this man or that woman out of the Kingdom of Heaven whom we saw walking so disorderly under so visible a neglect of their own Salvation Obj. This way of Preaching may grieve the Saints Ans. What! to hear that impenitent unbelieving Sinners remaining so shall never enter into Heaven if this grieve them they must be grieved we can't help it better they grieved than others eternally Damn'd for want of such an awakening word Am I your enemy because I tell you the truth if so I desire never to be friends with you upon other terms Brethren What we do of this kind errante clave affects no man's Conscience But if you find that you are the persons to whom God intends Comfort you ought to receive it if the persons to whom the Curse belongs you ought to apply it to your selves and to tremble under it for what is bound on Earth is bound in Heaven The Curse will certainly come upon you if you repent not you may reverse the Sentence we pass by a speedy turning to God before you dye else 't will be confirmed against you at the last Day to your eternal Destruction by an irreversible Sentence You will frequently find it may be not presently that as you are bound or loosed by the Preachers of the Gospel so suitable impressions of God's Love or Anger are made upon your Souls even in this World God does this to keep up the Authority of his Ministers that they may effectually comfort Believers and as effectually terrifie Unbelievers therefore if we are bold against some 2 Cor. 10. 2. and do use sharpness according to the power which the Lord Jesus has given us for your edification 2 Cor. 13. 10. For that we aim at in all these denunciations of God's wrath against the impenitent 1 Cor. 5. 5. I say if we come with a Rod and seem not so kind and gentle to you as you would have us 1 Cor. 4. 21. If at any time we are found unto you such as ye would not 't is because we do not find you such as we would 2 Cor. 12. 20. The Sum of All. This Phrase of giving the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven is Metaphorical from one who has the Supreme Power in a House or City so Eliakim as Chief Governour of the King's Houshold had the keys of the house laid upon his shoulder Isa. 22. 22. Prefiguring the Kingdom of Christ who gives the Keys i. e. the Power of binding and loosing here on Earth to his Ministers Q. How can the power of Remitting Sin which belongs to God only Mark 2. 7. be ascribed to men A. Christ in Commanding the Apostles and in them all Ministers to remit Sin does not transfer upon them that which is his own peculiar Prerogative i. e. he does not resign to them his Power of forgiving Sin but only Commands them in his Name to testifie to their hearers that the Sins of all those who Believe in Jesus are Pardoned and to pronounce them Pardoned by God So that Ministers are not the Authors of Forgiveness but only God's witnesses testifying his Grace towards Repenting Believing Sinners Nothing makes more for our comfort than to know that our Sins are Pardoned and to this end God hath appointed his Ministers in his Name to tell Believers so and to declare unto all that they who Believe shall be Saved and have all their Sins remitted to them for Christ's sake Thus I have shewed you what is implied in this Text And till men are wrought up by the Preaching of the Gospel to a real conviction of these Truths viz. 1. That all men are Sinners by Nature and under Condemnation by Law 2. That there is no Salvation to be expected or hoped for without a full and free Remission of all their Sins 3. That this Remission of Sin can never be obtained till full satisfaction be first given to the Law and Justice of God for all our Offences and Trespasses against him 4. That none but Christ is able to make this satisfaction for Sin 5. That in order hereunto i. e. for the effecting and compleating this satisfaction the Son of God took our flesh upon him and Dyed in that Flesh for us shed his Blood for the Remission of our Sins 6. That all who come unto this Jesus casting themselves by Faith upon him shall certainly find Mercy shall have all their sins Pardoned and shall be Eternally Saved Till we can prevail with our hearers to own and acknowledge these Generals 't is impossible they should Believe in the Lord Jesus to the saving of their Souls That Faith that is saving does necessarily presuppose and include in it a real assent unto and full conviction of all the forementionned Truths Possibly some will say We know all this already have heard these things over and over it may be so but pray hear them over once more and consider them well in the light of this Text that tells you plainly there is no other way of Salvation Sometimes it pleases God by one Text set home by the Spirit upon our hearts to lead us into a more serious consideration of many other Truths relating to it which we formerly gathered out of the letter of the Word without any application of the matter contained in them to our selves We who are Ministers must insist upon these things we have nothing else to say to Sinners till they are convinced of these truths this is the first opening of the Gospel we cannot proceed one step farther till some credit be given to these first Principles of the Christian Religion I hope you who are here present and do frequent this Assembly do attend upon the Ministry of the Word under a real conviction of these truths Therefore give me leave to put One question to you to every one of you to your Consciences I put it viz. Whether you have answered this Conviction by your personal Coming to Christ and actual casting your selves upon him for the Pardon of all your Sins If this be not yet done I am sure you cannot Answer it to God nor your own Consciences Pray consult your convictions and shew your selves men To say no more Two things I shall speak to from this Text viz. 1. What Remission of Sin is 2. How Salvation consists in the Remission of Sin CHAP. III. I. What Remission of Sin is I Intend to speak distinctly to these Two Heads yet not so distinctly neither but I may now and then run them both together in my Discourse which cannot well be avoided in truths of so near an affinity to each other as these are I begin with the first viz. Remission of Sin What are we to understand by that Remission of Sin implies our justification It can signifie nothing less in Mark 1. 4. and Mat. 26. 28. They who labour most to find a difference are very much put to it to make it out They say that imputation of Righteousness is distinct from Remission of
favour of God for us and a right to all the blessings promised in the Gospel and his Spirit effectually applies all this to us and works all this in us 3. Remission of sin as it is held forth and offered in the Gospel presupposes nothing in man as the cause and condition of it moving God to pardon him but only denotes God's gracious Indulgence towards him not reckoning his sin to him upon his believing in Christ see how pardoning Grace finds us Col. 2. 13. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickned together with him having forgiven you all trespasses So Heb. 8. 10 11 12. God does not eye any Qualifications in us but promises to do all himself I will and they shall c. 'T is objected That Faith is the beginning of Sanctification and if Faith be required unto Justification then some part at least of our Sanctification is required unto justification Answ. No part at all for though Faith be a supernatural Principle infused by God in order to our Sanctification as well as our Justification yet it first Justifies before it Sanctifies I speak of Faith now not in its first Principle but in its first actings I say it first acts upon Christ by receiving him before it begins actually to sanctify us there is a great difference between the Instrumentality of Faith in receiving Christ for our Justification and the efficacy of Faith applying Christ received for our Sanctification to speak properly 't is not God's working Faith but Faith working in us and upon us that Sanctifies God always gives Christ in and with our first Faith for Justification and Pardon this must be first finished and compleated before Faith will or can begin to sanctifie us because Faith fetches all its sanctifying Virtue from Christ received but our first act of receiving Christ is that that justifies Sanctification always follows upon it and is gradually carried on by a justifying Faith to our lives end in is not pardoned because it is mortified but because it is pardoned therefore it 's mortified Remission of sin presupposes no real change in the man himself as moving God thereunto Neither does remission of sin alter the nature of sin but only the state of the Sinner his sin is not imputed to him To forgive sin is not to remember it Jer. 31. 34. There 't is but God won't look towards it his thoughts are so taken up with the blood of Christ and the Interest that Believers have in that blood that he willingly forgets their sins he will not deal with them after their sins nor reward them according to their iniquities Psal 103. 10. And that they may be sure of this he casts their sins into the depths of the sea Mich. 7. 19. As far as the east is from the west so far hath he removed our transgression from us Psal. 103. 12. Not only from himself but from us he sees no iniquity in Jacob. If pardoning Grace does not presuppose but make a real change in a man for the better yet forasmuch as we are imperfectly Sanctified the Pardon of sin and the being and presence of sin may and do consist together in every true Believer here below provided they do not allow themselves in the practise of it 4. Remission of sin is an act of Mercy not Justice yet not contrary to Justice because the sins that are pardoned to us are punished in Christ 't is from God's Justice that he will not pardon sin without satisfaction 't is from his Mercy that he will accept of satisfaction from the hand of another This answers that plausible Objection that is commonly made against our Salvation by Grace viz. Wicked men are condemned for their evil works therefore Saints are justified for their good works Answ. This does not follow because one is an act of Justice and the other of Mercy Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Death is wages due by Law eternal Life is a free gift through Jesus Christ. 5. Remission of sin as 't is an act of Mercy so 't is act of Power too God has Power to forgive sin none but the Creditor can forgive the Debtor God is the greater Creditor and we are all his Debtors against thee only have I sinned therefore God only has Power to forgive sin but yet it is not an act of mere absolute Power neither but an act of Divine Jurisdiction that carries in it a due respect unto the Law which God as the righteous Judge and most wise Governour of the world will not violate Therefore Remission of Sin under this provision that God has made in Christ for the satisfaction of his Law and Justice is called Justification Rom. 4. 5 6. God is Just as well as Merciful in Pardoning Sin Rom 3. 25 26. So that Pardon flows from the Love of God acting towards us for Christ's sake i. e. upon the account of his Merit and Satisfaction which respect the Justice of God The truth is the satisfaction of Christ is the foundation of Pardon this satisfaction lyes in the expiatory Sacrifice offered by Christ upon the Cross hence expiation or atonement is joyned with pardon in Scripture Numb 15. 25. Levit. 4. 20. The priest was to make an atonement that the sin should be forgiven An expiatory Sacrifice led the way to forgiveness under the Law and so it does now under the Gospel without shedding of Blood there is no remission of sin If you have not the Blood of Christ is your eye when you go to God for Pardon never think to speed CHAP. IV. The APPLICATION I Shall shut up all with a word of Exhortation urging every one of you to a frequent deep serious consideration of this grand fundamental truth concerning the only way of Salvation by the remission of sin through Faith in Christ Jesus I know the time will shortly come when all our Notions and Disputes must be resolved into our believing or not believing in Christ for Pardon of sin therefore be perswaded to begin your Religion in pure Faith trusting in Christ only for the remission of all your sins through the merit of his Blood begin here lay this as the Foundation of all your Religion make this sure and then you will more clearly see upon what account you stand righteous before God if you joyn any thing with Christ here and miss your way in the first setting out you 'll go wider and wider from the Gospel every stop you take and be forced to wrest the Scriptures all along to make good your first grand mistake therefore I say beg of God to bring your hearts to a true reliance upon the free-Grace and Mercy of God in Christ Jesus for the pardon of all your sins Take this as a clue in your hands to guide you into such an understanding of all other truths as is consonant to this
God's Justice would not permit that man should be received into favour and freed from that misery he had brought upon himself 'till a sufficient Price was paid for his ransom nothing but the Blood of Christ could quench that flaming Sword of God's just Anger that kept man when cast out of Paradise from the Tree of Life So that the right that God recovered was for the good of man a right to shew Mercy to the worst of Penitent sinners without any reflection upon his Justice That he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Rom. 3. 26. That a Holy God should justifie a sinful man is the greatest Mystery that ever the World heard of but God who works wonders hath in his infinite Wisdom Job 28. 23. glorified his Justice and Mercy both in our Salvation by Christ. God had a special right by Election in all his chosen Ones but foreseeing the fall of his Elect he provides for their Redemption in case of Transgression Election was unto Eternal Life but sin intervening between Election and Salvation threatens Eternal Death puts such a rub in the way which must be removed or else the Elect themselves could not be Saved therefore that Election might stand and obtain its end Rom. 11. 7. God provides for our Redemption laies help upon one that is Mighty we were chosen in him in whom we have redemption Eph. 1. 4 7. God had an Eye to Christ in our Election 't is that makes it sure What wonderful difficulties does Election meet with enough if it were possible to hinder the Salvation even of the Elect Mat. 24. 24. But Christ has secured them John 10. â—8 I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand The end of our Redemption was not to rescue us quite out of the hand of God to take us out of his power for that cannot be but to let us into his Love to reconcile us to him to bring us to a nearer conjunction with him than ever John 17. 21. That which moved God to Redeem us was his Love and Pity Isa. 63. 9. CHAP. IV. Seventhly How by tbe Law of Redemption the Redeemed pass over Body and Soul into the possession of the Redeemer LAstly The relation that Christ hath to and the interest and propriety that he hath in all Believers as their Redeemer obliges them in Reason Justice Equity and Conscience to Dedicate and Devote themselves all that they are and have to his Service to Glorifie God in their Body and Spirit which are God's All the Persons of the Trinity have a special Interest in the Persons of all true Believers 1. God the Father Their Body and Spirit are God's says the Text they are Redeemed unto God Rev. 5 9. 2. God the Son as they are Members of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 15. 3. God the Holy Ghost as they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. 1 Cor. 3. 6. Eph. 2. 21. 2 Cor. 6. 16. The Spiritual House of God 1 Pet. 2. 5. If any man defile the temple of God him shall God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are Redemption fixing such a right and propriety in the Redeemer over the Redeemed must necessarily imply obedience and subjection on our part Ye are not your own How shall we live any longer in sin Rom. 6. 2. Being made free from sin we should become servants of righteousness v. 18. Believers are not sui juris to live as they list Rom. 14. 7 8 9. 1 Pet. 4. 2. For me to live is Christ Phil. 1. 21. My business is to serve him not to comply with the lusts of men 1 Cor. 7. 23. What to Glorifie God in our body viz. When in all our outward actions we govern our selves by the law of Christ following the rule of his word and the guidance of his Spirit The Body is for the Lord who is our Head to govern our bodies in all their motions Christ is the Saviviour of the body and will raise it up to eternal life Rom. 6. 5. and make it conformable to his glorious body Our Bodies are the Members of Christ and as such they ought to subject themselves to the command of the Soul under Christ mortifying the deeds of the Body through the Spirit Rom. 8. 13. The whole man is the temple of the Lord 1 Cor. 3. 16. Our Bodies are as it were the Porch of this temple therefore we should not touch any unclean thing 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. lest we grieve the Spirit of God who dwells in us The Sanctification and Holiness of the Body is opposed to any outward pollution of it by which we do defile and dishonour the Body 1 Thes. 4. 3 4 5. If Christ has such an undoubted right to your Bodies as they are his members and temples of the Holy-Ghost then be sure you keep them holy and undefiled I need not exhort you to flee Fornication you are all convinced of the evil of that but the outward Attire I will not say of whom Prov. 7. 10. lest I put some to the blush does not become serious Worshippers of the true God a more grave sober modest Apparel would convincingly testify to others the due respect and reverence you have for the holy Spirit dwelling in you your Bodies are the temples of the Holy-Ghost do not then prophane these temples by antick exotick dresses the sure emblems of a vain mind such plumes and wethercocks as some wear upon their heads become not the Pinacle of these Temples of the Holy-Ghost Therefore if there be any fellowship of the Spirit cloathe your selves as women professing Godliness and that I may apply this to both Sexes 1 Cor. 11. 14. I must tell you it argues a very Effeminate age to see so many men's head thatch'd with Womens hair what may be brought by some as an argument in point of health for the cutting of their own Hair will never justifie what is put on by most in the room of it When you have trickt up your selves according to the Mode and Fashion of the world before you go forth to be seen of others put this question to your selves Is this to Glorifie God in my body or will it not rather open the mouths of many to blaspheme that profession of Godliness that I have taken up Answer it to your Consciences if you can He that does not keep his body in a due subjection to the Spirit of Grace will never keep his heart long in a right frame What to Glorifie God in our Spirit To serve God only with our bodies is Hypocrisy it must be with Body and Spirit else our service is not reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. If our minds are not pure in the sight of God and our outward profession answerable thereunto in the sight of men Paul sets forth this inward service Rom. 1. 9. God is my
Sin but the Scripture seems to make them the same Rom. 4. 5 6 7. I think they are so inseparably joined together that no man who has obtained the Pardon of all his Sins ever was or can be at a loss for a Righteousness to compleat his Justification and entitle him to the reward of Eternal Life promised in the Law I conceive the Pardon of all our Sins is a Righteousness we may boldly appear before God in because it lays before God that full satisfaction that Christ made for Sin by his active and passive Obedience which is not only satisfactory for Sin but also meritorious of Eternal Life so that all the ends of Justification are accomplished in the Remission of Sin What precise conceptions we may have of Remission of Sin and imputation of Righteousness as differing in the notion will not argue any real difference in the things themselves We must have a care we do not separate what God has so intimately joined together This hath occasioned all those unhappy Controversies about Justification as I shall shew anon They who want a sufficient Justifying Righteousness after the full Remission of all their Sins do not rightly resolve Remission of Sin into the proper procuring causes of it viz. the satisfaction that Christ made for Sin by what he did and suffered for us from his Birth to his Death so it became him to fulfil all Righteousness that he might be the end of the Law for Righteousness to them who Believe So that Christ himself is our Righteousness the Lord Jehovah our Righteousness the Law is as well satisfied with what Christ hath Done and Suffered for us as if we our selves and perfectly kept the Law or Died by it for our Sins 'T is dangerous separating Christ and his Righteousness as if we were to derive a justifying-Righteousness from Christ distinct from the Person of Christ This notion has insensibly led men to seek a Righteousness in themselves not wrought out for them but wrought in them by Christ this indeed is the right way of Sanctification but not of our Justification The Scripture directs us to seek our Justification in the Person of Christ only by Receiving him Believing in him to them is Remission of Sin Promised and everlasting life John 1. 12. John 3. 15 16. John 6. 40 47. Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 3. 26. Acts 10. 43. Acts 26. 18. Some do too nicely distinguish between freedom from Punishment and a right to eternal Life as if one could be obtained without the other which is impossible Certainly not to Die is to Live not to Die eternally is to Live eternally the expulsion of Darkness is the bringing in of Light He who is counted worthy to escape the Punishment threatned by Law is worthy to receive the Reward promised by Law I see not what should hinder it since no fault of Omission or Commission can be charged upon him whose Sins are Pardoned If after the full Remission of all our Sins we were to receive eternal Life from the Law then some Righteousness distinct from Pardon a Righteousness wrought by our selves after Pardon would be antecedently necessary to our justification unto life But that is not so for every Pardoned Sinner receives eternal Life from the hand of Free-Grace as the Gift of God freely given without any consideration of any works of Righteousness done by us Gal. 2. 6. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified If there had been law which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law Gal. 3. 21. But since the Law does not give Life therefore that Righteousness that lets us into eternal Life is not of the Law but that of Faith Phil. 3. 9. The Law admits of no Pardon allows of none is not at all concerned about that matter but seeks its own satisfaction in a way of strict justice the Law is all for Justice Mercy comes in by another Covenant 'T was never in the nature and constitution of the Law to give life to a Sinner the Law can't do that Rom. 8. 3. It can give life to a Righteous man but not to a Sinner The Law will prosecute him to death 't would act contrary to it self to its own eternal Sanction and declared judgment if it should do otherwise and therefore the Law as a Covenant of Life and Death is fully determined in the Death of Christ towards all Believers who are no longer under the Law but under Grace Yet I say the rigour of the Law in it self is not relaxed by the Pardon of Sin only it does not exert its condemning power upon the persons of Believers because Christ has already Suffered for their Sins but still the Law remains and ever will remain a Sin-condemning and Sin-avenging Law it has as much power as ever to stay the Sinner but it can slay him but once and the stroke of the Law is so heavy in that case that it need not smite him a second time Christ indeed being God as well as Man recovered from that deadly blow the Law gave him for our Sins and so saved himself and us Here is no relaxation of the Law but a full execution of it full satisfaction given to it the whole debt is paid to the utmost farthing by Christ our surety Now all the Life Glory and Happiness that follows upon this comes in by Grace Christ having Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law and the Law being fully satisfied cannot be against any thing that Christ shall do for his Redeemed ones he may freely bestow what he will upon them having brought them under a Covenant of Grace he may and he will pursue that Covenant to the utmost towards them for their good till he has made them as happy as infinite Love and Grace can make them Sin being taken away and expiated by the Death of Christ Believers do pass over of course into his Life they Rise with him he who has called us into a Communion with him in his Death will not deny us Communion with him in his Life and Resurrection otherwise the benefits accruing to us by his Death in a freedom from Punishment would never have made us happy had we been quite shut out from his Life 't was for that end he Died for us that we might Live for ever in him by him and with him The Law and the works of the Law contribute nothing to this Life and for our Evangelical Holiness that is but the fruit and effect of this eternal Life derived from Christ already begun in us and exerting it self gradually according to the measure of our imperfect Sanctification here All our Evangelical works are but so many expressions of that new Life
as Christ make many Righteous Therefore 't is said 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. One Mediator gave himself a ransom for all There is one Lord Ephes. 4. 5. Obj. 4. From Psal. 132. 10. The Papists infer from thence That God does not hear us for Christ's sake only but for David's sake too Answ. When 't is said for David's sake 't is not meant for the Merit Intercession or Mediation of David as we understand when we say for Christ's sake But here 't is for the sake of the Covenant made with David and his seed from whom should spring the Messiah this Covenant is mentioned Psal. 89. 3 4 24. Hence the Saints expostulate with God in the same Psalm v. 49 50. So these words in Psalm 132. 10. are explained in the next v. 11. CHAP. VI. The APPLICATION 7. WHAT use we should make of Christ our Mediator Are we come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant Then let us never think to obtain any New covenant-Covenant-mercy without the Mediation of Christ 't is great presumption to come alone and in our own names to the Throne of Grace all the force and efficacy of our Prayers depends upon the Intercession of Christ who is our Advocate with the Father our great High-Priest always appearing in Heaven for us he undertakes that our Prayers shall be heard Mat. 21. 22. Whatsoever ye ask in prayer believing ye shall receive Mark 11. 24. Joh. 14. 6. No coming unto the Father but by me and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it V. 13 14. Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you John 16. 23. What encouragement does Christ give us to pray in his Name to make use of him for our Mediator in all things wherein we have to do with God! He presents his People and their services to God for acceptance What can a man do for himself How can he deal with God without a Mediator I have sinned says Job 7. 20. What shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men A Sinner knows not what to do without a Mediator We can have no Communion with God but by a Mediator no Mediator but Christ our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son i. e. with the Father by the Son and no otherwise 'T is not enough to own one God unless we own one Mediator the man Christ 1 Tim. 2. 5. I am the door no entring but by me John 10. 9. No other name under heaven whereby we must be saved Acts 4. 12. Christ is the Ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven Gen. 28. 12. No climbing up to Heaven any other way they are Thieves and Robbers who attempt it we can have no access to God but through Christ John 10. 1 7 8 9. All our Spiritual Sacrifices are acceptable to God through Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. All Blessings come upon us through Christ Tit. 3. 6. and in Christ Eph. 1. 3. Let us come in that Name for the Remission of Sins Acts 10. 43. By him let us offer the Sacrifice of Praise to God continually Heb. 13. 15. Let us be sure to eye Christ in all the actings of our Faith upon God 1 Pet. 1. 21. By him believing in God And in all our accesses unto God that we may come boldly by the Faith of him Eph. 3. 12. Since our High Priest hath such fellow-feeling of all our infirmities sympathysing with us therefore let us come boldly unto the throne of grace Heb. 4. 15 16. To Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant The New Covenant implies That God will deal with men upon new terms upon other Terms than he did before under the first Covenant this is a better Covenant established upon better Promises more encouraging more relieving to a poor Sinner The Mediator of the New Covenant lives for ever to make intercession for us Heb. 7. 25. From this the Apostle argues That they shall be Saved to the uttermost or evermore as in the Margin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in eternum or perfectè servare or vivificare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to quicken or make alive Christ as Mediator will do every thing that tends to the perfecting of eternal life Christ is a very powerful Advocate heard in all the requests he makes to the Father John 11. 41 42. If so then the perseverance of the Saints is built upon a sure bottom because Christ has prayed for them John 17. 24. That they may be kept v. 15. That their Faith fail not Luke 22. 32. Christ's Mediation as useful and necessary as it is extends not it self beyond his Church and Chosen Rom 8. 33 34. Acts 20. 28. Eph. 5. 25. John 10. 14. He plainly declares this John 17. 9 20. His Mediation reaches no further than the Covenant every Mediator is the Mediator of a Covenant all men are not taken into the Covenant of Grace though Christ prayed for his Enemies here on Earth Luke 23. 34. That was because he knew some of his Elect were to be found among his Murtherers this Prayer of Christ took effect for some of them were afterwards converted Acts 2. 23 37. You see how effectual the Mediation of Christ is therefore if we intend to speed at the Throne of Grace let us be sure to direct all our Prayers to God by Faith in the Name of Christ Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant As we are directed to come to God by Christ and through Christ so we must be sure to come to God in Christ to God in a Mediator as well as by him Christ though he be another Person yet he is not another God from the Father and the Holy Ghost he is alius but not aliud not differing in the essence of the Deity from the Father we shall become vain in our imaginations if we set our selves to conceive of God out of Christ we are apt to pass through the Mediator to the Father as to a God distinct from the Mediator Some Christians have been very much at a loss in the actings of their Faith upon God through Christ because they have not looked unto God in Christ so much as they should Christ calls us to the knowledge of himself that we might know the Father in him John 14. 7. If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also He that hath seen me hath seen the father v. 9. I am in the father and the father in me v. 10. God in Christ is the only true object of all Divine Worship In him the Godhead dwells bodily Col. 2. 9. We can have no Communion with the Godhead but through the Flesh of Christ as he is God Incarnate our Emanuel and Mediator Faith first takes hold of the Flesh of Christ and through that veil draws nigh to God who is a Spirit Heb 10. 19 20. John 6. 56. The main end of Christ in dying for us was
Souls about Justification we shall conclude as Paul does Rom. 3. 28. Then Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes righteousness without works Romans 4. 6. CHAP. IV. Fifthly the Privileges of Adoption ADoption carries all the outward privileges of the Covenant along with it Rom. 2. 4. But because this relates to Adoption at large I shall confine my self to those special privileges of Adoption that belong to the true Children of God only viz. 1. A filial confidence and boldness at the Throne of Grace In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Ephes. 3. 12. Heb. 4. 16. Adoption heightens our trust and confidence in God Christ as a Son trusted in God and so do all Christians Heb. 2. 13. 2. Conformity to Christ Christ is formed in them all Gal. 4. 19. As Christ is so are they each one resembles the children of a King Judg. 8. 18. They will be exactly like Christ at the Resurrection Psal. 17. 15. They were from Eternity predestinated unto 〈◊〉 Rom. 8 29. 3. If 〈◊〉 then Heirs Rom. 8. 17. Gal. 4. 7. We have not only a right but a present participation of the inheritance in some degree here we have something in hand and more in hope the earnest Penny the first fruits we now have the rest is reserved for us in Heaven Eph. 1. 13 14. 1 Pet. 3. 4. God makes us joint heirs with Christ to share with him because the Heavenly inheritance is not diminished by being communicated to many Every one has all The Sons of God are Heirs 1. Of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 4. 5. 2. Of this World 1 Cor. 3. 22. 3. Of the Promise Heb. 6. 17. Heb. 11. 9. 4. Adoption translates us out of a Miserable estate into a Happy estate from being Children of the Devil of Wrath of Perdition of Darkness to become the Children of God partakers of the Divine Nature Brethren of Christ Children of Light Children of Abraham being Aliens and strangers before standing at a great distance from God We are now brought nigh by the blood of Christ Eph. 2. 12 13. Are become children of the house to abide there for ever God is in Covenant with us and we in him I will receive you and be a father to you 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. A great promise indeed it secures us for ever like that which God made to David concerning his Son Solomon 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. I will be his father and he shall be my Son my mercy shall not depart away from him Adoption casts us upon God puts us under his Fatherly care for ever Mat. 6. 25 26 32 33. So Mordecai brought up Hester when he took her for his own Daughter Esther 2. 7. This title of being the Children of God is very honourable how do the Saints glory in it 1 John 3. 1. it makes us great indeed as was said of Christ Luke 1. 32. He shall be great and shall be called the son of the most High How do men value themselves upon the account of their Birth as descending from an Ancient Honourable Family He that is born of God is better born more Nobly descended than they and may vie Genealogies with the best of them By Faith Moses refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the people of God esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the Treasures in Egypt Heb. 11. 23 24 25. I shall chuse rather to insist upon those privileges of Adoption that flow from that Christian Liberty which always accompany it If the son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed John 8. 36. We are freed from the curse of the Law by the merit of the death of Christ Believers look above the Law and the Righteousness of it for their Justification they have no respect to their own Works in Justification because they know they are justified without them they eye only the Mercy of God in Christ for their Justification When the question is about Justification and 't is a question much agitated among us now-a-days 't is not how we are made Righteous in our selves but how we being Sinners in our selves may be accounted Righteous and Just before God we must consult with the Gospel about this not the Law how God becomes propitious to Sinners 't is Christ not the Law gives us the reason of this And when Conscience is satisfied in this point That we shall not be Judged by the Law the Saints do willingly yield Obedience to the Law according to the measure of Grace they have received they know now that for Christ's sake their sincere though imperfect Obedience will be accepted We can never serve God chearfully till then we cannot believe that God counts himself truly Worshipped by our imperfect Obedience till we believe he will accept of it through Christ For the Law rejects all imperfect Works 't is Faith in Christ only procures their acceptance For we are not under the Law but under grace i. e. We are not only freed from the Curse of the Law But Are put into such a state of Grace that we seek not the Blessing from the Law indeed it has none for us but from the Gospel which blesses us in the Name of Christ and for his sake Gal. 3. 23 24. Before faith came we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith So Romans 8. 15. And as we are freed from the curse of the Law and also from the intollerable yoak and servile paedagogy of the Law So We are no longer tied up from the use of those indifferent things prohibited by the Law and this is another part of the glorious Liberty of the Children of God which we should always use to God's Glory and the good of our Neighbour Indifferent things are of that middle nature that in the simple use of them or abstaining from them there lies no Religion either way i. e. Conscience is not bound to one or to the other but free to either 'T is necessary to know this to satisfy scrupulous Consciences that may be under the power of a superstitious Opinion as if the use of this or that were unlawful 'T is a dangerous thing to speak too freely of Christian Liberty because many under that pretence allow themselves in very unwarrantable courses running into excess laying aside all Moderation Order and Government of themselves in the use of outward things Therefore you must note That Christian Liberty is altogether Spiritual 2 Cor. 3. 17. Not to be used for an occasion to the Flesh Gal. 5. 13. So that Luxury in Diet Pride in Apparel c. can never be justified by the doctrine of Christian Liberty which is principally intended to pacifie fearful Consciences in these Three Things 1. Whether our sins be all pardoned 2. Whether our
a one Can any good thing come out of Nazareth When the Apostles Preached the Mystery of Christ's Incarnation how he was Born of a Virgin what Miracles he did how he was Crucified how he rose from the Dead ascended up to Heaven and should come again to judg the World the Jews were offended did not believe these things to be true Rom. 9. 33. Luke 2. 34. They saw nothing but weakness in the Doctrine of the Gospel therefore the Jews require a Sign v. 32. Signs and Wonders were to evidence the power of those who wrought them Moses confirmed his Doctrine by many Signs and Wonders so must you say the Jews to Christ and his Apostles if you would have us to follow you The Jews were used to Signs and Wonders from the beginning as appears in the Old Testament so they were instructed in the Wilderness Deut. 32. 10. and convinced of the power of God Psal. 77. 14. ad finem This made them so desirous of Signs under the New Testament Hence that Complaint Psal. 74. 9. We see not our Signs we would fain see Signs as Mat. 12. 38. Master we would see a Sign from thee So Mat. 16. 1. Luke 11. 16. Joh. 2. 18. Zacharias erred in this Luke 1. 18. The Jews are sharply reproved by Christ for this Mat. 16. 4. The Signs and Miracles by which the Gospel was already confirmed should have satisfied them the Jews did not require a Sign as Abraham Gideon and Hezekiah did for the strengthning of their Faith but out of Curiosity and contempt of Christ and the Gospel resolving never to be satisfied they must have Sign after Sign they thought it absurd to trust in a Crucified Christ to expect life from death that he who did not save himself should be able to save them Unbelief you see wants not its seeming reasons to fortify it self against the Gospel Besides they saw that such a Profession of Faith in Christ exposed them to Sufferings which made them the more against it Gal. 5. 11. And unto the Greeks foolishness By Greeks here we understand all Gentiles who received all their Wisdom and Learning from the Greeks or Jews and Gentiles are contradistinguished thus One had the Written Law the other had not Rom. 2. 12 13 14. The Greeks would have the Mysteries of the Gospel made out by Reason else they reject them as foolishness they count that foolishness which transcends their Wisdom they thought the Gospel an idle Fancy a very simple absurd Doctrine they required Philosophical reasons which as men they might comprehend proving Christ in a Logical way to be what the Scripture says he is Moses magna dicit sed nihil probat say Galen Pliny and Julian They wanted Logical Demonstrations of Scripture Mysteries from the true natural Causes of them which cannot be for then they would not be Mysteries if Flesh and Blood could understand them Mat. 16. 17. Thus you see both Jew and Gentile all sorts of men unregenerate have something to say against the Gospel they set themselves studiously to object against it All Unbelievers stand it out with God hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred both Disobedient and Unbelieving as Acts 26. 19. Acts 14. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Eph. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But unto them that are called c. v. 24. i. e. Effectually called to believe 't is by our actual believing that we answer to an effectual Call by which we are called to the Obedience of Faith and when we believe we obey God's Call Rom. 1. 5 6. Such are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. You see the different opinion the Converted and Unconverted have of Christ highly to prize Christ is a sign of true Conversion and to under-value him to speak slightly of him or his Doctrine is a sign of the contrary Paul here opposes the Judgment of those who are Called whether Jews or Greeks to the Judgment of the Uncalled concerning Christ Would you know what Christ is consult with Believers they know him he is precious to them never regard what the blind World says of him but hear what the Saints say what Believers say who know him best I confess 't is a shame and a reproach not to be excused that Christians do not magnifie Christ more I remember I have read of one who professed he knew not which was the greater wonder that Believers love Christ no more or that Unbelievers do hate him so much no doubt the former is far the greater wonder that they who know him so well should love him no better than that they who know him not at all should hate him so much their blindness and ignorance runs them into that gross mistake but what can cold lukewarm Believers plead who have so much light and yet so little love Both Jews and Greeks i. e. All sorts of Believers of what Countrey Condition or outward state soever they all agree in this viz. That Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 't is common to all Saints and proper to them only as Saints and Believers to have a high opinion of Christ. Christ the power of God God shewed his power in Creating the World by Christ as God John 1. 3. and by Redeeming it by Christ as God-man Christ in his Divine Nature is the God of Power a mighty one Isa. 9. 6. A rock Isa. 32. 2. A Lyon for his strength Rev. 5. 5. So Angels are called Principalities and Powers for their strength Col. 1. 16. As they are called Intelligences for their Wisdom which is very great a Sam. 14. 17. To discern good and bad They are continually prying into the Doctrine of the Gospel 1 Pet. 1. 12. Exod. 37. 9. They look to the Mercy-seat a Type of Christ. We are now shewing how Christ the Mediator is the power of God by whom great things have been done 1. God by Christ satisfies his Justice and yet saves the Sinner he reconciles Justice and Mercy together Psal. 85. 10 11. They both act to the height towards a Sinner The Salvation of a Sinner is the greatest instance of Justice and Mercy as ever was what is purchased is also freely given he is our righteousness giving us right to eternal Life as well as our ransom saving us from eternal Death Jer. 23. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is made unto us Righteousness as well as Redemption 2 Cor. 5. 21. 2. Christ bore the wrath of God without sinking or fainting under it Isa. 53. 4. 3. Christ hath overcome the devil death and the world Heb 2. 14. Hos. 13. 14. John 16. 33. He is stronger than the strong man Luke 11. 21. 22. 4. Christ preserves his Church against all the most potent Enemies thereof Mat. 16. 18. 5. Christ maintains a little Grace in his Children amidst many strong corruptions and lusts Grace is but a little grain and yet it lives and thrives 't is an abiding seed 1 John 3. 5.