begins at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 Say then Is this thy case Thou hast sinned and now thou sufferest I advise thee to be humbled for it yet not to be discomforted The Redeemer hath born the heat and burthen of Gods wrath for thy sin and these punishments are not the effects of indignation steeled with hatred but anger meekned with love Minde it good Christian the Lord hath annexed this proviso to the Covenant of grace If you transgress you must expect to be visited with the rod yet the Covenant shall stand fast Psa 89.30 c. As poyson duely mixed and ordered by the art of the skilful Pâ—ysiâ—ian doth not kill but help to bring health So the wise God will temper the punishments which he layes on thee for sin that they should not hinder but further the fruit of thy Redemption Thy Saviour learned obedience by the things which he had suffered for thy sin Heb. 5.8 Take thou out the same lesson I might here take occasion to start and dispute this question Whether those which are actually made partakers of the grace of Redemption be so fully freed from the curse of the Law in this life that the evills which they suffer for sin have nothing of the curse in them nor can be truly so called But I look upon it as a strife about words the controversie may be thus decided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The curse may be considered either materially as it is a thing contrary to the good and welfare of the creature and so unwelcome or formally as it the sinners liableness to the avenging wrath of God for sin Or it may be taken either largely for any evill whatsoever which is the reward of sin or strictly for that great evil of evils which stands in the separation of the sinner from God and his eternal perdition Take it materially or in the largest sense and both Scripture and experience speak it aloud that beleevers are not fully delivered from the whole curse in this life But take it formally and strâ—ctly and thus the elect sinner is wholly set free from it at the instant of his conversion The terrible tempest that would overwhelme him and render him utterly and everlastingly miserable is passâ—d by and shâ—ll not fall upon his head onely some drops and sprinklings may dash him but they shall not hurt him yea the nature of them is so altered Medâ—â—inales 〈◊〉 Aâ—g 〈◊〉 corrâ—â—â—â—nes◠〈…〉 â—nes fabrâ—â—â— loâ—â—s â—â—siones â—â—â—â—tâ—onâ—s candidatâ—â—â—es Guil Pâ—â—is apud Ames Bell. Enerv. that they do him good as the Lords Warning-peeces to bring him to repentance after his falls and a Physical receits which though they be not toothsome yet are wholesome to the soul Heb. 12.10 11. Jer. 24.5 If thou be well advised thou wilt not look upon them as effâ—cts of revenging justice but as fatherly chastisements and medicines to cure thy folly and helps to promote vertue as hammering or squarings and knocking 's or washings and whitenings Dan. 11.35 And this may minister sweet refreshing to thee under the roâ—â— even when thou hast the greatest cause of humiliation for thy sin CHAP. VIII Use 4. Examination Sect. 1. The first mark of actual interest in Redemption 4. BUt now lest some bold sinner should snatch at this Consolation under pretence of an interest in the grace of Redemption and the benefits and priviledges thereof it is requisite to adde something for Examination that every one may know whether he be actual partaker of them or no. If this was the great design of Jesus Christ in taking upon him the curse to buy poor sinners out of the hands of the Law and to deliver us from the Curse then it concernes us all to search our hearts and to try our wayes that upon due consideration we may be able to give a true satisfying answer in our own souls to this weighty case of conscience Whether am I indeed and truth redeemed from the curse of the Law For what shall it avail thee to claime that as thy right which upon due search will be found to be none of thine Shall not the Lord judge thee an Usurper and a Theefe in so doing Therefore judge thy selfe by inquiring how thy heart can answer to these markes and evidences of a redeemed soul 1. Dear love of the Redeemer Suppose a poor guiltie-slave tugging and sweating in an hard service under a cruel Lord and readie to breath out his soul for very anguish by reason of his bondage if now some happie man shall in meer compassion disburse a great summe for his ransome and set him at liberty how doth this engage the silly captives heart to his Deliverer How doth the esteem of him and commend him Oh! saith he had it not been for such a man I had lien by it for ever I even owe him my self and all that I am and I shall love him dearly as long as I live This is thy case if thou hast left Christ actually redeeming thee from the Curse Thou canst look upon him and consider both those depths of misery from which he hath rescued thee and that height of felicity whereinto he hath enstaâ—ed thee and also the desperate hazzards which he was constrained to runne for the perfecting of this great work and thou canst seriously profess and say with David I will love thee dearly O Lord my strength and my deliverer Psal 18.1 2. and 116.1 2 c. Thou canst now speak it in the uprightness of thy heart Oh my soul is exceedingly indeared unto the Lord Jesus for looking upon such a miserable creature I was as a dead dog before the Lord the curse of the Law was ready to wearie mee but Christ hath taken it off and delivered me from it Therefore I love him he hath my heart and shall have it for ever well then saith every pretender I doubt not but I am redeemed for I love Jesus Christ else I were not worthy to live But alas there is much false unsound Properties of sincere love of the Redeemer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae ad splendorem solis examen sustinere potest Pasor Lexic dissembling love in the world onely that which is pure sound and uncorrupt will evidence your interest in Redemption Eph. 6.24 Let us therefore hold up this Eagle before the Sun that we may trie whether it be right bred or a bastard True love to Christ the Redeemer is 1. Single carried to the person of Christ in a direct line the eye looks straight towards Christ so that he loves him primarily for himself and the good things which he enjoyes by him but at the second hand I grant that the benefit of Redemption applied is both a meanes to produce and an help to advance this love but when the soul begins to know Christ somewhat experimentally then he sees that beautie and excellency in him which renders him altogether lovely Can. 5.16 now he loves him intirely
and longs to be more nearly united to him He desires not to be delivered from the curse and so to be righteous and holy that he may have an interest in Christ That is not his method But contra he desires to have real interest in Christ that he may be freed from the Curse and so be clothed with his righteousness and conformed to him in holiness Bona tua non nisi tecum Domine If thy heart can say yea to this thou hast an evidence of sincere love to Christ but if thou lovest him onely for lumps for the benefits which thou gettest by him deliverance from hell and the glory of heaven thy love is mercenary 2. Superlative It transcends and overtops all the Love of the creature The redeemed soul loveth wife children friends his own life and the good things of this world according to their several degrees of goodness and he loves them not fainedly and in shew but truly and indeed within due limits and in such proportion as they are capable of but yet he loves Jesus Christ farre and farre above them all This love leaves all other loves many thousand miles behinde it so that none of them can come near it He is precious singularly precious to them that believe 1 Pet. 2.7 he is an honour to them they have a very high esteem of him His interest prevailes in their soules infinitely above all other interests in the world Christ disownes yea rejects all love tendred to him which is inferiour to the love of our dearest relations Matth. 10.37 yea we must hate these in comparison of him Luke 14.26 Ask thy soul what it can answer to this Doth thy soul set an high price on thy Redeemer Doth thy heart embrace him as incomparably excellent dost thou finde the enjoyment of him more sweet and contenting than all other enjoyments and his absence hiding of his face and restraint of his gracious influences from thy spirit more bitter and grievous then all other wants or burthens which thou mayest meet with But if thy heart set up any thing above him so that Christ and his partie when they stand in competition with some other partie which hath gotten the chair in thy soul are slighted and must sit at its footstool or be thrust out of doors Oh this is a base beggarly love which will not stand thee in stead 3. Invincible To clear this the love of Christ in an elect person actually redeemed may possibly be overcome by the prevailing of the contrary corruption It is not simply impossible being a created quality and therefore no more able to stand of it self without divine support than Adam's love to his Creatour which was so easily mastered by the suggestions of the serpent to the ruine of himself and his posterity yet notwithstanding this possibility it shall never be totally vanquished and lost in the soul It may be greatly decayed and driven into a corner so that the godly Christian may want the sence of it and may verily think that the love of Christ dwelleth not in him at all yet it is there and shall abide in him for ever This fire as that on the Altar shall never be wholly extinguished Because the Spirit of God which first kindled it is still present blowing it up less or more that it cannot die It 's a part of the seed of God which abides in the saints and preserves them from sinning unto death which they must needs do if the love of the Redeemer be totally routed 1 Joh. 3.9 It 's a stream flowing from the well of water which springs up in the believer unto everlasting life John 4.14 The world thrusts sore at this love that it may fall Prosperity on one side presents the beautiful and pleasing objects of riches honours eternal delights Gen. 49.24 to draw the love of the soul to themselves Adversity on the other hand will endeavour to affright the soul from the love of Christ by the sterne and unwelcome shapes of troubles afflictions persecutions and death it self yet it 's bow abides in strength by the hand of â—he mighty God as Joseph's did The Saints love not their lives to the death Rom. 12.11 because they love the Lord Jesus as Jonathan loved David not onely as their own soules 1 Sam. 20.17 but also with a wonderfull Love 2 Sam. 1.26 Jonathan's Love to David was admirable in this that it could not be taken off either by the frowns threats and violence of his Father Saul against David and against himself for adhering to David or by the consideration of his own interest which was deeply concerned in this business he being heir apparent to the Crown and David standing in his light so the love of the right Christian to Christ cannot be wholly overcomed by temptations on the right hand or the left it can envie and despise both the sweet inchanting of pleasure and the bitter affronts of danger and keeps its ground in some good measure against them all Love is strong as death the coales of this fire make a most vehement flame many waters cannot quench it nor the floods drown it Can. 8.6 7. Trie thy self if this be thy temper thy love is right bred but canst thou give way to any thing in the world to take off the edge of thy love to Christ This fire which is so soon put out came not down from heaven Yea minde it thou lovest Christ but thou feelest not a return of love from him to thy soul yet if thy love be incorrupt thou wilt still hold on in prison as well as Liberty in death as well as life it will not be quite tyred out by long delay of comfort but the hope of an answer of peace will keep it acting in thee and the dayes of thy waiting and serving him will seem to thee but a few for the love thou hast to him as Gen. 29.20 4. Accompanied with self-jealousie Although the love of the godly soul to his Redeemer be thus divinely qualified yet he hath keeps up within himself an holy suspicion concerning himself that he may work out his own salvation now actually begun with fear and trembling Phil. 2.13 Look as it is with a poor maid who is deeply in love with some young man of Eminent parts She considers the great worth and excellencie of the person and her own means and unworthiness She sees a vast distance betwixt her self and him so that she shall never be able to answer him according to his condition hence she apprehends some danger of miscarrying least he should reject her and her love should be lost yet still her affection goes out freely towards him and he hath her whole heart only she sees cause to fear least some undue or uncomely carriage of hers should displease him and provoke him to distaste her and this fear makes her the more cautelous and helps her to endeavour to give him all possible contentment that she may
not fail of her desires Thus it is with a poor son of Adam now made partaker of Redemption by Christ he is greatly in love with his Redeemer but considering the great inequality betwixt them and his proneness to offend he is jealous over his own base heart least some unworthy walking should give his love the lie and Christ the dearly beloved of his soul should turn him over to Sathan again and leave him to be a slave to sin and the curse or lest his love should decay or cool and Christ his onely one should be displeased at him and frown upon him The Gentiles grafted into the Olive-tree must not be high-minded but fear Rom. 11.20 Such are pronounced blessed Prov. 28.14 If Paul was jealous over the Corinthians much more might they themselves 2 Cor. 11.2 3. If this jealousie be a stranger to thee thy love may well be suspected By these signes thou mayest trie the truth of thy love to Christ and if thou findest this frame of spirit thou mayest conclude that thou art redeemed A love thus qualified is a sure evidence of thy Redemption For none can possibly love the Redeemer at this height but those which are actually partakers of the benefit By nature we do not we cannot love him onely the banner of his love in the work of Redemption displayed to the sinner by the spirit of God drawes his heart to love him It may be thou hast no assurance of any interest in this benefit but if thou findest in thy soul such an high estimation of Christ and grace and such an advised complacency of spirit in him as inclines thee to fix the dearest love of thy heart upon him notwithstanding the contrary struglings of the flesh within thee though it certainly draw after it the loss of all worldly interests whatsoever I say if this be thy frame thou hast no cause to fear thy condition Sect. 2. The second and third mark of interest in Redemption 2. WEariness under the bondage of sinne both that which is past and present 1. The remembrance of his late wofull thraldome under the guilt and power of sin doth sometimes sadden his spirit he cannot think of it without some degree of regret and sorrow The misery of his former slavery under sinne is his wormwood and gall when he hath it in remembrance his soul is humbled in him Yea although he hath good hope through grace that he hath escaped the danger of it yet that doth not damme or drie up the spring of sorrow in his soul but rather renders it now spiritual and kindly Now he saith in the language of the Prophet Oh let me never return into the house of this prison again lest I die there Trie thy self Iere. 37.20 It 's no sure signe of a good estate if upon supposal of thy interest in this benefit thy soule be lifted up to such an height of joy as drownes all thoughts of thy old sinfull condition and leaves thee altogether unaffected If the Apostle had judged this a commendable disposition he would never have exhorted the saints of Ephesus to remember in what a pitifull condition they had formerly been while they were farre off and in the flesh Ephes 2.11 12. 2. The sence of that heavie clogg which lies upon him the bodie of death with the lusts thereof which as fetters on his leggs are continually pinching him makes him to sigh and crie out Oh wretched man who shall deliver me and that not onely when he is in the dark about his spiritual estate but also in the day of his choisest assurance when he can heartily thank God in the view of his full deliverance to come Rom. 7.24 25. I conceive S. Paul doth there represent the temper of every right Christian as to this particular in his own example Suppose the armes leggs and other parcels of a dead carkass were chained to the body of a living man although the trunk of that carkass were taken quite away yet Oh how noisome would it be It would make a man wearie of himself Thus it is with the ransomed soul The bulk of the flesh as I may call it is destroyed by the cross of Christ the life of it is in a great measure laid in the dust when he is set free from the Law that is the commanding over-ruling masterfull power of sin yet still the members of this carkass the affections and lusts of the flesh are sprawling and stirring and working in him and these are as troublesome to a gracious heart as the stinking members of a dead body would be to a living body if they were coupled to it Consider thy self now and see how it is with thee Art thou as Rebekah weary of thy life Gen. 27.46 because of those daughters of Heth Canst thou say with all thine heart Oh that I were altogether freed from them oh that this vexatious Inmate with all her unwelcome train might be once pack'd out of doors that I might see it no more When shall it once be This is a sweet signe that thou art actually redeemed But now Art thou a stranger to this frame Is the bodie of sin no burthen nor grief of heart to thee Canst thou go under it without stooping Dost thou not rather bless thy self in thy civil carriage before men or at the best in thy religious outside profession and performances before God wondering at the preciseness of some persons which make so much adoe in sighing and lamenting under that pressing bondage of corruption which thou art not acquainted with nor knowest what it means This is a clear evidence that thou art still a wretched slave a meer stranger to the grace of Redemption 3 A sincere consolation and real endeavour to abandon all iniquity and for ever to relinquish a vain conversation Hee that hath laid a long time in iron fetters for his misdemeanours if he be wise for himself will utterly renounce those courses which hath brought him into that misery and he that hath felt the iron curse of the Law pinching his soul and is set free by the Lord Jesus the grace of God will effectually teach him to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 When the Lord hath found a ransome for an humbled soul whose life was drawing near to the destroyers and hath sent his Commission to the Minister of the Gospel to deliver him the poor soul forthwith reflects upon himself and saith I have sinned and perverted that which is right and it profited me not that is I have gotten nothing by the trade of sin but woe and sorrow therefore I will follow it no longer Job 33 23.-27 I will not offend I will do no more Job 34.31 32. The Apostle Peter writing to the dispersed Jews tells them that they are redeemed from their vain conversation which they had received by tradition from their Fathers 1 Pet. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They had sundry idle needless unprofitable customes both
Mount EBAL Levell'd OR REDEMPTION FROM THE CURSE Wherein are Discovered 1. The wofull condition of Sinners under the Curse of the Law 2. The nature of the Curse what it is with the symptomes of it in its Properties and Effects 3. That wonderful dispensation of Christs becoming a Curse for us 4. The Grace of Redemption wherein it stands in opposition to some gross Errors of the times which darken the truth of it 5. The excellent Benefits Priviledges Comforts and Engagements to duty which flow from it By Elkanah Wales M. A. Preacher of the Gospel at Pudsey in York-shire O piissime frange esurientibus panem tuum meis quidem si dignaris manibus sed tuis viribus Bernard super Cantic Serm. 1. London Printed by R. Trott for Tho. Johnson at the Golden Key in St. Pauls Church-yard 1659. The Epistle Dedicatory To the Right Honourable THOMAS Lord FAIRFAX Right Honourable IT may seem somewhat strang that one of so low a name and as low desert especially being so far gone towards the Sunset of his day here below should now in this press-oppressing Age hazard himself thus upon the publike stage I hope I may speak it in truth it is not any itching desire to be seen in print that hath prevailed with me to make this adventure The great Motive was this Sundrie of my worthy freinds both Ministers and private Christians which conceive a better opinion of me than I doe of my self have sometimes expressed their desires that I would leave something behind me before I shall goe hence and be no more which might conduce to the building up of my hearers in their most holy faith and obedience This invitation comming from several hands and so frequently renewed after along time of serious debating it within mine owne brest I inclined to think it might be the call of God VVhereupon I resolved to make choice of some fit subject to handle in mine ordinarie ministration at home and having pitched upon this and brought it to a period by the good hand of God upon me notwithstanding many interruptions I shall now send it forth to shift for it self in the crowd I have no reason to account it any thing worth as it commeth from me I freely acknowledg that I fail very much in the manner of handling yet the Argument it self is of special necessity and worth touching upon the three maine Pillars or principles of Christian Religion viz. Mans miserie by the fall his Recoverie by Christ and his Duty arising thereupon If the Lord be pleased to give it favour in the eyes of his people and to make it usefull to raise the price of the grace of Redemption in the hearts of those that heard it or of any others and to engage them more strongly to the love and service of their dear redeemer I have my whole desire I humbly crave leave that I may inscribe it to your Lordships Name thereby to manifest some small Testimonie of my thankfulness for your many undeserved favours You were pleased to take notice of me in the time of the fiâ—st wars and ever since as occasion was offered to looke upon me with a far fairer aspect than I could desire Although I am a man of a mean parentage and condition in the world and formerly a stranger to your Honour yet you received me as a minister of Jesus Christ and have shewed forth a tender care of my welfare a rare condescension in persons of so high rank besides many reall kindnesses making me at sundrie times very noble offers of places of considerable profit for my better support and more comfortable progress in the Lords work How much your Lordship hath deserved of this Nation by managing the militarie affaires of it to the apparent hazard of your estate health and life too is so famously known to all that I am willing to hope that this age although otherwise unthankfull enough cannot so easily forget it as not to send down the memorie of it to posteritie Your love to true godliness in the power of it your readines to supply the necessity of the S t s your affectionatness to faithful Ministers your care to provide godly Preachers for all places where you have power or interest and to allow them comfortable saleries for their labours these and the like good works do praise you in the gates in the hearts tongues of all those which either know or have heard the report of them But I am perswaded that the lowlines of your spirit cannot willingly heare a trumpet sounding forth your praises Therefore I forbeare The Lord direct your heart into the love of God and the patience of Christ put under his hand to support you in all your weaknesses and afflictions and conferre upon you all spirituall blessings in heavenly places preparing for salvation which shall be the dayly prayer of Your Lordships humble servant Elk Wales To the Reader THe doctrine of Christs Satisfaction by his bloudy death to the Justice of God for the sins of all who beleeve in him is so clearly held forth in Scripture that there are none found to contradict it but such who deny his eternall Godhead and thereby are forced by adding one Heresy to another to renounce the Doctrine of his satisfaction also For who but a God could rescue us out of the hand of the Divel give a Ransome for sin satisfy infinite Justice and redeem us from the curse of the law Who but a God could reconcile us to God and purchase Justification sanctification and eternal salvation for us And therefore let all those who beleev that Christ Jesus is the true God one in essence with the Father be also confirmed in the Doctrine of his Satisfaction The whole comfort and happiness of a Christian is wrapt up in these two fundamentall truthes For if Christ be not God or if he be a God onely by Office as Magistrates are called Gods and not by nature then is Christian religion a Compound of folly Madness and Idolatry in worshipping a meer creature or a made God as the Socinians blasphemously call him with Divine worship in praying to him in trusting and beleeving in him And if he hath not made satisfaction for our Sins then are we still under the curse of the Law liable to the revengfull justice of God must of necessity perish everlastingly Indeed the word satisfaction is not in Scripture no more then the word Trinity or Sacrament but there is that in Scripture which is every way aequivalent to it For it sayeth That we are Redeemed by Christ. Col. 1.14 And not Redeemed by way of Permutation as when one Prisoner is exchanged for another or by way of free manumission as Ahab freely dismissed Benhadad or by way of force and power as the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt unless it be in reference to the Divel out of whose clutches we are by force rescued by Christ. But by way of Justice by paying
our redemption at all Lastly We finde that Christ is called our Ransome which is never spoken of Moses and that is enough to shew that there is an huge distance betwixt them even in this business of Redemption Apud eundem ubi supra 2 That this Redemption is ascribed to Christs suffering an accursed death not in respect of God but of us that is not that God was moved hereby as by a valuable consideration to set sinners at liberty but onely that they might thereby be brought effectually to the enjoyment of it by faith and obedience To this we answer that the bringing of sinners to enjoyment of this benefit is not the next and immediate effect of Christs death that belongs to the application which supposeth Redemption in being for the thing must be before it can be applied Now the Scripture doth every where make Christs accursed death the next and immediate cause of the benefit of Redemption but to the application and personal possession of this benefit its onely a remote cause There be sundry others nearer even in respect of the Redeemer himself as his Resurrection Ascension Intercession the publication of it by the Ministry of the Gospel the sending of the Spirit to make it effectual So that our redemption is ascribed to Christs accursed death primarily in reference to God the Lord and Law-giver that his justice might be satisfied and but secondarily and at a further distance in reference to us that we might reach to the enjoyment of it Much more might be added but I shall refer you to those godly learned men which have purposely confuted them I have no delight to rake in this dunghill nor would I have insisted thus much upon it but for these two reasons because 1 I conceive it to be a fundamental falsehood undermining the very being of the Gospel and pulling down the chiefest pillar of our salvation by Christ 2 Yet this soul-killing plague having broken out is dangerously spread abroad in this wanton licentious age and too many of all ranks are infected with it Yea there is a strange generation of hereticks called Quakers lately sprung up which have borrowed their abominable opinions and wilde practises from other sects and patched them up unhandsomely like a beggars coat Among other errors they broach us this down right Socinianisme See the perfect Pharisee Pos 5. That Christ in the flesh with all that he did and suffered therein was but a figure and nothing but an example whereby both Masters and Scholars do with one blow destroy the satisfaction and merit of Christ and consequently the whole work of our Redemption Let us abhor this damnable doctrine and cleave to the truth of Scripture which is delivered in such plain and familiar expressions as cannot without too much impudence and palpable wresting be eluded Truly besides many pregnant Texts in the New Testament almost the whole fifty third Chapter of Isaiah may serve for a sufficient confutation of it They might with a little dishonour to Jesus Christ speak out and say flatly that he died not at all as say that he dyed to a small purpose But it is no marvel if they that have robbed him of the truth of his God-head do dispoile him also of the principal office of Priesthood and the efficacy of his satisfaction with the choisest benefits purchased thereby for the salvation of lost sinners CHAP. VI. Use 2. Sect. 1. 1 Information in six particulars 2 HEnce we may infer matter of Information in sundry particulars 1 See and seeing admire the unspeakable love of God and of Christ to wretched mankinde not onely that Christ is made a curse in our stead but much more that this strange dispensation should work so noble and glorious an effect as Redemption is Assuredly both God the Father in giving Christ to be a curse and Christ the Mediator in submitting thereunto had this great end all along in their eye and upon their hearts next to the greatest end of all the glory of free grace even the rescuing of poor lost sinners from that hellish slavery wherein the curse of the Law had intangled them Oh the rich love of the Lord our God It was the fruitful womb which did first conceive and then warm and at length in the fulness of time bring forth this heavenly birth Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 3.16 4.9 10. Should an earthly Prince disburse a great summe of money of his own accord undesired for the ransoming of a company of slaves which were not only strangers but also enemies to him and his Fathers house being convicted Traitors and so continuing this would be accounted an act of such singular clemency as could hardly bee paralleld by any report of story What wonderful loving kindness then is this that the Prince of the Kings of the earth Rev. 1.5 hath laid out the price of his dearest blood for the redemption of the backsliding traiterous brood of Adam and is found of them that sought him not that never looked after him Isa 65.1 Rom. 10.20 2 The work of Redemption is a very costly peece a business of infinite charge The Redeemer must be no meaner person than the Christ of God the price to be paid no lower a price than the accursed death of the Cross Might not the incomparable dignity of the person have dispensed with the means of the price or the extraordinary costliness of the price have over-weighed the means of the person so that either a lower price from a person of such eminent worth or a meaner person paying such an extraordinary dear price might have served the turn Oh no neither of these If the whole world yea ten thousand worlds with all the riches and treasures of their several Indies had been laid down upon the naile for this ransome by the greatest Potentate that ever the earth knew they would have been contemned as falling infinitly short It was a most costly Redemption and so we should account of it We reckon of our earthly priviledges Can. 8.7 libertie immunities freedomes according to the rate which they cost if wee know they cost a great price we value them the more He that said he had bought his Roman freedome with a great summe Act. 22.28 did prize it accordingly even so and much more should we set an high rate upon this choice spiritual benefit which cost so vast a summe 3 The grace of the Gospel is a very precious thing Out of the eater came meat c. Iudg. 14.14 for it is the purchase of Christs satisfaction and the summe and kernel of the work of Redemption The curse of the Law did even break his bones and this hath opened a spring of spiritual marrow and fatness wherewith the soules of dry empty sinners might be both filled and satisfied Were it not for this there could be no grace nor mercy we should never have heard of any such thing as the Gospel to bring the glad tidings
of peace and salvation to the lost world but every mothers childe of us had continued in the bond of iniquity and had suffered the extremity of the curse in our own persons for ever For this is the very next bottome whereupon all Gospel-grace and whatsoever is necessary to the salvation of sinners doth stand and as it were the soul from which it hath both being and breathing The excellency of the cause hath a strong influence into the effect to make it excellent also If we look upon the nature and frame of man in the first Creation his body curiously wrought out of the dust of the earth his soul breathed into him from heaven to be both a living creature and made after the Image of God Gen. 1.26 2.7 and all this done with a word we cannot but say it is a very excellent and precious work David stands wondering at it Psal 139.14 15. How much more excellent and precious is the work of grace which is the fruit of Redemption our second Creation for the effecting whereof the Lord did not onely Let it be but as if that were not sufficient the second person must lay aside his glory and take upon him the form of a servant and not onely bear our nature but also our sin and curse even to the death Phil. 2.7 8. By this we should estimate the exceeding great worth of that grace which is brought unto us by the revelation of the Gospel If some good things of nature be precious much more are those of grace Deut. 33.1 c. Prov. 3.14 15. And if we cannot but wonder at some of the eminentest works of nature how much more cause have we to admire the beauty and glory of that great work of grace which the Apostle calls marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 See 1 Pet. 1.12 4 God will have a Church Although Adam and all his posterity revolted from God and ran away into the tents of Satan his utter enemy to his dishonour and their own ruine yet for all that he hath a designe to fetch back and recover a number of them to make them his own people and thereby to glorifie the riches of his grace towards them in an eminent measure Me thinks I hear the Lord speaking on this manner What hath the crooked Serpent of hell served me thus Hath he enticed Adam unto rebellion against me and cheated him into the curse of my Law Alas poor man I pitty thee that thou hast suffered thy self to be thus ensnared How art thou fallen from thy dignity Into what a gulf of perdition hast thou implunged all thy posterity Ier. 48.30 But I know Satan his pride his malice and his envy that he would not leave me a people on the earth to serve me I know his wrath but it shall not be so his lyes shall not so effect it I will take a speedy course to befool him in his own plot I will have a people that shall be for my praise in despite of him Having therefore predestinated from eternity a considerable number of this forlorn generation and finding them now among the pots covered all over with filth and shame through their Apostacy his infinite wisdome deviseth a way to recover them out of captivity He gives the Lord Jesus out of his own bosome thaâ— by taking upon him the curse due to them he might ransome them from the curse and separate them from the lost world which lyes in wickedness and under the power of Satan and so form them for himself that they might shew forth his praise Isa 43.21 These are the very matter whereof the Church consists I mean the invisible Church which may be defined a chosen company of the posterity of Adam whom God hath purchased with his own blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People Mat 16.18 and Nation to be a peculiar people to himself Act. 20.28 Rev. 5.9 Tit. 2.14 Thus out of the ashes of this ruined world God raiseth up to himself a glorious Phenix Eph. 5.26 A Church which shall never dye but shall be established for ever Psal 102.28 125.1 5 The Church is very dear and precious in the eyes of the Lord Jesus They are the purchase of his own blood and thereby are become his peculiar people The costliness of any commodity puts upon it a suitable preciousness endearing it to the person which bare the cost of it Jacob served a hard service for Rachel and that inhanced her worth in his heart and increased his love to her so that the dayes seemed to him but a few Gen. 29.20 Michal Davids wife cost him two hundred fore-skins of the Philistims 1 Sam. 18.27 A great adventure an high exploit This doubtless rendred her the more dear to him which appears by his peremptory requiring her after she was unjustly taken away from him and had been some years another mans wife Probably seven years 2 Sam. 3.13 14 c. Jesus Christ served a very hard service and wrought a very great exploiâ— that he might purchase unto himself a Church to be his Spouse and having compassed her with much difficulty he looks upon her as his Sister his Love his Dove his fair One yea all fair the fairest among women the One the onely One the choice One his heart is ravished with her Cant. 4.9 she is as the poor mans little Ewe Lamb that lay in his bosome and was unto him as a Daughter 2 Sam. 12.31 A Kingdome or City wonne in battel with confused noise Hephzibah Isa 62.4 Multo sanguine ac vulneribus ea victoria stetit and garments rolled in blood Isa 9.5 is so much more dear to the Conquerour because it cost so dear The Kingdome of heaven the City of the great King is conquered out of the the hands of Satan at a very dear rate It cost the Lord Jesus strong crying and tears yea much blood and many wounds therefore surely it is very near to his heart and precious in his sight Isa 43.4 6 The condition of the invisible Church and all the members of the Lords chosen people is incomparably happy They are the onely renowned Society in the world for they are the Lords Redeemed ones This glorious design when once it takes place in poor lost sinners and is laid in their bosomes puts them into a glorious estate We may say of the Church as Moses of Israel Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord c. That we may take the length and breadth of this happiness let us look upon Redemption in its 1 Properties 2 Benefits 3 Priviledges Sect. 2. Three properties of Redemption and three Benefits issue from it 1 REdemption by Christ hath these three excellent Properties 1 It s free and gracious As the Israelites sold themselves to their corporal enemies for naught so we became slaves to our spiritual enemies without price and as they so we are redeemed without
imputing of righteousness go together as it appears by the Apostles explication of the Prophet David's meaning Psal 32.1 2. Romans 4.6 7 8. God sees no iniquitie in Jacob and when the sins of Judah are sought for they shall not be found Jer. 50.20 understand this not in regard of the inordinacie and blameableness of the acts nor yet simply in reference to the just desert of sin considered in it self for these are of the very nature of sin and cannot be separated from it but in respect of the particular guilt and punishment of those persons which being taken away they do thereupon stand right in the Court of heaven We see it here in Courts below if nothing come in against a man if there be no accuser he is quit and stands as innocent in point of Law as if he had not been questioned So when Christ hath by his satisfaction disabled the Law from giving in any evidence against the poor sinner he then is absolved and stands clear before the great Judg when the Lord hath found a ransome then he doth not onely say Deliver the sinner but he shews unto him his uprightness that is he makes him partaker of the righteousness of Christ Iob 33.23 24. c. and so looks upon him as righteous through his satisfaction This was one end why the Lord made Christ sin for us 2 Cor. 5 21. Let the poor convinced soul take notice of this also Thou feelest much guilt on the spirit thou groanest under it and fearest damnation but here is thine acquittance When the poor woman's accusers were slunk away Christ said to her Woman hath no man condemned thee neither do I John 8.10 11. so saith the Lord to thee See poor soul the Law saith nothing against thee the mouth of thine accusers are stopp'd none can condemn thee neither will I yea thou mayest make the same challenge that the Apostle make's Who shall lay any thing to my charge God justifies c. Rom. 8.33 34. Sect. 3. Other four benefits flowing from Redemption 4. Adoption by Creation we were the sons of God we bare his image as a son bears the image of his father Luke 3.38 but yielding to Sathan's temptation and affecting a new fancied Divinity we fell from God lost the title and dignitie of sons forfeited all our birth-right and made our selves no better then the bratts of hell But the son of God manifested in the flesh hath not onely washed off our sin in the guilt and curse due to us but hath restored us to the dignity of children This was one of those high ends which the Lord had in his eye when he sent him in that humbled posture to redeem us it was that we might receive the adoption of sonnes Gal. 4.4 5. The Apostle Paul reckoning up eight several honours which God had conferred upon the people of the Jews wherein they excelled all other nations he sett's adoption first as the most eminent Rom. 9.4 according to that Exod. 4.22 Israel is my son even my first born This being but an external dignity to continue for a time till the partition wall should be broken down was a shadow and resemblance of that Gospel-honour which we have by the work of Redemption even the right or dignity to be the sons of God Jo. 1.12 the Congregation of the first born Heb. 12.23 and if children then heirs yea joint heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 for being now in Christ and made partakers of his righteousness we have fellowship also with him in his Sonship Gal. 3.26 This is a fruit of the abundant grace of Christ and an high advance of the work of Redemption applied If the Lord be pleased to have pity on base runagate prodigalls he might have bought us out into the condition of hired servants that had been favour far beyond expectation But to adopt us into his family Luk. 15.19 22 23. Dignitas quaedam sablimis Ames to kill the fatted calf for us to put upon us the best robe to set us at his table and to grace us with the honour of sonnes yea heirs of God a better estate than Adam lost what an high dignity is this behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us and admire it 1 Jo. 3.1 2. Indeed it doth not yet appear what we shall be our happiness lyes under a cloud vailed from the eyes of the world and in a great part from our selves also but yet we are even here the Lord's first born and the glory of this condition shall one day be revealed in despite of hell and the world Judge not your selves miserable because your neighbours so account you but know that your Redeemer hath purchased your enfranchisement and now the Lord takes you for his sonnes and daughters never to be disinherited or cast out any more 5. Sanctification The first Adam having wantonly engaged in a rebellion against his Maker did thereby not onely implunge himself and all his into the gulf of Gods curse but also forfeit that matchless Jewel of his Image which was infinitely too good to be prosticuted to his inordinate lust Whence followes a wofull change in our natures by a depravation of the whole frame of our soules in all the powers of them and making us like unto Sathan So that now we are every way dead as to our spiritual estate both by sin in the loss of God's favour which is better then life and in sin by the loss of that conformity to him which once we enjoyed But our great redeemer frees us from this death also by Sanctification This was one end of Christs giving himself for the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it Eph. 5.25 26. his death hath a soveraign vertue to work the death of sin as his life hath to work the life of righteousness Rom. 6.4 5 6. He is made of God to us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 and now as there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ so they are set free from the Law of sin and death by that law of the spirit of life which is in Christ and all this ariseth from God's sending him to condemn sin in the flesh Rom. 8.1 2 3. Christ was put to death in the flesh and for a requital he puts to death the flesh that is the body of sin in us The law laid the Curse upon him and he having borne it turn's it upon the Law of sin which is in our members and blasts that rotten stump saying to it as once he said to the unprofitable fig-tree Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth for ever Matth. 21.19 and seting a new plant of holiness in the soul to bring forth fruit unto God Indeed we see it not yet fully done but the Curse is gone out against the old man and he is wasting and shall be utterly destroyed in time Let the Lords people see their happiness in this also Poor soul thou cryest out unclean unclean I
interessing us in the grace of Redemption so we cannot doubt that the Lord hath put upon it this office also to be after the manner of a condition if we observe these Scripture-expressions Rom. 4.24 if we believe on him that raised up Jesus it shall be imputed to us for righteousness Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt believe in thy heart thou shalt be saved and the want of this condition is threatned with death Jo. 8.24 See also Jo. 20.31 Acts 8.37 But 2. This faith towards the Lord Jesus is ever accompanied with repentance towards God which is called repentance from dead works and coupled with faith in God as twins in the doctrine of the foundation of Christ Heb. 6.1 This is the souls irking with its former sinfull estate and wayes and a deep displeasure at himself for them together with a forsaking of them and turning away from them unto God in the sincere purpose of the heart and serious endeavour of the conversation And that repentance hath some hand in this business to be a mean and as a condition too in part of interest in Redemption may appear by promises of mercie pardon and healing made to it Pro. 28.14 Iob 33.27 28. Job 11.14 15 c. 2 Chron. 7.14 Acts 3.19 and the contrary threatning Luke 13.3 which plainly implies that without this there is no escaping of perdition and therefore no actual Redemption So that the sinner now as by one hand of faith he takes Christ's Righteousness unto himself so by Repentance as by the other hand he thrusts away sinne from himself out of his heart and hands that he may enjoy a part in the grace of Redemption Christ the Redeemer himself made these the chiefest subject of his preaching Mark 1.15 and so did his Apostles to whom the publication of this Doctrine was committed Acts 20.21 and directed humbled soules to both these as they had occasion S. Peter ascribes Repentance with Baptisme Acts 2.38 and S. Paul saith Act. 16.31 not that those two preachers differed in their judgements or that either of these two graces were sufficient alone by it self but rather to shew their near affinity that they cannot be separated that the right and thorough performance of the one is the performance of both This is the Kings High-way if you hope to compass Redemption and salvation in any other way you will certainly be deceived Oh that you the careless sinners in Zion for unto you I speak all this while would at length be rouzed by the sound of this trumpet to look out for deliverance by Christ before the prison doors be made so fast upon you that there will be no remedy and to provoke you the more to a thing so necessary consider these Motives 1. There is no possibility of deliverance from sinne and the Curse by any other means A redeemer you must have or you are undone and the redeemer must pay a vaste summe for your Redemption This is done to your hand by Jesus Christ if you will accept it upon his termes If you will not I would aske where will you finde a Redeemer Do you look for another to come He that must do this work must bear the Curse for you But where is the man that can or will undertake this God hath found none in heaven or earth mighty enough to lay this help upon Isa 63.5 but Jesus Christ therefore he hath laid it upon him Psal 89.19 and now there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne There is no wisedome nor power in all the world that can relieve or bestead the sinner which will not submit to this way of God 2. If thou wilt not give way to Christ to glorifie his mercie in rescuing thee from the Curse and Condemnation he will glorifie his Justice in letting thee lie an accursed prisoner for ever If thou wilt seek the Lord his hand will be upon thee for good But if thou forsake him his power and his wrath will bee against thee to thy ruine Ezra 8.22 If thou wilt not kiss the Sonne he will be angry and thou shalt perish in the way Psal 2.12 His taking the Curse upon him will not serve thy turne to secure thee from the danger of it unless thou wilt be perswaded to come up to his termes and heartily embrace him as thine onely Lord-Redeemer will give a large commission to it to destroy thee without mercie He that obeyes not the Sonne the wrath of God abides on him John 3.36 and he will come with vengeance in his hands against them that obey not the Gospel 2 Thes 1.18 3. Now the Lord offers you this incomparable mercie you have the render of it still continued in the Ministerie of the Word and the Spirit is Still inviting and beseeching you to accept of this redemption and reconciliation thereby Oh then hearken to the motion and yeild your selves forthwith unto the Lord. For although you do not give a peremptory denial yet if you sit still and triffle your hearts will be hardened Psal 95.7 8. I know thy thoughts thou takest it for granted that thou canst come and get a part in Christ when thou pleasest but it is not so It 's easie to say God be mercifull to me and it is in thy power to presume but to repent and to believe unfainedly and in truth thou shalt finde to be a work above thy strength I tell thee thou bold sinner God will one day come near and plead thus with thy conscience I gave thee Twenty thirty fortie yeares and all that while my Spirit hath been wrastling with thee to draw thee to Christ and thou sayest I can come at my pleasure If thou canst why hast thou not come all this while Seing therefore thou hast dallied with my grace and rendred all my importunity and waiting void and ineffectuall thou shalt never enter into this blessed rest of Redemption 4. If you have any true love to the Ministers of Christ or any desire of their welfare and comfort then come in and seek for a share in this benefit Wee are the servants of the Lord Jesus sent forth to proclaim Redemption to the world How would it glad our hearts to see you all flocking in as doves to the windowes for your interest therein that we may rejoyce in the day of Christ and say Behold here am I and the soules whom thou hast ransomed with thy blood which have yielded themselves to thee through our Ministery If you set light by this grace and love the world and the contentments of it better than Jesus Christ you break our hearts and you will bring down our heads with shame and sorrow to the grave But if you have no regard of us yet at least pittie your selves When the Lord of the whole world shall call us to give an account of our stewardship and we shall be forced to give in this true evidence against you Lord we have stretched out our hands all the day all the
year all our life long to a careless and disobedient people Rom. 10.12 Our words came to their eares but they would not suffer them to reach their hearts Oh then how can you lift up your heads or whether will you flie for relief And now I could heartily wish that his word might follow you home and the sound of this trumpet grow more and more shrill in your eares till it hath awakened you thoroughly Still remember that it is a business of the greatest importance requiring your choicest pains and diligence if S. Austine said truly He that hath made thee without thee will not save thee without the understanding it of full savation or the whole course of it means as well as end then may we say as truly he that hath paid the price of thy redemption without thee will not give thee the full possession of it without thee That which a man seeks he may probably finde if thou wilt bestir thy self in the use of means there is hope that thou mayest injoy this mercy But if thou sleightest and neglectest it thou shalt be sure to lose it As free a gift as it is God will not drop it into your mouthes while you snort and sleep if you think it not worth your most serious endeavours you shall never bee better for it I have delivered mine errand and I must leave it with you Now advise and see what answer I shall return to him that sent mee CHAP. X. Sect. 1. Exhortation to sensible sinners 2. THis precious Truth holds forth an Olive-branch of peace to sensible and broken sinners which are convinced of their misery by the curse and lye under the bondage age of it unable to get out Poor soul thou feelest thy self accursed thou hearest that Christ by becoming a curse hath ransomed sinners from the curse yet something still knocks thee off that thou canst not reach up to the enjoyment of this happines but walkest mournfully as a meer stranger to it expecting the uttermost mischief that it can work against thee I beseech thee in the bowels of our dear Redeemer take special notice of this weighty Truth and bring it home close to thy spirit Arâ— thou perswaded that Christ hath done this for wretched sinners Why then dost not thou set thy heart upon it and improve it seriously for thy best advantage Thou poor weather-beaten soul be of good chear the Lord Jesus hath paid thy ransome and now he bids thee come out of prison Wilt thou not give him leave to redeem thee but chuse to lye by it still Oh do not nourish this bondage of conscience any longer by holding off from this blessed remedy Say to thy soul I see the Redeemer hath paid a price which is abundantly sufficient to redeem many thousands and hath made them prisoners of hope Well I will humbly hope that I am one of that happy number And that thou mayest be really happy in the personal possession of this grace of Redemption I will give thee counsel and God shall bee with thee Take it in three particulars 1. Seriously ponder the weight and strength of this great design It is bottomed on the everlasting love of God and managed by his admirable wisdome The spring from which it flows is love and wisdome carries it on from first to last It is the good pleasure of his will founded on his everlasting decree that sinners should be delivered and saved in this way and in none other Hearken what the Lord saith to thee poor sinner I have given my Son to take upon him thy curse that thou mightest be freed from it And here I give thee my faithful promise that if thou wilt heartily accept him for thy Lord-redeemer and resign up thy self unto him thou shalt both be acquitted from all the mischief which the curse would bring upon thee and moreover instated in all that righteousness and glory which he enjoyes as Mediator and that by a sure Covenant never to be forgotten my word may be sufficient security to thee but if that will not serve behold here are my seals the Sacraments visible evidences of my well-meaning which may put all out of question Oh then I beseech thee bring thy heart to rest satisfied in this unless thou darest sleight the Lords free love or thinkest that thou canst disanull his eternal purpose and resist or alter the counsel of his will and be wiser than thy Maker what may hinder but thou shouldest lay hold on this strength and make peace Isaiah 27.5 2. I suppose thou art skared out of thine old prophane temper and seest great need of plying the Throne of grace a with supplications for mercy deliverance pardon and acceptation Psal 130.1 Lam. 3.55 56. Well continue still instant and watch thereunto let not thy sales fall especially pray earnestly for grace and strength to perform the condition Although the benefit of Redemption be far out of thy reach and seem impossible in thine eyes Mar. 9.23 yet if thou canst beleeve it is thine all things are possible to him that beleeveth And because faith is the gift of God and no man can Come to Christ unless the Father draw him Joh. 6.44 therefore it behooves thee to bee importunate for this drawing power to bring thee to Jesus Christ that thou mayest rest upon him and be happy And unto prayer joyn other Ordinances waiting on God in the use of them all in their several degrees and seasons till the Spirit shall breathe a spark of faith into thy soul Hearken not to those which bid thee lye still Prov. 19.15 and wait but do nothing idle waiting may lull thee asleep in security and lay thee open to delusions and false hallowS concerning thy spiritual condition which may tend to thy undoing but it is not the way wherein the Spirit of God delights to draw near to the soul of the humbled sinner Wait on the Lord and keep his way Psal 37.34 The Lord is willing to do great things for poor sinners yet he will bee enquired of by them they must seek unto him for the performance of them Ezek. 36.37 3. While thou art thus sighing towards heaven and begging faith to be ransomed and freed from thy sore bondage be careful to learn self-denial trampling under-foot not onely thine own righteousness which I presume thou dost already but also wisdome reason sense and whatsoever else may unhappily stop thy way and keep thee off from Christ and still ever and anon be trying thy heart towards the acting of faith do not sit down in the sullenness of thy spirit saying I do well to hold of but struggle with thy unbeleeving heart Set thy foot upon this way and lift up one foot after another that at last thou mayest come to close with thy Redeemer See he is here waiting for thy coming Oh saith he Hos 13.13 How long will the poor child stay in the place of breaking forth of children Stick at it
no longer but over-leaping at difficulties forthwith betake thy self to Jesus Christ and thou art actually set free Ioh. 16.9.10 Let thy heart be convinced of righteousness as well as of sin that as thou hast seen thy sin powerfully working towards thy condemnation so thou mayest see and gladly imbrace the righteousnesse of Christs Salvation working as powerfully for thy acquittance and justification Say Lord although I finde no encouragement either in my self or from the creature to expect any good by the work of Redemption yet seeing thou hast graciously promised deliverance to all poor captives that will betake themselves to Jesus Christ and give up themselves to him by faith behold here I am I beleeve help thou mine unbeleef Mar. 9.24 hee shall have the cream of my heart I will make bold to go to him and cast my burthen upon him for ever But here the humbled soul is ready to plead against himself in this manner Sect. 2. Answer to two Objections Object 1. If I knew that this benefit did indeed belong to me then I might have some ground to beleeve on Christ for the obtaining of it But I have no assurance of that and thus to beleeve might be to beleeve an untruth and so instead of doing a duty I should commit a sin Answ 1. This Objection ariseth 1. From ignorance of the extent of the grace held forth in the Gospel as if it did except some particular persons whereas it makes an offer to all and every one indefinitely under the conditions before expressed 2 From a mistake about the proper nature of faith supposing it to be an assurance or perswasion of heart concerning the love of God in special to me and my actual interest in redemption whereas in truth it stands 1 In the understandings assent to the doctrine of the Gospel or a beleef of the certainty of those things which Christ hath done for us as Mediator Nemo jubetur credere se redemptum esse priâ—squam credat in ipsum And 2. The hearts willing consenting and accepting of him with all his benefits freely offered I must not first know that I have right unto actual Redemption and then beleeve on Christ but I must first beleeve on Christ that I may have an actual right in it No man can be groundedly perswaded of his personal interest in Christ and the grace of Redemption till he hath heartily consented to the match which the Gospel offereth and given up himself to him as his Lord Redeemer 2. Yet thou hast sufficient yea abundant warrant thus to beleeve that is to take Christ and to rest on him for Redemption both from Gods express command as 1 Joh. 3.23 and from his invitations by promises of rest righteousness and salvation Matth. 11.28 Act. 13.39 and 16.31 Christ himself tells us plainly Joh. 6.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. answering them that asked him what they should do that they might work the works of God That this saith he is the work or the work of God by way of eminency that work which he would have you to do and which is well-pleasing to him above all other works that ye beleeve c. This is thy work fall to it presently stand not disputing or questioning whether this Redemption be for thee but beleeve that by beleeving thou mayest be instuted in it and it may be actually thine Object 2. But I have heard that this benefit is not for all Christ never intended to buy out all and every one of Adams posterity from the Curse and it may be I am none of that number for whom it was meant Answ 1. To the former branch of the Objection Divines have various apprehensions concerning the extent of Redemption The most received doctrine amongst orthodox Writers as I take it is that it is as narrow as Election and effectual vocation that the Lord did not intend that the curse and sufferings of Christ should be paid as a price for the ransoming of all and every one but only of those who were singularly designed in Gods eternal purpose according to Election to the injoyment of it by effectual calling There be other two opinions which hold an universality of Redemption yet with a very great difference The Arminians teach that Christ dyed for all alike that by his death he obtained that all men should be restored into the state of grace and salvation that Almighty God did not will or intend the redemption of any one more See Wards Conc ad Clerum pag. 19.20 or less than another that both the price was paid for Judas as well as for Peter and the application of it on Gods part is equally for them both not more for Peter than Judas but the difference is made by themselves the one accepting the other refusing the grace tendered by the power of his own will But this doctrine is to be rejected as false and dangerous It doth clearly make void the grace of God and exalt mans free will lifting him up into the seat of God to be his own Redeemer for say they when God hath put forth all those workings of grace which he is wont to make use of in the way to conversion See Suffrag Collegâ—ate in Arâ— 1.2 3. yet still the will is left in an equal poise betwixt beleeving and not beleeving able indifferently to incline either way so that in case a man shall hearken and answer the Lords call by beleeving and so turn effectually this man now hath struck the main stroak in the business in as much as hee might have refused it if he would and he hath whereof to boast and may say I had no more grace given towards conversion than others yet they have rejected it and remain unconverted but I by the freedome of my will have imbraced it and so am converted and consequently in actual possession of the grace of Redemption The Scripture speaks otherwise 2 Cor. 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing if not to think than much less to will or to work Phil. 2.13 It is God which works in you both to will and to work Oh wretched man by thine Apostacy thou hast lost thy self and made thy will a perfect slave to sin so that unless it be first set free by grace it cannot possibly be free to any good There be some other Divines Voluntas in tantum libera in quantum liberata Aug. both learned judicious and godly which allow an universality of Redemption and they deliver their judgement thus or to this effect That Jesus Christ by the appointment of his Father taking upon him the curse due to sin did give himself a sacrifice and paid a price for the ransome of all mankinde yet not with an equal intention and resolution for every one but thus Effectually to redeem and perfectly to save all those whom the Father had given him that is the Elect by applying unto them his
magnanima satis est prostrasse Leoni than the dearest mother can be over her childe The lyon of the Tribe of Judah will not hurt that soul which lies prostrate before him 2. It is a special clause in the Mediatours Commission that he should proclaim Liberty to the Captives Isa 61.1 God the Father saith to him Lo I give thee for a Covenant of the people that thou mayest say to the prisoners Go forth Isa 49.8 9. Be sure thou take special care of poor sensible sinners pour oyl into their woundes and give them beauty for ashes Cherish those distressed soules which lie sighing and sobbing under the burthen of their bolts and fetters those that are lost in themselves and come running to thee like the chased Hart panting after the water-brooks and cannot be satisfied without thee Dost thou think that Jesus Christ will not execute his Commission to the full 3. The termes on which thou mayest actually enjoy Christ and Redemption are very fair being both reasonable and easie 1. What can be more reasonable then that the poor slave should in the sence of his undone condition heartily own him for his onely Redeemer who hath both paid his ransome and fetch him out of prison and what is faith but the lost sinner's acknowledging and accepting of Jesus Christ for his All in all 2. What can be more easie than to do a work the stress whereof lies upon another hand not on thine It 's true of thy self thou art no more able to believe than to keep the whole Law for the dead man can stirre his right hand no more then his left but the Gospel or Covenant of grace affords strength to believe whereas the Law or Covenant of works affords none at all to obey Ier. 31.37 Heb. 8.6 â— 10. Therefore Christ tells them His yoke is easie and his burthen light in opposition to those Law-burthens which the Pharisees imposed and call's them to come to him upon that account Matth. 11.28 c. Thus Christ makes believing an easie work to a self-denying soul Even as it is easie for one that knowes not how to fashion a Letter to write a word or a sentence legibly if he will wholly refigne his hand up to be holden moved guided and carried on by the hand of a cunning Writer throughout I may now say to thee poor captive soule as the servants said to Naaman If the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing wouldst thou not have done it how much more c. 2 Kin. 5.13 So here If the Lord did enjoyn thee some difficult exploit or some desperate adventure as the condition of thy salvation would'st thou not have put forth thy self to the furthest how much more when he saith Believe and be saved 4. Faith layes a kinde of engagement on Jesus Christ to relieve a soul in extremitie When a poor creature lies succourless if he can now advisedly look after him and cast his burthen upon him this doth after a sort oblige him to come in with succour An honest man will the rather do his neighbour a pleasure if he see Psal 55.22 Donabile tuum quod tibi dari desideras Buxtorf Io. 6.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he depends upon him A mercifull man will make this an Argument why he must do this or that for a poor man Oh saith he the man put 's confidence in me it 's a matter of weight if I fail him he may be undone so Christ takes himself bound to help thee if thou wilt come and commit thy way to him Otherwise Christ lookes down from heaven upon thee and saith There goes a wretched sinner that would gladly be delivered from the Curse and saved but alas he is not capable of help for he dares not trust me hâ— will not come at me The poor servant mâ— have his wages paid because he set's his heart upon it Deut. 24.15 and if thou settest thine heart upon Christ and his satisfaction he will render unto thee thy righteousness If the ship of thy soul be covered with waves through sence of sin and wrath and Christ be asleep thou hast no way but to jogge him by the hand of faith and to awake him as the disciples did Mat. 8.24 c. and if thus thou doest he will turn the storme into a calme Yea if he see thee but offering to come to him by faith and thou art begining to sink by reason of the weakness of it yet if thou canst but sigh towards him he will stretch forth his hand and save thee as he did Peter Matth. 14.29 c. 5. I know thou art vile in thine own eyes thou art willing to be abased even unto the dust thou thinkest thou canst not cast down thy self low enough Well friend this is the right way to self-abasement If thou wilt not come to Jesus Christ till thou canst bring something with thee which may commend thee to him or till thou canst get into a more pleasing posture thou takest the course to raise up thine own Crests and to glory in thy self But if thou wilt denie thy self in the thoughts of unworthiness as well as worthiness and without further disputing put thy self wholly upon his grace and strength for thy deliverance this is the way to a more kindely abasement than any Legal humiliatiâ—â— can possibly work For while thou standest 〈◊〉 from Christ thou wilt flie from God and thy heart will be hardened against him But if thou canst but touch the hemme of his garment thou shalt come in due time to know that in thy self which will lay thee humbly at his feet and melt thy soul in the bosome of his love See the example of the woman labouring long under her bloodie Issue and the manner of her cure Mark 5.26 c. 6. I know thou wouldst advance Jesus Christ thou wouldst give him all the honour thou possibly canst thou wouldst make his praise glorious Well if thou wilt break through all difficulties and heartily accept the offer of deliverance through him alone this is the way to exalt him this is his Crown and his glory It may be thou canst say Let God have his glory whatever become of me Why if thou wilt now come to him in the sorrowfull sence of thy wofull bondage and lay the whole stress of thy soul-affairs upon him thou shalt see that he will work out his own glory by thy salvation Thy Designe is to set up his glory by lying down in thy sorrow as altogether helpless and pining away in discontent but that will not do it thou canst not honour him in thy condition wherein thou art by any other way than by believing It is by trusting in Christ That poor sinners come to the praise of his glory Eph. 1.12 This is the best part of thy thankfulness 7. If thou wilt still hold off from embraceing this free mercy then thou addest one sinne to another even ingratitude to unbelief thou art