Baptism received with holy confidence go to the Lord for her due nourishment by and in him saying thus Oh Lord I am thine save mee Psal 119. 94. Of thee I am who art made unto mee not onely Righteousness but sanctification with growth and increas in it I com therefore to plead my right in all humilitie If I had never came to birth or to the light I had so been at an end but seeing thou hast not denied mee the life of a childe of thine do not leav mee to shift but Lord bring mee up at thy cost and let mee have my portion from thy Table and my daily bread from thy hand My Baptism I alreadie enjoy in the death and life of Christ to make mee thine O Lord let also his blood grace and spirit run in the veins of my soul to strengthen mee in the inner man with all long-suffering and wel-pleasing and joyfulness all grace of thy new creature let it bee mine 2. Prepare thy soul to this feast of the mountains Esay 25. as oft as thou comest which must bee oft 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. and com not without thy feast-Apparel And let this bee one rule unto thee Do not catch up this Robe on the sudden but wear it daily between Sacrament and Sacrament That faith in the Lord Jesus thou walkest or would'st com with to the Supper live by it daily Christ is the same in the promise and the seal That repentance thou walkest with to the Sacrament practice it daily hee that in a great frost would keep the ice thin must keep it broken every day so thou thy soul-issues lest thine heart harden 3. Beeing thus com to the Supper set thy faith on work say thus I know no Divel in hell can sever Jesus EMMANUEL my meat and drink from the Elements but this Word hath united them for ever That by sacramentall union with them as sensible hee might unite himself with mee spiritually and really in this seal of his 4. Seeing him there thine take him eat and drink him and enjoy him let thy soul applie him to thee for that thou lackest and hee serveth that is to applie thy wants where the hedg is lowest with the to pare off thy superfluous part to fill up and supplie thy decayes and voidness I mean such gifts or graces as concern thee either in thy particular Calling or in thy general 5. Least thou should'st stagger about thy right and part herein remember the end of the Sacrament is to rid thee of this fear For why it is God's seal to the covenant of his Grace to make thee his Son and Daughter and to sanctifie thee it 's his uttermost securitie for any outward one nay it 's his instrument of conveying the greatest measure of his Spirit unto thee 6. Haveing so received it live by him depart as one well satisfied enlarge him both for number and measure of growth to all parts of thy life all estates graces duties VI. Rules concerning Praier 1. Retain this heavenly Ordinance of God in that due esteem which the Lord hath graced it with for all ends both of humiliation and supplication The Lord and thy soul by experience do know it to bee the key of all the coffers of God and that High-priest's liveing way made by the blood of Christ whereby thou hast access daily yesterday to day and ever the oftner the welcomer to the Holie of Holies to the seat of Mercie 2. God in the Lord Jesus by a promise having thy wants in a readiness and thy faith on wing let not thy cours in praying issue from a formal plat-form but a lively feeling and humble pinching of soul for thy necessities 3. Shake off all extremities of a corrupt heart by faith which must hold thine eie fixed upon thy Mediator against all thy presumption commonness dulness deadness coldness and beseech the Lord to stir thee up to pray as hee shall suggest unto thee by the present occasion well digested either for the Church others or thy self If thou would'st bee heavenly in praier first abase thy self as a worm dust and ashes yea as Mr. Bradford hell and the sink-hole before the Lord who is heaven and holiness 4. Add these meet qualities of praier viz. fervent importunitie as one whom God cannot bee rid of till thou speed and frequencie as haveing sped well already 5. And above all com not to pray with any tainted known sin I say not onely gross but even secret and close through a lazie heart loath to cast them off or a loos heart loveing them better then the things thou praiest for least the Lord justly leave thee to bee wearisom to him and thy self VII Rules concerning Meditation 1. It take's away letts either giddiness of minde or unsavoriness of spirit the former like a sieve out of the water looseth all it get's suffer's nothing either truthes heard or works seen to abide long in the heart but Meditation set's them in the heart that they leak not out Heb. 2. 1. In stead of the later it season 's the heart with the sap the life the savor of good things 2. It make's the meaning view scope and order both of particular doctrine and the whole scope of Religion to becom our own 3. Wee com hereby to the eas of practice the fruit whereof experience so that if once wee have found crosses to do us good wee fear not when new ones approach if wee have felt the gain of a Sabbath get a delight therein in a word whatsoever is easie it becom's sweet and therefore if this bee worth somwhat to finde the yoke of God easie and his burthen light as to say the truth it is the upshot of goodness well may wee then say Meditation is a divine help to a good cours To these may bee added three other means of Godliness viz. 1. Resolvedness 2. Watchfulness 3. Experience I. Resolvedness is a grace of the Spirit standing in an holy firmness of minde and heart to keep fast the truth of God both in judgment and the power of practice Truth if it bee once lost in the judgment will not long hold in the practice therefore wee must bee well principled and grounded in the Truth love it for it self and embrace it with our best affections Not beeing wheeled and hurried about with the new tricks and devices of men of unsound judgment nor yet put on som truthes for a time with great zeal and heat and suddenly when a greater heat of opposition arise's out of a giddie minde and fearful heart recant as fast and betray the truth of God to time-servers and Enemies Therefore wee are bidden Buy the truth whatsoever wee give for it but sell it not whatsoever wee might have for it Contend wee for the faith Jud. 2 yea unto blood To this end let us wisely and strongly observ resist and reject all novelties and schisms starting up among us and abhor them bearing witness to the Truth of God
spared us when wee have broke them pressing in upon us with renuing of good motions and affections which wee had quenched as being loth to lose us giveing us helps and means even out of season after long contempt confessing himself to mean as hee speak's Why lay you out your money and not for bread and your silver for that which profit's not Hearken unto mee eat good things So somtimes by his protestations of his loathness that any poor soul should perish Why will yee die oh yee hous of Israel Anger is not in mee why should flame consume the stubble What should I do to my vine that I have not don Somtimes by his passions and lamentations Luke 19. 42. Oh! that thou hadst seen even in that day the things that concern thy peace but now they are hidden Those tears and mournings over Jerusalem for her hard heart and contempt have been and are still over thee If there bee any dampings and streightnings of spirit thou hast caused them by thy dalliance and heart that would not repent But the Lord for his part still crie's How oft would I have gathered thee as the Hen doth her chickens Somtimes by his writeings to this feast of his Son somtimes by his contestation somtimes by his entreaties and earnest exhorting somtimes by his allurements to perswade and toll on the heart that hang's off by the promise of all the good things which hee offereth somtimes by his severe threats to all that refuse his offers all these shew how willing and cordial hee is to part with his grace and lastly somtimes by the universalitie of it that hee dispenceth it without all respect of persons age sexes states and conditions who exempt not themselvs But the special properties of this offer are three 1. Libertie 2. Simplicitie 3. Fidelitie First hee offer 's to whom hee pleaseth passing by millions of people in the world so that it is meerly unconditional and free as when Paul came to Athens or Ephesus who had never heard of the Gospel before Secondly the Lord beeing truly pacified in Christ offer 's it simply hithout grudging with an open heart meaning as hee speak's Thirdly Fidelitie whereby hee doth most readily and fully perform whatsoever hee offer 's to all who put him to the triall and accept it This is the main hinge whereupon the door of Hope and Faith turneth For an Offer is no otherwise differing from a promise then as a general out of which a particular issueth the promise is included in an offer but yet in special expressing the covenant of God to all that express the offer that hee will receiv them bee their God both in pardon and all-sufficiencie Into these the soul doth wholy powr out herself which that wee may understand consider this that wee have to do with the Father immediately but with our Lord Jesus onely mediately as a mean to lead us with confidence to him The Father properly look's at the Son as our Suretie and us for his sake but wee look at him directly and to our Lord Jesus as our Mediator So that look what wee can shew for our reconciliation must com from the Father and that is his offer and promise oath and covenant of mercie Into that therefore the poor soul is to resolv it self all her doubts fears temptations and distempers whatsoever Vse 1. This teache's us to adore the depth of God's justice against sin that hath still left so many Nations in their utter darkness and brutish ignorance of the Gospel How should this woful desertion provoke us to prize the revelation of this Mysterie to us as for them how should we pittie them Vse II. Secondly this is terror to all Papists that maliciously hide and darken this precious offer of God in the Gospel from the eies of the blinde people terror to all profane scorners who reject the Gospel and prize their swine their pottage their pleasures eas and pomp more then the Gospel reproof of all Non-discerners of this Grace of the Gospel the feet of a Minister shoul bee beautiful in this main respect though others also beecaus hee bring 's glad tidings of peace Vse III. Reproof to all that sleight the Gospel in the offer thereof prefer their oxen and farms their self-love ends and liberties before it Vse IV. Advertisement to God's Ministers to magnifie their Ministerie in deed and practice by beseeching the people to bee reconciled to God Vse V. This should scare all from infidelitie and contempt of God's offer Oh! it 's free and from meer good will the Lord is tied to none Hee hath rejected millions of Jewes and Turks and Baptized ones and chosen to offer grace to thee And shall the contempt of the free offer of that which thousands would have been glad of upon the price of going from sea to sea for it bee pardonable Do but consider what woful punishment will lie upon thee who refusest such an offer laid in this lap When as many poor souls would rejoice if the spending of dayes and nights might procure them a tender and believing heart to receiv it and yet complain that they cannot com by it Oh tremble at the freedom of this offer Bee humble and base in thy self to consider but this I am a poor wretch standing to the mercie of a free God who hath it to give where hee will and to denie it at his pleasure If hee give it to a prodigal son and denie it to a moral civilian if hee give it to one that came into the vineyard at the eleventh hour and denie it to him that came in at the seventh if hee denie it to the willer and runner and bee found of such as sought him not who shall alledg against freedom May hee not do with his own as him please's Oh! despise none least the Lord make the despiser seek to the despised and bee glad of their portion Oh! turn all emulation and scorn into humilitie and deep adoring of this freedom Vse VI. Dallie not with this offer of grace There is a while of it a season annexed to the offer The same breath which urgeth to receiv the grace of God add's a charge For hee hath said In an accepted time I have heard thee and in the day of salvation have I succored thee Oh that in that thy day thou hadst seen Now when is this day Surely it is not the day of possible mercie but of seasonable mercie Then when as besides health means and the offer of grace the Lord putt's a special spirit into the Ministerie of the Word so that it pierce's into the heart with perswasion when the terrors of it are weightie and serious the promise it is as the early fruit in Summer welcom and savorie when sin is bitter to the soul and when it is irksom to it to bee out of God's favor When the heart break 's and mourn's after God and can spend nights after dayes in seeking and it cannot bee
faith with cleaving to it for salvation is a doctrine of presumption But wee answer that as their doctrine of Justification is the true doctrine of presumption of their own works so their doctrine of Faith is a meer idol and fancie Vse II. Instruction to all that have beleeved the promise of Grace once and seem caus to cleav to it nakedly to use the same method in recoverie out of their particular falls Vse III. Admonition to avoid all lets such are these 1. Resting in devout complaints of the want of Faith Good complaints made in season to such as can eas us from the depth of a broken heart are good friends to faith but counterfeit complaints are the greatest lets thereof Therefore instead of complaints do as Ester did shee complained of her weakness but rested not in that but went to the King saying If I perish I perish and so found the golden scepter held out to her 2. Sloath and eas dallying is dangerous It is the Divel's may-game to see men shipwrack't in the haven Our nature is to seek grace most when it is most out of season But that is God's season to denie 3. Worldliness Overmuch filling our hands with the delights of this earth as lawful liberties pleasures wealth credit farmes oxen wife posteritie These are the seaeatings of the banks down and destroying all It is as if a man a drowing should hold his gold so fast that hee cannot take hold of a pole to save his life or as if ones hand could not receiv a pearl being full of nut-shels 4. A root of bitternes Go not to the doctrine of Reconciliation with a surfeit of any privie lust which thou wouldest not gladly know and forego for the promise for this will so defile thee that whatsoever cometh in the way thereof will bee defiled Nothing mar's God's bargain so much at the presage that it will cut off our lusts This bitter Root is discovered two waies First it is naturallest of all vices Secondly the oft return of the same sin after the seeming departure of it 5. Carnal reason or els rooted cavils ariseing from an unbelieving heart disputeing against the promise 6. Vnwillingness to submit to God's way of believing Men look God should wait upon us and fill us with goodness while wee are idle But learn to know God's way and yeeld humbly to it in the use of means and bee not your own carvers Submit with an innocent heart to bee led as the Lord will have thee coveting the best measure but resting in God's measure Peter was readie at Christ's command to let down his net against his own experience The Lord deal's out to the poor soul as once a wise friend deal't with an acquaintance of his hee sent her three tokens a brass farthing a mill-sixpence and a piece of gold bidding the messenger first to give her the farthing if shee took it thankfully then the other Vse IV. Exhortation 1. To self-deniall and renouncing all other waies of cleaving to a deliverance save this of faith counting them all even self and self-love as dung and dross unto it No relique in our nature can comprehend a way of recoverie it must bee onely naked faith given for the nonce to embrace the Lord Jesus by a promise Wee have no preparation of our selvs neither preventing nor assisting nor perfecting Wee cannot co-operate with any grace of God and although wee could yet the common grace of the spirit is not able to reach the work of conversion It com's infinitely short of it There must bee a special spirit infused to apprehend it not onely by supernatural but by spiritual and peculiar grace Grace exclude's all els viz. 1. Common gifts 2. Natural or artificial endowments of learning wit reading memorie judgment strength of parts c. 3. Education and moral virtues 4. Religious performances 5. No self in any kinde 6. Priviledges Onely the Lord Jesus in the merit of his satisfacton of his offer and promise assisted by his Advocateship for the breeding of faith can bring this work to pass Christ by his spirit take's upon him the effecting and perfecting of this work as well as the meriting of it by his death Oh! that this could caus to rest in God offering Christ meriting the Spirit persuadeing by a promise which hath all the fulness of God in it Let us cast our bread upon the waters and forsake our own abilities believing that God can creäte in us of nothing or wors then nothing the grace of faith the priviledg of sonship and adoption that all our happiness may stand in believing as the sea is made all of water 2. To receiv this Offer to esteem and embrace Christ as this all-sufficient store-hous of mercie in grace Remember the issue of Christ's inquirie will bee for faith Luk. 18. 8. Those that have it the Lord will bee admired in them that day 2 These 1. 7. And wo bee to them that want it Better to bee a drunkard a thief though verie damnable then to want faith to give God the lie and to sin against the remedie 3. To bee earnest with God never to lin persuadeing the soul by the promise and the good things of Christ till his persuasion becom forcible and unresistable by an holie necessitie with us There is no power in thy soul to fasten upon this promise except God draw it and make the persuasive of it irresistably and by over-powering it Beseech the Lord not to bee offended with thy long dalliances half-persuasions as not to strive with thee any longer but to draw thee still with uncontrouled power makeing a way in thy spirit and as Jeremie speak's Jer-31 31. causing thee by an inward motive to bee unable to resist When thou findest this work then faith must follow for it is the work which the compelling spirt leav's behinde it causing it in the mid'st of all her contrarieties of dissuasion yet upon due consultation to obey and yeeld I see here I perish but there I may bee happie I will venture therefore if I perish I perish Now for the better drawing of us to so difficult and main a dutie let mee use one motive which I am persuaded will prevail with the most if God vouchsafe to bee with it to set it home that is That our free naked cleaving to a promise will carrie down all thy distempers at once and drown them in as in a sea For whereas thou fearest perhaps thou shalt die or ever thou believ the promise will tell thee if the Lord may bee trusted for the grace it self much more may hee bee so for a time a thousand yeers with him being as one day Thou alleadgest there is nothing at all wrought in thee towards believing But why then darest thou not turn thy back upon God and return to follie Becaus thou hast not what thou wouldst all is nothing unto thee But from what save from free mercie is this that I say not thou
Mediator to stand between wrath and us not by arbitrement as in humane sequesterships but by paiment for us Lo therefore hee take's our person upon him becom's piacular that is first seazed with our sin by imputation that by his righteousness hee might deface it and fulfil the Law broken by us and secondly seazed with our curs that by his suffring death hee might quit us of the fear and punishment thereof His Suffering or Passion hath two parts the Sacrifice it self or Passion and the Conquest or Victorie ensuing it whereby hee gave the Passion a full power to becom or rather to bee declared satisfactory The Applying part is the act of his intercedeing Mediation here on earth and especially in heaven serveth to settle the merit of Redemption upon all the Elect in the due season thereof These are called well-springs of salvation Esay 12. 3. becaus they are so many grounds of justifying faith Their number is seaven 1. Incarnation 2. Divinitie 3. Personal union with anointing attending it 4. Actual obedience 5. Passive 6. Conquest 7. Applying all to the Elect. I Branch Incarnation By the power of the holy Ghost sanctifying the flesh of the Virgin the Lord Jesus beeing conceived in and born of the poor Virgin did submit himself to such unspeakable abasement as to take upon him the nature of man that in and by it hee might obey and suffer those things which the divine nature could not beee capable off Touching this point observ further three things 1. The realness of the flesh of the Lord Jesus hee took verie flesh of verie flesh and not as som Hereticks thought a similitude and shadow of it 2. The differences of his incarnnation I. In respect of his father hee was not ordinarily begotten by man but by the holie Ghost who fulfilled the work of a father 2. In regard of his mother a Virgin before and in and after his Incarnation Divines make the Four differences of Generation I. When man is made man without father or mother as Adam in his creätion 2. When man is made without a woman as Eve was 3. When man is made both by man and woman and so are all her posteritie made 4. The last when man is made without either man or woman and so was the flesh of Christ made Thirdly hee took our nature the seed of Adam and caused it to subsist in the second person of Godhead 3. Resolution of som doubts about it as I. Why was it necessarie that our Saviour Jesus should bee flesh That hee might thereby bee fitted and accommodated for the work of suffering The Godhead could not suffer the manhood could not merit infinitely the Godhead therefore must merit by a flesh that could suffer 2. Why must the flesh of a man and his nature bee taken to satisfie The flesh of a person could have reached onely to a personal satisfaction but the flesh of our nature might satisfie for natue it self and all persons contained under it 3. Why must the second person in Trinitie take flesh 1. becaus the word of creätion and first subsisting in creäted goodness must also bee the instrument of the uncreäted 2. It behooved that as Christ is the engraven form of his fathe'rs likeness and the brightness of his person therefore so hee should bee the instument to bring us to partake the same image after wee had lost it 3 It was fit that the righteous servant and naturural son of God should make us his servants and obedient children Vse 1. To confute Hereticks and Papists who destroy the realness and truth of the bodie of our satisfier by their Ubiquitie which destroye's the properties of the true bodie and so the bodie it self Vse 11. Of instruction teaching us to magnifie this mysterie of Godliness Jesus incarnate It 's a modell of the unspeakable justice love wisedom of God in one a far greater excellencie is in it then in the creation It was and is the song and wonderment of Angels it was then and still is that which bring 's glorie to God peace to the earth good will to men It caused Mary to exult and to magnifie God the Shepheards to report it the Wise-men to travail after it Herod and Jerusalem to tremble Simeon and Anna to rejoice and all the Church of God to triumph and and shall wee hold our peace and want affections and admirations Again it should teach us to cast off all base carnal reasons and distrusts either touching our salvation or protection Hereafter judg not God by outward apparences in the fulness of 4000 yeers flesh came If the bodie of all promises bee com how shall the branches bee performed Hee that hath given us this deliverance what can hee denie us Vse 111. Let us learn whither to go when wee want any preferment in priveledges or any grace to to furnish our hearts or lives or to fill us for our places duties and callings or for use of odinances especially when wee are under streights and bitter enemies Let us bee perswaded that our flesh glorified in heaven bear 's such stroak with the Father that hee will hear him in all his requests yea let us remember that hee therefore took flesh and felt all our ailes and infirmities that hee might pitie us and bee afflicted with us in all our affictions and temptations as Esay 63. 9. and will not let us lie under any streights which hee can rid us off For hee count's ours his and our selvs his and will do for us in this as in all other things as for his own flesh Vse IV. To exhort us to sundrie duties 1 In the difficultie which wee finde in the life of our faith let us draw neer to the flesh of our Mediator for influence and succor oh how far off do promises seem to bee unto us Christ is our peace in guilt of conscience strength to sustein us with patience in our crosses libertie from all bondage sufficiencie to enable us to walk with God to crucifie corruption to persevere to attain the resurrection of the dead 2. Again it should encourage our faint timorous hearts so many as are loden with our burden to com to the flesh of this Mediator for eas For first in this flesh of Christ there is a general fitness in him to receiv every one whose nature hee beareth for in that nature each person is enclosed Secondly it should help our weakness in coming to God the father by coming by this flesh of the Lord Jesus Thirdly let us com and plead our part in the Lord Jesus for our portion of forgiveness and mercie Fourthly by faith com and draw waters from this well-spring of salvation II Branch the Divinitie of Christ The Lord Jesus our Mediator was true God also It was not onely the second Person and no other who took flesh but a Divinitie which enabled an Humanitie to obey and suffer that God's justtce might except against neither as insufficient The Acts and sufferings
of Christ as flesh reckoned to his Divinitie made an equal satisfaction to God's offended Majestie The influence and valor of the divine nature assisting the humane for the fulfilling of the merit for if the Suretie fail in any point his undertakeing is uneffectual The Mediator then beeing to mediate between God and Man must needs bee God 1. In respect of those evils hee was to expiate as sin and uncleanness 2. those enemies hee was to vanquish as Satan death and wrath 3. Those good things hee was too purchase eternal righteousness the image of God and glorie hereafter in the presence of God Vsn I. Let this teach us to adore the Mysterie of the Godhead of Christ that wee rest in no inferior object whatsoever the world can affoard us But remember hee is God blessed above all and hath merited by his glorious power a glorious deliverance for his Church from death to eternal life Vse II. This affoard's us a notable ground of understanding a real difference of the persons in Trinitie God the Father send 's God the Son into the world to save it by the power of God the holie Ghost conveying and sealeing his merit to the Soul of the Elect. Now except there bee admitted a real distinction of the persons in Trinitie how shall one and the same God for beeing bee the partie satisfying and satisfied Vse III. Of Exhortation to all that are loaden with their sin desireing eas to com to this second well-spring of salvation and to drink water of life freely from it that is believ it for themselvs Especially let this beat down self in us in the matter of our conversion What should wee bring to God for our Redemption can wee bring any light to the Sun or drop to the Ocean all fulness is his hee must do all for and in us before and in conversion Again let us lay hold on Jesus Christ who hath satisfied God and taken away wrath Let this give a beeing and bottom of truth to all the promises of God in our soul And let us draw neer with confidence to the God of promises and comfort our heavie heart in the view of the hainous circumstances of her sin makeing it out of measure sinful Bee not dismaid hee that is thy Suretie made not thy peace for small and som but all and the greatest so that thy thought must bee how to receiv this fulness not for the greatness of this sin III Branch The Personal Vnion Union of both Natures into one Person by the unconceiveable work of the Spirit it 's much that Soul and Bodie but much more that Flesh and the Word should bee really in one Person The person of the Word took the nature of flesh therein to subsist It is called Personal Union to distinguish it from other Unions in Christ and all other Unions whatsoever In Christ there is a well-spring of Unions but no personal Union in them The Union of Christs Godhead with the Father and the Spirit is Essential with his invisible Church Spiritual and Mystical with Water in Baptism and Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper Sacramental In other Unions the things united are One either by bare notional apprehensions as things understood by the fancie or els One by compounding as when of three or four drugs is made one med'cine or els by mixture and confusion as when Water and Wine are made one substance or els by Divine institution as when man and wife are made one flesh none of these are personal Unions But Personal Vnion is such an one as whereby both natures so retain their distinct properties unconfounded that yet they remain indissolubly united in the person without the least seqaration no not at death in the grave Vse I. This teache's us to conceiv aright of the person of Christ wee must com to God in and by the flesh of the Son the second person The equal tearm and object must bee the personal Union i e. the Manhood must as truly bee praied unto and adored as the Godhead Vse II. It teache's us a difference between the subsisting of Christs flesh and all other subsistings wee subsist in the union of bodie and soul which two make one and the same person but the manhood of Christ is no person or subsistence by union of soul and bodie but by assumeing the nature of man into the person of the Son of God so that the flesh hath no subsisting at all save in the upholding power of the Godhead as the plant Misselto hath no root of its own to subsist in but subsist's in another tree Vse III. To encourage the soul that is afraid to draw neer to God for reconciliation and mercie in Christ becaus of the estrangement of it self from God by loss of image Lo the Lord is willing to unite himself unto thee poor soul in his Son by vertue of his union with thy fearful frail nature For by this union he hath purchased a spiritual union between himself and the sinful soul How singular an encouragemement then should this be to a poor soul to fasten on the promise when hee see 's it assisted by this all-sufficient merit issuing from the union of both natures both suffering and meriting Quest What is the Vnction of Christ Answ It is a consequent upon this personal union whereby the Godhead made the Manhood full of himself and of all gifts and graces of the spirit meet to enable him to his work of mediation and by name separated him from men to bee excellent as to bee the Prophet Priest and King of his Church Hee was Priest to satisfie and pray for Prophet to teach and King to rule and deliver his people I. Vnction of Priesthood The Uuction of Priesthood is the chief part of the Unction of Christ becaus by vertue of that office hee performed the great work of satisfaction Two things are to bee considered in this Annointing of Christ our Priest 1. The peculiarness 2. The furniture of gifts For the first although there were many things in the ordinarie Priesthood of Aaron which resembled Christ for the general yet becaus there were many things verie different therefore the holie Ghost set's him forth by the type of Melchisedeck's Priesthood For as hee was without beginning and end in his storie so was Christ not as Aaron mortal mutable sinful Secondly the Furniture which this Unction filled the Lord JESUS our high-Priest withall and that without measure For as the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily so all the communicable gifts and excellencies thereof dwelt in him Eminent wisdom rightousness humilitie unblameablenes holiness separation from sinners and all other graces but as I take it one fruit of his Unction was his peculiar fitness to satisfie That holie free consent of his to the will of his Father to do and suffer and fulfil all righteousness I say this absolute and unstained Obedience to go thorow all difficulties meekly long-sufferingly cheerfully
Passive Obedience His Passive Obedience is his whole humiliation both in the abasement and sufferings of his whole life through the which hee was one smitten of God and humbled yea a man of sorrows and especially that one main suffering upon the cross whereby hee emptied himself most thorowly and yeelded himself a sacrifice most freely to the wrath of his Father by his death that thereby sin with all her penalties inward outward and eternal with that power which the law and all enemies hell and death had thereby over us might bee abolished justice appeased and righteousness and life obtained Rom. 3. 25. Heb. 9. 13 24. 1 Pet. 1. 19. The Passive Obedience stand's in two things 1. The Preparation thereunto 2. The Passion it self 1. The Preparation stood in two things partly the condition hee undertook partly the antecedent suffering of his life For the first it was a willing putting of his neck into the collar of subjection emptying himself of his glorie so far as being the Lord of all to com into the fashion of a servant in which respect hee refused no tearms but despised all shame Phil. 2. 4 5 6. Heb. 12. 2. 3. 2ly Haveing subjected himself to bee a meet object of suffering and sorrow hee became indeed a man of sorrowes through his whole life and therefore hee concealed his glorie further than it made for the discharge of his office of Mediator as a Prophet or a King for then hee step't out of his baseness See Matth. 21. 12. Luke 13. 32. 2. The Passion it self considered two waies 1. In the Parts of it 2. In the moderation of it For the Parts first hee endured the forsaking of his dearest disciples taken by his own servant Judas to suffer intolerable indignities c. Secondly to bee put to the shameful death of the Cross Thirdly to these add the greatest of all both in the Garden and upon the Cross the most bitter cup of wrath which hee drank from the hand of his Father which made him in an agonie to sweat drops of blood and to pray that that cup might pass from him and to crie out My God why hast thou forsaken mee The Moderation of it appeared in this that in all this abasement yet that measure was imposed and no more which suited to the dignitie of the person suffering and to such an one as by suffering merited and could not bee overcom by suffering Hence it was that wee had intermission of all his agonies and fears c. Vse I. The doctrine whereof may affoard us a sweet meditation concerning the excellencie of the grace of the gospel purchased by this satisfaction which will appear by a comparison of the Work of Creation with the Work of Redemption The former was a solemn work when the eternal Word made man according to his own image But when the same eternal Word create's man the second time a few words will not serv but God himself must emptie himself of his fulness and glorie No other price will serv turn but the Actual fulfilling all righteousness and the shedding of his heart-blood At this work not onely men but Angels stand and wonder Oh! that the view of this might ravish our souls with the worth of grace to say The least dram of Grace is more worth then the whole work of Nature If the breath of Creation were such a thing what is Regeneration that cost not a breath but so great a Workmanship of this Active and Passive satisfaction Vse II. Let us abhor the conceit of such Sectaries as imagine there was no necessitie at all of any such price-paying to justice it 's an horrible derogation to Scripture and to the wisdom of God and savoreth of a prophane and audacious spirit rather let it present to us the hideous nature of sin and justice if sin in our selvs will not break our hearts let it break them in the view of Christ broken by them Oh! unspeakable love to be willing to bee pierced by murderers that they might escape to say Oh Father here is the suretie lay no debt or punishment on these debtors I have taken all upon mee if thou wilt needs have the uttermost powr out thy wrath upon him that can satisfie not upon them that cannot trie whether there bee any drop of mourning in thee by this due sight of sin and justice and say O Lord if I were left to bee my own satisfier if thou shouldest have said to Christ as once to Moses Them that sin against mee I will punish of thee I will require nothing oh how terrible had our condition been Vse III. Let this Doctrine consute First all Sectaries who teach that Christ had no guilt cast upon him by justice that Christ suffred nothing in his soul from God's Wrath. Let us abhor such novelties and know if Christ suffred no more the the malice of man there remaineih a necessitie of a second suffering for us from justice Let us beware while wee go about to mince and lessen the sufferings of Christ wee dstroy the truth of a Mediator and bereav the soul of that which should uphold her conflict with justice Secondly Let it teach us to abhor the opinion of those Lutherans who teach that wee must bee possessed wtth the verie self-same righteousness wherewith Christ obeyed and suffered and this they imagine to bee the matter of our justification and that els God cannot in justice acquit us But thus they make Christ serv for no other ends but to make us becom our own Mediator and to destroy his own Thirdly it confute's those Sectaries who affirm God seeeth no sin in any of his if hee have once imputed Christ's righteousness to them This error arise's from not-distinguishing these two Imputation of perfect righteousness and perfect imputeing or accepting of imputed righteousness No man is justified without the former but our faith failing in the acceptance must needs bee looked on by God I confess hee see 's no sin but hee pardon 's it to his in Christ upon faith and repentance but hee punishe's it for their good in mercie Again what if wee grant God see 's no sin in them in respect of their justification Is therefore their Sanctification perfect Why then did David's Adulterie displeas the Lord or why do wee pray forgive us our Debts or why saith our Savior say When all is don yee are unprofitable Fourthly it confute's all such as cut off the active obedience of Christ from the satisfaction as they cut the garments of David's servants by the middle It may bee granted them that the passive is the more immediate consummation of the satisfaction but to exclude the active is most audacious Vse IV. To teach all God's people to abhor the slaverie of hypocrites who if they could shun Hell would never care for Rightousness God's people although they could sin unseen and unpunished yet would loath it They take as deep thought for God as for their own
wel-fare Shall a beleever rest in his pardon more then in the righteousness of God which may make them accepted and beloved No the Liverie they wear is The Lord our Rightousness Vse V. Let this rais the price of the Lord Jusus's love in the hearts of all his children the more cost the more love Vse VI. How should it teach us to abhor all enemies of the Cross Vse VII If this death of the Lord Jesus bee our satisfaction and the freedom from sin and curs our pardon peace and heaven where is the dwelling of our hearts upon it the delight of our souls in it how is it that each base shadow of joy can affect us when this cannot if our hope were here onely in Christ of all others wee were most miserable Nothing here can keep thee from miserie what is then thy happiness This satisfaction onely Let it bee all in all to thee the seasoning of thy blessings supplie of all wants Vse VIII Especially let the chief stream of this point's use bee this First to all Ministers to teach it and the people to applie it to themselvs in all their fears yea the greatest agonie yea death it self Whatsoever thou foregoest hold this Stand with open face and hold this mirror to poor finners that they may behold the LORD our Righteousness Secondly to all People Consider yee who have truly felt that Serpent of the Law sting yee mortally in the other part com applie the remedie in this look upon this brazen Serpent and live and first I say feel the strength Secondly take hold of it and make peace for the former Know without a promise from God there is no peace unto you and promise there can bee none without satisfaction This is the strength of an offer and a promise Anger abide's in God without this price and thou art but as the bush and drie stubble before it Bee assured then no promise speak's to thy soul and to thy heart except it hath this strength of Christ in whom each one is Yea and Amen Hence com's all wrath to bee turned into love and this will make God willing to offer and faithful to perform els not That bottomless depth of mercie in thy Judg and Enemie cannot bee gaged without this bucket by this thou maiest reach it Again as this is sufficient strenth so it is that onely which can redeem thee Hee redeemed us not with pearls but with the precious blood of the Lamb Wilt thou go to thy duties performances grace Alas they have no blood of expiation in them all these will say satisfaction is not in mee where then surely here onely Vse IX If so abandon all and cling to this onely Take hold of this sufficient and onely sufficient strength as the Prophet bid's thee Whatever enemie pursue thee at the heels this is thy refuge that here thou maiest have strong consolation in all fears against all enemies fearest thou the sins of thy youth or age The Lord Jesus was conceived in the Womb that the infant Elect which never saw light migt bee saved by him Youth notwithstanding her disobediene age for all her rebellion might bee forgiven Do thy moral sins of murther stealth uncleanness swearing distress thee This Lord Jesus fulfilled all righteousness for thee Do thy spiritual wickednesses oprress thee an unbelieving secure hard heart by the contempt of the gospel The Lord Jesus suffered the powring out of his blood to break the heart of those that pierced him upon the Cross Art thou poor Thy satisfier was so Rich Hee was the Lord of all Are thy sins great Hee died for Noah's drunkenness Lot's incests David's adulterie Small Lo even thy least vain word cost him his life-blood But perhaps not som sins but perhaps sin it self and the bodie of death trouble 's thee Hee was made sin that knew none Oh! then whatsoever sin can say yet go on to the throne of grace as Heb. 4. 16. and look to finde mercie in time of need Doth the Divell gates of Hell Conscience or the Justice of GOD threaten thee They cannot save for sin if they do thy conscience hath her answer to God against all And so plead this thy pardon to the Lord. Say thus Oh Father even thou cuttest off thy plea in giving this price in accepting it in offring of it to mee J Lord am here before thee pinched and damned by my sin if thou doest reckon it to mee Oh! Lord I put this blessed price beetween mee and wrath Lord have no power to denie it mee Even I if I were left with an Orphan's estate could not keep it from him Lord I am fatherless my orphan's stock is in thy keeping thou took'st it to bestow it Lord let my Soul have strong consolation in her seeking refuge to thee becaus this price warrant 's mee VI. Branch The Conquest of Christ Hee overcame all enemies rose again from the dead and gave a full beeing to the merit of his satisfaction Conceiv of it in three estates of Christ 1. Before his death Though the Lord Jesus was not exempt from mortalitie and infirmitie but subject to all through our sin yet hee conquered in suffering for he endured no more then himself pleased 2. At his death Although our Mediator must needs drink that cup which his Father gave him yet hee was a conqueror then too and above any enemy 3. After death when they had got his dead bodie into the grave hee resumed his bodie and soul again and gave them another blow wors then all hee rose again conquered their malice never more to bee conquered to die no more Act. 2. 24. Rom. 1. 3. Vse I. This inform's us of the assurance which a poor soul under a condition of grace may take to it self in pleading her part in this satisfaction For by his conquest hee sent his Church into a lively possession of all his merits Let us therefore com with the assurance of faith to the throne of grace Heb. 10. 22. saying Lord give the poor needing servant the fruit of the Lord Jesus his obedience the power of his conquest the full efficacie of his redemption Oh let us not want the strength of this perswasion but press it and say Lord I com to thee in the merit of a Christ not dead but alive a Conqueror that made good to mee all his sufferings by his victorie and gave all his enemies a dead blow when they looked all to have overthrown him Vse II. Sundrie consolations Touching Faith how many are the fears that a poor soul hath that shee shall never bee able to believ Within herself what weakness forgetfulness melancholy guilt of conscience through corruption and dead heart slavish and fearful presumptuous hardned by the deceit of sin unworthiness neglect of the season of grace this bodie of death opposing all savor of goodness and so even death of bodie make 's them afraid they may die ere they believ So without them what temptations against
and performed for her The offended Father hath accepted this satisfaction is well pleased with it his heart is made placable by it and now his heart is opened and his bosom of love bared towards a poor wretch and this hee utter's by a proclamation and by an offer of grace to them if they will believ him to mean as he speak's See 2 Cor. 5. 20. 21. Him that knew no sin hee made sin ctc. And what of this Therefore hee saith bee reconciled to God Now when the soul hear's of this ground and building shee feel's herself to have somwhat to say for herself in this her dealing with God I thank thee O Lord for thy granting it and for the price paid but now seeing thou hast don it that in thy being satisfied I might have my part in it as offred and pinn'd on my sleev when I see a thing more precious than the world laid in my lap by thy hand I tremble to think I should refuse my own salvation The Gospel in the Ministerie of reconciliation is the instrument of this Revelation and that both fully and onely Paul tell 's us that when the love of God appeared then hee saved us This appearance is the light of the Gospel and the arising of the day-star thereby in the heart Now yet this Gospel is not the mean in respect of the bare letters and syllables of it but in the Ministerie of reconciliation Paul speaking of this great gift of Christ twice joine's this with it and hee hath made us Ministers of reconciliaton as if this were a material point Wee the Ministers of God beeseech you bee reconciled receiv not the grace of God in vain It were a great help to our faith to consider God hath seal'd Ministers to engage their truth for God that if God do not mean as hee speak's they are liers Wee had never known sin but by the law so neither Grace but by the Gospel And surely who so will profit by this Article must get this lesson by heart That the Lord who freely purposed and faithfully sent his Son into world still continue's his freedom and doth offer the Lord Jesus with his excellencie most freely A bottom of most unspeakable comfort to all poor bruised reeds and broken souls For if hee bee freely offred what poor soul should doubt to accept him What is freeer than gift Hee that gave him freely cannot withdraw him again nor keep back his satisfaction from a needing soul as if hee repented It behoov'd us then much to understand the truth of this freedom which in a few particulars I willname First God offer 's Christ of his own accord therefore freely Secondly hee offer 's us better then that Adam lost The burning down of our hous was the occasion of our greater repairing As hee said I had perished if I had not been taken prisoner Thirdly hee offer 's to the undeserving Wee were Theevs Traitors and enemies when wee did all wee could to pull him out of his throne yea slew the Lord of life then died hee for us Fourthly hee offereth freely who offer 's instantly upon our need No sooner did Adam fall but the offer followed the seed of the woman c. No sooner doth a poor wretch need mercie but it prevent's him Ho every one com c. Hee that offer 's leasurely is but a cold giver but speedie offring is double grace Fifthly when hee hath offered and given hee repent's not Of all works of which God is said to repent him it is neverr said hee repented to offer mercie Nay hee is so far from it that hee hath sworn and will not repent God never repent's of mercie that hee might repent us of our unthankfulness and unbelief Sixthly the Lord is exceeding glad when his offer is taken and no way so displeased as when it s in vain 2 Cor. 6. 2 Heb 2. 3 4. No disobedience is so odious to him as unbelief Joh. 3. 19. Nor for which hee will so severely punish 2 Cor. 4. 4. Hee is master of his richest gift count's it his honor to give the best most freely Joh. 6. 27. Hee hath a royal heart and can beteam to the basest worm the priveledg of pardon adoption and glorie and hee giv's an heart capable of his offer also els how could an oyster-shell contain this fountain all to teach the soul to recover it self out of her cursed distust and measureing the Lord and his gift by her self and her capableness whereas all his are inlarged by him with his offer to bee comprehensive of it the Lord makeing a poor shallow heart meet to receiv his fulness Eph. 3. 17. Seventhly hee offer 's without expecting again as wee say hee lend's freely who expects no requital the Lord indeed look's for honor at the hands of his servants but first hee giv's the gift and secoudly the heart and thirdly accept's it as honor beeing no addition to perfection The Lord offer 's grace to none whom rather hee might not bee ashamed to own Such is man's baseness that even in his greatest freedom hee seek's himself A father will give his childe his Land but when after death when it cannot pleasure him Till then hee will have rent And wee have a secret end in our gifts I give that hee may requite But the Lord offer 's to such as can no way content him or bee pleasing Hee giv's first to make them so but finde's them odious that hee may shew what hee can finde in his heart to do and make all men astonish't at his meer gracious grace and to boast of the Lord. Eightly hee require's nothing in us toward the accepting his offer All our own make's our accepting frustrate Rev. 1. 22. Com and drink freely of the waters Joh. 7. If any man thirst let him drink freely God giv's and upbraid's not our nothing Nay our emptiness is our best plea. Esay 55. 1. Com and buy for nothing self denial is our best price and hee that com's and offer 's to God any thing and bring 's cost to God loose's his gift This offer will appear so much the freer if also wee mark the circumstances in which the Scripture expresseth the offer called the cords of love by Hosea by which hee draw's the soul to see his meaning somtimes by his long patience and waiting upon her notwithstanding all her deafness of ear and deadness of heart and dallying with his offer Oh! his locks are bedewed with the drops of the night His long suffering and patience is a bottomless depth beyond all the expectation of man It is long ere thy unbelief could wearie him hee hath lengthened out the season of grace according to the length of grace it self forborn thee long kept off judgment a long while which might have swept thee away from hope many years since Hee hath recovered the lives of many of us twice or thrice that wee might renue our covenants and keep them And hee hath
quiet but is held on by peculiar tenderness to attend grace Alas there will bee a season of God's weariness and his spirit shall not strive with man Hee will have also a season of leaving thee to that contempt which despised the counsel of God for thy salvation Abhorring of light preferring darkness despising the Ministerie and Ordinances revolting from those insinuations of grace which once seemed precious I say these are spiritual wickednesses and far exceed moral evils Vse VII Let this bee a sweet preparative unto us to frame us to believ Entertain wee not any base cursed thoughts of God in the simplicitie of his offer Nourish all possible persuasion in the soul of his unfeigned meaning towards thee in this kinde thou canst honor him no better than to agree with him in his meaning well to thee There is no greater difficultie of faith then this seed of bondage in us to judg of God by our selvs Wee muse as wee use If wee have an enemie wee cannot forget his wrongs wee meet him not without indignation and therefore so wee think of God also to us and the rather becaus hee hath so much vantage over us But oh poor wretch jealousie aagainst his love Is it not rather oyl to the flame Pull down thy traitor's heart hate not him whom thou hast hurt put on an holie and childe-like opinion of him who when hee needed not yet purposed sent received this satisfaction for thee and therefore cannot lie in offering it to thee Say thus Lord thy sweet offer naked bosom cords of love passions of sick love somtime to allure somtime to contest command urge threaten and beseech turning thee into all forms of persuasion to win my soul all these convince mee of thy wel-meaning towards mee If my own enmitie to my enemie and the slander of Satan that thou enviest my good do assault mee never so much and my own traiterous heart conspire with them yet this thy gracious offer in thy Gospel shall bear down all Read Esay 55. 7. For my wayes are not as your waies nor my thoughts as your thoughts but as far above them as heaven above the earth Add this All the understanding of man cannot comprehend the love of this offer no more then the eie of a needle can the great Camel and shall I go about to lessen it Surely this should bee a great stay to my heart that God hath offered mee this grace and as base as I am what though it cannot enter into such a narrow brest as mine is that hee mean's as hee speak's yet if it bee the pleasure of a great God to give it as his offer import's shall I look at my baseness or at his greatness whom it were a dishonor unto to give mean things Oh Lord rather by this bountie open my narrow heart and make it large If the offer of a Minister of God bee precious who dare seal it upon earth to my poor soul shall not the offer of God himself the strength of Israel that cannot lie much more sway with mee Oh Lord captivate all my hatred of spirit and base treacherie against thee It 's reported of a certain Merchant of LONDON in the storie of England that hee made much of a poor Cobler that dwelt with him a cankred Papist and did as good as maintain him yet this Traitor went about to betray him to death This Merchant haveing escaped his hands yet out of his love used all means to bee friends with him again and used him as before all this would not do his heart was so villanous hee would shun the way of him and not look at him It fell so out at length that hee met him in such a narrow Lane as hee could not balk him but must needs talk with him The good Merchant take's him to him and told him hee was glad hee had met him and hee wondered what hee mean't so to decline from him What said hee do you think mee your enemie if I were could I not crush you with a word speaking Alas I am not offended with you for all your trecherie but forgive and forget it The words of this man so pierced the Cobler's heart that it brake instantly and hee falling down upon his knees and with bitter tears confessed his villanie and repented of it told him This love should for ever tie him unto him and so he continued This base Papist is the heart of every childe of old Adam this royal Merchant is the Lord this narrow lane is the streight of conscience beset with sin and curs this kinde behavior is this offer of Grace Let us not bee wors to it then a cankred Papist but break our hearts and melt into tears and with Saul to David say Where shall a man finde such love as to spare his enemie when hee had him in his hand and to bee content to cut off the lap of a garment when hee might have cut my throat Break my heart in the bosom of his love Vse VIII Wee learn hence to understand the Covenant of God a naked thing but filled with all the merit of an eternal Satisfier and with all the strength mercie justice and faithfulness of an unchangeable Promiser even the Lord fully satisfied and so concerning it beseech the Lord so to write it in thy soul God's offer is founded upon Christ and the well-pleasedness of the Father by him Why then there is no more anger in his heart Esay 27. 3. for if there were what should drie stubble do But now lo hee is reconciled hee cannot bee angrie with a poor Creature Hee hath taken order to satisfie justice by his Son to the end that hee might abolish the proceeding of Justice and cut off his own advantage and power to condemn For a time hee was angry for the iniquitie of thy sin but not for ever least flesh should fail before him Oh! let us well observ this That all in a promise and an offer is little enough to settle a poor soul against her fears And this will caus us to bee glad to cling to the word and say If I perish I perish ARTIC V. The LORD offer 's CHRIST to the Soul furnish't with all his benefits THe LORD offering Christ to the Soul doth not offer him nakedly and barely but furnish't with all the benefits of his satisfaction This is that which the Apostle in Ephes 1. 3. urgeth Blessed bee God who hath blessed us with all blessings in Heavenly places All these benefits are not of one sort for order's sake wee will help our conceit with a distinction Som of these benefits of Christ belong to the beeing or estate of a believer and contain the full right and title to Chist himself and are concurrent with our first engraffing with him and accompanie our first conversion Others are consequent upon this condition as royalties and priveledges following upon it whether inward graces or outward blessings according to the several promises
them The first is usually called the protection of God over his own in Christ their buckler and shield in which sense it is said The beloved of the Lord shall dwell under his protection all the day long It is God's people scape all such crosses as befall the wicked as wicked Vse I. Oh! how patient should wee bee in such crosses as befall us in all kindes if wee considered that the greatest part of them which light upon us is not the least of them that pass by us Vse II. The truth is God's Saints ought to give thanks for they know not what how many how great sorrowes The second viz. Sustaining Redemption is that act of Christ whereby hee succoreth and supporteth all his in trouble And this standeth in the communion of the sufferings of Christ and his grace viz. 1. Of his sweeet Peace which hee giv's us My peace I give you my Peace I leav you 2. Of his meek and patient self-denial 3. Of his courage to bear and endure 4. Of his innocencie and good caus to defend them 5. Of the Spirit of prayer which crie's and grone's to him that can eas them 6. Of purgeing power whereby Afflictions prepare us for glorie 7. Of the issue of the Cross even the quiet fruit of righteousness 8. Of Victorie before-hand even while they are under the Cross 9. Of patience to wait till the hour of darkness bee over Vse I. This point should exhort us to applie our selvs to this priviledg in each cross that befall's us Is it not a mercie to bee thus cared for and pitied as children when the Lord put 's the wicked to their shifts and regard's not what betide's them Saul falling upon his sword desperately Ahimelech thrust through Achitophel and Judas hanging themselvs Is it not worth the while to see a believing Soul at his death lying as a Lamb as a Preacher as one burning but not consumed above fears above loves hopes wife children world self able to doe any thing through Christ that strengtheneth and susteineth 3 The third is Redemption or deliverance from Crosses either particular ones or all The Lord hath his healing in his wings even here for his people I grant there is a righteous Abel who perisheth in his righteousness But ordinarily when God's Mastick patch hath dried the rheum it fall's off of it self David Moses had an end of their crosses and as James saith Yee have heard of the afflictions of Job and what end the Lord made Long sickness long povertie long persecutions have had their end There is a day for us if wee can wait How many weak complexions in youth have enjoyed healthy age how many prisoners have been loosed how many poor ones bin enriched how many mens later daies have proved better then the first But becaus all redemption goe's not aforehand therefore there is another Redemption far more sure and that is full and final at their death and resurrection wherein all tears shall bee wiped away Vse I. This should make all afflictions seem light in comparison Rom. 8. and caus us to embrace it by hope saying If our hope were onely here of all others wee were most miserable Vse II. Let not thine heart mutter at the frequencie of thy crosses by the Divel by men or from the Lord but bless him for such partial deliverances as hee vouchsafeth thee in thy trials Vse III. Learn hence really to pick out the sap of that truth of Paul Phil. 2. To desire to be dissolved and to bee with Christ which is best of all Vse IV. Beg of God two things 1. To give us his Spirit of Redemption to frame us for this verie thing as Paul 2 Cor. 5. 4. to prize our ful redemption upon any terms 2. That he would feal us up thereby to an holy securitie VIII Benefit Regeneration Regeneration is taken for the begetting of God in the soul and the effect thereof Sanctification called in Scripture the New Man the New Creature the renewing of the holy Ghost the workmanship of God c. This Sanctification stand's in 2 things 1. The killing power of the Cross of Christ called Mortification 2. The quickning power of his resurrection called Vivification sealed up in the Baptism of the Spirit whereby wee are engrafted and emplanted into them both IX Benefit Glorification The last benefit is Glorification of the whole man after the resurrection in heaven which is the overplus of Christ's purchase and exceed's Adam's happiness consisting in the partakeing of that purchased possession of Glorie and immortalitie not of Paradise upon Earth but in the presence of God And this benefit is the fulness of all the rest it is the execution of the election of God for wee are chosen to glorie it 's the perfection of our imperfect union in this life it 's the end of our calling for wee are called to honor and immortalitie It 's the â—â—â—ness of our Adoption for wee have here the right but there the inheritance of Sons It 's also our final Redemption and Sanctification becausâ— there all tears shall bee wiped away and death shall bee no more and wee shal do the will of God as the Angels and bee sanctified throughout in bodie soul and spirit without spot or blemish and so live eternally See Rom. 8. 30. and ult It stand's in two things 1. Negative happiness viz. The absence and voidness of all which com's short of this or opposeth it 2. Positive happiness viz. When the persons of the elect shall bee so enlarged in their souls and bodies and in each facultie and member thereof as to enjoy and comprehend and behold the Lord perfectly as they are comprehended Vse I. Let it teach us to avoid curiositie about enquirie of this depth and seek humbly and wisely to get our part in it here so shall wee know it one day by experience indeed Vse II. What persons should wee bee in spiritual respects if wee look for such promises how should wee purge our selvs in body and spirit from all uncleanness finishing our Sanctification in Godâ—â— fear Vse III. How should wee long for this happiness counting all our afflictions as light things through our hope revealed The Use of all these Benefits Vse I. If Christ bee offered thus together to the soul at once in all these and not in a bare manner it should bee a marveilous encouragement to each poor soul to believ Vse II. Examine whether Christ bee ours or no. Trial 1. Did Christ offered in the Gospel ever affect our hearts and ravish them with his loveliness the Lord we see offer 's him not bare but with all his furniture which way soever wee look wee shall discern his excellencie hee is one of ten thousand Can wee make a song of our beloved of his head his eyes locks neck bodie feet Surely els wee were never married to him except for his sake even our fathers hous was despised When Eliezer came to Rebecca to
works commending her to God but as sparkles of the Spirit of Grace which by these steps drawe's her home to God becaus hee will save her Vse I. Terror to all that dream of their estate to bee good when yet they lie in their sins as whole men they think Christ is offered them barely Bee reconciled to God bee they what they will bee And in this they are the more strengthened by the opinion of such Divines as dislike these preparations The which opinion as it take's away the benefit of triall and comfort from many poor souls who would fain finde the least seed of faith to bee begun in them and keep 's them long at a dead point with themselvs for lack of faith it self so it nuzzle's many hypocrites in a conceit of themselvs that bee they what they will yet they may be reconcil'd at their pleasure Again all such as remain blinde and dead-hearted blocks in the midst of this grace of the Gospel they see no light nor feel any warmth therefrom but still are cold Snakes and are neither affected with good nor evil Where is the hope of your faith where no dram of the condition of it is wrought Thirdly to all dalliers with the season of this grace and putting off this rich offer of God pinn'd on their sleev thinking they might have God tied to them and becaus they have tasted of his grace with the tip of their tongue therefore they may have it at their command wheras haveing once despised it they grow further and further from it daily They should have learned that the condition of faith is the preparation to faith Dallie with the one and forego the other Fourthly to all hypocrites that rest in som appeareance of these preparations not wrought in them by the spirit of Grace but from their own principles which appear's in this that if they bee reprooved they cannot endure it dare not enter into the triall of their mournings desires and proov them to com from the spirit of Grace but love their own eas better then the rules of God and while their own pangs last who but they but when their own sparkles bee out then full of sorrow No constancy plainness self-denial can bee found in them grace is nothing worth of it self except som mixture of their own concur with it A sign they have felt little sweetness in it and therefore are far from beleeving it Vse II. Let this doctrine remove those fears objections which arise in weak consciences as touching the greatness measure of preparations But let them know first that in these stand not their happiness but in Christ beleeved in Secondly if they had these in the measure they would they would bee readie to rest too much in them as Peter in his tabernacles Thirdly that the truth of these not the greatness hath the promise even the smoaking flax and the bruised reed Yea commonly such honor God soonest by beleeving And with these cautions let them go on and prosper Vse III. Exhortation to poor souls whom God hath truly brought under the condition of faith to bless him for that handsel I say first to acknowledg it great mercie although they have many doubts and fears and distempers to hinder them and the divel to com between cup and lip that they might not drink of that cup of salvation Oh remember it 's mercie to bee brought within these suburbs of heaven Bee thankfull for any thing especially a pledg of faith nay bee humble and say Lord what ever is not hell is from mercie I will rather comfort my self that the Lord meane's mee the fulness of this earnest rather then grudg that presently I have not my will and so wax wearie of waiting And secondly this should expell slavish fear from them becaus the Lord hath given them a condition of faith Beware yee do not abuse it Pledges are well kept by honest men not spoiled Do not tempt God by your distrust nor suffer the good preparations of the Spirit to die or wane through boldness loosness worldliness pleasures least God make them as bitter to you as Samsons dallying with his harlot Vse IV. It discover's the ignorance and vanitie of such Ministers and people who though they bee not leavened with Poperie yet partly from confounding mourning and sorrow with repentance and partly from blindeness and error of the common sort teach and think that repentance must goe before faith and here they flourish exceedingly for say they What doth not Peter say Repent and believ Think you that Christ will dwel where corruption is Must wee not repent becaus the kingdom of heaven is near Will God meddle with such as live in their sins Hence they mightily urge mortification of Lusts before wee dare apply Christ c. But Oh yee blinde guides of the blinde See you not how under colour of your devotion you overthrow Christ What use is there of Christ if our sins before wee believ must first bee mortified shall Christ die for sin alreadie mortified can wee dispose our selvs to grace when as all that is in us is graceless No Christ must bee not onely before our mortification but also before our believing yea before our preparation to beleiv Oh! but John the Baptist bid's the people to repent becaus the Kingdom was at hand I answer This objection com's from meer ignorance of the text For that Repentance there signifieth onely a penitencie of heart irking the soul for sin And yet Christ onely is the worker of it And it is a preparing grace of the Kingdom raised in the hearts of all that God will save It confound's the order of sanctification w th the order of Regeneration For although Mortification go before Vivification yet repentance never goe's before faith Now to cast the soul upon a promise or to believ is the last work of the calling spirit of God whereby an humbled sinner doth cast himself upon this word of God Bee reconciled com and drink com and I will eas you or the like offer will charge or promise of God for pardon and life This point is of all others the chief and therefore I chuse to refer it to this place as the use of all that hath been spoken jointly considered for wee know a five-fold cord is not easily broken and yet no one twist thereof might well bee spared Five divers grounds have been handled in this second part 1. God the Father our enemie hath cut off his plea and found out our deliverance 2. The Lord Jesus accordingly hath satisfied the justice of God that mercie might have free cours by the procuring of a righteousness 3. God the Father accept's this for a poor sinner as if hee in person had satisfied and therefore offer 's it to the soul most unfeignedly without hook or crook 4. Hee offer 's him not nakedly but with all his rich furniture to draw the soul to fasten upon him 5. Hee offer 's
him to each poor member of his Church there to dwell for ever both in grace and glorie Now to conclude I demand what one link of this chain were not strong enough to draw the heart to settle it self upon it And yet I must say this That the word and promise of God is the immediate thing which faith relie's upon although strengthned with all the rest To this consideration two things generally are required The one to gage the promise and offer of God as a Marriner would sound the depth of the sea least his ship should bee on ground so see whether it bee able to bear the weight of the soul or no and answer all her distempers and fears fully The second if it appear that it is able to sustein it then to relie and cast it self upon it confidently for her own pardon and salvation Although the Marriner cannot himself by his own fadom touch the bottom of the sea yet by his line and plummet hee can sound it as well as if hee could reach it with his hand and so fasten his Anchor upon it So here the plummet and cable of the Word wherein this strength and depth lie's will help us out so far as may serv our turn The hand of faith touche's the depth of mercie conteined in the offer by the direction of the Spirit in the Word which tell 's us what is conteined therein Three things the Soul must look at to bottom it self upon the promise of reconciliation and deliverance First the Wisdom of the Lord. Secondly the Strength Thirdly the Faithfulness All which are sure grounds the Lord hath hidden in the promise of mercie to a poor sinner that is under the condition 1. Wisdom of the promiser I may say of it as the holy Ghost said of Salomon when hee called for a sword to cut the childe All Israel saw that God had put the Spirit of Wisdom into him to do justice So God hath shewed all wisdom in the promise to settle the soul And that in two respects First of himself Secondly of us in respect of himself becaus in revealing his heart of love to the soul onely hereby and no other way hee teacheth us that hee who is God onely wise 1 Tim. 1. 17. could in the depth of his counsel finde out no other way so wise and sufficient as this to ground the soul in sure peace towards him Christ and the promise in him was that which seemed the wisest of all waies in the thought of God especially to us under the Gospel See Heb. 1. 1. After sundrie waies the Lord spake unto our Fathers in dark times as dreams Urim visions but now by his Son and Word the engraven form c. Note how this course is called the best wisest and holdingest of all as haveing more in it then all the rest Oh! wee would think in our shallowness that one from the dead Angels or revelations were better But wisdom it self hath pitch't upon this way all things considered as the wisest of all Secondly in respect of us for it is such a way as call's us to faith a promise haveing relation to believing it without which it cannot profit us Now if it bee without us how wise a way is it to quash and damp our base spirit of self-conceit and self-endeavor and to abase our Pride that hee who boasteth might boast in the Lord So that the promise is like a Map which a wise man shewed once to a fool that boasted of his lands bidding him to point out his lands in the Map which being narrow hee could not do and so went away ashamed Note then for this First wee all would bee counted wise many in these daies chuse to bee counted rather dishonest then unwise Well let us then bee wise for our selvs and wise to salvation in chusing this way of a promise to ground our souls upon Wee see not the Lord But if this bee a wiser way then that think there is somwhat in it then at first might seem more and fasten upon it 2. The strength of God Read 1 Sam. 15. The strength of Israel cannot lie meaning in his word So then in the Word of God is his strength also enough to bear up the poor soul in believing Heb. 1. 3. Hee bear's up all the weight of the World by the word of his power How much more the weight of a weak soul See Esay 27. 5. Anger is not in mee there is a word What follow 's Or take hold of my strength and make peace q. d. if I bee reconciled there is strength enough and that for a sinner to take hold of either this or nothing Read 2 Cor. 1. 20. For all the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen that is sure and strong but mark how In him the words that I speak are spirit and life But wherein is this strength Surely in the forenamed grounds of this second part Christ's satisfaction the Father's acceptation are those pillars of strength to a promise without which it would not avail to go to a promise Weigh seriously that noted text 2 Corin. 5. 20 21. The Ministers of God in his Name offer and seal up in the Word and Sacraments that word bee reconciled to God What saith the soul to this I dare not God is a consuing fire True saith Paul but anger is not in him Why becaus hee hath made and accepted him that knew no sin to bee sin that wee might bee the righteousness of God in him hee that said In him I am well pleased Shall a poor soul bee then as Noah's dove upon the waters Why say yee to my soul flie to the hils if God bee his strong hold If thou bee under the condition of the promise hee is no less in his promise Take a similitude A man lie's in prison for debt of an hundred pound A friend com's to him and bid's him com out hee answer's I cannot I lie here for debt and then there appear a strength unto him and laying hold of it hee com's out Read that in Rom. 3. 25. God hath set him forth to bee propitiation that hee might bee just in justifying him who is of the faith of Jesus What saith the poor sinner to this Oh! but it is just with God to punish sin wheresoever Nay haveing made and accepted him the propitiation for a broken soul it is even just to pardon him It was mercie to grant such propitiation but haveing so don it is also justice to pardon even as it is not just to take one debt twice Therefore David plead's Pardon mee according to thy righteousness Christ haveing turned just wrath into just mercie To conclude this note yet a second strength in the promise for the poor soul still cavill's But this is to a believer I believ not I answer But the promise by the power of the spirity of our Advocate is able to do that which it required it 's not a killing
still mai'st hear the word which is a favor for an Angel but that thou breathest in the aire or treadest upon the earth Thou objectest If thy hard heart were not so hideous upon thee thou couldst hope But I answer What hath caused it save thy self that wofull hardner which would get out of her fears by her own way and so hath dallied out the time and hardned thee But the promise tell 's thee if thou would'st trade with it thou should'st finde a contrarie effect Thou wilt say True if I were elected I might but I feel that I am not The promise will shew thee God's cords in thy dungeon and the robes which hee offer 's thee and will ask thee Dost thou not see mercie at the bottom At which end of the ladder would'st thou go up What hast thou to do with Election when the cords are so near thee or why would'st thou to heaven when the word is thy heart Thou wilt say Thou art most unworthie sinful and cursed and thy sin is ever before thee Yea it is so But why elsâ— should mercie offer it self save to the miserable Yea but then thou hast long continued a wretch and saped thy self in sin The promise will tell thee This objection from self-deceit as if thou might'st plead mercie if thy sins were smaller or thy self better whereas thy plea must bee the greatness of grace not the smalness of sin But my heart hath been hardned against mercie it self and dallied with it The promise will tell thee The Lord JESUS died for them that slew the Lord of life and for sins against the Gospel also Yea but thou saiest many have been converted since I began The Word will replie God hath all the hours in the day to work in if thou wilt attend him the eleventh as well as the seventh Thou wilt object If God had mean't mee good I should have felt it long since The Lord will tell thee so thou hast if thou wert not unthankful for it and rather delightest in descanting than believing Bee encouraged to hearken to the promise if thou would'st see all distempers drowned in the sea A second motive to believ may bee the heavie doom of unbelievers Their condemnation is of all others deservedly the fearfullest wors then the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar heat thrice hotter They had the Son of God in the mid'st of it with them therefore felt it not these contemn the Son of God they tread the blood of the Covenant under foot and count it a vain thing and count eternal life unworthy of them Therefore it shall consume them without consumption for ever If our Gospel bee hid it is so to them that perish The condemnation of the world is That they hated light that is not the light of the Law but of the Gospel the promise Hee that hath surfeited his bodie by intemperancie may die but hee that throw's the potion sent him the onely one which can cure him against the walls must needs die If they who despised Moses Law died how far greater judgment are those worthie of who sin and that finally against this Remedie can they resist the force of this Rock falling upon them and grindeing them to powder I deny not but even moral sins standing in relation to infidelitie either as causes Joh. 3. 19. or as effects 1 Tim 1. 13. are in themselvs damnable How much more unbelieving it self which make's them so Do not think this still stream is safe it 's the most deep and deadly gulf It oppose's the wisdom the counsel of God the depth of his riches of love the second love of mercie above the first creätion the providence of God's dispensation appointing this as the best way for redemption the direct way for the magnifyiug of his bottomless grace who could finde in his heart to love enmitie it felf and hate holiness in a sort that hee might love sinful enemies it resist's the omnipotent power of God in creäting man The second time of wors then nothing it disannul's his attributes his offer truth and faithfulness make 's God a lier chuse's a wors choice then Eve and Adam did hell before heaven and therefore deserv's to die that death which it hath chosen Oh! therefore judg of this sin by the spiritualness of it and prevent a treble hell by humble accepting and believing promise Lastly to conclude this doctrine should teach all God's people to keep their eies upon this Mirror of the Promise so closely till it transform them from glorie to glorie The least glimpse of mercie in the promise is glorious yet the Lord is not idle in his peoples hearts but that hee can reveal himself more clearly and gloriously to them day by day if they bee not in fault and lay barrs in his way For as the day from the dawning to noon-tide so the promise encreaseth in light where once the day-Star is risen The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith there is a spirit of the promise whereby God sealeth his people after they have once believed so that as Rom. 8. The Spirit fellow-witnesseth with us about our adoption our redemption our reconciliation all are ours wee are the Lord 's Many haveing got som flashes of hope by the Woâ—d rest there go no further wax waily wanton frothie thinking any of their own humors may well complie with the glad tidings of Heaven and so shake off their fears and turn grace into wantonness But if the true Spirit of the Promise were in them their Covenant would draw them to seek more assurance evidence and hold then before Therefore let us look to this work of the Spirit And to this end trie it by these few marks First such an heart growe's lower and lower in it self daily by how much grace growe's higher and the reproach of God in his fulness cause 's the soul to crie Depart from mee a sinful wretch It work 's not lightness Secondly such an heart hath much busied it self in and about the faithfulness of the promises that so the Lord may as by an earnest 2 Cor. 1. 22. give her his seal to assure her Thirdly shee feel's the priviledges accompanying pardon to bee hers and out-grow's her fears bondage doubts assaults temptations by the spirit of libertie peace joy thanks admiration c. Fourthly shee grow's in the seal of holiness as well as of assurance beeing more zealous fruitful upright hereby Fifthly shee covet's the use of Baptism appointed to seal her Sixthly shee grow's more real savorie setled more confident in praier and more lively in hope more readie to die more mortified in lusts more cheerfull and fruitful in communion of Saints THE THIRD PART ARTIC I. That hee who is in CHRIST is a new Creature THe Scripture expresseth this sundrie waies all tending to the same end all may bee reserred to these heads for either they look at the main principle of the Spirit of sanctification as when the tearms of renovation
of it defend extenuate and maintain it 3. By the stream of it the violence and the irresistibleness of it for sin in the two former will soon amount to a torrent or stream of universalitie Thus wee see this piece of the dead world hath yet an objective life in it self II. By Errors of 1. Tradition 2. Scandal 3. Base-custom 4. Conceit 5. Cosenage 1. By tradition which is when sin prevail's by succession from man to man thus the errors of Poperie and old ones new minted pleading antiquitie 2. By Scandal when the world glad to rivet herself in evil delude's herself with the offences of hypocrites and by their scandals laie's blocks in men's waies that they might stumble at the truth 3. By Custom which deceiv's by prescription of long use 4. Conceit and opinion which is an error against goodness by prejudice See Act. ult Wee know that this sect is every where evil spoken of Thus wicked men to confirm themselvs in evil take up base trivial conceits and errors against the way servants and ordinances of Christ which beeing once given out proov irrevocable 5. By Cosenage whereby fals teachers schismaticks and hereticks blanch their conceipts wresting their wits to abuse the Scriptures to set fals colors on thir opinions Jezebel fast's to cover her murder The Defilements of the liveing World consist's in Words Deeds 1. In Words which are the open corrupt counsel of sinners or their secret insinuations Pro. 7. 18. Pro. 1. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 17. 2. In Deeds alll their wicked malicious and cruel intents threats and pursuits of the godlie to quash them and to uphold their own kingdom As those Scribes and Pharises had a Law to crucifie Christ though they made it for the nonce And Dan. 6. those enemies of his Vse I. Of Instruction to bee humbled to bee comforted and to long after a full redemption For the first it 's humiliation to the best of God's children for their self-love and for this miserie that lie's upon them At home begin's our woo in our bosoms are those evils of pride prophaneness hypocrisie and self-love which bane us and what they cannot do of themselvs they do by others setting the door open and letting in devil and world to rifle and rob us of all without which no enemie could hurt us 2. Let it comfort them for the present that it is no otherwise with them in their sorrow then that wise God their good father hath allotted them so that if they feel their burden they may cheer themselvs with this It 's their pilgrimage their way home their Baca their warefare the Lord will work them triumph out of these battels and combats Hee will purge and conform them to his dear Son by them 3. Wait for that with longing as Paul did Rom. 7. Who will deliver mee Here is my pilgrimage when shall I com to my father's hous How long Lord holy and true how long Vse II. Exhortation to resist all these woful enemies of our peace viz. I. Our own corruption which wee must resist three Waies 1. By a spiritual combat against before sin bee brought into act let this bee perpetually maintained the spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal 5. 17. 2. By watching continually to observ and prevent occasions offered when wee cannot foil inward motions Cut off her provision and starv sin The welcoming of objects is as casting oyl into the fire As Job for his Sons so do thou for thy self sacrifice daily for mercie of prevention remooving of vanities which might annoy thee 3. By wisdom after wee are fallen Not to bee kept in bondage by Satan in point of our recoverie out of our falls if wee bee slip't into any but speedily to gather up our selvs ere wee bee hardned Let thine heart smite thee and say I will do so no more Job 40. 4. and so lay hold upon thy promise repent and do thy former works bee zealous and amend II. Satan III. The World Against these put on the compleat armor appointed thee by the Lord in this case and keep it close to thee wear it and walk in it as the armor of a childe of Light as the harness of the militant Church and each member of Christ blessed by him to that purpose Bee armed wisely and constantly and watch to it with praier and the Lord shall bee with thy endeavors and teach thy hands to fight and prevail Take the whole armor of God Eph 6. But seeing our selvs are our greatest enemies and those lusts within us defile us most therefore observ these Counsels against them 1. Mark well thine own spirit and those secret lusts which bubble up in thee knowing that they tend to defile and harden thee and to blinde-fold thy judgment so that neither thou should'st retein any true fight much less sens of the mischief of them Weigh and beleev this thorowly Rest not in this that thou knowest this or that corruption by thy self or canst complain of it or can'st keep thy self from the open outrage of it except withall thou bee quickned up in thy spirit to abhor such scurf as hell and start at the motions of it at the first assaults A dead faint and still giveing way to any lust entring is the next way to make the heart a thorow-fair for it 2. If they bee such as cleav to thy spirit and do salute thee again after long intermission and seeming to bee cast out oppose strongly that mercie of God that hath forgiven thee even when thou delightest in them without check how much more when they return as intruders 3. Consider there is no sweet lust or strong object offered to thee but the Lord is in it to trie the love loyaltie and power of grace wch is in thee that thou maiest know all which is in thine heart Thus the Lord hath used his people whose lot it hath been to receiv much from God David was tried by the Lust of his eie by the object of Revenge to kill Saul in the cave Hezekiah by an object of pride of life those embassadors of the Emperor Say then now my soul the Lord is at work to trie and refine thee to make thee as gold to humble thee deeply if thou bee foiled as Hezekiah or to honor thee highly as Abraham Beware now thou stick to thy tackling and discover not thy self to bee as dross of no worth Here then distrust thine own armor as David did Saul's cleav to the Lord's Say thus If I now fail the Lord as Adam in the triall hee may justly suspect mee henceforth and let loos my lusts against mee Often Lord thou hast saved mee from beeing tempted thou canst also give mee strength in the trial lead mee not into temptation fail not thy servant and I shall not fail thee in the triall of these my sweet objects and lusts 4ly Get thee som bosom-friend to impart thine estateunto thy temptations and buffetings such an one Minister or other as
now to great ones whom this point much touche's let the promise of receiving you soke into your hearts If God justifie who shall condemn if hee reconcile and restore you to your blood your Sonship if hee vouchsafe your restitution to the inheritance of such as are sanctified by faith in him Who shall defeat you of it therefore com in receiv this Offer and God will bee your God yea your father yee shall walk in and out before him as his own with the confidence of sons hee shall guide you here till glorie Vse IV. This should exhort all God's people that they deceiv not themselvs in this great priveledg for fear that they forfeit the comforts of it Trie it first and then improov it a true son and danghter of God partake's of the sonship of Christ â—heir head The Angels worship't Christ the Son when hee was brought into the world and for his sake the Angels are Ministring Spirits for the good of us and of ours The Father acknowledg'd Christ saying This day have I hegotten thee So doth God in him acknowledg thee for his childe and himself thy father The Father made Christ the Heir of all things and all things which thy father hath are thine as thou art Christ's Christ was pittied and heard by the Father in that hee feared and thy father will bee afflicted with thee in all thy afflictions Christ was faithful in all God's hous as a Son fulfilling all rightegusness If thou bee a son what save thy faithful fear and obedience should proov it The Lord Jesus beeing the Lord of all yet denied all even to a Pillow to lean his head on and an Hole to hide himself in And thou if a son shalt and wilt denie thy self and take up thy Cross and learn obedience by his suffering despise the world and count all dung to win his acceptance Briefly if a son thou art an heir of God and co-heir of Christ Whatever is wanting here shall bee supplied in heaven and yet here thou shalt partake all the good things of God For why Whom doth a father provide for but for his children whose is all that hee hath save theirs Again if a son then thou knowest the way to the throne of grace even to the Father in the Mediation of Christ and there canst with the spirit of a son groan at least un-utterable desires to the Lord that thou maiest bee once free from bondage to this bodie of death from unbelief from an unsavorie heart from worldliness from the error of the wicked and this sinful world and the like Oh! with humble confidence thou wilt make kown thy request to God and that in secret such as none but thy self can bee privie to and will improov this libertie when strangers and slaves shall not dare to com neer These few trie and if thou finde the Spirit of Adoption to bee a stranger lin not till the Lord have created it if hee have don it stand fast in this priveledg and maintain it by thy awe and fear of thy Father not least hee should cast thee off again but becaus beeing once a Son thou shalt never bee dispossessed either of thy right here or thine inheritance hereafter VII Benefit Redemption Redemption is opposite to two things First Thraldom and slaverie to sin and so to all enemies who by sin strove to hold the Soul under fear and bondage Secondly to the sting and dint of all such crosses as sin hath brought into the world as the tokens of God's displeasure for it The first Redemption set's the soul at libertie from all that servitude and tyrannie it buy'es out and restore's the soul to the libertie of released and ransomed ones maketh it free onely to righteousnes and that for ever From hence issues's an heart enlarged to God so fearing him as fearing nothing els Hence secondly floweth a right to the Protection and Providence of God And lastly to these two may bee added freedom to God's service to finde it an easie yoke and a light burden yea to count it our happiness to denie our own wills becaus bodies and souls are bought with a price that wee should not bee at our own but at his will that dearly bought us 1 Cor. 5. 15. Christ hath bought and redeemed us I. From Sin 2. From all our Enemies Satan the Law bondage under Cerimonies Death Wrath and Hell unto freedom of Righteousness The conclusion of the Doctrine is That Redemption is a peculiar benefit wherewith Christ is offered to the Soul Vse I. Terror to all that lie yet in their state of Unregeneracie in what degree soever it bee more or less who either count this slaverie to bee freedom or els live in it as if they were free men and fear nothing Know yee that till the Law hath left you under the Spirit of this Bondage to count your selvs as yee are and lie under this estate as sensible of it and in your selvs past hope Cain's and Judase's case is not more wosul then yours Vse II. It 's Instruction to all sorts to make them behold their natural condition as in a glass Sin is no such tame and harmless beast as you imagin Nothing but this blood of Christ is able to ransom you For sin hath set the door open to all to Satan and all enemies wrath hell law conscience and death to have their wills on us So that an infinite strength it needed to deliver us Vse III. This should teach all who would not bee slaves to proov their redemption by the marks of it First all truly redeemed ones of the Lord see sigh under and are wearie of this their bondage desirous to bee freed from it Secondly the offer of this Redemption in Christ is precious to them both the purchaser the offer of it and the purchase it self Thirdly they cleav to the promise that seeing the Lord will have it so they embrace and chuse it and believ if the Son make them free they shall bee free indeed Vse IV. This should exhort us all that are redeemed to true libertie to understand wherein it consists and apply our selves duly therto True it is that wee are adopted sons to the frrdom of children but we are redeemed also to the libertie of service wee are not made free from the law in point of obedience but serv in holiness and fear to delight in the law in the inner man Temporal Redemption stand's in three things 1. Either in God's saveing his from afflictions 2. Or his susteining them in and under them 4. Or his delivering them out of them and that either in part or finally They are all three expressed in the 63. of Esay vers 9. by name The First The Angel of his presence Christ as vers 1. saved them and bare them on his wings continually The second In all their afflictions hee was afflicted that is succoured and upheld them The third In his pittie and mercie hee redeemed them that is delivered