there we may sing as prisoners of hope Zech. 9. 12. It is an helmet to receive all Blows securing the head from hurt Ephes. 6. 17. It is an anchor to keep the Soul steady in a tempestuous season Heb. 6. 19. Great is the patience of Hope 1 Thes. 1. 3. It bespeaks a troubled Soul as Psal. 42. Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God There is little comfort for a Christian in this world if the hope of eternal life be cut off 1 Cor. 15. 19. First The usual Effects of this Hope when it is in any other Power are these 1. Hope of Glory and an earnest expectation of the coming of Christ are joyned together and indeed they are almost the same Waiting for his Coming looking for and hastning to the Coming of the Day of the Lord Christ was called the hope of Israel Acts 28. 20. Because our Fathers looked for his first Coming and so he is now called the Hope of Glory because the Saints do so earnestly look for his second Coming 1 Cor. 17. 2 Pet. 3. 12. 2. This Hope and Prayer go together The Schools tell us that Petitio is Interpretativa spei we cannot better express our Hopes than by wishing Praying and earnest breathing after what we Hope for Would you know whether you shall enter into Glory and be Eternally Saved If you have the Spirit of Prayer you will certainly be Saved But mistake not the gift of Prayer which may be nothing but words for the grace of Prayer that lies in the inward earnestness of the heart sometimes in Groans that are unutterable If you can pray inwardly in the frame of your Hearts with Fervency and Affection in the Name of Christ this is Praying in the Holy Ghost let your words be never so few and your expressions never so broken and imperfect if the desire of your Souls be after Christ it is laid down as an infallible Mark of your title to Heaven Gal. 4. 6 7. Because you are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Wherefore we are no more servants but Sons and if sons then heirs of God through Christ. The Spirit of Prayer is a convincing Evidence to those that have it or else the Spirit of God would miss of his end if he did not assure us by that assuring act which is put forth for that very purpose Therefore be much in Prayer If you are not in that measure of lively Hope as you would be much in Prayer for Hope Saints can't but Pray much under Hope Hope invites to Prayer and disposes to it if it be but to tell God what we Hope for which we cannot do but under some present renewed Acts of Hope which possibly we may not perceive in our selves Yet however Pray under all your despondencies for Hope that God would raise it and kindle it in you Though you pray but faintly weakly through fear and diffidence yet pray on God usually comes in with strengthning Grace in the time of Prayer He saith to the fearful Soul Fear not there is a sudden reviving a shedding abroad of the Love of God in our hearts by the Holy Ghost We may be under dismal apprehensions of of the Wrath of God in the beginning of Prayer and yet conclude with rejoying and triumphing in his Grace towards us There are many instances of this in the Psalms Faith if it be right knows not how to conclude a Prayer till it hath taken some hold of Christ for relief we cannot say Amen till then we cannot come to the conclusion till then and then the Soul rises up in a comfortable frame under some Hope of Mercy Thus Hope is raised nourished and increased in us by earnest fervent Prayer 3. Hope of Glory and Mortification of Sin go together He that hath this hope saith the Apostle purifies himself as God is pure 1 Joh. 1. 3. Every Sin in any measure Mortified brings on a further degree of Glory upon us and leaves a deeper impression of the Image of God upon the Soul you resemble him more which brings you nearer to your Heavenly State when you shall be exactly like him 4. Hope of Glory and Chearfulness under all outward Afflictions go together 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. We faint not because of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory You should always hold fast the rejoycing of your hope firm unto the end Heb. 3. 6. Gird up the loyns of your mind be sober and hope unto the End for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. We are often assaulted by Temptations outward Afflictions and inward Desertions are ready to sink our hope We say sometimes as the Church did Lament 3. 18. My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. Our hopes seems to be plucked up even by the roots as a tree that is removed Job 19. 10. yet revives again and springs up as God turns his face towards us filling us with joy and peace in believing then we abound in hope tbrough the power of the Holy Ghost Rom. 15. 13. Directions how to get under the Power of this Cristian Hope for a Power it hath and it is nothing to us till we come under that Power 1. Labour to understand your Hopes What it is you look for from Christ how great the inheritance is A Minor under Age who is born to a great Estate is little affected with it till he comes to know what he is Heir to what Houses Mannors and Lordships belong to him then he counts himself rich indeed The Apostle prays for this Ephes. 1. 17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give to you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him The eyes of your understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints Did you know what a rich Glorious Inheritance is reserved for you this would mightily raise quicken strengthen your Hope You would count your Hope something then and rejoyce more in it That is the First Direction Labour to understand your Hopes Read over the Inventory of God's Gifts bequeathed to you in the Covenant of Grace till you can say This is mine and that is mine and all is mine through Christ. 2. Call over former experiences What God hath already done for you Experience begets Hope as in Jacob Gen. 32. 10 11 12. With my staff did I come over this Jordan and now I am become two Bands Lord I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies deliver me from the hand of my Brother Esau Thou that hast done such great things for me go on and deliver me Be not afraid of present danger but remember what the Lord hath done for you suppress
way concerned in his Hope it is impossible to leave himself quite out of his Hope If Christ in you be your hope of Glory Then look upon him as the only sure bottom and foundation of all your Hopes you will prize him the more We naturally love and esteem that which gives us hope of any goood coming towards us The Reason why Christ is so little regarded so lightly set by is because men are afraid they shall be losers by him Go and sell all and follow me this is an hard saying to such as understand not the gain of Godliness the excellency of Christ that he is able to do more for them than all the World can Paul was so persuaded Rom. 8. 37. Nothing could separate him from the Love of God in Christ Jesus Neither life nor death nor all evils that it was possible for men and devils to bring upon him In all these things saith he we are more than conquerors As if he had said we are so far from being losers that we are great gainers come off with advantage Thanks be to God who hath given us the victory 1 Cor. 15. 57. Thanks be to God who also causes us to triumph in Christ 2 Cor. 2. 14. Thus he overcomes the world who believes Jesus is the Son of God 1 John 5. 4 5. Quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked one Eph. 6. 16. Overcomes by the blood of the Lamb Rev. 12. 11. But after all this If any should Object and say We cannot rejoyce in this Hope of Glory by Christ we cannot bring our hearts under the Power of this Hope as you have been persuading us to do I Answer You cannot but God can God by his Spirit of Power can do this in you and upon you We have a cloud of Witnesses to this in all those Saints in former Ages who have gone Triumphing to Heaven in a Joyful Hope and Expectation of Eternal Glory and you will find it so in your selves when the Spirit of God comes upon you as a Spirit of Power Let me tell you The impressions of the Spirit are strange things till you come under them then you feel the powerful effects of them in your own Souls will see that done which you thought could never have been done find that made easy to you which you thought was impossible And thus it will be when you are begotten again to a lively Hope Many Professors have a dead Hope of Eternal Life and Glory which make no impression upon them but a lively Hope hath lively Effects that will be felt It may be you will further Object and say It is true there are some who have this Hope and this Joy But may not all this be a Delusion upon false Grounds All I shall say in Answer is this I wish you would make the same Objections against your Worldly Hopes as you do against this Christian Hope I am sure you have more cause How prone are men to Object against the Hope of the Gospel And how willing are men to be flattering themselves with all Worldly Hopes they follow them are mightily pleased with them they all run well and are well founded But this Hope of Glory by Jesus Christ that is an ignote thing they know not what to make of it Look to it Those who are willing to nourish vain Hopes now will have Hope little enough ere long they will be Punished with Everlasting Despair in Hell But alas with what confidence and security do Men Hope in the Creature but with what trepidation and doubtfulness do some Trembling Souls Hope in Christ Methinks their Reason might instruct their Faith to argue otherwise from Gospel Principles the consequence of which Sanctifi'd Reason may discern and ought to attend unto You find a Thousand Instances in every Age of such whose Worldly Hopes have disappointed them and made them ashamed But never since the World began could there be one Instance produced of any Believer whose Hope in Christ hath made him ashamed It is strange that we should rejoyce so much under that Hope which seldom or never answers our expectation and be so much cast down and dispirited under those Hopes of Glory that never fail I wish you would but ask your selves the Reason of this It is a sign we are rather Carnal than Spiritual and savour more the things of this Earth than the things of Heaven It is a shame to think how little Influence this Hope of Glory hath upon us We usually count our selves the better for our Hopes but it seems the Hope of Glory adds little to us we lay it by as that which speaks of something to come a great while hence in another world we know not when we cannot get our minds to attend to it and look for the accomplishment of it And thus we bereave our selves of much good by suffering our Hope to languish as it will do if we don't take comfort in it and daily solace our selves with the thoughts of it To think of our Hopes is enough to revive us at any time especially when we count them sure and certain I know not whence it is but you may observe many Christians to be more in the Exercise of Faith and Love than of Hope We reverence the Word and dare not disbelieve that when we are under little or no Hope of what is promised to us in the Word A little Fear drowns our Hope We believe the Truth of the Promises but in modesty suspend the application of them to our selves as if it were a piece of Humility to Believe much and Hope but little God is good and gracious and faithful saith the drooping Soul here is Faith But I am unworthy I am less than the least of all his mercies unfit to receive any thing at his hand Thus by sinking our Hope we do insensibly weaken our Faith for a weak Faith doth always follow a languid Hope the Promises will grow out of credit with us when in an affected Despondency we humour our selves too much in refusing our own Mercies It would make our hearts ake if God should take us at our word and say Because you will not have this or that Mercy you shall not have it because you will not have life by applying this and that Promise to your selves I reverse it call it in declare you shall never have that Mercy I say it would make our hearts ake if God should take us at our word when in a froward sullen fit of Despondency It is a slight to his rich Grace to be so shy of it to take but little when much is offered Express then the greatness of your Faith by the greatness of your Hope As God hath abounded yea superabounded in his Grace towards you so do you abound more and more in your Hope in him Faith is but a Notion a mere empty Speculation when the good things of the Promise are not brought down to our selves by a lively Hope that
to thrive under Ordinances In the Description of John Baptist's Office we may see the nature use and end of a Gospel Ministry all must be called to that Office who are imployed in it they must prepare the way and seek to lead their Hearers to Christ Preaching remission of sin through faith in him shewing how all flows from the tender Mercy of God setting forth Christ as the true light of them who sit in darkness c. Before Christ's time the Patriarchs Priests Levites and Prophets carried on this Ministry After Christ's Incarnation John the Baptist was the first Gospel-Minister after him the Apostles and Evangelists by an extraordinary Call then Pastors and Teachers as the ordinary Ministers of the Gospel who continue still in the Church and whose duty still it is to seek the Salvation of their Hearers and Hearers should come to learn the way of Salvation by Christ. To give knowledge of Salvation c. Not that Preachers can infuse knowledge into their Hearers none but God can do this as Dan. 1. 17. There the words have a greater Emphasis than here when applied to men who only prepare the way by Instruction afford some outward help to bring us to the knowledge of Salvation they do aditum patefacere they prepare the way make it plain lay it open setting before you the credenda what you are to believe and do they tell you what way and method what manner and means God has made choice of to bring about Salvation for they give us notice of all this speaking in a plain familiar manner that men may know what is contained in the Bible what the main drift and scope of the Gospel is which we cannot be ignorant of when it 's told us in such plain and intelligible terms which if we do not stop our ears will inform us whether we will or no of the History of the Bible we cannot but conceive something of the matter they are willingly ignorant who being so taught yet slight all they hear and won't regard it where there has been such an outward manifestation of the Truth we may say as 2 Cor. 4. 2 3. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost Ministers should do what in them lies to help the understanding of their Hearers bringing down things to their Capacities giving the sense and causing the people to understand the reading Neh. 8. 8. This is the way for a Minister to save himself and them that hear him 1 Tim. 4. 16. Many common Hearers can't understand what they read and hear unless some man guide them as the Eunuch said of himself Act. 8. 30 31. When we have in handling the word commended our selves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. 2. we must leave the success of our Ministry to him whether the word be a savour of life or death to him Paul may Plant and Apollo may Water but it 's God who giveth all the encrease You see how Ministers give the Knowledge of Salvation by Publishing the Gospel i. e. by Preaching Christ Rom. 16. 25. They say to the People what the Angel did to the Shepherds Luk. 2. 10 11. Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people For unto you is born a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. A great multtitude of the Heavenly Host join with the Angel in praising God for his good will towards men v. 14. This is the Ministers work now to declare these glad Tidings this faithful saying so worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ commanded his Apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature Mark 16. 15. To tell them plainly there is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved but the name of Christ. One would think this were enough to set all the world upon enquiring after Christ. But who hath believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed Men will not receive this Testimony that God hath given of his Son We who are Ministers cannot finish our course with joy and the ministry which we have received of the Lord Jesus if we do not testifie of the gospel of the grace of God Act. 20. 24. And as for me I would say with Samuel 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you and to shew you the good and the right way He that hath ears to hear let him hear Having shewed what this knowledge or notice is which Ministers give to the People of the way of Salvation by Christ I shall now speak something of the notice the People take of this how they resent it how they receive it what impression it makes upon the generality of Professors They assent to it seem to be convinced of it and do profess to believe it but in such a cold careless manner that they are not at all concerned in the matter Putting the greatest cheat upon themselves that can be 't is below the reason of a man in all it 's other actings to counterfeit knowledge in things so nearly relating to himself and of so dreadful a consequence if neglected and not strictly attended to to profess to believe in Christ for Salvation and yet never come to him for that Salvation never deal with him about it is such a gross piece of Hypocrisy and self-deceit that one would wonder men should be guilty of Such a formal profession comes not from any true conviction or real belief of what they profess but from custom education and a desire to be like other men they walk in the shadow of other mens Religion who have none of their own they take up the name of Believers and say they have Faith when they know or may know they have none such a feigned Faith undoes Thousands Since they say they have Faith and profess it how does it appear they have it not Appear Ans. As plain as the Sun at Noon If a man say he is convinced there is but one remedy in the whole World that can cure that disease he is sick of and yet refuse it when it 's offered to him I am sure if he be in his right Wits he lyes in saying he is so convinc'd what convinced that his House is on fire and yet not call out for help and seek to quench it or that this is a Cup of Poyson in his hand and yet drink it off This is to take away the force and power of reason over man to make him unconcerned in and for himself even when he is under the greatest sense of imminent danger that such a through conviction must needs bring him to nothing brings things nearer to a man's reason then conviction does 't is an Act of the understanding by which he owns and acknowledges that for truth which he
Sin but the Scripture seems to make them the same Rom. 4. 5 6 7. I think they are so inseparably joined together that no man who has obtained the Pardon of all his Sins ever was or can be at a loss for a Righteousness to compleat his Justification and entitle him to the reward of Eternal Life promised in the Law I conceive the Pardon of all our Sins is a Righteousness we may boldly appear before God in because it lays before God that full satisfaction that Christ made for Sin by his active and passive Obedience which is not only satisfactory for Sin but also meritorious of Eternal Life so that all the ends of Justification are accomplished in the Remission of Sin What precise conceptions we may have of Remission of Sin and imputation of Righteousness as differing in the notion will not argue any real difference in the things themselves We must have a care we do not separate what God has so intimately joined together This hath occasioned all those unhappy Controversies about Justification as I shall shew anon They who want a sufficient Justifying Righteousness after the full Remission of all their Sins do not rightly resolve Remission of Sin into the proper procuring causes of it viz. the satisfaction that Christ made for Sin by what he did and suffered for us from his Birth to his Death so it became him to fulfil all Righteousness that he might be the end of the Law for Righteousness to them who Believe So that Christ himself is our Righteousness the Lord Jehovah our Righteousness the Law is as well satisfied with what Christ hath Done and Suffered for us as if we our selves and perfectly kept the Law or Died by it for our Sins 'T is dangerous separating Christ and his Righteousness as if we were to derive a justifying-Righteousness from Christ distinct from the Person of Christ This notion has insensibly led men to seek a Righteousness in themselves not wrought out for them but wrought in them by Christ this indeed is the right way of Sanctification but not of our Justification The Scripture directs us to seek our Justification in the Person of Christ only by Receiving him Believing in him to them is Remission of Sin Promised and everlasting life John 1. 12. John 3. 15 16. John 6. 40 47. Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 3. 26. Acts 10. 43. Acts 26. 18. Some do too nicely distinguish between freedom from Punishment and a right to eternal Life as if one could be obtained without the other which is impossible Certainly not to Die is to Live not to Die eternally is to Live eternally the expulsion of Darkness is the bringing in of Light He who is counted worthy to escape the Punishment threatned by Law is worthy to receive the Reward promised by Law I see not what should hinder it since no fault of Omission or Commission can be charged upon him whose Sins are Pardoned If after the full Remission of all our Sins we were to receive eternal Life from the Law then some Righteousness distinct from Pardon a Righteousness wrought by our selves after Pardon would be antecedently necessary to our justification unto life But that is not so for every Pardoned Sinner receives eternal Life from the hand of Free-Grace as the Gift of God freely given without any consideration of any works of Righteousness done by us Gal. 2. 6. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified If there had been law which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law Gal. 3. 21. But since the Law does not give Life therefore that Righteousness that lets us into eternal Life is not of the Law but that of Faith Phil. 3. 9. The Law admits of no Pardon allows of none is not at all concerned about that matter but seeks its own satisfaction in a way of strict justice the Law is all for Justice Mercy comes in by another Covenant 'T was never in the nature and constitution of the Law to give life to a Sinner the Law can't do that Rom. 8. 3. It can give life to a Righteous man but not to a Sinner The Law will prosecute him to death 't would act contrary to it self to its own eternal Sanction and declared judgment if it should do otherwise and therefore the Law as a Covenant of Life and Death is fully determined in the Death of Christ towards all Believers who are no longer under the Law but under Grace Yet I say the rigour of the Law in it self is not relaxed by the Pardon of Sin only it does not exert its condemning power upon the persons of Believers because Christ has already Suffered for their Sins but still the Law remains and ever will remain a Sin-condemning and Sin-avenging Law it has as much power as ever to stay the Sinner but it can slay him but once and the stroke of the Law is so heavy in that case that it need not smite him a second time Christ indeed being God as well as Man recovered from that deadly blow the Law gave him for our Sins and so saved himself and us Here is no relaxation of the Law but a full execution of it full satisfaction given to it the whole debt is paid to the utmost farthing by Christ our surety Now all the Life Glory and Happiness that follows upon this comes in by Grace Christ having Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law and the Law being fully satisfied cannot be against any thing that Christ shall do for his Redeemed ones he may freely bestow what he will upon them having brought them under a Covenant of Grace he may and he will pursue that Covenant to the utmost towards them for their good till he has made them as happy as infinite Love and Grace can make them Sin being taken away and expiated by the Death of Christ Believers do pass over of course into his Life they Rise with him he who has called us into a Communion with him in his Death will not deny us Communion with him in his Life and Resurrection otherwise the benefits accruing to us by his Death in a freedom from Punishment would never have made us happy had we been quite shut out from his Life 't was for that end he Died for us that we might Live for ever in him by him and with him The Law and the works of the Law contribute nothing to this Life and for our Evangelical Holiness that is but the fruit and effect of this eternal Life derived from Christ already begun in us and exerting it self gradually according to the measure of our imperfect Sanctification here All our Evangelical works are but so many expressions of that new Life
God's Justice would not permit that man should be received into favour and freed from that misery he had brought upon himself 'till a sufficient Price was paid for his ransom nothing but the Blood of Christ could quench that flaming Sword of God's just Anger that kept man when cast out of Paradise from the Tree of Life So that the right that God recovered was for the good of man a right to shew Mercy to the worst of Penitent sinners without any reflection upon his Justice That he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Rom. 3. 26. That a Holy God should justifie a sinful man is the greatest Mystery that ever the World heard of but God who works wonders hath in his infinite Wisdom Job 28. 23. glorified his Justice and Mercy both in our Salvation by Christ. God had a special right by Election in all his chosen Ones but foreseeing the fall of his Elect he provides for their Redemption in case of Transgression Election was unto Eternal Life but sin intervening between Election and Salvation threatens Eternal Death puts such a rub in the way which must be removed or else the Elect themselves could not be Saved therefore that Election might stand and obtain its end Rom. 11. 7. God provides for our Redemption laies help upon one that is Mighty we were chosen in him in whom we have redemption Eph. 1. 4 7. God had an Eye to Christ in our Election 't is that makes it sure What wonderful difficulties does Election meet with enough if it were possible to hinder the Salvation even of the Elect Mat. 24. 24. But Christ has secured them John 10. â—8 I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand The end of our Redemption was not to rescue us quite out of the hand of God to take us out of his power for that cannot be but to let us into his Love to reconcile us to him to bring us to a nearer conjunction with him than ever John 17. 21. That which moved God to Redeem us was his Love and Pity Isa. 63. 9. CHAP. IV. Seventhly How by tbe Law of Redemption the Redeemed pass over Body and Soul into the possession of the Redeemer LAstly The relation that Christ hath to and the interest and propriety that he hath in all Believers as their Redeemer obliges them in Reason Justice Equity and Conscience to Dedicate and Devote themselves all that they are and have to his Service to Glorifie God in their Body and Spirit which are God's All the Persons of the Trinity have a special Interest in the Persons of all true Believers 1. God the Father Their Body and Spirit are God's says the Text they are Redeemed unto God Rev. 5 9. 2. God the Son as they are Members of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 15. 3. God the Holy Ghost as they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. 1 Cor. 3. 6. Eph. 2. 21. 2 Cor. 6. 16. The Spiritual House of God 1 Pet. 2. 5. If any man defile the temple of God him shall God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are Redemption fixing such a right and propriety in the Redeemer over the Redeemed must necessarily imply obedience and subjection on our part Ye are not your own How shall we live any longer in sin Rom. 6. 2. Being made free from sin we should become servants of righteousness v. 18. Believers are not sui juris to live as they list Rom. 14. 7 8 9. 1 Pet. 4. 2. For me to live is Christ Phil. 1. 21. My business is to serve him not to comply with the lusts of men 1 Cor. 7. 23. What to Glorifie God in our body viz. When in all our outward actions we govern our selves by the law of Christ following the rule of his word and the guidance of his Spirit The Body is for the Lord who is our Head to govern our bodies in all their motions Christ is the Saviviour of the body and will raise it up to eternal life Rom. 6. 5. and make it conformable to his glorious body Our Bodies are the Members of Christ and as such they ought to subject themselves to the command of the Soul under Christ mortifying the deeds of the Body through the Spirit Rom. 8. 13. The whole man is the temple of the Lord 1 Cor. 3. 16. Our Bodies are as it were the Porch of this temple therefore we should not touch any unclean thing 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. lest we grieve the Spirit of God who dwells in us The Sanctification and Holiness of the Body is opposed to any outward pollution of it by which we do defile and dishonour the Body 1 Thes. 4. 3 4 5. If Christ has such an undoubted right to your Bodies as they are his members and temples of the Holy-Ghost then be sure you keep them holy and undefiled I need not exhort you to flee Fornication you are all convinced of the evil of that but the outward Attire I will not say of whom Prov. 7. 10. lest I put some to the blush does not become serious Worshippers of the true God a more grave sober modest Apparel would convincingly testify to others the due respect and reverence you have for the holy Spirit dwelling in you your Bodies are the temples of the Holy-Ghost do not then prophane these temples by antick exotick dresses the sure emblems of a vain mind such plumes and wethercocks as some wear upon their heads become not the Pinacle of these Temples of the Holy-Ghost Therefore if there be any fellowship of the Spirit cloathe your selves as women professing Godliness and that I may apply this to both Sexes 1 Cor. 11. 14. I must tell you it argues a very Effeminate age to see so many men's head thatch'd with Womens hair what may be brought by some as an argument in point of health for the cutting of their own Hair will never justifie what is put on by most in the room of it When you have trickt up your selves according to the Mode and Fashion of the world before you go forth to be seen of others put this question to your selves Is this to Glorifie God in my body or will it not rather open the mouths of many to blaspheme that profession of Godliness that I have taken up Answer it to your Consciences if you can He that does not keep his body in a due subjection to the Spirit of Grace will never keep his heart long in a right frame What to Glorifie God in our Spirit To serve God only with our bodies is Hypocrisy it must be with Body and Spirit else our service is not reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. If our minds are not pure in the sight of God and our outward profession answerable thereunto in the sight of men Paul sets forth this inward service Rom. 1. 9. God is my
Souls about Justification we shall conclude as Paul does Rom. 3. 28. Then Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes righteousness without works Romans 4. 6. CHAP. IV. Fifthly the Privileges of Adoption ADoption carries all the outward privileges of the Covenant along with it Rom. 2. 4. But because this relates to Adoption at large I shall confine my self to those special privileges of Adoption that belong to the true Children of God only viz. 1. A filial confidence and boldness at the Throne of Grace In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Ephes. 3. 12. Heb. 4. 16. Adoption heightens our trust and confidence in God Christ as a Son trusted in God and so do all Christians Heb. 2. 13. 2. Conformity to Christ Christ is formed in them all Gal. 4. 19. As Christ is so are they each one resembles the children of a King Judg. 8. 18. They will be exactly like Christ at the Resurrection Psal. 17. 15. They were from Eternity predestinated unto 〈◊〉 Rom. 8 29. 3. If 〈◊〉 then Heirs Rom. 8. 17. Gal. 4. 7. We have not only a right but a present participation of the inheritance in some degree here we have something in hand and more in hope the earnest Penny the first fruits we now have the rest is reserved for us in Heaven Eph. 1. 13 14. 1 Pet. 3. 4. God makes us joint heirs with Christ to share with him because the Heavenly inheritance is not diminished by being communicated to many Every one has all The Sons of God are Heirs 1. Of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 4. 5. 2. Of this World 1 Cor. 3. 22. 3. Of the Promise Heb. 6. 17. Heb. 11. 9. 4. Adoption translates us out of a Miserable estate into a Happy estate from being Children of the Devil of Wrath of Perdition of Darkness to become the Children of God partakers of the Divine Nature Brethren of Christ Children of Light Children of Abraham being Aliens and strangers before standing at a great distance from God We are now brought nigh by the blood of Christ Eph. 2. 12 13. Are become children of the house to abide there for ever God is in Covenant with us and we in him I will receive you and be a father to you 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. A great promise indeed it secures us for ever like that which God made to David concerning his Son Solomon 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. I will be his father and he shall be my Son my mercy shall not depart away from him Adoption casts us upon God puts us under his Fatherly care for ever Mat. 6. 25 26 32 33. So Mordecai brought up Hester when he took her for his own Daughter Esther 2. 7. This title of being the Children of God is very honourable how do the Saints glory in it 1 John 3. 1. it makes us great indeed as was said of Christ Luke 1. 32. He shall be great and shall be called the son of the most High How do men value themselves upon the account of their Birth as descending from an Ancient Honourable Family He that is born of God is better born more Nobly descended than they and may vie Genealogies with the best of them By Faith Moses refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the people of God esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the Treasures in Egypt Heb. 11. 23 24 25. I shall chuse rather to insist upon those privileges of Adoption that flow from that Christian Liberty which always accompany it If the son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed John 8. 36. We are freed from the curse of the Law by the merit of the death of Christ Believers look above the Law and the Righteousness of it for their Justification they have no respect to their own Works in Justification because they know they are justified without them they eye only the Mercy of God in Christ for their Justification When the question is about Justification and 't is a question much agitated among us now-a-days 't is not how we are made Righteous in our selves but how we being Sinners in our selves may be accounted Righteous and Just before God we must consult with the Gospel about this not the Law how God becomes propitious to Sinners 't is Christ not the Law gives us the reason of this And when Conscience is satisfied in this point That we shall not be Judged by the Law the Saints do willingly yield Obedience to the Law according to the measure of Grace they have received they know now that for Christ's sake their sincere though imperfect Obedience will be accepted We can never serve God chearfully till then we cannot believe that God counts himself truly Worshipped by our imperfect Obedience till we believe he will accept of it through Christ For the Law rejects all imperfect Works 't is Faith in Christ only procures their acceptance For we are not under the Law but under grace i. e. We are not only freed from the Curse of the Law But Are put into such a state of Grace that we seek not the Blessing from the Law indeed it has none for us but from the Gospel which blesses us in the Name of Christ and for his sake Gal. 3. 23 24. Before faith came we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith So Romans 8. 15. And as we are freed from the curse of the Law and also from the intollerable yoak and servile paedagogy of the Law So We are no longer tied up from the use of those indifferent things prohibited by the Law and this is another part of the glorious Liberty of the Children of God which we should always use to God's Glory and the good of our Neighbour Indifferent things are of that middle nature that in the simple use of them or abstaining from them there lies no Religion either way i. e. Conscience is not bound to one or to the other but free to either 'T is necessary to know this to satisfy scrupulous Consciences that may be under the power of a superstitious Opinion as if the use of this or that were unlawful 'T is a dangerous thing to speak too freely of Christian Liberty because many under that pretence allow themselves in very unwarrantable courses running into excess laying aside all Moderation Order and Government of themselves in the use of outward things Therefore you must note That Christian Liberty is altogether Spiritual 2 Cor. 3. 17. Not to be used for an occasion to the Flesh Gal. 5. 13. So that Luxury in Diet Pride in Apparel c. can never be justified by the doctrine of Christian Liberty which is principally intended to pacifie fearful Consciences in these Three Things 1. Whether our sins be all pardoned 2. Whether our
a one Can any good thing come out of Nazareth When the Apostles Preached the Mystery of Christ's Incarnation how he was Born of a Virgin what Miracles he did how he was Crucified how he rose from the Dead ascended up to Heaven and should come again to judg the World the Jews were offended did not believe these things to be true Rom. 9. 33. Luke 2. 34. They saw nothing but weakness in the Doctrine of the Gospel therefore the Jews require a Sign v. 32. Signs and Wonders were to evidence the power of those who wrought them Moses confirmed his Doctrine by many Signs and Wonders so must you say the Jews to Christ and his Apostles if you would have us to follow you The Jews were used to Signs and Wonders from the beginning as appears in the Old Testament so they were instructed in the Wilderness Deut. 32. 10. and convinced of the power of God Psal. 77. 14. ad finem This made them so desirous of Signs under the New Testament Hence that Complaint Psal. 74. 9. We see not our Signs we would fain see Signs as Mat. 12. 38. Master we would see a Sign from thee So Mat. 16. 1. Luke 11. 16. Joh. 2. 18. Zacharias erred in this Luke 1. 18. The Jews are sharply reproved by Christ for this Mat. 16. 4. The Signs and Miracles by which the Gospel was already confirmed should have satisfied them the Jews did not require a Sign as Abraham Gideon and Hezekiah did for the strengthning of their Faith but out of Curiosity and contempt of Christ and the Gospel resolving never to be satisfied they must have Sign after Sign they thought it absurd to trust in a Crucified Christ to expect life from death that he who did not save himself should be able to save them Unbelief you see wants not its seeming reasons to fortify it self against the Gospel Besides they saw that such a Profession of Faith in Christ exposed them to Sufferings which made them the more against it Gal. 5. 11. And unto the Greeks foolishness By Greeks here we understand all Gentiles who received all their Wisdom and Learning from the Greeks or Jews and Gentiles are contradistinguished thus One had the Written Law the other had not Rom. 2. 12 13 14. The Greeks would have the Mysteries of the Gospel made out by Reason else they reject them as foolishness they count that foolishness which transcends their Wisdom they thought the Gospel an idle Fancy a very simple absurd Doctrine they required Philosophical reasons which as men they might comprehend proving Christ in a Logical way to be what the Scripture says he is Moses magna dicit sed nihil probat say Galen Pliny and Julian They wanted Logical Demonstrations of Scripture Mysteries from the true natural Causes of them which cannot be for then they would not be Mysteries if Flesh and Blood could understand them Mat. 16. 17. Thus you see both Jew and Gentile all sorts of men unregenerate have something to say against the Gospel they set themselves studiously to object against it All Unbelievers stand it out with God hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred both Disobedient and Unbelieving as Acts 26. 19. Acts 14. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Eph. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But unto them that are called c. v. 24. i. e. Effectually called to believe 't is by our actual believing that we answer to an effectual Call by which we are called to the Obedience of Faith and when we believe we obey God's Call Rom. 1. 5 6. Such are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. You see the different opinion the Converted and Unconverted have of Christ highly to prize Christ is a sign of true Conversion and to under-value him to speak slightly of him or his Doctrine is a sign of the contrary Paul here opposes the Judgment of those who are Called whether Jews or Greeks to the Judgment of the Uncalled concerning Christ Would you know what Christ is consult with Believers they know him he is precious to them never regard what the blind World says of him but hear what the Saints say what Believers say who know him best I confess 't is a shame and a reproach not to be excused that Christians do not magnifie Christ more I remember I have read of one who professed he knew not which was the greater wonder that Believers love Christ no more or that Unbelievers do hate him so much no doubt the former is far the greater wonder that they who know him so well should love him no better than that they who know him not at all should hate him so much their blindness and ignorance runs them into that gross mistake but what can cold lukewarm Believers plead who have so much light and yet so little love Both Jews and Greeks i. e. All sorts of Believers of what Countrey Condition or outward state soever they all agree in this viz. That Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 't is common to all Saints and proper to them only as Saints and Believers to have a high opinion of Christ. Christ the power of God God shewed his power in Creating the World by Christ as God John 1. 3. and by Redeeming it by Christ as God-man Christ in his Divine Nature is the God of Power a mighty one Isa. 9. 6. A rock Isa. 32. 2. A Lyon for his strength Rev. 5. 5. So Angels are called Principalities and Powers for their strength Col. 1. 16. As they are called Intelligences for their Wisdom which is very great a Sam. 14. 17. To discern good and bad They are continually prying into the Doctrine of the Gospel 1 Pet. 1. 12. Exod. 37. 9. They look to the Mercy-seat a Type of Christ. We are now shewing how Christ the Mediator is the power of God by whom great things have been done 1. God by Christ satisfies his Justice and yet saves the Sinner he reconciles Justice and Mercy together Psal. 85. 10 11. They both act to the height towards a Sinner The Salvation of a Sinner is the greatest instance of Justice and Mercy as ever was what is purchased is also freely given he is our righteousness giving us right to eternal Life as well as our ransom saving us from eternal Death Jer. 23. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is made unto us Righteousness as well as Redemption 2 Cor. 5. 21. 2. Christ bore the wrath of God without sinking or fainting under it Isa. 53. 4. 3. Christ hath overcome the devil death and the world Heb 2. 14. Hos. 13. 14. John 16. 33. He is stronger than the strong man Luke 11. 21. 22. 4. Christ preserves his Church against all the most potent Enemies thereof Mat. 16. 18. 5. Christ maintains a little Grace in his Children amidst many strong corruptions and lusts Grace is but a little grain and yet it lives and thrives 't is an abiding seed 1 John 3. 5.