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
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
in Christ and how may that be known thus by our being New Creatures The Apostle sets it down indefinitely that he may reach every person if any man be in Christ c. This New Creature is one of the greatest riddles of Christianity to men that have it not 'T is that new creation which the Soul passes under in the work of Conversion or that great and universal change which follows upon Conversion a converted man is a changed man a quite other person than what he was before he may say with Austine I am not I all old things are pass'd away and all things are become new as it follows in the place alledged Upon Conversion understanding judgment thoughts will affections Conscience heart tongue life all is new when the Sinner is turned from Sin to God he hath new Principles from which he acts new Ends for which he acts new Guides and Rules by which he acts is not here a wonderful change Now are you acquainted with this New Creature what do you find of it in your selves it converns you to make sure of it for all is nothing without it * Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus and so in reference to the proof of being in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature O this is all in all this must be the sure and infallible witness of your Union with Christ Therefore examine your selves about it I beseech you look back compare your selves with your selves hath any thorough change been wrought in you are you not the same you ever were just such as you came into the world Can any that hears me say O blessed be God! 't is not with me as it hath been Time was when I was blind as ignorant a Creature as any but I hope now in some measure I am enlightened God hath shined into me and set up such a Light in me that I see what I never saw before and I see it in another manner than I did before Time was when I could swear curse be drunk take Gods name in vain profane Sabbaths c. but I dare not now give way to such impieties Time was when Sin and I agreed very well but now my heart rises at it * Psal 119.104 I hate every false way Time was when I had no love for Duty I liv'd in the total omission of it but now I love Prayer I love the Word and all the Ordinances of Christ are precious to me Time was when I was all for the world my whole heart was taken up in it but now * Phil. 3.8 I count all but loss that I may gain Christ now None but Christ none but Christ Can any of you thus speak here 's a change indeed upon that the New Creature indeed and upon that Being in Christ indeed There 's a double change which evermore accompanies the Mystical Vnion 1. The State of the Person is changed He who before he was in Christ was a Child of wrath is now upon his being in Christ an heir of Grace he that before the Union was in a state of Condemnation is now after the Union in a state of Salvation 2. The Nature is changed there 's a new Nature a new Soul not physically yet morally infus'd into the regenerate person the * 2 Pet. 1.4 divine Nature it self is now communicated to him whereupon he doth not think speak or act as he did before he doth not love or live as before he walks in newness of life as 't is Rom. 6.4 This is the change which we are to make sure of for assuredly the Lord Jesus will put none into his bosome or make them a part of himself but first the New Creature shall pass upon them to prepare and make them fit for so near and so close an Union 'T is not consistent with his honour to take a Sinner just as he finds him and without any more adoe to own him as a member of himself There out any more adoe to own him as a member of himself There cannot be a passage-from one Head to another but there must be some not able alteration Christ will not break off a branch from the first root and ingraft it into himself but he will first alter the very nature and property of it 'T is not in the power of Creatures to change those whom they take into Union with them the Husband may take the Wife into his bosome but he cannot change her Nature temper disposition As Bernard saith of Moses Aethiopissam-duxit sed non potuit Aethiopissae mutare colorem he married an Aethiopian but he could not alter her Aethiopian complexion much less could he alter her inward temper But Christ can and doth thus work upon those whom he takes into near Union and relation if he joyns the black swarthy Soul to himself he puts a new complexion upon it he makes it comely with his own comeliness as God promises Ezek. 16.14 So then by this you may know whether you be truly really savingly in Christ viz if you be new Creatures without the new Creation there 's no Mystical Vnion 2. Another trying Scripture is that Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's who are in him have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts This also is a very close Word and it speaks this No Crucifixion no Vnion The crucified Head will have crucified Members he that is planted in Christs person shall * Rom. 6.4 be planted in the likeness of Christs death O is Sin crucified in you did you ever set that upon the Cross which brought the Son of God to the Cross is there in you that death to sin which carries some analogy to Christs death for sin is the Flesh with all its cursed retinue the affections and lusts thereof mortified in you is the corrupt Nature dead as to its former power and soveraignty in the Soul for that 's the crucifixion here spoken of Assure your Selves Christ will not have a member in him to be under a foreign power the Flesh shall not be the Ruler where He is the Head where he brings about the Vnion he will have the Dominion My Text too speaks of this Flesh and it tells you that they who are in Christ Jesus do not walk after the Flesh but after the Spirit Paul here seems to rise and to go on step by step would you know who are exempted from Condemnation he tells you such who are in Christ would you further know who are in Christ he tells you such who walk not c. Here then is the Characteristical Note of all who are in Christ they live not the fleshly carnal sensual Life but the spiritual heavenly holy Life Sirs what is your walking 't is the Conversation that must discover the Vnion do but reflect upon your course of Life and that will plainly tell you to what Head you belong 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself
can challenge no such thing This for a Law in its proper sense Sin is a Law according to the improper acceptation of a Law 2. Secondly the word Law is taken improperly for any thing that hath an impelling or impulsive virtue in it which though it be not strictly and properly a Law yet it may pass under that appellation because it hath the virtue and force of a Law and doth that which a true and proper Law uses to do And so an inward operative lively Principle that which efficaciously moves and acts a man or impells and urges him so and so to act may be stil'd a Law because of its powerful and authoritative influence in and upon the man in his acting a Principle is a Virtual Law or that which is equivalent to a Law inasmuch as it inclines urges impells with power and efficacy to such and such operations which are suitable to it And therefore when Sin is the Principle which acts a person in his general course and which doth efficaciously excite and impell him to those things which are suitable to its own nature I say when 't is thus there Sin may be called a Law and there 't is the Law of Sin So that when Paul here supposes himself before his Conversion to be under the Law of Sin he means that then Sin was his principle the sole and active principle in him that which with a strange kind of power and efficacy did urge excite impell him to wicked and sinful acts all along in that state The Law of Sin notes the power of Sin as hath been shown now that is twofold Moral or Physical I will not upon several accounts undertake to justifie this distinction in the rigid acceptation of things I onely make use of it to help your conceptions in that which I am upon Sins moral power lies in its being a Law for that 's the power of a Law its physical power lies in its being a Principle for that 's the power of a principle As to its Moral power it directs and regulates prescribing to the Sinner what it would have him to do and in a sense commanding him to do accordingly as to its Physical power it doth so and so excite and act by its inward effectual powerful inclinations and impulsions I distinguish here between a Law and a Principle because I now consider the Latter strictly in it self and not according to the improper application of the word Law to it And I make use of this distinction of Sins twofold power not as designing to assert any specifical difference betwixt them possibly something might be objected against that I onely design thereby to set forth the several ways and modes wherein Sin doth exert its power for though 't is very true that Moral and Physical power as considered in themselves and when applied to such and such things are distinct kinds of power yet when they are applied to sin they are but different modes the Nature of the thing admitting nothing more Now to bring this to the Point in hand Unregenerate persons are under the Law of Sin inasmuch as in that state Sin the depraved Nature is the principle which acts them and which strongly effectually nay impetuously inclines and excites them to what is sinful Every Agent hath its principle which acts it strongly and irresistibly as Natural Agents in natural acts have their principle working with great efficacy in them the Fire burns and cannot do otherwise because 't is determin'd and influenc'd by that natural principle which is in it so Moral Agents in Moral acts have their efficacious principles too which work as strongly and powerfully in them the difference being always preserv'd 'twixt Natural and Free Agents But now these principles are very different according to mens different state where 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus there the Spirit is the principle and the New Nature too in the Soul as the principle doth with a great deal of power and efficacy excite and quicken to what is good 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us But where it is the Law of Sin there Sin is the principle which doth also strongly excite to what is evil The Natural man hath no other principle than this and 't is very active in him it ever workng with great power and strength to draw out his corruption and so he is under the Law of sin I conceive this Law of Sin as to its most proper import notes the activeness and efficacy of a principle rather than the authority or Soveraignty of a Law though that be the word here used But however 't is best to take in both notions and in both the Doctrine holds true so long as any man is unrenewed Sin is both a Law to him to command rule and govern him and also a principle powerfully and efficaciously to act him in his whole course in both respects before regeneration 't is nothing but the Law of Sin By which expression the Apostle seems to superadd something to what he had said Ver. 1. he had there spoke of walking after the Flesh thereby intimating the Flesh to be the principle by which men out of Christ do act but now here in calling it the Law of Sin or of the Flesh he intimates the power and strength of that principle in those persons 't is a commanding principle in them which takes in the sum of both the significations which I have been enlarging upon it rules and acts them as it pleases it hath over them the authority of a Law and in them the energy or efficacy of a principle both of which do center and are comprehended in one word the power of Sin So much for the First Thing to show what the Apostle means by the Law of Sin and in what respects 't is so stiled 1 Quest Wherein doth Sin act as a Law in the Vnregenerate Two Questions here arise the answering of which will give further light into the Doctrine the First is this How or wherein doth Sin as a Law exert and put forth its power and dominion in and over unregenerate persons In the answering of this should I fall upon particulars Answ to set forth the various workings of Sin in the matter or kind of them or the various arts and methods of Sin in the manner of its working it would occasion a discourse too large for my present design I will therefore limit my self to two General Heads under which the several particulars will fall The Law of Sin shews it self partly with respect to what is Evil and partly with respect to what is Good You may understand its workings in the Vnregenerate by its workings in the Regenerate for 't is the same in both onely in different degrees Now how doth it work in these that you shall see in our great instance in the Text Paul complaining of this Law as in himself shews how it did
Law of Sin and that which is peculiar to the graceless Some there are who set themselves to sin 't is the thing they aim at which they deliberate contrive muse how to bring about their serious thoughts from time to time are at work in order to it like to that person whom David describes Psal 36.4 He deviseth mischief on his bed he setteth himself in a way that is not good like to the wickedness of men before the Deluge Gen. 6.5 c. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil continually 't is meant not onely of imaginations which had Sin in them materially and subjectively but also of those which were for Sin and in order to Sin intentionally and finally The Apostle sets it forth by making provision for the flesh Rom. 13.14 when the Sinner hath his forecasts and projects for Sin Now * When the Flesh hath the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providenâ—ial projecting and forecasting ability at command and at her service it is certain her supremacy is in the full Mr. Rich. Bifeild The Gospels glory c. p. 235. where 't is thus unquestionably 't is the Law of Sin this doth most certainly discover the absolute unbroken full power and dominion of Sin Joh. 8.34 Whoever commits Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who makes it or frames it as an Artist doth a thing which is proper to his trade or art who sins de industriâ datâ operâ what of him why he is the servant of sin that is he is fully under its Command and is a perfect slave and vassal to it 'T is never thus with regenerate persons this * Deut. 32.5 spot is not the spot of Gods Children 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin he doth not frame sin or contrive how to sin in the sense named but now It cannot be denied but that even a Child of God may sin after deliberation nay as to some particular sinful act he may deliberate in order to the doing of it there was a great deal of deliberation in Davids killing Vriah 't was a plotted contrived sin that which was brought about by many deliberate thoughts ô but in such an One this is very rare and seldome 't is but in this or that particular act 't is not a thing that he holds on in God forbid it should be so And therefore though this be a great aggravation of sin when it is committed deliberately and a sad evidence that it hath too much power and strength in the heart yet every deliberate sin is not enough to prove a man to be under the Law of sin when the designing and contriving is customary and that too as to a Course in sin ô then 't is the Law of sin 2. When the Temptation easily prevails and there is little or no resistance and opposition made to sin then 't is the Law of sin and that which is proper to the unregenerate If the Town be surrendred and yields upon the first Summons 't is a sign the Assailers are very strong and the Defendants very weak if the tinder takes fire upon the first little spark that falls into it surely 't is very dry so here when Satan doth no sooner lay the temptation before the Sinner but he immediately closes with it and falls before it and yields to it this argues that Sin and Satan have a full power in and over him But I lay the main stress of this Head upon little or no resistance to the motions suggestions commands of sin Possibly it no sooner commands but the Sinner readily obeys if he chance to make some some opposition 't is as bad as none at all 't is not lively vigorous resolute but cold dull faint and languid ô this is a sad demonstration of Sins heighth and regency in the Soul The bare Commands of Sin as hath been said do not make it to be a Law but when there is a ready willing subjection to those Commands then 't is a Law Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness 'T is a brand upon Ephraim that he was * Hos 5.11 willingly walked after the Commandment may not this be charged upon men before renovation with respect to the Commands of Sin We read of Satan that he takes some captive at his will 2 Tim. 6.26 and truly so it is with the sinful Nature too it doth with the unregenerate what it will it commands governs orders them even as it will it meets with little or no resistance upon all occasions it doth but speak the word and the thing is done The true Convert stands upon his guard fights it out to the last hee 'l dye rather than yield Sin doth not so easily do his work in him he may sometimes â—e a Captive to it as being overborn with its strength but he will not be a Subject to it so as to give willing obedience to it which shows that he is not under the Law of Sin When 't is willingness in the way of duty then 't is the day of * Psal 110.3 God's power when 't is willingness in the way of sin then 't is the day of Sins power There may be some resistance made to Sin and yet its dominion may be high but when 't is no resistance then its dominion is high indeed A Sinner sometimes from the stirrings of Conscience may make a little opposition but Sin having his Will in its entire consent that opposition soon goes off and so Sins Sover aignty is as absolute as ever it was 3. When Sin carries it in spight of all opposition then 't is the Law of Sin and that power of Sin which only suits with the unregenerate state when 't is committed with little opposition ab intra and in spight of all opposition ab extra I assure you then it hath a great power Many there are who are so much under the strength and dominion of the hellish Nature that nothing shall hinder them from what is evil As the sincere Christian set never so many hinderances and discouragements before him yet being under the Law of the Spirit he will be and do good so è contrà the man that is destitute of Grace set what hinderances or discouragements you will before him yet being under the Law of Sin he will be and do evil Let the threatnings of the Law of God stand in his way like the Angel with a drawn sword in his hand yet hee 'l sin let the Scepter of the Gospel be held out to him yet hee 'l sin set the Love Grace Mercy of God before him yet hee 'l sin set the Wrath Justice Severity of God before him yet hee 'l sin set the Death Sufferings Agonies Wounds Blood of the Lord Jesus before him yet hee 'l sin let Conscience smite him let Word
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
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
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
these in the heart the spiritual walker doth all from these two Graces as his abiding principles he lives by the Faith of the Son of God and * 2 Cor. 5.14 the Love of Christ constrains him Now he who is acted by this twofold principle he is the walker after the Spirit 'Pray observe as there are two publick Heads to which all men in the world do belong the first and the second Adam and as there are two Common States under which all are and shall be comprehended at present it is the state of Nature or the state of Grace and hereafter it is the state of blessedness or the state of mistery So there are also two Common Principles by which all men in the world are acted viz the Flesh and the Spirit They that have Flesh for their principle they walk after the Flesh they that have the Spirit for their principle they walk after the Spirit So far forth as our principle is divine and spiritual so far forth is our walking divine and spiritual for that is always answerable to its principle O are you acted in your course by an inward principle is that the Spirit of God and Grace in the heart is all done by and from this Spirit this is to walk after the Spirit II. To walk after the Spirit 't is to have the Spirit for the guide of life and to follow its guidance Where there is a fleshly guide there 't is fleshly walking where there is a spiritual guide there 't is spiritual walking for the Course is denominated as from the principle so from the guide or rule And indeed the latter is in part included in the former for whatever is the principle that carries in it too the nature and use of a guide inasmuch as the action is always steered and ordered by and according to the principle but yet I consider them here as distinct I say when the Spirit is the guide and followed as the guide this is to walk after the Spirit As I may be said to walk after one when he goes before me shews me my way and I follow him step by step where he goes I go as he bids me move so I move So 't is in reference to this walking after the Spirit Thus 't is very commonly opened Ambulare secundum spiritum quid est sequi in omnibus nostris actionibus ductum Spiritus Sancti What is it to walk after the Spirit 't is for a man in all his actions and motions to follow the Spirits conduct and guidance And here too 1. God's spirit is a guiding spirit He leads directs the Soul to and in the way of holiness I say in the way of holiness for this pure and holy spirit always leads to that which is pure and holy never to that which is sinful his excitations and guidance being evermore agreeable to his Nature Psa 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God how doth God teach or guide a man to this it follows thy spirit is good good in it self and good as a guide to us lead me unto the land of uprightness Now when this Spirit is the dux viae a persons leader and guide and he follows its guidance in his conversation then his walking is right and good 'T is set forth Ver. 14. of this Chapt. by being led by the spirit As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God You read Ezek. 1.20 of the living Creatures whithersoever the Spirit was to go they went thither was their spirit to go And you read of the people of Israel Numb 9.16 As the cloud moved they moved as that stood they stood c. Thus 't is with the spiritual walker he is one who fetches his guidance from the unerring spirit and who regulates all his motions according to the spirits direction what the Spirit bids him do that he doth what the Spirit forbids him to do that he doth not he moves or stands still as this great guide directs him Let not any mistake me as though I did in this assert or advance any Enthusiasms immediate inspirations or directions from the spirit without or besides much less against the written word No God willing I shall shew the danger and vanity of such pretences when I come to the 14 v. I am for the Spirit and the * Ambulare secundum spiritum est omnes actiones qualescunque sunt dirigere instituere secundum dictamen Spiritus Sancti in Verbo in conscientiâ nostrâ secundum Verbum loquentis Sâ—râ—so Word conjunctly he guides but 't is by and in the Word and the guidance of the Word is the guidance of the Spirit He that squares his Life by the Counsels Commands Prohibitions of the Word he truly walks after the Spirit Again 2. there is the sanctified Nature which is a guide also though inferiour to the former Gal. 6.15 16. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature and as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God The New Creature or Grace is a rule 't is not onely regula regulata but in some sense also regula regulans For in subordination to the Word it shows a man what is good and directs him to and in the doing of it what is evil and how he is to shun it it leads him to those things which are suitable to its self as to love God to hate sin c. He that lives in compliance with this guide he walks not after the flesh but after the spirit III. To walk after the spirit 't is to have spiritual and heavenly Affections such as are proper to and suit with the Divine Spirit The Spirit himself wherever he dwells and the spiritual life wherever it is wrought in the Soul are always attended with spiritual affections and indeed much of the influence and efficacy of both is exerted in the spiritualizing of the affections These are always suited to the Nature the fleshly nature hath fleshly affections and the Divine nature hath Divine and spiritual affections so that the walking after the spirit or after the flesh is very much to be judged of and measured by them Doth the poor Creature love God is his delight and joy in spiritual things have they his most strong and vehement desires this is to walk after the spirit Our Apostle himself here opens the twofold walking by this Ver. 5. They that are after the flesh or who walk after the flesh mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit or who walk after the spirit mind the things of the spirit This minding the things of the flesh or of the spirit is not to be limited either to the inward acts of the Mind in the thoughts onely or to the outward endeavours but it includes and takes in the affections also Here then is the difference
of (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. Confer supra cap. 7.23 24. ubi utriusque Legis neinpe Legis Peccati Mortis mentio facta est Quare non videtur hic esse Figura 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vorstius in Schol. Interpreters open it The Law of Sin is always attended with the Law of Death and freedome from the Law of Sin is always attended with freedome from the Law of Death the power and dominion of Death stands or falls by the power and dominion of Sin But what is this Law of Death * August contra Fortunat. Disput 2. Austine answers the Law of sin is Whoever sins shall dye the Law of Death is Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return * Lex mortis est mortuum perseverare mortuum est de morte non esse reditum ad vitam Cajes Cajetan makes it to be permanentia in morte the abiding or continuance in the state of Death So Believers are freed from it for though they may for a time be subjected under it yet it shad not always have power over them so as to hold them forever as the Word is used concerning Christ Acts 2.24 they shall arise and live again they are not under the Law i. e. the everlasting evercontinuing full power and strength of Death You have Ver. 10 11. the matter of this Explication If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness But 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 But to pass these by as the Law of Sin is the power of sin so the Law of Death is that power and right which it hath over Men by reason of sin for it hath its empire and dominion as well as sin Therefore as you read of the reigning of sin so also you read of the reigning of Death Rom. 5.14 But death reigned from Adam to Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it reigned as a King as the word imports Death is either Temporal or Eternal both of which carry that in them which may give them the Title or Denomination of a Law but regenerate persons upon the Law of the Spirit of Life are freed from both From the first not simply and absolutely but onely in a restrained sense viz. as 't is strictly a Curse or the fruit and product of that primitive Curse Gen. 2.17 From the second as it notes eternal condemnation for these two are all * Ut sibi respondeant Mors damnatio Estius one they are absolutely freed This Death they being in Christ and by the sanctifying Spirit delivered from the Law of sin hath no power or authority over them I say no authority for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 20.6 on such the second death hath no power This is the First General in the Words that Gracious Deliverance from the Law of Sin and Death which they hold forth Second General The Second is the Subject of this deliverance This the Apostle puts down in his own Person The Law of the Spirit c. hath made me free from the Law of sin and death Here is Enallage Personae the change of the Person 't was them in the foregoing Verse 't is me in this I have already observed and I would now more fully open it that our apostle throughout this whole Chapter wherein he mainly treats of the Saints Priviledges speaks altogether in the Plural Number excepting onely this one Verse 'T is true where he is speaking of some high act of Grace as performed by himself there he purs it in the Singular Number as Ver. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us And so too where he is speaking of some high Assurance a thing not so common there also he expresses it in the Singular Number as Ver. 38. For I am persunded that neither c. But wherever the great and fundamental priviledges of Believers are before him there he always expresses himself in the Plural Number then 't is us altogether And 't is observable that oven where he speaks of himself as to some special act or enjoyment yet even there as to the main Priviledge he takes in all the people of God You may see this made good in the two fore-mentioned places 't is I reckon but 't is the glory that shall be revealed in us and 't is I am persuaded but 't is shall separate us from the love of God Well! here he puts in himself as the Subject of the Priviledge but 't is not to exclade or shut out Others onely he propounds himself as one great Instance of freedome from the Law of sin by the Law of the Spirit here is application and appropriation as to himself but no impropriation or exclusion with respect to Others He that had so much of Faith and Experience as to be able to apply this to himself had withall so much of Knowledge and Wisdom as to know that it was with Others yea with all regenerate persons just as it was with himself And therefore 't is in the * Observandum est in causâ Gratiae nullum esse inter Apostolum quemvis Christianum duntaxat verum discrimen Non est quod dicamus Paulus suit Apostolus nos non item ex eo quod sibi contigit per gratiam Christi probat hoc quod tribuit omnibus Christianis Muscul Continet Argumentum á Testimonio viz. experientia Apostoli ita fimul Argumentum á Pari quod enim Apostolus in se expertus fuerat id pari ratione omnes credentes in se experiuntur nempe operationem illam Spiritus Sancti regenerantis Piseas Non ego solus sed omnes quotquot in Jesu Christo sunt c. Zuingl Me fidelem quemvis Gomar i. e. quemvis verè Chriftianum Grot. Pronomen me demonstrat ipsum in Christo ambulantem c. personam fiquidem talium induit Cajes In corum personâ de se Apostolus loquitur haec verba Estius Soto will be sure to extend it far though for be glosses upon it Me i. e. Gonus humanum persons of all these that he here thus speaks and this me is inclusive not exclusive every Child of God in the world may say as here Paul doth the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death and indeed every Believer should be so well acquainted with the workings of the Spirit of God upon his own heart as to be able to apply this to himself But why doth Paul here particularize himself and speak thus in the Singular Number in this place rather than in Others I ansiver 1. Because he looked upon himself
Duty as the Soul is quickned so proportionably 't is comforted In order therefore to this how doth it concern you to improve the Spirit of God as the Spirit of Life who can thus animate and enliven you but he he who freed you from the Law of Sin and Death must also free you from all that dulness and deadness of Spirit which sometimes possesses you therefore when David was desiring this mercy he puts the Spirit before it Thy Spirit is good c. Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake Psal 143.10 11. Indeed as none can cleanse the filthy heart but the purifying Spirit nor soften the hard heart but the mollifying Spirit so none can enliven the dead heart but the quicking Spirit When the Child was dead the Prophet sent his staff but that would not do the work the Child did not revive till the Prophet came himself so you may have quickning Means and quickning Ordinances and quickning Providences but if this quickning Spirit doth not come himself you will be dead still O therefore whenever you find the Heart under inward deadness presently carry it to this quickning Spirit for quickning Grace I would not have any here mistake me to put a wrong interpretation or make bad inferences from what hath been spoken so as to slight neglect cast off External Means Ordinances Duties because they are but dead things of themselves and 't is the Spirit onely which gives life Some infer such a practise from the premises but they do it very unwarrantably For 't is true that the Spirit of Life onely quickens but then he doth this for men when they are in the use of and in attendance upon the Means he first quickens to duty and then in duty and by duty his way and method is to give out his enlivening influences when the Soul is waiting in holy Ordinances And therefore these must be highly valued and duely attended upon though it be the Spirit onely which works in them effectually upon the heart 'T was the the Angel moving the Waters that did the Cure yet the poor Cripples were to lie by the Pool side so 't is here 'T is a good Caveat therefore that of Musculus upon the Words Ista Spiritus Dei efficacia c. that efficacy of the Spirit saith he is always to be pray'd for yet we must take heed that we have a due respect for those outward Means which the Spirit will have us to make use of But no more of this ROM 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death CHAP. V. Of the Law or Power of Sin under which all Men are by Nature The whole Matter in the Words drawn into several Observations The main Observation broken into Three The First of which is spoken to viz. That every unregenerate person is under the Law of Sin That Law of Sin is opened in the twofold notion of it Two Questions stated 1. How doth Sin act as a Law in the Unregenerate 2. How it may be known when 't is the Law of Sin or wherein doth the difference lie betwixt the Power of Sin in the Regenerate and in the Unregenerate The Point applied by way of Information to inform us 1. of the bondage of the Natural State The Evil and Misery of that set forth in some Particulars 2. To inform us of the necessity power and efficacy of restraining and renewing Grace Both spoken to HHaving opened the Words and fixed upon that Interpretation of them which I judge most proper and genuine The Observations raised from the Words which was my work the last time I come now to fall upon those Observations which are grounded upon and do best therewith It hath been already observed First that the Holy Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life this I have given some short account of and will add nothing further upon it I might Secondly observe That this Spirit of Life is in Christ Jesus the regenerating Spirit is in Christ though not as the regenerating Spirit according to our common notion of Regeneration This was also cleared up in some Particulars when I was upon the Explication of the Words and in the following Verses I shall have occasion to handle it fully therefore here I 'le pass it over There 's a Third Observation which takes in the principal matter in the Text that therefore I shall onely insist upon namely That all regenerate persons by the Law of the Spirit of Life are made free from the Law of Sin and Death For this is that which Paul here affirms concerning himself and he speaking here not as an Apostle but as One regenerate quatenus regenerate that which he saith of himself is applicable to all such they all are made free from c. The General Observation broken into Three This being more generally laid down just as it lies in the Words of the Text and it being very comprehensive I will therefore more particularly branch it out into three Observations 1. That every man in the world as he is in the natural and unconverted state 1. Obs before the Spirit of Life or the regenerating Spirit takes hold of him is under the Law of Sin and Death 2. That such who are truly regenerate are made free from the Law of Sin and Death 2. Obs 3. That 't is by the Law of the Spirit of Life that these are made free from the Law of Sin and Death 3. Obs Each of these Points are of great weight and importance therefore I shall distinctly and largely speak to them First Observ handled I begin with the First which you may shorten thus Every unregenerate man is under the Law of Sin and Death In the handling both of this and also of the two other I shall mainly direct my Discourse to the Law of Sin as to the Law of Death that I shall onely speak to in the close of all This first Doctrinal Proposition is not so express in the letter of the Words as the two following but 't is strongly implied and very naturally deducible from them Paul himself that * Acts 9.15 chosen vessel who was so eminent in the Love of God the Graces of the Spirit the work and priviledges of the Gospel till it pleas'd the Lord savingly to work upon him was under the Law of Sin for he says here he was made free from it implying there was a time when he was enslaved under it As to the civil freedom of a Roman he tells us he was born to that Acts 22.28 but as to Evangelical freedom from the command and bondage of Sin he doth not say he was born free but made free this was not the result of Nature Birth or any such thing but the meer effect of divine grace Further he saith the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free whence it follows that till
the death of this Death or that wherein it mainly consists hence though it doth not carry in it any annihilation yea though it be attended with a kind of Life both Soul and Body retaining their physical being existence and union yet 't is called Death because there is in it a separation from the fountain of true Life and of all blessedness upon which account 't is not only Death but the worst Death and this too is the worst part of this worst Death for though there be more included in it than the loss of Gods presence viz. the punnishment of sense eternal torment in Hell-fire yet it might easily be prov'd that herein lies its greatest evil the Mat. 25.41 departing from God is worse than the going into everlasting fire But to apply this distinction to the business in hand How Believers are made free from the Law of temporal death 1. The Law of the Spirit of Life frees the Regenerate from death temporal Not simply and absolutely from death considered abstractly and in it-self for so all must dye Believers themselves are within the compass of the general Statute Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye Psal 89.48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave but it frees from death as so qualified and so circumstantiated in the language of the Text it frees from the Law of Death How 's that why take a gracious man Death hath not a full right or an absolute power over him so as to keep him under its dominion forever for so I show'd you some open this Law of Death Such an one may dye but he shall live again the grave shall not always hold him he may be thrown into prison for a time but Christ will fetch him out and then death shall never again exercise its power over him after he hath died once he shall dye no more as 't is said of Christ Rom. 6.9 Again Grace frees from the Law of this Death that is from the hurtfulness sting and curse of it Death carries much of a curse in it 't is the result and fruit of the primitive * Gen. 2.17 curse now in this notion sanctified persons are freed from it The nature and property of death is altered to a godly man to him 't is now but the paying of that debt or tribute which is due to Nature but a (a) 1. Thes 4.14 sleep but a (b) Job 14.14 change but a (c) Luk. 2.29 departure or going out of prison but a (d) If. 57.2 going to bed but an (e) 2 Cor. 5.4 uncloathing but a passage into an endless and everlasting life an inlet into the immediate fruition of God O set but sense aside what an harmless innocent thing is this death to such a person the Lion being slain by Christ there 's hony now in the belly of it I allude to that of Sampson Judg. 14.8 1 Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting ô grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God which give thus the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Christ by death hath overcome death unstung it and taken off its hurtful quality by dying himself he hath expiated Sin vanquished Satan atoned God satisfied the Law secured from Hell purchased eternal life and these things being done where is now the Law of Death Heb 2.14 15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of dâ—ath were all their life time subject to bondage How from the Law of eternal death 2. There is that death which is much worse than this viz. eternal death that which indeed is the death incomparably surpassing any other as no life like to eternal life so no death like to eternal death To have the Body separated for a while from the Soul is a thing to Nature very dreadful but what is that to the separation both of Body and Soul from God forever This is sometimes set forth by Death without the addition of any Epethite as Joh. 8.51 If a man keep my sayings he shall never see death Rom. 6.23 8.6 passim Sometimes by the second death and 't is so stiled because it succeeds upon and doth not commence till after the first death Rev. 2.11 He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death Rev 20.6 21.4 This is that death which the * Sicut is qui liberatur a Lege Spiritus vitae permanet in Christo qui est vita ita qui servit Lege peccati permanet in morte quae venit ex damnatione peccati Orig. unconverted and impenitent are obnoxious unto but such as turn to God by true repentance and live and holy life they are freed from it And this deliverance is absolute the former was but in such a qualified sense but this I say is absolute Even such may and shall dye the first death but they shall never dye this second death Rom. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power You read of the abolishing of this death by Christ 2 Tim. 1.10 eternal death is quite abolished to all regenerate persons But this very much falls in with the No-condemnation in the foregoing Verse of which having there said enough I 'le add nothing more VSE 1. Men exhorted to live in the belief of this that 't is Sin and Death By way of Vse 1. I would exhort you all to live in the steady belief of this and often to revive it upon your thoughts that 't is Sin and Death Especially when at any time Satan and your own hearts sollicit and tempt you to sin be sure then you think of this so as to retort it upon the temptation speedily what shall I sin and dye shall I for the pleasures delights satisfaction of sin which are but * Heb. 11.25 for a season expose my self to death yea to eternal death no that I dare not that I must not do 'T is good to break the force of a temptation by such reasonings as these for though 't is true the great restraints from sin should be taken from the love of God the fear of offending God c. yet it 's good and God allows it to take in the advantage of self-self-love too and the fear of self-destroying Surely if men did indeed believe or did nor strangely smother and suppress all serious convictions about this that 't is sin and death they durst not sin as they do Where 's the man let him be never so thirsty or let the draught be never so alluring that would venture upon it should he
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
upon Heart and Life So as 1. To be humble 2. Not to give way to Sin 3. Especially not to those sins which do more directly disparage and debase the Humane Nature 4. To love God and Christ 5. To be willing to do to suffer to be abased for Christ 6. To labour after a participation of the Divine Nature 7. To be highly thankful both for the Thing it self and also for the revelation of it Use 3. Of Comfort As 1. Christ in Flesh must needs be un effectual way for promoting God's Glory and the Sinners Good 2. In this God hath given out a very high demonstration of his Love 3. By this all the Promises are seal'd and all the great things of Faith and Hope made sure and credible Particularly 1. The Mystical Union 2. Communion with God Christ's special presence the inhabitation of the Spirit 3. The Communications of Grace from God 4. Our Sonship to God 5. The Resurrection of our Bodies 6. The Future Glory 4. God is now knowable and accessible 5. The Humane Nature highly dignify'd and advanc'd 6. Christ upon this is the more compassionate 7. There are few troubles of Conscience wherein this may not afford matter of ease and relief The Fourth General in the Words THis branch of the Words contains a Fourth Head in it which comes next to be opened Our Apostle having spoken of God's sending his own Son he goes on to shew in what manner he sent him and as to that he saith God sent him in the likeness of sinful flesh Here 's nothing in the Text but Wonders but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great things of God! the further we go the deeper the Waters are and still new matter offers it self to heighten our admiration 't was wonderful that God should send such a Son but that he should send such a Son in such a manner in Flesh yea in the likeness of sinful Flesh this is yet more wonderful O Christian stay alittle pause upon these Words get thy thoughts up thy heart elevated in the contemplation of what is here set before thee and then read one Why this Branch is added to what goes before In my entrance upon them it may be enquired why the Apostle is so particular and so express in this matter * Nonne satis erat dicere mittens Filium suum Hoc ipso verbo declaratum non fuisset istud magnum mysterium scituque dignissimum quomodo videlicet peccatum peccati damnavit Omnipotens similitudine â—arnis peccati peccatores à peccato liberans c. Corn. Mussus had it not been enough for him to have said God sent his own Son and so to have broke off but he must also add that God sent him in the likeness c To which I answer there was great reason for this amplification for the Apostle being here treating of such great mysteries of such high and glorious discoveries of the Wisdom Grace Love of God towards lost Sinners he thought in these he could not be too full or too express and he being to set down in a little room the whole model and platform of mans Salvation the good Spirit of God directed him to put in enough both for the setting forth of God's admirable Love Mercy c. and also for the encouragement of the Believers Faith with respect to the certainty compleatness and fulness of his Salvation Now Christ's incarnation and abasement in Man's Nature being so pertinent and proper and so necessary as to both of these ends therefore our Apostle will not pass that over without a particular mentioning of it And elsewhere you find him when he had spoken of Christ's mission presently to subjoyn Christ's incarnation also as Gal. 4.4 When the fulness of time was come God sent his Son made of a woman c. 'T was not only God's sending of Christ but his so sending of him viz. in Flesh yea in the likeness of sinful Flesh which puts such an emphasis and accent upon his own Grace and which doth give such full assurance to poor Creatures that they shall be effectually redeem'd and sav'd Upon these Considerations therefore besides the admirableness of the thing in it self Paul when he is upon such an Argument might very well superadde this to what preceded and he 's not satisfied with the once mentioning of it in the general but he repeats it and more particularly shows what use God made of Christ's Flesh or what good did by that redound to us for sin he condemned sin in the Flesh that is in the flesh of Christ The Explication of the Words For the clearing up the true meaning of the Words and the vindicating of them from those false interpretations which some of the old Hereticks put upon them I will lay down a Few Particulars 1. First that Flesh as here used concerning Christ carry's a quite other sense in it than what it did when it was spoken of before You had it Vers 1. Who walk not after the Flesh c. in this Verse what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh in which sense as 't is there used it occurs in many following Verses Now Flesh in these places is taken in a very different notion from Flesh in this for in them 't is taken morally and accidentally but here where Christ is concern'd in it 't is taken Physically and substantially in them it notes Man's nature as corrupted but here the very being and substance of the Humane nature or the verity of the Humane nature it self abstracted from any such adjunct and so 't is twice taken in this Verse 2. That Flesh in this application is not to be understood in its more narrow and limited sense but in its more general and comprehensive sense Here 's a double Synecdoche in the word as it signifies 1. the whole Body 2. the whole Man or the whole nature of man Flesh in its strict acceptation is but a part of the body and the body but a part of the Man but so you are not here to take it for Christ had a perfect entire compleat body and every thing as well as meer Flesh which is proper to a body for instance he had blood as well as Flesh therefore both are named Heb. 2.14 He also took part of the same i.e. of Flesh and blood and he had bones as well as flesh Luke 24.39 A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Further Christ was not only clothed with Flesh as that is limited but to one part of Man but he assumed the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Alexandr in Joh. p. 95. whole Nature of Man he had a Soul as well as a Body which two are the essential constitutive parts of Man What more common in Scripture than by Flesh to set forth Man in his whole entire humane Nature See Gen. 6.12 Psal 65.2 Isa 40.5 Joel 2.28 Luk. 3.6 Rom. 3.20 Joh. 17.2
some things as 't is plain he was for he knew not the * Vide Najanz Orat. 36. p. 588. precise time of the day of judgment Mark 13.32 as he was God he knew all things so his Vnderstanding was infinite he must therefore have some other Vnderstanding which was but finite in reference to which there might be something which he did not know He also had an humane Will distinct from his Divine Will for what could that Will be which he did submit and subordinate to the Will of his Father but this Luk. 22.42 Nevertheless not my Will but thine be don Then for those Affections which are proper to the Soul 't is clear Christ had them as namely Anger Mar. 3.5 Mar. 10.14 Love Mat. 10.21 Sorrow Mat. 26.38 Luk. 19.41 Fear Heb. 5.7 Joy Luk. 10 21. Joh. 11.15 Pity Mat. 9.36 Mat. 13.32 Now where these three things are most certainly there is a true and real Soul Yet here also our blessed Lord and Saviour is assaulted he hath two Natures which make up his Person his Deity and his Humanity but both of them by several persons are taken away as you heard but now and there are two Essential parts which make up one of his Natures his Manhood viz. Soul and Body but both of these too by several persons are taken away also Marcion divests him of a Body and * See Epiphan vol. 1. p. 743 771. Apollinaris of a Soul the Arrians also are charged with this Heresie these held that Christ had no Soul but that the ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. lib. 5 contra Haeres cap. 11. Deity was to him instead of a Soul and supply'd the office thereof that what the Soul is to us and doth in our bodies all that the Divine Nature was to Christ and did in his Body O what light can be clear enough for their Conviction and guidance in the way of truth whom God hath given up to †2 Thes 2.11 strong delusions that they should believe lies Are not the Scriptures clear enough in this matter that Christ had a real Soul what was the subject of his inexpressible sorrow and agonies in the Garden but his Soul Matth. 26.38 My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death c. Joh. 12.27 Now is my Soul troubled and what shall I say what did he in special recommend to God when he was breathing out his last gasp but his Soul Luk. 23.46 When Jesus had cryed with a loud voice he said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and having said thus he gave up the Ghost what was the part affected in his sore desertion when he cry'd out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me surely his Body could not be the immediate subject of a punishment purely spiritual no that must terminate in his spiritual part the Soul By all this it appears then that Christ was as truly God so also truly Man he having a true Body and a true Soul Yet a little further that I may take in the whole truth Of Christ's submitting to the common Adjuncts c. of the Humane Nature and leave out nothing which may tend to the heightning of Christ's incomparable Love and condescension to Sinners he was not barely sent in Flesh so far as the verity of the Humane Nature is concern'd in his assuming the Essential parts thereof but he also submitted to the common accidents adjuncts infirmities miseries calamities which are incident to that Nature He lay so many Weeks and Months in the Virgins womb received nourishment and growth in the ordinary way was brought forth and bred up just as common Infants are ' bating some special respects shown to him to discover the greatness of his Person had his life sustain'd by common food as ours is was hungry thirsty weary poor reproached tempted deserted c. liv'd an afflicted life then dy'd a miserable death was a * Isal 53.3 man of sorrows and acquainted with grief †Phil. 2.7 made himself of no reputation took upon him the form of a Servant was made in the likeness of man not only in the taking of their Nature but also in submitting to those abasements and miseries which now that Nature is lyable unto his whole life was a life of sufferings wherein as there was enough in his Holiness * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Martyr Expos Fidei Miracles to shew him to be God so there was also enough in his meanness poverty sufferings to shew him to be Man In a word he took all our infirmities upon him take it with a double restriction 1. To all our †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damascen de Orthod Fid. l. 3. c. 20. sinless infirmities such as are culpable and carry sin in them they must be excepted for though he was made like to us in all things yet without sin Heb. 4.15 2. To all our Natural infirmities as to personal infirmities such as are proper to this and that Person as blindness deafness lameness c. these Christ did not put himself under for he did not assume this or that Person but the Nature in common and therefore was not lyable to the particular infirmities of Individuums How the Humane Nature in Christ and in us differs but only to those which properly belonged to the common Nature I would carry this a little higher though I have said so much concerning the reality and sameness of Christ's Humane Nature with ours yet you are not in all respects to equalize that Nature as 't is in him and as 't is in us for Substance and Essence 't is one and the same in both yet in other considerations there 's a great disparity for 1. The Humane Nature is solely and singly in us in Christ 't is conjunctly with the Divine 2. We have it in the way of common and ordinary generation Christ had it in a special and extraordinary way 3. 'T is tainted and defil'd in us in Christ 't is perfectly pure and holy 4. In us it hath its proper subsistence in Christ it subsists only in his Godhead Thus I have shewn what this sending of Christ in the Flesh is and what it imports viz. the truth of his Incarnation of his Body and his assumption of the whole entire and perfect Nature of Man and also as the several Heads fell in my way I have out of the Word given you the proof of them I say out of the Word for these Mysteries are only to be known and believed upon the light and authority thereof if it asserts them that certainly must be sufficient to command the belief of Christians who profess in all things to make the Scriptures to be the Rule of their Faith And as to the credibility of Christ's incarnation from rational Considerations in subserviency to and grounded upon Gospel-revelation sundry * Tertull. de Carne Christi Deo nihil impossibile nisi quod non vult
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
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
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
loved us He that * 2 Cor. 5.21 knew no sin was willing to be made sin †1 Pet. 2.24 to bear our sins in his own body vpon the tree to put himself in our stead yea to die in our stead for our sakes to be ‖ Phil. 2.8 obedient to death even the death of the Cross to let out his precious blood for the expiation of sin when nothing else would do it and when all Mosaical Sacrifices were weak he by a far higher Sacrifice undertook the work * Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God was not here love even love †Eph. 3.19 passing knowledge such high affection on his part should draw out high admiration on our part Let me here add we should so admire God and Christ as to love them and to be thankful Have they ‖ Joh. 3.16 so loved us and shall not we return love for love what monsters and prodigies shall we be if after such a manifestation of their love to us there be not reciprocation of our love to them God design'd and prepar'd the Sacrifice therefore he must have our love Christ was the Sacrifice therefore he must have our love too both deserve it both must have it Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life now doth the Father love him for this and shall not we much more did we but think of this Sacrifice and hold our hearts close to it in holy meditation surely it would cause them to love Christ Then I say be thankful yea let your whole Soul upon this go out in thankfulness be ever praising magnifying God for his unspeakable mercy in Christ your Sacrifice your Redeemer your Saviour often call upon your sluggish hearts and say Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Did God * Rom. 3.25 set forth Christ to be a propitiation did he †Isa 53.5 6. lay upon him the iniquities of you all was the chastisement of your peace upon him and by his stripes are you healed that guilt and wrath which would have ruin'd you for ever are they now both done away so as that they shall never hurt you did Christ die * Mediator noster puniri pro seipso non debuit quia nullum culpae contagium perpetravit Sed si ipse indebitam mortem non susciperet nunquam nos à debitâ morte liberaret Gregor l. 3. moral c. 13. that you might not die but live for ever did you sin and he suffer was the †innocent person punished that the guilty might be acquitted was sin condemned for you who deserv'd to be condemn'd for it what praise and admiration can be high enough for such things as these The JEWS in the day of atonement were to make the trumpet sound throughout their land Lev. 25.9 So we having received the atonement by Christ's Sacrifice should evermore be sounding forth the praises of the most high You reade of the Elders Rev. 5.8 c. they fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of Saints And they sang a new son saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood c. * Peccat iniquus punitur justus delinquit reus vapulat innocens offendit impius damnatur pius quod meretur malus patitur bonus c. Quò Nate Dei quò tua descendit humilitas quo tua flagravit charitas c. Ego iniquè egi tu poenâ mulctaris ego facinus admisi tu ultione plecteris c. Me ad illicitam concupiscentiam rapuit arbor te perfecta charitas duxit ad crucem ego praesumsi vetitum tu subiisti aculeum c. August in Quest in V. N. Testam Qu. 55. Christians why are not your harps alwayes in your hands why are not your Souls alwayes full of holy affections as the golden Vials full of odours in the remembrance of him who was slain and sacrific'd for you Christ having offered his Sacrifice we are to offer ours 8. Lastly Do you offer to God the Sacrifices proper to you as Christ offered to God the Sacrifice proper to him For expiatory Sacrifices as you need them not Christ's one Sacrifice being every way sufficient for that end so you are not able to come up to them for you can present nothing to God properly and formally expiatory yet there are other Sacrifices which you may offer up to him And though the external and fleshly Sacrifices of the Law are out of date yet there are the internal and spiritual Sacrifices of the Gospel which you now are as much oblig'd to observe and offer as ever the JEWS were the former What are they why you are to present your selves your bodies Souls the whole man a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable to God Rom. 12.1 you are to dedicate your persons to Christ so as to live to him who dy'd for you 2 Cor. 5.15 yea so as to be ready to be offered in sacrifice by dying for him to allude to that Phil. 2.17 You are as an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 which spiritual Sacrifices are spiritual Dutys and Evangelical Worship prophesy'd of Mal. 1.11 in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering Here come in * Oratio purè directa de corde fideli tanquam de arâ Sanctâ surgit incensum August in Psal 141. Prayer and Praise those two eminent Sacrifices under the Gospel Psal 141.2 Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice Psal 116.17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the Lord so Psal 107.22 Psal 54.6 Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name this is set forth as here by the fruit of the lips so elsewhere by the free-will-offerings of the mouth Psal 119.108 by rendring the calves of our lips Hos 14.2 And for the pleasingness of this to God above all the Levitical Sacrifices see Psal 50.13 14. Psal 69.30 31. O this is a Sacrifice which we should often be offering up to God through Christ Jesus Another Evangelical Sacrifice is a broken Spirit than which next to a broken Christ nothing more acceptable to God Psal 51.16 17. For thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-offering The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise So also bounty to the poor distressed Saints this is an odour of sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well
Christ's fulfilling the Law is to be taken I go on to the Second The imputation of Christ's fulfilling the Law or of his active obedience being granted 't is further to be enquired In what sense this imputation is to be taken and how far it is to be carried This Question hath its difficulties as well as the former the Learned differ not only about the matter of imputation or what is imputed but also about the nature and the right stating of the act Even they who agree in the imputation of Christ's active Obedience do yet differ in the stating of that imputation For 't is the Opinion of some that Christ's active Obedience is so imputed to believers as that God reckons it to them as done in their stead that in his obeying and fulfilling the Law they legally and in God's estimation obeyed and fulfilled the Law also that his obedience is accepted for them and made over to them even as if they had so obeyed in their own persons Others cannot close with this high and rigid imputation as they are pleas'd to call it they say the imputation is to be carried no higher than thus that Christ's Obedience is imputed to Believers that is 't is reckoned to them for their good but not as done in their stead that 't is theirs in the effects benefits of it but not as to the thing it self so as that they in their persons should be look'd upon as having in Christ fulfilled the Law they are for Christ's obeying propter nos but not pro nobis This latter stating of imputation is that which some follow whom upon many accounts I am bound to respect and reverence and I acknowledge as before the former stating of it to lie open to very weighty and considerable Objections Yet in complyance with my present light I must crave leave to differ from them though I do it with all modesty and submission and the Objections made against the high and strict imputation will as I judge admit of fair and satisfactory Answers Therefore I believe and affirm that our Saviours active Obedience is imputed reckoned made over to us as being done in our stead and not only finally for our good that 't is ours not only as to such and such effects but that the thing it-self is ours in a Law sense that God reckons it to us as if we had done it in our own persons and that therein in part consists our righteousness before God The Arguments upon which I build this position are these Arguments to prove the strict imputation of Christ's Obedience 1. If the imputation of Christ's righteousness or Obedience be not taken for the imputing thereof to us as done in our stead but only as done for our good then whatever he did or doth may as properly be said to be imputed to us as his righteousness and obedience The reason of the Consequence is plain because that all which Christ did or doth is for our good his Incarnation Nativity Ascension Intercession c. all are for the good of those who love God If therefore there be nothing more in the imputation of his Obedience than the reckoning of it to us for our good then the forementioned things may equally and as properly be said to be imputed to us as it which I suppose will not be affirmed if it be it will admit of a very easie confutation 2. That must be the right stating of the imputation of Christ's Obedience which best suits with his Suretyship but that which I I plead for doth so ergo 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 debtor The same we must hold with respect to Christ and Sinners or else we quit the main notion of his being a Surety Take away Christ's obeying in our stead and make it to be only for our good and so imputed and you may then suppose him to be a loving and compassionate Saviour but not strictly a Surety for to that 't is requisite that he pay our very debt and that that payment be accepted of as made in our stead 3. Christ's Obedience is imputed as Adams disobedience was imputed this is grounded upon the Apostles parallel between them in Rom. 5. of which before Now how is Adams disobedience imputed to us Answ not only for our hurt or in the mischievous effects of it but the guilt it-self of his disobedience is imputed insomuch that in his sinning we all sin'd Answerably ex opposito Christ's Obedience is and must be imputed to us viz. not only for our good and in the happy effects of it but the thing it-self is ours insomuch that in his obeying reputatively and legally we obeyed also I cannot understand the analogy 'twixt the two Adams wherein the Apostle is so clear unless this imputation as here stated be granted and I humbly conceive he who grants we disobey'd in Adam must grant we also obey'd in Christ 4. Christ's righteousness is imputed to us in that way wherin our sin was imputed to him this is grounded upon 2 Cor. 5.21 Now our sin was imputed to Christ not only in the bitter effects of it but he took the * See Mr. Bradshaw de Justif c. 16. p. 77. guilt of it upon himself as hath been already †See pag. 489 of this Book proved so then his righteousness or active obedience it-self must be proportionably imputed to us and not only in the effects thereof 5. The proper terminus of imputation is righteousness 't is according to its notion in Scripture the reckoning or making over of a thing to a person for righteousness Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness Rom. 4.3 If therefore Christ's Obedience be imputed to us it must be so imputed as to be our righteousness before God no imputation lower than this will serve our turn nor suit with the Scripture-notion of the Word 6. They who dissent bring in the imputation of Christ's active Obedience as a part of his Satisfaction whence I argue he satisfied in our stead as he obeyed he satisfied therefore he obeyed in our stead Christ's active Obedience being satisfactory as well as his passive why should not that eo nomine come under the same imputation which the passive doth 7. If this be all in the imputation of Christ's Obedience that 't is reckoned to the Sinner for his good then we are all agreed all Controversies are at an end for who even amongst the rankest denyers of imputation do not assent to this that all was done and suffered by Christ for our good and is so far reckoned to us Wherefore either our Protestant Divines have been grosly mistaken in disputing for that which was not denyed or else they had other apprehensions about imputation Objections answered which are brought against the imputation and such an imputation of Christ's active Obedience
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