personal subsistence in the Godhead his taking our nature the Vnion of the two Natures the Nature of God and the nature of man in that one person of Christ his Passion his Resurrection his Ascension into Heaven his sitting at the right hand of God in our nature all these are wonders Now his love is the root and foundation of all and runs through all whatsoever respects us whatsoever Christ is whatsoever Christ doth with relation to us his love is the root of all and runs through all his love runs through his Incarnation Passion Resurrection Ascension and sitting at the Fathers right hand It was out of love to us he took up our nature subjected himself to the Law dyed in our nature rose again in it carried our nature into Heaven and wears it there and will wear it to all Eternity I say his love is the root of all this My desire is to speak a little of this infinite Love of Christ The Apostle intimates in the Text that it is a great duty incumbent on us to take in as much as possibly we can of this infinite and incomprehensible love of Christ That ye may comprehend with all Saints what are the heights c. Here it may be inquired what is this expression added with all Saints I conceive it is to shew us two things First That Grace in the hearts of the Saints doth naturally put them upon this study It is the natural tendency of the Spirit of Saints as they are Saints to study and take in as much of the love of Christ as is possible That ye may comprehend with all Saints as much as if he should say This is that which all Saints are pressing after and aspiring unto they all desire to know more and more of the love of Christ Secondly This expression is added to shew that it is the great duty of all the Saints to make the Love of Christ their great study That ye may comprehend with all Saints as much as if he should say It is your duty and the duty of all the Saints to study the dimensions of Christs love What will Heaven be but a clear and perfect knowledge of the love of God in Christ Then shall we know and understand perfectly what the purpose of the Father was to communicate himself to the Elect by the Son and so shall we be filled with the fulness of God as the expression is here in this Text and elsewhere it is said God shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 Not that we shall be able in Heaven it self to comprehend and take in the whole of this love for our understanding being finite cannot fully comprehend the infinite love of God but the souls of the Elect shall then be brim-full of it they shall take in as much of this love as they are able to contain Now there is something of this love may be understood and taken in here on earth for the Apostle is speaking of something that may be taken in here on earth when he saith that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the height and depth and breadth and length of the love of Christ as much as if he should say This is that knowledge that the Saints ought to be pressing after here on earth all Saints ought to aim and level at this mark The more we know and understand of this love of Christ the more will our hearts be ravished with it and the more shall we be over-powered and swallowed up in the admiration of it for we love him because he first loved us Amor est qui amatur It is love it self that is that which we love it is Gods love to us made known to us in and by his Son that must draw our hearts to love him The great end why God chuseth his people is that they should be holy and unblameable before him in love Eph. 1.4 Now this being the great end of God to bring us to love him the more we come to know and understand his infinite love to us the more will our love be perfected towards him There are two things that lye in the words of the Text. 1. Here is a Supposition The Supposition is that the love of Christ is exceeding great and carries all dimensions in it That ye may comprehend what is the height and the depth and the breadth and length of the love of Christ The Apostle supposeth this that there are heights and depths and breadths and lengths in the love of Christ 2. We have in the Text the Apostles prayer for the Saints upon this supposition and that is that the love of Christ being so great they may know understand and comprehend it more and more There are two Observations or Doctrines that do naturally arise from the words of the Text. Doct. 1 That the Love of Christ is infinite and surpassing great and such a love as carries all manner of dimensions in it there are heights and depths and breadths and lengths in Christs Love Doct. 2 That it ought to be the endeavour of all the Saints to know understand comprehend and take in more and more of this infinite and surpassing love of Christ I shall begin to speak to the first Observation which is That the Love of Christ is infinite and surpassing great Doct. 1 and such a love as carries all manner of dimensions in it there are heights and depths breadths and lengths in the Love of Christ Here there are two things I shall treat of 1. Shew what the Love of Christ is 2. Shew how the greatness infiniteness and surpassingness of this Love may be a little described and set forth to us 1. We must open the Nature of Christs Love in the general To understand this there is a threefold Love we may distinguish of 1. There is a love of Benevolence or good-will 2. There is the love of Beneficence 3. There is the love of Complacency 1. There is the love of Benevolence or good-will and this is nothing else but an intention purpose or decree of doing good to another 2. There is the love of Beneficence and this is that love whereby a man doth not only will good to another but doth actually confer and bestow some good upon him and this is not so properly love as the effect of love 3. There is the love of Complacency and that is when a man takes delight and pleasure in that good which is in another According to this threefold distinction we may a little conceive of the Love of Christ 1. There is the love of Benevolence or good-will in Christ This is such a love whereby a man wills good to another purposes and intends to bestow good upon him This love was in the Lord Jesus Christ Christ had a purpose and intention from Eternity to bestow grace and glory upon his people To understand which we must know that all the works of the Trinity which do respect
yet thus we ought to conceive of it God being love love being his very nature and essence God loves the creatures freely indeed but yet he loves according to the condecency or becomingness of his own goodness What so proper to Love as to love God is love Bonum est sui ipsius diffusivum and therefore he loveth us The more good any thing is the more diffusive it is of it self God is good by nature and essence there is no one good but God Mat. 19.17 Creatures are good by participation but they are not originally essentially good but the Essence of God is goodness therefore God being goodness it self it is most agreeable to his nature to impart and communicate good to the creature 3. The third Consideration The love that is in the Godhead or Divine nature in Christ is the cause of all the love that is to be found in his humane nature The humane nature indeed is the glass in which the perfections of the Divine nature do shine forth but the Godhead is the source and spring of all Gods love is most visible to us in the effects of it that God should be incarnate and become man that the Law should be fulfilled for us that the pains and torments of Hell should be suffered and undergone for us that our nature should be carried into Heaven and filled with glory there these are the effects of Divine love and these effects of love are made visible and conspicuous in the humane nature but the Divine nature is the principal Efficient in all these For mark it it is the Divine nature in the person of the Son which sanctifies the humanity and assumes it into unity of person that carries forth the humanity as to all actions and sufferings so that if these be demonstrations of the highest love for God to dwell in our nature to see the Law fulfilled for us to see the torments and pains of Hell undergone for us to see Divine Justice satisfied for us we ought to behold and contemplate the love of the Divine nature as the first root of these things for it is the Divine nature that is the principal efficient cause of all God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. 1 Joh. 3.16 There was the love of the humanity which did concur in Christs laying down his life for us That the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me commandment even so I do Joh. 14.31 Christ as man loved the Father and having received a commandment from the Father he laid down his life for the sheep He was willing even as man out of love to the Father and to the sheep to lay down his life but notwithstanding this the love that was in his Divine nature was the principal therefore doth John say Hereby we perceive the love of God that he laid down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Therefore we ought not to terminate our thoughts or to stick meerly in the consideration of the actions and sufferings of Christ-man but we ought to contemplate the love of the Divine nature in all these things for it was the Godhead was the primary and principal cause Habuit rationem causae minùs principalis ministrae and the humane nature is to be considered as the less principal cause and as the servant to the Divinity So that whatsoever is sweet or amiable in Christ as man consider all his actions and sufferings in the humane nature and whatsoever may make him amiable in that respect we ought to look to the Divine nature as the principal cause and to the humanity as acted by the Divinity the humanity is the Organ of the Divinity in all these things Thus have we passed over the second Consideration there are heights and lengths and depths and breadths in the love of Christ if we consider the love of Christ distinctly as it is to be found in both his natures in his Divine and humane nature 3. I proceed in the third place to speak something of the effects of Christs love As the love of Christ hath heights depths lengths and breadths and all manner of dimensions in it if we consider it in the properties of it and as it is to be found in both his natures so it hath the same dimensions in it if we consider the effects of his love The effects of Christs love are most admirable 1. The first effect of Christs love is his Incarnation O that God would give us an heart to listen to the great Mysteries of God that are contained herein as the weight of these things requires that the Word should be made flesh that God should assume a part of humane nature and become true man here are heights breadths lengths Opus mirabile opus singulare inter omnia super omnia opera sua and depths of love indeed Bernard calls the Incarnation of Christ a wonderful work a singular work among all the rest of Gods works yea above all the rest of his other works The work of Incarnation is the greatest of all the works of God it is a greater work than the creation of Heaven and Earth for God to make all creatures out of nothing this is a work suitable to the Majesty of God but for God to come into the nature of his own creature after he hath made it this is more wonderful Quid potentius quà m conjungere Creatorem creaturam Creator ac Dominus omnium unus voluit esse mortalium qui manens in forma Dei fecit hominem idem in formaservi factus est homo Leo. Non miror miracula mundi miror Deum in utero Virginis What greater Argument of power than to joyn the Creator and the creature in one Phil. 2.7 8. Made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man They are melting expressions to any one that weighs them and considers what the meaning of them is For the God of Heaven to be made in the likeness of men and to be found in fashion as a man this will overcome and swallow him up that understands a little what the meaning of that is Heb. 4.15 This work of Christs Incarnation is a stupendious work the greatest work that ever was done the greatest that ever shall be done The glorification of all the Saints in Heaven is not so much as this for the Godhead to dwell personally in our nature This was that made Cyprian to say I do not wonder at the other miracles that are in the world I wonder at this that God should be in the womb of a Virgin that God who is incorporeal should cover himself with the covering of our flesh that he who is invisible should after a sort make himself visible that he who is the immortal God should become a mortal man that he who is infinite and uncircumscribed should take to himself a finite nature these
imputation in us It is Davenants observation When I am called to account and the whole debt of obedience the law requires is exacted from me a Believer must then shew his Surety and say Behold here is my Surety which hath paid my debt and therefore I am free and the hand-writing that was against me is blotted out Col. 2.14 This is the great and only relief to the people of God in reference to their infirmities We ought to aspire and breathe after the most perfect yea if it were possible the most Angelical obedience but when we have done all we shall find we are still unprofitable servants and come infinitely short of what was our duty and of what the law requires but here is our relief that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness he hath so answered that end of the law as to bring in that righteousness which must justifie us God in Justification imputes righteousness without works Rom. 4.6 God hath no consideration of our works and obedience in the matter of Justification but he respects the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ purely and singly Therefore though we find our selves sinners and ungodly yet we may believe in him that justifies the ungodly as Abraham did Rom. 4.5 When we are so far from having any sense of a righteousness that we nay appear before God withal as that we have a great deal of guilt which troubleth our conscience yet we may look to a righteousness without us and see the law fulfilled and satisfied for us in Christ our Head But here let me give this caution Take heed of abusing this Doctrine The end of this Doctrine is not to make men loose and licentious as that men should reason thus with themselves Christ hath fulfilled the law for us and therefore it is no matter how we live Christ hath done all and therefore it matters not what we do this is to turn the grace of God into wantonness And the Doctrine of free Grace doth not in it self teach any such thing but the corruption of man makes this ill use of this Doctrine The Doctrine of the Gospel teaches another thing The grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world Tit. 2.11 12. The end of this Doctrine is not to be an incouragement to security but to relieve afflicted consciences Christ came to heal the broken in heart and if there be any such who are conscious to themselves of their daily infirmities and seeing the many failings they are guilty of in all they do go mourning under their failings and imperfections this Doctrine concerns them Christ hath undertaken to answer the Law as a Covenant of Works though the law be still a rule of obedience yet Christ hath performed it as a Covenant of Works That perfect exact compleat obedience the law requires Christ hath performed it in our name and stead 3. If Christ was made under the Law let us learn to admire and adore the height depth breadth and length of the love of God in Christ God in Christ is become the sole Author of mans Salvation God in Christ hath done that for us which we never did do nor could do for our selves Christ hath fulfilled the Law for us and wrought out that righteousness for us which we could never work out for our selves Quid ex se agere poterat ut semel amissam justitiam recuperaret homo servus peccati vinctus Diaboli Assignata est ei proinde aliena qui caruit suâ Bernard It is an excellent passage of Bernard What could man do of himself who was the servant of sin the bond-slave of the Devil to recover that righteousness which once he had lost Therefore there was another righteousness assigned and given to him who wanted a righteousness of his own There was another righteousness given to man who had none of his own What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.3 Well therefore may we take up the Church her Song Isa 12.2 Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation God in Christ hath done all for us Christ was made under the Law he hath fulfilled the Law for us which we could never have fulfilled and so our righteousness is of him as the expression is Isa 54.17 This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord. The end of the third Sermon SERMON I. Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends OUR Saviour having exhorted his Disciples to love one another and having propounded his own love as a motive and as a pattern to them to induce them to love one another This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you He comes in this verse to shew us what that love of his to his people was and wherein the greatness of that love did manifest it self Therefore it is well observed by Grotius upon this Text That our Saviour doth here explain what it is that he means by that expression in the former verse As I have loved you This is my commandment that ye should love one another as I have loved you The pattern of your love each to other ought to be my love to you as I have loved you Now if you desire to know how it is that I have loved you I will plainly declare it to you I am ready to offer up my life a Sacrifice for you This certainly is the highest demonstration of love that can be on my part my love to you is such as that I am ready to lay down my life for you such ought your love to be one towards another 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren This I take to be the plain coherence of these words In the words themselves we have two Assertions 1. The first Assertion is this That Christ hath laid down his life for his people or for his friends This is clearly implied Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends But I intend to lay down my life for you or I am ready to lay down my life for you this is the Minor Proposition as we call it that is necessarily implied The Major Proposition is expresly laid down Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends But I have laid down my life for you or I am
Thess 5.9 These are the things that God bestows upon his people so then it is a special love in this respect God bestows common blessings upon others he bestows many temporal blessings upon all men but his special favours are reserved for the Elect therefore he is said to be the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 God preserves and saves all men by a common Providence but he is in a special peculiar manner the Saviour of Believers therefore he is called the Saviour of the body Eph. 5.23 Compare these Scriptures together in one place he is said to be the Saviour of all men and in another place he is said to be the Saviour of his body the Church Christ is the Saviour of all men in some respect but not so as he is the Saviour of his body the Church he saves all men with a common salvation but he doth not save all men with a spiritual eternal salvation it is the Church only he so saves 2. The love of Christ is a discriminating love because it is such a love as is bestowed upon some persons which is not bestowed upon others Whom he foreknew them he did predestinate Rom. 8.29 How did he foreknow them he foreknew them so as to love them He knows all his creatures from Eternity but he doth not so foreknow all as to love all alike but he foreknows some after a special manner he so foreknows some as he doth not foreknow others he so foreknows some from Eternity as to love them from Eternity he so foreknows some as to pass by others hence it is said he loved his own which were in the world Joh. 13.1 he hath chosen them out of the world Joh. 15.19 and he prays for them not for the world Joh. 17.9 Here we may cry out with the Apostle O the depths There was no reason on the part of the Elect why they should be chosen and not others Mal. 1.2 Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord yet I loved Jacob. As much as if it had been said What preheminence had Jacob more than Esau when I made my Election Was not Esau Jacobs brother Did not Esau and Jacob stand upon equal ground and might I not have taken one as well as another Nay Esau was the elder brother yet saith God Jacob have I loved There is no dignity or worth in the Elect why they should be chosen more than others the Elect themselves were involved in the same common condition of sin and misery with others but God who is rich in mercy for the great love wherewith he hath loved us Eph. 2.4 hath bestowed that love on some which he hath denied to others The reason of this love is not from any thing on the Elects part but from Gods own Soveraign will he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Those who are chosen are not better and more worthy than others but God out of his own love will make them to be vessels of mercy when as he will pass by others 1. Vse 1 A word to Sinners O labour from what hath been spoken to be sensible of your mifery while you lye out of Christ and continue in your sins you can challenge no part in this rich and glorious love Rom. 8.29 whom he predestinated them he also called therefore till you be called you have no evidence of your Election of God Think then of thy sad condition poor sinner poor unconverted soul O there is all this rich and glorious love in the heart of Christ but for any thing that yet appears thou art never like to have share in it why thou art yet uncalled and lyest wallowing in thy sins The first dawnings of Christs love appear and break forth in vocation Eph. 5.26 Christ loved the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Christs love to the Church is seen in sanctifying the Church and cleansing it by the Word and Spirit O but thou wast never sanctified and cleansed by the Word and Spirit to this day Thou art a poor creature wallowing in thy blood thou continuest in thy ignorance unbelief prophaneness hardness to this day Whoever thou art whilst thou continuest such thou hast no evidence as yet of thy election of God that thou hast any share or part in this glorious love of Christ O pray that thou mayst feel the sanctifying and cleansing work of Christs Spirit that the Word may have a work on thy soul for conversion Christ loves the Church and sanctifies and cleanses it with the washing of water by the word The Word is the ordinary means by which the Elect are sartctified and therefore Christ prays Sanctifie them by thy truth thy word is truth Joh. 17.17 If thou wouldst have some evidence of Christs love pray that the Word of God may have some effect upon thee to bring thee from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God To the People of God Vse 2. Is there such a rich and glorious love in the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ Oh then labour to admire and adore this glorious love labour to get your hearts affected with this love stand and wonder at it that the Lord Jesus should have such love for you such ancient free peculiar love for you that you should be made the objects of this ancient free peculiar love of his when so many are passed by Meditate much on this love think of it night and day never cease thinking of Christs love till you have thought your selves into love to him It is an excellent speech of Bernard When the love of Christ doth so swallow up our affections that we even forget our selves and can think of nothing else but Jesus Christ and the things of Jesus Christ then is love perfected in us The love of Christ is a great abyss that we should be swallowed up in and lose our selves in the contemplation of it and the more spirituality we grow unto the more shall we contemplate this love and the more we contemplate the love of Christ the more shall we find our selves drawn out in love to him The end of the first Sermon SERMON II. Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE have already heard three Properties of Christs love viz. that it is ancient free peculiar The fourth Property of Christs love is that it is an intense and a strong love He is said to have the greatest and strongest love to another that intends most good to another and is willing to be at the greatest cost and charges to procure that good for him If a father intend to settle such an inheritance upon his child and will lay out
which is in the Divine nature is the fountain and spring of all the love that is in the humane nature and it was meet we should contemplate a little the love that was in Christs humane nature that by this consideration we might rise up to contemplate the love of the Divine nature which is the fountain and head-spring Now to help us a little to conceive of the love which is in the Divine nature of Christ I shall propound you three considerations to illustrate it 1. All the love of the Father resides and is to be found in the Divine nature of the Son The Scripture when it speaks of the love of God doth all along commend and set forth the love of God the Father Behold what manner of love the Father hath shewed us 1 Joh. 3.1 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God c. 2 Cor. 16.14 The love of God that is the love of the Father for when Christ and God are set in distinction by God we are to understand the first person of the Trinity the Father So Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that is God the Father Still we see the Scripture describes the Father to us as the fountain of love As the Father is the Fountain of the Deity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he is the fountain of love Now then if all the love of the Father resides and is to be found in the Son then certainly the Divine nature of the Son must needs be full of love but so it is the whole intire love of the Father is to be found in the Divine nature of the Son and the reason is because there is but one and the same Divine nature in the Father and in the Son Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father and the Son are not of alike Essence but they are of the same Essence and because of the sameness of the Essence in the Father and in the Son there is the same love in the Father and in the Son Love is an essential property belonging to the Essence of God there being the same Essence both in the Father and the Son there must needs be the same love in both The Father communicates all he is and hath to the Son in the eternal Generation Joh. 16.15 All that the Father hath is mine therefore the Son receiving all from the Father in the eternal Generation the whole intire love of the Father is communicated to him and resides in him Therefore he is called the express image of his person the brightness of his glory Heb. 1.3 The whole nature of the Father is to be seen and is made conspicuous in the person of the Son Therefore if we conclude that there is the highest and most immense love in the Father we must necessarily conclude there is the same love in the Son who is the express image of his person Hence is that expression of our Saviour Joh. 14.21 If any man love me he shall be loved of my Father and I will love him Observe it my Father will love him and I will love him We may not conceive there is a twofold love one of the Father and another of the Son but both Father and Son do love with the same love There is but one and the same Divine love in the Father and the Son It is true if we understand it as some do of the love that is in Christs humane nature then we may suppose a twofold love and so there is a Learned man that gives this sense My Father will love him and I will love him i. e. I will love him not as God only for so the Father and the Son love with one love but I will love him as man also Quomodo Pater sine Filio aut Filius sine Patre diligeret quomodo cùm inseparabiliter operentur separabiliter diligant Aug. But I incline rather to understand it as Austin of the Divine Love there is but one and the same Divine love in the Father and the Son It is Austins Exposition upon the Text How is it possible the Father should love without the Son or the Son without the Father How is it possible when the Father and the Son work inseparably their love should be divided and separated The Son having all the Fathers love in him and the Scripture describing the Father to be the fountain of all love the Divine nature of the Son must needs be full of love We come now to make a little Use of what hath been opened Vse We have heard a little of the sweetness of Christs love not only in the properties of it but as this love is to be found in both his natures Behold here matter for new wonder Well may we cry out with the Apostle O the heights and depths and breadths and lengths of the love of Christ Here is love the most glorious love in both the natures of the Lord Jesus in his humane and in his Divine nature 1. Great was his love in his humane nature his humane nature was filled with that love that no creature was filled with great are the affections that are seated in his humane heart never so much sweetness kindness tenderness compassionateness to be found in any heart as his Never any thing so sweet so lovely so amiable in the whole Creation of God as the Humanity of Jesus Christ Thou art fairer than the sons of men Psal 45.2 The humane soul of Christ was composed and made up all of love and sweetness yea the humane nature was the receptacle as it were into which the Divinity poured forth all its love In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 It is not a particle or some small portion of the Divinity but the fulness of the Godhead and if all the fulness of the Godhead then all the fulness of Divine love dwells in the humane nature assumed Not that the love of the Humanity is formally and essentially the same with the Divine love or that the love which immediately flows from his humane will and affections is simply infinite as the Divine love is although it is a far greater love than ever was found in the heart of any creature but thus we may conceive of it The Humanity is as it were the seat of the Divine person in this humane nature that person who is love it self dwells Gods nature is love now in the humane nature assumed that very person who is love it self dwells and takes up his abode how sweet how full of love must the heart of Christ be that hath love it self dwelling and inhabiting in it 2. Here is the love of the Divine nature and how great that love is no heart can conceive no tongue can express A few words from hence to Sinners and to the Saints of God O that poor Sinners would be perswaded to look after a share in this love
Vse 1 Never will you find any love to match this love you may go from creature to creature but never find any love like the love of Christ Look upon the love of Christ-man it is the sweetest love that ever was never any created love like to his but then look to his Divine love and where will you find a parallel What are a few drops to the Ocean All the love that is scattered among the creatures is but as a drop the Godhead that is the Sea and Ocean of love Here are you drawn by a double cord of love by the love of his humanity and his Divinity When Christ would win upon souls how doth he do it He sets his love before them I love them that love me Prov. 8.17 If any man love me he shall be loved of my Father and I will love him Joh. 14.21 Love is the thing which is most naturally loved who can withstand the power of love Can you hear of all this love in the heart of this amiable person the Lord Jesus and not find it in your hearts to love him Never will you find so much love and sweetness any where else as in the Lord Jesus The things that have been set before you are the greatest realities and not meer notions of words or love We hear much of love in this world men speak much of love but the love that is spoken of in the world is for the most part nothing but words and air there is little reality in it but the love of Christ is the most real solid substantial love Here is the love of God himself the love of the Divinity here is love lodged in a part of your own nature lodged in that nature which is akin to you here is the love of your own flesh and blood should not the consideration of this sweet matchless love of Christ joyned with the consideration of your extreme misery and necessity make up the most powerful argument to draw souls to Christ Here you have the sweetest and most glorious love in the world to invite you on the one hand and on the other you have the necessity of your own misery Vnless you believe that I am he you shall dye in your sins Joh. 8.24 He that believes not on the Son the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3. ult As many as are under the law are under the â—erse Gal. 3.10 If you despise and reject this Lord Jesus do you know where to find another Saviour If ever you be saved Divine Justice must be satisfied an angry God must be pacified your debts must be discharged otherwise your â—â—ns will be all charged upon you another day If you neglect such a Saviour whose love is most sweet and your need of him so great your condemnation will be most just If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be anathema maranatha You that are the Saints of God Vse 2 learn from hence to study and contemplate the love of Christ more and more Ye complain your hearts are cold and frozen ye cannot get them inflamed with love to Christ warm your cold and frozen hearts by the fire of Christs love Love is the Load-stone of love Consider well the love that â—s in both his natures consider the sweetness of his humane nature consider the sweet kind compassionate sympathizing heart of Christ as man consider that love is lodged in the heart of one that is your elder Brother that it is seatâ—d in that nature that is near akin to you and â—s in all things made like to you sin only exceptâ—d and then consider the fulness and perfection â—f his Divinity consider well the infinite treaâ—ures of love and kindness that are lodged in his Divine nature let us ponder and consider these things surely our hearts are hard frozen indeed if they will not melt under these considerations The end of the second Sermon SERMON III. Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE are yet under the consideration of the Love that is in Christs Divine Nature we have mentioned one consideration about it the second follows 2. The second Consideration about the love that is in Christs Divine nature To help us to conceive of the love that is in the Divine nature of Christ consider That love is most natural to God We have heard in the first consideration That the Divine nature of the Father is in the Son As the Father hath the whole nature of God in him so the Son hath the whole nature of God in him therefore doth John say of the Son This is the true God 1 Joh. 5.20 The Father and the Son are but one and the same true God Now love is most natural to God love is his very Essence hence it is said God is love 1 Joh. 4.7 I do not remember in all the Scripture that God is called anger wrath or hatred It is true anger wrath hatred are attributed to God but I do not remember that it is formally or categorically expressed thus that God is wrath anger hatred but God is love his very nature and essence is love In some sense we may say Had it not been for sin there had been no such thing as hatred in God Not that we do or can suppose that there are or can be any new immanent acts in God for then it could not be said that God was without variableness or shadow of change Jam. 1.17 God always was what now he is God was from Eternity that which now he is all the change is from the creatures part there is no change in God what God is once he is for ever there is no manner of change in him But thus we ought to conceive of it That property in God whereby he is inclined to hate sin which is natural and essential to him as the Psalmist tells us Thou lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity had never had an object to work upon had not sin entred into the world But now God had himself and his own goodness to love had there been no such thing as sin for him to hate therefore love is most natural to God it is most natural to God to love yea it were a wonder he should not love Austin observes it is as natural for God to love as it is for him to be and live God is an intellectual Being and being so he must needs know understand and love himself and God being a pure Act he cannot sometimes love and sometimes not love but as he knows himself always so he loves himself always It is true Gods love to the creature is not necessary as it is to himself God loves himself necessarily but he loves the creatures freely and arbitrarily but
is apparent in those words of Thomas My Lord and my God Joh. 20.28 First he saith My Lord Dominum propter humanam Deum propter Divinam dicit naturam then my God He calls him Lord in respect of his humane nature God in respect of the Divine nature Now Thomas saith first My Lord then my God it is one and the same person that is Thomas his Lord and his God but faith could more easily apprehend Christ in his humane nature than it could in the Divine nature and therefore Thomas his faith begins there my Lord and from thence climbs up and ascends to the Divinity my God Hence is that expression 1 Pet. 1.21 By him we believe in God 2. As by means of the Incarnation God hath brought himself down to us and rendred himself more facile and easie to be apprehended and conceived of by us so by means of the Incarnation God hath rendred himself more sweet for us to approach unto him We may now approach to God as dwelling in our nature and God dwelling in our nature must needs be sweet kind benign propitious to them that draw nigh to him Hence is that expression 2 Cor. 5.19 God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself God having brought himself down to us in Christ is full of grace and compassion to poor sinners It is an expression I have met with in Luther Christ is nothing else but meer and infinite mercy giving it self Christus nihil aliud est quà m mera infinita misericordia donans donata Luther and being given to poor sinners This is a true description of Christ When Divine love and grace would put forth it self and manifest it self to the uttermost then it manifests it self in the gift of Christ Hence Christ is called the gift of God Joh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God The Mystery of Christ the Incarnation of the Son of God is the greatest instance and demonstration of Divine love that ever was Hence God is called Love upon this account 1 Joh. 4.8 God is love why so The next words tell us In this was the love of God manifested because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him As much as if it had been said Here was the great demonstration of Divine love that God sent his Son God in Christ is God manifesting himself all love all grace all kindness and compassion to poor Sinners Hence is that expression Tit. 3.4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour had appeared to mankind The words are emphatical first we have here the kindness of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Criticks in the Greek Tongue tell us this word properly signifies the study of doing good to another that is kindness when a man studies to the uttermost how he may do good to another God to speak after the manner of men studied how he might recommend his love to man 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 Here is the kindness of God the study that was in God to express his good will to the sons of men And then there is another word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Philanthropy of God God took an affection to our race to our kind as it were God took that affection to our nature as he did not to Angelical nature if we may so speak Heb. 2.16 Verily he took not on him the nature of Angels as much as if he should say He did not take such an affection to Angelical nature so as to cloath himself with a part of their nature but it was his affection to our nature that he would cloath himself with it Now God taking such affection to us to come into our nature and cloath himself with it he must needs be most sweet most benign and kind for man to approach unto for as much as God himself now dwells in the nature of man It is a notable Scripture to illustrate this Heb. 12.18 19 20 21 22 23 24. There are two things which the Apostle here designs to set forth 1. The greatness and excellency of Gospel-grace above the Legal Dispensation and that he doth in the 22 and 23 verses 2. The sweetness of Gospel-grace Tandem subjicit Jesum Mediatorem quoniam is solus est per quem nobis placatur Pater qui serenum atque amabilem ejus vultum nobis reddit Calv. this is described to us at the 24. verse And to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant Calvin observes Last of all the Apostle speaks of Christ the Mediator because it is by him only that the Father is pacified and it is he that renders the countenance of the Father sweet and amiable to us by Jesus the Mediator is the Father become sweet propitious and benign to poor sinners 3. By means of the Incarnation God doth actually give and communicate himself to his people The flesh of Christ as Luthers expression is is the covering as it were of the Divine Majesty Involucrum Divinae Majestatis God by means of this flesh of his Son communicates and gives himself to his people the humanity of Christ is the Medium by which God exhibits offers and gives himself to be injoyed by his people Acts 20.28 God hath redeemed the Church with his own blood Though it was the flesh only that was capable of suffering and dying yet God was he who was in that flesh and it was he that did all in that flesh So in that other place God is in Christ reconciling the world Faith ought to apprehend God in Christ as giving himself to the soul and as doing all for the soul though we ought to contemplate Christ-man yet faith ought not to rest or terminate it self in Christs humanity but faith ought to apprehend God in Christ as giving himself to the soul and doing all for the soul He hath loved me and given himself for me saith Paul Gal. 2.20 And that passage of the Church in that triumphant Song of hers is most remarkable to illustrate this point Isa 12.2 Behold God is my salvation c. This Prophecy hath a manifest relation to the days of the Messias and it speaks clearly of Christ and his Kingdom Now what shall be the thanksgiving Song of the people of God in the days of the Messias This shall be the Song Behold God is my salvation c. The faith of the Saints looks to God in Christ they see God in Christ doing all for them and giving himself to them Though God hath sent his Son to take up the humanity and is pleased to make use of that Medium yet they see it is God himself that is the Author of their salvation and that it is God who doth all for them by his Son 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled
and eminent effects of his love 1. The first great effect of Christs love which hath been instanced in and already finished is this the work of his Incarnation That the Son of God who was God by Nature and had his subsistence as the second person in Trinity in the Divine Essence from Eternity should take to himself a created nature in time and become true man so that he that was a true person before his Incarnation should by means of his Incarnation become God and man in one person this is one great effect and demonstration of the love of Christ 2. I come now to speak of the second great effect of Christs love and that is his being made under the Law for us And for this end I have chosen this Scripture But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that are under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons This was another great demonstration of the love of Christ that he would not only take our nature and become true man but that he would be made under the Law for us To understand which we must know that the Son of God might have been incarnate and yet not have subjected himself to the Law in that manner as he did for he might have glorified the humane nature in the same moment that he assumed it but that Christ would become subject to the Law and pass under such a course of obedience before he entred into his glory this was the great love of Christ to us There are great Articles of Faith contained in these words Paueis verbis multa complexus est in a few words there are many things comprehended We shall find seven or eight great Articles of Faith comprehended in these few words 1. The first great Article of Faith is this That God had a Son one that was in a peculiar manner his Son and distinguished from all other sons God sent forth his Son There is a great Emphalis lyes in that expression his Son God sent a Son that was peculiarly his Son his Son in a way of eminency and peculiarity from all others sons Therefore is this Son elsewhere called his own Son his proper Son Rom. 8.32 and his only begotten Son Joh. 1.18 The Son of the living God Joh. 6.69 The Angels and Adam were the sons of God by creation but these were not such sons as this Son was This Son that the Text speaks of was not the Son of God by Creation but by eternal Generation Joh. 16.28 I came out from the Father and ar◠come into the world Christ came forth from the Father by eternal Generation he came into the world by his Incarnation There we see his coming forth from the Father and his coming into the world are distinguished one from the other He came forth from the Father by his eternal Generation and he came into the world by his Incarnation Heb. 1.5 To which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Prov. 8.25 Before the mountains were setled was I begotten Hence is Christ said to be the first-begotten of every creature Col. 1.25 It is not said the first created of every creature but the first begotten of every creature The meaning is that before the creatures were made and created Christ was begotten by the Father He is not therefore to be placed in the rank of creatures he was begotten not created he was before the creature had any being and existence and therefore by consequence from Eternity 2. The second Article of Faith delivered in these words is this That the Son of God had a preexistence and was in being before he took our nature Mark how the Apostle expresseth it God sent forth his Son He sent him forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emisit it is not simply expressed he sent him but he sent him forth Now if God sent forth his Son it supposeth he was in being before he was so sent forth And if we would know where this Son was before he was sent forth the Evangelist tells us Joh. 1.2 The same was in the beginning with God That very Son who afterwards he saith was incarnate and made flesh vers 14. this very Son in the beginning was with God Therefore the Son was with the Father coexistent with him before he was sent forth into mans nature Some Hereticks have denied that Christ is the Son of God in respect of eternal Generation and that Christ had no existence before he took flesh from the Virgin but this Scripture cuts the throat of that Heresie for this Scripture plainly teacheth us That Christ was the Son of God before he was sent before he was made of a woman before he was made under the Law God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law He was first his Son before he was sent forth before he was made of a woman before he was made under the Law 3. The third Article of Faith contained in these words is this That God had decreed and promised to send forth his Son before he did actually send him into our nature God sent forth his Son This is implied God had a purpose to send him forth before and he had promised to send him forth and when the fulness of time was come then did he actually send him forth In the fulness of time God sent forth his Son as much as if it had been said What he he had purposed and promised before he did in due time accomplish If it be asked Where did God promise to send forth his Son The first great promise was in Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head The meaning of that promise was the Son of God should take flesh of the seed of the woman and so become a Redeemer to the Elect. This promise was renewed to Abraham when God told him In his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed This promise also was renewed to David when God told him Of the fruit of his loyns according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne Act. 2.30 It was also made to the Prophets in those many promises that were made concerning the Messias 4. The fourth Article contained in these words is this That the Son of God who was promised long before was actually exhibited and manifested in the flesh God sent forth his Son that is he sent him into our nature to take flesh Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh He sent forth his Son We must conceive of this aright not that Christ as to his Divine person did cease to be where he was before no it is said of him Joh. 1.18 The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking in the present tense Who is in the bosom of the Father
not able to pay so that whatever the debt is the surety who is ingaged stands under an obligation to see it satisfied Christ then becoming our Surety all that obligation that lay upon us from the law is now derived upon him Now Christ brings himself under this obligation to the law two ways 1. By his own free consent and stipulation to the Father He that is otherwise free if he enter into Bonds and Covenants to discharge anothers debt become an engaged person Though he were free before he is now no longer free but becomes engaged by his own voluntary consent Thus Christ who was free and disingaged in himself did enter into a Covenant and agreement with the Father to undertake our cause and to do and suffer what was necessary to be done and suffered in order to our Salvation Heb. 10.7 Then I said Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me To do thy will O God When Christ saw the Fathers heart was set on the Salvation of man and that for that end the Father was willing Christ should undertake the cause and business of their Salvation Christ was as willing as the Father was and he saith Lo I come to do thy will Hence is it that the Counsel of Peace is said to be between them both Zac. 6.13 The Father to speak after the manner of men propounds and the Son consents so that the Son who was free and disingaged in himself brings himself under an obligation by his own free promise and stipulation Hence it is that Christ becomes the Head of the second Covenant the second Adam and all the Elect are his seed and Christ undertakes for them Isa 53.10 2. Christ brought himself under obligation to the Law by his own voluntary assumption of our nature for that end that he might become subject to the Law in it This the Apostle sets forth at large Phil. 2.6 He was in the form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal with God but he made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient Here are two things by which the Apostle sets forth the greatness of Christs Condescension 1. That he being in the form of God and who might have continued in the form of God only yet that he was pleased to take upon him the form of a servant and become true man this is one part of his condescension The other part of his condescension is that he would take upon him the form of a servant and become man for this very end that he might become obedient and that he might perform all the acts of obedience in the humane nature assumed Christ was not bound to take our nature at all but he might have continued always in the form of God only or if he will take our nature he was not bound to take it in that servile way so as to be bound to all acts of obedience but here was the greatness of Christs condescension as he will take our nature so he will take it for that end that in our nature he may obey and fulfil the Law for us And therefore it is emphatically expressed in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Factum seu redactum sub lege He was made obedient and so in the Text He was made under the Law Christ was made or reduced under the Law so some render it Christ was reduced to that state and condition as to be in a state of subjection to the Law whereas he was naturally above it Christ was made or reduced under this power and authority of the Law by his own free consent whereas naturally the Law had no such power or authority over him 3. The third and last Proposition is this For Christ to be under the Law is to be under the Judirisction of the Law and to be actually subject to it Christ having put himself under the obligation of the law the law hath full power and authority over him and the law requires perfect and exact obedience from him as it doth from any other man and Christ doth now stand bound and obliged to yield and perform that obedience which the law requires Hence Christ is called Isa 42.1 the Fathers servant he is said to love the Father to do and keep the Fathers commandments Joh. 14.31 15.10 Christ as man was under a law of love and obedience to his Father he was also subject to his Parents after the flesh he submitted to the Baptism of John and gives this reason for it Thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 Christ being made man becoming our surety and being made under the law for us was bound to all the moral Duties which the law requires and so to fulfil all righteousness for us And the reason of it is If Christ had left any thing undone that the law requires of us then there had been so far a defect in that which was to become our righteousness for the obedience of Christ was to be the matter of our righteousness Rom. 5.19 By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous The law accepts of nothing but a perfect compleat righteousness therefore if Christ had left any thing to be done that the law requires to be done there had been so far a defect in that which must be our righteousness for Justification therefore Christ was obliged to all that obedience which the law required from us 2. I come now to the second thing to shew wherein the greatness of the love of Christ doth appear and discover it self in his being made under the Law I shall lay down several Propositions for the clearing of this 1. The love of Christ in being made under the law appears in this In that Christ in respect of his Original right was free from all subjection to the law Christ in respect of his person and his Divine nature was above the law Christ as he was God was Supreme and the Author of the law as he was the second person in the Trinity so he was equal to the Father and of equal authority with him It is true the humane nature in Christ was a creature and therefore in a state of subjection as every creature must necessarily be supposed to be But then we must consider that although the humane nature of Christ be a creature and considered simply so is in a state of subjection yet Christ in respect of his Original right is free from all subjection And this may be evidenced from these following Considerations 1. Although it be true that the humane nature in Christ be a creature yet the humane nature hath its subsistence in and by that person who is Divine and increated And hence is it that the Schoolmen do deny that Christ is to be called a Creature There is a
EMMANVEL OR THE LOVE of CHRIST Explicated and Applied in his INCARNATION Being made under the LAW AND HIS SATISFACTION IN XXX Sermons Preached by JOHN ROW Minister of God's Word AND Published by SAMUEL LEE LONDON Printed for Francis Tyton Book-seller at the Three Daggers near the Inner Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet 1680. TO THE PIOUS READER THIS Treatise here presented to thine eyes first sounded in the ears of a gracious Society by that Gospel-Trumpet Mr. John Row It was a Darling-child brought forth from a judicious head and a sanctified heart The Ancients compared John to the Eagle in the Vision of Cherubims because soaring high in the contemplation of our Lords Divinity Our John as if he had lain in the bosom of that John who lay in the bosom of our Saviour hath sweetly attempted to descant upon the Song of Angels about the Vnion of Heaven and Earth God and man together Luk. 2.10 The heavenly Host answered in a heavenly Anthem to that single Angel who brought the good Tydings of great joy for all people to the Shepherds of Bethlehem and behold here one of the Shepherds of Zion sings his Epiphonema to theirs Glory to God in the highest Indeed the union of two Natures in one Person and of three Persons in one Essence are Mysteries unaccountable by Angels but the joy of its influence shall never forsake the Harps of Angels or Saints to all Eternity None but who is assumed into that glorious Vnion can exhaust the Treasury of Divine Wisdom Rev. 5.5 John the beloved Disciple could not unloose the seven Seals of these Mysteries but must weep at the foot of the Lamb to do it Yet what is to be believed admired adored may and ought to be the subject of our most profound Meditations and delight What God hath revealed let none presume to count impertinent to dive into though they can feel no bottom they will find more amiable Gemms than Pearl and Coral adhering to the sides of the adamantine Rocks in this unfathomable Abyss True none can fully explain this Vnion but he that injoys it To delineate some glittering rays that stream from it requires deep communion with the person in union We are not able to conjecture what pleasures flow in upon the palates of Angels as they stand drinking of the beams of the Divine Essence neither can they transfuse or pour out those Paradise-rivers into our broken cisterns How far this holy man hath added to the point I rather leave to the Candidates of these Mysteries than determine Each may see deeper into their own Notions than others and it is far easier to conceive than express and yet there is infinitely more left for all Ages in the remainder of the Spirit than ever was uttered or can be thought of Yet I think with respect had to others he hath rendred some things more intelligible and many things more applicable and useful to common capacities The Cherubims that stood looking down upon the crowned Mercy-seat might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 25.11 1 Pet. 1.12 but could not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they might gaze upon it but not through it It was not transparent Gold like the streets of Jerusalem Rev. 21.21 but too thick a plate of Ophir for an Angels eye to pierce They may pry into the state of Saints in Glory but not the contrivance of Grace to bring Saints thither Much less can man and man fallen receive or sustain wings strong enough to fly into the depth of this amazing Firmament What God bath made on the back-side of the exteriour Heavens hath a terminating bound because a Creature though it pose Astronomy it self to measure and square the Circle of the Heavens so what God hath written is infinitely true though our finite and crooked thoughts can never unfold or draw a parallel what Scripture reveals though it do not fully unveil it is our duty both to study and embrace Divine love say the Platonists made the Vniverse and therefore more capacious and were it not more comprehensive than all created love it would never take a Saint He finds a bottom in all created joy and not like the Sea the fresher at the bottom but sometimes more salt and bitter but uncreated love hath no shoars nor centre but the bosom of God and the depth is upward still higher and sweeter These things are reserved for such as pass Kidron and Olivet let us a while step into the Sanctuary and study to grow in the Mystery of the Father and of Christ and pray that the Spirit would reveal in us what the Son hath revealed to us from the Father Joh. 1 1◠and then draw spiritual and sweet consequences from above Did the Son of God come down from Heaven to earth was it not to take the sons of men from earth to Heaven Did not the second Person partake of the humane Nature that we might partake of the Divine He took not the persons of Enoch or Abraham or Paul that they only might be happy but the nature of the first Adam that all who by faith are united to the second Adam in Grace may triumph in Glory Did not he lye in Davids Inn at Bethlehem that we might lye in the Son of Davids mansions that are above in that Zion of Zions Was not he made of a woman in Canaan to restore us to a better Paradise than what was lost by the woman of Eden Was not he made under the Law that we might be new born under Grace Was not he exalted on the Cross this Josephs Son to speak with reverence to erect a more firm and sublime Ladder into Heaven than Jacob's That Patriarch saw only a Vision of Angels by star-light but we by this Ladder ascend up to the Angels themselves that are singing in the Noon of Glory Was not his most precious Blood poured out as a Ransom for many to the remission of sins that ours might not be poured out like oyl to feed the perpetual Lamps in the flames of Hell Did not the Father make his love honourable as the Prophet speaks by his Son 's more honourable obedience and justifie his Justice by his Son's Righteousness and quench his anger in the Ocean of his Son's love Thus doth our blessed Author from the Son's Deity proceed to the great Doctrine of his most meritorious Sufferings and full Satisfaction for the sins of all the Elect. The Father by his Eternal love made way for his Temporal anger to his beloved Son that he might redeem his adopted sons from eternal wrath and made a way through the heart of his Son for them to pass into eternal love This point he no less sweetly than substantially clears against the Socinians venom who aim by darkning the Deity of Christ to extinguish the glory and honour of his Satisfaction Act. 20.28 For if it had not been the Blood of God it could never have purchased the Church But it is that
into the Country of Canaan above he dived into the meditation of that Text of Paul The time is short having prepared some heavenly Notions about the shortness of time and the uncertainty of life concluded thus We should not desire to continue longer in this world than to glorifie God and finish our given work and be ready to say Farewel Time welcome blest Eternity even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Thus this Evening-Star set in an Ocean of Joy to arise a Morning-Star in the Eastern Ocean of Glory But before his disappearance the frame of his Spirit being much agitated with sollicitude about the Church of God and particularly in this Land and Nation uttered a Swan-like Song testifying somewhat of a prophetick Spirit If God begin to deliver his Church in an October remember me which how far began to be fulfilled in October 1678. the Saints surviving may give in evidence and I humbly pray it may never end though it may mix with some overshadowings till we see Zions full deliverance past Thus much of that holy Soul I shall now conclude with a Direction and a Prayer A Direction as to the Faith and Holiness of former Saints and Ambassadours of Christ and as to such as survive To such as are gone up to Injoyment I might apply what 's said of Astraea that when ascending to Heaven left a train of light all the way like the Via lactea to illuminate the Followers of Justice in the same illustrious path to Happiness Lee's hear the Apostle Remember them which have the rule over you Heb. 13.7 who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever As to infirmities for who is without them imitate the Spirit of God in the New Testament who never relates or remembers the infirmities of Saints in the Old They are at rest in the bosom of Christ let them be at rest in your bosom as in a bed of Spices As 't is said of Josiah his name was like precious Oyntment composed by the Art of the Apothecary For such as survive learn of the same Apostle To obey them that have the rule over you Heb. 13.17 and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that 's unprofitable for you We beseech you brethren 1 Thess 5.12 to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and be at peace among your selves Forget not that when Moses and Aaron were gone to Heaven from two distinct Mountains God set apart Joshua and Eleazar in two distinct Vallies to lead their surviving children into the Land of Promise and withal told Joshua Josh 1.5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life as I was with Moses I will be with thee I will not fail thee nor forsake thee Nay what 's doubly remarkable Moses could only lead them through the Wilderness but Joshua must bring them into Canaan The Law can only school us to Christ Heb. 4. but 't is our heavenly Jesus or Joshua that can safely bring us to the Eternal rest and besides its observable we read of no murmurings under Joshua as formerly under Moses Thus God provides for his Church When Elijah was rid into Heaven Elisha must follow in the power and spirit of Elias When one stream is slid and shed into the Ocean another circulates from the same Ocean through the bowels of the earth into the springs under the mountains and refreshes the scorched Plains When one Star sets another rises to guide the wandring traveller and at length the bright Morning-lamp glitters in the East and then the glorious Sun of Righteousness While the Church sits fainting under a Juniper-tree in the Wilderness there shall fly Prophets to feed her till the blessed resurrection of the Witnesses It 's our high duty to study present work and prize present help and greatly rejoyce when the Lord sends forth as once both Boanerges and Barnabas together Pray for the mantle girdle and blessing of Elijah for the love of John and the zeal of Paul to twine hands together to draw Souls to Heaven till the Beloved comes like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of spices till the shadows flee away till the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts My prayer shall end with the same Apostle Heb. 13.20 Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen From Bignal near Bisseter Sept. 13. 1679. SAMVEL LEE EMMANVEL OR THE Love of Christ explicated in his Incarnation being made under the Law and his Satisfaction BOOK I. SERMON I. Ephes 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge THE work of a Christian lyes especially in two things First in the study of himself secondly in the study of Christ The study of a mans self will acquaint him with his own sin and misery and make him see the infinite need that he hath of Christ the study of Christ will cause him to admire the Plot of Divine Wisdom and Grace which hath provided all that in one Christ which is answerable to all that sin and misery that is in us The Mystery of Christ is the greatest Mystery that ever was There are breadths and lengths depths and heights in this Mystery It is Calvins Comment on the Text Continet una Christi dilectio omnes sapientiae numeros Calv. that one love of Christ contains in it all the dimensions and measures of wisdom When the Apostle speaks of breadths lengths depths and heights that which he intends is that in one Christ is the height breadth length and depth of all true wisdom in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 and in him are ye compleat A Christian needs to study nothing but one Christ there is enough in Christ to take up his study and contemplation all his days and the more we study Christ the more we may study him There will be new wonders still appearing in Christ The Name of Christ is called wonderful Isa 9.6 and indeed well may it be called so every thing in Christ is a wonder most wonderful his eternal Generation from the Father his
all the money he hath to purchase that inheritance it is a sign he loves that child well So is it in this case the things that God intends to bestow upon his people are the greatest things and he hath been at the greatest cost and charges to bring them to this inheritance 1. God bestows upon his people the greatest things and therein he shews how strong his love is to them What things are they no less than himself his own glory and blessedness all the riches of Heaven Heirs of God coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Heirs of God what is that We shall inherit God himself for our portion we shall enjoy all that he is all that God hath so far as we are capable or according to the measure and capavity of creatures 2. As the things are great in themselves which God bestows upon his people so God hath been at great charge and expences to bring us to this inheritance He hath given us his Son his Spirit his Promises his Providences his Ordinances to bring us to this inheritance All things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Observe the last expression the called according to his purpose Those whom God hath a purpose to save those whom he hath laid out his eternal love upon all things are ordered to bring them to that happiness he hath purposed to bestow upon them God lays the train of all his providences so as to bring his Elect to that happiness he hath chosen them to 3. The love of Christ is constant unchangeable and everlasting The unchangeableness of Gods love ariseth from the unchangeableness of his nature Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed As much as if God should have said My nature is unchangeable and that is the reason my love and mercy towards you is never changed The manifestation of Gods love may be changed towards us we may not apprehend the same effects of love at one time as at another therefore doth the Church complain Lam. 5. ult Thou hast utterly rejected us thou art very wroth against us but yet the root and fountain of Gods love is still the same Whom the Lord loves he rebukes and chastens Rev. 3.20 Gods correction of his people proceeds from his love Not but that God is truly displeased with the sins of his people when his people give way to such particular sins he disapproves of such particular acts of theirs and disapproves of them in relation to those acts therefore when David committed that sin in taking Vriah's wife the Text saith expresly but the thing which David did displeased the Lord 2 Sam. 11. ult It is contrary to the nature of God who is Holiness it self to approve of the sins of his people or of them with relation to such sinful acts nay God may be so far angry for particular miscarriages in his people as to take up the rod and correct them yet in this very case Gods original love remains The Scripture is very clear to this purpose Psal 89.30 31. If his children forsake my law c. then will I visit their transgression with the rood c nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him Here we see Gods paternal displeasure or his fatherly corrections may consist with his love yea in some sense Gods corrections are the Fruit of his love 1 Cor. 11.32 We are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world he therefore chastens that he may not condemn Gods love to his people is a fixed unalterable thing Gods love is founded in his eternal purpose now there is no changing of Gods purpose It is a great expression that of the Apostle Rom. 9.11 That the purpose of God according to election might stand The purpose of God in election stands firm and this is matter of singular and unspeakable comfort to the Saints of God If thou canst once see a line of electing love drawn forth upon thee thou mayst conclude the purpose of God remains unalterable concerning thee Now it is possible a Saint may know his election 1 Thess 1.4 Knowing beloved your election of God A Saint may know his Election by his Vocation 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure Now if thou canst find out thy election thou mayst conclude the purpose of God stands unalterable to thee Christs love is from Eternity and his love never ends Having loved his own he loved them to the end Joh. 13.1 2. Having spoken of the Properties of Christs love I come to speak of the love that is to be found in both his Natures in the Divine and in the humane nature The Love of Christ is a great love if we consider the love that is to be found in each of his Natures the Divine and humane nature Eph. 5.25 it is said Christ hath loved the Church and given himself for it Christ as God hath loved the Church from Eternity therefore is it said I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 Now to this ancient and first love of his there was a new love added and that was the love of Christ as Man this love which is founded in his humane nature had a beginning even as the humanity it self had a beginning but yet it is such a love as never shall have an end Christ therefore loves his Church with a twofold love with a Divine and a humane love each of which is the most sincere the greatest the most perfect the most constant and abiding love I shall speak 1. Of the love that is in his humane nature because that will help us to conceive the better of the love that is in his Divine nature the love that is in the humane nature is the product or effect of the love that is in his Divine nature and if the love of his humane nature be so great the love of his Divine nature must needs be far greater as we shall hear The love which is in his humane nature is exceeding great To understand which we must consider as there are two natures in Christ the Divine and humane nature so there are two wills the Divine and humane will and as there are two wills in Christ so we must necessarily suppose a twofold operation of those wills and so by consequence a twofold love in Christ for love is nothing but the efflux of the will some motion in the will whereby some good is willed to another now the love that is in Christs humane nature is exceeding great It is true that which the School men call Habitual grace which is in the soul of Christ is not simply infinite and the reason that they give is this The humane soul of Christ being but a creature and not infinite the habits of grace which do inhere in his humane soul as the subject they
themselves cannot be supposed to be infinite for the habits cannot exceed the capacity of the subject if the humane soul of Christ be but a created thing then the habits of grace which are in it are not simply infinite yet notwithstanding this the love which is to be found in Christs humane nature is exceeding great and a love surpassing the love of men or Angels and the reason is the humane soul of Christ hath the Divinity inhabiting in it now as the Son receives all the Father hath in the eternal Generation the whole substance of the Father is communicated to the Son in the eternal Generation there is no perfection that is in the Father but it is to be found in the Son therefore by consequence it follows that the love of the Father must necessarily be communicated to the Son and doth reside in the Son and there is but one and the same Divine love both in the Father and in the Son Now the Son the second person in Trinity taking our nature both the love of the Father and the Son for as an Holy man observes Sweet is this contemplation doth in some sort abide and reside in our nature therefore the humane Soul of Christ being inflamed and set on fire with the fire of Divine love which is so near it which inhabits and dwells in it must needs be fuller of love than any creatures heart ever was The humane nature of Christ by means of its Union and Conjunction with the Divinity takes in the influence of the Divinity and the Divinity thus personally united to the Humanity must needs fill his soul with that love that no creature was ever filled with therefore we must necessarily suppose there was the greatest love imaginable in Christs humane soul the greatest as was possible there could be in any created nature The Godhead dwelling in Christ bodily that infinite love of God must be supposed in some sense to dwell in the heart of Christ Man How loving how tender how affectionate must that heart be that hath all the love of the Father and the Son poured out into it For consider it the Son receives all from the Father by eternal Generation the Son takes up our nature and dwells in it the humane nature united to the Son takes in the influence of the Fathers and the Sons love by means of its personal Union with the Son And thus the humane nature is not only warmed but wholly set on fire by the Divinity inhabiting in it Therefore it is well observed by one of the Ancients There is some warmth some heat that comes from Christ the eternal Word into all the Saints hearts In hac anima ipse ignis divinus substantialiter requievisse credendus est Orig. but in Christs humane Soul the very fire of Divine love dwells substantially there it rested substantially for in him the fulness of the Goahead dwells bodily Col. 2.9 Therefore there is the greatest love imaginable to be found even in the humane Soul of Christ More particularly the love that was in the humane Soul of Jesus Christ may be described and set forth under three considerations 1. The heart of Christ-Man was filled with the most sweet tender merciful compassionate dispositions that ever any heart was filled with Hence is it that we have those expressions that he is a merciful and a faithful High Priest Heb. 2.17 that he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 3.15 We read also of the bowels of Christ the meekness the gentleness of Christ 2 Cor. 10.1 Never were there such words of love and sweetness spoken by any man as by him never was there such a loving and tender heart as the heart-of Jesus Christ Grace was poured into his lips Psal 45.3 Certainly never were there such words of love sweetness and tenderness spoken here upon this earth as those last words of his which were uttered a little before his Suffering and are recorded in the 13 14 15 16 17 Chapters of John Read over all the Books of love and friendship that were ever written by any of the sons of men they do all come far short of those melting strains of love that are there expressed So sweet and amiable was the conversation of Jesus Christ that it is reported of the Apostle Peter in the Ecclesiastical History that after Christs Ascension he wept so abundantly that he Quoties recordaretur illius suavissimae conversationis Christi was always seen wiping his face from the tears and being asked why he wept so he answered He could not chuse but weep as often as he thought of that most sweet conversation of Jesus Christ 2. The love of Christ as Man or which was in his humane nature may be seen in the compliance of his humane will with the Divine will in point of suffering It is true it was the Divine will that gave up the humane nature to suffer Joh. 6.51 The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world It was the Divine will that gave up the humanity to suffer yet his humane will complied with the Divine will Father not as I will but as thou wilt There is a will and a will in Christ a Divine will and a humane will and the humane will complies with the Divine will Father save me from this hour nevertheless for this cause came I to this hour Joh. 12.27 Hence is it that the Apostle tells us he was obedient unto the death Phil. 2.8 The Lord Jesus knew right-well how great a burden the weight and pressure of his Fathers wrath was and yet he was content to undergo this burden for our sakes The cup which my Father hath given me to drink shall not I drink of it Joh. 18.11 I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Luk. 12.50 It is true had he not been God he could never have stood under such a burden as the burden of Divine wrath and had not his love been more than a created love had his love been the love of a meer creature he would never have undertaken such a work But being supported by the Godhead he was inabled to undergo his Sufferings and also his humane will influenced by the Deity was made willing to suffer therefore it is said For their sakes I sanctifie my self Joh. 17.19 There was a concurrence of his Divine and humane will in his suffering the Divine will in the person of the Son sanctifies and sets apart the humane nature to suffer the humane will concurs with the Divine and is made willing to suffer Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life The person that lays down his life is the Son of God incarnate the life which he lays down is the life of his Humanity for the life of his Divinity could never be laid down Now the Divine person had the
thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world Let us take heed how we mistake here the Love of the Father was not the cause of the Divinity of the Son although the Son be begotten of the Father yet the Generation of the Son proceeds not from an act of Gods will the Father did not first love the Son and then beget him but the Generation of the Son was natural the Father begets the Son from Eternity and cannot but beget him God doth necessarily understand himself therefore his eternal Son is his natural Image Therefore in this last clause For thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world Christ speaks of himself as man the humanity of Christ was beloved of the Father from Eternity above every creature that humanity of his was so chosen and beloved above all creatures as to be united to the Divinity Now in Heaven the Elect shall see that Christ is in the possession of that which he was elected and chosen unto from Eternity And this will be one singular demonstration of the love of God to them that they shall see themselves taken so near to God in the person of their Head For although it be true there will always remain a vast difference between Christ the Head and the Elect that are Members to him none of the Elect have or can have that personal union which his humanity hath to the Divinity yet all the Elect in the glory of their Head shall see and behold the greatness of the love of God to themselves for it was for their sakes he took part of their nature into personal union and a part of their nature being united to God all the Elect are confirmed in their Head and by means of their Head are brought into the nearest communion with God they are capable of So that I say this will be matter of wonder to the Elect to Eternity to see a part of their nature placed so near to the Divinity yea to see a part of their nature so intimately united to the Divinity in the bond of personal union and to become the seat and Temple of the Divinity to all Eternity Vse And now I shall winde up all in one short word of Application From all that hath been said let us learn to admire and adore the infinite and transcendant love of Christ in his Incarnation Here may we cry out with the Apostle O the heights and lengths and depths and breadths that are in the love of Christ in his Incarnation I have shewn you in seventeen Propositions how great the love of Christ is in the work of his Incarnation and when we have dived never so much into this Mystery it is but little that we do understand of the glory of it in comparison of what it is in it self O study more this great work of the Incarnation of the Son of God this is the greatest of all the works of God the greatest work that ever he hath done or that ever he will do The Incarnation of the Son of God is more than the glorification of all the Saints in Heaven O therefore study this Mystery the more we study it the more will our hearts be ravished with it and the reason why we are no more affected with it is because we know and understand so little of it And let us not only labour to understand the greatness of the thing it self but also of what importance this work of the Incarnation of the Son of God is to our salvation The work of the Incarnation is that which hath laid the foundation of the whole work of Redemption The Son of God therefore took our nature and became true man that he might transact the business of our Salvation in the humane nature assumed Vnigenitus venit in hominem propter hominem Hoc Deus in nobis salvavit quod pro nobis accepit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are memorable passages which the Ancients have The only begotten Son of God came into the nature of man for man If the Word had not been pleased to have become flesh no flesh could have been saved God hath saved that in us which he hath assumed and took for us And it is a common saying among the Ancients That which was not assumed was not healed If Christ had not assumed the whole of our nature our whole nature had not been healed and restored We have heard somewhat of the Mystery of Christ in his Incarnation let us meditate on what we have heard Our work will be to meditate on these Truths all our days The best of us have arrived but to a little understanding in the Mystery of Christ The Apostle prays for the Saints Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Let us pray for great affection to Christ Great love to the Person of Christ will procure great manifestation of Christ So Christ hath promised Joh. 14.21 He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him The more you love Christ the more fond you are of his person if I may so speak the more will Christ discover himself to you The more you love him the more will Christ lead you into the understanding of those Mysteries concerning his Person Divinity the Union of his Natures his Offices his Grace which the rest of men are little acquainted with They that love most shall know most Love Christ much and then Christ will manifest and discover himself much to you and the more Christ discovers himself to you the more sweet will you find the knowledge of Christ to be from day to day The end of the eighth Sermon SERMON I. Gal. 4. vers 4. But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law THat which hath been in my desire hath been to unfold as I am able some part of the Mystery of Christ and to speak something concerning the great dimensions of the Love of Christ And as a bottom to build upon I pitched upon that Text Eph. 3.18 19. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Now to shew what these dimensions of Christs love were I propounded to speak to three things 1. To shew the Properties of Christs Love 2. To shew that this love of Christ is surpassing great as it is to be found in both his Natures in his humane and in his Divine nature And here we considered the love of Christ distinctly the love that was found in his humane nature and in his Divine nature 3. To shew that the love of Christ is surpassing great if we consider the great
The only begotten Son after his Incarnation is still in the bosom of the Father Therefore our Saviour saith of himself even whilst he was here on earth Joh. 3.13 The Son of man who is in heaven He that was on earth at that time in respect of his humane nature was in Heaven at the same time in respect of his Divine nature Therefore whenas it is said here God sent forth his Son thus we ought to conceive of it God sent forth his Son not by any change of place but of condition He that was in the form of God before by his Incarnation took on him the form of a servant Christ therefore as God did not begin to be and exist when he was first incarnate no in the beginning he was with God but he began by his Incarnation to be true man who was God before from Eternity 5. The fifth Article of Faith contained in these words is this That the Son of God was incarnate and made man in the best time When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son Our curiosity is apt to inquire Why did not Christ come in the flesh sooner Had it not been more for our benefit and advantage if the Son of God had sooner taken our nature But the Spirit of God silenceth all these reasonings by telling us When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son God lost no time he slipt no time when the compleat time was come that was predetermined in his holy Decree and before signified in his promises then he sent forth his Son God accomplisheth all his promises in the best time and season 6. The sixth Article of Faith is this That the manner of Christs Conception and Incarnation was wonderful and extraordinary God sent forth his Son made of a woman It is not said born of a woman but made of a woman Made of a woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he did partake of the substance of the Virgin Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same Heb. 2.14 He was made of a woman that shews he was true man and had a true humane nature but in that it is said he was made not born or begotten that shews Christ had his Original as man not in the common way of generation Eve was made out of one of the ribs taken out of Adams side and Adam could say of her She is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone and Christ as man his humanity was formed out of the substance of the Virgin so that we may say This was flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Made of a woman 7. The seventh Article of Faith comprehended in these words is this That although Christ hath two Natures in him yet he hath but one Person For here is but one Son that is spoken of in the Text. God sent forth his Son made of a woman He that was the Son of God from Eternity and made of a woman in time is still one and the same Son It is the Son that is sent forth the Son that is made of a woman the Son that is made under the Law so that still though Christ hath two Natures yet he hath but one Person Christ had not a new Person but a new Nature added to him by his Incarnation and therefore we commonly say the humane nature is without any personal subsistence of its own but it subsists in the Divine person who was a person from Eternity These seven great Articles of Faith are comprehended in these few words so that we may say with one of the Ancients I adore the fulness of the Scriptures See how many great weighty Articles of Faith are comprehended in a few words 8. The last Article contained in this verse is this That Christ was made under the Law God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law The end of his being made under the Law is set down in the next verse To redeem us who were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons This is the second great effect of Christs love I am now to speak of viz. Christs being made under the Law For this we must carry all along with us whatever Christ was whatever he did and suffered was for us Vnto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given Isa 9.6 Hence is it that Christ is called the gift of God Joh. 4.10 Christ is the gift of God to us He is made of God to us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Whatsoever Christ was whatsoever he did it was not for himself or his own sake but for us and therefore his being made under the Law was for us and so it is expressed here in the Text He was made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons The end of Christs being made under the Law was to accomplish our Redemption Here there are two things to be spoken unto 1. What it is for Christ to be made under the Law 2. Wherein did the greatness of Christs love appear in being made under the Law 1. What is it for Christ to be made under the Law Before I come to enter upon the main subject I must necessarily lay down some preliminary or previous Propositions for the clearing of the whole 1. The first Proposition is this The Law of God is the Transcript or Copy of Gods Holiness The holy Nature of God and his pure Will is decypher'd and displayed to us in his Law The Law of God is nothing else but the declaration of his holy nature and of his holy will Hence is that expression Be ye holy for I the Lord your God am holy 1 Pet. 1.16 Holiness in us is our conformity to the Law when we are conformable to the Law which is the Rule of Holiness then are we in our measure holy as God is holy In the Law of God we see what things are consonant to Gods nature what are repugnant to his nature in the Law we see what is agreeing to the will of God what is dissonant and disagreeing to his will The Law of God is nothing else but the declaration of the eternal Will of God God that is most holy in himself cannot but will every thing in the most holy and perfect manner And the Law is nothing else but the declaration of Gods holy will concerning his creatures Now the will of God being most perfect and holy in it self the Law which is the declaration of Gods will must needs also be most perfect Therefore is there this Epithete given to the Law Psal 19.7 The law of God is perfect converting the soul Also that it is very pure Psal 119.140 The Law of God is the pure will of a pure God 2. The Law of God is immutable perpetual and everlasting Still we must remember
faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe As much as if he had said Herein is the great love of God to his people that he finds out and bestows a righteousness upon them which they could never find nor work out for themselves Isa 46.12 13. Hearken unto me ye stout-hearted that are far from righteousness I bring near my righteousness it shall not be far off We were all far from righteousness but God hath brought near his Righteousness a Righteousness wrought by his own Son in a part of our nature God hath now deposited a Righteousness for us in a part of our own nature Christ that was flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone was made under the law and hath fulfilled the law in our nature This should exhort us humbly to accept of that Righteousness which God hath provided and freely tenders Our work Vse 4 when we come to God for Justification is not to bring a righteousness of our own but humbly to accept of that righteousness which he freely offers and tenders unto us With the heart man believeth unto righteousness Rom. 10.10 Believing here is nothing else but the souls humble and affectionate acceptation of that righteousness which God reveals That righteousness which is the matter of our Justification before God is prepared of God wrought out by the Son of God in the humane nature assumed and our work is humbly to accept of this righteousness The Church triumphs in this Isa 12.2 Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation She repeats this twice that God was become her salvation The Church by the eye of faith sees God in Christ doing all for her becoming all to her God in Christ is become her Wisdom her Rightcousness her Strength her Sanctification her Redemption her Salvation Acts 20. God hath redeemed the Church with his own Blood Now saith our Saviour they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee Joh. 17.7 Christ being made under the Law his obedience active passive all is the gift of free grace God is in Christ doing all these things and bestowing all these things upon his people God in Christ is become their Righteousness their Wisdom their Redemption their Salvation God in Christ doth all for his people and gives all to his people And this is the work of faith to see God doing all for us giving all to us in the person of his Son and humbly to accept what God hath done for us and is willing to bestow upon us The end of the first Sermon SERMON II. Gal. 4.4 But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law IN our former Discourse two things were propounded to be spoken unto 1. To shew what it is for Christ to be made under the Law 2. To shew wherein the greatness of Christs love doth discover it self in being made under the Law for us 1. What is it for Christ to be made under the Law I shall explain this in three Propositions 1. For Christ to be made under the Law it is for Christ to take upon him the Office of a Mediator and Surety for us 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus So likewise Heb. 7.27 Christ is called the surety of a better Testament or the surety of a better Covenant A Mediator Surety or Vndertaker so the Criticks in the Greek Tongue explain that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Surety is one that mediates for another he freely and voluntarily undertakes fro him undertakes to be responsible for him and to discharge his debt No man is compelled to be a Surety but it is his own voluntary act He is free in himself yet he is willing of his own accord to undertake the concernments of another Thus Christ who is our Surety was free in himself from all subjection to the Law but he was pleased freely and voluntarily to become our surety and to undertake the discharge of our debt And thus Calvin expounds this Text Christus Filius Dei qui immunis jure fuisset omni subjectione legis fuit subjectus Calv. He was made under the Law that is saith he Christ the Son of God who by right had been free from all subjection was yet subject to the Law Why so It was for our sake and it was in our name and stead that he might obtain liberty for us even as he that was a free-man himself by becoming furety for another redeems him that was captive and by taking his Fetters and Bonds upon him delivers him from his bonds so Christ would make himself liable to the keeping of the Law that he might purchase liberty for us for otherwise Christ had in vain taken the yoke of the Law upon him for certainly it was not for his own sake that he took it Every son and daughter of Adam is necessarily under the Law and owes a debt of obedience to the Law Now we being insolvent and not able to pay that debt of obedience which the Law requires Christ was made under the Law and was content to pay the debt that we could not pay It is true Christ being made under the Law doth not exempt Believers from being under the Law as a Rule Believers are still under the Law as a rule of life and obedience But thus we â—â—ght to conceive of it It being not possible for us to fulfil the Law and to perform that exact obedience which the Law requires and yet a perfect obedience being required Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness as is expressed in Rom. 10.3 that is Christ undertook to perform that perfect obedience which the Law required and so to answer the end of the Law for righteousness The Law was given to man in Innocency for this end that it might have been the matter of mans righteousness in case he had obeyed and kept the law The righteousness of the law is described by this The man which doth those things shall live by them Rom. 10.5 But now no man since the Fall being able to keep the law and fulfil it and yet God requiring still that the law should be obeyed and the righteousness of it fulfilled Christ was content freely and of his own accord who was otherwise free and disingaged to be under the Law and by obeying the law to bring in such a righteousness as the law requires 2. For Christ to be made under the law is to put himself under the obligation of the law and to make himself liable unto it Although a man be willing to be Surety for another yet till he brings himself under bonds and obligations he is not properly a Surety A Surety is one that taketh the obligation upon himself when the principal debtor is
this The love of Christ in his being made under the Law appears in this That Christ took upon him the whole debt of obedience which the Law requires Our Saviour teaches us expresly That he came to fulfil the law yea the whole law Mat. 5.17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I came not to destroy but to fulfil Christ came to fulfil the law and how what a part of it nay the whole law Our Saviour explains himself to this purpose in the next words Verily I say unto you Till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled All the law every part and tittle of it was fulfilled in and by Christ It is the observation of Divines That Christ fulfilled the natural Law and the Law of Moses most perfectly By the natural Law they understand all the moral Duties comprehended in the Ten Commandments and by the Mosaical Law they understand those Rites and Ordinances of Worship which were in a peculiar manner given to the Jewish Church Thus Christ was circumcised and presented to the Lord in the Temple and they offered a Sacrifice for him according to that which is said in the Law A pair of Turtle-doves or two young pigeons Luk. 2.22 23 24. Christ also observed the Ordinance of the Passover and as Christ observed all the Legal Ordinances so he submitted to the Ordinance of Baptism which was to be a standing Ordinance under the Gospel and he gives this reason for it Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 Behold Vse from what hath been spoken the infinite Humility of the Son of God Christ that was Lord of all was yet content to become a servant Christ was the Fathers servant and he was our servant 1. He was the Fathers servant Isa 42.1 Behold my servant 2. He was our servant therefore he is said to be a Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 that is a Minister to the Jewish Church And he saith of himself he came not to be ministred unto but to minister Mat. 20.28 How did Christ minister Christ is said to minister as he doth work and do those things which do concern our Redemption and Salvation He is a Minister for us a Minister to accomplish the great work of Redemption and Salvation Christ was made under the Law that he might redeem us who were under the Law Christ became a Servant as he took upon him the Office of Mediator and as he obeyed and fulfilled the Law for us Now this is a Rule in Divinity Tota person a propter assumtam servi formam facta nobis est serva Zanch. Actiones sunt suppositorum That Christ is Mediator according to both his Natures so that the whole person by means of his taking on him the form of a servant is become a servant to us It is the Person that humbles himself it is the Person that obeys it is the Person that suffers in and by the humane nature assumed Actions belong to persons Now that so great a Person as the Son of God was should become a Servant a servant not only to the Father but to us what an instance of humility is this that the God of Heaven should come down from Heaven to serve what an instance of humility is this It is Calvins observation upon Phil. 2. He made himself of no reputation or he emptied himself This expression is to be understood of whole Christ as he is God manifested in the flesh though this agrees to him in respect of his humane nature only For we must know that whereas there is but one person consisting of both natures he that was the Son of God truly and really God equal with the Father did yet contain and keep in the rays of his own glory whenas in our flesh he did take upon him the form of a servant this humility of Christ should teach us great humility And the Apostle presseth humility upon us on this very account Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus how so who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient Here is the great Pattern of humility saith the Apostle he who was in the form of God took upon him the form of a servant he that was above all obedience took upon him to be obedient Should Christ who was in such a height of excellency so debase himself as to take upon him the form of a servant and become obedient and should we lift up our selves How unlike doth this make us to our Head Let us study the great condescension and abasement of God incarnate who though he were Lord of all yet put himself into the form of a servant to obey and serve for us and then see whether there is such reason we should think so highly of our selves stand so much upon our own dignity and honour Christ was content to lay aside his honour and to have the glory of the Divinity unseen for a time that he might be a servant to the Father and to us in working out our Salvation If we would be like our Lord and Head we ought to be content to lay aside our own honour and glory if we may any way be serviceable to him or his interest The humility of Christ should teach us great humility The end of the second Sermon SERMON III. Gal. 4. vers 4. But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law I Mentioned a third Proposition wherein the love of Christ in being made under the Law did appear and shall now prosecute it a little further 3. The love of Christ in being made under the Law appears in this That Christ took upon him the whole debt of obedience which the Law required Now there are two things which the Law of God requires of us 1. The Law requires habitual purity and sanctity of nature 2. The Law requires actual obedience to whatsoever is commanded by it 1. The Law of God requires from the creature habitual purity and sanctity of nature God made man upright man was created at first in a state of Integrity Man in his original constitution had not the least inclination to any thing that was evil but mans will and affections in their primitive constitution were inclined to good It is true man had liberty of will and it was possible for him to sin otherwise he had never sinned but man was not in his original constitution as he was first framed by God inclined to the least evil nay man had that rectitude put upon all his faculties as that in respect of his original constitution his nature was
ready to lay down my life for you this is the minor Proposition that is necessarily implied for otherwise the Argument of our Saviour here in the Text would have no force in it The scope of our Saviour in the Text is to perswade his Disciples to love one another upon the account of his love to them and he lays down this as the main Proposition That it is the highest love for any man to lay down his life for his friend Now unless the Assumption be supposed That Christ hath laid down his life for us the Argument would fall to the ground and come to nothing therefore this is supposed and this is the minor Proposition necessarily to be understood That Christ hath laid down his life for his friends Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends But this is my love to you I have thus laid down my life for you I am just now about to do it and therefore 't is as certain as if it were already done this must necessarily be supposed 2. The second Assertion is That Christs laying down his life for his friends is the highest demonstration of love Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends Our Saviour speaks here after the manner of men he speaks of that which is the highest love among men The highest love among men is when one man is ready to lay down his life for another Now saith our Saviour I am ready to lay down my life for you it is the work I am now going about I am now going to lay down my life for you and therefore my love to you is the highest and greatest love From these two Assertions there are these two Propositions that do naturally arise The first is Doct. 1 That our Lord Jesus Christ hath laid down his life for his people The second is Doct. 2 That the love of Christ in laying down his life for us was the highest demonstration of love Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends To begin with the first of these The first Proposition then is this Doct. 1 That our Lord Jesus Christ hath laid down his life for his people This my Beloved is a point of great weight and moment and there are many things of great weight and moment that will necessarily fall in in speaking to it In the Explication of this Point I shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall shew what the import of this Phrase is what it is for a man to lay down his life for another 2. I shall shew how it was that Christ laid down his life for us 3. I shall shew how it is said that Christ laid down his life for his friends whenas elsewhere it is said that Christ dyed for us whilst we were enemies 4. I shall take occasion from this Text to speak something concerning the Doctrine of Christs Satisfaction I have already treated of the Love of Christ 1 In his Incarnation 2 Of the Love of Christ in his being made under the Law for us And when I first undertook to speak to those Heads there were two more I had in my thoughts to speak to the one was to speak of the Love of Christ in his Satisfaction and the other was to speak of the Love of Christ in his Intercession and now I shall take occasion from this Text to treat of that Argument viz. of the Love of Christ in his Satisfaction Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends It is one main demonstration of Christs love to us That he hath laid down his life for us But first I shall begin to open this Phrase what the import of this Phrase is what it is to lay down a mans life for another and then I shall shew how it was that Christ laid down his life for us 1. What is the import of this Phrase what doth it signifie for a man to lay down his life for another Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life If we would go about to translate it exactly according to the letter we might render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut quispiam animam suam ponat sive deponat That a man lay down his soul for his friends It is an Hebrew Phrase the Soul is put for the life which is the effect of the Souls presence or being in the body It is the presence of the Soul that causeth life take away the Soul and life ceaseth and therefore it is that the Soul is put for life so that to lay down a mans soul which is the Phrase here used it is to lay down a mans life for another The import of this Phrase is no more than we in our ordinary way of speaking are wont to express thus it is for a man to be willing and ready to dye for another Thus Peter saith Joh. 13.37 I will lay down my life for thy sake It is the same Phrase as in the Text I will lay down my life for thy sake that is I am ready to dye for thee So 1 Joh. 3.16 We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren that is we ought to be ready to dye for them if the case so requires So that Christs laying down his life for us is no more than his voluntary undergoing of death for us his giving up himself to dye for us But here we must inquire a little before we go any farther what was that life which our Saviour was willing to lay down for us Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends I answer It was his corporal life the life of his humanity or his life as he was man for as for the life of his Divinity that was not possible for him to lay down As he was God so he lives always and could not dye as he was God he was above the power of death It is true that person who was God assumed our nature and according to that nature he dyed he laid down the life of his Humanity but still he retained the life of his Divinity This our Saviour himself explains and it is a great Text Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I may take it again No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self and then it follows I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Christ had power to lay down his life this he had not had if he had been a meer man no meer man hath power to lay down his own life every mans life that is but a meer man is under the power of God it is at Gods dispose and not at his own and no man may dispose of his own life till God who gave him his life give him
is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Herein doth the hostility or enmity of the carnal mind discover it self that it cannot be subject to the Law of God The carnal mind always crosses and thwarts the Will of God Let the Law of God forbid such a sin it will not be restrained from it Let the Law of God command such a Duty it will not be brought to the performance of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not subjected to the Law of God the carnal mind refuseth to be brought into order The Law of God would set bounds to mens thoughts wills and affections but they will not be kept within those bounds whatsoever the Law saith to the contrary they will think what they have a mind to think covet and desire what they have a mind to covet and desire will what they have a mind to will they will not be kept within those bounds the Law of God hath set for them Now this is that that shews the hostile disposition that is in corrupt nature against God in that the corrupt mind doth always thwart the Law of God The Law of God saith such and such sins are to be avoided such and such Duties are to be performed the carnal mind will take no notice either of the one or the other but thwarts and contradicts the mind and will of God this discovers the natural enmity that is in our hearts against God 2. The natural enmity that is in our hearts discovers it self in this In that naturally men do not only hate the Will of God but they hate God himself Mark the expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The carnal mind is enmity against God not only most repugnant to the Law of God it is not subject to the Law of God but it is enmity against God himself Hence it is said that natural men are haters of God Rem 1.30 and in this very Chapter where the Text lyes Joh. 15.24 They have both seen and hated me and my Father You will say Object This is a very severe charge Is it possible that ever any man should hate God God is good the chief good yea goodness it self how is it possible that any man should hate the chief good To this I answer Men do not hate God under that notion precisely as he is good and as he is the chief good but they hate him under another notion they hate him as he is a Law-giver and as he is a Judge they hate him as he is a holy and just God they hate him as his Nature and Will is most directly opposite to the lusts which they love above any thing in the world Hence is it said Peccatum est Deicidium that sin is a kind of God-murder Why so Because the sinner could even wish that God were not in Being that he were removed out of the way because his Will and his Law stand in opposition to his lust This is another thing wherein the enemity that is in the natural mind against God doth discover it self in that men by nature whilst they are unreconciled hate God himself Little do men think that there is this venom and poyson in their natures as to hate God the best and most excellent Being yet we are bound to believe the Word of God before what men think or say of themselves 3. The natural enmity that is in the heart against God is discovered in this In the constant bent and tendency that is in the heart unto evil Col. 1.21 Enemies in your minds by wicked works The mind of a natural man is always set upon evil sometimes it is set upon gross and hainous evils as Murder Adultery Fornication Theft Rapine and the like and when the mind of a natural man is not set upon these grosser evils it is always set upon other evils as Pride self-Self-love Vain-glory Covetousness and the like The enmity that is in every natural mans mind always discovers it self in one of these ways Either by having his affections let out to grosser sins or else to more spiritual sins Now faith the Apostle we are enemies in our minds by wicked words When the mind is violently set upon those things which are most directly opposite to the Nature and Will of God this is that which doth discover the hostility and enmity that is in us against God Now it concerns us all to be deeply sensible of this enmity that is in our hearts against God For first of all the more sensible we are of this enmity this may be one good means to humble us what cause of confusion should this be to us that we should not only have a will that doth still reluctate against Gods Will against the Divine Will and is most repugnant to it but that we should be enemies to God himself and that we should have a Principle in us that should fight against God and stand in direct opposition to him 2. The more sensible we are of this enmity the more need we shall have of medicinal and healing grace to heal the natural venom and malignity that is in our natures against God Certainly they are much to be pitied Nemini salus concedenda nisi cui divinitùs revelatus fuerit unus Mediator Dei hominum Jesus Christus Aug. who think that moral Vertue is sufficient to bring men to Heaven and that the Heathens by Philosophy and the help of moral Vertue may please God and attain to Salvation This was the Errour of some of the Ancients and some of late have fallen into it But much more true is that of Austin We may not suppose that Salvation is vouchsafed to any man but to him to whom that one Mediator between God and man Jesus Christ is divinely revealed There is no name given under heaven by which we can be saved but the Name of Jesus Christ Acts 4.12 And although some of the Heathens have pretended that they have loved God above all things and some of the corrupter School men have affirmed That men by the power of Nature may love God above all things yet if the matter be diligently inquired into we shall certainly find that which Peter Martyr observed to be most true Sub illa simulata dilectione under that feigned love to God which they pretended unto the greatest hatred did lye hid For those very Heathens who spoke so highly and so seraphically of loving God above all things yet they themselves were found guilty of Idolatry than which nothing can be more contrary to the true love of God But the Divine Oracles will be found to be most true and they tell us That the natural mind is enmity against God and that those that are in the flesh cannot please God therefore it concerns us all to look after medicinal Grace to heal and restore our natures otherwise that natural enmity that is in us will never be removed Vse 2 This should exhort us to
seek after reconciliation with God and to labour that we may be made friends with God Christ laid down his life for us not because we were made friends before but to make us friends Since therefore the end of Christs death was to reconcile us to God we should seek after reconciliation with him This is the Apostles Argument 2 Cor. 5.19 20. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God It is as much as if the Apostle had said God is willing to be reconciled to us and he hath testified his willingness in giving his Son to dye for our sins and making satisfaction to his Justice Now since God hath expressed himself to be so willing to be reconciled to us we ought to be willing to be reconciled to him We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God Here it may be inquired But what is it for us to be reconciled to God When the Apostle prays us here with so much earnestness in Christs stead to be reconciled to God what is the reconciliation he aimeth at how ought we to be reconciled to God Two or three things I conceive are here intended 1. We ought to seek after reconciliation with God Isa 55.6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found that is seek his face and favour seek reconciliation with him Secure sinners are not aware of the difference that is between God and them although the sinner thinks little of it sin makes a vast breach an hostile difference between God and him God is angry with the wicked every day saith the Psalmist Psal 7.11 And The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Rom. 1.18 God doth maintain his controversie against thee whilst thou goest on in the ways of sin therefore seek reconciliation with him Agree with thy adversary quickly whilst he is in the way Mat. 5.25 Labour to take up all differences between God and thee 2. To be reconciled to God is to accept of the reconciliation which God tenders humbly to embrace that grace which God offers God is in Christ reconciling the world and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation As much as if he should say God hath put himself into Christ on purpose to exhibit and give forth grace and mercy to sinners and he sends his Ministers and Ambassadors on purpose to make a tender of grace and mercy to him Now then are we reconciled to God when we do humbly embrace this grace and mercy offered to us Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto righteousness We ought with the full bent of our affections to embrace the grace of God offered to us in the Gospel 3. If we would be reconciled to God we ought to pray for renewing grace that we may lay aside the old enmity that lurks in our hearts against God It is sin that first of all made the quarrel and difference between God and us and how can we expect in reason that ever we should be brought into perfect reconciliation with God so long as that which first bred the quarrel and made the difference between God and us is retained and kept by us Isa 59.2 Your iniquities saith the Prophet have separated between you and your God Sin is that which sets us at a distance from God If therefore we would have the breach made up and the difference reconciled we must pray for that grace from God whereby we may lay aside that which first made the quarrel The Apostle tells us we are enemies in our minds by evil works Col. 1.21 So long as our minds are set upon sin so long as we continue in the love and practice of any thing that God hates Amicorum est idem velle nolle how is it possible we should be friends with God It is the property of friends to will the same thing and nill the same thing If we would be the friends of God we must will what God wills hate what God hates and love what God loves You that love the Lord hate evil Psal 97.10 This therefore is the second Use an Use of Exhortation to exhort us to seek after reconciliation with God In the third and last place Vse 3 Learn from what hath been opened to admire the greatness of Christs love to us who in some sense accounts us friends whereas indeed we are enemies Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends We are all by nature enemies so we have heard and yet in some sense Christ accounts us friends Christ had a purpose of good will to us even when we were enemies towards him It was from his love that God sent his Son to dye for us when we were enemies Herein God commended his love towards us in that whilst we were yet enemies Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.8 So that God had a purpose of good will in his heart towards us when we were full of enmity in our hearts towards him Only that none may abuse this Doctrine take this caution No man can conclude that God hath a purpose of good will to him that remains an enemy to God and persists in his enmity but he hath reason on the contrary to think that he being an enemy to God by nature and continuing still to be so God remains so to him But however this was the love of God to the world in general that when the whole world were enemies and all were found in a state of enmity against God God loved the world so far as to find out and prepare a means of Salvation for the world God loved the world so far as that he gave his only begotten Son to deliver the world from its perishing condition and to bring it eternal life this was the love of God to us and this commends and sets forth the greatness of Gods love to us that when we were enemies to him he had a kindness for us and so great was his kindness to us that he sent his Son to bring us unto life Joh. 4.9 In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him The end of the second Sermon SERMON III. Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends THE general Proposition that I have laid down as the foundation of our Discourse from these words hath been this That our Lord Jesus Christ hath laid down his life for his people In speaking to this Doctrine I have propounded to speak to these four Heads 1. To open the import of this Phrase what it is to lay down a mans life
the punishment of their own sins because they have no interest in that person that should take off this punishment from them The misery of all Unbelievers and such as lye out of Christ appears from these two considerations 1. Because the Sentence of the Law stands in full force against them that Law that says The soul that sins shall dye The wages of sin is death That Law is still in force against them and if they have not a Surety to bear this penalty of the Law for them they are liable to it themselves The Law exacts death from the sinner therefore thou must either dye in thy own person or in a Surety for the sentence of the Law cannot be reverst that saith The soul that sins shall dye 2. Divine Justice calls for punishment The Nature of God as he is a holy and just God inclines and obligeth him to punish sinners therefore if Divine Justice do not find out some other way to be satisfied in it will satisfie it self upon the Sinner himself In how sad a case is every person that is found out of Christ he is already condemned by the Law and is in danger of being arrested and seized upon by Divine Justice every moment O how doth it concern us all to secure our interest in Christ to get a part in his Satisfaction for as much as unless we can obtain an interest in Christ as our Surety to satisfie the Law and Divine Justice for us we are liable to bear the punishment which our sins deserve and to make satisfaction in our own persons The end of the fifth Sermon SERMON VI. Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends I Now proceed to that which remains The second Particular therefore is this That Christ did not only make himself passible and mortal for us but Christ did actually undergo suffering and death for us This I shall open in several Particulars 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ that he might bear the punishment of our sins underwent all manner of sufferings in his body for us he suffered hunger thirst weariness pain grief and the like Isa 53.4 He hath born our grief and carried our sorrows and vers 7. He was oppressed and he was afflicted Whatever pressures and loads of afflictions we may feel Christ felt the same yea he hath felt them in a far greater measure than we do It was part of the Curse pronounced upon â—lam after his Fall Cursed is the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee Gen. 3.17 18. By these expressions Learned men observe That all the miseries and calamities of this life are set forth this was part of the Curse that man should be subject to all the miseries of this life the miseries that we all feel and experiment such as hunger weariness pain and the like Now that being part of the Curse that we should be subject to all these miseries Christ underwent the miseries that we are subject unto 2. Christ was exposed unto and suffered shame ignominy contempt and reproach for our sakes Hence was it that he was arraigned and condemned as a Malefactor by an earthly Judge hence it came to pass that he was buffeted reviled spit upon crowned with thorns mocked derided crucified between two thieves all which circumstances were matter of great reproach and contempt and all this our Saviour bare as the punishment of our sins and we cannot have a just and due contemplation of the sufferings of Christ what they are in themselves nor make the right use of them as to our selves unless we apprehend that whatever Christ suffered he suffered it as the punishment for our sins We read in the History of the Gospel what shame and contempt was poured on our Saviour in his being buffeted spit upon derided mocked and crowned with thorns but I fear there are too few that consider that he bare these things as the just punishment of our sins We read this as a History and that is all but if we look upon this with a spiritual eye we ought to consider that our Saviour bare all this as the just punishment of our sins for shame and contempt is one part of the punishment due to sin Hence is it that when the punishment of the wicked is described at the last Day it is described by this Some shall rise to shame and everlasting contempt Dan. 12.2 so that shame and everlasting contempt is part of the punishment that is due to sin Now then our Saviour bearing the whole punishment of our sins hath born that shame and contempt that we deserve Hence are those expressions Isa 50.6 That he gave his back to the smiters and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair he hid not his face from shame and spitting 3. Christ suffered in his Soul as well as in his body for us yea our Saviours sufferings in his Soul were his greatest sufferings Though the sufferings of his body were great yet the sufferings of his Soul were by far the greatest sufferings Joh. 12.27 Now is my soul troubled Mat. 26.28 My soul is exceeding sorrowful The Papists and some others will not admit these sufferings of our Saviour in his Soul they make the main of Christs sufferings to be in his body But the Scripture is clear in this That Christ suffered in his Soul as well as in his body and it was most necessary that Christ who was our Surety should suffer in his Soul as well as in his body and the reason is because Adam did primarily and principally sin in his soul sin first began in the soul and therefore it was meet that Christ should primarily and principally suffer in his Soul that punishment that was due to us for our sins It is the observation of a Learned man Christ saith he is to be considered under the notion of a Surety or Vndertaker for us Thence saith he it follows that his body was constituted and appointed as a Surety for our body his Soul was constituted a Surety for our souls so that Christ was to suffer that punishment in his Soul that we were to suffer in our souls and Christ was to undergo that punishment in his body that we were to suffer in our bodies and if we should suppose that our Saviour had not suffered that in his Soul which we should have suffered but only hath suffered such grief as belongs to the sensitive part then it would follow that the Soul or Spirit that is in us is not yet redeemed for what Christ hath not born for us doth remain still for us to suffer and to be undergone If therefore Christ suffered nothing in his Soul of what the Law of God and Divine Justice would inflict upon our spirits and souls as the punishment of sin it remains still to be undergone by us But much
of the wrath of God And the wine press was trodden without the city and blood came out of the wine-press even unto the horses bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs It is observable these two Angels which come out with their sickles to reap down the world with great Judgments come not until after the Promulgation of the Gospel which was made to the world by the three Angels which we read of in the beginning of this Chapter When God had sent the Gospel to the world and offered reformation to it and the world did not obey the Gospel nor embrace the reformation offered to it then God sent these two Angels to reap down the world with his Judgments Cluverus in Apocalyp It is the opinion of a Learned man that this Prophecy concerns the times of Reformation when light had been offered to the world and the world grew wicked after light and reformation was offered to it Now that which is observable in the second Angels Commission is That he should thrust in his sickle and gather the cluster of the vine of the earth And the Angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth Now this expression of the Vine when it is taken mystically doth usually in Scripture signifie the Church of God Jer. 2.21 I have planted thee a choice vine And so in that passage of the Psalmist Behold and visit this thy vine The Church is compared to a Vine frequently in Scripture Now the Angel is commanded to gather the vine of the earth so that the Judgment here Spoken of is such a Judgment as did concern the Church at least the people that do profess themselves to be the Church The Reformed Churches which were planted at the first as a choice Vine with purity of Doctrine and more integrity of manners being degenerated from their first purity and bringing forth wild grapes of corrupt Doctrine and evil manners God sends his Angel with his sickle to cut down the cluster of this Vine And that which doth confirm this interpretation is this That the wine press is to be trodden without the City the City in the Revelations is Babylon the Mother of Harlots and abomination of the earth Now the wine-press was trodden without the City and blood came out of the wine-press even to the horses bridles So that the Judgment here spoken of doth not reach Babylon Rome which is mystical Babylon God hath his time when he will visit her he hath reserved a more fore Judgment for her but the Judgment that is here spoken of is a Judgment that reaches the Protestant Churches they are the Vine of the Earth the true Church by profession but not living up to their profession God punisheth them for their sinful and profane lives and the Judgment which God executes upon these is no small Judgment We read here of blood coming out to the horses bridles Which notes the copiousness and abundance of bloodshed which shall be at the time of the pouring out of this Judgment The Lord grant that we may not see this Scripture more and more verified I have been apt to think that the destruction which the Sword hath already made hath been in part a fulfilling of this Scripture and O that we could say that the force of this Prophecy and the strength of that Judgment which flows from it were already spent and exhausted but may not we yet fear that this Prophecy may bring forth more wrath and judgment upon us than yet we have seen If any thing prevent the farther effusion of blood which we read of here in this Scripture and that great wrath here threatened it must be humble hearty affectionate crys to Heaven faith in the blood of Christ with the through reformation of our lives for otherwise there seems to be great wrath determined against us therefore let us make this use of it to cry heartily to God let us endeavour to stand between the living and the dead to divert if it be possible that wrath which yet hangs over our heads The end of the fifteenth Sermon SERMON XVI Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends THere have been two Observations that have been propounded out of this Verse The first was Doct. 1 That our Lord Jesus Christ hath laid down his life for his people The second was Doct. 2 That the love of Christ in laying down his life for us was the highest expression or demonstration of his love Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends Under the former Point I have had occasion to open the nature of Christs sufferings and to unfold as I was able the great Doctrine of Christs Satisfaction that which I am now to do in this latter Point is to shew the greatness of the love of Christ in his suffering and in the work of his Satisfaction for here lies the stress of the Text to shew that the love of Christ was eminently displayed in the work of his Satisfaction Greater love than this saith our Saviour hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends Christs laying down his life for us was the most eminent expression of his love to us The Scripture when it speaks of the love of Christ it speaks of the heights and depths lengths and breadths of the love of Christ Now there are five things especially wherein these heights and depths and lengths and breadths of Christs love are eminently to be seen and they are 1. His Incarnation 2. His subjection to the Law 3. The work of his Satisfaction 4. The work of his Intercession 5. His Headship Now having already spoken of the Love of Christ in his Incarnation and also of the Love of Christ in his being made under the Law I come to shew how the love of Christ doth manifest it self and is to be seen in the work of his Satisfaction It is very observable that the Scripture when it speaks of the love of Christ lays the stress here it sets before us the love of Christ in his sufferings making the sufferings of Christ to be the great instance of Christs love to us Eph. 5.2 Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour So at the 25. verse of that Chapter Even as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it Christ giving himself for the Church that is giving himself to suffer for it this was the great instance of his love Gal. 2.20 Who hath loved me and given himself for me Rev. 1.5 To him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 2 Cor. 5.12 The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead 1 Joh. 4.16 Hereby perceive we
vestita because he was in the form of God Zanchy observes that this expression the form of God it signifies the Essence of God set forth with all its Attributes the Essence of God cloathed with all its properties or perfections For although whatever is in God be God and his most simple Essence really and in it self yet in respect of us who cannot conceive of God according to the simplicity of his Essence there is a distinction in our understanding between the Essence and the Attributes of God so that the form of God according to our understanding notes the Essence of God with the Attributes belonging to it so that the meaning is Christ was in the form of God that is he had the verity and truth of the Divine Essence in him and he had all the Attributes belonging to that Essence He was in the form of God that is he was truly and properly God he was eternal omnipotent omnipresent and the like whatsoever might be said of God may be said of Christ the Son of God because he was in the form of God 2. That he accounted it no robbery to be equal with God This expression notes two things 1. That Christ knew himself to be equal with the Father he knew that he was possessed of the same Essence of the same Majesty of the same Glory that the Father was All things that the Father hath are mine Joh 16.15 The Son injoyed all things in common with the Father the same Essence the same Power the same Majesty the same Divinity I and the Father are one Joh. 10.30 that is one in Essence one in Power one in Will 2. This also is implied That the Son being in the form of God and equal with the Father knew he should do no wrong and injury if he retained and kept to himself the same honour that the Father did that is if he had always kept in the form of God only and never emptied himself by his Incarnation and suffering The Father abideth always in the form of God only and never took upon him the form of a servant it was the Son not the Father that was incarnate and that took on him the form of a servant Now if the Son had always kept in the form of God and never took upon him the form of a servant he had done no wrong or injury he was in the same honour and dignity of God with the Father and he might have retained the same honour and dignity that the Father did without abasing himself by his Incarnation and suffering He was in the form of God saith the Apostle that is he did subsist in the Divine Essence as the Father did he might have continued in the form of God only without taking on him the form of a servant without assuming or taking to himself the humane nature but herein his love discovered it self That though he was in the form of God and knew himself to be equal with God yet he was pleased in a way of voluntary condescension to take upon him the form of a servant and subject himself to the death even the death of the cross Now that so great a person as this that had his existence and subsistence from Eternity who was truly and properly God possessed of the Divine Essence and cloathed with all the Divine Attributes who was equal to the Father that this person should not only strip himself as it were of his own glory by his Incarnation but also expose himself to the lowest abasement by his sufferings and most ignominious death this is that which sets forth the greatness of the love of Christ Now there are several considerations that arise from the dignity of Christs person that serve to set forth the greatness of Christs love to us in giving himself to suffer and to dye for us and O that we could take in these Mysteries with that reverence and solemnity of spirit as the Majesty of them doth require 1. Consider it was the Word the Son of God the second Person in Trinity that did order and dispose the sufferings that were in his own flesh his own humanity Hence is that of one of the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erat sibi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dispensator arbiter humanarum actionum passionum Sophronius The Word the Son of God the second Person in Trinity was the dispenser and determiner of all the actions and sufferings that were in the humane nature It was he that ordered disposed and governed the Humanity to do and suffer those things that were proper to it self The humane nature in Christ was not moved of it self to any of its actions or sufferings but it was moved ad nutum Verbi at the beck and command of the Word that is according to the direction of that person who assumed the humane nature the Word the Son of God did will and permit the Humanity to do and suffer such things as were proper to it self it was he that governed the actions and passions of the humane nature Joh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifie I my self To sanctifie is properly the work of God and none but God can sanctifie Christ therefore as God sanctified himself as man the Divine nature in Christ sanctified and set apart the humane nature for the work of the suffering it was the Divine nature in Christ which did primarily will the sufferings in the humane nature which did permit the humane nature to suffer and which did strengthen and uphold the humane nature in suffering and all these things do greatly set forth the love of Christ 1. It was the Divine nature in Christ which did primarily will the sufferings of the humane nature It is true Christ as man did will his own sufferings Christ as man was willing to suffer and dye for us but yet we must consider that his humane will was influenced and governed by his Divine will the humane will of Christ willed those things which the Divine will would have it to will therefore it being the pleasure of the Divine will that Christ should suffer Christ also as man wills his own sufferings by his humane will but still it is the Divine will in Christ that is first and the humane will in Christ is governed by the Divine will This is very clear and apparent from our Saviours own words Mat. 26.39 Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Here we see that Christ with his humane will wills his own sufferings not as I will but as thou wilt as if Christ had said If thou wilt have me suffer I will suffer I am content to suffer not as I will but as thou wilt his humane will was bowed to the Fathers will the Father willing his sufferings he wills it too It is true our Saviour discovered the verity and truth of humane nature in him in that aversness that was in him from
death of Christ is a certain Sacrament or pledge which certifies us that our death is nothing at all For if death hath executed all its power and strength upon Christ if death hath poured out all its venom and malignity upon Christ then there is nothing that remains in death to hurt us Death had nothing at all to do with Christ but only as he put himself under the power of death for our sakes Now the Son of God who was above death freely subjecting himself to death for our sakes and death having done all that it could against Christ it hath nothing more to do against a poor Believer It is true Believers dye still but yet their death is not part of the Curse the death of the Saints is only a passage unto life and it is that which prepares the way for a more blessed Resurrection Whatever was truly formidable or terrible in death is taken away by the death of Christ That which was most formidable in death was this that it was a part of the Curse that it was the effect of Divine wrath Now Christ having suffered the whole of Gods wrath for us death is not inflicted upon Believers as the effect of Gods wrath nay it is so far from being sent to a Believer in wrath that it is sent in mercy to him and death is an introduction unto a Believers happiness All things are yours things present things to come life is yours and death is yours 1 Cor. 3.21 22. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord Rev. 14. Death is an introduction to the Saints unto their perfect and compleat happiness the Saints happiness is inchoate and begun in this life when they are first brought into the Kingdom of Grace and their happiness is compleat and consummate in the next life when they are by death ushered into the Kingdom of Glory Consid 11 The love of Christ in his sufferings appears in this That he came into our nature and became man on purpose that he might suffer for us One of the principal ends of the Incarnation of the Son of God was that he might suffer and dye for men This is intimated by the Apostle Heb. 2.14 For as much as the children are made partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil It is as much as if he had said Had he not partaken of our nature he could not have suffered for us as he was the Son of God and possessed of the Divine nature so he was not capable of suffering but therefore did he take on him our nature and became the Son of man that he might be in a capacity to suffer for men O what overcoming love was this that the Son of God did therefore take upon him our nature that he might be in a capacity to suffer for men had he always abode in the form of God only it had not been possible for him to suffer but therefore would he take upon him part of our passible and mortal flesh that so he might be in a capacity to suffer and dye for us Consid 12 The love of Christ in his suffering may be seen in this Because so great benefits accrue and come to us by the sufferings of Christ Christ by the merit of his sufferings hath purchased and procured the greatest blessings for us To instance in a few briefly 1. Christ by his sufferings hath purchased for us the forgiveness of sins Eph. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins 2. Christ by his sufferings hath purchased for us peace and reconciliation with God Eph. 2.16 That he might reconcile us to God by the cross Col. 1.21 You that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death 3. Eternal life it self is the purchase of Christs sufferings Rom. 6. ult The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord that is through the merit of Jesus Christ our Lord so that eternal life is the merit of Christs death We have another clear Text to confirm this Heb. 9.15 For this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance The eternal inheritance the inheritance which all the Elect are brought unto in Heaven is purchased by the death of Christ for so the Apostle expresseth it That by means of death those that are called might have the promise of eternal inheritance Hence is it that Heaven is called a purchased possession Eph. 1.14 Vntil the redemption of the purchased possession the Glory of Heaven is called a purchased possession Now in every purchase there must be a price there can be no purchase without a price the price therefore that was laid down for us that we might obtain eternal life was the price of Christs blood the death of Christ as appears from the former Scriptures 4. The Spirit of God and all that grace whereby we are inabled to believe and obey and in general whatever blessings are comprehended in the Covenant of Grace these are all the purchase of the death of Christ This is apparent from those words of our Saviour in the institution of the Supper This cup is the new Testament in my blood as much as if he should say All the mercies all the blessings of the new Covenant are the purchase of my blood and the Covenant it self is ratified and confirmed by my blood Now in the Covenant of Grace there are many great things promised in it the Lord promiseth to forgive the sins of his people he promiseth that he will put his Law in their minds and write it in their hearts he promiseth that he will give his Spirit to them and the like all these blessings are purchased and procured by the death of Christ great therefore must the love of Christ be in giving himself to suffer and dye for his people since by the death of Christ such great and admirable priviledges are purchased for them The Covenant of Grace is the greatest Charter of all our spiritual Priviledges whatever Priviledges belong to a Believer they are contained within the compass of the Covenant Now the Covenant it self is founded in the blood of the Mediator of the Covenant How precious then is that blood that purchased such great things for us And how great was the love of Christ that shed his blood to obtain such things for us Vse If the love of Christ be so great in his sufferings let us be exhorted from hence to meditate much on the sufferings of Christ O it were well for us if we could take many a turn at the Cross of Christ and
such righteousness for Justification as is not perfect and exact and every way answerable to that purity and perfection the law requires Consider what the Apostle saith Rom. 7.14 The law is spiritual Spiritual what is the meaning of that The law requires utmost perfection Angelical perfection such a kind of obedience as hath not the least flaw or defect in it The law speaks after this manner Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the law to do them First if a man be justified by the Law by an inherent righteousness a man must do all things the law requires If it could be supposed a man could do many things that the law requires yet if he did not do all things if he did not fulfil to every part and punctilio in the law he would fall short of life by the law Secondly as a man must be universal in his obedience so he must be constant and uniform in his obedience Cursed is he that continues not in all things If it could be supposed a man could fulfil the whole law for that part of his life which is to come yet if he have not fulfilled it for that part of his life which is past he hath fallen short of what the law requires The law requires constant and uniform obedience Now which of the sons of Adam is there that can say he hath fulfilled the law in every point and tittle and this constantly throughout his whole life If none of the sons of Adam dare say so then certainly none can be justified by an inherent righteousness It is true that Justification and Sanctification are inseparable companions and where the Righteousness of Christ is imputed for Justification there also is a work of Sanctification and in that sense inherent righteousness wrought in the Soul by the Spirit of Christ but because the work of Sanctification is but inchoate begun and imperfect only in this life therefore that cannot be the matter of our righteousness before God Therefore we must seek for another righteousness a righteousness without us and that is the Righteousness of our Head the Lord Jesus who was made under the law for us and hath brought in such a righteousness as is every way answerable to the law For God will accept no righteousness for a man without it be that which is every way exact and commensurate to the law From what hath been laid down Vse 2 we may see the inexpressible misery of all Unbelievers and such as lye out of Christ Their misery appears in this No unrighteous person can enter into Heaven The Scripture tells us so in plain terms 1 Cor. 6.10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God Now all that are in the state of nature that are not implanted into Christ by faith are unrighteous The Scripture speaking of all men in the state of nature what they are before faith it tells us There is no man righteous no not one Rom. 3.10 In short this is the misery of Unbelievers they cannot produce such a righteousness of their own for which the law should justifie them nay they have all that sin and unrighteousness in them for which the law condemns them And as they have not that righteousness of their own for which the law should justifie them so they can lay no claim to the Righteousness of Christ they have no interest in the righteousness of a surety that should answer for them They never believed and closed with Christ and so have no part in his Righteousness Great and inexpressible is the misery of all such who content themselves to remain and abide out of Christ God is resolved to have his Law satisfied one way or other either the Law of God must be satisfied in a way of obedience or else the penalty of the law must be inflicted on the Sinner for default of that obedience For thus doth the tenor of the law run Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile There is a great Emphasis in those words upon every soul of man as much as if it had been said Vpon every individual person The Law of God spares no man the Law of God spares no person whatsoever the Law of God where-ever it finds a Sinner it doth condemn him Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil The Law of God remits not of that obedience which it requires nor of that punishment which it threatens for want of such obedience And this is the reason why the Damned lye under the wrath of God and the curse of the Law to all Eternity they have not satisfied the law in a way of obedience and therefore the law is still satisfying it self upon them in a way of punishment O therefore let it not seem an indifferent thing to any of us whether we get into the Lord Jesus yea or no and whether we get a part in his Righteousness yea or no. Unless you can produce such a righteousness as is answerable to the law a perfect righteousness when you come to stand before Gods Tribunal you will never escape condemnation Now this perfect righteousness you can never find in your selves therefore you have reason to seek for it elsewhere and that is in Christ and in him only Joh. 3.18 He that believeth on the Son is not condemned Although we deserve condemnation as we are Sinners yet we have his own word for it If we believe on the Son we shall not be condemned He that believeth on the Son is not condemned Though men deserve condemnation yet he that believes on the Son is not actually condemned He hath something in him condemnable he hath sin in him that would condemn him but believing on the Son he is not actually condemned There is no way to save men from the condemnation of the Law but by getting a part in the Lord Jesus If we believe on the Son of God God will accept of the Righteousness of his Son as if we had wrought out righteousness in our own person 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him See and behold the infinite love of God to his people Vse 3 in providing a righteousness for them as to their Justification and bestowing it upon them whenas they could not work it out themselves This is set forth at large by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans Rom. 1.17 The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith God reveals a righteousness for us of his own bestowing whereas we had none of our own neither could procure any of our own Rom. 3.21 Now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousness of God which is by