his Saviour with an I thank God through Jesus Christ I have gained the victory The weary and heavy laden are the men invited to Christ for ease and refreshment Mat. 11.28 for indeed such onâ—y seek him and can be satisfied in him and duly savour him the full stomach of a proud Pharisee loaths the honey-comb of Christ his righteousnesse whil'st to the hungry appetite of the humbled sinner the bitterest passions of a Saviour are exceeding sweet the deeper the sense of misery the sweeter is the sense of mercy How acceptable is the fountain of living waters to the chased panting heart Deus oleum non infundit nisi in vas contritum Bern. and the blood of Christ to the thirsty soul and conscience scorched with the sense of Gods wrath the broken and the contrite heart is the only Sacrifice acceptable to God the wounded Samaritan is the fit object of his compassion a Mary Magdalene cannot but love much when looking on her sins she seeth much is forgiven 2. To set them at enmity with sin and in due submission to his sacred Will Sin is natural to the sons of men and only smart for it will make us sick and willing to be rid of it untill God bring Israel into affliction they regard him not but then they seek him daily Hosea 5.14 An unbroken sinner is as unfit for Gods instruction as an unbroken Colt for the saddle or unfallowed ground for seed Manasseh his Bonds break in him the power of his sin â— Chron. 33.12 and the shakings of the prison to the heart-ake of the Jaylor makes him pliable to divine pleasure Act. 16.30 What shall I do to be saved Sense of sin is a principle of submission under affliction Why should a living man complaine for the punishment of his sin Sins revival unto remorse of conscience constrains Pauls outcry O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of corruption the humbled heart gives an heedy eare to divine instruction They are not stiff-necked but give their hand to the Lord to be led by him 2 Chron. 30.8 and therefore God will teach the humblâ— his way Psal 25.9 A bruised heart is like soft waxe prepared for divine impression so that to the end Christ may be of esteem as a Lord and Saviour the penitent soul must on due conviction cry out Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God shall I come before him witâ— burnt-offerings with Calves of a year old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or ten thousand rivers of oyle shall I give my fiâ—st-born for my transgression or the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Micah 6.6 7. And to the end we may be set against sin it must sting the conscience and so work us into a willingnesse to do or suffer the Will of God making us with earnestnesse and resolution cry when pricked at the heart What shall we do to be saved so that a sight of and sorrow for sin as committed against God are parts of and essential to true repentance only before I passe from this Conclusion let it be noted that they are precursive acts Repentance cannot be constituted without them but they are precursive such as alwayes go before sometimes yea too often at least in shew and appearance without true Repentance Judas is convinced of and cast down for sin unto utter despaire crying out I have sinned in betraying innocent blood And Ahab may humble himself in all external expressions and many internal operations of the soul and yet never be turned unto the Lord. We may not indeed deny that humiliation especially in the external acts and expressions goeth many times without conversion and compleated repentance and so we must needs conclude Conviction is not true grace or an estate of saving holinesse but that sad complaints of guilt may passe from Reprobates and damned soules yet we must remember Repentance or conversion never goeth without humiliation sight of and sorrow for sinne In the order of nature men must be convinced of and confounded for the evil from which they are converted we cannot hate and avoid the evil we do not know and know to afflict us and the order of Scripture doth alwayes call to a communing with our hearts that we may stand in awe and not sin Psal 4.5 a searching and trying our wayes before we turn unto the Lord the Law must do its work as a Schoolmaster to every soule that is brought to Christ and the Gospeâ— ever sends the prick into the h art of such as repent unto remission of sin Acts 2.37 38. and the spirit of bondage before the spirit of Adoption of power love and a sound minde Rom. 8.15 Preaching Repentance is the opening the blind eye and the bringing the Prodigal into his right minde that in the sense of his sad estate he may go unto his father and seek mercy The work of the Word is to make them sinners of sense that shall come to Christ for cure to cast down all proud imaginations and every high thought which exalteth it self and so to bring into obediâ—nce to Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 to affect men with guilt and danger that they may with fervency cry What shall we do to be saved to convince that the issues of death will be the end of the way in which they now walk that they may flee with desire and returne without delay In a word to affect the heart with the high transgressions of Gods holy Law the disobedience of a gracious Father and offence done to infinitenesse that the soule may down on its knees prostrate it self at the foot-stoole of mercy fly to Jesus Christ as its Redeemer Surety and alone satisfaction and so sue out its pardon by a serious return to God and these are as it were the pangs of the New Birth natural and necessary though sometimes abortive and miscarrying the first part of sincere repentance though not alwayes successeful to perfect and compleat it for although we must not call the convinced conscience a Gospel-Convert yet the Convert is alwayes convinced sense of and sorrow for sin is no infallible sign of saving grace yet saving grace and sincere repentance is never wrought without a sight of and sorrow for sin as committed against God for this is the precursive act of true repentance and whenever God will seale up under impenitency he stops the passage and possibility of humility making the eare heavy and the eye dim and the heart hard lest they should see with their eyes hear with their eares and be of humbled hearts and so be converted Mat. 13.15 And so much for the third Conclusion but again in the nature of repentance we must Note Conclusion 4 Turning from all sin to God is the formality of true repentance Sincere conversion is the summa totale and ratio formalis of a Gospel-penitent Remorse for sin without a
no lesse concerned in the second than the first Table of the Law If David sin against Bathsheba her chastity or Vriah his life yet he must confesse unto God Against the have I sinned and wrought this wickednesse in thy sight however the trespasse is against man the transgression is against God the sin which is committed against God is to be only confessed unto God not unto man but the sin which is committed against man must be confessed unto God and likewise unto men to God alwayes who can pardon the eternal punishment to men ordinarily as when the Church is scandalized or the particular person is offended and damnified James 5.16 and in this last case restitution must be added to our confession Luke 19. Zacheus like where we have wronged any we must make acknowledgement and reparation and in all offences to men when we come before God we must consider whether our brother hath ought against us Mat. 5.24 and go and be reconciled the God that binds men to forgive till seventy times seven times binds the offendor so often to return and say I have offended Luke 17.4 The auricular confession of the Papists is vanity superstition and evil but particular acknowledgements of sin to God and sometimes to men is duty indispensable in vain doth Saul say to Samuel I have sinned whilst he never seeks to God for the pardon 3. Confession of sin and prayer for pardon must be free and not extorted The natural not forced language of the penitent the confession of constraint falleth equally under suspicion with the unrequired accusations of malice both which are frequently false true repentance doth convince of the sinfulnesse of sin and constraine the soule to confesse it with candor ingenuity and freedome as weary of it as the stomach of nauseous matter that it naturally without any co-action casts up Confession springs from the Saints as Elihu his plea for God against Job I am full of matter the Spirit of the Lord constraineth me saith he to Job Job 32.18 19 20. The confession of the wicked is constrained and no longer doth he cry to God than he is under the cudgel of his judgements or on the Rack of his own conscience so Pharaoh his plagues and Judas his anxiety may extort an I have sinned however the children of God must be sometimes pinched and whipped into their complaints yet their cry is natural and confessions free and voluntary a ready eccho to the least reproof Psal 141.5 and desiring that the righteous may smite and God shew them their iniquity 4. Confession and supplication must not be more free than full not straitned any more than extorted sin must be confest not only in general and in the lump with a Lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners but in its particular species and parts as Israel We have forsaken the Lord and served Baal in Judg. 10.10 and we have to all our sins added this evil to ask us a King to go about to change our Government 1 Sam. 12.19 not only open known hainous and flagitious offences but even secret and particular lusts David bewails and confesseth not only his murther executed on Uriah but his self-revenge intended against Nabal and the very cutting off the lap of Sauls garment not only sin simply in it self but with all its aggravations of time place manner occasion sinne must be taken up by the roots and spread before God in all its branches In iniquity was I conceived in sin brought forth as well as against thee have I sinned In vaine doth Caine confesse his cruelty to Aâ—el and conceale his irreligion to God or Judas complaine of betraying innocent blâ—od whilst he makes no mention of his covetousnesse 5. Shame and sorrow must seize on the confessing suppliant for sinnes pardon Contrition of heart and confusion of face must be the result of confession dayes of atonement Lev. 23.27 28. were dayes of soul-affliction because of confession of sin Davids complaints makes him water his couch and mingle his bred with teares lying in the dust and renting of Garments were required from such as came to confesse iniquity the spirit of repentance is a spirit of mourning 6. Confession must be made with confidence and supplication in hope of pardon the true penitent is prostrate before God as a Father not as a Judge men may confesse and be hanged but the children of God cry with Shecaniah We have transgressed but yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 they pray in faith Father forgive us our trespasses not in feare mercy my Lord mercy Judas's confession was therefore false because fearful and flying to his own destruction not the innocent blood by him betrayed that he might have been saved we have shewed you the subject of repentance must be the believing sinner hopes of mercy puts halters on our necks confidence of pardon seats us in Gods Chair to condemne our selves the confessions of despair are the outcries of the damned in hell Thus then Beloved I have laid before you the true nature of true repentance I well know it is a common Theme and much Treated of but little practiced nay indeed little considered and understood How many pretenders are there among us that may yet ponder the nature of Gospel-repentance which if it be well understood will neither appeare to be so lightly come by nor sleightly performed as it is deemed we must know that every common repentance will not serve our turn unto the Remission of sin but that repentance which Christ gives is in respect of nature 1. A grace supernatural without the reach of mans arme or acquirement 2. Whereby the believing sinner apprehensive of his own guilt and Gods grace in and through Jesus Christ 3. Sensibly affected with and afflicted for his sin as committed against God under conviction and contrition for all his sin as sin 4. Doth return from sin all sin unto God and God only as his all in all 5. Freely confessing and frequently begging pardon for his iniquity Consider my Brethren this description of Repentance you have had unfolded and the nature of the grace discovered for it will be very useful to you as a touchstone of doctrine and practice for the confutation of all false notions about Repentance as that 1. Repentance is the result of nature and at mans command we may repent when we will as the Arminians teach but you must remember its supernatural 2. That pennance is a transient act of confession and self-castigation as the Papists teach you must know it is a grace or habit 3. That repentance is before faith and not the result of the Gospel and effect of the blood of Christ as some Divines suggest 4. That câ—nviction contrition and confession are not necessary to repentance as the Antinomians teach or sufficient repentance as the Legalist and Pharisee teach that a turning from sin to sin or at least not to God and
God that speaks in the Scripture Luke 11.49 therefore whatever else you mind really and carefully study this Bible Secondly in all enquiries into the truths of the minde of God consult those sacred Oracles here are Mines of truth O dig here make them the rule of faith and life while a Papist makes the Church his rule and the Enthusiast pretends to make the Spirit of God his rule do you live by Scripture consider what I say 2 Tim. 2.10 consider there 's thy duty what I say there 's the Scripture yet Timothy was as good a man as any of us and the Lord give thee understanding there 's the work of the Spirit to assist our faculty But how shall I finde out truth by Scripture For thy own satisfaction remember this have an explicite faith in all that plainly appears to be Gods minde and have an implicite faith resolving to be of Gods minde in all the rest be it what it will be believe it because it appears to be of God while a person resolves to be of the Churches minde be thou of Gods only use all means whereby thou mayst come to know to wit 1. Take heed of passion and sensual lusts 2 Tim. 4.3 you read of some that will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves Teachers A lust or passion is like a whirle-pit a man is suck't up in it ambition sensuality any of these darken and blinde a mans minde when a man studies any thing the minde had need to be quiet lusts and passions are always busie and boisterous and make a man have a great interest against God 2. And beware of prejudice Christ said Go preach to all Nations Mat. 28.29 but Peter lived under prejudice and he said Lord I never eat any thing common or unclean when God bade him go to the Gentiles Acts 10.11 3. Beware of taking truth upon the Authority of men for that is fallible Modesty requires you should have a fair respect to Preachers and the Church of God where you live but as to the vitals of your Religion do not take them upon Authority though a man would not willingly deceive you yet he may be deceived himself in things controverted In plain things of Scripture that we must be humble holy believe repent all the world should not perswade you out of your Religion and as for your duty you understand it never a one but knows what he is to love when God bids us love him if we would but familiarize our Religion we could not but understand it but in matters wherein there 's a dispute controversie in the world be quiet and sober and not confident that such and such things must needs be so because such say so many pretend a kinde of sanctity and pretend for God and a Ship may carry very broad sails yet not very well loaden but thus it is one man draws a multitude and then a multitude prevails upon particular persons and shall I go against a multitude I say therefore take not things upon authority see and examine thy self if it be plain in Scripture mind it and own it and charge thy self with it if it be obscure think it no farther concerns thee than God hath made it manifest 4. Beware of Idlenesse search the Scripture 2 Tim. 2.7 Consider what I say c. They that are busied for veines of silver they hold the rod even poized in their hand till at length it moves in that vein where it lies in the earth So hold your souls even in a diligent enquiry into the Scriptures 5. Beware of pride the humble man God will teach proud men scorn others they will not be taught and pride that will make a man to neglect prayer 6. Charge your selves with that which is the end of the Scripture to live well Who would go about to read a piece of law that he may learn Mathematicks or read the statutes to learn Logick you may as well do so as read the Scripture to talk only but the intent of the Scripture is to shew how you ought to live godly to be just righteous sober to act by rule Nothing hinders knowledge so much as a bad life for sin brought in ignorance and holinesse will bring in the best light There 's a great deal of difference betwixt wit and wisdome Many have parts enough to be witty but none but sober and conscientious persons will have true wisdome Prov. 14.9 A scorner seeks knowledge and finds it not Scorners usually are witty men men of brave parts a man that hath a mind only to practice wit is never satisfied in the things of God He that doth my will shall know the doctrine that is of God There are a thousand things disputed in the world errors upon errors but I thank God it is plainly revealed God hath mercy for a sinner in Christ I understand well what 't is to live soberly righteously godly I know what 't is to honour my Parents and do in my relations what becomes me and I know these are the conditions of eternal happinesse I can but use all humane endeavours I can but beg of God and charge my self to love what I know so that I am able to say at the day of judgement what appeared to be the mind of God I observed it what did not appear I used all means to understand it I would not hastily determine my self till I saw thy mind because I knew there were impostors and if this be done if men will rangle and make controversies where God hath made none let them for there will be no end of vanity and folly Thirdly Seek dayly that your belief may be strengthened that this book is of divine authority for what will enable you to resist temptation if you do not believe the Scripture 1 John 2.14 I write unto you young men saith the Apostle because ye are strong Why the Word of God abides in you and you have overcome the evil one you will never be strong and overcome the evil one but by vertue of the Word of God If sin tempts you if you look into the Scripture there 's peace good conscience the joy of God and eternal life and shall I for a trifle lose these no while we have Scripture we have an Antidote against all the devils poyson Again what will bear you up under your afflictions if you lose the belief of the Scriptures you will need it when you come to be sick and dye when you bury your friends and relations what will satisfie a mans mind there 's an after-glory when friends come after me or go before me we shall all meet in joy Did I but believe this glory as I believe when the Sun sets it will rise again were I but perswaded what God hath said is true as now I am perswaded I speak how should I long for this glory how would every child wail for this inheritance how ful of prayers
Demon. 1 1. Ratione faederis by the reason of the Covenant of Works which God made with Adam we were in him all of us legally when God first made a Covenant with man it was not with Adam ratione individui as an individual person sed ratione â—aturae as he bore our nature with him as the representative of man-kind God makes his Covenant with Christ as Head and Mediatour of his Church with Abraham as the father of the faithful with Adam as the stock of man-kind Isa 53.11 Psal 40.8 we were in him parties in the Covenant and had interest in the mercy which should accompany the keeping of it and were liable to the curse which should follow the breach of it Now Adam violating the Covenant the guilt of that violation descends upon all his posterity Rom. 5.19 Constituti sunt peccatores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chry. they were constituted sinners It is to be noted that God never makes a Covenant with a single person personally and individually that all others are unconcerned in it but with whomsoever God enters into Covenant that person is a representative of others and is to be looked upon as a publick person otherwise God should make as many Covenants as there are persons which is the greatest absurdity to assert and so in Covenanting with Adam he looked on him as the stock and root of mankind Arg. 2 2. Ratione Collationis The Apostle in two places makes a remarkable comparison between Adam and Christ the first and second Adam comparing the good of the last with the evil of the first the grace of the one with the sin of the other the life conveyed by the one with the death transmitted by the other Rom. 5.12 c. 1 Cor. 15.45 c. Now the righteousnesse of Christ redounds to believers to justification so the sin of Adam redounds to his posterity to condemnation by Adam we are cast by Christ we are cleared by Adam guilty by Christ innocent the comparison would else be wholly insignificant as by Christ we are made really righteous so by Adam we are made really sinners we are Princes in Christ Prisoners in Adam Crowned in Christ cursed in Adam this is is one great drift of the comparison Particle 2 2. The sin of Adam is derived to us not only by way of imputation but by way of inhaesion we receive from offending Adam Adamus genus nostrum tabificavit Aug. vitiositatem libidinem morbidum affectum a vitiosity lusting and a contagious distemper we receive not only a defect of holiness but deordination pravity evil disposition propension to mischief Ephes 4.22 John 3.6 Jam. 3.15 Col. 3.5 aversion to all good this sometimes the Scripture calls the Old man the flesh divelish wisdome the hell that sets the whole course of nature on fire earthly members And that Adams sin is propagated to us by way of inhaesion is likewise demonstrable by a double evidence Arg. 1 1. From the confession of some of the best of Gods Saints Psal 51.5 The soul of David was no sooner united to his body than sin was united to both he had not only a Crown of gold but grace he was not only a King after mans desire but a Saint after Gods heart 1 Sam. 13.24 yet this sinful leprosie he drew from Adam this Original staine clave to him he was a sinner in the womb though a Prince in the Throne and a Saint in the Sanctuary And so Paul that excellent Apostle how doth he moan this inward spot which he drew from Adam how doth he complain of indwelling sin Rom. 7.17 of an evil within him verse 19. of a law of his members verse 23. These groans of such eminent Saints are too pregnant an argument that the sin of Adam transmitted to us doth not only cast guilt on our persons but filth on our natures lay a charge to us but throw a stain upon us Arg. 2 2. As Christ doth not only vouchsafe believers imputed but infused righteousnesse the merit of his obedience but the graces of his Spirit to justifie but to renew and sanctifie us 1 Cor. 1.30 so the first Adam not only conveighs guilt to condemn but filth to defile us else the work of sanctification would be wholly unnecessary and the comparison between the first and second Adam would be maimed and imperfect Christ makes us heavenly as well as pronounceth us heavenly and Adam makes us earthly as well as leaves us to the punishment of those that are so The full comparison between the first and second Adam speaks this clearly Adam had sin to defile Rev. 1.5 Christus valnera sanarit quae Adamus portavit Cypr. and therefore Christ had blood to wash Here may that observable passage of Austin come in Vidi ego zelantem puerum c. I have seen saith Augustin a child with his eye full of envy venting his malice c. Whence comes this incurvation and waywardness of nature but from Adam happily the parents of this child were true and eminent believers so that there must be a tabes a disaffectednesse transmitted from Adam to his posterity against the opinion of Peter Lumbard and the Schoolmen 2. The second thing to be opened for the dispatching of the doctrinal part of the Text it is this To vindicate the righteousnesse of God in this transmission and conveyance And the justice of God is most glorious in this propagation of Adams sinne and this may be cleared in a double Demonstration Demon. 1 Adams sin is ours as well as his as a Learned man most elegantly Si quis peste laborans alios inficiat hi moriuntur Pet. Martyr dicitur illorum quisque non alienâ sed sua peste mortuus esse Now there is a double Argument to prove Adâ—ms sin ours 1. Else God did punish us for anothers sin that fault which is not our own which is against divine justice God doth not usually strike the son for the fathers crime and make the son feel the bruise of the fathers fall that the father should merit the stroak and the posterity feel it this is against his own protestation Ezek. 18.2 2. The Antithesis between Christ and Adam would not hold if Adams was not to be reputed ours for as the righteousnesse of Christ ita communicatur membris ut quisque fidelis dicere possit illam esse suam c. as Bucan well observes is so communicated to us that every believer may say This righteousnesse is mine so the iniquity of Adam is so communicated to all his posterity that every child of Adam may sadly say This iniquity is mine and I am righteously punished for it And now therefore I say if Adams sin be ours in the guilt and stain of it let us acknowledge Gods justice in the transmission of it Demon. 2 2. Had Adam stood we expected the entaile of perfection and happinesse that the Crown should have descended to us as his issue
reward him for it And all this the Father makes good to Christ 1. He fits him for this work both in a large effusion of the graces and gifts of the Spirit upon him John 3.34 God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him And also in the preparing of a body for him Hebr. 10.5 2. He strengthens him and supports him in the work Isa 42.1 Behold my servant Christ is our Lord but in the work of Redemption he was the Fathers servant whom I uphold and therefore you finde when Christ was put upon the greatest tryals God gave in eminent succour to him as in the case of temptation Matth. 4.11 and in his agony in the Garden Luke 22.43 And there appeared an Angel unto him from heaven strengthning of him And certainly if Christ had not had support and strength from the Godhead he had never been able to have bore up under and carried thorough his terrible sharp work You finde him encouraging himself and acting faith upon this that God would own him and stand by him in this undertaking Isa 50.7 8 9. The Lord God will help me therefore shall I not be confounded Therefore have I set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed He is near that justifyeth me who will contend with me Psal 16.8 c. I have set the Lord alwayes before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved c. 3. Further God the Father succeeds and prospers him in the work When thou shalt make â—his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand This was promised and also made good to Christ in the numerous body of believers past present and to come I might here enlarge upon a threefold gift which the Gospel holds forth There 's the Fathers gift the Sons gift and the Believers gift The Fathers gift lies in Election such and such individual persons he gives to Christ Thine they were and thou gavest them me John 17.6 We are a free gift to Christ in Elâ—ction as Christ is a free gift to us in Redemption The Sons gift lies in the giving of himself for us Who gave himselâ— for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity c. Tit. 2.14 And then there is the Believers gift and that is he gives up himself to Christ to be ruled by Christ disposed by Christ saved by Christ he gives up himself to the Lord 2 Cor. 8.5 The Father giving believers to Christ and promising that believers in time should also give themselves to him was a great encouragement to Christ to give himself for believers and if you read John 17. you shall see there that Christ when he had done his work takes much notice of the accomplishment of this promise to him in believers who are his seed owning of him and closing with him 4. Lastly God will and doth reward Christ upon his undertaking to redeem man he tells him he shall not lose by it His days shall be prolonged Isa 33.10 i. e. his Kingdome shall be set up in the world to endure for ever God would divide him a portion with the great and he should divide the spoile with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death Ver. 12. And many such promises you have made to Christ Accordingly God hath exalted him far above all principality and power Eph. 1.21 22. hath put all things under his feet made him to be head over all things to the Church given him a Name which is above every name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bowe Phil. 2.9 and all because to give satisfaction to his Father he made himself of no reputation and became obedient unto death Ver. 7.8 even the death of the Cross And thus you see what the Father demands and what he doth indent and promise to his Son in case he will engage in this undertaking not as if the Son was unwilling so to do you must not so understand it but the work being of such a nature so hard so grievous it pleased the Father thus to Treat with him Prop. 3 In the third place The Lord Jesus Christ engages in the work accepts of the termes and conditions set before him and undertakes to satisfie his Fathers demands And in order to satisfaction which God stands upon as you have heard before Christ is willing to fulfill the whole Law which was the rule or measure or standard for this satisfaction God had been dishonoured by the violation of his Law and the disobedience and non-performance of it was that which kept God and the sinner at a distance and therefore he will only be satisfied and reconciled upon the fulfilling of it here is my Law saith God satisfie it and my justice is satisfied You must know this that though a sinner as to himself is justified upon the termes of the Covenant of grace yet as to his surety he is justified upon the Covenant of works for the surety must pay the whole debt and the Father will bate him nothing Object Where is then some will say the freenesse of grace in the justifying and acquitting of a sinner if God will be satisfied to the utmost what becomes of mercy if the surety pay the debt to the Creditor is it any great favour for the Creditor to let the debtor out of prison Sol. To this I answer Free grace is very well consistent with full satisfaction and notwithstanding the latter the former is very glorious partly because God himself found out this way of satisfaction partly because God accepts it for the good of the sinner as though he had made it in his own person That place of the Apostle is observable Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3.24 Notwithstanding Redemption by Christ yet we are justified freely as freely as though Christ had done and suffered nothing at all But this is a digression I say the Father demanding the fulfilling of the Law Quod requiâ—it lex nempe tum plenam paenae reatibus nostris debitae luitioneÌ„ ut à condemnatione liberemur tum plenam legis praestationeÌ„ ut ad aeternam vitam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inveniamur ex illa promissione Hoc fac vives Beza Christ undertakes to do it and therefore he willingly puts himself under this Law When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to Redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sonnes Gal. 4.4 5. And he submits not only to the duty of the Law but also to the penalty of the Law not only to do what the Law enjoynes but also to suffer what the Law threatens and the former he makes good by his active obedience the latter by his passive obedience To open this a
to it 2. God hath ratified it by the death of his Son A mans last Will as soon as he is dead is in force and cannot then be disanulled The Covenant of Grace is a Testamentary Covenant which by the death of the Testator is so setled that there 's no altering of it Gal. 3.15 c. Hebr. 9.15 16. Again the Covenant of Grace is ratified by the seals which God hath annexed to it What was sealed by the Kings ring could not be altered Esther 8.8 God hath set his seal to this Covenant his broad seal in the Sacraments his privy seal in the witnesse of his Spirit and therefore 't is sure and cannot be reverst And further than all this 't is ratified in and by that Covenant which hath been now opened The Covenant of Redemption betwixt God and Christ secures the Covenant of Grace betwixt God and believers What God promises us he did before promise unto Christ and the Fâ—ther would not make good his promise unto Christ if he should not make good his promises to the Saints And therefore as in other respects so in this also the Covenant may be said to be confirmed of God in Christ Gal. 3.17 with respect to that paction and stipulation that was betwixt them I lay all this before you for the strengthning of your Faith as to the stability of the Covenant of Grace so long as that Covenant stands you are safe and you see there 's no question but that Covenant will stand which God hath set upon such firme pillars This promise in the Text He shall see his seed will assuredly bring every believer into heaven O that faith might triumph in the consideration of this the Covenant of grace is sure Davids Faith did so when death was in his eye and affliction in his eye Yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire 2 Sam. 23.5 When Faith begins to faint look up to this Covenant and reason thus God will not alter his promise to me but to be sure he will not alter his promise to his Son I may fail in such and such conditions but Christ hath been faithful in all every childe of God may take much comfort from this Vse 3 In the third and last place I would have you to enquire what this Covenant of Redemption is to you Here 's a blessed Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son how far are you and I interested in it or like to receive benefit by it Was it universal that all men should have an equal share in it Some very learned men I know tell us of Pactum universale betwixt the Father and the Son Daven de morte Christi c. but I crave leave to differ from them 1. Because that which they make their Pactum universale is rather a Proposition or a Promise than a Covenant as he that believeth shall be saved 2. I know not how to believe that there should be a solemn Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son upon which never any man should be the better Did ever any sinner get any thing by this universal Covenant 3. We may preach the Gospel to all upon an indefinite Proposition He that believeth shall be saved and we need not to assert an universal Covenant for the universal preaching of the Gospel This was the great reason that prevailed with these worthy men to assert such a Covenant I know no Covenant but that special Covenant into which the seed of Christ were only taken I am loth to fall into the dusty roade of Controversies all along in this Discourse where I could not avoide them I have but just cross'd them over and so presently falne in again into some more quiet and private way Passing by therefore this universal Covenant of men more moderate and the universal Redemption of others who go higher I shall only lay down that which I judge to be a great truth viz. That 't is the Elect only who are concerned in this Covenant Such and such persons there were individually considered whom God the Father in his Electing love doth freely give to Christ for these and only for these doth the Lord Jesus engage to lay down his life Redemption on the Sons part shall be no larger than Election on the Fathers part that there may be a perfect Harmony and Agreement betwixt them in their love So then Beloved if you would draw down comfort to your selves from this Covenant you must finde out this that you are the Elect of God chosen of him to be Vessels of his mercy before the world was Christ undertook to give his life only for those whom the Father had first given to him these he only pray'd for and therefore surely these he only dy'd for You 'le say I put you upon a very difficult search 't is true 't is very hard for a man to know his Election but yet it may be known otherwise the Apostle would never have urged this as a duty upon Christians To make their Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Paul knew that the Thessalonians were elected of God 1 Thess 1.4 And he did not know it by Revelation only No he gives another account of it he knew it by way of inference from what he saw of God in them Ver. 5. For our Gospel came not to you in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost c. If Election may be known by others why not by our selves I grant à parte ante so it cannot be known so the book is clâ—sped and sealed and none can open it Rev. 5.3 5. but the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah but à parte post by such and such effects and operations upon the heart so it may be known Several of these might be set before you out of the Word but I 'le only instance in the grace of Faith He that believes is certainly in the number of Gods Elect he 's a chosen Vessel of mercy All the Elect shall believe sooner or later they shall close with Christ upon the termes of the Gospel John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me there 's Election shall come to me there 's Faith Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed None but the Elect can savingly believe The sum of all then for the clearing up of your interest in this Covenant of Redemption is this Have you the precious Faith of Gods Elect Are your hearts wrought up to a blessed accepting of Christ Tit. 1.1 Have you ever had such a sense of sin and guilt and misery as to go out of your selves and only to rest upon the Lord Christ Do you venture your souls upon his all-sufficient merits And is this Faith a working Faith an heart purifying Faith a sin mortifying Faith James 2.14 a world overcoming Faith a Faith that closes with Christ as a Lord Acts 15.9
when sin hath been committed and the raging of the affections are a little appeased then the minde returns unto its self and the Spirit that was resisted brings to remembrance those grievous and unavoidablâ— threanings which the Law denounceth whereupon there follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Legal repentance that is a wishing that the Fact were undone and that he had not committed the sin that causeth that trouble but not that he is any better than before for shew him a new temptation and he presently runs after it though under trouble of minde and though expectation of wrath incredibly full of anguish doth sting and vex him intolerably But now Beloved where this ends well there the Spirit insinuates something to put him upon panting after a Redeemer and to get power against sin and this brings unspeakable joy and begets peace past all understanding thus you see the best effects of the Law is the bringing men to the Gospel which shews the fifth excellency of the Gospel-Covenant 6. The Gospel-Covenant is the better Covenant in respect of its objects or persons taken into Covenant and that under a double consideration their multiplicity and their quality 1. In respect of the number The Old Covenant belonged only to one people the New to Jews and Gentiles Abraham and his posterity were taken into Covenant and all the world beside were excluded those few others that were admitted it was by extraordinary grace and they were as it were planted into Abrahams family but now the partition Wall is broken down which as it were shut up the mercy of God in the confines of Israel Now peace is proclaimed to those that are far off as well as to those that are near that they might become one people this is a great mystery Colos 1.26 Certainly all may well say so as we are poor Gentiles and we are made nigh by the blood of his Crosse Col. 1.20 21. 2. The Gospel-Covenant is better in respect of the quality of the persons taken into it the Law is proposed to wicked secure and hardened sinners 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for ungodly and for sinners for unholy and profane for murderers of fathers and murdâ—rers of mothers for men-slayers for whoremongers c. to restrain and bridle them but the Gospel lifts up broken-hearted sinners Luk. 4.18 He hath sent me to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord The Law is to terrifie the conscience the Gospel is to comfort it * Gerhard l. c. 7. The last excellency I shall name is this the Gospel-Covenant is every way faultlesse it is the last and best Dispensation of Divine grace Hebr. 8.7 If the first Covenant had been faultlesse then should no place have been sought for the second as if he should say the Covenant from Mount Sinai was not such Quo non alterum posset esse perfectius * Grotius that man could not desire a better Hebr. 7.18 19. There is verily a disanulling of the Commandment going before for the weaknesse and unprofitableness thereof for the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God plainly this is so excellent we cannot desire a better The Old Covenant is abrogated 1. As to the circumstance de futuro it all related to the future Messiah Christ is come and that consideration therefore ceaseth 2. 'T is abrogated as to the impossible condition of perfect obedience the Gospel sincerity of the meanest believer is better than the exactest obedience of the highest Legalist 3. 'T is abrogated as to the burden of Legal Ceremonies Priesthood and shadows God gave these things to them and the Gospel to us as we give nuces parvulo codicem grandi * Beda things of smaller value to a little childe but a good book to him when he is grown up They have lost their Temple their Priesthood their Unction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Chrysost c. We have Heaven for our Temple and Christ for our Priest and the Spirit for our Unction 4. The Old Covenant is abrogated as to the yoke of Mosaical policy we have nothing to do with the Judicial Laws of the Jews any farther than they are Moral or of a Moral equity Luk. 16.16 The Law and the Prophets were untill John Hebr. 7.12 The Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change of the Law And thus I have doctrinally shewed you the excellency of the Gospel-Covenant APPLICATION 1. This retorts wicked mens Reproaches into their own faces They cry out against the Ministers of the Gospel for preaching terrour to them Be it known to you the Gospel is properly employed in celebrating the mercy of God in the pardon of sin and comforting drooping sinners but in your doing what you can to put out this comfortable light you force us to fetch fire from Mount Sinai to take hold of you 'T is true the Law was given with Thunder and Lightning and terrible Miracles the Gospel was attested with a comfortable voice from heaven and healing Miracles but as sinners broken by the Law needed some Gospel-balm to heal their wounds so secure Gospel sinners need Legal threatnings to fright them out of their sluggishnesse and sleepy security If whispers of peace will not awaken them we must cry aloud to stir them up if it be possible to break off sinning and to minde salvation Sirs 't is no pleasure to us to speak words unpleasing to you you hinder us from work more purely Evangelical and which 't is a thousand fold more pleasure to us to be conversant about 'Pray take notice that were it not in love and faithfulnesse to your souls we would never be so poorly employed as to be pelting at your base lusts Do but try us Break off your soul-undoing wickednesse and you shall never hear us rate you any more you your selves being Judges ex gr Ask a sober man whether the lashing of drunkennesse makes him smart or not Ask a chaste person whether the naming of such Texts as Prov. 22.14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein Prov. 23.27 An whore is a deep ditch and a strange woman is a narrow pit reproach him in short Ask one that 's conscientious whether he thinks the Minister hath a spite at him in his Sermon because he names 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with mankinds nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God Alas all these will tell
you they have no such thought nor any cause for any such thought through grace they abhorre these sins and wonder that any are so besotted as to quarrel with a Minister for speaking against them You see then 't is your consciences that reproach you and not the Ministers of the Gospel 2. Here 's matter of Admiration Admiration of Gods rich Grace and unparallel'd Providence to us that God should cast our Lots in to such places and times wherein we enjoy the best of the best gracious Dispensations Acts 17.26 God hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation God hath been pleased so to dispose of Christs little flock that there shall be some in all times of the world and in all places of the world where he makes known his Name to be the salt of the Earth But now for us to be so disposed of that among the several thousand years of the worlds continuance and among the innumerable millions of places of the worlds Inhabitants that we should be brought forth in such a nick of time and in such a spiritual Paradise of place that there 's none in the world to equal it Sirs what doth this call for what shall we render to the Lord for this I know not what to call it 't is such unspeakable love Beloved I must both give and take time to answer this question And O that you and I may give a sutable answer to it I know not at present what to say to it unlesse we could as overcome by it faint away in a love-sickness into the bosome of our dearest Jesus that Cant. 2.4 5 6. seeing he hath brought us where we may not only taste a draught out of a Bottle but are brought to the great Vessels of spiritual comforts where we may not only enjoy Christ a little but even to spiritual extasie O that we now as sinking down in a Swoun and as unable to stand under the thoughts of such love might be even strowed and boulstered up with the comfortable doctrines of the Gospel-Covenant and all through impatience of love The love of God to such inconsiderable persons should carry the soul out of it self to do more than languish with desire after more extasying communications so that none but Christ with his right hand of Divinity and left hand of Humanity may be acceptable to us to embrace us O Christians I should be glad to send you all home heart-sick of love to Christ But 3. By way of Inference Everyone of you that is not in the Gospel-Covenant is in a dreadful state 't is your own wilfulnesse you will not believe the Gospel Though 't is through Divine Grace that persons do close with the Gospel yet it is your own sin you do not close with it for you are willing to be strangers to it you are willing to enjoy your lusts which you must part with if you embrace it You may observe the dreadful estate of persons out of Covenant in these three particulars 1. The sin against the Gospel-Covenant is most dreadful This sin hath the guilt of all other sins in it John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloke for their sin Sodom and Gomorrah Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdome of heaven before those that refuse the Gospel God the Father invites men to the Marriage Supper nay you are wooed and entreated to be Christs Bride You make light of it you have the profits and the pleasures of the world to take up your thoughts you will not be perswaded to believe that Christ is better than your lusts you will not be beat out of it but that a bag of gold is better than a Crown of glory but that a filthy lust is better than communion with God but that the Divels slave and fool is better than to be Gods Childe and Darling Is this your choice Then consider 2. The penalty for the contempt of this Gospel-Covenant is most dreadful John 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather than light this brings persons under the very utmost of the wrath of God 1 Thess 2.16 when the Jews sinned against the Legal Dispensation then Dan. 9.12 Daniel complains Under the whole heavens hath not been done as hath bâ—en done upon Jeâ—usalem but what now will become of those that refuse the Gospel Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God Can any thing be worse than to dye without mercy yes saith the Apostle what 's that nay he leaves it to your consideration as being unpossible to be expressed To poure contempt and scorne upon the pretious blood of Christ wherewith the Covenant betwixt God and his people was made and ratified to offer a spiteful affront unto the Spirit of God by contemning and opposing his gracious motions O what remains for such persons but a dreadful expectation of Gods terrible Judgment But there 's a third thing that I would have you consider which is sensibly more dreadful than either of these 3. The sentence against Gospel-Covenant breaking is most irreversible and peremptory mercy and grace and patience and compassion when these are abused all these become the sinners enemy for that which is ordained a life to prove death unto them oh this is dreadful for the blood of Christ to cry to heaven against sinners this is dreadful this made Christ to weep over Jerusalem Luke 19.40.41 These persons passe judgment upon themselves though not with their lips yet with their lives they pronounce themselves unworthy to be saved Acts 13.46 O Sirs I beseech you consider though persons brake the Covenant of Works there was salvation to be had by another Covenant but if this be violated there is no other Covenant to relieve this The Gospel-Covenant is our Refuge when the other Covenant pursues us Hebr. 6.18 Contemptuous carriage against Grace is beyond all help I beseech you therefore take heed of sinning against Gospel-light and Gospel-love O you will have that sting of conscience that no other sinners in the world have that have not refused a Redeemer Beloved I would I could say with due meltings of heart it grieves me for you to think how many hundreds in this Congregation are yet without Christ being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Ephes 2.12 O Sirs do you know what you do when you cocker your lusts in despight of Christ Can you hear Sermons and go on in sin You do well to hear but you make a desperate adventure to do what you know discovenants you from God and hazards your eternal separation from God Beloved I
against it 2. Christ humbled himself to death obediently It was his will to dye and yet he dyed not of his own will but in obedience to his Fathers We have them both conjoyned Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy Will O God And Joh. 10.18 I lay down my life of my self this Commandment have I received of my Father he became obedient unto death saith the Text In respect of God Christs death was justice and mercy in respect of man it was murther and cruelty in respect of himself it was obedience and humility To obey is beâ—â—er than sacrifice Christs obedience was the best of his sacrifice when he prayed to his Father that the cup might passe it was with this Clause of exception Not as I wâ—ll but as thou wilt 3. Christ submitted himself to death humbly and meekly he was oppressed and afflicted yâ—t opened he not his mouth not that he spake nothing at all but he was silent as to murmurings and revilings that was the work of his persecutors not a word passed from him that might argue passion or impatience as from one of the Thieves that were crucified with him he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter he was not enraged or exasperated with all the injustice cruelty and oppression of his enemies not one word in heat of blood to them whose errand was to shed his blood Friend saith he to Judas betrayest thou the Son of man with a kisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys What meeknesse was here though I confesse there was a tart rebuke in that kinde compellation and Christ calling him friend smartly checkt him for his unfriendly carriage When one of his Disciples cut off Malchus his eare Put up thy sword saith he Wee 'le have none of that club law he touches his eare and heales it When he was reviled he reviled not again 1 Pet. 2.23 Psal 64.3 when he suffered he threatened not his enemies shot their arrows even bitter words but they recoyled not upon them Nay he returned not only no ill words but gave prayers in exchange for their taunts and revilings Father forgive them Luke 23.34 for they know not what they do It had been meeknesse to have gone through his sufferings without murmuring but it was an high and heroical act of meeknesse indeed to poure out prayers for them that were such busie instruments in pouring out his blood he was so far from biting the stone that he kissed it and the hand that threw it 3. Upon what grounds Christ thus humbled himself to death What cogent necessity was upon him for we may not conceive that Christ thus humbled himself to death upon trivial and impertinent considerations as David said once of Abner Died Christ as a fool dieth 2 Sam. 3.33 No sure it was upon these six weighty grounds 1. That Scripture prophesies and Predictions might be accomplished all which represent him as coming in died garments from Bozrah Gen. 3.15 The first Scripture that ever mentions Christ shews him a bleeding and crucified Saviour Now Christ was to make good to a tittle every thing that had been before written of him In Saint Matthews Gospel this is very remarkable who above all the rest hath most punctually observed the fulfilling of Prophesies with whom the burden and under-song of almost every event is ut impleretur that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the mouth of the Prophets Christ himself renders this account of his sufferings in that Discourse of his with his Disciples upon the Road Oh fools Luk. 24.25 26. and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things The Prophets have all spoken this with one mounth and is it possible I should make them all liars 2. That Scripture types might be fulfilled many whereof were to decipher and prefigure the death of Christ as Isaac's being offered the slaying of the Sacrifices the lifting up of the Serpent Now had not Christs blood been shed and he lift up upon the Cross there had been no correspondency in the Antitype as Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Son of man be lifted up Joh. 3.14 Had not Christ been made a Sacrifice most of the Legal Ceremonies and precedent prefigurations had either spoken lies or at least nothing to the purpose 3. That his Will and Testament might be firme and effectuaâ— in his life he had given many precious Legacies and they had been all voide and to no more purpose than a Deed without a Seal at it unlesse ratified and confirmed had not Christ given himself to death all his other gifts that he had bequeathed in his Will had been gifâ—lesse this is the Apostles Argument Where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men are dead Heb. 9.16 17. otherwise it is of no force at all while the Testator liveth A man that makes a Will doth not intend that any body should be the better by it but upon his death Suppose a man have a Legacy of a thousand pounds given him he is not one whit the richer so long as his friend liveth the Will holds not good in Law nor can he sue for one penny of it This Cup saith Christ is the New Testament in my blood Luke 22.20 that New Testament which is ratified by my blood Christs death gives life not only to his people but to his promises It is expedient for you that I go away John 16.17 saith he for If I go not away the Comforter will not come The sending of the Comforter was one principal clause of his last Testament but till the death of the Testator the Will could not be put in suit it signified nothing and was not pleadable The Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified what had they received nothing of the Spirit yes John 7.39 but not according to that plentiful proportion which he intended and promised in his Will The Legacy was paid but in part because the Testator was yet alive he was no sooner dead and got to heaven but he makes all good to a tittle as you may read Acts 2.2 3 4. 4. That justice may be satisfied the sentence upon sin was passed from the mouth of a righteous Judge now though justice might admit of a change of persons there was no room for a change of penalties death was threatned and death must be inflicted If Christ will save sinners from death justice will not let him save himself from death Heb. 9.22 without shedding of blood there is no remission Christ undertaking to crosse out and cover the black lines of sin must draw over them the red lines of blood What the chief Priests said concerning Christ is true in some sense though false in theirs He saved others Matth. 27.42 himself he cannot
the burden of it You have not yâ—t resisted unto blood Heb. 12.4 saith the Apostle striving against sin as if he had said you are not yet come to the hottest of the battel it may be you have gone through some light skirmishes a few ill words or outward losses but when Christ was challenged by this Goliah and none durst take up the Gantlet he resisted unto blood and verily the evil of sin is not so much seen in that thousands are damn'd for it as that Christ dyed for it If you should see a black vapour arise out of the earth and ascend by degrees till it covered the face of the heavens and obscure the Sun in brightest Noon-day lustre you would doubtlesse conclude there must needs be a strange and preternatural malignity in that vapour What shall we then think of sin that brought down the Son of God from heaven darkned his glory took away his life laid him in the dust After whom is the King of Israel come out saith David to Saul after whom dost thou pursue after a dead dog after a flea As if he had said 1 Sam. 24.14 methinks the King of Israel should never trouble himself about such a sorry and inconsiderable thing as I am a dead dog cannot bite when alive indeed he is a fierce creature he may flie in a mans face and tear out his throat but death tames him A dead dog needs no chain and a flea cannot bite very much the mark it makes is but a flea-bite you that have slight thoughts of sin do as good as say that the God of Israel entred into the lists and armed himself for the Battel against a dead dog nay that he lost the Field and was worsted by a flea the evil of sin is not so much seen that it is a knife that cuts our fingers as that its a knife redded over with the blood of our dear Redeemer 3. Hence note the exact and impartial justice of God and his most righteous severity against sin that rather than that shall passe unpunished his only begotten and everlastingly beloved Son shall shed his blood and become lyable and obnoxious to a curse In the blood of Christ as a mirrour is represented the most condescending mercy and inflexible severity that ever the world saw Son saith God if thou wilt undertake for sinners and undergo that penalty that is due to sin thy blood must go for it and nothing can be abated he prays the Cup may passe if possible but justice was inexorable he was upon such terms that it was not possible God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 to declare his righteousnesse that he may be just One would have thought he would have said to declare his love and mercy that he may shew himself gracious nay but though there be a truth in that the Apostle pitches upon another Attribute To declare his righteousnesse that he may be just If there were any respect of persons with God or if exact justice could have warp't and been drawn away with any accessory and circumstantial considerations doubtlesse Christ should have gone free and an indemnity from suffering should have been the Sons priviledge 4. This is sad and dreadful news to all impenitent and unbelieving sinners What will be their doom that have no share in this blood of Christ and not only so but trample it under foot as an unholy thing Let them look to it it will one day rise up against them as a witnesse for their certain damnation for such there 's a much sorer punishment Heb. 10.29 woe to those that have not the blood of Christ to plead for them but ten thousand woes to them that have the blood of Christ pleading against them And where it cries not for pardon it cries out for vengeance with a witnesse They are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ saith the Apostle whose end is destruction Phil. 3.18 19. And what better end could it rationally be hoped they should come to that have an enmity against the Crosse of Christ If that which is light in th e be darkness Matth. 6.23 how great is that darknesse If the healing saving blood of Christ be destruction how dreadful is that destruction the death of Christ is to a wicked man one of the saddest stories and most dreadful tragedies that he can read or hear of because having no interest in it he understands what must certainly be acted upon himself and if God would not hearken to the prayers of his Son how is it likely he should be moved with the cry of Rebels and Enemies When God sent the Prophet Jeremiah upon his Errand to the Nations with the Cup of his fury that they should drink and be drunken and spue and fall and rise no more upon case of their refusal to drink tell them saith he that loe I begin to bring evil on the City which is called by my Name Jer. 25.29 and sh uld ye be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished As if God had said Carry a Cup and if they refuse tell them Jerusalem hath been before them and I am resolved it shall go round My own people shall not drink unpledged and they shall not be unpunished God hath prepared a Cup for all Christ-rejecting sinners warmed with fire and spiced with brimstone and if they wince and make a sowre face let them know Christ hath had it Gods only begotten and beloved Son hath drunk deep on 't and how or with what face can they expect to escape What! will God say to such a one Behold he whose judgment was not to drink of the Cup Jer. 49.12 hath assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt altogether go unpunished thou shalt not go unpunished but thou shalt surely drink of it Use 2 2. For Exhortation and that in six particulars 1. Hath Christ shed his blood for sin let us then shed the blood of sin let sin never live one quiet quarter of an houre in our souls that would not let Christ live in the world Christ dyed unto sin for Satisfaction let us dye unto sin by Mortification He died unto sinne once likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin Rom. 6.10 11. Every Saint should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostles phrase is Rom. 6.5 planted together in the likenesse of his death And he further explaines his meaning Ver. 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin And verily unlesse by the death of sin in you you can have no comfortable evidence that the death of Christ was for you Christ was crucified and they that are Christs Gal. 6.24 Gal. 5.2 have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing saith the Apostle I
passion of God-man Man being every other way finite must have suffered infinitely in regard of duration even to eternity And none but Christ who was infinite in regard of the subject and dignity of his person as he was God could have so speedily and effectually delivered us from this punishment by suffering it himself whereby Gods justice was satisfied his hatred against the sinner removed and his mercy at liberty to act in the pardon of the sinner Sixthly This passion of Jesus Christ God was graciously pleased to accept for us and impute to us as if we had suffered in our persons and so he receives us into mercy And this is the substance of the Doctrine of the Gospel about mans salvation So much for the first thing the Explication of the point 2. I now come to the Assertion or Demonstration of it that you may receive this Doctrine as a Truth not built upon the traditions of men but revealed in the Word of God Now to prove this point viz. That the death of Jesus Christ is the procuring cause of mans Justification and Salvation I may use two sorts of Arguments First Some from the consideration of Christs death Secondly Some from the consideration of mans Justification and Salvation 1. From the consideration of Christs death I shall offer six Arguments 1. It s Possibility 2. Necessity 3. Nature 4. Cause 5. Vicegerency 6. Peculiarity First From the possibility Let me be bold to assert had it not been for this purpose it had not been possible for Christ to dye as it was not possible for Christ to be holden of death Acts 2.24 the price being paid and so the Prisoner of course to be released so it had not been possible because not just Id tantum possumus quod jure possumus to put him into a prison if it had not been to pay a debt And a debt of his own he had none he was a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 Holy blameless undefiled separate from sinners Hebr. 7.26 He knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 which I the rather mention because Sâ—cinus hath the impudence to lay down this blasphemous Assertion That Christ like the Jewish High Priest did offer for himself as well as for the people You have seen he had no debt no sin of his own he professeth of himself that he did alwayes those things which pleased his Father John 8.29 and therefore he must needs dye for our debts it is plain that Adam had he continued in integrity should not have dyed death is not the effect of nature then the Saints in glory must dye again for they have the same nature but the fruit of sin death entred into the world by sin Rom. 5.12 And the Apostle proves the sin of Infants expressed by that Periphrasis such as have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression from the death of Infants and in Adam all dyed i. e. by his sin 1 Cor. 15.22 Therefore Jesus Christ being purified from the guilt of Adams sin by his holy birth and no lesse perfect than Adam should have been could never have dyed if not for our sakes Secondly From the necessity of Christs death it was necessary for our Salvation and Justification without which end it had been in vain The Socinians mention two other reasons and ends of Christs death the one to be an example of obedience but such we have many others upon far less charge the other to be a ground of hope for the remission of sin and the fulfilling of Gods promises but properly it is not the death but resurrection of Christ which is the ground of our hope 1 Cor. 15.14 If Christ be not risen your faith is vain so that those ends are improper and insufficient And to strike it dead I urge but one place Gal. 2.21 If righteousnesse come by the Law Christ is dead in vain What can be more plain if righteousnesse be not by Christ that the death of Christ be not the procuring cause of our Justification Christ is dead in vain to no end or as Grotius and others rather understand without any meritorious cause i. e. our sins however all comes to one Thirdly From the nature of Christs death it is a Sacrifice this consists of two Branches 1. Sacrifices did expiate sin 2. Christs death is a Sacrifice and a sin-expiating Sacrifice 1. I say Sacrifices did expiate sin Levit. 1.4 He shall put his hands upon the head of the burnt-offering and it shall be accepted for him and many such places And this they did typically which strengthens the cause we have in hand as representing and fore-signifying Christ without which it was not possible for the blood of Buls and Goats to take away sins Hebr. 10.4 And the sins pardoned under the Old Testament were pardoned thorough Christ and not through any vertue of their Sacrifices Christ being a Mediatour for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament Hebrewes 9.15 2. And this brings in the second Head that Christs death is a Sacrifice and a sin-expiating Sacrifice if either the names or nature of it may be regarded for the names and titles proper to Sacrifices they are attributed to it and God doth not give flattering titles nor false names but such as discover the nature of things it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Oblation or offering up of himself Ephes 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.25 to omit others and for the nature by vertue hereof sin is atoned he is our High Priest for this end to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Heb. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being by an Enallage put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pacifie God reconcile God turn away his wrath You meet with all things in Christ which concurre to the making of a Sacrifice The Priest he is our High Priest the Sacrifice himself Christ was once offered the shedding of blood and destroying of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the essential part of a Sacrifice Add to these 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passeover is Sacrificed for us where is a double Argument 1. That Christ is expresly said to be Sacrificed 2. That he is called a Passeover which at the best seems to have been both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament Now then Christs death being a Sacrifice it appeares that it appeased Gods wrath procured his favour Fourthly From the cause of Christs death I might urge a double cause 1. The inflicting cause it was Gods displeasure Nothing more plaine than that he had a very deep sense of and sharp conflict with Gods wrath from those dreadful horrours in the Garden where his soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death not certainly at the approach of an ordinary death which many Martyrs have undergone with undaunted courage but at the apprehension of his Fathers anger and upon the Cross where he roared out that direful complaint My
the New Covenant which is a perpetual Law of pardoning repenting and believing sinners whomsoever whensoever but as such Neither was Christs suffering like the Cancelling of a Bond a total discharge of us from suffering the penalty threatened in the Law we dye still and afflictions are punishments still True indeed upon Christs satisfaction made God and he are agreed that a believing sinner should not be punished with the everlasting destructive penalty threatened for whosoever believes shall not perish but they are not that he shall not be John 3.16 for he is punished with the temporal corrective punishments of the threatening as sicknesse and natural death yet even these through infinite goodnesse so ordering and disposing it prove much more a benefit than a penalty to a believer Vse 2 Vse 2. What cause have we then with the lowest and profoundest Humility to adore the Majesty of the living God First To adore his holinesse Reverence those eyes of his that are purer than that they can endure to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 Let this God be thy dread and awe Dare not to make a mock of sin tremble at the horrid guilt and sinfulnesse of the least sin look upon it as an affront and treason against an Eternal Majesty as worthy the Curse of the Law and the wrath of an Almighty God as that which could not be expiated at a lesser rate than the blood of God Acts 20.28 Secondly to adore his wisdome in finding out such a person to satisfie his justice as our Redeemer Consider here that God could not suffer could not dye Nay could not properly satisfie himself for it had not been a satisfaction to his justice at all but meer mercy and so no justification of a sinner but meer pardon if the person satisfying had been only God Again Consider that a meer creature could never satisfie as I before demonstrated a meer creature had perish't in the attempt would have been overwhelmed and crush't to pieces with that insupportable load the guilt of sin and the wrath of God The person therefore that must satisfie must neither be finite nor infinite neither the creature nor the Creator neither God nor man yet must be both Here now the understandings of men and Angels must have been tyred to all eternity Rom. 11.33 see also Eph. 1.7 8. fully hereunto and lost for ever in a bottomlesse gulf of horror and amazement to finde out such a person O the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God! Thirdly To adore the infinite riches of his grace Rom. 3.24 in justification and here consider 1. God might have let man alone seized the forfeiture as the Tree fell it might have lain for ever what obliged God to accept of satisfaction 2. The Redeemer hath trodden the wine-presse alone what ever was done in this satisfaction he did it Of the people there was none with him The sinner hath not the least hand in it could not pay one Christ paid every to the utmost farthing Thirdly It was the Judge himself who contrived this way to justifie us and it was at his cost he gave his Son herein God commended his love to us as Abraham once did his faith to God in that he spared not his son his only begotten son whom he loved So that if we rightly weigh it it will appear that by how much the satisfaction is the fuller by so much the pardon is the freer by how much his justice is the more by so much too is his mercy the more glorified and still still infinitely the more are we obliged Use 3. Consol Here 's unspeakable comfort for every humble though doubting soul every contrite spirit that hungers and thirsts after righteousnesse Vse 3 First Consider how full satisfaction Christ hath made he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God through him he is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well-pleased all power is committed into his hands God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance and Remission of sins Secondly Consider he inviteth thee as a sinner to come in unto this Gospel-righteousnesse in the general tenor of his Proclamation Whosoever believes c. If any man sin 1 John 2.1 2. we have an Advocate with the Father c. An Whosoever excludes none that excludes not himself Thirdly Consider Christ assures thee that art the person I now speak to he who is the Truth assures thee thou shalt be welcome Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest c. This is your very case Heark the Master callâ—th you will you not be of good courage and Go when he saith Come he that never yet cast out any that came unto him that never will he saith so himself Thou mayst believe him he never broke his word yet he will not begin with thee he cannot deny himself Fourthly Consider those standing Monuments of Gods free justifying grace that are on record in the Scripture What hath been done may be done again Nay will be done again in the case we speak of by the God that changeth not God hath pardoned as great sinners see Ephraims case Jer. 31.18 see the Corinthians example 1 Cor. 6.10 11. see Pauls 1 Tim. 1.13 Whoever goes and doth likewise shall receive likewise for Christ is yesterday and to day and the same for ever Fifthly Consider it is the very designe of God in giving his Son and of Christ in giving himself to dye for us to justifie such as thou art Isa 16.1 Luke 4.19 20. Jer. 3.12 1 John 5.9 Vse 4. Exhort First To the Unconverted Vse 4 Use 4. Exhort Let me then beseech sinners not to love death Why should iniquity be your ruine There is balme in Gilead there is a Physitian there Why are ye unwilling to be healed Turn ye Turn ye why will ye dye Would it be a hard matter to perswade a condemned person to be willing not to be executed were he not distracted if having a pardon offered upon the easie terms of confessing his fault and serious promising amendment he should bid the Prince keep his Pardon to himself for his part he was in love with his chains he would not be released he would dye Thou art the man whoever thou art that neglectest Gospel-grace what fury and raging madnesse is it that thou art guilty of Thy soul with all its eternal interests lies at stake and as if it were neither here nor there what became of thee for ever thou despisest the riches of Gods forbearance after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart Rom. 2.4 5. treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath Is it well done of thee sinner is this thy kindnesse to thy own soul is this thy thanks to thy Redeemer How inexcusable art thou thy self being Judge thou canst not answer it to thy conscience to thy God with the least colour or shadow
Promises of the Gospel In which are two things formally constitutive of Saving Faith 1. Acceptation of Christ and the Promises Faith is that hand which doth touch the top of the golden Scepter or that closeth with and entertaineth what God offereth receiving Christ hence a weak Faith is true Faith and saving Joh. 1.12 as well as strong because it indeed receiveth the gift though with a trembling hand This is the coming unto Christ Joh. 6.35 and appropriating what before lay in common the applying what before was only applicable making the soul to say with Thomas believing Joh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Zanch. in Coloss 2.6 Sicut accepistis quomodo accipitur Fide So the good things purchased by Christ and following upon our receiving of Christ are said to be received as the atonement abundance of grace the gift of righteousness Ro. 5.11.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidei videl manu oblata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and expresly remission of sin is said to be received by Faith Act. 26.18 2. Innitency recumbency of soul upon a Christ received entrusting him entirely with 2 Tim. 1.12 Isa 50.10 Cant. 8.5 and committing to him the care of Soul and salvation staying the soul upon him leaning upon the beloved rouling the soul upon him resting with whole weight upon him as faithful able loving and this is truly fiducia this is truly Credere in Christum To believe in or upon Christ more than Credere Christum Christo to believe a Christ that he is and to believe Christ or his word It is a phrase in Prophane writers unusual as the thing it self salvation by Faith was unknown To this belong those expressions of the eyes being toward God 2 Chron. 20.12 Psal 123.2 Isa 45.22 Joh. 3.14 15. and looking to him even as the Serpent was lifted up to be looked upon with expectation of healing vertue so Christ to be looked unto by the Soul with a longing expectation and confident dependance The End of Faith is the glory of God in mans salvation Final Cause the one as supream and ultimate the other as subordinate that God might save his Creature to whom he wished well in a way of demonstration and exaltation of his glorious justice and mercy therefore was Saving Faith and Salvation by Faith ordained Justice that he might be just Rom. 3.26 that is demonstrated and declared to be just as Psal 51.6 both in not pardoning without satisfaction and therefore punishing sin upon the Surety and then in pardoning the sinner through faith uniting to and interesting in the Surety therefore saith the Apostle God is faithful and just to forgive Meâ—cy in that he accepteth the satisfaction of another and imputeth his righteousness to the sinner by Faith receiving it and that he found out and provided alone this way of salvation by Faith It was of Faith that it might be of Grace Rom. 4.16 Ephes 2.8 for by Grace are we saved through faith and thereby works as meriting and so mans confidence in and boasting of himself are excluded Rom. 27. and Gods glory entirely secured and advanced by mens submitâ—ing to the righteousness of God by Faith Rom 10.3 Hab 2.4 Faith and Pride being utterly inconsistent Indeed trusting God upon his bare word not having merit nor humane probability Rom 4.20 Heb 10.39 1 Pet 1.9 giveth great glory to God That Mans Salvation is an end of Faith all the New Testament witnesseth even that we believe to the saving of our souls and receive the end of our Faith in the salvation of our Souls 4. Effects The Effects more proper or less proper and Consequents of true Faith Col 3.4 1. Union with Christ who is our life and so we live by Faith What can more necessarily and immediately follow upon the offer on Gods part in the Gospel of Christ to be ours and our receiving him by Faith than union to his person though no personal union 2 Cor 13.5 Ephes 3.17 Hence having Christ in us and our being in the Faith are made the same because Christ dwelleth in our hearts by Faith Whatever the Spirit on Christs part doth before by way of uniting us to Christ apprehending us for Christ Jesus as some understand Phil. 3.12 Faith is the hand on our part that receives and the band that fastneth Christ to us This I take to be the fruit of the first consummate Vital act of the quickned soul and then is the mariage knot tied 2. Hence follow Remission of sins and justification of the person through Christ and his righteousness apprehended and appropriated This Peter testifies to be the witness of the Prophets Act 10.43 even that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins The pardoned alone live for the guilty are dead in Law which the people sensibly bewailed in saying if our iniquities be upon us Ezek 33.10 and we pine away in them how shall we then live Joyn this with our living by Faith and you see Faiths necessity and efficacy towards pardon It was St. Pauls ardent desire that he having won Christ got him been united to him might be found in him having the righteousness which is of God through faith in Christ. Nothing more frequent than the assertions and demonstrations of Justification by Faith in S. Pauls Epistles especially to the Romans and Galatians The manner of Faiths efficacy wherein is by a judicious person of our own well expressed for the cutting off those two eager controversies about the Instrumentality and conditionality of Faith It is saith he the general opinion of the Orthodox wherein all agree That Faith is a means appointed by God in the use whereof the chi dr n of men are made partakers of Justification 3. Adoption That our receiving into the number and having a right to the Priviledges of the Sons of God the Spirit of Adoption boldness at the Throne of Grace present supply future inheritance is the fruit and product of Faith appears from Scripture and consequence To as many as received him Joh. 1.12 or believed on his name gave he power to become the Sons of God For indeed we being by Faith united to Christ and the faultiness of our persons taken away through Christ what more immediately follows from this loveliness in him and oneness with him than communication of Sonship which cannot be in that way that Christ is a Son Ephes 1.5.6 and therefore is by the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ Adoption therefore is the effect of Faith through union to and Justification through Christ intermediately caused thereby Causa causae est causa causati 4. Audience and answer of prayer Our Lord hath given universal proof to this Mat. 21.22 in assuring that all things whatsoever shall be asked in prayer believing shall be received By St. James Jam. 1.6 7. asking
only argument urged by John the Baptist and our Saviour Mat. 3.2 4 17. to enforce Repentance mercy apprehended animateth the miserable sinner to returne to God Israel mourned but made no returne untill Shecaniah cryed There is yet hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 The Assyrians put halters on their necks knowing that the Kings of Israel are merciful The Law shutting the door of hope may stir up grief and horrour but it staveth off Repentance sin seeming unpardonable sets the soule at a distance from God and sinks it in despaire whil'st the pardon proclaimed provoketh Rebells submission Nemo possit poenitentiam agere nisi qui speraverit indulgen iam no hope no help to repentance saith Saint Ambrose Repentance is argued from Gerhard meditat secund Exercitium poenitentiae ex dominica passione and effected by the death of Christ Mount Calvary is the proper Bochim the sufferings of a Saviour the sad comments upon sin the sighs and groanes of a Redeemer most rending to râ—gardlesse hearts and the sweat and blood of the Lord most soaking and suppling to an Adamantine soul but faith only apprehendeth and applyeth a crucified Christ Repentance the souls Pump is drie and distills no water untill faith poure in the blood of Christ and water of Gospel-promises so that Faith must precede Repentance as the cause to the effect the mother before the daughter for it must qualifie the true Penitent It is a mystery beyond the reach of nature that a Son should coexist in time with the Father but neither reason nor faith can allow a priority of the daughter before the mother I well know many Divines assert the precedency of Repentance unto faith but to my judgment it is more than probable yea positively clear that in order of time Faith and Repentance are infused together into the soul in order of sense and mans feeling Repentance is indeed before faith but in Divine method and the order of nature Faith is before Repentance as the Fountaine is before the Stream But it is objected that the order of Scripture doth set Repentance before faith so in preaching Mark 1.15 Mat. 3.2 Luke 3.3 Acts 2.38 3.19 And Repentance is required as the qualification which must entitle to the promises remission of sinne is onely offered to the penitent so that Repentance is the reason of faith and ground on which we believe sin is pardoned In Answer to this Objection I shall propound unto your Observation three Rules which make a full and ready resolution to it Rule 1 1. Order of Scripture doth not alwayes conclude order of nature in 2 Pet. 1.10 Calling is mentioned before Election yet who will deny Election to be first in nature for whom God predestinated them he also called Rom. 8.30 Again in 1 Tim. 1.5 Acts 15.9 The pure heart and good conscience is mentioned before faith yet none can deny them to be the effects of faith which purifieth the heart for to the unbelieving nothing is pure but their very minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 Rule 2 2. Humane sense is in many things the Dictator of Scripture order The Holy Ghost speaketh of things as they are obvious to our sense and capacity rather than as they are in themselves and their own order Hence it is that the promises of peace pardon and the like priviledges are propounded unto Repentance as a qualification obvious to our sense and evidencing our faith Faith and Election must be known à posteriori by their effects Repentance and Vocation and therefore are mentioned after them For though we Believe before we Repent we Repent before we know that we do Believe Rule 3 3. Misapprehâ—nsion of the nature of Grace doth easily lead into a mistake of the order of Grace Such as deem common illumination and conviction to be Repentance and Assurance of pardon joy and peace to be the formality of faith may very well place Repentance before Faith but such as understand the acceptance of Christ in order to pardon to be true and saving faith and a ceasing from sin and serious application of our selves to piety to be the formality of Repentance will plainly see that faith uniting us to Christ and deriving to us the efficacy of his death and sufferings that we may be holy doth Precede and must needs be the cause of true Repentance Let me then dismisse this Rule with this Note or Observation Note Faith in its existence and essential acts but without its reflexion fruits and effects is the foundation and fountain of true Repentance Such therefore on the one hand as apprehend and assent unto the History of the Gospel and are sometimes affected with and afflicted for their sin but do not accept of Jesus Christ as tendred to be Lord and Saviour do fix their Engine too low to force the waters of Repentance into the soul yet this Divels faith may produce a Judas Repentance for an Hypocritical Repentance is the result of an Historical faith And on the other hand he that seeks assurance of his sin pardoned as an argument of Repentance maketh the effect both cause and effect and concludeth himself into a condition not needing Repentance whilst he pretendeth to enforce it but the true frame of a Gospel Penitent is by saving faith to see salvation through the satisfaction of Christ our Saviour extended to sinners himself not excluded and so closing with accepting of and appropriating to himself the general tenders of grace and terms of the Covenant to prostrate himself at the feet of mercy and pursue his pardon untill by acts of sincere Repentance he assure himself his aimed at happinesse is attained and shall with certainty be possessed and so he experienceth in himself and evidenceth unto all others that the believing sinner is the subject of Gospel Repentance and now I passe to the third Conclusion considerable in the nature of Repentance Conclusion 3 Sense of and sorrow for sin as committed against God are the procursive acts of true Repentance True Repentance as most Divines determine doth consist in two parts viz. Humiliation and Conversion the casting down the heart for sin 2 Cor. 12.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 9.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the casting off sin A Repenting for uncleannesse and sin with grief shame and anguish and Repenting from iniquity Acts 8.22 and from dead works Hebr. 6.1 This distinction or rather distribution of Repentance is not only dictated by the denominations of Repentance which in the Hebrew is called Nacham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An irking of the soul and Teshubba A t rning from iniquity so in the Greek Metamelia After-grief and Metanoia After-wit and in the Latine Paenitentia and Resipiscentia the one expressing the sense and sorrow of the soul the other the retrogradations and returns of it from sin but the Scripture also doth clearly suggest nay speak out these distinct parts of Repentance Humiliation and Conversion
evil is ever present but to do good he hath no minde so that he must needs cry out I have sinned and must return or else I perish now reproof finds ready acceptance from him the Ministers of God shall meet with no murmuring if they cry unto him Thou art the man for he is apt and ready to draw up a Bill of Inditement and read a large accusation against his own soul his iniquities now finds him out and followeth him every where that it becomes alive and appears against him with vigour not admitting the least of Apology but leading him to Condemnation and laying him open to the Curse due unto them that break the Law and therefore he now 3. Sentenceth himself as accursed of God and bound over to Divine fury the conscience of his guilt concludes him under the condemnation of the Law that he seeth cause to wonder at his very being concludeth himself unworthy the least of mercy and God to be just in the greatest of judgments which lie upon him and so proceedeth to judge himself and seal up his own soul under the curse standing under the continual expectation of Gods fiery indignation to be revealed from heaven determining it self a debtor to the Law and as such liable to justice and in it self unable to make the least satisfaction so that now the soul doth not only assent unto the Law as true in all its threats but app yeth them unto himself confessing unto him belongs shame and confusion hell and horrour wo and eternal misery that he knoweth not how to escape but if God proceed against him he is most miserable and undone forever and so is constrained with anguish of soul to cry out What shall I do to be saved This is then the first part of humiliation when the soul in this due order and judicial method of conviction is brought to a sight of sin to see God offended the Law violated the soul damned and destinated to everlastâ—ng woe if not Redeemed by the mercy of a God who hath established Jesus Christ his Son to be a Lord and Saviour to g ve Remissiâ—n and Repentance and so it proceeds to the sorrow for his sin as committed against God Second part of humiliation The second part then of penitential humiliation is contrition or sorrow for sin as committed against God Herein the soul is not only acquainted with but afflicted for its guilt seeeth not only that it is a sinner but sorroweth under and is ashamed of so sad and sinful an estate the stony heart is broken the Adamantine soul dissolved he rends not his garment but his heart and goeth out and weepeth bitterly He seeth with shame his many abominations and rendeth with soul-distressing sorrow and anguish the Curse of the Law that is due unto him and considereth with almost soul-distracting despaire the doleful estate into which his sin hath resolved him for he seeth God with whom he is not able to plead to be highly offended and therefore must with Job confesse that he is n t able to answer when God reproveth Job 40.4 5. he is vile and must lay his hand on his mouth though in his pride he hath once spoke yet now he hath no answer yea twice but he dare proceed no further Well seeing that all contending with God is but a da kening counsel by words wi hout knowledge and so he becomes submisse and silent under the saddest of affliction inflicted by God Psal 51.4 Lam 3.39 Crying out Against thee thee only have I sinned And why should a living man complaine for the punishment of his sin the soul is in it self confounded on the sense that God claps his hands against him for his sin therefore his heaâ—t cannot endure or his hands be strong Ezek. 22.13 14. Compunction of spirâ—t is the only condition of the convinced Penitent he seeth he is liable to the curse of the Law and his only outcry is What shall we do to be saved He being convinced that he hath crucified the Lord of life is pricked at the heart and in all approaches unto God he is ashamed and amazed becâ—use a man oâ— polluted lips nay Isa 6.6 sadly seeing that sin overspreads him Isa 64 6. his very righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloth he like the poor Publican stands afar off and dares not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven and his only note and eccho is Lord be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18.13 he humbleth himself under the hand of God as having deserved the most heavy of plagues his haughty spirit is now laid low within him he is wholly resolved into sorrow even godly sorrow it is his grief that guilt is on his spirit but his greater grief that his sin is gone out against God a gracious and an holy God a just and an holy Law his sorrow is a sorrow of candor and ingenu ty not so much that he is liable to the lash and obnoxious to the curse as that a Father is offended the image of his God defaced his grand complaint is I have sinned against God his soul-affliction and heart-trembling is God is offended the frownes of God sink deeper and seize more sadly on his spirit than the sharpest of his sufferings his earnest cry is for the joy of Gods salvation he is not only afflicted with the terrours of the Law Psal 51 12. which he confesseth belongeth to him but is melted with merciful Ministrations of the Gospel of which he is so unworthy he cannot look unto Christ but with a spirit of mourning moved by the strength of the remedy to see the heighth of his malady and by the dolor of a Saviour Zech. 12.10 made sensible of the depth of his miserie by the mercy and love manifested to so great a sinner he is led to mourn over a gracious Saviour like Mary Magdalene he loveth much and manifesteth it by lamenting much Luke 7.47 because much is forgiven Thus then the believing sinner comes home by weeping-crosse findes conviction and contrition antecedaneous acts unto his conversion a sense of and sorrow for his sin precursive parts of his Repentance and God holds this method in g ving Repentance for sundry wife and gracious ends which he hath propounded to be effected As 1. To suit them for and engage them to set an esteem on Christ Jesus and the Remission of sin in him The whole need not the Physician but the sick and Christ came not to call the righteous to repentance but the sinner Mat. 9.12 The hunted beast fl es to his Den and the pursued Malefactor to the hornes of the Altar the chased man-killer to his City of Refuge so the humbled sinner unto Jesus Christ like Paul slaine with the sense of sin and constrained to cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin Rom 7.24 25. it soon seeth and saluteth Christ for
me in whose presence is fulnesse of joy * Psal 16.11.3 Thirdly After this sentence follows the Execution Mat. 13.30 Binde the tares in bundles to burn them Christ will say Bundle up these sinner here a bundle of hypocrites there a bundle of Apostates there a bundle of prophane bundle them up and throw them in the fire And now no cryes or entreaties will prevail with the Judge the sinner and the fire must keep one another company he who would not weep for his sins must burne for them and it is everlasting fire The three children were thrown into the fire but they did not stay in long The King came near to the mouth of the burning fiery surnace and said Come forth Dan. 3.26 but the fire of the damned is everlasting this word ever breaks the heart length of time cannot terminate it a Sea of-tears cannot quench it The wrath of God is the fire and the breath of God is the Bellows to blow it up to all eternity O how dreadfully tormenting will this fire be to endure it will be intolerable to avoid it will be impossible Use 1 Use 1. Let me perswade all Christians to believe this Truth that there shall be a day of judgement Eccles 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement This is a great Article of our faith that Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead yet how many live as if this Article were blotted out of their Creed we have too many Epicures and Atheists who drown themselves in sensual delights and live as if they did not believe either God or day of judgement the Luâ—ianists and Platonises deny the immortality of the soul the Photinians hold there is no Hell I have read of the Duke of Silecia he was so infatuated that he did not believe either God or Devil * Usque adco insâ—nus ut neque inseros neque superos esse dicat I wish there be not too many of this Dukes opinion Durst men swear be unchast live in malice if they did believe a day of judgement Oh mingle this Text with faith the Lord hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world There must be such a day not only Scripture but reason confirms it There is no Kingdom or Nation in the world but have their Sessions and Courts of Judicature and God who sets up all other Courts shall not he be allowed his that there shall be a day of judgement is engraffed by nature in the consciences of men Peter Martyr tells us that some of the Heathen Poets have written that there are certain Judges appointed Minos Radamanthus and others to examine and punish offenders after this life Use 2 Vse 2. See here the sad and deplorable estate of wicked men this Text is as the hand-writing on the wall which may make their knees to smite one against another Dan. 5.6 The wicked shall come to judgement but they shall not stand in judgement Psa 1.5 in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall not rise up When God shall be deck'd with glory and Majesty his face as the appearance of lightening his eyes as Lamps of fire and a sword of justice in his hand and shall call the sinner by name and say Stand forth answer to the charge that is brought against thee what canst thou say for thy pride oaths drunkennesse c. these sins thou hast been told of by my Ministers whom I sent rising up early and going to bed late * Jer. 7.25 but thou didst persist in thy wickedness with a neck of iron * Isa 48.4 a brow of brass * Ezek. 36.26 an heart of stone all the tools I wrought with were broken and worn out upon thy rocky spirit what canst thou say for thy self that the sentence should not passe O how amazed and confounded will the sinner be he will be found speechless he will not be able to look his Judge in the face * Job 31.14 Job 31.14 What then shall I do when God râ—seth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him O wretch thou that canst now out-face thy Minister and thy godly Parents when they tell thee of sin thou shalt not be able to out-face thy Judge when God riseth up the sinners countenance will be faln * Gen. 4 6. and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Not many years since the Bishops did use to visit in their Diocesse and call several persons before them as criminal all the world is Gods Diocesse and shortly he is coming his visitation and will call men to account Now when God shall visit how shall the impure soul be able to answer him 1 Pet. 4.18 Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare Thou that dyest in thy sin art sure to be cast at the Barre John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already that is he is as sure to be condemned as if he were condemned already and if once the sentence of damnation be passed miserable man what wilt thou do whither wilt thou go * A dextris erunt peccata accusantia à sinistris infinita daemonia subtus horrendum chaos inferni desupor judex iratus soris mundus ardens intus conscientiaurens heu miser peccator quo fugies Ansel wilt thou seek help from God he is a consuming fire wilt thou seek help from the world it will be all on fire about thee from the Saints those thou didst deride upon earth from the good Angels they defie thee as Gods enemy from the bad Angels they are thine Executioners from thy conscience there is the worme that gnaws from mercy the Lease is run out O the horror and hellish despaire which will seize upon sinners at that day oh the sad convulsions their heads shall hang down their cheeks blush their lips quiver their hands shake their conscience roar their heart tremble What stupifying Physick hath the Devil given to men that they are insensible of the danger they are in the cares of the world have so filled their head and the profits of it hath so bewitched their heart that they minde neither death nor judgement Vse 3 Vse 3. Exhortation 1. Branch Possesse your selves with the thoughts of the day of judgement think of the solemnity and impartiality of this Court. Feathers swim upon the water Exhortat 1. Branch gold sinks into it light feathery spirits floate in vanity but serious Christians sink deep in the thoughts of judgement many people are like quick-silver they cannot be made to fix If the Ship be not well ballasted it will soon overturn the reason why so many are overturned with the vanities of the world is because they are not well ballasted with the thoughts of the day of judgement Were a man
steps 312 313 314. F Faith commended p. 455 456. Faith distinguished into its kinds 456 457. Faith defined 449. By its genus and subject 460. causes 461 462 463 464 465 466 467. Effects 468 469 470 471 472 473 474. properties 475 476 477 478. and opposites 479. 480 481. Faith if saving receiveth whole Christ on judgement and choice 475. Faith groweth and persevereth and purifieth 477 478 479. Faith and salvation how connexed 473 474. Faith strengthned by the Covenant of Redemption 228. Faith how it justifieth 421. Faith greatly opposed 480. Faith goeth before Repentance in order of nature as its cause 490. Faith in its essential acts without its reflexions is the cause of Repentance 491. Faith of Scriptures authorities to be strengthened 103 104. False Repentance seven kinds viz. Popish 515. Pagan 516. Profane ibid. Legal 517. Slaves ibid. Sullen p. 518. Quakers Repentance ibid. 519. Fall of man was from his own mutable self-determining will 111. Federal transaction did pass between God the Father and Son and that from all eternity 219 226. Fear of God the duty of such who believe God is 58 59. Fear accompanieth true Repentance 542. Filiation to God is by Adoption and Regeneration 447. Filial priviledges Believers comforts 451 452 453. Flesh an enemy to Faith 480. Flesh crucified by union with Christ 391 392. Forme of sound words to be held fast 670. By Magistrates how 674 675 676 677. By Ministers how 678 679. By the People how 680 681. Freedome of God Father and Son in transacting the Covenant for mans Redemption 224. Free-grace the ground of Adoption and Regeneration 477. Fruitfulnesse a note of union with Christ 392 393. G God is p. 30 31. Gods being is evident in nature 31. 48. and Scripture 48 49. Gods being consistent with the adversity of the just and prosperity of the wicked and evidenced by them 45 50 51. God is the only efficient of Faith 461 462. God could not be the original of sin 111. Gods glory the ground of Adoption and Regeneration 447. God as Judge justifieth how and when 122. God the object of beatifical vision 654 655. Gospel a good cause 3. Gospel-means to work Faith 465. and call loudly to Repentance 525. Gospel how it justifieth 421. Gospel-Covenant better than the Legal 245 246 247 248. Gosepl-Manner of propounding Repentance is by way of duty and priviledge 426 Gospel-Arguments perswading Repentance most pregnant and moving 527 528. Gospel-Helps to Repentance most powerful and operative p. 533. Grace of God magnified by mans fall 213 214. First cause impulsive of justification 420. Graces are the fruits of the Spirit 390. Grudge not the prosperity of the wicked 645. H Of Hell 621. the wicked turned into it 623. its name explained ibid. nature described 624. its pain ibid. The Properties of its punishment Extremity 628 629. Eternity 628 629. Hell discerned by the Heathen 635. Hell proved by Equity 636 637 638 639 640 641. Merit 636 637 638 639 640 641. No Bar or hinderance 636 637 638 639 640 641. Heresie an hindrance to Faith 480. Heresies and Errors disbanded when we come to heaven 649. Hearing must be fixt and constant 22. So it will help Repentance p. 545. Heart the subject of Faith 459. and seat of Holinesse 558. Heaven 647. it is a Kidgdome how 649. Hindrances to the understanding Scripture what they are and how removed 100 101. Holding fast what it meaneth 5. Holinesse 554. a state trade habit and disposition 555. Holinesse defined 556. Holinesse the designe of God in all his acts 559 560. Holinesse constitutes a Christian or Saint 561 562. Holinesse spreads over the whole man 558. Holinesse changeth a man 557. Holinesse necessary unto communion with God 563. Holinesse its properties 567. Companions peace righteousnesse unblameablenesse 268. its opposites filthinesse of flesh of spirit over-reaching and hypocrisie 569 570. Holinesse of the Publisher proveth the Scripture to be the Word of God 94. And so doth the holy matter pressed in it 91 92. and its holy Arguments 93. Humility the effect of sensible impotency p. 214. Humiliation of Christ 278. three steps of it 280 281. the manner of it 287. Humanity of Christ a miracle of humiliation 280. Humility must go before honour 333. I Ignorance inconsistent to Faith 479. dangerous 483. Impotency of man since the fall very great 202 203. Impossible to recover of himself 204. Impotent in respect of the Law 205. Of the Gospel 206. 207. Impotency determined in Scripture ibid. Impotency no bar to the demand of duty direction of means or infliction of punishment 210 211 212 213. Impotency is to be seen and known 214. Infants distempers and death an effect and evidence of original sin 143. So is their aptitude to evil and backwardness to good 144. Inheritance of Saints hath no corruption succession or division p. 441. Inheritance why heaven so called 661. Inherited by Adoption 662 663. Donation 662 663. Redemption 662 663. Inspiration what it imports 87. Inventions and many inventions what they signifie 106. Indignation accompanieth Repentance 442. Judgements of God prevented 521 522. and removed by Repentance 523 524. Last Judgement provokes holiness 563. and perswades to Repentance 531 532 533 Judge whom 608. Manner of his coming 610. Last Judgement its day 605. It is particular and general 606. why it must be and when 607. its method and order 609. Justice of God satisfied by the death of Christ 301. Justification its nature opened 402 c. Differeth from Sanctification ib. Justified implies guilt plea and acquittance p. 403. Justified persons are acquitted on their plea. 419. Justification its causes Gods free grace 421 422. Christs satisfaction 421 422. The Gospel 421 422. Faith 421 422. God Law-giver 421 422. God Judge 421 422. Works 421 422. Spirit 421 422. Justification by what plea procured 406. Justification not from Eternity 423. Justification procured by Christs death 341. is evident by the Possibility 342 343 344. Necessity 342 343 344. Nature 342 343 344. Cause 342 343 344. Vicegerency 342 343 344. Peculiarity to this end 342 343 344. Justification doth manifest the wisdome holinesse and mercy of God 428. Justification the priviledge of the Gospel-Covenant 140. Justification the ground of comfort p. 429. to be sought by sinners 430. prized by Saints 432. K Kingly Office of Christ what it is and how executed 255 256. Kingly Office the Saints priviledge by Adoption 441. L Law Regulans 110. Law Regulata 110. Law of God the rule of rectitude ib. Law given Adam in Creation was partly natural partly positive 108. Law requireth duty exacts penalty terrifieth and stupifieth 204 205. Law general and special obeyed by Jesus Christ 223 224. Law fulfilled in Christ his death 301. Law given in Paradise was not executed or abrogated but released and dispensed with p. 413 414 415. Light burning and shining 1. Likenesse of sinful flesh what it means and how Christ was found in it 281 282. Likenesse to God
the end of our faith but the salvation of our souls 1 Pet. 1.9 All the prizes were not equally valuable See Learned Dr Hammond upon Phil. 3. when we come to the Goale here we finde no Tripodes Shields or Caps but Crowns and no mean Crowns but glorious ones no fading Crowns but everlasting ones Who would not with the Apostle but pressed toward the mark Lastly That we may have greater comfort and assurance that we shall not wax weary and faint in our course and consequently not misse of those glorious rewards There 's no Calling that hath so high and heavenly assistances as this hath God that calls to this Race engages his power to carry us through it The Son of God intercedes for us the Spirit of God is ready to comfort us the Angels of God have the charge of us to keep us so that we shall not dash our feet against a stone the spirits of just men made perfect though they be not acquainted with our particular wants yet in general they tender our conditions and help us by their prayers all the people of God are constant sollicitors for us at the Throne of Grace besides those helps they afford us by their watching over us by their counsels instructions admonitions rebukes examples the chearfulnesse and alacrity of some in the ways of God having a great and happy tendency to prevent the wearinesse and discouragements of others Thus it is an high Calling Thirdly It is a Call without a sound or if it have any it is heard by none but them to whom it is directed A good Divine calls it an in visible Call Vocatio invisibilis Alting Occultis itineribus sapor nobis vitalis infunditur as Ennodius speaks by hidden paths and passages the vital savour is infused into us the seed grows up we know not how Mark 4.26 the Spirit secretly winds himself into the soul Christ comes into our hearts as he did into the house where his Disciples were met John 20.26 the doors being shut Thus it is ordinarily though I will not deny but that sometimes it may be oâ—herwise Acts 2.1 The Spirit may come with a mighty rushing and Christ with holy violence break open the doors of our hearts Saul could well tell the time and other cir umstances of his conversion Divina gratia adhuc in utero matris impletus Cypr. in Epist ad Jubaianum but it is likely the holy Baptist couâ—d not in whom the Father saith there was a Spirit of grace as soon as a Spirit of life The corruptions of some will out as it were by insensible breathings but so obstinate and inveterate are the spiritual distempers of others that they must have strong Vomits violent Purges and all little enough to clear them for a man of a good nature as they call it liberal education much restraining grace to take and give notice punctuaâ—ly when his state is changed is very difficult whereas this is no hard matter for a grosse and scandalous piece of debauchery becoming afterwards an example of piety We must not expect the same account from Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of our Lord in poi t of Conversion yet they both rejoyced in Christ as their Saviour This I have the rather spoken that I might enter a Caveat agâ—inst those rigâ—d and severe Tryers of mens spiritual estates whom as I have heard nothing will satisfie but the Precise time of Conversion I acknowledge these men great Artists and good Work-men but it is in frami g New Racks for mens Consciences since the Old Popish ones are broken I make no Question b t a weak Christians soul may be as sadly strained to give an Account of his Graces as it would have been to give an Account of his Sinnes had he lived in the dayes of Auricular Confession Beware my Frâ—ends of the Devils Sophistry Fourthly and lastly It is an Immutable Call immutable as God Himself as his Electing Love the living Fountain from whence it springs Not as the World loves doth God love they love to Day and hate to Morrow wearing their Friends like Flowers which we may behold in their Bosomes whil'st they are fresh and sweet but soon they wither and soon they are laid aside whereas the love of God to his people is Everlasting and he wears them as a Signet upon his right Hand which he will never part with Not as the World gives doth God give Men give liberally and repent suddenly but the Gifts and Callings of God are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 So much for the properties of this Call and so much for the opening of the point Shall I speak a word or two of Application APPLICATION Beloved in the LORD I have answered you many Questions I beseech you answer me a few Me said I Nay answer them to God and your own Consciences First Are you of the number of the Called Called by the Gospel I know you are but that may be your misery Are you Called according to the purpose that only can be your Happinesse Is your Calling Inward and Effectual We hope it is why we have some Convictions some Inclinations to good so had Herod so had Agrippa so may a Reprobate by the common work of the Spirit I would be loth you should be but almost Christians lest you be but almost saved Tell me then is the whole frame of your hearts altered Is sinne odious Is Christ precious Doth the prcie of heavenly Commodities rise in your hearts and the price of earthly Trumpery fall Do you love God and his Sonne Jesus Christ in sincerity Then I can assure you not in the word of a mortal man which is as good as nothing but in the Word of God that cannot lye even in the words of my Text You are Called according to his purpose Secondly If you be Effectually Called Why do you not answer that Call in receiving Christ in all his Offices in obeying Christ in all his Commands in meeting Christ in all his Ordinances Why do you not give all Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Shall the Children of this World still be wiser in their Generation than the Children of light They rest not till they have assured as they suppose their Earthly Tenements Why do not we bestir our selves as much to Assure an Heavenly Inheritance Why are you not more thankful for this Grace Why are you not more joyful in it How did the Wise men of the East rejoyce when they found Christ born in Bethlem Is it not matter of greater joy to finde Christ born in your hearts Tell me is it nothing to have your Names written in the Book of Life To have God for your Father Christ for your Husband and Brother The Spirit of Christ for your Comforter The Angels for your Servitors All the Creatures at your Beck These are the Noble Priviledges of those that are Called according to the purpose of God How
can they but rejoyce in them and sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever Why are you not more careful to walk worthy of this Grace There is a Decorum Ephes 4.1 a seemlinesse that appertains to every Calling This made Scipio that he would not accept the offer of an Harlot because he was General of the Army And when Antigonus was invited to a place where there was none of the best Company he was well advised by one to remember he was a Kings Sonne When you suffer your selves to be drawn away by your lusts to be ensnared by the World to be captivated by the Divel you forget the Decorum that should attend your Christian Calling Remember I beseech you First That it is a Holy Calling and therefore be ye also Holy in all Manner of Conversation Methinks it should sound as harshly in our ears to hear of a dark Sun as a wicked Christian Secondly It is an High Calling Do you live High Scorne Basenesse Blush to appear in your Old Raggs To be seen Catering for your Lusts as you use to do Crown your selves with the Starres Cloath your selves with the Sunne Tread the Moon under your Feet Let the Gospel be your Crown Let Christ be your Cloathing Let the World be your Foot-stool Let Hidden Manna be your constant Dyet Keep Open House to all Comers Set your Spiritual Dainties before them Bid them feed Heartily and Welcome And for Discourse Tell them what great things God hath done for your Souls Thirdly It is an Heavenly Call Let your Conversations be in Heaven you have a good Correspondent there Maintain a constant Trade and Traffick thither Expect Returns thence Lay up your Treasure there where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt nor can Thieves break through and steal Be alwayes preparing for your passage thither Fourthly It is an Immutable Call Do not droop and hang your Heads for the Changes and Mutations there are in the World The Foundation of God standeth sure though the Foundation of States be Overturned Overturned Overturned the Lord knoweth who are his and will cause all things to Work together for their good But what if now there be many amongst you that are not Effectually Called In the third and last place I addresse my self to them Men and Brethren if you have any sense of the excellency of your Immortal Souls any Love to them sutable to that excellency any care and solicitousnesse sutable to that love Do not resist the Holy Ghost Make the best Use you can of the Means of Grace To day if you will hear his Voice harden not your hearts If he now Knock at the Door of your hearts and you will not Open you know not how soon you may come to Knock at the Door of his house and he will not Open. Diog. Laertius Thal. It is Reported that Thales one of the Grecian Sages being urged by his Mother to marry told her at first it was too soon and afterward when she urged him again he told her it was too late Effectual Voâ—ation is our Espousal unto Christ all the time of our life God is urging this Match upon our Souls his Ministers are still wooing for Christ if now we say it is too soon for ought we know the very next Moment our Sunne may set and then God will say it is too late They that are not Contracted to Christ on Earth shall never be Married to him in Heaven THE TRUE BELIEVERS Union with CHRIST JESUS 1 COR. 6.17 But he that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit YOU have lately seen the Portraicture of our Lord Jesus drawn as it were at length Introduction both as to his Person and Offices together with the Means and Mannâ—r how he hath dearly purcha'st Redemption for us Method now requires that we lay before you how that Redemption and the benefits thereof come to be effectually applied unto us There we had the balme of Gilead and the plaister spread what remains but that it be now applied There we had a Bethesda an healing Fountain open'd but the Pool of life heals not unlesse the Patient be put in and the Angel of the Covenant Stir the waters Salvation for sinners cannot be obtain'd without a puâ—chase this purchase is not significant without possession this possession not to be procured without application this application made only by union this union clearly held forth in the Text viz. He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit Coherence In the close of this Chapter our Apostle seriously dehorts his Corinthians from that grosse that soul-polluting sinne of Fornication His Arguments which he lets flie as so many Barbed Arrows at the fifth Rib of Uncleanness are drawn 1. Partly from the end to which the body is appointed The body is for the Lord Ver. 13. The body was made for the God of holinesse therefore not to be prostituted to Lust and uncleannesse Ver. 19. The Holy Ghosts Temple ought not to be converted into a Stye for Satan That 's the first 2. Partly from that honour which by the Lord to our bodies is vouchsafed Know ye not that our bodies are the members of Christ Ver. 15. Believers bodies are the members of Christ therefore not to be debauch't so far as to be made the members of an Harlot This second Argument is back't and amplified by the words of the Text He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit q. d. There is a near and dear union betwixt the Lord Jesus and true believers much what resembling that which is betwixt the head and members Only here 's the difference that union is carnal this spiritual He that is joyn'd to the Lord is one Spirit i. e. he is spiritually one or one with the Lord in Spirit therefore ought not to be one with a strange woman in the flesh Having thus beaten up and lâ—vel'd our way to the Text I shall not stand to shred the words into any unnecessary parts but shall extract out of them such an Observation as I conceive strikes a full eighth to the minde of the Spirit of God in them And 't is plainly this Observation True Believers are closely united unto Christ Iesus The word which we render a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agglutinatus joyned imports the nearest strictest closest union This truth I shall endeavour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cleanly to explain solidly to confirme practically to appy 1. For the Explication of this truth Explication It will be of consequence to lay before you Query 1 1. Whom we understand by true believers Sol. 1. Not such as are united unto Christ by a meer external prosession Sacramental admission or presumptuous perswasion Such as these are said to believe in Christ John 3.23 and yet they are such so hollow so false that Christ dares not trust them Ver. 24. These are dead Branches John 15.2 Saplesse stakes in the Churches hedge Reformadâ—'s and Hangby's only