The Death of Christ under the notion of the Death of a Sacrifice will improve the Believer's Faith which I hope will be manifested when we have viewed the grand concern of Faith in these three particulars 1. It 's Expectation or the things it waiteth for 2. The grounds of its Expectation and waiting 3. The present actings of Faith whilst it is assured there are such things to be expected and whilst it is perswaded and resolved to wait for them Of all which in order Sect. 1. 1. Faith hath its expectation and looketh for things that are not seen Things hoped for as Heb. 11.1 And these are great things As 1. A publck solemn full and clear absolution from the charge of sin and guilt which Satan Conscience or the Law might load us with Faith looks to that word John 5.24 He that believeth shall not come into condemnation Faith waits for that day 2 Thes 1. v. 10. When the Lord shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe Faith hearkneth for that awakening voice Matth. 25.6 Behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him The Believer expecteth a justification from all things from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.38 39. when he shall be declared blessed when he shall be accounted righteous and as such shall enter into the possession of a Kingdom of Righteousness Mat. 25.34 37. with 46. ver 2. The Believer expecteth Totus mundus expectat illud tempus quo illi qui sunt Filii Dei manifestabuntur and with Faith waiteth for a publick declaration or manifestation of his Adoption and Sonship Rom. 8.19 The whole world expecteth that time wherein they who are the children of God shall be made manifest as Vatablus noteth on the place And this I take to be the Apostle's meaning Col. 3.4 You shall appear with him i. e. you shall be publickly declared the children of God through Christ And though it do not appear what Believers shall be yet when the Lord appeareth they shall appear his Sons and daughters also 1 Joh. 3.2 3. The Believer looketh for a publick and glorious inauguration or coronation Come inherit the Kingdom Matth. 25.34 is the happy investiture which Faith expecteth Now there is a Crown laid up for us then it shall be set upon our heads 2 Tim. 4. ver 8. It is already intended and promised then it shall be given Faith expects that joyful day of rewarding the Spiritual Champions Here they run there they are crowned Now the Believer warreth then Faith triumpheth 1 Cor. 9.24.25 4. The Faith of a Believer looketh after a reward for all its obedience whether active conforming to the Precepts and Rule of Christ or passive bearing the Cross of Christ It is one of the excellencies of the Law of Faith that as it commands no more than it enableth us to do so it rewardeth no less than we have done The distribution grace doth make is first so much as we need to work and next so much as we have wrought the Believer receiveth according to his works Matth. 25.35 36. And when grace hath thus distributed to each then shall we find our labour was not in vain 1 Cor. 15. v. 58. That the Lord was not unrighteous to forget our labour Heb. 6.10 Then shall we fully understand that the Believer is blessed for that his works do follow him Rev. 14. v. 13. Faith expects that the light and momentany asslictions should work for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 18. We expect a glory to be revealed with which these light afflictions of this life are not worthy to be compared Rom. 8.17 Such are the expectations of Faith and may well be confirmed as rational and justifiable by the consideration of their being built upon the Death of Christ our Sacrifice For 1. Doth a Believer expect absolution why should he not Christ his Sacrifice hath born his guilt and punishment Or Secondly 2. Doth a Believer expect a declaration of his adoption to be a Child of God this is no more than the promise of the Covenant ratified in this Sacrifice God will be his Father 3. Doth the Believer expect an investiture into a Throne Kingdom and Crown why all these are by Christ our Sacrifice procured for us after they were forfeited by us 4. Doth the Believer expect a reward for all his obedience both active and passive well He may For all his obedience is advanced in it's worth by this blood sprinkled on it This Sacrifice hath merited it albeit our obedience could not this in the Apostle's words one Sacrifice hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 Faith exceeds not its bounds when it expects consumate and full Perfection of happiuess These are the Grand expectations of faith let us view how justifiably faith may expect all these since that the foundation and ground of faith's expectation is secured and made good by the Death of Christ our Sacrifice Sect. 2. 2. The Foundation or ground of Faith's expectation is the promise and covenant of God upon this Faith builds it's hopes before God promiseth we may repose some kind of trust that he will do good for us but we cannot firmely and properly believe the Mariners Jonah 1.6 had some hope and trust that God would shew them mercy but this amounted not properly to a degree worthy the name of faith it rested still upon the Divine Goodness possibly God will think on us but it had no promise on which it might conclude God will think on us for good But now when once God hath promised and given out the word of Grace and Mercy the soul findeth a fit ground to build it's faith upon thus God spake to Abraham and gave him the promise so shall thy seed be Gen. 15.5 Then did Abraham believe God ver 6. And he believed in the Lord and he had no ground for faith before the promise And he gave no ground to unbelief after he received the Promise Hence the Apostle speaking of the greatness of Abraham's Faith tells us that it was against hope in hope Rom. 4.18 it was against all hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Natural and Second Causes but it was in hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to what was spoken to him by his God who could make good his word what ever he spake It is a blind and bold presumption not Faith which builds on other foundation than what God layeth Behold I lay in Sion for a Foundation a stone a Tried stone c. Isa 28.16 On this we may build our faith and not be confounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 2.6 The word of promise is the word of faith Rom. 10.8 And when we hear that word we ought to believe it for it is the word of God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of possibility of failure And it
3. 3. The third and last concern of Faith is its present actings or fruit which it doth in some measure sustain the soul by whilst it waiteth for those great things to come for Faith is not all taken up with expectation it doth now possess much though it expect more all is not in reversion though the most though the best be Faith looks unto things hoped for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt igitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat aliquando sisto sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significare potest actum habitumve fiducialem habentem vim non tantum statuminandi sperantem sed sistendi rem speratum Capellus in Heb. 11.1 yet in some sort gives them subsistence not only confirmeth the person who hopeth but sets before him as a thing present that good he hopeth for as the learned and judicious Divine Jacobus Capellus observeth on the word the Apostle useth Heb. 11.1 Indeed it seeth what is far off yet brings that which it seeth so near that it embraceth what it seeth Heb. 11.14 Faith is of very great and present advantage to the soul and exerts its power and vertue on the soul in these four particulars 1. Faith doth by the improvement of the Promises ratified in the blood of Christ our Sacrifice quiet and settle the soul in some good measure of peace and assurance This is one of the sweet and first-fruits of Faith that it quieteth the heart and pacifieth it whereas unbelief doth fill the heart with fears And a convinced soul under doubts is as restless as fears can make it for it is full of them Where there is little Faith there are usually on every awakening alarm as in Peter's case great fears Let not your hearts be troubled saith Christ cast out disquieting thoughts for saith he Ye believe in God Joh. 14.1 And indeed the Believer may well be quiet for he believeth on Christ of whom the God of Truth hath said That whoso believeth on him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 Now this greatly pacifieth the soul it knows it shall not be confounded it hath received the earnest of a glorious inheritance and is sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise upon its believing Ephes 1.13 14. Amidst the many and great troubles the Apostle met with for the Gospel his Faith kept his heart in a very quiet and pacate frame I know saith he whom I have trusted 2 Tim. 1.12 He speaketh of himself as of one whom no troubles could much disquiet for he did both know that he believed and he knew whom he believed Hence it is that when he prayed for Peace and Joy to fill the believing Romans cap. 15.13 He makes express mention of their Faith as the means of their Peace Pax acquiritur fide Vatablus in loc Now the God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing c. Peace and sedateness of mind is one of the first-born of Faith as on the contrary disquietude of mind is the first-born of despondency and unbelief So David's experience assureth us who found his quiet of mind decrease and the disquiet thereof to increase as his trust in God did decrease therefore he rowseth up himself to trust in God that he might recover the calm of his spirit Why art thou cast down oh my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Psal 42.11 This then is one of the present great businesses of Faith to quiet the heart and bring it into a peaceable state Now what can give the heart rest if such glorious things expected and secured to us do not The Believer may see all his hopes most inviolably and under the most sacred seals confirmed to him in the Death of Christ by Sacrifice and certainly if greatness of hopes accompanied with immutable assurance of a future enjoying them do not satisfie and quiet for present nothing ever will be able in this world to compose the spirit of any man How quietly doth an expectant about Court wait for his preferment and advance upon the promise of his Friend and Patron who possibly may fail How well will it become us to wait quietly for our great advancement on the Promise Covenant and Oath of our God in which it is impossible he should fail us 2. Faith doth at present revive and refresh the soul it administreth cordials to it I had fainted if I had not believed saith David Psal 27.13 And he prescribeth waiting or believing as an excellent preservative against such faintness and despondence of spirit v. 14. on which he resolveth at what time he is afraid he will trust in God Psal 56.3 No support no reviving comparable to that Faith doth aford That Peace and that Joy which the Apostle Rom. 5.2 hath annexed unto Faith is a Peace with God and a Rejoycing in hope of the glory of God viz. That God will make us glorious in that glory which he hath prepared for all that believe Now they that expect on unfailing promises such Glory may justifiably say that their inward man is renewed not in strength only but in comfort also day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 We faint not ver 16. though our outward man perish why what kept up their spirit did any thing but Faith The Apostle mentioneth nothing else For our inward man is renewed day by day while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen v. 18. While we look i. e. with an eye of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Grotius paralleleth it with Heb. c. 11. v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. Laetari c. if from Arab. it is either amicum se praebuit or else quievit quietavit So Grotius paralleleth the place with Heb. 11.1 And the Syriack whether it use a native or a forein word in its translation doth use a word which implieth an eminent act of Faith When the heavy burthen of guilt overloadeth the heart when the violence strangeness and frequency of temptations sadneth the soul when fierce long and wasting persecutions make havock of the Church when spiritual dulness and deadness of soul afflicteth a Believer what but his Faith can or doth comfort and revive him Faith carrieth him to his Sacrifice in the blood whereof he seeth his God atoned and reconciled who then shall condemn A Covenant of grace and mercy what grace then can he want In this Sacrifice he seeth Christ hath perfected all that are sanctified and done all that which Legal Sacrifices shadowed out but could not work out viz. Perfect Reconciliation to God and full pacification of Conscience This revives the heart God speaks peace and Conscience speaks peace and Faith doth at present employ it self in ensuring and improving both these for the comfort of the Believer And
this part of the life of Faith is so evidently maintained upon the Death of Christ as our Sacrifice making our peace with God confirming the promises of grace and glory ensuring to us the grand expectations of this and the other world that I think it needless to insist farther on this particular Christ dying our Sacrifice is the great reviving comfort of an awakened convinced fainting yet believing soul 3. The third thing in the present Actings of Faith while it on good and sure grounds waiteth for the great things which are to be revealed is the active diligence of Faith to do the whole work which is appointed for it to do Faith giveth not a discharge from any one degree of our required industry in good nor doth it release to us any one of the Moral Precepts of the Law no Faith maketh not the Law void Rom. 3.31 The Apostle assureth us that the Faith of a believer engageth him to walk and to labour so as to be accepted with God so 2 Cor. 57. 9. We walk by Faith not by sight saith S. Paul ver 7. Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him ver 9. It is but the counterfeit of Faith which lieth unactive and regardless to do the will of God when once the soul can judg which carrieth in it both an act of discerning and an act of beliveing or assenting to the truth That one viz. Christ died for all it doth presently conclude that henceforth they who live should not live to themselves but to him that died for them 2. Cor. 5.14 15. It is the rational conclusion Faith draweth from the Grace of God toward us in Christ dying for us that our life which we have of mercy must be laid out in duty and the reward we expect should animate us to the service God expecteth Mark the Apostle St. Peter's manner of arguing 2 Pet. 3.12 Since saith he We look and hasten to the comming of the day of God and again ver 13. We according to his promise look for new Heavens and ver 14. seeing Beloved that ye look for such things For as much as we are verily persvaded of the truth of these future things and for as much as we do by Faith expect an assured fulfilling of them Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless so the Apostle intimateth to us nay presseth it upon us as the proper business of Faith as it 's whole imploy to be pure and without blame and to be diligent herein Now what can be thought will excite and animate a believer unto this if the great things purchased and ensured to him by the Death of Christ his Sacrifice do not The Apostle well knew the weight of the argument your labour you know shall not be in vain in the Lord therefore see that ye abound in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 When thou art backward or sluggish take thy heart and discover to it what a Kingdom what a glorious Reward thy Lord hath secured to thee and ask if it be not worth thy greatest diligence and thy most active industry 4. The fourth concern of Faith in its present deportment and the influence it now hath on the heart is to strengthen and support it under all kind of sufferings and afflictions be they common to us as men or peculiar to us as Christians Our Faith is our life in the midst of these deaths Hence we find Faith joined with patience Heb. 6.12 When Abraham had received the promises Heb. 6. ver 13. which God made to him when he believed God would do all that for him which God had promised to him he did patiently endure and so obtained v. 15. The Apostle recounteth his many and great sufferings which with others he suffered for Christ Troubled on every side 2 Cor. 4.8 Perplexed ver 8. Persecuted cast down ver 9. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus ver 10. Alway delivered unto Death for Jesus sake ver 11. These were their sufferings and troubles now see their support which was a spirit of Faith ver 13 14 c. Read over the 11th chapter of Hebrews see what afflictions those faithful ones did through Faith undergo and it will be past controversie with you that for the present Faith doth mightily sustain the spirit under the variety and sharpness of afflictions and sufferings which it doth among other helps principally by looking to the greatness of its expected reward and glory secured unto it by the most immutable Covenant and Oath of God ratified in the blood of Christ our Sacrifice So the Apostle directeth us to look to Jesus c. Heb. 12.2 3. enduring the Cross and despising the shame to Jesus who endured contradictions of sinners against himself ver 3. This will be a means to prevent the fainting of our minds under our troubles and sufferings The reconciliation between God and us his Promise to us his Covenant with us his Oath and Christ's Sacrifice all assure us he is faithful who hath promised us our pardon and absolution from guilt and punishment our adoption and right of children to a glorious Inheritance our solemn and publick investiture and admission into possession of a Crown and Kingdom He is faithful who hath by means of most sacred obligations assured us a reward for every duty active and passive therefore let us hold fast our Profession without wavering Heb. 10.23 And who will not hold his Profession fast when he is assured that the Sacrifice Christ hath offered hath reconciled us to God so that our sufferings are not expresses of his vengeance but necessary exercises of our graces and proofs of the Love of God to us who would be weary of bearing who is perswaded that his sufferings are but light and momentany and that they do infallibly work out a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory How do things infinitely less valuable and extremely uncertain prevail with men to undergo hardships to adventure through fire and water to bear watchings toil nakedness hunger and thirst How patiently doth the Husbandman Merchant Souldier and Courtier submit to utmost hazards at utmost uncertainties to obtain their hopes which often do make them ashamed But now who looketh to the establishing of the Promise and to the greatness of the things promised and vieweth them in the Death of Christ as a Sacrifice expecteth greatest joys rewards and glory on the surest ground and most infallible certainty and therefore resolveth neither to yield to fainting or to sit down under weariness he will look to Jesus the Mediatour of the New Covenant and see what he may expect after sufferings and will suffer that he may enjoy what he doth expect Thus Faith may be confirmed and improved as to each part wherein it is concerned by duly considering Christ's dying our Sacrifice ensureth on most inviosable bonds the most desirable good things
adoptionis illius vim senserunt in Spiritu Sanctificante PP Salmur de Sp. Adop Sect. 12. so they who are sealed with the spirit of Adoption have still found the power of that Adoption by the spirit of Sanctification Now I say Christ Dying a Testator and leaving us his last Will or Testament to meditate upon hath left us a good answer to our doubts and the due meditations of the soul on the last Will of Christ will much dispel our fears and quiet the soul For whereas there are two sorts of fears which afflict a gracious soul 1. A fear it shall miss of Glory And 2. A fear it doth want truth of grace Christ by his last Will hath secured the believing soul against both these fears against the first by giving a Kingdom and Glory to such by Will he appointed them unto a Kingdom to a Glorious Crown Against the second by bequeathing the spirit of Truth and Grace unto them to lead them in holiness unto the end and this Will of our best Friend who Died to confirm it is a very sure Title on the sacred reverence authority of last Wills and Testaments Legum servanda fides suprema voluntas Quod mandat fierique subet parere necesse est Aug. Imper. de vol. Virg. which must be sacred and inviolate when the man is dead Command of Laws must duly be fulfill'd And so must that our dying friend last will'd how much more when he who died once hath for ever conquered death and lives for ever to see his own Legacies both bestowed and enjoyed which peculiar to Christ our dying friend gives greatest encouragement against such doubts and might very well ease us of all such fears and so be an excellent defence and prop to weak grace whence will soon follow a considerable growth in grace Sect. 3. 3. That which confirms the truth certainty and immutability of the promises improveth Grace I need not give long Proofs of so known a Truth Praecipuum maximè proprium objectum Fidei situm est in promissionibus PP Salm. de Fide sect 7. the promisies are the objects of our faith the good things contained in the promises are the object of our hope the grace and mercy making the promises is the Load-stone of our love In one word we are made partakers of the Divine Nature we do purify our selves and perfect holiness through these promises Grace is as the vine the promises are the frame which beareth up and carrieth the vine which thriveth best when it resteth on the surest and stedfastest frame Grace is a spiritual building which needeth a sure Foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such is the promise which as the word of God is in it self sure and stedfast for it is impossible that God should lie Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.18 Yet to this the Lord hath superadded the confirmation and certainty of a Testamentary disposition or last Will making all the promises in Christ and making them all sure and unchangeable by the death of Christ whereby they become to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 that we might have such assurance as should render it next to a moral impossibility for us soberly and deliberately to doubt them Now all this is excellently effected by resolving and moulding the promises into a last Will or Testamentary disposition which is of such a nature that it becomes unalterable on the Death of the Testator Heb. 9.17 for a Testament is of force after men are dead and so the law maxim ensureth us In publicis Lex in privatis Testamentum firmissimum habetur that what the law is in publick concerns that a last Will in private concerns is for ensurance and firmness In brief therefore the last Will of Christ Dying confirms the Promises to us what confirms the promises confirms our faith and hope with other graces faith and hope confirmed do greatly tend to purifying and sanctifying our hearts and making our life fruitful in these things lieth the growth and improvement of grace so that due reflections and right manage of our thoughts on Christ dying a Testator do as is said improve the communicants Graces Sect. 4. 4. That improves grace which doth soften the heart and as it were ripen it unto a mellow temper as the showers which soak into the earth in the spring time which soften the earth do both prepare the way that tender roots of trees and plants may spread abroad and root deeper and also do afford nourishing moisture and sap whence the verdure blossom and the fruit it self so it is here a hard and rocky heart is as unkind a soil for grace as stony ground is for Corn neither can take root to any good purpose Trees of righteousness are planted by the rivers of waters which is a tender soil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the water courses divide themselves and run out into many branches gently and kindly softening the ground And though some vines of the Lord are planted in high Mountaines naturally hard and barren in proud and hard hearts yet these hearts are like plowed ground laid a fallowing and mellowing and so prepared for the seed time every high Mountain is laid low before Christ In one word the pleasant Lillies do grow in the Valleys low and softned grounds so grace thrives best in the humble and tender soul Now there are in the last Will of Christ many both common and ordinary as also Singular and extraordinary motives and inducements to tenderest affections towards Christ Whatsoever cause any true friend any kind Brother any dutiful Child can see in the care love and bounty of his Dying Friend Brother or Father expressed and contained in the porvision made by such one for him that all that and more may the meditating and considerate soul see in the last Will of Christ to melt him into affections for Christ in whose Death he may see love living and growing strong when life fainted and grew weak And as his veines and heart grew empty of blood both grew full of love to you and me So he loved his own to the end What in particular these common and speciall motives are I shall not now specify but reserve them to another more fit place thus you have the sum of this fourth argument before you in the next place Sect. 5. 5. That improves our graces which endeareth the Lord Jesus to us what increaseth our love to Christ doth increase our holiness and addeth to our graces love will long for a more close union love will study the most intire complyance it will ambitiously strive to advance and honour it will without ceasing endeavour to please That soul is most endeared to holiness and most studious of holiness which is most endeared to Christ and most in love with him such a soul keeps his Commandments Now the view and consideration of Christ s last Will and Testament will surely endear
enriching us it doth exceedingly enhance our worth honour we therefore are highly obliged to contend for his honour we rightly judge the son bound to plead the honour of his dying Father and we do as rightly judge the Christian much more bound to plead the honour of his dying Lord whose Testament hath made him a Son and gave him a share both in the honour and wealth of the family 2. In the last Will of our Dying Lord we read his Zeal and strength of affection for our peace our comfort our safety and our happiness all which falleth to the ground and vanisheth if the Legacies of our Lord fail us we had need therefore with Zeal contend for his honour not as though our plea would in any thing ratify or confirm for as we cannot give so neither needs he to derive ought of his authority from us he hath received all power from his Father But yet after the manner of men be it spoken we are bound to assert and defend the glory of his authority and power of disposing and bequeathing to us and to others whatsoever he hath by Will and Testamentary disposition left to us and to them If he had given what was not his to give we must either soon have parted with it or for ever have missed of it but herein lieth our advantage and comfort that the large Legacies of our Lord to us are as the fruit of so much Zealous love for us so they are the Acts of Soveraign power delegated to Christ by the Father as our Lord himself intimateth to us Luk. 22.29 As the Father hath appointed unto me so I appoint a Kingdom unto you Our Zeal then for the honour of Christ doth as well maintain our hope comfort and interess as it doth maintain his authority and what man would suffer the power to be nulled which gave him a rich and inestimable Legacy 3. The least degree of good bequeathed to us by the Will of our Testator in his will remembred by us in the Lords supper doth greatly surpass all the Zeal we can bear to his glory and honour read over his will and see there is justification in his blood shed for remission of sin assurance of peace with God secured by the frequent remembrance of the blood of sprinkling Sanctification consolation and future glory all these promised by him who being Mediator of the Covenant hath reduced the whole to the form of a Testamentary disposition and confirmed it by his death Now when thou art going to a Sacrament consider and judge with thy self should I not be very Zealous for his honour who hath given many inestimable gifts to me am I not less than the least of grace bequeathed is not remission of my sin greater love than my love can requite is not Hope of glory greater than mine obedience can ever equall shall I then ever think I have affection enough or have done enough for his honour by whom I have received what I have already by whom I shall receive what I hereafter expect No! No! I must be ever blowing my love into a greater flame of Zeal for his honour and yet his love and Zeal for me will outshine and overpower all mine for him 4. View the Will of thy Testator be perswaded to remember that he is now living in glory and beholdeth all that Love and Zeal which thou carriest in thy breast which thou expressest in thy life toward him he is not like other men who dying know no more of the deportment and behaviour of befriended survivours thou canst not bury the knowledge for dust hath not blinded the eye of the Lord he lives for ever and he knows how thou receivest improvest and resentest his Love and Zeal for thy good and with what face wilt thou appear before him one day if thou hast not been hired shall I say or bought with so great price into the love of and into a Zeal for thy beneficent liberal and incomparable Friend and Lord I observe Jacob dying recommended the care of his burial to Joseph above all his sons it was likely because cause Joseph more than any of his sons was debtor to the love and care of his Father for a double portion bestowed on him of all men we who have a double portion by Christ a portion of blessings on earth and in Heaven should zealously perform his will we must account it sacredly inviolable and shew it in shewing forth his praises 1 Pet. 2.9 CAP. V. Sect. 6. Joy Improved on Christ Dying a Testator A Sixth grace well suiting the Lord's supper 6th Sacramental grace Improvable Joy and Improveable on account of the Lord 's Dying a Testator is joy and gladness in the Lord and in his goodness It is confessed by all that it well suiteth with feasts of love that the guests should joy together and rejoice in their Friend who is equally Friend unto them all The soul which cometh burthened with sins and sorrows confesseth he should rejoice in the Lord and is well pleased that others do it whilst he cannot it is a spiritual joy which well becometh this spiriritual feast I do not say the heart is unfit for it who doth not rejoice I know the spiritual hunger and thirst of the soul speaketh the soul fit and such may such indeed ought to come yet when hunger and thirst after the Lord are accompanied with joy in the Lord the soul is better is more throughly prepared for this feast this commemoration of their Dying Lord. Now the Christian's joy beside the general motives of joy arising from the general nature of the object of delight and joy as goodness in the thing enjoyd propriety whereby it becomes ours and possession or presence of it with us according to our present capacity and exigency whether refreshing repairing or filling us or in what other manner of operation it affecteth in which the Christian joy and the delight of other men do agree The spiritual joy of the Christian hath great advantages from the last Will and Testament of his Lord As 1. First the transcendency of them If there were any blessings better than others in the possession and at the disposal of their Lord surely these should be given among the beloved Friends Servants attenders complemental visiters and such like common Friends possibly may be put off with common gifts but the best shall be distributed unto the best Friends A Kingdom in glory the spirit of Adoption remision of sins increase of all grace and consolations through faith c. are the choice blessings bequeathed to believers in Christ's Will and represented ensured and in praelibations or foretast conveyed to believers in the right reception of the Lord's Supper let it be therefore throughly considered and when either of those forecited mercies appear contained in his Will ask your selves whether the least of these do not deserve the highest pitch of your joy are they not better worth your delight than
to excite our languishing graces and to strengthen our infirm graces which ought to be more especially found in us and acted by us in our approaches to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as shall particularly be be shewed in these that follow Sect. 1. Repentance is unquestionably a Sacramental Grace None is fit to commemorate the Death of Christ who repenteth not of the sin which occasioned his Dying The weeping eye and mourning heart are exceeding lovely to the Lord at his Table A Repenting soul is a welcome guest there Now let me trace Repentance through these paths and see as we go how it may be suitably fitted with improveing arguments from Christ our Sacrifice 1. Repentance beginneth ordinarily in a conviction of sin not in general only but particularly in the convictions of our owne sin The righteous need no repentance Mat. 9.13 it is the Sinner which is called to repent so long as a proud Pharisaical opinion of our own Righteousness is maintained by us we shall never embrace the practice of Repentance 2. Apprehension of danger either attends or flows from this conviction of the sinner and this forwardeth his repentance the shameful cursed death sin deserveth and the sinner feareth in the midst of his sorrows hath strong influence upon the soul to grieve for self-undoing sin Although a secure unconvinced sinner blesseth himself and feareth no danger the awakened convinced Penitent apprehends greatest danger from his sin 3. Consternation of mind or Amazement at the sight of sin and danger unavoidable for ought the man can do of himself for his own help this I might call if none will be offended at it a seasonable and profitable despair of our selves while we consider our selves and observe what we have done what we deserve what God hath threatned and what millions do and must for ever suffer for sin 4. A mixture of Hope that there may be and of Desires that there should be and of enquiry whether there be not some effectutal help remedy to be obtained The awakned soul doth as it were look about to see what or whence it's help may come Enquireth what shall I do to be saved How shall I escape c. Now when it descryeth mercy to be had upon it's Humbling of it self before God upon condition of sorrow for what is past and of hatred of sin for time to come the Penitent soul set's it self to exert all these and in a vigorous constant uniform exerting these consisteth the whole life and Practice of Repentance And I hope I shall cleare it Christ considered Dying our Sacrifice will be an awakening consideration preparatory to and promoting of this Repentance in its farther Exercise and Growth Sect. 2. Christ Dying a Sacrifice well considered will conduce much to the Convincing us of a state of sin and that we were in particular involved in it we were sinners and the righteous Law of God imputed the sin to us and the righteous Judge whose it was to execute the Law accounted thee and me and every one of the children of Adam as we are transgressours of the Law if thou seest not this look to the Lord Christ a Sacrifice for sin and ruminate what answer thou canst make to these few Questions 1. What need had there been of a Sacrifice for sin if there had been no sin to expiate by Sacrifice There is certainly sin committed where 't is necessary to take away wrath by a Sacrifice There is sin of the soul wheresoever an offering for sin is appointed Tell me then seeing Christ was made an offering for sin what was thy state and mine and what was the state of all men for whom he became a Sacrifice 2. Couldest thou escape the imputation of sin when Christ a Sacrifice for sin could not escape it Could he not be a sacrifice for sin by a voluntary susception of our cause but he must bear our guilt and shall we judge it likely reasonable or indeed morally possible that our wilful transgressings of the Law should be passed over not imputed If thy sins were imputed to thy sacrifice doubtless they had been imputed unto thy self if thou hadst not had a sacrifice Stand then a while and view this No need of Sacrifice to expiate where no sin is but alas I needed such a Sacrifice No need of Sacrifice where no guilt is imputed but I see my sin I see 't is imputed I must not delay or trifle in this matter my sin is evident its imputation is certain it will be laid on my own head or on my Sacrifice and oh how impossible is it I should escape the imputation of it if I carelesly neglect this great Sacrifice For 3. Whose is the guilt is it his or is it mine who deepest in the guilt he who did no guile or I who am full of guile who nearest the crime he who never did it or I who very wickedly committed it Did God impute it to him and can an unhumbled sinner think God will not impute it unto the committer of the sin 4. With whom was God angry who was it against whom offended justice was most incensed was it against him that was the Sacrifice or against him that needed the Sacrifice and brought it undoubtedly the Sacrifice can bear no other displeasure than what it bears for him whose Sacrifice it is and for whom it is offered And canst thou hope guilty offenders may escape when guiltless victims are charged with another's guilt and suffer another's punishment 5. Who hath greater share in the Love of God had Christ thy Sacrifice for sin or hadst thou for whom he became a Sacrifice I know thou wilt not pretend a comparison with Christ the only begotten of the Father thou darest not think but his share was greater in his Fathers love as his love obedience and likeness to his Father was greater infinitely more excellent than thine was or could be Tell me then if God imputed sin to the Son of his Love when his Son had undertaken to bear the fault and punishment of offenders will he thinkest thou spare those who hate him and might justly be hated of him 6. Would God admit his Son his eternal Delight to be thy Saviour on no other terms than that he should as a Sacrifice take upon him and bear the sins of his people imputed to him that they might not be imputed unto them and dost thou not believe canst thou perswade thy self to imagine that thou mayest though a sinner yet not be charged with thy sin Dost thou not clearly discern that God will charge sin either on the sinner or on his Sacrifice In a word or two whoever knows that Christ was made a Sacrifice for sin knows also that they were under a state of sin for whom he was made a Sacrifice and if thou art a Christian and professest that Christ was thy Sacrifice thou dost thereby confess that thou wert under a state of sin that unless mercy toward