christ's Suretyship a believer may form up this Seventh safe comfortable and blessed Plea as to the ten Scriptures formerly cited that refer to the great day of account or to a man's particular account O blessed Father remember that thine own Son was my Ransom his blood was the price he was my Surety and undertook to answer for my sins I know O blessed God that thou must be satisfied but remember When a man matries a woman with her person he takes her debts and satisfaction too so does Christ when he takes us to be his he takes our sins also to be hiâ— my Surety has satisfied thee not for himself for he was holy and harmless a Lamb without a spot but for me They were my debts he satisfied for and look over thy Books and thou shalt sind that he hath cleared all accounts and reckonings between thee and me the guilt of all my sins have been imputed to my Surety who did present himself in my stead to make full payment and satisfaction to thy Justice as Paul said to Philemon Philem. ver 18. concerning his servant Onesimus If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee any thing put it upon my account So saith Christ to the penitent and believing soul If thou hast any guilt any debt to be answered for unto God put them all upon my account if thou hast wronged my Father I will make satisfaction to the uttermost for I was made sin for thee 2 Cor. 5. 21. Isa 53. 12. I poured out my soul for thy transgressions it cost me my hearts blood to reconcile thee to my Father and to Acts 20. 28. Gen. 27. 13. slay all enmity And as Robeckah said to Jacob in another case Vpon me my son be the curse so faith Christ to the believing soul why thy sins did expose thee unto the curse of the Law but I was made a curse for thee I did Gal. 3. 13. bear that burthen my self upon the Cross and upon my shoulders were all thy griefs and sorrows born I was Isa 53. 4 5 6 7 8. 10. Eph. 1. 7. wounded for thy transgressions and I was bruised for thy iniquities and therefore we are said to have redemption and remission of sins in his blood O blessed God! thou knowest that a surety-doth not pay the debt only for the debtors good but as standing in the debtors stead and so his payment is reckoned to the dâ—btor And thus the case stands between Christ and my soul for as my Surety he hath paid all my debts and that very payment that he hath made in honour and justice thou art obliged to accept of as made in my stead Oh dearest Father that Jesus who is God-man as my Surety he hath done all that the Law requireth of me and thereby he hath freed me from wrath to come and from the curse that 1 Thes 1. ult was due to me for my sins This is my plea O holy God and by this plea I shall stand Hereupon God declares this plea I accept as just and good and therefore enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Christian Reader I have gone as far in the opening and clearing up of those Grand Points of the Gospel that have fallen under our consideration as I judge meet at this time By the Title-page thou mayest safely conclude that I have promised much more than in this Treatise I have performed but be but a little patient and by divine assistance I shall make sure and full payment The Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Redemption with some other Points of high importance I shall present to thee in the Second Part which will be the Last Part. In this First Part I don't offer thee that which cost me nothing I desire that all the interest thou hast in heaven may be so fully and duly improved that this First Part may be so blest from on high as that Saints and Sinners may have cause to bless God to all Aeternity for what is brought to hand and beg hard
vex them and a Table to be a snare Psal 78. 24. 32. unto them when the Israelites had eaten of their dainty dishes Justice sent in a sad reckoning which spoiled all Ah friends there is no reason why we should envy the prosperity of wicked men Suppose saith one that a man Chrysostom one night should have a pleasant dream that for the time might much delight him and for the pleasure of such a dream should be tormented a thousand years together with exquisite torments would any man desire to have such a dream upon such conditions All the contentments of this life are not so much to Eternity as a dream is to a thousand years And oh how little is that man's condition to be envied who for these short pleasures of sin must endure an Eternity of torments Oh sirs do wicked men purchase their present pleasures at so dear a rate as eternal torments and do we envy their enjoyment of them so short a time would any envy a man going to execution because he saw him in prison nobly feasted and nobly attended and bravely courted or because he saw him go up the ladder with a Gold chain about his neck and a scarlet Gown upon his back or because he saw him walk to execution through pleasant fields or delightsome gardens or because there went before him Drums beating Colours flying and Trumpets â—ounding c. surely no Oh no more should we envy the grandure of the men of the day for every step they take is but a step to an eternal execution the sinner is curst and Isa 65. 20. Maâ— 2. 2. all his blessings are curst and who in their wits would envy a man under a curse oh how much more worthy of our pity than envy is that man's condition who hath all his happiness confin'd to the narrow compass of this life but his misery extended to the uttermost bounds of an everlasting duration But Fifthly and lastly if there be a Hell then Christians spend your days in admiring in being greatly affected with the transcendant love of Christ in undergoing hellish punishments in our steads Oh pray pray hard that you may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the bredth length Eph. 3. 18 19. and depth and height of that love of Christ which passeth knowledg of that love of Christ that put him upon these corporeal and spiritual sufferings which were so exceeding great acute extreme universal and continual and all to save us from wrath to come Christ's outward and inward miseries 1 Thes 1. 1â— sorrows and sufferings are not to be parralell'd and therefore Christians have the more cause to love themselves in the contemplation of his matchless love Oh bless Christ oh kiss Christ oh embrace Christ oh welcome Christ Psal 1â—3 1 2. Psal 2 12. Canâ— 3 4. Rev. 14. 4 5. Psal 63. 8. Gen. 6. 9. Cant. 8. ult oh cleave to Christ oh follow Christ oh walk with Christ oh long for Christ who for your sakes hath undergone insupportable wrath and most hellish torments as I have evidenced at large before and therefore a touch here may suffice Oh look up to dear Jesus and say oh blessed Gal. 3. 13. Jesus thou wast accursed that I might be blessed thou wast condemned that I might be justified thou didst Isa 53. Rom. 8. 30 34. Psal 16. 11. for a time undergo the very torments of Hell that I might for ever enjoy the pleasures of Heaven and therefore I cannot but dearly love thee and highly esteem thee and greatly honour thee and earnestly long after thee and this is all I shall say by way of Inference But for a close you will say ubi sit where is hell where is this place of torment where is that very place that is so frequently called Hell in the Scripture That there is a Hell you have sufficiently proved but pray where is it where is it Now to this I answer First That it becomes all sober serious Christians to rest satisfied and contented with those Scriptural Arguments that do undeniably prove that there is a Hell a place appointed where the wicked the damned shall be tormented for ever and ever though they do not know nor for the present cannot understand where this Hell is But Secondly I answer curiosity is one of the most dangerous 2. Curious enquirers have always layen under the lash of Christ as you may see by comparing these Scriptues together Joh. 21. 22. Act. 1. 6 7. Luk. 13. 22 24. Engines that the Devil uses to undo souls withal When Satan observes that men do in good earnest set themselves to the obtaining of knowledg then he strives to turn them to vain enquiries and curious speculations that so if they will be knowing he may keep them busied about unprofitable curiosities The way to make us mere fools is to affect to know more than God would have us Adam's tree of knowledg made him and his posterity fools Curiosity wa the bait whereby the Devil caught our first Gen. 3. 5 6. parents and undid us all Curiosity is the spiritual Adultery of the soul Curiosity is spiritual drunkenness so August Epist 77. that look as the Drunkard be the cup never so deep he is not satisfied unless he see the bottom of i so the curious searcher into the depths of God he is unsatisfied till he comes to the bottom of them and by this means they come to be mere fools as the Apostle saith Adam Rom. 1. 22. had a mind to know as much of God as God himself and by this means he came to know nothing Curiosity is that Green sickness of the soul whereby it longs for novelties and loaths sound and wholesome truths 't is Basil saith divers questions may be made about a very Fly which no Philosopher is ever able to answer how much rather about heaven hell or the work of Grace the Epidemical distemper of this Age Ah how many are there who spend their precious time in nice and curious questions As what did Christ dispute of among the Doctors where did Paradise stand in what part of the world is Local Hell what fruit was it that Adam eat and ruined us all what became of Moses his body how many orders and degrees of elect Angels are there c. O! that we could learn contentedly to be ignorant where God would not have us knowing and let 's nor account it any disparagement to acknowledge some depths in Gods Counsels Purposes Decrees and Judgments Rom. 11. 33. which our shallow reason cannot fathom 'T is sad when men will be wise above what is written and Rom. 12. 3. 1 Cor. 4. 6. love to pry into Gods secrets and scan the mysteries of Religion by carnal reason God often plagues such pride and curiosity by leaving that sort of men to strange and fearful falls When a curious Inquisitor asked Austin what God did before
he created the world Austin told him he was making Hell for such busie Questionists for such cuious inquirers into Gods secrets such handsome jerks are the best answers to men Deut. 29. 29. of curious minds But Thirdly I answer I concerns us but little to know whether Hell be in the Air or in the concave of the 3. Let us not be inquisitive where Hell is but rather let our care be to escape it saith Chrysostem earth or of what longitude latitude or profundity it is Let Hell be where it hath pleased God in his secret counsel to place it to men unknown whether in the North or in the South under the frozen Zone or under the burning Zone or in a pit or a gulf Our great care should be to avoid it to escape i and not to be curiously inquisitive about that place which the Lord in his infinite wisdom hath not thought fit clearly to reveil or make known to the sons of men In Hell there 's nothing heard but yells and cryes In Hell the Fire never slacks nor Worm never dies A Pentelâ—gia dolor inserm But where is this Hell plac'd my Muse stop there Lord shew me what it is but never where To worm and fire to torments there Prudentius the Poet. No term he gave they cannot wear Look as there are many that please themselves with discourses of the degrees of Glory whilest others make sure their interest in Glory So many please themselves with discourses of the degrees of the torments of Hell As in Heaven one is more glorious than another so in Hell one shall be more miserable than another Augustin whilest others make sure their escaping those torments and look as many take pleasure to be discoursing about the place where Hell is so some take pleasure to make sure their escaping of that place and certainly they are the best and wisest of men who spend most thoughts and time and pains how to keep out of it than to exercise themselves with disputes about it But Fourthly I answer That it has been the common opinion of the Fathers that Hell is in the bowels of the Infernum est locus subterraneus Teriu lib. 3. de Anim. earth yea Christ and the blessed Scriptures which are the highest authority do strongly seem to favour this opinion by speaking of a Descent unto Hell in opposition unto Heaven and therefore we may as well doubt whether Heaven be above us as doubt of Hell being beneath us Among other Scriptures ponder upon these Psal 140. 10. Let them be cast into the deep pits that they rise not up again Bring them down into the pit of destruction Prov. 9. 18. Her Guests are in the depths of Hell Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from Hell beneath Sheol is sometimes taken for a pit sometimes for the Grave and sometimes and that significantly too for Hell all downwards One saith that Sheol generally signifies all Mercerus upon Gen. 37. places under the earth whence some conclude that Hell is in the heart of the earth or under the earth without doubt it is below because it is every where opposed to Heaven wich is above it is therefore called Abyssus a deep pit a vast gulf such a pit as by reason of the depth thereof may be said to have no bottom The Devils entreated Christ that he would not send them to this place Luke 8. 31. in Abyssum which is saith one Immensae profunditatis vorago quasi absque fundo Beza upon Mat. A Gulf of unmeasurable depth c. The Apostle 2 Pet. 2. 4. speaking of the Angels that sinned saith God cast them down into Hell So Beza in his Annotations telleth us the Greeks called that place which was ordained for the prison and torment of the damned And reason it self doth teach us that it must needs be opposite and contrary to that place in which the spirits of just men Heb. 12. 23. made perfect do reside which on all hands is granted to be above and Hell therefore must needs be below in the center of the earth say some which is from the Superficies three thousand five hundred miles as some judge Hesiod saith Hell is as far under the earth as Heaven is above it Some have been of opinion that the pit spoken of ino which Corah Dathan and Abiram went Num. 16. 3â— down alive when the earth clave asunder and swallowed them up was the pit of Hell into which both their souls and bodies were immediately conveyed As we know little in respect of the height of Heaven so we know as little in respect of the lowness of Hell Some of the upper part of the earth is to us yet terra incognita an unknown land but all of the lowest part of Hell is to us an unknown land Many thousands have travelled thither but none have returned thence to make reports or write Books of their travels That piece of Geography is very imperfect Heaven and Hell are the greatest opposites or remotest extremes Thou Capernaum which art exalted unto Heaven shalt be Matth. 11. 23. brought down to Hell Heaven and Hell are at furthest natural distance and are therefoe the everlasting receptacles of those who are at the furthest moral distance Believers and Unbelievers Saints and Impenitents And 't is observable that as the heighthe of Heaven so the depth of Hell is ascribed to wisdom to shew the unsearchableness of it O the depth as well as O the Rom. 11. 33. heighth of the wisdom of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out Certainly Gods depths and Sathans depths and Hells depths lie far out 1 Cor. 2. 10. Rev. 2. 24. of our view and are hard to be found out though I ought religiously to reverence the wonderful wisdom of God and to wonder at his unsearchable judgments yet I ought not curiously and prophanely to search beyond the compass of that which God hath reveiled to us in his word The Romans had a certain Lake the depth whereof they knew not this Lake they dedicated to Victory doubtless Hell is such a Lake the depth whereof no man knows 't is such a bottomless pit that no mortal can sound But Fifthly and Lastly I answer Some of the Learned are 5. 2 Pet. 3. 10. 11. 12. 13. of opinion that Hell is without this visible world which will pass away at the last day and removed at the greatest distance from the sedes Beaâ—orum the place where the righteous shall for ever inhabit Matth. 8. 12. In tenebras ex tenebris intelicitâ—r exâ—â—usi infâ—l â—ius exclu â—endi Augusâ—m But the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness Matth. 22. 13. Then said the King to his servants bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness Matth. 25. 30. And cast