his devotions was solicited to pardon a Malefactour condemned to die he as willing to shake off such an unseasonable importunitie granted the request but Psal 106. 3. suddenly meeting with that passage of the Psalmist Blessed are they that keep judgement and be that doth righteousness at all times recalled the Malefactour and revoked his former grant of mercie upon this reason Principem qui punire potest crimen nec punit non minùs coram Deo reum esse quà m si id ipse perpetrâsset that Prince or Magistrate which can and will not punish sin is in the judgement and sight of God as guiltie of it as if he had commited it There are no men in the world more guiltie of other mens sins then Ministers and Magistrates the first by not reproving the other by not punishing 3. In faithfulness to the offendour to him that doth wrong the Magistrate by punishing him may do him a real courtesie as certainly they did the thief who condemned him to the same Cross with our Saviour and his receiving punishment by the hand of the Magistrate may be a means of his repentance for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Plutarch and so prevent his receiving it from the just hand of God Magistrates in Scripture are oft called Fathers as Pater patriae among the Romans and we know what Solomon saith of them Prov. 13. 24. He that spareth his rod hateth his son and severitie and justice against the sin may oft in the event prove mercie to the sinner but however He that doth wrong shall receive c. 4. In order to the common and publick securitie that by one mans punishment others may fear to sin Which is the account Moses gives of Gods appointment of capital punishments under the judicial law as the seducer from the true worship of God was by Gods command to be stoned Deut. 13. 10. and the end is expressed verse 11. that all Israel might hear and fear and do no more such wickedness And the false witness to be punished Deut. 19. 19 20. That those which remain may no more commit any such evil amongst you That which is a punishment to one becomes a terrour to all Besides punishments are necessarie for the protection of weak and unarmed innocencie to which Magistrates are or should be a refuge and shelter and which is chief for the securitie and defence of the Laws which would be every villains scorn and derision if they were not hedged in with thorns as I may say and secured by punishments For though the most ingenuous principle of obedience be love yet the most common principle is fear and those who will not for conscience sake as the Apostle commands Rom. 13. 5. conform to the Laws yet will for wraths sake for fear of punishment and many whom Religion will not Policie will oblige to obedience God sees it necessarie to secure his own Laws by annexing punishments to them mans corrupt nature is become now servile and with those in Psal 2. 3. would think of breaking all bands in sunder and casting away the cords of Gods commands from them did they not fear as it follows there v. 9. to be bruised with the rod of iron Many keep Gods Laws more out of fear of Hell then out of any love to Holiness and much more invalid will any humane Laws be without punishments annexed If men could promise themselves securitie from the punishment which the Law threatens they would quickly indulge themselves the libertie of violating what the Law commands I like not indeed Draco's Laws which were so cruel that they were said to be written in bloud not with ink nor approve of Caligula's decrees which were termed furores non judicia and surely capital punishments should then onely be inflicted when the Laws cannot be secured nor the publick safetie and peace preserved without them But without some punishment neither can be safe the Magistrates authoritie would be contemned and the Laws like Cobwebs swept down by every hand and therefore those same men I mean the Socinians and others who inveigh against all punishments especially if capital as a breach of charitie charge the Laws too as a violation of Christian libertie these are timely to be looked too Magistrates in Scripture are called Physitians it is a cruel pitie in a Physitian to Isa 3. 6 7. spare an ounce or two of corrupt bloud and thereby endanger the health of the whole bodie A Gangren'd member must be cut off that the whole be not corrupted immedicabile vulnus ense rescindendum est Nè pars sincera trahatur so must a corrupt member of the Common-wealth and however this may seem crueltie to the Offendour yet I am sure it is mercie and pitie to the Publick which can oft no otherwaies be secured and preserved from danger By this time I hope you see the Magistrates right to punish them who do wrong but lest the great Nimrods of the world might here take sanctuarie and because of their own power or policie or of the Magistrates cowardize or partialitie they may hope to escape the stroke of the civil sword and so be encouraged to tyrannize and wrong others let them know they shall certainly receive at the hand of God for what ever wrong they do c. that brings me to the II. The indispensabilitie of divine justice A truth very necessarie to be demonstrated because though the worst of Atheists fear it a clap of thunder strikes a Caligula under his bed as fearing the stroke of a revenging justice and a discourse of it strikes a cruel Felix into a fit of trembling yet many would go for Christians who do not believe it or at least do not express the power of such a perswasion in their lives Would there be so many mightie Nimrods hunters after their neighbours estates and lives so many unjust Ahabs and the like if they really believed they should receive for that wrong they do from the hand of an indispensable impartial justice Truth is men must offer violence to the principles of natural conscience in which there are strong impressions of this truth as being that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that judgement of God which the Apostle saith the Heathen though given over to a reprobate sense had a Rom. 1. 28 32. knowledge of before they can cast off all thoughts and jealousies of a revenging justice but few live under the actual belief of it the fear of it scares them but the belief of it doth not reclaim them Truth is most men have many carnal prejudices against it as to do thus is the mode of the world and I shall escape as well as others and not to do it will cross my gain and profit and that which indeed is the chief and makes most Atheists is present prosperitie they can do wrong and yet thrive and prosper and this makes many think God rather likes and approves of the sin then intends to punish
D. late Fellow of S. JOHNS Colledge in CAMBRIDGE Justitia non novit patrem non novit matrem veritatem novit personam non accipit Deum imitatur Cass in Psal CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Field Printer to the Universitie Anno Dom. MDCLVII To the right WORSHIPFULL SIR HENRY FELTON BARONET All increase of true Honour with God and man RIGHT WORSHIPFULL THere is store of Sermons extant the Pulpit scarce affordeth more then the Press neither know I which is more advantageous The sound of the Word pierceth more the letter written endureth longer the voice extendeth but to some few present the writing to many absent the Authour though dead yet speaketh Here are two added to the number and by the relict of the deceased presented to the publick view which I crave leave to honour with your name Why I do so I need not give account to the world which alreadie knoweth your worth and deserts and shall know by this that I acknowledge them besides my special obligations to you for your favour to me and my son unknown to the world Sir you were willing to have been his Patron whilest he lived be pleased now to vouchsafe the Patronage of this his Posthumous issue which I humbly commend to your care and you with your vertuous Ladie to the grace of the Almightie wishing you both all that little happiness the earth can afford you and fulness of glorie in heaven Your Worships most humbly devoted JOHN FROST COLOS. 3. 25. But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons SOme of the ancients have charitably excused the Heathens Polytheisme by that probable conjecture that they worshipped not divers gods but one and the same according to those various benefits they received from him or those divers apprehensions they had of him As Lipsius speaking Lipsius dissert 9. of the gods of the Stoicks saith they were rather multitudo nominum then numinum a multitude of names rather Lib. 4. de Civit. Dei cap. 24. then of natures And Augustine in his book de civitate Dei brings in the Heathens pleading for themselves that they were not so ridiculously ignorant as to think virtue or fortune and the rest gods but onely divers expressions of the same deity Which opinion may gain further probabilitie if we consider what unworthy unsuitable apprehensions men are apt to entertain of God Most men like that Roman painter Arellius who was wont to draw the faces of all his images according to the likeness of that beautie which himself most affected framing a god to themselves suitable to their own carnal interests and corrupt affections not conceiving of him as he is and so truely making God an Idol Thus some fancie a god to themselves all of justice breathing out nothing but fire and brimstone against sin armed with nothing but vengeance and terrour and they can by no means frame to themselves one conception of his mercy and this is the misapprehension which the humbled despairing sinner lies under who can speak no other language of God then that of Job The arrows of the Almightie are within me the poison Job 6. 4. whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of the Lord do set themselves in array against me Others which indeed is the more frequent and the more dangerous mistake fancie to themselves a notion of God as all love and mercie all tenderness and compassion in the mean time either through unbelief not crediting or through inadvertencie not actually considering the justice of God and this is the misperswasion and errour of the presumptuous secure sinner and that which encourageth him to a constant and confident continuance in sin against God and wronging his neighbour this prompts and encourageth the superiour to oppress his inferiour and him to rebel against his superiour Therefore the Apostle here undertaking to press upon these Colossians a just and suitable deportment to every subordination God shall set them in which is the relative importance of the words having verse 24. allured them by the hopes of mercie or a reward he here perswades them by the terrours of the Lords justice against those who in any capacitie or rank whatsoever for so Zanchy extends the words wrongs or injures another But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done c. As if he had said Let none lay aside the belief of the justice of God or encourage themselves Paraphr in sin by hopes of impunitie let not the poor inferiour servant for the words are peculiarly spoken for the comfort of such by the general consent of expositours repine despairingly because here perhaps he suffers wrongfully nor yet the superiour triumph proudly because he can at present oppress securely for there will come a time though now the poor and inferiour are oppressed without relief and great ones Tyrannize without controle when he be he Prince or Peasant honourable or despised rich or poor be he what he will be these circumstances of the persons are not valued or considered by that impartial justice of God from which he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done c. The words you see are the description of Gods severitie against sin their terms may briefly be explained thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that doth wrong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Budaeus Or if you will take the Philosophers account of it it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to injure another knowingly contrarie Steph. ex Arist Rhet. to some law either the superiour law of God or the subordinate so far as just laws of men agreeing with the law natural and eternal so that every sin as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostles phrase 1 John 3. 4. so it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too a wrong to God our neighbour our selves and in this latitude I shall here consider it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall receive The word properly signifies such a receiving as is by way of return or recompence that is He shall have the just reward of that injurie whereby he wrongs another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non personam significat sed personae attributa circumstantias Stephan Scripture speaks of God as having a gratious respect to some men more then to others Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated Rom. 9. 13. Thus God had respect to Abel not to Cain Gen. 4. 4 5. But the persons here signifies the outward circumstances and qualifications of men those which make men glorious and valuable in the world such as Honour Riches Authoritie Greatness Learning Parentage Countrey which are the admiration and terrour of men yet can neither procure Gods favour for nor secure the sinner from the stroke of Divine justice Which interpretation is evident from the context and I shall further clear it anon
Pharisees hypocrital prayers and fastings have their reward here Mat. 6. 5. Ahabs counterfeit humiliation protracts the threatned judgement 1 Kings 21. 29. Iehu's false zeal is recompenced with a kingdome for four generations 2 Kings 10. 30. So Ezekiel 29. 18 19 20. Nebuchad-rezzar had his reward for serving against Egypt The Heathens morality in Austin's judgement brought them in a double Aug. de Civ Dei advantage first of a lighter punishment hereafter for mitiùs erit the fornace is made hotter for a Cataline then a Cato or Aristides and then with outward temporal prosperity here for he imputes the Ibid. l. 5. c. 12. glory magnificence state and largeness of the Romane Empire to those moral vertues wherein they excelled other Nations as love to their countrey liberality divitias honestas volebant justice and equity not enervating their minds or emasculating their bodies by sordid pleasures and the like quibus moribus meruerunt ut Deus verus quamvis non eum colerent eorum augeret imperium for these the true God though nor worshipt nor acknowledged by them enlarged their Empire dominions In a word as God sees in the best of men some sins to punish and purge for which he lays them out affliction in this life so he oft findes some good in wicked men for which not as the merit of that good but as a demonstration of his love to and to give encouragement to goodness he gives out to wicked men a portion in this life 5. As the means of good and spiritual advantage to Gods own people which next to his own glory God designs as the end of all his providential dispensations in the world They are all for the triall instruction exercise and comfort of Gods people so is this particular providence of God in distributing to wicked men a portion in this life and that in these particulars First As it is a just encouragement to them to go on cheerfully in the ways of God upon an assurance of a better portion in another life which David seems here to respect v. 15. as if he had said If they have their portion here I shall certainly have it hereafter when I shall behold the face of God in righteousness And certainly if God rewards the shews of goodness in wicked men with a portion in this life shall he not reward thy real holiness with glory in another life if those who are prodigalls who run away from God have the huskes to fill them shalt not thou have bread in thy fathers house If Jehu's zeal Ahab's humiliation the Pharisees prayer and fasting though all but counterfeit go not without their reward in this life shall thy true zeal for God heartie repentance for sin fervent prayer for mercy not be rewarded hereafter Look as those afflictions which the Saints suffer here are sure and sad arguments of that eternal wrath and destruction which the justice of God shall deal out to wicked ungodly men hereafter as the Apostle evidently argues 2 Thess 1. 4 5 6 7. Saints the Jews were wont to compare to green trees as the wicked to drie trees as our Saviour argues Grotius in Luk. 2â— 31. Luk. 23. 31. if the Saints and it is the reason Boetius gives why wicked men sometimes are permited to persecute the godly ut exercitii bonis malis esset causa supplicii be cast into the furnace of affliction drie trees wicked men shall certainly be fuel for eternal flames so the earthly happiness of the wicked may give the godly assurance of everlasting happiness in another life Let me bespeak you as did Christ his disciples Luke 12. 32. fear not little flock if the dogs have the crumbs under the table questionless the children shall have bread They may divide the kingdomes of the world well be assured it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a kingdome in another It is an excellent observation of Calvin upon Gods rewarding the Rechabites obedience Jerem. 35. 19. Scimus saith he Deum saepe mercedem rependere umbris virtutum ut ostendat sibi placere virtutes ipsas God oft recompenseth the shadows and seeming appearances of vertue to shew that complacencie he takes in and ample rewards he hath reserved for true and sincere piety Secondly As it is a demonstration of the worthlessness and vanity of these earthly things and so alienates and estranges their affections to them Parciùs solent piis contingere quò magis illis rebus honos pretium detrahatur saies Grotius Hoc est propositum Deo ut Grotius in Math. 6. 33. sapienti viro ostenderet haec quae vulgus appetit reformidat nec bona esse nec mala the heathen Seneca gives this account of Gods providence it is his meaning and design to demonstrate to good men that those afflictions which the world so much fears are not evil seeing God oft lays them upon the best of men nor those enjoyments which the world with so eager desires pursues absolutely good seeing they are oft given to the worst apparebunt enim bona esse si illa non nisi bon is viris tribueret mala esse si malis tantùm irrogaverit afflictions would appear as absolutely in themselves evil should wicked men onely feel them and the world as chiefly good and desirable should good men onely enjoy it But this consideration that the worst of men have oft the greatest portion of the world how may it deaden the Saints affections to and quench all intemperate heates of desires after the things of this world and teach them to undervalue and disesteem those pearls which they oft see cast before swine Nullo modo potest deus concupita magis traducere Sâ—neca pag. 387. quà m si illa ad turpissimos defert ab optimis abigit saith the heathen Seneca This providence of God may most powerfully work in us a disaffection to these earthly enjoyments How should this pull down the towering and ambitious thoughts of men to consider that cruel Neroes ungodly Caligulaes apostate Julians have oft their crowns and Scepters How should this take of all immoderate covetous cares for the world to consider that the fool in the Gospel had his full barns And this should teach Christians to abhor that foolish affectation of delicious fare and costly arrayment to thinke that Dives now roaring in hell in his life time enjoyed both these in abundance Thirdly As it is an occasional means of trying his peoples grace and heightning their glory Datur occasio majoris meriti coronae is the account Lessius in his tract de providentia numinis gives of this Providence of God Had no persecùters no Neroes no Caligulaes ever flourished the glory of the Martyrs patience faith and constancy had been obscured As Jacob discovered the sincerity of his affection to Rachel that he continued to love her notwithstanding all the hard usage he endured for her sake thus the luster of the
Embleme of peace so acceptable should the ministry of the Word be which reveals Christ as your peace c. Thirdly Examine whether you be of the number of those sinners Christ came to save You will say that 's needless Did not Christ come to save all Is it not said expressely Christ died for all 2 Cor. 5. 15. and that he tasted death for every man Hebr. 2. 9. and that God was in Christ reconciling the whole world unto himself 2 Cor. 15. 19. How far Christs intentions extended in his undertakings would be too large to discuss it will be sufficient at present to note that the price Christ paid is sufficient in it self for the expiation of all sins and that it extends to all sorts of sinners notwithstanding this we know from Scripture that the greatest part of the world shall perish even of those who are under the Gospel Many are called but few are chosen and Christ doth expressely restrain that universality which many to little purpose contend for when he saith he laid down his life for his sheep Joh. 10. 15. to redeem his Church Acts 20. 28. and to save onely his own people Matth. 1. 21. and for those who were given him of his Father in contradistinction to the world Joh. 17. 9 Therefore there is room left for enquiry whether we be of the number of them who shall be saved by Christs undertakings for us Such are I. Repenting returning sinners so Christ tells you himself Matth. 9. 13. I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance that is such as are not righteous in their own opinion for as if man had continued truely righteous he had not stood in need of a Saviour so if self righteous he shall receive no benefit by Christ such he came not to call but sinners So you 'l say we are all yea but humbled sinners such as are inwardly convinced and truly humbled for sin Quest But doth not Christ call all Matth. 11. 28. Answ Yes but mark the limitation such as are weary there 's ease for such so Luke 19. 10. The son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost So we were all lost you 'l say True but these are such as see themselves lost and irrecoverably undone without Christ The prodigal was lost long but never returned to nor was entertained by his Father till he saw himself so and mourned that he was so Luke 15. 18. Christs commission was to binde up such onely as mourn and to proclaim peace and the acceptable year of the Lord to such onely Isa 61. 1. II. Believing sinners those are the terms upon which the Gospel offers salvation by Christ for so runs the promise Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved And Christ tells you himself he came into the world for this end John 12. 46. I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness And this was the design of God's sending Christ for sinners that Whoever believed should not perish John 3. 16. This is the condition of the Covenant of grace and salvation as Scripture every where expresseth as Rom. 10. 9 10. to this Paul directed the trembling jayler Acts 16. 30 31. All a Christians life is in Christ and faith is the hand that receives him John 1. 72. Whatever a Christian derives from or partakes of by Christ as forgiveness Acts 10. 43. is all by faith the Spirit of Christ Gal. 3. 14. inward puritie Acts 15. 9. perseverance 1 Pet. 1. 5. son-ship Gal. 3. 26. and at last eternal salvation by Christ John 3. 36. all which are received by faith III. Reforming sinners Christ came not to save any man in his sins but from his sins Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquitie Utique venit medicus ad aegrotum August Tom. 10. p. 200. constat sed ideo venit medicus ad aegrotum nè semper sit aegrotus Quod vult facere amat non quod invenit saies S. Augustin Whether do you then live as those Christ came to save Christ came not to save you onely from the guilt of sin but from the power of sin that sin might have no more dominion over you Rom. 6. 14. So that let no presumptuous sinner flatter himself in a continuance of sin upon this consideration that Christ came to save sinners for Christ saves and delivers them from sin here whom he saves from wrath hereafter Luke 1. 74 75. And the promise of mercy is made upon forsaking sin Prov. 28. 13. Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy Fourthly Let us all heartily entertain this so acceptable a doctrine as that message of Christ's coming to save sinners Entertain it in your ear by attendance upon the Gospel preached but that is a small matter welcome it in your hearts by believing it otherwise it will not profit you as it is said of them Heb. 4. 3. The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it And not onely so but in your lives too by obeying it and living suitably to the Gospel which discovers this acceptable doctrine to you Phil. 1. 27. Let your conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ The end of this Gospel-revelation was obedience and holiness suitable to our belief so the mysterie of Christ is said to be made known to all nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16. 26. for so our lives may witness our acceptance and hearty entertainment of this as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom I am chief It was a fond opinion which the Manichees and others of old maintained from this place of Scripture That Adam's soul was transfused into Paul's bodie because the Apostle saies here he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first but he means not time but in nature and qualitie Primum se dixit non peccatorum ordine sed peccati magnitudine saies Augustine August Tom. 10. p. 202. And that I think is not a much better interpretation which Grotius puts upon the words as if they were spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex summa modestia as if the Apostle had onely spoken by a Rhetorical modestie as when he calls himself the least of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 9. The Apostle sure intended not these words as complements Cave n◠existimes Apostolum modestiae causâ mentitum saith Calvin Whence it seems some long before Grotius had mis-interpreted the Apostle thus as if he had but told an humble officious lye perhaps as a bait to the applause of others as it is the practise of some to pretend low thoughts of themselves that so others may magnifie and extol them But the Apostle spoke not to know what others
thought of him but he spoke the real sence and inward perswasion of his soul when he saith Of whom I am chief Why the Apostle speaks this and how he could truely say it of himself especially as an Apostle converted and brought home to Christ I shall shew you in these eight particulars Consider the words as I. Vox recognoscentis statum pristinum as they were the words of the Apostle sadly reflecting upon his former condition while in the state of unregeneracie casting his eyes backward upon his blasphemie and * Recolite Saulum invenietis Paulum attenditis ad Paulum obliti estis Saulum attenditis ad Pastorem obliti estis lupum August Tom. 10. p. 200. persecution verse 13. with which his life formerly though then conformed to the strictest Sect of the Pharisees had been notoriously stained so that though now a convert yet he could not but reflect upon it and in that respect entitle himself the greatest of sinners He saith I am because his former condition was fresh and alive in his memorie It is a very usefull meditation for true converts and sincere Christians often to recollect and think of that miserable condition which they lay in in their bloud before God reached out to them a hand of mercie this the Apostle exhorts his converted believing Ephesians to Eph. 1. 11 12. and that the more to magnifie the riches of God's mercy which he had mentioned at verse 4. So David Psal 51. 3. I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me Nothing promotes more a real thankfulness for and pious admiration of mercie then frequent reflexions on our natural misery so it did here in the Apostle verse 13. Besides how will this meditation keep men humble when they see all their receipts to be the product and issue of free-grace and what miserable creatures they were before See Ezek. 20. 48. and Ezek. 16. 63. Of all the Apostles S. Paul was the humblest who often reflected on his unconverted natural condition This also will put us on resolved serviceableness for God to consider how much a dishonour Christians we were unto him in our natural condition Paul while unconverted a * Nemo acrior inter Persecutores ergo nemo prior inter peccatores August Tom. 10. p. 202. furious persecuter of the Church when converted was the most Zealous propagatour of the Gospel as labouring more abundantly then all the rest of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 10. And how watchfull and circumspect in their walking will they be who oft think of the falls of their natural estate A mariner in a second voyage will carefully avoid that rock on which in a former he was like to be shipwrackt so will a true convert of those sins which would have ruined him if infinite mercy had not stept in for his relief and pardon Who more endeavouring against sin then S. Paul while he was running his Christian race 1 Cor. 9. 27. And now as reflecting on his unconverted estate he calls himself the greatest of sinners That 's the first II. Vox aggravantis peccatum The Apostle here respecting the circumstances of his sins whereby they were aggravated and heightned calls himself the greatest of sinners because joyned with a furious persecution of the Chuch of God it being especially with rage and malice Acts 26. 10 11. Many of the Saints did I shut up in prison having received authoritie from the chief Priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them And I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange cities Where you see the height of iniquitie to which nothing was wanting but a clear knowledge to make it unpardonable upon the account of which circumstance of his sin he esteems himself unworthy the name of an Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 9. And another heightning aggravation of his sin was That it was done in unbelief verse 13. where some for because read quamvis although and so make it an aggravation of his sin and a further commendation of the mercy of God in pardoning for his ignorance and unbelief must needs have been in a great measure wilfull and affected he enjoying the means of faith and knowledge A high sin questionless Alensis gives this reason of it Quia destruit fundamentum totius Christianae religionis whereas other sins strike but at some particular vertue And besides if this be final it is the cord which ties all other sins upon the soul and makes it in the event damning And then farther as they were sins against knowledge the Apostle having been brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and that 's a high aggravation of sin James 4. 17. To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin Now the Apostle eying all these calls himself the greatest of sinners whence observe a distinguishing character between a sincere Christian and an hollow-hearted hypocrite he extenuates and lessens his sin with the unjust steward writing down fiftie for an hundred but heightens his but seeming and pretended holiness the world shall hear of it if the Pharisees fast twice a week and tithe mint and cummin but a sincere humble Christian in mentioning his graces and gifts is lowly but full and express in aggravating his sins thus good Hagar Prov. 30. 2 3. Surely I am more brutish then any man and have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdome nor have the knowledge of the Holy The Publican smites upon his breast with a God be mercifull to me a sinner c. And we need go no further for an example of both then our Apostle who of Saints counted himself the least Ephes 3. 8. but here of sinners the greatest That 's the second III. Vox esse accusantis The words of a self condemning and self-accusing Christian S. Paul's eyes were turned inward upon his own sins ' not prying too nicely into the sins of other men so that this speaks at once the Apostles humilitie and charitie his charitie prompted him to think and judge better of others though his humilitie would not suffer him to think otherwaies of himself And here is another character of a true Christian as distinct from an hypocrite hypocrites are quick-sighted eagle-eyed abroad but blinde at home Some shifting off their sins to others nay to God himself rather then charge themselves with them It is an hereditarie miscarriage derived from our first parents Gen. 3. 12. Another sort seemingly zealous and rigid in censuring others never condemning themselves though guiltie perhaps of greater sins then what they so severely censure in others believe it to censure uncharitably in others what we reform not in our selves is but counterfeit and hypocritical That zeal which is ready to consume others and yet burns not up our own corruptions is but the wilde-fire of passion and selfish design The Pharisee
as a Lord's cudgelling his slave or a Princes gibbetting a rebel and a fathers whipping his childe As Moses his rod out of his hand a serpent in his hand a rod. To a wicked man afflictions are a cup of trembling fore-tasts of the vials of wrath to a godly man but a cup in the hand of a father and though there John 18. 11. may be some drops of the anger of a father in it yet with an allay and mixture of mercy and love or a potion from the hand of our Physitian who intends our health Augustine differenceth them as a butchers cutting the flesh and the chirurgions doing it God established it as his method of dealing with Solomon and so with all 2 Sam. 7. 14 his people And these chastisements are the badge and cognizance Hebr. 12. 7 8. of these peculiar ones 7. In respect of that peculiar glory God hath designed them to which is the portion onely of his Benjamins God saith the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 9. hath not appointed us unto wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ It is your Fathers good pleasure saith Christ Luke 12. 32. to give you the kingdome which Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kingdome prepared for them from the foundation Matth. 25. 34 of the world laid out for them by Gods electing love purchased and prepared for them by Christ they fitted and prepared for Joh. 14. 21. Coloss 1. 12 Matth. 25. 34 it by the sanctification of the Spirit and at last put into possession of it by Christ himself This is the peculiar portion of those who by God were given to Christ who will see to secure it to them and Joh. 17. 24. this glory is peculiarly laid out for some and if you would know to whom S. John tells you Rev. 21. 27. to such as are written in the Lambs book of life II. This peculiarity appears in the undertakings of Christ and here is a four-fold peculiarity 1. In respect of a peculiar covenant and stipulation with his Father for the bringing home such a peculiar people given into his hands as Mediatour Lo I come to do thy will O God Hebr. 10. 7. God gave such a peculiar into the hands of Christ declaring his determinate will for their salvation and to do this will of his Father John 6. 39. Christ came to the earth and submitted to all the conditions agreed upon in order to their recovery All that the Father giveth me saith Vers 37. he shall come unto me And this it it which Divines call the Covenant between the Father and the Son as distinct from the covenant of grace made between God and man 2. In respect of a peculiar purchase Gal. 4. 4 5. To redeem them that were under the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies a purchase by price Pray observe that in 1 Pet. 2. 9. But ye are a chosen generation a peculiar people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a purchased people it is in the margins of your Bibles populus acquisitionis in the Vulgar He lays down his John 10. 15. life for his sheep unbelievers are none of those sheep It was his Church onely which he purchased with his own bloud Acts 20. 28. Vers 26. Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it Eph. 5. 25 26 27. It is his people onely which he saveth from their sins Matth. 1. 21. And where Christ is said to die for all men and for the world you are to interpret it of all sorts and conditions of men of every kindred Rev. 5. 9. and tongue and people and nation of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews in comparison of whom it is evident the Gentiles were called the world as Rom. 2. 15. And as to that middle reconciling opinion so much contended for at this time that Christ died intentionally for all upon the condition of believing and yet with a special intention according to the determinate purpose of his Father of actual bestowing faith and salvation upon certain persons it is I profess to you to me pardon my weakness a most unintelligible thing Will any wise man pay a ransome for a captive and at the same time intend that the captive shall have no benefit by it It makes Christs death to be in vain to the greatest part of the world whereas Scripture tells us that not one soul shall miscarry John 10. 15. and shall any of those sheep finally miscarry compared with vers 28. unless it be asserted that the condition of faith be in every mans power either by his natural abilities which is down-right Pelagianisme or else by some supernatural grace given to all which is semipelagianisme and both which the patrons of this opinion dis-own For Christ to die to establish a covenant with all men upon an impossible condition is as much illusory as if he had not died for them at all for an hypothetical promise upon an impossible condition is equivalent to a pure negation as any know who are the least acquainted with the principles of Logick and Reason And therefore till I can see further light to the contrary I must think it most rational to proportionate the means to the end and so extend the death and purchase of Christ to no greater latitude then to the purpose of God for the carrying on of which it was designed unless it be understood onely of sufficiencie of price 3. In respect of a peculiar intercession Christs interceding at his Fathers right hand is discriminate Joh. 17. 9. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine And this I humbly conceive to be a good argument à majori to prove the peculiarity of Christs purchase for undoubtedly Christ would not have grudged the expence of a prayer on the behalf of those for whom he shed his bloud for certainly Christs intercession is in pursuit of his purchase the effect of which is the actual bestowing of what he here bought for them by his bloud viz. faith perseverance which are the fruits of Christs prayer as appears by his speech to Peter Luk. 22. 32. Now this intercession is determinate to a peculiar people even to the elect and yet is of equal latitude with his death who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is Christ that died saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 33 34. who also makes intercession for us And unquestionably had Christ given himself and now interceded for all all should be made partakers of spiritual saving blessings for as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 32. he that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us how shall he not with him freely give us all things and John 11. 42. Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me and I knew that thou hearest me always Non dubito saith Vasquez Christum peculiari oratione voluntate In
love to God engagements to obedience encouragements and enablements to do God more service Doest thou rejoyce in them as giving opportunities to do more good to others Canst thou say they are arguments and motives with thee to walk chearfully vvith God They are thy viaticum to a better inheritance but if thou usest or rather abusest thy riches to luxurie and riot thy power to tyranny and oppression thy beauty as a bait to uncleanness thy learning in patronage of errour and opposing the truths of God If thy worldly enjoyments draws thee from thy obedience to God as fat pastures make beasts more unruly If with Jeshurun Deut. 32. 15. thou waxest fat and kickest against God sadly think of it without repentance thou art the man who hast thy portion onely in this life The sum then is whoever gets his earthly portion unjustly affects it inordinately useth it unfruitfully and ungodlily he is the man whose misery it is to have his portion in this life Tenthly Christians prize your portion Though you have little or no portion in the world there is an excellency in a Christians portion above what is to be found in the largest portions of the world which wicked men enjoy Eleventhly Let us all seriously set upon it this day to treasure up a portion to our selves in another life to take our Saviours advice Matth. 6. 20. to lay up for our selves treasures in heaven To you especially I speak who have the largest portion in this world none so apt to neglect the thoughts and care of heaven as those who have most upon earth as being immers'd in worldly pleasures and on every hand beset with temptations to sin and solicitations to forget God Luther was wont to resolve se nolle sic satiari that God should not put him off with an earthly portion That you may get a portion hereafter take these directions First Make it your first and chief business to lay up a portion in heaven 'T is the most compendious way to get a portion in the world Matth. 6. 33. Seek ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousness You will be every way gainers by it even in this life for all these things shall be added unto you cast in as an addition and over-plus Solomon had riches and honour cast in as an additional over-plus to that wisdome he asked of God or else the sanctified use of thy little portion in this life and as in Prov. 15. 16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith and Prov. 16. 19. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly then to divide the spoil with the proud Thou shalt have the world so far as it is good for thee and that little thou hast shall be filled up with the blessings of God here and in the other life too Godliness hath the promise of both 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come of the one absolutely and the other conditionally Secondly Live suitably to the nature and expectations of a portion in another life that is holily without this holiness no man shall ever see the face of God Hebr. 12. 14. and that 's the portion of Saints hereafter as appears vers 15. after my Text David opposing this to that portion the men of the world have in this life Thirdly Get a portion of grace here treasured up in your hearts Psal 84. 11. The Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glorie not one without the other all the glory in the world without grace will not entitle us to glory hereafter Let us then labour to make sure of God as our portion in this life that in another life he may be our exceeding great reward FINIS SALVATION BY CHRIST The Summe of the GOSPEL A Sermon preached in S. Benedict's Church in Cambridge May 27. 1655. By JOHN FROST B. D. then Fellow of S. JOHNS Colledge and late Preacher in Olaves-Hartstreet in London Luke 19. 10. The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Nulla causa veniendi Christo Domino nisi peccatores salvos facere Tolle morbos tolle vulnera nulla erit causa medicinae August serm 9. de verb. Apon CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Field Printer to the Universitie Anno Dom. MDCLVII 1 TIM 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief NOne can set an higher estimate and value upon mercie then those who have the deepest sence of their own sin and misery Christ is more pretious to none then to souls who have been truely humbled for sin The revelation of Gospel-grace is not so acceptable to any as to those who see themselves condemned by the Law Thus S. Paul here reflecting upon his former sins ver 13. how doth he exalt the mercy of God and the grace of Christ ver 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he wanted expression and that Gospel-doctrine That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which he now saw himself to be the chief which the Jews scoffe at the Greek counts foolishness the Atheist derides the Pharisaical Justiciarie undervalues to him is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most acceptable message c. Which words in their relative consideration seem to refer to ver 12. as a vindication of his Apostleship and Ministry from that prejudice and calumnie of those who objected his former persecution and blasphemie to him as a charge upon his present Ministrie The Apostle first acknowledgeth the charge ver 13. and secondly he asserts both right to and abilities for the Ministry to be from God ver 12. and thirdly he lays down the reason of Gods dealing thus with him ver 13 14. and lest perhaps some might think this false or impossible 1. he demonstrates the truth of his conversion by the fruits and effects of it Faith and Love ver 14. and 2. the possibility of it from the general end of Christs coming into the world which was to save sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifies notorious infamous sinners that 's in the Text This is a faithfull saying c. That 's the coherence of the words in which observe three things First A preface 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation Secondly A Doctrine or proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Thirdly The proof of the proposition by a Particular accommodation to himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom I am chief And his example was as he tells you ver 16. a pattern of that mercy which God through Christ would manifest to other sinners In the Preface four things are held forth I.
The truth and certainty of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an expression much used by the Apostle quoties aliquid magni momenti adfert cui fidem adstruendam putat as Heinsius observes The Apostle useth it here to secure Christians from those doubts which their own hearts or false Apostles or justiciaries or legalists might object against the certainty of mans salvation by Christ Is dignus cui fides habeatur ut qui fallere non potest saies Beza II. The worth and excellency of Gospel-revelation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sermonem non quemvis sed eximium selectum declarat saith Beza a choice truth the summe and substance of the Gospel III. That esteem and entertainment which the Gospel deservedly calls for from Christians It is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is non tantùm sententia vera sed digna quae fiat plurimi saith Grotius not onely a true sentence but most worthy also of our highest esteem and valuation and not onely so but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of our acceptation too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is aliquid avidè arripere saith Musculus as a poor man will money or a hungry man his meat Nay further the Apostle by all meanes endeavouring to provoke us to an entertainment of the Gospel said it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut nihil relinquat quòd sit avidius acceptandum quà m Evangelium Dei de peccatorum all at a salute per Christum saith Musculus on the place So that imagine the greatest and most readie entertainment any thing in the world meets with from carnal hearts gold to the covetous c. the Gospel deserves a more ready welcome from Christians as being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of all acceptation IIII. A Paradox to reason ideo Apostolus seriâ illâ obtestatione Gerard. in loc utitur saith Gerard. Secondly In the proposition observe I. The person who came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ the eternal son of God II. The place whither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the world a vally of tears a stage of misery III. To what end or wherefore he came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Joh. 3. 17. IV. The persons whom he came for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—nners and those not Angels but men c. Each word heightens the mercy of Christ and should provoke us to an effectual entertainment of that Gospel which reveales Christs coming into the world to save sinners I shall summe up these into this Doctrine The Gospel of which this is the summe that Jesus Christ came into Doctrine the world to save sinners is a most certain truth and most acceptable doctrine In prosecution of which I shall endeavour to shew First That the promised Messiah is already come into the world Secondly That Jesus Christ whom we acknowledge and profess is that promised Messiah Thirdly The importance of that phrase Christ came into the world what that implies Fourthly That the design of Christs coming into the world was to save sinners Fifthly How Christ carried on this design or in what respects Christ may be said to save sinners Sixthly Why it was necessary Christ should come in order to this end viz. mans salvation Seventhly Upon what accounts this is and ought to be a most acceptable doctrine I shall be brief in the two first as knowing I speak to Christians onely suggest some things to strengthen your faith And first That the true Messiah is come appears upon a four-fold 1 Partie account I. Because all those cities and places in which Christ was in order to the fulfilling of the prophesies in the old Testament to be born brought up and manifest himself in are long since ruined and utterly demolished He was to be born at Beth-lehem But thou Beth-lehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel Mic. 5. 2. He was to dwell at Nazareth to come into Jerusalem Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy king cometh unto thee c. Zech. 9. 9. And that while the second Temple stood the glory of which upon this onely account was prophesied by Haggai to be greater then the glory of the former Temple because of the person of the Messiah in it Haggai 2. 7 9. Add Malachy who lived in the time the second Temple was built and was Mal. 3. 1. contemporary with the Prophet Haggai But now all these cities are ruined and which is a clear evidence the Messiah is come the second Temple destroyed and Jerusalem demolisht by the Romanes II. The ceasing of the Jewish politie and commonwealth which was not to be till the coming of the true Messiah according to Jacob's prophesie Gen. 49. 10. which the Antient Jews themselves understood of the Messiah Per quem CHRISTI ADVENTUM non est intelligenda Christi nativitas stetit enim respublica Judaeorum Molin Vates p. 289. firmam aliquam politiam habuit per annos septuaginta duos post Christum natum sed per adventum Christi intelligimus manifestationem Christi per Evangelium By which coming of Christ we must not understand Christs birth for then there was a common-wealth of the Jews which had too some kinde of a settled politie for seventy two years after Christ was born but we understand by the coming of Christ the manifestation of him by the Gospel in which sence 't is said Matth. 10. 23. ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the son of man be come The power of life and death was taken from them in Idem de disciplina instructione Judaeorum our Saviours time as appears by their own ingenuous confession to Pilate John 18. 31. Then said Pilate unto them Take ye him and judge him according to your law the Jews therefore said unto him It is not lawfull for us to put any man to death Romani Judeae praefectos habebant cogebant fidem homagii praestare Caesari numisma cudere illis â—ram p. 91. licitum non fuit I shall not dispute the punctual time when this Scepter departed whether in Herod's or when Titus destroied the Iewish State which I must think most probable because then the gathering of the nations was to Christ by the coming in of the Gentiles but this is evident that that Politie is now destroyed and the Jews a scattered nation throughout the world III. The abrogation of the Jewish worship and Levitical ceremonies This was prophesied by Daniel as one thing which
upon him and verse 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all it pleased the Lord to bruise him v. 10. and He made his soul an offering for sin and this satisfaction by reason of the dignitie and holiness of the person was exactly proportionable to whatever the justice of God could require for mans sin Acts 20. 28. he is said to have purchased the Church with his own bloud Sin bound us over to justice Christ satisfied it and so saves sinners and supposing God's acceptance of a suretie which was an act of his highest grace and favour and wholly subject to the liberty of his Will his Justice could not require a more perfect satisfaction then was made by Christ 2. Pacifying of the wrath of God towards and reconciling God to sinners Indeed by the Socinian divinitie God and man were never at odds Christus non placavit Deum sed placatum ostendit saith Socinus It is true indeed that the very coming of Christ into the world was an evidence and demonstration of that great love of benevolence or that Philanthropie whereby God was inclined to do good to lost man John 3. 16. but no love of complacencie or delight in a sinner till actually reconciled by Jesus Christ but a mutual enmitie between God and man and a hatred in God to man Eph. 2. children of wrath and John 3. verse last upon him who believeth not the wrath of God which anger and wrath of God stands in contradistinction and opposition not to the general love of God to his creatures as such whereby he may design to do them good but to the the special love and friendship of God to and delight in his creature which cannot be till justice be satisfied and reconciliation perfected by Christ 2 Cor. 5. 19. Rom. 3. 25. that is his Justice in punishing sin and Ephes 2. 15 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom reconciliation supposeth enmitie and making peace includes opposition till which be removed the Holiness and Justice of God permits not the salvation of any sinner 3. Pardon and justification from guilt Rom. 3. 24. we are said to be justified freely by his grace freely in respect of us who confer nothing to it by grace in respect of Divine acceptation of this price paid by Christ yet by justice and merit if we respect Christ who came into the world to die and by death to purchase our pardon Rom. 5. 9. So then Justice being satisfied God reconciled and guilt removed by the undertaking of Christ the design of saving sinners for which he came into the world is effectually promoted Sixthly Why and how it was necessary that Christ should come in 6. Partic. order to this end viz. man's salvation I shall lay down these six positions for the determination of this I. It is absolutely impossible that the sinner should be saved till sin by some means be removed and taken away As it is contrary to God's revealed will to save any man in his sin without repentance and faith in Christ so it is a contradiction to the holiness and purity of his nature as being a God of purer eyes then to behold evil as it is Hab. 1. 13. I like not to dispute the absoluteness of God's power but we must have a care of exalting God's power to the prejudice of his Holiness as soon may God leave to hate sin that is as soon may God lay aside his nature as save any man obstinately continuing and dying in his sin II. It was not absolutely necessary for Christ to come into the world to save sinners Not by any necessity of coaction for he undertook this work willingly hence it is said Isaiah 53. 12. He poured out his soul unto death c. to note the willingness of Christ in the work Besides it could not be absolutely necessary because God might without any prejudice to his Justice have suffered man finally to have perished in his apostasie nor was he any way more obliged then by his love and mercie to provide for the recoverie of lost man more then the Apostate Angels therefore Scripture evidenceth the love of Christ by this Ephes 5. 2. and Hebr. 2. 16. III. Supposing God's design of saving sinners This was the most convenient way This I finde readily assented to by all that it was most convenient every way both 1. In respect of God that the dishonour which he had received by sin might be repaired by the undertakings of a person of infinite dignitie as Christ was 2. That sinners might be saved with securitie to all Divine attributes by satisfaction to his Justice by Christ's sufferings in the same nature which had offended 3. For security to his Holy Law by Christ's unsinning obedience and 4. With the highest exaltation of his Mercy for abundantioris erat misericordiae quà m si peccata absque satisfactione dimisisset saith Aquinas The Apostle from hence magnifies the riches of Aq. 3. p. q. 46. art 10. God's mercy Ephes 2. 4 5. Hereby God did also most remarkably communicate himself to the creature a greater was not possible then a personal union to the humane nature And then 5. Most convenient in respect of us as being the most cogent incentive of love to God Ferrea lapidea corda esse oportet quae non emolliet tam incomparabilis amoris divini suavitas saith Calvin Calv. in Joan. 15. 13. Hereby we have the advantage of an exact copie of all vertue humilitie patience constancie justice and the like and the most prevailing motive to imitate it in all holiness and piety 1 Cor. 6. v. last And then Lastly It was most eminent in respect of Satan that he might be more shamed and confounded by being conquered in the nature which he had seduced and ruined IV. Supposing the decree of God and his revelation concerning mankinde Man's recovery and salvation was as impossible any other way then by Christ's coming into the world as it is for God's purpose to be frustrated or his will to be fallible or plainly for God to lye To which purpose these Scriptures speak expresly Acts 4. 12. Acts 2. 23. Luke 22. 22. Luke 24. 26 27. V. Supposing God's purpose of saving sinners by way of a price and satisfaction Christ's coming into the world was indispensably necessarie And in this Estius though he thinks it possible that mankinde might have been recovered and reconciled to God by a mere man or an Angel yet this would not have been a redemption by an adequate price or purchase because Justice required satisfaction in the nature offending every individual of which being corrupted and so obnoxious to Justice and indebted to God in more then it was able to pay as deriving all from him was incapable of satisfying for its own score much less for the sin of all mankinde but supposing a man created pure or an Angel still the obedience of this creature would be but finite and so in the
rigor of Justice unproportionable to expiate an offence against an infinite Majestie or to repair that dishonour and injurie which sin doth to God and then the more the creature is enabled to do the more it is indebted therefore cannot merit or satisfie for former sin Psal 49. 7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransome for him VI. And lastly It is hard to conceive and imagine such a power so absolute in God as by which supposing sin and the creature fallen from him he should restore and save it without the undertakings of Christ I confess I approve not the rash curious searchings into the depth of God's power as esteeming it more the dutie of Christians thankfully and piously to admire God's revelation of mans recovery by Christ then nicely to enquire of the * Vbi semel ostendit Deus quid fieri velit stulta est ac noxia de possibilitate disputatio Calv. in Job 16. 7. possibility of another way of salvation Calvin saith God could have done it solo nutu verbo as he created all things at first by a word which I cannot close with for surely God would never have given up his Son to such miseries and sorrows might sinners have been saved by a word speaking this detracts from the glory of Christ's undertakings for sinners Estius thinks that minima passio Christi sufficere potuisset pro justo pretio redemptionis mundi by reason of the dignitie of the person but neither can this be without the falling of God's truth to the ground the truth I mean of this threatning Gen. 2. 17. Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die which must be made good either in the persons sinning and so man had bin irrecoverably lost or in Christ as their surety and therefore death on him was indispensably required by this threatning therefore this special way by the death of Christ was necessary though not absolutely as I shewed before yet ex suppositione finis supposing God's purpose of saving sinners after the threatning revealed To make out this consider three things I. The indispensableness of God's justice requiring the punishment of and satisfaction for sin A truth which every man carries a demonstration of in his own breast even those who were wholly strangers to God's revealed will of punishing sinners the Heathens I mean who had inward fears of an avenging justice for sin And if we assert justice to be an attribute essential to God we must assert I think that God punishes sin out of nature not will onely though all the circumstances of punishment be subjected in the freedom of God's will otherwise we must suppose it possible for God not to hate sin and so sin or no sin would be all one to God now the Scripture founds God's hatred to sin in his nature Heb. 1. 13. if then the justice of God be indispensable then satisfaction must be made before the sinner can be saved II. The impossibilitie of satisfaction to justice any other way then by the undertaking of Christ For no mere creature could lay down a price satisfactorie for the salvation of lost man though Aquinas Aq. 3. p. q. 1. art 2. thinks that the obedience of the creature might have been available to the salvation of sinners yet confesseth that this would have been Satisfactio sufficiens imperfectè secundùm acceptionem Dei non perfectè per adaequationem ad compensationem culpae commissae onely satisfaction improperly to divine acceptation not properly by a proportionable compensation for an offence against an infinite God but of this formerly III. Christ did by his undertakings fully and perfectly satisfie Gods justice in order to the salvation of sinners hereby fully repairing the dishonour God sustained by sin by an obedience more satisfactory to God then sin was displeasing his undertakings were the actions of an infinite person and so proportionable to satisfie for that infinite evil that is in sin and it was in it self compleat not depending in its worth upon divine acceptation to supply any defect in it but supposing Gods acceptation of that satisfaction from a surety which he might have required in our persons which is of infinite love and grace he could not refuse this or require a more full price and perfect satisfaction Hebr. 10. 14. To summe up this Gods justice required satisfaction the creature could not give it Christ as God-man made it and onely could do it therefore supposing the design of God to save sinners Christs coming into the world to undertake and die for sinners was necessarie Seventhly Upon what accounts this is an acceptable doctrine 7 Partic. I. The expression in the Text speaks it so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an expression never used by the Apostle but in matters of the highest concernment and importance as 1. In the advancement of godliness and piety so it is used 1 Tim. 4. 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so indeed it is as being indispensably necessary to a Christians present and future happiness as having the promise of this life c. 2. In asserting justification by free-grace so Tit. 3. 7 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a doctrine sure most acceptable to any who have either a sense of sin or apprehensions of mercy How acceptable must it needs be to an humbled sinner lost in himself to see free-grace coming in for his relief and succour 3. In encouraging Christians to suffer with Christ as 2 Tim. 2. 10 11 12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a faithfull saying It is true afflictions in themselves are not acceptable but considering who-ever suffers with and for Christ and how the cross ushers in the crown how if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him as the Apostle saith it must needs be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. II. The nature of the thing speaks it acceptable take it under these six plain notions 1. As a revelation of pardon and mercy to guilty condemned malefactours How acceptable is the news of pardon to a sentenced person expecting daily execution such is the Gospel revealing Christs coming into the world to save sinners We are all in our natural condition guiltie liable and sentenced to death John 3. 8. He that believeth not is condemned already When the soul comes to be humbled for sin and lyes under sad fears and expectation of the execution of this sentence O! how acceptable must the revelation of pardon needs be through the undertaking of Christ for sinners such free pardon as Isa 43. 25. nothing in reference to us though in reference to Christs bloud shed when he came c. Eph. 1. 7. 2. As a proclamation of peace to enemies How acceptable is an Embassie of peace from a prince to his subjects who are in rebellion We were up in Armes in open hostilitie against God and by
whose prayer was hypocrisie would see oft a mote in his brothers eye and pretend to a skill and desire to pull it out when he neglects the beam in his own He that is so much abroad it is to be feared he seldome turns his eyes inward to consider the plague of his own heart The Pharisee boasts that he is not as the Publican but the good Publican strikes upon his own breast and saith Lord be mercifull to me a sinner It is our dutie Brethren to reprove others but nor uncharitably to condemn them This censorious uncharitableness is commonly the issue of a Pharisaical opinion of a mans own righteousness It was otherwise with the disciples Mark 14. 18 19. they say not Is it he or he but each ready to suspect and accuse himself Lord is it I so the Apostle here accuseth himself by a particular indictment here in the gross of whom I am the chief Whereas in respect of others a Christian thinks it better to wrong himself by an over charitable credulitie then others by unjust censures and suspicions but before God none accuse themselves more hereby magnifying more the grace of God in pardoning haec ejus accusatio est laus salvatoris saith Ambrose accusing himself he exalts his Saviour who came into the world to save sinners of whom he accuseth himself as the chief That 's the third IV. Vox spiritualiter illuminati as the words of the Apostle inwardly enlightned to see and discern the nature of his former sins and this is one thing in which every true Christian is enlightned S. Paul in his unregenerate estate thought in his conscience he was bound to oppose the Gospel of Christ as he tells you himself Acts 26. 9. but now he discovers the horrid nature of his blasphemie and persecution and unbelief and therefore oft heightens it Gal. 1. 13. Carnal hearts do not see the evil of sin and therefore think it a light small matter they 'l be playing with the serpent as not feeling the sting of it but when a Christian spiritually enlightned sees sin through the glass of the law and the bloud of Christ it appears in its proper colours Thus to S. Paul by the law sin appeared exceeding sinfull Rom. 7. and himself here The greatest of sinners That 's the fourth V. Vox confitentis as the words of S. Paul confessing his sin He was primus in ordine confitentium saith Aretius upon the place as readie to acknowledge his sin as any and surely this is a great Christian dutie however many now a-days are high-flown into raptures and ecstasies and cry down Confession and Repentance as legal The Saints in Scripture have been express and frequent in this duty David frequently in the Psalms Psal 32. 5. and fully Psal 51. 2 4 5. confesses his original corruption Read holy Ezra's confession Ezra 9. 5 6. See Daniels holy and humble confession Dan. 9. 4. he recounts particular sins v. 5 6. so continues till v. 16. thus Paul v. 13. and here I am the chief of sinners Hereby Christians acknowledge their liableness to Justice and magnifie the grace of God in pardoning as S. Paul v. 13. yet he obtained mercy Much like this of the Apostle is that of Tertullian in his book de poenitentia Peccator omnium notarum sum nec ulli rei nisi poenitentiae natus that is I am a most notorious sinner as if I were born to no other end then to confess and repent That brings me to the sixth thing as they are VI. Vox dolentis as the words of S. Paul mourning and sorrowing in the remembrance of his former and meditation of his present sins ut se humiliet adhuc dolet de sua incredulitate saith Ambrose upon the place the Apostle still mournes upon the consideration of his unbelief Though many even of those who crucified Christ as those Acts 2. were brought to a sence of their sin yet none more then Paul who now converted yet grieves for his former unbelief True Christians are tender hearted so easily melted into sorrow It is one thing which God workes upon the heart in conversion viz. a melting tenderness under sin How doth Mary Magdalen formerly notorious shed a fountain of teares how tender was Davids heart when he had cut of Sauls garment and numbred the people 2. Sam. 24. 10. And Christians oft mourn even after God hath pardoned them that they should by sin formerly so much dishonour him I question not but upon this account David watered his couch with his tears and some say Peter never heard the cock crow but he wept for the denyal of his Master and Austin in his confessions often aggravates and heightens his sin while a Manichee so the Apostle here reflecting upon his former blasphemy c. seemes with a tear in his eye to cry out Of whom I am the chief VII Vox ingemescent is sub onere the Apostle speaks this as sensible of the burden of sin so that he was the greatest of sinners in respect of his own sence and feeling As suppose one sick of the tooth-ach or head-ach cries out No pain is like my pain because he feels that by experience but other mens by speculation only so the Apostle here from an inward sence of his own sins calls himself the chief of sinners Here 's again a Character of a true Christian He is one to whom sin is a real burthen whereas a wicked man makes light of it sin is there in its proper place A wicked man is in his Element when sinning and Elementa non gravitant in propriis locis but a Christian having a heart of flesh so tender the least sin is a burthen to him David complains of his broken bones by reason of sin and that his sins were a burthen too heavie for him to bear and Paul here confesseth himself the chief of sinners VIII Vox fidei applicantis the words of S. Paul by a particular faith applying to himself that general truth that Christ came into the world to save sinners As if he should have said * Ad quoâ— venit primus ego sum Aug. tom 10. pag. 200. I am the chief of those sinners which Christ came to save This is the special art of saving faith to bring down Vniversal truths by particular application so did David Psal 116. 5 6 7. See he applies the general mercy of God to himself It is not enough to believe in the general that Christ came to save sinners for this is but historical which the divels believe and tremble because they have no part in him and thousands will be damned who profess they believe this but true saving faith is a fiducial relyance upon and particular application of Christ as coming to save me in particular as S. Paul did Gal. 2. 20. so 2. Tim. 1. 22. and hereafter there is layd up for me a crown c. c. 4. v. 8. and here he brings down this general