no lesse concerned in the second than the first Table of the Law If David sin against Bathsheba her chastity or Vriah his life yet he must confesse unto God Against the have I sinned and wrought this wickednesse in thy sight however the trespasse is against man the transgression is against God the sin which is committed against God is to be only confessed unto God not unto man but the sin which is committed against man must be confessed unto God and likewise unto men to God alwayes who can pardon the eternal punishment to men ordinarily as when the Church is scandalized or the particular person is offended and damnified James 5.16 and in this last case restitution must be added to our confession Luke 19. Zacheus like where we have wronged any we must make acknowledgement and reparation and in all offences to men when we come before God we must consider whether our brother hath ought against us Mat. 5.24 and go and be reconciled the God that binds men to forgive till seventy times seven times binds the offendor so often to return and say I have offended Luke 17.4 The auricular confession of the Papists is vanity superstition and evil but particular acknowledgements of sin to God and sometimes to men is duty indispensable in vain doth Saul say to Samuel I have sinned whilst he never seeks to God for the pardon 3. Confession of sin and prayer for pardon must be free and not extorted The natural not forced language of the penitent the confession of constraint falleth equally under suspicion with the unrequired accusations of malice both which are frequently false true repentance doth convince of the sinfulnesse of sin and constraine the soule to confesse it with candor ingenuity and freedome as weary of it as the stomach of nauseous matter that it naturally without any co-action casts up Confession springs from the Saints as Elihu his plea for God against Job I am full of matter the Spirit of the Lord constraineth me saith he to Job Job 32.18 19 20. The confession of the wicked is constrained and no longer doth he cry to God than he is under the cudgel of his judgements or on the Rack of his own conscience so Pharaoh his plagues and Judas his anxiety may extort an I have sinned however the children of God must be sometimes pinched and whipped into their complaints yet their cry is natural and confessions free and voluntary a ready eccho to the least reproof Psal 141.5 and desiring that the righteous may smite and God shew them their iniquity 4. Confession and supplication must not be more free than full not straitned any more than extorted sin must be confest not only in general and in the lump with a Lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners but in its particular species and parts as Israel We have forsaken the Lord and served Baal in Judg. 10.10 and we have to all our sins added this evil to ask us a King to go about to change our Government 1 Sam. 12.19 not only open known hainous and flagitious offences but even secret and particular lusts David bewails and confesseth not only his murther executed on Uriah but his self-revenge intended against Nabal and the very cutting off the lap of Sauls garment not only sin simply in it self but with all its aggravations of time place manner occasion sinne must be taken up by the roots and spread before God in all its branches In iniquity was I conceived in sin brought forth as well as against thee have I sinned In vaine doth Caine confesse his cruelty to Aâ—el and conceale his irreligion to God or Judas complaine of betraying innocent blâ—od whilst he makes no mention of his covetousnesse 5. Shame and sorrow must seize on the confessing suppliant for sinnes pardon Contrition of heart and confusion of face must be the result of confession dayes of atonement Lev. 23.27 28. were dayes of soul-affliction because of confession of sin Davids complaints makes him water his couch and mingle his bred with teares lying in the dust and renting of Garments were required from such as came to confesse iniquity the spirit of repentance is a spirit of mourning 6. Confession must be made with confidence and supplication in hope of pardon the true penitent is prostrate before God as a Father not as a Judge men may confesse and be hanged but the children of God cry with Shecaniah We have transgressed but yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 they pray in faith Father forgive us our trespasses not in feare mercy my Lord mercy Judas's confession was therefore false because fearful and flying to his own destruction not the innocent blood by him betrayed that he might have been saved we have shewed you the subject of repentance must be the believing sinner hopes of mercy puts halters on our necks confidence of pardon seats us in Gods Chair to condemne our selves the confessions of despair are the outcries of the damned in hell Thus then Beloved I have laid before you the true nature of true repentance I well know it is a common Theme and much Treated of but little practiced nay indeed little considered and understood How many pretenders are there among us that may yet ponder the nature of Gospel-repentance which if it be well understood will neither appeare to be so lightly come by nor sleightly performed as it is deemed we must know that every common repentance will not serve our turn unto the Remission of sin but that repentance which Christ gives is in respect of nature 1. A grace supernatural without the reach of mans arme or acquirement 2. Whereby the believing sinner apprehensive of his own guilt and Gods grace in and through Jesus Christ 3. Sensibly affected with and afflicted for his sin as committed against God under conviction and contrition for all his sin as sin 4. Doth return from sin all sin unto God and God only as his all in all 5. Freely confessing and frequently begging pardon for his iniquity Consider my Brethren this description of Repentance you have had unfolded and the nature of the grace discovered for it will be very useful to you as a touchstone of doctrine and practice for the confutation of all false notions about Repentance as that 1. Repentance is the result of nature and at mans command we may repent when we will as the Arminians teach but you must remember its supernatural 2. That pennance is a transient act of confession and self-castigation as the Papists teach you must know it is a grace or habit 3. That repentance is before faith and not the result of the Gospel and effect of the blood of Christ as some Divines suggest 4. That câ—nviction contrition and confession are not necessary to repentance as the Antinomians teach or sufficient repentance as the Legalist and Pharisee teach that a turning from sin to sin or at least not to God and
only argument urged by John the Baptist and our Saviour Mat. 3.2 4 17. to enforce Repentance mercy apprehended animateth the miserable sinner to returne to God Israel mourned but made no returne untill Shecaniah cryed There is yet hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 The Assyrians put halters on their necks knowing that the Kings of Israel are merciful The Law shutting the door of hope may stir up grief and horrour but it staveth off Repentance sin seeming unpardonable sets the soule at a distance from God and sinks it in despaire whil'st the pardon proclaimed provoketh Rebells submission Nemo possit poenitentiam agere nisi qui speraverit indulgen iam no hope no help to repentance saith Saint Ambrose Repentance is argued from Gerhard meditat secund Exercitium poenitentiae ex dominica passione and effected by the death of Christ Mount Calvary is the proper Bochim the sufferings of a Saviour the sad comments upon sin the sighs and groanes of a Redeemer most rending to râ—gardlesse hearts and the sweat and blood of the Lord most soaking and suppling to an Adamantine soul but faith only apprehendeth and applyeth a crucified Christ Repentance the souls Pump is drie and distills no water untill faith poure in the blood of Christ and water of Gospel-promises so that Faith must precede Repentance as the cause to the effect the mother before the daughter for it must qualifie the true Penitent It is a mystery beyond the reach of nature that a Son should coexist in time with the Father but neither reason nor faith can allow a priority of the daughter before the mother I well know many Divines assert the precedency of Repentance unto faith but to my judgment it is more than probable yea positively clear that in order of time Faith and Repentance are infused together into the soul in order of sense and mans feeling Repentance is indeed before faith but in Divine method and the order of nature Faith is before Repentance as the Fountaine is before the Stream But it is objected that the order of Scripture doth set Repentance before faith so in preaching Mark 1.15 Mat. 3.2 Luke 3.3 Acts 2.38 3.19 And Repentance is required as the qualification which must entitle to the promises remission of sinne is onely offered to the penitent so that Repentance is the reason of faith and ground on which we believe sin is pardoned In Answer to this Objection I shall propound unto your Observation three Rules which make a full and ready resolution to it Rule 1 1. Order of Scripture doth not alwayes conclude order of nature in 2 Pet. 1.10 Calling is mentioned before Election yet who will deny Election to be first in nature for whom God predestinated them he also called Rom. 8.30 Again in 1 Tim. 1.5 Acts 15.9 The pure heart and good conscience is mentioned before faith yet none can deny them to be the effects of faith which purifieth the heart for to the unbelieving nothing is pure but their very minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 Rule 2 2. Humane sense is in many things the Dictator of Scripture order The Holy Ghost speaketh of things as they are obvious to our sense and capacity rather than as they are in themselves and their own order Hence it is that the promises of peace pardon and the like priviledges are propounded unto Repentance as a qualification obvious to our sense and evidencing our faith Faith and Election must be known à posteriori by their effects Repentance and Vocation and therefore are mentioned after them For though we Believe before we Repent we Repent before we know that we do Believe Rule 3 3. Misapprehâ—nsion of the nature of Grace doth easily lead into a mistake of the order of Grace Such as deem common illumination and conviction to be Repentance and Assurance of pardon joy and peace to be the formality of faith may very well place Repentance before Faith but such as understand the acceptance of Christ in order to pardon to be true and saving faith and a ceasing from sin and serious application of our selves to piety to be the formality of Repentance will plainly see that faith uniting us to Christ and deriving to us the efficacy of his death and sufferings that we may be holy doth Precede and must needs be the cause of true Repentance Let me then dismisse this Rule with this Note or Observation Note Faith in its existence and essential acts but without its reflexion fruits and effects is the foundation and fountain of true Repentance Such therefore on the one hand as apprehend and assent unto the History of the Gospel and are sometimes affected with and afflicted for their sin but do not accept of Jesus Christ as tendred to be Lord and Saviour do fix their Engine too low to force the waters of Repentance into the soul yet this Divels faith may produce a Judas Repentance for an Hypocritical Repentance is the result of an Historical faith And on the other hand he that seeks assurance of his sin pardoned as an argument of Repentance maketh the effect both cause and effect and concludeth himself into a condition not needing Repentance whilst he pretendeth to enforce it but the true frame of a Gospel Penitent is by saving faith to see salvation through the satisfaction of Christ our Saviour extended to sinners himself not excluded and so closing with accepting of and appropriating to himself the general tenders of grace and terms of the Covenant to prostrate himself at the feet of mercy and pursue his pardon untill by acts of sincere Repentance he assure himself his aimed at happinesse is attained and shall with certainty be possessed and so he experienceth in himself and evidenceth unto all others that the believing sinner is the subject of Gospel Repentance and now I passe to the third Conclusion considerable in the nature of Repentance Conclusion 3 Sense of and sorrow for sin as committed against God are the procursive acts of true Repentance True Repentance as most Divines determine doth consist in two parts viz. Humiliation and Conversion the casting down the heart for sin 2 Cor. 12.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 9.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the casting off sin A Repenting for uncleannesse and sin with grief shame and anguish and Repenting from iniquity Acts 8.22 and from dead works Hebr. 6.1 This distinction or rather distribution of Repentance is not only dictated by the denominations of Repentance which in the Hebrew is called Nacham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An irking of the soul and Teshubba A t rning from iniquity so in the Greek Metamelia After-grief and Metanoia After-wit and in the Latine Paenitentia and Resipiscentia the one expressing the sense and sorrow of the soul the other the retrogradations and returns of it from sin but the Scripture also doth clearly suggest nay speak out these distinct parts of Repentance Humiliation and Conversion
THE Morning Exercise METHODIZED Or certain chief HEADS and POINTS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION Opened and Improved in divers SERMONS BY SEVERAL Ministers OF THE CITY OF LONDON In the Monthly Course of the MORNING EXERCISE at GILES in the Fields MAY 1659. Eccles 12.11 The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one shepheard LONDON Printed by E. M. for Ralph Smith at the sign of the Bible in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1660. To the Right Honourable CHARLES Earle of WARWICK NICHOLAS Earle of SCARSDALE PHILIP Lord WHARTON JOHN GLYN late Lord Chief Justice of ENGLAND Sir JOHN BROWNLOW Baronet And to the Right Worshipful JOHN CREW Esq GILES HUNGERFORD Esq JOHN PIT Esq THOMAS ROBINSON Esq And to the rest of the Nobility Gentry and others the Inhabitants of Giles in the Fields Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ Right Honourable and Beloved IT is no small advantage to the holy life to begin the day with God The Saints are wont to leave their hearts with him over night that they may find them with him in the Morning when I awake I am still with thee saith holy David Psal 139.18 Before earthly things break in upon us and we receive impressions from abroad 't is good to season the heart with thoughts of God and to consecrate the Early and Virgin operations of the mind before they are prostituted to baser objects When the world gets the start of Religion in the Morning it can hardly overtake it all the day and so the heart is habituated to vanity all the day long but when we begin with God we take him along with us to all the businesses and comforts of the day which being seasoned with his love and fear are the more sweet and savory to us If there were no other benefit of the Morning Exercise than to be an help to us in this setting the mind on work upon holy things before it receive taint from the world and the distraction of our ordinary affairs it should upon that account be a very welcome guest to our dwellings But there are other benefits not a few that do attend it wherever it goes namely that it hath become an happy occasion through Gods blessing of manifesting the Unity and Brotherly accord of the Ministers of this City whilest by their mutual labours they strengthen one anothers hands in the Lords work and by a joynt testimony confirm those truths which each one apart dispenceth to his own Auditory for in the mouth of two or three Witnesses shall every word be established 2 Cor. 13.1 Besides that by the course which this Exercise hath hitherto held each Auditory cometh to have a taste of the several gifts which one and the same Spirit dispenseth for the use of edifying and this not without some conformity to the antient pattern Other fruits and advantages of the Morning Exercise see in the Introduction Serm. 1. towards the end where the several Congregations of the same City were not plures Ecclesiae Collaterales divers Sister-Churches but one and the same Church meeting by parts in several places fed and supplied by Officers in common who by turns in each place dispenced the word to them having their Government in common Now this Morning Exercise hath the Lord once and again sent amongst you there is a Providence that goeth along with Ordinances the journeys of the Apostles were directed by the Spirit as well as their doctrines Acts 16.7 The course of this Exercise though it hath been ordered by mans choice yet not without Gods direction To you is this word of Salvation sent saith holy Paul Acts 13.26 not come or brought but SENT and that as a message from our heavenly Father without whose providnece a Sparrow falleth not to the ground Now it concerneth you to see what use you will make of it Sermons dye not with the breath in which they were uttered If the dust of the Preachers feet bear witnesse against the despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more Matth. 10.14 15. Wherever the Word is preached 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a testimony how for a testimony either to them Matth. 24.14 or against them Mark 13.9 God keepeth exact account or reckoning what means and advantages each place or people have enjoyed Three years have I come seeking fruit Luke 13.7 alluding to the three years of his own Ministry which then were fully elapsed This SECOND Miracle did Jesus in Canaan of Galilee John 4.54 He taketh notice of a first and a second so 2 Pet. 3.1 This SECOND Epistle write I unto you and Jer. 25.3 These THREE AND TWENTY years have I spoken the Word of the Lord rising early c. You see God keeps a Memorial how many years the Gospel hath been amongst a people yea every day is upon account for so it is added even unto this day What pressing Exhortations you have had how many and how long you have enjoyed them all is upon the File therefore it concerneth you to see that all this be not without fruit and some notable good effect that your account may be with joy and not with grief and shame The rather I urge this because the Exercises of this Month have not been ordinary Morning Exercises but all the Arguments were picked and chosen as the Preacher sought to finde out acceptable words even words of truth Eccl. 12.10 and disposed into a certain order for the greater benefit It is observed that the Psalms of David that are alphabetically disposed are most exact in the composure so I hope I may say without offence these Sermons digested into a method are the more accurate with what perspicuity and strength they are managed as to the Doctrinal part and with what warmth and vigour as to the Application I cannot speak being strictly enjoyned silence by my Brethrens severe modesty but the World will judge and you I hope will evidence by your own growth in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ These Sermons which with so greedy attention you formerly heard with the hearing of the ear are now written for a memorial and that they may be subjected to your view and more deliberate consideration I say they are written not only for the Churches use but yours in special and oh that they may be written upon your hearts engraven there with a durable Character such as shall never be defaced Honourable and Beloved I hope I need not presse any of you to get these books into your houses I can easily presume it of the abler sort amongst you and would earnestly presse it upon the meanest even the servants in your Families that they would abate not only of superfluous expences but deny themselves somewhat even of their ordinary conveniences to purchase these Sermons which if the Ministry should fail a judgement which England was never in such danger
God that speaks in the Scripture Luke 11.49 therefore whatever else you mind really and carefully study this Bible Secondly in all enquiries into the truths of the minde of God consult those sacred Oracles here are Mines of truth O dig here make them the rule of faith and life while a Papist makes the Church his rule and the Enthusiast pretends to make the Spirit of God his rule do you live by Scripture consider what I say 2 Tim. 2.10 consider there 's thy duty what I say there 's the Scripture yet Timothy was as good a man as any of us and the Lord give thee understanding there 's the work of the Spirit to assist our faculty But how shall I finde out truth by Scripture For thy own satisfaction remember this have an explicite faith in all that plainly appears to be Gods minde and have an implicite faith resolving to be of Gods minde in all the rest be it what it will be believe it because it appears to be of God while a person resolves to be of the Churches minde be thou of Gods only use all means whereby thou mayst come to know to wit 1. Take heed of passion and sensual lusts 2 Tim. 4.3 you read of some that will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves Teachers A lust or passion is like a whirle-pit a man is suck't up in it ambition sensuality any of these darken and blinde a mans minde when a man studies any thing the minde had need to be quiet lusts and passions are always busie and boisterous and make a man have a great interest against God 2. And beware of prejudice Christ said Go preach to all Nations Mat. 28.29 but Peter lived under prejudice and he said Lord I never eat any thing common or unclean when God bade him go to the Gentiles Acts 10.11 3. Beware of taking truth upon the Authority of men for that is fallible Modesty requires you should have a fair respect to Preachers and the Church of God where you live but as to the vitals of your Religion do not take them upon Authority though a man would not willingly deceive you yet he may be deceived himself in things controverted In plain things of Scripture that we must be humble holy believe repent all the world should not perswade you out of your Religion and as for your duty you understand it never a one but knows what he is to love when God bids us love him if we would but familiarize our Religion we could not but understand it but in matters wherein there 's a dispute controversie in the world be quiet and sober and not confident that such and such things must needs be so because such say so many pretend a kinde of sanctity and pretend for God and a Ship may carry very broad sails yet not very well loaden but thus it is one man draws a multitude and then a multitude prevails upon particular persons and shall I go against a multitude I say therefore take not things upon authority see and examine thy self if it be plain in Scripture mind it and own it and charge thy self with it if it be obscure think it no farther concerns thee than God hath made it manifest 4. Beware of Idlenesse search the Scripture 2 Tim. 2.7 Consider what I say c. They that are busied for veines of silver they hold the rod even poized in their hand till at length it moves in that vein where it lies in the earth So hold your souls even in a diligent enquiry into the Scriptures 5. Beware of pride the humble man God will teach proud men scorn others they will not be taught and pride that will make a man to neglect prayer 6. Charge your selves with that which is the end of the Scripture to live well Who would go about to read a piece of law that he may learn Mathematicks or read the statutes to learn Logick you may as well do so as read the Scripture to talk only but the intent of the Scripture is to shew how you ought to live godly to be just righteous sober to act by rule Nothing hinders knowledge so much as a bad life for sin brought in ignorance and holinesse will bring in the best light There 's a great deal of difference betwixt wit and wisdome Many have parts enough to be witty but none but sober and conscientious persons will have true wisdome Prov. 14.9 A scorner seeks knowledge and finds it not Scorners usually are witty men men of brave parts a man that hath a mind only to practice wit is never satisfied in the things of God He that doth my will shall know the doctrine that is of God There are a thousand things disputed in the world errors upon errors but I thank God it is plainly revealed God hath mercy for a sinner in Christ I understand well what 't is to live soberly righteously godly I know what 't is to honour my Parents and do in my relations what becomes me and I know these are the conditions of eternal happinesse I can but use all humane endeavours I can but beg of God and charge my self to love what I know so that I am able to say at the day of judgement what appeared to be the mind of God I observed it what did not appear I used all means to understand it I would not hastily determine my self till I saw thy mind because I knew there were impostors and if this be done if men will rangle and make controversies where God hath made none let them for there will be no end of vanity and folly Thirdly Seek dayly that your belief may be strengthened that this book is of divine authority for what will enable you to resist temptation if you do not believe the Scripture 1 John 2.14 I write unto you young men saith the Apostle because ye are strong Why the Word of God abides in you and you have overcome the evil one you will never be strong and overcome the evil one but by vertue of the Word of God If sin tempts you if you look into the Scripture there 's peace good conscience the joy of God and eternal life and shall I for a trifle lose these no while we have Scripture we have an Antidote against all the devils poyson Again what will bear you up under your afflictions if you lose the belief of the Scriptures you will need it when you come to be sick and dye when you bury your friends and relations what will satisfie a mans mind there 's an after-glory when friends come after me or go before me we shall all meet in joy Did I but believe this glory as I believe when the Sun sets it will rise again were I but perswaded what God hath said is true as now I am perswaded I speak how should I long for this glory how would every child wail for this inheritance how ful of prayers
1. The term from which this commences viz. the very first receiving of our natures and beings from our Parents from the first original and moment of our being we received with all a liliablenesse to the wrath and curse of God Psalme 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me 2. The ground for which this wrath impends and hovers viz. nature not first created for that was upright after God but the corrupted nature which is conveyed and derived with our beings Eccles 7.29 Gen. 1.27 This very nature leads to deserves and will lodge under eternal wrath every mothers child in whom regeneration and transplantation into Christ are not found The Doctrine then comprising the summe of the Text is this Doctr. Every man and woman from their very first conception through a corrupted nature are under the Lords wrath and continuing such not new-born and engraffed into Christ that wrath shall abide upon them for ever We may not mince and extenuate here with the Pelagian as if this only were by imitation Flatterers of nature may lessen the wound but Heires of grace should and will rather magnifie their Physitian Nor may we limit and confine this truth as if it concern'd native Turks Mat. 23.15 canker'd Papists and the Proselytes of the Pharisees only to be children of hell when it knocks at every of our doors Jew and Gentile promiscuously Neither people nor Ministers not Apostles can exempt themselves great and small rich and poor those which the Lord hath not appointed unto wrath but to obtain salvation by their Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 yet by nature are children of wrath even as others This wrath in the Scriptures hath several Names respectively to the Law-giver it is called wrath respectively to the Law it self the curse respectively to the effects of both it is translated vengeance Rom. 3.5 Man by nature is exposed unto all these 1. He is exposed to the wrath of the Law-giver Here 1. Take some Cautions that we may duly conceive of wrath the root of all penal afflictions on Gods part as sin is the meritoriâ—us root on mans part All wars with men begin in wrath Animosities first boyle within and then wars break out James 4.1 From whence come wars and fightings among you Come they not hence from your lusts which war in your memb rs and in special this of wrath so there is somewhat proportionable in God if understood sutably to his glorious Being namely wrath perfectly clean from all dregs of 1. Folly the fool never more peeps out than in passion Prov. 14.29 He that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly that is sets it aloft that every body may discern and take notice of it but the Lord is 1 Sam. 2.3 A God of knowledge by whom actions are weighed 2. Injustice Gods wrath is a clear fire without any smoke of unrighteousnesse Rom. 3.5 Is God unrighteous that inferreth wrath he cannot be We plough with an Oxe and an Asse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingle drosse with our zeal c. 3. Perturbation the wrath of men is the rage of men who disjoint and discompose themselves as well as others but the Lord acts and suffers not in his wrath Prov. 11.17 he strikes wounds destroys from the infinite holinesse and justice of his nature declaring it self against all sin with the exactest serenity and oneness of minde and frame within himself from everlasting to everlasting This is the root of all wars with sinful men Moses saw the plague growing up out of this root Num. 16.46 Wrath is gone out from the Lord and the plague is begun Job 21.17 He distributeth sorrows in his anger 2. Consider what this wrath implies two things 1. That the Lord is highly displeased with men and women in their natural estate though never so goodly a vernish of Religion be above yet if nothing but nature be underneath Isa 10.6 an hypocritical Nation are the people of the Lords wrath No created understanding can conceive exactly what this displeasure is Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thy anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath Take some short ladders that our thoughts may a little climbe up by and consider seriously and deeply 1. What a Kings wrath is Prov. 20.2 The fear of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon who so provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul that is acteth as an enemy to his own life and Prov. 16.14 The wrath of a King is as the Messengers of death but the wise man will pacifie it as that which he cannot resist Eccles 8.4 Where the Word of a King is there is power and who may say to him What do thou that is where not only the name but the reality of a King is he sustains the person of the Common-wealth and hath the strength and power of all put into his hand and hath power to execute his wrath and will not be controlled nor expostulated with And what can a Branch do against the whole Tree The King is wroth and Hamans face is covered Prov. 27.3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty but a fools wrath that is that hath power is heavier than them both to crush a weak person that standeth in his way All these are but toyes to the power and weight of Gods wrath 2. What an incensed brothers wrath is that hath a little more power Rebecca understanding Esau his wrath against Jacob packs him away till that wrath be over Gen. 27.43 44. If a mother dare not venture a childe into an angry sons presence nor a brother himself into an angry brothers presence how insufferable will the angry presence of the Lord be 3. What Gods Fatherly refining wrath is against the drosse that mingleth it self with his Worship and Ordinances and what dreadful Furnaces he hath put the Vessels of mercy into to take away their tin from them Mal. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners fire If men cannot bear Christs coming with a refining fire to purge out drosse much lesse not his coming with flaming fire 2 Thes 1.8 to consume and burn up persons and drosse together We have need of grace to serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God that is related to us in Christ is a consuming fire Hebr. 12.28 29. 4. What afflictions are how very bitter yet separated from wrath they may be born with comfort The mingling of fire with the haile in Egypt made it so very dreadful Exod. 9.24 The fire of the Lords wrath mingled with stormes renders them so grievous to be stood unde Hell it self would not be so dreadful did not the breath of the Lord that is the wrath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone kindle it Isa 30.33 The Prophet submits to any stroaks only deprecates wrath as worse than any stroaks
when sin hath been committed and the raging of the affections are a little appeased then the minde returns unto its self and the Spirit that was resisted brings to remembrance those grievous and unavoidablâ— threanings which the Law denounceth whereupon there follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Legal repentance that is a wishing that the Fact were undone and that he had not committed the sin that causeth that trouble but not that he is any better than before for shew him a new temptation and he presently runs after it though under trouble of minde and though expectation of wrath incredibly full of anguish doth sting and vex him intolerably But now Beloved where this ends well there the Spirit insinuates something to put him upon panting after a Redeemer and to get power against sin and this brings unspeakable joy and begets peace past all understanding thus you see the best effects of the Law is the bringing men to the Gospel which shews the fifth excellency of the Gospel-Covenant 6. The Gospel-Covenant is the better Covenant in respect of its objects or persons taken into Covenant and that under a double consideration their multiplicity and their quality 1. In respect of the number The Old Covenant belonged only to one people the New to Jews and Gentiles Abraham and his posterity were taken into Covenant and all the world beside were excluded those few others that were admitted it was by extraordinary grace and they were as it were planted into Abrahams family but now the partition Wall is broken down which as it were shut up the mercy of God in the confines of Israel Now peace is proclaimed to those that are far off as well as to those that are near that they might become one people this is a great mystery Colos 1.26 Certainly all may well say so as we are poor Gentiles and we are made nigh by the blood of his Crosse Col. 1.20 21. 2. The Gospel-Covenant is better in respect of the quality of the persons taken into it the Law is proposed to wicked secure and hardened sinners 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for ungodly and for sinners for unholy and profane for murderers of fathers and murdâ—rers of mothers for men-slayers for whoremongers c. to restrain and bridle them but the Gospel lifts up broken-hearted sinners Luk. 4.18 He hath sent me to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord The Law is to terrifie the conscience the Gospel is to comfort it * Gerhard l. c. 7. The last excellency I shall name is this the Gospel-Covenant is every way faultlesse it is the last and best Dispensation of Divine grace Hebr. 8.7 If the first Covenant had been faultlesse then should no place have been sought for the second as if he should say the Covenant from Mount Sinai was not such Quo non alterum posset esse perfectius * Grotius that man could not desire a better Hebr. 7.18 19. There is verily a disanulling of the Commandment going before for the weaknesse and unprofitableness thereof for the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God plainly this is so excellent we cannot desire a better The Old Covenant is abrogated 1. As to the circumstance de futuro it all related to the future Messiah Christ is come and that consideration therefore ceaseth 2. 'T is abrogated as to the impossible condition of perfect obedience the Gospel sincerity of the meanest believer is better than the exactest obedience of the highest Legalist 3. 'T is abrogated as to the burden of Legal Ceremonies Priesthood and shadows God gave these things to them and the Gospel to us as we give nuces parvulo codicem grandi * Beda things of smaller value to a little childe but a good book to him when he is grown up They have lost their Temple their Priesthood their Unction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Chrysost c. We have Heaven for our Temple and Christ for our Priest and the Spirit for our Unction 4. The Old Covenant is abrogated as to the yoke of Mosaical policy we have nothing to do with the Judicial Laws of the Jews any farther than they are Moral or of a Moral equity Luk. 16.16 The Law and the Prophets were untill John Hebr. 7.12 The Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change of the Law And thus I have doctrinally shewed you the excellency of the Gospel-Covenant APPLICATION 1. This retorts wicked mens Reproaches into their own faces They cry out against the Ministers of the Gospel for preaching terrour to them Be it known to you the Gospel is properly employed in celebrating the mercy of God in the pardon of sin and comforting drooping sinners but in your doing what you can to put out this comfortable light you force us to fetch fire from Mount Sinai to take hold of you 'T is true the Law was given with Thunder and Lightning and terrible Miracles the Gospel was attested with a comfortable voice from heaven and healing Miracles but as sinners broken by the Law needed some Gospel-balm to heal their wounds so secure Gospel sinners need Legal threatnings to fright them out of their sluggishnesse and sleepy security If whispers of peace will not awaken them we must cry aloud to stir them up if it be possible to break off sinning and to minde salvation Sirs 't is no pleasure to us to speak words unpleasing to you you hinder us from work more purely Evangelical and which 't is a thousand fold more pleasure to us to be conversant about 'Pray take notice that were it not in love and faithfulnesse to your souls we would never be so poorly employed as to be pelting at your base lusts Do but try us Break off your soul-undoing wickednesse and you shall never hear us rate you any more you your selves being Judges ex gr Ask a sober man whether the lashing of drunkennesse makes him smart or not Ask a chaste person whether the naming of such Texts as Prov. 22.14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein Prov. 23.27 An whore is a deep ditch and a strange woman is a narrow pit reproach him in short Ask one that 's conscientious whether he thinks the Minister hath a spite at him in his Sermon because he names 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with mankinds nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God Alas all these will tell
you they have no such thought nor any cause for any such thought through grace they abhorre these sins and wonder that any are so besotted as to quarrel with a Minister for speaking against them You see then 't is your consciences that reproach you and not the Ministers of the Gospel 2. Here 's matter of Admiration Admiration of Gods rich Grace and unparallel'd Providence to us that God should cast our Lots in to such places and times wherein we enjoy the best of the best gracious Dispensations Acts 17.26 God hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation God hath been pleased so to dispose of Christs little flock that there shall be some in all times of the world and in all places of the world where he makes known his Name to be the salt of the Earth But now for us to be so disposed of that among the several thousand years of the worlds continuance and among the innumerable millions of places of the worlds Inhabitants that we should be brought forth in such a nick of time and in such a spiritual Paradise of place that there 's none in the world to equal it Sirs what doth this call for what shall we render to the Lord for this I know not what to call it 't is such unspeakable love Beloved I must both give and take time to answer this question And O that you and I may give a sutable answer to it I know not at present what to say to it unlesse we could as overcome by it faint away in a love-sickness into the bosome of our dearest Jesus that Cant. 2.4 5 6. seeing he hath brought us where we may not only taste a draught out of a Bottle but are brought to the great Vessels of spiritual comforts where we may not only enjoy Christ a little but even to spiritual extasie O that we now as sinking down in a Swoun and as unable to stand under the thoughts of such love might be even strowed and boulstered up with the comfortable doctrines of the Gospel-Covenant and all through impatience of love The love of God to such inconsiderable persons should carry the soul out of it self to do more than languish with desire after more extasying communications so that none but Christ with his right hand of Divinity and left hand of Humanity may be acceptable to us to embrace us O Christians I should be glad to send you all home heart-sick of love to Christ But 3. By way of Inference Everyone of you that is not in the Gospel-Covenant is in a dreadful state 't is your own wilfulnesse you will not believe the Gospel Though 't is through Divine Grace that persons do close with the Gospel yet it is your own sin you do not close with it for you are willing to be strangers to it you are willing to enjoy your lusts which you must part with if you embrace it You may observe the dreadful estate of persons out of Covenant in these three particulars 1. The sin against the Gospel-Covenant is most dreadful This sin hath the guilt of all other sins in it John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloke for their sin Sodom and Gomorrah Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdome of heaven before those that refuse the Gospel God the Father invites men to the Marriage Supper nay you are wooed and entreated to be Christs Bride You make light of it you have the profits and the pleasures of the world to take up your thoughts you will not be perswaded to believe that Christ is better than your lusts you will not be beat out of it but that a bag of gold is better than a Crown of glory but that a filthy lust is better than communion with God but that the Divels slave and fool is better than to be Gods Childe and Darling Is this your choice Then consider 2. The penalty for the contempt of this Gospel-Covenant is most dreadful John 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather than light this brings persons under the very utmost of the wrath of God 1 Thess 2.16 when the Jews sinned against the Legal Dispensation then Dan. 9.12 Daniel complains Under the whole heavens hath not been done as hath bâ—en done upon Jeâ—usalem but what now will become of those that refuse the Gospel Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God Can any thing be worse than to dye without mercy yes saith the Apostle what 's that nay he leaves it to your consideration as being unpossible to be expressed To poure contempt and scorne upon the pretious blood of Christ wherewith the Covenant betwixt God and his people was made and ratified to offer a spiteful affront unto the Spirit of God by contemning and opposing his gracious motions O what remains for such persons but a dreadful expectation of Gods terrible Judgment But there 's a third thing that I would have you consider which is sensibly more dreadful than either of these 3. The sentence against Gospel-Covenant breaking is most irreversible and peremptory mercy and grace and patience and compassion when these are abused all these become the sinners enemy for that which is ordained a life to prove death unto them oh this is dreadful for the blood of Christ to cry to heaven against sinners this is dreadful this made Christ to weep over Jerusalem Luke 19.40.41 These persons passe judgment upon themselves though not with their lips yet with their lives they pronounce themselves unworthy to be saved Acts 13.46 O Sirs I beseech you consider though persons brake the Covenant of Works there was salvation to be had by another Covenant but if this be violated there is no other Covenant to relieve this The Gospel-Covenant is our Refuge when the other Covenant pursues us Hebr. 6.18 Contemptuous carriage against Grace is beyond all help I beseech you therefore take heed of sinning against Gospel-light and Gospel-love O you will have that sting of conscience that no other sinners in the world have that have not refused a Redeemer Beloved I would I could say with due meltings of heart it grieves me for you to think how many hundreds in this Congregation are yet without Christ being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Ephes 2.12 O Sirs do you know what you do when you cocker your lusts in despight of Christ Can you hear Sermons and go on in sin You do well to hear but you make a desperate adventure to do what you know discovenants you from God and hazards your eternal separation from God Beloved I
swears by his life Isa 49.18 18. The Prophet speaks there of Sion as of a Mother-City and of multitudes that should be brought home to her by the Ministry of the Gospel and that they shall be as Jewels and Ornaments matter of much honour to her by their e dowments with spiritual graces Thus Gospel-Covenanters shall be qualified But you will presently say there is no danger of Gods breaking Covenant all the danger is on our part but Christians there is not so much danger on our part as many fear it is not every sin that presently breaks the Covenant a wife may be foolish and passionate yet the marriage is not thereby broken And when we do slip into Covenant-breaches Christ is ready to pardon us and the Spirit of Christ ready to piece up our breaches Provided that we do but make conscience in the whole course of our lives to keep Covenant with God Christians I hope by all that hath been spoken you will be perswaded to enter into Covenant and to keep Covenant with God if so I have my End and so hath my Sermon THE Mediatour OF THE COVENANT Described in his Person Natures and Offices 1 Tim. 2.5 And one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus COmmunion with God is our only happinesse 't is the very heaven of heaven and 't is the beginning of heaven here on earth The only foundation of this communion is the Covenant of Grace and 't is the great excellency of this Covenant of Grace that 't is Established in such a Mediator even Jesus Christ And one Mediator between c. This Epistle as ot the substance and main design of it is a short directory unto Timothy how he might faithfully discharge that great Office to which the Lord had called him in the Church of Ephesus In the first Chapter he instructs him concerning the doctrine he should Preach In this Chapter concerning the persons for whom he should pray 1. More generally For all men ver 1. i. e. men of all ranks conditions and Nations in the world 2. Particularly and especially for Magistrates ver 2. The Magistrates of those times were not only Pagans but Persecutors Diversus orandi modus ac scopus in diversis hominum generibus accurate observetur Non enim quidvis pro quovis orandum est quia sic precatio nostra divinae voluntati repugnaret Conrad Voâ—st in loc strangers to Christ themselves and enemies to every thing of Christ in others yet pray for them There are indeed some persons whom Christ leaves out of his prayers Joh. 17.9 and would have us leave oâ—t of ours 1 John 5.16 But yet thus far we may and ought to pray for all men the worst of men that the Lord would either make them truly good or else restrain them from doing evil that he would either shew mercy to them in their own soules or else keep them from being instruments of mischief unto others That under them you may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godlinesse and Honesty The encouragements unto prayer in this extent are Non omnes sine discrimine sed ex omnibus ordinibus Parae in loc 1. The good will of God to all men ver 4. i. e. men of all ranks and degrees for though God by his preceptive Will commands every individual man in the world to mind his salvation Acts 17.30 and by his approving Will delights in saving lost creatures nay though he vouchsafe to all men so much grace as will leave them inexcusable in their neglect of salvation yet can we not from hence stretch the grace of God into that unlimited and boundlesse universality as the Pelagians do from this Scripture for did God peremptorily and determinately Will the salvation of every particular person in the world mans stubbornnesse could not be too strong for God nor could our impotency resist his Omnipotent Will 2. The Mediation of Christ which lies open to all men to make use of as God is not the God of Jews only but of the Gentiles also Rom. 3.29 30. so is Christ a Mediator for all And one Mediator c. In the words 1. The only way of friendly intercourse between God and man 't is through a Mediator 2. The only Mediator between God and man one Mediator the Man Christ Jesus 1. The only way of friendly intercrouse between God and man 't is through a Mediator that 's implyed Burgesse Vindic. Leg. pag. 133.134 135. Whether man in the state of innocency needed a Mediator is disputed among persons learned and sober but in his lapsed state this need is acknowledged by all God cannot now look upon men out of a Mediator but as Rebels Traytours as fit objects for his Vindictive wrath Nor can men now look up to God but as a provoked Majesty an angry Judge a consuming fire And therefore were not it for a Mediator i. e. a middle person interposing between God and us who are at variance to procure reconciliation and friendship as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports we could not but so dread the presence of this God that like our first Parents in that dark interval 'twixt their sinning and the succour of that promise Gen. 3.15 we should have endeavoured to hide our selves what we could from the presence of the Lord. Gen. 2.8 2. The only Mediator between God and men One Mediator i. e. but one Papists acknowledge one Mediator of reconciliation but contend for many of intercession But as God in the former part of this verse is said to be one God by way of exclusion of all others so is Christ said here to be one Mediator i. e. but one This Mediator is here described partly by His Nature The man His Names Christ Jesus 1. His Nature the man i. e. that eminent man so some Singularis ille homo Vorst Paraphr in loc qâ—i factus est homo Versio Aethiop he that was made man so others Object But why is this Mediator mentioned in this Nature only Answ 1. Negatively Not by wâ—y of diminution as if he were not God as well as man as the Arrians argue from this Scripture nor as if the execution of his Mediatorship were either only In Christo non solus Deus est Mâ—diator nâ—c solus homo sed Deus-homo or chiefly in his humane Nature as some of the Papists affirme though others of them deny as Cornel. A Lap. in loc asserting Christs Mediatorship secundum utramque naturam according to both Natures 2. Positively to prove that Jesus Christ was the true Messiah whom the Prophets foretold the Fathers expected and who had in that Nature been so frequently promised as in the first Gospel that ever was preached Gen. 3.15 he is promised as the seed of the Woman Besides the Apostle mentions Christ in this Nature only as an encouragement to that duty of Prayer he had before perswaded to the like purpose he is mention'd
the burden of it You have not yâ—t resisted unto blood Heb. 12.4 saith the Apostle striving against sin as if he had said you are not yet come to the hottest of the battel it may be you have gone through some light skirmishes a few ill words or outward losses but when Christ was challenged by this Goliah and none durst take up the Gantlet he resisted unto blood and verily the evil of sin is not so much seen in that thousands are damn'd for it as that Christ dyed for it If you should see a black vapour arise out of the earth and ascend by degrees till it covered the face of the heavens and obscure the Sun in brightest Noon-day lustre you would doubtlesse conclude there must needs be a strange and preternatural malignity in that vapour What shall we then think of sin that brought down the Son of God from heaven darkned his glory took away his life laid him in the dust After whom is the King of Israel come out saith David to Saul after whom dost thou pursue after a dead dog after a flea As if he had said 1 Sam. 24.14 methinks the King of Israel should never trouble himself about such a sorry and inconsiderable thing as I am a dead dog cannot bite when alive indeed he is a fierce creature he may flie in a mans face and tear out his throat but death tames him A dead dog needs no chain and a flea cannot bite very much the mark it makes is but a flea-bite you that have slight thoughts of sin do as good as say that the God of Israel entred into the lists and armed himself for the Battel against a dead dog nay that he lost the Field and was worsted by a flea the evil of sin is not so much seen that it is a knife that cuts our fingers as that its a knife redded over with the blood of our dear Redeemer 3. Hence note the exact and impartial justice of God and his most righteous severity against sin that rather than that shall passe unpunished his only begotten and everlastingly beloved Son shall shed his blood and become lyable and obnoxious to a curse In the blood of Christ as a mirrour is represented the most condescending mercy and inflexible severity that ever the world saw Son saith God if thou wilt undertake for sinners and undergo that penalty that is due to sin thy blood must go for it and nothing can be abated he prays the Cup may passe if possible but justice was inexorable he was upon such terms that it was not possible God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 to declare his righteousnesse that he may be just One would have thought he would have said to declare his love and mercy that he may shew himself gracious nay but though there be a truth in that the Apostle pitches upon another Attribute To declare his righteousnesse that he may be just If there were any respect of persons with God or if exact justice could have warp't and been drawn away with any accessory and circumstantial considerations doubtlesse Christ should have gone free and an indemnity from suffering should have been the Sons priviledge 4. This is sad and dreadful news to all impenitent and unbelieving sinners What will be their doom that have no share in this blood of Christ and not only so but trample it under foot as an unholy thing Let them look to it it will one day rise up against them as a witnesse for their certain damnation for such there 's a much sorer punishment Heb. 10.29 woe to those that have not the blood of Christ to plead for them but ten thousand woes to them that have the blood of Christ pleading against them And where it cries not for pardon it cries out for vengeance with a witnesse They are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ saith the Apostle whose end is destruction Phil. 3.18 19. And what better end could it rationally be hoped they should come to that have an enmity against the Crosse of Christ If that which is light in th e be darkness Matth. 6.23 how great is that darknesse If the healing saving blood of Christ be destruction how dreadful is that destruction the death of Christ is to a wicked man one of the saddest stories and most dreadful tragedies that he can read or hear of because having no interest in it he understands what must certainly be acted upon himself and if God would not hearken to the prayers of his Son how is it likely he should be moved with the cry of Rebels and Enemies When God sent the Prophet Jeremiah upon his Errand to the Nations with the Cup of his fury that they should drink and be drunken and spue and fall and rise no more upon case of their refusal to drink tell them saith he that loe I begin to bring evil on the City which is called by my Name Jer. 25.29 and sh uld ye be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished As if God had said Carry a Cup and if they refuse tell them Jerusalem hath been before them and I am resolved it shall go round My own people shall not drink unpledged and they shall not be unpunished God hath prepared a Cup for all Christ-rejecting sinners warmed with fire and spiced with brimstone and if they wince and make a sowre face let them know Christ hath had it Gods only begotten and beloved Son hath drunk deep on 't and how or with what face can they expect to escape What! will God say to such a one Behold he whose judgment was not to drink of the Cup Jer. 49.12 hath assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt altogether go unpunished thou shalt not go unpunished but thou shalt surely drink of it Use 2 2. For Exhortation and that in six particulars 1. Hath Christ shed his blood for sin let us then shed the blood of sin let sin never live one quiet quarter of an houre in our souls that would not let Christ live in the world Christ dyed unto sin for Satisfaction let us dye unto sin by Mortification He died unto sinne once likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin Rom. 6.10 11. Every Saint should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostles phrase is Rom. 6.5 planted together in the likenesse of his death And he further explaines his meaning Ver. 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin And verily unlesse by the death of sin in you you can have no comfortable evidence that the death of Christ was for you Christ was crucified and they that are Christs Gal. 6.24 Gal. 5.2 have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing saith the Apostle I
that Jesus Christ is the Lord. For the first of these we will enquire 1. What we are to understand by the Name given unto Jesus Christ 2. How this Name is a Name above every Name 3. How we are to understand this that God hath given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Christ a Name above every Name In Answer to the first First Some by this Name do understand the Name Christ Jesus and so take it literally but neither Jesus nor Christ is a name above every name 1. Not Jesus for that was the name of Joshua the Son of Nun the famous Captain of Israel called Jesus by the Apostle Hebrews 4.8 And of this Name was the High Priest Joshuah the Son of Josedek Haggai 1.1 1 Sam. 24 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unctus sive Christus Domini Isa 45.1 Nomen supra omne nomen non intelligendum est de aliquo externo cognomine vel Jesu vel Christi Brent Heb. 1.4 5. 2. Neither is Christ a name above every name for Saul is called the Lords anointed Christus Domini And so also the Prophet speaking of Cyrus calleth him the anointed of the Lord. We cannot therefore understand this of any name either of Jesus or Christ for Paul is here speaking not what the name of our Saviour was but of the Honour Dignity Power and Majesty to which Christ was advanced Secondly Others as Hierome and Theodoret do think that in that Christ was called the S nne of God he had therein a name above every name and this Exposition is gathered from that passage of the Apostle that Jesus Christ was much better than the Angels as he hath by Inheritance obtain'd a more excellent name than they for unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee But though this be true that to be the eternal Son of God is a Name above every Name yet this cannot be meant here for it is spoken of that which Christ was exalted to after his Humiliation but from Eternity he was the Sonne of God and did not cease to be so by his Incarnation and Humiliation Thirdly By Name therefore we are to understand that Power Dignity Per nomen potestas dignitas significatur Calvinus Gen. 6.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri nominis 1 Chron. 5.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri nominum John 1.14 and Authority which Christ was invested withal after the dayes of his flesh and Sufferings were finished 1 Sometimes in Scripture-phrase Name is put for glory and Renown So we read of men of Renown it is in the Hebrew Men of Name and of famous men Heads of the House of their Fathers What we read famous men is in the Hebrew Men of Names and thus the glory which Christ is invested withal is the Glory of the only begotten of the Father 2. By Name in Scripture-phrase is meant power and Authority and the Soveraignty by which Christ is King of Nations and King of Saints and thus the Scripture speaks The works saith Christ that I do in my Fathers Name John 10.25 they beare witness of me in my Fathers Name i. e. by the Power of God Acts 3.6 Acts 4.7 Thus Pâ—ter speaks to the Criple In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth arise and walk i. e. by the Power of Christ for so it is expressed when the Council questioned them for this thing they are asked By what power or by what name have you done this So then we are to understand by Name that Honour Authority and Dignity which Christ now enjoyes in Heaven of which he spake when he was ascending into Heaven All power is given me in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 and the Glory of Christs Name is such that it shall be celebrated through all the Ages of the World Heaven and Earth shall Ring with the praises of his Name as the Angels praised his Name at his Birth Behold I bring you good tydings of great joy Luk. 2.10 11 13 14. which shall be unto all people for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord and suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the Heavenly Hoste praising God and saying Glory be to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men So they do now praise him and worship him in Heaven Heb. 1.6 Rev 5.12 saying Worthy is the Lambe to receive Power and Riches and Wisdome and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Secondly How hath Christ obtained a Name above every Name This Nomen super omne nomen a Name above every Name is a demonstration of Christs Super-Exaltation and it notes four things First This is a Name above every Name that Jesus Christ should be the only Saviour of the World that his Name should be the Only One Name by which we are saved Of this the Apostle The stone which the builders refused Acts 4.11 12. is become the Head of the Corner neither is there any Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under heaven given amongst men John 4.42 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby we must be saved He is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World which we may understand not only eminâ—ntly but exclusively He is the Saviour there is none besides him We read that God did raise Saviours to his people Israel so acknowledged the Levites in their solemn Fast-day Nehem. 9.27 Thou O Lord deliveredst thy people into the hands of their enemies who vexed them and in the time of their trouble when they cryed unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them Saviours who saved them out of the hand of their Enemies Such a Saviour was Moses to the Israelites from the Egyptians Joshua from the Canaanites Gideon from the Midianites Jeptha from the Ammorites and Sampson from the Philistims but all these were but partial petty and temporal Saviours These saved the body from misery and that but for a time Christ saves our souls from our sins Mat. 1.21 and that for ever All these Saviours stood in need of the Saviour Joshua himself had eternally perished had it not been for Jesus Jesus Christ was the only Saviour to whose most precious and saving Name all the Old Testament pointed at He was the Saviour in whom all the Promises were performed all the Types accomplished and all the Prophesies fulfilled Acts 10.43 Gen 49.10 Psal 110.1 Isa 7.14 Jer. 23.5 Dan 9.29 Hag. 2.9 Mat. 12.21 It was unto this only Name the Saviour that all the Prophets bare witness He he it was that was Jacobs Shiloh Davids Lord Isaiahs Immanuel Jeremies Branch Daniels Messiah and Haggie's desire of all Nations It is in his name and his Name alone that all Nations shall trust and that for salvation Secondly Jesus Christ hath a Name above every Name in that he
passion of God-man Man being every other way finite must have suffered infinitely in regard of duration even to eternity And none but Christ who was infinite in regard of the subject and dignity of his person as he was God could have so speedily and effectually delivered us from this punishment by suffering it himself whereby Gods justice was satisfied his hatred against the sinner removed and his mercy at liberty to act in the pardon of the sinner Sixthly This passion of Jesus Christ God was graciously pleased to accept for us and impute to us as if we had suffered in our persons and so he receives us into mercy And this is the substance of the Doctrine of the Gospel about mans salvation So much for the first thing the Explication of the point 2. I now come to the Assertion or Demonstration of it that you may receive this Doctrine as a Truth not built upon the traditions of men but revealed in the Word of God Now to prove this point viz. That the death of Jesus Christ is the procuring cause of mans Justification and Salvation I may use two sorts of Arguments First Some from the consideration of Christs death Secondly Some from the consideration of mans Justification and Salvation 1. From the consideration of Christs death I shall offer six Arguments 1. It s Possibility 2. Necessity 3. Nature 4. Cause 5. Vicegerency 6. Peculiarity First From the possibility Let me be bold to assert had it not been for this purpose it had not been possible for Christ to dye as it was not possible for Christ to be holden of death Acts 2.24 the price being paid and so the Prisoner of course to be released so it had not been possible because not just Id tantum possumus quod jure possumus to put him into a prison if it had not been to pay a debt And a debt of his own he had none he was a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 Holy blameless undefiled separate from sinners Hebr. 7.26 He knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 which I the rather mention because Sâ—cinus hath the impudence to lay down this blasphemous Assertion That Christ like the Jewish High Priest did offer for himself as well as for the people You have seen he had no debt no sin of his own he professeth of himself that he did alwayes those things which pleased his Father John 8.29 and therefore he must needs dye for our debts it is plain that Adam had he continued in integrity should not have dyed death is not the effect of nature then the Saints in glory must dye again for they have the same nature but the fruit of sin death entred into the world by sin Rom. 5.12 And the Apostle proves the sin of Infants expressed by that Periphrasis such as have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression from the death of Infants and in Adam all dyed i. e. by his sin 1 Cor. 15.22 Therefore Jesus Christ being purified from the guilt of Adams sin by his holy birth and no lesse perfect than Adam should have been could never have dyed if not for our sakes Secondly From the necessity of Christs death it was necessary for our Salvation and Justification without which end it had been in vain The Socinians mention two other reasons and ends of Christs death the one to be an example of obedience but such we have many others upon far less charge the other to be a ground of hope for the remission of sin and the fulfilling of Gods promises but properly it is not the death but resurrection of Christ which is the ground of our hope 1 Cor. 15.14 If Christ be not risen your faith is vain so that those ends are improper and insufficient And to strike it dead I urge but one place Gal. 2.21 If righteousnesse come by the Law Christ is dead in vain What can be more plain if righteousnesse be not by Christ that the death of Christ be not the procuring cause of our Justification Christ is dead in vain to no end or as Grotius and others rather understand without any meritorious cause i. e. our sins however all comes to one Thirdly From the nature of Christs death it is a Sacrifice this consists of two Branches 1. Sacrifices did expiate sin 2. Christs death is a Sacrifice and a sin-expiating Sacrifice 1. I say Sacrifices did expiate sin Levit. 1.4 He shall put his hands upon the head of the burnt-offering and it shall be accepted for him and many such places And this they did typically which strengthens the cause we have in hand as representing and fore-signifying Christ without which it was not possible for the blood of Buls and Goats to take away sins Hebr. 10.4 And the sins pardoned under the Old Testament were pardoned thorough Christ and not through any vertue of their Sacrifices Christ being a Mediatour for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament Hebrewes 9.15 2. And this brings in the second Head that Christs death is a Sacrifice and a sin-expiating Sacrifice if either the names or nature of it may be regarded for the names and titles proper to Sacrifices they are attributed to it and God doth not give flattering titles nor false names but such as discover the nature of things it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Oblation or offering up of himself Ephes 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.25 to omit others and for the nature by vertue hereof sin is atoned he is our High Priest for this end to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Heb. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being by an Enallage put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pacifie God reconcile God turn away his wrath You meet with all things in Christ which concurre to the making of a Sacrifice The Priest he is our High Priest the Sacrifice himself Christ was once offered the shedding of blood and destroying of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the essential part of a Sacrifice Add to these 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passeover is Sacrificed for us where is a double Argument 1. That Christ is expresly said to be Sacrificed 2. That he is called a Passeover which at the best seems to have been both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament Now then Christs death being a Sacrifice it appeares that it appeased Gods wrath procured his favour Fourthly From the cause of Christs death I might urge a double cause 1. The inflicting cause it was Gods displeasure Nothing more plaine than that he had a very deep sense of and sharp conflict with Gods wrath from those dreadful horrours in the Garden where his soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death not certainly at the approach of an ordinary death which many Martyrs have undergone with undaunted courage but at the apprehension of his Fathers anger and upon the Cross where he roared out that direful complaint My
busie himself about a lump of sin and misery What but meer mercy what but rich and abundant mercy 1. It is meer mercy When by our own merits we were bgotten to death by his mercy he begat us again unto life Cum nostris meritis generati essemus ad mortem sua misericordia nos regeneravit ad vitam Beda Not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he hath saved us Tit. 3.5 Indeed we cannot do any works of righteousness before our Calling that righteousness which natural men are subject to glory in is rather seeming than real and that which shineth so bright in our own eyes and perhaps in the eyes of other men is an abomination in the sight of God Luke 16.15 God and men do not measure our righteousness by the same standerd men account them righteous that conform to Customes Laws and Constitutions of men if at least they be likewise conformable to the Letter of the Law of God But God reckons none righteous besides those that have a singular regard to the Spirit of the Law if I may so call it which layeth an Obligation upon the inward man as well as the outward which binds the heart as well as the hand and commands not only that which is good but that good be done upon a good principle in a good manner to a good end A pitch of obedience that no natural man can possibly arise to so that in the sight of God there is none righteous Rom. 3.10 Ephes 2.3 no not one We are all by nature children of wrath as well as others Children of wrath we are by our own desert if ever we become Children of Grace it must be by his mercy 2. As by meer mercy so by rich and abundant mercy in God it is that we are called There is a greatnesse of love in the quickning of those that are dead in sins together with Christ There is mercy in that we have our lives for a prey Eph. 2.4 5. mercy in all the comforts and accommodations of life mercy in the influences of the Sun mercy in the dropping of the Clouds mercy in the fruitfulness of seasons mercy in the fulness of barnes the yeare is crowned with the goodness of the Lord but this is a mercy above all mercies That we are called from darkness unto marvelous light and from the power of Satan to the service of and fellowship with the only living and true God other benefits are extended to the worst of men nay the very Devils have some tastes of mercy but this of an Effectual Calling is as I said before communicated to none but those that God hath chosen Other blessings and benefits though they be good in themselves yet they cannot make us good they are but as trappings to a Horse which if he be a Jade make him not go the better but the worse but here God works a marvelous change for the better once the man ran away from God and himself but now he instantly returns once he was a hater a fighter against God but now the weapons of his hostility are laid down and he thinks he can never do enough to express his love once he was darkness but now he is light in the Lord once dead but behold he lives Finally Other blessings and benefits can never make us happy but as they finde us miserable so they leave us we may and are too apt to bless our selves in them yet God never intended to bless us in the sole enjoyment of them But oh how happy is that man that God hath effectually called to himself his bosome shall be his refuge in all storms his grace his sufficiency in all temptations his power his shield in all oppositions But let the Text speak All things shall work together for his Spiritual and Eternal good Before I part with this Point I shall acquaint you with an Exposition of my Text utterly inconsistent with the Doctrine I have delivered and the truth it self and very unworthy of the Authours of it This it is That here we are said to be call'd not according to Gods purpose Chrys Theod. Theoph. but according to our own purpose to hear and obey his call And perhaps upon this the Papists have grounded their merit of congruity but this must needs fall if we consider but this one thing among many that those that have been farthest off the Kingdome have been fetcht into it and those that have not been farre from the Kingdome of God have never come nearer it God doth not alwayes take the smoothest but the most knotty pieces of Timber to make pillars in his house He goes not alwayes to places of severest and strictest Discipline to pick out some few there to plant in his House but he goes to the Custome-House and calls one thence to the Brothel-House and calls another thence And if yet you insist upon the purpose of man as an inducement to the call of God pray tell me what was Sauls purpose when God met with him in the way to Damascus Had he any other purpose than to persecute the Disciples of the Lord Enough of that Question 5. By what means are we Called Sometimes without means as in persons not capable of the use of them there is highest Caution amongst the people of God to avoid that sin nay the very appearance of limiting the holy One of Israel Sometimes by contrary means the greatness of a sin being ordered by God to set on the conversion of a sinner as when a man is wounded with the sting and healed with the flesh of a Scorpion Gaffarel or as when we make triacle of a Viper a most poysonous creature to expel poyson Sometimes by very unlikely means as when by some great affliction we are brought home to God which in its own nature one would think should drive us farther from God as there is no question but it doth the Reprobates who are ready to tell all the world what King William Rufus told the Bishop if the partial Monk do not belye him God shall never make me good by the evil I suffer from him Nunquam me Deus bonum habebit pro malo quod mihi inâ—ulerit Edmerus in Hist Ser. 2. de Spirt Sanct. tom 4. or which is yet more unlikely when we are brought home by prosperity God overcoming our evil with his good heaping as it were Coals of fire upon our heads and so melting us into kindly contrition Gerson in a Sermon of his tells us of a most wicked Priest that when he was preferr'd to a Bishoprick became exemplarily holy but such a Convert is rara avis seldom to be found Alwayes this work is carried on by weak means Thus I have heard it credibly reported that a sentence written in a window and accidentally read by an inveterate sinner pierc't his heart and let out the corruption thence the sentence was that of Austin
the New Covenant which is a perpetual Law of pardoning repenting and believing sinners whomsoever whensoever but as such Neither was Christs suffering like the Cancelling of a Bond a total discharge of us from suffering the penalty threatened in the Law we dye still and afflictions are punishments still True indeed upon Christs satisfaction made God and he are agreed that a believing sinner should not be punished with the everlasting destructive penalty threatened for whosoever believes shall not perish but they are not that he shall not be John 3.16 for he is punished with the temporal corrective punishments of the threatening as sicknesse and natural death yet even these through infinite goodnesse so ordering and disposing it prove much more a benefit than a penalty to a believer Vse 2 Vse 2. What cause have we then with the lowest and profoundest Humility to adore the Majesty of the living God First To adore his holinesse Reverence those eyes of his that are purer than that they can endure to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 Let this God be thy dread and awe Dare not to make a mock of sin tremble at the horrid guilt and sinfulnesse of the least sin look upon it as an affront and treason against an Eternal Majesty as worthy the Curse of the Law and the wrath of an Almighty God as that which could not be expiated at a lesser rate than the blood of God Acts 20.28 Secondly to adore his wisdome in finding out such a person to satisfie his justice as our Redeemer Consider here that God could not suffer could not dye Nay could not properly satisfie himself for it had not been a satisfaction to his justice at all but meer mercy and so no justification of a sinner but meer pardon if the person satisfying had been only God Again Consider that a meer creature could never satisfie as I before demonstrated a meer creature had perish't in the attempt would have been overwhelmed and crush't to pieces with that insupportable load the guilt of sin and the wrath of God The person therefore that must satisfie must neither be finite nor infinite neither the creature nor the Creator neither God nor man yet must be both Here now the understandings of men and Angels must have been tyred to all eternity Rom. 11.33 see also Eph. 1.7 8. fully hereunto and lost for ever in a bottomlesse gulf of horror and amazement to finde out such a person O the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God! Thirdly To adore the infinite riches of his grace Rom. 3.24 in justification and here consider 1. God might have let man alone seized the forfeiture as the Tree fell it might have lain for ever what obliged God to accept of satisfaction 2. The Redeemer hath trodden the wine-presse alone what ever was done in this satisfaction he did it Of the people there was none with him The sinner hath not the least hand in it could not pay one Christ paid every to the utmost farthing Thirdly It was the Judge himself who contrived this way to justifie us and it was at his cost he gave his Son herein God commended his love to us as Abraham once did his faith to God in that he spared not his son his only begotten son whom he loved So that if we rightly weigh it it will appear that by how much the satisfaction is the fuller by so much the pardon is the freer by how much his justice is the more by so much too is his mercy the more glorified and still still infinitely the more are we obliged Use 3. Consol Here 's unspeakable comfort for every humble though doubting soul every contrite spirit that hungers and thirsts after righteousnesse Vse 3 First Consider how full satisfaction Christ hath made he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God through him he is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well-pleased all power is committed into his hands God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance and Remission of sins Secondly Consider he inviteth thee as a sinner to come in unto this Gospel-righteousnesse in the general tenor of his Proclamation Whosoever believes c. If any man sin 1 John 2.1 2. we have an Advocate with the Father c. An Whosoever excludes none that excludes not himself Thirdly Consider Christ assures thee that art the person I now speak to he who is the Truth assures thee thou shalt be welcome Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest c. This is your very case Heark the Master callâ—th you will you not be of good courage and Go when he saith Come he that never yet cast out any that came unto him that never will he saith so himself Thou mayst believe him he never broke his word yet he will not begin with thee he cannot deny himself Fourthly Consider those standing Monuments of Gods free justifying grace that are on record in the Scripture What hath been done may be done again Nay will be done again in the case we speak of by the God that changeth not God hath pardoned as great sinners see Ephraims case Jer. 31.18 see the Corinthians example 1 Cor. 6.10 11. see Pauls 1 Tim. 1.13 Whoever goes and doth likewise shall receive likewise for Christ is yesterday and to day and the same for ever Fifthly Consider it is the very designe of God in giving his Son and of Christ in giving himself to dye for us to justifie such as thou art Isa 16.1 Luke 4.19 20. Jer. 3.12 1 John 5.9 Vse 4. Exhort First To the Unconverted Vse 4 Use 4. Exhort Let me then beseech sinners not to love death Why should iniquity be your ruine There is balme in Gilead there is a Physitian there Why are ye unwilling to be healed Turn ye Turn ye why will ye dye Would it be a hard matter to perswade a condemned person to be willing not to be executed were he not distracted if having a pardon offered upon the easie terms of confessing his fault and serious promising amendment he should bid the Prince keep his Pardon to himself for his part he was in love with his chains he would not be released he would dye Thou art the man whoever thou art that neglectest Gospel-grace what fury and raging madnesse is it that thou art guilty of Thy soul with all its eternal interests lies at stake and as if it were neither here nor there what became of thee for ever thou despisest the riches of Gods forbearance after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart Rom. 2.4 5. treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath Is it well done of thee sinner is this thy kindnesse to thy own soul is this thy thanks to thy Redeemer How inexcusable art thou thy self being Judge thou canst not answer it to thy conscience to thy God with the least colour or shadow
Promises of the Gospel In which are two things formally constitutive of Saving Faith 1. Acceptation of Christ and the Promises Faith is that hand which doth touch the top of the golden Scepter or that closeth with and entertaineth what God offereth receiving Christ hence a weak Faith is true Faith and saving Joh. 1.12 as well as strong because it indeed receiveth the gift though with a trembling hand This is the coming unto Christ Joh. 6.35 and appropriating what before lay in common the applying what before was only applicable making the soul to say with Thomas believing Joh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Zanch. in Coloss 2.6 Sicut accepistis quomodo accipitur Fide So the good things purchased by Christ and following upon our receiving of Christ are said to be received as the atonement abundance of grace the gift of righteousness Ro. 5.11.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidei videl manu oblata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and expresly remission of sin is said to be received by Faith Act. 26.18 2. Innitency recumbency of soul upon a Christ received entrusting him entirely with 2 Tim. 1.12 Isa 50.10 Cant. 8.5 and committing to him the care of Soul and salvation staying the soul upon him leaning upon the beloved rouling the soul upon him resting with whole weight upon him as faithful able loving and this is truly fiducia this is truly Credere in Christum To believe in or upon Christ more than Credere Christum Christo to believe a Christ that he is and to believe Christ or his word It is a phrase in Prophane writers unusual as the thing it self salvation by Faith was unknown To this belong those expressions of the eyes being toward God 2 Chron. 20.12 Psal 123.2 Isa 45.22 Joh. 3.14 15. and looking to him even as the Serpent was lifted up to be looked upon with expectation of healing vertue so Christ to be looked unto by the Soul with a longing expectation and confident dependance The End of Faith is the glory of God in mans salvation Final Cause the one as supream and ultimate the other as subordinate that God might save his Creature to whom he wished well in a way of demonstration and exaltation of his glorious justice and mercy therefore was Saving Faith and Salvation by Faith ordained Justice that he might be just Rom. 3.26 that is demonstrated and declared to be just as Psal 51.6 both in not pardoning without satisfaction and therefore punishing sin upon the Surety and then in pardoning the sinner through faith uniting to and interesting in the Surety therefore saith the Apostle God is faithful and just to forgive Meâ—cy in that he accepteth the satisfaction of another and imputeth his righteousness to the sinner by Faith receiving it and that he found out and provided alone this way of salvation by Faith It was of Faith that it might be of Grace Rom. 4.16 Ephes 2.8 for by Grace are we saved through faith and thereby works as meriting and so mans confidence in and boasting of himself are excluded Rom. 27. and Gods glory entirely secured and advanced by mens submitâ—ing to the righteousness of God by Faith Rom 10.3 Hab 2.4 Faith and Pride being utterly inconsistent Indeed trusting God upon his bare word not having merit nor humane probability Rom 4.20 Heb 10.39 1 Pet 1.9 giveth great glory to God That Mans Salvation is an end of Faith all the New Testament witnesseth even that we believe to the saving of our souls and receive the end of our Faith in the salvation of our Souls 4. Effects The Effects more proper or less proper and Consequents of true Faith Col 3.4 1. Union with Christ who is our life and so we live by Faith What can more necessarily and immediately follow upon the offer on Gods part in the Gospel of Christ to be ours and our receiving him by Faith than union to his person though no personal union 2 Cor 13.5 Ephes 3.17 Hence having Christ in us and our being in the Faith are made the same because Christ dwelleth in our hearts by Faith Whatever the Spirit on Christs part doth before by way of uniting us to Christ apprehending us for Christ Jesus as some understand Phil. 3.12 Faith is the hand on our part that receives and the band that fastneth Christ to us This I take to be the fruit of the first consummate Vital act of the quickned soul and then is the mariage knot tied 2. Hence follow Remission of sins and justification of the person through Christ and his righteousness apprehended and appropriated This Peter testifies to be the witness of the Prophets Act 10.43 even that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins The pardoned alone live for the guilty are dead in Law which the people sensibly bewailed in saying if our iniquities be upon us Ezek 33.10 and we pine away in them how shall we then live Joyn this with our living by Faith and you see Faiths necessity and efficacy towards pardon It was St. Pauls ardent desire that he having won Christ got him been united to him might be found in him having the righteousness which is of God through faith in Christ. Nothing more frequent than the assertions and demonstrations of Justification by Faith in S. Pauls Epistles especially to the Romans and Galatians The manner of Faiths efficacy wherein is by a judicious person of our own well expressed for the cutting off those two eager controversies about the Instrumentality and conditionality of Faith It is saith he the general opinion of the Orthodox wherein all agree That Faith is a means appointed by God in the use whereof the chi dr n of men are made partakers of Justification 3. Adoption That our receiving into the number and having a right to the Priviledges of the Sons of God the Spirit of Adoption boldness at the Throne of Grace present supply future inheritance is the fruit and product of Faith appears from Scripture and consequence To as many as received him Joh. 1.12 or believed on his name gave he power to become the Sons of God For indeed we being by Faith united to Christ and the faultiness of our persons taken away through Christ what more immediately follows from this loveliness in him and oneness with him than communication of Sonship which cannot be in that way that Christ is a Son Ephes 1.5.6 and therefore is by the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ Adoption therefore is the effect of Faith through union to and Justification through Christ intermediately caused thereby Causa causae est causa causati 4. Audience and answer of prayer Our Lord hath given universal proof to this Mat. 21.22 in assuring that all things whatsoever shall be asked in prayer believing shall be received By St. James Jam. 1.6 7. asking
evil is ever present but to do good he hath no minde so that he must needs cry out I have sinned and must return or else I perish now reproof finds ready acceptance from him the Ministers of God shall meet with no murmuring if they cry unto him Thou art the man for he is apt and ready to draw up a Bill of Inditement and read a large accusation against his own soul his iniquities now finds him out and followeth him every where that it becomes alive and appears against him with vigour not admitting the least of Apology but leading him to Condemnation and laying him open to the Curse due unto them that break the Law and therefore he now 3. Sentenceth himself as accursed of God and bound over to Divine fury the conscience of his guilt concludes him under the condemnation of the Law that he seeth cause to wonder at his very being concludeth himself unworthy the least of mercy and God to be just in the greatest of judgments which lie upon him and so proceedeth to judge himself and seal up his own soul under the curse standing under the continual expectation of Gods fiery indignation to be revealed from heaven determining it self a debtor to the Law and as such liable to justice and in it self unable to make the least satisfaction so that now the soul doth not only assent unto the Law as true in all its threats but app yeth them unto himself confessing unto him belongs shame and confusion hell and horrour wo and eternal misery that he knoweth not how to escape but if God proceed against him he is most miserable and undone forever and so is constrained with anguish of soul to cry out What shall I do to be saved This is then the first part of humiliation when the soul in this due order and judicial method of conviction is brought to a sight of sin to see God offended the Law violated the soul damned and destinated to everlastâ—ng woe if not Redeemed by the mercy of a God who hath established Jesus Christ his Son to be a Lord and Saviour to g ve Remissiâ—n and Repentance and so it proceeds to the sorrow for his sin as committed against God Second part of humiliation The second part then of penitential humiliation is contrition or sorrow for sin as committed against God Herein the soul is not only acquainted with but afflicted for its guilt seeeth not only that it is a sinner but sorroweth under and is ashamed of so sad and sinful an estate the stony heart is broken the Adamantine soul dissolved he rends not his garment but his heart and goeth out and weepeth bitterly He seeth with shame his many abominations and rendeth with soul-distressing sorrow and anguish the Curse of the Law that is due unto him and considereth with almost soul-distracting despaire the doleful estate into which his sin hath resolved him for he seeth God with whom he is not able to plead to be highly offended and therefore must with Job confesse that he is n t able to answer when God reproveth Job 40.4 5. he is vile and must lay his hand on his mouth though in his pride he hath once spoke yet now he hath no answer yea twice but he dare proceed no further Well seeing that all contending with God is but a da kening counsel by words wi hout knowledge and so he becomes submisse and silent under the saddest of affliction inflicted by God Psal 51.4 Lam 3.39 Crying out Against thee thee only have I sinned And why should a living man complaine for the punishment of his sin the soul is in it self confounded on the sense that God claps his hands against him for his sin therefore his heaâ—t cannot endure or his hands be strong Ezek. 22.13 14. Compunction of spirâ—t is the only condition of the convinced Penitent he seeth he is liable to the curse of the Law and his only outcry is What shall we do to be saved He being convinced that he hath crucified the Lord of life is pricked at the heart and in all approaches unto God he is ashamed and amazed becâ—use a man oâ— polluted lips nay Isa 6.6 sadly seeing that sin overspreads him Isa 64 6. his very righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloth he like the poor Publican stands afar off and dares not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven and his only note and eccho is Lord be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18.13 he humbleth himself under the hand of God as having deserved the most heavy of plagues his haughty spirit is now laid low within him he is wholly resolved into sorrow even godly sorrow it is his grief that guilt is on his spirit but his greater grief that his sin is gone out against God a gracious and an holy God a just and an holy Law his sorrow is a sorrow of candor and ingenu ty not so much that he is liable to the lash and obnoxious to the curse as that a Father is offended the image of his God defaced his grand complaint is I have sinned against God his soul-affliction and heart-trembling is God is offended the frownes of God sink deeper and seize more sadly on his spirit than the sharpest of his sufferings his earnest cry is for the joy of Gods salvation he is not only afflicted with the terrours of the Law Psal 51 12. which he confesseth belongeth to him but is melted with merciful Ministrations of the Gospel of which he is so unworthy he cannot look unto Christ but with a spirit of mourning moved by the strength of the remedy to see the heighth of his malady and by the dolor of a Saviour Zech. 12.10 made sensible of the depth of his miserie by the mercy and love manifested to so great a sinner he is led to mourn over a gracious Saviour like Mary Magdalene he loveth much and manifesteth it by lamenting much Luke 7.47 because much is forgiven Thus then the believing sinner comes home by weeping-crosse findes conviction and contrition antecedaneous acts unto his conversion a sense of and sorrow for his sin precursive parts of his Repentance and God holds this method in g ving Repentance for sundry wife and gracious ends which he hath propounded to be effected As 1. To suit them for and engage them to set an esteem on Christ Jesus and the Remission of sin in him The whole need not the Physician but the sick and Christ came not to call the righteous to repentance but the sinner Mat. 9.12 The hunted beast fl es to his Den and the pursued Malefactor to the hornes of the Altar the chased man-killer to his City of Refuge so the humbled sinner unto Jesus Christ like Paul slaine with the sense of sin and constrained to cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin Rom 7.24 25. it soon seeth and saluteth Christ for
his Saviour with an I thank God through Jesus Christ I have gained the victory The weary and heavy laden are the men invited to Christ for ease and refreshment Mat. 11.28 for indeed such onâ—y seek him and can be satisfied in him and duly savour him the full stomach of a proud Pharisee loaths the honey-comb of Christ his righteousnesse whil'st to the hungry appetite of the humbled sinner the bitterest passions of a Saviour are exceeding sweet the deeper the sense of misery the sweeter is the sense of mercy How acceptable is the fountain of living waters to the chased panting heart Deus oleum non infundit nisi in vas contritum Bern. and the blood of Christ to the thirsty soul and conscience scorched with the sense of Gods wrath the broken and the contrite heart is the only Sacrifice acceptable to God the wounded Samaritan is the fit object of his compassion a Mary Magdalene cannot but love much when looking on her sins she seeth much is forgiven 2. To set them at enmity with sin and in due submission to his sacred Will Sin is natural to the sons of men and only smart for it will make us sick and willing to be rid of it untill God bring Israel into affliction they regard him not but then they seek him daily Hosea 5.14 An unbroken sinner is as unfit for Gods instruction as an unbroken Colt for the saddle or unfallowed ground for seed Manasseh his Bonds break in him the power of his sin â— Chron. 33.12 and the shakings of the prison to the heart-ake of the Jaylor makes him pliable to divine pleasure Act. 16.30 What shall I do to be saved Sense of sin is a principle of submission under affliction Why should a living man complaine for the punishment of his sin Sins revival unto remorse of conscience constrains Pauls outcry O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of corruption the humbled heart gives an heedy eare to divine instruction They are not stiff-necked but give their hand to the Lord to be led by him 2 Chron. 30.8 and therefore God will teach the humblâ— his way Psal 25.9 A bruised heart is like soft waxe prepared for divine impression so that to the end Christ may be of esteem as a Lord and Saviour the penitent soul must on due conviction cry out Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God shall I come before him witâ— burnt-offerings with Calves of a year old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or ten thousand rivers of oyle shall I give my fiâ—st-born for my transgression or the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Micah 6.6 7. And to the end we may be set against sin it must sting the conscience and so work us into a willingnesse to do or suffer the Will of God making us with earnestnesse and resolution cry when pricked at the heart What shall we do to be saved so that a sight of and sorrow for sin as committed against God are parts of and essential to true repentance only before I passe from this Conclusion let it be noted that they are precursive acts Repentance cannot be constituted without them but they are precursive such as alwayes go before sometimes yea too often at least in shew and appearance without true Repentance Judas is convinced of and cast down for sin unto utter despaire crying out I have sinned in betraying innocent blood And Ahab may humble himself in all external expressions and many internal operations of the soul and yet never be turned unto the Lord. We may not indeed deny that humiliation especially in the external acts and expressions goeth many times without conversion and compleated repentance and so we must needs conclude Conviction is not true grace or an estate of saving holinesse but that sad complaints of guilt may passe from Reprobates and damned soules yet we must remember Repentance or conversion never goeth without humiliation sight of and sorrow for sinne In the order of nature men must be convinced of and confounded for the evil from which they are converted we cannot hate and avoid the evil we do not know and know to afflict us and the order of Scripture doth alwayes call to a communing with our hearts that we may stand in awe and not sin Psal 4.5 a searching and trying our wayes before we turn unto the Lord the Law must do its work as a Schoolmaster to every soule that is brought to Christ and the Gospeâ— ever sends the prick into the h art of such as repent unto remission of sin Acts 2.37 38. and the spirit of bondage before the spirit of Adoption of power love and a sound minde Rom. 8.15 Preaching Repentance is the opening the blind eye and the bringing the Prodigal into his right minde that in the sense of his sad estate he may go unto his father and seek mercy The work of the Word is to make them sinners of sense that shall come to Christ for cure to cast down all proud imaginations and every high thought which exalteth it self and so to bring into obediâ—nce to Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 to affect men with guilt and danger that they may with fervency cry What shall we do to be saved to convince that the issues of death will be the end of the way in which they now walk that they may flee with desire and returne without delay In a word to affect the heart with the high transgressions of Gods holy Law the disobedience of a gracious Father and offence done to infinitenesse that the soule may down on its knees prostrate it self at the foot-stoole of mercy fly to Jesus Christ as its Redeemer Surety and alone satisfaction and so sue out its pardon by a serious return to God and these are as it were the pangs of the New Birth natural and necessary though sometimes abortive and miscarrying the first part of sincere repentance though not alwayes successeful to perfect and compleat it for although we must not call the convinced conscience a Gospel-Convert yet the Convert is alwayes convinced sense of and sorrow for sin is no infallible sign of saving grace yet saving grace and sincere repentance is never wrought without a sight of and sorrow for sin as committed against God for this is the precursive act of true repentance and whenever God will seale up under impenitency he stops the passage and possibility of humility making the eare heavy and the eye dim and the heart hard lest they should see with their eyes hear with their eares and be of humbled hearts and so be converted Mat. 13.15 And so much for the third Conclusion but again in the nature of repentance we must Note Conclusion 4 Turning from all sin to God is the formality of true repentance Sincere conversion is the summa totale and ratio formalis of a Gospel-penitent Remorse for sin without a
the whole man and shutteth out all list or leasure to repent 7. They are in danger dolefully to outdate the day of grace God doth manifest graces beauty and magnifie the necessity of Repentance by limiting its time to day if ye will hear his voice well and good if not he will sweare in his wrath you shall not enter into his rest if the day of grace be once expired Repentance may be sought with tears but not obtained and then the pleasures of sin will be shortning conscience will grow clamorous and torment with an expectation of fiery indignatâ—on to be revealed from heaven lamenting too late Oh that I had known in that my day Luke 19.42 the things which Concerne my Peace which are now hid from mine eyes Such as in time will not when it is too late shall see that repentance is the One Thing Necessary of mans life is even of absolute Necessity I have laid before you the two first general things considerable viz. the Nature and Necessity of Repentance wherein I have been longer than intention but shall be more brief in the two remaining I passe then to the third thing propounded viz. The Notes and Characters of true Repentance And concerning this I might return back to the description of Repentance and make that an examination of the truth of your Repentance but I will leave that to your own private meditations and only examine your Repâ—ntance by the Characters propounded by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians For behold this self-same thing that you have sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it hath wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignaâ—ion yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what revenge 2 Cor. 7.11 in which we have two remarkable Notes and Characters of true Rpentance First The general nature of it godly sorrow Secondly The Concomitants thereof care fear c. 1. Mark of Repentance The first Note or Mark of Repentance is godly sorrow I have before Noted sorrow to be essential to Repentance God never calls to Repentance but he calls to weeping or promiseth Repentance Mr. Calamies Sermon before the house of Commons Octob. 22. 1644. but he promiseth a spirit of mourning excellently well saith an eminent Minister of this CITY God hath tyed sin and sorrow together with Adamantine chains A woman may as soon look to be delivered of a Childe in a dream as a man to repent without sorrow Sorrow is indeed the daughter of sin but God hath made the daughter a means to destroy the mother you must not look to dance with the Divel all day and sup with Christ at night to lie in Dalilah's Lap all your lives and go to Abrahams bosome when you dye To the merry Greeks and Boon Companions of the world Repentance seems madnesse because it calls for mourning for wheresoever there is true Repentance there must there will be sorrow for sinne This sorrow must be godly sorrow after a godly sort it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow according to God Godly in its Author Occasion Object End and Effects it must be godly sorrow in its Author springing from God and God alone the working of natural passions by a supernatural power and principle a spirit of mourning even the Spirit of God melting and making the hard heart to mourn a rock relenting on the stroak of Gods rod the stony heart is taken away and an heart of flesh given by the Lord this sorrow is Gods gift from Golgotha the death of the Son of the Son of God depresseth in us all joy and comfort Nature is no Author though an Actor in this grief It is godly in its Occasion Divine offence rather than Humane losse sinne not smart is the ground reason occasion of it it is most in their hearts who in respect of the world have least cause to mourn it is not for losse of wife children goods or credit but breach of Divine Law its complaint is not I am undone but God is offended the Law violated Christ is dishonoured it is more for deformity than deserved misery for extinguished holinesse than miseries to be endured a mourning for sin as sin as it is offensivum Dei aversivum à Deo an act of disobedience an act of unkindnesse It is dolor to God Against thee thee only have I sinned The souls unlikenesse to God unlocks its passion the utmost of perplexities cannot abate its joys if God appear well-pleased nor the highest of enjoyments silence its sorrow whil'st God stands offended It is godly in its object it is s rrow towards God Acts 20.21 A lamenting after the Lord 1 Sam. 7.2 A looking unto Christ and mourning oveâ— him whom we have pierced Zech. 12.10 As a man runs with bleared eyes to the party offended Oh Sir I have offended wronged you will you forgive me So penitent David runs to God and with remorse crieth Against thee thee only have I sinned And the Prodigal crieth to his father I have sinned against thee In days of affliction and atonement Israel assembled and mourned before the Lord penitent Ephraim crieth Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised This sorrow speaks not in the ears of men but God it is not open and seen to the world but secret serious towards God It is godly in its end and effects it is expressed to God that God may be enjoyed this sorrow speaks unto God the vindication of his justice That thou mayst be justified when thou judgest and righteous when thou speakest It is not a mourning of murmuration but of justification Why should a man complain a man for the punishment of his sin it is a sorrow that sets a lustre on the least mercy it is of the Lords mercy we are not consumed We are lesse than the least of his mercies is its language this sorrow is of submission I have sinned let the Lord do what seems him good it lies prostrate at the feet of God for mercy and resigned into the will of God Wherein I have done amiss shew it me I will do so no more and so devotes it self unto God to suffer or do his will its out-cry is Lord what wouldest thou have me to do it is every way godly sorrow This is the first Mark of Repentance The second Note or Character followeth upon it 2. Mark of Repentance and is the Concomitants some call them adjuncts properties effects but I shall only say inseparable Concomitants of this godly sorrow and these are seven in number First Care by some rendred study in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Concomitant of godly sorrow which as Cicero rendreth is a very earnest application of a man unto something with great delight And as Interpreters render it signifieth serious intention of minde and speedy sedulous execution of hand so that it stands opposite to security and slothfulness and intends to Note the diligence and dexterity of
Gospel from being Preached if possible he would blow out the light and hinder men from hearing but chiefly from understanding if our Gospel be hid it is hid unto them that perish the eyes of whose minde the god of this world hath blinded lest the light of the gl rious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 And when God brings to repentance he breaks these barres of ignorance he pulls off these scales of blindnesse and begins with the understanding true grace begins alwayes at the renewing of the mind the transforming of the mind to know the good and acceptable Will of God is the formality of the Gospel-grace true repentance Rom. 12.2 And the knowledge of God being the princâ—ple of it is put for repentance They shall know God Hos 2.20 and God will be known by the Egyptians Isa 19.21 are the promises of repentance There can be no conviction of a contrariety to God where there is not a right conception of God and affection must follow apprehension ignoti nulla cupido how can we fear God or his goodness if we do not know him what reason of return to God when men know not his holinesse offended justice provoked power irresistible mercy in pardoning iniquity It is a seeming faire Apology for Pharaohs obduracy Who is the Lord that I should let Israel go The work of the Gospel is to open the blinde eyes in turning from Satan unto God the enquiry of Saul is first Lord who art thou Act. 9. then What wouldest thou have me to do Did men know who it is they sin against they never durst be so bold Study therefore the nature of God acquaint your selves with his Attributes his Holinesse Power Justice Mercy and the like Your soules will never be drawn from sin or driven into a course of true repentance untill God become your dread 3. Help to repentance Thirdly Sit close to the work of self-scrutiny be serious in self-examination no man sits so fast in impiety as the stranger at home none so soon run upon their ruine as the regardlesse of their accounts This is a remedy of Gods immediate prescription Commune with your hearts is on your beds Psal 4.4 Search and try your wayes and turn unto the Lord Lam. 3.40 Judge your selves Mat. 7.1 When we approach his Table where we are eminently to act repentance the whole work of preparation is resolved into self-examination 1 Cor. 11.28 Nay this is a receipt transmitted to us with a probatum est thus by David Psal 119.59 I examined my wayes and turned my feet into thy Testimonies And when the Prodigals wits returned to consider his wickednesse he would home to be a servant where he had been and might have been a son Gods rod is but a calling us to reckon with our own souls he never reasons with any by correction that read their own estate in his instructions You have heard before that conviction must go before conversion mans conscience is a Register which will bring to remembrance and Judge that will clearly determine of mans wayes the worst of men by a short conference with their own soul would soon see a necessity of repentance censure others lesse and your selves more enquire not into other mens condition so much as your own Conversation let no day return without accounts be serious in self-examination Fourthly Sit loose to the world 4. Help to repentance the world is the great pull-back to heaven and hinderance of repentance you may observe the reason the Rebellion and impenitency of Ezekiels hearers was their hearts went after their covetousnesse Ezek 33.31 otherwise they took delight to hear That sad sentence A Camel may sooner go through the eye of a Needle than a rich man enter into the Kingdome of heaven was occasioned by a rich mans refusal of Christ his call to repentance Matth. 19.20 Riches choak the work and lift up the heart too high great men in the world think they live above all reproof for Tyrus-like they set their hearts as the heart of God Ezek. 28.6 and think to live without controle he that loves the world finds when called to repentance he is loth to leave pleasures it is hard to renounce riches it cuts deep to despise Wife Children Father Mother Friends and deare Relations he cannot but be dismayed at reproach and sufferings sin is the common property of the world the things of this world is the recompence of impiety they that sin highest ordinarily succeed most yet this is the great stumbling stone of the godly the world makes David almost repent his repentance Psal 73. They that will follow God must be strangers to the world true Penitentiaries must be pilgrims in the earth Fifthly See the shortnesse of life 5. Help to repentance and limitaton of the day of grace Hopes of long life and thoughts of repentance at pleasure help many a soul to hell our life we must consider is but a bubble a blast a shadow gone before it well appeare in which there is no certainty our time is in Gods hand he hath numbred our dayes but to which of us hath he declared the number hath he given any man a legible Lease of his life have the youngest strongest most healthful among us an assurance of to morrow and doth not eternity depend on the well-husbanding of this uncertain time is there any remembrance of God in the grave or repentance among the dead doth not death determine the eternal estate of men Dives eyes cannot distiâ—l one tear in hell though he call to Abraham for mitigation of torments never so much as begs the pardon of sin no that is too late see we not men pensive and sad at the thoughts of death Chrysostome hath told us the cause of the fear of death is because we live not in the austerity befitting Christianity but lead dâ—licate and voluptuous lives Could we make every day our dying day it would quicken us to repentance Hilarion never had a to morrow and when he comes to die he hath the comfort of it Oh my soul get thee out of this house of clay what dost thou fear Septuaginta pr pe annis servivisti Christo mortem tim s Hast thou served Christ almost seventy yeares and dost thou now feare death If we will live for ever we must die dayly if we will not defer repentance we must not determine to our selves any other time than the present Again if we know our time in nature who knoweth the date of the day of grace It is a limited day but the bounds thereof are not pub ished that to day whilst it is called to day we may hearken to his voice Heb. 4.4 7. lest he sweare in his wrath we shall not enter into his rest A season of salvation is allotted to the sons of men the old world had its day Jerusalem had her day every of us have our day
but our day of nature may out-date our day of grace yet of this we have no assurance but if so it do it were better the day of our being had never been for the opportunity lost we are lost for ever whilst we enjoy the Word and motions of the Spirit we have hope but if ever these cease we are undone Let us startle our souls with these sad thoughts This may be the last day or hour of my life but if not the last day and houre of grace would we hear every Sermon as the last it would rouze our souls to repentance Sixthly Seriously expâ—ct approaching judgement it is an Argument to repentance 6. Help to repentance and very perswasive thereunto as you have before heard the thoughts of the last judgement will cool the courage of the prophanest sinner when he seeth the day approach in which his secrâ—t sins must be laid open a severe sentence cannot be respited or suspended for the least moment but must be executed with speed certainty and severity the Judge is just and will then be inexorable All the shelâ—ers of his power might policies riches honours by which he staved off reproâ—f will now bâ— scattered a d fame vain and bootlesse the Judge is no respector of person a day stored with indignation which will not be mitigated but be poured out in full vials can the heart but tremble that is the subject of these thoughts They that sin with boldnesse set the day of judgement at a distance from their soul but if we will provoke repentance think with Jerom you alwayes hear the Trumpet of the last day sounding in your ears Arise ye dead and come to judgement Excellent was the stratagem to stir up repentance whâ—ch is storied of a Christian King of Hungary who being on a time sad and pensive his brother a jolly Courtier would needs know the cause of his sadnesse O Brother said the King I have been a great sinner against God and know not how to die or to appear before God in judgement his Brother making a jest of it said These are but melancholy thoughts the King replyed nothing at present But the custome of the Country was that if the Executioner came and sounded a Trumpet before any mans door he was presently led to execution the King in the dead time of the night sends the Executioner to sound the Trumpet before his brothers door who hearing it and seeing the Messenger of death sprang into the Kings presence beseeching to know in what he had â—ffended Alas Brother said the King you have never offended me And is the sight of my Executioner so dreadful and shall not I who have greatly offended fear to be brought before the judgement seat of Christ a singular cure for jovial contempt of repentance the sense of judgement is a strong summons to repentance Seventhly Seriously apprehend the possibility nay probability nay the positive certainty of pardon I have before told you 7. Help to repentance Repentance is the result of faith despair deters duty hope in Israel is the great help to repentance the Law leads to conviction but the Gospel to conversion despair is the devils lock to impenitency look up therefore see there is mercy with the Lord that he may be feared and plenteous Redemption that he may be sought unto apprehend then the price of mans sin paid the justice of God satisfied the pardon sealed in and by the blood of Christ and proclaimed in the Gospel so that it is thine with certainty if received with a prostrate soul and sued out by serious repentance nothing needs to deter God is reconciled therefore return unto him 8. Help to repentance Eighthly Soak the heart in the blood of Jesus take every day a turn of meditation in Mount Calvary cast thy eyes on a crucified Christ read the nature of thy sin the provoked wrath of God and passionate loves of a Saviour it is suppling to the Adamantine heart and swasive to the most obdurate soul I have before noted its force and efficacy to repentance be perswaded daily to contemplate the Crosse of Christ 9. Help to repentance Ninthly Speed will much facilitate repentance sin may be removed before it be settled by custome but then it is difficult youth is pliable to precepts strong under burdens dexterous and active in businesse when old age is infirm and impotent the piety of youth is the horrour of the devil the honour of Religion the case and joy of the soul let not sin become customary if you will ever cast it off for it will become a second nature linger not in what you will be rid of for the longer you linger you will be more loth to part like Austins modo sine modo and paululum quod ibat in longum your anon will never come and our little longer in sin will last for ever by the good will of nature singularly good is the counsel of Basil If the thing be honest keep it to the end if filthy and hurtfull why dost thou continue in it doth any that desires to ease the stomach of choler increase it by a continued bad and intemperate dyet if ever you will repent repent betimes late repentance is rarely true but ever difficult 10. Help to repentance Tenthly Sue for it at the hands of God Repentance is Gods gift and therefore must be begged it is Christs purchase the Covenants promise and may be begged with confidence Jesus Christ is exalted to give Repentance therefore go to him in Faith all meanes is ineffectual without Gods Blessing Let therefore Prayer enforce all meanes to this end whilst you sit under the Word study the nature of God examine your selves sit loose to the world see life its brevity and the limitation of the day of Grace seriously expect the day of judgement sensibly apprehend a pardon soake the heart in the blood of Christ and speed Repentance second all with earnest Supplication say with Ephraim O Lord turn thou me and so shall I be turned so shall your stony heart be taken from you and you shall possesse this necessary grace of Repentance in the truth of it which God of his mercy grant us OF Holiness HEB. 13.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. HEre are two duties enjoyned together in one and the same precept though not enjoyned wâ—th the same penalty peace and holinesse the latter hath a sad threat added if we misse it without which no man shall see the Lord. It is somewhat like that charge Exod 28.34 35. that the Vest of Aaron should be on the skirt with a Pomegranate and a Bell both of gold yet the use of the Bell was far above that of the Pomegranate that the sound thereof may be heard when he goeth in before the Lord that he dye not So are peace and holiness two golden graces or blessings peace is like the Pomegranate
me in whose presence is fulnesse of joy * Psal 16.11.3 Thirdly After this sentence follows the Execution Mat. 13.30 Binde the tares in bundles to burn them Christ will say Bundle up these sinner here a bundle of hypocrites there a bundle of Apostates there a bundle of prophane bundle them up and throw them in the fire And now no cryes or entreaties will prevail with the Judge the sinner and the fire must keep one another company he who would not weep for his sins must burne for them and it is everlasting fire The three children were thrown into the fire but they did not stay in long The King came near to the mouth of the burning fiery surnace and said Come forth Dan. 3.26 but the fire of the damned is everlasting this word ever breaks the heart length of time cannot terminate it a Sea of-tears cannot quench it The wrath of God is the fire and the breath of God is the Bellows to blow it up to all eternity O how dreadfully tormenting will this fire be to endure it will be intolerable to avoid it will be impossible Use 1 Use 1. Let me perswade all Christians to believe this Truth that there shall be a day of judgement Eccles 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement This is a great Article of our faith that Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead yet how many live as if this Article were blotted out of their Creed we have too many Epicures and Atheists who drown themselves in sensual delights and live as if they did not believe either God or day of judgement the Luâ—ianists and Platonises deny the immortality of the soul the Photinians hold there is no Hell I have read of the Duke of Silecia he was so infatuated that he did not believe either God or Devil * Usque adco insâ—nus ut neque inseros neque superos esse dicat I wish there be not too many of this Dukes opinion Durst men swear be unchast live in malice if they did believe a day of judgement Oh mingle this Text with faith the Lord hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world There must be such a day not only Scripture but reason confirms it There is no Kingdom or Nation in the world but have their Sessions and Courts of Judicature and God who sets up all other Courts shall not he be allowed his that there shall be a day of judgement is engraffed by nature in the consciences of men Peter Martyr tells us that some of the Heathen Poets have written that there are certain Judges appointed Minos Radamanthus and others to examine and punish offenders after this life Use 2 Vse 2. See here the sad and deplorable estate of wicked men this Text is as the hand-writing on the wall which may make their knees to smite one against another Dan. 5.6 The wicked shall come to judgement but they shall not stand in judgement Psa 1.5 in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall not rise up When God shall be deck'd with glory and Majesty his face as the appearance of lightening his eyes as Lamps of fire and a sword of justice in his hand and shall call the sinner by name and say Stand forth answer to the charge that is brought against thee what canst thou say for thy pride oaths drunkennesse c. these sins thou hast been told of by my Ministers whom I sent rising up early and going to bed late * Jer. 7.25 but thou didst persist in thy wickedness with a neck of iron * Isa 48.4 a brow of brass * Ezek. 36.26 an heart of stone all the tools I wrought with were broken and worn out upon thy rocky spirit what canst thou say for thy self that the sentence should not passe O how amazed and confounded will the sinner be he will be found speechless he will not be able to look his Judge in the face * Job 31.14 Job 31.14 What then shall I do when God râ—seth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him O wretch thou that canst now out-face thy Minister and thy godly Parents when they tell thee of sin thou shalt not be able to out-face thy Judge when God riseth up the sinners countenance will be faln * Gen. 4 6. and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Not many years since the Bishops did use to visit in their Diocesse and call several persons before them as criminal all the world is Gods Diocesse and shortly he is coming his visitation and will call men to account Now when God shall visit how shall the impure soul be able to answer him 1 Pet. 4.18 Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare Thou that dyest in thy sin art sure to be cast at the Barre John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already that is he is as sure to be condemned as if he were condemned already and if once the sentence of damnation be passed miserable man what wilt thou do whither wilt thou go * A dextris erunt peccata accusantia à sinistris infinita daemonia subtus horrendum chaos inferni desupor judex iratus soris mundus ardens intus conscientiaurens heu miser peccator quo fugies Ansel wilt thou seek help from God he is a consuming fire wilt thou seek help from the world it will be all on fire about thee from the Saints those thou didst deride upon earth from the good Angels they defie thee as Gods enemy from the bad Angels they are thine Executioners from thy conscience there is the worme that gnaws from mercy the Lease is run out O the horror and hellish despaire which will seize upon sinners at that day oh the sad convulsions their heads shall hang down their cheeks blush their lips quiver their hands shake their conscience roar their heart tremble What stupifying Physick hath the Devil given to men that they are insensible of the danger they are in the cares of the world have so filled their head and the profits of it hath so bewitched their heart that they minde neither death nor judgement Vse 3 Vse 3. Exhortation 1. Branch Possesse your selves with the thoughts of the day of judgement think of the solemnity and impartiality of this Court. Feathers swim upon the water Exhortat 1. Branch gold sinks into it light feathery spirits floate in vanity but serious Christians sink deep in the thoughts of judgement many people are like quick-silver they cannot be made to fix If the Ship be not well ballasted it will soon overturn the reason why so many are overturned with the vanities of the world is because they are not well ballasted with the thoughts of the day of judgement Were a man
steps 312 313 314. F Faith commended p. 455 456. Faith distinguished into its kinds 456 457. Faith defined 449. By its genus and subject 460. causes 461 462 463 464 465 466 467. Effects 468 469 470 471 472 473 474. properties 475 476 477 478. and opposites 479. 480 481. Faith if saving receiveth whole Christ on judgement and choice 475. Faith groweth and persevereth and purifieth 477 478 479. Faith and salvation how connexed 473 474. Faith strengthned by the Covenant of Redemption 228. Faith how it justifieth 421. Faith greatly opposed 480. Faith goeth before Repentance in order of nature as its cause 490. Faith in its essential acts without its reflexions is the cause of Repentance 491. Faith of Scriptures authorities to be strengthened 103 104. False Repentance seven kinds viz. Popish 515. Pagan 516. Profane ibid. Legal 517. Slaves ibid. Sullen p. 518. Quakers Repentance ibid. 519. Fall of man was from his own mutable self-determining will 111. Federal transaction did pass between God the Father and Son and that from all eternity 219 226. Fear of God the duty of such who believe God is 58 59. Fear accompanieth true Repentance 542. Filiation to God is by Adoption and Regeneration 447. Filial priviledges Believers comforts 451 452 453. Flesh an enemy to Faith 480. Flesh crucified by union with Christ 391 392. Forme of sound words to be held fast 670. By Magistrates how 674 675 676 677. By Ministers how 678 679. By the People how 680 681. Freedome of God Father and Son in transacting the Covenant for mans Redemption 224. Free-grace the ground of Adoption and Regeneration 477. Fruitfulnesse a note of union with Christ 392 393. G God is p. 30 31. Gods being is evident in nature 31. 48. and Scripture 48 49. Gods being consistent with the adversity of the just and prosperity of the wicked and evidenced by them 45 50 51. God is the only efficient of Faith 461 462. God could not be the original of sin 111. Gods glory the ground of Adoption and Regeneration 447. God as Judge justifieth how and when 122. God the object of beatifical vision 654 655. Gospel a good cause 3. Gospel-means to work Faith 465. and call loudly to Repentance 525. Gospel how it justifieth 421. Gospel-Covenant better than the Legal 245 246 247 248. Gosepl-Manner of propounding Repentance is by way of duty and priviledge 426 Gospel-Arguments perswading Repentance most pregnant and moving 527 528. Gospel-Helps to Repentance most powerful and operative p. 533. Grace of God magnified by mans fall 213 214. First cause impulsive of justification 420. Graces are the fruits of the Spirit 390. Grudge not the prosperity of the wicked 645. H Of Hell 621. the wicked turned into it 623. its name explained ibid. nature described 624. its pain ibid. The Properties of its punishment Extremity 628 629. Eternity 628 629. Hell discerned by the Heathen 635. Hell proved by Equity 636 637 638 639 640 641. Merit 636 637 638 639 640 641. No Bar or hinderance 636 637 638 639 640 641. Heresie an hindrance to Faith 480. Heresies and Errors disbanded when we come to heaven 649. Hearing must be fixt and constant 22. So it will help Repentance p. 545. Heart the subject of Faith 459. and seat of Holinesse 558. Heaven 647. it is a Kidgdome how 649. Hindrances to the understanding Scripture what they are and how removed 100 101. Holding fast what it meaneth 5. Holinesse 554. a state trade habit and disposition 555. Holinesse defined 556. Holinesse the designe of God in all his acts 559 560. Holinesse constitutes a Christian or Saint 561 562. Holinesse spreads over the whole man 558. Holinesse changeth a man 557. Holinesse necessary unto communion with God 563. Holinesse its properties 567. Companions peace righteousnesse unblameablenesse 268. its opposites filthinesse of flesh of spirit over-reaching and hypocrisie 569 570. Holinesse of the Publisher proveth the Scripture to be the Word of God 94. And so doth the holy matter pressed in it 91 92. and its holy Arguments 93. Humility the effect of sensible impotency p. 214. Humiliation of Christ 278. three steps of it 280 281. the manner of it 287. Humanity of Christ a miracle of humiliation 280. Humility must go before honour 333. I Ignorance inconsistent to Faith 479. dangerous 483. Impotency of man since the fall very great 202 203. Impossible to recover of himself 204. Impotent in respect of the Law 205. Of the Gospel 206. 207. Impotency determined in Scripture ibid. Impotency no bar to the demand of duty direction of means or infliction of punishment 210 211 212 213. Impotency is to be seen and known 214. Infants distempers and death an effect and evidence of original sin 143. So is their aptitude to evil and backwardness to good 144. Inheritance of Saints hath no corruption succession or division p. 441. Inheritance why heaven so called 661. Inherited by Adoption 662 663. Donation 662 663. Redemption 662 663. Inspiration what it imports 87. Inventions and many inventions what they signifie 106. Indignation accompanieth Repentance 442. Judgements of God prevented 521 522. and removed by Repentance 523 524. Last Judgement provokes holiness 563. and perswades to Repentance 531 532 533 Judge whom 608. Manner of his coming 610. Last Judgement its day 605. It is particular and general 606. why it must be and when 607. its method and order 609. Justice of God satisfied by the death of Christ 301. Justification its nature opened 402 c. Differeth from Sanctification ib. Justified implies guilt plea and acquittance p. 403. Justified persons are acquitted on their plea. 419. Justification its causes Gods free grace 421 422. Christs satisfaction 421 422. The Gospel 421 422. Faith 421 422. God Law-giver 421 422. God Judge 421 422. Works 421 422. Spirit 421 422. Justification by what plea procured 406. Justification not from Eternity 423. Justification procured by Christs death 341. is evident by the Possibility 342 343 344. Necessity 342 343 344. Nature 342 343 344. Cause 342 343 344. Vicegerency 342 343 344. Peculiarity to this end 342 343 344. Justification doth manifest the wisdome holinesse and mercy of God 428. Justification the priviledge of the Gospel-Covenant 140. Justification the ground of comfort p. 429. to be sought by sinners 430. prized by Saints 432. K Kingly Office of Christ what it is and how executed 255 256. Kingly Office the Saints priviledge by Adoption 441. L Law Regulans 110. Law Regulata 110. Law of God the rule of rectitude ib. Law given Adam in Creation was partly natural partly positive 108. Law requireth duty exacts penalty terrifieth and stupifieth 204 205. Law general and special obeyed by Jesus Christ 223 224. Law fulfilled in Christ his death 301. Law given in Paradise was not executed or abrogated but released and dispensed with p. 413 414 415. Light burning and shining 1. Likenesse of sinful flesh what it means and how Christ was found in it 281 282. Likenesse to God